Archive for the ‘new wave’ tag

Yello: Bostich

Last night started off really slow–after all, a good portion of our crowd was at The Queen Is Dead early in the night–but by the time Arturo went on and The Handsome Devilz arrived, it was a juggernaut. While Kamar was rallying the dancers over to Neo, I got to do a long early set. One of the things I love about doing early sets at Atomic is that I get to experiment a bit and gauge reactions before I play a song to a packed floor. Will they dance if I play this? Will the regulars run up to the booth screaming about how they love it or how they’ll strangle me if I ever play it again? Sometimes, I realize that I should’ve been playing it at 1am all along.

Such is the case with the Yello classic “Bostitch”. It blows my mind that this single was released in 1979. Typical of Yello’s style, it’s sophisticated, dark, and avant-garde. It’s very new wave, it’s really tech-house, it’s vaguely industrial…and no, that is not Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb singing. Actually it’s Dieter Meier [himself a very interesting person], the conceptualist half of Yello, whose ideas are executed by self-claimed perfectionist Boris Blank, who reportedly has a library of over 100,000 samples he made from scratch.

Now in their 60s, Meier and Blank are still making music as Yello, and it’s still just as good. Most of their current work is in soundtracks these days. Recently, they’ve worked with Audi and been the subject of a documentary. I hope I’m half as cool as they are when I’m their age.

“Bostich” is on their debut album Solid Pleasure.

Solid Pleasure on Amazon
Yello Official Website

Old School Freight Train: Heart of Glass

A surprisingly un-ironic bluegrass take on “Heart of Glass”, Old School Freight Train’s rework is not only beautiful, but a testament to the integrity of the original version by Blondie.

Available from Amazon on their album Six Years.
official site

theSTART: Wartime! (It’s Time 2 Go Now)

This is theSTART…

Kissing their metal & art-rock bands goodbye in the late 90’s, vocalist Aimee Echo (Human Waste Project) and swiss army knife multi-instrumentalist Jamie Miller (Snot) bonded over a mutual love for 80’s New Wave, ranging from the Cure to Missing Persons to Depeche Mode. They formed a new band together in Los Angeles soon after, encouraging their fans to “rise up & dance to a different beat” on their debut album Shakedown!. The couple provided a soundtrack for the future with memories of the past – new wave for now people.

With three albums and an EP under their belts, theSTART’s latest release Ciao, Baby was issued under Metropolis Records. Echo’s unique sprite-like delivery recalls the squeaks & squeals of a modern day Lene Lovich or Dale Bozzio, while in the next breath morphing into a howling Siouxsie Sioux or Exene Cervenka. Miller’s guitar soundscapes are reminiscent of the early 4AD roster or bands like Bauhaus & the Chameleons. His lush keyboards shimmer, the perfect accent to Echo’s pop melodies to create a sound of their own.

Featured here is Ciao, Baby’s opening track “Wartime! (It’s Time 2 Go Now)” as well as a cover of one of the band’s favorite songs, “Cities in Dust” by Siouxsie & the Banshees.

theSTART on Myspace
theSTART website

theSTART are still active & are currently focusing on a new experimental project Normandie. And no, my love for theSTART isn’t simply because Echo & I share the same hair stylist & both know the Marilyn Monroe secret! Enjoy & dance. The circle is ever larger…

Colder: To The Music

I’ll complete our series of New Order tribute posts this week with a look towards the future and an artist I have been dying to write about since we started this blog. The work of Parisian graphic designer Marc Nguyen Tan, Colder bears some resemblance to the fashion industry he works in by day; dark minimalism comes across as stylish and sexy despite it’s mechanical synthesized structure and disassociated vocals. Is this meant to be heard on a dance floor, or alone at home with the lights out?

“To The Music” is a particular favorite of mine, an anthem to the solitary dancer, lost in the music and oblivious to the gaze of bystanders. I can think of few songs more appropriate for Neo, where it seems all eyes are on the floor. It’s taken from Heat, but if I were to recommend only one Colder album, I’d first choose 2003’s solid Again. Though the influence of Joy Division couldn’t be more obvious, it’s an equally fine example of modern French new wave.

Without an official website (or even so much as a MySpace page) and a now-defunct label, it’s difficult to know if/when there will be another Colder album out. In this rare interview in 2005, he seems to indicate that making music is not a high priority, so we may be waiting a while. He also hints at a collaboration with Chris & Cosey. Yes, that Chris & Cosey.

Finally, no post on Colder would be complete without including Nguyen Tan’s unbelievably good remix of Depeche Mode’s “Clean”. I feel like Depeche Mode doesn’t get enough credit for how spot-on they are with choosing the most perfect and current producers to remix their stuff, and they really nailed it with this one. Do I dare say it? I like it better than the original.

Colder on Amazon

Coincidentally, Marc Nguyen Tan released a new album just last week; it’s a collaboration with his long time friend Guillaume Ollendorff, under the name Scratoa!. Called Live en San Antón, it was recorded in the barrio of the same name in Alicante, Spain two years ago. It’s improvised noisy experimental sound is quite a departure from Colder, and will more likely appeal to Nurse With Wound fans. Scratoa! on Amazon

Electronic: Getting Away With It

In honor of the New Order tribute this week at Atomic, I present Electronic. Electronic served as a side-project of New Order lead singer Bernard Sumner. Joining forces with him was ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, both sharing a mutual love for both electronic (obviously) and house music.

This likely combo also dragged along Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys for the ride on their 1989 debut single “Getting Away with It.” Rumor has it that the lyrics of the song were a parody on Morrissey’s lyrics and public interviews, including the chorus: “However I look / It’s clear to see / I love you more than you love me.”

The first Electronic album of the same name is ranked highly among my favorite work of Sumner and is definitely worth pursuit if you are new to the band.

Hear this song and other New Order related tracks this week on Thursday, February 4th for Atomic at Neo… See you in the dark.

Electronic on Amazon

OMD: Sugar Tax

Sugar Tax was essentially a solo album released by Andrew McCluskey under the name OMD in 1991. Paul Humphreys left the band in 1989 and was followed by longtime members Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes, stemming from their unhappiness over the band becoming increasingly commercial. In addition, Graham and Neil Weir, who joined the band in 1985 and contributed to OMD’s mainstream success, left after disputes over their roles in the band. Surprisingly, Sugar Tax was a success in the UK and received attention in the States as well. Although it was missing many elements of what made OMD so great, the album included many memorable tracks such as “Sailing on the Seven Seas” and “Pandora’s Box”. McCluskey released two more albums as OMD (Liberator and Universal) before calling it quits. However, McCluskey, Humphreys, Holmes, and Cooper re-united in 2006, and have consistently toured since. OMD announced plans for a new album (History of Modern) to be released sometime in 2010.

Official OMD Website
Sugar Tax on Amazon

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