The ladies of Topshop get J-Lo and Kate Moss at their opening. What do the dudes get? Lo-fi bands at a graffiti strewn diy venue in Brooklyn. It’s cool that Topman will be throwing a party this weekend (for free) with some really solid bands on the bill (for free), but men who fancy their clothes to be European taylored, we think it’s time you ask for some big star power in your branding. Did we mention it’s free?

Topman has teamed up with four local college radio stations (at Fordham, NYU, Pratt and Bard) to present the show this Saturday (April 25) at The Shank in Brooklyn. Apparently only for college students (college ID’s are required for the free ticket), the line-up features Crash Diet Crew, Muggabears, These Are Powers, Wavves and Crystal Stilts.

To get your tickets, you’ve got to get yourself to the Topman store in SoHo with your college ID between 2 and 7 p.m. on Friday the 24th.

Knyfe Hyts celebrated the release of their new 12″ last night with a special 4:20-themed release party. Today they’re making a remix of the A-side by These Are Powers drummer Brenmar available. If last night was a psych-infused freak fest, today is all about dancing in celebration.

The “Screamin Love” b/w “We Go Wanderin” single was released last night on Dick Move Records, with only 100 records being pressed (75 were available at the show) and hand-stamped label art. The music and artwork is also currently available exclusively on Dick Move curator BJ Rubin’s Pukekos blog, for — get this — 100 hours to download for free, beginning at 4:20am on 4/20/09. The “show” was performed in acts with 5 separate Knyfe Hyts sets.

Brenmar’s remix of is by far the most structured noises we’ve heard come out of Knyfe Hyts (or These Are Powers for that matter), and we are definitely enjoying the transition. Oddly enough, they might be following a Telepathe path, or maybe this dance track is an aberration, either way, it’s a banger.

Knyfe Hyts – “Screamin Love” (Brenmar Remix)

Anyone who’s familiar with the Brooklyn and Baltimore scenes has run across GDFX at one point or another. You might know him better as one of the members of Teeth Mountain and the newest drummer for Liturgy. Or maybe you’re looking forward to seeing him on his current stint backing Dan Deacon as part of Deacon’s 14-person touring ensemble. And if you’re really in the know, maybe you’ve booked a show at Market Hotel through him or are hip to his micro-label Infinite Limbs. Either way, Greg Fox is a man who wears many hats whose solo project goes by the title of GDFX.

GDFX sees Greg step away from the drum kit and take a stab at twisting knobs. Filled with integrity, we’re actually fond of his work as GDFX because of it’s pop-sensibilities. Much like our friend Dan Friel — although with heavier nod to the 8-bit gods — Greg’s hob-knobbery (like that one?) is filled with plenty of catchy hooks. Too bad few of them are present in the clip below, because as fate would have it, Greg’s gear — along with a flash card that held the last five years of GDFX material — was stolen before his New Year’s show with, ironically enough, Dan Friel and These Are Powers. From the GDFX >MySpace blog on New Year’s day, 2009:

thank you to the people who broke into my car and stole all of my gear

be wary of the false gdfx.

But don’t fret, GDFX has pressed on, as his show last night with Double Dagger and Future Island and the brand new 20-minute epic track “Long Chord” will attest.

GDFX – “Long Chord”

These Are Powers are taking it to the streets next month to support their Dead Oceans debut All Aboard Future, and they’re bringing a bunch of really cool friends along, too.

They’ll start out in Philadelphia with U.S. Girls on February 25, head to the west coast and back before wrapping things up in Richmond, Va., on March 27. Along the way they’ll also be playing with Abe Vigoda and Bird Names. (Tide your appetite over til then with our exclusive track from last week.)

These Are Powers U.S. tour dates
02.25.09 – Philadelphia, Penn. (The Marvelous Music) *
02.26.09 – Pittsburgh, Penn. (Lava Lounge) *
02.27.09 – Chicago, Ill. (The Hideout) **
02.28.09 – Grinnell, Iowa (Grinnell College Gardner Lounge) **
03.01.09 – Minneapolis, Minn. (Triple Rock Social Club) **
03.02.09 – Lincoln, Neb. (Box Awesome)
03.03.09 – Denver, Colo. (Rhinoceropolis)
03.04.09 – Salt Lake City, Utah (Kilby Court)
03.06.09 – Seattle, Wash. (Vera Project)
03.07.09 – Olympia, Wash. (The Northern)
03.08.09 – Portland, Ore. (Backspace)
03.11.09 – Chico, Calif. (Tion)
03.12.09 – Santa Cruz, Calif. (Crepe Place)
03.13.09 – Oakland, Calif. (Totally Intense Fractal Mindgaze)
03.14.09 – San Francicso, Calif. (Hemlock Tavern)
03.15.09 – Los Angeles, Calif. (The Echo/Part Time Punks)
03.16.09 – Phoenix, Ariz. (Phix Gallery) #
03.17.09 – Albequerque, N.M. (TBD)
03.19.09 – 03.21.09 – Austin, Texas (SXSW)
03.23.09 – Jackson, Miss. (121 Milsaps)
03.24.09 – Atlanta, Ga. (Eyedrum Gallery)
03.25.09 – Athens, Ga. (Caledonia Lounge)
03.26.09 – Chapel Hill, N.C. (Nightlight)
03.27.09 – Richmond, Va. (TBA)

* with U.S. girls
** with Birdnames
# with Abe Vigoda

Having been a fan of These Are Powers‘ “future primitive” sounds for some time now, we jumped at the chance to give TAP some Tripwire love. The trio consisting of ex-Liar Pat Noecker, percussionist Bill Salas and the ever-engaging Anna Barie on guitar and vocals will release their second LP and Dead Oceans debut, All Aboard Future on February 17. One of the songs from the forthcoming record — actually the first track — is “Easy Answers”, which we have the exclusive remix of from Pit er Pat drummer, minimalist trance artist and recording engineer Butchy Fuego.

To borrow a quote from the band themselves, These Are Powers make music like cashmere lightning. And nowhere is this more prevalent than Butchy’s remix. At the forefront — as is the case in their “normal” recordings — are Barie’s vocals. Her sharp staccato annunciation and Ponytail-esque delivery is the attention grabber, but here it’s backed by a softer, almost muted accompaniment of remixed bass and percussion. Cut up with synths, hand claps and overdubs, it’s a more inviting tone for the usually much noisier music collective. Or to appropriate their words again, they are hymns piggybacking on noise collages, club beats and ragas.

Speaking of Ponytail, These Are Powers are starting to celebrate the release of their new LP with a slew of NY-area shows, starting tomorrow (Friday, January 23) with Molly Siegel and co. at the Bell House in Brooklyn. A full list of TAP’s upcoming shows are listed below the track.

Exclusive – These Are Powers “Easy Answers” (Butchy Fuego Remix)

These Are Powers tour dates
01.23.09 – Brooklyn, NY (Bell House)*
01.30.09 – Brooklyn, NY (Danbro Studios Warehouse)#
02.06.09 – New York, NY (92YTribeca)
02.13.09 – Brooklyn, NY (Secret Project Robot) Record Release Show
02.16.09 – New York, NY (Other Music in-store)
02.20.09 – New York, NY (Less Artists More Condos)

* w/ Ponytail, Pattern Is Movement
# Brooklyn Vs. Baltimore with Dan Deacon, USAISAMONSTER, Future Islands