‘It’s been a long while coming, this, as Siriusmo returns on Modeselektor’s Monkeytown Records. Frequently seen sporting Mickey Mouse paraphernalia, Berlin techno guru Moritz Friedrich is the big cheese you’d call in to exterminate that deadmau5 vermin once and for all, and Itchy is another full-frontal throb thoroughly worth the scratching. Built about a buoyant, but gloopy undulation there’s a Germanic accuracy to it – springy samples evocative of those to power Kraftwerk’s Pocket Calculator boing about the place – though bubbling under are three, thirty-three to really put Joel Zimmerman in his lowly place. There’s an intelligence to them; an ornate intricacy as rhythms swell potently, only to abate quite idiosyncratically. And at that same time there’s a deep-seated electropop penchant innately located within, as it lacks the acerbic aftertaste of Modeselektor’s latest, Monkeytown, to instead favour the agitated bloops of analog synths, nifty arpeggiation and the like. We implore you allow it to pest you incessantly below.’



Itchy is lifted from Friedrich’s second full-length, Enthusiast, expected June 14th.

‘Crowds of 50,000-plus; Hackney ubication; a Radio 1 affiliation: endless elements to this year’s Big Weekend equivalent, the Hackney Weekend 2012 rendered the very prospect somewhat daunting. Factor in reports of Hackney Marsh gradually transmogrifying into just that – an almighty, almightily viscous bog – and the whole thing becomes ever less appealing. Saturday’s Main Stage line up is a similarly groggy affair: like a treacherous overflowing of our fetid, sewer-like mainstream in which, par Example, Rizzle Kicks splurge out after Leona Lewis, the In New Music We Trust Stage would represent a safe haven of respite removed from the droplets of ersatz schmaltz excreted by the omnipresent – and lamentably omnipotent – Ed Sheeran. I say would as it’s confounding to even consider the innards of a brain within which the likes of Lostprophets, The Vaccines et cetera ad infinitum may be deemed New or indeed credible Music for that matter. I recall watching the former in Swansea at Wales’ inaugural One Big Sunday way back when whilst supposedly studying for some indeterminate yet determinedly pointless school exams aeons ago…’

Dots & Dashes recount irreverent musings and thoughts thunk at Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend’s Saturday, featuring the likes of Jay-Z & Nicki Minaj & Jack White & Swedish House Mafia…

Above is the official image of Sónar 2012 (June 14th-16th), a still from Sergio Caballero’s La Distancia, the tale of a robbery at a Siberian power station and below is the newly enhanced musical line up for Barcelona’s finest multimedia spectacular. Last time the rundown was expanded, it was stretched exponentially to take in global phenomenon Lana Del Rey however the multi-venued bash again demonstrates its versatility in its latest announcement. Reconfigured synthpop stalwarts New Order are to headline Saturday’s Sónar by Night, whilst South African antagonists Die Antwoord return to L’Hospitalet for a second consecutive year to unleash their Ten$ion project on all ears within range of their unholy raucous. DFA godfather James Murphy takes to the decks for a Friday night blowout; Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard doubles up to take The 2 Bears for a spin; and Alfred Darlington brings Daedelus’ Archimedes Show to the picturesque, historical setting that houses Sónar by Day.

 The full day-by-day line up now looks something like:

Jueves 14 de Junio
Sónar de Día
d. forma & Daedelus Archimedes Show & DJ Spinn & DJ Rashad & Kutmah & Lapalux & Kasaki Batoh – Brain Pulse Music & Monki Valley & Om Unit & Ricardo Donoso & Thundercat & Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs & When Saints Go Machine & Yosi Horikawa.

Viernes 15 de Junio
Sónar de Día
Austra & Clip! & Club Cheval feat. Canblaster, Myd, Panteros 666 & Sam Tyba & Dago & Daniel Miller & Doc Daneeka & Esperit! & Jacques Greene & John Talabot & Lolo & Sosaku & Mouse on Mars & Nehuen & Nguzunguzu & Nightwave & Peaking Lights & Plapla Pinky & Psilosamples & Raisa K & Stand Up Against Heart Crime & Supersilent feat. John Paul Jones & Trevor Jackson.

Sónar de Noche
Fatboy Slim & Richie Hawtin & Squarepusher & Lana Del Rey & James Murphy & Amon Tobin – ISAM & James Blake DJ & Friendly Fires & Jacques Lu Cont & Nicolas Jaar & Annie Mac & UNER & Untold.

Sábado 16 de Junio
Sónar de Día
Cornelius presents salyu x salyu & Darkside & Diamond Version + Atsuhiro Ito & Discodromo & DJ Harvey & Ital & Jesse Boykins III & Keys N Krates & LA Vampires & Lenticular Clouds & Magic Touch & Maria Minerva & Pegasvs & Salva & Santiago Latorre & Sinjin Hawke vs. Zora Jones & The Suicide Of Western Culture & xxxy.

Sónar de Noche
Azari & III & Cooly G & deadmau5 & Die Antwoord & DVA & Hot Chip & Julio Bashmore & Kode9 & Laurent Garnier presents L.B.S. & Luciano & Madeon & Mary Anne Hobbs b2b Blawan & Maya Jane Coles & Metronomy & Modeselektor & New Order & Pretty Lights & The 2 Bears & The Roots. 

A full selection of Día, Noche, day and weekend tickets is available here, whilst check the official Sónar site for further informations on this, that, or the other.