[Audio] Cuushe’s ‘Tie’

 

Cuushe

Tokyo’s Cuushe has joined the ever expanding roster of one of the labels we respect the most, Cascine. Not that our respect counts for much, but if we were to hold up an example of an independent label doing it right it would be Cascine. For her latest EP, Cuushe is combining the mighty forces of Cascine and Japanese label flau to release Night Lines, a four track “noir storybook” out in April on digital and limited edition 10” vinyl. Check out the records first track, Tie.

Cuushe serves up a sumptuous and beautiful swirling synthetic soundscape. It’s an unusual mix of modern, shoegaze, electronics, and oddly nostalgic arrangement. The drums spin and roll layered over with waves of smokey pads and pin-prick lead arpeggios. It’s an otherworldly soundtrack to Cuushe’s 80s-tinged ethereal vocals. intoxicating stuff.

♫ Cuushe – Tie

Cuushe’s  Night Lines EP is released 7th April.

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[Audio] FineArt’s ‘Ruffneck’

 

fineart

FineArt is a new producer hailing from windy Brighton. Despite being pretty unknown and just dropping his first track that track has been championed by Annie Mac, who gave it a première on her Radio 1 show. Ruffneck has just been released by Sony. All of which leads us to believe there may be more than meets the eye here. Who FineArt is we’re not sure, but we sure do like the tune.

There’s tons to love about Ruffneck, not least that it kicks off startling similar to The Human League’s Love Action before launching into some hammered House piano. The track is a soup of dance music tropes; the deep bassline is pure Bleep House, the 909 Hats and piano nod to Chicago, the lead  and samples are Rave central and the breakdowns UK Deep House gold. All this should be a mess, but FineArt makes it all work perfectly together. A proper festival anthem.

♫ FineArt – Ruffneck

FineArt’s Ruffneck is out now.

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[Download] Polygrim’s ‘Memories That Hurt’

 

Polygrim

Ukrainian artist Volodymyr Dzitsiuk A.K.A. Polygrim has just hopped on-board with the Synth Records posse for the release of his latest offering. The Pivot EP is seven tracks of intricate electronic beatscapes (yup, just invented the word ‘beatscapes’, deal with it), the lead track on the EP being Memories That Hurt. Check it out.

Memories That Hurt perfectly shows off Polygrim’s skills. It neatly delivers on two levels. One is a hazy and dreamlike synthesizer odyssey, layered with rich pads and warbling leads, the other compelling future R&B beats and rolling basslines. The result is very a Röyksopp-esque symphony sound. Memories That Hurt is quite the narrative composition, laying out a story as it’s densely packed arrangement unfurls. Definitely one to check out if your a lover of chilled synthesizer music.

Polygrim – Memories That Hurt

Polygrim’s Pivot EP is out now.

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[Audio] Rex The Dog’s ‘Sicko’

 

rex the dog

Jake and Rex are back in the game and going home. Their new single sees Rex The Dog returning to their original home, German Techno label Kompakt. Easily one of the finest producers out there, Jake Williams and his four legged friend combines his love of 80s SynthPop with analog Disco grooves and twisted DIY Techno to create a sound unlike any other. This uniqueness will only be enhanced by Jake spending the last couple of years learning how to build synths. Sicko was composed on this home-made equipment, check it out.

Sicko is a spacious tune, but the stripped down elements it works with are used to their fullest to deliver a rich and full sound. Innovative arpeggiated rhythmic modulated voice sampling provides a unique and compelling core for the track; which then accessories with vintage Electro beats and Techno effects. This is the space that Rex works best in, taking eclectic instrumentation and turning into something effortlessly funky. Over it’s six minute length Sicko just keeps delivering the surprises, so dive on in. Fire up the strobes lights and raise the dog with laser eyes, Rex is back to wreck shop.

♫ Rex The Dog – Sicko

Rex The Dog’s Sicko is released 2nd March on Kompakt. Pre-order the 12” here, we have!

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[Audio] Justin Faust’s ‘Casino Royale’

 

Justin Faust

German Nu-Disco beard master Justin Faust released one of our favorite records of last year. His album, Spellbound, was an unbeatable summer soundtrack. Prior to the full length release Faust dropped an EP via New York label Nurvous in 2013 (and it’s companion reMix EP); Disco Cuts. Now the man returns to Nurvous for the follow up; the sequentially titled Disco Cuts II. Here’s the EP’s lead track, Casino Royale.

Casino Royale takes a slightly different tack from the more Synth Disco driven cuts on his album. This, along with it;s release-mates, are sample driven beach floorfillers (if beaches had floors that is, which they don’t, but sandfillers sounds painful). This is a pure holiday jam that injects an evocative 60s vibe into Faust’s Disco groove. Conjuring the same sort of vibes as it’s title suggests, this one is all mini-skirts and Monte Carlo.

