Depending on the living arrangements you have had throughout your adult life, the notion of a naked roommate might be thrilling or frightening. But today we bring you an exciting (and completely non-threatening) Naked Roommate. The occasion is "Bus", the first single from the upcoming LP Pass the Loofah. And while non-threatening, it strikes our ears as sexy as hell and our feet can't stop moving. We cued it up first thing this morning and all our morning activities have been completed in record time. We may use the race shoes for the morning run! Freewheeling and beat heavy, like Lizzy Mercier Descloux merged with Australia's No Zu.
The Oakland outfit's new album is due October 25 via Trouble In Mind Records.
Don Glori is a recent discovery, but the two singles from his upcoming album Welcome provide the midweek lift we needed. "Dlareme" and "Ponte" display the artist's love of Brazilian, funk and house music, as well as jazz. "Dlareme" is a particularly vivid explosion of sounds, while "Ponte" is a bit more nuanced. However, both are vibrant and uplifting, and we recommend them heartily.
Don Glori is the recording name used by Melbourne musician and composer Gordon Li. Welcome will be out October 14 via Bedroom Suck Records.
Scottish producer Sam Gellaitry released three EPs between 2015 and 2017. An EP titled IV is scheduled for release May 14 in digital and June 11 on vinyl. A proven talent as a producer, the new EP will feature his voice for the first time. Sam's refreshingly innovative compositions reflect his penchant to think of expressing music as various color choices, as well as reflecting a broad array of influences. The first single from the upcoming EP is "Duo", which was inspired by French house. Try it out with the video below. "Duo" is out now via on Sam's own imprint Viewfinder Recordings via FFRR Records/Parlophone.
One typically hears it said that techno/dance/house music belongs in the evening and early morning hours. While we can't argue that the music isn't at home in that time slot, sometimes we find an album that sounds equally at home in the daylight and out in the wide open spaces. The new self-titled album by The Working Men's Club is such an album. It has been our frequent companion on walks, runs, backgrounds, as well as right now in the late evening. Over an instrumental landscape of Sheffield hard techno and old Manchester synth rock, teenage frontman Syd Minsky-Sargeant vocalizes a compelling speak-sing with an invitation to move your feet that may seem more like a welcome command than a polite suggestion. While the elements are a bit old school, they are played expertly and infused with conviction and emotion that results in a fresh sound. Some albums just stay in our rotation long enough to allow us to decide we like it and write up a feature. This pretty beast has been hanging around for weeks and it isn't going to the self any time soon.
The Working Men's Club are Syd Minsky-Sargeant (vocals/guitar/drum machine/synth), Liam Ogburn (bass), Rob Graham (guitar/synth), Mairead O'Connor (guitar/keys/vocals). The album is out now via Heavenly Recordings with support from PIAS.
Time for some travelling music for our evening commute, and the spot of honor goes to "Distance" by Montreal-based Frenchman Matveï. The euphoric house track features delightful and unexpected accents and features vocals by UK singer Alyss. The producer's debut EP will be available later this year via French label Kitsune.
Usually electronic fans have to choose among trance, house and ambient. But Byen, the new album by Norwegian producer Bjørn Torske, weaves all three into a pulsating, melodic, and thoroughly enthralling musical epic. Other than the cinematic closing song, all of the tracks run for 7:44 or longer, and are packed with ideas. But the listener never has to suffer filler. This music is thoughtfully constructed. Dance the long summer nights away, your soundtrack is here.
After ignoring remixes for its first decade and a half, Melbourne's Chapter Music has released two 12" remixes. A couple of days ago, we featured the No Zu cuts. Today's feature are the Activity Mixes, consisting of five remixes of songs by house specialists Holy Balm. You may recall that the Sydney trio are aces when it comes to dance music. We assure you that their work holds up well when given and additional mix. But why take our word for it. Stream it below.
Activity Mixes is available as a digital download and limited edition 12" vinyl. The new Chapter remixes are one stop shopping for your next dance party.
Djustin has an unusual working arrangement that produces smashing results. One member of the duo is Sweden's Johan Angergård, of Club 8 and The Legends, among other projects. The other member is Detroit-based Rose Suau, of Shoestrings and Invisible Twin. Johan writes the music and sends it to Rose, who then writes the lyrics she will sing. Just reading that description, one might be tempted to assume that the results tend towards the stiff and two-dimensional, even if perfectly functional. Astoundingly, the truth is exactly opposite. Djustin has now released their debut album, titled Voyagers, and it is everything you could ask for in an electro pop/house album. The music and lyrics mesh organically, as if composed in the same room. The rhythms are irresistible, the melodies soar, and the vocal sparkle matches the synth runs. Moreover, the emotional vibe is palpable. Voyagers is a dance album with evocative lyrical content and a big warm heart to go with the moving feet. Dynamic, stylishly erotic, and invitingly physical, Voyagers is an album we really needed. And it is out May 5 via Labrador.
Jasmine Sokko is a fresh voice from Singapore. The songwriter, vocalist and producer is making her mark with her new disco shaded single, the eminently danceable "1057". We have it here in video form as well as a Soundcloud stream. By the way, the title of the song is intended to be a representation of the word 'lost'. We hope to hear much more of that voice.
Jan Lindvaag is an experienced producer and has been in several bands. The Norwegian musician has decided that the time is right to launch his solo career under the name Janski. His first offering is the banging, late-night house song "Let It Out". Enjoy the stream below, and look for the digital release later this summer.
Warning -- you may want to dance and turn the room lights on and off rapidly during this song.
Hey, have you looked in the mirror lately? Don't be a slob - get some "Fashion". Yes indeed, we suggest you dress up you life with the funky house single from Sydney's Holy Balm. The song is available to download as of May 27, and it is the first single to come from the band's second album, Activity, which will be released by Melbourne's Chapter Music in early August. You need "Fashion" for the weekend. Trust me.
Another installment of our not always reliable weekend feature of new music of note. These aren't reviews -- just alerts to music you may find interesting.
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We start in out in London with a house collaboration between Shift K3y (Lewis Jankel) and Born Dirty for Dim Mak Records. The thumping rhythms of "Misbehave" should get your night off to a good start. The single is available as of June 29.
Next is Melbourne, Australia electro-pop duo Alta. Consisting of Hannah Lesser and Julius Dowson, they releases a five-track EP Awake For Days last Friday. We think it is very interesting.
Our stop in Brooklyn is to feature "City Lights" by synth pop trio DF3. If you like this, note that their eight-song album After A While will be out later this year.
Silicon is Kody Nielson, an islander -- from Hawaii, and now in New Zealand. His LP Personal Computer will be out in late August via Weird World Record Co. You can sample it via track "Burning Sugar" below.
Finally, we are in Los Angeles for alt rock trio Raw Fabrics. Ahead of their release of EP Plastic Joy they have unveiled record track "Move Over". The band is Jack Franco, Jon Fredrik and Justus Dixon.
I needed some help getting going this morning. And our new LA friend Kevin Hunter had just what I needed. Kevin, who is an experienced hip hop/electronic producer, is releasing his Wild Things EP one track at a time, and giving fans the opportunity to download them for free. The current song is "Fire Burning", which is a blend of house, reggae 'fast chat' dancehall and EDM. This stuff could replace coffee, although I still recommend both. Listen below, and check out the download opportunity here.
I won't bore you with details about TEES, at least in part because I know little other than the duo is from Sydney, Australia, and consists of Sean from the band Virgo Rising and Liz from The Grease Arrestor. But what I do know is that they have a great feel for deep house grooves and winning vocals. Here is their latest single "Everyone", and the You Tube streams for a couple of previous songs.
Since we are headed into another weekend, we are bringing you an EP that may find its way on to your party soundtrack. The Best of Times from London's Cable Street Collective combines pop/rock melodies and hooks with funk, house and Afrobeat dance rhythms. It is a delicious combination, and very well executed here. The Best of Times is out now on digital platforms, as well as a physical release. Lead track "Can't Take Me Under" is being released as a single on February 16. If you are surrounded by snow and ice, this EP may help warm up your world.
The members of Cable Street Collective are Dave, Rowan, Tristan, Ash, Fiona and Alex
Cable Street Collective are: Dave, Rowan, Tristan, Ash, Fiona and Alex. The come by their Afrobeat sounds honestly, as two of the members grew up in Swaziland and Malawi.
Andras Fox and Oscar Key Sung enjoy solo careers, but also collaborate in making warm, romantic house and electonica. Their 2013 EP Embassy Cafe for Dutch label Dopeness Galore introduced their music to the world, and has led to their full length, Cafe Romantica. The tracks vary between seductive and reflective, with a sophisticated sheen to the grooves and bubbling melodies, highlighting that what really makes this collaboration special, in addition to talent, is the shared lightness of touch and subtlety of expression. The duo eschews the rafter-shaking chorus and dirty drop and grind of much house music for something more suggestive of the little joys of moving one's feet with one's friends and falling in love. The result is an album that is more than dance music; it is a sexy pop album that you can take with you and enjoy doing just about anything. And I suggest that you can justifiably commend yourself on your good taste while doing it.
Cafe Romantica is out in Australia and New Zealand via Melbourne's Chapter Music, and is released in the rest of the world by Dopeness Galore.
The edition of the Midnight World Pop Scout features its first ever Hungarian representative, as well as artists from Boise, Idaho and Sweden. Remember, it always is midnight somewhere.
The poetically named Models Can’t Fuck is the project of Hungarian Árpi Szarvasis. Despite the somewhat in-your-face stage name, the music is very good gentle dream pop/shoegaze. The September release, Move to Iceland (EP), provided below is available for free download.
Mozam Beaks is a Boise artist producing a dub/electronic music with a psychedelic, surfy feel. I think it's great for relaxing on a Saturday night with a good beverage or two. The following recording was released on June 4, 2011: Cremé de la Kremlin
Lo-Fi-Fnk are Leo Drougge and August Hellsing (plus Link Drougge when performing live) a Stockholm, Sweden group that plays well-constructed, polished, synth-based pop music. Their album This Summer was released this year. "Kissing Tate", "Last Summer and "Shut the World Out" are three of the tracks from the album:
