LA based Oliver themed Nu-Disco duo Oliver go especially large with their latest reMix. Inhabiting a mid-way point between their older smoother Dreamwave Nu-Disco style and some of their more recent, more commercial Electro-House output, this reMix of upcoming American Pop singer Bonnie McKee’s ‘American Girl’ could see the guys getting some major attention.
Imagine someone walked up to you and said “here is a catchy, sing-a-long Pop tune that has been reMixed for the big room”, that’s exactly what Oliver have delivered here. Everything is turned up to 11, big synths, big beats, big riffs. This one obviously been geared to appeal to America’s current wave of dance music frenzy, but still retains that classic Oliver ,musicality and soulful flare to give it the edge on the competition.
We tend not to make much of a secret round these parts that Russia Dreamwave ElectroPoppers Tesla Boy are amongst our favourite acts around today. From first discovering them deep in the Outrun community on MySpace they always struck a chord with us, combining out then newfound excitement in this (then) new breed of retro cool SynthWave and out love of vocal SynthPop.
After showing us all what they could do with a killer EP, their début album, Modern Thrills, cemented their reputation for being on of the most talented bands around, whether on the Disco, ElectroPop or SynthWave scene, combining all three styles into one form as catchy and Poppy as it was dancefloor friendly. Inspiring an army of Russian SynthWave acts and kicking off the Russian retro scene, Tesla Boy also brought their brand of vintage DiscoPop to the world on their own terms.
Massively successful in their homeland, with the release of the sophomore album, The Universe Made Of Darkness, Tesla Boy are widening their international appeal with a string of high profile US shows and collaborations with the coolest of House music cats. Tesla Boy head honcho Anton Sevidov to a little time out of their promotional schedule to chat with us about where Tesla Boy came from, where it is and where it’s going.
ER: Let’s take it right back to the beginning. We first became aware of Tesla Boy back in the 2009 MySpace days and your first EP, just prior to being picked up by Mullet Records, what had led you to that point? Had you been in bands before? What attracted you to your retro synth sound?
TB: I have been engaged in music all my life, starting as a jazz pianist. When I was 15, I brought together my first band, and it was so-called acid-jazz, the kind of music we played at that time. Further electronic music carried me away and I arrived at understanding that I really like the 80s sound very much. I began to style my songs in this manner. And next thing what happened – the public was ready to love it.
ER: Speaking of MySpace, the whole Dreamwave and Nu-Disco thing really took off there, do you feel like the social network was a big help to kick starting your career.
TB: Exactly, I really think that social networks made us well-known.
♫ Tesla Boy – Fantasy
ER: And now, you’ve just released your second album, The Universe Made Of Darkness, which had widened your international appeal. How are you feeling now that the album is out in the wild? Were you nervous about “the difficult second album” syndrome?
TB: I thought of the second album syndrome when we started our first tour. I was under the impression that everything is cool – everybody loved our music. At the same time I started to write new songs. And when everything was almost ready I said to myself – Stop it! What about the second album syndrome? You cannot just record it! And I was forced to rewrite it.
ER: We can hear a bit of an evolution of your sound in the second album. How has the way you write changed in the 3 years since Modern Thrills?
TB: I really wanted to add this sensation of a live concert. I did my best to work from my feelings, doing what I really love to do, without paying attention to the style.
ER: Were your influences for this record different from Modern Thrills? (A little more 90s perhaps?)
TB: That was the time of great change worldwide. In 1991 our state split, and freedom was the choice of the time. It was euphoric and painful at the same time. Change is always painful, although necessary. Those were my thoughts when I was writing 1991.
ER: There’s a couple of collaborations on The Universe Made Of Darkness. With Tyson and Fritz Helder From Azari & III. How did these come about and was there anyone you wanted to work with but it didn’t happen?
TB: I met Fritz when Azari & III came to Moscow. At this time it occurred to us to make a track together.
It was Martin who introduced me to Tyson. Marin also worked on his album.
I really would like to work with Erol Alkan. And write a track with Michael McDonald.
♫ Tesla Boy (Feat.Tyson) – Broken Doll
ER: How hook up with Martin Dubkka, your co-producer for the new album?
TB: Martin is a very good musician and our tastes are similar. I really love his style – he is not imposing al all, I like his ideas, and I am happy with our collaboration.
ER: You’ve been playing live a lot in the US recently, how does playing in America compare to playing in Russia? Are the crowds very different?
TB: To tell the truth, there is almost no difference. Probably, it is because the young people is our audience, who look very much alike and similar in different countries. Serbians and Mexicans stand out most of all – they are very hot.
ER: If you were to take us on a night out in Moscow, where would we go? What are the highlights of the Moscow scene?
Strelka-bar, La Boule, Simachev, La Lubanka, The Museum Of KGB, Butirka.
