Tracklist for Tuesday December 22, 2009

Junior Boys - Teach Me How To Fight
Royksopp - Tricky Tricky
The Futureless - Lowest of the Dead
Zoot Woman - Saturation
Arc Lab - Boreal
Crystal Castles - Untrust Us
Artist of the Year - Dancefloor Devil
SubtractiveLAD - Filament
CFCF - Break-In
Dragonette - Easy
Discovery - Can You Discover?
Jem - They
Holy Ghost! - I Will Come Back (DJ Mehdi Remix)
Royksopp - Remind Me (Headman Remix)
The Prodigy - Omen
Justice - Waters of Nazareth
Placebo - Post Blue
Rex the Dog - Maximize 2008
Fever Ray - Triangle Walks
M83 - Sitting

Tracklist for Tuesday December 15, 2009

Cut Copy - Out There on the Ice
Chromeo - Night by Night (Siriusmo Remix)
Jenocide - Fashion Icon
The Futureless - Lowest of the Dead
Wire and Light - Fading AM Radio Signal
The Futureless - CCR5
Eleazer Vs John - Of Age
The Knife - Like a Pen
Minotaur Shock - My Burr
Tiesto - It's Not the Things You Say
Kid Sister - Step
MSTRKRFT - Click Click
Celldweller - The Last Firstborn
Cicada - Falling Rockets
The Notwist - Consequence
Jenocide - Love Vulture
Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness
Nine Inch Nails - The Beginning of the End (Ladytron Remix)

Tracklist for Tuesday December 1, 2009

Mikeverde - Riding My Bike At Night
The Sales Department - The Measured Life
CFCF - You Hear Colours
Off The International Radar - Sans Olo
Champion - The Monster
Phontaine - Nonsense
Zero 7 - Sleeper
Dirty Vegas - Days Go By
Air - Heaven's Light
GusGus - Take Me Baby
Ookpik - Cloud Gang
FM ATTACK - Memorex
Tiesto - Kaleidoscope feat. Jonsi
Apparat - Arcadia
Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Tycho - Phoenix Cylinder
Tycho - Dictaphone's Lament

Tracklist for Tuesday November 24, 2009

CFCF - Letters Home
Champion - Alive Again
Chromeo - Night by Night (Siriusmo Remix)
Misstress Barbara - I'm Running
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)
Matias Aguayo - Menta Latte
Boys Noize - Heart Attack (MMMatthias Remix)
Tiesto - Feel it in My Bones ft. Tegan & Sara
Tiesto - Knock You Out ft. Emily Haines
Tiesto - It's Not the Things You Say ft. Kele Okereke
I Am Robot and Proud - The Catch
CFCF - Break-In
Kolombo - Sniff
Animal Collective - My Girls
MMMatthias - Lies
Little Boots - Earthquake (Treasure Fingers' Epicwave Remix)
Jordan Aguirre - G-Storm

Tracklist for Tuesday November 17, 2009

Beats on Canvas - On Cuban Tile
Misstress Barbara - Dance Me to the End of Love
Prototype - Synthetique
Rise Ashen + Stephane Lefrancois - Obey
Off the International Radar - Holy Radar (Holy Fuck Remix)
Bag Raiders - Fun Punch
CFCF - You Hear Colours
Boys Noize - Sweet Light
FM ATTACK - Hot Girlz in Love
Evren - Do I Go
Ke$ha - Tik Tok
Zoot Woman - Saturation
Sigur Ros - Gobbledigook (Flowing Remix Raw & Bare)
Dragonette - Easy
N.A.S.A. - Gifted
Men Women & Children - Time for the Future (Bang Bang)
Ladytron - Black Cat

Tracklist for Tuesday November 10, 2009

BJ ft. Jes - Every Other Way (Armin Van Buuren Remix)
Misstress Barbara - Four on the Floor
Rise Ashen + Stephane Lefrancois - Directions in Rhythm
The Forgotten Arm - Trouble at the Metal House
Dragonette - Fixin' to Thrill
Bo'Tox - Car Jacked
Cressida - Onyric (Stoneface & Terminal Remix)
The Album Leaf - Writings on the Wall
Christer - The Way You Like It
Deadmau5 - Dr. Funkenstein (Neon Stereo + Breakdown Remix)
Zoot Woman - We Won't Break (GRAND Son Remix)
Cut Copy - Out There on the Ice
Four Tet - Love Cry
Chateau Marmont - Diane
Dragonette - Pick Up the Phone
The Notwist - Pick Up the Phone
Time Lock - Hyber Nation

Tracklist for Tuesday November 3, 2009

Vibrasphere - Forest Fuel
Faunts - Instantly Loved
Jef and the Holograms - The Truth About Candy
Champion - Perfect in Between
The Prodigy - Omen
Le Bus - Through it All
The Go! Team - Get it Together
Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy
Circlesquare - All Sleepers
Nic Chagall - This Moment (Prog Mix)
Zoot Woman - We Won't Break (GRAND son Remix)
MSTRKRFT - It Ain't Love
LAL - Erase Me
Headlights - Market Girl (The Album Leaf Remix)
Lusine - Every Disguise
Basement Jaxx - She's No Good
Time Lock - Punchline
School of Seven Bells - Chain
Amon Tobin - The Killer's Vanilla

Zoot Damn!

Sorry Cassie, this album is amazing and you suck. Zoot Woman's new album is mind-blowing. It takes the best of their previous work (which is similar to Junior Boys earliest) and takes a remarkable UK stance on the music. The album incorporates absolutely gorgeous synthetic background effects and bass patterns with a perfect amalgamation of perfectly uniformed frontal electro patterns. This gives the album a completely new experience from a post-The Notwist, Junior Boys aspect (though if you like these artists, you'll like this better I think).

My recommended tracks include:
4. Saturation
9. We Won't Break
2. Lonely By Your Side
1. Just a Friend Of Mine
(Yes in that order. Also, don't listen to Cassie, Chris White agrees with me, and she's on too much coffee)

Needs vs. Wants

I figured I should post an early Christmas list for all ye enthusiasts. These are some of New Pulse's most favoured albums of 2009 to date. Even if you don't end up purchasing them, you should definitely check out these bands.

1. Zoot Woman - Things Are What They Used To Be
2. Deadmau5 - For Lack Of A Better Name
3. DatA - Skywriter
4. Cicada - Roulette
5. Dragonette - Fixin' To Thrill

Tracklist for Tuesday October 27, 2009 (Remix Night)

Cerf, Mitiska & Jaren - Beggin' You (Armin van Buuren Remix)
Fischerspooner - The Best Revenge (Designer Drugs Remix)
Kids on TV - Cockwolves (Mind Transit Remix)
MSTRKRFT - Heartbreaker (Jump Jump Dance Dance Remix)
Tepr - Minuit Jacuzzi (DatA Remix)
Memory Cassette - Last One Awake (CFCF Remix)
Radiohead - Nude (Holy Fuck Remix)
La Roux - Bulletproof (Fred Falke Remix)
Dragonette - Fixin' to Thrill (Villains Remix)
Visitor - Los Feeling (Clockwork Remix)
Yuksek - So Down (Chromeo Remix)
The Hood Internet - Shawty Got Looks (MSTRKRFT Remix)
DatA - One in a Million (Redial Remix)
Heart's Revolution - Switchblade (Designer Drugs Remix)
Heads We Dance - Love in the Digital Age (Tepr Remix)
Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire (Clockwork Remix)
Junior Boys - Birthday (Manitoba Remix)
Ladyhawke - My Delirium (JBAG Hot Pop Remix)
The Presets - Talk Like That (CFCF Remix)

Tracklist for Tuesday October 20, 2009

La Roux - Bulletproof (Foamo Remix)
The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
Misstress Barbara - Dance Me to the End of Love
Junior Boys - In the Morning
The Knife - Heartbeats
Pretty Lights - World of Illusion
MSTRKRFT - The Looks
Deadmau5 - The Slip
Crookers - Whatsup Y'all
Mille - Ghost Dancer
Dragonette - Easy
Bomb the Bass - Bug Powder (Chemical Brothers Remix)
Zoot Woman - Saturation
Zoot Woman - We Won't Break
Shout Out Out Out Out - Run
Way out West - We Love Machines
Thunderheist - Bubblegum

