Albums Of The Year: 2011

Most of this year’s top albums lists have already been release and whilst everyone is looking towards Pitchfork for the most comprehensive and critically acclaimed list, there will be a large percentage of the music loving community eagerly anticipated Village Boy’s top list. Possibly.

Putting this list together made me realise a couple of things. 1. What an incredible year of music it has been across all genres, the fact that almost all of these albums are debut albums makes you realise that music is in a healthy state no matter what LMFAO and Pitbull try to do to it. And secondly, how much my music taste has changed, I've got TWO R&B albums in there. There's hip-hop, indie, rock, dance, acoustic, it makes my iTunes a happy place to be.

So here's my 21 favourite albums of the year. Feel free to point out ones I've missed, which order they should be in or how completely right I am...


21. Ghostpoet - Peanut Butter And Melancholy Jam

Favourite track - Cash And Carry Me Home


20. Twin Atlantic - Free

Favourite track - Free


19. Everything Everything - Man Alive

Favourite track - Come Alive Diana


18. James Vincent McMorrow - Early In The Morning

Favourite track - We Don't Eat


17. The Weeknd - House Of Balloons

Favourite track - High For This


16. Frank Ocean - Nostaligia Ultra

Favourite track - Swim Good


15. Apollo Brown - Clouds

Favourite track - Never In A Million Years


14. Wild Beasts - Smother

Favourite track - Albatross


13. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

Favourite track - Reunion


12. Ben Howard - Every Kingdom

Favourite track - The Fear


11. The Black Keys - El Camino

Favourite track - Gold On The Ceiling


10. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

Favourite track - All In White


9. J Cole - Cole World: Sideline Story

Favourite track - Sideline Story


8. Foo Fighters  - Wasting Light

Favourite track - Bridge Burning


7. SBTRKT - SBTRKT

Favourite track - Wildfire


6. Yuck - Yuck

Favourite track - Holing Out


5. Jamie XX & Gil Scott Heron - We're New Here

Favourite track - NY Is Killing Me


4. Drake - Take Care

Favourite track - Marvin's Room



3. Bombay Bicycle Club - A Different Kind Of Fix

Favourite track - Lights Out, Words Gone



2. Jay Z and Kanye West - Watch The Throne

Favourite track - Murder To Excellence

1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Favourite track - Towers

The Playlist: Miike Snow / Michael Kiwanuka / Kendrick Lamar

Miike Snow - Devil's Work



Michael Kiwanuka — Home Again



Kendrick Lamar - ADHD

Here Comes The Neighborhood: Ep 4 & 5.

As I said in the last post, I'd update with the latest episodes of Here Comes The Neighborhood.



Quick catch-up: part of Miami that has become run down and desperate became the focus of a new art project and became The Wynwood Walls. Graffiti artists came from all over the world to do what they do best, make some art that makes people notice and makes a difference. Each episode is full of rich colours, thought-provoking words and just incredible paintings. Enjoy.

Sleigh Bells: Reign Of Terror.

You thought Sleigh Bells' debut album was pretty heavy and hard? Well it looks like their follow up album, Reign Of Terror, is going to require a change of underwear. Due out in early 2012, this trailer is making it looking pretty ominous. Can't wait.

Kanye West: Watch The Throne: Behind The Scenes.

It is no secret that Kanye West is not short of self-confidence and self-belief. Some brand him as arrogant and big-headed. Myself? I like to refer to him as a genius. Yeah sure he comes across as a bit of an asshole sometimes, but is that a bad thing? So many artists are forced into moulds these days - here to please and sell, but Kanye has refused this at every stage of his career. Everything thing he puts out, his music, the clothes he wears, the words he speaks, is exactly the way he wants it. The man works hard, he doesn't work towards perfection, perfection is just a step along the way. He is provocative, some people love him, some hate him, but isn't that how all the greats are seen? Think about Ali, he boasted, he provoked, screamed and shouted in your face, yet he is considered one of the greatest men to have ever lived. Now maybe it's a bit premature to compare Kanye to Ali, but he's definitely on his way. Definitely.

Kanye West has now started to release behind the scenes videos of the Watch The Throne tour with Jay Z, an exciting and rare chance to see two greats at work. I speak of icons and West's ascendency in that direction, but surely Jay Z has just about cemented himself there? He may not be considered the greatest rapper now, but he is so much bigger than his flow and lyrics, as tight as they may be. Jay Z almost single-handedly brought hip hop and it's culture to the front of society and pop-culture. He was a voice for millions of black youths who were caught in the circles of poverty and drugs, he stepped away from that world and made an empire. An empire that is not just measured in millions of dollars, but in influence and penetration through-out the world. Hip hop and the rest of the world has to acknowledge and appreciate that.

The Playlist: The Black Keys

The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling

The Maccabees: Given To The Wild.

It is a slight understatement that I am very excited for the new Maccabees album, I've got a feeling that 2012 could be their year. They've put out 2 seriously solid albums Colour It In and Wall Of Arms, and Given To The Wild is due out very early January.

And as a little teasing treat they've released a short film clip under the same name as the new album. It is a visual treat and the sound clips from the album sounds brilliant. They've gone big. Seriously can't wait to hear more.

