Indie Shuffle » progressive house

Hot Chip – I Feel Better (Max Cooper Remix)

Jason Grishkoff — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:57:09 +0000

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Four Tet, Hot Chip, Trentemøller

"Hot Chip - I Feel Better (Max Cooper Remix)"

What's so good?

Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, we would like to premiere Max Cooper’s latest masterwork: a radio edit of his remixing of the Hot Chip song, “I Feel Better”.

We’ve been fans of Max Cooper over here at Indie Shuffle for a while now — back in June we featured two of his remixes as our Song of the Day, and the feedback was phenomenal (just look at how many Facebook likes the man received!). At the time of that first post, Max’s website mentioned that he was remixing Hot Chip. But because Max’s remixes are particularly distinct in that they are crisp, clean, and settling, I had a hard time fathoming how a band such as Hot Chip could be mellowed out. After all, I’d probably categorize them as something of an electronic-disco-progressive-house band. The answer? Well, all you need to do is hit play — but I think the secret to its success lies in the “exclusion” of the original’s vocal tracks.

So, what do you think? Has he done Hot Chip justice? Is Max Cooper your new favorite, or did you already love him?

Either way, you ought to check out more of Max’s work at his website: http://maxcooper.net/

Download: Hot Chip – I Feel Better (Max Cooper Remix)

Elsewhere on the web:

myspace | myspace.com/maxcoopermax

Health – ::Disco2

Taylor Fife — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:01:24 +0000

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Sounds like: Crystal Castles, Tobacco, Pictureplane, CFCF, Butterfly Bones

"Health - Health - Die Slow (Nastique Rmx)"

What's so good?

It’s hard to call an album eagerly awaited without sounding like you’re selling something. Especially considering the band’s last album came out only nine months ago. But I promise I have been waiting for this remix extravaganza since before Get Color even came out. Like the first HEALTH//DISCO, HEALTH::DISCO2 is just as wacky and unpredictable as Health and the flock of characters they got to do the remixing are. Non-disco Health fans don’t tend to jive well with the dance-track-only crowd, but I hope this album offers up some reconciliation. Health (noise) is my favorite band after all, and I just can’t seem to get enough of these disco nuggets.

The stems of the original tracks are buried in their somewhere, but each tune is a opportunity for the remixer to show his style, rather than an attempt to turn Health’s grinding noise into something suitable for the dance floor. Even though the album just got an official release this month the standout tracks have been widely available for a while.

CFCF magically turns the eerily throbbing ‘Before Tigers’ to a day on a tropical beach, Tobacco spits out a very Tobacco sounding redo of the once thrashing ‘Die Slow,’ and Pictureplane puts his cool touch on that same track. Health also put a very solid new original, ‘USA Boys,’ as the opener. However, the highlight of the first Disco, Crystal Castles, drops the biggest disappointment with their take on ‘Eat Flesh.’ I was already beyond content with my newly acquired piece of plastic when I discovered I got 12 extra remixes just by sticking the CD in my computer.

The tracks by Nastique, Pink Stallone, and Baron Von Luxxury are particularly banging, and the bonus materials give new fans a great introduction to Rainbow Arabia, Clipd Beaks, and Nite Jewel.

Bonus Track: Health – Die Slow (Pink Stallone Rmx)

Elsewhere on the web:

myspace | myspace.com/healthdisco

Radiohead – Kid A (DangerDAN Remix)

camden andrews — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:20:24 +0000

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Sounds like: Radiohead

What’s so good?
A few days ago, a virtually unknown British producer by the name of Danger Dan released a remix of Radiohead’s “Kid A” on an Erol Alkan message board, and it’s quickly becoming one of the most talked about tracks in the music blogosphere. It’s amazing how fast a good track or a remix of a familiar song can put you on the map these days. Danger Dan definitely deserves the credit for this one too.

Kid A is one of the last Radiohead songs I’d expect to hear a dance remix of, but he does an excellent job of molding its sleepy weirdness into a laid back, minimal house song without destroying what made it great in the first place. Some remixes are entirely different, almost unrecognizable versions of the songs they’re meant to redo, but there are parts of this mix you might confuse with the original. That in itself is enough of a testament to Dan’s craftsmanship. Kid A has an appeal to it that’s hard to put your finger on anyway, so the ability to both identify and manipulate that appeal is pretty impressive. Plus, original version aside, this is an awesome, soothing listening experience.

Danger Dan has some solid original tech house tracks and a handful of really good remixes. I won’t be surprised if he continues to make a name for himself. You can download this one at Squeaky Bleeps.

Clara Moto – Polyamour

Jason Grishkoff — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:16:07 +0000

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Sounds like: Infinite, Mimu, Danton Eeprom, Agoria

What’s so good?
Rephlektor Inkorporated just sent me an album that would typically never make it on my playlist: the vocals, provided by Mimu, aren’t as in tune as one would expect with such a minimal techno/house background; they also aren’t as cute as I was hoping. None of that matters, though, because the bass kills. Produced by Austrian electronic artist Clara Moto (whose background, surprisingly, is in jazz and classical-piano) Polyamour provides a clean electronic listening experience with excellent production and breadth. Not only will this make my playlist, it’s making it on the site.

Raised in charge of jazz and classical-piano, Clara Moto found her lane to advance herself in the Austrian electro-music scene. With her feminine and unusual smartness, you can perceive in every tone, she vastly enriches minimal-house throughout. Feathery and atmospheric sound compositions characterize her style – entirely clean and harmonic, but on the other hand very frisky and even a little fussy passim – The Fast Life

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/claramoto

Four Tet – Love Cry

Jason Grishkoff — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:10:36 +0000

This review was originally posted by guest contributor Peter Lanceley on his own blog, This Music Wins, which you can visit to discover much more new music.

Click image to download full album

Sounds like: Aphex Twin, Prefuse 73

What’s so good?
I always imagine artists in this kind of genre to lock themselves away alone for months when they are writing, and emerge triumphantly at the end of their time down below with their new full-length. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t happen at all like that (except maybe in Burial’s case), but if I was to emerge from my basement after nearly five years (yes, it’s been that long since the last full-length), I’d definitely be proud to emerge with this new track under my arm.

Four Tet has returned with not only news of a new 12″, but also with a lovely 9 minute lead single entitled Love Cry, from January 25th’s There Is Love In You. It’s a repetitive, and at times quite glitchy record, taking elements of his work with Burial and mixing them all down into a semi-ambient, underground dance record. His staccato drums come in after a minute or so and only slightly alter throughout the one build up which takes precedence throughout the entire song. Around half way through the track enters vocals, which manage to take the song over for a good couple of minutes without saying much else other than a seriously manipulated ‘Love Cry.’

Hebden’s sound pallete is big enough that he never seems to have any issues with creating new sounds – as a result, his songs end up more intriguing than anything else. I tend to find my listening to Four Tet is often more out of the curiousity and respect I have for his music than because i find it particularly catchy or satisfying. At the end of the day, artists who fascinate and liberate rather than simply play what people are always in the mood for are far more creative and talented. ‘Love Cry‘ is in no way inaccessible, but i’m pretty sure some dancefloor remixes will be headed our way in the next couple of months.

Elsewhere on the web:
myspace | myspace.com/fourtetkieranhebden

Download:
Four Tet – Love Cry.mp3

Gui Boratto – Take My Breath Away

Taylor Fife — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:14:21 +0000

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Sounds like: Deadmau5, M.A.N.D.Y

What’s so good?
After teasing us for two years with a myriad of singles, EPs, and remixes, Gui Boratto finally presented us with the gift of another full-length album this year: Take My Breath Away. Now, I never saw Top Gun in theaters, but even if I had, I doubt Berlin’s 1986 hit of the same name could cause the cessation of lung power I experienced listening to Gui Boratto’s masterpiece (The Knife’s ‘You Take My Breath Away’, which completes the similarly titled synth-pop trifecta, came close, though). The album flows along at a meandering pace, but the four-on-the-floor stays around most of the time, as if to remind that, yes, you are listening to a dance album. Unlike most electronica releases, however, Boratto ignores the tradition of creating stand alone anthems and pounds out a cohesive hour of minimal techno at its finest.

It’s been said that Boratto switched from rock to have more control over his music. In this piece it seems what he’s really gained control of is his listener. Beats separate and reconvene with a master’s touch. Lulling thuds and off-kilter clicks let you slip away only to bring you back at the precise moment Boratto has chosen. But the real achievement of the album is the soaring melodies and their interweaving with the soft harmonies and droning electronic backings. The screeching hook in Opus 17 is an especially catchy piece of pop genius that perhaps relies on some of Boratto’s background as a jingle writer. The standout track, No Turning Back, is sung by his wife and is a powerful example of the emotional reach that electronic music can have.

The entire album does seem to be soaked in a (hopefully) self-aware kitsch aesthetic. The melodies almost feel too catchy at times, the sounds are sometimes slightly too unreal, and whiffs of Sega Genesis theme songs slip in on occasion. But I suppose when your album shares its name with a single from the days of hairspray and acid wash, a little cheese is to be expected.

From the start, it’s clear ‘Take My Breath Away’ is destined both for dancefloors and home stereos with the tracklist split roughly down the middle between Boratto’s standard (and excellent) deep techno tracks and cute electro pop numbers….Overall ‘Take My Breath Away’ is an accomplished continuation of Gui Boratto’s colourful melodies -beat portal

elsewhere on the web:
gui boratto’s website | guiboratto.com.br/
rcrdlbl review | rcrdlbl.com
progressive sounds review | progressivesounds.com

download:
gui boratto – no turning back.mp3