Tracklist for Tuesday October 13, 2009

Dragonette - Fixin' to Thrill
Pretty Lights - Sunday School
Depeche Mode - Enjoy the Silence (Reinterpreted)
Jef and the Holograms - A Hipper Hop
Lights - Lions!
Mille - Crysteena
Deadmau5 - The 16th Hour
Depeche Mode - It's No Good
Boys Noize - Kontact Me
M83 - We Own the Sky
Dragonette - Gone Too Far
Marsheaux - So Far
The Measured Life - Three Furnaces
Crookers ft. Kid Cudi - Embrace the Martian
Montag - Softness, I Forget Your Name
Four Tet - And Then Patterns
Just A Band - Burn it Out
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead

This Tuesday

As most of you are probably aware, CJAM 91.5 AM is no more due to a signal change to 99.1 FM. We still are retaining the CJAM logo and the amazing hyper-specialized content; the only thing that's changing is our spot on the dial. With that said, this Tuesday will be the first broadcast of New Pulse at this new frequency, and because I've had a week off for station maintenance, the show will be unreal. I don't want to fully give away what I plan on blasting at you folks, but I assure you I've had two weeks of musical preperatory work to ensure an extremely energetic show.

So be sure to tune in on Tuesday October 13 for an amazing lineup and many Tuesdays to follow at New Pulse's and ultimately CJAM FM's new home at 99.1 FM.

Tracklist for Tuesday September 29, 2009

Fukkk Off - Rock Paper Scissors
Lights - River
Kid Cudi - of Happiness
Deadmau5 - Arguru
Vitalic - One Above One
Flying Lotus - Parisian Goldfish
Lights - Second Go
The Knife - Heartbeats (Rex the Dog Remix)
Martyn - krdl-t-grv

Tracklist for Tuesday September 22, 2009

The Sales Department - What Made You Thankful in '96
Do Make Say Think - Think
The Forgotten Arm - Sevensevenseven
Zero 7 - Mr. McGee
Fuck Buttons - Phantom Limb
Deadmau5 - Ghosts N Stuff
Kelpe - Eye Candy Bath
Deadmau5 - Lack of a Better Name
Deadmau5 - The 16th Hour
Aerosol - Midnight Ride Down the Mental Freeway
Deadmau5 - FML
Port Royal - The Photoshopped Prince
Port Royal - Anna Ustinova
Aerosol - Transition

Tonight

Tonight is the second-last episode of New Pulse on CJAM's current signal of 91.5. A lot of great new music tonight including Zero 7, Kelpe and Do Make Say Think. So tune your asses in.

Tracklist for Tuesday September 15, 2009

DatA - Aerius Light
The Sales Department - The Measured Life
Jef and the Holograms - A Hipper Hop
Oceanographer - Because of This
Massive Attack - Splitting the Atom
C.L.A.W.S. - Canteloupe
Misstress Barbara - I'm Running
Misstress Barbara - Four on the Floor
Misstress Barbara - Dance Me to the End of Love
Misstress Barbara - I'm No Human
Phonat Get Down - My Dirty Street
Massive Attack - Pray For Rain
Yacht - The Afterlife
The Notwist - Sarajevo 2
Apparat - Arcadia
E*Vax - We Believe in Broken Bones
Helios - Velius

Headsup

Just letting everyone know that my lack of posting is a direct product of having zero internet. However now that classes are starting I'll be on campus more to update until i get hooked up at my place.

Tracklist is up. Cheers.

Tracklisting for Tuesday September 8, 2009

Crystal Castles - Black Panther
Boys Noize - Oh! (A-Trak Remix)
Oceanographer - Because of This
Heartsrevolution - Ultraviolence (Vitalic Remix)
TMDP - TMDP
Adriane Lake - Only a Fantasy
LMFAO - I am Not a Whore
Kids on TV - Still On About Keith Cole
Zoot Woman - We Won't Break
Yelle - A Cause de Garcons
Remute - Grand Glam
John O'Callaghan - Don't Look back
Ochre - Whispers
The Bloody Beatroots - Fucked from Above 1985
Jega - SoulFlute
Venetian Snares - Koonut-Kaliffee
Yuksek - So Down (Chromeo Remix)
Time Lock - Hyber Nation

Tracklist for Tuesday August 25, 2009

Arc Lab - Boreal
Kids on TV - Breakdance Chix (Fursalon Remix)
Wire and Light - Born a Ghost
Imogen Heap - First Train Home
Faunts Feel.Love.Thinking.Of.
MSTRKRFT - Fist of God
Zoot Woman - Just a Friend of Mine
Venetian Snares - Circle Pit
Heartsrevolution - Ultraviolence (Vitalic Remix)
Telefon Tel Aviv - The Birds
Caribou Pelican - Narrows
Unicorn Kid - Animal City
Bonde de Role - Marina Gasolina (Peaches Remix)
Does it Offend You Yeah? - Being Bad Feels Pretty Good
Cosmic Gate - Under Your Spell
Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity of Huge
Ladyhawke - My Delirium (Sugardaddy Remix)

Tracklist for Tuesday August 18, 2009

TMDP - Glades
Simian Mobile Disco - Cream Dream
Christer - Cadaver (Body Parts Remix)
Not Animals - Good Breath
Wire and Light - Fading AM Radio Signal
Dan Deacon - Get Older
Royksopp - Remind Me (Someone Else's Mix)
ApSci - Under Control
Daft Punk - Around the World/Harder…
I Am Robot and Proud - The Electricity in Your House
Sinewave - Exploded Nodes
Junior Boys - Double Shadow
Health - Die Slow
Ghostland Observatory - No Place for Me
The Bloody Beetroots - Have Mercy on Us
Vitalic - Your Disco Song
Unicorn Kid - Wee Monsters
Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)
La Roux - Bulletproof

elecTRONic

I have to post this based on the fact that SOMEONE is finally producing a Tron movie the way it should be. Lots of very expensive effects, and in Digital/IMAX 3D. I've been told that a remake/reinvention of this will flop or be a piece of shit with respect to the stroyline, yet after watching the trailer, let ye skeptics be converted.

It's widescreen so an embedded video is too...well, wide.

If you dig that, check it out in high definition.

Tracklist for Tuesday August 11, 2009

Tiga - Turn the Night On
Pictureplane - Dark Rift
Le Bus - Through it All
Wire and Light - Fading AM Radio Signal
(wh)y.m.e.(??) - Shadow's Play
Sinewave - Exploded Nodes
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead
Yuksek - Tonight
Yacht - Summersong
Eleazer vs. John - Sport
M83 - Skin of the Night
Yppah - Son Saves the Rest
Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy
Just a Band - We Are (The Shoes Remix)
Kylie Minogue - Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Passion Pit - Little Secrets
Rebotini - Un Cheval D'Orgueil
John O'Callaghan - Find Yourself

Consume

As emphatic as I can be during the show pointing out new albums from fantastic artists that have dropped so far in 2009, doing it live is still fleeting (unless you download the archive). Ergo, this breakdown of amazing albums you should definitely listen to if not, also, purchase.

Pictureplane - "Dark Rift"

Discovery - "LP"

SebAstian - "Remixes"

Cicada - "Roulette"

Tracklist for Tuesday August 4, 2009

Beast - Devil
Fritz Helder and the Phantoms - Making a Scene
The Kills - Cheap and Cheerful (SebAstian Remix)
Mikeverde - Riding My Bike at Night
Dragonette - Fixin' to Thrill
Faunts - Memories of Places We've Never Been
Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You (SayCet Remix)
Royksopp - Only This Moment
Fritz Helder and the Phantoms - Red Coat
Discovery - I Wan't You Back
DatA - Blood Theme
Pictureplane - Goth Star
Moderat - Les Grandes Marches
La Roux - Bulletproof (Just a Band Remix)
Bodycode - Meaning and Memory
Dancehall Free For All - 9-5 Lives
Cicada - One Beat Away
Plushgun - How We Roll

Tracklist for Tuesday July 28, 2009

Daft Punk - Robot Rock
SoSo & DJ Kutdown - Under the Yoke
Telefuzz - Slept on the Shores
Circlesquare - All Sleepers
Arc Lab - Reflexive II
Christer - Kooch
Montag - Le Temps D'Observer Les Voies Ouvertes
Data - Aerius Light
Heartbreak - We're Back (Vitalic Remix)
Plushgun - Union Pool
Coralcola - Egggirl
Hidenori Shoji - Infinite Blue
Our Brother the Megazord - Rachel's House or The Infantine Dream House
Thieves Like Us - Drugs in My Body (Just a Band Remix)
Mikeverde - Riding My Bike At Night
Cassius - Youth, Speed, Trouble, Cigarettes
Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around Comes Around (Paul Van Dyk Club Mix)
Data - Skywriter

Fur Fighter

I realize that if I went off on a huge spree of posting about every album that I fall in love with that you would see thirty posts in one day. Unfortunately, however awesome it would be to share my opinion as such, I do have a social life. Yet Pins & Panzers by Brooklyn trio Plushgun has caught more than just my normal attention. The band's name comes from Dan Ingala's idea for the project as being "something soft, something killer".

