Gorillaz collaborators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett they have both made a title sequence and original music for BBC’s coverage of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. Hewlett told the BBC: “The idea is that you tell the entire story of Journey to the West in a two-minute opening sequence, which is basically them on their way to the Olympic stadium,” and Executive producer Jonathan Bramley said, “Monkey’s journey to the West becomes a journey to the East. Monkey and the characters will travel across China to Beijing. While they will use magical powers to fight off various monsters and demons, they’ll also use all sorts of Olympic sports as well. So Monkey might use gymnastic powers, Pigsy will be hurdling, and Sandy uses taekwondo.” Damon Albarn’s opera “Monkey Journey to the West” will be releasing a full length album and is currently at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston. Gorillaz hasn’t released much lately besides a b-sides compilation and are featured on a Martina Topley Bird b-side, which you can download below.

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The AIDS charity Red Hot is making a compilation that will be curated by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National. It will also feature tracks by Sufjan Stevens, Feist, Grizzly Bear, the Decemberists, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, the National, David Byrne and Dirty Projectors, Bright Eyes, Spoon, the New Pornographers, Antony (with Bryce Dessner), Belle and Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch, the Books with José González (covering Nick Drake’s “Cello Song”), Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird, My Brightest Diamond (covering “Feeling Good”, famously interpreted by Nina Simone), Sigur Rós side-project Riceboy Sleeps, Ben Gibbard from Death Can for Cutie and TV on the Radio’s David Sitek. Feist appears on songs with Grizzly Bear and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie. Aaron Dessner says that there will be more artists contributing to the compilation too. He says: “It’ll probably end up being between 24 and 30 tracks, We’re probably about 80% done with it…we’re hoping for a fall release, but it may be an early 2009 release, depending on a few people that we’re still waiting on.” The proceeds of the compilation will go to Population Services International’s YouthAIDS organization. He has also said of the compilation: “We’re kind of shocked at how enthusiastic people have been, It hasn’t been hard to convince people to do this, because everybody knows about Red Hot, and because a lot of us had No Alternative. That had the hidden Nirvana track on there, which was like a big thing back then. We’ve been amazed…people are giving us great tracks. I think maybe part of that is people know Red Hot and part of it is like, whenever you get all of your peers together, nobody wants to have the dog, you know?” That line-up is amazing, I can’t wait to get the compilation. It is for a good cause and features today’s top indie musicians. This will probably be the best compilation ever.

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While supporting Stephen Malkmus at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire on June 5 they will play a set with only b-sides. It is the first that the band will play a concert featuring only their b-sides. Tickets for the show will be available here. Below you can download a b-side from the Cribs ‘Hey Sceneters!’ 7″.

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The collaboration by Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward is going to be on the road this summer in North America. Some of the dates are at festivals. You can see the tour dates below and download a track by She & Him.

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Coldplay as announced a winter UK arena tour. The concerts will take place in December and include shows in the NIA, Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre and the O2 Arena. You can see all of the tour dates below and a newly leaked Coldplay track.

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Black Kids have released the new video for their new single ‘Hurricane Jane’. You can watch the video below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg9oZvgnb5A&hl=en]
Black Kids – Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo) (Live on WXPN) [zshare]

Sigur Rós have released the details for their fifth album. The album will be entitled: “Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust” or “With a Buzz In Our Ears We Play Endlessly” in English. The worldwide release date will be June 23 and June 24 in North America. Sigur Rós will be giving the first track of the album, Gobbledigook, for free on their website today at their website at 19:30 UK Time. The tracklisting is below along with a Sigur Rós track.

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