Videos : Danny Darko & Dionne Lightwood : Visible

Who is Danny Darko?
Danny Darko is a an eclectic artist & record producer, DJ, Guitarist (Electric and Acoustic) and Songwriter. His youtube channel, started in 2012, has already reached 1.5 million views.

His songs have already been supported by world’s best djs alike Dj Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Pete Tong, Judge Jules, Chuckie. He made more than 20 Top 50 in Beatport Genre Charts, mainly in house, progressive and electro genres.

He’s also known for being Starchaser producer whose single, “Love will set you free”, topped UK Singles Charts(n.24) and rocked world MTV’s dance charts. He already collaborated with some of the top labels in the music industry, like Sony, Emi, Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, Warner Music.

His sound is constantly shaping and evolving, often switching an crossing different genres. As artist, he’s currently focusing on dubstep and progressive/house sounds, sometimes crossing them over with pop / rock music. He likes to throw in the odd “acustic mix” from time to time.

AN ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY ARTIST

Danny is known for his strong environmental beliefs; releases such as “Save the whales” , “We need to wake up!”, “Protect Ancient Forests” or “Go Solar!” – just to name a few – were conceived to send social messages through his songs. Before deciding to dedicate himself exclusively to the music, he has been professor in high schools where he uses to make lectures on environmental and social issues. He is also an environmental “online activist”.


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Sources : Danny Darko Photo | Visible Video | Danny Darko Biography

Videos : Krystal Keith : Daddy Dance With Me

Who is Krystal Keith?
When a child displays a natural musical or performance ability, like Krystal Keith did at the young age of 5, the parents are often prone to getting their precocious one into classes, signed up with an agent, and making the audition rounds right away. But, Krystal Keith's parents went a different route… the longer, tougher, and more grassroots route to get her where she is today, which is on the brink of releasing her debut country album on Show Dog-Universal Music.

"My parents didn’t just want to hand me everything. They taught me to work for it and work hard," explains Keith. "So, I started singing in competitions when I was 13 years old. I always knew I was going to be a singer, but my dad taught me that experience is what would get me there, and this was a great experience. I learned a lot. I then started singing at the Oklahoma Opry, now the Rodeo Opry, every three weeks or so to really hone my craft."

Keith would belt out her favorite female country songs, such as Patsy Cline’s "Crazy" and "Walkin' After Midnight," Reba McEntire's "Little Rock," Martina McBride's "Broken Wing," and others, week after week to flex that natural vibrato she has and learn how to perform for a crowd. "It was the best education ever," she says. "I also started writing at a young age because I always knew the value of not just being able to sing, but to write as well and I love both equally. I wrote my first poem-song around age 9 for my parents, and wrote my first full song, 'Just Between You and Me' when I was 15 and recorded it when I was 17."

Though teen stars are a dime a dozen these days, Keith's parents still wouldn’t open those velvet ropes for her into the country world where her dad - superstar Toby Keith - is so successful. Instead, she had to finish college before she could be given the green light to move forward with her singing career... and get just a little bit more experience under her belt. She soon started getting booked to sing the national anthem at Oklahoma University games as well as odd signing jobs, and often headlining, at country fairs and local conferences. She finally got a little leg up from dear old dad when he'd have her sing the national anthem on some of his tours and recorded the song "Mockingbird" together, which the two performed on the Country Music Awards in 2004 when she was just 19 as her coming out party to the country music world.

"We used to sing 'Mockingbird' together when I was growing up so it was really special to get to perform it at the CMAs. It was like a teaser to remind me that this is where I can be if I just finish college, so that's what I did," explains Keith, who has a Bachelor Degree in Communications from Oklahoma University and even spent some time in the working world before putting a band together to start the process of writing and picking songs for her debut CD.

"I'm pretty much a hard-core country girl," she says. "I grew up on Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings - the greats. My music is country but a little bluesier and I have some rock in me, some Janis Joplin, who I really love. I'm very ladylike but with some rough edges. I say what's on my mind and don't always have a filter."


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Sources : Krystal Keith Photo | Daddy Dance With Me Video | Krystal Keith Biography

Mixtapes : Wyclef Jean : April Showers

Listen To Wyclef Jean : April Showers

Download Mixtape

Wyclef Jean is getting ready to release his new project, April Showers, this Monday (4/29). And to hold us over, Wyclef reveals the official artwork for it (above).

Wyclef's new project will feature some big name features including T.I., 2 Chainz, Trae The Truth, Waka Flocka, and more. However, what Wyclef said he was most excited for was the unknown features. Wyclef stated,

“I am excited for the mixtape for just the discovery factor. Half of the people you won’t know on the mixtape.”

Wyclef Jean - "Mid Life Crisis" Trailer

April Showers Review
Wyclef Jean hasn’t released any new material in seven years but today, the Haitian musician returns with a new mixtape, ‘April Showers.’

Buoyed by the song ‘Hip Hop,’ in which he reflects on his favorite hip-hop memories, the former Fugees member brings an eclectic mix of rap songs on the 33-track collection.

Clef collaborates with a number of hip-hop heavyweights including T.I., Trae tha Truth, Kirko Bangz, Mobb Deep, Uncle Murda and Troy Ave. The vocals of the late Whitney Houston are even featured.

On the title track, Wyclef spits punchlines about slaying his competitors and comparing his rhymes to bullets from an AK. “I was raised on a 100 bars or better / My bars are still my delivery / Tougher than leather,” he raps.

One interesting collaboration on the mixtape is the refugee rocking with Waka Flocka Flame on ‘Trap N Roll.’ Clef provides the electric guitar riff while Waka spits hardcore rhymes over a trap-sounding beat. Another track, ‘Hope N Pray,’ features producer Young Chop on the beat and Wyclef singing about the perils of street life in Chicago.

Then Wyclef heads down south and teams up with Tip and Trae on ‘I Wish It Was Music’ to address the rebellious nature of today’s youth. That carries over on ‘Death Wish,’ a hardcore track featuring the gruff talk of Opium Black.

Wyclef also freestyles over popular instrumentals including ‘Started From the Bottom,’ ‘Bugatti’ and ‘Love Sosa.’ Over the sinister beat of Jay-Z‘s ‘Open Letter,’ the rapper talks about the politics involving his native homeland of Haiti. You gonna learn about Haiti today!

Speaking of learning, Wyclef dumbs it down and raps about his come-up on the infectious ‘Kick Knowledge.’ Over a head-nodding trap beat and a Japanese guitar riff, Clef spits, “Kick knowledge / Then to college / I ain’t stay long / I went from the ‘hood to cottage / Pursue my dreams / Started making beats / Ready or not / Here I come with the Refugees.”

The ‘If I Was President’ rhymer also provides a platform for a few of his up-and-coming artists like Angelica Salem (‘Stuntin’), G Fella (‘Hard Times’), Choppa Zoe (‘The Shrine’), Trini (‘The Buzz’) and Jarina de Marco (‘Main Dish’).

Wyclef Jean’s ‘April Showers’ is a great mixtape that we hope will bring a proper full-length album from the Haitian ambassador.


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Sources : Wyclef Jean Photo | Listen To April Showers | Download April Showers | Wyclef Jean Article | Wyclef Jean - "Mid Life Crisis" Trailer Video | April Showers Review

Videos : Ray J : I Hit It First

Who is Ray J?
William Ray Norwood Jr. (born January 17, 1981), known by his stage name Ray J, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, he is the brother of recording artist and actress Brandy Norwood. In 2007, he gained notoriety as the subject of a sex tape with socialite former girlfriend Kim Kardashian.

William Ray Norwood Jr. was born in McComb, Mississippi to Willie Norwood and Sonja Bates-Norwood. His older sister Brandy is an award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist. His second cousin, Snoop Lion, is a multi-platinum recording rapper. Early in his life, he moved with his family from McComb, Mississippi to Carson, California, and in 1989 started appearing in television commercials for different companies. In 1989, at the age of eight, Norwood began auditioning for and appearing in television commercials; he played the foster son in "The Sinbad Show, from 1993-1994. This period in Norwood's life would shape his acting career to come. According to Bradley Torreano of allmusic, "his easygoing image and boyish looks appealed to the producers of Brandy's television show, Moesha", giving him a role on the UPN series starting in 1999 as Dorian "D-Money".

Early in his career, Ray J was known for wearing a Pacers headband.

He signed to Elektra Records in 1995 and he began to record his debut album Everything You Want the same year. "Let It Go" appeared on the Set It Off soundtrack. It peaked number 25 in the U.S. and number 11 in New Zealand. The second single peaked at number 54 on the U.S. R&B chart. In 1997, he was dropped from the label. He produced, putting together the music for several commercials and a few of the demos for his second record.

Ray J recorded "Another Day in Paradise" with Brandy, which was a Top Ten success in Austria, UK, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Ireland, the Netherlands and number 11 in Australia and France. The song was the lead single of the R&B/Hip Hop tribute Urban Renewal, in which he co-produced and performed songs. Norwood also worked with The Neptunes, Rodney Jerkins and Lil' Kim, and several other producers and singers for his second studio album This Ain't A Game. The album was released in 2001. The lead single "Wait A Minute" peaked at #30 on the U.S. Hot 100 chart and #8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Formal Invite" followed at #54 on the R&B chart.

After a two year break, Norwood returned to recording studios, adding the finishing touches on his third studio album Raydiation with help from producers such as Rodney Jerkins, Timbaland, R. Kelly, and Rob Egerton. A joint venture by Sanctuary Records and Ray-J's own label, independent Knockout Entertainment, the album was finally released on September 27, 2005 in North America after several delays, debuting at number forty-eight on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 18,321 copies in the first week. The album's lead single "One Wish" was a top 20 success in the US, UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. Raydiation eventually sold over 400,000 copies domestically.

In 2005, Norwood joined the cast of UPN's One On One, where he played the character of D-Mack for the final season. On both shows, Ray's character was related to Brandy's (cousin/half-brother on Moesha, brother on One on One).

In February 2007, a pornographic home video he made with former girlfriend Kim Kardashian in 2003 was made public. Kardashian sued Vivid Entertainment for ownership of the tape. In late April 2007, Kardashian dropped the suit and settled with Vivid Entertainment for $5 million.

Knockout Entertainment announced a multi-million dollar album deal with Koch Records and Shaquille O'Neal's "Deja 34" entertainment company. The first album for this deal is Ray J's fourth album All I Feel, which features The Game and Yung Berg among others. It was released on April 1, 2008. The album's first single is "Sexy Can I" featuring rapper Yung Berg peaked at number three on the Top Singles (Hot 100) for six weeks. A video for the track, directed by R. Malcolm Jones, was shot in December 2007. J stars in the Black Christmas movie Dark Christmas under the direction from Deon Taylor.

In 2009, Norwood starred in his own VH1 reality dating show, For the Love of Ray J. The show premiered on February 2, 2009. For his show on March 24, 2009 he released the soundtrack/studio album called For The Love Of Ray J. On November 2, 2009, the show's second season premiered. In 2010, Norwood and his sister Brandy Norwood premiered the VH1 reality series Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business along with their parents. The show debuted in April 2010 and chronicled the backstage happenings of both siblings, while taking a bigger role in their family's management and production company, R&B Productions. He is the confirmed Presenter of new Oxygen TV Show 'Bad Girls: All Star Games'

On June 19, 2011, Ray J, along with his sister Brandy and his dad Willie Norwood Sr., released A Family Business, which serves as a soundtrack to their hit reality TV show, Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business, and was released through Time-Life Music. He released a single from the album called "Turnin' Me On". The song will be featured on his upcoming album as well.

Ray J is currently working on his upcoming solo album Raydiation 2. The first single "I Hit It First" was released on April 6, 2013. "I Hit It First" caused controversy for its alleged lyrics aiming at Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. The song has since debuted at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100.


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Sources : Ray J Photo | I Hit It First Video | Ray J Biography

Singles : Ke$ha Ft. Will.I.Am : Crazy Kids

Listen To Ke$ha Ft. Will.I.Am : Crazy Kids

At the risk of sounding like the cranky neighbor from Dennis the Menace... those Crazy Kids are at it again! I’m referring, of course, to Ke$ha and will.i.am, who have joined forces for the former’s latest single. Die Young co-producers Dr. Luke, Cirkut and Benny Blanco once again work their magic behind the mixing boards, pinballing between pop-rock and bass-heavy club fare as the RCA Records pop songstress rhapsodizes about the joys of being young, carefree and wasted. Newly-added for the record’s single version, the Black Eyed Peas frontman-turned-solo hitmaker unleashes his own inner child on the middle verse. In addition to copping Warrior, available in stores and online as of December 2012, fans should be sure to tune into MTV April 23, for the series premiere of the singer’s new reality series, Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life. Last but not least, click here to purchase tickets to the artist’s upcoming summer tour with Pitbull.


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Sources : Ke$ha Photo | Listen To Crazy kids | Ke$ha Article

Videos : Middle Class Rut : Aunt Betty

Who is Middle Class Rut?
The Sacramento, CA-based duo of vocalist/guitarist Zack Lopez and vocalist/drummer Sean Stockham shared stages with the likes of Muse, Social Distortion, Them Crooked Vultures, Alice In Chains, 30 Seconds To Mars and Linkin Park and more than held their own, drawing rave reviews from NME, the BBC, Alternative Press and Kerrang!, who proclaimed, “Their sound is nothing short of colossal, and one that a mere two-piece shouldn’t be able to create, combining the boisterous swagger and pomp of Jane’s Addiction and the feral fury of Rage Against the Machine.” Added Alternative Press, “it’s mind-blowing to witness the sheer depth and complexity of the sound these two guys are capable of unleashing on their own.”

Lopez and Stockham are raising the bar with Pick Up Your Head, an album that sees the duo opening up their sound. “We realized we’d exhausted everything we could do with drums, guitar, and vocals,” Lopez explains. “Once we decided to take an ‘anything goes’ approach, the songs poured out. We were freer with layering and didn’t worry if we couldn’t reproduce it live, as long as we captured the music with the highest energy possible.”