Being a fan of indie-rock as well as electronic music, the style of this album could be comparable to Los Campesinos! gone electronic with a little more of a slow feel to it. The catchy lyrics are complemented perfectly by sometimes quick, sometimes slow simple synth patterns and rock solid drumming by Matt Bogdanow.

Plushgun’s songs are nostalgic, poppy, dance-able, and surprisingly deep. Whether they are about chasing dying romances (“Just Impolite”), high-school anxiety (“How We Roll”) or angst-riddled anthem’s for a lost generation (“Dancing in a Minefield,”) Plushgun tackles these themes with unabashed catchyness in an electrolicious soundscape.

So if you're a fan of indietronic acts like Hellogoodbye, The Postal Service etc. then you should definitely be on the lookout for this new allstar album in stores, as it was released February 17, 2009 on Tommy Boy Records.

Tracklist for Tuesday July 14, 2009

Thunderheist - Bubblegum
Busy P - Pedrophelia
TMDP - Glades
Crystal Castles - Black Panther
Daft Punk - Human After All (SebAstian Remix)
Beast - Mr. Hurricane
Deadmau5 - Arguru (EDX's 5Un5hine Remix)
CFCF - Arctic
The Kills - Cheap and Cheerful (SebAstian Remix)
Passion Pit - Little Secrets
Discovery - Can You Discover?
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It (SebAstian Remix)
Joakim - Medusa
Jordan Agiurre - Whiteskies
Eleazar vs. John - Anthem of a Thoughtful Son
Editors - Camera (Fader) (SebAstian Remix)
The Crystal Method - Dirty Thirty
The Keiross Theory - Colonize
LMFAO - I Don't Wanna Be

Tracklist for Tuesday July 7, 2009

Phontaine - Nonsense (Disaster)
BSOD - This is the Hook
Deadmau5 - Dr. Frankenstein
Pete Samples - And All the Kids Smile
Primal Scream - Some Velvet Morning
The New Cities - Modern Ghost
Holy Fuck - Super Inuit
Eleazer vs. John - Of Age
Gunstar - The Dream Machine
Gunstar - Death Star Disco
The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
Junior Boys - In the Morning
Caribou - Desiree
Placebo - Post Blue
Bright Eyes - Gold Mine Gutted
Wisp - Keeper of the Hills
Vibrasphere - Breathing Place

Tracklist for Tuesday June 30, 2009

Eleazer vs. John - Of Age
Deadmau5 - Vanishing Point
Bonnie Pope + Micah - In Limbo
Phontaine - Nonsense (Disaster)
Goldfrapp - A&E
John Legend & Andre 3000 - Green Light (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Armin van Buuren - A State of Trance 2009
Jordan Aguirre - G-Storm
Jordan Aguirre + Jan Van Valberg - Brinstar
Shinjuku Zulu - That Groove
Thavius Beck - Will I Ever
Tim Hecker - Borderlands
Rebotini - Un Cheval d'Orgueil
Boys Noize - Jeffer
La Roux - Fascination

The Shoeshine Factory

The man, the legend. Master DJ and trance music producer Armin van Buuren never ceases to amaze with respect to any project he takes on. In particular, his radio show entitled A State of Trance, which has been on air for over 300 weekly episodes is a groundbreaking 2 hour mix every week. He showcases trance music of different genres and styles from around the world in a relentless fashion that is listener friendly from start to finish. He also promotes featured tracks from artists he believes are up and coming in the world of trance and a track from the past he believes to be a show stopper.

Another cool element of the show is a listener poll, allowing fans to vote on specific tracks that hold more talent or power, which is demonstrative of artists' popularity. Since March 2001, the show has been broadcasted in over 29 countries and has an average of 30,000,000 (yes, million) listeners every week.


Starting in 2004, Buuren began to release two hour mix albums spanning two discs of his favourites from the show. This year's A State of Trance 2009 is a staple in the series with an all-star artist line-up with tracks that rend your soul and move your emotions. It is available now in hard copy and on iTunes. If you've never given trance an opportunity, now's the time to do it.

Tracklist for Tuesday June 23, 2009

The Field - I Have the Moon, You Have the Internet
MSTRKRFT - Bounce
MGMT - Time to Pretend
Pony Pony Run Run - Walking on a Line
Tiga - Turn the Night On
Moderat - Rusty Nails
Amon Tobin - The Killer's Vanilla
Team Teamwork - Lollipop (M83 Remix)
Bomb the Bass - Bug Powder Dust (Chemical Brothers Remix)
Phoenix - 1901
Christer - How You Like It
Metric - Help I'm Alive
Junior Boys - Hazel
Remute - Grand Glam
Cicada - One Beat Away
Montag - Best Boy Electric
Bitrate - Ecstatic Exchange

Support

Over the period that I've been doing the show, I've had a lot of support from a ton of great people involved not only at CJAM, but also other students at the University of Windsor. So this afternoon I put together a montage of pictures from the past year or so of just shit going on and the people who, essentially, are awesome to have around and help motivate me in doing what I do.

Note: Yes the Daft Punk helmets I made were a fuckin' bitch

Tracklist for Tuesday June 16, 2009

All female show.


Beast - Devil
I'm Not a Band - Electrolin
Peaches - Lose You (Yuksek & Brodinski Remix)
Stars - Sleep Tonight (Junior Boys Remix)
Crystal Castles - She Fell Out (Coralcola Remix)
Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Armand Van Helden Remix)
Cicada - Falling Rockets
Ellen Allien - Come
Dragonette - Fixin' to Thrill
Christer - Cadaver (Body Parts Remix)
La Roux - Bulletproof (Foamo Remix)
Zero 7 - In the Waiting Line (Dub Remix)
Metric - Police and the Private
The Knife - Girls' Night Out
Little Boots - Meddle
Ladytron - Predict the Day
Fever Ray - Keep the Streets Empty for Me

Bulletproof

In the next coming months there will be an influx in releases of female-driven acts. Too my chagrin, artists like the ever popular, yet terrible, Lady Gaga have left a permanent stain on the image of what these women are capable of and are aiming to achieve within the genre. Though, I have higher hopes now that I've seen some of the new/newer work of a few notable outfits.

The new single from Canadian group Dragonette entitled "Fixin' to Thrill" is a dynamo of super-heavy grinding synth effects with catchy, yet not cheesy, vocals. The quartet's initial release, "Galore" was a milestone for Canadian and female artists of the genre, melting away the lets-get-drunk-and-party stereotype that artists like Gaga imprinted in people's minds.

Another brand new release from British artist Little Boots, entitled "Hands", is a sixteen track, strobe-lit express, packed with danceable tracks like "New in Town" and "Remedy". However, the upcoming album from fellow Brit La Roux (pictured above) is stealing the show (in my opinion at the very least). Her intensely electric vocal effort in her work is captivating and enthralling. I'm extremely partial to the track "Bulletproof" which has been released via EP along with remixes by a handful of artists including Just a Band. And if that doesn't get your dance-engine revving, you're clearly in a coma.

