The Shoes have been locked in dark rooms applying the finishing touches to their debut album due early 2011.
The French dynamic duo have been calling on all the friends they've met on their
travels over the last few years to help them realise their musical dreams. Its some guest list..and is testament to the contagious enthusiasm and er....'joie de vivre' that Guillaume and Ben always bring to their dj sets, remixes, live shows and late nights that this stella crew jumped at the chance to feature on the debut album.

Esser (Transgressive/Chocolate Industries) features on two tracks lending his distinctive vocal stylings and also banging the drums. Rumour has it that the next single in France will be the addictive 'Stay The Same' and a killer remix package is being assembled. Primary 1's on there but you know that already from the release on uber-cool 50 bones label a while back. The beats have been refreshed and the songs gone a little darker. Just how we like it. Tim from Liverpool mavericks 'Wave Machines' reassembled one of the tracks and got all sleazy on the lyrics - its going to make you blush. The Cock and Bull Kid did her thing on the dramatic groove of 'Cliche' which is drenched in middle eastern flavours. Looking for a pianist on the track 'Wolf Under The Moon' it could only be Gonzalez who's added his skills to this psychedelic pop track featuring our friends from Reims 'The Bewitched Hands On The Top Of Our Heads'. There's more but lets save some surprises.

To mix all these ingredients together into a musical delicacy The Shoes called on their friend Lexxx (Crystal Castles, Golden Silvers, Esser, Everthing Everything). A month holed up in darkest Hackney in a bizarre art deco apartment - Miami Vice via E8 - meant that the album could finally be completed. There's dancefloor moments that will be familiar to those that have kept abreast of the remixes (Primary 1, Marina and the Diamonds, Golden Silvers, Esser, Ladyhawke etc) over the last couple of years but there's also dark electronic pop songs that you're going to fall in love with.

The Shoes managed to squeeze a quick trip to Japan in where they ate sushi, shoppped relentlessly and even found the time to dj at the Womb in Tokyo and Osaka. Japanese friends The 80 Kidz were in Tokyo and begged The Shoes for a remix of their new single - Ben also added vocals to a track on their last album.

Oh yeah i forgot - we've got photos by the legendary 'GAVIN WATSON' taken earlier in the year down in Brighton. Look for classic Gavin photos adorning the French release of 'People Movin' and destined for future artwork...To be continued

East Nashville artist Alocodaman is supremely grateful for the opportunities music has brought into his life. The prolific MC has put eight years of focus and dedication into his craft and is now seeing the fruits of his labor, with hopes of even better harvests on the horizon.

Music has moved Loco closer to his dreams and farther from the wild lifestyle he lived as a teen in “East Nasty,” Tennessee. Now, he’s focused on keeping a level head while living his dream-- Always reminding himself that hard work will beat talent if talent doesn’t work hard.

All Def Digital, HipHopDX and local radio station 1011 The Beat (iHeartRadio) have all taken note of Loco’s work ethic, pushing his standout tracks like "How I Roll" and "Major Flexxin" onto the national stage. The charismatic MC dedicated his life to music after a gang altercation at a party ended in gunfire. But Loco's love for rapping goes back to the fifth grade.

“I made a song called “Buena Vista Soldier” in the 5th grade," remembers Loco. "My big brother helped me on the first verse and I really admired him. So the song meant a hell of a lot.” When Loco recognized he could make a living while doing something he loved, he left the gang lifestyle that ate up his late teens and went for his dream. “Going from stealing to being paid for your talents, that is a blessing! So many people can’t say they do it.”

trying to make shit that looks/sounds cool...
more info at beeple-crap.com

The Collective Podcast brings you bi-weekly episodes of entertaining, informative, honest discussions with creative industry professionals from around the world. Created and hosted by designer/director Ash Thorp, he aims to explore the struggles of work/life balance and to share the experiences of influential creatives from all realms of media, including (but not limited to) designers, illustrators, visual effects artists, writers, painters, and programmers.

Handsomely selected groovin' music of all and any kind of flavors, curated by Praus and Mr. Tea

We love sharing music we find whether it's unknowns or premieres, DJ sets or podcasts. 

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