This is far from a radical idea, and it certainly seems to be the direction in which the music industry is heading.  But technology consultation/analysis firm Gartner has suggested a swift move towards digital-first releases, sometime before Christmas of 2009.
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Japanese new-wave quartet Polysics can fry synapses with its sequenced vibrations, surges of thousand-gigawatt melodies, and Devo-influenced punk rock.

Chris Catania communicates with front man Hiro Hayashi to learn about the group’s inspirations, thoughts on Japanese punk rock, and using a “space language.”
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Infusing traditional Japanese sounds with shredding, progressive metal, Tsugaru-shamisen master Kevin Kmetz creates a high-speed cultural collision with his band God of Shamisen.

The group released a phenomenal full-length late this year on Reptile Records, and now Kmetz is working on a major-label release for EMI Japan.

After the jump, you can watch a few exclusive videos of the group in the studio.  Make sure to throw those horns up for the double bass, and be sure to geek out for the Star Wars cover.
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Ambient, cinematic acoustic/electronic duo Zombi has pair of preview tracks from Spirit Animal, its new album set for a February 3 North American release via Relapse.

True to form, the tunes — “Spirit Animal” and “Spirit Warrior” — showcase a sound that fits horror films and any number of other retro soundtracks.  The songs are a bit more focused on modern rock sounds than the older material, and they certainly pack a punch.
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Fredrik Ljungkvist: Yun Kan 12345

Swedish jazz, Belgian grindcore, Gypsy flamenco, and 1960s sitar pop — it’s all in this week’s picks for the week’s best albums. Check it.
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Instrumental math-rock gurus Don Caballero are hitting the road again in February, playing select dates around the Midwest, Texas, and out West. All shows will include quirky Toronto rockers DD/MM/YYYY, and some will include the melodic 8-bit rock of sBACH. Check out the tour dates after the jump.
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Thirsty Ear recording artists Blink. are a beacon in the already-bright future of Chicago’s avant-jazz scene. Between holiday parties, some of us will sneak out to see the group’s grooving creations of hard-hitting alternative jazz.
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Fans of genre-crossing trip-hop trio Portishead can breathe a sigh of relief — it appears that there won’t be another 11-year wait before the group’s next album.
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Married pop duo Mates of State recently traveled around the country for National Public Radio’s This American Life, providing the program’s musical accompaniment. The two also just played a live set for NPR, belting out their lighthearted piano-and-drums creations.

Follow this link to hear Mates of State live on NPR.
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Covering politics, comic books, nude self-portraits, futuristic architecture, and humorous basketball profiles, ALARM lists five awesome books as gift ideas for your musically, artistically, or culturally interesting friends.
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