There are remixes that you have a listen to and think to yourself, “damn good!” Then there are those rarities that slip into your hands – you download, press play and instantly it causes a stir inside – Like the magnetism between two people falling in love – It sends chills throughout your entire body and puts a smile on your face. I’ve just listened to a remix of Goodbooks, ‘Walk with me,’ (the original, released as a one-off on Transgressive Records last April) done by Arne Blackman (top right) of Clarky Cat – about 10 times. Hopeless romantic? Never – but this remix is so lovely I almost want to break up and make up and play it over and over again!

Boys and girls who’ve heard, swoon over the four-piece Kent, U.K. based, Goodbooks. In time, I’m pretty certain those unfamiliar, will fall in love as well. With their debut EP, ‘Control,’ having just been released yesterday (7.30), the young lads have loads to look forward to – Including dabbling with some more remixes and of course, others remixing their tracks – Both Crystal Castles and Kissy-Sell Out remixed ‘Leni,’ The Teenagers - ‘The Illness,’ Arne Blackman of Clarky Cat - ‘Walk with me.’ Their clever lyrics have us all yearning for more. Is there a tour ahead? Will they cross the pond and deliver their fine melodies to the U.S.? We hope – we can’t wait!!!

Some tracks have no need to ever be tinkered and toyed with however, this one certainly falls in the ‘amazingly good remix!’ category – up for a mere 7 days!!!!! Truly epic Arne! – Heartbreaking. I’m feeling like 17 today.

Goodbooks - Walk with Me (Arne Blackman’s Epic Edit Remix)

You asked, so we did it!

My iTunes is loaded with so many plugins that I always thought it had attained a technological nirvana only possible through a massive collection of custom scripts. I can have it automatically open the Wikipedia page for the band I’m listening to, I can have it make a playlist of all songs without artwork, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I could have it making me coffee one of these days. But I was wrong, as arrogant music/tech geeks usually are. We all have a long way to go.

Simplify Media is a new plugin that lets you view and listen to your friends’ music libraries from anywhere. Until now you had to be on the same network, but now you only have to be online. You can listen to your home music library at work, or create a social music network of up to 30 people and all share streaming music at a bit-rate of 160kbps. You are free to judge your friend’s taste from anywhere in the world (and it might be time to hide some of your guilty pleasures). The program won’t let you download the music to your own computer, but I’m sure some clever folks can find a way around that (not that I’m openly condoning it, but we’ve all got an inner pirate.)

Oh yah, it’s also freeware.

Photo courtesy of Stuart Pillinger

No it’s not a death wish…they are one of our new favourite bands! Gritty electronic smothered with a smidgen of drum & bass, topped off with a tinge of metal for good measure. This London based four-piece are currently making us salivate with their scrumptious tunes, style and attitude aplenty.

We suggest you hurry sharpish to their myspace page BoNO MUST DIE and check out ‘We Are Better Than You’ and ‘Trafalgar’ to get a taste of their meaty tunes…

If you are one of our fortunate readers based near Birmingham, UK, why not get down to The Rainbow to catch them live this Saturday?!

Playing alongside ‘Bono Must Die,’ are ‘Clarky Cat,’ from Nottingham, UK. This quartet are set to send shockwaves throughout the UK and beyond with their electro tinged come new wave mish mash of tunes. We are particularly fond of ‘Sightline,’ with its razor sharp guitar riffs it could cut through any listeners ear drums. Check them out now on Clarky Cat.

If that has wet your appetite why not also listen to band member Arnie’s superb remixes on Arne Blackman (Clarky Cat Remix).

Joining these two electro slattered wonders are local bands, ‘Sunset Cinema Club,’ & ‘She’s a Kamakazee.’ The event on for a riproaring 6 hours is proud to have djs ‘Bang!Bang!’ & ‘Bigger Than Barry!’ manning the decks between bands. This will all be topped off with a delicious BBQ……let’s hope it doesn’t rain!!!

Ok Ok so that was my first sumptuous post…! Phew…I am KMD and my mission is to bring you the freshest acts from across the pond with a touch of humour and sarcasm sometimes thrown in for good measure! Nice to meet you all…I sense this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

Clarky Cat - Sightline

Missed out on getting tickets to the show?

Then Mas, Throne Of Blood, XLR8R, and Trash Menagerie are here to help!

We’re giving away a pair of tickets for the San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and NYC show to see Daft Punk, The Rapture, SebastiAn, & Kavinsky. Not only will you get tickets to the live show, but we’ll also hook you up with free admission to the after party, and a year long subscription to XLR8R mag.