ER: We feature tons of Russian artists on Electronic Rumors (Hot Hot Hawk, 7he Myriads, Serj V, Cosmonaut Grechko, 5 Reasons, Lovinski, Quasars, Sohight & Cheevy, DZA etc…) what is it, do you think, that attracts so many Russian producers to the retro synth sound, and what is it that makes them so good at it (because they really are!)
TB: The Russians are a nation with a very good ear for music. Our heritage is huge – Tchaikovsky, Rakhmaninov, Borodin, Prokofiev. Their music possesses melodic beauty. This probably relates it to the sound of 80s. This background might produce this kind of effect.
♫ Tesla Boy – Another Light
ER: So what’s in Tesla Boys studio? Especially in terms of Synths and outboard gear.
It’s been quite the year for Australian songstress Chela so far, both for her collaborations and her own work. First coming to our attention as the voice of Goldroom’s blissful Fifteen, Chela went on to score hits on Clubfeet’s Heartbreak and one of the songs of the year, Viceroy’s Amazing Dreams Of Bombay before impressing us with her solo material. Her first two singles, Full Moon and Plastic Gun definitely got our excitement going, excitement that was borne out by her début EP, Zero Mixtape. Excitement that Kitsuné Music have picked up on too, as they’ve snatched her up for her next release, Romanticise, which comes with this lovely reMix from Australian Indie-Electro outfit Gold Fields.
We’ve been listening to the whole release for a couple of weeks now and other than the original version of the song, alongside a reMix from Boys Get Hurt, the Gold Fields mix is one of the single’s highlights. Romanticise is a breezy slice of catchy DiscoPop and, of all the reMixes, Gold Field pick up on that and run with it. With stabbing synths , bubbling arpeggios and a severely summery Disco groove, Gold Fields turn a quirky slick of LA Indie-Dreamwave into a slick, mirrorball, Disco-House tune for exclusive dancefloors.
If you’ve ever read any of our myriad articles about Dutch Disco producer Shook stretching back the past three years you’ll have noticed a constant running through our commentary on his career. We haven’t shut up about what an amazing musician he is. Shook isn’t hunched over a laptop hammering Ableton’s ‘key lock’ and hoping for the best, this guy is a extremely talented multi-instrumentalist and that has always shone though in his music. From his glorious key playing to the complex arrangements, Shook really is a ‘musician’s’ Disco producer, and this week he dropped his long, long, awaited début full length record delivering just under an hour of smooth Moog Funk and vintage robotic Disco sounds.
The self-titled album kicks holds a few tracks we’re already familiar with, kicking off with the excellent Tonight, a vocoder fuelled slice of Boogie that will instantly lift your mood with it’s emotional chorus, setting you up for the rest of the album. Keys Of Light, the first of our brand new treats, mixes rich, twisted, synth Funk bass with a solid Disco groove before giving way to Changing Wind, a hypnotic retro tune that mixes in a slight House vibe amongst the slap bassing and rousing strings to become your new default soundtrack for long journeys. Walking To The Sun brings back vocals into Shook’s world, resulting in a lazy and playful sunset tune that retains it’s funk in the fact of pulled back tempos and a blissful combination of flute and electric piano. Possibly a tribute to the synth of the same name, Wasp is all squelchy, borderline Acidic riffs the collide with a 70s groove that blends seamlessly into Cloud Symphony, the albums mid-point and a multi layered concert of synths that lets Shook’s hands dance across the keys as only he can. The B-Side to Shook’s Ronika featuring Distorted Love, Love For You is up next with it’s Yacht vibe and hazy vocals, followed by the smooth and romantic low tones of Her Eyes and it’s barroom piano refrain. It’s Alright, another bass slapping, Moog funking, head nodder signifies the albums home stretch, as the tempos increases, the grooves become more irresistible and we keep dancing. Garota ’92 sees Shook playing with a little Tropical sound, showing when he turns his hand to Beach Disco, Shook is up there with the best when it comes to laid back summery vibes. Summer Heat, Shook’s most recent tune is saves for almost last, as with most ‘best’ things, as it’s one of the highlights of an album full of highlights before the album play out with Shook doing what Shook does beast, deeply emotional, spacy, electronic Disco with musical ability at the fore. This is a pretty amazing record, and one that should keep you going for the rest of the summer. Reverential of the history of Disco while also knowing what is wanted on Summer dancefloors, this is the album Random Access Memories should have been,
It’s been a long time since we heard an original tune from Germany’s finest digitalfoxglove. Mostly, the man has had his attention focused on his work as part of Dreamwave superheroes Ride The Universe, but he still gets the occasional moment to get his solo groove on. He’s gearing up to release a new EP under the digitalfoxglove moniker and last night he dropped our first taste of what’s to come, Daytona.
Daytona is surprisingly SynthWave for producer with some of the slickest Nu-Disco skills on the planet. With not a Disco lick in sight, digitalfoxglove stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Mitch Murder and Miami Nights 1984 as he delivers a blistering Outrun tune, a frantic synthesizer speedway loaded with rolling arpeggios and soaring leads. digitalfoxglove takes his pin-sharp production and applies it to the euphoric, emotional rush of a cracking SynthWave tune to soundtrack all your clichéd night drives.
Manchester’s top Nu-Disco producer Nine Lives has delivered a new track that does exactly what it says on the tin. His forthcoming new single, Long Hot Nights sounds exactly as the soundtrack to long hot nights should sound like. Silky smooth with a totally irresistible groove. the track’s released later in August, let’s hope the weather holds up.
With a hypnotic guitar hook, Long Hot Nights combines the disciplines of Disco, House and Garage into on seven minute journey through sweaty, sexy dancefloors. Folding laid back lounge sounds into a shuffling Garage beat, Nine Lives creates a comfortable mood, but one that still compels you to dance. We wish all summer sounded like this.
Why not kick off your week, or at least the bit of the week that starts once you’ve truly gotten over the weekend, with this luxurious slow Disco jam from LA duo LBCK. It feels like forever since we’ve heard from these two, a year or two ago these guys we’re releasing some seriously good material, then all went a bit quite. Call My Name give us the hint that they’ve lost none of their flair for slick Nu-Disco grooves.
Call My Name is actually the first taste we get of LBCK’s forthcoming full length album. Titled The Goods the record is released later this month and if it’s all like Call My Name, we’re in for a treat. Verging on the Dubby, this is a laid back, sunshine Nu-Disco tune with the tempo reined in and the funk turned all the way up. Still displaying a warped synth sounds and hypnotic hooks of their speedier material, Call My Name uses the twisting sounds in a different way. Like a warm blanket of smooth tones, Call My Name is perfect late-night Disco.
Next week sees the new release from a man who is rapidly becoming one of the more prolific producers around right now. Ali Jamieson’s release schedule is becoming something to be admired, or decried, depending on your viewpoint, but let us assure you, quality control isn’t about to slip just yet as his latest release, for Noenized, will prove to you.
His new single is called Undisclosed, it’s a shuffling Italo beast that exchanges Jamieson’s usual left-field Funk for some good old-fashioned Boogie. But don’t worry, in amongst the whip-cracking digital bassline sits Ali’s ecclectic vintage Disco stylings as the track soon descends into an epic solo-fest with electric piano, synths and bass all vying for attention. The B-side, Pepper, is actually our favourite of the two tracks. A relaxed slice of Robo-Disco with elements of Moog Funk, Italo, Cosmic Disco and even a little Torpical all coming together with a philosophically mind-blowing vocoder line to create a slice of synthetic relaxation that’s right up our street. The single also comes correct with a reMix od Pepper from French Discomeister Moustache Machine.
Chicago House music producer, and in our opinion one of the finest in the genre, Rogue Vogue is dropping a new single at the start of next month. Out on House of Disco Records, Say You Will is backed with the track More Than Enough and reMixes from such big names on the scene as LeSale, Sixth Avenue Express and Dublin Aunts is what sounds like one of the Chicago House releases of the year.
Say You Will is bombastic Chicago House that weaves it’s way around a classic sounding vocal sample. Popping with fresh elements, from the digital sax hook to the subtly piano line and the requisite 909 hats, Say You Will doesn’t leave you standing, serving up everything you need to get lost on the dancefloor. Lost in music, that is. More Than Enough is a slightly deeper affair. With more of a strobe lit warehouse vibe the track plays with subby bassed and ghostly organs amongst a compelling House beat. It;s another track that hard not to move to, featuring a punchy riff and just the tiniest hint of Luther Vandross. LaSale, Sixth Avenue Express and Dublin Aunts all apply their own brands of Disco and House to the track, but the most compelling for us was Dublin Aunts piano driven breakdown of the song. There’s just something about the combination of piano and synth bass, and the way these guys play with vocal samples that make their brand of slightly ecclectic House so interesting.
♫ Rogue Vogue – Say You Will
♫ Rogue Vogue – More Than Enough
♫ Rogue Vogue – Say You Will (Dublin Aunts Day Rave Mix)
Rogue Vogue’s Say You Will is released 5th August.
Olympic Ayres are an Australian duo who have been quietly pumping out some of the best Disco tinged Indie-Electro for while now. They have just released their new EP, a free download that goes by the name of Episode III, and is, shockingly, their third release. Pure summery vibes inside.
The EP’s lead track, Magic, is sunshine in a song. A breezy ElectroPop tune with enough Disco roots to keep any dancefloor moving and enough Indie cool to deliver a sing-a-long-anthem chorus. Turning up the tribal purcussion towards the tracks finale bears comparison to The Other Tribe, both acts deal in good-time exciting, live DiscoPop. It’s an excellent and arresting EP opener that leads into the moor deep and soulful Orchid before the EP end on Girl. Girl makes good on Magic’s promise of raucous ElectroPop with a poolside vibe, more chanted vocals, more funky basslines and more big synth stabs. Just what the doctor ordered.
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