Here Comes The Neighborhood

I am a firm believer that graffiti is one of the most relatable and appealing art forms in today's culture. Whilst so much art seems unattainable being sold for millions in places that don't allow those wearing trainers through the door, graffiti breeds and thrives right on your door. I'm far from an art expert, but that is exactly my point, how is it possible to relate or appreciate the flicks of paint or squares on a canvas by some guy who is very 'in'?
It's lost on me.
Now don't get me wrong, art manifests itself in many forms, film, music, design, photography, the list goes on. But in this instance I'm speaking about the more 'traditional' form, paint on a canvas. And graffiti is just that. Though the canvas maybe the side of a shop and the paint maybe from a can, it's still inspiring to look at, it's something that can definitely be appreciated by many (apart from the council) and it just brightens the place up.
This is where Here Comes The Neighborhood comes in: In the first episode of HERE COMES THE NEIGHBORHOOD the stage is set for the Wynwood Arts District. Parking lots, loading docks and factory walls are transformed into “The Wynwood Walls”. Founder Tony Goldman explains his vision for a town center, while Jeffrey Deitch, Arts Manager Meghan Coleman and Co-Curator Medvin Sobio offer their insight into the project’s significance, taking us into the present day expansion. In addition, Photographer Martha Cooper and Miami based Mural Project Primary Flight weigh in.



Here Comes The Neighborhood is a project with so many benefits. It brightens up an area that desperatly needs it - both visually and mentally, it keeps a place for artists to come together, express themselves and colloborate and it provides us, me, you something to watch and explore. It is a credit to the both those involved in getting the project off the ground, as well as the artists themselves getting involved. I'd love to see this project taken to other cities around the world, I can't think of many who would complain.

I will update with further episodes, but here's 2 and 3, featuring artists Gala and Kenny Scharf:

Bon Iver Deluxe.

It was recently announced that Bon Iver is to re-release his second album, and one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2011, in a deluxe format featuring a DVD that has 10 visual accompaniments for the album. It is to be stressed that these are not music videos. But they are videos to music.

Nevertheless I am really keen to get my hands on this version. Pre-Bon Iver, Bon Iver the only visuals fans had were live performances on various TV shows or in studios, sure these racked up millions of views, but to see the artist's own visual interruption of their own songs cannot be bested. These videos are even more poignant with an artist such as Justin Vernon as his songs are so deeply personal. Like Sigur Ros, Bon Iver is proving that his creative vision extends further than producing incredible music with videos such as Holocene and Calgary. Now it's time to feast our eyes on a visual companion for an entire album. Here's the first for us, Hinnom, TX:

The Playlist: Hilltop Hoods / Abstract Art

Hilltop Hoods - I Love It



Abstract Art - The Anthem

The Playlist: The Maccabees / Slum Village / Allen Stone / The Roots / J Dilla.

The Maccabees - Pelican



Slum Village - Fall In Love



Allen Stone - Unaware



This guy's voice is something else.

The Roots ft BIG K.R.I.T - Make My



J Dilla - Won't Do

We Are Your Friends Edit.

As a young boy I used to love filming and putting together little videos and it's something that I've not done for a long time. Too long. So as I made my way back down to my university home, Bournemouth, I decided to change this. Sure it's no Scorsese epic but I think it captures the fun times we had that night, more so than yet another Facebook album does. Enjoy.

The Beat Of NYC.

Regular readers will know I'm a big fan, like many, of New York City and videos of the city. I'll admite there is a lot of them, yet like a visit to the city, it is always different. The people, the sounds, the architecture, the fashions, are always unique and individual, yet together they make up the collective that is New Yorkers. This video has a great rhythm to it, not just in terms of the music, but also the editing. It shows that despite the speed and intensity of the place, there are those moments are calm and peace that you should appreciate just as much as everything else.

The Playlist: Yuck / Kid Cudi / SKTRKT ft Drake

Yuck - Soothe Me



Kid Cudi - To Da Top



SBTRKT Ft Drake + Little Dragon - Wildfire

Product As Hero: Go Pro HD 2

The late and great Steve Jobs always said it was important to let the product do the talking in advertising. Sure, it makes it a hell of a lot easier when you're selling beautiful and forward thinking machines such as Macbooks or iPhones. But that's not to take anything away from the statement. Showing that your product lives up to it's own high expections, showing that it works in consumers lives and that it is just generally a damn good product that sells itself. Yeah, sorry I just said 'sells itself'.

I digress. GoPro, the handheld cameras that are actually held by anything, head, chest, pole, helmet, snowboard, surfboard, cars, skiis, airplanes, are everywhere these days, and rightfully so. The latest release the HD Hero 2 looks superb, as does this video for in, unsurprisingly in conjunction with Red Bull.



The advert does what all great advertising does, it makes you feel something. It makes you feel compelled to ditch the day job, it makes you feel like you need to do something more exciting in your life, it makes you want to jump off a cliff. In a good way.

A Tribute: A Year In New York.

I've always said that it's not hard to make New York City look good. There is so much to love about that city, the aesthetic, the culture, the attitude and the best part is that it's all so diverse.

This video filmed by Andrew Clancy is lovingly shot and edited and with the beautiful James Vincent McMorrow track sitting comfortably behind the visuals, it forms a tribute to the city. It does not aim to show how cool or fashionable the city is. Instead, it shows that it a home to real people. Somewhere where people live, work and travel every single day, and I think that makes it somewhat unique. Enjoy.

Call Of Duty w/ Jonah Hill X Sam Worthington

I've always been a big fan of advertising of games. With the huge budgets and even 'huger' resource of special effects they have at their disposale, it is not surprisingly. However it was left to Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, probably the biggest game of the year, to do something different (refer back to the huge budgets):



In the deathmatch arena of marketing, Call Of Duty has just used the "celebrity" perk. In an attempt at one-upmanship over its Battlefield rival, the team behind Modern Warfare 3 has ahead of tomorrow's launch unveiled "The Veteran & The N00B", a real-world re-enactment of the game's infamously immersive multiplayer mode starring Avatar's Sam Worthington, Moneyball's Jonah Hill and NBA baller Dwight Howard. The nods to the series are plentiful (isn't that a SCAR-H with red-dot sight that Worthington's wielding?) and we particularly like Hill's hapless "Should I have used a knife?" Still, we can't help but feel that if it were really accurate to the game, the veteran wouldn't be played by a chiselled Hollywood star but rather by an oily-faced 13-year-old screaming "You just got pwned!" GQ.com

Brilliant.

Murmuration.

If you've not seen this video, you need. Two girls take a trip down the River Shannon in Ireland and come across one of nature's most rare and phenomenal occurrences. Watching videos on nature is so often humbling and awe-inspiring, see anything by the legendary David Attenborough (Planet Earth, Life, Frozen Planet), though this video is not on the same sort of scale as Attenborough, it has a great rawness and feeling of the immediate power the birds possess to it.

The Playlist: Sigur Ros / Childish Gambino + Chiddy Bang

One for the night:



And one for first thing in the morning:

Music Monday Is Dead! All Hail The Playlist!

Recently I made a conscious decision to start writing more and as Seth Godin says, the more you write, the less rubbish you get. Some might even say, the better you get. I'm hoping to get out a bit of the nonsense that rattles around in my mind and hopefully put it in some form of entertaining and even informative discourse for the readers. For a while now, writing about things that interest, intrigue and inspire me is a pursuit that I really enjoy, and the fact that it keeps me searching for and discovering these "things", whatever they may be, is just as important.

But I digress. This post is an announcement. ANNOUNCEMENT. Music Mondays is no more. Though I loved the posting up whatever had been filling my ears that week, I fear that I won't be able to keep posting every single Monday. I still felt it was important to keep the music aspect of Village Boy as music is such a huge and important part of my life, I couldn't do without it. Plus I love nothing more than getting people interested in music I love, and when people do the same for myself. So make your peace with Music Mondays and welcome The Playlist in the world. The Playlist will be featured whenever I few it is necessary to share a track with you, new or old, genre irrelevant. As the posts grown it will create a series of songs for your listening pleasure. So with that, enough for your eyes, here's something for your EARS:

Drake - Headlines


Drake ft Nicki Minaj - Make Me Proud



Nas - Nasty



The Black Keys - Lonely Boy



Duck Sauce - Big Bad Wolf



Jay Electronica ft Mobb Deep - Call Of Duty: MW3




Now that seems like a pretty good way to start The Playlist.

Gig Review: Bon Iver - Hammersmith Apollo.

For years now I've been listening to Bon Iver. And by listening to, I mean having For Emma, Forever Ago on repeat for a few years, then the four track Blood Bank EP on repeat, and then this year their second album, Bon Iver, surfaced and is looking like a strong contender for my album of the year. I've watched his performance of Skinny Love on Jools Holland, countless times, felt every ounce of sadness in his Bonnie Raitt cover of I Can't Make You Love Me. And then there's his work with the one and only Kanye West just to top it all off.

It's fair to say I'm a big fan.

It's almost impossible to speak of Bon Iver, aka Justin Vernon, without mentioning his retreat into a cabin in the woods after his heartbreak from his girlfriend. This is where he wrote his incredible debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago. His odd, highly pitched, yet majestic voice and simple guitar riffs culminated into a deeply sad, heartfelt record that captures the hearts of so many. It is a beautiful album, quite simply, one of the best I have ever heard.

And then came his second album, Bon Iver. Along with millions of others, I prayed that it was as incredible as I hoped it to be. And it was. Now with a 9 piece band, Bon Iver was a whole new beast. With a variety of instruments, some backing singers and some sound manipulations, Bon Iver managed to produce an album of sonic perfection. The tracks are simple and humble when they need to be, and then suddenly epic and euphoric. Every drop is perfectly timed, every lyric perfectly sung and every instrument perfectly placed. Perfect.

So after years of what seems like adoration and hero worship as I write this post, I finally got to see the man live in concert. Needless to say I was excited. Needless to say it was perfect. Like his albums, the gig had a beautiful rythem to starting off, as the sound album does with Perth and Towers, dipping down into a solo Flume and Holocene and then up in Blood Bank.




