flux.

This post is syndicated from Indie Shuffle.

What’s so good?

The latest album from Gang of Four, the iconic English post-punk group from Leeds, has been in the making for a while — Content is their first album of all-new material in sixteen years.

Known for their punchy, funked-up bass lines, distorted guitar, and hooky, shouty vocals lamenting social and political ills, 1979’s classic release Entertainment! has been cited as a trailblazer by many — a must-have recording that inspired bands from Fugazi to Rage Against the Machine to Nirvana.

While many groups have attempted to replicate Gang of Four’s exceptionally distinct sound, few have come close. As one of the leading bands of the late 70s and early 80s post-punk movement in Britain, they’ve been referenced recently in the emergence of the dance punk, synth-sprinkled crossover genre that birthed the likes of The Rapture, !!!, Bloc Party, and Radio 4.

Content is a groovy, kinetic piece of work that takes the listener on a journey from the arresting (“Who Am I?”) to the sublime. It calls to mind the original influence derived by the bands’ many imitators (evident in the drum and bass interplay on the downbeat track “A Fruitfly in the Beehive”). Diverse and brilliantly produced, the album opens with the powerful track “She Said” — a jump-starter that invokes fire in what’s to come.

get it on iTunes

myspace | myspace.com/gangoffour

Here, some music videos I’ve been digging this week!

Deluka’s brand new video for the single ‘Cascade’, out now digitally. I love their sound and can’t wait for the full-length later this year! Get a free MP3 of this song: http://deluka.bandcamp.com/ And the EP here.

The debut solo single from Kele Okereke (formerly of Bloc Party) is “Tenderoni” – taken from his debut  ’The Boxer’ out 6/21. On his solo debut, Kele collaborates with the producer behind Spank Rock aka Alex Epton, aka Armani XXXchange.  Most of my close friends probably remember how OBSESSED I was with Bloc Party (the T-shirts, the shows…and don’t get me started on Matt the drummer) so I’m totally psyched for Kele’s debut. Goodbye to the skinny indie rocker with dreads we once knew and loved! Hello to an entirely different look with an entirely different sound.

The Chemical Brothers “Swoon”
Again, another amazing record to look forward to in June. From the album ‘Further’ due out June 22nd.

Ok-Ok, I know this is the #1 single on iTunes right now but I had to include it because – well – it’s kind of a cool video (and hey, at least it’s not X-tina)!!

hope you had a wonderful week.

besos!

nic.