BBC Sound Of 2010

I love a list.

Especially one that tries to predict stuff.

That's why I always enjoy the day the BBC Sound Of... poll comes out.

Gold Panda is on it, as well as Joy Orbison and err... The Drums.

Parappa Pum Pum

I concede. I've done most of my shopping. I even started wrapping some yesterday. And I've been hitting the mince pies hard for a couple of weeks.

So here's cosmic disco don Lindstrøm twisting Little Drummer Boy into cooler shapes than even Bowie could manage. There's a 40 minute version floating around. This is the 5 minute edit.

mp3 ---> Lindstrøm - Little Drummer Boy (Direct Link)

Best Knob Twiddler of the Year 2009

Been thinking. Whose been the best laptop-wielding electronic fella this year? Yes I do have a lot of time on my hands.

There were three runners: Unicorn Kid, Memory Tapes and Gold Panda.

Unicorn Kid provided my favourite live experience this year at Green Man.

(I'm the twat in the green and red check shirt in the bottom right corner, trying not to spill cider).

Memory Tapes, kinda snuck up out of nowhere with a unique sound and free mp3s.

Gold Panda had been floating around for a minute and put in a decent performance at Swn, but I was never too sure about his own material, preferring his remix work.

That was until I heard Quitters Raga. A Four Tet flecked slab of summery eastern mysticism. Simply stunning.

And so the winner of Ceefax Of Life's inaguaral "Best Knob Twiddler of the Year" is Gold Panda. PRESTIGE!

mp3---> Gold Panda - Quitters Raga (Direct Link)

BSS Everywhere

Talking of Barfly last night, one of Los Campesinos had a Broken Social Scene t-shirt on. Can't remember which one. Left pretty soon after Islet finished.

Second time in a week for a random BSS moment. Heard Fire Eye'd Boy in Cardiff Arts Institute while waiting for BLK JKS.

And that's enough for a post on Broken Social Scene. Used to play this track loads on Sam & Sarah's Sonic Sandwich on Radiowave. Oh the memories.

Shuffling yet epic indie, that's perfect for making a grey day a bit brighter.

mp3---> Broken Social Scene - Fire Eye'd Boy (Direct Link)

Islet + Free Rum

Finally saw a whole Islet set. Always catch the end of their sets. It was starting to become a joke. They were the special guests at the Los Campesinos gig SPONSORED BY SAILOR JERRY'S @ Barfly last night.

I really want to hate Islet. Pretentious, art school wankery. Half hearted attempts at breaking the fourth wall. The way they swap instruments. The goof with the moustache (although he could actually be retarded, if so my bad).

But they're too damn good, all tribal and sinuous and odd and good.

Islet look like to have shunned the web as their USP, so no mp3s. But here's a video. Hope that suffices.

Ariel Pink

What? Yet another lo-fi dream-pop chillwave act from the States?

Difference here is that Ariel Pink was one of the first and is one of the best at this shtick.

With an new album out in early 2010 (on indier-than-thou stalwart 4AD), Pink is touring briefly in December and he's stopping off at Buffalo on the 6th. That's a Sunday.

Threatmantics are on the bill too, so it should be good. £8 on the door and you're in.

mp3---> Ariel Pink - Suicide Notes (Direct Link)

Dance Aerobics + Devo = Win

Best. Thing. Ever.

I'm looking to form a crack dance aerobics team. We will dance to Devo. We will wear spandex. We will be awesome. Who's with me?

To get you in the mood here's the Devo track used on the video.

mp3---> Devo - That's Good (Direct Link)

Can't believe I haven't posted about Devo before now. LOVE Devo.