NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2011 -- Philadelphia-based rapper Asher Roth has announced that his sophomore album will drop on the legendary Def Jam Recordings in March of 2012. The follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2008 debut album Asleep In The Bread Aisle, Roth's first Def Jam offering promises to be a significant step for the young star. "Def Jam is a great place to call home," said Roth. "I'm excited to get back to the basics with good, honest music."

While working on his IDJ/SRC debut, Asher has kept his rabid fan-base satiated with a flood of new material online, including a lauded mixtape, 2010's Seared Fois Gras With Quince And Cranberry, The Rawth EP - a free album with producer Nottz, plus countless singles, guest verses, and videos. Now, Roth prepares to leap back into the spotlight. "The Def Jam brand stands for quality, creativity, and authenticity," said Steve Bartels, Island Def Jam President and COO. "We believe Asher Roth delivers all this and more. He's a great fit for us and we look forward to delivering Asher's special brand of great hip-hop music as only Def Jam can." SRC Records CEO, Steve Rifkind, agrees. "Partnering up with Def Jam on Asher's album is a great opportunity for all parties involved," said Rifkind.

His most recent project is the Pabst & Jazz Sessions, a collection of tracks by Asher, The Cool Kids' Chuck Inglish, and production duo Blended Babies. The sessions collection will go on sale at iTunes December 20th with Asher's proceeds going to The Philadelphia Hunger Coalition. For more on The Philadelphia Hunger Coalition: http://www.hungercoalition.org/

Stay tuned for more on Def Jam's newest star, Asher Roth…

NEW ASHER ROTH VIDEOS: 

"IN THE KITCHEN FEAT. CHUCK INGLISH" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38QU8BnMEWA
"LAST MAN STANDING" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu5mD9Pvrls
"SUMMERTIME" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiueK4736m0

ASHER ROTH ON TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/search/asherroth

ASHER ROTH ON FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/Asherroth

SOURCE Island Def Jam Music Group

Last week marked the release of Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2, which features the cast's festive renditions of such Christmas staples as "Little Drummer Boy," "Let It Snow" and "All I Want For Christmas Is You," as well as two original tracks "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" and "Christmas Eve With You". Fans will be treated to these Gleeful carols on a special Glee Christmas episode which airs on Tuesday, December 13, at 8:00PM ET/PT on FOX.

To date over 36 million Glee songs have been digitally downloaded, with over 11 million albums sold worldwide. Glee scored three consecutive #1 releases with Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers, Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna andGlee: The Music, Journey To Regionals. The RIAA has certified Glee: The Music, Volume 1 and Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Platinum (sales in excess of 1 million units) as well as Glee: The Music, Volume 2, Glee: The Music, Volume 3 and Glee: The Music, Volume 4 Gold (sales in excess of 500,000 units).

The full track listing for the standard version of "Glee: The Music, Volume 7" is as follows:

1. You Can't Stop the Beat
2. It's Not Unusual
3. Somewhere
4. Run The World (Girls)
5. Fix You
6. Last Friday Night
7. Uptown Girl
8. Tonight
9. Hot For Teacher
10. Rumour Has It/Someone Like You
11. Girls Just Want To Have Fun
12. Constant Craving
13. ABC
14. Control
15. Man In The Mirror

About Columbia Records: One of the most respected and successful record labels in the world, Columbia Records is home to established superstars and exciting new talent. Columbia Records is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment.

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

Twentieth Century Fox Television, a division of News Corp., is a leading supplier of entertainment content domestically and around the world.

Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) is a unit of News Corporation and the leading broadcast television network among Adults 18-49. FOX finished the 2008-2009 season at No. 1 for the fifth consecutive year – a feat that hasn't been achieved since the mid-1990s – while continuing to dominate all network competition in the more targeted Adults 18-34 and Teen demographics.

SOURCE Columbia Records

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22, 2011 -- Rock and Pop Icon Neil Diamond, a 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and 2011 Kennedy Center Honoree, will take his greatest hits on the road on a much-anticipated North American tour kicking off in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on June 1st and closing in Las Vegas on September 1st. 

The 2012 tour will feature all of Neil Diamond's classic favorites. The majority of markets will be on sale to the public beginning at 10:00AM on Monday, December 5th and all Canadian dates will be on sale on Monday, December 12th at 10:00AM (see below for routing and on-sale info). Tickets will be available at Ticketmaster.com, LiveNation.com, NeilDiamond.com and local box offices.

