The OXD Mirror: New Music For 6.7.13

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.  

 

Rudimental feat. Emeli Sandé - 'Free (Kasiorama Final Remix)'

You may remember Rudimental from their deep house sleeper hit, 'Spoons,' I recommended the Charli XCX cover last year, and more recently, featured it on my latest podcast, Ru-Mix: Fierce. The UK producers (a quartet) have crossed my radar a few times since then but it wasn't until the release of 'Free' that I found myself captivated once again. The song features Emeli Sandé, whose haunting voice tells the liberating tale of not conforming to someone else's ideals. Germany's Kasiorama transforms the breathaking original into an addictive, soul searching dancefloor ready ballad.

 

Jacques Greene - 'On Your Side ft. How To Dress Well'

Montreal producer Jacques Greene enlists breakout star and R&B crooner How To Dress Well (Tom Krell) on the lead single of his latest EP On Your Side. Krell's intimate vocal treatment and signature falsettos (made famous by his own hit '& It Was U') are supplemented by Greene's deep house treatment creating a style that's best described as "electronic R&B." Greene's pulsating bass drum loops and buried synths complement Krell's undulating lyricism which highlight his need for a "straightforward sign."

 

Poolside 'If We Make It'

The California-based daytime disco act known as Poolside moves towards uncharted waters with their latest surprisingly uptempo release: 'If We Make It.' The song, available as a free download, is the lead single off of their latest, yet-to-be-announced album. The upbeat, shimmery, sun-drenched production juxtaposed with the melancholic memory induced lyrics provide a fresh departure from Poolside's previous efforts.

Phoenix - 'Trying To Be Cool - Breakbot Remix'

Phoenix's latest album, Bankrupt!, may just have only been released last month but there has been a steady stream of remixes (including those by Blood Orange and Hot Natured) to keep OXD fans happy. The French band's second single, 'Trying to Be Cool,' has been given a groovy nu-disco treatment by fellow country man-Breakbot. While the original song is very light, Breakbot's spin includes a funky groove provided by jumping guitar riffs and a bouncing bassline that melds beautifully with lead singer Thomas Mars' wisftul lyrics.

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The OXD Mirror: New Music For 5.17.13

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.  

 

Avec feat. Jake Shears: 'Disappearer'

Just because Scissor Sisters announced its indefinite hiatus last year doesn't mean its members have stopped making music. We've already showcased Del Marquis' Slow Knights project (which, by the way, is performing live this weekend), and now Scissor Sisters lead singer, Jake Shears, is featured as the guest vocalist on Avec's debut single, 'Disappearer.' Consisting of UK's Doorly and Dave Spoon (Shadow Child), Avec is a new collaboration that's sure to make waves on the house music scene. The toe-tap inducing, infectious track is laden with house pianos and Shears' signature falsettos that only enhance the frenzied production.

 

Holy Ghost! - 'Dumb Disco Ideas'

DFA duo Holy Ghost! are putting the finishing touches on their sophomore effort, Dynamics, which releases this fall and 'Dumb Disco Ideas' is the lead single from this hotly anticipated album. The song’s quirky lyrics, hyper-electronic synths and cheery cowbell is in line with their signature nu-disco sound. This eight minute dancefloor ditty is chock-full of dry drums, a two-note bass line, percussion, hand claps, and unexpected arrangements making it one of their most sophisticated productions and a promising sign of things to come.

 

Hurts - 'Blind (Frankie Knuckles Remix)'

UK-based Hurts has been on my radar ever since French label/tastemaker Kitsuné featured the Arthur Baker remix of their first single, ‘Wonderful Life,’ on one of their esteemed compilations. Their 2010 album Happiness, released to much fanfare, is blissfully sublime. Naturally, the world has been eager to hear new material from them as their recently released sophomore effort, Exile, does not disappoint. ‘Blind,’ the second single off of the critically acclaimed album, is a somber, haunting ballad that plays to Hurts’ strengths: namely lead singer Theo Hutchcraft’s vocals. The song is given a classic house rework via Chicago house music legend Frankie Knuckles and his frequent collaborator, noteworthy producer and keyboardist Eric Kupper, as they add massive piano chords and a fierce kick drum that will ignite 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 4.5.13

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 3.15.13

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.  

