I Have Battles In My Life

One of those WTF bands that we see signing to Warp Records (like !!!; WTF since Warp is usually way electronic crazy shit) is a band out of New York called Battles. I caught the Battles wave when they had their first 3 EPs (B EP / EP C / TRAS) released via Dim Mak/Cold Sweat, which were subsequently re-released through Warp. Now they have a new full-length banger set for release in May of this year, entitled, Mirrors, perhaps personally my most anticipated release of the year!



When I first listened to this band, I couldn't categorize it or put it down in words. Even their website has been somewhat ambiguous and enigmatic for the last couple of years. I typically see "math rock" dropped in the band's description, and I know they're like one of those supergroup collaborations. The first three EPs were instrumentally dynamic and sonic sound excursions into noise and rhythm, with some semblance of rock/punk elements.

Apparently the new album will feature vocals for the first time, but luckily Pitchfork has a video/audio sampling of their first single, "Atlas," over at IMEEM. Since I only have their older material, I'm posting a track from one of the first EPs:


Battles - "B + T" (from EP C)

Which brings me to a similar yet altogether divergent (and sadly underrated) band, Holy Fuck, out of Toronto. Their self-titled came out in 2005, and featured eight instrumental electronic (yet ironically analog) punk/rock jams, made completely with live drums and homemade electronic equipment (no actual synthesizers or anything, etc.)! They also provided backing music for Beans (new album Thorns coming out later this year on which he recorded w/ Holy Fuck!) live at a festival last year I think, which would've blown my mind to have seen.




Holy Fuck - "Tone Bank Jungle" (from Holy Fuck)



And lastly, continuing the underrated bands rant, there's Mahjongg out of Chicago whose last release was the full-length RaYDONcoNG from 2005, preceded by the Machinegong EP from 2004, both on Cold Crush Records (what ever happened to these guys?). The EP is definitely one of my favorites. Think !!! (chk chk chk) with more post-punk, more quirk, and maybe more drum machine.


Mahjongg - "Aluminum" (from the Machinegong EP)

*Note: All three artists can in fact be downloaded legally through eMusic.com, so pay up for that subscription to the site, you won't regret it

Pick Me Up Uppercut

Once upon a time, Ladytron had a fifth member who played bass, remixed a song for the band, and also was featured on Softcore Jukebox, and I'm not sure what else he was able to accomplish with them. He's been in a band called Super Numeri (who I know nothing about) but more noticebly he's been releasing (solo?) music for the past few years as the one, the only, Pop Levi.

Pop Levi has just released a new full-length entitled The Return To Form Black Magic, which channels a lot of 60's psychedelic pop/folk/rock and reminds me of Of Montreal at same strange, unexplainable moments. It has some solid singles ("Sugar Assault Me Now," "Blue Honey"), and while the 2nd half of the album doesn't really float my boat, I've been assaulted lately by how killer "Pick Me Up Uppercut" is of a song. With a catchy chorus, fuzz guitar, and hand claps, you can't go wrong.


Pop Levi - "Pick Me Up Uppercut" (from The Return To Form Black Magic)

These Beats Are Made Breakin'

New massssssh-up/remix deal fusing vocals from M.I.A.'s "Bucky Done Gun" with music from Chemical Brothers' "These Beats Are Made For Breakin'" (a 10-year old b-side that I've been infatuated with ever since it came out) goooooooo!


M.I.A. vs. Chemical Brothers - "Bucky Done Breakin' (Kids At The Disco Edit)" (right click and save as)

Snowden Remixed

I can't remember where I first read a blurb about Atlanta, GA's Snowden, but I definitely remember putting off grabbing their album from eMusic since I was going on a family vacation for almost two weeks last December. Thankfully, I didn't put off checking them out completely and ever since experiencing Anti-Anti (released on Jade Tree Records) earlier this year, I've been in love with the album and the band's sound, some of the cleanest, danciest, and most sincerest post-punk I've heard in a while.

Then, while reading through Big Stereo, turns out Snowden released a remix EP (Fuel of the Celebration - The Remixes ) as a free download online, which is also for sale if you catch them on tour! Remixes come courtesy of Le Castle Vania, two other ATL artists, and Snowden's singer himself (under the moniker Stutter). If you want to get your remix on, download the EP or buy it from the band, but if you want to get to know Snowden first, go get the album! It was one of the first albums I heard this year that impressed me on the first go, and that doesn't happen that much. Whoever was on their Myspace page when I tried to add them was really nice too (for once!).

