Showbiz, "The Cloth"

Children of The Night, "ILYAS"

The Bronx is trippy mayne.

Membrain - Sit Back, Rewind

The side project of Claire Boucher, aka Grimes, Membrain is "...really a live thing.. and, membrain is like 90 % Tim i.e. cop car bonfire -- i just do vocals for him but he's the genius...Membrain is also basically a live improv drone techno act - so its really hard 2 get it from recordings" according to Claire via Twitter.

Record Store Day 2012

Record Store Day has come a long way from an Easter egg hunt for limited, colorful releases from favorite indie bands to something much more important.  It is no longer a side-show, it is a necessity for not just independent music stores, but I would argue, for the industry in whole.  Sure the rare, one-time only releases primarily stir interest in a select slice of music consumers, but those very consumers also tend to be the taste-makers.  And those taste-makers don’t get merely excited… they get rabid.

 While independent record stores only account for about 8% of total industry sales, last year’s RSD saw the independent sector account for 41% of the overall increase in sales for the week.  The number of units these indies move is nothing to sneeze at.  Last year they moved 467,000 units (+39% from the prior week).  These units are spread over roughly 700 independent record stores which equates to an impressive average of over 650 units per store!

These kind of numbers are important for two reasons:

1)  For many independent record stores, this single day puts them into the black for the year.  Without the artists, labels and fans supporting this day, many stores would not be making a profit for the year and would go the way that many of America’s favorite record stores have gone… closed.

2)  It lets all music labels, distribution companies and retailers know that there is still demand for physical product and that people are willing to pay a premium for good music put out in quality, physical packaging.  While the overall physical music industry has been in a steady decline since roughly 2000, Record Store Day makes sure that the major players in the industry don’t bring down the axe just yet on the physical mediums.

So get out to your local independent record store and support them and the medium!

For a store near you, search here

For a list of the limited releases out April 21^st, go here

Birdy, "Shelter" (The xx cover)

An excellent cover of one of my favorite xx tracks, "Shelter".

DMC DJ Competition Round 1 Begins

^^^ Here's my vote ^^^
Register and vote for your favorite 2-minute routines for Round 1 here.

Bruce Springsteen's SXSW Keynote

 

Elvis was probably the last thing we would probably agree on. 

Purity of human expression and experience is not confined to guitars, to tubes… there is no right way; no pure way of doing it: there is just DOING IT.

Young musicians, learn how to bring it live and then bring it night after night after night.  Your audience will remember you.  Your ticket is your handshake.

Grimes, "Genesis" at Good Records

Aaliyah, "The Art of Somebody (B-Rock remix)"

Share this via a tweet, facebook or your blog for a download.  Post how you shared it in the comments with your e-mail addy.

Haphduzn, "Lost In Translation"

Haphduzn is a Minneapolis emcee with a cold flow and early-90's state of mind.  I also happen to DJ for him.  His debut should be dropping soon featuring production from another Nomad/West Bank resident, Dimitry Killstorm.  I fux with these guys.  "If you like dope lyricism and breakbeats/look no further than Killstorm and HD."

Haphduzn twitter

Dimitry twitter

Francis and the Lights, "A Modern Promise"

A Modern Promise (Music Video) from Francis and the Lights on Vimeo.

El-P, "Full Retard"

Here's the first glimpse at El-P's return album Cancer For Cure set for a May 22nd release.  If you haven't heard his previous release, I'll Sleep When You're Dead, do yourself a favor and give it some time.  It's one of the most original hip-hop albums I've ever heard and ranks up there as one of my all-time favorites.

Trike Drifting

Big K.R.I.T., "Boobie Miles"

And just like that, days after his 4evaNaDay drops, Big K.R.I.T. offers appropo visuals to one of the many standout tracks.

Nomination for Best Album Cover

Big K.R.I.T. - 4eva N a Day

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

The much-anticipated follow-up to one of my favorite records last year (though it was technically a mixtape), Return of 4eva, is finally here.

Grimes, "Oblivion"

Hipster meets Sporto.  The Breakfast Club VHS is eating itself right now.  Off my currently favorite album, Visions, out now on 4AD.