Cambridge, Massachusetts electronic band Passion Pit have just released the video for their fourth single ‘Little Secrets’ off their debut album ‘Manners’. When I saw them live last June, this song was one of the highlights of their already epic set and had everyone dancing and singing along, so I’m glad to see they’ve brought a similar vibe to the video. At first it seems a bit eerie, with Michael Angelakos & Co. playing to a dark warehouse full of men with sad-faced paper bags over their heads. But as Passion Pit plays, they quickly “turn those frowns upside down” and a dance party ensues, complete with confetti and glitter. Check it out below and just try not to dance along!

Passion Pit are playing a string of sold out dates in the UK over the next two weeks. A limited number of tickets are still available for their show at Norwich UEA on Monday 8th March 2010, with support from Little Death and Ellie Goulding.

One of 2009’s success stories, Passion Pit have announced their first 2010 UK tour.

Tickets seem to be on sale now. Catch the guys at:

Wednesday 3rd March 2010 – Bristol, Academy
Thursday 4th March 2010 – Leeds, Met University
Saturday 6th March 2010 – Glasgow, ABC
Monday 8th March 2010 – Norwich, UEA
Tuesday 9th March 2010 – Nottingham, Rock City
Thursday 11th March 2010 – London, Forum
Saturday 13th March 2010 – Dublin, Olympia

Ahhh, Passion Pit, Passion Pit, how I love thee. This is the video for their new single, To Kingdom Come, which is out today in the UK. Watch the (slightly bizarre) video and download a great, spacey remix below the video.

http://www.vimeo.com/5638714

MP3: Passion Pit – To Kingdom Come (Artwork Remix)

I’m not gonna lie. This week I’ve been hideously slack with writing here. Sorry. I’ve been dealing with some non-musical stuff of late, so hopefully come next week normal service can resume.

I caught Friendly Fires on Wednesday night, Mew last night, and tomorrow I’m going to Lovebox in London – good times. I’ll be twittering from Lovebox all day (phone signal permitting) and hopefully a few blog posts as time (and phone signal) allows.

In the mean time, and before we get back to normal service, enjoy this amazing video from Passion Pit for their new single, To Kingdom Come which is out pn 24th August. Watch, enjoy and have a great weekend.

http://www.vimeo.com/5638714

One of my favourite bands of the moment, and seemingly most of the blogosphere’s too, Passion Pit have announced an Oxtober UK tour.

Tickets apparently go on sale tomorrow (Wednesday 20th May) at 9am.

Catch the US boys at:

Wednesday 21st October 2009 – Sheffield Leadmill
Thursday 22nd October 2009 – Newcastle Northumbria University
Friday 23rd October 2009 – Glasgow Garage
Saturday 24th October 2009 – Manchester 02 Club Academy
Monday 26th October 2009 – Oxford 02 Club Academy
Tuesday 27th October 2009 – London Koko
Friday 30th October 2009 – Bristol Anson Rooms
Saturday 31st October 2009 – Southampton University
Sunday 1st November 2009 – Birmingham 02 Academy 2

So, as I commented on Wednesday I LOVE Passion Pit’s Sleepyhead. And already there’s been a (rather sensational) cover of it, by Brightons The Mummers, which you can check out below.

MP3: The Mummers vs Passion Pit – Sleepyhead

The Mummers release their debut album ‘Tale To Tell’ on the 8th June 2009. It’s preceded by the release of the single ‘Wonderland’ on the 1st of June.

We previewed the amazing Latitude back at the start of April, but since then they’ve added a few more amazing acts just to, well, make it even more amazing as far as the “alternative” festivals go. Joining the likes of Grace Jones, Pet Shop Boys and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds they’ve added some of TGTF’s favourite artists, including Regina Spektor, Passion Pit, Patrick Wolf, Mew, Marina and the Diamonds (pictured right) and Lisa Hannigan.

Huw Stephens (who has had some pretty amazing finds over recent months) has confirmed that he’s choosing all of the bands on the coveted Lake Stage, which features many of the bands we’ve tipped for the top here at TGTF along with some choice cuts from who will be big over the coming months. If we were fortunate enough to be attending, that’s where we’d be spending much of our time most likely. That’s not to say that the rest of the lineup is rubbish – no, far from it. Latitude is one of the best fully featured festivals we know – that is, it’s not just music. Oh no. It’s got some of the best talents from the theatre, literary and film worlds, including the amazing Dave Gorman performing in the comedy tent. Meanwhile, over in the literary arena there’s a pretty big scoop in the shape of fashion designer extrodinaire Vivienne Westwood. Let’s be honest, that’s gotta be worth the ticket price on her own!

