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September 7th, 2012

echo lake wild peace

Album Stream: Echo Lake Wild Peace + the band's track-by-track guide

News by Sean Adams

A little latter than planned, DiS is streaming the new album from Echo Lake, and has a track by track guide to the album by the band.»

From http://www.beingryanbyrd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/obama_headphones.jpeg

Weekend Listening: Gwilym Gold, Jens Lekman, Erol Alkan, Patrick Wolf + lots more

News by Sean Adams

As per previous columns, this is a collection of the best bits that have tumbled into DiS' inbox this week, plus a few things that I spotted spurting out of the waterfall that is my social media streams. For the sake of laziness, some press releases will be copy-pasted, and for the sake of saving your time (YOLO, etc) the commentary will have a brevity pithiness that I hope screams "we let the music do the talking"»

September 5th, 2012

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Watch: Blood Red Shoes 'In Time to Voices'

News by Sean Adams

The title track to the Brighton based duos third album gets the sort of video that you forgot you used to see on Mtv(2). Visually, it inhabits the same dark alleys as the track. Meanwhile, the videos core couldn't be closer to this band's heart. The riot-grrrl influences might be burrowed a little deeper as BRS continue to define their own sound (a sort of modern mutant of grunge, splashed with Brit-rock anthemics and giddy skate-punk-meets-hardcore rhythms, which at times drift away to a land where Is This Desire? was bigger than Nevermind), but as an inspirational beacon of yes-you-can-rock empowerment for modern women (in music or otherwise), few come close to Laura-Mary. Look beyond the teeny-bit tongue in cheek Foo Fighters on crack video, and you'll find the message is one of a different kind of girl power; ingenuity and passion, rather than alpha-male protein shake strength. 'In Time to Voices' is a refreshing reminder of how great music videos used to be.»

September 3rd, 2012

frightened rabbit session

Watch: Frightened Rabbit perform a stripped down version of 'State Hospital'

News by Sean Adams

A Frightened Rabbit exclusive session to start your week... it's Scott doing an acoustic performance of the track ‘State Hospital’ from The State Hospital EP... »

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News Mixtape: August 2012 ft. Kate Bush, Pussy Riot, Tom Waits, Flying Lotus, Talk Talk, Kanye West and more

News by Al Horner

August came and went so quickly that we at DiS can’t be entirely sure it wasn’t some weird, lucid dream. After all, we're pretty sure Romanian discus throwers aren’t supposed to congregate outside our bus stop, fairly certain that our television doesn’t usually flicker with images of Actual Talented People, and resolutely convinced we shouldn’t have spent the week or two since the Olympics mourning what was essentially an elongated school sports day presided over by the who’s who of bastard conglomerates. But such was the sheer cynicism-crumbling excellence of London 2012 that, well, if you saw DiS stumbling around Stratford at 5am following the Closing Ceremony, a clutch of Mandeville plush toys pressed to our chest, the blue and white of our Team GB face paint smudged from tears, strumming a morose version of Kelly Clarkson's Since You've Been Gone on a battered acoustic guitar to a billboard of Jessica Ennis, uh, thanks for not stealing our wallets.»

August 30th, 2012

From http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/gold_dust_600.jpg

Exclusive: Watch the new Tori Amos video 'Flavor'

News by Cate Blanche

DiS has an exclusive look-see at the brand new video 'Flavor' from flame-haired goddess Tori Amos...»

August 29th, 2012

From http://media.lehighvalleylive.com/movies_impact/photo/lcd-soundsystemjpeg-6d010e3beec02b6d.jpeg

Win! Tickets to LCD Soundsystem Shut Up And Play the Hits London Premiere!

News by Sean Adams

We've teamed up with Pulse Films to offer one DiS reader, and a friend, a very special night out in London, to see the premiere of Shut Up and Play the Hits, the incredible documentary about James Murphy's final show at Madison Square Garden. »

Nathan Fake Robert Bellamy

Album Stream: Nathan Fake Steam Days + artist commentary + dates with Orbital

News by Sean Adams

A rare album exclusive on DiS, from a rare talent... Nathan Fake makes the kind of electronic music that soundtracks those parties in your dreams. He deals in a gentle throb, which ectoplasmically seeps from speakers, rather than thrusts itself at you. Sure, bandspotters amongst you may hear the influence of Aphex's ambient textures drifting in and out, as much as you may feel a kinship with the likes of Luke Abbott, Fuck Buttons, Gold Panda, etc. Having said all that, Nathan is a special talent, who's as much an inspiration to his contemporaries, as he is a peer. This new record - 'Iceni Strings' especially - follows on from where Hard Islands left off, but a few tracks wouldn't sound out of place with Drowning in a Sea of Love's eeriness either.»

August 27th, 2012

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Leeds Festival 2012: Drowned In Sound's Sunday blog

News by Dom Gourlay

Livers barely in tact and sleep a forgotten pastime, Drowned In Sound's Daniel O'Dell and Dom Gourlay bring you their hits and misses from the final day at this year's Leeds Festival. »

August 26th, 2012

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Leeds Festival 2012: Drowned In Sound's Saturday blog

News by Dom Gourlay

Having survived day one of this year's Leeds Festival, Drowned In Sound's men on the frontline Daniel O'Dell and Dom Gourlay are back with a round-up of the good and not so good happenings from the second day. »

August 25th, 2012

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Leeds Festival 2012: Drowned In Sound's Friday blog

News by Dom Gourlay

It's August Bank Holiday weekend and it's raining, which can only mean one thing: Leeds Festival. While this year's line-up can best be described as a mixed bag, it hasn't deterred DiS from turning out in force. Here, Daniel O'Dell and Dom Gourlay describe some of the highs and lows from the first day's festivities. »

August 23rd, 2012

vinyl

How Do You Define Music's Independent Spirit?

News by Sean Adams

We have a put together an exclusive playlist for the new PIAS Spotify app and a competition to win a bag stuffed full of PIAS records and goodies, but first a few thoughts..»

August 17th, 2012

Chilly Gonzales piano lesson

Album Stream: Chilly Gonzales' Solo Piano II + watch him giving DiS a Piano lesson

News by Sean Adams

That exquisite entertainer and maniacal musical genius Chilly Gonzales has a second of his piano albums out and you can stream it here, but first... »

August 16th, 2012

de montfort hall

Stage Times: Drowned in Sound stage at Summer Sundae on Sunday

News by Sean Adams

For several years now, Drowned in Sound has 'curated' a bill at Summer Sundae festival in Leicester. We've had everyone from The Antlers, Frightened Rabbit, Futureheads, Blood Red Shoes and Noah & the Whale (the week they first hit the top ten, no less) to Wild Beasts and Warpaint. This year's line-up features the likes of Ed Harcourt, Gold Panda, Japandroids, Twilight Sad, Django Django and more... »

From http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b-JwdhxUU8Y/TMb7QUhJBKI/AAAAAAAAAMg/lQo59O1MBvw/s1600/mybloodyvalentine1920x1200.jpg

The DiS Community's... 101 Favourite Albums

News by Sean Adams

Ever wondered what music the people who post on the DiS boards are into? Us too. We've always thought about doing some sort of poll-of-polls, and then - as is often the way with DiS - a member of the community took it upon themselves to start one. The results of which were revealed on the boards too but right here, right now, we can reveal far more than the top 20.»

August 13th, 2012

From http://btlondon2012.co.uk/BTLondonLive/graphics/blur.jpg

Dispatch: Blur in Hyde Park at the BT London Live Olympic Closing Ceremony Celebration Concert, August 12th 2012

News by Els

So that’s it for the Olympics. In Hyde Park, we get BT London Live's Hyde Park Closing Ceremony Celebration Concert (ahem) with an incongruously brilliant line-up: Blur, The Specials, New Order. Across town, there’s the Spice Girls and Take That. Only after both end do I see the cynical tweets from over there, slamming the gaudiness, the bad acts, Sebastian Coe. Here, though, there’s a delicious calm. We’ve been tipped out onto the streets with those famous words: “The days they seem to fall through you well just…let them go,” resounding in our heads. Is Damon talking about zen-like non-attachment or drug-addled carelessness? I never figured that one out. In any case, Blur close the Olympics with ‘The Universal’ and it’s beautiful and right. One Direction, Muse – even Neil Tennant in a conical hat – seem impossibly distant.»

From http://evolver.fm/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2012-digital-music.jpg

Half Year: The Most Important Digital Music Stories of the First Half of 2012

News by Eliot Van Buskirk

Earlier this year, Eliot Van Buskirk of the terrific tech-meets-music-blog Evolver.fm interviewed DiS' editor about the changing shape of music consumption, sharing and discovery on the web (Part 2). One thing led to another, and over the coming months we'll be presenting some guest posts from Evolver, to keep you informed about all things internet, music, apps and technology. To kick things off, we present Eliot's half-year round-up...»

August 10th, 2012

cat in headphones

Weekend Listening: LCD Soundsystem, Radiohead, Tom Waits, New Look, Cat Power + more!

News by Sean Adams

More music, less talk... the best of DiS' inbox this week... »

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Damon Albarn: The Appiest Man in Show Business?

News by Eliot Van Buskirk

Whilst DiS was busy reviewing the 21st Anniversary Blur re-issues, US tech-meets-music-blog Evolver.fm explored all of Damon's app adventures...»

