The man, the myth, the Starsmith is back with a new track called "Zeros". It's a cosmic, rip-roaring guns-in-the-air trailblazer that zips from zero to hero in nanoseconds flat. Have at it below.DOWNLOAD: "Zeros" - Starsmith
Showing posts with label starsmith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label starsmith. Show all posts
ZEROS.
The man, the myth, the Starsmith is back with a new track called "Zeros". It's a cosmic, rip-roaring guns-in-the-air trailblazer that zips from zero to hero in nanoseconds flat. Have at it below.DOWNLOAD: "Zeros" - Starsmith
POPSHOP BK 002: MNDR + FOXES
Our inaugural Popshop Brooklyn launch was nothing short of a raging success last month, and now we're back for round two. While our Manhattan chapter is on holiday, we've filled our second Popshop BK to the brim with some of the latest and greatest of the US and UK empires, taking over the early AND late Saturday night Brooklyn Bowl slots to make up for Popshop NYC's brief sabbatical last week.
Headlining we've got the inimitable MNDR, reclaiming her Popshop throne after shutting it down at the very first Popshop ever back in 2011, alongside our very own leading ladies, Foxes and Mr. Little Jeans. Rounding things out on the live section we've got HITS fresh off a sold out live debut at the Mercury Lounge, before Punks Jump Up and Starsmith take over the decks and keep things going into the early hours. It's all going down THIS Saturday at Brooklyn Bowl on July 14th, with doors at 8pm and $10 tickets available HERE.
STREAM: "#1 In Heaven" - MNDR
STREAM: "Warrior" - Foxes
STREAM: "Runaway" - Mr. Little Jeans
STREAM: "Madness" - HITS
GOLD031: ST. LUCIA
We've been hinting at it for a while, but - in case you didn't already hear - a new era is upon us here at Neon Gold. That's right, it's time to put out some albums. So without further ado, we're over the moon to announce our first ever albums signing, the one and only St. Lucia. We'll be bringing you his immaculate debut EP this March and a debut album later this year, but first we're kicking things off with a remix 12" for EP standout "We Got It Wrong", a euphoric time-bending masterpiece that allows you to escape into the beaches of your imagination.
Beautifully packaged on widescreen 12" vinyl and in all good record stores on Valentine's Day, it comes complete with a star-studded supporting cast of remixes from some of our favorite electronic talents around. Finnish boy wonder Lenno molds the original into a nu-disco force of nature like an apprentice of the highest order, while the master puppeteer Starsmith adds layer upon layer of synth varnish like an OCD Gepetto on speed. Elsewhere Xaphoon Jones, the dark wizard of the bunch, summons up black magic from the spirit world with teeth-baring synths and just-make-it-clap beats on what can only be described as a festival massacre just waiting to happen. It's all out physically on February 14th, but you can preorder the full package from the Neon Gold Shop HERE. But wait, there's more... for the first time ever, we've also got the release available for purchase digitally from iTunes NOW, a highly dangerous experiment in immediate gratification that's sure to yield only the sexiest results.
MP3: "We Got It Wrong" (Xaphoon Jones Remix) - St. Lucia [exclusive]
LIGHTS + MUSIC 003: RUSS CHIMES + STARSMITH
Sure, Popshop may be tonight and all but let's face it, we're an insatiable bunch. So without further do, we present the third installment of our new Lights + Music rave. The third time's the charm and you'd be sorely mistaken if you think we're gonna drop the ball on this one, as we're coming correct with a hail mary of a lineup for a very special Friday Night Lights + Music this time around. Getting things started on the ground will be our very own Smash and Riggins in J-Patt and B-Roc of The Knocks on the decks early, before London's finest Starsmith and Russ Chimes take things into overtime as the double threat main event.As per usual, we're posted up at Tammany Hall, consistently giving your night and early morning a welcome shock to the system. And as Lights + Music has become synonymous with free drinks and great life choices, this time around we're partnering up with Stoli Vodka to introduce you to their latest flavor, Chocolat Razberi, which we'll be mainlining into your bloodstream with a free-for-all OPEN BAR from from 10pm-11pm. Perhaps the best news of all for those of you chained to the 9-to-5 is that this one's going down as a rare Friday night Neon Gold show, so there's absolutely no reason to miss out on this one. Glowsticks? Check. Killer bill? Check. Free booze? Check. As is the new standard, we'll have an extremely limited number of $10 early bird tickets for sale before the price goes up to $13 in advance and then $15 day of show. Don't miss out on another epic night to remember, cop your tickets HERE before it's too late.
