Author Archives: Matthew Bloss

[Electro-Pop] Bad Wave – Lookout

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 19, 2015

Bad Wave
Look Out

It’s quite the known fact here at TMN that we cover a multitude of music genres. As a result, we try to make things a little easier for our readers by marking our posts with a genre tag. Sometimes though, it just doesn’t feel right pigeon-holing a tune into a specific niche when it could easily be listed under four or more. Such was the case when we came across the duo of Tucker Tota and Patrick Hart, or simply: Bad Wave. “Look Out” is the debut single from the L.A. based pair, and with its slick and rambunctious synth arrangements immediately has us conjuring up comparisons to the gritty dance and synth pop from DFA Records staples Holy Ghost! to vocal work paying ode to Phoenix’s Thomas Mars. Not a bad connection to draw for a first single at all. Furthermore, this one caught the attention of one of our favorite rising labels, Ghost Beach’s Crazy Heart Records (now also home to Karl Kling & Dart Party), which has only stoked our flame for Bad Wave’s eclectic take on pop. Let this one steer your disposition towards the sunnier side.

[Dance-Pop] Great Good Fine Ok – Too Much To Handle (Penguin Prison Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 18, 2015

Great Good Fine Ok
Too Much To Handle (Penguin Prison Remix)

Soundcloud

It’s been a little over a week since Brooklyn’s fastest rising synth-pop sons Great Good Fine OK released their latest single “Too Much To Handle”, along with the news of a coinciding EP, cleverly compressed down to be named 2M2H. And, while we’ve simultaneously been tracking the rumblings out of the Penguin Prison studio, it was quite serendipitous that GGFO’s first installment in what will no doubt be a long line of remix attempts comes from Chris Glover’s dancefloor marked pop project. While a large chunk of the Penguin Prison sound has been forged behind hammer-sized 80’s synth-pop progressions, his latest offering is shot directly out of the club cannon. Featuring the kind of rolling drums which have permeated the UK ‘club-house’ scene for the last few years, and Jon Sandler’s lush falsetto; Penguin Prison offers us an alternately more brooding, less inspiriting lens through which to consume GGFO’s sterling original tune. And what a sultry lens that is. Be on the lookout for more official remixes on this one, as well as Great Good Fine OK’s 2M2H EP due out March 16^thvia Sony Music. Until then, stream Penguin Prison’s “Too Much To Handle” remix above.

[Dance/Synth-Pop] Penguin Prison – Never Gets Old

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 12, 2015

Penguin Prison
Never Gets Old

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The transformation of Chris Glover from full-time Bard College student/part-time bedroom producer to international tastemaker and one of pop music’s only boundary pushing producers left standing as Penguin Prison has been an entertaining arc to monitor over the years. With every passing release, his work plays more fluently, sonic elements coalesce wondrously; while every kick, clap, and hooky synth progression is carefully layed out to aid an entire movement. Not to mention, this scrawny, (sorry Chris) Anglo-Saxon looking Caucasian boy belts out every inch of Penguin Prison vocal work, and executes his incantations with the type of careful, delicate but robust grandeur that would make Al Green tip a smile. To say we’re fans of Penguin Prison’s work would be to put it lightly. After arising from a brief hiatus which was filled mostly with fun-first remix projects and covers with convivial single “Calling Out” in October of last year, “Never Gets Old” is our first taste of a sophomore LP entry, slated for a May 5 release on the illustrious Downtown records. Glover immediately kicks into gear with a rolling guitar riff dipped in just a touch of reverb, a live four-four drum line and a succinctly faint synth mirror, before his more fully realized vocals slide in to steal the show. This one is just a pure feelgood anthem for what will no doubt be the foreseeable future, so hop on “Never Gets Old” before well… you know, it might get old.

