TOTALLY MJ.

The world lost the greatest entertainer of all time while we were off at Glasto, and it's only just beginning to settle in now that we've returned to the real world. Glasto had it's fair share of ill advised MJ tributes, so it's nice to see a worthwhile celebration of the King of Pop back in London this week. Head down to Punk on Thursday for Wonky Pop's celebration of the man and his accomplishments, featuring a headlining DJ set from Ellie Goulding remix hero Jakwob. Free entry for anyone dressed as the Gloved One himself, all the info you need is here.

MP3: "Beat It" (Jakwob and Jestar's WakoWob) - Michael Jackson [exclusive]

GUESS WHAT.

We're way busy packing for our first ever Glastonbury, but before we jet off for the weekend we had to hook you up with the amazing new video that's just come through for Marina & The Diamonds' "I Am Not A Robot". Directed by Dazed & Confused founder and famed London photographer Rankin, it's hands down one of the best videos we've seen in ages and one of the more special things we've ever been involved with. We were on set for a portion of the grueling 16 hour shoot (which involved three full body paint jobs) and it was obvious this was going to be pure magic, but the video turned out even more beautifully than we could have ever imagined. Truly a work of art.

Out on Neon Gold this past Monday, "Robot" is the lead single from The Crown Jewels EP, which is still available for purchase from the Neon Gold Shop and Puregroove as well as on iTunes UK. As per usual it comes backed by a delicately assembled remix package, one of the highlights of which is the incredible mix from The Aspirins For My Children. NME's named the remix their #1 Must Hear track in this week's issue and they're pretty much spot on there: this shit has massive trance stabs, high drama strings, actual robots and just about anything else you could possibly ask for. Between this and his immense destruction of "Obsessions", we're starting to feel like a full-fledged Aspirins/Marina EP is something that needs to happen... we're not making any promises though.

MP3: "I Am Not A Robot" (Aspirins For My Children Remix) - Marina & The Diamonds

That's all for now, off to Glastonbury tomorrow. We'll be back in action next week (with a new single announcement, no less) provided we survive the next four days. Holler at us if you're headed down and if you're not be sure to keep it locked on our twitter for drunken updates on how much fucking fun we're having. We'll be spending most of our time kicking it the Chess Club-curated stage at the Departure Lounge, where Neon Gold favorites and Chess Club all-stars Ex-Lovers, Mumford & Sons, Kurran & The Wolfnotes and many more will be awing the masses all weekend. Check out the full line up our Chess Club dudes have put together HERE. Can't wait, y'all.

// Rankin & Chris //

A LOVE LETTER IN THREE PARTS.

God knows this town feels cursed sometimes. Days when dark, heavy clouds are embedding Gothenburg from the southern factories to the grimy oil refineries in the western harbour, and when the love of your life leaves with a taxi you haven't ordered, you reach for the suitcase you keep packed and ready under the bed. But every time you try to leave, there's something holding you back, keeping you here. Like today, an absolutely wonderful June afternoon, 28 °C, slightly cooler in the shade, the setting sun drenching the city centre rooftops in a deep hue of pinks, yellows and purples. And strolling down the Vasa avenue, there's a sense of good times on the rise, a sense of a town that belongs to you and you alone. It's as if everyone's been listening to Bill Withers "Lovely Day" before leaving the house, feeling that same unbridled optimism. I do.

For us, geography and architecture are essential elements of pop. It may be slightly naïve, but I have to believe there's a way for pop music to prevent commercial takeover of public spaces, a way for pop to demolish shopping centres and make room for a city's inhabitants. The City, whether it's here or somewhere else, is yours. This small, simple project, named GBG Belongs to Us, is a selection of love letters to the places and the people who makes this town a lovely one to live in. To everyone who's heart skips a beat at the sight of an intersection, feeling dizzy at the amount of routes available, and to everyone who believe that a city is not just a home, it's a lifelong companion.

Best,
Air France, June 2009

MP3: "GBG Belongs To Us" - Air France

Parts I and II of a glorious Love Letter In Three Parts.

// Mathias Barbagallo //

WHAT AM I TODAY.

Here are the facts: Egyptian Hip Hop are high school kids from Manchester with the best band name ever and a knack for melody far beyond their years. They made their London live debut last month at our Neon Gold party at Catch and while it's still obviously very early days, these kids show an amazing amount of promise for the years to come. "Rad Pitt" is their lo-fi anthem, coming on like a shoutier version of The Cure, all cascading guitar rhythms and adolescent existentialism. They're churning out top notch demos left and right and being cared for by the lovely gentlemen of Hit Club (who are hosting some of those demos here), so you can and should expect big things from this lot.

MP3: "Rad Pitt" - Egytpian Hip Hop

MIXTAPE.

After a successful first conquest of the UK last month, everyone's favorite electro playboys Yes Giantess return to England next month for further synth-pop escapades, but first they've got an oven fresh mixtape to drop for y'all. Mixed by London DJ powerhouse Kris Di Angelis and featuring tracks from the band's biggest influences mixed in with fresh new hits and some of their own original material, The Mixtape is 60 minutes of pure elation. There's Journey, there's Phoenix, a little Mariah, some Kylie, not to mention artwork featuring some totally badass, totally bloodthirsty wolves... What more could you ask for? Check the tracklist and download the mix below, fire up the grill and turn up the stereo, your perfect summer playlist just arrived.

Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Muscles - Sweaty (Shazam Remix)
Yes Giantess - You Were Young (Acapella)
Michael Jackson - P.Y.T.
Kylie Minogue - Boombox (JBAG Mix)
Kylie Minogue - Wow (Single Mix)
Prince - Little Red Corvette
Yes Giantess - Demons
Gui Boratto - Beautiful Life
Phoenix - Heat Wave
autoKratz - Always More (Goshi Goshi Mix)
Giorgio Moroder - What A Night
Yo! Majesty - Don't Let Go (Acapella)
Lily Allen - Not Fair (Kris Di Angelis & Ben Dobie's Circus Mix)
Yes Giantess - You Were Young
Erasure - A Little Respect
Mariah Carey + Jay-Z - Heartbreaker
Yes Giantess - Tuff N Stuff
A-Ha - Take On Me (Twelves Remix)

Brilliant.

MP3: Yes Giantess: The Mixtape [exclusive]

In other Yes Giantess news, the band make their triumphant return to New York this Thursday opening for Fake Blood at what is sure to be the week's hottest party. Presented by the imitable Palms Out Sounds crew, the show is going down at a new, as-yet-unnamed venue located at 213 N. 8th Street. Yes Giantess take the stage at 9:45, there's an open bar on vodka from 9-11 and, um, it's fucking free before 11 with a RSVP to list@gbh.tv. Let's be real, you quite literally have no excuse not to be there.

MP3: "Stuck On Repeat" (Fake Blood Remix) - Little Boots

GOLD 005: WOLF GANG

And so the relentless onslaught of summer releases continues. Not unlike previous Neon Gold all-stars Passion Pit and Yes Giantess, the story of Wolf Gang began with Max McElligott penning massive pop anthems in the solitary confines of his bedroom. Having since formed a band around him, he's now set to take his craft to the world stage, and "Pieces of You" is the debut single before they no doubt become a global pop machine in the months to come. Fusing everything from the grooves of David Byrne to the widescreen soundscapes of Arcade Fire and the timeless pop of Smokey Robinson, "Pieces" is a pastiche of influences plucked from bygone eras and beautifully reimagined in a modern context. With a chorus that descends from the heavens and just erupts like an avalanche of sound and emotion, it's one of our favorite tracks of the year and we're thrilled to be bringing it into the world on Neon Gold.

MP3: "Pieces of You" - Wolf Gang

On the flipside, "The Kill" hits a more ominous and foreboding note, as hospital synths swoon and swirl across the mix and McElligott - who also designed the artwork for the record - sings with a dark urgency reflective of the current global crisis at hand. And as you've probably come to expect by now, we've got a shit ton of hot remixes coming through from the liks of Yes Giantess, We Have Band and Disco Bloodbath, plus many more. Preorder is available now from the Neon Gold Shop for US customers or from Puregroove for our International customers. As per usual, only 500 copies available worldwide so don't sleep.

TAUNTING GESTURES.

Last February saw Local Natives emerge from SXSW as the toast of the festival and thus one of the hottest new acts around, while the three tracks on offer on their myspace had the blogs abuzz and A&Rs on both sides of the pond scrambling for their checkbooks. Things have settled down a bit in recent months as fans eagerly await more material from the band, but having wrangled ourselves a copy of the already completed debut record Local Natives are shopping to labels we can assure you the wait is worth it. Proof arrives in "Sun Hands", which will be finding it's way onto the shelves of all good record stores next month when our top bros at Chess Club make it the latest in their long line of phenomenal releases. A longtime live favorite, "Sun Hands" finds the Silverlake outfit at their most primal, all Yeasayer shouts and immense, visceral instrumentation as the track erupts in an explosive middle 8 before returning to the ethereal harmonies the band have made their calling card and easing to a peaceful conclusion.

MP3: "Sun Hands" - Local Natives

BLUE FLOWERS HITS NYC.

We've mentioned Blue Flowers - the legenedary West London club night turned singles labe - before in these pages, and we're over the moon to announce our upcoming collaboration with them as they seek to launch the Blue Flowers brand in NYC. The original night quickly became West London's premier club night and saw everyone from Jamie T and Noah & The Whale to Adele and Laura Marling cutting their teeth on its hallowed stage, and now the NYC night promises to showcase the best new talent from both sides of the Atlantic. Launching June 20th with Neon Gold favorites The Maccabees headlining and support from Miike Snow and Hatcham Social, their new venture is already off to a hugely promising start. Not only has Music Hall of Williamsburg, New York's best large-scale venue, signed on to host the proceedings, but we'll also be rocking the Neon Gold room downstairs all night long with an elite crop of DJ's dropping the jams until 3 AM. Olmec and Body Language will be getting things started early, with Friends With Benefits and Shuttle (formerly Etan) keeping things moving until the early hours. Get ready NYC.

MP3: "The Reeling" (Miike Snow Remix) - Passion Pit

AND LET THE DRUM BEAT DROP.

Brand new Neon Gold release out now, y'all. The Crown Jewels EP drops on 7" and download today from Marina & The Diamonds and we couldn't be happier. We've already waxed poetic on its treasures and offered ace AA-side track "Seventeen" up for download, but we've also commissioned a few top notch remixes this time around as well. Never ones to skimp you on the remix front, we've got some primetime mixes in from French cool kids The Shoes and up and coming London producer The Aspirins For My Children, the latter of whom comes through with another great Marina rework hot on the heels of his incredible take on "Obsessions". Our favorite of the bunch, however, comes courtesy of Starsmith, whose 24 Carat mix shimmers and shines as it slowly builds to an epic, synth-drenched climax. Already beloved around Neon Gold HQ for his amazing work with Ellie Goulding, he's recently turned his sights on remixing, and guess what - he's pretty fucking good at that too. The Crown Jewels is available for purchase in the US from the Neon Gold Shop or in the UK from Puregroove. Make it happen.

MP3: "I Am Not A Robot" (Starsmith's 24 Carat Remix) - Marina & The Diamonds