When you think of electronic artists I am sure you think of pale skinned basement dwelling types, working nobs and recording odd instruments. This couldn't be further from the truth for Gaslamp Killer (GLK). The resident DJ at the world renowned Low End Theory club night, the Gaslamp Killer will shatter your ill concieved notion electronic DJs straight away. My dude Jeff over at one of the best run blogs on the planet had this to say about the event:

LA’s abstract beat culture what The Smell is to punk rock. The music scene’s getting so good out here, it’s making it almost impossible for me to talk s**t–which poses a dire dilemma. GLK is one of the reasons why.

The aptly named slasher has received acclaim for his turntable skills and larger-than-life stage presence. Mr. Gaslamp Killer is set to unleash his highly anticipated debut release, My Troubled Mind EP August 4th on Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder imprint. While a short seven songs it offers an enterance into GLK's exploration of otherworldly soundscapes.

Gaslamp Killer - "Anything Worse"

Buy: Get the record on August 4th here.

"Can there really be anything worse than what is on the way?"

Whoa. This of course is paired with a 24 track Daft Punk created soundtrack. I am pretty excited about the prospect.

"When I Said Goodbye" Mayer Hawthorne's debut full-length album A Strange Arrangement comes out 09.09.09. Video by Ross Harris

Video for hip hop classic, "I know you got soul" that I just had to post. RIP MJ.

Chin Chin the maddeningly fun Brooklyn tropical funk group has a remix single out. It features three remixes from fellow artists, and sometimes collaborators, El-p (Def Jux), Ticklah (Amy Winehouse, Anitbalas), and Blockhead (Ninjatune, Aesop Rock collaborator). Here is El-p's (GG and The Boys) crashing instrumental mashed with an echoing vocal synth. Check it out, highly recommended. Sorry for the divShare thing my mp3 host seems to be down.

Chin Chin - "Wipe that smile off your face" (GG and the Boys Remix)

Buy: Get the single from iTunes here.

We featured the original go around of Friends of Friends awhile back. Well I am happy to state that it has just recieved the remix treatment by some of my favorite remixers. Nosaj Thing, Michna, Eliot Lipp, Mexicans with Guns and Grahm Zilla (of Thunderheist) are on this record. As you know Nosaj Thing and Eliot Lipp are two of my favorite artists over the past couple years and am a big Daedelus fan as well. Daedelus will actually be playing August 10th at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park in Chicago.

Check out a remix of the upcoming record. Lipp brings the bass and makes the original track real heavy.

Mp3: Daedelus - "LA Nocturn" (Eliot Lipp Remix)

Buy: Get the remixed record here.

Jamie Lidell is playing in Chicago at the Congress Theater this Saturday. This is not a DJ set it is "Jamie performing on the edges of control and chaos, turning his music inside out." Lidell plans to bring his upside-down soul sampling to Chicago and if you were able to catch his Pitchfork festival appearance of years past you have an idea what to expect.

On July 25th, Jamie Lidell's Congress Theater set will close the first night of Chicago's most attended street festival. Lidell with be joined by Brooklyn's soul and electronica outfit, Tortured Soul, and Chicago funk staple, The Right Now.

Enough of all that here is the scope on the contest.

Contest: First five (5) people to list they're favorite part about either Lidell or the Wicker Park neighborhood (in comments) get added to the guest list to attend the show for free.

Please include your email so I can get your real name for the list.

CONTEST IS OVER


Mp3: Jamie Lidell - "A Little Bit More" (Luke Vibert Mix)

Buy: Miss out on the free tickets? Buy tickets here.

After Pitchfork and before Lollapalooza there is Wicker Park Festival on July 25th to the 26th. A musical collage of some very diverse artists in the best neighborhood in Chicago. This year is no less eclectic than the past incarnations with music ranging from rock to dub to hip hop to electronic. Daedelus and Nomo put on some great shows in years past and this year I am especially excited about a couple of events. One is seeing one of my favorite bands Junior Boys play, another is seeing the up and coming emcee Mickey Factz (with perhaps a Cool Kids sighting? this is Chicago).

I missed Pitchfork being in New York last weekend (again Lindstrøm slips avoids my listening ears) and Lollapalooza isn't really worth the money for me with the headliners it has, so this is my summer festival this year in Chicago. I am also looking forward to checking out Jamie Lidell's DJ set at Congress Theater on Saturday night.

All in all it should be a very good weekend for music. Hope to see all of you in Wicker Park. Connect with me on twitter if you are in the area. Peace.

New Kid Cudi takes the Lady Gaga hook from "Poker Face" and enlists some prime Chicago talent in Kanye West and Common to put together this great video. Nice artistic direction on this one with the split screen. Fun to watch. Well done.

