New Releases - 25th Aug: Dance Special

New Releases - 25th Aug: Dance Special

20 August, 2008
by: Music Team

* Single of the Week*
Grace Jones - Corporate Cannibal 
Wall of Sound 

Her first single for two decades, Corporate Cannibal is a pretty terrifying statement from the Amazonian diva - but one which places her firmly back in the sphere of iconic, untouchable performer. It has a big, trip hop sound – like early Massive Attack – and she sticks to the speak-singing for which she is famed.

The video shows her stretched into a shining monster, whites of her eyes glistening menacingly as she devours her audience with her words: 'I'm a man-eating machine' she growls. Yep, we all know that Grace. She's back. She's officially an OAP but she’s still got it. LC

Roots Manuva - Again and Again
Big Dada

Roots Manuva is a man who seems to have perfected the skill of travelling without moving. He could do anything and still end up with music that makes stoners snigger like schoolgirls.

'Again and Again' finds him in reggae mode, and its classic Roots. It's got lyrics that are slightly tough guy, but with a sort of psychedelic edge that makes it sound like some hip hop version of Lee Scratch Perry.

I'm sure a thousand people will happily be bobbing their heads to this at Bestival.DH

Blackout Crew – Put a Donk on it
Allaroundtheworld

Believe it or not 'donk' is actually a plank sound used in the new genre of 'scouse house' taking the north of England by storm; not just a made-up word in the ear AIDS that is 'Put a Donk on it'.

Hard-hitting lyrics include: 'Bassline! Put a donk on it. Electro! Put a donk on it. Ey, that's good that Tony!' With over 1,500,000 views on YouTube, Blackout Crew can't be dismissed. They are the funniest thing to come out of Bolton since Peter Kay. EM

John Dahlback – Everywhere
Joja Records

Much spun this summer, particularly the D.O.N.S version, this is 'timeless' aka obvious, marrying a fat electro beat to squashy, comforting synth sounds and a truly cheesy vocal. Dahlback even uses the filter sweep sound effect pioneered by Terminator X which is like flapping a hand over your ear. Always good.

Loving progressive house is ok, or even cool these days – this is Dahlback slapping his love of prog on the table, and saying, 'mine's bigger, with flange'. JH

Yo Majesty - Kryponite Pussy EP
Domino

There's not many tunes out there at the moment that are destined to include the double pump dance move in the music video, however this hip hop-infused disco beat down just begs you to bust a move.

Starting with a sample bassline from the matriarchs of female rap, Salt-n-Pepa, in between the inarticulate ramblings of 'your punani better make that money', Yo Majesty even recite 'push it, push it real good'. When the pace finally slows down, the lines are great to sing along with (maybe not whilst in church though). SS

Does it Offend You, Yeah? – Dawn of the Dead
Virgin

Crawling forlornly along Old Street, an ambulance is called into action and the siren goes up. It's another overdose and the driver’s in no rush. 'What's the point?'

Looking left through his window he sees a gaggle of miserable-looking stick-men hunched around, sipping beer, eyeing each other’s shoes. 'Shoreditch is so over' one of them offers. It looks like it's Kele from Bloc Party. Inside, the record changes. 'One More Time.' Again. TJ

Lykke Li – Breaking it up
LL Recordings

Lykke Li has taken a leaf out of Justice's book by adding a choir of children to her chorus and it pays off. After a bit of megaphone distortion in the intro, Lykke's voice turns out to be high-pitched, breathy and seductive and when the kids and bass guitar pipe up the tune progresses into a catchy electro number.

Whether you can dance to it remains to be seen but perhaps if we copy her aggressive head- banging move it might just work. EM

Fujiya & Miyagi – Knickerbocker
Tirk

This is brilliant! Any track with the lyrics 'Vanilla. Strawberry. Knickerbocker glory. I saw the ghost of Lena Zavaroni' sung in dead-pan breathy whisper is just going to be totally brilliant.

Knickerbocker parades the kind of retro-math-geek-chic thing that’s pretty cool right now: like Hot Chip, it's totally inane and instantly likeable. But this isn’t just music for keyboard, comic and cycling enthusiasts: there’s actually something quite touching about it. Maybe it’s just the tragedy of Zavaroni's life... TJ

Mindless Self Indulgence - Never Wanted To Dance
The End Records/Uppity Cracker

The gloriously named MSI deal in abrasive electro punk and Never Wanted To Dance comes as close as they can to a statement of sentimentality: 'Never wanted to dance with anyone but you…you fucking BITCH'.

They've lost a little of their appeal since scrubbing up their sound by having their material professionally mixed. 'Tight' – their first album – was mixed on Atari equipment and had a rawness which is somehow lacking here. Lead singer Jimmy Urine maintains his energy and occasional staccato squeals but this song just doesn't cut the old MSI mustard. LC

Manda Rin - My DNA
This is Fake DIY

Was anyone else disappointed that Bis turned out to be three middle-class indie guys? I know I was; their music sounded like it should have been made by a bunch of Japanese kids who had been given a synthiser and way too much sugar.

Anyway, Manda Rin has cut a record on her own and the first single 'My DNA' is a straight up electro pop song that has a groove funk bass line and a chorus that sounds ripped straight from a Visage track. It’s a lot less energetic than her old Bis stuff, which is nice as I'm 25 now and can't handle that shit. DH

Need more? Find the latest London Electro events here. For all London events visit the Spoonfed homepage www.spoonfed.co.uk/london.

Music Team