Achat avec Boo Hoo au Hypermarché! Sublime Electro/Chamber Pop!

The musical artist known as "Boo Hoo" is a 24 year old man named Bernhard Karakoulakis from Frankfurt Germany. He describes his music as "an antifolkish indietronic version of Simon and Garfunkel". That's not far off, his music is full of charming melodies and introspective lyrics. On his second release "Hypermarché", Synths wash over glockenspiel and lo fi drum beats carry the whole affair like cartoon ants at a picnic. The songs featured here were recorded at his home and are mostly about shopping save for one song about robots. This song, called "Gakutensoku", is "is partly inspired by the japanese robot Gakutensoku, partly by the movie "Brave Little Toaster" and partly by the "Wesley the Robot" strips" created by me, AZLTRON!

Gosh, I feel all important! But don't think that I'm bias due to flattery, although I am honored that a man this talented would look to Wesley for inspiration, "Hypermarché" is the most complete crossover of two of my favorite genres that I've heard to date. Those two genres being lo-fi electro pop and melodic chamber pop. Boo Hoo glides effortlessly between the two. My only complaint is that the song "Nothing" really is nothing, two minutes and ten seconds of nothing. Other than that, this is an album of compelling beauty that is entertaining and insightful.

Boo Hoo - Gokutensoku

Boo Hoo - Lady Di

Boohoo Myspace

Lights Out on Wesley the Robot, plus new Lights mix

This is a bit strange. I posted this Wesley cartoon a while back along with a mix and now it doesn't exist anymore. I know there wasn't any objectionable content and no one notified me regarding taking a track down... Hm, well anyway here's a few more tracks that go along with the repost of the cartoon. It seems that Wesley is encountering some electrical problems... I wonder what the cause could be?

Autolux - Robots in the Garden

My Robot Friend - Robot High School

Bright Eyes - Light Pollution

Cobra Dukes - Leave the Light On

The Dub Pistols - The Speed of Light

Erlend Oye - There is a Light That Never Goes Out (Smiths Cover)

Heart Beeps - Light Leaks

The Sonixx - I See The Light

Jens Lekman - You Are The Light

Justice - Let There Be Light (Breakbot Remix)

Kanye West - Flashing Lights

P.S. Happy Halloween!

Heads We Dance Present Their Spookaliscious Halloween Mix Tape

UK Electro band and sometimes DJ's have unleased a monster of a mix for this Halloween season. From remixed classic horror movie themes, to the best bangers of the year, they're sure to have you shed your skin and become a creature of the night.

Heads We Dance - Halloween Mix Tape

The Age of Rockets set to Make Sky Explode with Beautiful Harmonies

The Age of Rockets are a small unsigned band with a huge signable sound. Vocalist, programmer, keyboardist and guitarist, Andrew Futral, drummer and trumpet player Saul Simon Mcwilliams and bass, synth, glockenspiel and flute player Bess Rogers hail from New York Ciry. The three of them love making music together and have just recently released their sophomore album "Hanna".

Their sound inhabits the space between orchestral pop and glitch heavy ballads. The album begins with sweeping synthesizers that give way to glorious harmonies and eventually gentle guitar and glockenspiel. Andrew Futral recently posted that he wanted to take the band in a more organic direction from their previously heavy electronic sounds. If the sound of the first few tracks is any indication, they have accomplished their mission. The soft melodies, harmonies, and understated glitch beats work together to create an album that is the most comprehensive successor to the Postal Service's "Give Up".

While the melodies, harmonies and rich lyrical content are the primary draws to their sophomore album "Hanna" there are some great pure rock moments here as well. Like the eruptions of guitar riffs on "H. Soft Escape". Or the towering strings and ultra glitchy breaks on "Ship to Shore."

The biggest pitfall The Age of Rockets could fall into is sounding to the passing ear as "Too Alike" to The Postal Service with Futral's soft voice not sounding terribly different to Ben Gibbards saccharine croon. If anyone takes the time to listen to more than 10 seconds of a song, it should be readily apparent that their songs have greater cohesion and depth than that of the groundbreaking 2003 subpop collaboration between James Tamborello and Ben Gibbard. There's not an unpleasant sound to be heard on "Hanna" and that's sure to make them on many short lists for album of the year.

The Age of Rockets - Elephant & Castle


The Age of Rockets Myspace

Saint Pauli Remix Egotronic's "Raven gegen Deutschland": Breakdancing Sure to Erupt in Streets

DJ remixers extraordinaire Saint Pauli hail from the efficient land of Hamburg Germany and present to you their remix of Egotronics' "Raven Gagen Deutschland". After some vocal experimentation on beat, akin to Mouse on Mars' "Wipe That Sound" a bass riff kicks off a full on freak out of Justice proportions. Those Germans and their efficient German techno; What will they think of next?

Egotronic - RgD (SaintPauli RMX)

Mouse on Mars - Wipe That Sound

Massive Mr. Vega Remix List, good for the soul and the subwoofer.

The classy cuts of Mr. Vega once again grace the AZLTRON music blog, with a smattering of original works, and remixes of pop icons Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, and transcendent French House icons Justice. Now would be a good time to have a sub woofer.

Britney Spears - Womanizer (Mr. Vega Mix)

Michael Jackson - Beat It (Mr. Vega Mix)

Justice - Planisphere - (Mr. Vega Mix)

Mr. Vega - Alpha

Mr. Vega - Techno Color

John Mccain's Halloween Surprise Mix

There's something about Halloween that just syncs up with so much of the music that I listen to. The airy atmosphere, chilling winds and bright colors of fall just go together with rich arrangements, luminescent melodies, and poignant lyrics. Halloween also allows for a rich palette from which to carve a political pumpkin, or in this case a political cartoon. Here are a few songs to accompany the winds of change that are sure to shift to our backs in the next eight days.

Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Bedroom Costume

Spoon - Change My Life

Grafton Primary - Change

David Bowie - Changes

The Stills - Changes are No Good

The Postal Service - Suddenly Everything Has Changed (Flaming Lips Cover)

The New Pornographers - The Laws Have Changed

The Killers - Change Your Mind

The Banshee's "Your Nice Habits" is akin to a Grad Student with Intravenous Caffiene. In a good way.

The Banshee are an electro/punk band from Genova Italy. Their post punk stylings call to mind the likes of Gary Numan, XTC, wire, Talking Heads and many others. Their music is rife with angled jagged riffs and huge grooves with gooey bass filling.

Their debut album Your Nice Habits features production from former Clor member Luke Smith, who has also produced such bands as Shit Disco, frYars,
Theoretical Girl and he's now working on the new Depeche Mode album. His influence can be felt on the twitchy rhythms and loud quiet tensions that can be found on many of the songs.

For all of their intelligence and desire to be a unique quirky bunch of skinny white boys from Europe, their music doesn't always sound a lot different. They have a lot of nearly impossibly complicated all over the place plunked melodies and rhythms similar to that of Clor or Shit Disco that are incredibly catchy, but sometimes it's a bit much. While they don't bring much new to the table in the terms of their format as an indie electro punk band, they execute their ideas flawlessly, and they show incredible potential when they poke some air holes in their grooves on closing tracks "People Around" and "Colder".

At it's core, Your Nice Habits, is like a college student at 4am with a quart of caffeine circulating his veins and ADD thoughts flashing in his mind of partying, papers, and prudent action in our day and times.

The Banshee - Cut Me Clear

The Banshee - Colder

The Banshee Myspace

A Very AZLTRON Halloween! Danse for the Macabre!

It's that time of year again, the leaves have changed color, it's getting colder, the winter is creeping in on us, and yes there will be drunken Halloween parties. Being the generous individual that I am I am going to share with you my custom Halloween mix of 2008. So dress up as Joe the Plumber, Sarah Palin, a French Maid with a breezy chemisier, or just as a sorority girl in her underwear and enjoy the tunes that I have compiled for this Halloween season. After all, you're the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

The Fever - Waiting For The Centipede

!!! - Must be the Moon

The Rakes - Terror!

Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon

The Cure - The Walk

Joy Division - Isolation

Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party

Tones On Tail - Go!

Villains - Thrilla

The Faint - Southern Belles in London Sing

Mt. Sims - Dig it in

M83 - Graveyard Girl

Be safe everyone! For reals!

Thieves Like Us' "Play Music" Pulsates with Elation, Energy and Determination

It's often said that electronic music lacks the warmth and feeling of more organic instruments, which is why I'm so glad there are so many musicians setting their sites on completely destroying the validity of that notion. One such band that has injected their electronic compositions with an immense amount of emotion and passion are Thieves Like Us.

