Beirut
When not collaborating with the bombshell Blondie, Beirut is reworking singles to give them delicious depth. First written on a ukelele when frontman Zach Condon was 17, "East Harlem" benefits from the elegance of piano and subtle percussion to become a delicate and beautiful track. No words on a new album yet, though it's been over two years, but something is always ten times better than nothing. Enjoy the single via soundcloud below:
This player (SoundCloud) didn’t survive.
Jamie xx
After first appearing in a mix for BBC Radio 1, Jamie xx's single "Far Nearer" has finally gotten a stand-alone stream. Summery and light with the tinkering of steel drums, the track is part of limited 12" that features "Beat For," which is sparse yet evocative, on the flip-side. You can hear both singles below and purchase the record at Numbers.
"Far Nearer"
"Beat For"
Bjork
Following in the footsteps of her own innovation, Bjork is rejecting the notion of a traditional album and making an all-app record. Each of the ten songs will have their own interactive application that can be used on any smart device. Naturally each song will have its accompanying visuals and stories that will richen our experience of her music. As a teaser to the album's impending 2011 release, a video popped up of Bjork listening to one of the tracks in her car. The full version of "Crystalline" will be released at the end of the month, but until then you'll just have to loop these 30 seconds:
björk - road to crystalline from Björk on Vimeo.