They Call It Justice

Copyright G.Wigzell 2007. Lofi Hifi 31/10/07.


Very nice little mash up sent over from Tel Aviv -

Justice Vs Dead Prez - They Call It Justice (Yarin Lidor Remix)

As he says "I recommend playing that tune in an electro cranky dance floor, after 02:00am…"

Indeed.

Yarin Lidor Myspace

Rip it down and start again

Daft Punk - Technologic (George Wigzell's Rip Down and Start Again Refit)

haha. I'm quite new to the making music game, and this is the first effort I've felt like sharing - and it's still not complete, or properly mixed - generally rough sounding, a work in progress - and I've labelled it as a Daft Punk Remix for now until I find a different vocal line to use. I've also always wanted my own silly remix name so 'George Wigzell's Rip Down and Start Again Refit' seemed like a good starting point. Anyways, disclaimers aside, feedback appreciated.

Our Band Could Be Your Life

A recap back to some tunes due an airing at Lofi, a bit of punk rock and some chic French bedtime music.



The Minutemen were one of the most influential underground indie-rock bands of the 80s, yet it took me reading the excellent book, Our Band Could Be Your Life, to discover them. The book itself charts the underground American indie scene through the 80s, following the bands that led up to the breakthrough of Nirvana. Some of the bands are more widely known - Fuagzi, Black Flag, Minor Threat - and much more punk-rock/hardcore, some were new to me - and the Minutemen now rank amongst my favourite bands. I also guarantee you'll recognise one of the tracks posted, even if you've never heard of the band before. I'll let the music speak for itself, anyway.

The Minutemen - The Glory of Man A record played at Lofi occasionally, usually earlier on, but deserving a place higher up the order!
The Minutemen - Corona

As mentioned, a band featured in the book, and the perfect example of the beauty of American hardcore (check out the Rage cover on Renegades too)

Minor Threat - In My Eyes

Next, a track I first heard dancing in the disco up north many years ago - no reason for posting it other than I think it should be played out more often!

Sultans of Ping FC - Where's Me Jumper

For "pop culture's unkempt poster child of doom and gloom" (NY Rock) would a fast and furious electro remix of one of his songs cause Robert Smith further gloom, or would it indeed cheer him up? Decide for yourself. An oldie but a goody:

The Cure - Fire in Cairo (Digitalism Remix)


Finally, stoke the fire, cuddle up to your loved one, turn the lights down low and let this lull you off to sleep (but not until you've got to the vocals 4 minutes in)- pure genius - sexy, chic, clever, French.

Sebastian Tellier - La Ritournelle

Primary Plimsouls

2 new tracks for my first post in a month (!)

First up, wired down from Brizzle is Don't Panic by the youthful Plimsouls.

Plimsouls makes 8bitty, fun electro/bloghouse, full of catchy synth repetitions and propelling drum rhythms- and the feeling Don't Panic inspires is certainly pleasant and exciting, if a bit frenzied, like video games and too much sugar as a kid.

Plimsouls - Don't Panic

Next, expect big things from Primary 1. " Pop music for you and your fammiles to enjoy" as the Myspace says, they are signed to Phantasy Sound, the same labal that recently released the massive LA Priest song Engine, including the even bigger Erol remix. Outside is similarly well produced, fresh sounding and indeed a great pop song, a slick blend of disco/house/electro/pop/funk that catches you somewhere between head noddin' and hip gyrating'. You'll love it, I'm quite sure.

Primary 1 - Outside (Demo)

Down down, deeper down down

Sept top 10

Radioclit - Divine Gosa (Brodinski RMX)
LA Priest - Engine (Erol Alkan's reedit) buy
autoKratz - reaKtor
Brodinski - Bad Runner - unreleased until later this month
Larry Tee ft. Princess Superstar - Licky (Herve goes low remix)
Dusty Kid - The Cat (Crookers rmx)
Does It offend You, Yeh? - Battle Royal
ZZT - Lower State of Consciousness buy
Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger (GR Mix)
Hot Chip - Shake a Fist
Duke Dumont - Lean n Bounce

Needles and Suspenders

A lovely little song by a very very new Exeter University student.

