The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘The Future’ by Patman (V’s Further Into)

Lets get some bass in, though not before we have the guitar and beat combo first. After that though, you can already hear it for a moment as the pace picks up on the beat and the vocals do their oh-ho-oh-ho. At the minute mark, there it is, in all it’s dancing glory, that bass that works together with the guitar and the percussion to get the people do the ditty. Then the vocals come in, singing that they have seen the Future and it will work! That’s good news (though bad if you consider it is a famous quotation from Lincoln Steffens on the early Soviet society). That all doesn’t matter, we are in Gotham now boy! After the chorus the bass comes back in full glory to get all y’all dancing once more, after which Prince does his singing thing again, which in combination with his guitar thing, and Valique’s ear for the catchy dancefloor stuff, eventually results in a nice, funky groove to get your booty shaking to.

‘Don’t You Want My Love’ by Debbie Jacobs (Alkalino remix)

Alkalino starts with the percussion, though it is the sharp guitar that steals the show early on. That guitar leads the way, with a nice rhythm combo of bass and percussion to follow. Soon enough it goes fast paced and high energy, with a super speedy drum and bass as the canvas to get the handclaps on and, at 1:30, those beautiful disco sounds that are so characteristic for the genre. At 1:45 we get the horns in too, which is always a good sign, and now it is just waiting for those strong, female vocals, which come in just before the two minute mark, singing Don’t you want, my love?. And now, who wouldn’t want your love, baby? After the vocal bit Alkalino dives right back into the bass and beat high energy, making sure the dancefloor has all it can handle. At about 3:10 the vocals return to, again, ask if you don’t want her love in all its basking disco glory, and after this set of vocals it seems as the song speeds up even more, also courtesy of the horns that come in full throttle. And rest assured, Alkalino won’t let up throughout this seven minute affair, giving you that crazy dancefloor goodness from way back when in this Debbie Jacobs edit. And now, who doesn’t want a slice of that lovin’, eh?

‘Ringtone’ by YACHT (Joe Goddard remix)

YACHT just started their European tour, and I was lucky enough to be there when they kicked it off with a set including this track off of their new (ace) album. Joe Goddard gets a nice bassy synth rolling, taking that as the backbone to this one. At 1:20 we actually get a little ringtone there, joining the playfulness of YACHT. At about the 1:35 mark we get a slightly paced up, rhythmic vocal, still accompanied by that bassy backbone. At 2:10 that sound is deleted, instead going for a beat as the vocals change. Instead of the rock-out in the original now we still have those vocals, but with simply a drum that morphs into that bass sound again as the track gets back to the dancey verse. Joe Goddard is from Hot Chip, so he knows how to get the catchy going, and with YACHT you’ve got some excellent material to work with, because those smart, cheeky people over there also know how to get the fun and the catchy into their songs (along with some contemplations on the future and that sort of stuff). Goddard keeps it rolling throughout the track, making it a nice fit for a bit of that dirty dancing in a disco set.

‘Petals’ by Bibio

Bibio starts this short track out with some piano, looping that sound to build upon it. Soon the vocals come in, singing achingly about teary eyes, knowing that it would kill you. The vocals sound nice and removed, working together sweetly with the piano and assorted instruments. The light piano is juxtaposed nicely with some deeper piano tones, and throughout the track Bibio weaves some sounds in and out to colour it all in. You know it’ll hurt you, he sings, and the petals that turn to mush, they Still disappoint you. He’s got such a good ear for what works together, and listening to this it all fits and it all just works together to create a whole, in unity. Even the vocal delivery just matches the whole instrument thing perfectly. Apparently a teaser for a new album coming next year. Then again, how early is next year? Geez, time eh, how fast did you want that to pass? But I guess that’s kind of a theme in this song too.