As the sold out gig progressed, the crowd was transfixed as one, yet it felt oddly personal, largely due to the nature of his songs and the emotions that he can still portray them with. It was almost like every song was going to do end the gig, but there was another and another. After one of the loudest requests for an encored I have heard, he and his band returned to finish the night on two of his sadness, yet greatest songs, For Emma and then of course Skinny Love. Despite the sadness of the songs, you can't help but join in and feel the release of the sounds on behalf of Justin. Having listened to and watched many Skinny Love videos, his live version was unique and a welcome change as he sat down with his guitar and was surrounded by his band as they clapped, stomped and sang along. It was a (sorry for repetition of) perfect end to a perfect night.

A Sunday In East London.

East London is getting a bad reputation these days, and it's safe to say that shows like the upcoming The Only Way Is Dalson, is going to help. There's no doubt that the Shoreditch/Brick Lane area is full of hipsters and just general try hards, but equally, it is full of art and culture, and that is something that should definitely be embraced rather than shunned.

I've dipped in and out of East London, however last Sunday I had a bit more of an exploration, visiting Spitalfields market, Brick Lane market and the beautiful Columbia Road flower market where everything is 'laavley' or '4 for a fivvar'. As you squeeze and shove between a mixture of locals and tourists you bounce between countless stalls featuring vintage clothing, handmade jewellery, real fur coats, art and food from each corner of the world. You really get the feeling that each time you go there you're going to discover something new, whether it just be a new stall of t-shirts, a new musical talent or a spot of graffiti. Speaking of the latter, you can see below some examples that brightened up the streets, made people stop and stare and whip out their phones (guilty) to take a snap, now how can something that adds so much be deemed illegal?

Just a couple of hours later...

I hope to make my visits a bit more frequent and explorations a bit deeper in the near and distant future.

Pastures New.

It's been a bit longer than a while since I last got a moment to sit down at the my worn out Macbook to write some words and sentences on the humble blog. That is mainly down to the fact that it has been longer than a while since I had a chance to sit down and stop at all. Now I won't sit here and bore you with a minute by minute account of the past four weeks but I will (loosely) entertain you with some of the major plot developments, such as I got a pretty decent set of speakers of £5 from Gumtree. I joke.
Some of you will know fully aware that I have, for the past year and a bit, been one of the statistics concerning the numbers of graduates that don't get employed since finishing university. I did a good course, Advertising and Marketing. I went to a good university, Bournemouth. I got a good grade, 2.1 (just). But for me and thousands others, that really isn't enough, and a lack of working experience doesn't help much either. And that darned economic climate helps no man.

So after the best part of a year of applying for every job, somewhat related to the advertising industry, I finally got something. Well I got more than something, I got an incredible opportunity. I'm currently on the HomeGrown intern scheme at BBH. For those not in the know, BBH is one of the original, great, British advertising agencies, and has gone on to fully stamp that reputation on the rest of the world. To name but a few, their client list features Google, Audi, Lynx, ITV, British Airways. Impressive. Though it's just an internship, I'm looking to grab the opportunity and have already starting working on some cool projects. BBH is a brilliant agency, sure they've got a great show-reel and are headed by the great, Sir John Hegarty, but it is their entrepreneurial and tireless approach that I really love. Working in departments such as Labs and Zag, is really incredible as they look to diversify themselves away from the traditional agency approach. They still have the basics of fantastic creativity holding hands with great consumer insights but apply it to pushing themselves and the industry forward. Really inspiring.

So I know find myself situated in London, from the village to the big city, and I'm glad I'm finally here. Things can begin.


On a side note, I thought I would give you a bit of a heads-up on where I'm hoping the blog is heading. Now that I'm in London, I'm assuming that a plethora of interesting activites will be coming my way to write about. But seriously, I'm looking to accompany the usual updates and posts of music, advertising, film, fashion etc, with my life and the things that I get upto. I hope you look forward to this and come along with me.
Thanks for the support.

Vaccines: Wetsuit

Just when you thought The Vaccines couldn't appeal to the indie hipsters anymore they make a video out from a load of Instagram photos. It's a cool idea. Plus, I really like the The Vaccines and Instagram.

City And Colour: Weightless.

Recently it's been taking a lot to convince to keep on liking Dallas Green as he was one of the main reasons that Alexisonfire, aka my favourite band since I was about 14, split up. If he keeps producing the music that he's doing and videos such as this to go with them, he's just about hanging on in there.

Mishka: How To Make It.

The real life Ben and Cam (okay, not literally) from How To Make It, Mishka co-owners speak on what it was like struggling to build their brand in the competitive landscape that is New York. The company has undoubtedly come a long way since its inception and shows no signs of slowing down now. But if anything else, this should get you even more amped for season 2 of HBO’s How To Make It In America, premiering this Sunday, October 2. Can’t knock the hustle. IMF Mag.
Inspiring Stuff.

Adele: Someone Like You.

