Yes yes yes! The Sound of Arrows are back after a bit of time away with a new single and video…not to mention an entire debut LP coming before the summer. I fell in love with them last fall thanks to their song ‘Into the Clouds‘ and the love affair was only prolonged by their amazing remixes of both Lady Gaga and Alphabeat. They create a dream-like sound that is upbeat synthy perfection.
Posts Tagged Alphabeat
Best of 2010 (a little late)
Jan 14
To me, it was a year of singles, not so much complete albums. There were a few good ones released, no doubt, however there wasn’t really one that I could play all the way through on repeat. However, there were more than enough single tracks to keep me happy. It’s interesting to note that I had four different artists repeat in the top 25. Not sure what that means, maybe I didn’t branch out enough or maybe there just wasn’t anything worth branching out to. But all in all, I’m content with my selection. With that, I bring you my favorite songs of 2010:
25. The Radio Dept. – Heaven’s On Fire
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“…i’m a little like you | ugly on the inside | but while I dive into the gritty | you just stand by…”
24. NightBus – Guys Like You
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“…but i’m not with you for material things | you know i’m the modern girl | and as long as daddy doesn’t find out i’ll take you all over the world…”
23. Bruno Mars – Marry You
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“…cause it’s a beautiful night | we’re looking for something dumb to do | hey baby | i think i wanna marry you…”
22. Yeasayer – I Remember
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“…i remember making out on an airplane | still afraid of flying, but with you i’d die today…”
21. Sun Airway – Put the Days Away
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“…but you’re gonna find something to hold close | in the moonless night I wait for your ghost…”
20. Hanson – Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’
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…”cause the love i’ve got is better than what you gave…”
(Whatever, the song made me happy. Shut up.)
19. Sia – I’m In Here
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“…i’m fearing it all | stuck inside these walls | tell me there is hope for me…”
18. Japayork – Teenagers
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“…we feel great taking too much and some more we feel alive | the bright lights take us where we’ve never been before…”
17. Robyn – Dancing On My Own
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“…stilettos on broken bottles | i’m spinning around in circles…”
16. Kanye West – Monster (feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver)
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“…now look at what you just saw | this is what you live for | aaaahhhh i’m a motherfucking monster”
(the reason this song is on here instead of “Power” or “Runaway” is because of ms. minaj. her wicked 1 minute and 20 second verse is by far the hottest thing to hit my eardrums in 2010. period.)
15. Arcade Fire – Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
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“…they heard me singing and they told me to stop | quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock | these days my life, i feel it has no purpose | but late at night the feelings swim to the surface |
’cause on the surface the city lights shine | they’re calling at me, come and find your kind…”
(the opening lines from this song have my vote as the best lyrics of the year. And this song needs to be the soundtrack to Freedom.)
14. Cee-Lo Green – Please
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“…but with all the wrong i’ve done | how could love ever love me…”
13. Dirty Gold – California Sunrise
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“…i’ve been sleeping far too long | hibernating from your love | i need some summer sun to come and wake me up…”
12. How to Dress Well – Decisions
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“…don’t forget to check your cell phone…”
(they’re really the only lyrics i can make out in this song)
11. Vampire Weekend – California English, Pt. 2
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“…this girl was smarter than television scripts | this girl wasn’t damaged her jeans were just ripped | this girl was the girl that the girls in your world thought about when the night was cold…”
10. Sara Bareilles – Bluebird
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Unlike “Gravity” which ended Bareilles’ last album, her sophomore closer brings a message of new beginnings however lonely they may be. It’s one of those sad-happy songs that after coming to a close make you think that just maybe this bluebird, too, will have this chance fly over the rainbow.
09. Alphabeat – DJ
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This was Wes’ song of the year and, weirdly enough, my most played song on iTunes. No matter where I was or what mood I was in, whenever I heard it I smiled and started dancing…all night.
08. Mumford & Sons – After the Storm
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I wrote about this hauntingly beautiful song here and I can’t really say anything more about it.
07. Rufus Wainwright – Zebulon
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Rufus has always sung with bravado and drama backed usually with a full band, a reason why so many love his music. But here, it’s just his voice and a piano. There are not many things that are more beautiful sounding than this. It’s tender, sweeping, haunting, emotional. The output of feeling he has in this song is almost tangible. This song further solidifies that Rufus’ voice is a perfect instrument, and one that continues to amaze me.
