Pelski's Playlist - Pt. III

Many dance music snobs are denouncing the indie-rock and dance music crossover. I'm not talking about New Rave, but merely the more rocky and sometimes vocal-based side of electro that's been arising for a year or two (pioneered by the likes of Kitsune, MSTRKRFT, Digitalism, Ed Banger, The Black Ghosts, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and many many more). Those condemning this fusion of dance and rock are massively narrow-minded, and missing the point. Dance music was founded on innovation and experimentation and accounts for why the genre continually evolves and maintains a certain freshness. There's always those uber-conservative stiffs who write into Mixmag and DJmag, moaning about these "fuckin' indie kids" and "faggoty' rock'n'rolla's" ruining 'their' genre of music. But these are the same lager-louts who uproariously rave to The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers (who are, of course, incredible) and Pendulum (who are, of course, shite). These three, or at least the former two, are old classics, and therefore regarded as good-old-fashion dance music. But they fail to forget all three are massively influenced by rock music. They owe as much to rock music as they do to club music. They are phenomenal because of their refusal to stick to any given genre rules. The infusion of rock is just as innovative as the breakbeat, dubstep and heavy bass movements, and helps music to move in interesting new directions so to avoid any stagnation.

Admittedly the blogs, and even a few record stores, are becoming over saturated with rocky, distorted bangers, and pitiful New Rave imitators. Alot of these tunes are becoming formulaic pieces, so uninventive they could be mistaken for plagiarism. But this happens when any new and popular movement arises. For this reason I also like to post other arising genres/movements like the glitchy, bassy sounds of Dubsided; the 'fidget house' sound, the 2-steppy bassline that's seeing a revival, the heavy ghetto-tech that's worming its way into electro and all the crossovers that meld all the above together. But indie-electro and rock'n'rave also rightly deserve a firm place in dance music.

(Here ends my rant. But this just serves as an aside; something I wanted to clear up).


Anyway.......It's time for another of Pelski's Playlists: The third in a series of outstanding assemblages of brand-spankers and up-and-comers....all nestled alongside some older tunes (that have possibly slipped under the radar) that may tickle your fancy. That's right, you can call me Pelski.

[pelski highly recommends all of the following]

An outstanding remix to start off with here from Switch. A moody, rock-and-rollin' tune. A twanging, deep guitar riff runs throughout along to a punchy beat. People seem to be pigeon-holing Switch into this new-fangled 'fidget' genre, but he never ceases to surprise with his ever changing, eclectic style. This was actually released in 2007, but slipped right by me, and is definitely worth a listen if you haven't hear it yet. Switch remixes Jacknife Lee - an ex-guitarist, now working on electronic productions, but has also lent his technical expertise to the likes of Weezer, Bloc Party and Hadouken!'s albums. A quality little tune:


Jacknife Lee - Making Me Money (Switch Remix)


Retro sounding vocals and a glitched Facteur reworking makes for an infectious tune. Come the end, the glitched snippets are seemlessly blended into a smoother sound and all out heavy blasts of bass and clubby electro. New European are a couple of electro-poppers from London, and this remix is a booming stomper that has an ever so slightly cheesy-esque vibe. Beaut:


New Europeans - Dr. Rhythm (Facteur Remix)


Ratatat have been gaining a fair bit of attention surrounding their latest EP, Shiller - and their latest tracks aren't bad, but don't really stand up to some of Ratatat's classics; those instantly recognisable tunes. These new 'uns don't stick like the old 'uns did. So here's a new remix of one of my favourite Ratatat tracks - Wildcat. E*vax (AKA Evan Mast) forges minimalist electronica, and is infact one half of Ratatat. It maintains much of the original's outstanding elements: that whining guitar, those wildcat growls; but here with added pulses of bass and a little welcome warping distortion. Ratatat's tunes always evoke a feeling of some old dusty guitar, gently and melodically twanging away and is strangely what make them so timelessly endearing. A nice, neat electro makeover here:


Ratatat - Wildcat (E*vax Remix)


Miles Dyson's 'Live In Mexico' starts off darkly like a typical classical soundtrack to any horror film (the ones usually about some dark lord or satan), and then drops into a bouncy warping of electro wonk. It then cuts between snippets of the orchestra-type humming and electronic beats. This description may make it sounds strange, but it works wonderfully:


Miles Dyson - Live In Mexico


I love all of Punks Jump Up's remixes and my favourite is this simple but effective re-edit of the Swedish electro-pop band Lo-Fi-Fnk (after 2 years of listening to Lo-Fi-Fnk, I still have no idea how to pronounce that name). Punks Jump Up add a nice synth-y guitar riff and some clean electro sounds. I look forward to seeing these guys live at some point - perhaps just for the sole purpose of wearing my Punks Jump Up tshirt without looking like a complete New Rave twat (I can only imagine New Rave twats fit in pretty well at Punks Jump Up gigs). Anyway, this chirpy slice of electro-pop should get you in the mood for the Summer:


Lo-Fi-Fnk - City (Punks Jump Up)


The actual original of The Toxic Avenger's 'Escape' seems to have escaped everyone. Has anyone actually heard it ( - if so, please post below). The only two versions of Escape I seem to be able to get my hands on are the superb remixes by Bloody Beetroots and LA Riots. Of course, everyone has heard the booming, rocky distortion of the 'Beetroots remix. But it's the LA Riots' (who seem to consistently turn everything they touch to gold) remix that has really garnered my affection. Maybe it's the sped-up 70s vocals, maybe the retro syths, maybe the glitchy chopping. Whatever it is, it's killer:


The Toxic Avenger - Escape (LA Riots Remix V8)


Late Of The Pier are one of the few remaining indie bands that are consistently releasing inventive and gratifying material. This is probably aided by Erol's production input (let's not forget: Erol is God). I've posted alot of their tunes over the last few months (their tracks are ripe for remixing it seems, judging by the number of remixes floating between the blogs). 'Space And The Woods' and 'Focker' have been released as a double A-Side. You've probably heard enough of 'Space And The Woods' by now, but it's 'Focker' that really takes the breath away. A neo-indie tune, filled with fuzzy synths and clattering rock. We haven't heard this much energy since the Klaxons. NME must be creaming themselves:


Late Of The Pier - Focker


Next up is a tune Dave Pryde sent me: a DJ and producer who goes by the monicker Continental Breakfast Club. Continental Breakfast Club has produced some nice remixes. He tells me he's moving away from his beginnings of cheesy grime and 2-step, and moving closer to the more danceable electro-house area. He's also remixed Hearts Revolution and is currently working towards an EP of original material. Yes, this is a remix of pop-rapper Souja Boy, but it's actually terrific fun with some great electro, growling distortion and a chopped vocals snippets. He strips away all but the acapella and infuses some excellent electro into proceedings:


Soulja Boy Tell 'Em - Crank 'Dat (CBC Samplerdisco Remix)


Here's one of Herve's earlier releases on the ever popular Dubsided label. Its an energetic, bass-clapping track that drops neatly into a catchy round-and-round refrain. Alot of Herve's stuff is equally as fresh as his acclaimed remixes. An astounding tune:


Herve - (I Can) Get Down


For those of you who couldn't handle the innovation of Soulwax's Rolling Stones remix (give it another go; it's a grower), here's a more conservative take on the 'Stones from Hot Chip. And a very tasty one too:



The Rolling Stones - I'm Free (Hot Chip Remix)


Primary1 is a 21 year old UK electro-pop artist, who's down-tempo synth-heavy single, Hold Me Down, has been doing the rounds on the trendy dance circuit. It's his debut and was released on Erol Alkan's label Phantasy Sounds. By now you've probably heard the funky original and Yuksek's speedier but excellent remix. Here's a less hectic take than Yuksek's, but by no means less energetic. High Wycombe's Foamo injects a vibrant, reverberating bassline and some sliced up vocal cuts. (It's also worth checking out The Shoes remix).


Primary 1 - Hold Me Down (Foamo Remix)


Now, this one you're either gonna love or hate. Both hailing hailing from L.A., The Glitch Mob and Nalepa combined have created a heavyweight monster of a tune. It's a heavy mash of cutting and slashing sythns, booming bass and clattering noise. The backing tune, hidden beneath the glitchy remixing, has a slight hip-hop, almost r'n'b, vibe. But such nagging worries should be expelled by the sheer weight of this fierce banger:


Nalepa - Monday (The Glitch Mob Remix)


Pinks Skull often deals in techno and house, with a distinct electro makeover. This track is a strange electro-stomper. The first 40 seconds start disconcertingly with a screeching, discordant racket that weaves itself into an almighty drop into a deep, funky bassline. It rollocks along with great momentum and thrumming and squelching noises, interspersed with incongruent breaks, that make the chorus all the more harmonious. Excellent track. And all of his tunes are exceedingly well produced and always maintain a fresh innovativeness.


Pink Skull - Gonzo's Cointreau


That MGMT tune 'Time To Pretend' is inescapable right now. It's undeniabley catchy and Tronik Youth have produced a neat, pleasant and uplifting electro remix. Another soundtrack to your summer:


MGMT - Time To Pretend (Tronik Youth Shr-Edit)


In my rant (at the top of this post), I mark out why the more rocky and indie-vocal-based side of electro shouldnt be disregarded as dance genres. Well, The Whip encapsulate everything that's great about this melding of indie and electro. They use the kind of catchy lyrics that you can shout out at gigs, while also injecting bouncy beats that you can really dance to. This remix is a heavier take on standout tune 'Trash', with a thrumming, pent up whirring, built up released and dropped alongside the hammering guitars and drums:


The Whip - Trash (South Central Remix)


Si Begg often forges creative amalgams of everything - techno, dubstep, 2-step, breakbeat - and has been releasing a large array of material since 1993. His experimental style is very similar to that of Drop The Lime's and Pirate Soundsystem's. He may have three albums under his belt but he's also a masterful remixer. Here we see one of his all-times classic remixes - a rework of the now defunct Leftfield. It's underlayed by breakbeat drum patterns, obscure vocal sample snippets and blasts of warping bass. (It's also worth checking another of my Si Begg favourites - Bangin'):


Leftfield - Dusted (Si Begg's Buckfunck 3000 Remix)


Proxy has been ripping up electro with his distortion that sounds both fresh and dirty as hell. Stuttering, winding distortion thrumms along in this deep pounding remix. It's similar to Proxy's 2007 banger Decoy. The likes of Erol Alkan are currently destroying dancefloors with this one:


Schwarzkopf - Dancing In The Dark (Proxy Remix)


A while back I posted Fake Blood's remix of South Rakkas Crew's 'Mad Again'. Fake Blood's remix merely added his trademark all-vibrating bassline (though I remain a sucker for it). Boy 8-Bit's remix is of a more inventive mould, with slapping bmore beats, squelching bass and some finely rearranged elements. Meant to post this some time ago:


South Rakkas Crew - Mad Again (Boy 8-Bit Remix)


Now for the obligatory dose of heavy, banging electro-rock. A filthy slice of synth-y guitar riffs and heavy basslines, build ups and drops, and dirty lyrics. Similar in style to the Lies In Disguise remix I dropped into the last Pelski's Playlist (mainly because Le Castle Vania is DJ Dylan, one half of Lies In Disguise). There, it's over with. Now you've got your weekly fix of filthy electro:


Kill The Noise - Hey You (Le CastleVania Remix)


Last but not least...a sample of the project everyone is getting very excited about - the Machines Don't Care Album. I was sent this album sampler by the promotional company My Army and it's a project that really can't go wrong. If there's any justice in this world the album should rake it in. After all it's a collaboration of all these godly figures: Detboi, Drop The Lime, Fake Blood, Herve, Trevor Loveys, Sinden, Toddla T and Affie Yusuf. These are the movers and shakers of electronic music right now. All together. Sweet as a nut. The CD album is released on the 7th of July and is only the first in a series. Rumour has it the next installment will feature Kissy Sell Out and Skream. "The aim is to eventually take Machines Don't Care on the road with different DJ's for each club night." If all this doesnt make you hungry for more then your on the wrong blog:


Machines Don't Care - 12 minute mini-mix


Pelski's all blogged out now.

get get gettin' down.. back in the day...

Paul Johnson. Ring any bells? What about this: "Down-down-down-downdowndown...DOWN"?
Well I remember it well: 'Get Get Down' by Paul Johnson. It's hard to forget how it was forever drummed into the back of our heads. The annoying kids at school would prance around singing one word, 'down'...only a billion times over. That is of course the genius of this classically cheesy house tune, its repetative yet sprightly style. It's catchy as hell and well overdue a revival. The 1998 anthem was spun by every DJ from Detroit to Ibiza. Of course Pelski, at this point just a mini-pelski, wasn't so blessed as to be hitting Detroit... and probably just heard it on one of those wonderfully cheesy NOW compilations.

