2010 is already shaping up to be massive for the Dance Music LP with the below three albums the ones I have been enjoying the most thus far. My most anticipated album for the year would have to be Goose as I am not getting my hopes up for Soulwax’s return – If Goose, LCD Soundsystem and Soulwax were all to release new ones I do not think I would be able to contain myself. Here is to wishful thinking! Enjoy the music!!
Lindstrom & Christabelle – Real Life Is No Good
I am an absolute sucker for all things Lindstrom and have obsessed over his last couple of LP’s -one being the epic Where You Go I Go To and his last work with Prins Thomas in II. This time he has teamed up with Christabelle and made a completely different album from his norm, whilst still using his incredible production talent to create something truly original. I believe Lindstrom’s goals of this album was to try to slide more into the mainstream disco revolution by utilising shorter tracks which jump straight to the point and female vocals to spice it up with some pop. However this is no usual pop record – it still sounds like something from the future and Christabelle’s strange yet intriguing vocals help achieve this feeling. There’s not a lot of singing – it is almost like a female conscious echoing in your head all the way from space. ‘Lovesick’ is the most funky track with a huge bass riff determining the entire track laced with screaming synths and jumping piano.
The album has a constant grove to it with no massive drops or peaks, however the tempo and attitude it maintains throughout will never let you down. ‘Let It Happen’ is real evidence of this feeling. The most friendly track and also the closest to the real raw disco sound is ‘Baby Can’t Stop’ with piecing horns, jumping bass and really old school disco vocals. I am hoping that this album does great for both Lindstrom and Christabelle and they decide to tour it with a live disco band as it would be unreal. You may have heard of ‘Baby Can’t Stop’ from Aeroplane’s dub last year however the original shits all over it and I never have anything bad to say about Aeroplane – the new vocal mix of the track by Aeroplane is better but still does not come near the original. The whole album is just fantastic so I am going to stop talking about it and just post up three tracks as I could really keep on going and post up the whole album but that would not be very nice. Get it and give it a few listens before you give up on it as it is the sort of music some of you would not have heard before and you will need to get use to it.
Lindstrome & Christabelle – Lovesick
Lindstrome & Christabelle – Let it happen
Lindstrome & Christabelle – Baby Can’t Stop
Lindstrome & Christabelle -Baby Can’t Stop (Aeroplane Dub)
Memory Tapes – Seek Magic
This is a massive album that I missed last year. It did not make my top 30 list as I only started listening to it in January so I did not think it really passed the criteria but it definitely could have been up there. The production on the album is silky smooth and is a one man effort. The album starts off in a real ambient environment during the first track Swimming Field running through chords layered with different effects, rhythms and melodies. It sounds like the drums have been recorded live due to the rawness of each hit and this creates an effect of growing each track in parts larger then its whole.
The highlight of the album from first listen to my last has been the second track Bicycle, starting with smooth melodies it follows on perfectly from the opener and makes you believe that the album is going to be a steady ride full of sound-scapes and dreamy vocals – the first break down feeds this feeling even further as you sit and wait for another scenic verse or perhaps a melodic chorus. Relaxation is suddenly pieced at 1:18 with a pounding combination of massive bass and beats layered over a perfectly mixed vocal harmony. The track continues using whistles, effects and atmospheric samples to bring you back to where you started and consistently applies this formula to turn what you thought would be an easy ride into a hybrid of garden electronica and dance floor domination. The album continues along this path mixing it up with kinetic kick drum driven beats and contagious and intriguing instrumentals. After you break your ear in a whole layer of samples start to come clean and you are continuously discovering something new – like during the silky ‘Green Knight” where in the bridge a kick drum and sliding synth might be used by most, Memory Tapes instead use the sample of what sounds like a Basketball hitting the ground whilst the players sneakers slide across the court.
Once again I need to stop myself from talking and posting about the whole album – get it and discover for yourself. I have also added some remixes done by Memory Tapes which shows a more aggressive tripped out take on his production – the Midnight Juggernauts remix is pretty damn massive as well.
Memory Tapes – Swimming Field
Memory Tapes – Bicycle
Memory Tapes – Green Knight
Midnight Juggernauts – This New Technology (Memory Tapes Remix)
Primary 1 – Foaming (Memory Tapes Remix)
Delphic – Acolyte
There is much hype around Delphic at the moment and for very good reason. Pigeon holed as the next big electro band they have produced a massive first album at just the right time. There is no doubt that they will be massive in 2010 and this will surely mean a tour of Australia during the year (Parklife??). I am not sure if I entirely agree with the term Electro band, however I do believe that they are giving Electro fans who have been caught up in the offensive side of the genre during 2009 a reason to escape into some more intelligent and mature live sounds. I also believe if they are to do a tour this year and get their live sound right and a BIG festival set ready by the European summer then this alone will accelerate them far ahead of their pears in 2010 excluding Goose and Soulwax which I am hoping will have the most electrifying live sets come European Summer 2010.
Delphic – Clarion Call
Delphic – Doubt
Delphic – Counterpoint
Thanks for reading – I have been trying to get back into the remixes as of late so hopefully get a Playlist or two up for you all soon – I do feel like I am losing my edge though. I have also realised that we need to get off this stupid blogspot with the content warning at the front and on to our own webpage – so if any one has any knowledge of simple Webdesign and would like to help out that would be great.
Thanks
Jimps
Fujiya and Miyagi
Lindstrøm