The Knocks // DOWNLOAD: "Sunshine"
Starsmith // DOWNLOAD: "Hang With Me" (Starsmith Remix)
Russ Chimes // STREAM: "Starry Eyed" (Russ Chimes Remix)
ALL THINGS GOLD 003: RUSS CHIMES + MNDR
DC, we love you. It's been incredible the love you've shown our new All Things Gold concert series - both of our first two shows sold out with over 500 tickets sold - and we're all set to keep the streak alive with one of our biggest shows yet next week as we import another huge lineup to the nation's capital. On the DJ side of things, we've got Russ Chimes headlining as he makes his triumphant return to the America for his first US dates since late 2009, with support coming from our main man Starsmith as he makes his long awaited stateside debut alongside his good friend and sometime collaborator Mr. Chimes. Then headlining the live stage we've got superstar-on-the-rise MNDR returning to the DC live circuit after opening for Chromeo at 9:30 Club earlier this year, plus support from Miami newcomer Nicky Blitz getting things started early.It all kicks off with doors at 9pm and Heineken drink specials galore, and for the low low price of $10 advance tickets (or $13 on the door), it's not really the kind of thing you can say no to. Advance tickets available are HERE, but move fast as this isn't a show you want to miss. Set times and streaming mp3s below, you know what to do.
09:30pm: Nicky Blitz // DOWNLOAD: "Summer Sinner"
10:30pm: MNDR // DOWNLOAD: "Cut Me Out"
11:15pm: Russ Chimes // DOWNLOAD: "Mowgli's Road" (Russ Chimes Remix)
12:45am: Starsmith // STREAM: "Radioactive" (Starsmith Rework)
POPSHOP009: THE KNOCKS + WYNTER GORDON.
Worried your Labor Day weekend plans will get in the way of Popshop this week? Well worry no more, as we're pushing things back a week to September 8th so as to maximize rage potential and make sure no one misses out. Trust us though, the wait is more than worth it, as this one may well be our biggest lineup ever.Fresh off a party rocking set at All Things Gold 002 last week in DC are our partners in crime The Knocks returning as headliners, and those who attended their first headline show at Popshop 002 last February will remember it as one of the craziest nights we've ever put on. Then bringing the heat in the main support slot is superpop vixen Wynter Gordon, whose omnipresent smash single "Dirty Talk" has had her living at the top of the charts so long she should be paying rent. Rounding out the lineup is NYC's own hometown hero and firstborn son of the HeavyRoc family Samuel, as well as London via Tel-Aviv electro types Tiger Love, hot on the heels of international dates supporting Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. And as if that live lineup wasn't massive enough, we've got a once-in-a-lifetime, I-was-there-when Goldsmith reunion on the decks, as our superstar alumni Ellie Goulding and Starsmith get together on the ones and twos in the headline DJ slot.
As is Popshop family tradition, we'll be providing an Absolut Vodka OPEN BAR from 8pm- 9pm and a FREE KEG of Heineken at 2am for our nearest and dearest who decide to rage with us well into the early morning. Changing up our ticket approach this time, the first 50 people to order online can cop $10 early bird tickets, after which all remaining tickets will be $13 in advance and $15 on the door. Tickets are available online from the Popshop site HERE, so move fast to cop that price break and don't sleep on this one, this will be another sell out.
09:00pm: Samuel // DOWNLOAD: "Champagne Kisses"
10:00pm: Tiger Love // DOWNLOAD: "Under Control"
11:00pm: Wynter Gordon // STREAM: "Dirty Talk" (Laidback Luke Remix)
12:00am: The Knocks // DOWNLOAD: "Sunshine"
01:00am: Goldsmith // DOWNLOAD: "Black & Gold"
POPSHOP RADIO 003
Another Popshop is upon us this Thursday, which means another round of Popshop Radio courtesy of The Knocks. This time we're back with even more oven fresh exclusives, including the world premier of Icona Pop's massive "Top Rated" and a brand new Starsmith single, a summery slice of French disco called "Lesson One" co-produced by Alan Braxe and the first Starsmith track featuring lead vox from the man himself. It's all available for download from the Soundcloud player below, so get your download on and make sure to get your tickets HERE so you don't get left out on the cold on what's sure to be a night to remember.
1. "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - The Knocks
2. "Top Rated" - Icona Pop
3. "Need You Now" - Cut Copy
4. "Lesson One" - Starsmith
5. "Sun of a Gun" - Oh Land
6. "Cold Dust Girl" (Gemini Club Remix) - Hey Champ!
