Apr 8 2011

James Varnish (+ Lifelike & Murder One)

James Varnish is a newcomer to this thing we call ElectroPop. the Australian has just released his first single, ‘Compare’.

It’s a strong début, a little rough round the edges but shows a lot of promise. It’s sometimes hard to tell with premier singles, especially full of reMixes, but when Mr. Varnish finds his own voice, his own sound, he could defiantly be a player in the Electro game. He’s got quite a 90’s vocal style with a nice 80’s flair to the music, produced by fellow Melbourne resident Murder One, that combines to form a classic SynthPop sound. All-in-all is a pretty powerful first offering. Even more so is the reMix by Lifelike which is fairly low-down-dirty for a Lifelike reMix with a grungy groove and cut-up vocals.

♫ James Varnish – Compare (Murder One reMix)

♫ James Varnish – Compare (Lifelike reMix)

Check Mr. Varnish’s Facebook page for details of where to purchase the single.

James Varnish @ Facebook

Apr 7 2011

The Sanfernando Sound reMixes She’s The Queen

It’s like She’s The Queen month here at electronic rumors apparently. This is our third post in three weeks! Always on a Thursday too, which is an odd coincidence. Maybe Thursday’s should be She’s The Queen day?

That’s not to say they don’t deserve it though! Today’s track comes courtesy of The Sanfernando Sound who stopped by the electronic rumors Inbox to drop off his awesome reMix of ‘Sleepwalker’s Curse’. With big nods to both late 90’s ElectroPop and 80’s SynthPop, TSS create a dancefloor killer with a Trance like rhythm section and ethereal retro synth leads, embellished with a healthy dose of Simmons tom rolls, which you can never have too many of. The reMix perfectly show’s off Emily’s voice and the ability to hold this kind of massive uplifting tune.

♫ She’s The Queen – Sleepwalker’s Curse (The Sanfernando Sound reMix)

She’s The Queen’s ‘Waiting Game’ EP is out 12th April, keep checking their Facebook page for details:

She’s The Queen @ Facebook

Apr 7 2011

Flashlights, Binary’s latest member…and then there were eight

Binary Entertainment, the West Coast’s ElectroPop mafia, has for so long been a collection of seven acts (which made our Binary Week pretty convenient!), well now that seven has become eight with the introduction of Flashlights.

This Denver based duo of Ethan Converse and Sam Martin’s reverb washed ElectroPop owes as much to Chillwave as it does to Binary’s Dreamwave stable, but carves out a sound for itself apart from the two genres. Emotive and introspective, Flashlights’ songs feel impassioned, both in vocal delivery and the haunting melodies of the music, creating an atmosphere that feels at once strange yet really close to home. That’s not to say the music is purely ethereal, the band have a ear for groove in the rhythm section too. Check out their first single for Binary, ‘Glowing Eyes’, it’s a synthesizer dream!

♫ Flashlights – Glowing Eyes

These synthetic dreamers seem like a welcome addition to the Binary camp, you can check out more of their stuff on their Bandcamp page, and look out for an album on Binary in June!

Flashlights @ Bandcamp

Apr 7 2011

In Flagranti’s ‘Worse For Wear’

In Flagranti return this month with a new single, ‘Worst For Wear’, on Codek.

Apparently leaving being their trademark vintage porn-chic sensibilities in favour of a ‘”trashed-goods” vibe, the duo’s music is still deep, funky, Electro-House goodness. ‘Worse For Wear’ has that visceral organic groove that so many In Flagranti productions sport. It’s an almost physical compulsion to move to the bass. Mixhell is amongst the reMixers contributing to the package with a synthetic Disco workout with a powerhouse, Old School EBM-esq, riff, it’s like Nitzer Ebb Disco gone Acid!

♫ In Flagranti – Worse For Wear

♫ In Flagranti – Worse For Wear (Mixhell reMix)

‘Worse For Wear’ is out 18th April

In Flagranti @ Beatport

In Flagranti @ Juno

In Flagranti @ 7Digital

In Flagranti @ Amazon

Apr 6 2011

Fear Of Tigers reMixes Queen Of Hearts…all hail Queen Of Tigers!

I’m starting to think that Fear Of Tigers tracks are like busses. You wait ages for one then a few come along at once!

The anthemic sweeping Pop of Queen Of Hearts’ ‘Where Are You Now?’ has had a Fear Of Tigers going over. There are a few acts out there that seem to be destined to be reMixed by FOT (I’m still waiting for a FOT reMix of Bright Light Bright Light’s ‘Love Part II’!!!) and Queen Of Hearts feels like one of them. Her accessible classic Pop voice is the perfect accompaniment for Fear Of Tigers’ sparkling retro power Pop. The track is pure ElectroPop genius with an added sprinkling of Disco licks to give it that funky edge before bringing you back to the huge Pop chorus.

Y’all know how much I love Diamond Cut and StardonE? Well, don’t tell them, but this might be my favourite version of ‘Where Are You Now?’…

♫ Queen Of Hearts – Where Are You Now? (Fear Of Tigers reMix)

I’d also like to add that last time I wrote about Queen Of Hearts I questioned both her authenticity and the hype surrounding her. These were comments she took in the spirit in which they were intended and was pretty, well…regal, about it (i.e. she didn’t get shitty about it). People who can take not-necessarily-100%-positive comments about themselves in good humour are people I immediately warm to. She seems like good peeps.

She’s playing her début show tonight at Madame Jo-Jo’s in Soho. So good luck to her and continued good luck to Ben Fear Of Tigers in his charity marathon run.

Props to Robot & Pigeon for getting the premier on this one.

Queen Of Hearts @ Beatport

Apr 6 2011

Shine 2009’s ‘So Free’ video

Shine 2009 are Cascine’s latest offering. This Finnish duo have just released their single ‘So Free’ (Featuring Paula Abdul). It’s a totally late 80’s/early 90’s Pop track that makes me feel so nostalgic, both in look and feel, for a period I didn’t know I felt nostalgic about!

The house piano, the square wave bass sound, the strings, the Hip Hop drums, the synth horns…the haircuts. Love it!

There’s even an M1 in the video!

The clip was directed by Santtu Mustonen.

‘So Free’ was out yesterday on Cascine

Shine 2009 @ 7Digital

Shine 2009 @ Amazon

Apr 5 2011

Van Go Lion: New single and some words!

Portland’s purveyors of perfect Pop Van Go Lion (that’s my clever writing quota for the year done!) release their brand new single ‘Body Moves’ today on Ninthwave Records.

Unashamedly ambassadors for electronic Pop music, the duo of Josh Loerzel and Amy Paige have been quietly and constantly putting out the kinda’ of tunes that make you smile and make you dance for the last year or so but the release of ‘Body Moves’ should give them a bit more exposure and propel them into the ElectroPop limelight. The track features everything we’ve come to expect from VGL in the last twelve months. Josh’s kicking dancefloor production with a synthetic twist and Amy’s powerful vocal delivery and lyrics shot through with a streak of humour.

It’s actually interesting that Ninthwave is putting out the single as in retrospect Van Go Lion are, in many ways, the spiritual successors to the 90’s Modern SynthPop scene. A lot of the elements of Modern SynthPop are present in VGL’s music but with added savy when it comes to contemporary music and dancefloor production (something Modern SynthPop always failed miserably at). Maybe that’s what Van Go Lion represent, Modern SynthPop all grown up and ready for the big time.

With the huge, anthemic, ElectroPop of ‘Body Moves’ Van Go Lion will defiantly be seeing a lot more attention. Listen for the “show me moves made of sweat and a bassline” drop…awesome!

Amy and Josh were kind enough to share their thoughts on this, that and the other. Here’s the ‘words’ bit:

ER: How did you guys get together? Was is always to make electronic music? Were you in bands before you got together?

Amy: I moved to Portland from NYC in ’09 and Josh answered by ad on Craigslist for a band. We’d both been in some bands over the years, but nothing serious. Band sluts! Originally Van Go Lion was a four-piece alternative-pop band, but we decided to do our own thing in early 2010 and it immediately went toward pop. It was totally natural! All it took was the two of us sitting down and listening to a little Tears for Fears, a little Madonna, and that was that, we were synth-pop.

ER: Van Go Lion? What does that mean anyway?

Amy: Haha, we get that a lot. So back in the 80’s there was this goofy show on PBS called ‘Zoobilee Zoo’ where the characters were humans dressed up as singing and dancing animals. Watch it now and you’d probably be horrified, but as a kid it was the most amazing thing. Van Go Lion was one of them. Plus we thought it’d look cool on t-shirts.

ER: Who are your heroes and influences, both musical and otherwise?

Josh: Queen, Billy Ocean.

Amy: PRINCE!

ER:The 3m30s pop song is one of the most important things on the planet and can change your life. Discuss.

Amy: Totally, that quintessential pop song can change your life, so true! A few years ago I would have completely agreed with 3m30s, but now that I’m doing it I’d have to bump that up to 4:30. Lots of the classics are there, Vogue, Billy Jean, they all go up to about 4:30. I think I’m taking this too seriously…but this is serious business.

ER: What movie would you have liked your music to be on the soundtrack of? And what song in what scene?

Josh: Top Gun, the volley ball scene.

Amy: Sex and the City, one of those scenes when the four of them are walking down the street all dressed up and you’re all like, “Watch out, THOSE ladies are OUT ON THE TOWN”

ER: What’s in Van Go Lion’s’ studio? What are your favourite bits of kit?

Josh: 2 Macs, a condenser mic, a couple keyboards and speakers. I like my cool plug-ins galore.

ER: And how does that translate live, both with gear and performance?

Josh: Lots and lots of sampling and live singing.

Amy: The gear is minimal but the sound that comes out is big. Our goal is to make our live show as close to the recordings as possible and I think we do that well.

ER: If money was no object what synth would be your dream purchase?

Josh: A Roland AX-1, red. KEYTAR!

ER: Who would your dream support slot be supporting?

Josh: Madonna or Lady Gaga.

Amy: Robyn, Pink, Sam Sparro or Lady Gaga.

ER: What does the future hold for Van Go Lion?

Amy: Releasing more music! There’s a whole debut album no one has heard yet, plus we’re constantly working on new tracks and on becoming stronger writers and musicians. ‘Body Moves’ is our official single so it’s just the beginning. We really want to get our live set out there. Also, the future will hopefully involve keytars.

ER: Are Van Go Lion more cereal or pile of pancakes for breakfast kinda’ band? Would that change the morning after a show?

Josh: Cereal!

Amy: Cereal, but I’d prefer a big disgusting pile of pancakes any day. Oh yes, especially after a show.

Cheers guys.

Check out title track from the single:

♫ Van Go Lion – Body Moves

‘Body Moves is released today:

Van Go Lion @ Beatport

Van Go Lion @ Juno

Van Go Lion @ Amazon

Apr 5 2011

Alpha Boy’s new EP

Awesome German retro synth wizard Alpha Boy returns this month with a brand new EP, titled ‘Douce Folie’!

Alpha Boy has put the last year of writing and releasing 80’s inspired Synth tunes to good use as all his influences are poured into new EP. Inspired by everything 80’s, from Modern Talking and Phil Collins to episodes of Knight Rider, Alpha Boy would probably be and easiest fit in the Dreamwave scene, but his music stems from a more musically nostalgic place than that. Not necessarily trying to invent 80’s music for contemporary times, AB wraps up his love of 80’s synthesiser music into a style that he sees fit, and it’s a style that, although would work well on the dancefloor, isn’t exactly dance music. It would be better to say that it’s a danceable synthesiser odyssey that has as much in common with Jean Michel-Jarre as it does with Kavinsky.

Here we have the track ‘Glam’ with its intertwining melodies and slightly oriental feel (again there is JMJ as a point of reference). Alpha Boy’s goal in life is to share with his listeners “a touch of the great feeling of the 80’s”…well, mission accomplished!

♫ Alpha Boy – Glam

The ‘Douce Folie’ EP is out now, go check it out!

Alpha Boy @ Juno

Alpha Boy @ 7Digital

Alpha Boy @ Amazon

Apr 5 2011

Zimmer’s ‘Cruisin’’

Portuguese based Disco label Discotexas’ latest signing is French jetsetter Zimmer who bursts onto the scene with this head nodding analog workout.

‘Cruisin’’ is the result of Zimmer dividing his time between Paris and California, and it shows. Displaying the raw Disco of Paris and LA Dreamwave elements, Zimmer reigns in the tempo and delivers a mid-paced, feel good, Summer Disco jam. Incorporating a few Housey tricks and a rhythm section that bores into your soul, ‘Cruisin’’ need the sunshine to survive, it’s a track for lazy Sunday afternoons and good times.

♫ Zimmer – Cruisin’

Lookout for more by Zimmer on Discotexas soon.

Zimmer @ Facebook

Apr 5 2011

Video for Pacific!’s ‘Unspoken’

Here is the video for Pacific!’s ‘Unspoken’, which features a turn from El Perro Del Mar.

You can read the story behind the tune here, the video actually does quite a good job of capturing the narrative without being too obvious.

The video was directed by Ben Roth.

“Unspoken” is out 18th April on Alan Braxe’s Vulture Music. reMixes come correct from Santiago & Bushido, Moonlight Matters, Alex Gopher & Pierrick Devin and Anoraak