Mixed by Grammy winning producer Dave Sardy (Johnny Cash, LCD Soundsystem, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds), the album was produced by the duo working alone in the studio. “We wanted to have a distinct sound,” Lopez says. “Instead of jamming together, I’d write a bass line or a vocal melody. Sean would lay down a tempo and we’d write around that. For percussion, we’d use whatever was laying around – pots and pans, an old desk – anything with a nice crack and ring to it.”

They recorded together in one room, so the music and vocals bleed into each other to preserve the feeling of a live performance. “There are more layers on this album, but we’ve been playing together so long, there was never a conversation about what kind of record we were going to make,” Stockham says. “The songs and arrangements evolved as we played them.”

The music on Pick Up Your Head has a denser, fuller sound than before, with Lopez playing bass and rhythm guitar, sometimes laying down multi-tracked parts. “On every song, we added percussive elements that play along with the drums to get a more spontaneous bang to build off of. It’s not overkill, but it does sound more like a normal rock band. We had a budget, but we didn’t send out for any fancy equipment. I used my practice amp and the usual amps I use on stage. We didn’t use samplers. We didn’t want any sounds a thousand different people have used before.”

On “No More,” Lopez piles up layers of grinding rhythms as Stockham’s looped drum track adds a hint of funk to the song’s message of desperate heartache. Stockham sings lead on “Dead Eye,” a mournful tribute to the friends and family he’s lost in recent months. The track’s loping bass line and shimmering, reverb drenched guitar lines give it a country-esque vibe. “Sing While You Slave” describes the frustrations of a dead end job, alternating punched up guitars and a growling rant with jolts of processed vocals full of quiet desperation. The band shows diversity on tracks like “Leech,” which has the bright feel of a 70s glam rock hit in its bouncy backbeat; the heavy surf guitar, tidal bass and primal drumming of “Cut the Line” and the Latin-tinged rap’n’roll of the title track. “Born Too Late” is a full-on blistering post punk attack, while “Take a Shot” closes the record with a quiet meditation on life’s disappointments.

The album is introduced via its electrifying lead single, “Aunt Betty.” Says Stockham, “A lot of the songs on the new record, including ‘Aunt Betty,’ existed as finished demos long before we even set foot in the studio. They were like these elaborate little buildings, finely chiseled, where every ornate detail had a definite purpose. Some needed a facelift, others needed ass implants. In the case of ‘Aunt Betty,’ she just needed some weight in the bottom end – a new foundation. We chopped her in half at the waist, fed her legs to the wolves, and rebuilt some new stems with thunderous thighs and bunda booty.”

Keeping with the “anything goes approach,” Lopez and Stockham are amplifying their live sound by adding a bassist, guitarist and percussionist. Explains Zack, “We were talking about our touring and figuring out how to play the new songs live and realized we had two choices: either we play to a laptop loaded with tracks, which would be lame, or we bring in some guys to fill out the sound, which seemed cooler. Sean was a little reluctant at first, which then made me reluctant, but we agreed to at least try it. If it works, great. If not, we’ll just go back to the way we’ve always done it.”

The band’s roots can be traced back to Sacramento in the early 2000’s. Stockham knew he was going to be a drummer from the moment he saw a fellow student bashing the drum kit in a junior high jazz-fusion band. “The sound of the drums in that big practice room was it for me,” he says. “I’d been singing and dancing since I was four or five, but when I heard those drums, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.” His parents had gotten him a drum kit and he spent every afternoon in his living room, bashing away to the bands on MTV.

Lopez, meanwhile, had been forced to take piano lessons—not the coolest instrument for a teenage boy. After struggling with a nylon string classical guitar that he couldn’t get his fingers around, he got an electric. He learned the basic chords, ditched his teacher and started teaching himself. The two eventually hooked up and together with a friend, formed a band. Zack’s mom had a tape deck. As soon as the still-unnamed band started writing songs, they’d record them. “We liked to listen to what we were writing right away,” Stockham says. “We needed to hear it come out of a stereo.”

The band called itself Leisure. They continued playing until everyone had graduated from high school. Lopez and Stockham were the core of the group, with other singers and guitarists coming and going. Eventually, they got signed by a major label and moved to LA. “We played bad rock music,” Lopez says. “Sean and I played well together, but the other guys didn’t. We’d always existed as a band within a band, it just took a long time to realize we could do it all ourselves.”

Leisure made two albums; the label shelved them both. “The label got us an agent and a business manager, but it was pretty silly,” Stockham says. “All this money was flying around, but we started getting disgusted by things that we had to do to keep playing the game. At the end, they didn’t want to deal with us and we didn’t want to deal with them.” The band imploded. Lopez and Stockham stopped playing music for two years. “After the major label deal fell apart, we had to get real jobs,” Stockham says. “While I was working, I was thinking, ‘If this is what I’m going to be doing rest of my life, I’m going to go back to making music.’” The pair reconnected and decided to play as a duo.

They were reenergized and recaptured the excitement they felt when they first started playing together, only this time they could both wail on their instruments, with a bracing intensity and aggression to spare, even when they played acoustic songs.

“We decided to be totally independent,” Lopez says. “We booked and promoted ourselves and did a national tour before we had a label, just two of us in a van, with one buddy who did our sound.” Stockham had recorded the music he made with Lopez years ago, developing his production skills as they learned how to play. They quickly fell into a pattern of intense songwriting, recording and performing. “Recording our own music was a part of our process, ever since we were kids. As soon as we finished writing a song, we cut it. That’s what we did with Rut.”

Lopez agrees. “We cut [everything] on the album live, just threw down guitar and drums and it was finished. If we like something enough to record it, we’d capture it with the highest energy possible, right in the moment, everything totally stripped down.” The recordings were sold online and at shows as The Blue EP and The Red EP. When DJ Andy Hawk at KWOD in Sacramento played “New Low,” things opened up and the band took off. Bright Antennae signed them, their demos became their first album, No Name No Color, and they’ve never looked back (read: no more day jobs).

“We’re super-excited about this record,” says Lopez. “The first album was a collection of songs that had been written and recorded over a period of years. This one is way more cohesive from start to finish. When you listen to it, you can tell that it was all written in the same headspace.”

The album got off to a good start, with USA Today naming “Aunt Betty” “Song of the Week” in the March 6th edition of the paper. “It’s a good sign,” says Stockham. “Wait till they hear the other 13 tracks.”


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Sources : Middle Class Rut Photo | Aunt Betty Video | Middle Class Rut Biography

Singles : Marc Anthony : Vivir Mi Vida

Listen To Marc Anthony : Vivir Mi Vida

Who is Marc Anthony?
A multi-talented artist, Marc Anthony (born Marco Antonio Muñiz) has balanced an acting career with a musical career. In addition to appearing in films like The Substitute, Big Night, and Hackers, and in Broadway productions such as Paul Simon's Capeman, Anthony rose to the top level of Latino music. The biggest-selling salsa artist of all time, Anthony was included on a top ten list of influential New Yorkers compiled by New York Magazine.

