LEAVE IT AT THAT.

We alluded to the huge remix package that's come together to support the upcoming release of Ellie Goulding's debut single proper "Starry Eyed", and last week we unveiled the jaw-dropping first effort from Russ Chimes. This week we shift our gaze from London to NYC, where the city's best new producer and hottest young rap sensation have teamed up to take the original to new levels of AMAZING. Stripping the original of Starsmith's synth-laden pop production, Penguin Prison transforms the track into an after hours disco burner, complete with a huge feature from Brooklyn hip hop phenom Theophilus London. Penguin, Ellie and Theo are already three of the most hyped new names in music in their own right, so much so that we fear this union of the three in a holy trinity of pop perfection could potentially be enough to throw the earth off its axis, but fuck it, we can't bear to keep this under wraps any longer.

MP3: "Starry Eyed" (Penguin Prison Mix ft. Theophilus London) - Ellie Goulding

THIS IS GOING TO BE BIG.

Correction: this is going to be bigger than big. We've teamed up with Chess Club and GreenShoelace.com to put on what we hope to be one of the biggest parties of CMJ next week when we take over Santo's Party House (our favorite NYC venue) from 3pm-10pm Friday the 23rd. Two stages, 11 bands, drink specials galore, fresh DJ's, there's quite literally nothing more you could really ask for. Be there. Advance tickets are available now for $10, or cop yours for $12 on the door. Shit is about to get REALLY real.

UPSTAIRS
5:00pm: Alessi's Ark // MP3: "Simple Man"
6:00pm: Chief // MP3: "Mighty Proud"
7:00pm: Yes Giantess // MP3: "Tuff N Stuff"
8:00pm: Local Natives // MP3: "Airplanes"
9:00pm: Theophilus London // MP3: "Sandcastles" (Black x Blue)

DOWNSTAIRS
3:30pm: (The) Tony Castles // MP3: "Pirates"
4:30pm: Darwin Deez // MP3: "Bad Day" [expired]
5:30pm: Evan Voytas // MP3: "Getting Higher"
6:30pm: Body Language // MP3: "Huffy Ten Speed"
7:30pm: Baby Monster // MP3: "Curses"
8:30pm: Boy Crisis // MP3: "Dressed To Digress" (Demo)

Presale tickets are available HERE. Don't sleep, we're expecting a serious turn out for this one.

RACING DOWN THIS LONELY ROAD.

We fully expected Theophilus London to be the breakout star of SXSW 2009, and while we still think a lot of A&R's are sleeping on the Brooklyn sensation-in-waiting, he delivered in spades in Austin. Saturday saw him taking on the Fader Fort with Solange Knowles in tow to sing the chorus on "Sandcastles" and he followed it up with what was quite possibly his best performance to date at the Rolling Stone party at Peckerheads that evening. The old songs still slay and new ones are fresh to death, including his "Hum Drum" remix of Futurecop!, excerpted from This Charming Mixtape and available for download below.

MP3: "Hum Drum" - Theophilus London

// That Kid Texas //

REASONS NOT TO END IT ALL IN 2009 PT. II

Much thanks to The FADER's Pete Macia, who was able to retrieve this post from his bloglines and allow us to get it back online after the DMCA eradicated it's presence on the internet due to apparent copyright infringement issues. We strive to attain permission for everything we post where possible so we're still not sure what the offending track(s) was, but we suspect it might have been the Hockey or Delphic tracks given their recent major label deals. Without further ado:

We've been talking up our hot tips for '09 for a minute now, but we decided it was high time we took action and threw together a proper list. Here are some bands you're going to give a fuck about over the next 12 months.

