For The Time Being

Me and Tiger Stripe are leaving tomorrow for a week to visit family members and monuments in Washington, DC, so I won't be able to update this site for about 7 days. But I'm not going to leave you hanging like that. I put together the most random selection of "dance" or "kinda dance" songs to tie you over until I get back. I'm reposting the new Morgan Geist song because I got some requests for that, along with the amazing new italo-edit from The Flying Squad(DFA's Tim Sweeney). And always providing the classics with the italo-disco jam "Penguin's Invasion" by Scotch or "The everything you need to know about Chicago house music" "This is Acid" by Maurice.

I'm afraid of flying (how does something that big fly in the air?), so I'm pretty nervous right now. If your going to be in Sacramento on Saturday, Vicious will be the only place to be, so go "nerd out" with those crazy dance kids. Oh well, see you when I get back.

pace yourself:
Morgan Geist - Most of All (feat. Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys)
Afrika Bambaataa - Breaker's Revenge
The Flying Squad(Tim Sweeney of DFA) - Trip one
Alden Tyrell - Hills of Honolulu
Erlend Øye - Ghost Train (feat. Morgan Geist)
Maurice - This is Acid
Scotch - Penguin's Invasion

PS - Go check out Tiger Stripe, for more good stuff!

New York Noise

Do you need some NY Dance music? Of course you do.

New York's Shirley Lites disco master piece ''Heath you up (Melt you Down)'' , which was originally released in 1983 on West End Records was re-edited by Gerd and released on Clone's Box Jams pt.1. The original version is from the "end" of the pure Disco era and was heavily rotated in the New York clubs. Definately one of my favorite disco songs from this era, listen and hear why.

Shirley Lites - Heat You Up (Melt You Down) (Gerd's 4lux Edit)

Arthur Russell (one of the greatest songwriter's ever, In my opinion) released "Let's Go Swimming" on Upside/Rough Tradein 1986. One of disco's earliest DJ's, Walter Gibbons, a close friend of Russell's and New York native, helped mix and re-edit the track. This song is a true testimony to both legendary NY underground dance icons at their best. This dance floor classic was eventually released on Soul Jazz Records retrospective collection of Arthur Russell, titled The World of Arthur Russell. A true classic at that. Hear for yourself.

Arthur Russell - Let's Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons Mix)

Franz could have it so much better...

Franz Ferdinand's last album might be a "hit or miss", however I found some light at the end of the tunnel with their recent releases of great remix's from Lindstrom, Isolee, JD Twitch, Ewan Pearson, Erol Alkman, and Justice. Each remix is amazing in a completely different way from each other. The songs represent the best side of each producer's marquee sound. It makes me think that Franz should skip the major corporate producer for the next album, and seek someone in their very own backyard of ever growing production talent.

Don't hate it until you try it:
Franz Ferdinand - I'm your villian (Lindstrom Extended Remix)
Franz Ferdinand - Outsiders (Isolee Remix)
Franz Ferdinand - Outsiders (JD Twitch Optimo Re-freak)

Sudden Rush of Unrest

Erlend Øye is one half of Norway's Kings of Convenience, a two-man outfit that utilizes acoustic guitars, wistful vocals, and the softer side of computer music to make generally happy pop ballads. Øye began working with fellow Norwegian group Röyksopp, and thus the Erlend Øye solo project was born. He began recording after an electronic music festival in Finland, where connections with the emerging scene prompted his interest in the indie dance movement. This led to the album Unrest(Go Buy it!), ten ambient dance songs recorded in ten cities with ten different collaborators, including Morgan Geist, Prefuse 73, Soviet, to name a few. Øye didn't stop exploring his dance side there, he collaborated twice with producer Phonique aka Michael Vater on two seperate occassions. These two produced two classic downtempo dance songs in "For the Time Being" and "The Black Keys Work". Now, one has to wait and see what Erlend Øye's grown desire for dance music explores next.

Enjoy a thing of beauty:
Erlend Øye - The Black Keys Work (feat. Phonique)
Erlend Øye - For the Time Being (feat. Phonique)

Meet me at the Warehouse

I just watched a really great 15-minute documentary on the beginnings of House music. From Chicago to Detroit to Manchester. It features interviews of Marshall Jefferson, Theo Parrish, Hacienda DJ's Graeme Park & Mike Pickering, Tony Wilson, Mudd Club DJ Mark Moore, and numerous others. It talks about how a genre of music, House, influenced another region (Manchester, UK) more than the area that it came from (Chicago, Il).

Clone Research

Hailing from the Netherlands, Clone Records, owned by DJ Serge, is one of the most influential techno/electro labels around, with an artist roster that includes Dexter, Alden Tyrell, Putsch 79, Duplex, Unit 4, Adult., etc. It seems like what ever they put out lately is amazing.

Last year, Clone released one of my favorite compilations on record/CD, in "Box Jams". This collection included tracks by Tyrell, Putsch 79, Unit 4, Lindstrom, Shirley Lites, Ardath Bey, Orgue Electronique, and many more. This basically means that the next album you should own, if you don't already is "Box Jams". And there's no reason you shouldn't because it came out on CD, vinyl, and through itunes. Here are two songs to get you started:

Ardath Bey - Level 8
Pauli vs. Alden Tyrell - Little

Something Physical

Booka Shade are Walter Merziger and Arno Kammermeier, the masterminds behind most Get Physical output ( (M.A.N.D.Y., DJ T., Tomas Burfod and singles of Chelonis R. Jones to name a few!). Running their own production company and studio for the past 15 years, they have applied their wide range of talents not only to the realm of electronic music, but also many other media productions. After two early 90s synthpop album releases and a number of live tours, they switched their attention to dance music.Together with their old friends Patrick Bodmer and Philipp Jung, aka M.A.N.D.Y., they decided to found their own label and, after meeting Groove publisher Thomas Koch, aka DJ T, Get Physical was launched in early 2002.

Booka Shade has been my favorite of all the Get Physical production groups (slightly edging M.A.N.D.Y), releasing the amazing "Manderine Girl EP", along with the moody dance grooves of last years great "Momento LP". This year they have already released the highly praised "Night Falls EP", and later this month they will be releasing their much anticipated second album "Movements".

Here are two standout tracks from the new album "Movements":
Booka Shade - Night Falls
Booka Shade - In White Rooms

Hans is in my bedroom... and I need a drink

Well, let's talk about "What's happening with music right now". No kids, it's not the DFA, even though I enjoy about everything they put out. Let me introduce you to Lindstrom. Born and raised on country & western music in the west coast of Norway, he now resides in Oslo making electronic music with a nerve. And running his label, Feedelity Recordings. Lindstrom is using his musical skills both when remixing and when making original work. Playing keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, and occational vocal bits. For the past few years, he has created some of the best songs that I have heard, including "I Feel Space", "There is a hot lady...", "Limitations", and the recent "Another Station". His remixing skills can't go unmentioned, with his touch on Chicken Lips' "Sweet Cow", LCD Soundsytem's "Tribulations", Franz Ferdinand's "I'm Your Villian", along with countless others. He also creates music with Oslo's "other half" Prins Thomas (see Mighty Girl 12" or Turkish Delight 12").Usually Lindstrom performs his music by playing records as a dj. Playing vinyls and cd-r's with exclusive and unreleased material, blending disco and related musical styles. He's also performs live with a small band consisting of a bass-player and a drummer, or alone using a laptop.

If you haven't had a taste yet, here is an unreleased track that I recently found called "Breakfast in Heaven", and a new Brennan Green mix of Pest og Kolera that will come out in June on Feedelity Remixed vol.1

There's now reason to be excited about living:
Lindstrom - Breakfast in Heaven
Lindstrom - Pest og Kolera (Brennan Green Saucey version)

Environ-mentalist

Unless you live in a cave, you should be familiar with Morgan Geist of Metro Area, and Founder of Environ Records. This New Jersey native was initially inspired by England's take on the sound of Detroit, but eventually tracked techno back to its Motor City innovators. When he began listening to music, however, it was the sound of early-'80s synth heroes like Devo, Severed Heads and New Order alongside early hip-hop, jazz and 60s Hindi film soundtracks. Geist released his first 12" (via Dan Curtin's innovative Metamorphic label) while studying at Oberlin College in 1994. He formed Environ soon after, releasing his own records along with releases from Metro Area, Daniel Wang, and Kelley Polar. He also has been heavily involved with remixing tracks of artist including U.N.K.L.E., Tiga, Erlend Oye, Franz Ferdinand, and the excellent saxaphone/dub version of The Rapture's version of "House of Jealous Lovers". He also has contributed to the ever-growing italo re-edit library with his Unclassics series (see below). This is his latest release "Most of All" which features Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys.

Morgan Geist - Most of all (feat. Jeremy Greenspan)

Electro-Stiffness and Chicago Swang

When Brian Chinetti aka Orgue Electronique heard Planet Rock for the first time on a local US airforce radio station he realized 1+1 = 1. The Jarre and Kraftwerk records his mother would play to make him play quietly with his toys, and this refreshing new music referred to as ‘electro’ was in essence the exact same thing: music made with synthesizers and drum computers. With the urge to make electronic music, Orgue Electronique was born. His highly acclaimed solo EP ‘Texas, Brooklyn & Heaven’(on Crème Organization). The TBH ep combined the various styles Chinetti has learned to master over the years: staccato electro-nic funk, sleazy italo disco finesse and Chi-town sexiness.

Here's your new Chi-Town jams:
Orgue Electronique - Texas Brooklyn Heaven
Orgue Electronique - Here I Come

26 Years Later....

Ian Curtis

July 15th, 1956 - May 18th 1980

Dance...Dance...to the Radio...

Don't walk away in silence:
Joy Division - Atmosphere

Crash into Outer Space

Jean Vanesse & Thomas Sohet aka in-demand Belgian production team Spirit Catcher have been releasing great records for the past few years including the "Outer Space EP", "Street Hawk", and the widely popular "Codebreakers/Key Generators" single. This production team is sometimes hit-and-miss with me, however I think they get it right more times than not. The light vocoder backing vocals and string section elements make "Space Crash" an instant dance-floor classic in my opinion. However, I don't think "Roller Coaster" is far behind with it's more synth italo influenced sound.

Enjoy the crash:
Spirit Catcher - Space Crash
Spirit Catcher - Roller Coaster

Flying in Space

Tim Sweeney, mostly known for his radio show Beats In Space (Probably the greatest radio show on the planet!), and his close relations with DFA records. I had the oppurtunity to see him DJ when I saw The Juan Maclean back in February. His set was amazing, always bringing songs that make you want to go "What the fuck was that? And where can I get it".He has now stepped into the production realm, under the name The Flying Squad. The first song I've heard, "Trip 2" has a great mix of rock-meets-italo, with a heavy looping drum feel that teands to grow on you the more you listen. I can't wait to hear what he breaks out with next:

Count down for take-off has started:
The Flying Squad - Trip 2

WhoMade Tom Barfod

Tomas Barfod, is well known on the Get Physical roster for his modern disco grooves, and with releases as Tom Boy and his live band WhoMadeWho on Gomma. Even though I favor with WhoMadeWho as the best of his projects, I think a person can't turn their back on the great production of his solo work. "Barsebäck" has a warm old skool Detroit techno feel with moody sequencers, layers of percussion and snatches of melody that taste of the night. The second song posted, "Trancer", well, is exactly that- "a trance through space".

Get Your Full Body Workout:
Tomas Barfod - Barsebäck
Tomas Barfod - Trancer

This Might Just Be Your Future

After the break-up of Electric Badness in May of 2005, TJ(guitarist) started to experiment with more electronic/synth sounds to create his next blend of dance music. In early 2006, he went on to form Future Force, which is influenced by early Italo Disco, Detroit House, and about every great NYC dance outfit you can think of. Still in the early stages, Future Force plan to tour the states, and put out an upcoming 12-inch later this year. Continue to look for more from this dance machine soon.

Something to bite on:
Future Force - Night Pony

Beat Down 1979

Clone recording artist, Putsch '79, is Sami Liuski and Pauli Jylhänkangas. They were born in eastern Finland in, umm let me see, 1979. Sami has released numerous records behind his notorious pseudonyms like 8 Bit Rockers and Bangkok Impact(Two great groups to check out as well!).They started their musical careers by playing guitar and toying around with computer music software. I think they do an amzing job of creating layers of depth to their music with lots of references to italo disco and classic funk. They are very similiar to other Clone artists Alden Tyrell, Duplex, Unit 4, Orgue Electronique (See Box Jams Collection). These two songs can definately shake down a place and have the fly girls asking for more.

Now your interested:
Putsch '79- Black Disco
Putsch '79 - Confession

Classic Unclassics

New York resident DJ, Morgan Geist, member of Metro Area and founder of Environ Records(Kelley Polar, Daniel Wang, Metro Area, etc.) released one the best re-edited Italo Disco compilations in 2004. Unclassics was a great collection of obscure "70's disco gems, that never really got the credit they deserved. Geist was tired of going to "disco club nights" and hearing "Y.M.C.A", and "Shake Your Groove Thing", especially when he knew there were all these other great underground disco records out there. This is a great "time piece", for the italo disco fan that's a little bit more disco than arpeggiated.

Play these at your next dance night:
Margueritas - Margherita (Hot Edit)
Pluton & Humanoids - World Invaders
Purple Flash Orchestra - Freedom Now (Break Edit)

Just Another Day

The thing I like about classic detroit house, is the intergration of traditional jazz and dance. Carl Craig has been blending soul, jazz, and disco with house grooves for years, contributing with The Detroit Experiment, Recloose, John Arnold, Theo Parrish along with countless others. He along with Parrish have been the defining members of this very influential genre. I always wonder what a Miles Davis, John Coltrane, or Herbie Hancock record would sound like with Carl Craig producing. Craig is definitely one of my favorite artists to throw on late at night, when I want to sit back, have a few drinks and wind down. I reccommend you doing the same:

Enjoy:
Carl Craig - Angel(dub)

Italian Robots in Space

Every time I walk into a club, there are two songs that I have never heard played, that I know I'm just dying to hear. Introducing Charlie's "Spacer Woman", and Peter Richard's "Walking in the Neon", two italo HI-NRG disco classics that never seem to get old. I know, I know, maybe if I was at one of Patrick Cowley's parties or night clubs, my wish would be completely fullfilled. However, for now I think I'm going to have to settle for spinning those records alone in my apartment, at least until I can build a space machine that can take me back to that era of music (I think there is an Italo Disco song about that specific subject somewhere). Oh well, for more info on Italo Disco, which is something I just discovered in the past year (I'm hella late!), Wikipedia has a great and quite disturbing intro to the music genre:

Enjoy these gems:
Charlie - Spacer Woman
Peter Richard - Walking in the Neon(Club Version)

Dark Side of Skirt Disco

DC Recording Artist, Padded Cell, has to be in the running for "Best 12-inch single of the year" with their recent release of Are You Anywhere?. This UK production team does a great job of mixing early New York No Wave saxophone and percussion over space-disco influenced backing synths. With the recent releases of Are You Anywhere?, and the amazing Signal Failure, this London production duo, should be getting alot of much deserved attention soon, if not already.


Here is the amazing B-side to Are You Anywhere?:

Padded Cell - Konkorde Lafayette

Disco-Not-Disco

Arthur Russell has been putting his imprint on dance music ever since the disco ball had been invented. His work in Dinosaur L, Felix, Loose Joints, Indian Ocean, and solo career will forever influence the dancefloor for generations to come. Kiss Me Again is an instant disco classic and Arthur Russell's early influence on dance music. Rumor has it, that the DFA crew has recently remixed an unreleased song of his, which should be coming out sometime this summer. Check back often for more work by this musical legend.

It's now time to break out the rollerskates:

Dinosaur - Kiss Me Again

Further into the Future

Well, this Norwegian production tag team needs no introduction. Lindstrom & Prins Thomas are probably the hottest thing on the dancefloor these days since Shannon's "Let The Music Play". They have been torching the dancefloor with re-edits/remix's from Gaz Nevada, Silver City, Alexander Robotnick, Brennen Green, Alden Tyrell(see above), along with work of their own. Some day Norway will build a statue of these two well under-appreciated artists, for putting their country on the map. Until then, enjoy these two hot remix's:

Alexander Robotnick - The Dark Side of the Spoon(Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix)
Brennan Green - Little Ease(Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix)

There May Be Dark Days Ahead

My latest obsession has to be the music of Clone recording artist Alden Tyrell. First of all, anyone putting out records with either Clone or Viewlexx, must be worthing of a listen. This is the man of modern classics like Love explosion, Phaze me, Disco Lunar Module, and Obsession. Some of you might know him from his re-editing work of Unit 4's "Bodydub" or Klapto's italo disco classic "Mister Game". Either way if you can get your hands on any of his classic 12-inches, I definately recommend doing it. Here are some samples to get you started (Yes, your day just got better):


Alden Tyrell - Voyagers End
Alden Tyrell - Rendezvous At Rimini