‘Give It All’ by Foals (Lindstrom remix)

Put on your dancing shoes, because Lindstrom is one of those guys that you can send for a message. He knows how to get that momentum going, that loop in place, and to ride it out until your legs can’t ride it no more. He starts with a nice, full sound, adding some fast paced synths in there at one point to juxtapose the lazier sound that’s already there. Add some piano to colour it in even more, and at 1:30 there’s this nice little moment that says, All right, let’s rock. It also is a cue for the vocals to come in, though only in a whoo-hoo capacity. In the mean time the drum is still laying down the pace, the synth still gives the illusion of a faster tempo, and the little piano in there makes sure it isn’t all about the gung-ho. A bass synth then enters, giving the drums some help in the rhythm department, and then Lindstrom brings in the colour again with some piano and guitar. And this is how he does it people, getting the hypnosis upon you with this fabulous build-up full with sounds and fury, all signifying oh so much when on the dancefloor, though it is hard to pinpoint what exactly. Rest assured, he doesn’t keep that up for the entire eight minutes, bringing it back slightly just before the 4:30 mark, bringing all the rhythm sounds to a halt in favor of some vocal work on top of some keys. They ask you to give him something he has never seen, which Lindstrom apparently reads as bringing some new instruments in to offer up some new options for this fella. At the 5:40 mark he gets the beat back, this time in companionship of the vocals, and as they reach their climax he gets the bass sound in there as well to ride it all the way out. Lovely dance stuff again from one of those guys who, like the mailman, always delivers.

‘Cruel Mistress’ by Crazy P (Hot Toddy Retro mix)

Hot Toddy gets the retro on with a sturdy beat and some retro synth sounds on this lush Crazy P track from his album, which was released earlier this year. Hot Toddy gets some of that Italo Disco in with those synthesizers, on top of which those beautiful, lovelorn vocals come in, contrasting the relative aggressiveness of the synths and beat nicely. And they sing that Every time she talks, and every time she sings, she wants to hear you (she’s losing her head, ya know?). Those more dreamy vocals are such a lovely contrast to the old school synth sounds Hot Toddy throws in there, which he combines with some percussion, some deeper synth sounds, but the thing that leads this is the good use of the vocals. Not drowning them out, but placing them on the right spots, and he knows how to bring in a bit of piano on occasion to help them out (which he does with some other sounds as well). After the vocals Hot Toddy keeps that piano coming, bringing them more to the fore and into the spotlight until he starts to work towards the end, when he goes for the Italo synths and the backing vocals. Apparently this is part of a Remix album based on Crazy P’s Walk Dance Sing Talk album. And, on the grounds of this, it’ll might just be well worth the spin.

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week:  ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ by Chromatics

And who says that advertisements can’t lead to something wickedly good? Apparently, the new MANGO clothing line will be accompanied by a Chromatics take on Cindy Lauper’s '80s pop hysteria. The original track was girl power before Spice Girl power even got here, and seemed a sort of call up to all the girls to cut loose sometimes as well, get rid of the restrictions, and just have a bit of fun (as, you know, that is what girls want). In the hands of Chromatics, it turns into a wistful, wispy, wishful endeavour. Not a breaking out moment, but a moment of longing, of hope that, yes, one day you won’t be missing out anymore, but you’ll be running with the young and fool-hearted (in MANGO clothing, no doubt!). Chromatics just get that atmosphere spot on every time again, and surprisingly the lyrics suit it as well, sliding into the slow beat, the sad synths, and the soft percussion sounds with ease. It is also a lovely proof of how a different context can give something a new feel and a new function. Just ace, yet again, by that band.

