Mar 14 2011

a&r

Brooklyn based ElectroPop newcomers a&r have sent on over their cover of Billy Ocean’s ‘Caribbean Queen’, and it’s quite kickin’ indeed.

With a sound akin to fellow NYC imports The Vanish (where did they go?) with slightly more Disco about them the duo actually inflate the Disco Pop bombast of the original. Start listening to it and you’ll be thinking “yeah, this is a really cool ElectroPop cover, sweet” but then nothing prepares you for the massive Disco strings in the chorus, they’ve takes everything good about the original, the hook, the strings, the smooth and amplified it, then kicked its ass onto the dancefloor.

I know a few West Coast dudes who are going to love this!

♫ a&r – Caribbean Queen (Billy Ocean Cover)

Listing to some of their other work it’s pretty clear that a&r are defiantly one to keep an eye on.

♫ a&r – Prey On My Skin

a&r are gearing up to release their second EP ‘Aquarium’ early this year. You can download their first EP from their official website:

a&r @ Official Website

Mar 13 2011

Fenech-Soler Announcement

This just in from camp Fenech-Soler, I won’t bother paraphrasing, I’ll just copy and past what the guys wrote:

“We are really sorry to have to let you all know that Ben has very recently been diagnosed with early stage cancer. We are absolutely gutted for him, but know that he is in capable hands and he is in really good spirits considering the news. He has a short course of chemo treatment to get through and will be back fighting fit in a couple of months- the recovery rate for testicular cancer is extremely high.
This does mean that, with great regret, we will need to postpone our upcoming UK tour until after our busy festival period. This is also why we’ve had to reschedule our European tour.
We were massively looking forward to coming out and playing to you all later this month and we’re very happy that our Manchester and London dates have sold out in advance. For all those that were coming, your tickets will still be valid for the rescheduled shows. Details of those to be announced shortly. Please bear with us whilst those arrangements are made.
In the meantime, we are going to be very busy promoting our next single ‘Stop And Stare’. The doctors have reassured us that Ben will be fighting fit and ready to play a full set of summer festivals with the list already including Lovebox, Bestival, Camp Bestival, Parklife, Ibiza Rocks, Pukkelpop and Oxegen. Many more being announced over the next few weeks.
Again, we’re really sorry to have to postpone the UK and European shows but we’re sure you all join us in wishing Ben a speedy recovery.
Ross, Andrew and Daniel”

That’s some harsh news right there, but we all wish Ben good health and a fast recovery.

He’d better beat that damed cancer in time for Bestival or there’ll be trouble!

Get well soon Ben.

Mar 11 2011

Jungle Fiction reMix Entrepreneurs

Our favourite Icelandic export Jungle Fiction are unstoppable! I’m still on the fence about Entrepreneurs, I can take them or leave them at the moment, but this reMix of their ‘Bubblegunk’ is pure Dreamwave dope!

Jungle Fiction take the original, strip out some of the contrived garageness of the original, keep the vocals and mash it into the kind of tune that is playing at the prom in any 80s’s teen movie, but with added balls. I love the way they ripped the guitar solo from the original turned it into 80’s epicness. This reMix soars!

♫ Entrepreneurs – Bubblegunk (Jungle Fiction reMix)

Entrepreneurs release the ‘Bubblegunk / F**k Tactics’ single on Fear & Records 4th April

Entrepreneurs @ Beatport

Entrepreneurs @ Juno

Entrepreneurs @ Amazon

Mar 10 2011

Adam Kesher’s ‘Challenging Nature’ album

Despite the fact that we’ve featured Adam Kesher a few times on electronic rumors over the years, and I know it’s a band, I can’t help seeing the name and thinking it’s a dude!

If you’re new to Adam Kesher then, no, it’s not a dude, its’ five French guys making energetic ElectroPop & Electro-Indie who’s second album ‘Challenging Nature’ finally sees a release, after long delays, this April.

The album hits the ground running immediately, having been produced by Chromeo’s Dave 1 and mixed by Dave’s Brother A-Track, Zdar from Cassius and Pierrick Devin (Alex Gopher, Cassius, Cut Copy). With that production tem behind you, you can’t go wrong.

So, what does the album sound like? Involving for a start, it’s the kind of album that envelops you while listening. With a sound akin to Fenech-Soler, in that they have that Indie tinged, post Nu-Rave, ElectroPop sound. Infused with a hint of funk, I presume Dave 1’s doing, Adam Kesher compliment their synthesisers with a variety of instruments, sometimes used in unexpected ways and being French, of course, there is a suggestion of Phoenix in the songs too.