06. Cee-Lo Green – F**k You
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This song topped many 2010 lists and for good reason. It was super catchy, had retro 70s swag that felt fresh, and everyone likes a good fuck you song. It also had some of the best lyrics in a track this year including, “i guess he’s an x-box and i’m more atari”. Being an Atari myself, I readily hopped on the f**k you bandwagon.
05. Robyn – Fembots
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Robyn was a force in the music scene this year. With an ambitious three album project, hot videos, and a tour, I’m not sure how she had time to keep her teeth so nicely filed. It seemed every time I put on my headphones a new slammin new Robyn song was playing. It was hard to choose which song would crack my top 10, but “Fembots” (off of Body Talk Pt. 1) grabbed me from the start and never let go. It’s effortlessly smooth chorus was one of the best this year and paired perfectly with the robotic verses and blips and bleeps throughout the track. It was the perfect start to an awesome year from Robyn.
04. Yeasayer – O.N.E.
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After Animal Collective’s monster album last year there has been a definite swing to the style that they perfected. Yeasayer has piggybacked on this, and, in their own right, has created more of a pop version of a similar sound. The roots are there, the bad isn’t going anywhere, they just need to tighten up and edit a bit more. For me, O.N.E. is the best on the Odd Blood, an 80′s electro throwback with killer verses and awesomely heave beat drops. And if you haven’t seen the video, it’s quite a trip.
03. Martin Solveig – Hello
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French electronic music DJ and producer Martin Solveig featured Canadian electropop group Dragonette for this ridiculously amazing work. The video for the song was recorded at Roland Garros where Martin Solveig faces Bob Sinclar, another DJ, in a tennis match…during a real match. Sweet. It’s such a great, fun, summer song. And hand claps! You know how I love hand claps. And when the beat drops. Oh. So. Nice. Hello Martin and Dragonette, thanks for coming to play. Game, set, match.
02. Arcade Fire – We Used to Wait
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Oh, C minor chord. Your haunting, persistant, continuous keys. You make this song move. From the opening to the closing you are there. I can’t really think of a song that has the same chord played with such a determined purpose over the course of the entire track. It’s almost as if the chord is the sound of the runner’s footfall with each stride he takes. If you haven’t played around with the interactive video, it’s one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a long time…and makes me love the song that much more. It’s a massive album with some great standout singles, but “We Used to Wait” is special. It has that thing that only Arcade Fire can do. That thing where you are in the song, where it’s about you, not anyone else on the metro or on the sidewalk, but you. And, as Win Butler sings, it’s strange how something so small (like a song) can keep you alive.
01. LCD Soundsystem – I Can Change
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I’m not sure there are many things better than LCD Soundsystem recording a great song. It can be a complete work of art, in my opinion. From lyrics like “love is a murderer | but if she calls you tonight, everything is alright” to “I can change | if it helps you fall in love”, the emotional baring and stripping that James Murphy goes through is remarkable, almost cringe worthy at times if we ourselves had never felt the same way. With it’s quirky little 70′s blips permeating the track to Murphy actually using that smooth voice of his (even going into falsetto) to infect lyrics that get stuck in your head well after the song has ended. Please, please don’t change. This is why I fell love with LCD Soundsystem.
Get the Best of 2010 .zip file here (179MB so be patient, it’s be worth it)
Best Songs of 2010
Dec 31
It is that time of year again. The “Best Of” season, the best singles, best album and best artists of the year. The lists are all over the internet, magazines and TV shows. I am sure that everyone of these lists use very scientific calculations and means to decide their rankings, and the list below is no exception. I used various facts, figures and statistics to compile my list of top 25 songs of 2010. (Who am I kidding, this is all opinion based somewhat on my musical whim, fancies and other highly unscientific reasons.)
You may ask why 25? Well first Josh and I tried to create our top ten lists, and well this was an utter failure on all accounts. It was impossible to whittle down our favorites to just ten. And twenty, too easy, lets add five more into the whole mess and together you will get the top 50 songs as seen by C&B.
After the Top Ten, number order really loses nearly all meaning, just an FYI.
1. Alphabeat – DJ (I Could be Dancing)
This is hands the best song of 2010. ‘DJ’ is what Pop music should be, infectiously fun, campy, and really doesn’t take it self too seriously. With a perfect tip to 90′s Euro dance-pop and something all their own, Alphabeat is something special in the world of Pop music. ‘DJ’ has done more to make me smile this year alone than maybe any other song.
