Clipse is a critically acclaimed hip hop duo that formed in Norfolk, Virginia in 1992. The duo is made up of brothers Gene "Malice" Thornton and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton, who is also currently signed to Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music label. They met Pharrell, of the producing duo, The Neptunes, in 1993, he formed a working relationship with the duo and helped them secure a contract with Elektra Records.
IRON CREASE are an uncompromising instrumental heavy rock duo based in Bristol, UK, dealing in only the most professional of riff management. Buy the debut album 'Eye Increase' from www.myspace.com/ironcrease for only
The Presets are Julian Hamilton (keyboard and vocals) and Kim Moyes (drums and keyboard). They are an electronic two piece from Sydney, Australia who met when they were both members of Prop. Hamilton and Moyes broke off from Prop in 2003, when they remixed a track, "Magnetic Highway", with "harder electronic edges" under the name The Presets. The Presets have been one of the biggest indie bands for the past few years in Australia, touring with and supporting many well known bands such as Daft Punk, 2 Many DJ's and Ladytron.
The Mess Hall are a two-piece rock and roll combo based in Sydney, New South Wales that formed in 2001. Widely respected for their live shows, The Mess Hall have toured Australia extensively both in their own right and supporting bands such as You Am I, Jet and The Strokes. They have also toured the US and Japan, notably with fellow Sydney band, Wolfmother. Outside the driving drums and guitar of The Mess Hall, singer/guitarist Jed Kurzel is an acoustic artist of some note. Drummer Cec Condon is a veteran of the Brisbane music scene.
There are two bands called the Spires: 1. Californian Band. Boy meets girl - asks girl to start playing drums so they can start a band. Girl buys silver Gretch kit - boy buys blue Jazzmaster guitar. They write some songs, play some shows, break some strings, record some records, and listen to plenty of Smiths, Lou Reed and Felt along the way.
www.myspace.com/thespires
www.beehouserecords.com
Tim Ayre and Jean Capotorto are Tim & Jean, an up-and-coming electropop indie duo from Perth, Western Australia. The band began by recording demo tapes in Capotorto's bedroom studio in Mandurah. After posting their music on MySpace the band entered Triple J's Unearthed High School competition for unsigned bands, which they made the finals with their track "Come Around". Tim & Jean have performed at many major festivals including Parklife, Good Vibrations, Southbound, Big Day Out, Splendour in the Grass and Falls Festival.
Blue Hawaii tells the story of a lush paradise. The way begins ambient and uncertain, but beautiful white shell beaches and carefree sunshine parties await and nourish those travelers with love in their hearts; their peace thus raised above the arguments found along the rocky road. The duo consists of Raph (Braids) and Agor; they use voice, guitars, synths, drum machines, and other electronics to create a kind of tropical-pop with love ache melodies and experimental club rhythms.
The Blow is Khaela Maricich, from Portland, Oregon. The band was a duo until Jona Bechtolt left to pursue his own project, Yacht, full time. The two had been working together as The Blow since 2004, when they recorded a limited edition EP called Poor Aim: Love Songs.
"Blow" is also the name of a Melbourne-based jazz group which Last.fm automatically scrobbles as "The Blow".
Hailing from Sweden, Wildbirds & Peacedrums is comprised of married couple, Andreas Werliin and Mariam Wallentin. The couple met at a music academy where they both complained about the singular focus on technique and regularity. Their own approach to music is rather unorthodox. Andreas uses first and foremost drums which he now and then backs with electronic effects and glockenspiel. Mariam handles the vocals and she easily switches between sounding like Nina Simone and Joanna Newsom.
The Knife is an electronic duo from Stockholm, Sweden formed in 1999. The band consists of siblings Karin Dreijer Andersson (formerly of Honey is Cool, now Fever Ray) and Olof Dreijer - who also run their own record company, Rabid Records. The group rarely makes public appearances, most of their promotional photos feature the members wearing masks, and formerly refused to perform live concerts. However the group has showed themselves in public wearing masks formed as bird's beaks, similar to those used by medieval doctors.