POSTMUSIC

***This week’s edition of nUb Raver Tuesday features new songs and remixes by Chew Fu, Kap Bambino, Mustard Pimp, Le Castle Vania, Dskotek, Redlight, John Roman, Deadmau5, and more! ***

After more than a month off, nUb Raver Tuesday is finally back to its normal weekly schedule. There’s plenty to talk about, so let’s get right to it.

Chew Fu

Most of my favorite picks from the past month fall into the category “Stupid Pop Song, But RAD Remix!” I am absolutely shameless when it comes to electro remixes of over-the-top pop songs. If you ask me, these sort of remixes are a whole lot better than your dime-a-dozen mashups pitting a cheesy song with an overplayed one. Because some of the better remixers, like Brooklyn’s CHEW FU for example, are essentially turning your everyday, cookie-cutter pop anthem into something these DJs can almost call their own production. When you hear a remix like that in the club, you may not exactly be sure what you just heard, especially if you haven’t turned on MTV or tuned into your local hit radio station in awhile. It’s electro… but with enough “familiarity” that makes the song accessible to larger, mainstream audiences. Take, for instance, Chew Fu’s remix of the latest LADY GAGA single Bad Romance. Chew Fu gives the song a subtle (but sufficient) club-friendly boost that makes it even more enjoyable for fans and perhaps a bit more tolerable for the majority who despise Lady Gaga. Don’t look at me, man. Not only do I enjoy the remix (AND the song itself), but I also consider Chew Fu’s remix to be a potential candidate for remix of the year – AT THE VERY LEAST in the “Stupid Pop Song, But RAD Remix” category.

1. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (Chew Fu H1N1 Club Mix)

[DOWNLOAD]

Chew Fu released a couple of other solid remixes in the past couple weeks, including one of Shame On Me, the latest single off of the debut album Love by Philly MC AMANDA BLANK. Trust me, I have EVERY remix of this song in my library, and it doesn’t get much better than the one by Chew Fu. Honestly, I don’t really care too much about the original tune. If you ask me, it shouldn’t have been a single. Sorry! At the same time, I think we’ve all had our fill of Might Like You Better and the countless number of remixes that followed. Not to mention, as a huge Amanda Blank (and Chew Fu) fan, I wouldn’t be doing my part if I didn’t share this remix with you.

2. Amanda Blank – Shame On Me (Chew Fu Festival Fix)

[DOWNLOAD]

You don’t hear too many electronic DJs admit that they’re guilty of  listening to their local hit radio station (in my case, Y107). I think many college-age people probably don’t listen to the radio that much at all anymore. It’s 2009; I bet your car or head unit has an audio input for your iPod. Anyway, I recently re-discovered the lost art that is mainstream radio. It’s a great way for me to keep up with what “the kids are listening to,” without having to sit through hours of reality TV shows, foolishly thinking that MTV will play a music video. I feel like indie music is more accessible online than mainstream pop or hip-hop. Yeah, you see ads of Shakira and T-Pain on random websites, but you don’t actually know what the hell is going on or what their latest single is. Meanwhile, NME or Pitchfork tells you that Such-and-Such by The So-and-So’s have the best experimental/indie-folk album of 2009, and you follow their lead. All in all, I think pop radio is a vital tool for club DJs, even if “mainstream” music is not in one’s repertoire.

The first time I heard the song Good Girls Go Bad by pop/dance group COBRA STARSHIP, I was convinced that I had just heard “The Worst Song Ever.” On top of that, I was also under the initial impression that the song was done by equally ridiculous alt-pop group 3OH!3. But, it turns out that 3OH!3 is just another incarnation of this breed of suburban “hip-pop,” something Cobra Starship have been (somehow) making a living out of for the past four years. Not surprisingly, I later went home in search of remixes of the song. The realization that I actually liked this ridiculous song didn’t come until after I heard the “I Wanna Talk To Sampson Electro Remix,” some stupid, but fitting, reference to the numbskull movie Half-Baked. No idea who the actual DJ is, unfortunately. There’s still a bit left to be desired here, but as far as I know, it’s the only readily available electro remix of the song I can find. Alas, it’ll suffice for those (like myself) who can appreciate this sort of take on Top 40 music.

