Apr 24 2010

HURTS new single reMixed by Jamaica

HURTS03

Hmmm, I’m not sure how I feel about French ex-Poney Poney-ers Jamaica’s new reMix of the forthcoming HURTS single ‘Better Than Love’.

I love the song, it’s been on repeat here for a while, and I like the reMix a lot, I’m just not sure the two go together,

Musically the track is awesome, big 80’s Disco chords and digital slap bass with a syncopated chorus you can’t help buy move to. It’s just that at times it seems as though Jamaica haven’t quite got to grips with the vocal rhythms of the song, to the extent that the vocals feel as if they are slipping out of time. It’s just that one nagging feeling that stops a great tune being fantastic.

♫ HURTS – Better Than Love (Jamaica reMix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

Still, the single is shaping up to be a monster reMix package with an absolutely flawless original.

HURTS @ Beatport

HURTS @ Juno

HURTS @ Amazon

Apr 22 2010

HURTS début single

HURTS

‘Better Than Love’ is a fantastic choice for HURTS’s first proper single (‘Wonderful Life’ bring an EP). I think most people were expecting the Spandau Ballet-esq ‘Blood, Tears & Gold’ but this tune, actually an old Daggers (HURTS previous incarnation) song, is probably a better fit for a breakthrough single.

The coolest band (and most hyped) in ElectroPop right now need to announce themselves with heir début and ‘Better Than Love’ does exactly that. Still sounding authentically 80’s Pop, without parody or cliché. The forthcoming single is, although described by the band as “dance music for depression”, and epic, somewhat uplifting slice of retro PowerPop, (verging on the Simple Minds at times even!). As melancholic as it is it can’t help but sound anthemic with all the drama and passion of the vocals sitting atop flying arpeggios and Italo beats. If the flavour isn’t dancefloor enough for you check out German House masters Tiefschwarz’s deep and dark reMix.

♫ HURTS – Better Than Love (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ HURTS – Better Than Love (Tiefschwarz Mix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

It is amazing to find a band who really are living up to the hype. I absolutely cannot wait to catch these guys live in May!

HURTS @ Beatport

HURTS @ Juno

HURTS @ Amazon

Feb 26 2010

Wonderful Life Vs. Wonderful Life

It can’t just be me?

I can’t be the only one?

I find myself completely unable to hum/sing to myself this:

Without ending up humming/singing to myself this:

Black and white videos? Suits? Saxophone solos? Five letter bandnames? Songs called “Wonderful Life” that have the lyric “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the chorus? C’mon, are they trying to mess with my head?

But with all that in common they sound totally different, are totally different songs. Black’s 1987 Synth-Soul classic holds a lot of memories for me and as much as it has a place in my heart it has been really outdone by HURTS SynthPop powerhouse.

I do suggest you own both though!

HURTS @ Townsend Records

HURTS @ Amazon

Black @ 7Digital

Black @ Amazon

Jan 13 2010

HURTS; new video

Despite being everyone’s band of the moment and coming fourth in the BBC Sound of 2010 poll, Mancunian ElectroPopers HURTS are yet to release anything, or play a gig!

Their well blogged track of last year ‘Wonderful Life’ is being released as a limited edition 12” (with the Arthur Baker reMix) on 18th January but with the release of this video for the song ‘Blood, tears & Gold’ you can bet it will be the first single proper.