Groove Armada came back in a big way this year with a new album, Black Light. It may not be amazing, but this album is fabulously sexy. It's as though they made it 20 years ago in a dirty London studio with the kind of basic hardware that projects the most dense, sensually raw/basic sound. I've come to the conclusion that Groove Armada wrote this album (in 1989) in the studio waiting room while Violator (perhaps the best synth album ever) was being recorded. It has the qualities that can only be achieved by the types of acts that actually lived through the synth-pop explosion of the 80's, dance craze (and all its many children that THANK GOD have ceased to remain relevant... R.I.P. happy hardcore) of the 90's, and neo-new wave electro-clash (that revived and conformed to modern pop standards) of the 00's. To this day, I do not know if anyone else has really pulled this off in quite a stellar way. Death in Vegas tried a few years ago with Satan's Circus, but fell short. The lead single off this album is the previously blogged about I Won't Kneel (perhaps the best single from any act so far in 2010). This follow up, though, can hold its own. Here is the album cut (download link above it) and the fantastic Urchins remix (which you can download from the soundcloud) of Paper Romance.
download(mp3)
This video is a classic, in my opinion. Music videos should match not only the theme of the song, but the music itself (one of my gripes with the new Lady Gaga 'Telephone' video). This video is also pretty amazing because it was so obviously low-budget. The Presets are a great band, the best 2-piece I've ever seen live, and this is one of their best songs... and easily their best vidja.
Here are three tracks you should own! First we have a song called 
I have a love/hate relationship with Lily Allen. Sometimes she's amazing. Others she's simply ordinary (never quite terrible). Here's a remix of a track that I love, 
Kelis is back. From where, I have no idea, nor do I really care, as I never liked her before. I thought Milkshake was curdled and Bossy was poorly executed. Never before did she show any sort of genuine creativity, until now. I guess that's what happens when you divorce your rap-star husband (Nas) when you're seven months pregnant. Nothing like marital demise to get the juices flowing. Her highly anticipated (can you believe it's her 5th album.. and she's only 31) LP Flesh Tone is due to drop 
The rumors that the terrific tailors of tribadism have returned with a darker, extremely sleek disco sound must be true. Scissor Sisters tribbed their way back into my heart with this new track. I especially love the cameo from Gandalf. I feel like I'm dancing with the Orks of Mordor, but that's really the same thing as going out in DC, anyway. 
Few know that Otis Redding is one of my favorite artists. I may be a DJ who plays endless electro/indie dance remixes. I may love the obscure and ridiculous above the modern and cookie-cutter... but in the end it all comes down to what's good and what matters, no matter the genre. 
sister party, 
