Soothers

Gutted.

I have no way of linking that picture to this post. So I'm just going to crack on as if its relevance is obvious.

The first song of today, then, comes from the camp of the unbelievably hot, and very talented, Marina and the Diamonds. I'm a big fan of the original song, 'I am not a Robot', so I wasn't really convinced with Starsmith's revamp when I first heard it. The tune starts pretty slowly, and the vocals seem a bit slapped together initially. However, Starsmith has actually given the track quite a summery spin and I've decided it's definitely worth a listen. It kind of has a more 'robot' feel - all floaty A-ux style synths with a hint of Aeroplane to the beat. Pretty laidback. Also, he has an Ellie Goulding track on his myspace, which makes me think that maybe he produces her incredible music, or is involved in some way?* Top marks if he is.

I haven't posted any indie for a while, so I feel like the time has come. I nabbed a copy of the new Signal Hill album More After We're Gone the other day, and its incredible. I was going to post something off it, but then I got Cascade's new EP The Pieces Of The World and listened to 'Midnight Sun'. Both bands are well in to their treble-led, soft, summery instrumentals, and 'Midnight Sun' is quite possibly the best of the bunch. It surges along at a fairly gentle pace, and is laced with sunny guitar chords and riffs that capture the summer moment perfectly. I'm pretty much in love with the song, and I spent most of yesterday listening to it whilst doing as many summer activities as possible (BBQing, Swimming, being hot, etc.) It was awesome. You can also get a free download of their single 'The Hypnotizer' here.

Time for a third genre now. Because although I thought that soft indie might be the quintissential sound for the season, I'm now thinking ... liquid drum 'n' bass. Amirite? Specifically, the brand that High Contrast and, more recently, Chase 'n' Status and Blame have been putting out. I thought Blame's remix for the new 'Show Me Love' EP was awesomeness, and he's recently been sought out by VV Brown to provide a mix for her new single 'Shark in The Water'. I love it. The vocals are perfect, and the track is filled with triumphant trumpet fills and blasts that make it excitingly epic. It's a must-have for anyone who likes Blame's other work, and it actually makes me want to hear more VV Brown, despite the fact that I've been trying ignore all the hype surrounding her since the start of the year.

Last up, I thought I'd bring back a classic from two summer' ago. The Hook 'n' Sling remix of 'Coup D'etat', which probably shouldn't need an introduction. It was on the Ibiza Annual of 2007, and it has a deliciously inordinate amount of bounce and catchingess to it, making it (probably) one of my favourite house tracks of all time. Enjoy, I hear the cold front is coming back.

Gutted.

Marina and The Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot (Starsmith's '24 Carat' Remix) Buy
Cascade - Midnight Sun Myspace
VV Brown - Shark In The Water (Blame Remix) Myspace BuyBlame

Bonus:
Bass Kleph - Coup D'etat (Hook 'n' Sling Remix) Buy

*Turns out they're some duo called Goldsmith? Exciting stuff.