Jan 29 2014

[Download] WhoMadeWho’s ‘Hiding In Darkness’

Danish trio and staple of the interesting Electro scene WhoMadeWho have shared a new track taken from their forthcoming new album, Dreams. The track, Hiding In Darkness follows on from the album’s premier single, The Morning, and gives us a different, deeper taste of what we could be looking forward to on the new record.

This track is a big old melting pot of genres, all wrapped up in a slick, downtempo, House mood. With a classic moody SynthPop vocal, wicked Disco licks and spacious House grooves. With an almost Industrial purcussion, the track (unsurprisingly inspired by legendary Berlin Techno club; Berghain) the track has an edgy, enigmatic quality that give the tune new levels without ever interfering with the dancefloor catchiness.

♫ WhoMadeWho – Hiding In Darkness

WhoMadeWho’s Dreams is released 3rd March

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Jan 28 2014

[Download] The Soundmen & Queen Of Hearts’ ‘Games We Play’

In advance of the release of her early anticipate début album later this year, top British Pop star Queen Of Hearts has teamed up with Brooklyn/Seattle newcomers The Soundmen to deliver Games We Play. Taken from The Soundmen’s new, self-titled EP the track breaks new ground for an artist who has always flowed with a decidedly European sound.

Games We Play is very American, taking it’s sound pallet from the current wave of dance music emanating from the US (no, we’re not going to use those three ridiculous letters) and working those synths into something that more resembles ElectroPop. Queen Of hearts brings some class to the proceedings with a typically passionate performance and that beautiful mix of melancholy and optimism she does so well. While we’re not as taken with this track as we are with the Queen’s solo offerings, it’s a nice way to tide us over until her album drops.

♫ The Soundmen (Feat. Queen Of Hearts) – Games We Play

The Soundmen’s The Soundmen EP is released today.

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Jan 27 2014

[Download] Bright Light Bright Light & Ana Matronic cover Pet Shop Boys’ ‘West End Girls’

Here’s a nice surprise for the start of the week. One of the UK’s leading SynthPop artists Bright Light Bright Light teaming up with Scissor Sisters’ Ana Matronic to cover Pet Shop Boys classic West End Girls. Premièred last week live in NYC for the Hetrick-Martin Institute Benefit the track is now available as a free download, so get it while it’s hot.

Loads of people have covered West End Girls. Like loads. But very few have been able to keep the sombre, deadpan angle of the track intact. BLx2 and Ana Matronic manage to pull this off triumphantly. Rod injects his flair for 90s dance into the track with popping beats, shiny synths and some subtly 909 snare rolls. Their vocals are surprisingly complementary too, with Ana handling most of the verse action, joined by Rod for the choruses, being true to the original but giving it a twist with their own personalities. A very good job indeed.

♫ Bright Light Bright Light & Ana Matronic – West End Girls (Pet Shop Boys Cover)

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Jan 27 2014

[Download] Digitalism’s ‘Fahrenheit 32’

Fahrenheit 32 is the new tune from acclaimed German duo Digitalism, and according to them the start of a new era. “‘Fahrenheit 32’ marks a new direction for us both musically and creatively. It’s not just a milestone on a long journey of ours, but also a peace offering for what’s about to come.” they say, which kinda’ mean ‘we’re making House now’, and if this new tune is anything to go by it’s gonna’ be an awesome time for new music from Digitalism.

Just check out that bassline! Infectious as hell. Fahrenheit 32 is a pretty progressive tune that is well suited to the big room, despite lacking the big lead builds. It’s be more accurate to call it an ‘intelligent big room tune’. Fun and carefree, but with a serious concentration on sound design, the tune will win you over with it’s catchy hooks and kinetic House beats. More like this please guys!

♫ Digitalism – Fahrenheit 32

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Jan 24 2014

[Download] Summer Occasion’s ‘Still Got <3'

Here’s he latest tune from LA based Tongan producer Summer Occasion. You may remember Summer Occasion from his dreamy reMix of Box Of Wolves & Christa Vi’s Boy. At the star of the year he dropped a new tune, Still Got ❤, a slow jam with a New Jack swing to it. Well, this tune had it’s origins in a more buoyant dance track which the man has just uploaded to his Sound Cloud page. Check out the Tropical bliss.

The original version of Still Got ❤ is a great, warbling, slice of summer gold. Existing at the nexus of laid back and upbeat. Rocking some hazy R&B samples and a plethora of hazy synth sounds, Summer Occasion brings his LA vibe to every corner of the globe. Mixing up a little Nu-Disco, a little Chillwave, a little Tropical with a whole heap of LA style Funk, this version of Still Got ❤ is ripe for dancefloors once the hot weather kicks in in 2014 (or right now if you;re in LA, we guess). Check out the alternate version too, for some chilled out swing vibes.

♫ Summer Occasion – Still Got ❤ (Original Mix)

♫ Summer Occasion – Still Got ❤

Check out more from Summer Occasion on SoundCloud.

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Jan 23 2014

[Download] Mereki’s ‘Blue Lake’ reMixed by Wmnstudies

We thought we’d gotten all we possibly could out of LA ElectroPopper Mereki’s Blue Lake; but it’s the song that keeps on giving. This latest reMix comes courtesy of Canadian duo Wmnstudies. We have no idea how they perceive you are supposed to pronounce that (and, frankly, the dropping vowels thing, if there are vowels dropped, is so unoriginal now), but we do know they have done a sterling job, delivering an undulating, soothing, House rework of the track and another awesome addition to their rapidly expanding impressive catalogue.

