Today’s Track: La Roux – “International Woman Of Leisure”

November 1, 2019 — 2 Comments

It’s been a long wait for 5 years but she’s finally back! It’s time for a Funky Friday post!

Yesterday, for me, was a very glorious day! It was a day that I had described to my colleagues as “the musical event of the decade”, according to myself, of course! That’s because it was finally the day which English Synthpop artist, La Roux, also known as Elly Jackson, released her first new material since July 2014’s “Trouble In Paradise”, a massively underrated piece of art led by a groovy, tropical vibe, with a sense of melancholy with each lyric. It remains, to this day, as my single favourite LP record of all-time. But, to be, honest, I wasn’t too interested in just hearing a song. Now that her former co-producer Ben Langmaid is not involved in the production process of the project at all, I was just overexcited to find out how she would completely reinvent herself this time around. Her third LP record, “Supervision” will be releasing on 7th February 2020 via Elly’s new independent record label – Supercolour Records!

After weeks of teasing with a clever futuristic secret-agent marketing angle, Jackson finally released the music video for her first new single at 7.30pm last night, titled “International Woman Of Leisure”. It’s very different to “In For The Kill” and “Bulletproof”, two big mainstream hits, but still excellent, which, rightly so, provided Jackson with her first breakthrough on a commercial level. The sound of “I.W.O.L” sits proudly between the funk-soul influences on “Trouble In Paradise”, but also a modern take on an 80’s new wave sound. The vocals are sassy, but they’re very catchy, with a narrative based on moving forwards after a break-up and embracing a new, vibrant life as an individual who doesn’t need a partner. “Oh, you want me to go on, that’s my pleasure” and “No, I don’t ever want to see your face again” are full of Jackson’s trademark style on her very first few tracks, but instead, they’re delivered with an effortless psychedelic groove behind them and a talent for harkening back to classic 60’s & 70’s synthwave riffs, while having a real sense of freshness, longevity and imagination to it. It took me a few listens to adapt to her new and original, although somewhat borrowed, style from her previous record, but it’s an incredibly rewarding banger that definitely has a market for it out there. Can we also talk about the last 48 seconds of the track? OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! The track takes a completely synth-based turn, with an ambient electro-pop section, which is a blissful channeling of disco and early 90’s synthpop. The video is also brilliant and very well-directed, with a good theme, complete with the aesthetics and the outfits. Overall, this is an absolutely triumphant return from La Roux and it’s already one of my favourite singles of the entire year so far. I LOVE IT and I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a new album. She no longer feels underrated and there’s no shame in being a fanboy over it.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Supervision” (February 7, 2020)

Thank you very much for reading this post! It’s almost time for another weekly themed Scuzz Sundays blog post, but first, I”ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a lost 80’s track from a Scottish alternative disco duo who were known for their flamboyant clothing, sporting bows and polka-dots. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/ https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Tom Misch (feat. Poppy Ajudha) – “Disco Yes!”

October 21, 2019 — Leave a comment

I shouldn’t think many of you should be going out to Disco on a Monday, but whatever floats your boat! Yes, it’s a brand new week and it’s time for your new post…

Pictured: Tom Misch in a photoshoot for a “Hypebeast” interview (2018)

Tom Misch is an English DJ, singer, songwriter and producer from London. I first heard about his work through a few guest collaborations with HONNE, an English R&B duo, also from London, who I’ve been a massive fan of ever since they started producing records 5-6 years ago. Tom Misch has also collaborated with Michael Kiwanuka on “Money”, a track released earlier in the year, and on a few tracks with Loyle Carner, an English hip-hop artist. Misch started self-producing records which he would post to his very own Soundcloud account in 2012, before he was signed by Beyond The Groove, a record label based in London which he also set up by himself, before Misch finally released his official debut LP record, “Geography” in April 2018. “Disco Yes” is a track from the record, which features Poppy Ajudha, an English Jazz singer, on vocals.

“Disco Yes” is a very soulful electronic pop track, with guitar riffs that sound reminiscent of disco and funk sounds from the 1960’s and 70’s, but littered by funky guitar grooves and electro-swing bass licks. The vocals are a little monotone in their delivery, which expands upon the super-smooth and witty, almost a little bit flirtatious, sense of lyricism. The vocals from Ajudha are rugged and distinct, but it adds to the experience of the track not feeling overproduced or soaked in production work that feels too clean or safe. The inclusion of a female voice adds texture and sensuality to the funk sound. The outro is a little bit long and the track would have achieved a similar effect if it was to be cut a minute or so shorter, but I’m fond of the variation of styles in the track and how many different genres are gelled together to create an up-to-date disco jam that feels evocative in it’s moods and experiments with various styles, even if a shorter duration might have sweetened up the final deal.

Pictured: Cover Artwork For “Geography” (2018)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as promised, with a track from a new indie rock band who are signed to Bella Union Records and released their debut LP record over the summer, with the record being self-produced by the band in their hometown of Brighton! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every daily new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: The Future Sound Of London – “We Have Explosive”

October 19, 2019 — Leave a comment

Here’s a crazy and influential drill and bass track from 1996 to get you in the mood for an old-school rave on a Saturday night!