In 2012 Neil Diamond will perform in select venues for the first time, including the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York on June 8th. He will return to the DTE Energy Music Theater in Detroit, Michigan for his first time in nearly 20 years. VIP Packages will also be available through VIP Nation, including premium seats, exclusive merchandise and more. For more information please visit: www.VIPNation.com

In addition, Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings recently announced that he will release THE VERY BEST OF NEIL DIAMOND - THE ORIGINAL STUDIO RECORDINGS on December 6th. The album will feature 23 of the most popular hits and signature tracks from America's quintessential singer-songwriter. This is the first Neil Diamond collection to draw from the artist's complete studio discography and includes tracks such as "Forever In Blue Jeans," "Cherry, Cherry," "Sweet Caroline," "I'm A Believer," "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon, " "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," "Red, Red Wine," "America" and many more.

Diamond will make a string of high profile media appearances in addition to being a Kennedy Center Honoree on December 27th. He will also perform at the 85th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Today Show, NBC's Tree Lighting at Rockefeller and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

TOUR DATES:

• June 1 - Ft. Lauderdale at FL Bank Atlantic Center
• June 3 - Tampa, FL at St. Pete Times Forum
• June 6 - Atlanta, GA at Philips Arena
• June 8 - Wantagh, NY at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
• June 14 - Washington, DC at Verizon Center
• June 16 - Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena
• June 18 - Philadelphia, PA at Wells Fargo Center
• June 21 - Montreal, BC at Bell Centre
• June 23 - Boston, MA at TD Garden
• June 26 - Toronto, ON at Air Canada Centre
• June 28 - London, ON at John Labatt Centre
• July 1 - Cleveland, OH at Quicken Loans Arena
• July 3 - Detroit, MI at DTE Energy Music Theatre
• July 6 - Chicago, IL at United Center
• July 8 - Milwaukee, WI at Summerfest
• July 11 - St Paul, MN at Xcel Energy Center
• July 13 - Saskatoon, SK at Credit Union Centre
• July 16 - Edmonton, AB at Rexall Place
• July 18 - Calgary, AB at Scotiabank Saddledome
• July 21 - Vancouver, BC at Rogers Arena
• July 23 - Seattle, WA at Key Arena
• July 28 - Salt Lake City, UT at Rio Tinto Stadium
• August 7 - San Jose, CA at HP Pavilion
• August 29 - Phoenix, AZ at US Airways Center
• September 1 - Las Vegas, NV at MGM Grand Garden Arena

ABOUT NEIL DIAMOND

Across a musical career spanning nearly five decades, Neil Diamond has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide, with a remarkable track record of 16 Top Ten albums, and 37 Top Ten singles.  A Grammy Award-winning artist, Neil Diamond has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter's Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award. Among Diamond's many other honors, he has received a Golden Globe Award, 12 Grammy nominations and was named the 2009 MusiCares Person of the Year. 

SOURCE Live Nation Entertainment

In honor of this special project, Barneys New York is proud to donate 25% of sales from all items featured in GAGA'S WORKSHOP to the Born This Way Foundation, recently founded and announced by Lady Gaga and her mother. The Born This Way Foundation will focus on youth empowerment and equality by addressing issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development and will utilize digital mobilization as one of the means to create positive change.

About GAGA'S WORKSHOP

A take on Santa's iconic workshop, the project has been realized through the eyes of renowned creative talents: Lady Gaga, Nicola Formichetti, and Eli Sudbrack and avaf, in collaboration with Barneys' creative director Dennis Freedman. In true Lady Gaga fashion, GAGA'S WORKSHOP is not a traditional holiday destination, but rather a unique and individual celebration of the universality of gift giving and charity during the holiday season.

A multi-faceted celebration, GAGA'S WORKSHOP includes: a fantastically transformed retail environment, holiday windows, a dedicated Gaga interactive website, and limited-edition, exclusive products created in collaboration with Lady Gaga under the creative direction of Nicola Formichetti with artists Eli Sudbrack and Christophe Hamaide Pierson of assume vivid astro focus (avaf).

From elaborate art installations, vivid colors and bold patterns designed by avaf, to exclusive one-of-a-kind products created specially for the Workshop by Barneys New York, GAGA'S WORKSHOP will be a holiday treat for shoppers of all ages.

Taking over the entire, 5500-square foot, fifth floor of the Madison Avenue Men's store, The Workshop is divided into elaborate structural shops, such as a jewelry shop created out of an oversized Lady Gaga-turned-spider and a boudoir in the shape of a giant wig. Working with the Barneys New York team, Eli Sudbrack and avaf have designed giant sculpture installations as well as signature artwork for GAGA'S WORKSHOP which is featured on special holiday shopping bags and packaging.

There are eight stations in GAGA'S WORKSHOP, reflecting the product categories available for sale, as well as a number of iconic references to Lady Gaga herself. Stations include: Candy Shop, Toy Shop, Closet (for apparel and accessories), Library (for books, CDs, media, and paper goods), Gallery (for collectibles and specialty items), Jewelry, Boudoir (for candles and cosmetics), and Holiday.

In addition to conceptualizing a Gaga holiday destination within Barneys New York, Eli Sudbrack and avaf have also designed a giant facade that has taken over the 60th Street entrance to the store. Designed to create the illusion of walking into the mouth of a giant monster-like Lady Gaga, this entrance is the gateway to GAGA'S WORKSHOP.

"GAGA'S WORKSHOP is the largest and most completely realized holiday project ever undertaken in the history of Barneys New York and we are beyond thrilled to present it this season," said Mark Lee, Barneys' Chief Executive Officer. "We hope to raise significant funds to benefit the Born This Way Foundation and we thank Lady Gaga, Nicola Formichetti, Eli Sudbrack and avaf, as well as all of the collaborators and vendors who have worked so hard to make this holiday initiative come to life."

About The Madison Avenue Windows
The Barneys New York historical Madison Avenue windows have been transformed into a series of Gaga-themed tableaux as part of the GAGA'S WORKSHOP experience this holiday season. Lady Gaga's vision for the Madison windows was to create individual, magical holiday environments inspired by music, art and fashion. Directed by Nicola Formichetti in collaboration with Barneys' Creative Director, Dennis Freedman, the windows have been divided into four themes: 'Gaga Constellation,' 'Gaga Machine,' 'Gaga's Boudoir,' and 'Gaga's Crystal Cave' each with their own unique iconic reference to Lady Gaga.

"For my first ever window designs, it's an honor to be collaborating with the prestigious Barneys' brand and its creative history," said Nicola Formichetti.

'Gaga's Boudoir'
Working with renowned hairstylist and Gaga collaborator, Bob Recine, the window is a surrealist take on Lady Gaga's own personal boudoir. Constructed entirely out of hair, the room is filled with iconic references of hair styles and fashions from past Gaga moments.

'Gaga's Crystal Cave'
Turning the space into a mysterious ice world, the window is made up of light installations and a mermaid sculpture reminiscent of Gaga.

'Gaga Machine'
The theme of this window plays with the idea of Lady Gaga physically morphing into a machine. In this case the machine being a motorcycle in the shape of Lady Gaga's body.

'Gaga Constellation' 
Working with Q4, a NYC-based experiential digital agency, the window will feature a new collaborative film by director Tim Richardson and creative director, Nicola Formichetti. The interactive short film is sponsored by a White Label Product with post production by The Mill, screen technology by Prysm, and interactive experience design by Moving Image & Content and The Science Project.

About Q4
Realizing the importance of the collaborative artistic process, Q4 focuses on fashion content in a variety of gaming and mobile device platforms with an emphasis on retail. In September 2011, Q4 partnered with gaming giant, CCP, to create a digital avatar of Rick Genest (aka Zombie Boy) for placement within the realm of CCP's most popular game, EVE Online, helping launch EVE Online's avatar program featuring virtual garments designed by Formichetti.

About the November 21st Activities
In celebration of the official opening of GAGA'S WORKSHOP, Barneys New York has teamed up with:

About Atom Digital
Atom Digital is the cutting-edge, full-service marketing company which spearheaded the innovative digital and experiential marketing campaigns supporting GAGA'S WORKSHOP. These initiatives included the oversight of interactive elements on the barneys.com microsite, giant inflatable street installations, and the flash choir and dance performances around the city. For more information about Atom Digital, please visit: www.atomdigital.com.

Opening at 11:00pm on November 21st, the Workshop will remain open all night through November 22nd, an unprecedented occurrence in the history of Barneys New York. As of November 22nd, GAGA'S WORKSHOP will operate during normal Barneys' store hours through January 2nd, with access to the Workshop through the 60th street entrance of the Madison Avenue flagship store in New York City.

To learn more about how to be a part of GAGA'S WORKSHOP visit www.barneys.com/GagasWorkshop and follow Barneys on twitter at #gagasworkshop.

To obtain images and video from the opening ceremony as well as the event on Monday, November 21st please visit:http://stellarhead.com/MNR/BarneysGagasworkshop

About Barneys New York
BARNEYS NEW YORK (Barneys) is a luxury specialty retailer with flagship stores in New York City, Beverly Hills, Chicago,Seattle, Boston, Dallas, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Scottsdale. Founded as a men's retailer in 1923 in downtown Manhattanit turned into an international arbiter of high style for both women and men in the 1970s and became renowned for discovering and developing new and innovative design talent. Barneys is famous for selling the most intriguing edit from the world's top designers including women's and men's ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and gifts for the home. Barneys' signature sense of wit and style is manifested in its creative advertising campaigns, original holiday themes, and celebrated window displays. Barneys' innovative CO-OP, a mecca for young and emerging designers, was launched in 1985 and has since expanded into a freestanding store concept. Barneys operates more than a dozen CO-OP stores in eight states across the U.S. For more information about Barneys New York please visit www.barneys.com. 

SOURCE Barneys New York

The album's ten songs poetically address some of the most profound quandaries of human existence - the relationship to a transcendent being, love, sexuality, loss and death. Arguably the most overtly spiritual of the revered artist's albums, OLD IDEAS inspires commitment to a greater sense of compassion and decency. OLD IDEAS is available for preorder now atwww.LeonardCohen.com where his song, "Show Me The Place" is also streaming. Fans who pre-order will receive an instant download of the new song.  

While the recording of OLD IDEAS began in earnest in January 2011, many of the new songs and their lyrics have been in the works for years. Early versions of two album tracks, "Amen" and "Lullaby" were originally recorded in 2007, while early versions of "Lullaby" and " The Darkness" were performed live during Cohen's recently concluded, sold-out world tour.

Fans were given another hint of what to expect when Cohen made remarks as the recipient of the Principe de Asturias Prize for literature in Spain in October.

"As I grew older, I understood that instructions came with this voice. And the instructions were these...Never to lament casually. And if one is to express the great inevitable defeat that awaits us all, it must be done within the strict confines of dignity & beauty."

The album by Leonard Cohen was produced with Patrick Leonard, Anjani Thomas, Ed Sanders and Dino Soldo. Complementing Cohen's signature baritone on OLD IDEAS are the exceptional vocalists Dana Glover, Sharon Robinson, The Webb Sisters (Hattie and Charley Webb) and Jennifer Warnes. The album's cover design and drawings are Cohen's own.

OLD IDEAS TRACK LISTING:
Going Home
Amen
Show Me The Place
The Darkness
Anyhow
Crazy To Love You
Come Healing
Banjo
Lullaby
Different Sides

OLD IDEAS will be Cohen's twelfth studio album with Columbia Records since 1967.

ABOUT LEONARD COHEN: Leonard Cohen is a master songwriter, musician, poet, novelist and visual artist whose stunning body of original work has touched the lives of millions with a career spanning six decades.

His explorations of spiritual, interpersonal, romantic and political themes have impacted countless contemporary recording artists and writers. He has sold over 20 million albums, worldwide and published 12 books, the most recent of which was 2006's 'Book of Longing', a collection of poetry, prose and drawings, which reached #1 on the Top 10 Hardcover Fiction Books inCanada.

Cohen's influence on musical and theatrical artists the world over is inestimable. In fact, when Cohen was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in March 2008, the revered Lou Reed singled out Leonard as one of the "highest and most influential echelon of songwriters." Cohen's songbook has been covered by hundreds of recording artists including Jeff Buckley, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Johnny Cash, Lou Reed, Tori Amos, Nick Cave, Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, Rufus Wainwright and the Civil Wars. Tribute albums have been released in Cohen's honor in France, Norway, Canada, Spain, Swedish, Czech Republic, South Africa and the United States. In 2008 Cohen's "Hallelujah" became the fastest-selling digital single in European history when three separate versions of the song appeared simultaneously on the UK singles chart - Cohen's own original recording, a version from Jeff Buckley and another from X Factor winner Alexandra Burke. Additionally, Leonard's songs have been frequently selected to illustrate the emotion of motion pictures and television programs and have been heard in Watchmen, The Passion of The Christ, Natural Born Killers, The Wonder Boys, Pump Up The Volume, Secretary, The West Wing, The O.C. and many others.

