Calling in Sick & Grafton Primary

Gotta say, I hadn’t heard from either GP or Calling in Sick since mid-08, but this has to be one of the best indie rock bangers of this year so far. CIS takes the original and, like every good remixer, keeps the hooks that made the original song great while adding  a different edge thats distinctly their own.  This time they take it and grunge it up, kinda like how Burns did with the Calvin Harris remix I posted the other day.

Grafton Primary – All Stars (Calling in Sick Remix)

April 2009 Selects Part 2 – Fidget House

Sadly, from the sheer size of this post as opposed to the last one, we can see that the world of indie dance production has been moving away from distortion to a land where every bassline wobbles over and over again.  Now this ain’t necessarily a bad thing, fidget is a aesthetic thats more about double dropping tunes just like old drum n bass.

In fact, it doesnt make sense unless you’re playing double dropping tracks constantly.  The evidence is presented below, lots of great productions, but they need to have creative DJing… just distorting won’t work anymore… now you have to mix wobbly basslines and make them work together sorta like voices in an old baroque fugue.

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FOAMO

First on the list are two of my favorite artists in the fidget scene at the moment, Foamo and Jack Beats.  Both artists have been getting alot of attention lately, and for good reason.  Foamo recently took up a major residency at Chew the Fat, and Jack Beats released what I would argue is the best fidget track of early 09 (their tune, ‘What’, featuring MC Dynamite – cop it off Beatport).

JACK BEATS

So as for the music, the Foamo remix of Cagedbaby is utterly badass, it meshes banger with fidget in a way that is both mixable, and accessible to both people who like distortion and sorta don’t like distortion.  A great track, excellent drop, excellent production.  The next track by Jack Beats is their typical wobbly goodness.  It’s a pleasure to mix because it fits so well with so many things.

Cagedbaby – Forced (Foamo Remix)

Kissy Sell Out – The Kiss (Jack Beats Remix)

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GIGI BAROCCO & DJ MANAIA

Next up we’ve got another eccentric italian… coming from the land that gave rise to the Crookers and the Bloody Beetroots, we get Gigi Barocco spinning his own brand of fidget house.  Sounds much like most fidget house, except with slightly different basslines.  The drops are what make it in these tracks.

Gigi Barocco vs. Ice MC – Think AbOOt the Way

The DJ Manaia remix is also really good too in it’s own right, with Manaia’s own brand of wobbling sounds.  Again these tracks, just like any tunes on this mix, need to be double dropped with something else to get the proper musical effect.  Enjoy.

Gigi Barocco – Rowdy Jack (DJ Manaia Remix)

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JOKERS OF THE SCENE

Jokers of the Scene are one of those groups whose tunes I like to use underneath lots of other tunes I spin in order to make the tunes that much better.  That said, JOTS are great producers in their own right.  This new remix of the Brash is pretty chill compared to the rest of the bunch here, but its the way it works when you cut out the lows and blend it with other fidget tracks that really makes this one a gem.

The Brash – H Muet (Jokers of the Scene Remix)

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SHARKSLAYER

You know, after having written so much about the ones above, alot of these guys really do sound the same, but thats not a bad thing, its just an exploration of every possible way you can make wobbly bass tracks.  This remix of Rico Tubbs by Sharkslayer has a raggae flavor, and a bit of an uptempo verve to it.  It’s tastefully done with a few little flourishes here and there.  Excellent Fidget…

Rico Tubbs – Boom Riddim (Sharkslayer Remix)

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IDIOTPROOF

Like the JOTS remix above, this is a more low-key track that you either play underneath some other more active fidget or you play at the beginning of your set.  In particular, this remix of Thunderheist by Idiotproof has a very low, pulsing bassline to it without much wobbly bassline per se.  In this case, it has the clarity of a good fidget house track, but not the basslines.  Chill out stuff here for early or late.

Thunderheist – Nothing 2 Step 2 (Idiotproof Remix)

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LAIDBACK LUKE

Laidback Luke is all about the big beat.  Here we get that again, along with a little wobbly repetitive melody on the track which drunk people love.  Basically, LL takes the original and brings in Surkin’s synth parts and some vocals fits it into a mainstreamed house context as opposed to the originals gritty, raw electro sound.

Surkin – White Knight Two (Laidback Luke Remix)

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DADA LIFE

I don’t know who Albin Myers is, but I do know the Foo Fighters, but I don’t know this Foo Fighters track…  I guess thats because I stopped listening to them after their first album way back when.  Anyways, this Dada Life remix is one of my favorite of the bunch, its got a good build up, and the middle section is a bit more memorable than typical fidget.  Though they didnt really use the original vocals, it still works.

Albin Myers – Times Like These (Dada Life Remix)

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KISSY SELL OUT

One of the bigger names in dubstep, Burial, gets the Kissy Sell Out remix treatment.  Here we a pretty subdued effort by Kissy, where he takes the original vocals and puts it over an ethereal pulsing landscape.  I’ve never really been into Burial’s stuff, but on listening to this it makes me want to go and listen through some of those old tunes again.  Props to this mix.

Burial – Etched Headplate (Kissy Klub Version)

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DOORLY

Last on the hitlist for the evening is another take on Calvin Harris.  This one is a big, dubstep version of the track.  It works well, its got good production, and I’d definitely keep an eye on this Doorly fellow to see what he produces in the near future.

Calvin Harris – I’m Not Alone (Doorly Remix)

April 2009 Selects Part 1 – Bangers

April was sort of a slow month for music compared to March and the earlier part of the year.  That said, there was still alot of good tunes that came out during the course of the month which I think you all should be exposed to.  So, considering this blog is new and all, and in order to keep up with it all for y’all, I’ve put together a series of posts that highlight the best tunes and organized them according to their flavors.  This one highlights some good distorted bangers.

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THE LOWBROWS

The first tune on our order of business is the Lowbrows, a group I discovered through the excellent blog, Too Many Sebastians.  You know, I always knew there had to be cool stuff going on in Japan, but I’d never really been exposed to it before until now.  Usually I thought it was just the land of weird synth pop, and lo and behold, we get this great bangin electro group.  Go grab their LP at beatport.

The Lowbrows – Linda Tune

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FEED ME

Next is this awesome tune by Feed Me that’s apparently been around for a while but hadn’t come on my radar till I saw it on this random youtube video for this party out in San Francisco.  This is a sick banger tune thats as good as anything from circa 07/08, complete with big arpeggiated distorted melodies, big buildups, loads of side compression, and some sample of AC/DC or Axel Rose making a headbanging noise.  Grab it at beatport.

Feed Me – The Spell

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GRUM

Next up is a decent remix by GRUM of the amazing track, Skeleton Boy by Friendly Fires.  Here we get a track that sorta builds up more than the usual GRUM fare.  First we have the track done almost verbatim to the original, except a little bit more bare bones, then it goes straight into huge distorted saw-wave, side-compressed banger banging goodness.  This is the best stuff that GRUM has done in a while.

Friendly Fires – Skeleton Boy (Grum Remix)

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REDIAL

Already posted the best remix of Data’s One in a Million on here, but I figured it should be a matter of good course to also alert you guys to another good remix by Redial.  Not exactly in love with this one like I was with some of his earlier work (such as his remix of Giko’s Disco Surfer), but its a banger, and we all need to remember those days of the big, overclipping, distorted beats for the win.  Check out his new release, Ghost, at beatport.

Data – One in a Million (Redial Remix)

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MSTRKRFT

So this got the OK to be released to the outside world.  Its new MSTRKRFT… rather, its an edit of Larry Tee… rather its a remix of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana… rather, it just plain kicks as an intro.  Definitely something thats fun to use, and in fact, its actually useful for DJing considering they included a repetitive end section for all us DJ’s to spin into something even more intense and earth-shattering.

