music. just the music that wongie likes. just the videos that wongie wants you to see. hopefully wongie can introduce you to some fabulous music along the way. wongie's music world.
Monday, November 30, 2009
WONGIE DISCOVERY: maluca - el tigeraso
maluca - el tigeraso [is she the next M.I.A./Santigold? produced by diplo (aka mad decent and major lazer), maluca has all the makings of a hot diva in the making. with this 1st release you get an idea of the eclectic latin sounds fused with ghetto fabulous beats thrown in. the final result is hyper awesome! one to watch in the coming months!]
THIS IS AWESOME: vampire weekend - cousins (alternate treatments)
vampire weekend - cousins (alternate treatment #1) [i don't usually profile production houses, but you gotta check out this awesome video treatment by hammer & tongs for the vampire weekend video 'cousins']
vampire weekend - cousins (alternate treatment #3) [this is their 3rd try]
vampire weekend - cousins (final version) [and this is what they shot - which if you follow the blog, you know i posted almost 2 weeks ago]
ARIA 2009 HIGHLIGHT: lisa mitchell - coin laundry / kate miller-heidke - the last day on earth / sarah blasko - all i want
lisa mitchell - coin laundry / kate miller-heidke - the last day on earth / sarah blasko - all i want [3 of the 5 best female artist nominees at this years australian aria awards got together and performed their songs for the nation to see (sarah blasko won in the end). looks like australia has a solid bunch of individual singer / songwriters making waves in the mainstream. very cool indeed! check out their studio versions of these songs below]
surfer blood - swim [anything remotely wall of sound is like musical catnip for me. throw in an afrikan interlude plus a catchy chorus and these florida guys pretty much had me at hello.]
NEW MARINA!!!: marina and the diamonds - hollywood infected your brain
marina and the diamonds - hollywood infected your brain [wow, just a month after releasing the wonderful mowgli's road, marina returns with a brand new video that is uber catchy and cheeky. not sure what the game plan is for all these releases, but i love it!]
LIVE WONGIE: t4 stars of 2009 (sugababes, florence and the machine, la roux, alexandra burke)
sugababes - about a girl [ok... version 4.0 should be the perfect match of power house vocalists and sexy divas, but this is just shoddy vocals and three girls on a stage that looks like its too big for them. what is going on?]
florence and the machine - you got the love [one woman, one voice. this is how it's done sugababes]
blur - no distance left to run [the trailer for doc film 'no distance left to run' focusing on the blur reunion this year and their subsequent performances. it looks really good actually and can't wait to check it out in january next year.]
sleigh bells - crown on the ground [no need to alter your audio, this song is supposed to sound like the speakers are about to pop. but once you get over the distortion, you're gonna find a totally catchy fun pop song that you just want to jam to. throw in the fact that one half of this NY duo is currently a school teacher and you have the perfect reason to be new band to watch. now get your throw down poses and fall in love with this song!]
UPDATE: 11/30 check out this news profile from abc news!
BEAUTIFUL FOREIGN VIDEO OF THE WEEK: jukka assa - paha maa
jukka assa - paha maa [this finnish indie pop act showed up in my inbox and the next thing i knew, i finished the whole video. i have no clue what he's singing or which funny looking finn he is, but it's definitely interesting. any information on this guy will be much obliged!]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: wallis bird - to my bones / when we kissed the world fell in love you (live @ the balcony) / just can't get enough (depeche mode)
wallis bird - to my bones [oh my gosh, it's been awhile since i've listened to a song that is so vibrant and energetic that i get goosebumps at the end. this irish singer songwriter just picked up the best female singer award for the imtv awards and is touring europe/uk in conjunction with the release of her latest album 'little boots' in early 2010. i'm in love, hopefully after checking out these tracks, you will too!]
wallis bird - when we kissed the world fell in love (live @ balcony tv)
wallis bird - just can't get enough (depeche mode cover)
XMAS 2009: laura marling - goodbye england (covered in snow)
laura marling - goodbye england (covered in snow) [beautiful unreleased track by laura marling which is getting a second life as a xmas single. let the xmas releases begin!]
kids of 88 - my house [hailing from auckland city in new zealand, this electro pop duo have stormed the charts back home and look set to cause some dance waves on this side of the world. with the instant catchiness of this track, i'd say world domination is pretty eventual. let the weekend begin!]
