Monday 28 June 2010

OBERHOFER

It's a little bit wild bore and a little bit Animal Collective. There's sparsely echoing vocals, ticking clocks, xylophone tinkles and thrashing cymbals. It's energetic yet sporadic, it's got catchy percussion, tight melodies and wonderful whistling. OBERHOFER is American born Brad Oberhofer. Although starting off solo he has now expanded to include three other members. 

Brad's house burnt down. As a kickstart he decided to send his music to every and any blog.


Oberhofer Documentary from Agustin Lopez on Vimeo.

Wild Nothing

Virginia bred WILD NOTHING are currently taking their sweet acoustic laden harmonies throughout Europe they'll be finishing up with the UK on 29 July (ending in Manchester) and then on to Germany. Fortunately for all those Brits that missed out they'll be back on 20 August playing at the Luminaire!

Live Review: Love Is All


The snap, crackle and pop of lofi Swedish darlings LOVE IS ALL were on display at East London's CAMP. Check the whole review here.

Interview: Holy Ghost!


New York's DFA sons talk to Skiddle about outfit coordination and how long it really takes to make a dime. Check it here.

Live Review: Broken Bells @ Royal Festival Hall - London


Broken Bells - The Shin's crooner James Mercer and Danger Mouse aka Brian Burton combine their creative juices. Click here to see the result.

Friday 25 June 2010

May Live Review: Neon Indian

NEON INDIAN a texas-born band fronted by 22-year-old Alan Palomo took the stage at East London's CAMP basement and played through their debut PSYCHIC CHASMS. Loving an album from start to finish is a rare occurrence but Psychic Chasms is most certainly an exception. So tonight my expectations were rather high. Having a bevy of live shows already neatly tucked behind their belt the synth-pop quartet kick it off with “6669 (I Don’t Know If You Know)” and played a tight show yet something was missing. 

It has been strongly recommended by many that this 1980's dream-weave music should definitely not be heard out of the speakers of a mere laptop. To do this would only degenerate the quality and purpose of what Palomo and co. are trying to create. But tonight it felt like I was listening to Psychic Chasms through a computer's tinny speakers and as a result the spin tingling chill, usually incited by the American band was no-where to be found.

Well known “Psychic Charms” and “Should Have Taken Acid With You” are well received by the crowd yet as much as I tried to close my eyes; gently swaying to the music, it seemed the most-anticipated depth was lacking. Nothing reverberated within my cavity. It was dull, almost life-less. Due to the ridiculously low sound on Palomo's microphone, the lead's vocals were unfortunately drowned out by Ronald Gierhart's electric strummings. It was as if we were listing to a band sans its singer. However, eventually I did muster up the courage to tap Palomo on the leg before explaining that the rest of us hadn't heard a word he'd 'said' all night. And they did turn it up, just in time for the last songs: “Deadbeat Summer” and “Ephemeral Artery”. Physically Palomo had all the right moves. His body convulsed in time with the spasmic, lofi crackles and pops of “Psychic Chasms” yet it is a shame that live such an amazing band, with one exquisite album, failed to share their aural treasures due to mere technical difficulties.

Trentemoller Interview up on Skiddle.com

He'll be accompanied by his 7 piece live orchestra in October at London's Roundhouse.

Monday 21 June 2010

Saturday 19 June 2010

Interview: Local Natives

LA band "Local Natives" played Shepherd's Bush Empire on Wed 15 June. It was their second time playing the epic venue but their first time as a headliner. It's safe to say that the show was an harmonic adventure of luscious lyrics of joy and despair with a quintet who couldn't fit more perfectly. From spending months on end eating "nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches" they may not be able to afford a tour bus: "those things are expensive" but they've certainly proved "Local Natives" are not just another 'hype' band.

Watch out for a full throttle interview on skiddle.com!

