Annie Clark’s new single Surgeon finds her imploring “best finest surgeon, come cut me open,” while a haze of guitars, ambient synthesizers, strings and bass notes reverberate around her. That’s all before the most ’80s-sounding solo you’ll hear this year hits your ears.
M.I.A. released an unfinished demo dedicated to Amy Winehouse and all her friends who died at the age of 27.
How Deep Is Your Love is the NYC band’s first new song in three years and its piano-house leanings may finally mean the band ditch that “dance-punk” tag. It’s offered as a free download.
The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love by DFA Records
Yin Yang: The Golden Era of Hip Hop is a LYF STYL-curated downloadable compilation which asks electronic producers to re-imagine songs from Outkast, De La Soul, Raekwon & Gangstarr.
M.I.A.
Maya Arulpragasam celebrated New Year’s Eve by releasing a free 36 minute mixtape called Vicki Leekx consisting of out-takes from her last album /\/\/\Y/\ and newer material.
http://vickileekx.com
Pop Massacre
A group of electronic artists curated by label Friends Of Friends including names like Daedelus and DNTEL cover big pop hits from the likes of Abba, Prince, Katy Perry, A-Ha, Britney and Beach Boys. Free download.
Listen at Bandcamp
Toro Y Moi
After a successful 2010, Chaz Bundick will release his second album Underneath The Pine in late February but has already dropped Still Sound, the first substantial taster from the record.
Listen at Disco Ball Breaker
Klaxons free EP
Landmarks Of Lunacy was the band’s Christmas gift, a 5-track EP of material recorded in 2008 with producer James Ford and ultimately rejected by the label.
http://www.klaxons.net
The Casanova Wave
Waterford man Brian McCartan has got some deserved attention on the Irish blogosphere of late for his debut self-titled EP with Irish blog The Point of Everything dubbing his brand of rich one-man band electronica as “chillwave we can call our own”.
http://thecasanovawave.bandcamp.com
DELS
Two videos into his career on Big Dada, DELS (pictured) is probably the UK’s most exciting unknown rapper. He has recorded those two first 8-bit infused singles – Shapeshift and Trumpalump with Joe Goddard of Hot Chip.
http://www.myspace.com/imdels
James Blake
A rising star in electronic music over the last year, the UK’s James Blake has twisted that buzz once again with his recent piano-based Klavierwerke EP and a restrained and desolate cover of Feist’s Limit To Your Love.
Listen at Nialler9
M.I.A’s new song series
Debuted through a series of hard-to-remember URLs, M.I.A has been dropping unreleased tracks on domains like http://bedroomtothehallwaytotheroadtotheworld.com , http://ithinkyoumightgetshitforthat.com, http://facebookgooglemyspaceyoutube.com & http://4thepeopleontheboat.com.
M.I.A – XXXO
After the over-indulgent and controversial gingercide video for Born Free, M.I.A gives the people a banging club track which bodes much better for her new album frighteningly called /\/\ /\ Y /\ (as in Maya, her first name).
http://bit.ly/miaxxxo
Nialler9 new music mixtape
A collection of great new music from yours truly including tunes from Twin Sister, Zola Jesus, Javelin, FUR, Lali Puna and more.
http://bit.ly/9newmix
Jarvis Cocker’s free album
The Sheffield man has made an album of ambient sounds in support of The National Trust in the UK. You can download it for free.
http://bit.ly/jarvisc
Lady Gaga’s Telephone redux
U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan have remade Lady Gaga’s Telephone music video in their spare time.
Birdemic
Imagine The Birds remade as a B-Movie in 2010 and you’ve got this cringeworthy film trailer.
M.I.A’s Born Free video
Banned from Youtube due to its explicit content, M.I.A’s graphic 9 minute video sees redheads suffer at the hands of the military. We’re not sure if there’s a message here.
M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.
Airspace Rebooted
A visualisation of the northern European airspace returning to use after being closed due to volcanic ash. The info taken from flightradar24.com.
Airspace Rebooted from ItoWorld on Vimeo.
The best music on the web this week.
Toro Y Moi
South Carolina man Chaz Bundick’s project displays a dizzying array of styles on his debut album Causers of This. From glo-fi ambience to keyboard-led dance-pop to bumpin’ hip-hop jams, it’s exhilarating and it’s out now digitally.
http://www.myspace.com/toroymoi
M.I.A. debuts new song via Twitter
In response to the New York Times declaring Sri Lanka one of the best places to travel in 2010, M.I.A. debuted a homemade video of the Rusko-produced Space Oddysey on Twitter in response.
Listen/Watch at The Fader
The Horrors remix Florence and the Machine
Proving that Florence Welch’s music is the perfect remix material once again, Tom from goth-rockers The Horrors twists Hurricane Drunk into a magically atmospheric interpretation.
The Ambience Affair debut material
Taken from the Dublin band’s second EP out this month, Devil In The Detail showcases the duo’s penchant for rich instrumentation and the furthering of their unique folk-rock style. The Patterns EP is out tomorrow.
Listen at Nialler9