Tracklist for Tuesday June 9, 2009

The Presets - Talk Like That
Dragonette - Fixin To Thrill
Faunts - Malefitz
Cassie - Official Girl (CFCF Remix)
MSTRKRFT - Work On You
Tiga - Turn The Night On
Peaches - Lose You (Yuksek & Brodinski Remix)
TMDP - Heat
Moderat - Les Grandes Marches (MMMatthias Remix)
White Lies - Nothing To Give (M83 Remix)
Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You (sayCet Remix)
Junior Boys - Dull To Pause
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero (Animal Collective Remix)
La Roux - Bulletproof (Just A Band Remix)
Little Boots - New In Town
Circlesquare - Dancers (Russ Chimes vs Anoraak Remix)
NASA - Gifted

Tracklist for Tuesday June 2, 2009

Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)
Thunderheist - Do the Right Thing
The Crystal Method - Sine Language
(wh)y.m.e.(??) - Shadow's Play
Christer - Trees and Rockets
datA - Blood Theme
Beast - Mr. Hurricane
Thieves Like Us - Program of the First Part
Hercules and Love Affair - Blind
Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around…Comes Around (Paul Van Dyk Club Mix)
Venetian Snares - Horsey Noises
DJ Shadow - Stem/Long Stem
Bomb the Bass - Smog
Caribou - Desiree
The Crystal Method - Double Down Under
The Field - I Have the Moon, You Have the Internet

Fresh

I love when new albums drop. Along with the cascade of amazing material that has been released so far this year, two more are on their way sooner than not.

Venetian Snares - Horsey Noises
As if this year's Filth wasn't enough for this tech-glitch master Aaron Funk, this new EP aims to further the prowess of his arsenal. Armed with four tracks, a ridiculous title, and album art that's just as odd, I'm sure Horsey Noises will please fans of the genre. This drops as a CD or 12" vinyl today, June 1, 2009.



DatA - Skywriter
The french heavy-hitter, datA (formed in 2006), is pushing the bar higher and higher with every album, EP or remix they release. Their most recent work, Skywriter is no exception. The album boasts a powerful combination of electro and stylistic expression of disco music. The album includes tracks with and without vocals, which work uniformly to construct the album as a cohesive product. This album is now also available on iTunes.

DEMF

Cassie, I love you for giving me those tickets.

Monday May 25, 2009 was unbelievable. This year's Detroit Electronic Music Festival was coming to a close by this last day of acts, but the energy in Hart Plaza was still fully charged. I took the tunnel bus over with my buddies George and Chris just in time to catch the start of Tiga's DJ set, which was incredible. I think the track that really shot the electricity through my veins was his remix of The Knife. After his set was done, and a few beers and thousands of cigarettes later, we made it over to the Red Bull Stage to see Busy P. In my opinion, his set was the best of the evening (and yes, I might get flack for saying this, but: he was better than Benny Benassi). When his remix of "Kids" by MGMT came on, I literally lost my mind.

Lastly, back at the Beatport Stage, Benny Benassi finished off the night with an electrifying DJ set performance. By this time it was past 9:00 pm and the sun was fading, so the lights and strobes were coming on. Benny's set was probably the loudest of the night, with bass so deep you could literally feel your lungs vibrating. The crowd was so thick that you couldn't move around (not that anything but jumping up and down was needed anyway), and everyone was in the heat of the moment. Great line-up, great people, great time. If you didn't make it this year, go next year.

Addicted

Well we can all blame Nicole Markham of CJAM's Washing Machine for inexplicably getting me absolutely hooked on this new female, Canadian artist. Vancouver-based electro-pop wonder Christer has blatantly demonstrated to me, yet again, how catchy and damn fun the right combination of pop vocals and playful synth-keys can be. Her 2009 album Techna is a powerhouse of a demonstration of her skills to pull off this combination. On the assumption that a few of you will pull the whole "Man, electro-pop is so played out" or "I'm so sick of all of this postal service-style stuff", blah blah blah. I can say with conviction that Techna will break you from this rut.

The album starts off with the supercharged "How You Like It" slaps down warming vocals that wrap around your entire head when you have headphones on and continues its assault with deeper, acid-like riffs that eventually are gift-wrapped with colourful strings to play the song out. Other tracks like "Cadaver" and "Trees And Rockets" use more pinpoint keystrokes and bass kicks to complement the vocal work in an effective and thoroughly enjoyable fashion.

If you're a fan of Ladyhawke, you'll love this. If you're not a fan of Ladyhawke, you'll still love this.

Tracklist for Tuesday May 26, 2009

Christer - Cadaver (Body Parts Remix)
Beast - Mr. Hurricane
Crystal Castles - Vanished
The Crystal Method - Come Back Clean (Featuring Emily Haines)
Fischerspooner - Best Revenge
OHGR - Eyecandy
Time Lock - Hyber Nation
Tosca - My First
Faunts - Twenty-three (Cadence Weapon Remix)
Christer - How You Like It
The Knife - Like A Pen
Royksopp - This Must Be It
Telefon Tel Aviv - The Birds
Cut Copy - Out There On The Ice
The Faint - Glass Danse
Justice - Phantom Pt. II
The Postal Service - Brand New Colony
Tycho - Systems

Tracklist for Tuesday May 19, 2009

The Presets - Talk Like That (Miami Horror Remix)
Junior Boys - Parallel Lines
Cybo - Disseminate
Justice - Waters of Nazareth (Justice Rework)
Montag - La Symetrie Du Coeur
Love Pink Pony - Crossroads
Yppah - Ending With You
SoSo & DJ Kutdown - Under the Yoke
Mondkopf - Sainte
Arc Lab - Boreal
Riceboy Sleeps - Happiness
Deastro - The Shaded Forests
Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of.
Revolte - Guess What
Royksopp - Happy Up Here
Siriusmo - High Together
I Am Robot and Proud - The Catch
CFCF - Arctic
Bandit - Plastic 101

Tracklist for Tuesday May 5, 2009

MSTRKRFT - Fist of God
*Four Tet & Burial - Moth
*Wisp - Keeper of the Hills
Bitrate - Ecstatic Exchange
TMDP - Glades
*Helios - Fourteen Drawings
The Postal Service - Nothing Better
Amon Tobin - The Killer's Vanilla
Crystal Castles - Black Panther
*dntel - Incomplete 4
*Uh Huh Her - Covered
Artist of the Year - Yeah!!!
Holy Fuck - Royal Gregory
The Knife - Heartbeats (Rex the Dog Remix)
*City Center - Open/House
Royksopp - Tricky Tricky
Kylie Minogue - Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)
*Tepr - Minuit Jacuzzi (DatA Remix)
Yuksek - Tonight

*Brand new albums from these artists.

Onslaught

So far 2009 has been a year of powerful releases like wrecking balls through tissue paper, and we're not even half-way through. There is a slew of artists that will be busting out, guns blazing with an infrastructure of aural brilliance to round out the remainder of the year. There are a few new albums that I feel are going to act as a kick off for the summer:


Bloc Party - Intimacy Remixed
This album needs no formal introduction for those familiar with this amazing band's work, however the fantastic and skilled remixes of artists such as Armand Van Helden, Villains, and Mogwai should be enough to peak any electronic fan's interest.


Uh Huh Her - Common Reaction
Similar to the style of Canada's own Dragonette, this outfit integrates a more ambient vocal style with electro-house elements flawlessly for a cohesive indietronica experience.


Wisp - The Shimmering Hour
IDM fans rejoice. The heavy hitter so far (in my humble opinion) is a work of pure brilliance from start to finish. This New Yorker melds lush atmospheric sounds with powerful yet playful rhythms to create something far beyond the standard IDM album.


A-Trak - Infinity + 1
Quite possibly the best club/dance programmer I've experienced in a while, A-Trak is proving himself yet again in this endurance-filled mixtape. Remixing artists like MSTRKRFT, Midnight Juggernauts, and Gonzales, he never fails to impress.

The 2009 CJAM Jammy Awards

'Twas Friday night,
The lights had dimmed,
The FM Lounge
All Neatly trimmed.

And inside the bar
There arose such a clatter.
I put out my cigarette
To see what was the matter.

Volunteers packed
Into all nooks and crannies.
And thus commenced
The 2009 Jammy's.

