It seems like light years ago that I predicted Foster The People’s smile music was the sound of the future. Having premiered “Pumped Up Kicks” in SUPERGOODMUSIC’s Concert Blast in early 2010 and claimed it would be the next big thing – its been validating seeing it rise up the charts.
The bands two consecutive sold out shows tonight and tomorrow at El Rey Theatre shouldn’t come as a surprise given their album Torches blazed to number 8 on the Billboard charts, the album moved over 50,000 units and “Pumped Up Kicks” climbed to #1 on the alternative charts. That said, the sell out happened long before those sales figures were in – perhaps a testament to the band's vast array of festival performances on the calendar (Coachella, Sasquatch, Glastonbury, Outside Lands, etc.) or their home grown hype fueled by not only our blog’s love, but support from influential stations like KROQ. BTW, if you dont have tickets to their show - they are doing an after party with the Dance Right crew at La Cita. RSVP if you want to get in.
If you were part of the clan that got tickets to the shows – then you’re in for a glance at one of today’s emerging electro indie rock dance-pop acts. Foster The People’s electro rock-pop (indie doesn’t befit a band signed to a subdivision of Columbia) performances bear clear influence from electronic bands like Miike Snow, Cut Copy and others, as do the directions of some of their remixes – including this exclusive SUPERGOODMUSIC hosted gem “Pumped Up Kicks (Polaris At Noon Remix).”
The intro keys portend the dreamy danceathon that explodes at forty-six seconds into the song and from there, the anti-hero jam takes flight. If PUK was the Song of Summer 2010 as we, BlackBookMag and countless other bloggers had suggested, this remix might just be the right rework of that hipster anthem – ready to bear the title of Song of Summer 2011.
For another local LA band that is pumping out music worthy of consideration (and are friends of Foster The People’s drummer Mark Pontius) check out Tic Tic Boom! Their latest release “Bees” is a cute little indie offering that is ripe for summer. Their recent acoustic performance on Hunnypot Radio turned a lot of ears and brought questions on when their acoustic EP will be recorded (soon) and when their next performances are (The Central SAPC on July 27th with Kissing Cousins and Correatown). If you have not checked this band out yet – visit their website at www.ticticboommusic.com and get "Bees" for free from their bandcamp page.
Also worthy of summer rotation, but of a totally different music vein, are Weapons of Audio's "If You Want Me" off of their Bipolar record and the just released RZA track that features new LA resident and rising hip-hop MC, Kosha Dillz as well as the legendary Kool G Rap. RZA dropped “Operator” on his facebook and soundcloud page for #WuWednesdays yesterday – giving crowds of heads a hot potato to marinate over after July 4th BBQs were officially over. The unexpected release of "Operator" came on the same day as Kosha's teaser for his documentary dropped that follows him through some of his trials and tribulations as one of the hardest working MCS in hip-hop.
Read more about Kosha Dillz on his website Kosha Dillz World.
