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MUSIC selection
December 2008

Video: DJ Tiësto will play the New Years Eve 2009 with a special five hour set at the Roseland Ballroom New York. Recently, Tiësto was named by the UK dance magazine Mixmag as the Number One DJ of the year 2008: "No other DJ came close to matching the Tiësto juggernaut". The podcast of his radio show, "Tiësto's Club Life" has reached over 250,000 downloads a week.

Born in Holland, Tiësto became a DJ because he "liked to share music with other people. When I was younger, I'd listen to a radio show called the Soul Show, and to Ben Liebrand's mix radio program, where he would remix and cut up different tracks, and I just thought - I want to do this!"

Today he is worldwide renowned and awarded with several prizes such as the IDMA Award Best Global DJ / Best Electronic Dance Album (2008), Release Dance Award Best International DJ (2005), Ibiza DJ Award Best International DJ Trance (2004) ... In 2007 his track 'Elements Of Life' was nominated for the Grammy ' Best Electronic Dance Album'.

Tiësto recently stated that he will go on touring in 2009 and that he is currently working on a new record, productions and special remixes. Check out Tiësto's Website for details, tour dates ... www.tiesto.com.

Video: "Halo" by the UK electronic band (since 1980) Depeche Mode who derived their name from the title of a French fashion magazine which means as much as "Fashion Telegram"; the video is part of the documentary "One Night In Paris" (2002, available on DVD) directed by Anton Corbijn, filmed at the Palais Omnisport in Paris during the 2001 Exciter Tour.

Pop- and lifestyle photographer Anton Corbijn (born 1955, Netherlands) worked for Elle, Rolling Stone, Harpers Bazaar, W,... His videos such as about Nirvana "Heart Shaped Box", Metallica "Hero of the Day" and Depeche Mode (with whom he collaborates since 1986) are legendary. Anton Corbijn's work is strongly influenced by the music of Joy Division. "There's a lot about records that you cannot feel from a CD. I know that's an era that's gone, but for a lot of people my age, it was a very important thing. How a record slips out. The crackle when it plays. It's lovely, very alive. CDs are not alive. ..." Anton Corbijn, source imdb.com/name/nm0179221/bio

By the end of this year Depeche Mode are finalizing their new album. "Next year will be a very busy one; once we complete the final mixing of the album, it’ll be mastered and prepared for release. Our recording sessions have been unfolding smoothly and productively - in fact, we have a few extra tracks that won’t appear on the album but we’ll update you with more info on that soon," Depeche Mode. On 27 December Depeche Mode is playing in Wrocław, Poland. Check out the dates for the "Tour of The Universe 2009" (Israel, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia ...) depechemode.com

Video: "Just Got To Be" from the album "Magic Potion" (2006) by The Black Keys, directed by Peter Zavadil / Taillight TV.

The Black Keys are singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. One of their trademarks is that they refuse to use big-name studios, and do most recording, producing, and mixing themselves.

You can hear their music such as ‘Set You Free’ on the soundtrack of the movie "School of Rock" (2003), ‘Girl is on My Mind’ in a Sony Ericsson advertising (2006), ‘The Desperate Man’ in a Victoria’s Secret commercial (2006) featuring Heidi Klum, their song “Your Touch” was used in a Lee jeans commercial (2007) ...
On 1st April 2008 the two musicians released their new album "Attack & Release".

In December and January (29 Dec Fremantie, 30 Dec Melbourne, 5 Jan Brisbane, ...) you can visit their concerts in Australia. On 29 Jan The Black Keys begin their US tour in Detroit, followed by Philadelphia, New York, ... Check out tracks, more videos, tour dates last.fm/music/The+Black+Keys

Video: "Wayfaring Stranger" is the debut single by South-West Londoner Jamie Woon (released 2007). Jamie Woon is in the 4th generation of a line of professional musicians.

The edgy Munich fashion store "Serie A" www.serieastore.com has chosen Jamie Woon on 13th December for their pre-Christmas program.

On 3rd January the soul-rock acoustic musician plays in Crimejazz Paramaribo, Surinam. Check out tracks, details www.myspace.com/jamiewoon.

Video: "Downtown" by Peaches (aka Merril Nisker, born 1968 in Toronto, now living in Berlin) from the album "Impeach My Bush". Peaches composes, sings, plays the instruments, programs the sampler and produces the records by herself.

You can hear her songs in movies such as "Mean Girls", "Lost in Translation", "Jackass: Number Two" ... and her (guest-)voice in the song “Oh My God” by Pink (album "Try This" last.fm/music/Pink/Try+This).

The punk-feminist artist's songs are about - what else! - sexuality, especially the distinction between male and female, such as in the video above.

She identifies herself as a sexual being "... although she rejects the sanitised portrayal of women in popular music". Read more about her view on male and female, listen tracks, details about her tour (5 Jan in Munich/Germany; 23 Jan Paris/France) on last.fm/music/Peaches.

Video: "The Royal Family" by Free Blood, directed by Elizabeth Seklir & Sonja Kroop (2008). The new album "The Singles" with 11 party/experimental soundtracks inclusive "Royal Family" was released on 11 Nov 2008.

Brooklyn/New York based Free Blood (formed 2003) consists of fashion designer Madeline Davy and John Pugh - both vocals - accompanied by minimal sound (mechanical drums, bass guitar, cello, saxophone).

Free Blood began with playing house parties around Brooklyn and Manhattan. In September 2008 Free Blood performed in front of designers, DJs and celebrities ... in the Tribeca Grand Hotel aka Batman’s Jungle Palace on occasion of the Fashion Week New York.