WONGIE COVER OF THE WEEK: ellie goulding & erik hassle - be mine (robyn cover)
ellie goulding & erik hassle - be mine (robyn cover) [oh this is pretty amazing! two of my favorite acts of 2009 cover one of my favorite female singers around! brilliant!]
NEW FEVER RAY!: fever ray - keep the streets empty for me
fever ray - keep the streets empty for me [the usual dark melodious experience of fever ray is back again! this is actually my favorite track off her sonically album of unease. i wish i loved her more, but i'm kind of too sober and positive a person to appreciate this to the extent that i should. oh well...]
NEW CHERYL COLE: cheryl cole feat will.i.am - 3 words
cheryl cole feat will.i.am - 3 words [i'm still on the fence with this song. it's either the most genius piece of pop music on the planet, or it's so twee that i can't even begin to fathom it. needless to say the song is captivating, as is this seemingly simple yet surprisingly technical video. oh the complexity of it all!]
delphic - doubt [strong 3rd single from this wonderful manchester dance/rock outfit. this makes me want to go and check out the whole album 'acolyte' now...]
erlend oye - symptom of disease [taken from his 2003 album 'unrest', the uber slo mo effect of a man/slave getting sprayed with soy milk is weirdly entoxicating. just you try to look away...]
WONGIE REMIX OF THE MONTH: golden silvers and the hypnotic brass ensemble - arrows of eros
golden silvers and the hypnotic brass ensemble - arrows of eros [ok fine, this is less of a remix and more of a rerub, but oh my gosh, when did they do this? recorded in damon albarn's studio 13, this nine piece chicago jazz ensemble really changes the original vibe of this song and well... it turns into something just insanely brilliant!]
LIVE WONGIE: florence and the machine - you got the love (live from 1963)
florence and the machine - you got the love (live from 1963) [what a random performance from a retro themed variety show about recycling. and yet its sponsored by stella artois. wacky! but somehow florence fits right into all this, even with a robot!]
check out the whole weird but hypnotic show below:
LIVE WONGIE: golden silvers - magic touch (watch listen tell performance)
golden silvers - magic touch (watch listen tell performance) [how sweet! still love this song after all these months and this performance just reminds me how much i love this band!]
WONGIE INDIE SONG OF THE WEEK: yeasayer - ambling amp
18+ PLEASE... THERE IS SOME NUDITY HERE
yeasayer - ambling amp [not only is this a wonderful song, but the video is a trippy image buffet filled with mirrored boxers, hooded horsemen and some nubile revelers running up a hill. weirdness prevails and i love them for it!]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: girls - lust for life / laura / hellhole ratrace
from the matador records site: "Built on the powerful songwriting of Christopher Owens and the ethereal production of Chet “JR” White, Girls recorded 'Album' in a variety of bedrooms and rehearsal studios in their adopted hometown, San Francisco. The resulting 12 tracks are the perfect San Francisco summer record, evoking a narcotic, sunny afternoon in Dolores Park, yet promising the eventual hangover of summer’s departure. Album is a redemptive song-cycle about the various characters and desires that color Christopher Owens’s life. Described by the band as “honest, loose, ethereal, obnoxious and perfect,” it is a sincere tribute to the majesty of great pop music and the healing power of rock and roll."
girls - lust for life [how absolutely perfect is this song? just makes you want to bop around all day in the best mood]
girls - laura [not as instant as the previous song, but when the 'bop bop bop's' happen during the bridge, it feels like all is right in the world. a mighty feat if you ask me.]
girls - hellhole ratrace [oh this is really really good. yep... i'm a fan now]
wiley feat chew fu - take that [hm...a few days after my audio post, i'm kind of finding this track a bit grating... i 'take back' my initial statement ;)]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: the good natured - your body is a machine
the good natured - your body is a machine [from the guardian: "Good Natured is about right: she sounds like what she is, a nice Home Counties girl, and although her voice keeps drifting towards mockney, you can hear the posh, plummy tones beneath. She's a techno Dido, a Lily Allen who's given in to depression, or a Kate Nash who wants to prove herself with serious clubbers. Rose has the pounding piano of a rave tune, but this is for playing after the lights have come on and the party is over."
like what you hear? the great folks over at nme have offered this as a free mp3!]