Paul Johnson originally hails from the birthplace of house - Chicago - and still packs out clubs with his booming house music, while also DJing from a wheelchair (due to an unfortunate handicap). He's released 130 EP's and has run a number of underground record labels. But 'Get Get Down' remains the staple of his reputation. The infectious track even made it into the Guinness World Book of Records for being licensed for over 100 house and dance CD compilations.

Now Drop The Lime is forcing it back into the public's eye (or at least the blogosphere's), by dropping it neatly into his heavily bassed-out sets. Additionally, the current king of house Laidback Luke has released an excellent remix of the classic anthem.


Paul Johnson - Get Get Down [pelski highly recommends]


Paul Johnson - Get Get Down (Laidback Luke Booty Remix) [pelski highly recommends]

17 years and banging...

The Swedish are said to be diligent people - Pelski is, in fact, part Swedish (I know i promised to cease the third person self-referencing, but Pelski can't help himself..). An antiquated stereotype sees the Swedes famous for their hard-working and focused work ethic. This depiction of the archetypical Swedish character is certainly exuded by Yellus. He's only 17 years years old and has already produced a considerable collection of excellent original and remix material.

Sweden currently has a steady output of electro-pop (following in the footsteps of The Knife) and charming, cutesy indie outfits (Shout Out Louds, anyone?). But Yellus mixes bouncy electro, distorted beats and techno elements to mold some brilliant tunes.
His greatest effort is his banging remix of Beastie Boys' 'Intergalactic'. The original's wavering, robotic sounds are beefed up, infused with a heavy bass beat, round-and-round rhythm and some truly energetic bounce. The vocals are almost all stripped away, so that this tune is transformed into a pummeling dancefloor beast:


Beastie Boys - Intergalactic (Yellus Remake) [pelski highly recommends]


Of his original material, 'Little Bit Of' and 'You Are' are the two standouts. Little But Of is a grinding, hard-hitting tune with a steady momentum. Both of these tunes maintain the same energy as his ace 'Intergalactic' remix, but at a slower pace. The slightly downbeat 'You Are' starts out as a teched-out, almost minimal tune, but proceeds to some interspersed blasts of reveberating distortion:


Yellus - Little Bit Of


Yellus - You Are

His other remixing efforts include a very pleasant, bleep-filled rework of Henry Bowers' 'Rappin For Food', with a nice vintage sound:


Henry Bowers - Rappin For Food (Yellus' One Two Five Remix)


He has also produced some passable remixes for fellow Swedish bands 64Revolt and Dada Life, in the heavy-distortion vein:


64Revolt - Neat Girl (Yellus Remix)


Dada Life - TMKB (Yellus Remix)

Do You Like Cliche Samples?

By now you've probably got wind of the excellent DJ duo Pirate Soundsystem who've been ripping up dance music in a big way, refusing to abide by any genre perimeters. So they're hard to pigeonhole, but have a definite old-school rave vibe. They're an eclectic blend of rave, breakbeat, 2-step, grime, ragga, electro, dubstep and booming ghetto tech. (And they often mention Happy Hardcore as an influence, but we'll pretend we didn't hear that). Drop The Lime (AKA Curses!) and Si Begg are in a similar bracket - they can't really be defined by a given genre and are refreshingly open-minded to all kinds of music. These are the sorts of artists really pushing electronic music forward - refusing to just sit in any prevailing electro rut. Similarly, Pirate Soundsystem are not constricted by pretensions, they just want to produce music that makes you bounce, but still manage to perfect a progressive and experimental sound. But it is all about fun: about intense build ups; chirpy basslines; heavy beats; looped samples and monumental drops.
After all, their myspace tag runs as: "Do You Like cliche samples?" (and features in their best track)

Bassline, 4X4 and Niche are is expanding throughout the clubs scene at a rapid rate and gaining some real credibility. Garage - of sorts - is back from the dead. So their 2-steppy style fits but certainly isn't a defining factor. Their slamming breakbeat breakdowns and deep dubstep and warping bass makes for an absorbing and truly original amalgam. They say they were unsatisfied with alot of music - they enjoyed only certain elements from various movements: "some drum fills and attention to detail in Breakbeat; and the shuffle of garage; and the bass in hard house and bits of loads of other genres". So they pulled it all together to form their own style.
I was sent this track, the bassline remix of Wiley, who's single will be released in a few days alongside the horrific Shoes remix - The Shoes vocode and distort Wiley's voice into some gruesome, robotic monstrosity. You'll wanna give it a miss. However, The clapping drums, bass and deep womps of Pirate Soundsystem's brilliant remix fits nicely with Wiley's grimey blurts. Great work. Here's an exlusive from You Can Call Me Pelski:


Wiley - Wearing My Rolex (Pirate Soundsystem Bassline Remix) [pelski highly recommends)


Their standout remix, however, is their rework of Si Begg's Non Stop Cut And Paste. Bleeps and blips couple with all kinds of heavy FX, all underlied by a bouncy bassline and quality vocal cuts. This remix deservedly put them on the map:


Si Begg - Non Stop Cut And Paste (Pirate Soundsystem Remix) [pelski highly recommends]


Next up is a remix of the grime-meets-new rave band Hadouken. Yes, yes,...that's right...Hadouken are the lot who spout try-hard, laddish lyrics; the ones who have a following of legions of 14 yr olds in fluorescent tshirts; the ones who are pretty annoying. They are also the ones I secretly like. They are a guilty pleasure of mine, you know, like the Harold and Kumar Movie, The Jonathan Ross Show or Calvin Harris. No not Calvin Harris. But you have to admit, Hadouken's shouty, boisterous lyrics are great fun and undeniably catchy. Yes, they may have commercialised grime somewhat, but nevermind...


Pirate Soundsystem's touch is appropriately bouncy and makes for a bit of light-hearted fun. They remix one of Hadouken's better tunes, Liquid Lives (though certain flashes of cringe-worthiness still remain: "Drink! Smoke! Fuck! Fight!...And I damage my brain!"). It's a heavy and raucous racket of a remix. Killer on the dancefloor:


Hadouken - Liquid Lives (Pirate Soundsystem Remix)

While on the subject of Liquid Lives' remixes, Hadouken's recent mixtape/CD offered little of much interest, though I thought this Noisia remix was good fun. I generally hold a considerable dislike for D'n'B, but the grimy, fast-paced beats are worked alonside the high energy lyrics to great effect. Nothing too serious, mind:


Hadouken - Liquid Lives (Noisia Remix)



'Loves Hit' is a bassline tune; a mashup of reggae girl Ms Thing's 'Love Guide' and Pirate Soundsystem's 'Oh shit'. The reggae rapping adds some real flavour to the bassline bounce:


Pirate Soundsystem - Loves hit


Duchess Says' synth-punk tune 'Black Flag' was given the remix makeover, with some sliced up vocals and gnarled, fuzzy basslines:


Duchess Says - Black Flag (Pirate Soundsystem Remix)

'Scream If You Wanna Go Rasta' is a truly inventive little number: here, with their usual old-school rave sound, but with added dubstep. The deep bass and warping add bucketloads of eerie atmosphere, but strangely the track maintains a rave-like momentum through some tasty vocal snippets and 2-step breakdowns.

Pirate Soundsystem - Scream If You Wanna Go Rasta


'Your Love' ilustrates yet more of their creative DIY style. Another ace tune that's been spun to death over the last year. Excellent:


Pirate Soundsystem - Your Love?

Destined for Disco...

Tapedeck have been categorically defined as New Rave by NME. God damn you, NME, God damn you. Don't run away - they are not New Rave, yes: they have a rocky vibe to some of their electro and have remixed alot of indie tunes, including those of the Mystery Jets, Comanechi, Tilly and The Wall, Love Is All, Lost Penguin, Jack Penaté, Kate Nash and Goodbooks. But Phones, Dolby Anol, Boys Noize Switch, Crookers, and many many more have remixed indie and are not considered New Rave (sorry, er, I mean... 'Nu-Rave'). Note to NME: please don't suck Tapedeck into your whirlwind world of genre-fabricating and pigeonholing. Dammit NME...

Tapedeck are quite the contrary to this stereotype - they are a breath of fresh air and far from any one given genre. They fuse garage, cheese, grime, disco, indie and electro for some truly imaginative and innovative dance music. Tapedeck is made of up Alex and Seb who run the monthly London night 'Bosh!' (a collaboration between Tapedeck and Fallout DJ). Their first single 'Destiny' is to be released this month on Meal Deal. 'Destiny' is a wonderfully old-school, synth-filled slice of disco, with some great chopped and glitched 70s dance vocals. It's been remixed by both STDJs and Lillica Libertine. STDJs transform the track into a downbeat tune dominated by a slow and wonky bassline and 4/4 drums, interspersed by minute snippets of the original.

