This is the mix I made everyone for Xmas. Maybe later I'll upload it to yousendit.
1. PROFESSOR MURDER - Free Stress Test
Another reason that NYC is the hub for most fantastic music in the States. These guys came out of nowhere with their percussion-ridden dub-funk-punk (seriously, i think every member plays percussion of some kind). This song is just so rompy and summery. Check the awesome simplistic melodica riff which closes it. Bliss.
2. OUT HUD - One Life to Leave
These guys are sadly defunct now, but are continuing their spirit with their main band, !!!. I actually preferred these guys, they are more smooth and a little more pop oriented than the more punky/glitchy !!!. This song features perhaps my favourite arpeggiator sound in any song, ever.
3. ROYKSOPP - What Else Is There?
This song has vocals by Karin from the Knife! Man, she is awesome. Vocals totally soar over this driving night-time rhapsody. About three-quarters through theres a terrific interlude/breakdown.
4. SUPERSYSTEM - Tragedy
Oh my god, these dudes are the BEST! As far as dance-punk goes, these guys are my favourite band. Wolf Parade only slightly bests them in genius, for me. Theyve been around for a few years, god knows why i havent heard of them until late this year. For a while it was a chore to listen to anything else but this. Anyway, this song is from their 2004 album, and its fun fun fun to the max. I love the synth-guitar call-and-response mini war that happens towards the end of the song. What the hell am I talking about you say? Listen and find out!
5. RATATAT - Lex
Ahh, Ratatat. This band is one of the only ones which has created a synth setting which is instantly recognisable to be theirs. Its kinda between hip hop and a video game. So in other terms, perfect for nerdy white kids to dance to in clubs. This song is pretty epic. Check the strutty muted guitar, I love it.
6. WIZARDZZ - Sailship
Dave and I have this kinda-sorta-side-project called Monstrous Regiment, and I think if it ever took off, it would/should sound a bit like this song. Heaps cruisey/swaying synth line with a simplistic kinda drum accompaniment, which eventually morphs into an effects-laden extravaganza. This is a Lightning Bolt side-project!
7. FUJIYA & MIYAGI - Collarbone
Ahh, where did this awesome band come from? P-fork summed it up best when they said theyre doing for old Krautrock bands like NEU, Can and Kraftwerk what the DFA did for early-80s electro. So basically, theyre taking a robotic kinda beat with machinated guitar lines, and infusing it with dancey funk. Brilliant!
8. MALAJUBE - Fille a Plumes
Whats this? Art has put on a song by an obscure Canadian band which features an orchestral wall of sound featuring yelling and "whoo!"ing and keyboards? Wow, how incredibly predictable of him. SHUT UP!
The oldest song on my mix. I think its from '79. Giorgio was taking disco seriously even when it was dying and people saw it as a joke. It used to be a genre filled with african-american girl groups and one-off joke bands, but Giorgio helped reinvent it, and also helped mesh it with guitar-pop, like he did with Blondie and Heart of Glass. This whole electro revival thats happening now is influenced a lot by Giorgio and his contemporaries. Cheesy bass lines and vocoder vocals. Need I say more? I think its great!
10. THE JUAN MACLEAN - Give Me Every Little Thing
...and this is Giorgio's legacy today. DFA all the way!
11. SHY CHILD - Break Your Neck
More dancepunk. This is a Supersystem side project. I think its only two guys. P-fork says dancepunk is dying, though I think the complete opposite.
12. JUSTICE - Remix of "Human After All" by Daft Punk
Okay, I dont think this sounds much like the original, its just so Justicey in every way, so I've put the artist as Justice instead of Daft Punk. Justice is another electro outfit whose sound is instantly recognisable, in my opinion. Kinda sandpaper-on-a-dancefloor. Except this song sounds like a level from Streets of Rage 2 on the Mega Drive.
13. TREASURE ISLAND DIZZY - Slam Slam Duck Pond
"Okay, we get it Art, you like video games!" ...but seriously, this is awesome. How on earth do they play this live?
14. LIQUID LIQUID - Optimo
The other old song. I think this is from '81. Liquid Liquid were one of the originators of "dancepunk". Very percussive and kewl. I like the vocals deep in the mix as well.
15. OF MONTREAL - She's a Rejector
Woo! I love Of Montreal! Possibly the best pop band around at the moment? This is from their upcoming 2007 album. Its pretty straightforward as far as Of Montreal songs go, but I love the melody, and the line "There's the girl that made me bitter, wanna pay some other girl to just walk up to her and hit her". LOL is Andrew the lyric writer for them or something?
16. MOVING UNITS - Melodrama
Moving Units are always good for a dance. This is a kewl song from their EP, hopefully none of you have heard it yet. I love the intro and the "aaaahhHHHH!"
17. KLAXONS - Gravity's Rainbow (Van She remix)
Van She totally made this song better than the original! How fantastic is the synth setting during the intro? One of my favourites on my mix fo sho.
18. !!! - A New Name
Okay, for the past few days I've been raving to everyone about how awesome the leaked new !!! album is. And I didn't even particularly like them before! This album will be a classic, just wait. This song isn't the best one on there, but its the shortest good one. And even then, it finishes with a magnificent jam.
Aaaand we are done!
1 comment:
some nice traxx.
New !!! is fucked good.
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