News: Free MP3 download to celebrate Animal Collective's next single

Animal Collective are releasing the next single from their rather glorious Merriweather Post Pavillion album on June 29.  The sunny psychedelia of 'Summertime Clothes' is undoubtably a highlight from an already pretty damn awesome album so if, for whatever reason, you are yet to check out the album then make sure you have a listen.  The band recently performed the song live on Letterman, check it out:

The single comes backed with a collection of remixes (one of which is by current retro whizz kid Zomby).  If you can't wait or just fancy a free download then the band's label Domino are giving away one of the mixes for free (well, in exchange for the usual personal data) over at the Domino website.  You'll get the Dam-Funk Remix there - is a warm, dubby affair - BlackPlastic has a temptation to feel that remixes of material this good are kind of pointless but this mix does a pretty good job of putting a nice spin on the original.

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Album / DVD Review: A Positive Rage - the Hold Steady

BlackPlastic cannot help - like physically can't not - tell people over, and over, and over just how fucking good this record is and how good the Hold Steady are.

They aren't 'electronic' in the sense of being even vaguely related to the central musical styles of this blog.  What they are however is one of the most passionate, mind-blowingly enjoyable rock bands around right now.  If you checked our top five non-electronic albums of 2008 you will know that the Hold Steady's Bruce Springsteen-esque sound blew us away on their album Stay Positive.

A Positive Rage is a double disc effort - a live recording from c. 2006 and a DVD documentary made at the same time as the band tour America (with a bit of London at the beginning).  BlackPlastic doesn't feel the need to say much about this beyond the fact that both components are essential (so don't do digital kids, buy a proper CD for once) and that this is a perfect introduction as to what is so great about the band.

The album closes on a couple of tracks that run into each other - 'Girls Like Status' and 'Killer Parties' - and the result feels like a moment of clarity in a drunken haze.  As Craig Finn's closing vocals (more shouted than sung) state:

If she said we partied then I'm pretty sure we partied...

I really don't remember...

I remember we departed... from our bodies.

It's a glorious moment - as the electronic warmth of guitar distortion and organ envelope the crowd and Finn himself BlackPlastic can't help but wish they were there.

Available on CD / DVD at Amazon.co.uk , or even better Rough Trade because they are releasing this and deserve your support.

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Video: MTBig Planet

This is freaking awesome.  BlackPlastic loves the sackboys in Little Big Planet (there is a sentence we wouldn't have predicted a few years ago) and Danteneverdies has put together a video montage / parody of a series of well known dance music videos using Little Big Planet.

The take on the Prodigy complete with graphiti in the form of a LBP sticker is BlackPlastic's personal favourite.

Tracklist:

Flatbeat - Mr Oizo
Sing it Back - Moloko
Satisfaction - Benny Bennasi
Destination Calabria - Alex Gaudino
Right Here Right Now - FatboySlim
Who’s Your Daddy - Benny Bennassi
Starlight - Supermen Lovers
DANCE - Justice
My Boobs are Ok - Lene Alexandre
Hey Boy Hey Girl - The Chemical Brothers
Call on me - Eric Prydz
Invaders Must Die - The Prodigy
One More Time - DAFT PUNK

Source: Danteneverdies / Via: Rubbishcorp & @misstwinkle.

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Single Review: Counterpoint - Delphic

If this is anything to go by then we just might have stumbled across one of 2009's most exciting new bands. Foraging similar territories as BlackPlastic favorites Friendly Fires, Delphic mold a true hybrid between rock and epic, spaced out house music.

Only just entering their second year as a band Delphic come up with their music together on laptops and only then do they figure out how to play it live, laying instruments over the top before finally taking to the stage to perform their songs together in one continuous set.  From what BlackPlastic can hear it sounds like a pretty good system.

First singe 'Counterpoint' is produced by Ewan Pearson and it's a shimmering piece of electronic rock that sounds like an emotional two-finger salute, a celebration of the summer and a call for help all in one.  The video, directed by hAndz, is also quite cool:

Pearson is to start work on producing the debut album soon, meaning it should be one to look out for. Don't just take our word on it - we have a download of Delphic performing 'Counterpoint' live in Amsterdam here (right click, save as).

'Counterpoint' is released on 13 April 2009 on R&S.  Delphic - website / MySpace / Twitter.

Ewan Pearson on Twitter.

BlackPlastic on Twitter.

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Single Review: Wasted My Time - Superpowerless

Superpowerless is 20 year old Oliver Hindle from Leeds and Wasted My Time comes as the winning track from Vodafone's Fast Track competition. Oliver himself describes Superpowerless' sound as "Game Boy-fueled adventure-core" and based on Chiptune debut single 'Wasted My Time' the influence is clear.

Inspired by the Postal Service to get into electronic music and subsequently Depeche Mode and .Adult amongst others the influences are pretty clear with 'Wasted My Time' coming across with the sweet 16 bit pop of the Jimmy Tamborello / Ben Gibbard side project but with a dash of tongue in cheek darkness.

The result, now re-recorded with producer and DJ Andy Chatterly (who has worked with Kanye West in the past, notably on 'Stronger') is quite enjoyable and features a new video directed by Luc Janin that draws on the videogame theme.

'Wasted My Time' is out on Vodafone Live on 23 March 2009 and Superpowerless play live on 24 March at the Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, London.

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