Not only is the Shazam Twitter page a great way for us to interact with our users, it also helps us keep up to date with the latest music news. So imagine our delight today when we noticed a conversation between electro pop mastersHot Chip and legendary Garage DJ Todd Edwards. After complimenting the ‘One Life Stand’ authors on their recent album, he was quickly asked about the possibility of a remix. While nothing has been confirmed yet, we’re sure this would be a perfect match – Hot Chip have always talked about their love for old skool garage and hearing one of their tracks matched with a trademark Edwards beat would surely be a winner. Watch this space.
To get you in the mood, reacquaint yourself with Todd’s stone cold classic, ‘Never Far From You’.
Chiddy Bang are a four piece hip-hop/electronica outfit from Philadelphia currently attending their first year of college. However, unlike most first year students, Chiddy Bang appear to have have hit pay dirt with their debut single, ‘Opposite Of Adults’. The record ingeniously shreds the opening riff from MGMT’s ‘Kids’ over a block rocking break beat and a raucous rap from frontman Chidera “Proto” Anamege. Signed to Parlophone in the UK, ‘Opposite Of Adults’ is already creating interest with Shazamers in Britain after the record was championed by Radio 1’s main man for all things indie, Zane Lowe. The track also gets the seal of approval from Hip Hop mogul Pharrell Williams who even makes a cameo appearance in the video for ‘Opposite Of Adults’.
For more info and to download a free track from Chiddy Bang simply head to their MySpace.
The last few weeks haven’t been short of thrills for the music fan. To excellent new releases by the likes of Vampire Weekend, Spoon, Four Tet and Owen Pallett, you could add a number of very interesting reissues and compilations sharing the common subject of their focus in nostalgic sounds coming from different locations around the globe.
Beginning with ‘Tumbélé: Biguine, Afro & Latin sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74′ a festive anthology of the music in the islands of Guadalupe and Martinica during the golden decade, focused in the common Afro-Latin influence that’s shared around the area and its local varieties. A look at a musical heritage often ignored due to the wealth of influential rhythms coming from their surrounding neighbors. Some of its highlights can be checked here. Read more…
One thing that’s helping us get ready for the weekend here at Shazam HQ is repeated listens of the fantastic new single from Yeasayer. Taken from their new album ‘Odd Blood’ – released on Monday through Mute – ‘O.N.E.’ is a glorious slice of shimmering pop that showcases what promises to be one of the standout albums of the year. Taking in influences as varied as 80’s pop and afro-beat percussion, the track is likely to have the same effect on their popularity as ‘My Girls’ did for Animal Collective. It’s currently available as a free download through their website, preceding a full physical release on the 22nd March.
Yeasayer are currently embarking on a tour across the US, UK and Europe, for more information head to their MySpace.
Yesterday saw the eagerly awaited announcement that Muse and Stevie Wonder are set to headline this year’s Glastonbury alongside U2. Speaking at the Olympia 2 venue in London, festival organiser Michael Eavis stated that it was probable that Matt Bellamy’s Muse would headline the Saturday while Stevie Wonder would take the coveted festival closing spot on Sunday evening. Other performers already reportedly playing this year’s event include Hot Chip, Dizzee Rascal, Jack Johnson and Vampire Weekend.
This year’s Glastonbury will be the landmark 40th anniversary of the festival and as such rumours have been wilder than usual surrounding who will headline. Dave Bowie, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin were all mentioned, but with this latest announcement the appearance of such megastar headliners now seems unlikely.
Those wishing to purchase tickets to this year’s festival should click here and join the race to secure some of the very limited return tickets when they go on sale.
Graeme Clark AKA The Revenge is one of the fastest rising stars of underground dance music. His eclectic style blends everything from classic soul to 80’s chart music but is sewn together with a unique slow-motion house groove. His productions have been sending tastemakers doolally for about a year and heavy weight DJ’s such as Pete Tong, Danny Krivit, Radio Slave, Prins Thomas, Gilles Peterson, Kissy Sellout and Tim Sweeney are all noted fans. We catch up with Graeme to talk about his thoughts on edits, his forthcoming album and his summer DJ sets at the much talked about Garden Festival in Croatia.
It’s been a pretty great year for you. Tell us a little about the last 12 months.
It’s been crazy. I’ve been producing for about 10 years in various projects on and off but I think last year it was the culmination of a few records that went off and people got into, and then joining the roster of the Warm DJ agency. They’ve got a fairly eclectic bunch of people and I just slotted in there. I think the combination of those things – sort of right place right time.
This week Ke$ha holds on to the number one spot in the Shazam New Release Chart USA for a second week in a row with her typicaly racy new single, ‘Blah Blah Blah’.
To check the full chart click read more (You may have to turn ‘Mobile Theme’ off to view this chart correctly in Shazam’s apps). Read more…
It’s bound to be one of the comebacks of the year: 70’s underground jazz legend Gil Scott-Heron releases his first album in over fifteen years this month after his life descended into chaos and he ended up in jail for drug-related offenses. Best known for seminal classics such as ‘The Bottle’ or ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ -which have inspired generations of soul, acid-jazz and hip-hop musicians - the African-American poet and activist is back with an album produced by XL Recordings owner, Richard Russell. The album is composed of cover versions – originals by Bill Callahan, Robert Johnson and Bobby Bland among them- and short poems backed by carefully chosen samples such as Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights” which opens and closes the album. The finest moments of ‘I’m New Here’ include the first single ‘Me and the Devil’ and the impressively dark, blues-tinged ‘New York is Killing Me’.
This week Tinie Tempah holds onto the tops spot for a third week in a row in the Shazam Pre-Release UK Tag Chart with his forthcoming single, ‘Pass Out’.
To check the full chart click read more (You may have to turn ‘Mobile Theme’ off to view this chart correctly in Shazam’s apps). Read more…
Brighton festival The Great Escape has announced the first wave of bands to play this year’s event on May 13-15. Among the headline acts will be Manchester electro-pop trio Delphic, dubstep masters Chase & Status and Canadian indie behemoths Broken Social Scene. The three day event is seen as the opening weekend of the UK festival season and has consistently showcased some of the best rising talent within the industry. The Great Escape is comparable to SXSW in Texas as bands can be found playing a number of venues across the city and ticket holders are given a free reign to choose between them. Since its inception in 2006 the festival has played host to the likes of Kasabian, Gang Of Four, Mystery Jets and The Cribs to name a few. The lineup announced so far is:
Delphic
Chase And Status
Broken Social Scene
Marina And The Diamonds
Ellie Goulding
Crystal Fighters
Slow Club
Cold Cave
Esben And The Witch
Japandroids
Real Estate
Timber Timbre
Darwin Deez
Best Coast
The Cheek
Wild Palms
Ruby Suns
For full ticket information and line up updates, head to The Great Escape site.