The Future Sound Of London are an arcane IDM group who are well-respected in the online music community for those who know them. A very if you know, you know, kind of artist who are mainly known for a few successful albums in the mid-1990’s. In their career, the duo have been credited for pushing the boundaries of electronic instrumentation, with their electronic experimentation covering the likes of acid techno, trip hop, house, jungle, drill & bass and breakbeat, pioneering a new wave of ambient dance music. One of their records, “Dead Cities”, was released in October 1996 to huge critical acclaim and a lot of praise from both fans and music publications, as the industrial sound and the drill-and-bass experimentation created an album that is very dystopian and futuristic in style. “We Have Explosive” was released as a single in March 1997, with the track becoming a commercial hit, somehow eventually reaching the position of #17 in the UK Singles Chart in 1997.

Pictured: Cover Artwork For “Dead Cities” (1996)

This track features loads of samples, mostly taken from Run DMC’s 1988 LP “Tougher Than Leather”, with the “Part 3” track of the physical single record being a working of “Rockchester”, a 1987 track by Fats Comet. The track has a heavy drill and bass hook, which is different to the light techno sound of the other tracks on “Dead Cities”. It has a pulsating bassline and a menacing atmosphere, which feels very industrial in nature and manages to keep your interest with it’s energy and political themes, with several of it’s contextual elements working in tandem to create a track that feels urban and grounded, yet infectious and futuristic. There are a lot of layers that intertwine and unfold as the track goes along it’s 3-minute duration (for the single version, 6 for the album recording) and it may feel a bit too nauseous for some on a first listen, but there is definitely something intelligent about the rhythm, with the track setting the duo apart from the likes of DJ Shadow or Aphex Twin, but while evoking a sound that is as immediate as the duo’s peers, as it blends the influences of big beat and trip hop to a unanimously solid level of success. Overall, it’s a very fun track to listen to and it successfully captures the feeling of a cold aftermath from a state of urban decay. It’s loud, obnoxious and bombacious in style, but wildly evocative and electrifying!

Pictured: Brian Dougans and Garry Cobain

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with the post that you’ve been waiting all week to read, as it’s almost time for the next weekly edition of my punk-rock themed “Scuzz Sundays” blog posts and this week, I’ve got a right throwback up my sleeves! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every daily new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Miami Horror (feat. Clear Mortifee) – “Luv Is Not Enough”

October 16, 2019 — Leave a comment

Luckily for you, a post a day is more than enough! Here is your Wednesday blog post!

Pictured: Cover Art For “Luv Is Not Enough” – Single (2019)

Australians make the best Synthpop music! That seems to be one of the unwritten rules of the pop music industry of this current generation, as it’s been proven by groups like Cut Copy, MGMT and Empire Of The Sun. Another good example is Miami Horror, an Australian electronic pop group which was founded by Benjamin Plant, originally as a solo project, in 2007. I used to be a massive fan of Miami Horror and I would place them among my list of favourite groups following the hazy summertime blast of their debut LP record, 2011’s “Illumination” and the subtle synth poignancy of “All Possible Futures”, their second LP release in 2015. However, after a little string of releases that I felt were mediocre and weren’t very sure about, the band have somewhat slipped down my radar a bit in recent years. They are back after a short absence with their new single, “Luv Is Not Enough”, which is the lead single for a forthcoming yet-to-be-titled third LP currently set for release in 2020. The track also features the vocal talents of Clear Mortifee, a non-binary songwriter from the indie R&B scene. Is this the banger which catapults Miami Horror back into my all-time list?

Short answer: Probably, but with a little bit more work. The track has a very glittery sound, with clear 70’s disco influences and a super clean surface of electronic production work. The track has a very upbeat emotion, similar to “Restless”, the prior single, but with a quality that makes the layered synths feels more cohesive overall, which is provided by the simplistically retro-cut funk and the subtle references, in sound, to a few of the defining soul records of the 60s, created by the likes of Otis Redding and Sly & The Family Stone. The track channels a real disco energy and its infectiously groovy to nod your head along to as a very satisfying instance of pop-dance music. It lacks a little bit in the lyrics department for me, as I don’t feel as though Clear Mortifee really adds a whole lot to the track, with their vocals feeling a little bit generic in places. This is more down to the material she has to work with, as the lyrics are generally lacking a little bit in the department of playfulness. Overall, I would have liked the writing on the track to feel a little bit more unique, but it’s somewhat paling in comparison to the brave direction of the synthesized melodies and the blissfully calm tone created by the ultra-smooth electronic arrangements, which encompass a variety of genres popularized in the 60s, 70s and 80s, with the record ultimately sounding retro, but unique and original enough, at the same time!

Pictured: Benjamin Plant (Synths, Bass, Production), Joshua Moriarty (Vocals, Guitar), Daniel Whitechurch (Keyboard, Synths) and Kosta Theodosis (Drums)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at a fresh Latino dance jam that’s really blowing up on the international club scene! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every daily new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Etienne De Crecy – “Am I Wrong?”

October 5, 2019 — Leave a comment

The wrong thing to do is miss out on a gem like this and the right thing to do is to like and follow the blog! It’s time for your Saturday blog post!

Pictured: Étienne De Crécy (French DJ/Producer)

Today, I’ve been listening to “Am I Wrong?” a track from Étienne De Crécy, a French DJ and Producer who specialises in the House genre and ambient dance music of the IDM category. It’s a very niche and alternative EDM track which I found on my automated recommendations list on Spotify. I’ve personally not heard of Étienne De Crécy before, but after undertaking a bit of research, I’ve heard that he’s been doing a little bit of a Richard D. James since the very late 90’s by releasing music under numerous different titles, including the likes of Superdiscount, Mooloodjee and Minos Pour Main Basse. In 2001, he released “Am I Wrong?” as a single from his second LP, “Tempovision”, which was accompanied by a 3D animated video directed by his brother, Geoffroy de Crécy, who also directed the 3D animated videos for the rest of the singles off the LP. It has become a cult classic in the European club scene and it reached a peak position of #44, just outside of the top 40, in the UK Singles Chart.

It’s a pretty weird and over-the-top video, right? It doesn’t particularly do justice for a song that is otherwise a pretty exciting jam. It’s a very enjoyable track because I like the distorted vocals and the bassline that sounds twisted and funky, almost riotous, but it remains fairly controlled in it’s main execution. The track creates a good excuse for you to just switch off, although it’s just a reworked sample of Millie Jackson’s “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right”, a smash hit from 1974. It feels like a cynical representation of pop music from the 70’s timeline, taking an influence in style from Aphex Twin’s ambient melodies, but the electronic instrumentation crackles as the lyrics snap around the peaceful tone of the pulsating snares, to create a feeling that is relaxing and comforting to listen to. Overall, it’s still an interesting track and a record that’s been meshed together well in terms of the composition and ambient style of the pop-filled rhythm, even if I feel the ending is a little bit abrupt as the drum beats just end without a smooth fade or a slow, but coherent, transition. It also sounds like an effective foreshadowing for 00’s dance hits led by a synthpop revival movement, such as Spiller & Sophie Ellis Bextor’s “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)” and Modjo’s “Lady Hear Me Tonight”, although this is a record that’s a lot more niche and a bit less straightforward in it’s execution.

Pictured: Cover Art For “Tempovision” (2001)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with a brand new weekly edition of my special themed Scuzz Sundays series of blog posts! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Miami Sound Machine (feat. Gloria Estefan) – “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”

October 2, 2019 — Leave a comment

Welcome to the blog! Today, I’m writing about a pop classic that’s coming to get you!

“Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” is a dance-pop track originally mixed by Miami Sound Machine, which features the vocal performance of Gloria Estefan. It was released back in June 1987. Interestingly, it took a year and a half for the track to become a chart hit in the UK mainstream, peaking at #16 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1989. It also hit #5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was first released as a single from “Let It Loose”, the 10th LP released by Miami Sound Machine and the first in Estefan’s chronology, but the single was later re-released in February 1988 after the single was featured very prominently in “Stakeout”, a 1987 film, but it failed to hit the charts again. It was re-released again in December 1988 following the success of the singles “Anything For You” (a title which the LP was later re-released under with new cover art in 1988) and “1-2-3”, where it finally became a minor hit. The track was later used in many different pieces of media, such as a re-worked version for “Wheel Of Fortune”, a British game show. It was later sampled in many different Hollywood films, as well as several Bollywood film productions in India. Last year, it was selected by the Library Of Congress as being “culturally, historically or artistically significant”, to be preserved in the National Recording Registry. Not bad for a “minor” hit, right?

Pictured: Cover Art For “Let It Loose” (1987)

The track starts off with a chant that sounds like a distinct tribal call, as Estefan begins to command the vocal layer of the pop track after the 80’s pop synths and the world-inspired electronic instrumentation begins to instantly fizzle into the forefront of the track. The track is very fast-paced, a contrast to the slower ballad styles of other tracks from the LP. The track is infused with a Cuban drum percussion that makes it sound unabashedly 80’s, a relic of the era of which it was originally released in, also paving the way for the mainstream dance craze of the 1990’s. The fusion of different world instruments and the synthesized Latin pop-based sounds are unique, with the overall composition of the track feeling melodic, which is mostly down to the catchy vocal hooks from Estefan and the undeniably Salsa vibe. The track is very 80’s and it doesn’t sound very futuristic, but it’s still a fun little pop effort to listen to and it holds up pretty well as a song that very much references the time that was originally written and produced in. It’s a little bit commercial, but it’s still a decent record and the Reggae-inspired energy makes it an appealing bop to dance around in the kitchen to!

Pictured: Cover Art for “Anything For You” (album re-release) (1988)

Thank you reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at another cheesy 80’s pop track from a British Pop group who won the Eurovision Song Contest for the UK back in April 1981! If you’re torn between two different guesses as to who they could be, then you better start making your mind up! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every daily new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

One Track At A Time

Dance