THE CB'S // MISDEMEANOUR // JAM CITY RECORDS

What a complete wash out. Not only were we soaked to the bone but spent 3 long hours on Saturday night sitting through '2012'.  Man, that is one LONG ASS film. Grim cautionary tale aside, the spectacle of giant tsunamis washing over the Himalayas was pretty damn riveting. The rest was crap though. Anyways, stepping out into the crazy downpour after the movie ended got us kinda paranoid.

Well, thank fuck for The CB's. Their 2K9 update of Foster Sylvers 1973 classic, 'Misdemeanour' has been all over BBC 6 Music's playlist for a couple of weeks now and is a cheeky, funk laden party time affair. Might move to Sydney, where it's hot and crank this bad boy up on Bondi beach.

Check out A.Skillz' remix here.

TORRO TORRO // JULLY BLACK // RUNNING (TORRO TORRO REMIX)

Not quite sure what to make of the new remake of the classic 80s sci fi series, 'V'. It's overtly stylised, bigger and badder. Looks slick as hell and the slight populist approach with it's underlying critique on Obamania notwithstanding, there are some cool moments to be had. Well, Mitchell, who plays FBI agent/worried mother, Erica, basically does her whole blonde running around thing last seen in 'Lost'. The real highlight has to be Brazilian actress, Morena Baccarin's Queen mother, Anna. Arguably the hottest alien ever. She could mind control us anytime. All it's flash and shine aside, it lacks that old school feel that made the original so endearing. Plus Marc Singer kicked ass. And we love the retro V / Luger type laser pistols.

Another duo capable of giving it the snazzy make overs are Toronto based electro-booty producers, Torro Torro, who are fast rising on the scene with their up front remixes and killer parties. Having remixed Crookers and Esser earlier this year, these guys have just put their Midas touch to hip hop vixen, Jully Black's new single, 'Running' out later this month. Expect some big room effects and loadsa booty shakin'.

Check it out here.

MUNK // NO MILK // GOMMA RECORDS

We've pulled ourselves out of the Monday Blues (mosh) pit and finally got round to getting our act together. It's not that we hate Mondays but Tuesdays are definitely much cooler. We don't fight it, we embrace it. Like what our buddy Lyn Cassady said about Optimum Trajectory, in 'The Men Who Stare At Goats', "Your life is like a river and if you're aiming for a goal that is not your destiny, you will always be swimming against the current. Find out what your destiny is and the river will carry you." We like that kinda thing. It is inspirational.

Never lacking in inspiration is Gomma Records' Electro disco-fied commander in chief, Munk, who has roped in the sultry talents of Italian dark mistress, Asia Argento. We loved her scream queen routine in Lamberto Bava's cult horror 1986 classic, 'Demoni 2: L'incubo Ritorna', 'The Nightmare Returns'. Love at first sight. Here on Munk's latest offering, 'No Milk', Argento lends her raspy vocals over an retro-esque electro wave groove. Not quite the desired blood curdling effect but extremely tasty nonetheless.

Check out the Muzzle Flash remix here.

RADIOCLIT PRESENTS // SAGA AFRICA // MENTAL GROOVE

Flood warnings, folks getting washed away from bridges and a leaking roof in the bedroom. November just sucks doesn't it. We really can't wait for December, where an even bigger washout beckons. Beginning to forget what it feels like to be warm and dry, basking in the midday Catalunyan sun with your stunning lingerie model girlfriend. But it's ten in the morning and you're holed up in some damp foxhole in East London, wondering where's the love?

Thanks goodness for these Radioclit boys, who provide a brief reprieve from the bleakness with a warm, rump & thump afro-electro ditty out on Mental Groove Records. 'Radioclit Presents Saga Africa' is a new series curated by the label's hot new artists and the London based duo have handpicked their choice acts for 2K10, with blog favourite Douster's rework of the Lion King theme and stellar productions from fellow Parisians Myd & Lazy Flow.

Check it out here.

PATRICK WOLF & ALEC EMPIRE LIVE // VULTURES // LONDON PALLADIUM NOV 15 2009

Master of the dark arts, Alec Empire and his new Padawan, Patrick Wolf, took to the stage on Sunday at London's Palladium for a special rendition of Wolf's cult single, 'Vultures', which Empire helped produce and write. If this is anything to go by, Alec's headline show on Thursday at London's Islington Academy will most definitely KICK ASS.

UK tour dates below:

19 Nov London, O2 Academy Islington

20 Nov Birmingham, Eddie's

21 Nov Manchester, Club Academy

22 Nov Edinburgh, GRV

JAY HAZE // WELL PLONDERED FEAT. JAMES ST JACKSON // TUNINGSPORK

Had tickets for Slayer next week. Was hoping for a lethal dose of 'Angel Of Death' and 'South Of Heaven' but Tom Araya's back surgery has put all metal-ness on hold till March next year. Oh well. I guess with Tom growling his way through 11 albums and 20 plus years of service, it's bound to take it's toll. Might have to do with repeats of 'Show No Mercy' & 'Reign In Blood' for now.

Anyways, also on the stereo is Berlin based Yank expat, Jay Haze, who has been a very, very busy boy with his recent sophomore full length effort, 'Let The Love Flow' as Fuckpony on BPitch, his excellent Fabric 47 compilation and now the latest offering on his very own label, TuningSpork. 'Well Plondered' is taken off the mini compilaton, 'Fur Schnitzel, Mein Nitzel' out now. Expect jazzy-fied, minimal tinged melodies with a little kick up the ass. Tom Araya might dig this.

RICH NXT // KUBITHING // MIGHTY RUMBLE

Friday 13th. Pretty ominous date if you believe what some folks tell you. We like the number 13. It's the age when you officially become a teenager much to the chagrin of your parents. It's also spelled with 8 letters in English, a number the Chinese find super lucky. The more 8s you have, the more wealth you generate. Might start tattooing 8s all over our bodies. And the Sikhs find 13 to be a lucky number, they love it. And so does Chelsea's, Michael Ballack. So there. And we love Fridays too.

Certainly not feeling unlucky is Singapore's DJ Sonny, with his hotly tipped new label, Mighty Rumble. Already getting picked up by the cooler, tech house community, the latest offering is the haunting, hypnotic house offering by London's East End pedigree, Rich Nxt with, 'Kubithing' out this December. Just in time for the festive Shoreditch warehouse parties.

Check out DJ Sonny's Trip A Wire Dub Remix here.

RADIOCLIT // SECOUSSE ALL STARS // MENTAL GROOVE

Wonder what we'll get for Christmas this year. Have put together a shit list of all the people that won't be missed in 2K10. Might just turn Buddhist and forget about everything. Become vegetarian and say our prayers in temples lined with joss sticks, getting high on the fumes. Might just walk away from it all and stick two fingers up to the festive season. But we'll probably end up with the throngs at Oxford Street this weekend, getting gift vouchers at H&M.

Getting into the festive groove are London based electro funk producers, Radioclit with a thumping holiday banger, 'Secousse All Stars' out on Mental Groove Records. The limited 12" vinyl comes with a full on fur cover for all your hipster Xmas wants. Etienne & Johan's packed out monthly club night of the same name over at Nottinghill Arts Club is a testament to the growing popularity of the in demand duo.

Check out Brodinski's remix of 'Secousse' here.

FLORIAN MEINDL // FLASHMOB // FLASH RECORDINGS

Saw Courtney Hunt's indie flick, 'Frozen River' last night. The film featured at last year's Sundance to rave reviews and even Tarantino got a hard on waxing lyrical about it. It was pretty cool, Hunt has a great eye for detail and the shots of the car driving over the frozen St Lawrence lake were pretty impressive to say the least. It is COLD out there in upstate New York and I was feeling absolutely bone chilled towards the end.

Adopting a cool, clinical approach as well to his art is young Berlin based DJ & producer, Florian Meindl, who's growing fanbase includes heavyweights like Dubfire, Loco Dice, Erol Alkan and Josh Wink. Christian Smith has described Florian's cuts as, "Proper evolved new school house with a fat production." We just love his classy approach to techno and he looks cool as fuck as well. Catch Florian at his White Nights parties @ Cookies Berlin. 'Flashmob' is out now at all good record stores.

THE SO SO GLOS // MY BLOCK // GREEN OWL

These dudes from Brooklyn put the punk back in rock. Check out the rather brilliant video for 'My Block' by new talent, Matt Greeley. A cheeky homage to the 'one take' technique exquisitely executed by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock in 'Rope' and a staple trademark of fellow long shot advocates like Antonioni, DePalma, Haneke, Jia Zhangke et al.

The only other 'one shot' music video that comes to mind is Coldplay's, 'Yellow' and that made me wanna puke. This just makes me wanna rock out...

Catch The So So Glos live in London on the following shows:

Tuesday 17-Nov-09, Stampede! @ Buffalo Bar (Last FM club night)

Wednesday 18-Nov-09, Old Blue Last (Vice issue launch party)  

Thursday 19-Nov-09, Barfly

Friday 20-Nov-09, 93 Feet East 

Saturday 21-Nov-09, Be @ Proud

Sunday 22-Nov-09, Flowerpot

ASH // JOY KICKS DARKNESS // ATOMIC HEART RECORDS

The 90s have returned. Yes, it's official. Time to rock out the battered Jack Purcells and crappy flannel shirts. Grow your hair out, keep a beard and dig out those dusty Superchunk records. We love bands from the nineties. They seemed somewhat more saccharin albeit in a good way. Drop Nineteens, Velocity Girl, Madder Rose, The Nightblooms et al. Kinda takes you back.

Keeping it real and reliving the 90s is Tim Wheeler and gang, on the road with their A-Z tour of the UK. Taking it back to basics with obscure, sweaty venues, Ash give us a dose of what's in store with their new single, 'Joy Kicks Darkness'. Peep the video here.

LUCA BALDINI // HOOKED // HELL YEAH

Why is everyone moving to Berlin? Might be some mass scale techno immigration never before seen in the history of the city. Does everyone there live like the hippy, polygamous commune described by Alex Garland in 'The Beach'? Or are we just sick of London/NYC/Tokyo? Might move there and make a living selling currywurst by Alexanderplatz and DJ part time @ Cookies.

Another expat plying his trade over in the German capital is Italian, Luca Baldini, renowned in the Berlin art house circles for his Drama Society project. Luca's sparse, stripped down melodies have seen the man ditch the glam & glitz of Milan for the industrial zeitgeist of Berlin. His new single, 'Hooked / Ice Crash' out on Hell Yeah is full of modern day surprises. Laurent Garnier, Tiga et al have been rinsing this for weeks.

Check out Ivan Smagghe's It's A Fine Line remix of 'Hooked' here.