For like a year back in college, some radio fat cat thought it would be a good idea to inject a dance and techno station into the ears and hearts of the natives, and though I never previously gave much consideration to the genre I found myself cranking it in the wee hours after driving home half-asleep from working long nights at a local eatery.
That late at night, music such a forceful, driving beat can either roust you into wakefulness or rock you into a droning coma, and depending on what song was playing I had my fair share of experiences with both. When listening to iiO, however—most famous for their huge club hit “Rapture”—I usually found myself tightrope walking somewhere in between those two states of consciousness.
It was awesome.
The thing about club music is that a lot of its notoriety comes from remixes that get passed around and bumped at discotheques worldwide, but my allure to “Rapture” and later iiO jams like “At the End,” “Kiss Me,” and “Runaway” were a little more than just a primal appreciation for heavy bass and creatively thumping beats. These songs are, at their heart, really good and really catchy little ditties. It’s not just formulaic ass-shaker music intended for E-heads grinding on each other’s scantily-clad, sweaty bodies. Okay, so it is that, but it’s more than that, too. It’s music in every sense of the word, and I likes me some it.
Today, iiO is a one-man show, as Markus Moser has lost his partner Nadia Ali to a solo vocal career, which is apparently going relatively well. Regardless of what they’re up to now, back in 2003 they were the business, helping me stay awake on the drive home from a job that I absolutely did not like. The dance and techno station didn’t last, perhaps predictably because it’s such a niche market, but for the short time it was around I genuinely appreciated it.
And thanks to it, I still appreciate iiO. And thanks to me, you do too.
Here’s the video for “Rapture”:
And the video for “At the End”:
With the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival finally over after a weekend of heat (both in intensity and, you know, temperature) we feel it necessary to feature some of the notable acts to make for certain they have made it on to your iPod. LCD Soundsystem is one of those artists.
You may have heard the single “Drunk Girls” recently on the radio and for good reason: it’s crazy catchy. LCD Soundsystem has a knack for creating retro-synth beats that mix in a plethora (yes plethora) of different genres including electronic, disco and rock. This is none more prevalent than on the latest album release This Is Happening.
In my opinion, the album is best experienced with a set of headphones, but don’t let that stop you should you be the only one on earth that doesn’t own headphones. I personally like my music spoon-fed directly to my ears when it has so much character and pizazz. You can actually feel the bass shaking your brain. It’s awesome.
Check out the latest release This Is Happening for an eclectic mix of techno-awesomeness. Each song is quirky (in a good way) including “Pow Pow”, “One Touch” and the opening track “Dance Yrself Clean”. In fact, the opening track is so awesome, it didn’t even need all of the letters in the name. Take that other tracks.
If you’re feeling saucy check out his other albums for an overdose of LCD. Don’t worry, LCD isn’t a drug it’s a type of TV display. You can only metaphorically overdose on it. But you should still take it in moderation.
Check out the video for “Drunk Girls”:
Buy This Is Happening:
Debi Nova – “Drummer Boy”
“Drummer Boy” is a beat driven dance track that will get your blood pumping. Costa Rican diva, Debi Nova, looks like a sexy goddess in her beach themed video. When I take to the beach I burn instantly and somehow always step on a broken shell. My escapades would not translate well to a music video, Debi’s certainly does.
Buy the single
Scissor Sisters – “Fire With Fire”
The Scissor Sisters are always good for delivering some quality dance tracks. What they are not always good for is delivering sound advice. Trust me, the next time you have a fire break out in your kitchen, don’t run and grab matches in an effort to fight the fire with fire. Yeah, just makes more fire. So make sure you listen to “Fire With Fire” for enjoyment and not as a lesson. I am guessing Smokey the Bear will not have this song on his next mix tape.
Buy the single
Florence and the Machine – “Dog Days Are Over”
Don’t let the video scare you away. Take in these Brit indie rockers and welcome their music into your collection. Yes, the video does sport what appears to be two Smurfs, or I guess they could be the blue opera lady from The Fifth Element. And yes, there is a lot of elaborate face paint, rhythmic drumming, and a head of hair that rivals Carrot Top. With all of that being said, you need to expand your horizons and take this track in. If anything, it does have dancing blue people. That’s awesome.
Buy the single
Remixes. Some of us can’t get enough of them and some of us love to hate them, but one thing is true: if it’s done right a mash-up of music becomes something completely different and ear-catchingly awesome. You may have read our piece on Girl Talk a while back and, if you’re like us, fell in love with the complete disregard for song integrity (or even copyright laws.) Well, somewhere between that and a more subtle remix closer to that of the hit 90′s jam “One Sweet Day” comes the beginnings of the electrifyingly electronic Dan Black.
Completely disregarding what purists would call “butchering the song”, his remix of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize” and Rihanna’s “Umbrella” caused the web to stir in 2008. The signature beat mixed with the mild melody of one of gangster rap’s most famous set of lyrics created a song that was closer to a popular dance hit than a hard-core rapper’s delight. Now I know a lot of you are saying, “How dare he. One of those songs is a legendary jam by a music icon that shouldn’t have been changed.” All I can say is that I’m sure Rihanna doesn’t mind.
Check out the original video for yourself:
Now, for all of you out there that think, “Hey this is catchy, but I would like it better if it were more original.” That’s exactly what Dan Black was thinking when he went on to create the single “Symphonies” (recently featured on our Weekly Jukebox) for his brand new 2010 release UN. It wasn’t until I heard the songs back to back that I realized that he had taken what was surely an experimental mix-up and turned it into a song that was all his own (still retaining a little of the Rihanna flavor, but who could blame him?)
After listening to the full album, I found other tracks equally as catchy as the first single including “U + Me =”, “Alone” and “Yours.” He even remixes his single (which if you’ll remember is already a remix of a remix) with Kid Cudi. Pop in this album if you’re looking for a party…or if you want the party to look for you.
lala
Buy the album:
If you like Dan Black, check out V.V. Brown!
V.V. Brown has a story that’s not unlike my own. She’s a British model-turned-singer who’s vocal talent is only matched by her intellectual prowess. She got offers to top UK universities including Oxford and York, only to turn them down to follow a career in music. Yeah, that’s pretty much me to a “T”.
So was it worth it? How do you leave an opportunity to study at these elite institutions for something as uncertain as the music industry? If your name is V.V. Brown and you’ve got the pipes to back it up. That’s how. Her mix of soul, pop and electronic music span aspects of different decades from the 50′s until now, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with her exact style. She’s making a name for herself and for good reason. Her newest release Travelling Like the Light is an album full of potential singles and poppy triumphs (I daresay there’s no bad song on the entire the album.)
“Quick Fix” and “Game Over” are my personal favorites, but give the album a once over and you’ll be hooked. Check out the video for “Crying Blood” and you’ll see why V.V. Brown is someone you need on your personal music radar (if you have one of those…I heard Sharper Image was all sold out…):
Buy the album:
iTunes
If you like V.V. Brown, check out Lily Allen!
