PACK UP THE STARS.

As if one masterful Wolf Gang remix wasn't enough, Baby Monster further demonstrate just how much creative heat they're packing by adeptly pitching strike two in the cage. The Wolf Gang original already killed it, but Baby Monster legitimately raise the dead with reverbing incantations and electronic boomerangs swooping in and out of the afterlife on this one. It's a spellbinding reimagining that transcends time and space to flip on the lightswitch in your head and broadcast your live excitement through widened eyes. Every iteration of "The King And All of His Men" has basically been a musical Game of Thrones, but as umpires in the pop game, we've got to give credit where credit's due on this crowning achievement for the Baby Monster gentlemen.

MP3: "The King And All of His Men" (Baby Monster Remix) - Wolf Gang [exclusive]

NEON GOLD AT THE GREAT ESCAPE.

So Monday night was a fucking blast, but if you missed out on the fun worry not, as we'll be going harder, better, faster, stronger Friday night in Brighton at our official Great Escape showcase with Walk The Moon, Post War Years and Wolf Gang at The Loft in central Brighton. Together with our bros-in-arms Chess Club, we'll be bringing you three of the best bands the festival has to offer late night from 11pm to 3am, plus DJ sets from our beloved ANR running things on the decks the first half of the night and the brilliant and beautiful Icona Pop girls killing it into the early hours. Set times and streams ahoy, see y'all in Brighton.

11:30pm: Walk The Moon // STREAM: "Lisa Baby"

12:30am: Post War Years // STREAM: "The Whole World On Its Head"

01:30am: Wolf Gang // STREAM: "The King and All of His Men" (LP Version)

SOMETHING OUT OF THIS WORLD.

We've been patiently waiting for a Wolf Gang full length since like forever (seriously dudes where's our advance promo), and while we're all going to have to wait just a little bit longer (until June 27th), here's a little something that's helping us pass the time. "Something Unusual" is a brand new tropical day dream from the London outfit and provides an exciting taste of things to come on their forthcoming debut longplayer. This one takes a page from the Peter Gabriel big beats 'n rad wind chimes school of pop that Wolf Gang often find themselves channeling, and if you ask us it's pretty hard to go wrong there. The track starts out simply enough with frontman Max McElligott's soon-to-be iconic voice carrying the load before the guitar kicks in, your pulse quickens and things kick into high gear. It's the kind of song that'll whisk your soul away to a utopian paradise if you let it, and if you haven't mentally checked out from the harsh realities of the real world by the time that first chorus drops then there really might be something wrong with you. Seriously, you should get that checked out.



Unfortunately we don't have clearance from The Powers That Be to share an mp3 of that new Wolf Gang freshness, but we have been given the green light to share the brilliant E. Russell remix of their current single "Dancing With The Devil", which we've been crushing on for a long minute now. Maybe it's because we heard it before the original, but we actually prefer it to the single version. There's just something about the moody darkness E. Russell brings to the track that suits the lyrics and subject matter beautifully, and we'll definitely be keeping an ear to the ground to hear what kind of magic E. Russell has in store for us on remixes in the future.

MP3: "Dancing With The Devil" (E. Russell Remix) - Wolf Gang [exclusive]

Also anyone who stayed super late night at Popshop last night - first of all, props - got treated to an amazing supergroup of Wolf Gang, Walk The Moon and Lunar Youth (joined by our own Miss Gold USA) performing Weezer covers at 3am. And that, friends, is why you always stay late night. Lesson learned y'all.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE LOVED BY NO ONE.

Wolf Gang are some of our nearest and dearest Neon Gold alumni and the lovely Kyla La Grange is one of our favorite tips for 2011, so we were thrilled to find them joining forces on this acoustic version of Wolf Gang's latest single, "Dancing With The Devil". The vocal interplay between Wolf Gang frontman Max McElligott and La Grange is perfect, and the track is yet another step in the right direction towards what we fully expect to be one of the year's finest full-length debuts when Wolf Gang's album drops this summer. Both Wolf Gang and Kyla will be playing SXSW this year, with the latter making a stop off in NYC beforehand at Communion's special pre-SXSW show this Sunday and Wolf Gang taking the stage at our unofficial day party blowout on the Saturday in Austin. More details on our day party to come by week's end, but for now feast your ears and eyes on an exclusive video of Max and Kyla's "Dancing With The Devil" duet above and The Shoes' official remix (featuring the brilliant Cocknbullkid) of the single below.

MP3: "Dancing With The Devil" (Shoes Mix ft. Cocknbullkid & Mz. Bratt) - Wolf Gang

I KNOW I HAD A MESSAGE AT THE START.

We've been hearing insane amounts of buzz out of the UK about Dry The River, so the fact that we failed to investigate for ourselves until this week is really not something we're proud of. Because fuck, these guys are GREAT. Sounding like the logical heirs to the Mumfords' arena-folk throne, their tracks bring to mind the perfect nexus of the Mumford & Sons and Arcade Fire at their most anthemic, and - if reports are to be believed - they've actually got the live show to back up such comparisons. Their debut offering comes in the form of "New Ceremony", which more than anything reminds us of what we've heard thus far off Mumford's second album, with a hint of more pop-based fare like Wolf Gang and Sam's Town-era Killers thrown in for good measure. Expect big things.

