LIKE FIRE AROUND THE BRIM.

Friday nights in NYC used to be all about The Knocks' Mr. Jpatt tearing up the decks at Antik, the highlight of which was always his immaculate blend of Passion Pit's "Sleepyhead" and The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back". Then when Xaphoon Jones moved to New York and witnessed the magic, he took it one step further and turned Jpatt's segue into a full length track, which he's been playing out around town for a minute now and finally today unveiled on his brand new mixtape Xaphoon Jones Volume 2. Basically, it's perfect. Grab it below and hit up Ill Roots for the whole tape, since it's kind of furiously brilliant.

MP3: "The Jackson Pit" - Xaphoon Jones

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CAN'T GET YOU FAR ENOUGH AWAY.

Savoir Adore are kind of the most adorable band in the game and they prove their eternally endearing qualities once again with new track "Sparrow," yet another promising step towards a potentially brilliant second album after the unveiling of "Loveliest Creature" earlier this year. While the Brooklyn dreampop crusaders have always reminded us of Stars, under the light of "Sparrow" (which they've been so kind to give us the exclusive premier for below) they seem cut from a more classic americana cloth - sweet without being saccharin and catchy as fuck.

Spastic drums and fuzzed out guitars ground the song's ethereal levity, while understated synths sparkle in the distance and round out the track's breezy melancholy. Exceedingly infectious - as is usually the name of the game with Savoir - the track puts them in line with some of America's great pop duos. Could Deidre and Paul (not that they're "together" per se) be 2011 indie pop's answer to Sonny and Cher? Or maybe Tammy Terrell and Marvin Gaye? But you know, less dramatic... and white? Come on out to Popshop next Thursday and judge for yourself, tickets still on sale here but going fassst.

MP3: "Sparrow" - Savoir Adore [exclusive]

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IF YOU'RE VAGUELY ATTRACTED TO ROOFTOPS.

Freelance Whales have quietly been killing it (see: like every ad on television right now) since signing to Frenchkiss/Mom+Pop in late 2009, and their ascent from local bright young things to nationally acclaimed indie darlings continues with the release of their latest single "Hannah". Helping out on the remix package, we got our boy Lightwaves on the case, who takes the Sufjan-meets-Postal Service original and electrifies it into dreamy pop oblivion. It's got the same breathtaking endgame as the original but takes you on a very different journey to the finish line - instead of floating above Brooklyn rooftops on the wings of Freelance's lo-fi synths and frontman Judah Dadone's gentle vocal, you're moonwalking through fields of neon fireflies under fluorescent night skies. Fully equipped with Lightwaves signature handclap drums and heart-fluttering synth drops, it comes complete with a dance break in the middle eight that will get even thems without a pulse on the dancefloor - clear some space to sway around your apartment to this one, people.

MP3: "Hannah" (Lightwaves Remix) - Freelance Whales [exclusive]

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TINY LITTLE WAVES OF THE FOREST.

We're pretty much all about the burgeoning Miami music scene - I mean, who hasn't been inspired by the sounds of the Miami since Will Smith first preached the city's gospel way back when? Born of the hot hot heat, palm trees and neon pastels of the Magic City are up and comers like Lil Daggers, Millionyoung and of course the amazing ANR, and if you haven't gotten lost in the very special jams of the latter to this point you need to make haste and do so immediately. ANR's debut album Stay Kids is chock full of psychedelic pop gems but none more epic than their STRAIGHT UP power ballad, "The Endless Field of Mercury." The track starts out sweet: choral arrangements and soft keys as far as the eye can see. Then come crashing waves of percussion and urgent vocals that put them somewhere between Yeasayer and Local Natives, and suddenly you've got a severe case of contagious elation on your hands. And though we posted the mp3 yesterday it gets better still - the music video is JUST as epic as the song and strikes the same angelic yet powerful chord - who knew that 1970's beauty pageants could be so affecting?

Then there's the live show, which takes things to another level entirely. Not since The Dodos have we witnessed a two piece unleash so much raw power and intensity on stage, as drummer/vocalist Michael-John Hancock and virtuoso keyboard/synth man Brian Robertson Not planning on heading to Miami any time soon? Worry not - we got you covered. Check them out at the next Popshop (tickets here) along side Walk The Moon and Savoir Adore next Thursday April 7th.

