The OXD Mirror: New Music For 5.3.13

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / TADEU MAGALHÃES

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.

We are now on Spotify!  Subscribe to our 'As Featured on Towleroad' Playlist to listen to tracks posted from past weeks.

 

Sébastien Tellier & Caroline Polachek: 'In The Cew of Tea Time'

Aside from being one of my all-time favorite artists, Sébastien Tellier has a special place in my heart when it comes to his ability to combine powerful productions with beautiful visual experiences. His extremely work-unfriendly video for 2012's single 'Cochon Ville' was impactful and did a great job showcasing the sexual appeal of disco music. After touring the US in 2009 with Chairlift as the opening act, Tellier expressed his wish to collaborate with the Brooklyn band's lead singer Caroline Polachek. Four years later, they finally released 'In The Cew of Tea Time,' a slow-ish but grand electropop work that naturally accompanies another graphic and masterfully art directed video. Polachek's sweet whispered vocals are a great match for Tellier's unique pitch and I'm loving this track even more with every listen.

 

Boris Dlugosch feat. Róisín Murphy: 'Look Around You'

Last week, Ru hinted that a new Róisín Murphy + Boris Dlugosch collaboration was in the works, but little did we know that only a few hours after his column was published here on Towleroad, the new song would be available for our listening pleasure. The track, 'Look Around You,' is everything we hoped for: stylish, sexy and lush house music with a strong pop appeal. As Ru stated, this is not the first collaboration between the Irish disco diva and German producer, and judging by the success of their tracks, it is unlikely this will be the last time the two work together.  Murphy is rumored to have further collaborations in the works with producers like Luca C & Brigante and Solumun.

 

Sh*t Robot: 'Feels Real'

DFA Records is on a roll lately with their recent releases. After featuring Man Tear's 'Outside Amore' on my last column and The Juan Maclean's 'You Are My Destiny' right before that, I was hesitant to include yet another release by DFA on this week's column. But I had to be fair – their newest release by Irish producer Sh*t Robot, titled 'Feels Real,' is a massive track that blends Bee Gees-like falsetto vocals, a Lil Louis-flavored energetic bass and gospel inspired keyboards. It might just be impossible to keep still to this one on the dancefloor.

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The OXD Mirror: New Music For 4.26.13

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / RU BHATT

The OXD Mirror is a weekly music column brought to you by the boys of OCCUPY THE DISCO (OXD), a New York City based collective 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.  

 

Boris Dlugosch feat. Róisín Murphy - 'Never Enough (Drop Out Orchestra Remix)'

Germany's Boris Dlugosch, known for his funky and deep house tracks, made quite the impact with his 2001 hit collaboration with Róisín Murphy, 'Never Enough.' In a somewhat suprising move, Dlugosch is re-releasing the massive tune 12 years later with a collection of new remixes. On this rework, Sweden's Drop Out Orchestra turns the hard hitting club banger into more of a subdued, daytime disco affair by including space age synths and the heavy strings that inspired their namesake. While the impetus for this re-release may not be that altruistic (a new Dlugosch and Murphy collaboration is supposedly in the works), it's quite exciting that Dlugosch (via his label, Peppermint Jams) sought out many of today's finest producers to update this classic hit. Dlugosch has even gone as far as to crowd source the next remix of this classic song, with a contest live on Beatport soliciting fan-made works. Murphy fans like myself have practically been begging for new material since her fantastic 2007 record, Overpowered, so we'll take anything we can get.

 

FCL - 'It's You (David Morales Remix)'

FCL's 'It's You' is somewhat of a controversial tune. The song is a remake of a track made in 1986 by a Chicago house duo called ESP. FCL's Red D & San Soda were inspired by the original in 2003 and created the 'San Soda's Panorama Bar Acca Version,' which was only available on vinyl and had a very limited press run—reserved for D, Soda and some of their friends. The song's haunting vocals and stripped down production made it an instant hit on the dancefloor, becoming the essential tune for DJs to play. After the records were found being sold online for ridiculous prices (€500!) and after hearing many accounts of DJs playing low quality versions of the the track in clubs around the world, the Belgian production duo recognized the the need to turn to Defected Records and give the song a proper digital release in order to preserve the quality of their art. With the advent of the Shazam app and and the internet, it's impossible to create a limited release these days. And there's the lament: the duo went to great lengths to preserve exclusive access to their art, but, in this digital era, they were practically forced to give the public what they wanted so they would hear it in the quality that the artists prefer. Luckily what that also means is that uber house producers like NYC's very own David Morales are given access to create their interpretations as well. In this instance, Morales adds considerable weight to the original, turning the wonderful acappella track into a floor filling summer house anthem.

 

Disclosure - 'You And Me feat. Eliza Doolittle'

Hot off the heels of the successes of 'Latch' and 'White Noise,' the brothers Guy & Howard Lawrence (a.k.a. Disclosure) recently debuted the third single from their hotly anticipated debut album, Settle, and have performed quite the hat trick!  'You & Me' features vocals by English singer-songwriter Eliza Doolitle and stays true to Disclosure's successful formula of vocally driven Chicago House / U.K. Garage tracks. Tad and I had the pleasure of seeing the brothers live at NYC's Bowery Ballroom (where they previewed much of the new album to our considerable delight) and were absolutely blown away by this song. It's interesting that brothers refer to this slick and breezy jam as pop music, which certainly may be true in the U.K. but it's a far cry from what's considered pop here in the states. Perhaps they're just ahead of the trend?

 

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The OXD Mirror: New Music for 4.19.13

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.

Below is a recent interview we did with Logo TV's New Now Next that describes who we are and what we do in a bit more detail. Enjoy!

And now onto the new music!

Logo: 'Cardiocleptomania'

The title of French electronic production duo Logo's latest track, 'Cardiocleptomania,' seems to suggest the song is about someone who steals others' hearts incessantly.  With it's pulsing house beats, intense piano and strong musical progression, the song certainly took my breath away at first listen.  According to thier label, Kitsuné, the accompanying video is "designed to challenge and condemn homophobia in sports as much as it is the story of opposite impulses...willing to fight one of the most painful and taboo subjects of nowadays."  The progression of the video is timed neatly with the drops in the song to create a chilling cinematic effect.

 

Kisses: 'Air Conditioning'

There's something particularly irresistible about the sweet, summery electronic pop that has been coming out of L.A. lately from the likes of Goldroom, Classixx and of course this song's artist, Kisses.  Evoking serious visions of warmer weather, Kisses' aptly titled single 'Air Conditioning' has a sound that reminds me of The Cure's 'Lovesong'. Singer Jesse Kivel's smooth vocals paired along with the hearty bassline and ethereal instrumentals make this song a "must have" on my early summer poolside playlist.

 

Satin Jackets feat. Patrick Baker: 'Only You'

Satin Jackets have been on a roll this past year - and clearly we are big fans since we've featured them three different times on Towleroad before. Their latest, 'Only You', is a deep house track with vocals from up-and-comer Patrick Baker.  Smooth and slow is how Satin Jackets likes to record their music, and this track is certainly no exception.  They stick so steadfastly to this theory that on their Facebook page they go as far as to claim they will never put out a track above 120 beats per minute.  I'm continually impressed with their production skills with every subsequent track and look forward to more releases from this talented group.

MORE NEW MUSIC, AFTER THE JUMP... 

The OXD Mirror New Music for 4.12.13

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / TADEU MAGALHÃES

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.

We are now on Spotify!  Subscribe to our 'As Featured on Towleroad' Playlist to listen to tracks posted from past weeks.

 

Shine 2009: 'Eurozone'

When I first heard Shine 2009's track 'New Rules' a few years ago, I instantly fell in love with their revamped 90's aesthetic. It seems as though they've figured out a way to mix broken beats from 90's with balearic, echoed synths to create some of the most innovative pop music out there. They soon followed with their debut album, Realism, which is still a personal favorite from 2011, and included a track that featured vocals by Paula Abdul called 'So Free.' After a two year hiatus, the Finnish duo is back with a new single, 'Eurozone.' Although it stays true to the sound Shine 2009 created, it does add new elements that make it fresh, including opera-like backing vocals and prominent guitar riffs. The track is part of their sophomore album Our Nation, scheduled for release later in 2013.

 

Drop Out Orchestra: 'Day Vague'

Drop Out Orchestra are true masters of nu-disco. Adding to an already extensive catalogue, the mysterious Swedish duo recently released an excellent 6-track EP on the label File Under Disco called The Power of Music. The opening track is killer: 'Day Vague' borrows most of the iconic elements from classic disco, including a funky bass, prominent percussion and beautiful strings. With a violin like that, who needs vocals?

 

Man Tear: 'Outside Amore'

After bringing attention to  artists like LCD Soundsystem, Hercules And Love Affair, The Rapture, The Juan Maclean, Surahn and others, NYC's DFA Records has become a go-to label for what is up-and-coming in the dance and cutting-edge pop music world. Their newest bet is Man Tear, a project started by Swedish producers Axel Boman and Petter Nordkvist. For their debut single, 'Outside Amore,' Man Tear reached out to the award winning film director Johan Jonason to provide vocals, which were laid over an hypnotic bass line and squeaky, fun tambourines. The result is an elaborate disco track that will hopefully make a big imprint on the music scene.

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The OXD Mirror: New Music for 4.5.13

BY OCCUPY THE DISCO / RU BHATT

The OXD Mirror is a weekly music column brought to you by the boys of OCCUPY THE DISCO (OXD), a New York City based collective 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.  