Leonard Cohen has been honored as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient (2010), inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame (2008), the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame (2006), the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2006) and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame (2010). He has received the prestigious Principe de Asturias Prize – the highest literary award inSpain (Spain, 2011) as well as the Glenn Gould Prize, awarded to an individual for a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts (Canada, 2011). The Canadian native has earned his country's highest civilian honors - Officer of the Order of Canada (1991), Companion to the Order of Canada (2003), Grand Officer of the National Order ofQuebec (2008).

Cohen's recent return to live performance was met with extraordinary and unanimous accolades as he performed around the world from 2008 through 2010. Cohen's mesmerizing recent performances, deemed "a spiritual experience" by all accounts, totaled  247 shows in 31 countries attended by two million fans.

As the London Daily Telegraph plainly stated, each Cohen performance is "an extraordinary night of music" while the BBC asserted that, "Quite simply Leonard Cohen's voice is a force of supernature."

SOURCE Columbia Records

‘MU.ZZ.LE’ will be released on 23rd January in CD, double 10" and as a special screenprinted A2 poster, strictly limited to 500 copies worldwide.

Gonjasufi’s sonic appeal is not based on one single emotion. It’s one mans soul poured out via a sound, an outlet. Each song is wrapped in it’s own sense of being, every single feeling is intertwined within his lyrics. 

‘MU.ZZ.LE’ although short in it’s length, is huge on messages. Political, social and spiritual interpretations that define him as an artist. Written on the road, it was an outlet for Gonjasufi to challenge himself. It’s the response to all the adrenaline, aggression and anger he felt traveling the world, it’s a spectrum of his creativity and a testimony of how one mans passion and determination is often misunderstood as anger. “There’s a duality that exists and to deny it, is the biggest mistake”. 

The albums down tempo strings, heartbreaking soul, reanimated hip-hop and crackling haunting vocal stylings are stitched as a running thread throughout each song like a patchwork quilt. 

It’s a lonely journey that will take you through the innermost thoughts of Gonjasufi’s darkest hours. He recorded and mixed it on his own in his home studio surrounded by his family and the stark contrast of the Mohave desert. The end product is his outlet and realization for who he is, a way for him to feel comfortable in his own skin again. 

Akin to discovering a gramophone recording fraught with emotive compositions, it’s like finding that hidden gem, the one you can truly relate with. It’s the way of dealing with the issues of modern man; oppressed by power, freedom of speech, living your life by a book, dealing with the MU.ZZ.LE that’s firmly attached around your mouth. 

"MU.ZZ.LE was more like knowing that what comes out of the mouth of man, sets man free or defiles them, it was me guarding my words and my tongue. These words are less but I feel like I’m saying more."

Tracklisting:

01. White Picket Fence 
02. Feedin’ Birds 
03. Nikels and Dimes 
04. Rubberband 
05. Venom 
06. Timeout 
07. Skin 
08. The Blame
09. Blaksuit
10. Sniffin’

Bang On PR

“The stomping AKA…What A Life! and recessionary tinged Everybody’s On The Run – are his best tunes in 15 years … the odd acoustic Oasis classic turns the crowd into a massed choir.”  The Guardian 4*

“A second coming, powered by an elated crowd having titanic moments on the balconies and singing every word.” – Evening Standard 4*

 Due to phenomenal demand Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have added an additional 7 new dates taking in 7 new cities across the UK.  The initial 7 arena dates have completely sold out – selling over 85,000 tickets.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds eponymous album debuted at number one last month, one of only four albums this year with sales in excess of 100 000 in it’s first week and has now been certified platinum.

Tickets for the new shows will go on sale at 9am on Friday 25th November through www.noelgallagher.com.

