Wednesday, May 30, 2012

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR.

It's been a minute since we've heard new material from our leading lady Ellie Goulding, but that's the kind of thing that happens when your debut record refuses to stop selling and your most recent single streaks into the Top 40 a year after its original release. But as "Lights" continues to burn on, there's some incredible new material on the horizon, and it starts now with a dazzling prelude in the form of her Xaphoon Jones-produced cover of The Weeknd's "High For This". It's two of the most talented people we've ever had the good fortune to work with covering one of the best songs of the past 18 months, and they've been kind enough to throw us the exclusive premiere below.

DOWNLOAD: "High For This" - Ellie Goulding [exclusive]

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

REMIX CONTEST 001: ATLAS GENIUS


It hasn't even been a full year since we first premiered "Trojans" and Atlas Genius began their imminent world takeover. Now they've got a debut EP out June 12th on Warner. As it was one of our top singles of 2011, we're throwing caution to the wind and doing something we've never done before. So without further ado, we'd like to present our first ever Neon Gold Remix Contest.

Now we're not necessarily looking for the next Madeon (note: we absolutely are), but use this opportunity to get creative and wow us. We're hosting it on our Soundcloud, where you may also download the stems and submit your own original interpretation. The final submission deadline is July 31st, when the jury will hold court and select one winner. GOOD LUCK.

1. Download stems HERE.
2. Submit remixes HERE.

STREAM: "Trojans" - Atlas Genius

Thursday, May 24, 2012

GOLD034: ST. LUCIA

We've got a bottomless well of praise to shower upon St. Lucia, and with that in mind we're stoked to bring you his next 7" as we wrap up the EP campaign and turn all eyes on his debut album. Leading off the 7" is EP standout and new single, "Before The Dive", a weather-agnostic pop anthem that makes it feel like Christmas morning every morning. Jean's powerstorming piano progression jolts you awake like a brisk reality check, as you join him on the precipice of greatness and stare into the sublime oblivion. Then there's that explosive "when it rains, it pours" chorus, with self-sufficient harmonies and everlasting sunshine for days. You take the jump with him and feel your fears ebb away like washing up on a private beach in another galaxy.

On the flip, London mysteriosos D-E-W-L challenge St. L's anthemic "All Eyes On You" to a space age standoff in an epic pop noir reimagining. Taking a page out of Clock Opera's book and reinventing the melody of the original chorus, the duo dress the track up in layer upon layer of keys and atmospherics as it steadily evolves into a beautiful dark twisted fantasy of hidden desires and masked emotions. The Before The Dive 7" arrives on Neon Gold June 12th, but preorder is now available worldwide HERE, alongside a free download of the D-E-W-L remix below.

DOWNLOAD: "All Eyes On You (D-E-W-L Remix)" - St. Lucia

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

INTRODUCING: POPSHOP BROOKLYN


It was only a matter of time. Hot on the high heels of our European invasion, we're crossing a somewhat smaller pond and bringing Popshop across the bridge to Brooklyn. Starting next month, Popshop BK will be taking over the second Saturday of every month at Brooklyn Bowl, rocking the late night slot from 11:30pm onwards.

And for the opening ceremony in June, we're bringing out the big guns, with our resident partystarters The Knocks headlining live and Oliver rocking the DJ headline, polishing their stun guns all the way from LA. And to kick the whole affair off, we've got local heroes Ghost Beach rolling out the proverbial red carpet. In other words, massive pop hooks and summer-ready anthems aplenty all night.

We're cutting the ribbon June 16th at 11:30pm, so come out and celebrate the dawning of a new era with us at the Bowl, all for the low low price of $10 (advance tickets here). LATE NIGHT LANE NIGHT Y'ALL.

STREAM: "Learn to Fly" - The Knocks


DOWNLOAD: "Big (Oliver Remix)" - Sneaky Sound System


STREAM: "Miracle" - Ghost Beach

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

TOGETHER WE COULD MAKE A STAND.

So last week this dude Baauer's remix of "Move To The Ocean" by Brick + Mortar found it's way into our inbox courtesy of Xaphoon Jones, accompanied by two words: "Game. Change." And how right young Xaph was, as this shit quickly obliterated everything in its path on the way to the upper echelon of our remixes of the year list. Baauer released his debut single "Harlem Shake" on Mad Decent spinoff The Jeffrees last week, and we fully expect him to be all up in everyone's shit this summer, so get this in your life and get ready.

