Album Name: Penny Sparkle
Featured Track: Here Sometimes, Not Getting There
Record Label: 4AD
Site: blonde-redhead.com

We here at Roxy HQ have been hit this week by a heatwave – actually more like a heat tsunami. It’s soooooo hot. Luckily we’ve got the steely sounds of Blonde Redhead to keep us cool. Made up of the twin Pace brothers from Milan and Japanese singer Kazu Makino, this is a truly international trio. Eight albums into their career, the band still finds ways to experiment with sounds and textures, as witnessed by their new album Penny Sparkle, which finds them working in a quiet, electronic mode. The album is named after one of Makino’s horses – which is interesting considering she was badly injured in a riding accident back in 2002. We salute her for getting back in the saddle – literally! –  to create a beautiful, evocative and exciting record.

ROXY will be down at Doheny State Beach, Dana Point next weekend as part of the “SUP” Expo during the Battle of the Paddle, California! Come find the ROXY tents and try your luck at “ping pong” for a chance to make-your-own-ROXY-flip-flops! The girls will be set up down there on Saturday October 2nd and Sunday October 3rd, 9am-4pm.

The Rainbow Sandals Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle, California is presented by Quiksilver Waterman Collection. See the world’s best paddlers, including Quiksilver Waterman Jamie Mitchell, compete in the most anticipated elite SUP race in the world. There will also be music, food and activities for the whole family.

Have you ever wanted to try SUP? Several board manufacturers including Surftech, Naish, Riviera, Hobie and C4 Waterman will have their latest fleet of demo boards available to test out. If you think you’ve got skills and strength, register for one of individual races happening on Saturday or the SUP Surf Relays happening on Sunday. Everyone who enters The Battle of the Paddle will receive a free pair of Rainbow Sandals, event tee and lunch.

For more information and to tune in to the live webcast, click here.

Available 9/22-9/29: Zola Jesus “Sea Talk”

It’s been an amazing year for Zola Jesus, our vote for president of the Over-achievers Club. She turned 21, graduated college with a double major, moved to LA, has a forthcoming EP called Valusia, and is about to set out on tour with The xx in America. Just writing that sentence makes us want to lie down! Though her previous music owes a debt to various goth influences, Zola’s sound on Valusia has expanded to include a variety of instrumentation and tempos. Her apparently limitless talent and unique voice remind us of Bjork, and that’s no small compliment. Check out her track “Sea Talk” and let us know what you think!

Download Here

PC:
1. Right click link above
2. Save to your computer
3. Listen and enjoy

MAC:
1. Hold “Control” button and click link above
2. Select “Download Linked File”
2. Listen and enjoy

Album Name: Drawing Down the Moon
Featured Track: Don’t Leave My Mind
Record Label: Saddle Creek
Myspace: www.myspace.com/azureray
Twitter: twitter.com/azureraymusic

Given that Azure Ray split up in 2004, shortly after releasing their breakthrough album Hold On Love, it’s a pleasant surprise to see them return with a new album, Drawing Down the Moon. The band’s core duo, Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor, reformed last year, much to the delight of fans (including us!). And even though they spent more than half a decade apart, these ladies picked up right where they left off, resulting in a collaboration that’s full of beauty and energy, like a soundtrack to a dream. What an excellent way to start the week.

Drumroll, please! Here are the winners! Thanks for all that have entered their designs, voted and thanks to the judges.

Grand Prize Winner: Kaila Sachse from California with “Boho Glam”.
She will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a Schick Quattro for Women Prize Pack. Most importantly though, she will get her design made into an actual bikini!!

Runner Up: Trina Fung from Canada, BC.  with “Know the Ropes @ Black Sands Beach”.
She will receive a $2,000 cash prize and a Schick Quattro for Women Prize Pack.

Viewer’s Choice: Nicole Williams from New Jersey. She received 6727 votes for “Flowers in the Sand”.
She will receive a $1,000 Roxy wardrobe and a Schick Quattro for Women Prize Pack.

Voter’s Prize: Kim Jean from Colorado.  She will receive a $1,000 Roxy wardrobe and a Schick Quattro for Women Prize Pack.

Code Prize: Michelle Porral (to be confirmed).
She will receive a $1,000 cash prize and a Schick Quattro for Women Prize Pack.

To take a look at the top 20 finalists, click here.

Available 9/15-9/22: Unicycle Loves You “Mirror Mirror”

With a little bit of ‘60s girl group, a little bit of sunshine, and a bucketful of catchy melodies, Unicycle Loves You create the perfect music to soundtrack your big wave/powder dreams. Bassist Nichole Vitale’s effortless vocals sound like they’re drifting out of the air, while songwriter/producer Jim Carrol fills his creations with eerie background noises – sonic squiggles and squeaks that keep the listener on their toes. The band’s sophomore album, Mirror Mirror, was released this week, and they’ve embarked on a national tour to promote it. Download the title track and let us know what you think!

Download Here

PC:
1. Right click link above
2. Save to your computer
3. Listen and enjoy

MAC:
1. Hold “Control” button and click link above
2. Select “Download Linked File”
2. Listen and enjoy

Album Name: The Fool
Featured Track: Undertow
Record Label: Rough Trade
Website: www.myspace.com/worldwartour
Twitter: twitter.com/_warpaint

Taking their cue from a long line of  LA-based DIY rockers, the four girls in Warpaint spent the last year releasing their own EP, touring relentlessly, and building up a base one fan at a time. Now the band’s hard work is about to pay off: their debut album, The Fool, will drop on October 12^th on the legendary Rough Trade Records. Emily Kokal (vocals/guitar), Theresa Wayman (guitar/vocals), Jenny Lee Lindberg (bass/vocals), and Stella Mozgawa (drums) weave intricate guitar lines, hypnotic vocals and driving post punk rhythms into gorgeous, sprawling songs that are intimately psychedelic. Both live and on record, Warpaint sound like they’re channeling something truly otherworldly and mystical. Catch them on tour this fall opening for label mates The XX!

This episode of Roxy Style Spy takes a look at different fun ways to wear fleece and hoodies. They’re not just for sweats anymore. This episode we showcase this season’s loose fits, lived-in looks and oversized collars for all of our comfy, cozy and style needs.

Click on the picture below to see more ROXY Style Spy episodes:

Florida’s Surfer Blood released one of our favorite albums of the year– the fun, tropical Astro Coast. As the weather turns cold we know it’s one the few albums that will always remind us of hot weather. Now they’re back with a hilarious new video for their single “Floating Vibes” in which band members act like weathermen, lawyers, and infomercial hosts as they surf across various tv channels. The song also features one of our favorite lines: “If you’re moving out to the West, then you better learn how to surf!”

And don’t forget to check their myspace for the full list of tourdates — they’re criss-crossing the country throughout the fall!

Available 9/8 – 9/15: Deluka “Nevada”

Seeing as how they’re poised to break big in the U.S. this fall, it would appear that Deluka’s relocation from their native Birmingham, England to Brooklyn was a shrewd move, in more ways than one. Led by powerhouse singer Ellie Innocenti, the band grabbed serious attention last year with the release of its debut self-titled EP, which contains the storming single “Cascade,” among other big, electro-infused rockers. The band’s first full-length, You Are The Night, will drop this October on Vel Records and expectations are high. One thing we know: Innocenti struts and shouts like a female version of Mick Jagger; she’s got more than enough heat to keep us warm this fall.

Download Here

PC:
1. Right click link above
2. Save to your computer
3. Listen and enjoy

MAC:
1. Hold “Control” button and click link above
2. Select “Download Linked File”
2. Listen and enjoy