MP3: "The Endless Field of Mercury" - ANR

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POPSHOP004: WALK THE MOON + SAVOIR + ANR

With the dust settled on SXSW and everyone finally beginning to feel human again, it's time to get back in the New York groove with another round of amazing live music at Popshop, coming at you hard and fast on April 7th. We've got the hottest new band in the game and the toast of SXSW 2011 headlining in Walk The Moon, with support from starry eyed Brooklyn dreamweavers Savoir Adore and Miami's finest ANR. Then as per usual we've got Absolut bringing the drink specials early with 2-for-1 drinks from 8pm-9pm, plus Lightwaves lighting up the decks all night long.

You should have the hang of this by now, but as always it's going down the first Thursday of the month at Tammany Hall (152 Orchard between Stanton and Rivington) in the LES, and tickets are available HERE. We're also making the show FREE after midnight (space permitting), for those of you who hate live instruments but still want to get your dance on with Lightwaves until the early hours. And just a reminder - the first three Popshops all sold out in advance, so GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY. It breaks our heart to see people turned away at the door, so please save everyone the emotional anguish and don't sleep on this one. Set times and downloads/streams below, see you next Thursday.

09:00pm: ANR // DOWNLOAD: "Endless Fields of Mercury"

10:00pm: Savoir Adore // STREAM: "Bodies"

11:00pm: Walk The Moon // DOWNLOAD: "Anna Sun"

12:00am: Lightwaves // DOWNLOAD: "Loveliest Creature" (Lightwaves Remix)

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CAN YOU FEEL IT.

Headed into SX there were already a few bands destined to be the talk of the town come week's end - Walk The Moon, Foster The People and James Blake all come to mind - but for us the real superstars of SXSW 2011 were Athens, Georgia's own Reptar. Their People Are Cool Y'all EP from late 2010 was already one of our absolute favorite releases of the past 12 months (honestly, it's kind of a masterpiece), but the live show is where they really bring the magic. This is furious pop music, like Isaac Brock fronting Passion Pit under the watchful eye of Animal Collective, and the controlled chaos of the live show is a beautiful sight to behold.

Anyone who didn't make it out west to Austin last week needn't look further than the BRILLIANTLY boisterous "Houseboat Babies" to see what all the fuss is about - it's the kind of track that immediately transports you back to that "one krrrAaaaAaaaAzy summer," even if yours hasn't happened yet. It's just that good. Coincidentally (or maybe not so), the plucky vocal samples that give the song it's backbone takes on a serious Mark Mothersbaugh vibe, not a million miles away from the theme song to Rugrats (from which the band take their amazing name). Those samples, paired with the exuberant call and response of "Can you feel it? / Yes I can feel it!" set the track up to be one of the biggest partystarters of 2011, the kind of invincible anthem that just makes you sigh "ahhh youth" and then dance until dawn. So yeah Reptar, we can feel it.

MP3: "Houseboat Babies" - Reptar

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YOU JUST HAVE TO WAIT.

Alex Winston is our number one homegirl in NYC and a beloved member of the Neon Gold extended fam, and her contribution to The Knocks' (amazing) Same Old Songs EP is kiiiind of perfect. With The Knocks at the helm on production, Winnie kills it on the vocal for their cover of The Supremes' "Can't Hurry Love", a song it almost sounds like she was born to sing. It's our favorite cut off of Same Old Songs and a production sound we don't often get to hear her vocals paired with, so be sure to get involved with this special HeavyRoc cut below. And if you're in Austin this week, don't miss Alex's only official SXSW play at our official Neon Gold showcase in Austin tomorrow night at 10pm.

MP3: "You Can't Hurry Love" (ft. Alex Winston) - The Knocks

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KEEP FROM THE BEGGARS OF BONES.

Boy & Bear formed barely two years ago but have wasted no time making waves in their native Australia and abroad, releasing their debut With The Emperor Antarctica EP with our friends at Chess Club last year. From the same school of larger-than-life folk as Chess Club alumni Mumford & Sons and Local Natives, B&B impress with a massively developed sound drawing from the pastoral harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the Appalachian folk of Fleet Foxes. “Mexican Mavis” was the immense highlight of Emperor Antarctica and swiftly championed by iTunes as its Single of the Week last December, acting as the spell-binding focal point of its parent EP. Unsurprisingly, 2010 was an insane whirlwind of success for the group leading them to sell out their debut headlining tour of Australia before supporting the likes of Angus & Julia Stone as well as Laura Marling on both her Australian and UK tour, and since our beloved Mumford lads made ‘banjo’ a by-word for ‘platinum’, the industry heat around Boy & Bear has reached volcanic temperatures.

