You'll find a cornucopia of tasty tunes to bounce off your eardrums. I update with new tunes, art and photography every week, depending on what I'm doing and listening to at the time, old and new. I'm based in London UK but I love to travel and discover new music along the way and share my musical journey on neoloop.
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Happy listening!
Neo
Email: neo@neoloop.comMark Barrott​ is back in time for more chilled out summer vibes with=his latest instalment of SKETCHES FROM AN ISLAND 3. We seemingly carry on from where Sketches from an Island album leaves off.
The tribal island rhythms bound in on The Mysterious Island Of Dr Nimm, a beatiful track full the ambience of the jungle, pan pipes and clattering jungle drums. It’s like the Exotic Moods of Les Baxter for the twenteens. Brilliant!
A funky groove, hypnotic rhythms and bubbly piano loops create deep melodic hypnosis. Odd vocal samples bounce off the off-kilter loops matched with a killer baseline makes this the new feel good hit of the summer.
Slowly working it’s groove into your head this tune is simple but effective, stand-out single from LoneLady’s Hinterland LP. Influences of ESG abound Groove it Out is all about the hook and the hypnotic cow bell. You have no choice but to groove it out.
LA PRIEST (pronounced ‘Lah Pree-st’) is a project from reclusive electronic musician Sam Dust, aka Sam Eastgate, who we last heard fronting Late of the Pier. Having previously used the moniker for a 12" release on Erol Alkan's Phantasy label in 2007.
Oino, Dust's new single, is the first material to surface from the artist since the hiatus of Late Of The Pier and has this infectious electro-reggae vibe that loops around your head. Psychedelic guitars stab through the pulsating rhythms concocting an exciting new sound. love this.
Four years since they released Dring, French duo Nicolas Sfintescu & Ezéchiel Pailhès aka: Nôze release their fifth LP Come with us. Saint slowly builds up from acoustic strums, marching beats to haunting house with a touch of a spaghetti western soundtrack. Better go with them on this one.
A late highlight from last year, I love the steel pans in this tune by Doss. Taken from Doss' self-titled debut EP, still getting regular plays a year older. About time we had some new material from Doss then!
Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) is the fourth single by Loose Ends from their second studio album, So Where Are You?, and was released in February 1985 by Virgin Records. The single went to number one on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart for one week. Frankie Knuckles Club Mix was originally released in 1992 as part of a rerelease 12” and also appeared on the Loose Ends Remix project Tighten Up Volume 1.
Now included in the House Masters Frankie Knuckles collection, retrospective of the legendary house DJ, still sounds great.
Cosmic disco legend Daniele Baldelli teams up with fellow Italian DJ and producer DJ Rocca to release a new EP of remixes. Volupia takes us down to the sea with a trippy tropical vibe.
Welcome return from Jamie XX with whole new album of solo material - In Colour. This track however would not be entirely out of place on the next The XX LP, with Romy Madley-Croft on lead vocals. Nice video of them both revisiting all their old skateboarding haunts around London.
This heavily samples the 1977 soul classic Idris Muhammad’s Could Heaven Ever Be Like This. And it’s certainly put to good use.
TCTS – Coupe De Ville (Feat. Aniff Akinola) finally get a digital release this week. This has been causing riot since the turn of the year. TCTS is Sam O’Neill from Manchester. He ain’t messing with these lyrics… I drive round in my coupe de ville, With the seats right back, I ain't paying no bills.
Part of the Body EP
Alex Adair’s sun soaked anthem has the feel good vibe, love this time of year when we are on the edge of summer and all the euphoric music is bubbling under to soundtrack the warm months ahead.
Make You Feel Better is perfecto, piano loops, balearic beats and cascading synths. I feel the warmth of the sun on face already.
French house veteran Etienne De Crecy is back with the third instalment of his Super Discount series. The first one was released way back in 1997, still a bonafide classic to this day, 2nd edition 2004, didn’t quite live up to the debut compilation but nevertheless was a strong selection of french disco artists and quality tunes.
This track absolutely epitomises the vibe of Super Discount, a euro disco sound and sultry french vocals. There’s more crackers on this third instalment and dare I say it is on par with Volume 1.
Johnny Jewel’s Chromatics storming back this month with new single I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around. That unique synth-pop sound is all there, managing to sound retro 80’s cool with a future twist. Singer Ruth Radelet sounding on top form, superb.
Lxury’s latest, third EP called Into The Everywhere is good mix of styles, with Pick You Up a dance floor houser already a certified banger, the attention has turned to this track Square 1, a colab with Deptford Goth. A quality Dance pop number getting regular radio airplay, there’s no stopping Lxury’s own brand.
On first listen Leon Vynehall LP - Music for the Uninvited sounds fairly uneventful, but like all great albums it opens up an epic landscape with further listening, a rare soulful and emotional electronic album that will sit next to classic LP of it’s field.
Soaring vocal samples pepper the album’s eclectic array of house-lead tunes, from dance floor to downbeat. A bonafide classic from 2014.
Blissed-out electro-pop from Ana Caprix - AKA London producer Tom Ensom, :)) or Smile? is a transportive song that layers up cascading synths all melting into one another. Taken from EP For Seven Nights This Island Is Ours, that he put out in February last year.
The whole 7-track EP sounds very other-worldly, a SciFi soundtrack of a journey into unknown territory.
For Seven Nights This Island Is Ours EP is still available to download for free on Ana Caprix’ Sound Clound page here. soundcloud.com/caprix
One of 2015's promising new electropop artists, Young Ejecta an American synthpop duo consisting of Neon Indian's Leanne Macomber and producer Joel Ford release a mini LP The Planet later this month. Welcome to Love is the first tune to materialise late last year, Macomber's heavenly vocals orchestrate the pulsating beat and synth-laden melodies with heartbreaking loss.
Catching up on missed tunes from 2014, Where You Wanna Go? from London based hip hop producer Paul White was released in September on the LP Shaker Notes. Jamie Woon steps in with additional echoing vocals to Pauls, a nice lackadaisical beat with an Eastern promise and exotic percussion. The pastoral composition is the perfect match for dark grey clouds looming over a January sky.
Beautiful tropical vibes of Alina Baraz & Galimatias, this is so chilled it begs for a warm climate and a white sandy beach. Listening to it in the middle of the winter certainly warms you up. I’ll have to save this one up for next summer!
Fantasy is taken from the duo's forthcoming joint EP Urban Flora.
Love this electronic pop song from Les Sins aka Chaz Bundick aka Toro y Moi.
Very easy on the ear and is undoubtably one of the stand out tunes on the debut Les Sins LP Michael.
Why, featuring vocalist Nate Salman singing over a pop beats and cascading piano flourishes.
Perfect pop, Magnifique!
Clark’s new self-titled LP for Warp shows an electronic artist sitting at the top of his game. Seven albums in and going strong, full of delightful melodies that collide with sinister beats and unsettling sharp stabs of electro pulse. Banjo, The Grit In The Pearl and Beacon explode with emotional spendor and beauty. Elsewhere we get mellower moments Winter Linn, Snowblind, Strength Through Fragility, that intersperse with slower dirty beautiful sounds and textures.
The beat driven hypnotically brilliant Unfurla is positively mesmerising with every turn in an intricate landscape. Finishing with the ethereal Everlane this is an LP that you don’t wanna miss, a masterclass that rivals Aphex Twin's similarly excellent Syro. Highly Recommended.
Great new rework of this old Rae & Christian tune from last years Mercury Rising LP from Mang Dynasty AKA Ray Mang and Bill Brewster.
Lazy beats of Nao from the So Good EP, lead track is an easy going tune with a hypnotic looping riff. East Londoner A.K. Paul previously worked alongside his brother, Jai Paul, as a multi-instrumentalist collaborator.
A nice slow jam to rock to in the early hours.
Mark Barrott and Gerd Janson team up as Talamanca System for Balanzat, a balearic house tune soaked in tropical heat, sounds of the jungle echo around the classic jacking house groove in the vain of Orbital's Chime, bongo beats adds to the Balearic vibe making an opulent mix of electronic music.
This tune is about a year old, but it’s still packing a disco punch a year on, a rework of 1998’s House stomper Life Is Changing by Cricco Castelli which in turn samples Seventies jazz funkers The Crusaders tune My Lady from their 1979 album Street Life, hence the name Street Life for this tune. The German DJ and producer duo Purple Disco Machine keep it clean and crisp, sticking to their familiar formular of taking old disco tracks and making them into new fresh beats by retaining snippets of the best bits. This is still banging.
This has the most infectious groove, bouncing beats and claps forge an instantly catchy melody. Shay Lia’s soulful voice melts like butter over a hot-crossed bun, even though she’s singing Sorry baby, I don't have time for this, Leave Me Alone.
The young 22 year old Louis Kevin Celestin, known as Kaytranada has an impressive collection of remixes to his name, this adds to his original material which is also building nicely. Remember last years Bromance #10?
Delightful.
Ghana is a great little ditty taken from the Multi Culti Japan compilation LP.
Multi Culti describe their music as… Music to trip to. Music to meditate on. Music to heal the world. Music to upgrade your DNA. Music to teach you. MUSIC TO MULTIPLY YOUR MIND.
Whoa, I’m in!
Big tune from nu-disco maverick Lindstrøm teaming up with fellow Scandinavian pop duo Say Lou Lou. Sounds a bit like the classic Norwegian singer Annie and her 2004 Anniemal LP, Games for Girls is currently ripping up discotheques everywhere.
Little girls with fancy toys, Say Lou Lou are ones to watch!
Richard D. James new Aphex Twin LP, a new studio album, 13 years since Drukqs.
As per Aphex Twin’s extensive and momentous discography SYRO is a brand new challenge of obscure compositions. Opening with minipops 67 [120.2] [source field mix] it’s clear we are going on a long journey into the original and unknown.
A master at work.
oh wow, I love this tune! I love this album, a major contender for album of the year.
The utterly brilliant Nancy Whang takes centre stage on this captivating new Juan MacLean LP In a Dream. Nancy sings on most tracks, it's like a mordern take on Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder making timeless dance music.
More of an extensive review to follow...
Although the subject matter is pussy, with it's strange comedy intro could be taken as a little crass. But my god it's got a massive groove, a funky 80's vibe, Ali Love sings about his fasination with the opposite sex, so it's a love song!
Taken off his new LP P.U.M.P which is a varied and very entertaining affair.
Hot Natured’s massive 2012 club anthem returns with 4 remixes of the classic floor filler Benediction in a new EP.
Now, I still love the original, but the pick of the remixes for me is the Lxury Remix which surfaced earlier this year, it totally deconstructs the original, chucks most of it away and reassembles what’s left to create a completely different track, and it’s genius.
Looping one line of the lyrics - Keep on riding on - it dispenses with the rest of the vocal, doesn’t even include the Benediction chorus, but it does’t need it and the melody loops that he’s added to replace the old classic strings are fresh and euphoric, barely recognisable from the original and it’s just superb.
Lxury, aka Andy Smith from Croydon, has since released his Playground EP to much excitement and also a banging new remix of Jungle’s Time. There’s no stopping the London producer.
Hot Nature’s LP - Different Sides of the Sun, the album that features Benediction is still getting a regular airing two years later. The other Benediction remixes on the EP are from GRADES, Nic Fanciulli and No Artificial Colours.
Late Night Tales Presents After Dark: Nightshift
Nightshift is cult DJ connoisseur Bill Brewster's second outing in Late Night Tales' After Dark series following on seamlessly from the dubby grooves of the first After Dark compilation. Bill picks out another fine selection of Slo-tempo disco funk, slowly brewed to form another top class musical journey of discovery. Old and rare tracks rub shoulders with new and exclusive previously unreleased tracks. The Grid & Robert Fripp - A Cabala Sky is one of five exclusive tracks to feature throughout this emphatic collection, a superb deep and dubby disco chugger that oozes a groovy baseline.
Bonafide dance-floor-fillers from Mugwump and Hubbabubbaklubb ensure the After Dark off-shoot series stays true to the quality output of that we expect from the LateNightTales series. Highly and Totally Recommended.
Soaking up the sunshine vibe and catching up with all the summer music after spending time out traveling and listening to new music. Mark Barrott’s new LP combines his previous two EP’s and newer tracks to create Sketches From An Island.
Yes the island is of course Ibiza and this is the ultimate Dreamy Balearic delight. A journey of cascading rhythms that evokes the sunshine and long days messing around on the beach. Formentera Headspace Blues (Pt's. 1 & 2) is Barrott’s epic ambient journey into utopia. Deep Water wonders into an eastern vibe while Back to the Sea is a short interlude into Sacred Islands, a piano piece that feels like you’ve been transformed to a forgotten place in paradise.
Bliss.
George Evelyn, AKA Nightmares On Wax showcases a broad 25 year career in music with the double LP N.O.W. Is the Time, full of bonafide classics split into two discs - Nightmares By Day and Nightmares By Night containing 28 of the best-known Nightmares On Wax tunes. The Deep Down Edition adds further material of rare and unreleased tracks including this Ashley Beedle rework of Now Is The Time.
A solid collection for established NOW fans and new comers alike. My favourite album will always be the Carboot Soul, every tracks a winner.
A perfect a comping tune to the track below, Tensnake works his grooving magic to London Grammar's Hey Now.
Another example of a band that makes music which begs for a dance make-over. Tensnake is having an excellent year all round. bring in on.
It’s been a while since I featured a track from Lykke Li on here, I always think Lykke Li makes great songs that beg for a dance remix, and Joris Voorn doesn’t disappoint with this serging make-over. Likkie has never sounded so good, euphoric melodies pulsate over a brooding baseline. No rest for the wicked indeed.
Good to hear Martyn’s quality control is well in check on new LP The Air Between Words. Three years after his last album – Ghost People – Martyn joins the Ninja Tune family to present his third long player. Universally respected for his ever-evolving, but inimitable sound, the Dutch-born, Washington DC-based producer brings an entirely new sonic direction with The Air Between Words. This is an exploration of the essence of all of Martyn’s music: a rugged four-to-the-floor groove, intelligently sculpted and artfully composed.
Martyn joins forces with Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet for Glassbeadgames, a powerhouse of a track that finds the perfect amalgamation of both producers’ fortés. Heavy kicks, UKG-esque percussion and swirling subs dictate the groove, whilst the melodic progressions are simultaneously melancholic and anthemic, and further enhanced by a Hebden trademark thumb piano motif.
A welcome return for Washington duo Thievery Corporation with a new long player titled - Saudade - the name borrows its title from a Portuguese word meaning “a longing for something or someone that is lost, a contented melancholy, or, simply, the presence of absence.”
A record devoted entirely to the Brazilian-born genre that first connected the duo. In a world cup year for Brazil, the country is attracting plenty of attention and the native music that inspires so much of the western world will be all around us in Europe this summer. Eric Hilton and Rob Garza have always been inspired by the Brazilian sound and this record showcases the beauty of it. Gentle sambas and bossa novas infused electronica with classy and sultry female vocalists. Oozing sunshine from every pore, perfect for late night chilling on a hot summers night watching fire-flies and sipping Caipirinha.
Drawing influence from classic Brazilian performers like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Gal Costa, and Luis Bonfá—along with Serge Gainsbourg, Ennio Morricone, and more modern artists like electro-samba pioneer Isabelle Antena—Saudade achieves its delicate yet deeply sensuous sound with the help of more than a dozen guest musicians. With each track sung by one of five female vocalists (including longtime Thievery cohort LouLou Ghelichkhani, newcomer Elin Melgarejo, Nouvelle Vague singer Karina Zeviani, Argentine chanteuse Natalia Clavier, and former Bitter:Sweet singer/songwriter Shana Halligan), the endlessly mesmerizing album also features such guests as U.N.K.L.E. drummer Michael Lowery, Argentine singer/songwriter Federico Aubele, and master Brazilian percussionist Roberto Santos.
Recommeded
Standout track from Chet Faker's new LP Built on Glass released this month. 1998 is a grandiose sound of gritty soulful electronica with house snares and slo-groove soundscapes, an interesting arrangement.
His real name is Nick Murphy, but a sincere tribute to the legendary jazz trumpeter Chet Baker is a lot cooler name for the Australian artist.
Talk is Cheap the lead single from the album is getting all the airplay at the moment, it's an accomplished debut that sounds very much of the day. Ever since his indie-soul cover of Blackstreet’s 1996 R&B anthem No Diggity back in 2012 he's been on the radar, it's good to hear the quality control is maintained on this impeccable debut. Recommended.
This funk fuelled bomb of a tune is a year old this month and I'll never get bored of it, there are quite a few remixed versions of it, Joe Goddard, Ben Pearce and The Emperor Machine to name a few.
But I'm sticking with the Chicken lips original, a heart-pumping funk-laden disco baseline and Charmaine Baines’ soaring soulful vocal. Timeless!
About time we had something new from the Stafford based production duo of Andy Meecham and Dean Meredith.
Infectious hypnotic groove from Berlin-based producers Massimiliano Paglara and Jules Etienne aka Egyptian Nipples, Bottle Of Mine features on the Back but Half Remixes five-track EP, receiving the remix treatment from Jay Shepheard.
The baseline is fucking huge!
New York's Hercules & love Affair come storming back with a new LP The Feast of the Broken Heart, and it's out May 26 via Moshi Moshi. This tune Liberty features the unmistakable vocal of John Grant, Andy Butler has this uncanny knack of bringing in obscure vocal talents to feature on his signature brand of dirty beat house and disco blends.
Following in the footsteps of Antony Hegarty the surreal voice of Grant sounds amazing out of context of his own material. Grant also features other tracks along with Krystle Warren, Rouge Mary and Gustaph.
It's all unashamedly in yer face, welcome back!
Bass heavy laden EP Psychotic Love from Blue Daisy is an incredible set of tunes. From the opening title track, an industrial gothic trance from the dark corners of nowhere, to Cries of the Beast, a kind of fucked-up melting pot of middle-eastern snake-charmers buzz to raved-up sonics and scary vocals. Devils Pie adds light with a female vocal over a doomed sound of heavy synths, the EP closes with this track, an R'n'B workout played through a fruit-machine and a soulful vocal from Barnaby.
DFA Records present We Got a Love, the sophomore full-length by Shit Robot a.k.a. Dublin native Marcus Lambkin. Recorded in Germany and New York, the nine-track album includes the killer recent singles, Feels Real and We Got a Love.
This one is fucking banging though! Whistles, cowbells and Nancy Whang, what more do you want. Love this shit!
Really enjoying the very eclectic LP Ghosts of The and Now by the DJ and producer from Manchester Ryan Hunn aka: Illum Sphere. A great set of well structured pieces of music that hang together like a classical suite.
