What’s up EMPT nation? So for this Thursday I decided to give props to an upcoming band I’ve been digging a lot the last few months. Urban Cone hails from Sweden, yet again the Nordic country produces another gem, not sure what’s in their milk up there but they’re producing artists out the yin-yang lately. This band showed promise on their EP this past  summer so I’m assuming they’ll make noise when an album is released in the near future. I stumbled on a few remixes of the track Freak which are stellar so had to share with you all. The first remix comes from Mr. Nelson and the second remix is from Adventure of Mashup. Both remixes win you over in different ways. Till next time.

“I’m living in the shadows, I’m in the street
If you try to get me, I’ll fight you back
They treat me like a monster, they treat me like a freak
Don’t try to get me, I’ll fight you back

Don’t leave footprints in the snow, footprints in the snow
Cause they will track you like a freak, track you like a freak”

Urban Cone – Freak (Mr. Nelson RMX)

Urban Cone – Freak (Adventure of Mashup Remix)

Ah another blissful tune from Fallulah has entered the realms of my strange and blessed world these days. As I multi-task a million different things at work, (something I’ve become sadly good at) I’ve been listening to two artists. Fallulah, and quite drastically different, Jay-Z/Kanye’s latest album, Wath the Throne…we’ll save that conversation for another post, though it is a truly fantastical album. That’s all I’ll say right now.

This remix of I Lay My Head is just as funky and head bobby as you’d imagine anything from Shook. He has an excellent track record in my books, having won my heart over with his remix of Ellie Goulding’s Lights. There’s a slight 80s feel to it, with the xylophone and piano combinations. Fallulah is a joy to listen to already, with a sweet angelic voice similar to that of Florence Welch/Bjork. Yeah, those are two really different singers, but they’re both wicked talented.

I’ve secretly wanted to write about Fallulah for a while since I heard Only Human, so this is a totally appropriate time to share the happiness by giving you not just one happy fun tune, but two.

-Ashley

I Lay My Head (Shook Remix) – Fallulah

Bonus:

Only Human – Fallulah

It’s official, after some banging remixes of The Lowbrows, Sneaky Sound System, Toecutter and the Bag Raiders the Sydney based duo Flight Facilities has graced us with the new summer anthem Crave You. This song has at least 8 different remixes by Cassian, Graz, James Curd, C90s, An-2 and Ted & Francis going around and most of them are good in their own way but my favorites so far are easily the Cassian & Bxentric versions. Like I said though, they’re all pretty good so you can’t go wrong if you want to venture out.

Why can’t you want me like the other boys do?

They stare at me while I stare at you…

This boy’s got my head tied in knots with all his games,

I simply want him more because he looks the other way…”

I can’t relate to this song because it’s about a girl who doesn’t understand why her man doesn’t crave her like all the other random dudes on the street and though frustrated this is the very reason why she continues to want him. I’ve had this Warhol quote up for some time now and I think it explains this phenomenon quite well…

The most exciting thing is not doing it. If you fall in love with someone and never do it, it’s much more exciting.” – Andy Warhol

But don’t ask me man, I feel like I have a good grip on the male thought process, if hungry – eat food, tired – sleep, she doesn’t like me – like someone else. However, the vast world of female thinking and rationalization is an elaborate and highly creative invention by the higher powers that I won’t even pretend to comprehend. My only headway thus far have been the wise words of Cyndie Lauper which did enlighten me during times of confusion – “girls just wanna have fun.” If you’re a dude struggling with this, those words drop deeper then you think my friends ; ) Nevertheless, this song is fantastic and I can’t get enough of it. It’s Thursday which means tomorrow is Friday so cheer up and throw this on in the background, you can expect at least a 64% improvement in your current situation, enjoy.