Thieves Like Us is an electronic post-punk band that has a uniquely international origin. Two thirds of the band, named Pontus and Bjorn, are Swedish and one third of the band, named Andy, is American by way of New York City. The trio first met in Berlin nightclubs and shared the same feeling that they could create more engaging and imaginative music than what they heard in their nightly debauchery. So together they formed Thieves Like Us, which is in itself is a shout out to the original post-punk electro pioneers, New Order, who released a song of the same name in 1984. This song was featured in an emotionally poignant scene in the popular Molly Ringwald film "Pretty In Pink".

Thieves Like Us have stated that thier debut album Play Music, which was recorded in Berlin, Stockholm, New York City, and London, is "Not an album of easy going club tracks, these songs encompass the emotional highs and lows experienced in day to day life." Thieves like us emphasize that they "exist as people outside of the clubs" and that they "are sometimes shy, lonely, nervous, insecure and broke" and that "Sometimes we feel good and sometimes we are drunk and crazy", and their debut Play Music is their autobiography.

Just like the song that they get their name from, Thieves like us do employ an intensely emotional sound.” Play Music" does embody the highs and lows of life. The opening track "Program of the First Part" ripples with energy and determination. The track starts modestly with just a few spare claps before the driving bass and swirling delayed keyboards surge into place. Their use of minimalist elements creates a strikingly stark and aggressive track. Arpeggios and synths crash over intimate revelations like "You need me, admit it" before the track falls apart in a spectacle of synth and percussion. Thieves Like Us also released a music video for this track that is notable because of it’s use of footage from the seminal 1982 Disney Film Tron. The song races along to Tron’s signature light cycle races and adds much pathos to scenes from the movies’ climactic Identity Disk Battles.

Thieves Like Us inhabit a space in electro/punk that is at once calm and dramatic, like the hero of a Greek tragedy heading to war well aware of the probable outcome. While at the same time their sound is fused at the hip to intensely danceable bass grooves and soothing waves of synthesizer, making a trip to the dance floor seem like an epic journey. There are many examples of this unique sonic combination. One exciting example is the driving number "Lady" where the band adds significant pathos through atmospheric synths and a dramatic drum machine. Following that track is a remarkable spoken word track, called "Program of the Second Part", that features sound sculpting similar to the Blade Runner soundtrack written by the composer Vangelis. Another standout song that fuses serious subject matter with serious beats is “Your Heart Feels”. This song creates an atmosphere as big as a stadium and hooks to match, halfway through the song you’re sure to be singing along.

The biggest highlights of the album are the songs that retain the serious lyrics, but where the sound lightens up significantly. Like the lead single “Drugs in My Body” that bounds along with a giant beat and a repetitive hook reminiscent of Daft Punk. Perhaps the best song on the album is the electro pseudo rap of “Miss You”, that features a theme of reconciliation in a relationship and grooves along on disco bass that would make legendary Italian electro producer Giorgio Moroder bob his head.

Thieves Like Us has released an album of sounds that makes you think as much as it makes you move. The glorious vintage synths wash over each song, intricately wrapping each track in a shimmering wall of elation, love and determination. Thieves Like Us has the most authentic early 80's synth sound I've heard from a modern band and while they might not be the best band from 1981, they certainly are a contender for 2008. Their album drops November 7 on the Kitsune-Maison Label.

Thieves Like Us - Miss You

Thieves Like Us -Fass

Thieves Like Us Myspace

Microfilm's Slingshot Orchestra explodes with Melody and Humanity

The duo of Matt Mercer and Matt Keppel from Portland Oregon make up the group Microfilm. The two released a minimalist German Techno style album entitled "After Dark" in 2006 to surprising acclaim. They were featured in the Boston Phoenix's "Top 20 Bands to Watch" feature. Their debut single off of that album was featured on the weekly BBC Radio 1 'One Music' broadcast run by DJ Rob Da Bank. Chicago's "Time Out" Magazine enthusiastically stated that the band “slides up comfortably to Fischerspooner or Goldfrapp.”

Fast forward to two years later, Microfilm is on the verge of releasing their second full length album (The Album drops Nov 11). The blog-o-sphere has taken increasing notice of the band due to their indie crossover covers of both Sufjan Stevens and The Magnetic Fields. Their EP "Teenage Symphonies" is on sale now and there is an excellent music video for that catchy tune. The main jump forward for the band that got it's start in Chicago is that this time around the songs feel more fully formed instead of a DJ mix. The melodies soar, the vocals slide in and out like a vacuum tube at the bank. The minimalist elements are still there, but it's clear that the band has listened to a fair share of indie melodies and owes a bit to Jimmy Tamborello of the Postal Service for their most shining moment "Teenage Symphonies".

