So I’ve never been to a Sun God festival ever in my 8 years of living in California, although I really would’ve liked to. But the lineup has never really been that stellar for me to take the 6-hour drive down from San Francisco. But this year, I must say it’s pretty tempting.
UCSD finally announced their lineup last night, and it’s probably the best lineup I’ve seen from this festival. What’s baffling however is that Girl Talk (which was announced last night) is conspicuously missing from the lineup tonight. Where did it go? I hope it’s just a simple mistake, because Girl Talk is definitely a deciding factor of whether I go or not. But that’s not to say there are some other fantastic artists here. From what I see, these are my top artists performing at Sun God, this year in 2009.
1. Girl Talk
Let’s hope that UCSD figures out their whereabouts on the Sun God lineup soon, because Girl Talk is easily my most anticipated performer here. He’s probably the most well-known mashup artist this generation, and there’s a reason why he is. Splicing and dicing well known mainstream lyrics with other mainstream songs, his tracks are astoundingly good, especially for a party atmosphere. One second he could playing some Clipse references, and another he’s transitioned into Kelly Clarkson. Please, let’s hope this lineup fiasco is all just a huge mistake. (Also does anyone else find this picture awesomely hilarious?)
Girl Talk - Bounce That.mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
Peter Bjorn and John - Lets Call It Off (Girl Talk Remix).mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
2. N*E*R*D
Pharrell has always been a smash hit, no matter what alias he is under: The Neptunes, Pharrell, or N*E*R*D. He’s got a smooth voice that’s easy to listen to. And while he’s a great performer, he’s a better producer, which means the tracks he lays down are surefire hits.
N.E.R.D - Sooner or Later.mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
N.E.R.D - Rockstar (Disco Villains Remix).mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
3. Iron & Wine
I’m sure once I’m dead drunk in the middle of the afternoon, I’ll need to take a break from all the excitement. This is why Iron & Wine is so perfect for this festival. When everyone collapses onto the ground, they’ll be soothed over by the calming sounds of Iron & Wine. Folk music is like the perfect hangover music too. There’s no reason to skip on him.
Iron & Wine - Sunset Soon Forgotten.mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights.mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
Yeah, you already know that Sara Bareilles has already written you a love song many times, but she’s pretty incredible. A voice that has such a wide variety of range, combined with catchy tunes and lyrics is a formula for great music. Also, she’s amazingly attractive as well (it took some time, but I’ve come to the conclusion that she’s made of pure beauty).
Sara Bareilles - Bottle It Up (Live at The Fillmore).mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
Sara Bareilles - Gravity (Live at The Fillmore).mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Direct Link)
5. Nosaj Thing
Probably not as well known as the others, but this guy is an upcoming artist in the world of electronica. He doesn’t have a defining subgenre of electronic music because his style changes so radically from one song to another. Ranging from the sounds of Boards of Canada to Ratatat, Nosaj Thing is an artist to watch at Sun God 2009.
Nosaj Thing - Heart Entire.mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Link)
Nosaj Thing - DISTRO.mp3 (Yousendit Link) (Mediafire Link)
So there you have it. Five artists to definitely look forward to at Sun God this year (maybe four if Girl Talk doesn’t return back to the lineup).
- Albert