Instructed in music theory and composition by his father, Anthony grew up listening to Latin musicians, including Rubén Blades, Hector Lavoe, and Willie Colón, and contemporary pop recordings by Air Supply and José Feliciano. At age 12, Anthony and his sister were discovered by David Harris, a producer of demos and commercials; Anthony was hired to sing background on several productions. His songwriting skills became evident, and an early composition, "Boy, I've Been Told," became a Top 40 hip-hop hit for school friend Safire. Anthony subsequently sang background vocals on Safire's debut album. He also sang on albums by the Latin Rascals and Menudo.

Teaming with producer and disc jockey Little Louie Vega, Anthony recorded his debut album, When the Night Is Over, in 1991. The Latin hip-hop-style album, which featured guest appearances by Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri, included the single "Ride on the Rhythm," which reached the top slot on Billboard's dance music charts. On November 22, 1991, Anthony was the opening act on a show at Madison Square Garden that celebrated Puente's 100th album release. Anthony's second album, Otra Nota (produced and arranged by Sergio George), was a better representation of Anthony's salsa roots and included the original tune "Juego o Amor." Todo a Su Tiempo, released in 1995, was a continuation of Anthony's collaboration with George.

With his fourth album, Contra la Corriente, Anthony began working with producer/arranger Angel "Cucco" Peña, and it won the 1999 Grammy for Best Tropical Latin Performance. A self-titled English-language album released in 1999 was an overt attempt at crossing over to the mainstream, and it did reach the Top Ten of the main Billboard album chart, with "I Need to Know" peaking at number three. While 2002's Mended was an even greater commercial success, Anthony continued to release Spanish-language albums that were closer to his roots, like 2001's Libre and 2004's Amar sin Mentiras. His profile was only raised by starring as salsa legend Héctor Lavoe in 2007's El Cantante, which co-starred his wife, Jennifer Lopez. All of the Lavoe songs in the film were also sung by Anthony, and a soundtrack album to El Cantante was released featuring these versions. In 2010 he released another Latin album, Iconos, on which he covered classic pop ballads. Anthony and Lopez separated in 2011, eventually divorcing in 2012, but continued to work together on the Latin talent search show Q'Viva.


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Sources : Marc Anthony Photo | Listen To Vivur Mi Vida | Marc Anthony Biography

Videos : Smokey Robotic : Unlike Anyone

Who is Smokey Robotic?
In just two years, Smokey Robotic has recorded over 200 songs, filmed 18 videos, and joined forces with renowned artists like Redman, Eek-A-Mouse, Skyzoo, and Korean megastars Yoon Mi Rae & Tiger JK. The band’s originality and versatility has garnered the attention of major media outlets like The Atlantic, New York Magazine, NY Post, The Source and TMZ as well as prominent music blogs including 2DopeBoyz, DJ Booth, IndieShuffle, MTV Hive, Pigeons & Planes and more.

The group has been featured in a national TV campaign for Movado watches, charted number one on The Hype Machine Twitter Music Chart and was chosen as the top A&R Pick on CrazedHits.com. They also produced a #1 song on Korean music charts, followed by the release of the music video in collaboration with “The Creators Project” (Intel and VICE).

To date, Smokey Robotic’s music videos have received over 1 million views on YouTube and in March, their single, “Blood Moon” received over 24,000 plays in just the first two days of release.

Most recently, they were selected for the New Music Seminar’s (NMS) “Artist On The Verge” Top 100 Chart, the most comprehensive chart to date for emerging musical talent from all genres, where nominations came from the biggest names in the industry like iHeartradio, SoundExchange, BMI, Pandora, Reverbnation, Spotify, eMusic, Next Big Sound, Musicmetric, SESAC, Ourstage, and many more.


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Sources : Smokey Robotic Photo | Unlike Anyone Video | Smokey Robotic Biography

Videos : Russ Chimes : Turn Me Out

Focus on directing duo Mathy and Fran based in London, who led the official video for "Turn Me Out" for the English artist Russ Chimes . Produced by Shameless, this colorful clip and submitting images to offset symbols is to discover HD video in the following article.


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Sources : Russ Chimes Photo | Turn me Out Video | Russ Chimes Article

News : The Top 10 Canadian TV Theme Songs

As Canadians, we have a mild embarrassment when it comes to our television programs. There’s always something that seems a little off compared to big-budget American shows. It may be the lower production values, the actors who are starring in commercials at the same time, or the fact an animal often gets billed above the human actors in the opening credits. But when it comes to theme songs, Canadian TV takes a back seat (or chesterfield, as we call it) to no one!

The theme song is a lost art form. If you turn on a TV now, the song may be way too short like Mr. D’s or unnecessarily aggressive like Dragons' Den’s. In the 1970s and '80s, producers recognized the value of the theme song. They were long and expositional and often more memorable than the shows themselves. As a result, most of the theme songs on this list come from that era.

10. Definition

The Canadian game show with the greatest theme song (sorry Bumper Stumpers, Just Like Mom and Acting Crazy), Definition uses a pre-existing tune: Quincy Jones’s “Soul Bossa Nova.” It gains extra points for cultural significance, as Dream Warriors used the same song for their “My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style.”

9. The King of Kensington

This is a prime example of the golden age of theme songs. In the minute-long intro to Al Waxman’s 1970s sitcom, we learn the plot of every episode of this show ever. Also, it has crazy Greek music and a bunch of hilarious gags being offered up from voices off-screen.

8. The Tom Green Show

Like the show itself, the theme is an absurd comedy piece. Tom Green sings the theme, which makes it very clear what we’re watching. Of the 51 words in the song, eight of them are “show.” That’s about 16 per cent.

7. The Edison Twins

Another show where the opening credits’ budget seemed to be bigger than the rest of the show’s. The opening credits have everything: math, a green laser and a catchy tune that may as well have been performed by Doug and the Slugs.

6. Degrassi Junior High

There have been many iterations (and generations) of Degrassi, but none has a greater theme than Degrassi Junior High. With its new wave hooks, it’s the soundtrack to Canadian puberty.

5. Mr. Dressup

Unlike The Friendly Giant’s renaissance fair lullabye, Mr. Dressup’s theme is a modern, edgy tune for the kids of today. Well, OK. It’s not. It’s a gentle, twinkly tune that transports you back to your parents’ TV room, where you wondered about Casey’s gender assignment.

4. The Kids in the Hall

The instantly recognizable jangly tune is called “Having an Average Weekend” by Toronto instrumental group Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. It was originally released on their 1985 EP, Love Without Words, and the show used other song fragments from the band in between sketches.

3. Danger Bay

This song is reminiscent of Magnum, P.I.’s theme. It’s a perfect action-adventure theme, and it’s so engrossing that you end up watching the opening credits to discover that everyone on this show has awesome names. Donnelly Rhodes? Ocean Hellman? Hagan Beggs? Yes please.

