For Autre's 7th Friday Playlist, Indulge in the Extreme Sound of Second Wave Black Metal →

Before I continue, I should mention that I really don’t listen to extreme music with the same regularity that I once did. When I was about 20 to 22 years old (2009 to 2011 or so) I was living in Tucson, studying creative writing, and carrying a major chip on my shoulder. I was wearing black exclusively (even in punishing Arizona heat), watching horror films, reading Anton Lavey, using hard drugs, and listening to the most extreme forms of music that I could find: harsh noise, death metal, power electronics, power violence, dark ambient, and lots and lots of black metal. It was fun for a while, but I lacked the pervasive sense of unhappiness to really commit to that lifestyle. So I moved on, or back, to other forms of music that I loved: hip-hop, dance music, psychedelic rock, jazz, punk, etc.. But an appreciation for the explorers of extreme sound has persisted. Click here to listen to the playlist.

Private Unveiling of The Album Art For Rihanna's Eighth Studio Album @ MAMA Gallery In Los Angeles

Rihanna celebrated the unveiling of her album art, by Israeli-born New York based artist Roy Nachum, at a private gathering held at MAMA gallery in Los Angeles. The album name, Anti, was also revealed, but there is no set date for the record release.  photographs by Oliver Maxwell Kupper

Watch The New Music Video For Yelle's Track Moteur Action Off Their Album Complètement Fou

Over the summer, we premiered Yelle's track Ba$$in from their current album Completement Fou, or Completely Crazy. This time around, we're presenting the equally strange video for the short track Moteur Action. Go see Yelle at the Casino de Paris on October 10. 

For Autre's Sixth Friday Playlist We Invite You To Fire Up The Biggest Spliff You Can Roll and Listen To These Dub Tracks →

Once in a while I find myself pulling out my dub and reggae records: Lee β€œScratch” Perry’s β€˜Ape-ology,’ The Congos’ β€˜Heart of the Congo,’ Augustus Pablo’s β€˜King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown,’ and even that glory hogging egomaniac Bob Marley, who just couldn’t live without the toe (I’ll quantify soon). I don’t listen to these records for the same reasons that hippie stoner burnouts do, which is primarily for the sake of wearing Birkenstocks and drug rugs to more occasions. I have always loved the music’s textures: the melodies swirling into one another all tied together through one very simple and elegant beat. It is very heady music, indeed, but it’s also very musical music. Click here to listen to the playlist.

We Love Dutch Hip Hop Group De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig's Music Video For the Track Manon

Created by Amsterdam based creative powerhouse Lernert & Sander, the genius music video for Dutch hip hop group De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig's single Manon goes for pussy power with a bevy of cats playing against a stark pink background – veiled innuendo or not, we love it. 

Autre Exclusively Debuts New Song From Kisses’ Upcoming Album That Comes With A Delicious Limited-Edition Plum Jam

photograph by John Michael Fulton

We’ve been following Los Angeles based pop duo Kisses for a long time. It’s a clichΓ© thing to admit, but they have been a regular soundtrack to our life for the last five years – since their extremely cool and sexy debut album, The Heart of the Nightlife. Sexy is the perfect way to describe Kisses – it’s their name, but it’s also the sound. Combining Jesse Kivel’s nonchalant, vintage-hued timbre and lyrics of youthful abandon and Zinzi Edmundson’s disco-inspired instrumentation, Kisses make undeniable magic for your ears and the dance floor. So, it was beyond exciting when we were asked if we wanted to exclusively premier a track off their upcoming album, Rest In Paradise (out October 9th), which sees Kisses collaborating with a live backing band, Midnight Magic, for the first time. This move from synth to live composition makes the record literally levitate with a new kind of aural luminance that harkens back to early Talking Heads, Orange Juice or even The English Beat. Below, we offer the first listen of the incredible track, entitled β€œJam.” In what may be a first, the band has collaborated with L.A. based preserves company and eatery Sqirl to create a custom-made plum jam for the debut of the track. Lead singer Kivel describes the track as β€œβ€¦a song best served with a piece of Chloe Sevigney "toe-ast" – which is why we paired with our friend Jessica at Sqirl to debut this song and a limited edition, literal jam. The tune takes you on a complex and flavorful journey, much like our tasty jam. Fun fact, Erika Spring adds some vocal harmonies on this tune.” This weekend, you can get a taste of this delicious jam and a taste of Kisses’ new album at a special listening party held at Formerly Yes in Downtown Los Angeles – you can RSVP here. The jam is also available for purchase with Hit City USA, the label that takes these tasty grooves from the studio, to your earbuds, and straight down to your dancing feet. Turn up your speakers and press play below. 

