The Bulletin: Arts & Culture News | 15 February

TONY VISCONTI ON THE NEW DAVID BOWIE ALBUM
Speaking exclusively to Rolling Stone, producer Tony Vsconti has revealed details of the forthcoming album by music legend David Bowie. The album will be called The Next Day, and will feature 14 new tracks. Visconti, who produced such seminal Bowie albums as Heroes andYoung Americans, told Rolling Stone that Bowie asked him to keep the new album secret while working in the studio: "He said, "Keep it a secret, and don't tell anybody. Not even your best friend." I said, "Can I tell my girlfriend?" He says, "Yes, you can tell your girlfriend, but she can't tell anybody." So everybody had to explain why they were leaving for work in the morning, you know, where they were going and who they were recording with. The real trick was just not telling even your best friend. Bowie fans are just unpredictable – if they hear news like this, the cover would have been blown years ago."

Visconti goes on to reveal that musician Robert Fripp leaked the news that Bowie was working on new material - but no-one believed him. So far the only track to be unveiled from the album is the single Where Are We Now. Read Visconti's track-by-track analysis of the album here.

OUT MONDAY: THE BEST OF WAR CHILD
The War Child charity was established in 1993 in sympathy with the young victims of the atrocities carried out in the former Yugoslavia. This year marks the 20-year anniversary of the organisation, which now works in conflict zones and regions devatstated by war across the world, working to bring food, security, education and shelter to children affected by armed struggle, and the fall-out that follows it. The first War Child album, HELP, was released in 1995, featuring exclusive tracks by the likes of Oasis, Radiohead, and Paul Weller. Since then, a further six compilations have been released, with proceeds going to the charity. On Monday, War Child and Parlophone are releasing a 20th anniversary 'best-of' album, featuring tracks by Massive Attack, Manic Street Preachers, The Prodigy, Gorillaz, Beck and others. As a preview for the album, you can download a free track today: Muse playing a live version of Time Is Running Out. Look for The Best of War Child in shops and online from Monday. 

NEW VIDEOS: TYLER THE CREATOR, AMANDA PALMER, SUUNS, KURT VILE 
Odd Future ringleader Tyler the Creator has announced the follow-up to the hugely successful Goblin, unveiling the cover, by celebrated artist Mark Ryden, and a track and video from the album, Domo 23, which you can watch below. The album will be simply titled Wolf, and will be released alongside the Odd Future clothing line, Golf Wang. The hip-hop crew's adult-oriented animated series, Loiter Squad, will also premiere soon on Adult Swim -- a new trailer has been revealed. Wolf is due for release on 2 April.

Amanda Palmer is back with a new video for The Bed Song, taken from her recent album Theatre Is Evil. We reviewed the album back in August, and praised its "sheer scale and ambition." We also interviewed Palmer about her innovative (and sometimes controversial) crowd-funding approach to her career. 

Psychedelic Montreal rockers Suuns have released a new video this week -- 2020 is taken from their forthcoming album Images Du Futur, recorded with Jace Lasek from Besnard Lakes. 2020 is a brooding, seasick, weirdly funky track from the band, accompanied by fliekering, abstract imagery, and promises interesting depth and variation on their sound when the album drops on 4 March.

Kurt Vile has earned himself a reputation as a vital and important American songwriter, from his early time with The War on Drugs to his solo career, and 2011's acclaimed, country and bluegrass-influenced album Smoke Ring For My Halo. Now he is about to release the follow-up, Wakin' On A Pretty Daze, on 8 April. Vile has premiered the title track from the album - have a listen below.

NEW MUSIC: GHOSTPOET, LVMRKS, PURITY RING, THE THERMALS
More new music today, coming from 2011 Mercury nominee Ghostpoet. His sophomore album, Some Say I So I Say Light, will be released on 6 May. We thoroughly enjoyed his live show last year, so we're looking forward to new material from him. According to Ghostpoet, the first track, unveiled on Gilles Peterson's radio show, is "...based on a dream I had where dimsum and noodles were life-long friends who kept squabbling all the time..." He adds: "I try in vain to make sense of it all.” Stream it below.

LVMRKS is the new project from former Trail Of Dead multi-instumentalist and songwriter Neil Busch, featuring Jonathan Hischke, formerly of Hella and Broken Bells, and Dave Clifford, of Red Sparowes and The VSS. Their debut album, Pale Fairytale, was mixed by veteran producer Toshi Kasai (The Melvins, Tool), and will be released on 21 May. You can download and stream their first track, Valentine, below.

Canadian electro-pop sweethearts Purity Ring have unveiled a new track - an irony-free cover of Soulja Boy's song, Grammy. Singer Megan james takes on Soulja Boy's brag-tastic hip-hop couplets with verve, resulting in a cover that massively outclasses the original. Download it here, and listen below. 

