GOLD031: ST. LUCIA

We've been hinting at it for a while, but - in case you didn't already hear - a new era is upon us here at Neon Gold. That's right, it's time to put out some albums. So without further ado, we're over the moon to announce our first ever albums signing, the one and only St. Lucia. We'll be bringing you his immaculate debut EP this March and a debut album later this year, but first we're kicking things off with a remix 12" for EP standout "We Got It Wrong", a euphoric time-bending masterpiece that allows you to escape into the beaches of your imagination.

Beautifully packaged on widescreen 12" vinyl and in all good record stores on Valentine's Day, it comes complete with a star-studded supporting cast of remixes from some of our favorite electronic talents around. Finnish boy wonder Lenno molds the original into a nu-disco force of nature like an apprentice of the highest order, while the master puppeteer Starsmith adds layer upon layer of synth varnish like an OCD Gepetto on speed. Elsewhere Xaphoon Jones, the dark wizard of the bunch, summons up black magic from the spirit world with teeth-baring synths and just-make-it-clap beats on what can only be described as a festival massacre just waiting to happen. It's all out physically on February 14th, but you can preorder the full package from the Neon Gold Shop HERE. But wait, there's more... for the first time ever, we've also got the release available for purchase digitally from iTunes NOW, a highly dangerous experiment in immediate gratification that's sure to yield only the sexiest results.

MP3: "We Got It Wrong" (Xaphoon Jones Remix) - St. Lucia [exclusive]

THIS WEEK: POPSHOP 2.0

GREAT NEWS. Popshop 2.0 is only three sleeps away, as we get ready to do it bigger than ever before with Classixx this Thursday at Santos Party House. The not so great news - we've lost another amazing act to the pitfalls of homeland security, as Morning Parade's visas were delayed until later in the month, meaning they won't be able to join us for this round of Popshop. Worry not though, they'll be back with us in March for a special pre-SXSW edition of our semiannual NEW SHAPES party as part of one of the biggest lineups we've ever brought to NYC (stay tuned).

Back to the matter at hand though. We've dug deep to find a stellar replacement for the Parade, and we're thrilled to announce that NYC's greatest rock 'n roll band Workout will be joining us on the Popshop stage, getting things popping early before French Horn Rebellion and Classixx tear it down in the headline slots. Workout are pretty much our new favorite live band in New York and it's a show that needs to be seen to be believed, so do yourself a favor and come down early - it'll be the best decision you make all month, guaranteed. It's all going down Thursday at Santos, you can cop cheap $10 adv tickets HERE before they're either sold out or $15 on the door, you're call.

STOP THE MOONLIGHT FADING.

Guillemots' most recent full length, Walk The River, was one of our most cherished releases of 2011, so we're especially wary of just anyone laying their hands on Fyfe Dangerfield's brilliant songwriting and production. But once we heard this deft re-imagining of "I Don't Feel Amazing Now" from UK electronic duo Mooli, our overprotective instincts quickly melted away. It gently unfolds with Fyfe's harmonies drifting in and out like a lazy pendulum - in a carefree Grouplove kind of way - over Mooli's summery bonfire synths and coconut beats. As soon as Fyfe's lovelorn croon enters the ring and the chorus starts to tug at your tender heartstrings, it doesn't take long before you realize that this is exactly the catharsis-spiked cocktail that you needed all along.

MP3: "I Don't Feel Amazing Now" (Mooli Remix) - Guillemots

INTRODUCING: THE INAUGURAL NEON GOLD TOUR.

At long last, we're thrilled to bring you our very first Neon Gold Tour, a powerhouse mini-tour launching in NYC at Popshop on March 1st and wrapping up at SXSW at the official Neon Gold Records showcase two weeks later. Headlining are our resident partystarters The Knocks, with support from our beloved dreamers Savoir Adore and our very first albums signing (!!!) St. Lucia. That's right, we're very proud to announce the amazing and talented St. Lucia as our first albums signing, but more on that next week.

For now, it's all about gearing up for our biggest live undertaking yet, as we bring together three of our favorite bands in the game and set them loose on the unsuspecting masses of the eastern seaboard. And if we missed your town on this run, worry not, this tour will be the first of many. Tickets for all shows (except Trinity College) are on sale now and can be found at our new Neon Gold ticketing hub HERE. We'll have a few special guests joining the tour in various cities, and if you're in NYC you're going to want to get your tickets NOW because we've got one hell of a special guest headliner lined up for the launch party, and tickets will sell out overnight once the cat's out of the bag. Consider this fair warning. Full dates and audio below:

March 1st -- NYC -- Santos Party House (POPSHOP014)
March 2nd -- Boston -- Middle East Downstairs
March 3rd -- Trinity College -- The Mill
March 6th -- DC -- U Street Music Hall
March 7th -- Philadelphia -- The Blockley
March 8th -- Savannah -- Savannah Stopover
March 11th -- Atlanta -- Masquerade

STREAM: "R.O.Y.L." - The Knocks

DOWNLOAD: "We Got It Wrong" - St. Lucia


DOWNLOAD: "Dreamers" - Savoir Adore

SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER WORLD.

