Electronic
Chromeo’s Night by Night
Dec 13th
I finally got around to checking out this new Chromeo tune over at Gonzo’s site, and I like what I’m hearing. For anyone who has any part of their musical sensibilities rooted in 80’s funk & electro – and you’re interested in hearing a modern twist on it – then Chromeo is your band…
Review: Desktop, “Desktop EP”
Sep 1st
If you hadn’t guessed already I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for the blips and bleeps of the current generation of electronic indie pop. Detroit duo Desktop bring blips, bleeps, swooshing synths, atmospheric guitars and enough pop sensibility to make this all too brief EP an easy sell. Think of it as dance music at a time when we could all could use a reason to ignore our concerns and just dance. “Liberty” leads off the set with its quirky ‘80s techno leanings. “Fired Up” is the funkiest of the bunch with a driving beat a la Prince with shades of Cutting Crew. “Too Much” brings it all home with some over the top, make your ass wiggle goodness. What makes this an even easier sell is the fact that the group is offering it up for free.
Download Desktop EP Here
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Discovering Discovery
Jul 8th
As side-projects go, the pairing of Rostam Batmanglij (keyboardist for Vampire Weekend) and Wes Miles (vocalist for Ra Ra Riot) makes perfect sense. The results however, are as far as you can imagine from the twee indie pop of the pair’s respective bands. Trading in guitars, violins and afro-beat for synths and 808 drum machines, Discovery is an unabashed love letter to the days of electro-pop past.
The record opens with the one / two punch of the jubilant summertime “Orange Shirt” followed by the equally brilliant (and insanely catchy) “Osaka Loop Line”. “Can You Discover?” is a chopped and screwed re-imagining of Ra Ra Riot’s “Can You Tell”. Angel Deradoorian of Dirty Projectors lends her vocal shine to the hook of “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend”. The dynamic “So Insane” is easily my favorite track of the bunch and is shaping up to be a contender for my summertime jam. The record covers the hipster spectrum from reggae-tinged (“Swing Tree”) to R&B through twee-tinted glasses (“Carby” (featuring Batmanglij’s bandmate Ezra Koenig)) to a timely (albeit, ironic) cover of The Jackson 5 hit “I Want You Back”. The record wraps just shy of 30 minutes and almost begs an immediate second (and third) listen straight away.
It’s not ground-breaking but Discovery’s LP could very well be the indie-pop record of the summer.
You can stream the entirety of LP at Discovery’s Official Site.
Discovery – “Osaka Loop Line” (mp3)
Buy LP: Amazon (available for only $3.99!)
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Review: Alan Wilkis, “Pink and Purple”
Jun 15th
Brooklyn-based electrofunk wizard Alan Wilkis recently gave me an early peek at his latest release Pink and Purple. For those of you not familiar with Alan, let me bring you up to speed the self-described “musician, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and general musical mover-and-shaker” first came to my attention last year with his self-released debut Babies Dream Big (Review). Earlier this year he dropped a brilliant remix of Pheonix’s hit “1901″ which only served to build the anticipation for his new material which has been in constant rotation since it landed in my inbox.
The six tunes that make up the Pink and Purple are clearly derived from the synth-laden funk rock of the early 80’s but it’s never derivative. There is something immediate and familiar about the tunes and where where his previous release Babies Dream Big may have lacked focus, Pink and Purple is concentrated and intense. The auto-tuned double entendre’s flow with the lead track “Snuggle Up to Nail Down” and erupt with 4 bars of pure shred bliss. The juxtaposition of the electronic and analog meshes perfectly. “N.I.C.E.” could bring a tear to George Clinton’s eye it’s so funky and “Gotta Get You Back” makes me long for the days of my youth and is an rollerskating rink classic and is an early contender for the track that I will wear a spot on the hard drive with. The closer “Time Machine” builds to an completely unexpected epic guitar driven finale that absolutely begs for a continuation.
With all the great (and not-so-great) music coming out of Brooklyn these days it’s hard to know what’s worth the precious listening time, but if you still own a Swatch, love Hyper-Color, Rubik’s Cube and Brat Pack movies look no further because it’s Mr. Wilkis’ world and he’s here to make you dance.
Alan Wilkis – “Gotta Get You Back” (from Pink and Purple)
Buy Pink and Purple: Official Site | iTunes
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace | on Twitter
Phoenix vs. Alan Wilkis
Apr 9th
Friend of Ickmusic Alan Wilkis shot this remix over to me earlier this week and I simply cannot stop listening to it. With Phoenix coming off their stellar SNL performance (seriously, who did they pay to get the sound right because this season has been the worst for musical acts on SNL) this is ready-made to get you moving. I’ll even go as far as to say that I like the original, but I love this remix. Check it out for yourself…
Phoenix – “1901 (Alan Wilkis remix)”
Alan also let it slip that he’s working on an EP to be released in late May. You can be sure that we’ll have all the details when the record drops.
