Thursday, May 30, 2013

SHREM'S FUTURE ANTHEMS: "PAINFUL LIKE" - Austra


I really adore this new more upbeat direction Austra is going for. I first fell in love with "Painful Like" back in August last year when I shared this incredible live version of this song. Now we're treated to its studio version which follows "Home", a song I don't remember a day without listening to at least once since its initial release in March. "Olympia", the Toronto band's 2nd LP is scheduled for release 17th June and it's shaping to be a rather spectacular record, "this is the album where we discovered rhythm." says Katie Stelmanis, Austra's lead vocalist. Head to Domino Records' website to read more about the album. I know myself I can hardly wait any longer.



Wednesday, May 29, 2013

SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "YOU & ME (Toro Y Moi Remix)" - Disclosure feat. Eliza Doolittle /// "ROSE QUARTZ (FaltyDL Remix)" - Toro Y Moi


Two astonishing remixes linked to each other by the multi-skilled Chaz Bundick, the wonder child of chillwave, in one of his countless artistic alter-egos as Toro Y Moi. Here's his graceful rendition of Disclosure's Top 20 hit "You & Me" with Eliza Doolittle's chopped vocals to a dreamy effect. The second one is Toro Y Moi's 4th single from "Anything In Return" - "Rose Quartz" stunningly reworked by New York based UK Garage producer FaltyDL. An elegant addition to the long list of musicians who borrowed his undeniable mixing skills which already includes Vladislav Delay, Photek, Holy Ghost!, Bonobo and Dirty Projectors among others.

Disclosure - You & Me ft. Eliza Doolittle (Toro y Moi remix) by ToroyMoi

Rose Quartz (FaltyDL Remix) by ToroyMoi

CHOON OF THE DAY: "BEAUTIFUL OBJECT" - Glass Candy


Glass Candy's spectacular performance at Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, their first show in months which they described themselves as "absolutely hypnotic", was indeed a rather euphoric, hedonistic and joyful moment I was very lucky to enjoy from the very first row. They literally included every single song I was hoping to hear live... "Candy Castle", "Life After Sundown", "Geto Boys", "Beatific", "Digital Versicolor", "Warm In The Winter", "Miss Broadway"... I mean what a sensational set! In addition to the beginning of their European tour and the release of the fantastic "After Dark 2" compilation, Italians Do It Better duo treated us also to a fresh video for the wonderful "Beautiful Object" directed by the label's frequent collaborator, a retro-chic visionary extraordinaire Alberto Rossini. A pure summer moment!



Tuesday, May 28, 2013

SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "MEN'S FEELINGS" - Poisonous Relationship /// "THAT MAGIK" - C.L.A.W.S.


ECSTASY has been among my most cherished record labels for quite some time now. Responsible for releasing a series of excellent underground house singles which have reached cult status at this stage, Alexis Blair Penney's marvellous "Lonely Sea" and Finesse's fascinating "Elevate", to name just a few, the ECSTASY team continues to be admirably meticulous in their selection of rare and always utterly brilliant releases. This latest offering from Poisonous Relationship adds even more credibility to their rich catalogue. "Men's Feelings", a spectacular 10-minute long slice of soulful house is taken from "Garden of Problems" EP which is out now digitally and on vinyl. Somehow I missed out on their previous release, the atmospheric "That Magik" by C.L.A.W.S.. These together are the kind of house music I adore the most. For more updates on the label check out Ecstasy's Facebook page.



Poisonous Relationship - Men's Feelings by E C S T A S Y

C.L.A.W.S. - That Magik by E C S T A S Y

SHREM'S FUTURE ANTHEMS: "BARBARIANS" - Escort


There are only two bands on earth right now that managed to successfully transport that sweet hedonistic sound of 1970's disco and funk to today. One is Midnight Magic. The other one is Brooklyn's 17-piece ensemble Escort fronted by the soulstress Adeline Michèle. This NYC crew has been hypnotising us with their very first disco revisiting phenomenal singles "Starlight" and "Love in Indigo" back in 2006. "Barbarians" (out June 25 via Escort Records) is yet another instantly anthemic moment in Escort's multi-colourful catalogue of retro flavoured tunes. Stand up, stand up!!!

Escort - Barbarians by Escort Records

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

CHOON OF THE DAY: "TIFF" - Poliça feat. Justin Vernon


Today I'd love to share with you this breathtakingly beautiful piece from Poliça that's been around for the past month but somehow I never managed to praise it here on my carousel properly until now. The echoes of Modern funk à la DâM-FunK, witch-house reminiscences and exquisitely multi-layered production tricks create this little one of a kind masterpiece. Just can't get enough of it.



