Album Review: Junior Boys- So This is Goodbye

You're probably wondering: who the HELL are Junior Boys? To be honest, I dont know much about them myself but I can tell you one thing: They can make pretty good songs. They have that kind of fell to them that is very reminiscent of DJ Hell, with a smooth pop-esque voice that just makes it sound even more amazing. I would label it as smooth electropop. As this is my first album review, I want to just get to the point and describe the songs and rate them.

First off we have Double Shadow:
At first I assumed it was bad due to a bland intro, but then it just releases into a very smooth and sexy track with nice vocals and cool drum beats. I would give it a ten if the intro wasnt so blah, but its nonetheless amazing so it gets a 8.5/10.

Next on the list is The Equalizer:

Its more popish than anything else, but it has some great electro riffs. I rather like the track to be honest. The only downside is that its too poppy sometimes. Regardless, I give it a 8/10.

First Time:
This is the most dissappointing song of the track. The vocals dont work, and the beats are ish at best. Very odd track really. 5/10.

Count Souvenirs:
Very Cool track indeed. The beats are very good with a great vocal piece to work with it. Its sounds very tronish in some parts. (When i mean tron, i mean the 80s movie) I give it a 9.0/10.

In the Morning:
This is probably the heaviest track on here. At the same time, it is also my Favorite Track on here. The beats are very catchy and it gives such a wide atmospheric feel to it. I would give it a 1 million but I cant so 10/10.

So This is Goodbye:
As the main track labeled on the CD, i would've expected something great from it. And i was right: it didn't fail to disappoint me at all. The whole thing sounds stellar. SO much so, i sometimes wonder if i am actually tripping out. This is the most electro (in my opinion) of all the tracks. It has flare. It has Style. Its Out of this world. 10/10

Like a Child:
Sounds very similar to In the morning with a DJ Hell-esque feel to it. There are lots of noticeable differences i dont have time to mention, but it has the same feel. I dont like it as much as In the Morning though.8/10

Caught in a Wave:
Reminds me a lot of the Basic Slack Mix of The Legacy theme, just not as electro or flangy. I think its cool, but the vocals are unnecessary in this track.I give it a 7.5/10

When No One Cares:
Quite possibly the slowest song on here. Not very electro or poppy. Just a lot of piano and instrumental fading. 6/10

FM:
Meh. Thats all i have to say really. It has a decent beat, but its just too slow and the voice makes it too dull. 7/10

Pros: Its very smooth and has sweet beats in it that makes you relax and hypnotized.

Cons: Its NOT a headbanger album, so it is a disappointment for people who are justice and Boys Noize fanatics. Some of the songs are a dull and can lead to boredom.

Overall score: 8/10

Now for my picks:











Happy Holidays Everyone,
Nite

Twitterview with Lee Dunn (Ghosts of Venice/Youth Attack!)

Today I had the pleasure of having a chat with Leeds-based musician Lee Dunn over Twitter. Over the last couple of years he's been making a name for himself as one half of cut-up electro group Youth Attack!, but more recently he's started a new solo project, Ghosts Of Venice, which focuses on disco and house. He's already reworked Club Cavalry, Feadz and Shakira under his new moniker, and has his debut solo effort "I Learned From The Best" coming out later this month for FREE download! Here's what we nattered on about...

Hello GoV. If you had to describe your sound in three words, what would they be?
Probably "Party Filter House", I think that best describes it.

What do you think was the moment you decided "that's it, I wanna make music"?
There wasn't really a defining moment, I've been in bands/DJing for many years on and off. It kind of just happened. One day Chris [Petty, the other half of Youth Attack!] and I just decided to make a track together, and everything naturally progressed from there. The Ghosts Of Venice stuff came after my holiday in Ibiza with Jaymo and Grum, which made me fall in love with House music all over again.

With your new Ghosts of Venice material, which artist (if any) have you tried to emulate?
I wanted to do something that went back to the Crydamoure and Roulé era. The Ghost of Bangalter haha. It kind of evolved from that really.

What was the first track you ever made, under any band or alias?
I recorded an album with my first band, it was terrible. I think we sold about 100 copies of the CD, most of them were probably to our Mums.

Haha sounds fun. So, let's talk about your club night Kill The Rhythm. Who's been your favourite guest?
I think my favourite guest was In Flagranti, he's such a nice dude. But loads of our friends played the night, Hostage, Joe And Will Ask?, etc. So they're always good ones. We've stopped doing it now. But we've got a few dates planned in other cities in the new year.