Ever since he came to my attention following his various Boiler Room sets (Check 'em out here), a very accomplished DJ, Illum Sphere is making waves and stirring up a storm. Mixing up an electronic soup of soul, R&B, Jazz, hip-hop, glitch, psych, techno and atmospherics. Quality Stuff, stand-out track Embryonic (feat. Shadowbox) is a the LP's closer finishing the album off in epic style throwing everything in the mix.
Essential tracks: Ghosts of Then & Now, Sleeprunner, Near the End, Embryonic
New York DJ duo The Knocks remix up fellow New Yorkers Party Supplies' Going Back To New York, from the Tough Love LP from last summer. The Knocks turn's up the party level making it a electro-house party starter, feels like summer when this is playin'!
Makes me wanna go back to New York!
My Panda Shall Fly, the musical alias of South Londoner Suren Seneviratne, a Sri Lankan-born artist and producer presents new (6 track) EP Higher, one of those rare commodities that manages to evoke emotional connections using electronic music.
The brilliant Jon Hopkins comes to mind in terms of his de-constructive style, but MPSF has a unique idiosyncratic twist of his own, conjuring up alien sounds and rhythms while all the time keeping a sense of melody and soul. Lose yourself in Groupp Mind, the 4th track on the Higher EP - pure class.
Like this? Try: Jon Hopkins, Oneohtrix Point Never, Burial, Flying Lotus
French duo Pilooski and Pentile's new LP Swimmer raises the bar for Discodeine, a quirky electro-pop LP that goes through a mutitude of genres in a short 30 minute album. Keeping it short and sweet with acid house, moody electronica and wonky disco.
Kevin Parker from Aussie psychedelic stoner-rockers Tame Impala guests on this track (released as a single at the beginning of last year) the Chemical Bros-esque Aydin, an epic desert-stomper with a distinct Eastern flavour. There's glam pomp in Plum Blossom and weirdo soundscapes in Shades of Cyan. Dive Wet goes all mid-paced electro-pop. A real mixed bag to dive into. Aydin takes the crown for most majestic track though, well worth taking the plunge.
Marseilles born producer Danton Eeprom pressents us with a new long-player at the beginning of Feb. Currently based in London, Eeprom follows up 2009's Yes Is More with If Looks Could Kill.
Biscotto & Chimpanzee (feat. Birkii) fires off the Gallic sleaze in style with magnificent electro-dance-pop at it best. If Bertrand Burgalat made a dance record it could sound like this. A distinct french polish to this album insures Danton a place the table of Air, Daft Punk and Etienne de Crécy as well as the french-pop elite such as Bertrand Burgalat, Sebastian Tellier, Jacques Dutronc and Serge Gainsbourg. Parisian vocalist Birkii adds a dash of yé-yé pop to this, the launch single - Biscotto & Chimpanzee.
Like this? try: Matthew Dear, Bertrand Burgalat, Sebastian Tellier
From British producer Forest Swords (aka Matthew Barnes) outstanding Engravings album from last year is still getting regular playbacks here at Neoloop.
One of the standout tracks Thor's Stone gets a make-over from legendary Black Arch dub maverick Lee “Scratch” Perry. Making a stand against evil energy Perry is on top form here adding a heavy dub underbelly to the mystical soundscapes of the original. Chatting his usual nonsense all over it Perry has lost none of his madness, as a whole the collaboration is meant to be, creating a sound that is very reminiscent of Leftism era Leftfield.
If you don't own the Engravings album yet, get it here on iTunes
These are the top 30 LPs that rock our world last year.
Burial takes his unique musical template further into the unknown with new EP Rival Dealer. The swooning sounds manage to be dark and mysterious and beautifully melodic with a sense of euphoria with a deep emotional undercurrent running beneath the intense structures all at once.
It's amazing how far the Burial sound can go, stretching in multiple directions, the subtleties of sub-genres layered throughout are astonishing. The originality of William Bevan has no boundaries, the London producer pours in so much soul into his electronic compositions like no other artist, he's created his own genre of music, Burial music. The epic 13 minute closing track on the EP Come Down to Us is just stunning, whoa!
Highly Recommended.
bEEdEEgEE is a spin off band from Brian DeGraw's New York avant-electronic outfit Gang Gang Dance. This time around he recruits guest vocals from CSS's Lovefoxx, fellow Gang Gang Dance bandmate Lizzi Bougatsos, Douglas Armour and Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor. The LP's called Sum/One, out now.
Like Rain Man is a haunting electro-pop track with Lizzi Bougatsos sprinkling of vocal embellishments, light bubbling synths cascade through layers of sounds.
Knowing We'll Be Here, from Daniel Avery's debut album Drone Logic. Widely regarded as an electronic masterpiece, this immersive last track from the LP is a totally captivating, melodic minimalism of the highest calibre.
For years this superb exotic disco-noir tune was a mega rare 1984 12”. One-hit German beauties Saâda Bonaire have now made this and 11 other unheard tracks available on digital download via Captured Tracks, Saâda Bonaire’s debut LP was recorded nearly 30 years ago and apart from this track have not seen the light of day until now. The dub-disco sound on the self titled LP could almost be a lost Grace Jones album.
Originally signed to EMI in 1982, their first and only single, You Could Be More As You Are was produced in Kraftwerk’s studio by legendary Matumbi, Slits and Pop Group producer Dennis Bovell. Composed of DJ Ralf Behrendt, Stefanie Lange, and Claudia Hossfeld plus a plethora of musicians that he picked up working in a immigration centre. EMI budget contraints led to the LP being shelved and the band disbanded soon after.
Full of quirky dubbed out disco, 80's synths and bongos with Middle Eastern flutes and sitars laid over African beats and Moroder style electronics. Even though it was recorded in the eighties it still stands up today like a brand new retro-future LP. Highly Recommended.
Zero 7, remember them! Are back with some new material - On My Own has the nice lazy beats we've come to expect from the Downtempo duo, electronic soul of the highest calibre. It's Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker's first single in four years and they sound a little Talking Heads with a house feel here and it features vocals from Danny Pratt (aka Danny Boy). Don't Call It Love on the b-side is also worth checking out - Welcome back, hopefully a new LP in the pipeline too.
Berlin/DC-based duo Benoit & Sergio last single Bridge So Far is a quality slab of house. But I'm more in love with the bubbling baselines of the flip - $100 Bill, an electro-funk jam that pulsates like the funky strut of previous smash New Ships.
"Got a $100 bill in my back pocket and I already forgot that I've got a girlfriend" sings Benjamin "Sergio" Myers.
Another quality output from the Hot creations stable - Love it!
London-based duo Basement Jaxx are storming back with new single What a difference your love makes at the end of this September. The EP features remixes of the title track by Miguel Campbell and Huxley as well as another jaxx original, Mermaid of Salinas.
Doing what Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe do best, happy-go-lucky big party tunes that put a massive smile on your face, what a difference the Jaxx make.
Matthew E. White released one of 2012′s best albums, Big Inner, still a firm favourite here at neoloop. The gospel-folk-psych-soul crooner gets the electro-pop treatment on lead track Big Love by experienced remixers Hot Chip. Staying pretty close the original with total respect, the Hot Chippers beef-up the bubbling baselines and clattering drums. Steel-pans subtly tinkle in the background and piano washes flutter over the driving bass, Matthew E. Whites guitars sound more urgent, giving the track lots of BIG love.
Beautiful Swimmers, the Baltimore duo of Maxmillion Dunbar (AKA: Andrew Field-Pickering) and Ari Goldman released a new album - Son - recently, compiling previous 12" singles and a few new ones of sun-kissed nu-disco grooves. Maxmillion Dunbar has been doing pretty well on his own of late following the successful House of Woo LP.
This tune - Big Coast first materialised back in 2010 but still sounds fresh as a daisy in a summer meadow. With the summer coming to an end you can squeeze the last few rays of sunshine out with this LP as your soundtrack, should see you in to the Autumn months nicely. Highly Recommended.
Top Tracks: Big Coast, Swimmers Groove, Running Over.
Not for the faint hearted Fuck buttons are a viscerally demanding listen, industrial strength sound that should come with a health warning.
This is heavy, deep electronic music that grinds down into your subconscience, slowly manifesting itself into a pulverising melodic rhythm. New LP Slow Focus makes previous album Tarot Sport sound like a walk in the park, Slow Focus is exactly that, a sound that slowly builds under meticulously distorted soundscapes before a clarity of focus prevails. This track Stalker is an emotional, ethereal power serge, the whole LP is an immersive experience from a dark alien, future-industrial film soundtrack. Bristol duo Benjamin Power and Andrew Hung deliver an impressive third album, press it and enjoy. Recommended.
Copenhagen's Nick Eriksen aka Taragana Pyjarama makes lush and melodic sounds that transcend you into utopia. New mini-LP Nothing Hype is nothing short of beautiful bliss, magical dreamscapes and kaleidoscopic euphoria. Rar is a particular highlight, bubbling disco synths and floaty notes of happiness. Following on from last years debut Tipped Bowls, the journey continues on a similar tip. Nothing Hype needs more hype, it's so good. Highly Recommended.
Like this?, why not try: Todd Terje, Prins Thomas, Lindstrøm
Chilled and charmed grooves from Simon Green, AKA Bonobo, love this track from his fifth album The North Borders. Lead single Cirrus is slow build up into a melodic driving rhythm with amazing percussion, whistles and bells with shades of Four Tet going on. A cool track from a great LP.
Bonobo is touring all summer and hits the UK on 23 NOVEMBER 2013 playing in London at Brixton Academy.
Berlin-based producer Moritz Friedrich aka Siriusmo released his Enthusiast LP last month, this track Congratulator has been ripping up the decks for some time now, but it's the perfect accompaniment to Todd's Standbar and I dare say it will be gracing the the tunes of the year charts come December.
See you at the beach!
Todd Terje just keeps churning out the big guns - Ragysh, Snooze 4 Love, Inspector Norse, Lanzarote (with Lindstrøm) and now the follow-up Strandbar – which means beach bar - (Disko), already a monster dance-floor smash after a couple of months, the Norwegian producer/DJ is definitely on a purple patch.
Perfect for the summer sound system, Terje is master of the universe right now. The sun-kissed piano hook on this with the key changes is so cool, plenty of hands in the air moments, what's next for the disco superstar?!!
As with all their previous LP's Boards of Canada make beautiful music with an uneasy edge to it, like a dramatic soundtrack to an unmade film. This track from their latest LP Tomorrow's Harvest sounds like a lost track from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Perfect listening for those late late nights in the small hours of the morning. Cyclosa is a spider genus in the family Araneidae, think about that when listening to this and it takes on a new vibe. Tomorrow's Harvest throws up plenty of rewards with persistent plays to take your to another place.
Escapism music for the connoisseur.
Bassist/songwriter/vocalist Stephen Bruner, aka Thundercat storms back with the follow-up the Flying Lotus co-produced The Golden Age of Apocalypse. Thundercat teamed up with executive producer Flying Lotus once again, to form a profound body of work for his second album, Apocalypse. Full of jazz influences that you'd expect with Flying Lotus, but also Bruner's father Ronald Bruner, Sr., is an internationally renowned jazz drummer who played with the Temptations, Diana Ross, Gary Bartz and Gladys Knight.
The neo-soul of Heartbreaks + Setbacks is beautiful, Burner is on top form on the LP and I hope it will push his music to a wider audience. Each track offers something different, yet collectively works in harmony. The Life Aquatic is an instrumental of lotus beats and Burner bass. This track Oh Sheit It's X adds some disco pomp and funk guitars with a future-retro synths. Without You's skippy beats backsliding in and out of the bubbling melody is half ballad and half instrumental interlude, delightful. Burner pours blood, sweat and tears into this recored.
A welcome return and Highly Recommended.
A great companion to Daft Punk's Random Access Memory is the electro-pop sounds of After Dark 2 (not to be confused with The new Late Night Tales Compilation). The sequel to the excellent Italians Do It Better After Dark compilation. Stellar tracks from Chromatics, Desire, Symmetry and Glass Candy.
Slow bubbling synths and late night sleazy beats are the order of the day, Looking for Love by Chromatics, a stand-out tune sets the bench mark as does this one Cherry with its kitsch overtures, following on nicely from 2012 opus Kill for Love. Half Lives by Twisted Wires sounds like it was recorded in 1985. Glass Candy feature 4 track on here with their distinctive sugary pop.
Highly enjoyable Highly Recommended.
London producer Zomby returns with a new double album this week With Love. This tune is the first belter that's getting all fuss. Overdose is dark, old skool drum and bass exploding into a morose undercurrent of siren synths and looping swirly beats. Pretty intensive stuff.
Late Night Tales have established themselves as the go to mix masters with an outstanding back catalogue of artist curated compilations of exceptional eclectic quality from a diverse selection of compliers. The classics that get plenty of repeat plays include Groove Armada (vol.1 and 2), Rae & Christian, Air, Nightmares on Wax, Zero 7, Fatboy Slim, Midlake, Trentemøler, Lindstrom and Friendly Fires.
So, now they are slightly diversifying into an additional series (well I hope it's a series) with After Dark, their website calls it a tangent, let's hope it's the first of many. The first journey then is compiled by expert compiler Bill Brewster. They say: After Dark is New York at 4am, with the lights off and the strobes flaring. It’s a Dalston basement with slow chugging basslines propelling a dancefloor. It’s a starlit night on the coast of Croatia with glittery girls and burnished boys grooving to 110bpm anthems.
A dedicated mission to unearth the unreleased, the impossible-to-find and the darn-right-funkiest music this side of the Dardanelles. I can certainly say this is all achieved with honours. A fine selection that sounds equally as good during daylight hours and after dark, some names you will have heard of, Jamiroquai, Doves, Zed Bias, Toddla T of but the tunes and versions you probably haven't. Slow groovers and funky movers, slinky beats and infectious rhythms set the tone for cosmic drive into the darkness. Highlights include this ultra rare disco tune Love The Way You Love Me by Marti Caine, the super funky Philip Zdar mix of Machistador by –M–, Koolade by Zed Bias feat Toddla T & MDcL and The Love (Exclusive new mix) by Linus Loves and the Previously Unreleased All Around And Away We Go (Hotel Motel Mix) by Twin Sister. Altogether, a Highly accomplished and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED mix. Bring on the next one please!
Download now from iTunes, Checkout Bill's selection process on the LateNightTales website here.
I posted the album version of this song back in October last year when the release of Moon People, Nickodemus' third LP was released (the follow-up from 2009's Sun People). As with his previous couple of albums Nickdemous put out a remix LP of Moon People last year.
Japanese DJ/Producer Yukicito adds a cosmic afrobeat diversion to Mirage, just when you thought the original was perfect this version goes deeper with a hypnotic groove that underpins the haunting horns and Kissy's lush voice.
More of this please Nickodemus!
Bibio's back to his Ambivalence Avenue best on this track taken from new LP Silver Wilkinson.
Bibio – aka Stephen Wilkinson – conceived the song in his garden on a gorgeous sunny day. "I limited myself to a few bits of gear and set up in my garden: a 12-string guitar, an MPC sampler, a microphone and a cassette recorder," he explains. He also threw in a plastic watering can beat and the snip of garden shears as percussion.
"When I listen to the intro of that track now, I still hear the sunshine and the garden in it because for me it's like a photograph of that moment. No doubt the sunny outdoors inspired the lyrics too."
Bring on the sunshine!
Neomix Volume Two
Finally after so many people bugging me, I've put together another mixtape in the Neoloop series Neomix (I guess I can call it a series now there is a second volume!). Volume Two is as eclectic as the first and covers all the stuff we love on Neoloop.
Tracklisting is as follows:
DJ Koze [AKA: Stefan Kozella] releases new LP Amygdala this month and it's a complete melting-pot of quality beats and synthesised hooks. His first solo album in nine years, choice cuts include the brilliant collaborations with Matthew Dear on this track Magical Boy and My Plans, Nices Wölkchen (feat. Apparat), Track ID Anyone? (feat. Caribou), the unique lament Das Wort (feat. Dirk von Lowtzow), easy beats and pop-hook of Homesick (feat. Ada), chopping beats of instrumental La Duquesa and the power serge of Ich schreib' dir ein Buch 2013 (DJ Koze vs. Hildegard Knef) is amazing. Auroville is as mad as a hatter! Highly Recommended.
Pumping out the disco groove today, here's a skanking disco number from Kellerkind from the beginning of last year still sounding good. Peppered with bursts of jazz the hypnotic ska-loop beats pull you into the groove, topped off with a funky organ finish, Triple Distilled to perfection. You can't help moving your body to this one.
From Kellerkind's Disco On The Dancefloor EP and the album Basement Story.
Taken from Lusine's forthcoming album - The Waiting Room. AKA Seattle-based producer Jeff McIlwain releases his third LP under the Lusine moniker on Feb 18th following-up 2009's A Certain Distance.
Another Tomorrow is a cool shimmery groove that's just beautiful.
Follow their excellent output of recent tunes Benoit & Sergio have produced a very sexy and sultry remix of Matthew Dears Fighting is Futile track from last year's fine Beams. A slow head-nodder that transforms the original into subtle piano led funky groove. Nice work!
I didn't know I loved it until I heard it. Superb tune to warm you up on a cold winter evening from the excellent Plastic Plates.
My first post of 2013 and I'm playing catch-up after a busy December. So there's lots of posts to get up, including my albums of 2012. Watch this space...
Toro Y Moi (AKA Chaz Bundick) releases his new album this month called Anything In Return.
First single So Many Details takes Bundick into a mature direction without losing any of the quirky electro-pop hooks and delivers a lot more soul in the process. The rest of the album follows suit and should keep us going till summer. Good work Chaz!
One of the best Late Night Tales compilations for a while, the compilation series that maintains a quality output have chosen the effervescent Friendly Fires, an inspired choice as it turns out. The selection covers many genres as well as uptempo house, obscure indie, disco-funk, art-pop and ambient chill. This tune is a stand-out, fourth track in, anthemic porn-disco Fly Like An Eagle by Dennis Parker. And it's not just the old stuff that makes for an impressive collection, Melody Echo Chamber's Endless Shore is a welcome addition from a great artist. Friendly Fires’ exclusive cover version of the ’78 electronic classic Why Don't You Answer by Eberhard Schoener and Sting sounds like one of their own.
Surprise choice perhaps is Olivia Newton-John's cover of the Elton John classic Love Song from Tumbleweed Connection, an amazing version that I've never heard before. Also includes choice cuts from Cocteau Twins, SBTRKT, Iron Galaxy, Bibio, Stereolab, Slowdive, Joe Simon and Sonna.
Definitely one of the best comps of the year and certainly one of the best Late Night Tales comps ever, no mean feat considering it's on it's thirtieth edition. Highly Recommend.
The latest single from FaltyDL (a.k.a. Drew Lustman) Straight & Arrow gets a make over from Four Tet. Smoothing out the original while maintaining the hypnotic synth melody and the soulful croons. But when the beats kick in at 3:17 it just takes off into another realm. Bubbling beats and electro squelches dart around in the melting pot of sonic clutter.
