On An Album by Korallreven (Acephale), Swedish electro pair Korallreven also gives a tip of the stocking cap to the 1980s on tracks such as “As Young As Yesterday,” “The Truest Faith,” “Keep Your Eyes Shut,” “Comin’ Closer” and the mini chill-out epic “Comin’ Down.” They also sound like they are keenly aware of their responsibility to keep electronic music both hot and cool in the 21st century. Guest appearances by The Concretes’ Victoria Bergsman and the whack-a-doodle Julianna Barwick also do much for the duo’s credibility.
Is anyone else out there having as much fun as Brite Futures on their album Dark Past (Turnout)? Previously known as Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head (really!), Brite Futures hasn’t lost their sense of humor in the course of the name change, a fact that is immediately obvious on dance beat driven opener “Baby Rain” about “how you make a baby.” “Kissed Her Sister” details twin trouble and “Jag In A Jungle” is such a pure dance party anthem it’s bound to make LMFAO jealous. Ditto for “Best Party Ever (So Far).” The “black light fantasy” of “Cosmic Horn” sounds like it owes a debt to the B52’s, while “Black Wedding” will have you checking your mailbox for your invitation.
Lead singer Adeline Michèle and head songwriters and musicians Eugene Cho and Dan Balis are the core trio of “disco orchestra” Escort on their self-titled Escort Records debut. When the disc begins, with the Latin-beat of “Caméleon Chameleon,” you might think you were listening to a track from a Ze Records release from 30 years ago. Escort’s respectful cover of the late-seventies classic “Cocaine Blues” further emphasizes the vintage vibe. As does a Doctor Buzzard-style disco remake of the 1937 tune “A Sailboat in the Moonlight.” Escort is hip to the calendar, and songs such as “Starlight,” “Why Oh Why,” the Casablanca Records style “A Bright New Life” and “Karawane,” timeless though they may be, belong to today’s discos and dance-floors.
Even though the first three, brief songs on Out of Frequency (BMG Rights) by Copenhagen export The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, sound like a series of false starts, the 15-track album is a frequently rewarding, spaced-out, retro-pop update delight. “Major,” a sassy and brassy spine tickler is followed by the exuberant “Heart Attack,” a cardio-disco sensation. “Cloak & Dagger” comes across like the lost theme song to a sixties Cold War spy thriller, complete with horns and whistler, whereas “Theme From 45 Eugenia” is a pseudo-psychedelic trip. “Mafia,” about “the bad boys of Russia,” pays the funk forward, while “Suburban Space Invader” is guaranteed to mess with your brain. “When It Come To Us” is heartbreaker with a beat, worthy of the application of iridescent lipstick and wet-look go-go boots. Appealing, if dark, closer “Givin’ It Back,” does just that.
If you saw the pared down (two members) acoustic Graffiti6 tour in late 2011, you might be surprised at the dance-oriented direction of the band’s full-length debut album Colours (Capitol). Songs such as “Stone In My Heart,” “Annie You Save Me,” “Stare Into The Sun,” “Free,” “Stop Mary” and “Lay Me Down” are undeniably destined for the nearest dance club or party. Can’t you just picture the eagerly awaiting paws of a salivating DJ or remixer rubbing together in anticipation?
Possibly the most bizarre and challenging of all the discs here, Keep Your Dreams (Modular) by Canyons can also be the most rewarding. Unwilling to be labeled as a dance duo, the Aussie pair makes music that makes your head spin, along with your body. From the bouncy and brassy French disco of “Circadia,” to the rhythmic gallop of “My Rescue,” the acid house flashback of “See Blind Through,” the slithery funk of “Blue Snakes” and the visionary “When I See You Again,” these are the kinds of “dreams” you wake up remembering.
