by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Hervé - "Gold" (feat. Maria Minerva) (MP3)

Maria Minerva

Lo-fi pop artist Maria Minerva teamed up with LA dance four-piece Pharaohs for the track, "Miraculous Feet," off Pharaohs' debut full length, Replicant Moods, which is due out on April 20 via 100% Silk. Maria takes lead vocals which gives the track an overall feel more similar to her music than Pharaohs', but Pharaohs' Chic-style bassline and post-punk drums make the song beefier and dancier than most of Maria's work. You can stream that track below.

As mentioned, Maria Minerva and Pharaohs are teaming up for a NYC show this Saturday (3/2) at 285 Kent with Octo Octa and Magic Touch (8 PM doors, $10 admission), but Pharaohs will be landing in NYC even sooner to play Cameo on Thursday (2/28) with Jonas Reinhardt, SHAMS, and a DJ set from Suzanne Kraft. Advance tickets for the Cameo show are on sale now. Both Maria Minerva and Pharaohs will also be in Austin this March for SXSW.

Maria Minerva also has a new release of her own on the way; the Bless EP, which will be out on April 2 via Not Not Fun. The EP's first single, "Black Magick," continues in the vein of her Will Happiness Find Me? album, and you can watch the video for that track below. Maria will play a release show for that EP in NYC on April 18 at Cameo Gallery with Butterclock (more on her in a minute). Tickets for that show are on sale now.

In addition to her own EP and collaborating with Pharaohs, Maria also contributed vocals to "Gold," the new single off UK producer Hervé (aka Joshua Harvey)'s new album, The Art of Disappearing, which comes out on March 4 via Cheap Thrills. Maria's airy vocals and Hervé's downtempo rhythms work great together and you can hear the collaboration by downloading the track above or watching its video, below. That album also features a killer collaboration with Austra (who are playing BrooklynVegan SXSW shows) on the track "Save Me," which you can stream below as well. Other collaborators on the album are Niki & the Dove and Seasfire.

Butterclock

As mentioned above, support at Maria Minerva's EP release from comes from oOoOO collaborator Butterclock (aka Laura Clock), who released her debut EP, First Prom, earlier this month. A limited CD pressing of the EP is available at the Fantasy Music webstore. Butterclock also has some European shows coming up, which are listed below, and more US dates will be announced soon. The video for "Don't" off her EP is below.

oOoOO also has some dates of his own coming up, including one in NYC which happens on May 23 at Glasslands. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

All dates are listed, along with all mentioned song streams and videos, below...

Continue reading "Maria Minerva readies new EP, adds NYC show w/ Butterclock +++ related news on Pharaohs, oOoOO & Hervé"

by Andrew Sacher

Butterclock at MoMA PS1 in 2011 (more by Erez Avissar)

Butterclock (aka Laura Clock), who first caught our ear when she sang live with oOoOO on tour and then contributed to his 2012 EP, is finally putting out her own debut release, the First Prom EP, on o F F is love imprint F A N T A S Y m u s i c this February. You can pre-order the EP from the F A N T A S Y webstore now (it's limited to 200 copies).

Butterclock recently revealed the video for the EP's first single, "Don't," which she co-directed herself, along with Dario Natale. Laura's a pop singer at heart, but like Grimes, Purity Ring, or Maria Minerva, she heavily manipulates her vocals and backs them with dark, warped beats to produce weirder and more psychedelic results. It should appeal to fans of the work she's done with oOoOO and her own past recordings that she's posted to soundcloud over the last couple years.

That video and the First Prom cover art, below...

Continue reading "oOoOO collaborator Butterclock releasing debut EP (video)"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: oOoOO - "NoWayBack" (Ft. Butterclock) (MP3)

Sam Mickens w/ Zac Pennington at Ecstatic Music Festival (more by David Andrako)

Late last year, Sam Mickens announced a split 7" with Voice on Tape due out "winter 2011/2012." That 7" still hasn't been released but you can stream Sam's contribution HERE. However, he did release a single last week, "One Final Round"/"To Victory or Death," which you can stream and purchase at his bandcamp. The songs have a traditional ballroom pop feel led by organic pianos and horns, until halfway through "To Victory or Death," when the band kicks it up into a double time punk beat.

Sam Mickens, who performed Saturday night as part of the Ecstatic Music Festival, has a few more upcoming NYC shows this month. He'll premiere his "Micropatronage" piece with a string quartet at Roulette on February 16 with Jim Staley and Zeena Parkins and Loren Mazzance Connors (whose new album, A Fire, was scheduled to come out this week but has since been delayed). Tickets are on sale now. Sam will then play the same venue on Feburary 18 when he hosts a live taping of ESP TV, which is also part of Roulette's Experimental Love Festival along with C. Spencer Yeh, Little Women, Grasshopper, MV Carbon, and Amanda Long. The event was curated by Scott Kiernan and Victoria Keddie. Tickets are on sale now.

Sam Mickens will also celebrate his 30th birthday at Shea Stadium on February 23 with performances by Sam Mickens Ecstatic Showband & Revue (who recorded the new 12") and Sam Mickens Fourth World (feat. members of Deerhoof, Extra Life, and Cuddle Magic). The bill also includes White Ring and Mirror Mirror.

White Ring last played in NYC last month at Glasslands (1/21) opening for oOoOO (who just announced an EP). How was that show?

Speaking of oOoOO's EP, Our Living is Killing Us (due April 10 via Tri Angle), Stereogum recently premiered the first track, "NoWayBack," which features vocals from collaborator Butterclock. Her airy vocals and oOoOO's beatwork bring to mind some of Grimes' downtempo material and its easily oOoOO's best track yet. Grab an MP3 of the song above and stream it below.

All dates and stream below...

Continue reading "upcoming Sam Mickens shows & a new oOoOO MP3"

photos by Erez Avissar

"Ayshay is killing it at warm up right now! oOoOO is on v soon!" - Tri Angle Records

"Wow... @oOoOOsounds is playing a mindblowing, amazing set at @MoMAPS1WarmUp right now!" - Anthony Anomalyy

"@oOoOOsounds @butterclock u guys were the shit at warm up <3" - Balam Acab

Butterclock w/ oOoOO @ PS1

Warm Up continued at MoMA PS1 on Saturday (8/13) with His Name is Alive, Black Dice, Water Borders, Clams Casino, oOoOO, Ayshay and short DJ sets from Brandon Stosuy, Jon Galkin, and Robin Carolan of Tri Angle Records (who is also DJing our Chelsea Wolfe show this Wednesday night).

oOoOO played a live set with Butterclock producing, singing, and hustling. Butterclock has been providing vocals for oOoOO for the whole US tour, which also hit Mercury Lounge two days before PS1 (8/11) with Water Borders. Check out a video of oOoOO and Butterclock doing "Hustlin'" at the Mercury Lounge show below along with more pictures from the PS1 show...

Continue reading "His Name is Alive, Black Dice, Water Borders, Clams Casino, oOoOO, Butterclock, Ayshay & more played PS1 (pics)"