Sponsored Post: Footlocker's Sneaker Movement

Footlocker's new website, http://www.itsasneakerthing.eu/ looks set to become the centre of the world's sneaker related activity, as this new bank of information on world sneaker happenings takes on board increasing number of users. The movement was started, unwittingly, by office worker Adam Smith, as caught on tape below. He wore his sneakers in to work, and when challenged, kicks up quite a fuss before he loses his job. Yes, Adam, they are beautiful!

It seems the world is going sneaker crazy!

A series of responses have been added to youtube, including some amazing sneaker street art on some Parisian steps featuring giant lace ups, lace art captured in stills courtesy of Nico via his excellent Flickr Photostream, and even a rebellious sneaker streaker running through the streets of Milan exclaiming "I love my sneakers!" to plenty of bemused Italian looks. It's A Sneaker Thing has been set up in aid of sneaker enthusiasts, who now have a hub and a place to congregate, including sneaker related blogs, comments, videos, pictures and features, and more. This sneaker hub is unmissable for any true sneaker enthusiast!

The website for It's a Sneaker Thing is located at http://www.itsasneakerthing.eu/, which you can visit for more information and to get involved with the Sneaker Movement of the world! This is literally jam-packed full of information and videos, competitions and an easy submit button for all your best stories. 

If you'd prefer, you can get involved via Facebook, or even add the man himself, Adam Smith on Facebook for an inspirational sneaker-related chat.

Other ways to get involved include checking out the footlocker.eu as well as itsasneakerthing.eu - there's everything from sneaker streakers to sneaker haircuts, I'm thinking of getting a mini-sneaker engraved in my hair, or perhaps even a tattoo if i'm feeling even more enthusiastic!

My favourite 'Sneak-artist' however definitely has to be guerilla artist Freehand Profit, who turns sneakers in to gas masks as part of the MASK365 project, through which he sells each pair for hundreds of dollars. Check out the post here.

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Yell Golden Ticket - Sponsored Post

Yell have come out with a great new competition and app which allows you to locate your nearest local independent record store. There are an array of prizes to get your mitts on. These include a 55” Sony 3D TV, a surround sound system, decks, mixing lessons, to mention just a few - together worth an amazing £10,000.

First, download the App from yell.com, and then use it to locate your nearest record store. Once that's done, head down there and find a copy of Day V Lately's Classic 90s dance track Pulse & Thunder, take a photo of yourself with it and send it in. If you've done that then you're eligible for the prizes! There's a huge range on offer.

There are some more details of the Golden Ticket competition at the Yell website and facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/yell), this isn't one to miss. Such little effort, for such amazing prizes its hard to say no.

Its great to see businesses like yell keeping independent record stores open and helping people find them - and what more could you ask for in an app than this. You may even discover one in your own town which you didn't even know about - I certainly did! I know next time i'm out in town i'll be using it, I've even got a few records in mind as i'm writing this.. Alongside Pulse & Thunder of course! Good luck, hope you win something!

Terms and conditions apply. Visit facebook.com/yell to read them as well as to pick up some more information about the competition and the app.

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Weekend Round-up #23/5 - Arcade Fire, Toro y Moi, Menomena, The Drums

The first taster of Chaz Bundick aka Toro y Moi's new sound drops July 20 (US) and July 19 (UK) via Carpark records, in the form of the Leave Everywhere 7". He's taken an organic and courageous turn and chosen to alter his classically overdubbed lo-fi electro sound for something categorically similar, however this time using entirely standard instruments. Lo-fi electro turns lo-fi guitar pop, with results sure to create a divide in the minds of most fans. New single is out July 20th, his second album drops sometime later this year. He's out on tour this year with Caribou, Phoenix and YACHT as well as having booked festival dates across the US and Europe this Summer. As far as I'm concerned, he's a Bestival definite.

Toro y Moi - Leave Everywhere (MP3) (due July 20) (Causers of This - Amazon)

The idea of Menomena's return is one that fills me with excitement on paper, however on listening to the actual new material (so far limited to one capitalised preview track - FIVE LITTLE ROOMS), i can't say i'm quite so enthralled. The new track, in my view, attempts to play Menomena's Portland quirkiness and lyrical unpredictability to its advantage, with controversial results. The music is not quite so interesting as they've shown in the past (Friend and Foe was stunning), and I can't help but feel the disjointed lyrics are somewhat 'forced'. See for yourself below, but don't expect to be blown away. It appears the new album is shaping up to be better visually than it is musically.

Menomena - FIVE LITTLE ROOMS (MP3) (Friend and Foe - Amazon)

California surf-pop duo The Drums are all set to act as face for the surf-revival movement in the UK this Summer - having already footed the bill of the UK NME Tour in March and built hype off the back of their Summertime EP. The full-length follow-up to that breakthrough record is going to be self-titled and will drop June 15, 2010. There's a few tracks floating around the blogs and 'Forever and Ever Amen' (not to be confused with the Randy Travis song of the same name) is one of them - providing us with Beach Boys-esque surfer-dance of the highest quality, with an added hint of melancholy and come-down for good measure.

The Drums - Forever and Ever Amen (MP3) (from The Drums, due June 15, 2010 - Amazon)

The Arcade Fire also revealed two new previews of two new tracks from their new album via a nice little widget from their website. You can sample the previews by clicking the play button, but if you feel like applying some manual labour to hear the new songs, you can spin the record yourself. Suburbs is a lovely little She & Him piano pop song, contrasted by the manic punk overtones of Month of May. Go on, give it a spin below.

Album Preview: Wild Nothing // Gemini (May 25)

Wild Nothing aka Jack Tatum releases début album Gemini next Tuesday (May 25) via Captured Tracks, before setting out on mini-tour with Neon Indian next month. Its been a busy year for the lo-fi artist, who's Summer Holiday 7" was just the beginning of a steady ascent to recognition for the Virginia based musician. Typically, hushed vocals can barely be heard beneath the sonic haze Tatum undertakes, one which sees fashionably murky recording styles in full use to emphasise general melody above individual arrangement. Splurges of chorus coincide with the overwhelming feeling of semi-ambient summer nostalgia - in particular on guitar heavy "Summer Holiday" and tracks such as "Live In Dreams". Other songs display equally shoegaze sections. Pick up his Kate Bush cover from my post last year, and "Summer Holiday", as was described above.

Wild Nothing - Summer Holiday (MP3)
Wild Nothing - Cloudbusting (Kate Bush Cover) (MP3)

Purchase Wild Nothing's Gemini on Amazon MP3

Trophy Boyfriend // Distant Chimes EP

Trophy Boyfriend aka Gregor Ruigrok dropped his Distant Chimes EP earlier this month, and having just picked it up, I have to say the music is as nice and optimistic as the album cover. From the predominantly rainy Ireland, TB makes nostalgic dance, Washed Out influenced chillwave with booming percussion, 80s soft synths and lo-fi production. He's stuck in some lovely Pacific-esque vocal layering on the title track, and some wonderfully fashionable lo-fi guitars feature heavily at the start of "Like You Were Frozen Just As You Were About To Speak". That is, before the hand claps turned dance percussion are submerged in swirling electronics and impassioned vocal harmonies. "Distant Chimes" begins with a long vocal phrase which loops, and before you know it, a worryingly Swedish vocal line transforms into something closer to 90s soft-synth dance music than indie pop. This guy knows exactly how to build a song, as I'm sure you'll agree. Download below, keeping tabs is strongly advised.

Trophy Boyfriend - Distant Chimes (MP3)

Trophy Boyfriend on Myspace Music