MP3: "New Ceremony" - Dry The River

IN THE CITY WHERE I'M FROM.

For a while now we've been making a strong case for Wolf Gang as the most underrated band in the UK, but with considerable love starting to come in from Pitchfork and his debut single proper slated for release on Atlantic next month, it's looking like that's starting to change. The single in question is the brilliant "Lions In Cages", a song we've been head over heels for since creative mastermind Max McElligott first sent us the demo over a year ago. The finished version is nigh-on perfect, a galloping technicolor epic Max recorded with the legendary Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT) that comes off like Arcade Fire covering "Viva La Vida", all ringing church bells and breathtaking strings arrangements. He's come along way since releasing his self-produced debut 7" with us back in 2009, and with his debut album finally within reach and penciled in for an early 2011 release, we couldn't be more excited for a band that's been fully deserving of rampant widespread praise for a longgg minute now.

MP3: "Lions In Cages" - Wolf Gang

And what better way to celebrate than with the band's first ever NYC shows in Manhattan and Brooklyn next week? First up next Wednesday we'll be putting them on downstairs at Santos Party House with support from Emil & Friends live and The Knocks on the 1's and 2's (not to mention a special live guest opening things up), before they head across the river to our friends at Bridge Club playing Glasslands on Thursday night. But not only is our Wednesday night show one of the more exciting lineups of the fall, it's also COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY FREE. That's right. $0. Free. No cost. Whatsoever. You have quite literally no excuse not to attend. Doors are at 7pm with the first band on shortly thereafter, and all you have to do to ensure your entry is RSVP at rsvp@neongoldrecords.com so you don't get turned away on the night if it reaches capacity. Come out, have a drink, have a dance, and join us in celebrating one of the best young games in the band right now.

SLEEPING WITH MY BACK TO YOU.

Things have really been coming together for our Neon Gold homeboy Wolf Gang since we first posted his outrageously beautiful new semi-single "Back To Back" last month. Pitchfork has jumped on the bandwagon and showered him with some recent Forkcast love, and now we've got an oven fresh remix from Los Angeles synth darling Active Child. We've been vibing on the recent Transparent signing since our dudes Jack and Sahil first turned us on to the wonderful ways of "When Your Love Is Safe", and he continues to impress on his remix of "Back To Back", bathing the original in an ocean of shimmering synths and the soulful electronic pop sounds he's come to be known for.

MP3: "Back To Back" (Active Child Remix) - Wolf Gang

DON'T WANT NOBODY ELSE.

Big Stereo just debuted this wonderful new Wolf Gang track today, and as it was we who first brought their sounds into the realm of the consumer, we feel it our paternal duty to continue to spread their gospel far and wide across these sprawling internet plains. "Back To Back" isn't a proper new single per se, rather it's more of a holdover until their next formal offering hits shelves this spring, but that's not to say it's not totally amazing. Like the perfect middle ground between the band's biggest pop moments and their more indie sensibilities, "Back To Back" not only showcases the strides main man Max McElligott has made as a songwriter, but as a bedroom producer as well. It also kind of reminds us of "Sexual Healing" in a way, which is NEVER a bad thing.

MP3: "Back To Black" - Wolf Gang

TRICK OF THE LIGHT.

Wolf Gang first made waves with their brilliant Pieces of You 7" (of which we still have a few final copies remaining in the Neon Gold Shop) last June, and now they're stepping out with an immense follow up on newly-minted Manchester imprint Hit Club next month. "The King and All of His Men" was the first track we ever heard out of the Wolf Gang camp and it remains one of the very best, with London up-and-comer Blue May turning in an top class production job that manages retain the rough charm of "Pieces of You" while simultaneously elevating their sound to new levels of pop perfection. Wolf Gang ringleader Max McElligott absolutely kills it on the track (look no further than those infectious "ooh-ooh-ooh-oohs") and with their forthcoming debut album in the pipeline and a seemingly endless repertoire of choice tunes to draw from, you can rest assured that this is an act that's going to go very, very far in 2010. Exclusive first listen below.

MP3: "The King and All of His Men" - Wolf Gang [exclusive]

NEON GOLD UPCOMING PT. III

This one isn't a Neon Gold event per se as we had nothing to do with putting it on, promoting or booking it, but the fine people behind Scandalism have chosen to launch their brand new night with a very Neon Gold-centric lineup and we couldn't be more excited. Marina & The Diamonds, Wolf Gang and Yes Giantess will all be throwing down live, with further live action coming from Telepathe, Tommy Sparks, Plugs and more. It all goes down tomorrow night at Scala and this is without a doubt the hottest ticket in town, so book now before it's too late. This Scandalism shit is going to be MASSIVE, kind of like this Yes Giantess remix of Wolf Gang's "Pieces of You".

