Our weekly look into the blogosphere where we talk about six tracks we found out about in the previous Wednesday-to-Wednesday seven-day period.Track of the week:
‘Lions in Cages’ by Wolfgang (Memory Tapes remix)
I assume the moniker Wolfgang is a reference to he of operatic and composing fame in fair Vienna way back when. Perhaps that is why the piano takes my immediate attention, that and the background vocal haunts that are quite nice. Not that keen on the choir singing, which doesn’t sound as nice as I would want it to sound. Musically though, this is pretty lovely and sweet to listen to. Naturally, this is a Memory Tapes remix, so you can bank on it flowing superbly and being dreamy and ethereal. I mean, I don’t know how he does it, but Dayve Hawk just has such a keen ear for how sounds should merge and mix to make it pretty and like, well, music to my ears. So lovely to listen to this while looking outside with a warm cup of tea in one hand and a biscuit in the other.
http://hypem.com/track/1257961/Wolf+Gang+-+Lions+In+Cages+Memory+Tapes+Remix+
‘Creature’ by Kim Ann Foxman and Andy Butler
As you probably have heard (or not), Andy Butler has started his own label primarily focussing on House music. And this is one of his new tracks that follows that aesthetic. So no Hercules and Love Affair stuff here, but distorted vocals by Kim Ann Foxman following a more House than Disco vibe. So it’s about the beat. The vocals are a bit nasal I find, but it is hypnotic enough to get sweaty to on the dance floor. And I guess that where Disco is about true emotion in the vocals, House is about abstracting it. The song has got quite the sexual vibe with the “you are my creature”, and I guess that is something that does belong to House. Forget the more dreamy lovelorn bit of Hercules and Love Affair, this is predatory. I like this, although I saw Hercules and Love Affair live not too long ago, and those new songs sounded so wicked I just want Butler to start releasing those. But in the mean time, and in a slightly different vibe, this will do quite nicely thank you.
http://hypem.com/track/1244987/Kim+Ann+Foxman+-+Creature
‘Time of My Life’ by Patrick Wolf
I mean, when Pulp got older (they’re back, you know, so I had to squeeze them in one way or the other), they really took that Woody Allen thing to heart. That thing where he went, I’ve got only one thing to say about getting older, don’t. They went mean, and got disillusioned, and that is perhaps why I love This is Hardcore so much. Patrick Wolf is far removed from his boy wonder status, from his skinny shape, boyish charm, colourful hair, but instead of sounding bitter, he keeps on sounding, well, cheery (not to say he looks like a 48-year old with receding hairlines now, but just to say that, well, like everyone, he did get older between his debut and now). He seems to get cheerier as the years go by (I mean, some of his early stuff was pretty dark, no?). The violin sounds upbeat, you’ve got handclaps, and it is very tuneful. I know this was written just after a break up, but it is about being “happy without you”, enjoying life even after a certain period of your life has been ended and a new one is about to begin. Scary, probably, but if you listen to this Wolf track you shouldn’t worry about it and just be strong and enjoy the new start. At least, I haven’t uncovered all lyrics yet, but that’s how it sounds anyway. Upbeat message in the face of adversity, and that on a positive sounding violins. I like this a fair bit, it really sounds like it could be a crowd pleaser in the vein of ‘The Magic Position’.
http://hypem.com/track/1255546/Patrick+Wolf+-+Time+Of+My+Life
‘Violent Love’ by Munk (The Twelves remix)
I was quite unsure about the beginning by The Twelves on this remix of a track by Munk. But after the initial hesitation I quite dug it. Love the vocals and how this is perhaps more danceable than the original one I listened to a few weeks ago. Really something to dance to with the lights down and late at night. I love the piano as well. With four and a half minutes it also has a nice running time for listening at home, though in the club I wouldn’t mind an extended version of it. Just a really well executed track in my book, really does Munk justice as well.
http://hypem.com/track/1258476/Munk+-+Violent+Love+The+Twelves+Remix+
‘Marathon’ by Tennis
This is again that lo-fi sound with the vocals kind of on the background and the instrumentation just a bit hazy. I do like the vocals though, they are very dreamy and innocent sounding, I like that. I wonder what she would sound like if the vocals were produced a bit more clear, I think that would be quite something. In terms of vibe it is one of those tracks that you half expect to find over a black-and-white home video montage about how happy we used to be with a flower in our hair. Not my favourite genre, but I do like it more than I have liked others in the recent past, so if this is your cup of tea do try it out.
http://hypem.com/track/1257991/Tennis+-+Marathon
‘Say What You Want’ by Cosmonaut
Now I don’t know anything about the band, but it is one of those electronic/synth-pop bands that have taken to the space theme. And I did like what Monarchy had to say about that in the interview we did with them a week or so ago (check it out in the archives!). A cosmonaut is, I believe, a Russian astronaut, and it is kind of in the vein of Monarchy’s sound, though it is a bit harder and a bit cruder. At least, on some points, sometimes they seem to smooth it out a bit. I’m not sold on this track. I think it is decent and it has some very nice elements in it, but personally I can’t really find a thing that for me elevates it above other bands in this genre. But on a synth-pop playlist it would be an all right addition as far as I’m concerned.
http://hypem.com/track/1252020/Cosmonaut+-+Say+What+You+Want
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