So it now somewhat officially official, Biffy Clyro will be coming to South Africa, just when they will come is something to be decided on. The band asked fans on Facebook to post questions and they chose the top 10 of the best to answer on their site.

Henno Kruger asked the questions all South African’s have been wondering and Dawid Fourie from Ramfest tweeted and asked all Biffy fans to like that particular question. The tactic worked and Biffy Clyro responded.

They said: “We are hoping to soon! If not by the end of this year, we’ll definitely be there next year – we’ve been trying to arrange a show for a while but our schedule is so jam packed. we can’t wait to say hey to our SA fans though, so sooner rather than later.”

While it is a tentative yes, the fact that Ramfest had a hand in getting the question out there is somewhat telling. Headliner for the festival next year? Or stadium show? Which would you prefer?

I present you with the Music Alliance Pact for May. Think over 35 new and emerging artists from across the world. Hand picked by the team of bloggers who showcase their music.Click the play button icon to listen to individual songs, right-click on the song title to download it, or grab a file of the full track compilation here. Enjoy!

SOUTH AFRICA: Musical Mover & Shaker!
Beast – Smoke Swig Swear
New super group Beast consists of some of the most well-known members from various bands in South Africa. The band’s raw, organic sound has captivated audiences and their ‘no boundaries’ ethos is reflected in their honest rock ‘n’ roll that is best played at high volume.

ARGENTINA: Zonaindie
Paula y Los Besos – Bailar
Paula y Los Besos is the new musical adventure of singer, songwriter and poet Paula Trama. The band just released eight songs in the form of two EPs that range from acoustic-punk upbeat tunes to tender folk ballads. Bailar is a cover of T. Rex’s Cosmic Dancer, with Spanish lyrics adapted by Paula herself. You can hear and download both EPs from their Bandcamp page.

AUSTRALIA: Who The Bloody Hell Are They?
Swimming – Triplebrie
Adelaide’s Swimming are sisters Katie and Angie Schilling and friend Sam Reynolds. Triplebrie is the first single from their new record Yes, Tonight. There are plenty of layered vocals and looped sounds on the album, but Swimming’s simple outlook on a capella really does its best in an acoustic setting. The trio also sell tea towels as merchandise, so we can’t really say anything bad about this band right now.

AUSTRIA: Walzerkönig
Fijuka – Behave (From Now On)
First a drum machine, then a Billie Jean-style bassline and finally synthscapes that embed the voice of Fijuka’s Ankathie singing one of the weirdest declarations of love we have ever heard. Fijuka stands for DIY pop with an art school touch. Watch the music video for some Rhönrad wheel action.

BRAZIL: Meio Desligado
FAROFF – Brazilian Star Wars
Can you imagine the Star Wars troopers having fun in a slum in Rio de Janeiro, listening to funk carioca in the summer and surrounded by girls? This is not a new track, but Brazilian Star Wars shows one of the best moments of DJ FAROFF, the name used by Leo Bursztyn, PHD in economics and former guitarist of Brazilian band Móveis Coloniais de Acaju.

CANADA: Quick Before It Melts
Program – Waiting
Program’s wall of sound is not insurmountable but it’s far from an easy climb. It will challenge you to find a familiar foothold (Is it shoegaze? Is it drone-rock? Is it disco or dance?) but ultimately leaves you breathless with its brilliant audacity. It is a mountain you’ll climb over and over again, never once following the same sonic route to its summit.

CHILE: Super 45
Lainus – Montañitas
Lainus is the solo project of Alfredo Ibarra who, after returning from New Zealand, has devoted himself to writing music and rediscovering his country. The Andes is the source of inspiration for his single Montañitas (“Little Mountains”), a catchy electronic pop breeze that links him telepathically to the new pop wave (Passion Pit, Phoenix), the Chilean psychedelic tradition and the now very trendy world music. It’s a taster of his next album, due for release in the second half of the year.

COLOMBIA: El Parlante Amarillo
Lina Patiño – Plena Luz
With roots in classical singing, Lina Patiño has been experimenting with jazz, ballads, R&B and classical music. Proof of this is the endless number of projects of different genres she has participated in. But now, in her solo guise, her range takes her a step further than usual. We invite you to listen to Plena Luz (“Full Light”), produced by Eblis Alvarez (Meridian Brothers), in which Lina’s vocals are confused and intermingled between bambuco and dark experimental pop.

