Jana Hunter and director Tristan Patterson apply new meaning to the term “screen test” in the video for Lower Dens first single “Brains”.

The video was shot in Los Angeles by Tristan Patterson whose directorial debut Dragonslayer won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at SXSW 2011.

In addition to the video Lower Dens have announced release week shows in New York City and Baltimore plus a slew of North American and European headlining dates. See below.

Nootropics will be released on CD, double LP, and digitally May 1st in North America and April 30th throughout the rest of the world. In the meantime, a limited edition pre-order of Nootropics is now available on gold colored double LP with black swirl over at the Ribbon Mart along with the CD version. If you’re looking to put hands on something sooner than May 1st the ‘Brains’ / ‘Propagation’ 10″ with exclusive b-side “Hours” is also available to pre-order at the Ribbon Mart and ships to arrive March 27th. Link through for further details.

Lower Dens
02-29 Poughkeepsie, NY – Vassar
03-01 Hudson, NY – Club Helsinki
03-02 Middletown, CT – Wesleyan
03-03 Ithaca, NY – The Haunt
03-04 Albany, NY – Valentines
03-06 Ann Arbor, MI  – University of Michigan Museum of Art
03-07 Grand Rapids, MI- The Pyramid Scheme
03-08 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
03-09 Madison, WI – Der Rathskeller at University of Wisconsin
03-10 Grinnell, IA – Grinnell College
03-11 Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock
03-14 SXSW
03-15 SXSW
03-16 SXSW
03-17 Houston, TX – Rice University
04-06 Harrisonburg, VA – Macrock
04-07 Swannanoa, NC – Sage Cafe
04-21 Mexico City, MX – Noise Fest
04-27 Pawtucket, RI – The Met
04-28 Hamden, CT – The Outer Space
04-29 Allston, MA – Great Scott
05-01 New York, NY- Mercury Lounge
05-02 Brooklyn, NY- Glasslands
05-03 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
05-04 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
05-05 Baltimore, MD- Ottobar
05-10 Brussels, BE- La Chocolaterie
05-11 The Hague, NL – Walk the Line Festival
05-12 Gent, BE – DOKarena
05-13 Paris, FR – Le Point Ephemere
05-14 Brighton, UK – The Hope
05-16 London, UK – The Lexington
05-17 Rotterdam, NL – Worm
05-18 Hamburg, DE – Hafenklang
05-19 Aarhus, DK – Pop Revo
05-20 Copenhagen, DK – Loppen
05-21 Berlin, DE – West Germany
05-23 Krakow, PL – Green Zoo Festival
05-24 Prague, CZ – Club 007
05-25 Vienna, AU – Chelsea
05-26 Kleinreifling, AU – Seeweisen Festival
05-29 Turin, IT – Blah Blah
05-30 St. Gallen, CH – Palace
05-31 Dudingen, CH – Kilbi Festival
06-01 Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound
06-03 Dublin, EIR – Forbidden Fruit Festival

Shot this winter in the English countryside, the video for “All My Rage” shows Laura Marling & Company powering through one of A Creature I Don’t Know‘s most revered tracks. Attendees of Laura’s recent live shows will know the strength of this song as witnessed by… mortals. Now catch that same energy infused into a room of say… lesser mortals. Serious results ensue. Check it out here. Directed by Fred&Nick.

Worth adding: This year Laura Marling returns stateside twice. In April Laura will be touring in support of Andrew Bird around their Coachella shows. In June Laura and her band will return yet again to make appearances at both Telluride and Bonnaroo Festivals. More on the latter run of dates shortly. In the meantime have a look at the announced dates below.

