The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks (five this week), most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘Save Their Souls’ by Bohannon (Poolside edit)

Poolside start this edit with a slow moving beat and some higher pitched percussion to keep the balance right. After that, some lovely, deep atmospheric sounds to get that feel right on in there. Especially that horn-like sound that blows in from way underneath is lovely. Then, at the minute mark, the vocals, almost chanting Save their souls. After that the track moves into the groove, anchored by a nice little guitar riff, and it brings that funk with them. The way those vocals are used, and that being balanced by those deep rhythm and atmospheric sounds; it gets the hypnotic beat of the African jungle right in there. And then, the Jazzy horns, giving it that NY slant. It’s really a tremendous track this one, the '70s done right I reckon, and put out there so that we, too, can do some grooving to Mr. Bohannon himself.

 ‘It’s The Being In Love’ by Michael Jackson (Late Nite Tuff Guy edit)

I actually just got this one on vinyl, a release from the Midnight Riot label (though the edit itself isn’t that new I believe). As we have come to expect from LNTG he brings the smooth disco edit, first giving you the beat, and then the synths and the chopped up vocals, which break out of the loop at exactly the one minute mark to say that it Is the being in love. LNTG does use the whole loop thing with this one, and after the first part is over he slides in a second part that comes from underneath to then take over with the It’s the falling in love that’s making me hot (You go for it, you!), then diving into a similar loop with a little guitar riff, the beat and drums, and the vocals doing part of the sentence before bookending it with a complete lyric. Around the three minute mark he breaks out of the loop, with the new vocals appearing on the scene and doing a whole verse worth of that sexy. Then, in unison, double layers of vocals, and then back to it with, this time around, the horns as well. It’s just another lovely, smooth, clean edit by LNTG, exactly the way I like them (hence, the vinyl acquisition ya know).

‘Firecracker’ by Todd Terje & The Olsens (radio edit)

Todd Terje is at it again, upping the pace and the weirdness with this firecracker (…) of a tune, definitely going all out in terms of those sounds that are not overused by any other artists. Which makes it a peculiar sounding one indeed. He doesn’t throw every convention overboard though, giving us some nice bass action at 1:20 for instance. There’s always a groove underneath the oriental to make sure to keep it at least as grounded as he wants it to be, which is just enough for those who actually want to dance to it in any case. Love some of the switches, those are nice, and there is a fun-ness and a tempo to the track that will get anyone out of their sleep-induced days at the midnight club. Though to say I’ll be listening to this track on repeat, it might be too far out for that button right there.

‘I Feel Numb’ by Classixx feat. A. Frankel

Classixx team up with A. Frankel from Holy Ghost! to get the dancefloor going with some throwback synth-pop. A steady drumline is given, when the vocals come in for the first time a bass is added in the background, and next to that there is plenty of synth action until the actual singing starts. The upbeat demeanour, apparently, belies trouble, as he will Take you by the arm, saying you need to slow down, as he feels numb. Again, the vocals without the synths, which then get added later in the verse. The chorus sees a padded vocal line, some backing vocals, and a little rhythm synth chugging along. Just before the three minute mark the bass and beat are dropped in favor of just the vocals, and obviously the boys then slowly build it back up for the dancers on the dancefloor. And all them all get a lovely slice of catchy synth-pop to do some dancing to, including the instrumental outro where we even get some cowbell to do that little shimmy to.

‘Not Coming Down’ by Cleopold

I love how, from the get go, the slow pace is created, and then (equally from the get go) the soulful vocals come in. And those vocals are up, front, and center, especially during the verses. The chorus sees a bit more punch from the instrumentals, especially the bass and percussion, and it even includes backing vocals. From that point on the pace is slightly upped, giving it a bit more of a pop feel, with the bass providing some funk & rhythm. Before the two minute mark the track comes down (…) a bit, with just the vocals. Slowly Cleopold adds some percussion, and obviously a short while later the catchy starts again. It’s a track from their debut EP, called Altitude & Oxygen, so if you fancy this soulful-yet-poppy turn, be sure to have a listen to that one.

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘Mastermind’ by Roisin Murphy

Miss Roisin Murphy is back, starting this one with some lush synths through which we can slowly hear a rhythm synth emerging. After about thirty seconds we get the vocals, almost narrating a story in a mysterious, near menacing vocal turn. She says she is Scared out of her mind, she is Petrified, and that she Has been waiting for too long, for something wrong. So no pop diva vocals here, but a sort of performance poetry, though at 2:20 she strips the gadgetry, some of the music as well, and from that point on we get a very clear vocal, also with lighter sounds surrounding it, this for the full immersive experience. From the moment her vocals start, by the way, the track gets a little pulsing beat underneath, and from the three minute mark that one is also helped by some of that bass. Later that minute we get another change up in the form of an instrumental interlude, harking back to some dark italo bass synths coming from some soundtrack or another from the 80s. It is a really theatrical piece this (especially hitting home when the backing vocals hauntingly appear as well), and shows that Murphy still has plenty of creative juices left in her.

‘Lose Control’ by Shit Robot

Shit Robot leaves no moment unused, immediately getting that bassy vibe in there for some getting down to. At the thirty second mark we get the lighter percussion sounds to juxtapose the heavier rhythm line, and half a minute later we get even more drum & rhythm to shake our bootie to. It’s got this forceful feel to it, a nice pounding it gives you. At the 1:30 mark, the DFA go-to vocalist appears, with Nancy Whang singing that Every day I’m waiting for, you to wake up, wake up, wake up. The great thing about Whang is that she’s got a nice, rhythmic voice for this sort of work. In the mean time Shit Robot keeps it all rolling down, adding all kinds of drum and rhythm elements to the core that is always present, really making sure this is a dancing tune (and don’t you forget about it!). Whang’s vocals return, singing that she Can’t fight this feeling, Lose control, which are dancing words. After that, Shit Robot takes the beat away for a moment, just going with the rhythm synth, and then bringing it back in for that little push. Lovely dancefloor tune, as we are accustomed to from anything that has to do with either DFA, Nancy Whang, or Shit Robot.

‘Under One’ by Toomy Disco

Toomy Disco starts this one with a hard hitting beat, doing the glitchy a bit as well. After the thirty second mark we get more of a thudding main hitter to get that rhythm right, and a minute in we also get some diva vocals. At least, for a moment, soon traded in for the bass sound. But not too much later they show they can co-exist, with the bass still rolling, and the vocals urging you to Bump (pump?) the party. And this definitely is a party track, no bones about it. After the two minute mark, suddenly, it opens up, getting some of that piano in, stripping some of the rhythm sounds for a moment (and at about the 4:10 mark doing a similar thing as well). But Toomy Disco soon works its way to the beat and go, giving the people on the dancefloor not too much of a rest as they need to keep a movin’! And it certainly pounces that home, doing the party vibe and the hard going with this one.

‘Long Water’ by Wilson Tanner

Wilson Tanner is a combination of John Tanner and A.R.T. Wilson, giving us a peaceful moment at the start, with some piano and a little bit of that slow guitar to really set the tone. Then, to add, a bit of those sad & jazzy horns, putting us in that particular state of mind. And so, slowly, it adds certain sounds, but without any form of clutter. It is a real clear cut song, getting everything out of all the sad notes for all the sad sacks to reminisce and reflect to. It is an instrumental piece that would not be out of place at a Jazz festival, and definitely it gives you all that a good jazz tune is able to give you as far as I’m concerned. The atmosphere is constant, the sounds clean and packing the emotional feel they want to exhume, and that for a good six minutes straight on. A feat they pull off with confidence and skill.

‘Pleasure’ by Formation

Formation are a young British band putting the bass full in at the start for this electro track, one with a little bit of that punk intensity in there as well. The bass is really the main rhythm, but drum rhythms help to give it the dance vibe, while the punk-ish delivery and a certain rawness provide that intense quality. The drums and vocals, for the most part, give each other a moment of rest, and at the two minute mark there is a full stop. Just some vocals before, first, the drums come back, and after that, the whole works, but a little more upbeat and with a bit more air than at the start. Trading in the basement for something with a bit more sunshine.

‘Do I Believe In God’ by Prince (LNTG Muscle Mix)

After Bowie now Prince has left the building as well, but that doesn’t mean we cannot funk to either songs like ‘Fame’ or tracks like ‘Controversy’, a classic Prince tune where he talks about people wanting to know about other people and, Oh lord, is he gay or straight, is he black or white, and does the man Believe in God? Controversy! One of my favorite edits is the Late Nite Tuff Guy mix (which I was fortunate enough to dance to live when I saw the man perform behind the decks). Starts out with a lovely beat, but also already the guitar riff, building up the familiarity until, after a good minute and a half or so, it dives headlong into the track, giving us the funky to do the sexy to. The vocals come in, the rhythm is spot on, and you can get crazy to Prince saying that I just can’t believe the things that people say, as people are getting down on the dancefloor doing things that might give people actually something to talk about. There’s plenty of the guitar, plenty of the vocal work, and enough funk and catchy stuff to really get it going on too. One of my favorite mixes of an artist who has influenced many.