Tiff (feat. Justin Vernon) by POLIÇA

Sunday, May 19, 2013

SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "MELANCHOLIA" /// "UNCONSCIOUS" - Rebeka


Polish synth-pop duo Rebeka have just released their fantastic debut album "Hellada" via Brennessel Records. It's an absolute feast for 1980's flavoured vintage pop, electro, nu disco and Balearic lovers. Iwona Skwarek's vocals are absolutely flawless, so is the production of this captivating Polish record seducing us with its attractive mixture of modern and retro. One of those albums which will go down a treat the summer season that's upon us. I just realised I haven't shared their previous single "Melancholia" here yet, one of the most charming pop moments of 2013 so far. Here it is accompanied by Rebeka's latest single, the dancefloor friendly "Unconscious". Let's get unconscious honey!



Unconscious by Rebeka



Saturday, May 18, 2013

SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Top 20 Favourite Eurovision Performances


How about this shamelessly tacky list before this evening's Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest? File it under: Kitsch, Guilty Pleasure and the ultimate Euro Trash. Enjoy:

20 "Où aller" - Marie Line, France [ESC 1998, 3pts, #24 Place]




19 "Bitaqat Hob" (بطاقة حب) - Samira Said سميرة سعيد , Morocco [ESC 1980, 7pts, #18 Place]




18 "Lejla" - Hari Mata Hari, Bosnia and Herzegovina [ESC 2006, 229pts, #3 Place]




17 "Ime Anthropos Ki Ego ("Είμαι άνθρωπος κι εγώ") - Evridiki (Ευρυδίκη), Cyprus [ESC 1994, 51pts, #11 Place]




16 "Senhora do mar (Negras águas)" - Vânia Fernandes, Portugal [ESC 2008, 69pts, #13 Place]




15 "Vivo cantando" - Salomé, Spain [ESC 1969, 18pts, #1 Place]




14 "Euphoria" - Loreen, Sweden [ESC 2012, 372pts, #1 Place]




13 "Sama" - Justyna Steczkowska, Poland [ESC 1995, 15pts, #18 Place]




12 "Diva" - Dana International (דנה אינטרנשיונל), Israel [ESC 1998, 172pts, #1 Place]




11 "Suus" - Rona Nishliu, Albania [ESC 2012, 146pts, #5 Place]




10 "Poupée de cire, poupée de son" - France Gall, Luxembourg [ESC 1965, 32pts, #1 Place]




09 "Divine" - Sébastien Tellier, France [ESC 2008, 47pts, #18 Place]




08 "O mie" - Aliona Moon, Moldova [ESC 2013, ?pts, #? Place]




07  "Rendez-vous" - Pas de Deux, Belgium [ESC 1983, 13pts, #18 Place]




06 "C'est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison" - Amina, France [ESC 1991, 146pts, #2 Place]




05 "Rändajad" - Urban Symphony, Estonia [ESC 2009, 129pts, #6 Place]




04 "Bana Bana" - Pan, Turkey [ESC 1989, 5pts, #21 Place]




03 "¿Quién maneja mi barca?" - Remedios Amaya, Spain [ESC 1983, 0pts, #19 Place]




02 "Minn Hinsti Dans" - Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson, Iceland [ESC 1997, 18pts, #20 Place]




01 "Jan Jan" ("Նոր պար (Ջան ջան)") - Inga and Anush (Ինգա և Անուշ), Armenia [ESC 2009, 92pts, #10 Place]




Friday, May 17, 2013

SHREM'S FUTURE ANTHEMS: "ALL YOU'RE WAITING FOR" - Classixx feat. Nancy Whang


Classixx's debut album is out now and it includes this monstrously good synth-pop anthem in the making "All You're Waiting For" featuring the incredible Nancy Whang. Anything this lady touches with her vocals turns into sonic gold, whether it's with LCD Soundsystem, Juan MacLean or Shit Robot, her contributions have always been ace. What a pure summer moment! A new essential for your weekend soundtrack.

All You're Waiting For (Feat. Nancy Whang) by Classixx



Wednesday, May 15, 2013

SHREM'S CLUB BIZARRE INTRODUCING: "GOODIE GOODIES" + "THE EULOGY" - Cakes Da Killa


These two tracks taken off Cakes Da Killa's sophomore album "The Eulogy" left me flabbergasted. This Hip-Hop re-twisting New York kid stepped on the scene, following Le1f and Mykki Blanco, with a flamboyant look, genre-bending sounds, audacious lyrics and brought the queer urban sound to a brand new level of brazen. "The Eulogy" consists of 12 unbelievably bold underground Hip-Hop pieces in a sampling frenzy available all for free on Cakes Da Killa's Bandcamp. "What you're about to get into is twelve songs that combine the fury of trap music, EDM, bounce, juke, and club music with the opulent dismissal of a drag queen shutting down her fiercest rival at a ball." This is a sonic journey like no other...



