Happy New Year!

The entire staff at Antler Darts wishes you a joyous and safe new year! In honor of the event, we've scraped the bowels of our music collection to bring you two awesome Auld Lang Syne covers.

For us, this classic melody marks the end of the current year and brings in the new. With tracks sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and The Beach Boys, there is no way to go wrong.

Download:

Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin - Auld Lang Syne (live) | zShare
The Beach Boys - Auld Lang Syne (Alternate Take) | zShare

Saturday Night Fever 14

This is our last SNF for '08 and we're excited to release a track from another underground EDM producer.

Adriano Dodici hails from Italy (as if the name didn't give it away) and has been DJing since 1982. "The West Side" is a slowly escalating clip that dumps into vocals that chant the song's title. It isn't really intense, and makes for a great down-tempo, chill-friendly, dance track.

Download:
Adriano Dodici - The West Side | (zshare)

Show Review: Matisyahu @ Webster Hall

Last night we watched Matisyahu dubbify Webster Hall.

More pictures on my flickr

This was my fourth time seeing him live, and surprisingly his set list hasn't changed much since 2005. He covered all of his crowd-pleasers, including: "Warrior," "Close My Eyes," "Aish Tamid," "Father in the Forest," and "Jerusalem" amongst others. To promote his new EP, Shattered, they played "Smash Lies" and "I Will Be Light." He also broke things down with a solo beat-box routine which was highly anticipated and well received by the audience. When the concert seemed to be over, fans chanted his name until the band came back and performed "King Without a Crown."

Overall, it was an energetic and lively performance. He even replaced Webster's famous disco ball with a disco dreidel.

Matisyahu is known for his performances, and we have two unreleased live tracks to share. "Thunder" is from his upcoming cd, Light, which he said will be released in March of 2009. The second, "Morning Dew," is originally by Bonnie Dobson, and has been performed by many artists. Matisyahu tells the audience that his first concert was the Grateful Dead, and he plays their version of the song. I also threw in Jeff Beck's version so you can compare the two.

Download:

Matisyahu - Thunder (Live at the Orpheum Theater 10/29/08) | (zshare)

Matisyahu - Morning Dew (Grateful Dead cover) [Live at Langerado Music Festival 3/8/08] | (zshare)

Jeff Beck - Morning Dew | (zshare)

Saturday Night Fever 13

Now that you've shoveled all of that fresh snow, here is some dance music to fire you up.

I'm throwing two deep house dishes in your direction, one from mix-master p8, and another from trance-titan Niklas.

"Nadir" by p8 is a simple yet effective track. No complex melodies or harmonies, in fact, it is the same not played over and over. This may sound dull, but he compensates with tons of gooey fx builds. Its like swimming in an ocean of reverb. "Cocoon" is a tad different, heard by Niklas' thick pads and snare-driven drops. This track is similar to the first by using space-like ambiance.

Download:

p8 - Nadir | (zshare)

Niklas - Cocoon | (zshare)

Andrew Friendly's 2008 Holiday Mix

We know you remember Andrew Friendly from Saturday Night Fever 5. He taught us how to bump and grind with one of the catchiest dance tracks we've ever posted.

Anyways, he's back to help us celebrate the holidays with a monstrous 10-track mix. We're dubbing this one "instant-party." Its a 45 minute ride that exerts pure energy every step of the way. The best part is, you don't have to add water.

1. The Rivers- Got Something On Me (Andrew Friendly rmx)
2. Mystery Jets - Elizabeth (Joe and Will Ask? rmx)
3. Milke - Love Get Out Of My Way
4. We Have Band - The Oh Song (Andrew Friendly rmx)
5. Andrew Friendly - The Bump and Grind 08 rmx
6. La Roux - Quicksand (Joe and Will Ask? rmx) with Milke - Your Love (bleepapella)
7. Andrew Friendly pres Roxy Wilde- Late For Ya (Andrew Friendly rmx)
8. Joe and Will Ask? - Mongozo
9. Andrew Friendly - Let's F*ck
10 Andrew Friendly - I Need It with Black Peter Group - It's F*cked Up

Andrew Friendly - It's A GULP-ing xmas 08 | (zshare)

Animal Collective's Ninth LP Will Shatter Expectations, Ripples to Extend Throughout Industry

All right, that headline was a bit much, I'll admit.

But without sounding tremendously hyperbolic, but with Merriweather Post Pavilion, the Baltimore-based group Animal Collective may have reached a potential career-defining landmark. Having been one of the lucky few who attended the first listening party in New York City this past October, I can assuredly say that MPP is pretty close to a modern masterpiece...an album that represents the culmination of over eight years of steady, collaborative progression from an intensely dynamic group of talented artists.

So far, two tracks off the record have slipped through the cracks. "Brother Sport" is a joyous and bright dance celebration, and also happens to be one of the most accessible tracks to date. "My Girls," easily the album's centerpiece, is a vibrant, pulsating number fueled by a stunning backbeat and unbelievable harmonies.

I'll be the first to highlight my absolutely gushing fanboyish nature when it comes to Animal Collective, but you can definitely expect Merriweather Post Pavilion to turn some heads when it drops this January, regardless of how people have previously felt about the group. It's a heavier, thundering dance album that may end up being revered as the band's crossover hit.

