Major Lazer

In start contrast to my week's obsession with David Crosby (see previous post) is the weird buzzy hot-flush I'm getting from Major Lazer. Its the latest project for Diplo and features a cast of famous and soon-to-be-famous ringins. Major Lazer's new album "Gunz Don't Kill People Lazers Do" is released on June 16 and you can hear the tunes on myspace or check the 'off the tap' video below.

Major Lazer - "Hold The Line" ft. Mr. Lexx and Santigold
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And this little gem...

Shoot The Player

Just found this great blog which reminds me of similar ideas i've seen overseas, in particular the excellent La Blogotheque crew and the Black Cab sessions from the UK. The basic premise is to put artists in an interesting place/context (usually outside or on the street) for them to perform solo. The team behind the Sydney based site acknowledge the influence of those who've gone before (and pay aestehtic homage too) but describe their own take on it thus:

Jonathan and Amelia began making single shot music videos on the streets and in locations around Sydney – that was it; shoot whomever you want, wherever you can. What you see and hear is exactly what happened on the street that day.

Featured on Shoot The Player are rad humans like Laura Jean, Young Werther and Jack Ladder. Plus some international types like the overrated Lightspeed Champion.

Check out Shoot The Player, or have a quick look at this video featuring Pikelet:


Pikelet: Pillowcastle from shoottheplayer on Vimeo.

Ida Maria

I put some pasta on last night (4 cheese ravioli with a light but spicy napoli sauce) and really needed to hear Drive Away My Heart by IDA MARIA over and over and over and over again. Its up there with the new ones from Envelopes and Mystery Jets as my fave tune for this particular 24 hours...

Here's the video, featuring a giant bankrobbing heart-dude:



Ida (pron. Eedah) is from Norway but now based in Stockholm, Sweden, and was here in London with her band last night supporting Guillemots (which i missed), and will be playing SXSW this week before returning to the UK for two dates at the Barfly...

SXSW
Thursday, March 13 12:45 a.m. Latitude 30
Friday, March 14 1:30 p.m. SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center

UK
Tuesday, March 18, XFM Exposure, Barfly London
Wednesday, March 19, XFM Exposure, Barfly Cardiff

I think I'm turning into a massive fan. Her voice and approach reminds me at times of a punkier version of Bertie Blackman from Sydney and her track Oh My God is already been getting lots of play here in the UK, and the newest single Stella has just hit stores.

You can check out more Ida Maria below or here, and dates and tunes on her myspace.