Switch Remixes The Futureheads

Remember UK band The Futureheads?. I recently came onto a promo remix Switch put out of the song Worry About it Later off The Futureheads' second album News and Tributes. Switch completely butchers the song, but in the result is wonderful. Short loops of lyrics repeat throughout the song, with a steady bassline and heavy synths added...it doesn't disappoint.



The Futureheads - Worry About it Later (Switch Remix)



The Futureheads - Worry About it Later



MY favorite Futureheads song:

Steed Lord!!!! + H&M + music

Fashion and music undoubtedly go hand in hand. Iceland's Steed Lord (M.E.G.A, Demo, A.C. Banana$ and Kali) recently released a line of clothing for the sweden-based meccastore H&M. If you haven't taken notice of Steed's style yet, well you're missing out. Clothing primarily consists of 80's inspired designs and materials...spandex, windbreakers, etc...with wild neon colors and geometric shapes.

Musically, Steed Lord flawlessly mixes house and ghetto genres to create a wonderful style of music, which the clothing line only compliments.

Steed Lord - You (Klever Remixxx)




Steed Lord - Dirty Mutha




Steed Lord - Dirty Mutha (Crookers Remix)

Donnacha Costello - Colorseries

THIS is exactly what I love about minimal. So simple, so beautiful, it's kinda like what Steve Reich would sound like making dance music. All his tracks capture that bittersweet melancholic ecstasy that Aphex Twin's "Xtal" does so well. Colorseries is an album created out of a collection of tracks selected by Costello from his previously released series of 12"s, along with a few tracks of unreleased material from the Colorseries sessions. I can't get enough of this album, I'd love to hear all the colors he's released.



Donnacha Costello - Orange A


Donnacha Costello - Mustard B

(Minimise)

Radio Slave - Bell Clap Dance

OK enough brooding from me. It's time to start dancing again. I need a cowbell and some clapping to get started. Wait, Matt Edwards has the remedy. He begins with the bell and the clapping but then an addictive six-note scale chimes in. After that you'll be dancing all the way to bliss. If you need more convincing on how good this Radio Slave track is know that Villalobos used it in his Fabric mix that I posted a little while ago from RBMA Radio.


Radio Slave - Bell Clap Dance [Rekids]

Digitalism - Idealistic [Video]

So it seems that two months ago I posted an unofficial video for 'Idealistic'. I just saw this video yesterday and I believe it is the official one. Digitalism keep putting out great videos all so beautiful and well-shot with interesting and clever concepts. This video is totally representative of how I am feeling right now. All the happy times and memories of the past 5 years have been erased and it feels like I meant nothing to her. I don't know what was real or if it was all a lie. I thought I was going to marry her, but I guess I was just idealistic...The video was directed by Guillaume Berg and Bastien Lattanzio.

Thankful For Music

Even though I'm still feeling down and I miss her for some reason, I still have plenty to be thankful for. I'd be lost without my family, friends, and music. I hope everyone has a happy thanksgiving. Matt's feast looks delicious - here is what's cooking in my kitchen (buy some of these records instead of buying a bunch of stuff on friday that you don't really need):

Much better than her Blondie LP - Michaela Dippel is really evolving into something special and so is Areal.



Ada - Barren Space [Areal]


Pan-O-Rama is a terrific long player and includes many gems such as this one.



Pan-Pot - Crank [Mobilee]


You can always expect great things from James Holden. The ending really gets me going counteracting the tryptophan. I found this track at the wonderful Random Circuits.



Avus - Fancy Arse (James Holden's Sunday Night Extension) [Perc Trax]


Complex and spacey. I love the tapping of the woodblock. I believe it is a woodblock anyway.



Ruede Hagelstein - Der Kammbläser [Lebensfreude]


Recently featured on Deadset's podcast for Resident Advisor and Ewan Pearson's Fabric 35 this track will really get you swingin' and groovin'.



Johannes Heil - All For One (Tobi Neumann's Swinging Remix) [Klang]

Thanksgiving Feast

What better time to post a smorgasbord of tracks than the beginning of this lovely holiday season? Not a difficult task, as this has been one of the most exciting years for music in recent memory from where I'm sittin. That's plenty to be thankful for.

Let's start with something deep and sinister:



H.O.S.H. - Don Alfredo with Adriano [Kindisch]



Follow that with a soulful emotive minimal classic:



Luciano and Pier Bucci - Amael [Cadenza]



Zone out, way out, deep space style:



Smith N Hack - Falling Stars [Smith-N-Hack]



Get Discofied:



Metro Area - RMM Special Dub [Environ]



And some tasty electro synthpop RnB for dessert:



Daedelus - My Beau [Ninja Tune]


That's all folks, have a happy Thanksgiving!

Shawn Khan is DEAD

Shawn Khan died two weeks ago from betrayal and heartbreak. No he did not die by the hands of Amz and Natalie, but by the actions and words [words are so easy to say] of two others who each do not fit the classification of a human being. Shawn Khan is BACK as a zombie - not as a zombie looking for revenge - but as a zombie that is haunted by his death. He will go on a search for the music that will ameliorate his overwhelming pain and return the function of his brain. Thank you to all those who have been kind and supported the zombie.

