outerglow

Let Me Upgrade Ya

2010-05-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

OUTERGLOWING.COM
OUTERGLOWING.COM
OUTERGLOWING.COM
OUTERGLOWING.COM
OUTERGLOWING.COM
OUTERGLOWING.COM

Doin' Thangs

2010-05-10T11:13:00.001-07:00

We are currently working on giving outerglow a makeover. We're talking some She's All That shit. The nerd glasses will be removed to reveal the beautiful wallflower prom queen sometime this week, so check back in a bit. In the meantime, enjoy some of our favorite tracks we've found elsewhere lately.

Amadou & Mariam - Sabali (Uproot Andy Remix) // via redthreat

Azari & III - Reckless With Your Love (Tensnake Remix) // via Asian Dan

HARD MIX - Drama Drama // via Cream Team

Matt Van Schie - Journey (Memory Tapes Version) // via RCRDLBL

Morgan Page - Longest Road To Nowhere (Only Children Remix) // via dsquared

Break It Fix It

2010-05-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dave Nada - Ruffcut (Moombahton Dub) (320 kbps)
A-Mac - Long Train To Moombahton (320 kbps)
Playmode - One Track Mind (Scattermish Moombahton Mix) (320 kbps)

Not sure why it took us so long to get some moombahton up in this bitch. If you don't know, now you know; or to sum it up, Dave Nada, while DJing his little cousin's party, slowed down some Dutch house tracks to slinky reggaeton BPMs so as not to get jumped by a bunch of hyped up Latino high school kids for playing house. Boom– moombahton is born. One small step for man, one giant leap for making white people dance to BPMs lower than 120. Granted, shit can get a little repetitive, we're not trying to hear anybody's full-length Moombahton LP, but seriously, if you can hear this shit played at a party and not want to hump everyone... you suck. These are some of our favorite moombahton edits we've come across. Enjoy with a 'cold one.'

Damn, Where My Roof Just Go

2010-05-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

Chief Boima - Techno Rumba (Uproot Andy Remix) (254 kbps)

Birdman - Money To Blow ft. Drake & Lil Wayne (Chief Boima Remix) (320 kbps)

Bay Area resident, Ghetto Bassquake contributor and Afrobeat-for-the-club producer/dj Chief Boima just dropped his Techno Rumba EP on Dutty Artz– two banging original tracks of contemporary African rhythms, and remixes by Uproot Andy and Matt Shadetek and dj/rupture. We recommend picking up the whole deal (which you can do here), but we think (Brooklyn-based dj, producer, and general superstar in the current sphere of globalized electronic music) Uproot Andy's remix is the most fun. We're also loving Boima's tribal take on Birdman's (though, basically Drake's) 'Money To Blow.' If you like what you're hearing, Boima put together an 'Afro Latino-Rumba' mix to correspond with the release; download and check the tracklist here. Dope stuff all around; this dude seems like a busy boy and definitely one to watch.

Snatch His Big Mac

2010-05-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

We just feel the need to periodically remind you that Nicki Minaj is the baddest bitch in the world. We've been digging through every mixtape she's put together over the past few years. Here are some of our favorite moments, including quite possibly our favorite line we've heard in a rap song in like, years:

You're like balloon boy, momma you was never there!

Nicki Minaj - Dreams '07 (from Playtime Is Over, 2007)
Nicki Minaj - Curious George (from Sucka Free, 2008)
Nicki Minaj - Dang A Lang (from Barbie World, 2010)
Nicki Minaj - Sweet Dreams (from Barbie World, 2010)

If you want more Nicki, we also posted a few tracks from her latest mixtape, Harajuku R&Barbie, here on the Creamteam music blog (don't think we've ever mentioned it, but we contribute to that blog as well, and it's always full of great stuff).

Let Me See You Rep Your Hood

2010-05-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

MC Shakie - Drop Real Low (320 kbps)

Have you seen the pilot episode of Diplo's new endeavor, No One Is Safe? It's a Discovery channel-ish thing about various music subcultures, and the first episode is dedicated to New Orleans bounce, a scene we had practically no idea about. Diplo chats with the big dogs of the bounce world who, awesomely enough, are pretty much all trannies, super dope trannies who like to make the impressionable youth bend over and shake their asses. It's definitely worth watching. (Though we felt somewhat pissed off that the intro is to the tune of Paper Planes. We don't even know why that pissed us off, we might just be assholes.)

Bounce basically sounds like the scrappiest, most hyper, somewhat Bmore-ified crunk music you've ever heard, and if you like parties and fun and sex and stuff, you kind of can't help but get into it. This track (which samples Jackson Five 'I Want You Back,' which always sits well with us) is from the recently released Shake Twerk & Wobble 2, a compilation of bounce tracks via The Bounce Spot. We get the feeling this stuff's going to blow up (you know, kind of like everything Diplo touches). If you want more bounce, Nolabounce is a great place to start.

Unruly Boys Who Will Not Grow Up

2010-05-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

The Smiths - Barbarism Begins At Home (Tim Zawada Edit) (32o kbps)

Here's a nice little Smiths edit by fellow Chicagoan, disco/funk/boogie/[etc.] DJ, and cool guy Tim Zawada. Nothing too out there, but definitely a good call. We definitely recommend checking out his soundcloud– handfuls of solid disco edits (all conveniently downloadable in high quality) and fun ass mixtapes. The dude has good taste.

I Hope You

2010-05-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Capsule - I Wish You (Corporate Remix) (320 kbps)

Oh man. So far we've managed to keep our favorite moderately-guilty pleasure under wraps on this blog, but it's time to get it off our chests. We CANNOT EVER get enough J-pop/K-pop/C-pop/basically all cheesy Asian powerpop. We've had a raging crush on Lee Hyori ever since this video (those green overalls, DAYYUUMM GURL) and we've spent more nights than we're comfortable quantifying in endless Korean boyband youtube video spirals. (How epic is this shit? Seriously, every Korean music video tries to be more epically depressing than the last.) So forgive us for freaking out a little bit when we found this remix through the always on-point Dollar Bin Jams. Capsule definitely has a lot more credibility and talent than your basic Japanese electro-pop group; Yasutaka Nakata, half of the duo, is actually an incredible producer, and makes upbeat synth-pop that (we think) does the cute-happy-Japan thing in a way that doesn't make you want to barf; it kind of sounds like J-pop meets French pop. This remix is really nice and takes the usual hyperactivity down a few welcome notches.

R&B Crossword: Tonight Is The Night (Vol. VIII)

2010-04-29T09:35:00.001-07:00

We had an executive meeting in the Outerglow headquarters, catered by Jimmy John's, and we decided that disco [etc.] crosswords should be any day of the week and not only for Wednesdays (read: we always forget it's Wednesday). So here we are and today we just have one song from which many have been derived, but it's a really good one– the lovely Betty Wright's 1974 r&b/soul jam 'Tonight Is The Night.' This is such a simple, sexy little beat, and it's been sampled to the ground in 90's hip-hop. The first half is mostly live banter but it's shockingly worth listening to in its entirety.

Betty Wright - Tonight Is The Night (Pt. 1&2) (256 kbps)
Candyman - Knockin' Boots (216 kbps)
Kid 'N Play - Decisions (192 kbps)
Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up (256 kbps)
Aaliyah - Down With The Clique (250 kbps)

Of all the hip-hop tracks using this sample, the best one has got to be Candyman's hit from 1990, 'Knockin' Boots.' You probably remember it, and Wright's original actually became way more well-known after its release (though it was Candyman's only hit). 1990 also saw 'Tonight Is The Night' sampled by poppy old schoolers Kid N' Play in 'Decisions.' You can't really argue with this track if you like upbeat old-school hip-hop. Then we've got the awesomely bad classic, Color Me Badd's 'I Wanna Sex You Up,' from 1991, which we enjoy openly and without guilt. Rounding out our top four tracks with this sample is Aaliyah's 1994 hit 'Down With The Clique.' This song is dope for the mere fact that it opens with: 'Yeeah, it's the nineties.'

It Comes Back But It's Never The Same

2010-04-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls (Holy Ghost! Remix) (128 kbps, sry)

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

P.S. Chicago, see you 5/25 (Holy Ghost! opens, fuck yes): LCD Tour

Selva Cósmica

2010-04-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

We've been busy. We don't want to let you down, but the internet is just significantly less cool in spring. Let's go outside and listen to stuff like this. María y José (Antonio Jiménez) hails from Tijuana and makes tribal guarachero which has been described as the 'Mexican ghettotech.' Or basically if El Guincho was hood as fuck.

María y José - Mi Chulita (320 kbps)
María y José - Duro Duro (320 kbps)
María y José - Oyé Santanas (320 kbps)

Jiménez is also Unsexy Nerd Ponies. 'Valerie 1986' is on a bit of a new wave-meets-dreamwave tip (but with tribal cumbia-inspired percussion), and 'Cave Cave Cave' is, err... batshit fucking crazy.

Unsexy Nerd Ponies - Valerie 1986 (224 kbps)
Unsexy Nerd Ponies - Cave Cave Cave (320 kbps)

You still want more? Ok ok, check out a mix of more like this from Chico Sonido here.

If You Weren't, I Don't Know What We'd Talk About

2010-04-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

LCD Soundsystem - Home (320 kbps)

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Stream This Is Happening here

D'Une Beauté Sauvage Et Isolée

2010-04-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Isolée - Beau Mot Plage (Freeform Reform Pt. 1&2) (186 kbps)

So how bout when you forget about one of your favorite old songs for years and then you find a remix of it and discover that it's BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL? This remix of microhouse wizard Isolée's 'Beau Mot Plage' (a seriously fantastic track to begin with) just made our week. This shit sounds like the kind of vacation we're going to take when we get rich.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

2010-04-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Lindstrom - Paaskelyd (Bottin's Skogkatt Track) (128 kbps)

Please excuse the shitty quality of this track, we will try and upgrade after the actual release of this Bottin samper which is looking awesome, but we just couldn't wait because, well, this is two of our favorite people who make music and it rules. Not sure what a skogkatt is but this sounds classic, 'nu,' AND cosmic, so it's pretty much our new favorite animal.

Show Them What We're Made Of

2010-04-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

Solange - Robots Are Un-American (Bottin's Dub Version) (320 kbps)

We are pretty sure Solange is also Beyonce's little sister. Heard she was actually kind of cool, but this Solange is cooler– 80's B-horror film star, model, Dario Argento's girlfriend for a minute, with one single to her name, 1984's one-hit wonder Robots Are Un-American. From the title, you may not be surprised that it's campy as hell, but nonetheless a true italo groove. Italians Do It Better gave it a little tune-up, with outerglow favorite Bottin mixing this more dj-able version. This is for you if you like space disco or robots. Or AMERICA, duh.

High Together

2010-04-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

Siriusmo Radio-Mix by Exploited

Why is this Siriusmo's first mixtape (from Shir Khan's Fritz Radio show last week)?! This dude is just the coolest, and his accent is adorable. As you'd expect, it's eccentric and spastic yet controlled, with lots of his own stuff alongside tracks 'from French Electro, Disco, Pop, to Experimental and Leftfield, CutnPaste, Jazz, DDR-Rock, Berlin Underground Rap, Trash and Klamauk.' Can't say we've really become Berlin rap converts, but otherwise great stuff. Check it, kill an hour at work.

By the way, we've been lacking good mixtapes to listen to lately, aside from this (and worth mentioning is Soul Clap's Boston mix for xlr8r which we've had on repeat). Leave us a shout in the comments if you've got any leads for us!

70°

2010-03-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-08T15:25:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

D D A A Y Y U U M M GIRL

En Garde

2010-03-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

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

Your Own Kinda Style Not Like The Rest

2010-02-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

note: not Breakbot; we just really like this sweater

We've always been crazy for Breakbot (not to mention wondered why the heck he's still with Ed Banger?) but recently our desire to trade lives with him has gotten a little out of hand. The recently leaked Baby I'm Yours EP is stellar, but what really melts our icy hearts are the guy's mixtapes– total perfection. His recent Valentine's mixtape for Dazed Digital (which, if you missed, is here) was on fucking point... light-hearted, funky, romantic, tasteful with just a touch of irony, and totally seamless. (We're always shocked when we see the tracklists to his mixes– like, wait, you just fit like thirty tracks into thirty minutes without a fucking hiccup? Damn son.) Anyway, we were so captivated by it that we wanted to highlight a few of our favorite tracks. Long life to Breakbot.

Cerrone - Look For Love (161 kbps)

Eurodisco king Cerrone is a perrenial favorite at the outerglow headquarters. To understand why, you need only look at his album covers (they pretty much all look like this). This song, from 1978's Cerrone IV: The Golden Touch, is definitely one of his best.

Bumblebee Unlimited - Lady Bug (Larry Levan Mix) (320 kbps)

Breakbot's mix actually features the John Morales edit of this track, but we just like this one better. Because, um– it's Larry Levan. Right? Anyway, the original (from 1978) is cheesy as hell, with some borderline awkward vocal interludes from romantic bees, but the piano in this is soo sexy; plus, everybody needs some totally distasteful, insect-themed disco every so often, it's good for you.

Nice & Nasty 3 - The Ultimate Rap (256 kbps)

Not a lot of information on the Nice & Nasty 3, and they seem to have had only one release, or at least only one hit (this track, from 1980), but oh SHIT is it a doozy. Sugarhill Gang-esque old school rap at its best– you need this.

You Ain't Dreamin!

2010-02-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

The Dirty Diamonds - Where Are The Words (160 kbps)

We've got a feeling you guys are gonna like this one.

Last weekend we had the pleasure of finding ourselves at a loft show the previously unknown to us Dirty Diamonds were playing. Okay, so first off, we are not the type to give random local bands the benefit of the doubt; we have no qualms standing there with blatant unenthusiasm (our bad). So these kids are setting up, looking super adorable and all and we're prepared to give them five minutes and move on with our lives– but from the first ten seconds, we were totally charmed, and the Dirty Diamonds were instantly added to our Why Chicago Music Is Dope Right Now list. The seven-piece band makes fuzzy, catchy and totally unpretentious electro-doo-wop that sounds 75% classic, 25% contemporary, with the soulful harmonies of three seriously dope-piped chicks, kept fresh with drum machine backbeats (thus sounding like a fun ass party and not some embarrassing 50s girl group tribute band). And we're head over heels for the just subtle enough a-little-more-tropical-surf-guitar underlaying it all. The best thing is, you know these guys are having a blast making their music, taking their influences totally seriously but not worrying about keeping things too polished, which is what makes them sound so likeable. And honestly– we can't name anyone who sounds like this. Legitimately excited to see where these guys go from here.

'Where Are The Words' is a new, previously unblogged track from the Diamonds that we think needs your immediate and undivided attention. And if you're feeling what we're feeling, download their first EP, Meet The Dirty Diamonds, here!

♡ We Love You ♡

2010-02-12T16:28:00.000-08:00

We have always felt more than a bit awkward about Valentine's Day shenanigans, but we definitely love you guys for sticking with us through our ramblings, and we most definitely love borderline cheesy songs about that shit they call L ♡ V E. So we figured we'd skip the roses/chocolate bullshit and made yall a mixtape. It's the first one we've made, actually, and we can't say we're the best at mixing, and also we don't know how to do it any other way but in one take because we don't understand technology– so please excuse any glaring fuck-ups. Anyway, we tried our best to compile an hour of our favorite love songs (disco, funk, soul, and some miscellany, but general baby-making tunes) for your listening pleasure. Feel the love!!!!!

♡ DJ OUTERGLOW LOVES YOU: VALENTINE'S LIVE MIX ♡

01. Kitkaliitto - Swamp
02. Marvin Gaye - Please Stay (Once You Go Away)
03. Puzique - Don't Go
04. Prince - Just As Long As We're Together (Disco Mix)
05. Soul Clap - Rock The Boat
06. Social Disco Club & Maia - The Way You Move (Greg Wilson Edit)
07. Friend - Secret (ft. Air France)
08. Dinosaur - Kiss Me Again
09. Beach House - Zebra (Them Jeans Edit)
10. George Duke - I Love You More
11. Diana Ross - Love The One You're With (Todd Terje Edit)
12. Jo Bisso - Your Love
13. Sebastien Tellier - Kilometer (Moulinex Remix)
14. Still Going - Untitled Love
15. Lifelike - The Soul of My Love
16. Memory Cassette - Surfin (Weird Tapes Version)
17. Womack & Womack - Teardrops (Extended Remix)
18. Archie Bell - Any Time Is Right (DJ Apt One Edit)
19. The Love Symphony Orchestra - Let Me Be Your Fantasy
20. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Don't Leave Me This Way
21. Final Edition - I Can Do It (Anyway You Want)
22. Late Night Tales: At The Movies - The Deer Hunter

Weezy's Not Going To Jail For Another Month Wednesday

2010-02-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Lil Wayne will not be going to prison this week (serving a year for gun possession) as expected because he needs to get a cracked tooth fixed; his sentencing is pushed back to March. We have been intense Weezy fans for a long time and stand by him despite some questionable moves (ie, the Weezy rock album is so bad it's awesome, though we are still not mad because how great is it that he sees out every syrup-coated whim). And say what you will, but we've been feeling the shit out of the Young Money crew lately. Try and deny that Nicki Minaj is the baddest bitch ever. Thus, today's edition of Crossword Wednesdays goes out to Young Money. YA DIG?

The Lover Speaks – No More I Love You's
Nicki Minaj – Your Love (192 kbps)

This recent Nicki Minaj track samples Annie Lennox's No More I Love You's. We are not super fond of that version, but it's a cover of a highly superior new wave ballad by The Lover Speaks from '86. We prefer Nicki's harder, lesbian-ho-loving side to this pretty romantic lil number, but she still makes us wanna be her.

