Apr 20 2011

Moullinex & Xinobi

Moullinex & Xinobi thought “hey, let’s write a song’, 8 hours later they released it. It’s possible (though only conjecture on our part) that there may have been booze involved.

There’s no samples in ‘X Marks The Spot’, just Moullinex & Xinobi in the studio, singing and playing. It’s actually pretty funky, if a little scary. Like the Disco track that plays on repeat in your nightmares. It’s got to be said though, there is some fantastic 70’s lead synth work in the track, and it is wicked fun.

♫ Moullinex & Xinobi – X Marks The Spot

Apr 20 2011

Madeon

What can we say about Madeon that hasn’t already been said in recent months, the dude is 16. 16! It’s ridiculous, 16 years old and already up there with some of the best ElectroPop/Nu-Disco/Dreamwave producers around. What’s he gonna’ have done by the time he’s 20????

Talented beyond his years this young French producer shows not only production skill but serious musicianship in his tunes. His stuff is serious Nu-Disco excellence with an ear for a retro melodies and some insane bass programming. With a knack for solid grooves and heart stopping drops underpinning his sparkling, soaring lead lines Madeon is defiantly on his way to the top. Check out his reMixes of Yelle and Alphabeat too, pure gold.

♫ Madeon – For You

♫ Madeon – Shuriken

♫ Yelle – Que Veux Tu (Madeon reMix)

♫ Alphabeat – DJ (Madeon reMix)

What can we say? Can’t wait for Madeon’s début EP.

Madeon @ Amazon

Apr 20 2011

Peter & The Magician

Peter & The Magician is, of course Yuksek and Stephen Fasano, ex-one half of Aeroplane, both awesome producers in their own right. This collaboration between the two that appears on Kitsuné’s latest Maison compilation, Vol. 11, is some of the dopest analog disco you will hear in a while.

‘Twist’ mashes-up Yuksek’s vocoder love with The Magician’s Disco funk into something pretty special. I think so anyway, opinion seems to be divided about this track but, for me, it’s hit all the right synthesizer buttons. This is the kinda’ track that would have me melting into the dancefloor.

The Magician has also reMixes Yuksek’s forthcoming new (comeback?) single ‘On The Train’, you can hear it in his new mixtape here.

♫ Peter & The Magician – Twist

‘Twist’ is available on Kitsuné Maison 11 ‘The Indie-Dance Issue’, out 16th May.

Kitsuné Music @ Beatport

Kitsuné Music @ Juno

Kitsuné Music @ 7Digital

Kitsuné Music @ Amazon

Apr 20 2011

Digitalism’s new single

I’m a day late on this. Sue me!

The internet is up in arms about Digitalism’s new single, the divisive power of an electronic act sounding all Indie! I don’t see what the shock is, it’s not the first time the German duo have made guitar music. ‘2 Hearts’ is pretty guitary, but does have a strong synth backing and is insanely catchy. The track actually reminds me a lot of Does It Offend You, Yeah?. The track is taken from Digitalism’s forthcoming new album ‘I Love You Dude’.

♫ Digitalism – 2 Hearts

‘2 Hearts’ is released 13th June with the album following on the 20th.

Digitalism @ Beatport

Digitalism @ Juno

Digitalism @ 7Digital

Digitalism @ Amazon

Apr 19 2011

Fear Of Tigers’ latest ‘The Guestlist’ show: brand new Edwin Van Cleef + an interview with yours truly!

Fear Of Tigers recently started hosting a weekly look at everything going on in the world of ElectroPop, Nu-Disco and Dreamwave. Called ‘The Guestlist’ you can check out his pick of the best of current electronic music over on his SoundCloud page.

This weeks show, not only drops a storming brand new track from Edwin Van Cleef, but also features an interview with yours truly a plays a couple of my recent faves.

Yes, I am that Bristolian!

♫ Fear Of Tigers’ ‘The Guestlist’ 19/04/2011

As you probably know Ben from Fear Of Tigers ran the London marathon last weekend to raise money for WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals). We’d like to extend our congratulations to Ben for an amazing job, you can read about it in this blog post, and there’s still time to get in with a quick sponsorship if you’re feeling charitable, check out his Just Giving page.

Fear Of Tigers @ Just Giving

Fear Of Tigers @ Beatport

Fear Of Tigers @ Amazon

Apr 19 2011

Mason and Róisín Murphy’s ‘Boadicea’ Video

Mason and Róisín Murphy’s ‘Boadicea’ now has a video.