Animal Collective - "My Girls"

Michel Camilo - From Within (Music Video + Stream)

I came across this melodic Latin-Jazz bit while watching Calle 54 in my Jazz history class. It really drew me in with Michel's intense piano skills, shown in the intro, that grow with the song. Between the melodic-spewing bassist (who I think looks like Forest Whitaker), and a peppering drummer, this trio unleashes some serious instrumental fire. The video below was taken from Calle 54:

The audio quality isn't the best, so I threw in a stream from Grooveshark. If you haven't been to Grooveshark before, definitely check it out.

Baskerville Vs Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock

When Dee Snider was cranking out metal-hits in the 80's, little did he know he was creating rock anthems for later generations to enjoy. Though it seems like he was just singing about rocking and not taking it, these essential rock tunes were the forefront of Twisted Sister's rebellious attitude.

When Dee wrote these songs, he clearly wasn't writing dance tracks. Baskerville, however, has a totally different vision for their music. They mutated this fist-in-the-air rock classic into a fist-pumping club slammer. We dig how they can retain the original sound, while laying down some serious vocal chop action over downward diving synths.

Download:

Baskerville Vs. Twisted Sister - I Wanna Rock | (zshare)

Stressful Times

Between finals, end of the year work-pressures, consumer confidence at an all time low, and rampant layoffs, I feel like everyone has nearly lost it. Maybe it is just me, but NYC seems stressed.

Leave it up to Thomas Bangalter, of Daft Punk fame, to create a track that reflects today's mood. This down-tempo, grime-infested, chromatic-scale driven b-side will make anyone lose their cool. Its not your typical Daft Punk dance-fest, but still pumps hard and stays true to the French touch.

Download:

Thomas Bangalter - Stress | (zshare)

Ticket Contest: of Montreal

By the beard of Zeus, we have one ticket to of Montreal's sold-out show on 12/16. Its going down this Tuesday at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, in Brooklyn, NY.

In true holiday spirit, we are giving it away, for free, to one lucky fan. After all, 'tis the season of giving. All you have to do is send an email to contests@antlerdarts.com with the subject line "of Montreal". Be sure to tell us why you'd be super stoked to go to their show, as we'll probably pick the winner based on that. The contest ends at midnight on Monday, so get those emails in tout de suite!

Click over to MHoW's website for additional info.

Some tracks, courtesy of RCRD LBL:

Saturday Night Fever 12

The juice behind tonight's SNF is Cliff Coenraad, a mixin' fixin' dj/producer from Holland.

"Modulate" is a traditional dance track of epic proportions. Cliff layers screams, sweeps, and electronic eruptions of sound to assist you in getting your dance on. We think it's dope how he builds with filtered 90's synths, yet he infuses 2008 production techniques to keep things fresh and exciting. But don't take our word for it...

On top of that, we're handing you his one-hour monthly mix for December, a perfect way to jump-start your Saturday night.

Download:

Cliff Coenraad - Modulate (Repimp) | (zshare)

Cliff Coenraad - Monthly Mix: December 2008

Loyal Divide's "Labrador EP" Demands to Be Listened To

On the band's MySpace page, the Loyal Divide casually lists off its influences as consisting of Brian Eno, My Bloody Valentine, Talk Talk, and DJ Shadow. In other words, a man who invented a genre, two progressive rock bands that created arguably two of the most influential albums of their decade, and one of the premiere American hip-hop producers of all time.

You've got my attention.

The band's debut, Labrador EP, is a most impressive one. Four tracks totaling seventeen minutes seems about standard standard for an EP, but these songs are pretty dense and wrought with passion. A lovely twist.

"Vision Vision" handles that emptiness perfectly, filling about every inch of its soundscape and doing so delicately before a distorted scream explodes after the first verse. The track is as close as the band gets to pop (think Return to Cookie Mountain without the thin layer of grime and noise). Here, in the track's final moments (and on its sleeve), are the DJ Shadow influences, combing by way of a lively, infectious instrumental outro. Just tremendous work here.

"Lover I Can Tell You" is a digital ballad of something cold and tired, beginning with Green-World Eno Monster Sounds -- halting abruptly (and questionably) about a minute in -- and ending with a drifting, echoing harmony of vocals and samples. The song is quite stunning, despite the bizarre transition in the beginning.

The Loyal Divide's debut EP, despite teetering on goofy now and then, is a skillfully crafted collection of sample-heavy psychedelic rock songs. Though not perfectly conceived, it still demands to be listened to, specifically for its arrangement and texture. It's an edgy blend of familiar styles with a wide-appeal...something I can get behind.

Saturday Night Fever 11: Emil & Friends

Changing pace from our usual techno/trance/house track, we're throwing you some disco-funk heat from Emil & Friends.

This jam rocks four tight features we dig: a sizzlin' bass line, lush vocals, dripping guitar licks, and boogeiful disco drums. It's locked on repeat as I write this, and we expect you to do the same. With a title of "Downed Economy" it's only right that we give it away for free, courtesy of Sweet Touch Records. So crank this track, get out of your chair, and enjoy what's left of this snowy Saturday night.

Download:

Emil & Friends - Downed Economy | (zshare)

Saturday Night Fever 10

After a week packed with college, work, family, turkey, and snowboarding, I'm pretty beat. Tonight's snf sums up this week, with two flavorful drum & bass tracks.

