For the last 8 years MUTEK has brought together artists and lovers of electro-digital art. This 5-day event is a strident celebration of music and digital creativity. In 2000, Alain Mongeau created this festival because he felt Montreal — and North America — needed an event that would fairly represent the genre in its entirety. And it worked!

Despite its ongoing success and its international recognition, the festival remains relatively modest. Because the organizers want it to remain accessible for both the public and the artists, they choose not to schedule two artists in the same time slot.

This year’s line up is an eclectic combination of local talent and international artists. One of the event’s highlights will surely be Kid Koala’s performance at the Metropolis.

More info here.

Earlier this month, Paul D. Miller a.k.a. DJ Spooky almost gave me a heart attack. He’s been a mainstay on just about every iPod in circulation right now since his incredible, very smart and very addictive original spins and remixes first got bootlegged back in the 1990s.

With his second book, Sound Unbound, Miller made my brain explode — at least six times. A collections of writings about the ideas and practices of remix, digitalism, experimental arts and racialized culture, Spooky has nailed it: accessible and fascinating thoughts from the folks you want to hear them from.

Steve Reich breaks down his relationship with tech; Spooky theorizes sampling with precision and a word styling that reads like experimental electronica; Dick Hebdige un-images utopia; Ron Elgash eviscerates race and circuitry; Naeem Mohaiemen finds hip-hop’s Muslim roots; Brian Eno rants about bells; Saul Williams explores linguistics; and Chuck D’s in there too for good measure.

In all, there are 36 essays by some of the best and brightest wits and talents out there who work with remixes. Sound Unbound, in all likelihood, is destined to seen on taste-makers’ shelves and classrooms for a long time. And, it looks good.

There’s a CD in the back of the book that is probably the greatest mixtape sonic-scape of remix lore in history.

More here.

Texan James Pants’ multi-genre Welcome album, which dropped yesterday from Stones Throw Records, hold a surprise  in every track — soul, electro and some slick combination of punk and disco — but is catchy as heck.

“Ka$h,” featuring Deon Davis, is a wet dream of tambourine and xylophone hipster falsettos and “You’re The One” with Gary Davies sounds like someone shot poor Donna Summer into space before recording “I Feel Love“, but in a good way.

Listen to “Ka$h” here and check out James Pants’ tour schedule — he’ll be in L.A. tonight and tomorrow — for Welcome here.

Since 1968, the Center for Traditional Music and Dance (CMTD) has been fighting a good fight with more than a little success. Seen by few and recognized by even fewer, the CMTD fights for immigrating artists who, like other talented and professional folks who change countries, often find not only that their credentials are belittled but that immigration sunders the connections that would enable them to continue living as culture-makers.

But the work of the CMTD is not just about the first generation; it’s about the next and the one after that. In their decades of operation, their courses and touring artists have sparked the American-born to remember additional roots — other ways to voice themselves and move through space.

Celebrating 40 years of reconnecting artists — and artists-to-be — living in diaspora in New York, the CMTD will host a benefit-cum-dance party next Thursday, June 5th at the Hiro Ballroom.

Performing are David Oquendo, whose Afro-Cuban, rock-inflected jams earned him a Grammy; Merita Halili and the Raif Hyseni Orchestra’s soprano Albanian folk tunes; the all-women Cherish The Ladies traditional Irish music troupe whom BBC named the Best Musical Group of the Year (during the benefit dinner); and Banghra’s sonic steel sweetheart, DJ Rekha.

Directions here and more information on the CMTD’s work here.

The CMTD Benefit and Dance Party
Thursday, June 5th
9 : 00 pm — 11 : 30 pm
The Hiro Ballroom
16th Street and 9th Avenue, NYC

Williamsburg, NYC wishes it was cool enough to host events like THiRSTNY multimedia extravaganza on the regular. With a deep commitment to transculturals, THiRSTNY pulls artists — installation, performance and visual — dancers, musicians, designers and writers together to find a common aesthetic in their mutual thirst to create.

Watch these media, missions and artistic and cultural backgrounds fuse together through live art and performances this Thursday in Williamsburg as the hipster set who inhabit the cool-glut neighborhood thirst on, wishing THiRSTNY came to call more often.

Drink up here and get directions here.

THiRSTNY
Galapagos Art Space
Thursday, May 29th
9 : 00 pm — ???
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

I first heard Mapei on the remix of Ghostface’s Charlie Brown and I was like whoa!! After digging in a little bit more I came to realize for that the verdict was unanimous: everyone agrees this 20 something young gal is one of Sweden’s most promising talents!

Jacqueline Cummings, a.k.a. Mapei is part of this new generation of refreshing female MCs that raps over an ecclectic mix of hip-hop, electro, clubmusic and so much more. A feisty lyricist, she raps about “video vixens”, gun violence, date rape and having fun.

