OUT SOON: LOUIE AUSTEN & COMMERCIAL BREAKUP "TOO GOOD TO LAST EP"!
It is a miracle how Louie found time recording these bunch of classy pop songs in between Senor Coconut tour rehearsals, touring on his own, becoming a tennis pro & acting as sidekick in movies – in case you had not known - yep, one of the gamblers in the Oscar-winning "The Counterfeiters" is Mr. Austen. But the prospect of collaborating with Vredeber Albrecht was just too tempting and hell, who needs sleep at all?
„Who is this VREDEBER ALBRECHT?" you may wonder: Well, you surely know him better in disguise as COMMERCIAL BREAKUP (on Ladomat), ¼ of PAINCAKE along with Schneider TM & especially as former keyboard-God of the dearly-missed German indie band BLUMFELD with singer Jochen Distelmeyer. But he is not only playing music but also producing some, DJing & doing remixes and used to be one of the men behind the Berlin-based „GALERIE BERLINTOKYO" melting pot in the second half of the 90s.
So Louie & Vredeber pulled a Bowie – that is teamed up in good old Berlin for some recordings earlier this year. The musical outcome are four songs of shining glory & topics known to mankind (and esp. the man-kind - male of the species): An almost rapping Louie Austen on the New Order-esque title track „Too Good To Last", love promises for winning ladies hearts („If Only"), getting away from every day life in „WipeOut" to vodka-clear disillusion with the female sex („Another Drink For Me").
"TOO GOOD TO LAST" will be released worldwide at the end of July.
LOUIE AUSTEN NEWS - ON TOUR WITH SENOR COCONUT & MORE!
There is a lot going on in the life of our electro crooner: Touring all around the globe, having released the "Reality EP" late 2007 & spring 2008 will already mark the release of a new EP Louie recorded recently with VREDEBER ALBRECHT known from COMMERCIAL BREAKUP & former keys-man of BLUMFELD. Of course master Austen has already also started working on another full-length album to see the light in 2009.
Btw. the movie Louie had a cameo in as gambler; "The Counterfeiters / Die Fälscher" of Stefan Ruzowitzky; got an OSCAR for best foreign movie, weeee - big big congrats to everyone involved!
And oh yes, we have to announce this, we can not hold it back any longer:
Mister Austen shall electrotain in the course of the POPUP music convention in Leipzig/Germany - namely on Sat. May 24th at the Distillery!
And big big SENOR COCONUT news! Louie will be featured on the upcoming new Senor Coconut album for release in May & will join the cool cats as special guest on their Around The World tour this spring & summer! Here are all dates….
Señor Coconut and his Orchestra feat. Argenis Brito AROUND THE WORLD Tour 2008 * introducing very special guest Louie Austen
01.06.2008 SERBIA, Belgrade, TBA 06.06.2008 PORTUGAL, Braga, Theatro Circo 07.06.2008 PORTUGAL, Portoalegre, Centro de Artes 26.06.2008 PORTUGAL, Porto, Casa da Musica 27.06.2008 SPAIN, Ourensa Club 28.06.2008 SPAIN, Euzkadi, Euzkadi Festival 29.06.2008 FRANCE, Argeles sur Mer Festival
02.07.2008 GERMANY, Munich/Muenchen, Muffathalle 03.07.2008 HUNGARY, Sopron, Volt Festival * 04.07.2008 GERMANY, Stuttgart, Wagenhallen * 05.07.2008 SPAIN, Cartagena, Festival di Culturas 07.07.2008 CORSICA, Calvi, Festival de Calvi 11.07.2008 FRANCE, Cognac, Festival du Cognac * 12.07.2008 FRANCE, Paris, Le Bal de la Bastille*
08.08.2008 POLAND, Poznan, World Music Festival 09.08.2008 BELGIUM, Brugge, Benenwerk* 10.08.2008 GERMANY, Duesseldorf, Zakk* 14.08.2008 FRANCE, Brest 15.08.2008 GERMANY, Berlin, Kulturbrauerei 16.08.2008 GERMANY, Hamburg, Kampnagel* 17.08.2008 FINLAND, Helsinki, Flow Festival* 20.08.2008 SWITZERLAND, Winterthur, Festspielwochen 22.08.2008 ITALY, Ariano, Ariano Festival
Out Now: TROUBLE OVER TOKYO - PYRAMIDES - CD kl089
Reports have been circulating of late that a new uprising is underway. The name of this new wave is thought to be known as Indie-Lectro, and we have found the ring leader. An organisation known only as TROUBLE OVER TOKYO is behind all this. A one-man band, if you will, run by a boy named Toph. Described as a blend of styles of such artists as Björk, Thom Yorke, Turin Brakes and Michael Jackson, Trouble Over Tokyo is seen as a major threat in 2008 with his new album „Pyramides" available now through Schönwetter/Klein Records!
