Daily MPfree: Ólöf Arnalds

We’ve covered Ólöf before, but this magical Icelandic songstress plays London tonight so I thought we’d give you a reminder. This is one of her very best songs, Klara, from her first album “Við og Við”; the follow-up, “Innundir Skinni” is out in September. Tonight’s show is in the plush surroundings of The Slaughtered Lamb in Farringdon. Don’t miss it!

Ólöf Arnalds – Klara by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: The Knife ft. Planningtorock & Mt Sims

The Knife open their spectacular looking collaborative opera “Tomorrow, In A Year” tonight at The Barbican. This is one of the more tuneful sections from the soundtrack, which has met with mixed critical reception compared to their straight dance music. Understandably so: it’s a “difficult” listen. Maybe the visuals help. Going? Let us know what you thought in the comments…

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The Knife – Colouring of Pigeons by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: White Heat Preview: Gold Panda, Max Tundra, Dam Mantle

We’ve three electronic wizards for you today. Sleek electronica from Gold Panda, brain-melting futurepop from Max Tundra (pictured) and some sleepy squiggling from Dam Mantle.

The three play together at a must-see White Heat show (erroneously listed as happening 31st July in the current issue, sorry folks) on August 17th at Madame JoJos.

Gold Panda – Back Home by snipelondon

Max Tundra – Which Song by snipelondon

Dam Mantle – Broken Slumber by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: Tennis

Husband-wife duo Tennis make dreamy-sounding lost rock ‘n’ roll classics that are actually brand new. PSYCHE.

Tennis – Marathon by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: Active Child

Active Child is Pat Grossi, who describes himself as a “choirboy turned indie-pop musician”. His music is a swirl of electronic and acoustic sounds, laced through with 80s pop drums and polished, warm melodies. He’s an endearing chap onstage too, red-cheeked and humble. His Curtis Lane EP is out now on Merok, and he’ll be playing at The Lexington on July 26th before embarking on an epic US tour.

Active Child – She Was a Vision by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: Surfer Blood

This awesome band (seemingly made up of a bunch of kids skipping school from the picture above) sound a bit like The Jesus & Mary Chain playing the songs of the Beach Boys, with the obligatory bit of afro-beat influence thrown in. Almost painfully on-trend, then, but their eponymous debut album is a scrawling, summery blast undeserving of such a cynical ear. It’s a tuneful, imaginative, wonderfully produced album full of great moments – the most apt summer record of 2010. Catch them at the Lexington on August 25th.

Surfer Blood – Swim by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: School Of Seven Bells

Dreamy shoegaze textures from acclaimed trio The School Of Seven Bells. Catch them live at the Scala next Tuesday, and learn more about them in our August issue.

The School Of Seven Bells – Babelonia by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: The Hundred In The Hands

Here’s a nice Snipe exclusive for you. Warp Records have given us an unreleased track by NYC upstarts The Hundred In The Hands, entitled “Gigantic Tom Tom”; a more sparkly, poppy take on “Tom Tom” from their ace Desert EP. They play The Old Blue Last tonight at the Vice magazine issue launch party. Plenty of scene points for that, but they’re actually good too. Trust.

The Hundred In The Hands – Gigantic Tom Tom by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: Pacific!

Pretty, blissed-out electronic Krautrock from the Swedish duo Pacific!. Apparently conceived as the soundtrack to a ballet (trailer below) their new album, Narcissus, is out September 13th on Vulture.

Pacific! – Venus Rising by snipelondon

Daily MPfree: The Sword

To offset the twee-core factor of liking Retro Stefson today, our Daily MPfree comes courtesy of balls-out rifflords The Sword. Their new album Warp Riders is out August 24th. You have to trade an email address for your MPfree today, so if you’d like to know whet you’re getting yourself into first, have a listen on MySpace.