Optimo DJ god JD Twitch comes to The Alibi in London next weekend to play an exclusive early set of US/UK punk, post-punk and hardcore, based on last year’s ‘60 Minutes of Fear’ compilation. Hailed by Pitchfork as “a sound fetishist’s treasure trove of the accidental glories of no-fi technology” this looks totally unmissable.

Support comes from Gold Blood who have pant-wettingly been described as “collusion of Liaisons Dangereuses, AFX and Black Flag” and The Beat djs.

Full details and event info here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143417262336129

The fourth album from five man band Mystery Jets was released unto our expectant ears earlier this month. Serotonin is a love letter to indie-pop, no more of the excess and exuberance of their first two albums, this is a finely mastered exploration of synth-induced melodies.

At times sweet and lulling and at others dark and allusive, this is a nod towards their sometimes experimental rationale but with a big dollop of classic pop. Perhaps they are playing it a little safe at a time when everyone is somewhat weary of taking risks. However, despite any proclamations from die hard Making Dens fans (although track ‘Flash a Hungry Smile’ may appease the cynics with its kazoos, bells and declaration that “the birds and the bees have all caught STDs.”) this album is pretty darn good!

The craftsmanship of each track is excellent and the nostalgic whimsy of the album produces an irresistibly retro feel to the whole affair. Produced by Chris Thomas, who has worked with the likes of Pink Floyd and Pulp, this album had good legs from its inception. Mystery Jets are the masters of a hooky chord sequence and catchy melodies that evoke a warm, fuzzy, reminiscent feeling.

Overall, this is a grander affair than their previous offerings, smoothing out the edges to produce a polished formula of pop-centric sounds. Hints of prog-rock and creepy edges add interest to proceedings, and whilst most of the quirks of their earlier work may have gone, this is an upbeat salutation to the summer that will keep many a toe tapping.

Catch Mystery Jets at this years Offset Festival: http://offsetfestival.co.uk/

Another weekend, another amazing east end warehouse party!

This time it’s the turn of Potty Mouth Disco who bring Kompakt’s Shy Child for a rare live date, In Flagranti (who need no introduction) and Gold Blood who seem to be getting hype from everybody everywhere.

It’s located somewhere in Shoreditch and tickets will cost you a very reasonable £5/£7 from here.

More details on the facebook event page.

London’s so-trendy-it-hurts Hoxton Square played host to what was expected to be a small Local Natives gig last night. The California rockers had reportedly only expected a minimal crowd, and as such had proceeded to bring along a bunch of acoustic instruments for what they thought set to be a cozy open air affair.

No such luck I’m afraid boys as this corner of the East End quickly packed out with excitable revelers, all wanting a piece of Local Natives action!

The impromptu gig was announced by the band on Twitter only hours before it started and consisted of a ramshackle track list, picked at random from their debut album ‘Gorilla Manor’, throwing in a cover of the Talking Heads’ ‘Warning Sign’ for good measure.

Somewhat lacking in amps, due to their presumption that they would be playing to a limited audience, the group soon found themselves asking the crowd to shuffle closer together so they could better hear the set. At the end of the gig, front man Taylor Rice invited the audience to drink with the band into the wee hours, to celebrate the success of their pop-up performance.

Local Natives will be playing the Summer Sundae Weekender, as well as Leeds and Reading Festivals this summer.

Posted by Claire Davies

To make sure this summer will be a good one, CLUB.THE.MAMMOTH are presenting an amazing line-up on July 16th. Islington Boys’ Club, Relics, The Caulfield Beats and Big Deal will be performing, and after that our very own Offset DJs will get behind the decks, amongst many others such as ECC, The She Set and Daniel Devine. Best bit is: it’s all for free, so you’ve absolutely no reason to miss out on this night of revelry!

Three months until Offset and this year is shaping up to be our biggest yet, with some phenomenal additions in the form of Mystery Jets, The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Monotonix, Comanechi and many others.

Set deep in the heart of the lush Hainault Forest and taking place over the weekend of September 4-5, this year Offset is already boasting the likes of No Wave pioneers Liquid Liquid, critically lauded art rockers These New Puritans, white hot Sub Pop signings Male Bonding, legendary Krautrock innovators Cluster and Brooklyn’s singular purveyors of eerie, hazy electro Telepathe, among many others. To that distinguished first round we can now add London-via-Eel Pie quartet Mystery Jets, who look set to conquer the summer with their forthcoming brand new album, stocked full with shiny anthems-in-waiting. Also making a storming return to the live arena are the incredible psyche/garage heavyweights The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed new album.

