Of all the video games to base a movie on, Dance Dance Revolution is the last one I’d expect, but The FP looks so amazingly horrible, it’s hard to believe it won’t achieve cult status.

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The brand new video for Finn Riggin’s Dali is awesome. It premiered yesterday over at Magnet Magazine and caps off the band’s whirlwind year where they spent the majority of the year blowing minds at SXSW, before looping the country on a full US tour.

I’m simultaneously left intrigued and blissed-out whenever I listen to the melodic hooks and bitter sweet vocals created by The Lighthouse and The Whaler. This unsigned Cleveland threesome blends classic modern pop with interesting orchestral soundscapes that take you on an imaginary nautical journey beyond the sea. They’re an upcoming band to keep on your radar, having just played a spot at 2010’s eminent South by South West festival and released their self-titled debut album on iTunes.

We checked in with Sydney-band Cassette Kids, who have been creating quite a buzz of late, and asked them about the highlights of their extensive touring over the past six months: ‘We literally just stepped off a plane from LA. We played at SXSW in Austin over the last week and it has probably been the most awesome experience to date. It’s amazing being able to play shows and go and see shows non-stop over five days’.

Strong aesthetics clearly play a big part in the Cassette Kids package. Who do you take your inspiration from in terms of a band or bands that have really refined their image and sound expertly in your eyes?
‘It certainly helps when a bands image is cohesive with their music, although we never really dressed a certain way on purpose, it;s just what we like. Big Dan has 95 pairs of shoes, he’s a real sneaker-freaker and we’ve all always cared about presentation, not only because we’re in the spotlight. I really like when each member of the band has their own personality and style to offer’.

Having blown away the recent SXSW Music Festival in Austin, two weeks ago, London-based electro-pop trio Chew Lips now have a new album to drive. Unicorn was produced by Dave Kosten (Bat for Lashes) and features impeccably-executed guitar pop that veers from grinding electro-grooves to fevered howls of beat-heavy R&B, all reflected in the first single, the popjestic, Karen.

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Jon Ragel takes the stage as Boy Eats Drum Machine, with a saxophone, turntable, microphone, sampler and green tom drum. He’ll be touring all over the West of America on his way to SXSW in March with his deliciously proggy power trio labelmates, Finn Riggins.

Copenhagen group, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, will be crossing the Atlantic this March for their first US tour of the year, blasting out their unique fusion of happy soul and kaleidoscopic pop. The tour will kick off at Philadelphia’s Kung Fu Necktie, followed by stops in DC, NYC, San Diego, LA, San Francisco, and band SXSW. We have their song, The Sun Ain’t Shining No More [listen below], available for free download in our Music Download section.

So here are my picks of acts to watch in 2008 from this year’s SXSW — Jeremy Jay: New K records signing. Sounds like The Microphones meets Buddy Holly; David Banner: political effusive Hip Hop from the heart; Iglu & Hartley: the next buzz band. Epic new wave pop from Hollywood; The Dodos [above]: the most talked about band at SXSW. Everyone wants a piece of this ethnocentric psych band. These New Puritans: ‘Elvis’ is probably my single of the year so far. New stars on Domino; Clare and The Reasons: they played an amazing show at an intimate church. They’re a cross between Antony and the Johnsons and Sufjan Stevens; Magic Wands: total folk freak psych out. How can a duo make such a racket? Islands: from the Unicorns to the present, beautiful apocalyptic post-rock; Bowerbirds: strange orchestral gypsy’ish threesome; Santagold: the next M.I.A? Fleetfoxes: organic folk from Seattle; MGMT: what can I say? Not only is their debut album Oracular Spectacular on everyone’s top ten list already but they back it up with one hell of a live show!

So I just got back from SXSW, and what a blast! SXSW is one of the most hectic, insane three day parties your kidneys could ever endure. It’s so messed up that even the most messed people up think it’s messed up! It’s one of those festivals that comes at you from all angles — parties day and night, free drinks and food everywhere you look, and constant impromptu parties at one minutes notice. Some of my highlights include witnessing Justice alongside 200 people in a crammed room drunk off my head at the infamous Playboy party, chatting up a playboy bunny, and ending up in a hot tub with buzz band MGMT at 7am at their hotel — all in one night! Then there was the adventure of heading to a farmyard party in ‘Hicksville’, on the outskirts of Austin; watching Spank Rock perform on a ten storey building rooftop at 2am at the Nylon party; bumping into ZZ Top by accident; getting caught up in the revelry of a show by some unknown band that moved itself from the stage inside the venue Emo’s out onto the street; sneaking into a wine tasting party which served up some of the most orgasmic food on offer whilst watching an intimate set by Erika Wennerstrom — the next Emmylou Harris; witnessing one of the most intense politically charged hip hop shows by unknown Mississippi rising star David Banner at the Fader/Levis Fort; and watching Pharell Williams of N.E.R.D rip it up with a ten man band. Phew!

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With that annual music-thon, SXSW, kicking off next week, we thought it would be a good time to put together a playlist of some of our favorite acts who’ll be performing there, including Tigercity and British Sea Power [pictured above]. So we did.

It goes without saying that Hip Hop has taken a few very low hits in the past decade. Thanks to the likes of 50 Cent and company, it accounts for around 40% of all music sold in America. It’s a huge industry. So where does that leave Hip Hop artists doing something a bit different? Lord T and Eloise wear wacky outfits, make crazy music and bring a whole lot of fun back into Hip Hop. What’s more, they’ve started a new genre called ‘Aristocrunk’. Watch out!