remix monday: adele gets danceable

Keljet, who did a hell of a remix of Any Which Way, by Scissor Sisters, returns to make a gem out of this Adele track. Definitely check this one out. I love it, and it has definitely made me like Adele a great deal more. Sing it out, woman! God I dig this track... I don't know why, either. I figure maybe it makes the deeply-rooted soulful angry bitch inside me bawl out like a retarded siren.

The song, by the way, Rolling In The Deep, is the first single off Adele's new album, 21, which hits stores February 22, 2011. I think it might just be great. Who knows? I don't really care... I just love this remix. Big THUMBS UP to Keljet. This is the second remix I've heard by Keljet... and the 2nd one I love. Kudos y'all! All I really know about Keljet is that it's a duo from Nijmegen, Netherlands, who create some proper shit. Hooray REMIX MONDAY!

Rolling in the Deep (Keljet remix) - Adele by shiftdcdj

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the killers do xmas.... again

So, The Killers have often done Christmas tunes, and I (mostly) applaud them on such a trademark move... but the jury's still out on this new one, titled Boots. So, before you boo the fact that the song is a bit of a drag, the video isn't well shot, and the rest of the band is not in said video (though we do love us some Brandon Flowers... despite the cowboy neck thingy he wears that's getting old)... I've added two great Killers xmas songs to make up for it! Woot! I love A Great Big Sled the most, I have to say... but Don't Shoot Me Santa is disjointed in all the right ways (very trademark Killers... when they choose not to suck) and fun. Definitely my kinda Xmas. Happy holidays and all that cheery shit.

1-CLICK-DL (Boots)

1-CLICK-DL (Don't Shoot Me Santa)

1-CLICK-DL (A Great Big Sled)

TONIGHT! Juan McLean at U-Hall

The Juan MacLean (whose real name is John MacLean), has been around forever. He is one of the great precisionists when it comes to perfect remixes and blending the energy of indie pop with the inspiration of electronica. Despite his odd definite article in front of his stage persona, he is nothing short of fantastic as a DJ and recording artist. His close relationship with James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem, Founder of DFA records) has served him well, and is evident in his sound, as well. He graces the fabulous sound system of U Street Music Hall tonight, and you should be there if you want to dance that holiday-eatin' ass off. I'm guessing he will go on around 12:30a, but don't quote me that. Just go. Here are my three favorite remixes of his. My favorite, by far, is the Sneaky Sound System track. The Example track is pretty great, but not nearly as good as its original. Lastly, a tolerable Marina & The Diamonds remix rounds out the group.

newsflash: Sneaky Sound System finished recording!

According to an email blast I received early Thursday morning, Sneaky Sound System is due to release its new (third) album next year, with only the final touches being the last hurdle until we all (hopefully) revel in the best electro-pop group to not make it in the U.S.

"...we've been head down, bottoms up making a NEW record, and we can honestly say it's the most excited we've been about any of our albums. Written and recorded in hotel rooms, planes and studios from Moscow to Ibiza to Naples, London to Paris and back to Ibiza again... it's a record influenced by our travels then nurtured in the comfort of our studio in Kings Cross here in Sydney."

One day, though, one day they'll be huge. They have all the tools. Soulful strong vocals, smart lyrics, electronically perfect, danceable, and catchy as hell without dividing down to the lowest common pop denominator. If you don't know them and are a fan of Dragonette, The Presets, La Roux, Sam Sparro, Sia, Eurythmics, The Gossip, or Simian Mobile Disco... they're probably for you. Actually, I think I like SSS as much or more than any of those artists. I shit you not.

3 tracks - she wants revenge

Remember when She Wants Revenge was the next best thing and people kept yelping about how great they were yada yada yada.... and then they started making crappy tracks and never branched out (in a good way) from their sound. Well, they did produce three tolerable tracks, and here they are:

Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge

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I Don't Want to Fall In Love - She Wants Revenge

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What I Want - She Wants Revenge

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fresh: cut copy & röyksopp

Here's a slice of new Cut Copy (or as I like to call them Command-X), and an instrumental Xmas-centric track from the always gorgeous Royksopp. The latter has been releasing random tracks once a month for a while now (probably cleaning out the attic to create buzz... but I'm not complaining). Cut Copy, on the other hand, is due to drop its highly-anticipated third album, Zonoscope, the first week of February 2011! Get excited.

Take Me Over - Cut Copy

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Le Cantique de Noël - Royksopp

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essentials: mates of state

Everything's gonna get lighter, even if it never gets better.

I often think about that line and repeat in my head when the days aren't so sunny.

Sometimes I am simply in a Mates of State mood. I don't know what spawns it on, but I do know that there's something magical about the 2-piece husband/wife team of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel. They have been together since 1997, but it's in the last 5 years that they have become quite amazing. The two original LP's released since 2006 that I play on the regular, Bring It Back and Re-Arrange Us (if you like what you hear below, I highly recommend buying an entire LP), are lush with upbeat, introspective pop, and definitely for fans of Rilo Kiley, Stars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Ra Ra Riot, and Shout Out Louds.

Below are my four favorite tracks, including one from the 2004 EP All Day, Goods (All In Your Head). Enjoy the heavenly indie-pop, melodically solid, perfectly disjointed, and wonderfully essential Mates of State.

Get Better - Mates of State

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Now - Mates of State

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For the Actor - Mates of State

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Goods (All In Your Head) - Mates of State

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remix monday: whitney finally makes me wanna dance w/ somebody

I have loathed hearing this song every time I go out to a retro-dance night for many years, but when I stumbled upon this remix, I hated myself for loving it. You have to experience it for yourself. Really.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (OCD Automatic remix) - Whitney Houston (pre-crack) by shiftdcdj

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3 tracks - a folky thursday

There's something about the cold and brisk days that have descended upon the District that make me dive back into the somber folk rock sound that sprinkled my early 20's. I just sometimes need that warm honesty that seems to be so dichotomously both vulnerably self-deprecating and willfully resilient.

Damien Rice, to me, is the greatest folk artist on the planet, by evidence of his two impeccable albums and stunning live show. He's the kind of artist that makes you uncomfortable by virtue of his over-sharing lyrics, until you realize such discomfort is rooted in your own secret empathy. This track, Lonelily, is a b-side that never made either of his epic full-lengths... but I love it, and it's a testament to his overall quality. Beat Radio produced a couple amazing tracks a couple years ago, and first and foremost to me is the track attached here, Memoir Of A Lightning Bolt. It's quite stunning. Lastly, Feist, before she became a pop starlet, and after she painted Broken Social Scene with her subtle-yet-haunting vocals, put out an album called Let It Die. The title track of this album basically became the anthem for the biggest breakup of my life. Womp fucking womp. Hooray Folk Music!

So, put your headphones on under your beanie, and enjoy. And, yes, I took that photo the other day while walking through the city. :)

Lonelily - Damien Rice

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Memoir of a Lightning Bolt - Beat Radio

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Let It Die - Feist

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fresh robyn video and dl

Here's the extended version of A-Trak's Indestructible remix! Oh, Robyn, will you ever stop? I hope not. Check it.

Indestructible (A-Trak Remix) - Robyn by shiftdcdj

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Also, here's the delightfully low-budget video for Dancehall Queen that is borderline ricesploitation. I sort of love it.