MP3: "Move To The Ocean" (Baauer Remix) - Brick + Mortar

Monday, May 21, 2012

TELL YOUR SHADOW WHAT TO DO.

Storybook escapism is pretty much the name of the game with Australia's Jinja Safari, and nowhere is this more evident than on debut single "Peter Pan". Nursery rhyme glockenspiels set the scene in the prelude, and when you open your eyes to take it all in, you're flying high above chimneys and treetops, as the mundanity of everyday life melts away below. All afropop rhythms and starry-eyed guitars, it's a bit like if Jonsi, Local Natives and The Dodos all met up in Neverland to give it all up and form their very own Animal Collective. It's inspired unironic folk pop, and a shot of fresh air that feels like basking in early teenhood bliss. They were a bristling force of nature at the Great Escape, so choose your adventure wisely and indulge in Jinja Safari. The band make their NYC debut this week at Mercury Lounge tomorrow night and Pianos on Wednesday, so get involved and experience the magic for yourself.

MP3: "Peter Pan" - Jinja Safari

Thursday, May 17, 2012

POPSHOP017: DANGER + BODY LANGUAGE

Last month's Popshop was another sold out classic and the stuff of legend, but next month's lineup is quite literally a dream come true. Yes, the rumors are true, we've got French electro heavyweight Danger - presumed missing since the great electrowars of 2007-2008 - as he makes his triumphant return to New York with a brand new, never-before-seen live show. We don't know where he's been hiding these past few years, but we do know that he threw down one of the most amazing shows we've ever seen when he obliterated Berlin in 2008, and we've been dreaming of having him on the Neon Gold stage ever since. And as if that wasn't enough, we've got our favorite Brooklyn partystarters Body Language tearing the roof off the place live, plus Boston synth radicals Carousel getting things started early and our main man Xaphoon Jones keeping it going late. Yeah, it's gonna be a large night. Santo's Party Mansion. Thursday, June 7th. 9pm SHARP. Tickets HERE.

STREAM: "11h30" - Danger

STREAM: "Holiday" - Body Language

STREAM: "Where Have You Gone" - Carousel

STREAM: "Stay Scheming" - Xaphoon Jones

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS.


Another week, another step on Foxes' inexorable march towards supernova pop stardom. "Youth" first dropped jaws late last year and was followed by the equally massive "White Coats" last month, but new demo "Let Go For Tonight" may well end up being the biggest single in her arsenal. Co-written by veteran London songsmith Kid Harpoon, whose fingerprints are all over the new Florence + the Machine record, "Let Go For Tonight" is Lou at her rawest and most visceral. As intertwining piano lines begin to take hold and the lights start to dim, Lou's voice pierces through the darkness like a heavensent beacon of hope. Even in early demo form, it resonates with the ferocious insatiability of a bloodthirsty gladiator, perhaps due to the fact that there's no one quite like her in the pop arena right now. The Warrior EP (on which this features) is out July 3rd, but don't miss Foxes make her long-awaited London debut at our Popshop UK launch tonight at Camp. LEGGO FOR TONIGHT.

MP3: "Let Go For Tonight" - Foxes

Monday, May 14, 2012

LET DAY TAKE NIGHT AWAY.


It's been a long minute since we first brought Mr. Little Jeans into the world on Neon Gold, but now she's back in a blaze of glory with new single "Runaway" and a truly spectacular (trust us) full-length due out later this summer. Fool's Gold hook her up with a one-way ticket to dream city on this exclusive remix of "Runaway," where drums grow on palm trees, children are born with flowers in their hair, and Mr. Little Jeans shakes down to a grass skirt. It's all set against a backdrop of echoing memories and windsurfing instrumentals, as the ever-tropical splash shields the whiplash of unrequited love, leaving behind a trace of Tanlines and a taste of heaven. It's an insatiably refreshing remix that you'll want by your side the second vacation mode hits this summer.

MP3: "Runaway" (Fool's Gold Remix) - Mr. Little Jeans [exclusive]

Sunday, May 13, 2012

ALL THINGS GOLD 010: LE CASTLE VANIA

Didn't move fast enough to secure tickets for the first of our back-to-back All Things Golds this month with Madeon on Wednesday? Worry not, as there's still another chance to get your All Things Gold fix for the month this week, as we're back to bring you our usual Thursday night of mayhem this week with the triumphant return of Le Castle Vania to U Street Music Hall. Rounding out the bill are the life-affirming guitar electro of Ghost Beach live and DC debut of hype charts heatseeker Viceroy on the ones and twos. Tickets are available HERE.