2. The Littlest Hobo

’m pretty sure 90 per cent of this show’s budget went to its theme song. “Oh no, we ran out of money for lights, cameras or action!” But it’s an awesome theme song. In fact, the song is the only thing many people know about the show. For years, I didn’t even know this show was about a dog.

1. Hockey Night in Canada

While HNIC switched up their theme a few years ago, “The Hockey Theme” by Dolores Claman was the Saturday night anthem from 1968 to 2008. Dozens of versions of the theme exist, including this one arranged by Rush drummer Neil Peart.


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Sources : The Top 10 Canadian Tv Theme Songs Photo | The Top 10 Canadian Tv Theme Songs Article | Definition Video | King Of Kensington Opening Credits Syndicated Canadian Sitcom Video | Tom Green Live Intro Video | The Edison Twins Video | Degrassi Junior High Opening Theme Video | Mr. Dressup CBC TV Animated Opening Video | Kids In The Hall Intro Theme Song By Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet Video | Danger Bay Video | The Littlest Hobo Intro Video | CBC - Hockey Night In Canada Theme & Open October 1993 Video

Videos : Ashanti : Never Should Have

The beautiful and talented, Ashanti, returns to the scene today with a new video for her infectious new track “Never Should Have”. The track is a smooth, incredibly dope track that finds Ashanti speaking emotionally on a love lost.

As she does her thing, she brings her lyrics to life, while showing a number of people who are going through some things, and having the same thoughts as her. She effortlessly showcases her voice and knocks the point of the track home with the visuals.


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Singles : Union J : Carry You

Listen To Union J : Carry You

Who Is Union J?
Union J are an English four-piece boy band who are based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of members Josh Cuthbert, JJ Hamblett, Jaymi Hensley and George Shelley, who were formed through the ninth series of British television singing competition The X Factor in 2012. They subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music's division RCA Records, and are due to release their debut studio album in 2013.

The band first began as a trio (Triple J) consisting of Josh Cuthbert, JJ Hamblett and Jaymi Hensley. Cuthbert and Hensley had initially met through studying at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, where they later decided to form a group with Hamblett. The trio first auditioned at The X Factor with a performance of Barbadian recording artist, Rihanna's "We Found Love", whilst Shelley covered an acoustic version of Britney Spears' "Toxic". Both acts progressed to Bootcamp, but were not chosen to compete at Judges' Houses. However, following Rough Copy's forced withdrawal from the competition, Triple J's manager, Blair Dreelan was contacted by producers of the series, with an offer for the group to return and contend in Los Angeles - on the basis that Shelley were added to the band. Later rebranded Union J - the band's first performance as a four-piece saw them perform Carly Rae Jepsen's international hit "Call Me Maybe". This earnt them a place in the Live Shows, along with acts District3 and MK1. Although finding themselves in the bottom two for three weeks during the series, Union J progressed to the semi-finals, ultimately leaving the series in fourth position.

Following their success in the ninth series of The X Factor, Union J announced in December 2012 that they had been offered a record deal through RCA Records - a division of Sony Music. In April 2013, the band confirmed the release of their debut single, "Carry You". The track was given its radio premiere on 22 April, and will be released on 2 June 2013. The band have also signed a major publishing deal with Penguin and Michael Joseph, and will release a book detailing their memoirs and time in The X Factor following the release of their music. The boys commented, "We are very excited to be working with Penguin on our first book and are looking forward to the chance to tell our stories, of how we came together and where we came from, as well as the journey we've taken since X Factor." Union J will attend concerts and festivals throughout Summer 2013. They will perform their debut single for the first time at Reading FC's Madejski Stadium as part of the AllStarz Summer Party. Other appearances will include Capital FM's Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium on 9 June 2013, and Chester Rocks 2013 on 15 June.


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Sources : Union J Photo | Listen To Carry You | Union J Biography

Videos : Tyler Farr : Redneck Crazy

Who is Tyler Farr?
Tyler Farr was born and raised in the small town of Garden City, Missouri. The singer was first introduced to country music at age 16, when he spent a summer on the road with his stepfather, who played lead guitar for country icon George Jones. Farr grew to love country music, and he decided to make the move to Nashville to pursue a career as an artist.

He landed a job working as a bouncer at the legendary Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge for five months until he was able to convince the management to let him sing. For the next few years, he would play the Tootsie’s stage four nights a week, in addition to working security at the door.

An avid outdoorsman, Farr found a friend in award-winning songwriter and fellow outdoorsman, Rhett Akins. Rhett had heard some of Farr’s music, and he wanted to work with him. After writing with some of the best songwriters in Nashville, Farr eventually landed a publishing deal with Sony ATV/Monument Publishing, and it was that connection that ultimately helped him land his recording contract on Sony Music Nashville’s BNA Records.

In addition to recording and songwriting, Farr has toured extensively with Colt Ford, for whom Tyler wrote the song, “Hey Y’all,” as well as opening for Jerrod Niemann and Lee Brice in early 2011 on The Higher Education Tour. Tyler’s four-song digital album, Camouflage – EP, is available now.


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Sources : Tyler Farr Photo | Redneck Crazy Video | Tyler Farr Biography

Albums : Snoop Lion : Reincarnated

Listen To Snoop Lion : Reincarnated

The rechristening of Snoop Dogg (né Snoop Doggy Dogg) into Snoop Lion, the extremely chill reggae superhero, at first didn’t seem much like an evolution. He’d long been low-key, long had an air of knowing semi-spirituality, long been preoccupied with smoking weed. Did he really need to don Rastafarian drag too?

But what Snoop Dogg had not long been, he said, was a force for good. “Snoop Dogg was a part of the problem, and Snoop Lion is a part of the solution,” he recently told The Huffington Post (while adding the caveat that Snoop Dogg was not in fact retired). And this wasn’t just a stalemate in his career, but also in the genre. Snoop Lion wanted to make positive, uplifting music, a path he suggested was not available to him in hip-hop.

For the moment, let’s view this supposition generously and sympathetically. Social uplift hasn’t been at the center of hip-hop’s consciousness for, you could argue, almost two decades. There’s plenty of joy in the genre, but much of it is linked to consumerism and sexual bravado. And there are occasional tributaries of social and political awareness — think about the dark commentary on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Watch the Throne” — but they’re not the foundation of the house, only decoration.

Assume, then, that Snoop Lion is onto something — that a hole needs to be filled. That said, there has been no less compelling argument for social commentary in pop music than “Reincarnated” (RCA), the Snoop Lion “debut” album, in recent memory. It ranks at or near the top of vexing choices made by once-platinum artists, full of lazy, half-baked pablum that does more harm to Snoop Lion than good for others.

Maybe he doesn’t rap very well anymore and thinks that switching to a degraded form of roots reggae — a slower, more lethargic genre — will obscure that fact. Maybe his intentions are pure, but his capacity to execute them is small. After all, it’s been some time since Snoop was a musical force. In the 2000s, apart from the singles “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Sexual Eruption,” he’s been better on television, from “Doggy Fizzle Televizzle” to appearances on “The Martha Stewart Show.”

