For those that enjoyed the snippet of video at the end of my post about Justice, here's the full version of the video for Birdy Nam Nam's "The Parachute Ending."
"The Parachute Ending" is Complete
Review: Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Between the snippets of their performance on Saturday Night Live, some remixes by the likes of Andrew Maury from the Remix Artist Collective and Alex Metric, and a few facebook messages (thanks, Helen!), Phoenix quickly became a name that I could no longer ignore. And, I have to say, now that the firey bird has entered my realm of music knowledge and appreciation, I am much better for it. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, although not necessarily groundbreaking, presents a such a wide range of pop hooks that showcase a flexibility that not many other artists seem to have. And, while some of the diversity seems like attempts to emulate other artists, Phoenix still does it well enough to come off as distinctly different and--in some cases--better than their inspirations.
The record kicks off with the 80s sounding lead single, "Listzomania," a song that will have you wondering why this band isn't bigger; that is, if you aren't too busy dancing or wondering why this song hasn't been included in the soundtrack to some generation-defining film already. Thomas Mars' contradictory, angsty, yet substantial lyrics make for a strong song alone, but the bouncing guitar riffs will keep you coming back for a good time.
Similarly, the second single off Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, "1901," delivers quite an impact too, only in the form of a more modern dance rock tune. "Fences" then subdues the vocals to a light whimper while highlighting some plunky guitar work remeniscent of early Minus the Bear. Vocals are then taken out completely for the most part of "Love Like a Sunset" (until part 2 strikes up) in exchange for loops of electronic beeps that are paired with traditional instruments, creating a Battles-type vibe; but, Phoenix is much less experimental, and generally more pop focused, with their instrumentation. "Lasso" returns Phoenix back to the more dance-y side of things by bringing a faster tempo and vocals back out in full force, but giving them a Tegan and Sara-esque twist in terms of cadence and intonation. "Rome" continues in this vocal style while also slowing down to a more melancholy pop sound. It actually isn't until the last three tracks of the album that Phoenix starts to shed obvious comparisons and start sounding more distinct.
This lack of distinction is by no means negative though. All of their borrowings and influences seem to flow naturally through the band's dynamic, and no single convention serves to keep the tunes afloat. Phoenix just seems to be toying with established styles and then making them their own, and let me tell you, they are pretty successful at doing this.
As the album title may seem to imply, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a collection of songs that are classically poppy. Full of emotive, contrary wisdoms, fun choruses, bouncy guitars, and (of course) danceable beats, Phoenix's latest makes for quite and enjoyable listen, even on the 100th playthrough.
Where's The Justice?
If you were alive and had ears in 2007, you probably heard Justice drop a little album called †. If you were too busy being under a rock or something, you most likely eventually got washed in the resounding shockwave that occurred afterward. I mean seriously, we are approaching the two year mark since the Justice ship has landed; it's almost impossible not to have heard at least a snippet from what many argue to be the most influential electronic artists today.
But, since their firey release, little more seems to have emerged out of the creative minds of French DJs Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay. Besides a live album and DVD that catalogue the massive success of †, fans have been wondering what those crazy Frenchmen have been up to.
Here's the answer: they've been producing, and I'm here to give you the low-down on all the important Justice happenings since 2007.
-First and foremost is Justice's remix of MGMT's Electric Feel. This is probably their most significant release since †, and so many of you probably know of its existence. Still, it's been very popular to the point of snagging a Grammy, and has since been used for many a mashup involving artists like Kanye West and Notorious B.I.G.
 | MGMT - Electric Feel (Justice Remix) |  |
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 | Found at skreemr.com |  |
-Next, we have Justice's remix of "Get On Your Boots," the lead single off of U2's most recent album, No Line on the Horizon. It's a fun little number, but I personally prefer the Crookers remix.
| U2 - Get On Your Boots (Justice Remix) | |
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| Found at skreemr.com | |
-Outside of remixing, Justice has also been working to produce original material for other artists. This first one I have here is a track by dance punk outfit Poney Poney entitled "Cross the Fader." Apparently, their whole upcoming album is being produced by Xavier de Rosnay and will be released sometime (hopefully) soon. In the meantime, you can learn how to play the song by watching the video.
