SHREM'S FUTURE ANTHEMS: "HALLUCINATE" + "GRIP (The Possé Remix)" - GL

My favourite musical duo in the world right now - Melbourne 80's disco and electronic funk reinterpreters GL seem to be absolutely unstoppable. Ella Thompson and Graeme Pogson are almost ready to release their long anticipated debut album "Touch" and if I were to judge it by the quality of its first 3 singles we may have a rather strong contender for 2016 Album of the Year arriving on 15th July. Following the infectious and aptly titled "Number One" and the euphoric "Grip", the Australian pair serves yet another delectable step-back-in-time synth-pop moment "Hallucinate". They really do produce some of the sweetest beats and melodies at the moment. First-rate musicians!

[Photos by Savvy Creative]



Alongside "Hallucinate" we also receive some brand new remixes of "Grip" which is now also available in this 1990's house themed saucy bass laden remix by The Possé.

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SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Top 20 Lost Diva-Classics Penned by Prince

Prince Roger Nelson. Always surrounded by his muses and divas. Aside from an enormous catalogue of famous renditions of his own songs (Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U", Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You" or Cyndi Lauper's "When You Were Mine" to name just a few) the Paisley Park multi-instrumentalist wrote and produced numerous gems especially for his female peers and protegées. Many of these rare gems remain sadly omitted when discussing Prince's legacy. Here are 20 of them, as always subjectively cherry-picked by yours truly... Enjoy!

20 "If I Luv U 2 Nite" - Mica Paris (1991)

19 "I Want U (Purple Version)" - Rosie Gaines (1995)

18 "Mia Bocca" - Jill Jones (1987)

17 "Born 2 B.R.E.E.D. (Build Relationships Where Education And Enlightenment Dominate)" - Monie Love (1993)

16 "Koo Koo" - Sheila E (1987)

15 "Heaven Must Be Near" - Ingrid Chavez (1991)

14 "Qualified" - Loïs Lane (1992)

13 "Sugar Walls" - Sheena Easton (1984)

12 "Martika's Kitchen" - Martika (1991)

11 "A Love Bizarre" - Sheila E (1985)

10 "Eternity (Shep Pettibone Mix)" - Sheena Easton (1987)

9 "In A Word Or 2" - Monie Love (1993)

8 "Make-Up" - Vanity 6 (1982)

7 "The Glamorous Life" - Sheila E (1984)

6 "U" - Paula Abdul (1991)

5 "Sex Shooter" - Apollonia 6 (1984)

4 "Love... Thy Will Be Done" - Martika (1991)

3 "101" - Sheena Easton (1989)

2 "Elephant Box" - Ingrid Chavez (1991)

1 "Love Song" - Madonna (1989)

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SHREM'S FUTURE ANTHEMS: "DON'T FIGHT IT" - stereogamous feat. Shaun J. Wright

When Shaun J Wright first joined electronic forces with the Australian house duo stereogamous, together they brewed one of the greatest dance tracks of 2012 - "Face Love Anew". In spring 2014 they collaborated once more on the saucy slice of underground house "Sweat" which was released via Tribal. This year sees this clubland dream team come together again with the release of the pulsating, sleekly produced and dazzlingly melodic deep house number "Don't Fight It". The single arrives via Twirl - Chicago-based-strictly-quality-house-music label owned by Shaun J. Wright himself & his frequent dancefloor "partner in crime" Alinka who provides one of the remixes here alongside Justin Harris. Another impeccable Twirl release and some more of those always welcome wide-ranging, velvet vocals J Wright stylee.



Here are two previous joint efforts by Stereogamous feat. Shaun J. Wright:

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SHREM'S CLUB BIZARRE INTRODUCING: "VIDLIK" - ONUKA

So the only time previously I got to blog about ONUKA was winter 2014 when I discovered their charming slice of pop "Look". And I was already late then. A similar case with today's post. My muso friend Alex introduced me to their deliciously bizarre electro pop moment "Vidlik" a couple of months ago but somehow I am only getting around to writing about it today. Better late than ever I suppose and the more people get to explore this truly memorable track, the better. Fittingly intense in both visuals and musical production, the song apparently is dedicated to the Chernobyl disaster, its influence on Ukraine and the whole world, as I read on beehype. A sophisticated aural hotchpotch of traditional, ethnic instruments, electronica and haunting spoken word elements create a unique atmosphere, impossible to forget. If you haven't seen or heard this one yet, it will most likely stay with you for a long time. One of the 2016 videos of the year too, big time! Directed by Anna Buryachkova.

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "WORK" - Charlotte Day Wilson

Almost every year I tend to fall for one big ballad in the whole sea of electronic sounds, synth pop and house anthems I normally listen to. It was the case of Jessie Ware's monumental "Wildest Moments" in 2012, Rosie Lowe's refined "Right Thing" in 2013 or Jones' classy "Indulge" which I have fallen in love with last year. 2016 brings Charlotte Day Wilson to the table of these exquisite yet understated chanteuses. This Toronto based songstress hypnotises the listeners with some truly exceptional vocals, charmingly old-fashioned production (organs and all!) and the intricately crafted sonic bridge between gospel, soul and classic pop with some subtle hints of 1990's trip-hop. High-class!



Here are the 3 other ballads I mentioned above:

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CHOON OF THE DAY: "CRYBABY" - Abra

Dark Wave Duchess aka Abra, the multi-talented artist behind "Roses" (#4 among Top 100 Best Tracks of 2015) returns with a 1980's synth infused jam "Crybaby". This first teaser taken from Abra's forthcoming PRINCESS EP has it all: old-skool beats, vintage synthesisers, immaculate vocals and melodic lines reminiscent of those big, bold, flamboyant freestyle, electro-funk or R'N'B anthems from the era. You can pre-order "Princess" EP on a limited 12" single HERE.

Tracklist:

1. COME 4 ME
2. VEGAS
3. CRYBABY
4. BIG BOI feat. Tommy Genesis
5. PULL UP
6. THINKING OF U

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Crème de la crème: TOP 20 BEST OF MAY 2016

Honourable mentions:

*** "Miles Apart" - Liss



*** "Nobody" - LEISURE feat. GoldLink



TOP 20:

20 (N) "Kiss The Screen" - Nite Jewel (Gloriette)

19 (N) "La Piscine" - Hypnolove (Record Makers)

18 (N) "Firecracker" - Todd Terje & The Olsens (Olsen)

17 (N) "Orlando" - Exploded View (Sacred Bones)

16 (3) "Manque d'Amour" - Juliette Armanet (Barclay)

15 (N) "Phenomenal Woman" - Laura Mvula (Sony Music)

14 (N) "Old Skool (Fatima Yamaha Remix)" - Metronomy (Because Music)

13 (N) "Last" - Rainbow Chan (Silo Arts & Records)

12 (N) "Vapour Trail" - Lone (R&S Records)

11 (N) - "Church" - Seven Davis Jr. (Ninja Tune)

10 (N) "If You Ever Wanna Change Your Mind (Ben Macklin Remix)" - Sally Shapiro (Fika Recordings)

9 (N) "Don't Fight It" - Stereogamous feat. Shaun J. Wright (Twirl)

8 (5) "Grip" - GL (Plastic World/Midnight Feature)

7 (N) "Never Enough" - Jessy Lanza (Hyperdub)

6 (N) "Cloud 9" - Kasper Bjørke feat. URÐUR (hfn music)

5 (N) "Funkert" - Virginia (Ostgut Ton)

4 (N) "In Common" - Alicia Keys (RCA)

3 (N) "Vidlik" - ONUKA (self released)

2 (1) "Mastermind" - Róisín Murphy (Play It Again Sam)

1 (N) "Ten Miles High" - Róisín Murphy (Play It Again Sam)

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