Hope you have like a half hour to sift through all this shit I’m about to throw at you.  But know thats “shit” in the best sense of the word, like the goddamn Budweiser Clydesdales’ dookies – after they were eating the sound cards from some Atari’s.  The eve of All Hallows Eve (the 30th of October) there is going to be a freak show of absurd proportions.  Chromeo, Crystal Castles, and Boys Noize are having a tea party called Freaky Deaky at the Congress in Chicago.

So here’s what I’m going to do:  I’m going to put up a few songs from each group, originals and/or remixes, to showcase what these guys have going on.  If you’re already convinced, great.  Check out some good songs.  If you’re a soon-to-be convert… you weren’t a robot before, but I promise you will be after you attend this show.

Chromeo is to electronic music what Ken Griffey was to baseball in the 90′s – style.  Funky beats meet silky smooth vocals for a distinctly “I wish I had my 20′s in the 80′s” vibe.  Two dope studio albums,  tons of remixes, and a DJ-Kicks compilation (see previous post) – they can do it all, and they have a new record on the way this winter.

Crystal Castles.  I’m expecting this to be the highlight of the show for me, as my iTunes play count could probably predict.  Anyway they’re “experimental” electronic/dance/8-bit glory/glitz.  Your eardrums are going to cry for mercy when they come on stage, then ask for more.  Studio productions go from raging squealing ripping electro to flowing melodies, and they’re known for totally chaotic live shows.  I can’t fucking wait.

Boys Noize is the only group playing that I’ve seen before, and they do not disappoint.  Expect massive builds into ridiculous crescendos, and the whole building is going to shake when all 4000 of us start jumping at the same time.   The title of their most recent album – Power – is accurate.  Get down.

I’m sure there’s going to be all kinds of people there – party folk, a ton of weirdos, and also of people who accidentally bought tickets for the freak show instead of Tiesto Saturday.  I’m not sure that it even matters – its Halloween weekend and all brains will firmly in the “Off” position.  And its a costume party.  For these electric freaks.  Shit is going to get weird.  Buy your ticket now.

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Bruce Wayne

I’ll start with the operative words for music blogs: new and free.  Pretty Lights released their new album Tuesday, Passing by Behind Your Eyes, and its just as free as the rest of their albums.   That is not to say that “free” is its best quality – far from it.  You’ll hear a hugely unique blend of styles, everywhere from electro rips to dubstep wobbles, traditional piano to old school samples.  Hip hop beats, jazzy swizzles, slick scratches – the sheer breadth is astounding.  The album sounds as if its one massive work of art, lifting you to highs and dropping you off cliffs to lows.

Pretty Lights is producer Derek Vincent Smith’s brainchild – when live, he is joined by drummer Cory Eberhard.  His music is truly versatile – you can enjoy its variety infinitely, or just enjoy the every changing rhythms as your background soundtrack.  Whether you’re going for a long drive, relaxing around your place, or staring at a computer screen like I am, Pretty Lights will do the trick.

Check it out.

Download their albums on their website.

kelbs

A new DJ kicks compilation just dropped, and its from our funk tastic friends Chromeo, who make music like they were just riding around with Marty McFly and Doc Brown in the Delorean.  DJ Kicks asks artists to compile a mix record with a bit of a different strategy than the norm – they aren’t made for dance floors, but rather casual listening.  The artists select all kinds of tracks, and often bring obscure but amazing tracks to the forefront.

This record is exactly what you hope for in a DJ Kicks album (its not quite as life changing as Erlend Oye’s DJ kicks mix, but its excellent).  Its made to listen to in its entirety – the track selection fits together tighter than hipster jeans.   The two tracks included here are a soulful Chromeo cover of  the Eagles song “I Can’t Tell You Why” and the lead off track, an electro cruiser by Kano.

Put on your disco shoes, this stuff will funk you up.

Also, check out the DJ Kicks website – they’ve been doing this since MJ was playing baseball.  Great suff.

Chin-chin,

kelbs

Vitalic is back, after a four year hiatus in the land of not releasing albums.  The new album, Flashmob, is the second studio album from the French/Italian producer.  His first effort, OK Cowboy, made huge waves in 2005 in robot world.  It quickly gained status for its uniqueness and variety of styles, tempos, and grooves. Check out the video for the Testarossa-purchase inducing “My Friend Dario”.

After a few listens, the album is great from start to finish, but I’ll just cover a few of the tracks.  “See the Sea (Red)” rips some deep bass to wake you up – Vitalic is back.  Immediately after is “Poison Lips” – this song actually gives me a Goldfrapp – Strict Machine vibe.  Second Lives and Your Disco Song (the previously released single) are the two songs I’ll be posting here, and are really departures from the rest of the album – in that they are more dance floor ready.  Most of the other songs are a bit more out there, taking more risks.

To sum up, Vitalic makes some sick electro.  Check out the album, its worth a listen.

Tracklist:

1. See the Sea (Red)

2. Poison Lips

3. Flashmob

4. One Above One

5. Still

6. Terminateur Benelux

7. Second Lives

8. Allan Dellon

9. See the Sea (Blue)

10. Chicken Lady

11. Your Disco Song

12. Station Mir 2009

13. Chez Septime

Now for the tracks:

Buy the album here

Vitalic Myspace

Keep it crunchy, Chicago.

Sometimes the best feeling is when you find something you forgot about – a fiver in your pants, an M&M between the couch cushions, or the head bob bob bobbing glory when you hear something that iTunes tucked away to oblivion years ago.  Such was the case when I recently updated my iPod.

I stumbled upon a mix the famous butt pirate Blackbeard1 gave me 2 or so years ago, when it came out.  CASIO – Unicorn War was really the bee’s knees.   Back when Missingtoof was around, they were blogging this guy through 2 or 3 pseudonyms until he dropped off the map, and Missingtoof followed suit.  The phantom of this opera is a dude named Clifford Lidell – the name itself sounds relatively innocent.

Innocent?  Not so. …….. these mixes …….. were ridiculous.

Anyway the point here was to mention a few of the best tracks he plucked for Unicorn War.   “The One” is pretty friendly to all tastes, while the other two may cause Home Alone – “just got electrocuted” hair to spontaneously happen.  Czech em out.  Make sure you stay till the end of Solee – Different, you’re in for a malenky bit horrorshow finish.

Trabant – The one (The Black Ghosts Remix)

Snowden – Between the Rent (The Glamour Remix)

Solee – Different (Roman Salzger Remix)

Cheers,

Alex

*Image courtesy of top quality phone pics.  At least I clicked during a strobe.

So I thought I was Ready for the Weekend, but I think this round goes to Chicago.  3/4ths of the writing staff attended the Calvin Harris show at Vision on Friday, with the our venerable Egyptian friend Dr. Lama partying along for the ride as well.  It was a DJ set, so without the band and whole big production it wasn’t quite as ridiculous as this show at the Isle of Wight Festival. However it was a an excellent time, apart from the masses of hipsters wearing trendy t’s, wishing they had PBR’s.  He played all the fan favorites as well as plenty of other electro candy goodies.  This guy moves people.

A little different route on this one, this is a track he produced for Dizzee Rascal.

Dizzee Rascal – Holiday

I know you’re really busy and I know you got plans, but are you really too busy for a sun tan?

kelbs