Lastly, angry Portland pop-punk kids The Thermals are giving away a copy of their track Born To Kill, taken from the album Desperate Ground, out 15 April, and available now for pre-order. The album was produced by John Agnello, who has previously worked with Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth.

FESTIVAL WATCH: VAN MORRISON FOR HEBCELT, END OF THE ROAD, BLOODSTOCK, LOVE SUPREME
Folk legend Van Morrison, whose song Brown Eyed Girl is one of the most beloved sing-along anthems for drunk people all over the world (matched only by Come On Eileen and Wonderwall for its satisfying 'la la la'-based chorus, easy to remember with some beers in you), has been announced as the headliner for this year's Hebridean Celtic Festival (17-20 July), on the beautful island of Stornoway. For the full folk and roots-focused lineup and to buy tickets, visit the festival's website.

The End of the Road Festival (30 Aug - 1 Sep) takes place in Dorset, and this year they've got a stellar lineup - just added to the bill are David Byrne & St. Vincent, performing tracks from their album Love This Giant. They join headliners Sigur Rós and Belle & Seabastian, along with Efterklang, Frightened Rabbit, Polica, Matthew E White and many more. Tickets are on sale.

Bloodstock (8-11 Aug) is a dedicated metal festival, with a whole host of established and up-and-coming bands playing in the open air in Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire. They have a feral and intense lineup for 2013, with live sets from Exodus, Death Angel, 3 Inches Of Blood, Dying Fetus, Scar Symmetry, Devildriver and a whole host of others. Tickets are on sale.

From the Satanic to the smooth, as we take a look at the Love Supreme Jazz Festival (5-7 July). Taking place near Brighton, this year the festival welcomes Bryan Ferry & The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, Chic featuring Nile Rodgers, Courtney Pine, and a whole host of renowned jazz artists. Tickets are on sale.

TALENTHOUSE & SUNDANCE LONDON LAUNCH SHORT FILM COMPETITON
Nokia Music and the Sundance Film Festival recently collaborated on a project to fund six documentary film-makers, who created short films under the banner of New American Noise, telling the story of the underground music scene in six American cities. Now, in association with Sundance London and Talenthouse, Nokia are offering UK filmmakers the chance to tell the story of their local music scenes. Prospective entrants should create and upload a 15-60 second clip about the scene in their city, along with a proposal for a full short feature. Two finalists will receive two Nokia Lumia920's and a production budget to create their films, which will premiere at Sundance London. Get involved and find out more here.

TRAILERS: MANIAC, MAMA, THE GREAT HIP-HOP HOAX
Like 1947 noir thriller Lady In The Lake, Elijah Wood's new film Maniac is shot entirely from the point of view of Wood's character, a serial killer. It's a remake of a cult '80s slasher movie of the same name. Whether director Franck Khalfoun can sustain this POV trick over a 2-hour movie is an open question - see what you think in the trailer below.

Looking scarier than Maniac by several orders of magnitude, the new Guillermo Del Toro-produced horror Mama is the tale of two feral children rescued from the woods. But when they come back to civilization, they bring Mama with them. Who or what the terrifying Mama might be is the central question of the film, directed by Andres Muschietti. All we can say is... BRRRRRRR.

And finally, a preview of a new documentary premiering at South By Southwest this year, Jeanie Finlay's The Great Hip-Hop Hoax. It tells the story of Sillibil and Brainz, two Scottsh rappers who fooled the music industry into thinking they were American. Watch the trailer below.

WEEKEND CLUB PICKS: MALA IN CUBA, AUNTIE FLO
There are some great gigs on this weekend, including Jeff Mills' new score for Fritz Lang's Woman In The Moon, premiering at the Sonic Cineplex event as part of the Glasgow Film Festival. We interviewed Mills about his cine-mix for our last issue. Get a run-down on this and other events in our weekly Top Ten Events feature online. If you're looking for more electronic entertainment this weekend, why not check out the following two club events.

MALA IN CUBA @ STEREO, 15 FEB
Dubstep originator Mala, the man behind the celebrated DMZ label, brings his critically acclaimed Mala In Cuba album, which we gave a 5-star review to back in September, to Stereo tonight. Expect a bass-heavy take on traditional Cuban instrmentation and musical styles, as Mala unleashes the fruits of his sample-seeking tour of Cuba on the Stereo faithful. Details here. 

AUNTIE FLO @ WASABI DISCO, SNEAKY PETE'S, 16 FEB
A firm favourite round these parts, the Afrobeat-influenced house music of Auntie Flo has seen the reputation of Brian D'Souza rise and rise, with releases on Huntley & Palmer's and Kompakt Extra. This weekend he comes to Wasabi Disco to lay down some serious rhythms. This will be an absolutely unmissable event, so expect a packed-out Sneaky's - get down early. Details here.