LONDON - PACK YOUR BAGS, AND BY BAGS WE MEAN EARS

I'm not sure what constitutes a super vacation, but my guess is it's vacation squared: the essence of a holiday concentrated into one week of pool parties, sandcastles, romance, donkey rides, foam parties, finally reading The Corrections, finding yourself, not drinking, drinking a lot, beach sex, boating, paella, not watching any telly, and actually feeling like you've had a holiday at the end. An impossible dream you might think, but maybe you haven't heard the Super Vacations yet.

LONDON - A FRESH-SQUEEZED MIXTAPE

The three San Franciscans-cum-Brooklynites who make up Lemonade have kindly made us a mixtape. Which is a vaguely disconcerting prospect, considering that when I first received the press release for last year’s eponymous album, it contained a list of genres, sub-genres and pseudo-genres longer than my fucking arm. All the blogosphere-coined world music/post-punk/new dance synonyms sent me to the brink of an epileptic fit. But then I put the CD in the deck, and I just wanted to know what kind of bizarrely disparate music they listen to. Well, knock me down with an obscure sequencer, because below is the answer. 

CANADA - LULLABYE ARKESTRA RELEASE PARTY

Like intense, barebones rock but hate it when the band isn't married? Well, Vice Records just released Toronto husband and wife duo Lullabye Arketsra’s latest "Threats/Worship", and let me just say that we are all really stoked about the launch parties. I mean, have you seen these guys play live? Justin is a fucking beast and Kat's bass sounds like there are a million devil horns made of lead bees flying out of it at a million miles a second. We've been playing We Fuck the Night non-stop for the last week (one of our interns actually pulled something while pumping her fist in the air during the middle part). Check out the video, and then lurch menacingly towards any or all of their upcoming shows. Click below so you know where to go. 

LONDON - CHASIN' AWAY THE DRIZZLES

I'm in Wales at the moment and it's wet, so, so wet, and in an attempt to counterbalance my drizzly depression I'm listening to some sunny-sounding music. Well, a band from Australia anyway, called Eddy Current Suppression Ring, and specifically their record Primary Colours, the second-best record called Primary Colours of the decade. Now, a lot of you clued-up blog bastards will know these Aussie punks and their two flawless long-players, but screw you, I'm obsessed with them.

BERLIN - IRON MAIDEN AND BROKEN LIVES

I actually don’t know much about Iron Maiden apart from the fact that the singer has got a terrible voice and they love to wear spandex. But today was striking, because it is a rare moment to actually see someone split up in public (OK, except for the celebrities) but it’s even more unusual when a die-hard fan splits from his favorite band, like ever, in public.

A FIST IN THE FACE OF GOD - A CHAT WITH NEKROMANTHEON AND OBLITERATION'S SINDRE

I caught up with Obliteration frontman and Nekromantheon singer/bassist Sindre Solem after their blistering performance at the Smuget Club in Oslo a few weeks back. Well, actually, somehow the interview got deleted so I interviewed him again, this time before Aura Noir's excellent performance at Øya Festival. Here's what he had to say about the scene. Again.

WALES - BURNING THE GREEN MAN

The Green Man festival is a relatively small festival in the Brecon Beacons. It's basically Latitude with less bullshit about being a quirky boutique festival (when it's run by the same people that run Reading and Leeds), less weekend warriors (although there are still some), and a much better lineup. I went down to this immensely picturesque part of Wales to catch some music, a few talks, some comedy, and see a huge green man be burned to the ground. WOO!

LONDON - SPECTRALS IS ANOTHER LONER

 Wavves, Dum Dum Girls, Best Coast, Blank Dogs... now this. I sincerely apologize for hitting you with another one-man garage band, but it seems that's the way things are going these days. I'm guessing the reason these friendless wonders are recording on their lonesome is that they are bored of other musicians meddling with their grand garage vision and just want to get on with it, though less tactful people might suggest that they're just unpopular. Either way, I am happy to sit and listen.

NEW YORK - RETURN TO STUCKEY'S

 I'll be on the road for the next month playing keys with my band The Weight, who you may remember from Practice Space on VBS. We're traveling to nearly 30 cities in 19 states and will be passing through a bunch of others. One thing you do on the road is eat at establishments both iconic and obscure, so I'm going to keep you updated about what I’m putting in my mouth.

LONDON - HIGH CIRCLE AND FRIENDS MADE US A MIXTAPE

Two of the fruitiest and loopiest explorers of the corners of sound, High Places and Soft Circle, have buddied up to put a split 12" out on No Age guy Dean Spunt's Post Present Medium Records. You can cop the record right now, and having had it on repeat for the last week, we can testify to its restorative powers and general greatness. To celebrate this cosmic union, Hisham Bharoocha and Rob and Mary from High Places got together and made a mixtape just for us. The selection is in turns surprising, inspired and, unsurprisingly, inspiring. Listen to it below.