SHREM'S BIGGIES BUT GOODIES BASKET: "MY OFFENCE" - Hercules & Love Affair feat. Krystle Warren

Even though it was "I Try To Talk To You" - Hercules & Love Affair's alluring collaboration with John Grant that was an instant winner on the house collective's 3rd album "The Feast Of The Broken Heart", "My Offence" their joint-effort with the slightly mysterious Krystle Warren swept me off my feet (almost literally!) at the first listen. The song has it all. The aura of an instant club classic, the soulful vocals, the oldschool flavoured production, the irresistible beat and now this fearless and hilarious video directed by Matt Lambert, an immediately iconic footage featuring some of the most progressive performance artists of the New York's underground scene.

"‘My Offence’ explores Andy Butler’s relationship to taboo words and the use of "cunt" amongst NYC's gay community to relay flattery, empowerment and strength - in short a fierce display of femininity. After 13 years of living as a “Queen that lived in New York” Butler saw his own usage of the word engrained into his vocabulary. A move to German speaking Vienna prompted him to reflect on how subversive it really was, and sparked an exploration of it in a song." [official press release]

The track's anthemic nature pretty much begs for some sensational remixes which will hopefully be dropping one after another soon. The legendary David Morales and Detroit Swindle are apparently among the upcoming submissions. It's 29th July and Hercules & Love Affair's "The Feast Of The Broken Heart" still tops my list of this year's best albums. Andy Butler's in top form!

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "LEMONADE" - Sophie

Great week for oddball releases. We Are Shining's "Hot Love", Eyedress' "Egyptian Night Club EP" and now Sophie's extraordinary "Lemonade". The follow-up single to "Blipp" is an even more twisted fusion of all sounds bizarre, it sounds like a cross between some obscure early 90's rave anthems, soundtracks for atari games, j-pop, minimal techno and grime. All mixed in one musical melting pot with the final result sounding quite like nothing else out there. Check out the anonymous artist's fittingly unusual website HERE.

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SHREM'S CLUB BIZARRE INTRODUCING: "EGYPTIAN NIGHT CLUB EP" - Eyedress

"Egyptian Night Club" is a long anticipated brand new EP by Idris Vicuña better known as Eyedress. The talented Filipino producer delivers another stellar selection of eerie compositions flowing around the sonic labyrinth of dark electro, cacophonous witch house, experimental pop, industrial synths, distorted ambient soundscapes and even some moody Italo disco (that track with Skint Eastwood!)... Here's the EP in all its glory, from Manila with love.

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SHREM'S CLUB BIZARRE INTRODUCING: "HOT LOVE" - We Are Shining

This the definition of a "wall of sound" in 2014. This intensely gripping single by the mysterious London project We Are Shining is a thrilling amalgamation of styles and genres sounding like a bridge between Outkast, The Avalanches and the latest UK revelation Jungle. This bizarre miash-mash of funk, electronica, gospel and blues makes "Hot Love" one of the most unique and breakthrough records in 2014 and screams artistic eclecticism from every of its seconds. Just wow...

"Hot Love" is released on Marathon Artists on September 8.

We Are Shining: Hot Love on Nowness.com

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SHREM'S LATE MONDAY NIGHT SESSIONS: "RUNAWAY" - Electric Youth

The wondrous "future 80's" duo Electric Youth are finally announcing the release of their very long anticipated (since 2009!!!) debut album "Innerworld" which will drop 30th September via Secretly Canadian. The first teaser of their new material is "Runaway" a candy flavoured pop gem with an irresistibly melodic chorus and a retro production built around Electric Youth's signature multi-layers of synths. The 15-track LP will also include some of their previous "pure pop perfection" kind of singles "Innocence", "The Best Thing" and the ubiquitous "A Real Hero" which reached an underground cult status at this stage thanks to the vintage synth-pop inspired "Drive" soundtrack. As a long-term admirer of the Toronto duo's distinctive sound I must admit "Runaway" is probably their most accomplished single to date. I literally cannot stop listening to it.

Electric Youth "Innerworld" Tracklist:

01. "Before Life"

02. "Runaway"

03. "WeAreTheYouth"

04. "Innocence"

05. "Without You"

06. "If All She Has Is You"

07. "The Best Thing"

08. "Tomorrow"

09. "Another Story"

10. "She's Sleeping Interlude"

11. "A Real Hero"

12. "Outro"

13. "Get Along" [bonus track]

14. "Modern Fears" [bonus track]

15. "Final Girl" [bonus track]

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SHREM'S BIGGIES BUT GOODIES BASKET: "DO IT AGAIN" - Robyn & Röyksopp [Official Video + Moullinex & Isaac Christopher Remixes]

The video for Robyn's epic and instantly anthemic joint effort with Röyksopp, "Do It Again" is finally here!!! The Norwegian duo have been working with director Martin de Thurah again, almost a decade after shooting the video for "What Else Is There?’" their collaboration with another Swedish diva The Knife's Karin Dreijer. There are tonnes of quality remixes of the track also floating around but the ones submitted by Moullinex and Isaac Christopher seem to be the only ones which achieved a similar brilliance in comparison with the astonishing original version of the song.

