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DANCE PLAYLIST: Seasonal Affective Dance (S.A.D.)
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Everything is worse in the gray light of winter: your job sucks harder, your relationship jumps into the toilet, and to top it off, your chapped face is scaring small children. It’s called the sads, and you’ve got them. Fear not: a healthy dose of our Seasonal Affective Dance (S.A.D.) playlist and the world will be right again! Let your manically-excited friends Rusko, Unicorn Kid, Fool’s Gold, Eli Escobar, Canblaster and a masked Azealia Banks bring the bright with energetic, squiggly and smiley dance jams tailored-made to turn that frown upside down. Consider this list your well-deserved sonic light box. All you have to do is go turn up the hi-fi and let it shine.
DOWNLOAD: Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me
Get acquainted with Example – the British rapper and singer who’s been steadily racking up hits on the UK Album Charts and is now building a following Stateside. His third album Playing In The Shadows debuted in September (at #1 on the UK charts) led by the hit single “Changed The Way You Kiss Me.” Over the bass and synth-heavy beat, the 29-year-old weaves a familiar tale of love and troubles with the opposite sex.
STREAM: Arthur Russell - That's Us/Wild Combination (Estate Remix)
There's only so much Arthur Russell and sometimes I feel pressure to take what I can get and try to relive the thrill of discovering his iconic original work for the first time. Here, though, Estate does a good '80s-infused spin on "That's Us/Wild Combination." It's welcome and very surprising that there was room for a keyboard with all the cocaine I presume was on the table when this was made. Ah, those vocals! Still!
DOWNLOAD: Teen Daze - Brooklyn Sunburn
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Truth be told, sunburns are pretty rare in Brooklyn. My brethren are a pasty bunch and take cabs everywhere. Teen Daze do their own thing, though. "Brooklyn Sunburn" continues the band's dance-meets-gauze trajectory that kicked off its year. There's strong keys, glacial sound shards and a disembodied female voice that leads the way. The duo's first proper LP, All Of Us, Together, drops May 22 on Lefse.
PREMIERE: Kris Menace - Falling Star + Depeche Mode and Little Boots Remixes
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Today with Kris Menace, it’s three bounces for the price of one – and they are all major 'floor-lifters. First, the beat-tastic premiere of “Falling Star,” a towering piece of ‘90s-infused German house and spacey teaser to upcoming album Electric Horizon. Next, two more from the big name selector’s enormous back catalog: a bumping refit of Depeche Mode’s “Fragile Tension,” now reinforced by slickly-produced bass burps, and a twinkly stunting of Little Boots’ “Crescendo,” which buries her angelic voice beneath a sea of samples and pop synths.
VEVO + RCRD LBL: Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters have been leaders in the glam-heavy, club-ready and transgressive performance space for years. Their videos are often gauzy wonders and the group continues to collaborate with some of the hottest up-and-comers in the game as evident on their recent spin with Krystal Pepsy (aka Azealia Banks). Since that one got us going again, we put together a video playlist of our favorites.
Check out the full Scissor Sisters playlist over at our VEVO page.
DOWNLOAD: The Glass - Washed Up (Jetlag Hunny Bunny Mix + Black Russian Dub)
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From where I sit, ain’t nothing “Washed Up” about The Glass, but then again, I’m in no position to comment on the nebulous formula in which bands use to name their songs. I am in a position to comment on how good the aforementioned songs sound, and judging by these twin dips, I decree them rad. Jetlag (starring Andy Rourke of The Smiths) takes us the disco-y, ‘90s Manchester rock route with some choice Pulp Fiction samples, while Black Russian does what they do best: rump-shaking dank funk with new wave-inspired synths and chopped vocals.
DOWNLOAD: Lana Del Rey - Born To Die (Guxxi Vump Remix)
Everyone better leave Lana Del Rey alone or I'll get real mad and tear up the place. And by 'place', I of course mean 'the Internet', which is in thrall to LDR again today after this ridiculously stunning performance on Letterman last night. This Guxxi Vump remix of "Born To Die" finds its drama in different places, reining in Lana's vocal refrain and then unleashing it in rapid-fire button-punch-combos that'll leave you staggering all over the club without the aid of overpriced intoxicants this evening.