We’ve already raved about the track a few times. I love a video with a narrative, this one stars off pretty harsh and then just gets badass. Really cool clip.

It was directed by Ron Scalpello.

‘Boadicea’ is out now and taken from the album ’They Are among Us’.

Apr 18 2011

Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s new album

Just a quick one today, lot’s going on, but most of the day I’ve been listening to Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s forthcoming album and I have to say it’s sounding pretty damn good.

‘Make A Scene’, Sophie’s forth album will be released in June and in amongst the tracklisting are most of her singles from the past two years (including the collaborations with the likes of Freemasons, Armin van Buuren and Junior Caldera) and a whole host of new tracks. Working with not only the aforementioned producers and writers but names such as Richard X, Metronomy, Calvin Harris, Cathy Dennis, and Greg Kurstin the album seems to swing from massive Pop-Trance tracks to cooler DiscoPop and classic ElectroPop tunes. The first lead single from the album will be ‘Starlight’, I tend to almost universally disagree with labels choices for lead in singles from albums, but in this case I think ‘Starlight’ is the perfect choice. Not as hands-in-the-air Trance as a couple of the album tracks (the only tracks on the album that are slightly dated) ‘Starlight’ has got more of a DiscoPop groove. And you’ve got to love Sophie’s voice, that posh-with-a-slight-cockney-twang thing just slays me.

♫ Sophie Ellis-Bextor – Starlight

‘Make A Scene’ is released 6th June. You can stream the album here.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor @ Beatport

Sophie Ellis-Bextor @ Juno

Sophie Ellis-Bextor @ 7Digital

Sophie Ellis-Bextor @ Amazon

Apr 16 2011

Silenx

Silenx is Joel Azevedo, a Portuguese producer and relative newcomer to this thing we call Electro.

His music is heavily 80’s Synthsizer Funk influenced Dreamwave. One minute you are treated to a slap bass frenzy and squelchy Moog lead lines, the next it’s dark, deep synth soundtrack stuff. Complex and analog sounding, Silenx’s productions are the perfect 80’s soundtrack tunes, but teen movie fodder this ain’t! With a dark undercurrent the tracks have a driving, exciting edge to them. ‘Midnight Dreamer’ especially shows Joel to have an awesome knack for layering sounds in just the right places.

♫ Silenx – Nightwalker

♫ Silenx – Midnight Dreamer

Silenx’s début EP, ‘Kaleidoscope’ is out soon on Boombar Music.

Silenx @ Facebook

Apr 16 2011

Computers Want Me Dead

Computers Want Me Dead are a New Zealand duo who build upon the Antipodean Indie-ElectroPop sound to create and exciting, upbeat sound of their own. They released their début EP last month.

Their self titled EP contains four tracks, two reMixes and an instrumental that will leave you wanting more. The duo consisting of Sam Harvey and Damien Daniels take elements of the Modular strain of Indie-Electro and put their own retro inspired spin on it. With really catchy songs, like ‘In Your Blood’, some dangerously powerful synth sounds working in harmony with a smoother Disco backing, and a cool that oozes from every song CWMD are certainly destined for great things.

This is pretty much what I’m listening to for the rest of the day, the sun is out and this is the prefect soundtrack.

♫ Computers Want Me Dead – In Your Blood

Computers Want Me Dead’s self titled EP is out now.

Computers Want Me Dead @ Beatport

Computers Want Me Dead @ Amazon

Apr 16 2011

Vanbot’s début album

It’s been quite the week for Sweden’s Vanbot. Her first album was finally released after a couple of months of build up.

Vanbot’s self titled début is a pretty stunning entrance. The internet has been full of comparisons to Robyn, but I swear if you compare Vanbot to Robyn, then I expect Robyn is probably the only other female ElectroPop artist you’ve ever heard ‘cos other than being Swedish, Female and producing ElectroPop the comparison ends there.

Vanbot (A.K.A. Ester Isdekog)’s tunes are smooth Dancefloor Pop, replacing Robyn’s edgy cool with DiscoPop savvy and a sound that owes more to Sweden’s ElectroPop heritage than her fellow Scandinavian’s. Packed with direct 80’s musical references the record reminds me so much of all those excellent late 90’s/early 00’s Swedish Pop acts that flooded the SynthPop scene, but with a distinct understanding of contemporary Electro music. Top that with Ester’s sweet sweet vocals and you’ve got a winning combination.