French ElectroPop outfit The Aikiu’s sweeping new single, Fools, was released this week. An involving SynthPop number with a Post-Punk twist.
Here’s the video, directed by Lisa Paclet. Don’t worry, it’s not nearly as spooky as the strobed owl at the beginning suggests.
The Aikiu’s Fools is out now.
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Brooklyn Chilly SynthPop artist Aimes is gearing up for the release of a new reMix collection. A release of reworking of tracks from his acclaimed Beautiful Decay EP of last year, Aimes has roped in the likes of Soft Lighting, Chaz Bronz, Beto Cravioto, Travmatic, Business Casual Disco, Rioux and Jules Schimmer and more for an eight track (which is more of an album really!) monster that spans numerous electronic styles and delivers something for everyone.
Standout tracks on the release, for us, include Jules Schimmers’ sumptuous 80’s take on Wake Me Up Before The Sun Goes Down. Schimmer gets his Pet Shop Boys on, heavy on the retro bass and cowbells, all wrapped up in swirling synth strings. The EP’s opener, a reMix of Somewhere In Space We Hang Suspended produced by Soft Lighting, sets the Cosmic mood for the rest of the EP, all pulsating synths in a reverb washed haze. For a more dancefloor oriented inclusion, you can look to Chaz Bronz whose deep Chicago House take on Oh My My has delayed organs and rimshots to place it right at home in a late 80’s warehouse party. The whole EP has everything you’d want, from Disco to Ambient, all wrapped up with Aimes’ Sci-Fi smoothness.
♫ Aimes – Wake Me Up Before The Sun Goes Down (Jules Schimmer reMix)
♫ Aimes – Somewhere In Space We Hang Suspended (Soft Lighting reMix)
♫ Aimes – Oh My My (Chas Bronz reMix)
Aimes’ Beautiful Decay reMixed is released 5th March.
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Here’s the video for London SynthPopper James Yuill’s new single, Turn Yourself Around. An uplifting slice of ElectroPop goodness with a rough Electro riff and passionate vocals.
The clip, directed by Alex Emslie is inspired by the Greek myth of Sisyphus, condemned to futilely roll a massive boulder uphill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this action forever.
Turn Yourself Around is taken from Yuill’s forthcoming third album, These Spirits, which is released 18th March 18th on his own label The Happy Biscuit Club.
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Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:
First up, Yazoo unbelievable smash hit and most recognisable tune Don’t Go. The breakthrough in combining electronic and soul from1982.
And a just post-Buffalo Stance Neneh Cherry with the The Dynamik Duo produced Kisses On The Wind from 1989.
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This week saw the long awaited release, on Kitsuné Music, of a collaboration between two of our favourite producers. French Sci-Fi SynthWaver Pyramid has teamed up with fellow Parisian Disco don Crayon (who appears to have dropped the ‘Le’ from ‘Le Crayon’) to release a massive EP that is everything you’d expect when these two synthesizer worlds collide.
The lead track, So Far Gone, is such a beautiful meeting of minds that it transcends both Disco and SynthWave. A laid back, but solid, Disco groove with some fancy bass playing rolls through the track alongside Pyramid’s dystopian synths. You get Acidic growls rubbing shoulder with blissful beach Disco and a really smooth vocal. One of the best tunes of the year so far. The rest of the EP holds Pyramid’s Wolf and Crayon’s Cosma, two individual tracks, and another collaboration, Utopia. Utopia is a bright Cosmic Disco workout full of big bass, buzzing synths and a retro future feel. Pyramid and Crayon then take turns reMixing each others tracks. Pyramid turning Crayon’s Cosma into a bass heave Galactic synth oddessy featuring broken up vocoding and BladeRunner keys. Crayon takes on Pyramid’s Wolf and injects a healthy does of Disco into the dark synth epic and delivers soaring solos in what could be the EP’s standout. It’s EP comes highly recommended, it’s pretty much a must buy release.
♫ Crayon & Pyramid – So Far Gone
♫ Crayon & Pyramid – Utopia
♫ Crayon – Cosma (Pyramid reMix)
♫ Pyramid – Wolf (Crayon reMix)
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The wait is (almost) finally over. Little Boots has finally announced details of her second album. After months of teasing in the form of the singles Shake, Every Night I Say A Prayer and Headphones (two of which make the new records tracklist, the insanely infectious Headphones remains in single land) Boots has dropped the new records title and release date. Titled Nocturnes, the album is set for release in May and features production assistance from the likes of DFA’s Tim Goldsworthy, Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford and Hercules And Love Affair’s Andy Butler.
