The New Division, Remixers Extraordinaire

Our boys in The New Division have been very busy of late, dropping their first hip-hop remix (of Baltimore's Rapdragons):

In-house producer Vaab's prog house rework of their own "Violent":

As well as their take on 2 Hearts and Chemicals' "Coming Home":

Be sure to keep up with them on Soundcloud for all their latest remix work!

The New Division's Star Is Rising

The New Division have been upping their profile lately, performing at a pre-Oscar party benefitting Global Green, packed with celebrities like Adrian Grenier, seen above with TND frontman John Kunkel. Their focus is still broad though, as tracks from the crew's side projects just keep getting better. As John Glenn, Kunkel recently released trance track "Columbo":

Keyboardist Mark Michalski's Datsyuk project just made "Love 16" a free download on their Bandcamp page:

Division 87 Records

Since releasing Shadows, The New Division has been focusing on building their record label, Division 87. With releases from TND side projects as well as Argentinean electronica duo Doleips, they've been quite busy.

TND synth player Mark Michalski has been releasing some excellent tracks, primarily with vocalist Brooke Lohman, under the moniker Datsyuk (to be confused with the hockey player, not dubstep producer Datsik).

We can be looking forward to lots more great things from Division 87 as The New Division builds their electronic empire.

Shadows Released Yesterday

The New Division just released their first full-length, Shadows, on Division 87. Pick it up on Bandcamp [here].

Countdown to Shadows

The New Division just released "Shallow Play", the second single from upcoming debut LP Shadows, which is already getting attention from Prefixmag. Catch them performing this and other jams at Soda Bar in San Diego tomorrow or at the Shadows release party in Claremont at the Hip Kitty on the 29th [RSVP].

If you're not in SoCal to catch a show (my current situation), console yourself with frontman John's latest solo effort, "The One Thing I Can't Have":

TND - Opium - Remixes & Free Download

The New Division's latest single "Opium" is up for free download this week only at their Bandcamp page. The single comes with the original track plus remixes by band members Juan the Tiger, John Glenn, and Vaab, who each take it in a very different direction. Juan the Tiger makes it into an ambient dub, John Glenn takes it international with an Italo disco rework, and Vaab moves into glitch territory with an epic 8 minute rendition.

Osama Throws An Eighties Party Mixtape

As an 80's baby who never really experienced the decade, I put this mix together as a 21st century perspective on the second-to-last decade of the 20th. It is a musical answer to the question "What do the 80's look like in a post-Michael Jackson, post-Osama bin Laden world?" And besides, girls love 80's parties.

The New Division - Opium

The New Division just released "Opium", from the forthcoming Shadows LP, out September 27th. Give it a listen and then buy it [here].

Show Review: The Dimepiece Party Summer Kickoff

The members of VCR Monster (the headlining band I missed at The Crescent Jewell) throw a monthly party at Rancho Verde Golf Club in Rialto. Evidently they have been trying to get The New Division to perform for quite some time, and this month they finally did.
As the youthful crowd gradually filled the room to the electro sounds of The 1200s (Snatch, Inglish the DJ, Androids Don't Stop), I was thoroughly impressed by the lighting. The atmosphere was much more dance club than golf club, despite the heavy concentration of smokers out on the patio with a clear view of the course. TND went on around 11, sans guitarist Brock Woolsey due to work commitments. Their set noticeably altered the enthusiasm of different crowd segments, for the most part switching the casts of smoking patio and dancefloor. Focusing on their more club-ready tracks, their set was significantly more 'thumping' than usual, though that was perhaps due to a bass-heavy soundsystem that buried John's vocals in the mix in favor of basslines and synth leads to keep the kids moving. "No Health" was definitely a crowd favorite, with a circle briefly opening for ravers and b-boys to do some odd cross-genre battling.


The 1200s kept the party going following The New Division with tracks like Armand Van Helden and Dizzee Rascal's "Bonkers" and a dubstep remix of Kreayshawn's "Gucci Gucci". In all, quite the evening; significantly better than one would expect when hearing "club night at a golf club".

The New Division Crew & Its Ever-Expanding Repertoire

Though we've covered founding members John Kunkel and Michael Janz' production efforts, it seems that guitarist Brock Woolsey's work as Juan the Tiger has been missed. He has done his own remix of The New Division's "Saturday Night":

as well as some original productions, my favorite of which is his latest, "Orange":

Show Review: The New Division at The Crescent Jewell

The Crescent Jewell is a restaurant and lounge in downtown Riverside that generally hosts jazz musicians, but occasionally allows certain promoters to bring in pop acts. On one of these occasions, I ventured in to see TND play, along with local rapper and TND collaborator David Reddix, Jr. Unfortunately, the blown sound system had other plans.

