The New York Times' 10th Annual Year in Ideas

Worth checking out:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/12/19/magazine/ideas2010.html

one of the coolest parts is the making-of video at the end:

http://nyti.ms/hjCJWO

it's cool because of the music, and because i just discovered an awesome new Montreal band. Theyre called Like Elliot Did and the songs they have on their myspace are the perfect soundtrack for a mid-winter morning.

and here's a song i found on the tube:

will do more research!

PS I Love You - "2012" (Live at Kingston's waterfront)

PS I LOVE YOU "2012" // The Kingston Sessions, Part 5 of 6 from Paper Bag Records on Vimeo.

Freelance Whales - "Generator 1st Floor"

did you know you can embed from myspace? neither did i. how can you embed from the lifeless corpse of a social network? fact: the music part of myspace is the only thing keeping it alive; it's its automatic respirator.

Find more artists like Freelance Whales at Myspace Music

Update: the fact that the above embed failed to work only reaffirms my earlier point.

Freelance Whales are a great band to rediscover. to me, their music is what organic feels like. and theyre playing in Toronto at El Mocambo Dec. 7.

SIDENOTE! that reminds me of this "amazing" joke i once thought up:

What's Elmo's favourite concert venue in Toronto? The EL MOcambo.

Two Door Cinema Club - "I Can Talk"

and another good one:

The Irrepressibles - "In This Shirt"

i came across this video on a friend's facebook wall; i've never heard of them, but am glad i found them.

They're called The Irrepressibles and wiki tells me they're a 10 piece orchestra band from London, UK, which is where the depth of the sound comes from. it reminds me of Cinematic Orchestra, another powerful instrumental collective.

Aside from that, this is one of the most beautiful videos I've ever seen. right from the first second, everything just feels perfect. the positioning, the lighting, the mystery-- it's beautifully crafted and shot. the feelings you get from the video are strong and powerful too, whether or not the context is clear. it's undeniably captivating.

the imagery, design and editing is truly masterful, in my opinion.

Diamond Rings - "Someone Else"

i'm totally seeing him tomorrow!~

Darwin Deez - "Radar Detector"

best part is 0:59-1:04.

Aeroplane - Superstar (The Krays Remix)

Aeroplane - Superstar (The Krays Remix)

pretty dope.

Aeroplane made the song.

The Krays made the mix.

All Caps - "Don't Unplug Me"

amazing lyrics:

Don't unplug me
or just shut me down
Please just love me
with your steel heart
I'd reboot you
If you'd look at me
With those cold eyes
One more time

I remember, our software was compatible
I think I felt my circuit board ignite
You held my hand in your metallic grip
We may be machines but I'm in love tonight

Baby there is something I have to say
I think it's time for my upgrade
I would look so good in version two
But I promise that it's me, not you

Don't unplug me
or just shut me down
Please just love me
with your steel heart
I'd reboot you
If you'd look at me
With those cold eyes
One more time

Can you hear me, you haven't moved an inch
Is this a system failure, what should I do?
Your new interface it seems to have some bugs
You're not responding, I think they broke you

Hello and welcome to version two
Tell me what can I do for you?
What is a hug that does not compute
Please stand by for my system reboot

Just got the memo
about this upgrade to version two
it removes extraneous programs
that means emotions like loving you
I don't wanna lose myself
or ever have to say goodbye
I want to hold on to my consciousness
I don't want to die

also, the original video made by the youtubers who actually made the song is pretty fun too:

wait until the end, when she shoots the kids :D

New Pomplamoose

"played a stupid game on my computer" lol

the guy talking is author and essayist Nick Hornby.

"our universe consists of between 30 to 50 billion trillion stars, arranged in 80 to 140 billion galaxies. our nearest neighbouring star is called proxima centauri and it's 4 light years away. we need some bread, but it's really hot outside and i cant be bothered to walk round the corner."

Edwarde Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - "40 Day Dream"

i cant stop listening to Edwarde Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.

it's doing something to me....... inside me.

New Beach House

Beach House did something with itunes. i dunno, i'm drunk. okay i'm not, but like. okay, so theyre releasing a previously unreleased song:

Beach House - White Moon (Itunes Session)

SIDENOTE! yesterday, i thought up the most amazing joke:

"youre about as lazy as the drummer from beach house."

"the drummer from beach house isn't lazy, it's just lo-fi."

i thought this was so brilliant i wrote it down in my cell phone. i know what youre thinking: get a fucking job.

The XX - Stars (LAZRtag Remix)

The XX – Stars (LAZRtag Remix)

OMGAMHGAJHJSGAHGFSAFSGHFDGAHDFAHFIUEHICENNU ER NN MNXMSABANB~!

wow, smashing the keyboard is kinda hard while holding down the shift button..

i love this so much! i love it when people remix xx songs, it's like music sex.

it's just goes to show how fracking malleable the xx's songs are.

"Stars" is such a beautiful, poignant, emotional song off their debut album, and someone's gone and made it into a dance hit..... there is a god.

mail this to your friends, wrap it up and give it to your child for Christmas. spread this shit!

Ellie Goulding & Erik Hassle - Be Mine [Robyn Acoustic]

the most beautiful song.

i cant stop listening to it.

Ellie Goulding's voice is golden, but i think Erik Hassle is stronger emotionally.

they add more to the original song, which can stand on it's own:

cutest black kid ever!

Chiddy Bang - Dream Chasin'

Chiddy Bang "Dream Chasin"

Chiddy Bang | MySpace Music Videos

Chiddy Bang is the perfect mix of rap and pop, like a crossword and a playground.

Kid Sister - Right Hand Hi

so my friend Nader sent me this video and I cant stop listening to it!

I'd heard of Kid Sister before (she came to NXNE this year) but i wasnt familiar with any of her songs. so thanks to my friend that is now different, and i feel like this song is a great introduction.

great to dance to!

Cooler Than Me (Mike Posner vs. Sia)

i am loving this Mike Posner vs. Sia mash-up. it's by an artist named Neon Hitch.

i love how mash-ups are like the NEW THING ever since Glee, AND how they always say "artist 1 VS. artist 2" as if the artists were like in a fight or something.

NEW ROBYN!

ohmyfuckingtrans! New ROBYN!

this song speaks to me, seriously. like the lyrics and shit: "just dont fall recklessly, headlessly in love with me" fuck, if i had a nickle.

also, how sexy is the english chick's accent?

check out the original pitchfork story here.

Two Door Cinema Club

There's a band out of Ireland that getting a lot of press, theyre called 'Two Door Cinema Club.'

Two Door Cinema Club - This Is The Life

The interesting thing is that they are holding a remix competition for their song 'What You Know' (above) that is also getting a lot of press.

This track by French DJ The Noisy Freaks is currently one of the front-runners:

Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know (The Noisy Freaks Edit) by The Noisy Freaks

Listen to the orginial track, download stems here. More about the contest here. People who made that website here.

Marry me Florence

Flo, i.e. Florence Welch, the lead signer of Florence + the Machine, can do no wrong.

Florence & The Machine - Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer Cover) by Secret Hipster

I have no idea who Robert Palmer is, but easily found myself singing along, totally enraptured by Flo's sweet flux.