The single includes the original and this Four Tet remix, along with remixes from Gold Panda and Mike Q & Divoli S'vere. NYC-based Lustman releases new LP Hardcourage on 22 January 2013 on Ninja Tune / Blueberry Records.
This track surfaced back in the summer, it's a great tune from T.Williams with vocals by Tendai. Taken from the The EP Pain & Love release back in September. A moody slow-rolling head-nodder with an infectious groove with a darker undercurrent and a soulful velvety vocal from Tendai that expresses the lyrics with every longing note.
Starting out producing garage and grime under the name Dread D, it was UK funky that acted as a gateway to a life as a house producer and gained him recognition under his new moniker, T.Williams. The West London DJ and producer has now put together a mix for Rinse which includes the likes of Maya Jane Coles, Disclosure, Eats Everything and Julio Bashmore to name a few.
Yet more Scandinavian cosmic-disco from another Norwegian space cadet, Daniel ‘Blackbelt’ Andersen completes the trilogy of nu-disco Lp's with Linstrøm and Prins Thomas this month with his new album Blackbelt Andersen 2, released Nov 06, 2012 on the Full Pupp label. A longtime player in Norway's dance music scene Andersen brings us a slight twist in flavour - Mann på Mars delves deep into the cosmos with a layer of balearic house and latin vibes giving his sound an altogether sun-flecked feeling. So, that's your comic space disco sorted for the foreseeable future then.
Following up from fellow Norwegian and collaborative associate space-disco maverick Lindstrøm we have a the perfect partner LP in Prins Thomas's new offering - Prins Thomas II. Cosmic-disco never sound so healthy, Prins takes this particular space jam into a hypnotic Lil Louis French Kiss' vibe, the tuba bubbling under the pulsating rhythms and a melody of I feel love Donna Summer, absolutely kills it!
More of the same on Prins Thomas II Out now. Buy it on iTune click here
Smalhans is the new album from the Norwegian space disco man. VÅs-SÄkÅ-Rv is my favourite on the first few listens, Each track is named after a traditional Norwegian dish, check it out.
The dark monotonous minimal groove by Daphni, the club gracing alias of Caribou's Dan Snaith. Jiaolong is the Canadian’s debut album under the Daphni moniker. Pairs tribal rhythm edge and deep distorted bleeps captivates the dance floor ease.
Slow chilled out beats for a cold dark Monday morning. The new Jamie xx remix of Four Tets Lion from the Pink album.
New LP from LA's Flying Lotus, Until the Quiet Comes has been widely reviewed as his best yet. I have to agree that it certainly lives up there with the best he has produced but I still have a lot of time for most of FlyLo's previous work.
Until the Quiet Comes is different and has certainly moved further away from his hip-hop beginnings and stuttered into experimental jazzy flourishes and snapping rhythms, a nephew to Alice and John Coltrane and a cousin to Ravi Coltrane perhaps the magisterial jazz influence is inevitable.
Lead track See Thru to U featuring Erykah Badu bursts with jungle drums and jazzy high-hats. Stephen Ellison's obsession with computer games still bears ongoing influence on certain tracks specially Putty Boy Strut. Electric Candyman featuring a subdued Thom Yorke singing a haunting lament over skippy disjointed beats and weird sawing noises in a long forgotten bird sanctuary. Hunger Featuring Niki Randa has an old seventies film soundtrack vibe and Phantasm featuring Laura Darlington is a beautiful lullaby with a sinister undercurrent of clockwork toys and moody strings. The soundtrack to long winter nights is here. Highly Recommended.
I love the cover photo too…
Feeling this track from Brooklyn-based DJ/producer Nickodemus' third long player Moon People. Best known for his collaboration with Quantic, the iTunes ad endorsed Mi Swing Es Tropical back in 2006. His 2005 debut album Endangered Species is still a favourite classic LP. This track Mirage features the velvet vocals of Swedish singer Kissey Asplund, a beautiful soulful groove for an easy going evening.
Late night chill-out with Golden Clouds, The Orb's re-tooling of their seminal work Little Fluffy Clouds with Lee Scratch Perry on board to ad-lib his usual ramshackled rapping style.
From their latest LP - The Orb Presents the Orbserver in the Star House (feat. Lee Scratch Perry)
Still loving the tinpot alley percussion and bass-heavy beats of this tune from TNGNT duo Glasgow's Hudson Mohawke and Montreal's Lunice.
Kieran Hebden has collected together all of Four Tet's vinyl only singles from the past year and put them on Pink, his new album. With two new tracks; the funk-fuelled Lion and the mellow and tranquil masterpiece Peace For Earth running in at over eleven minutes. This track entitled Pinnacles is still my favourite with it's driving funk groove and piano flourishes.
Perfect tune for a hot sunny day, El Guincho knows how to soundtrack the summer with this feel-good hit. As recommended by Jamie xx, taken from the 2010 album Pop Negro, the steel pans add a calypso vibe with chiming melodies and choppy percussion, bliss!
El Guincho is the recording alias of Spanish musician Pablo Díaz-Reixa. Also a member of Coconot, Díaz-Reixa rose to prominence with his 2008 album, Alegranza!
Electro-goths Trust made their debut with TRST back in February this year, the Toronto duo Robert Alfons and Maya Postepski are virtual clones of Crystal Castles with a striking resemblance to their fellow Canadians. Dirty synthesizers and pulsating electro beats, heavy influences of 80's electronic masters such as Giorgio Moroder and Kraftwerk. The album has been a slow burner for me, growing in significance with more airplay. Dark and weird, tracks like Gloryhole and (single) Bulbform twist and turn from brutal trance to hi-energy disco. This track, This Ready Flesh is a slow and heavy monster-slab of a tune, Alfons and Postepski duet with sinister under-current. Scary, but in a good way!
Not sure about that cover though, it's certainly not the artsit in the picture!
WhoMadeWho drummer and producer Tomas Barfod conjures up a big slab of glitch-pop on this track Broken Glass taken from his recent new solo album Salton Sea. WhoMadeWho guitarist Jeppe Kjellberg also features in this broken-vocal-synth-pop weirdness. Salton Sea is an eclectic array of genres singing in harmony on this quite exceptional LP from the Danish countryman. Brooding house (Till We Die featuring Nina Kinert) sits happily along side indie-dance-pop and pumping electro (Python). November Skies featuring Swedish singer Nina Kinert is ethereal grand pop. Very much in the mould of Röyksopp this album maintains a seal of quality throughout. Recommended.
Nice cover too...
Still enjoying John Talabot's ƒin album (Click here for review) and also some of his great remix work, this old track from The Golden Filter gets a full Talabot make-over, the steady build-up of the wonky organ and ghostly samples wash over a pulsating beat.
The eagerly anticipated follow-up to The xx's groundbreaking debut continues to gain momentum following a plethora of remixes of first single to come from Coexist. Angels has received a number of treatments over the last few weeks. This one from Bodhi is the pick of the bunch adding some sweet beats to original and keeping Romy Madley-Croft's delicate vocals in tack. Love this!
Flying Lotus latest offering in the weekly Adult Swim Singles Series. Between Friends, which features Earl Sweatshirt and Captain Murphy. Has a very Doom vibe, lazy beats and dark slick raps.
FlyLo's new full-length, Until the Quiet Comes, is out October. Bring it on, can't wait.
Frank Ocean released his eagerly anticipated major label debut this week. channel ORANGE takes Ocean into the mainstream on his own merits, showcasing his unique silky electro-soul. Previous notable collaborations with Jay-Z and Kanye West on the excellent Watch the Throne put the spotlight on Ocean's superb Nostalgia-Ultra (Official Mixtape).
The New Orleans-born RnB singer was relatively unknown as a member of the Odd Future collective. So now with channel ORANGE Ocean has arrived in ultra-smooth style, following the epic Pyramids that materialised a few weeks ago Ocean has made an intriguing album that shifts in different directions with dazzling effect. Hip-Hop and Nu-Soul works synonymously with eccentric electro and psychedelic R’n’B grooves. This track Lost has hooked me in straight away, sounding like a young Prince. Ocean's innovative and adventurous approach to music hasn't sounded so good since the musical bravura of prime early-70s Stevie Wonder. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Yppah (pronounced ‘yippah’)
Yppah's third album has been a steady grower over the last few months, I first stumbled apron it's eclectic charms back in April and while it's certainly not an instant grabber, persistent listening bears many fruits. Predominately instrumental with the vocals blending in as instruments, often fast rhythm's have an air of tranquility, creating atmospheric sounds with an overwhelming sense of playfulness. Lead track Film Burn is spectacular, Anomie Belle's vocal meanders through delicate synths, broken beats and soaring strings like Endtroducing... era DJ Shadow combining with the Cocteau Twins. Happy to See you shines with chiming guitars and R. Mullen is overwhelming anthemic with a Stone Roses sense of groove. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, beautifully uplifting music to escape to during rainy days in London.
Love a moody cloud cover too...
Banging mix from A-Trak elevates Justice's New Lands into a dance floor monster. Keeping all that we love about Justice and their squelchy electro sound, A-Trak has beefed up the original album version from the french duos second LP Audio, Video, Disco. This mix is from Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay's New Lands EP.
Seven minute disco-punk from The Rapture courtesy of a compete overhaul from Ashley Beedle, Colleen Cosmo Murphy and Yam Who. Originally appearing on the NYC bands 4th album In the Grace of Your Love released last year. This DarkStarr Diskotek remix shapes the original into a house monster with cowbells and ESG style baseline in a future retro diskotek. Cool and catchy hooks that will have your head nodding and feet tapping all day long.
Totally love this track the the brilliant TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS (TEED) debut album out now.
Feet don't fail me now!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Don't Deny Your Heart is my current choice cut from Hot Chip's latest LP In Our Heads. Surely a future single, its got chart success written all over it. A quick little groover with a merry-go-round of key changes, lifting you up higher with every turn. Bouncing bongos and funky guitars add to feel good summer vibe.
Don't deny your heart, get the album now.
French electro-popper Monsieur Lobster's Simon & Garfunkel cover, broadcasted in french TV show Paris dernière and released on Beatrice Ardisson compilation La musique de Paris Dernière (2009).
Wrong, but strangely charming.
Absolute stunning track from collaborating electronic masters, the elusive Burial and Four Tet. First materialising back in March every other blog going was posting up this track. I resisted back then as it was well covered, but since then the well crafted piece has rarely been off my headphones.
The track is the third time the pair have collaborated following their 2009 12in Moth/Wolf Club and last year's split 12in with Thom Yorke, Ego/Mirror.
Nova is a beautifully compelling tune with subtle washes of warm fluid sounds. Late night listening don't get any dreamier, I'm utterly immersed in its charm and tranquility.
Great new tune and lead single from Matthew Dear's forthcoming LP Beams, the followup to 2010's Black City.
Her Fantasy is classic Dear and an outstanding single to preview the new LP with. Bring it on!
Wonky Disco
Sébastien Tellier returns with new album My God Is Blue, produced by Mr Flash. Looking more like the messiah with every release Tellier's trademark beard and long messy hair is symphonious with his own brand of sexy-disco electronica. The frenchman's music remains in the high quality bracket, all the usual influences are omni present, the old styles of Philippe Nicaud, Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier to the contemporary sounds of Air, Daft Punk and Bertrand Bergalat. Cochon Ville is the lead single released with a suitably erotic video of naked dancers in gods own disco. Tellier always does just enough to remain on the right edge of kitsch with an electro-pop sound that could have been released anytime in the last thirty years or far into the future. Future-retro maybe?! Sedulous is my choice pick of this LP, a slow jam that Serge Gainsbourg would be proud of, a dramatic drum roll strolls into a slow digi-funk beat with a waltzing horn section and funky quitar stabs. Good to have you back Sébastien! HIGHLY RECOMMEDED!
A Major Force
Major Lazer played Live at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire this week, it was a mental gig, Toddla T got the crowd nicely warmed-up with a few special guest including the delightful Shola Ama who stole the set. You might need somebody, Taboo and Take it back all sounding good with Toddla's beats. Major Lazor take the stage and dancehall mayhem erupts for the next hour and half. Hold the Line was a special moment, Diplo mixed up the unique Major Lazer sound with classic reggae and calypso, the highlight for me was Harry Belafonte's Day-O mashed with the epic Pon de Floor, the whole of the empire went absolutely mental.
Also out this week is a new tune from Major Lazers forthcoming album due in 2 months time. Given away as a free download in exchange for your email here. Get Free features the lush vocals of Amber Coffman of the Dirty Projectors and sounds amazing, I've been playing it on repeat for the last few days. LOVE IT!
Look out for Major Lazer's forthcoming Dancehall album with Snoop Dogg too!
Some late night moody haze here in the shape of Brooklyn's Sepalcure from their self titled LP from last year. See Me, Feel Me samples very subtly the Who's See Me, Feel Me.
Sit back relax and enjoy.
From the cult album Night Drive by the Chromatics this is one of favourite tracks from that album. An instant classic back in 2007 Night Drive also contains the full 15 minute version of Tick Of The Clock, an edited version of which features on the Drive movie soundtrack. The pulsating rhythms of I Want Your Love still sounds fresh in a future retrospective kind of way, the rest of the album is just as impressive including a rather moody version of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill. The title track could easily have been the title theme tune to the Drive movie. Another Highly Recommended LP from the Chromatics.
Also check out the In the City album for a great cover of Bruce Springsteen's I'm on Fire.
Like this? Try: Symmetry, Glass Candy, Desire, Kavinsky
Kill for Love, Chromatics' first album since 2007's Night Drive and it's an epic masterpiece. Earlier post below Symmetry's Themes for an Imaginary Film was created with Johnny Jewel and fellow Chromatics member Nat Walker, Kill for Love fits nicely along side that soundtrack of neon-noir Italo-disco sensibilities but this album is full of big expansive dreamy pop-noir driven by lush vocals and left-field glacial synths.
The album kicks off with this synth-draped cover of Neil Young's Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) which is deconstructed and rebuilt to absolute perfection, featuring the beautiful voice of singer Ruth Radelet. Kill for Love is Highly Recommended.
The perfect accompaniment to the Drive soundtrack is Themes for an Imaginary Film, by Italo-disco producer Johnny Jewel who coincidentally was originally inline to soundtrack the Drive movie in the first place. Word is that this album is now the alternative Drive soundtrack that never was. Three years in the making, Symmetry - the project that began as a conceptual tangent between Glass Candy, Chromatics, Mirage, & Desire's more abstract sides consists of 37 tracks. Some short little interludes peppered amongst lengthier synth laden cinematic soundscapes. As with most soundtracks the mood changes throughout from upbeat minimal monotonous synth-rhythm-driven beatscapes to darker, moodier ambient trance, tension and atmospheric space. Reminiscent of classic John Carpenter soundtracks it's well worth persevering through the 37 tracks if only to get to the closing love song Streets of Fire. Brilliant.
I'm gonna show you where it's dark, but have no fear
Finally got around to watching Drive, a film about a mysterious Hollywood stuntman, mechanic and getaway driver that lands himself in trouble when he helps out his neighbour. Lush direction by Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling as the stuntman. It's a moody piece of cinema backed up by an intriguing soundtrack, most of its ethereal electronic-pop score was composed by Cliff Martinez (previous Chilli Peppers drummer). Other artists feature on the first few tracks, This track Nightcall is by French electronic musician Kavinsky and features vocals from Lovefoxx (Cansei de Ser Sexy), it was produced by Daft Punk's Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo and mixed by electronic artist SebastiAn.
Opening the movie it's the perfect soundtrack, setting the scene with an obscure sense of unease with Gosling's cool and calm character driving around the streets of LA aiding as getaway driver from a robbery. Desire, Chromatics and Riz Ortolani also feature on this superb 80's future-retro epic soundtrack. Recommended.
Kindness aka Adam Bainbridge's latest LP World, You Need a Change of Mind is on constant rotation at the moment. This track is my current favourite from an excellent album produced by Cassius' Philippe Zdar.
The finest disco-funk tune this year!
Here we have our first big contender for album of the year status. Barcelona's John Talabot releases his first album, ƒIN and it's a stunner! Talabot takes on many different styles on this record and weaves them together seamlessly with confident grace. Bursting with a rainbow of colours, intricate textures and deep atmospherics that delve in and out of deep house, disco, and indie pop with shades of tropical lushness and Balearic beauty.
Quiet and loud, dreamy haze and pulsating beats. There are so many moods on this LP and that's what makes it so interesting, I discover something new with every listen and the more you listen the more it opens up. Destiny a co-production with Madrid's Pional is an outstanding house tune that's sounds as good on headphone as on the dancefloor. Pional turns up again for the album closer So Will Be Now, another house track that leaves you wanting more. Outstanding and Highly Recommended.
Buy it on iTunes, John's place in MySpace
Like this? Try: SBTRKT, Delorean, Caribou, Boards of Canada, Matias Aguayo, Nicolas Jaar
Another tune from New York’s SVIIB - First single Lafaye the central track from four coming LP Ghostory. The tale of a young girl named Lafaye and the ghosts that surround her life. Glacial and uplifting melodic progressions support Alejandra Deheza's gorgeous vocals that melt away your troubles with a euphoric delight. "Everyone has ghosts", says Alejandra; "They're every love you've ever had, every hurt, every betrayal, every heartbreak. They follow you, stay with you." The familiar ethereal and enigmatic tones are omnipresent, surrounded by layers of influences from '80s pop, shoegaze and ambient electronic sounds.
Been giving School of Seven Bells a listen in anticipation of their third LP Ghostory due at the end of the month. Big fans of this Brooklyn band at neoloop, Loved the debut Alpinisms in 2008 and the follow-up Disconnect from Desire was a classic in 2010. School Of Seven Bells formed in 2006 as a trio and have slowly earned a selective following. Now a duo: guitarist/producer Benjamin Curtis and vocalist Alejandra Deheza, they have grown in style and sophistication with every album. The Night surfaced at the end of last year as taste of what we could expect from Ghostory.
SBTRKT posted a previously unreleased tune on Soundcloud, Atomic Peace. He originally played it on a guest mix DJ Mary Anne Hobbs show. The track samples Múm's Flow Not So Fast Old Mountain Radio, from the Icelandic glitch-pop outfit's 2001 compilation Please Smile My Nose Bleed. It's a nice light and airy chilled out electronic tune to ease you into a new day. Perhaps an outtake from his debut, it's a worthy extension.
French electronic duo Air have scored a recolored, remastered version of Georges Méliès’ 1902 cinematic landmark Le Voyage Dans La Lune. This track from the new soundtrack that Air have created is suitably retro-futuristic. It's a kind of past relative of Daft Punk's Tron soundtrack. Psychedelic instrumental Sonic Armada features synth heavy cosmic-psych-rock sound that is somewhat of a departure to Air's usual sexy French bachelor-pad music. Another track on this spaced-out soundtrack Seven Stars features vocals from Beach House’s Victoria Legrand.
