R.I.P. Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009)

Entertainer Michael Jackson died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday having suffered cardiac arrest, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. Paramedics took Jackson, 50, from his west Los Angeles home Thursday afternoon to UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said brother Jermaine Jackson. He said the famed singer was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. PT.

Jackson's legacy and music will last forever. R.I.P.

'King of Pop' Michael Jackson is dead [CNN]

Bernard Szajner - Some Deaths Take Forever

In case you've missed it, French electronic composer Bernard Szajner's seminal 1980 LP Some Deaths Take Forever (what a great name for an album, huh?) has been recently reissued on The Boutique Label/LTM. Mixing dark electronic textures with melodic rock and industrial arrangements, Some Death Take Forever is a very emotional, deep and at some point rather disturbing musical affair, originally conceived and dedicated as a soundtrack to a short documentary by Amnesty International. Allegedly one of Carl Craig's all-time favorite albums, the 2009 digitally remastered edition also features three previously unreleased bonus tracks recorded in 1982. A true collector's item, if you haven't heard this masterpiece yet, you certainly should!

Buy: Amazon, Boomkat

"Welcome To Death Row":

Download: Petar Dundov - Live at Air in Tokyo, Japan (2009-04-04)

Here's two hours of amazing techno from Croatian DJ and producer Petar Dundov for your listening pleasure.

Download: Uploaded.to [192kbps MP3, ~170 MB]

On Repeat: Humate - Love Stimulation (The Radio Slave Remixes)

Great news! The long-awaited Radio Slave (aka Matt Edwards) remix of Humate's classic trance anthem "Love Stimulation" is out today on Flying Circus and available as digital download from Juno Download. I've been after this record for a while, so the wait is finally over. I have no idea if it's gonna be released on vinyl as well, but in the meantime you can grab the MP3s here.

"Love Stimulation" (Radio Slave Full Lenght Remix):

Burial & Four Tet - "Mot" & "Wolf Cub"

Yup, the new and strictly limited two track vinyl-only collaboration between dubstep impresario Burial (aka William Bevan) and Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) is out now on Hebden's own label Text Records. By far one of the most hyped-up twelves of the year, it sure lives up to its hype: both sides sound exactly as you would imagine Hebden/Burial output to sound. "Wolf Cub" is by far one of the best track I've heard this year. Brilliant music!

Already out of stock everywhere from Boomkat to Juno, there's a few copies up for sale at Discogs. Don't delay or you'll be sorry later!

A: "Mot":

B: "Wolf Cub":

Recycling: Rod Modell - Sacred Geometry EP

Released in late 2004 on Danish Echocord imprint (repressed in mid-2008), Rod Modell's (DeepChord, Echospace) Sacred Geometry EP features four dubby Chain Reaction/Basic Channel-themed cuts. Shockingly deep, vibrant and chilled at the same time, this EP remains one of my favorite Echocord twelves. Amazing stuff!

Buy vinyl: Discogs, Smallfish, Forced Exposure, Boomkat

Linkage: April 28, 2009

Audion and Ryan Elliott head up Spectral Sound - Dear is joined by Ryan Elliott in taking over A&R for Spectral, where they will be directly involved in signing new artists that will continue to grow the label. [URB]

Records - A Vinyl Documentary - The video briefly covers the pressing process and makes an effort at explaining the various reasons why some people never let the record go and why more and more people recently have started to discover the greatness of vinyl. [Nylvi]

Moritz Von Oswald Trio prep debut LP for Honest Jon's - The Moritz Von Oswald Trio have already made several live appearances, but this summer London's Honest Jon's label will release their first recorded effort, an album entitled Vertical Ascent. [FactMagazine]

Reminder: Its a Record Store Day this weekend!

Just a quick reminder to all you music freaks and record collectors: This Saturday (April 18) is a Record Store Day!

This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on.

So go this weekend and buy some new records! List of participating retailers by state can be found here.

Linkage: April 13, 2009

Phil Spector Found Guilty of Murder - Phil Spector was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of an actress at his mansion in 2003, after a night of drinking. [NYTimes]

Linkage: April 10, 2009

Why France has the solution to online piracy - By proposing the creation and internet law, the French goverment is protecting artists' rights as well as those of internet users. U2's manager Paul McGuinness talks shit once again... pathetic. [Guardian]

Younger crowd digging vinyl's sound - In the age where MP3s and iPods have become the dominant musical formats, 33s, 45s and turntables are in the midst of a renaissance. [Courant]