Interview: Love Is All























I had the pleasure of seeing Gothenburg born-band LOVE IS ALL preform at East London's CAMP. They played through their new album "2010 Injuries" and reminisced back to older albums: "Nine Times That Same Song" and "One Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night".

I was lucky enough to sit down with pixie-like front-woman Josephine Olausson to speak all things KAROAKE and WAITING.

Sneak Peak:
Describe what you do in a day?
I think more than anything we ‘wait’ a lot. This is not going to be one sentence, sorry. But we’re always waiting for microphones, or the sound system.
I hear your ferry was delayed and it ended up taking you 12 hours to get to London today.
Yea exactly. It was really frustrating. People don’t realise how much waiting bands do.
A lot of lyricists say things in their life inspire them and sometimes they’ll write lines down to use for later. Do you do that?
That usually happens to me and I’ll be like: “I should write that down”. But I never do and then I forget.

Catch the rest on SKIDDLE.COM soon!

Thursday 17 June 2010

LeCool June 17 - 23


LeCool London 17-23 out today.

Note the new address!

Click away.

Boys Noize Interview


Boys Noize Interview - We spoke to Alex Ridah about everything but the Bratwurst.

Sunday 13 June 2010

Every Four Years - World Cup 2010


Last night the UK and the US went head-to-head and what resulted was a boring' ol' draw. Nothing more nothing less. At least when someone loses there's tears. Nope. Not last night. I've heard the British can get pretty feisty when they lose a game. And unfortunately I myself can not vouch for this.

Don't get me wrong I don't want the UK to lose, I mean it's been so kind to let me stay as long as I have. BUT SOMEONE NEEDS TO LAUGH, CRY OR SHOUT. None of this ambivalence. Raw emotion is a necessary element to any football match.

The image to the left is the front-page of the NY Post. I guess the Americans have finally got the hang of irony. Let's hope that's all it is.

Tonight sees Australia take on Germany.

If there was any time to be patriotic - it shall be tonight.

Go Australia!

DARIA - When MTV Championed the Outcast

Last month marked the release of MTV show Daria on DVD. The show born in 1997 followed Daria, a misfit cretin whose apathy became an integral part of her character and charm. Running until 2002 the American black comedy was broadcast at a time when MTV championed the 'outcast'. They weren't busy trying to show kids of the late nineties who to be but just to be. 

These days MTV is better known for shows such as Laguna Beach and The Hills where the audience is conditioned to believe that if you're rich, tanned and popular the fact that you struggle to form a complete sentence is a small glitch that shouldn't overshadow the more important things in life: being rich, tanned and popular.
DARIA on DVD is a nice reminder of how things used to be on MTV.

Dominique Young Unique - Elastic Rap Candy


June 10 saw the internet dominated by one 19-year-old Tampa lass whose mix tape 'Domination' is doin' the rounds. 

DOMINQUE UNIQUE sings in a self-assured sultry voice about well.. herself kickin' booty. 

She's a hard-ass combination of Missy Elliot's strength, M.I.A's 'don't-give-a f**k-attitude' and Spank Rock's foul linguistics (See 'Pussy Popping'). The diva rapper preformed at the last SXSW and the rapid reverberator is already a sure fire hit on the blogosphere.

Dominique Young Unique - Domination by Toast Press

Thursday 10 June 2010

BRODINSKI - The Creators Project

French producer & DJ Louis Brodinski is a mere 22 years of age. You wouldn't know it by the amount of facial foliage he's sporting (yes please). He's been signed to Canadian label Turbo (owned by Tiga) and his stuff has also been produced by fellow Frenchie Yuksek. He's hot on the wave of all things sonically appealing and is one of the internet's biggest fans. He admits to never owning a record and has no qualms being apart of the MP3 Generation.

Watch out for our interview with the BRODINSKI for skiddle.com. Until then enjoy the below interview organised for the newly established creative network known as The Creators Project.



The Creators Project - DIPLO





















Click image to see video documentary!

