Com Truise - Helena Beat

Com Truise pulls the skinny jeans off Foster the People's "Helena Beat" and slaps a synthed out bass heavy pair of nuts right between its legs.

Foster The People - Helena Beat (Com Truise Remix) by Com Truise

Com Truise - Melting Circuits since '85

When talking about the music of Com Truise (one of the many pseudonyms of New Jersey designer/musician Seth Haley), the nostalgia bit inevitably comes up, so let's get that out of the way. Yes, his songs tap classic sci-fi and proto-electro in a way that is distinctly early eighties in scope. But they're also remarkably weird--stutter-step proggy and intoxicatingly psychedelic, like those classic touchstones got drunk on lava lamp juice inside a pinball machine. After his well-received Cyanide Sisters EP, a grip of remixes for artists like Twin Shadow, Neon Indian, and, uh, Daft Punk, and a few floating MP3s, Truise's first LP, Galactic Melt, will finally enter brainspaces this summer.

And what an appropriate title it bears. For a brief moment, opener "Terminal" subsumes you in warm, starry-eyed synth arpeggios, and then down the rabbit hole you go--from the keyed up, skyscraping machine love of "VHS Sex" and "Cathode Girls" to opuses like "Air Cal" and "Ether Drift" that sound like Doogie Howser's idea of the perfect prom song--mathy, forlorn, funky, and mighty in technical ambition. That they're all noticeably cinematic is, of course, by design--Haley envisioned Galactic Melt as a "sort of film score...from the mind," chronicling the lift and death of Com Truise, the world's first synthetic/robotic astronaut, from his creation and life on earth to his subsequent mission to a newly discovered galaxy called "Wave 1." Eventually, Truise becomes one with his newfound cosmos, like Pinocchio becoming a real boy, but in the nether regions of imaginary space.

Haley says knowing when and how to complete such an opus was the hardest part of making the record, nevermind all the carefully synth programmed patches on his Sequential Circuits Split-8 or the three years of real life that transpired during its genesis. It's a world unto itself, a sci-fi bildungsroman of sorts, and most importantly, an awesome escape from the corporeal.
Comtruise "Brokendate" MP3 by The FADER

Raphael Saadig

Get out the time machine, Raphael Saadiq is back with his new rock-infused LP, Stone Rollin’. As you’ll see, he’s remained faithful to the retro soulful roots that caught our attention in his 2008 hit album, The Way I See It. The old-school inspirations have always been there for this music veteran who started as member and founder of Tony! Toni! Toné about 20 years ago. He started from a more R&B-inspired style with delicious Stevie Wonder-esque tracks like “Still Ray” on his first album as Raphael Saadiq in 2002. And now, a well-rounded artist to a T, Raphael has created a vintage gem with his single, “Good Man.”
If this song isn’t put to video within the next year, I’d be utterly shocked. It’s a tribute to classic rock and Sam Cooke rolled into one. Although a member of last year’s relatively underrated “best artists” list, no one’s ever complained about the man’s ability to impress. A genuine ability to bring you back in time. He’s a good producer, singer, visionary, guru of modern R&B funk, and all-around good music man.

Video via Addicted-2-Retail

Hawthorne Radio Episode 3 Stones Throw Podcast

Mayer Hawthorne on the decks with a 33-minute mix for the third edition of what we call Hawthorne Radio.

Track list:
Barbara McNair “Steal Away Tonight”
Barbara Randolph “You Got Me Hurtin’ All Over”
The Earles Inc “Let’s Try It Again”
The Vibrations “Wind Up Toy”
Tammi Terrell “This Old Heart Of Mine”
The Manhattans “I Call It Love”
The Ethics “Look At Me Now”
Brothers Of Soul “Try It Babe”
Little Carl Carlton “Drop By My Place”
Cheryl Williams “Everybody’s Happy But Me”
Barbara Mason “Half A Love”

Twin Shadows - Castles in the Snow (Com Truise Remix)

"Tracks like “Castles In the Snow” really flaunted Twin Shadow’s trademark haunted melodies over shimmering pop and delicate brushes of ’80s nostalgia. So, I was rather impressed with New Jersey “Chillwave” producer Com Truise (aka Seth Haley) transmogrifying remix in which it didn’t sound too far different from the original except for taking it nu-melodic depths by amping up the bottom layers of the song. It’s equal parts dreamy and sparkle. Confused? Understandable. It’s just good, chillwave music to lose yourself in."

Read more: Twin Shadow – “Castles In The Snow” (remixed by Com Truise) http://streetdate.radio.com/2010/11/23/twin-shadow-castles-in-the-snow-remixed-by-com-truise/#ixzz1ClLJdA8G
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Iron Solomon (feat. Gordon Voidwell)

"Judging from the hodge-podge of colors and patterns decorating Gordon Voidwell’s wardrobe (and clothing line) his style thinks so far outside the box that he seems like he’s not playing with a full deck. Really though, he makes it possible to use all the tricks up his sleeve: beat-making, singing and designing clothes to make an layered fusion of all his trades. “Spring Fever” does just that with battle MC Iron Solomon icing the track with some quick-hit punchlines to accent Gordon’s perfect example of what it means to be eclectic—matching bell chimes to accent his chirping synths. Hit the jump for the season-ready track." - Fader

I saw Gordon at Firebird lightin up the stage for Mayer Hawthorne and the County. Definitely worth checkin out, got a feelin we'll be seeing more of him in the future.

Gorillaz - Empire Ants Live (Jay Leno)

Gorillaz are on the top of my playlist. Empire Ants features Swedish pop clique Little Dragon spreading lyrics over sliding synths and crisp bass that'll make your head hop for days.


Recorded:
Gorillaz - Empire Ants (Club Clique Dancefloor Edit) by Club Clique