how Lo-Fi-Fnk stole my heart

This is something I would have told you about back in March, but I didn't have very good updating habits around then. So I might as well now, eh? Its the story of how Dirk and I met Lo-Fi-Fnk, because it would have been rude not to introduce ourselves after they had just played us an essentially private show.

I've been a little obsessed with Lo-Fi-Fnk since I first heard them a couple years ago. As soon as Mitch told me they would be playing in Vegas on their first American tour, there was no question I would make the trek from the SLC. And thank goodness for Dirk, who is just as devoted. I was slightly wary because the venue seemed to be clueless. But we were there in plenty of time to see like, 6 of the openers, all unremarkable and pretty far removed from the Swedish electro-pop aesthetic. No matter, I was content to sit and watch Leo (the one next to Dirk in the photo) smoke at the bar with his sunglasses on, waiting for their turn. Finally, it was time. As the boys were setting up, what had previously been an almost empty bar had dwindled down even further to a couple randoms drinking, and a few members of other bands still cleaning up. We felt bad that it looked like nobody was there to see them, so we took places on the empty dance floor. No exaggeration--we were THE ONLY people there to see them. Lucky thing my good friend Kristin, serendipitously home in Vegas for Spring Break, joined us and increased the crowd by 50%. (What are Las Vegas dwellers even called--Las Vegans? Vegasites?) August (the one next to me) was wearing the best outfit ever: bunched up purple sweatpants with a metallic gold chain printed around the waist and down the sides, with wifebeater. As they finished setting up their equipment on the small stage, August turned off the light above his keyboards so that everything was dark except for two small spotlights shining from the front of the stage.

What happened next was maybe my weirdest concert moment ever, despite its subtlety. August bent down and rotated one spotlight around to shine on Dirk, then adjusted the second to focus right on me. So now the stage was dark, and the two of us were lit up like monuments. August stood, smiled at us slyly, and left us on display. I laughed back, thinking he would turn those lights back around, but he never did. Here we were, having just driven over 5 hours to see this band who deserved all the hype in the blogiverse, and now we were on stage for them. Looking back, I suppose one of us could have easily turned those spotlights back around. Why didn't we? No, this lighting scheme lasted their entire set and we did dance our hearts out for them. Seeing them play was my fondest wish fulfilled, which is why it was so boggling that there was not even a handful of other excited kids like us there to see them. Eventually another girl showed up and seemed to be really into it, but it turned out she was there because her band was playing next--Lo-Fi-Fnk didn't even get the dignity of being last to play. And just a few days later they'd be blowing up SXSW. The whole thing was a bit of concert Twilight Zone.

Now, I usually don't care to meet celebrities, in fact I don't think I've ever bothered to try to take a picture with one. But these guys are the kinds of people I would actually like to get to know, and I really admire them. And considering we'd all been watching each other for the past hour, we decided to say hi. They were darling and gracious. Leo was horrified we'd driven so far to see a performance that he didn't think was so great. August apologized for being so sweaty. And when asked about the odd choices in opening bands, he said "I was so angry when I found out," in the calmest, accented, tender tone, like you might use when saying "I think I'll have some chocolate milk." I was, of course, too nervous to carry on the conversation too long. Big geek, me.

We were excited to hear a new song that night, which checks Daft Punk, and was captured on video the night before in San Diego:



...and a b-side from the Wake Up single.
mp3: Lo-Fi-Fnk - The Boxer

remix tuesday

Leave it to Lo-Fi-Fnk to take young smarm and make hand-clapping, bell-ringing, swedisco magic.

Now, this is just a myspace rip. You could buy it proper, but what kind of lumps sell wma's?

mp3: The Feeling - Love It When You Call (Lo Fi Fnk Remix)

update: Lo-Fi-Fnk have announced US tour dates!

looks good, sounds good

Nothing better than when good fashions and good musics combine. Right now Cut Copy and Australian clothing label Claude Maus have a very cool, "painfully limited" collection of T's and hoodies up for grabs. Well, not grabs so much as 73 to 114 dollars. Shop Cut-Claude here and stream "Hearts on Fire," the first single from the upcoming album here. And in exciting album news, CC will be finishing it up this month in NYC at DFA.

The fun doesn't stop there. Lo-Fi-Fnk have recently appeared in a campaign for Italian label Pharmacy Industry. I've had a time trying to figure out how to buy their stuff from way over here in the US, but I'm in love with their bold and simple aesthetic. From graph paper hoodies to tesselated Star of David polos, I want it all.

Here's a preview of their video lookbook; see more at pharmacy-industry.com
(PHCY®, feel free to send free stuff.)

Steppin' Out

New Lo-Fi-Fnk video!



I love Boylife because these guys have made a perfect pop record while for a few moments letting their inner motivational speakers out. Get the remixes and b-side of "Steppin' Out" here.

mp3: Lo-Fi-Fnk - Steppin' Out

remix tuesday: more swedes

Lo-Fi-Fnk's Boylife, out next Monday in Scandinavia, will be one of my most anticipated releases this year. I really don't understand why they don't get more attention in the interworld (but at least Pitchfork isn't shoving it down your throat). They just haven't had enough of an American presence yet, but maybe finally having a full length will help. I'm crossing my fingers that when they announce their tour they'll have some American dates. Just because they're all synthy and Swedish, don't think they'll be at all like The Knife. These boys would be soundtracking children's birthday parties in the park, not stories about disease and deformity. "Wake Up" is the first single, this remix in particular makes them sound more 80's than usual. It would be lovely as the credits roll in of one of those dance-battle movies, right after the big victory, but maybe one where our heroes have to out-dance dirty robots instead of gangstas. Nice how I want every song in a movie these days. And there's the original so you get the pure LFF flavor.

mp3: Lo-Fi-Fnk - Wake Up (Ola Salo Remix)
mp3: Lo-Fi-Fnk - Wake Up (Radio Edit)

Boylife will be out on La Vida Locash, order it at dotshop.se.

Le Tigre Remixed

I thought maybe Remix Tuesdays would keep me from posting too many remixes. But then I realized that's wack and there's no such thing. Lo-Fi-Fnk just posted this remix and I had to share it even though I know I talk about them a lot. I realized that the thing about Lo-Fi-Fnk is that they have such a childlike sound. Now, I mean that in the best way possible; it's so innocent and joyous. Ew, that was juicy.

Mp3: After Dark (Lo-Fi-Fnk remix) - Le Tigre

Change Channel Video

aaah! A Lo-Fi-FNK video for Change Channel? Thank you. I like seeing the boys dance in their wife-beaters and the use of animated scotch tape.


I have not been able to get enough of these guys ever since I first heard them. Lo-Fi-Fnk are Leo Drougge and August Hellsing who are cute, young, and Swedish, just like the best of em. And here's a little remix.

Mp3: Change Channel (Soul Supreme Remix) - Lo-Fi-Fnk

They've finished a full-length that has no release date so until then we have to keep ourselves occupied with the And the JFG... ep. They are on Moshi Moshi Records in the U.S., whose site is severely lacking in info so I am not even linking to it. Not that that'll teach em.

www.lo-fi-fnk.com
Lo-Fi-Fnk on MySpace