Robyn & Röyksopp are on tour NOW! Enjoy this Nordic feast my friends:

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "NUTS!" - Dego

This is by far the funkiest 4 minutes 25 seconds I have heard all year so far. Blueberry Records are about to release Dego's EP which will include this 80's flavoured pure gem. For those who enjoy Floating Points, Lorenz Rhode and Lone. Saucy!

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "YOU AND ME" - Jessy Lanza

Taken from Hyperdub's upcoming compilation. "You and Me" is one of the brightest moments in Jessy Lanza's short but fruitful career of future R&B and minimal electronica. Such a distinctive and compelling sound and vocals already even though this innovative Canadian songstress has only one album to her name so far. Jessy Lanza and FKA Twigs run my musical world since last year big time.



Here's a juicy bonus. Lanza performing her impossibly brilliant "Keep Moving" live on KCRW.

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SHREM'S INSTITUTE OF LOST CLASSICS: "DUST" - Recloose Feat. Joe Dukie

The year was 2005. "Dust" by Recloose feat. Joe Dukie. One of the sauciest singles released in the mid-Noughties. Still such a tune, still a thrill!

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SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "YOU AND I (Hard Ton Remix)" - Miss Plug Inn /// "THE HEAT IS ON E.P." - Hard Ton & Paul Parker

Hard Ton must be among the most prolific musical acts of the past few years. Fruitful collaborations, vibrant club gigs, festival performances, singles, EP's, remixes, dj sets... These Italians are where the party's at! Seriously I can hardly keep up with their ecstatic stream of queer electro, (acid) house and nu Italo disco releases. "The Heat Is On E.P." is Hard Ton's latest joint effort with the legendary hi-NRG singer Paul Parker which follows their fresh remix for Miss Plug Inn's "You And I", both released by Bordello A Parigi, a Dutch record label that's flamboyant both in its name and its content. To celebrate this successful underground career I have also prepared a very personal list of my favourite Hard Ton moments to date. It's a fabulously hedonistic feast for your earholes and your feet. Not a bad offer for a Monday evening I suppose...





SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Top 10 Most Flawless Hard Ton Tracks

10. "In Living Colors" - Hard Ton

09. "Dancefloor (Hard Ton Remix)" - Ricardo Baez

SOUNDCLOUD

08. "Work That Body" - Hard Ton

07. "Pretty Baby" - Dimitri From Paris & DJ Rocca feat. Hard Ton

06. "Earthquake (Massimiliano Pagliara Remix)" - Hard Ton

05. "Flyin'" - Hard Ton

04. "Voodoo Love" - Jadoo & Hard Ton

03. "Marilyn" - Hard Ton

02. "Chocolate Black Leather" - Ajello feat. Hard Ton

01. "Forever No More" - Hard Ton

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SHREM'S NEWBIES BUT TO-BE'S: "I DON'T NEED ANOTHER LOVER" - Billie Black /// "SO GOOD" - Nao vs A.K. Paul

These two singing ladies Billie Black and Nao are about to share their debut shows in London's Electrowerkz this coming Tuesday. Nao's sexy take-on modern funk "So Good" really is so good and it is a joint effort with  A.K. Paul who apparently is Jai Paul's brother. Billie Black's slickly produced "I Don't Need Another Lover" on the other hand blends the ever so trendy future R&B beats with a beguiling melody worth an "instant underground classic" label. Really digging these fresh new British electronic soul sounds spicing things up on the rather stale contemporary R&B scene. Two talents, two exceptional voices, two chanteuses to keep an eye on big time. Superb!

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "OBNOXIOUSLY SEXUAL" - Gus Gus [Video]

What a week it's been! While Róisín Murphy and Robyn with Röyksopp released their saucy remix bundles for their latest EP's, "Mi Senti" and "Do It Again" respectively, Jessie Ware premiered her refined new video "Tough Love". With Moko releasing this year's #1 summer anthem "Your Love" , Yelle making a desirable come-back with "Bouquet Final" and just days before Sébastien Tellier and Jungle drop their most anticipated new albums, the excitement is high up in the musical air. On top of all that the Icelandic heroes Gus Gus, my all time favourite band, just delivered the video for "Obnoxiously Sexual" the 2nd single coming from "Mexico". That trumpet & string orgy at the end... Delicious! The newly released EP includes techno and house remixes of the track by Gluteus Maximus, T-World and Patrice Bäumel among others.

I just can't keep up with it all. What a year my friends, WHAT A YEAR!

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SHREM'S BIGGIES BUT GOODIES BASKET: "TOUGH LOVE" - Jessie Ware + Cyril Hahn Remix

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the exquisite Jessie Ware and her freshly released video for "Tough Love"... While approaching the official release of this most anticipated come-back single from the British neo soul diva, the track also gets a remix treatment from Canadian producer Cyril Hahn. Classy, elegant and effortlessly cool.





