Aug 9 2012

Strangers cover Haddaway

Strangers

Still riding high on the success of their current Safe/Pain single, London’s dark ElectroPop trio Strangers have taken some time out from being all bombastic and moody to cover Haddaway’s What Is Love? I don’t think, in my entire life, I have ever heard a band cover a classic track and make it their own as much as Strangers do right here.

It’s bewildering. Any connotation, and pre-conceived ideas, you have of Haddaway’s original, one of the biggest EuroDance hits of the ‘90’s, will completely disappear within seconds of Stranger’s cover starting. It’s like the song was written for them. Stripping the track of it’s staccato EuroPop bassline and Hi-NRG beats, Strangers replace what’s gone with majestic synth chords, brooding military rhythms and atmospheric piano. When they belt out “What is love? Baby, don’t hurt me” as an anthemic lament, you’ll instantly forget the shiny, upbeat, original and totally commit to Strangers moody, emotional vision of the song.

♫ Strangers – What Is Love? (Haddaway Cover)

Safe/Pain by Strangers is out now.

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Aug 8 2012

Queen Of Hearts covers Ben Howard

Queen Of Hearts

We’ve got to admit, we have no idea who Ben Howard is. Yesterday PopJustice referred to him as a “full-time borelord” and a very brief investigation of the original version of this tune on YouTube we quickly came to the same assessment. Talented songwriter he may be, but he seems to have ordered a helping of tediously dull performer with that. No matter, it’s just the songwriting talent we’re interested in right now as our reigning ElectroPop monarch Queen Of Hearts (looking very animé in her new promo pics) takes the song into new toe-tapping directions.

Neon collaborator John Myers steps up for production duties once again, which was quite surprising as on our initial listen we had thought it might have been the Sound Of Arrow’s Stefan Storm behind the mixing desk, the track has some TSoA qualities to it. I think it’s the Into The Clouds breakdown that caught our in in that regard. The Queen throws herself into her performance and allows her vocals flowing effortlessly from sultry to ethereal and back again while they dance around the Balearic soundtrack. This one is Queen Of Hearts’ sunrise anthem.

♫ Only Love (Ben Howard cover) (Extended Version)

Queen Of Heart’s ‘Neon’/’Tears In The Rain’ single is out right now. Also out now is ‘electronic rumors Volume 1’ on which Queen Of Hearts features.

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Aug 7 2012

Electric Youth’s ‘The Best Thing’

One of the greatest exports to come out of Canada ever, Electric Youth’s new single came out this week. the duo are still riding high on the wave of being featured on the soundtrack to 2011 underground hit movie Drive, milking it for all it’s worth, they’re even currently on a ‘Drive’ tour with fellow Drivers Collage. The release of this new single, The Best Thing, is probably the best thing to happen to Electric Youth, probably best to move on from the whole Drive thing now.

And as a step into a post Drive world for Electric Youth The Best Thing is excellent. Blissful retro Pop, more chilled than Right Back To You and more sophisticated than their Valerie early days, The Best Thing displays a more mature Electric Youth, maybe even a more confident one. Both musically and vocally, The Best Thing is heavy with passion as rich pads and piercing leads dance around the track while Bronwyn delivers a flawless, intimate performance. Proving there are more layers to Electric Youth than we have yet seen, The Best Thing leaves us eager for more of their nostalgic Pop. We hear Mr. Vince Clarke had a hand in it too.

♫ Electric Youth – The Best Thing

Electric Youth’s The Best Thing is out now.

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Aug 7 2012

Goin’ Old School: Nitzer Ebb, The Shamen, Duran Duran

Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:

Nitzer Ebb’s Control, I’m Here from1988. Classic Ebb, before they went a bit funny.

The Shamen 1988 Indie hit Jesus Loves Amerika. Not moving any mountain now are we? The Shamen, post-Industrial, pre-Mr. C.

1981 saw Duran Duran’s chart breakthrough with Planet Earth. It stared a revolution.