Heading to NYC this weekend to visit some good friends and it just so works out that Mayer Hawthorne will be DJing at APT. Excited about the opportunity to meet some of the good people of ST records that have been so supportive of Analog Giant over the years and to check out some genuinely great music.

Mayer Hawthorne's record A Strange Arrangement is due out this fall and if you pre-order it you get the limited edition record and LP packaged with a 4-inch vinyl single containing 2 non-album tracks. Hawthrone is the Michigan born soul singer who creates amazing music and plays all the instruments. A bit unique in that Hawthorne is a 30 year old white kid from Ann Arbor looks more geek than soul but the music will make you a believer. Great stuff and a record everyone should be looking out for.

Mp3: Mayer Hawthorne - "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out"

Pre-order: Pre-order A Strange Arrangement here.

For those on the westcoast don't miss him live. He did an awesome live show at Park West here in Chicago awhile back. He is going to be playing Outsidelands in San Francisco and Bumpershoot in Seattle.

MC Jneiro Jarel (Shape of Broad Minds) and Goodie Mob frontman Khujo make make up Willie Isz. The experimental hip hop project was first leaked back on hip-hop blog Cocaine Blunts back in October. I have been sleeping on this one but its a great combination of soul and hip hop and I have always been a big Goodie Mob fan. Georgiavania came out the end of last month. I recommend that any hip hop fan be sure to check this out. One of the best hip hop records of 2009.

Mp3: Willie Isz - "The Grussle"

Buy: Get Georgiavania here (iTunes).

First official video off the Miike Snow record. Really amazing pop music here.

Note: Sorry forgot to hit "publish post" button on this one on Thursday.

Awesome gear once again from Stones Throw. This is a tribute to the legendary Juice Crew. Stones Throw, in conjunction with Biz Markie, photographer George DuBose, Soul-Cal and Traffic Entertainment Group, presents the exclusive sale of a series of Cold Chillin' tee shirts. Make sure you pick some of these up. Classic stuff.

Link: Stones Throw rolls out Cold Chillin'.

Andy Meecham comes armed with a fantastic name with his The Emperor Machine alias and some pretty spaced out space disco to run with. If you like Lindstrøm, Osbourne, Prins Thomas, Quiet Village etc. you will love The Emperor Machine. Meechams second record is Space Beyond the Egg out on DC Recordings. The video is for his first sing "Kananana." I highly recommend you pick up the entire record if you are into this type of sound. My favorite track is "The Frontist" probably which you can check out bellow.

Mp3: The Emperor Machine - "The Frontist"

Buy: Get The Emperor Machine records here.

New and remotely frieghtening video for Tosca's track "Rosa" off their 2009 record No Hassle. If you have ever met me in person, and I realize few of you have, I am about the most laidback person you can meet (or at least so I am told). So its no suprise my enjoyment of everything having to do with Richard Dorfmeister.

For those that don't know Tosca is a project between Dorfmeister and his Vienna classmate Rupert Huber. Their Opera album is a downtempo classic. While No Hassle isn't a classic, it certainly is good. Popmatters may have put it best, "If you can’t chill out to this, you’re cold."

More info: Check there official site for more info and to get a free track.

Typically any white suburban kid's entry into hip hop begins with "Rapper's delight." I wish I could claim that I fell in love with hip hop by listening to Cool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Fab Five Freddy or the Treacherous Three but that simply would not be the truth. Sure I heard 2 Pac, Biggie, Snoop and N.W.A. in middle school but "gangster rap" (if that is what you wan't to call it) just was not for me. It was when I heard "Rapper's delight" on the radio as my dad drove me to my friend's house that I knew there was more to hip hop than rap. Long story short, I feel in love with the sound and haven't looked back.

Daniel M. Nakamura aka Dan the Automator has been making fantastic hip hop since 1989. His 1999 record with Prince Paul, So How's Your Girl? remains one of my favorite hip hop records of all time. Here it is Dan the Automator has a fresh take on "Rapper's Delight" and then that take has been remixed by some top notch talent. This 2009 version features Dan the Automator on the beat with Chali2na, along with Casual and Domino from the Hieroglyphics Crew. Check out a remix of the song. If you can't get into this then there is something wrong with you. Check it out:


Mp3: Dan the Automator - "Rapper's Delight" (Van She Remix)

Learn more here. Guess the track was made for some French Evian commercial.

Chicago's own Charli 2na with a new video featuring Talib Kweli. Kweli is pedestrian at best but as always I love Charli's delivery and voice. The other dude in the video whoever he is gets no love. The beat on this track is great as well. Check it out.

Track is the single Charli's solo album, Fish Outta Water which comes out today on Decon Records. Video is directed by Decon's Yoram Benz and Jason Goldwatch.

Cool video from PBS' show Nova. Check it out. Sorry T-Pain the gig is up! Thank you KP for the tip.

Learn more: PBS page on Auto-Tune