I tend to pretend I’m allergic to the hyperbole so often creamed from the breathless fingers (!) of other hacks - but it’s more the music industry’s constant/regular need to hype the undeserving that really alienates me; the paper-thin and long-prolonged fake orgasm of the ad campaign, once removed. So many ‘best new bands’… So much ‘download this’…
But anyway, ostentatious musings aside, the reason I’m writing you today is to do all of that re: Micachu (pictured above) who makes radically dreamy stuff as a grimish mixtape producer, plays it live with her band, The Shapes, and lobs compositions into the grateful/confused arms of the London Philharmonic.
As you’ll soon see, I made her ‘Lone Ranger’ my single of the month in May’s issue. That led me to download her free ‘Filthy Friends’ mixtape. And, having given the fifty-minute beast headspace at least three times, this is the most exclamation-pointy I’ve been about a new artist since Marnie Stern. Maverick chimera!
Find it here. Download it for free. Thank her, not me.
Posted
by kicking_k on Monday, April 28th, 2008 (No Comments)
We’ve been given five pairs of tickets for an event occurring tomorrow - details follow - email kick at planbmag.com - firstcomers will be rewarded bountifully…
SAT 26TH APRIL - Be Presents …with TURBOWOLF, THEY CAME FROM THE STARS (I SAW THEM) + THE BLEEPS - 8pm-2.30am - Proud Galleries - full details here.
Unrelated, but pertinent to the weekend as a magical place where fun things happen (due to self-curated chemical imbicility) and are forgotten amongst the pain/sickness of golden morn, travel yonderish for Dan Deacon’s all-new ‘Okie-Dokie’.
Can you do The Explode?
Posted
by kicking_k on Friday, April 25th, 2008 (No Comments)
Justice’s ‘DVNO’ vid (above) has been all over the web in recent weeks, sparking a collective scramble to identify each of the retro TV idents and icons employed by Ed Banger’s inhouse graphics dude So Me. Like ‘D.A.N.C.E.’ before it, rather than a single high concept, what we have is a series of clever pastiches, ingenious transitions and constant eye candy.
And, while his (admittedly superlative) videos may be grabbing the blog chatter, it shdn’t be forgotten that he’s set the visual tone for the label since the beginning - here are just some of his previous covers. Given the limited aesthetic of many or most dance releases, So Me gives Ed Banger an extra dimension for the info age. Yaaay (in French).
Posted
by kicking_k on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 (No Comments)
Chipmunk (as featured in the latest issue of Plan B) and Sway on the set of Sway’s new video for the earwormtastic F Ur X single. Odd but nice to see Sway looking like an elder statesman when he’s only a few months away from releasing his second album. Still trying to work out exactly why Chipmunk was at the shoot, other than random support (which is enough, of course). He ain’t on the single, that’s for sure, but we’ve got our fingers crossed for a remix. Definitely like to see the two of them working together on the Sway LP.
Thanks to Ben Harris for the photo.
Posted
by Ringo on Thursday, April 17th, 2008 (No Comments)
I don’t know what it is, exactly, but the video for These New Puritans’ ‘Swords Of Truth’ (above) really brings them into focus for me. It’s in part the mesmeric, somewhat confrontational performance, likewise the mannered and mystical psychedelia which stylistically hyperlinks Kenneth Anger or Stan Brakhage. Whatever, they point in an interesting direction, I think - unlike a lot of their peers, their initial energy has been spent attaining a trajectory which aims beyond success - looking forward to finding out where it takes them…
Posted
by kicking_k on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 (No Comments)
The Room is an LA phenom, a movie so excruciatingly - but perfectly - inept that it makes for an hour-long cringe. More info here, and follow that (if you’re able) with the quite astonishing, almost meta-acting of my favourite rooftop scene. (Via Videogum)
For the full experience, though, you have to witness the way screenings of this accidental comedy opus now boast considerably more audience interaction than most gigs you cd mention. Witness the multi-layered wrongitude of the ‘Breast Cancer’ scene, and then, the same as a sick pageant/ironic mass…
Posted
by kicking_k on Monday, April 14th, 2008 (No Comments)
Traditionally, i suppose i shd be posting something appropriate to celebrate the commencement of the weekend. Please note, though, that you are not the boss of me. Also, maybe - maybe i can’t give you what you need.
And so, for now, click above for the perfectly simple, achingly almost-staccato video for Wave Pictures’ ‘I Love You Like A Madman’ (I do this despite being frationally split between puzzlement and vexation re:their somewhat myopic comments on hip-hop in the latest Plan B).
Now, below, for ‘Wheelpusher’ by Anni Rossi, whose thoughts on turntablism and breaking are unknown at this time, but whose affecting spirit is unquestioned.
Oh, PS: i am going to blow yr mind on a quantum level come Monday. Wear a helmet next time you visit.
Posted
by kicking_k on Friday, April 11th, 2008 (No Comments)
It’s official. Bookmark me. The backlash against the Timbaland backlash starts here and now, frikky-frikky-frikk-oww.
Oh, it was bound to happen - acknowledging Timbaland’s genius has been hegemonic for years - but now that the dude has started starring in his own number ones, I’ve noted the first symptomatic spate of mild sniffiness toward him. It’s true that ‘The Way I Are’ didn’t push any sonic envelopes forward, but damn, it was siiiiiilky. And fun. Is there a problem? (We’ll ignore the McDonalds sponsorship for now, err-uh-err-uh…)
As for ‘Elevator’, his new single with Flo Rida (he comes from Florida! He rides flo(w)s!) - ok, it blatantly accessorises (Timbo’s own) ‘Maneater’ with the “ella-e-ella” of ‘Umbrella’, but I’m racking that up as witty homage rather than cynical ploy (a small, immature part of me wishes he’d written a song about an ‘ella-e-ellaphant’ but I am not in charge of his career for a reason).
As for the video, it’s a pretty unimaginative macho porn scenario, with Monsieur Rida’s muscular face exploring the slim range of emotions between ‘lusty’ and ’smug’. Much better (even sillier) is the MadonnaTimb/aland/erlake ‘Four Minutes To Save The World’.
Spoiler: They do not save the world. We are all basically doomed because their dance routine was not sufficient to destroy the CGI effect which chases them like an inescapable, amorphous metaphor.
Posted
by kicking_k on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 (No Comments)
indie pat/matriarchs will doubtless approve of the (Pitchfork TVesque) content above - Mission Of Burma documenting, in three informative videos, the all-analogue remastering of their ‘Definitive Reissue Series’.
you may ask if such reverent resurrectionism is necessary, but i like the thought that they’re at least trying to conclusively capture what they originally wanted, rather than doing a CGI/modish guest revamp job like some we cd mention…
Posted
by kicking_k on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 (No Comments)