The album come out tomorrow on iTunes.
French electro-pop composer Yuksek's Always On The Run remixed by Tom Furse from the Horrors, blends elements of both acts’ sounds in a building booming dance tracks shimmering with synth flourishes and echoing vocals.
Born Pierre-Alexander Busson, Yuksek crafts decadent dance tracks with irresistible pop centers: meticulously plotted creations that no doubt owe their refinement to the Frenchman’s classical training. He’s also cut tracks with New York's Chromeo and Amanda Blank. Giving Justice a run for their money! Latest album Living on the Edge of Time is available now on iTunes.
Like this? Try: Justice, Daft Punk,
Bergen-based synth-pop outfit Casiokids release new album Aabenbaringen over Aaskammen this month in the UK. Olympiske Leker's Afrobeat percussion, electro-pop synths and quirky glockenspiels make-up a brilliantly colourful sound. Aabenbaringen over Aaskammen is the perfect sunshine-dappled easy going soundtrack to the summer with sprinklings of Balearic flavourings and breezy pop melodies. Golden years is another stand-out tune that will undoubtably be a future single.
They are bringing their quirky-funk tunes to the UK, a nationwide tour to mark the UK/European release of Aabenbaringen over aaskammen on Moshi Moshi Records!
Like this? try: Metronomy, The Whitest Boy Alive, Röyksopp, Kings of Convenience
Another track from Swedish electo-pop trio Miike Snow from their forthcoming second album Happy To You, due in March, following Devil’s Work track which came out in December. Continuing the established sound of Miike Snow, this is another synth chopping glitchy piano chords pop tune. Expect more tour date this year in support of the album.
The bands official site here miikesnow.com, follow on twitter @MiikeSnow
This is just one of the freshest tracks to come out of 2011, New Yorker Azealia Banks self-released track has caused quite a stir since it surfaced in October, and not just because she's a filthy-mouthed lyricist dissing Nicki Minaj "I'ma ruin you, cunt" Banks genuinely is a multi-talented singer/rapper, on 212 she covers all basis delivering numerous styles with no seams. It's basically three different songs fused together featuring a filthy rap about cunnilingus over bouncing electro beats, before the beat drops out around the halfway point giving Banks a chance to show off her singing chops before it all goes mental in a mass of tweaked synths.
The 20-year-old Harlem rapper is hip-hop's most talked-about new sensation and has been at the centre of an intense industry buzz ever since the release of her first recording, Seventeen, three years ago. Now she's top of NME's recent Cool List. Time will tell if she becomes a huge star, she's over here in the UK in Feb on the NME tour with Two Door Cinema Club and Metronomy.
Check out her stuff on azealiabanksforever.com, Her place in MySpace
I love the percussion in this track, minimal but melodic. Taken German producer Robag Wruhme's (AKA Gabor Schablitzki) album Thora Vukk released this summer. A great album full of well crafted compositions created with self recorded samples over celestial piano progressions and rushes. Taking in haunting soundscapes and killer deep house grooves. Pnom Gobal is one of the more chilled out moments with a beautiful hypnotic vibe. Prognosen Bomm is equally as captivating, The title track, Wupp Dek and Brommsen Böff are also standout tracks. Harmonic rhythmic swagger that's highly recommended.
Buy it on iTunes, Official site
Found this tune on the latest Nova Tunes 2.4 compilation. A cheerful tune from a collective of London-based musicians and a group of Kenyan's musicians jamming in the middle of Nairobi. Signed to Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Records Owiny Sigoma Band released a full album back in April, Damon Albarn adding Farfisa organ on a couple of the tracks.
I heard that you like the bad girls, honey, is that true?
Undoubtably one of this years most blogged tunes, Lana Del Rey has made her mark in 2011. Seemingly coming from nowhere, the power of the internet launches another star, the gangsta Nancy Sinatra has earned a faithful following and deservedly so as the B-side Blue Jeans and forthcoming single Born To Die proves she's not a one hit wonder. There's a good few versions of Video Games, Chicago house legend Mr. Fingers mesmerising house mix, Kasabien's live cover and Bombay Bicycle Club. So far my favourite mix is from the night-stepper Jamie Woon. Lana's vocal never sounded better over Woon's intense dark beats, a pop-noir delight.
Currently enjoying the new debut album from Mickey Moonlight right now, a mad title that completes his band name… Mickey Moonlight and the Time Axis Manipulation Corporation. Kind of like a cross between Jimi Tenor, Sun Ra and Sebastian Tellier, the whole album is a cosmic jam, a mellow space warp into interplanetary music! Close to Everything is a deep house ballad that exudes style and class with a strong vocal from George Lewis Jr. A cool collection a songs, perfect for chilled-out late night grooving. Recommended.
The band comprises of an impressive array of artists that include: George Lewis Jr, Marina Gasloina (ex Bonde de Role), Susumu Mukai (Zongamin), Tim Sparke, Suzy Silver, Sandro Perri, Bishi, Lou Hayter (The New Sins & New Young Pony Club), Tahita Bulmer (New Young Pony Club), Anita Blay (TheCocknBullKid), Deborah Howell, Fimber Bravo (20th Century Steel Band), The Fullfat Horns (Jake Painter, Carl Sterling and Robin Harris), Sonny Akpan (The Funkies).
This tunes been around for a good while now, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (or TEED) [AKA Orlando] are extensively touring the uk and beyond. This little electro-pop tune bounces along with a tripy beat and video-game riffs. signed to Hot Chip's Joe Goddard's Greco-Roman label, TEED certainly do have a Hot Chip vibe about them.
SBTRKT RMX PRFCTON
There are some good reworks on Radiohead's new remix LP TKOL RMX 1234567, an electronic version of the excellent The King of Limbs album. Caribou, Four Tet, Modeselector, Jamie xx and Lone all turn in good efforts at reinventing Radioheads already brilliant tunes. But SBTRKT's remix of Lotus Flower is my stand-out version and a testament to the original composition. SBTRKT continues to impress this year following his self-titled debut LP. Check out the rest of the remixes, out now. To listen on iTunes click here.
Like this? Try: SBTRKT's debut album, James Blake, Four Tet, Zomby
Currently enjoying the latest LP Dedication from Zomby. It's been out a while now, but it definitely suited to dark evenings or early hours. This track a nice moody film score vibe, the tinkling synth sounds are reminiscent of some old seventies film soundtracks by the likes of Francis Lai, Lao Schifrin, John Barry and Nino Rota, but with a Zomby twist. A far departure from his earlier ravey stuff this is a step into Burial territory with exquisite results. Recommended.
The Golden age of the Apocalypse
Thundercat's début LP The Golden age of the Apocalypse is complete madness, jazz solos, electronic hip-hop, video-game blips, psychedelic wig-outs and unsettling moments that crash and burn in all directions. However there is something that keeps you hooked in a surreal intriguing way. Much like listening to Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica for the first time, you can't quite work out out what you like about it. The complex compositions twist and clash one minute, then sound sweet and soulful the next. Produced by Flying Lotus, it holds a similar vibe to much of the Flying Lotus sound. Each track is like marmite, you love then you hate it, but it changes with every listen. Walkin' is for me the most accessible track here, with an easy going soulful sound matched with some easy listening la la la vocal harmony.
An ambitious LP that is rewardingly glorious with perseverance.
Like this? Try: Jimi Tenor, Flying Lotus
You know what, I've had this tune for ages but didn't really give Holy Ghosts debut LP much of a listen when it first came out a couple of months ago. Since then they have released this as a single. It has that signature Holy Ghost sound of assured beats and crisp rhythms. This actually features the distinctive vocal talents veteran singer and Doobie Brother Michael McDonald and is perfectly married with a children's gospel choir to create a surreal pop moment. Holy Ghost!’s debut LP is out now via DFA.
Good to hear some new material from Neon Indian, aka Texas-raised musician Alan Palomo. Era Extraña is the follow-up from the excellent underground hit debut album Psychic Chasms. This new LP pretty much carries on from where he left off, more psychedelic lackadaisical dreamscapes with kaleidoscopic synth sounds. But this one has a slightly more fuzzy static sound with nuances of My Bloody Valentine, but with a much more polished production, Dave Fridmann mixed and added his trademark post-production.
This pulsating track is the first single release and sounds amazing on headphones, I hope he tours over in London again soon.
Like this? try: Toro Y Moi, Washed Out, MGMT, My Bloody Valentine, Passion Pit
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday Love
Chaz Bundick's electro-funk Toro Y Moi project picks a strange choice for a cover tune, Saturday Love was originally recorded by Alexander O'Neal & Cherrelle in 1985.
Following the critically acclaimed Underneath The Pine album from earlier this year he's back again with a new EP titled Freaking Out - due September 13th. Saturday Love is the first track to surface from the new EP, being that I love the original eighties soul classic and know it word for word it's an interesting song to hear remade. Chaz changes it from a duet to a solo performance and adds the unique Toro Y Moi lush synth sound, refreshing it for a new generation. Hear the original below…
Love the cool breezy vibe of this new tune from Swedish Balearic pop outfit Air France, subtle steel drums weave in and out the sunshine beats. Almost sounds like a Jamie xx remix with the steal pans thrown in there, starts with a bit of Kool and the Gang in the background and ramps up to a the perfect Balearic pop. Mixed by Star Slinger.
John Maus new album We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves is an interesting record. Heavy synth-led songs of retro-futurist electro-pop intwine a wealth of influences from The Doors, Kratfwerk and Joy Division to Daft Punk, Jan Hammer and Giorgio Moroder. Over these freak-beat workouts and soaring synth's is Maus deep and brooding voice telling strange stories. Head For The Country is a great track, also Hey Moon and Matter of Fact are highlights. Recommened.
Enjoying the new LP from Little Dragon, Shuffle A Dream is a big fat slice of electro-pop. It cuts and chops, blips and pops. Yukimi Nagano voice sounds as sweet as it ever did. After a few guest slots with Gorillaz and SBTRKT she has broadened her appeal. The album is an eclectic affair that sometimes goes beyond experimental but you can't knock them for trying out different sounds. Well worth checking out it's called Ritual Union and it out now!
DJ and producer Maya Jane Coles is hot property at the moment and I just love this moody bass chill-out from the 24 year old Londoner. MJC’s sultry vocals draw you into the hypnotic groove. She takes on house, techno and pop all with solid sensibilities of a quality sound, last month she dropped Focus Now, another EP on London’s 2020Vision label, this tune is the stand out track and I just can't get enough of it. MJC has also just remixed Little Dragon, check it out over on her official site.
Nice to hear Mr. Scruff back to his funky best on this B-side to Wobble Control, long time collaborator Alice Russell takes up the the vocal duties and Nickodemus & Zeb are on the remix giving it an acid warp wash. Plenty of wobbling bass on this, turn it up and feel the vibe. Alice sounds great too.
A nice little bit electronica from Air Drops, taken from EP which is the title of a new 7 track EP from Air drops. Sounding a little Daft Punk here, reminiscent of the Tron soundtrack. This will probably fall in to the Chillwave set.
London's SBTRKT album drops this week. Full of solid tunes, SBTRKT (real name Aaron Jerome) tries out lots of different styles and succeeds most of the time on his eponymous debut. Your probably already familiar with hit tune Wildfire, a collaboration with Little Dragon. But that's not the strongest song on here, Pharaohs is outstanding featuring the blindingly impermeable vocals of Roses Gabor. There will be the inevitable James Blake comparisons with guest vocalist Sampha almost identical soulful croon on the haunting Trial of the Past and Hold On. And sounding more up beat on Something Goes Right. But overall this is much more of an up-beat record than the somber minimalism of Blake. It's full of energy mixing up dubstep, drum & bass, garage, funk and soul, R'n'B and nuances of Chicago House with a killer pop sensibility. Instrumental Ready Set Loop is fully charged with intricate skipping rhythms, as is the uplifting Never Never and features another highlight vocal performance from Sampha. Right Thing To Do feat. Jessie Ware is another outstanding tune. Do not let this one pass you by, go get it! Highly Recommended.
I love it when summer pop sounds this good!
Bibio is really hitting form of late with his last album Mind Bokeh, and now this - Stand-out album track K Is For Kelson is now available as a new EP featuring 3 extra tracks, and K Is For Kelson is an alternative version to the album. All Their Sisters is the pick of the bunch from the new EP sounding like the older brother of K Is For Kelson with a more mature and very catchy melody and choppy beats. You can't help tapping your foot to this one!
Out in the Street it's murder!
Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek, the two producers who comprise Africa Hitech are still cutting it. Out In The Street is relentless, referencing dancehall history while cleverly tweaking its bleep-riddled rhythms into a classic of alien ragga. Africa Hitech's debut full-length, 93 Million Miles is out now.
Africa Hitech have described themselves as being about an 'ism', an African connection between rhythm and machine. Running through everything they do is a vibe that exceeds genre, a captivating fusion of Pritchard and Spacek's musical sensibilities.
Love the cover art for this too...
I'm well into to Jessica 6, their debut album See The Light is very infectious. New York trio Nomi Ruiz (vocals, songs), Andrew Raposo (bass), Morgan Wiley (keyboards) are causing quite a stir. P-funk and electro-punk attitude take on the dancefloor with passion and sassy classy sound. This is a remix of Fun Girl by Keinemusik is a very hypnotic nu-disco monster, fucking brilliant riff!
Bands place in MySpace, Buy it on iTunes
If you like this try: Matthew Dear
Love this tune from SebastiAn taken off his new long player Total and features the excellent Mayer Hawthorne.
The ever unique sound of the Battles returns, experimental left-field music doesn't often sound this good.
Four years on from their critically acclaimed Mirrored, Gloss Drop is the title of the New Yorkers second LP and it's a belter. A cacophony of sounds with everything chucked in and it's as barmy as we've come to expect. Much has been talked about the newly-refined three piece following the departure of vocalist Tyondai Braxton, but this is no bad thing in my opinion as it now makes way for a more eclectic array of vocal talents.
We kick off with the instrumental arrhythmic strings of Africastle, before the first guest vocal leads the way - the human instrument, Kompakt artist Matias Aguayo with first single Icecream, a fairground of organs and pounding drums collide with loud wonky guitars and Matias' unique voice. This is followed by three further instrumentals, steaming in with the propulsive funk of Futura, Inchworm (you half expect the Beastie Boys to come in at any moment) and chaotic cartoon mash-up of Wall Street. Next guest up is electronic pioneer Gary Newman on the relentless drive of My Machines, this is followed by another steel pan driven interlude Dominican Fade before clanging in with Sweetie & Shag featuring the sweet vocals of Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino, the steelpans continue with gusto while Kazu's voice make Battles sound like a new band and sounds incredible. Here the LP then takes a darker turn with sinister B-movie interlude Toddler followed by the massacre Rolls Bayce. White Electric is an angry bantering of drums and bass clabbering for a sweet melody that it eventually finds in the last minute courtesy of a monkey's organ.
Finally the epic ending - Sundome featuring Boredoms’ Yamantake Eye, as mad as it gets whaling organs and chopping synths lead us out to another world, three minutes in and beat takes us further into the unknown. A circus of sounds made to blow the top! Despite it being a challenging listen, I think this is more accessible than their debut. Highly Recommended! Out on June 5th on Warp.
Get the full lowdown on bttls.com
The easy discoid sound samples from Bon Iver‘s Woods the same track sampled by Kanye West for Lost In The World.
The superb St. Albans 3-piece Friendly Fires come storming back this week with second LP - Pala (Named after an island in an Aldous Huxley novel) the follow-up of their excellent eponymous (Mercury-nominated) debut album. The nu-rave grooves are back - tropical, balearic, euphoric, funky and drenched in sunshine. Macfarlane’s falsetto runs riot over the waves of lush hooks. The Summer starts here, Live Those Days Tonight, the first single is a blinder! Recommended. Even ?uestlove is a fan!
The French electro-house duo Justice comeback! New single entitled Civilization. Been hearing this everywhere, not only because it features in the Adidas advert, but also getting plenty of airplay. Who cares if it sounds like Daft Punk, it's still good! Taken from their forthcoming sophomore LP.
Following Santigold's all-star appearance on the Beastie Boys new album, here she releases a new track 3 years after her debut album. Go is produced by Switch, Santi and Q-Tip with guest vocal from Karen O. It's pretty full-on, relentless pounding beats and hey hey marching chants make up a dramatic comeback!
Heard this brand new track from French duo Amélie & Quarles aka Jupiter on the latest André & Gildas Présentent Kitsuné Parisien compilation, which is all good and all banging. This tune reminds me of CSS (Where have they gone?!) a full on electropop retro jam. Shake shake baby!
Pantha Du Prince released one of last year’s best electronic albums, Black Noise. Now just out is XI Versions of Black Noise - a collection of remixed tracks from the already brilliant LP from the likes of Four Tet, Hieroglyphic Being, The Sight Below and Animal Collective (whose Panda Bear featured on the album). This is my pick of the bunch so far with Four Tet's rework of my favourite track from the original release. Four Tet adds that hypnotic vibe he does so well and turns it into monster of a tune.
Great cover too, simple abstract shapes with classic typography.
This mellow little groover oozes sunshine from every note. Swaying melody over a rolling beat with lazy hazy sweet voice of Steffaloo while it chops, clicks and glitchs to a sudden cut. Billy Comfort is a bit of an unknown other than a bandcamp page here.
The vocal talents of Steffaloo feature in her own music on bandcamp to here.
How will I know that you'll save me? Your little hands are getting shaky, It is time to let the light seep From behind your eyes, Then I'll know my night survives…
The brilliant new album from Bibio is out this week! - Mind Bokeh
It's a tough choice to find a favourite tune off this eclectic mix of songs, I've already given you the kitsch sound of K is for Kelson last month. Right now the tune that's wearing out the repeat button is Light Seep. Mind Bokeh is the fifth full-length from LP from Stephen Wilkinson, a.k.a. Bibio, and his second release on Warp Records following up the equally superb Ambivalence Avenue.
Bibio slowly wowed the underground electronic music scene with the sunny synth-pop of Ambivalence Avenue, a unique blend of crafted instrumentals and folktronica in 2009. Critical Acclaim pushed the album into many 'best of the year' album charts. With that record behind him Bibio has triumphed again with Mind Bokeh. It's another complete mash of musical styles, chucking in obscure samples that sound completely spontaneous yet you know it been meticulously constructed. There are all sorts of modern influences here, Four Tet, Gaslamp Killer, DJ Shadow and Neon Indian spring to mind. But he's also blending in a mixed bag of retro sounds liquefying genres into timeless hybrid songs. Pretentious uses jangly funk and beautiful harps with a soulful vocal creating an new angle on glick-pop before deconstructing into a mellow saxophone demise. Anything New starts as sunny sing-a-long pop and effortlessly transforms into a synth driven monster with mad distorted vocal samples. Light Seep is a pure bliss of psychedelic synths and funk. Artists' Valley sounds like a missing track from Four Tets last LP, but with added vocals from Wilkinson. Highlights are plentiful on this record and it captivates from beginning to end, how many albums can you say that about nowadays! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Not bad for an album entirely recorded in a bedroom, in a terraced house, in Wolverhampton.
Slow silky jam strolls along without a care in the world, Plastic Plates takes on Body Language's Social Studies. A quirky little tune with soulful pop harmonies to start with, Plastic Plates adds a seductively hypnotic beat and takes the sound into wonderland. You just can't resist hitting the repeat button. Brooklyn pop kids Body Language have got lots of material on bodylanguage.bandcamp.com click here.
There is more info on the band on their Facebook page than anywhere else.
Their original music was born from weekly dance party remixes crafted by Grant Wheeler and Matt Young, and graced by the soul stylings of Ms. Angelica Bess. Check out the bands place in MySpace here.
LA based Plastic Plates is the drummer for Sia and Sam Sparro and has done some dam good remixes too, get over to his Soundcloud for a full history here.
Keep the sunshine coming, here's a delightfully smouldering slice of feel good music from New Yorker Drew Lustman, aka FaltyDL. Taken from the just released LP - You Stand Uncertain. The 2 Step swing of Brazil is just to short at under three and a half minutes. Good job he's made a whole albums worth of sophisticated music then, stepping over from dubstep to deep house to drum and bass with sprinkles of jazz stylings and old school samples. It's Fucking excellent! Recommended!
Buy it on iTunes, FaltyDL MySpace
My Cloud is my new favourite track from Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx We're New Here album. This completely captivating track was initially recorded for but not included on the initial album I'm New Here. A rare moment of Gil's pure raw soul singing backed with Jamie Smith's lush instrumentation, doing his best impression of Four Tets finest moments. The American poet and jazz singer made a memorable comeback with I’m New Here in 2010 his first of original material in 16 years and ended up in most album of the year charts (Neoloop's included). Jamie Smith the man who cultivated the sound of the xx's eponymous debut composes exceptional remakes of the original recordings sampling older Scott-Heron songs and works them into these newer songs.
I can tell you now that this will feature in the 2011 alum of the year charts all over.
The happiest song of the year so far goes to Bibio, K Is For Kelson has the brightest groove with bursts of colour and quirky synths. Reminds you of those kitsch 60's tunes that John Barry used to do. Hear it in the morning and your'll be whistling it all day!
Stephen Wilkinson, aka Bibio releases a new album Mind Bokeh on April 4th in Europe, Bibio explains the background of the name: “Bokeh is the out of focus region of a photograph. It's not a quantifiable thing, but photographers and lens manufacturers are obsessed with it. In Japanese it means “haze”, “blur”, or even “dementia”. I called the album Mind Bokeh because I'm interested in the effect of defocussing your mind, whether through meditation, chemicals or whatever – it's a state of mind quite alien to Westerners.”
The anticipated follow up to his celebrated first album for Warp in 2009, Ambivalence Avenue, One of neoloop's 2009 albums of the year.
Epic atmospherics from Nicolas Jaar, Too Many Kids Finding Rain In The Dust is from his debut long player - Space Is Only Noise. 14 downtempo concertos make-up an experimental and chilled out composition. The percussion samples organic sounds and voices to make up complex trip-hoppers. Keep it There is reminiscent of Matias Aguayo with it's slowed down looped voices. It's a lot more chilled than his previous house grooves for Wolf+Lamb.
Space Is Only Noise is a tour de force with few modern equals, and a great sign of things to come from one of electronic music’s most exciting producers.
Released by: Circus Company
My new favourite track from Toro Y Moi's new LP, New Beat taken from Underneath the Pine. Electronic pop let's go! Sounds like a Sebastain Tellier jamming with Chic in 70's Disco! Love it!
The Bends, OK Computer and Kid A, will Radiohead's new album compare with these classic LP's that we've lived with and loved through years of continued listening. Their last album, 2007's In Rainbows, was perhaps the best of Radiohead's later releases, so now we have The King of Limbs. Lead track Lotus Flower (complete with low-budget video of Thom dancing) slowly penetrates the sub-conscious like all classic Radiohead songs, and gets better with every listen. And that's what Radiohead do best, creating tunes that grow and mature over time. The King of Limbs is no exception, it's another captivating record that you have to listen to intently over time to truly appreciate the architecture of the expertly crafted music. With eight tracks spanning 37 minutes, The King of Limbs is surprisingly short – but it's also typically rich with leftfield electronic texture akin to Burial and Flying Lotus mixed with a Pink Floyd trippiness. It has a late night post-dubstep ambient feel thats perfectly chilled and engaging.
I don't think they have pushed any major musical boundaries here, but it still captures the high quality of a band in their prime. After a few listen's this track, Separator (which closes the album) is one that fills you with the satisfaction you've come to expect from Thom Yorke and co. I'm gonna give it a few more listen before I pass final judgement, but I know it will mature like a fine wine to be enjoyed and savoured again and again. All we need now is Jamie xx to do the remixed version!
Like this? Try: James Blake, Flying Lotus, The xx
Highly anticipated New album from Hercules And Love Affair - Blue Songs out this week. But this time out, No Antony Hegarty and the band have gone in a different direction. Andy Butler's NYC disco collective have pulled off another quality album that harks back to 80/90's dance music but still keeps an firm foot in 2011. This tune, the title track is completely different to the disco-led tunes of the debut LP, clarinets and marimbas lead us into a tropical mix with soft loose funky beats. Elsewhere on the album, it's a much more diverse musical palette, Kele Okereke lends his vocals to hip house of Step Up and there's big dancefloor fillers in My House and Visitor.
This is a serious love affair!
Mesmerising new track, I Mind taken from James Blakes debut album.
2011 is going to be a great year for James Blake, following the success of last years mostly instrumental EP's CMYK and Klavierwerke. His self-titled debut album is released in February. Being touted as the one to watch this year, already receiving rave reviews for his minimal and tense cover (and first single) of Feist's Limit To Your Love with it's heavy gut-pounding bass. His debut is a full-on vocal affair with all the quality instrumentation he showed on previous work. James' vocal has a warm, delicate and fragile quality, reminiscent of Anthony Hegarty. Often singing just one line and repeating it while shifting in pitch. Blake's sound is stark and minimalist with the same haunting qualities of Burial, but make no mistake this is a unique sound all of his own that future releases will be measured against. The intimate nocturnal vibe swells with an intensity that captivates with every piano key and digital effect. It's often the patches of intense silence that leaves you hanging on every note. Definitely one for the late night chill with a big pair of headphones. Recommended.
Buy on iTunes, Official website
Like this? Try: Bon Iver, Anthony and the Johnsons, Fever Ray, Burial
New long player Ventriloquizzing from Fujiya & Miyagi is released this month, follow up from 2008's - Lightbulbs. I don't think they have quite captured the top form of their 2006 defining album, the brilliant Transparent Things. However there are a handful of tracks that match their best work, namely this track - Pills has all the hallmarks of a top F&M tune. There have always been the Hotchip comparisons and this track certainly does have a sprinkling of Hotchip flavourings. What sets them apart is F&G's influence of old 60's soundtrack composers, nuances of Quincy Jones, Serge Gainsbourg, Piero Umiliani and Marc Collin mixing it up with a Krautrock proficiency that takes in Can, Neu!, Kraftwerk and Tortoise.
Ventriloquizzing is good set of songs from the Brighton band and grows with every listen, well worth checking out.
More from Jamie xx this month, I first heard this on Jamies mix for Benji B's Radio One show. The 12" vinyl is out now and I've tracked down an mp3 of it. Adele's vocals are well fucked about and it sounds wicked with the handclaps, wonky tambourine beats and marching drums. It's all a remix should be, it transcends the music to another place and makes another tune. Jamie xx is so on the money right now.
Late night listening don't get much better with the haunting new remix from Jamie xx of Gil Scott-Heron's NY Is Killing Me. Originally appearing on Scott-Heron's superb LP I'm New Here (One of Neoloop's choice albums from last year) The xx man's gone and remixed the whole album, an inspired move as it turns out. Following Jamie's brilliant 'In the Mix' for Benji B's Radio One show he's proving to be one to watch. Not content with making one the best LP's of the decade with The xx, he's now shined his magic on Gils comeback masterpiece and made an entirely different record with it. Titled We're Here Now, The album sees Jamie xx remixing thirteen tracks from the original I'm New Here album sessions. Listen to more tracks here.
Greatest Hits is the new LP from dOP (the Parisian trio of Clement , Dam, and JAW) and it's a new album not a greatest hits collection. 3 Suitcases is all stripped down beats and croaky vocals swaggering around an old smokey jazz club, sounds like a young Tom Waits getting a contemporary make-over. The rest of the LP is a bit of a grower, but right now this tune is where it's at.
Any excuse to put up some Sebastian Tellier, listening to Darkstar track Dear Heartbeat below reminded me of this tune from Sebastian's Sexuality LP - His third studio album which was produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk, a classic album that I never get bored of.
Sebastians's done a few classics in his time including the seminal orchestrated hit La Ritournelle and his Eurovision entry Divine. Born in 1975 in Paris the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is currently signed to Record Makers, a French independent record label. He sings in English, French and Italian.
Check out all his albums, cool stuff!
Like This? Try: Bertrand Bergalat, Yuksek, Etienne de Crécy
Love this track right now. Darkstar, the dubstep band of lead singer James Buttery joining production/writing team of James Young and Aiden Ahalley. Best known for the previous downtempo dub tune Aidy's girl is a computer, but this album is nothing much like that although it is included. The rest of the selection is a much more sophisticated affair with lush harmonies, gentle piano flourishes and elegant guitars. Sounding like a dubstep version of Sebastian Tellier with squelches and glitches. Dear Heartbeat reminds me of Sebastian Telliers Roche (From Sexuality LP), a beautifully tender tune with a chilling organ. Gold is an outstanding track, a reworking of The Human Leagues' You Remind Me of Gold. (from the Mirror Man EP) Dark tunes for a late night. RECOMMENDED
Like this? try: Sebastian Tellier, Flying Lotus, Floating Points, James Blake, Joy Orbison
Following Matthew Dear's remix of The xx's VCR, this week see's the release of a new remix of VCR by Four Tet. It seems there is plenty of life yet in the revered Mercury winners seminal debut. The xx original album track is barely recognisable but for the hushed tones of Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft plus bursts of Jamie Smith’s xylophone fluttering in and out the hypnotic groove of Four Tet's organic percussion. While it feels somewhat unnecessary for another remix, this is quickly dismissed as you get totally captivated by Hebden's reworking that breathes new life into an already stunning piece of music.
The xx and Four Tet together - It's a blinder!
Continuing the Matthew Dear connection below, the original of this track is from his previous LP Asa Breed (2007). Four Tet adds the extra percussion in this remix which is still sounding good 3 years later. Also released on May 8, 2007 on Ghostly International Records as a single. It was released on 10" and digital formats only, and both versions feature a remix of the song by Four Tet. Both Asa Breed and his new LP Black City are well worth checking.
Two of Neoloop's favourite artist combine on this excellent remix by Matthew Dear of the The XX's VCR. With all the recent publicity The XX have gained from their Mercury Award for the brilliant debut and Matthew Dears latest album Black City still dominating the speakers here at Neoloop I dug out this remix that came out back in January. I never posted it up back then (kinda thought I did) but it's an amazing mix so if you didn't hear it then, sit back and relax in the beauty of it all. It could almost be a lost track from Matthew Dear's Black City (With a guest xx vocal of course) I love it.
This odd little ditty reminds me a lot of the Stereolab sound but with a chinese vocal and groovy pop kitsch. Love to know what she is singing about. This features on a compilation album called Expo (A compilation of independent Chinese electronic artists) presented by The Shanghai Restoration Project, a US based group renowned for its fusion of Chinese instrumentation with hip-hop and electronica and Neocha (leading online community of independent Chinese musicians and artists)
Good to hear new sounds from the superb Stereolab, and this doesn't disappoint with their familiar quirky sound. This tune is unmistakably Stereolab taking in all the usual influences 1970s krautrock, lounge, 1960s pop, and experimental pop music. Lætitia Sadier vocals sounds as good as ever. The band will release Not Music, a collection of unreleased material recorded at the same time as their last album Chemical Chords back in 2007. Released scheduled in for November 15, 2010. the album features two remixes by atlas sound and emperor machine. Any new material is good, and if it's all this good then we are in for a treat!
Like this? Try: Stereo Total, Pizzicato 5, Ladytron
Pre-order at Rough trade, Pre-order on iTunes, Official site
Three years on from their critically acclaimed Fancy Footwork, Dave-1 and P-Thugg have returned with Business Casual. Eighties electro funk is the order of the day, some of tunes on here sound like they were recorded in 1986, just with a modern production sheen. This is my fav track on it so far, Don’t Turn the Lights On (featured on the video game FIFA 11) It's all Hall and Oates for the 00's. Phillippe Zdar is behind the mixing desk working in some retro pop to the proceedings.
Like This? Try: Aeroplane, Giorgio Moroder, Hall & Oates
Matthew Dear's latest LP is still on heavy rotation at neoloop. The single and epic track Little People (Black City) is the main staple of a great album, Black City, released via Ghostly. The single version features two remixes from UK producer Mark E. This is the Mark E remix, there is also a dub version. Although this is quite dubbed out anyway - I like the laid-back groove and cowbell loop of this version, and I'm also loving the abstract cover art for this single, so here's a big image to feast your eyes on...
Big big tune from Friendly Fires, collab with Azari & iii.
I love this shit! Last we heard from Friendly Fires was their cover of the Holy Ghost's Hold On. This one goes in a heavier house direction than the indie/dance crossovers we are use to. Still has the all the hallmarks of Friendly Fires - cow bells and Ed Macfarlane’s soaring harmonies with added contribution from Toronto based house heads Azari & III. Taken from their ‘Suck My Deck‘ compilation for Bugged Out - Out tomorrow! - Bloody excellent!
Looking forward to a new Friendly Fires album too, the bands website state… our album is continuing apace and sounding heavy. Salsoul Orchestra meets Tom Tom Club vibes m8.
New tune from Fujiya & Miyagi - from forthcoming album Ventriloquizzing due in January 2011. Sixteen Shades of Black & Blue. Sounds like they have been listening to some old Serge Gainsbourg soundtracks, it's a new sexy beat with words of violence, arresting listening! Formed in Brighton in 2000 Ventriloquizzing will be their fourth album, following the excellent Transparent Things (2006) and Lightbulbs (2008). I'll look forward to hearing the rest of the album soon.
A stand-out track from Kano's new LP Method To The Madness, this is one of two collaborations with Hot Chip. The east Londoner's laid-back lyrical delivery coupled with the Chips' electro beats is an interesting mix that breaks new ground for crossing genres. Kano has clearly absorbed the influence of his recent hook up with the Gorillaz, each track on his new LP features a different collaboration, including Chase and Status and Boys Noize. With Roots Manuva's latest LP with Wrong Tom - UK hip-hop is sounding good in 2010.
Straight from the underground music scene of the sprawling metropolis that is Mexico City, Mexican Institute of Sound is the one-man band of Dj and producer Camilo Lara. His music goes from the Cumbia, Dub, Cha-Cha-Cha, Electronica, to traditional Mexican flavours. This little tune has a really infectious groove with kinda slow rap. Not sure what he's singing about here, something about Karate perhaps?! Available on the LP Soy Sauce.
Like this? Try: Up, Bustle & Out, Bostich + Fussible,
I've enjoyed everything I've heard so far from Tanlines, the duo of Jesse Cohen and Eric Emm - their remix of Memory Tapes' Bicycle is wonderful (Memory Tapes return the favour by remixing Real Life). Out now is their new LP called Settings - The percussion is brought to the foreground on most of their tunes and this fires them up for pure feel-good vibes that are irresistible foot tappers. Add to this the melodic synth's and your in dreamland.
Like This? Try: Foals, Friendly Fires, Holy Ghost
Bands place in MySpace, But it on iTunes
Here's another track from Maximum Balloon's forthcoming LP, If you Return features the wonderful vocal's of Yukimi Nagano from Little Dragon. There's a heavy Depeche Mode influence on this one. Maximum Balloon, the new solo project by TV On The Radio's Dave Sitek is due out later this month. Nagano has sung with Sweden's electronica-jazz outfit Koop, and she and Erik Bodin play live with José González. Nagano is also featured on the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach on the songs Empire Ants and To Binge, both of which she co-wrote.
Like this? Try: Little Dragon, Depeche Mode
Originally at hit Men without Hats way back in 1983, this version has been dug up from J Dilla archives, on a new EP Donut Shop, 2 discs with six J Dilla tracks consisting of three previously unreleased instrumentals selected by J.Rocc – Safety Dance, Sycamore, Bars & Twists – and three unreleased instrumental versions of Dilla's production for Mos Def, Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes, each remastered by Elysian Masters who mixed and mastered J Dilla's Donuts, The Shining and Ruff Draft albums. I like this track, sound dated but fresh.
I'm still playing Gonjasufi's hallucinogenic debut album loads since it's release earlier this year, A Sufi And A Killer is highly recommend if your looking something different to listen to. The Gaslamp Killer produced much of Gonjasufi's LP, so I've been digging the crate for more of the producer and global purveyor of cosmic bass. This is a cracking track from his EP - My Troubled Mind from last year, taking in some mad Bollywood spaghetti western soundtrack vibes. Crazy shit, I love it. The Gaslamp Killer (Born William Benjamin Bensussen) based in Los Angeles released My Troubled Mind on Brainfeeder, the record label of Flying Lotus.
Like This? Try: Gonjasufi, Hudson Mohawke, Flying Lotus
Matthew Dear follows up 2007's Asa Breed LP with Black City. His new album sets off into a somewhat darker place from where Asa Breed left off. Darker and definitely stranger, but this is a good thing, Dear's vocals have matured and fit in with warped avant-techno beats with a new confidence. The album starts off with the moody and chilling Honey, then kicks in with the infectious synth loops and wonky organs of I Can't Feel [heard here]. Third track, Little People (Black City) is an absolute epic (9:21) and dominates the LP as your ears are taken through multiple key changes with ease, keeping the same captivating vibe. First to be released is the brilliant Soil To Seed, which possesses a magic beat and melodic baseline. You Put a Spell On Me and Monkey both pack in more strange noises and lush arrangements that are an absolute delight. A slow euphoric closer, Gem is a piano led ballad with a glitch-pop heart. Matthew Dear’s Black City can’t be found on any map. It’s a composite, an imaginary metropolis peopled by desperate cases, lovelorn souls, and amoral motives. Powerful stuff and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Like this? try: Matias Aguayo, Neon Neon, The Juan MacLean, Mux Mool
Matthew's official website, buy it on iTunes
New Yorker's Holy Ghost return with new EP Static on a Wire and it sounds good. Plenty of retro funk influence on this as usual but also with a definite nod to the 80's. So far so good then for Holy Ghost the duo of Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser, signed to (LCD Soundsystem's) James Murphy's independent dance label DFA Records. looking forward to a full LP from these two.
