[Listen] HEALTH - 'DEATH MAGIC' (Full Album Stream)

Oh my GOD am I excited that you all can hear what I've been OBSESSING over for the past month. That's right, fam, the new HEALTH album, DEATH MAGIC is now available for streaming in full courtesy of the wonderful NPR (UK folks you can holler at Noisey UK for a listen).

Please tell me that upon listening to this record you feel prepared to go fight an intergalactic war or something else not of this world. I'm not sure if before this album I've ever listened to an album, looked back at the album title, and thought to myself, "Yep, that actually sums it up perfectly." Even the choice of all caps was the right call. I really can't get enough of this record, can you tell?

The wait for DEATH MAGIC to be unleashed on the masses is nearly over as it drops this very Friday (August 8th). There's still a little bit of time to pre-order the album if that is a thing that you do.

HEALTH ON TOUR

EU: 

11/10 - MOJO, Hamburg

12/10 - Pumpehuset, Copenhagen

13/10 - Berghain, Berlin

17/10 - Meet Fcatory, Prague

19/10 - Mousonturm, Frankfurt

20/10 - Wizeman, Stuttgart

22/10 - Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam

UK:

25/10 - Kazimier, Liverpool Music Week

26/10 - Stereo, Glasgow

27/10 - Gorilla, Manchester

28/10 - Heaven, London

30/10    Pitchfork Festival, Paris

[Listen] The Colourist - Will You Wait For Me EP

I've been a fan of The Colourist for quite a long time since the days they were a band called Paper Thin Walls. However, as time has passed, the band reformed in 2009 under The Colourist moniker and received mainstream success with their hit single "Little Games" and ever since then they have hit the ground running after releasing their debut self titled LP in 2014.

Which brings us to current day and the release of the band's follow up EP, Will You Wait For Me, which you can pick up at digital retailers everywhere (iTunes, Amazon, Google Play) or stream via Spotify. The EP features the previously released single "When I'm Away" as well as 3  new songs from the band and delivers a delicious feel good indie electro pop vibe. You can check out 2 tracks ("When I'm Away" and "Romancing")  off the EP below and if you like what you hear head to one of the links above to check out the rest of the album.

The band's current California Coast Tour is coming to a close with 2 shows left in Cali, one happening tonight at the The Observatory Orange County for their EP release party and one tomorrow, August 1st at SOhO Restaurant and Music Venue. So if you're in the area grab some tickets at the band's website and check them out and tell em' Rocko sent you.

[Listen] Grimace Federation - The Measure in Mixture EP

I'm back to the ye' olde stomping grounds! And it's New Music Friday? Sorry it's something I haven't gotten used to yet. But anyhow, a long time ago in the heyday of SKOA we featured content from this awesome Experimental/Psychadelic/Jazz  rock band from Philadelphia called Grimace Federation. I came across them way back before the days of writing about music due to their association with rapper Aesop Rock who was curated a remix on their debut LP Tasted By Chemists. The group later would release another LP in late 2010 titled On Velvet which also featured another remix from Aesop for the track "Bosico" but after that release over 4 years ago they would disappear into obscurity.

However, it seems like the band is back with a vengeance and have released a new 4 track EP titled The Measure in Mixture through indie hip hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment. The track features 2 new original tracks from the band as well as 2 new remixes from long time collaborator and Rhymesayers artist Aesop Rock.

Rhymesayers have also released a limited edition 12" vinyl of the EP which you can pick up at FifthElementOnline.com. The 12" was pressed on a transparent clear vinyl with a cloudy, white haze effect, and also includes a free digital download card. So if you are like us here at SKOA and love your analog recordings, we highly suggest you head over to Fifth Element and pick up that beautiful record or if you like your music digital (BOB DIGI!), you can grab the EP on the following places: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play or stream it below via Spotify.

Tracklist:

1. The Measure In Mixture
2. Strange Hours
3. Strange Hours (Aesop Rock Remix)
4. Steamboat (Aesop Rock Remix)

[Watch] Dillon Francis - "Bruk Bruk (I Need Yo Lovin')" (Lyric Video)

Oh man, the lyrics to Dillon Francis' latest single, "Bruk Bruk (I Need Yo Lovin')"  were so complex that I was hoping he'd post them on the internetz and that he has in another hilarious lyric video (below). Just like his "I Can't Take It" lyric video we have more googly-eyed creatures singing to us, although this time it's more fire-related things and less junk food to play into his forthcoming EP, This Mixtape Is Fire, which drops on August 14th. There's many a collabo on this fiery mixtape, including (but not limited to): Calvin Harris, Chromeo, and Skrillex.