At least he died before the genocide of DJs:

Dinky Goes Big

Dinky's name belies her expansive banging sound. The drum sounds hint at her South American roots in Chile, and the vocal samples alternately shout, murmur, gasp, and whoop like half-heard come-ons on the dance floor; these awesome ingredients are then looped to infinity in a swinging minimal-style, very funky. It's all held together with a kind of elegance thats hard to find elsewhere. One of my favorite minimal releases this year.


Dinky - Horizontal [Ringing EP]


Dinky releases her stuff on her own imprint, Horizontal.

Lies in Disguise

New project from Le Castle Vania and Blake Miller (from the Moving Units and Weird Science!!!) called Lies in Disguise released their first remix on So Sweet Records from UK's Partyshank called Penis vs Vagina. The Lies in Disguise myspace promises original songs from the famous duo, hopefully some vocals from Blake Miller will appear.


Partyshank - Penis vs Vagina (Lies in Disguise Remix)


Younglove - Discotech (Weird Science Remix)


Partyshank - Gary

Shit, Robot!

Shit, Robot? No, Shit Robot.

Some carefully placed punctuation might've improved the moniker, but since Shit Robot is on DFA he's automatically hip, so what does it matter?

This track is some massive Lindstrom-esque arpeggiated space disco with a deeper bent, not as groovy but just as far out--think Phaedra or Giorgio Moroder.


Shit Robot - Chasm

I have to say, though, I think I prefer Hatchback for my space disco fix. This track is a little lighter, funkier, more cosmic, perhaps a little less appropriate for a high energy dancefloor, but I think the journey is more satisfying.


Hatchback - Carefree Highway

Rodion + Gomma = YES

I can't take Rodion off my playlist...The Electric Soca Remixes on repeat all day every day. It sounds like heaven, seriously, listen. All of Gomma is actually hottt right now. Gommagang 4 compilation dropped not long ago, and features the song Atala Ride by Rodion, from the Romantic Jet Dance LP AND 2 remixes of Box Codax's Naked Smile.


Rodion - Electric Soca Cosmo Vitelli Remix


Rodion - Atala Ride


Box Codax - Naked Smile (Metronomy Remix)

Electric Soca Video:

Len Faki "My Black Sheep" (Radio Slave remix)

Deep and dubby like Villalobos, but pounding, furious, restrained like only Radio Slave is. This track is not unlike getting sucked into a black hole, it just gets deeper.



Len Faki - My Black Sheep (Radio Slave Remix)

Plastic Operator Lack Plastic Hearts

I recently received an album from Plastic Operator, who many have compared to Postal Service, that found me at a time where the album could resonate most effectively. It is called Different Places, but it seems that we are in fact in the same place - heartbreak. Mathiew Gendreau and Pieter Van Dessel seem to hold women in high regard as they look to them for self-worth, security, and happiness only living to please them. Plastic Operator and I differ in that they tried to make her happy while I barely tried when it was already too late. Nice guys always seem to get left in the dust. However, Plastic Operator are not left for dead; closing track 'The Long Run' has them realizing that they will be "alright" without them. I wish I were at that point. Plastic Operator's most popular song is probably 'Folder', which is about a guy, like me, who has difficulty communicating in the way he should. The video is rather interesting - it was directed by Pete Circuitt:

My favorite song on Different Places is 'Parasol', because it is a reminder of happy times no bullshit no problems. It is the most refreshing song on the album and Sarah Ferri's vocals are a nice addition. I'd like to hear more of her on the next record. Plastic Operator are electronic and poppy akin to Hot Chip, but Jesse Rose and Oliver $ come in and make 'Why Don't You?' ripe for the dance floor. What is so good about the remix is the use of the strings and piano from the original as compliments to their techno rework. Don't worry Mat and Pieter, us nice guys will be appreciated one day:


Plastic Operator - Parasols


Plastic Operator - Why Don't You? (Jesse Rose and Oliver $ Remix)

Gaiser and More Basteroids

Here's a sweet minimal house track on M_nus by Gaiser with a clever 2001: Space Odyssey reference:


Gaiser - Withdrawal

And Shawn just posted about Basteroid, but I just wanted to add this track, I think its my favorite on the album.


Basteroid - Jacktales

The Last Song I'll Ever Hear?!

Satie's first Gymnopédie
It moves so slowly, yet reminds me of riding a bicycle in the sun, the feeling of part of you moving faster than the rest, your body gliding lazily through the air as the spokes flutter quickly with light glinting off the chrome in every direction.

And here's something more uplifting to make sure I'm not just depressing you:


Booka Shade vs Plastic Operator - Night Falls Won't Back Down
Tom Petty lyrics over Booka Shade, never thought that'd work, but somehow, its so wrong its right.