DANCE BITCH DANCE: major lazer feat nina sky and ricky blaze - keep it going louder (new video)
major lazer feat nina sky and ricky blaze - keep it going louder (new video) [this is the new video version of the brilliant club song and boy is the video naughty and weird! i think i love it, but then again what does that say about me?]
NEW ANIMAL COLLECTIVE!: animal collective - in the flowers
animal collective - in the flowers [i'm kind of not tripped out enough to appreciate this on face value. but there are some really nice elements scattered throughout the song, just not feeling it as a whole.]
INDIE DANCE BITCH DANCE: crookers feat kelis - no security
crookers feat kelis - no security [i'm kind of meh about this track (and i really shouldn't cause i love both the crookers and kelis). maybe it'll grow on me?]
WONGIE SONG OF THE WEEK: alicia keys - empire state of mind (live)
alicia keys - empire state of mind (live) [alicia's version sans jay z... beautiful yet somber. i hope she'll release this version on her upcoming album.]
WONGIE COVER OF THE WEEK: butch walker - you belong with me (taylor swift cover)
butch walker - you belong with me (taylor swift cover) [butch throws in all the pre-preparation in the 1st half of the video, so if you want to just hear the song, go to around 2'50" to listen to this AWESOME cover of the taylor swift smash hit! it's just simply wonderful and proves how the original is also a piece of pop genius.]
HOT COVER: lykki le - will you still love me tomorrow (the shirelles cover)
lykke li - will you still love me tomorrow (the shirelles cover)
[if you love this cover, head on over to lykke li's official site and get the mp3 for free!]
janet jackson - make me [recorded for her upcoming greatest hits collection 'number 1's'. i like how this is such a dance centric video, the kind that janet REALLY knows how to make]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: peggy sue - yo mama (live in session) / lover gone / alice in the kitchen
FROM DROWNED IN SOUND: "A band without anyone actually named Peggy as a member. Formerly called Peggy Sue and the Pirates. "Something like the Moldy Peaches if they had grown up dancing to Sleater Kinney and learnt to sing listening to Billie Holiday."
peggy sue - yo mama (bbc live in session) [personally i think there's something really wonderful about their brand of edgier folk. is it the rough female harmonies or the kind of ragtag musicality that just works together? needless to say, my radar is up for this trio.]
THE SOUND OF BAD: jennifer lopez feat pitbull - fresh out the oven
jennifer lopez feat pitbull - fresh out the oven [no, really... don't call it a comeback... i don't even have to say anything, just press play and watch your ears bleed]
WACKY VIDEO: charlotte gainsbourg and beck - heaven can wait
charlotte gainsbourg and beck - heaven can wait [this is a surprising collaboration! charlotte gainsbourg teams up with beck for her latest album ILM. the 1st official video is wacky and sinister and i love it.]
charlotte gainsbourg describes why she named her title track, 'IRM'
local natives - airplanes (bbc radio 1 live in session)
[from last.fm "Local Natives are a Southern California act preparing to release their debut full length. Upon first listen though, it seems as if there’s no way that can be the case. These songs roll by with the ease, confidence and chemistry of a much more seasoned act. My initial reaction is to compare them to bands known for their celebratory bombast like Broken Social Scene but with the rich orchestration of groups like Grizzly Bear or Fleet Foxes. Actually, here’s a comparison for you. If Arcade Fire were more interested in visiting the beach than reaching for heaven they’d probably sound a lot like Local Natives"]
patrick wolf - demaris [is it just me, or is there something so wonderfully 80's dramatic about this song and video? we expect nothing less from this artiste!]
REEEMIX: florence and the machine - you got the love (xx remix)
florence and the machine - you got the love (xx remix)
[this remix has been a favorite on so many blogs for the past month that i figured i'd add myself to the adoration with a proper video attached to it. a surprisingly upbeat xx give florence some serious twisted lofi disco grooves making it one of the highlight club tracks of the month. like what you hear? then go over to the great folks at rcrd lbl cause they have it as a free mp3!]
