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 4.12.13

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 3.22.13

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.

 

Mickey feat. Jeremy Glenn: 'Heartstrings (Extended)'

Mickey and Jeremy Glenn are no strangers to our columns, nor are their collaborations. Last summer, we showcased Glenn's remix to Mickey's single 'Love For Sale,' a song that also featured another one of our favorites, Monarchy. The two producers are now back together with the release of 'Heartstrings,' a lovely piano-driven uplifting house track that begs to be played by the pool on a sunny day. Glenn's soulful vocals are becoming a familiar sound in the house music scene, with features for other artists like Mario Basanov and MANIK.

 

Nick Monaco: 'Party Therapy'

Young producer Nick Monaco, hailing from San Francisco, is a child of the 90's with a passion for hip hop and house and an ear for great music. His productions recently caught up the attention of the Soul Clap and Wolf + Lamb collective, who have helped translate his creations into the dance world through their labels. Monaco's first official release, the EP Naked Is My Nature, is a statement of his originality and innocence. In his own words: "I started singing, collecting sounds, beatboxing, walking, grunting, whatever I could to get a piece of me and my environment inside this music." This particular track, 'Party Therapy,' is a captivating song with minimal yet strong elements from jazz and hip hop that are beautifully combined in this debut work.

 

The Juan Maclean: 'You Are My Destiny'

DFA Records’ John MacLean, also known as Juan MacLean, has been producing, singing and DJing for the label since 2002. His impressive repertoire of remixes includes songs by artists like The Presets, Chromeo, Chicken Lips, and many others. After nearly 3 years with no new original material, the New York-based producer has shared the soon to be released 'You Are My Destiny.' The track's mix of strong grooves and spacial synths are really delightful and I foresee this becoming a huge hit throughout the year.

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The OXD Mirror: New Music For 3.1.13

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.

 

Mitzi: 'Down'

While we featured the teaser single from Mitzi's debut album, Truly Alive, last October, the album finally dropped on Future Classic Records this month. The Australian quartet has mastered a beautiful, light-hearted electropop LP that will surely resonate well with fans of Cut Copy and Van She. My favorite pick on this 10-track album is 'Down,' which mirrors the classic disco mood into a track that is very cute and powerful. The album is available for free stream on Future Classic's SoundCloud page as well as on Spotify and in the iTunes Store.

 

Benoit & Sergio: '$100 Bill'

DC-based slick house duo Benoit & Sergio are on track to become one of next big names in dance music with their latest 2-track EP, Bridge So Far. The EP is released by one of my personal favorite labels, Hot Creations. Although the title track already stands out at first listen, it is the b-side, '$100 Bill' that really shines. The song is a mix of funk, deep house and pop with an extremely catchy beat, making it nearly impossible to stand still while listening. Our friend and fan of OXD, Mighty Mouse, gave this track a spin last Saturday at Brooklyn's Cameo Gallery, much to the delight our "gay occupied" dancefloor!

 

The Right Now: 'Call Girl (JKriv's Alter Ego Mix)'

JKriv is a producer, DJ and instrumentalist from Brooklyn who also founded the label Deep&Disco, which focuses on creating original soul, funk, disco and house music. His re-work of 'Call Girl,' by Chi-town based R&B and soul band The Right Now, showcases the more pop-oriented side of house music. It reminds me of the days of Naked Music, the acclaimed SF/NYC deep house label that made a stamp on the scene in the early 2000's with its soulful releases. The song is available as a free download on JKriv's SoundCloud page.

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The OXD Mirror: New Music for 2.8.13

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.

 

Yelle: 'L'Amour Parfait'

Yelle released my favorite album of 2011, Safari Disco Club, which is one of the most fun and sophisticated pop records made in a long time. Just as it took years and a major label investment for widely-celebrated pop artist Robyn to become a hit here in the States, I'm hoping that the same happens with Yelle. This week, the French singer shared her newest track, produced by GrandMarnier and one of OXD's favorites, Aeroplane. It goes in a bit of a darker direction than Safari, and despite my initial resistance, I'm falling in love with it with every listen. The slower beats and heavy bass make for a dirtier sound, which is offset very nicely by her sweet vocals. I'm looking forward to hearing what is coming up for her new album.

 

Little Boots: 'Superstitious Heart'

Another under-the-radar artist that plays to a very gay sensibility is Little Boots. The British electropop singer, born Victoria Christina Hesketh, is a multi-instrumentalist house music lover who is best known for her 2009 hit "New In Town" from her Illuminations EP. Following the quieter releases of 'Shake', 'Headphones' and 'Every Night I Say A Prayer", her new song, 'Superstitious Heart,' is a chill introspective tune that keeps on with the more underground mood of her recent work, indicating a clear shift from her ultra-pop debut album, Hands.

 

Jagwar Ma: 'The Throw'

Aussie duo Jagwar Ma is the latest addition to the Future Classic Records family. Their new single, 'The Throw,' is a lysergic, nearly 7-minute long track that starts off as an innocent indie rock song, only to transform itself into a dancing beast halfway through, incorporating elements from balearic disco into a sophisticated upbeat work.

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The OXD Mirror: New Music for 1.18.13

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.

 

Toro Y Moi: 'Say That'

Though usually associated with the indie "chillwave" movement that has been on trend in the past couple years, Brooklynite Chazwick Bundick, better known as Toro Y Moi, has recently flirted with stronger disco beats, particularly on his EP Freaking Out. With his new album, Anything In Return, which comes out next week, Bundick seems to be inspired once more by disco and house beats, as we can hear on the first single, 'Say That'. The slightly upbeat track has a laid-back feel for most of its duration, but it really comes alive during instrumental breaks with powerful bass lines.

 

Kamp!: 'Melt'

Polish electropop trio known as Kamp! has a new single out and it is flawless. I first encountered them when they released the track 'Cairo' on one of my favorite labels, Portuguese-based Discotexas, and was instantly hooked to their 80's synths and beats. 'Melt', off their self-titled debut album, is a catchy song and will very likely please most of the Cut Copy aficionados out there.

 

Goldroom: 'Sweetness Alive (Bufi Remix)'

Goldroom, hailing from LA, has made quite a name after his massive remix for Niki & The Dove's 'Mother Protect' in 2011. His latest released, called 'Sweetness Alive,' is a rather cute track and, as the title suggests, very sweet, with vocals by Saint Lou Lou. Bufi, a Mexico City-based house music producer, shapes the original work for the dancefloor with added piano melodies and synths that reverb in the best balearic style.

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