If you've got a set of ears on you, you would have heard Adele relentlessly over the past year. If you've got eyes you would have seen her gracing chatshows galore and the front cover of Vogue. And finally if you have a heart, you would have felt an ache in it for the 23 year old's songs of heartbreak. I'm proud that Adele is British. She has sold gazillions of albums all over the world, and she has done so without the gimmicks and marketing of Bieber or Gaga, she has done it on raw talent and emotion. This girl deserves everything she gets, and if she carries on, she's getting a lot, of everything. Amidst her world takeover this year, British singer-songwriter Adele visited Paris and shot a music video for her heartfelt ballad, “Someone Like You.” The black-and-white, vintage 8mm-styled clip shows the 23-year-old strolling along the Seine river in a somber state and eventually focuses in on a close-up of her looking in the mirror while her love heads in the other direction. Adele’s sophomore LP, 21, is out now. Hypebeast.

Music Monday 68.

Azealia Banks - 212
I'm obsessed with this track. I don't know whether it's the beat, the flithy lyrics, Azealia's attitude, the dancing or just the combination of all that with a Micky Mouse jumper. It's probably the latter. This girl could be some talent, get obsessed.
Alex Clare - Trending Water
I think I've already labeled Alex Clare as the male Katy B. The man's got a great sounding voice, some solid writing skills and then the ability to wrap all that around a dance beat. Despite being a real talent, he's got that sound that will reach the masses, again you need to pay this guy some attention.
Wu Lyf - We Bros
Wu Lyf are certainly something a bit different, I'd even go as far to say a little odd, but by no means is that a bad thing. Something different in the music industry is a rare, rare thing these days. But saying that, this is the most 'pop' sounding song I've heard from the band.
Kele - What Did I Do? (ft Lucy Taylor)
Kele Okereke is continuing his path from Bloc Party to great success. The guy is clearly some talent, producing sounds on his own accord that is arguably as strong as some of BP's songs. While the song does take a step towards some of those generic dub-step beats that are heard all too often these days, the song really does hold it's own. By the way, does Kele look ever so slightly like Omar from The Wire now?
Childish Gambino - Bonfire
Speaking of a man with some talent in his back pocket, it's blogger's favourite actor turned rapper, Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino. His latest song Bonfire (apologies for the poor quality video) contains a solid beat as ever and is clogged filled of disses, rhythms and word-play that rivals most rappers and gives the crowd PLENTY to scream about.

ASOS: As Seen On The Streets Of London.

Kidz got skillz:

How To Make It In America Music Video: Luis Guzman By Duck Sauce

This is BRILLIANT: Presented above is a witty revision of Duck Sauce’s hit track “Barbra Streisand” in anticipation of How To Make It In America’s second season this October. The music video is reworked and highlights Luis Guzman, the Puerto Rican actor who stars as Rene Calderon. Sharing the limelight with some infamous companions including Terry Richardson, Pharrell, Kid Cudi, Mark Wahlberg, Guzman takes us around the diverse and notorious neighborhood of New York’s Lower East Side. Hypebeast. How random is Asher Roth and Justin Bieber (probably the source of 75% of views) though?

How To Make It In America: Season 2.

There's a lot of things to like about How To Make It In America. It's set in New York and features wonderful shots of the city at every opportunity. It's funny. It's dramtic. It's emotional. It's full of beautiful people. It's got Kid Cudi. It's got Luiz Guzman. But above all, it's inspiring. Like no TV show I've watched, it makes me believe that I can achieve what I want to believe, and for a TV show to do that, is something pretty special. So if you haven't, catch up on season 1, and get ready for round 2.

Bands In Transit.

I'm a firm believer that there are few things better sounding than a man and his acoustic guitar and it was just my luck that I happened to stumble across Bands In Transit's Youtube channel. Rarely is a brand's involvement in a project so subtle and so well suited, but Ford have managed to do it with this project. Bands In Transit, predictably, involves bands playing in a Transit van. But what makes this project so special to be is the quality of artists involved and surprisingly the quality of the locations picked, culminating in some beautiful sounding and looking videos. Featuring some of the hottest and most talented singer-songwriters, take a listen to the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, Ben Howard, Ed Sheeran and Ghostpoet, amongst a few other of my favourite videos. Bombay Bicycle Club - Beggars Ben Howard - Old Pine James Vincent McMorrow - Follow You Down to the Red Oak Tree Ghostpoet - Survive It Benjamin Francis Leftwich Ed Sheeran - You Need Me, I Don't Need You

The Singled Person.

“The Singled Person” is an installation of eight unsynchronized slide projectors displaying photographs by eight international photographers: Michael Ackerman, Morten Andersen, Lorenzo Castore, Thorsten Kirchhoff, Peer Kugler, André Lützen, Hisashi Murayama and Filippo Romano. It offers a subjective lecture on the relationship of the individual and his environment. The traveling installation is currently on view at the 7th Annual Wiesbadener Fototage through September 25th. This slideshow, set to the sound of a projector, shows a sampling of the work of each photographer. Leica. Just like a video Tumblr feed. Nice.

Music Monday 67: Bumper Edition.

Jay Electronica - Act 2 Blink 182 - After Midnight Florence And The Machine - Shake It Out J Cole (ft Jay-Z) - Mr Nice Watch Lana Del Ray - Blue Jeans Futures - Say My Name Bon Iver - Beth/Rest (Piano version)

Arctic Monkeys: Suck It And See.

With a song title like Suck It And See, you don't expect the quality of songwriting that's present in this song, but it's there. I've always been a fan of the original Myspace band, but at times it has wayvered. I really like the sound of this song and I like the video even more. It's got that gritty, unadulterated, redneck Americana feel about it. But with a song title like Suck It And See you do expect this level of near-on pornography.

