A Derogatory Term

Who Made Who


I have been into Denmark’s Who Made Who for a couple of years now and I am extremely excited about their new album which is due to be released very soon. I have already seen their live show once in 2006 when they toured for the Parklife festival. At Parklife their music was fantastic however the mood of the surrounding crowd and the lower then standard noise levels took away from my expectations. So I am really hoping for big things this weekend and can not fucking wait.

I am really excited about their new tunes as well as hearing all the old ones. Their sound is a mix of disco, house, funk, rock and electro, and they are great musicians/performers. I love a good disco octave bassline and nearly all their songs deliver this for my tastes. As well as a couple of tracks off their last full length album check out their cover of Satisfaction by Benny Benassi below.

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Who Made Who – Satisfaction
Who Made Who – Space For Rent
Who Made Who – Out The Door

Datarock

I have very equal feelings towards Datarock as Who Made Who and it is not just because they are fellow Scandinavians. It is amazing that the same festival is bringing these two superb bands to the same stage just an hour apart. I saw Datarock play a very special gig last year at The Zoo with only around 100 – 200 other people. They all seem like such great mates and this creates a tight performance which could never be achieved otherwise.

Other then their home town of Norway they seem to be most popular in Australia and that is all to do with Triple J loving to play their anthem Computer Camp Love when it first came out. Their popularity in this country is shown in the fact that this is their 4th time here in about 2 years. I hope you enjoy their witty disco rock below and also a Para 1 remix which brings them a little harder to the dance floor.

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Datarock – Princess
Datarock – Computer Camp Love
Datarock – I Use To Dance With My Daddy (Para One Remix)

The Chemical Brothers

This will be the first time I have ever seen The Chemical Brothers so lets just say I am looking a little forward to it. I do not think they need much talking up so I will just leave you with Saturate off their most recent album and then a couple of my favorite older tracks of theirs with massive drops and basslines low enough to vibrate your heart into your ribs.

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The Chemical Brothers -Saturate
The Chemical Brothers – It Doesn’t Matter
The Chemical Brothers – Under The Influence

The Black Ghosts

The Black Ghosts dark yet smooth sounds have always grabbed me even though it is a sound I am not too familiar with. I am looking forward to seeing what they produce as a live band, and I am hoping for a hard show that will get the dance floor thumping even though some of their originals are a little slow. It has always been the remixes of their tracks which have stood out for me, so I will leave you with three of the best.

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The Black Ghosts – Any Way You Choose To Give It (Fake Blood Remix)
The Black Ghosts – Some Way Through This (Plastician Skream Remix
The Black Ghosts – Face (Kissy Sellout)

Chicks On Speed

I always knew that one of the bands I was going to see were going to clash with The Chemical Brothers so unfortunately I will not be able to see Chicks On Speed although I have been wanting to for a long time. These Uber cool fashion/art/electro bitches were sure to put on a great show and I do hope I can catch them one day in the future.

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Chicks On Speed – Wordy Rappinghood
Chicks On Speed – Fashion Rules

Any way this weekend is going to be pretty cool, I will also be catching DIM and I might even catch some of Eddie Halliewell just for my mate Snapper and some John Digweed to warm up the day.

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For over a year Lick It has been able to breed a quality electro scene in the small town of Brisbane Australia. Their fusion of popular parties and alternative dance music has allowed them to bring some of the world’s best international electro DJS/Bands to our river city. Past international acts have included Surkin, Yuksek, D.I.M., The Bloody Betroots, Para One, Boyz Noize and Crystal Castles.

This Friday will see the Lick It Boys do it again with German electro sensation Cajuan and Sydney’s indie rock modular freshman Ghostwood.

Cajuan

I saw Cajuan play a short set last year at The Parklife Festival and although my memory of the event is very vague I do recall that the dance floor was pumping. Friday will be a completely different experience from this – Cajuan will be playing a 3hr long set confined to the walls of The Empire to create the perfect clubbing atmosphere. This will be complemented perfectly with the usual “lets get fucked up” party attitude which lick it seems to always bring with it. Girls in dresses, guys in hats, and the dance floor is what they will attack.

Below you will find a few of Cajuan’s remixes and one of his productions remixed by a couple of other Germans he managers called Digitalism or something.

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Pink Grease – Carlights (Cajuan Remix)

Alex Gopher – Aurora (Cajuan Remix)

Cajuan – Dance Not Dance (Digitalism Remix)

I would consider his remix of Carlights as one of my all time favorite electro remixes, so I am glad I am finally able to post it. The track is made up of three main parts which are put together with anticipation perfectly. I could try to describe it but I think it would be better if you just give it 7 Minutes and listen to this genius composition yourselves. Look out for 2:24, 2:53, 4:50 and 5:20 – that should make you understand.

