LAY DOWN YOUR SWORDS.

Hannah Yadi is the real deal. We've had our eye on her for quite some time, but with the recent unveiling of new demo "Guillotine", she's made a quantum leap to the next level with what is truly one of the biggest singles we've heard from any artist this year, let alone one who at this time remains unsigned. Don't expect that status to last long though, cause when you're packing heat like "Guillotine" - not to mention other surefire singles "Gold" and "Wow" - you don't tend to stay off the market long. With shades of La Roux in her vocal delivery and all the powerful confidence and arresting good looks of Marina & The Diamonds, Yadi is the stuff A&R dreams are made of, an artist possessing all the chart-friendly hooks and major label starpower to hit the bigtime while at the same time remaining unique enough to stand out from the pack. "Guillotine" is literally massive, all epic choruses soaring over primal, militaristic drums and sparkling production flourishes, a serious coming out party for what will surely be one of the most sought after new talents of the next six months. Get ready 2011, your brightest new star has arrived.

MP3: "Guillotine" (Demo) - Yadi

FALL BACK IN LOVE EVENTUALLY.

Quite possibly our favorite new band of the year and architects of the essential summer anthem 2010 has been waiting for, The Naked & Famous emerge from Down Under as New Zealand's next (first?) great hope for international pop stardom. Like Passion Pit if they fucked with guitars and had an anthem-of-a-generation like "Kids" or "Sweet Disposition" in their arsenal, the song is a breath of fresh air, a wistful celebration of the ephemeral pleasures of youth. Built around an amazing central riff of heavily-affected guitars, the song soars on the wings of singer Alisa Xayalith's urgent vocals, their breathless innocence juxtaposed sharply against the ominous rumble of the overdriven bass that lies beneath the song's surface.

And as if the song itself wasn't brilliant enough, NZ's finest visual team Special Problems have directed a masterful video (viewable above) for the track - beautifully reminiscent of Levi's recent "Go Forth" campaign - all jubilant shots of young people being young interspersed with footage of the band amongst the picturesque environs of their native New Zealand. Already chart heroes back home, the band saw the self-release of "Young Blood" go straight to #1 in the NZ charts last month, holding off the likes of Katy Perry and B.o.B in the process and making them the first New Zealand band to do so in three years. Now it's time to introduce the them to the rest of the world, and with "Young Blood" locked in for a September 6th release on Neon Gold, we're honored to be the band's vessel of choice to do so. Preorder will be available soon, but for now grab the track below and lose yourself in its briliance, we hope you'll love it every bit as much as we do.

MP3: "Young Blood" - The Naked & Famous

UN DEUX TROIS.

Russ Chimes will be releasing his Midnight Club EP next month, and from the looks of the above trailer it is going to be COMPLETELY AMAZING. And while you've got the Completely Amazing drawer open, you'd do well to file Monsieur Chimes' latest remix for Mark Ronson in there too because, yeah, it fits the bill and then some.

MP3: "Bang Bang Bang" (Russ Chimes Remix) - Mark Ronson & The Business Intl.

SIDE BY SIDE.

Like a parallel universe Vampire Weekend hailing from the wilds of Denmark rather than the ivy-and-brownstone environs of the Upper West Side, Age of Giants waltz onto the scene with a sunny disposition about them that immediately brings to mind the prim-and-proper pop of VW's eponymous debut album. It stands to reason that time drifts by a little slower in rural Denmark than it does in the Big Apple, and you can feel it in these tracks, replete with laid back melodies, playful keys and breezy pop choruses. "Dreamy Nights" is our track of choice from the up-and-coming Danes' early offerings, an ethereal slice of carefree warm-weather pop music that will no doubt get heads turning beyond Scandinavian shores as the band look to put themselves on the indie map in the months to come.

MP3: "Dreamy Nights" - Age of Giants

THE KNOCKS SINGLE LAUNCH AT BROOKLYN BOWL.

To celebrate the release of their new single "Make It Better" next Monday on Neon Gold, The Knocks are taking over the decks at Brooklyn Bowl this Saturday night. Presented by GBH and FILTER Magazine, the night also features a headlining live set from Australian electro heavyweights Midnight Juggernauts, as well as performances by Teengirl Fantasy and YAWN. Brooklyn Bowl is pretty much our favorite place in NYC and The Knocks know how to bring the party on the ones and twos, so you better believe we'll be there posted up at the bar and pulling shapes on the dancefloor all night long. Leave your worries at home and come out with your party pants on, and be sure to bring all your friends and an appetite for destruction. Doors at 9pm, you must be 21+ to get in and tickets are $10 before 12:30 and free after. As further enticement to get you that much hungrier for the weekend, grab a free remix of the single below from our main man Monsieur Adi, proving once again why he's the hottest new remixer in the game with an immense hands-in-the-air electro rework of the original.

MP3: "Make It Better" (Monsieur Adi Remix) - The Knocks [exlcusive]