World Clique (1990)

Huuuuuuuuugeee sound-for-sound's-sake positivity and exploration. House control, sample-psych spontaneity, kitschy pop smirk, and punk design- (feigned/fashionable) indifference and (secret/fashionable) purpose regarding the deliberate pulling apart and then mish-mashing together real haphazard of these divergent properties which were previously not divergent but actually coexisting quite happily. Then the story goes they were pulled apart, their differences pointed out and exaggerated, their subsequent reunion a self-aware freakshow that might've changed music forever. If not then it at least spawned a great single and ~4 tracks that are secretly even better

A-

yay

dork house (2013)

i think house of woo's deal is fragmented, restless sounds, merged with dorkish styles like newage but compressed so it's skittish and dorkish, fragmented, like the rest, but what it does, is it says 'hey listener this isn't just house, it's deep house, you see, deep, so like you're lost in it, like drowned even, dreaming or drowning, whatever your head's gonna conjure when you hear this, that's for you, that's on you, i'm giving you this, and so, any way, how about it, are you dreaming or drowning?' and when house of woo works you say 'i'm not sure... either? both, maybe..' and then it wakes you up and says 'it's all just fragments.. dorkish, restless fragments' and at that stage you're supposed to be impressed because then you know that house of woo has done its job. any questions about self-sabotage or transformative yet down-to-earth honesty can be answered whenever it goes fully ass shake or deep ass evocative in spite of itself

B

try / buy

From The Far Future II

12 years late, no less important, maybe more important, Actress meets Jeff Mills, maybe but probably not. It's so singular that anyone can hear it and get anything they want from it, Dixon letting the songs move and fade rather than 'build' in any traditional sense. Throughout is a tense balancing act of minimalism, emotion, weight, weightlessness, melody, and understated aggression. This comes out best in Dark City of Hope, I think. The main mix's distorted drones grow in emotional and aesthetic resonance through the very act of droning, burying the drums as terse electronic flourishes add a third layer to the narrative. The hard mix (not included) indicates how hard-as-fuck the song could sound but reasonably doesn't on the record, Dixon instead favouring the isolation and interaction of opposing elements- the balancing act that is From the Far Future Pt 2 from the cover to each of the 14 tracks within. It's dark, beautiful, and hopeful, a cohesive journey record that could be the story of Detroit, a formal exercise, or an emotional one. Likely all, it's that good.

A-

try / buy (lp sold out ;__;)

Jamie xx - Far Nearer

1. Far Nearer

2. Beat For

Jamie xx, finding success as producer and percussionist for The XX, stepped away to produce popular remixes for Florence and The Machine, Adele, and of course the Gil Scott-Heron remix album 'We're New Here'. Far Nearer is Jamie's first single - a light (yet danceable) steel-drummed garage track - soulful and lively. It's b-side is a heavy hitting, punchy track that is equally as good as it's wax neighbor. Dance tracks like these are welcome where club music is dominated by harsh synths and lifeless grooves and rhythms.

Download

Lindstrøm - Six Cups of Rebel (2012)

1. No Release

2. De Javu

3. Magik

4. Quiet Place to Live

5. Call Me Anytime

6. Six Cups of Rebel

7. Hina

I have no idea why nobody seems to be into this. Addictive space-disco with funk, manipulated vocals, crazy synths, and crazy rhythms

I've not found many 2012 releases I'm into yet, but this one is really good

B-

try

buy

Moderat - Moderat

1. A New Error

2. Rusty Nails

3. Seamonkey

4. Slow Match

5. 3 Minutes Of

6. Nasty Silence

7. Sick With It

8. Porc#1

9. Porc #2

10. Les Grandes Marches

11. Berlin

12. Nr. 22

13. Out Of Sight

Bonus Tracks

14. BeatsWaySick

15. Rusty Nails (Shackleton Remix)

Moderat is a collaboration between Berlin artists Apparat and Modeselektor. They sound like a perfect mix of house, dubstep, electro, experimental, and trip-hop resulting in some of the most creative yet catchy dance tracks I have heard. This album is diverse with slow paced, brooding tracks such as opener A New Error which contrasts hard hitting euphoric tracks such as Les Grandes Marches. Despite this diversity, a track selection that is well paced along with incredible production keeps this album cohesive while engaging. In some ways Moderat reminds me of Fuck Buttons or Burial, but is far more suited toward a club setting. Nevertheless, this album sounds great on headphones (or a nice stereo), and with a number of elements and layers to keep things interesting it's a good listen in solitude as well.

Download

Purchase

Blondes - Touched

1. You Mean So Much To Me

2. Moondance

3. Spanish Fly

4. Paradise City

5. Virgin Pacific

Blondes is a dance duo out of Ohio with a sound that is rooted in the synth-heavy stye of Giorgio Moroder but with a dreamier, more layered sound. With a collection of vintage analogue equipment, Blondes improvise songs that build upon themselves, eventuating into a swirl of synth sounds that are euphoric yet grounded by heavy side-chained kicks - the first song, and my favourite, 'You Mean So Much To Me' is the best example of this. While they are certainly a throwback to 80s house music, Blondes interestingly sound very 'now' and fitting amongst contemporary chillwave or even witch house acts. At the same time, they avoid the popularity of dubstep drum structures or even the harsh synth sounds most modern dance seems to rely on. Check this out if you are intrigued by dance that is both suited to your headphones and house parties.

Download

This release is OOP but if you enjoy it, they are releasing an album which can be purchased here.