You might like: Arcade Eden

Signed to respected Indie label Ear Candy Music, Arcade Eden are built around brother and sister Clare and Lawrence, incorporating chiptune beats with solid basslines to produce music somewhere between a SNES game and rave in a field.

Even Rob Da Bank agrees, having awarded them a mainstage slot at his beloved Bestival out of a number of other IOW-based acts, propelling them further into the limelight

Obvious touchpoints are Crystal Castles and the electro triumvirate of Digitalism, Justice and Simian Mobile Disco, combining their stripped down beats with relentless energy and enthusiasm. Live Lawrence's darkly rumbling bass somewhat recalls Death From Above 1979's Jesse F. Keeler, coupled with Liam's danceable drums.

From the samples on display from their as-yet-untitled upcoming album, "One Night In Town" and "Know Your Enemies" are going to be early favourites.

Definitely worth checking out live, Arcade Eden are also due to play the unfortunately named Brownstock Festival in Chelmsford on July 11th, London Club Night We Don't Understand You on 6th August, and the aforementioned Bestival main stage set on the 11th September.

Myspace

Image shamelessly stolen from Myspace page without permission. Will be removed upon request.

A Brief Update (BLURBLURBLURBLURBLURBLUR)

Oh dear I still haven't properly got this up and running yet, oh well.

Anyway, coming soon there should be by top albums of 2008, and when I have a chance, perhaps a look at some upcoming artists/etc.

Firstly, however, you may have noticed BLUR are back. Which is awesome on so many levels, and comes just months after Damon pretty much said it wasn't going to happen. An act I like to call doing an Oasis. This is because many of the things that Oasis have done (release a greatest hits, work on new material before 2010, play America again) happened just after they said that they would never do that. Oh well.

Incidentally, this seems to have also led to The Smiths and The Stone Roses to confirm/deny/drum up support for a reunion next year also.

So of course, I already have tickets and I can't fucking wait.

And for buying tickets I was given a promotional code for Damon's colloboration with old Gorillaz partner Jamie Hewlett and legendary chinese director Chen Shi-zheng, Monkey: Journey To The West and London's white elephant shaped dome, The o2 Arena.

It was pretty cool, to be honest, although if I had paid full price I would have been a bit peaved, to say the least. For the price we paid, however, it was a brilliant piece of thatre/opera/acrobatics that I would gladly watch again. Plus I'm 99% set on buying the Albarn-written soundtrack, and I would recommend that anyone who can afford the £60 price (or find a similar offer to mine) should go.

Plus it also reignited my suspicions to visit Kong Studios, which despite lack of recent Gorillaz activity, remains the single greatest band website ever.

I'm also pleased to announced that Arcade Eden have been snapped up by a label and will soon be releasing some of their tracks, but more of that later.

Finally, I have massive newfound respect for Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne.

See you soon.