Didn't know you'd stopped doing the night. That pretty much renders my next question useless haha.
Haha. We didnt make a big deal of it, it just had to happen. We had big names every week. I just had to take a step back and concentrate on making music. We're starting the Kill The Rhythm label in the new year too. I couldnt do everything! haha.

What's been on your stereo recently then?
The new Ocelot album, Those dudes are gonna blow up. I'm currently remixing the first single off the album due out new year. I've been listening to Le Principle, Paul Johnson, Strip Steve. The XX album has been on heavy rotation for me as well. My favourite band of 2009.

Time for a good old hypothetical: If you could pick one song to erase from history, what would it be?
Boomtown Rats 'I Dont Like Mondays'. Fair enough Bob Geldof did a lot for charity, but the guy is an idiot. He's been milking that song for about 20 years now!

Geldof's a cunt. So what does the new year hold for Ghosts of Venice, Youth Attack! and the rest of your crew? Any top secret dancefloor weapons in the works?
Well well, got some big things planned. I'm hoping to head over to Chicago in a few months to work with Le Principle on a GoV track, some big remixes coming out soon too. There's an EP in the works, and a Youth Attack! Album I'm starting on. We're launching the Kill The Rhythm record label which I mentioned before, some really good stuff coming out on it too. There's also a few other big collaborations hopefully!

Finally, Coke or Pepsi?
Coke all the way!

True dat. Thanks a lot for talking to us :)
Pleasure's all mine :)

Such a nice lad. We've been loving his remixes of Feadz and Heads We Dance on the blog, and the other day he sent us this nice little Christmas present. Enjoy :)

Janet Jackson - Make Me (Ghosts of Venice Edit)

Keep it funky,
Joe

Quick Review: Basement Jaxx "Zephyr"

Oh, come on Basement Jaxx, you're spoiling us now. A mere three months after Scars dropped, Felix and Simon have unleashed ANOTHER new album, Zephyr. But how does it stand against its predecessor? I'll get to that, but first, a bit of background info...

Made during the studio sessions for Scars, the original plan was to release a double album: one disc of the lads' new direction of "soundscape" ambience, and another of the signature quirky house we've come to expect from Basement Jaxx. Felix and Simon later decided to release the latter as a standalone album (Scars) and release the "soundscape" material (Zephyr) at a later date.

So is it any good? Well, in short, yes. While we got a taster of Jaxx's new direction with Scars, it's on Zephyr that it really shines through. While the Jaxx's usual carnival of wonky guitar riffs, mashed up samples and demented synthwork are all present here, they are transformed from sure-fire house megahits into ethereal nuggets of freeform chillout. The term they love to use to describe it so much, "soundscape", is apt. Putting on one of the few vocal cuts "Where R We Now" or the fantastic jazzy ambience of closing tune "Ascension" and closing your eyes immediately conjures mental images of vast desert wastelands or lush forests teaming with life (I personally get visions of elephants in Native American headdresses having picnics with dinosaurs on a giant trampoline made of marshmallows in a reconstruction of the grand canyon, but it probably varies from person to person).

Normally I wouldn't be able to listen to an entire album of this kind of stuff without getting bored, but at only 33 minutes in length the album is finished before I do. With only ten tracks here, however, and taking into account that three of them are under two minutes in length, this could have actually used a few more tracks to flesh it out a little. Short albums are always a double edged sword. The good news is, if you don't like what you're hearing, it's not long until the next brainwave. The bad news is, if you do like what you're hearing, it's not long until it's over.

But enough of that, what do I think of it overall? Well, while it's not quite up to the standard that Scars set for it, Zephyr is still a decent listen and is worth a few listens if you're in the mood.

I give "Zephyr" by Basement Jaxx 3.75/5

Now here are my picks from the record :)

Basement Jaxx · Basement Jaxx - Walking In The Clouds

Basement Jaxx · Basement Jaxx - Ascension

BONUS!

Basement Jaxx · Basement Jaxx feat. Blue James, Erick Morillo & Harry Romero - Red Alert (Erick Morillo & Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero Vocal Mix)

Keep it funky,
Joe

This is so amazing

Thanks to The Silver Disco, I just obtained to french tracks from the 70's (YES. 70s) that sound 20 years ahead of its time. The band name is Space and these guys just blow my mind. Hopefully they will do the same to you too :)

Wait till the bass kicks in and it gets so much better (especially deliverance)





Enjoy these Epic French Choons from the 70s

Nite