STREAM: "The Light" - Le Castle Vania
 
DOWNLOAD: "Closer Than This" (Viceroy Remix) - St. Lucia


STREAM: "Miracle" - Ghost Beach

Thursday, May 10, 2012

SKIN + BONE.


CHURCHES are two boys and a girl from Glasgow, and that's about all we know at this juncture. That, and the fact that debut single "Lies" is absolutely massive, a godless hurricane of kinetic pop energy that's the kind of thing Neon Gold dreams are made of. Coming off like a post-apocalyptic Alphabeat as produced by Mark Foster, it's an all-out sonic assault, carpet bombing synth flares blocking out the sun as they rain down over militaristic drums and an authoritative female vocal. Visceral and destructive, it's a powerful debut that will have even the most skeptical pop listener believing in the power of CHURCHES in no time at all.

MP3: "Lies" - CHURCHES [exclusive]

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

THESE NIGHTS.


Hot on the heels of our love letter to Superhumanoids and the '80s dream machine pop of recent single "Geri", the Silverlake quintet have been kind enough to grace us with the premier of new single "Too Young For Love" ahead of their NYC live dates supporting Active Child at Bowery Ballroom and Mercury Lounge this week. Coming off like Class Actress and Cocteau Twins on a '90s R&B kick (right down to the groaning Ginuwine synths), "Too Young"'s swirling atmospherics go down like soft serve ice cream and when Sarah Chernoff's faux-naïf musings leave her lips, you just want to catch them with your own. It's a summery treat that makes love feel like a thing of the future. And what a bright future it is.

DOWNLOAD: "Too Young For Love" - Superhumanoids [exclusive]

ALL THE STARS IN ALL THE SKIES.


The Knocks take a break from their usual in-the-club rage anthems to talk about feelings for a hot second on new single (and live staple) "Learn To Fly", but guess what, it still gets the job done and then some. It's basically their very own "Shooting Stars" with a bit of "Don't Stop Believing" keys magic on the bridge thrown in for good measure, and if that's not a recipe for success then we don't know what is.

MP3: "Learn To Fly" - The Knocks

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

THROW ME INTO THE FIRE.


The Sound of Arrows and Alex Winston. Two of our favorite artists in the world, and some of our absolute favorite people around. The remix gods smile upon us today as they shrink the Atlantic and bring the two acts together in holy remix matrimony, the Arrows' hands-in-the-air production taking Winnie's gritty Midwestern swagger to new heights as our dream of hearing Winston in the club gets one step closer to realization.

MP3: "Guts" (The Sound of Arrows) - Alex Winston

Monday, May 7, 2012

ALL THE SOUNDS YOU USED TO MAKE.


After killing it on world class remixes for the likes of Gotye and The Knocks, Stylus Dust return to the fold to show St. Lucia some much-deserved PDA on this exclusive cut off his brand new remix EP for "Closer Than This". The angels in the leftfield pop game take to the clouds as the starless night sky opens up and electronic drizzles drape across the dashboard, obscuring everything that lies ahead. But when those chiaroscuro synths shift gears and go technicolor, Jean's dazzling vocals flip uptempo and suddenly you're speeding down the highway less traveled as Stylus Dust's orchestral remix production delivers you unscathed into a blissful epilogue. The Closer Than This EP includes additional remixes from Lightwaves and Viceroy and is available now for FREE download in exchange for a "like" on St. Lucia's Facebook page, unlock your download HERE.

MP3: "Closer Than This" (Stylus Dust Remix) - St. Lucia

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE GONE.

Superhumanoids have been a staple in the Silverlake indie scene for a minute now, but their latest single "Geri" - sporting mixing and additional production by none other than Diplo protege and Charli XCX beatsmith Ariel Reichstadt - marks a quantum leap for the three piece. Like Metropolis set against a monochrome 80's backdrop, the track comes to life between the juxtaposition of frontman Cameron Parkins' robotic deadpan and the featherlight vocals of Sarah Chernoff. Decisive and to the point, "Geri" is short, sweet and leaves you wanting more. So much more.

DOWNLOAD: "Geri" - Superhumanoids

ALL THINGS GOLD PRESENTS: MADEON

So we've been kind of crazy busy recently, and in the whirlwind of the last few weeks we totally forgot to mention the fact that we booked a once in a lifetime show with Madeon down in DC for a special one off All Things Gold next month. And now it's dangerously close to selling out, so consider this fair (okay, not entirely fair) warning: THE BOY PRINCE OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC IS COMING. SECURE YOUR TICKETS NOW.