MP3: "Pieces of You" (Yes Giantess Remix) - Wolf Gang

NEON GOLD UPCOMING PT. I

The Sanderson is one of the most baller hotels in London, not only the product of its amazing design and surrealist decor, but also due to awesome events like their Sanderson Predicts summer concert series. Set in the sun-dappled sanctuary of their courtyard garden and coordinated by Modular Events, the series will see the likes of Slow Club, Cocknbullkid and Little Boots grace its stage this summer and we're honored to have been asked to curate one of its nights. Our Neon Gold event goes down this Thursday at 7pm and will feature special acoustic sets from Wolf Gang and the inimitable Marina & The Diamonds. Entry is free and on a first come first serve basis (max capacity: 100), and you can also call 02073001333 to book a table and ensure your place in the courtyard for the event. It's going to be magic, see you there.

In other Wolf Gang news, their single drops today on Neon Gold (order here and here) and they're ringing it in with a week of phenomenal gigs around London. Tonight they play a free instore at Puregroove Records, followed up by top notch support slots for Miike Snow and The Temper Trap on Tuesday (Hoxton Bar + Kitchen) and Wednesday (ICA), respectively. Thursday's our aforementioned Sanderson Predicts event and then they round things out with the gig of the month (and quite possibly even the year) at Scala on Friday with Marina, Yes Giantess, Telepathe and more as part of the brand new Scandalism night (tickets for that one here).

The first of the remixes we've commissioned have begun to trickle in as well, and the highlight thus far is no doubt the amazing rework from left coast up and comers Baby Monster. Laying down a churning bassline and dressing up the track in all manner of atmospheric flourishes, they inject the mix with a newfound electricity and maximize the original's already rife dancefloor potential, and the mix is just another reason to keep an eye on Baby Monster in the months to come. More on the promising US duo soon, but for now feast on their debut remix below.

MP3: "Pieces of You" (Baby Monster Remix) - Wolf Gang

GOLD 005: WOLF GANG

And so the relentless onslaught of summer releases continues. Not unlike previous Neon Gold all-stars Passion Pit and Yes Giantess, the story of Wolf Gang began with Max McElligott penning massive pop anthems in the solitary confines of his bedroom. Having since formed a band around him, he's now set to take his craft to the world stage, and "Pieces of You" is the debut single before they no doubt become a global pop machine in the months to come. Fusing everything from the grooves of David Byrne to the widescreen soundscapes of Arcade Fire and the timeless pop of Smokey Robinson, "Pieces" is a pastiche of influences plucked from bygone eras and beautifully reimagined in a modern context. With a chorus that descends from the heavens and just erupts like an avalanche of sound and emotion, it's one of our favorite tracks of the year and we're thrilled to be bringing it into the world on Neon Gold.

MP3: "Pieces of You" - Wolf Gang

On the flipside, "The Kill" hits a more ominous and foreboding note, as hospital synths swoon and swirl across the mix and McElligott - who also designed the artwork for the record - sings with a dark urgency reflective of the current global crisis at hand. And as you've probably come to expect by now, we've got a shit ton of hot remixes coming through from the liks of Yes Giantess, We Have Band and Disco Bloodbath, plus many more. Preorder is available now from the Neon Gold Shop for US customers or from Puregroove for our International customers. As per usual, only 500 copies available worldwide so don't sleep.

NEON GOLD TAKEOVER AT THE GREAT ESCAPE.

Lock up your daughters and put the drinks on ice, Neon Gold is coming to the UK. Next week sees us shipping off to London for the summer where we'll be keeping it real DJing club nights, throwing parties and continuing to release records by some of our favorite new bands. We're really stepping up our game in the months to come with just under ten releases lined up between now and autumn and a monthly club night in the works in London, and it all kicks off next week in Brighton at the annual Great Escape festival. The Great Escape has been one of the highlights of the summer for us in recent years, so we're honored to be throwing the afterparty at the Ocean Rooms late night on Saturday. Neon Gold rising stars Wolf Gang (making their live debut) and Yes Giantess will be doing their thing live with DJ support from Ellie Goulding beatmaker Starsmith, London superstars Chess Club and of course our very own Neon Gold Beat Company. Let's rage.

MP3: "Tuff N Stuff" - Yes Giantess

We suppose this is also as good a time as any to introduce you to our new favorite band and forthcoming release, Wolf Gang. Wolf Gang is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Max McElligott, who's gone and crafted some of the most timeless pop gems you'll hear in this or any other year and is easily one of the most gifted talents we've ever had the pleasure of working with. Proudly wearing a love for pop greats like Peter Gabriel and Talking Heads on their sleeve, the demos put forth are some of the most promising we've ever heard, their rough charm and classic pop feel converging to make them some of the most exciting tracks we've heard this year. The single we'll be releasing in late June remains under wraps for now, but go ahead and introduce yourself with "Nightflying" and see why the sky is truly the limit for this London newcomer.

MP3: "Nightflying" (Demo) - Wolf Gang

// Cristiana Crouceiro //