Keeping to our usual theme of showcasing underground artists, we have Koritsa & ATP from Golden Orb Records. The label strictly carries drum & bass tunes, providing a home for about 7 artists. If you like what you hear, head over to their Beatport page and snag a few tracks.

The two clips below are ably crafted sound-scapes of pure and simple drum & bass. They are surprisingly relaxing considering the sky-high tempos of strongly populated drum-programming, never fostering a dull moment. For those fans of ambient music, these two connect the genres, and leave you begging for more.

Download:

Koritsa - Mine (Infuzoria Remix) | (zshare)

ATP - Soho Lament | (zshare)

Jonathan Richman Instrumentals

You might know Jonathan Richman as the lyrical powerhouse and front-man of The Modern Lovers. Most people haven't heard his solo work, or better yet, his instrumentals.

Photo: waltzcore

I've wrangled up three of his finest tracks without lyrics, for your listening pleasure. We also threw in a Basement Jaxx bit that samples Richman's "Egyptian Reggae," turning his acoustic guitar riffs into a quirky dance track.

Download:

Jonathan Richman - Egyptian Reggae | (zshare)

Basement Jaxx - Mere Pass (samples Egyptian Reggae) | (zshare)

Jonathan Richman - The Sweeping Wind | (zshare)

Jonathan Richman - South American Folksong | (zshare)

Saturday Night Fever 9

It's Saturday night, and you know what that means, a brand new bumpin-thumpin' dance track!

This clip is from another underexposed artist, DJ Bat. It comes in slow with a simple, chill-inducing, choral intro. Just as you get memorized by the fitting combo of piano & bells, he drops a 10-ton riff, and takes the kick drum out of it's cage. Soon enough, my little dorm room in Brooklyn was turned into an European night club (wouldn't be the first time). I can almost guarantee this will happen if you crank this addicting trancer-dancer.

If you like what your hear, head over to eMusic.com for more of DJ Bat.

Download:

DJ Bat - La folie des grandeurs | (zshare)

Eugene Francis Jnr - Hobo Occupation (Music Video)

You might remember Eugene Francis Jnr from the show review we wrote up a few weeks ago. It was their first gig in nyc, and although they only played one show, they used their time wisely. This video sums up the band's trip to nyc, in stills. It's carefully synchronized to their catchy single "Hobo Occupation," so pay close attention to detail. Digest it in high quality here:

Saturday Night Fever 8

We're kickin' it old school tonight, with two cuts of four-to-the-floor goodness from the 90's. (Is it safe to call the 90's old school?)

Tonight's first feature is from Detroit Techno legend, Jeff Mills. His music might sound elementary, but for those who don't know, he influenced many artists. One of them being Daft Punk. "Late Night" is complete drum machine madness, alongside smatterings of electronic-noises. Most of his stuff is like this track, so if you get into it, hunt down one of his vinyls.

The second bit is from German producer and label owner, DJ Hell. "Copa" samples Barry Manilow's Copacabana, which is pretty easy to hear. This one is fun and simple - and a great intro track for those of you who haven't heard of him.

Download:

Jeff Mills - Late Night | (zshare)

DJ Hell - Copa | (zshare)

Fredrik @ Piano's 11/15/08

This Saturday, Swedish-based folk/pop sensation, Fredrik, are playing their first ever NYC show at Piano's. They are set to hit the stage at 9pm, and trust us, you'll want to be there when it all goes down. Here is a music video so you can better acquaint yourself with their tunes:

Ever since The Kora Records introduced us to Fredrik a few weeks back, we've been totally hooked. Our favorite track, "Black Fur" is a two minute and 50 second trek through pure and rich harmonies. The rolling snares and full-on choir are enough to uplift anyone.

So come out and support a rising Swedish pop star. We guarantee there is no better way to spend $10 in the city on a Saturday night.


Download from RCRD LBL:

Fredrik - Black Fur

Fredrik - 1986

Saturday Night Fever 7: Toby Emerson

In honor of his awesomeness, tonight's Saturday Night Fever is dedicated to the one and only, Toby Emerson.

For those of you who don't know him, Toby is simply put, a trance factory. He cranks out masterpiece after masterpiece of melodically-infused dance tracks. This ample variety of sound and harmony makes his music stand out from other producers; to the point where you can listen to a clip and know "Toby made this."

Tonight's Toby jam, given to us by him personally, is titled "Liquify". It's a great demonstration of his talent; clearly heard as the song takes sharp and deep turns. He quickly introduces new melodies which keep this song exciting and intriguing. Never a dull moment. So close your eyes, tilt your head back, and submerge into the world of Toby Emerson.

If you want more, head over to his Beatport or Audio Jelly page.

Download:

Toby Emerson - Liquify | (zshare)

Mixtape: Rolodex Rips

There is no doubt, we are way overdue for a mixtape.

I concocted this smattering of tracks around the theme of work. Nine fresh picks from the Rolodex of that dude in the cozy corner office. If you look at the track/artist names, we tell the story of a man's journey through his working career. Don't want to give too much away, so we'll leave that up to you to explore.

