We love the trend Kanye started with his G.O.O.D. Fridays series of MP3s that led up to the release of his last album. Ever the maddeningly savvy businessman, Yeezy proved that free music -- executed well and released with careful marketing -- is an amazing way to drum up excitement that eventually converts to sales. (Even though several of the G.O.O.D. Fridays tracks appeared again on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, it didn't stop the album from going platinum.)
In his wake, others have followed suit, most notably Swizz Beatz with his own Monster Mondays MP3 series. Now, though, Crossfade favorites Simian Mobile Disco have become, probably, the first major electronic music artists to catch on. Their own Fresh Meat Mondays has arrived to save the gloomy beginning of the week.
This isn't the first time in recent weeks that the analog synth-loving British duo has tossed its fans a freebie. This past November saw the release of Simian Mobile Disco's third proper studio album, Delicacies -- but by January, they had presented the world with a free, mixed version of the same album. (The download period is over, but you can still stream the full version of the release, dubbed Mixed Delicacies, on the group's SoundCloud page.)
Now, Jas Shaw and James Ford have announced their own Fresh Meat Mondays, launched in conjunction with the people behind the Hard music festivals. (Although, don't get confused -- Miami is pretty much the only place with a Hard festival where SMD won't be playing, because, well, they're playing Ultra Music Festival that same weekend.)
The series issues a fresh free download every Monday through March 14, and promises unreleased tracks, remixes, and live recordings, like the first installation, which captures the pair live at the Hungarian Sziget festival last year.
The second installation, released this past Monday, isn't exactly fresh meat, though -- it's "Fugu," which appeared on Delicacies. Still, if you only downloaded Mixed Delicacies as a freebie, here's a way to get the track on its own without any other tracks' mixing overlaps.
If you haven't caught up with Simian Mobile Disco in a while, you may be surprised. It's 2011 and time to move forward, so gone are the more obvious electro bangers that characterized 2007's massive-sounding Attack Decay Sustain Release.
The follow-up to that, 2008's Temporary Pleasure, hinted at a new direction of subtler build-ups and tech-ier rhythms -- and "Fugu," and much of the new Delicacies, is almost entirely techno. This is still Simian Mobile Disco, though, so that comes filtered with a heavy dose of robotic soul.
Catch up with Fresh Meat Mondays by visiting this Hard web site and entering your e-mail for a free download code -- you can also just pick up "Fugu" over on RCRD LBL. The next track comes out on Monday, and, of course, you can hear it all live in March when Simian Mobile Disco plays Ultra Music Festival 2011.
Simian Mobile Disco, at Ultra Music Festival. Friday, March 25, through Sunday, March 27. Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Ticket currently cost $219.95 for general admission and $499.95 for VIP via ultramusicfestival.com. Prices will go up as the date nears.
