About time for a Top 5 list!

1. Dead Lazers - Kap Bambino
2. Quiet Little Voices - We Were Promised Jetpacks
3. 1901 - Phoenix
4. Fembot - Robyn
5. Solar Apex - Chateau Marmont

Full Spotify playlist here
OMG, It so good! - Let's pop the hood.

1.
Kap Bambino has hit my music life like a ton of bricks. Last couple of weeks they have assumed almost complete dominance over my playlists with their crazy electro-punk. Kap Bambino is a two-person band from Bordeaux, France. Caroline Martial on vocals and Orion Bouvier on the production side.
On a side note, Bordeaux seems to have an awesome electro-scene, rivaling that of Paris. Kap Bambino and Just A Band are great examples of this.
Anyways, Kap Bambino fully embraces the energy-bursts of Punk combined with heavy dance-floor beats, vocoders and blip style melodies. Where Kap Bambino really stands out is definitely in their attitude and it's just impossible to resist!
Dead Lazers is the first single from their second album entitled Blacklist. Really cool video to this song as well.
Spotify Itunes


2.
More Punk! Classical, melodious Punk this time. Glasgow's We Were Promised Jetpacks (probably the coolest band name EVER!) are great at producing that type of melodious songs with painful lyrics that I'm such a sucker for. So there is no surprise that I immediately liked them upon my first listening. I strangely found this band through Tycho, of famous internet comic Penny Arcade, as he indicated that he listened to them. I don't know what this means... But cudos to him I suppose!
The song - Quiet Little Voices is taken from the bands first album These Four Walls.
Spotify Itunes


3.
Phoenix is also French! I just love all things french and there is so much great music coming from there! Amazing!
Phoenix has been around for some time but had been off my radar up until the release of their fourth album last year. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is an almost perfect pop album for me, full of great, memorable songs. It was the second track, 1901, that captured me to the band and it's been played almost to the point of death now at my house. That's actually why it wasn't on the previous lists. I simply had to take a Phoenix brake because of over-consumption, they are that good. Listen beyond the great guitar/keyboards and you'll find Phoenix true strength, extremely skilled rhythm musicians.
Spotify Itunes


4.
Robyn! Holy crap, she's back!
Can't stand the wait for the new album and if the Fembot single is any indication, we are in for one hell of a treat this summer. Great song!
This single came out only just recently and i think it's safe to say that it will be a huge hit in time.
Exciting!
Spotify Itunes


5.
French (again!) Chateau Marmont takes their name from the famous hotel in West Hollywood and make smooth, instrumental electro-pop in a similar vein to AIR. Solar Apex is their first EP and they are apparently working on a full-length album. Chateau Marmont represents for me the perfect counterpoint to the more noisier bands i listen to. Even my ears tire occasionally!
Spotify Itunes



That's all! Thanks
/Lo

Top 5 list - this time with electro/glitch/chip/blip/synthpop/indie focus!
I know! I can hardly believe the awesomeness either!

1. Lion Hat - Unicorn Kid
2. Sponsored By Destiny - Slagsmålsklubben
3. Crimewave - Crystal Castles
4. Dead End - You Love Her Cuz She's Dead
5. Purple Cactus - Nobody Beats the Drum

As usual, the whole list is available on Spotify here.

And as usual I'll now present this compilation of musical goodness.

1.
Lion Hat. Just take a moment to reflect on the title... -_-'
Anyways, young Oliver Sabin from Edinburgh crafts wonderfully playful and naive blip-electro tunes under the moniker Unicorn Kid. It's dance music and it's fast, wild and crazy. Simply Irresistible.
An excellent way to kick off my electro/glitch/chip/blip/punk/indie list!
Unicorn Kid is exploding in the UK and probably soon the rest of the world. There will be fluffy lion hats all over the place. Something to keep your eyes on for sure.
Itunes Spotify
Not a video as such, but here is an interview with the “kid” from UK tv show “In the City”. Yes, he wears THE lion hat.


2.
Swedish, 7 piece, electronica collective Slagsmåsklubben (Fight Club) have been at it for quite some time in their native country, growing a large fan base and arriving at the top of the blippop/synthpop scene there. Serious international fame has eluded them, until now, when they are poised to make a breakthrough in style. Sponsored by Destiny is the main track and single from latest album Boss For Leader. Slagsmålsklubben is characterized by their playful, artful and highly energetic approach. Boss For Leader tinted the sound in a slightly darker shade but also elevated the bands technical skill to new heights.
Itunes Spotify
Awesome fan video for this song that I just had to share. Recognize the style? W00t!


3.
We move into slightly darker territory now, with Crystal Castles strange and haunting Crimewave. Taken from their eponymous debut album, the Canadian duo have made a killer album. Putting a strong focus on atmosphere and feeling instead of a clear message or, indeed, even audible lyrics. This might feel as a weakness initially but it actually shows a strong artistic intent and exciting creativity. Just listen and you'll see what I'm talking about. Crystal Castles are going from strength to strength and I predict a bright future for Alice and Ethan.
I really recommend checking out their entire album, it's so hard to just pick one track like this as they are all great.
Itunes Spotify
Crimewave in a TV-video. I'm very pleased by the fact that they play the song live.


4.
You Love Her Cuz She's Dead (UK) takes many cues from Crystal Castles but are something very different altogether. Dead End is taken from their debut EP Inner City Angst and is energetic, noisy and has a distinct punk-electro atmosphere. They are more straightforward than CC and puts a big focus on the upbeat choruses and sing-along lyrics. More party I guess, and more focused on the dance floor, not that many Dj's would have the stones to play them. I am eagerly awaiting their first full-length album, planned for a 2010 release. I believe that we are going to see a lot more of YLCSD.
Itunes Spotify
Love the video! The fox is a clear nod to the french label Kitsune that they are on. (Kitsune means fox in Japanese. Multicultural to say the least!)


5.
Nobody Beats the Drum is the coolest thing I've seen or heard for a long time. They are Dutch of course, that explains a lot (gotta love them). Purple Cactus is a typical NBTD track. Heavy breakbeats, sample-rich and playful. Edgy and raw. The track might not work on all dance floors perhaps but give it time! This sounds as crazy and fresh as Prodigy's first album did way back in the 90's. I would not be the least surprised if NBTD will be the Prodigies of the 2010's.
Itunes Spotify
Video to Purple Cactus. Warning! Video contains actual purple cacti, viewer discretion is advised.


Bonus video!The Drum by Nobody Beats the Drum – Explains who the Drum is, if you were wondering... well kind of ;) Now panic and freak out!


/Lo out

New week, new top 5!

Already time for the second list, and what a list it is!

1. Fall Hard - Shout Out Louds
2. Rocket - Goldfrapp
3. Secousse - Radioclit
4. Backseat - Staygold (feat. Spankrock, Damien Adore & The Lady Tigra)
   
5. The Reeling - Passion Pit

Awesome! All tunes as a Spotify playlist available here.
Ok, so about the tracks:

1.
End of February saw the release of Shout Out Louds third album, entitled Work. Fall Hard is one of the initial singles (the other being the song Walls) to appear to support the album. It's a killer tune with a great guitar hook that, together with the rhythm section, grabs you from the fist seconds and refuses to let go. However, it's Shout Out Louds trademark melancholic lyrics that really lifts the song for me. This combination of upbeat indie-pop and sad lyrics is a weak spot for me so I haven't been able to stop listening to this song, that really stands out on this album.
Spotify Itunes
The video for the song is particularly worth watching. It begins really oddly and has a weird vibe I just love.