Flight Facilities – Crave You (Cassian Remix)

Flight Facilities – Crave You (Bxentric Remix)

Flight Facilities – Crave You (Feat. Giselle)

So I’m back in the city of the Golden Angel, green buggie taxi cabs and absolutely insane bus drivers. I got nothing but love for Mexico City, but mostly because I get to see family I haven’t seen in over a year. So last night I got a visit from my cousin David Souza, fashion designer and CEO of his model agency, Paragon Models. So during one of our catch-up chats, he kept interrupting me, asking if we could listen to a song from one of his friend’s bands. After a while, I gave in. Ah silly billy, I should have listened the first time.

Disco Ruido is an electro dance collective from Mexico City, but I have lil’ feeling lead singer Mercedes Nasta is originally from or has lived for a considerable time in my home town, Queretaro. Mrs. Love, a laid back summer-grooved tune built upon a sample excerpted from the Beatles’ You Know My Name, is no fresh bread in the blogosphere. Notwithstanding, it hasn’t nearly gotten the attention it deserves. So if you don’t know, we’re here to let you know. And if you already know, we’re here to remind you.

There is no doubt that Mercedes’ vocals are unique and eccentric, but I can’t help but picture a threesome between Lykke Li, Regina Spektor and Anja Oyen Vister from Flunk every time I listen. Both Anja and Mercedes bare a beautifully similar foreign accent that will make anybody’s ears quiver. Enjoy.

Everybody knows that life can be wonderful. It’s a soothing delight and it’s moving my life.”

Disco Ruido – Mrs. Love

After a week in NYC I have come to the conclusion that Life is trying to teach me some serious patience. The traffic in this city is ridiculous. It makes Mexico City’s streets seem like a formula 1 racetrack. Sitting in the back seat of a cab on my way to meet Hec, going so slow it felt we were moving in reverse, I couldn’t help but smack SebastiAn’s remix of Kavinsky’s testarossa autodrive. This song is not for your privileged german autobahn drivers, its not for Schumacher or Alonso or any of them boys. This song is for the metro takers, snail-speed cab fare payers, and all the bus musketeers. This is for all those who realize that Life has given our souls an engine that can hit a potential 170 mph, yet the law tells us to keep it under 60. This is for those that want to live in overdrive.

This is our decision, to live fast and die young. We have the vision, now lets have some fun!.” – MGMT

Enjoy

Kavinsky – Testarossa Autodrive (sebastiAn remix)

Yeah baby, It’s christmas! From Timbuktu, to the Caspian Sea, even here at EMPT. Well, that means one thing: a house full of relatives, bubbly and a kitchen full of once-a-year delicatessen. That’s enough to make any ice queen thaw.
So I was greeting all my aunts, uncles, and cousins and one of them suggested I should sort out some festive tunage. Seeing as I really enjoy the Verve Christmas Remix, I popped that on. They were not impressed. So I turned to my back up album, Merry Mixmass: bass brought down to a minimum, fancy techno gimmicks as well. Basically things kept as habitual as possible. Notwithstanding, this album is so smooth, I can’t believe it’s not butter! So in harmony with this worldwide christmas cheer, here are two epitomizing tracks of this jazzy low-fi compilation. I encourage you all to get a hold of a copy. Happy Ho Ho Ho day y’all. Enjoy.

Billy May – Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Malibu Remix)

Ferrante & Teicher – Sleigh Ride (Ralph Myerz Remix)

Peter Bjorn & John’s fifth studio album Living Thing is due for release in about a week. I’ve had the album for a while now but every time I sit down to check it out I end up listening to Writer’s Block, the third studio album released by the Stockholm trio in 2006 and by far my personal favorite. Hence the Young Folks post on Friday. Anyways, I finally got around to checking it out and to be honest, I’m not a big fan. Perhaps the most notable change in this album is the heavy drum programming and minimalistic production, which at first listen sounds appealing but ends up just lacking the decorative nature and lo-fi ambience we’ve come to expect from PB & J.