Here's a reminder of Cyril Hahn's previous, equally stunning remix submitted for Jessie Ware's "Sweet Talk":

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SHREM'S NEWBIES BUT TO-BE'S: "SPEAK" - NAVVI

Somewhere between the Washed Out's mellowness and Austra's eerie vocals lies an intriguing mélange of witch house, suspensful dub and experimental POP that's called NAVVI. The mysterious duo from Seattle featured on "Kitsuné AMERICA 3" compilation last month and has been haunting me with this track "Speak" ever since. Going through NAVVI's Soundcloud I have just discovered more of those similarly hypnotising, moody electro pop tunes. A pleasurable discovery indeed.

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SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Top 50 Most Delicious Róisín Murphy Tracks [Part 2: 25-01]

As promised yesterday here's part 2 of my very special Róisín Murphy ranking...

25 "Leviathan (Do It Yourself)" - with Freeform Five (2014)

24 "Let Me Know" - from "Overpowered" (2007)

23 "Sow Into You" - from "Ruby Blue" (2005)

22 "Checkin' On Me" - from "Overpowered" (2007)



21 "Knee Deepen (Salt City Orchestra Edit)" - from Moloko's "All Back To The Mine" (2001)

20 "Ramalama (Bang Bang)" - from "Ruby Blue" (2005)

19 "Party Weirdo" - from Moloko's "Do You Like My Tight Sweater?" (1995)

18 "Pandora" - "Overpowered" iTunes Bonus Track (2007)



17 "Sinking Feeling" - from "Ruby Blue" (2005)



16 "Sing It Back" - from Moloko's "I Am Not A Doctor" (1998)

15 "Ancora Tu" - from "Mi Senti" (2014)

Róisín Murphy - Ancora Tu from Roisin Murphy on Vimeo.

14 "Be Like You" - from Moloko's "I Am Not A Doctor" (1998)



13 "The Flipside" - from Moloko's "I Am Not A Doctor" (1998)



12 "In sintesi" - from "Mi Senti" (2014)



11 "The Time Is Now" - from Moloko's "Things To Make And Do" (2000)

10 "Parallel Lives" - from "Overpowered" (2007)

09 "Forever More" - from Moloko's "Statues" (2003)

08 "Fun For Me" - from Moloko's "Do You Like My Tight Sweater?" (1995)

07 "Royal T " - with Crookers (2010)

06 "Dr. Zee" - from Moloko's "I Am Not A Doctor" (1998)



05 "Momma's Place" (2010)

04 "Dominoid" - from Moloko's "Do You Like My Tight Sweater?" (1995)

03 "You Know Me Better" - from "Overpowered" (2007)

02 "Simulation" (2012)

01 "Pure Pleasure Seeker" - from Moloko's "Things To Make And Do" (2000)

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SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Top 50 Most Delicious Róisín Murphy Tracks [Part 1: 50-26]

Hey it's Róisín Murphy's birthday! In a truly nerdy style, listening to her entire catalogue since early this morning I decided to compile La Murphy's 50 most divine moments to date in her ultra-vibrant and eclectic career, be they Moloko songs, solo recordings, guest appearances, live tracks or remixes. This list has it all. Here's part 1 of this über-subjective list. So in a rather particular order...

50 "The Truth" - with Handsome Boy Modeling School (1999)



49 "Unlovable" - "Let Me Know" B-Side (2007)



48 "Flash Of Light" - with Luca C & Brigante (2012)

47 "Lotus Eaters (Fila Brazillia Remix)" - Moloko (1999)



46 "Take My Hand" - Moloko, "Forever More" B-Side (2003)



45 "Sunshine" - "Let Me Know" B-Side (2007)



44 "Boo" - from Moloko's "Do You Like My Tight Sweater?" (1995)



43 "Footprints" - from "Overpowered" (2007)



42 "Alternate State" - with Hot Natured (2013)

41 "Come On" - from Moloko's "Statues" (2003)

40 "Ho Humm (Live @ Electronic Beats Festival)" - Moloko



39 "Ruby Blue" - from "Ruby Blue" (2005)

38 "Ripples" - "If We're In Love" B-Side (2005)

37 "Boadicea" - with Mason (2011)

36 "Over My Head" - from Moloko's "I Am Not A Doctor" (1998)

35 "Primitive" - from "Overpowered" (2007)



34 "Foolish" - "Overpowered" B-Side (2007)



33 "Familiar Feeling" - from Moloko's "Statues" (2003)

32 "Ancora Ancora Ancora (Severino & Nico De Ceglia Remix)" - from "Mi Senti Remixed" (2014)

31 "Night Of The Dancing Flame" - from "Ruby Blue" (2005)

30 "Never Enough" - with Boris Dlugosch (2001)

29 "Where Is The What If The What Is Why?" - from Moloko's "Do You Like My Tight Sweater?" (1995)

28 "Overpowered" - from "Overpowered" (2007)

27 "Indigo" - from Moloko's "Things To Make And Do" (2000)

26 "Cherry Picking" - with Toddla T (2011)

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