Tuesday, November 28, 2017

CHOON OF THE DAY: "RENDEZ-VOUS" - Dita Von Teese

 Photo by Fabien Breuil for Grazia, 2012

In the most unexpected plot twist Burlesque diva Dita Von Teese teams up with French Pop bard Sébastien Tellier for a vintage flavoured slice of synth pop. Taken from Dita's debut album, written and composed by Monsieur Tellier himself and available in early 2018 via Record Makers. Isn't it so typical we get showered by interesting releases towards the end of the year, just on time to mess up with any muso year-end rankings. Formidable!

Here's what we read in the official press released about this adorable collaboration:

Dita Von Teese: “I’m not a professional singer. In fact, I’m quite uneasy about recording my voice. But I do enjoy the thrill of doing things that are outside of my comfort zone. When I performed for the first time at the Crazy Horse in Paris, I invited Sébastien because I was such a fan, not daring to imagine that someday he would compose an entire album for me.“ 

Sébastien Tellier: “When I saw Dita dance to a piece of music I had written for her, I had a feeling that her physical presence and her personality were a perfect fit with my music and I started to compose only for her. When you think that you've finally pierced Dita’s mystery, she turns out to be more than ever, a creature of dreams, totally out of reach.“

P.S. And so the French theme continues...



Monday, November 27, 2017

SHREM'S DOUBLE TROUBLE: "Apprivoisé" - Calypso Valois /// "Ring-A-Ring O' Roses" - Charlotte Gainsbourg


Calypso Valois, whom you may recognise from synth-pop duo Cinema whose tracks "UV" and "Fille Sans Soucis" were among our favourites in 2013, returns with a solo record "Cannibale". It's no surprise "Apprivoisé" was selected to promote this elegant record as the funky string-laden number is an immediate stand-out moment upon first listen to the album. Less synth more pop, all in that inimitable cool aura of French Pop, the song fits somewhere comfortably between Sébastien Tellier and Exotica. My latest song obsession.




Charlotte Gainsbourg chose the sublime "Ring-A-Ring O' Roses" as the 3rd single taken from her fifth studio album "Rest". It's another flawless song written and produced by the mighty SebastiAn with the music video directed by the French actress/singer herself. Such indisputable talents on both acting and musical fronts truly are a rarity. "Rest" remains the most unexpected contender for the 2017 Album of the Year.



Tuesday, November 21, 2017

SHREM'S FUTURE ANTHEMS: "COMEBACK" - Ssion


The impossibly irresistible Cody Critcheloe and his marvellously eccentric electro-pop-punk ensemble SSION return with an aptly titled "Comeback" the first new material since their deliciously eclectic "Bent" album in 2012. The track mixes genres and styles in a signature SSION manner, never holding back while balancing between sweet and vicious, slick and rough, catchy and esoteric. "Big As I Can Dream" drops early 2018 via DERO ARCADE while "Comeback" is out now.



And here are some of our favourite SSION tracks from their vibrant back catalogue:









Thursday, November 2, 2017

Crème de la crème: TOP 25 BEST OF OCTOBER 2017


Exclusive artwork: Les Cullinan Designs

25 (N) "The Sun" - Myd (Because Music)



24 (N) "Wicked Ways" - The Sound of Arrows feat. Annie (Skies Above)



23 (5) "Nostalgia" - NAO (Little Tokyo Recordings)



22 (N) "Огонёк" - ЛУНА (self-released)



21 (N) "Me4U" - Danny L Harle feat. Morrie (PC Music)



20 (N) "Are You Leaving" - SASSY 009 (Hard Up)



19 (N) "Simmer Down" - ionnalee (to whom it may concern)



18 (N) "Half Life" - Smerz (XL Recordings)



17 (N) "Fantasies" - Biyo (Future Classic)



16 (8) "Love Me Please" - Jamie Lidell (self-released)



15 (N) "Omnion (Joe Goddard Remix)" - Hercules & Love Affair feat. Sharon Van Etten (BMG)



14 (N) "Rise" - Dawit & Dolo (Future Times)



13 (N) "Raingurl" - Yaeji (GODMODE)



12 (N) "Sea Of Love" - Midnight Magic (Soul Clap)



11 (RE) "What's Your Problem?" - Shay Lia (N.O.T.E.)



10 (3) "Deadly Valentine" - Charlotte Gainsbourg (Because Music)



9 (N) "Cocktail" - Corine (Kwaidan)



8 (1) "Reflect" - GL (self-released)



7 (N) "No Harm" - Smerz (XL Recordings)



6 (N) "To The Moon And Back" - Fever Ray (Rabid)



5 (2) "Are You Certain?" - Hercules & Love Affair feat. مشروع ليلى Mashrou' Leila (BMG)



4 (N) "Caçamba Fashion" - Ellen Milgrau (self-released)



3 (N) "Larme à gauche" - Vendredi sur Mer (Profil de Face)



2 (N) "Who Are You?" - Miink (self-released)



1 (N) "Somebody Else" - Fatima (Eglo)