Ladytron’s New Mod’ed Nails

Ladytron has become one of the most sought after remix bands by talented artists in today’s market(See Nine Inch Nails’s recent remix album). But, the band isn’t just a group of lads and gals who will slap a new coat of paint over someone else’s canvas. Being a remarkable Electro-fueled band of their own right, they already have 3 LPs 2 EPs and 1 compilation album under their belt. Now, they teamed up with the mastermind Alessandro Cortini of ModWheelMood & Nine Inch Nails fame to bring the world Velocifero. The song “Ghosts” offer up the same type of bravado as UNKLE’s “Mayday” featuring the up & coming UK Indie Punk act The Duke Spirit. With a bassline that would drive a stone faced cowboy bananas, there’s just no way on this round ball called Earth that someone can snarl at the tune. “Seasons Of Illusions” offers an intoxicating sound of digital dream pop with the monotone nonchalantness of the female lead singer coarse her ease of everything into your system. On “Burning Up Inside,” the band seems to have capture, tamed, and morphed the sensation of Cyndi Lauper during her “Time After Time” era. Eerie cooing goes off in the background during different parts of the song, beckoning you to try your luck with translating the language of spirits. “The Lovers” spins you around like you’re on an amusement park ride from the underworld, but, still, you’re holding onto your lover like there’s not a care in the [under]world. At 2:38, it’s not a lengthy ride, but certainly one you’ll keep in your mental scrap books. By the time “Tomorrow” comes on, you’re questioning if the 90’s were just a long dream and the world just jumped from the 80’s to today. Clearly something directly yanked from that generation with a mixture of today’s technology. The Pop Sensibilities of the most Pop decade in modern music blended in with the gizmos we’ve only thought were an illusion in the making . . . isn’t it cool? Now, I’m not going to sit here and demand that everyone goes out and purchases this delightful album. Because, truth be told, it isn’t for everyone. Some folks would get lost in the midst of the heavy layering on this album and it’s stronger push towards Dream Pop (as I like to call it, Hughes Pop).  Maybe that is due to Cortini’s input on the album, as the layering is similar to a MWM album. Either way, it’s not a grand departure from their original sound, but enough for you to notice the difference. A solid choice, through and through if you’re into this type of tuneage.

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Presets Bring Forth Dancefloor Armageddon

Riding on the wave from their extraordinary 2005 album, Beams (not to mention there numerous EPs and Kim’s solo release of System Breakdown), Australia’s own The Presets sets their sights higher with Apocalypso. From jump, the dynamic duo shows why they deserve the exposure they’re getting (and it took bloody long enough for them to get it, too). “Kicking And Screaming” pumps out the speakers with full forced Club Music fury. Offering every perfect ingredient for a sure-fire hit: Catchy hook, semi-non-intelligible lyrics, synths to drive Daft Punk batty. They set the bar high directly from the gate. Luckily, “My People” is able to keep the party going. As the album’s lead single, it already had people salivating in impatience for this album. With a thumping bass drum parading its way around the song with the pride of a well-groomed lion, it’s hard to bypass or even depress the fierceness of such a track. When hearing the line “And it feels so good” repeated with growing intensity, you have to agree . . . it feels SO good when music feels so right. The second single from this unbelievable album is “This Boy’s In Love.” And, if this music is supposed to represent how a boy is supposed to feel when he’s in love, then a lot of young gents have a ways to go before they can feel real love of this caliber. With Julian’s vocals for the verses sounding like they are trailing off into ghost-like vapors, the song haunts you with the spirit of Dancefloor’s Future. With a chorus so simple, it screams out the genius behind it. Hard to miss, even harder to resist once it does catches you in it’s sweat-inducing grasp. “Yippiyo-Ay” pulls out Michael Jackson when all he had was an overly moisturized jheri curl, and no skin bleaching. Possessing a melody, tempo, and singing-style that would find comfort on MJ’s magnificent Thriller album. Resting somewhere between Techno and Disco, you don’t have to be a friend of Bruce Leroy(Last Dragon, anyone?) to recognize that The Presets have The Glow. Not to alienate the Goths with a sense of Dance Fever, “Talk Like That” conjures up a hit that even Dracula would have to shake a wing to. Saying “Uh Oh,” you feel like you’re overhearing a dance party filled with preppies and the morbid misfits have just arrived. Brilliantly, neither of the two groups would feel black sheeped for this particular tune. The old Horrorwood organ playing doesn’t just make the song cheesy, but make it a memorable moment for Party Music history. There are some even odder moments, though, such as the rock-a-billy influence on “Eucalyptus” and overly technological SID-chip assisted, porn-midsectioned chopped up tune “Together.” As the album’s sole instrumental track, “Aeon” manages to bring out the inner flux that lies dormant inside of you. Taking you on a microchipped soul-stirring journey inside of your own psyche, it’s almost like you’re waiting for Morpheus to offer you pills(no, not that kind) at any moment. Starting off with the chantings of “Deeper, I know you want it” and “Faster, I know you want it” you’re tempted to see if the Aussie boys aren’t trying to lure you into some homemade Risqué moments between you, a camera, and the one that drives you wild for the closer track “Anywhere”. Housing nothing but the bare essentials, it drives the point home even harder than if they had sampled a sledgehammer teaming up with a jackhammer. Clocking in at 6:17, it doesn’t hit you repeatedly over the head with the constant badgering of lyrics. Rather, the terrific twosome decided to let the song be equal amounts instrumental and vocal. It’s not hard to see that The Presets were supposed to be where they are at(even if majority of their US following came from the feature of their song on the reality dance show, So You Think You Can Dance). Just like Julian said, “Farther, you know we’re going Farther . . .”and farther past their contemporaries they go.