WONGIE SONG OF THE WEEK: mumford and sons - winter winds
mumford and sons - winter winds [i'm already a convert to this album, but whenever i hear the trumpets play at the end of this song, it just gives me goosebumps! sheer brilliance!]
sugarland - the last country song (live @ abbey road)
[my favorite country duo sugarland has always had a folk quality to their music and these performances at the prestigious abbey road really proves that they play beyond the confines of the country tag. i love these guys!]
beach house - norway [indie hipsters return with new material for their upcoming album and it's free as an mp3 thanks to the great folks at rcrd lbl. the song is dreamy, but gosh the verses do make you a bit loopy... as if you're on a tilting boat... totally trippy!]
WONGIE DUET OF THE WEEK: david gray and annie lennox - full steam
david gray and annie lennox - full steam [sigh... two of my favorite voices get together to for some beautiful music! i love how david tries to match annie's performance theatrics!]
the dodos - fables [i'm totally going to date myself here, but there is something remotely trashcan sinatras about this song. i've been a big fan of this band since 2007 and am so happy that they've polished their sweet sound for their latest album 'time to die'. really wonderful stuff here]
WONGIE SONG OF THE MONTH: alicia keys - try sleeping with a broken heart
alicia keys - try sleeping with a broken heart [been listening to this for awhile and i'm so happy that it's finally released as a 2nd video single. just love this song!]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: chew lips - slick / seven / salt air
FROM RCRD LBL
“Our greatest goal”, Chew Lips’ frontwoman Tigs laughingly asserts, tongue half in cheek, “is to hear our music in the café on Eastenders”.
It is highly unusual to hear a tender young band from East London fantasise about the joys of hearing their music on Albert Square, but then again, there is nothing quite usual about Chew Lips. Not their way of making music, or their live shows, or indeed, their inception. After doing the Indie Band Shuffle, in the spring of this year vocalist Tigs and multi-instrumentalists James Watkins and Will Sanderson eventually decided to start making music together, with only one edict: not to sound like Just Another Guitar Band.
With only that in mind, the trio subsequently decamped to a friend’s studio to test the waters of the Chew Lips sound. “We had no idea what we wanted to sound like, only what we didn’t want to sound like”, James avers. “And I think, in some strange way, that helped us. We didn’t know what we were doing, so we just did everything”. The result was the organic and purely accidental evolution of their current, electronically enhanced sound. Experimenting and improvising, they wrote 10 songs right off the bat."
and what songs they are! check out their latest single 'slick' which is just brilliant!!
chew lips - slick [if you like this song, the great folks of nme have made it their daily download]
the very best - julia [the very best (aka radioclit and singer esau mwamwaya) have done it again, throwing in afrikaan sounds with modern furnishings, their latest single is the perfect blend of their diverse mix. brilliant!]
WONGIE REMIX OF THE WEEK: dizzee rascal - dirtee cash (sub focus remix)
dizzee rascal - dirtee cash (sub focus remix) [oh this is sick!!! dizzee gets a total makeover thanks to breakbeaters sub focus and the results remind of classic prodigy back in the mid 90's (and that's a good thing!) sick!!!]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: penguin prison - a funny thing / animal animal / erik hassle - hurtful (remix) / golden silvers - true romance (remix)
from neon gold's website: "without further ado we'd like to introduce you to Penguin Prison, hands down the most exciting new artist to grace our ears in 2009. Not only is he among the best new vocal talents we've heard this year, he's also quite possibly the most exciting new producer and remixer on the block and this here is his coming out party."
[definitely perked up my ears when i found out all the gems this guy has put together. firstly check out his own insanely catchy stuff!]
DANCE BITCH DANCE: steve angello vs kings of tomorrow - monday (finally)
steve angello vs kings of tomorrow - monday (finally) [this mash up is not an official release, but the way these two songs sound together just seem so natural. taking the classic house track 'finally' from kings of tomorrow against steve angello's current trance house smash and you get a club stormer of epic proportions! this is big folks!]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: matthew perryman jones - save you
matthew perryman jones - save you [nashville based singer / songwriter has been a tv soundtrack favorite for the past few months with his tracks featured on shows like one tree hill and grey's anatomy. this track in particular was heavily played during the cancelled series kyle xy and as you can see also features the shows actress jamie alexander. it's a solid pop rock ballad that you'll just fall in love with. enjoy!]
DANCE BITCH DANCE: lady gaga - bad romance (bimbo jones remix)
lady gaga - bad romance (bimbo jones remix) [i have to admit that i wasn't instantly won over by this song, but now after a few days, i think i'm ok with it. ra ra rah!]