Microfilm at their core are an electronic machine, built out of monstrously simple beats and samples, but their new release shifts slightly to go for a more human sound. Featuring prominently soft keyboard melodies and even strings. They utilize these in a typically electronic structure to make the songs build and soar, groove and grind. Give "Slingshot Orchestra" a shot, it's a diamond in the rough.


Microfilm - Johnny X Lost His Girl (To Erlend Øye And The World) (Yousendit)

Microfilm - Teenage Symphonies (Yousendit)

Microfilm - The Desperate Things You Made Me Do (Magnetic Fields Cover)


Buy "Slingshot Orchestra" For only 5.99 on Amazon (What a deal!!!)

Natalie Portman's Shaved Head to Play with The Faint!

Photo by Melissa Dex Guzman
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head are touring with The Faint. That's right, two great electro acts together at last. Here is the tour schedule:

Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
10.22 New York, New York @ The Mercury Lounge
11.07 Sacramento, California @ University Ballroom @ Cal State (w/ the Faint)
11.08 San Francisco, California @ The Warfield (w/ the Faint)
11.09 Portland, Oregon @ Roseland Theatre (w/ the Faint)
11.11 Seattle, Washington @ Showbox at the Market (w/ the Faint)
11.12 Missoula, Montana @ The Other Side (w/ the Faint)


natalie portman's shaved head - sophisticated side ponytail from thatgo on Vimeo.

The Faint - Mirror Error (Yousendit)

Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Me + Yr Daughter (Yousendit)

The BPA's Funky Freakfest "Toe Jam" and Censor Bar Art

The BPA, or Brighton Port Authority, is a new project headed up by Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) and features the talent of David Byrne, Dizzee Rascal, Emmy The Great, Iggy Pop, Pete York, Jack Penate, Jamie T, Martha Wainwright, Conan, Olly Hite, Lateef, Ashley Beedle, Simon Thornton, Thomas Gandey, and Justin Robertson.

The lead single off of this album is entitled "Toe Jam" and features David Byrne as well as Dizzee Rascal on vocals. All of the manic energy you'd expect from a Fatboy Slim track are present packaged neatly with feel good horns and the happiest bass you'll hear this year. David Byrne is on a roll right now, first he releases one of the best albums of the year with Brian Eno, and now he's collaborating with Fatboy Slim and a host of other talent. His performance on this is reminiscent of his later talking heads work, and when Dizzee pops up to deliver a couple lines he just kills it. This whole affair is something like:

"Hey you got Talking Heads in my Fatboy Slim!"

"I know, and here's a pinch of Dizzee Rascal to spice it up!"

"Oh Yeah, This is Fantastic!"

The video for this single is even more engaging. It features a 70's style freakfest shown on T.V. Since it's on TV there are a plethora of censor bars, but the use of them is unlike any use of a censor bar you've ever seen before. This project created a new medium; "Censor Bar Art". You've got to see it to believe it.

THE BPA - TOE JAM FEAT. DAVID BYRNE & DIZZEE RASCAL (Yousendit)

The BPA - Toe Jam (Ft. David Byrne & Dizzee Rascal)

The BPA - Toe Jam (Stanton Warriors Remix)

The BPA - Toe Jam (Database Remix) (Yousendit)

Longwave's Forthcoming Album "Secrets Are Sinister" Features huge atmosphere and epic hooks!

Longwave, the Brooklyn, NY based indie rock quartet are set to release their fourth album "Secrets are Sinister" November 11. Their new album features soaring guitar melodies, huge epic atmosphere, grinding bass and Steve Schiltz's voice ringing louder and clearer than ever before. They were previously dropped from the RCA record label, presumably because of the shake up of the band's line-up which at the time seemed rather ridiculous because I felt that their "There's a Fire" album showed incredible potential, even moreso than "The Strangest Things". The indie label "Original Signal", intelligently, picked up Longwave and is about to release "Secrets are Sinister". I suppose the joke's on RCA now, since this new Longwave endeavor is the loudest, coolest, and most concise Longwave have sounded to date.

Here is their fall tour schedule:

Oct 24 2008 8:00P Bowery Ballroom -- w/ Jay Reatard -- CMJ Show New York City, New York
Dec 9 2008 8:00P The Casbah (21+) San Diego, California
Dec 10 2008 8:00P The Troubadour West Hollywood, California
Dec 11 2008 8:00P Rickshaw Stop San Fransisco, California
Dec 12 2008 8:00P The Phoenix Theatre Petaluma, California
Dec 13 2008 8:00P Dante’s Portland, Oregon
Dec 14 2008 8:00P Chop Suey Seattle, Washington
Dec 16 2008 8:00P 7th St Entry Minneapolis, Minnesota
Dec 17 2008 8:00P Double Door Chicago, Illinois
Dec 18 2008 8:00P The Pike Room @ The Crofoot Pontiac, Michigan
Dec 19 2008 8:00P Mohawk Place Buffalo, New York
Dec 20 2008 8:00P TBD ---- New York City, New York

Longwave - Satellites (Highly Recommended)

Longwave Myspace

Sarah Palin, Joe Biden, Gwen Ifil, and a cartoon about the VP Debate

This is a little belated, but, I want to share it anyway. The debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin (if you can call it that) was just another demonstration of how the choice between Republicans and Democrats is now the choice between rational respectful people and ranting witch hunters who despise facts and apparently the middle class. Not to mention the troopergate scandal which is now seeing the light of day. What a playground for political commentary...More of these political cartoons will pop up as time goes on.

What better than a few tracks from a band that features the name of the Governor's home state in them... Alaska in Winter.

Alaska in Winter - your red dress (wedding song at cemetery)

Alaska in Winter - A Love Note From Your Piano [Bonus Track]

Hearts of Palm UK, sensitive all girl synthpop FOR LIFE!

Hearts of Palm UK, is that girl that introduces herself to you under the wrong name at a party, but through perseverance, wit and charm you will find out on the third or fourth date. I say this because their name itself is something of a red herring, they are from Echo Park, California. That's pretty far from the UK. Either way, the female electro-pop brandishing trio fires off some touching and danceable tracks on their debut album "For Life".

Songwriter Erica Elektra originally wrote the album on her acoustic guitar, and fantasized about remixing it into a more electro style. So she did, and the results are gorgeous. These are three girls after my own heart, incorporating sweeping keyboard melodies, emotional bass, glitchy beats and even vocoder over their lovely voices. Another contributing factor in the sublime sound featured on this album is sure to be that it was mastered in Sweden by Henrik Jonsson who has mastered the likes of Peter Bjorn and John, Robyn, The Knife, and Lykke Li. I'm telling you, those Swedes know where it's at. All this and they have a Brian Ferry cover. What are you waiting for! Sample tracks below!




Hearts of Palm UK - Forever

Hearts of Palm UK - More Than This (Bryan Ferry Cover)

Heart of Palm UK Myspace

The Nowist North American Tour

The groundbreaking German indie-rocktronica band, The Notwist, fresh off of the release of their first album in six years, "The Devil, You, and Me" are kicking off their new tour of North America tonight at Lee's place in Toronto.

In celebration of this, we've received a few goodies. One of them being a video of the Notwist and the Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra together performing "Boneless", which also happens to be the Notwist's latest single.

The next goodie that we've got for you is a "radical reworking" of track by Panda Bear of Animal collective.



To top it all off, I've even got the album version of "Boneless" to share with you all.

The Notwist - Boneless (Yousendit)

The Notwist - Boneless

FRI 10/10 - Lee's Place - Toronto, ON

SAT 10/11 - Le National - Montreal, PQ

SUN 10/12 - Roxy Theater - Boston, MA

MON 10/13 - Webster Hall New York, NY

TUE 10/14 - First Unitarian Church - Philadelphia, PA

WED 10/15 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC

THU 10/16 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH

FRI 10/17 - Logan Square Auditorium - Chicago, IL

SAT 10/18 - Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI

MON 10/20 - Bluebird - Denver, CO

TUE 10/21 - In the Venue - Salt Lake City, UT

WED 10/22 - Neumo's - Seattle, WA

FRI 10/24 - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC

SAT 10/25 - Berbati's Pan - Portland, OR

MON 10/27 - Bimbo's - San Francisco, CA

WED 10/29 - Henry Fonda Theater - Los Angeles, CA

Left/Right Remixes Santogold's L.E.S. Artistes

The dynamic Dallas duo return, this time with an electro/house remix of Santogold's "L.E.S. Artistes" rife with bass of digital and analog origins. Left of Left/Right contributes bass guitar licks as well as backing vocals. If you're looking for a pre-weekend jam to barrel through the rest of the week to, look no further, thine jams hath descended upon thee.

Santogold - L.E.S. Artistes (Santogold Remix)

Left/Right Myspace

Santogold Myspace