Yes, that is Marina in a bath. In her dress.

NME have graced us with their annual 'new bands for the year issue' and it's actually a really good read. A fair few mentions of bands we're keeping an eye out for this year and then there's this little spread on Marina. Peter Robinson (King of Popjustice) nails it.



(click for a bigger view)

Also, you can grab a bunch of new tracks, including Obsessions, on the NME mixtape thing here. You don't even have to give em your email address. Nice.

Things we loved (but didn't post) in 2009

1) Tempa T - Next Hype


2) Darwin Deez - Constellations


3) Everything Everything - MY KZ YR BF


4) Sneezing Panda

Remixes infected your brain...

How's your Christmas been? Filled with gammon and gifts we hope.
And as a final treat at the end of the year (decade too), have a spanking new Marina remix on us by the SPECTACULAR Fenech-Soler.
HAPPY NEW YEAR x

Hollywood (Fenech-Soler remix) (MP3)

happy bloomin Christmas, one and all

what's going on here then?

Now that's definitely Marina, but is that?
No.
It can't really be Gonzales at the piano?!
EYES PEELED PEOPLE.

Long enough for something to go wrong...

See that there, that's the new video for Stay Too Long by Plan B, that is.
It's also the naughty cut, so if you want to show it to your little nephew, best go with the Radio 1 (a-list) friendly version over here.

Its out on Jan 11th, what a new year treat.

Happy David Bowie Day!

Happy David Bowie day one and all!
Not really sure why it's offically Bowie Day but any excuse to put on Let's Dance and shuffle around the office whilst belting out "TREMBLE LIKE A FLOWWWWWER" is good with me.
A he's a good guy that Bowie, check out this fan letter he sent in 1967 (click for a bigger view)

Retro Ears - New Jack Swing

It might be down to the fact that I was at school in the early 90s, but I am very fond of that oft-overlooked gem of a musical subgenre; New Jack Swing.
Populated by characters like Teddy Riley, Brandy and Mary J, the calling card of a classic New Jack Swing track is quite simply; PARTYTIMES.

So as an early Christmas pressie, here's a Spotify playlist.
Thanks to The Last Skeptik, Scott Pinglewood and Ralph Razor for their contributions.
(Check out those cap n' tie combos on Boyz 2 Men!)



Retro Ears - New Jack Swing (SPOTIFY)
1. Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine
2. Adina Howard - Freak Like Me
3. Boyz 2 Men - Motownphilly
4. Color Me Bed - I Wanna Sex Up
5. En Vogue - Don't Let Go
6. Bobby Brown - Every Little Step
7. Jade - Don't Walk Away
8. Al B.Sure - Nite and Day
9. Michael Jackson - Remember The Time
10. R Kelly - She's Got That Vibe
11. Bell Biv Devoe - Poison
12. Brandy - I Wanna Be Down
13. Brownstone - If You Love Me

Retro Ears - New Jack Swing (SPOTIFY)

Lady Boots vs. Sir Gary of Numan

First Phil Oakey and now Gary Numan; Boots is well on the way to having a contact book that read like cast list from thee execellent Synth-Pop Britannia documentry.
Have a read of the lead article in today's Guardian where Gazza and Victoria interview each other.

my name's European Bob

I'm a bit of a sucker for end of year musical lists, and this year we get the added indulgence of End of Decade lists. It's been an interesting (and sometimes predictable) read rattling through these various charts and being reminded of some gems that we've loved and also some that we'd clean forgotten about.

You'll have to believe that despite my affiliation with 679, The Streets' Original Pirate Material up there for me too so we were collectively thrilled to have The Guardian / The OMM / The Guide and even Get Cape Wear Cape Fly claim it as their choice from the past ten years too.
Cheers lads and lasses.

Zane Lowe went one better and picked it as one of his 4 Masterpiece albums, meaning that this evening it'll be played in it's entirety. You can listen again here too.
This means we get to hear "LEE SATCHEL YOU BASTARD" uncensored on R1.

Remember these?






Mr Skinner, we salute you.

Actually my name's Marina...

We are very thrilled to present the brand spanking new video for Marina and the Diamonds' Hollywood.



Directed by Kinga Burza in the most hilariously OTT mansion we've ever been to, see how many US icons you can spot (we've noted Elvis, Obama, Marilyn so far).
It's out on 15th Feb on limited vinyl, CD and through those digital information transfer thingys (don't reckon they'll catch on to be honest).

More big Marina news tomorrow.
Ooh it's all go innit.

it really really really could happen

Blur The Movie? YES PLEASE

hot video Wednesday

Isn't it great when 3 songs you REALLY love turn up with 3 equally great videos?

1. Primary 1 & Riton - Radiate


2. Good Shoes - Under Control


3. Flairs - Truckers Delight


Humm, I do have a slight issue with the end of this particular video, but besides that its like the grubby older brother of this oft-forgotten gem.

so what's how they do it...

Just something to ponder next time you pop on a 45.
What do you mean, you don't know what a 45 is? Sigh...

it's a Weezer Snuggie!

Making a late but strong contender for promotional item of the year, good ol Weezer are even giving away a copy of their new album with every branded Snuggie bought.
I'll have one in each colour for Christmas, yeah?

Guest Ears - Ruth Saxelby

Once in a while we'll hand over the Ears Checking reins to someone we think has a particularly fine taste in music and this month that honor lies squarely on the wonderfully selective ears of Ms Ruth Saxelby.
When not shaking her thing at every cool clubnight in London we've frequented, Ruth can be found interviewing exciting new bands for Dummy magazine and also posting her musings on her own blog, Rambling On About Music. She also has the best selection of ra-ra skirts this side of the 1950s.
For a daily dose of ones-to-watch tips and generally life updates, you can follow Ruth on twitter here.



GUEST EARS CHECKING - Ruth Saxelby (Spotify)
1. Talking Heads - Burning Down the House
2. Foals - Olympic Airwaves
3. Invisible - London Girl
4. Nenah Cherry - Buffalo Stance
5. We Have Band - Oh!
6. Terry Lynn - IMF
7. Dels - Lazy
8. Micachu - Golden Phone
9. Girls - Hellhole Ratrace
10. David E. Sugar - Although You May Laugh
11. The XX - VCR
12. Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground
13. Beck - Youthless
14. Au Revoir Simone - Knight of Wands
15. Friendly Fires - Strobe
16. Health - In Violet
17. Remember Remember - The Dancing
18. First Aid Kid - Hard Believer
19. Animal Collective - My Girls
20. Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
21. Prince - I Would Die 4 U
22. Electrobic - Getting Away With It

GUEST EARS CHECKING - Ruth Saxelby (Spotify)

spot the fictional character...

Happy Halloween one and all!
Here we have a (cameraphone) snap of Marina and Little Boots getting down with their character of choice for halloween, and here are some topical (not tropical) tracks we'll be spinning over the weekend

The Sonics - The Witch (MP3)


Prince - Batdance (MP3)


Death In Vegas - Aisha (MP3)

An afternoon game of spot the MC

My brain has melted.
Just in case you were trying to put names to faces, check out the credits on the site here.

a welcome return...

Well alright, we're happy to announce the return of Plan B, with a track that you may not have been expecting.
This is taken from the forthcoming album and produced by Paul Epworth, it's a soulful indicator of the sound of the record. That won't be out until next year but for now, head over to Zane Lowe here who made Stay Too Long one of those Hottest Track in the World things.
We know he has a new one everyday (man, he is so enthusiastic) but reckon this is his proper favourite.

How not to write a creative brief

This is one of the best things I've seen in a very long time:



Mick knows what time it is:



I on the other hand have been here more times than I would like: