Oct 26 2010

Violet Tremors

Violet Tremors remind me a LOT of early/mid period Cabaret Voltaire, except that they are two girls and (no offence to Richard or Steve) are infinitely more glamorous!

Musically though, there is a lot of Cabs to be heard in Jessica and Lorene’s Minimal Synth refrains. The likes of The Normal and Portion Control are probably an influence too. This is music for those of us who remember a time before SynthPop went to the disco. Where we are, here, SynthPop isn’t in a happy place.

The Los Angeles duo utilise old drum machines, analog synths and effected vocals to create a sparse and cold, yet strangely full of emotion, soundscape that should defiantly appeal to lovers of either the current Minimal Synth scene or the early Futurist experimentations.

Dark and Dangerous, this is music for the places you don’t want to be, but can’t help going.

♫ Violet Tremors – Between Us

♫ Violet Tremors – Violet Trance

Check out more from Violet Tremors at their MySpace:

Violet Tremors @ MySpace

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Oct 26 2010

Hyboid

Kicking off today we have some hypnotic cosmic Disco from German producer Hyboid.

The track ‘Vogon Poetry’ comes from the EP ‘Chicken Accelerator’, an Astro Chicken label sampler and is six minutes of pure Sci-Fi synthesizer rock-out. Like a soundtrack to an 80’s space opera that was never released this track is all about blue-screened spaceships and silver jumpsuits powered by urgent arpeggios and otherworldly analog lead lines.

As you can probably tell from the title, Hyboid is a HitchHikers’ fan and has spliced up this video for ‘Vogon Poetry’ from the amazing BBC serial. It works really, really, well!

♫ Hyboid – Vogon Poetry

Hyboid is planning to release his début album ‘Aliens Ate My Synthesizer’ on vinyl in December.,

Hyboid @ Juno

Hyboid @ Amazon

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Oct 25 2010

OMD Vs. Monarchy!!!

We knew a while back that the amazing Monarchy we’re reMixing Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark next single, we just didn’t expect to be hearing it so soon, they’ve only just finished!

‘Sister Marie Says’ was the first material from OMD’s new album ‘The History Of Modern’ way back in December last year so we always figured it was on the cards for a single. One thing I like about OMD’s return is that they are picking really good contemporary reMixers. The last single boasted the likes of VillaNah and French Horn Rebellion and now Monarchy.

The pairing of OMD and Monarchy seems to good to be true and the result is pretty special. Monarchy seem to have really got their teeth into creating a modern sounding 80’s track and come up with a reMix every bit forward looking as retro.

Awesome!

♫ OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark) – Sister Marie Says (Monarchy reMix)

‘Sister Marie Says’ is out 15th November, taken from the album ‘The History Of Modern’, out now.

OMD @ 7Digital

OMD @ Amazon

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Oct 24 2010

electronic rumours mixtape: Pop-Fu 07 ‘Hold On To The Summer’

Hey! The weather’s getting shitty and I’ve got a long journey this week so I knocked up this rough ‘n’ ready Mixtape that I’ll share with you lot. There’s some awesome ‘pretend it’s still Summer’ tunes on there.

Check it:

01 StardonE – CT
02 Bag Raiders – Way Back Home (Original)
03 Gemini Club – Ghost (Hey Champ! reMix)
04 Walter Sobcek – Je Me Souviens (Paul reMix)
05 Starsmith – Knuckleduster
06 Russ Chimes – Never Look Back
07 Alfa – Sky Patrol
08 Pacific! – Narcissus (Club Edit)
09 Xinobi – Varial Kickflip
10 LIGHTS – Second Go (Echoes reMix)
11 Mark Ronson & The Business INTL (Feat. MNDR & Q-Tip) – Bang Bang Bang (Russ Chimes reMix)
12 B-Xentric! – Complete
13 Tesla Boy – Thinking Of You (Casio Social Club reMix)
14 LexiconDon – Student Body (Build & Clancy reMix)
15 Robyn – Dancing On My Own (Original Radio Mix)

Oct 23 2010

MMMatthias reMixes I’m Not A Band

I’m Not A Band are classically trained musician Stephan J and vocalist Kassandra Papak from Germany who create an interesting mix of Laptop Pop and traditional instrumentation.

