It makes perfect sense that Gang Gang Dance's bEEdEEgEE's solo debut would come out via the genre-bending 4AD. The first single "Flowers", featuring Lovefoxxx from CSS, sounds like a perfect bridge between the 1980's new wave sounds à la the label's cult duo Cocteau Twins and the ever-so-current twisted synth-pop scene the likes of Purity Ring or Grimes. "SUM/ONE" is out now and it also includes Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor among other rather special guests. The enigmatic bEEdEEgEE is also responsible for one of my favourite remixes in 2013 for Omar Souleyman's "Warni Warni" bringing his distinctive Syrian disco sound to completely new sonic dimensions. Check out the rest of my Top 20 Best Remixes of 2013 list HERE!
So the video for this FaltyDL's track featuring Friendly Fires' Ed Macfarlane was apparently out last month already... Needless to say I have missed it in the middle of the whole December madness filled with countless rankings, lists, summaries and reviews of 2012. There's a brand new remix though by the enigmatic Gang Gang Dance, just posted on Ninja Tune's soundcloud, which is a perfect excuse to make up for this delay of mine. The single's out on 11th February.
50 "MindKilla" - Gang Gang Dance - never thought Gang Gang Dance matching the utter-brilliance of their 2009 "House Jam" so quickly... Here's a phenomenal live version from 4AD Sessions I haven't shared here yet:
49 "Demon Lover" - Róisín Murphy feat. Wiley - La Murphy goes urban, just as well this never officially released song leaked otherwise perhaps we would have never had a chance to enjoy this pure dancefloor jewel as Róisín's 3rd solo album is looking less and less likely to be released at all... Grime superhero Wiley adds his bit too Demon Lover (feat. Wiley) (Audio Monsters Remix) - Róisín Murphy by makemeadancer3
48 "Melting Ice" - Ladytron - immaculate melody, intricate harmonies and esoteric production - the strongest track on Ladytron's 5th album
47 "Blown Minded" - Young Galaxy - possibly the most beautiful melody composed in 2011, possibly maybe...
46 "Lights On" - Katy B feat. Ms Dynamite - even though I wasn't as enthusiastic about Katy B's debut album as the rest of the blogosphere, I was instantly hooked by this anthem of a collaboration with Ms Dy-Na-Mi-Tee
45 "Want A Gang" - Bonjay - as the dancehall reinventing duo themselves tweeted back to me "not one that many have shouted about, but one of our personal favourites. . ." Top Tune! Bonjay - Want a Gang by snipelondon
44 "Lucid In the Sky" - Cubic Zirconia - last year's top 10 act (remember Slappy Josephine?) and their free download (via Scion A/V) which heralded their long anticipated debut album, it never actually made the final cut but remains one of my favourite tracks they recorded so far, Tiombe Lockheart gives a mesmerising vocal performance Cubic Zirconia - Lucid In The Sky by ScionAV
43 "I Can Get Love" - Toro y Moi - get funky with Toro Y Moi's saturday night essential track taken from his precious "Freaking Out" EP
42 "N'wagezani My Love" - Zinja Hlungwani - South African electro piece that blew my mind at the beginning of the year, AMAZINGNESS!!!