Cakes Da Killa - The Eulogy (prod. Wild Thought) by Wild Thought

Monday, May 13, 2013

SHREM'S LATE MONDAY NIGHT SESSIONS: "YES GUESS" + "I HAVE LOVE 4 YOU" - Anushka


Mr Gilles Peterson and the crew at Brownswood Recordings just never get it wrong really, do they? I've discovered so many top notch tunes thanks to this reliable label all through the years... Here's another one! Anushka and their "Vocal Bass Music From The Future" as they introduce it themselves. Anushka is Max Wheeler & Victoria Port, a duo based in Brighton making this infectious, sizzling hot hybrid of future r'n'b, house and UK Funky all spiced up with a pinch of nu jazz. "Yes Guess EP" is out now and boys and girls it is money well spent I swear. Simply superb!

Yes Guess by AnushkaUK



I Have Love 4 You by AnushkaUK

SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "HUJAWIAK" /// "NIE OGARNIAM" - Maria Peszek


The awe-inspiring. The charismatic. The ultra-talented. The uncompromising. Maria Peszek, the most daring and artistically impressive alternative pop star to emerge from Poland of the past decade, continues her energetic "Jezus Maria Peszek" tour promoting her 3rd album with a bunch of exclusive performances abroad. This Thursday Peszek performs a one-off show in the Button Factory, Dublin, a concert I simply cannot contain my excitement about. Her extremely poignant, brave lyrics, her rebellious attitude and outspokenness made her almost instantly a cult artist nationwide, gained her a truly devoted fanbase as well as a visible army of angry haters. A show not to be missed for both die-hard fans and those passionate about discovering new music emerging from different corners of the European continent. I happen to belong to both groups, so it sure shapes to be a memorable evening. For more details on Peszek's show in Dublin check out the event page on Facebook or get tickets on entertainment.ie. Maria Peszek performs in London 19th May and Ostrava 21st July. Here are two of her songs I cherish with a particular love.





Sunday, May 12, 2013

SHREM'S CLUB BIZARRE INTRODUCING: "LA MASOVERA SE'N VA A L'ESPAI" + "MAL, BADES" - Jansky


What a breath of fresh air in the world of electronica with the arrival of Mallorca's mysterious duo Jansky. Their debut EP "Un big bang a la gibrella" is an outlandish mélange of "the captivating and danceable electronica from Jaume Reus and Laia MaLo's vocals (poetic, abstract) sung and recited in Catalan" as we read in an introduction on Sónar's website, the festival in Barcelona where you can catch them play live in June. There's something fascinating about these two tracks in particular and Catalan seems like a language simply made to be used in a musical context. A discovery indeed.

LA MASOVERA SE'N VA A L'ESPAI by JANSKY by radiojansky

Jansky - Mal, bades by Primeros Pasitos

Saturday, May 11, 2013

SHREM'S LIST OBSESSION: Top 10 Favourite Kelis Collaborations


Kelis' latest single "Jerk Ribs", an astonishing retro-funk track produced by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, inspired me to create this list. Throughout her kaleidoscopically vibrant career that spans over the past 15 years, the American songstress managed (not an easy task!) to always remain artistically innovative and unpredictable, to gracefully balance the mainstream and the underground and all the while not being afraid to sample any genres. This very personal selection of my favourite of her numerous collaborations serves as a great example of how eclectic and versatile Kelis is. Have a look at these gems, some of which seem sadly forgotten these days...


10. "Digital World" - featuring Roscoe (taken from "Wanderland", 2001)



09 "No Security" - with The Crookers (taken from "Tons of Friends", 2010)

02-crookers-no security ft. kelis by CROOKERS

08 "Copy Cat" - with Skream (taken from "Skreamizm, Vol.7", 2012)

Skream ft Kelis - Copy Cat by SKREAMIZM

07 "Supa Love" - with Guru (taken from "Jazzmatazz, Vol.3: Streetsoul", 2001)



06 "Millionaire" - featuring André 3000 (taken from "Tasty", 2004)



05 "Finest Dream" - with Richard X (taken from "Richard X Presents His X Factor Vol.1", 2003)



04 "Help Me" - with Timo Maas (taken from "Loud", 2002)



03 "Got Your Money" - with Ol' Dirty Bastard (taken from "Nigga Please", 1999)



02 "Oceania (Radio Mix)" - with Björk (taken from "Oceania" single, 2004)



01 "Scars" - with Basement Jaxx, Meleka & Chipmunk (taken from "Scars", 2009)

Basement Jaxx ft. Kelis, Meleka & Chipmunk  Scars by Meleka Music

CHOON OF THE DAY: "MIRRORS" - Jhené Aiko


Stylishly minimal production, exuberant melody with soft and sultry vocals, what more would you need? I've only just discovered this velvet gem by Jhené Aiko a Los Angeles based R'N'B singer of Japanese descent and I am in awe of its ethereal beauty. More of that kind of R'N'B please...



Jhené Aiko - Mirrors by Ghetto Youth123