This is the tale of young Perseus. Just a few moons ago, Perseus opened The Magician’s Magic Tape 12 with his retouch of “New Life.” After noticing the people’s desire for 112bpm tropical flavors, The Magician descended upon the lands of Mycenae and challenged Perseus to undertake a quest only fit for demigods. The Kraken? Medusa? No — that’s ancient history. The undertaking was fairly simple: if Perseus could craft 3 magical originals, he would share them with the masses. And so it happened, Magic Tape 15 was met with “Russian Girlfriends,” followed by “Cool Runnings” in tape 17, and finally “Running Back To You” in tape 18.
The people prayed, day after day, asking for Perseus to unlock his music and share it with them. And so it was, through the help of his “fly” stallion, Pegasus (or in alternative universes, “The French Express”), they heroically unchained the EP, for the masses to fully consume & enjoy.
All which remains from the great epic is the highly-coveted, highly-demanded 3-track EP, in heavenly 320kbit quality. It is yours, for keeps… Tweet about it, post about it, share it, blare it. This EP will be live on Beatport soon, for those wanting to hang 10 and catch a few .WAV’s.
Plastic Operator is set to release their new full length, due out in Feb 2012, and from it they have just released their first single, “Making It Right”.
Fitting, since this is after all the weekend, but that just happens to be coincidence to be honest. I some how forgot to post this track when I initially ran by it. After all, I’ve had this thing playing on my iPod for quite sometime now. Anyhow, this track is taken from their first full length titled, Rapprocher (meaning “to come closer” in French), which was released in October of this year.
Class Actress is a synthpop band formed in 2009 in Brooklyn, New York City, USA. The group consists of the singer-songwriter Elizabeth Harper and the producers Scott Rosenthal and Mark Richardson. Their music has been compared with artists like Depeche Mode, The Human League, OMD and Madonna.
This is electronic pop perfection. This single was released back in 1982 on RCA records, but it was initially considered a flop. It wasn’t until the bands’ break out hit “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” that the single shot up the charts, and ultimately landing on U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart at the seven spot.
From Songfacts.com:
“The song was produced by Dave Stewart and Adam Williams and was self-financed at Eurythmics’ 8-track facility above a picture framing factory in Chalk Farm, London. They decided on a simpler arrangement than their previous singles emphasizing Annie’s vocals more. Said Lennox: “We did decide for ‘Love Is A Stranger’ that everything in it would be very clear. All that is there is seen to be there and nothing is hidden in a big mush of sound.” Stewart added: “Using our own eight track we hear a song millions of times and the melody in it is always apparent to us. We realized it might not be so obvious for people hearing the song for the first time.”"
Nothing like new Monarchy to kick off the weekend, enjoy! This track can be found on their bonus disc from a Limited edition, signed, deluxe double CD. Only 500 copies.
As an artist with already a lot of very successful material to his name, Rodriguez Jr.’s debut album Bittersweet is a highly anticipated release. There are in fact many reasons why people should hold their breath for it – an impressive 11 track body of work that features some of the well renowned and loved Rodriguez Jr. sonic traits, as well as a lot of new and previously unchartered musical ground. It simultaneously presents techno, atmospheric dub, hypnotic, melancholy and hands down hedonistic music, and with a focus on exploring textures and moods, there is something here for everyone to get lost in.
Rodriguez Jr., aka Oliver Mateu, was originally introduced to music through radio in the south of France, where he closely followed a selection of 80s bands, as well as forming a strong love for synthesizers. It wasn’t long before he was inspired to start his own group with partner Giles Escoffier ‘The Youngsters’, which quickly signed to Laurent Garnier’s F-Communications, taking them to some of the biggest clubs and festivals around the world. After great success, the project was put on hold and over the last five years Mateu has been given the space to focus more on his solo work and finally the opportunity to create an album.
In spite of his French origins, both Olivier Mateu’s artist name and productions lean more towards his father’s Spanish roots, with a Mediterranean warmth and party atmosphere often coming to the fore. Bittersweet, however, embodies influences from all over the world. Inspired during recent trips to Japan, Canada and Europe, the voyaging Rodriguez Jr. accompanied by his laptop lay down ideas in hotel rooms after playing in clubs and absorbed the different environments around him into his work. With each country creating a new experience, his touring has played a big part in the variety of tracks that are presented here.