Buy Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix: Amazon | iTunes
Phoenix Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Ick’s Pick (Week XII): Dan Deacon
Mar 26th
I’m one of the most open-minded listeners around when it comes to music. I can find something to like in everything – from classical to jazz to country to late 19th century Panamanian bordello jingles. So given that this was another “Release Tuesday” in which absolutely nothing piqued my interest, I decided to go way out there. I narrowed it down to Mastodon’s new album ‘Crack the Skye’ – a progressive metal concept album about tsarist Russia – and the new one from Dan Deacon, a NYC-based experimental electronic indie rocker. After a couple listens to each, I settled on Deacon’s new album, Bromst.
The All Music review had some interesting buzz words that attracted me to the album – “Noise pop” and the “slowly burgeoning indie rock fetish of voices”, a la Fleet Foxes and Animal Collective. So I took some listens, and I realized this: if I was left locked in a room with this album playing over and over, I would quickly turn clinically insane. All due respect to Deacon and the people who enjoy this music, but this is clearly not for me.
The song that most leans toward the “fetish of voices” is “Wet Wings”, which brings to mind a creepy hospital ward full of Nurse Ratchetts rambling psychotically in the night.
There are some interesting moments, when a cool groove takes hold, and you feel yourself getting pulled in. But you quickly realize that surrendering yourself to this music is a sure trip to the funny farm. At least for me. This is some intense shizz… Dan, you’re a mega-talented dude, but you scare me.
Got headphones? Close your eyes, turn this up, and pee your pants…
Dan Deacon - Padding Ghost (mp3)
Buy Bromst
Links: Official Site | MySpace
Sounds from the Old School (Electro Mix-Tape)
Mar 3rd
I took some time this past weekend to dive into some old school hip hop sites, and uncovered some gems. Don’t even get me started about Original Underground Hip-Hop, where S.O.U.L. posts a staggering amount of old school mixes (two a day since I subscribed). Go over and take a look, you’ll be blown away.
But tonight I have to share a mix I found on DJ Dee-Ville’s blog, Ain’t It Good To You. I’m a little nutty about 80’s electro, particularly artists like Egyptian Lover, the Soulsonic Force, and Man Parrish. So stumbling across an hour and 20 minute long mix dedicated to electro was like strikin’ gold, people. Someone out there has to be feeling this too!
DJ Dee-Ville’s It’s Electro!! Mix (mp3)
Here’s the track listing…
Two great sites to get your old school fix: Ain’t It Good To You and Original Underground Hip-Hop. Have fun…
Now Hear This: Best of the Inbox, Volume I
Mar 3rd
Editor’s Note: The sheer volume of new music that I get every day is overwhelming at best so in an effort to get the best of it out to you I’ve decided to start the “Now Hear This: Best of the Inbox” series. I’m not sure what the frequency will be yet, but I’ll make every attempt to get a couple of these up a month. Enjoy! – Michael 
The Hush Now
Recalling the lush reverb drenched textures of early 90’s shoegaze and retrofitting it with the power pop sensibilities The Hush Now’s self-titled debut is a solid listen and a must for fans of Guided By Voices. My current favorite track ,the appropriately titled “Subtle Like Bombs”, lulls you in with rich vocal harmonies and mesmerizing guitars only to abruptly end in transition.
Full Album Download: The Hush Now
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace 
The Deer Tracks
Swedish duo The Deer Tracks brings quirky electronic pop influenced post rock to the table on their latest release Aurora. The single “127sexfyra” bubbles along over various plinking and plucked chimes and horn beds with whispered vocals.
“127sexfyra” (mp3) by The Deer Tracks
Cut Copy – Lights & Music
Feb 16th
If shaking my ass is a crime then lock me UP!
Cut Copy – Lights & Music (YouTube)
MIT ist aus Deutschland
Jul 31st
Did I get that right?
MIT! No, not the Mass. Institute of Technology or our favorite Mormon former Mass. governor (*cough* *wheeze*), but a trio of electro-heads from Cologne, Germany (my ancestral homeland, by the way).
I don’t listen to a whole lot from the realm of dance/trance/electronic/techno (besides Groove Salad when I’m reading), but I do enjoy it when I hear it.
Something about these “Rauch” versions appealed to me when they hit my inbox. I like the vibe. Especially the Luke Abbott remix.
Ich hoffe es gefällt euch (courtesy of Google Translate, I hope I ‘m not saying “I wear a crotchless leopard skin thong.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
MIT - Rauch (mp3)
Rauch (Luke Abbott Remix) [mp3]
Rauch (Coma Remix) [mp3]
MIT’s Official Site | MySpace
→ BUY MIT’s debut album, Coda.
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