From High On Olympus Zeus Hurled His Fire Down, And The Carnage Was Too Great To Describe

I really am so far behind this year. But all this recent talk about good dance music got the old juices flowing, and I set aside some time for catching up on (what else) DFA news this weekend. Thankfully so, because they are set to launch an unstoppable invasion, even with no signs of anything coming from staples The Juan Maclean or Black Dice anytime soon, the first wave of which is set for 6 August, on which date DFA will unveil a new subsidiary, DFA (Death From Abroad-- pretty self explanatory). The first two releases will be a new one from Mock and Toof and a reissue of an extremely rare 2005 single by a character named Altz. Both are exceptional (I really love the "this is for all the real motherfuckers" in the Altz track), and you can hear them at the DFA myspace page.

I didn't catch up too much on the Prinzhorn Dance School stuff, but I did enjoy the new track "Crackerjack Docker", and its accompanying video, also preview/listenable on the label's myspace page.

Next, in a year unfathomably (seriously no one saw this coming, right?) dominated by indie rock, like in surplus, like I just listened to the new New Pornographers and even that was good, new DFA act, Shocking Pinks, has managed to make a stand out even against all of this year's stand outs. If you don't take me at my word by now,

Download: Shocking Pinks - Blonde Haired Girl

Download: Shocking Pinks - This Aching Deal

(again only for seven days, because I refuse to shell out the $ for the upgrade.)

It seems that the main label will release singles by Holy Ghost!, Hercules and the Love Affair, and Still Going by the end of the year. I don't know if I'm entirely sold on Herc and TLA yet, but I love what I've heard so far from the other two. I think all of these bands have myspace pages with some samples up. Lindstrom and Prins Thomas used Still Going's "Still Going Theme" in their Essential Mix (see sidebar). If that's not enough, I guess there's a new Shit Robot track that you can listen to from a beats in space set from a couple of months ago, which even though I haven't heard it yet, is probably better than any Ed Banger track.

So there you have it. T.P.O. giving you a little advanced warning. Starting Aug. 6, look to the skies.