Mar 31 2011

AlunaGeorge; ‘Disobey’

AlunaGeorge are one of the acts this year that we are defiantly keeping an eye on and with each new song they’ve dropped so far we haven’t been shaken from our belief that the duo are going to go far.

Their newest track, ‘Disobey’, leans more toward American Indie-Electro than their previous offerings but still sounds uniquely AlunaGeorge. The use of layers upon layers of toytown synths to create a full sounding production works really well and results in a sumptuous backing track that still retains an interesting level of quirkiness and charm that provides the prefect accompaniment for Aluna Francis’ vocals, which have a similar quality. Danceable and poppy whiles at the same time introverted and experimental.

♫ AlunaGeorge – Disobey

AlunaGeorge are one of the most interesting acts around right now.

AlunaGeorge @ Amazon

Mar 31 2011

Queen Of Hearts & StardonE

Sooooo, we haven’t written about Queen Of Hearts yet. Was there a reason for that? Well, yes and no. We’ve love both her songs to date, played them a lot round these parts, especially her work with on of our favourite producers, Diamond Cut, but always felts a little suspicious of all the hype. It’s not that we didn’t love them music, it’s just that we felt there was a joke we weren’t in on. When every single music publication we admire gushes about something on the basis of a thirty second sample and the artist has been in the studio with Diamond Cut, Fear Of Tigers and Dreamtrak, three producers we love, I dunno’, the whole thing seems a little ‘manufactured to be blog friendly’ for me.

However…we could be wrong, and on a purely musical front Queen Of Hearts is, we will admit, worth a lot of the hype.

Her recent track, the Diamond Cut produced ‘Where Are You Now?’ is prefect Pop for a Dreamwave generation (maybe our suspicion cones from it being too good?). DC knocks it out the park with his dancefloor 80’s production, the slick Disco guitar riffs and massive sweeping synths would make an awesome instrumental track in their own right but work amazingly well as a backing for QoH’s sultry, if a little distant, vocals. Sounding a little like ‘Little Boots a couple of years older’ Queen Of Hearts has the potential to be something really special. On top of that our favourite Korean, StardonE, has reMixed the track bringing his cosmic Nu-Disco to the tune with some rad little funky riffs.

♫ Queen Of Hearts – Where Are You Now? (Produced By Diamond Cut)

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

I’m probably wrong about Queen Of Hearts, and even if I’m right, the music will remain pretty awesome, and that’s really what counts in the end.

Queen Of Hearts @ Beatport

Mar 30 2011

Blende’s ‘One Sided’

Stockholm based duo Blende are dropping a new double A-Side single this week on La Bombe Records.

‘One Sided’ is a track that straddles the thin line between modern ElectroPop and Nu-Disco. It’s an arpeggio driven dancefloor tune with hints of Moroder and a surprisingly laidback groove for such an upbeat song. Top that with some silky smooth Vocoded vocals and you have a jam that sounds as fresh as it does retro. It’s double A-side ‘Egypto’ is a rad old-school Electro workout that bridges the gap between B-Boys and the Disco!

♫ Blende – One Sided

The track ‘One Sided’ get versioned by the awesome Louis La Roche, who brings his slick Electro-Disco style to the tune and gives it added dancefloor appeal. It’s French Touch feel seamlessly incorporates itself into the vocoder work.

♫ Blende – One Sided (Louis La Roche Innovation)

‘Egypto’/’One Sided’ is out this week on La Bombe

Mar 30 2011

Tim & Jean’s ‘Come Around’ video

Australian ElectroPop newcomers Tim & Jean’s track ‘Come Around’ will be their UK début single. It’s a bit more Disco than their Aussie single ‘I Can Show You’ (which is no bad thing!) which sees them setting themselves apart from Empire Of THe Sun et al’

Here’s the video for the song, it’s full of greasers. Go figure!

‘Come Around’ is released 10th April on Publica

Tim & Jean @ Juno

Tim & Jean @ 7Digital

Tim & Jean @ Amazon

Mar 30 2011

Kitsuné Maison 11! Already?

They just keep on coming! Barely pausing for breath between Maison 10 and Kitsuné Parisien, Kitsuné Music are releasing the next instalment in the Kitsuné Maison series in May. this time around it’s ‘The Indie-Dance Issue’, a title which promises much.

Check the track list:

01. – Let’s Go All The Way (Early Version)
02. Alexander Dexter Jones – Phantastic Phone Call”
03. Housse De Racket – Roman
04. Polarsets – Sunshine Eyes
05. Gallops – Miami Spider (Ponciau edit)
06. Cosmonaut – Say What You Want
07. Creep (Feat. Romy Madeley-Croft From The XX) – Days (Azari & III reMix)
08. Is Tropical – The Greeks
09. Peter & The Magician – Twist
10. The Touch – Sermon
11. Logo X Icona Pop – Luvsick
12. Beat Connection – Silver Screen
13. Nightbox – Pyramid
14. Guards – Resolution Of One
15. Fiction – Big Things
16. Exotica – Conte D’Eté (Afrofunk Version)

There’s a lot of stuff on there I’m very interested in hearing, and a few gems we’ve heard before:

♫ Cosmonaut – Say What You Want

♫ Creep (Feat. Romy Madeley-Croft From The XX) – Days (Azari & III reMix)

‘Kitsuné Maison 11: ‘The Indie-Dance Issue’’ is released 16th May, I expect a JBAG minimix will show it’s face soon.

Kitsuné Music @ Beatport

Kitsuné Music @ Juno

Kitsuné Music @ 7Digital

Kitsuné Music @ Amazon

Mar 28 2011

Parallels’ new EP

The Torontonian ElectroPop awesomeness that is Parallels return today with the release of their new EP ‘Salome’.

Their track ‘Ultralight’ from last years’ ‘Visionaries’ album, made it into our top 20 tracks of 2010 list and we couldn’t stop playing the whole CD in Spring last year so any new Parallels release was eagerly anticipated. And the EP doesn’t disappoint, continuing the duo’s spacious, yet warm, sound layered thick with lush synths floated above by Holly Dodson’s angelic vocals. this is the kind of track that makes me remember why I got into SynthPop in the first place!

♫ Parallels – Salome

The ‘Salome’ EP is out now. go check it out. Parallels are about to embark on their ‘Visionaries tour of North America, details here.

Mar 28 2011

Justice. Ali Love. Civilization.

I was debating posting this, by now it’s, literally, everywhere…but, hell, it’s too awesome not to!
I don’t mind admitting that I was worried about the forthcoming Justice album. Could they top, or even just follow ‘†’? Would the new album just follow what they now know is a successful ‘Justice formula’?

There was no reason for me to worry. ‘Civilization’, featuring vocal duties from ElectroPop badass Ali Love, is jaw droopingly good. It’s got all the balls of Justice’s most powerful tunes and all the funkiness of their more Disco leaning tracks, wrapped up in one sweet package. It’s catchy as hell to, for a Justice song, and is driven throughout by some of the best mixed piano I’ve heard in ages.

If I were you I’d get used to hearing this:

♫ Justice (Feat. Ali Love) – Civilization (Radio Rip)

The single drops on 4th April on on Ed Banger.

Mar 28 2011

Golabek’s ‘Babe (Don’t Feed the Wildlife)’

Today sees the release of 17 year old Californian producer Golabek’s first single for the awesome Mullet Records.

‘Babe (Don’t Feed the Wildlife)’ is a slick, soulful slab of Electro-Funk. Unashamedly 80’s Disco the track is an impressive début for such a young artist. Showing musical maturity beyond his years, Golabek whips up a slowly building DiscoPop storm with layers upon layers of percussion, strings and wild licks.

♫ Golabek – Babe (Don’t Feed the Wildlife)

‘Babe (Don’t Feed the Wildlife)’ is out now Zaku-Chan:

Golabek @ Juno

Golabek @ 7Digital

Golabek @ Amazon

Mar 25 2011

Monarchy Vs. Bag Raiders

More Monarchy! More Bag Raiders! Indeed!

Easily two of our favourite artists of recent times clash on this reMix from Monarchy’s forthcoming ‘I Won’t Let Go’ reMix package. Bag Raiders pull back the speed and drop a deep Italo track with nod than a small nod to early 90’s House, which is odd at first but really gets under your skin. this reMix is a bit like being drunk, the more you get the more you want!

♫ Monarchy (Feat. Rokhsan) – I Won’t Let Go (Bag Raiders remix)

‘I Won’t Go’ is released 11th April on Moda. Mustang and Sam Tiba coming soon.

Mar 24 2011

MNDR Vs. Hervé

Green Label Sound sure love giving away great tracks for free!

Having already released MNDR’s ‘Cut Me Out’ for free on their official website they now take the same approach with this reMix from UK Rave master and Cheap Thrills head-honcho Hervé. Be prepared for some rough and ready digital dance music. Bass heavy and in your face, Hervé’s reMix is the kind of track that makes you forget where you are on the dancefloor, until the big breakdown kicks in.