Download the entire mix as a .rar here

1. Belle & Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby | (zshare)
2. Gang Starr - Work | (zshare)
3. RJD2 - Bus Stop Bitties | (zshare)
4. Loverboy - Working For The Weekend | (zshare)
5. John Lennon - Working Class Hero | (zshare)
6. Stevie Wonder - He's Misstra Know It All | (zshare)
7. Quit Your Dayjob - Vlado Video | (zshare)
8. Steve Miller Band - Take The Money And Run | (zshare)
9. A-Trak - My Lovely Outro | (zshare)

Saturday Night Fever 6

For those of you who are new to Antler Darts, I want share our back-catalog of snf's. We've posted a lot of great tracks and we don't want them to disappear into the dark abyss of our blog.

We have two contrasting styles of dance tracks tonight, one from newcomer BassDiver. The second from club owners and legends, Basement Jaxx.

BassDiver produces your traditional early 2000's trance track with pre-modern synths and drums. What makes this exciting is the solidity of it; even though he composes a track that is "so five years ago", he manages to make it entertaining with addicting melodies and a developing song structure. The music may be out of style, but it is definitely something worth listening to.

Basement Jaxx, noted for their night club Rooty, in Brixton, have made many of today's staple dance-floor shakers. They have a strong Latin influence, which is heard in tonight's track, "Samba Magic" .

Download:

BassDriver - Travellers | (zshare)

Basement Jaxx - Samba Magic | (zshare)

Show Review: Pendulum @ Webster Hall

For those of you who don't know, Pendulum is UK based, Australian originated, drum and bass powerhouse. This was their first time touring in the US, aside from their brief Coachella appearance in April. More importantly, this was there first time gigging in NYC!

More pics on my Flickr

You might guess that American's can't get into this drum and bass stuff, and that is why Pendulum heavily toured the UK until now. Wrong. Pendulum fans flew from all over the country to come out for this rare opportunity. We met people who traveled from Boston, and even California. After the performance was over, we asked them, "was it worth it?" And there was no doubt in their minds.

The staggering awesomeness of Pendulum's sound; synth, guitars, bass, and drums, created a unique level of energy that night. The crowd was screaming for more as they completed their set of 13 songs. This included stuff from their old cd "Hold Your Colour", as well as material from their new cd, "In Silico". Concertgoers were disappointed they left out "The Tempest", a track highly regarded by fans. Because they forgot to play it, I'm going to include it in the post. Other than that, they had a solid debut performance, nearly emulating the magic of their studio recordings.

Support Pendulum and purchase In Silico.

Download:

Pendulum - The Tempest | (zshare)

Show Review: Eugene Francis Jnr @ The Studio

The other night, Antler Darts was invited to check out Eugene Francis Jr & the Juniors at Webster Hall's new underground venue: The Studio.

This was my first time in The Studio (which opened a week ago), and I have to admit, I was impressed. Be sure to keep your eye on this small venue that caps out around 300 people (standing room only). I have a feeling we are going to see a lot small acts broken here.

One of them could be Eugene Francis Jnr. They put on a fun and easy to digest show, while dressed up in naval-officer-esq outfits. As you can see in the picture above, Eugene was wielding Captain America's shield, an interesting addition to their untraditional outfits. Clothing aside, we had a great time rocking out to their clap-your-hands, stomp-your-feet, 30 minute set of synth pop. People were singing along to his catchy lyrics, which were also used a vehicle for Eugene's feelings on politics. Two female backup singers and an occasional xylophone melody gave a touch of charm to this band from Whales.

If you want more, please visit Legion Presents' shop.

For our friends across the pond, you can catch them touring with Coldplay in the UK, with dates throughout December.

We'll leave you with a quote from the performance, "In life, it's good to share." Download the track below for some EFJ goodness.

Eugene Francis Jnr - Electronic Hobo | (zshare)

Saturday Night Fever 5

Travolta's face can only mean one thing, it's SNF time.

We're really pumped about tonight's releases; two vocal-cutting tracks from two emerging artists.

Our first clip is from RiskoDisko, a Portugal based producer. His track features a heavy riff, matched with sliced pump-up vox. The second bit is from Andrew Friendly, representing London. If you like the track below, you can sign up for his newsletter and receive another download for free.

Download:

RiskoDisko - Kicker | (zshare)

Andrew Friendly - Bump And Grind (Remix Radio Edit) | (zshare)

Designer Drugs - Zombies

On October 28th, IHEARTCOMIX! drops the new single "Zombies" from Designer Drugs. As noted in the flyer, "Back Up In This" will be released as well, making this a 2-for-1 special.

With a title like "Zombies" you'd expect a Halloween-esque, spooked-out banger. This track is nothing short of that. Eerie vibrato synths, crushed by rampant kicks, makes this track sound like thriller gone wrong. If Designer Drugs were to spin in The Haunted Mansion, this would be the closer, and the crowd would go absolutely bonkers. We'll be sure to let you know when that happens.


Download:

Designer Drugs - Zombies
(Removed due to label's request)

Saturday Night Fever 4

We can't believe another week has already gone by, but we're stoked to share tonight's snf. It's a clash of the dance, with two Vs. tracks; goodies from Jochen Miller, as well as a new-comers Rank 1 and Ernesto Vs. Bastian.

Jochen's new jam is consistent with the old track we posted, taking heights from a memorable riff that is, well, hard to forget. The other fiesta of a clip, "Thrill", has a gunning bassline, overshadowed by air-like femme vocals. Huzzah.

Download:

Rank 1 Vs. Jochen Miller - And Then... (Radio Edit) (ysi) | (zshare)

Ernesto Vs. Bastian - Thrill (Radio Edit) (ysi) | (zshare)

Exclusive Album Download: SCA's "Oh Word?!" EP

...and when God said, "Let there be Rock" three young men from Port Chester, New York, came forwards wielding their instruments. These three gents, Dan, Mike, and Jake, make up the hardcore/punk trio known as Second Chance Attitude. The dudes were nice enough to hook us up with an exclusive release of their first EP, "Oh Word?!"

It is fully loaded with 7 tracks of scream-and-shout, punch your neighbor's cat, mosh pit anthems. Not the perfect CD for the family road trip, but it is sure to set the tone for the fight club in your garage. It's not all guts and glory though, with tracks such as "Where Do We Go From Here", the band pours out their emotions as they try to figure out the mysteries of relationships. So don't let the rage-filled music confuse you, these guys have hearts of gold.

Putting the star on top of the christmas tree is a cover of "Fight For Your Right." It pays true homage to the roots of the Beastie Boys, and does it in a way rock and hip-hop fans alike can appreciate.

Download entire EP as a rar: Second Chance Attitude - Oh Word?! EP (22.3mb)

1. Not For Me (ysi) | (zshare)
2. Too Late (ysi) | (zshare)
3. Where Do We Go From Here (ysi) | (zshare)
4. Better Things (ysi) | (zshare)
5. Line-O-Death (ysi) | (zshare)
6. Step Back (ysi) | (zshare)
7. Fight For Your Right (Beastie Boys cover) (ysi) | (zshare)

Saturday Night Fever 3

Tonight we are featuring two notable artists, Groove Generator and Nathan Fake.

Groove generator can be noted for their diverse style, taking influence from traditional dance music and r&b, while infusing their own flare. The track we have for you this evening is a down-tempo woofer-shaker, sure to make things loose.

UK bred Nathan Fake takes the formula for house music and slaps it with 808's to create a unique and trippy, space-like sound. His song is an adventure of consonance and dissonance, with tension to boot.

Download:

Groove Generator - Groove Party Deluxe (ysi) | (zshare)

Nathan Fake - Bored of House (ysi) | (zshare)

Also, be sure to check out our previous snf's:

Saturday Night Fever 2

Saturday Night Fever 1

Get Your Rock Fix: The Hush Now

Because we've been posting too much dance music (which isn't a crime), The Hush Now, a Boston based pop-rock four-some is here to relieve you. This roller-coaster of a track titled "Traditions" will recharge your Tuesday.

Coming on with a mellow vibe of guitars and vox, these guys kick right into the chorus, complete with plenty of ride, hat, and cymbal action. This spectacle of a clip will leave you wanting more, but hey, whats wrong with that?

Download:

The Hush Now - Traditions (ysi) | (zshare)

Saturday Night Fever 2

Because we had such a positive response to snf numero uno, we're bringing it back full throttle this week, with three more tracks.

Tonight we're going to venture into the smooth sounds of The Brothers Johnson, a sweet cover/remix of Basement Jaxx's "Where's Your Head At?", and a thumping club track, "Cocoon" by Moonbeam.

Download:

The Brothers Johnson - Brother Man (ysi) | (zshare)

Jean Elan - Where's Your Head At (Radio Edit) (ysi) | (zshare)

Moonbeam - Cocoon (Original Mix) (ysi) | (zshare)

"Dear Science" Pulses with Power

Two years ago next week, TV On The Radio's Return to Cookie Mountain was released to critical acclaim and fan appreciation. The album was dark and rather isolating, and it took quite a few listens to warm up to the sound - which was good, but viscous and unrelenting.

Dear Science, which leaked shortly before its release on September 23, is almost the polar opposite of Cookie Mountain - it doesn't take any warming up, arriving in front of you like a sizzling plate of fajitas.

Ridiculous food analogies aside, Dear Science just might be the best alternative rock album of the year. What we've got here is a streamlined Cookie Mountain - sounding more reminiscent of the catchy, dance-inducing 2006 single "Wolf Like Me" than "I Was A Lover," the cold, brooding opener on the same album.

The highlight of Dear Science comes in the form of a trilogy in the record's second half. "Golden Age" is a throwback to 80s dance-pop, "Family Tree" sounds like a meditative Coldplay track filtered through the generators of a power plant, and "Red Dress" is a smarmy blitzkrieg of instrumentation...instantly catchy and pulsing with excitement.

Dear Science is frighteningly immediate and impossible to escape. Whether or not it'll hold up over time is another story entirely. Cookie Mountain steadily grew over time, its haunting lyrics getting a bit more mature with each subsequent visit. Dear Science is charming, but it runs the risk of deteriorating because of its brilliantly produced pop sensibilities. It's potentially short half-life is certainly not a reason to skip out on one of the loudest and invigorating albums of the year.

Chromeo, The Bloody Beetroots, and Peanut Butter Wolf @ Webster Hall on 10-2-08

On March 11th, 2008, I witnessed Chromeo electrify nyc's Madison Square Garden. Who would have thought today's youth would dance to 80's synth pop? Besides for the venue being packed with pompous hipsters, Chromeo couldn't have played a better show. If you want to check out the pics I took that night, head over to my flickr.

Now that they are gigging at one of our favorite venues, Webster hall, it's clearly a no-brainer. We'll be there, 2-stepping to Chromeo's addicting funky jams, and you should be there too.

Big shout to Fool's Gold Records!
Website: http://www.foolsgoldrecs.com/
RCRD LBL page: http://foolsgold.rcrdlbl.com/

In addition, Peanut Butter Wolf will be opening. As if it couldn't get any better, famed Italian banger duo, The Bloody Beetroots take the stage for a free show at midnight. Tracks below.

Download:

Chromeo - Destination Overdrive (ysi) | (zshare)

Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin' (Yuksek Remix) (RCRD LBL)

Shitdisco - 72 Virgins (Bloody Beetroots Remix) (RCRD LBL)

Exclusive Download: Edward III's David Latour Remix

Recently, Image-Line (creators of FL Studio), held a remix competition to tear apart David Latour's track, "One Day." A personal friend of ours, Edward III, decided to take to the challenge. Perhaps your remember him from his Russell Phillips mockumentary:

All surfer-parodies aside, the dude makes a killer remix. But don't take our word for it:

David Latour - One Day (Edward III Remix) (ysi) | (zshare)

David Latour - One Day (youtube)

Saturday Night Fever 1

From now on, every Saturday evening, Antler Darts is going to bring you the freshest dance tracks to prep you for the night to come. They will range from disco, funk, house, techno, and everything in between. If it makes you want to get up and dance, then it is solid snf material.

With that said, we are accepting recommendations, just hit us up at antlerdarts(at)gmail.com and we'll check it out.

Because this is the first snf ever, I'm going to give away two great dance tracks you've probably never heard before.

Live it up:

Benjamin Shock - Funk The System (ysi) | (zshare)

Jochen Miller - Lost Connection (Radio Edit) (ysi) | (zshare)

The Subterranean - Vol.1

Every now and then, new music worthy of praise and admiration slips below your radar. Get back on track with The Subterranean.

This Week:
Arms - "Kids Aflame"

Todd Goldstein is the kind of artist to take an established blues ballad called “Jon the Revelator” and use it – gospel roots and all – as inspiration for an optimistictrack entitled “Jon the Escalator.” The song’s opening lines are about as gleefully tongue-in-cheek as one would expect after noting the title: “Jonathan, you’re turning into stairs again / You’re giving free rides to your friends …” That’s Goldstein’s solo debut — Kids Aflame — in a nutshell: bizarre, but never too reliant on its charm that it neglects the emotional aspects of acute, observational song writing. [For more, check out my article at The Beacon]


Download: Arms - Kids Aflame (via RCRD LBL.com)

Originally written for Emerson College's newspaper, The Berkeley Beacon. Michael Desjardin is the Assistant Editor of the Arts & Entertainment section at the Beacon.

Exclusive Download: LX-iR

This guy's got it all. He successfully captures the sounds of Air's ambiance, Stevie Wonder's keyboard riffs, and Daft Punk's quirky electronic noises, to create his own unique style of electronic funk. A must have for those fans of old school r&b, hip-hop, and funk.

With that said, he was nice enough to let Antler Darts share three of his finest tracks with our readers. All at 320kpbs!

Download:

LX-iR - Cappuccino
LX-iR - Honey
Estelle (feat. Kanye West) - American Boy (LX-iR Remix)

Don't forget to show him some love:
http://www.myspace.com/lxirproduction

Music Today

I was working out earlier and came across a Chewy Chocolate Cookies track, Cheeseburgers. About a minute into this oddity, you get hit in the face with a sicknasty electric payload. As I was getting into it, I paused to realize what I was listening to. Distorted electric noise.

Here is a clip of the build into the drop:
Chewy Chocolate Cookies - Cheeseburgers [snippet]

It's funny to me, engineers have spent nearly a decade perfecting the art of recording music. Recently, with artists like Justice, we've watched as the norm got destroyed to create a path for this new type of sound. I see it as the distorted guitar reinvented, as our parents scream "what is that crap you are listening to?"

Maybe a week from now we'll sit in dark rooms and listen to white noise get pounded by drums. Until then we wait for the newest SebastiAn remix. Here is one to hold us over:

Download: Daft Punk - Human After All (SebastiAn Remix)

Monday Blues

This is for those of you who woke up today, wanted to go back to sleep, but couldn't. Nothing is worse than a dirty case of the Mondays.

These two songs will help get you rid of them... or at least help you embrace it.
Also, here is a necessary piece of office decor, the famed TPS Report.

Here's to an awesome week.

Download:
Eric Clapton - Blues Before Sunrise

Robert Johnson - Malted Milk

Updates / Olympics

Today was a big day for antlerdarts. First of all, I redesigned the page. We all can agree that it was time for the old look to go. Secondly, we are now a dot com, or should I say www.antlerdarts.com!

Other than updating the blog, I've been hooked on the olympics. I don't know what it is about them, but once you start watching, you can't stop. One event finishes, you are satisfied, and another one comes on. At this point you're thinking "ok one more." Five events and one hour later, you haven't moved. Besides for my newly-found commitment to tv, I actually enjoy the olympics. This shot is from the opening ceremony:

credit: Scott Strazzante, Chicago Tribune

While watching them I've encountered a lot of interesting music. Before a competitor takes to their event, NBC shows a 1-2 minute video clip, bringing viewers up to speed with the athletes olympic history, as well as their life stories. I've heard some great Beastie Boys b-sides, Zero 7, and many others, during these briefs.

The Beastie Boys track I heard, In 3's, is from their first instrumental cd "The In Sound From Way Out." For those of you who dig this, I recommend getting a copy of "The Mix-Up."


Download: Beastie Boys - In 3's


In The Waiting Line, by Zero 7, was made famous from the Garden State Soundtrack.


Download: Zero 7 - In The Waiting Line


This music isn't something you'd expect from the olympics, but I'm game for good tracks anytime.

Go USA!

Exclusive Download: Spot - Jester's Play

When techno riffs and break-beat drums collide, Spot is there to piece the two back together. Based in Berlin, his unique style of mixing catchy riffs with adventurous drums is something everyone can appreciate. "Jester's Play" is a personal favorite, and thanks to Spot, it is yours to download.

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/spot

http://www.download.com/spot


Download:

Spot - Jester's Play (ysi) | (zshare)

Gnarles Barkley - Who's Gonna Save My Soul? (Music Video)

We've all been there before, the dreaded breakup. It has been described with countless songs in the past, but they are all feeble attempts compared to what you are about to see.

This music video captures all of the emotions of the bitter event, and displays it in a way we can all relate to.

The Black Seeds

Holding it down for New Zealand, The Black Seeds are a 9 man dub factory. They have a very distinct atmospheric sound, best described as traditional reggae with the reverb & delay turned to 11 (yes, they go to 11).

photo credit: hooverdust

With a new cd coming out on 8/11/08, "Solid Ground" marks 10 years of their existence. I got my hands on the new single "Slingshot" and didn't like it. If you want to give it a listen check out their myspace. To give them justice, I'm hooking you up with an older track of theirs "Heavy Mono E" from the '06 cd "Into the Dojo".

Download:

The Black Seeds - Heavy Mono E | zshare

Saturated Chemicals

Roughly a year ago, The Chemical Brothers released their sub-par cd, We Are The Night. This compilation of nonsensical electronic noise managed to snag a Grammy in '07, beating Justice's revolutionary debut album, Cross. Poor Grammy judgment at it's finest.

Anyways, We Are The Night wasn't entirely full of unnecessary bleeps, sweeps and creeps. One track that really stood out was Saturate. Trippy polyrhythms, morphing synths & cymbal thrashin' goodness make this a must have. Get yours today.

Download:

The Chemical Brothers - Saturate | zshare

Antler Darts: Rhetorical Mixtape

On a quest to share music in a new and exciting way, I concocted a mixtape of songs that ask rhetorical questions. We all know that when Haddaway asked what love is, he damn well knew the answer. These tracks range from sophisticated & smooth, middle 20th century jazz, to the rolling rhymes of the Jurassic 5.

For previewing purposes, I made a muxtape.

http://rhetoricaldarts.muxtape.com/


1.Haddaway - What Is Love | zshare
2.Basement Jaxx - Where's Your Head At | zshare
3.The Presets - Are You The One? | zshare
4.Jurassic 5 - Where We At | zshare
5.Steel Pulse - A Who Responsible? | zshare
6.Moby - Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad | zshare
7.The Kinks - Do You Remember Walter | zshare
8.John Coltrane - What Is There To Say? | zshare
9.The Beatles - Why Don't We Do It In The Road | zshare
10.Ray Charles - What'd I Say | zshare
11.Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced? | zshare
12.Miles Davis - So What | zshare


Zipped (74MB) - http://drop.io/antlerdartsrhetoricalmix

Enjoy.

The Lone Eskimo

One day I was rummaging through my monstrous (12,000 mp3s and growing) music collection, and encountered a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It has the typical chili peppers style and sound, but features a harpsichord which gives it a distinct edge. But the thing that really struck me was the chorus. Mean guitar strums, crashing cymbals, and the vocals of Anthony Kiedis to bring everything home. I feel like this song has missed the ears of the many people. It came off of the 2003 single, Fortune Faded. This is a chili pepper tune for the books, that didn't make them their paper.

Share it with your friends to spread the awesome.

and happy brithday, America.


Red Hot Chili Peppers - Eskimo | zshare

RCRD LBL

Imagine a website where you can download music for free, and the artists get paid by corporate america. This is RCRD LBL (pronounced as "record label").



It is an ad supported website that churns out exclusive tunes, mainly for download and DRM free. Because of the vast range of genres and artists, it is easy to fall in love with what they have to offer.

I have been following this website since it's conception in nov of '07, and have grown to be a big fan. After nudging them a bit, I've become a summer intern. I am honored to be inside the belly of the beast, and on the cutting edge of new releases.

They are constantly pumping out new material, and it can be hard to keep up with, if you don't check the page daily. I've compiled a list of fresh cuts to send your way, to give the Antler Darts fans a nice taste of what RCRD LBL has to offer. I also want to thank everyone for their support, we are progressing faster than I would have ever imaged possible, and it is all due to our readers. Thanks.


