There’s still time to pick up a FREE ticket for tonight’s Back To The Phuture event.
As a warm up to their series of live events over the summer, culminating in the opening night of Bestival 2010, Wall Of Sound boss, BBC Radio 6 SynthPop head and all round electronic guru Mark Jones and crew have put together this little line up headlined by a DJ set from Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware! Joining him will be Howard Jones playing a live set, and Mark himself DJ alongside one half of Visage, and the legendary Blitz club’s decks man, Rusty Eagan. Indie-Electro newcomers Kids On Bridges complete the bill with a live set of their poppy Synth Indie.
Well, they said their début EP would be out in May and, bizarrely for a band, it will be out in May. If nothing else we can, at least, say that Substatic are punctual!
I’m not going to go on again about how impressed I was with this Bristol based Electro act, you can read what I wrote about them in my previous post, but I will say how they managed to improve on tracks that didn’t need improving for the release of the ‘Days Go On’ EP. Listening to the original, demo, versions (check the prior post for mp3s) I would have said they were easily of release quality but, production wise, Substatic have really outdone themselves this time around. The sound is more separated, everything sits together better. the drums kick, the basses rumble and there are some additional synth and guitar flourishes that are now allowed room in the mix, but it’s the vocal production that really stands out from the demos. Again, I wouldn’t have said there was anything wrong with the vocal production first time round, but now the vocals really shine. All-in-all these new recording really showcase Substatic’s unique blend of modern Electro, Breakbeat and songwriting talent.
There are four tracks on the EP. New versions of ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘Triplet’, which we featured formerly. Both tracks have had some radio play, ‘Wild Horses’ being a Electro Breakbeat epic and ‘Triplet’ being an edgy, bass laden, Indie-electro tune with some Dubstep overtones. Either would be worthy of a single release. My personal favourite track on ‘Days Go On’ is ‘Edge Of Your Love’, an Electro-House/Nu-Disco stomper with a touch of (a more ballsy) Goldfrapp about it. As with tracks one and two, ‘Edge Of Your Love’ could easily carry a single release on it’s own. The EP draws to a close with ‘Closer’, a deep, bass heavy , emotional journey and a perfect end to the EP with a finale that layers strings and sparkling synths to almost spine-tingling effect. I know I mentioned it in my previous write up, but there really is something of the dramatic to Substatic’s songs. Whether it is in Alex and Steve’s intricate, driving, music or Colleen’s passionate vocal delivery, as a listener you really do feel a depth of emotion and a sense of urgency to the tracks.
♫ Substatic – Edge Of Your Love
If you want to pick up the full quality release (and you do!), ‘Days Go On’ drops 31st May but can be pre-ordered right now!
I’m really getting into this track, it’s Plushgun’s effort, as reMixed by the Buffetlibre DJs, from their PEACEproject in association with Amnesty International.
‘Mixtapes’ a good song with a killer reMix, a brilliant slice of ElectroPop. Buffetlibre have taken the guitar based Indie original and created a high energy track reminiscent of early 90’s SynthPop.
I Am Noxious is fast becoming something of a regular here at electronic rumors, his brand of intimate Lo-Fi SynthPop is defiantly one of our tips for great things this year.
He’s just sent over a new track, it’s a cover of Black Eyed Peas’ ‘I Gotta’ Feeling’. A weird choice?, I’ll let him explain it in his own words:
“Yes it’s true. I’ve made my first ever cover… and it’s a cover of one of my least favourite songs ever and now you’ve got my version!
‘I Gotta’ Feeling’ … Originally by The Black Eyed Peas.
I have lots of respect for the Black Eyed Peas and their songwriting and Will.I.Am’s production is unique, but this one just kills a lil’ part inside of me everytime I hear it. That’s probably the reason why I ended up covering it. I guess … I wanted to turn something horrible into something pretty.
I guess it’s more of a mash-up than a cover really cos the mid-8 is from ‘Meet Me Halfway’ which is in-fact one of my favourite pop tunes of 2009! Excellent combination!”
It actually really works! In fact, I would go so far as to say that Mr. Noxious injects some real feeling, some real soul into the song.
We were recently digging Radiant Dragon’s reMix of Egyptian Hip-Hop’s ‘Wild Human Child’ but we hadn’t heard and of his original material so when the German Londoner email us we sat up and paid attention.
Radiant Dragon’s music is hard to describe, there’s a touch of old 4AD darkness about it and it’s experimental but musical. Rather than, as experimental music tends to do, create soundscapes RD takes an experimental approach and writes an actual song with it. With some surprising instrumentation and and almost magical mix a spacey, atmospheric piece of ordered chaos is produced. Entrepreneurs take an equally experimental approach with their reMix, only they graft it onto some bass shaking Dubstep.
The track has now has a working over by fellow Aussie producer SHAZAM who takes the laidback vibe of the original, gives it steroids, and kicks it to the dancefloor with a hard kick drum, Disco strings and some of the best electro-tom work this side of the ‘70’s.
London’s Clock Opera have been dropping some stellar reMixes of late but it’s time to turn some attention to their own work.
Their second single, ‘A Piece Of String’ is released next month but you can preview it right here, right now. It’s a raw sounding collision between the Experimental and the Pop. A catchy, summery song built on a base of industrial percussion and found sounds. Not many could pull it off, Clock Opera do!
The Welsh Indie-Electro/ElectroPop crew have already supported Frankmusik (who they share management with) on tour and scored some big name reMixes and are gearing up for the release of their début single ‘Wall Of Arms’ in July.
The track is a solid slice of Indie tinged electronic Pop, with stylistic nods to the Neon Gold stable (and associated acts), that shows the massive potential FE have for some really good epic, anthemic ElectroPop.
Young Empires are a post-punk Electro band who hail from Toronto who made quite a stir on the discerning Indie blogs with their first track ‘Rain Of Gold’
We’re loving their second track ‘Glory Of The Night’, It’s a strange meeting of 80’s Electro Hip-Hop 808 beats and moody Indie-Electro with a hint of guitar. Dark, heavy, synths drive the track making the chant-like vocals seem like they are dragged along in the tide. Maybe it’s the 808’s, but despite the brooding sound to the song there is something hopeful about it.
Robert Ellingson, Jake Palahnuk, and Matthew Vlahovich have to potential to be something of a Canadian HURTS!
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