7. "I Follow Rivers" (The Magician Remix) - Lykke Li
8. "Friend Crush" - Friends
9. "Under Cover of Darkness" - The Strokes
1. "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - The Knocks
2. "Top Rated" - Icona Pop
3. "Need You Now" - Cut Copy
4. "Lesson One" - Starsmith
5. "Sun of a Gun" - Oh Land
6. "Cold Dust Girl" (Gemini Club Remix) - Hey Champ!
7. "I Follow Rivers" (The Magician Remix) - Lykke Li
8. "Friend Crush" - Friends
9. "Under Cover of Darkness" - The Strokes
POPSHOP003: OH LAND + ICONA POP + FRIENDS
Popshop 003. It's on. After selling out January and February we're back with a very special March lineup featuring some of the best up-and-coming talent from both sides of the Atlantic. But first a look back at February's Popshop, in which The Knocks and Penguin Prison had Tammany Hall going off unlike anything we've ever seen from a Manhattan crowd in a small LES venue, courtesy of our friends Jackpot In The West who were on the front lines once again documenting the mayhem first hand.Moving on then to bold new frontiers with the March edition, we've got what just might be our most exciting lineup yet. Opening up the night is Brooklyn's hottest new band Friends - currently wrapping up a national tour with Darwin Deez supporting their brilliant debut single "Friend Crush" (stream below) - followed by our beloved Icona Pop's first ever show outside of their native Sweden and capped off by a headlining set from Denmark's inimitable Oh Land. And rounding out the lineup is a truly special DJ guest in the amazing Starsmith, the icing on the cake on what's already a very special lineup. As usual, it's popping off the first Thursday of the month - March 3rd - at Tammany Hall, with doors at 8pm and lasting until the early hours. $10 advance tickets available HERE, with $13 tickets available on the door if any remain. The first two Popshops sold out in advance though, so we'd recommend you to book now to ensure you don't get shut out. Set times and downloads/streams below:
09:00pm: Friends // STREAM: "Friend Crush"
10:00pm: Icona Pop // STREAM: "Manners" (Extended)
11:00pm: Oh Land // DOWNLOAD: "Sun of a Gun"
12:00am: Starsmith (DJ) // DOWNLOAD: "Give Me A Break" (Starsmith Remix)
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE.
It was nearly 18 months ago that we first declared our love for Australia's Gypsy & The Cat and their triumphant single "Jona Vark", so we're thrilled to see it finally getting the official campaign it deserves through RCA in the UK. And even more thrilled to find that with that campaign comes a brand new remix from our beloved Starsmith, who's been quiet on the remix front as of late concentrating on his debut solo album. It's one of his more interesting remixes to date, trading four-to-the-floor beats for stuttering piano chords and nimble synth flourishes, bringing a dramatic weight to the dancefloor previously absent from his mixes.MP3: "Jona Vark" (Starsmith Remix) - Gypsy & The Cat [exclusive]
NEON GOLD PRESENTS: THE SOUND OF 2011
List season, y'allll. The BBC published their annual Sound of... list last week and now it's time for us to follow suit with our very own annual list. We're going to stick with the whole Sound of... route in terms of criteria - artists can't have had a Top 20 single or album to date, can't be a solo project from an established artist or someone who's already achieved fame by other means (sorry Willow), etc - and what follows are our 15 picks for superstardom in the new year.
We've got a habit of being a bit far-sighted with our lists in the past - many of the acts on last year's list still are yet to release their debut albums and thus a few will make repeat appearances this year, but all in all we like to think we've got a pretty decent track record with these things. After overshooting our mark in years past with bands that failed to get an album out in the following calendar year, we'll be focusing this list on bands that will definitely have albums hitting the streets in the next calendar year, with another list of fresh up-and-comers set to make their first foray into the limelight in 2011 to follow at the beginning of the year. But for now, let's get down to the business with our very own Sound of 2011 presentation.
JESSIE J // You can't fuck with Jessie J. With an absolutely killer voice, swagger for miles and the writing chops to match (homegirl wrote "Party In The USA"), not to mention fans in Justin Timberlake and Dr. Luke, she's already blowing up (debut single "Do It Like A Dude" is currently at #29 in the UK charts) and is about as close as you can get to a lock for superstardom in 2011 on both sides of the Atlantic.
