Why does this have to be the best Kanye song from G.O.O.D. Fridays?

I was in the woods this weekend? I musta made everyone really sick of this song because I played this (and these crazy new Chris Brown/Benny Bennassi track) like over and over. These two songs have a lot to do with what is going to be "my" big project for the site... The Present State of the Mainstreaming Of Electronica... sounds like a masters thesis doesn't it?

Kanye West - "Runaway Love Remix (feat Justin Beiber and Raekwon)"

UPDATE: Apparently we are so damn popular that we can't post shit we didn't get cleared because someone is always looking... therefore the song got pulled. What's up Universal? How are you guys doing? It's nice to know we got an audience so quickly :)

But seriously... is this badass song less awesome because the Beeb is on it? Is the Beeb cooler because people like 'Ye are getting him on their tracks?

And while you're thinking about that is it permissible to be listening to Chris Brown (you know, the guy who beat the fuck out of his super hot girlfriend Rihanna) if Bennassi wrote a scorcher of a radio house track?

Are you gonna cringe and switch teams when that Rusko & Britney Spears track shows up? Or if Diplo takes a couple more mainstream remixes, or productions, are you gonna forsake him (especially after the Blackberry commerical)?

I just put it out there because hip-hop, pop music, and electronica have become a soupy mess that I'm gonna try to pull apart over the next month or so (I wrote a paper about hip-hop and rave culture in the early 2000's that I need to find lol)... although I've gotta admit Simon Reynolds really should be the one writing it. Probably already wrote it lol...

Lights, Lights, and more Lights...

I've been on a non-stop Kanye West kick. Whenever I say that people are like "He's an arrogant asshole" and I'm like "Yeah he should be, he's like a super genius! Fuck Einstein should have acted like Kanye, in fact he probably did!"...

If you haven't seen his epic, albeit slightly flawed (just the editing really before the end) Runaway movie you need to peep that before we go forward...


So anyway... the Kanye "Lights" songs... I think they're my favourites. No huge surprise right? I mean the blog is called "Neon Lights" right? It's even a topic that I end up having these weird long conversations about with artists (most notably Kenna; some high school students out there have a copy of that interview which I really wish I had). I just think lights change everything about atmosphere, and how you feel... go look at a nightclub during the day when there are no lights and then come back at night... or take a look at Tokyo at day and at night you know? Lights can be full of emotion or icy cold nothingness. So, anyway, this is why these Kanye songs really do it for me..........

The first was the soul baring "Flashing Lights" about him cheating on his girl, getting caught, begging for her back, and realizing he's lost everything (but still hasn't given up his ego).


Here was the non-violent version:


Then we have "Street Lights"... Kanye's accepting where he's at in an album that is full of loss and turmoil (coming to terms with his ego)...


And lastly there's the brilliant new "All Of the Lights" which has like 20 people singing on it... and is the most recent in his series of songs dedicated to the symbolism of lights. He gets a little more specific in this one...

No official video yet but it's pretty obvious this will be a single:


Anyway I think he's done a great job at creating a thematic thread through his last few albums that explain, or expose, his artistic and personal positions. Plus they're all badass songs you want to listen to over and over. Or at least I do.

I want to point out that it's hilarious, one of the only posts on this blog in the last few years was also about Kanye West... but why do I care?!? I run this bitch! Anyway this was just a ramble... I'm trying to get used to writing and I'd rather do it over here at this relatively "virgin" blog than my "baby" ISoA.

I do hope for this blog to get a make over and a team of badass people working on this... and we're getting close! So keep your eyes and ears fixed on this spot and hopefully the next post won't be able Kanye West... again lol...

Walks, Sundays, waiting on winter, and relaxation

So yesterday I ended up having to blow off both getting new glasses and going to WIDR FM's "Barking Tuna Festival" which had Black Moth Super Rainbow as well as Mates Of State, and Daestro (I think he was there). I initially was supposed to interview School of 7 Bells (who have a really good album coming out I might add) but apparently there was a mis-communication about the fact that they were playing our festival?!? I had decided to skip going to see Wire in Chicago because of this (and financial issues and what have you) so I was pretty bummed when they revealed they weren't going to be coming.

I had decided to go to the festival any way because all my friends were going to be there... but then I realized I was REALLY broke this week and I didn't feel too well either. I tried to stay home and sleep but couldn't really... I can't sleep without my wife around. I'm serious. So instead I downloaded songs and just relaxed a little.

I got some good shit when I was downloading...

