When I first heard "To Lose" by Oceaán, I described this fascinating new talent as a cross between Sohn, James Blake, Jamie Woon and Jai Paul all in one with its own unique twist. I am even more in awe hearing Oceaán's whole self-titled debut EP which dropped today via Chess Club. It's both soulful and edgy, experimental and delicate, gritty and sublime... It's unclassifiable and startlingly melodic. It probably is one of the most impressive EP's released in 2014 so far.
Out of nowhere, early Monday afternoon and your favourite band on earth releases a brand new song. Oh how I adore such surprises. Gus Gus' spellbinding "Crossfade" features the exhilarating vocals of Daníel Ágúst and Högni Egilsson of Hjaltalin. The single is out now via Kompakt! "Do you remember the day when we started to crossfade?".
The official press release:
"It's the first vital sign of the upcoming new GUS GUS full-length - primer single CROSSFADE unites all the beloved traits of Iceland's iconic outfit: the flamboyant vocals, the anthemic pop infusions, the driving beats. And as on the highly acclaimed, best-selling precursor album ARABIAN HORSE, it all comes together in a stunning whirlwind of locomotive bliss that is as loco as it is cover artwork: exhilarating. 
This emotional thrill ride par excellence delves deep into its own vibrant, gloomy glamour while rubbing its chords into the open wounds of 21st century dance floors. CROSSFADE brings back the intoxicating rush of diamantine melodies and monomaniac narration the band has become known for, all ghillied up in the kind of deceptively simple pop regalia that only seem straightforward, but hide their shoals in plain sight."
I am beyond excited about the Icelandic heroes' upcoming LP. What a track again!!!
It's only 3 weeks left until the release of Kelis' hugely anticipated 6th studio album "Food" coming up surprisingly under the Ninja Tune wings. The rather clever and minimalistic video for the record's 2nd single "Rumble" was just released and you can now also purchase Breach's outstanding remix turning this funky number into an explosion of dancefloor goodness and an immediate club anthem.
There's one more treat in store for all the Kelis devotees, the following Ninja Tune set by Solid Steel opens up with the exclusive play of Machinedrum’s stunning remix of "Runnin", another album track from "Food" - available on the special, indies-only, limited edition version of the album. And it is a beauty!
How dazzling is this uptempo rendition of Goldfrapp's latest single "Thea" by the oh-so-very-talented Twin Shadow? Effortlessly the best out of the whole remix bundle available now on all digital outlets. "Thea" already was one of the best tracks on Goldfrapp's 6th studio album "Tales Of Us" but this mix stands out among the coolest ones Alison and Will have received all through the years. On repeat!
I have just realised that I have only been praising Jessy Lanza's debut record offline so far. Unintentionally. Well I have had "Pull My Hair Back" on repeat for weeks at this stage and still can't get over its brilliance, subtlety and finesse. This is what I could easily imagine Róisín Murphy's next album to sound like. Here's the smooth first single "Kathy Lee", the enticing title track and "Against The Wall" another stand-out song from this understated masterpiece of an album which you can purchase now on Hyperdub HERE! The album was produced by Jeremy Greenspan from Junior Boys and it simply is a must for all the electronica lovers.
Detroit Swindle's debut album "Boxed Out" is out now via Dirt Crew Recordings. Here's some more background to this fruitful and dancefloor-ready collaboration. "The one thing Detroit Swindle are known for best is their knack for picking the right vocals. For Boxed Out, they came up with some perfect partnerships. They recorded "64 Ways" with none other than one of America's finest soul singers: Mayer Hawthorne. Being a fan of their sound he proposed to do a track together in return for a remix on one of his album originals to be released in 2014. "64 Ways" has a lazy shuffle, a bunch of catchy rhodes chords and few well placed layers of synths that give this track a hint of "Detroit Experiment", wrapped up in an almost poppy house jam." Preview the whole record at the bottom of this post.
We're entering the ever so trendy Queer Hip-Hop zone now with one of its most prolific pioneers, the flamboyant Le1f. With his phenomenal debut single "Wut" which at this stage enjoys a cult status among all the urban musos, Le1f launched his fruitful career that now includes 3 critically acclaimed breakthrough mixtapes ("Dark York", "Fly Zone" and "Tree House"), countless collaborations with the most progressive producers and now also a big indie label debut "Hey" EP which was just released via Terrible Records. "Boom" is probably Le1f's most accomplished track to date since "Wut" and his awe-inspiring joint effort with Boody "Soda". The track was produced by Dubbel Dutch. The now legendary "Wut" is present here too and was Khalif Diouf's TV live debut when the incredible rapper performed it accompanied by Blood Orange live at David Letterman last week, looking and sounding fierce as always. I am such a fan!
Kylie Minogue's 12 studio album "Kiss Me Once" is out now and despite a rather disappointing first single "Into The Blue" it's actually a really decent POP album with some solid, colourful Minogue-tastic party gems. The new, saucy video for one of the stand-out tracks from the album "Sexcercize" has premiered today.
Here's a "Kiss Me Once" sampler too with the title track, Pharrell produced "I Was Gonna Cancel", "Fine" and "If Only" being my favourites so far...