3. Cobra Starship – Good Girls Go Bad (IWannaTalkToSampson Electro Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

Following the Cobra Starship song, the radio deejay caught me totally off guard by dropping a new UFFIE song. “Whaaaa?! Uffie’s on mainstream radio?” NO, wait a minute. That’s not Uffie. It’s…KE$HA? Where do I recognize that name? Ah yes, she sings the hook on the Flo Rida song Right Round, which definitely IS “The Worst Song Ever.” Oddly enough, newcomer Ke$ha is being commonly (and perhaps mistakenly) labeled as an “electro” artist, probably because her debut hit Tik Tok sounds an awful lot like something out of Uffie’s catalog. But, at the same time, there’s no doubt that the song is no different from your average bubblegum pop anthem, along the likes of Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, or Shakira. Handful of electro remixes of Tik Tok have surfaced and somewhat make up for the erroneous label. There’s always a bit more legitimacy when a guy like  legendary house DJ/producer FRED FALKE remixes the track. Believe it or not, it’s not even the best remix of the song out there right now.

4. Ke$ha – Tik Tok (Fred Falke Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

I’ve been pretty pleased with my recent discovery of KAP BAMBINO, a high-energy, electro, boy-girl duo from France that should rightfully remind you of other similar duos like CRYSTAL CASTLES or HEARTSREVOLUTION. Vocalist Caroline Martial does sound an awful lot like Alice Glass or Leyla Safai with, dare I say, a touch of DANDI WIND . The track Dead Lazers was remixed by renowned French DJ crew BIRDY NAM NAM, which is pretty special considering what a rarity it is to hear a BNN remix. The end result? HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!

5. Kap Bambino – Dead Lazers (Birdy Nam Nam Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

One way of getting your new single heard and appreciated is with the use of some promotional flair, which is the route that French electro tag-team MUSTARD PIMP took with their new collaborative track Pigeon Flu, featuring duo BLATTA & INESHA from Italy. Also, you’ll probably get a few heads turning with a creepy sample of The Beach Boys’ song Wouldn’t It Be Nice.

By now, it shouldn’t surprise you whenever you hear another Mustard Pimp banger like Pigeon Flu. Their sound is so unique that you can spot a Mustard Pimp track without even looking at ID3 tags (and it’d be an even easier distinction if their twin duo STEREOHEROES didn’t exist!). In addition, Mustard Pimp’s remixes might stand out even moreso than their production. In fact, I consider the duo right up there with THE BLOODY BEETROOTS as far as production and remix quality. Consider their latest two remix releases of Let’s Get Bleeped Tonight by Sweden’s DADA LIFE and Let’s Make Nasty by NY’s electroclash pioneer LARRY TEE. The former is a solid original by a duo that have primarily gotten most of its attention thus far as remixers. In recent weeks, Dada Life have released a bunch of originals, and Let’s Get Bleeped Tonight is probably their best effort to date. Larry Tee, the so-called “pioneer of electroclash,” has a number of thrashy dance floor anthems – Let’s Make Nasty just happens to be one of many. Mustard Pimp’s remix of the song is, hands down, the best one you’ll hear of the song.

6. Dada Life – Let’s Get Bleeped Tonight (Mustard Pimp Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

7. Larry Tee – Let’s Make Nasty (Mustard Pimp Remix)

BONUS TRACK: Mustard Pimp – Pigeon Flu

It’s been a hot minute since we’ve heard anything new from ATL’s LE CASTLE VANIA. Suddenly, everyone is talking about NOBODY GETS OUT ALIVE!, his rockin’, hard hittin’ new club BANGER. Without a doubt, it is the sickest electro track that I’ve heard in over a month. If you’re in ATL, LCV hosts a monthly show, FUCK YESSS DANCE PARTY, every first Thursday of the month. You might wanna check that out if you haven’t already!

8. Le Castle Vania – NOBODY GETS OUT ALIVE!

British singer/songwriter ELLIE GOULDING is only 21 years young, but she’s already making a lot of noise in indie circles with her debut single Under The Sheets and a few gigs supporting LITTLE BOOTS. The song was officially released in mid-November on the NY-based NEON GOLD RECORDS, which houses PASSION PIT, MARINA & THE DIAMONDS, and a few others. A couple dance remixes of the song have surfaced, including the remix by one-of-my-personal-favorites, KIDS AT THE BAR. The duo from OKC, Oklahoma will be hosting LONDON CALLING’s (STL) New Year’s Eve party this year. That should be THE spot for anyone spending NYE in St. Louis this year. I wish I were, that’s for sure!

9. Ellie Goulding – Under The Sheets (Kids At The Bar Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

Speaking of Passion Pit, I think you”ll be pretty impressed by the remix of their latest single The Reeling by (the relatively new) BUBBLEGUM SCI FI from San Diego. This remix is so good, I would not at all be surprised if it turned out to be your favorite track featured here today.