With just a hint of Topical purcussion, Wmnstudies wrap Mereki’s enchanting voice around a selection of rounded beats, warm keys and playful use of the vocals. Smoothing the song out, the duo intertwine the bass and drums into one juggernaut rhythm section that is compelling and utterly hard to resist. Fast becoming out favourite reMix of Blue Lake, Wmnstudies’ version of the track serves up just the right amount of bouncy House action, just enough to make you look forward to summer; not so much you don’t want to be in the now.

♫ Mereki – Blue Lake (Wmnstudies reMix)

Mereki’s début EP is due out soon.

Check out more from Mereki on SoundCloud.

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Jan 21 2014

[Download] FM Attack’s ‘Fade Away’ reMixed by AIMES

Fade Away was one of the many highlights of Vancouver based SynthWaver FM Attack recent Deja Vu album. The Julian Sanza featuring track was like a Balearic Trance injection into the RoboPop proceedings. The track has just been reMixed by one of our favourite of Brooklyn’s exports (and there are many), AIMES, who brings a little deep Disco groove to the track.

Rocking an utterly infectious walking bassline, AIMES takes a track build for sunrises on the beach and turns it into a smooth jam for sunsets in the city. Still keeping the Balearic feel to some degree, AIMES works up smokey rhythms and wicked little licks around FM Attacks dreamy space synths. The hazy vocals are the icing on the cake, drifting over the track like a voice on the wind. This’ll have you screwing up your eyes tight shut and wishing for summer.

♫ FM Attack (Feat. Julian Sanza) – Fade Away (AIMES reMix)

FM Attack’s Deja Vu is out now.

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Jan 21 2014

[Download] Preqwal’s ‘Dimension (Side A)’

Newcastle based producer Preqwal’s project started life as a Hip Hop endeavour but soon morphed into an 80s Synth Funk/Electro concern through a love of synth, drum machine and samplers; and quite right too! He’s just released his second album, Dimension (Side A); a six track synthetic opus that whilst being purely SynthWave, has more in common with the likes of Com Truise than the faux-80s crowd.

Heat Of The Night kicks the album off in high gear, lawyers of raw synth sounds tumble across each other creating waves of emotive audio to serve as a base for the soaring, buzzing solos. Hexagon follows injecting a little downtempo moodiness into the release before Mysterium’s enigmatic Sci-Fi soundscape plays with SynthFunk grooves in an futuristic, ambient setting. Mysterium sets up an urban dystopian groove that is continued into City Nights, which is an involving composition of vintage synths and machine drums matched against starlight lead lines. I Wanted To See You takes things further into Synth Funk territory, with an almost LA Funk vibe and a little BladeRunner backing before the brooding Electro of The Morning After sees the album out on a true SynthWave high. It’s an interesting release, an sonically pretty different from the current crop of SynthWave offerings, a lot more ‘garage’ sounding. Definitely one you should investigate further.

♫ Preqwal – Heat Of The Night

♫ Preqwal – The Morning After

Preqwal’s Dimension (Side A) is out now.

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Jan 20 2014

[Download] Keep Shelly in Athens’ ‘Old Time Glory’

Sarah P has left Keep Shelly In Athens. That’s some pretty sad shit right there. The voice of Keep Shelly In Athens has departed to peruse her own projects, isn’t that what they used to call ‘musical differences’? KSiA plan to carry on the good work with a new vocalist, and the occasional guest, but Sarah’s voice was so distinctive you can;t help but feel like it’s the end of an era. So, how do they give Sarah a fitting send off? But releasing her final track, one that sums up the golden era of KSiA both in sound and title. Old Time Glory.

Shiny, sparking and bouncy ElectroPop permeates every minute of Old Time Glory. Optimistic and hopeful (or maybe we’re just reading too much into it), it’s an upbeat track with Sarah riding it perfectly; dominating the track with her playful vocals. It’s a bit of a bittersweet parting gift, but it’s an awesome slice of SynthPop so let’s ignore the context. Who needs context anyway? Stupid words with ‘x’s in them.

♫ Keep Shelly in Athens – Old Time Glory

Keep Shelly In Athens’ début album, At Home, is out now on Cascine.

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Jan 20 2014

[Download] Alison Valentine’s ‘Curious’

Curious is the new one from one of New York’s finest Indie-ElectroPop exports Alison Valentine. We last saw Ally V being featured on a Kitsuné compilation with Circles And Triangles; since then she’s teamed up with one of today’s great unsung analog synth wizards, Chrome Canyon, to produce this lush slice of summery Pop on a vintage Disco meets über-cool IndiePop tip.

Curious is an intoxicating meeting of Allison’s sweet voice and penchant for roller-rink jams with the swooshing, Sci-Fi Disco sounds of Chrome Canyon. Laid back keys ease the song into your heart before introducing warm, funky, bass and a feel-good groove. Warbling synths drag this tune straight out of the 70’s into 2014 with a tune that primed for the summer. Amongst the relaxed poolside sounds Allison’s vocals make the track. A hazy dream; the song is like a wave of catchiness that gets well stuck in your head.