Tickets are on sale now for Latitude 2009 – weekend tickets are £150 plus booking fees. Day tickets for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday are £60 each plus booking fees. Weekend tickets prices include car parking and camping – day tickets include car parking only.

Top photo comes from John Appleyard’s flickr stream.

Okay, a late minute addition to our MP3s of the day series.

First up, we have a remix of Passion Pit’s The Reeling. Think a sparser version, more club orientated and one that just has tongues waging ahead of the full release. It doesn’t retain that much of the original at first before plunging in towards the end of the track, making it a great stand alone addition to your collection.

MP3: Passion Pit – The Reeling (Shuttle’s Super Club Mega Mix ‘99)

Next up, we have a glorious remix of Dan Black’s (pictured top) Symphonies by Passion Pit. It’s funkier, faster and with more of a beat – you can imagine it being a huge hit in Ibiza or such like this summer. Listen and enjoy…

MP3: Dan Black – Symphonies (Passion Pit remix)

I’ve been a huge fan of Passion Pit for some time, since Sleepyhead first came out and had me more excited than a kid spending a night alone in a sweet shop. Their Chunk of Change EP had me just as excited, and so when I received a copy of the finished album, Manners, it went straight on iTunes and got my undivided attention for 46 minutes.

Wow. I didn’t expect it to live up to the greatness of Sleepyhead (and to be fair, it’s still the standout track of the album), but it does do a very good job – from the slow building “Moths Wings” and the kids choir going “oh no” on “The Reeling” to the slow and tender “Swimming in the Flood”, and the thoughtful “Seaweed Song”, it’s an album of variety, fullness and quality all the way through.

At first listen I was a bit concerned that the album was a bit “meh”, nothing amazing. However with more listens you realise it’s so much more interesting than other “blogger / dance / pop” albums of late (yes, MGMT, Black Kids, CSS I’m looking at you!)

You’ll no doubt be hearing so much more about Passion Pit here at TGTF over the coming year – stay tuned. And for now, remind yourselves of the amazingness of Sleepyhead.

Passion Pit’s Manners is out next Monday (18th May) on Columbia Records. Pre-order it now.

Bestival is a three-day, action-packed music festival held every year at Robin Hill Country Park on the beautiful Isle of Wight. The bash is well-known for being one of the final music festivals to be squeezed out of the last of the summer months, and this year Bestival will be taking place appropriately late – between Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September.

The festival initially started out 5 years ago and has grown in both size and popularity since then. The brainchild of Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, Bestival is renowned for both it’s diverse line ups as well as it’s super fun atmosphere.

Headliners confirmed for this year’s event include Elbow, Massive Attack and Kraftwerk. Other quite simply amazing acts taking to the stage this 2009 include (and we stress, include!) MGMT, Fleet Foxes, Doves, Seasick Steve, Klaxons, Lily Allen, Friendly Fires, Florence and the Machine, Little Boots, Esser, Passion Pit, Chew Lips, La Roux and Jack Penate.

Meanwhile, DJs who’ll be spinning the decks at the Isle of Wight bash this year include Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, Zane Lowe and the boss himself, Rob da Bank.

Yet this is only a minuscule look into the massive selection of artists and DJs confirmed for this year’s event. You can grab the complete line-up over at Bestival’s website by hitting this link.

But music, no matter how impressive the line up may be, isn’t completely what this festival is about. Bestival is also a celebration of fun, and this year looks set to be one hell of a party.

Every year, for example, the festival has a fancy dress theme, and this 2009 the theme is ‘outer space’! So why not visit ‘The Dressing Up Area’, complete with a ‘Pimp My Outfit Booth’ to adorn yourself in such clothing wonderment while at the festival?

If fancy dress isn’t your thing, how about you check out ‘Heavenly Healing’ or ‘The Pamper Lounge’, two beautifully relaxing retreats providing festival-goers with a range of therapeutic treatments between their sweaty head banging sessions.

Other delights you can experience while at this dreamy festival include the tasty treats of ‘Buttercupcakes Afternoon Tea Hut’, the dizzying heights of the ‘The Big Wheel’, the jam-packed ‘The Village’ (complete with a farmers market and sushi stall!), ‘The Kids Garden’ for wee festival goers, and the famous ‘Inflatable Church’ should you fancy getting married along the way!

Wow! So, to learn more about this rollercoster of a festival, check out Bestival’s website. An adult weekend ticket for the event costs £140, and this includes camping. Tickets are still available for the fest and can be purchased from most ticket outlets. Check out the site for more information on where to purchase yours. Have fun!

Top photo is taken from alex_lee2001’s flickr stream under the Creative Commons License.