70°

Dutch Rhythm Combo - Alerta ft. Isa GT (320 kbps)

Well THIS song is perfect for 70 degree weather. Which is happening now in Chicago. Fuck. Yes. Dutch Rhythm Combo (Berlin-based and conceived as an imaginary band) bring their trademark minimally-funky tropical-dub-disco sound, with London via Columbia's dj/mc/producer/babe Isa GT saying some sexy shit we don't understand.

DISCO CROSSWORD WEDNESDAYS, VOL. VII

We were at a bar and Mariah Carey Fantasy came on and everyone was hyped and we were like 'oh shit we haven't done a crossword in like 100 days and tomorrow is Wednesday.' This edition's tracks really don't need much introduction, beginning with Tom Tom Club's frequently sampled (but never topped, really, even by Mariah) classic Genius of Love. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five re-recorded the sample with a live band for '81's It's Nasty (the best of the dozens of hip-hop tracks using this sample, we think), and Mariah bladed around like the 90's dream girlfriend she is in '95's Fantasy. Warm weather jams right here.

Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love (183 kbps)

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - It's Nasty (LP Version) (256 kbps)

Mariah Carey - Fantasy (238 kbps)

We'd like to also take this opportunity to shake our heads re: Discovery just absolutely ripping this riff in that song we liked for five minutes last summer. As well as the opportunity to apologize for the fact that on this computer, Futura is the only sans serif typeface (see image above... cringe).

She Was The One

Mighty Mouse - Song For Ellen (192 kbps)

Well, we wrote OMG in all caps and then deleted it but basically the gist of this post is this is one of the nicest songs we've heard in a while (from last winter's 12'-only Song For Ellen EP). Everything Mighty Mouse comes out with is exactly how we hope the eventual Aeroplane album will sound. Lots of great remixes on the soundcloud too.

With My Mind On My Money

Laid Back - White Horse (220 kbps)
Laid Back - Bakerman (247 kbps)

We first heard 80's Danish smooth-vibes-disco-pop duo Laid Back and their 1983 hit White Horse in Horse Meat Disco's promo mix for their album last year; we had it stuck in our heads for a solid month, forgot about it, and fortunately stumbled across it again this week. We are not cool enough to fully understand the drug references of 'white horse,' but whatever, we do know this is a catchy ass track– 80's electro-disco-funk, no major bells and whistles, a simple track with a lot of sex appeal. But we're actually more partial to Bakerman from '89, a super mellow track that feeds our hunger for yacht rock sounds. Doesn't it sound like something Soul Clap would edit? Whoa look: http://soundcloud.com/soulclap/baker-man-edit

Nothin But Magic

Moodymann - Lake Shore Drive (Todd Terje Rekutt) (192 kbps)

Moodymann - J.A.N. (227 kbps)*

DEEP SHIT.

*We suggest you stick it out for the whole 11 minutes. Shit gets exciting again ~7:00. The samples are from Detroit radio DJ Electrifyin Mojo interviewing Purple Rain tour era Prince.

You Can't Be Funky If You Haven't Got A Soul

Bush Tetras - Too Many Creeps (223 kbps)

Bush Tetras - You Can't Be Funky (234 kbps)

We've been into the idea of basing posts on images inspiring music selection as opposed to vice versa. Or in other words, we wanted an excuse to post this picture, and all-girl 80's no-wavers Bush Tetras (and these two awesome tracks from the only full album they ever released, Boom In The Night (Original Studio Recordings 1980-1983)) seemed like the best fit– prototypically New York post-punk marked by scrappy guitar distortion and a solid injection of funk. Guitarist Pat Place tears shit UP.

Just Like Rising Moon

Don Armando's 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band - Deputy of Love (255 kbps)

Don Armando's 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band - I'm An Indian Too (192 kbps)

Hey MGMT, those super quirky mystical-alt-indian costumes are soOo totally out there (omgdrugsrule, and college is awesome) but guess who had the Native American Hipster thing down before yall were born? That would be Don Armando and his 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band, an offshoot of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band and produced by August Darnell of Kid Creole & The Coconuts. They only had one album, on ZE Records in '79, and one dance chart hit (Deputy of Love).