Their forthcoming single, ‘Crazy’, has been giving the ol’ reMix treatment by electronic rumors friend MMMatthias who serves up a version full of his trademark retro synths lines but with more of a raw feel than his previous work. When the tracks garage beats and squealing analog electronics reach a climax, toward the end of the track, following the songs chord progression it is truly euphoric!

♫ I’m Not A Band – Crazy (MMMatthias reMix)

I’m not a Band’s ‘Crazy’ EP out 26th November on ADP Records.

I’m Not A Band @ Beatport

I’m Not A Band @ Juno

I’m Not A Band @ 7Digital

I’m Not A Band @ Amazon

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Oct 23 2010

New Ladytron track!

‘Ace Of Hz’ is the first brand new material from ElectroPop legends Ladytron in a while.

The track actually features on the soundtrack of Football game ‘FIFA ‘11’ from EA Games (and it’s not for the first time that Ladytron have been included in a FIFA game, ‘Runaway’ was part of the ‘FIFA ‘09’ soundtrack) and is a proper reminder of why the band’s forthcoming album is so eagerly awaited with a sound that is reminiscent of the early Ladytron albums mixed with the sophistication of songwriting from their later works.

Very cool track!

♫ Ladytron – Ace Of Hz

‘FIFA ‘11’ which features ‘Ace Of Hz’ on it’s soundtrack is out now.

Oct 23 2010

Pet Shop Boys – Together

This November sees 25 years since Pet Shop Boys exploded into public consciousness with their début single ‘West End Girls’. To celebrate the duo are releasing their third greatest hits album, titled ‘Ultimate’ alongside a brand new single.

The single, ‘Together’, is produced by ex-Xenomania man Tim Powell, is pure uplifting Pet Shop Boys with Neil Tennant’s signature deadpan, but hopeful, vocals and some euphoric lead lines.

Even more exiting, though, is the B-side of the single’s physical release. A reMix of ‘West End Girls’ by none other than Grum! I literally cannot wait for that!

♫ Pet Shop Boys – Together

‘Ultimate’ is released 2nd November and the digital single of ‘Together’ drops 24th October with the physical release following.

Pet Shop Boys @ Beatport

Pet Shop Boys @ Juno

Pet Shop Boys @ 7Digital

Pet Shop Boys @ Amazon

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Oct 22 2010

Starsmith – We Leave Tonight

ElectroPop producer extraordinaire turned Nu-Disco celebrity Starsmith has just dropped a new tune over on his SoundCloud. In his own words ‘We Leave Tonight’ is “Just something I was mucking about with…” but we all know that Starsmith mucking about is the ElectroPop equivalent of Picasso doodling on a napkin…it’s still gonna’ be worth shit loads!

The track is piano led, mid-tempo, chilled builder that defiantly shows there’s more to Fin than bangers and just makes us more exited about a full length record from the man.

♫ Starsmith – We Leave Tonight

Starsmith’s début single, ‘Give Me A Break’/’Knuckleduster’ is out now:

Starsmith @ 7Digital

Starsmith @ Amazon

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Oct 21 2010

Chad Valley

What are Ensoniq up to these days? The ESQ-1 was an awesome bit of kit! Anyway…

Chad Valley is the alter ego of Oxford’s Hugo Manuel and he’s about to drop his first EP on Cascine next month.

The track that had me wondering about Ensoniq is ‘Ensoniq Funk’. Taken from the EP, it’s an impressive début. A densely layered slice of electronic Pop where shimmering riffs, horn samples and distant vocals intertwine throughout a track with a distinct Disco flavour.

It’ll defiantly be an EP worthy of further investigation.

♫ Chad Valley – Ensoniq Funk

‘Ensoniq Funk’ is take from Chad Valleys forthcoming EP on Cascine, released on 16th November

Chad Valley @ MySpace

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Oct 20 2010

Kap Bambino & Dragonfly Love

ElectroPunks Kap Bambino are the subject of Director Thomas Hilland’s short film created after being asked to make a clip using Nokia’s new N8 smartphone.

The result mixes Kap Bambino’s music with flying robot dragonflies, spandex fishermen and Norway’s coastline.

Enjoy ‘Dragonfly Love’: