Mar 25 2009

The Vault: Cabaret Voltaire

The Vault: The classics of Electronic Music. The influential and the groundbreaking. The pioneering and the music we grew up on…

CabaretVoltaire

I somehow always knew that electronic rumors’ first The Vault article was going to be about Cabaret Voltaire, it had to be really, not only are they highly influential to me, personally, but to every strain of electronic music.

From the early use of synthesizers and tape loops with punk ascetics to pioneering the early dance scene (via being emblazoned on Ferris Buelller’s bedroom wall!), Cabaret Voltaire have done it all…first!

Richard H. Kirk and Stephen Mallinder (initially along with Chris Watson) formed the Cabs in 1973 in Sheffield (ground zero for all things synth) as a way to experiment with sound creation and processing. Strongly influenced by the Dada art movement, they quickly became associated with the burgeoning Industrial scene.

The group’s first (proper) releases were on the legendary Rough Trade Records label and from the early, experimental noise-pop works to the 808 and 303 laden later records Kirk and Mallinder were always ahead of the pack, and, indeed, Kirk was instrumental in the early life of legendary experimental electronic stable Warp Records.

One of the first artists to really embrace using non-musical instruments or found sounds to create music, Cabaret Voltaire influenced all things Experimental & IDM, SynthPop & New Wave and later Bleep House & Dub heavy Techno.

Electronic music just wouldn’t be the same without Cabaret Voltaire.

Here we have a sampler of the Cab’s back catalogue, some obvious, some not. From 1979’s ‘Mix up’, ‘No Escape’ and from the seminal ‘Red Mecca’ (1981), ‘Spread The Virus’. Moving into a more ElectroPoppy area ‘Crackdown’ from ‘The Crackdown’ in 1983 and, probably Cabaret Voltaire’s biggest hit, 1984’s ‘Sensoria’ from the album ‘Micro-Phonies’. ‘I Want You’ comes from their last Rough Trade album ‘The Covenant, The Sword, And The Arm Of The Lord’ (1985) and showing it’s Bleep House influences ‘No Resistance’ is taken from 1991’s ‘Body And Soul’

♫ Cabaret Voltaire – No Escape (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Cabaret Voltaire – Spread The Virus (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Cabaret Voltaire – Crackdown (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Cabaret Voltaire – Sensoria (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Cabaret Voltaire – I Want You (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Cabaret Voltaire – No Resistance (zShare) (MediaFire)

Whether you’re into SynthPop or Experimental, Dub or Dance, Indie or Industrial, Cabaret Voltaire helped shape the music you love. Much of their back catalogue is still available including a few best of compilations:

Cabaret Voltaire @ Beatport

Cabaret Voltaire @ 7Digital

Cabaret Voltaire @ Amazon

Mar 18 2009

Alice In Videoland

AliceInVideoland

Sweden’s Alice In Videoland easily rank as one of my all time favourite bands, describing them isn’t easy as no-one is doing anything quite like them.

A lot of bands use the term Electro-Punk, but it seems to mean something different to each if them. If you ask me, the band that really deserves the title is AiV, Rather than just being some sort of shock-Electro or Minimal-Techno-with-funky-hairstyles act, they actually make Punk songs (well, Pop-Punk) with electronics. Take the best in female fronted Pop-Punk, from No Doubt all the way back to Blondie, give the band synths instead of guitars and you’re beginning to get the picture.

The music is as Danceable at it is pogo-able, noisy synths and frantic drums are cut through with poppy 80’s-esq lead lines and Toril’s sweet & sour vocals.

Their first album, 2003’s ‘Maiden Voyage’, was 10 tracks of absolutely perfectly crafted Electro-Pop-Punk. every time I hear it I always think that, if AiV were promoted more outside Scandinavia or their label had bigger distribution and marketing budget, this record would have been huge!

♫ Alice In Videoland – Got To Go (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Alice In Videoland – Lay Me Down (zShare) (MediaFIre)

Their 2005 follow up, ‘Outrageous!’, had a rawer, punkier sound whist retaining the Pop melodies and hooks. Again, this could have been a hugely popular record, with more exposure Alice In Videoland would have quickly been embraced by the Modular loving Indie-eEectro crowd.

♫ Alice In Videoland – Emily (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Alice In Videoland – Ladykiller (zShare) (MediaFire)

Their most recent album, ‘She’s A Machine!’ from last year, was quite a low key release. It saw a move toward a heavy electronics, almost EBM sound, displaying more club influences than previously.

♫ Alice In Videoland (Feat. Maja Ivarsson) – We Are Rebels (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Alice In Videoland – Weird Desire (zShare) (MediaFire)

Alice In Videoland have meshed Punk/Rock attitudes and songwriting with electronic music in a way that no one else has, and arguably more successfully. Unfortunately, the place AiV have had the most success is the EBM/Industrial scene, which is a musical ghetto and almost a death-mark when it comes to wider exposure. Alice In Videoland deserve better.

So…that’s the point of this post, hopefully some of you Electro kids will give these track a listen, believe me, you won’t regret it.

The band have some new material on the way, keep reading electronic rumors for news.

A fantastic live band, although the one time they visited the UK (back in 2004) seems like so long ago, all three of their albums come very, very highly recommended:

Alice In Videoland @ Alice In Videoland Store

Alice In Videoland @ Amazon

Mar 17 2009

Peaches returns

Peaches

May 4th will see the release of Peaches’ new album, ‘I Feel Cream’, her first in three years. It sees working with a roster of producers that reads like a who’s-who of Electro. Names include Soulwax, Simian Mobile Disco, Gonzales, Digitalism and Drums Of Death.