10. Passion Pit – The Reeling (Bubblegum Sci Fi Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t share with you the latest original Ready For This by Toronto’s JOHN ROMAN, who’s my runaway favorite for Best Newcomer of 2009. This year alone, he has put out more than a handful of original bangers and remixes. This young man has truly TAKEN OVER! Check it out:

11. John Roman – Ready For This

Los Angeles remix duo DSKOTEK have had a HUGE year, possibly surpassing LAZRtag as my favorite duo from the area. Maybe not, but let me just say this: anytime I’m about to hear a Dskotek remix, I know it’s going to be damn good! For example, their most-recent remix is of DAVID GUETTA’s hit single Sexy Bitch. It’s pretty entertaining, and I’ve been trying to get my hands on it! Right now, I’m rockin’ a number of their recent releases – including remixes of Beyonce’s Sweet Dreams, LMFAO’s La La La, and DRAKE‘s Forever, which features Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, and Eminem. For better or for worse, Emimen’s verse is cut from the Dskotek remix.

12. Beyonce – Sweet Dreams (Dskotek Remix)

13. Drake – Forever (ft. Kanye West, Lil’ Wayne, & Eminem) (Dskotek Remix)

14. LMFAO – La La La (Dskotek Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

Dskotek aren’t the only remixers who’ve been making a lot of noise this year. On the East Coast, it has been all about REDLIGHT, based in New York and Boston. Recently, I’ve been obsessing over Redlight’s remixes, which include an amazing touch-up of JUNIOR SENIOR’s 2002 hit Move Your Feet, an impressive dance remix of the single My Delirium by LADYHAWKE, a fabulous club remix of Beyonce’s single Control, and a remix of Lady Gaga’s single Paparazzi – my personal favorite remix of the song (out of the dozens or more that are out there).  But, there’s so much more! Fans of KID SISTER will really enjoy Redlight’s remix of the song Life On TV, which is the second song off of Kid Sister’s debut album Ultraviolet. And finally, something all of us can appreciate – a rehash of the 2004 single I’d Rather Dance With You by popular indie/pop group KINGS OF CONVENIENCE.

15. Kid Sister – Life on TV (Redlight Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

16. Kings of Convenience – I’d Rather Dance With You (Redlight Remix)

If I had to choose just one song as my “BANGER of the month,” it would suprisingly be my next feature, which is a remix of the ROYKSOPP song Tricky Tricky off of the 2009 release Junior. The song features Karin Dreijer Andersson, the lead singer of THE KNIFE. And, the remix was done by lesser-known HORROR SHOWER from France. This almost sounds like a Bloody Beetroots or TOXIC AVENGER-quality remix. Seriously, this is AMAZING!

17. Royksopp – Tricky Tricky (Horror Shower Remix)

The runner-up is another surprise. Who would have ever thought that a remix of CALVIN HARRIS‘ I’m Not Alone would be a club banger? House duo TAKU TAKAHASHI take this song to a whole new level, and it is BY FAR the best remix of the song.

18. Calvin Harris – I’m Not Alone (Taku Takahashi Remix)

You’ve probably heard a lot lately about UK indie band THE XX and their debut album Xx, released in August. The album was critically acclaimed by indie music giants such as Pitchfork and NME. At the same time, the album was received with yawns and WTFs from yours truly. Honestly, I would have never guessed that The Xx would be a successful new band. I was even more perplexed by the fact that so many DJs were remixing their songs – basically reinterpreting non-dance music as…well…non-dance music with a beat. Basically, the remixes up to this point have…sucked…overall. But, that’s where Phoenix, Arizona remixer DEATH TO THE THRONE!!!!!! comes into the picture. He’s had a lot of success turning rather “boring”  songs into something that could be played in the club. And, that’s exactly what he did with the song Shelter.

19. The Xx – Shelter (Death To The Throne!!!!!! Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

Ghosts N’ Stuff by progressive house producer DEADMAU5 was debatably the biggest electronic single of 2009. Although there are dozens of remixes of the song (several of which are strong efforts), one of my personal favorites was done by UK’s ELITE FORCE. This is 7+ minutes of pure electro-house gold and a great way to end NRT #32.

20. Deadmau5 – Ghosts N’ Stuff (Elite Force Remix)

[DOWNLOAD]

Starting next Tuesday, NRT will be back to its usual 10 songs-per-week format. Thanks for reading, and see you on the 22nd!