Category: Pop

  • Phantom/Ghost – Relax It’s Only A Ghost

    A rather dark pop track with a muted bassline that haunts.   Kinda reminds me of a cross between The Postal Service and Camouflage.   This track is taken from their 2006 release “Three

    From last.fm:

    The project Phantom/Ghost was formed in a hotel bar by producer and musician Thies Mynther (Stella, Superpunk) and Tocotronic’s singer, songwriter and guitarist, Dirk von Lowtzow – both heroes of the music scene in Hamburg, Germany. The band’s first and self-titled album was released in 2001. The second one was called “To Damascus” and released in 2003. In 2006, Phantom/Ghost released their most recent album, “Three”.

    Phantom/Ghost – Relax It’s Only A Ghost

  • George Demure – Sorrow (Dave Ball (of Soft Cell) Nightwreckers Radio Mix)

    Listed below is both the original and the Dave Ball (of Soft Cell and The Grid fame) remix — more on Dave Ball tomorrow.

    From George Demure’s site:

    Scottish electro crooner George Demure is back with the latest single from his successful debut album “Boomtown Medallion”. This one is a cover of the Bowie classic “Sorrow”.

    With a helping hand from talented producer Aidan Love (Maps & Goldfrapp) Demure weaves an 80’s inspired tapestry which blends the classic song with a accessible sound. As one half of Soft Cell, Dave Ball was one of those producers who laid down the blueprints for an entire category of synthesizer based music.

    Bio:

    Introducing George Demure…

    …a suave and debonair gentleman hailing from Scotland, now living and working in London.

    George Demure spent 10 years at the forefront of Scotland’s electronic music scene before moving to London in 2002. This move prompted a rediscovery of his love for guitars as well as discovering his sensational yet elegant singing voice.

    Equally adept behind a bank of drum machines as he is with acoustic guitars and tambourines, George’s songs demonstrate an obsessive love of music, from Charlie Feathers to Lee Perry, Throbbing Gristle to Otis Redding – and his ability to weave a particular lyrical slant in his music owes much to his love of literature.

    Since his live debut supporting Colder at London’s Bush Hall in 2005, he attracts growing numbers of devotees with his live performances. A host of gigs include Glastonbury (2005 and 2008’s The Guardian Lounge), performances throughout London, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Tank Magazine party at the ICA in 2006, Koko (Camden Palace), a show stopping performance at Output’s 2006 Sonar Party in Barcelona, not forgetting Batofar and Le Baron in Paris earlier this year.

    George Demure was first featured on Output Recordings Channel 4 Compilation with the classic “New Confrontation”. A single, “The Main Attraction” was released in September 2006, one of the last ever releases on Output. Then, with Tirk, he released the New Confrontation EP, a critically acclaimed 5 tracker in December 2006. Now signed to Tirk Records offshoot August Day, his debut LP “Boomtown Medallion”, released in October 2007 to great applause, continues to win admirers. With three tracks produced with Maps producer Aidan Love and two produced with The Strokes producer Gordon Raphael, the seeds of collaboration had firmly taken root. The single “My Baby’s Gone”, was released with as superb and quirky video, this years’ follow up single, a cover of David Bowies ‘Sorrow’ sports a remix from Soft Cell’s Dave Ball. With his growing interest in multimedia performances and collaborations with new musicians, producers and directors alike, his monthly podcasts/videocasts are already the social insiders must see……. the world of George Demure just gets bigger and bigger.

    “…borderline genius… possibly the best leftfield pop album of 2007” — iDJ

    “..quite brilliant…” – One Week To Live

    “…George Demure is ace!” – NME

    “…is a delight…by turns darkly threatening and flooded with warm light..” – Time Out

    “..moody, cool electro indie..” Mixmag

    George Demure – Sorrow

    George Demure – Sorrow (Dave Ball (of Soft Cell) Nightwreckers Radio Mix)

  • Jack Johnson – Breakdown

    Playful midtempo track from Jack Johnson’s 2005 release titled “In Between Dreams”.

    Last.fm bio:

    Jack Johnson (born May 18, 1975) is a Hawaii-born singer-songwriter, accomplished professional surfer and filmmaker who has achieved commercial success and a dedicated following since he first appeared on G. Love & Special Sauce’s album Philadelphonic. The release of his 2001 debut album, Brushfire Fairytales further cemented his popularity.

    Jack learned to play the guitar at age 14, and was a professional surfer until an accident at Pipeline in which his front teeth were knocked out and he received more than 150 stitches. While he was recovering in bed, he spent his time writing songs and playing guitar. However, Jack didn’t seriously pursue a career in the arts until his college years at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Jack Johnson also played rhythm guitar for the party band “Soil”, and graduated with a degree in film.

    He has written, recorded, and released the albums Brushfire Fairytales (2001), On and On (2003), In Between Dreams (2005), Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies For The Film Curious George (2006) and Sleep Through The Static (2008), he has also been on 3 soundtracks “September Sessions” from the film The September Sessions, “Thicker Than Water” from the film Thicker Than Water, “Sprout”, “A Broke Down Melody” Ep and “Some Live Songs EP”. Several of his songs are also featured in the movie “Out Cold”. His latest album – Sleep Through The Static – is among the top 10 of the US charts at present, as can be seen at http://mp3walls.com/.

    Lryics:

    I hope this old train breaks down
    Then I could take a walk around
    And, see what there is to see
    And time is just a melody
    All the people in the street
    Walk as fast as their feet can take them
    I just roam through town
    And though my windows got a view
    The frame I’m looking through
    Seems to have no concern for me now
    So for now I,

    I need this here
    Old train to breakdown
    Oh please just
    Let me please breakdown

    This engine screams out loud
    Saying the beat gunna crawl westbound
    I don’t even make a sound
    Cause its gunna sting me when I leave this town
    And the people in the street
    That I’ll never get to meet
    If these tracks dont bend somehow
    And I got no time
    That I got to get to
    Where I don’t need to be
    So I,

    I need this here
    Old train to breakdown
    Oh please just
    Let me please breakdown
    I need this here
    Old train to breakdown
    Oh please just
    Let me please breakdown

    I wanna break on down
    But I can’t stop now
    Let me break on down
    But you cant stop nothing
    If you got no control
    Of the thoughts in your mind
    That you kept in you know
    You dont know nothing
    But you dont need to know
    The wisdoms in the trees
    Not the glass windows

    You can’t stop wishing
    If you dont let go
    But things that you find
    And you lose and you know
    You keep on rolling
    Put the moment on hold
    The frames too bright
    So put the blinds down low

    Jack Johnson – Breakdown