Euphoric

Madcon made a bit of an impact with their single 'Beggin' (which used that awesome Pilooski edit of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons), but I wrote them off fairly quickly, assuming they would be a bit of a one-hit wonder.

Whoops.

Although they might not be the best rappers in the world by any means, they definitely know good production when they hear it. The sexy electric guitar in '2000'n AA' is pretty much one of the best used samples I've heard in a long time. The drums are also great, really funky, and it's all mixed in with some horn stabs and a few electronic sounds. It sounds very smooth. And the lyrics aren't all bad, though they seem a bit aggressive for the track. (The way he sings 'we Madcon' sounds awesome as well). 'Liar' and 'The Sweetest Drug' are done in the same kind of style and are worth a listen as well. I think 'Liar' is quite possibly on a few BBC playlists... You can count that as a good thing or not depending on personal preference.

But it can't be all commercial hip-hop on this blog. In fact it hardly ever is. Because that would be no fun. So I turn to commercial dance instead - meaning the new Calvin Harris track in particular. I can't be the only person who spent the last week searching for a non-tagged version of the song, or one that wasn't horribly distorted by (non)virtue of being a radio-rip. Alas, I can't find one. To make do, I've listened to my less than ideal versions of the song about 50 times a day. I love the new direction he's gone in, moving from a 'disco' revival to some good, old-fashioned, mainstream house - possibly because he's trying to jump on the hype surrounding 'Pjanoo' and 'Infinity '08'. Not that I'm cynical. Regardless, 'I'm Not Alone' is a great song, it builds up nicely and it's about as euphoric as you could possibly want. Can't wait to hear it on a night out.

I won't put up the song, because it's on his myspace and all over the web anyway. I've put up an old remix of 'Dance Wiv Me' by Shazam instead, because it's pretty much amazing.

Sticking with the trance theme, I've linked an old Lifelike tune as well. I'm pretty sure he doesn't need any introduction or any hyping. Which is good, because I've already written far more than necessary.

Also, Damn Arms are quality. They've been getting a lot of attention recently, courtesy of their new EP. Their remix of 'Far Away' is one of my favourites, and I think I may have linked it before. Nevertheless, it's worth a second mention. The grainy electric piano in particular sounds fucking brilliant, and the treatment of the vocals is perfect.


Madcon - 2000'n AA Buy
Cut Copy - Far Away (Damn Arms Remix) Buy
Geyster - Under The Fuse Of Love (Lifelike Remix) Buy
Dizzee Rascal (feat. Calvin Harris and Chrome) - Dance Wiv Me (Shazam Remix) Buy

Out With The Old

OK, so F***uck a top 10. My top 3 albums of 2008:

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

This album came out around January, and I refused to listen to it until December for reasons I have forgotten. Anyway, I eventually took notice of the hype (about 10 months after it died down) and spent the whole of Christmas listening to it.
And Christmas came early. Because it's probably the 2nd (see below) happiest album I've ever listened to. The combination of vibrant string progressions (that sound like they're from an old children's film) and playful pianos (that sound as if they would be more at home in the circus) with upbeat, exotic sounding drums is something quite special. Somehow all the elements are pulled together and gently hammered into a sound that isn't the slightest bit ridiculous. Apart from the lyrics which are sometimes... random to say the least

"the ground beneath their feet, is a nautically mapped sheet/ as thin as paper wallets, slips away from you"

"why would you lie/
'bout how much coal you have"

What? ?
I don't know what. But they are amazing, anyway. And definitely deserve a top 3 finish despite being absent for 90% of the year. My recommendations: 'Walcott', 'Campus' & 'Oxford Comma'

Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

I hated FR the first time I heard 'Head Rolls Off', mostly because they are (at times) almost aggressively Scottish. But Scotland is producing a lot of good bands at the moment - see We Were Promised Jetpacks for another promising example - so I've had to get used to it. Frightened Rabbit are quite simply fucking amazing. Their song-writing ability is unbelievable - the lyrics throughout the album are some of this century's best.

"Are you a masochist?
You love a modern leper on his last leg,
And you're not ill, and I'm not dead,
So doesn't that make us, a perfect pair?"

Need I say more? Quite possibly, but their album pretty much does the talking, and has been in pretty much everyones' Top 10 and Top 20 lists across the indie/alternative blogosphere. Deservedly so. They mesh a particularly lamenting, Scottish sound with anthemic choruses and brash, gripping lyrics - all in all, producing one of the best album's of 2008. Without question.
I reccommend - 'Keep Yourself Warm', 'Modern Leper' & 'Fast Blood'.

Mystery Jets - Twenty One

OK, so I'm not going to suggest that the Mystery Jets are the most original band ever, or the most challenging lyrically, or the most excitingly alternative and new. Because, probably, none of those things are true. But their album literally makes me so happy its unreasonable. Almost every song has a chorus that is slightly catchier than the other, without any song being too disgustingly 'pop'. It's pretty much indie at its finest (for me, before anyone gets upset), and is unashamedly upbeat. Like a less gay, annoying Alphabeat. And Alphabeat are already pretty good. Also, lyrically the album isn't bad - 'Flakes' and 'Veiled in Grey' have some of my favourite phrases and lyrics ever, and capture a tone that is slightly darker and deeper than the rest of the album. Overall, its very nicely balanced, very intelligently done, and excellently produced by Erol Alkan. Well done that man. I could probably bang on about it all day but anyone who likes them already doesn't need to read it, and anyone who doesn't won't want to. Ho hum.

"If I'm wrong,
then dust me off and put me in my place
but drop a bombshell
you blow me away without even a trace"

It's the way he sings it. And he can sing. I've seen them live.

They were fucking AWESOME. Recommended - everything, with the possible exception of Umbrellahead, for being unnecessarily badly recorded and wasting some good lyrics.
Happy 2008

BTW, I like all these bands too much to go giving away their best stuff. But it's all on hype machine anyway. So happy hunting. ;-)


And the more exciting bit, my Best Remixes. Because I love remixes.
I'll let them do the talking:

SymbolOne - Love Juice (Danger Remix) Buy - Quite possibly my favourite remix in the history of music. Nothing else is this incredibly epic. Can't wait to get a copy of his Empire of the Sun remix.
IAMX - Spit it Out (Designer Drugs Remix) - Sounds like an electro Rocky theme. Incredibly.
Cut Copy - Lights and Music (Boyz Noise 'Happy Birthday' Remix) Buy - Much more chilled out than the last two. Still amazing. Makes me feel sad and want to dance at the same time.
Bag Raiders - Fun Punch (Calling In Sick Remix) Myspace - Bag Raiders can provide banging remixes, or bangers to remix. Calling in Sick provides the latter, god bless him. Her? Them?
The Tough Alliance - Neo Violence (SHAZAM Remix) Buy - Again, slightly more chilled, but has an incredible dance vibe to it. The vocals are managed perfectly, and the drums and piano push the song along at a pretty much perfect speed.

Obviously, I could bang out a list of about 200 remixes I love, but I won't bore you with it. None of them are particularly original choices.

Here's hoping that 2009 brings more of the same.

BONUS
Private - My Secret Lover Buy