Lillica Libertine, just 20, has been receiving alot of attention from the blogs of late. His original material is of the electro-stomper vein. His tracks are filled with gnarly, growling distortion that sound like a dirty engine revved up and let loose. Much of it's samey stuff; the kind of the thing the blogs are over-saturated with: but is no doubt great fun on the dancefloor; especially blasted out of sky-high stack speakers at obscene volumes. It's really his remixes that have caught my attention (namely his booming reworkings of Late of The Pier and Dead Kids), and his remix of Tapedeck infuses the now commonplace distorted-synth sound and heavy bass, but actually melds nicely with the disco, and vocal cut-ups of the original:


Tapedeck - Destiny (Lillica Libertine Knight Club Remix) [pelski highly recommends]


Tapedeck - Destiny (STDJS Tapedick Remix)


( Dead Kids - Fear and Flouride (Lillica Libertine's Tried and Tested Remix)
Late Of The Pier - Bathroom Gurgle (Lillica Libertine Remix) )

Tapedeck also caused a bit of a storm with their garage-y, 2-step makeover of Atlantis To Intezone. With so many Klaxons remixes to pick from, this certainly stands out in terms of originality and also works surprisingly well. This injection of garage isn't just a gimmick, but makes for a genuinely adept remix. Interestingly, they've named the remix 'Ayia Napa To Inerzone' after Cyprus' well known hub of all things garage and 2-step: Ayia Napa.

Klaxons - Atlantis To Interzone ('Ayia Napa To Interzone' Tapedeck Remix) [pelski highly recommends]


Another brilliant and wholly inventive remix from this London duo is their bleepy, squelching, almost minimal remix of indie poppers GoodBooks (who have been previously remixed by the likes of Herve, The Teenagers, Kissy Sell Out, Crystal Castles and Lo-Fi-Fnk). They add a mesmarising and pleasantly downbeat touch to the GoodBooks' melodic track:


GoodBooks - The Illness (Tapedeck's the Sicckness Refix) [pelski highly recommends]


Next up is their remix of....er....Kate Nash. I know, I know...but put aside all hipster prejudices and just pretend the acapella is someone else's and you might just enjoy it. I did.


Kate Nash - Caroline's A Victim (Tapedeck Revised Remix)

Just when you thought it was safe in the club...It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Let's get one thing sorted: Top Billin are good straight-up fun. There are no pretensions here. They operate under the previously underground hip-hop genre of "crunk". It's currently undergoing a bit of a revival, especially within the hipster-electro scene (namely Diplo and Crookers). You may have heard me refer to this crunk sound in other posts? Or b-more (baltimore)? Or, confusingly, I refer to both in the same phrase (crunky b-more) for no apparent reason - except that I have no other adjectives left at my disposal, so I just repeat the similar ones hoping you won't notice they both have almost identical meanings. ..I most recently posted a crunky remix of Daft Punk's 'Robot Rock', that layers those rocky booming synths with some b-more bounce. Crunk describes the clappy, bouncy drum sounds repeated throughout these tracks. The likes of Young buk, 8Ball & MJG, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, Lil Scrappy, Oobie, Ying Yang Twins and YoungBloodz pioneered the movement in the 90's, and crunk really broke into the mainstream in 2000, abundantly with Lil Jon's material. The drum patterns created are a repetitive, almost primitive, slapping-and-clapping type of drum beat, with an undeniable energy.

But crunk has also come to characterise a different, more dancefloor-friendly version of Hip-Hop. Yes, I hear you all saying that Hip-Hop is dancefloor friendly. Hip Hop is a dance genre (and, after all, electro descends from early Hip-Hop beats). But its not dancefloor friendly for people like me; who can't stand the bump-and-grind thing, and, more importantly, can't actually dance properly. I like to go to a club and hear big-boom tunes blasting out beats that enable you to dance like a true moron. You bounce your head (often in an overly savage thrusting motion, that you don't realise looks that ridiculous until some inconsiderate bastard-of-a-friend records you on their video phone), pummel the air with your hands, and jump up and down like your having an epileptic fit. Repetitive, looped vocals help too: you can then shout the lyrics out while your throwing shapes and stupid rave moves (and since the vocals are so repetitive you can pretend like you know the words too). In short - without trying to sound too try-hard - I like to rave rather than dance à la R'n'B. Crunk also cuts out all the long-winded lyrics that you can't really be bothered to dissect in the rave/clubbing atmosophere. Crunk has this clubb-y, rave-orientated feel to it - it loops the dirty, most obscene (or just downright catchy) vocal snippets, that then fit perfectly alongside the bouncy drum-patterns. Yeahhh, bounce like your a moron from '92.