The first single from the album will be the double A-side ‘Talk To Me’/’More’, produced by Soulwax and Simian Mobile Disco respectively.

The tracks sound just as you’d expect, the Soulwax one sounding like Soulwax featuring Peaches and the SMD one sounding like SMD featuring Peaches!

‘Talk To Me’ is an Electro-Rock riot whilst ‘More’ is a thumping club affair.

♫ Peaches – Talk To Me (Produced By Soulwax) (zShare) (MediaFIre)

♫ Peaches – More (Produced By Simian Mobile Disco) (zShare) (MediaFire)

‘I Feel Cream’ is out May 4th on XL Recordings.

[Via LA Friendly]

Mar 11 2009

We Are Terrorists: Don’t Panic reMixed

WeAreTerrorists

Out this month, on Boxon Records, is We Are Terrorists’ ‘Don’t Panic reMixes’ EP.

The EP feature a whopping 12 reMixes of tracks from last year’s original ‘Dont’ Panic’ EP, 5 of which are available on the 12” (all 12 in digital format).

The ‘Don’t Panic’ EP was a raucous Electro affair full of soaring synths and angsty vocals. The reMix pack is looking like it will include some real club floor fillers.

Amongst the reMixers are Daroc, Digikid84 and DilemN, sample them here at 96kbps:

♫ We Are Terrorists – Ground Zero (Daroc reMix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ We Are Terrorists – Burn Your Club (Digikid84 reMix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ We Are Terrorists – Ground Zero (DilemN reMix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

Check some We Are Terrorists below:

We Are Terrorists @ Beatport

We Are Terrorists @ Juno

We Are Terrorists @ Amazon

Mar 8 2009

Death To Sexy

DeathToSexy

Straight outta’ Canada come Death To Sexy describing themselves as ‘Punk-infused Electro’, I’m hearing a dash of early 80’s ‘dirty’ SynthPop, a sprinkling of old school EBM, a spoonful of ElectroClash and a healthy helping of modern Electro.

Dirty bass and dancefloor beats sit underneath vocalist Kelcy Clark’s brooding lyrics.

Check out the hypnotic bassline of their track ‘Operation Housewife’:

♫ Death To Sexy – Operation Housewife (zShare) (MediaFIre)

And ‘Pick Up Line’ from the band’s début album.

♫ Death To Sexy – Pick Up Line (zShare) (MediaFIre)

The ‘I Am A Whore EP’ is available on Beatport, whilst the album ‘Fall Of The Prom Queen’ can be purchased from CDBaby (or downloaded free on the bands MySpace page)

Death To Sexy @ Beatport

Death To Sexy @ CDBaby

Feb 28 2009

Kap Bambino new video

Noisy ElectroPunks Kap Bambino are soon to unleash their second album, ‘Blacklist’, on Because Music.

As a prelude, the ‘Red Sign’/’Acid Eyes’ double A side single will be released on March 9th. The video has already hit.

More Noise-Pop goodness!

Kap Bambino @ Beatport

Kap Bambino @ Juno

Kap Bambino @ 7Digital

Kap Bambino @ Amazon

Feb 24 2009

Video Villain

videovillain

It strikes this blogger that New Wave band Dead Disco splitting up was one of the best things to happen to UK music in the past few years. On the one hand it gave us Little Boots, and on the other it allowed Marie and Lucy to follow their own path.

That path is Video Villain, who’s demo. I am absolutely loving.

A combination of noisy beats and low-fi synth work provide the backing for some seriously catchy songs, which culminates in something that somehow manages to be raw and harsh yet at the same time incredibly poppy.

There’s nothing really to compare VV to, you’ll hear bits of Curve, maybe bits of Crystal Castles, but the girls have got more of a cool, rock ‘n’ roll, swagger to them. Imagine a bunch of late 70’s New York punks locked in a room with a couple of Korg MS-20’s…

Visit their MySpace page to sample some tracks from Video Villian’s demo.:

Video Villain @ MySpace

And check this reMix of ‘Low’ from Modernaire:

♫ Video Villain – Low (Modernaire reMix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

My wish for Video Villain is that when they get signed (and they will get signed) the lucky label doesn’t get some producer to polish them up.

Dirty, grungy Electronica all the way!

Currently unsigned (a travesty!), head on over to their MySpace to show them some love and while you’re there pick up a copy of their limited edition demo..

Video Villain @ MySpace

Feb 20 2009

Shy Child

shychild

New York’s amazing synthesizer noiseniks Shy Child have delivered up this reMix of their friends, Demander, for your listening pleasure.

♫ Demander – Books (Shy Child reMix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

I really believe Shy Child are pretty unique in their approach to electronic music. Raw and punky but oh-so poppy too. Plus, they are fantastic live!

If you’ve not been exposed to Shy Child yet, here are two of the best off their last album:

♫ Shy Child – Drop The Phone (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Shy Child – Noise Won’t Stop (zShare) (MediaFire)

You’ll be wanting to buy some now:

Shy Child @ 7Digital

Shy Child @ Amazon

Feb 5 2009

Datarock done by Kissy Sell Out

datarock

Red tracksuits can only mean one thing…Datarock are up to something or other.

This reMix of ‘Give It Up’ by the always rockin’ Kissy Sell Out was harvested from the NME’s Daily Downloads blog but you can hear in right up in this place!

♫ Datarock – Give It Up (Kissy Sell Out Mix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

Soaring synths ahoy!

Datarock @ Beatport

Datarock @ 7Digital

Datarock @ Amazon