41 "Within You" - Gus Gus - we're already at number 41 and this is only the 1st out of 5 tunes by Icelandic veterans of electronica in my top 100, no surprise there as I have chosen "Arabian Horse" the best album of 2011 in my yesterday's ranking Gus Gus - Within You by groovemusicstation
20 "BLUE SONGS" - Hercules And Love Affair TOP TUNE: "Painted Eyes" LABEL: Moshi Moshi Records MOST PLAYED: "My House" 19 "SOFT METALS" - Soft Metals TOP TUNE: "Psychic Driving" LABEL: Captured Tracks MOST PLAYED:"Psychic Driving" 18 "EYE CONTACT" - Gang Gang Dance TOP TUNE: "MindKilla" LABEL: 4AD MOST PLAYED: "MindKilla" 17 "YOU STAND UNCERTAIN" - FaltyDL TOP TUNE: "Voyager" LABEL: Planet Mu MOST PLAYED: "Brazil" 16 "ARABXILLA" - Aérea Negrot TOP TUNE: "Todeloo" LABEL: BPitch Control MOST PLAYED:"Todeloo" 15 "FOLLOW YOUR HEART" - Cubic Zirconia TOP TUNE: "Cherry Nights" (feat. Coltrane) LABEL: Fool's Gold Records MOST PLAYED: "Night or Day" (feat. Bilal) 14 "UNDERNEATH THE PINE" - Toro y Moi TOP TUNE: "New Beat" LABEL: Carpark MOST PLAYED: "Still Sound" 13 "MIRRORWRITING" - Jamie Woon TOP TUNE: "Street" LABEL: Polydor MOST PLAYED: "Lady Luck" 12 "SBTRKT" - SBTRKT TOP TUNE: "Pharaohs" LABEL: Young Turks MOST PLAYED: "Wildfire" (with Yukimi Nagano) 11 "RITUAL UNION" - Little Dragon TOP TUNE: "Little Man" LABEL: Peacefrog Holdings MOST PLAYED: "Ritual Union" 10 "NEW LOOK" - New Look TOP TUNE: "Nap on the Bow" LABEL: !K7 Records MOST PLAYED: "Nap on the Bow" 09 "WITHIN AND WITHOUT" - Washed Out TOP TUNE: "Echoes" LABEL: Domino Recording MOST PLAYED: "Echoes" 08 "GRAVITY THE SEDUCER" - Ladytron TOP TUNE: "Melting Ice" LABEL: Nettwerk MOST PLAYED: "White Elephant" 07 "GALACTIC MELT" - Com Truise TOP TUNE: "VHS Sex" LABEL: Ghostly International MOST PLAYED: "Space Dust" 06 "BENT" - SSION TOP TUNE: "Luvvbazaar" LABEL: self released MOST PLAYED: "Luvvbazaar" 05 "ESCORT" - Escort TOP TUNE: "Love in Indigo" LABEL: Tirk MOST PLAYED: "Cocaine Blues" 04 "BIOPHILIA" - Björk TOP TUNE: "Crystalline" LABEL: One Little Indian MOST PLAYED: "Thunderbolt" 03 "SEE THE LIGHT" - Jessica 6 TOP TUNE: "In The Heat" LABEL: Peacefrog Holdings MOST PLAYED: "Prisoner of Love" (with Antony Hegarty) 02 "AZARI & III" - Azari & III TOP TUNE: "Manic" LABEL: Loose Lips Records MOST PLAYED: "Reckless" 01 "ARABIAN HORSE" - Gus Gus TOP TUNE: "Over" LABEL: Kompakt MOST PLAYED: "Over"
I'm absolutely delighted he's back! Here's Piotrek's long anticipated return to my carousel in the role of my favourite music reviewer out there. Please read this intricate study on Gang Gang Dance's latest outing. Mr nosnobsallowed-Czarnecki has promised me to be a more frequent guest here from now on. Fingers crossed...
"Eye Contact" by Gang Gang Dance
There's a mutual dependency between the mainstream and indie pop. This secret relationship results in the little exchange of ideas and admiration. An example? Solange Knowles covering The Dirty Projectors or even teaming up with the avant-pop’ers Of Montreal on stage. On the other side of the barricade we've got The Knife and the band's front lady's solo project, Fever Ray or Hot Chip for that instance. These guys are clearly infatuated with the mainstream's approach to melody and harmonies, but are not willing to leave their weapons behind. The other thing is that pop “borrows” its ideas from the indie scene as it swallows everything that it finds on its way of the progression. Hence the dubstep wobblers in one of Britney's latest singles. Anyway, some of the regularities of the pop tunes like the“verse-chorus” structure are still going strong and remain unchallenged, There are exceptions here though: Beyonce's shouty “Run the world (Girls)”, for example. Unfortunately, those moments are still a rarity and if you're looking for some ambitious, aesthetically challenging pop music you should look away from the charts as far as you can.
