Case Of The Mondays

Just a couple of songs for you today. Here is Vitalic releasing his single "Second Lives" remixed by the ever-present and hard-working Lifelike, and here is the remix for Tiga's excellent "What You Need" remixed by 80's synth R&B vanguards Chromeo.

Vitalic - Second Lives (Lifelike Remix) (alt)
Tiga - What You Need (Chromeo Remix) (alt)

Ajo y Agua

Spring break has been hitting us recently with nice weather, bikinis, BBQs and the like. Hopefully the music will catch on soon. In the meantime something good to hold us over.

Chromeo Vs. Bag Raiders - Call Me Up/Shooting Stars Mashup (alt)
Annie - Anthonio (Designer Drugs Remix (alt)
A-Ha - Take On Me (The Twelves Remix) (alt)

The Kids Are All Right

Remixes can make a familiar band anonymous. Who knows who's the brains behinds all those Hot Chip remixes, for instance? Vampire Weekend recently received some treatment from the duo who's had a little more practice with the dance floor, Chromeo. Not to say 2008 hasn't been a great year for both these bands--even my mum knows who Vampire Weekend is thanks to NPR. Yet, it remains unclear whether this was a team-effort or the product of one of the two's free time--I'm leaning towards P-Thugg, but I could be wrong. In any case, give this one a listen, it's sure to brighten up anyone's day with a perfect blend of that effortlessly pure voice of Ezra Koenig's and a light techno feel. The kids are sure to dance!

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance (Chromeo remix) (alt)

Oh, and anyone planning to see the first of probably many tween-novel adaptations to film, Twilight, have a nice "vampire" weekend.

Lost the Camera, Found the Pride

Last night I received a text message from a number I didn't recognize. I called the number and someone whose voice I couldn't quite place answered, "Alex?" "You texted me the letter, 'D.' Just wondering if you meant to tell me something." "Nope, just walking around the city." The conversation concluded and I hung up; in my drunkenness, I forgot to ask who it was on the other end.



From wikipedia: "A post-mortem photograph of a middle-aged man. The body is arranged so as to appear lifelike (ca 1860)."

We're all working on our year-end best of lists (even Albie?!). Yes, 2007 was a good year for the dance floor, but in the meantime, I want to bring it way back--way back to 2004. Lifelike--who's more recognizable next to his (I want to say, but I'm not positive) brother Kris Menace on tracks like Discopolis--has just put out a remix of Needy Girl by Chromeo, that tune you thought you were glad to retire once Fancy Footwork came out. Well, Lifelike breathes some new life into this one and it's once again infectious--and club-ready. See what you think.

Chromeo - Needy Girl (Lifelike) (streamed on Lifelike's myspace)

Which is funny because as I was dusting off the 1970's Peugeot I recently purchased, So Electric came on.

Lifelike - So Electric (zshare)



Holy fuck, these songs are good! I don't know why I haven't listened to them before--Holy Fuck are from Brooklyn and have already toured with !!!, Wolf Parade and Do Make Say Think: some of my favorite bands. What's more, according to wikipedia, they fit the musical genre as a "lo-fi improvisational electronica band." That description alone has convinced me to go out and buy their eponymous album. Long live lo-fi!

Holy Fuck - Frenchy's

Holy Fuck - The Pulse

The more I post to this blog, the more I realize there's so much good music to share and write about--it's overwhelming. But we try to keep up as best as we can.

Demain j'arrète

Tuesday morning I turn on the radio and hear something about Russians and their thoughts on Stalin. Among opinions voiced one woman says, "People say he killed half of Russia, but still Stalin had a unique personality."

Wednesday at the bowling alley they are playing various music videos. Toward the end of the evening they play "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" by Rod Stewart. The guitar reminds me of something familiar... oh yes, doesn't it sound like "Hung Up"? I'm almost positive Madonna was either inspired or sampled that bass line.

Rod Stewart - Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?

Madonna - Hung Up

I feel like I'm on to something. But then I do some research on Thursday and read on wikipedia that Madonna asked Abba if she could sample a song of theirs--apparently only the second time Abba has ever let an artist sample one of their songs.

Abba - Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)

Friday night after a long evening of work I come home and shake off my clothing. I've promised myself that I'll write tonight. But what to write? I listen to a couple of new songs. A remix of Codebreakers by this DJ I've never heard of. It's rather nice. Starts out sound a little like Scissor Sisters' "Comfortably Numb."

Codebreaker - Riviera on the Moon (Will Eastman blisspop remix)

There's a Les Petits Pilous remix of "Bonafide Lovin'" that's quite fancy. It seems like it's a dub though, and though I enjoy this remix, it makes me miss the original with the singing.
Chromeo - Bonafide Lovin (Les Petits Pilous remix)

Chromeo - Bonafide Lovin

What does Pilou(s) mean, I wonder? I look it up in my French translation-dictionary and find no answers, but it does tell me that pimbêche means "n. stuck-up woman, stuck-up girl adj. stuck-up."

In fact, I'm afraid to like Chromeo--namely because I heard way too much of "Needy Girl" when it was popular. And I've really avoided buying the new album because my apprehension, but every song I've heard off is brilliant. "Bonafide Lovin" has been remixed, by my count, about eight times by everyone from The Teenagers to Riot in Belgium.

Then I go to the kitchen to make some tea. Out the window I notice a bright rectangular light that seems to not have been there before. I don't have great memory, but I could have sworn that light was never there. I look closely and within the rectangle I see the faint outline of a handrail for a staircase. Someone must have left the door open to their apartment's roof access--however you call those. For some reason I find this very intriguing, that a door exists that I can see and study but never enter or exit.