After a brief attempt at a set, including an admirable rendition of recent single "Saturday Night" that went over remarkably well with the gathered hipsters, all things considered, Kunkel and company called it a night. Reddix took the stage squad deep, ran through abbreviated versions of a couple of possible bangers, and then did the same. I left before the touring headliner to save my ears the harassment, went back to the apartment I now share with TND beatmaker Janzie (aka Vaab), and consoled myself with the recently released official video for "Starfield":

The New Division: New Single

TND just released "Saturday Night"/"True Lies", a promotional single for "Shadows", their debut LP, which is coming in September. The two songs and a pair of remixes of each are available for free download at their Bandcamp page. Not included in the release is Vaab's dub of "Saturday Night":

The New Division: Electronic Production Crew

The New Division are not only a Southern California band with their own twist on the Depeche Mode/New Order redux that is going on right now, they are a group of talented guys with an interest in all forms of electronic music. Solo productions, remixes both by the band and its individual members, and DJ gigs add to the electronic movement TND is building. Until their double single "True Lies/Saturday Night" drops on the 30th, content yourselves with these goodies:

The New Division Remix of Keep Shelly in Athens' "Hauntin' Me":

(or their takes on Keilan's "Dying for a Change", Phoenix's "Armistice", or Houses "Endless Spring", as well as original trance production [as GALA] "San Diego")

John Glenn (aka frontman John Kunkel) has done a couple of original prog house tracks:

(as well as remixing Phoenix's "Countdown" and Keep Shelly in Athens' "Hauntin' Me", among others)

Vaab (aka programmer Janzie) just picked up a Top 40/House club residency with this audition minimix:

(in addition to remixing John Glenn's "Naia", Short Circuit's "Late Night Drive", The New Division's "Art Kraft", and producing a few original tracks)

For the original tracks, check out:
Phoenix
Keep Shelly in Athens
Short Circuit
Keilan
Houses photo courtesy of Aerial Noise

The Fox and the Hound Show - 4/5/11

Our first show in April included the world premiers of The New Division's "Walk in the Dark" and Taylor Smith's "Beautiful Eyes", among other goodies. Probably too many jokes on this one, but that's why you love us!

Vote for The New Division

The New Division has an opportunity to play live on Jimmy Kimmel if they hit 5,000 'likes' on Facebook by the end of the month. [Click here to like their page] and then download the free mp3 of their latest single "Walk in the Dark" at their Bandcamp page.

The Fox and the Hound Show - 3/1

This week's radio show features tracks by Chicken Little, mewithoutYou, Letters from the Prom, The New Division remix of "Lisztomania, and many other Flying Circus favorites. Don't forget to become a fan and tune in each week from 9-11 PM Eastern. Next week we'll have J.M. Ruth, author of The Deacon Cross, who has been posting a soundtrack for the book called "Pudge's iPod".

John Glenn Remixes

John Glenn (aka John Kunkel, frontman of The New Division) has been doing some great remix work that fits nicely with his band's material more generally. The late-night "intelligent dance music" vibes I praised on The Rookie EP here get applied to hits by other electronic bands, specifically Phoenix and Toro y Moi. Enjoy! Catch the latter back in Philly at 1st Unitarian on April 12th courtesty of R5.

My Review of The Rookie EP for The Swinging Bridge

When the hypnotic synth riff that drives opening single “Starfield” emerges from ambient noises to dominate the listener’s consciousness, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary bedroom electronica record. Building on this solid foundation, The New Division assemble a stadium-sized sound full of clattering percussion and laid-back guitars at the summit of which floats John Kunkel’s ethereal, reverb-drenched vocal. The glitchy rhythm and ‘80s snares of “Devotion” are reminiscent of a time when Joy Division, New Order, Kraftwerk, and Depeche Mode kept dancefloors packed until the wee hours of the morning. Its lyrical content, focusing on themes of solitude and spirituality, keeps The New Division firmly in such critically-acclaimed company—the purveyors of so-called ‘intelligent dance music’. Skittering cymbals and a pulsing bassline pick up the pace on “No Health” before smoothly flowing into the more rock-influenced “Nocturnal”. The rock influence remains in the ambient guitars at the beginning of “Festival”, a sound that would fit well on the last Ratatat album, before dropping an electro beat that has more in common with Deadmau5. Album closer “Bucharest” mimics the transition from hard-hitting club synths to more melodic lines one might experience on the way home from a night out, perfectly matched with lyrics about late-night conversations, loneliness, and the difficulty of communicating across cultures one might encounter both in the Romanian capital and The New Division’s hometown of Riverside, California. As a DJ, I appreciate their ability to balance a variety of songs capable of standing on their own and album-wide pacing to produce a smooth set of tunes that work extremely well in exactly the order they appear, from “Starfield” to “Bucharest”, almost like a narrative.

The New Division are clearly capable of producing a diverse array of electronic music, and their acoustic hidden bonus track hints at yet another direction they might go in the future. For an independently-released EP, The Rookie is an impressive effort. I had the privilege of seeing their CD release show in Riverside, and can honestly say it translates even better live, and with the recent addition of a drummer their act is sure to be even more compelling. Recent coverage from influential blogs like Pitchfork and NME (the British equivalent of Rolling Stone) leaves me hopeful that on their next effort they will have the benefit of a record label and its associated equipment and recording quality, distribution, and the possibility of a national tour so we East Coast residents can experience their music in the late-night environments it seems destined for.