We're not exactly sticking our neck out here given the maelstrom of buzz that's surrounded Passion Pit to this point, but we got the album into the office last week and we'd just like to warn you of the ways in which this thing is going to rock the music-consuming public with it's brilliance this spring. There a few things left to be finalized on the LP so we're not at liberty to say much, but we can tell you it will be called Manners and it's just about everything we could have hoped for and more. Careful listeners will discern a few new tracks in the background of Fader TV's behind the scenes look at the making of the record here, and you better believe producer Chris Zane's hype-smashing proclamations about the record lest the truth dropkick you in the jaw when it drops in spring. New material is understandably on lockdown for the time being, so for now here's a next-level reworking of "Sleepyhead" courtesy of our NYC boys The Knocks.

MP3: "Sleepyhead" (The Knocks Remix) - Passion Pit

Speaking of The Knocks, dudes run HeavyRoc studios in Chinatown, where they've spent the last year readying NYC pop sensation Samuel for the big time. Having successfully produced and managed the young pop star-in-waiting to a contract with newly-revived Columbia imprint StarTime (home to Passion Pit, Peter Bjorn & John, et. al), they're currently in the studio readying his debut album. Taste the first fruits of their labor below in the form of debut single "Say Goodbye", which features saccharine backing vocals from Frances' Julia Tepper and guitar work from The Virgins' Wade Oates.

MP3: "Say Goodbye" - Samuel

Theophilus London hardly needs any introduction given the way we've been extolling him as the second coming and all, but he's here just so we can say "we told you so... and then reminded you a couple of more times" when he's selling out arenas like a week from now. "Sandcastles" was born to destroy the charts.

MP3: "Sandcastles (Black x Blue)" - Theophilus London

Switching coasts for a minute, let's talk about Portland indie phenoms Hockey, whose LCD Soundsystem meets The Rapture and Julian Casablanca sound has them primed for big things in the new year. With the headlining slot on Passion Pit's NME sponsored UK tour and a debut album, Mind Chaos, overflowing with commercially viable singles, expect British audiences to embrace Hockey as the next great American indie band of '09.

MP3: "Too Fake" - Hockey [link removed]

We were huge fans of short-lived Mancunian collective Snowfight In The City Centre and their epic debut single "No Light Left", so news of their demise in 2007 was crushing. Fortunately, from their ashes has risen Delphic, an even more promising outfit with a mechanical precision and electronic brilliance in keeping with Manchester's rich musical lineage. With massive industry attention, a full European tour supporting Bloc Party on the horizon and some massive tracks (see: "Doubt") already under their belt, look for Delphic to succesfully realize all the potential Snowfight failed to capitalize on in the months to come.

MP3: "Doubt" - Delphic [link removed]

Previously: Reasons Not To End It All In 2009 Pt. I

THIS ALREADY HAPPENED. SORRY.

So our second Neon Gold party went down at The Delancey on Friday and we kind of forgot to tell you about it. We had an absurdly busy week hence the epic fail in the promotion department, but the place was filled to max capacity and both performers killed it so it was a moot point really. Apologies to any NYC-based readers who would have been down to attend though, we won't let you down again. Our bad.

To recap though, Brooklyn's finest and frequent Theophilus London collaborators Body Language rocked shit with their soulful mix of party hits and babymakin' jams. An epic cover of Kraftwerk's "Computer Love" and brand new jam "Holiday" killed it, but it was set opener and live favorite "Huffy Ten Speed" that brilliantly set the tone for the whole night.

MP3: "Huffy Ten Speed" - Body Language [exclusive]

Giantess were back for another round at Neon Gold, this time as the main event and they didn't disappoint as A&Rs in attendance from both sides of the Atlantic nodded approvingly and kids up front lost their shit. There were a few sound issues, but it's still early days (this was only their sixth ever show) and there's always bound to be a few complications when a band's live set up involves more wires, electronics and computers than an IBM commercial. Future single tracks "Tuff 'n Stuff" and "You Were Young" slayed as usual, as did new standout "Endless Highway". As one commenter pointed out last week, Giantess are driving the bus to the stars and you better get a seat while you still can.