CUBA: suenacubano.com
Adrian Berazaín y Mauricio Figueiral – Por Una Camarera
This month we cover the association of two young artists: Adrián Berazaín and Mauricio Figueiral. Por Una Camarera (“For A Waitress”) is a song in which Cuban rhythms are fused with extraordinary results and will be included in the upcoming releases of both artists separately. Follow these two songwriters closely as they are sure to surprise us with their future output.

DENMARK: All Scandinavian
Lulu Rouge – Grey Heron Man
Five years on from their awesome debut Bless You, electronica legends Lulu Rouge (aka DJs and producers Buda and T.O.M.) released their second full-length, The Song Is In The Drum, at the end of April. If you’re into deep, dark and excellently melancholic dub this is one not to miss. Grey Heron Man, one of three instrumentals, is a MAP exclusive download.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Casetera
Nelson García – La Bomba
Veteran singer-songwriter Nelson García (formerly known as Nelson Poket) went solo and is now making music under his real name. La Bomba is a rock song with a classic attitude that ticks with new energy and prepares us for his new album release on June 15.

ECUADOR: Plan Arteria
Guanaco – Crónico
After 15 years on the road, Guanaco, one of the most important independent music icons in Ecuador, presents his most ambitious and mature album, Raíz. The record has 16 versatile tracks that blend hip hop with a wide range of urban and Latin sounds. The lyrics of Crónico provide a deep reflection on the use of drugs.

ENGLAND: Drowned In Sound
Ghosting Season – Time Without Question (alternate version)
Ghosting Season are a techno-loving duo from northern England. Until recently, their music was a marriage of glacial post-rock and warm late-night electronica as Worriedaboutsatan. Under their new guise, Gavin Miller and Tom Ragsdale are already readying a second LP of brooding bloops that spiral into something you could call evil party music. This track was featured on our DiS community podcast.

ESTONIA: Rada7.ee
Kannabinõid – Karistus
Kannabinõid are a deafening stoner/doom band from Tallinn. Obviously there are plenty of (Nordic) metal/rock bands but these guys are particularly good. They just received some really good feedback from the international music industry delegates of showcase festival Tallinn Music Week.

FINLAND: Glue
Phenomenal Creature – Perfect Impression
Phenomenal Creature play (mostly) acoustic folk with an intense bluesy feeling, creating songs that are beautifully arranged and decorated with a myriad of little instruments and harmonies.
Perfect Impression is the opener of the band’s recently released debut album.

FRANCE: Yet You’re Fired
FAUVE -4000 ÎLES

FAUVE appeared from nowhere in the French music scene at the end of 2011, and after only a few months and four songs, offered for free, they became what many French critics called “the voice of our generation”. With beautifully crafted instrumentals, marvellous choirs and words that touch and speak to our feelings and soul directly – putting a finger on our many life problems and crises – they deserve to be known all over the world, even if only using spoken word in Molière’s language. Their first EP, Blizzard, is released on May 20.

GERMANY: Coltran
HELMUT – The Tribe
Voice, guitar, loops. More and more artists focus on these instruments to make versatile songs to dream, cry or dance to. HELMUT has the talent to build up a song layer by layer, motif by motif, and then slowly start to variate and deconstruct everything. The live experience of this guy is simply amazing.

GREECE: Mouxlaloulouda
No Clear Mind – Morning Rain In June
No Clear Mind is an unconventional musical experiment that has been evolving constantly from 2004 till now, an open platform of expression, bringing together people who tint everyday inertia, cancelling its discreet yet lingering nature. Borrowing its name from the old neighbourhood of Athens where it was created, Mets, their second album, is a magnificent set awash with texture, atmosphere, strong autobiographical elements, past memories and emotions that provide a hypnotic, surreal soundscape suitable for both day and night dreaming.

INDIA: NH7
Big City Harmonics – Ennio
A former alt-rock band guitarist, Big City Harmonics is Rohan Hastak, a soul-infused, downtempo electronic music producer. Sampling a variety of instruments and vocals, Big City Harmonics offers a fresh take on electronica.

INDONESIA: Deathrockstar
Muchos Libre – Romusa
On Muchos Libre’s press release they declare: “In surf we trash! In stage we wrestle! Give us one show, so we’ll give you the beast!” They’ve perhaps watched too much Mexican wrestling as the two vocalists often grapple on stage during their ferocious live shows.

IRELAND: Harmless Noise
Rachael Boyd – Aim Too High
From playing in side-project math rock and pop bands to her own contemporary, improvised solo efforts, the broad strokes of Rachael Boyd’s taste in music have gifted the Belfast multi-instrumentalist with a keen grasp of melody and timing. Aim Too High is the title track of a new EP, alternative neo-classical pop with enchanting, urgent piano and strings. Freely flowing with ambition, the slight underlying jitter is calmed by a reassuring vocal intercession. It feeds the need for pop sweetness yet still sounds like substantial brainfood.

ITALY: Polaroid
Wildmen – Zero Generation
Wildmen are a garage rock duo from Rome. Guitar, drums and a lot of raw energy. More than a lot. Their debut album is called Haters Gonna Hate and someone wrote that it sounds like a grungier version of Black Lips. Uhm, well, OK. What if we stop talking and just dance to these marvellous and mighty songs? You will have fun, trust me.

JAPAN: Make Believe Melodies
Metoronori – v_v
The boom in bedroom-based music makers in Japan over the past few years has produced a lot of great artists operating on a very DIY level. Tokyo-based Metoronori is one of the latest in this tradition. She makes discombobulated lo-fi pop where every element falls just into place. Her song v_v demonstrates this well – the sounds she makes seemingly out of step with one another, but the whole thing comes together to create an inviting track.

MALTA: Stagedive Malta
Bletchley Park – Calendars
Bletchley Park is an indie/alternative band who draw influences from post-punk and fuse them with dark rhythms and lyrics. In 2010, they released From Bletchley, With Love, a collection of their first works. Last year’s debut album, My Body Fighting, resulted in three nominations at the 2013 Malta Music Awards – Best Album, Best Song for Tight Red Dress and Best Band.

MEXICO: Red Bull Panamérika
Apocalipsis – Jihad
It’s easy to behave in a nihilistic way when you are a Mexico City dweller. With no frills other than being raw as reality can get, Apocalipsis delivers a hybrid that borderlines on the ridge of post-rock, math-rock, hardcore and neocrust, without being too loyal to any of those. Grip zealously to the soundtrack of riots, burning flags and a society on the fringe of collapse… it’s not the Arab spring, nor the Mexican spring. Actually, it’s nothing but part of the Apocalypse.

NETHERLANDS: Subbacultcha!
Spilt Milk – Funeral Blues
For an album which boasts death as its central theme, Spilt Milk’s Funeral Blues is not as morbid a listen as you may think. You may recognise the lyrics as a W.H. Auden poem, used in that harrowing funeral scene from Four Weddings And A Funeral that I’m still getting over. But thanks largely to Brenda Bosma’s beautiful vocals, the Amsterdam quintet does an impressive job of giving a soft yet jangly, folkish spin to what must be some of the saddest lyrics bouncing around.

PERU: SoTB
La Tornado Lost Band – Wake Up
La Tornado Lost Band is a folk/rock/country duo formed by Gabriel De La Piedra and Rodrigo Melgar. Their warm voices and nostalgic guitar sounds create an atmosphere of loneliness and calm. If you like Wilco, Bon Iver or The Replacements, you will love this duo. Wake Up is taken from their debut EP, Pastores On Strike, a collection of six beautiful songs available for free download from Bandcamp.

POLAND: Łukasz Kuśmierz Weblog
How How – Pinkery The Knight
No, this isn’t Animal Collective and we aren’t in 2004. How How is a four-piece from Warsaw who play experimental music. Or, as they describe it, “electroacoustic free pop”. Pinkery The Knight is taken from their latest EP, Knick-Knack.

PORTUGAL: Posso Ouvir Um Disco?
Dear Telephone – That Violin Lesson Sucks
Dear Telephone, whose band name was inspired by a Peter Greenway movie, appeared on MAP in August 2011 with their song Providence, from their first EP. This month they released their debut album Taxi Ballad which continues their path through mildly electronic music ripe for reasoning and wonder, which will please fans of bands like The xx. Dear Telephone is releasing videos for each track on their album, such as this one for That Violin Lesson Sucks.

PUERTO RICO: Puerto Rico Indie
Ikol Santiago – Tampoco Tanto
Having spent his teenage years and part of his adult life living in the United States, Ikol Santiago returned to Puerto Rico in 2004 and quickly became part of the island’s underground hip hop scene. His commanding vocal style – cool yet stern, clear and precise – developed through numerous collaborations with many of the island’s greats. Ikol’s solo debut, Iguacas, named after the critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot, is a deeply personal journey through the MC’s experience growing up and trying to find his footing in life. Tampoco Tanto takes a look at our increasingly desperate society, turning anger and anxiety into something closer to wisdom – and perhaps a bit of hope.

ROMANIA: Babylon Noise
Quantum Drive – Echoes (redone)
Quantum Drive, a project from Cluj, started with two guys who found that a shoegaze/indie/60s-revival approach to music fit them very well. Later on, other friends joined them in this journey. They draw their inspiration from bands such as Deerhunter, The Horrors and Tame Impala, and are definitely an act we’ll keep our ears on.

SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Prides – Out Of The Blue
Prides are probably the most talked-about new band in Scotland since CHVRCHES. In fact, one listen to the fiendishly addictive Out Of The Blue – a staggering piece of dynamic pop that proclaims the arrival of a hit-ready proposition – proves the two groups share common ground, with Prides’ debut single informed by current trends for 80s-leaning electro. It is also reminiscent of MGMT hit Kids, with its distorted, organy synth sound.

SOUTH KOREA: Korean Indie
Gage – Your Night
Gage is a band featuring members from heavy rock MAP alumni Apollo 18 and The Quip. A complete contrast to the music of those two groups, however, this quintet has a much more acoustic orientation, playing on current trends in Korean music while still creating an original sound. Your Night is taken from Gage’s recent self-released and self-titled EP and is a new take on the sort of melodies Apollo 18′s Kim Daeinn would create under the alias Jelly Boy.

TURKEY: WEARTBEAT
The Free Licks – Hang On
The Free Licks are getting ready to share their Exit Plan EP, which is inspired by the best variations of rock music since the 70s. Although The Free Licks could be categorised as an alt-rock band, its members’ varied styles and influences make it much more than that.

UNITED STATES: We Listen For You
Carousel Beach – Ayahuasca
Carousel Beach’s impressive self-titled debut runs the gambit of genres as folk bleeds into a 90s rock sensibility, which moves into piano ballads and then makes a turn with grandiose harmonies that bounce around tribal percussion lines. A satisfying listen for anyone and everyone.

VENEZUELA: Música y Más
Andreazulado – Alto
Andreazulado is one of the most prominent rock bands in the Venezuelan indie scene. The trio have toured Argentina, Spain, Colombia and the United States and now they are preparing for the release of their fourth album, Apolo, from which first single Alto is taken.

Sam Vicari keeps it simple. The Chicago-based Vicari’s songs have an electric pulse, but bear the imprint of a singer/songwriter, with themes touching on heartbreak, alienation and Midwestern ennui. That’s not to say that the record is a sad-sack, cry in your beer lament. Vicari harnesses the power pop hooks and sunny on the outside exterior of classic 90s alternative acts, recalling Pinkerton-era Weezer, Bob Mould’s poppier Sugar moments, and the smart, biting lyricism that has given Superdrag such longevity. “My favorite bands and musicians have always been the ones who are very simple, sincere, and honest in their delivery,” says Vicari. “I guess I strive for the same thing.  I don’t really like to premeditate; I just let things come out the way they do.”

In keeping with his humble vibe, Vicari was raised in a small Indiana town before moving to Chicago. After a series of demos and EPs, his proper debut LP Keep Careful was released independently while Vicari was attending college to become an elementary school teacher. Garnering marked press and a cult audience, the album went on to be named one of Chicagoist‘s favorite local releases. Fast forward to 2012, and we have Vicari’s followup Heart Explosion, fully funded through profits of tutoring math to 5th and 6th graders, and through a part-time Starbucks barista gig.

It’s this humble sincerity, and workingman integrity that informs every track onHeart Explosion, along with twenty-something heartbreak and healing. “It was my first year out of college, and I didn’t really have any idea what I was going to do next,” says Vicari.  ”I had put a lot of hope and energy into jobs and relationships just to have them fall through, which was really discouraging.  I was working all the time, so I was pretty tired.  It was definitely the right environment to write a record like this one.

Utilizing guitar overdubs and recorded on tape, Heart Explosion comes alive with a verve and rawness absent from so much overproduced, alt-pop these days. “We bought 3 reels of 2 inch tape for $25 dollars per reel,” recalls Vicari. That’s absurdly cheap. Since our tape was old and used, it made the record sound a little rough and washed out, but it still has the power of tape.  I’m really proud of the way everything came out.”

Australia’s Messrs create a synth-laden sound that encapsulates nearly three decades of indie-pop. Using the industrial beats of new wave-era Depeche Mode as a launch pad, Messrs touch on early 90s Pulp-inspired house, all the way up to their modern take on all that has come before. Their debut EP Welcome To Nowhere, with it’s silky sax and pulsing beat, will put a smile on the face of anyone who has ever set foot on the dance floor in the last thirty years, but will also resonate as something startling fresh and original.