Full details of the arena tour dates below, additional dates in bold:

February 13 - Manchester, MEN Arena – SOLD OUT
February 14 - Aberdeen, P&J Arena
February 16 - Belfast, Odyssey Arena – SOLD OUT
February 17 - Dublin, The O2 – SOLD OUT
February 19 - Sheffield, Motorpoint Arena
February 23 - Newcastle, Metro Radio Arena – SOLD OUT
February 24 - Glasgow, SECC Hall 4 – SOLD OUT
February 26 - London, The O2 – SOLD OUT
March 1 - Birmingham, NIA – SOLD OUT
July 17 - Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle
September 4 - Bournemouth, BIC
September 6 - Liverpool, Echo Arena
September 9 - Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
September 10 - Nottingham, Capital FM Arena

www.noelgallagher.com

For further information please contact Murray Chalmers PR:

0207 361 0730

EJ was born Edwina Johnson in Stockholm, Sweden. Her single, Barbadian doctor mother uprooted her to spend time with an extended family in Gothenburg. ‘

We had a great musical community there. And the racial mix really mixed. Iranians, Turks, a big Somalian community. It all worked together.’ 

She attributes her musical genealogy to her father, an Afro-Cuban guitar wizard. ‘But music has been in me since day one,’ she adds. Her initial musical awakenings were a mix of the sacred and the secular, something that you can hear perfectly attuned in the irresistible gospel-inflected semi-accapella of her debut single 'Mama, I’m Gonna Sing'. 

 ‘My grandmother took me to church every Sunday. The house was swarming with grandchildren. I had that mix of church singing and then getting back to her house and seeing cousins breakdancing, listening to Michael Jackson and Neneh Cherry.’ Moving to London at the age of 12, EJ found a whole new set of experiences and influences. “I absorbed it all” she says.

Expect to be blown away from her future anthems “Bangers & Mash” and “Supersize”.

Purple PR

Following drops for Sneaker Social Club, Domino and Alexander Nut’s Ho_Tep label, London-based producer Throwing Snow makes his debut on Local Action with an ice cold three-track EP.

Opening track 'Pyre' is the straightest thing here, with vocals from Augustus Ghost (Throwing Snow’s collaborator in Snow Ghosts, who’re in the process of recording an album for Black Acre - home of Hyetal, Blue Daisy and more) riding bitter hi-hats and a heavyweight bassline, while ‘Equuleus’ (also featuring Augustus) takes things into lo-fi pop territory, with a swelling synth climax kept together by tight drum rolls. 

The stand-out ‘Too Polite’ is the title track for a reason though - it’s torn-out jungle driven by a jagged Reese bassline and rolling toms. Each track on this EP is totally different in terms of style, tempo and clarity, but it’s all brought together by a bitter, icy feel. 

As Local Action’s last release of 2011, the first run of vinyl copies will come packaged with a CD-R label compilation, featuring 100% unreleased material from T. Williams, Contakt, Laurel Halo, Throwing Snow, Damu, Jacques Greene and more.

'Too Polite' is Local Action’s fifth and final release of 2010, following singles and EPs by T. Williams, Damu, Paul Woolford and Contakt. 

www.localactionrecords.co.uk
www.throwingsnow.co.uk
www.soundcloud.com/throwingsnow
www.facebook.com/throwingsnow
www.twitter.com/ThrowingSnow

Bang On PR

CHASE & STATUS’ sophomore album No More Idols is still flying high – debuting at #2 back in January, yet to leave the top 40 in the 35 weeks since release, and now quickly approaching double Platinum in the UK, making it the biggest selling album released by a British band this year.  

Chase & Status have also sold over a million singles over their No More Idols campaign. They show no sign of stopping either with their biggest UK tour to date which they kicked off yesterday, two phenomenal forthcoming London shows at both Brixton Academy (14th Oct) and the 13,000 capacity Alexandra Palace (25th Nov) and a brand new single with Sub Focus Flashing Lights out November 21st.  

Their autumn tour, their 5th live tour in 2 years, follows their sold out “No More Idols’ tour this Spring which saw them play a landmark show at the London Roundhouse on March 11th. They then followed this up with another Roundhouse show as part of the iTunes festival, two crazy shows at Mallorca Rocks and Ibiza Rocks and storming sets at Glastonbury, T in the Park, V, and Wireless festivals. The duo Saul Milton (Chase) and Will Kennard (Status), along with their frontman MC Rage, have built up a huge live following and their show is certainly one not to be missed. 

Add to this, Chase & Status run their own record label MTA Records which is currently seeing a wide range of success with their first signing Nero hitting the #1 spot on both the singles and albums chart in August.  

Catch them here… ALL SOLD OUT…                                                                 

November 22 - Plymouth Pavillions
November 23 - The Forum Hertfordshire
November 25 - UKF BASS Culture, London

www.chaseandstatus.co.uk

These dates will be the first in the UK since Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band headlined Hard Rock Calling in 2009 to huge acclaim from both critics and fans alike. Expect some of their biggest and most loved hits and a few surprises too. 

Live Nation’s Vice President of Promotions, Toby Leighton-Pope commented: “It’s great to welcome Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band back to the UK, they always put on a fantastic show.” 

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND 
June 21 - Sunderland Stadium of Light
June 22 - Manchester Etihad Stadium 
July 14 - Hard Rock Calling, London Hyde Park 

 Tickets go on sale 10am on Saturday 3rd December priced at £60 London and £55 Regionally (subject to booking fee) and are available from www.livenation.co.uk 

Livenation

Alex and Jade’s love of classic pop and RnB is at its prime with their latest track. Then enter Unicorn Kid, AKA Oliver Sabin, the 20 year old causing a stir with his 8bit, electronic music. 

His club infused remix of Dirty Dancer, with the addition of steel drums and synthesisers, make this one ready for the dance floor. Check out Club Oh My! at the Electricity Showrooms the first Friday of every month.  

Grab your dancing shoes and download ‘Dirty Dancer’ which is out on iTunes now.

YouTube: Share & embed remix - http://bit.ly/UnicornKid-YouTube

Soundcloud: Share & embed remix - http://bit.ly/DirtyDancer-UnicornKid

Purple PR 

Nominated for three Artrocker Awards including ‘Best International Act’, ‘ Album Of The Year’ and ‘Video of the Year’

**** Record Collector  / **** Time Out /  ****Uncut / **** Observer
“One of the most startling, visually emotive albums we have heard in years. Vividly audacious.”  9/10 – Clash
"A breathlessly entertaining record" **** - Mojo
“…so wildly, wonderfully strange that it defies classification altogether. Each track is joyous, upbeat and pop-tinged.” **** - The Fly
"Gloss Drop is powered by a tireless, ingenious sense of play”  8/10 – NME
"A triumph" 9/10 - Loud + Quiet
"Are Battles the world's most original band?" - GQ

2011 has been the year which saw New York trio Battles release Gloss Drop - the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut Mirrored. Gloss Drop which features guest vocals from the likes of Gary Numan, MatiasAguayo and Kazu Makino received unanimous praise across the board.

After a summer of triumphant festival appearances including headlining Standon Calling Battles returned to the UK for a headline November tour, which concludes this Monday 21st November at London’s HMV The Forum. Battles along with Caribou and Les Savy Fav will be curating a day of ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Current cover starts of Artrocker magazine and proud recipients of three Artrocker Award nomination, Dave Konopka from the band had this to say. “This is a very exciting time for Battles. We have been working very diligently all year at paying homage to an album that, to say the least, we are all very proud of. To be recognized by Artrocker Magazine in the three categories of International Band of the Year, Album of the Year, and Video of the Year and to share these nominations with such excellent company is not only an honor, but an absolutely humbling experience in the wake of all of our efforts this year.” 

Fresh from a sold out performance at London’s XOYO, Hudson Mohawke is set to play a secret DJ set at Battles Forum show. Put simply, 2011 is the year that saw Ross Birchard (aka Hudson Mohawke, or HudMo) become the producers' producer, the artist's artist, and a 25 year old former DMC champion on the edge of a nascent breakthrough. Hudmo’s EP ‘Satin Panthers’ which is out now on Warp Records has received massive critical acclaim with Mixmag  simply stating “Every track on his ‘Satin Panthers’ EP a smash, our only problem was picking one.”

BATTLES UK LIVE DATES:

November 21 - London Forum
December 9-11 - Minehead UK –ATP Nightmare Before Christmas (performing + curating)

ATP INFO (Battles’ picks so far: Underground Resistance, Flying Lotus, Gary Numan, Bitch Magnet, Washed Out, The Psychic Paramount, Thank You, NisennenMondai, Walls (live), Phil Manley Life Coach, Dead Rider. Also curating this weekend are Les Savy Fav and Caribou.)

BTTLS.COM
facebook.com/hudsonmohawke
twitter.com/Moanhawke

Bang On PR

Title – ‘Brother’

Artist - Kites

Release date – 28 November

Writer - Matthew Phillips

Producer - Richard Baldwin

Bonus Track – ‘Art Tastes Better Blind’

(available now and with the release of Brother)

Kites is a band composed of two classically-trained musicians (Jack & Jasper), a scholar of electronics (Richard), and a foppish pop-poet with a penchant for silk (Matthew), who are releasing their single ‘Brother’ in November this year.

In a recent interview, the Kites’ front man Matthew, who brings an air of Wildean decadence to the band, described their sound as: “Melodramatic provocation for discontented dreamers”.

Kites began writing tightly constructed tracks in 2010 that successfully blended synthetic textures with more organic instrumentation, creating a sound that was bold, affecting and ultimately irresistible. Their intensely physical and energetic stage shows have won them fans internationally and garnered comparisons to New Order, Patrick Wolf and Talking Heads from the mainstream music press.

Lead singer Matthew believes the band has many influences, but perhaps one of the most prominent influences stems right from his childhood:

“My household was populated with black and white photographs of Jim Morrison in the crucifix pose.  Even as a toddler, I was seduced by his baritone timbre and assertive swagger.  I’m not sure why my parents thought it suitable to expose me to a renowned alcoholic with a well-publicised Oedipus complex, but I certainly found him influential.”

As well as having their own unique and captivating sound of electronic beddings with smatterings of guitar, Kites also have a strong sense of style. Even though Matthew is but a mere impoverished musician, he still manages to swagger around with panache in handouts, vintage outlets and sales racks. After all, as Matthew suggests: “Life is a stage and we are flowers to be looked at”. With his style icons including Sebastian Horsley, Sebastian Tellier and Anthony Andrews’ character Sebastian Flyte…  Essentially, anyone called Sebastian or anyone who looks good with a cane and a teddy bear… Matthew has all the makings of a true fashion and music pioneer and a 21st century Dandy.

The single ‘Brother’ is Kites’ first official single release. The track is a melancholy story of two brothers, whose fates are interwoven throughout the song in a tapestry of fear and hope. One brother is at the end of his journey; the other is only just embarking. Kites will also release the energetic ‘Art Tastes Better Blind’ as the B side to this single and will be touring relentlessly throughout the rest of the year. Gig listings below with more to follow.

Friday 2nd December Silver Bullet, London

What the critics have to say:

"Factory-indebted decadent disco." The Evening Standard

"Intensely physical and energetic live performances coupled with tightly constructed tracks have won the band an adoring fan base, a wave of industry attention... hailed as the hottest unsigned band in the UK.” Music Week

"I'm tipping Kites - think The Fall and New Order but a lot younger. I caught them the other night and they rocked. They're on tour at the moment so catch them if you can!"  The Sunday Mirror

"...ambition fuelled pop full of drama and excitement.... and dazzling beauty" Breaking Waves

"Kites are fast evolving into a band comprising all your favourite new wave/electro sounds in one... Wolfesque vocals... restrained synths and samples and the actual craft of songwriting and let’s not forget this, they look great."

Gill Mills (Best of Myspace)

Follow Kites updates on the following sites:

www.wearekites.com

www.soundcloud.com/kites

www.myspace.com/kitesonline

www.facebook.com/wearekites

www.twitter.com/kitesonline

For more information, please contact:

Katie French – kfrench@bigmachinemedia.com / 0207 936 3722

• February 20 - Manchester Bridgewater Hall
• February 21 - Gateshead Sage 1
• February 22 - Glasgow, Clyde Auditorium
• February 24 - Oxford New Theatre
• February 25 - Sheffield City Hall
• February 27 - Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
• February 28 - Portsmouth Guildhall
• March 01 - Birmingham Symphony Hall
• March 02 - York Barbican
• March 03 - Blackpool Opera House
• March 08 - Cardiff St Davids Hall
• March 09 - Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
• March 12 - Bristol Colston Hall
• March 13 - London Theatre Royal Drury Lane

www.gigsandtours.com / 0844 811 0051
www.gigsinscotland.com / 08444 999 990.
 
Tickets go on sale on November 25.