MP3: "You Were Young" - Giantess [exclusive]

Incriminating photographic evidence here courtesy of all around bad ass and official afterparty host Scott Marceau. In other news, the second installment of our hot tips for '09 series drops Wednesday. Stick around.

THE NEW KING OF POP.

Theophilus London is quite possibly our biggest tip for 2009. Even sure things like Passion Pit and Clare Maguire don't have the potential Theo has to really turn the music industry on its ear in '09. We used to hail him as the future as hip-hop, but even a lofty title like that might not be doing him justice. Hype much? Yeah, but if Theo's not the hottest new artist in the game by 2010 we'll close up shop and start going to Dave Matthews Band shows.

Theo's brand new mixtape dropped yesterday and it's pretty much fire. Beyond the Smiths-referencing title and brilliant Elvis Costello-referencing cover (above left), This Charming Mixtape compiles some of London's best work to date, including his amazing remix of Amadou & Mariam's "Sabali" which kicks things off as the intro track. Try it out for yourself below. Uh-oh, uh-oh.

MP3: "Sabali" (Theophilus London Remix) - Amadou & Mariam

THAT RULED.

Thanks to everyone who came out Thursday for our first Neon Gold party, we all had an amazing time. It was only Giantess' second gig ever and they totally rocked shit, and Theophilus was absolutely jaw dropping. Body Language and Etan kept bodies moving all night and the Delancey provided the perfect backdrop for all the madness - that jungle on the roof deck rules. To celebrate, here are a few more insane cuts from Theo in the form of "Star Scream" and "Leader of the New School", the back-to-back highlights of dude's incredible JAM! mixtape. Featuring more incredible production from Machinedrum, JAM! is the hottest shit since Wale announced his imminent takeover with 100 Miles & Running in '07. Dude is a fucking superstar just waiting to blow up, download the whole mixtape here.

MP3: "Star Scream" - Theophilus London
MP3: "Leader of the New School" - Theophilus London

Look for Neon Gold to start throwing down on a monthly basis in '09. This is only the beginning.

NEON GOLD PRESENTS: NEON GOLDEN 001.

We're throwing a fucking party. Theophilus London is the future of rap (seriously). Giantess are like Chromeo only sexier. They both know how to show you a good time and they're both playing our first Neon Gold party Thursday November 13th at the Delancey. $8 at the door or $5 if you RSVP to neongoldmusic@gmail.com (put 'RSVP' in the subject line). Cheap drinks and DJ sets from Etan (Ninjatune/Basstown), Body Language (NormRex) and Neon Gold's own freshprints. See you there?

Giantess are the next great hope for Boston-based electronic pop, following in the footsteps of Passion Pit with an even more synthed-out pop sound. Produced by the Pit's own Ayad Al-Adhamy on his Bo Flex Music imprint, they debuted their live show last month in Boston and we're thrilled to be putting on their first ever NYC gig. "Tuff 'n Stuff" is their best work to date, leading you in with a deceptively plaintive intro before dropkicking you in the jaw with some of the most immense synths you'll hear this side of Ratatat. Only a demo at this point, you can only imagine how immense this'll sound once Ayad's gone and properly seduced it with his worldly ways and tender studio touch.

MP3: "Tuff 'n Stuff" - Giantess

Now, a few more words on Theophilus London because this dude is just unreal. No word on just how he slipped under everyone's radar at CMJ, but works for us - we'll be doing a single with him in the new year and it's gonna be huger than huge. Williamsburg sensibility with a massive mainstream appeal, untouchable swagger on stage and big league flow, we wouldn't fault you for calling Theophilus the future of rap (because, uh, we're pretty sure he is). Much more to come on the superstar-in-waiting, but for now feast your ears on "Sandcastles". It's a serious contender for jam of the year status, Theo's fierce verse perfectly complimenting some next level production from fellow NormRex ringleader Machinedrum.

MP3: "Sandcastles" (ft. Theophilus London) - Machinedrum