The OXD Mirror: New Music for 11.2.12

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / JOSH APPELBAUM

The OXD Mirror is a weekly music column brought to you by the boys of OCCUPY THE DISCO (OXD), a New York City based movement created by three music lovers, Ru Bhatt, Josh Appelbaum, and Tadeu Magalhães, who want to share their love for disco, house and dance music with the world.

 

R Kelly: 'Feelin' Single (Speakerbot Remix)'

R. Kelly is an artist that needs no introduction, now on his 11th solo studio album after selling millions of records since the early 90s.  'Feelin Single' is a promotional single from his latest album, Write Me Back, which was noted for the its retro, throwback vibe and a for being a departure from the silliness that has encompassed Kelly's songwriting in the past decade.  New Jersey-based DJ Aashish Bansal, also known as Speakerbot, gives this song an ethereal spacey beat that definitely made my head turn at first listen.  Maybe R. Kelly's next effort should take a decidely disco approach?

 

Only Children: 'Falling'

Artists/DJ Collective/Record Label Only Children have a lengthy job description as they touch so many facets of the music business.  Whether it's remixing, making original music, DJing, or booking talent for their label, Chicago-based Only Children have certainly kept themselves busy this past year.  As a special treat for Brooklyn-based label Razor N Tape, the group has remastered Surface's 1983 single 'Falling in Love' into a funky mid-tempo dance track.  The funk injected into the song adds a modern twist to this post-disco early 80s gem.

 

Roosevelt: 'Soleil'

Newcomer Roosevelt actually hails from Cologne and claims he has no particularly affinity for U.S. history.  Known also as Marius Lauber, Roosevelt recently signed to Greco-Roman records and has toured with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (TEED) in the UK and DJed with Hot Chip.  His first 2-track single release includes his other song 'Sea' (which he recorded a sweet video for) as well as 'Soleil.'  Mellow vocals and production are Roosevelt's signature style in both tracks, with a style reminiscent of peers like Peter Bjorn and John.

MORE NEW TRACKS, AFTER THE JUMP...

 

Two Door Cinema Club: 'Sun (Gildas Kitsune Club Night Mix)'

Irish indie favorites Two Door Cinema Club, (who we have covered before) have gained quite the following since their first album, Tourist History, hit the shelves in 2010. Their sophomore album, Beacon, released in September, has managed to go to #1 in their home country, #2 in the UK and #17 in the U.S, despite little press coverage.  'Sun' is the second single release from Beacon. It should come as no surprise the band is signed to French label Kitsuné and the dance-loving label has given 'Sun' their famous 'Gildas Club Night remix' treatment.  We can't wait to see what great things this band - as well as their label - come out with next.

 

Solidisco: 'Turn Around (Original Mix)'

Two Buffalo-area DJs met through their craft and formed a musical bond now known as Solidisco.  With a surprisingly high number of releases under their belt in under 3 years, this duo is determined to use their production skills and love for dance music to put out some of the best disco house music in the business.  They recently sampled George Benson’s 1981 single, 'Turn Your Love Around' for their latest release 'Turn Around', which is available as a free download above (Just click the download button on the Soundcloud).  This reinterpretation is a dancefloor filler, with funky beats and instrumentals sure to get everyone's feet moving.

OCCUPY THE DISCO (OXD) curates and recommends music events to the gay community in NYC—in an effort to move the focus of the nightlife scene beyond the promoter and venue and to the music itself. OXD's goal is to educate, entertain, engage and empower the gay audience to reclaim their ability to question and experience the unknown. The OXD Mirror will serve to showcase tunes that are definitely off-the-beaten-path but rightfully deserve the attention of the gay ear. It's music that will make you dance, dream, and most importantly, love.

TOMORROW NIGHT:

If you've kept up with OXD, you know that we are huge fans of The Magician.  Whether it's his massive production work as one half of Peter and The Magician (alongside Yuksek), remixes for artists like Sam Sparro and Lykke Li or producing his famous mixtapes (the latest one below), The Magician is leading the nu-disco and house scene with his finesse and great taste.  We are excited to bring LGBT music fans together to Occupy The Disco for his live set in New York City this Saturday night at Le Poisson Rouge.  Check out the event listing here and be sure to RSVP on Facebook. We'll see you on the dancefloor Saturday night!

This week's post was written and curated by Josh Appelbaum

For more information on OXD, check out our website and accompanying blog at www.occupythedisco.com, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter: @OccupyTheDisco.

AP Reports On Gay Candidates And Changing Political Culture: VIDEO

The Associated Press posted this video report today about the historic number of LGBT candidates running for public office across America, particularly Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin. Her sexuality has not been an issue, she says, because Wisconsin voters are more concerned about the economy. Besides, as the report notes, more conservatives realize that anti-gay attacks often backfire. Not all conservatives, but more than yesteryear.

Watch the report AFTER THE JUMP.

Washington DC Archdiocese Fighting Maryland's Marriage Measure: VIDEO

Perhaps hoping to appeal to young voters, Washington DC's Catholic Archdiocese commissioned Father Kevin "Kev" Regan for their 90-second long ad against Maryland's Question 6, the passage of which will bring about marriage equality.

Watch Regan employ his oratorical skills and espouse "the gift of sexuality" - heterosexuality only, of course - all the while preaching discrimination AFTER THE JUMP.

Joy Behar Does Not Understand GOProud

Discussing Ann Coulter with The Advocate's Matthew Breen, The View host Joy Behar veered the conversation toward GOProud, the conservative gay group that backs Mitt Romney.

She's find GOProud utterly confusing, she says, because they've endorsed a candidate who doesn't support them.

Here's an excerpt:

MB: Some of the things [Ann Coulter has] said at Homocon and other GOProud events seem tone-deaf.

JC: Aren’t the GOProud guys the ones that are voting for Romney? Why would she be against them?

MB: She said if the GOP picked Romney, they’d lose.

JC: Let’s hope she’s right. I don’t understand the GOProud people either. Why are they voting for someone who’s against gay marriage, gays in the military? The Republican platform wants to roll back into “don’t ask, don’t tell.” I mean, that is completely retro. It’s not all about your pocketbook, guys. I guess they feel their money will protect them from homophobia. A lot of people felt that way, in like Germany, for example.

In response, GOProud executive director Jimmy LaSalvia tweeted at Behar that he wants to come onto The View to explain his group's position.

Josh Cutler Responds To GOP Mailer Smearing His LGBT Allies

Josh Cutler, a Democratic candidate for the Massachusetts state house, has responded to the Republican Party's mailer trying to smear him for the fact that MassEquality endorsed his campaign.

That mailer implied Cutler supported tax-funded transitions for transgender inmates, as MassEquality has; it was to that detail that Cutler, obviously feeling threatened by being associated with transgender inmates, responded in an email to supporters.

From that email:

Yesterday, my young son came home to find this mailing from my opponent falsely claiming that I am supporting taxpayer funded sex-change operations for prisoners!
 
I want to tell you unequivocally -- that's false. In fact, it is a blatant lie.
 
The truth is, I am already working with folks in the legislature to fight this outrageous ruling and make sure that taxpayers never pay one cent.
 
What's just as outrageous is that my Tea Party Republican opponents would go to this extreme spreading lies about me just days before the election, expecting that I'd have no time to set the record straight.

Conservative Ad Breaks 'Major Revelation' That GOP Loves Black People: VIDEO

If you want to know what craven vote pandering looks like, look no further than this ad put out by the conservative super PAC Empower Citizens Network, which claims a "major revelation" in "news" that Republicans are for black Americans.

The ad then cites Republican Abraham Lincoln, a president from a different time and a man who has been dead for 147 years, as their character witness. It's an astonishing piece of work that's currently airing in Ohio.

Hunter at Daily Kos had this to say about this shameless display:

So the Republicans are now the party of civil rights, which is no doubt why they've been going on for decade after decade about states' rights and southern heritage and southern strategies and how the Confederate flag is great and putting up billboards warning minorities not to vote and … you know what? I don't even have the energy. And from the looks of the ad, neither do they.

If the GOP is so keen on using Lincoln and his anti-slavery politics as their platform, perhaps they should also start touting his advocacy of a progressive income tax?