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Rye Rye (aka Ryeisha Berrain) is a 17 year-old rapper and MC from Baltimore, Maryland, who’s been on my notepad radar (by notepad radar I mean a text-based list of artists I’ve been meaning to check out) for months now, and it was only upon reading December’s issue of SPIN magazine (with M.I.A. on the cover) that I was reminded (again) that I should go listen to her songs.

Rye Rye’s association with M.I.A. started out when she was recording a song in her hometown and M.I.A. and then-bf Diplo happened to also be in town, and heard it. She connected with Diplo and now they’ll be making music together for her debut album, which M.I.A. plans to release in 2009. Rye Rye’s the first artist that M.I.A. has scooped up for her new label N.E.E.T.

Be sure to check out her songs Shake It To The Ground (the video is featured below), Wassup Wassup, Hardcore Girls and her vocals on a sweet version of M.I.A.’s Paper Planes, all on her MySpace page.

Shake It To The Ground video:

Links:
MySpace: Rye Rye

In 2008, most people heard word of Brian Borcherdt because of his experimental “side” project Holy Fuck - widely known in the blogosphere for, well, being generally awesome, as well as for participating in Radiohead’s Nude remix challenge. Oh, and Holy Fuck was also nominated for (and I have to say it: robbed of) this year’s Polaris Prize. But what a lot of people probably don’t know is that Brian Borcherdt has a hauntingly stunning singing voice that requires little more than a few strings accompanying it to produce wonderful sounds that you want to hear over and over again. And that’s where he got his start.

I first heard Brian Borcherdt about four years ago when he released his solo album The Remains Of Brian Borcherdt and must have seen him perform that album a half dozen time in a span of a few months at various showcases. His voice in a live setting is truly something to behold - really luscious and layered with vocal effects, but sounding just as great bare, on its own. Then Holy Fuck grew wings and I was left to wonder if there’d be any more of the soft stuff of his that I love so much…well, here it is.

Coyotes was released just last week on October 7 and it’s STUNNING. According to the label’s bio, the songs were recorded in a good friend’s living room, touched up a tiny bit with additional instrumentation, and pressed as is - no fancy after effects or glossy production.

My favourite track on the album is the title track, which has a wonderful strings arrangement and the most tender vocals - they’re barely spoken at all. All seven of the album’s songs are worth a listen and have been getting repeat plays in recent weeks. Have a listen on MySpace and don’t miss the chance to see Brian perform the tracks live if he’s passing through your city on one of the tour dates below!

Canadian Tour Dates:
October 25 @ Halifax Pop, Halifax
November 28 @ Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver
November 30 @ Grand Theatre, Calgary
December 1 @ Myer Horowitz Theatre, Edmonton
December 2 @ Broadway Theatre, Saskatoon
December 3 @ Pyramid Cabaret, Winnipeg
December 5 @ Gig Theatre, Kitchener
December 6 @ Danforth Music Hall, Toronto

Links:
MySpace: Brian Borcherdt
MySpace: Holy Fuck
Record Label: Hand Drawn Dracula

I had the great opportunity to catch Passion Pit’s set at Pop Montreal at the last minute just over a week ago and I’m so glad I opted to check out their set on a friend’s recommendation, cause they were most excellent. A quintet of supercuties from Cambridge, Massachusetts who brought their brand of infectious electro-pop to the stage at La Sala Rossa as openers for labelmates The Dodos.

The singer (above, centre), who in person is a dead ringer for a younger Wayne Coyne was bopping and tearing at his moppy hair throughout as he delivered a constant falsetto to the tunes. And one of the keyboard players (far right) was dancing throughout the entire set. What a happy, joyous bunch of guys. They were having so much fun on stage it was absolutely impossible for the crowd to not join in.

I highly recommend their EP Chunk Of Change, and the single Sleepyhead from it, which I’ve been listening to on repeat for a few weeks now. It’s a dangerously infectious jam that’s got all the hallmarks of a great earworm - tinkerbells (literally), hand claps and angelic overtones. If you like deliriously happy pop, listen to the song below:

Links:
MySpace: Passion Pit
Record Label: Frenchkiss Records

Not to be confused with Vancouver’s alt-country/jangle rock band of the same name (albeit without the ‘e’), Ladyhawke is the alter ego of 27-year-old Pip Brown of Wellington, New Zealand. She’s already got one single (Paris Is Burning) under her belt, but the newest one, Dusk Till Dawn (out this week!) is one that I think will really catch on. It’s quick, catchy and groovy as shit. Before you know it (2:42), the song’s over and you’re clicking play again.

There are a few official remixes from the Dusk Till Dawn EP kicking around as well:
- Dusk Till Dawn (The Shoes Remix)
- Dusk Till Dawn (Canyons Remix)
- Dusk Till Dawn (Linus Loves Remix)
- Dusk Till Dawn (Simon & Shaker Remix)

The last two are my favourites, but the original stands up well enough on its own!

Ladyhawke’s self-titled debut album will be out September 30 in North America.

Watch The Video: Ladyhawke - Dusk Till Dawn

Links:
Official Site: Ladyhawke
MySpace: Ladyhawke

Keep an eye out for this bright young Brit from Liverpool - Eugene McGuinness’ debut single Moscow State Circus has completely reeled me in. It’s a fantastical throwback jam that’s got elements of old and new packed tightly in its four-and-a-half minutes. Label Domino Records describes it as a “gloriously out of time yet thoroughly modern” tune. It’s got quirky lyrics like “it’s a bloody jamboree!” and “we couldn’t give a flying back what the old draconians say”.

Eugene’s only 22 years old and could easily pass for Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys/The Last Shadow Puppets)’s doppelganger. And he shares a name on Wikipedia with “Eugene J. McGuinness”, a former Roman Catholic Archbishop from Oklahoma.

The video for Moscow State Circus has got a quintet of fencers outfitted in white doing funny choreographed dance and fight scenes. Before you know it, the song’s over and you’re ready to press play again.

Eugene’s self-titled album is out October 13 in the UK.

Watch the brand new video below:

Links:
MySpace: Eugene McGuinness
Domino Records: Eugene McGuinness

Death by White Lies has pretty much been on repeat since the moment I first heard it - the studio version as well as the remix by Crystal Castles. The song embodies every musical component from the past that you love, as well as that little new bit that tells you you’ve caught on to something fresh and great. The song’s got hints of Echo & The Bunnymen, Psychedelic Furs, The Killers, The National and more.

I’ve only heard this and one other song by White Lies and I already know that the band’s debut album, To Lose My Life Or Lose My Love (out January 2009), is gonna be a barnburner.

The London, UK band is playing ONE Canadian date this coming October at the Horseshoe Tavern and you simply can’t miss it. Something tells me this is going to be one of the hottest tickets the venue has seen all year.

Canadian Tour Date
Tuesday, October 21 @ The Horseshoe Tavern

Links:
MySpace: White Lies
Official Site White Lies

The Hawk Is Howling Official Artwork

So I’m actually feeling a little delirious right now. Chalk it up to a combination of allergy & sinus medication plus a little Mogwai. OK, a LOT of Mogwai.

This new song, called Danphe And The Brain is so epic, so outrageously beautiful, that I’ve listened to it a hundred times in three days. Actually, according to my Last.fm page, 142 times. That’s a lot of listens. Speaking of repetition though, the song’s got exactly the repetitive and effortless feel that Friend Of The Night (from their last album, Mr Beast) has, but it’s kind of dark and foreboding at the same time.

Beginning at 3:08 there’s a breakdown that’s immediately followed by precisely the kind of 90 second gradual teaser buildup that Mogwai has become famous for. If you love luscious, instrumental post-rock I’d highly recommend it. I wish I could tell you to head to their MySpace page to preview the song, but it’s not there (yet?). Matador Records’ website has a preview.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go listen to Danphe And The Brain a few more times without interruptions. I think this song is seriously scrambling my brain. Can’t wait to hear them perform it live near the end of the month when they’re in town!

The Hawk Is Howling comes out September 22 on Matador.

Canadian Tour Dates:
September 5 @ Sugar, Victoria
September 6 @ Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver
September 23 @ Metropolis, Montreal
September 24 @ Kool Haus, Toronto

Links:
MySpace: Mogwai
Official Website: Mogwai

If you love “electronica” (whatever that means, seriously) and sharp beats, I dare you not to fall in love with Ain’t No Danbo by Seattle’s Truckasauras. It’s a slick, super sexy track of layered beats and blips, and I can’t stop listening to it. They’ve got a few retro electro (let’s just wait for that term to be portmanteau-ed by the music community) tracks on their page but nothing that comes close to the awesomeness of the Ain’t No Danbo remix. Check it! Major earworm.

The guys have an album that came out in June of this year called Tea Parties, Guns, and Valor, which I will be getting my hands on as soon as I click “publish” on this here blog post.

Links:
MySpace: Truckasauras
Official Site: Truckasauras