Separate Sound

The highly anticipated new album from VHS or Beta will finally be hitting the shelves this month. “Bring On The Comets” is crammed full of songs that are sure to ignite the dancefloor. My definite favorite is “Can’t Believe a Single Word” which so undeniably catchy that I have not been able to get it out of my head for days. If you aren’t familiar with the new wave dance rock sounds of VHS or Beta, go to their Myspace NOW.

VHS OR BETA- MAKING OF BRING ON THE COMETS

vhs or beta
dance
rock

Remember the good old days when Jason Schwartzman wasn’t just an actor? When he was also the drummer for California indie pop band Phantom Planet? After the release of their third album, Schwartzman resigned in order to pursue his acting career full time. As time went by, Phantom Planet faded into the distance and Schwartzman’s acting career took off. His musical past became ancient history. Fast forward to 2007 and the debut of Schwartzman’s new solo project, Coconut Records which isn’t much of a departure from his old Phantom Planet days. Each song is light and sunny and some are even California themed (the first single is called “West Coast”). The sound is very sweet and simple with nice little melodies. I, personally am glad that Jason is back making music again and was able to provide us with the perfect summer soundtrack.

jason schwartzman
coconut records
california
summer
music

We Are The Night, the new album by UK electronic legends The Chemical Brothers, does not disappoint. By sticking with their tried and true formula of loading up on special guests, they have created another solid album. The artists making appearances this time around include Fat Lip from The Pharcyde, The Klaxons, Midlake, and Willy Mason who are all amazing in their own right and combined with the beats of the Chems, provide us with some pretty interesting tracks. The content of this album is just as diverse as the guest artists performing on it which allows The Chemical Brothers to hold their title as one of the most interesting and inventive electronic artists to date.

The Chemical Brothers- All Rights Reversed Live (featuring the Klaxons)

chemical brothers
music
electronic
klaxons
Turbo Tagger

I’ll make this quick for you and let the albums speak for themselves. Check out these two 2007 releases and get dancin’.

Perceptions of Pacha - DJ Kiko Navarro

Pacha is THE best known name in nightclubs around the world. Since its original location in Ibiza was founded in 1972, the club has grown to 22 nightclubs dotted around the world from New York to Ibiza and from Buenos Aires to Munich. Not only are there clubs but Pacha also runs a magazine, two restaurants, a hotel, a clothing line and a record label. Over time, the Pacha name has become synonymous with all that is stylish, hedonistic and fabulous. Swank Recordings have partnered with Pacha for this first CD release.

Kiko’s debut album is a start-to-end listening experience, sequenced like a seamless DJ mix. The music has an organic, live feel to it, reminiscent of Masters At Work’s “NuYorican Soul” album and has influences from Latin and Afro house to classic Salsoul disco.

Late Night With Groove Junkies - Groove Junkies

Welcome to the 3rd volume in the “Late Night With” series. This compilation series spotlights the nocturnal sounds spun by the world’s top DJs and this latest edition has been compiled and mixed by the legendary Groove Junkies. This is Los Angeles-based Groove Junkies 5th CD release in as many years and is a testament to their exploding popularity. Always in demand and with a solid year-round touring schedule, the Groove Junkie’s fanbase is growing daily.

This mix features massive club hits from Mr V, Dennis Ferrer and Kiko Navarro as well as showcasing several original productions and remixes from the Groove Junkies themselves. Soulful and uplifting house at its finest.

music, new releases, perceptions of pacha, kiko navarro, late night with groove junkies, groove junkies, dance, house, separate sounds

Björk’s latest album, “Volta,” is out now and of course I am excited along with all other Björk fans! Here are some “Volta” album extras to peruse.

In other new release news, here’s one you may not find anywhere else: “Beginner’s Guide to Tango Lounge” on the Nascente Label. Tango Lounge combines the traditional dancefloor energy of tango with newer beats, creating electro-tango. This is a 3-disc set that you shouldn’t overlook.

And stop by NPR’s site to learn about artists Paleo and Podington Bear. Taking “musically prolific” to new heights, Paleo recently finished writing and recording 365 songs in 365 days and Podington Bear is set to release 156 songs this year. Try out a few songs by both artists.

music, new releases, free music, bjork, volta, beginners guide to tango lounge, tango, electro-tango, paleo, podington bear, npr

Mumm-Ra is a young UK-based band with an indie-pop sound and gentle cleverness behind their aesthetic. And their new album, These Things Move in Threes, comes out in the UK and US later this month.

How does a grey town and a grocery giant transform into an echanted view of the world? And how can you sample some Mumm-Ra tunes? (more…)

Though you may think of WeHeartCats.com as The Cat Empire, it is also the name of a lively Australian band!

Where hip-hop meets reggae, where jazz is played with dirty hands, where a Cuban line meets an Aussie rule, where nothing seems in place, but sounds like many places played in one earthy chorse…

This is the island where The Cat Empire was born.

Their most recent album was Two Shoes. You can hear tracks from it on the band’s MySpace page. Try “The Car Song.” I was listening to that while sitting in traffic earlier today and it definitely brightened my morning.

“Genre-bending” is a term often used to describe The Cat Empire and that makes them great material for Separate Sound. What they’re doing is creative, high-energy, and fun. Big in Australia, they’re becoming more and more popular around the world. In fact, they’re on a world tour now and it might not be too late to catch them in your area. Also, a new album is in the works…

Give them a try today and I bet you’ll be adding Two Shoes to the top of your wishlist!

music, australia, the cat empire, we heart cats, two shoes, the car song, myspace

Craig over at swedesplease recently featured “Love and Nostalgia“ - a single from Friday Bridge’s upcoming release.

The album is Intricasy and will be released on May 23 by But Is It Art? records. They say they deal in “timeless and elegant pop” and this is a lovely example of that.

From the Friday Bridge site:

I . Friday Bridge is the musical vehicle for Ms Friday Bridge et al.

II. Friday Bridge is the ideal musical companion to dinner parties and parlour games.

III. Four Friday Bridge concerns are delicacy, melody, sophistication and lush orchestration.

IV. In its mildness and refusal to trade intellect for friendship, Friday Bridge is most subversive.

Pop over to the Swedesplease post or directly to Friday Bridge’s site to hear “Love and Nostalgia.” It’s both simple and sophisticated, and I liked it immediately. I think you will, too.

music, swedesplease, friday bridge, love and nostalgia, new releases, albums, mps

Two exciting pieces of Björk news, today:

First, the video for “Earth Intruders,” the first single off Volta, has been released! It’s availabable for purchase on iTunes right now - or you can just watch the preview for free.

And more news! The video for “Innocence” (also on Volta) will be created by…maybe you! Björk is accepting submissions for the video through August. Then, she’ll pick a winner and collaborate with her/him to create the actual thing. That’s a fabulous opportunity for some creative person!

All the info on the competition is here - including the song! So, that’s two singles we’ve been able to hear now. The excitement builds!

bjork, music videos, music, earth intruders, innocence, volta, itunes, music downloads

Somehow mixing a lot of distortion and somewhat unstructured noise with melodies that stick in your head, Black Moth Super Rainbow manages to be both abstract and poppy. Their music is a meeting of organic and electronic.

And BMSR has a new album coming out on May 15. They say:

Dandelion Gum is a loosely based concept record about witches who make candy in the forest. Each of its 16 songs represent a different candy-induced freakout in the gooiest and sweetest ways possible. Songs that are built to stick in your head for hours meet textures that are impossible to scrape off your teeth. You might not even realize that the sunny melody you’re humming to yourself all day has so many hidden layers behind it - all hummable as well. It’s as accessible of a record as it is abstract, and as bright on the surface as it is moody underneath. “Dandelion Gum” feels as colorful and sticky as its name suggests. Recorded over the course of 3 years, “Dandelion Gum” is a product of the woods. It is deeply inspired by stories passed down from relatives and ones the band created themselves after long nights in the cabin. The best of those stories, and one that we hope could be true, is of the sisters who refused to leave their shack deep within the forest. The sisters (or witches as they are lovingly referred to in local folklore) were truly scary and it is said they would concoct all kinds of sugary treats for anyone foolish or adventurous enough to wander that deep….

Visit their site to try out some of their songs, like “lost, picking flowers in the woods.”

black moth super rainbow, dandelion gum, lost picking flowers in the woods, mp3, album releases, music, electronic music