CMYK (four track) EP is the third release from the prodigious London producer, still only 21, James Blake crafts intricate music that's both deeply retro and futuristic. Snipets of soul and jazz chords and twisted vocals snag and blip through mid-tempo beats that glide together with synthesised sub-bass with handclaps. This track CMYK (the EP's title track) subtly draws on both Kelis' Caught Out There and Aaliyah's Are You That Somebody. Interesting music.
Like this? Try: Mount Kimbie, Joy Orbison, Floating Points
Norwegian prog-disco anyone?!
Oslo-based producer Joachim Dyrdahl unearths his new LP titled En Fin Tid (a happy time) this month and it's been picking up good reviews. Like fellow Norwegians Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas - Diskjokke enthrals us into deep hypnotic spacey disco fever. This album sits very comfortably next to Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas' collection but also has a style of it's own. While the compositions have deep penetrating groove they still sound light and airy with a happy heart and magical melodies. Norwegian prog-disco never sounded so good, another one for your late summer nights.
The ever engaging Brooklynites School Of Seven Bells first single Windstorm is taken from the forthcoming album Disconnect From Desire, released 12/07/10 on Full Time Hobby. This remix takes to original track in an altogether darker place while retaining the beautiful background harmonies of sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza and adding a banging kick drum. I actually think this is better that the album version, excellent.
Like this? Try: Their first album Alpinisms
Loving the vibe of this, very chilled summer groove to soundtrack the current heatwave. A little sunshine soaked disco-reggae beat and a choir of soul divas sounds just perfect, just add your own sunshine. Belgium duo Aeroplane's brand new single is out this week on Wall of Sound.
Could you be, could you be loved!
Probably the maddest version of a Bob Marley tune your ever likely to hear. It's like Major Lazor jamming with LCD Soundsystem at the house of Balkan Beat Box. Taken from Mungolian Jetset's 2009 album - We Gave It All Away...And Now We Are Taking It Back. Mungolian Masterplan is dark and insidious, evolving to produce increasingly distinctive yet completely mind-absorbing beats to underpin a whirling vortex of sonic chaos, psychoacoustic bass warping and lavish and unbridled costumery.
Mungolian Jet Set are Paul "Strangefruit" Nyhus, Knut Sævik, Reidar Skår and feature various collaborations from other artists.
Bands place in MySpace, Official Site, Buy the album on iTunes
The long awaited return of the Chemical Brothers is here in the shape of Swoon, taken from the forthcoming LP Further. You may also have heard Escape Velocity but this is the official first single from Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Quite mellow and quite poppy on first few listens, not particularly typical of anything previously released by the Chems, but this isn't a bad thing as I think this is real grower and has nice blissful vibe about it.
Listen and Pre-order the new album on iTunes, Official Site
Outstanding! Coming in from the leftfield, Jamie Lidell releases a new LP next week Compass. Ever the experimentalist Lidell has ventured into many musical directions with varying results, R&B and electronica have been very fruitful. This new LP is produced by Beck and you can really hear the Beckisums in there, it has a real raw quality to the whole album, nothing is to polished and all the better for it. Lidell's soulful voice is rattled around clanging and banging percussion and sounds incredible, fluctuating from soul and R&B to folk and funk with a a new found swagger. There are so many influences in here, I'm hearing Prince, George Clinton, Tom Waits, Nick Drake, Gonjasufi and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and of course Beck. This LP features some impressive guests too, including Beck, Feist, Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, Daniel Rossen, and Chris Bear, Wilco's Pat Sansone, legendary R&B drummer James Gadson, soul belter Nikka Costa, Beck keyboardist Brian LeBarton, and Gonzales. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Like this? Try: Beck, Prince, Chris Cornell, Bibio
Pre-order on iTunes, Official Site
Some excellent electronic-pop from Steve Mason, stripping it back to basics to great effect. This is the opening track to his new record. Since the breakup of Brit indie favourites the Beta Band, frontman Steve Mason has been producing some exceptional music under his King Biscuit Time and Black Affair aliases. But with his latest offering, the quite brilliant Boys Outside, he's unmasked himself and this is his first album to be released under his own name. Produced by Richard X and Mason himself, Mason wrote the album entirely on acoustic guitar. More often than not all Mason's new music is measured against the first Beta Band LP The Three EPs, this latest offering is the closest yet to brilliance of that sound. Hot Chip have since stormed in and joined the party, but here Mason again takes up the challenge to drive electronic-pop forward with his distinctive vocals, lyrical whit and glacial synths. RECOMMENDED.
Like this? Try: Beta Band, King Biscuit Time, Black Affair, Hot Chip
Tosca release an album of remixes of their most recent No Hassle LP this month, which stays in tradition with the Tosca modus operandi. There's been at least one remix album for each original Tosca album to date. Such is the quality of Richard Dorfmeister & Rupert Huber's Austrian band output that all the remixed versions of their albums are always a sure fire success. Pony No Hassle Versions LP is no different, this track is transformed by Grant Phabao into dub reggae groove and a tad more upbeat than the original. Perfect chilled out tunes that still get your toe tapping.
Like This? Try: Kruder & Dorfmeister, Thievery Corporation, Peace Orchestra, Boozoo Bajou
One the most eagerly anticipated LP's of 2010 comes Flying Lotus AKA Steven Ellison's Cosmogramma. True to Flying Lotus style it's an intriguing, intricate and challenging as ever. Taking in jazz, hip-hop, soul glitch-pop and videogame sounds it's a captivating listen from start to finish. Tracks range from one minute long to five and half, but most tunes clock in around 2 to 3 minutes making the album as a whole feel like an eclectic mix of cuts. This is one album that will get played over and over while you discover something new with every spin. Guest spot from Thom York is very subtle on …And The World Laughs With You. Laura Darlington adds vocals to Table Tennis, which takes its beats from real time samples of bouncing ping-pong balls that sound obvious but amazing. I chose this track to post up first because I found this instantly incredible, mashing up so many different styles and effects - mesmerising!
Another new album out this month, the eagerly anticipated Tango 3.0 from Gotan Project. The usual high quality of tangotronica insures that all Gotan fans are not disappointed. Gotan Project's debut La revancha del tango quickly established itself as the benchmark for this genre of music, reworking old tango classics, taking tango to the masses and soundtracking a thousand catwalk shows - that was back in 2000 and remains one of my all -time classic LP's. Astor Piazzolla, the godfather of Tango in still very much evident in the Gotans sound. Tango and latin melodies twisting together with dub and house grooves makes for a very relaxing headphone chill-out, but are equally as effective stomping on the dancefloor with a rose between its teeth. Basically it's more of the same and if it aint broke don't fix it. Love the cover art too! Can't wait for the live show coming to London Brixton Academy next month.
Like this? Try: Astor Piazzola, Bajofondo, Tosca
Official site, Buy it on iTunes
A new LCD album is a very exciting prospect, I've been a massive admirer of James Murphy's project since Daft Punk was playing at his house. LCD's first album was brimming with original ideas and formula's for uniquely crafted songs, Losing My Edge, Tribulations, Too Much Love and the momentous Daft Punk Is Playing At My House all contributed to one amazing LP. Then we had Sound Of Silver which didn't disappoint either with - North American Scum, Someone Great, the hypnotic Get Innocuous, the brilliant Time To Get Away and the euphoric All My Friends marked LCD's second LP as 2007's album of the Year.
So the big question is can he do it again? Well, I've given the 3rd album, titled This Is Happening a good listen and all I have to say is a resounding HELL YES! This tune, the opening track is the first of 7 epic tracks all clocking in over 7 minutes and beyond. Starts as a slow paced easy little jam intro before clashing in at 3 minutes with a pounding electro beat that is pure LCD at heart, next up is the shortest tune on the album Drunk Girls which was the first track to be released as a single, bringing in a bit of garage punk it's the new Daft Punk is Playing at my house. But while the album has the unique LCD flavour it still breaks new ground and treats us to some magical moments. One touch sounds like LCD remixing an old long lost Depeche Mode track while All I Want sounds like what David Bowie should sound like now with soaring guitars and pop hooks a plenty. I Can change is The Human League jamming with Kraftwerk on an electro-ballad with heart felt words of love. You Wanted A Hit is all about writing hit records and or their accidental hits, a low-slung bass epic, 9 minute groover. Pow Pow is the new cousin of Losing My Edge, followed by Somebody's Calling Me which is like Iggy Pop's Nightclubbing for the future-disco kids. The album ends with Home, a long catchy groover with a baseline reminiscent of Losing My Edge, a nice mellow end to another outstanding LCD Soundsystem LP. Can't wait for the live show next week at Brixton Academy.
Like This? Try: Hot Chip, The Juan MacLean, The Rapture
Released date for the album This is Happening is 17 May
Kick start any party with this Balkan skanker, with added Flat Eric rubs and swirling sirens. Add your own air horns for maximum effect. Taken from Balkan Beat Box's remix album Nu Made which sees new remixes of their Nu Med album. Stefano Miele speeds up the original and add more electronic effects and skanks it right up! Banging!
Like This? Try: Shantel, Mahala Rai Banda
While listening to some old mixes, I stumbled on to this old track from Moscow Groove Institute, still sounding fresh. It's hypnotic groove and snake charmer riffs smoking over a pounding drum beat, it has all kinds of instrument going on. This version, the Higher mix first appeared on their 2001 album Pizza as far as I can find out. I first discovered MGI on a compilation album - Moscow The sex, the city, the music. I've since been a keen follower of MGI music, they have a few albums out there, although nothing on iTunes. You can get their music direct from the bands Russian record label at Citadel records. They also have some new stuff on free download on soundcloud here.
Official site, Bands place in MySpace, Citadel Records
More chilled out vibes today, this is an absolute classic for me, Dimitri from Paris (born Dimitris Yerasimos 1963) is a French music producer and DJ, best know for his disco compilations. He's produced many runway soundtracks for fashion houses such as Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermès and Yves Saint-Laurent. I think his music suits the fashion scene perfectly, this tune appeared on his excellent debut solo album Sacrebleu released in 1996. Very cool.
Caribou's fourth LP Swim is well worth investigating, Dan Snaith's sound is all the more psychedelic on this latest offering. The first track released from this LP was the fantastically infectious Odessa which sets the bench mark high. After a good listen from start to finish on a few long train journeys the whole album hangs together very well as a complete listing experience, and it's quite difficult at first to distinguish tracks that stand out more than others as the quality is of a high standard throughout. Leave House does have a mesmerising groove that sucks you further in with every listen, it's like your at space disco in a freaky eighties sci-fi movie. The Album is due for release 20 April, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Like This? Try: Manitoba, LCD Soundsystem, Modeselektor, Moderat
This tune reminds me Peter, Bjorn and John's 2006 smash hit Young Folks… although this is a little less mainstream it's just as catchy. We Have Band release their debut album WHB on 5th April. The Londoner's have been making waves with a variety of single releases over the last two years and creating buzz on the gig circuit, this tune was released as a single in June last year, while it was a hit on the underground scenes I think the release of the album will give the track and the band renewed exposure. It's a brilliant debut album full of quirky hits for both dancefloor and headphones alike. Part Lo-Fi and part polished indie dance its eclectic and intriguing while having more catchy hooks than velcro. Another one for the summer, for all your late night parties with friends or in your own headphones!
Like This ? Try: !!! (chk chk chk), Hot Chip, Depeche Mode, My Robot Friend
Pre-order the album on iTunes, Official Website, We Have Band's place in MySpace
Check out the video, must have taken ages to shoot...
Gonjasufi AKA Sumach Ecks, a rapper-singer currently living in Las Vegas. Duet is from his Warp debut LP A Sufi and a Killer (out March 9) featuring Dilla-descended production from L.A.'s the Gaslamp Killer, Mainframe, and Flying Lotus. The first I heard of Gonja Sufi was his croaky, smoked filled, cracked up vocals on the track Testament off Flying Lotus' Los Angeles album. This tune is one of the more sober moments on the album, a nice laid-back psychedelic folk-hop song.
His debut album is a Lo-Fi fuzzy mix of electronica that ranges from folky ramblings to punk rock all soaked in static and distorted samples with a glitch-hop production. And it's a very interesting, eclectic, original and often beautiful collection of tunes. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Like This? Try: Flying Lotus, Devendra Banhart, Gable
We are big fans of Miike Snow here at Neoloop, so a tasty collaboration with the Crookers is an exciting prospect! And I glad to report it doesn't disappoint. Featuring Miike Snow's singer Andrew Wyatt, at first the track sounds like another tune from Miike Snow's album, then the Crookers effect takes over building a breakbeat, beeps and a wonky siren sound. Cool tune, another favourite for the summer I think! I like this low budget video as well...
Like this? Try: Diplo, Soulwax, Friendly Fires
Miike Snow UK Website, Crookers Website, Buy the Crookers album on iTunes,Miike Snow's place on MySpace, Crookers place in MySpace
After touring together Friendly fires and Holy Ghost have traded covers and released them as a split 12". Both bands original tunes are bona fide smashes to begin with. Friendly Fires make Hold On their own with their trademark sound, plenty of infectious percussion, cow bells and all. The St. Albans band do the tune total justice. Equally as impressive is Brooklyn's Holy Ghost's version of Friendly Fires' On Board. But I think the Friendly Fires one just edges it! Look forward to a new album from Friendly Fires this year.
Like this? Try: Holy Ghost, Foals, Delphic
Buy the whole EP on iTunes, Friendly Fires Website, Holy Ghost Website
A hypnotic pianoline with the incredible skills of Sax Max show us the jazzy life of Parov Stelar. Released last year I still can't get enough this groovy tune, taken from the Monster EP. Parov Stelar aka Marcus Füreder, a musician who lives and works in Linz among the thriving Austria music scene.
Like this? Try: Mike Rigler, Waldeck, Loopa Scava meets Cayetano, Saint Privat, Tosca, Gotan Project
Buy the Monster EP on iTunes, Official site, Place in MySpace
Just makes you wanna dance, so infectious, it's highly contagious. Banging jazzy breaks run in to a swarm of trumpets, dramatic moody bass, piano stabs and the beautiful voice of Isabella Kaiser all collide in a midnight rendezvous. Midnight Rendezvous is the prolongation of the success of forties retro-chic in modern dance-music on a extra high level. Pulse-racing stuff! Released on Parov Stelar´s Austrian label Etage Noir recordings.
Like This? Try: Parov Stelar, Waldeck, Mr Scruff
Neon Indian aka Alan Polomo releases a new single this week available free on Green label sound. Sleep Paralysist, a collaboration with Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, was recorded in Brooklyn at Taylor’s Terrible Studios. While it includes all the blips, clicks and bleeps with lush psychedelic, indie synth-pop melodies featured on Neon Indian's critically acclaimed début album Psychic Chasms, it has a clearer production sound about it - The Chris Taylor influence perhaps. If you can't sleep, whack this on and enter into the neon dreamland.
Get Psychic Chasms on iTunes, Excellent free downloads on Green Label Sound, Neon's place in MySpace
Like This? Try: Grizzley Bear, Four Tet, Memory Tapes, Beach House
Groove Armada, the duo that gave me one of my all time favourite tunes with At the River now return with their sixth album Black Light. Tom Findlay and Andy Cato take on some great vocal talents for this album released last month, including Brian Ferry, Nick Littlemore of Empire of the Sun, Will Young and Saint Saviour. But this track has caught my attention which features the velvet vocal tones of Jess Larrabee (She Keeps Bees). Ironically I think this tunes sounds more like Empire of the Sun than the tracks with Nick Littlemore on. The whole album is becoming a frequent listen on the ipod and will sink slowly into summer, the season when Groove Armada sounds best, just add blue sky and baking hot sunshine.
Like This? Try: She Keeps Bees, Empire of the Sun, Zero 7, Röyksopp
Official Site, Buy Black Light on iTunes, She Keeps Bees Website
House with a twist of lemon from Stefano Miele, aka Riva Starr. Following his very successful remixes comes If Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade, his new album (released in January 2010) - full of eclectic dancefloor fillers. I Was Drunk takes inspiration from the Balkan music scene with the distinctive gypsy brass and skanking beats.
The album Stefano described as Mezcla, a universal Spanish word that’s used to describe a mixture of different things that seems to aptly apply to Stef’s music with his World influences and eclectic beats. Check out his album for the full ‘Mezcla’ experience.
Like This? Try: Jesse Rose, Balkan Beat Box, Mahala Raï Banda, Shantel
We love a big disco stomper at neoloop, Lost In Music - originally recorded in 1979 by Sister Sledge, written and produced by the legendary disco mavericks Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the band Chic. Danton Eeprom's cover features a lead vocal performance by Au Revoir Simone's Erika Forster sounding like The Human League doing a disco-pop-techno hybrid, looping the classic riff into a hypnotic groove. Taken from Danton's new album - Yes Is More - out Now.
Like This? Try: Au Revoir Simone, Christabelle & Lindstrøm, Joakim
Danton's place in MySpace, Official Site, Buy the album on iTunes
I posted up a track from Sun Airway's Oh Naoko EP last December to much appreciation. Although just a 4 track EP it's one that I keep coming back to as all four tracks are superb blissed out dream-pop loveliness. Swallowed By The Night is another song of beautifully layered lush melodies and dreamy harmonies. Philadelphia's Sun Airway have an album on the way soon, hopefully just in time to soundtrack the summer, like the Beach Boy's Pet Sounds for 2010!
Hendrik 'Pantha Du Prince' weber's new third album Black Noise is released this week. An album of beautiful minimal techno soundscapes that take you on a long utopian journey. Stick to my side, a postmodern hymn, inimitably sung by Noah Lennox a.k.a. Animal Collective’s Panda Bear is the only track that would qualify as a full song with a start middle and end. The German DJ and producer has made an absolute masterpiece which enlightens and enthrals and is totally captivating. Techno never sounded so eclectic in one set of compositions. Tingling chimes, shimmering beats and subtle cord changes create the ultimate ambient vibe.
Official Site, Bands place in MySpace, Buy this album on iTunes
To follow the last post below of Millionyoung's dreamy remix of Memoryhouse's To The Light House here is a track from Florida's Millionyoung's own E.P. called Sunndreamm. Cascading guitars pouring out psychedelic pop from the heart of the sun, a warming delight in the cold hard winter we are currently experiencing. Made to soundtrack your next trip to the beach, sit back relax in your hammock while sipping on a Pina Colada as you peer over your shades at a cloudless sky. Hammock is a happy mesmerising feel-good tune to get you in the mood for the sunshine.
