Listen to “Gob (David Andrew Sitek Remix)” here

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I’ve been skimping on the hip-hop, and for that I apologize. There is a big wide world of music and DELS (aka Kieren Dickens) has made a splash in it. The English MC has one foot in hip-hop and the other curiously dipping in indie electronic tendencies, which explains his refreshing collaborations with Joe Goddard of Hot Chip. In a frequently mono-stylistic genre, he seems to set himself apart with a playful sound and a distinguishable desire to be different. Read the full story

The success of electro-pop phenomenon Hot Chip is no mystery. The English group composed of Alexis Taylor (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Joe Goddard (vocals, synths, percussion), Al Doyle (guitar, vocals), Owen Clarke (synths, guitar) and Felix Martin (percussion), has in the past decade established themselves as perhaps one of the most innovative and unique acts in music. Their eccentric approach to making music has not only redefined their own genre but also somehow transcended the barriers of genre and planted inspiration in all corners of the music world. Although Trendland previously featured Hot Chip in February, I couldn’t help but share this track with you all.

“I Feel Bonnie” is a collaborative remix of Hot Chip’s single “I Feel Better” between Hot Chip and Nashville folk/country musician Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (aka Will Oldham). The seven minute long piece is more a musical journey than a song, and the genius of Hot Chip is made obvious by their insane ability of making seven minutes seem like so much less. Hope you feel this one as much as I do. Turn up the volume!

Listen to “I Feel Bonnie” here

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Hot Chip have been one of my favorite bands for a while.  One thing in particular that I enjoy about them is that they are always altering their sound.  From their first album, Coming on Strong, to 2006′s release, The Warning, to 2008′s, Made in the Dark.  With their recent release, One Life Stand, they have switched gears again and moved towards a more mellow, toned-down tempo.  Which means that you probably won’t be hearing any of their songs spinning in clubs.  However, all of the elements that make Hot Chip great are still intact.  They still have the tongue-in-cheek sense of humor about their lyrics(see the new album name and track with same title), they still have the same catchy melodies and dual vocals of Joe Goddard and Alexis Taylor, and they can still make a damn good tune.  One Life Stand seems to be more about love and feelings rather than wrestling,  repetitive songs, etc.   This song, Alley Cats, was played on tour in 2009, and is finally now on an album.  If you saw them live last year, there is a chance that you heard it.  If you’ve had the chance to see and experience Hot Chip in concert, then you know that everything you hear live is bound to be a little different (and usually a little bit better) than the album recording.  Enjoy and look for them coming to a city near you soon!

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This Hot Chip video is awesome! The video for “Ready for the Floor”, a single from Hot Chip’s forthcoming Made in the Dark, is all about this duality. But the way they choose to express that is what really caught my attention. women painted in half black half color dancing against a black background makes them appear only half way. So simple, and so brilliant! But I have to say that with so much of my attention on color and color blocking lately the best part for me was when the women are standing on a rotating color wheel of an incredibly selected saturation of colors.