This year, the 2009 CJAM Jammy Awards did not fail to outside the last one and impress the guests, as the hard work of the stations management and volunteers really showed. The night began with food, drink, and plenty of conversations about music, the meaning of life, and how much each programmer wanted to walk away with an award for his or her show. The Locusts Have No King played the shit out of that venue also; they were amazing as per usual.

I had managed to take first blood, seizing The Prodigy's "Invaders Must Die" as the first raffle prize (which someone hated me for). But the huge surprise came when New Pulse won for "Best Electronic Show". I don't know how it happened, how many people tune in each week, or how many votes the show ended up getting. The fact of the matter is it was enough. I extend my deepest appreciation for the show's listeners and voters; this award is for you guys.

And congratulations to all of the winners and runners-up; I know all of CJAM's volunteers do a damn fine job, and each and every one of them deserves just as much credit as anyone else.

Tracklist for Tuesday April 21, 2009

Junior Boys - Hazel
Bitrate - Ecstatic Exchange
Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy
God is an Astronaut - Coda
Kolombo - Sniff
Tiga - Turn the Night On [Exclusive]
Time Lock - Punchline
Thunderheist - Do the Right Thing
N.A.S.A. - Gifted
Booka Shade - Outskirts
MSTRKRFT - Click Click
Explosions in the Sky - Catastrophe and the Cure (Four Tet Remix)
Musika - So Do I
Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin' (Jori Hulkkonen Remix)
M83 - Sitting
Puscifer - The Undertaker (Renholder Remix)
Just a Band - We Are (The Shoes Remix)

Tracklist for Tuesday April 14, 2009: Going Places

So I decided a sweet theme for a show would be an "Across Canada" initiative where I sample artists from every Provicne in Canada. Though I did not manage to find anything worth while from Prince Edward Island (and trust me, I spent a hell of a time looking), I did make sure the vacation had a fantastic stop in each location's electronic scene. Awesome eh?

Travel Tracks*
[ON] Ekoplex - Into the Unknown
[BC] Psyentifica - Growling World
[QC] Akido - Reaction Shot
[NS] District - Daydreaming
[AB] Akolade - 3 + Infinity
[NL] Errand Boy - Yes with an If
[NB] Apt 202 - Moonbeam
[SK] Hado - Hand of Tao
[MB] Arktikism - Greater Power

*All of these artists and the work they've done are up at CBC Radio 3.

Filler
Time Lock - Hyber Nation
Danger - 00:01 [Exclusive]
Shinichi Osawa - Detonator
Ladytron - Black Cat
I Am Robot and Proud - The Catch
Moderat - Rusty Nails

The Saga Continues

French electro artist Danger is, once again, upping his own game with the newest chapter in his three-piece tale, EP III or "09/16/2007". Since the release of his first EP, Danger has been busy touring and promoting his fresh take on the genre, not that France needs any more street credibility when it comes to the electronic scene (ie. Daft Punk, Justice).

Danger's sound is much more varied, having no uniformed technique filling the gaps of every rhythm in each song. However there is a vibe that ties each track together giving it that distinct quality of something "fresh-out-of-the-box" in comparison to what most electronic artists are currently doing. MSTRKRFT and Justice started a trend that is now beating the electro-house genre to death, trance has been well established for a while, and indie-tronica is invading a younger and younger audience with each passing second. This is making it more rapidly difficult to find a unique and untested sound.

However, Danger is working at a different pace, both stylistically and chronologically. Though titled "EP III", this is only the second release from this mastermind. There are three EP's, three chapters to the acoustic story, which spans from 09/14 2007 to 09/16 2007. The track titles are also in reference to time, aptly named to the time of that particular day in which they correspond. Sort of a Star Wars-esque M.O., he decided to release the third chapter before the middle one, which is currently in the works. Check out EP III on March 30 and mark your calendars for a live show in Toronto (among others) on May 8, 2009.

Keeping in the Spirit of Apollo

Though this musical powerhouse has been made apparent to me before, I had never really took the time to delve into it's very deep and very talented depths. N.A.S.A. is a two-piece combo of lifelong music aficionados: Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon. Through combining huge elements of electronic programming, dub, reggae, and hip hop (along with a plethora of emcee talent such as Kanye West, The RZA, Old Dirty Bastard, E-40, Method Man and more), N.A.S.A. has produced an album that is dripping with premature success. The two explain that,

"While N.A.S.A. stands for North America/South America and contains a number of superstar artists from both coasts of the U.S., it is about as far from a tension-building geographical showdown as a record can get. Rather, The Spirit of Apollo was born with the righteous goal of bringing people together through music and art, and that is exactly what masterminds Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) and Ze Gonzales (DJ Zegon) have done." (Myspace)

I'm sure you'll see these dudes all over the place in a few months (or maybe even weeks) so I figured I'd give you an initial taste. What I like best about the duo is their lack of concern for stereotypes and sense of no external authority from anyone over what they intend to create.

"No rules. That's the M.O."

Tracklist for Tuesday April 7, 2009

Celldweller - Switchback
Depeche Mode - Wrong (Boys Noize vs. DIM Remix)
Deadmau5 - Arguru
Metric - Police and the Private
Notorious BIG - Party and Bullshit (Ratatat Remix)
N.A.S.A. - Gifted (Ft. Kanye West, Lykke Li, and Santagold)
Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of.
MSTRKRFT - 1000 Cigarettes
Tycho - Dictaphone's Lament
Royksopp - This Must Be It
School of Seven Bells - Chain
TMDP - Running
Junior Boys - In the Morning
Team Teamwork - Hyrule Field (Ft. Pimp C. and Lil Keke)
Mouse on Mars - I Go Ego Why Go We Go
I Am Robot and Proud - Something to Write Home About
Vibrasphere - Forest Fuel
Royksopp - Happy Up Here

Tracklist for Tuesday March 31, 2009

Celldweller - The Last Firstborn
Shout Out Out Out Out - Run
Junior Boys - Parallel Lines
Royksopp - Tricky Tricky
Venetian Snares - Deep Dicking
Thunderheist - Bubblegum
Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Arman Van Helden Remix)
Fever Ray - Triangle Walks
Justice - Phantom Pt. II
Ladyhawke - Magic
The Notwist - On Planet Off
Faunts - Das Malefitz
Beats on Canvas - Sinking the 8th Ball in Zaire
Kero - Riversidedrive
Apparat - Hailin' from the Edge
Ellen Allien & Apparat - Way Out
Daft Punk - Television Rules the Nation / Crescendolls

CJAM Jammy Awards

Vote New Pulse for "Best New Show" and "Best Electronic Show"! (it takes 20 seconds)

Underrated

Recently Chris White, CJAM's music director, sent out an email to all of the programmers here at the station with an idea that was presented by Joe McGregor (host of The Best Show Ever):

"How about inviting volunteers to make their own "best of" CD for bands that they think are under-appreciated or have vast amounts of records missing from the library. It might make people take an interest in a band that they had initially dismissed, if someone was actually willing to take the time to make a best of record."

Obviously I had to jump at this opportunity to spread the word about under-appreciated and obscure artists not only to the other programmers here at the station, but to anyone who has an open mind about the electronic genre.

And so, the New Pulse mixtape escapade had begun. The draft of the artists I wanted to include on the album was extensive (over twenty-five songs), however I had to whittle it down to fit an eighty minute CD-R. I had to take into account which artists received the least amount of play time (if any at all) at the station while at the same time being the more talented of the lot. It wasn't easy, but I narrowed it down to this final track list:

01 Danger - 19H11
02 Just a Band - Burn it Out
03 Apparat - Komponent
04 Tycho - Systems
05 Squarepusher - Illegal Dustbin
06 Yuksek - Tonight
07 Vibrasphere - Breathing Place
08 Ellen Allien - Come
09 Moderat - Rusty Nails
10 Dat Politics - Wish Ya
11 Photophob - Because We Like the Rosary
12 Helios - Velius
13 Rex the Dog - Circulate
14 E*Vax - We Believe in Broken Bones
15 Minotaur Shock - My Burr

Despite having to cut out at least ten tracks, the end result was fairly illustrious. I also did some work in Photoshop, deciding that a burned CD in an empty jewel case wasn't very aesthetically pleasing.

In the end I hope anyone who catches wind of my mix enjoys the tracks I've chosen and expands their taste, and also that the other programmer's submit mixtapes soon, as I'm always interested in a new musical experience.

