EB OFFICE FAVOURITES - March 2010

Welcome to the third instalment of EB’s office favourites, where we share the songs we have been enjoying over the last month. Spring may be here, and there’s some seriously sunny vibes running through our selection. However, there’s plenty of cold, dark minimalism in there, too – Berlin’s grey winter left us only a few days ago.

Enjoy our choices, and say hello to our newest member Kazim, who arrives with two outstanding selections.

The EB office team is: Carlos de Brito (CDB), Gareth Owen (GO), Kazim Rashid (KR) and Marc Zedler (MZ)

Beach House – Norway

(Taken from the album Teen Dream (2010) out on Bella Union)

Just in case you don’t know this band yet (and to drop an odd joke): Beach House is not a compilation series of Ibiza’s top seaside hits, but a stunning band who usually get the “Dream Pop” stamp. Dreamy they are indeed; ‘Norway’ sounds like they took a lost My Bloody Valentine instrumental and added the haunting vocals of Victoria Legrand on top of it. (CDB)

Buy Teen Dream here at musicload.de (German users only)

Bell Biv Devoe – Poison

(Taken from album Poison (1990) on MCA Records)

Never trust a big butt and a smile – what more needs to be said in life? (KR)

Debruit – Nigeria What?

(Taken from Spatio-Temporal (2010) on Civil Music)

A perfect bit of broken, bass, sampling His Majesty Tony Allen. To be played loud, on any given dance floor. Fact. (KR)

Nicolas Jaar – A Time For Us

(Taken from the 12inch Time For Us / Mi Mujer (2010) out on Wolf + Lamb Music)

This is a serious contender as one of the best ‘end of the night’ records. Nicolar Jaar’s slow and sexy house gem is perfect to dance to with the lights on, and so it was that this record finished our last Electronic Beats Soirée. The half-time break at the end even got five rewinds - and probably would have gotten more, if we weren’t kicked out... (CDB)

Moodymann - Shades of Jae

(Taken from the 12inch Shades of Jae (1999) on KDJ)

What can you say (or not say) about this record? Sampling Bob James' 'Spunky', and turning it into a house record that elevates itself above and beyond practically everything. Seeing the (moody)man on the Red Bull sofa encouraged by to dust this one off and play it loud. (GO)

Nico - Win A Few

(Taken form the album Camera Obscura (1984) on Beggars Banquet)

'Win A Few' draws heavily from synthesizers and drum machines to create a dystopian soundtrack to Nico's mono-tonal warbling. Bizarre and vaguely unsettling - this song has left me staring pensively into the middle distance a few times this month. (GO)

Buy Camera Obscura here at musicload.de (German users only).

Pilooski – AAA

(Taken from the 12inch Rvng Of The Nrds Vol. 10 (2010) out on Rvng Intl.)

Pilooski proves once again that an edit doesn’t necessarily mean re-arranging the best bits of a track and selling it under your own name. The French edit master takes this psychedelic reggae nugget (listen to Nora Dean’s „Angie La La“ here) to a whole new level. Or: from the blunted reggae room to the dancefloor. (CDB)

Sublime – What I Got

(Taken from the album Sublime (1996) on Mca label)

I feel spring with Sublime. The Californian hero knows how to make everything okay in a crazy world. Remember, lovin’ is what I got, so remember that.(MZ)

Ripperton - Random Violence

(Taken from the album Niwa (2009) on Green Records)

Deep, deep, and deep. Blending upbeat handclaps, somber guitar slices and course clicks 'Random Violence' can be a deceiving name. I was put in an early morning trance with this belle. (MZ)

Yacht - The Afterlife

(Taken from the album See Mystery Lights (2009) on DFA)

Leaves me feeling like I have joined a religious cult - something I never thought I'd be saying. 'The Afterlife' is blindingly simple, managing to turn the age old conjurers trick of making something out of practically nothing. (GO)

Buy See Mystery Lights here at musicload.de (German users only)