The Weekly Froth #4

Annie

What’s going on this week? Hmm?

Track of the Week:

‘Heatwave’ by Fabian (Russ Chimes’ Funkwave remix)

In the wonderful world of remixes there are a few people of whom you can be sure they are going to deliver. Russ Chimes is one of them. This is yet another one by Chimes, and this time it’s Fabian’s ‘Heatwave’ that gets the remix treatment, which will get a few hips swaying here and there I’m sure, as it is catchy like everything else Chimes does. I’m a sucker for smooth running remixes, so it is no wonder this one goes into the “I-like-this” category. With that said, it seemingly is Chimes input which makes the remix as nice as it is, as the vocals don’t really add much to the it. Actually, when Chimes puts in the vocals without much instrumental help the song loses a bit of its pace. The vocals lack a bit of punch as well, which might prevent the track of getting steady rotation. That bit of soloing though around three quarters of the track is very funky and redeems the slight vocals. All in all very nice and danceable.

http://hypem.com/track/938763/Fabian+-+Heatwave+Russ+Chimes+Funkwave+Remix+

‘I Don’t Like Your Band’ by Annie

When was this supposed to come out? Because I think I might have lost track. And as always when something has been delayed for so long a time everyone is eager to slaughter it. Can you hear the knives being sharpened? So when that is the situation, you can wonder whether it is wise or not to put out a single entitled “I don’t like your band” in which Annie says that although she does like him, she thinks his band is a bit bland and the sound a bit passé. This from the girl whose sound, literally, is from 2008, or 2007, or whatever it was. So you are really asking for it, making it pretty easy for everyone to take shots at the track. Those people, however, are right in doing so, as the track isn’t very good anyway. It sounds overproduced, and the vocals are a bit slight next to the thumping electronics. It sounds like a track from any of those mainstream synth-pop singers without anything substantial to contribute.

http://hypem.com/track/937545/Annie+-+I+Don+t+Like+Your+Band

‘She Found the Diamonds’ by Get Shakes

Hey, I believe I know these lads, weren’t they that band who had some decent tunes about a year back, different parts of Disneyland and such? I have no idea what they have been doing in the mean time, but now they are back again with a new track, ‘She Found the Diamonds’. The way I remember this band is club driven, danceable electro, and even though the vocals still sound as something that should be on a club track, the sound itself seems to be derived from a bit of Africana of some sorts. The vocals sound a bit rappish as well. Underneath all the extra bits there is still a hip moving synth at its heart, but I have a hard time finding the enthusiasm their previous tracks evoked in me. Luckily around three quarters in that good bit gets the opportunity to be in the spotlight, which will be welcomed by the people on the dance floor. Perhaps it’s just this song, or perhaps it is a whole new direction, though me, I hope it’s the first.

http://hypem.com/track/934611/Get+Shakes+-+She+Found+The+Diamonds

‘Heads Will Roll’ by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (A-Trak remix)

Oh my, hasn’t this track been done to death already? Well, apparently not, because not only does A-Trak give us yet another version of ‘Heads Will Roll’, everyone actually seems wildly enthusiastic about its release. And not without reason, as it is every inch a club mix. If you are looking for something smooth or subtle you are better of typing Fred Falke into the Hypem search machine, as this track is driven by a big beat to get the club crowd going, along with the sing-a-long inviting vocals of Karen O. You don’t have to be a professional daydreamer to see the potential this has to make people dance, and although I said that for smoothness you have to be elsewhere, for a club mix this is not too shabby in that department actually. I’ve heard less subtle versions. A bit beyond halfway the track is reeled in a bit to continue with a barren beat and some bleeps, over which Karen O’s vocals can be heard singing “on the floor” in a scratch like manner. After this the track continues the same way as it started. I can see this doing well in a club.

http://hypem.com/track/938861/Yeah+Yeah+Yeahs+-+Heads+Will+Roll+A+Trak+Remix+Club+Edit

‘Foaming’ by Primary 1 (Memory Tapes remix)

Does this sound Asian to you? With Memory Tapes you never know, as the daydreamer extraordinary is not exactly bound to a restrictive sound pallet. Despite this diversity you can still hear this comes out of the studio of Dayve Hawk because of its dreamy atmospherics. I don’t really find this one of his best remixes though. While the escapism is still intact the tingling sounds in the first half of the song actually get on my nerves a bit. In a not very stunning move he does away with that around halfway, and it is the middle bit of this track that is the best part. Unfortunately it isn’t for long as he returns to the original sound after a while, and even when hearing the reprise of this I’m still not fond of it. It’s not really the best idea the man behind Memory Tapes has ever had. Oh well, if you create so many delightful things you are allowed to make something less extraordinary every once in a while, no?

http://hypem.com/track/935154/Primary+1+-+Foaming+Memory+Tapes+Remix+

‘Walk on Water’ van Midnight Masses

An atmospheric, five minute long symphony by Midnight Masses. “Carry on for your daughter / for your son” they sing, which immediately evokes someone on his or her deathbed. And with “Carry on, walk on water” added to it you might actually start thinking it’s an ode to Jesus, and I am not sure whether that really excites me in songs. Regardless of its intent, if one can already connote it to some sort of hymn it already indicates the tone of the song. Apart from the above sentences and perhaps four extra there is not really much going on on the lyrics sheet. I did like the transition from the “for your son” vocal bits to the next phase, where it is kicked up a bit, which is nice. But with nothing else to really focus on even that gets boring when it is done for the third time. Atmospheric and slow paced peaces can be very gripping, but in this song there is too much repetition, and just nothing much going on. Except for the gravitas induced by churchly connotations, whether intended or not, but unfortunately for the band the author’s intent has been on a steady decline since Barthes, so yeah.

http://hypem.com/track/938690/Midnight+Masses+-+Walk+On+Water