SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Midnight Magic's Top 10 Most Magical Cosmic Disco Anthems

I have been following Midnight Magic's sounds almost religiously since they dropped their bombastic and instantly anthemic debut 12" "Beam Me Up". The one that included that legendary Jacques Renault remix. This Brooklyn cosmic disco ensemble with the charismatic and vocally sensational Tiffany Roth then continued to spoil us with numerous records, EP's and an exuberant debut LP via a whole array of cult labels, the likes of Scion Audio/Visual, Soul Clap and Permanent Vacation. Now that Midnight Magic are starting their mini tour in Europe and the band is in the middle of recording their 2nd album I thought it would be rather fitting to go over their vibrant catalogue of songs so far and cherry-pick the ones I admire the most.

Hidden Agenda are bringing Midnight Magic to Opium Rooms, Dublin this Saturday. Buy your ticket HERE.

Here's the latest in the series of my very subjective list: Midnight Magic's Top 10 Most Magical Cosmic Disco Anthems:

#10 "Vicious Love"

#9 "I Found Love" (with Tommie Sunshine)

#8 "Midnight Creepers"

#7 "Night Flight"

#6 "Calling Out"



#5 "Beam Me Up"

#4 "Someone's Watching Me"

#3 "Walking The Midnight Streets"

#2 "Drop Me A Line"

#1 "Trouble T"

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "SIRENS" - Young Karin

One can never have enough of talented, up and coming Icelandic acts, right? Young Karin - "Debut of the Year" at the Icelandic Music Awards the other week, are celebrating the award and the release of their first EP with a video for "Sirens" an instantly haunting urban flavoured synth-pop moment. Ridiculously catchy and absolutely flawless!



Here's the whole "n°1" EP with a remix by Múm:

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SHREM'S NEWBIES BUT TO-BE'S: "GREET ME" - Anya

Anya comes from Denmark. "Greet Me" is an elegantly produced slice of soothing electronic R&B. What an understated and classy way to open up the latest compilation in the always reliable "Sound of Copenhagen" series. Anya fits right in somewhere between the lush sounds of Jessie Ware, Beady Belle or Rosie Lowe.

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SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "CATASTROPHE" /// "SONG FOR ZOE AND GWEN" - Yumi Zouma

Yumi Zouma, New Zealand's most appetising musical export in years (or ever?!?), are back with "EP II" out on 9th March via Cascine. Lush indie pop served in a dreamy, sophisticated yet unpretentious way. "Their music is timeless, honest and direct" as we read in the official statement but it is also charmingly blissful. Among "Top 10 Hottest Newcomers in 2014", as chosen by yours truly back in December, Yumi Zouma are already proving I was completely right about them.

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LA MURPHY SAGA CONTINUES: "GONE FISHING" - Róisín Murphy

Róisín Murphy is back with a rather surprising first teaser taken from her upcoming 3rd studio LP "Hairless Toys" which drops via Play It Again Sam on 11th May 2015. The unpredictable "Gone Fishing" shows La Murphy's impressive palette of vocal capabilities and sounds like an electronic medley of Moloko's final studio album "Statutes", her jazzy excursions with Matthew Herbert on "Ruby Blue" while remaining hugely independent and intriguing. The layers of melodic twists, sonic quirks, wall-of-sound effects and productional tricks (Eddie Stevens?) make this one of her most original songs to date. In her own words:

"This song was written after I watched the documentary film Paris Is Burning, having read an article which referenced it in a discussion about House music's origins in black, gay culture. I was deeply moved by this film. 'I had to run this far from home' - it's about the outcasts who could never fit into mainstream society and how they created a safe place in the drag 'Ball' scene of New York in the ‘80s. 'Will we live on? The children of La Beija' refers to the 'house' of Pepper La Beija, who was one of the most notable figures on the scene, Pepper is also quoted in Malcolm McLaren's song on the same subject 'Deep In Vogue'. The culture was a flamboyant reaction to persecution and disillusionment, the imagination and bravery of these kids is simply awe-inspiring. I envisioned 'Gone Fishing' almost as a song from a Broadway musical version of this story. The making of one's own world, a safer world and the creation of a new, better family in music or youth culture is a theme I touch upon elsewhere on my album Hairless Toys."

