Songlines Festival

Photo by Chris D. Rasmussen

Vampire Weekend leader Ezra Koenig has weathered through his fair share of Paul Simon comparisons. Now, he's meeting them head on. According to sources familiar with the project, the singer recorded a cover of Simon's 1972 track "Papa Hobo" along with rock legend Van Dyke Parks, and Fruit Bats' Eric Johnson for the upcoming indie comedy Ceremony with Uma Thurman. The movie was directed by Max Winkler (aka Henry Winkler's son) and premieres at this month's Toronto International Film Festival. No word on an official release for the track just yet.

MP3: Blue Water White Death: "Song for the Greater Jihad"

Blue Water White Death is the new art-pop superduo comprised of Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart and Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg. Their self-titled album is due October 12, via Graveface. And up above, you can download one of the tracks from the album, the evocatively titled "Song for the Greater Jihad". It's a florid acoustic track with exactly one burst of horrible noise in its six minutes.

Meanwhile, Xiu Xiu, Stewart's main gig, is touring the entire known universe this year, and they've just added even more dates. Click below for their touring schedule.

Photo by George Kalivas

Rising dream-pop band Twin Sister are set to embark on their most extensive tour to date in the coming months. Most of the gigs find them opening for the Morning Benders in North America, but they have a few European dates lined up for the end of November, too. Check out the full itinerary below:

Self-proclaimed "ethnic electronic band" Das Racist are also a good-humored hip-hop act from Brooklyn who have a playful, nostalgic, old-school-Nintendo-inspired new video out for their track "Who's That? Brooown!", which you can watch at Pitchfork.tv or below. If you remember Double Dragon or Rampage or Frogger, you need to see this. If you don't remember those games, get familiar! (You can actually play the game shown in the video here.)

"Who's That? Brooown!" is off of their recent Shut Up, Dude mixtape. And the guys already have a new tape due to hit the internet September 14 called Sit Down, Man. It features a guest verse from El-P and production from Diplo, Chairlift, Boi-1Da, Keepaway, and more-- the tracklist and an in-studio trailer are after the jump:

Artist: Squarepusher
Album: Shobaleader One: d'Demonstrator
Release Date: October 9
Label: Warp

Artist: Squarepusher
Album: Shobaleader One: d'Demonstrator
Release Date: October 9
Label: Warp

In conjunction with Atmosphere's upcoming fall tour comes a new two-EP set called To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EPs. Though the release features 12 new tracks, don't call it an album. Or else! It's out September 7 digitally and on CD and vinyl via Rhymesayers, and will be available to purchase at the merch table during the tour.

Stream the new track "Freefallin'", and check out the To All My Friends tracklist along with all upcoming tour dates after the jump:

In conjunction with Atmosphere's upcoming fall tour comes a new two-EP set called To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EPs. Though the release features 12 new tracks, don't call it an album. Or else! It's out September 7 digitally and on CD and vinyl via Rhymesayers, and will be available to purchase at the merch table during the tour. (Thanks to reader Gabriel Grana for the tip.)

Stream the new track "Freefallin'", and check out the To All My Friends tracklist along with all upcoming tour dates after the jump:

Hey, it's another new Big Boi video! XXL has the latest clip from the still-banging Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, the Yelawolf-featuring "You Ain't No DJ". In the video, Big Boi and the Alabama up-and-coming rhymespitter do their hard-talking, cool-looking thing amidst herky-jerkily edited footage of breakdancers, mean-looking dogs, and, yes, DJs. Check out the clip below.

Hey, it's another new Big Boi video! XXL has the latest clip from the still-banging Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, the Yelawolf-featuring "You Ain't No DJ". In the video, Big Boi and the Alabama up-and-coming rhymespitter do their hard-talking, cool-looking thing amidst herky-jerkily edited footage of breakdancers, mean-looking dogs, and, yes, DJs. Check out the clip below.