It’s kind of bizarre to me that the original version of this was kicking around over 12 months ago and it still hasn’t been properly released yet. There are shrews whose entire life span is shorter than that. You could have watched the clip with a shrew when it was first uploaded to YouTube and told it, “You will literally die before this gets released.”

But regardless, HURTS are finally releasing their second single on August 16th with remixes from Arthur Baker and Mantronix. ‘Wonderful Life’ is cold, calculated, and instantly polarising, but it’s also an enviably slick piece of pop.

HURTS – Wonderful Life (Mantronix Remix)

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Seems like no one can mention CFCF without assigning the (perfectly apt) epithet “icy” to the reclusive Canadian. Even the dreaded “chillwave” has been bandied about a bit, because really, it doesn’t get more pristine, more slick, than his debut LP, Continent, released late last year. Following on from that and keeping up his reputation as being one of the most prolific remixers around, Mr. Silver lends his cool touch to Kingdom’s Mind Reader. Where the original is all rave-synths, quirky 90′s bass and big-house R&B vocals, CFCF slows the pace right down with a relaxed 2-step bassline and a subtle build-up to his signature synth-driven fantasy soundscape.

Mind Reader is available as a double-sided 10″ from Acephale Records (limited to 500 copies) and digitally through Fool’s Gold.

Kingdom – Mind Reader Ft Shyvonne (CFCF Remix)

And for good measure:

Kingdom – Mind Reader (L-Vis 1990 Remix)

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Because Electrorash will never tire of Miss Goulding and her increasingly bouncy hair, here are the latest offerings ahead of the release of Starry Eyed on February 22nd by Polydor. What’s great about this single being released now, almost a year after the demo first hit the blogs, is you get to fall in love with this twinkly nugget of a pop song twice over. This time it benefits from Starsmith’s delicate touch, with added layers of distorted vocals, fleeting cosmic flickers, and heavy bass sighs, the final version is polished, but still as infinitely charming as the original. And everything about the video is also lovely, except for that boxy gold monstrosity that should really never be worn by anyone ever.

On the remix side of things, there’s the long long loooong awaited Russ Chimes gem, which features big house piano stabs and handclaps, and an absolute killer of a drop; UK’s Monarchy give the track a new, relaxed pace as it ambles unhurried through cosmic synth flourishes and slowed-down, cruisey vocals; while the appearance of Theophilus London in Penguin Prison’s remix takes it somewhere entirely different once again.

Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed (Russ Chimes Remix)

Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed (Monarchy ‘The Horse Head Nebular’ Remix)

Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed (Penguin Prison Remix ft. Theophilus London)

Keep an eye out for her debut album, Lights, later on this year. (Although you probably won’t need to, as it’s fairly unlikely this is going to be the last time we mention it here.)

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(I’ve been looking for an excuse to use that picture.)

If you like your music unashamedly dramatic, you have something in common with UK’s Screendeath. His remix of Andy Caldwell’s autotune-heavy Scream is a sprawling masterpiece of piano-driven house featuring an impressive intro that teams pulse-racing piano loops and heartbreaking orchestral effects. The vocals kick in with surges of spacey synths to carry the whole thing through to the gently heaving remainder. It’s slightly anxious, but very cool.

Andy Caldwell – Scream (Screendeath Remix)

And if you missed it earlier, here’s Hidden Cat’s cover of Shooting Stars. Stripping out the vocals and slowing the pace down to a self-satisfied dawdle, the track loses none of its poppy sweetness but has reinvented it enough so those of you who are sick of the original can enjoy it without being reminded of the season premier of Australian Idol (and now apparently McDonalds).

Hidden Cat – Shooting Stars (Bag Raiders Cover)

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Just try to stop this track from burrowing into your head and settling on repeat. As part of the lead-up to the Cassette Kids’ long-coming debut album, Nothing On TV, fellow Aussie, Diamond Cut, has been kept busy with the remixing obligations, the most recent of which is the first official single, Lying Around. It will be released this Friday to coincide with the Sydney-based quartet’s national tour which will run all through November before their full-length is released early next year.

While Freaky Sweetie saw Diamond Cut plunge unexpectedly into the depths of classic piano house, Lying Around sees him harden things up with a perfectly constructed piece of driving electro-pop. The whole thing is just so slick and effortless.