Lil Wayne – Receipt
The Isley Brothers – Lay Away (239 kbps)

One of our favorite tracks on Tha Carter II, Receipt, definitely isn't Weezy's best rap-wise on the album, but the sample is on point. It's the Isley Brothers' funky r&b single from '72, Lay Away. Too smooth.

Lil Wayne – Let The Beat Build
Eddie Kendricks – Day By Day (256 kbps)

Again, definitely not the best song on Tha Carter III but for sure one of the most fun, sampling an amazing, super heartfelt funk/soul jam by the suave, Marvin-Gaye-comparison-worthy Eddie Kendricks, Day By Day from '72.

'How Do I Look?' 'Almost As Good As Me, Now Let's Go'

2010-02-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

The Time – The Walk (212 kbps)

Rolling with the Prince vibes, let's enjoy a song as hilarious as it is funky from Prince proteges The Time, 1981's 10-minute synth-funk jam The Walk. The Time, led by ridiculously charismatic Morris Day, toured with Prince (who produced their albums, and heavy-handedly at that from what we've read, though we're definitely not complaining) in '83 and were (rumor has it, we can neither confirm nor deny) dropped from the tour for upstaging him. Upstaging Prince. The Walk is our favorite track from their best album, What Time Is It?; the last few minutes have the straight up funniest banter ever.

CROSSWORD WEDNESDAY(ISH): PURPLE EDITION

2010-02-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

Bottom row, far right

Sincere apologies for the absence of crosswords in the past couple weeks. Doesn't it suck when real world obligations get in the way of your life inside the internet? It's also no longer Wednesday, but our internet is fucked up (which falsely implies that we pay for its use), prohibiting earlier posting. Anyway, we're back, and wasting no time with superfluous introductions, please accept this Prince edition of Crossword Wednesdays as a token of our love.

First up, we have the B-side of '84's When Doves Cry, 17 Days (it's worth noting the track's full title, 17 Days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose. If U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose.)– yep), as sampled by the dopest female MC of all time in her '88 single Paper Thin.

Prince - 17 Days (215 kbps)
MC Lyte - Paper Thin (168 kbps)

Next, two tracks the man himself sampled for '91's Gett Off. Your standard awesomeness from James Brown and his '69 hit Mother Popcorn, which also had a corresponding dance craze. And our favorite, a classy but sooo funky italo-influenced funk track from J.R. Funk & The Love Machine, Feel Good Party Time– lots of live instrumentation (for a track made in '80) and party shouts here. Love it. We're including the extended version of Gett Off, from the Prince 12 Inch Archive bootleg collection. Some songs have no business being 10 minutes long; this isn't one of them.

James Brown - Mother Popcorn (192 kbps)
J.R. Funk & The Love Machine - Feel Good Party Time (193 kbps)
Prince - Gett Off (Extended Version) (194 kbps)

In related news, if you have yet to become acquainted with fellow Chicagoans/disco studs Only Children, now's your chance. These guys have become favorites among the ever-growing Chicago disco fanclub, and did an edit of Prince's Uptown a while back that will improve your dj set or just make you really happy. Check it out and download on their soundcloud page, and browse the rest too, satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

I Can Hear Your Voice Across The Room

2010-02-01T22:06:00.000-08:00

Family of Eve - Having It So Bad For You (Edit)

The world is unfair, and sometimes astronomically talented people go unnoticed by society at large. That's how it goes, but we feel for Family of Eve regardless. They were a Pittsburgh soul group around '80 who only had a couple 7"s and moderate local success, although somehow their releases are pretty sought-after collectibles now. These guys had it all, making gorgeous, tight disco/funk/r&b-tinged soul with killer male-female vocals, and it's too bad for the world that they did not blow the fuck up. Anyway, we have no idea who did this edit of our favorite Family of Eve track, 'Having It So Bad For You' from '80, but we've been bumping it for probably a good year now and it just does not get old.

All Around The World, Wherever You Are

2010-01-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

M - Pop Muzik (Todd Terje Remix) (320 kbps)

The King of Edits reworks '79 new wave/electropop hit 'Pop Muzik' by (essentially one-hit wonder) M, resulting in 10 minutes of a straight up FUN TIME in the form of propulsive, party-starting new-wave-meets-nu-disco. You already know that everything Todd Terje touches turns to shiny ass disco gold. What more can we say? POP MUSIC BABY. It's good for you.

Whatever Makes Me Feel So Chic & Outta Sight

2010-01-24T16:58:00.000-08:00

We can't say we know a ton about Xavier. They were a funk/soul/r&b group in the early 80's and as far as we know only released one album, Point of Pleasure in 1982. Good thing that album is super fucking dope– sexy, soulful male/female vocals, squelchy funk bass, and at times ridiculously plodding BPMs which we are not at all mad at. We got turned onto them via last year's amazing 'Do It To The Max' by the 6th Borough Project, which is a cover of Xavier's track by the same name. We literally lol'd upon first hearing how audaciously stupid slow the original is. Check it.

Xavier - Do It To The Max (320 kbps)

Xavier - What Goes Around (320 kbps)

Turn It Up Just A Little Bit. Well, Alright

2010-01-17T13:49:00.000-08:00

Last year we definitely listened to more mixtapes than albums (maybe due to our own ADD, but probably just because there were so many killer ones), and we're not sure that's going to change. Allow us to share with you two of the most fun and interesting we've heard in a minute.

We know Sparkle Motion is DJ Yoda and Tobes, but they have no website, myspace, or really any sort of promotional info on the internet, so that's pretty much it. Whatever– they've been pumping out some of the smoothest and most refreshing mixtapes we've heard in a minute. This one is dedicated to the slick sounds of the late 80's/early 90's new jack swing style. If you think you're unfamiliar, check the tracklist- you're probably not. Smooth, breaky, soulful, poppy, funky, and perfect for getting ready to go out. You NEED this.

Sparkle Motion - New Jack City Vol. 1 (320 kbps)
01 It Feels Good – Tony Toni Tone
02 Motownphilly – Boyz II Men
03 Strictly Business – LL Cool J
04 I Get The Job Done – Big Daddy Kane
05 Rub You The Right Way – Johnny Gill
06 Don’t Go Messin’ With My Heart – Mantronix
07 Alright – Janet Jackson
08 Poison – Bell Biv Devoe
09 Iesha – Another Bad Creation
10 Go For It (Heart & Fire) – Joey B Ellis & Tynetta Hare
11 New Jack Swing – Wrecks-N-Effect
12 I Like It – Dino
13 Expression – Salt-N-Pepa
14 Full Term Love – Monie Love
15 One Girl (Club Dub) – Christopher Williams
16 Girls Nite Out – Tyler Collins
17 Somebody For Me – Heavy D & The Boyz
18 Workin’ Overtime – Diana Ross
19 She Ain’t Worth It – Glenn Medeiros & Bobby Brown
20 Around The Way Girl – LL Cool J
21 Hold You Tight – Tara Kemp
22 6 Minutes of Pleasure – LL Cool J

If Sparkle Motion was the soundtrack to the pregame, this recent mix from L.A.-based Nguzunguzu (promoting their EP just released on Shade Business) is the party, but to be honest we wish we went to parties like this shit. It's a mix of fat-bassed tropical house and cumbia which (we are just learning) is known as guarachero. Toy Selectah described it as the 'Mexican ghettotech,' we just call it the ass-clappinest shit we've heard in a long time. Play this and turn your party into an orgy.

Nguzunguzu - EP Promo Mix (256 kbps)
01 Sticky – Jumeirah Riddim
02 Sticky – Jumeirah Riddim Sequel"
03 Footsteps – Baby Kinta
04 Rishi Romero – African Forest (Original Mix)
05 Makency DJ – Wao
06 DJ Eridson – Hino Batucada
07 Nguzunguzu – El Bebe Ambiente
08 Debo – Helter Skelter
09 DJ Pesado and DJ Fofuxo – Sirene
10 Puto X feat. Maskarado – Quen E Que Mana Ai MP
11 Nguzunguzu – What Dance?
12 Baobina and I.D. – Mandown
13 DJ Boda – TÃ¡Ã¡Ã¡ BÃ¡Ã¡TÃ–Ã–Ã–rr R
14 Bok Bok – Whole World Changing 4X4
15 DJ Pesado and DJ Marfox – Gerentologia
16 DJ Corlando – Passa Passa (Kingdom Remix)
17 DJ Du Marcel – Tribal Sound
18 DJ MA1 – I'm Right Here feat. Sophia
19 Nguzunguzu – Got You
20 Mike V – Feelings
21 Basement Jaxx – Flylife

I'll Hit The Ceiling On A Beam Of Light

2010-01-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

Arabesque - Friday Night (242 kbps)
Arabesque - In The Heat Of A Disco Night (255 kbps)

Holy shit. Is Arabesque the hottest girl group ever? Look at that fucking choreography. Look at those satin jumpsuits and perfect disco bangs. Granted, the two pieces of bread to the German disco princess sandwich are totally disposable, but oh my god we want to be the one in the middle (Sandra Lauer). Anyway, Arabesque was a late 70's/early 80's German disco trio and was apparently kind of big in Japan for a while. They made campy, sexy Eurodisco in the golden age of campy, sexy Eurodisco, with song titles like 'Make Love Whenever You Can' and 'Parties In A Penthouse,' and looked good all the time.

