SONGS THAT MAKE ME FEEL HAPPY

It´s a special day today, and therefore I like to listen to happy songs. Here are a few.

MP3 Boney M - Felicidad (Alt. Link)

MP3 The Grass Roots - Heaven Knows (Alt. Link)

MP3 Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Alt. Link)

MP3 The Association - Along Comes Mary (Alt. Link)

MP3 The Music Explosion - Little Bit O´ Soul (Alt. Link)

GET INTO THE GROOVE

Now, I´m no Sonic Youth fan, but any band that makes punk flavored covers of Madonna songs are all right with me. Ciccone Youth was a Sonic Youth side project in the late 80´s that spawned two albums, the first was all Madonna covers, and the second, The Whitey Album was covers of other 80´s hits like "Addicted to Love" (Robert Palmer).

The best song however was this one:

MP3 Ciccone Youth - Get Into The Groove(y) (Alt. Link)

PINK PROJECT

Italy, 1982,a local dj and producer Luciano Ninzatti realizes during his sets that Pink Floyd´s "Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)" and Alan Parsons Project´s "Mammagamma" has the same tempo and key in some places. He teamed up with composer/keyboardist/producer Stefano Pulga and made what can only be described as a mash -up. The vocals from Pink Floyd´s song fitted perfectly on the Parsons piece, so Pulga and Ninzatti decided to officially release the mix as Disco Project. However, the final recording was not a mix, in that it did not feature any actual samples from the Parsons or Floyd records; instead, everything (i.e. the whole instrumentation) was very carefully re-played by Pulga, Ninzatti and Bonsanto - in particular, Ninzatti played a nice rendition of David Gilmour's famous guitar solo - while the choir was performed by a group of schoolkids from an international school in Rimini. All of this was mainly done because Pink Project had no authorization at all from the any of the songwriters - indeed, they never asked for any - so the only way for them to release "Disco Project" was to actually make cover versions of the three pieces featured in it. The choir also followed the key shift in the music of "Mammagamma", which was not present in the original mix by Pulga & Ninzatti.

"Disco Project" was a major hit in Italy during the summer of 1982, and this implicitly obliged Pulga & Co. to put up a fictional band for TV performances. Indeed they did - the song was mimed various times on Italian TV by four people (on bass, guitar, drums and keyboards) dressed up in black monk-like robes and black pointed hoods. Although there were rumors at the time about three of the mysterious individuals being actually Pulga, Ninzatti and Bonsanto themselves (with the fourth "member" being Massimo Noè), this was never really confirmed or denied by anyone. Also, the TV performances did not feature any choir or anyone lip-synching the lyrics, although the vocals were clearly heard.



MP3 Pink Project - Disco Project (Alt. Link)

FEEL FREE

The Dog´s favorite house/ hip-hop/ electro/ r&b/ minimal producer Remi alias Stanley Steel just sent over this deep house gem. It features what sounds like Norway´s answer to a female Common called Poppie on vocals. It sounds kind of like something Masters At Work could have done back in ´93. Easy on the ears it´s the perfect soundtrack to a gloomy Tuesday night.

MP3 Remi feat. Poppie - Feel Free (Alt. Link)

MARINA

It´s nice to hear some swedish pop that´s not from Sweden, and if it wasn´t for the heavy british accent that´s exactly what I would assume Marina & The Diamonds was; Sweet, innocent girl pop from Stockholm or Lund. However, she´s from Wales and has turned out some beautiful, catchy and harmonic tracks that puts her in the running with the Lykke Lis and Robyns of the world. Check her out on Neon Gold Records.

MP3 Marina & The Diamonds - Seventeen (Alt. Link)

MP3 Marina & The Diamonds - Obsession (Alt. Link)

MUSICA DA BATTICUORE

The Robot Scientists are a German dj duo and vinyl enthusiasts. On their myspace they have a whole bunch of mixes, the one I have chosen is a great combination of italo, disco and just all around good records.

"Musica da Batticuore" - heartbeat music: music that makes your heart beat as fast as if you just fell in love - that is what we love and how our mixtapes of underground space, italo and cosmic disco vinyl classics are called." -TRS

MP3 The Robot Scientists - Musica da Batticuore vol. 10 (Alt. Link)

TRACKLIST

2005 Stars Group - News from future Atoll 1978
BISS - Robot with a rose AVM 1982
Makina Girgir - Siren scam Drehmoment 2008
Lime - On the grid (Dub Mix) Polydor 1984
L.E.B. Harmony - Feeling love Chic 1979
Squadra Blanco - The dream that doesn't stop Holosynthesis 2002
John Carpenter - Halloween I ZYX 1984
Moon Birds - Astro 9 Ibach 1979
Wanexa - The man from colors Discomagic 1982
SSQ - Walkman EMI 1983
Skatebard - Vuelo Radius 2007
Black Devil - One to choose RCA 1978
Transvolta - Disco computer Pinnacle 1979
Arpadys - Monkey star Sirocco 1977
Hot R.S. - Delta queen Vogue 1977
Charisma - Magnifique (instr.) CNR 1979
Odessa - Sketch (Starlight Boyz Rework) Disco Praline 2008
Roland Sebastian Faber - Hommage II Aube 2007
Dinosaur L - Kiss me again (Version) Sire 1978
Secession - Touch (Part 4) Intercord 1984
Binary - The meaning Mission Discs 1984
Electronic System - Cosmos trip Targa 1977
2005 Stars Group - News from future Atoll 1978

OH HEAVENLY DOG

The wonderful people over at Norway´s no. 1 pop culture blog Smuglening were nice enough to heed my requests for spreading the word about The Dog. I sent them a mixtape with some disco goodness that you can download over there.

And for good measure a great edit by Sweden's Martin Vogel of a beautiful Springsteen track that´s featured on the mix.

MP3 Bruce Springsteen (M. Vogel Edit) (Alt. Link)

FUCK

the sopranos, uncensored. from victor solomon on Vimeo.

WORK IS A DISGRACE

Peter Kirk from Outlasws just sent over this mix of great rock and pop tunes.

MP3 Outlaws - Work Is A Disgrace Mix (zshare)

TRACKLIST

Magnapop - Slowly Slowly
Ratatat - 17 Years
Dennis Brown - Things In Life
Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Y Control
Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds (live)
Can - Vitamin C
Belle And Sebastian -Stay Loose
The Clash - White Man In Hammersmith Palais
Arthur Russell - Keeping Up
Neu - Hallo Gallo
Method Man - Release Yo' Delf
The Unicorns - I was Born A Unicorn
The Pretenders - The Talk Of The Town
Arab Strap - The First Big Weekend
Talking Heads - Nothing But Flowers
The Pixies - Where Is My Mind?
Joy Zipper - 1
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Totally Natural

ACCELERATOR

A great addition the web magazine xlr8r´s podcast series from Mexican techno duo Shadow Dancer. Probably ment to promote their upcoming album on Boyse Noize Records. It´s a huge track list with a nice selection of house, elector, disco and techno. In other words something to get the party started for every man, woman and child.

MP3 Shadow Dancer - xlr8r podcast (via xlr8r) (subscribe to this podcast via itunes)

TRACKLIST

01 The Parallax Corporation - "Whore of the Floor"
02 Franz Ferdinand - "Ulysses (Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve Remix)"
03 Grace Jones - "Williams' Blood (Aeroplane Remix)"
04 John Carpenter - "The End (Part 1: Disco Version)"
05 LFO - "You Have to Understand"
06 Joe Smooth - "Promised Land"
07 Prince - "Controversy"
08 Elecktroids - "Future Tone"
09 Rainer Werner Bassfinder - "Minimal Scarf Fuckers Drown!"
10 Zapp - "More Bounce to the Ounce"
11 Telex - "Moskow Diskow"
12 Nightmares on Wax - "Sal Batardes"
13 Pet Shop Boys - "Being Boring (Extended Mix)"
14 The Paradise - "I'm in Love with You"
15 The Cars - "Candy-O"
16 Herbie Hancock - "Rockit"
17 Luke Vibert - "Propertronics"
18 Shadow Dancer - "Together"
19 Fantom - "Faithfull"
20 The Bucketheads - "Whew!"
21 Zoot Woman - "Living in a Magazine (Paper Faces Remix)"
22 Octave One - "Black Water"
23 Friendly Fires - "On Board"
24 Jedi Knights - "Public Funk"
25 Hashim - "Al-Naafyish"
26 Chromeo - "Needy Girl (Shadow Dancer Remix)"
27 Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - "Intro"
28 Infiniti - "Game One"
29 The Plan - "Escapism"
30 Clark - "New Year Storm"
31 Carl Craig - "A Wonderful Life"
32 Giorgio Moroder - "From Here to Eternity"
33 New Order - "Perfect Kiss"
34 Mr. De' - "Superugly"
35 Silicone Soul - "Right on 4 Tha Darkness"
36 Ric Ocasek - "Jimmy Jimmy"
37 Superdiscount - "Fast Track"
38 Bandulu - "Weak Heart"
39 Clor - "Good Stuff"
40 Underworld - "Born Slippy"
40 Visage - "Frequency 7"
42 Daft Punk - "Superheroes"

DOWN TO LOVE TOWN

DJ legend and stellar producer Greg Wilson recently did the infamous Essential Mix, and it has proven to be the best in the essential mix catalogue ever! Mr. Tong talks about Greg´s legendary in the beginning of the mix, so I won´t go into it here, but it´s safe to say he´s UK´s most experienced DJ (that´s still alive) who did a ton of 1st´s.

MP3 Greg Wilson - Essential Mix 17.01.09 (rapidshare) (Alt. Link)

TRACKLIST

The Originals ‘Down To Love Town’ (Dimitri From Paris Edit) – Motown / CDR
Soul Searchers ‘Blow Your Whistle’ - Sussex
Goody Goody ‘It Looks Like Love’ - Atlantic
Shirley Lites ‘Heat You Up’ (Melt Down Mix) – West End
Metro Area ‘Dance Reaction’ - Environ
Talking Heads ‘Psycho Killer’ (GW Edit) – Disco Deviance / DJ Only
Sugardaddy ‘Love Honey’ (GW Version) – Tirk
Chic ‘I Want Your Love’ (Todd Terje Edit) – Supreme / DJ Only
Q ‘The Voice Of Q’ – Philly World
Nitro Deluxe ‘This Brutal House’ – Cutting
Atlantic Conveyor ‘We Are’ – Untracked
Firefly ‘Love (Is Gonna Be On Your Side)’ – Emergency
Kasso ‘Walkman’ – F1 Team
Rose Royce ‘Do Your Dance’ – Whitfield
Gunchback Boogie Band ‘Funn’ – Prelude
Rufus Feat Chaka Khan ‘Ain’t Nobody’ (Frankie Knuckles Mix) – Warner Brothers
Happy Mondays ‘WFL (Vince Clarke Mix) - Factory
Young Dog Alien ‘Gotta Keep Workin’ It’ (GW Mash-Up) - Reactivate
Stevie Wonder ‘Superstition’ (Todd Terje Edit) – Motown / CDR
Loose Ends ‘Hangin’ On A String’ (Frankie Knuckles Mix) – Ten
Aretha Franklin ‘Rock Steady’ (Danny Krivit Edit) – Rock / DJ Only
Gwen Guthrie ‘Seventh Heaven’ (Larry Levan Mix) – Garage
The Commodores ‘Machine Gun’ (Situation Edit) – Motown / CDR
B.T (Breanda Taylor) ‘You Can’t Have Your Cake And Eat It Too’ (GW Edit) – Tirk
West Phillips ‘(I’m Just A) Sucker For A Pretty Face’ – Quality
Edit The Edit ‘Two Sides Of Sympanthy’ (PTA Mash-Up / GW Edit) – Edit The Edit / DJ Only
Stone Roses ‘Fools Gold’ – Silvertone
Banbarra ‘Shack Up’ – United Artists
War ‘Me And Baby Brother’ – Island
Gino Soccio ‘Try It Out’ – Warner Brothers
Geraldine Hunt ‘ Can’t Fake The Feeling’ – Prism
Brown ‘ I Specialize In Love’ – Profile
Visual ‘The Music Got Me’ – Prelude
Incredible Bongo Band ‘Apache’ – MGM
Tweet ‘Boogie 2nite’ (Fat Camp Mix) – Elektra / DJ Only
Dc La Rue ‘Cathedrals’ (GW Edit) – Disco Deviance / DJ Only
Teenage DJ ‘I Was A Teenage DJ Pt 1’ (GW Edit) – Reactivate
Sir Joe Quarterman ‘(I Got) So Much Trouble In My Mind’ (Barna Soundmachine Edit) – GSF / DJ Only
League Unlimited Orchestra ‘Things That Dreams Are Made Of’ – Virgin
TW Funkmasters ‘Love Money’ – Champagne
Last Rhythm ‘Last Rhythm’ – American
The Clash ‘Casbah Breakdown’ (Joey Negro Edit) – CBS / CDR
808 State ‘Pacific State’ (GW Edit) – ZTT / CDR

SEEING COLORS

A mix of classic tunes to mark the 10th anniversary of techno label Ghostly International. Compiled and mixed by Michna it is a journey through the music that inspired Ghostly. It´s curated by Sam Valenti IV.