So we're pretty thrilled to have them booked to play our little (huge) New Shapes day party next Saturday before they fly off to record their debut album with Joe Chiccorelli (The Shins, My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes). Trust me when we say that you do not want to miss them live because those rich, textured harmonies and rustic, indelible melodies are just that much sweeter in the flesh. They take to the Acoustic Stage at 3:45pm, in between sure-to-be immense sets from Brother (3:20pm) and Grouplove (4:00pm) inside on the Electric Stage.

MP3: "Mexican Mavis" - Boy & Bear

And so with that reveal the picture of the full lineup becomes a bit clearer... here's the score thus far:

ELECTRIC STAGE
5:00pm: _______
4:00: Grouplove
3:20: Brother
2:40: Wolf Gang
2:00: _______
1:20: _______
12:40: _______
12:00: The Naked & Famous
11:20: _______

ACOUSTIC STAGE
4:40 Penguin Prison
3:45 Boy & Bear
3:05: _______
2:25: _______
1:45: _______
1:05: _______
12:25: _______
11:45: _______

Together with our New Shapes partners in crime Communion, Chess Club, Plugged In PR and MCT Management, we'll be bringing you more line up announcements throughout the rest of the weekend before the full lineup is revealed and RSVP opens on Monday. Stay close.

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TOO MUCH NOISE IN MY HEAD.

This went up with our official SXSW showcase announcement earlier this week, but it's so brilliant it really deserves it's own feature. Elof is one of the hottest up-and-coming producers in Sweden at the moment, having already worked wonders with Erik Hassle, Niki & The Dove and Icona Pop (have you heard his production on "Top Rated"? It's INSANE.) and his remix work doesn't disappoint either. Penguin Prison's "The Worse It Gets" was already a masterstroke of dark, brooding pop at it's most paranoid, but the Elof remix is even more destabilizing, dramatic piano chords and ominous bass laid bare over a sonic tapestry literally falling apart at the seams as we listen.

While Elof continues to tear it up across the pond in Sweden, Penguin will be down at SXSW next week, where he'll be playing our official showcase with his full band set up on Wednesday night, before going unplugged to headline the Acoustic Stage at our unofficial New Shapes day party at 4:40pm on Saturday. Enjoy the black magic of Elof's Penguin remix below, and keep checking back throughout the weekend as we continue to leak the lineup of our Saturday New Shapes party (which will be FREE to all with RSVP) before the full announcement on Monday.

MP3: "The Worse It Gets" (Elof Remix) - Penguin Prison [exclusive]

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THE COLD COMING THROUGH THE WALLS.

Our favorite plucky New Zealanders have done it again. This time The Naked & Famous take on Mr. Little Jeans' "Rescue Song" for a remix that is so beautifully understated it's almost too much for us to handle - the Neon Gold alumni network is working in the most magical of ways right now and let's just say we don't hate it. With a soft swinging beat, this remix has big moments reminiscent of the electropop holy grail, "Heartbeats," but the steady, fierce fluidity of Mr. Little Jeans' angelic vocals take everything to a whole new level. "Rescue Song" already had a pretty phenomenal remix package around it when we dropped it on Neon Gold last November, but The Naked & Famous have taken us to a happier, sexier place on this remix and we love them for it.

Look out for the band to absolutely own SXSW next week, where you can catch them live at a number of shows around town, including our unofficial day party Saturday at Klub Krucial at 12pm. We'll be leaking the lineup for the show all weekend before pulling back the curtain and unveiling the full lineup and all event details on Monday, so watch this space!

MP3: "Rescue Song" (The Naked & Famous Remix) - Mr. Little Jeans [exclusive]

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DANCE ALL MY FEARS AWAY.

Australian heavy hitters The Holidays are brought to you by the same team who discovered The Temper Trap, and now it's time to be forever indebted to them once more. In these gloomy winter times their unrelenting tropical vibes will have you kicking back on that imaginary beach in your mind in no time. Don't be alarmed if, when listening to their single "Moonlight Hours," you're fully transported to a real life psychedelic-pop version of "Under The Sea" - only instead of a Jamaican lobster on lead vox it's some melodic Aussie bros - although we think that crab jamming on those seashell bongos might still be in the mix there somewhere.