 

Phoenix - Entertainment (Blood Orange Remix feat. MKS)'

The original version of 'Entertainment,' the lead single from Phoenix's upcoming album, Bankrupt!, uses cheery synth riffs and a children's choir to mask the deep sadness buried in the song's lyrics. With this remix, rising star producer Blood Orange (née Devonté Hynes), strips the original of its chipper elements and lets the song's inherent sadness lay bare. Along with Phoenix's lead singer, Thomas Mars, Hynes has added vocals by MKS (that's Mutya, Keisha, & Siobhan, the original Sugababes), who have been working with Hynes on their upcoming, very highly anticipated album. The soft harmonies of MKS add a vamp element to the song's chorus, and the lazy, downbeat-ridden production--complete with a haunting guitar solo--emphasize Mars' yearning for solitude.

 

Slow Knights - 'Legendary Children'

Scissor Sisters bandmember Derek "Del Marquis" Gruen posted a mixtape earlier this year, as a teaser for his LP, Cosmos, which released under the Slow Knights moniker earlier this week. The album itself is brilliant. Gruen teams up with several different artists like Xavier and Rod Thomas (of Bright Light, Bright Light) to create an 80's, funk, pop, house and R&B groove that is unlike anything else I've recently heard. It was hard to choose a favorite track to highlight on today's column but 'Legendary Children' does stand out track as it's the only song where Gruen himself provides the vocals. Of course, the title and lyrics appeal to the gay aesthetic (along with the quiet "work" refrains), but it's the song's beautiful production that truly draws one in.

 

Justin Timberlake - 'Let The Groove Get In (Krystal Klear Remix)'

'Let The Groove Get In' is my favorite track on Justin Timberlake's latest album, the 20/20 experience. The song's rousing brass section and addictive, repetitive chorus make it the album's only true dance moment. UK's Krystal Klear, hot off the heels of his critically acclaimed Sky Ferreria remix, takes a different route with this complementary remix. The producer and DJ strips the song of its aggressive elements creating a smooth, chilled out track that highlights Timberlake's R&B-styled crooning.

 

Du Tonc - 'Darkness'

Du Tonc is the mastermind of UK's Mighty Mouse and Australia's Matt Van Schie (of Van She). 'Darkness' is their first release. Although the beautiful, tropical influenced modern disco track saw it's official release months ago, it has finally been given a music video treatment that the track so desperately called for. The video tells the story of a young girl struggling to find acceptance from her family due to her sexuality. OXD recently sat down with Mighty Mouse and he lauded us for helping gays discover modern house and disco music. Although he's straight, it's clear from our conversations and the video above that we have yet another ally to add to our ranks. 

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The OXD Mirror: New Music for 3.29.13

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 gay world.

We are now on Spotify!  Subscribe to our 'As Featured on Towleroad' Playlist to listen to tracks posted from past weeks.

 

Tuxedo: 'So Good'

The mysterious music act Tuxedo is comprised of unnamed members, but is rumored to be the braindchild of Mayer Hawthorne and producer Jake One.  They seemingly came out of nowhere a couple of weeks ago and started to tease their debut EP Tuxedo Funk cryptically on Twitter and Facebook. This three-song effort showcases their unique brand of smooth, synth-heavy funk.  The slick, yet sometimes silly, vocals are backed by masterful production, creating the perfect brand of sexy funk music to get down to.  Although we may not know who the members of Tuxedo actually are, I am greatly looking forward to hearing more from this talented music act.

 

Jamiroquai: 'Too Young To Die (Late Nite Tuff Guy Capricorn High Remix)'

Jamiroquai, a band that has been making music since 1992, were one of the pioneers in the acid jazz scene in London in the mid 90s.  To this day, their effect on funk and acid jazz music can be heard across multiple genres, even with popular artists like Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake.  'Too Young To Die' is Jamiroquai's second single off of their debut album Emergency on Planet Earth.  Lead singer Jay Kay's vocals are the highlight of this song (as they are with most of Jamiroquai's work) while Late Nite Tuff Guy (aka Cam Bianchetti) takes the original upbeat song and substitues a more soulful and jazzy backing.  Although the remix comes 20 years after the original song's release, LNTG's remix adds a sexier element to the song that the band's repertoire has sometimes lacked.

 

Hanni El Khatib: 'Penny (Classixx Remix)'

San Francisco native Hanni El Khatib describes his music as being 'for anyone who has ever been shot or hit by a train'.  While I don't fall under either category, I am a fan regardless.  His latest single 'Penny,' from his upcoming sophomore album, Head In The Dirt, is a bluesy modern rock song inspired by a bassline Khatib would play while warming up at sound check.  L.A. producers and summer music afficionados Classixx totally overhauled the song, giving it their signature "sunny weather" feeling, complete with crescendoing synths and instrumentals.  The final product is nearly a dub version of the original with the distinct beats Classixx are known best for.

MORE NEW MUSIC AFTER THE JUMP...