O M G, I think I'm in love.

Okay. Let's assess the situation.

Yesterday morning I sat my one and only exam (it was not too bad), and spent the rest of the day indulging in my radio show and various tomfoolery to do with the radio. Tom and I are going to spend today doing some maintenance to the studio, so I'm up early (its before nine am) despite not getting to bed until about 4.30am, following a night in the pier with Leona, Hannah and Kathleen. I'm a bit sad that I may not see them again until September, but as I am going home this evening I thought I may as well make the most of my last night.

Oh, and when I got in I decided to watch the most recent episode of Lost. I think I may even have got tearful whilst watching this. I think I'm unstable from lack of sleep.



So, to match my unstable mind, and also due to the fact I may not get to post for a few days (the internet at home in ancient dial-up, although Mom says she may get broadband and a new snazzy PC), here's a song that I have been enjoying the last few days which I hope you like. I stumbled on it by chance, and it has instantly become my favourite of the 'Homecoming' remixes. I'm talking about The Cleft Palettes mix of the Teenagers first single, which takes the original, covers it in 8-bit blips (ala Crystal Castles) and replaces the Teens' original dialogue with a satirical take on the whole "new-rave" scene. It's clever, witty, and original, albeit rather childish.

Just how I like it.

mp3: The Teenagers - Homecoming (The Cleft Palettes remix)



Whilst I'm at it, and because I just mentioned them in passing, why don't I add some Crystal Castles. 'Knights' is one of their most recent tracks, and is to be featured on the Kitsuné Records Compilation 4. Is it just me or does the production sound slightly different than previous efforts? The track sounds rather dark: the vocals distorted and seemingly crying in the background over their trademark waves of synth and rising/falling 8-bit samples.

Also, finally got my hands on the remix they did of Uffie's 'Pop the Glock' entitled 'Make it Hott'. It's well worth checking out, as it is an interesting mix, very different to a lot of their remix work as whilst transferring the song into their own little dream world of computer noises, they edit the track up a fair bit, isolating certain sections, and glitching it up, but not murdering it like the Curtis Vodka mix. Hott indeed.

mp3: Crystal Castles - Knights
mp3: Uffie - Make it Hott (Crystal Castles remix)

Apopalypse now.

Upon logging into my myspace account this morning I find I have a message from Apopalypse, which as far as I can discern is the work of one Phil Death. He begins by commending my blog (which I was surprised to discover is now listed on The Hype Machine!), before scolding me for neglecting his glitchy tech pop. Well, of course, me being me and not wanting to dissapoint quickly visited Apopalypse-space where I was filled with meriment to hear such musical gems as 'EID', which has a sound akin to Late of the Pier. Pulsing programmed drums, harmonious electronics and gloriously distorted vocals. And then there is 'Bolts for Brains', which sounds like a demented robot trying to play Ladytron's back catalogue simultaneously by itself, frying its circuit boards in the process.

Apopalypse are certainly one to watch, and now that they've been brought to my attention I'll be keeping an eye out for sure.

mp3: Apopalypse - 'Bolts for Brains'
mp3: Apopalypse - 'EID'

PS. Now that I'm listed on Hype I know that I'm gonna blow my bandwidth... time to look for a better file host I think!

Songs from the Fields.

Thought I'd post this, a review of Fields debut album, Everything Last Winter, which I wrote for the Bay Radio website, the station on which I present several shows.



Everything Last Winter is the debut album of Anglo-Icelandic five-piece, Fields, who in just over a year since their first gig have honed their distinctive and somewhat progressive blend of indie-rock, and not only managed to gain themselves a deal with Atlantic, but a deal which has allowed them to release their records under their own Black Lab imprint, retaining their own musical freedom.

One of the things that strikes you most about the album is its seemingly huge layers of guitar: walls of sound that combined with the use of electronic sounds, make the songs sound massive. The album has been produced by Michael Beinhorn, who has previously worked with the likes of Mew, Soundgarden and Marilyn Manson, and he has done a great job in making sure that although the guitars are often face-meltingly loud, they do not become to intrusive to the structure of their songs. Highlight tracks such as previous singles ‘Song for the Fields’, and the amazing ‘If You Fail We All Fail’ are just examples of the bands method of harnessing quiet/loud dynamics and combining them with memorable chorus. On the other hand you have ‘The Death’, a blistering five minutes of distorted guitars, which is contrasted by other tracks such as the slow-building ‘Charming the Flames’, with its haunting electronic ambience, or the vocal beauty of ‘Feathers’.

The male/female vocal dynamic between Nick Peill and Thorunn Antonia are reminiscent of Seafood, the album being literally covered with majestic harmonies, they being one of Fields greatest charms. Musically, in their louder moments they call to mind My Vitriol, whilst other times the rustic and folkish tendencies of Mercury Rev, circa 2001, appear to wash over their music.

