Mar 21 2011

Gemini Club’s ‘Ghost’ reMixes

Gemini Club’s awesome ‘Ghost’ was defiantly one of our tunes of last year, in all it’s myriad reMix forms. This week sees the track’s proper release, at long last, as a massive reMix package.

Alongside the instant classic original version there’s reMixes you’ll already know, such a Hey Champ!’s, and some new versions from Only Children and Golden Bug. Also featured are these two mixes from Mr. Frankie Barretso and Indie-Electro Newcomers Blue Satellite. Barretso’s effort is a rapid fire Electro take on the tune that’s a pure dancefloor rush while Blue Satellite opt for a laidback, no worries, DiscoPop that’s the prefect smooth comedown.

♫ Gemini Club – Ghost (Barretso reMix)

♫ Gemini Club – Ghost (Blue Satellite reMix)

The ‘Ghost’ EP is out today!

Gemini Club @ Beatport

Gemini Club @ Juno

Gemini Club @ 7Digital

Gemini Club @ Amazon

Mar 21 2011

A-Ha’s ‘The Blue Sky’ reMixed by DannielRadall

We featured DannielRadall and her latest EP of 80’s ElectroPop inspired Chillwave last week, and as thanks Danniel has sent on over her reMix of A-Ha’s ‘The Blue Sky’, from 1985’s hit packed ‘Hunting High And Low’ album.

Here she tackles A-Ha with the same approach she has to her own music. The song shifts from bouncy, crisp, 80’s Pop to reverb drenched Chillwave with funk. With samples from the original expertly manipulated into new grooves, ‘The Blue Sky’ is reinvented for 2011.

♫ A-Ha – The Blue Sky (DannielRadall reMix)

DannielRadall’s new EP can be picked up on her Bandcamp page. A-Ha’s ‘Hunting High And Low’ can be picked up, well, everywhere!

A-Ha @ Juno

A-Ha @ 7Digital

A-Ha @ Amazon

Mar 18 2011

SebastiAn’s new ‘Embody’ video

This’ll keep me going the weekend! The first new track to début from SebastiAn’s forthcoming album, ‘Embody’ has now had it’s video premiered too! The track is Electro Disco as only the Ed Banger crew can do it, French Touch vocal samples and that Ed Banger slap bass. It all bodes well for the album!

The video is directed, of course, by So Me

SebastiAn’s début album, Total, is out in May on Ed Banger.

Mar 18 2011

Starfawn

Brooklyn based Electro duo Starfawn are pretty enigmatic, both personally and musically.

Amber Schaefer and Misha Mross’ lush, atmospheric sound takes cues from both 80’s ElectroPop and Minimal Synth but pads out the sound with heavily effected synths to create an instantly recognisably retro, yet strange and otherworldly, soundscape for the vocals dance in and out of. However, this is by no means ambient music, there are beats and riffs to get your head nodding and synth solos that will infect your brain.

Starfawn have just released their début EP, ‘Greenlight’, a powerful three track affair from which ‘Nothing Dead’ comes. A track that is one part 80’s ballad, one part effect heavy Dub track and one part BedroomPop. It’s refreshing to hear a band that revels in experimentation yet still understands the importance of actually having a song amongst the indulgence.

♫ Starfawn – Nothing Dead

Starfawn’s ‘Greenlight’ EP is available from Bandcamp:

Starfawn @ Bandcamp

Mar 18 2011

The Human League’s ‘Credo’

This coming Monday it’s finally here! The Human League’s ninth studio album, and the first since 2001’s ‘Secrets’, is released. It’s been a long time coming for League fans, and it’s been worth the wait.

In 1981 The Human League released ‘Dare’, the single greatest SynthPop album ever recorded, that was three decades ago. Three Decades! And in their generation spanning career, Phil, Susan & Joanne have never strayed from the path, never pandered to fashion (were they making Brit Pop album in the mid 90’s? No!), they are an ElectroPop act. They evolve as electronic music evolves, they can experiment with electronic music and songwriting, they can collaborate with contemporary artists, but they remain ambassadors for ElectroPop. While Depeche Mode were trying to be a Blues Rock band and Gary Numan was saying a prayer before every bedtime that he would wake up being Trent Reznor. The Human League stand proud as The Human League, the worlds greatest SynthPop band.

So, to ‘Credo’. The ElectroPop landscape is vastly different from the last time The League released an album, the last five years have been an amazing time to be an ElectroPop fan. From the explosion of Indie-Electro, the return of intelligent Electronic Pop to our charts to the awesomeness that is Dreamwave and the Minimal Synth scene growing and growing, there is so many talented ElectroPop artists pushing the boundaries of the genre these days how does ‘Credo’ compare?

