Asobi Seksu - Thursday (Acoustic)
For those familiar with Asobi Seksu, Thursday was a track of their 2006 album "Citrus". This is an acoustic reinterpretation of that wonderful track cut at famed Olympic Studios in London, amongst other reimaginations of their best work which makes up "Rewolf". Much more sparse and their sonic layers stripped, leaving Yuki's warbling to power the song. It's more affecting but not as strong musically as the original. However, the warm feeling one gets from James' guitar and beauty derived from the emphasis placed on her vocals in this sparer version makes this an enjoyable and repeatable listen.
Listen to the original here.
official, myspace, last.fm
Miike Snow - Black & Blue
This totally slow-groove ballad makes me go ape SMD style. Plus, there's a totally wicked official video. A very old man with pretty old school music instruments and stuff, with his weird contraptions playing them (which appears to play accordingly to the beats/sounds of the song, like the mechanical hand tapping the piano at the appropriate moments). Seems to me he's all trapped up in his house (of his own volition), and all of a sudden he decides to make it out that door. And as he does so, he hugs a stunned teen, walks down the street, tosses his seemingly permanently on headphones and then sheds his robe, embracing the sunlight. All while the trio that is Miike Snow are in the car staring after him.
I won't waste your time with my revelation/Hello my friend, I see you're back again/Hello mystery, don't bother to explain
Embrace this number (like the old dude) along with it's plethora of remixes and hold on while I leave this on repeat.
official, myspace, last.fm
Vitalic - Poison Lips
Sensual dance song, with the synths working overtime. The song is tight and not overdone, coming in at nearly 4 minutes - so it doesn't give you that overdose of synths and heavy beats that if not done well (think steak) leaves a bad aftertaste. It swirls and loops and infuses you with all that psychedelia that I'm not sure I want to make the trip back. Enjoy this song, and the video for dessert.
official, myspace, last.fm
Camera Obscura - French Navy
First single from awesome album "My Maudlin Career" does not fail to delight with it's lightness and comfortable beat and rhythm. French Navy is an upbeat story of meeting a new lover in a dusty library “by a trick of fate”. Tracyanne Campbell croons "You make me go, "Oooh"/With the things that you do, you do, you do" before chorus kicks in. It may sound like yet another love song, but this is a Camera Obscura love song, besides it's not all weepy and heartbreak. There's some happiness amid all that gloom which makes this a pretty neat musing that still manages to sound fresh.
official, myspace, last.fm
Passion Pit - Little Secrets
These guys would prolly remind everyone else of MGMT. Enjoy this electro-funk coupled with falsetto vocals plus wonderful production of a gem called Little Secrets which ironically wasn't that little, seeing how it was blogged about by nearly every another blog when it was leaked prior to it's official release.
official, myspace, last.fm
Franz Ferdinand - No You Girls
BBC: "...this is a very typical Franz Ferdinand song. It's slinky, it's a bit disco, it's a bit guitary, it's anti-macho, but also quite blokey in the chorus. The lyrics point toward sexual politics, and the lack of understanding between boys and girls..."
It nearly sounds like Take Me Out but manages to stand out on it's own with sleeker productions.
official, myspace, last.fm
Phoenix - Rome
Well, if you're wondering what's another Phoenix track doing here, it's because they damn well deserve it. This track is also just as awesome, it starts off upbeat and rampant, going all out to have their fun singing about "Who's the boy you like the most/Is he teasing you with underage?" The signature pop hooks and catchy lyrics that make you want to sing along is present, as is the word silhouette which seems to appear in a couple of the tracks in "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix". Almost midway, the
track drops tempo and eases you into muses of heartbreak before breaking out into it's glorious final chorus.
official, myspace, last.fm
Beat Radio - Stranger Flowers(mp3)
This is an mp3 link from their official site. A melancholic love song that sounds every bit like a lovelorn boy singing his heart out to... no one. It's really emotive (and the lyrics are hackneyed to some extent) and it's just Brian Sendowitz pouring his heart out in this acoustic track, which more than makes up for the "hackneyed" lyrics. Really sweet and lovely song and watch out for Beat Radio, they've certainly got more beckoning for them.
official, myspace, last.fm
fun. - Be Calm
Fun is the name of the game and it's also in their name. This track is full of carnival-esque joy and showmanship and lyrical genius. It's a joy to listen to this track on it's own and it's a wonder how he manages to cram all those whopper of lyrics into all of a little over 4 minutes.
official, myspace, last.fm
Memory Tapes - Green Knight
This is pretty much their website and it's where you can find a download of their fantastic track Green Knight. I'm not putting up their own mediafire link, because the previous time I did, I gotta into a shitload of trouble and I'm not keen on getting that all over. Hint hint: It's the October post.
official, myspace, last.fm
