TAKING ME OVER

Photo by Ivania Carpio

Cold beats, heartwarming vocals. As you might have realised by now, I quite like things that are simple yet effective. Let it play for a few minutes to fully immerse yourself in it, the intro takes a while.
This one is the first in a new Hivern Discs series called 'Blanc'. Unfortunately it's vinyl only and only 100 copies would be available but they've already sold out right under your nose in less than a day. Noooooo.

Blanc 1 - It's All Over

I'M A FOOL

Photo by Corrine Michael West

Quite in love with Rhye's album 'Woman' as well as S O H N's productions, so the two of them together obviously make for a great track - well, two great things don't always fit well together, but since they're musically so closely related, with their slow and delicate pop, in this case they do. Love love love!
via Disco Naïveté.

BROKEN BONES

Photo by Jessica Backhaus

The Van Jets will be a familiar name for the Belgian readers, but what you'll hear below is an unfamiliar sound for the Belgian four-piece. Remixed by newcomer Blatan, their upcoming single Broken Bones gets turned into something a little different, yet with their raw edge intact. Nice crossover.
Other remixes for this single are by Moonlight Matters and Blende, the three of which will be released on a special remix vinyl for Record Store Day on April 20th.

TRANSFORMATION

Photo by (I don't know who it's by. If anyone does...)

Been a big fan of Footprintz since their first single 'Utopia' came out (it was the final track on the mix I made for Subbacultcha last year), and the subsequent pieces we heard from them such as the Depeche Mode-y 'Fear Of Numbers' and recent 'Dangers Of The Mouth' single which included a proper remix bomb by fellow Canadian Tiga have continued that affinity. So, imagine my excitement for their debut album 'Escape Yourself' that's recently been released and co-produced by Mr. Ewan Pearson.
They've been kind enough to give a track from the album away for free, one that I think it brings together all the different elements that I like about them; breathy delicate vocals, the right amount of sleaze, the right amount of melancholy and great chords. The only shitty news? They split up back in February....
Listen to / download it below, and check a short mix of the album here. And maybe buy it here while you're at it.

100%

Photo by Virginie Khateeb

Bit surprising that this comes from the same guy as Midnight Request Line, but hey, I'm not one to say that one person should stick to one kind of music only. There's no denying that this is some proper accessible dancefloor material and I didn't check, but I imagine it's already over the entire internet by now just because of that.
Personally I'm not a big fan of A*M*E's vocals, but in Skream's setting they remind me of The Jets - Crush On You (which I think is a reference that should be used more often by musicians) so in this case it's totally fine by me. It's flat out retro, like it came straight out of 1987, it's nothing modern or innovating, but when it's done well, it's just good music and that should be the important thing, right?
Skream's remix clearly is quite light-hearted while Duke Dumont's original breathes a 'HOUSE MUSIC IS SERIOUS BUSINESS'- atmosphere. Two tracks for two completely different occasions, but both will do the job in the according situation.
Out March 31st (with a remix by Waze & Odyssey as well), pre-order it here.

OPENING BRACE

My Panda Shall Fly & Adventure Elephant - "Opening Brace"

Really short post about the really nice video for My Panda Shall Fly's new single 'Opening Brace', shot on a 16mm camera by Chris Toumazou.
The story of the video develops quite slowly, each shot depicts a scene in a (fictional) day in the life of My Panda Shall Fly, but it fits the atmosphere of the music perfectly. Also, I NEED that outfit.
It'll be released on the 'Maccron Accent' EP, which is a collaboration between My Panda Shall Fly and producer Adventure Elephant. Pre-order it digitally here, vinyl here, it'll be out on March 25th on Tape Club Records.

YOU CAN'T HAVE MY LOVE

Photo by & Other Stories

Space Dimension Controller has an album coming out and this track is on it.
Mentioning 'I Feel Love' feels obligated because of the similar kind of intro, but at the same time it's completely unnecessary as the track doesn't try to be reminiscencent of Donna Summer's classic. A better description - in my opinion - would be that it sounds like the soundtrack to a movie about a lonely robot's love endeavors, a sound that's in that same blissfull spirit of 'The Love Quadrant'. Space Dimension Controller's album 'Mikrosector-50' will be released March 4th on R&S Records.
Found this one over at the new Ocular Sound site, which is worth checking out for some more great recommendations.

BACK TO YOU

Photo by Virginie Khateeb

Clearly it took a while to get back into the blogging thing... oops.
But here we are with one of my favourite releases of the year so far (ok I know we're only one month in so let's just say it's really really good), which is Jacques Renault's new EP 'Back To You' on his Let's Play House imprint. And when I say 'EP' I mainly mean the splendid Paradis remix on the B-side.
With a rather engaging bassline and delicate vocals - two things that in the course of just two EP's have become characteristic for their sound) - the French duo and Beats In Space signees transformed the original based around a few hooks and a jerky rhythm into something that sounds surprisingly streamlined. It's their first venture into the remix game and we couldn't have hoped for a better result.
In a way it's a pity that this remix is so good, because the original is actually quite good as well but will most likely be completely overlooked because of the remix (and this post is not helping, I know), so do take the time to check the entire release and buy it (digitally or on vinyl).

DREAMER

Photo by Alba Yruela

Lovely edit of the eighties American disco-funk group B. B. & Q. Band by Greek (but London based) producer Elias Tzikas. It captures a mid-eighties atmosphere without sounding too dated nor has it been modernised in a forced way. Which, I guess, means it blends in nicely with other new music yet it can evoke a refreshing shift in mood on a dancefloor.
'Dreamer' is released on the 'Hunts Hurts Hearts' EP on Retrospective, that has the title track (which is much along the lines of 'Dreamer') and a more deep-housey track 'Still Around' on the A-side and 'Dreamer' plus a dub version by Retrospective's label heads Ruben & Ra on the B-side.
Listen to the entire EP here, you can buy the 12" here and a digital release will be available from tomorrow on, over here!
Last post of 2012 probably, thanks for reading this year, happy holidays and see you in 2013 - it should be exciting!

LAURA PALMER

Twin Peaks film still

One of the disadvantages of tv series is having to hear the same soundtrack over and over again in each episode, but in the case of David Lynch's Twin Peaks, the music is something I happily look forward to.
The theme for the series was originally composed by Angelo Badalamenti with Lynch sat beside him and describing the atmosphere of the series that Badalmamenti then translated into music.
In the track below - a re-interpretation of the theme - the acid synth line is probably the most obvious added element, although the most striking change must be the introduction of a rhythm to it, since the tempo in the original was virtually non-existent after Lynch instructed Badalamenti to play the minor chord progression slower, which then resulted in the dark and hazy theme a lot of you probably already know. Hypnotising.
A short video about the creation of the original theme can be found here, and then buy the refix in the Hivern Disc webshop, it's the second installment in their HVNED vinyl-only edits series. There still might be some copies of HVEND01 left, which I can higly recommend as well.

TB - Invitation To Love

CHERRY

Photo by Sharon Gong

Beautiful new single from Chromatics, taken from the Italians Do It Better label compilation 'After Dark 2'.
Chromatics' 'Kill For Love' album has been one of my favourite albums of 2012, and the aesthetics we heard in the album are very much present in this track as well.
Yes, it's dark and gloomy, but a in such an outstanding way.
Download the single below, and check a previous single from the compilation, by label mates Desire below as well. You can download the first After Dark compilation here, and check Johnny Jewel's soundcloud for more Italians Do It Better tracks/mixes/etc.

Chromatics - Cherry

Desire - Tears From Heaven

BETTER

Photo by Uber & Kosher

A track I've been playing a LOT lately... Actually already released last year on Viadrina's 'Better' EP, but I only recently discovered it on the We Play House Summer Special. German duo Arto Mwambé pushed the clean and mathematical original into a different direction with some very full-sounding synths that will keep you warm & dancing well into a cold, cold winter.
Buy it here

SHORTCUTS

'Shortcuts' by Mircea Cantor

A new album by the Norwegian disco producer Lindstrøm is always something to look forward to, since it usually has this edge to it that makes it stand apart from the giant pile of albums that get released every year - even good ones. 'Smalhans', released just this week, is no different. It's his fourth album so far (if you're not counting the albums with Prins Thomas or Christabelle) and his second (!) album this year, after 'Six Cups of Rebel' that was released back in February and was filled with plain experimental weirdness only Lindstrøm can get away with.
This particular album is a relatively short one to his standards (a good 30 minutes long, whereas his second album 'Where You Go I Go Too' had a track that clocked in around 30mins on its own already), features 6 higly energetic pieces with titles (named after traditional Norwegian dishes) that I'm not even going to begin to try to pronounce.
'Fårikål' for example, is a dish with Mutton and cabbage that is so beloved in Norway that it has its own national day, Fårikål Feast Day, at the end of September. Another one I'd love to try out is 'Eggedosis', which is eggs whisked together with sugar into a fluffy substance - a kids' favourite apparently.
The music? oh, right. Nerdy analogue synth madness. Storms by in a second and might leave you confused and/or craving for more. There's no use picking a favourite out of the bunch since all six of the tracks have these specific little details you get drawn to, they're all meticulously constructed in a very concise yet extravagant way.
Throwing in a Lindstrøm quote for good measure: "The process is definitely intuitive. I try all sorts of combination of chords and changes, and just know when something interesting happens. I find myself getting lost in the details. Weighing the ingredients, trying to find the right balance. A little more of this, a little less of that. Making the same dish over and over again, hoping it gets even better. Trying out new recipes and ingredients. Eating it up, and starting again the next day."
(To be honest I'm not sure if that was about the music or the food, but I guess it can apply to both)

PS 1 - If you need more convincing then there's the fact that fellow Norwegian disco viking Todd Terje mixed the album, a logical choice seen as the entire album is composed with a dancefloor in mind, and Terje happens to know a thing or two about that.

PS 2 - in case you didn't know, Lindstrøm's musical counterpart Prins Thomas has a new album out too ('Prins Thomas II'), that I've yet to pick up from the record store but should be excellent as well. Report may follow.

PS 3 - almost forgot: BUY the album here

PS 4 - on a total unrelated note: I'll be spinning some records here on Saturday, come!

Lindstrøm - Fāār-I-Kāāl


Lindstrøm - Ęg-Gęd-Ōsis

OUT OF PLEASURE

'Golconda' by Magritte

An album I've been looking forward to a lot is the new album "Personal Space" by the Belgian band Montevideo. It's been released just this week with a - from what I've heard - splendid live gig, so I can't wait to see the boys take this album to the stage.
It's been produced by Joakim, his influence can be heard in the little details that can sometimes make the difference between "good!" and "great!", so he's definitely been a noteworthy addition to the album. Would have to listen to the album a bit more to pick a favourite, but "Out Of Pleasure" is the one that caught my ear on first listen. Beautiful subdued track that gives space to every component of the track. Great!
Listen to the album here, buy it here. It's released in the Benelux right now, not sure about other parts of the world, but keep an eye out!

Montevideo - Out Of Pleasure

AND IT WAS YOU

Photo by Meg Sharp

Planned to give the forthcoming How To Dress Well album 'Total Loss' a listen but renounced that plan after track three. Not because I wasn't liking it, but because I'd rather have that third track, '& It Was U', on repeat for the rest of the time. It's super clean, basically just a vocal with a beat underneath, but a good vocal and a good beat at that.
If it's too clean for you then the rest of the album might be more up your street, there's lots of hipsterish noises and effects to be found - not that I particularly mean that in a bad way and I should probably give the entire album a decent listen before making such allegations anyway.
Electronic Beats is streaming the entire album so head over there to give it a spin. Out on Domino later this month.

How To Dress Well - & It Was U