Archive for August, 2008

A Couple Sunday Kickers

Sunday, August 10th, 2008

So much to say, and so little time. Sometimes I really do wonder whether we’re all just oblivious to the little dwarfs pushing the hands on the clock forward when our backs are turned, but I suppose there really isn’t much to do about it but whine, right?

Shazam

I’ve got to give enormous credit to Discodust for this first find. The guy operates under the name Shazam, and I’d tell you where he’s from, but I’m thinking that, due to a strange southern shift in the electronic capital of the world, it’s probably unnecessary; You can hear the pops and deliciously clicky samples that place him among the likes of The Aston Shuffle, Gameboy/Gamegirl, and all those other Australian giants, but while he is indeed following a popular trend, he’s also taken an particularly interesting view on the connection between disco-house and electro. It’s almost as if he grabbed a couple squealing synth licks from London’s Russ Chimes, looted a collection of funk and disco samples from the revered Daft Punk library (much in the same fashion of the recent, Keenhouse), and then tied it all together with some tripped out glitchy transitions that may as well have come from Ed Banger‘s SebastiAn. The result is funky, upbeat, and lighthearted, but best of all, it’s everything you already know and nothing you’ve ever heard before at the same time.

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MP3: Shazam – Pool Party

(Naturally, check out Discodust for a few more Shazam tracks.)

Kam Denny and Paul Zala

And then there’s this whole trend of remixing artists that are totally and completely unrelated to the Disco culture that so many producers seem to be latching on to. I can’t for the life of me figure out what started it, but (as mentioned in the previous post) it’s becoming unavoidable, which in most cases is exceptionally exciting. It’s one thing to participate in the constant battle of inter-genre remixes: Boys Noize hits Justice, who hits Digitalism, who hits Cut Copy, etc., but when the remixes turn to people like Ce Ce Peniston, it unlocks a world of untapped potential.

At this point, I realize that you’re guaranteed to be confused: You’re either:
A) Wishing I would clarify who this “Ce Ce Peniston” is, or
B) Wishing I would promptly explain why the hell she’s become part of electro.

Don’t worry children. Uh Oh’s got you covered.

A) Ce Ce is Madonna, only not so British (ha!), not so fake, and not so white.
B) Kam Denny (of VANDALISM) has teamed up with Paul Zala (Again, both out of Melbourne, Australia) to make:

SOUND LIKE

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Ce Ce Peniston – Finally (The Kam Denny – Paul Zala remix)

(You know I thought about trying to explain the contrast in words, but the audio/visual approach was just so tempting.)
I’m just waiting for the day that a Beach Boys remix pops up.

SebastiAn‘s Back

And as a little toss in, I figure we’re all probably just as hungry for one of Sebastian‘s good ‘ol glitch-tastic bangers, especially after having been strangely put off by his Motor EP. Remember when tracks like Ross Ross Ross and Greel were all the hype? Good, because here’s your Delorian: we’re going back in time, check it out.

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The Kills – Cheap and Cheerful (SebastiAn remix)

MSTRKRFT and John Legend

Friday, August 8th, 2008

With a Knack for the Peculiar

I don’t usually enjoy covering the artists who most certainly don’t need any more coverage than they already have, but I must admit, certain situations beg for special treatment. I’m sure we all know by now how remixes involving our coveted Canadian duo, MSTRKRFT, go, yes? See, they were always phenomenal, but as of late, there’s been a trend toward more the unusual, which has resulted in a library of tracks that are, at the very least, genre bending.

Let’s think back. We were all shocked (and likely a little worried) when we first saw a pending Usher remix listed on JFK‘s myspace. The only concern left after release, however, was for that of Usher‘s career, due to the fact that his beats are (pardon my language) one hundred percent more tolerable when hidden behind a hockey mask.

A few months later, the same thing happened all over again when gossip caught hold of a potential Jesse McCartney remix. Now, you’d think that, after the Usher remix, the release cycle of this next tune would be a bit smoother, but for some strange reason, the doubt was still there. Needless to say, we all looked like idiots once again when the track dropped.

So today, we are once more presented with a strange and unexpected release, wherein you have two options:

1. Sign on to whatever forum it is that you use to anonymously trash talk artists and start writing comments about how “MSTRKRFT is screwing up everything they have going for them”, all the while proclaiming your “love” to them with your fist in the air at live shows.

2. Give John Legend a chance, accept MSTRKRFT as your savior, grab your 1200′s, and go make people bounce.

Whatever… er… makes you happy.

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John Legend – Green Light (MSTRKRFT remix)

Edit:
Free 320 kbps version now available.
John Legend – Green Light (MSTRKRFT remix)

(You can also find a download link to this track on MSTRKRFT’s myspace, and word has that a FREE high quality version should be available soon.)

A Few International Hooks

Sunday, August 3rd, 2008

Deepest apologies for my having been so sloppy with my posting habits recently. It seems as though “the man” has finally backed me into the corner and forced a “real job” upon my soldiers.

Regardless, I feel I owe you, the good people of the disco scene, not one, but two teaspoons of cherry flavored beats, both to make up for the sparsity of my recent activity, and to express my heartfelt sorrow.

Love Motel

A short little note in my inbox recently clued me in to a project that I’ve been unfortunate enough to have missed out on for much too long: Love Motel. Not only is the Swiss glam-rock / electronic band an intriguing new sound in itself, but they’ve recently finished a particularly large remix endeavor, to which many a distinctive producer (you’ve likely become familiar with the likes of Cryptonites and Be Trash, both of which were previously featured in the BuffetLibre Rewind project) has contributed. I particularly enjoyed the krafty little Kaz rework, a track that (after you’ve indulged of course) will have traveled all the way from Kyotango, Japan to reach you. Seems as though Japan has taken a quick liking to this trend toward the bouncier we seem to be seeing.

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Love Motel – Dial God USA (Kaz dub)

The Cryptonites remix is more than a bit intriguing as well. Although it does employ a good deal of their usual heavy, grungy style, it manages to preserve the indie-ish feel, as well as the gratifying chord progressions of the original track, quite well.

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Love Motel – Je Pleure (Cryptonites remix)

Keenhouse

(Thanks to Neonized for the image.)


Here’s a change of pace: I’m fully convinced that Los Angeles’s Keenhouse, who also happens to have been featured among the BuffetLibre remix artists, has either spontaneously become great friends with Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem Christo, or simply robbed them of their book of secrets, because his beats all seem to wreak of the Daft Punk chord progressions and overall style, and oh is it good. Nearly every track manages to capture the euphoric, positive energy for which we so dearly respect the masked duo, and as such, I simply can’t help but smile and bounce around a bit when these tunes present themselves.

Caution: Listening to these tunes on headphones may, in fact, cause you to look like an idiot, for you’ll likely find yourself getting your groove on at highly inappropriate times to music that no one else can hear. You’ve been warned.

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Keenhouse – Deep in the Forest

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Division Kent – L’heure Bleue (Keenhouse remix)