Scottish Friction » The xx

DO THE HUSTLE!

Scottish Friction — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:31:46 +0000

Finally got some of my LOMO film developed – it’s all in random order because I didn’t label the spools or anything. Here’s a favourite of mine so far (from Centennial Park, Nashville), taken on the spur of the moment as well – they’re always the best ones. Let me know what you think of my photaes! Music you say? OK well there’s this guy that calls himself Four Te….. ah but you knew that already – well then you should also know he’s not put a foot wrong lately so you know this xx remix will be good.

For fun I’ve thrown in this disco song by Van McCoy that I heard everywhere we went in the States for some reason. DO THE HUSTLE! Lastly, this great track by a band called Dawes I heard played at the end of an episode of Hung. It went well.

The xx – VCR (Four Tet remix) by Four Tet ←♥♥♥
Listen ♫: Van McCoy – The Hustle ←♥♥♥
Listen ♫: Dawes – When My Time Comes ←♥♥♥

Preview these tracks and give some ♥♥♥s on Hype Machine!

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p.s. i took that photo

Whose motorcycle is this? It’s a remix, Baby.

Scottish Friction — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:52:07 +0000

Heard Kissy play this great Foo Fighters remix the other night on his show. Also, this Sinden remix is the best Silvia remix I’ve heard and probably the best thing Sinden has done so far in my opinion.

Listen: Foo Fighters – The Pretender (Zeds Dead Ruckus Remix) ←♥♥♥
Listen: Miike Snow – Silvia (Sinden Remix) ←♥♥♥♥♥
Listen: The xx – Islands (Nosaj Thing Remix) ←♥♥
MP3: Foo Fighters – The Pretender (Zeds Dead Ruckus Remix)
MP3: Miike Snow – Silvia (Sinden Remix)
MP3: The xx – Islands (Nosaj Thing Remix)

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SF’s Best Albums Of 2009

Scottish Friction — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:37:27 +0000

It’s gonna be weird writing 2010 in the top left hand corner of my lab book but I’ll get over it. 2009 was a great year for music and is partly why I started this blog. Here (as promised) are my top albums of 2009.

11. Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster

It took a while but Lady Gaga has a knack for a CHOON and she’s a very talented lady. Fair enough she cribs from the best pop songwriters (ABBA, Ace Of Base WTF haha) but I really can’t wait to see what she does next.

Listen: Lady Gaga – Speechless ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Lady Gaga – Speechless

10. Javelin – Jamz & Jemz

Look out Avalanches, Javelin are here to steal your throne while you’ve been away (for almost a fucking decade FML) making slick beats. Jamz & Jemz shows a lot of promise for these two crate-diggers.

Listen: Javelin – Intervales Theme ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Javelin – Intervales Theme

9. Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue

I really like the sound of this record. There’s something very Haight-Ashbury about the whole thing. I just want to grow my hair long, then turn on, tune in and drop out.

Listen: Bibio – S’Vive ←♥♥♥
MP3: Bibio – S’Vive

8. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

2009 is the year Phoenix broke into the mainstream (fucking FINALLY!). I’ve been a fan ever since I agreed with Bill Murray’s character in Lost In Translation that the music (‘Too Young’) at the party he was at was great. Expert songwriters – I can’t praise Phoenix enough.

Listen: Phoenix – Lisztomania ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Phoenix – Lisztomania

7. Junior Boys – Begone Dull Care

Criminally ignored (I think anyway), this album should have received a LOT more attention than it did. Junior Boys are quietly working away creating a niche for themselves producing fantastically solid dance music. A great earphones album.

Listen: Junior Boys – Work ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Junior Boys – Work

6. Wilco – Wilco (The Album)

This was my 2009 ‘summer’ album. Listening to it just reminds me of lying in the grass on a sunny evening, watching folk walk back from their work. I really like the direction Wilco are heading in.

Listen: Wilco – Country Disappeared ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Wilco – Country Disappeared

5. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion

What else to say about Animal Collective that hasn’t already been said by 1000 other bloggers? They’re the perfect band to crymax to.

Listen: Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes

4. Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms

If there’s one album that will define the whole ‘chillwave’ scene that sprouted in 2009 it’s Neon Indian’s childhood-memory-inducing, sounds-like-it-was-recorded-on-a-tape-cassette masterstroke ‘Psychic Chasms’.

Listen: Neon Indian – Terminally Chill ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Neon Indian – Terminally Chill

3. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

One of the most original-sounding albums I must say I’ve encountered for aaages. Every song sounds nothing like the last. And any band that cribs from Nico’s version of ‘These Days‘ and does it with so much reverence gets my whole-hearted approval.

