Thom Yorke v. XXXchange

XXXchange, Spank Rock's producer, takes the title track off Thom Yorke's solo album and gives it a bit more energy. Yorke's vocals are that much prettier when layered with some kicking beats.

Enjoy!

Thom Yorke - The Eraser (XXXchange Remix)

And why not plug our next party...

IndieGoGo : Laundry

I admit it, I am quite the romantic. Here's a short film my sister sat me down to watch, which I thought was pretty amazing. Take a peek at IndieGoGo as well, where you get the chance to fund a filmmaker, artist or specific creative project you believe in. The idea of crowd funding is very cool, very new and worth supporting...

Laundry, Directed by Danielle Katvan

Iyaz

Played this one last night as well. Replay is a tried and true lady killer. For whatever reason, the girls just started moving, shaking, hopping and laughing. And for dudes who want to hate, have fun standing against the wall...alone.

Iyaz - Replay

Holy Ghost! / Mayer Hawthorne v. Classixx

I played both of these tracks last night, so I figured it'd be a good thing to post them today. Why not, right?

Holy Ghost! - Hold On

Mayer Hawthorne - Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix)

Bon Iver / Skinny Friedman

Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago is without a doubt my defining album of 2009. On my flight home from New York on the day of my father's heart attack, October 18, 2008, I sat alone in a window seat toward the back of the plane, staring out into space and deep into my heart. On that 6 hour flight, I grew from a boy to a man, with Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago on repeat the entire flight, providing the soundtrack to my rite of passage. Comforting, honest and true, his music inspired a type of focus and strength needed for my new responsibilities at home and in life.

Over one year removed from that day, I am pleased to return to Bon Iver with my eyes and ears tuned to what lies ahead. The pulse Skinny Friedman adds to Bon Iver's Blood Bank gives an energy to the seriousness of the song, and resonates perfectly with my outlook right now. My mother is strong, my family is strong, I am strong, and with love in our hearts, we move forward carrying dad's example. Life is truly an amazing thing...

Here's to growing up, growing honest and growing aware of how beautiful it is to be alive. Thank you dad, love you.

Bon Iver - Blood Bank (Skinny Friedman Edit)

Erase All Texts

After a good and long break, I'm back at it again on Thursday nights. Happy New Year San Francisco! I'll see you at the bar, on the dance floor and all points in between.

When in Rome

Instead of looking forward, sometimes it's better simply to look back.

When in Rome - The Promise

VV Brown & Nice N Wild

Okay, okay...so I know I have been talking a lot these days about new music, new sounds, new styles, blah blah blah. That was all fine and dandy, until I stumbled across VV Brown's remake of the 80's track Padlock. There is just something about this track that brings me back in life about 12 to 18 months, to club nights out in New York, to The Hunt & Tell Tale Heart (R.I.P), to before my life became a bit less selfish and my Dad has his heart attack.

So here's to moving forward, to looking back, and to fantastic nights out with a great soundtrack to keep you and your friends cozy.

VV Brown - Padlock

And while I'm at it, here's another track that brings me back to those late Tuesday's and Thursday's spent in dark and hot downtown spaces, dancing, drinking & forgetting about your quickly approaching 7:00 AM wake up. To burning the candle at both ends, and loving every minute of it.

Nice N Wild - Diamond Girl (Diamond Mix)

Solid Gold + Amazing Baby + Holy Ghost!

I must admit, the past few months have been tad musically confused. I am speaking only for myself, and not proclaiming any worldly truth outside of my own meager mind. But given the fact that I share music on this here slice of WWWDot, I feel obliged to divulge my lil secret.

I have been at odds with exactly what type of music I really like, perhaps because my tastes have been wandering off into the woods in search of something, anything, different. The hard electro club kid banger stuff feels so damn immature, the italo disco stuff feels a bit obvious & the 80's post-punk new wave thing has been on repeat for quite a while now. I was lost.

But now I am found...sort of. It started with my proclaimed infatuation with all of the Classixx productions, where I realized I was feeling something a bit more relaxed, yet still pop oriented and related to the electro/disco/new-wave/post-punk sounds I mentioned above. The Sidwho? Millionaire track added weight to this new feeling of mine and now Solid Gold's Matter of Time has sealed the deal. And just for fun, compare the first few seconds of Matter of Time to the first few seconds of Sidwho's Millionaire.

