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The Weekly Froth!

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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:  ‘Just Give Me Joy’ by Elvin Tibideaux

The label is called Let’s Play House, so what  exactly are you expecting honey? It’s got the bass beat down from the get go, has the looping sample going on as well, and the playing with volume and pace is right there too. That’s, mind you, just the first minute, after which the bass comes alive even more, and those base sounds get some help from, for example, a nifty little guitar that moves up in the mix as the looping goes on and on. They dial it down just a little bit before the two minute mark, after which the thing jumps back up again to get the dancefloor dancing. That bass sound, that’s really what this one is all about for me. That and the loop give it this continuation momentum, and then you’ve got the guitar to give you that little bit extra. The real extra comes around 3:30, when the sky opens up and that major vocal turn comes screeching out from the balcony. “I need you” indeed, and full throttle at that. It gives this one the naughty and the nice for sure, bringing a complete punch-out to cap this one off. Always good to keep an eye on this label, and Elvin Tibideaux doesn’t disappoint when it’s his turn to deliver.

 

 ‘Gratte-Ciel’ by Patrice Mondon (Pilooski & Glb’R edit)

This one gives you a little guitar riff before it goes into retro '80s space mode with a nice little bass  which dictates the rhythm of the track. If the space vibe hadn’t gotten through to you yet, there are the vocals, there are the synths, and the deliciously soundtrack-y auxiliary sounds that give it this pop bigness. After the peak of that pop sound the track dives back into the bass the first time around (which is a nasty little piece of business, let me tell ya), and the guitar sound the second time around (after which the bass comes in a few seconds later). The third time it’s the vocals they turn to, and I just love the way this thing is structured. It’s got this space opera feel, but it also has that little dancefloor bassline that makes it such a successful edit. The original is from 1982 I believe, and if you love a bit of dancing and the whole atmosphere of it all, then it’s really to infinity and beyond on this one!

 

 

 ‘Enemy’ by Kelela ft. Tosin Abasi

How about a little nightcap with this lullaby from R&B artist Kelela? Featuring Tosin Abasi on the eight string guitar, the sweet voiced Kelela brings a tear in her vocals as she sings that she has given up for their “love is not enough”, and that it just isn’t a “remedy” for their aches. This is the kind of track you just love to have as the closer on an album or a set in my opinion. Just the vocals and a minimum of arrangements, and together these two bare-boned essentials just bring forward the exact right feeling of sadness and longing. Don’t think it too sweet and sugary though, as there are one or two f-bombs in there. However, even they don’t break the melancholy of the song. One of those to have on at night, looking out of your window, glass of something strong in your hand, to cheers! and salut the days end.

 

 ‘You Can Shine’ by Andy Butler feat. Richard Kennedy

Butler has always had an inclinition with the tech side of the dancefloor (some of his and Kim-Ann Foxmann’s remixes were already very much veering into that direction), though this one still rubs its shoulders quite firmly with the Hercules and Love Affair sound. Which, you know, is to be expected, as Butler obviously is the driving motor to that, and the big, booming vocals of Richard Kennedy give it this guest-turn feel that Butler’s  troupe also has. This one is decidedly aimed at the dancefloor, so you’ve got the beat, the percussion, etc. to bring the rhythm, and it’s got the vocals singing that he knows that he is loved, and they work nicely to build some of that feel-good momentum. If you not only like his Hercules stuff, but the remixes that he has done as well, then this is a good combination of both worlds probably. And he knows how to hit that bulls-eye in terms of his vocalists, that’s for sure!

 

‘Lost U’ by Rangleklods

Rangleklods released their debut a few years back, and I quite fancied that one. ‘Lost U’ is their first original material in a little while, and the starting electronics are more aggressive than anything that I can remember from the album. After that start you get a piano & female vocal combo, which is bigger and more pop than earlier work I reckon. It is also a work that perhaps is a tad more dancefloor-ish, which gets a nod anyway as the talking is apparently done by the pitched down voice of a girl from a rave documentary from the early 1990s. Don’t expect a straight up dance track though, as there’s still plenty of electronics in there that is a bit off of the beaten track (thank goodness). The Danish duo have changed their source of energy I’d say, and curious to see if they come up with an album’s worth of that, or if this is an expansion of their arsenal instead of a complete shift. Debut album still one to have a listen to if you have never had the pleasure yet, and sure enjoyed them live as well.

 

‘Wicked Game’ by POP ETC

I truly apologize, but Chris Isaak just is my weak spot. Don’t blame me, don’t judge me, it’s just the way this is. This time it is POP ETC, formerly known as Morning Benders, who take this classic tune on, doing this one subdued and with an acoustic guitar, though there’s still this deep drum to propel it forward. The chorus boys that back him up, that’s a nice little touch, that sounds so church like that it’s kind of nice. I mean, what is there to say? If people keep making them, I’ll keep posting them, it’s just this wicked thing I do. By the way, I saw them live when they were still the Morning Benders, and that was a good time out, so there you go.

 
 

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