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2. Robyn – Hang With Me
Robyn truly one of music’s most masterful writers, my good friend DJ MAJR sums it up the best, “[Robyn] is catchy without being vapid.” Honest, sincere and beautiful, Robyn is able to tell a story like very few in music can.
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3. HURTS – Better Than Love
From Theo’s enthralling voice, to rich full synths that ebb and flow creating a whirlwind of sound, to brooding lyrics that cut straight through it all, ‘Better Than Love’ is a song that stands out from everything else in Pop.
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4. Example – Kickstarts
Completely new and unique is the way to describe ‘Kickstarts’ and anything Example creates. ‘Kickstarts’ really is an endearingly sweet love song about the highs and lows of every relationship; expertly paired with explosive beats and high energy synths that are the perfect embodiment of all the excitement love brings. Plan and simple its quite brilliant!
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5. Kylie Minogue – Get Outta My Way
Her want to live to the fullest and her lust for life is contagious and passed through her music to everyone who listens to it. ‘Get Outta My Way’ is no exception, full of spunk and sass with that ever present exuberant joy.
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6. Japayork – Teenagers
For me there is a visceral reaction/connection to this song that I feel every time the chorus hits. The urge to escape; to leave the problems, pain and strife of the world behind and enjoy the now. Revel the moment you are in, to love life and the people you are sharing it with.
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7. Penguin Prison – The Worse It Gets
Penguin Prison has created the perfect musical embodiment of the yearning I get to leave the noise of the world behind and get away from it all.
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8. Chew Lips – Slick
Cool synth beats paired with piano chords and deep bass that build excitement through the whole song. Tig’s voice perfectly floats over the beats telling the story of memories and life gone by.
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9. Goldfrapp – Alive
Disco is alive! Glam and glitter. I would say more but it would only cheapen it.
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10. Bright Light Bright Light – Love, Pt 2.
‘Love Pt. 2′ overwhelms you with the carefree exuberance that comes with realizing you are able to feel love’s faint flutter in your heart again.
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11. Florence and The Machine – Dog Days Are Over
12. Joe McElderry – Real Late Starter
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13. Cassette Kids – Spin
14. Delphic – Doubt
15. Moneypenny – Destroy
16. Gorillaz – Doncamatic
17. Aeroplane – Without Lies (ft. Sky Ferreira)
18. Sia – I’m In Here
19. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream
20. Frankmusik & Computer Club – Losing Streak
21. The Ting Tings – Hands
22. Kaskade – Fire In Your New Shows (ft. Dragonette)
23. Ellie Goulding – Lights
24. Lights – My Boots
25. Hyper Crush – Keep Up
Made just for all of us fans by the guys and gal of Alphabeat themselves, here is their latest video for ‘Heat Wave’. Which is a great track and perfect fit for the end of summer, as most of here are trapped in the middle of the humidity soup that is August in Washington, DC.
I have been getting a lot of requests for Alphabeat over the past few weeks, so I think it is time to give you all what you have been asking for. Alphabeat is the best pop group out there, yes the BEST (with the demise of the Sugababes, clear winner out and out). They are fun, energetic, and genuinely enjoy the music they make. The Beat Is… has been steadily played on my iPod for the last 10 months, and with its official release date in the UK in 2010, it will surely be one of my top 5 albums of the year. With a tip to 90′s dance-pop and something all their own, Alphabeat is a group that you must have in your library. And trust me you will find yourself not growing tired of them no matter how much you play the album.
Memorial Day Mixtape
May 25
C&B is delighted to bring you a playlist for the start of your summer. While putting together this mix, I wanted something that could be played anywhere. You can blast it at the pool, on the beach, or at your 3am afterparty. You’ll find some new songs as well as some tracks that will take you back to summer’s past. Hopefully it will be the perfect accessory to hours of endless dancing and sun soaked rays. Enjoy!
