Excellent 80’s from Don Johnson

Check out this excellent video from Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame. The video just doesn’t make much sense. He is looking for a “heartbeat” (super hot woman) using a video camera in New York, then fighting rebel guerrillas in a jungle conflict and throwing children over conveniently small walls… I love the modulation halfway through the song, that is a technique lacking in modern music. Also check out the drummer’s body language after the fill at the end of the first chorus, classic 80’s melodrama.

Johnson’s Heartbeat is obviously the primary track Grum sampled for his standout track Heartbeats off the record of the same name.

Easy to see why this was acceptable in the 80’s.

Parklife 2010!

The good people at Fuzzy recently announced the Parklife 2010 line up! Quality abounds throughout the field and we are surely set for some quality synths and beats yet again at this year’s festival.

Numerous quality artists appear on the bill including: Holy Ghost, New Young Pony Club, Groove Armada, Darwin Deez, Cut Copy and Soulwax, along with plenty of premier acts recently featured on Happymusic such as Bag Raiders, Midnight Juggernaughts, Clasixx, D-Cup and finally GRUM! Needless to say this is a must-attend event for any dance-minded music enthusiast.

The P-life tour hits most major cities across Aus culminating in the Sydney edition on Sunday the 3rd of October. Tickets go on sale at Midday on July the first. Better start saving as they have the hefty price tag of $145 attached.

Parklife must-sees below.

Personal Touch – DCUP

Far Away (Bag Raiders Remix) – Cut Copy

Paper Romance (Clasixx Remix) – Groove Armada

Grum’s debut LP – Heartbeats

 Grum‘s debut LP is out in a few days on May the 18th. Fucking WOO! Needless to say I am super excited about the release of Heartbeats and can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Scottish born Graeme Shepherd has been around for a few years now putting out stellar remixes from numerous pop, indie and electro artists such as Lady Gaga, Friendly Fires and Jump Jump Dance Dance but it is his original tracks that really catch the eye, or ear so to speak.

With the release of the Heartbeats EP the focus rests solely on Grum’s original material. The release includes Shepherd’s earlier singles Runaway (the life-changing track that converted me), the eponymous Heartbeats, two songs which are impossible not to visualise yourself dancing and screaming along to the choruses when you next see Grum live (is it just me…?). The latest single release, Can’t Shake This Feeling, originally launched the hype for the album a few weeks back and conforms to Grum’s masterful upbeat synth-saturated electropop standards.

 Go out and buy Heartbeats, you will not be disappointed. You can pre-order Heartbeats now from Amazon.  This is the contemporary master of 80’s influenced electro dance music with one of the most exciting Electro album releases of this year. Don’t miss out!

Runaway – Grum

Heartbeats – Grum

Recent Remixes – Part 1

I feel inclined to share some of the individual remixes that have been rocking my eardrums lately. They aren’t linked by artist, genre, origin or form, only by the fact that they are all excellent and they are on high rotation in my playlists. Some are old, most are new, but all are excellent. I figure it is just easier to dump them on you in one hit instead of trying to introduce each track and artist. I think you know what I mean…

First on the list is Cassian‘s remix of Aussie band Cassette Kids‘ track Spin. Sounds nothing like the indie-rock original. Driving bass and simple reworked vocals make this one of my favorite tracks to turn up and dance to in the bedroom.

Spin (Cassian Remix) – Cassette Kids

I have been getting into Classixx quite a bit lately ever since I heard “I’ll Get You” sampled in a Bag Raiders Minimix, so when I found their remix of Lisztomania earlier in the year, well I was quite happy. It would be hard to stuff this song up, but they did a great job. A laid-back chill groove that still oozes all the charm of the original.

Lisztomania (Classixx Remix) – Phoenix

Fred Falke has been one of my favorite producers for some time now. This man has a godlike ability to to take any track and lace it with warm, exuberant synths. It really is the definition of Happy Music. His remix of NZ electro Queen Ladyhawke is a fine example. Expect to see some more Falke here shortly.