Top Billin started out with this crunky feel, but their recent productions seem to have somewhat moved away from the b-more sound. Not altogether, though: they're still sampling the hell out of everything and anything, and dropping some real dirty vocals, while their hip-hop influences remain ingrained in their style. The high-energy choruses still make them the dons of electro-crunk (yeah, I made that up).

Top Billin have actually been around for some time now, I first heard them over at the Chazology blog (R.I.P. - you are the sensei) and was too narrow-minded to appreciate the stripped-down, fun-loving sound. But the Game Over blog reacquainted me with Top Billin, providing this excellent tune 'Hoes & House'. Here Top Billin have really moved closer to the prevailing electro climate, but also stayed in keeping with crunk; with all the high-energy choruses, catchy refrains and a few sparse b-more breakdowns. The genius of this hugely inventive track is the inclusion of a 'Peanut Butter Jelly Time' sample from the crunky outfit Buckwheat Boyz. (Buckwheat Boyz - Peanut Butter Jelly Time). Their track became an overnight phenomenon as it accompanied that comical dancing banana animation (I would post the fully-animated, all-bouncing GIF animation here, but I don't feel You Can Call Me Pelski has quite yet descended into such low-brow fodder, and.. er..I don't know how to...):


Top Billin' - Hoes & House [pelski highly recommends]


Another of Top Billin' brilliantly adventurous efforts is San Fran. It features cut up, glitchy snippets of Scott McKenzie's 1967 hit 'San Francisco', layed alongside b-more beats. But Isn't this really a remix? Or is it just enthusiastic sampling? Well, either way Top Billin' have named it as their own, and made it their own: their crunky style somehow fits brilliantly with Scott McKenzie's much revered classic:


Top Billin' - San Fran [pelski highly recommends]


They incidentally do the same (fusing more b-more beats with a classic sample) in a track that also relies heavily on a Dire Straits' 'Money For Nothing' sample. This track is a simple but effective crunky rework, that retains Dire Straits guitar hook, with infuses added drum beats. It features on the insanely good 'Tales From Top Billin Vol1'. This remix has been mixed into every set from here to Baltimore:


Top Billin' - Money For Nothing [pelski highly recommends]



'Tales From Top Billin' Vol 2' features the high-speed b-more tune 'Do You Wanna Party', but the real treat is the slower, soulful 'Willing' that illustrates more of Top Billin's masterful sampling, here dropping in some funky Gil Scott. 'Do You Wanna Party' is a heavy on the crunk style and hip-hop vocals. Raziek also features on this Vol, with another hyperactive track looping repetitive vocals. But DJ Ayles also provides a b-more tune for Vol 2: starting with some sounding trumpets, drum-patterns, looped work it samples, and half way through another entirely different 'work it' sample is mixed in - a minuscule snippet of 'Harder, Better, Faster Stronger'. Pure genius :


Top Billin' - Willing [pelski highly recommends]

Top Billin' - Do You Wanna Party

DJ Ayles - Work It [pelski highly recommends]


On the 'We Die In The Club' EP there's the great fun 'Yeah!', with an electric guitar riff, some punchy drum beats and a pop-y vocal sample.


Top Billin' - Yeah!


Their latest EP is a collaboration with Helsinki electro-thrash band New Judas: 'Top Billin vs. New Judas'. Hoes & House [see above] is the standout, but impressive, too, is the 80s-esque, cheese-filled 'My Girl Wants To'. Like all their material; it's old-school, but here underlaid with a consistent buzzing bassline. New Judas whack out some slow but infectious bassy drum beats, interspersed with blasts of distortion on top of some inexplicable screaming. All good fun:


Top Billin - My Girl Wants To

New Judas - Send In The Clowns


Vintage backing and hip-hop vocals make for a nice blend in 'Tell Your Girl To Juke It Up'. One Last Time is a b-more reworking of, you guessed it, 'One More Time' by Daft Punk. And last of all is a trademark remix of T-Pain's 'Dancefloor':


Top Billin - Tell Your Girl To Juke It Up

Top Billin - One Last Time

Top Billin - Dancefloor


Oh.. and the word crunk itself? Derived from the combination of crazy and drunk. Which is what you've gotta be to produce the track 'In The Ass'. Let's just say its pure filth (and I'm not talking about basslines here)...

