I LIVE

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So, so sorry for the month without updates. Things have been sucking hard core around Stately Telephone Manor, starting with the loss of my laptop's hard drive- containing my entire mp3 collection (not to mention 4+ years' worth of un-backed-up data), and then problems with my FTP account which prevented me from uploading any music. But now I'm back on a functional computer, and I have oh such nice things for you:




Hot Chip, "No More Master" (from the Kitsuné X compilation)

First is a new track by Hot Chip (whose Coming On Strong was one of last year's best debut albums, hell, best albums period, and whose exclusion from my list is due entirely to my being both behind the curve and a lazy bastard who probably would've taken weeks to listen to it even if I had gotten my hands on the import), from the new compilation on France's Kitsuné Records. This is their third major themed compilation, after Love and last year's fantastic electro-heavy Midnight, and apparently started off themed around sex before veering off into Darwin and Galapagos finches and the Gill Sans typeface and god knows what else. But it's a great song, and well worth your time, as is Kitsuné X, with contributions from DJ Assault, Joakim, Post No Bills (the new Trevor Jackson project), Fannypack, and Volga Select (aka Ivan Smagghe of Black Strobe).
(Kitsuné, Hot Chip, Moshi Moshi, Hot Chip's "Down With Prince" EP on iTunes [worth it just for "The Ass Attack" and "Sexual Chocolate"])



Bran Van 3000, "More Shopping" feat. Momus (from Discosis)

This isn't new- it's from 2001, which is like, fucking ancient, man- but it's great fun and seems to have been unfairly overlooked. Nice thumpy electropop over which Momus and Miss Gee (no, I don't know either) sleaze it up with equal parts nonsense and innuendo ("Open please your body up to my man-o'-war"). Produced by Mike D of the Beastie Boys, believe it or not, who also remixed The Juan MacLean's first single as 41 Small Stars- he gets around. Unfortunately, you might have trouble finding Discosis, as it came out just before Grand Royal closed up shop for good, and was never even released in the US. Bran Van 3000 are still around, but unsigned, and their site hasn't been updated in a while.

Also: I first heard "More Shopping" on this free mix by Montag (Gooom Disques/Carpark), whose album Alone, Not Alone has been getting rather good reviews.

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Out Hud and Hot Chip list their favorite records and, er, sandwiches and things. Some interesting choices. Last week had Rex the Dog and Hood.

And if anyone can tell me where to find Alec DeRuggiero's Italo DeRuggiero Parte Due, I'd be much obliged. I had no idea there even was a second part until Pitchfork ran their review, and Google turns up nothing.