"We hid out in the room, leisurely sipping our cocktails watching Project Runway (what? it was fashion week, people!) and Golden Girls (what? it’s like Sex In The City:The Retirement Years). Our room was right above the lobby bar so an added bonus was hearing Eric Duncan play “Heaven’s In The Backseat Of My Cadillac” through the floor. Finally, our presence was requested on stage. The basement was packed with folks shuffling around each other with drinks in the air, either dancing or trying to get to the side of the room Val Kilmer was hanging out on." Check out the whole story from 19th Sept (and the official Free Blood t-shirt) at freebloodmusic.com.

Free Blood will perform on 15 Dec 2008 in Manhattan, New York. Tracks, albums, full biography ... last.fm/music/Free+Blood

Video: "Morning Hero" by the alternative psychedelic band Izabo from their debut album "The Fun Makers" (released in 2003 in Israel); realised by Julien Rocher and Thomas Leonard.

The first tracks of the new album 'Superlight' (will be released in 2009) are out now. In August 2008 Izabo presented some tracks of 'Superlight' on their tour through Europe as a preview. It will be available in France on 2nd March 2009 (ROY Music roymusic.com/distribution EMI).

The funk-disco with orientalique touch comes from three men and one woman: Ran Shem Tov (Vocals & Guitar), Jonathan Levy (Bass & Backing Vocals), Nir Mantsur (Drums & Backing Vocals), and Shiri Hadar (Keyboards & Backing Vocals).

Izabo is on tour in Israel: 19 Dec Tel-Aviv, 27 Dec Kfar Sava. For 2009 a concert is scheduled in Paris (2 April). Check out tracks, details on myspace.com/izaboband.

Video: "Well Well Well" by the feminist punk-band Le Tigre from the album 'Feminist Sweepstakes' (released on 24 Aug 2004 © Chicks On Speed); directed by Elisabeth Subrin. The underground electro-feminist performance artists Le Tigre combined visuals, music, and dance into the performances. A sample from one of the Le Tigre tracks played in the background of a 2006 television commercial for Nivea cosmetics. (The group was formed in 1998 and makes a creative break for one year.) last.fm/music/Le+Tigre

JD Samson is the androgynous one you can see in this video. The Brooklyn based musician (keyboards, sampler) and DJ (touring internationally since 2001) is a visual artist too: she has created for example the 'Jd's Lesbian Utopia 2006' launched by the New Yorker gallery Deitch Projects. Together with Le Tigre member Johanna Fateman JD Samson has a remix/DJ/production team called MEN. At this time Samson is working on a brand new music project in Brooklyn which will be unveiled in 2009. JD Samson performs on 17 Dec in Adelaide, 20 Dec at Handel Bar in Sydney ... Check out tracks, details and more tour dates on myspace.com/djjdsamson

Video: "Another World" by Antony and the Johnsons (out since Oct 2008); directed by Colin Whitaker, dance by Lola Naisse, backdrop by Nick Mauss. In “Another World” the singer express his despair in the face of a vanishing landscape.

This is the first track of the new album "The Crying Light" (will be released in early 2009). In the new work Antony reflects upon the momentous changes that we are facing, within each of our private worlds as well as collectively, and how we are summoning the courage to start moving through them antonyandthejohnsons.com.

Video: 'Feeling Good' by Muse from the album 'Origin of Symmetry'; performance for Radio 3. The UK band was formed 1990 by Matthew Bellamy (vocals), Chris Wolstenholme (bass guitar) and Dominic Howard (drums). Muse is known for their live performances; they were named ‘Best Live Act’ at the Brit Awards in 2006 and have retained the title in 2007. The bands last album "HAARP: Live from Wembley" (released on 14 Mar 08) is made up of footage from the live show at the Wembley Stadium in June 2007.

Front man Matthew Bellamy’s eccentricity is even obvious in the video above. What is he singing? Does he replace a word with f...? Bellamy is interested in space, theoretical physics, aliens, religions ... Their album ‘Black Holes And Revelations’ is about climate change, oil crisis and other global themes.

On 5th December 2008 Muse is in concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Check out details, tracks, albums ... last.fm/music/Muse

Video: " Ce Jeu" (means "This Game") by Yelle; directed by Yoann Lemoine; styled by Jean Paul Lespagnard OFFICIEL. Remixes of "Ce Jeu" by St Andrew, Tepr, and The Twelves are out now (released on 13 Oct 2008).

French electropop singer Yelle (the name is a feminised acronym of YEL, “You enjoy life”), aka Julie Budet (born 1983) rose to fame on MySpace where she posted a song.

Yelle wears fashionable outfits in her videos, such is in the one above for the track “Ce jeu” which was played on Gap’s and H & M’s shop soundtracks in summer 2008. The song “A cause des garçons/ACDG” was used as the opening song for the Moschino spring/summer 2008 runway show.

Yelle tours in Spain (11 Dec Madrid, 12 Dec Barcelona, 13 Dec Bilbao), Japan (16 Dec Tokyo, 17 Dec Osaka, 19 Dec Tokyo). In February Yelle arrives in Australia.

Listen to the remixes of "Ce Jeu" last.fm/music/Yelle/Ce+Jeu!

Video: "Mi Confesion" by Gotan Project. In front of a collage of historical tango movies you can see the Buenos Aires based rappers Mcs Koxmoz.

On 10th November 2008 the pioneers of electro-tango Gotan Project, consisting of the musicians Philippe Cohen Solal, Eduardo Makaroff and Christoph H. Müller, released the "Gotan Project in a Box" with a double live CD of both the “La Revancha del Tango” and “Lunático” tours, the 152 pages photography book “Carnet de viajes”, DVD video projections "Visiones", previously unreleased 7" vinyl, and an exclusive puzzle poster. Read more >>>