Yes, it’s that time again; time for another shameless attempt to increase my web traffic, by whacking up as many highly recommended tracks as possible. It’s the long-awaited fourth installment of Pelski’s Playlists. It’s a number of miscellaneous tracks that I haven’t managed to tie-in with any posts; it’s an eclectic mix of electronic dance tunes; some old and some new.
(And apologies: though it has been requested, I am not going to provide you with a zip-file, I post the tracks individually so as to encourages people to read the blurb and to pick-and-choose the tracks; and understandably if you want them all, it takes very little time to click on each as you read).
First up, we have a track from Shit Disco, the alleged co-pioneers of ‘Nu-Rave’. Their original material is fairly average, and doesn’t posses the mysterious, crooning charm of the Klaxons and lacks the sheer beef in the beats department. Thank God for Goose then, who bulk this tune up to a huge dancefloor banger. It’s not exactly new, but it’s worth checking out if you missed it the first time round. And be patient…wait for that delicious drop:
ShitDisco – I Know Kung Fu (Goose Remix)
What’s makes Boy 8-Bit so refreshing is just how much each track differs in style. You can immediately identify a Justice tune by their retro mode and slap bass backing; you can hear a Fake Blood remix from a mile off from that trademark reverberating bassline; and Crookers’ overt wobbliness is a dead give away. But with Boy 8-Bit, the only thing each track has in common is the excellent production. A deep, rasping bassline and upbeat drum pattern run throughout this chirpy slice of electro:
Boy 8-Bit – The Cricket Scores
One of the first posts on this blog praised the epic electro banger 11h30 by Danger. Hopes were high for this newcomer, but he hasn’t produced much else of any real distinction, except for an adept, but by no means stand out, remix of Boys Noize filled with driving distortion and manic synths (Boys Noise – Ne.Oh!.Pen (Danger remix)). But he’s produced a melodious remix of SymbolOne’s Love Juice – the original version of which was introduced to many by Justice’s rejected Fabric mix, a bizarre medley of 80′s pop. This synth-y and moody remix accompanies the Moulinex remix on the single’s B-side:
SymbolOne – Love Juice (Danger Remix)
That Institubes crew are producing some excellent tunes right now, home to Curses!, Midnight Juggernauts, Bobmo & Surkin (who together make up High Powered Boys), David Rubato (who’s been receving some attention from big names like Erol and Annie) Das Glow, Para One and lastly Orgasmic. This wonderfully cheesy baltimore tune is moorish as hell. Filled with chipmunk vocals and fervent crunk beats:
Orgasmic – Feels Like Saint Tropez
A nice and refined mash-up here from DJ Style, layering Balckstreet’s ‘No Diggity’ acapella over the old school hip hop backing beats of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s ‘The Message’. I’m getting into my old school hip hop revivals at the moment, so expect to see more around these parts:
DJ Style – Blackstreet vs Grandmaster Flash
This is an all-out assault on your ear drums, a nasty fucking racket, from Les Petit Pilous, who’ve previously displayed their turbulent style on remixing duties for Justice, Plasticines and D.I.M. This track is their second single on Boys Noize Records. It’s full of Simian MD-esque bleeps and warping bass: about as hyperactive as DTL’s Luca Venezia on speed (which he probably is most of the time). This should, er, wake you up:
A heavy slab of dirty, grinding dubstep. The track maintains a nice momentum and energy that many dubstep tunes lack, infused with some filthy electro distortion. But the signature dubstep eeriness and brooding are still present. It’s worth checking out the rest of the ‘Trackdonalds‘ (…bad label name aside…) artists:
Dutty Dubz – Structured Madness
By now the majority of you will have heard this typically ace remix from Fake Blood of Blackpool’s poppy Little Boots. And the now tiresome question of who is Fake Blood? Theo Keating? Well the label told music journalists reviewing new release ‘Mars’ (such as DJ mag & Mixmag) that he’s someone called Sang Foley: shorten the ‘foley’ to faux which means fake in french, add the ‘sang’, meaning blood…and we arrive at Fake Blood. But this could be another fake name. My cynical opinion? This is a well thought out publicity stunt, aimed to surround mystery and hype around Fake Blood (just check out his ludicrous blog here; though in a way he is poking fun at all of this ridiculous over-speculation. I mean, rumours of Tiesto!?!): whoisfakeblood.blogspot.com). But bravo, it’s worked, and he doesn’t half make good tunes:
Little Boots – Stuck On Repeat (Fake Blood Remix)
Crookers have been banging out tunes at a rapid rate. So many tunes, so little time. It grates and pounds along, but certainly doesn’t rank alongside their classics: it lacks the hard hitting bass of, say, Love To Edit or the addictive crunky beats of ‘Day n’ Night’; but it’s an interesting edition to their already bulging discography:
This is an oldie, but I can’t recommend it enough. You remember when you first heard TEPR’s Minuit Jacuzzi? Well be prepared to have another unique and addictive tune stuck in your head: all whirring retro synths and buzzing, fuzzing distortion:
TEPR – En Direct De La Cote (Alavi Rerox)
I’ve been digging deeper into the electro-tinged side of Hip Hop. I’ve always like Wiseguys, but only recently come across this remix of Scientology nutter Beck. The now defunct Wiseguys (included Theo Keating from The Black Ghosts) gained a cult following. Here Wiseguys remixed Beck’s classic tune. A funky remix filled with jazzy sounds and clattering drums. Upbeat:
Beck – Sexx Laws (Wiseguys Remix)
The genesis of YCCMP saw a post on electro-distortion outfit GRUM. Le Castlevania have produced a heavy, rocky banger of a remix. It roars and growls along , with heavy beats and buzzing distortion. The original sounds like a motor revved up to blowing point, released and then dropped all over again. This is the same. But even dirtier. Boom:
GRUM – Go Back (Le Castlevania Remix)
Another dubstep track here; effectively a remix of the Requiem For A Dream soundtrack. The spooky and frantic soundtrack was the perfect score for that haunting tale of drug addiction. And here the infusion of the spooky warping of dubstep fits well too. And wait for that hefty drop at 55secs in….
There’s been alot of hype regarding Chemical Brothers’ ‘Electronic Battle Weapon 10′. And I first heard Erol drop it a couple of months ago, and, yes, it’s well produced and technically speaking an expert piece of electronica. But in terms of sheer fun I’m much preferring their gleeful collaboration with Spank Rock for the ‘Heroes’ soundtrack album. Blasts of bass and crackling electro accompany Spank Rock’s infectious vocals:
Kid Carpet’s experimental brand of pop is nothing less than great fun. And The Loose Cannons have looped and glitched the brit-accent vocals along to some grinding, grubby noise. Inventive electro-pop:
Kid Carpet – I Don’t Want To Fall In Love With You (The Loose Cannons’ Make Me Sick Mix)
Party Shank have been turning every tune they touch into raging, filthy dancefloor stompers. And it’s hard to get tired of that Yo Majesty ‘Club Action’ accapella. Catchy, dirty and gnarly. I’m running out of adjectives (yeah, instead of just sending me mixes and tracks, perhaps you could also start emailing me adjectives). Er, did i mention it’s dirrrty?
Yo Majesty – Party Shank vs Yo Majesty (Shanks Bootleg Mix)
Aussie act, Bumblebeez, are a quirky mesh of hip-hop, electro and rock. Their tracks have been floating between blogs for almost a year. And this remix isn’t exactly a brand-spanker, but sees Ed Banger’s Busy P and DJ Mehdi (combined: Ed Rec All Stars) crank up the bass, add a moody bass guitar riff and a general vintage vibe. Heavy, slow-moving and brooding:
Bumblebeez – Pump Up The Bass (Ed Rec Allstars Dirty Dirty Mix)
They blew us away with that huge remix of Justice’s ‘Genesis’ (turning it into an altogether more dancefloor friendly tune: Justice – Genesis (Chewy Chocolate Cookies Remix)) and CCCs have since touched up the likes of Chromeo, Chemical Brothers, Toxic Avenger, The Whip, Busy P and more. For me, one of the standout tracks of the dissapointing Ed Rec III was DJ Mehdi’s epic ‘Pocket Piano’ – it’s undeniably refreshing to see someone on that label move away from the rocky distortion of their previous compilations (though Mehdi’s brand of electo has always been somewhat different from the rest of Ed Banger). Again, CCCs give the track a little added dance punch:
DJ Mehdi – Pocket Piano (Chewy Chocolate Cookies Remix)
I’m done here.