Just as a quick note, Snowden will be performing at Cinespace on March 6th in L.A., with a DJ set at Check Yo Ponytail afterwards, a few blocks down from Cinespace. You can most likely expect me to drive down that night to make it (why am I still at college...)! And Dandi Wind is also performing at Cinespace, who I'm just familiarizing with/reading up on right now, so I'll get back to you guys with her possibly...

I was torn with which remix to post, but since I didn't settle with Treasure Fingers' of "Anti-Anti," that should be the next remix you listen to (complete with vocoder action for you Chromeo fans)!


Snowden - "Black Eyes (Le Castle Vania Remix)"

Stones Throw + Old School Electro

Or so that's what I'd think Arabian Prince, and especially Baron Zen, was bringing to the label. Both artists are featured on Stones Throw's two latest compilation offerings, Chrome Children Vol. 2 and Vol. 1, respectively. If you order Vol. 1 from hiphopsite.com, they'll throw in a 7" picture disc (that's what I did when it was first released--AND it comes w/ a really, really dope Stones Throw DVD); Vol. 2 can actually be downloaded for free courtesy of the label and Adult Swim here!



Being a big fan of old school hip-hop, especially the artists who paved the way for electro (Cybotron/Model 500, Egyptian Lover, Afrika Bambaataa, etc.), tracks from both artists caught my attention immediately, a) because it wasn't the usual hip-hop Stones Throw is known for, and b) they got that cheesy, old school vibe. Even funnier is that Arabian Prince was actually part of motherfuckin' N.W.A. (but to what extent, I'm not too sure), and the first thing that came to my mind was an Egyptian Lover rip-off(!). But nevertheless I'm digging this track in all its freaky glory:


Arabian Prince - "Strange Life"



And don't get me started on Baron Zen, I have no idea who this guy is, or was. His release on Stones Throw, At The Mall (you can get it on eMusic, etc) is apparently a compilation of music from '88-'92, and the rest of the album totally did not meet my expectations (which isn't a bad thing) when comparing it to the track I'm posting (off of Chrome Children and At The Mall). The weird, but noteworthy (at least I think so), side of Stones Throw if you ask me...


Baron Zen - "Turn Around (PBW Remix)"

Shy Child

I first heard about Shy Child after some guy at a party who just heard my first mix (from back in the day in December 2004) played me their cd, One With The Sun, during Spring Break two years ago. Shortly after, I was so enthralled with their music I bought myself a copy from their label (Say Hey) online, only $12!

It's another one of those bands that release something different and exciting, yet it gets overlooked (at least by me) until a year or two after their release. It's a shame, but at least Shy Child is now in my record collection (and should be in yours). They're two guys on drums and synth (keytar?) who've had ties with El Guapo, and sound very close to its reincarnation, Supersystem. It's not pretentious music but at the same time it's some of the most fun indie dance rock w/ synths I've heard coming from just two guys. They've bust out a mean remix of The Futureheads two years ago, too. I just need to see them live now because I'm sure it's crazy fun...

They're coming back with a new full-length in May on Wall of Sound (a UK label, so at least in the UK) and have just released a 7" with two tracks from what I'm guessing will be on the new album. And here's one of those songs, but definitely check out One With The Sun (you can find it on eMusic, probably iTunes too) to experience an album that will rock you like a wild child.


Shy Child - "Drop The Phone"

Cut Copy Paste

Holy cow, is '07 the return of Cut Copy? The group (or just Dan Whitford, the wizard behind the curtains himself) has posted a new track that will be the first single from the upcoming follow-up to Bright Like Neon Love on their Myspace called "Hearts On Fire," and so far the new music sounds promising. With Tim Goldsworthy (DFA/The Loving Hand) at the helms for recording, and I'm guessing producing, I think the new record will pick up a more late night club vibe continuting in the vein of the 80's new wave aesthetic.

"Hearts On Fire" sounds more of an artifact of the 80's than Cut Copy's ever done, with definite elements of New Order's new wave/post-punk influence (among several other discernible 80's artists) seeping into the track. I'm not going to rip the track this time but mercy, mercy I urge you to click over to their Myspace and stream it for yourself here.