STREAM: "Do It Like A Dude" (Labrinth Remix) - Jessie J
STARSMITH // With Calvin Harris' recent announcement that he's retiring from the limelight of pop stardom to focus on his DJ and production work, the door's been opened for a new producer-cum-popstar to take the throne. And who better than Starsmith, who in the last 18 months alone has definitively established himself as the best pop producer in the UK under 25, with principle songwriting and production credits on four #1 albums in 2010 alone. Though massive, his debut single "Give Me A Break" (released on Neon Gold last month) is but the tip of the iceberg, as 2011 finds Starsmith set to release a debut album of more straightforward (yet still entirely banging) pop and vocal tracks featuring his own vocals as well as contributions from Alphabeat's Stine Bramsen, Daley, Ellie Goulding and many more.
STREAM: "Give Me A Break" (Starsmith Remix) - Starsmith
CLARE MAGUIRE // We've been preaching the gospel of Clare Maguire for nearly two years now, but 2010 saw her finally make the first steps towards her superstar destiny on debut single "Ain't Nobody", and with her debut album slated for early 2011 and featuring such surefire megahits as "Last Dance" and "Sword & Shield", the girl with the golden voice looks set to at long last fulfill the promise that's made her the talk of the industry since 2008.
STREAM: "Ain't Nobody" (Breakage Remix) - Clare Maguire
BROTHER // First things first: Brother are not the future of music. They're pretty fucking great at what they do though, and with their naturally controversial disposition, big hooks and fuck-off swagger, they'll make headlines as one of the most polarizing bands of 2011 but could ultimately outsell every single artist on this list. With their signature by-the-people-for-the-people "gritpop" sound and a music industry desperate for the return of big guitar bands to Britain, Brother are destined to make a lot of noise in 2011, whether you like it or not.
STREAM: "Darling Buds of May" - Brother
THE NAKED & FAMOUS // Up against The Vaccines to nab the token indie spot on the BBC's shortlist, our Neon Gold darlings look set to follow in the footsteps of their Down Under contemporaries The Temper Trap as an absolutely massive 2011 looks albeit inevitable for the Kiwi five-piece. Nevermind the fact that their album's already out in New Zealand and Australia (and thus already making its rounds on the internet), when you've got an chart-toppling single like "Young Blood" - not to mention brilliant ace-in-the-hole set up singles like "Punching In A Dream" and "All of This" - in your repertoire, big things are bound to happen. Expect to see this lot EVERYWHERE next summer.
STREAM: "Young Blood" - The Naked & Famous
ALEX WINSTON // We love Alex Winston like one of our own, and it's with ear-to-ear smiles that we've watched her absolutely smashing the game to bits over the second half of 2010. A refreshing departure from the at times painfully now cred-pop ladies of recent times, her style refuses to welcome lazy comparisons as she establishes her own niche in the current landscape of pop music. She's got less than ten live shows under her belt to this point, but anyone lucky enough to see her perform can attest to how special she is as an artist and performer. Homegirl is an absolute superstar, and while her best tracks remain unheard - expect that to change with her debut mini-album on the way next month - you can rest assured she'll be making serious waves in the new year.
STREAM: "Choice Notes" (Labyrinth Ear Remix) - Alex Winston
PENGUIN PRISON // Our flagship artist and the coolest thing to come out of the NYC pop scene in a long minute, Penguin Prison is set to turn serious heads when his debut full-length arrives in the first half of 2011. With three Neon Gold singles already under his belt (including the amazing "Golden Train" out this week), he's no stranger to the carousel of hype that defines this industry, but with massive singles "Don't Fuck With My Money" and "Multi-Millionaire" still awaiting deployment in the new year, you should trust us when we say you ain't heard nothing yet.
STREAM: "Golden Train" (The Royal Palms Remix) - Penguin Prison
JAI PAUL // Standing out from every single other artist on this list, Jai Paul is the UK's next great hope for an alternative male pop star. Your quintessential XL artist (with whom he signed earlier this year), he sounds like nothing else around at the moment, blending a broad spectrum of styles and genres with athletic ease. It's still early days with debut track "BTSTU" his only real offering to speak of, but with XL at the helm and their nigh-on immaculate track record of late, we can easily see Jai Paul coming out of left field to make considerable noise in 2011.
STREAM: "BTSU" - Jai Paul
JAMIE WOON // With dubstep creeping further and further into the mainstream with each passing year (see Skream's gamechanging remix of La Roux in 2009 and Katy B and Magnetic Man's chart success in 2010), the nexus of 2010 and 2011 sees a new movement emerging from the genre with Woon (and fellow crooner James Blake) turning heads with their soulful electronic, "post-dubstep" sound. It's Blake who's the industry darling at the moment , but it's Woon who gets the nod from us here - his Burial-produced lead single "Night Air" stands out as one of the sexiest tracks of 2010 and has us champing at the bit to here more from the Polydor-signed up and comer.
STREAM: "Night Air" - Jamie Woon
MNDR // Already finding main stream success via her feature on Mark Ronson's Top 10 hit "Bang Bang Bang", the seeds have already planted for MNDR (née Amanda Warner) to do big things in 2011. With her phenomenal debut release E.P.E. and it's triumphant singles "Fade To Black" and "I Go Away" already garnering her a burgeoning fan base and rampant critical acclaim, she's got starpower for miles (just check her brilliant one-woman live show for proof) and some serious anthems - "Sparrow", as performed with The Business Intl. as her backing band on the Ronson tour, is an absolute belter - waiting in the wings, it's time to welcome the new heir to the cred-pop (*cringe*) throne.
STREAM: "I Go Away" - MNDR
GROUPLOVE //I mean, have you SEEN this band live? They absolutely crushed as the breakout band of CMJ, with one of the most thoroughly entertaining and invigorating live performances we've seen in a long minute, and with their debut single "Colours" arriving on Chess Club in February and an album following on Atlantic/Canvasback later in 2011, we can't wait to see what these kids have in store for us next year.
STREAM: "Gold Coast" - GROUPLOVE
MR. LITTLE JEANS // Mr. Little Jeans is kind of a wildcard. Photographs of her are few and far between, she's yet to play live outside of Scandinavia, and there's no shortage of confusion surrounding the fact that this Mister is really a Miss, but we're yet to hear a single song from her we haven't absolutely loved and if she can keep up the gold standard of songwriting and hold her own in the live realm we can see things really taking off for the Danish chanteuse in 2011.
STREAM: "Rescue Song" (The Naked & Famous Remix) - Mr. Little Jeans
MORNING PARADE // Like Delphic if last year's list darlings hadn't gone so full-on electronic and weren't so mind-numbingly dull, Morning Parade fuse electronic elements with a classic Britpop sound on their epic, arena-ready anthems. Sky-scraping melodies, flitting electronics and ocean-sized guitar riffs converge on lead single "Under The Stars"and "In The Name", like a distinctly 2011 take on the "new British invasion" sound of the mid-2000s, and with what's apparently one of the best live shows in the game, we expect Morning Parade to rock a lot of faces off in the months to come.
STREAM: "Under The Stars" - Morning Parade
YADI // Jessie J and Clare Maguire are the talk of the industry as 2011 creeps over the horizon, but next year's new wave of female pop icons can hardly be considered complete without Yadi in the mix. With the vocal prowess of La Roux and all the swagger and power of Marina & The Diamonds - not to mention solid gold hits like "Guillotine" and "Gold" already in her arsenal - Yadi is one of the most exciting prospects for superstardom in the years to come. With the ink still drying on her major label deal, it's still quite early days for Yadi and she may end up more likely to top hotly-tipped lists for 2012 than to get an album out next year, but either way she's one to keep an eye on in the new year. Expect BIG things.
STREAM: "Guillotine" - Yadi
CLOCK OPERA // Having rapidly become one of our favorite bands since we put on their first London show back in 2009, Clock Opera will at long last release their debut album into the world in 2011. We've heard a good deal of it and can say with confidence that it will undoubtedly be one of the best records to come out next year, a beautiful compilation of haunting torchsongs and cinematic epics that has is sure to awe and inspire listeners in equal measures. They're hardly the stuff Radio 1 dreams are made of, but keep an eye on Clock Opera as a Mercury Prize darkhorse next year.
STREAM: "Once And For All" - Clock Opera
And while that concludes our Sound of 2011 longlist, we've got a few more contenders we expect to see making waves in 2011 that are more than worthy of your attention below.
The Knocks // The Vaccines // Wolf Gang // James Blake // 1, 2, 3 // Fenech-Soler // Cults // Sunday Girl // Spark // Mona // Theophilus London // Jakwob // Dom
We've got a habit of being a bit far-sighted with our lists in the past - many of the acts on last year's list still are yet to release their debut albums and thus a few will make repeat appearances this year, but all in all we like to think we've got a pretty decent track record with these things. After overshooting our mark in years past with bands that failed to get an album out in the following calendar year, we'll be focusing this list on bands that will definitely have albums hitting the streets in the next calendar year, with another list of fresh up-and-comers set to make their first foray into the limelight in 2011 to follow at the beginning of the year. But for now, let's get down to the business with our very own Sound of 2011 presentation.
