Moderat - A New Error
Modeselektor + Apparat = Moderat. This shit-hot opening track might be the only song on this whole record that fully realizes the potential of this pairing. It sounds more Modeselektor (who you should really see live if you can) than Apparat but it’s got a thumping soul åll it’s own. Someone figure out what video we can set this song to, ASAP.
This song has been played 20 times.
Neon Indian - 6669 (I Don’t Know If You Know)
If you know me, you know that I really abhor indie lo-fi zeitgest as much as anyone. But this little ditty, from the mysterious Neon Indian (seriously their identities are secret at the moment) has seriously got under my skin. I’ve heard it at least 10 times since downloading from the best music blog in the universe and it plays like a much more talented Ariel Pink with a knack for sweet basslines.
This song has been played 25 times.
Neon Neon - I Told Her on Alderaan
An absolutely perfect pop song an album that’s easy to overlook (because it’s not very good.) Still, this Star Wars referencing song is THE JAM.
I TOLD HER ON ALDERAAN/THAT NOTHING ELSE WAS GOING ON!!
This song has been played 21 times.
Beirut (or Realpeople) - The Concubine
A record I had honestly prepared to be disappointed by after the monochrome Flying Club Cup, Zach Condon’s latest has honestly blown me away. It’s not perfect, but it’s melodically gorgeous and original, like his earlier anthemic stuff but with better and less gimmicky instrumentation. The Concubine might be my favorite Beirut song, surpassing Elephant Gun and Postcards from Italy.
This song has been played 21 times.
Grizzly Bear - Southern Point
The opening track off the much lauded “Veckatimest” is to me, the biggest surprise in Grizzly Bear’s catalog. A powerful ditty with vocal melodies sung like they had exclamation points written into the lyrics sheet, under a strangely angular pair of acoustic guitars that pretty much go wherever the hell they want to.
This song has been played 17 times.
Fake Blood - Mars
The latest wave of “bloghouse” sure does sound a lot of like like the old wave, but who cares? There’s always been two camps of the stuff, the more rock-oriented, melt your face, distortion to high heavens dance music like Justice, Boys Noize, Digitalism and their label co-horts. And on the other side, the more hip-hop oriented bloghouse like MSTRKRFT, Simian Mobile Disco (not all their tracks, but yeah), A-Trak and Diplo.
Fake Blood’s non-remix material is firmly on the hip-hop side of the equation, but with a strong melodic sensability and good sense of what an entertaining dance music song structure should be. This song is the shit, looking forward to a full length.
This song has been played 4 times.
Alan Braxe - Most Wanted
The classiest French producer of his time, Alan Braxe-quality house is about as close as you can get to Daft Punk-quality, but yet on a completely different wavelength. His compliation The Upper Cuts outdoes contemporary takes on House by such a wide margin that it hurts. Bonus Fact: the cover of the The Upper Cuts was designed by a pre-fame Xavier de Rosnay of Justice.
This song has been played 8 times.
Phoenix - 1901
Not quite Phoenix with balls, but still great sugar-pop Phoenix. Wolfgang Amadeus is all over the place but in a great way like United, more like it than any other Phoenix album actually.
This song has been played 8 times.
Royksopp - Circuit Breaker
During the production of this song, I’m willing to bet somebody asked if Royksopp if they could slowdown the pulsating drum beat or just lower the volume on it. They didn’t and as a result, it sounds like Phoenix with balls.
This song has been played 14 times.