Our omission of Sweden's Deportees from our Top Singles of 2011 list was a world class oversight, but fortunately for you and me and everyone we know, their seminal masterpiece "A Heart Like Yours In A Time Like This" now gets the shine it deserves with a proper single release in 2012. A pristine slice of emotional, wintry pop, it'll have you blushing through the pallor of your frostbitten complexion in no time. The delicate Explosions In The Sky guitars and heavensent harmonies (seriously guys, those HARMONIES) slowly build with a graceful patience to an epic conclusion, and the result is truly one of the more beautiful songs we've heard in years. Already heroes and album-of-the-year contenders - for last year's Islands & Shores - in their native Sweden, 2012 finds Deportees set to make a significant impact beyond Scandinavian shores (and islands) in the year to come. Expect shock and awe, folks.

MP3: "A Heart Like Yours In A Time Like This" - Deportees [exclusive]

I'LL BE PUTTING DREAMS IN YOUR EYES.

We knew there was something special about Polarsets when we put out "Morning" back in the halcyon days of August. That now seems like forever ago in the harsh grips of winter, but the Newcastle trio waste no time taking us back to those simpler times here, injecting Mausi's everlasting summer anthem "Sol" with that full-frontal Friendly Fires-in-Ibiza vibe that they pull off so effortlessly. All we wanted was to thaw out a bit and just like that, they answered our prayers with this thorough remedy, a familiar mirage of the tropics underscored by Mausi's sunbeat vocals and Polarsets' trademark man-of-steel drums. It all adds up to the second release from our DC bros' All Things Go on their brand new vinyl imprint ATG Records (a blog starting a record label? unheard of!) and when the results are this good, you better believe this won't be the last time we get our family tree mixed up with theirs.

MP3: "Sol" (Polarsets Remix) - Mausi [exclusive]

HOPE SOON I'LL DREAM WITH YOU.

Our dude Brad Oberhofer is one of our city's brightest young things and most captivating new talents, so we're throwing this up late in the game just in case you missed its first strike last week. "HEART" marks the first single from his upcoming debut full length, Time Capsules II (top marks on the name sir), and starts off with a classical piano arrangement that rockets into a frantic Alberti bass just as Oberhofer's familiar concave vocals begin to sink into your psyche. As the flickering toy piano plays hooky with the emphatic drums and sweeping string sections, he turns on the dark charm and dreams up an epic lullaby for the unrequited.

Under the production wing of the legendary Steve Lillywhite - a curveball of a producer for this project but one that suddenly makes perfect sense here - "HEART" manages to combine the nail-biting bravado of pre-Glassnote Oberhofer with an incredible orchestral majesty reminiscent of our own ANR's "Blood on Blood". NYC, meet your new favorite son.

MP3: "HEART" - Oberhofer

IF YOU LEAVE ME FOR THE STARS.

It's been a minute since he first burst onto the scene with mint remixes of Foster The People and The Knocks, but it was only a matter of time before Finnish wunderkind Lenno reclaimed the spotlight. This time, he and fellow countryman Jesse Oliver tackle Miami Horror's instant classic "Holidays" with true finesse, and you better believe we'll have this on full blast as we sail the high seas to Mexico with The Knocks and Weezer this weekend.

MP3: "Holidays" (Lenno + Jesse Oliver Remix) - Miami Horror

INTRODUCING POPSHOP 2.0: CLASSIXX + MORE

Our first Popshop of the new year will be a change of pace and change of scenery, kickstarting a brand new year of incredible live music with the same contagious pop atmosphere we established in 2011. Getting things started on the first Popshop of 2012 are London's next huge things Morning Parade making their US live debut, before our beloved Popshop alumni French Horn Rebellion take things over in the live headline slot. Then it's time for our main event, as LA's nu disco heroes Classixx take over with a headline DJ set that'll burn the midnight oil and then the entire house down.

Despite what's perhaps our biggest lineup ever, the biggest news of the night has to be our brand new home, as we move Popshop from Tammany Hall to the wide open spaces of Santos Party House. It's a new year and a new look, as we take over the main room of Santos Party House and the city's best sound system to elevate Popshop to new levels of glory. And with our advance ticket price still locked in at $10 (or $15 day of show) and free drink specials in the works, it's just about the cheapest way to live the dream in the whole damn city. It's all going down Thursday, February 2nd at Santos Party House (96 Lafayette Street), with advance tickets available HERE now. Don't miss out friends, we're about to take it to another level.

DOWNLOAD: "I'll Get You" (ft. Jeppe) - Classixx


DOWNLOAD: "Listzomania" (Classixx Remix) - Phoenix

STREAM: "Beaches + Friends" (ft. Database) - French Horn Rebellion


DOWNLOAD: "Up All Night" - French Horn Rebellion


STREAM: "Under The Stars" - Morning Parade


DOWNLOAD: "Us & Ourselves" (St. Lucia Remix) - Morning Parade