Tag Archives: The Knocks

modern hearts

19 Jun

534270_490361267684259_6833216_n

 

Today’s Untz: Modern Hearts (Night Drive Remix) / The Knocks

‘Night Drive is the type of music you would hear on a car stereo if Giorgio Moroder and Ray Bradbury were driving late at night through a buzzing metropolis. Inspired by bygone era of glamour and excess, kalioscopic neon lights, Studio 54 and Tony Wilson’s Hacienda, the band pulls influence from acts such as Brian Eno, New Order, OMD, The Drums and LCD Soundsystem to name a few. Night Drive rides a nu-wave of fast-tempoed, synth-based electronic sounds driven by rich guitar melodies and arresting vocal hooks.’

Advertisement

Tags: ,

midnight colours

10 Feb

The greatest lyricist of our time may not be Adele or Justin Vernon, but rather  a crazy and sometimes slightly angry and confused horse living on a farm in rural America. I have been obsessively following @weirdhorse on Twitter for the past couple of months, and his work is just getting better and better with time. Highlights include:

‘We found mud in a horse’s face, we found mud in a horse’s face’

‘I see you trotting round town with the pig I love and I’m like, forget hooves’

‘Nothing compares, nothing compares 2 hooves’

‘Want you to make me feel like I’m the only horse on the farm, like I’m the only one to eat from your palm’

…and Weird Horse’s most moving to date, ‘I’ve got the hooves like Jagger.’ Happy (weird) Friday.

Today’s Indie: All the Colours / Angus & Julia Stone

‘and I can’t see clearly right now / I’m wasted / I’m so wasted on you’

It is the weekend before Valentines Day, so grab someone close and curl up to the sweet Australian crooning of Angus Stone. It is hard to believe/scary to think siblings could produce such a sexy song, but I am willing to let it slide and get lost in All the Colours’ steady guitar rifts, dizziness induing lyrics, and sway inducing sound… the whole thing warms you right up like a second glass of wine.

Love stoned, love wasted, I want it all. #indie

Today’s Untz: Midnight City / The Knocks ft. Mandy Lee (M83 cover)

‘the city is my church / it wraps me in the sparkling twilight’

Hopping on the bandwagon for this cover, because it leaves me totally floored after every listen. I couldn’t get sick of the original version of Midnight City if I tried, but it is great to hear it tossed around by The Knocks and with some fresh female vocals. Further evidence that everything that The Knocks touch turns to gold, and the perfect kind of sound to ride your way into the weekend. Music is my church. #untz

Tags: , , ,

knock athens

2 Nov

I saw Youth Lagoon at The Bottom of the Hill last night, and the show gave me everything I needed after the kind of work day where I thought I should go straight home to bed. Instead I got lost in a 22 year old from Idaho’s first show in San Francisco. Trevor Powers produced the kind of sound that had my fingers playing pretend instruments across my purse all night, with a force that made me think my phone was vibrating in said purse all night, and displayed a mild sense of awkwardness that made me realize I was experiencing a rare opportunity to witness someone on the cusp of greatness without having them quite realize it yet. I will be sharing more of him shortly I am sure.

Today’s Emo: DIY / Keep Shelly in Athens

When I first came across Keep Shelly in Athens on Hypem a couple months ago, I assumed Athens Georgia. However, after finding myself totally transfixed by today’s track, I did a little digging and the electro-poppers actually are from Greece. TUATE’s first Grecians, and godly ones indeed. I love the persistent piano in the background, and while Halloween is over, there is definitely something a little dark and Haunted-Housey about the beats that roll in during the build. All of this is perfectly topped off by KSIA singer Sarah’s sharp vocals, and the result is truly striking.

It is a big fall for duo, as their EP, Our Own Dream, breaks November 5th, and they embark on their first US tour throughout the month, stopping through The Indepedent on the 9th. #emo

Today’s Untz: Dancing with Avicii / Captain Cuts (The Knocks vs. Avicii)

‘we don’t care if the sun comes up / cause you know we’ll be dancing with the dj’

Nothing like two of your favorite tracks being seamlessly rolled into one to take on the mid-week blues with. My friend Alex sent me this gem in response to my “send music rex plz” gchat status plea yesterday, and I’m glad that he did because it woke me right up out of my post Halloween weekend daze. These songs are both so happiness inspiring in their own right that together they are truly infectious… you are forewarned. #untz

Tags: , ,

dj clap your hands

17 Jun

I was going on a run to de-stress after work on Wednesday and doing my usual hyper critical people watching as a distraction from being fatigued routine, when I noticed a hipster seven year old. Chucks, skinny jeans, stylish across the forehead headband and that “I don’t care what you think but really I am trying pretty hard” look alongside her shleppy father. The girl was in the wrong neighborhood (Marina) for this kind of ‘tude, but I was still impressed/alarmed.

