Hot Chip releases studio versions of “Dancing in the Dark”, “All My Friends” covers

While on the road in support of their latest record, Why Make Sense?, Hot Chip has been able to incorporate cover songs into its sets, especially Bruce Spingsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” and LCD Soundsystem’s “All My Friends.” The electronic outfit even performed both with David Byrne at Webster Hall in New York City in August. Hot Chip has now released a studio version of both covers blended into one amazing track.

The track is presented through a video that mixes found ’80s footage of concert clips and adds a frentic energy to the Springsteen classic track thanks to the synthesizers. It gets more and more energetic as it transitions into “All My Friends” at about the 05:00 mark. Listen to it below.

Hot Chip’s version of “Dancing in the Dark” is available through iTunes now, with a four-track EP coming out on October 23rd. As well as the cover, the EP will have an alternative version of “Cry for You,” and remixes of “Huarache Lights” by Soulwax and A/Jus/Ted. The cover will be on the October 24th deluxe edition of Why Make Sense? as well.

The Melodic Tree’s Weekly Playlist

1. Affairs – Skylar Spence

2. Mother & Father – Broods

3. Blood Stutter – Handsome Ghost

4. Lean On – Like Swimming

5. Rescue – Yuna

6. What You Don’t Do – Lianne La Havas

7. Try Your Best – Marques Toliver

8. Blank Maps – Cold Specks

9. On My Mind – Liam Bailey

10. Bloodlines – Mimicking Birds

11. Me And You – Jake Bugg

12. Sappho – Tribes

13. Darling Buds of May – Viva Brother

14. Getaways – Big Talk

15. Nice Try – I Am Arrows

16. The Photos On My Wall – Good Shoes

17. Discussions – Look See Proof

18. Poppy Bird – Bromheads Jacket

19. Monday’s Arms – Harrisons

20. Ships In The Rain – Lanterns On the Lake

The National debut new song “Roman Candle”

The National have been busy with the work on the follow-up to Trouble Will Find Me from 2o13. Last night, fans were given what could be the first taste of their new album, debuting a new song named “Roman Candle” at a benefit concert in Los Angeles. Watch footage of the performance below.

Frontman Matt Berninger announced in August that the band already has sketches for 3o new songs, with plans to meet in the studio while in Los Angeles.

Last night’s benefit concert was in benefit of the nonprofit Cooperative for Education which was co-founded by frontman Matt Berninger’s cousins, Joe and Jeff Berninger. The are hoping their new campaign, Thousand Girls Initiative, will help improve education for girls in Guatemala.

M83 to release new music in 2016

Four years since the release of Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, the sixth album from Anthony Gonzalez, also known as M83, he has worked on the soundtrack for the film Divergent and collaborated with HAIM and Jean-Michel Jarre.

Fans will have to wait not much longer for a follow-up apparently. According to an official statement, the Grammy-nominated musician is in the studio currently “working on new material, which is due for release in 2016.”

Gonzalez, in the meantime, is bringing back a few out of catalog albums. Saturdays = Youth and Digital Shades, originally released, respectively, in 2008 and 2007,will be rereleased on both CD and LP on November 20th. At the same time, Saturdays = Youth Remixes and B-Sides, a collection of “long-unavailable tracks,” is out today in digital formats on Mute. All the tracklists are below.

Saturdays = Youth Remixes and B Sides Tracklist:
01. Couleurs (Jori Hulkkonnen Remix)
02. Graveyard Girl (Yuksek Remix)
03. Graveyard Girl (Parkerlab’s Dusted Remix)
04. We Own The Sky (Maps Remix)
05. Kim and Jessie (DatA Remix)
06. Kim and Jessie (Montag Remix)
07. Je Vous Hais Petites Filles

Saturdays = Youth Tracklist:
01. You, Appearing
02. Kim & Jessie
03. Skin of the Night
04. Graveyard Girl
05. Couleurs
06. Up!
07. We Own The Sky
08. Highway of the Endless Dreams
09. Too Late
10. Dark Moves of Love
11. Midnight Souls Still Remain

Digital Shades Tracklist:
01. Waves, Waves, Waves
02. Coloring The Void
03. Sister (Part 1)
04. Strong and Wasted
05. My Own Strange Path
06. Dancing Mountains
07. Sister (Part 2)
08. By The Kiss
09. Space Fertilizer
10. The Highest Journey

Watch Small Black’s video for “No One Wants It To Happen To You”

Dream pop band, Small Black’s new album, Best Blues, will be out tomorrow (which can be pre-ordered here) and in preparation, the shared an introspective, watery video from a track off the record named “No One Wants It To Happen To You.” The video was co-directed by Small Black and William Colby. Watch below. 

Chairlift premieres new song “Chi-Ching”

Chairlift has premiered a new song called “Chi-Ching” today on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 program, the first taste of their follow-up to Something from 2012. Sprinkled with synth, brass, and a trap-style beat, it is a gem topped with Caroline Polachek’s vocals.

Listen to it through Apple Music.

More details about the duo’s upcoming yet-untitled album is yet to be revealed, but a music video for “Chi-Ching” will be released on Friday.

 Since the release of Something, Polachek put out her debut album under Ramona Lisa. Patrick WImberly has worked on albums by Wet, tUnE-yArDs, and Heems.

Neon Indian perform “Annie” on Jimmy Fallon

Neon Indian’s new album, VEGA INTL. Night School, is three days away from its October 16th through Mom + Pop/Transgressive. To celebrate the release, Alan Palomo and his band performed last night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The band performed “Annie,” the lead single, “a pared-down version” of the visuals that the effects company designed for their upcoming tour. If the visuals were “pared-down” on the show, the concert must be intense. 

Watch the replay here. 

VEGA INTL. Night School is also streaming now through NPR.

Foo Fighters have recorded five new songs, including one with Ben Kweller

Foo Fighters, headlining both weekends of Austin City Limits, came out with exciting news on Friday night for the second performance of the festival.

“You know what I did last night?” Dave Grohl asked the crowd during their performance on Friday evening. “I recorded a fucking song in your beautiful city of Austin, Texas.” And that isn’t. “And I’m just gonna say it now: We recorded five fucking new songs in your beautiful city of Austin, Texas. And we’re gonna give it to you! But not tonight.”

“Just by chance,” Grohl continued telling the crowd. “I bumped into an old friend that I hadn’t seen in about 16 years, right as I was recording a vocal. This motherfucker walks in — I’m like, ‘Hey, man!’ — and he starts fucking singing the most beautiful harmony to the thing I was singing. I was like, ‘Get your ass in the vocal booth right now.’ And then he said, ‘Hey, if you want, I’ll come up and sing a song with you tonight.’” Austin resident rocker Ben Kweller took the stage to help with “some straight-up sweet, tug-your-heartstrings ballad shit” on “Big Me,” off of Foo Fighters’ self-titled debut, which had turned 20 in July. Watch below.

The Melodic Tree’s Weekly Playlist

1. Return To The Moon – EL VY

2. Photograph – Frog

3. Willy Spends An Evening – Bop English

4. My Mistakes Were Made For You – Noirre

5. Anna – Will Butler

6. My Zero – Ezra Furman

7. Mad Cali Transit – Decorator

8. Dancing Tonight – Friendship Park

9. Playground Dreams – Paper Days

10. Romanticized – Derrival

11. Feeling Sinister – Memoryy

12. Excuses – Make Excuses

13. Bubble Bath – BESTIE

14. Stars – The Suits

15. Dangerman – The Pretty Littles

16. Jackets – Yo Grapes

17. Miracle – Island Apollo

18. Acid Jungle – Diamond Mind

19. Making Eyes – Saltwater Sun

20. Are You Happy – The Outdoor Type

Unsound Festival concerts cancelled following satanism accusations

After claims that Poland’s Unsound Festival, that is starting tomorrow in Krakow, “promotes and propagates Satanism,” festival organizers have been forced to find different venues for several concerts scheduled to take place in two churches. “These accusations, initially made in a letter to St. Catherine’s Church, are completely unfounded, unreasonable, and slanderous,” the festival’s organizers wrote in an official statement on the Unsound website. “They undermine the good name of the festival, which since 2003 has been an enthusiastic participant in Krakow’s cultural life…We of course categorically deny that Satanism is now or has ever been promoted at our festival. The goal of the Unsound festival has always been bringing artists and audiences together in the promotion of art and culture.”

Officials at St. Catherine’s Church have decided to cancel a show from Britsh neofolk group, Current 93. “We are especially sorry because David Tibet — the founder and leader of Current 93 — sent us a statement in which he explains his faith as a Christian, as he has many times in interviews,” festival organizers say. “This letter was forwarded to the church, but without effect. He is upset and hurt by the fact we are now forced to change venues.” Also, Pitchfork reports that other shows at the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul have been canceled as well. Pianist John Tilbury, jazz guitarist Raphael Roginski, and experimental electronic musician Rrose were scheduled to perform surprise sets at the venue.

Read the festival and Tibet’s statements here. Unsound starts tomorrow, October 11th and continues through the 18th, with this year’s theme being “surprise,” so no full lineup as been announces, but the confirmed performers are Andy Stott, Tim Hecker, Liturgy, Greg Fox, HEALTH, and Holly Herndon.