Messrs’ story officially begins in 2011, but their heritage goes way back. Having played together in various musical incarnations for years, the band’s five members – Josh Moore (Vox), Justin Walker (Guitar), Chad Hooper (Drums) and brothers Craig and Shane Lock on bass and synth respectively – took a long time to find their sound.

Eschewing the skittish, scatty indie punk stylings of their early days, Messrs re-emerged a much more honed and focused unit in 2011. Their new sound rekindled the effortless grooves of Cut Copy, the washed out vocals of ’80s new wave and the punchy, retro-tinged disco beats of the 21st Century. .

Having toured extensively, playing festivals such as The Great Escape (UK), The Big Day Out (AUS) and Parklife (AUS) and supporting the likes of Phoenix, Neon Indian and Kele, Messrs released their debut EP in late 2012. Welcome To Nowhere dropped last November to immediate acclaim, reaching the Top 40 in the Australian iTunes Albums Chart. The single “Desert” also made a massive impact, racking up nearly 60,000 Vimeo views to date.

With ripples slowly growing into waves back home, Messrs have world domination in their sights. Welcome To Nowhere is currently on rotation on more than 100 radio stations in the US and is shooting up the CMJ charts. It’s an exciting time for the band, keep an eye out for them!

Say hello to your new favourite Jacob Banks. This 21 year old from Birmingham is set to make it big this year. He shot to fame when he won a chance to record with my other favourite Plan B and he gained huge exposure. He is currently touring with Emilie Sande and things are only getting bigger and better.

He has also recently released, the Monologue EP, and the first single off it, Worthy, is an instant hit. Think a soulful style that will have you sit up and take notice. He worked with Knox Brown on the production, who has previously worked with the likes of Wretch 32 and Ed Sheeran. Without a doubt Worthy  looks, so far, to be one the best singles of year.

Keep an eye out for for Jacob. He will be everywhere. Soon.

Samsung Galaxy Experience presents Space Ibiza On Tour South Africa featuring international DJ sensations Roger Sanchez, Camilo Franco and Danny Marquez on the 26th of April at Shimmy Beach Club, Cape Town and the 27th of April at Nicci Beach Street Party, Johannesburg. Tickets are flying fast for this intergalactic event with VIP sold out and only a few left in Cape Town and Johannesburg!

Shimmy Beach Club in Cape Town will see Pascal & Pearce, Dean Fuel, Chris Jack, Nick Supply,Monique Pascal, Lady M, Headphase, Gareth Devore and Digi-Tall join the decks alongside the trio of world renowned international DJ’s. The next day, the 27^th of April, Roger Sanchez, Camilo Franco and Danny Marquez will jet off to Johannesburg where they will be performing at the Nicci Beach Street Party alongside local DJ’s Justin Miller, Royal K, Tomorrows Will, Wags, Rocca & Martini, Peter Booth, Andrea Cardarelli and Kyle Cassim.

Not only are there three top-class dance floors with the world’s hottest DJ’s, there will also be entertainment provided by Mooiness. Sarah Pietersen, MD of Mooiness says ‘A DJ line-up and production like Space Ibiza’s is not to be missed! We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure everything is of the highest standard that would be expected from such a leading brand.Expect South Africa’s most glamorous dancers and a few other surprises..’

To top it all off, one lucky person and three friends can also win the ultimate prize to party in Ibiza! The Samsung Galaxy Experience is offering the chance to win the trip of a lifetime. Jet off to Ibiza with three of your closest friends; enjoy a five-night stay with VIP entry to Space Ibiza, flights, accommodation and spending money. All you need to do is download the Samsung galaxy App and you could win. You can enter here.

Tickets:

General admission – Computicket: R280 (for CapeTown  and Johannesburg)

General admission – Door: R300 (for Cape Town and Johannesburg)

Going to be a good one!

Seattle’s own Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released their new video for upcoming single “Can’t Hold Us feat. Ray Dalton” on Macklemore today. The video sees the hip-hop duo spreading the message of their critically-acclaimed album The Heist around the world, from New Zealand to Los Angeles, and across land, air andocean. It is the much anticipated follow up to the “Thrift Shop” and “Same Love” videos, which amassed nearly 300 million combined YouTube views. Not too shabby at all!

After years of building momentum with impassioned support from their devoted fan base, Macklemore, 29 year old rapper Ben Haggerty, and 25 year old producer Ryan Lewis have emerged as the premier US hip-hop group known for their electrifying live shows, expertly crafted music, and innovative music videos and media. Their album The Heist raises social conscious issues not often discussed in modern hip hop including gay rights ‘Same Love’, women’s rights and anti-consumerism ‘Wings’.

Since ‘The Heist’s number 2 Billboard Top 200 debut, they have broken Billboard chart records with a multi-platinum single, toured the globe, andplayed on stages from Saturday Night Live, where 6 million people watched them perform, to last weekend’s MTV’s Movie Awards.

Now they have done it again,  “Can’t Hold Us feat. Ray Dalton” is is certified Gold and currently number 7 and climbing on the Billboard Hot 100. It is a refreshing, catchy and fun release. It looks to follow in steps of their previous successes. Keep an eye out for everything Macklemore and Ryan Lewis bring out. They are unstoppable!

Taking place over Freedom Day weekend, Utopia Music Festival promises to put a new twist on one of South Africa’s favourite venues, Nekkies, bringing you amazing new stages and some of the country’s top live performers over three days. It looks to be one exciting festival.

The main stage is an astonishing one-of-a-kind structure, situated at the heart of the festival grounds and will be running throughout the weekend. It promises to be like nothing you’ve ever seen before – a sight to boggle the minds. It will play host to acts like Fokofpolisiekar, Karen Zoid, Al Bairre, aKING and much more!

The electronic stage is only meters from the riverside and with a stomping ground of soft sand and the best Deep House and Techno, is geared to have you dancing from morning till, well, the next morning. You can catch Lady M, Ian Skene, James Copeland and my other favourites there.

The Rustum August ‘Eat Life’ tribute stage will featuring Cape Town’s top cutting-edge comedians, all the Starving Comics, a large dose of Cape Town’s 5-minute comedic wonders, and you. This stage will run throughout the day with regular shows, a tweet-activated billboard and an opportunity for everyone to join in the fun.

If all that isn’t enough, nestled in the camping area and playing host to some awesome up-and-coming musicians, The Go ‘Bos’ stage will also give festivalgoers the chance to show people what they are made of.  Bring an instrument, your band, or even create a band right there and then. All you have to do is book a slot and the stage is yours. Fantastic, I know!

ps Ticket prices as follows:

Full Weekend: R380

Saturday & Sunday: R320

Sunday: R70

There will be limited amounts of tickets available for purchase at the door: R400

What are you waiting for? A weekend of fun awaits. Book your tickets now!

Can you believe there are only a few more days to go until the next 5 Gum Experience with the Kooks set to tear up Joburg and Cape Town at secret venues this Friday and Saturday respectively?  It is some of the most exciting news yet.

Like all of the previous 5 Gum Experiences, tickets are free, you could only apply for them through the 5 Gum Facebook page. Most tickets have been sent out by now but if you don’t have your hands on any yet, I have a little treat for you.

How does 2 x double tickets for the Cape Town show sound? Good? I thought so. All you have to do to get your hands on the tickets is show me why you are the biggest Kooks fan, with a 5 Gum twist of course.

Create some inspired 5 Gum art, record a fun little video or let me know who you would invite to the 5 Gum Experience The Kooks concert and why?  Go crazy. Think outside the box and have some fun with it. You must tweet me - @GabiGoldberg - and use the hashtag #5GumExperience.

You only have 24 hours to do this though, so get going!

ps Tickets to the event will be mailed by Thursday and blog competition winners will receive theirs by Friday.

Already garnering a large following in France, Team Ghost has put together a heady, ambient leaning mix they call Temazepam, which premiered on Spin and is available on Mixcloud.

The band came together around two years ago, with the addition of Christophe Guerin on guitar and vocals, Felix Delacroix on drums, and Pierre Blanc on bass, alongside art director and ‘phantom’ member Jean-Philippe Talaga. The group swiftly picked up attention in France and abroad, supporting Crystal Castles on their European tour at the duo’s personal invitation, and receiving accolades from Pitchfork along the way.

After their two gauzy, otherworldly EPs, I Never Did Anything Wrong To You and Celebrate What You Can’t See, recorded at home and released on London’s legendary Sonic Cathedral label, Team Ghost’s debut album is the first time the band, now completed by French producer Benoit de Villeneuve on guitars, vocals and keyboards, have recorded in a professional studio. As such, their ‘coldgaze’ has become more streamlined – a popper punch in the gut compared to the EPs’ hazier sense of mood.

Their new album combines swirling guitars and propulsive shoegaze along with notable electronic elements creates music that is cinematic at its core. It can be purchased here.