You can download the whole EP here. Millionyoung's brand New EP is on iTunes now
Like This Try: Air France, Memoryhouse, Neon Indian
Some excellent electropop now from Canadian duo Memoryhouse, chilled synths and phased guitars serve up lush textures and kaleidoscopic colours from another time and place. Millionyoung's remix give it a danceable pop beat and speeds it's up with looping bleeps and highnotes but loses nothing from the enchanting original (from The Years EP, which is available here). Totally dreamy.
By now you've read enough reviews of the excellent new album from Hot Chip so you know how good it is. Right from when I heard the first leeked track Take it in last year I was looking forward to this album. While there are no real big dancefloor bangers such as over and over or ready for the floor from their last album, this album concentrates on their quirky little eccentricities and the romance of sophistication. The whole album feels very complete and hangs together with an even flow. This is the superb title track with it's subtle steel drums rippling through it's core, it's unmistakably Hot Chip, and it's wonderful! You need this album so you can sing along to all the tunes of the summer! Highly Recommended
Turn up the sun, are you ready to start again?
Primary1 doesn't so much remix this, it's a complete remake - a lot more chilled out than Alex Metric's frantic original. Delicate UFO bleeps and warped synths wash over a warm and relaxing sound to create a gentle background for the lazy sing-a-long, then it starts again, it starts again, finishing with big build up into a flourish of colour and euphoria. Beautiful!
Primary 1's debut album will be released on Atlantic Records later this year, one to look out for!
Primay1's place in MySpace, Alex Metric place in MySpace, Check out Alex Metric's original on iTunes
Some Phenomenal Psychedelic funk for you right now, The Phenomenal Handclap Band from New York City that includes members of TV ON THE RADIO, Jon Spencer (from the Blues Explosion!), the Amy Winehouse band, and a few hot Lower East Side and Brooklyn kids. Big up the Latin Soulful vibes add a bit of Psychedelic AfroSoul and Funk, hell yeah! Add in Disco legend Anthony Mansfield to remix it up and your done!
This lot are playing at Cargo in London next month!
Funky balkan beat to move your feet, I'm chilling in my crib digging in the crates for some rare classics. This tune just makes you wanna dance. This kind of Balkan electronica can sound shit in the wrong hands, Al Lindrum knows his shit though and produces quality authentic balkan music, he's Just moved from Barcelona to Sarajevo in the balkans running weekly residents at The Balkan Café - www.Facebook.com/balkancafe.
NYC Brooklyn's own Theophilus London is a pioneer in today's electro-fueled urban pop movement. Theophilus (Not from London thats his name) supported Miike Snow at the London Scala this week. And he smashed it! He has this crazy mix of soulful singing, rap and punk yells over old electronic beats and mashed up synths. Sounds mad and it is but in a good way, he won the crowned over by the end of his short set and left with a whole new bunch of fans. Hum Drum town is his first single release. Definitely one to watch, he's gonna be a star!
It's been a busy week! This week I went to the Miike Snow gig at London Scala, great venue - the perfect place for an intimate gig. I was pleasantly surprised how good they can cut it live. Every track was an extended version of the record, teasing in the intros before exploding into the full track and whipping up the crowd to proper rave up. Black and Blue rocked the house and Silva sparked the nights first hands-in-the-air united sing-a-long. Finishing their set with the ever popular and biggest hit Animal, Miike Snow put on a cracking gig. One track that stood out was this - Burial with it's cheeky little piano riff, marching beat and soaring chorus! I hope they came back soon.
Another Bobby Womack guest appearance, the original version of Wake Up Everybody is taken from Rae and Christian's second album Sleepwalking. This version is from Nocturnal Activity Sleepwalking Remixed, Bobby had quite a quiet period leading up to doing this back in 2001. Still sound fresh and soulful today, listening to the Gorillaz new tune Stylo reminded of this.
Rae & Christian are Grand Central Records' founder Mark Rae and fellow producer and DJ Steve Christian. Although they never officially split as a group, Rae & Christian released their last material in 2002. Rae also co-wrote tracks with Mr. Scruff.
Like This Try: Nightmares on Wax, Mr. Scruff, Aim
First single Stylo is a quality return from the genius of Damon Albarn's virtual band. Featuring Bobby Womack’s trademark croon and Mos Def, who will join Gorillaz as an animated character named Sun Moon Stars. Damon's unmistakeable soulful tones introduce us to the new style, before Womack enters into the Gorillaz world with a passionate chorus, Mos Def brings the track to a close, subtle in the mix.
The follow up album from the highly successful Demon Days is Plastic Beach due to drop 8th March. Albarn continues to attract stella cameos on Plastic Beach, Bobby Womack and Mos Def are joined by Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Kano Bashy, Lou Reed, the Fall’s Mark E. Smith, Little Dragon, Gruff Rhys and the Clash’s Mick Jones and Paul Simonon all making appearances on various tracks.
Gorillaz will headline the final night of the Coachella music festival on 18 April 2010
Like This Try: Neon Neon, Rae and Christian, Yuksek
An Epic track from These New Puritans, I've had a copy of These New Puritans new album Hidden for a while and it's a hard listen first few times around. A challenging album that I keep coming back to. It's an ambitious complex affair, full of innovation and intrigue that is sure cause much debate. The song structures are intricate yet expansive. The tune here, their first single off the album, We Want War enters with a slow tribal beat declaring war with a fanfare of trumpets, whispered voices smoke in and the pounding rhythm, the beats slowly building up and gaining speed, like Massive attack fighting with The Prodigy, tribal drumming and chants of 'We Want War' with flashes of samurai swords until the mayhem breaks for some reflective verse, with spiritual voices swirling around the madness, everything building around the dark dramatic orchestral swell and clattering drums, then a sudden swipe of the sword, the battles over and the mood turns quiet and dies in the mist. a captivating epic masterpiece. Now watch the video!
These New Puritans are a British art rock band from the Southend-on-Sea area!
Bands place in MySpace, Official site, Buy the album on iTunes
Woozy organs carry you through the disturbing dubby darkness while Robert Del Naja's hushed rap caresses the moody beats. Yes! Massive Attack return with a new album next month, the duo’s fifth studio album, Heligoland (named after a German archipelago in the north sea) is out 8 February, 7 years after the release of their last album, the disappointing 100th Window. All in all Heligoland is an accomplished album, with their well respected eclectic address book they have pulled in an impressive cast of vocalists, Damon Albarn, Guy Garvey, Martina Topley-Bird, Horace Andy, TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe and Hope Sandoval. Atlas Air is the album's closer, a reworking of a previous live track called Marrakech. I still long for the soulful euphoria of their debut album Blue Lines, that will remain an all time classic, we just have to accept that they were a different band then and it will never be repeated. Heligoland is due for a complete rework from dubstep producer Burial much in the same vein as '95's Mad Professor's remixing of No Protection. Certainly one to look out for.
Me and the Devil walking side by side...
After a lengthy hiatus the legendary Gil Scott-Heron returns in 2010 with a new album entitled I'm New Here. Gil has already made an outstanding contribution to music with his prolific period during the late sixties and early seventies. He is cited as an influence on countless hip hop vocalists and producers, the groundbreaking The Revolution Will Not Be Televised remains one the greatest songs of all time. This new tune is full of man who has lived a very colourful life, in 2001, Gil was sentenced to one to three years' imprisonment in New York State for possession of cocaine. Into his sixties now his voice is one of maturity soaked in alcohol and expression of experience. Haunted beats, glitches and dark sound effects rattle along like Burial conducting a New Orleans funeral march. It's like the blues have been re-invented for a new decade, Gils first new album in thirteen years is released next month on XL Recordings produced by Richard Russell, one for the fans, and for the uninitiated. The video is suitably dark and arresting too. Big up to @bigtwix for heads up.
Like This Try: Benga, Flying Lotus, RL Burnside
This has an almost lounge vibe to it, with Japanese ladies singing along to the ainu dub beat rhythms. A chilled out Sunday afternoon, kick back and relax to some Japanese dub. Taken from the album Dub Ainu.
Oki is an Ainu Japanese musician. His real name is Oki KanÅ (åŠ ç´ æ²") and he is from Kanagawa Prefecture. Oki mixes traditional Ainu music with reggae, dub and other styles of world music.
The skanking grooves keep coming, I'm listening to loads of SKA tinged latin today! Nowadays your latin music can come from anywhere, this is a cracking Mo'Horizons remix of fellow German's Una Mas Trio. If you dig nu-jazz and Latin music check out their MySpace page for some more good shit. Then hop over to Mo'Horizons page for even more!
Like This Try: Mo'Horizons, The Juju Orchestra, Nickodemus
Another quality remix from NYC's Nickodemus, skanking guitars, banging drums, spanish rap and haunted backing singers all wedged together for a latin feast. You just can't sit still for this one.
Taken from the EP El Micrófono / Para No Vivir Desesperado. The original version appears on the 2007 album Piñata, they released their latest album Soy Sauce last year. Mexican Institute of Sound (MIS; or Instituto Mexicano Del Sonido in Spanish) is the brainchild of Mexico City-based DJ and producer Camilo Lara. Along with groups like Nortec Collective and Kinky, M.I.S. is part of a growing Mexican electronica movement, mixing traditional Mexican music with contemporary electronica sounds.
Like This Try: Nickodemus, Quantic, Sidestepper, Fussible, Panóptica
Bands place in MySpace, Nickodemus MySpace, Official Nickodemus site, Instituto Mexicano Del Sonido on iTunes
Following on from the Waldeck post below, here he is again under the Saint Privat moniker. Saint Privat is Waldeck and fellow Austrian singer Valérie Sajdik. Pour yourself a Gin and Tonic and soak up Tous les jours, the connoisseurs’ summer hit of 2004 in Germany, Austria and beyond. They have since released the album Superflu, heralding the revival of the “Chanson psychédélique”. Chill out baby.
Like This Try: Waldeck, Pink Martini, Koop
Valerie Sajdik's place in MySpace, Official Site, Saint Privat on iTunes
I was dining in a Polish restaurant last night with a beautiful lady, delicious food, wonderful wine and Waldeck's album, Ballroom Stories [2007] was playing the background, a perfect accompaniment to chilled out evening. This tune captures the vibe of the album, luxurious melodies, jazzy trumpets swing along with the skanking beats, topped off with silky smoky vocals.
Klaus Waldeck, a former copyright lawyer is a driving force in his native Austria’s burgeoning electronica scene, Waldeck is a proponent of the Vienna Sound along with Kruder & Dorfmeister, Count Basic, Tosca and dZihan & Kamien.
Like This Try: Tosca, Gotan Project, Saint Privat, Pink Martini, Koop
Official Site, Waldeck's place in MySpace, By Waldeck on iTunes
Sounds like the Stones Roses playing in a chilled out bar in the seventies while Cool bright coloured lights pierce through a smokey atmosphere. No one's got a care in the world.
My Robot Friend is from NYC, AKA Howard Robot his latest album Soft-core, is full of guests including Alison Moyet, Jay Kauffman and Zombie Nation… this track features the vocals of Dean Wareham of Dean & Britta duo. The album is real melting pot styles, old an new. Great tunes for late night listening.
Official site, Bands place in MySpace, Dean Wareham's site, Buy the album on iTunes
Enter in a dream-like state, the world of Beach House, atmospheric rhythms, floating soulful harmonies and graceful hazy lazy melodies fulfil a lush landscape of shiny dreamy pop. Magnificent! Beach House are the duo of Alex Scally on guitar and keyboards and Victoria Legrand on vocals and organ formed in 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland (Legrand is the niece of French film composer Michel Legrand and singer Christiane Legrand, cool!) New Album Teen dream is released at the end of this month.
Like This Try: Stereolab, Grizzly Bear, Yeasayer
The mighty Ian Brown gets a re-work from The Prodigy on this, his latest single Just Like You. Liam Howlett & Co. give it a scuzzed up electro vibe, letting Ian's original vocal slide over the top. I still like Ian's original from his My Way album with the funky brass section, this remix takes it in an entirely different direction firmly hitting the Indie dancefloor.
Ian's official site, Ian's place in MySpace, Latest album on iTunes
Been listening to Memory Tapes album Seek Magic quite a bit recently, Bicycle was doing the rounds last summer, but as part of the album released the end of last year I've discovered what a great tune it really is. Skips and bangs along like Metronomy jamming with New Order at LCD Soundsystem's house.
Like this Try: Metronomy, !!!, School of Seven Bells, New Order
A new Hot Chip tune to kick off the year! Take it in has been around for a couple of months but it is the first piece of new music from the Hot Chipper's in a long time. On first listen it's not quite as instant as previous big singles, it's a bit of a slow burner, but this a good thing, it bears all the hallmarks of what we've come to expect from Hot Chip. Their new album due in February titled One Life Stand on Astralwerks. This is the concluding track on the album, it's an updated version of the previously release of Take it In, which appeared on the Bugged Out Mix album. Added to the original tune is a more uplifting chorus and the more you listen to it the better it gets. Can't wait to hear the album! Hot Chip are touring this year and I'm looking forward to seeing them at Brixton Academy in February.
Official Site, Hot Chip on iTunes, Hot Chip's place in MySpace
Bibio's Ambivalence Avenue is already one of my album's of 2009. Now before the year is through Bibio releases The Apple and the Tooth, which essentially is a Ambivalence Avenue remix album with a few new tracks. The Lone remix of All the Flowers extends the original tune from an interlude into a whole tune. Always a favourite moment on Ambivalence Avenue it has a back beat and echoing vocals, but never loses that looping riff that makes the tune what it is.
Like this try: Bibio's Ambivalence Avenue
Chilean born, German raised Matias Aguayo new album Ay Ay Ay is taking up a lot of time the Neoloop sound system. Composed mostly of the human voice it make's sounds you've never heard before, an unfamiliar style of music that will define a whole new genre. If any thing it has an almost tribal quality sometimes hinting at the odd african rhythm and chanting. I've previously posted up the single Rollerskate off the the album, this track is magnificent blend of human voice and wind instruments to a pounding tribal beat. Go get the album. Highly Recommended
Psychedelic bongo rock with sitars and guitars from Denmark, sounds like Jesus and Mary Chain remixed by Beyond the Wizards Sleeve. But this is all the work of one man, Tobias Winberg an unsigned from Denmark
Like this try: Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Velvet Underground
Totally wicked Cassettes Won't Listen (AKA Jason Drake) fast becoming my new favourite band, In To The Hillside is an instrumental album full of cracking tunes, this ones got a great drum and bass vibe with an orchestral disco of floating strings and chopping wonky synths, love this shit! check out CWL MySpace or iTunes page for more stuff including some of his vocal tunes.
Like this try: DJ Shadow, Woofly, In Flagranti
Bands place in MySpace, Buy more CWL stuff on iTunes
Now it's time for a bit mellow ambient pop from San Francisco, Misfortunes Are Cruel is nice easy going little groove taken from the album You Will Never Know Why. Comprised mostly of a man and his machines, San Francisco's Sweet Trip is the genius of Roberto Burgos. Featuring shoegazey beats and electronic experimentation, the vocals of Valerie Reyes add to the band's dynamic allure.
Very much a tune of the year, Garage/dubstep hybrid Hyph Mngo has been filling dance floors all over. Epic atmospheric, intricate drum patterns and soaring samples.
But it on iTunes, Joy place in MySpace
We've had a lot of interest in Matias Aguayo after posting up his excellent track Rollerskate. He has a new album out now Ay Ay Ay which is a cracker. This is an older tune from 2008, a nice mellow groove that congers up images of pool parties at sunset, something to warm you up in an icey winter.
Wow what a riff! Portishead come storming in with this dark disco stomper, sounding like a futuristic version of Joe Jackson's Stepping out with Beth Gibbons haunting vocals. Chase The Tear released for Amnesty International organisation. Wicked tune!
On first listen this sounds all over the place, moving from Prog-rock to ballad to electro pop, picking 80's ups synths and Gary Numan on the way, ending up in a cascading electric guitar crash. Produced by Erol Alkan this hyperballad sounds slightly different from anything on their previous record, while still retaining their LOTP unique sound they have moved on in a higher direction to a fresh and interesting place for 2010. A storming return from Late of the Pier, following on from their brilliant debut album Fantasy Black Channel in 2008. This new tune, which is actually quite and old tune. Released this month as a pre-album single, new album due next year. Late of the Pier are a four-piece band from Castle Donington, England.
The perfect companion to Sun Airway's track below, A stunning tune from Scandinavian popsters Choir Of Young Believers. Uplifting harmonies soar over bongo rhythms and dramatic soundscapes, absolutely captivating. Released back in February this year and re-released again in September, taken from their album This is for the white in your eyes.
Sun Airway's Oh, Naoko is blissfully uplifting tune full of texture and layers of lush sounds supporting more soaring harmonies. Philadelphia's Sun Airway's should go far if they make more tunes like this.
Bands place in MySpace, More tunes on their official site here
The fabulous Neon Indian gives fellow Brooklynites Au Revoir Simone's tune a real psychedelic make-over, taken from their Another Likely story EP released last month. Neon synth's and pounding beats are pulled through the Indian echo chamber, love this.
But it on iTunes, Au Revoir Simone Official site, Bands place in MySpace
Like this try: Neon Indian, Little Dragon, Ladytron
Strange Electronica from Berlin duo Gina V. D'Orio and Annika Line Trost, together they go by the name of Cobra killer. I love this, such typical euro feel, but with a savvy nod to krautrock. Taken from their new album Uppers & Downers, most songs are sung in English but I like the German tunes the best.
Bands place in MySpace, Buy the album on iTunes
Like this try: Stereo Total, Stereolab, Can, Kraftwerk
Flame is an old tune from 2006 by the Irish pop rock quintet, Bell X1, taken from the band's third album Flock. Still a great tune, the Chicken Lips remix gives it a monster groove.
Bands website, Buy it on iTunes
I'm currently considering my albums of the year and revisiting lots of great stuff. Passion Pits album Manners is a cracking loud pop mash up. I also enjoyed Miike Snow's debut effort of quirky pop gems. Both these band have been remixed to oblivion this year. But this combination of Miike Snow remix of The Passion Pit's The reeling is one of the years great pairings. Whose albums of the year will up here soon, watch this space.
Passion Pits place in MySpace, Miike Snow's place in MySpace, Buy Passion Pit on iTunes
Superb skanking tune, from Guts new album Freedom.
Time for a bit of in yer face booming dancehall. This tune sounds like Major Lazer partying with Basement Jaxx at an African street carnival. Recommended by @ablackcanvas. A real party banger, dropping in all the sirens and whistles jumping along to a thumping groove.
http://www.myspace.com/burakasomsistema
Some moody late night groovin' heavy percussion, hypnotic loops around your skull. For Love Cry, Kieran Hebden continues to explore new territory with a nine minute epic journey, utterly relentless and strangely haunting. Halfway through ghostly female vocals cry out the title repeatedly over the heavy pulverising bass. This is gonna be huge, a magic return from the glitch master. Love Cry is on a limited-edition 12", A new Four Tet album called "There Is Love In You" is set for release on January 25th 2010.
Four Tet Site, Buy more Four Tet on iTunes
Like this Try: Fuck Buttons, Andrew Weatheral
"you're so loco, baby take me down before I go go!" Catchy pop, let's go!
Annie's debut album Anniemal was one of my albums of the year in 2004. She returns with the much delayed follow up album called Don't Stop. It was finished over a year before it's release then delayed due to problems with her record label. Well worth waiting for, it's the perfect pop record. Maybe she'll break into the mainstream with one. Anne Lilia Berge Strand (born 1977), better known by her stage name Annie, is a pop artist and DJ from Bergen, Norway.
I keep hearing this tune in various bars and places, a slow blissed out vibe featuring the psychedelic harmonies of MGMT.
A happy leftfield tune with a wonky piano and strange guitar riffs on a broken drum machine beat produced by Ratatat. Being punted around as Kanye West's favourite new rapper, he collaborated on Kanye's last album and Kayne guests on Kid Cudi's new album Man On The Moon: The End Of Day released in September.
Buy the album on iTunes, Kid's place in MySpace
James Murphy does it again, another stunning track Bye Bye Bayou is the first new music from LCD Soundsystem since the release of Sound of Silver. This track is a cover of an Alan Vega song from his 1981 debut album. Hypnotic grooves swim around your head with a soulful swagger, very cool, very LCD Soundsystem. Looking forward to LCD’s upcoming third album to be released in March 2010.
See you down the roller disco!
Strangely addictive looped voice samples, odd lyrics about roller-skates, just another mad little tune to hum along to. The whole tune is completely made up of human voice samples and beat-boxing. Chilean-born Matias Aguayo takes a break from his usual funky house sound (he's half of minimal duo Closer Musik with pal Dirk Leyers) with this quirky experimental tune.
Oregon's Yacht adds a bit of electronica swagger to this rock groover, almost crosses over in to a disco stomper! Like the freestyle rap by Yacht at the end, cool! The original track was posted up on neoloop last September.
Wolfmother are an Australian rock band that formed in Erskineville, Sydney in 2000.
The xx incredible remix of Florence + the Machine's version of Candi Staton's classic 'You've Got The Love'. Originally appears on her Mercury nominated Lungs LP. Every now and again a track comes along and blows you away, this is an amazing remix, practically a complete remake, stripping the original down to basics and reconstructing it with subtle xylophone and warped harp to dubstep beat and cutting up The XX's vocals with Florance Welch's chorus. The XX can do no wrong, captivating!
Who's There? A Banging tune! Primary 1 and Riton team up with Wiley, Sounding like a run away ghost train speeding through rave tent. Big tune.
Got a bit a chinese urdu going on on this remix by Memory Tapes.
Primary 1 is churning out good shit at the moment and Memory Tapes are right on the money. This just builds and builds, Tune!
The original track from Miike Snow's debut album is real stand out tune and one of the top 20 of the year so far. There have been many remixes of this track but Mark Ronson gives it a complete make over and takes to the tune in to an entirely different direction. A light ska beat, a wonky organ and Ronson's signature brass is superb. (There are a few versions of this mix on various blogs which has a bit Lady Ga Ga overlapping the end, but this is the complete version).
There's not a problem that I can't fix 'cause I can do it in the mix. You've probably heard this tune a hundred times before, but it's an absolute classic with one of the greatest baselines ever!
Written by Michael Cleveland. It features vocals from Reggie and Rose Marie Ramsey, and its protagonists recall how they were bored to death until a DJ played a hot song and saved their lives by giving new energy to the night. Released in 1982 and reached number ten on the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, and it peaked at number thirteen in the UK.
More warped 80's Synth's, hazy vocals, sun baked home-made, lo-fi laid-back psychedelic pop.
Last month Neoloop featured the original and addictive Deadbeat Summer, the first single release from Neon Indian's debut album Psychic Chasms. Now the album is due for a November release (Not sure what the UK release date is?).
This track has all the hallmarks of the first single, as does the whole album. I'm expecting big things from this band.
Spooky being lost in space all on your own! Sounding like an early AIR tune, but it was recorded in the early Seventies. In 1975 before the release of the first Black Devil Disco Club album, Bernard Fevre released an album called ‘The Strange World Of Bernard Fevre’ and like the first Black Devil album it was so far ahead of it’s time that even now people struggle to believe it was really recorded over 30 years ago. Love to new cover by Non-Format too!
Wicked baseline, this tune is begging to be on a movie soundtrack. An emotional build up of sawing riffs and haunting whaling guitars with the rasping tone of Mark Lanegan and one Mike Patton. Taken from the new album Broken.
Soulsavers (also known as The Soulsavers Soundsystem) are an English production and remix team comprised of Rich Machin and Ian Glover.
Bands place in MySpace, Buy it on iTunes
A real feel good vibe, just add blue sky, a Mojito and a spanish dancer!
This Album is just amazing, to many good tunes on to pick just one. Many worldly influences and styles chop about with a colourful array of happiness. Gotan Project’s Christoph H. Müller and Peruvian percussionist Rodolfo Muñoz (Chinchivi, Sandunga) have teamed up to create RADIOKIJADA, a unique musical adventure based upon Afro Peruvian rhythms and culture, a crossover of powerful percussion, strong melodies, deep basslines and contemporary production methods.
Dystopia - Midnight Juggernauts last album from 2007 was one of my albums of that year, so I've very happy to hear about a new forthcoming album for 2009. This is the first single, which is quite a departure from the previous sound. At the start the drums kick in, like I Am The Resurrection from the Stone Roses, with added sound effects. That beat continues throughout the whole track, with crazy organs and outer space atmospherics until it all goes a bit pink floyd with beach boy harmonies. Epic stuff!
Bands place in MySpace, Buy it on iTunes
Like this try - Justice, Pink Floyd
Following on from the last post about AIR sounding like Bertrand Burgalat, what better time than to share a bit more bert. You'll find other tunes by bert in previous months. This is his superb collaboration with Robert Wyatt, a little late for summer but a classic bert tune, taken from the album Cheri B.B. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Amour, Imagination, Rêve - Absolutely love this track from Air's new album Love 2. Sounding more and more like Bertrand Burgalat these days the duo from Versailles always have to live up to that outstanding debut, I think this new album comes close without a doubt.
A delightful little tune from Zero 7's new album Yeah Ghost. Sounding like a quirky french pop tune with a folkie vibe, halfway through the steel drums kick in at takes the song off to the Caribbean.
Love this track, sounds like it going to be a hardcore electro banger to begin with then the happy hand claps come in and then it's all gone electro pop! The best new tune that Daft Punk didn't make. The album Away From The Sea is pretty dam good with collaborations from the likes of Amanda Blank, Shit Disco and The Bewitched. As recommended by @ABlackCanvas.
Like this, Try Justice, Shit Disco and Chromeo
Havana to France via Chinese Man!
Chinese Man Records - The Groove Sessions Vol.2 is another album I picked up from my trip to France this week. It's a very eclectic affair to say the least, mixing up an array of styles from Hip Hop, break beat and Jazz to Bollywood chants, Cuban rhythms, weird electronica and mad film samples. This track is quality! Album RECOMMENDED
Hanging on to last few sunny days of summer with this sizzling groove.
Ralph Myers synths swirling around sweat vocals from fellow Norwegian Caroline Ingeberg. Last feel good hit of the summer! Check out the new album Ralphorama! Appetite 4 Self-destruction - out now!
Caroline Ingeberg place in MySpace, Ralph's place in MySpace.
Some more Scandinavian pop, this time with a jazz flavour, featuring Little Dragon's Yukumi Nagano on vocals, a now classic album from the Swedish jazz poppers, Koop Island is an easy listening open-top car journey through the mountains. Cool stuff.
Phantom legs and Blinking Pigs, Haunting me, My long lost love and the memories of You.
Bizarre kooky lyrics for a bright and breezy electropop song. Taken from the Swedish band's charming 2nd album Machine Dreams. RECOMMENED!
Little Dragon is a band, based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Consisting of Swedish-Japanese singer Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion) and her close high-school friends Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Källgren Wallin (bass), and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards).
Swedish electronic jazz duo Koop's albums Waltz for Koop and Koop Islands feature Yukimi Nagano's vocals on several tracks.
Psychedelic swirling rhythms on a hot sunny day.
Over the top squelches and a continuous looping riff sucks you in to the kaleidoscopic chasm of Neon Indian. Expect big things from Neon Indian, from Brookyln/Austin, Texas. New album Psychic Chasms available from 13 October.
Great cover artwork too!
Infectious hypnotic groove
I can't stop listening to this tune, it's so incredibly catchy it's off the hook! Featuring guest vocals by Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip. Last month I posted up Cruel Intentions SMD's collaboration with Beth Ditto, the whole album is brilliant mix of vocal talent. Get it!
Madder than the wicked witch of the west!
Considered to be a bit of nuttier Yoko Ono made some pretty quirky tunes in her time, She has a new album out this month Between My Head and the Sky. This track taken from the album Yes, I'm a Witch, a remix album by Yoko Ono released on February 6, 2007. Artists invited to contribute were asked to select a song from Ono's back catalogue, and were then presented with all the necessary elements to create a remix/cover to their desires. According to the press release, nearly every artist chose only the vocals, and created entirely new backing tracks to demonstrate the versatility of Ono's compositions. Love this track, wicked baseline and crazy lyrics!
Like the beta band with the Bee Gees on vocal duties
A slow groover with a melody that pulls you in slowly but surely, hook line and sinker.
Wave Machines, from Liverpool currently enjoying success with the single I Go I Go I Go. Their debut album is a eclectic array pop. New single Punk Spirt is another standout track.
Beyond the wizards Sleeve should have some new tunes out very soon. In the mean time we'll have to keep playing their debut (Ark 1) to death. I can't get enough of them. Very hard to get hold of nowadays, this is a great companion for the Meanderthals Desire Lines album. Also check out the Re-Animations Vol.1 B.T.W.S excellent remix compilation.
Laid back scandinavian psychedelic trip.
Surely one of the albums of the year so far, this stunning album is full of epic tunes that carry the listener off to another world in the depth of your mind. If you like Beyond the Wizards Sleeve you'll love this... go lose yourself! go buy the the album - Desire Lines.
Meanderthals are Rune Lindbæk, Dan Tyler, Conrad McDonnell (Idjut Boys)
Next time I'll be true yeah!
I've been listening to the new album from the The XX quite a bit, well worth checking out. But this old cover version of the classic Womack and Womack tune is an amazing version. I love the original, but this version is a different tune entirely. Class!
You are going to relax
This tune is as mad as a box of frogs, haunted synths, snake charmers, wind chimes and hypnosis, eclectic in nature, powered by analog synths and toy keyboards, rhythms driven by home-maker organs and casios, Sukia's music tends to drift towards the erotic. Released back in 1996 I still come back to this tune time and time again. Taken from the album Contacto Espacial Con El Tercer Sexo, produced by the Dust Brothers, worth checking out with more of the same wacky instruments and odd sounds.
Sukia were a Camarillo, California-based electronic band. Formed in the early 90's amidst the burgeoning Los Angeles indie music scene, Sukia took their name from the Italian vampire comic book of the same name. Following their dissolution, Sukia have gained a cult following from the release of the above titled album.
Return From The Planet DUB!
The Dub master that is Lee Scratch Perry returns with a new album collaborating with Vienna dub pioneers Dubblestandart. This a cover of the old Max Romeo track Chase the Devil, as covered and sampled by many artists over the years. Everything Lee Scratch Perry touches turns to gold, the master old the golden age of Reggae. Stick your headphones on, spark up a fat one and lose yourself in dub.
Buy more Lee Scratch Perry on iTunes
Bands place in MySpace - myspace.com/dubblestandart
Lee's place in MySpace - myspace.com/leescratchperry
This is a song for no one, but all of you!
I hadn't really listened to this band much, until Mr. A Black @ablackcanvas told me it was a killa album. I fell in love with tune straight away, perfect pop with a funky drummer beat. Hey the sun is shining again.
Miike Snow are a Swedish band, who formed in 2007. The band consists of singer/songwriter Andrew Wyatt, and the producing team of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg, also known as Bloodshy & Avant.
Hectic week in London, this chills you right out after a busy day. I'm a big Nick Drake fan so I was keen to hear this cover version of Drake's Cello Song. Drake's original is a sparse acoustic affair, The books add a little electronica that brings the baseline to the fore without losing the haunting hum of the cello. Add a faultless vocal by Jose Gonzales, beautiful.
This tune is from a compilation for the Red Hot Charity. There are some great songs by amazing artists on this double album. Check it out at darkwasthenight.com
MMmmm... Please me, I don't want to do it with.
What can I say about Bertrand Burgalat other than he is a genius! He's made 6 albums, all brilliant. Impossible to pick one track from Bertrand as there are so many great tunes. This is from the Portrait-Robot album (2005). I'll post some more in time.
Burgalat is well-known for his cool, breezy 1960s-style pop sound, something he has lent to his production work with Air. His musical influences include the "ye-ye" sound of French pop made famous by France Gall, Françoise Hardy and Brigitte Fontaine, as well as the singers Jacques Dutronc and Serge Gainsbourg.
Berts place in MySpace - myspace.com/tricatelburgalat
Driving along to the rhythm of the sun.
Imagine yourself cruising in an old open top sports car along a winding road high in the mountains on a bright sunny day, the wind in your hair, designer shades and the sound of this floating out the speakers. A new album from KOC is due this September, looking forward to that!
Official site - kingsofconvenience.com
Dream with me, dream machine...
More Summer tunes, twanging banjo's trotting along to a trippy beat in the searing heat. Bob your head to this one around the pool, take it easy there's no rush.
Your in my mind your in my heart.
MSTRKRFT mix up their own brand of electro stomp with Grammy winning silky soul from John Legend. An infectious piano loop and hands in the air buzz-saw riffs together with Mr Legend's soft velvet vocals, immerse yourself in this late night summer rave.
Official site - johnlegend.com
She's Strange and I like it!
A classic bit of funk, still sounds fresh today as it did in 1984. Drum machine beats, wonky synths, strange sirens and Larry Blackman's 'Owww!!' Unmistakably Cameo. Pure classic!
Rip it up and start again!
Yacht release their new album this month, an eclectic affair to say the least, dead pan vocals, scattered beats and electronic melodies chop about all over the shop. If you like LCD Soundsystem then this is right up your street. No coincidence they are signed to James Murphy's DFA label then.
Rave it up and lose your head!
This tune came out back in January this year, I heard it being played a few weeks ago in a shitty bar, it sounded brilliant so I shazamed it.
It just picks up where New Order left off, no surprise to learn that this lot are from Manchester. "Manchester has this amazing history of bands who could mix rock and dance music," say the Delphic boys.
Bands place in MySpace - myspace.com/delphic
"We're gonna party and have a good time" The chorus smokes through the spooky hum of a gospel choir singing outside the gates to the end of the world. Sci-fi landscapes and funky house collide resulting in a strangely soulful cocktail of dancefloor lunacy!
Released as single from the album Organism in 1999
Jimi Tenor (born Lassi Lehto, 1965, Lahti, Finland)
SMD with dollop of Ditto!
Gossip's Beth Ditto sounds great with backing from SMD on this forthcoming track from SMD album 'Temporary Pleasures'
I'm still digging their 2008 hit Hold On, but this nu slab of 80's Disco is catchy as barbed wire!
Brooklyn duo Holy Ghost! (Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel) bring their love for old-school synthesizers to their new single, I Will Come Back, featuring the angelic voices of the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.
This latest Green Label Sound single will also be featured on Holy Ghost!’s highly-anticipated debut album due out early next year on DFA Records. Looking forward to that!
I don't know much about this tune other than I like it!
It's quite the infectious little ditty, I just keep playing it... Hey!
Benjamin E. Morsberger is from Brooklyn NYC
She's My Lover, it's all about the percussion on this one, tambourines and maracas sprinkle all over a baggy beat, It's a great tune the Stone Roses never made.
The original version of this tune is on the amazing debut album A Grand Love Story - released in 1997. A classic. This is a later version that came with a CD repackage Special Edition. Jean-Yves Prieur, aka Kid Loco is a French electronic musician, DJ, remixer and producer. He was born on June 16, 1964 in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine, France.
A new Kid Loco remix album is due this year.
Official website - kidloco.com
His place in myspace - myspace.com/kidbravo
My Man! My Man! My Man!
Baseline from groove central, spooky stings and a simple sample... My Man, good scenes!
I'm in love with you, Sweet Sweet Sweet.
Let me see you sweet!
Disco pop for dirty dancefloors, 80's synths and hand claps take you on a ride in open top Honda with a dent in the side and a broken tail light.
STEVE MASON brought us Beta band and King Biscuit Time, now he's having a BLACK AFFAIR. Sweet!
Thundering and lightning big time in London tonight.
Some haunting melodies playing on my ipod as battle through the wind and rain turning my umbrella inside out. This remix isn't too far from the original, Karin Dreijer Andersson's vocals searing through the mix like wolf in a storm.
Fever Ray is a solo album by The Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson from Sweden.
This tune sounds like a funeral march through bombay in blistering heat, led by a mad clown on a squeeze box with a chains on his ankles. Joined along the way by some mexican pan pipers before ending up in a Bollywood movie.
DJ Vadim's album 'U Can't Lurn Imaginashun' has been out for a while now, a melting pot of hip hop beats, soulful vocals, sharp raps, reggae knowhow, wonky samples and skanking party grooves. Top draw!
Vadim is a prolific DJ and producer, born in Leningrad, USSR (now Saint Petersburg, Russia), raised in London and currently residing in both New York and Port-au-Prince, Haiti whose music combines hip hop, soul, reggae and electronica.
Lazer guided Killa riddims and baselines from Babylon!
Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do, the new album from Major Lazer is just gonna blow up, buy it, beg for it, steal it... A massive contender for album of the year. Electro squelches, sirens and Nokia ringtones sprinkled over Basslines booming with intensity and distortion, digital dancehall for the future, but the future is already here! Bags of special select guests make it an eclectic affair.
Major Lazer is a Jamaican commando who fought in the “secret Zombie War of 1984” and lost both arms in combat. Then the U.S. military equipped him with experimental lasers that double as prosthetic limbs. That's the pitch, but it's really Diplo and Switch!