PANIC ATTACK.

Shrouded under a passive aggressive electronic veil, Talking Pictures manage to maintain a sharp semblance of too-cruel-for-school. "Mirrors", their debut offering, is a song that reflects on itself with dirty electronic pulses atop moody dark impulses, while reverb-heavy guitars toss and turn like a restless beast. While they may not be the first to rhyme "night" and "light", it's the inspired internal conflict and resolution that takes centerstage and steals the show. And it certainly doesn't hurt that they sound so akin to such formidable pop outfits as Jump Jump Dance Dance and Is Tropical and happen to boast a pretty memorable talking picture of their own in the music video for "Mirrors", above.

MP3: "Mirrors" - Talking Pictures

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AND THE ECSTASY IS KICKING IN.

This resurrection of "Jesus" is truly something to behold. While "Living In America" grabbed all the headlines when we released it as Dom's debut single last summer, "Jesus" shined on the AA-side as its earnest but oh so endearing younger cousin, so we're glad it finally gets its moment in the sun on this tropical remix from Philadelphia newcomers Vacationer. The aptly-titled Vacationer - whose debut single "Trip" we've had on lock on the NGHQ summer stereo this year - sacrifice the sinfully rad guitar riff of the original for a rework that unravels like a blissful cocoon into an all-out chillrave flight of fancy. It's rare for a song (let alone a remix) to induce such a glorious euphoric afterglow, but Dom's laced-out childlike whimsy plays with a wonderful innocence on Vacationer's tropical jungle gym of swinging samples, plucks-and-keys, and steel drums, delightfully toeing the line between alternate realities and found footing. Your vacation has arrived.

MP3: "Jesus" (Vacationer Remix) - Dom

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XAPHOON JONES + BRENTON DUVALL AT BK BOWL.

Earlier this week we were all, "What's going on this weekend?" and realized we had no plans for Friday night, so we decided to throw a party at Brooklyn Bowl with two of our favorite DJs in the world, Xaphoon Jones and Brenton Duvall. Why? Because it's going to be amazing. And because we can. Tickets are $7 on the door or $5 in advance here. Get involved NYC, your Friday night just got awesome.

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THERE IS NO ONE LIKE ME.

We just can’t hide our unabashed and undying love for the regal pop bliss of Icona Pop. We’ve been peddling their debut offering “Manners” - a single so perfect it's already inspired a bounty of incredible remixes and scored the starring role in the new Chiddy Bang single "Mind Your Manners" - since we released it last March, so when the duo finally sent through the neon daydream of a music video they’ve put together for the track, we were drooling out of dropped jaws. Cue quick cuts, kaleidoscopic acid trips, and mouths overglowing with emotion. We were already truly, madly, deeply in love with everything about the Icona girls and their creative output, but now they’ve gone and taken everything to another level with the kind of video Neon Gold dreams are made of.

Cue then, Step Brother (a production team so mysterious they lack so much as a URL to attach to their name), who hit the scene with impeccable timing on this new gloriously lush new remix of the track. Keeping it in the Neon Gold family, Step Brother use “Manners” as the perfect synth-fueled vehicle to lure you in like quicksand, when time is visibly relevant, and captures the precise moment when icy stares melt away in the heat of the night. We didn’t think it was possible, but this re-imagining in itself is even more a siren song likely to make men weak at the knees, so honestly don’t feel bad when you’re won over within seconds.

MP3: "Manners" (Step Brother Remix) - Icona Pop [exclusive]

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LOST ON YOU TONIGHT.

Model Worker are a fourtet from Chicago whipping up fresh symphonies that straddle several decades of glam-pop mastery. “Automatic Love” immediately has a familiar tint to it, kind of like a sober Julian Casablancas fronting Polarsets while rocking shades of early Depeche Mode. Listening to "Automatic Love,", you’ll know exactly how the crowd felt when Marty McFly killed it on stage with that sound that was a throwback to him but new wave to the blissfully unaware in attendance. Besides, we're the last ones to complain about a grinding synth line that just won't let up cause it so badly just wants to get down. Boys and girls, the time has finally come to pop the top of the Delorean and crash back into the ‘80s. Ride on? Right on.

MP3: "Automatic Love" - Model Worker

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ALL THINGS GOLD 001: RAC + PENGUIN + REPTAR

Having spent much of our youth on the mean streets of DC, we've always wanted to give back to the city that reared us, so it's with great pleasure that we launch a new concert series in the nation's capital this month. Introducing ALL THINGS GOLD, a new regular club night brought to by yours truly and our brothers in arms at All Things Go, DC's preeminent new music site and some of the best tastemakers in the game. It's all kicking off July 21st at U Street Music Hall (one of our absolute favorite venues on the east coast) with a launch party for the ages, featuring live sets from Neon Gold favorites Reptar and Penguin Prison, plus DJ sets from hometown hero Brenton Duvall and remix legends RAC headlining the night on the decks. Doors open at 9pm, Heineken will be bringing the drink specials early and often, and tickets are only $8 in advance HERE. Set times and mp3s below, WE GOT YOU DC.

10:00pm: Reptar // STREAM: "Stuck In My Id"

10:45pm: Penguin Prison // STREAM: "Golden Train"

11:30pm: RAC // DOWNLOAD: "Houdini" (RAC Remix)

01:00am: Brenton Duvall // DOWNLOAD: "Ambien (Sleepy Trip)"

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POPSHOP RADIO 007

After emerging unscathed from an adult-sized weekend that saw us kicking off a new great American pastime with the sold out Stars + Stripe Festival, we're back in the game with a bit more color and a much deeper thirst for live music and free drinks. What better way to get back in the swing of living the NYC dream than another Popshop to shake up your daily routine? We've got a rogue's gallery of guaranteed firecrackers tonight: Spacecamp, K. Flay, and our beloved Neon Gold alumnus Penguin Prison. Furthermore, we've got Captain Cuts with all hands on decks for what's sounding like it could be one of the biggest DJ sets we've ever had, and did we mention that there's once again an OPEN BAR on Absolut from 8-9pm and a FREE KEG of Heineken from 2-3am? Anyone needing testament to the epic scale Popshop has grown to look further than the massive new Chiddy Bang video for "I Can't Stop", filmed amongst the late night crowd at Popshop 006 and edited to perfection by our friends at Jackpot In The West. We've said it once before and we'll stay it again, this is why you ALWAYS stay late night.

As is Popshop tradition, The Knocks - fresh off of signing a crispy record deal with Universal and a barnburner of a performance at Stars + Stripes - are back with another Popshop minimix, killing it yet again on this month's installment of Popshop Radio. This month's specially curated teaser features a summery mix of our special performers, spiked with some recent favorites we've been knocking about in the office soundsystem. Check the full tracklist and stream/download below, and let it serve as a reminder to cop your advance tickets HERE before they sell out. For a mere $10, there's lights, music, and some FREE surprise themed cocktails. We can't keep something this big a secret anymore, so get involved before it's too late.

1. "Toeachizown Hello" (Mr Jpatt of The Knocks Mix) - Dam Funk vs. The Beatles
2. "Alibi" - Spacecamp
3. "5am" (ft. K. Flay) - Something AlaMode
4. "Fair Warning" (Oliver Remix) - Penguin Prison
5. "I Wanna Go" (Captain Cuts Remix) - Britney Spears
6. "The Night Out" (ft. Thomas Mars) - Martin Solveig
7. "Sunshine" - The Knocks

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