Following the ultra-catchy "Come Alive", Chromeo's astonishing collaboration with Chaz-Toro Y Moi-Bundick, we receive another stellar dancefloor anthem announcing "White Women", the Montreal duo's 4th studio album which is already shaping to be an utter hit factory. Another oldschool flavoured electrofunk explosion of analog synths, 808's, rhodes and talkbox with one of this year's catchiest choruses to date. Chromeo's on tour from this Friday!
"Come Alive" is also available now with remixes from Grum, Le Youth and this summery rendition by The Magician:
Ibibio Sound Machine have just released their debut LP through Soundway Records which already spoiled us with Débruit & Alsarah's fascinating record last year. Fronted by British/Nigerian vocalist Eno Williams, they combine elements of West African highlife, disco, post-punk & psychedelic electro soul. All sung in Eno's mother's South-Eastern Nigerian Ibibio language too to spice things up even more. Here's the album's pulsating first single "Let's Dance (Yak Inek Unek)" and my personal favourite "The Talking Fish (Asem Usem Iyak)". Global grooves at their most delectable.
One of our favourite vocalist out there, Azari & III's Cédric Gasaida vel Starving Yet Full, has guest appeared with his soulful vocals on another dancefloor stomper, this time with Birmingham based dj Subb-an. "Say No More" is out now via Crosstown Rebels.
Exotica is Julien Galner and Clara Cometti from Paris. They make that sweet oldskool flavoured synth-pop with a French twist. Their superb debut album "La Vierge et le Lion" is out now and it is packed with ultimate gems and wondrous melodies, some of the biggest song treasures I heard so far in 2014 in fact. It's seductively kitschy, glamorous, vivid and fun! "All Mine" immediately steals the show when hearing the record for the first time. Enjoy it below accompanied by a hilarious VHS fan-made video. Absolutely Fabulous!
So the next few months are gearing up to be another successful and hedonistically enjoyable Hercules & Love Affair season for all its admirers, lovers and fans. Andrew Butler's concept house project is soon about to reach its third musical chapter with the arrival of the eagerly anticipated studio album #3 "The Feast Of The Broken Heart" scheduled for 26th May. Butler has been so far collaborating with a staggering cast of excellent musicians and ultra-exciting vocalists which included Nomi Ruiz, Shaun J. Wright. Antony Hegarty, Aérea Negrot, Kim Ann Foxman among others. 2014’s line up is another roll call of exceptionally talented performers: John Grant (!!!), Rouge Mary, Krystle Warren and a Belgian singer Gustaph who's responsible for the velvet soulful vocals on "Do You Feel The Same?" the first single taken from the upcoming record as well as "Be With You" and exclusive bonus non-album track available now as a free download on the collective's official website.
Andy Butler's additional comments: "I wanted nasty basslines, stormy, bleary-eyed sounds, fiery, rough, tough and ragged old school house productions that sounded almost techno. I didn’t want polite, I wanted aggressive."
Well I couldn't possibly be more stimulated as these tunes are fantastic and so is Hercules & Love Affair's astonishing song with John Grant "Liberty" which is already available on iTunes. It all put together promises a sensation of an album!
Ireland's best kept electronic secret Shit Robot has just released another luminous collaborative effort with the one and only DFA prime diva Nancy Whang. Shit Robot releases his 2nd full-length album "We Got A Love" on DFA/PIAS on March 17 (UK/EU) / March 18 (US). It features guests also including Reggie Watts, Museum Of Love, Holly Backler and Luke Jenner from The Rapture.
It's also a perfect moment to remind ourselves of Shit Robot and Nancy Whang's previous and equally brilliant joint effort, the sublime "Take 'Em Up":
The mysterious A K U A has just released a slightly morbid video for her astonishing "One's Company" which I have already sung the praises of last year and ended up selecting it at #43 among Top 100 Best Tracks of 2013. The video was directed by Kofi Carson.
Two oddball alternative pop chanteuses and their two new videos. Joint here together due to the unclassifiable nature of these two songs, blending countless genres and styles and the red colour dominating both clips. Zhala is a Robyn protégée recently becoming the first artist to be signed to the Swedish Pop Queen's label Konichiwa Records. This is what Robyn herself had to say about Zhala: "Zhala makes the most interesting music that takes you on a ride with each song. It's so broad and has so much integrity at the same time. When Zhala sings the heavens open and the stars come down to hover over my head and I feel like anything is possible. I'm so happy to be a part of taking her music to a new audience!". "Prophet EP" is out now and both singers performed the title track at last month's Swedish Grammis. And what an extraordinary performance that was!!! As for RIINA, or Rina Sawayama as she was formerly known as, "Terror" comes as a follow-up single to her breathtakingly beautiful "Sleeping In Waking" and is also out now!
I've got two delectable disco tracks for you today. Just cause I'm in a splendid discolicious mood enjoying my holidays in Brussels. It's hard to belive there's 34 years between them! Stacy-Come-On-And-Jump-To-The-Beat-Lattisaw's funky piece "Dynamite!" was out in 1980 while Paris prime disco re-inventor Arnaud Bernard better known as Onra dropped his latest offering, the groovy "Gonna Make You Mine" as part of "Colette French Kiss" compilation just a couple of weeks ago. Play that funky music baby!
