Oct 15 2012

Only You

When music is just thrust upon us with no introduction, it can be hard to muster up the enthusiasm to even listen to it, in the flood of promo material we receive every single day making yourself stand out is pretty important. But sometimes we have a little more time on our hands, or are just feeling intrepid, and dive on in to random track. This time around we are extremely glad we took the plunge with American retro Pop outfit Only You, who sole track, Secrets, is a pretty stunning début.

Secrets is an amazingly slick, and well produced, slab of 80s Pop. Changeling the best in mid-80s American SynthPop, it’s got that big production sheen that at the time you could only get from multi-million dollar 48 track studios, and even on todays technology still requires a hint of talent to recreate. the track is layered with rich vintage synth sounds, with multiple pads and lead lines weaving in and out of one another. It’s the vocal on Secrets that makes the track really shine, though. Not only is it lyrically a lot of fun, but the vocal performance is pitch perfect 80s Pop, right down to call-and-response backing vocals in the chorus. And the way the vocals play off against the sparking leads and bouncy post-Italo bassline make the song a fantastic slice of nostalgia. This is 80s Pop done properly.

♫ Only You – Secrets

Check out more from Only You on SoundCloud.

Buy Only You’s music from:

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Oct 15 2012

Mr. Pteez’s ‘Radio Vice’

Russian purveyor of sweet Electro Boogie and SynthWave Mr. Pteez is back. After impressing us a number of times with his combination of rich retro synths and B-Boy beats, and now after a few months of silence Pteez has conjured up a brand new swatch of dreamy synth sounds.

Radio Vice is more traditional SynthWave (if that is even a ‘thing’) than Pteez’s past offerings, but here he shows that when he turns his hand to straight-up Outrun, he’s still got the chops. Pteez’s signature is his deep, warm synths. Everything sounds so hazy and comfortable, there’s no abrasive riffs here, it’s all synth lushness. With a smooth, pounding Italo bassline and filtered claps driving the track, it;s still got the energy level of Pteez’s other work, but here that’s surrounded by intertwining, smoky, lead lines. All too short though.

♫ Mr. Pteez – Radio Vice

Check out more from Mr. Pteez on SoundCloud.

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Oct 12 2012

Queen Of Hearts’ ‘Warrior’

Queen Of Hearts is back with a brand new single, and that usually means we’ll be having a good weekend, and if we don’t at least we’ll have something to play on repeat. One again teaming up with Australian über producer Diamond Cut, the new track, Warrior, is quite a departure for both of them, DC especially, but it’s an experimentation that really works and makes for a nice hit of majesty in Queen Of hearts catalogue.

So, on Warrior, Diamond Cut brings the tribal and Queen Of hearts brings the drama. the result is a powerful, climactic five minutes. Introduced by a sparse piano line that rings, hunting, in the distance as the first signs of hammering percussion and a passionate vocal delivery from The Queen, who’s voice glides across the track like a siren’s call amidst the relentless arpeggios and militaristic pounding drums. The addition of edgy stings just heightens the cinematic feel of the track. We weren’t expecting something in this vein from The Queen’s next single, but it’s a pleasant surprise and merely extends her sonic pallet. We’ll be keeping en eye on that chunky guitar though (yes, we heard it DC!). Queen Of Hearts is off to the states for a handful of shows this week; you guys aren’t going to know what hit you!

♫ Queen Of Hearts – Warrior (Produced By Diamond Cut)

Queen Of Hearts’ Warrior is released on 2nd December.

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Oct 12 2012

Hot Hot Hawk’s ‘Rise and Down’ reMixes

Wearerussians are bringing us the best of Russian synth and Disco once again with the new EP from Hot Hot Hawk. the track itself, Rise And Down featuring the vocals of Ksenia Popova, has been out a while now. We covered it back in August, but now Wearerussians have dropped a full reMix package, for free no less.

