Friday, April 30, 2010

WAITING FOR YOUR RESCUE.

The Knocks are our number one bros here in NYC, so it's with great pleasure that we introduce you to their debut single, "Blackout", out next week on their very own Heavy Roc Music imprint. Just in time for the weekend, it's a stupidly massive hands-in-the-air party anthem that's been soundtracking our nights out for months now. With big house pianos, buzzsaw synths and a sing-a-long chorus for the ages, it's the perfect soundtrack to an epic night on the rage. The Knocks seriously deserve a Nobel Prize for their outstanding contributions to raging on this track, this is music for your grind.

MP3: "Blackout" - The Knocks

Monday, April 26, 2010

RING RING RING.

Last summer we put on one of Clock Opera's first-ever live shows opening for Marina & The Diamonds at a birthday party we threw at Notting Hill Arts Club. They killed it, and though we'd only heard bits and pieces from them to that point, you could tell there was something really special in Clock mastermind Guy Connelly's one-of-a-kind approach to pop songwriting. We'd just released Marina's Crown Jewels EP at that point and had the remix parts for "I Am Not A Robot" chilling on our hard drive and figured he could do something magical with them, so we broached the idea to him, he seemed up for it, and we passed them his way. Four months passed and we pretty much forgot about it, and then one day in late November he got in touch to say he'd finished the remix and sent it over to us. It was worth the wait.

Simply put, this is our favorite remix of all time. It's no secret we've got a penchant for hyperbole in these here pages, but after nearly six months of living with this remix we can honestly say that this is a once in a lifetime kind of track, a veritable holy grail of emotional pop perfection. "I Am Not A Robot" was already a masterful pop song in it's own right, but the Clock Opera remix takes it above and beyond, to soaring new heights of heartwrenching brilliance. Keeping the blueprint of the original verses more or less intact, Clock draws you in with all manner of pulsing strings samples and dramatic piano stabs until that chorus hits, in which Connelly masterfully splices together Marina's vocals to invent a new vocal melody and an altogether new refrain of "our. love's. fading. our. love's. fading.". Forget tugging, this'll rip your heartstrings straight out of your chest and then some. Trust us, it really doesn't get any better than this.

MP3: "I Am Not A Robot" (Clock Opera Remix) - Marina & The Diamonds [exclusive]

Thursday, April 22, 2010

USA IS FOR LOVERS.

There's a synth-pop epidemic taking over Massachuesetts and we're totally down with it. Carrying the torch lit by former Neon Gold alumni Passion Pit and Yes Giantess, Worcester newcomer Dom threatens to outshine both of them with his debut Sun Bronzed Greek Gods EP, out on Burning Mill Records next month. The whole thing is nothing short of amazing, but it's lead track "Living In America" that's dominating our stereo as one of the absolute best tracks we've heard all year. It basically sounds like Fear of Tigers producing that first Passion Pit EP, which as you can imagine is pretty much the best thing ever. Dom has completely and utterly restored our faith in new music, this shit is MAGIC.

MP3: "Living In America" - Dom

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

GO FASTER.

Luxury Living first two-stepped across our radar with their shit hot remix of Penguin Prison last month, and now we're back from Coachella with some original material from the Londoners that pack more heat than even the California desert can offer. "Kimberley" has been getting love on the blogs for a short minute now and for good reason, it's pulsing disco decadence has a hypnotizing brilliance about it that will get even the most pretentious Hoxton hipsters busting moves on the floor.

MP3: "Kimberley" (Demo) - Luxury Living

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

BREAK YOU DOWN.

We don't really know who this Seb fellow is, but hats off to him for having the presence of mind to get Mille involved on his new single "The Other Side". Seb's performance on the track isn't exactly going to have anyone scrambling to crown him the next King of Pop but that's irrelevant really, so severe is the heat Mille brings with his production. We can't decide if that massive synth riff in the chorus reminds us of the Wild Wild West or the Far Far East, but one thing's for sure: it's 1000% fire. Thanks to Discodust for the heads up.

MP3: "The Other Side" (ft. Mille) - Seb

Monday, April 12, 2010

LIKE A THORN DEEP IN YOUR SIDE.

We don't know much about former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows' split with Johnny Borrell and company a few years back, nor were we overly familiar with his 2008 solo debut Colourful Dreams, but we're well excited to hear more from Burrows after listening to the debut offering from his newest solo project I Am Arrows. "Nun" is widescreen summertime pop at it's best, reminiscent of Neon Gold favorites Wave Machines with its breezy lo-fi disco and catchy singalong melodies. Spring hit in a big way last week and I Am Arrows is just in time, so get this on repeat and get outside.

MP3: "Nun" - I Am Arrows

Thursday, April 8, 2010

THE LAST THING I REMEMBER.

TODAY IS A BIG DAY. The inimitable Penguin Prison makes his international live debut tonight, playing a sold out show at the Mercury Lounge. We've been to a few rehearsals and caught a secret warm-up gig a few weeks back at Cakeshop, and it's safe to say anyone coming down tonight is in for a serious treat. Dude's also just gone live with his debut music video, directed by Roman Rappak for Penguin's amazing "Something I'm Not", which dropped last month on Neon Gold. Filmed over Skype and then enhanced by Rappak in post-produciton with a barrage of rad after-effects, it's a masterful example of how a little bit of creativity can take a low-budget concept a long way. Scope the video above, and hit up the download below for a rather brilliant remix by London newcomers Luxury Living, who take the amazing original to ominous new heights, injecting it with a tangible sense of nocturnal danger and their signature decadent disco style.

MP3: "Something I'm Not" (Luxury Living Remix) - Penguin Prison

Monday, April 5, 2010

MUST BE DREAMING.

Mr. Little Jeans has been kicking around the blogs for a long minute now, but we’ve had her triumphant single “Angel” in regular rotation for months and still can’t get enough. Nevermind the fact that this Mr. is actually a Ms., she's one of the best new talents we've heard in an age and we're thrilled to introduce her as the latest addition to the Neon Gold team. Effortlessly coalescing the vocal stylings of everyone from Karen O to Lily Allen and Lykke Li, mademoiselle Little Jeans' has emerged as one of our favorite new vocalists in the game and the perfect candidate to carry on the legacy of former Neon Gold leading ladies Marina Diamond and Ellie Goulding. "Angel" is one of the biggest tracks we've heard this year and has all the makings of a bona fide underground smash, a true ladies night anthem in waiting. We'll be bringing it into the world on Neon Gold late next month as our next release, so take some time to familiarize yourself with its brilliance below.

MP3: "Angel" - Mr. Little Jeans

Saturday, April 3, 2010

SLEEPING WITH MY BACK TO YOU.

Things have really been coming together for our Neon Gold homeboy Wolf Gang since we first posted his outrageously beautiful new semi-single "Back To Back" last month. Pitchfork has jumped on the bandwagon and showered him with some recent Forkcast love, and now we've got an oven fresh remix from Los Angeles synth darling Active Child. We've been vibing on the recent Transparent signing since our dudes Jack and Sahil first turned us on to the wonderful ways of "When Your Love Is Safe", and he continues to impress on his remix of "Back To Back", bathing the original in an ocean of shimmering synths and the soulful electronic pop sounds he's come to be known for.

MP3: "Back To Back" (Active Child Remix) - Wolf Gang