DJ Mehdi is one of the lesser known up and comers from the Ed Banger record label, hailing from Paris France, but that by no means means that his beats don’t hit as hard or aren’t as slamming. From the humble big beat of “Busy Being Born” to the track “Pony Rockin’ ” which sounds like the high pitched voice from the P-Funk on the mic at a Herbie Hancock show, the album offers up some smashing beats. The best and most addictive track and contender for track of the summer, “I am Somebody” is a 3 minute blast of synth funk provided courtesy of Chromeo. When the song ends the first time, the chorus will be etched into your mind and you will yearn for the replay button. If you need more synth funk, “Hot-O-Momo” featuring the vocals of Xanax, has not only the quick synth hits but also the mumbling inter-chorus vocals that are reminiscent of Prince.
While the beats are well produced, the only tracks that really stand out are the singles with vocals. The other tracks start to get repetitive and arduous as you get closer to being at the end. The explosive singles almost make up for the lack of substance in the other tracks, but don’t let the flashy, repetitive beats deter you from enjoying one of the best dance tracks I’ve heard this summer and remember you are somebody.
It doesn’t surprise me that the Cure chose instrumentalists 65 Days of Static to support them on their upcoming tour. Everything about 65 Days of static has the atmosphere and emotion that would go perfectly next to any Cure track. From beautiful fluttering melodies to rumbling bass lines, to spastic guitar solos, to glitchy breakdowns, their wild mood swings have an undeniable momentum. Their selection also makes me curious as to what the new Cure songs will sound like since Robert Smith has an uncanny ability to find new ways of communicating through music and filtering them into a distinct ‘Cure’ style.
Anyway, 65 Days of Static sound like mainstream rock radio torn down, and then rebuilt by a master craftsman. All of the drama, the pathos and the stage theatrics of the wannabe post-post-post-grunge nu-rockers is there, except there is more depth, more feeling and more raw talent. If they ever did add vocals it would destroy that delicate balance that draws in your casual radio listener as well as pique the interest of those listeners with a more sophisticated palette. All the difference in the world is made by a hint of subtlety. It’s not often that you find something that indulges the rudimentary taste of the top 40, while at the same time provides the depth of a critical gem. Their new album, “The Destruction of Small Ideas” offers up more of the peerless cerebral rock that is garnering them even more attention.
VHS or Beta posted 2 new tracks off of their upcoming “Bring on the Comets” album. I have to say they sound quite a bit different. While the songs are still dance-able, it seems like the songs are built around the vocals this time around rather than having the vocals injected into dance numbers. While we’re on the topic of the vocals, they have improved a great deal but they still don’t manage to make their own imprint. Most listeners are sure to have Duran Duran/Depeche Mode Deja Vu upon contact. Another things that stands out to me right away is the lack of the catchy lead riffs that made VHS or Beta’s “Night on Fire” so addictive, this is most probably due to the lack of founding Guitarist Zeke Buck who left to form “People Noise” with the former drummer of Boom Bip. They are set to release their excellent debut LP “Ordinary Ghosts” later this month.
Obvious first single “Burn it all Down”, still rings with the flange tinged builds and bass thumps that VHS fans are used to, while “Can’t Believe a Single Word” employs vocal grooves and spare piano to get it’s point across. It’s still too early to make a call on the entire album but the songs here are solid to say the least. The bass lines and the man machine drumming are still there, but they’re lacking something, an energy, an effect, or more likely a guitar player. VHS or Beta Myspace
The Cobra Dukes are yet another NME favored synth rock band hailing from London, England. There’s something raw and authentic about their sound. Think Billy Idol’s “Dancing with Myself”, in the way that there’s a rough element that seems to be struggling against the pop structure of the songs. It makes for a more convincing delivery of the lyrics. Just like how The Cure’s love songs resonate so much more than top 40 radio songs because The Cure had put out so much melancholic music beforehand so if they put out a love song it had so much more feeling than the vapid ballads on the radio because you could actually feel that something had changed.
Enough about feelings though, when it comes down to it, The Cobra Dukes serve up some great New Wave fun. Once the Cut-Copy like intro of “Leave the Light On” passes the synth surges in and manic retro bliss ensues. Speaking of retro bliss, you won’t come any closer to fantasizing about a mid-80’s prom than by listening to “Time is Coming” with your eyes closed. If you’re feeling like a third helping, the Knight Life remix of “Leave the Light On” should do the trick as well as leave your ears smoking and your feet sore.
DJ Mehdi is one of the lesser known up and comers from the Ed Banger record label, hailing from Paris France, but that by no means means that his beats don’t hit as hard or aren’t as slamming. From the humble big beat of “Busy Being Born” to the track “Pony Rockin’ ” which sounds like the high pitched voice from the P-Funk on the mic at a Herbie Hancock show, the album offers up some smashing beats. The best and most addictive track and contender for track of the summer, “I am Somebody” is a 3 minute blast of synth funk provided courtesy of Chromeo. When the song ends the first time, the chorus will be etched into your mind and you will yearn for the replay button. If you need more synth funk, “Hot-O-Momo” featuring the vocals of Xanax, has not only the quick synth hits but also the mumbling inter-chorus vocals that are reminiscent of Prince.
