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.

♫ Vanbot – Make Me, Break Me

♫ Vanbot – Lost Without You

‘Vanbot’ is out now.

Vanbot @ 7Digital

Vanbot @ Amazon

Apr 15 2011

SaiR

Like Dreamwave? You will probably love this track!

Portugal’s SaiR (A.K.A. Ruben Allen) is proving himself to be an upcoming producer to keep an eye on. With his new track, ‘Clockwise’ is displays an awesome talent for creating synth sounds, I literally adore every patch used in this track, and SaiR rides those sounds with ease. From the Electro-Funk bassline to the sweeping retro chords and the Funk lead that runs throughout Ruben handles intricate and intertwining melodies like a master.

Keeping a strong 80’s vibe with the leads and a driving rhythm section ‘Clockwise’ is Dreamwave with a solid groove. Fans of the Valerie crew’s output wanting to put some Funk in their lives should defiantly check out SaiR.

♫ SaiR – Clockwise

‘Like’ Sair On Facebook to keep up with all his tunes:

SaiR @ Facebook

Apr 15 2011

What have Substatic been up to?

Well…holed up in some kind of Substatic bunker writing tunes, that’s what.

After extensive gigging their highly recommended début EP for the past year (and, I presume, taking a couple of months to get over making it into electronic rumors’ top 5 tracks of 2011!) it was time for Bristol’s finest Electro trio to get their groove on and look to their next release. They have let two demos form their next release into the wild via their SoundCloud page. The first to see the light of day was ‘Bloodlust’, a laidback, slightly Dubsteppy, tune with an air of tension running throughout, but in instrumentation and Colleen’s borderline lamentation vocal delivery. Then there is ‘Gold’, a track that deserves to be played loud. ‘Gold’ is an in-your-face Electro beast, Substatic have assimilated both Dubstep and Electro-House’s synth work and sprinkled it with an ElectroPop sheen. ‘Gold’ will defiantly be one of this summers anthems.

Bearing in mind that these are both still works-in-progress, it seems Substatic’s next release will be something to get excited about.

♫ Substatic – Gold (Demo.)

♫ Substatic – Bloodlust (Demo.)

Substatic’s ‘Days Go On’ EP and ‘Days Go On: the_reMixes’ are both available now.

Substatic @ Juno

Substatic @ 7Digital

Substatic @ Amazon

Apr 15 2011

Johan Agebjörn & Le Prix reMix DW

In our second post this week featuring Johan Agebjörn & Le Prix’s team-up is this reMix they have dropped of Stockholm Italo Pop duo DW.

Their reMix of ‘Nine Lives’ hits all the right ElectroPop spots. It’s a futuristic jam that favours mighty layered synths over the originals more stripped down analog vibe. This is rocketship Pop, real leaving Earth stuff with an amazing, and haunting, cosmic solo for it’s finale.