August 3rd, 2012

From http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg574/farizalrasyid/tumblr_m3wlpeUECV1r649pbo1_500.jpg

Weekend Listening: Biffy Clyro, Halls, Grizzly Bear, Blondes, Perfume Genius covers Madonna

News by Sean Adams

In a week that DiS posted legends Johnny Marr & Nile Rodgers in conversation, launched a new News Digest column, reviewed the Blur 21st Anniversary re-issues and someone started a reader poll to find DiS' favourite album, oh and Team GB (does anyone else hear this as Team Gerbil every single time someone says it?) won some medals at the olympics... we bring you the best stuff in DiS' inbox, in a handy digest that you can ingest on Friday at your desk or spend a little bit of 'weekend downtime' getting better acquainted with it... »

August 2nd, 2012

mute records logo

Edwyn Collins, and Mute Records boss Daniel Miller to be honoured at AIM Independent Music Awards

News by Sean Adams

On October 29th in London the second ever Independent Music Awards will take place. Last year, DiS' editor was on the judging panel and presented an award to Adele for 'The Best Difficult Second Album' on a night that saw the likes of Bjork and Domino's founder pick up awards. This year’s Outstanding Contribution To Music and Pioneer Award recipients have been confirmed, and we'll let the words of the press release do the talking... »

August 1st, 2012

blur back catalogue

Watch: Blur at Maida Vale + Win! Blur's back catalogue!

News by Sean Adams

A competition to win Blur's entire back catalogue, but first some videos from yesterday... »

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Moving Pictures: Videos of the Year - 2nd Quarter 2012

News by Sam Hill

Q: What were the best music videos to hit the internet lately?
A: Read This. »

July 31st, 2012

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News Mixtape: July 2012 ft. Frank Ocean, Death Cab's Ben Gibbard, Peter Broderick, Lykke Li and more

News by Al Horner

Music news these days can be kind of impossible to keep up with. It seems to be this constant scream of information, unintelligible by the sheer speed that it shoots by at, often borderline unintelligible in the first place – “what was that thumping past like an Olympic air defence missile about the one out of The Vaccines' twitpics from his holiday in Marbella again?” - and that being the case, DiS recently took the move to step away from news lest we're all sucked into some gaping cyber abyss of rumours, get-there-first reporting and regurgitated press releases. So instead, we'll be bringing you a digest of the important goings-on each month in neat mixtape form. This month - Frank Ocean issues a statement on his sexuality, Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard goes it alone, Animal Collective take to the radio, Lykke Li leads a Fleetwood Mac love-in and more...»

July 30th, 2012

sharon van etten in the dis cabin at latitude

Watch: Sharon Van Etten in session + she chats about Tramp and getting stuck in the mud

News by Sean Adams

This is what happened when the makers of one of our favourite albums of the year, Sharon Van Etten, swung by the DiS cabin at Latitude for a beverage and some Haribo. »

July 29th, 2012

tom waits and iggy pop in coffee and cigarettes

101 Minutes of Bliss #2: A DiS YouTube Playlist

News by Sean Adams

You may remember that a little while back - before DiS HQ was hijacked by festivals and legal threats from bands whose spamming backfired - we made you a 120-minutes-inspired YouTube playlist to mark the launch of http://youtube.com/drownedinsound. If you missed the first one, it can be found here. You lot seemed to "like" it, at least in a Facebook nod of approval kind of way, so we thought we'd make another one, of oldies and newies that we love.»

July 27th, 2012

Belongs to gallery

On the DiS Stereo: July 2012 incl. Playlists and Albums of the Month

News by Sean Adams

July 2012 was wet in London, and then suddenly really hot. Many of our readers and staff decamped to sunnier climes for festivals (although most of us ended up in muddy British fields munching on falafels...). This month's mop-up slash digest of what 'we' - staff and DiS readers - have been listening to, hopefully has a few things you love and some stuff you've missed out on that you fall in love with. »

July 24th, 2012

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Ed Harcourt joins Gold Panda, Japandroids, Django Django and Twilight Sad on the DiS stage at Summer Sundae

News by Sean Adams

DiS returns to Leicester in a few weeks time for Summer Sundae festival, and we're very pleased to reveal that Ed Harcourt will be our special guest.»

cast of cheers family

Album Stream: Cast of Cheers new album Family + their track-by-track guide

News by Sean Adams

Following the rather positive review of their high-octane new album, we asked the chaps from Cast of Cheers if we could stream their new record. They said 'yeah' and wrote you lot a little guide to each song on the album... »

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DiS at Latitude 2012: Live from the Cabin, inc. Yeasayer, dEUS, Sharon Van Etten

News by Wendy Roby

This year, DiS was an official media partner at Latitude Festival. What this meant, is that we got a portakabin in back of the Lake Stage, and spent all weekend luring bands to it with the promise of a bacon and cheese toasties, a game of RISK, or an opportunity to learn How To Speak Suffolk Proper. Fun was had. Inappropriate jokes were told by Josh T Pearson. Haribo marriages were proposed to Sharon Van Etten. Here's Part One of our highlights.»