Dev Hynes has announced the release of Lightspeed Champion’s sophomore full-length, a sixteen track, double intermission-y upper entitled Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You. If his more straightforward pop tunes under the Lightspeed Champion moniker don’t ring a or your bell, you might may recognize him as one part of punk bombardiers Test Icicles or a guest on the lovely new Basement Jaxx record. In any event, Hynes’ new output will be arriving on February 1 in the UK, February 16th in North America as confirmed by Hynes’ label Domino. Tracklist below:

Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You

01 Dead Head Blues
02 Marlene
03 There’s Nothing Underwater
04 Intermission
05 Faculty Of Fears
06 The Big Guns Of Highsmith
07 Romart
08 I Don’t Want To Wake Up Alone
09 Madame Van Damme
10 Smooth Day (At The Library)
11 Intermission 2
12 Sweetheart
13 Etude Op.3
14 Goodnight Michalek
15 Middle Of The Dark
16 A Bridge And A Goodbye

Basement Jaxx is unleashing a new album, called Scars, that will feature a star-studded set of guests. Coming to us on October 6, the production duo’s fifth album has collaborations with Santigold, Yoko Ono, Kelis, Lightspeed Champion, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, and Yo! Majesty, just to drop a few names. While their last album, Crazy Itch Radio, “strayed too far into pop territory” as half of the duo, Simon Ratcliffe puts it, other half Felix Buxton promises, “Scars is very much back to the kind of thing we used to do.” If you’re itching for a preview, enjoy the above video of their single “Raindrops” with this one caveat: it’s not what we would call office-appropriate.

Tonight at The Shank, catch Chairlift, Adam Green and Lightspeed Champion as they gather together to support beloved local musician, Jon Wiley. Earlier this year, Wiley was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and tonight’s benefit show has been put together to help raise awareness as well as the funds to help pay for Wiley’s health care. Brooklyn bands have joined together with Wanduta – a new, national organization designed to support and protect independent musicians. Come one come all and celebrate for a good cause! Tickets cost $15 – all proceeds go to Wiley’s medical bills.

Thursday, July 9th, 2009
We Are The Wiley: A Benefit Concert for Jon Wiley
The Shank
98 Bayard St, Williamsburg, BK
Doors 8pm (21+)
Lightspeed Champion – 9pm
Adam Green – 10pm
Charlift – 11pm
w/ DJ set by Johnny Tropical

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—Additional reporting by Jenna Gabriel

[Photo by Jamie Beeden]

From the excitement on the faces of our British dance fans, we were able to surmise that a new Basement Jaxx single has hit the airwaves. Last week, Basement Jaxx premiered “Raindrops” on Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1 show Essential Selection. Featuring Felix Buxton on vocals (and on the vocoder), “Raindrops” has a much sunnier disposition than it’s title would suggest.
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