Here, his proclamations for change read like posters written by third graders: “All the pollution in this world me just cant stand it/Global warming make the whole world panic.” It’s telling that the liveliest and most convincing song on this album is “Fruit Juice,” a bubbly flirtation that’s blissfully free of politics.

Snoop is well liked enough to command attention and contributions from artists like Drake, Miley Cyrus, Mavado and Popcaan, but depending on which Jamaican you talk to, Snoop is either a child returning to the homeland or an unwelcome interloper. He does reggae no favors with his halfhearted attempts at patois. (Busta Rhymes runs circles around Snoop on the bonus track “Remedy” — his would be a reggae album worth hearing.) (Read More)

Reincarnated Review
When the rapper formerly known as Snoop Dogg announced in a July 2012 press conference that, after an extended stay in Jamaica earlier that year, he had embraced the island’s religious philosophy of Rastafarianism, changed his name to the more Rasta-friendly Snoop Lion (“dog” is considered derogatory in Jamaican culture), recorded a new Major Lazer-produced album of reggae songs and filmed a documentary about the experience, the whole endeavor smacked of a gimmicky mid-life crisis. Nearly a year later, it seems Snoop is completely sincere about the transformation…but it’s hard not to pick apart the presentation. When you’re commissioning a film documenting a supposedly profound transitional moment in your life, it’s easy for the exercise to seem like a very bored and very stoned millionaire’s very expensive new hobby. Snoop basically admitted as much in the July presser: “Rap is not a challenge to me. I’ve won every accolade you can get in rap, they call me ‘Uncle Snoop’ in rap. When you’re an uncle, it’s time to find something new.” Granted, that motivation for reinvention is much less cynical than if Snoop tried to tailor himself to become more sonically suited for 2013, like if he had made an entire dubstep album under his DJ Snoopadelic banner. Adopting the trappings of reggae legends Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley (whom Snoop believes he is “reincarnated” from) is many things, but a shrewd decision to sell more records it is not. So, discounting the hype and speculation surrounding Reincarnated (out today, April 23), as well as the poorly reviewed documentary, we’re left with an album that, barring a few glaring missteps, ends up being a competent, fun, somewhat mindless marriage of American pop music and contemporary reggae.

The newly christened Snoop Lion forsakes rapping — and in turn his violent past as one of hip-hop’s most revered champions of gangsta rap — to sing in a happily stoned and oily tenor over Major Lazer’s (basically, Diplo‘s) slickly produced reggae-pop. The machine-gun drums and light speed electronic flourishes of ML’s sophomore album, Free the Universe, are mostly absent. Diplo primarily focuses instead on surrounding and supporting Snoop’s consummately chilled-out style with day-glo bursts of bouncing guitar, waltzing drum sections and a cacophony of cartoonish blips and blares, all while enabling contemporary reggae artists like Mavadao, Mr. Vegas and Popcaan to rub shoulders with Hot 100 mainstays like Drake, Akon and Miley Cyrus.

The opening trio of tracks (the airy, swaying “Rebel Way,” the catchy, hopped-up starburst “Here Comes the King” and the blaring weed stomp “Lighters Up”) offers the clearest impression of Snoop and Diplo’s motives, providing Reincarnated a proper introduction with this cluster of catchy, expertly produced island bangers. “Here Comes the King,” in particular, is so effervescent and happy it’s practically weightless, bopping along with goofy organs and echoing drum splashes. Angela Hunte (songwriter of Jay-Z‘s “Empire State of Mind”) delivers the finest chorus on the album here: “We at war with the army of the haters / And when we kill em’ we smoke em’ like papers / Somebody get me my crown because I’m feeling it now / You might be a lord, but here comes the king.”

The breathless gallop of “Get Away” provides a good change of pace, allowing Snoop to explore a metaphorical “escape” from his violent past without bludgeoning listeners over the head. The Obama-quoting, news clip-splicing lament of “No Guns Allowed,” however, proves to be a painfully awkward platform for Snoop and a particularly pensive Drake to reject gun violence. The track’s earnest outlier status becomes even more apparent when the silly, stupid fun of “Fruit Juice” (a track where Snoop literally lists the types of fruits he likes to make juice from) immediately follows, appearing on the album like some high teenager who can’t stop laughing at a funeral.

The LP’s uneven second half starts off with another awkward pairing: the samba-inflected pot paean “Smoke the Weed” and Snoop’s somber reflection on the street violence of his past, “Tired of Running.” Reincarnated closes with a more logical duo: one last infectious island hop on the fantastic Rita Ora feature “Torn Apart,” followed by the light but ultimately clunky and insipid Miley Cyrus collaboration “Ashtrays and Heartbreaks.”

In spite of some massive hiccups, Snoop’s effortless charisma and innately relaxed delivery — along with Diplo’s chops as a master curator of Caribbean styles — allow Reincarnated to rise above the novelty factor that initially seemed primed to doom the album. The real question: is Snoop Dogg’s transformation into Snoop Lion here to stay? It’s hard to see him sticking to reggae for more than a couple albums, but for the time being, he’s enjoying the hell out of his time in the islands.


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Videos : Ñengo Flow : Sigue Viajando

Who is Ñengo Flow?
Edwin Laureano Rosa Vazquez (October 15, 1981), known mononymously as Ñengo Flow is a Puerto Rican reggaetón and hip hop singer and composer. He was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and grew up in Bayamón, Puerto Rico where he would get his start in the music business. It was there that from a young age he would develop interest in the world of urban music. His lyric content came from personal experiences in his neighborhood with other children and classmates. It is not until age 14 when Edwin Rosa was first presented on stage in the neighborhood where he lived in a community movement. There he discovered his mission and dream in life to be an advocate of life in the neighborhood and the streets in his town vent to his experiences in his lyrics.

After a few years the name “Ñengo Flow,” became known, baptizing the name as a subject of his community. His beginnings as an artist started by releasing a mixtape with colleagues and friends. It came to be heard on Univision. This allowed him to easily release his first studio album Flow Callejero in 2005. He would continue to release mixtapes including El Combo Que No Se Deja in 2008 and La Verdadera Calle in 2009. He would also appear on various reggaetón and hip hop compilation albums including Los Anormales (2004), Sangre Nueva (2005), DJ Joe - Abusando del Género (2006). In 2011, he launched his highly acclaimed mixtape Real G4 Life and in 2012 Real G4 Life 2 as well as a Real G4 Life 2.5. Real G4 Life 2 peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart while the 2.5 edition peaked at number 61 on the same chart. Also in 2012, he would appear on various artists' album including Ivy Queen's Musa while also providing uncredited vocals to the song "La Killer".


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Sources : Ñengo Flow Photo | Sigue Viajando Video | Ñengo Flow Biography

Albums : The Neighbourhood : I Love You

Listen To The Neighbourhood : I Love You

Who is The Neighbourhood?
Genre-crossing outfit the Neighbourhood mix atmospheric indie rock, electronica, and hip-hop beats with melodic R&B-inflected vocals. Formed in Los Angeles in 2011, the band centers around lead singer Jesse Rutherford, guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels, bassist Mikey Margott, and drummer Bryan Sammis. In 2012, the Neighbourhood released the EP I'm Sorry..., featuring such singles as "Sweater Weather" and "Female Robbery." In 2013, they delivered the two-song EP Thank You as a prelude to their debut album I Love You, which was released that same year.

I Love You Review
A cursory glance at the spelling of this band’s name might lead you to believe that it hails from England, but you’d be wrong. Based in Southern California, The Neighbourhood isn’t making the typical laid-back, beachy rock that you might expect, either. Instead, this fledgling band is crafting an entirely distinct and head-turning sound that sets it apart from the surge of struggling indie-rock bands currently cluttering the music scene.

The Neighbourhood initially received press attention for its debut single “Sweater Weather,” a melancholy mix of pleading lyrics, rap-inspired drum machine and snaking guitars that create a distinctly eerie yet inexplicably appealing atmosphere. This character pervades the entire debut album, too, shaping a wholly new sound that, frankly, I haven’t really heard before. Replicating the band’s sound might draw from the moodiness of Lana Del Rey (after subtracting the melodrama) and blending it with hip-hop beats and shoegaze melodies. Frontman Jesse Rutherford’s vocals fit the mood of the album perfectly—always a touch hazy, they are stripped down and straightforward, slipping easily into a scratchy whisper that augments the uncanny feeling the permeates songs like “How” and “Let It Go.”

The only fault I find with this album is a degree of monotony in the basic structural elements of each song: unhurried percussion accompanied with pulsing basslines and sparse flourishes of minor guitar melodies. However, there is almost always enough variation in each song to resist the deadening hand of boredom. For example, listen to the breathless pace on the verses of “Sweater Weather” or the dub-infused soul of “Female Robbery.”

However, despite the lack of tonal variety, The Neighbourhood has come out swinging with a dark and brooding record that has definite potential to establish the band firmly in the music scene and launch it to a successful career. The thematic focus on “I Love You” is promising for an emerging band; it’s clear the band knows the direction it’s heading in. Expect big things from The Neighbourhood.


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Sources : The Neighbourhood Photo | Listen To I Love You | The Neighbourhood Biography | I Love You Review

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Videos : Tegan and Sara : I Was A Fool

For the lyric video for Tegan And Sara’s “I Was A Fool,” the Quin sisters act almost as guardian angels for an anonymous girl traipsing a city while combating heartbreak and the lyrics for the track cleverly show up throughout the clip. With this new music video, Tegan And Sara seemingly reprise the the role of sorrow-serenaders, only this time soundtracking for a girl played by Mae “Ann Veal” Whitman — guys, Arrested Development is back in a month!! — as she disposes of relics from her relationship. Check it out below and listen to an excellent deconstruction of the track by Matthew Dear here.


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Singles : Joanna Smith : Girls Are Crazy

Listen To Joanna Smith : Girls Are Crazy

Who Is Joanna Smith?
Raised in a part of the country known for farming, Georgia red clay and family values, Joanna Smith had Music City aspirations at an early age. Growing up in Arlington, GA, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it small-town in Southwest Georgia, Smith got the performance bug from an intoxicating combination childhood tape recorder and listening to strong women of country including The Judds, Reba McEntire, and Dolly Parton.

Encouraged by her family, Joanna Smith entered every performance opportunity available and was committed to perfecting her live shows. Asked at an early age what she wanted to be when she grew up she replied, “I already AM a professional country music singer but I just don’t get to get on the stage much!” Fixing that, Smith took to every stage in the Southeast!

She’d had years of practice performing for crowds when at 18 she was tapped to join Mustang Sally, an all girl country band. Smith then decided to head to Nashville and pursue her music full-time, leaving a full scholarship to Auburn University.

Despite a short run with Mustang Sally, Joanna Smith had fallen in love with Tennessee and decided to remain here permanently. With no connections and in a new city, she set out writing and singing demos, and in a little over a year signed her first publishing deal with Big Borassa Music. Since then, she has had two songs cut (“Flying By” on Billy Ray Cyrus’ latest record, HOME AT LAST), and has opened for Glen Campbell at the Ryman Auditorium.

Joanna spent her evenings playing on Broadway performing at the famed Tootsie’s and her days networking around the row. Two years ago she signed a contract with Sony Music Nashville, a publishing deal with Sony/ATV-Monument and has begun work recording her first full-length studio record.

“I want to sing country songs that hard-working, real people can relate to. Songs that folks can connect with through the ups and downs of life.” she says, and, after listening to her songs you immediately know; Smith knows how to reach out and touch a universal chord, a natural ability that makes her songs great.

With her professionalism and unadulterated talent, this saucy girl with the Southern twang is destined, and determined, to realize her dream of playing on radio and for country crowds nationwide.


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Sources : Joanna Smith Photo | Listen To Girls Are Crazy | Joanna Smith Biography

Videos : Stacy Barthe ft. Rick Ross : Hell Yeah!

Who is Stacy Barthe?
Stacy Barthe is a Brooklyn native singer and Grammy-nominated songwriter that signed a publishing deal to Universal Music Publishing Group by Ethiopia Habtermariam in 2007. Soon after Barthe would land her first placement “Blur” on Britney Spears Circus album. Barthe has worked with Akon, Melanie Fiona, Estelle, Brandy, and Sean "Diddy" Combs. Penning album tracks for Katy Perry “Hummingbird Heartbeat”, Rihanna "Cheers (Drink to That)" which hit #7 on Billboard's Top 100, and Kelly Rowland “Everywhere You Go”. She has also worked with producers Hit-Boy, Cool and Dre, The Runners, Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis, Supa Dups, Danja (producer), Dapo Torimiro, Tricky Stewart etc.

In December 2010, Stacy dropped her 1st EP “Sincerely Yours, Stacy Barthe”, and in November 2011 "Silent Night" by Brandy Norwood featuring Stacy Barthe was leaked.


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Sources : Stacy Barthe Photo | Hell Yeah Video | Stacy Barthe Biography

Videos : Crystal Castles : Affection

Who Is Crystal Castles?
Crystal Castles is a Canadian electronic experimental band formed in 2004 in Toronto consisting of producer Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass. The duo is known for their chaotic live shows and lo-fi melancholic homemade productions. They released many limited vinyl EPs between 2006 and 2007.

In 2006, their first single/EP "Alice Practice" was released on vinyl. The release was limited to only 300 copies. "Alice Practice" would later be included on their debut album, Crystal Castles, released in 2008. Other singles from the album include "Crimewave", "Air War", "Courtship Dating" and "Vanished". The album received highly positive reviews and was listed on NME's "Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade" list at No. 39.

In 2010, they announced their second album, titled (II), after they released their first studio EP, Celestica/Doe Deer. The album was their first release to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and includes their first worldwide charting single, "Not In Love" featuring Robert Smith of The Cure. The album has received general acclaim and was placed on many 2010 top critics lists.

Their third album, (III) was released on November 12, 2012. Three singles have been released: "Plague", "Wrath of God" and "Affection".