Very well actually. ‘Credo, is probably the most ‘The Human League’ sounding album The Human League have made since the mid-80’s. Phil Oakey is as his droll finest. As with the best League tracks there are strong narratives that run throughout many of the tracks and, from a purely songwriting style point of view, this album is really close to ‘Dare’. But it’s not just in Oakey’s vocals that ‘Credo’ harkens back to THL of old, the synth sounds used over the whole eleven tracks conjure imaginations of early 80’s TOTP. The middle section of the album, tracks like ‘Into The Night’, ‘Egomaniac’, ‘Single Minded’ and ‘Electric Shock particularly have classic analog lead lines very reminiscant of the singles of The League’s pop explosion

♫ The Human League – Never Let Me Go

So, if the songwriting sounds like classic League and the sounds on the album are 1981 approved then does ‘Credo’ sound dated? Well, not really, and that’s down to the production, and the drums. Imagine The Human League of old with contemporary dance drums and modern, slick, production techniques and that’s pretty much ‘Credo’. To be honest I couldn’t ask for anything else from THL

♫ The Human League – Night People (Single Edit)

Highlights of the album, for me, include the new single ‘Never Let Me Go’, the closest The Human League are going to get to DiscoPop, which I think should have been the lead single over ‘Night People’. If ‘Egomaniac’ isn’t the next single I will eat my Pork Pie hat, it’s classic League, call and response vocals between Phil and the girls, a dry wit and a silky smooth sing-along chorus. ‘Electric Shock’ is another definite winner, pure Synthetic Pop that kicks into Acid craziness in the chorus.

If loved The Human League, but hated it when they tried to be R&B, or Trance, ‘Credo’ is 100% for you!

‘Credo’ is released 21st March on Wall Of Sound.

The Human League @ Beatport

The Human League @ Juno

The Human League @ 7Digital

The Human League @ Amazon

Mar 17 2011

Justin Faust ‘Sloppy Chic’ reMixes

Justin Faust had just dropped a selection of reMixes from his ‘Sloppy Chic’ EP of last year.

The standout for me is Super Mal’s heavy Nu-Disco workout of ‘Your Life’. What more can you want from a track like this? Killer bassline, rapid fire synths that shine like a beacon in the darkness all over the place. This reMix has got a groove that is just going to slay dancefloors worldwide. Italians Fare Soldi also turn in a killer rhythmic Italo/Disco mix of the title track. It’s a low-down dirty and grimy Disco track that gets inside your head!

♫ Justin Faust – Your Life (Super Mal reMix)

♫ Justin Faust – Sloppy Chic (Fare Soldi reMix)

Faust’s ‘Sloppy Chic’ EP is out now, the reMix EP is coming soon:

Justin Faust @ Beatport

Justin Faust @ Juno

Justin Faust @ 7Digital

Justin Faust @ Amazon

Mar 17 2011

Cosmonaut Grechko reMixes Joywave

Joywave are a five piece New York act born from the ashes of PopPunk band The Hoodies. Their recent track ‘Traveling At The Speed Of Light’ has had a stunning DiscoPop work over by the constantly badass Cosmonaut Grechko.

Taking the original and running it through his Nu-Disco machine CG presents to the world an amazing and dreamlike slice of ElectroPop in it’s place. Catchy and upbeat, yet smooth enough for lazy summer evenings, this reMix is infectious as hell.

♫ Joywave – Traveling At The Speed Of Light (Cosmonaut Grechko Version)

Check out Joywave on their Facebook page:

Joywave @ Facebook

Mar 17 2011

NiteGOLD

NiteGOLD is the soundclash of three producers based in (as will become apparent) California.

Their début track ‘A City In California’ is a stomping, chant along, ElectroPop megalith. A pure party anthem, from three apparent party animals, that basically says “fuck you” to anything except having a good time. The production on this track is strong, it’s a massive tune with a massive sound and a massive Electro breakdown. Hands in the air peeps!

♫ NiteGOLD – A City In California (Radio Edit)

‘A City In California’ is released this week, check the bands Facebook page for info.

NiteGOLD @ Facebook

Mar 17 2011

Alan Braxe reMixed by Hana Yori Kichou Na

This month Shiny Disco Club & Exquise Record’s awesome Hana Yori Kichou Na unleashed this huge reworking of Alan Braxe’s ‘Vertigo’.

This track is like power Nu-Disco, it just doesn’t let up, ever! This massive cut-up Disco tune just keeps taking you higher and higher . It’s four and a half minutes of intense, funk as hell, force-you-to-dance insanity!

Enjoy:

♫ Alan Braxe – Vertigo (Hana Yori Kichou Na ‘Virgo Est De Retour’ reMix)

‘Vertigo’ is available now:

Alan Braxe @ Beatport

Alan Braxe @ Juno

Alan Braxe @ 7Digital

Alan Braxe @ Amazon

Mar 16 2011

Fenech-Soler’s ‘Stop And Stare’ video

Fenech-Soler aren’t gonna’ let a paltry thing like cancer stop their ElectroPop juggernaut! While’s Ben is getting himself back to good health the team Fenech-Soler are re-releasing my favourite single of theirs, ‘Stop And Stare’.

And here’s the video, it’s post-apocalyptic LDN TV trash chiqé, very 80’s, very blue tinged Max Headroom, very cool.

Enjoy: