Flexions' Golden Fjord Release Party This Friday!

Yesterday, Cairo Records officially dropped its second-ever release, the Golden Fjord full-length by acclaimed local trio Flexions. This Friday, Flexions celebrate the occasion at Chop Suey, performing a grip of new songs alongside Metal Chocolates (OC Notes and Rik Rude) and Seven Colors. The 21+ show will kick off at 8 pm, so don't be late.

As a special release party bonus, LP copies of Golden Fjord will be available for a scant $10 at the show, with CD copies costing only $8. Alternatively, the album is available for download now at our bandcamp page, and will be available in-store at Cairo and at local record stores starting next week.

Already, Golden Fjord has the local music press talking:

"Flexions have gotten more exotic sounding and expanded their repertoire of moods, proving that they could have a promising career in film scoring, given a break or two."

-Dave Segal, the Stranger

"It's a little shadowy, a little sinister, but also courses with the kind of propulsive rhythm and zealous energy that makes for the best groove music."

-Erin K. Thompson, Seattle Weekly

"I’m not really sure why you wouldn’t like this."

-Seattle Subsonic

"If the promise of this release is any indication, then this label is quite promising indeed."

-SSG Music

Order your copy of Golden Fjord on vinyl or CD now from the Temple of Cairo webstore or bandcamp OR save your money and scoop up a discounted copy Friday night! To RSVP to Friday's show, click here. You can also add the show to your Google Calendar by clicking below:



Also of note: you can see Flexions and Metal Chocolates share the stage once again at our upcoming free outdoor VIBRATIONS music festival in Volunteer Park on August 20th (more details here). Headliners include Portland duo Purple & Green who have just launched a spiffy new tumblr page. Check it out.

And without even breaking a sweat, we're hosting another bitchin' show on Saturday night, featuring the long-awaited return of Seattle expat and Cold Jungle contributor Big Spider's Back, who will perform with his West Coast tourmates USF. RSVP to that show here.

Congrats to Witch Gardens and USF

Two of Cairo's featured artists on our 2010 The Cold Jungle compilation cropped up on Pitchfork this week. Read Martin Douglas' review of Witch Gardens' Alice, Agatha, Branch & Christ here and watch the new video for USF's new single "Close Your Eyes" below.

ASSS, USF, Sorry Tonight!

Hey all,
tonight we're hosting another stellar all-ages show, this time with visiting Portlandites ASSS, USF, and Sorry. Each one fills a different niche in the Cascadian electronic scene--Sorry's new to the region, but he's already got a record on the way from local imprint Debacle, USF are Cairo faves with some big news (and new releases) in the very near future, and ASSS are former tribalist-noise savants now working in a more kraut-y vein. Virtually everyone is playing new music. You should check it out! 8 pm, $5 at the door.

RSVP to the show on Facebook by clicking here.

Sidekick Feline

Local chillwave darlings USF sure are cute, huh? Let’s be honest, we all know how awesome these guys are. Jason Baxter and Kyle Hargus are multi-talented: They can make music on their computers, write articles for local newspapers, and do some serious Googling… all while they stroke their respective kitties and drink Kombucha.
Who are these guys? In addition to being Cairo’s blog/mixtape guru, Jason (the blonde one) writes a weekly column for The Stranger, contributes to Tacoma’s The Weekly Volcano, and is the communications coordinator for The Vera Project (exhale).
I think Kyle (the ginger) explains his own profession best: “Well, I have an office job that involves a lot of complicated Googling. A lot of Google News, and summarizing Google News.”
We went for the beachy-keen look for USF (duh) sporting some tropical shades, shorts, and tees. Hell, we even threw in a dolphin. Check out the Cairo-original tee on Jason ($24.00 in store or on Etsy!) and the super slinky Alternative Apparel purple tank on Kyle. Poolside attire anyone?







More? MORE!

What is your sign?
K-I’m a Virgo
J- Taurus!

