Pitchfork

When we reported on the Kitsuné label's Maison 5 compilation last week, there was one band we had a little trouble putting our finger on. That band was Pin Me Down, whose "Cryptic" made the Kitsuné mix. As it turns out, Pin Me Down contains a familiar face: Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack.

New York based songwriter Milena Mepris rounds out the duo, who met in 2004 when Mepris' former band Black Moustache opened a NYC gig for Bloc Party. They've been largely crafting tunes intercontinentally, employing email to shoot tracks back and forth over the pond that separates 'em. Hey! Just like the Postal Service!

But soon enough, Pin Me Down will take this mysterious new project beyond the realms of the "Cryptic". Kitsuné has a 12" remix single for the track tentatively set to arrive April 21. The Kitsuné Maison comp, meanwhile, is due worldwide February 4.

But a brand new band ain't all the good stuff coming from Mr. Lissack lately. According to NME.com, Lissack, a vegetarian, recently served as a guest judge in the selection of a new design for a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) t-shirt.

It may be a little hard to believe, but Bloc Party aren't touring at the moment, and apparently have no plans to any time soon. They will, however, play the NME's Big Gig at London's O2 Arena February 28, alongside Klaxons, Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers, and the Cribs. And they've still been making their fair share of compilation appearances lately, what with the tunes they contributed to the Xfm Debut Sessions disc and the Green Owl environmental comp.