Hot Chip Side Dish

This one comes straight out of the Myspace presses: DFA Records has a new release from a side project of two guys from Hot Chip called Booji Boy High. I almost passed this one up, but luckily you can hear both songs from the Doubleshaw 7" on DFA's Myspace page. Here's the dirt on Booji Boy High taken from DFA's description:

Booji Boy High is a new project from elusive musical tag-team duo, Georgios Panayiotou and Mother Markzbow. Coming On Strong with the bounciest bounce of the next year, New Rave left dead in its grave, replaced by the rainbow rhythms of the New Age.

And that's about all there is so far. But, alas, the sound and vocals are succinctly the Hot Chip flare. This side project is definitely more about the electronic/synth/drum machine aspect of Hot Chip, but with the same quirkiness and frenetic syncopations of the band most of us have come to love so much. I'm excited about the project and I hope we'll see more material come out this year. The 7" is ready for your sale at the DFA webstore. For the time being, I've posted the b-side to Doubleshaw, "Twist Myself ," ripped from DFA's Myspace page:


Booji Boy High - "Twist Myself Again"

Klaxons vs. to my boy

I don't know how this passed me by, but via Palms Out Sounds I just picked up to my boy's remix (released through Kitsuné Music) of the Klaxons' "Gravity's Rainbow" (one of the best singles from last year, in my opinion). The remixers are a duo that put the electronics in UK art-punk, while the remixees are a trio that are paving the way for the New Rave genre (whoever came up with that term, because I didn't--honestly!) bound to pass or fail this year. The UK sound is much more present in to my boy's music, but luckily for us, their reworking of "Gravity's Rainbow" sticks to the New Rave books.


Klaxons - "Gravity's Rainbow (to my boy Remix)"



While I think the original to "Gravity's Rainbow" (so far only available to the U.S. on their Xan Valleys EP) is amazing, this remix is worth the listen. The Klaxons will hopefully make great strides here if their full-length turns out to be just as exciting. Along with the remix, I'm throwing in to my boy's second single, "The Grid," a song that would perfectly score an 80's science fiction b-movie; their music is so retro-future, it's dangerous. Besides to my boy being signed to XL Recordings, both bands consist of members who I think are younger than I am. Talk about wasting my adolescent years...


to my boy - "The Grid"

Mon Maison Votre Maison

The latest Kitsuné Maison compilation (3) has been growing on me lately, more than the first two did. The more I hear Freeform Five's "Home Wit U" (whose vocals channel Bernard Sumner of New Order, at least to me) the more 3 tops my list. The Simian Mobile Disco track "I Believe" is straight out of the now-defunct Simian's third album that never was. But the one track that I always wait for in anticipation to come up is Alex Gopher's "Motorcyle (Wet Clutch Short Edit)" a track too French to be MSTRKRFT but too MSTRKRFT to be Alex Gopher.

From what I am familiar with, Gopher came out with his first full-length in 1999 with You, My Baby & I riding the wave of the '99 French House scene and channeling as much dance-funk as Cassius's sound at the time. The last I heard of him was the superb collab with Julien Delfaud & Etienne De Crécy for Super Discount 2's "Fast Track" aka "Someone Like You," the best dance single from 2004, if you ask me.

Now we get this new single show up in Maison 3 that has Alex Gopher channeling electro-disco house at its finest, and MSTRKRFT should be jealous. But of course Gopher's track has that special French twist to it, like Sprite Remix with its tropical fruit twist on the old taste. Let's hope this new year will see more of Alex Gopher; in the meantime, check out his track!


Alex Gopher "Motorcyle (Wet Clutch Short Edit)"

Top 16 of 2006

The Winter Mix

Even with finals coming up, I ended up spending too much of my study time this weekend with throwing this mix together. This was almost going to be put off for a while, mainly because I was short good tracks to fill it up with, and LCD Soundsystem's cover of Siouxsie Sioux was killing the beatmatching. But luckily I stumbled upon this new dancefloor killer, a duo by the name of Shakes, and found a copy of the Thieves Like Us single.

I'm not sure what to think of this one, it has a sprinkling of gutter, electro, disco, etc., but all I know is that I was damn excited to finally have finished it. End the year right with this free 54-minute dance party!

Electrotheque (The Winter Mix)
Thieves Like Us - Drugs In My Body
Uffie vs. Justin Timberlake - I'm (Sexy) Back To Uff (Andytron Edit)
New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream (DJ Mehdi Remix)
Goose - Modern Vision
Van She - Kelly (Cut Copy Remix)
The Valentinos - Kafka (Bag Raiders What Y'all Kno 'Bout Five Remix)
The Rapture - Whoo! Alright Yeah... Uh Huh (Simian Mobile Disco Remix)
Phones - Sharpen The Knives
Aaron Lacrate - Oxy's Anthem feat. Roxy Cottontail & Amanda Blank
Mstrkrft - Community Revolution In Progress
M.I.A. - XR2 (Turbo)
The Rakes - Binary Love (The Loving Hand Remix)
LCD Soundsystem - Slowdive
Tussle - Warning
Datarock - Fa Fa Fa
Shakes - Sister Self Doubt (Alternate Version)
Spank Rock - Far Left (U-Tern Electro-Boogie Remix)
Thieves Like Us - Fass



Electrotheque (The Winter Mix) (right click and save as)
54 min / 68MB

Meet the Presets

Another band on Modular, The Presets are a duo from Australia and right now they're touring with The Rapture stateside for some crazy ass live shows. I should know, I just saw them last weekend. Live drums, a handful of synthesizers, a drum machine, and loads of vocal effects all collide into a techno-rock extravaganza.The live show totally blew the studio song versions away, but that's just my opinion. Good stuff to headbang to and dance your ass off to overall.

If you saw The Presets recently and bought a shirt, you'd have gotten a free cd, which so happens to be the new remix cd, Resets, that's already been available for purchase online. Although it's in the vain of Death From Above 1979's Romance Bloody Romance in the sense that it's the same 3-4 songs remixed by different artists, The Presets are definitely more remixable. The arsenal of remixers are also pretty exciting: Van She, Juan Maclean, Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco, etc.

The remix that caught my attention was one for "Down Down Down" done by labelmates Bumblebeez 81, which has this weird hip-hop/techno vibe that isn't necessarily that at all, but I like it. I like Bumblebeez 81, and I like The Presets. Please, you listen:


The Presets - "Down Down Down (Bumblebeez 81 Remix)"

I <3 NYPC

I also heart Modular Recordings and all their artists. One of them that didn't grab my attention the first time I heard them somehow came back into my attention like that obscure girl in high school who totally turned hot in college, after "Ice Cream" showed up on Cut Copy's mix for Triple 5 Soul Sessions series (thanks to Amoeba Records in Hollywood, anyone can get all the promo copies of stuff you can't find in stores!).

The band--New Young Pony Club; the place--somewhere in the UK where sometimes the music over there totally kicks the music over here. Their music is cool, sexy, nonchalant, and very disco-dancey. The singer, Tahita Bulmer, when googled, shows up as a vocalist for Blue States, a group I never really got into, so I can't figure out (or I'm too lazy to) if she is one and the same, but I know is that I've had a crush on her after seeing her in NYPC's video for "Ice Cream" (the song, which by the way, has recently been remixed by Paris's DJ Mehdi--totally rad).

To my knowledge, the band's only released a couple of 7"s, and the song that I'm posting today has two different titles, but I'll stick with "Get Dancey," as it appears on Cut Copy's latest contribution to the Fabriclive series. New wave disco at its finest:


New Young Pony Club - "Get Dancey"

Packing Things Up On The Remix

Radio 4, this motherfuckin' band. Their second album, Gotham!, introduced me to the world of dance-rock/disco-punk back in high school, and things were never the same since (oh yeah, and can I mention Gang of Four?! If I didn't get into Radio 4, I wouldn't have discovered Gang of Four).

When I tried to find a copy of this album, I had to special order it at a really obscure independent record store at the outskirts of Pasadena/Arcadia. This was about four years ago, and I didn't even know who the DFA (who produced the album) were at this time (although I had an mp3 of LCD Soundsystem's "Beat Connection" hiding around). All I know is that I was blown away by the first two songs on Gotham!, and that I had to get the rest of the album. It was a political, dub-influenced, dance/punk fest and I liked it.

They've come some way since that second album. The DFA also cooked up a remix for the non-album single "Dance To The Underground" but weren't involved in the follow-up record, Stealing Of A Nation, which went 180 degrees, Primal Scream style. I wasn't as blown away, but the most recent release from this year, Enemies Like This, returns to a more straight-forward rock tip. I'm still trying to decide whether I like it or not, but the singles off the album have had a grip of decent remixers.

The Loving Hand (one more time, from DFA) has remixed the latest single for "Packing Things Up On The Scene" and I've provided the track below. If it doesn't tickle your fancy, seriously, check out Gotham!, it'll be a dance party...


