The fight for diverse and conscious voices

AudioPorn Central and Mashup-Industries are both down for the count (though M.I. may be back again) so I'm using SoundCloud more for new sounds. However, this post is brought to you by two words:

New.
VNV.

https://soundcloud.com/vnvnation/transnational-album-preview
https://soundcloud.com/vnvnation/retaliate-from-the-album
Let's get right into it. These here are the preview stream and first single off the upcoming VNV Nation album, called "Transnational." It drops in the US Nov 19, but the earliest we're likely to see them over here is Spring, since their posted tour has them in the UK/EU through February. So yay, and boo.

The single and preview sound like much the same as we've heard from them, with strong vocals, rock- and metal-infused electronica, and intense emotional/political lyrics. What makes VNV, though, is the live experience which I've tried to describe before and mostly failed. If they do come around I'll be there and be looking for people who want to go see them with me.

https://soundcloud.com/gigamesh/talking-heads-once-in-a
It's always a risk trying to remix a beloved classic, but I think Gigamesh pulls this one off. It's his take on the Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime" (sometimes referred to as "Letting the Days Go By"). The remix keeps the surreal feel of the original, with Byrne's vocal assertions featured prominently, which is what made the original so good. It's a little more electronica, a little bit sped up, but overall a wonderful homage.

https://soundcloud.com/goldroom/goldroom-embrace
Goldroom (http://goldroom.la/) is a new-to-me producer of lush electronica. This piece is really evocative of end-of-summer to me, and features great vocal work by Ariela Jacobs (http://www.triplejunearthed.com.au/ArielaJacobs) another new name to me.

https://soundcloud.com/mashupgermany/mashup-germany-naughty-pompeii
https://soundcloud.com/mashupgermany/mashup-germany-naughty
Mashup Germany continues to give me the best kind of whiplash. I start playing one of his mixes and find my head snapping around, going "he did NOT just..." Here he's mashing four main tracks, all of which I need to check out on their own. The whole thing makes a great track, so it seems a shame to pick one or two of the transitions or drops, but check out how he changes up the tunes and if you like it check out the extended mix (second link).

https://soundcloud.com/djsfrommars/djs-from-mars-alien-7
DJs from Mars. Extended mash-up set. What more do you need to know? Features some of the Mars's own mixes but mostly it's other peoples' original tracks, mash-ups, and remixes in a delicious hour-long set. Go listen; I can't possibly do it justice in a few sentences.

Five things to listen to, with accompanying remixes. But first...

http://audioporncentral.com/2012/04/loo-placido-antisocial-pigs.html
It's been entirely too long since we had a straight-up mash to head-bang with. Loo and Placido oblige with a French-tinged five-way slam-banger anchored by Black Sabbath and Metallica.

http://audioporncentral.com/2012/04/scissor-sisters-only-the-horses-video-and-calvin-harris-remix.html
First of a couple Scissor Sisters appearances in this post we have the new single - Only The Horses - from their upcoming album. The base track is their standard heavy-bass male-voiced electro-pop. That's paired with a Calvin Harris remix that does an interesting job of paring down the electro into a more spare and minor-key style, but still has that damned thump-thump going. I think both could dispense with it and have a stronger track as a result. I went back and re-listened to their 2010 Night Work and although it's the same piano/synth-heavy electro-pop the earlier stuff has a cleaner and less forced feel.

http://audioporncentral.com/2012/04/ladyhawke-sunday-drive-scissor-sisters-and-gigamesh-remixes.html
In addition to their own stuff, Scissor Sisters have been remixing other peoples' stuff and doing a fair job at it. Here they turn in one of two remixes of Ladyhawke's (http://www.ladyhawkemusic.com/) "Sunday Drive". I thought I had reviewed this when it first came out earlier this month but apparently not. The original is a mix of electro and folk-rock with just a little bit of punk thrown in for good measure. Another voice I want to hear without extensive autotuning.

The Scissor Sisters remix takes out the punk bits, and smooths/stretches the rest giving it a more relaxed and less airy feel. I still want to take that damned kick-track away from them, though.

Gigamesh's version also has the kick-track, but uses it to anchor a more traditional vocal-house remix, combined with ambient electronica. As with the other remix I can't say one is definitively better than the others - all three are interesting takes on the track, which I expect we'll hear remixed more as the summer plays out.

http://audioporncentral.com/2012/04/david-lynch-noahs-ark-moby-remix.html
Last time we checked in with David Lynch, he was working with Chrysta Bell and making heart-stopping chanteuse tracks. Here he's doing his own thing - as eerie as David Lynch can be - but with a fine remix polish by Moby, whose style is unmistakable in the string accompaniments and spare samples. The pairing works extraordinarily well - two master craftsmen.

http://audioporncentral.com/2012/04/rachid-taha-bent-sahra-secousse-edit.html
Rachid Taha (http://www.rachidtaha.fr/wordpress/) is a French-African (Algerian) rai master with long years working in electronic rock and pop. Taha is often associated in the English-language world with The Clash and some of his stuff has definite punk influences, which I think I can hear in the original version of this track (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pQ_D5sDYuo). The Secousse remix damps down some of that in favor of more overt North African sounds, both vocal and instrumental. This is another case where I think both the original and the remix are excellent. Secousse (http://www.facebook.com/secousseltd) is a Paris-based, funk-influenced producer with a stompin' good style that's also worth checking out.