2.
The Reeling by Bostons Passion Pit has been played over and over and over at my place (and headphones) lately. We are again talking about uptempo, yet melancholic indie-pop here. It sounds nothing like Shout Out Louds though. Passion pits emphasis on big electronic sound, singer Michael Angelakos' falsetto voice and the childrens choirs really adds up to produce an epic feeling. The torrent of sound kind of wears down your resistances and you are left almost painfully exposed to the power of the song. It's really not a bad experience, trust me!
Spotify Itunes


3.
Rocket is so fresh and hot that it burns my hands just writing about it! Allison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory are back! For me, this is the triumphant return of one of my favorite electronic acts. I remember being blown away by Black Cherry back in 2003 but quickly lost track of their subsequent releases. Rocket is taken from the brand spanking new album Head First that was released a few weeks back. Goldfrapp really reinvents their sound with every release and for Head First that means embracing a distinct 80's sound mixed with modern chart-pop, a great move it seems. Goldfrapps lyrics and amazing voice keep the songs focused and her distinct sound is recognizable after a short adjustment period. Probably one of this years best releases all told.
Spotify Itunes


4.
Another production duo is Swedish Staygold who made a big impact when they appeared with this song in the Swedish Radio P3 Awards this January. On this track they are collaborating with no less than three singers; Damien Adore (A.K.A. Salem Al Fakir, see last week's number 2), Spankrock (Baltimore Rapper) and The Lady Tigra (L.A./N.Y. Rapper). The result is fantastic rap-dance-pop with a unique sound. I can't wait until Staygold releases the full-length that thay supposedly are working on.
Spotify Itunes
Check out the P3 Awards live performance of the song with Robyn.



5.
Secousse is British producer duo Radioclit's 2008 single. (remixed as Secousse All Stars in 2009). Radioclit is really one of the most interesting music experiences I've found lately. Mixing european dance-pop and rap with African sounds, something that is both familiar and exotic appear. It's hard to describe but trust me when I say it's good! I find it impossible to stand/sit still when listening to this track, perfect for parties in other words!
Spotify Itunes



Until next time!
/Lo

This Week's Top 5

The first top 5 list!

1. Undercover Martyn - Two Door Cinema Club
2. Virgin Mary - Salem Al Fakir
3. One Life Stand - Hot Chip
4. Changes - Van She
5. It Starts - Alex Metric

All tunes as a Spotify playlist here

Let's run the list shall we?

1.
Undercover Martyn is the second single from the fresh Irish trio Two Door Cinema Club's first album Tourist History. Catchy and upbeat, the positive energy that TDCC gives off is simply irresistible. Spotify Itunes
Here is the official video to the song:


2.
Virgin Mary is the second track from Swedish pop wonder Salem Al Fakir. This is from his newly released third album - Ignore This. An excellent track that have a great melody and lyrics that tell of a failed relationship in a markedly humorous way.
Itunes Spotify

3.
One Life Stand is the title track from the indie electro geniuses known only as Hot Chip. For the recently released forth album the darker tendencies that where present at 2008's Made in the Dark are reinforced and One Life Stand comes off as a very atmospheric experience. Hot Chip effortlessly merge this sound with curious and playful pop and the result in this case is just great! Itunes Spotify

4.
Changes by Van She is perhaps my most recent find. Not terribly familliar with the Australian band Van She I non the less have to capitulate completely when exposed to their flawlessly executed guitar-dance-pop. The track is the second single taken from the groups first album V, from 2008. Itunes Spotify


5.
It Starts is for me the perfect tune to listen to before you rush out the door on you way to the party or the club. Manchester's Alex Metric has been cranking out tunes for a while now but this is truly the latest and greatest. Released on an EP of the same name last year. Itunes Spotify



Next week there will be a new list with, hopefully, five new songs.
Stay tuned.

Letter of Intent

Hi all. A moment to talk about what you can find here.

This is the place where I post about music that I currently enjoy, because I'd like others to enjoy it too. Simple as that.

I will only link to other sites that have the music i'm talking about, like Itunes, Spotify, Myspace or Youtube.
I will not use this space to distribute copyrighted material in any way!
Support the artists by purchasing their stuff or use a service like Spotify, you know it's worth it if you find it here!

Alright, let's go!
<3