Here’s another one for the floor, enjoy.

Labl’D- Retrograde

The Beach Boys- God Only Knows (Aeroplane Bootleg Remix)
Radio 4- Dance to the Underground (DFA Version)
Foals- Olympic Airways (Diskjokke Remix)
Aeroplane- Whispers (Hercules & Love Affair Remix)
Tittsworth- Brazilian Rhyme (Tittsworth Disco Remix)
Matthew Dear- Pom Pom (Juan Maclean Remix 1)
Junior Senior- Shake Your Coconuts (DFA Remix)
The Gossip- Listen Up! (MSTRKRFT Remix)
HeartsRevolution- Ultraviolence (Spank Rock Mix)
LCD Soundsystem- Tribulations (Lindstrom Remix)
Das Pop- Fool For Love (Aeroplane Remix)
Grum- Runaway (Calling in Sick Remix)
Sonny J- Can’t Stop Moving(Mirwais Extended Mix)
*like all of Labl’d mixes before, this is recorded live with no post production*

Aξιολογήστε το τραγούδι – Rate the song

Aξιολογήστε το videoclip – Rate the clip

Djweb has this opinion/Η γνώμη του djweb :

song: 5 stars

clip: 5 stars

I used to have an unquenchable thirst for dance electronica. Ministry of Sound could not release their annuals quickly enough for my needs. I’d troll record label and DJ sites for the best new music–gathering things I could put on a mix disc and fuel my travels around NYC like Armand Van Helden’s “You Don’t Know Me” and Hanayo’s remake of “Joe Le Taxi”. Fun! I’m in my early thirties now and comfortably nesting with my partner of 7.5 years. Perhaps because I’m not constantly on the prowl, going to clubs, or trying to be hip enough to land a girlfriend, I find that I don’t seek out too many dance tunes anymore. But dance music, like other guilty pleasures, is something that I’ll never completely eradicate from my listening diet. And why should I?

Everyone needs a bit of dance music in their lives. In fact, one of my favorite purchases last year was the debut of disco-tastic Hercules and Love Affair. Dance music is more than just music to cruise to if you’re single. It’s music to work out to, music to clean house to, music that helps you understand iPod commercials.

And dance videos? They’re usually are ten times more innovative and fun than the standard crap you see from top 40 artists. This leads us to today’s great thing:

65. The Video For Sonny J’s “Handsfree (If You Hold My Hand)

You may (or may not– depending if you have a college radio station in your town) have heard Sonny J’s first single “Can’t Stop Movin’”. Sonny J’s real name is Sonnington James III, which is funny because ‘ington’ is what you add to names to make them more English sounding. Like, if I wanted to pretend to be gentry, I could be Kate McCabington of Castlefield. You see? Now you try your name. Throw a fancy location in at the end.

Anyway, the Liverpudlian DJ mashes up loads of samples (mostly throwbacks) to make some pretty sweet ditties. This is his third release and it’s a good one. The song is aptly described by its PR as the following (thanks to Internetdj.com for this): “an effortlessly addictive collage of northern soul, Morricone, and The Fifth Dimension, with an added splash of The Avalanches thrown in for good measure.”

The song is deeply indebted to its prime sample, “If You Hold My Hand” which was recorded by Donna Hightower originally in 1972.

If there’s one good thing about music samples, it’s that it provides exposure for some otherwise forgotten music. Enjoy this blog article here about the buried gem that is Donna: Donna Hightower

Flipside is I MADE MY BED. Good for you. What do you want, an allowance?

The video, as directed by Evan Creevy who has several other dance videos on his resume, is as delicious a mash-up as the source material. It’s got “Thriller”-style choreography, hot trailer park babes, and Sci-Fi radiation accidents. It’s been rightfully compared to a Quentin Tarantino wet dream. And, don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed aspects of Grindhouse, but this thing is really a much better length for that type of homage. Now, enough blogging. Here’s the video:

The weird thing is that after I heard this song, I totally and shamefully racially profiled the singer. Doesn’t it sound like some Loretta Lynn style white chick? It shocked me to learn otherwise. It’s a strange sensation but a good one. I like when people don’t look like they sound…except for radio DJs…like when they have great voices but wind up being completely fugly.  Always a devastating disappointment.

Here’s a homemade video from Turkey that I found on YouTube of the original track.

Anyway, back to that Sonny J video.  Why is that chick so hot?  I mean, you can barely see her face.  Is it the short shorts?

I hope they keep their promise and make a sequel for his next single.

Top 5 10 CDs:

Portishead, Third
Kanye West, 808s & Heartbreak
The Last Shadow Puppets, The Age of the Understatement
Hercules & Love Affair, Hercules & Love Affair
Erykah Badu, New AmERYKAH Pt. 1: 4th World War
MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
Girl Talk, Feed the Animals

Video for “Shut the Club Down” …damn that Amazon.com doesn’t have any stocks of that CD.  Where else can you hear Rod Stewart alongside  Avril Lavigne  in total crunked-up fashion???  Only in the maad maad world of Greg “Girl Talk” Gillis, I say.

Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple
Sam Sparro, Sam Sparro

Sam Sparro, “Black & Gold”

Christina Aguilera, “Keeps Getting Better”

Biter alert!

Ever wondered how longtime LA resident Sam Sparro never could break into the US pop charts…meanwhile his motorik-influenced beats would be nicked not just by Xtina but also by her longtime rival/fellow Mouseketeer Britney Spears (in “Womanizer”)????

Top 10 singles:

Solange Knowles, I Decided

Live performance at Fashion Rocks 2008, w/ intro by Gossip Girl’s Taylor Momsen

Solange & the Hadley Street Dreams on Later w/ Jools Holland, November 2008.

While big sis Beyonce dropped her rather self-important dud of a double-CD “I Am…Sasha Fierce”,  Solange Knowles hooked up with Mark Ronson (he’s fuckin’ everywhere, maaan – Kaiser Chiefs, etc.) and Q-Tip among others to whip up this refreshing ice-lolly of a CD.  Seeking to recapture the sunny ’60s girl-group vibe of the Marvelettes and the Supremes, this release definitely should have been a hit too.

The only thing missing seemed to be a tabloid-magnet breakup…or an equally tabloid-worthy breakdown.

Sonny J, If You Hold My Hand (Handsfree)

I’d say, this song should’ve been a hit.  Really now – it’s got this summery vibe around it, a nifty sample from a 50’s obscurity by Donna Hightower, “If You Hold My Hand”, and loads of dancefloor potential.

Ad agencies, take note….

MGMT, Time to Pretend
Tricky, Council Estate
Hercules & Love Affair, Blind

One of the year’s best videos in terms of visual sumptuousness, this one – topbilled by Jamie Winstone (daughter of “Punisher: War Zone” star Ray) in a pageboy do – has a rather homoerotic tone which perfectly complements the plummy falsetto delivery of Antony Hegarty.

Ladyhawke, Paris is Burning/Passion Pit, Sleepyhead
Maki Nomiya loves m-flo, Big Bang Romance

Who said J-Pop was dead?  Not merely an affectation of otakus around the world,  J-Pop (and its 0ffshoot, J-Electro) continued to be of significance in ‘08, with loads of new talent emerging from the cracks like m-flo as well as Shinichi Osawa (see below)

Little Jackie, The World Should Revolve Around Me/Duffy, Mercy

OMFG, what hath Five-Grammy Amy wrought????

Aside from the abovementioned Solange Knowles, we braced ourselves for a flood of retro-styled soul tracks from artists both old and new.

Imani Coppola – yes, she of the film- and wine-making family – came strong in ‘08 with The Stoop, a vintage-leaning soul effort which definitely should have been treated better chart-wise.

Faring much better, though, was Welsh chanteuse Duffy, who managed to make the best not just from her Coachella appearance but also prime placement on the Sex & the City soundtrack to turn her UK number-one to a US hit.

Again, from Later with Jools Holland, Duffy performs “Mercy”

…the same song, this time at Coachella 2008 in Indio, CA

Her star appears to intensify in the coming year, with a Grammy nod and the launching of her global Diet Coke campaign pencilled in.

Shinichi Osawa, Star Guitar

Great cover of a Chemical Brothers original…

Moby, Disco Lies

Chicken power FTW!!!  Never mess with a pimped-out cock!

Music

so i just heard about this johnny cash remix album last night, and i’ll let ya know… i got interested. usually these tribute and/or remix albums are so very awful or boring or pointless or, if lucky, have maybe ONE good song on ‘em, but if the original artist is someone i care about, i usually do get somewhat excited to hear ‘em. then i hear ‘em and get sad.

for this album, you can stream some of the songs on it’s website and judge for yourself, but i’m afraid this is, overall, and predictably, not worth the trouble.

for instance, the odt muzic (featuring snoop dogg) remix of “i walk the line” is so fucking bad. painfully bad. it’s one of those songs that makes you hate music. (and it’s the only one available for download from the website, so that probably tells ya who’s in charge of this project…)

however… a few of the artists have done a good job of putting their own spin on these classic songs without destroying them.

example: i kinda like what apparat’s done with “i heard that lonesome whistle blow”:

and here’s a short “making of” video:

scott

It’s really waky, makes you wanna get up and move…

Listen to it twice… and you won’t get that tune out of your head for a while

LOVE this song. Her voice reminds me of early Shirley Bassey.

Single of the Week: Cut Copy – Hearts On Fire
It’s probably about time something on Modular got my single of the week, given that they’ve produced a pretty solid stream of dark, melodic electro-rock gems this year. As is customary, the vocals evoke Depeche Mode without being a straight rip-off, and it’s backed by a downtempo yet uplifting kind of electronica that alternates between heavy synth stabs and moments of twinkly beauty. A token choice, perhaps, but a decent single to represent a noteworthy 2008 label.

Clicky below for more…

Sonny J – Can’t Stop Moving (Mirwais Remix)
Liverpool DJ Sonny J takes the Go! Team’s formula (old motown/ Jackson 5 – esque samples + vague touches of originality + general spirit of glee = very good music for dancing) and ramps up the mainstream appeal a little. Enlisting Mirwais, no stranger to excellent rejigs of classics himself, doesn’t radically alter the sound of the track, but is clearly a further step in the direction of the charts. Far less manic than previous Instant Hits single of the week, Enfant Terrible, but no less fun, this one should bring some much-needed cheer to these rainy late-summer days.

Of Montreal – Id Engager
A bit of a diversion from the manic experimental guitar-pop that normally defines Kevin Barnes & co, this is relatively straightforward stuff. Slightly indie-fied disco-pop, a bit like the Scissor Sisters. Except I don’t remember any of their songs ever mentioning ‘phallocentric tyranny’. But maybe I forgot.

Johnny Foreigner – Salt, Pepa & Spinderella
Can’t exactly figure out what the title has to do with the record, but this is pretty decent ‘tweecore’-esque stuff, meaning that it sounds kind of like Los Campesinos!, meaning in turn that it sounds like twee indiepop that’s been given a bit of a kick up the arse and occasionally features loud guitars and shouting. It’s good fun, in a calculated sort of way.

Flo Rida feat Will I Am – In The Ayer
There’s something about the presence of a Black Eyed Pea on a record (especially will.i) that seems to erase all sign of an artist’s usual po-faced earnestness. That’s definitely the case here. It’s a lot of fun as a result, if not the most thrilling thing on toast.

Pussycat Dolls – When I Grow Up
By contrast, this is a whole lot of flapping around in the dark, wildly flailing in the vague direction of a tune. There’s a brief moment of interest around the three minute mark, but otherwise it doesn’t exactly stick in the mind.

Rosie & The Goldbug – Lover
File next to Ida Maria, in whatever category it is that’s home to the slightlier more energetic end of the female-fronted guitar band spectrum. Perfectly listenable, in an 80s sub-Blondie girl guitar band fashion.

Sigur Ros – Innni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur
Dropping the whale noises, for a change, on this outing the Ros (as nobody calls them) have opted for a kind of twee alien sound. It’s original, I’ll give them that, and pretty euphoric too.

The Coral – Being Somebody Else
With each single, the Coral seem to get noticeably more middle-aged. There’s nothing wrong with this delicate, almost Belle & Sebastian-esque acoustic strum, it’s just that its so laid-back it seems to be in danger of falling off the edge of the bed. Pipe and slippers, nice cup of tea, Coral. Safe.

Sonny J. – Handsfree (If you hold my hand)

Many apologies for the technical difficulties on Saturday that meant this show wasn’t broadcast in its entirety. Not to worry, cos here it is in its full downlaodable glory!

The show is now available to download from the Brap.FM Archives RIGHT HERE!

Here’s the tracklist…

* The Chemical Brothers – Hey Boy Hey Girl – Soulwax Remix (Freestyle Dust)
* The Whip – Trash – Crookers Remix (CDR)
* Twocker – Ruffneck – Riva Starr Remix (Big & Dirty)
* Groove Armada – The Girls Say – Atomic Hooligan Remix (CDR)

** Hubie Would Like To Have Soulwax’s Babies **
* Gossip – Standing In The Way Of Control – Soulwax Nite Version (Back Yard)
* Soulwax feat. Nancy Whang – E-Talking – Soulwax Nite Version (PIAS)
* Robbie Williams – Lovelight – Soulwax Ravelight Dub (Chrysalis/EMI)
* Soulwax – NY Excuse – Nite Version (PIAS)
* Justice – Phantom Pt.II – Soulwax Remix (Ed Banger)

* Machines Don’t Care – Badman (Machines Don’t Care)
* The Body Snatchers – Freaky Ho (Passenger)
* The Count of Monte Cristal – Bounce That Ass (Cheap Thrills)
* Operator Please – Just A Song About Ping-Pong – Kissy Sellout White Stallion Remix (Brille)
* Plaza de Funk – Drop The Bomb – Nectarios Remix (Brighton Breaks)
* Tom Real & The Rogue Element pres. Disco Of Doom – The Click (Passenger)
* General MIDI – Milton – Digital One Mix (Distinctive)
* Clay Davis – Funky Funky Edits (Zone)
* Rico Tubbs – Do The Hump (Menu)
* Madox – Plastic Fantastic – Jamie Fanatic’s Dub (Mantra Breaks)
* Fake Blood – Blood Splashing (Fake Blood Theme) (Cheap Thrills)
* Mr. No Hands – Off The Top Of My Head (No Handed Music)
* Elite Force – Heart Of Darkness – Madox Mix (U & A)
* The Chemical Brothers – Midnight Madness – Electronic Battle Weapon 10 Version (Freestyle Dust)
* Youthful Implants – Untitled (CDR)
* Sonny J. – Can’t Stop Moving (Rough Trade)
* The Isley Brothers – It’s Your Thing (Sony)

Don’t forget to tune into the next installment of Hubie Sounds. Same Brap time, same Brap channel!

The absolute summer hit… (So let’s dance)

If you hold my hand
Things won’t be the same
If you hold my hand
Things are about to change

Summer’s gone, spring is gone, life goes on and on and I’m just bored to tears
If I could find a little space to paint a smile upon my face and hide the years
If winter comes and I’m around to see the snow upon the ground, what can I do
When I don’t have the will to fight the coldness of the summernights are the darkest blue

Dear blog I never write in,

I’m writing in you today (tonight) because I have stumbled into Sonny J’s Disastro, which is such an amazing album that I cant figure out why it doesnt show up on hardly anyone’s radar. 

This is the album I have been looking for in all the wrong places these past couple years. I keep thinking DJ Shadow or Diplo or RJD2 or Boom Bip might have something new and decent- but all i’m left with is some lobster and scrimp mix or an AEIOU, which while good, are far from satisfying.

Disastro is his debut album that was let out going on a month ago. I cant figure out why this isnt taking off like a rocket full of potential. I feel its goofy and cutesy in the way of The Go! Team and upbeat in the way of the Jackson 5. Its an electronic album that isnt afraid to get acoustic and heartfelt like if Holly GoLightly contributed to a more sober version of the last Cut Copy release and the whole thing was dipped in a glaze of pop, thrown in the oven for awhile and served up ironically cold to an internet public that appears to be largely ignoring them.

Better yet- it picks up where The Avalanches Since I Left You left off. As I write this now, its not showing up on pitchfork, metacritic, its listed but not reviewed on allmusic.

And I havnt even finished listening to it yet and I feel this way. 

All a quick google search turned up was one mediocre review on Drowned in Sound. 

If this album doesnt generate some buzz soon, this is going to be my number one under rated album for 2008. I feel the same way about this album as I did The Chromatics‘ IV when that first hit, even though it did eventually come to fruition as Night Drive. 

I thought I had really lucked out because Girl Talk’s Feed the Animals turned out to be better than I have expected. Right as I was starting to figure out the major flaw with Feed the Animals, that while it appears that Girl Talk is coming from a place of abundance on this album (it felt like he was stretching at times on the last one) the formula change from the last album has left this one low on the repeat value. 

Disastro clearly takes its place of the top party album in my itunes for this coming work week. 

It in conjunction with Lindstrom’s Reinterpretations (i’m a little late on this one) are taking over my electronic listening time. Reinterpretations is another great front to back electronic album that I fell into after listening to Prins Thomas’ Prins Thomas Presents Cosmo Galactic Prism and reading that the two were frequent nordic collaborators. 

Speaking of Nords and predictable intro phrases on a paragraph- I went to go see the At The Gates renion tour last night at the Worcester Palladium. I wanted to make it over there again tonight for the P-funk show, but last nights Swedish metal has left my ears still ringing. I suspected that they may have altered the sound of the guys mic to give his voice the quality that it use to have a dozen years ago. 

I dont know why I started going to metal shows again. There is something about metal culture that comes across as living in its own backward bubble, and of being far more superficially ignorant than other genres. I feel like metal music is just no longer relevant in the world and pockets of it like that of Worcester come across as almost time lapses of long hair, a fixation with evil (whatever that is), and tattoos that are meaningless. Maybe i’m getting old. 

I was pissed because the bartender kept passing me by for about 15 minutes until he finally served my friend who bought my beer with his. Why he was obviously ignoring me I had no idea. And I was pissed because we showed up a little late and only saw the very end of Municipal Waste, who happen to have a sound more to my old fashion speed metal taste.

I came across a band called The Gaslight Anthem and picked up The ‘59 Sound recently. I cant tell if they have a lot of promise or if i’ve been brained washed due to my own peculiar life experience of having parents to subjected me to some much Bruce Springsteen at an early age that, combined with coming of age with a childhood girlfriend who shared in Gin Blossoms in the background car drives, and when I went to go see the Murphy’s on St. Patricks day 2000 right after Sing Loud Sing Proud hit but before we all realized it was the first album of a slippery slope to sell-outdom, and my college days of pounding beers while listening to The Replacements a decade after their last major album. 

I read that they are on joining up on the Warp Tour. This information alone makes me want to never read or hear another thing about who they are personally. I’ve had too many bands that i’ve stumbled into with high hopes only to find out the band members are tools by which point I can never listen to their music again due to the negative mental associations. 

Other notable picks up are Yusef Lateef’s The Blue, a great jazzy bluesy album roughly in the manner of the Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack (how bad is it that I have such a low comprehension of jazz music that this best comparison I can come up with). 

The Yusef Lateef fits well with my current Bert Jansch phase. I have had his self titled apparently famous folk album from 1965 for a couple weeks. I had never heard of him until scanning some forums. It was a well worthy find, he at times reminds me of Gary Higgens or at least makes me sentimental for his Red Hash album.

Sorry for the lack of images on this post, I have some photos of at the gates in my cell phone, maybe i’ll stop being lazy eventually.