[Audio] Crystal Castles’ ‘Frail’

 

Crystal Castles

What do Crystal Castles sound like without Alice Glass? Well, it looks like were about to find out. Really, we weren’t sure Crystal Castles was even still a thing, but the remaining member, Ethan Kath, has just uploaded a brand new tune, with vocals by someone called Edith, titled Frail. The accompanying blub feels a tad bitchy: “I wish my former vocalist the best of luck in her future endeavours. I think it can be empowering for her to be in charge of her own project. It should be rewarding for her considering she didn’t appear on Crystal Castles’ best known songs. (She’s not on “Untrust Us”. “Not In Love”, “Vanished”, “Crimewave”, “Vietnam”, “Magic Spells”, “Knights”, “Air War”, “Leni”, “Lovers Who Uncover”, “Violent Youth”, “Reckless”, “Year of Silence”, “Intimate”, “1991”, “Good Time”, “Violent Dreams”, etc.). People often gave her credit for my lyrics and that was fine, I didn’t care.”. Honestly, we didn’t know she wasn’t on so many of CC’s hits, but she was still the front-person of the band; the bands energy and face. We guess we’ll just have to see where things progress to from here.

Frail does sound sounds pretty Crystal Castles-y. I don’t know why we might have expected it to sound otherwise. The rousing and evocative rave synths are in place, alongside the pounding drums and heavily modulated vocals. It has the driving energy of the best of Crystal Castles. The beats sound a little disjointed, but that grows on you. It’s a solid Crystal Castles tune, but we can’t help feeling that Alice’s departure might have been a good point to try something different. nonetheless, it;s nice to have a new CC tune on the playlist.

♫ Crystal Castles – Frail

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[Video] Noosa’s ‘Walk On By’

 

Noosa   Walk On By  Official Video    YouTube

New York DreamPoppers Noosa have a new video out. The track in question is Walk On By, which comes from their début EP of 2012, and subsequently their 2014 début album, Wonderland.

Rachel McDonald directed the clip, a hazy and dreamy nature trail that flows well with the song.

Noosa’s Wonderland is out now.

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[Video] Róisín Murphy’s ‘Exploitation’

 

Róisín Murphy   Exploitation   YouTube

Avant-Disco-Pop queen Róisín Murphy’s new album, Hairless Toys is out this week. Here’s another track from the release, Exploitation, a woozy and skippy SynthPop dream in video form.

The clip was directed by Róisín herself and, in keeping with the sings themes, is a surreal study of manipulation in the arts.

Róisín Murphy’s Hairless Toys is out this week.

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[Download] Jordan F reMixes Midnight Pool Party’s ‘Stay’

 

Midnight Pool Party

Aussie Indie-Popsters Midnight Pool Party’s current single Stay has received a massive makeover from the undisputed reigning champ of Australian SynthWave, Mr. Jordan F. It;s been a while since we’ve had anything from this groover, but he’s delivered a right old sunshine beast with this new reMix. Check it out below.

From the offset, this one is all about warm and dreamy synths that glide with ease over a buoyant bassline. This is probably the furthest away from his SynthWave roots that Jordan has reached so far. It is, in essence, a glorious Topical Disco jam with a twist of retro in the bass and lead synth departments. Find work from Mr. F here, blending his summertime jam with the originals vocals effortlessly, and definitely one you should be cracking open when the sun comes out.

Midnight Pool Party – Stay (Jordan F reMix)

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[Video] Roniit’s ‘Runaway’

 

Roniit   Runaway  Official Music Video   Part1    YouTube

Denver’s own moody ElectroPopper Roniit has unleashed a bran new video upon the world. It’s for her track of late last year, Runaway. A chilling blend of Electro Goth and Future R&B.

The clip was directed by Hannah Purport; who delivers ominous and smokey visuals to match the song’s atmospheric vibes.

Roniit’s Runaway is out now.

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[Audio] Yale’s ‘City Feeling’

 

Yale

City Feeling is the new tune from Australian ElectroPop duo Yale. These guys have slowly but surely making a name for themselves over the past year or so mixing up SynthPop, Nu-Disco and breezy beach sounds in a handful of well received singles. This latest release, City Feeling, was mixed by one of our favourite Aussie producers, and one we don’t nearly hear enough from these days, G.L.O.V.E.S.. Give it a listen.

