EP Review: Road Less Travelled - Tiedye

Tiedye first came to my attention when they remixed the excellent Feist featuring "I Feel Electric" by Rubies, a silky Balearic dream of a record that came out all the way back in 2008 but has stood the test of time. Road Less Travelled is the Swedish duo's first release for Gomma - it follows up on their debut, which came out (home of that Rubies release) Italians Do It Better last year, though I have to confess I missed that.

"Road Less Travelled" has a steely soulful disco-meets-west-coast sound that feels timely in this post-Random Access Memories world. It's a little more grizzled than I was expecting - distorted bass rubbing up against fuzzy clattering drums, a jazzy organ freak-out and echoey vocals… Nothing like the laid back noodly cosmic disco of the Rubies remix. It all sounds a little bit like Adam Freeland got his hands on some new material by Still Going: expect something that feels like disco fed on sunshine and ecstasy then wrapped in plastic. It's good, but you're not sure if you should really like it.

The label clearly thought the same thing because American duo Still Going actually provide one of the two remixes. It's a nighttime LA cruise of a record, dark buzzing synths saw through the vocals whilst the drums are pulled back just a notch to create a something deeper. It's still pretty pop but not anywhere near the daytime radio of the original. Sadly it doesn't quite hit the highs of Still Going's own material - the best bits are where the duo let the melodies of come through and the beat drops out, both at the bridge and at the track's close, to create something golden and dreamy. I can't help but suspect they are saving their best work for themselves, but it's been so long since we heard anything new it's hard not to be disappointed.

DJ Kaos & Sonns provides the other remix, which actually takes the middle slot on the release. It is a little tighter than both the original and Still Going's take - not as dark as the latter but restrained in comparison. There's a warm, jacking feel to this treatment with a heavenly synth that gradually fights its way through a baseline that bubbles with acidic charm. The vocal is used sparingly but Kaos & Sonns seem more interested in drum rolls and echo, and I can't say I blame them.

According to the press release Road Less Travelled is out now on Gomma. That's probably just the vinyl release - the digital release on Amazon.co.uk currently has a posted release date of 20 September [affiliate link]. Stream the DJ Kaos & Sonns Remix below:

Listen to TIEDYE - The Road Less Travelled (Dj Kaos & Sonns Remix) / Gomma Records by Alexandre | SONNS | Explore the largest community of artists, bands, podcasters and creators of music & audio.

Comment: DFA's Five Best Twelves

Image source: The Quietus

I've been a member of eMusic for longer than I care to remember and they recently invited me to submit a top five list to their site from their catalogue. Rather than focusing on new bands and artists I thought I would do something a bit different and select some of the best tracks from one of the many labels on the site. One of the best things about eMusic is how easy it is to browse by label and I regularly find myself checking through the latest releases from my favourites. So which label to pick? There could only really be one choice...

DFA are obviously known for the involvement of James Murphy and their big ticket album releases for the Juan Maclean and The Rapture but there is much more to the label, including a number of fantastic 12" releases that often slip out with little fanfare. DFA and James Murphy have been a massive influence on me and my blog since 'Losing My Edge' first came out in 2002 - here I select five of the best songs from the various 12" releases DFA have put out over the years, with links to check them out on eMusic:

5. 'Two Different Ways (Original)' - Factory Floor

The most recent track on this list, 'Two Different Ways' is a synth heavy, post-industrial acid trip. I've selected it not only because it's good but also because it really captures a certain post-punk experimental spirit that the label has boasted since the beginning. Factory Floor mix live instrumentation with a lot of electronic synth work and it is that blending of rock DIY attitude and electronic avant garde that has always made the label great. This is presumably called 'Two Different Ways' because the release features two versions, the original and the 'Second Way' - a self-referential element that harks back to early DFA / LCD Soundsystem release 'Yeah', which similarly featured two versions (the 'Pretentious Version' and the 'Crass Version'). The divide here is similar - the other second version is a little subtler but I can't resist the more in your face original.

4. 'Yearning' - Black Van

'Yearning' seems too straight up to be a DFA release but somehow it came out anyway and I'm very glad it did. There isn't too much that needs to be said, this is just a really well done piece of Balearic disco. You could call it derivative but only if you have no soul - this is sunny, uplifting heaven.

3. 'Full Grown Man' - Benoit & Sergio

Benoit & Sergio are one of the artists I'm currently most excited about - they have had a couple of EPs out on DFA and every track on the EP this is taken from (Boy Trouble) is an absolute gem. Whilst Benoit & Sergio release music on dance labels and in the 12" / EP format typically used by dance music producers this isn't really dance music - it's closer to blissed out electronic pop. 'Full Grown Man' particularly, at seven-minutes long and with not much happening in it shines precisely because it does so little. It could be accused of being a mood piece, but that is fine with me - the warm 80s feel is sublime.

2. 'Gobline City (Holy Ghost! Remix)' - Panthers

Holy Ghost!'s take on Brooklyn hardcore band the Panthers' 'Goblin City' is that rare thing - a remix that is better than the original. In fact, it's so good that it is better than anything either Holy Ghost! or the Panthers have accomplished individually. Holy Ghost! probably deserve more of the credit though because most of the original gets thrown out and what you end up is nothing like a hardcore rock record but actually an aloof urban disco record but what makes it shine is the combination of the Panthers' guitar solo and the Holy Ghost! synthesised arpeggios about two thirds of the way in.

1. 'Spaghetti Circus' - Still Going

After Still Going dropped the fantastically catchy yet remarkably simply 'Still Going Theme' no-one thought they would be able to live up to it with the comeback and yet somehow they confounded expectations and dropped a follow up that was even better than that previous release. 'Spaghetti Circus' is probably the sexiest, most sunny, soulful house record I've ever heard, sounding like the music is made from pure sweat and sunblock. As with the Panthers record this is really a disco track and once again what really makes it is the fantastic guitar work - it may be perfect for those exciting summer sunsets on the white isle but it will work pretty much anywhere else too.

Comment: Moving (Still Going Remix) - Coyote

This shit, right here, is lovely. After weeks and weeks of sun England rests under a rain cloud at the moment - a well earned rest perhaps after what has been the best summer in years but still, with tunes as good as this to listen to it feels like a wasted opportunity.

Still Going continue to paint all kinds of shades of awesome all over our attentive ears and this remix for Coyote is no different. BlackPlastic isn't familiar with Coyote but their track 'Electric Sunburst' opens FETE's new Future Balearica compilation (more on which soon) in spectacular fashion. Still Going's mix here ups the house-ante on the original to make this a baking hot slice of summer passion.

Get on it.

BP x