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When Ishmael Butler and Tendai “Baba” Maraire of the forward-thinking, experimental hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces released their critically-acclaimed album, Black Up via Sub Pop in 2011, it was apparent that the genre-bending musicians were zooming ahead of current music trends. And now it’s time for us to catch up. The Seattle collective just released a video for one of the album’s most sonically-adept (and well-overdue) tracks, “An Echo From The Hosts That Profess Infinitum.”

Far from conventional, the Joris Grelet-directed, black-and-white video mimics the song’s hypnotic synths with uncanny cuts of the ocean, trees and some sword and molotov-wielding ninja-like assassins who seem ready to wreak havoc on anyone who crosses their path. Check out the video as well as tour dates for Shabazz Palaces below.

Tour Dates For Shabazz Palaces:
06/21 – Singapore

Phosphorescent at McCarren Park - 6/15/13 (via doNYC)

Matthew Houck's indie folk collective Phosphorescent have been touring behind their excellent new album Muchacho, and just played a free show in Matthew's current hometown of Brooklyn. The show was the first of two free Northside shows in McCarren Park and also included The Walkmen, Friend Roulette, and Abadabad. Did you go to that show? If so, how was it?

Phosphorescent's tour includes another NYC-area date happening at Montauk's Surf Lodge on June 30, as part of that venue's free Summer Concert Series, and now Pitchfork points out that they've just expanded that tour to include many more dates. A couple of the dates are supporting Robert Plant (who used to be in some band called Led Zeppelin), including his previously discussed Celebrate Brooklyn! show on July 27 at Prospect Park. Tickets for that show are still available.

The day after that show (7/28), Phosphorescent also play Camden, NJ's XPoNential Music Festival, which runs that whole weekend (July 26-28) in Wiggins Park and Susquehanna Bank Center. Other artists playing include Bob Dylan, My Morning Jacket, Dr. John, Lord Huron, and more. Tickets for that festival are available.

Updated dates are listed, along with a stream of Muchacho's standout single, "Song for Zula," below...

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Disregarding a couple of singles and features, M.I.A. has been relatively quiet since 2010′s MAYA. Today she took Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show to air out the reason for her album’s delay as well as debut a new track called “Bring The Noize.” Apparently, the LP is being snubbed because it is “too positive.” Known for her risqué antics it doesn’t look like her label wants a PG-rated Maya. The new track splits the difference between MAYA’s abrasiveness and the giddy heights of her early album, with M.I.A. rapping over an experimental beat from the Parisian production outfit Marble Player’s “Marble Anthem.”

Rumors have circulated for the last year or so that her fourth studio album, tentatively titled Matangi, was in the works, but not much else. Earlier this year she announced an album was due out in April, but unfortunately, that never came to fruition. M.I.A. claims the as of yet untitled album will hit the shops this fall. Stream “Bring The Noize,” below.

The post Listen: M.I.A.’s “Bring The Noize” appeared first on CMJ.

Sonny & The Sunsets have delivered a quirky animated video for their track “Green Blood.” The tune comes from their most recent album, Antenna To The Afterworld, which is about space and death, but here they explore interplanetary romance. Watch for the Crystal Pepsi reference. Check it out below.

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photos by David Andrako

The National @ Younge-Dundas Square, 6/14/2013

While the Northside Festival was going on here in Brooklyn, and Bonnaroo was going on in Tennessee, Toronto was hosting its annual NXNE festival. Day 2 of NXNE had some great shows like Buke & Gase and more at Horseshoe Tavern, Julian Lynch/Luyas, Majical Cloudz and more at Sneaky Dee's (pictures of both of those coming soon), Odonis Odonis, The Soft Moon and more at The Garrison, and more. It also had one of the most exciting free Yonge-Dundas Square concerts of the weekend with headliners The National. Pictures of that show (including openers CTZNSHP and Hayden) are in this post.

We already posted NXNE day 1 pics, and more coverage is still on the way. More pictures of the National's Yonge-Dundas Square show below...

Continue reading "The National played a free NXNE show in Yonge-Dundas Square (pics)" at brooklynvegan

photos by Harriet Roberts and Keith Marlowe

Torche by Keith Marlowe

As discussed previously, Torche played the Invisible Oranges showcase during Northside Festival at 285 Kent on Friday (6/14). Backed by strong support from metallic Am-Rep lovers KEN Mode, blues-y riffers Lo-Pan and groove-leaning black metal badasses Inter Arma, the sold out show was a monster. More pictures from the IO showcase are in this post.

The IO show happened at basically the same time  as Kylesa at Music Hall of Williamsburg , just a few blocks away and also part of the greater Northside Festival.

More 285 Kent pics are below.

Continue reading "more pics from Invisible Oranges Northside showcase with Torche, KEN Mode, Lo-Pan & Inter Arma" at brooklynvegan

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Bjork / Empire of the Sun @ Bonnaroo, 6/15/2013

There's no shortage of kooky costumed folk at Bonnaroo, but it's usually the antendees who are eccentrically attired. On Saturday (6/15), though, the main stage gave them a run for their money. Ever fashion forward, Bjork wore a headdress that either made her look like a dandelion or an extra from Hellraiser. (She wore it at the Hollywood Bowl too.) Australia's Empire of the Sun was a close runner up with their over-the-top headlining set that could've been from Flash Gordon. Mumford & Sons had to cancel (replaced by shoe-phobic folkie Jack Johnson), but Saturday also main stage sets from Billy Idol, R. Kelly, Nas, Cat Power, Matt & Kim, Portugal. The Man, The Lumineers and more. Pictures from those sets are in this post.

Elsewhere at Bonnaroo on Saturday, Mac DeMarco, JEFF the Brotherhood, Lord Huron and others on the smaller stages, a live episode of Scott Aukerman's Comedy Bang Bang, and in the Cinema Tent, Police Academy's sound effects wiz Michael Winslow (who played with Animal Collective the night before) did a one man show.

Pictures from Thursday are HERE and Friday are HERE, with Sunday still to come. More pictures from Saturday below...

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Weezy jumps from one controversy to the next.

Just as Lil Wayne’s Emmett Till controversy disappeared in the rear view mirror, the confounding rapper has stepped in it again, or rather, stepped on it.

While shooting the video for I Am Not A Human Being II‘s ‘God Bless Amerika’, Weezy performed in front of and then on top of an American flag. The cell phone footage is below; US readers should prepare for Fox News-types to call for Presidential action.

Recently, Wayne announced plans to reform the Big Tymers, but replacing Mannie Fresh with himself and Drake. Elsewhere, comedian Jay Pharoah does a spectacular impression of Wayne’s recent streak of awful lines.

In news you couldn’t make up: Keith Cozart, a.k.a. Chief Keef, was arrested in Chicago today only minutes after pleading guilty to a separate charge.

According to The Chicago Tribune, Cozart appeared at the Skokie Courthouse to face charges stemming from last month’s arrest on the Edens Expressway. Cozart was clocked going 110 in a 55 mph zone, and was also cited for having too many passengers in his vehicle (Cozart currently has a learner

Rapper Kitty (formerly known as Kitty Pryde) is behind the second single in Adult Swim’s Singles series. Titled Barbie Jeep, the Hot Sugar-produced song is Kitty in her element: it’s sarcastic, features a toy-like beat, and revolves around awkward real-life situations. The song chronicles her journey through a club and the touchy-feely environment it cultivates. Full of pop culture references like “I’ll send you up in the air/wingardium leviosa,” Barbie Jeep is definitely a song of the moment. If you’re in need of some quirky hip-hop, look no further.

The Adult Swim Singles series will continue throughout the summer; the next single comes from METZ. You can stream Barbie Jeep, below.

The post Kitty (Formerly Kitty Pryde) Drops “Barbie Jeep” For Adult Swim Singles appeared first on CMJ.

Things took a bit of a turn for Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) in 2009, when he premiered