If I would actually believe in the relevance of the album format and acquiesce to the Gregorian calendar, then SSION‘s Bent would certainly make it onto my 2011 list. Here’s my reworking of the bittersweet “Nothing Happens at Nite”, using Cody Critcheloe’s a cappella over a new arrangement that shifts from French filter house and dance-pop into some kind of tropical interlude before unfolding into the cut-up disco closing. Thanks to Electrosexual for mastering my remix, and if you haven’t already heard Bent, you can download the whole album for free at SSION’s official site.
+++ Snax has just published a pretty depressing article on the Huffington Post about the homophobic and racist reactions to the video of song “It’s Time To Get Paid” (a collaboration with Yo!Majesty member Shunda K). Read it here. Germans can watch the video here.
+++ The mysterious Manchester group No Ceremony have remixed Patrick Wolf’s “Time Of My Life”. You can stream and download the song here (via Snipe London). I also recommend the download of their lastest single “Wearme” on their homepage (via Joey).
+++ Justin Leon Johnson aka Fatha Green, one half of Portland based duo Purple & Green has just released a pretty awesome solo EP/mixtape. Stream it here and buy it over at Bandcamp - you can decide yourself what you want to pay:
+++ A couple of days ago I received an email by a Swedish musician and set designer Johan Svenson, who introduced me to his electronic music trio called DELAYKLINIKEN. I really like their trancey latest Single “Everywhere”, which you can stream and download right here. There’s also a nice video to the song, you can watch it here.
+++ Kele Okereke (see sexy picture above) is about to release his new “The Hunter” EP next week. The EPs lead track “What Did I Do” feat. Lucy Taylor has already been released in September. You find the tracklist of “The Hunter” here and the video to “What Did I Do” here.
+++ Here comes a new video by Jessica 6 to their song “Prisoner of Love”, which premiered over at Interview Magazine yesterday. The song is a duet with Antony, who also appears in the video. Styling by Nicola Formichetti.
+++ Portland’s newcomers Purple & Green (see picture above) have just released their new 4-track EP “Sunshine”, which can be downloaded on bandcamp for whatever you wanna pay for it (including nothing). There’s also a new video to the title track “Sunshine”, which you can watch here, as well as their last video “Human Nature”.
+++ MEN founder JD Samson is featured in a fashion shoot of the latest ”Vogue Homme”. Check out all four pictures of photographer Maciek Kobielski on the website of the French gay magazine Tetu +++
+++ The website Homoground is a great source for music of queer artists. Every Monday the site releases a new mixtape by people related to the queer music scene, every Thursday you can download an audio podcast featuring music by queer musicians. The site also features tour date, live videos and much more. Check it out! +++
Berlin based DJ duo Discodromo has just returned to Berlin after two US gigs in New York and San Francisco, where the guys promoted their single “Mercurio”. The song was released in June as the first output of a new queer electronic imprint called Discaire, which was founded by Ryan Smith and DJ Pee Play from Honey Soundsystem. You can now officially watch the NSFW video to the single by an artist called Gold~n~sour on the label’s website – until recently it was only available to the owners of the 12″ vinyl. The B/W clip was shot on a Sunday morning after the duo’ party Cocktail D’Amore at the now officially closed artspace basso in Kreuzberg (official funeral tomorrow).
To watch it you just need to click here or on the screenshot below and then enter the password FLANEUR in capital letters.
In 1986 Arthur Russell released an EP with three funky summerly versions of his song “Let’s Go Swimming”, the last song of his album “World Of Echo”. The EP included three (undanceable dance) remixes of the song, two of them by Russell plus the legendary “Costal Dub” version by his musical partner in crime Walter Gibbons, who also directed a video to it (see below). The EP will now be re-released in a remastered version by Audika Records, a label completely devoted to Russells work. It comes as a limited 12″ vinyl and on CD (including with a poster) and will not only contain all three mixes, but also a previously unreleased 11-minute keyboard funk version of the evergreen ”Make 1, 2″. The EP is out next week, you can pre-order it via Audika and stream samples of the mixes on Amazon.
“The London Boys were Edem Ephraim (lead singer) and Dennis Fuller (backing vocals, choreographer) both from Greenwich, London. Plus “third” London Boy Ralf-René Maué based in Hamburg, Germany who wrote and produced all their material. Selling millions the London Boys reached nearly double platinum status in the UK plus gold/platinum and double platinum in various countries throughout Europe and especially Asia. Sadly Dennis and Edem died in a horrible car crash in 1996. But their music will live on. London Boys 4ever. Enjoy!”
We’ve mentioned Justin Kelly here quite a lot already, for good reasons: he’s a filmmaker from San Francisco and responsible for a whole bunch of great music videos of queer artists from the Bay area such as Gossip, Hunx And His Punks, the Younger Lovers, Hey Willpower and Alexis Blair Penney (check out his website Den Of Hearts for more about his work as a director). For Catch Fire he has put together a list of his five favourite YouTube moments, which have in common that they make you smile and feel awkward at the same time, although the qualities of awkwardness differ. Thanks Mr. Kelly!
1. “I Gorilla Press 100 lbs while ‘Strange Currencies’ Plays in the Background”
“I can’t remember who sent this to me but… I’m obsessed. This man ‘coordinated his movements with the music somewhat in a way that is somewhat pleasing to him.’ Um, okay, cool. I feel you. Note to self: check hair immediately after a workout.”
2. “Dancing with Bears”
“This video should make you feel good. To be young again, free, without responsibility… but for some reason it makes me want to cry. I plan to watch it over and over and over ’till a tear at last forms in the corner of at least one eye. And drops.”