CMA 2009 DISCOVERY: lady antebellum - need you now
lady antebellum - need you now [call me crazy, but there is something really 80's john waite about this song. easily my favorite discovery of this years CMA awards, this trio made up of charles kelley (lead and background vocals), dave haywood (background vocals, guitar, mandolin) and hillary scott (lead and background vocals) not only picked up best vocal of the year but also single of the year. they also performed this lovely song live (which is just gagging to be a crossover success). don't hate on country cause there are some really talented acts and music here!]
ANOUK DAY!: anouk - three days in a row / woman / lost (live @ pinkpop) / today
for those who aren't familiar with this dutch singer / songwriter, anouk is one of the hidden treasures of the dutch music scene. with a soulful rock voice, she is easily one of the best voices to come out of the netherlands in ages. hopefully with her latest album 'for bitter for worse' she'll also get extensive love outside of her region. check out some current highlights from her album below!
anouk - three days in a row [damn that voice! she just rips through this song! amazing!!! and this is dating me a bit, but doesn't this remind you of the intensity of sam brown's 'stop'?]
anouk - woman [anouk's 2nd single from for bitter for worse. it's already the #1 song of the airplay charts back in the netherlands]
anouk - lost [the song that introduced me to this brilliant singer thanks to the show 'so you think you can dance']
anouk - today [though never an official release from her current album, this track still managed to get into the top 50 based on radio play]
beyonce feat pitbull - video phone (remix) [as if the audio leak of yesterday's 'telephone' track from lady gaga feat beyonce wasn't enough, beyonce offers up TWO hot HOT remixes of her track 'video phone' with gaga AND pitbull returning the favor. i need to lie down for this...]
rihanna - russian roulette [UPDATE: they are working hard at taking the video off youtube, so i'll keep updating with new links when i get them....it's finally here! kind of vague overdrama for my taste, but she does look amazing (as does jesse williams from grey's anatomy)]
WONGIE SONG OF THE WEEK: basement jaxx feat lightspeed champion - my turn
basement jaxx feat lightspeed champion - my turn [i've been focusing on this song via my ipod for awhile and i'm so glad that basement jaxx are finally releasing this as a proper single. definitely my favorite track off their album scars]
WONGIE SONG OF THE WEEK: simian mobile disco feat beth ditto - cruel intentions
simian mobile disco feat beth ditto - cruel intentions [just hours after talking about a video and this pops up! i thought the song was already sensual and brilliant, but this naughty sapphic cougar on drugs video is even better!]
WONGIE DISCOVERY: dirty money - love come down / angels (feat notorious b.i.g.) / hurt (feat drake)
dirty money - love come down [i'm not usually interested in the projects that diddy is associated with, but the idea of a trio featuring the rapper and two female vocalists (including dawn, ex-from danity kane) in the vein of soul II soul or loose ends, is very appealing to me. check out some of their releases!]
dirty money feat notorious b.i.g. - angels [biggie... i just love his voice. as for this song, it's nice, but damn is the autotune in overdrive!]
dirty money feat drake - hurt [really nice ballad here and featuring the ever so hot drake. maybe this will be the single that will take them to the zeitgeist level]
REEEMIX: simian mobile disco feat beth ditto - cruel intention (joker remix)
simian mobile disco feat beth ditto - cruel intention (joker remix) [this is a hot piece of dubstep, throw in beth ditto and you have a hot hot track. can't wait to see the video!]
WONGIE DANCE SONG OF THE WEEK: kid sister - right hand hi
kid sister - right hand hi [been tracking this song for the past month and finally it gets a proper video release. this song will be huge!!! trust me club producers steve angello and sebastian ingrosso have come up with a massive gem!]
roisin murphy - orally fixated [available for 48 hours only, roisin murphy have teamed up with the guardian newspaper to offer her latest single 'orally fixated' to the world. go get it asap (even though it's tagged, it's free)!!]
FREE MP3 YO!: au revoir simone - another likely story (aeroplane remix) / (social disco club version)
au revoir simone - another likely story (aeroplane remix) [oh the great folks that rep au revoir simone have been super sweet to us and allowed us to host some free mp3s of their latest single 'another likely story'! the trio have come up with a cute tune that is made all the more sweeter by the workings of aeroplane and social disco. don't thank me, thank them!]
