Friendly Fires - Paris

Friendly Fires, "Paris (Aeroplane remix)" (YSI link) 320

"I promise, someday, we're gonna live in Paris." How could I not love this song with a lyric like that and a remix by new disco kings Aeroplane. We're in the midst of horrible rainy/snowy weather here in NYC right now, so it's nice to have this cosmic and sunny remix to remind us that the summer is coming around again. Just listen to those warm keys and handclaps and tell me you don't see yourself on an beach on some isolated island watching the sun rise. Add in re-done vocals by Au Revoir Simone that add an air of the wistful and you have a winner. Things do pick up around the 4 and a half minute mark, as the vocals drop out and the drums kick harder and the synths starting shooting fire. It's much more banger than Balearic, which I ain't mad at.

This one's dedicated to my cosmic girl JH-B, who had a law school exam today. I sent good thoughts and cosmic tunes her way all day!

Everyone is flipping over the Justin Kohncke remix on the B side, making this a real serious 12". Grab your copy at Turntable Lab and also make sure to pick up the original stuff in the form of the Friendly Fire's first self-titled LP. This sort of indie dance stuff is pretty saturated right now, but these UK guys are definitely pushing through the clutter.

Williams - Love On A Real Train

Williams, "Love On A Real Train (Williams Odyssey mix)" (YSI link)

Williams, "Love On A Real Train (Version By Studio)" (YSI link)

I spent the night working on a cosmic mix. Two points: 1) Happy birthday to JH-B, the recipient of said mix! A Cosmic Birthday, yeah! 2) I'm in a cosmic state of mind. So, here's a phenomenal track from early this year, Williams' "Love On A Real Train," released on Love Triangle Music. While that label specializes in tech-house, this one fits in so nicely with the new disco scene that has developed over the past 5 years or so, that space-y, stretched out music that is the best thing going today imo.

I spent part of last night hearing some great NYC DJs like Mr. James Friedman, Ms. Louisahhh!!!, Mr. Cocco and Ms. Jess Jubilee spin tech-electro-house all night at The Delancey until the speakers couldn't take it. Fun night and great tunes, but it only served to reinforce that my head is just in a different place now. All I wanted was a nice, slow-burning song to come out of the ether, something that slowly fucked with my ears rather than having them bombarded. These two remixes for "Love On A Real Train" fit that bill, unfolding slowly but surely for those who have patience. Williams redid his own song with his Odyssey mix and he's done well again. This one raises the pressure, while keeping the sounds the same. It makes for a more dancefloor ready song and yet somehow it doesn't feel rushed either. Sweden's Studio turn in a sick remix, adding in some rad flamenco-y guitar action that makes me feel like I am on some Spanish beach waiting for the sun to go down. There's also a way funkier bass here that gives things a little more oomph. Awesome.

Sit back, put your headphones on and enjoy. Also, don't forget to add yourself as a fan of Pound for Pound. Click the link in the upper right hand corner and show your love. Thanks! Yeah!

Studio - Yearbook 1

Studio, "Origin (Shake You Down By The River)" (YSI link)

I mentioned Studio recently with their awesome Kylie Minogue remix, needed to put up tracks from their recent LP, Yearbook 1. This album is really just a repackaging, bringing together their earlier West Coast LP and No Comply 12" into a super-dope CD. It's probably easier to say that that is one of the best releases from 2007, one of those albums that seems completely confident in itself, in spite of, or maybe because of, the fact that the music sounds like little else out there.

We didn't really give much detail on Studio when we referenced them previously, so let's do a little background, little being the operative word. The Swedish group consists of two members, Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Hagg, who have a handful of releases on the tiny Information label. They seem to be a part of this cosmic disco/Scandalearic scene that has formed around Lindstrom and Prins Thomas, which has stretched out, slowed down and loosened up electronic music.

Yearbook 1 is only eight tracks, but it clocks in at over 70 minutes long. There aren't any bad songs in my opinion, a great mix of shorter songs and epic jams, instrumentals and vocals, cosmic disco, pop, electrorock and more comes and goes during the course of the album. Take the track above, "Origin (Shake You Down By The River)." It starts out with an warped laugh moving from one ear to the next, then what sounds like a jet takes off and out of this intro, an awesome, funky bassline, a dreamy guitar and percussion comes in and suddenly a Latin/Afrobeat-ish track quickly comes forward. As the song progresses, the pace picks up and things get more rocking, without ever feeling forced. That might be the greatest part of this album, its willingness to take its time, to not rush. Two of my favorites tracks, "Out There" and "Life's A Beach," clock in at nearly 16 minutes and 13 minutes a piece, mini-masterpieces that hearken back to the disco epics. Man, this is rad music, I can't recommend it more highly right now.

Okay, one big reason for doing this post is to help get the word out and get this CD and all of their previous work a US release. C'mon respected labels, bring this one to the states, the kids are just waiting to have the minds blown by this group. If you can afford it, cop the imported version from Amazon for a little less than $30. Or perhaps a better option is to buy West Coast, the 2006 LP, which is available for domestic prices. I mean, you really need this music in your life, let's hope someone steps up and get their upcoming album a widespread release.