Lydia Garde must be one of the most energetic photographers we have featured in a long time, and boy do we love the fun in these photographs she’s shot. We love the pretty lady with flowers in her hair. Come on ladies and gents lets dance away into the night.

Calm and super pretty images by Aiste Lei to welcome you into a new week. These pictures are what dreams are made of. ADORING the black lips, blonde hair and 80′s tiger jumper…YUM!! Enjoy Balladeers x

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Now heres a right treat for you all. David Litchfield has given himself the most committed task that I think we have ever featured and to pay off for all his hard work, he has having an exhibition in Bedford on the 12th of August. A little more background to his project…David is drawing an illustration a day, for a whole year!!!! Oh my! one whole year of fantastic, detailed drawings, and we are so gutted we can’t make the exhibition. Good luck David we are sure it will be a huge success.

Yay its the weekend, and todays beautiful post belongs to Ina Halsor. With her fresh, clean and airy photographs we are delighted to introduce her to you lot. Happy Saturday everyone, and enjoy Ina’s work.

We love a good Pizza Express you know. Has anyone tried the chocolate dough balls yet..?

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You must get down to Laudree in Covent Garden and have yourself some croissants and Rose Tea. Try and pick a sunny day, because brunching in the piazza is simple devine …

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Left Ballad HQ in London at 7, in the pound - a - pint pub in Newcastle by 10, can’t complain… Had an amazingly blurry weekend in Geordie land with partner - in - crime Camila…

Despite being in Work clothes (which ISN’T done at home) did the ever popular Geordie Shore tour… by accident, and the night quickly veered away from the quiet drink. Ahhh well, only home for the weekend, can’t behave too much. Can tell how dazed and confused the whole affair was by the lack of photos!

Went for a very somber meal with the still suffering Santa Ponsa girlies Katy and Lex. Cannot shake those holiday blues!! And i only prolonged mine by going home for such a lovely visit. Back to reality…

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Roll up roll up, our buddies at Do It Again (a disco party happening at The Drop on Friday 22nd THIS FRIDAY!!) have kindly opened their record box to select some choice tracks for all balladeers to enjoy…. here we go:

TRIPPED AND FELL IN LOVE – YACHT

IT’S been two years since Jona Bechtolt and Clare Evans introduced us to a slew of hypnotic hooks set to existential thoughts on life and death.
But Yacht’s sophomore offering doesn’t disappear into the bland and disappointing ether.
Utopia acts as a footnote to the debut, continuing the Kierkegaardian themes: Tripped and Fell in Love is one its standout tracks, turning an overused metaphor into a driving dance floor filler. Conceptual to a fault and kitsch enough to play enough until you’re dizzy with glorious repetition.

www.teamyacht.com

JAMIE MY INTENTIONS ARE BASS - !!! (MF/MB REMIX)

OBSCURE Swedish quintet, MF/MB, save Chk Chk Chk’s Jamie My Intentions Are Bass from a life of track-skipping obscurity and stitch in a much needed bass line, finally making it worthy of its namesake.
Less psychedelia: more beats. Simple.

www.myspace.com/thisismfmb

CRAVE YOU – FLIGHT FACILITES ft. GISELLE (C90s REMIX)

Just when you thought that Italians did do it better, a disco remix comes along to steal a piece of Mike Simonetti’s glory.
So it is with this remix of Flight Facilities’ Crave You.
London DJ duo, The C90s, do a sensitive job of leaving the pre-existing jazz and funk core alone, instead lending it an irresistible handclap beat and an electronic undertone Moroder would be proud of.

www.thec90s.com

LISZTOMANIA – EDWIN VAN CLEEF ft. JANE HANLEY

REWORKING an indie classic is always a risk, especially when it’s as universally loved as Phoenix’s Lisztomania.
But Alex Metric’s version aside, Edwin Van Cleef’s interpretation is the bravest on the blogs.
Dipping the original in a vat of summer-time, it comes out dripping with double the synths and the ethereal vocal whimsy of Jane Hanley.
It doesn’t get more anthemic.

www.facebook.com/edwinvancleef

DO IT AGAIN – HOLY GHOST

WHEN James Murphy said he was he was losing his edge to the kids from behind, he was predicting the rise of youngsters in his own backyard.
And even though die-hard fans are still mourning LCD Soundsystem’s retirement, this New York duo is making a heroic attempt to fill the void.
Undeniably the finest way to open an italo-pop album, Do It Again shudders with the same robotic accuracy that propelled an entire era of electronic music onto our turntables.
It’s an unadulterated disco rush marked by industrial licks and beats. Like much of the 80s, it lacks soul, but who’s looking for meaning on a Friday night dance floor?

www.holyghostnyc.com

Toooooo in Love with this new range of T Shirts by Ballad faves Worn By. If you were at Ballad Of Lola-Bacon launch party at The Old Blue Last last month then you have no excuse not to head on over here and use your promotion code!

Seriously, can’t stop drooling, as Worn By have teamed up with THE DON of 60s photography Philip Townsend for AW11 to produce some truly original T-shirts capturing the spirit of rock n’ roll icons of days gone by.
Philip Townsend captured the likes of the rolling stones, Nico and The Beatles back in the swinging sixties when London was THE place to be, whether you were a mod or a rocker. Very much enjoying stepping back in time. Y’all know we are a sucker for Nico!!

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Ohhhh, ok ok we are back. And it’s been hard to get back into the swing of things but last night we had our first Ballad sesh in many weeks. We do miss that sangria, but inbox tackled, we are really excited for the next deadline… Little Book of Horrors 11 days!!

So we got scribbling in our iamanoctopus - made Little Book of Notes book. Makes the whole process a bit more special!

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