Whilst at Avatar Studios recording his upcoming album Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You, Lightspeed Champion (AKA Dev Hynes of the Test Icicles ) recorded live versions of several tracks  – which he’ll be be making available for you to download over the next four weeks.

In classic Lightspeed style the kickoff is an unexpected corker, a cover of Elvis’ Devil In Disguise – featuring the studio admin staff and whoever else wanted in – to celebrate Elvis’ 75th birthday. To get your live version of Devil In Disguise, click the download button on the widget below, but over the next four weeks the remaining tracks will all be available for download from Domino’s Soundcloud page.

He explained: ‘Due to a popular band having leftover studio time at New York’s historic Avatar Studios, I had the opportunity of going into Studio A to record some music, Obviously I decided an Elvis song would be best. I got my friends from the band Spacecamp down and together we recorded an “almost” live version of Devil In Disguise with the help of whoever was in the building that felt like singing… including the receptionist.

Dev has also made an accompanying video in LA:

Arrrhhhhh!

OK Lightspeed fanclub (YES YOU), something to make your Friday freaking awesome because WE ALL LOVE US SOME OF THIS WUNDERKID!

Presenting the sensational video for Lightspeed Champion AKA Dev Hynes’s killer new single Marlene… It’s the first track from his wonderful new album, Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You out on January 29, 2010. The clip is cute and odd… what else can you say but back to the future psychedelic sci-fi spaghetti western!!

This is what Dev had to say about it:
“Marlene” a compass amidst a “Chancellors Nightmare”, foretold through the soap of modern ages.

And calling all film buffs – someone please tell me the name of the bad dude in the pic with the long hair? He’s been in Adam Sandler, Chris Kattan, Rob Schneider type flicks right?

Lightspeed Champion (AKA Dev Hynes, He of the Bottomless Hat Collection) is on the new Basement Jaxx album. The video for My Turn below! ENJOY!

Seriously people, can we LOVE Dev anymore??? This guy is a STAR and YOU KNOW IT.

But Lightspeed is back with his own tunes on Jan 22, 2010. The new single Marlene comes arrives with three b-sides: a concerto; a cover of Serge Gainsbourg’s 69 Année Erotique (completely in French!) and his version of (He’s) The Great Imposter, written in 1961 by eighteen-year old Sharon Sheeley – and he plays every instrument on every track.

Not exactly a small feat – have a gander at his in-studio footage at dominorecordco.com.

My fave oft-swearing-cardigan-and-fur-earflapped-cap-toting-hipster Lightspeed Champion (AKA Dev Hynes) is back in the studio. This can only mean good things.

Now that the new Lightspeed record is almost done, he has more time for building websites (www.lightspeedchampion.com), making “shitty videos” with his housemate and a dcr-trv950 camera, and giving you songs to download.

Dev is giving away Heavy Purple (which Dev wrote and recorded 3 days ago at the studios of both his mate Scott and Patrick from Chairlift). Supposedly, this is his “feeble attempt at some I Want You meets Midnight Love Marvin Gaye type-shit”. Sounds… fascinating!

To collect your Heavy Purple mp3 (nearly wrote Heavy Purple Rain there!), sign up to www.lightspeedchampion.com and you’ll see a new tab with the free mp3 link.