♫ Adam Kesher – Hour Of The Wolf

Adam Kesher have made a French Indie Rock record with synthesizers that get increasingly Disco as it progresses, what they have also made is the prefect record for the time, this is a real 2010/2011 record, distilling what’s happening right now in Disco and Indie into ten tracks designed to get you jumping around.

♫ Adam Kesher – Gravy Train

If you like your ElectroPop to have an Indie slant, or if your a Fenech-Soler fan you defiantly need to check out Adam Kesher.

Adam Kesher @ Beatport

Adam Kesher @ Juno

Adam Kesher @ 7Digital

Adam Kesher @ Amazon

Mar 9 2011

The Good Natured’s ‘Wolves’

Sarah McIntosh A.K.A. The Good Natured had dropped a new free track as a taster of her forthcoming EP.

The track is ‘Wolves’ and was produced by herself and Patrik Berger, fresh from his work with Robyn. If this is any indication of TGN’s new material then we’re pretty excited about it. ‘Wolves’ is a perfect crossover between ElectroPop and British girl Indie. With a touch of the likes of late period Lush or Sleeper and washes of layered synths there’s not a lot more you could ask for. The Good Natured seems to be the point that British music has been heading toward for the last three decades!

♫ The Good Natured – Wolves

Sarah has just signed with Parlophone imprint Regal, so expect things to start moving soon.

The Good Natured @ Beatport

The Good Natured @ Juno

The Good Natured @ 7Digital

The Good Natured @ Amazon

Mar 9 2011

Rüfüs get reMixed by Beaumont

The excitement about Rüfüs doesn’t seem to stop growing. Since their own EP release, and the news of the forthcoming reMix EP on On The Fruit Records, this Syndey trio are getting killer press and going from strength to strength.

But Wait…Beaumont’s in the house! Tackling the track from a deeper Electro groove than we’re used to from Beaumont turned out to be a great idea. Not only does his reMix give the track a driving dancefloor kick but lifts it to an almost cinematic place too, which seems to make the vocals more emotive. Euphoric Electro anyone?

♫ Rüfüs – Paris Collides (Beaumont reMix)

Rüfüs’s rEMix EP is out soon, you can pick up their début EP now.

Rüfüs @ Amazon

Mar 9 2011

Jensen Sportag & Teeel reMix swap

Cascine and Moodgadget have teamed up to release a reMix swap between two of their top artists.

In round one Jensen Sportag takes Teeel’s ‘Ojai Valley to new Disco heights layering chest thumping slap bass and rich Disco keys with Teeel’s spacious vocals. In return Teel gets into a cosmic Indie-Electro groove reMixing Jensen Sportag’s ‘Everything Good’ turning it into an ethereal anthem.

♫ Teeel – Ojai Valley (Jensen Sportag reMix)

♫ Jensen Sportag – Everything Good (Teeel reMix)

You can grab both artists albums below:

Jensen Sportag @ Beatport

Jensen Sportag @ Juno

Jensen Sportag @ 7Digital

Jensen Sportag @ Amazon

Teeel @ Beatport

Teeel @ Juno

Teeel @ Amazon

Mar 9 2011

Bullmeister (+ Lifelike & Gooseflesh)

Berlin’s Bullmeister are an Indie-ElectroPop trio, who list Phoenix, Goose and Fenech-Soler amongst their influences and seem to put on a crazy live show.

Taking the best of French -House and cramming into some noisy ElectroPop on their new single ‘Baby’ Bullmeister have created a powerhouse Pop jam with all the right riffs and breakdowns. Roping in Nu-Disco genius Lifelike and Electroheads Gooseflesh for the reMixes was an awesome idea. Lifelike turns in a chilled Disco tune with some rad massive synths in and his usual flying arpeggios while Gooseflesh get Ravey with the B-side, ‘It’s Okay’.

♫ Bullmeister – Baby

♫ Bullmeister – Baby (Lifelike reMix)

♫ Bullmeister – It’s Okay (Gooseflesh reMix)

The trio have just been signed to Universal, so expect things to blow up soon.

Bullmeister @ Beatport

Bullmeister @ Juno

Bullmeister @ 7Digital

Bullmeister @ Amazon

Mar 7 2011

Ladytron’s Ace Of Hz video

It’s been around a while now, but ElectroPop overlords Ladytron’s ‘Ace Of Hz’ has finally got itself a video.

Taken from the quartet’s forthcoming ‘The Best Of 00-10’ album, which compiles most of Ladytron’s classic tunes, ‘Ace Of Hz’ is the single new recording on the release. If it’s any indication of how Ladytron’s next proper album will sound then you can count me in!