The Presets - This Boys In Love (LifeLike Remix) | Download
Beans - Mutescreamer (Prefuse 73 Remix)| Stream
Naive New Beaters - Can't Choose | Download
Ladytron - Ghosts (Toxic Avenger Remix) | Stream
Crayonsmith - Lost In The Forest | Download
Zigmat - Light of the Moon | Download
Uncut - Hideaway | Download

Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center

39 years ago, in the town of Bethel, NY, one of the greatest events in music history took place. It was called Woodstock. Many of the bands showcased in this festival were turned into superstars overnight, and are among the ranks of staple classic rockers.

Fast forward 37 years, walk over the hill, and you have this:

A top notch performing arts center, located behind the field where it all went down. Consider this as an introductory post. In the future I will promote their shows and feature mp3s/pics. For now, I'll leave you with the 4 minute song that captured the spirit of the 4 day event.

Download:

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young - Woodstock | zshare

The Sound Providers

I wanted to show our readers another side of Antler Darts; Hip-Hop. For Mike and I, it's hard not to love a fresh beat paired up with a talented MC.

Now that I have your attention, I want to briefly depict the difference between hip-hop and rap, which is easily confused. Simply put, hip-hop music is where an MC (mic controller) creates lyrics on the spot, that are fueled by the energy of the records the DJ (turntablist) is spinning. The MC's job is to get the crowd into the music and to make sure they have a good time. Rap, is just an MC and his lyrics, and doesn't require a DJ.

With that said, I want to push a couple tracks your way. I have tons of great hip-hop, but an artist I've been listening to a lot lately is The Sound Providers. Hailing from San Diego, these guys deliver jazz samples in a way you have never heard them before. The following tunes are off of their 2004 debut CD, "An Evening With The Sound Providers."

So relax, light a cigar, nod your head to the beat, and have a weekend.

Download:
The Sound Providers - 5 Minutes Feat. Procussions | zshare
The Sound Providers - Autumns Evening Breeze (Instrumental) | zshare

Sounds of the Spheres

The genre of ambiance (originally pioneered by the ever-evolving Brian Eno nearly thirty years ago) has been flying under the radar since its conception. Ideally speaking, ambient music should induce a relaxed state of vertigo. Wordless, the songs bend and twist ever so slowly, building upon light motifs and stretched bars of what initially seems like nothingness.

In a nutshell, ambiance sounds like the soundtrack to a babbling brook.

One evening I fell asleep listening to Stars of the Lid (more on them below) and dreamt I was hallucinating on the surface of Saturn's moon, Titan.

The Austin-based band Stars of the Lid is this entry's main dish...A band that has just about perfected this relatively small genre, infusing their own organic feel to what Eno started with when he recorded albums such as "Ambient Music For Airports" (which sounds precisely what the name implies).

Stars of the Lid (just about fifteen years old) went about infusing ambient music with a pure, ephemeral sound, giving the listener a dizzying and weightless (albeit pleasant) feeling.

For those searching for something a bit off the beaten path, Stars of the Lid just might provide you with the proper tranquility in an increasingly deafening industry.

Enjoy!

- MD

Stars of the Lid's MySpace

Father's Day with Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash, the king of everything bad-ass, tells the story of how a father taught his son to be tough. The boy described in "A Boy Named Sue" faces many troubles because of the feminine name his father gave him. The lesson learned from this song is well worth the listen. It may not be practical, but it is an amusing story nonetheless.

Happy Father's Day.


Download: Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue | youtube

Grandmaster Flash, Treasure Fingers, and Klever, at Webster Hall

That's right kids, it's going down on Saturday, June 14th. Doors at 11, show at midnight. For $12 a head, how can you resist? Get your tickets in advance here.

The Barbados born crowd mover, Grandmaster Flash, really shook things up last time I saw him at the GBH 10 year anniversary bash:



Atlanta based Treasure Fingers will be sure to throw down his signature 80's synth-funk influenced dance tracks which will set the boogie inside of you free. With Klever unleashing his solid electro bangers, this is a show you don't want to miss.

Download:

Grandmaster Flash - The Message
Treasure Fingers - Cross The Dancefloor
The Carps - Let's Fall In Love (Klever Remix)

Welcome, friends!

As my wonderful colleague mentioned in his introduction, welcome to Antler Darts!

While we'll definitely be providing you with eclectic music from all sorts of places and origins, we'll also be providing a running commentary on the music industry itself. Concert previews/reviews, editorials, and (of course) music recommendations.

I'll start by posting a track from Animal Collective's People EP, entitled "Tikwid." The Baltimore-based psychedelic folk group seems to expand their sound with every subsequent release. What started as sporadic, seemingly unpredictable noise music has developed into a melodic, amplified (but still wild) sound that reaches far beyond most people's expectations of traditional pop music.

But more on them later.

Enjoy, and have a weekend.

- MD

-----

Animal Collective - "Tikwid" (From People EP)
YouSendIt

Begin.

Welcome to our music-based playground we like to call antlerdarts. We specialize in writing about music. Coincidentally, you specialize in listening to it. Isn't it funny how things work out?

I'm gunna kick things off with "Le Voyage De Penelope" by Air, off of their debut cd Moon Safari. They are a down-tempo electronica band from France. I even decided to hook you up with lyrics.

Have a weekend.

Download: Air - Le Voyage De Penelope