Phoenix – “Lasso:”

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So we just received a copy of Jonathan Denmark’s Books record. First off, we’ve never gotten music mail in such unique packaging, or mail in general. The packaging is an encyclopedia volume. Specifically, it’s Volume 5 of a Funk & Wagnalls Standard Reference Encyclopedia, including the terms Bubonic through Cellular. What better way to ship the Books release than in a book with Funk in the title? That’s right. Denmark’s agent sends out his releases proper.

At any rate, it’s a great EP. Favorite tracks include “More to Expect,” “Arizona,” “Great Dietitian,” and “Blessing.” Needless to say, we like this blend of acoustic/indie rock, experimental electronic music, and hip hop Denmark has put together. It’s hard to classify Denmark’s music, but that’s part of what makes it different.

There are also pieces of food for thought spread throughout the EP. For instance, “a gift is not a blessing if it causes you more stress,” from the track “Blessing.” How true this statement is, but people don’t commonly acknowledge that gifts can be burdens. In fact, you could even get accused of being spoiled or cynical if you try to explain why a gift causes you stress.

So, don’t just take our word for it, check the album out for yourself!

So this video is perfect for this song. It’s pretty upbeat and fun, like most music from Phoenix. If you haven’t checked out the Phoenix record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix yet, you really should!

The video is a tribute to the YouTube bratpack tribute (below) that went more viral than the band’s own video (above). We like both.

Baller ass remix. Watch in high-quality if your connection permits!

Check out more from Duke Dumont:

Don Diablo’s remix for One eskimO’s “Givin’ Up.” We love the vocals and synth work in this track. Don Diablo is already famous without a plug from us, but this track is catchy. It’s also somewhat different from the usual style of Diablo.

This remix of One eskimO’s “Givin’ Up” is taken from their forthcoming album “All Balloons.” Don Diablo altered the original song with added strings, synths, his trademark percussion, and a nice break and bassline combination. One eskimO’s forthcoming album is produced by Rollo (Faithless) and will be backed up by a series of animations produced by Passion Pictures, the team behind the act “Gorillaz.”

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