SIDE BY SIDE.

Like a parallel universe Vampire Weekend hailing from the wilds of Denmark rather than the ivy-and-brownstone environs of the Upper West Side, Age of Giants waltz onto the scene with a sunny disposition about them that immediately brings to mind the prim-and-proper pop of VW's eponymous debut album. It stands to reason that time drifts by a little slower in rural Denmark than it does in the Big

BOOTS AND FISTS TO POUND ON THE PAVEMENT.

Have a sip, it goes down a treat.MP3: "Horchata" - Vampire Weekend

I THINK UR A CONTRA.

This is rather exciting news. "Horchata" is both a delicious Mexican rice drink and the genius lead track on the forthcoming LP from Vampire Weekend, Contra.

DISCOVERED.

File under: Next level shit. Mouths have been wired shut about Discovery for a minute now, but our friends at Transparent have gone and let the cat out of the bag and it's time for the world to know. As if Vampire Weekend hadn't conquered the world hard enough already with the world's most universally likable brand of catchy guitar pop, keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij just had to go and craft his

MADE IT TO THE TOP JUST TO GET AWAY.

2008 wasn't quite the banner year for UK indie we've seen in the past, but Northern Irish bright young things Two Door Cinema Club are here to make sure that won't be the case in '09. Touted by industry types as Vampire Weekend meets the Postal Service and all manner of other vaguely fitting comparisons, the Bangor three piece aren't easily pigeonholed but bring a high octane brand of

ONE NIGHT IN OCTOBER.

Autumn in New York City lends itself particularly well to rough-around-the-edges British indie, so it was a pleasant surprise stumbling across Newcastle upstarts Little Comets last week. A cursory listen to their demo reveals no shortage of massive potential, but it's "One Night In October" that really stands out and establishes the Northeast quartet as ones to watch in the months to come.

BY THE POOLSIDE STARING INTO GLOWING BLUE.

Earlier this month we waxed lovingly about Friendly Fires' debut album and called "Jump In The Pool" the most blissful dancefloor-filler you've ever heard or something like that, and now the lovely people at Beggars have been kind enough to toss us the MP3 for posting. Paul Epworth's lone production credit on the band's eponymous debut, "Jump" is all swirling atmospheric beauty and ethereal

VAMPIRE WEEKEND + ESAU MWAMWAYA.

"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" was already Vampire Weekend's perfect late summer single, but it got even better when the Radioclit crew jumped on board and threw Esau Mwamwaya into the mix. There's been no shortage of hype surrounding Captain Esau and his fresh African riddims, but this has to be his finest collaboration to date. Radioclit take the track and give it a full cultural makeover, keeping