[Electronic/R&B/Dance] Digital Farm Animals – Didn’t Know ft. Yasmin

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 12, 2015

Digital Farm Animals
Didn't Know (Feat. Yasmin)

Soundcloud

Over the course of the last few years, we’ve cultivated a pretty unique relationship with multifaceted London based electronic producer, Digital Farm Animals. While his last official release under the Digital Farm Animals handle was a funky, dance-pop re-imagining of Lily Allen’s “Air Balloon” just under a year ago, which in the time-capsule that is our blogosphere can feel like a decade or more, the brain behind DFA (and a producing consultant at Sony Music), Nick Gale, has been bouncing beautiful tunes off of us behind closed doors in the time between releases. From straight to the club house tracks, to buoyant slices of electronica, Digital Farm Animals effortlessly carries a deft touch within basically every music structure it encounters. The latest official addition into the DFA library, “Didn’t Know”, is a slower burning fusion of R&B along with dance elements culled from a multitude of niche genres. Featuring a silky and soulful vocal from fellow Londoner Yasmin, “Didn’t Know” reveals yet another astutely executed layer to DFA’s constantly evolving aural aesthetic. Hopefully this snowball’s worth of a single accumulates into an avalanche of new music by year’s end, as we are one of the few resources in the know in regards to the upstart producers seemingly constant flow of superb electronicism. Get in on the secret and stream “Didn’t Know” above.

[House] Listenbee – Save Me (Tez Cadey Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 9, 2015

Listenbee
Save Me- Tez Cadey Remix

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Early in December, we featured the utterly addictive sonic dance stylings of Listenbee’s “Save Me”, and of course it was only a matter of time before the remixes began pouring in for the viral tune. Alas, it is our duty to separate the killer from the filler, which is exactly what we’ve done as we’ve got a hold of the first stellar “Save Me” remix, this one coming from 21 year-old Parisian dance producer Tez Cadey. Cadey takes the tune, and reworks a sterling set of drums while dusting his own view of synth work throughout to create a refreshing take on a track we haven’t been able to shake from our in-house dance playlist since its release. NYC’s Lokal Lagend imprint continues to impress us with this one, so take a few minutes and stream Tez Cadey’s take on Listenbee’s “Save Me” above.

[Electronic] Human Movement – Paradise

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 6, 2015

Human Movement (AUS)
paradise

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We’ve been featuring the borderline industrial, bass heavy dance sounds of Sydney shakers Human Movement, for over half a year now, most recently with “To Be”, and it seems the rest of the blogosphere has begun to catch up as well. After having debut single “Shake” picked up by Australia’s almighty Triple J Radio as well as issuing a monster mix on Skrillex’ Nest HQ, Human Movement returns with another genre eschewing cut, “Paradise”. The Australian club beasts stick to their guns in terms of ambience, painting a dark dance picture through the use of a minimalistic bassline, evovling percussion and the lovely utilization of debuting vocalist Eliza Sol. About the track Human Movement relayed: “We really tried to focus more on the overall groove and flow of the track, we really weren’t satisfied with the standard kick – clap minimal percussion groove…wanting to keep the track under a really dark and minimalistic vibe, but with the compatibility of a female vocalist. It worked out really well as our good friend Eliza ( who we didn’t know even sang!) who nailed it.” We actually think all parties involved nailed it. Now listen for yourself.

[Deep/Tech-House] Thee Cool Cats – Percussive

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 5, 2015

Thee Cool Cats
Percussive

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We last caught up with one of underground house’s most scorching commodities, Thee Cool Cats, at the beginning of January with their first release on Toolroom Records, “Swerve”. After turning in one of the most talked about sets during BPM at Toolroom’s showcase, today the duo is back with their sophomore release on the vaunted imprint, Percussive EP. The boys sent us over the extended play’s titular track, and have crafted yet another simple yet massively addictive underground club cut. “Percussive” delves into Thee Cool Cats’ tech side, fusing hard-hitting yet stripped-down techno elements with the house soul and backbone on which they’ve adopted such a large and earnest global fanbase. Thee Cool Cats’ Percussive EP is out now on Beatpor t, and has already begun climbing its charts while garnering support from the likes of Mark Knight, Shiba San, Amine Edge & Dance and more. You might want to join that list now.