_TV On The Radio – “Will Do” (Music Video)

Here is the robotic, trippy video to TV On The Radio’s “Will Do“. I didn’t really understand what the video was about until I was reading some of the Youtube comments. One viewer obvserved the conceptual meaning of the video:

“Being high is like having a robotic outfit that makes everything look and feel better. That’s why the video’s so trippy and why there’s smoke every scene they put the outfit on.”

_TV On The Radio – “Will Do”

When TV On The Radio announced a hiatus in 2008, I expected one to last around 5 years. I was pleasantly shocked once I heard that they’re coming back with a new song “Will Do” from their fifth album, Nine Types of Light. A hiatus usually is more than 2-3  years, which is how long an average break between albums take. Whatever, I’m glad they’re back.

The track starts out very mellow and calming before breaking into the true TVOTR spirit we all are familiar with. “Will Do” is not amazing or horrendous, but rather just a chill, breezy track. If the album is as consistent as this I might be raping my repeat button, but for now it’s not as memorable or catchy enough to be a solid, lasting comeback single (who even knows if this is one?).

_Maximum Balloon – If You Return (Feat. Little Dragon)

Just today I heard of Maximum Balloon, TV On The Radio’s David Sitek’s side project. Since last month he has released a couple of singles under Maximum Balloon, with the debut album due for August 24th under Interscope records.

“If You Return” features Little Dragon‘s Yukimi Nagano. The track has toxic, funky electronic buzz with overlapping bleeps and a hard to resist synth bass. This is a type of song I would imagine robots would love to dance to. Or even humans. Yukimi‘s mysterious, eccentric vocals graces the vivid electronic sound from Sitek.

The debut album will also feature other artists like Karen O, David Byrne, and Theophilus London. Will Sitek‘s solo debut be stronger and more successful than Kyp Malone‘s Rain Machine, who is his TVOTR bandmate? Only time will tell.

Check out the splendid video clip of this song below. It’s either a sneak peek at the music video or a promo for the album. The danseur glides across the rooftop so elegant and light, it’s beautiful.

_Rain Machine – Smiling Black Faces

Almost 2 months ago, the first track from TV On The Radio’s Kyp Malone leaked online under the name ‘Rain Machine‘ titled “Give Blood” and a release date for his debut side project LP, September 22nd.

Just last week, Tunde Adebimpe officially announced that the band was going to take a year hiatus working on side projects. So just be clear – the band did not break up.

“Smiling Black Faces” is the most recent track we’ve heard by Rain Machine, a 6 minute song including topics like genocide, unsmiling faces and slave names. I got hooked on the first listen – it’s one of the most impressive songs I’ve heard so far this month. I don’t know if it’s his voice, the guitar, the jingle bells in the background or the claps in the end of the song (or maybe it’s all of these factors) that is spot on, but it is an amazing song overall. Kyp is an amazing lyricist, as well.

Kyp on Rain Machine:

“a nearly full spectrum of frequencies audible to the human ear, a reflection of a variety of emotions and situations real and imagined – some rhythm some rhyme.”

Rain Machine – “Smiling Black Faces”Stream