The New Funkadelic Revival: Read Our Exclusive Interview with Boulevards' Jamil Rashad On Bringing Funk Back To The People and His New Album →

β€œFunk is the DNA for hip hop,” George Clinton once said in a television interview, when asked why his music had such staying power. It’s true, funk music is the double helix of sorts for the hip hop that rose from the streets to the top of the record label chain and to a sort of a blanketed commerciality that makes the rap music of today seem very watered down. This is where Boulevards comes in – not only are they bringing back the downhome funkiness of hip hop, they are also making funk music for the 21st century, which is amazing. Click here to read our interview with Boulevards' Jamil Rashad on his new album and bringing funk back to the people. 

Watch Small Black's Incredibly Touching and Cinematic Music Video for the Track Boy's Life

Small Black's music video for the track Boy's Life, off their upcoming album Best Blues (out on October 16th on Jagjaguar),  is a burst of youthful exuberance and heartache that may leave a lump in your throat. The video was directed by the inimitable Nick Bentgen who has been working with the band since its inception in 2009. Starting with the β€œDespicable Dogs” video from the Small Black EP, Bengten and the band have collaborated on three other videos since then. Small Black lead singer Josh Kolenik says of Bentgen, β€œHe functions almost as a fifth band member, assigning images to the sounds that come out of our heads, populating them with sprawling casts and endless locales, yet never missing the quiet moment. With β€˜Boys Life,’ he's getting at a simple reflection on being young, and the many identities we all try out on our paths to figuring out how we might be. Falling through the city on the way to our lives.”

Premier of Autre Ne Veut's Video for The Track β€œAge of Transparency” Off Upcoming Album

Since announcing his new album, Age of Transparency, this past August, Autre Ne Veut has shared a video for "World War Pt.2,” a jazz version of that single, the single β€œPanic Room” and its accompanying video, featuring Ashin singing acapella. Today, in a special collaboration with Yours Truly and Wetransfer, Arthur Ashin of Autre Ne Veut shares a music video  for the titular single, Age of Transparency, as the final tastes of the album before its release next week (on Downtown). Director Allie Avital, who is responsible for both of the album’s previous videos, claims Age of Transparency’s cover art as her inspiration. She explains; β€œI caught one of the marble figures eating Thai noodles during lunch and was really moved by how beautiful and somewhat sad that image was. Over the course of the last few months, we [Avital & Ashin] developed this mythology of a dystopian office where the businesspeople have turned to marble, and this mischievous Puck-like character plays amongst them.” Click here to preorder the album. 

Hear The First Track Off John Malkovich's Insane Plato-Inspired New Album In Collaboration With Yoko Ono and Others →

John Malkovich is releasing a concept album entitled Like A Puppet Show in collaboration with producer Sandro Miller, famous for the series of photographs featuring Malkovich in recreations of the some of the most iconic photographs. The album features Malkovich reading Plato’s Allegory Of The Cave over a score composed by Eric Alexandrakis. Click here to listen to the first track. 

Read Our Convo With Surf Noir Quartet La Luz's Frontwoman Shana Cleveland On Their Patently Sinister Sound and The Accident That Almost Ended Everything →

It seems like something dark and catastrophic always happens right before surf-noir quartet La Luz records an album. Before the first album, it was a mass shooting in Seattle. Before the second album, it was a catastrophic car accident on a highway whilst the band was on tour. All of this misfortune, perhaps melded with the dark overcastness of the Pacific Northwest, gives the band a murderous and deliciously baleful sound. Click here to read the full interview. 

For Autre's Fourth Friday Playlist We Present A Selection Of Tunes To Help With Your Post Fashion Week Comedown

The last two weeks have been madness for those of us amongst the art and fashion media. Who ever decided that New York Fashion Week and Art Gallery Back to School should fall on the same week is a terrible person. Perhaps there wasn't as much overlap in the art and fashion worlds when this was decided? Click here to listen to the ultimate playlist – a little ambient, drone and chilled out IDM – to help with your post fashion and art week come down. 

