Author: Crossfire

The UK DMC Championships are happening in July.

Thursday 17th July will see the Islington Academy hosting the UK final, following the nationwide heats which are already underway. The winner will then go on to represent the UK at the World DJ Championships at the Indigo2 in September. Past winners include the likes of DJ Blakey, Plus One and the Scratch Perverts, with JFB defending his UK crown.

The event will be hosted by Cutmaster Swift and MC Trip with Million Dan, Le Shadow, Hobbit and DJ Skitz providing cover throughout. DJ Atom and DJ Pfel from legendary French crew C2C will also turn up to perform as Beattorrent. It’s going to be huge.

www.dmcworld.com

The Levellers have spoken out about their new single.

Burn America Burn is out on June 2nd as a free download and the band have said:

“We have written a consciously political record, not as a manifesto which is how people used to take our lyrics but as a reaction to apathy – something we’re all guilty of. The songs on the album are observations on topics including war, the media, government, betrayal, life choices and broken dreams. Burn America Burn is about that country imploding from within, using the Virginia Tech massacre as an example. The song is from the gunman’s point of view.”

They will be playing it at the following dates:

24.05.08 – Perth Festival
26.06.08 – Glastonbury Festival The Left Field Stage
04.07.08 – Guilfest
12.07.08 – Arley Hall Northwich
17.07.08 – Larmer Tree Festival
01.08.08 – Cambridge Folk Festival
03.08.08 – Stokes Bay Festival
08.08.08 – Cropredy Festival
09.08.08 – Harewood House Yorkshire
15.08.08 – Beautiful Days Festival
22.08.08 – Arundel Castle
30.08.08 – Connect Festival
12.09.08 – Bowood House
17.10.08 – Musicport Festival

www.lettersfromtheunderground.com

Neon Neon have announced details of a new single.

The team of Boom Bip and Gruff Rhys will release their “double N-Side” single ‘I Told Her On Alderaan’/’Trick For Treat’ on July 14. The latter of the two songs features Har Mar Superstar and Spank Rock on vocals.

They are also set to play a one off gig in a car park off Hearn Street in London on July 6th and have promised free entry to anyone who turns up in a DeLorean car. Nice!

www.myspace.com/neonx2

Sigur Ros have unveiled details of their fifth album.

The record will be called Me_ su_ í eyrum vi_ spilum endalaust [meaning with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly] and was recorded in New York, London and their native Iceland. It is the first time the band have gone outside of Iceland to record any music and features vocals in English for the first time.

The tracklisting is:

‘Gobbledigook’
‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’
‘Gó_an daginn’
‘Vi_ spilum endalaust’
‘Festival’
‘Me_ su_ í eyrum’
‘Ára bátur’
‘ Illgresi’
‘Fljótavík’
‘Straumnes’
‘All Alright’

www.sigur-ros.co.uk

Digital Underground will be releasing a new album.

The group, who haven’t put a record out since 1998’s Who Got The Gravy, will be releasing Cuz A D.U. Party Don’t Stop digitally this week. The label has said it will definitely be the group’s last album and contains material from 2002 and 2005 recording sessions. Have a butcher’s at some old skool Humpty flavour:

Hatebreed has announced some details about their recently promised covers album.

The record will feature songs by Metallica, Cro-Mags, Negative Approach, Judge, The Misfits, Madball, Agnostic Front, Obituary, DRI, Sheer Terror and is due at the end of the year. Jamey Jasta of the band said:

“The record’s called “For the Lions.” All the artwork is based around all these different stone lions, and it’s basically because each band is like a lion in their own game, like a leader. So we tried to think of each genre and subgenre, and grab a band that really affected us. It’s coming with like a 20-page liner booklet with stuff from each guy about when we got the record, when we heard the band, how it affected us.

www.myspace.com/hatebreed

Mastodon have spoken about their new album.

Their second album for a major label will be produced by Brendan O’Brien, who has worked with Korn, Bruce Springsteen, Audioslave, The Offspring and Wire. It will be the first time they’ve worked on a record without Matt Bayles on production. The record is expected sometime this autumn.

www.mastodonrocks.com