Arcade Fire - Reflektor ft. David Bowie

Here it is. The latest from Montreal's finest, accompanied by two mind warping videos. One of them directed by the post-punk visual master himself, Anoton Corbijn. Upon first hearing this new single my ears were quickly reminded of David Byrne and epic Talking Heads dance tracks, but after 4mins into this fantastically dark, black & white clip I had a brief flashback to My Chemical Romance. Win Butler's painted eyes and the rest of the band dressed in black, marching through a bleak landscape seems oddly enough, very MCR-esque. Don't get me wrong Arcade Fire are no My Chemical Romance (ROFL!) , but seriously am I the only one seeing a connection here? I think this sort of relation to bands of the past, whether highbrow or lowbrow, always seems to erupt when a familiar act gears up to release a 'concept album.' You could say all of Arcade Fire's records have been concept albums of some sort, but this one has been marketed as more dance oriented. Employing James Murphy to man the production helm is always a great sign when someone tells you they're getting into dance music, but for Arcade Fire, a band that has singularly risen above all of their Indie compatriots and subsequently contributed to defining the last decade of music, it means its gone be some next level shit. Point being? This record could be super dope and is def worth a listen. Also DUHHH did you not read this post title??! This jam features BOWIE, BRO!

Holy Ghost! - Okay

So much about Holy Ghost! does not work at all. They're vintage synth purists, choosing to revel in antiquated electronics over a more contemporary drum and bass sound; and while yes, many artists are living in the past these days, Holy Ghost! are fairly unique in their hifi aping of a Depeche Mode/New Order/Ministry tonality. On top of this, Alex Frankel is a criminally middle of the road vocalist, often veering out of pitch and out his element. Lyrically Frankel is equally simplistic and straight forward. Yet, despite all their disparities, I find myself fully encamped in the Holy Ghost! camp-grounds. Why? why? WHY???? Its easy to hate on a band like Holy Ghost, they sorta look like blow-holes (lets be real), but their music is dope. Okay is another outstanding single that utilises sounds from the heyday of synthetic pop to a masterful degree. The hooks here are plentiful! And the juicy, metallic, orchestra stabs are sooooooo Depeche Mode circa Some Great Reward. Earworm commin atcha:

New Order - Round and Round

When the Earth does falls under the New World Order, and we're all enslaved by the lizard people, I hope they at least appoint Bernard Sumner as the new Emperor. This week I'm delving into the deepest crevasses of Third Rock's greatest electro-group of all time. Yes, my love for New Order is undying. I'd shout it from the tallest mountains and lowest valleys - the rolling rivers and flowering meadows. Why? Well, duh they're super terrific, always have been, and they just kicked off an epic US tour, with Holy Ghost!, I might add (see you at Williamsburg waterfront tonight?) Anyway, its just one of those weeks, when Joy Division just won't do, so throw on some Substance and say, "Woohoo!" This is an extended 7" version of Round and Round, one of the singles from Technique. Check it now