JESSIE J // You can't fuck with Jessie J. With an absolutely killer voice, swagger for miles and the writing chops to match (homegirl wrote "Party In The USA"), not to mention fans in Justin Timberlake and Dr. Luke, she's already blowing up (debut single "Do It Like A Dude" is currently at #29 in the UK charts) and is about as close as you can get to a lock for superstardom in 2011 on both sides of the Atlantic.
STREAM: "Do It Like A Dude" (Labrinth Remix) - Jessie J
STARSMITH // With Calvin Harris' recent announcement that he's retiring from the limelight of pop stardom to focus on his DJ and production work, the door's been opened for a new producer-cum-popstar to take the throne. And who better than Starsmith, who in the last 18 months alone has definitively established himself as the best pop producer in the UK under 25, with principle songwriting and production credits on four #1 albums in 2010 alone. Though massive, his debut single "Give Me A Break" (released on Neon Gold last month) is but the tip of the iceberg, as 2011 finds Starsmith set to release a debut album of more straightforward (yet still entirely banging) pop and vocal tracks featuring his own vocals as well as contributions from Alphabeat's Stine Bramsen, Daley, Ellie Goulding and many more.
STREAM: "Give Me A Break" (Starsmith Remix) - Starsmith
CLARE MAGUIRE // We've been preaching the gospel of Clare Maguire for nearly two years now, but 2010 saw her finally make the first steps towards her superstar destiny on debut single "Ain't Nobody", and with her debut album slated for early 2011 and featuring such surefire megahits as "Last Dance" and "Sword & Shield", the girl with the golden voice looks set to at long last fulfill the promise that's made her the talk of the industry since 2008.
STREAM: "Ain't Nobody" (Breakage Remix) - Clare Maguire
BROTHER // First things first: Brother are not the future of music. They're pretty fucking great at what they do though, and with their naturally controversial disposition, big hooks and fuck-off swagger, they'll make headlines as one of the most polarizing bands of 2011 but could ultimately outsell every single artist on this list. With their signature by-the-people-for-the-people "gritpop" sound and a music industry desperate for the return of big guitar bands to Britain, Brother are destined to make a lot of noise in 2011, whether you like it or not.
STREAM: "Darling Buds of May" - Brother
THE NAKED & FAMOUS // Up against The Vaccines to nab the token indie spot on the BBC's shortlist, our Neon Gold darlings look set to follow in the footsteps of their Down Under contemporaries The Temper Trap as an absolutely massive 2011 looks albeit inevitable for the Kiwi five-piece. Nevermind the fact that their album's already out in New Zealand and Australia (and thus already making its rounds on the internet), when you've got an chart-toppling single like "Young Blood" - not to mention brilliant ace-in-the-hole set up singles like "Punching In A Dream" and "All of This" - in your repertoire, big things are bound to happen. Expect to see this lot EVERYWHERE next summer.
STREAM: "Young Blood" - The Naked & Famous
ALEX WINSTON // We love Alex Winston like one of our own, and it's with ear-to-ear smiles that we've watched her absolutely smashing the game to bits over the second half of 2010. A refreshing departure from the at times painfully now cred-pop ladies of recent times, her style refuses to welcome lazy comparisons as she establishes her own niche in the current landscape of pop music. She's got less than ten live shows under her belt to this point, but anyone lucky enough to see her perform can attest to how special she is as an artist and performer. Homegirl is an absolute superstar, and while her best tracks remain unheard - expect that to change with her debut mini-album on the way next month - you can rest assured she'll be making serious waves in the new year.
STREAM: "Choice Notes" (Labyrinth Ear Remix) - Alex Winston
PENGUIN PRISON // Our flagship artist and the coolest thing to come out of the NYC pop scene in a long minute, Penguin Prison is set to turn serious heads when his debut full-length arrives in the first half of 2011. With three Neon Gold singles already under his belt (including the amazing "Golden Train" out this week), he's no stranger to the carousel of hype that defines this industry, but with massive singles "Don't Fuck With My Money" and "Multi-Millionaire" still awaiting deployment in the new year, you should trust us when we say you ain't heard nothing yet.