- This is my original text. Check the final version at The Swinging Bridge here: http://media.www.messiahsb.com/media/storage/paper1242/news/2011/02/16/Entertainment/The-Rookie.Ep.Review-3975156.shtml

Show Review: The New Division

On 1/11/11, The New Division released their EP, The Rookie. The release party, at Division 9 Gallery in their hometown of Riverside, CA, was the first time I actually got to see them live. The show was well-attended, especially for a Tuesday, and the crowd packed out the back half of the gallery, still displaying pieces from the Day of the Dead celebration a while back.

My girlfriend and I arrived a little late, and gravitated toward the flashing lights and pulsing beat from the back of the room. The band had just launched into their set with an older track, and proceeded to play through the EP in order, beginning with internet-hyped single "Starfield". One song was skipped due to the absence of the new live drummer, whose kit was locked in the church that he also plays for. I was impressed with John Kunkel's ability to replicate his ethereal vocals live, and Janz's replacement of the drummer's fills with his live programming. Most of the crowd stuck around a while after the show to talk to the band, purchase merch, or finish up the band-provided wine bar. It was a good show, and I look forward to seeing them again. If you aren't in California, you can download the EP here and look forward to the release of the video for "Starfield" in February. I got a sneak preview, and it's awesome.

Art Kraft.wav by The New Division

10 Artists I Got Into in 2010

I know I'm a bit late with this, but if you actually read this blog you've put up with far worse.

1. Wavves
I know I should've already loved the music of Nathan Williams based on The Fader's recommendation, but it was a bit too experimental for me until he hooked up with members of Jay Reatard's band (may Jay rest in peace) and dropped King of the Beach, which I put on the playlist at WVMM and rocked regularly on The Fox and the Hound Show. Psychedelic surf punk never sounded so good.

2. Chiddy Bang
Another artist I probably should have been up on, considering their origins in Philly's college party scene and flair for indie-dance samples, Chiddy came into my life when I helped some friends push for his inclusion in this year's SAB concert schedule. Since then, I've seen him put on a great live show [review here], spun the crap out of The Preview EP on The Fox and the Hound, and been mildly obsessed with the way Air Swell helps recontextualize music I loved in England for American hip-hop heads.

3. Nicki Minaj
I am a converted hater. I used to think Nicki was just playing Kim to Wayne's Biggie, ghostwriting and all, and then I heard "Monster". One of two songs that redeemed the over-appreciated My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, it did so almost solely on the wings of a verse twice the length and twice the quality of any guest verse done all year. Fortunately, this conversion experience opened me up to exploring the depth of Nicki's schizophrenic output, a journey I have enjoyed immensely. Download Kingdom's "Nicki-centric" edit here.

4. The Dirty Heads
One of the first artists Jared introduced me to when we kicked off The Fox and the Hound Show this fall, The Dirty Heads became one of the most frequently played, both on the show and in our apartment. This is the sound of Sublime for a new generation, stamped with approval by an opening slot on the Sublime with Rome tour.

5. Paper Route
I've been hearing good things about Paper Route for a while, and finally caught them live at Purple Door, where they got the folk crowd at the Gallery Stage dancing to a compelling concoction of propulsive electronic beats, organic instrumentation, and dueling vocals. Hopefully the unfortunate departure of founding member Andy Smith will not hinder their Universal Motown follow-up too much.

6. The Wiyos
When I pulled the Wiyos' Broken Land Bell off the shelf in the studio at the V, Jared had no idea one of he and his dad's favorite bands was playing B-sides the next day. His enthusiasm was infectious, and for once a live act not only lived up to, but exceeded the hype. Their vaudevillian antics had me convinced I was hearing the best bits of my grandparents' record collection performed live [show review here].

7. Aaron Lee Martin
The soulful folk this singer-songwriter plays proved both a complement and a contrast to the mournful message that brought him to Messiah-mountaintop removal coal mining awareness. He was our first live performance on The Fox and the Hound [review here], and has been performing on record ever since.

8. Jamie Kent & the Options
A cheery blend of blues and pop that overcame circumstances and drew a decent crowd on a Tuesday night at Messiah [review here], Jamie Kent & the Options bring infectious hooks that match their infectious good humor. I'm trying to talk B-sides into bringing them back for a more official show next semester.

9. The New Division
Wearing their influences proudly on their sleeves, The New Division's nostalgic electronica has even been recognized by the snobs at Pitchfork. I will be seeing them live for the first time in the near future, and I'm pretty psyched about it. Look forward to the release of their EP The Rookie on the 11th. [edit: went to the release show, review here]

10. The Drastics
There is nothing like reggae to blast away the cold of winter with recorded summer warmth, and The Drastics play every variety of reggae very, very well. Since their phenomenal show at Messiah [review here], their endless free mixtapes and the inclusion of "Good Time Tonight" in DJ sets both on-air and at parties with The Fox and the Hound has not failed to warm my heart and loosen my limbs.