Monarchy get luscious

Producers duo Monarchy formed back in 2009. Their debut debut album Around the Sun was released last year. They have performed at many a festival around the world, and remixed tracks for the likes of Jamiroquai, Kelis, Lady Gaga, Kylie and Ellie Goulding ao.
The single Disintegration is to introduce their sophomore set. It’s an interesting collaboration with the luscious Dita von Teese on vocal duty. After DJing for Dita at the opening of Cointreau Club, at a private member’s bar in London, Andrew (Armstrong) and Ra (Black) posted a special mix on Soundcloud called To Dita With Love. “Something more loungey and sexy.” Same goes for Dita’s performance on Disintegration. Don’t expect a powerful vocal, but a sexy voiced expressive songstress.  The song is about “losing the self in a moment, in a love affair, in a partner, drawing from a metaphor of le petit mort -that post sex moment where the mind goes blank- as a symbol of the larger loss of self in a relationship.” Spin the Mighty Mouse Remix and lose yourself. And grab the free download when you come to.

ChesnuTT has landed

44 year old musician Cody “ChesnuTT” Chesnutt from Atlanta, Georgia, is no stranger to those who know what’s happening on the Hip-Hop scene. Chesnutt’s music fuses elements of Hip-Hop, Funk, and Blues, with a touch of Soul. He recently released a second full length album Landing On A Hundred.
After moving to Los Angeles, Chesnutt did some writing and producing for Death Row records and played in his (former) band, The Crosswalk. A first solo effort entitled The Headphone Masterpiece was released in 2002. Though not breaking the charts, the album was critically acclaimed all round. Chesnutt made the album available through his website and subsequently toured with Macy Gray, Erykah Badu, and The Roots to promote his music. The latter reworked track 7 from the album, The Seed, under the title The Seed (2.0), on their album Phrenology that same year, featuring  Chesnutt on guitar and vocals. Chesnutt also appeared in the music documentary Dave Chappelle’s Block Party. In 2010 he released an EP Black Skin No Value. A Live album entitled The Live Release remains unreleased as yet.
His second long player Landing On A Hundred was released in October of this year, garnering rave reviews, and the deserved press attention. A few weeks ago Chesnutt performed some tracks off his latest release on the BBC’s Later…with Jools Holland. Watch a rooftop acoustic session of the current single That’s Still Mama, and a clip from the phenomenal BBC performance. If you are into (Michael) Kiwanuka or older ChesnuTT work, you will dig these sounds.

Holidays Rule!

School’s out!

School Is Cool – The World Is Gonna End Tonight
(Johannes Genard, Andrew Van Ostade, Nele Paelinck, Matthias Dillen)
Directed by Jonas Govaerts
>Entropology (Keremos)

T¥P cover Lana & Wham!

Looking back, one of the most joyous album releases of 2012 was the international release of The Young Professionals’ (T¥P) debut album, 9am to 5pm, 5pm to Whenever, on Polydor Records/Universal Music Group. The Israeli electro-pop duo, that is producer Johnny Goldstein and singer/songwriter/producer Ivri Lider, originally released the album in their home country in 2011, entitled 09:00 to 17:00, 17:00 to Whenever. The album represents each hour of the day, working hours to night life.
The band’s electronic sound is fused with guitar and percussion. With TYP D.I.S.C.O., the band’s debut single sampling Ottawan’s first international hit D.I.S.C.O., they created something new, with a touch of something old. The current single, Be With You Tonight, follow-up to 20 Seconds, samples the iconic violin chords from Joe Dassin’s Et Si Tu N’existais Pas.
The international version of the album comes with a slightly different track listing, which includes a remix of TYP D.I.S.C.O. by Offer Nissim. The guys also serve a remarkably daring cover of Lana Del Rey’s 2011 single Video Games. Check the result in the play list below. You will find yourself dancing to the beat watching T¥P’s latest video at the top of this entry. As we are so very near to Christmas, the guys offer us a Seasonal remake of a classic Wham! track. Very Merry y’all.

Hallelujah Anyway: Larse & Knuckles work it!

Candi Staton returns to the dance floor with some killer remixes. Hallelujah Anyway has been picked up by Defected. Generations are rediscovering the Soul siren of the 70s who’s Got The Love. Larse and Mr Frankie Knuckles reworked the track and both interpretations are throbbing dance grooves. The Vocal mixes by Larse and the Director’s Cut versions are what a soulful dance jam should sound like. God works in mysterious ways. Count your blessings. Hallelujah, Anyway!

Off-the-wall fly track: Staygold

Any musical creation this good has to come from Sweden. Producer duo Carli Löf and Måns Glaeser, two friends living in Stockholm, have shared a mutual obsession for music since the early nineties. After scoring a couple of hits in their home country, Staygold unleash their debut album Rain On Our Parade, and the single Wallpaper, worldwide. Linus Eklow aka Style of Eye co-produced the single, singer Pow is on vocal duty. Earlier this year the single Backseat featuring Spank Rock, Damian Adore and Lady Tigra already made the Top 10 in Sweden. Wallpaper should have you off the wall in no time.