July 3, 2009 | Video | by Gerry Mak |

M.I.A., quick to recognize talent in her own ranks, signed the first act to her N.E.E.T. label — backup dancer and rapper Rye Rye. Ryeisha Berrain made a name for herself in her hometown of Baltimore working with DJ-producer Blaqstarr. Now, with the video for the single Bang, featuring M.I.A., making the Internet rounds, Berrain is set to release an already overdue debut album.

July 3, 2009 | Video | by Casper Johansson |

The inventive video for the new Death Cab for Cutie song Little Bribes was directed by cinematographer Ross Ching, a longtime fan of the band whose interest in time-lapse photography was spurred by the Brothers On A Hotel Bed video from the band’s Directions DVD. The San Diego State University film school graduate created the Little Bribes clip on his own, which he then posted on his personal website under the heading, Looking For A Job. When members of Death Cab saw Ching’s work, they decided to release Little Bribes as the track’s official video. Ching has since been hired by Atlantic Records to helm a future video project for the label.

July 1, 2009 | Video | by Gerry Mak |

The upside of the recent unrest in Iran is that it has shown a more dynamic and complex image of Iran than the West is used to. Unbeknownst to many Americans, the Iranian population is one of the most educated and progressive in the Middle East, and though they endure countless strictures from their theocratic government, daily life for Iranians is much more nuanced than many outsiders understand. People in the Islamic republic actually enjoy more freedom than people in neighboring countries, and though the government may attempt to control information, Iranians are exceedingly informed and technologically savvy. Indeed, Iran even has access to pop culture — much to the mullahs’ chagrin — and though Iranian death metal bands such as Arthimoth face challenges unknown to their counterparts in other countries, they exist and have at least enough freedom to record and distribute their music.

July 1, 2009 | Video | by Casper Johansson |

The new video for the Wavves song, No Hope Kids, was shot by Pete Ohs while Wavves were touring Europe and simultaneously hanging out at playgrounds, doing email interviews, smoking stuff, and drinking other stuff.

June 29, 2009 | Video | by Rachel Ament |

Be warned. Canadian songstress Anjulie’s voice usually stays low-to-the-ground, but sometimes, without warning, it will rise up nasally, and girlishly, giving you attitude. It’s an unlikely sound that seduces you in a chemical way, like a pheromone. It’s adamant about making sure you dance, so that even if you’re standing in line at the grocery store, you’ll still be rotating your hips in the shape of a pentagon. Anjulie’s video for her song Boom takes place where all videos should: in a jungle, after-hours. Read more

June 26, 2009 | Video | by Gerry Mak |

David OReilly’s animation, Please Say Something, is one of the most sophisticated I’ve seen, narratively speaking. It tackles the subject of dysfunctional relationships with a Bergman-esque disjointedness, cast with a cute but tragic cat-and-mouse pair who live in a distant future. The film is emotionally resonant, to say the least — watch with caution, it could make or ruin your day depending on your mood.

June 25, 2009 | Video | by Zolton |

There’s just something so enticing about this manga version of the Deee-lite classic, Groove Is In The Heart. Yup, I just want to crawl inside this video and become one with my happy, smiling dancing buddies.

June 24, 2009 | Video | by Ron English |

Morgan Spurlock takes on the role of the viewer’s best friend as he explores some pretty intense social terrain. The technique allows him to explore controversial subject matter without ever coming off as preachy or holier than thou.

June 23, 2009 | Video | by Gerry Mak |

Sure, this parody song is great on its own, but this accompanying video of someone doing a rather nice drawing of Kanye as a gay fish takes it to the next level.

June 23, 2009 | Video | by Zolton |

This cool tune from Bats For Lashes‘ new album, Two Suns, is a cross between Kate Bush, Depeche Mode and every synth pop song that never made it BIG.

June 22, 2009 | Video | by Casper Johansson |

Punchy synths, Cure-ish keys, P-bass, dance rock grooves, handclaps, gang vocals, cowbells, tambourines, hip-hop beats and lyrics that reference mermaids in love with humans. It’s all in a day’s work for San Francisco band My First Earthquake. This is their debut video — for the single — Stay Cool In The Cool Way — and we have it to show exclusively. Fun, fun. And more.

June 19, 2009 | Video | by Gerry Mak |

I hate it when giant, one-eyed propellor monsters crash my day out in the park and absorb me into their bulbous bodies. Good thing I have my trusty insect-dog with me most of the time.

June 19, 2009 | Video | by Casper Johansson |

Some facts about San Francisco indie pop outfit, My First Earthquake: the band wrote, recorded and shot a video for a holiday Hanukkah song that has now racked up more than a quarter-million plays on YouTube; Singer Rebecca Bortman used to be in a ‘could-have-been-famous’ psych-metal band called Ice Queen; bassist Chad Thornton chose to stay behind when the band he was in with Keith Murray of We Are Scientists moved to New York; guitarist Dave Lean helped develop essential components of the iPod; drummer Andre Salcido played in a ‘trucker punk’ band who once shared a stage with the metal band GWAR. Ok, ok, enough already. This video is fun.

June 17, 2009 | Video | by Casper Johansson |

On their forthcoming album, Get Over It!, Care Bears On Fire, the Brooklyn-based pop-punk trio of indie girl rockers, combine a propulsive beat with witty lyrics that relate the insecurities of adolescence, nicely captured on the tracks, Barbie Eat a Sandwich, an hilarious assault on women’s beauty standards, and this one, the first single, Everybody Else.

June 16, 2009 | Video | by Zolton |

When I first moved to New York in 2006, I lived in a shared loft space in Williamsburg with four others. It was quite an introduction to inner-city living, especially given that I’d literally shifted across from the beaches and sunshine of Bondi, Sydney. As such, it was a dizzying period, full of discovery. Rufus Wainwright’s epic, broodingly lush album Want Two was the soundtrack to it all. I had it on my iTunes collection at the time, without even knowing it, until it magically burst into my headphones one day whilst tapping away frenetically on my laptop. Oh man! What an album, what a voice, and what a beautifully composed and arranged selection of songs, a favorite amongst them being the rolling piano ballad, This Love Affair.