Saint Etienne - "Glad"

Saint Etienne is set to release their final record soon, titled International. The first single "Glad," is produced with Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers and features Doves guitarist Jimi Goodwin. If this is any indication of the quality of the final album, we're in for something special.

The Chemical Brothers - "No Reason"

Rave-ready track from The Chemical Brothers with sparkling synths, rubbery bass, and some intense acid house squiggles. 

The Chemical Brothers - "The Darkness That You Fear"

Although the song title makes it sound like it will be depressing, this new single from The Chemical Brothers is very hopeful and cathartic with the lyrics "Let your heart see all the colors around you/and the darkness that you fear will disappear." Play it loud.

 

2019 Favorite Albums (20-16)

Continuing my list of Favorite Albums:

20.

Blanck Mass - Animated Violence Mild

Fuck Buttons' member Benjamin John Power's fourth album under his Blanck Mass moniker was a thorough reimagining of 80s and 90s industrial music that was stunning in its ferocity and power.

19.

The Chemical Brothers - No Geography

The Chems got back to basics on No Geography and brought back the fun in their music. They also put together one of the greatest live shows I have ever seen.

18.

Drab Majesty - Modern Mirror

Drab Majesty, a.k.a. Deb Demure, mined from goth-pop artists like The Cure, Peter Murphy, and Clan of Xymox but staked their own claim. Full of massive melodies and atmospheric production, Modern Mirror is a classic of the genre.

17.

Twilight Sad - It Won/t Be Like This All The Time

Twilight Sad have always been good but they seemed to be holding back from their true potential. Apparently losing a founding member, as well as, touring relentlessly with The Cure put a spark in them. It Won/t Be Like This All The Time is a stunning work that is their Disintegration.

16.

Floating Points - Crush

Floating Point's Crush is the perfect mix of dance floor bangers, experimental ruminations, and ambient explorations.

Jam of the Day: The Chemical Brothers - "Free Yourself"

Hyper-kinetic big tent dance track from the legendary Chemical Brothers.

Jam of the Day: The Presets ft. The DMAs - "Are You Here?"

Booming, big-beat dance track from The Presets featuring vocals from Australian rock band The DMAs. It sounds like the amazing collaborations The Chemical Brothers used to do with Noel Gallagher back in the 90s. It's off The Presets' new record Hi Viz.

2015 Albums of the Year (Numbers 50-41)

It was a much better year for singles this year for me than albums. With that said, the albums that I liked this year, I really liked a lot. Here are my Top 50 albums for 2015:

50. The Chemical Brothers - Born in the Echoes

The Chemical Brothers have hit their new renaissance phase. Continuing where Further left off, Born in the Echoes is the sound of the Chems bursting forward with more fresh, new ideas.

49. Lower Dens - Escape From Evil

This is the album where Lower Dens make the decision to embrace melody and more pop-oriented elements. Their lyrics are still dark and foreboding, but there is less of wall going up, at least sonically speaking.

48. Ciara - Jackie

While she will never be as huge as Beyonce or Rihanna, Ciara puts out as good if not better music, in my opinion. Jackie is a welcome return for her, full of catchy jams and elegant ballads.

47. Viet Cong - Viet Cong

The band formerly known as Viet Cong (external pressures caused them to change their name, which at the moment they have not made) put out the most viscerally intense record this year. Regardless of what they change their name to, it will be exciting to see what they come up with next.

46. Metric - Pagans in Vegas

For me, Emily Haines and Co. have always been more of a singles band than an album band. Pagans in Vegas is their first release that actually sounds like a fully cohesive record. The singles and the deep album cuts are all on the same footing.

45. Kate Boy - One

More brilliant Swedish synthpop. There must be something in the water over there.

44. Neon Indian - VEGA INTL. Night School

Ridiculously clever, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink record from Neon Indian that astonishes with its creative breadth.

43. Twin Shadow - Eclipse

Eclipse is Twin Shadow's attempt at a big "POP RECORD!!!!" from an 80s mold. What could have come across as stunted or as pastiche, Twin Shadow wears his heart on his sleeve throughout and, even better, throws down some killer melodies to boot.

42. Zedd - True Colors

Pretty much the perfect marriage of pop and EDM.

41. Hot Chip - Why Make Sense?

I have never "gotten" Hot Chip. Their records always feeling very flat to me. Live they are brilliant, but they have never put together a cohesive album that made me really take notice. Why Make Sense? finally changes that.

Top 50 Songs of 2015 (Numbers 20-11)

And so on it goes:

20. Years & Years - "Desire"



This song never fails to get my booty shaking.

19. Purity Ring - "Flood on the Floor"



Slamming track from Purity Ring that shows a more muscular side to their sound that suits them well.

18. Zedd ft. Troye Sivan - "Papercut"



EDM meets pure pop in a sparkling collaboration.

17. Darkstar - "Pin Secure"



I hate to say that Darkstar's album was very disappointing to me, considering that the singles released were all phenomenal. The conceit behind the album and remaining tracks were in pale comparison. With that said, this was my favorite track It is the perfect mix of the experimental and pop.

16. Deerhunter - "Breaker"



Fuck. That chorus.

15. Justin Bieber - "I'll Show You"



I don't care. His album is a really solid pop record, and this song is stellar.

14. Tame Impala - "New Person, Same Old Mistakes"



Trippy perfection.

13. Jamie xx ft. Romy Madley Croft - "Loud Places"



Gorgeous.

12. ON AN ON - "Drifting"



ON AN ON knows how to create emotional songs that pack a wallop. "Drifting" is no exception, creating an atmospheric look at fear and loss.

11. The Chemical Brothers ft. Beck - "Wide Open"



Perfect collaboration. Each lets the other do their thing and it is a thing of beauty.

Jam of the Day: The Chemical Brothers ft. Beck - "Wide Open"

From their brilliant new record Born in the Echoes, The Chemical Brothers throw down this impeccable collaboration with Beck. Each allows the other to do what they do best, never stepping on each others' toes.

New: The Chemical Brothers - "Sometimes I Feel So Deserted"

From their upcoming record Born in the Echoes, The Chemical Brothers share the lead track.

Videos of the Week

Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella Coachella!!!!

First day of Coachella, and New Pants, a Chinese synthpop band, are the first act on my agenda.



Hoping I can catch Magnetic Man unfortunately due to a conflict I might miss part of it.



My finger is on the button.



Menomena is a definite must-see.



Another hopeful, though there are conflicts.

The Chemical Brothers: "The Devil Is In The Beats"

First taste of The Chemical Brothers' soundtrack to the upcoming film Hanna. The movie looks really kick ass, and hopefully, based on this track, the score will be just as good. Listen down below.

The Devil Is In The Beats by The Chemical Brothers by Hannamovie

Videos of the Week

What a weird, strange week it has been. I need for things to get back into a more stable routine. To take my mind off all the craziness, here is the latest roundup of videos that are making me drunker than a Catholic priest on Saint Patrick's Day:

I've really been getting into the new "re-imagining" of Gil Scott-Heron's album by Jamie Smith of The xx. In all deference to Scott-Heron, I will have to admit that I enjoy this album better than the original. This is a great version of the track:



Coachella is thankfully coming up in a little over a month. Glasser is a band I am really interested in seeing. This is a live version of one of my favorite tracks on her album Ring:



I will have to give props to my friend Dan for making me listen to hardcore punk supergroup OFF! I love their album which is descriptively titled First Four Eps. 16 songs blazing over 17 minutes. Perfect.



Hercules and Love Affair released this cover of The xx track "Shelter" and take a plaintive ballad and turn it into a sexy house track.

Shelter (XX Cover) by moshi moshi music

Last week I posted the first video from the new Radiohead album The King of Limbs. Of course, due to the odd sight of Thom Yorke doing a choreographed dance routine, the inevitable parodies ensue. I've seen ones with Yorke dancing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies," but the funniest to me is this small clip of "outtakes." Classic.



Another band I am excited to see is the Canadian collective Broken Social Scene. This is a typically humorous video from them.



Dense, thick, viscous dubstep from Joy Orbison:



Although none of my Coachella compatriots shares my enthusiasm for seeing The Chemical Brothers, I am very excited about seeing their live set, as I have never actually seen them before. Here is one of my favorite videos they did. It is very creepy.



Planningtorock is a very strange, but very interesting performer in the same mode as Fever Ray. Love this oddly captivating video.



Lauryn Hill is playing Coachella this year and we're all betting she will put on a cracktastic set. She should be this year's Sly and the Family Stone.



This single from the new Lykke Li album Wounded Rhymes has vaulted itself into the top single of the year for me at the moment.