SHREM'S CAROUSEL OF ÜBER NERDINESS: August 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

SHREM'S LATE MONDAY NIGHT SESSIONS: "RIGHT, OFF THE BRIDGE" - Yumi Zouma

The dream pop aficionados from Yumi Zouma and Cascine are combining the New Zealander band's first two EP's for a deluxe 12" bundle including the irresistible "Sålka Gets Her Hopes Up", the uplifting summery gem "Alena" and this previously unreleased outtake "Right, Off The Bridge". The first 500 copies of the "EP Collection" are promised to come on translucent vinyl with blue haze and a colored silkscreen wrap. You can pre-order your copy HERE or purchase "Right, Off The Bridge" separately on iTunes for all the digital kids.

SIDE A

1. A Long Walk Home For Parted Lovers
2. Sålka Gets Her Hopes Up
3. The Brae
4. Riquelme
5. It Feels Good To Be Around You (feat. Air France)
6. Right, Off The Bridge (Outtake)

SIDE B
7. Dodi
8. Alena
9. Catastrophe
10. Second Wave
11. Song For Zoe & Gwen

Saturday, August 29, 2015

SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Top 50 Greatest Janet Jackson Songs part 3 [10-1]

10 "ALRIGHT" (1989)

9 "NO SLEEEP" (2015)

8 "THAT'S THE WAY LOVE GOES" (1993)

7 "ROCK WITH U" (2008)

6 "LET'S WAIT AWHILE" (1987)

5 "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY" (1986)

4 "GOT 'TIL IT'S GONE" (1997)

3 "NASTY" (1986)

2 "CONTROL" (1986)

1 "RHYTHM NATION" (1989)

Friday, August 28, 2015

SHREM'S CLUB BIZARRE INTRODUCING: "KOI" - Le1f [produced by Sophie]

Le1f. Sophie. Le1f and Sophie together! 2015's most bonkers single has just arrived. One of the pioneers of the ever so expanding Queer Hip-Hop movement - the sensational Le1f teases us with the first single taken from his first full length and as he calls it himself "proper" album "Riot Boi". Terrible Records have scored the undeniable privilege to release this much-desired record which follows Le1f's 3 electrifying genre (and gender!) bending mix-tapes: "Dark York" with the ubiquitous "Wut", "Fly Zone" with the sweaty "Spa Day" and "Tree House" which included FaltyDL produced "Jack" among others. "Koi" was produced by PC Music's prime ambassador, the enigmatic Sophie who was previously responsible for the blogosphere's favourite "Bipp" and arguably Madonna's best single since "Get Together" - "Bitch I'm Madonna". On top of it all, Simon Ward directed this kitsch infused feast of a video which will leave you gasping for more of Le1f's vogueing. I am yet again in awe with this boy.

And here are the other 3 tracks mentioned above to quench that thirst for more from Le1f while we anticipate "Riot Boi"...

SHREM'S CLUB BIZARRE INTRODUCING: "THIN LINE" - Cherushii feat. Maria Minerva

This one goes for all the musos on a constant hunt for dancefloor oddities, bizarre one-off's and electronica obscurities. Our favourite Estonian experimentalist and underground pop enfant terrible Maria Minerva joins electro forces with Cherushii - a San Francisco based, Detroit techno-Chicago house-classic rave inspired musician who has just released her latest EP "Memory of Water" on cassette via 100% Silk. Think cacophonous disco, multi-layered "synthscapes", warped house beats and intertwined vocals. This is club bizarre at its most fittingly peculiar.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

SHREM'S ACADEMY OF ALL TIME BEST SINGLES: "WARNING" + "RESPECT" - Adeva

W A R N I N G

RELEASE DATE: 1989
CHART PEAK: US Dance #4, UK #17, NZ #18

R E S P E C T

RELEASE DATE: 1988
CHART PEAK: UK #17, IRE #17, NED #21, US Dance #21

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "ON & ON" - Crayon & Jordan Lee /// "LA JEUNESSE RETROUVÉE" - Kartell

The Parisian label Roche Musique have just released their very first compilation ".WAVE" packed with exclusive new material and some of the label's underground lost classics from the past. They are promising "a sophisticated blend of house, nu-soul, at the borders of Hip Hop and funk, with French Touch as a background". I have chosen these 2 wondrous tracks for your pleasure - "On & On" the soulful joint effort of Crayon & Jordan Lee and one of Kartell's early tunes "La Jeunesse Retrouvée" sampling Maxwell's smooth R&B classic "Urban Theme".

You can stream the entire ".WAVE" below:

Saturday, August 22, 2015

SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "THE ODYSSEY PT. 1" /// "BEAUTIFUL WORLD" - Chungking + Top 10 Greatest Chungking Songs

Brighton dream pop connoisseurs, the exquisite Chungking have been producing vivid soundscapes floating between synth pop, cosmic disco, modern folk, psychedelic soul and trip hop for almost13 years already. Their latest record "Defender", quietly announced last winter with "Sapphire", grew to become one of the strongest contenders for 2015 album of the year. Both "The Odyssey pt. 1" and "Beautiful World" come as fitting examples to Chungking's legacy in excellent pop songwriting, affluent instrumentation and colourful array of styles, moods and genres, their signature gift.

Inspired by "Defender" I went on a sentimental journey through Chungking's entire back catalogue to create this very subjective list of their greatest songs to date:

10 "ANGEL EYES" (2003)

9 "SAPPHIRE" (2014)

8 "STAY UP FOREVER" (2007)

7 "COME WITH ME" (2003)

6 "CAN I GET YOUR LOVE" (2015)

5 "STAND BY ME" (2015)

4 "BUBBLE LOVE" (2002)

3 "MAKING MUSIC" (2003)

2 "SLOW IT DOWN" (2007)

1 "VOODOO" (2005)

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

CHOON OF THE DAY: "SLUMLORD" - Neon Indian

Once a chillwave wonder, now synth pop revivalists, Neon Indian might be delivering one of the strongest contenders for the album of the year if judged only by the quality of its first two singles. Following the rapturous "Annie", Alan Palomo's band delivers the energetic "Slumlord" as a further tease before their 3rd studio album "VEGA INTL. NIGHT SCHOOL" drops 16th October. In the year where Hot Chip and Toro Y Moi's albums hugely disappointed, it might be Neon Indian saving indietronica's good name. In pop music categories "Slumlord" is as stellar as it gets.