Landscape Verses

So far this year has been a powerhouse of amazing releases. Most of the albums to date, however, have been of the Electro-House or Electro-Pop genres (which I'm not complaining about). Enter "Selected Downbeats Vol. 2", the newest compilation project from Sweden's ambient, progressive-trance duo, Vibrasphere. Rickard Berglöf and Robert Elster have been producing music together since 1998, leading to their first album "Echo" in 2000. Their musical style ranges from slow-tempo ambient, to ephemeral and up-beat psy-trance that elevates the listener to a state of other-worldly euphoria.

Their first compilation (Selected Downbeats Vol. 1) was somewhat of a "best-of" album at the pair's current stage of their career, featuring tracks from multiple albums, and Vol. 2 does just the same, only this time, there is a fresher feel of more current programming style and a more uniform theme all throughout the CD. The tracks become much more layered with soaring foreground patterns complimented by deep and engaging bass effects and percussion. Most of the songs begin with a slow introduction and continue into a high-charged build that explodes in an epic symphony of sound.

Tracks like "Ensueno" and "Breathing Place" insist upon the hairs of your arms raise in emotional stimulation as chills run down your spine. The album was released on February 18 and is a testament to Vibrasphere's work. It's a good place to start with this band, but I assure you that you'll be hooked.

Tracklist for Tuesday March 17, 2009

Happy Irish Day!

Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek (Trance Remix)
DJ Shadow - Building Steam With a Grain of Salt
Arc Lab - Boreal
TMDP - Montage
Vibrasphere - Breathing Place
Chateau Marmont - DIane
Shout Out Out Out Out - Run
Metric - Collect Call [Exclusive]
Kenna - Free Time
Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)
Terry Lynn - Kingstonlogic
Vibrasphere - Forever Imaginary
Montag - Kuujjuaq
Cut Copy - Out There on the Ice
The Prodigy - Invaders Must DIe

Evaluating "The Remix"

Oh, remixes. Often categorized as God's mistakes, blasphemy toward the original artists' work, a perversion of original talent, and the root of all evil, the "remix" is over dramatized and over politicized. I know a good number of people who scoff at the notion of a remix of a song being just as good or even better than the original, which is their preference. However, I believe a remix to be neither an excuse to avoid recording new content nor a correction of a failed attempt at a song.

A remix works on three levels, regardless if not every listener is a fan of one or not. The first being audience expansion. There will be those who enjoy the work of the track's original artist and that of the artist who performs or programs the remix. If this is the case, the listener will most likely be inclined to delve for further information on this new artist and expand their music library. Some listeners may experience the same effect, but in reverse. Furthermore, if a remix artist is in focus, more of their remixes will fall into light.

Secondly, a remix acts as an artist's way of expressing their own personal take on a particular track. This could be either a complete reinterpretation of how they would program the song, or additions to it to add personal flair and talent. It is an outlet for creative addition, which brings me to my third point. A remix does work for the artists themselves, drawing upon each others' talents to fuel ideas for future projects. Through a remix, a new sound style, modular synth pattern, or other electronic effects may be made apparent to an artist for future use.

Legitimacy is more than just the whim of a stubborn listener. Remixes promote progressive sound and advancement, whether or not your buddy hears one and says "Oh my God...Man this is terrible; turn this shit off," in which case you should bluntly offer a pimp-slap.

Tracklist for Tuesday March 10, 2009

The Prodigy - Omen
Deadmau5 - Arguru
Concentrick - Undreamt
Paul Oakenfold - Dread Rock
CFCF - Call Girl
Montag - La Symetrie Du Coeur
Ladyhawke - Magic
The Prodigy - Warrior's Dance
Dosh - Don't Wait for the Needle to Drop
TMDP - Glades
Chromeo - Needy Girl (Paper Faces Remix)
Four Tet - High Fives
Moderat - No. 22
Boys Noize - Lava Lava (Feadz Aval Aval Mix)
MSTRKRFT - Street Justice (Essential Mix)
The Keiross Theory - Colonize
Ellen Allien & Apparat - Rotary
The ALbum Leaf - Red Eye

Canadian Content: Quality Over Quantity

Working with music in the electronic genre will definitely open your eyes to the lack of Canadian artists in proportion to American or British or French etc. Rightfully so, the United States has more well-funded record labels and a higher population, and countries in Europe have the ability to say that they are THE powerhouse fueling the electronic dynamo. Yet what people fail to realize is the Canadian Electronic scene is growing at rapid rate and most groups or artists give you more bang for your buck than a lot of those run-of-the-mill Trance or House outfits.

Canadian artists are bursting at the seems with potential and talent, yet often go overlooked for bigger names like Daft Punk or The Prodigy. Yet within the last year or so, many artists are either making huge debuts or striking back with albums that are bigger and better than the last. MSTRKRFT for example is Canada's current heavy-hitter, however Electro-House is not for everyone. As of late, a few notable Canadian electronic artists should be paid more attention to.


Faunts
These Alberta natives have proved once again with their 2009 release "Feel.Love.Thinking.Of." that they're still in the game. Their sound is a unique blend of vocals (sometimes in falsetto) with catchy pop patterns and rhythmically blurring sound. This being their second full-length release, Faunts knew just how high to jump to clear their own preset bar and at the same time prove to create one of the freshest albums so far this year.


Deadmau5
Joel Zimmerman, a resident of Toronto, has created quite a stir within the electronic community, not only while touring Canada, but the United States and Europe as well. "Random Album Title" was received with wide open arms, with a sound that is both customary and extremely in your face at the same time. The rolling pianos mixed in with the heavy bass kicks and clever and imaginative programming put this Canadian at the top of his class.


I Am Robot and Proud
Another native to Toronto, programmer Shaw-Han Liem has been more successful in Japan than he has in Canada. With over four near-perfect albums out since 2001 Liem has already proved himself as a master musician. His skills in creating rolling soundscapes powered by pop based IDM give the listener a euphoric sensation, yet still retain an extensive level of complexity and originality.

These are merely three prominent examples of hidden gems in Canadian culture. My advice to you: get out your shovel and start digging for more.

Tracklist for Tuesday March 3, 2009

The Keiross Theory - Transatlantic
Moderat - Rusty Nails
Woven - Beautiful
Stars - Set Yourself on Fire (Montag Remix)
Yuksek - Extraball
MSTRKRFT - So Deep
The Notwist - Pilot
Four Tet - And Then Patterns
Massive Attack - Butterfly Caught
Fuck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow
Crystal Castles - Untrust Us
Amon Tobin - The Killer's Vanilla
Telefon Tel Aviv - I Lied
Modeselektor - Godspeed
Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of.
I Am Robot And Proud - Something to Write Home About
Caribou - Lord Leopard
Tycho - Systems

Moderat: The Best Collaboration for 2009

Finally. The collaborative project from two of the best in the IDM and glitch world has been announced with a scheduled release this year. Legends in the business, German artists Apparat and Modeselektor are titling the project "Moderat" (a useful play on words). This week it was leaked and let me explain to you in as very little words as possible how amazing it is, are you ready?: Fucking Amazing (and I'm capitalizing those words for a reason). The reason why these two have perfected their dual sound so flawlessly is because neither is a stranger to the other's work. They've done work together before and Modeselektor is involved with Apparat's record label BPitch Control.

Safe assumption with all of Modeselektor's work, this collaborative effort retains the same opinions of self confidence, him saying the sound is

"Happy metal, hard rap, country-ambient, Russian crunk. We don’t like it if people tag us as being a certain style or school or scene or whatever. We don’t really care about all that."

MSTRKRFT's work on Fist of God (which is discussed in an earlier post) is still taking the cake so far, but Moderat is definitelly coming in a close second, and it may sway my opinion for number one as I continue listening to it. The fact that these veterans of pre-conceptualized sound within the genre can produce something so refreshing, and so creatively new makes me have higher hopes from other artists. Yet, if Apparat and Modeselektor can do it, it definitely doesn't mean you can; these guys are flawless professionals.