French Connection - I Am The Suit.

This is odd. But I like it. It's a cool selection of visuals, some don't make sense, and some don't need to. The song is a bit odd too. In the words of French Connection themselves: The Suit. The pinnacle of a gentleman's attire. Never in the history of man has one garment had the power to add a glossy sheen of respectability to the humble male at both weddings and criminal trials alike. French Connection admires the suit's candor. Watch our homage to the fabled cut of cloth with music courtesy of Mr. Chris Brown, Mr. Busta Rhymes and Mr. Lil Wayne (aka Mr. Weezy to his homies). Odd is not necessarily bad. It rarely is in fact.

Supermodels X Jay-Z X New York State Of Mind.

Now this is one for some HD viewing. If you've got ears you would have heard Jay-Z and Alicia Key's monster track New York State Of Mind and just when you might have almost forgotten about it, Jay-Z's blog Life + Times produce their own video featuring every super model under the sun in the equally beautiful New York City. This is a win-win situation.

Frank Ocean: Swim Good.

This was a treat to come back from holiday to. The Odd Future boys are making some serious moves, Tyler is winding everybody up and winning a Moonman, Hodgy Beats is producing some serious stuff and Frank Ocean has produced one of the first R&B albums I have liked in a long time. Swim Good is probably the showpiece track from his album Nostalgia/Ultra, and it has finally got some pretty epic visuals. It's directed by Nabil would was also behind the Bon Iver Holocene video which was another treat for your eyes. And he's done it again with Frank Ocean, it doesn't all make sense, but why should we care?

Music Monday 66.

Lana Del Rey - Video Games Lana Del Rey has suddenly popped up on about every "One to watch" list I've see this week, and listening to her first single, Video Games, it's easy to see why. The pouting beauty has an epic melencholy feel to her songs, they feel as if they would slot right into classic Hollywood. The video feature archive footage over everything from pool parties to police arrests, it's got a feel of vintage American about it. It is reported that because of this song, she sold out her first gig in half an hour, impressive. As they say, one to watch. Real Estate - It's Real Now for something MUCH more cheerier, Real Estate. This piece of dreamy, indie-pop is simply wonderful. It reminds me of summer as I stare out of my September window that is being lashed by rain. Hmmm. Deaf Havana - I'm A Bore, Mostly. This is the first single proper from Deaf Havana with their new line-up, minus their screaming singer. Without their screamer, I don't know if they sound better, but they are certainly more accessible and have the potential to become more successful. There's a million of these rock/emo bands out there, too many are terrible, but Deaf Havana show some intelligence in putting their songs together, some tidy instrument work and some lyrics which aren't too bad. Justice - Audio, Video, Disco And finally, Justice are back! Whilst it may not be D.A.N.C.E (I'm not sure anything will be again), it's good! As usual, Justice are taking the other route to everyone else, and that is what sets them apart. It's what makes them one of the best at what they do.

The Street Aesthetic of New York City.

It's not difficult to make a city such as New York look pleasurable to the eye, but I really like the approach Christian Andersen took with his video. It's simple, but it's got great atmosphere to it, I'm sure the inclusion of The XX helped with that. Just wish it was longer.

Palladium Boots: Tokyo Rising W/ Pharrell Williams [Full]

You've seen the trailer, now it's time for the full documentary. Walk with Pharrell Williams as he talks to some of Toyko's most influential and innovative creatives as he discovers their reaction the earthquake that triggered the Fukushima Nuclear Powerplant disaster, 3-11 as they call it. Whether it be a protest, graffiti or just the general notion that this is an opportunity to start a fresh for the country, each creative has belief that Japanese people's resilience can over come this. This videos also approach the importance of Japanese creating their own culture, how it originated from copying Western society, but they got it wrong and when over the top, creating their own vision of society. It is an inspiring watch as people are keen to talk about the devistating effects 3-11 had on themselves, their community and their country, but they are more keen to speak about how they will overcome it and benefit. Watch:

Thomas Jorion: Silencio.

Absolutely incredible and stunning set of images from photographer Thomas Jorion, great use of locations and lighting throughout. I suggest you head to his site to see some more of his abandonment projects.

Year Zero Trailer.

YEAR ZERO is a modern take on high performance surfing set in a post-apocalyptic world, reminiscent of Mad Max or an HG Wells novel. It tells a story of a band of renegade surfers, including Dion Agius, Yadin Nicol, Nate Tyler, Taj Burrow, CJ Hobgood and Damien Hobgood, on a road trip through the apocalypse in search of waves, women, and good times. The film’s original soundtrack by BLACK MOUNTAIN, whom VICE MAGAZINE has called, “One of the best rock n’ roll bands of our time,” creates a sonic landscape that fully delivers the immersive experience that director Joe G envisioned for the film.

The film was shot on location around the world entirely in super 16mm film and offers a unique concept with stunning visuals that capture the essence of surfing in a novel setting. YEAR ZERO follows GLOBE’S previous award winning productions such as SECRET MACHINE and NEW EMISSIONS OF LIGHT AND SOUND and is undoubtedly GLOBE’S largest film project to date. Link.

