Holy Bjork, Synth-Fans! I have been hyping the reactable electronic music instrument to anyone who would listen lately (and here I am doing it again), but I had no idea that Bjork is using one and had it at the Glastonbury Music Festival! Reactable is basically an electronic synthesizer, only it has no keys. Instead, it uses a more intuitive and visual based interface with the musician. Before I try to write 1000 words, let me show you a reactable in action: ([More →])

What a great combination! M.I.A. will open for Bjork on September 11th at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan and at her two concerts in Nimes, France August 21 and 23. ([More →])

What’s this? A good-old-fashioned soundclash for the betterment of humankind? It must be a Dubraizer! Thursday (tomorrow), Londoners get a chance to hear amazing dubstep while making a difference in the community. Corsica Studios is hosting Dubraizer! to benefit an urban youth group - CJ S Media Workz - that are working to build an arts and media academy for disadvantaged kids. Think Beat Street and get over there tomorrow to get down with your city. You won’t find such a lineup of professional bass scientists anywhere else for a mere £5! ([More →])

I found a remarkable story on the Village Voice today. Part mystery thriller, part treasure hunt, part news. It concerns the discovery of some “new” talent, a pair of electronic musicians who collectively go by the name of Tuss, but who individually call themselves Brian Tregaksin and Karen Tregaskin. Tuss released Confederation Trough in their early days, then the prestigious release that caused electronica enthusiasts to sit up and take notice - Rushup Edge on the elite UK publisher Chrysalis.

The article in the Village Voice mostly reviews this epic album, but seems stuck on the idea that the Truss is no rookie electronica act. The writer instead forwards the notion that has been circulating through lists and forums - that this is another eponymous work by the elusive Richard D James, a.k.a. Aphex Twin. ([More →])

Some of the hottest musicians in the US’s electronica/ mash-up/ breakcore/ jungle scenes are being reunited this weekend in Boston. Bouncement 2 brings together DJ/rupture, DJ Flack and Wayne And Wax! It’s quite a homecoming for many of these fellas, and well-deserving of a party - Flack is returning from tour down unda, Wayne and Wax recently returned to Bean town after living in Chicago for a bit, and DJ/ rupture started his musical career as a youth in Mass. Unfortunately, noticeably absent from the lineup is long-time Boston resident and Beat Researcher, DJ C who recently moved to Chicago. Nonetheless, this party is going to blow the roof off of the Great Scott! If you are in the area, you can’t afford to miss this much music history being made for a mere $5. ([More →])

When I needed some fresh music today, I headed over to one of my favorite music streaming sites - the ever clever Podington Bear. Podington makes incredibly sweet, fun electronica music and makes it easily accessible in a stand-alone music player or podcast subscription. Well, quite unsuspecting of the momentous occasion I was about to encounter, I clicked over to PBear’s online den and LO and Behold! Today, Wednesday July 25th, Podington Bear posted his 100th hand-made track of 2007! That’s right, the prolific little bear has hand-crafted 100 songs since the first of January. He posts a new song every other day, despite being on the road pretty much constantly. ([More →])

Bjork’s Innocence remixes album was released everywhere except the US this week. Here is the tracklist and artwork: ([More →])

Fans of extreme music, experimental electronica, ragga and grime - I have a fantastic treat for you! There is an excellent interview with The Bug over on the french DubStep website. Kevin Martin (The Bug) talks about everything - how he first got involved in music, his time spent working with Justin Broadrick (Napalm Death, Jesu) as Techno Animal, his brief stint with Warner Brothers, and a whole lot more that has led up to him being a brilliant pioneering musician that blends ragga, breakcore, dubstep, dancehall, electronica, and extreme noise into totally original music. ([More →])

Anybody here love remixes? How about a whole album of remixes of Bjork’s “Innocence”? ([More →])

Noise enthusiasts in the EU - great news! It looks like Wolf Eyes is extending their travels round Europe in the Fall! ([More →])

Wizards of lush electronica, Underworld are in the midst of a creative blitz! They recently reworked a few tunes into studio masterpieces, and the flow of ideas and collaborations continues to gush as they try to decide what to use on their forthcoming album… ([More →])

Enjoy some gas. Not the globally warming CO2 gas that is already in excess, but pure oxygen! The microscopics label has re-mastered and re-released gas 0095 as the premiere release on their “new” label. ([More →])

White Noise is reissuing their debut LP, An Electric Storm! Originally released in 1969 by members of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the recording has been remastered and will be reissued on July 2nd in the UK. ([More →])

Last week I mentioned that Ninja Tune and Big Dada would present an event curated by Mary Anne Hobbs in London on the 7th of July. I received more info about this event, so I want to share them with folks who will be in the London area that week.

Ms. Hobbs states that her desire for the lineup she has chosen is, “To bring together dark exotic underground textures of sound from the UK and internationally..”

You Don’t Know Lineup

Downstairs
Mary Anne 9:00 -10:30
dj’ing all the experimental sounds in her record crate
Ben Sharpa & Konfab 10:30-11:30
South Africa’s hottest hip hop duo. formerly known as SA’s best underground hip hop act, they’ll have to drop the underground tag now that they have received so much attention and radio play. They were recently added to the mega-huge Glastonbury music festival.
Oris Jay 11:30 -12:30
ever-extending the limits of grime and dark garage sounds
The Bug 12: 30 - 1:30
best live dancehall mashup madness you can get! if you don’t already know about The Bug, check out his music$pace page, and Ninja Tune which recently signed him onto the ninja squadron… On this particular evening, The Bug will be assisted by Ricky Ranking (Roots Manuva) and Ras B pon di mics.
Virus Syndicate 1:30 - 2:30
extra-London grime and dubstep, great stuff, original ragga influenced dubstep styley
Vex’d 2:30-4:00
Vex’d will be unveiling some new tracks from their upcoming album on Planet Mu.

Upstairs
DJ Red 6
The Sandals Of Justics

This event will be the last YDK at The Big Chill House in London. Ninja Tune/Big Dada/Counter Records will be busy with other projects over the summer months, and then will relaunch the monthly club night in October in a new venue.

LINKS

Ninja Tune
YDK music$pace
Mary Anne Hobbs on BBC Radio1

Twas the middle of May when I reported that Leyode would be coming out with a new album on Prefuse 73’s label Eastern Developments. Today I have much more information about the release, Fascinating Tininess, which came out last week.

Tracklist for Fascinating Tininess:

01. Intro
02. Sophie
03. Irene
04. Isabelle
05. Clementine
06. Dominique
07. Hassami with Savath y Savalas
08. Soft or Gentle?
09. Elizabeth Chateau
10 Eilene (Leb-Laze Bonus Beats)

“Sophie”:

“Isabelle”:

Leyodian Links

Music For Robots has a great review of the album.
Eastern Developments
Fascinating Tininess on Amazon