Short doco of the trajectory of highly-lauded producer and DJ DIPLO. It's one of many from the new collective known as The Creators Project. Check it out for more revealing footage of other creative pioneers including Mark Ronson, Brazil's CSS, France's Brodinski, YYY's Nick Zinner and MANY MANY MORE. Stay tuned for the big day in London on 17 July.

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Dummy Album Review: The Drums: The Drums


Click to see the saccharine review of The Drums impending debut self titled (17 June 2010), albeit quite short, in its full glory.

Sunday 6 June 2010

Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

Echoing guitars, soaring melodies and rootsy undertones is a simplified equation to the success of US rock band Band of Horses yet the dictum less is ALWAYS more certainly rings true. 2010 sees the boys gearing up for an extensive jaunt through the UK, Australia and America. First stop the UK. The 9 June sees them hit London terrain at Camden's magnificent rotunda otherwise known as the Roundhouse.

Check out this 2010 MTV interview with Ben Bridwell and Tyler Ramsey.

Friday 4 June 2010

The Golden Girls: A Golden Age


What's with everything going KAPUT? T'is common knowledge that we have ZERO power over the almighty force that is the Grim Reeper. But come on! It's Summer, that's the one right after Spring; the blossoming has progressed and now it's time for development and growth. The sunshine and temporality of life should be enough of an incentive. Yet the existence of people and print alike is ceasing before my very eyes. Just last night I hear the news that a third Golden Girl has died. Our beloved silver foxes that kept us entertained during our impressionable stages in life, soaking it in like a sponge, are dropping like flies.


Since 2008, 1 Golden Girl has died per year. It was Estelle Getty who first left the mother ship followed by Bea Arthur in 2009 and today in 2010 we celebrate the life of Rue McLanahan. The lady that once played the bawdy, sexually liberated Blanche Deveraux, for a good part of her life. Today she leaves us reruns of an Emmy Award winning show that always came back to that kitchen table. From 1982 a whole decade of GGs was laid out for us. That kitchen table bore witness to their inane conflicts, dreams and tantrums yet succesfully managed to entertain the world over. The Golden Girls proved that a lady doesn't have to be a Gossip Girl to gain warranted and well-deserved attention. To this day The Golden Girls has more balls and sensibility than many of its predecessors.


If there is a god, LEAVE BETTY WHITE ALONE.

A day later I receive news of another death; that of Australia's Ralph Magazine. It's inky pages have fallen victim to the Internet. The impalpable net has used its main source of fuel; the one of instant gratification as a pseudo kryptonite against its veteran competitor; the printed publication. It seems some may fall yet others still stand.

Thursday 3 June 2010

Metric Interview - Past Monster Hospital





























Click HERE for the full interview in which METRIC's Haines and Shaw dispel any rumours around the YEAH YEAH YEAHS, TV ON THE RADIO, LIARS & AMICABILITY.

LeCOOL LDN - 3 - 9 JUNE


This weeks's LeCool London out now. Check out the new design layout!

Click here for the weekly culture vulture!

Etienne de Crecy Interview


Etienne de Crecy encourages love on the dance-floor..Check the love doctors notes at skiddle.com. CLICK FOR FULL INTERVIEW

The Twelves Interview

























THE TWELVES INTERVIEW: Luciano Oliveria talks about shitty promo gifts, legal relaxants to get the creative juices flowing and what it's like to be less popular in your home. Check Skiddle.com for the whole rant.

What are you looking at?

My photo
I am more than prone to monologues; however, this is solely due to the manner in which they compliment a witty anecdote and their ability to resemble concrete evidence when it is so obviously lacking. I often wish I could emulate that aloof character who coolly stands in the corner smiling mysteriously as if she has a secret. However, I fear resisting the temptation to involve myself in other people’s conflicts and responding through body language rather than verbose banter may come across as contrived and arrogant. And, I am not willing to take that chance.

Ye Faithful