STREAM: "Golden Train" (The Royal Palms Remix) - Penguin Prison
JAI PAUL // Standing out from every single other artist on this list, Jai Paul is the UK's next great hope for an alternative male pop star. Your quintessential XL artist (with whom he signed earlier this year), he sounds like nothing else around at the moment, blending a broad spectrum of styles and genres with athletic ease. It's still early days with debut track "BTSTU" his only real offering to speak of, but with XL at the helm and their nigh-on immaculate track record of late, we can easily see Jai Paul coming out of left field to make considerable noise in 2011.
STREAM: "BTSU" - Jai Paul
JAMIE WOON // With dubstep creeping further and further into the mainstream with each passing year (see Skream's gamechanging remix of La Roux in 2009 and Katy B and Magnetic Man's chart success in 2010), the nexus of 2010 and 2011 sees a new movement emerging from the genre with Woon (and fellow crooner James Blake) turning heads with their soulful electronic, "post-dubstep" sound. It's Blake who's the industry darling at the moment , but it's Woon who gets the nod from us here - his Burial-produced lead single "Night Air" stands out as one of the sexiest tracks of 2010 and has us champing at the bit to here more from the Polydor-signed up and comer.
STREAM: "Night Air" - Jamie Woon
MNDR // Already finding main stream success via her feature on Mark Ronson's Top 10 hit "Bang Bang Bang", the seeds have already planted for MNDR (née Amanda Warner) to do big things in 2011. With her phenomenal debut release E.P.E. and it's triumphant singles "Fade To Black" and "I Go Away" already garnering her a burgeoning fan base and rampant critical acclaim, she's got starpower for miles (just check her brilliant one-woman live show for proof) and some serious anthems - "Sparrow", as performed with The Business Intl. as her backing band on the Ronson tour, is an absolute belter - waiting in the wings, it's time to welcome the new heir to the cred-pop (*cringe*) throne.
STREAM: "I Go Away" - MNDR
GROUPLOVE //I mean, have you SEEN this band live? They absolutely crushed as the breakout band of CMJ, with one of the most thoroughly entertaining and invigorating live performances we've seen in a long minute, and with their debut single "Colours" arriving on Chess Club in February and an album following on Atlantic/Canvasback later in 2011, we can't wait to see what these kids have in store for us next year.
STREAM: "Gold Coast" - GROUPLOVE
MR. LITTLE JEANS // Mr. Little Jeans is kind of a wildcard. Photographs of her are few and far between, she's yet to play live outside of Scandinavia, and there's no shortage of confusion surrounding the fact that this Mister is really a Miss, but we're yet to hear a single song from her we haven't absolutely loved and if she can keep up the gold standard of songwriting and hold her own in the live realm we can see things really taking off for the Danish chanteuse in 2011.
STREAM: "Rescue Song" (The Naked & Famous Remix) - Mr. Little Jeans
MORNING PARADE // Like Delphic if last year's list darlings hadn't gone so full-on electronic and weren't so mind-numbingly dull, Morning Parade fuse electronic elements with a classic Britpop sound on their epic, arena-ready anthems. Sky-scraping melodies, flitting electronics and ocean-sized guitar riffs converge on lead single "Under The Stars"and "In The Name", like a distinctly 2011 take on the "new British invasion" sound of the mid-2000s, and with what's apparently one of the best live shows in the game, we expect Morning Parade to rock a lot of faces off in the months to come.
STREAM: "Under The Stars" - Morning Parade
YADI // Jessie J and Clare Maguire are the talk of the industry as 2011 creeps over the horizon, but next year's new wave of female pop icons can hardly be considered complete without Yadi in the mix. With the vocal prowess of La Roux and all the swagger and power of Marina & The Diamonds - not to mention solid gold hits like "Guillotine" and "Gold" already in her arsenal - Yadi is one of the most exciting prospects for superstardom in the years to come. With the ink still drying on her major label deal, it's still quite early days for Yadi and she may end up more likely to top hotly-tipped lists for 2012 than to get an album out next year, but either way she's one to keep an eye on in the new year. Expect BIG things.
STREAM: "Guillotine" - Yadi
CLOCK OPERA // Having rapidly become one of our favorite bands since we put on their first London show back in 2009, Clock Opera will at long last release their debut album into the world in 2011. We've heard a good deal of it and can say with confidence that it will undoubtedly be one of the best records to come out next year, a beautiful compilation of haunting torchsongs and cinematic epics that has is sure to awe and inspire listeners in equal measures. They're hardly the stuff Radio 1 dreams are made of, but keep an eye on Clock Opera as a Mercury Prize darkhorse next year.
STREAM: "Once And For All" - Clock Opera
And while that concludes our Sound of 2011 longlist, we've got a few more contenders we expect to see making waves in 2011 that are more than worthy of your attention below.