EDIT: WAIT. We knew these bitches sounded familiar! One of the fist-pumpingest tracks of '09, Fake Blood's 'I Think I Like It,' samples 'In The Heat Of A Disco Night!' Check it.

Your Love Is So Important

2010-01-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Don't Leave Me This Way (256 kbps)

One of the most beautiful voices in soul music. Scratch that, music.

- Teddy Pendergrass 1950-2010 -

Well, I'm Driving In A Black On Black In Black Porsche 924

2010-01-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

When I first heard the wizard drop this track ['Future'], I thought the electrifying mofo just landed his mothership on my roof. My porch lights burned out. The very next day I headed for Buy-rite music on 7mi, I had to hook up on this track. I gave a big shout out to juan, who just happened to be chillin' in Buy-rite that day. Now, when I take this track for a ride on the 1200's, it still gives me chills. Those phased out synths and trade mark snares compliment the futuristic baseline, not to mention the piloting vocals.

The above is a comment from Model 500 discogs [left by author 'zorlac'] referencing their first hit, 'No UFO's/Future' 12" from '85. We are not exactly sure who zorlac is, but he sounds like a cool guy if he was on a first-name basis with Juan as in Atkins, co-creator of Detroit techno and just a straight up important figure in electronic music, who recorded under many names but most prominently as Model 500. 'Techno' has taken on somewhat lame connotations at present (well, it's just not our thing), but the Motor City OGs' electro funk style was totally another story– more Afrikaa Bambaataa/Kraftwerk meets soul meets hard Ford-factory robotism than much within the modern sphere of techno, or maybe we just don't know enough which is probable. 'No UFOs' is a dope song, but 'Night Drive (Thru Babylon),' also from '85, is their best– a track burning with late-night energy that paints a landscape of a gritty, but hyper-stylish, retrofuture dystopia that seems especially surreal in the context of Detroit 2010.

We came across the amazing clip above, featuring 'No UFO's' (among a bunch of others that are definitely worth watching if you're bored), from the The New Dance Show, a Detroit tv show from the late 80's/mid 90's that was basically Soul Train but in Detroit with dope music like Egyptian Lover and shit, and the most stylish people ever.

Model 500 - No UFO's (Vocal) (251 kbps)
Model 500 - Night Drive (Thru Babylon) (254 kbps)

And There You Will Always Long To Return

2010-01-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Oto Gelb - Air on a G-String (J.S. Bach) (320 kbps)

We literally just heard this song, played it four times, did the best we could to collect ourselves and ran to post it. Oto Gelb is one of the many aliases of brilliant, passionate disco/house purist Daniel Wang, who we consider one of the most underrated yet biggest innovators in modern dance music. 'Air on a G-String,' released in '07 on Wang's Balihu label, turns a motherfucking BACH piece ('Air on the G String,' from his Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major) into a whimsically funky string-filled disco number that we just can't stop smiling about.

HOUSE CROSSWORD WEDNESDAY, VOL. IV

2010-01-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know, we live in Chicago. We fall in and out of love with it– the cold, the wind, the sometimes disappointing nightlife– but when it comes down to it, we love this city and its incredibly rich history (particularly music-wise). Thus this edition of the crossword is close to our hearts– the evolution of 'Your Love,' the track that started as a tape passed from dj to dj in Chicago's mid-80s underground clubs and became one of the most important tracks (and maybe the first important track) in house music history.

Electra ft. Tara Butler - Feels Good (Carrots & Beets) (320 kbps)
Jamie Principle - Your Love (192 kbps)
Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principle - Your Love (243 kbps)
The Source ft. Candi Staton - You Got The Love (228 kbps)

To clear up any confusion about the birth of 'Your Love,' it was originally by Chicago producer and vocalist Jamie Principle. It started to blow up when Frankie Knuckles began to play it at his club, the Power Plant (which opened in '82, after Knuckles gained fame from djing at Chicago club the Warehouse– in which the music Knuckles played came to be known as 'house'). Then Knuckles produced a second version of the track (although not released on vinyl until '87), with Principle still doing the vocals. This version took off outside of the Chicago clubs, becoming the classic it is today.

Both versions of the track use the bassline of an AWESOME Italo track from '82 by Electra featuring Tara Butler, 'Feels Good (Carrots & Beets),' which talks about eating vegetables and working out. And in '91, Candi Staton's vocals were layered over the instrumental of Knuckles' version for The Source's dance hit 'You Got The Love' (the vocals, with their uber-Christian message, were from one of Staton's earlier songs, supposedly recorded for the soundtrack to a mid-80s documentary about an obese guy... yeah). And most recently, Animal Collective sampled it in their super fucking mind-blowing #1 song of '09 (as if– we don't even like it, to be honest, though it seems we're in the overwhelming minority) 'My Girls.' Whatever man... we'll just take 'My Girls'' success as a tribute to the greatness that is Frankie, Jamie, and CHICAGOOOO!

Don't You Feel It Getting Hot?

2010-01-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

Jo Bisso - Play Me (Parts 1-4) (192 kbps)

16 minutes of super-erotic '78 disco from late 70s French producer Jo Bisso, divided into four continuous parts: 1. Desire, 2. I Wanna Love, 3. You Are Loving Me, and 4. Burning. These subtitles are pretty indicative of what to expect from the track– lots and lots of sex sounds over a funky, bass-and-string-heavy disco rollercoaster ride that remains constantly interesting despite its length. Besides, a 16 minute relationship that starts with desire and ends with burning– it's like Bisso read our high school diary! Wait, what...?

FISTPUMP FRIDAY: FILTHY HOUSE BEATS

2010-01-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

OUTERGLOW RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR WITH THE HOTTEST, FILTHIEST HOUSE BEATS* IN THE FIRST EDITION OF FISTPUMP FRIDAYS! Y'ALL KNOW WHAT TO DO: BEAT UP THE BEAT, THEN FIST PUMP THAT SHIT! HOUSE BATTLE MUTHA FUCKAZ!!!

*Well, okay. Our definition of filthy house beats possibly diverges from that of Snooki and company. Hey, we had our Deadmau5 phase but that's probably best left where it lays. Basically we're just gonna post various house jams that incline us to fist pump. We invite you to do the same (responsibly, please).

Puzique - Nice N Tight (320 kbps)
Chip E - Like This (248 kbps)

It's All I Need And I Jump Over

2009-12-31T22:35:00.000-08:00

We must admit: we're not partial to using the calendar as a crutch for progress. A new year (and decade) is an exciting thing, and an excuse to party always sits well with us. However, at outerglow hq's we are firm believers in self-improvement not as a resolution, but as an ever-present mindset. Even more, though, we believe in intentional daily happiness (for at least a few moments). It's great to have a work ethic and to push hard for your version of success, and if you're able to make a new year's resolution and keep it, more power to you. But you know what's better? Making time to do things that give you full and legitimate pleasure– like listening to super flamboyant disco, fist-pumping (ahem) house beats, or the understated genius of Arthur Russell. That's our wish for you, not for 2010, but every day. Much love and happy new year.

Here is the first song we listened to in the new year. It is a huge compliment when we say this edit approaches the loveliness of the original.

Arthur Russell - This Is How We Walk On The Moon (218 kbps)
Arthur Russell - This Is How We Walk On The Moon (Youth Return To Base Edit) (320 kbps)

[FUNK] CROSSWORD WEDNESDAY, VOL. III

2009-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

Dynasty - Adventures In The Land Of Music (276 kbps)
Camp Lo - Luchini AKA This Is It (224 kbps)
Angie Stone - Lover's Ghetto (244 kbps)

This week's crossword centers around one of our favorites– 80s disco-funk group Dynasty and their best album, Adventures In The Land Of Music from 1980. We love Dynasty because they glide so easily between silky ballads and uptempo dance numbers; plus we can never turn down male/female vocal synergy. The title track is of the slower variety, but punctuated with stabs of brass, the perfect foundation for some hip-hop/r&b cuts. 90s Bronx rappers Camp Lo sampled it in their graceful-yet-street '97 track 'Luchini AKA This Is It,' and Sugar Hill r&b/neo-soul diva Angie Stone used it in 04's 'Lovers' Ghetto.'