Deputy of Love is an undeniable disco classic, and singer Fonda Rae totally 'kills it' as the kids say. We've found that with I'm An Indian Too, half the people we play it for think it's really obnoxious. But we think it's the greatest thing ever– jangly, campy and unknowingly semi-racist disco about the desire to kick it with indians ('just like Battle Axe, Hatchet Face, Eagle Nose,' oh, okay). If you are into this song, you are in our crew. Our tribe...

I'd Rather Be In A Van

We heard the new Ray Mang single, Bulletproof, featuring Deee-Lite's mighty Lady Miss Kier, a few days ago and can't wait for a chance to hear it played out. It's a light but anthemic disco number (on the DFA imprint about which you probably already know how we feel) that takes George Clinton's Bulletproof and switches the mood to the days of righteous, flamboyant club disco (made slightly more subtle and timely). We've got a feeling our little corner of the internet is gonna be saturated with it so we're not gonna post it (but get it here)... but it reminded us of our favorite Ray Mang remixes that might top the brilliance of Bulletproof and its superior B-side Look Into My Eyes. The first is a bass-spankin remix of West Phillips' 1983 disco-funk track I'm Just A Sucker For A Pretty Face, complete with DFA-cowbell and all. Next is a remix of Brazilian samba-meets-funk group Banda Black Rio which we're not even gonna describe and if you trust us, we really hope you trust us, just give that lil link a click.

West Phillips - I'm Just A Sucker For A Pretty Face (Ray Mang Remix) (192 kbps)

Banda Black Rio - Tomorrow (Ray Mang Main Mix) (320 kbps)

Get Me Out Of Here

Can't believe it took us so long to get around to Manchester-based producer/dj Trus'me (David James Wolstencroft) and his particularly sophisticated-sounding breed of deep house. The guy is crazy prolific with his ultra-smooth liquid funk/house grooves that sound like a Detroit-ier, more soulful Dam-Funk (and the only time we've felt the term 'neo-soul' was relevant and not wanted to gag)... and oh hey, there's Dam-Funk on this dope ass track from his recent album In The Red. Peep the soundcloud– it's a total goldmine.

Trus'me - Brown's (204 kbps)

Trus'me ft. Dam-Funk - Bail Me Out (320 kbps)

(Try To Stay Cool) Going Through, Staying Cool

OKAY SO it's not like we are huge on mash-ups but COME ON. Come on.

Bottin vs. Talking Heads - Girlfriend of the Devil (DJ Mazz Edit)

Breakin All The Rules And Makin Sure You Know

Work It Baby, Kris Menace's French house superlabel, is dropping one of the best comps we've heard this year– a 2-cd set celebrating the label's 10th anniversary. That would be 34 tracks, half previously unreleased, via Fred Falke, Menace, Lifelike, Patrick Alavi... basically what we're getting at is if you like French house you will feel bad if you don't have this. Pick it up March 1 at the usual places or check some of our favorites. The Falke track is a little old by now but it for sure doesn't feel like it. And whoever this G.Ziro chick is, she is cracking us up and we're all about her.

Donovan - Breakin' (ft. G.Ziro) (241 kbps)

Menace & Adam - Could Heaven Ever Be Like This (192 kbps)

Fred Falke ft. Teff Balmer - Chicago (248 kbps)

None Of Your Freakin Beeswax

D D A A Y Y U U M M GIRL

En Garde

Couple years old, but brought back to mind by Autechre's epic 12 hour live broadcast (which we're just now catching up on and is fucking ridiculous)– Solen's essential half-hour mix of Autechre and the Wu. If you can't get into this, we just can't relate.

Solen Presents: Wutechre

1 Wu – Bring Da Ruckus (Intro)
2 Tech – V-Proc
3 Wu – Wu Tang Clan Aint Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit
4 Tech – Rale
5 Wu – Severe Punishment
6 Tech – 6IE.CR
7 Wu – A Better Tomorrow
8 Tech – Tewe
9 Wu – C.R.E.A.M.
10 Tech – Arch Carrier
11 Wu – Various – Cash Still Rules (Scary Hours)
12 Tech – Pir
13 Rza/Gza – Third World