MEGA DOWNLOAD: Dim Mak catalog special
Straight up, one of the best shows we’ve ever seen was Dim Mak’s 2003 CMJ showcase, in the main space at the Knitting Factory. The bill was Panthers, Dance Disaster Movement, Pretty Girls Make Graves, and the Gossip. And while all those bands are amazing, it’s DDM that sticks out in our mind the most—the sheer energy of the performance, coupled with the brilliance of their single “I Want Your Sass” was too much for our little bodies. It was at the height of the whole punk-funk throwback and people were just getting wild and dancey and venues again, so the crowd was wild. Also, someone openly called them “Dance Dance Revolution”, which is hilarious.
Speaking of the Gossip, we were also super into Die Monitr Batss, Nathan from the Gossip’s side project that released really dirty garage punk experiments. Far from the bouncy soul of Ditto & Co., their tracks are dark and ominous.
We assume that Foreign Born’s “Union Hall” is a musical shout-out to our favorite Park Slope haunt, where the drinks are cheap and the booking is tight (and you can stand in front of all those books in the front and feel really studious and stuff). The song is a bubbly slice of Californian rock, akin to Broken Social Scene if they were magically pieced together by the Polyphonic Spree.
Finally, we were big Icarus Line fans in high school, as we weren’t old and sad and/or emotionally damaged enough to really appreciate Joy Division and all that. Also, listening to people scream made us feel edgy and cool (it still does). Dude, you just don’t get us! Listen to “Black Presents” to get with the cool kids.
We thought we’d share some catalog MP3s from Dim Mak with you guys, as it’s Friday and we’re all in need to good tunes for the weekend. Enjoy, and check the Dim Mak RCRD LBL blog for updates!
Download: Dance Disaster Movement - I Want Your Sass
Download: Foreign Born - Union Hall
Download: The Icarus Line - Black Presents
Download: Die Monitr Batss - Physical Distraction