Rise And Down, is a piercing vocal Disco track that nicely merges hot Hot Hawks lush, vintage sound with Ksenia’s accented vocals. Adding a little Tropical vibe to Hot Hot Hawks usual output, Rise And Fall has got more than a couple of summer anthem qualities. Phalanxes Of Fingers beef up the ‘80’s Disco side of Rise And Fall’s equation with big synth stabs and a playful lead line whist ElectroPopper Voyager instil the track with a warehouse vibe and some nice early ‘90’s House tones. Moskva-Kassiopeya deliver a pumping Electro track for their version. Starting off gently, Moskva-Kassiopeya gradually build their reMix into a galactic dancefloor monster. The reMix package also comes with work from electronic producer Acid Harbour, and the whole thing is well worth picking up. Russia shows us how it;s done once again!

♫ Hot Hot Hawk (Feat. Ksenia Popova) – Rise And Down

♫ Hot Hot Hawk (Feat. Ksenia Popova) – Rise And Down (Phalanxes Of Fingers reMix)

♫ Hot Hot Hawk (Feat. Ksenia Popova) – Rise And Down (Voyager reMix)

♫ Hot Hot Hawk (Feat. Ksenia Popova) – Rise And Down (Moskva-Kassiopeya reMix)

Hot Hot Hawk’s Rise And Down is out now. You can download the whole package from here.

Buy Hot Hot Hawk’s music from:

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Oct 12 2012

Shiny Toy Guns & Treasure Fingers

Our rekindled love affair with LA Electro-Rockers Shiny Toy Guns continues as everything we’ve heard off their new album, III, so far has been an excellent return-to-form, even embracing a bit of Tropical on their recent single Fading Listening. Shiny Toy Guns have always had a weird relationship with reMixes, they tend to attract middle-tier Electro producers who have seemed to deliver mediocre reMixes for the band, which we’ve always considered a shame. Shiny Toy Gun’s tracks are amazingly reMix-able, and they have had some talent work on them in the past, but nothing has ever really gelled. Treasure Fingers has a good ol’ attempt here though, and turns in one of the best Shiny Toy Guns reMixes we’ve heard.

His version of Fading Listening nicely plays on the LA Dreamwave vibe of the original and injects it with a little bouncy Electro and some touch Acid burbling. Bringing a little of his hard Disco vibe to the track, Treasure Fingers largely keeps the vocals intact and uses then to their fullest , brining the track down for Carah Faye’s verses and slickly rolling a syncopated synth bass along with the hazy choruses. Treasure Fingers provided a smooth summery Disco tune that heads toward a dirty synth finale. All we need now is for Shiny Toy Guns’ album to come out.

♫ Shiny Toy Guns – Fading Listening (Treasure Fingers Epicfadewave Mix)

Shiny Toy Gun’s III is released 22nd October.

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Oct 12 2012

Mad Professor Dubs up Van She

So, Van She made a nice, poppy, Tropical song called Jamaica, which was a sweet summer anthem, but who do they turn to when they really want some authentic island vibes? None other than legendary Dub master Mad Professor, who delivers a pitch perfect rendition of the track, taking just the right hits from it and drawing our the Dub.

A Mad Professor reMix of Van She’s Jamaica does exactly what it says on the tin, but of those of us who appreciate the Dub, this is everything we could have wanted for this meeting of minds. The little Tropical melody is present and correct and makes a nice lead for the subby bass to follow. Space echoed snatches of vocal and guitar and cosmic effects run wild on the track. This is the proper summer vibes right here.

♫ Van She – Jamaica (Mad Professor Dub)

Van She’s Jamaica is out now on Modular Recordings and also features mixes from Unicorn Kid, L-Vis 1990, Plastic Plates, and Riva Star.

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Oct 12 2012

Com Truise reMixes Sky Ferreira

American ex-ElectroPop waif turned “American singer, songwriter, model, and actress” (passable, but not really exceling at any one vocation) Sky Ferreira has a new EP out in November. The result of being tossed around from label to label, producer to producer, with no clear vision of her own, the Ghost EP, is the next chapter in her confusing, if occasionally musically pleasing, career. Of particular interest is the lead track, Red Lips and it’s workout by Brooklyn’s king of SynthWave, Mr. Com Truise.

Truise mixes in the Post-Punk guitar of the original with his own vintage synth sounds, which sometimes makes for unusual tones, but luckily doesn’t last long before descending into a full-on collision between the Sci-Fi sounds of Com Truise and the husky vocal of Ms. Ferreira. Com gets busy with rolling analog synth arpeggios and rapid fire and he drags Sky into his dark future world. It;s a strange combination, but one that end up working really well.

♫ Sky Ferreira – Red Lips (Com Truise reMix)

Sky Ferreira’s Ghost EP is released 16th November.

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Oct 12 2012

Lissi Dancefloor Disaster’s ‘Kill The Winner’ video + TobTok reMix

Here’s the video for crazy Swedish ElectroPop cat fanatics Lissi Dancefloor Disaster’s new single ‘Kill The Winner’, a synth rocking, sing-a-long infectious slice of quirk-Pop.

Tim Erem directs this slow-speed chase scene, a scenario wich perfectly fits the tune.

While you’re here check out fellow Swede TobTok’s reMix of the track. TobTok injects the track with a slick Disco edge which replaces the abrasive, almost avant-guarde sounds of the original with some rich, warm synths and a big room Disco vibe.

♫ Lissi Dancefloor Disaster – Kill The Winner (Tobtok reMix)

Lissi Dancefloor Disaster’s Kill The Winner is out now.

Buy Lissi Dancefloor Disaster’s music from:

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Oct 12 2012

Viceroy reMixes Brett

Brett is a new outfit who have hooked up with DubFrequency to release their début double A-side single, Confidence/Kate Moss, this month. The Washington DC band has enlisted the skills of San Francesco’s finest Viceroy to give the track a Disco workout, and that’s not all Viceroy has been up to these days.

Confidence is a summery, live sounding, Pop tune with a Tropical Disco overtone, Viceroy takes that beach Disco vibe and runs with it, layering some driving synth arpeggios and smooth keys and just flow along with Brett’s slick vocal. Bringing in a little House piano in the chorus lifts the track up in sections as Viceroy brings out the real fun in this tune and makes it a soundtrack for good times.

♫ Brett – Confidence (Viceroy reMix)

♫ Brett – Confidence

While we’re on the subject of Viceroy, check out this reMix he cooked up for Australian vintage Disco-meister DCup. Viceroy’s take on DCup’s new single, I’m Corrupt is a great, summery Disco tune that gives Viceroy a wealth of instrumentation to play with, And he does with style. Enjoy, just try not to look out the window.

♫ DCup – I’m Corrupt (Viceroy reMix)

Brett’s Confidence/Kate Moss single is released 30th October

Check out more from Brett on SoundCloud.

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Oct 10 2012

Touch Tone’s ‘Make Believe’

It was May this year that saw the evolution of Andrew Verner from RoboPop commissioner Short Circuit into slick ElectroPop act Touch Tone. His début single, Home Away From Home, was something really special that had talented producers clamouring to remix it. Now the Touch Tone follow-up is here and sees Andrew teaming up with LexiconDon’s Alex Koons for an old school Binary jam.

Make Believe is more Housey then we would have expected, and a lot more Tropical than Home Away From Home, but those two elements, in Verner’s hands, come together to form some sort of blissful holiday ElectroPop monster. An uplifting beast with a kind of unspecific nostalgia, the 909 beat and digital bass have obvious early 90’s House references, but the warm Dreamwave sounds and Island Disco lead line blur the specifics of sound and Touch Tone delivers a smooth, comfortable slice of Pop House that become more infectious with each listen. Alex Koons lends his brand of LexiconDon heartfelt storytelling to the track, and it turns out to be the perfect match, especially in the asthenic chorus. We expect producers to be clamouring to reMix this one too.