LAURA MARLING
04/09 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre #
04/10 – Vancouver, British Columbia – The Vogue #
04/11 – Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall #
04/13 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater #
04/14 – Indio, CA – Coachella
04/18 – Mesa, AZ – Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center #
04/19 – Santa Fe, NM – Lensic Performing Arts Center #
04/20 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theater #
04/21 – Indio, CA – Coachella
06/7-10 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
06/21 – Telluride, CO – Telluride Bluegrass Festival

# w/ Andrew Bird

LOOK AT ‘EM ALL! 350 one-of-a-kind MR. IMPOSSIBLE screenprinted / spray painted LP jackets handmade by BLACK DICE each with their own unique signature flare. Created in Bjorn Copeland’s artist studio by all three members these LPs are available to PRE-ORDER now! In fact the majority of them are already accounted for (you know who you are, THANK YOU!) therefore waste no time. Take a deep breathe, decide if this is “for you” and if so… Make your move.

For more information on Black Dice member, Bjorn Copeland, whom designed the album’s artwork have a look here and over here.

Black Dice’s forthcoming album Mr. Impossible is out April 10th in North America and April 9th throughout the rest of the world. Need to know more? Check this out or head over this-a-way and download first single “Pigs”.

It is with much excitement we announce on May 1st in North America and April 30th throughout the rest of the world, laid back melody surrealists Lower Dens take shape with the release of their second studio album and first for Ribbon Music – Nootropics. While not a complete departure from their debut album Twin – Hand Movement [Gnomonsong], Nootropics ascends from it’s predecessor still.

With the creation of Nootropics, Lower Dens have authored the second chapter in their ongoing story and the sound is a piercing gaze outside of their once familiar beginnings.

The first offering from Nootropics, “Brains” is available to stream and/or download over at the band’s website.

In addition, you can now pre-order the “Brains” / “Propagation” double A-side 10″ single w/ B-side “Hours” over at the Ribbon shop. Limited to 750 copies! Artwork below.

Lower Dens is Jana Hunter, Geoff Graham, Will Adams, Nate Nelson and Carter Tanton.

Nootropics was engineered in Benton Harbor, MI at Key Club Recording with producer Drew Brown [whose engineering credits include Radiohead, Sandro Perri, Beck, and Blonde Redhead] and completed in Baltimore, MD.

LOWER DENS, “Brains” / “Propagation” double A-side 10″ single w/ B-side “Hours“

Seminal NYC based art punk DIY enthusiasts / purists, BLACK DICE have returned with their sixth studio album MR. IMPOSSIBLE to be released April 10th on Ribbon Music. The nine song album combines 15 years of collaboration into one explosive electronic breakout monster mash. Over the course of their career Black Dice have refined a compositional palate that is entirely their own. Inspired by the banged up punk gallery art ethos of Men’s Recovery Project, The Seeds and their own live shows Black Dice have arrived with the creation of Mr. Impossible. A being unto itself. Bridging a divide between the thrashings of punk and trance music, Mr. Impossible takes itself serious, breathes with melody and revels in a let loose , wild out , fuck off good time. Sound nuts? Well, it’s not. This is easy to enjoy fun for all frontier music! Get on it.

Mr. Impossible will be released on CD, LP and digitally on April 10th in the US and April 9th in the rest of the world. In addition a special edition hand numbered individually screen printed LP version limited to 350 copies is available for PRE-ORDER now – here.

ALSO! Watch the Black Dice directed video for “Pigs” plus download the track here.

Follow Black Dice on Twitter: @echobro

Black Dice, Mr. Impossible

1. Pinball Wizard
2. Rodriguez
3. The Jacker
4. Pigs
5. Spy Vs. Spy
6. Outer Body Drifter
7. Shithouse Drifter
8. Carnita
s
9. Brunswick Sludge (Meets Front Range Tripper)

LAURA MARLING / NIGHT AFTER NIGHT / McKITTRICK HOTEL from GEMSNYC on Vimeo.

To close out a wonderful year, not to mention Ribbon Music’s first, we along with NYC based production team GEMS would like to share with you this beautifully shot and holiday tinged live performance of “Night After Night” by Laura Marling.

Shot earlier this month at NYC’s McKittrich Hotel, a performance which capped her NA solo tour in support of A Creature I Don’t Know, Laura Marling offers us a beguiling melody set in front of Christmas trees and holiday lights in a venue almost too perfect. T’was a lovely evening indeed!