Dynasty - Groove Control (257 kbps)
Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars (Shazam Dub Mix) (192 kbps)

The next piece of the puzzle features our favorite Dynasty track, 'Groove Control'– so slick, so funky, those strings, that xylophone! So dope. Shazam's dub of Bag Raiders' 'Shooting Stars' from '09 which samples it is... well, let's just say, we love Bag Raiders and we love Shazam and we're generally not ones to get picky about sampling, but we think the degree of sample here is a little cheap. Kinda clever, and definitely sounds sexy, but cheap (again, with all due respect to Shazam/BR). Well, we'll let you be the judge. It's all for the love of the crossword, y'all! Drop in again next Wednesday, won't you?

Shine Down On My Day

2009-12-28T17:52:00.000-08:00

Here are two songs related in some way to the zodiac.

Capricorn - Pow Pow Pow (256 kbps)

Wailing 1980 italo number from Capricorn, or Italian duo Claudio Simonetti and Giancarlo Meo. Even without the knowledge that they were part of acclaimed italo group Easy Going, don't those names just assure you this song is legit? It is.

Uncle Jamm's Army - What's Your Sign (192 kbps)

Some goofy 1985 vocoder action on top of a massive, classic beat from equally massive L.A. old school electro-hip-hop crew Uncle Jamm's Army– L.A.'s first hip-hop crew, and hugely influential to West Coast hip-hop and early electro in general. And Ice-T was in it.

[FUNK] CROSSWORD WEDNESDAY, VOL. II

2009-12-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

Got a little distracted last week, what with list-making and all, but no worries, we haven't forgotten. This time around it's more of a funk crossword, and both of our samples come from a really amazing compilation we've been spinning for a while– 'Can You Dig It? The Music & Politics of Black Action Films 1969-75' from Soul Jazz Records. It's a collection of music from the Black Action/blaxploitation films of the early 70s (Shaft, Super Fly, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, etc.), the first films written, produced and acted by almost entirely blacks and focused on black life. Pretty unsurprisingly, the genre is steeped in controversy (hence the negatively-connotative 'blaxploitation'); was it a perpetuation of stereotypes, or a groundbreaking expression of previously ignored themes? Regardless, their soundtracks fucking slayed, featuring the best, most sophisticated funk and soul jazz tunes of the time.

Isaac Hayes - Theme From Shaft (223 kbps)
Young MC - Know How (251 kbps)

Our first pairing starts with Isaac Hayes' theme from Shaft from '71, a smooth and richly orchestrated number punctuated by can you dig it's and bad mother shut your mouth's– how can you go wrong? Young MC (who you know better for his Grammy-winning 'Bust A Move') deftly sampled it in his '88 track 'Know How,' one of our favorite hip-hop tracks of all time.

Willie Hutch - Theme of Foxy Brown (203 kbps)
Cassius - Foxxy (320 kbps)

Next up is Willie Hutch (dope Motown artist who soundtracked The Mack and Foxy Brown, as well as cowrote the Jackson 5's 'I'll Be There') and his awesome theme for Foxy, which the legendary Cassius sampled on 'Foxxy' from Cassius 1999. Catch ya same time same place next week for another crossword!

OUTERGLOW PRESENTS: Our Top Tracks of 2009

2009-12-22T14:08:00.000-08:00

Wow– we thought narrowing down our top albums was tough, but jesus. So we aren't putting these in any particular order aside from the top ten (err, 11 plus a 'special award,' we can't edit); frankly we just can't wrap our minds around a task that huge and subjective. Fuck an order, anyway; these songs all ruled and that's what matters. This list is pretty much all dance/electronically biased, with a few exceptions, but really, isn't the internet already over-saturated with 'indie' lists anyway? We know y'all got good taste, so as not to be redundant and give you tracks you've already played out, we're hitting you with some downloads of the possibly less-circulated tracks, as well as some alternate takes on the bigger ones, and we'll direct you to places where you can check out the rest. Blah blah. Here are our favorite tracks of 2009!

SPECIAL MENTION: DFA Class of '09
You already know DFA is the bee's knees. We think this year was their best in recent memory, even considering last year's Hercules frenzy and 2007's release of 'Sound of Silver.' This year saw the major success of YACHT and The Juan Maclean (whose live show this summer was one of the best of the year (RIP Jerry Fuchs)), but it's the smaller releases that made us love DFA evermore: a plethora of smashing EPs from Canyons, Shit Robot, Walter Jones, Holy Ghost!, James Curd and more, and a few albums thisclose to making our top albums list (Black Meteoric Star's self-titled in particular). Here are a few of our favorites that didn't quite make our top ten but definitely deserve a spin (there's more DFA in our top ten and honorable mentions).

Canyons- Apples & Pears (192 kbps)
Black Meteoric Star- Death Tunnel (320 kbps)
Still Going- Spaghetti Circus (320 kbps)

11. Vitalic- Second Lives (Different)
When we first heard this song, we kiiinda cried in our car stuck in traffic. Hugely powerful stuff that you expect from Vitalic, and then some. (We actually kind of regret not putting 'Flashmob' in our top 15 albums in retrospect. We're sorry.)

10. Four Tet- Love Cry (Domino)
We've had a special relationship with Four Tet for a long time (basically the first 'electronic music' we truly loved– yeah we used to be #indieasfuck, our bad). That Kieran Hebden's time kicking it with Burial has rubbed off on him is definitely not a bad thing.

9. Bottin- No Static (Bear Funk)
If you had yet to notice, we think Bottin can do no wrong. Pure Italo bliss. You can download this track from our top 09 albums post, or here.

8. Grizzly Bear- Two Weeks (Fred Falke Remix) (Warp)
Best remix of the year (and it makes us happy to say that of the lately hit-or-miss Falke). A heartstring-tuggingly perfect take on one of the year's most beloved tracks.

7. Classixx- I'll Get You ft. Jeppe (Kitsune)
Do you like bass? Do you like the producers that, out of nowhere, almost single-handedly crafted a defining sound (minimal nu-yacht-funk if you will) that majorly influenced the aesthetics of a huge realm of dance music production? Word, us too.

6. Air France- GBG Belongs To Us ft. Roos (self-released)
Does this count as an official release this year? Eh, don't care. Considering that 'summer-sounding music' was one of the year's most distinctive trends, here's a somewhat bold claim we're willing to stand behind– summer song of '09 right here.

5. Siriusmo- High Together / Siriusmo- Nights Off (Monkeytown)
Too hard to pick between these two, off the fantastic 'The Uninvited Guest.' Nobody does it likes Siriusmo; even at his worst, he's never uninteresting.

Siriusmo - Nights Off (203 kbps)

4. YACHT- Psychic City (DFA)
Really, come on. Who isn't in love with this song? Shitheads, we suppose.

YACHT - Psychic City (Classixx Remix) (320 kbps)

3. Shit Robot- Simple Things (Work It Out) (DFA)
But man... but man!... even that's hard sometimes! Every day for a good two months, we'd start our morning by playing this song. Arguably a lyrically depressing way to face the day, sure, but who gives a shit with a song this good, with a slow build this overwhelming.

Shit Robot - Simple Things (Work It Out) (Original Mix) (320 kbps)

2. Phonat- Set Me Free (MoFoHiFi)
Simply ecstatic. (And the Avicii version is by far the best remix. Massive stadium house. Don't act like you're too cool.)

Phonat- Set Me Free (Avicii Remix) (320 kbps)

1. Duck Sauce - aNYway (Fool's Gold)
IIII CAN DO IT ANYYYWAY THAT YOU WANT IIIIT! We can't count how many times we've walked down the street blasting this in the headphones with our swag at maximal levels, belted this out in the shower, or gone mental on the dancefloor (not just when it was fresh this summer– try last weekend) from the first second it hits. It just fucking rules. Enjoy the killer '79 soul jam from Final Edition that's sampled here (we've heard a few peeps complaining that A-Trak and Van Helden's version was too similar, but we think they are totally missing the point)!