The Knocks // The Vaccines // Wolf Gang // James Blake // 1, 2, 3 // Fenech-Soler // Cults // Sunday Girl // Spark // Mona // Theophilus London // Jakwob // Dom
GOLD020: STARSMITH
We've been driving the Starsmith bandwagon for as long as we can remember, so it's with great pleasure that we finally announce his hotly-anticipated debut solo single on Neon Gold, coming this October 18th. Two sides of scorching club electro, his debut 12" features lead track "Give Me A Break", a massive, club-swallowing anthem built around a huge Richie Family sample (from their track of the same name) that would have lit the clubs up all summer long had it seen a release six months ago. On the flipside we've got "Knuckleduster", an aggressive instrumental that provides the perfect compliment to it's A-side counterpart. Together they're the perfect teaser for his more vocal-based and pop-oriented solo work, set to drop in the new year with his debut album as he readies his debut album for release in 2011. From what we've heard from it, it's shaping up to be one of the fiercest debut albums of the year, so cop this 12" while you still can as Starsmith looks set to be killing the game for many, many years to come.MP3: "Give Me A Break" (Radio Edit) - Starsmith [exclusive]
The record is available for preorder from the Neon Gold Shop and Puregroove now, and to celebrate the release Starsmith's curated an amazing line up for his single launch party, being put on by Scandalism at The Queen of Hoxton on October 23rd. Featuring a live set from Neon Gold favorites Clock Opera, as well as DJ sets from the amazing Russ Chimes and Alan Braxe - not to mention Starsmith himself - this looks like one of the best lineups London will see all fall, so anyone in town would do best to get involved. Full line up and ticketing information can be found at the Facebook event page for the night here.
ALWAYS LATE TO EVERYTHING.
These days official Starsmith remixes are usually reserved for the likes of superstar clientele like Lady Gaga and Timbaland, but dude still knows a jam when he hears one and was able to make time to sprinkle some of his electro stardust all over our most recent single release with Penguin Prison. Leaving behind Euro dancefloors for the Miami strip, Starsmith's remix of "The Worse It Gets" is some full on Miami Vice shit, all fluorescent technicolor, fast cars and pastel suits. Drop the top, roll up your sleeves and get your shades on, it's time to hit the town.MP3: "The Worse It Gets" (Starsmith Remix) - Penguin Prison [exclusive]
THE SAME WAY WE DO IT AGAIN.
Back from SXSW and back in the game, and what better way to celebrate our triumphant return than with an oven fresh cut from our most recent single release with Penguin Prison, "The Worse It Gets". The single just dropped last Monday and while many of you were too busy recovering from SXSW to notice, it's time to wise up and get this shit on blast because it's like REAL good. Coming off like Michael Jackson at his most paranoid, it's all escapist desires and ominous dark disco grooves, not too far off from the mood set on AA-side "Something I'm Not", which we shared with you on the blog last month. It's a big jam in it's own right, but also be sure to check out the RAC remix available exclusively over on Big Stereo, as well as a huge mix from the one and only Starsmith that we'll be dropping on you sooner than you know.MP3: "The Worse It Gets" - Penguin Prison [expired]
GOLD015: PENGUIN PRISON
We're pretty sure Penguin Prison is the best thing to happen to electronic music since electricity itself, so to say we're thrilled to be bringing his next single out on Neon Gold in March would be a significant understatement. His album is shaping to be all kinds of amazing, and this next single is an exciting first taste of things to come. A piping hot AA-side release out March 22nd and featuring "The Worse It Gets" and "Something I'm Not", it's a serious departure from the lighthearted pop fare of his debut and an accurate indicator of the eclectic diversity that's to come on his hotly-anticipated debut LP later this year. "The Worse It Gets" comes off like an incredible pop smash from MJ's paranoid phase, while "Something I'm Not" lights up the flipside with a speaker-busting onslaught of immense bass sounds and ominous synths. Together, they comprise one of the more exciting releases we've ever brought out, and we're thrilled to bring you an exclusive first taste with "Something I'm Not" below.MP3: "Something I'm Not" - Penguin Prison [expired]
Sporting another handsome round of artwork from the brilliant FRAUGRAU, the single's available to preorder now and you can do so from the Neon Gold Shop or are UK friends over at Puregroove. With remixes coming in from our dudes Starsmith and RAC, as well as a few other friends, watch this space for those and much much more Penguin goodness in the coming weeks.
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