Above is the simplistic artwork for Dirty Projector’s Swing Lo Magellan. Frontman David Longstreth has made it abundantly clear that one of the album’s greatest influences was his time spent living in the middle of the woods in New York. Presumably, this picture is from the band’s experience recording there, their curious, hipster nature meeting a frumpy local may represent something about the music itself. What do you think, nice, or too simplistic?

Furthermore, the band revealed the details for the deluxe vinyl release of the album, which you can check out over at their official site.

Rock the Bells has essentially been the hip hop festival since its inception in 2004: when you begin your history as an event with one of Wu Tang Clan’s final performances featuring Ol Dirty Bastard, you can’t really help it. Since then, the festival has spread in both influence and locations, boasting an impressive lineup each – and every – year.

Sadly, this year the festival has shrunk locations to three, two of which are in California. Regardless, the cast of those set to appear is impressive as always. As per the norm, yesterday’s acts are performing albums in their entirety, perhaps most exciting are Method Man & Redman performing Blackout!. Also worthy of immediate attention are Missy Elliott & Timbaland, as well as Dipset, reuniting and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony performing E. 1999 Eternal. Other legends set to appear include Nas, Ice Cube, DJ Quik, Slick Rick, Prodigy, Too $hort, RZA, and even Salt-n-Pepa. Also big news is Hit Squad forming together as one, with EPMD, the afore-mentioned Redman, Das EFX, Keith Murray, K-Solo and DJ Scratch all present. Basically, it’s as big as ever.

However, somewhat more surprising is this year’s heavier inclusion of artists very much in the now. Indie kids will rejoice over Atmosphere, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. Then there’s some bigger names, Kid Cudi, J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, Yelawolf, Lupe Fiasco, and even (and most disappointingly) Mac Miller. Frankly, some might balk at some of the newer faces, but it will work in the festival’s favor, beyond the increased sales, where else can you get such an odd, motley crew of rap power players?

8/18 San Bernardino, CA – NOS Events Center
8/25 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
9/1 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center

As we previously reported, Passion Pit is returning at last, offering up their sophomore album, Gossamer, on July 24th, as well as embarking on a supporting tour. Now they’ve revealed both the artwork (above) and the tracklist for the record. You can listen to the first track released from the project, “Take a Walk”, here.

01 Take a Walk
02 I’ll Be Alright
03 Carried Away
04 Constant Conversations
05 Mirrored Sea
06 Cry Like a Ghost
07 On My Way
08 Hideaway
09 Two Veils to Hide My Face
10 Love Is Greed
11 Its Not My Fault I’m Happy
12 Where We Belong

This Thursday, Icelandic post-rock kings Sigur Rós will debut their latest album, Valtari, to the entire music listening world during a massive listening party. Dubbed the “Valtari Hour”, at 7 PM on the 17th, fans everywhere will be able to tune in for the record. Just head over to the band’s website at the right time, which already has a neat little countdown going. Look our for Valtari on EMI/XL come May 29th.

Hot on the heels of their brand new 7″ single (hear it here), Animal Collective have announced the long-awaited follow up to their adored 2009 album Merriweather Post Pavilion. The album is called Centipede Hz. and is coming in September. They made the announcement via a trailer on their website myanimalhome.net, which smacks you in the face as soon as you enter and quickly locates the pleasure sensors of your brain.

All the info we have about the album is in the trailer so watch it below or over at their homepage.
(more…)

As we previously reported, two of hip hop’s most underrated voices are coming together to release an album. Southern legend Scarface and the less recognized former Roc Boy badass Beanie Sigel revealed plans to record a joint effort last month, tenatively titled Mac and Brad, but little was said about when to expect the album, or if they’d completed any of it.

Now we have a bigger reason to get excited. Scarface revealed to MTV that they’re already well into the project, with each artist recording their own songs as bases, with the other than adding verses, an interesting idea that will hopefully successfully combine both MC’s styles. Face explains, “We doin’ songs, I got six, he got six. It’s a process that we go through to do this album.”

Scarface then promptly called Beans right on the spot (the opposite of their initial announcement, when Beans called in Face), having him chime in, giving the final word to get fans going: “It’s a reality now; you know our word is our bond. We said we gonna do somethin’, we gonna do it.”

The pair said to look out for the album next year. Let’s hope the hype builds and grants them the ability to release it even sooner. The two MC’s may come from very different backgrounds, but have a history of collaboration; essentially, this could make for one of the most rewarding rap albums on the horizon.

I’d wondered how Jagger would perform sans the Stones, and now have an answer, albeit grander than I’d ever imagined. Both bands will play as the legend’s backing band. Basically, make sure you have your schedule cleared the evening of May 19th.

If you’re a regular reader of Beats Per Minute then you’ll know that we’ve fallen in love with Brooklyn band Conveyor (we did see them three times at SXSW!) and this is even before they’ve had a full length album released. If you’ve heard any Conveyor songs we’ve posted (like this one, or this one, or this one) then you’ve probably got the bug too, it seems to be spreading rather fast, so the band are now striking while the iron is hot and have announced the release of their debut album.

The album will be titled Conveyor and comes at us on July 17th through Paper Garden Records, that lovely image you see above is the cover art, and you can see the track list below.

That’s about all the information we have about the record, but that interactive artwork above gives you plenty of links to where you can follow and find out more about Conveyor, just hover your cursor over the image and click the dots! Also, make sure you pre-order the record from the Paper Garden Records Store.
(more…)

Good news for those who enjoyed Fang Island’s self-titled debut, it’s time for their second outing. The album is simply titled Major, and is set to release July 24th. See the tracklist below, as well as a teaser.

1. Kindergarten
2. Sisterly
3. Seek It Out
4. Make Me
5. Never Understand
6. Asunder
7. Dooney Rock
8. Regalia
9. Chompers
10. Chime Out
11. Victorinian

For those who have supported Big K.R.I.T. on his steady rise to prominence, take pride, your moment is almost here. While a pushback wouldn’t be surprising, we’re a month away from his debut’s, Live from the Underground, June 5th release, and it hasn’t budged.

So, the Southern spitter keeps forging ahead, and has now revealed his full tour plans in support of the album. Following festival appearances, the tour begins in earnest far from K.R.I.T.’s home in Detroit, check out every date and see if he’s hitting your city below. No word yet on who the “special guests” referred to on the poster are, stay tuned.

05/27 – Shakopee, MN @ Soundset Festival
06/14-16 – Hultsfred, SE @ Hultsfred Festival
07/05-08 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
07/11 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall
07/12 – Cincinnati, OH @ Madison Theater
07/13 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
07/14 – Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theater
07/15 – Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose
07/17 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada
07/18 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
07/19 – Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
07/20 – Ft. Collins, CO @ Aggie Theater
07/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
07/23 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne
07/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club
07/25 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
07/27 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
07/28 – Santa Cruz, CA @ The Caralyst
07/29 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Velvet Jones
07/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater
07/31 – Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory
08/01 – San Diego, CA @ Porter’s Pub
08/02 – Tempe, AZ @ Club Red
08/03 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater
08/04 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
08/06 – San Antonio, TX @ The White Rabbit
08/07 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
08/08 – Jackson, MS @ Hal and Mal’s
08/10 – Orlando, FL @ The Beachum
08/12 – Ybor City, FL@ The Ritz