Our first (new) taste of what the album holds comes in the form of Motorway. We first heard Motorway back in summer last year when she played XOYO, at the time we commented that it would be a good album lead-in track (not that anyone will believe us), and it so obviously is, showing off perfectly what the new record is all about. Whether Boots is making Dance Music more personal, or personal music more dancy, she walk the line, here, between a deep, hypnotic, dancefloor groover and a gentle, haunting, SynthPop epic. Injecting a fragile humanity into dark, intoxicating, House beats, Little Boots delivers a spellbinding track, both musically and vocally. The big ominous, yet somehow uplifting, grand piano doesn’t hurt either.
Little Boot’s Nocturnes is released 6th May on Little Boot’s own On Repeat imprint.
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One of the UK’s best ElectroPop/Indie-electro outfits, Fenech-Soler, return this week with plans to unleash their second album later in the year and a taste of what to expect. It’s been a rough year or so for these guys, but they are back, fighting fit, and gearing up for a sold-out tour before the album drops.
Following last October’s All I Know single, this new track, Maiyu, proves why Fenech-Soler never disappoint. Kicking off with a deep Housey bassline, the track slowly builds into a rapturous, glitzy, ElectroPop anthem. Taking it’s time to switch between it’s pulsating, dirty synth bass grove and huge euphoric keys, Maiyu, takes you along for the ride as it dips and builds. Assisted by Ben;s rousing vocals and evocative lead lines the track build toward percussion fuelled finale that is sure to see this one as a live favourite.
♫ Fenech-Soler – Maiyu
Fenech-Soler’s new album is due out later this year.
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Moonlight Matters – Vibes Mix = Seba whips up a storming hour in his new mixtape. Expect some huge, current, synth sounds swinging from House to Disco and back again with one or two interesting asides, including a track forthcoming on his own Players label.
♫ Moonlight Matters – Vibes Mix
The tracklist:
01. Moonlight Matters – Memories of Blue
02. Black Sabbath – Planet Caravan (Poolside Rework Extended Intro.)
03. Straws – Nobody Else
04. Lana Del Rey – Ride (Photek reMix)
05. Jessie Ware – Night Light (Joe Goddard reMix)
06. Moonlight Matters – The Rock
07. Duke Dumont – The Giver
08. Clancy – How to Hold on
09. Two Door Cinema Club – Sun (Robert Delong reMix)
10. Oliver – Night Is On My Mind
11. Arcadis – Angel
12. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
13. Falcon Lake – All I Want
14. Black Strobe – The Girl From The Bayou (Dub Mix)
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Not content with leaving it at just Poster Girls, New York duo French Horn Rebellion, even the inclusionists are now releasing a tribute to all Girls. Helped along the way by JD Samson, from Le Tigre & MEN, and rapper Fat Tony, French Horn Rebellion pull out all the stops to get the party started right here.
The new single a fun, feel good, tune with a laid back, but heavy, vibe. Rocking a bassline you can’t help but move to. Punchy synth stabs rub shoulders with fleeting strings and a rolling electric piano riff in a multi layer tune where French Horn rebellion’s vocals are complimented by Samson and a breakdown from Fat Tony. Summery and infectious, Girls will undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
♫ French Horn Rebellion (Feat. JD Samson And Fat Tony) – Girls
French Horn Rebellion’s Girls is released 5th March.
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This week Aranud Rebotini’s awesome Black Strobe release their Swamp Rock Disco monster, The Girl From The Bayou. The dirty Southern groove comes in a loaded remix package that hold a host of different, deep, takes on the song. Brioski, Crackboy, Pharao Black Magic, Heim, Rambla Boys and Holmes Price all deliver the goods in a varied release.
The Pharao Black Magic mix is the standout for us. The Swiss duo brighten up the track a bit with their breezy, relaxed Disco version. Laid back, but with a solid funk, PBM pump out a catchy hook and work sparsely used vocals and guitar into a hypnotic mantra. Rambala Boys’ early 90s House effort mixes up a deep, deep, rhythm section with a bright arpeggio line that feels instantly nostalgic. Keeping that ominous guitar line lends the mix an enigmatic quality whilst keeping things classy. Our final favourite comes from west country Boogiemeister Holmes Price. Price turns-in the most Disco dancefloor friendly of the reMixes, building his groove around a swinging snippet of the guitars and sweeping Cosmic synths and vintage drums. It;s a pretty pleasing reMix package that seems to have something from everyone.
♫ Black Strobe – The Girl From The Bayou (Pharao Black Magic Rmx)
♫ Black Strobe – The Girl From The Bayou (Rambla Boys Rmx)
♫ Black Strobe – The Girl From The Bayou (Holmes Price Rmx)
Black Strobe’s The Girl From The Bayou is out now.
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electronic rumors 