As I may have noted once or twice, Janine and the Mixtape's Dark Mind EP is one of last year's overlooked local gems. Or perhaps not-so-overlooked now, given that her new video for 'Hold Me' was premiered this week on the Billboard website. The short article says she's currently working on a debut album and preparing the release of a Dark Mind deluxe edition, with guests.
But anyway, the video. It features a lot of cuddling and caressing:
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It caused quite a commotion when the young Aussie DJ-prodcer Flume dropped a remix of Lorde's 'Tennis Court' into his live set last week, and now -- literally in the last five minutes as I'm writing this -- the official audio (as in, it's an official remix) has gone up on Soundcloud:
Aaaand ... after her current well-earned rest, Lorde will be back in the studio with Joel Little in June. I gather there are plans to work with other producers too, with Diplo pretty much a cert. Cool.
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News from another talented woman. Estere has just released an album of songs -- and it's a free download on Bandcamp. You should probaby go and get it.
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Readers may recall that when Dr Chris Warner embarked on his fourth wedding on Shortland Street recently, his thoughtful bride Rachel McKenna booked The Chills as the surprise wedding band. Dr Warner is, of course, a longtime fan. But the most striking use of The Chills' music -- the Street's Blue Velvet moment, no less -- goes to Chris's evil "brother" Dominic.
All that and more is in The Songs of Shortland Street, a fun little listicle I did for Audioculture. Thanks to Simon Bennett, Graham Bollard, Robyn Gallagher, Joanna McLeod and Rachael Keerewere among others for their help.
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Fresh out this week, the funky, funny video for 'Providence' by A Hori Buzz, featuring Tali as a schoolteacher and Aaron Tokona as his thoroughly bad self:
That's on iTunes here.
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The Becks Sets have been announced as part of the May's annual Music Month. Depending on where you live, there'll be performances by the Phoenix Foundation, Lawrence Arabia, Janine and the Mixtape and others. The shows are part of a new partnership with the New Zealand Music Commission, which will also see Beck's commission new songs for release from those artists and others, including Third 3ye and Ghost Wave.
The Obamas sent a nice letter to the family and friends of the late Frankie Knuckles.
A good story for the Herald by Peter Calder on the vinyl revival and its beneficial impact on Real Groovy Records.
Nerd Department: The energetic keepers of the cover-versions blog Cover Me revealed their favourite cover versions of their favourite Beatles songs, and they included this version of 'Tomorrow Never Knows' by Brian Eno's 801. I did not know of this ...
From the same site, a grunge version of Lorde's 'Team'. Actually pretty rockin':
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Some long-weekend dancing material: Jester rework Kenneth Sherman's version of 'Why Can't We Live Together' ...
Etta James doing 'I Got You Babe' ...
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