Radio 4 - "Packing Things Up On The Scene (The Loving Hand Remix)"

120 Days Of Amazing

I first sampled a song from Norway's 120 Days on Pitchfork a week or two ago, and I liked it enough to pass it by once and leave it alone for later. Then when I decided to download the new self-titled album (it's on eMusic now--go get it!), I didn't have exactly high expections. Luckily, those expectations have been greatly surpassed, and I have to say, the band's new record is fantastic.

120 Days' sound reminds me of what would happen if Suicide did vocals for Neu!, who in turn consulted Kraftwerk on their electronics. The album is nine songs too short, but each one feels whole, like there isn't a second wasted. Another plus is they're signed to Vice Records. Now I just need to figure out if and when they're coming to L.A., and hope their live show is just as good.


120 Days - "Come Out (Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone)"

Be Kind, Please Rewind

Home Video is one of those bands that on first listen, you think had come out of the UK, and then it turns out that they're really from New York. And then you try to Google the band name, but of course "home video" is a very broad and common term, so you don't get what you're looking for at first. When it comes to band comparisons, I should be the last person to ask, but if I had to describe the sound, it's like somnambulist electronic-tinged minimalistic rock.

I don't remember how I first heard about them, but I got a copy of their Citizen EP two years back and it being released on Warp was enough to grab my attention. Flash-forward two years later and their first full-length, No Certain Night Or Morning, almost escaped my radar. Now they're on Defend Music (which I am familiar with mostly for James Fucking Friedman's Go Commando compilation) and have a remix from 1/2 of the DFA guys (The Loving Hand aka Tim Goldsworthy), and I think they're worth the checking out, if you're in a dark and sinister mood.

"In A Submarine" is taken from the Citizen EP, not too representative of the Home Video sound as a whole, but still a fresh track.


Home Video - "In A Submarine"

The Fall Mix

Finally, the new mix! I hope you got the reference...it's not really for Halloween but I figured it was fun enough to allude to the Fall. When Halloween rolls around and you have that crazy party of your's though, feel free to put this on blast. Tell your friends and burn copious amounts of the mix!

Disc-O-Lantern (The Fall Mix)
Headman - Moisture (Mustapha 3000 Remix)
Goose - Bring It On
DJ Mehdi - Pony Rocking feat. Feadz
New Young Pony Club - Ice Cream
Donna Summer - I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley Remix)
In Flagranti - Nonplusultra
Uffie - Hot Chick
Jim Noir - My Patch (Hot Chip Mix)
James Figurine - Leftovers
Whitey - Wrap It Up
Bonde Do Role - Funk Da Esfiha
Yelle - Dans Ta Vraie Vie
Simian Disco Moble - Tits & Acid
Kid Alex - Loverboy (Kid Alex She Just Can't Get Sleep Tonight Mix)
Goose - British Mode
datA - J'aime Pas l'Art
Fujiya & Miyagi - Ankle Injuries
Cansei De Ser Sexy - Alala (Bonde Do Role Remix)
Adem - Launch Yourself (Thomas Erikson Mix)
The Presets - Down Down Down (Digitalism Remix)


Disc-O-Lantern (The Fall Mix) (right click and save as)
64 min / 82MB

The Little Whitey Ones for Free

If you're in L.A. this coming Thursday you should definitely stop by this event for me because I will sadly be 100 miles away at school: Whitey and The Little Ones are coming to Hollywood & Highland for a free music and art show for something called 3rd Thursday, which I've never heard about until tonight!

Both bands are excellent from two different corners of the rock spectrum, and I'm hoping to see Whitey open for Peaches in December in L.A. if finals don't get in the way. Whitey's album At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Light finally got a domestic release via Dim Mak this month and it's either going to blaze a trail or remain under the radar yet again. Go cop that shit!


Chromeo - "Me & My Man (Whitey Vs. Chromeo Fly Whitey Mix)"

Justin, Are Your Ready To Uff?

Take two parts sexy time explosions (Uffie's "Ready To Uff" & Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back") and one part curious ears, and the final product results in my first "mash-up," an audio excursion onto the middle ground between pop music and the guerrilla, underground shit. From the metaphorical dirty to the literal, two worlds collide in a piece inspired by Dangermouse's subversive musical reconstructions--a la The Grey Album--but at the same time, not quite.


Uffie vs. Andytron - "I'm (Sexy) Back To Uff" (right click and save as)