02. Adam Lambert – Whataya Want From Me (Fronzerelli Radio Edit)
03. Example – Won’t Go Quietly (Radio Edit)
04. BAKER – Echo
05. Alphabeat – DJ
06. Frankmusik & Computer Club – Losing Streak
07. Glee – Safety Dance
08. Har Mar Superstar – Tall Boy (Manny Heatherly Remix)
09. Tim Deluxe – It Just Won’t Do
10. Hyper Crush – Keep It Up
11. Richard Vission & Static Revenger (feat. Luciana) – I Like That (Radio Edit)
12. Kid Sister – Right Hand Hi
13. Christina Aguilera – Not Myself Tonight
14. Robyn – Fembots
15. Mark Ronson (feat. Amy Winehouse) – Valerie
16. Hanson – Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’
17. Michael Franti & Spearhead – Say Hey (I Love You)
18. Sam Sparro – Cut Me Loose
19. Mika – Touches You
20. Vampire Weekend – Giving Up the Gun
21. Robyn – Dancing On My Own
22. The Ting Tings – Great DJ (IDC Re-rub)
23. Empress – Dancefloor
24. Wynter Gordon – Dirty Talk
25. Kelis – 4th Of July (Fireworks)
26. Scissor Sisters – Invisible Light
27. Goldfrapp – Rocket (Tiesto Radio Edit)
28. Mariah Carey feat. Old Dirty Bastard – Fantasy (Bad Boy Remix)
Alphabeat never seems to disappoint me, and are releasing my FAVORITE song off their album “The Beat is…” as a proper single, which includes a new video! I truly LOVE this song, and have the playcount to back it up! It’s fun, campy, and really doesn’t take it self too seriously, all the reasons I love Alphabeat. Really how can you go wrong with disco balls, giant turn tables and laser lights? Hopefully this helps to start the week off right.
Get the Album Version Here
While putting together this post, I was really debating what songs to feature. In the end, I just picked five of my favorite tracks from the past couple months. If I had to pick out a common thread from this eclectic mix, they all have great electro beats. They also all happen to be about love (whether it’s new romances or old, fleeting or ending). Big thank you to Josh for inviting me to guest post this week. Enjoy!
This song is about the initial spark – when you first meet eyes across a crowded room. This remix takes the original electro-folk Ellie Goulding goodness, adds in a fun dance beat, and tops it off with a couple killer interludes from Brooklyn rapper London Theophilus. Look for more of him in the future.
mp3 download: Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed (Penguin Prison Remix ft. Theophilus London)
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Hot Chip’s new album, One Life Stand, is probably going to top my list of best albums from 2010. It’s a bit of a departure from their earlier stuff – more subdued and understated. A hint of disco ties the album together and lies in stark contrast to the lead’s chilling voice and romantic lyrics.
mp3 download: Hot Chip – I Feel Better
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I don’t know a thing about I Blame Coco except that they’re brand new. This is their first track and they’ve never been on tour. They bagged Swedish electro-star Robyn to lend some great backup vocals to this classic indie rock track. The finished product reminds me a bit of Shiny Toy Guns (when they still had Cara Faye Charnow), which is not a bad thing.
mp3 download: I Blame Coco – Caesar (ft. Robyn)
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Before hearing this song, I would have never thought popping a bottle of champagne could be a depressing experience. But when you put it this way…. “Drinking champagne, meant for a wedding – Toast to the bride, a very sad ending – Drinking champagne, a bottle to myself – Savor the taste of fabricated wealth.” Drink up!
mp3 download: Marina and the Diamonds – Shampain
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When it comes to cheesy EuroPop, no one does it better than the Scandinavians (Barbie Girl, anyone?). As many of you know, aside from my love of a good disco dance track, I love all things Danish. Alphabeat is currently on tour with Lady GaGa on the U.K. leg of her tour. Tillykke!
mp3 download: Alphabeat – DJ
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Thank you Kenny for guest posting this week. I’m always excited to hear what you’re listening to…hopefully I can convince you to post again soon. Feel free to leave a comment and let Kenny know what song is your favorite!
This song came through my inbox today and I was very excited to get a full length copy. In a slick promotion move for their new album The Spell, Alphabeat has done a mashup of two of the hottest songs right now: “Telephone” and “Bad Romance”. Alphabeat pretty much kicks ass at whatever they do and this is no different. It definitely should go on your workout mix or when you need that shot of adrenaline on Friday at 2pm. Enjoy!
mp3 download: Alphabeat – Telephone & Bad Romance mashup
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Favorite songs of 2009
Dec 15
In a year of great music it was pretty hard to narrow down my favorite songs of the year, but after multiple edits I think I’m pretty happy with my final list.
Comments are welcome and appreciated, let me know what you think, what I may have missed, and what your #1 song of the year was. If it was “Tardy for the Party” please submit your comment anonymously as I can’t promise I won’t slap your mouth the next time I see you. Click on the link here or visit the “Best of” section at the top. Here’s to 2010!
