Ever since the inception of the MP3 format, consumers have had the choice to illegally download music free of charge. The natural knee-jerk reaction by major labels was to stop the bleeding by any means necessary, fighting internet piracy through lawsuits and toppling person-2-person (P2P) file-sharing networks. However, larger corporations like Yahoo! Music , EMI and Sony BMG are finally taking note of how independent sites like Apple iTunes , eMusic ...

"I got my wish list on my last album so I made this one unattainable," Lupe Fiasco boasted to Billboard.com. "Now I want to work with Pink Floyd , or the remnants of Pink Floyd." Having set an impressive precedent with his debut album Food And Liquor , teaming up with stars Jay-Z , Kanye West and Jill Scott , Lupe can only look skyward for his forthcoming LP The Cool , which will be produced solely by talent-spotted Soundtrakk ...

Japanese indie/electronic producer and multi-instrumental recording artist Cornelius released a late 2006 album, Sensuous in Japan. No longer with Matador Records , his album is currently void of a US label and release date. A unique artist who draws influence from Kraftwerk, The Beatles and the Beach Boys, his songs are always melodic and playful. You can view his music video for “Music,” the first single off of his latest album, which...

Voting for Gilles Peterson’s prestigious Worldwide All Winners Awards 2006 is underway, coming to a close at midnight on December 13th. The “world's longest list to help you choose” the Track of the Year, Album of the Year and Session of the Year is a testament to the diversity of sounds that get championed on the show. From the bootleg afrobeat rump shaker, “Mulah 2” to the summery “Sunshine” by Raul Midon to Georgia Anne Muldrow’s ...

The 49th Grammy Awards nominations have been posted. One of the breakout artists of the year, Gnarls Barkley received five nods, including Record of the Year (for “Crazy” ) and Album of the Year (for St. Elsewhere ). Another favorite artist of ours, Corinne Bailey Rae garnered nominations for Best New Artist, Song of the Year and Record of the Year (for “ Put Your Records On” ). KT Tunstall and Nelly Furtado both received a...

Ninja Tune's Mr. Scruff will take over Cielo's soundsystem on February 15. Expect his signature sound: jazz and biscuits; funk and pies; pickled reggae; hip-hop and ale; and a little disco, afrobeat and house sprinkled into the mix. Click Here for more info and tickets.

The RZA’s new soundtrack project, an animated TV mini series entitled Afro Samurai , premiers January 4 on Spike TV . The Wu-Tang member enlisted GZA , the extended Wu-Tang clan, Q-Tip and Talib Kweli for the album, which will be released January 16 on Koch Records . Based on a novel by Takashi Okazaki of the same name, the show is about a black samurai, voiced by Samuel L. Jackson , on a quest to avenge his father...

Former San Franciscans turned New Yorkers, the Rapture have setup their own label with DJ James Friedman called Throne of Blood Records (name possibly taken from Akira Kurosawa's Macbeth-based film). Their initial intent for the imprint is to create a platform for the slew of vinyl singles and remixes compiled from their latest album Pieces of the People We Love . The Rapture will manage the creative direction and Friedman will supervise the label’s...

In support of their fourth album Visitations (to be released in America 1/23/07 via Domino), Clinic will take their astounding live show to U.S. shores in March 2007 for the first time in 3 years. Already released in Europe last month, the LP has received fantastic reviews from NME and Time Out London. It was recorded entirely in The Cooker , the foursome’s Liverpool studio. On February 5, Domino will also release "If You Could Change Your Mind ,"...

New Order’s Peter Hook wanted to form a new band. While partying one night with Andy Rourke of the Smiths and Mani of the Stone Roses and Primal Scream , Hook thought it a prime opportunity to recruit members for what would become Freebass . Normally that sort of proposition might have been met with a moment of contemplation, consequently stirring-up a collective approval or lively discussion. However, the New Order bassist was talking to...