Praise for "Pyramides" so far...
"Digital melancholia meets neurotic disco." THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, UK
"Excellent brand of electro pop." METRO, UK
"Luscious, cinematic and brilliantly apocalyptic poptronica." TIME OUT, UK
"Like Sufjan Stevens discovered electro music under the influence of Matthew Dear" - GOGOPARIS.COM, FR
'This is a guy who writes effortlessly well constructed songs – has a voice that could simultaneously sculpt glass, and reassure abandoned kittens – and has invented a sound all of his own, a truly post-modern mix that should make him all-encompassing - 4.5/5" - SUBBACULTCHA, UK
"The organic warm sounds of acoustic guitar and piano are seamlessly mixed, with electronic beats and jarring glitches, creating a record that is really quite interesting and unique" - BLOGGERTRONIX, CAN
"A massive CLASH between Justin Timberlake and Thom Yorke, in the boxing ring of pop 2008, a large hook on the left, you fall to the ground and your trainer struggles to revive you. There goes the bell, and you're dead" - J'ai la Cassette de la Maison, France
"The album that Michael Jackson would have made if his genius resurfaced in 2008" - TITEL MAGAZINE, GER "An Epic soundcraft, masterminded for huge success" - HELENE RAMOS GALAGARZA - DJ&Journalist, PERU
"It's not always easy to discern the good from bad in such a turmoil of styles [of the UK music scene], and yet some groups still manage to mark the coup without having to worry about any competition. Trouble Over Tokyo is undeniably part of this thin slice of privileged, and not without merit, I must say" - LIABILITY WEBZINE, FR
"It's just totally different than the typical singer-songwriters of the past: There is no lonely man with his guitar, but music, not afraid of electronics, like synth-harmony-stage shows and [Taylor is] not afraid.." - ALTERNATIVMUSIK.DE, GER
"Focus your attention on this FAST" - ROLLING STONE, RU
"Hearts will melt - 9/10" - OUTOFSPACE.CH, CH
'A fresh wind on the cheeks, one slowly climbs the steps of these "Pyramids" until finishing on the title track, which summarizes perfectly why one has ridden so high...' - ELECTROPEOPLE.COM
"The young Londoner's second offering is an astonishing effort and asserts a style which mixes experimentation, lo-fi and r&b productions in the Timbaland mould. The sceptical reader could believe it to be a con - not at all: TOT offers an illuminated DIY album in the spirit of the first Beck records - Trouble Over TOKYO can contemplate massive success" - STANDARD MAGAZINE, FR
"The King is dead, Long live the King" - PLATTENTESTS.DE, GER
Sally Shapiro has been nominated twice for Plug Awards, an American award for independent music that will take place in NYC on March 6th next year. Sally is nominated in the categories "female artist of the year" and "electronic/dance album of the year".
The nominations have been selected by a committee of music critics & music business people, but the winners are the artists getting the most votes on their web page, so if you think Sally should win, feel free to head over to www.plugawards.com and vote!
Here are the nominations in Sally's categories.
Female artist of the year: Annie Clark (St. Vincent) Bettye LaVette Emily Haines Emma Pollock Katrina Ford (of Celebration) Marissa Nadler Marnie Stern Natasha Khan (of Bat For Lashes) Nina Nastasia Sally Shapiro Scout Niblett Sharon Jones
Electronic/dance album of the year: !! - Myth Takes (Warp) Caribou - Andorra (Merge) Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Vice) Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings (Carpark) Digitalism - Idealism (Astralwerks) Gui Boratto - Chromophobia (Kompakt) Justice - † (Downtown / Vice / Ed Banger) Matthew Dear - Asa Breed (Ghostly) Modeselektor - Happy Birthday! (Bpitch Control) Sally Shapiro - Disco Romance (Paper Bag) The Field - From Here We Go Sublime (Kompakt) Ulrich Schnauss - Goodbye (Domino)
LOUIE AUSTEN FEAT. SENOR COCONUT - REALITY EP / OUT NOW!
++++DREAMS ARE MY REALITY EP WITH SENOR COCONUT & HIS ORCHESTRA+++
Remember the French LA BOUM movies from the 80s? Then you remember Sophie Marceau as teenager Vic on that party in the strobe light dancing frantically to Murky Turkey when suddenly the strange dark-haired guy she´s been eyeing for some time comes over and puts headphones over her ears and she turns around and they slowly dance to the headphone music only the both of them can hear? Yes, my friends – we´re talking „Reality"by Richard Sanderson. The favourite makeout song of Europeans which got famous as the „Schieber" dance.
Viennese DJ and producer CHRISTOPHER JUST´s been haunted by that song for ages and one day he had the idea of covering it but he was in need of a singer - then Louie Austen came over and said „Hey man, consider me the voice! I love that song!" so they teamed up and resulting is this fine EP.
For the real tropical deal they got in contact with SENOR COCONUT! Yes,Senor Coconut – famous for his laptop salsa and acid merengue covers of Kraftwerk, Sade or Michael Jackson. Finally the world´s onlyGerman/Chilean electrolatino is collaborating with the world´s onlyAustrian electrocrooner, it was just meant to happen some day.
The video to the Senor Coconut version was directed by PROGRESSIVE PICTURES from Vienna aka Armin Pointner and Wolfgang Bohusch. It´s all about Louie flying half around the world looking for a mystical lady he´s seen the polaroid of just to get his suit soaking wet. Alas he´s sipping cocktails in tropical surroundings and gets a bit of a tan.
Wham bam, thank you Mam! Along with producer Christopher Just Mel Merio´s been digging for 80ies treasures, came upon „Domino Dancing" by the Pet Shop Boys and transformed it into a pumping trembling ravin mashup electro bastard. Now you just gotta watch them all fall down – Domino Dancing.
finally we get to present the music video for Bunny Lake´s biggest flirt thus far with pop-pop-pop-muzik, they´ve been to Berlin and done some eye candy for "Twisted Forever" - taken from the soon to be released second album, "The Church Of Bunny Lake" - release date 19.10.07 on klein.
We´re pround to announce that no one other than the infamous dutch director Edwin Brienen directed the clip. A guy responsible for some beautiful underground films and videos and finally someone who understands the connection between Abba and Slayer and errm, socially irresponsible chainsmoking stunts.
And here´s their current live dates - more ones coming up, too:
25.09. Centro Civico / Chimalhuacan - Mexico 28.09. La Muerte Chiquita / Jalapa - Mexico 29.09. TBC / Vera Cruz - Mexico 04.10. Bunny Lake party @ Lebemann & Hirn / Vienna - Austria 13.10. Boom Bang Baby! @ Rock Cafe with Rex The Dog / Prague - CZ 03.11. The Church Of Bunny Lake album party @ Flex / Vienna - Austria 08.11. Weekender / Innsbruck - Austria (TBC) 09.11. Stadtwerkstadt / Linz - Austria 23.11. Postgarage / Graz - Austria 30.11. A38 / Budapest - Hungary 14.12. Registratur / Munich - Germany 15.12. Mahagoni Bar / Augsburg - Germany 22.12. Club Maki / Ingolstadt - Germany
Have you ever wanted to ramble with the good people of klein? Then don´t miss out on the unique opportunity of catching up with head honcho Christian Candid and klein promo mistressa & assistant of Louie Austen Carina "7cut" Elter at this year´s POPKOMM in Berlin.
And we have two klein showcases for you shoe-gazers:
1.) Bunny Lake @ Frannz on Friday the 21st of September, www.frannz.de
"FRANNZ & SISSI"; Location: FRANNZ (in der Kulturbrauerei) // Schönhauser Allee 36 // 10435 Berlin.
Line-Up: 20:30h VELOJET (Wohnzimmer Rec.), 21:30h JA, PANIK (schoenwetter), 22:30h A LIFE, A SONG, A CIGARETTE (Siluh Rec.), 23:30h BUNNY LAKE (klein)
2.) Louie Austen @ 103 on Saturday the 22nd of September, www.103club.de
Dear friends of bloody noses, sex and electro´n´roll,
We that is klein are proud to announce the release of the new album "THE CHURCH OF BUNNY LAKE" by Austria´s Electro-Punk-Rave-A-Billy band number one BUNNY LAKE - produced by noone else but Christopher Just. Its first single "STROBE LOVE" is on rotation on several radio stations around Europe and party people in New York, Amsterdam and Berlin are getting a little crazy about it.
With their new album, SUZY ON THE ROCKS, CHRISTIAN FUCHS and DR. NACHTSTROM intend to give the adventure that is pop a further twist. Music that tells lurid tales of insatiable desire, of the fever of irrationality, of opposites as inextricable as exciting. Decisive input came courtesy of producer CHRISTOPHER JUST. The legendary DJ-Gigolo (Kitsuné, Chicks On Speed) managed to perfectly fuse the band's rock'n'roll-obsessions (which comprise anything from Elvis to The Velvet Underground and The Cramps) with his euphoric Techno aesthetics, without succumbing to any tired crossover clichés.