Track List:
01. A New Error
02. Rusty Nails
03. Seamonkey
04. Slow Match Feat. Paul St. Hilaire
05. 3 Minutes Of
06. Nasty Silence
07. Sick With It feat. Dellé
08. Porc # 1
09. Porc # 2
10. No. 22
11. Out Of Sight

Tracklist for Tuesday February 24, 2009

Kenna - Red Man
MSTRKRFT - Fist of God
The Keiross Theory - Colonize
The Faint - Glass Danse
Puscifer - The Undertaker (Renholder Remix)
The Go! Team - Get it Together
M83 - Couleurs
Montag - Best Boy Electric
Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of
Junior Boys - Hazel
Moderat - Rusty Nails [Exclusive]
Thunderheist - Do the Right Thing
Artist of the Year - Yeah!!!
Kylie Minogue - Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Yuksek - Tonight [Exclusive]
Justice - D.A.N.C.E. Pt. II
Lise Miskovsky - Still Alive (Benny Benassi Remix)
Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire

Tracklist for Tuesday February 17, 2009

The Knife - Heartbeats (Rex the Dog Remix)
MSTRKRFT - Click Click ft. E-40
Dragonette - I Get Around
Thunderheist - Do The Right Thing
Faunts - Feel.Love.Thinking.Of
Thom Yorke - And It Rained All Night
Tussle - Transparent C
Mach X - Lascivious
Deadmau5 - Slip
Zeratul - Magus (Raw Trance Exhaustion)
Kids on TV - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off
Cut Copy - Lights And Music
MSTRKRFT - Fist Of God
BSOD - Choplifted
Dale North - Space Cat
Telefon Tel Aviv - You Are The Worst Thing In The World
Daft Punk - Around The World / Harder Better Faster Stronger
Danger - 11H30

Fist of God: MSTRKRFT Brings the Fiery Hail

I'm sure that most reader's and electronic aficionados alike are familiar with the work of Al-P (Alex Puodziukas) and JFK (Jesse F. Keeler) as MSTRKRFT. The two are a Toronto electro-house outfit born from previous musical relationships. Keeler is a former member of Death from Above 1979 and Al-P a producer and programmer who was involved with the band's production needs. When DFA 1979 was dispanded, the pair began their work as MSTRKRFT (pronounced "Master Craft") in 2005 and released their first full length record "The Looks" a year later. Besides the often-times pretentious bullshit Pitchfork displays in record reviews, the album was well received. With new recognition and growing popularity, the pair have been commissioned to do remixes for artists like Justice, Kylie Minogue, Bloc Party and more.

In 2008, MSTRKRFT did a live set at Windsor's "only world class nightclub" (the club's words, not mine), The Boom Boom Room. Al and Jesse were preceded by a few other acts but lit the building up with electricity and sweat. The pair noted during their BBC Essential Mix that they "don't really record live mixes very often 'cause [they're] usually really drunk and [they're] afraid of what they might sound like afterwards," (Keeler 2008).

March 17, 2009 marks the release of their long awaited return with a second full length album (which garnered a huge amount of hype) entitled Fist of God. Two singles were released almost a year in advance on the Bounce/Vuvuvu EP, so the wait for the final product has been tedious, yet the rewards are substantial. Fist of God combines the usual MSTRKRFT sound with more speed. The tempo of the tracks as a whole has increased dramatically, focussing more on the effect of them actually being used in a club-type environment. Because it is a gapless album (each track blends into the next), it seems as if it was meant to be, if desired, played straight through on the dance floor, which is unheard of for a single album to be fully sampled. However this is entirely possible due to the variation of each song's content. Tracks like "1000 Cigarettes" and "Click Click (ft. E-40)" are literally lightning in audio form. Take my word for it, if you haven't gotten into this band, do it, and if you have, buy this album when it comes out, I promise it will be one of the best releases of 2009.

Tracklist for Tuesday February 10, 2009 (Remix Night)

Nine Inch Nails - The Beginning of the End (Ladytron Remix)
Boys Noize - & Down (Siriusmo Remix)
Stars - Sleep Tonight (Junior Boys Remix)
The Galvatrons - When We Were Kids (Bag Raiders Remix)
MSTRKRFT (Feat. Lil Mama & T.I) - Shawty Got Looks (The Hood Internet Remix)
American Analog Set - Green Green Grass (Telefon Tel Aviv Remix)
Placebo - English Summer Rain (Self Remix)
Stars - Set Yourself on Fire (Montag Remix)
Madvillain - Money Folder (Four Tet Remix)
The Sound of Animals Fighting - The Heretic (Evol Intent Remix)
Junior Boys - Birthday (Manitoba Remix)
The Faint - Glass Danse (Paul Oakenfold Remix)
Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Headman - Catch Me if You Can (Bag Raiders Remix)
Radiohead - Nude (Holy Fuck Remix)
Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Teddybears Remix)
Just a Band - We Are (The Shoes Remix)

That Bubblegum Music

thun/der/heist: The act of stealing another's thunder, to trump another with something far more superior.

Toronto based duo Thunderheist are no strangers to the world of club-based electro. However they're putting a fresh spin on the Canadian scene. Front woman Isis and programmer Grahm Zilla put on a performance like no other seen in the greater Toronto area. Reminiscent of some of Kanye West's tracks that involve heavy electronic programming and complicated rhythmic work, Thunderheist is a natural blend of Hip Hop and Electronic. The lyrical work flows effortlessly over stylish bass lines to create a catalyst for bodily motion. The sound is essential electric, spewing light and heat from every breakdown.

You could be among thousands in a stadium, or intimate at your local bar... either way, if you're in the front row, expect to get wet. Thunderheist sweats Belvedere and Red Bull, and sprays more hooks than a heavyweight championship bout (Official Site).

The genre of combining hip hop and electronic is by no means a new thing; rap artists have been sampling for many years in order to add the exact sound they're looking for to compliment vocal work. Thunderheist approaches this cross-genre with a new attitude, focussing less on the rap-based elements as the primary source of artistry and instead make it one half of a balanced scale. Yet it's the less noticed prowess of the band's ability to transfer personal energy ideas into their music that creates such a masterful product. I imagine that a live show would be balls-to-the-wall intense, wherein the performance commanded you to get your energy flowing and experience a sense of bliss in motion.

When the Jerk It EP was released in 2008, a music video contest was presented to create an original video for the single "Jerrrk It". Videos started buzzing from a ton of places to try and impress the band and the internet audience alike. Although I am unaware of the winning video for this contest, I am personally partial to this entry directed by Kristen Waterson from Ryerson University.

Thunderheist
Tracklist:

01 Sweet 16
02 Nothing 2 Step 2
03 Jerk It
04 LBG (Little Booty Girl)
05 Bubblegum
06 Slow Roll
07 Space Cowboy
08 The Party After
09 Freddie
10 Do the Right Thing
11 Red Whine
12 Cruise Low
13 Anthem

If you plan on having a house party and are at a loss at what music should be played to equally serve as background beat and dance/party music alike, Thunderheist is a clear and obvious choice.

A Night in the Studio

A session in the on-air studio during New Pulse's radio show is anything but smooth. From start to finish there are always miss-haps, CDs that don't work or are missing from the catalogue, even (language as a demonstration of how frustrated I potentially become) equipment fucking up. However heavy the stress, broadcasting the music I love is definitely worth it. The show has taken off well within the CJAM world and I hope it continues to grow in popularity. Artists such as ones previously featured on this blog plus tons more are regularly played on the show, also accompanied by new releases every week.

Don't get me wrong, it is more complicated than merely pressing Play on one of the decks. Being a DJ requires proper attention to song formation, time constraints, potential commercials and station identifiers to be aired, and an effective blend of music and spoken word. Again, it's all for the music. The show is another way to reach out to the re-established fans of the genre, perhaps providing a fresh take on artists, and also an attempt to solidify the opinions of those who remain unfamiliar with it. Overall it's an excellent experience and fun every week. Be sure to tune in and give me a shout if there is anything you would be interested in hearing.


These pictures were taken by my compatriot Matt Ray who is getting into the world of photography (as if doing graduate work in Engineering isn't enough).

