Filed Under: Inside Outside Lands’ Redesign

This year, Outside Lands is standing out for more than just its awesome lineup. Now in its fifth year, this San Francisco music festival just keeps getting exponentially better, from bigger headliners and more emerging artists to even more local food and wine choices from the city by the bay. 

The standout upgrade for 2012 is Outside Lands’ new brand identity, created by Andrew Holder. Graphic illustrations of nature, music, and SF architecture come together in a triangular pattern to create a bold yet playful final result. Perfect for this easy-going, yet hard-rocking, music festival itself. 

Filed Under: Danny Brown’s “Radio Song”

Get used to Danny Brown because we predict we’ll be hearing a lot more from the Detroit rapper. 

We’re always talking to brands about working with creatives in an genuine way and often it means giving up a bit of control, as K-Swiss has done with Kenny Powers. Now Converse has handed over some creative power to promote the new Chuck Taylor Gorillaz collection. The brand asked the Gorillaz to teamed up with Andre 3000 and James Murphy to put out the exclusive single “DoYaThing”. Despite the shoes being so ugly they look like counterfeit Bapes, we have to give credit to Converse for allowing the three to make a song that is true to who they are and will send thousands of fans to the Converse site for the free download. I’m curious to see how they’ll insert Converse into the music video, where there will be plenty of room for product placement. 

Friends of Trendera and current Chicagoans, Supreme Cuts, have done it again. When the duo first came out with “Amnesia” I think I played it 10 times in a row and now I find myself doing the same with their latest installment ”Silkk”. “Silkk” keeps with their dance roots but explores off into this dreamy slowed down world that has me repeating “I read your letter” over and over again. Enough talk check it out for yourself and keep a look out for their next release. 

We’ve talked to you before about some of the key fashion statements in music videos, but MIA’s recent video, “Bad Girls” might be the most fashion forward of the year. The Fader pointed out some of their favorite co-star outfits, but we know that fashion and style isn’t only what you wear but how it’s worn. The confidence and attitude in the above video put half-steppers to shame. 

Our expert forecasters here at the Trendera office say that Dominant Legs is going to blow up on the indie scene. 

Love listening to music on YouTube? Hate the clunky interface and totally unrelated ”related videos”? Never fear, internet music addicts, Tubalr is here! Your friendly web app DJ, Tubalr allows you to effortlessly listen to a band’s or artist’s top YouTube videos without the ads/spam videos/inefficiency that YouTube can bring. Just type a band’s or artist’s name into the search box and select only or similar, and Tubalr will instantly serve up an excellently selected playlist of YouTube videos in its own sleek site. Perfect for parties and discovering music!

As music in 2012 gets more and more stripped down, Vancouver native Claire Boucher AKA Grimes is showing that even witch house is following in the trend. With a voice as different and enticing as Grimes’ it makes sense that she would strip everything down to some samples at a nice dance pace. 

Still a bit new to fame, Boucher released two albums in 2011 and we see 2012 as the time for the one woman show of Grimes to take off. Check out her most recently released song “Genesis” which we’ve had on heavy rotation at the Trendera office. Can’t wait to see what’s more to come from this incredibly talented workaholic. 

Grimes - Genesis by factmag

Sebastien Tellier may be known for his association to Daft Punk, but around the Trendera office he’s just known a Parisian musical genius. His 2008 album Sexuality still has influencers moving their feet on the dance floor and now the announcement of a 2012 album titled My God Is Blue will reenergize everyone until its release. 

FILED UNDER: HEARTSREVOLUTION

“Hello Baby!” is a timely reflection on the momentous events of the past year. Dynamic DJ duo HeartsRevolution’s video + song artfully combines footage from the Arab Spring and Occupy movements around the world with their new track. In typical Gen Y fashion, the ultimate message of the video is one of hope.

As headlines continue to declare unemployment, unstable currencies, and shrinking opportunities, Gen Y can’t help but remind, “it’s easy to forget it’s such a big beautiful world,” and “I promise it’ll be ok. We’re still on track.”

FILED UNDER: COACHELLA LINEUP

Have to say, not too impressed with the lineup, but what do you all think?

Blind Pilot’s music was discovered in my household for the first time this holiday, and their albums have been playing on a nonstop loop ever since. Yes, they have the same down-home hook as the Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons, but the paired down sound still appeals and something in the harmonies are just captivating. Might be because- as one YouTube commenter put it:

His voice is the offspring of a three-way between melted butter, a mountain spring, and the down feathers of an angel. Overstating?