Weekly Column - The Froth!

 Track of the week: ‘On Your Own pt. 2’ by Fryars

If you have heard the first part of this, then you might be surprised by this second one, but that is why I like it so very much. The first part, in contrast to several songs he had released earlier for his second album, was relatively “grand”. BBC radio gave it a spin, it had a slick video which got some press love, and the sound was (again, relatively) bigger. So, he turns it around here. Wordy, weird, and wonderful; this slightly eccentric turn shows how you can do self-referentiality right. Showing he is quite the wordsmith, he puts the bleak with the observant with some wit, though the actual star of the show really is that change-up from verse to the re-imagined chorus. Though part one was nothing to sneeze at -- and hopefully it brought in some extra listeners via the radio for this guy --, this is really the kind of thing that excites me to no end. I somehow feel I should end this with a For Your Consideration tag or something, but I’ll finish by saying that the lyrics are on Fryars' own soundcloud page for this one and worth a read.

‘Feels Free’ by Shit Robot feat. Luke Jenner (edit)

It starts with some delicious bass action, and before too long we’ve got the yelp of Luke Jenner (who you might know from The Rapture), who is quite adamant that we will always want his love. Around 1:30 there is a slight strip down where we get the keys and where the bass is left out for a moment. The keys then get some help from the beat, and under Jenner’s My looooooveee slowly the track is build up again, kicking into higher gear when the bass gets back and, after that, in comes some extra house-y piano to really blow the thing out off the water. This is just delicious DFA action by Shit Robot, a feel good track with a house feel, though with that slight DFA twang which makes sure you’re not going to mistake it from an original from the 80s or something. I even think they bought some of the same equipment as The Juan Maclean, judging by the sounds. Just nice, dancey, catchy music to dance to, sure to bring a smile on your face.

‘Le Prince Noir’ by Perez (Pilooski remix)

Like a dark prince probably should, this one really starts deep down underground with that beat. Despite the deepness of it, it still has an accessibility to it, especially when the additional sounds come in (including handclaps) just before the minute mark. Meanwhile, Le Prince Noir has begun a major speech in French, which I don’t understand at all. But judging it on its function as atmospheric sound, it does fit with the beat. Gets a bit of a techno vibe later on I reckon, or at least a kind of feel I didn’t immediately think of when I saw the name Pilooski. As the song progresses, it seems to get purposedly derailed a bit. Where the starting beat was, as said, accessible and catchy, later we get all kinds of sounds that are shot right through it all. It starts with the occassional Whoo yelp, after which sounds are piled on and on to make it all but a smooth ride. I think it kind of fits the track to be honest, even though I can imagine some people being put off by the planned crowdedness. For me kind of fits that “Prince Noir-y” vibe though.

‘All You’re Waiting For’ by Classixx feat. Nancy Whang

That beat kind of is a contrast to that really summery feel the synths give off, but luckily the synths take the upper hand in this one sooner rather than later. After that, DFA muse Nancy Whang picks up the microphone for arguably her most poppy turn ever. Especially that pre-chorus moment where it is almost her and her alone is a poppy display. Also that nice synth after the chorus just puts on the feel-happy vibe front and center. And if all that didn’t signify the feel enough, there is this moment with only Whang’s vocals and handclaps, just before the chorus comes in again. So if you’re looking for some nice synth-pop action with Nancy Whang fronting, this is is as happiness inducing as it gets probably.

‘Extraordinary’ by 78 Edits

They had me already with that start. I mean, friggin’ horns baby! Come on, who doesn’t like that to kick it all off? They get a bit off support by a throbbing beat before sliding in a bass and disco/funk number from way back when. These funky 70s sounding vocals sing that This is the place where you want to be, and surely that is the case if they’re playing stuff like this. After two minutes you get some female vocals thrown in there as well, and the two start working together over that bass to make sure you feel you need to run to a disco RIGHT NOW. Before the minute mark you get some lovely instrumental action, after which the male vocals come back in over that catchy bass section.  If you love that funky sound of yore and you want to dance to that in a contemporary disco&house club, this is a lovely track for it. Just keeps that vibe that is so vital, but it gives it that beat and bass that makes that you don’t have to be transported back into that decade and put on some outrageous clothes. It certainly is my kind of thing, and if it is your thing too then make sure to have a listen and have some fun at the same time.

‘La Femme d’Argent’ by AIR (MannMadeMusic Revisited Edit)

Originally a rather downtempo track by Air, which some ace synth moments that really made that one hugely populair. MannMadeMusic is brave enough to take this one on, and does so with a focus on the beat to keep it going forward, though still at a rather low pace. It’s a rather subtle rework this, giving it a bit more of a funky feel by putting extra attention to the bass and the bass’s vibe, over which you get some organ action to keep it within the realm of the original. Much more useable for a lounge-y type of set (or to start or end a regular one I’d reckon), and it does run terribly smooth and is very well-crafted in that regard. A complete re-imagining it is not though, so if you are looking for that look away now. And you’d better be in the mood for something like this, because with eight minutes it will hold no prisoners.