FASTER THAN MY BULLET.

Our polygamous love affair with Grouplove and Foster the People is one of the worst kept secrets in music, so when the two LA heavyweights went head-to-head in the remix ring with each others' signature songs in tow, we had to step in and hold up the arms of both contenders because it's a win-win for the ages. Double winning.

First up is Grouplove and Captain Cuts, who kicked of 2011 with one of the greatest life-affirming standalone remixes known to man and come damn close to outdoing themselves for once and for all here, as they tag-team "Pumped Up Kicks" and whip the undisputed anthem of the summer into a monstrous club beast. What starts off as an innocuous uptempo pleasure cruise for Foster and co. turns deadly when the Captains unleash the perfect storm of seismic synths and dramatic piano stabs in the bridge, before blue skies and the summer's biggest singalong chorus returns to right the ship in the song's final minute. We honestly don't know how Captain Cuts do it, this right here is remix ART y'all.

Foster The People scratch Grouplove's back in return by redressing "Colours" in a slick waterproof number, as Christian Zucchoni's loopy vocals become brilliantly impervious to the dripping synth washes and full-moon transformation brought into play by Foster. This lofty reimagining swells with pride and bursts at the seams with icy confetti, ultimately leaving a permanent layer of stardust in its wake. These companion remixes are dark magic of the highest order, a two headed hydra of remix perfection coming together to give you the perfect remix double drop to kick your week off right.

MP3: "Pumped Up Kicks" (Captain Cuts + Grouplove Remix) - Foster The People
MP3: "Colours" (Foster The People Remix) - Grouplove

THE WAR IS ALREADY WON.

We can thank PLAINS, aka Michael McGinnis, for the stroke of scuzzy genius that is "Innovator". It comes fully stocked with joyriding guitars and angst-ridden synths, egged on by spaced out vocals that curiously swoop in and out of sight like a 21st century UFO. Once it crosses the great sonic expanse and reaches the eureka moment of pensive drum traps and whizzing solos, he's achieved the perfect middle ground between The Pixies and Miami brethren/labelmates (and Neon Gold darlings) ANR. It sounds progressively mischievous and deeply full of ulterior motives, and that's exactly why we love it so, plains and simples. So really we had no choice but to include PLAINS on next week's Popshop bill as one of two surprise live guests. Surprise.

MP3: "Innovator" - PLAINS

POPSHOP008: FRENCH HORN + AVAN LAVA

It's hot outside, we know, but you'll have to forgive us for turning up the heat yet again with another smoldering Popshop lineup. This month we welcome back POPSHOP001 alums French Horn Rebellion, who tore the fucking roof off of the launch party back in January and stole the show in the main support slot. They've been killing it ever since, supporting Yelle's sold out US tour and releasing their acclaimed debut album in the meantime, so now we've got them back in the mix to crush it even harder in the headline slot. Support comes from ex-Fischerspooner electro types AVAN LAVA and the hottest new DJ duo in town on the decks, The Jane Doze, plus special live guests to be announced next week.

And since taking it to another level is all we do here, we're expanding the action to both floors at Tammany Hall with our friends at Finger On The Pulse taking over the downstairs and lighting it up with DJ sets from PUNCHES and Australia's finest, G.L.O.V.E.S. As per usual, we've got the standard open bar of Absolut from 8pm-9pm, with a free keg of Heineken in the mix late night from 2am-3am. Tickets are $10 in advance and $13 on the door and available from the Popshop site HERE.

UPSTAIRS
11:00pm: AVAN LAVA // STREAM: "Lemons"
12:00am: French Horn Rebellion // STREAM: "Up All Night"

01:00am: The Jane Doze //STREAM: "Ain't No Drugs High Enough"


DOWNSTAIRS
G.L.O.V.E.S. // STREAM: "Sometimes" (G.L.O.V.E.S. Remix)

PUNCHES // DOWNLOAD: "LightHouse" (PUNCHES Remix)