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Karnivool Holds Aggression Down Under

The Down Under has become an awakened sleeping giant in the musical field, of late. Though, their main musical output has been Indie bands and Electronic masterminds, that isn’t all that they have to offer. Since Silverchair has switched over to a much more mellow side of things, there’s been a void of Crunchiness in Rock Music from the tiny continent. That’s where Karnivool comes in. This quintet from Perth is here to let the world know that Australia has a right to claim at the Family Values tour with their album Themata. The title track, “Themata” showcases hints of Adema during their brief stint at giving out the flavor. Belting out the chorus “It’s so good to see, this world is not mine!” lead singer Ian Kenny lets it be known that he can deliver with the best of them. The opening cut “C.O.T.E.” is as cunningly spectacular as some of the best songs that Korn has churned out in their career. Having equal parts ambiently mellow and rippingly alternative, the song does anything but disappoint newcomers to the band. On “Shutterspeed,” Kenny actually starts to vocally resemble Dryden Mitchell from Alien Ant Farm, but more with more aggression and intensity. “Sewn And Silent” being that majority of the song is composed of acoustic guitar sounds and chilled drum tracks for half of it, it has to be the softest and most emotional song on the album. A song of loveloss and torn feelings, it definitely can soften up the Alt. Metalist inside of most folks. The band also dives deeper into their Hardcore/Metal side on the instrumental track “Scarabs.” Bringing the force that could make a Slipknot fan do a double take at this talented young band. Kenny and company moves in Tool/A Perfect Circle-influenced performance on “Synops.” Ian croons into the mic in full fledged Maynard James Keenan-style, while the rest of the band bleeds their hearts out on their respective instruments. Though not emotional, the track is deeply moving and resonates in monumental fashion. The surefire highlight of the album is the song “L1KEL1KE.” Possessing the sensibility that the times have a-changed, the band doesn’t solely rely on the heavy riffs of Drew Goddard & Mark Hosking and thunderous bass/drums combo of Jon Stockman & Steve Judd for the tune. They also had a subtle sense of electronic synths akin to how Linkin Park did on their debut album. Karnivool clearly shows that Australia is not a one-trick pony of a continent/country. Giving a perfect balance of creative edge to the masses that needs it, Themata (which was the Greek plural word for the Administrative Unit of Byzantine) clear administers it out in proper order.