Flutes

The first few seconds of a song are some of the most, if not the most, important seconds of a song to me. This song has some very beautiful first few seconds. The continuous bass along with the filtered and chopped samples just hooks me right in. Past those few seconds, the song develops into a rather epic composition, as Hot Chip knows how to deliver a song. Enjoy!

Flutes - Hot Chip
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Hot Chip

Electric Fever

I can't deny that a decent rock song will always have a place in my heart (or on my iPod). This track has captured my recent rock attention, with plenty of power chords, cowbell, and scream-able lyrics.
"we'd been dancing all night long
dancing to a rebel song"

Enjoy!

Electric Fever - Free Energy
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Free Energy

Twisted Sheets

The contrast between the melancholy lyrics and the happy upbeat music make for a beautiful pair. The standout instruments for me are the drums and the piano, of course the only other instrument I can identify in this track is a violin. The melody of the verse is infections in the best of ways, and the way the song builds and builds towards the tail end fills me with excitement every listen.  Enjoy!

Twisted Sheets - Whitey
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Whitey

Daydreamer

"Living with out you. I dream about you."

What beautiful track, synth-poppy, uppity, electronified with a hint of 80's attitude. I could see this song opening a throwback movie set in sunny California.

Daydreamer - FM Attack
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FM Attack

Important

The message of the song is simple and to the point. The execution of the track is impressive and imaginative. First of all, they took their time.  This could have easily been a 3:00 minute track based on the lyrics, verses, bridge, etc. However, the band adds another dimension to a rather straightforward track. The synths and the unconventionally long periods of instrumentals are examples of how this track was written with execution in mind. Enjoy!

Important - Way Yes
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Way Yes

Select Sundays: Love Come Down

Maybe you know this song already, but I didn't and so it must be shared.  This is the type of track that probably dominated the dance floor in the Eighties but now I'll never get to hear it. The last one of these I experienced was The Jets' "Crush on You." Coming late to the party ain't easy but it's better than not arriving at all. (Also check out Da Brat's "High Come Down" and Viceroy's "Sunny Daze," both of which sample Evelyn King's classic.)

Love Come Down - Evelyn King
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Evelyn King

Unknown Bonus Song

This week I described a song as being something Quentin Tarantino would use in a film.  Well, I may have to take that comment back and apply it to this track.  The three guitar notes that open the song have movies like Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, and Pulp Fiction written all over them. The classic sound of this song spans the last 1/2 century, not a simple feat as music is highly susceptible to fad influences. Enjoy!

Unknown Bonus Song - The Dragtones
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The Dragtones

Sweet Cow

I'm still not sure I completely understand what image this song creates in my head yet. I love the way that the vocals are so precisely chopped up and put together along with the beat start-stop-start. Even though this is a remix, the Chicken Lips signature sound is very in tact. The bangin' bassline, funky guitars, hand claps, deep dark vocals, coming together to form an irresistible dance track. Enjoy!

Sweet Cow (Cyclist Remix) - Chicken Lips
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Chicken Lips | Cyclist

Troubleman

There's a sandy and silky smell to this track. I almost envision Quentin Tarantino hearing this track and saying he wants to use it in a film. I keep forgetting that the song is nearly nine minutes long, because it plays like a four minute song. As soon as it's over I'm in disbelief, and push play again.  Everyone has been a Troubleman in a foreign land, or at least dealt with one at one point. Enjoy!

Troubleman - Electric Guest
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Electric Guest

Monte Carlo

The percussion of this song, albeit programmed vs performed, snags my attention. I love the machine gun high hats, and the pronounced 808 hip hop bass kick. This is my soundtrack to rollin' deep. The organ and the choir give the song it's personality, which to me feels like a night time gothic church aura. Enjoy!

Monte Carlo - Nacey
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Nacey

Soft

Deep, sleepy male vocals over a subtle house beat is not a formula that usually catches my ear. Leave it up to Pillow Talk to show me what's up. This silky remix has heavy round bass, with the lots of reverb on those lower octave male vocals.  The many sounds that make up this song are near invisible, as the track appears stripped down and simple, though that isn't the case. Enjoy!

Soft (Life and Death Remix) - Pillow Talk
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Pillow Talk | Life and Death

Select Sundays: Hotel Song

Did you know that Regina Spektor's music was associated with the "anti-folk" scene?  I had no idea that her catchy soundtrack-y stuff was about subverting politically charged 1960s folk music.  Of course, that's just what Wikipedia told me, so what do we really know?  There's no doubt that Regina was ubiquitous for a time, but in our fast evolving music scene, her sound is practically a throwback.

Hotel Song - Regina Spektor
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Regina Spektor

Karate

The first few seconds of this track had me hooked. Funky, freaky, disco, dirty -hot damn! I'm not sure that the lyrical hook has me feeling as excited as I am about those first few notes, but the song is fun so that's what I take from it. Sometimes music should just be fun, like this time. Enjoy!

I know Karate
I know Jujitsu
I drive like a gangsta
When I'm coming to see you

Karate - Kennedy
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Kennedy

Dancing In The Dark

Sound the alarm, the end of the world is upon us. This is the soundtrack that plays in my mind when I envision end of the universe. The torrential bass, the mass hysteria on the synths, and the hard driving snare drum tracking your every heartbeat. Be careful, and Enjoy!

Dancing In The Dark - John B
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John B

Tripped

When the weather gets colder, the Drum and Bass music gets more playtime on my system, I have no idea why this phenomenon occurs.   This track is gradual and beautiful, there's an ordered chaos to the sound.  I specifically enjoy the droplet siren sounds that flash throughout. The track has a vintage drum and bass sound, perhaps because it is a vintage song being released in 2001 makes it a dinosaur fossil in the world of DnB. Enjoy!

Tripped - Mampi Swift
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Mampi Swift

My First Castle

Get your Electro shoes on cause we're a-goin' dancing! I completely love the frivolous (to me) lyrics that break this song's beginning sequence. There's so much emotion in his voice, which sure helps when you're singing along. Towards the end, when he's "bibbidy bop bop"-ing in I can feel my blood start to really pump. Enjoy!

My First Castle (Lemmy Ashton Remix) - Tubelord
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Tubelord | Lemmy Ashton

Break You Down

From the beginning the repetitive violin notes grabbed my ears. The heavy percussion and airy vocals go so well together on this track. Though, I would probably enjoy this song just as much if there were no kick drum and snare, just that violin, piano, and her echoing vocals. Enjoy!

Break You Down Feat. Sanna - Loz Contreras
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Loz Contreras | Sanna

Select Sundays: Bad Street

A low key almost strutting song that gets better with each listen. The five members of Twin Sister clearly are vying to make it into my playlists. As far as I'm concerned, they're already there. Put this one on repeat and strut it out.

Bad Street - Twin Sister
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Twin Sister

Dance The Night Away

If this song sounds like something straight out of 1993 to you, then you've got quite the ear -it is from 1993! Tracks like these paved the way for much of the music that I listen to now.  The vocals are so 90's sexy, the kick drum has that 90's rebellion, and the synths are upbeat and fresh. You could dance all night to this track. Enjoy!

Dance The Night Away - Apothesis
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Apothesis

Slowly

Stripped down, dusty, sincere, and full of imagery, this is one of those songs that makes falling in love magical. The song slow dances with you for a few minutes, serenading you with strings of all sorts. When all of a sudden, the song is over, you hear "that's it". but it's not - a happy piano soon follows. What a delight! Enjoy!

Slowly - Coconut Records
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Coconut Records

Fevered Egos

It takes time and patience to appreciate the beautiful journey that this track travels. I envision the song starting out at night, and upon hearing the hustle and bustle of people enters sunrise. This is when the piano is introduced. The song continuously builds and builds gaining momentum and building emotion, when at last -it's over. Enjoy!

Fevered Egos - Drop Electric
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Drop Electric

Always

Sometimes you need to go back in order to go forward so today we're going back, this track comes from the summer of 2001.  The groovy bassline, piano solo, and electric strings catapult this song into fantastic-ness territory. It's all topped off with what I would refer to as a "snow white" sample, because the sound of the vocal reminds me of those early Disney films. Enjoy!


"Just before I go to sleep
There's a rendez-vous I keep
And, my darling, till we do
You are always in my heart"


Always (Ashley Beedle's Mahavishnu Mix) - Bent
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Bent | Ashley Beedle

You Don't Know Me

This beautiful track feels slower than it really is initially.  The vocal hook is spot on, and glides right over the muscular bassline. There's a glamourous nudisco shimmer to this track, and should be paired with the largest disco ball possible.  There's nothing sexier than female empowerment, and that feeling comes across strong during this song. Enjoy!

You Don't Know Me - U-Tern
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U-Tern

Select Sundays: 1977

I have no idea what Anamaria Merino, aka Ana Tijoux, is saying but that's okay because you can just tell she's doing it with style. A French-Chilean rapper, her second solo album was influenced by Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, and Tribe Called Quest. Also, the video for this track is a total throwback -- hoodies, track suits -- and you can see that her image is just as cool as her voice.

1977 - Ana Tijoux
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Ana Tijoux

Sweet Sour

There is something magnetic about the original 'rock' formula. This track is a fantastic example of this phenomenon, and how a formula that has been used many times before can still work today.  I love the part "Sour by the minute, but you're sweeter by the hour". Let your hair down, and rock out to this one. Enjoy!

Sweet Sour - Band of Skulls
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Band of Skulls

Road Game

The eerie strings that start this song off do a fantastic job of setting the tone for what soon to come.  It's impossible for me to not imagine driving recklessly to this song during certain portions. When all of a sudden the choir and piano breakdown appears like sun rays that break through the clouds of a dark and destructive storm. There's definitely some good vs. evil happening here. Regardless, drive safe and Enjoy!

Road Game (F.O.O.L Remix) - Kavinsky
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Kavinsky | F.O.O.L