Dec 6 2012

[Audio] Only You’s ‘The Starchild’

A couple of months ago we featured New Jersey retro Pop artist Only You, who came from nowhere, with just one song, but impressed the hell out of us with his slick, personal, take on vintage Pop music. Now here comes track number two which is, dare we say it, even more catchy and a hint more anthemic.

The Starchild continues Only You’s quest to capture the best of 80s American SynthPop. It’s got everything you’d want in a retro Pop track, punchy drums, appreciated bass, shimmering lead lines and razor sharp chords, with Only You’s vocals, this time round, taking on a big, stadium Pop, quality. You can just imaging rows of screaming teens in big hair singing along on old VHS concert footage. There’s only really a handful of artist who get 80s Pop completely right. Kid Kasio, Patrick Barker and the like, Only You has definitely joined their ranks.

♫ Only You – The Starchild

Check out more from Only You on SoundCloud.

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Dec 6 2012

[Video] Chela’s ‘Full Moon’

We wrote about Chela’s beach funky tune Full Moon last month. Well now there’s a video too, and excusing one.

Directed by By Chela & Chase Burns it features the Fifteen singer getting her groove on all over Melbourne.

Check out more from Chela on SoundCloud.

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Dec 6 2012

[MP3] YACHT’s ‘Second Summer’

Second Summer is the forthoming new single on DFA from LA DiscoPop funkers YACHT. Some might remember the track from the Songs to Burn & Sing compilation that came with DFA’s Shut Up & Play The Hits DVD. This is a tightened up version of the track and it;’s due for release later this month.

And it;s a joy to listen to. Quirky, funky, fun as hell, Second Summer melds a Hot Chip-esque groove, a driving Disco beat and firing popcorn synths with some brilliant lyrics and an unexpectedly rousing chorus. Squeaking, squelching synths and a deadpan delivery is always a nice compilation for something a little different, and YACHT mix that up with a Disco beat. It’s an electronic pleasure.

♫ YACHT – Second Summer

YACHT’s Second Summer is due out 11th December.

Buy YACHT’s music from:

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Dec 5 2012

[MP3] The Knocks reMix Youngblood Hawke

We’ve featured LA Indie outfit Youngblood Hawke’s We Come Running before. It a track with more than a few reMixes out there. Now the band have decide to take charge and release a handful of mixes by some pretty big names. The reMix single holds work from Tiësto (why?) and RAC alongside this brilliantly summery track from New York Disco-meisters The Knocks.

The Knocks smother the track in their upbeat, piano driven dancefloor anthem. Taking in equal parts early 90’s piano House and dirty NYC Disco grooves, The Knocks deliver the standout reMix of this track. Their sound is just as big as the sing-a-long track itself, and the marriage of the two is a match made in heaven. This one is guaranteed to rock the dancefloor and have them with their hands in the air.

♫ Youngblood Hawke – We Come Running (The Knocks reMix)

Youngblood Hawke’s We Come Running reMix single is out now.

Buy Youngblood Hawke’s music from:

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Dec 5 2012

[Video] Sally Shapiro’s ‘What Can I Do?’

Sally Shapiro’s easy-breezy, 60s sounding, new single What Can I Do? has not got itself an equally whimsical video.

Jarett Sitter put together this animated clip, looking just as dreamlike and the song sounds.

Sally Shapiro’s What Can I Do? is released out now on Paper Bag Records followed by the new album, Somewhere Else 26th February next year with contributions from Anoraak, Le Prix and Electric Youth.

Buy Sally Shapiro’s music from:

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Dec 5 2012

[MP3] White Blush’s début EP

White Blush is the pseudonym of LA based artist Carol Rhyu. originally from Chicago, Carol began playing in synth bands when she was in film school in LA, culminating in her launching her White Blush project earlier this year. She’s just released her début, self-titled, EP, and it makes for engrossing listening.

