The Napster Blog

Lady GaGa, The Fame Monster

When she appeared on the pop music scene it was so easy to summarily dismiss Lady GaGa as a one-trick pony, attention-starved pop starlet who never wore pants as I admittedly did. But throughout this year Lady GaGa has managed to transform both me and the pop landscape. I can now declare I was wrong; we need Lady GaGa in pop music. She brings the drama, the glamor and the sense of the spectacle that we were clearly lacking. She is exactly the kind of risk-taker that helps propel pop forward and I can't be the only one impatiently anticipating the new year and what the GaGanator will bring us.
For now, we have the eight brand new tracks on The Fame Monster. According to the superstar herself, it is a look at the darker side of fame. Lyrics such as "He ate my heart/Then he ate my brain" from "Monster" or "I want your ugly/I want your disease" from lead single "Bad Romance" both attest to this darker vibe. But no worries, the music is still all catchy dance beats that sound a little ABBA, a little Madonna, and bits of both Queen's rock-opera style and Depeche Mode's vibrant '80s synths. Overall, it's the perfect bite-size sample of over-the-top monstrous drama that only Lady GaGa could deliver.

Freeland, Cope Remixed

Adam Freeland is one of the pioneers behind the nu skool breaks movement and the founder of the Marine Parade label. We first brought you news of Freeland’s new musical project and album back in June; well, now he's breaking new ground yet again with a totally remixed version of the release linked to his latest side project. How is a remix album breaking any new ground? Simply put, we can’t remember the last time someone brought together such a variety of artists from different genres to work on a single project.

The double-length album includes a new and exciting exploration of the remixing arts with the experimental rock/electronic hybrid of El Ten Eleven and the space disco of Prinz Thomas. Equally fresh is the touch such electronic and glitch hybrid men like Nosaj Thing, Siriusmo. and the electronic duo of Marty Party and the Glitch Mob’s OOAH (who make up the group PANTyRAiD) bring to the proceedings. The exploding genre of dubstep is represented by super heavyweights Joker, TRG, and Emalkay. High Rankin even throws his dubstep remix in the ring and then tackles a second song where he takes a stab at the kind of bassline house that puts his version side-by-side with the version AC Slater delivers. Electro interpretations are contributed by French and UK outlets Golden Bug, Shadow Dancer, and Grum. Various degrees of house are visited by Alex Metric, My Faust, and Zombie Nation, while techno is represented to the same degree by Marc Romboy, Gui Boratto, and Glimpse. Drum-and-bass renditions are presented by Bristol’s TC and Welsh duo Jenkinsound. Even Marine Parade’s own Evil Nine makes an appearance with an instrumental breakbeat example of a Freeland original.

As you can see, there’s a whole lot to explore throughout this 24-track extravaganza. Time to get started.

Electronica Staff Picks

Experience trance at its finest under the command of the world’s biggest mix DJ, Tiesto. In Search of Sunrise 4—Latin America is the 2005 album inspired by Tiesto’s tour through South America. Check out the last two tracks for nonstop mixes (each over an hour) of the included tunes.
 

Nu Skool breaks innovators and stars of the Finger Lickin’ label, the Plump DJs were featured in 2009’s Coachella music festival. Their newest joint is the single “My Hi Tops,” released this week. As fresh as ever, it features break-beat snippets with a focused bass line. House remixes of the track follow courtesy of the UK’s Riva Starr.

Mark Tailor creates drum and bass tracks of a somewhat sinister nature. With this week’s release of the Hater EP, Tailor delivers a series of singles that experiment with different rhythms and atmospheric textures. The track “Battlestar” may ring a bell for fans of the popular Battlestar Galactica series appearing on the SyFy (formerly SciFi) network.

Leeds DJ and producer Filthy Rich teams up with the Brighton duo (Ben) Prok & (James) Fitch on this latest house single. This partnership rings in an electro wave that ebbs and flows, but rises at its highest peaks to exceed the highest dance floor standards.

 

Andrew Weatherall, A Pox on the Pioneers

If late '80s and early '90s "indie-dance" could be attributed to the efforts of one man, that man would be Andrew Weatherall. Moving from UK underground dance music journalism in the fanzine Boys Own to production duties for the Happy Mondays, New Order, and most famously Screamadelica, the breakthrough album by Primal Scream, Weatherall established that rocking the dance floor was possible in the most literal sense. Over the ensuing 20 years, he has continued to crank out genre-bending material in his own projects, Sabres of Paradise and Two Lone Swordsmen on the iconic label Warp, and through remix work with My Bloody Valentine, Björk, and many others. A Pox on the Pioneers, just released this August, is Weatherall's first full-length solo album, and it's evidence that his restless and inventive musical spirit hasn't dimmed since the heyday of acid house.

