Tracasseur

Friday, July 30, 2010

A date tonight with Walter Sobcek and then She's Gone

Stockholm. The clock is about twenty minutes past seven. I'm sitting alone in front of my computer writing words on the screen. Empty words? I hope not. Looking out the window and see the clouds blowing over the sky. It's going to be a windy night. What does this night have to offer?

In my mind I can refer to what happened earlier today. I remember chatting with Walter Sobcek, you know that mysterious guy from France that in real life are a duo from both France and Germany. My mind is playing games with me. But when I think more of it I also remember that they released 11 tracks last year that told a story about Walter Sobcek who went to America to find his lost girlfriend. Ahh, everything is coming back to me now. That's the true story.

Long time since I last wrote about Walter Sobcek. But what about the chat today?! That was also the true story. He told me he was in town. Staying at a nice hotel in the city. He also told me he had been here for a couple of days. He liked Stockholm, he said. I like Stockholm too. It's hard not to fall in love with this city. He said it would be fun to meet up later tonight. I got his phone number and he got mine. Maybe I could buy this French guy a beer or two.

Until the rest of the story is completed. I must listen to a great cover once again that Walter Sobcek did. Do you remember Hall & Oates? They had a song back in days. "She's Gone". Now it lives again. All thanks to Walter Sobcek.

Walter Sobcek - She's Gone

I also want to do Walter Sobcek a favour. Since it was a while I wrote about him (them). And since I missed out posting these fine remixes. Here you go Walter Sobcek. Hope you be happier now. And hopefully we meet tonight...

Housse De Racket - Oh Yeah! (Walter Sobcek Remix)

NightWaves - Sweet Carrie (Walter Sobcek Remix)

Chromeo: "Don't Turn The Lights On" video + "Night by Night" remix collection

Yep, that Chromeo is on their way with their third studio album "Business Casual" isn't news to anyone in the blogosphere any longer I suppose. This video is kind of new though for their second single "Don't Turn The Lights On":

Paul and his new project Mindwalk

Paul (the man to the right in the picture) got a new track for the summer, it's called "More Than a Feelin'". Maybe you will recognize the chorus that is a sample from the classic Boston track with the same name from 1976. It was actually named the 39th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. Paul makes this track in his own way and puts it into the perfect summer vibe when the sun is rising over the crowded dance floor.

Paul - More Than a Feelin'

Then Paul got this new project together with his old friend Pete Herrs (the man to the left in the picture) named Mindwalk. They call the style for Newpop and it's quite more mellow than Paul's other stuff. We at Tracasseur like it, and hope to hear more from this new dynamic duo.

Mindwalk - Let Go

Mindwalk - Time For

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Freedom or Death, not a difficult choice when you can have them both

A new great band have been found. Once again from Toronto as our new favourites Young Empires. There's a lot of great music coming from Canada right now. With acts like FM Attack, Chauffeur, Lazercat and above mentioned Young Empires and my favourites Le Matos (soon to release a new album) Canada can be proud. If Australia was last year's music country, I'll have to say that Canada may be this year's.

The name of the band; Freedom Or Death. Two guys who released their first self-titled EP in June. They've been in the Canadian music industry for over ten years but wanted to leave the major labels so they instead could focus on the music as they wanted themselves. They refer to their songs as children and they were raised to be the best they could be on their own. Freedom Or Death didn't worry about how the songs/children fitted together, therefore their sound is a mix of genres from electronica, indie rock to folk.

Start by checking out this fine video for "This Crowded Room":

And then take a listen to the children below and then head over to your iTunes Store and buy the rest of the great EP.

Freedom Or Death - Lost In Dances

Freedom Or Death - Back For More

Freedom Or Death - This Crowded Room

Alexis Taylor + Steve Mason

Got this remix by Hot Chip member Alexis Taylor of Steve Mason's "Am I Just a Man". Steve Mason is the former lead singer and guitarist in The Beta Band (1996–2004). They played what people said to be some kind of "folktronica" and they were experimental. They received cult status in the underground scene.

Steve Mason is now going solo in his own name, he released own material before but under aliases such as King Biscuit Time and Black Affair, both was largely electronic based projects. Steve's new record is not that far from the sound they had with The Beta Band back in the days and he has gone back more to basics.

"Am I Just a Man" is the new Steve Mason single from the record "Boys Outside" that was released in May earlier this year. Alexis Taylor who also released a solo album in 2008 now got his hands of the song and has come up with quite a different remix that reminds me of some older Radiohead material that has flown back to the 60s or 70s.

Steve Mason - Am I Just a Man (Alexis Taylor Remix)

And as a bonus, here are two fine tracks from Alexis Taylor's solo album "Rubbed Out". It was a slower record compared with Hot Chip with ballads and sounds. Experimental, if we can use that word again, but you can feel the Hot Chip spirit in the tracks anyhow. If you had combined the tracks with more beats and synths it would almost be Hot Chip. "I'm Not A Robber" is the track from the album that are most Hot Chip.

Alexis Taylor - I'm Not A Robber

Alexis Taylor - I Thought This Was Ours

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Swedish Rosanna

Rosanna may be from Sweden, she may have quite a similar voice of Robyn and she may have the first two letters in her name the same as above mentioned Robyn. But she's not our new Robyn, she's unique of her own and has been around for a while.

She was a member in the Swedish girl-group Play only at the age of thirteen touring the states with Destiny's Child. She has also been a part of Kocky's debut album "Kingdom Came" back in 2007 that was a huge success.

And now she's back with some new fresh tunes of her own at the age of 22. Her single Waterfall/Runaway are to be released August 22 on the newly founded label Popjustice Hi-Fi. Here is the original "Waterfall" track streamed from Soundcloud.

Waterfall by popjusticehifi

We also have remixes for both the tracks from the release. "Waterfall" is awesomely remixed by our very good UK friend Fear of Tigers and "Runaway" is nicely remixed by the Swedish duo Rocket Boy.

Rosanna - Waterfall (Fear of Tigers Remix)

Rosanna - Runaway (Rocket Boy Remix)

Take a look at this nice video when Rosanna performs "Waterfall" live unplugged with the music collective Teknologgatan.