Jan 31 2012

Sneaky Sound System’s ‘Really Want To See You Again’ reMixes

SneakySoundSystem

Australian ElectroPop duo Sneaky Sound System must be feeling pretty pleased with themselves, they had an awesome 2011. they released their third album, ‘From Here To Anywhere’ to critical acclaim, which spawned a bunch of singles, most notably the massive ‘Big’ featuring that Oliver reMix.

They start the new year with a new single. Taken from the aforementioned album, ‘Really Want To See You Again’ get the single treatment which kicks off with an epic extended mix. This version really highlights the late ‘80’s/early ‘90’s DancePop influences on this track. Connie’s soulful and slightly gritty vocals switching from Pop Soul to House Diva effortlessly. The reMix package is pretty loaded too. Azari & III do their deep, mysterious, ‘90’s thing with the track. Cutting and pasting vocal snatches over their bass heavy Roland grooves and Sci-Fi synths. Pure deep Chicago House. Funkagenda bring us back into DiscoHouse territory adding wicked little guitar licks and a new male vocal as counterpoint to the original vocal and new heavy synth bassline. KiNK’s reMix is making some waves right now, I wouldn’t say it was my favourite of the mixes, but it’s definitely worthy of the attention, taking the track in an almost Techno direction with it’s droning synths and, er, cuckoo clock. This is the one that’ll blow up dancefloors in Europe.

♫ Sneaky Sound System – Really Want To See You Again (Extended)

♫ Sneaky Sound System – Really Want To See You Again (Azari & III reMix)

♫ Sneaky Sound System – Really Want To See You Again (Funkagenda reMix)

♫ Sneaky Sound System – Really Want To See You Again (KiNK reMix)

‘Really Want To See You Again ‘ is out soon on Modular Recordings.

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Jan 28 2012

Foxes + Pyramid + Monsieur Adi

foxes

Singer/songwriter Louisa Rose Allen’s recently had a second wind, as Foxes, when Neon Gold, always with the finger on the pulse of eclectic Pop, snapped her up for the release of her new single ‘Youth’. released earlier this month.

Appropriately for Neon Gold, the single exists in the nexus between Ellie and Marina. Take Marina’s quirkiness and Ellie’s percussion led bombast and wrap them up with impassioned vocals and a sense of accessibility and it should see Foxes make quite a mark in 2012. You know Neon Gold has an eye for these things. The internet has been graced with some wonderful reMixes of the tune too. Pyramid, who début is still regularly playlisted round these parts, delivers an seriously impressive, driving, SynthWave mix. With a real analog rawness to it, yet still with a Pop sheen. Some majestic organs elevate a track which is probably my favourite version of the song, which is saying a lot when you hear the other reMix. Monsieur Adi, who since his début has done no wrong in our eyes, turns in an awesome, rhythmically exciting, slice of soaring Nu-DiscoPop. Frantic drumming and dagger sharp synth leads and a hint of Samba all fall into Adi’s melting pot and the result is a seven minute aural party.

♫ Foxes – Youth (Pyramid reMix)

♫ Foxes – Youth (Monsieur Adi reMix)

♫ Foxes – Youth

Check out more from Foxes on SoundCloud.

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Jan 26 2012

Kid Kasio’s début album, ‘Kasiotone’

kid kasio

The end of this month sees the long awaited release of Kid Kasio’s début album, ‘Kasiotone’.

In the years before electronic rumors started, and the ElectroPop resurgence of 2007 onward, a band called The Modern (later Matineé Club) was one of the UK big hopes for rocketing intelligent SynthPop back into the spotlight. Unfortunately due to mis-management and major label problems The Modern’s fame was never realised, but ever cloud has a silver lining. Had The Modern never split up then Nathan Cooper may have never adopted his Kid Kasio alter-ego and brought to the world the most authentic ‘80’s Pop committed to recording since 1989.

Everything about the Kid Kasio experience is meticulously overseen by Nathan, from the recordings, to the artwork, to his now legendary videos, all slotting into their place in his perfect vision of the ‘80’s. ‘Kasiotone’ is the epitome of that vision. Kid Kasio isn’t influenced by the ‘80’s, he is the ‘80’s. What we mean by that is ‘Kasiotone’ doesn’t sound like an album that is a pastiche, or a parody, or a homage, or a reverence, or a bandwagon rider, this actually sounds like an album from around 1985 (albeit with modern recording techniques, like a 1985 album remastered). Sure, there is the occasional touch of modern electronic music in the production, but everything about these songs whether it’s the vintage synth and drum sounds or Nathan’s Duran Duran crossed with Nik Kershaw style of songwriting, sounds just like the real thing. That’s not to say you have to be a big fan of ‘80’s music to enjoy this album, ‘cos you don’t. Nathan is both a talented songwriter and instrumentalist. His ability to capture certain emotions in his lyrical narrative, as well as making them catchy is matched by his mastery of melodies and complex programming and results in a collection of songs that has something for everyone. From dancefloor like anthemic ElectroPop of ‘Not For Turning’ or the TOTP sing-a-long of ‘Telephone Line’ to more introspective tracks like the Pop Funk of ‘Paranoia’ or the ‘80’s album track ‘I Miss You’ there is something most people will find to love on this record. Whether you’re a fan of ‘80’s music, or just a fan of ElectroPop in all it’s forms, or just like a good song, this album is definitely worth your investigation.