MP3 Michna - Seeing Colors: Ghostly Influences

TRACKLIST

Orbital - Halcyon & On & On (FFRR)
Joey Beltram - Enegy Flash (R+S)
The Persuader - What’s The Time, Mr Templar (Svek)
Sascha Funke - Safety First (Kompakt)
Pantha Du Prince - Suzan (Dial)
Klein & MBO - Dirty Talk (Zanza)
Gino Soccio - Remember (Atlantic)
Giorgio Moroder - The Chase (Casablanca)
Der Zyklus -Elektronisches Zeitecho (Gigolo)
I-F - Space Invaders Are Smoking Grass (Interdimensional Transmissions)
Kraftwerk - Numbers (WEA)
Air - Le Soleil Est Pres De Moi (Dopplereffekt Mix) (Source)
Depeche Mode - Everything Counts (Maxi Single Live Version) (Mute)
The Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before (Rough Trade)
The Cure - Close To Me (WEA)
The Cure - Close To Me (Closest Remix) (WEA)

WHEN I GROW UP

Now, I love The Knife as much as the next guy or gal, but this new song from Fever Ray just sounds like Neverland to me (which was incidentally my favorite track of the "Silent Shout" album). What turned me on to The Knife was their ability to reinvent themselves from album to album and do something new. "When I Grow Up" is nothing new under the sun, it feels a little unimaginative. But it´s not bad by any means.

MP3 Fever Ray - When I Grow Up (Alt. Link)

FRIDA

Frida (Anni-Frid Lyngstad) is the brunette from disco supergroup ABBA. She had a solo stint in the 80´s with the most relevant part of that catalogue being this Phil Collins produced pop number from ´82. It´s a big reverb drum attack with a great guitar rhythm on top.

MP3 Frida - I Know There´s Something Going On (Alt. Link)

AGILE MOBILE HOSTILE

Iconic 50´s rock God Andre Williams has gotten a doco made about his trials and tribulations. The directors spent a year with the 70 year old powerhouse and documented a still vibrant and funny (and still on drugs) man with a whole lot of demons and a whole lot on his mind.

Watch it here for one week only.

MP3 Andre Williams - Jailbait (Alt. Link)

MP3 Andre Williams - Cadillac Jack (Alt. Link)

MP3 Andre Williams and The New Group - Bacon Fat (Alt. Link)

MP3 Andre Williams and The Sadies - Psycho (Alt. Link)

MP3 Andre Williams and The Sadies - Shake A Tail Feather (Alt. Link)

DRIVER´S SEAT

All due respect to Fromage and their edit, and I also want to thank them for turning me back on to this exceptionally great track from Sniff ´N´ The Tears. But I have to post the original, because it´s so perfect. From 1979, hit number 11. on the charts in the states. Enjoy!

MP3 Sniff ´N´ The Tears - Driver´s Seat (Alt. Link)

FROMAGE

I discovered Fromage, this Australian editing sensation while browsing through somebody´s comments section on myspace. They were advertising a new mix they had done, the profile picture was a flyer for a party with my fellow countryman Todd Terje. So I clicked it and on their page was posed a whole lot of edits they had done of classic pop and disco tunes. I liked their stuff so I befriended them and I will now share a few of my favorite edits of theirs.

MP3 The Supremes - High Energy (Fromage Mother Edit) (Alt. Link)

MP3 Edwin Starr - Contact (Fromage Is Looking At You Edit) (Alt. Link)

MP3 Sniff ´n´ The Tears - Driver´s Seat (Fromage Seatsinffers Edit) (Alt. Link)

They have also agreed to do an exclusive mix for the blog, so stay tuned for that one.

SOMETHING FOR A FRIDAY MORNING

I´M posting this on a cold ass Thursday night, but it´s definitely a song worth waiting until a brisk friday morning to listen too. It will get you in the zone where everything you have to do tomorrow will go off without a hitch, be it working with the blind or selling money.