Back Of The Van (Fred Falke Ultimate Beverly Mix) – Ladyhawke

4th in our list of 5 is Happymusic’s almost favorite artist ever Grum, remixed by Dcup. I don’t know much about Dcup but the 70’s disco inspired rework almost rates higher than the original. And you can bet there is more Grum coming shortly.

Can’t Shake This Feeling (Dcup Remix) – Grum

Finally, last but typically not least, is Russ Chimes‘ remix of Solid Gold by The Golden Filter. I posted on The Filter’s album release last week and wrote up Chimes a few weeks before that. I really dig his relentless electro mixes with contrasting light and heavy synth sounds. His tracks also have a live rock band kind of feel about them, which makes the music feel more organic.

Solid Gold (Russ Chimes Remix) – The Golden Filter

Hope you like Panda’s too.

Splendid Splendour 2010

Splendour In The Grass recently announced the line-up for the epic winter music festival and the list is long and impressive. It seems just about all the hottest bands of the past 18 months are here, and it is only the first announcement, which is kind of scary considering what more could be coming. Now with the difficult task of choosing between the festival event of the decade (so far) and the traditional annual snow holiday I find myself in a spot of bother…

The first line up announcement includes: The Strokes, Pixies, Ben Harper, The Temper Trap, Florence And The Machine, Empire Of The Sun, Scissor Sisters, Goldfrapp, Grizzly Bear, Hot Chip, Passion Pit, The Middle East, Angus and Julia Stone, Bag Raiders, Yeasayer, Miami Horror, Miike Snow and that isn’t even half of it. Mouth-watering, I know. I am still wiping the drool from my keyboard.

The 10th installment of Splendour kicks off on July 30th and runs for 3 glorious days until the 1st of August. The venue has changed from the stalwart Belongil Fields near Byron Bay and migrated a few hours north to Woodfordia in Queensland, home of the Woodford Folk Festival. With 20,000 camping tickets available for $450 a pop and 10,000 non-camping tickets at $350 each there are plenty of spaces available, but some might find the burgeoning prices tags slightly prohibitive. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday the 6th of May via Moshtix so you have a few weeks yet to mull it over.

A few of my favorite acts on the bill are available below, just so you know the level of excellence to expect.

Madder Red – Yeasayer

Cult Logic – Miike Snow

Rocket (Grum Remix) – Goldfrappe

Couldn’t resist slipping a bit of Grum in to this one. Who knows, maybe he will be on the second announcement? Fingers crossed.

Lady Gaga…?

Grum animated cover

Lady Gaga, you ask?

Your skepticism is warranted. ‘How can Lady Gaga be “Happy Music?”‘ You cry! ‘Why would anyone bother writing about Lady Gaga?’ You ponder aloud, and rightfully so. I’ll be the first to admit that Lady Gaga is not one of my preferred artists and I will not be racing out to see her sashaying across an enormous stage in her trademark undersized undergarments. There is, however, something potent about this toothsome songstress and I don’t think it is just my simple male inclinations.

Grum, I believe, has found that something, and then intensified it by 1000! Combining his typical sensuous synths and distinct hollow cowbell with Gaga’s often harsh yet seductive vocals Grum has created the quintessential 80’s influenced dance track that will satisfy both ardent electro enthusiasts and loyal pop princesses alike. The two Artist’s individual styles are masterfully interwoven ensuring a clear resemblance of the original track whilst distinctly reconfigured to accommodate Grum’s classic, if sometimes slightly indulgent crescendos. What I find most notable is the absence of the “Ra ra” vocal part from the original, including this sample to dramatic dance-enhancing effect would have almost been too easy, so its omission is understandable.

All in all a top remix and one of the standouts from the year that was 2009, in my humble opinion. The increasing trend of reputable “underground” DJ’s remixing mainstream pop vixens has been given a fresh and dynamic boost.

More Grum to come.

Bad Romance (Grum Remix) – Lady Gaga