Mar 8 2009

Pet Shop Boys: New album track

PetShopBoys2

OK, so most of the British tabloid press isn’t worth wiping your ass on, the likes of The Star and The Sun are lowest common denominator, often scary, mob mentality rubbish but as far as pure, spiteful, hate filled bile goes, The Daily Mail has to take the prize.

What possessed Pet Shop Boys (or rather, their record label) to use The Mail On Sunday to promote their forthcoming album I will never understand. Today’s paper contains a free Pet Shop Boys CD retrospective which also features a new track form the ‘Yes’ album.

‘The Hate Mail’ is notorious for is bigoted, right-wing, reactionary opinions and scare-mongering and would probably be the first in line to jail PSB for being “poofs”, so whoever thought this was some good cross-branding needs to reconsider their career!

So..we’ve taken the bullet…jumped on the grenade…bought right-wing crap so you don’t have to…

The song itself is very good, real classic PSB. Actually, I get a bit of a New Order feeling from the track too. See what you think:

♫ Pet Shop Boys – Did You See Me Coming? (From Yes) (zShare) (MediaFire)

Don’t give a penny of your money to ‘The Hate Mail’, but spend loads on Pet Shop Boys:

Pet Shop Boys @ 7Digital

Pet Shop Boys @ Amazon

Mar 5 2009

Little Boots Vs. Phil Oakey clip!!!

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Last week we reported that The Human League’s Phil Oakey would be lending his vocals to a track on Little Boots début album. Well, now you can have yourself a tiny teaser of what that will hold.

♫ Little Boots (Feat. Phil Oakey) – Symmetry (Edit) (Clip) (zShare) (MediaFire)

There’s not much to hear, it cuts off before the chorus, but it is just fantastic to hear Victoria and Phil in the same song. Exiting stuff indeed!

Over on Little Boots’ blog she has posted her thoughts regarding the track listing for the album, which currently stands at:

‘Stuck On Repeat’
‘Meddle’
‘Earthquake’
‘New In Town’
‘Click’
‘Tune Into My Heart’
‘Symetry’ (Feat. Philip Oakey)
‘Not Now’
‘Hearts Collide’

‘Love Kills’ is no great loss but I would like to see ‘Mathematics’ in there.

Little Boots @ Beatport

Little Boots @ 7Digital

Little Boots @ Juno

Little Boots @ Amazon

Feb 28 2009

Marina And The Diamonds

marinaandthediamonds So…everyone’s talking about Marina And The Diamonds, I gotta say at first I was pretty resistant but the more I listen the more it appeals to the part of me that loves Tori Amos, at least on this track, ‘Obsessions’ she does, elsewhere the tracks are more upbeat and new wave influenced.

♫ Marina And The Diamonds – Obessions (zShare) (MediaFire)

But it’s the reMixes that really shine. Here Pinkstallone deliver a cool, 80’s sounding, laid back Italo reMix with a rolling synth bass groove and The Aspirins For My Children up the Electro-ante with their interpretation.

♫ Marina And The Diamonds – Obsessions (Pinkstallone Crush reMix) (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ Marina And The Diamonds – Obsessions (The Aspirins For My Children reMix) (zSahre) (MediaFire)

Marina And The Diamonds painfully limited edition ‘Obsessions’ single can be picked up here:

Marina And The Diamonds @ PureGroove

Marina And The Diamonds @ Neon Gold

Feb 27 2009

A couple of new videos

Busy day today, you you can entertain yourselves with two new videos that have made their début this week.

First up is the poptastic clip for Frankmusik‘s forthcoming single ‘Better Off As Two’.

Also, we have the space invader fuelled video for Røyksopp‘s now on ‘Happy Up Here’. Directed by Reuben Sutherland, this is, like most of Røyksopp’s videos, something special.

Normal service will resume.

Feb 26 2009

Phil Oakey gets around

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News has broken this week that, Electro legend, The Human League’s Phil Oakey will be providing guest vocals for two SynthPop superstars.

First up, Pet Shop Boys have confirmed that Philip will be will appear on ‘This Used To Be The Future’ which will be on the limited edition 2 CD version of their forthcoming album, ‘Yes’.

Oakey has also recorded a duet, entitled ‘Symmetry’, with none other than Electro girl-of-the-moment Little Boots! It will appear on her, soon to be released, album. Apparently Phil approached Victoria after hearing her ‘funtime’ cover of ‘Don’t You Want Me’ on YouTube.

I love Phil’s vocals, he may not be the best singer in the world but he has a tone that lends itself perfectly to everything he does.

Both of these collabarations with top Electro acts have me salivating…can’t wait!

Feb 25 2009

Depeche Mode premiere ‘Wrong’ video

Depeche Mode have just premièred the video for the eagerly awaited upcoming single ‘Wrong’.

It’s a slightly creepy, intense mini movie. I love DM’s ‘cameo’ appearance.

Actually, I really like the song. Some of the synths in there sound like ”Masses’ or ‘Violator’ Mode. Maybe it’s true, maybe we have got the old Mode back.

Where’s Alan?

Here?

Depeche Mode @ Juno

Depeche Mode @ 7Digital

Depeche Mode @ Amazon

Feb 15 2009

LIGHTS

lights

Ahh, that timeless story of a girl and her keytar….

Let me introduce to you LIGHTS.

Why?

Well, ‘cos it’s Sunday and LIGHTS is kinda’ ‘Sunday SynthPop’. It’s some pretty chilled tunes, but without being dreary or ambient. This is singer/songwriter stuff. Actually, there is a hint of a female The Postal Service going on here, albeit more optimistic, or a less folksy Lykke Li.

Like I said, girl and her keytar…

Did I mention she’s from Toronto?

♫ LIGHTS – Drive My Soul (zShare) (MediaFire)

♫ LIGHTS – The Last Thing On Your Mind (zShare) (MediaFire)

There’s more on her MySpace.

LIGHTS will be here in the UK for a few shows in April and her just released her début EP, which is available below along with a bunch of other cool stuff like comic books and headbands!

LIGHTS @ Lights Store

Feb 13 2009

‘Dem Boots

Last night was wicked. Fan Death didn’t play…boo! But they were replaced by Heartbreak…yay!

Both Heartbreak and Simian Mobile Disco rocked hard!

Little Boots tonight!!! In honour of the occasion, here, have a video of Victoria performing ‘Meddle’ on ‘Later… with Jools Holland’.

Boots needs boots!

Little Boots @ Beatport

Little Boots @ 7Digital

Little Boots @ Juno

Little Boots @ Amazon

Feb 7 2009

WestEndGirls drop Pet Shop Boys penned track

westendgirls

Seriously, what’s not to like about WestEndGirls?

For starters Isabelle is the daughter of Hans Erkendahl from The Mobile Homes, that makes them SECOND GENERATION SYNTHPOP!!! Who’d have thunk such a thing would ever exist?

Secondly, crazy dresses Swedish girls covering, exclusively, Pet Shop Boys songs…duh?!?!

Well, ‘covering, exclusively, Pet Shop Boys songs’, until recently. Now the girls are ready to release an original tune…written by Pet Shop Boys, how convenient! The track was originally going to be part of PSB’s 2001 musical ‘Closer to Heaven’ but never made it.

You can tell it’s a Tennant track, but I get a Depeche Mode vibe for it as well. See what you think.

♫ WestEndGirls – A Little Black Dress (zShare) (MediaFire)

‘A Little Black Dress’ is released on 9th February, and the girls last album, which is all Pet Shop, all the time, is still available.

WestEndGirls @ 7Digital

WestEndGirls @ Amazon