by SHANE SINNOTT

The best thing I came across this week is a simple search site called sig.to, which presents an uncomplicated interface to search for torrents anywhere on the net. It takes your search term and then does some fancy Google-searching for you, removing the need for having to individually search through isohunt.com or thepiratebay.org. Instead, just type “Sunset Rubdown” once and you’re good to go. It seems, by the way, that these “custom Google search” types are the way of the future, as it’s hard to find anything illegal about Google searching, so expect a lot more of these soon.

Be sure to get on all this downloading pronto, as according to Industry Canada, Stephen Harper et al. will be introducing new copyright legislation within the next few weeks (read about it here: tinyurl.com/3ch3w2). The idea, presumably, is to bring our laws in line with our comrades to the south, and allow Canadian recording companies to join in the tried and true business practice of suing one’s own customers.

Daft Punk releases their much anticipated live album Alive 2007 this week, and tracks are being leaked all over the place. You can get “Television Rules the Nation/Crescendolls” at tinyurl.com/36euww. Other big releases coming up include Ghostface Killah’s The Big Doe Rehab and Wu-Tang Clan’s 8 Diagrams, and you can get some samples here: tinyurl.com/32umhb (Mr. Killah) and tinyurl.com/2e48h8 (Wu-Tang’s “The Heart Gently Weeps” feat. Erykah Badu, Dhani Harrison and John Frusciante (!)).

If you’re a fan of Deerhunter, and who’s isn’t, you’ve probably heard that singer Bradford Cox announced on his blog (deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com) not so long ago that they are going on “hiatus.” It’s unclear whether they’re breaking up, but Cox assured readers that they will never be playing their Cryptograms set again. All this leaves a lot of room for Cox’s Atlas Sound solo projects, and he’s already hard at work. Get “Malmö” at tinyurl.com/2usrp5, and “Cobwebs,” recorded by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, at tinyurl.com/2q4x9c. Both were made only a week and a day or two ago.