They've made a major splash in their homeland and now have their sights set on the US and beyond, as they make their way over to The America for SXSW and their debut stateside shows this week. If you're ready to get yr sunshine on then come down and see them at Public Assembly this Sunday, where they'll be pushing their wares - alongside Kyla La Grange, High Highs and many more - at a very special pre-SXSW Communion show we're helping out with. Plus, Neon Gold Beat Company will be killing it on the decks well until the moonlight hours and tickets are only $5, so you've really got no excuse not to come on down and dance all your fears away.

MP3: "Moonlight Hours" - The Holidays

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NEON GOLD SXSW 2011.

Going to Austin next week? Then you're gonna want to make sure you keep your schedule clear on Wednesday, cause it's all going down at Bat Bar for our official Neon Gold showcase. Little Red. Walk The Moon. Alex Winston. Clock Opera. Penguin Prison. The one and only Ellie Goulding. We've got them all under one amazing roof on the first night of SX, the perfect way to kickstart your SXSW 2011 experience. As it's an official showcase it's badges and wristbands only (we don't make the rules y'all), but we've got a special day party on the Saturday for those of you keeping it real at SX this year without an official badge. Look for an announcement on that by week's end, but for now behold the lineup for our official night below and mark your calendars. You won't want to miss this.

08:00pm: Little Red // MP3: "Rock It" ('96 Bulls Remix)

09:00pm: Walk The Moon // MP3: "Anna Sun"

10:00pm: Alex Winston // MP3: "Sister Wife"

11:00pm: Clock Opera // MP3: "A Piece of String"

12:00am: Ellie Goulding // MP3: "Under The Sheets" (Baby Monster Remix)

01:00am: Penguin Prison // MP3: "The Worse It Gets" (Elof Remix)

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HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE LOVED BY NO ONE.

Wolf Gang are some of our nearest and dearest Neon Gold alumni and the lovely Kyla La Grange is one of our favorite tips for 2011, so we were thrilled to find them joining forces on this acoustic version of Wolf Gang's latest single, "Dancing With The Devil". The vocal interplay between Wolf Gang frontman Max McElligott and La Grange is perfect, and the track is yet another step in the right direction towards what we fully expect to be one of the year's finest full-length debuts when Wolf Gang's album drops this summer. Both Wolf Gang and Kyla will be playing SXSW this year, with the latter making a stop off in NYC beforehand at Communion's special pre-SXSW show this Sunday and Wolf Gang taking the stage at our unofficial day party blowout on the Saturday in Austin. More details on our day party to come by week's end, but for now feast your ears and eyes on an exclusive video of Max and Kyla's "Dancing With The Devil" duet above and The Shoes' official remix (featuring the brilliant Cocknbullkid) of the single below.

MP3: "Dancing With The Devil" (Shoes Mix ft. Cocknbullkid & Mz. Bratt) - Wolf Gang

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WASH OUT THE RAIN.

We know next to nothing about Black Light Dinner Party, other than that they hail from Boston and are coming correct with more of the fresh electronic pop sounds we've come to expect from the Northeast in recent years thanks to bands like Passion Pit and Dom. You can hear shades of both in their sound, with emotive vocals reminiscent of Miike Snow and a top notch production sound - West Coast beats rolling along with frosty NYC synths and lush Parisian melodies - that truly establishes them as a band to watch this year.

MP3: "Older Together" - Black Light Dinner Party [exclusive]

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I JUST HOPED YOU THOUGHT IT ANYWAY.

Guillemots' new album Walk The River (coming April 18th) is one of the absolute best records to grace our ears in 2011, and the band have been kind enough to share the title track ahead of its release for free on their website. It's the album's lead track and sets the tone for the record perfectly - all dark, brooding Chris Isaak vibes from frontman Fyfe Dangerfield and some of the band's best songwriting yet, including a middle eight in the song's second half that's one of the most beautiful and magical moments in the band's illustrious history. Seriously special stuff and just another reminded of why Guillemots are one of the best bands to emerge from the UK in the last decade.

MP3: "Walk The River" - Guillemots

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