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Phoenix- 1901 from the album “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”

We miss vinyl records. The hearty, physical sound that emanated from these impressed discs may have not been as crisp as anything made popular within today’s digital age, but it felt more alive. Turn it up loud, and you could nearly imagine the band was with you in the room. We are, of course, not the only ones who appreciate this medium. Product designer and electronic music artist Yuri Suzuki recognizes the life within the record as well and through May 2nd, he will be showcasing his love of the physicality of sound via his exhibit at the Clear Gallery in Tokyo.

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Check out the Aurora, an open source DJ Mixer created by the trio of Matt Aldrich, Mike Garbus, & Maro Sciacchitano. This USB powered device features two linear channel faders a single a/b crossfader, eight back lit buttons and twenty four back lit knobs which allow one to control effects. This wonderful, little mixer easily integrates with your favorite midi compatible software, no problem there!

Really good with wiring? The Aurora team provides a list of everything you will need to make one for yourself, if you know that route. Post your ideas or modifications in the Aurora forum and keep it a communal thing that we can all share solutions about.

Derek “Drizzy D.R.O” Davis is a man that can and will rap about anything. It all started back in 2006 as a joke and since then has exploded across the United States just by word-of-mouth. We called this morning to see if he was legit and dude actually answered the phone and threw down a rhyme for us. You can call him up at his Press/Play Hotline, give him something to rap about and he will amaze you. He’s apparently pretty busy these days, but if you can’t get him directly you can leave him a message and he will get back to you with a customized rap. His number is (205) 617.9166.

Radiohead just released a new video for their song “House of Cards” from the album “In Rainbows”. No cameras or lights were used but two newer technologies were used: Geometric Informatics and Velodyne LIDAR. Geometric Informatics scanning systems produce structured light to capture 3D images at close proximity, while a Velodyne Lidar system that uses multiple lasers is used to capture large environments such as landscapes. 64 lasers rotating and shooting in a 360 degree radius 900 times per minute produced a colorful and stuck-in-time look for the exterior scenes in the video.

Way back at the beginning of April, I heard a new single from Islands’ then-upcoming release, In Arm’s Way (out 5/20 and available here). “Creeper” did precisely what its title suggests and crawled into my brain, clinging for dear life to any filament of music appreciation mashed up in there, cross-firing synapses so that I instinctively pressed “repeat” every time the song ended. At the time, I made a few grandiose claims that if the rest of the LP even remotely lived up to the insane catchiness of “Creeper,” I’d be a fool not to throw in the towel, tie on an apron and submit to my duties as a long-suffering housewife because I would marry the album in a hot minute if I could.

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Icelandic band Sigur Rós will be releasing their fifth album Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (English translation: With a buzz in our ears we play endlessly), on June 23rd. The first song off the new album is entitled Gobbledigook and has a new video to accompany it. Just a warning, this video is NOT work safe unless your working on a commune. The group is taking pre-orders for the album on their official website. It is available in several different editions featuring an ultimate ‘Deluxe Edition’ that includes a large format, 192 page, fine weave cloth-bound hardback book, footage of the making of the album, band interviews and much more. Each edition is individually numbered and includes a unique strip of 16mm film taken from the video Gobbledigook as well as the DVD and album.

Check out official homepage of Sigur Rós to watch the video.

You know, every time I think I have this concert thing down to a finely tuned art, something or someone goes and throws a wrench in my perfectly laid plans. Sometimes it’s the venue; other times it’s the parking, or accidentally getting tossed (as James brilliantly pointed out yesterday), or, I guess, actually getting tossed out of the show (which has never happened to me, but heck, I can imagine. Sucks to be THAT guy).

Last night, Jess and I roused ourselves from our 8 p.m. naps and declared that we are STILL. YOUNG. DAGNABBIT. And headed to the Troubadour to check out Destroyer (Dan Bejar of The New Pornographers’ side project). Bejar’s elliptical yelps and swooning guitar drive his latest album, Trouble in Dreams, and it was precisely the hope of some comparatively driving live performance that caused us to plunk down our pennies as well as our first born to Ticketmaster and drive all the way out to the Westside (more or less) at 10 p.m. on a Monday night. A snagged spot on Robertson and a whiskey sour later, we wedged ourselves in the back, near the bar (a mistake I vow not to make again, if only for the annoyance of having to shuffle to the side every time a sweaty hipster nursing a hef needs to use the loo). While pushing through the crowds, I was halted by a traffic jam (and since no one really makes eye contact at these gigs, you sort of just wait until someone shoves through and proceed on your merry way). Caught between a post and a paunch, the owner of said 45-year-old gut grinned and slurred, “You can schtand neshxt to me all you want.”

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On our list of top 10 artist to watch, Santogold is headed toward the top with a bullet. Philadelphia born producer turned songwriter, Santi White, delivers a mix of M.I.A. and Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), vocals swirling around in solid gold beats. The former Stiffed front woman is currently breaking ground with her songs creeping into your consciousness through everything from beer commercials to video games.

After paying the bills writing pop hits for Ashlee Simpson and Lily Allen, Santogold took a chance and broke out on her own getting to picked up to tour with Bjork. When asked about her influences, Santogold says she is inspired by 1980s pop music especially, “I felt that a lot of pop music from the ’80s had a depth to it, and I hope to bring back some more good pop songs.”

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