Final Edition- I Can Do It (Anway You Want) (262 kbps)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Alex Metric- Head Straight
Atlas Sound- Walkabout (ft. Noah Lennox)
Aufgang- Channel 7 (John Talabot's You & Me Remix)
Basement Jaxx- Raindrops
Best Coast- Up All Night
Birdy Nam Nam- The Parachute Ending
Cassius- Youth, Speed, Trouble, Cigarettes
CFCF- Big Love (Fleetwood Mac Cover)
Chew Lips- Salt Air (Jupiter Remix)
Chromeo- Night By Night
Damn Arms- Destination Pt. 1 (DCUP Remix)
Delorean- Deli
DJ Kaos- Love The Night Away (Tiedye Remix)
Esser- Headlock
Fake Blood- I Think I Like It
Fear of Tigers- Sirkka △download (320)△
The Field- I Have The Moon, You Have The Internet
G.L.O.V.E.S. - PYX
Grace Jones- William's Blood (Aeroplane Remix)
Grum- Heartbeats (Joe & Will Ask? Remix)
Heads We Dance- Model 21 (Justin Faust Remix)
HEALTH- Die Slow (Tobacco Remix)
Holy Ghost!- I Will Come Back
Javelin- Lindsay Brohan △download (279)△
jj- Things Will Never Be The Same Again
The Juan Maclean- One Day
Kings of Convenience- Boat Behind
LCD Soundsystem- 45:33 (Theo Parrish's Space Cadet Remix)
Lifelike- Sequencer
Linkwood- Tears △download (168)△
Major Lazer- Keep It Goin' Louder ft. Nina Sky
Memory Cassette- Surfin (Weird Tapes Version) △download (320)△
Memory Tapes- Plain Material
Miami Horror- Make You Mine (Cassian Remix)
Motor City Drum Ensemble- Raw Cuts #5 △download (320)△
N.A.S.A.- Gifted (Treasure Fingers Remix)
Pictureplane- Goth Star
Renaissance Man- What Is Guru
Royksopp- Happy Up Here
Sebastien Tellier- Roche (Breakbot Remix)
Space- Carry On, Turn Me On (Bottin Remix)
Teengirl Fantasy- Azz Klapz △download (320)△
Villa- Agneta (Edit) △download (320)△
Washed Out- New Theory
Wavves- Cool Jumper
Whitney Houston- Million Dollar Bill ft. Alicia Keys
6th Borough Project- Do It To The Max

Thanks for tuning in, and keep an eye out for our favorite mixtapes and compilations of the year!

Think I'm Gonna Let You Do It Babe

2009-12-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

Marvin Gaye- Got To Give It Up (Pt. I) (237 kbps)

Well guys, we are in kind of a funk at the moment; we spent all day putting together a (we think) glorious list of the best tracks of the year, and Blogger's dumb azz did not save a shred of it when our computer crashed. Anyway, that's gonna be postponed for a day or two, but rather than stew, we figure we'd turn to two things that never fail to improve our mood– Marvin Gaye and wrinkly-faced dogs. Thus, we'd like to share with you the best Marvin Gaye song ever and a wrinkly-faced dog. Hehe.

What Makes It So Sad, It Was A Beautiful Day

2009-12-18T13:26:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of haw-lin

Jackie Stoudemire - Invisible Wind (204 kbps)

Jackie Stoudemire - Don't Stop Dancin' (202 kbps)

God the Numero Group is awesome. If you're unfamiliar, they're a record label that finds, compiles and remasters previously released but super obscure material– not genre-specific, just cool shit they think deserves attention. Their mission statement:

'To dig deep into the recesses of our record collections with the goal of finding the dustiest gems begging to be released from their exile on geek street. No longer would $500 singles sit in a temperature-controlled room dying for a chance to be played. No more would the artists, writers, and entrepreneurs who made these records happen go unknown and unappreciated.'

Dope. We've come across a shit-ton of astounding funk, soul, and gospel jams through them, and we'd like to share one of our favorite finds: the romantic, string-and-brass-heavy soul/boogie grooves of Jackie Stoudemire. 'Invisible Wind' and 'Don't Stop Dancin'' are some of the highlights from Numero's 'Dont Stop: Recording Tap,' a collection of amazing early 80s soul, boogie, disco and hip-hop tracks from Jeremiah Yisrael's short-lived Tap Records that Numero resurrected from a moldy pile in Yisrael's garage. You basically can't find Stoudemire's music anywhere else– jump on this shit! And definitely check out the rest of this compilation and the rest of Numero's catalogue for tons more amazing finds.

OUTERGLOW PRESENTS: Our Favorite Albums Of 2009

2009-12-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

We know outerglow has only been around for a week or two, but we love year-end lists (making, reading, insulting) and we hope you will enjoy ours. It's been an amazing year in music and it was a stressful process weeding down our top 15 albums of the year. We also stray from using the qualifier 'best' because this list is in no way objective, and we're really not qualified to talk about music in that way. This is simply shit that we loved. Oh, and please bear with us through our ramblings in our top five; we just get excited about these things and we're starting to suspect our cat isn't really paying attention when we tell him why disco will never die, so this is our venting place as much as anything. Oh, and each artist/album title has a link to where you can purchase said album if you see fit. Okay. Without further ado, the

OUTERGLOW TOP 15 ALBUMS OF 2009:

15. Phonat- Phonat (MoFoHiFi)
God damn did Phonat kill it this year. Italian Michele Balduzzi came out of nowhere with a totally unique blend of choppy, psycho-Falke-ian, A.D.D. french-house-nu-disco-electro-thrash-pop (what? for real); the first times hearing 'Set Me Free' and 'Learn to Recycle' (the 2:25 mark at which we just go apeshit) were straight up magical. If this album hadn't contained a lot of odd, discordant moments (too thrashy at times, least for our liking), the strength of four of five of the tracks could have put this much higher.

14. Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)
Fine. We don't think it's their best, and we don't think it's as pants-shittingly perfect as everyone else in the world seems to; oh, and 'My Girls' is not, by a long shot, the best track on here. But we all know this is a dope album. No more to say.

13. Dan Deacon - Bromst (Carpark)
Dan Deacon has always been entertaining, but he used to do it in an ironic, funny-fat-geek sort of way. His second album, 'Bromst,' stops messing around; he's still making oddball party music, but this time it's really kind of profound, and you can actually tell he's a musician as opposed to a dude who likes to party. It's the dense, buzzing wall of overlapping modem-synth sounds we expected, but we didn't expect it to have as many calms before storms, and it's really nice.

12. God Help The Girl- God Help The Girl (Matador)
If Belle & Sebastian weren't our favorite band of all time, this (B&S frontman) Stuart Murdoch-penned soundtrack to an in-the-works musical-film project probably wouldn't make it into this list. But guess what? Belle & Sebastian is our favorite band of all time, and this album, featuring the totally wonderful vocals of Catherine Ireton (in whose hands 'Funny Little Frog' transforms from okay B&S ditty to charming soulful perfection), sounds like them. Sooo...

11. Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic (Western Vinyl)
Softly experimental pop (we guess? electro-folk-psych-pop?) from art school boy Luke Temple's band is a woozy, romantic wash of lo-fi folk swooped out of lo-fi with textured synth sounds. Temple's fragile voice and captivating lyrics are the icing on the cake; if you've yet to hear 'Only Pieces,' drop everything and do so now.

10. Lindstrom & Prins Thomas - II (Eskimo)
Duh. It's Lindstrom and Prins Thomas, Scandinavian cosmic disco kings. It's Eskimo, arguably the best disco label right now. What more do you really want us to say?

9. Linkwood- System (Prime Numbers)
We wrote about Linkwood here. Criminally underlooked funky deep house. This shit is delicious.

8. TIE: Memory Tapes- Seek Magic (Sincerely Yours/Acephale)/
Washed Out- Life Of Leisure EP (Mexican Summer)
Hate the stupid Carlesian title, but we like everyone else in the universe loved the fuck out of 'chillwave' this year– so much so that we couldn't pick between our favorites, and easily the most talented of the genre, Dayve Hawk's Memory Tapes and Ernest Greene's Washed Out. We'll spare you the descriptions with which you've probably already been inundated. These guys sound good, they sound like summer, and 'Plain Material' and 'New Theory' are some of the year's most stellar tracks, period. (We also highly recommend checking out Hawk's blog, weirdtapes.blogspot.com– tons of downloads from Memory Tapes and its previous iterations.)

7. Fear of Tigers - Cossus Snufsigalonica (no label)
Fear of Tigers (UK's Ben Barry) produced our favorite song of 2008 (Study Hard Drugs School), and the unapologetically-happy-nu-disco-powerpop-house buck sure as fuck does not stop there. Ecstatic, one of a kind, and FREE! We expect big things from this guy; 2010 will be no doubt be the year of the tiger (gag, sorry, we couldn't help it).

6. Atlas Sound - Logos (Kranky)
Warm, glimmering, fuzzy dreampop from indie's smartest, most lovable weirdo Bradford Cox. Each song on Atlas Sound's second album was recorded in one take, making Cox's songwriting genius even more apparent; Cox exists for and by his songs, you can tell, and while often insensely personal, they're also inviting and relatable. But mostly just fucking gorgeous– Panda Bear collaboration 'Walkabout,' 'Quick Canal' featuring Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier, and the stunning 'Shelia' are three of the best pop songs we've heard in a long time.

...and now for the best of the best... ready?

