CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY! The Disco's Revenge December Top 20

I'm not going to bore you with the reasons why I haven't blogged in so long, it will bore you ad infinitum, all you need to know is, we're back, our tree is freshly decorated (see above) and we've brought a big red sack stuffed with goodies for your aural enjoyment.

Discos Revenge December Top 20





1. Superslut - Bulerias

Fresh off the latest Munich Disco Tech compilation, this is a throbbing 7 minute tech-house monster, packed with one of the most unexpected breakdowns you'll hear and a bigger drop than niagra falls. Even if it would sound slightly more at home on a hot hispanic night, you'll see what i mean.





2. Kolombo - Sniff

Forthcoming on the ever dependable Turbo Records, this naughty number has been a regular in head-honcho Tiga's box for a number of months and we can't wait it to see the light of day. With a hissing acidic rasp layered on a pounding bassline and some haunting keys, this is perfect peak-time madness. We can't offer you this one but grab Tiga's set from Sensation Denmark Listen out for it filtering around the 48 minute mark and don't forget to blow your nose in these cold months





3. Cut Copy - Far Away (Damn Arms Remix)

A glimmering disco diamond, complete with soaring strings and a filter-disco tinge to the production. Damn Arms have turned Cut Copy's latest single, off what was undoubtably our album of the year here at Disco's Revenge into a stylish, shimmering groover to warm even the coldest of cockles. Released on November 24th through modular, the single also features remixes by Hercules and Love Affair, Knightlife and Aeroplane, so don't just settle for this tip of the iceberg.





4. (Jamie Anderson &) Deepgroove - Ghost Train/Invaders/Bad Acid

Invaders is probably the pick of the bunch here, what sounds like a fairly subtle minimal ditty mutates nicely into a crescendoing workout complete high pitched wailing synths evoking Josh Wink's seminal 'Higher States.. '. Trippy stuff indeed.




5. Armand Van Helden (Ft. Christian Rich) - Ski Hard

Only picked up on this via a recent DJ Mehdi set, here he who needs no introduction proves that hip hop vocals can sit tastefully on top of electro beats, something producers have struggled with this year (see Busy P, MSTRKRFT etc). A nice old-skool sample is backed up by the kind of crisp production you would expect from such a veteran of the scene, catchy as hell too. Hit up youtube for the awesome if not wholly original video of a kid dancing in a warehouse.





6. DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano (Brodinski/Joakim Remixes)

The undeniable star in the average, muggy sky that was Ed Rec. III gets the remix treatment from two equally dazzling producers. Brodinski's provides the kind of pumping electro-come-techno he previously provided on last year's Bad Runner, whereas Joakim enhances the tracks best features adding danceability and a lovely cut-up texture around 4 minutes in, yet keeps in tact it's original charm. Marvellous in different ways, i'm damned if I can pick a favourite!





7. Dada Attack - Clearly Imply (Gui Boratto Remix)

A steady mid-tempo monster, with harsh unrelenting hi-hats, a whirling mid-range and synyster undertones evoking images of untold doom. This is exactly the kind of slightly manic tech-house you'd expect from Kompakt and their K2 offshoot.





8. Sharam - Crazi

A change of direction for the other half of Deep Dish, abandoning his rather questionable more mainstream sound (a recent track featured the vocal duties of the equally poor Bedingfield sister), this noisy, industrial tech-houser comes as quite a surprise, perhaps he's been getting some tips off compatriot Ali 'Dubfire' into making brilliant, genre spanning pieces, or at least it sounds that way.





9. Evil Nine - They Live (Felix Cartal Remix)
Felix Cartal marks his over-due return with a storming remix, rescuing Evil Nine's passable electro-house with some satisying squelching synths and a succint step in a more heavy, crunching direction, mirrored by the sound of his DJ sets which we at Disco's Revenge had the pleasure of experiencing at Prostitutes and Policemen [Link} back in November, more please monsieur Cartal.





10. Daso - Meine (Lucio Aquilina Remix)

The absolute opposite end of the spectrum to Daso's Numb, which tore up the likes of Sven Vath's ibiza sets this summer. It's a pleasant, inconspicious little remix by the young italian, working in a similar vein to Reboot - Vandon, and it deserves every one of the 6 minutes of your time.

...& the best of the rest, every one a delight in it's own right, I promise you that:

11. Sasha - Mongoose
A journey through so many different sounds and textures leaving you perplexed and enthralled.

12. GQ - Is It Cool? (Theo Parrish Edit)
Disco bomb gets a tidy rework from the king of touch-ups (oo-err!).

13. The Presets - Anywhere (Compuphonic & Kolombo Remix)
Warm swaddling synths and a vocal reminiscent of 80s pop at its best, delightful.

14. Roel H - Dancing Bears (Phil Kieran Remix)
A gem from back in the summer, actually featuring on Dave Spoon's Toolroom Knights double mix CD. A really hard one to categorize, Phil Kieran at his ever underrated best, even if it does bear a striking resemblance to the spy music used on trigger happy TV.

15. Destroy Disco - Here It Comes
Breaks drums, check. Large hoover noise, check. Rave sample, check. Throbbing wobbly bassline, check. Noisy, silly & great fun.

16. Shadow Dancer - Soap/NorthernSoap remains one of my highlights of 2008, sounding as fresh as it did back in may, Northern serves up a different but equally welcome side to the Dancer, serving up a dark chicago inspired 4/4 bomb.

17. Spektre - Rabbithole
As dark and twisted as the name suggests, with a rolling groove and subtle tapping hi-hats, the sound of being lost inside your own mind...in a good way.

18. Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane Remix)
Joyous disco-pop, probably THE remix of the year, gorgeous layered arrangement and the subtle undertones of guitar delay ensure this is one you never want to end.

19. Brodinski - Oblivion (Noob Remix)
This one is also forthcoming on turbo records. Packing even more popof-esque punch than the original, a very promising start for the rising french star, make sure to check out his remix of Dance Area's 'AA247' here too

20. Plastikman - Spastik (Dubfire Rework)
The original has been back in the box of many DJs this year and Sven Vath's Exit set rekindled my love for this tasteful re-touch with it's devastating bassline, a classic example of the old and new school of techno coming together harmoniously.

Until very soon,

//Decadence//