Hold on to your hard hats, everyone--it's time to take a brief sweep through Pitchfork territory. Go ahead and gather up the 1980's (sans the Speak-N-Spell), dark pop, sprinkles (shots, if you will) of indie-electro shivers, Anthony Gonzales, and a few good producers including Ken Thomas, Ewan Pearson, and Morgan Kibby. Jumble that all up t
ogether and what have you? Nope, not Xanadu, though kudos to you for your unwavering optimistic attitude toward the film's revival. No, it's the latest album by M83, entitled Saturdays=Youth.
Intending to supply a nod or two to those golden days of yore, Mr. Gonzales has thrown a wrench into his typical electro-ambient stylings with the occasional blips and bleeps that made the '80's so undeniably cheesy and wonderful. Now don't roll your eyes just yet. I, like you, am quite beyond the whole '80's revival scene (it's so mid-'00's), but when I say revival, it's not in regards to the mere usage of a few blaring synthesizers, but more of a subtle recapturing of the sounds and noises of 1980's New Wave pop.
Saturdays=Youth is stunning, truly. The moody, breathy male and female vocals of the album carry well over its collection of strumming guitars and clouded synths, allowing each track its own unearthly sound. Layered tracks like the first single, "Couleurs" as well as lead-off track "You Appearing" and "Highway of Endless Dreams" prove that the involved producers are adept at doing more than merely recreating yesterday's sounds, but rather carving complex monuments devoted to previous conquerors of all things synthesized. Gonzales also proves to pave his own inroads into dark pop, providing songs like "Graveyard Girl" and "Kim & Jessie," unmistakably legitimate tracks that fall in line perfectly with the best of them--from Depeche Mode to New Order. There's also the breathtaking sixth track, "Up!" of which I'm convinced features Allison Goldfrapp's tender vocals. Through the album's deeply dark melodies and brighter flourishes however, Gonzales never loses his way for a second.
If you're interested in learning more about the album, head over to Amazon to hear clips of the tracks, or to the M83 MySpace for additional information.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
One Scoop Retro...Two Scoops Now.
0 commentsPosted by Brad at 10:12 AM
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Ghost In The Machine
0 comments
In a word, haunting. Instilling unconventional vocals along with distorted '80's power synth sounds, Zeigeist just may be the new "it" group to lead their proudly pop-happy country to the top of the pop charts yet again. Chock full of unforgettable riffs and crisp electro noises from the year 2010, the band's album The Jade Machine is one long breath of Swedish electro bliss. Though many of the songs featured are undeniably similar to the output of fellow Swedes The Knife ("Dawn Night" is essentially "We Share Our Mother's Health"), the album retains an originality of its own within its more mainstream, digestable pop-electro sound. Sure, that's not always a better thing, but it certainly works for them.
There's even a hint of Goldfrapp hidden beneath the fragmented synthesizer, especially within "The Lake." "Wrecked Metal" might as well have come directly from the Depeche Mode back catalog, bouncing along with the original synth-band's familiar air of hopelessness, darkness, and pure sex. "Cuffs" is uncomfortably similar to Kelly Osbourne's genius pop-noir hit, "One Word," but I'll consider it a posthumous nod to the original. (No, she's not dead, but that career sure is.) I'm even getting some waves of The Presets every now and then while listening. This is an incredibly promising, incredibly exciting release, and I highly encourage you to check out their MySpace now and order the album. Make sure you check out their pictures as well. I don't know if they're promotional or actual lives, but the visuals of their performances seem epic.
It's quite difficult to track down a proper live, so enjoy this thirty second clip. I've no idea what's happening here (there looks to be some triangle lights, a giant dancing space creature, and Liza Minelli) but it appears they make for a rather good show.
Posted by Brad at 11:22 AM
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Fall In Love
1 comments
Australian-based group, The Presets, first burst onto the scene back in 2005 with their incredible debut album, Beams, a varied mix of cold vocals and skittish, grinding beats that garnered plenty of critical success. Well now they're back, and dare I say...better than ever. At least, that's what I'm thinking after hearing their latest single, "This Boy's In Love", to be released later this month.
First off, the accompany video is all shades of homoerotic, mainly consisting of two men wrestling in milk, while glitter falls all around the screen. Sounds a lot like my Saturday nights. But as for the song itself, there's much brilliance to be found. The sound is something more nostalgic and structured than their other releases, bringing Depeche Mode to mind. By the time the ghostly chorus kicks in, you'll be right on board too. The single comes at the same time of their second album's release Apocalypso on April 12, so give the song a shot and then research them madly.
Check out the video to their first single from Apocalypso, the increasingly addictive "My People".
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DL: The Presets - This Boy's In Love
Posted by Brad at 1:43 PM
Muu Who?

Bradley
Muuser
Welcome to MuuMuse, my sassy, classy music commentary blog.
Got new music to show me? Juicy gossip I simply must know? Amusing stories regarding your grandmother to share with me? Contact me to question, berate, or reaffirm my brilliance at muumuse@gmail.com
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| Britney Spears-Womanizer |
| Girls Aloud-The Promise |
| BoA-Eat You Up |
| Annie-2 Of Hearts |
| Alesha Dixon - The Boy Does Nothing |
| Grace Jones-William's Blood |
| Janelle Monae - Many Moons |
| Kaskade-Move For Me |
| Lorraine-Tell It All |
| Frankmusik-3 Little Words |
Single Reviews
- Alesha Dixon: The Boy Does Nothing - Oct 6, 2008
- Boa: Eat You Up - Oct 2, 2008
- Grace Jones: Bleeding Love - Sep 27, 2008
- On Womanizer... - Sep 26, 2008
- The Promise: First Thoughts - Sep 14, 2008
Album Reviews
- The Summer Daze of Natalie Walker - Aug 31, 2008
- The Suite Escape of Janelle Monáe - Aug 15, 2008
- Out To Sea... - Aug 3, 2008
- We've Come To Kick Your Ass. - Aug 1, 2008
- Shoot baby, shoot baby - Jul 28, 2008
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