To get a chance to nab the goods, send us an email with “I want MAS!” in the subject line to the show in each city that you want to attend, and include your full name in the body of the email. Winners will be notified by email, and we will arrange to have you pick up the tickets right in time for the show.

Good luck & see you on the dance floor!

July 27th - San Francisco @ Greek Theater
After party: Mighty
Email: MasSF@mas-forever.com
Deadline: Thursday, July 26 @ 2PM

July 29th - Seattle @ WaMu Theater
After party: Chop Suey
Email: MasSEA@mas-forever.com
Deadline: Friday July 27th at 12PM

Aug 3rd - Chicago @ Lollapalooza
After party: Green Dolphin
Email: MasCHI@mas-forever.com
Deadline: Wednesday Aug 1st at 12PM

Aug 9th - New York City @ Keyspan Park
After party: Studio B
Email: MasNYC@mas-forever.com
Deadline: Tuesday August 7th at 12PM

For more info and full after party details visit:

Mas
Throne Of Blood
XLR8R
RSVP for FREE Admission to the after parties at Going.com

Let the madness begin!

As I previously reported, Throne of Blood & Ed Banger are teaming up for the official after parties for the Daft Punk & The Rapture tour, with Sebastian, and Kavinsky on support. The tour with all 4 kicks off on July 27th in SF.

Parties are popping off in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Montreal, and NYC.
All the info you need and sikkkkkk line up’s have been posted on Mas-Forever.com in the events section. There is also info on how you can RSVP for free admission, yup, FREE!!!

I cannot wait for these!!!

I’m a sucker for sweet and charming videos – especially when the music playing along is as soothing as the waves that roll in from the sea and the young girls jump roping in their proper plaid dresses, don’t seem to have a care in the world! ‘Silly Crimes’ is just that. (kinda reminds me of The Teenagers video, ‘I fucked my American cunt,’ but a much younger cast of girls – dream on).

Swedish synthpop duo, The Tough Alliance – Henning Fürst and Eric Berglund, released their EP, ‘New Waves,’ on their own label, Sincerely Yours, in Europe last year (2006) and are now debuting it on SLUM – where they are kind enough to let you download ‘Silly Crimes,’ as well as some of their other artist mp3s. Score!!!! (please also make a purchase & keep everyone happy!) If you aren’t familiar with the boys, have a read and learn more about them over at Pitchfork.

Our UK homies, John and Gav aka La Greve Generale are back to bring the noise with another mashup mix. They claim they’ve been stuck DJ’ing in their hallway, so we thought we’d continue to help them spread their music beyond such tight quarters.

PEOPLE ARE NUMBERS - Le Greve Generale

1. Porcupine Tree – Even less
2. SebastiAn – H.A.L.
3. Ying Yang Twins – Jigglin
4. Porcupine Tree – Piano lessons
5. Jibbs (ft. Chamillionaire, Lil’ Wayne, Yo Gotti & Chingy – King Kong
6. Young Love – Discotech (Ocelot remix)
7. Ecstatic Sunshine – Tuscan
8. Cassidy – My drink n my 2-step
9. The Who - Baba O’Riley
10. Ying Yang Twins – Pull my hair
11. Turf Talk ft. Dem Hoodstarz- Wakin em up
12. MF Doom - Vomit
13. Johnny Cash – Hurt
14. Dolly Parton - 9-5
15. The Black Ghosts – Any way you choose to give it (Playgroup mix)
16. Daft Punk & Kanye West – Stronger (Diplo remix)
17. Digitalism – Home Zone
18. P Diddy ft Christina Aguilera – Tell me (Phones remix)
19. Chromeo – Fancy footwork (Guns’n'Bombs remix)
20. Utah Saints – Something good (Van She Tech remix)
21. The Faint – Danse Macabre
22. Fischerspooner – Emerge
23. Nirvana – Smells like teen spirit (Patrick Alavi rerox)
24. Mr Oizo – Patrick 122
25. Kid Sister – Control
26. Stardust – Music sounds better with you (Miami Horror remix)
27. The Human League – Don’t you want me
28. Feist – 1234 (Van She Tech remix)
29. Kraftwerk – Numbers
30. Princess Superstar – Perfect
31. Depeche Mode – People are people
32. Cut Copy – Hearts on fire (Joakim remix)
33. Armand van Helden – I want your soul (Fake Blood remix)
34. Nelly Furtado – Say it right
35. Thomas Bangalter – TogetherFor more fun and frolic, visit them on Virb