Don't Mess with Texas.

XLR8R goes down to Texas and gets the skinny from the mayor of the dirty south, Bun B. We also hit the streets of Minnesota with Atmosphere and the shoe shops of S.F. with Lyrics Born. We check in with M83’s Anthony Gonzales and fellow Francophone Miss Kittin, then speak with photographer extraordinaire Paul Hartnett, Kelpe, Jamie Lidell, Jeremy Jay, Bird Peterson, Ghostland Observatory, and more. It's a trip!

Dubstep Special

Poster boys Skream and Benga, Caspa & Rusko, and Cluekid and Cotti are just a few of the many names we feature in this definitive look at the scene. We also check in with Glass Candy, Valet, Dennis Ferrer, and Karizma, and then head across the world to get the lowdown on Brazil’s Sany Pitbull and Israel’s Kutiman. Pedestrian expounds on the genius of N.W.A., and we try to figure out what the hell is up with powerviolence.

Battles on the cover. Equally as perplexing as Battles’ rhythms are those of London jagged jazzists Soil & Pimp and Brah! Records. XLR8r met Justin Broadrick of Jesu, and nu-disco experimenters Joakim and Michoacan. Other features include the new school of Detroit hip-hop, Explosions in the Sky, Tracey Thorn, a Vis-Ed feature by Friendswithyou, and we go around the world to discover Brazilian tecno brega.

Dancehall giant Sizzla graces the cover this month. Also featured: El-P, Paul Epworth, Greensleeves celebrates 30 years, TTC, Baltimore's buck wild warehouse party scene, Burlesque Design, forgotten heroes of the Wu-Tang clique, an Ito style shoot, Einsturzende Neubauten, Crystal Castles, Wowch, RJD2, LCD Soundsystem, and Henrik Schwarz.

To kick off 2008, Oakland’s imitable indie rockers Xiu Xiu grace XLR8R's Jan/Feb cover. They also get the real deal from Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox and his Atlas Sound side-gig. Then, they interview dancehall’s hottest young star, Munga, before chatting it up with Heralds of Change, Boy 8-Bit, Yeasayer, James Pants, The Pack, and Jay Haze. Plus, some fine pics of stylish indie movers and shakers like Telepathe, Crunc Tesla, Soft Circle, and more.

Producer Dave “Switch” Taylor tops the list for 2007’s best artist, but there’s a lot more where he came from. XLR8R chats with Claude VonStroke, White Williams, Boys Noize, David Shrigley, DJ Food, Kid Acne, and Matt Furie, and get top-tens from Black Moth Super Rainbow, Pissed Jeans, selekta Max Glaser, and tons more.

Paris, Je t'aime !" Chloé, Chateau Flight, Busy P, Teenage Bad Girl, Ekler?o'shock, Kitsuné, Poni Hoax, Institubes, Turzi, colette shop

XLR8R magazine issue 109 August 2007. On the cover of this issue is the 6th annual salute to the best independent labels. Also in this issue is Diplo, Chromeo, Maga Bo, Aesop Rock, Simon Reynolds, Adult & Kathy Diamond.

On the cover of this issue we have Digitalism, melding rock distortion and dirty dance beats to create something out-of-this-world. Also in this issue Devin The Dude, Strategy, Black Strobe, Escort, Mice Parade and Milanese.