filed under: Album Review, Bloc Party, Calvin Harris, Cary Brothers, Emily Haines, Jónsi Birgisson, Ladytron, Nelly Furtado, Sigur Rós, Sneaky Sound System, Tegan And Sara, Tiesto, Tilly And The Wall
Arguably one of the world’s greatest trance DJs, Dutch producer Tiesto has continued to redefine the boundaries of trance music with his signature emotive style and arena-ready sound for over fifteen years.
For his fourth major studio release Kaleidoscope, the premiere producer of trance sought some of the music scene’s most dynamic characters, ranging from global superstars (Calvin Harris, Sneaky Sound System, Nelly Furtado) to an assortment of lesser known, left-of-center acts (Tegan & Sara, Bloc Party‘s Kele Okereke, Sigur Ros‘ Jonsi) The result? A powerhouse collection of single-worthy uptempos bursting with indie cred and trance appeal, appealing to both the body and soul.
One standout involves Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, who had her first taste of dance with her 2006 album, Loose. Replace the generic Timbaland-produced beats of that album with a flurry of glittering, electro-encrusted pulsations, and you’ve got “Who Wants To Be Alone,” a devastatingly addictive dancefloor haunt guaranteed to delight on repeat time and time again.
Other winners include Emily Haines‘ turn on the storming “Knock You Out,” which plays like Ladytron on E, the warm synth pulsations of the Cary Brothers-assisted “Here On Earth,” and “You Are My Diamond,” a throwback to the days of pure, ‘90’s pulsating bliss. The track is made all the better thanks to a shamelessly celebratory, sugary sweet delivery from Kianna Alarid, known best as the lead singer of Tilly and the Wall.
“Feel It in My Bones,” featuring indie darlings Tegan & Sara is perhaps the album’s greatest track, and undoubtedly the epitome of the album’s intentions. As Tiesto’s cool, calculated trance vibrations shudder underneath, Tegan & Sara’s smart-pop sensibility lift the track and create something new; the result becoming a celebration of the art of collaboration.
Simply speaking, there’s not a bad track in the bunch–at least in terms of the vocal offerings. The album’s only drawback can be found in its five instrumental tracks, included as a kind of overcompensating injection of Tiesto trance, lest we somehow forget who’s in charge behind the scenes of all of these guest spots. Sadly, they do little for the album here, aside from providing long, unnecessary breaks between the meat of the album. Skip them, and you’ve got one hell of a solid set.
Kaleidoscope is unlike anything Tiesto has done before (and surely nothing its guests have recorded). In spite of what could have been a risky undertaking (whether or not devoted fans of each genre will come to embrace this album remains to be seen), Tiesto’s fifth studio album is nothing short of excellence–allowing indie music the pulse it never knew it needed and dance music the lyrical sophistication it has so stubbornly ignored. Hearing the two genres come together? Well, that’s why this is nothing short of a musical dream come true.
Kaleidoscope will be released on October 20.
Purchase more from Tiesto on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website


As I outlined a few days ago, DJ Tiesto is teaming up with a smorgasbord of talent from across all genres for his upcoming album later this year. Among one of the most exciting musical mergers? That with MuuMuse’s favorite indie duo, Tegan & Sara.
Though his album, Kaleidoscope isn’t due out until October 20, Stereogum managed to nab the most awesome honors of debuting “Feel It In My Bones,” the Tegan & Sara collabo track.
Head over to Stereogum NOW to hear the track streaming in full, read the accompanying article, and watch the girls’ cute intro video to the track. If this isn’t the definition of worlds colliding, I don’t know what is. Cool, concentrated synths and strums from the masterful DJ and cutting lyricism from the girls–as I so elegantly proclaimed on , it’s bucking frilliant…as if you thought it’d be anything other than.
And now that you’ve listened to the stream…
DL: Tegan & Sara – Feel It In My Bones
Purchase music by Tegan & Sara on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website
Purchase music by Tiesto on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website
filed under: Basement Jaxx, Bloc Party, Calvin Harris, Jónsi Birgisson, Masashi Muto, Nelly Furtado, Sigur Rós, Sneaky Sound System, Tegan And Sara, Tiesto

You know how I proclaimed the upcoming Basement Jaxx album to be the “Compendium of Cool” after seeing the tracklisting and whatnot? Well, I think the duo’s been one-upped already.
Enter DJ Tiësto, renowned Dutch DJ and electronica extraordinaire. For his aptly-titled fifth studio album, Kaleidoscope, Tiesto’s teamed up with a most colorful array of artists, from electro-pop staples (Calvin Harris; Sneaky Sound System) to completely left-of-center vocalists including Sigur Rós‘ lead, Jónsi, and indie-pop/alt-folk sweethearts Tegan & Sara.
Just check out the über-awesome list o’ tracks:
1. Tiësto feat. Jónsi – Kaleidoscope
2. Tiësto feat. CC Sheffield – Escape Me
3. Tiësto feat. Kianna – You Are My Diamond
4. Tiësto and Sneaky Sound System – I Will Be Here
5. Tiësto feat. Priscilla Ahn – I Am Strong
6. Tiësto feat. Cary Brothers – Here On Earth
7. Tiësto – Always Near
8. Tiësto feat. Kele Okereke – It’s Not The Things You Say
9. Tiësto – Fresh Fruit
10. Tiësto feat. Calvin Harris – Century
11. Tiësto feat. Tegan & Sara – Feel It In My Bones
12. Tiësto feat. Nelly Furtado – Who Wants To Be Alone
13. Tiësto – LA Ride
14. Tiësto – Bend It Like You Don’t Care
15. Tiësto feat. Emily Haines – Knock You Out
16. Tiësto – Louder Than Boom
17. Tiësto – Surrounded By Light
And if that wasn’t enough to set your hearts ablaze, here is the literally amazing Masashi Muto-directed video for the first single, “I Will Be Here,” featuring Sneaky Sound System’s lead singer, Connie:
A 2009 upgrade to “The Robot”? Now that’s something I can appreciate.
Kaleidoscope is due out on October 6 from Ultra Records.






