From High On Olympus Zeus Hurled His Fire Down, And The Carnage Was Too Great To Describe

I really am so far behind this year. But all this recent talk about good dance music got the old juices flowing, and I set aside some time for catching up on (what else) DFA news this weekend. Thankfully so, because they are set to launch an unstoppable invasion, even with no signs of anything coming from staples The Juan Maclean or Black Dice anytime soon, the first wave of which is set for 6 August, on which date DFA will unveil a new subsidiary, DFA (Death From Abroad-- pretty self explanatory). The first two releases will be a new one from Mock and Toof and a reissue of an extremely rare 2005 single by a character named Altz. Both are exceptional (I really love the "this is for all the real motherfuckers" in the Altz track), and you can hear them at the DFA myspace page.

I didn't catch up too much on the Prinzhorn Dance School stuff, but I did enjoy the new track "Crackerjack Docker", and its accompanying video, also preview/listenable on the label's myspace page.

Next, in a year unfathomably (seriously no one saw this coming, right?) dominated by indie rock, like in surplus, like I just listened to the new New Pornographers and even that was good, new DFA act, Shocking Pinks, has managed to make a stand out even against all of this year's stand outs. If you don't take me at my word by now,

Download: Shocking Pinks - Blonde Haired Girl

Download: Shocking Pinks - This Aching Deal

(again only for seven days, because I refuse to shell out the $ for the upgrade.)

It seems that the main label will release singles by Holy Ghost!, Hercules and the Love Affair, and Still Going by the end of the year. I don't know if I'm entirely sold on Herc and TLA yet, but I love what I've heard so far from the other two. I think all of these bands have myspace pages with some samples up. Lindstrom and Prins Thomas used Still Going's "Still Going Theme" in their Essential Mix (see sidebar). If that's not enough, I guess there's a new Shit Robot track that you can listen to from a beats in space set from a couple of months ago, which even though I haven't heard it yet, is probably better than any Ed Banger track.

So there you have it. T.P.O. giving you a little advanced warning. Starting Aug. 6, look to the skies.

I Guess I'm The Only Writer On This Blog Staff That Capitalizes The First Letter Of Every Word In His Titles. Yes, Even The Articles.

The Bat's back

I haven't been out too much lately. Kinda need to recharge. But I used to go out alot, especially this past winter/spring. Why did I stop? Hipster nightlife music in Philly went stale. If you don't like Hollertronix, or Club (MT's preferred genre as of late), or really, really bad disco, or ?uestlove, or Britpop or "Sweet Caroline", you're pretty much fucked. I don't know if there ever was a time or place when it really was just about the dance music, maybe like the very nascent days of DFA and dancepunk, maybe now with DJs like Optimo and Tim Sweeney, but I don't think this ever really caught on in Philly. I think it's always been scene first, then "phillying" the shit out of the scene. Now part of "phillying" is that you have to do everything just harder and so lots of drugs started getting done. Now I know Optimo loves the snow too, but they're just so many light years ahead of the rest of us, they can do whatever they want, but I really think the drugs, and the Philly mentality, the urge to freak out, the urge to be dirtier/sluttier chic, and therefore, paradoxically, somehow more of a pure hipster than the polyester shirt/sport coat clad one, and a lack of care about dancing in general, all together, have created this void of really good, which I would say would be both extremely eclectic and cutting edge, dance music nights in our city. Let me just say to all you fucking Philly DJs who might read this and be like "Hey, I'm cutting edge", no you're not, and you need to pay attention.

***Class In Session***

Here are some songs that I have not yet heard in Philly clubs, that if you want to be the next best thing in Philly DJing you should start playing.

1. Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way?

If you play it, they will dance.

2. Daft Punk - Revolution 909

Still in my opinion Daft Punk's best dance song. Still haven't heard anyone play it.

3. Matthew Dear - Dog Days

Now's the perfect time people.

4. Medeski, Martin and Wood - Bubblehouse

I want to talk about this one for a second-- this song really being the quintessence of what I'm talking about. Here is a song that you've probably never heard at a party, but has enormous potential, that has rock and house and funk all combined, that you can freak out to, but also geek out to. I guess nobody in Philly ever listened to MMW that much or, again, none of DJs have the gift of foresight, of how many light years ahead of itself this song still is, the gift to be enlighteners.

5. Kaito - Color of Feels (Album Mix)

Once or twice, the Making Time guys have dropped Gui Boratto's "Beautiful Life", to surprisingly results, the crowds being more than receptive, but this Kaito track of the same pretty, micro trance-y type genre, so shits on the Gui one. It's so pretty it could deep freeze ya, but somehow can still be danced to, leaving you cold and hot at the same time, and generally feeling great.

6. Paperclip People - Parking Garage Politics

A classic, plain and simple.

7. N.E.R.D. - Things Are Getting Better

You may have never heard this one, but it too is a classic, plain and simple.

8. The Rapture - Sister Savior

Philly says, "With all the other bangers The Rapture have made, you want to hear that?" Just so we're clear, I'm not talking about any remixes either.

9. Spektrum - May Day

If you want bangers, here's a good one.

10. !!! - Heart of Hearts

Why hasn't this song been played at a Making Time? Seriously?

There's so much more, so much dirty disco, and funk, and hip hop, and rock. Trust me, city of mine, there's music to get people moving and shaking and freaking out and just having fun and enjoying their youth other than Baltimore House (isn't Philly supposed to scoff at Baltimore anways) and Nu Rave.