If pre-ordering is the name of your game, you can do so over on iTunes. 

(btw it's the internet and sometimes you can't detect sarcasm so I would like to take this moment to make sure you all know I was joking about not knowing all of the lyrics to this) 

Speaking of "I Can't Take It", Francis also recently unveiled the length docu-style video the song which he calls "Exit Through The Donut Hole" which is as delightfully entertaining and trollsome as it is weird, which is very on-brand for him. Definitely worth checking out if you have 15 minutes to spare for the lulz. 

My favorite follow on Snapchat is also hitting the road with Zedd, Madeon and the gang on Zedd's upcoming True Colors Tour so be sure to grab tickets while you can for that. 

THIS MIXTAPE IS FIRE TRACKLIST:

1. Dillon Francis – “Bruk Bruk (I Need Your Lovin)”
2. Dillon Francis and Calvin Harris – “What's Your Name”
3. Dillon Francis and Skrillex – “Bun Up the Dance”
4. Dillon Francis and Bro Safari – “Pull It”
5. Dillon Francis feat. James Hersey – “Coming Over”
6. Dillon Francis feat Chromeo – “Lies”
7. Dillon Francis – “I Can't Take It (Party Favor Remix)”

[Watch] VOWWS - "The Great Sun" (Official Video)

Fresh from the 'Better Late Than Never' pile is the latest from SKOA's favorite dark angels VOWWS *now with 2 Ws if you're following along!*. Their latest track, "The Great Sun”, which was released back in May, is as dreary and dancey as ever but with a bit more boom and gloom than their previous track, "Losing Myself In You". As we've continue to follow the evolution of the (now) LA-duo since their WAZU days, it's evident that the only direction these guys are heading is onward and upward to bigger and better things. 

"The Great Sun" is the title track of their forthcoming debut full length which will likely drop sometime this fall. For now, enjoy the video above complete with karaoke-style Japanese lyrics (at least I hope they're the lyrics in Japanese anyway). 

The band is currently on a mini-tour of sorts and will be making a stop in NYC at our new favorite venue AVIV. Peep tour dates below.

A photo posted by VOWWS (@vowwsband) on Jul 14, 2015 at 2:57pm PDT

[Listen] Kenna - "Sleep When We Die"

The musical journey that Kenna has taken fans on in the past 12 years has been a long and winding road. There have been sharp turns, dips, and even a bit of off roading along the way. For those of us who have managed to stick it out and not rage quit when things like leaks, switching labels, or hard drive failures have deterred the success he rightfully deserves, it appears that the tides are turning and our favorite underdog may finally find his place in the sun. 

After releasing a series of videos that detail the story behind his EP series, Land 2 Air Chronicles, Kenna unveiled a brand new track, "Sleep When We Die"  from his long anticipated third full-length, Songs For Flight, which premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show last week. In a message to fans on Facebook regarding SWWD, "This song was meant for you to rally, be happy. And take on the adventure ahead."

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to rally on to the next phase of this adventure. 

Word on the street is that he has more in the works in the coming weeks, so be on the lookout for updates. 

[Watch] Mew - "Witness"

Mew have released their official video for, "Witness", which features a group of devoted fans that the band invited to take part in the filming. The track comes from their latest album, + -, which is out now. 

In addition to recently confirming a late appearance at this summer's Green Man Festival the band has announced that they will host two very special nights at London's Village Underground called "An Evening With Mew" this December. Dates are below. 

21.08.15  - POWYS  Green Man Festival

14.12.15 - LONDON  Village Underground

15.12.15  -  LONDON Village Underground

[Record Store Day 2015] Fun Things To Talk About With Strangers While You're In Line Waiting to buy Records

Davie Grohl says buying records on Record Store Day is serious business. I guess it is these days, huh? 

I'm not sure what Record Store Day is like anywhere other than in NYC, but here it's nuts. My fondest RSD memory was back in 2011 when I rolled up to Sound Fix (RIP) at 8am and stood in line with Alex and Sami from CoS for 2 hours until the store opened. It was a brutal 2 hours because the night prior Sprout and I had gone out with Fitts from The Kickdrums and had more Jameson than people who needed to get up early (or be alive for that matter) should every drink. Even still, despite the worst hangovers of our lifetimes (it is now the one we have compared every other hangover to ever since) it's hard not to think fondly of the moments where we were gushing about the releases we were hoping to get, the Sound Fix folks bringing coffee and pastries for all of us waiting in line, and the overall sense of community that is felt on this and every Record Store Day since.

Record Store Day is a my favorite day to celebrate my favorite thing with my closest friends. Unfortunately, not everyone has a built in posse to roll up to those long RSD lines. You may heading out to RSD solo. Even if you're not, this is a rare opportunity that comes once a year to meet a chunk of people all at once that have presumably the same interests as you, so instead of burying your face in your phone, take advantage of the situation and strike up a conversation!

First impressions are important and we want everyone to know how you're some kind of awesome, so here are some fun things Sprout and I will hopefully be discussing with strangers outside of Rough Trade tomorrow:

• Phonograph records were originally pressed onto shellac! However during World War II the United States declared that shellac was a strategic material for the war and due to scarcity records started being pressed into vinyl, which is what is still used today. (Yale)
• Some folks in the universe claim that the best way to clean your records is by using wood glue and a credit card:

Warning: this guy does not feel the same about this method:  

• Trying to put a price tag on music is complicated as hell, honestly. The history of it is pretty fascinating though. (Pitchfork)
• The first thing ever recorded was Ben Franklin singing/shouting Mary Had A Little Lamb and it was recorded onto a tin cylinder. (LiveScience)

PS this is what it sounded like:

If that tickled your fancy, this guy shows how Edison did the recording on the cylinders that they recorded to at the time:

• The most expensive record player as far as I've been able to hunt down is a whopping $300,000. It's called the Goldmund Reference II and it's a high-precision turntable with level calibration to less than 1/100th of a millimeter and its stylus, pivot and counterweight perfectly aligned for optimal dynamic balance. There's also three teflon tubes that prevent vibration of the wires as they carry signal from the turntable, amongst various other ultra fancy features. There are currently only 25 of them in the world because they only make 5 of them a year, so this is as limited edition as one can get. (Most Expensive, Music Stack, DJOYBEAT)

• Are you for rocktism or are you more of a poptimist? Or are you just chill like us?  

• So, this is awkward, but is Record Store Day even good for the small independent stores that participate? (The Guardian)

• I mean, you could probably debate/diss on Tidal for at least 2 hours. There's so much to discuss! Like how exclusivity like that can be detrimental to charting positions on Billboard, pretty much every artist other than the #TIDAL16 are like, "uh lol this is so dumb", but maybe doing things like featuring indie artists is a saving grace? (Probably not considering their CEO just stepped down and there are already layoffs.)  Also WHAT ABOUT US FANS HUH #TIDAL16!?!? p.s. That "declaration" that Madonna mounted the table to sign is soo zzzzzz. 

• There's lots of legislation in the works at the moment to try to make the music industry a better place! They're considering amending the consent decrees for performance rights organizations ASCAP and BMI, some folks are hoping to overhaul the copyright law, there's a bill up for review right now that's trying to make sure mixers, producers, and engineers make money off via royalties, and there's a radio royalty bill up for debate that would make terrestrial radio finally pay for public performances (aka radio play) for music (this currently isn't the case, btw). 

• Uh, who among you are going to buy these limited edition releases and then NOT EVER LISTEN TO IT LIKE A CRAZY PERSON? A surprising 15%, apparently. (What HiFi?)

If you haven't made your list and checked it twice you need to do so because being unprepared can result in heartbreak so check out the Official List of Record Store Day Special Releases. There are lots of things going on tomorrow in celebration of the happiest day of the year so maybe see what your local store is doing. There's a TON of stuff going on in NYC that you should check out if you're in the area. 

Don't forget to be VERY POLITE to the people working at your record store tomorrow because there is no doubt that they will be stressed out of their minds by the swarms of people coming out. Obviously be nice to your fellow shoppers, too. Some of us are short and can't reach the overhead shelves so offer to help out if you see someone struggling (Sprout was my savior last year with this). Who knows, maybe all these sweet tips will land you a record store bae (sorry, I had to).

And if you're going out for Record Store Day so you can buy a bunch of the ultra limited runs so you can put them up on eBay, please comment below so I can find you and slap you.