White Blush is a record of many sides, Carol’s music walking a line between hazy Dreampop and Minimal Synth. Stripped down and personal, the six songs on the EP quickly equate you with Rhyu’s ethereal tone and a sparse collection of vintage synth sounds. True Luv, the EP’s opener confronts you with a melodic barrage of ChipTune, raw Drum Machines and waves of dreamlike vocals that swim around the robotic cacophony, a melding of beauty with harshness that is evident throughout the EP. Carol site’s Julee Cruise as an influence, and it’s one she wears on her sleeve. If Cruise was locked in a room with only a TR808, a C64 and an array of broken vintage synths, and sleep deprived, the result may be similar. Mirror matches pulsing arpeggios with a toy-town melody to sound like a fevered dream version of the Blade Runner end titles while Jolene presents imposing industrial drums that are soon tempered with lush synths and some truly epic vocals. 808 Myst is the music from Myst played on an 808, and yes, it is a weird, and downright eerie, as it sounds and lease into the closing track. Juice Of My Heart is rapturous electronic Shoegaze that’s it’s easy to get lost in. White Blush’s début is an impressive, and involving piece of work. An otherworldly journey that leaves you reeling once it finishes and you’re back to reality.

♫ White Blush – True Luv

♫ White Blush – Jolene

♫ White Blush – Juice Of My Heart

White Blush’s self-titled début EP is out now.

Buy White Blush’s music from:

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Dec 5 2012

[Art] Kann Denn Liebe Synthie Sein? on video

If you haven’t managed to catch any of Artist/Designer/Photographer/Synth nut Katja Ruge’s Kann Denn Liebe Synthie Sein? exhibitions in the last couple of years, check out this video from her show at Reeperbahnfestival this year.

It’s a fun clip, with music out of Hamburg’s Synthesizerstudio and added Icona Pop, just for good measure.

Catch up with Katja at canlovebeasynth.com.

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Dec 5 2012

[Video] Goin’ Old School: A-Ha

Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:

Norwegian SynthPop legends A-Ha decided to call it quits this week, leaving a farewell message for their fans on their official website, so today let’s check out three of their best, starting with 1985’ The Sun Always Shines On TV.

One of the best Bond themes ever recorded, The Living Daylights from 1987.

And from 1986, ease yourself out with Hunting High And Low.

You can buy most of this music from:

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Dec 5 2012

[MP3] Leisure Council reMix Young Digerati

Here we have another slice of the smoothest of smooth music from LA’s kings of Dreamwave Leisure Council. Once again they are turning their reMixing skills toward fellow Californian synth dreamers Young Digerati and their track Next Phase. Expect blissful beach vibes.

If you want something to carry your day along on a cloud of laid back synth haze and add a little warmth to a chilly December day, then you’ve come to the right place. Nicky, Jeremy and Sam wash this tune in rolling bass and breezy, nostalgic, synth work. The interaction between the rich vintage synth chords and the playful shimmering melodies give the tune spacious fantastical atmosphere that’s pinned down by an added layer of Funk. The whole track pumps along with some rhythmic vocals and builds toward a soaring solo that takes it to the next level.

♫ Young Digerati – Next Phase (Leisure Council reMix)

Buy Young Digerati’s music from:

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Dec 4 2012

[MP3] Kids At Midnight reMixes Touch Tone

It was back in March that Awesome Australian ElectroPop outfit Kids At Midnight released their long awaited début single via Alan Braxe’s Vulture Music. Since then, things in camp KaM have, at times, been a little up-in-the-air leaving Kids At Midnight essentially Jane Elizabeth Hanley’s solo project. Having weathered the storm Jane is now gearing up to come back fighting (after a brief diversion supplying the massive vocals for this little number) with some amazing new music, beginning with this reMix of LA Dreamwaver Touch Tone’s second single, Make Believe.

Jane decidedly proves she can easily handle the Kids At Midnight moniker solo as she delivers a Housed-up monster of a track. Equal parts laid back Nu-Disco and early 90’s House, the Kids At Midnight reMix offers up some superb piano hooks set against a backdrop of 909s driving basslines. All this Housey craziness actually works really well with Alex from LexiconDon’s vocal, allowing it to take on a slightly different mood than in the original, it almost feels like there is more optimism in his voice when set to such a jump-up backing. We’re hoping this is the first of many new Kids At Midnight track, soon-ish.