Cougar Microbes

So I’ve got a bit of a taste for mashups today and Divide & Kreate has been producing some of my favourites for years now. His take on The Clash‘s ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go‘ (with a huge helping of Justice) is a regular in my party mixes and DJ sets.

The recent treatment of Adele‘s ‘Rolling In The Deep‘ with Gnarls Barkley‘s ‘Crazy‘ also works a treat.

TRACKS:

It is quite fitting that we just featured an ode to the fertile musical territory that is Brooklyn because it continues to produce noteworthy artists. Not least mysterious trio Sensual Harassment who have taken the act of providing scarce information on oneself to a new level with a minimalist website and bio to boot.

This is largely irelevant because this bunch have a lot to show in the tunes department. Take the track ‘Boss‘, a personal favourite, with it’s Bronski Beat meets ‘Hot Fuzz‘ era The Killers (with all the influences that entails) melody and riff overlaid with some decidedly modern Justice-like beats for an example of the band’s multifaceted attack.

Elsewhere on tracks such as ‘Fever‘ the band channels Tears For Fears having a very public row with Passion Pit. Sensual Harassment juxtapose sounds that are rooted in two different eras in a captivating way that leans more towards an affirmation than a cheesy tribute.

The album ‘Alpha Draconis‘ is out now through the band’s website.

TRACKS:

Any other year and the superbly titled ‘Manual For Successful Rioting’ would have easily been the runaway winner for Cougar Microbes album of the year. I witnessed Birdy Nam Nam delight a partizan Parisian home crowd when they closed the second day of Rock En Seine back in August and was blown away.

There was a risk that on record the French turntablist crew’s would effectively be competing for who could pull the biggest/maddest  technical trick at the possible expense of the dynamics and energy displayed live. Fortunately their January 2009 release exceeded even my expectations.

Crazy-B, DJ Pone, DJ Need, and Little Mike handpicked and moulded a unique set of samples through their original turntable set-up. The soaring dynamics they manage to produce draw parallels with a band lineup with each of the four DJ’s taking centre stage and dropping to the background accordingly. Over eleven tracks they deliver a masterclass in electro placing themselves easily in the same league as their better known friends Justice.

Grab that manual and learn it inside out because as soon as Birdy Nam Nam hit our shores you’d better be ready to riot.

TRACKS:

Birdy Nam Nam – The Parachute Ending

NEXT: #01 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below

PREVIOUS: #03 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

Mark from Fried My Little Brain has launched a new section on his personal website dedicated to sharing inspiring links “ranging from design, art, products, videos, and anything else in between“. He has already included a host of great finds and I am delighted he featured Cougar Microbes Photography in one of the first posts.

Check it out here and tell him I sent you.

I’ve already mentioned i had been planning to write this blog for a while now. I had already picked the name a while ago and was just waiting for something to kick start it all so why start now?

Well, in the past couple of months I’ve had the privilege to see some awesome artists who reaffirmed my love for live music and breathed new life into songs i knew inside out. I must say that i am a bit of a cynic and this is not helped by the fact that for a while i saw 4 or 5 gigs a week for both work and pleasure. I admit i lost a bit interest as an increasing amount of bands went through the motions. However, now that I’m mainly going to gigs to have a good time and mostly seeing bands i actually want to see i get to see performances that really make me stand up and notice.

…And that is precisely what happened on Friday the 11th when we went to see JUSTICE play live in London. Having already seen them support CSS earlier in the year i was eager to find out what the French DJ’s would produce for their headline show in the superb surroundings and beautiful acoustics of Somerset House.

I’m sure i don’t need to go into too much detail about the duo as seemingly anyone who is anyone has blogged the fuck out of this band. Suffice to say the boys didn’t disappoint in what was a near spiritual experience. Transferred to a live setting the hour long set sounded immense while the boys oozed cocky self assurance belting out hit after hit. Even the rain seemed to pour when ever there was a crescendo and lull when the music quietened down adding to the entire experience.

Here’s a video someone posted on YouTube of the gig which partly captures the atmosphere.

I add the track ‘Let There Be Light‘ which may not be as instantly recognisable as some of their other songs but sounded incredible live and of course i wouldnt be a cliched aspiring blogger if i didnt post the remix that kickstarted Justice‘s rise to fame ‘Never Be Alone’

j uly 16