5. Royksopp- Junior (Astralwerks)
We didn't immediately fall for 'Junior'; using 'Melody AM' (ohmygod) and 'The Understanding' (less so, but incomparable moments–'What Else Is There,' 'Only This Moment,' oophh) as measuring sticks, 'Junior' on first listen didn't do what we know the masterful Norwegian electropop duo can do. But we were so wrong. Royksopp has previously focused on either downtempo 'chillout' soundscapes or on uptempo melodies with dark techno inflections; 'Junior' is their middle ground that gets less 'middle' with each listen and still manages to maintain variation and the unmistakable Royksopp was here stamp. The album brings two powerfully catchy pop gems right off the bat: the infectious, P-funk sampling album opener, 'Happy Up Here,' is one of the feel-good songs of the year, and leads into Royksopp's most dancefloor-friendly yet, 'The Girl & The Robot' with Robyn slamming the vocals. But it's where 'Junior' goes next– the smooth-yet-growling, Royksopp-to-a-T 'Vision One' (a remake of a remix they did for j-pop star Eri Nobuchika), the dark and driving 'This Must Be It' with Karin Dreijer-Anderssen's vocals unsurprisingly owning the best chorus on the album, and the total standout 'Royksopp Forever,' the massive string-filled instrumental with a jaw-dropping mid-song chord change– that makes 'Junior' stand as tall if not taller than its predecessors. The Royksopp we love (earnest, dramatic, almost manic in their mood swings from saccharine to moody but with the chops to back it up) didn't go anywhere.

Royksopp- Royksopp Forever (212)

4. Woods- Songs of Shame (Woodsist)
Windblown, comfortably psychedelic, and (ah, fuck it) woodsy, Woods' fourth album 'Songs of Shame' does the lo-fi-psych thing in a way that seems immediately more mature than the slew of wannabes that popped up like dandelions in the past year. Unlike many of these conveniently noisy and rough-around-the-edges (*cough* underwritten) acts that got hyped, 'Songs of Shame' is cohesive and meticulously put together even in it's more 'jammy' meanderings and lo-fi aesthetics. Woods has reached an immediately intoxicating balance of unhinged clamor and catchy pop-ish hooks, naturalism and organization, strung together with random guitar wailings and Jeremy Earl's wistfully nasal choruses that kind of remind us of Built To Spill (which is a good thing). 'Songs of Shame' is a collage of evocative, campfire-suited gems somehow simultaneously eerie and strange and familiar and accessible, with moments of totally charming rustic bliss ('Rain On,' 'Gypsy Hand,' 'To Clean') leading up to the short but so heart-wrenchingly sweet 'Where And What Are You' that makes us want to start it again every time.

Woods - To Clean (224)
Woods - Gypsy Hand (224)

3. Bottin- Horror Disco (Bear Funk)
We read a lot of reviews that harped on the album title, turning it into some sort of Goblin-homage disco concept album. Anyone who actually listens, and has listened to Italo disco before in their life, can figure out that Italian producer William Bottin made something far less shallow than that. 'Horror Disco' is an impeccably-crafted (unsurprising given his background as a sound designer), kitschy-yet-classy, contemporary-yet-classic, focused-yet-surprising album that shows his unmistakable knowledge of, and passion for, pure Italo and rare synth sounds. Sure, the giallo influences are there, and Bottin's sounds are Italian to the core, though with a healthy dose of American funk. But the sprawling 78-minute album is much too varied, briskly jogging from the uber-camp ('Disco For The Devil,' 'Undercover Monkey') to the spacey and hypnotic ('Mary Lewis,' 'Endless Mother') to the dancefloor-ready boogie-and-funk-injected ('Sciarando El Scuro,' 'Venezia Violenta'), and far too subtle in its 'horror,' to be as one-trick as the title could have doomed it to be. The best moment is 'No Static,' cosmic and danceable, steadily arcing into what we can only describe as disco at it's most sublime. This is not the work of a bandwagon-jumping disco fan, nor is it 'nu-disco'; 'Horror Disco' is Italo at its freshest and truest.

Bottin - No Static (320)

2. YACHT- See Mystery Lights (DFA)
There were a lot of highly-acclaimed artful pop albums this year, and we pretty much liked them all (ya know. Various animals etcetera). But there was only one that totally melted our hearts, that stood the test of warm weather and cold weather and road trips and parties and sitting alone, and that was 'See Mystery Lights,' the light but never shallow, exuberant, sincere experimental-electronic-pop album from Portland duo YACHT. Jonah Bechtolt's playful creativity often got the best of him in his work with The Blow and with YACHT's previous album (2007's 'I Believe In You, Your Magic Is Real,' before Claire Evans joined), at times a bit too precocious and don't-ya-think-I'm-unique? But Bechtolt has figured out the perfect ratio of weirdness to coolness to earnestness by now, thanks in part to now being under the DFA roof. The DFA influence is apparent in tracks like 'Summer Song,' the album's most danceable track, with its chanted/shouted lyrics and strutting disco-punk baseline. But the album isn't carried by its DFA-ness; rather, the Murphy touch only adds to the loops and layers of bright simple sounds (skittering, minimal beats, off-kilter speak-singing) crafted with equal parts cheekiness and reverence. We've yet to meet anyone uncharmed by 'Psychic City' and its slow build from a simple chant over a quirky water-droplet beat (pretty sure that's sampled from 'Trapped In The Closet,' btw) to a totally anthemic affirmation of all that is right and good and weird in the world. But for us, even that doesn't top the album's randomly guitar-driven two-part song 'It's Boring/You Can Live Anywhere You Want,' the adventurous, frantic, hypnotic rumblings of which resonate in the pit of our stomach. What we love most about YACHT is their effervescent energy, the fact that everything they do (not just their music but their album art, their blog, their clothing, their live performance) comes off as both endlessly thoughtful and totally natural, injected with their unique ideology in which things are full of mystery and wonder and meaning under their shiny pop surfaces.

YACHT - Psychic City (320)
YACHT - It's Boring/You Can Live Anywhere You Want (320)

1. Mondkopf- Galaxy of Nowhere (Asphalt Duchess)
We're fairly emotionally hinged, but there's a list of about ten tracks/albums that for some intangible reason unfailingly send us into tears. This summer we randomly came across 'Galaxy of Nowhere' by previously-unknown-to-us Mondkopf (23-year-old Parisian Paul Régimbeau) and popped it on at our desk at work; half an hour later, fuck if there weren't tears flowing freely onto our totally forgotten spreadsheets. Mondkopf is best described as a melding of Aphex Twin, Vitalic, Modeselektor and Vangelis (seriously– we wouldn't toss those names around flippantly), and 'Galaxy of Nowhere' is a dark, monumental electronic journey with serious emotional heft, suited less for the dancefloor than for night driving on a mission. These aren't the 'ambient' tunes you put on when you study, because there's no chance in hell you can separate yourself from what you're hearing. It's the closest thing I've ever heard to ambient bangers (not in the lame Aoki sense of the word, but in that... it fucking bangs). Maybe it's because Régimbeau is new to dance music production and grew up creating Dilla-inspired hip-hop beats that reflect in the fat, crunchy claps giving backbone to waves of cosmic synths. One thing's for sure– he's dug out his own little world within the dance music sphere, glistening, echoing, intense, lonely. There's a religious somberness running through the album, subtly throughout, overtly in the swelling hymnal choruses of 'La Dame En Bleu' and 'Speaking With The Noise' and head-smashingly in the album-closer 'Ave Maria,' and it's a shock-and-awe, brooding-then-exploding religiousness rather than anything comforting or familiar, surrounding us, keeping us constantly on edge, apprehensive, in a reverent stupor. There are tracks that stand above the rest, but we don't feel it's relevant to discuss them– this is a rare occurrence of a modern album, an album with the total synergy albums were created to have, not for separating and ranking but a true sum so much greater than its parts.

Mondkopf - La Dame En Bleu (320)
Mondkopf - Valse Dans L'Ombre (320)
Mondkopf - Planetes (320)

Check back in later this week for our favorite tracks and remixes of 2009!

But If You Insist, On Knowing My Bliss

2009-12-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

original artwork: an outerglow/Bangers & Trash/@coal_slaw collaboration
medium: Macintosh Preview; desktop-background size available for download here

note: we recognize Tellier isn't yacht rock but he epitomizes Naught Yacht (naughtical?) Style amirite?

Michael McDonald - I Keep Forgettin (Every Time You're Near) (256)

Toto - Rosanna (320)

Warren G - Regulate (192)

Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That (DJ Apt One Drum Edit) (320)*

Lately we've been getting the sinking feeling that we're old. If we 'go out' more than 2 nights in a week, we spend our Sunday/Monday feeling like this happened to us. Sad as that may be, there is a remedy almost more potent than a bloody-mary-advil cocktail (official drink of outerglow), and that remedy is smoothness. Yes, we're talking about yacht rock; the soothing sounds of the Doobies, Steely Dan, Michael M and their late 70s/early 80s contemporaries have gently rocked our hangovers away many an afternoon. Here to wash away your seasonal depression are some of our favorite yacht rock classics, including our favorite Michael McDonald track from '82, 'I Keep Forgettin,' and the West Coast's smoothest gangsta Warren G's '94 hit that samples it, 'Regulate.'

*Okay, there is some debate that Hall & Oates are not 'yacht rock,' but in fact just 'rock.' But for us, yacht is more a state of mind than a tightly-defined genre... if it feels smooth and yuppie, well fuck, it can be yacht. Plus this uber-percussive edit by DJ Apt One of Philadephyinz is chronic.