An Enjoyable Vice Grip: Tracklist for Tuesday February 03, 2009

Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Armand Van Helden Remix)
Holy Fuck - Royal Gregory
Nine Inch Nails - Meet Your Master (The Faint Remix)
Portishead - The Rip
DJ Pretzel - CMYK
Chromeo - Me & My Man
Artist of the Year - Dancefloor Devil
Junior Boys - Parallel Lines
M83 - Skin of the Night
Daft Punk - One More Time / Aerodynamic
Thievery Corporation - Troublemakers
Junior Boys - Hazel
The Knife - Heartbeats (Rex the Dog Remix)
Tiga - Far From Home (Digitalism Remix)
Matt Pollard - From The Depths of Time

Harmony and Dissonance

The music of Hamilton duo Junior Boys has been described in ways like "rhythmic capriciousness" all the way to "bedpost breaking, bed-spring-creaking, neighbor-banging-on-the-shared-wall, honeymoon-hotel-room sex". However appropriate both of these descriptions are, the band delivers streamlined melodies that create an overwhelming assault of the senses.

A lack of continuity, though, is made apparent on their 2009 release of their third album Begone Dull Care. In the cliche sense, the band is not changing their sound, but evolving to shape the music to match the transient nature of life itself. You still have the same pop based vocals from Jeremy Greenspan that woo you into awe and inspiration, yet the production and coding is much more rigorously complex and systematically beautiful. More tracks like "Hazel" and "Parallel Lines" flirt with boundaries between soft sounds and quick programming, weaving a tapestry of a cold city night lit only by the pale moon and the dazzling sparkle in your lover's eye.

Tracklist
01. Parallel Lines
02. Work
03. Bits And Pieces
04. Dull To Pause
05. Hazel
06. Sneak A Picture
07. The Animator
08. What It's For

The album drops on March 24 in Canada. Stream "Parallel Lines".

Tracklist for Tuesday January 27, 2009

Jordan Aguirre - G-Storm
Artist of the Year - Yeah!!!
Crystal Castles - Air War
Ladytron - Black Cat
Cut Copy - Out on the Ice
Kids on TV - Cockwolves
Telefon Tel Aviv - The Birds
Faunts - Memories of Places We've Never Been
Thunderheist - Bubblegum
FFMusic DJ - Chrono Corridor
Squarepusher - Illegal Dustbin
Fever Ray - Keep the Streets Empty for Me
DAT Politics - Magnetic Attraction
I Am Robot and Proud - Something to Write Home About
Amon Tobin - The Killer's Vanilla
Jordan Aguirre and Jason Miller - Brinstar

What's the Difference?

Often (yet not always) I find that new-comers to the world of computer-produced music find themselves in one of two places, one of which is bad. Either they believe that all electronic is and sounds like European Trance, or they stumble upon one sub-genre other than cookie-cutter trance and actually give the music a chance. I mean, don't get me wrong, there isn't a single, best type of electronic; each listener (as like any other umbrella genre) needs to find their preference.

I shall digress into highlighting a few of the most presently popular categories:

Trance is that standard european sound with heavy synths and strings, often accompanied by that deep bass kick followed by a cymbal.

Electro-House is the home of popular bands like MSTRKRFT and Justice.

Glitch is a more eclectic genre, where in describing it using the simplest terminology sounds like an aural clusterfuck. Artists like Mouse on Mars and Autechre call this one home.

Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) is the offspring of Detroit techno where the musical style is more dependant on the individual than any specific genre, giving birth to unorthadox artists like Bjork.

Ambient is the genre in which the music acts as more of an atmospheric blanket than incorporating any real rhythm. The solemn tone of this faction is present in the works of artists like Aphex Twins and Manual.

Indie-Tronica / Electro-Pop is another one of the most popular sub genres. Many recognizable artists fuse the elements of pop-based vocal roots and electronic rhythm, such as Junior Boys, The Postal Service, and Ladytron.

New Pulse on CJAM

Tune in Tuesday, January 20 from 10:30pm - 12:00am for some fashionable and impressive electronic, hosted by yours truly.

CJAM 91.5 FM -- Redefining radio in Windsor and Detroit.

Australia Does It Again

With a backward gaze toward the best releases of 2008, a select handful come to mind. However, in the electronic scene, few stood up to the unyielding musical brilliance of Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours. Though less technical with respect to their sound, the Melbourne trio once again proved themselves as master producers.

Moving away from their previous dance-punk sound, In Ghost Colours promotes a warm mixture of catchy synth keys and playful vocals. Often labeled as more "pop' oriented, the album still maintains its synthetic core. The band's electronic prowess bleeds through the pop-vocals effortlessly in "Out on the Ice Again" and resonates through multiple-instrument elements and drum kits in "Lights and Music".

Usually when a vocal strain is so upbeat and catchy it forces the listener to forget about or ignore the melody. Yet from front to back In Ghost Colours will have you singing the lyrics and dancing to the impressive rhythms simultaneously.

Side Project: Fever Ray

The Knife's Karin Dreijer begins 2009 with a breakaway side project labeled Fever Ray. Dreijer has always been known for her excellent work as The Knife, along side her partner in acoustics (and brother), Olof Dreijer. The two of them have toured world-wide and have three full length albums: the 2001 Self-Titled release, Deep Cuts from 2003, and 2006's acclaimed release Silent Shout.

Although not a drastic change in sound, Fever Ray works solely on Karin's musical strengths. There are tracks that feature the signature, deep vocal distortion as is expected of her, along with an appropriate pairing with face-up vocal work that remains unedited. Refreshing, as per usual for The Knife, Fever Ray retains a foreign element to its sound. Being a native of Sweden, Dreijer creates a sound with characteristics that fans of North American electronica are not familiar with. A listener perhaps would have a pre-conceived notion of general vocal distortion to make the lyrics sound robotic or synthetic. However with The Knife and Fever Ray, the product is more ghostly or banshee-like.

The album begins with an eerie first track (and first released single), "If I Had a Heart", and continues as a lush, dark, and textured sound-scape until its finish. Overall a very anticipated release which will be in stores later this year on Rabid Records.

Immolate Yourself

January 20, 2009 marks the release of Telefon Tel Aviv's (Charles Cooper and Joshua Eustis) newest LP titled Immolate Yourself. The album works to reconnect the more modern and minimal, glitch style that the duo is known for with a throwback of ephemeral vocals from their earlier work. The vocal stems and synth sets used to distort them are used in a manner similar to the stellar M83 album Saturdays = Youth from 2007.

Though still tying into classic Telefon Tel Aviv roots, Immolate Yourself is a definite shift of paradigm, almost like their own Human After All, wherein Daft Punk strayed from their comfort zone in an attempt for something fresh. However, Immolate is more reinforced as an album with strong continuity and persistent audio assaults of beautiful synth change-overs, a high saturation of ambient rhythm supporting the foreground, and powerful vocal breakdowns. This is especially notable in the opening track "The Birds", which builds up with muffled keys to a powerful pinch pattern, and again in "You Are the Worst Thing in the World."

A move to a new record label may also have contributed to a change in style. Now a member of BPitch Control, the team notes that:

"Gone are all of the high-definition micro-edit minutiae in favor of a new approach to texture for us - long form."

Tracklist

01 The Birds
02 Your Mouth
03 M
04 Helen of Troy
05 Mostly Translucent
06 Stay Away from Being Maybe
07 I Made a Tree on the Wold
08 Your Every Idol
09 You Are the Worst Thing in the World
10 Immolate Yourself

"This Lady...Does She Perhaps Have a Name?"

With the late 2008, self titled release, Pip Brown of Ladyhawke has prominently placed herself in a rising position within the electro-pop scene. The New Zealand native blends rhythmic guitars and bass with a pronounced and classical (almost vintage 1980's) feel of electro. Her lower, classical vocal range provides for a more unconventional, yet refreshing foreground to create a multi-modular cascade of sound, each element blending effortlessly with the other.

Though this release is a new addition to the game, by no means is Brown an inexperienced musician. She had previously been involved in two native Australian bands. Wellington was an initiative straight out of high school that she started with some friends, which led her to eventually pairing up with Nick Littlemore of Pnau to form Teenager. After two years collaborating with Nick, they parted ways so she could begin to focus on a conceptual solo effort dubbed Ladyhawke.

The album can be purchased both through Amazon and in the iTunes store. Click to preview a selection of tracks.