Listen: Mikky Ekko – “Pull Me Down” (Prod. Clams Casino)

Clams Casino acts as a producer on “Pull Me Down,” from Mikky Ekko in which the NJ beat maker employs the gloomier side of his production style to a pop ballad.

Listen: Crystal Castles – “Affection”

Crystal Castels drop a third track from their forthcoming LP in the form of "Affection". This is my favorite of the bunch so far. (III) is out November 12 via Casablanca/Fiction/Universal Republic. (Pre-order the album here.) 

Video: Desire - "Tears From Heaven"

Good news comes from the Italians Do It Better camp as the lable posted the video for "Tears From Heaven" from Desire, Johnny Jewel's collaboration with Montreal singer Megan Louise. The video, below, features shots of ballerinas on a stage alongside Louise singing, it was directed by frequent Jewel visual collaborator Alberto Rossini.

Italians Do It Better promise that Johnny Jewel will release a new mix called Black & White / Mix for Autumn this week. A mixtape of unreleased Chromatics tracks is also in the works, as is a video for the Chromatics song "Cherry" from After Dark 2.

Video: The Antlers - "Drift Dive"

The Antlers debuted their new James Case Leal directed video for “Drift Dive" alongside a Facebook note  which tied into the current storm situation on the East Coast…

"Considering all that's just happened in NYC, today is a strange day to debut our new video, but it feels oddly appropriate too James Case-Leal created this beautiful piece to accompany 'Drift Dive'. We hope it provides you with some comfort in the face of all this devastation. We love you, New York."

Listen: Lindstrøm - Smalhans (Full LP Stream)

Norway’s electronic mainstay Lindstrøm is releasing his fifth studio album next week, and second this year, Smalhans. While January’s fantastic Six Cups of Rebel showcased the producers more experimental tendencies, this record finds Lindstrøm back on the dance floor.  The record was mixed by frequent collaborator Todd Terje and can be heard in full below.

(via)

Video: Das Racist – “Girl”

Das Racist released a new video today for the Blood Diamond-produced “Girl,” which appears on their last LP, Relax. The humorous story of a young man trying his best to impress a girl was directed by comedian AristotleAthiras. 

Listen/Download: The Haxan Cloak – “Vice Italy Mix”

Tri Angle artist The Haxan Cloak recently created a mix for Vice Italy featuring several of his own remix’s for artists like James Blake and Jeff Grace along side tunes from the likes of Evian Christ and Oneohtrix Point Never. Google Translate provided this quote from the article on the mix …

"I could tell you that I do not listen to the radio enough to know what's currently in the standings. I'm a disaster in keeping updated musically. But I like the last Drake."

So there you have it, maybe we will get a Haxan Cloak remix of the Hip Hop star in the future! Full Track list below…

01: The Haxan Cloak - Untitled
02. Andy Stott - Dark Details
03. Chris Clark - Farewell Track
04. Evian Christ - MYD
05. James Blake - The Bells Sketch (haxan cloak remix)
06. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
07. Jeff Grace - The House Of The Devil (haxan cloak remix)
08. Jonny Greenwood - Oil
09. Haxan Cloak - Untitled Film Score
10. Grouper - Alien Observer

Video: Sound & Vision Episode 006 - "HAIM"

In this short documentary from Sound & Vision about the pop band Haim, we get to hear the sisters discuss their roots, their writing and recording process, the influence of their parents as well as some stories as told directly by their dad who has been known to play some live show with the girls. 

Video: Barry McGee Curators' Tour

Exhibition curators, Director Lawrence Rinder and Assistant Curator Dena Beard share their insights into the work of Barry McGee, touching on key themes from the late 1980s to the present, some highlights include the origin of both the characters on his bottles and the use of bottles as a canvas and  how his his letter press pieces came about.

Barry McGee, a major midcareer retrospective of the San Francisco-based artist, is on view at BAM/PFA from August 24 to December 9, 2102.

Listen: The Weeknd - "Enemy"

The Weeknd released a new tune via twitter today called "Enemy”, the song ISN’T part of the bonus material included on Trilogy, the forthcoming package of the Weeknd's three mixtapes so it remains to be seen where it will official appear. Trilogy is out November 26 via Universal Republic. 

Listen/Download: Heems: “Cowabunga Gnarley”

Next week, Heems will release his new mixtape Wild Water Kingdom via Greedhead., it’s about two weeks late but hey it’s free so stop your complaining already! We’ve already heard “Let It Go” and “Killing Time” and today Heems put out another cut for us to enjoy called “Cowabunga Gnarley” that features production from Harry Fraud. 

Video: M83 – “Steve McQueen”

M83 shared the video for "Steve McQueen" off Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. The clip was, directed by Balthazar Auxietre and Sylvain Derosne and came about as a result of a video contest run by Genero.tv, which invited filmmakers around the globe to interpret the song. The only instruction given was that the song is "not about the actor!" 

Listen/Download: Angel Haze - "Classick" Mixtape

Angel Haze returned to the scene today as promised with a new six-song Mixtape entitled Classick. The New York based femcee with the quick tongue gets ultra-personal On “Cleanin’ Out My Closet", which has been making the rounds on the net this week, and sees the 21-year old rapping over an Eminem beat of the same name about the sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl. Bitch Bad, Gossip Folk, Song Cry, Love My Life and Doo Wop (That Thing) round out the effort in a less heavy manner using backing tracks from the likes of Missy Elliot and Lauryn Hill among others, but are every bit as clever and insightful as anything we have heard from the Reservation mixtape. Grab the free download from LiveMixtapes.com. 

Listen: Diplo – “Got Stoned and Mixed Really Old Records For Half An Hour Mix”

Comprised of classic records from the 60s and 70s, a new mix Diplo threw together is fittingly titled Got Stoned And Mixed Really Old Records For Half An Hour and you can chose to do the same if you like while listening to the stream below… 

Diplo Stoned Mix

Listen: Fishing – “White Sheet Beach”

A couple weeks back we share some music from the charming duo known as Fishing, more specifically we posted the first -class video for “Choy Lin”, the Aussie beatmakers latest single taken from a 7” that is out as of yesterday on Waaga Records. In celebration of the release we can now share the  B-side, “White Sheet Beach.

Video: James Jean Paints BLITZ Lane Crawford

Artist James Jean is currently in Hong Kong where he is preparing the  launch of his OVM line of jewellery and accessories in store at BLITZ Lane Crawford. To mark this occasion, a special collection of scarves, pouches and iphone veils has been designed by the painter exclusively for the store. As a bonus for fans in HK, James is currently painting and creating an installation at the Canton Road location and you can watch the whole thing live via USTREAM leading up the launch event on October 26 Here and below...

Video streaming by Ustream

Video: Danny Brown -"Wit it" (NSFW)

Here's the over-the-top new NSFW video for Danny Brown's "Wit' It", an XXX bonus track directed by Bijoux Altamirano, this thing look like the cover of a No Limit album from back in the day, the beat kills…

Video: Sufjan Stevens – “Mr. Frosty Man”

Here's the video for "Mr. Frosty Man" off of Sufjan Stevens' upcoming Christmas release Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas Volumes 6-10 that we previewed some weeks back. Animator Lee Hardcastle creates a fantastic claymation zombie apocalypse scene that is well worth your time.

Listen: AraabMUZIK - "After Hours"

A couple weeks back we shared some new music from AraabMuzik in the form of "Runway Bass", well the producer has returned with another one for us to enjoy. "After Hours" finds the MPC-based producer exploring a more straight forward approach with the beat but still keeps things every bit as fun with the melody and bass line.

Video: Aesop Rock – “Homemade Mummy”

Aesop Rock  and friends spend a day at an indoor carnival having some fun in the video for “Homemade Mummy” off of the emcee's Skelethon LP.

Video: Action Bronson - "The Symbol"

"The Symbol" is the first single from Action Bronson's forthcoming Mixtape Rare Chandeliers produced by the legendary Alchemist. The tune is built around some classic guitar sounds and compliments The 70’s exploitation influenced visuals perfectly. Directed by Rik Cordero who has worked with Bronson in the past on the Blue Chips videos. Listen for the Triple Lindy reference Bronson drops which definitely made me smile.

Video: Chromatics - "Looking For Love"

The Chromatics’ “Looking For Love” is the first track to surface from Italians Do It Better’s upcoming new compilation After Dark 2. This video features an edit version from the 17-minute original song. It was shot on location at the Chanel Pret-A-Porter Printemps-Ete 2013 Runway. Directed & Edited by Alberto Rossini. 

Download: Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire - "The Man in the High Castle" Mixtape

New York underground emcee Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire has followed Death Grips in an act of war against his label, Universal Music Group: 

"So I had this tape I wanted to drop but my label fighting me cuz they hate me to rap but y'all could find that shit if u smart," he Tweeted on Friday. "They keep taking it down, Ima keep putting it up... I love my label btw. Even tho they hate when I rap..."

HERE is the download link for the 19 track long tape, which is called The Man in the High Castle. eXquire also has an EP, Power & Passion, which is out on November 6.

Show Opening: Jeremy Geddes - "Exhale" / Ashley Wood - "Machine Sabbath" Jonathan Levine Gallery October 20 2012 NYC

Yesterday evening saw the opening of two highly anticipated shows at New York’s Jonathan Levine Gallery, a one-two punch featuring two of Australia’s hottest contemporary artists, Ashley Wood and Jeremy Geddes. Both living and working in Australia isn’t the only thing these artists have in common as they both are also known for their comic book work. Woods’ work can be seen in Ghost Rider, Spawn and The X-men amongst other well known titles and Geddes’ illustrations have appeared in Star Trek and Zombies! Eclipse of the Undead books to name but a few. The two artists have also worked in the video game industry respectively having worked with Konami in Woods’ case and Activision in Geddes’. So needless to say it made sense to have a joint showing as the work complemented each other’s quite well. On a personal note I can say I had been anticipating this opening for a very long time, well over a year to be more precise, and by the sheer number of people in attendance I presume I was not alone in the countdown to the October 20^th opening.

Ashley Wood - "Happiness 3" Oil and Acrylic on linen 36 x 72 inches.

and their surrounding environments are partially masked and disjointed by extreme contrasts in light and shadow. Woods' dynamic painting technique combines multiple layers of oil, acrylic and glazes, resulting in a painterly quality and high-gloss, drippy aesthetic. 

In addition to works on panel and canvas, the exhibition also featured two mixed media collages consisting of photographic Polaroid images as well as two sculptures of shapely right legs wearing strappy high-heeled sandals, each decked out with paintings of nudes on the outer calf. In the artist's words, Machine Sabbath is an inquiry into the ambiguity of silent suburban backyards, the conversations that take place between the denizens of those private spaces and the machines that think for us.”

Ashley was in attendance and was only too happy to sign works and discuss his craft with the very long line of comic book fans and fine art aficionados alike.

Jeremy Geddes - "Begin Again" Detail. Oil on Board 28.75 x 25.375 x 1.75 inches, framed.

Jeremy Geddes has really had an exceptional 24 plus months in the contemporary art world having really exploded these last couple of years, Again like Woods, Exhale marked the debut solo exhibition in the United States for the artist and the man most certainly came correct with a series of 17 paintings rendered in painstaking detail. Geddes’ work, an arduous process that combines scrupulous study, fine brushwork and delicate layers of glaze, combines a tension between man-made environments in flux and the vulnerability of the human body. Many of the works in the exhibition depict figures suspended in barren urban landscapes or splintered environments that are in the process of falling apart. Think of bullet time special effects as seen in Hollywood films like The Matrix and you will get a good picture of the drama rendered on these panels.  The complex works are contrasted by a series of five paintings titled "Misèrere" (Italian for have mercy), each featuring a single subject isolated in a solid black plane—alternating birds and a failing Apollo Command Service Module. This series is accompanied by four paintings with solitary human figures, titled "Misère" (French for poverty or destitution). Although there are recurring motifs in the paintings, Geddes prefers to leave his subject matter open to interpretation rather than attach a specific narrative to his work, thus allowing individual viewers to connect disparate elements into a structure that resonates with them personally.

Jeremy Geddes - "Acedia" Oil on Panel 29.75 x 51 x 2.25 inches, framed.

Needless to say the limited amount of works on show had sold out for Geddes before the show even opened, having been on the list myself before the show was yet publicly announced a good year and a half ago wasn’t even enough to secure a coveted painting by the artist. Woods’ work was also just about sold out on the night of the opening and I suspect by the end of the show will all find their way onto the walls of collectors. Even the limited edition prints had waiting lists and were all claimed at a rapid pace so make sure you make it down to the gallery before the shows close on November 17^th to get a increasingly rare opportunity to see works from these two exceptional artists in person.

Jeremy Geddes/Ashley Wood Jonathan Levine Gallery October 20 2012 NYC - free slideshow

Listen/Download: A$AP ROCKY Feat. Drake, 2Chainz & Kendrick Lamar – “F$cking Problem”

A$AP Rocky‘s new single features Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar, Noah “40″Shebib handles the production on this one. 

Video: Pinback – “Sherman”

With Pinback’s new album Information Retrieved out this week the San Diego band has released a video for the track "Sherman". The MattHoyt-directed video was inspired by the low-budget science fiction films of the Cold War era. Check it out below.

Video: The Weeknd - "Wicked Games"

The Weeknd's Abel Tesfaye drops another video just a couple weeks after he released the sparse black-and-white clip for "Rolling Stone". “Wicked games” fits in the same universe with “Rolling Stone” in its tone and was once again directed by Tesfaye himself.

The track might sound a bit different than the version of "Wicked Games" you heard on the House of Balloons mixtape, this one's the remaster set to appear on the Trilogy release, out November 13 on Universal Republic. 

Video: True Vulture (Death Grips & Galen Perhrson)

True Vulture is a unique collaboration between director and animator Galen Pehrson and experimental rap outfit Death Grips for the Museum of Contemporary Art. The soundtrack stays true to the unruly rhymes and frenzied instrumentation that we have come to expect from Death Grips and are complemented perfectly by Pehrson’s digitally colored hand drawn animations.

Listen: Haim - "Don't Save Me"

Yesterday, the sisterly trio known as Haim took to Zane Lowe‘s Radio 1 show to première a brand new song called “Don’t Save Me". The women are apparently working on their debut album at the moment, which this tune might eventually appear on, and have been gaining a crazy amount of buzz since originally dropping their one time free ep back in February. While you have to pay for the package now it’s well worth the money if you are into well-crafted pop music with an 80’s vibe to it.

Video: Chance The Rapper - "Family" Featuring Vic Mensa & Sulaiman

Chance The Rapper and company have dropped a video for “Family” from #10Day, which is hands down one of my favorite mixtapes of the year.  The song and video also features Vic Mensa & Sulaiman helping out with some of their own rhymes and is composed of footage of the guys hanging out with friends and family enjoying the summer in Chicago. Young Wonder directs.

Listen: SOHN - "Red Lines"

You may recall that back in early September we gave high praise to Vienna-via-London producer Sohn, showcasing two of his tunes. Looks like in the month plus since, the producer has gained some exposure and some well-deserved notice. Glad the rest of you caught up!  November 5th see’s the release of his debut EP, The Wheel, as the inaugural release on UK label Aesop. "Red Lines", the EP's second single, is a little more subtle than what we heard with our first taste. Sparse, clicking percussion-- weaving in and out of Sohn's straightforward vocal take is what this one is all about. The above artwork comes from Italian photographer Christian Pitschl.

Video: Bon Iver - "Beth/Rest"

Only a day after sharing a full live set from Bon Iver a new video débuts for "Beth/Rest" off of last year’s self-titled LP. Directed by Justin Vernon himself along with Dan Huiting the hyper-natural clip, starring band member Mike Noyce, follows a couple in strange white suits, traveling through an enchanted wooded forest, cradling otherworldly balls of light, and kissing in clouds of fluorescent fog, at times looking like lost footage from the film The Fountain.

The Beth/Rest 12", out today in the U.S. via Jagjaguwar, is available on vinyl and digital formats and comes backed by an August 2011 live take of the track, recorded at Brooklyn's Rare Book Room studio. The single is out in the UK and Europe November 12 via 4AD.

Video: Alela Diane - Full Performance (Live on KEXP)

Folk songstress Alela Diane, who is gearing up to rerecord and release her next LP after recently being dropped from label Rough Trade, performs a twenty-four minute set live on KEXP from Seattle’s Bumbershoot Music Lounge on September 1, 2012.

Host: Troy Nelson

Audio Engineers: Julian Martlew & Kevin Suggs

Cameras: Scott Holpainen, Shelly Corbett, Jim Beckmann

Lighting: Alex Belden

Editing: Justin Wilmore

Video: Bon Iver Full Performance at Austin City Limits

Bon Iver appear on the Austin City Limits stage playing an hour set composed of songs primarily from their 2011 self titled LP. Watch the show, which aired over the weekend on PBS, below while you can as these usually have a limited life span …

Watch Bon Iver on PBS. See more from Austin City Limits.

Listen: Toro Y Moi – “So Many Details”

Toro Y Moi’s third studio LP, Anything In Return, will be released January 22nd via Carpark Records. “So Many Details” offers us a taste of what’s to come and will also be released as a 7″ single on November 23rd for RecordStore Day’s Back to Black Friday with a B-side remix featuring Odd Future’s Hodgy Beats.

Video - El –P – “Stay Down”

El-P, Mr. Killums and Timothy Saccenti team up again in the latest video from the emcee’s Cancer 4 Cure LP. Strange things unfold at a concert in the video for “Stay Down”  that also features TV On The Radio’s Jaleel Bunton. 

The Video: The xx – “Chained”

The xx have released a video for "Chained" off their sophmore LP Coexist. The clip, made by the always excellent Creators Project, was directed by the Young Replicant team, who also just did the video for Purity Ring's "Fineshrine". 

Video: Fishing – “Choy Lin”

The cut-out visuals for Fishing’s “Choy Lin” are quite spectacular. For those not familiar the duo hail from that deep green inland sea just 38 nautical miles west of Sydney, known as The Blue Mountains. They produce deep, beat driven ocean-scapes that sweep you far away while keeping your feet firmly tapping something catchy.

“Choy Lin” is Fishing’s newest single taken from a 7” vinyl due for release in October on Waaga Records. Which will be followed by the B-side “White Sheet Beach.” For now this is only the appetizer, the main course will be coming early next year in the form of an album.  Directed by the band with a little help from SPOD.

BONUS: Here is some footage of Russ and Doug doing their thing live on Row Boat while floating down the River Thames in England