Together Forever (Grum Bootleg)

Photo by Jakob Wagner

I spend a lot of time on the Metro. I'm not complaining, because this time is great for 2 things. First, people watching. Second, listening to music. Generally, during my commutes I try to only listen to French Touch. I think it's only appropriate. While I have hours worth of Daft Punk and DATA and Alan Braxe and Lifelike and Cassius at my disposal, I keep coming back to this song. I really don't have much to say about it except that it is absolutely, jaw-droppingly, body-movingly, hands-wavingly amazing.

LOOSE L!PS favorite Grum gave this track to Data Transmission exclusively back in December (sorry for stealing DT, can you blame me?!). Apparently he uses it a lot in his live sets, though as it's a bootleg he's never released it as an 'official' work. It is a mashup/genius combination of Together's (the year-2000 collaboration between Thomas Bangalter, of Daft Punk, and DJ Falcon) Together, and James Talk & Ridney's March 2010 release, Forever. Though Data Transmission credited the song with the title "Forever Forever", they also incorrectly cited the name of the James Talk & Ridney song in question, so I'm assuming that Together Forever is the correct title. If I'm wrong, someone shoot me. An email.

Bottom line:
Thomas Bangalter, DJ Falcon, James Talk, Ridney, Grum. Get this now.

Together Forever (Grum Bootleg)--Together vs. James Talk & Ridney



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Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Photo by Agustin Casasola

With everyone up in arms about the new Starfucker album (which really is quite good, stream songs on their bandcamp here), I think this is an appropriate time to ask a question that’s been plaguing me for ages. What is with that name, guys? You aren’t a metal band, you make spirited and accessible indie pop. Hearing your music I’d think more “StarCuddler.” It’s not that I have a problem with curse words—clearly, as I use many of them—but how am I ever supposed to reference the band in public? For example, when my dear old grandma asks me, “What are you kids listening to these days?” am I expected to respond with, “oh, just this awesome group called StarFUCKER”? Or when my dad reads this post because he thinks it makes him hip (hi dad), is he supposed to go into work telling the office they have GOT to listen to these StarFUCKER guys? And does the band really think I’m going to take the time in conversation to spell out their more politically correct abbreviation, S-T-R-F-K-R? Answer: I’m not.
So what am I to do?

I’m going to have to figure it out soon, because Starfucker are rising higher and higher on my radar and I’m finding myself itching to tell everyone I know about them. Their new album Reptilians comes out in March on Polyvinyl, you can pre-order it here and get instant mp3 gratification. It sees the band embracing a more electronic sound while staying true to their glorious pop rock roots. I’ve had a few of the songs on near-constant repeat (note this week’s L!P ST!CK), so despite the troublesome name I’ve got to give credit when it’s due: These guys are great. Let’s hope they remember where they came from (Oregon, yes, but I mean musically), as their past work was just as fun. Released in 2009, their cover of Cyndi Lauper via Robert Hazard’s Girls Just Want to Have Fun is one of my all time favorite covers-of-a-cover. Their version subtracts the 80’s, adds a funky bass, and is all-around genius. I want to hate you Starfucker, but I can’t. I guess grandma is just going to have to deal.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper Cover)--Starfucker

Comedown Sunday: Girl Hair

Photo Credit Jonas Eriksson

To those of you new to the blog and the Comedown Sunday concept (I would imagine many of you are as my traffic has been steadily growing), let me do a quick refresher. Here was the original mantra: It’s Sunday. Rough. We all know the feeling: you wake up after partying for two or three nights prior, and every part of you hurts. All you want are some pancakes, a shower, and for your raging headache to go away. After blasting pump-up club beats all weekend, the soundtrack for your Sunday should be mellow, melodic, and kept at a low decibel. In light of this I present Comedown Sundays. Need a soundtrack to your recouping, rehydrating, and refocusing on your responsibilities? Comedown Sunday Songs will serve that purpose.

I don’t know about you, but I’m in desperate need of some mellow tunes right now. I thought I knew how to party…then I moved to Europe. Today I’m getting some serious schooling via an aching body and a hazy but incriminating set of memories from last night’s jaunts. Luckily I have the perfect solution to the headache, Dallas’ own Conner Youngbloood. Just 20 years old, he’s been making the blog rounds recently with his savvy self-promotion and the musical chops to back it up. The cool thing is that I actually know this guy. Well, if you count meeting once at a sushi restaurant as ‘knowing’…then we are best friends. Aside from the personal attachment (clearly I take my first-time encounters very seriously), Conner deserves all of the praise I’m about to give him because he makes absolutely beautiful music. Though his catalogue spans a wide variety of genres “from bluegrass to dubstep,” the song that screamed (whispered) Comedown Sunday was the gentle, folky Girl Hair. It reminds me somewhat of old Rogue Wave at their most docile, circa 2004’s Out of the Shadows. It’s features the same type of melodious interweaving of silvery guitars and delicate tenor vocals. The song is sweet, simple, and very much helping to cure my sour mood. Dallas (and the rest of the world for that matter), keep an eye out for Conner.

Girl Hair--Conner Youngblood

1999 (RESET! Remix)

Print by TechnoDrome!

It is both surprising and tragic that more Americans don’t know who Cassius are. They’re playing here in Paris tonight (I’m so excited I can’t sit still), but I’ve had a hell of a time finding an expat friend to go with me. Having to describe them as “similar to Daft Punk, but without the mainstream stateside success” pains me a bit, but for easy categorization’s sake it’ll do. Plus it helps to piques people’s interest. Why they haven’t achieved the same statewide recognition as say Daft Punk or Justice is beyond me, especially considering how long they’ve been around—15 years—and their Grammy-winning work with other artists (ever heard of the band Phoenix, or their Grammy-winning album, Wolfgang Amedeus Phoenix? Phillipe Zdar produced that). Despite their inability to truly penetrate the American market, they’re absolutely fantastic, and legends in the French house and disco scene. Their feel good brand of French touch is the perfect soundtrack to any party. Or run, for that matter. Speaking of party…remember RESET!? Their remix of Graffiti 6’s Annie You Save Me was one of my favorite tracks of 2010, and since bursting onto the scene last year, this Italian collective is quickly establishing themselves as one of my favorite electronic artists. Their bouncy, fun, occasionally frantic remixes and original productions are the type of joyously groovy numbers I am such a fan of. Never short on energy, their remix of Cassius’ 1999 takes it from sunny house number to verifiable funk-a-thon. I challenge you to try and sit still while listening.

1999 (RESET! Remix)—Cassius

Sabali (Vitalic Remix)

Photo Credit Diego Diaz

It’s Thursday night in Paris and Yolanda Be Cool is in town. Cool.
To celebrate the occasion I wanted to post a Yolanda Be Cool song, but none really fit with the LOOSE L!PS aesthetic (yes, believe it or not there is an ‘aesthetic’). I could just go the easy route and post We No Speak Americano, but that doesn’t quite fit either, not to mention it is probably the most over-played song of 2010, and I doubt that anyone needs or wants to hear it again (but I do tonight, oh please oh please). So I’m posting another song that isn’t in ‘Americano’. I hope you get my thought process here. Even if you don’t, it’s a great song nonetheless. I give you: Sabali by Amadou & Mariam, remixed by the godly Vitalic. Amadou & Mariam are an Afro-pop duo out of Mali, and Vitalic is French (go figure). Vitalic’s deep bass and twinkling marimba—you can’t go wrong with marimba—mixed with Mariam’s exotic, pitched vocals make this quite the unique remix. The production renders it sexy, and Miriam’s ethereal, almost childlike, vocals make me feel that to label it as such is a bit taboo.

Right Click to Download: Sabali (Vitalic Remix)—Amadou & Mariam

Opposite of Love (North Lights ft. Perseus Remix)

Photo Credit Ben Thomas

*Disclaimer: This review might very well make me seem like a crazy person.

Do you all remember Perseus? If not, allow me to refresh your memory or introduce you. Perseus were a 3-man electronic outfit spanning 2 different continents, and their remix of the almighty Grum’s Through The Night tore up the charts this past September. Rightfully so, as it can only be described as ‘hot hot hot.’ While their Grum remix was fantastic, their newest undertaking is even better. “But it can’t be done!” you may say. Oh, it can, and it has been. Since September there has been some changes to the Perseus roster, with member Junior leaving the group to pursue solo ventures under the name North Lights (never fear, as the Perseus moniker lives on with the remaining two members). Before the split, the three original members cranked out one last remix together, and the heavens opened and disco Jesus got a new theme song.

No, but seriously. This song is my life right now. Perseus describe it as “Fantastically Fred Falkey, Horribly Miami Horror, and copycat like of Cut Copy,” and indeed, it is exactly that, and miraculously so. It has rendered me the freak who sings along with their iPod on public transportation systems and on the streets. I just can’t help it! The original autoKratz’ vocal line is augmented by the most deliciously shimmering and euphoric synth work I’ve heard yet this year, taking the original song from a thumping little club number to perhaps the greatest modern 80’s style power ballad of recent memory. It’s like unicorns and constellations and Rainbow Bright and flocks of seagulls and every Roland ever made and the 3D-glasses renaissance all got sucked into the engine of a spaceship and when it blew up this song was spontaneously born by some miracle of the synths gods. I want to hear this song playing in every club I ever visit for the rest of my life, and also in space, and also every time I take a shower so I can sing along.

Yes, that’s how I really feel.

The Opposite Of Love (North Lights ft. Perseus Remix)—autoKratz

Comedown Sunday: If I Should Die

Photo Credit Sadie Harris

Today’s Comedown Sunday tune is of a slightly darker and more somber nature than usual, but as it is both unique and sultry it deserves the spot. ▽nknown ShΔpes (which I will be referring to as ‘Unknown Shapes’ because I am lazy and hate typing stupid symbols—I’m sorry, but admit it, you know they’re stupid too—in band names) is a brand new producer out of the UK who, despite having a pet-peeve inducing name, makes some really excellent music. I don’t know anything about him (nor do I think does anyone else) other than he is being managed and promoted by Camden’s experimental beatmaker Blue Daisy. He posted a link to a full download of Unknown Shape’s first EP on his Twitter a few days ago, but has opted to let the music speak for itself and refrained from releasing further information. I do think that’s a fairly wise strategy, as this is music that definitely can both speak for itself and hold its own. Unknown Shape’s style is somewhat reminiscent of a less dubby, but just as dark, Burial. The EP is filled with downtempo and gloomy-yet-glistening experimental electronica accented with the occasional vocal sample and driven by the kind of deep bass that you feel in your core rather than hear. If I Should Die opens the album, and the only thing that it leaves me wanting is to know just what might happen if I should indeed die before I wake.

If I Should Die--▽nknown ShΔpes