Zola ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ Bear Blog

Muxtape #8: <em>le muxtape Francoise!</em>

Here's the eight installment of my muxtape, and you'll play it here. This time, it's all ((Those of you who are in the know should know that Wendy Carlos is from the USA and Simian Mobile Disco is from England - but still!)) about France, people!

This is all about danceabilities, what makes us rock and rule, combining old with new and making ya shake that ass. Kick it!

1. Justice - "Genesis"

The first track off this duo's debut album kicks ass. I've underestimated it, but even though some of the tracks are brilliant, they're still not worthy of being dubbed Those Who Have Taken The Throne From Daft Punk. I'm waiting for their second album, aah! This track is awe-inspiring in its old skool-ness. The French definitely have a knack for that.

2. Daft Punk - "Musique"

This is a track almost 13 years older than the above, which shows that technology means fawk all and letting your hips lead the way is the thing. Daft Punk came from nowhere and floored everybody with their debut album, which still gets 10/10 from me; this track is a b-side to the single "Da Funk".

3. Air - "Brakes On [Alex Gopher Mix]"

Air is usually known for being calm, cool and loved by Sofia Coppola, but this time they're remixed by Alex Gopher, who first came into the scene through Orange, a band that featured people from Etienne de Crécy and Air.

4. Mr. Oizo - "Trina700 (Trina Kills Xtended Edit)"

Mr. Oizo is probably overlooked by the people who think he was a one-hit wonder with the track "Flat Beat" that Levi's plugged to death through their jeans-commercials in the 90's. Nopes. He's still going strong and hasn't lost his sense of funk, making music as well as DJ'ing.

5. Thomas Bangalter - "Spinal Scratch"((A take on Buzzcock's magnificent single "Spiral Scratch".))

Monsieur Bangalter is half of Daft Punk, and is known for a lot of his solo stuff, e.g. this single. The wonderful thing about this version, is that it's set to the wrong speed; it's really supposed to be played at double speed, but a Swedish mag - Bibel - issued this version, and I find it superior to the real version. It gnaws its way into my mind by repeating, repeating and repeating without becoming monotonous, reminiscent of Kraftwerk!

6. Jean-Michel Jarre - "Arpegiator"

Yep, I've featured Jarre before, and here he is again; without tracks like these, I'm sure that the electronic dance-scene would surely look different. This one's off his legendary live-album, "The Concerts In China". The percussion and arpeggi in this song...kills me.

7. Simian Mobile Disco - "Tits & Acid"

This is hard, this is sequenced, digital and staccato as opposed to Jarre's soft, analogue track. SMD breathes new life into a well-executed techno-track by adding acid. More, please.

8. Daft Punk - "Technologic (Vitalic Remix)"

This track probably is a modern club classic, but Vitalic brings it to new heights. Remixing should be more than just adding a few instruments, and Vitalic has the touch.

9. SebastiAn - "Momy"

From the same record label as Justice, SebastiAn isn't big, yet. This track shows why he should be. I'm loving it.

10. Rage Against The Machine - "Killing in The Name (Mr. Oizo Remix)"

Mr. Oizo takes on RATM's old track by providing his recipe for creating the missing link between hardcore and funk. Bring. It. On.

11. Beethoven - "Suicide Scherzo (Ninth Symphony, Second Movement, Abridged)"

From the soundtrack to "A Clockwork Orange", this is the work of Wendy Carlos, who in the 60's worked closely with Robert Moog ((The creator of the Moog synthesizer.)) to churn out electronic versions of classical music by Bach, and as heard here, by Beethoven. Carlos is one of the pioneering geniuses of electronic music, and her work has inspired many a musician.

12. Justice - "Stress"

Beginning and ending this muxtape with Justice, this track is stress, as well as another good example of how they've incorporated groove into their tracks. Even though I don't think they utilise the bass guitar enough for my taste, they make up for it with the drums working with their brilliant synthesizers and breaks, which actually makes me think of Michael Jackson. Work it!