So let’s take it down to the pop frontiers, where the experimental groups are brewing up the pop music's future hooks as we speak, making as many steps forward as cacophonous mistakes. Which brings me to the Gang Gang Dance's forth album, entitled “Eye contact”. The riotous musical past of the New York avant garde noisemakers seems to be tamed on this one. But don't expect them to storm the charts anytime soon or anything. The result of this move towards more formalised language is the most eerie record of 2011 so far and everything but regular. The irregularity is the main ingredient here.
Some might find it uneasy, desperately looking for some regular patters within it. Some may disregard it as a little bit off and out of tune. But, silly me, I like when music is a bit off. The vocal delivery not quite in tune, off melody and the production going a little bit outside the expectations is something I have a soft spot for. This would explain my love for Hot Chip and their electro weirdness. Yet, this record doesn't disconnect with the pop world entirely, remaining on the border of “catchy” and “danceable”. Just. Not to be accused of banality for even a second.It may seem that the band just let sounds happen, which effects in a beautifully crafted improvisation. Even though “Eye contact” is full of synthesizers and electronic tweaks it sounds very tribal, feverish, exotic and primal.
As the “Glass jar” lifts up its lid, it slowly releases a reluctant at first swarm of colourful sonic wasps. It takes a few spaced out minutes before these insects start to sting. Then the shamanic voice of GGD's singer, who sounds like Kate Bush with the ghetto swagger, joins and takes us for a trip into space, to the zero gravity environment, where she has more room for her vocal experiments. This is the moment when the album really kicks off, showing its true palette. Later there's another clear nod to the First Lady of the Looney Pop in the stadium sized “Romance Layers”. The squeak of Gang's singer's voice is accompanied by Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor whale-like chants here. The ethereal, funky subconscious pop of “Chinese high” takes a short detour via 80's rock. “Sacer” is incredibly light and spaced out tune bathing in waves of cold synths. But it's the “Mindkilla” that is the centrepiece of the album. A feverish kaleidoscope of manic African drums, digital stabs, sharp string slashes and vocal acrobatics. The recipe for this record evidently crystallises in this tune. The Arabic spiced and groovy “Thru and Thru” nonchalantly ends the album with digital voice asking “Do you want to live forever ?”.
“Eye contact” is so hard to pin down and describe with words, which is what I'm desperately trying to do here. But this it what makes it so pleasurable, so mesmerising and seducing. You experience “Eye contact”, rather than just listen to it. And this experience can be compared to looking at some creature from the depths of the jungle or the bottom of the ocean performing its hypnotising mating dance. “The organic version of The Knife” might be an accurate analogy, because “Eye contact” is the most uncompromising album that balances between the pop and experimental since Fever Ray's solo outing. Less dark and evil, but still very mysterious and spiritual. I wonder how this richness of sound would translate onto their live shows. I'm so craving to find out. I can only imagine how this music would travel over the festival skies this summer. And one more thing, be careful not to overdose “Eye Contact” like I did while writing this review, because it's very, very, very addictive. It will mesmerise you with its insect eyes before eating your soul and spitting out half digested. Avoid the direct eye contact and you'll be fine.
Hello there boys and girls. Can't believe the first third of 2011 is already over. Here's a summary of my subjectively picked 12 best tunes of the past 4 months. Please vote (multiple choice allowed!) in the right hand corner. And here are the nominees... * "White Horse" - Jessica 6
I've always been waiting impatiently for any new tracks by Gang Gang Dance since their breakthrough single "House Jam" back in 2008. This brand new tune "MindKilla" reminds me a bit of The Knife's early stuff. I adore artists who manage to remain unique and creative without falling for any artistic compromises. What a spectacular song or rather a sonic adventure I should say!