Listen: Dirty Projectors – Useful Chamber ←♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Dirty Projectors – Useful Chamber

2. The xx – The xx

Slinking into 2009 – and completely stealing the show – the xx released arguably the best album this year. With such a distinctive sound and fantastic songs if I was a songwriter in 2009 I think I’d have to rethink my profession – or at least the way I think about writing music. So pared down, so stripped of bells and whistles, British music is in safe hands.

Listen: The xx – Islands ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: The xx – Islands

1. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

It really couldn’t have been anything else. Grizzly Bear stole my ♥ in 2009. I knew instantly the first time I heard it that it was going to be my favourite album of the year. I was a massive fan of Yellow House when it dropped back in 2006, but the boys completely out-stripped anything I thought was possible of them. People may remember Animal Collective as 2009′s standout, but in my opinion no one will write songs as consistently brilliant as these.

Listen: Grizzly Bear – Foreground ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Grizzly Bear – Foreground

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and I wish you all the best for 2010! Don’t be a stranger.

p.s. SF’s Best Songs Of 2009 will follow soon!

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Bonfire Of The Hannity’s

Scottish Friction — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:27:56 +0000

I’ve been really busy lately so here’s a wee post to let you know what I’ve been digging recently.

Bonfire Night, Edinburgh

Listen: Franz Ferdinand – Live Alone (Delorean Remix) ←♥♥
Listen: Hot Chip – Take It In ←♥
Listen: The xx – Shelter (Death To The Throne Remix) ←♥♥♥
MP3: Franz Ferdinand – Live Alone (Delorean Remix)
MP3: Hot Chip – Take It In
MP3: The xx – Shelter (Death To The Throne Remix)

Cowgate, Edinburgh

Listen: Million Young – Sunndreamm ←♥
Listen: The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing ←♥♥♥
Listen: My Tiger, My Timing – I Am The Sound ←♥♥
MP3: Million Young – Sunndreamm
MP3: The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing
MP3: My Tiger, My Timing – I Am The Sound

I Feel Cream For Google

Scottish Friction — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:59:30 +0000

I like to keep up-to-date with new music releases/news/current goings on, so instead of trawling through every. single. fucking. website. I employ an RSS Reader – basically a program that updates you when you’re favourite blog has a new post. I used to use FeedDemon but it fucked up and wouldn’t display images so I now use Google Reader and fuck me its awesome. Even better, apparently I already have 26 subscribers on Google Reader! Yeaaah Boyeeee!!! The moral of the story is – get Google Reader. NOW!

OK enough of my pish. I heard The Proxy remix on James Mountain’s Escape Plan and cheekily ripped it. Saw the Larry Tee and Alexander Technique remix over at Stoney Roads. I ♥ Ubbs like a blogfather. Both of these remixes are top notch, and as much as I would give a kidney to see The Proxy in the live environment, I’d say the Blogula remix just pips it.

Listen: Peaches – I Feel Cream (The Proxy Remix) Radio Rip 128kbps ←♥♥♥♥
Listen: Peaches – I Feel Cream (Larry Tee and Alexander Technique Blogula Remix) ←♥♥♥♥
MP3: Peaches – I Feel Cream (The Proxy Remix) Radio Rip 128kbps
MP3: Peaches – I Feel Cream (Larry Tee and Alexander Technique Blogula Remix)

Some amaaaazing dubstep is coming from 22-year-old South Londoner Peter O’Grady a.k.a. Joy Orbison. Great name. One to watch.

Listen: Joy Orbison – Wet Look ←♥♥♥♥
Listen: Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Joy Orbison – Wet Look
MP3: Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo

Finally getting round to mentioning this absolutely STUNNING remix by The xx. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Florence And The Machine is/are(?) overhyped to the max. I won’t even link to the fucker. The xx, however, have released one of my favourite albums this year. They have a song called ‘Basic Space‘ and I’d say it’s a good description of their sound more than anything else. Single guitar/bass notes, basic drumbeats, sparse production. They have their own ‘sound’ after only 1 album it’s crazy. Goes totally against the grain of what kind of music has been coming out in recent years. Brilliant.

Listen: Florence And The Machine – You Got The Love (The xx Remix) ←♥♥♥♥♥♥
Listen: The xx – Islands ←♥♥♥♥♥
MP3: Florence And The Machine – You Got The Love (The xx Remix)
MP3: The xx – Islands

p.s. coming sooooooooon.

do you think i’m excited?