Kanye West- "Coldest Winter (Unmastered)"

House Master Boys- "House Nation (Dubble Dutch Remix)"

And here's a fancy looking mixtape from my inbox...
Celery Moon- "Good Morning Stardust Mixtape 7"

Here's the tracklisting for that mixtape...
01 Mondkopf - Ave Maria (I:Cube Remix)
02 Alland Byallo & Kenneth Scott - Tomorrow (Forgotten Bells Remix)
03 Shinichi Osawa - Star Guitar (Patrick Alavi Remix)
04 The Martin Brothers - Dum
05 Metronomy - Heartbreaker (Faze Action Remix)
06 Aphex Twin - Analogue Bubblebath (Dumb Dan Edit)
07 Duke Dumont - Feltham
08 Kenny Dope - Flying
09 Trus'me - Tony Does What Tony Wants
10 Hot Chip - Hold On (Mock N Toof Remix)
11 Underworld - Dark & Long
12 Trevor Loveys - Funny Bizzniz
13 Ladytron - Runaway (James Zabiela Remix)
14 Deadmau5 - I Remember (Dub)Ok
15 Discodeine - Joystick (Tomyboy Mix)
16 Mr Oizo - Jo
17 Fan Death - Money's Right (Instrumental)
18 MANDY & Booka Shade - O Superman (Housecat Remix)
19 Melee Beats - Loving You
20 Midnight Juggernauts - Into The Galaxy (Grandmaster Flash Remix)
21 Bobby Evans - Freak-A-Zoid Robotz
22 Foals - Olympic Airways (Ewan Pearson Remix)
23 The Embassy - Tell Me About Panache
24 John Dahlback - Kokohukka
25 Ladyhawke - My Delirium (JBAG Remix)
26 Gui.tar - Through Your Headphones
27 Lykke Li - Little Bit (Loving Hand Remix)
28 Plaid - White's Dream (Shinichi Osawa Remix)
29 Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down (Duke Dumont Reconstruction)

In other news I've gotta say the SVIIB album is quite good... I had to go to great lengths to procure it (as I thought I'd be interviewing them and ought to know what their new album sounded like) and I know for sure I'll buy it now when it comes out. I'm also downloading the new Michna album as we speak, and have been enjoy the remix album The Chap put out... expect to hear some of those remixes on 'The Spirit Of Albion'. I love me some Ghostly International records. Spectral Sound has been putting out new records as well... they've got loads of new stuff in their store... Matthew Dear released a the Robsoul Remixes and the "Pom Pom single. I can't wait to see what the Ghostly Box will be this Christmas! I'm such a Ghostly addict... I'm still trying to convince my wife to buy me the black Ghostly Nooka watch for Xmas hehehe...

Speaking of great output... Fools Gold and the reliable Scion A/V put out a Fools Gold Remixed album that's pretty dope. This track is proof that you should buy it!

Kid Sister- "Pro Nails (Rusko Remix)"

Ok, the wife and I are leaving the library now so that's all the posting for today. I'll try to get on more with this blog... anyone wanna help me post?

Kanye will rule the world...

Taking a small break from 'Arcadia'... I'm pretty much writing everyday now, so I figure I'll keep my fingers nimble by writing non-stop, and hook you guys up with some non-British goodies.

I didn't watch the VMA's last night. Why? Because I could give a fuck. I don't mean that in a 17 year old raging against corporate America type way... fuck I love pop music and rap both of which are MTV's primary format... I just don't happen to like most of the pop or rap artists MTV plays. You know? I like, no LOVE, Kanye West (he's my fucking idol)... I dig Weezy. Shit there's a lot of shit I listen to that you would never guess I liked. It's just, that MTV shit isn't cutting it. Remember when MTV had Prodigy LIVE on the 10 Spot? Or when they premiered the "Lucky Man" video by the Verve? Or when you could catch Massive Attack and Manic Street Preachers back to back? No? I'm getting old then.

Anyway... Mr. West did knock it out of the park yesterday, however, when he performed "Love Lockdown" at the VMA's. When I saw that he played a new track last night I was more than interested... 'Ye seemed to be getting REALLY good at singing when we saw him in Chicago and this is a perfect example of his new skills... I mean the man really seems to have some pipes. Not "Spaceship" type singing, but rather if he had sung the chorus to "Good Life" by himself... so here's an MPFree copy of the stream, along with the stream itself...

Kanye West- "Love Lockdown"

Kanye West- "Love Lockdown"

This video isn't the actual performance... MTV are being bitches I guess about MTV being streamed from anywhere other than MTV...


If you wanna see the real vid go to MTV I guess. Sucks how that works but I guess they are the ones that brought it to us.