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Aug 6 2012

Casio Social Club’s ‘Crush’

When is a reMix not a reMix? How much of the original needs to remain intact for it to be a reMix, or how little should be there before you can claim it as an original tune, and sell it as such? It’s a debate we had on Twitter this weekend. Honestly we’re not sure, if the entire vocal of a track, verse, chorus, verse, chorus is present with a new backing, is that a reMix or an original? For now, we’re on the fence, but it is something that crosses our minds from time to time. A pertinent discussion as it turns out, as one of our favourite UK producers Casio Social Club, Mullet Records head honcho Justin Winks, soon releases his track Crush.

The Jets 1985 hit Crush On You is one of our guilty pleasures, it always puts us in a good mood. It has graced these pages on more than one occasion, and reMix or not, we do love a good updating of the tune. Casio Social Club’s new version of the track, Crush, is pure Electro Boogie joy with a Piano House injection. It’s got that Casio Social Club style we love so much, those retro beats and funky as hell digital bassline, here complimented by an infectious piano line and the sing-along catchiness that is Crush On You. Ahead of the release, Mullet are kindly giving away the Radio Edit of the track. This track is the epitome of summer DiscoPop fun, don’t worry about it, just enjoy.

♫ Casio Social Club – Crush (Radio Edit)

Casio Social Club’s Crush is released 7th August as a Juno exclusive followed by worldwide release on the 14th via Mullet Records.

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Aug 2 2012

Charli XCX’s The Internet reMix video

This is the new official video for Odd Future’s The Internet reMix of one of the best songs of the year, Charli XCX’s You’re The One. The reMix is nice enough, not a patch on St. Lucia’s but it’s got a nice groove. The rapping, however, by Mike G, is some of the laziest, worst rhyming we’ve ever heard. Shame really, it ruins quite a cool mix.

Directed by Claire Boyd and Rayn Andrew, the video is all a bit three years ago. We’ve seen the whole Goecities/.gif thing done so many times now, admittedly this is probably the best we’ve seen it done, but it’s still done.

The You’re The One EP is out now, the single version is released 19th August.

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Aug 2 2012

Leodoris’ ‘What If?’ video

Leodoris are a Danish eclectic ElectroPop duo, consisting of Kristian Rix and Erikka Bahnsen, who are about to release their What If? EP. Here’s the video for the lead track.

Andreas Waldschütz directed this glamorous peice of anti-glamour. The track and the video work really well together. Someone needs to give vocalist Erikka a burger though.

What If? is released 13th August.

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Aug 1 2012

Ladyhawke’s ‘Blue Eyes’ video

Here is the video for New Zeeland’s finest Indie-electro export, Ladyhawke’s new single Blue Eyes.

It’s the best Ladyhawke’s best video since Dusk ‘Till Dawn and sees Pip on a good old fashioned psychedelic walkabout, directed by Jess Holzworth.

Blue Eyes is taken from Ladyhawke’s new album Anxiety, out now.

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Aug 1 2012

Goin’ Old School: Trans-X, Pop Will Eat Itself & Soul II Soul

Goin’ Old School isn’t a trip down music memory lane, it’s a mugging in the dark alleyway of nostalgia:

Power Italo first from Trans-X and Message On The Radio from 1986, it’s now all Living On Video y’know!

The the mighty Pop Will Eat Itself’s Def Con One from 1988.

And from 1988, Soul II Soul’s first release, the Rose Windross featuring Fairplay.

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Jul 31 2012

Saint Lou Lou’s ‘Maybe You’

Saint Lou Lou

Saint Lou Lou’s much hyped track Maybe You will be getting a proper release soon. None other than Kitsuné Music picked it up for release and have loaded the single with reMixes from Miami Horror’s drummer Good Night Keaton, CFCF, Oxford, Le Crayon, Pyramid. Phew!

Maybe You is a dreamy track. Glowing ElectroPop and sparse acoustic guitar seem to float around the speakers while these two Sweeden based Australian twin sisters’ gentle vocals swirl around the track with a grace and epic emotionality that’s rare to come across in such a chilled tune. This is Dream Pop at it;s finest, and I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s going to lend itself amazingly to some big reMixes, we heard the package and it really does!