After studying in NYC for a few years, Mapei moved back to Sweden where her career really starting taking off. She recently teamed up with DJ Mehdi who produced an extensive number of tracks for her, amongst which “Leader of the Pack” is a true killah.

She’s currently on tour with Portuguese ghettotech Kuduru ambassadors Buraka Som Sistema and Bumblebeez as part of the Vice Magazine Fly53 free tour — yeah you heard, it’s FREE !!

For more info on the tour, check the official website here. Listen to Mapei here or there.

Kicked off with a Truth and Soul remix of Dinah Washington’s “Cry Me A River” that echoes like liquid smoke in a hot lounge, the latest Verve Remixed compilation doesn’t mess around.

Like the three volumes before it — all crammed with delicious remixes of sweet, sweet old soul, funk and motown loves — Verve Remixed 4 puts living legends like Antibalas, 9th Wonder, Cinematic Orchestra and Diplo into the studio with larger-than-life legends like Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and — because no Verve would be complete without it — the High Priestess of Soul herself, Nina Simone.

The series as a whole, re-released as a four volume box set also this week, is one of my favorite examples of remix magic. In these tracks, remix is not the shoddy production trick it’s become, but finds again it’s power to transcend; the voices that cooed and screamed sonic life into this American century’s social movements go hoarse again, brought to bear through remix on the ills we still live with and the fights that don’t stop.

As the Priestess sings, “I can’t stand it no more, so why don’t you give me some”; check out Dinah’s Truth and Soul here.

txt_Shawn James // ph_Rahan Cotterel

Johnny is vandalizing mainstream’s perception of street with punk inspired threads as virbrant as his demeanor suggests — all while etching his permanent mark on New York City’s coveted downtown sect. Here, he chops it up with Stylistics on everything from the bourgeoning British scene to the untouchable hotness of Paris.

Name: Johnny King
Better Known As: Je Suis Le Kille
Age: 21
Occupation: ex-battleship salesman and lady killer, and sales associate at Blue In Green

Born: November 26, 1986
Based: New York

Favorite brands: Raf Simons, Kris van Assche, Lanvin, Common Projects, Somet, Low Hurtz, Hood By Air (I have the chain).

Style is…
What defines your personality outside and inside. People try too hard to look good; a good style of dress can be a t-shirt jeans and sneakers, but it’s just how you present yourself.

You recently returned from a trip to London. How does the streetwear scene differ from that in New York City?
Well, London has a cool style; they know to dress. I also went to Paris and Amsterdam and Parisians’ are hot so their style will never compare to New York, but as for London you can see the similarities in style, but they’re are better clothes out there so you can always look good.

(more…)

Tuesday, May 27, 7:00pm
Strand (828 Broadway at 12th St.)
Walter Mosley & Mike Farrell in Conversation

Walter Mosley and TV star Mike Farrell (“M*A*S*H,” “Desperate Housewives”)discuss literature, human rights, American politics, the upcoming election, and their new books, The Tempest Tales and Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist(guesswhichperson wrote which). The discussion is moderated by Michael Ratner,, and the event is presented by The Nation, The Center for Constitutional Rights and Akashic Books.

Thursday, May 29, 7:00pm
Housing Works Used Bookstore & Café (126 Crosby Street)
Opium Magazine’s Literary Deathmatch

Bob Powers (You Are a Miserable Excuse for a Hero), Garth Risk Hallberg (representing Canteen Magazine), Aaron Garretson (representing Opium), and a Smith Magazine representative will compete for bookish domination at Housing Works Thursday. The readings are judged by Ben Greenman (New Yorker), Joel Dovev (SF’s Killing My Lobster), and The Bumby’s (A Fair and Honest Appraisal of Your Appearance). That’s a whole lot of hotness per capita, if you ask me. $10 gains you entry and a free copy of the latest Opium Magazine at this night of literary bloodsport

With an impressive list of production credentials accrued since his debut release — Estelle, Missy, John Legend and Alicia Keys among them — Jack Splash’s sophomore album has been building buzz much like his first: quietly and powerfully.

Riding the future soul movement with his Plantlife group, Splash’s Time Traveller record, which dropped last week, picks tricks up from just about every genre-creating artist out there: there are healthy helpings of jazz, funk and soul; a twinkle of that cooler-than-thou Justice noise; Prince’s sex drip minimalism; Marvin Gaye’s lush love smile; and a dash of ’80s hair rock.

There are even a couple of tracks in here with slick, bumping beats and attitude that could have come seamlessly from Michael Jackson in his prime.

Listen a little harder than usual here — you’ll probably hear a lot more than usual, too, if you do.