 

Nickodemus: 'Los Tarantos'

When I first heard this track, while listening to Tensnake's phenomenal Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1, my jaw hit the floor. I instantly recognized samples from two huge Bollywood hits, 'Har Kisiko Nahin Milta (Not Everyone Will Find Love)' & 'Pyar Do, Pyar Lo (Give Love, Take Love).'  While Bollywood frequently "borrows" samples from Western songs, it's rare that the opposite happens, especially on a track that would pass Tensake's muster. Inspired by lovers on a journey from Rajasthan to Barcelona, NYC's Nickodemus (née Nick DeSimone) adds some flamenco-driven flair to the Bollywood-influenced track by including a Spanish guitar & horn section.  The result is a languid melodic tune that connects the lovers via music despite being separated by circumstances beyond their control.

 

Rufus: 'Take Me (Cassian Remix)'

'Take Me' is the lead single off of the Australian trio known as RüFüS’ debut album, Atlas. While the production on the original song is light and warm (see the video), fellow Aussie producer Cassian draws from the song's melancholic verses to create a darker production that still maintains the pop elements of the original. The deep rolling bass and catchy vocals are dance-inducing, creating a perfect "end of summer" tune for those down under. Luckily for us, it serves nicely as a "warm up to spring" tune as well.

 

HAIM - 'Falling (Duke Dumont Remix)'

If you've read our column before, you know I'm a huge Duke Dumont fan. Hot off of the heels of the success of 'Need U (100%)' (and its amazing remixes), Dumont tries his hand at California-based HAIM's catchy 80s inspired single, 'Falling.' With this remix Dumont steps away from the bass heavy production he's known for and creates a more mellow, groovy, and yet, danceable tune that shows he's certainly not a one-note. Many music blogs have already pegged the trio of sisters known as HAIM to become a massive act in 2013, and pairing up with the likes of Dumont will hopefully launch both musical acts into the stratosphere.

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The OXD Mirror: New Music for 2.22.13

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. 

 

Ali Love feat. Kali: 'Emperor (Waze & Odyssey Remix)'

Ali Love is the voice behind Hot Natured's essential tune, 'Benediction'. His latest track, 'Emperor,' which releases April 1st, falls in suit with 'Benediction' with its soulful vocal styling, courtesy of Love, and energetic drum fills. UK-based Waze & Odyssey transform the disco infused original track into a lively house anthem that is sure to be a hit on the dancefloor.

 

Justin Timberlake: 'Suit & Tie (Julio Bashmore Remix)'

  

After producing hit songs for artists like Jessie Ware, British producer Julio Bashmore tackles Justin Timberlake's comeback single 'Suit & Tie' and predictably yields impressive results.  Bashmore chops up Timberlake's original vocals so they match his heavy organ production, and turns the infectious R&B-styled original song into a nu-disco-esque deep house banger that has much more appeal. 

 

€urocrats: 'Follow Me (Eliot Rollerblade Vocal Remix)'

 

€urocrats is a new musical project by two producers that are no strangers to this column: Dimitri From Paris and Aeroplane. While collaborations by hit producers are certainly on trend these days (see Hot Natured, DuTonc, and others), I am especially excited to hear what two of my absolute favorite DJs can come up with. The disco dons' new EP, Unite, has an impressive list of remixes from the likes of Fingerpaint and Busy P but it's Eliot's Rollerblade Vocal Remix of 'Follow Me' that is my favorite. The tropical 80's pop production by Eliot perfectly complements the New Order-ish vocals, creating a catchy track that transports you back in time.

 

Eli Escobar and Nomi Ruiz: 'Somebody to Love Me'

 

Eli Escobar & Nomi Ruiz's cover of Mark Ronson & Boy George's 2010 hit, 'Somebody to Love Me,' finally sees an official release on Escobar's forthcoming EP, Somebody To Love Me/Drifting, which drops on February 26th. Escobar's piano and saxophone laden production emphasizes the house elements of the song while the lyrics take an interesting twist when the openly transgendered Ruiz croons "I want somebody to be nice, see the boy I once was in my eyes." 

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