♫ Kid Kasio – Over And Over

♫ Kid Kasio – The Reason

♫ Kid Kasio – Not For Turning

‘Kasiotone’ is released 30th January.

Check out more from Kid Kasio on SoundCloud.

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Jan 25 2012

Saint Etienne are back!

saint etienne

SynthPop legends Saint Etienne are back! With their first full length studio album in seven years on the horizon the trio have dropped the first single from the forthcoming release, ‘Tonight’.

Two facts about ‘Tonight’ you’ll probably not be surprised at. 1) It’s produced by Xenomania’s Tim Powell, 2) It’s mixed by Richard X. According to SE’s Bob Stanley the track is “about the anticipation of going to see your favourite group. For some reason, I imagine this show is at the Forum in Kentish Town. The whole album is about the power of pop, how it affects and shapes your life.”, which is kinda’ what we’re all about to. The track is big, slick sounding DiscoPop combined with Saint Etienne’s particularly British take on everyday life. A Welcome return.

♫ Saint Etienne – Tonight

Download ‘Tonight’ for free at www.saintetienne.com.

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Jan 25 2012

Goin’ Old School: Howard Jones, Thompson Twins & Nik Kershaw

Howard Jones’ ‘New Song’ from1984. Throw off your mental chains! Throw them off! Do It! I;m watching! Oh Oh Oh!

A Musik Laden performance of Thompson Twins’ ‘The Gap’, again from 1984

More from 1984, Nik Kershaw’s ‘When A Heart Beats’, just ‘cos.

You can buy most of this music from:

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Jan 24 2012

Strangers cover Tears For Fears’ ‘Shout’

strangers

So, if you ignore an James Corden associated abominations, Tears For Fears’ ‘Shout’ is one of the best songs ever written, not many covers do it justice (and some (see aforementioned abomination comment) are so shit they barely qualify as music), thankfully London SynthPop trio Strangers’ take on the track is stop on.

I’ve heard the track with distorted industrial percussion before, but always with terrible industrial vocals, here Strangers get electronically experimental with the beats but keep the anthemic, melodic ,vocals (which aren’t easy to sing, so kudos there!) intact. It’s an awesome slice of dark ElectroPop which really conveys the power of the original song.

♫ Strangers – Shout (Tears For Fears Cover)

Strangers’ ‘EP 3’ is out now.

Buy Strangers’ music from:

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Jan 20 2012

MiGHty mOUse take on Kate Bush’s ‘Cloudbusting’

kate bush

you’d have though by now if you’d heard one version of Kate Bush often reMixes ‘Cloudbusting’, you’d have heard them all. Well, thankfully along comes MiGHty mOUse to do something fresh and give the track a new lease of life.

Dropping a slow building slice of Moroder Disco with little hint’s of Dub was the prefect choice for this track and takes it to an ‘80’s lit dancefloor place it hasn’t been before. The percussion in the reMix is worth mentioning too, with a beautiful melodic quality to it, and the melodies have a percussive quality too which makes for some nice interaction. All-in-all though, if you’re looking for a version of this tune to drop, this is the one. Dancefloor destroying, I believe they call it.

♫ Kate Bush – Cloudbusting (MiGHty mOUse Re Work)

The third instalment of MiGHty mOUse’s ‘Disco Circus’ series will be released 10th March featuring the likes of The Magician,Gigamesh and Oliver.

Buy Kate Bush’s music from:

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Jan 17 2012

Kimbra reMixed by BeNi

kimbra

Prolific Australian producer BeNi has worked some Deep House magic on Kimbra’s forthcoming new single ‘Two Way Street’.

Stripping things down to the minimal, BeNi lets Kimbra’s vocals flow over a hypnotic bass groove. The soulful qualities of her voice really get shine when paired with a simple beat and a gruff, pulsating synth line. BeNi serves up a nice late night jam with this one.

♫ Kimbra – Two Way Street (BeNi reMix)

‘Two Way Street’ features on Kimbra’s début album, ‘Vows’.

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Jan 13 2012

Mausi

Mausi are a Newcastle based four peice who are about to release their début single. The Disco tinged IndiePop of ‘Sol.’.

The tracks been around for a while now but has just been picked up for release in February. It’s got a nice summery Pop feel that owes much to the likes of Passion Pit but with more of a beach party Disco vibe to it. It’s probably the most straight-up Indie thing we’ve featured in a while but they’ve got enough of a French Indie-Electro groove going on that some of you might be into it, we are.

♫ Mausi – Sol.

‘Sol.’ is released 20th February.

Check out more from Mausi on SoundCloud.

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Jan 11 2012

Lola Dutronic covers Suicide’s ‘Keep Your Dreams’

I suppose if there was any of New York’s original ElectroPunks Suicide’s back catalogue that international Lounge SynthPopsters Lola Dutronic could cover it would be ‘Keep Your Dreams’.

LD’s version is a floaty Parisian Pop that sounds classy as always.