We’re treated here to some slick, sunkissed, SynthPop with a Disco tinge. Boyant synths and Disco licks introduce you to the track that heaps on the groove in truck-loads. From the rolling Island percussion to the carefree synth stabs, this one is a surefire summer burner, capturing that urban sunshine playfulness needed for a top-down anthem. Yale’s breakthrough tune? Maybe so.

♫ Yale – City Feeling

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[Download] Teeel reMixes The New Division’s ‘Senseless’

 

the-new-division

Not for the first time New Jersey’s hardest working synth-head Teeel is taking on the challenge of reMixing LA Indie-Electro outfit New Division. These guys have swapped reMixes a couple of time and the latest of these exchanges sees Teeel working his magic on The New Divisions’ current single, Senseless, which was released earlier this month.

Teeel’s take on Senseless is a cascading synthetic affair.  Layers upon Layers of bristling arpeggios and buzzing bass wash over each other, taking time to settle in before Teeel re-introduced the original’s anthemic vocals. Stripping out the Indie side of the track, this one is pure SynthPop, a sprawling track whose expansive synths match the cavernous vocals perfectly.

The New Division – Senseless (Teeel reMix)

The New Division’s Senseless is out now.

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[Audio] Parallels cover New Order’s ‘Age Of Consent’

 

Parallels

Amazing Torontonian SynthPop outfit Parallels are back after quite a hiatus. Things have been quite on the Parallels front since their sophomore album XII in 2012 and we feared we’d seen the last of them. But fear not, they’ve just announced that they are hard at work on their third studio record and in the meantime you should check out their new cover of New Order’s Age Of Consent.

It’s a pretty flat out cover with a raw garage feel. It’s nice to hear Holly back in action with some sweet synths. If we’re honest we don’t think the guitar does a good job of standing in for Hooky’s classic bass sound and it’s a bit overpowering in the mix. We’re hoping for a lot less of that on the new original material, but it does give this cover a raw, live feel. That aside it’s an energetic and driving cover of a song we all love and anything that lays the path for Parallels return is awesome by us.

♫ Parallels – Age Of Consent (New Order Cover)

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[Audio] Years & Years’ ‘Worship’

 

yearsyears

Having scored a UK number one single with King, London ElectroPoppers Years & Years can;t really be called up-and-coming or hotly tipped anymore. They have pretty much delivered what was expected of them with a storming round of festival shows last year and a string of acclaimed singles (including said #1). Earlier than we had expected, the band have just announced the forthcoming release of their début album. To be titled Communion, the LP is due to drop in June’ check out the first new album track, Worship.

Worship continues with Years & Years’ trend for mixing up ElectroPop and Indie-Electro with R&B tinged vocals from singer Olly Alexander. The track rolls on skippy beats and pseudo-Tropical keys that set a laid back, but dancefloor friendly mood for the intensely passionate track. It’s heartfelt dancy ElectroPop at it’s finest.

♫ Years & Years – Worship

Years & Years’ Communion is released 22ndf June.

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[Audio] Du Tonc’s ‘Animals’

 

du-tonc

MiGHty mOUse and Matt Van Schie are back in their Du Tonc guise with the eagerly awaited follow up to January’s Every Song. Written on the radio in the US, Animals marks the start of the journey toward the duo’s début album, of which they are putting the finishing touched to right now. These guys have made a big impact on the Nu-Disco and Indie-Electro scenes since the start of their collaboration back in 2013 and we are pretty pleased they are going the album route (it’s a format we, unlike a lot of people, feel is still very important. It;s gonna’ be a big year for Du Tonc.

Animals serves up generous helpings of, what is now, Du Tonc’s trademark sound; blissful Topical-tinged Indie-Electro with a solid Disco backing. Blissful it may be, but don’t mistake it for shallow. Animals, as with the rest of Du Tonc’s output, is wildly more cerebral than it’s contemporaries, with Matt Van Schie giving an emotional and intelligent performance over a intricately crafted combination of summery ElectroPop and retro-futuristic Cosmic Disco. As ever, Du Tonc deliver something for both the head and the feet.

♫ Du Tonc – Animals

Du Tonc’s Animals is released 30th March.

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