Enjoy.

Laura Marling has expanded her solo tour to include a performance at World Cafe in Philadelphia as part of WXPN’s “Free at Noon” series! RSVP at the link below for your chance to see the show or tune into WXPN or NRP Music day of for the live broadcast.

Also, to those of you in NYC Laura Marling’s early and late shows have been moved to the larger theatre within the McKittrick Hotel on December 11th. Additional tickets to both shows are available at the links below. In further news Laura Marling’s Minneapolis, Chicago, Toronto, and evening Philadelphia shows are SOLD OUT. Hoping to score last minute tickets to one of these shows? Watch @ribbonmusic for giveaways!

Tickets to Laura Marling’s December 2012 solo tour are now SOLD OUT. Watch @ribbonmusic for last minute ticket giveaways!

LAURA MARLING
12/1 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center SOLD OUT
12/3 Rock Island, IL – Rock Island Brewing Company / Daytrotter Wish List Benefit %
12/4 Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre / WXRT BIG Holiday Concert # SOLD OUT
12/7 Toronto, ON – Camera Lounge (early show) SOLD OUT
12/7 Toronto, ON – Camera Lounge (late show) SOLD OUT
12/9 Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe “Free at Noon” RSVP (Dec 2nd @ 1 PM)
12/9 Philadelphia, PA – Grindcore House SOLD OUT
12/11 NYC, NY – The McKittrick Hotel (early show) SOLD OUT
12/11 NYC, NY – The McKittrick Hotel (late show) SOLD OUT

Happy to relay Laura Marling will return to the states for an end of year run of solo shows and radio appearances next month! More dates will be announced shortly therefor please check back. UPDATE: Additional dates have been announced! See below. NYC fear not, we’ll be announcing something shortly. FINAL UPDATE: HELLO, NEW YORK! Laura Marling will perform two solo shows on the evening of Sunday, December 11th at The McKittrick Hotel! Tickets will be made available via the fine folks at Bowery Presents here (early show) and here (late show). In further news Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto are now SOLD OUT. Watch us on twitter @ribbonmusic where we’ll be sure to giveaway a few select tickets to all shows (sold out or otherwise) as the dates draw nearer!

12/1 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
12/3 Rock Island, IL – Rock Island Brewing Company / Daytrotter Wish List Benefit %
12/4 Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre / WXRT BIG Holiday Concert #
12/7 Toronto, ON – Camera Lounge (early show)
12/7 Toronto, ON – Camera Lounge (late show)
12/9 Philadelphia, PA – Grindcore House
12/11 NYC, NY – The McKittrick Hotel (early show)
12/11 NYC, NY – The McKittrick Hotel (late show)

% w/ M. Ward
# w/ Florence + The Machine

Photo Courtesy of NY TIMES T Magazine

We’ve made Ribbon Music sweatshirts for your fall / winter wardrobe collection! They’ll be available over at the Ribbon Music Shop in a variety of sizes soon. Please check back. In the meantime, we thought we’d provide some proof of their existence and impending availability with the above photo.

Sizes: Youth Large, S, M, L, XL

Price: TBD

One Color (as shown).

RIBBON MUSIC, DOMINO RECORDING COMPANY, STEREOGUM.COM, TODD P, and SOFTWARE LABEL PRESENT:

Wednesday, Oct 19th @ 285 Kent JOHN MAUS, TWIN SISTER, ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER, DERADOORIAN, plus DJs DEAKIN and GEOLOGIST of ANIMAL COLLECTIVE will tear down the house that Todd P built at 285 Kent in the neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn with the help of FREE TITOS VODKA from 8 – 9 PM. This is an absolute no brainer rager. Doors are at 8. $10. Half off with CMJ badge.

In addition to our party Wednesday night, we’re joining forces with KEXP and Ace Hotel on Friday, October 21 to bring you some of our  favorite tunes.  Domino staff will be spinning records from 9pm-1am… The Ace Hotel is located at 20 W 29th Street.