Tracklist:

01 Gone Fishing
02 Evil Eyes
03 Exploitation
04 Uninvited Guest
05 Exile
06 House of Glass
07 Hairless Toys (Gotta Hurt)
08 Unputdownable

Pre-order from iTunes now!

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CHOONS OF THE DAY: "YOU MADE THE WORLD GO ROUND" + "KEEP IT CLOSER" - Hard Ton + Nick Anthony Simoncino Remix

Austrian label Luv Shack Records have just released "You Made The World Go Round" - Hard Ton's first EP in 2015. Italian nu-disco Queens of epic proportions and countless talents are back with their impressive selection of synthesisers and another 2 underground club jewels added to their ever-growing collection of releases. Hard Ton are among the most prolific and most vibrant dance & electronica acts to emerge over the past few years. Check out also my "Top 10 Most Flawless Hard Ton Tracks" list I compiled a few months ago.

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SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "APART" - Kasper Bjørke feat. Sísý Ey /// "DO IT GOOD" - Sísý Ey

I've placed "Apart", Kasper Bjørke's collaborative single with Sísý Ey, at #3 of last year's ranking of Top 100 Best Tracks of the Year. Now this exquisite synth-pop anthem received a fittingly astonishing visual treatment with the official video directed by Karim Huu Do. And if you, like myself, simply can't get enough of Sísý Ey's flawless harmonies, Andy Butler from Hercules & Love Affair just premiered the Icelandic quartet's electrifying new single "Do It Good" which is instantly addictive, similarly to their previous hit "Ain't Got Nobody". The song is opening his exclusive set compiled for Fader. I know it's only February but "Do It Good" already sounds like a strong candidate to a song of the year in my books.

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SHREM'S FUTURE ANTHEMS: "BE" - Citizenn feat. Starving Yet Full

2020Vision Recordings have just released Citizenn's latest deep house stomper featuring Starving Yet Full. "Be" is a truly hypnotic excursion into the darker corners of clubland, mesmerising with its slick production (those electronic strings!) and the soulful vocal acrobatics provided by ex-Azari & III velvet vocalist Cédric Gasaida. The 12" is out now on Juno while the digital release follows on 23rd February.

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "JULIA" - Jungle [Video]

Oh the joy when artists decide to release your favourite song from an album as a single and accompany it with an appropriately epic video. "Julia" is the 5th single from Jungle's awe-inspiring modern funk re-shaping self-titled debut album. Once again we are being treated to a visual feast filled with sizzling choreography, their signature visual trick at this stage. The video was directed by J from Jungle and Oliver Hadlee Pearch.

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "AEROBIC LAMBADA" - Zhala [Video]

I've already been raving about Zhala's hyper-energetic "Aerobic Lambada" HERE but now we receive the official video for this underground rave anthem. Directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark.

In Zhala's own words: "The song describes the itchy feeling you get in your butt when you have to adjust to different social contexts but you can't, that frustration, and also stress, when you hurry in slow motion. I wanted to keep that feeling in the video and create a dream and reality that is fused together."

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SHREM'S BIGGIES BUT GOODIES BASKET: "LIVING FOR LOVE" - Madonna /// "RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW" - Giorgio Moroder feat. Kylie Minogue

The Ultimate Queen and The Ultimate Princess of POP are back! Both in supreme style and class! The official videos for Madonna's "Living For Love" and "Right Here, Right Now" Giorgio Moroder's joint effort with Kylie Minogue are both out this week!

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SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "BABY LOVE" - Petite Meller /// "EGO" - Tove Styrke

Petite Meller is from Paris, Tove Styrke is from Umeå. Both ladies have just delivered some of the catchiest and slickest pop singles in months. The video for Meller's "Baby Love" stuns as an ultra-vibrant visual feast dedicated to the power of African girls. Alongside Susanne Sundfør's "Delirious" as the most perfect pop songs in 2015, the ones I like to label as "Pure Pop Perfection". Could this year be the big return of quality POP so much needed in the bleak sea of mediocre chart music? Fingers crossed!

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