Tearing up the stage – both literally and figuratively – will be the famously untethered Monotonix from Tel Aviv, who have been bowling over audiences from one end of the globe to the next with their wildly unpredictable onstage antics and furious brand of garage rock, as will Comanechi, the punk rock duo who produced one of the most acclaimed debuts of 2010, and Lovvers, who carry with them a well-deserved reputation as being an unmissable and ferocious live act. And on the dance side of things, returning electro pop juggernaut Ali Love will ignite the crowds with tracks from his long awaited debut album while Durrr’s Rory Phillips will deliver a masterclass in how to destroy the dancefloor with an undoubtedly propulsive DJ set. And true to Offset’s policy in spotlighting the best and brightest artists from across the world, Texan/London experimentalists Sh*t and Shine, and Parisian nutters 10LEC6 will be joining Graffiti Island, The Murder Act, Round, Flats and Oral Oral.

Once again, only the most compelling and groundbreaking in music and art, from the fresh to the classic, is offered at Offset – and this all-ages event is only 30 minutes from central London by tube to boot. Performances from over 200 artists will be joined by an all-new craft space and pop-up workshops, our eclectic vintage clothing market, organic and delectable foods from a multitude of cuisines, and even a Victorian fun-fair.

Get your tickets now
View the full lineup so far

Chrome Hoof launch their brand new album with the help of some friends…

With their brand new album ‘Crush Depth’ set to drop early June on Southern Records, 12 piece disco-doom-funk outfit Chrome Hoof have assembled their own sonic army to blow the roof off the newly opened Bocking Street Warehouse. Joining them on this unmissable night are Simian Mobile Disco, Andrew Weatherall, David Holmes and Nathan G Wilkins. For one night and one night only this huge warehouse will be transformed into the Chrome Hoof space station where you will be taken on an inter-planetary voyage of discovery through space, time and music.

What can you say about a 12-piece doom house electro-disco me! tal phenomenon that dress like Sacred knights from the 25th century? Relentlessly heavy, with singer Lola Olafisoye sounding like a South London sorceress having a nervous breakdown on Neptune while tribal drums, rock guitars, staccato violins, grumbling bassoons and a metallic bass pound away in the background, Crush Depth is the latest chapter in the Chrome Hoof narrative.

An evening of other-worldly eclecticism, ground breaking production and earth shattering tunes brought to you by UK party overlords dollop and Parasight.

Tickets are only £11 in advance. You can get hold of them online here or from record stores Puregroove, Souljazz, Phonica and from the Dalston Superstore Bar.

There’s a gift mix from Dollop after the jump…

NEW HEAVY SOUNDS CLUB presents 12 solid hours of the newest heavy scene in the UK - MAY 31st Bank Holiday All-Dayer

TURBOWOLF + CASTROVALVA + THESE MONSTERS + BLACKLISTERS + BAD FOR LAZARUS + STRANGE NEWS FROM ANOTHER STAR + WE ROCK LIKE GIRLS DON’T + BUFFALO + RUN WALK + GODZILLA BLACK + XM-3a

With spinning from DJs VOLK and PLIMSOLES and vision wrangling from VJ the k e r n s.

The Gaff
Holloway, London

Adm £6 / £5 with flyer

Doors 12 midday - 12 midnight

The incredibly productive underground promoters ‘God Don’t Like It’ have put together this little all nighter for the friendly folk at Visions Video Bar on Kingsland Road this Friday 28th May - a venue that has laid seige to some of the most exciting parties over the past 3 years.

Main event of the evening is the album launch for the forward thinking electronica outfit Elite Barbarian. Ben Paige from the band is a key member from Rocket Number 9 who were recently on tour with Four Tet (Keiran Hebden) and is also a member of Rothko who have been pioneers of experimental music in London for at least the last 10 years.

Of one LP review for Elite, this says it pretty well:

“One of the strongest electronic beep records you will ever hear, the new record from Elite Barbarian achieves a certain kind of ambience ordinarily/usually harboured by the most strung out and sensitive of electronic acts without using such barbed sonics.” DISKANT

Also playing live on the night is Devil Man which is side project of DJ Scotch Egg and dub DJ Gorgonn!

On DJ duties are, direct from France, the incredible Zombie Zombie, alongside DVN, Gary The Tall, Mike Keelin & Gangpol from Gangpol Und MIT.

Doors at 9:00 and it’s open till 6.

If you send an email to anthony@goddontlikeit.com with the word CHEAP in the subject you will get on the 5pd cheaplist which aint bad for 9 hours of partying, 2 bands & 6 Dj’s!

To celebrate the release of Offset Recordings’ first single we’d like to invite you to a very special party at Real Golds’ brand new Alibi venue in Dalston. Fiction perform live with DJ sets from Is Tropical, Egyptian Hip Hop, Offset vs. ECC and Off Modern. Entry is free but for guaranteed entrance drop us an email - rsvp@offsetrecordings.co.uk.

Click here for the Facebook event page.