Ethan Kath met Alice Glass in Toronto when she was 15. He thought he had found an "undiscovered poet" after hearing her sing in her punk band Fetus Fatale. Kath asked her to record vocals over tracks he had been working on since 2003. After writing lyrics for 5 tracks, she went to a studio to record them, where an engineer secretly recorded her soundcheck. Kath discovered the secret soundcheck recording, named it "Alice Practice," and uploaded it online under the band name Crystal Castles, a line from the cartoon She-Ra that stated "The fate of the world is safe in the Crystal Castle." In 2005 the songs "Magic Spells", "Untrust Us", and "Alice Practice" grew popular online, and he began receiving offers from record labels. This news was especially shocking to Glass, having lost touch with Kath since the recording and up to that point unaware "Alice Practice" even existed. The song became the band's first official release in 2006 on a limited vinyl which was released by London's Merok Records.

Several limited edition 7" vinyl singles followed in 2006 and 2007 on various independent labels, including two on London's Trouble Records. In 2008, Lies Records collected most of the vinyl singles and released them on CD and 12" vinyl for the first time , along with many previously unreleased tracks and 3 songs recorded just for the collection which made their debut album. This eponymous debut album was included in NME's "Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade" list at number 39.

The band's second album, also self-titled (also known as Crystal Castles (II)), was released on May 24, 2010. In April 2010, an early mix of the album leaked, prompting the label to release earlier than expected (original release date was June 2010). The album was moderately successful charting in the UK at number #48, the US at number #188 and number #25 in Australia.

The third single taken from the album, "Not in Love", featuring Robert Smith from The Cure, is currently the band's highest charting single to date. Crystal Castles headlined the Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2011 in the United Kingdom while singer Alice Glass suffered from a broken ankle.

In March 2012, Crystal Castles announced their relocation to Warsaw to begin recording their third album. On June 14, 2012, a self-shot video of Crystal Castles' June 9 performance at Parklife 2012 was uploaded to YouTube, boasting a then-untitled new, unreleased song. Over the following weeks, the song's name was revealed to be "Plague" and was released on July 25 as a single, via Crystal Castles' SoundCloud page. On September 26, the duo released "Wrath of God" as the album's second single. On the same day, the duo stated that the album would be released on November 5, a date that was later pushed back to November 12. The official cover art of the album was posted on the band's Facebook page. On October 9, the band revealed the official track listing on their Facebook. The album was released on iTunes on November 7, five days earlier than the anticipated release date. "Affection" was released as the album's third single on October 31, 2012.

Crystal Castles musical style has been described as "ferocious, asphyxiating sheets of warped two-dimensional Gameboy glitches and bruising drum bombast that pierces your skull with their sheer shrill force, burrowing deep into the brain like a fever." To listen to Crystal Castles, according to the BBC, "is to be cast adrift in a vortex of deafening pain without a safety net. You get the feeling you could do anything in the world, but that 'anything' would ultimately mean nothing. Crystal Castles marks a nuanced emotional territory that dance music never covered before."

With the release of their second album, their music made a "shift toward beauty and clarity," finding "different ways to mix icy synth pop with white-hot noise, as well as present them in an ever so slightly more polished form."

During recording of their third album Ethan Kath adopted a "strictly no computers rule," and ditched their old synthesizers and keyboards. Of this decision Ethan revealed Crystal Castles wanted "the new album to sound like a completely different and new experience" and revealed that they had limited themselves to one take per song because they believed "the first take is the rawest expression of an idea."

Crystal Castles have headlined numerous tours in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia. They have played many festivals including Ireland's 2009 and 2011 Oxegen Festival, All Points West Festival 2009 in New Jersey, Coachella Valley and Music Festival 2009 and 2011 in Indio, California, as well as the Heineken Open'er Festival 2009 in Gdynia, Poland and the Reading and Leeds Festivals in England, August 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and also headlined a Vice magazine tour across the UK in November 2007.

In May 2008, Crystal Castles headlined the NME New Noise tour across the UK.

Crystal Castles performed at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2008, where the on-stage antics of Glass which included her climbing the stage rigging and constantly stage-diving, led to the organisers curtailing their set. Crystal Castles toured with Nine Inch Nails in three dates in August 2008.

Crystal Castles also played various European summer festivals including England's Reading and Leeds Festivals. They were expected to return to the UK in September 2008 for a headlining tour but dates were moved forward due to recording commitments. The band also played Connect 2008 and in October they played at the Iceland Airwaves festival. Over Halloween they played a gig in LA that involved Alice Glass wrecking the drum kit.

They supported Blur on the first of two comeback shows in Hyde Park, London in July 2009. They also performed at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee Friday June 12, 2009.

Crystal Castles also played the NME stage of Reading and Leeds Festival 2010, the Obelisk Arena of Latitude Festival 2010, Glastonbury 2010, RockNess 2010, Pohoda Festival in Trenčín, Slovakia, Exit Festival in Novi Sad, Serbia, Emmabodafestivalen in Emmaboda, Sweden, In New Music We Trust stage at the Radio 1 One Big Weekend in Bangor, North Wales May 2010 and Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 (May, 2010) in Murcia, Spain. Crystal Castles did a Full-Length UK tour in November 2010.

Crystal Castles in Helsinki, Finland, in June 2011.

Crystal Castles are headlining Hard Festival 2010, a summer tour to Oakland, LA State Park, Denver, Austin, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, New York, Baltimore and Finland.

Crystal Castles performed at Australia's Big Day Out 2011 festival and Bestival 2011, alongside The Cure whose vocalist Robert Smith contributed to Crystal Castles new version of "Not in Love."

Crystal Castles also took part in the NME Awards Tour in February 2011, alongside bands Magnetic Man, Everything Everything and The Vaccines.

On 20 January 2011, Alice put strain on a previous foot injury (during a Spanish show in November 2010) in Tokyo, causing her ankle to break. The injury forced Alice to perform some shows on crutches. As of March 19, 2011 Alice is still performing with one crutch and using the mic stand as her other crutch to help support herself. Her foot is encased in a plastic protective walking boot. She is more active on stage now,when?, having jumped into the crowd on a few occasions during their March 19, 2011 set in Boston, MA. As of May 12, at the Fluxx in San Diego, CA, Alice was seen fully recovered from the previous ankle injury.

Crystal Castles were a headliner at the 2011 Ultra Music Festival, March 25–27 in Miami, FL. They were also headlining at the Danish music festival NorthSide Festival in Aarhus June 11–12. Crystal Castles also performed on the last night of Oxegen 2011 in Ireland at the Heineken Green Spheres Stage.

Crystal Castles headlined at Moogfest in Asheville, North Carolina on October 29, 2011.

The band performed on the Main Stage of Reading and Leeds Festival 2012. They are also appearing at Electric Picnic 2012 in Ireland and The Parklife Weekender in Manchester. On July 16, 2012, they were announced to be returning to Australia to play the Big Day Out in January 2013

Crystal Castles will tour North America in the fall of 2012 with old collaborators Health.


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Sources : Crystal Castles Photo | Affection Video | Crystal Castles Biography