Om Records turns fifteen

Girl Talk digs, errr, Beyonce

We invited Greg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, who aside from being the DJ of the moment is also the remix whiz behind tracks from Beck, Tokyo Police Club, and Grizzly Bear, to give us a rundown on the songs he’s wearing out right now for our sister site, My Secret Playlist. He started off by propping Beyonce’s anthemic single, Single Ladies [listen below]. Go figure! ‘This is one of my favorite Beyonce tracks ever. It has so much energy, and the chorus gets dark in a great way. The clapping never stops. The video is a flawless execution of a performance style clip. It’s perfect’. Read the rest of Girl Talk’s Secret Playlist.

Prodigy live

More than a decade of built-up expectations are going to be hard to deliver on. Without realising it, the years spent wrecking my eardrums with Their Laws and Out of Space inadvertently resulted in setting Prodigy the massive task of promising me the greatest live performance I would ever see. It had to be the ultimate experience: a band who have delivered the heaviest beats of the last sixteen years fronted by a man who’d give Jonny Rotten a run for his money. On the night, it was good — very good — but not good enough. There was a hint of fatigue: they’ve been destroying arenas with the same tunes for almost two decades, and the whirlwind behind their live shows, Keith Flint, will be 40 next year. After all, sixteen million albums sold and an almost cult following secured them the title of greatest dance act of all time long ago, so now it’s just for fun — something to keep the fans loyal to their king. So, here’s a clip of them way back when they started, at their freshest. The early 90’s acid rave scene barely gets a flicker on television these days, so it’s also a nice piece of memorabilia of a culture forced underground and eventually washed away.

Friendly Fires’ Paris: the Aeroplane Remix

Hmmm, I don’t know if it’s the extra strong coffee I’m gulping down, or that faintest slither of feel good sunshine that’s creeping through the blinds, but this song is making me feel mildly euphoric, and that kinda works right now. Play it loud. Play it through headphones. And imagine you’re decked out in day glo polyester with a dramatic burst of velvet lining. Damn, my feet just can’t stop from dancin’.

Midnight Juggernauts

Midnight Juggernauts are another awesome Australian band. There’s something amazing going on in the land of Oz, with Empire of the Sun, Pnau, and these guys. I really wish they were coming to London to brighten up my dark, mysterious winters. Come on boys, you know you wanna!

Tas Firin, London

I’ll let you in on a secret. If you’re heading East towards Brick Lane and are hungry, forget about all those cheap and non flavorsome restaurants, which surround the area door to door, encouraging you to come in for a cheap bite. Go around the corner, instead, off Bethnal Green Rd and you’ll find a Turkish favorite, Tas Firin. It’s such a nice surprise: even the décor has a charm, with shoes on the makeshift roof, which in turn is the drinks station. The hummus and halloumi are a must. My favorites are the Adana and Iskender dishes, but don’t order them together as the portions are huge.

Miike Snow’s Black and Blue

MIIIIIIKKKKKKKKEEE SNNNNNNOOOOWWW. Well, actually, Miike Snow. While everyone is obsessed with his track Animal, I’m loving his track Black and Blue from his new self-titled album.