This weekend was pretty rough, so we’re slowing it down a bit.

I haven’t given St. Vincent’s new album Strange Mercy a fair listen yet, but I can say love, love this song.  Below is a link to the track as well as a video from her 4AD Session, for which she played 4 songs from her new and third album.  St. Vincent plays Webster Hall in NYC on Thursday before heading to SL’s side of the pond next week.

St. Vincent – Year of the Tiger

I was watching the movie Twelve the other day, and while it wasn’t that awesome, the soundtrack and this song by Julian Plenti was definitely the highlight of the film.

Julian Plenti is the solo project of Interpol frontman Paul Banks, and Julian Plenti Is… Skyscraper is the first (and only album thus far), released in 2009 – a ways back.  The album was described as “an ambitious attempt to give Banks his individuality back…Interpol may take most of the plaudits in his career but it’s Julian Plenti who reveals the true Paul Banks.”

No plans for more from Julian Plenti just yet.  However, Banks might have more solo projects (and new monikers) in the works, and is rumored to have more material “like Julian Plenti” to release in 2012.

Julian Plenti – Only If You Run

A new social music site that is currently in Beta-format, Turntable.fm allows users (invite-only right now, but you can score an invitation if any of your Facebook friends has an account) to become virtual DJs, share music in themed rooms (my room of choice right now is “Indie While You Work”) and vote on your favorite DJs and songs.  So how does it all work?  Here’s a blurb I pulled from Betabeat.com…

It’s a browser-based chatroom that streams music based on the choices of a rotating cast of DJs drawn from whoever is in the room. There are up to five DJs at any one time who create playlists; the station cycles through the playlists one song at a time, moving from one DJ’s pick to the next, as the room votes on how “lame” to “awesome” the track is. A (sometimes fast-moving) discussion takes place in a chatroom on the bottom right of the screen. DJs get points for picking popular songs and if enough people think a song is lame, it skips to the next. You can upload songs or search through the Medianet-powered library to create your playlist when it’s your turn to DJ.  The app is also, presumably, making money by helping people discover new music socially. Mouse over a song you like and click “add to iTunes” to buy it.

So if you’re up for the challenge, head over to Turntable.fm, create a playlist and make sure it’s kick ass so you don’t get voted off the virtual turntables.  Here’s a track from Discovery that keeps popping up in “Indie While You Work”…

Discovery – Osaka Loop Line

Ever since The Avett Brothers performed with Bob Dylan and Mumford & Sons at the Grammys earlier this year (a magical and inspiring performance), their song “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise” keeps popping into my head or keeps finding its way onto a speaker somewhere in my vicinity – the count was three times this past weekend, so I wanted to throw it up here.  Because I can’t escape it and I just love it, here you are…

The Avett Brothers – Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise

Walter Meego‘ s second full length Wondervalley (out November 2010) was recorded over six months in a town called Wondervalley just East of Los Angeles, where the band re-located after forming in Chicago in 2004.  After a brief hiatus following their studio time, band members Justin Sconza (guitar, keyboards and vocals) and Colin Yarck (production) are back on and will be playing this summer with the original line up.

Check out “Starlight,” Justin’s favorite track from Wondervalley below and you can stream the album here.  For some of their past material, check out their series of EPs and debut album “Voyager,” which came out in May 2008, as well as many, many remixes of their material.

Walter Meego – Starlight

oh, hello – we have a new contributor.  Her name is Maggie but you can call her MG.

Voytastic.

This kind of sound deserves its own word.  So I made one up.

Evan Voytas’ recent EP Tomorrow Night We’ll Go Anywhere evokes the same kind of optimism that is echoed in the EP’s title track – that anything is possible.   And it kind of is, considering the differing influences that Voytas has integrated into his sublimely sedated sound.  He cites acid jazz, reclusion, 70’s pop, 90’s rap, and a farmhouse on a dirt road in Pennsylvania as contributors to his spare & minimal pop format, which have led him to the beaches of Los Angeles.  And sure enough, when you learn this and specifically listen for those things, you can hear each one of them present in his tracks.

It’s a sound that evokes imagery of Ryan McGinley’s work, or anticipation for the sand in your pants that we’re all sure to experience this summer in the Rockaways, after we’ve decided that choking on saltwater is not our scene and are throwing back 6-packs instead.

So…in honor of that, throw him on your apple device of choice and crack open a cold one.  Here’s to you, EV.

Evan Voytas – Tomorrow Night We’ll Go Anywhere

Evan Voytas – Our Thing

Two of my favorite words. And two of my favorite french electronic artists collaborated awhile ago on a track they titled “Intro.” This isn’t new but we never posted this and its one of my favorites I wanted to share.

It’s my subway anthem and maybe your work anthem or your eating a banana anthem, sky’s the limit.

Alan Braxe and Fred Falke need no introduction really, they are both pioneers and legends in the electro production and DJ space, both on Braxe’s label, Vulture.   AB’s international tour dates for the month and some new remixes here. And if you aren’t familiar with Fred Falke’s Whitest Boy Alive’s remix of “Golden Cage,” hurry.

Alan Braxe and Fred Falke – Intro

Here it is – our top twenty (one) favorite and most listened to songs of 2010.  Well 20 of our favorite songs and what WILL BE our favorite song of 2011.  It’s been an amazing, amazing year – our first full year as a blog and producing showcases of amazing up-and-coming talent in New York.  Thanks to everyone who has been a part of it and for all of the support.  Happy New Year!!  xx KC + SL

Kanye West – Blame Game
Dominant Legs – About My Girls
Arcade Fire – Suburban War
Gold Panda – You
Sleigh Bells – Rill Rill
Beach House – Norway
The Radio Dept – Heavens on Fire
Cults – Go Outside
The ABC Club – Thieving Magpie (YouTube)
Cloud Nothings – Can’t Stay Awake
Local Natives – Airplanes
Voxhaul Broadcast – Lost Along The Way
PS I Love You – 2012
Minks – Funeral Song (Vimeo)
Magic Man – Nest
Efterklang – Modern Drift
Mon Khmer – Passwords
Wise Blood – B.I.G. E.G.O.
Foals – After Glow
Frightened Rabbit – The Loneliness & The Scream

And our projected favorite for 2011….

Something a little different for today. A little soul and a little seduction.

“Daylight” is the newly released single from Peder, featuring the enchanting vocals of Signe Marie Schmidt-Jacobsen. Peder is a producer based in Copenhagen, who has worked with a lot of impressive artists including the Beastie Boys. His latest album, “Dirt & Gold,”  has been described as combining the sounds of “surf guitar, hip-hop and french film music” …which includes a track featuring Oh Land.

Click on the link below to watch the video and if you want to skip the video (you shouldn’t…it has a surprising sense of sadness) you can stream the song instead:

For the video: Peder – Daylight [feat. Signe Marie Schmidt-Jacobsen] from Fake Diamond Records on Vimeo.

Peder – Daylight (feat Signe Marie Schmidt-Jacobsen)

Reading Rainbow have a new 7″ split out (yesterday) with Brooklyn band Coasting, who they’ll be performing with for a few dates, including a New York stop at Death By Audio on December 18th.  You can check out the new Reading Rainbow track “Euphoria” from the collaboration on Pitchfork HERE.

Meanwhile, here’s an older track from the lo-fi, boy/girl Philly duo…

Reading Rainbow – Underground