Ghostwood

Ghostwood are Modular’s latest indie injection into our world. They are a Sydney band that have already started getting attention from Triple J with their two tracks Red Version and Run off their debut self entitled EP. Red Version has that sort of indie pop sound which you could imagine hearing on The OC. Run reminds me a little of the Klaxons, faster and more distorted with fantastic guitars parts. It will be interesting to see how the guys go live.

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Ghostwood – Red Version

Ghostwood – Run

It is really cool that Lick It are starting to bring Live bands as they pretty much can do what they want now. I thank them for keeping the direction they have gone and also the direction they are going, for being The Blind Watchmaker and letting their ideas evolve into Lick It.

Buy the tracks from itunes

Cajuan Myspace

Ghostwood Myspace

I apologise to any one who comes here simply for tracks to put in their cd wallet to play through a couple of CDJ’s. Most of the below tracks are to be listened to with not much more then a head bounce, however there are still a few original dance floor destroyers (you will have to decide/find that for yourself.)

Hot Chip – Made In The Dark

I will start off with probably the most talked about release – Hot Chips – Made In The Dark which I have so far thoroughly enjoyed. Hot Chip’s last two albums Coming On Strong and then The Warning were very far apart but at the same time shared the quality of genius musical minds. Made in the dark shares Coming On Strong’s quirky chilled electro pop with The Warnings tougher electro house club anthems. My two favorite songs on the album would have to be Hold On and The Wrestler, and I think that’s because they would have suited their previous albums so well (Hold On in The Warning and The Wrestler in Coming On Strong) although they have evolved into the sound of the dark.

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Hot Chip – Hold On
Hot Chip – Wrestlers

MGMT -Oracular Spectacular

The next band is a neo new wave indie/electro rock band whose song Kids is currently in my opinion one of the greatest songs I have ever heard. I do not really think I can explain how good this song is on paper without hand gestures, facial expressions and tone in my voice, but I will try – THANK YOU MGMT FOR CREATING THE MOST PERFECT SONG I HAVE EVER HEARD!!! – Do you get it yet?? Time to pretend is also a great track and the lyrics are a great story of realising that being a loose rock star is not always the best decision in the end – because you will miss the simple things.

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MGMT – Kids
MGMT – Time To Pretend

Fujiya & Miyagi – Transparent Things

Fujiya & Miyagi are a little electronic trio from the UK making contagious minimal electro disco which reminds me of happy times. Ankle Injuries is a killer track where the running bass line will hook your ears and give you a little slack to bop to. Their 2006 album Transparent Things is a fantastic composition which is great to listen to in its entirety.

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Fujiya & Miyagi – Ankle Injuries
Fujiya & Miyagi – Collarbone

Grand National – A Drink and a Quick Question

Grand National’s second album A Drink and a Quick Question is a brilliant blend of rocky chord progressions and progressive electronics. I am not to sure how songs like Cut By The Brakes would do in a club as it is a little soft although it is the right speed. All their tracks are really cool and original and I am very excited about their sound, hopefully more bands will follow.

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Grand National – Cut By The Brakes
Grand National – Tongue

Friendly Fires – EP’s

Friendly Fires have not released an album yet but I thought they did deserve space on this post. They have a few promising EP’s which look like they are leading to a very explosive album. I might leave the words and let the music do the talking until the album release.

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Friendly Fires – On Board
Friendly Fires – Photo Booth

Superthriller – Superthriller 2

Superthriller Motherfucker. Superthriller are another very original band which sound almost like an old Jazz, Blues or Funk band plugged into electronics which I have never heard before. The singers voice and style of words also reminds me a little of Prince which I think is pretty cool. Basically they are just making really fun tunes which are easy to listen to and can get you in a good mood. The lyrics in Superthriller Motherfucker of “Your mother, your mother every body just fuck your mother” are a little disturbing yet some how catchy.

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Superthriller – Superthriller Motherfucker
Superthriller – Different But The Same

The Rapture – Echoes

The Raptures 2006’s Pieces of the People We Love is still one of my favorite albums of all time and their live performance (which I get to see again this weekend at Good Vibes in Sydney!) is one of the best I have ever seen. Yet I have to admit that until a couple of weeks ago I had never listened to their first album Echoes except for the track “House of Jealous Lovers”. This fact I am not proud of but after hearing Echoes I can now truly claim that I am a fan. I knew I was in for a treat when the album started with the track Olio which made Echoes sound like a sequel rather then a prequel. Enjoy some great James Murphy style (He produced the album for DFA Records) cowbells throughout House of Jealous Lovers

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The Rapture – Olio
The Rapture – House of Jealous Lovers

Metric – Grow Up and Blow Away

Metrics album Grow up and Blow Away was originally a slightly mistaken purchase. A few seducing Metric remixes (caused by the lead singer, Emily’s beautiful voice) lead me on a search to what I thought was their new album. I would later found out that Grow Up and Blow Away was actually recorded in 1999 and just re-released in 2007. The album is very chilled electro pop layered with one of the smoothest voices I have ever heard. The track Rock Me Now is more a spoken ballad but I find the story so cool and the male chorus just perfect.

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Metric – Hardwire
Metric – Rock Me Now

The Tough Alliance – A New Chance and New School

I thought I would combine both of The Tough Alliances albums as I have been listening to them for about the same amount of time. I find it hard to even describe the sound of The Tough Alliance, maybe like ambient, electronic rock?? The track Something Special is off their most recent album A New Chance and is the opening track of a great album which is very easy to listen to because of how well it flows. Koka Kola Veins from their first album is a different sounding track and does not really highlight the overall sound of the alliance although it is probably one of their best.

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The Tough Alliance – Something Special
The Tough Alliance – Koka Kola Veins

Sons and Daughters – This Gift

Sons and daughters album This Gift gives me my raw indie rock fix although it could even be close to punk. The female vocals complemented by distorted guitars, bouncey beats and harmonies remind me a little of The Sounds and that is definitely not a bad thing! I am personally glad a more rocky album made this post.

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Sons and Daughters – This Gift
Sons and Daughters – Rebel With The Ghost

Well I hope that after listening to some of the above tracks that you go and at least purchase one of the albums from Itunes – If I could recommend just two it would be MGMT and Hot Chip but they are all worth it. I would just like to warn you that there is an overkill of great tracks above so please take your time and try to take it all in…..

It is that time of the month again but thankfully there will be no bitching in this cycle.

It is time for the next installment of A Derogatory Playlist!. The songs below stretch over a longer time period then my last few playlists as I have taken a little longer this month to get through enough songs that I am happy with.

The playlist runs through a few different styles of music from disco, to pop, to house, to rock but all with electro mixed throughout.

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1. Holy Ghost! – Hold On
2. FM Belfast – Synthia
3. Jape – Floating (Tronik Youth Mix)
4. Plugs – That Number
5. Prinzhorn Dance School – Space Invader (Optimo Espacio Reversion)
6. Big Face – I Wanna Be a Style Crusader (David E. Sugar’s Paradise Garage Mix)
7. Cassius – Toop Toop The [An]architects Remix)
8. Das Pop – Fool For Love (SebastiAn Remix)
9. The Whip – Muzzle No. 1 (Shadow Dancer Remix)
10. Head We Dance – Love In The Digital Age (Tepr Remix)
11. Buddy Akai – Cut Me Up (Villains Remix)
12. Muscles – Sweaty (Shazam Remix)
13. Thieves Like Us – Drugs In My Body (The Twelves Remix)
14. The Teenagers – Fuck Nicole (Sluttt Remix)
15. Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor (CB Say Do Now Mix)
16. Damn Arms – Edie (Tybalt Remix)

I highly Recommend

Jape – Floating (Tronik Youth Mix) – This is a glossy electronic remix of a Jape track. The vocals and the bumpy bass line which lead to a housey chorus make this track what it is. I enjoyed the vocals in the first verse so much that it led me to find the original. To my disappointment, original Jape didn’t quite do it for me as it was a little too soft and acoustic. However the track was definitely suited for a club remix with the opening lines of “Took our first pill when the music was shit, I said fuck dancing all night but that is just what we did”.

Plugs – That Number – This is yet another track where a remix lead me to the original however this time I could not get enough of the original. I was thinking that posting the Yuksek remix would probably be more appropriate for the playlist however the original just stuck. They have quite a unique sound and I am really looking forward to more releases/album from the band.

Prinzhorn Dance School – Space Invader (Optimo Espacio Reversion) – Ok once again my awe for the coolness of this remix lead me to the original and ended with me buying the whole Prinzhorn Dance School album. After around 45 Mins I would soon realise that this would be a mistake. The album turned out to be mostly just bass, drums and vocals – I just needed some thing more. More is exactly what Optimo Espacio gives the track. He keeps the original down tempo beat and then turns it into a masterpiece at around 3:33 with a haphazardly (I leant this word last night while reading a book and told my self I had to drop it in my next post) explosion of electronic euphoria.

Muscles – Sweaty (Shazam Remix) – This is a fatality of a remix. Everything wrong about muscles (his voice) is taken from this track and replaced with the vocals of a female who suddenly makes the song make sense and seem less gay. It comes with a more electro, electrohouse baseline if that makes any sense (just tougher and quicker) which is complemented perfectly by the softer side of the lyrics. I think this remix will make both sides of the room happy.

Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor (CB Say Do Now Mix) - I think that this remix is perfect for the moment as I have just got my hands on the new Hot Chip album which is close to flawless. I might save my praise for a latter post and just comment on how catchy this remix is. I do not think it is even one of the official remixes and I am definitely not saying it is any Soulwax Remix, but for what it is, this is a quality composition. I do not know any thing about CB and I could not really be bothered finding out but I know I will be picking up any thing with his name on it from now on.

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