I'll let the music talk for itself. Enjoy.

Solid Gold - Matter of Time

And though a bit different from the fantasy land I described above, I am feeling this new Amazing Baby track as well. It relates, it's got that late night swagger, and to top it off, their from Brooklyn! With love, from Brooklyn...

Amazing Baby - Supreme Being

And finally, since we're on the topic of Brooklyn, Classixx, and this new sound I've fallen head over heels for, here's a Holy Ghost! track that fits the mold and that Classixx remixed. I'll post both the original and the remix, how's that? Too good.

Holy Ghost! - I Will Come Back

Holy Ghost! - I Will Come Back (Classixx Remix)

Drop the Lime + Classixx

Drop the Lime is a bass heavy kingpin from Brooklyn whose sound I want to like (cuz the just dude ooooozzzes radical sauce) but I just can't get into the hard stuff. Despite that, I can appreciate what he's doing, as his hard hitting songs sound quite a bit more mature and unique than most of the 21 year old hipster club shit being played waaaayyyyy too much these days. Whatever happened to a good ol' danceable harmony and melody?

Well, the Classixx dudes, as always, know what's up. If you're familiar with my blog and my stated taste in pop music, you'll know I'm obsessed and post tracks from these guys a lot (i.e. Mayer Hawthorne post below). Their electronic sound is oh-so recognizable in a sea of faceless "bangers." Everything they touch turns to silk, including Drop the Lime's Devil Eyes. Have a taste, and enjoy a mellowed out slice of citrus...

Drop the Lime - Devil Eyes (Classixx's B-Live Mix)

And while I'm at it, since I brought up Mayer Hawthrone, here's another soulful remix of one of his tracks to go with the Classixx remix I posted last time, with harmony and melody for days!

Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out (Astronote El Camino Remix)

Mayer Hawthorne + Classixx

I had the chance to see Mayer Hawthorne at the new Knitting Factory in Williamsburg early in October, and I passed it up for a very fine quadruple date dinner at Freeman's. I had the shaved brussel sprout salad and a damn good baked fish who's name now escapes me. I'll blame that on the five Freeman's Cocktails I put down over the course of the meal. Ugh, to die for!

If I could go back and do it all over again, I certainly wouldn't change a thing. That said, had Classixx been on the bill as well, let's just say my fish may not have tasted to zesty. Well, probably not, because an 8 PM reservation for 8 people at Freeman's (thank you Spanky!) is an impossibility not to pass up, nor is a quadruple date with 7 people you love dearly and see not often enough.

This one goes out to the sexiest group of quadruple daters south of 14th Street.

Mayer Hawthorne - Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix)

Million Young

I honestly don't know much about Million Young at all. That said, I do know I like the way the kid from Florida sounds. And I like the fact that he is offering up his Sundream EP for free download here. The first Million Young track I feasted on was Hammock, and it's what hooked me. So here it is, along with another track, Chlorophyl. Both are included on the five track EP.

Million Young - Hammock

Million Young - Chlorophyl

Ali Love

In blog years, I am way late on this one. Even so, I couldn't let that stop me from posting a track I have been loving these past few weeks. Ali Love is a Londoner who has had his ups and downs, it seems. After releasing a pair of singles on his own label "I Love Records" in 2006, his breakthrough came in 2007 when he provided the vocals on the Chemical Brother's single Do It Again. He released another pair of singles thereafter, which didn't reach the U2-type expectations of the big boys at Columbia, his the newly signed label. Columbia dropped him in 2007/08, and made one hell of a mistake

Here's Ali Love's newest effort, Diminishing Returns, released by Backyard Recordings. You all know by now how much I love my 80's inspired sounds tweaked with synth, waves and bass to meet today's dream-state aesthetics. This one's sure to make its way into your life sooner or later, so why not now.

Ali Love - Diminishing Returns (extended version)

Sidwho?

Sidwho? Who? Exactly. I don't know much about the dude or the Future Classic Label that supports him, but based on the way he sounds and the way he dad's, I'm down to know more about the man they call Sidwho?. Millionaire, his track featured on the thrird installment of the Australian record label's Apres compilation series, is a treat for the senses.