I thought to myself, ‘only in San Fran… and maybe Williamsburg.’ Then I realized when I was in grade school in Oregon I was rocking a hand me down Hello Kitty sweatshirt, leggings, high tops and an unintentional mullet… so I actually might have fit right in. Clearly before my time. Emo in the making.

Today’s Emo: Same Mistake / Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah were garnering serious momentum and critical acclaim during their first few years together, and then right when things were getting hot and heavy, the members decided to take a break in 2009 to work on their own projects. A break, not a break up, the Brooklyn (surprise) indie rockers have had a hot make up sesh in the studio, delivering Same Mistake as a teaser off their upcoming album due this September, Hysterical.

It is not the pieces of this song but the way that they are blended together that have me won over, and I like it enough to not even care that I can’t share any lyrics because I have no idea what they are saying. You can download the track free on the band’s site. Applause. Cheering. Yeah. #emo

Today’s Untz: Dancing with the DJ / The Knocks

‘we don’t care if the sun comes up / cause you know we’ll be dancing with the dj’

I posted the acoustic, striped down version of Dancing with the DJ a couple of months ago, but have migrated back to the feel good beats of the original to take with my afternoon coffee. I picture ladies of the 80’s dance-skating through a disco light filled roller rink with their hands over her head in shiny Lycra whenever I hear the song… and it’s hard not to smile. Friday time. #untz

Tags: , , ,

skinny kicks

13 Apr

Pardon my brevity, but I have an epic adventure to prepare for. It has been a fairly emo past week or so for me, and I am looking forward to heading south, seeing my Grandpa in Palm Springs for a night and then losing myself in the desert at a campsite marked by a giant Deadmau5 head and never ending music.

Signing out until I get back. Stay tuned!

Today’s Emo: Skinny Love (Bon Iver c0ver) / Birdy

‘come on skinny love just last the year / pour a little salt we were never here’

A beautiful take on a Bon Iver classic, this cover sets in chills just like the original. I love this striped down, piano driven version of Skinny Love just like I love Sky Ferriera’s take on Animal… there is something simple and ethereal embedded in here. I always thought of this song as romantic, but Birdy’s take conveys some sort of subtle despair, and I listened to it on repeat at work all Tuesday (emo).

The awe inspiring part about this whole bit is that the girl is barely a teenager… Jasmine Van Den Bogaerde is a whopping fourteen years old. Floored. #emo

Today’s Untz: Pumped Up Kicks (the Knocks Remix) / Foster the People

‘he’s got a rolled cigarette hanging out his mouth / he’s a cowboy kid’

The Knocks slice something speedy into a favorite Foster the People song, and the result is indie untz bliss. The original version of Pumped Up Kicks is agreeable but lacks an edge… The Knock’s version deserves speakers up, windows down. Happiness. #untz

Tags: , , ,

dancing with the mau5

18 Mar

I am crankily finishing off a 3 day juice cleanse. Last weekend I decided I go out too often and eat too much crap and that I needed some focus in my life. After 72 hours of just veggie and fruit juice, eggplant broth, detox tea, coconut water, and the energy level of 90 year old, instead of feeling pure and inspired to live life green, I feel like I miss hamburgers, happy hour, and my friends.

My quest for perspective has had the opposite effect than I planned: fuck pro-biotics and aloe shots. I love my messy life, and I cannot think of a better way to break the fast than dancing my face off at Boys Noize tonight at the Mezz.

Today’s Emo: Dancing with the DJ (Campfire Acoustic Version) / The Knocks


‘I know good love is hard to find / when you’re dancing with the dj, dancing with the dj’

While The Knocks original version of this song makes me want to skate in a disco-themed roller rink, this striped down version makes me want to… strip. Listen to this slow jam and just try not to take your clothes off, maybe around a campfire. The producers-turning-artists Ben “B-Roc” Ruttner and James “JPatt” Patterson have remixed the likes of Big Boi, R2d2 and Calvin Harris, but have recently started releasing attention grabbing tracks of their own. Funny that I discovered them via something so chill. Pass the marshmellows.

Today’s Untz: HR 8938 Cephei / Deadmau5


Oh hai Deadmau5, thanks for randomly debuting an epic 10 minute opus of untz in the middle of the week with another nonsensical song name. When I wiki’ed ‘cephei’ I got a lot of scientific business up over my head, but gather it has something to do with eclipsing stars. The HR and random (?) four digits make the song name feel like some top secret government project in space. Fits the sound. All the elements of signature Mau5 that somehow never get old, I could have this on loop for hours. #untz

** Update from Nicole **

Tags: ,