ROUND ROUND ROUND.

Somewhere between the frantic energy of Animal Collective and the shouty brilliance of Isaac Brock lie LA (via Greece and NYC) kids GROUP, who look set to make a considerable name for themselves in the West Coast indie scene as they put the finishing touches on their self-titled debut EP. "Colours" is their debut offering, all big driving guitars, anthemic choruses and frontman Christian Zucconi's triplicate lyrics and mad man delivery coming together to create a truly unique sound that's garnering them serious buzz among A&R's coast to coast. It's been a while since we've heard such a refreshing sound coming from the fairer coast, so get involved and keep your ear to the ground for more from the LA collective in the months to come.

MP3: "Colours" - GROUP [exclusive]

ALWAYS LATE TO EVERYTHING.

These days official Starsmith remixes are usually reserved for the likes of superstar clientele like Lady Gaga and Timbaland, but dude still knows a jam when he hears one and was able to make time to sprinkle some of his electro stardust all over our most recent single release with Penguin Prison. Leaving behind Euro dancefloors for the Miami strip, Starsmith's remix of "The Worse It Gets" is some full on Miami Vice shit, all fluorescent technicolor, fast cars and pastel suits. Drop the top, roll up your sleeves and get your shades on, it's time to hit the town.

MP3: "The Worse It Gets" (Starsmith Remix) - Penguin Prison [exclusive]

GIVE ME A STRAIGHT LINE.

So this was our go-to jam when spring first hit NYC last year and we've had this post in the works ever since, so figured we should just go ahead and get this out there. That said, there's not been much uncovered about Stockholm's mysterious Nottee in the intervening period since she first skipped across our radar way back when. We still know next to nothing about her - we're pretty sure she's related to one of the Lo-Fi-Fnk bros and we know she's got two stone cold jams in "Control" and "Young Modern Life", but that's about it - though she's just announced her debut shows outside of Scandinavia and recently posted a promising new demo to her myspace, so seems like things are starting to pick up for the Swedish chanteuse. But to be real with you, all we really care about is the fact that the sun is shining outside and "Control" sounds like a winning mix of "My Moon My Man" and that whole Lyyke Li record, and we're pretty down with that.

MP3: "Control" - Nottee

IN OUR NATIVE LANGUAGE.

Now that Passion Pit is kind of cruising on its own steam, its members have found time to balance touring obligations with a number of side projects. Nate's still rocking shit as Shuttle and will have his debut album out on Ninja Tune before the year is out, Jeff and Ayad are taking over the Ableton DJ circuit as the Wet Bandits (catch them crushing Miami if you're at WMC this weekend), and Ian's recording with his girlfriend Sofia Degli Alessandri under the moniker Aislyn. The latter have just released their self-titled debut EP (available on iTunes here), but it's their otherworldly remix of our dear friends Freelance Whales' "Generator ^ First Floor" that we can't stop playing this week. Subverting the anthemic energy of the original into a more dreamy and downbeat affair, it's a refreshing take on one of our favorite songs of the year and well worth your hard-earned bandwith. Enjoy.

MP3: "Generator ^ First Floor" (Aislyn Remix) - Freelance Whales

THE SAME WAY WE DO IT AGAIN.

Back from SXSW and back in the game, and what better way to celebrate our triumphant return than with an oven fresh cut from our most recent single release with Penguin Prison, "The Worse It Gets". The single just dropped last Monday and while many of you were too busy recovering from SXSW to notice, it's time to wise up and get this shit on blast because it's like REAL good. Coming off like Michael Jackson at his most paranoid, it's all escapist desires and ominous dark disco grooves, not too far off from the mood set on AA-side "Something I'm Not", which we shared with you on the blog last month. It's a big jam in it's own right, but also be sure to check out the RAC remix available exclusively over on Big Stereo, as well as a huge mix from the one and only Starsmith that we'll be dropping on you sooner than you know.

MP3: "The Worse It Gets" - Penguin Prison [expired]

KILLING ME.

We first featured Chiddy Bang with their amazing remix of MGMT's "Kids" last spring, and in the time since they've had a surprise Top Ten hit in the UK with that very track ("Opposite of Adults") released their debut mixtape The Swelly Express, and established themselves as a serious force to be reckoned with in the electro-hip hop scene. Now they're back with the follow up to The Swelly Express, titled Air Swell and comprised solely of tracks written on the duo's frequent transatlantic flights between the US and the UK. The lead off track is a remix of our very own Neon Gold homegirl Ellie Goulding (WHO BY THE WAY HAS A NUMBER ONE ALBUM IN THE UK RIGHT NOW), with beatsmith Xaphoon Jones taking her amazing "Under The Sheets" and synthing it out even harder than the Starsmith-produced original, before Chiddy hops on the mic and absolutely slays it on the verse. Dudes sent it over to us for the exclusive debut, so cop that shit below and get ready for Air Swell to takeover the internet when it drops after SXSW.

MP3: "Under The Sheets" (Chiddy Bang Remix) - Ellie Goulding [exclusive]

NEON GOLD AT SXSW 2010.

The time has come. We've mentioned it here and there over the past few weeks, but now it's time to formally bring back the curtain on our official showcase at SXSW 2010. Over the last few months we've pieced together a dream line up, plucking our favorite young talent from both sides of the Atlantic. We've got our go-to partystarters Yes Giantess crushing it in the late night slot, our main man Samuel getting things going early on, one of our favorite musicians of all time in Guillemots frontman Fyfe Dangerfield, and the one and only Marina & The Diamonds (hot on the heels of her NYC debut with us) headlining the night and rounding out what we expect to be one of the premier lineups of the week. Shit is going down Thursday night at Lamberts (401 W 2nd Street) from 10pm until late, official SXSW badge required for entry. Running times as follows:

10:00pm: Fyfe Dangerfield // MP3: "When You Walk In The Room"
11:00pm: Samuel // MP3: "Fader"
12:00am: Marina & The Diamonds // MP3: "Hollywood" (Gonzales Version)
01:00am: Yes Giantess // MP3: "The Ruins"

The venue is not large and will reach its capacity, so come early if you want a piece of the action.

DON'T WANT NOBODY ELSE.

Big Stereo just debuted this wonderful new Wolf Gang track today, and as it was we who first brought their sounds into the realm of the consumer, we feel it our paternal duty to continue to spread their gospel far and wide across these sprawling internet plains. "Back To Back" isn't a proper new single per se, rather it's more of a holdover until their next formal offering hits shelves this spring, but that's not to say it's not totally amazing. Like the perfect middle ground between the band's biggest pop moments and their more indie sensibilities, "Back To Back" not only showcases the strides main man Max McElligott has made as a songwriter, but as a bedroom producer as well. It also kind of reminds us of "Sexual Healing" in a way, which is NEVER a bad thing.

MP3: "Back To Black" - Wolf Gang

NOTHING I CAN DO.

We've had our mouths wired shut about but this one for a few months now, but now that word seems to be out we might as well join the party. This whole lo-fi renaissance is hardly our favorite thing going on in music right now, but then a rough gem like Oberhofer comes along and all is well in the world again. We saw the rough beginnings of his live show last December, and then again last month playing with Keepaway at Webster Studio, where he blew us away with the leaps and bounds of progress he'd made in barely two months time. Then there's the fact that his handmade 7-track EP hasn't left the office stereo for months and it's safe to say we're pretty way into this. "I Could Go" is our favorite track of the bunch, but "Away Frm U" is the clear-cut single here, combining all the best bits of Modest Mouse and Animal Collective while the 19 year old Tacoma native yelps and strums his way to 4ish minutes of lo-fi pop brilliance. Special stuff, this Oberhofer.

MP3: "Away Frm U" - Oberhofer

BURNS THE BONES.

"Fader" was one of our absolute favorite jams of '09 when it arrived via the Temper Trap's stellar debut album Conditions last year, so we were all kinds of excited when The Knocks told us they were working on a remix of it with our boy Samuel helming the ship on lead vox. The result is possibly our favorite offering yet from the Heavy Roc Music camp, all slowburning synth grooves and interstellar production flourishes that project the original in a whole new light. Samuel's got a big couple of months ahead of him with his debut single proper "I Heart NY" on its way soon (stream it here now) and his debut album Trains To Wanderland following later this spring, not to mention a spot on our official SXSW showcase (more on that later this week), so don't be surprised when you're hearing his name on the regular in a few months' time. Dude's got what it takes to go the distance, and with The Knocks at the wheel you better believe this party bus is headed straight for the stars.

MP3: "Fader" (The Knocks Remix ft. Samuel) - The Temper Trap [exclusive]