MP3 Jefferson Airplane - How Do You Feel? (Alt. Link)

CRAZY PENIS

British funk band Crazy Penis (more conservatively known as Crazy P) is here with a nice disco mix including some of the bands own material. The mix was done for Futureboogie.

MP3 Crazy Penis - Futureboogie Mix Tape (Alt. Link)

TRACKLIST

Ron Basejam – Hot Fridge (cdr)
Crazy P – Lie Lost (Maurice Fulton Mix) (20/20 Vision)
Chic – Burn Hard (Ron Basejam re-edit) (CDR)
Banbarra – Shack Up (OST)
Hess is More – Would You Like to Disco (Music for Dreams)
Crazy P – Stop Space Return (Accapella) (20/20 Vision)
Hot Toddy – All Night (CDR)
Snax – Trouble (Crazy P Remix) (Def Drive)
Invisible Man Band – All Night Thing (Ron Basejam Edit) (CDR)
Moodyman – Shades of Jae (Black Mahoghani)
Inland Knights – 10 Years of Drop (Crazy P Remix) (Drop Music)
Lovebirds – Love on My Hands (Dubfuk Mix) (Winding Road)
Wagoncookin – Start to Play (Compost)
Crown Heights Affair – Change (De-Lite)

MARCH OF THE ZAPOTEC

Just as I´m "re-discovering" the greatness of Beirut, I found out that the 23 year old wunderkind just released another album with the snappy title "March of the Zapotec and Real People Holland - New Recordings from the State of Oaxaca". I´m thrilled of course to hear these new Gypsy-ish renderings from the Paris based New Mexican native, and Gypsy-ish is what I get, but I get something more as well. It seems Zach Condon has another had an affair with a synthesizer while the accordion sits at home with the kids.

The best and most accurate comparison I can make when it comes to the synth tracks on this album is to swedish electropopper Familjen, and listening to "No Dice" it feels like the Skonska vocals are just around the corner. Instead we get a great melody and headnoddingfoottapping beat.

Zach stays with wifey though for most of the album, and his "affair" with the Synth becomes more of a fling than something serious.

MP3 Beirut - No Dice (Alt. Link)

MP3 Beirut - The Shrew (Alt. Link)

Buy the album on itunes.

Read a Q&A with the man here.

SOMETHING FOR A WEDNESDAY MORNING

It´s been a while since I´ve done one of these "something for a ... morning posts", but ´I would like to share with you some of the tracks that I listen to and play that have that early morning feel. First off is New Mexican, 23 year old singer Zach Condon aka Beirut with a beautiful tribute to his second home France.

MP3 Beirut - Nantes(Alt. Link)

Second off is an edit o the same track done by a Belgian duo who go by Gameplayers.

MP3 Gameplayers - Beirut Disco (Alt. Link)

And finally a track by another Belgian band called Lullabies In The Dark. They are made up of one half (Vito De Luca) of cosmic disco lovers Aeroplane.

MP3 Lullabies In The Dark - Iridium (Alt. Link)

SOUND & VISION

In 1977 David Bowie released a beautiful song called "Sound & Vision".

MP3 David Bowie - Sound & Vision (Alt. Link)

In 2008 Matthew Dear released an equally beautiful cover.

MP3 Matthew Dear - Sound & Vision (Alt. Link)

CROWN & GREYHOUND

The Dog has been lucky enough to get a great British duo who go by the name of Rough Drawings to do a wonderful mix just for us.

Here is what they had to say:

‘We hope you enjoy this one. Blood, sweat and tears went into it. There's a few favourites in there, new and old. Let us know what you think too, we like feedback. As for our own project, we’re close with a couple of tracks, we feel positive, but we’re not giving up our day jobs. There are some exciting prospects on the horizon though, we’ll be sure to let you know of any developments.’

MP3 Rough Drawings - Crown & Greyhound Mix for Oh Heavenly Dog (Alt. Link)

TRACKLIST

Cage & Aviary - Hot Cancel
LCD Soundsystem - Us vs Them (Windsurf Remix)
The Laughing Light of Plenty - The Rose
A Certain Ratio - Life's A Scream
Lindstrom & Prins Thomas - Sykkelsesong
Jahcoozi - Arto's Bubbles in the Bathtub Shake
The Exile Missile - Sidewinder
The Hundred in the Hands - Undressed in Dresden
Kerrier District - Illogan
Curses! - The Deep End (Holy Ghost Dub)
Boogie Corporation - Junk
ESG - Moody (Spaced Out)