Best of 2009 - Guest List - Lauren Flax

As a precursor to our impending year-end list, we've asked some of our favorite artists to select their five favorite releases of 2009. Worldwide DJ sensation Lauren Flax adds her two cents to our year-end "Guest List" series. Flax as DJ has spent the last few years, spinning with or alongside acts like Fischerspooner, Moby, The B-52's, and Yelle. Her picks here are sparse and abstract, not unlike say, minimalist techno? Some picks are spot on, some fantastic, but not 2009, and others are just left to interpretation.

1) Azari & III
2) Burial
3) Telepathe
4) Classic House
5) Brooklyn

Lauren Flax recently released her debut single "You've Changed", featuring Sia on vocals:



FULL YEAR-END COVERAGE HERE

SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO - Temporary Pleasure

Simian Mobile Disco are back with the new album Temporary Pleasure and it's shaping up to be a dance record to pay attention to. For a taste of what to expect, head over to audiodrums.com for the new track "Cruel Intentions" which features Beth Ditto on vocals. The album also features guest contributions from Telepathe, Jamie Lidell, and Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip.

Temporary Pleasure hits speakers everywhere on August 17th.

Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity of Huge from ISO FILMS on Vimeo.

TELEPATHE - Dance Mother Out Today

Telepathe's awesome, Dave Sitek-produced debut LP was released physically today. I've been pretty obsessed with Dance Mother the last few months. Something about it just feels fresh and exciting to me. Get your copy at IAMSOUND. The Brooklyn duo are also doing a record release show tomorrow night at The Annex, Lower East Side.

Here's the video for "So Fine", wherein the girls do their best deadpan lip-synching, as well as an ironic, but charming dance routine.


Telepathe - So Fine from Paul Tao on Vimeo.

TEENGIRL FANTASY

Teengirl Fantasy would like you to think that they are indeed a 13 year old girl with a glittery website on Angelfire, but really they are a couple of dudes from Oberlin College in Ohio. The duo make drone-laden, synth/noise/disco that recalls Harmonia. The track "Portofino" has had me intrigued for months. Get the 7" at Rough Trade.

Teengirl Fantasy - Portofino (mp3)

Check out this awesome video, made for the Teengirl Fantasy remix of Telepathe's "Devil's Trident". The collaboration is fitting as the two acts play Market Hotel (Bushwick) tomorrow.


Telepathe - Devil's Trident (Teengirl Fantasy Basic Sensation Dub) from Mark Brown on Vimeo.

TELEPATHE - "Devil's Trident (Mi Ami remix)"

Brooklyn's Telepathe have been given the remix treatment quite a lot lately, but this new Mi Ami remix of "Devil's Trident" takes their sound in a whole new direction. Stripping away all of the vocals, San Francisco's Mi Ami turn the track into a throbbing chill out jam reminiscent of something The Orb would have done in the mid 90's.

Filmmaker Dan Nixon (Glass Candy/Chromatics) has directed a gorgeous video for the remix, set in the woods of East Sussex. I love how the light pulsates to the beat of the track.

TELEPATHE

Brooklyn's Telepathe are prepping the release of their debut full-length, Dance Mother. The album is being recorded with Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio and will feature contributions Kyp Malone (TVOTR) and Shannon Funchess (of !!!). According to a press release, "Access to Sitek's vintage synthesizer collection, combined with deep electronic sub-bass lines influenced by hours of listening to dub-step, gave the duo's homemade music making a new sonic purity and gave them the confidence and the stylistic singularity to transcend genres."

Telepathe have been on the road with Diplo on the Mad Decent Tour, also featuring Boy 8-Bit and Abe Vigoda. Dance Mother isn't out until February 17th, but check out "Chrome's On It" from the recent EP of the same name.


Telepathe-Chrome's On It (mp3)

Todd P's Midsummer Party at The Yard

-photo by Derek Morris

About two weeks ago I had the privilige of attending Todd P's Midsummer Party at The Yard in Carroll Gardens (Brooklyn). I saw an astounding 15 under the radar bands and got to see John Norris (of MTV fame) up close and personal. The mini-fest was held on the canal bank at The Yard in Brooklyn, featuring amazing performances from Ponytail, Oneida, Titus Andronicus, Shy Child, Vivian Girls, Knyfe Hyts, Crystal Antlers, Abe Vigoda, Telepathe, High Places, and many more!

The scorching day by the canal was barely saved by a cooling breeze that made the heat almost bearable. It turned out to be a fantastic summer day, packed with loads of new talent. Todd P is a hero to Brooklyn right now, constantly providing us with new, cutting edge artists in venues like Market Hotel, Silent Barn, Death By Audio, and Bodega. Here he has captured the essence of what is bubbling under, providing a vastly entertaining day of indie music by the water in Brooklyn.

Ponytail (live at The Yard)


Check out some of my video highlights of Todd P's Midsummer Party below...

Vivian Girls
Crystal Antlers
Telepathe
Ponytail
Shy Child
Titus Andronicus

NO AGE Make Noise at South Street Seaport TELEPATHE, ABE VIGODA Also Played

No Age left the riotous crowd begging for more at their free South Street Seaport show on Friday night, but were forced to cut the set short by the event's promoter. By the second half of the set, security had to give everything they had to contain the kids from breaking through the crowd barrier at the front of the stage. It was quite a sight to witness at a safe distance. Though the vocals were mixed a bit too low, the set built momentum as it carried along.


I thought Telepathe were kind of interesting, though they're warm-up set for No Age has created quite an onslaught of negative comments over at Brooklyn Vegan. These guys remind me of a mellower Letigre, minus Kathleen Hanna's growl.


Abe Vigoda kicked off the show. They sounded tight, but their music just isn't for me. They're kind of like this year's answer to Tokyo Police Club.

-all photos by Scot Bowman

NO AGE Tonight at South Street Seaport, w/ ABE VIGODA and TELEPATHE

No Age are playing a free show tonight at Southstreet Seaport, with Abe Vigoda and Telepathe. When I saw No Age last year at the Bowery Ballroom/CMJ show they absolutely rocked. And with a recent surge in popularity, their show tonight should be a must-see. LA tropical punk band Abe Vigoda and Brooklyn's experimental synth-noise trio Telepathe are also well worth checking out so get there early! The show starts at 7:00.

No Age - Eraser (music video)