Whilst the spice of Bittersweet was captivated in far away places, the main body of the production of the album was carried out in Mateu’s hidden away studio in Belgium, filled with many loved pieces of analogue gear and synthesizers. Ranging from the Roland TR909, for a classic house drum feel, to the Korg MS10 for dirtier sounds, and a selection of Roland keyboards to choose from, “I am definitely a synth fetishist! Ahaha!” (Rodriguez Jr.). Each has contributed in Rodriguez Jr.’s quest to create an artistic project of the highest quality and creativity that he is capable of, with outstanding results. He has also drawn on the creative input of two musicians who are featured in two of the tracks – And.Id playing his trumpet and Cari Golden’s vocals.
A masterpiece that truly reflects the Rodriguez Jr. of today, it also offers us enough variety and surprise to keep us inspired by this ever-evolving artist. Reflecting on the tracks Bittersweet refers to the contradictory forces at play within the music – it may be beautiful and it may be sweet – but be careful of the party animal it can unleash both in the creator and within all of you present on the dancefloor!
Set to thunderous beats and rock infused rhythms is a story of a woman who travels to Miami to purposely get lost in the crowd, but the protagonist is following her none the less since his heart aches for more.
Reminds me of She Wants Revenge, but with an arena type sound.
Animal heart is a musical mistake of good intent founded by two of the most un-extraordinary men one could ever hope to find. |animal heart is an experiment | animal heart is electronic pop rock | animal heart is unwholesome fun | animal heart is two pink moons and a loaded gun | animal heart is diggin’ in the dirt for tips | animal heart is so much more than this…Witness!
Gary is ready to let loose his creative side on his upcoming new album Now Was Once The Future. The album features Gary’s new version of “Cinema” which transforms the song into a spacious down-tempo ballad and features guest vocals from Carina Round.
I had previously posted the original version produced by Benny Benassi (read hear), but I also appreciate this more mellow take of the this track as well.
Miike Snow just premired there latest single from their new forthcoming album. A triumphant sounding track with the always velvet sounding Andrew Wyatt on vocals. Been looking forward to new Miike Snow after devouring their first release, which is still in heavy rotation on my iPod.
Some Drum ‘n’ Bass action here from Nu:Tone (aka Dan Gresham). From his latest release, Words and Pictures, we a have a decidely soulful number layed across a warm bed of sounds. One of the best drum ‘n’ bass tracks I’ve heard all year.
Back again with the Best of 2011 (thus far…) pt 3
This is my list of the best electronic music I found between the months of July through Sept of 2011
You can read all picks from January - Sept: here
Kotov & Andre Wilde does this track proper, by taking the original and shedding a new light on it for an uptempo night out. I love the sound of Christopher Norman’s dry but warm voice on this bead of glistening electronic beats.
Spirited, playful, and even has that classic Beatles harmony which makes this one of my favorites on the year. Huck Finn are from Berry, Switzerland, not that I know this personally, but is says so on their soundcloud profile!
Deep dark electronic house track here, with shimmer. One thing that comes to mind when I listen to Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs is the attention to detail and the ear candy he places in his tracks, truly a treat.
Be sure to drop by the bands Facebook page to gain access to two additional tracks for free! You can also follow them on Twitter or drop by their bandsite.
Karin rides a breathing, hungry bassline ready to consume everthing in it’s path. Think Bjork, or even The Knife for that matter, and add a dubstep background — beautiful and intoxicating.
Born in Djura (population 400) in the dark woods of Dalarna, Sweden, in a deeply religious family, Park was first a pop star in Norway with her 2004 debut ‘Superworldunknown’, before she started collaborating with Datarock’s Fredrik Saroea on the previous album ‘Ashes To Gold’, a route she’s now continued with Christoffer Berg (The Knife/Fever Ray/Little Dragon), into an even darker soundscape.
Karin’s new album combines electronica, industrial, dubstep and synth pop with her unmistakeable, truly unique voice. The album is out early next year but release of an EP (‘Tiger Dreams EP’) with 3 new tracks will be out September 19th on State of the Eye Recordings.
Here’s a slice of dreamy electronic pop for your early afternoon, by Shannon Curtis. What caught my ear, outside of Shannon’s dreamy voice, is the production on this track. In particular, the drums. Sounding like a programmed beat, but this beat has soul, and the kick drum has this warm edge to it that perfectly suits the track.
SHANNON CURTIS ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE WITH NEW SINGLE
Artist Shannon Curtis has logged over 150,000 tour miles in her VW Jetta in 4 years, but with her new single — to be released October 25th — she suggests “Let’s Stay In”
If there is any artist who deserves a rest, it would be dream-pop songstress Shannon Curtis. That may be what she had in mind when she penned her upcoming single, “Let’s Stay In.” And although listeners may gladly heed the suggestion and curl up with a loved one as the air cools and the days shorten this fall, if Curtis’s tour schedule is any indication, she’ll be taking a rain check on that well-deserved rest. Curtis wrote the song behind the wheel of her Volkswagen Jetta while on tour last year, contributing to the over 150,000 miles she’s driven while touring over the last 4 years. She’s currently three months into a campaign to play in 5 west coast cities once a month for six months in a row.
“We’ve been to Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles three times already since July, and we’re headed back again this month. It’s great: I know exactly where I’ll get my coffee in Seattle, breakfast in Portland, late-night burritos in San Francisco. It’s been fun to get to know these cities, but it’s even more fun getting to know the people coming out to the shows. They’re awesome. The audiences have been growing each month and they’re really enthusiastic about the new music. It’s an exciting time.”
The song itself doesn’t appear to be house-bound either. Curtis has collaborated with DJs from L.A. to San Francisco to Brooklyn to compile an impressive collection of remixes of “Let’s Stay In” for the limited-edition “mega-single” CDs she’ll be making available to fans this fall. “The remixes are so dope. Can I say that? I’m like the opposite of gangsta. Haha! But really, it makes me giggle to think that a song about staying in for a quiet evening could start blowing up nightclub dance floors.”
Shannon Curtis is a songwriter and performer from Los Angeles. “Let’s Stay In” is the second single from her forthcoming album, recorded by producer/mixer husband Jamie Hill (Jens Lekman, The Presets, Nada Surf), and will be released worldwide by Saint Cloud Records on October 25th, 2011. The first single, “Brightest Light in the Room,” was written for two US Army servicewomen on the occasion of their wedding engagement and received kudos from bloggers and prominent play on internet and independent radio. Curtis has previously released 3 EPs and one acoustic LP, and has sold over 10,000 of those records to date. Curtis’ song “Before the Sun” was featured on MTV’s The Hills, and Buzz Bands LA has recently dubbed her a “purveyor of down-tempo dream-pop.”
Guess who’s back with yet another astounding track? Yep, none other than one of Audiodrum’s fav’s, Jhameel. This time around he slows it down to a mid-tempo electronic confection called, “White Lie”.
The best movie I’ve seen this is year, hands down, is Drive. Not only did this capture the city of Los Angeles at night beautifully, but it did so with a terrific story and a truly inspired soundtrack as well. From that soundtrack we have the team up of College with a duo from Toronto, Canada named Electric Youth.
College, from his real name David Grellier, is a French electronic music composer born in 1979 in Nantes. At the end of the 90s, he purchased his first computer, with which he realized numerous demos. Influenced by artists such as Jeff Mills, Aphex Twin and labels such as Soma Records, Peacefrog, and Warp. In April 2007, he met Anoraak and decided to create a blog to share their most recent productions: the Valerie project was born. Other artists such as The Outrunners, Maethelvin or even Russ Chimes would soon join the blog. His first Ep Teenage Color was released that same year and allowed him to meet the German illustrators The Zonders.
A collaboration started then with the latter for all the flyers related to the Valerie Parties, as well as all the records and projects which are associated to them. An identity and a musical movement evoking a kind of nostalgia from the 80s arose and the international press started to notice the productions associated with Valerie. In 2009, while his first album entitled Secret Diary was being released, College toured with Anoraak all through the biggest capitals in Europe, the United States and Australia. College also collaborated closely with the Canadian duet Electric Youth, who participated to the Ep A Real Hero, released on the Belgian label Flexx Records. In the meantime, Valerie became a real label by producing two 7inch with the support of the New-York collective Free Danger.