Download their many free mixtapes here (nine released so far). And buy their outstanding EP's here.

Pelski's Playlist - Pt. II

It recently occurred to me that I haven't done a second Pelski's Playlist, after pledging to post one of these assorted lists every fortnight. Admittedly, it's a shameless method of attracting web traffic, but also enables me to post tracks that aren't necessarily that new or related to one another (my posts usually have some common element: an artist, remixer or theme). Anyway, the reason I have not posted another Pelski's Playlist was because much of the feedback complained that 'Pelski's Playlist pt. 1' was devoid of prose: for there was no description of the tunes and it lacked the Pelski-isms you've become so used to. (This came as a pleasant surprise to me, considering my certainty that the majority do not read the writing..and are here for only one thing...and then they're off again). Well, I will now write a small blurb to stand alongside each chosen track.

[pelski highly recommends all of these tracks]

OK, so the last time I spoke of Boy 8-bit I may have come across as one of those prejudice bigots - you know, the oppressive kind that gun down Peter Fonda & Dennis Hopper's liberated bikers at the end of Easy Riders...but I do love Boy 8-bit. And his latest track 'Fog bank' is sheer bouncy, thumping brilliance. Jack Beats remix is a squelching, all-vibrating beast of a tune:


Boy 8-Bit - Fog Bank (Jack Beats Remix)


Next up is a cutesy, cuddly and charming output from The Black Kids. Unfortunately for us trendy scenesters, the Black Kids were on 'Later With Jools Holland' last week, meaning your Mum probably holds a certain fondness for them now too. This is a real predicament. So that you don't get caught listening to your mum's James Blunt-esque playlist, I've posted this superb Twelves remix. The Twelves jazz things up with some electro-disco sythns, but rightly make sure to leave those luscious vocals untouched. I advise you all to check out The Twelves, who are on a roll - remixing everything from the likes of Kylie, MIA, Yelle, Asobi Seksu and, most recently, Theater Of Disco.


Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (The Twelves Remix)


When choosing the track to post here, it was a flip-up between this remix and Acid Jacks' remix of Sirens. And, while Sirens is far superior as an original tsong, this remix of Flex really works really well: Dizzee's vocal bursts run perfectly in sync with the similarly staccato bursts of Dave Spoon's electro fuzz and big-boom bass. It makes for an outstanding remix. Fix up and, erm, look sharp 'cos this will be killer on the dancefloor:


Dizzee Rascal - Flex (Dave Spoon Reflex)


A boisterous banger from two Germans that make up Hey Today!. Yes, that's another group with an unnecessary exclamation mark at the end of it... They were formerly named Trashtalk and released Tank Girl under that monicker. It was Digitalism's Mixmag CD of last summer that introduced me to this filthy-electro duo, but this track has now gained an official release on the ever-trendy Kitsune label. This is a roaring, blaring pounder thats sounds like some unruly offspring of Digitalism and Boys Noize:


Hey Today! - Walk Through


Belgium seems to be where it's at these days. The Subs' 'Fuck That Shit' is another gaudy, raucous, but great-fun track that's filled with rasping womps and pounding bass, that has a rolling, pushing momentum. They have a residency at Belgium's top electro venue 'Culture Club', a residency previously filled by 2ManyDj's and The Glimmers. This track was released last year, but I felt it was important to introduce this to those who missed it the first time round:


The Subs - Fuck That Shit


More nasty electro-distortion here from Party Shank, this time layered over Yo Majesty's acapella. Credit, here, goes to the Game Over blog for uprooting this bangin' bootleg. Party Shank's gnarly noises growl and crunch over those obscene lyrics. Sweet as a nut:


Yo Majesty - Party Shank vs. Yo majesty (Party Shank Bootleg Mix)


Plump DJ's seem to be transforming into a more dancefloor-friendly outfit. They have anupcoming album and their next tune 'Torque Of The Devil' is only being released digitally. With its distorted beats, it verges closer to electro than their usual breakbeat flavour, but maintains their trademark energy. It even features wiry tones of an electric guitar. Plump purists are typically angered at this new direction, but I think its great to hear the rocky side of Plump DJ's. It's released alongside the equally brilliant 'Take The Weight' that focuses more on Old School Hip-hop samples and funky sounds, layered under some heavy nu-skool breakz. This is some truly phenomenal breakbeat: