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Where are you, Fiona Apple? After a banner 2012, the singer-songwriter recently cancelled her only scheduled appearance for 2013, at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival; she also torpedoed a slew of South American tour dates late last year with no signs of rescheduling on the horizon.

Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised — disappearance is part and parcel of Apple’s career trajectory. Apple says she rarely ventures outside her Los Angeles home, except when visiting the L.A. club Largo, where she occasionally hops on stage with pal and resident performer Jon Brion. She doesn’t drive and claims there is no one she speaks to on a daily basis. She’s released only four albums in 17 years — 2012′s The Idler Wheel was her first in seven years; it was another six years between the prior one, Extraordinary Machine, and its predecessor, her second effort, When the Pawn …. She’s that especially rare public figure in the digital age — one who still cultivates an air of mystery and distance.

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by Andrew Sacher

Laurel Halo at Glasslands - 5/7/13 (via Impose)

Earlier this month (5/7), Brooklyn venue Glasslands hosted a great multi-genre bill as part of the Red Bull Music Academy NYC residency with sets from rappers Mykki Blanco and Le1f, arty electronic music from Laurel Halo, Crazy Bitch In A Cave, and Papercutz, and DJ sets from Venus X and Spank DJs. Did you go to that show? If so, how was it?

Red Bull Music Academy just posted a video of Mykki Blanco performing "Feeling Special" and Le1f performing "Wut" to their Youtube channel, and you can watch both videos below. You can also stream Venus X's set over at RBMA Radio.

"Feeling Special" appears on Mykki Blanco's new EP, Betty Rubble: The Initiation, which came out this week (5/21) via UNO. If you liked Mykki's debut mixtape, Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss, you'll likely be a fan of the new EP too. You can stream it in full at Pitchfork and listen to two of its tracks below.

Le1f also recently made a video for "Spa Day" off his Fly Zone mixtape. That video, and all other streams and videos below...

Continue reading "Mykki Blanco released a new EP, played Glasslands w/ Le1f, Laurel Halo & others (videos & EP stream)" at brooklynvegan

Rockists grudgingly admit a love for Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. The Parisian duo paved a path for electronic dance music, once the bane of a traditional rockist’s oevure—and I use that lightly. Remember, while disco may be the snotty polyester-clad teenager in the history of popular music, rock is the grumpy father who fails to recognize that there was different, interesting music before him and that there will continue to be exciting new music after him. While in the ’70s “death to disco” was the honor cry of said rock ‘n’ roll set, Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories—a disco record through and through, right down to its falsettos, semiquavers and generous inclusion of disco guitar legend and Chic founder Nile Rodgers—is the most-buzzed album of the year from critics and fans alike. Hell, in a truly bizarre indicator of their universal appeal, even the Wall Street Journal published a lifestyle piece on the once D.I.Y. art of making a Daft Punk helmet.

As such, Random Access Memories opens with the upbeat “Give Life Back To Music,” an apt title for the introduction into to the band’s new turn and a soft open for anyone looking to relive the thumping glory of “One More Time” or “Da Funk.” And it’s a strong track, but still just a taste of what’s an hour or so down the guest-star laden road. The af...

With the video for Starlight Girls’ noise-pop track “7×3,” we learn that the best way to prep for battle is to take a big bite out of a tomato. Dressed in matching throwback dresses and plastic pearls, two girls take to a Brooklyn roof to sword fight while the Xiu Xiu-produced track plays. I won’t tell you how it ends, but my money was on the girl with the red tomato. Gotta get that lycopene from red fruits and vegetables, guys. Check out the video below.

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Both rappers are in fine form on the slowed-and-throwed track.

The studio version of ‘Guild’, a song that premiered earlier this year, has surfaced. Over a downcast beat punctuated by iPhone sound effects, Pittsburgh weed rapper Mac Miller and Odd Future’s most promising talent trade verses that are pitch-shifted beyond recognition.

Miller does his best impression of Earl’s stream-of-consciousness while Earl opts for a battle-ready rap that sounds more like something Tyler would drop. Stream the song below, via Pitchfork. Still no word on when Earl’s debut LP Doris will see release.

Afrika Bambaataa / oOoOO

today in NYC
* Andy Statman @ Barbes
* Song of Zebulon @ Barbes
* Questlove @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Neon Legion @ Mercury Lounge
* 'Rock n' Roll High School' @ Videology
* A Hawk and a Hacksaw @ Lincoln Center
* Eat Skull, Modra, The Abandos @ The Flat
* Zapp Band, D-Nice @ Brooklyn Bridge Park
* oOoOO, Selebrities, Dark Sister @ Glasslands
* Buckcherry, Heaven's Basement @ Irving Plaza
* Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers @ Beacon Theater
* Marcel Dettmann, Steffi, Anthony Parasole @ Output
* pacificUV, Lazyeyes, Ski Lodge, Coastgaard @ Pianos
* Hikashu, Libel, The Suzan, Racing Heart @ Muchmore's
* Wayne Horvitz and Sweeter Than The Day @ The Stone
* Friend Roulette, EULA, Matty Fasano @ Mercury Lounge
* Malaikat dan Singa, Dan Higgs, PC Worship @ Cake Shop
* Desert Stars, Howth, Carroll, Pinegrove @ Cameo Gallery
* Natural Child, Liquor Store, Daddy Long Legs @ Brooklyn Bowl
* Yarn/Wire, Peter Evans, Tyondai Braxton @ Issue Project Room
* Total Control, Raspberry Bulbs, Crazy Spirit, Survival @ 285 Kent
* Sarah Jarosz, Chris Trapper, Trumpeter Swan @ Rockwood Music Hall
* Terveet Kadet, Iron Lung, Massgrav, Wake, Lotus Fucker @ Saint Vitus Bar
* The Mohawk Lodge, Life Size Maps, Bennio Qwerty, Slothbear @ Big Snow
* Beware of Darkness, Peanut Butter Lovesicle @ The Studio at Webster Hall
* Wayne Horvitz and t...

Northern (European) soul.

I suppose we could have seen this one coming, Kendrick Lamar‘s career defining ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe’ was actually based on a sample from Quadron members Robin Hannibal (also of Rhye) and Coco O’s previous band Boom Clap Bachelors, so really he’s just repaying the favour. His voice works predictably just as well over the duo’s cool Scandinavian neo-soul now as it did then, and while the track is very much Quadron, it has to be said that Kendrick’s turn is still a bit of a show stealer.

‘Better Off’ is culled from Quadron’s forthcoming album Avalanche, a record that’s notable for only containing a single guest spot. With the amount of friends they’ve made recently, from Tyler, The Creator (who featured Coco on his latest album Wolf) and Jay-Z to Mark Ronson and Adele, it surely would have been easy to load the record up with features until it buckled under the strain. Kudos to the Danes for avoiding the temptation. [via Pitchfork]

Avalanche is due out on June 4 via Epic.

Warm Up 2012 (more by Leia Jospe)

The annual Warm Up summer concert series is returning to MoMA PS1 this year every Saturday from June 29 through September 7. As usual, they've booked an excellent lineup of forward-thinking electronic music, hip hop, and other related genres.

Artists playing this year include Majical Cloudz (who just played NYC and will play Northside), XXYYXX, Ryan Hemsworth, Liars (live), Kode9, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Caribou (DJ), Empress Of, J. Cole, World's Fair, IO Echo (live), Julio Bashmore, Ben UFO, Gobby, Kelela, Juan Atkins, A Guy Called Gerald, Pional, Kim Ann Foxman, Jon Hopkins, King Britt and tons of other names.

Advance tickets for each day will go on sale Wednesday, June 5 at noon via MoMAPS1.org. Full 2013 schedule below...

Continue reading "MoMA PS1 Warm Up 2013 announced (Majical Cloudz, XXYYXX, Ryan Hemsworth, Liars, Mr. MFN eXquire & more)" at brooklynvegan

The Long Island City museum announces its eagerly-anticipated summer concert series.

For its 16th year, the Saturday series begins June 29 and ends on September 7. As always, the concerts take place in the MoMA PS1 courtyard, which will feature an “urban landscape” by CODA called Party Wall, the winner of the 14th annual Young Architects Program.

The weekly lineups are below. Advance tickets will go on-sale on June 5 at noon on the MoMA PS1 website.

JUNE 29
Juan Atkins / Metroplex / Detroit, MI
Lee Gamble / PAN / London, UK*
HEATSICK / PAN / Berlin, Germany*
NHK’Koyxen / PAN / Osaka, Japan*
Bill Kouligas / PAN / Berlin, Germany*
*presented as part of ISSUE Project Room
and Goethe-Institut NY’s PAN_ACT festival

JULY 6
The Martinez Brothers / Cuttin’ Headz / New York, NY
Kim Ann Foxman (DJ set) / New York, NY
DJ Qu / Strength Music / New York, NY
Anthony Naples / The Trilogy Tapes / New York, NY

JULY 13
MK / Hot Creations / Detroit, MI
XXYYXX / Relief in Abstract / Orlando, FL
Ryan Hemsworth / WeDidit / Halifax, Nova Scotia
Bondax / Relentless / Lancaster, UK
Gobby / UNO NYC / Boston, MA
James K / RUM / New York, NY

JULY 20
Kode9 / Hyperdub / London, UK
L-VIS 1990 / Night Slugs / New York, NY
Recloose / Rush Hour / Detroit, MI and New Zealand
Kelela / Fade To Mind / Los Angeles, CA
Ob...