Music Monday 65.

I'm very excited about this week's post, a couple of superb colloborations and a couple of highly anticipated comebacks.

Bon Iver and James Blake - Fall Creek Choir Boys



Wow. There was a huge amount of excitement when this was announced. Two of the most critically acclaimed artists of the last two years join forces, and wow. It is the perfect about of Bon Iver and the perfect amount of James Blake. I don't think anyone expected anything less.

Lady Gaga - You And I (Wild Beasts remix)



Now as far as expected colloborations goes, I don't think this can be put down as one of those. Wild Beasts, again, were one of the most critially acclaimed artists this year with the fantastic Smother album, and Gaga, is well, Gaga. This remix works perfectly. It is dark and haunting, and you get lost in the track, well done Wild Beasts (yes, I'm giving them most of the credit).

Florence And The Machine - What The Water Gave Me



Remember Florence? You know the one that played every festival and had her music on every advert and montage possible? All from her debut album? The debut album was fantastic and deserved the success it got, however, it is definitely nice to hear something new. And with almost a million and a half views in just a few days, I'm not the only one to hear something new. I can't say it is dramatically different from the first album, but if it ain't broke.

Ben Folds Five - House

http://www.nbc.com/sing-off/about/benfolds.shtml

Ok, I can't find a version of the song that I can embedd anywhere, so the link will do. But it's Ben Folds Five's first song in over a decade. Yep, a decade. If you don't know Ben Folds, he's covered Dr Dre with an orchestra and has had Chatroulette on a projector during a gig. Yeah, he's cool. And very talented, go listen.

Reebok: "Prequel To A Classic"

"PREQUEL TO A CLASSIC" provides an exclusive look into Swizz Beatz's understanding of craft (passion, rythm, classic song) as well as his thoughts on longevity in the entertainment business.

Directed by Paul Rojanathara and Davis Johnson,
"PREQUEL TO A CLASSIC" takes you into the story of the re-launch of the Classics brand.

The night brought out Hip-Hop heavyweights:
Diddy, Pharrell, Clive Davis, Busta Rhymes, Red Cafe and Alicia Keys, and apexed with an explosive performance by Swizz featuring Lloyd Banks.

Pirelli 2012 Calendar.

Kate Moss, photographed by Alessandro Scotti

There is one calendar that makes everyone stand up and pay attention every year. No, it's not the Hollyoaks babes or some WAG getting their wabs out, it's Pirelli. Year after year they shoot some of the most beautiful women in the world in the most wonderful way and this year is no different. And as a bonus it is shot by the legendary Mario Sorrenti, with Alessandro Scotti capturing these behind the scenes images.

Saskia de Brauw, photographed by Alessandro Scotti

Rinko Kikuchi, photographed by Alessandro Scotti

Milla Jovovich, photographed by Alessandro Scotti

Isabeli Fontana, photographed by Alessandro Scotti

Lara Stonebeing shot by Mario Sorrenti, photographed by Alessandro Scotti

Kate Moss being shot by Mario Sorrenti, photographed by Alessandro Scotti

T-World 7: New York

The humble t-shirt is thrown on by billions of people everyday, every size, every colour with every design imaginable. From the most simple to the grossly complex, the designs seem never ending, and we're all the better for it.



T-World takes a look behind some of the most creative, innovation and influential t-shirt designers in the ever-inspiring New York. In a world when everybody gets the same t-shirts from the high street, it is always nice to get something different, something that might even make you stand out a little.

Maybe some day I'll get around to throwing something onto some cotton.

How To Make It In America Season 2 [Trailer]

There's a lot of reasons you should catch up on season one of HTMIIA if you missed it:

• The inspiring story of two buddies trying to make it in America
• The backdrop to every episode is New York City
• Luiz Guzman's character
• It features Kid Cudi
• It also features Paul "Shitbreak" Finch from American Pie
• It tried to be cool, and as a result it is
• All of the above.

Catch up if you need to. If you don't, be happy.

Palladium Presents: Tokyo Rising W/ Pharrell Williams [Trailer]

Japan as a whole is a country that has always intrigued me. It is a country that is so rich in tradition and history, yet is on the very forefront of innovation. Japan is constantly saluted for it's steps forward in fashion, technology and art.

It's always interesting and often inspiring to see how a country reacts to a disaster. Japan and Toyko recently experienced their own disaster of literally nuclear proportions. Palladium, along with a certain Pharrell Williams, goes and investigates: While persistent challenges still lay ahead, the city’s creative class is hell-bent on making sure that their hometown thrives. Innovative and resilient, they are defining the future of Tokyo on their own terms. We put our boots on and went exploring.

Full documentary drops 1st September.

Jamie XX X Quayola: Structures.

Enigmatic producer Jamie xx is at the forefront of contemporary musical experimentation. Jamie xx has created iconic remixes of Adele and Florence & The Machine, as well as finding the time to make the critically acclaimed remix album ‘We’re New Here’ with the legendary
Gil Scott Heron.

For RizLab Project 1, 'Structures', Jamie xx has been collaborating with multimedia artist Quayola, whom he has long admired. Their work will culminate in an exclusive live event in Shoreditch on 22nd September. If you weren't lucky enough to win tickets, we will be capturing the event and posting here on RizLab - so check back soon.

Looks like a great project here from Rizla.

Music Monday 64.

Four Year Strong - Stuck In The Middle



I think it's fair to say that FYS are one of my favourite bands to see live. Not only do they sound good, there is a such a good energy to their gigs. Everyone is there to have a bit of a mosh and a jump and nobody is there to punch anyone in the head. Having exhausted their previous records, it's good to hear something new. It's not classic FYS, it's almost got a bit of a 90s punk-rock vibe to it, and I like it. It's still got some big, classic, Four Year Strong drops to it.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs — Garden



I've been aware of the oddly named Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs for a while now, but yet to really give them a decent listen. This track Garden really caught my attention this week, and I'm glad it did. The lazy, electro, indie vibe is really infectious and it's time that I listened to my mates and get some more TEED on my iTunes.

Gemini - Graduation



Just a great piece of music here to sit back to and appreciate. The different layers weave inside out and over each other, always keeping the tempo high. A good piece of dance music here.

Professor Green - At Your Inconvenience



You often forgot that when rappers go big and make it in the charts, you often forget their rap. Pro Green, along with Tinie Tempah, are guilty of this. Despite the catchy tune, Professor Green goes back to what he does best, rapping, no Lily Allen, just clever observations and wordplay.

Passion Of The Craft.

Taking a huge leaf out of the Influencers documentary, Bandit, a creative agency from Copenhagen delves into the minds of trendsetters and tastemakers to find out how to create a winning brand. I love documentaries and interviews with truly creative and inspiring individuals, there are always words of advice and stories of experience to take on board.



This series looks to speak to independent fashion designers to CD of Supreme and even the marketing manager of Microsoft, showing that succeeding and relating to your audience is key in every industry. And the fact that some very lovely New York visuals are thrown in there too doesn't hurt.

Danny MacAskill: Original Trickster.

There's many things to admire about Danny MacAskill, there is his blind determination to try new things, the sheer precisions of his riding, the beauty of his videos and even the music choice in the form of Ben Howard. But what I admire most about the rider is his ability and drive to find new and original places to show of his abilities all across the world. It really makes his videos and his tricks so much more interesting and impressive. Good show.

Bon Iver: Holocene

Few words need to be said about this. Just admire the beauty.

Jose Vanders X Luke Leighfield X Bon Iver

I've listened to these two little singer/songwriter indie pop gems for a few years now, they've got a lot of hard work in them and a more than their fair share of talent to back it up. They often performance together and to celebrate their join tour, they decided to cover a Bon Iver classic, Blindsided. And it is filmed wonderfully too, just as an added extra.



How could I not share this with you?

8 Slow Hours In Brooklyn.

There seems to be little point to this video other than creating some visual satisfaction. But is anyone complaining? Created by Next Level Pictures, it simply encaptures some of Brooklyn's every dynamic and diverse life in some serious slow motion.

Music Monday 63: BUMPER EDITION.

A big old update this week so just a few words on these little gems.

Lucy Rose - Middle Of The Bed



I spoke in last week's post of simplicist beauty of singer songwriters. Now we have another. Lucy Rose is best buds with Bombay Bicycle Club and has often been seen on stage with them and providing backing on several tracks. Now she's off on her own. Good decision.

Feist - How Come You Never Go There



Speaking of talented female songwriters, it's the sultry sounds of Feist. After 4 long years since the incredible The Reminder, she is back.

Canterbury - More Than You Know



A massive fan of Canterbury, their debut album Thank You, is one hell of a debut. But, at last new material. Everyone may not be liking the 'new sound', but this band have got what it takes to sit up alongside Kids In Glass Houses and You Me At Six.

You Me At Six - Loverboy



Speaking of YMA6, it's their new track Loverboy. It's sometimes difficult to like a band you used to love as a teenager, when their fanbase is now screaming 14 year olds, but YMA6 have always stuck to what they do best. British pop-rock at it's best.

Tom Vek - Aroused



Yeah I know this has been out a little while now, but for some reason I've had this on repeat all week. Love the absurdity and bizarreness of the whole thing.

Lil Wayne - She Will (ft Drake)



In a week when Watch The Throne was released it's probably expected that every other rapper in the world should just be quiet and not even try to compete. But if anyone should try, it has to be Lil Wayne and Drake. I love the eery atmosphere to this track, got some trademark Drake beats in there.

Asher Roth - In The Kitchen



It's just Asher Roth doing what he does best. End.

Kid Cudi: No One Believes Me.

Hurray. At last it seems as if Kid Cudi is coming back to creative and innovative roots. For too long Cudi has rapped about being stoned and little else. But the boy has got talent, you can tell that from his mixtapes and debut album, but since he's been somewhat lacking. Now he's making up for it.



I felt that the video was a little too special just to throw it in a Music Monday, a little attention needs to be paid to the visuals directed by Craig Gillespie. The tune will also be featured in the upcoming remake of the 1985 horror-comedy film Fright Night, but until now the song had been under wraps. Watch above as Cudi walks through a creepy neighborhood where things just don’t seem to be right, and then unveils just who he really is.