| Poney Poney - Cross the Fader | |
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| Found at skreemr.com | |
-And, lastly comes a track by the DJ crew Birdy Nam Nam called "The Parachute Ending." I'm probably most excited about this track because it sounds the most like the Justice I know and love. Plus, the music video is being animated by Will Sweeney. Check the teaser trailer for the video and the full track below.
| Birdy Nam Nam - The Parachute Ending | |
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| Found at skreemr.com | |
Song of the Week: Tricky - "Christiansands"
This week's song of the week is another throwback, but this time to a man who is perhaps more well known for trying to impersonate Bruce Willis in the 1997 film The Fifth Element than any of his musical pursuits. This is unfortunate though, considering Tricky has done far more for the world of music than he ever did for film. Formerly of trip-hop contemporaries, Massive Attack, Tricky decided to go his own way with his half-speaking, half-singing style and haunting sound. It was only then that he started to gain international fame for his fusion of hip-hop and electronica.
This week's track, "Christiansands," is from his third album Pre-Millenium Tension which was featured in Q Magazine as one of the 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time. Enjoy the weight.
Essential Mixes
Summer brings travel plans, and travel plans raise some pretty important questions regarding everything including itinerary, directions, and--most importantly--tunes. Music is an necessary part of every journey, and I've found that essential mixes are some of the best things to choose for your days in transit.
What's an essential mix, you ask? Well, since 1993, BBC Radio One has been broadcasting 2-hour music sets mixed by DJs of all shapes and sizes. While they haven't quite gained a whole lot of traction here in the US, the essential mixes on Radio One have become some of the most popular broadcasts around the world. Almost any established DJ you've heard of has performed an essential mix, either to make a name for themselves or to further enhance their status in the world of DJing.
What makes them so perfect for travel is that they:
a) are two hours of extremely smoothly mixed music
b) aren't limited to any one genre of music
c) can easily introduce you to new music
The only problem with essential mixes is that there are so many of them, and that means finding the right one can be difficult, especially if you are unfamiliar with the world DJing. So, I've compiled a short list here of some of my favorite mixes as of late with short descriptions and previews of each one, so that you may start enjoying these very special works of art.
Paul Oakenfold's legendary 'Goa Mix' (12-18-94) - tracklist preview download
Description: Popularly regarded as the greatest essential mix of all time, Paul Oakenfold revolutionized the essential mix program by providing a mix influenced by Goa Trance and infused with non-traditional DJ set material, like movie soundtracks and other odd audio samples to create his masterpiece.
Steve Aoki's pre-Ibiza mixtape (08-02-08) - tracklist preview download
Description: Steve Aoki (aka Kid Millionaire) is the owner of Dim Mak Records (a personal favorite of mine), and has been busy tearing up nightclubs with his crew and their unique brand of hard-hitting electro house music. His mix isn't particularly amazing, but he's part of the new wave of electro that the kiddies are all raving about. If you are a fan of MSTRKRFT or Justice, you'll probably enjoy this mix quite a bit.
Trentemøller's essential mix of the year (10-15-06) - tracklist preview download
Description: Danish DJ Trentemøller provides a journey through an electronic landscape on this essential mix. More of a concept piece than one that is dancable, his mix includes a great deal of progressive house, minimal techno, and chillout beats. He does sprinkle in some unexpected tidbits of reggae and rock though, making this a very relaxing, but interesting mix indeed that is perfect for rainy day listening.
Deadmau5's breakthrough mix (7-19-08) - tracklist preview download
Description: Another progressive house artist comes in the form of Deadmau5 (pronounced "dead mouse") who is most recognizable for playing his DJ sets wearing a giant, foam mouse head. Even though he's been making tunes as early as 2005, he wasn't very well-known until right before he went on Radio One. This mix firmly established him as one of the most popular contemporary DJs around.
High Contrast's drum and bass set (10-07-07) tracklist preview download
Description: I will admit, High Contrast is kind of hard to get into. He plays drum and bass, which isn't an entirely accessible genre of music, but I think he kills it on this mix. This Welsh DJ is generally credited as the one that is making drum and bass sexy again, and I'm inclined to agree. Just a warning though: if you are going to dance to this, be careful to avoid dancing to every drum beat, otherwise you may end up looking like this.