The obvious standouts in the album are the first single Nothing to Worry About & Lay It Down. Maybe the whole 80′s sound is losing its edge but overall the album just lacks the eclecticism, feeling and grit we to love from PB & J. So, for the sake of preserving the good ol’ PB & J name I’m going to make the musical feature of this post Let’s Call It Off, one of my favorite songs from Writer’s Block. I’ve included the original song and a great cover by Canadian actor, rapper, singer Drake. And just for kicks here’s Lay It Down from the new album as well.

Peter Bjorn & John – Let’s Call It Off

Peter Bjorn & John – Lay It Down

Peter Bjorn & John – Let’s Call It Off (Drake Cover)

Stephan, Don Diablo’s manager sent me this in the AM… I’m just going to post his email, I can’t disagree.

“Don Diablo delivers this week’s hottest record with his remix for One eskimO’s “Givin’ Up”, which is taken from their forthcoming album “All Balloons”. Don Diablo takes the original song to another level with added strings, synths, his trademark percussion, a killer bassline and a break that sends this mix straight into another dimension. We dare to say that this is simply a future classic that crosses boundaries and melts down igloos like there’s no tomorrow. One eskimO’s forthcoming album is produced by Rollo (Faithless) and will be backed up by a series of animations produced by Passion Pictures, the team behind ‘Gorillaz’.”

One eskimO – Givin’ up (Don Diablo Remix)

P.S. Before you jump out the window, yes this is an old post, we’re still getting all our content back in order after getting shut down by the man.

Ok so Mike Stroud and Evan Mast met while going to Skidmore, I went to Skidmore, so pretty much any excuse I find to post their stuff is going to be exploited.

Anyways, here’s a pretty straight forward contest for all you creative types out there. THE FADER wants you to design some RATATAT merchendise, could be anything, and if you win you get a custom RATATAT bike. Fresh. Though there are many, here are two of my favortite tracks. Enjoy.

Ratatat – Kennedy

Beanie Sigel & Jay-Z – Glock Nines (Ratatat Remix)

Here’s the official press release and pictures of the grand prize…

THE FADER PRESENTS

The RATATAT: Design some Merch and WIN A BIKE CONTEST

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Design your very own Ratatat object/piece of merch (yes, object meaning anything at all)

It can be a skate deck, turntable mat, t-shirt….you get the idea.

2. All contest entries MUST use the design elements from LP3, we’ve supplied some for you HERE

3. Entries must contain a photo or graphic design. It cannot just be a description of an item.

4. SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY HERE

5. Not only will the winner get the Ratatat bike (pictured above), XL might just put the

winner’s design into production.

This Contest will run through Ratatat’s Spring tour, so we’ll take submissions up until the end of

April.

-that’s it, go! points for creativity.

ALSO, be sure to go get Ratatat’s new album LP3 HERE

and check out SE Bikes HERE

So I’ve heard about 6 remixes of Far Away by now and I have to say this is by far the favorite. Bag Raiders are a production duo from Sydney who started buzz last year with their single Fun Punch. Much of their exposure comes from a steady line of popular remixes, all unique, all bangers. This remix is no exception, it never gets boring, the transitions are creative and musical and the song absolutely explodes at about 1:47. These guys know what their doing. Great party music.

Cut Copy – Far Away (Bag Raiders Remix)

I’ve heard a lot of Aeroplane stuff, but this is by far the best from the Belgian producer/DJ duo. Thanks to Steph Lund for reminding us about this. Paris, Je T’aime. Great song, great remix.

Friendly Fires – Paris ft. Au Revoir Simone (Aeroplane Remix)

Ok, so we’ve all heard about a hundred We Are Your Friends remixes by now, so why listen to yet another one? Well, to put it simply, its really good. Stardust et Justice for all. Great party music.

Justice vs. Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You / We Are Your Friends (C.I.T.Y. Edit)

The lyrics in this song are great, very punk. Here’s the Cut Copy remix. Good stuff.

Kaiser Chiefs – Never Miss A Beat (Cut Copy Remix)