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Credit: PictureGroup/Amanda Edwards

The musicmakers behind Miike Snow have been pretty busy lately –- just producing new Britney Spears songs, NBD -– so we guess we can forgive them for taking a few years off since their debut album, Miike Snow. The Swedish group is back with a new track, "Devil's Work," an impressive rollout of overlapping pianos, somber vocals and blasting horns that sound ready to soundtrack a "Hunger Games" fight scene. It could be a next-door neighbor to the National's "Fake Empire," minus the glow stick-ready dance breaks. (Note to the National: Glow sticks are kinda rad! Just think it over, fellas.)

The brief rave-y sections of "Devil's Work" last just long enough to start pumping your fist, fall out of your chair and wonder where the party went, which is a break from Miike Snow's formerly funky, electro-powered catalog. Either they've been listening to a lot of Coldplay or those Swedish winters are getting chillier. Global warming, you guys!

The group's self-titled debut was released way back in May 2009 -- a magical time when Oprah had just discovered Twitter and it seemed like anything could happen -- so fresh sound or not, it's good to see Miike Snow joining the rest of us in almost-2k12. The band's yet-to-be-titled sophomore album drops early next year.

+ Listen to Miike Snow's "Devil's Work."

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(PictureGroup/Amanda Edwards)

This week's MTV PUSH Artist of the Week is Miike Snow. With a seamless mix of dance, R&B and pop, Miike Snow has been garnering attention and gaining a gang of new fans. This week, we watched the video for "Animal," the lead track from the group's 2009 debut self-titled debut album, and their exquisite live performances from the 2010 MTV Movie Awards afterparty.

Now, check out Miike Snow's performance of "Burial" and "Silvia," shot in a less traditional environment. Namely, the middle of the woods.

"Silvia" sounds particularly beautiful, with singer Andrew Wyatt's reverbed and distorted vocals sailing out into the night sky. The band also perform "Burial," the beautiful crescendo of which is absolutely soul stirring.

Tags 2010 MTV Movie Awards, miike snow, PUSH, PUSH: Miike Snow, video

(PictureGroup/Amanda Edwards)

As Jay-Z once said, after the show it's the afterparty. And last night at the afterparty for the 2010 MTV Movie Awards, this week's MTV PUSH Artist Miike Snow performed a sweet five-song set under the L.A. sky.

With the production talents of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (aka Bloodshy & Avant) and Andrew Wyatt's dreamy vocals, Miike Snow's music is a dense and atmospheric listening experience. So it's fascinating to see how perfectly the songs translate live. Miike Snow fills out a bit onstage, with a grip of additional live players adjusting nobs, playing drums, tinkling keyboards and bringing their sound to life. It's especially impressive to see the band build and add layers to its live version of "Burial."

Tags 2010 MTV Movie Awards, Jay-Z, miike snow, PUSH, PUSH: Miike Snow

This week's MTV PUSH Artist of the week is two-parts Swedish/one-part American band Miike Snow, master practitioners of just about every genre and pioneers of a brand-new breed of ultra-intelligent pop. Contrary to popular belief, Miike Snow isn't one guy. It's a group, made up of singer/songwriter Andrew Wyatt and producers Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (aka Bloodshy & Avant, producers of Britney Spears' "Toxic"). Not that it matters, but we'll leave it up to you to figure out who's Swedish and who's American.

With a brilliantly broad sound that references everything from the avant-folk of Animal Collective to the dirty, stuttering beats of dubstep, Miike Snow's become a must-hear among music bloggers, cultural tastemakers and even artists like Ke$ha and Adam Lambert.

You may have heard Miike Snow's self-titled debut album or heard its remixes for Vampire Weekend, Kings of Leon and Passion Pit. You've definitely heard its production work on Britney's "Toxic." And if you haven't heard the group's gorgeous breakaway hit "Animal," then get to it.

Watch them explain the song's meaning. Plus, hear about the song's animalistic leanings, and, of course, see why the trio called themselves Miike Snow. And watch them perform live at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards After-Party.

Tags Britney Spears, miike snow, PUSH, PUSH: Miike Snow, video

Miike Snow (Andrew Wyatt is on the far right)

When The Buried Life boys were rushing to the hospital to help deliver a baby in a recent episode, the stark and melodic synth beats of Miike Snow were playing in the background. Now, if you think there was a typo in Miike, rest assured; there are two i's in the name and, actually, three people in the band—American singer-songwriter Andrew Wyatt and two Swedes, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, who are also known as the production team of Bloodshy & Avant. While Miike Snow's music often favor the epic minimalism of well-placed, sustained piano chords and smooth harmonies, Bloodshy & Avant have a resume of lavish production credits, including collaborations with Madonna and Kelis and Britney Spears' Grammy-winning "Toxic."

Miike Snow formed while Karlsson and Winnberg were working on a job for another artist and met Wyatt. The three weren't envisioning a big pop career—let alone getting a track of theirs, "Animal," played on TV. (The tune appeared on Gossip Girl last year). As Wyatt sees it, they there just three people who wanted to make music together.

"In all of the songs, basically, whatever we did in the first half hour to hour [of playing], ended up being the song," explains Wyatt. "Sometimes it's one line—or a whole verse."

Now Miike Snow has made the leap from the Upper East Side to The Buried Life and Wyatt, for one, is happy to be a part of the show. "I think anything that helps people do what they really want to do, without hurting anyone else, is good."

So what's on Wyatt's bucket list? "Have kids, have grandkids, maybe [go] wing-suit jumping." But before that happens, Miike Snow has quite a few gigs to play. Check to see if the band will be playing your neck of the woods by hoofing over to the band's website for a complete tour rundown.

Tags Britney Spears, Gossip Girl, Kelis, Madonna, miike snow, synth pop, The Buried Life

Apologies in advance for the bad food analogy I'm about to make. Clearly I'm bitter about the free bag of generic popcorn I just inhaled for lunch (with "insert brand name of prescription drug you can't pronounce" printed on the bag). Anyway, you could kind of liken the Florida music scene to a Cracker Barrel menu. Don't get me wrong: I am ALL for some Hickory Smoked Honey Glazed Ham (Backstreet Boys) and cheese grits (Matchbox Twenty).  And who knows? Maybe I want to wash down my chicken 'n dumplings (2 Live Crew) with some box wine (Dashboard Confessional).  But Miami synth-rock/electro-pop act Awesome New Republic seems to have just the right amount of pop amazingness without sounding trite (think the electronic bits and driving beats of Miike Snow blended with the psychedelic sweetness of Passion Pit).

Earlier this year, Awesome New Republic -- John Hancock, Brian Robertson, and newly-added-for-tour Jorge Rubiera -- had a Perez Hilton pop moment when P'rezzers posted a Leighton Meester cover of their track "Birthday." Side note: Leighton seems to have a knack for hanging with the boys (not that way, pervtown), as evidenced by this summer's smash Cobra Starship collabo "Good Girls Go Bad" to the literally just-released video "Somebody To Love," featuring Robin Thicke.

Now, with their brand-new album Hearts, just released on October 27th, and their song "Magic City" (from the previously released EP Rational Geographic Vol. 1) appropriately featured in tomorrow's Miami-bound episode of The City, Awesome New Republic just might be the best band you've never heard of. You're welcome.

Tags 2 Live Crew, Awesome New Republic, Backstreet-Boys, Buzzworthy Obsession, Cobra Starship, Cracker Barrel, Dashboard Confessional, Leighton Meester, Matchbox Twenty, miike snow, Passion Pit, Robin Thicke, The City