IM // UR | Say hiya to Modernaire

To say that Local Natives are this year's Fleet Foxes isn't wrong, but not that right either. Local Natives are softer, brighter and lighter than their widely critiqued sort-of-counterparts. Gorilla Manor is a delicious debut that should be listened and loved for its own merits and there are 12 of them here; from the beautiful single 'Airplanes' to the epic journey of 'Stranger Things'. For fans of harmonic vocals, delicate guitars and gorgeous layers (and I bet there'll be a lot of you).

WE // R \\ WEARING

You know about FAJ right? That's Fanny and Jessy as they are also known, and this duo have one of the coolest young labels coming straight out of London. They debuted their first range last year entitled 'I Hope You Die Soon' and they're also responsible for the infamous tee of the same name (and it's sibling, 'Suck It You Fuck') which I actually often find gets quite a warm reaction despite it's sentiment. This month they're showing their hotly anticipated sophomore collection for AW 2010 which no doubt will be full of their trademark wicked humor and edge. Definitely ones to watch.

WE // R \\ WATCHING

Honestly, who isn’t? The sixth and final season of Lost, one of the best series ever created, just started and we are sure spending more time talking, reading and thinking about it than watching it. Well, from what we read some mysteries won’t be answered (the real meaning of the numbers, anyone?), but if there's something we've learned from accompanying Locke’s island friends (and enemies) is that the travel is always more enjoyable than the actual place it’s taking you to. Well, not if the smoke monster is trying to kill you.

WE // R \\ GOING

The latest station on the Drunky Town train line is in Sydney, Australia at a little club in the Spanish Quarter (actually it's just two Spanish shops next to each other on the same street or something like that in the CBD) called GoodGod, which plays host to soirée of the moment, Slow Blow. Word has it that in January, Karen O crashed Sydney's current cool kids party, but to be honest by that time everyone was too busy dancing and cutting loose in D-Town to care. And that's the true mark of a good time - when you find yourself twirling about without a care in the world. Or it could just mean you're trashed. Heh.

WE // R \\ READING

You know those films where there are all these supposedly 'intertwined' stories and lives? Quite a cliché concept for both books and movies I suppose, but rarely does it really resonate in either medium. David Mitchell though (not the Peep Show one) manages to spin tales into tightly woven rugs that are quite fantastical yet believable, moving without being overly sentimental, eclectic and incredibly entertaining. He also writes straight narratives too, with just as much panache and verve. I just (re)read Number9Dream though any and all of David Mitchell's books are highly recommended...and he's got a newie coming out this year. EXCITEMENT.

Say hiya to Modernaire

Thursday // June 25, 2009 at 16:51 // filed under Music

Modernaire

I've been a huge fan Modernaire since mid 2007, when I first heard them play in a dingy pub in Manchester with Dolby Anol and this awful awful act called Bitterly Ironic (of all things). They stood out a mile, with their eerie girl vocals in perfect harmony and their dirty dark, swashbuckling pop electronica. I've said before that the band on first glance might seem a little pretentious; but their razor sharp wit and a tidy vocabulary belie a sense of humor that's rarely seen in the current musical climate.

They've been fairly quiet since they released their EP 'Velvet Never Dries' in 2007, only hitting out occasionally with wiiiicked remixes for the likes of Metronomy, MGMT and Empire of the Sun (cop them all below). All of them are brilliant, seriously, keeping the soul of the original tracks but injecting some of their very own deliciously noir, eerie pop chic into their remixes.

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Metronomy - Heartbreaker (Modernaire Remix) [mp3]

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MGMT - Of Birds, Moons & Monsters (Modernaire Remix) [mp3]

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Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People (Modernaire Remix) [mp3]

Now on releasing 'Faites Vos Jeux' they've also remixed WhoMadeWho, continuing the build their stellar portfolio of excellent remixes for great bands. Modernaire's treatment of 'Keep Me In My Plane' is an echoey disco number, playing around with percussion, putting the bouncing guitar into the background and filling the space with dirty mid-range synths, that have a vague Metronomy feel. It's a super clever remix as all of their remixes are; taking into account the whole personality of the original track and restyling it a la Modernaire without obscuring WhoMadeWho in the slightest.

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WhoMadeWho - Keep Me In My Plane (Modernaire Remix) [mp3]

The single Faites Vos Jeux drops next week on roXour Records (alongside our friend TEPR) in the UK, but we've got it here for youuu:

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Modernaire - Faites Vos Jeux (Original) [mp3]

POSTED BY CHRISTEL ESCOSA

TAGS: WhoMadeWho, Empire of the Sun, Metronomy, MGMT, Modernaire // LINKS: Modernaire