Wednesday Music News

Daily Roundups
11/23/2016
Janice Headley
photo by Matthew B. Thompson (view set)

  • Icelandic etherealists Sigur Rós have released a special remix of their track "Hoppípolla," exclusively for the BBC TV series Planet Earth II. This nature documentary program is presented and narrated by Sir David Attenborough. In a statement to the BBC, the band state:

    In Iceland we are blessed with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of wild and untamed places. But even here, in the very furthest flung corners of Europe’s largest wilderness, the scars of human industry are visible, the plans for future encroachments, by dam and smelter, legion. If lost the Icelandic highlands are not recoverable. Around the world the story is the same; the traffic, literally, going in one direction. Sigur Rós are proud to be associated with Planet Earth II and its all-important mission to hold us rapt in understanding of, and respect for, this endlessly fascinating, utterly surprising and ultimately fragile place we are lucky enough to call home for a short while.

    Listen to the "Planet Earth II" remix below. The original version of the song can be found on their 2005 album Takk... Planet Earth II begins airing on BBC America starting January 28th. [Pitchfork]

  • It's not being used for a nature documentary, but Swedish pop duo The Radio Dept. share a new remix today, too. Check out the Henning Fürst mix of the dance-pop gem "We Got Game" below. Fürst was formerly in his own duo, The Tough Alliance, and has remixed tracks from Yeasayer, Cut Copy, and more. The original version is on their latest LP Running Out of Love, out now via Labrador. The Radio Dept. head out on a North American tour in North American, including a Tuesday, February 28th at Neumos. [Under the Radar]

  • The Christmas songs are a'comin', like this charming one from West Coast duo Best Coast. Stream the single "Christmas and Everyday" below, recorded for the Amazon exclusive TV special, An American Girl Story—Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas. (For the grown-ups who don't know, American Girl is a line of 18" dolls geared to teach young ladies about American history. So, like a Cabbage Patch Kid, but educational?) Frontwoman Bethany Cosentino says the song is about "empowerment and love. We need to remind our youth and young girls that they are strong and capable of achieving whatever they set their minds to—on Christmas and EVERY day." The show will be available via Amazon Prime Video starting November 25th. [Pitchfork]

  • French website La Blogothèque have been producing their Take Away Shows series for years now, placing bands in unconventional locations for live, natural performances. This time, they've taken Wilco to Museum Speelklok, a museum in Utrecht showcasing a collection of automatically-playing musical instruments. The result is these absolutely lovely, intimate versions of "If I Ever Was A Child" and "North American Kids," two tracks off their most recent release, Schmilco. Watch below. [Stereogum]

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