Ferry Corsten, Twice In A Blue Moon Remixed

If you escaped 2005 without experiencing the infectious pull of Ferry Corsten’s single “Fire,” you missed a track that scored him a Top 10 hit on the dance airplay charts. The single featured a rework of Duran Duran’s "Serious" and is a shining example of the kind of gems that decorate Corsten’s catalog. Corsten is a huge name worldwide, appearing in front of crowds numbering in the tens of thousands and packing clubs to capacity. His 2008 album Twice in a Blue Moon now makes a boomerang return to the spotlight as a special remix edition. Every track on this album is reworked by a different producer, making it like a Life Savers variety pack of trance flavors. The line-up of names on this album is simply amazing; only an artist of Corsten’s caliber could gather such an impressive list of talent. Established names like Solarstone, Lange, and Markus Schulz stand next to emerging wave makers like Rafaël Frost, Mike Saint-Jules and Ashley Wallbridge. All the choices were made under the direction of Corsten himself, and the result is one of the best remixed Trance albums of the year. Give it a listen.

Electronica Staff Picks

Considered among the leading figures in electro house, the German duo M.A.N.D.Y. are capping off almost a decade on the scene. This week they return with the new single "Quanto Basta," given a remixing by Italy’s Joy Di Maggio, Smashing Groovers, and Dj Skip & Andrea Di Pietro.

 

The Trance train continues down the track and Sean Tyas is surely part of the crew that keeps the engine going. 2009 marks Sean’s commitment to focusing his efforts in the studio, and this week’s release of the single "Ivy” backed with “Tingle" is the fruit borne by that comittment.

 

Borgore is to dubstep what black metal is to rock. In excess of aggressive, the melodies and distorted bass tones Borgore delivers aren’t necessarily for those uncertain of their interest in this kind of music. This EP is aimed at those in search of the harder line, and Borgore is destined to be known as defining the edge of this offshoot of the sound.

The deluxe version of Mistabishi’s debut album drops courtesy of the drum-and-bass superlabel Hospital Records. Jamie Pullen is the producer behind the Mistabishi brand and is the mechanic known for his audio innovations. The album Drop showcases a variety of the things that have established his rep.

 

Lady GaGa Thrills Fans with “Bad Romance” Video

If you have been on any entertainment website in the past 24 hours, then you probably know that Lady GaGa just released a video for her latest single, "Bad Romance". Everyone is talking about it: from the numerous crazy costume changes to the bear to the flaming bed and exactly what it all means. In an age when not many musicians/bands find the time, energy, or budget to create original and elaborate videos, Lady GaGa has taken the proper pop-star route and gone all out. For those of us who grew up during the golden age of MTV, it's a nice reminder of the time when mini-movies were all the rage, and it's nice to know that there are still musicians who really consider themselves to be artists and who want to give their fans the full package. Whether her music is your style or not, Lady GaGa has proved herself to be more than just a pop singer this year. It's easy to see why many people are already tipping Lady GaGa to be on several "Best of Year" lists after dominating the Billboard charts, producing spectacular promos for her music, performing dramatic live shows, and managing to look like a true star every time she leaves her house.

Claude Von Stroke, Bird Brain

In certain circles of electronic music fans, references to the Bird Man of Alcatraz are more likely to be about one Barclay Crenshaw than Robert Stroud. The man most famous for the title "Who's Afraid of Detroit" under the alias Claude Von Stroke has made San Francisco his home with the launch of the Dirtybird record label. This week’s release of the full length Bird Brain is his CVS's first studio album since 2006’s Beware of the Bird. The new album's 10 original tracks are unmistakable as Von Stroke productions—there’s a certain sound he generates on all his tracks that stands out as his signature. To see how it’s done, check the video below.

Electronica Staff Picks

Jonas Altberg needs no introduction when introduced under his production alias Basshunter. 2009’s Bass Generation was his fifth album, and lead single “Every Morning” instantly broke through on the European charts. Here, it gets the remix treatment from Michael Mind, Headhunters, Hot Pink DeLorean, and others.
 

Erica Munday is New York’s DJ Strife. Her Sweet 16! mix album arranges a spread of drum and bass flavors that range from moving vocal tracks to the sounds of Brazil. The hour-long set comprises a selection of previously unreleased tracks of incredible quality. Play and enjoy.  

 

London’s Southern Fried Records is owned by the renowned electronic music producer Norman Cook, better known as Fatboy Slim. The label's six-track EP of Dubstep remixes gathers various music from their roster and treats it to a remixing by some of the top names in genre. Pretty straightforward, as the name suggests, but also entirely effective.

Pole Folder is a Bedrock Records act known for its progressive releases, but also more downtempo work as well. This week’s release features a Pole Folder special pushed to the limits in the capable hands of DJ/producer Sasha. The nine-minute track is an amazing piece of electronica with invigorating melodies, ambient vocal effects and driving rhythms.  

Lady GaGa, “Bad Romance”

If you haven't already, now is the time to submit to the pop dominance of Lady GaGa. After a string of four chart-topping hits, now comes "Bad Romance," the catchy, club-ready single from The Fame Monster, the upcoming expanded re-release of her smash debut album. The new version will have eight new songs, including this rising hit and a duet with Beyoncé. In addition to a video for "Bad Romance" coming this week, be sure to look for the GaGanator to perform the song on an upcoming episode of the teen drama Gossip Girl. Oh, and if you were thinking you could escape her during the holiday season, guess again: she already released a Christmas song last year called "Christmas Tree." Just give in and accept a true icon in the making.