Needles and Suspenders is an infectious pop number of the best tradition - sounding like it was recorded in one take on a bedroom 4-track (it probably was), yet letting this mask a very clever song structure and ambitious vocals.

Jamie T comparisons are inevitable, but this is set apart by its scuzzy, lofi feel and tinny synth-electro beats, which gives this an honest, raw emotional appeal - the sort of music tough boys can well-up to.

s.k.g - needles and suspenders

Look out for him at a Lofi Hifi in the near future.

All over it...

Oh, and whilst I'm at it...

this will be appearing at a Lofi Hifi near you very very soon. Wednesday in fact. Lofi w/ iLIKETRAINS. The Cavern Club, Exeter. Free b4 9.

One of the catchiest, best produced songs I've heard in a while.

M.I.A - Paper Planes

Frankenspiel

A bit of a cut n' paste monster mission:


See what you can make out of the following, using as many or as few as you like into a single track. Entries to georgewigzell AT hotmail DOT com.

Our own efforts will follow soon.

Amerie - Take Control (Acapella)
Beastie Boys - Intergalactic (Acapella)
Nelly Furtado - Maneater (Acapella)
Roots Manuva - Witness (1 Hope) (Acapella) [LINK RE-POSTED!]
Scissor Sisters - Take Your Mamma Out (Acapella)
Warren G - Regulate (Acapella)


Guns N' Bombs - Nothing Is Getting Us Anywhere (Instrumental)
Switch - A Bit Patchy
Chemical Brothers - Saturate


Good luck!

We say Party! We say throw knives!

Lofi Hifi are proud to announce:

Los Campesinos! and You Say Party! We Say Die!
Cavern Club,
Exeter

31st October
Doors at 8pm. Price TBC.

Los Campesinos! download page

You Say Party! We Say Die! website, including free mp3s


Also, some other excellent shows coming up:

31 Aug 2007 20:00	The Cavern - Akibas, Cassette Generation, and Thousand Natural Shocks	Exeter
14 Sep 2007 20:00	The Cavern w/ Help She Can’t Swim - Free b4 9	Exeter
25 Sep 2007 20:00	Cavern - The Strange Death of Liberal England w/Blood Red Shoes	Exeter
3 Oct 2007 20:00	The Cavern w/ Acoustic Ladyland	Exeter
9 Nov 2007 20:00	Cavern - The Young Knives	Exeter

Lethal vs Dave

It's a sign of our times that the main opponents in the debate which raged last year about youth culture and social responsibility were an Ipod wielding Tory and a Uk Grime artist named Lethal Bizzle.

Lethal had stepped up to rubbish Cameron's claims that Black music was responsible for gun crime, declaring that "David Cameron is a donut":

"Open your eyes to UK society David Cameron. By making comments like this you're taking yourself further from the young British society. I'm a young black British music artist and I'm the voice for the streets; you should be working with us instead of laying the blame on us.

A lot of what I do is on a positive tip for the community, but that all gets ignored. I've signed 14 young rappers from east London to my own label; that's taken them off the streets and given them something positive to look forward to. They're working on their own mix tapes and I'm providing them with an opportunity to make a living out of music."

But on the Guradian free comment message board it was posted on, some of the responses find Bizzle less than a perfect role model, quoting from his song 'POW!':

" I'lllll....crack your skull
Leave you fu***d up in a wheelchair
If you try to clash this evil bre...

Just swing my belt round like a nun chuckle
Bus you head and make your blood start trickle
One more lick fi make da p***y hole topple
Greet da bre with a fistful of knuckle"

They also find holes in his arguments:

Bizzle: "There needs to be more happening: try and make school exciting, let them have fun, involve them with their interests."

Platonic: "What's wrong with education is that this already happens far too much. If all education pandered to children's interests, we'd have even more of an infantile society than we do at present. Not everything worthwhile is exciting or fun. Individuals and societies progress by tolerating a great deal that is dreary or difficult but necessary. Education should acknowledge this and help children to manage it, not shy away from it."

Hmmmmm. Whilst I find many of the violent, sexist and often deeply homophobic attitudes of some 'Urban' music totally unbearable, the truth is Lethal actually comes across as the less bigoted of the two in these statements. The above counter-arguments from 'Platonic' reak of the type of 'not-really-getting-it' that Cameron displayed so aptly with is comments about black music. The whole UK Grime scene operates at a deeply grass roots level - the majority of this music isn't pushed incessantly upon us by the mainstream pop media, David, where roomfuls of part-sedated yoofs lap up thirstily the words of their distant idols. The people listening to the music are, on the whole, also the ones who make it; the ones who are constantly evolving the scene; who are in touch with people like Lethal B; who are making art.

What I'm saying here is that David Cameron would need to try very very hard to ever begin to understand this particular part of youth culture and that this scene contains a million wannabe MCs, DJs and producers - young people mobilising themselves, organising themselves, being deeply deeply creative - and, for now, ugly lyrical content aside - this is a positive force. It is perhaps the not-getting-it that is the problem - from the outside this scene seems frightening and violent. Yes, Lethal B may only be supporting 14 MCs (as Platonic says "Taking 14 people "off the streets" so that they may pursue a career in popular music might be laudable, but ignores a very pertinent reality: fame is in short supply. Most of them won't make it." - and in the process completely misses the point that the self-esteem and skills gained are the actual rewards on offer) but hundreds more will be practicing in their bedrooms, as I write, inspired by Mr Bizzle.

Picking up on the article, NME, as they occasionally have a great knack of doing, hit the nail on the head:

"This, despite the repeated evidence that young people carry knives not because they've listened to Tim Westwood [...] or that the majority of violent crime in this country is laregly committed not because of the latest G-Unit single but as a result of more complex issues like drug addiction, under-age drinking, bad housing, poor family structures. All problems inflames by factors such as the destruction of the trade industries by the conservatives in the 80s, the idea created by the Conservatives that selfish capitalism is a good thing, and an education/solcial service system so fucked up by privatisation [...] that it's bursting at the seams."

NME, fair play (though they did manage a more traditional NME approach with the hilarious 'Tough on Grime, Tough on the causes of Grime" headline"

Haven't we been here before? Aren't those in the suits perpetually blaming youth culture for the ills they themselves create?

I'm aware this whole story is about a year old, but it was brought to my attention because Lethal B has just released his new single and because Cameron is certainly not a changed man (even if his Ipod collection may have expanded).

So, whatever you think, you cannot deny that this song is a motherfucker, er, I mean a *ripper* of a tune!

Lethal Bizzle - Bizzle Bizzle

Alllll the 2s

Image from How To Be Alone 2007


To celebrate my (22nd) birthday here's a new mix from myself. Indulge me.


May Mix 2007 - George Wigzell

Tracklisting:

Thieves Like Us – Drugs in My Body

Sebastian – Walkman

Uffie – Hot Chick (Detboi’s hot-glitch re-edit)

Simian Mobile Disco – Hustler

Goose – British Mode (Jester remix)

Buy Now – For Sale

The Black Ghosts – Face (Switch remix)

Justice – Stress

Data - Master Level

Chungking - Love is Here to Stay (Kissy Sell Out's own private idaho remix)

Bonde Do Role - Office Boy (Bitchee Bitchee Ya Ya Ya Remix)

Unkle Jam – Lova Ya (Herve remix)

Louie Austen ft. Peaches – Grab My Shaft

M.I.A. – Birdflu (Diplo remix)

Justice – D.A.N.C.E. (Tittsworth remix)

Escort – All Through the Night

Mystery Jets – The Boy Who Ran Away (Riton re-rub)

To celebrate my birthday yesterday, we're heading off to ther Newton Abbot cider bar today. Please pray for our safety.


Finally:

Lofi Hifi this Weds

Video Mashup

One of the entries from the Acapellas4u.co.uk video mash-up competition and very worth checking out. Some greatly skilled editing and mash-up-ing [that would be the verb of 'to mash up', yes?]

R.A.G.E.

When I was 15, I was luck enough to see Rage Against the Machine at the Leeds Festival, in what was to be one of their last few ever gigs. Without exaggeration that 45 mins was amongst the highlights if my life. It was awesome. I would never ever deify a band, but Rage are the one exception to that rule, and no band excites me in the way Rage did and still do.

Self Titled is still my favourite album, and I still dance around my room to them as though I was 15.

When I heard they were reforming for one gig, I was dumbdfounded, but accepted that I'd never make it to the US to see them. But watching some video footage of it just now, I sorely wish I had. The atmosphere looks incredible. Take a look at the footage below of them coming on stage. The excitment in the crowd is unbelievable. People are going crazy.

I'm deeply jealous, and even felt myself welling up (I'm generally pretty stoic on the emotional literacy front).





7 years on from seeing Rage at Leeds and I must have danced to this next song an endless number of times at indie-discos. I'd reckon it must be in the hundreds at least. It has amongst the most iconic intros in popular music, and can still get a crowd (even a neoned-up, asymetrical haircut indie crowd) moshing in a flash. So seeing them playing it on film, only a week or so ago, makes it something magic.




And finally some better quality footage.

My friend Tom Greed was there too. I hate him. :)

The Paper Chase

The above image is the delightful front cover to the album 'now you are one of us' by The Paper Chase, the headliners at Lofi Hifi tomorrow night.

I've posted a track from the album below, and after a few listens I'm really taken with this particular tune.

The compulsary comparison sees them sitting somewhere between Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse - taking the the epic orchestration of the former and combining it with the pounding rhythms and clever vocal hooks of the latter. They also drop delightful harmonies and jarring discordance in unexpected places, giving the track a real sense of progression.

Other tracks available to hear at the wesbite see a strong take on Fugazi's brand of hardcore forged with the exciting, angular outbursts of no-wave and more relentless, pleading lead vocals.

The Paper Chase - we know where you sleep

The gig is £5/6 I think, then free after the bands. One you won't regret attending though. Plus the usual electro and guitars free-for-all from the Lofi residents afterwards. Doors at 8.

Opinions?

Hmm, hmm.

Was sent this promo mp3 the other day by a guy at Beggars Banquet.

I rather like it. Very electro, very indie.

In one overblown sentence, I'd say they were bleeping singalong 2012 robot indie regimented by thudding franco-electro beats, but with vocally, clipped, syncopated Shoreditch delivery and a massive hint of Suede in the chorus.

Yes, it does look like I want to work for NME. But I rejoice in describing music as quirkily as possible. I think the classic 'don;t try and pigeon-hole me' is pretentious rubbish, and that how you describe a band is part of the fun/part of how you hear about a band. Plus how can bands break away from genres unless these genres are already set?

Anyway, music:

mp3: To My Boy - Model

Massive and Filthy

Who could possibly question the brilliance of the opening beat of this badboy. Yes and yes and yes. That's all I have to say.

Martini Bros - Big and Dirty (Tiga Remix)

Oh and keep the shouts coming in for Lofi Ipod battle. If enough people talk about it it'll happen.

Best band names?

I'd like to hear any contenders you have... the only rule being they have to be real bands....

My initial input is this:

'Edith bunker's demonized vomit insurance'


whose release is called 'never rape your friend's corpse on a thursday'

Myspace

Picture:




Bring it on......

C.A.S.I.O.

I'm very much enjoying the music of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.

"Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is the musical alias of 28 year old American film school drop-out Owen Ashworth. Ashworth began making music in 1997 after he realized that song-making was a far more cost-effective means of storytelling than film-making."

I like the idea of a band being an alternative to the more expensive art of filmmaking. And from what I gather his first few albums were made only on battery operated keyboards recorded onto a four-track, which certainly pushes the contrast with film to the extreme. His later stuff involves a lot more instruments, but maintains the lofi mood and saturated beats of before. And his voice is brilliant: sad and fuzzy, enjoying thick syllables and elongated sibilance. Similarly for his collaborator, Jenn Herbinson, on the track below, Scattered Pearls. That particular song mixes tinny electro-claps, hi-hat, snare and bass drum with a Europop chug, an Electroclash bassline and funny-yet-touching lyrics, executed with great charm by Herbinson. And best of all, very danceable I reckon. I haven;t played it out yet, but I will, i will.

This is what *emo* was and could have been: emotional (happy) hardcore. (doenss;t quite work but you get the idea).

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Scattered Pearls

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Lonesome New Mexico Nights

More free songs here: Daytrotter sessions

Finally, CFTPA website

Deep breath ... now imagine how much fun this would be...

Welcome to the incredible conecpt of the Ipod Battle

http://www.myspace.com/OFFICIALUKIPODBATTLE

These rules are essentially stolen from the Mystery Jets blog (see left). Anyway, imagine this at Lofi Hifi... brilliant.....hilarious......as it should be.... a night of the people..... And they can play Vive Le Fette five times in a row if they like (ouch!). Who's game???!

People come together, shout for your right to play your own music! To be eccentric! To be DIY! To show off or to reveal the terrible musical taste behind your chic facade! Think Coolio, Zig n Zag, Ant N Dec, Less Than Jake, NIN, Jay Z etc (what Ollie plays most weeks anyway! lol) It'll be messy, emotional and vicious.

"-Teams (comprising of two or three people) get a minute to sonically stamp thier oponents into the dirt, without the use of mixing or effects. Just a plain old ipod.
-The two teams in the ring (a real boxing ring) battle it out, back and forth until a horn is sounded at the end of the 20 minute-long round.
-Using a decibelometer the referee measures the crowds' reaction to each teams' performance.
-Competition is evened out by allowing each team an equal amount of seats in the ringside.
-The team with the more applause stay on to the next round where a new opponent faces them in the ring.
-And the prize? errr...an ipod? "

Goodbye Winter, Hello Electro

Last Lofi Hifi of the Unversity term last night. A success once again - lots of lovely faces, new faces, cheap vodka and a shiny new layer of varnish on the Cavern floor which makes it look continuously wet. Which perhaps explains some of the dance moves last night- def a slidey, swimmy, liquid feel to the people's movement. And an extra long, brand-new DJ table. Excellent.

Three tunes given an airing last night:

Lo-fi-fnk - Wake Up

Dubble D - Switch (Switch remix)

Tomass Andersson - Washing Up (Tiga remix)

All night disco party

Napoleon IIIrd

I really like this song from Wakefield based 'Napoleon IIIrd' - couldn't find the song so got the video instead.

Ended up there from the new Hadouken blog. Look here.

Napoleon 3rd - defibrilator

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Leibe Mannschaft

Bristol boys Love Team are two men, currently unsigned, making guitar n' synths electro-pop.

Added to Lofi myspace just now, and was rather impressed. Pretty sleazy, pretty up-starting.
Good graphics too.

Love Team - Dead

Sepereate note - laughably I'm DJing at Arena in Exeter (funny for anyone who knows Exeter) in a DJ competition. It's an interesting line up - a punk DJ vs a DnB DJ vs a Funky House DJ vs Me. First prize is a set at the Exeter uni Summer Ball.
http://www.myspace.com/thebattleoff

Plus a handful of good student bands battling it off too.

I'm supposed to have dancers/visuals/other interesting features whilst doing my thing. Any ideas?

The KBC...

...are pretty lovely disco-house-indie. They played at Lofi last year sometime, and we were deeply impressed. As mentioned on Steve Lamacq's show this very evening, they are disco-punk stalwarts of Preston's (apparently) flourishing music scene. Preston sounds like it's *going off*.

Here's a remix of one of their tracks

The KBC - DEF song (10 RAPID remix)

Eat, Drink, Neon Summer

*** A scene from Lofi last Weds, 7th Feb. An amazing night that saw people queuing around the block and some serious dancing getting done, plus the excellent Right Turn Left putting in a great last minute show after the big, secret band the Cavern organised pulled out. And from what I was told they were going to be very big. Oh well, we had a class night without them, and this is my favourite photo what I did take. *******



First up -

On a Myspace journey one day I came across this beauty. Couldn't get it out of my head for days.

Myspace

Mr Beasley - Neon [Larkin Out]

Next up-

On a Wikipedia journey, in a similar way to above, was looking up Electro Clash to find out a bit more about the begginings of that odd genre, and found this band who joyfully defy the electroclash tag and instead play driven, chase-your-own-tale electro-punk. Very much reminds me of Yeah Yeah Yeahs stuff. This song I absolutely love and keep playing at Lofi in an effort to get it initiated. They're touring as well apparently at the moment, so go see!

Myspace

Motormark - Eat, Drink, Sleep, Think

Finally,

This is the work of one Will Tatterstill, who is Exeter face, Video Games Editor for Expose (student paper) and multi-instrumental nu-folk wizard. He is also doing the music for The Princess Bride, as mentioned below. It opens tomorrow, and the music for it is amazing. I love his voice. It's Brum via Milwaukee. Bits of the Violent Femmes in there. And the occasional splash of synth and vocoder in other places. He also collaborates on this song with Max, who is also doing PB music. He can be found at the North Bridge Inn (a fantastic drinking venue in Exeter) regularly. Myspace.

That's Will (FaceOmeter) in the background, Max in foreground.

FaceOmeter - Song for the Summer

Chromeo - Needy Girl (Paper Faces remix)

I like this song, I think you should too. It just makes me happy in an indie/danse/hop hipp kinda infusion way. check it out, its a fun fun track. the origional is on my myspace page, but then again, you might find this after i have changed it...in which ae it won't be. enjoy
x

A Midlands twang in the SW

Coming soon to a Lofi event near you:

Hopefully we're getting these two lovely sets of boys and girls to do a joint show for us in the next couple of months.
What this challenge is.

Of The

His middle name (ish)

Sorry, that is very silly.


Late of the Pier - Bathroom Gurgle

Based in Nottingham and hotly hotly tipped for bigger things. Not sure what else to say. We play them in Lofi. This song is very very catchy and you will probably hum it all week. Myspace


and, all the way from the Brum,

Johnny Foreigner - Say It When Yr Sober

Johnny Foreigner - Yr All Just Jealous [link no good, sorry. But it's on the myspace]

A sample from their list of musical interests:

"....we'regayforSunset Cinema Club, Paper Chase, that night kelly showed the academy her arse, talking the proverbial shit, Wedding Present, Teenage Fanclub, Jeff Buckley, Desaparecidos, Calexico, your dad, sorry alexei likes (sleeper), K, Dexys Midnight Runners, the "reimagined" battlestar galactica, Elastica, The Go! Team, Duran Duran, Wow And Flutter, Matmos, Crimson Curse...."

If that doesn't make you listen to the mp3 I'm not sure what will.

The Go! Team, Jeff Buckley and your dad. Yes, that's actually exactly what they sound like. Go ahead... have a listen.

Myspace

Playgroup and Princesses

Two of the tunes that were doing some damage to the Cavern soundsystem between 12.46 and 12.57 last night.


Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control (Playgroup mix)


CSS - Alala (Princess Superstar Remix)

Check out Fluokids and headphone sex for some very good new music too. That's very lazy of me I know... but if you haven;t already bookmarked these blogs you should do immediately, and these new songs in particular are zehr interessant.

That's it. On a very seperate note of self promotion, I've got a 40 hour week this week rehearsing for a stage version of The Princess Bride. Those in Exeter come along...... 13th to 17th Feb. Should be hilarious. And yes that's a snear I'm pulling (bottom left, the evil prince). It's ages 6+ too, so bring the extended family. Yep, all of them.

This evening...

From misty dancefloor to hands-in-the-air mayhem. Was a great night - despite exams, despite the cold, despite it being the end of semester.... proof that if the music's good then the people will show up and throw some excellent angular shapes. Cheers to everyone who came.... see Myspace for more photos.

This is how I opened my set - my mash up wot i made... my very first. I think the music's a bit too low in the mix, but hey, it went off royally this evening.

Justice VS Beastie Boys - Waters of Nazareth (Erol Alkan re-edit) Vs Intergalactic (Pzell Mashup)

Beardyman

This man is amazing. I saw him at 'Extremefest' in Exeter last year, and he had 200 sloans tripping over their own flip-flops. The crowd fell in love love with him there and then and his talents seem to know no bounds. I'd heard recordings of Rahzel and people reacting with genuine disbelief and thought I'd be the one in the corner being sceptical - but there I was at Beardyman hand over gawping mouth in complete, shameless disbelief. Oh, and he's UK beatbox Champion 2006. Myspace.

Porsche of the doctor choked by crab of blood

Last night whilst DJing for the excellent Tom Lillywhite's single release party someone recommended I listen to the Protoypes. Which i did.
They are a French, 60s influenced electro-pop outfit based in Paris, and from what I heard I rather like them.

And even better turns out their EP is available to download for free!

Being the thorough research-simian I am, I translated the words from one of their songs using Babelfish. I think something was lost in translation but who knows:

"sea urchins in the eyes one trépane, one trépane
Porsche of the doctor choked by crab of blood
on the ice-barrier a price on all the range
a bull which enlise of vomit in the flames "

The best song on the EP is definitely the title track, Je ne te connais pas.
It has one of those rare intros where you go 'Yes!' this is what pop music should be - scuzzy, punchy, simple and beefy (which may be the same as punchy). Garage punk rock for ya VW golf, or summint. Or for rollerskating too. Hard not to nod your head and start tapping your feet - I bet you can't resist...

The rest of the EP is not quite as good but still very worth a listen. I find the agressive French lyrics get a bit much on track 3 - a little Europop, but then that's probably my prejudice, not their problem.

MP3:

Prototypes - Je Ne te Connais

Whole EP from Minty records website: Je ne te connais pas (Zip)

On a completely different note wanted to post some Weston.

Weston are one of my favourite bands, and I discovered them when I was back in high school sat on my computer with the slow, late 90s modem connection trying to get songs off of Napster before the connection failed/Napster got sued. At the time I think I loved that they were obscure (I'm sure they're not - you can buy the record at lots of punk-ish record shops- but I've never met another Weston fan) and I think I still like that about them. I first learnt bass guitar to some of these songs as well, sat in my room a year or two later, waiting to go out on a Friday night to the Bassment for Dust (must have been 15? Kids these days have it well harder!). They make this great pop-punk that's also sensitive in a tangent-of-90s emotional-hardcore-scene sort of way, but also largely influenced by the Pixies. It's all about getting beaten up at school, being cheated on and, er, Liz Phair.

MP3s;

Weston - Got Beat Up
Weston - Retarded
Weston - Teenage Love Affair

LOFI HIFI FREE PARTY

Modulations

Out next month, this CD is pretty much indie-dance in a double album. I recieved CD1 in the post and it is like a tracklisting of every indie-dance Lofi song we've played in the last 3 months, most of which people will already be familiar with, but all *bangers*, for want of a better word. If you want to get up to speed on indie-dance-disco-punk-electro (as it's officially called in certain parts of East Devon) then this is an ideal opportunity. CD1 is a mixed CD, so no good for ripping tracks from (although I've posted a Cut Copy song from it, albeit in a mixed form) but nicely done and a large smattering of Waters of Nazareth by Justice pretty much, well, in between every other song. Which is a good thing, I think, seeing as it was the tune of last year (and of many years to come) and all. CD2 also looks very promising. Watch this space for Hadouken live at Lofi Hifi in the near future, all things going to plan.

MP3:

Cut Copy - Going Nowhere (SebastiAn remix) [link removed] - in partial, mixed form... i.e. not the complete song. But you can here it in pure form on the Cut Copy MySpace

Also next month:


Yes yes this should be very very good fun:

Modular records presents: MSTRKRFT album launch and Leave Them All Behind II launch party.


24th of Febuary at Turnmills, LDN:

Room 1:
MSTRKRFT (Album launch party)
Green velvet
Mr c!! (ee's ebeneezer good)
Ajax
Toby Tobias (redkids)

Room 2:
Hot Chip (dj set)
Para one (live)
Justin Robertson
Anil Chawla
Mike Oman

Room 3:
Modular leave them all behind II- launch party
Ajax (Bang Gang)
Klaxons (dj set)
The Gossip (dj set)
New pony club (dj set)

Room 4:
hosted by fishseeksbicyle

See you all there.

Modular Website

MP3:

New Young Pony Club - Get Lucky (Dancey Edit) [link removed]

With major acclaim in the press:

"More tunes than a pharmacist's counter!" - NME

"The WOMBATS are the hottest band from liverpool since the early deltasonic label releases in 1998" - Rough Trade

...and in the blogging world, and with one very very good song that's been in my head for months, The Wombats - who are currently touring the world (but not Exeter.... of course!) - are in a very good place.

Have a listen to this little ditty and then go to the myspace and listen to Moving to New York... it's heavy hectic like an alligator... or something..

The Wombats - Dr Suzanne Mattox

Disko Ja? vs Disko Nein? Vol. 1

As a new season of mid-week-lofi-apre-ski-discos begins in the ski resort of Cav de Vern, the question is upon us:

Disko Ja? order Disko Nein?

Would these tracks get the people dancing or get them guffawing into their vodka cokes?

Let the people of East Devon speak:

1) Les Georges Leningrad - Sponsorships (zshare)
A danceable slice of *no-wave*ish mayhem. Filthy, repetitive bassline. Mostly incomprehensible yelps (good/bad?). Cowbell and something that sounds only like a Yorkshire Terrier under a turntable. I'm thinking yes. But is it too obscure for some? Myspace (particuarly have a look at Mammal Beats)

2) The Ending Of... - A Birthday Girl (zshare)
Very 80s sounding indie rock n' roll with gothy elements, bit of interpol in there. Chugs along very well - pacey, regular, catchy. But enough to keep the dancefloor packed? Influences include: o Public IMAge LtD o ThE CramPs o iNterPOL o DfA 1979 o Gang oF fOUr o nIck CAve & tHe BAd SeedS oThe Eighties Matchbox b-line Disaster oTake ThAt
Have a look at their myspace.

3) Shitdisco - Disco Blood (zshare)
Odd, angular beggining, including evil-cat hiss noises, which then kicks off into this driving, disco-horror beauty, plus post-punky snare rolls. And vocals by a man who sounds like he runs the ghost-train at the fair. Un-nerving, but assured. Myspace (maybe Reactor Party instead?)

Please choose the one you think should get played to the baying discoteque masses!

New Year, New Blog

Ola,

Welcome to this brand new blog, started at the very beginning of 2007. It’s going to function as a means of letting the world know what we’re up to with our club night and simultaneously sharing some good music, mostly in the indie-electro genre, perhaps with a weekly ‘wildcard’ song. Yeh, I think that could work. I think we’ll be sharing some of our mixes here too.

As a starting point thought I’d look back over the bands we have played with over the last few months.

First up was Rose Kemp, who we all enjoyed, although it being our first night might have clouded our judgement somewhat. But lots of people came down to see her/us and they all seemed to get a kick out of it too.

10^th Oct 2006 - Then it was Fields and Goodbooks. Have a look for yourself:

fields

Mon 30^th Oct – Betty Curse. Who was actually really good fun. Her backing band were hand picked for their good-looks, dressed by a cynical London stylist and did all the right rock n’ roll moves bang on cue – but best of all they were clearly chosen also because they wouldn’t dare try and upstage Miss Curse. Still, we had fun, she had fun, I hope. And she signed our banner ‘Love and Guts, Betty C.’ Nu-goth-pop at an electro-indie disco, who’d of thought it?

16^th Nov – Mystery Jets DJ set. They were playing a gig at the museum around the corner rather oddly, as part of an exhibition on portraits, as theirs had been painted. They turned up at the Cavern for the after-party at about 12.30am and even though there set was short is was perfect. We’d been slightly concerned that communication between this rather big band and our lowly selves was minimal, and so they had been given no briefing of musical styles. But not only was there set spot-on musically, but it was all pulled off with a classy twist of DJ virtuosity. Well done boys. And then we had them back to the Lofi HQ (i.e. Ciara, Jamie and Ollie’s house) for drinks and dancing (although I recall it was too wet to get the trampoline involved – and Blaine from the band had a broken leg). Check out this interview with them from the Exeter University TV station, involving some serious percussion playing: Interview. (Look under episode 1, 06/07)

8^th Nov 2006 - I thought The Sunshine Underground were great – quite loveable pop-rock genius. And they’re Leeds boys too, which makes them untouchable in my eyes. A certain Lofi regular stood at the front of the crowd shouting ‘Yoooooorrrrrrkkkkksssshhhhiiiiirrrrre!!!! at the top of his voice. It’s not everyday you hear a Northern county-cricket chant at a rock venue in Exeter.

MP3:

The Sunshine Underground - Commercial Breakdown

26^th November 2006 – Little Man Tate. Quite a quiet gig really, not a massive crowd. But pleasing on the ears none-the-less.

MP3:

Little Man Tate - This Girl Isn't My Girlfriend