What a pleasant first taste for what is to me, a new artist and a new label. Enjoy this rain storm. Heavy clouds and pleasant mist.

Sidwho? - Millionaire (12 inch mix)

Bringin it ba ba ba ba back...

Two songs I am happy I have, that I'd like to share. Two songs with not much in common except for the following:

1) both from back when we were all a bit younger
2) both totally rad to play right now.

The beauty of good music, in all its shapes and sizes, is how it lingers in your life similar to a scent from your childhood. For me it's the taco's cooking in the kitchen, the sizzle of ground beef powdered with seasoning straight out of the lil bag, reminding me it's time to set the table.

In the spirit of memories and memory making, I say bravo! to mom's home cooked taco's, Comme des Garçon's 8 88 and everything else that smells, tastes, feels and sounds so damn good.

P.S. - I am sorry the preview option is disabled for these two songs, however, please trust me add them to your life, if you have not already.

Lil Wayne - Hustler Muzik

Flock of Seagulls - I Ran

Little Dragon

Thanks be to Black Bear for pointing my nose in the direction of this sweet honey. Little Dragon's dreamy 80's-esque electro pop has added a nice color to my recent mornings and a fuzzy warmth as the temperatures have dropped quickly here in New York. As the leaves color brilliantly, then fall flat, so do we (love) Fall.

Little Dragon - Blinking Pigs

Little Dragon - Looking Glass

Little Dragon - Feather

Gotye & Passion Pit

So the first 30 seconds of this pop song keep you guessing, wondering if this track is going to be any better than the rest in your fresh batch of downloads. And then the beat drops, and it becomes evident that, yes, this song is better than most. And soon after, once the synths and vocals both start to really kick, you'll know you are ready to throw back the cocktail, put down the glass, get up and move, tied to nothing and no one. Just you, the darkness and the swell of right now.

Australia's Gotye gets a Passion Pit remix of their stellar A-side, "Learnalilgivinanlovin" In the words of Neon Gold, "Keeping the throwback guitar and drums of the original intact, Passion Pit take the blueprint laid down by Gotye and dress it up in all manner of synth riffs and washes in keeping with their signature electronic aesthetic."

Goyte - Learnalilgivinanlovin (Passion Pit Remix)

Simian Mobile Disco

Justin, thanks for sending this my way. The birthday boy is giving out presents! I hope to see everyone Friday night, August 21, at 15 Romolo. We'll be celebrating one great man's birth and cutting a rug while sipping some fancy cocktails. Lil Stel and Pierre will be pumping song's like this brand new SMD track all night, and expect it to be a fab time all around. Cheers to Justin, happy birthday stud.

Simian Mobile Disco - Cruel Intentions (feat. Beth Ditto)

Classixx

Every single thing these dudes touch turns to gold. Classixx have remixed the likes of The Ting Tings, Phoenix, Major Lazer and Fischerspooner, among others, and every single release is a sure fire hit cut out either for the dance floor or that energized commute to and from work in head-phoned solitude. Their remix of Lisztomania is in my top 5 from 2009 already, and I wouldn't be surprised if another track they remix or produce in the next few months adds its way into my short list as well.

For those of you who don't know Classixx, now you do...

Classixx - I'll Get You (ft. Jeppe)

Pheonix - Lizstomania (Classix Remix)

Major Lazer - Cash Flow (Classixx Glass Bottom Dub Mix)

Holy Ghost! - I Will Come Back (Classixx Acapulco Nights Version)

Chew Lips

Okay, just imagine...you're favorite bar or club is having a private party, you're on the list and since you know the bouncer, the bartenders and the club owner, all your friends are on the list too - as long as they are dressed to the nines and ready to party til dawn, of course. We're talking high heels, bright red lipstick, bangs, skinny jeans and a styli top for the girls and black boots, fitted jeans and a loose fitted long sleeved top with a nice texture to it and some chest hair showing for the dudes. Whatever, as long as everybody is rocking what is is they rock best.

You walk in and right then the DJ throws on this track to start you're night. Order a Sazerac cuz it's cocktail night and let the games begin...

Chew Lips - Salt Air (Jupiter Remix)