Overall, Fields have produced an exciting debut which certainly silences those critics who saw them as a band who were all talk and no action. Believe the hype, and be charmed by the Fields... Rating: 8/10

Everything Last Winter is out now on Atlantic records.

As well as two tracks from the album, I have also included SebastiAn's fine remix of 'If You Fail We All Fail'. Please enjoy his interpretation of one of the album's stand-out tracks.

mp3: Fields - Song for the Fields
mp3: Fields - If You Fail We All Fail
mp3: Fields - If You Fail We All Fail (SebastiAn remix)

Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1986.

Parisian Kavinsky is yet another amazing artist who produces synth-driven electronica, along similar lines as Justice and SebastiAn, the latter of which he is touring with on Daft Punk's Alive 2007 tour. However, whilst aforementioned artists can often verge into glitchey-electro, Kavinsky offers something much more sublime. His first two EPs,Teddy Boy and 1986, both released on Record Makers are drenched in slick synths, with a heavy 8os feel, which is reflected in the artwork which accompanies his releases.

According to his last.fm page, Kavinsky "is a zombie in need of revenge; killed when he crashed his Ferrari Testarossa in 1986. His records are the story of his first steps in the world of the living dead". This is a pretty damn close description of the imagery his music creates. 'Testarossa Autodrive' is the sound of Kavinsky driving at unearthly speeds through a neon city, taillights blazing across lanes of crawling traffic, against a backdrop of skyscrapers. It's the kinda music I imagine RoboCop would listen to, 'Grand Canyon' being the perfect music for cruising through a dystopic and crime infested city.

Alongside his own music, Kavinsky also makes time to make some remixes in his own distinctive style. Find below his reinvention of Klaxons' 'Gravity's Rainbow'. Grab it fast and enjoy.

In June Kavinsky will release Deadcruiser, a mini-album compiling tracks from the first two EPs, the tracklisting is as follows:

01:: The Crash
02:: Testarossa Autodrive
03 :: Transistor
04 :: Grand Canyon
05 :: Flashback
06 :: Testarossa Nightdrive
07 :: Wayfarer
08 :: Ghost Transistor
09 :: Deadcruiser

mp3: Kavinsky - Testarossa Autodrive (Teddy Boy EP)
mp3: Kavinsky - Grand Canyon (1986 EP)
mp3: Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Kavinsky remix)

It fit when I was a kid.

I don't really know much about Liars, apart from that many heralded last years Drum's not Dead as one of their albums of the year. Having only heard bits and pieces of their back catalogue I came to the conclusion that they had a pretty uncompromising sound, bass-heavy, full of drums and low vocals.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, Tori presented me with a Liars remix she had come across by Toronto's Crystal Castles, whom we both adore. The remix was of a track off of DnD, 'It fit when I was a kid', one which I hadn't previously heard. I find that listening to a remix prior to the original mix will always taint my mind, so that when I do eventually hear the original mix it becomes less accessible than if it was heard first (example: Diplo's mix of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 'Gold Lion' will always be favoured over the album version). Well, anyway, after a couple of weeks listening to CC's interpretation, all 8-bit blippery, haunting echo-harmonies and resonant pianos, I decided it was time to listen to the track how Liars had intended it to be heard. And I was surprised. Unlike CC's mix, the Liars original felt much more cold and empty. Yet whilst that description may not sound like a complement, it should be read as one. It isn't until about the 2 minute mark until the elements which are distinctive to the Crystal Castle remix come in; the ambient piano chords and nursery-rhyme-esque vocals. It certainly was more than I expected, and has made me seriously reconsider listening to Liars more intently, especially their last album. Hear for yourself.

Liars Drum's Not Dead is available on Mute.
Crystal Castles will release the Untrust Us EP on Summer Lovers Unlimited in the not too distant future.

mp3: Liars - It fit when I was a kid
mp3: Liars - It fit when I was a kid (Crystal Castles remix)

Remixxxes by Spank Rock.

Spank Rock is one of those artists that the more I have heard by them the more I have learnt to love them, and I owe finding him to his quality remixing which led me onto his own material. The first mix of his I heard is his now classic remix of CSS's 'Let's Make Love...', whom I was thoroughly obsessed with last summer. I remember throwing it in all my mixes back in the day, and it's still a track I love to pull out and play to the day. From the intro, which still sounds like a telephone dial tone to me, to the kiss kiss kiss sounds in the second verse, it is the ultimate remix of CSS to date in my opinion (sorry Calvin!). If you haven't already heard it, I would suggest this is one remix of recent times you need in your life. Do it.

Recent exploration of my 7" singles brought to light a mix that I had previously over looked and due to not coming across it during my travels through cyber space, was very excited to find. Little did I know, but at some point I had bought a 1 track single of the now defunct Test Icicles's classic 'Circle. Square. Triangle' remixed by no other than Spank Rock. Kicking with a heavy bass line reminiscent of 'Bump' and acompanied by vocoded vocals, it was such a great feeling to find it in my possesion. For some reason I hadn't played it either, as it was still shrink-wrapped, but it is include below in all its glory. Awesome.

I'm off to see King Lear in Stratford-Upon-Avon tomorrow evening (technically today) with Sir Ian Mckellan(!!), so I won't be posting again until Saturday, so as a little prezzie to keep you occupied until then I've included a little bonus remix of Spank Rock's 'Put that Pussy on Me' by Diplo, which is by far my favourite Spank remix, so make sure you check that out too.

mp3: CSS - Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (Spank Rock remix)
mp3: Test Icicles - Circle. Square. Triangle (Spank Rock remix)
mp3: Spank Rock - Put that Pussy on Me (Diplo tonite remix)

At Yo Majesty's pleasure.

Sometimes I come across something which makes me realise the world is a good place. Like kittens. They are fantastic. Or like the time I was waiting for Tori in Primark and I saw a man play a game called 'Gong' with his son, the rules of which only they understood and would be impossible for on outsider of the family circle to grasp.



Anyway, I digress (slightly). Yo Majesty are one such example of why the world is still okay. 3 girls who perform uplifting and fun hip hop who write songs about kryptonite pussies ('Kryptonite Pussy'). Dressed in mega-baggy t-shirts and baseball caps, they look like the nineties forgot about them and no-one told them that to get big in the rap game you have to be covered in bling and have been shot at least 4 times. "Fuck that shit!" shouts the collective voice of Yo Majesty. 'Club Action' is the track that has impressed me most (plus it gained me a dirty look from a flat mate), a blast of dope rhymes (not sure if I can pull off that kind of slang?) about jumping around pissed up in a club, putting your hands up if you want to get rich. Genius.

Their first release, the Yo EP, is available on Out There recordings.

mp3: Yo Majesty - Club Action
mp3: Yo Majesty - Kryptonite Pussy

We are the Teenagers.

I remember the first time I heard the Teenagers. My girlfriend, Tori, had 'Homecoming' as her profile song on myspace. First I was slightly shocked, but it grew on me. So much so that I have spent the past few months since then trying to track down as much of their material as possible. For those of you who haven't come across the Teens yet (seriously, you must have?), you may have heard some of their distinctive remixes for New Young Pony Club, Au Revoir Simone and Simian Mobile Disco, to name just a few. 'Sleeping Bag' is a track I haven't seen featured on any blogs, and although this version is tagged the Yo version, I haven't a clue what the original version sounds like. All I know is that this track share a similar haunting vibe in its sound as 'Homecoming', the lyrics verging on the pervy (Tori and I are pretty certain that the lyrics say "I'm feeling all erect" - yet to be confirmed). If anyone knows where you can catch the original version, please shout!

'Homecoming' is set to be their first single, out 20th May on Merok records (the label that brought you Klaxons and Crystal Castles no doubt). Backed by 'Fuck Nicole', the single is titled We are the Teenagers, the title of the second track which I have included for your pleasure. Consider it an audio calling-card of the Teenagers' sound: 2 minutes of perfect minimalist trance-pop. Or, jargon aside, just another example of why I love the Teenagers so much.

mp3: The Teenagers - Sleeping Bag (Yo version)
mp3: The Teenagers - We are the Teenagers

video: The Teenagers - Homecoming

Let's make love and listen to Calvin Harris.

Welcome to the first post of my new look blog. There is a very slim chance you visited it under its old guise, One More Power-Chord and the System's Done For, but just in case I have left the old posts up, although all the downloads have now expired. Dang. So yes, welcome to We Were Rockstars. I am Graham. There is a chance that I will be joined by James, and possibly Paul if I can persuade him.



As you may be aware, CSS have re-recorded and re-released 'Let's make love and listen to Death From Above', originally released last summer, a sign that the label clearly can see that more money can be made off of the band now that they have had several UK tours under their belts and a ever-expanding fan base. Whilst I am normally hesitant around re-releases, it has meant that a new wave of remixes of the track have been spawned. Which is brilliant. The single comes out next Monday in the UK and is backed by remixes by Simian Mobile Disco, Hot Chip, and my personal favourite, Calvin Harris. I have not heard much by Calvin Harris apart from 'Acceptable in the 80s', which managed to infiltrate most areas of society until even my mom knew the words to it, and similar to the aforementioned track, his remix ups the electro element, twisting the song away from its former funky self. Which, once more, is brilliant. The single is out 14th May. Until then, satisfy yourself with Calvin Harris' mix.

mp3: CSS - Let's make love and listen to Death From Above (Calvin Harris remix)