What is your spirit animal?
K- I know what I would like it to be… an owl.
J- There was a tiger in my dream the other day. I’m going to say a tiger.

Where were you born and raised?
J- Born in Seattle and raised in Edmonds… with a pit stop in Portland.
K- Born in Seattle, raised in Seattle.

Jason, what is your affiliation with Cairo?
J- I write blog posts about all the amazing shows we have here, and
sometimes I share photos and videos. I also work on press releases,
and coordinating our new bandcamp/mixtape series.

Where do you think is the best place to see a show in Seattle?
K- I saw Sigur Ros at Benaroya Hall. I like Benaroya… not every
city has a state of the art music hall.
J- besides Cairo? I’ll cosign on Benaroya.

What new record do you recommend right now?
K- The new Wild Beasts album [Smother] that I’ve been listening to a lot at the
moment. And the new Javelin record.
J- I’ll have to look at my phone… the new Craft Spells record. Also
Synthesist by Harold Grosskopf (Bighead). I’ve been digging on that a
lot too.

Where did you two first meet?
K- We met at the McCharty dorms at UW. We were separated by a floor.

How did you two start playing music together?
K- We lived together for a year…
J- …In the shittiest apartment ever.
K- It was a shitty apartment…we started when Jason got a DD20 pedal
for Christmas one year.

What were your first impressions of each other?
J- Something like, “this seems like a cool dude I could get along
with.” We both really liked comics…
K- …and yerba mate lattes from Tully’s.

So Kyle, are you into comics too?
Oh yeah. Very much so. I really like Batman, Inc., Duncan the Wonder Dog, Cold Heat.

What is your ultimate fantasy band for USF to open for?
K- Os Mutants for sure!
J- I would love to open for… not Wilson Phillips. Kitaro.

Which boy band resonates the most with you?
(in unison) 98 degrees!
K- no, 2gether, that MTV fake boy band.

Word on the street is that USF is into cats. Tell me about yours.
K- My cat’s name is Holly. I’ve had her for about a year and a half.
She's hefty… a lot to love. She's a lot of colors; she's a
barman with a tabby mix. She is reluctant to exercise but anxious for
attention. She's the size of a small raccoon. I call her Hall & Oates
sometimes. She comes to her name too; she has a bit of a dog streak in
her I guess.
J- Montana! She's a 4-year-old tabby. She was a big girl when I got
her, but with proper diet and exercise, we’ve got her down to a healthy weight. She is a real pest and incredibly needy, but she is super affectionate. I recently discovered that she hates listening to metal. She likes to eat boxes and loves catnip. Also, she has no respect for anyone’s boundaries.

What is your favorite tropical locale?
K- Maui, my mom grew up in Hawaii so we used to go there a lot. That’s
definitely my favorite island.
J- Oh yeah, you would ask that of USF.

What is in store for the future, you ask? With two singles (one for Deathbomb Arc ) coming AND a tour this summer, these guys are on the fast track to cat-sickness.


See you at the beach!

Liv

Cairo Digital Mixtape #02 is Online Now

Cairo's second-ever digital mixtape is now online. This epic mix was compiled by Cairo honcho Joel Leshefka and spans a broad array of genres and eras. "New Age Terrence Malick Weekend" is, incidentally, also the name of one of Cairo's most underrated and psychedelic t-shirt designs (I'm wearing mine right now! There's still some on sale at Cairo and 20 Twenty). "Side A" and "Side B" of this mixtape are embedded below, and are freely download-able. Track 4 of Side A is from the brand new Flexions record, and you're hearing it here first. Stay tuned to Cairo for more brand new digital mixes in coming weeks.



New Age Terrence Malick Weekend Side A by Cairo Seattle

New Age Terrence Malick Weekend Side B by Cairo Seattle

Side A

01. Endless Sleep - Joey Reynolds
02. Go Outside - The Cults
03. Bees - Tanlines
04. Golden Fjord - Flexions
05. Close Your Eyes (U Remix) - U.S.F.
06. It Doesn't Arrive - Emeralds
07. Wires - The Moles
08. Axis Mundi - Magik Markers
09. Lion Tamer - Wet Paint DMM
10. Anything Could Happen - the Clean
11. Branss - U.S.F.
12. Brook Meadows - Rangers

Side B

01. Heave - Gauntlet Hair
02. True Blue - Dirty Beaches
03. Who Are You Trying to Fool - Little Ann
04. Trapdoor- S4LEM
05. Shiver - Grave Babies
06. Beyond Living - Milk Music
07. Pink Moon - Sebadoh
08. In the Garden of the Pharaohs - Wet Hair
09. See Through - Arthur Russell
10. Meds - Stephanie
11. Stand Alone - Pink Military
12. Tame All the Lions - Valet

Last-Minute Reminder: Foot Village Tonight!

Be sure to get to Cairo on-time tonight (8 PM)for sets by locals Footwork and USF before the night's estimable entree: the legendary Foot Village of sunny Los Angeles! This will be their first Seattle show in nigh on two years, and if their last jaunt through town gives any indication, it will be incredibly memorable. RSVP on Facebook now. Remember: all of Foot Village's concert proceeds are going to Japan earthquake relief efforts.



Foot Village – http://footvillage.org

Foot Village are a thunderous drum-n-shout assembly from Los Angeles – a thick forest of whirling limbs beating out rhythms for whispers and hollers to leap and dive through. Featuring members of Gang Wizard, Friends Forever and the infamous International Voice of Reason, Foot Village are pure hardcore spirit without the spark of electricity. Erecting civilization with drums and voices alone, Foot Village are a concept band about the first nation built after the foreseeable apocalypse. Don’t get this self-imposed restraint confused with some neo-luddite stance however, as Foot Village only want to inspire others with the wide potential of rock music. When pretense has been banished, freedom can take wing and the doors can be flung open to everyone. Foot Village is a nation unlike any other and only by visiting can you really know.

This Weekend's Concert Action

Cairo's got a stellar line-up ready for this Spring Break weekend. For starters, Friday night we play host to LA's legendary Foot Village. On this "Totally Tour Tour," the band has elected to donate all proceeds from shows to the Japan Relief Fund established by the Boredoms' Shinji. Opening for Foot Village are USF and the fast-rising trio Footwork, which features members Secondary, Haunted Horses, and Wet Paint DMM (RIP).

Saturday night looks to be just as special, as it will be the release party for Secret Colors' new Lunar LP, which has been pressed to vinyl by Belgian imprint Aguirre. Opening are Firehouse faves Masters and Johnson and Zephyrs, with Firehouse impresario Casey Catherwood assisting Secret Colors with extra axe-work during his sure-to-be cosmic set.



RSVP to Friday's show here, and Saturday's here.

Who are Purple & Green?

Saturday, February 5th, Cairo's ultra-psychedelic weekend continues (on the heels of the prior night's mind-opening High Wolf show hosted by Portable Shrines) with a stellar 4-band bill featuring locals Punishment (aka S. Funkee), Brain Fruit, U.S.F., and Portland mega-jammer Adam Forkner/White Rainbow's latest project, Purple & Green.

A collaboration between Forkner and soul singer Justin Green, Purple & Green resuscitate old-school R&B, hip-hop, and funk stylings with uncanny precision, delivering them in a typically off-kilter, consciousness-altering Forkner style. One of their tracks, "Right Here," was recently shared on Pitchfork's forkast and elsewhere on the net, and their myspace has a bevy of other solid tracks (we recommend the three-way oddity "Tell Me," which boasts the weirdest Bradford Cox cameo you'll ever hear). Have a listen, start getting psyched for Saturday's show, and don't forget to RSVP on facebook.

Purple & Green RIGHT HERE (original virtual digital 12" mix) by producedbyadam