Young, fresh and new!

Here's some new(ish) stuff I've been checking out...

She badass, and she’s back, Sri Lanka/London rapper M.I.A. (top) is releasing the follow up to 2005’s explosive Arular this year. Check out her extremely colourful video for single Boys. Whether getting refused entry to the US, bigging up her Tamil Tiger roots or just generally being cool, she does it with style.

P.S. Epileptics or anyone with aversion to bright lights and colours should avoid!

Meanwhile, retro-tastic The Go! Team (right) are back with some material following the 2005 release of their buzzing Thunder, Lighting, Strike LP. New single Grip like a vice is out, and it’s in a similar vein to the retro rocking style we have become used to, with lots and lots of electronic handclaps for good measure. The album is expected in September.

Veterans The Chemical Brothers have just posted their latest, called We Are The Night. The video for Do It Again sees them back to their old tricks, with a narrative about two Moroccan kids (above) running away from a tooth-pulling session at the dentists and finding a magic boom box that makes everyone dance. Don’t think, just watch.

Billy Corgan and co have seen highs and lows throughout the years with The Smashing Pumpkins’ (right), but they’re back with a new album due soon, and based on the sounds from their latest, Tarantula, it could be alright. Since they got everyone excited, it better be good! The video is a bit, well, odd… and the strange outfits are back!

Mysterious and fond of rocking out electro style, German duo Digitalism have made a splash with singles on the Kitsuné Music label. Their Pogo video also features floating people (above) and nude figures posing. Intrigued? Check it out! New album Idealism recently out as well.

Ex Beta Band members The Aliens (right) have released album Astronomy for dogs. If the title wasn’t weird enough for you, check out their single Robot man. Be afraid... It’s like bloc party funk meets sixties pop-rock meets 80’s fashion. Go figure.