POP LEVI - NEVER NEVER LOVE
new album out 14th JULY on Counter Records
new single “Dita Dimoné” drops 23rd JUNE

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Another summer, another amazing music festival lineup. The 15th Annual Sonar Music and Art festival in Barcelona takes place 19-21 June this year and they just announced another amazing lineup. There is a strong female presence from M.I.A., Goldfrapp, Roisin Murphy, Kid Sister, Miss Kittin and an assault of amazing electro, techno, noise and pop from Shackleton, Diplo, SebastiAn, Justice, DJ Scotch Egg, Ove-Naxx, Neon Neon, Spank Rock and more! ([More →])

DJ Don Letts compiled a wicked collection of tunes for Dread Meets Punk Rockers Uptown from his vast collection of reggae and dub 7-inches. The album is a veritable soundtrack to London’s legendary Roxy Club circa December ‘76 - April ‘77, where the Pistols, Clash and Banshees were known to kick it while Letts spun irie tunes. Dread Meets Punk Rockers Uptown features 16 tracks by King Tubby, Culture, Jah Stitch, Horace Andy, Lee “Scratch” Perry, U-Roy, Junior Murvin and many more.

The album even includes the apocalyptic Culture song “Two Sevens Clash”:

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A new compilation from Ninja Tune - You Don’t Know: Ninja Cuts - is filled with 50 tunes that map the sonic territory the label has explored during it’s 2 decades in the biz and adds sonar imagery of what lies ahead. The 3 CD set features tracks all the way 1998 reppin for the label’s early days (Mike Ladd’s rare classic “Blah Blah”) and big hits from every year since plus 9 tunes slated for release later this year! (Yet-to-be-dropped tunes like John Matthias’ fragile and ethereal “Evermore”, The Bug’s toxic dancehall slayer “Poison Dart”, and Pop Levi’s superb, princely “Dita Dimone”…) To celebrate such an amazing audio history, the Ninja Tune extended family is hosting a 3-room banger at Electrowerkz this month that features many of the artists on the 3CD collection!
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Every time I see an amazing lineup for live music, like this one for Ninja Tunes’ record release party or the Bang Face Weekender, I have to ask myself an important question: Do I live on the wrong side of the pond? When every flyer and lineup that I drool over is happening in or near London, it gets more and more difficult to understand why I stay in the US, with the ever-weakening dollar. This is the time of year where party people in the UK and Europe start to promote major music festival weekends that have me gazing at my passport with longing. Next up is a Ninja Tune extravaganza at Electrowerkz in London. On 15th February, a massive posse of premier musicians will take over 3 whole floors of the Electrowerkz nightclub to celebrate the new release of YOU DON’T KNOW: NINJA CUTS - one floor for each CD in the monster compilation! (There’s a whole post about the Ninja Tune compilation too, so scope that next.) ([More →])

Mumdance and Jammer added to Diplo’s remix of Black Lips’ “Veni Vidi Vici” for an ultra-smooth grime tune:

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Ever wonder what everyone else is listening to? Today’s list of Top Rankin Tunes is compiled from what was most popular among ([HearingTest]) readers in 2007. This is definitely the most pop-oriented of all the lists; starting with the the most-played tune: Alicia Keys and Jr. Reid’s reggae soul remix of “No One” followed by the tune that Jah Cure released at the same time he himself was released from Tower Prison. These two tunes were receiving thousands of plays per day for weeks! Recently, the audio CD that comes with Ghostface Killah’s new book “The World According To Pretty Toney” has been streaming pretty much round the clock on computers around the globe and linked to on numerous hip hop BBs. Other big contenders include Foxy Brown’s don diva anthem with Mavado - “We’re On Fire” - released during her incarceration in Rykers Island and the club anthem of the year in UK - T2 and Jodie Aysha’s incredible infectious “Heartbroken” which puts the bounce in Bassline music! ([More →])

Pull up Selecta, let’s hear those tunes one more time! Here are my selections for the Top 10 Tunes and 15 Albums Released In 2007… Tune in again tomorrow for a REWIND of the Biggest Tunes Published On ([HearingTest]) in ‘07! ([More →])

Ambient psychedelic rockers Spectrum are set to release wave after wave of tunes in 2008. The adventure begins in February with an LP titled Spectrum meets Cpt. Memphis - Indian Givers. This record documents the unique collaboration between Spectrum (Peter Kember/Sonic Boom and friends) and record producer/piano player Jim Dickinson! This album ^ will be released in addition to the highly anticipated new Spectrum album, also due in ‘08, plus an EP that will precede the LP. whew! ([More →])

Bjork’s new video for “Declare Independence” just dropped along with a bunch of behind the scenes action. Michel Gondry directed the video - his 7th for Bjork! What do you think of it? ([More →])

Gorillaz uploaded their entire D-Sides and you can listen to it streaming plus the animated band will also be releasing a documentary of behind the scenes Gorillaz action. HanWay Films will release “Bananaz” which will offer the first peek at how the animated band and its music was created. ([More →])

Gorillaz are releasing a new album of not so new material called D-Sides. “Rockit” is the new video from the upcoming album.
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Ska punk meets grime in the underground. Lethal Bizzle joins Gallows for their cover of The Ruts’ “Staring at the Rude Boys.” Check the new video here: ([More →])

Gwen Stefani is a smart gyal. She balances being a superstar musician, a super mom, a stylish fashion line and makes it all look easy. The Love. Angel. Music. Baby mama played a concert this week in San Diego, recently ravaged by wildfires, that will raise funds for the victims of the devastation. The proceeds from the concert will go back into the community via The San Diego Foundation’s After-the-Fires Fund 2007. ([More →])

Panda Bear uploaded their new video for “Comfy In Nautica.” It’s a lovely laid back skate video (total opposite of the adrenaline rush of most amped up sk8 vids) and the song is sublimely nice, like sitting on the beach watching the surfers.

Panda Bear - “Comfy In Nautica”:

The video was directed by Patrick O’Dell and Sam Salganik, but I don’t know who the skater is. Any ideas?