I’d been frequenting their muxtape page almost daily for my fix but it’s finally here, Mars Argo’s debut album. Officially released on November 6th, ‘Technology is a Dead Bird’ is being sold online in the same way as Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’. The listener is given the opportunity to pay whatever amount they deem fit whether this be $10 or $100.

A ten track masterpiece, Technology is a Dead Bird is an album in its finest form. Two of these tracks could be considered interludes but they really make the album a fluid listening experience.

Technology is a Dead Bird is a subtly haunting work. The unnerving ‘Fitter Happier’ style monologues add to the overall feeling of this album; a somewhat apocalyptic undertone of the quietus of the human mind.

“My life is an integrated circuit, I’m inside of my human body but I don’t feel it yet. We all thought 2012 would be so much more dramatic, something religious or sacred. Things were more laughable back then, back when I was a text message. We’re going to be plugging in our brains soon, and nothing will stop the human race from racing. We’ll all be inside containers chasing, anything they put in front of us with a pretty logo on it. It’s the internet, it exists and people are not going insane.” The Singularity is Near

Have a listen for yourself though, Technology is a Dead Bird is available to download in a range of formats including mp3 and flac from Mars Argo’s bandcamp site. You can name your own price though (minimum $10)

1. The Singularity is Near
2. Suicide Birds
3. Mrs. Stadler
4. Machine
5. Monsters Under My Bed
6. Technology is a Dead Bird
7. Sideways and Sideways
8. You Don’t Know Me Anymore
9. Feeling Welcome in a Time Warp
10. Tired Today

Since rising to prominence seven years ago with the spirited, electro-tinged, indie-pop of their Mercury-nominated debut, ‘Vehicles And Animals’, Athlete have established themselves among the UK’s finest songsmiths. The south east Londoners have sold more than a million copies of their three hit albums (the other two being 2005′s ‘Tourist’ and 2007′s ‘Beyond The Neighbourhood’), packed out venues across the land; picked up an Ivor Novello award; and topped both the UK’s album and airplay charts.

Athlete worked on their new album ‘Black Swan’ with esteemed American producer Tom Rothrock (Foo Fighters, Elliot Smith, Elbow, Beck), who’d been convinced to come along for the ride after falling in love with some acoustic demos. Together they made an album which positively glows with snagging melodies, rich musicality and the band’s heartfelt tales of their own black swan events. The album kicks off with the hurtling FM rush of glorious first single, ‘Superhuman Touch’, which catapults the album into life with the opening line, “I’m on fire and nothing’s gonna hold me back”. ‘Black Swan’ is released on CD, Deluxe CD (with bonus disc of new tracks) and Vinyl LP and features art taken from a painting by Natasha Kissell.

(taken from the Athlete website)