Video: Jay-Z "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)"

Are hip hop tracks ever featured on this blog? Hardly ever. But how often do tracks as incredible as this come out? The No I.D. and Kanye West produced track is largely a subtly edited sample of Janko Nilovic & Dave Sucky's "In The Space" but the beat is undeniable. Jay-Z adds the icing and "old-man grumbling" to the cake with some notable lines asking if "I’m a multi-millionaire so how is it I’m still the hardest here" and announcing that hip hop's autotune abusers music are "going make it the great depression". Despite claims that "this ain’t a number one record, this is practically assault with a deadly weapon" this is one fantastic pop record:



: Jay-Z's new album drops in September and myspace has all the info.
Related: Autotune on Nova

Video: BT "The Rose Of Jericho"

Things have been fairly quiet on the BT front since he released his "ambient symphony" This Binary Universe. The 2006 CD/DVD package was a unique project for the producer showcasing seven tracks mixed to be heard in surround sound all accompanied by specially commissioned short films. At the time of it's release BT announced another album that would be out the following year featuring collaborations with Imogen Heap and Stewart Copeland. Fast forward several years and we have "The Rose Of Jericho". BT is dipping a tentative toe into the water rather than jumping in the deep end with this understated sort-of-trance instrumental with a "Popcorn" lead synth. It's certainly an okay track but not something that inspires any passion in me. The video continues BT's recent tradition of marrying music to images with the most emotionally effective computer graphics seen since someone last turned on the random visualization mode in windows media player:



: BT's site seems to be the place to find all the latest on his still untitled album but stop by his facebook where his bio suggest it will be out sometime in 2006 before the release of This Binary Universe.

Video: Tiga "Shoes"

What is that sound? Tiga's "Shoes" is one my favorite songs of the year yet I continue to find myself at a loss to describe it. Lyrically the song is an off the chart bizarre virtual duet between Tiga and pitched up "female" voice that was rumored to be Madonna where the man tells her he wants to fix her messy hair, nails and, of course, shoes all of which is delivered in an odd parental tone. Tiga brings plenty of top notch talent to the table with Soulwax, Gonzales and Jesper Dahlback helping out on the track which features some great electronics like the memorable bass line while it stays in a pop friendly zone. Assuming you don't pay attention to the lyrics.
The video is another highlight of the year with a superb execution of it's concept. A couple of models play out the uncomfortable lyrics under the pretense of a 70s talk show with a few shots of psychedelic happenings thrown in the mix. Brilliance defined:



: Out now, Tiga's new album Ciao! "has ideas and songs and the production is always spotless". Stop by his myspace to hear more.

Quiz Time: Know Your Crystal Method/Chemical Brothers

With the release of the new Crystal Method album I got to wondering if they had ever broken free of the "America's Chemical Brothers" tag. They don't particularly sound similar these days but some of the two acts choices have a familiar ring to them. Here is a little quiz I threw together:

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Quck Bits

Pet Shop Boys have been playing a version of "Viva La Vida" on their current tour. Geowayne suggests the song was chosen in solidarity with Coldplay's plagiarism claims given that PSB were accused of the same (involving one of the same parties) with "It's A Sin". Since Chris has called it one of his favorite recent songs I lean towards the idea that they are playing "Viva La Vida" because it was the inspiration for the backing track of their current single "Did You See Me Coming?". The chord structure and main rhythm of both are strikingly similar (link takes you to a not quite a mashup)even if the melody and styles are completely different. A better reason to pick up tickets is that Stuart Price, who oddly enough remixed "Viva" for Coldplay, worked on the live PSB arrangements. Also they are also playing "Two Divided By Zero"!

Much hyped UK electro acts Little Boots & La Roux are rather interesting. Sorry it took me so long to check them out but I can't be bothered to follow every one-track internet sensation. Lost in the 80's has a great post about the original Giorgio Moroder/Freddie Mercury version of "Love Kills" that Little Boots has covered for her Illuminations EP. Both versions are great.

An additional note on Hooky's Freebass preview track: He has always made odd choices when it comes to previewing material on media outlets. See evidence in this circa-1990 tv performance of NO's "The Happy One", a Technique-era track that can only be found chopped into fifteen second intervals heard during transitional segments on the Substance video collection. The band released their only number one single in the same year.