I'm Gonna Be A DJ, Man. And Maybe A Lumberjack.

2009-12-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

Heatwave - The Groove Line

Dynasty - I Don't Wanna Be A Freak (But I Can't Help Myself)

Foxy - Hot Number

Paul Feig - Spacefunk

We aren't ashamed to admit that on a pretty regular basis, we find ourselves spending our Friday nights in bed with the cat watching Freaks and Geeks on dvd. Fuck it, it's possibly the greatest tv show of all time, Bill Haverchuck is indisputably the greatest tv character of all time, and on top of all that the soundtrack fucking owns. The majority is 70s/early 80s rock, but then in the final episode Nick gets into competitive disco dancing. The song scoring his amazing routine is Heatwave's '78 disco-funk hit 'The Groove Line,' and there are a ton of other disco gems in this episode too: Dynasty's '79 funk-pop party jam 'I Don't Wanna Be A Freak (But I Can't Help Myself)' and Foxy's uptempo r&b/soul jam from '79, 'Hot Number.' But the high point of this episode's soundtrack is also featured in episode 15 (we know we're lame), which opens with Bill bringing the funk to the tune of 'Spacefunk' by the show's creator, Paul Feig. It's partially a Pavlovian response that makes us super happy when we hear it, but it's also a pretty fresh lil track that stays true to its name. RIP Freaks And Geeks... even though you implied that disco was kind of embarrassing I ain't even mad at you.

Where You Will Slowly Wake Up

2009-12-11T10:37:00.001-08:00

we're sad that we've forgotten who this artist is.
if you know, could you kindly leave it in a comment?

The Factory - Path Through The Forest (Long Version) (320)

The Factory - Red Chalk Hill (320)

This is not the kind of thing we typically become obsessed with. But underground UK 60's freakbeat/psych-rock heroes The Factory make music so entrancing it's hard for us to understand why these guys didn't make more than just a handful of 45s (they never released an album). 'Path Through The Forest' will take you on a fucking mysterious psychedelic journey... seriously.

See, If I Was In Your Blood, Then You Wouldn't Be So Ugly

2009-12-10T23:39:00.001-08:00

image courtesy of synapticstimuli.com

Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Annie I'm Not Your Daddy (256)

Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Something Wrong In Paradise (Larry Levan Mix) (~256)

Fuck it, thought we could breeze through that ZE post only mentioning Kid Creole but we can't. Kid Creole (August Darnell) is the man– part of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, producer at ZE Records, and inimitable frontman of Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Latin-disco-funk group we love for their sense of humor as much as their super smooth salsa-and-big-band infused tracks. 1982's 'Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy' will wash away your December blues, and if you don't find yourself tapping your feet to godlike Larry Levan's remix of 83's 'Something Wrong In Paradise,' I'm sorry but you're just an asshole.

I Tried To Walk, But How?

2009-12-10T20:32:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of sacred mountain

Was (Not Was) - Tell Me That I'm Dreaming (Traditional 12" Remix)

Sympho State - You Know What I Like

For a bit now we haven't been able to stop playing 'ZE 30,' a compilation that came out a few months ago celebrating the 30th anniversary of New York no wave cult label ZE Records. The super-stylish label, run by Michael Zilkha and Michel Esteban (Z + E), was home to a totally eclectic array of artists like afrobeat-meets-post-punk French babe Lizzy Mercier Descloux and Latin-funk-pop goofball Kid Creole. The way ZE brought all these seemingly random artists together into a cohesive, avant-garde unit of funked-up weirdo disco-tized post-punk was fucking awesome, and we find it hard to think of a comparable label today (sorry).

Anyway we want to share two of our favorite tracks from the compilation, one you've maybe heard and one you maybe haven't. The first is Was (Not Was)' 1982 Reagan-sampling post-disco/funk track 'Tell Me That I'm Dreaming'... totally essential. The second is by a lesser known ZE artist, Sympho State, with a more traditional super-sexy disco number 'You Know What I Like' from '79. But it was seriously stressful trying to streamline our selection, and these honestly aren't a sufficient representation of how dope this comp, and ZE in general, is, so please just do yourself a favor and grab that shit if you haven't.

You Know What The Midwest Is?

2009-12-10T09:21:00.000-08:00

Linkwood - Tears

Two of our favorite discoveries/releases this year go side by side nicely– tightly-produced, Detroit/Chicago-influenced, deep soulful house from Scotland's Linkwood and Stuttgart's Motor City Drum Ensemble. Linkwood's 'System' LP (released this September) shot out of left field and into our year's best albums list instantly; deep Midwest house slipping through phases of electro-funk-soul-boogie-jazz-italo... whatever you want to call it, this shit is just FRESH. Can't recommend this album highly enough (you can pick it up here).

Motor City Drum Ensemble - Raw Cuts #5 (320)

Motor City Drum Ensemble, or Danilo Plessow, is a producer we can't believe we didn't catch on to sooner. Don't think he's released any full length albums yet, but each of his Raw Cuts series (#1-6) are shiny ass gold (pick em up here). Deep Detroit house with chunky kicks for days. If we heard this played out we'd probably explode (wink wink Chicago). MCDE also has a very nice RA podcast, which you can download here.

Oops, I Missed Again

2009-12-09T17:26:00.000-08:00

Ronnie Jones - Video Games

Are you a nerd? Do you like disco? A gift 4 u from 1982.

DISCO CROSSWORD WEDNESDAY, VOL. 1

2009-12-09T09:16:00.000-08:00

Modjo - Lady (Hear Me Tonight) (320)

Chic - Soup For One (LP Version) (256)

Here at outerglow, we regularly embark on manic hunts for the disco/house tracks sampled in our jams (STILL trying to drum up a nice version of this bad boy). Rejoice– we've arbitrarily decided to make Wednesdays Disco Crossword Wednesday™– where samples meet their daddies. (Eventually this will blossom into a giant Disco Sudoku™, but that's for another Wednesday.)

Never been a big believer in saving the best for last, so let's sink our teeth into one of our favorite sampler/samplee pairings of all time. You know it, you love it; Modjo's french-house club classic 'Lady (Hear Me Tonight)' just makes us lose our shit every single time. Only fitting that it samples 1982's 'Soup For One' from (we'd argue) THE greatest band in disco history– Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were the Lennon/McCartney of late 70s/80s disco. These two gems go together like tomato soup and grilled cheese, baby.

Modjo - Chillin' (192)

Chic - Le Freak (256)

Modjo - Chillin' (Buffalo Bunch Remix) (320)

It doesn't end there– Modjo sampled another Chic dance anthem (1978's 'Le Freak') in their 2001 Bangalter-comparison-worthy house jam 'Chillin.' We're including the Buffalo Bunch version of 'Chillin' because, well, why not, Buffalo Bunch are dope (for the unfamiliar, Buffalo Bunch was a Crydamoure duo of Raw Man and Paul de Homem-Christo). And that's the shit Disco Crosswords are made of.

Let Me Party With You

2009-12-08T22:43:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of Superstudio

Bunny Sigler - Let Me Party With You (Party Party Party) (192)

Funky as all hell 1977 Philly-soul-tinged disco joint from Bunny Sigler, aka Walter Sigler, aka member of Instant Funk. Mixed by Tom Moulton, disco hero and go-to remixer of the day. Please party responsibly, or something.

If The Nights Are Long And Cold

2009-12-08T21:45:00.000-08:00

Space - Save Your Love For Me (320)

An epic, cosmic ballad from 1978, courtesy of some of the pioneers of synth-disco. For the unfamiliar, Space was a late 70s/80s (and I guess they still perform?) French band fronted by super sexy synth-composer Didier Marouani. Vocals by the lovely Madeline Bell. Why she did not become the next Donna Summer eludes me; girl's got some motherfucking PIPES.

I Am A Vocoder I Am Synthetic Voice

2009-12-08T19:13:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of www.akrondesign.com, mascot costume specialists

Gay Cat Park - I Am A Vocoder (Original Mix) (320)

Sadly, Gay Cat Park's only hit– 1982 lo-fi bizarro-italo ode to the vocoder. So eighties it hurts... but it hurts so good.

Let's Make Love In Public Places

2009-12-08T18:36:00.000-08:00

The Love Symphony Orchestra - Let Me Be Your Fantasy (320)

10 minutes of 1978 disco, so sexy it was originally released by Penthouse. They aren't stingy with the bongos, which is an automatic win in my book. UK disco collective Horse Meat Disco and Strut Records included it on their most recent compilation, which is great, which you can purchase here.

One Lifetime To Live So Get Ya Groove On

2009-12-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of jean giraud aka moebius

hi.
let's have some fun.

Gary Davis - One Lifetime To Live (Greg Wilson Version) (320)

Michael Zager Band - Life's A Party (320)

Loose Joints - Tell You Today (Vocal) (320)