First Look At Deer Hunter's Psychedelic Music Video For the Track Breaker Off Upcoming Album

Deerhunter have shared a new track 'Breaker', the second to be aired from their forthcoming new album Fading Frontier, out October 16th via 4AD. 'Breaker' finds two of Deerhunter's founding members, Bradford Cox and Lockett Pundt, sharing vocal duties in their first ever duet. The track follows the premiere of the intoxicating garage funk of 'Snakeskin' last month. Directed by Bradford Cox (additional photography from Lockett Pundt), the luminous 'Breaker' video stars Cox and Pundt alongside Deerhunter members Moses Archuleta and Josh McKay. Click here to preorder. 

Grimes ProtΓ©gΓ© Nicole Dollanganger Shares Video for Angels of Porn

Canadian based songstress Nicole Dollanganger is one of our new artists. It's no wonder since Grimes found her first and put her first album out on a newly created record label Eerie Organization. Dollanganger's album, entitled Natural Born Losers, will be out on October 9th and she will be going on tour supporting Grimes.  Natural Born Losers finds the artist stepping out of the bedroom and into the studio for the first time. Dollanganger's tender, harrowing portraits of secret pain and suffocating loneliness now occupy a much wider and grander canvas than ever before, confidently realizing a new level of scope and detail that her previous work only suggested.

Noah Wall Called A Bunch of His Cool Friends and Asked What They Did or Do Call Their Grandparents And Made An Entire EP

Today is officially National Grandparent's Day. In honor of this special today, not only do we urge you to visit, call or think about your father's father or mother's mother – we also urge you to listen to Noah Wall's amazing new EP. With the simple question: β€˜β€What did (or do) you call your grandparents?” – Wall encouraged 100 of his friends to send in their answers. With those replies, he created an amazing EP and a subsequent short animated film with 217 spoken grandparent names. Wall, who has been known for embedding himself as an audio spy in a Guitar Center and creating a series of Good Morning Instagram videos, described the project: "This pot of Nanas, Papas, Opas, Gidos, Booboos, Gagas, Gogis, and Yeahyeahs was starting to resemble some sort of psychedelic Rosetta Stone lesson." You can click here to listen to the full EP and download the album. 

For Autre's Third Friday Playlist We Invite You To Tune In and Drop Out To Some Japanese Psychedelia

No one seems to do psychedelic rock as joyously blistering as the Japanese. In this playlist, you'll find some of the most ear scorching psychonaut rock n' roll out there. Within this list is the progenitors of this whole thing, Les Rallizes Denudes, with their vampiric doo-wop stomper 'Night of the Assasins.' The immortal Kawabata Makoto is well-represented on this list, with his band Mainliner's 'M' and longstanding project Acid Mother Temple's 'Starless and Bible Black Sabbath." Kawabata's sound philosophies are a strong stand in for the philosophy of this blissful form of music. Equally influenced by Stockhausen as he is Hendrix, Makoto marries the most mind-altering textures from rock, noise, drone, and jazz to bring an aural onslaught that pummels as much as it enlightens. Click here to listen

Get Lost In A K-Hole With The Second Friday Autre Playlist That Explores Mid-90s Pro-Arena Techno

Get ready to enter a K-hole of musical nostalgia – Adam Lehrer explores a world pre Skrillex, pre Deadmau5 – the halcyon days of underground raves and candy flipping – when electronic dance music made a brief, but beautiful emergence on the mainstream radio and kids all over the world were wearing wide jeans and popped a pacifier in their mouth. Click here to listen to the playlist - with tracks by the Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy and more.  

Watch: the Music Video for Kenton Slash Demon's Track "Harpe" Is A Magical Misfit Dance Party

Copenhagen, Denmark based Kenton Slash Demon are set to release their Harpe/Syko EP on September 11th on vinyl and on September 18th digitally via Future Classic. Today, the Danes release the music video for their track Harpe off the new EP. Director Jenna Mangulad says, β€œThe idea for the video was to create a scene that could be from a feature film, where different types of people at a bar, come together and share their love for music and dancing. The video is about those moments you experience in life, were you just let go, and lose yourself to the moment.”