♫ Justin Faust – Casino Royale

Justin Faust’s Disco Cuts II is out now.

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[Audio] ATTAR!’s ‘Love’

 

attar

Out next month is the first various artists compilation EP from Clair De Lune Records. This Belgian label hits the ground running with it’s inaugural release featuring work from Leach & Lezizmo, Lumoon & Rob!n and this luxurious tune from one of our favorite deep and dark producers, ATTAR!. ATTAR! weaves Deep House, Disco and EBM through his tunes and this new one, Love, displays all three with a silky finish.

Love serves up some classic House sounds; and then drags them to a mysterious, enigmatic, Sci-Fi space with haunting sounds reminiscent of early Detroit Techno. Amidst all these sweeping futuristic tones and tension building synth strings ATTAR! keeps things from getting to lost in the darkness of space with an infectious House groove. Deeper than Deep House, Love is a House oubliette, one in you’ll never get out.

♫ ATTAR! – Love

Clair De Lune’s Various Friends EP is released 13th March.

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[Audio] The Singles’ ‘Candy’

 

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson is no stranger to music; her past works have included an album of Tom Waits cover version and a collaboration with Pete Yorn that drew it’s influence from Serge Gainsbourg. The next feather in her music cap comes in the form of her new girl-group, The Singles. Featuring Holly Miranda, Kendra Morris and Julia Haltigan alongside Scarlett herself, and Este from Haim on studio drums, The Singles is Johansson’s take on saccharine Indie-ElectroPop. Or as she calls is “super-pop”. Colour us intrigued.

Although topically Candy is as saccharine as it gets, musically it;s actually a lot more ecclectic than it’s ‘super-pop’ alignment hints at. It’s a perfect Pop three and a half minutes that seems to draw a line between Robyn-esque ScandiPop and that particularly American brand of summery Indie-Electro that rears it’s head as soon as the weather gets warmer. With an EBM bassline. And it all works, amazingly well; Candy ends up being an irresistibly catchy, mature slab of ElectroPop with an optimistic vibe and a a weirdly haunting lead line. We definitely want to hear more.

♫ The Singles – Candy

The Single’s Candy is out soon.

Buy The Singles’ music from PledgeMusic

[Video] Madeon’s ‘Pay No Mind’

 

Madeon   Pay No Mind ft. Passion Pit   YouTube

French wunderkind Madeon is like a proper Pop star now, with a proper video and everything., Here’s the clip for his new single with Passion Pit, Pay No Mind.

Well, someone’s investing in Madeon. This video is a glossy and expensive special effects laden blockbuster.

Pay No Mind is take from Madeon’s début album, Adventure, our soon.

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[Audio] Modern’s ‘Terrestrial’

 

Moderns

Earlier this month we unveiled he new tune from LA Dreamwave master Let Em Riot; buy while that’s been going on, the other project, Moderns is still ticking over. They’ve just released a brand new single titled Terrestrial. This one sees relative newcomer Rosie taking up full vocal duties and a shift from the retro nostalgia of past releases to something that boarders on SynthRock. Check it out below.

Rosie’s voice sound super powerful on this one (and not unlike Annette Strean from Venus Hum in places) as she belts out a huge tune set to hammerfall kicks and buzzing arpeggios. The song is majestic and bombastic in a way that previous offerings weren’t; it’s a tightrope to walk as more introspective, personal productions give way to epics. Earlier Dreamwave based production seems to have given way to this new stadium sound, but as long as they don’t add in some rockin’ guitars we’re all good.

♫ Moderns – Terrestrial

Moderns’ self-titled début EP is out now.

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[Audio] Pawws’ ‘Turnaround’

 

Pawws

North-London’s ElectroPop songstress Pawws is back on the scene, following up on her awesome Sugar EP of last year. She’s got a brand new track in the offing, this one comes courtesy of Kitsuné Music’s latest compilation album, Kitsuné New Faces II, released later this month. Welcome back Lucy Taylor’s particularly enchanting brand of sweet SynthPop with Turnaround.

The track launches with some particularly 80s synths before pairing them with a quaint 60s vibe, a-la Saint Etienne. Both bittersweet and tongue-in-cheek, Pawws presents a decidedly British taken on ElectroPop whilst delivering something with universal appeal. Sparkling leads and waves of warm synths form a lilting backing for Lucy’s introspective and relatable vocal. She’s working on her début album right now, we can’t wait.

♫ Pawws – Turnaround

Kitsuné New Faces II is released 23rd February.

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