Cassette Kids – Lying Around (Diamond Cut Remix)

Cassette Kids – Freaky Sweetie (Diamond Cut Remix)

Cassette Kids – Freaky Sweetie (Diamond Cut Instrumental)

I’ve also included the Lying Around clip which came out last week, purely for Katrina’s awkward bodysuit flailing.

* Picture by Hedi Slimane.

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My two favourite female vocalists right now, Ellie Goulding and Marina & the Diamonds have both released clips for their upcoming singles this week and they couldn’t be less similar. First up is the noticeably slimmed-down Marina’s bizarre clip for the revamped version of Mowgli’s Road, which will be released by Atlantic Records on November 16th ahead of her full-length debut. Directed by Chris Sweeney, it’s like a paper accordion-limbed tribute to the Single Ladies clip, which I guess is kinda cool. But while the non-paper parts of Marina look absolutely gorgeous, there is such thing as too much kook, and unfortunately this clip has it.

And next we have the clip that I’ve been so anxiously waiting for, Ellie Goulding’s Under the Sheets, which will be released on the 9th of November by Neon Gold Records. It has the glittery kaleidoscopic feel of a Florence and the Machine clip made even more special by the button-cute Ellie’s unbridled dance moves. These two blow the likes of La Roux and Little Boots clear out of the water and I cannot wait to see so much more.

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Oh Ellie. If all pop music was like this, we’d all have to find something else to complain about. She’s got one of the most fascinating voices I’ve heard in such long time, it’s sweet as can be but there’s just so much muscle to it. Under the Sheets is the latest Ellie Goulding track that I’ve had on repeat since it showed up on the Neon Gold blog this week, and as they say: This shit is for real. Stunningly produced by fellow Brit, Starsmith, there will be remixes on the way from Jakwob, Baby Monster, Theophilus London and others and if you haven’t seen it already, there’s an adorable teaser clip of the track here. The single will be available from November 9, at the Neon Gold Store.

Ellie Goulding – Under The Sheets

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The first of several posts I should have done blog-months ago but never got the chance, so I’m doing it now. One of my favourite tracks from Miike Snow’s self-titled debut, “Black and Blue” blends beautifully together those addictive vocals, charming piano stabs and Wyatt’s signature lyrics that he works so hard to place in that middle ground between the simple and the cryptic.

The single is being released on October 19th and includes a remix by Swedish duo, Savage Skulls, who released an EP on the legendary Dubsided earlier this year. It moves back and forth from the smokey windowless depths of the club jam to the fresh air of the pretty original.

Miike Snow – Black & Blue (Savage Skulls Remix)

You can also pick up the Tiga remix here while you’re at it. It’s pretty much everything you’d expect it to be.

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This mix is as surprising as it is seamless, which is something of an Acid Girls trademark. They are the masters of unpredictible song selection. This plus ginger snaps plus peppermint tea is helping me through a sleepless night attending to homework.

Live From the Celestial Megaclub Green Room:

Bill Callahan – All Thoughts Are Prey to Some Beast
Arab Strap – Haunt Me
Squarepusher – Song: Our Underwater Torch
Ben Watt & Robert Wyatt – Slipping Slowly
The Flamingos – I Only Have Eyes For You
John Barry – This Way Mary
Claudine Longet – Un Homme et Un Femme
Glen Campbell – By the Time I Get to Phoenix
Bruce Springsteen – Dream Baby Dream
Francois De Roubaix – Dernier Domicile Connu
Memory Cassette – Milkey Wave Goodbye
Lalo Schifrin – The Hologram
Alain Goraguer – La Longues Marche – Valse Des Statues
Raymond Scott – Sleepy Time
Scott Walker – On Your Own Again
Lalo Schifrin – Be Happy Again (Jingle From the Future)
Acid Girls – Killing and Running

Greg Acid Girls – Live From the Celestial Megaclub Green Room

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The T.E.D.D. boys have been busy since we last visited them, having just finished their remix of Last Japan’s ‘Jungle Warriors,’ the feature track from his upcoming EP. The new darlings of Kissy Sell Out’s show on Radio 1, this London pair are scattering their endlessly face-melting wares abroad, theirs a kind of hard-as-nails version of the Midas touch.

Keep an eye out for Last Japan’s upcoming ‘Jungle Warrior’ EP and visit T.E.D.D. at their myspace page here.

Last Japan – Jungle Warrior (TEDD’s Eseya Huo Remix)

Felix Da Housecat – Kickdrum (T.E.D.D. Remix)

T.E.D.D. – Lady Riding VIP

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