Larry Tee – Carmina Burana (MSTRKRFT feat. Ghostface Intro Edit)

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BURNS

And lastly, here is the first of three remixes of Calvin Harris’ new single, I’m Not Alone.  This one is a rewerk, i.e. a remix, by Burns, that grunges up the original while still maintaining the original trance-melodies that define the tracks melodic hook.  Definitely cool, and probably my favorite of the three remixes of this track I’ll be posting up (the other two being Deadmau5 & Doorly)

Calvin Harris – I’m Not Alone (Burns Rewerk)

Drixxxe remixes Data

The last time Data came around and had a release, the great tune Rapture, it was another remixer putting a cleaner 80s synthy spin on it which really stole the show (namely the Pacific remix).  This time around with his new release, One in a Million, we see the same script.  Yes, the original is a great tune, but the Drixxxe remix really does it for me.

Featuring Sebastian Grainger (ex DFA1979 singer), this track sounds sorta like a nasal Axel Rose mixed with 80s synths, a shred guitar solo, and new electro beats.  Definitely an Uber-catchy tune.  Included also is the above said Pacific remix (one of the best from 2008).  Pick up the whole Data EP in 320 at beatport or junodownload.

Data – One in a Million (Drixxxe Remix)

Data – Rapture (Pacific Remix)

Breakbot, Spirit Crasher, & Holy F*ck

It’s late and I accidentally took a nap earlier today.  Sorta feeling outta it, haven’t felt this way since I last thought I was ‘in love’… you know, that feelin when you’re up till all hours of the night with that special someone and you hardly find any time to either a) sleep, or b) focus on reality.  Well, here are a few tunes which really are jivin’ with my state of circadian mind right round now.

The first one is this really great remix of Fatlip done by Breakbot.  It’s got crickets in the background, a beautiful, glitched out and edited main piano line.  Its really sensitive, and really expressive.  Kinda reminds me of a girl I once knew, we used to walk around in the middle of the night, then go home and n listen Boards of Canada together before passing out around sometime like 3 or 4am,  That sorta vibe.

Fatlip – What’s Up Fatlip (Breakbot Instrumental Remix)

Next up are two things which I found off the excellent Sydney based blog, Blouse.  The first is this artist, Spirit Catcher.  It’s got that 80’s whoosy synth sorta feel.  But it’s got a great sense of vibe to it, makes me think that I’m sitting in a light blue room with white shutters, occassional flashing strobes, and some beautiful Japanese bartender serving me warm sake.  Like any DJ track, this gets goin about 1 minute into it.  Utter chill.

Spirit Catcher – Space Crash

Lastly is a Royksopp tune as remixed by Holy Fuck, this one is sorta just a rush of a beat, and a constant buildup of reverb for three minutes and forty two seconds.  Here we got the same sorta piano chords washing over you like the Breakbot beat above, except this time its melting your brain instead of relaxing it.

This is definitely 4am music for when you can’t fall asleep and you’re listening to the sounds of silence outside occassionally punctuated by a police siren or the near silent whish of a car passing your apartment.  Totally Fear and Loathing in musical format track.

Royksopp – Happy Up Here (Holy Fuck Re-Interpretation)

The Proxy

The Proxy breaks the beats because they’re hardcore… Courtesy of the awesome blog, VoulesRandom, let’s check this recent remix of ‘What You Need’, a track off the much heralded new release, Ciao, by Tiga.  Gotta say, if you want distortion and big ass beats, this tune definitely has more than enough of ‘what you need’.

Here is another case, just like the Spencer Product remix by Designer Drugs below, where this track needs to be placed correctly to get the right impact, but I can tell you this, when done right, this track is murderous.  Who said bangers were dead…  Send the Proxy love.  Check him at Tiga’s label, Turbo.

Tiga – What You Need (The Proxy Remix)

New Designer Drugs

Designer Drugs are sorta like the pop-punkers of the indie electro world.  Instead of guitars, they rock out distorted synths.  They tend to remix poppier sounding tracks with an indie punkish edge (hence the pop).  And like punks, their production values seem to vary wildly from track to track, as if they just follow their inspiration on whatever they and don’t give a f*ck if it doesn’t master perfectly.

Now, I tend to like the rawness of it… such as their amazing, vocals driven remixes of IAMX and Little Boots (two utterly classic late ‘08 tracks).  Lately though they’ve been exploring this sorta jump -up sounds… it tends to focus away from the melodies in the tracks more on these wobbly fidget basslines run through gobs of distortion.  Still rocks out… just more like tracks that you use to blend rather than mixes you just rock out straight to the club (such as the ‘Meddle’ Remix below)

NEways, here are two of their most recent remixes.  The first is a vintage DD quality remix of Spencer Product.  The lyrics are about gettin wasted on PBR watchin some chick shaking her ass at some basement.  Killer track, but needs to be mixed right… The next one is more of their ‘jump-up’ sound.  This one is a remix of blog-darling rappers, N.A.S.A..  Sorta weird intro, I would have preferred a less hot mix and more rappin vocals, but the build-up is HUGE.  Definitely useable if but for the build-up.  Oh, and I included the Little Boots and IAMX too… they’re old, but they’re just that freakin good.  Give them myspace love.  Love your drugs.

Spencer Product – We Bite (Designer Drugs Remix)

N.A.S.A. – Strange Enough (Designer Drugs Remix)

Little Boots – Meddle (Designer Drugs Remix)

IAMX – Spit It Out (Designer Drugs Remix)

Arveene & Misk

Arveene and Misk produce utterly infectious, completely insistent, totally dancefloor devastating tracks.  As far as I’m aware they’re Irish… and they make house tunes with personality plus.  Each one of their tunes have their own perfect vibe coupled with superb production values and a great sense of how to make jackin beats that kill the dancefloor.

Let’s start with their remixes of French artsy bloghaus label extraordinaire, Mr. Oizo.  The first is their most recent remix of the oddly titled, Gay Dentist.  This track takes the original 70s-disco-beat-thing and makes it into a swirling loop of bouncin goodness, editing each rehash of each beat just right.  The second is A&V’s take on Oizo’s ‘Erreur Jean’, a distorted, angular, sophisticated banger overflowing with variety and color.

Mr. Oizo – Gay Dentist (Arveene & Misk’s Straight Gyno Edit) (zshare)

Mr. Oizo – Erreur Jean (Arveene & Misk Remix)

Next let’s check out A&V’s wildly differing remixes of discoish act, In Flagranti and the Glass.  The Glass track has a banger quality to it, with that flowing, distorted bass that never seems to repeat itself the same way.  There’s also some vocals over the track, but they’re applied in a typical house fashion (i.e. as some sounds on top of the beat itself rather than as a vocal hook).

The Glass – Mad at You (Arveene & Misk Remix) (download @ rcrdlbl)

From what I can tell, Arveene and Misk seem to have this contrast of distortion and disco vibe to their tracks that provides a really cool play of form, case in point is their In Flagranti remix.  Here we get those electro basslines, but on top of it are perfectly placed disco sounding beats complete with triangles, clavs, and funk solo synths.  This track is hip like an acid trip at some posh club in Vegas complete with some guy in Burt Reynolds shades, the ghost of James Brown, and a throng of beautiful exotic dancers winding down after their shows.

In Flagranti – Business Acumen (Arveene & Misk’s Business Acid Remix)

Lastly, let’s look at the production of their own recent tune, Hells Bells.  This one is another banger in the vein of the previous Erreur Jean remix.  A&V balance a burbling bassline, some crisp drum patterns, and that type of nice little repetitive melody on top of the track that drunk people always seem to love… originals are always the measure of a great act, and this one is truly promising of great things to come from A&V.  Give them myspace love, see them live, buy their music… these are some of the hottest remixers to come out in a while.

Arveene & Misk – Hells Bells (taken down by request)