Thursday, May 29, 2008

Ratatat - LP3


Here are a few tracks of Ratatat's new album LP3 , plus a bonus video for their song "Mirando" featuring chopped-up footage of the 80's classic Predator.

Download: Ratatat- Falcon Jab
(Buy)

Download: Ratatat- Mirando
(Buy)

Download: Ratatat- Bird Priest
(Buy)

Download: Ratatat- Shempi
(Buy)

Mirando Video:

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

LA Street Art

Spotted at the corner of Sunset and El Centro:


Close Up:


These paintings seem to be installed by the artist in the spot where normally KCAL9 News lightboxes advertise their shows. They must have removed the normal ads, and perfectly fit these murals to the boxes.

Pretty amazing. Even more amazing is that the paintings have been there for a week or so with no response from the KCAL folks. This second painting is promoting an art show coming to the area, check www.artshow2008.com for more details.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

New Music From Africa



Africa Unite! Check out some groups from the continent that are gaining some notoriety here in the states by fusing traditional African elements with Western rock, hip-hop and electronic styles.

BLK JKS (South Africa) wowed crowds at SXSW with the variety of their sounds, moving back and forth between punk, pop and African chant-style music.

Esau Mwamwaya (Malawi), described to me as "the African Phil Collins" brings a smoother vocal sound (check him out flowing over M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" below on "Tengazako").

And Seun Kuti (Nigeria) , the son of the late great Fela Kuti burst on to the scene this year with his debut Many Ways. The title track from that album is below, and manages to recount horrible events in his country's history while still managing to show optimism through upbeat, danceable rhythms. Highly Recommended.

This ain't your old Lion King Soundtrack.

Download: BLK JKS- Lakeside
(Buy)

Download: Seun Kuti and Egypt 80- Many Things
(Buy)

Download: Esau Mwamwaya- Tengazako
(Buy)

Download: Esau Mwamwaya- Chalo
(Buy)

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Podcast #1



Hot off the presses, my first podcast for the blog. I am just learning how to do these so please bear with me while I get the techniques down. That being said, I think the first mix is pretty damn good, with a few of my favorite songs of all time to get the podcast portion of Ultra Stimulation started off right.

I will try and put a new one up every week, with a possible weekly theme some weeks (look out for a Reggae podcast in the next few, just in time for the summer!).

Let me know what you think folks, thanks for listening.

Download: PODCAST #1

Friday, May 23, 2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

DLake- BMore of a Hipster Mixtape



Baltimore's very own DLake just put out this really dope new mixtape that features a nice assortment of B-More club and dance tracks. I don't know too much about the guy, but this mix could mean big things for young DLake.

I love the name of his mixtape too. There really is nothing like seeing a group of bone-skinny trust fund hipster bitches in LA wilin' out to the the native music of Baltimore, created by no-name producers who pack dance clubs that no white person ever dare to enter.

Download the whole thing here.

TRACKLIST:

1. DLake - Bmore Of a Hipster "V-Mail" Intro [Feat. Symbol & Spank Rock]
2. DLake - Dance All Night [Feat. Symbol & Demetrius]
3. M.I.A. - U.R.A.Q.T.
4. M.I.A. - XR2 TURBO! (Diplo Re-Edit)
5. Blaqstarr - Hands Up, Thumbs Down
6. Bamabounce - Wu-Tang Slide
7. Wu-Tang - Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing to F'wit (Bird Peterson Remix)
8. Scottie B. - Find a Way [Feat. A Tribe Called Quest]
9. Dre Skull - I Want You back [Feat. The Jackson 5]
10. Beastie Boys - Girls (DLake Remix)
11. Gotye - Hearts a Mess (DLake Remix)
12. Royksopp - Remind Me (DLake Re-Edit)
13. Justin Timberlake - Love Stoned/I think she knows it (Justice Remix)
14. Rihanna - Don't Stop the Music
15. Fergie - Glamorous (Space Cowboy Remix)
16. DLake - Diffibulator [Feat. JC & Demetrius] (Bird Peterson Remix)
17. Qualo vs. Green Velvet - Shake Yo Pockets (DJ Morsy Remix)
18. Lil Jon vs. Goose - Throw It On (DJ Morsy Remix)
19. Thunderheist - Suenos Dulces
20. Spank Rock & Benny Blanco - Shake That (DLake Re-Edit)
21. Kid Sister - Damn Girl (Curtis Vodka Re-Edit)
22. Kanye West - Stronger (DJ A-Trak Remix)
23. Diplo - Work is Never Over
24. Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
25. Edwin Birdsong - Cola Bottle Baby
26. DLake - Bmore of a Hipster "Shameless Plug" Outro

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

M83



I can't tell you how excited I am to see M83 next week at the Ex-Plex here in LA.

M83 is the brainchild of french musician Anthony Gonzalez, and I can honestly say their blend of electronic, shoegaze and ambient styles in the most beautiful music I have ever heard. I do not know what to expect from them live as they rarely tour the states, but I will keep you posted after the show. Don't be surprised if stories surface of me crying in that dark basement venue.

Here are a few of M83's best tracks, their entire new album Saturdays=Youth is great, go pick it up god dammit!

Download: M83- Don't Save Us From The Flames
(Buy)

Download: M83- Teen Angst
(Buy)

Download: M83- Kim & Jessie
(Buy)

Download: M83- Graveyard Girl
(Buy)


Bonus Video:

M83 + Spike Jonze + Pro Skaters +Explosions = Pure Awesomeness

Lykke Li- Little Bit

As if I could love this song any more, Lykke Li decides to make this really dope video for it.



MP3: Lykke Li- Little Bit

Catch her on the West Coast leg of her tour with El Perro Del Mar:

5/14 Vancouver,BC - Red Room
5/15 Seattle, WA - The Triple Door
5/16 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
5/18 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365 Club
5/19 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The Death Set


Things I Like About The Death Set:

1. The refer to themselves as "The Mutherfucking Death Set."

2. They are from Baltimore.

3. Their DIY style of punk and electronica is all about spastic fun.

4. They represent Baltimore well. At some high-brow SXSW showcase they played, they horrified all the "music elite" on hand by trashing the stage and throwing their amplifiers in the pool.

5. Their debut album Worldwide has 18 tracks and is 26 minutes long.

Check out a few tracks below, and catch them on tour with Bonde Do Role murdering a dance floor near you:

Download: The Death Set- Negative Thinking
(Buy)

Download: The Death Set- Intermission
(Buy)

Download: The Death Set- Had A Bird
(Buy)

5/8 Orlando, FL Club Firestone
5/9 Atlanta, GA Drunken Unicorn
5/10 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
5/12 Baltimore, MD Sonar
5/13 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
5/14 Brooklyn, NY Klub Europa
5/15 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
5/16 Montreal, QC Les Saints
5/17 London, ON Call The Office
5/18 Toronto, ON The Social