‘Tall Stories’ by World’s End Press (Bottin remix)

This one starts out with some fast paced synths before the beat comes in to lend a helping hand. Not long after, another rhythm elements enters, followed by the rhythmic vocals. Add some more percussion in there, and you’ve got a track that paces forward, both because of the percussion elements, the beat, the synths, and the on-rhythm voice. Only around 1:40, during the chorus, do they get a different function (as well as that they go an octave higher). After that chorus there is a sort of synth-string section that comes in, after which Bottin strips out a lot, having just a couple of deeper rhythm sounds with the vocals as contrast. And that kind of works, the combination of the forward driving nature of the track along with the vocals and occasional string-like sounds, with the synths being Italian and high-pitched as well. After the four minute mark there’s a prolonged instrumental part, where the strings really get to work, which has a super nice effect. Bottin knows how to do this sort of thing, and here too he delivers, as the strong rhythm section is put into balance nicely by the higher pitched strings and vocals. Lovely work yet again right here.

‘I Couldn’t Fool Around No More’ by The Keeper

The Keeper gets the ol’ soul and R&B vibe going, first with some drums, then with the synths, and when the guitar comes in you know for sure. It’s got a bit of that love making pace going that soul music did so well, and it has all those instruments that befit that air. Then the vocals enter as well, singing that they Couldn’t fool around no more! The vocals are slightly back in the mix, but sometimes they are multi-layered and come through, with some extra emotion in the voice to really get that full effect. The guitar, in the mean time, gets plenty of time to add the right colours in there to complete the atmosphere as it sees fit. Add a dash of piano on occasion as well, and, voila, you’ve got the finished product. Around 3:35 the guitar really is allowed to scorch it all up, giving it some of that steakhouse blues vibe with that smokey sound. In the end the vocals repeat the title of the track, as love and lust still is that what makes the world go.

‘All My Lovers’ by Starchild & The New Romantic

Let’s get nocturnal with this starry-eyed track by Starchild & The New Romantic, giving us this cross of a jazzy soundtrack for Chicago at night and a more electro pop song. It starts out with laying down the feel of the track with some synths before, softly, the drums come in. The drums, however, turn more insistent as the time goes by, and they move this one forward. A floating, jazzy influenced layer gives us the atmosphere in which they sing that All my lovers they, look the same as you (if I hear that correctly). The higher pitched vocals are a nice contrast with the drums, giving the track a dash of emotion as well, with the nocturnal soundtrack having a slightly alienated layer too. The track was released last month on Ghostly International, which is always a lovely label to keep an eye on if you like this sort of thing.

‘Bird Matrix’ by Actress (Kid606 Dub)

Kid606 takes on ‘Bird Matrix’ by Actress, diving deep into the industrial sounds out of which, around the 44 second mark, a nice juxtaposing synth sound comes that, along with the slow beat, tries to fight for its space amongst the machinery and the soul-less. Later they get help as well, some floating synth sounds opening the track up a bit. And more instruments weave in and out of the track, taking the middle path of it and finding a way to put life in the industrial and mechanical sounds. Kind of as you are walking through all that is concrete in the city and there is that bright yellow flower growing, that is kind of what makes this track work so well. At one point Kid606 strips the beat and the percussion out, leaving us with different synths that each have their own function, and around 4:15 he brings it back in to help this song trod forward. It is a beautiful narration of urban life, with undertones of sadness, the mechanical, and beauty, the latter maybe highlighted so well because it’s contrasted in sound so nicely with the former in this slow paced walk through the industrial. I mean, those angelic sounds that suddenly come in around the seven minute mark, those are just the things that work, aren’t they?

‘I Can’t Go For That’ by Hall & Oates (Vito & Xavier No Teeth, No Marks mix)

This one starts surprisingly patient, with a beat that they ride for about forty seconds before some of those more disco sounding synths come in. A little guitar appears in the background as well, as the track really starts to appear through the more house-y vibe that Vito & Xavier go for. The vocals then come in, with at about 1:40 the first verse that is the starting sign to really go with the song from that point on. And obviously, we know this one, with after the verse the higher pitched vocals singing that they would do Almost anything you want me to, but obviously, he can’t quite Go for that. After that moment we get a nice little guitar riff to go with the chorus, after which they put in the horns, which then move away in favour of the bass and beat combo. Those more deep sounds get contrasted nicely by the higher pitched vocals of the Iiiiiii, would do almost anything you want me to, after which they then move to the chorus again. And even more horns! Who doesn’t want that? Don’t expect a major disco edit, but the beat and bass as the bottom layer sure provide some dancing fun on this Hall & Oates classic. We sure can go for some of that (...).

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘I’m Not In Love’ by Petula Clark (Luxxury Edit)

Not too long ago I already featured a live edit of a Luxxury tune in this column, and here I go again. I’m a sucker for these things I’m afraid. This time the boys take on Petula Clark, and they get it going with a nice little bassline to get the catchy on. There’s some piano in there, as well as some drums to make sure the rhythm is bolstered, but it most definitely is the bass that does the works. After a minute in we get the first words out of Petula Clark, though it’s still the bass that’s the focus. After the 1:40 mark it enters the next phase, with a nifty rhythm guitar and the auxiliary sounds getting a bit of that disco feel in, all the while Petula Clark is now really singing, telling us that she is Not in love (ohhh, no-hoo). When the verse is done, the bass is back, though at 3:10 Clark gets back in the fray, with the string quartet, the backing vocals, and all and more of that. The combination of that nice bassline and the Petula Clark original with all of the disco vibes is a nice one that makes this one super for the dancefloor. And at one point even the horns come in, and that’s something I’m a sucker for as well.

‘Pyor’ by Darius

Now, Red Bull, they actually do some nifty things for lovers of electronic music. You’ve got the Red Bull Academy action going on, but apparently there is also the Red Bull Studios sessions in Paris, where a producer comes in, has a week, and comes out again with a free EP for all y’all to download. This time it’s Darius who was locked up in there, coming out with, amongst others, this tune with loads of synth action. At the twenty second mark we get some rhythm sounds in, though it’s still the multiple layers of synths that are the mainstay here. After about forty seconds there is some extra beat and percussion going on, and some of that guitar has joined in as well. At 1:30 he dials it all down though, going for a soft piano over an ever present synth that carefully builds up, not getting to the climax before some percussion comes in to help out a bit. The build-up is nice and long, making sure the anticipation is growing before he drops some of that synth-house action at about 2:40. Love how he slides it back down a bit at about 3:10, that’s really cool as he slowly starts to wind it down. Think the idea of Red Bull to do this is pretty wicked, and with Darius you sure have one who brings the goods.

‘On The Rocks’ by DJ Sonniku

DJ Sonniku takes us away to tropical islands for this one, where the waves crash on the rocks while we have one on them. After the minute mark an actual beat comes in for the first time, accompanied with multiple kinds of percussion, all with different functions. Some to help out with the rhythm, others to instill that tropical vibe as if we’re partying way out where the sun still shines. DJ Sonniku nicely shifts from more rhythmic focused moments to periods where he also lays down the feel, like with the sound that comes in at about 2:45. In the mean time he does lay down this nice, hypnotic rhythm that he only strips away after the three minute mark to get some of that hand-percussion going along with a bit of that light synth. Naturally, he does come back to the beat, and he does so at about the 4:15 mark, juxtaposing it with a nice bit of piano to not go too far off the deep end. As said, he lays down both a nice groove as well as a nice Beaches vibe here.

‘Miss Broadway’ by Belle Epoque (Alkalino re-edit)

I do love me some ‘Miss Broadway’, I really do. Just that snazzy, naughty attitude that this track has, from the opening instruments to the big, bold, vocals screaming MOOONEEYYY. And leave it to Alkalino to get a good dancefloor edit out of that, riding the starting sounds and making sure those vocals full of attitude and pezazz come out. In the mean time that synth is going, that bass is rolling, and the dancefloor can vogue their ass off on this close to eight minute long ride to the Belle Epoque. At about 2:25 we also get the horns in as well, and Alkalino also focuses on keeping up that groove in the background and juxtaposing that with the punchy, gritty vocal delivery and the yelps of Moooneyy. At 3:55 we get those iconic string sounds, and here again, Alkalino shows us how to use such original elements to get all the juice out of it for some sweetness in that edit world. At 5:15 we do get the male vocals, saying that, Uh-huh, they like it. So do we, honey, let me tell ya.

‘Shout (About It)’ by Young Pulse

Young Pulse gets that, ehrm, pulse going with a steady beat to go with that little piano riff that’s put on top of it (along with some of that ol’ woodwork percussion). We already hear the vocals shout about it as some extra rhythm sounds are put in there to help out a bit, with at 1:15 the big disco entrance coming in, and what we get is a super funky bass to juxtapose the lighter piano sound. Just before the second minute mark the soulful vocals come in, singing that he Used to hide his feelings, but obviously, he is now coming back on that idea, as you should let everyone know how much you’re loving her, it, and everything. So, if you feel on top of the world, shout about it! In the mean time that bass is still rolling. Around the four minute mark we get some instrumental interludes, with the guitar, the hand percussion, but also still that rhythm bass to make sure all that is kept going on. Nice and funky edit of Lamont Dozier’s early Eighties track.

‘Hangin On A String’ by Loose Ends (SanFranDisko remix)

SanFranDisko knows how to get the old school on the dancefloor, as the name already implies. Here they take on the '80s R&B peepz of Loose Ends, bringing a nice slow groover in ‘Hangin On A String’. They make sure to get the guitar in there, as is evidenced at about the 50 second mark, where it is clearly audible on top of the percussion base. Then the vocalist comes in, singing that he Feels it to, what am I supposed to do?, eventually diving into the line “You (you you) have got me hanging on a string now, which elicits a response from the female vocalist. I love the lush vibe, the mid-paced percussion groove, and the clarity that some of the elements have, like the vocals, like that guitar, etcetera. It sure isn’t a muddled affair, which brings out all the good in this to get grooving to. The female vocalist sings that she is Not your baby, as the boy is still feeling he’s hanging on. At the four minute mark, again, a nice, clean switch from verse to guitar intermezzo, with the percussion making sure you can do that shimmy and keep that dancing vibe up. Nice edit to get some of that soul and love right there on the dancefloor.

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘Higher Lovin’ by Rocco Raimundo feat. Stee Downes

No sign of a beat at the start, though after fifteen seconds we get some percussion in to get the rhythm going. At the thirty second mark we get both beat and bass, though the piano and all sorts of auxiliary sounds make sure to keep this one grounded. Stee Downes then comes in with the vocals, and I do always love that voice. It has this nice mix of rhythm and soul, singing about Higher Lovin’’ over lush instrumentals, definitely going for the love side of the House dancefloor instead of the lust. Just before the third minute mark they dial it down a bit, then the first batch of instrumentals comes back in, after which the rhythm side of it all returns. As said, the feel is that of hoping for love whilst doing a little dance, with a nice bassline that, combined with the fairly light set of instrumentals Rocco Raimundo uses, sets the tone and feel for this one. Apparently one of the remixes that is being done for this one is by Yam Who?, who are also quality as well, so not a shabby package to be had here, I reckon.

‘Big Black Coat’ by Junior Boys

A while ago Junior Boys released a cover, indicating that the synth-pop band was doing a Rip van Winkle and returning to the fray. The rhythm of this one indicates that they are not just returning where they’ve left off, putting on an almost dub-like beat and a dark, brooding atmosphere to go with the light vocals. Even those vocals have a sense of desperation to them, underscored by the jittery synth and the more deeper sounds. Just before the three minute mark they do get in some catchy club vibes though, and at the 3:40 mark the atmospheric synth is accompanied by a proper beat. More synth layers are added as the narration is put on the backburner for a while, as the pace and the franticness is dialled up and up, with the last four minutes definitely giving people a chance to dance a bit, even if the overlying feel is one of dark and deep minds more than of festivities. It is as if the almost romantic, yearning-for-love feel that an album like Begone Dull Care had has been experienced and turned bitter, leaving the question out there that if love is not the answer, what is? A question that might throw any mind into a frenzy every now and then. The lads are also going to be touring Europe in 2016, so loads to look forward to I reckon.

‘Darkstar’ by Morgan Geist

Morgan Geist is back making music under his own name, veering from the emotive house music of Storm Queen to a more tech heavy dance approach with ‘Darkstar’, part of a new EP called Megaprojects One. Geist always knows how to add some flavor even to a more minimal beat and percussion combo, like with the sound that comes in around the minute mark. From there on he keeps building, a floating synth, extra percussion, and just after the two minute mark he takes on the actual beat sound as well, adding some oomph to it. Thirty seconds later he slides that sound into a new feel altogether, and he mixes it up so nicely. At some points there’s the more minimal tech approach, which he then infuses with some extra sounds for more warmth and feel.  In the mean time, obviously, he makes sure that everything aids (definitely not detracts) from the dancefloor experience, putting this in the Berlin clubs after midnight. Just look at that bass note he puts in there in the last minute, for instance. Small touches like that, eh? Geist is one of those experienced guys out there knowing how to deliver, showing that with this one yet again.

‘Loud Places’ by Jamie XX (Mike Simonetti’s Dark Places Remix)

Obviously mister Jamie XX is a popular brand nowadays, and add to that the vocals of Romy and you already have a combo that will especially appease the popular dance public. Add Mike Simonetti though, and you get a boy like me excited as well. Simonetti is one of those guys of the Italians Do It Better label, doing everything from moody instrumentals to Whitney Houston edits. I love how that beat is in the mix, it  just takes care of that momentum. Add to that the juxtaposition of the almost military step percussion and Romy’s dreamy vocals, and you’ve got an ace first part of the track. After a short moment of just Romy’s vocals, Simonetti dives into the darker realms of the dance scene, keeping the percussion, but adding some of those deep, wobbly sounds in there to keep it all well below surface levels. Dark places indeed, Mr. Simonetti. So here, definitely, his qualities on the moody side of the spectrum come to the fore. Free download, by the way, for those not minding sliding in some of that deep house hypnosis.

‘Victim’ by Dinamo Azari

Dinamo Azari was one part of the producing duo calling themselves Azari & III. That project has died, but that hasn’t stopped Azari from teaming up with the two vocalists they enlisted back then to help out on this track off of his debut album. Those vocalists complement each other so well, the higher, soul pitched vocals of Starving-Yet-Full and the rhythmic, deep sounds of Fritz Helder, not to mention how fun they were when doing that stage thing they do. The Azari & III album was a mixture between some darker cuts and more all-out House live-it-up fests, and this is definitely more towards the darker side of the line. The percussion provides the rhythm, and there’s a nice bass there to help out. First we hear SYF sing, but the growling Helder soon comes in as well, talking us through the fact he isn’t our bitch. Just before the two minute mark he dials it all down for a short while, and I love the restraint with which he comes back, putting the atmosphere first there. Loved the live shows that Azari & III always put up, thought that album was a mixed bag (some of those songs though!), so curious to see what this album is going to end up like.

‘Bad Blood’ by Nao

Nao definitely has the vocals to make one dream away whilst walking the midnight city. Here, it is put on display in superb manner early on, with just some simmering synths to accompany them. They provide a nice background, and are never in the way of them. At the 45 second mark you get the electronical percussion sounds, getting that dubby beat going, and Nao turns it up a notch to make sure she is audible and that the emotion is put in there as well. She sings that you choose not to remember, making her believe that it is the bad, bad blood. at the 2:50 mark some of the instrumentals are stripped away, leaving only the drums and the vocals, though soon some of them return and she turns it up a notch for one last time. First single off of the debut album, and with people like Nao and Kelela out there representing, this kind of sparse, electronic music with that urban, midnight vibe is in good hands. Both of their vocals, in any case, are a delight.