Their momentum carries on as they have just released a remix to the Hummingbird track “Wooly Mammoth” entitled “Wooly Robot.” With their brilliant harmonies, Kelcey Ayer’s goosebump-inducing, cavernous lead vocals, and the group’s raw yet tempered musical stylings, Local Natives have more than proven that their Gorilla Manor LP was, in fact, not just 2010’s most brilliant aberration.

Now coming off the heels of their Coachella appearance in April, the band has announced new fall US dates on their world tour that takes them through November. They will be playing a hometown show at the Greek Theatre with Wild Nothing on September 13th, and tickets just went on sale today.

Watch this video on YouTube.

Local Natives Tour Dates:

05/18 – Melbourne, Australia @ The Forum Theatre
05/19 – Brisbane, Australia @ The Zoo
05/24 – Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera
05/31 – Porto, Portugal @ Primavera
06/07 – New York, NY @ Governor’s Ball
06/10 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
06/11 – Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
06/12 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
06/14 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo
06/15 – Columbus, OH @ The LC Pavilion #
06/18 – Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
06/19 – Richmond, VA @ The National
06/23 – Amsterdam, Holland @ Best Kept Secret Festival
06/28 – Glastonbury, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
06/30 – Bialystok, Poland @ Halfway Festival
07/02 – Zagreb, Croatia @ Salata
07/03 – Monthey, Switzerland @ Pont Rouge
07/05 – Beauregard, France @ Festival Beauregard
07/06 – Arras, France @ Arras Festival
07/07 – Sesto al Reghena, Italy @ Piazza Castello
07/11 – Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ den Atelier
07/12 – Russelheim, Germany @ Phono Pop Festival
07/14 – Kinross, UK @ T In The Park
07/19 – Berlin, Germany @ Melt Festival
07/20 – Dublin, Ireland @ Longitude
07/21 – Suffolk, UK @ Latitude Festival
07/26 – Niigata, Japan @ Fuji Rock Festival
08/03 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/08 – Oslo, Norway @ Oya
08/09 – Gothenburg, Sweden @ Way Out West Festival
08/10 – Haldern, Germany @ Haldern Pop Festival
08/11 – Palermo, Italy @ Ypsigrock Festival
08/15 – St. Malo, France @ La Route du Rock
08/16 – Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop
08/17 – Yorkshire, UK @ Beacons Festival
08/18 – Brecon Beacons, UK @ Green Man Festival
09/06 – Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Music Festival
09/08 – St. Louis, MO @ LouFest
09/12 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater*
09/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre*
09/15 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre*
09/17 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
09/19 – Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theater*
09/20 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre*
09/21 – Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus*
09/23 – Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage*
09/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory*
09/30 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle*
10/01 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City*
10/02 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s*
10/04-10/06 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/06 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom*
10/07 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom*
10/11-10/13 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/15 – Cambridge, UK @ Junction
10/16 – Norwich, UK @ Waterfront
10/17 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
10/19 – Oxford, UK @ Gathering Festival
10/20 – Newcastle, UK @ Sage 2
10/21 – Glasgow, UK @ Arches
10/22 – Belfast, UK @ Limelight
10/24 – Dublin, Ireland @ Olympia Theatre
10/25 – Sheffield, UK @ Leadmill
10/26 – Manchester, UK @ The Ritz
10/27 – Bristol, UK @ O2 Academy
10/29 – Southhampton, UK @ University
10/31 – Brussels, Belgium @ AB Club
11/01 – Cologne, Germany @ Gebaude 9
11/04 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
11/05 – Aarhus, Denmark @ Voxhall
11/06 – Hamburg, Germany @ Molotow
11/08 – Vienna, Austria @ Flex
11/09 – Bologna, Italy @ Estragon
11/11 – Rome, Italy @ Black Out
11/12 – Florence, Italy @ Viper
11/19 – Bordeaux, France @ Theatre Barbey
11/20 – Paris, France @ Le Bataclan

* with Wild Nothing
# with The National

For more info:

Local Natives

If you have no tolerance for dissonance, noise, or music that will upset or terrify you, then stop reading now and thank you for your time. If, like me, you occasionally need to have your preconceptions challenged and be taken somewhere you won’t enjoy, then this 4-track, 27-minute opus is probably a good place to start.

The point of Abandon is not to comfort but to confront. My guess is that Chardiet doesn’t care whether you like it or not, and indeed the point is to repulse and enthrall at the same time. She dares the listener to make an emotional connection with this music and then forces you to ask yourself what that connection might say about you.

Opening with a scream that becomes an incessant, oscillating, high-pitched noise, “Milkweed / It Hangs Heavy” refuses to just pile on the mayhem, instead introducing its elements slowly and methodically: a heavily distorted voice whispering, the banging of lead pipe on lead pipe added high in the mix for added discomfort, and then eventually an ominous hum and a pulse that morphs the piece into something Hans Zimmer might compose for an extreme slasher movie. Chardiet’s raw and unaltered scream in the latter half of the track is fierce, pure, and truly blood-curdling.

“Ache” begins with an industrial throb that at least provides an early rhythm and proves Chardiet’s immense skill at going for the slow crush rather than the relentless assault. Her use of space is crucial and elevates her several levels above her contemporaries in the “noise art” scene. As the track dissolves into a haunting ambience that almost sounds pleasant, she displays a mastery of dynamics that shows that a deep level of thought went into the construction of this music. Call it industrial or power electronics or whatever else you want to, but labels are meaningless here: all that matters is the viscera and the mixture of the cerebral and the emotional.

The album’s second half is certainly less confrontational than the first, but not by much. “Pitted” opens with the sound of metal doors being repeatedly slammed, a low rumble eventually arriving underneath that sound. It feels closer to the dynamics of drone music, and Chardiet’s voice is closer to a spiritual wail than a tortured scream. The false sense of security proves to be just that as the song rises almost without warning into a cacophonous finale.

After that, “Crawling On Bruised Knees” is almost a reprieve, although it is one with the buzzing hum of a distorted bass, treated vocals, and a beat that sounds like the relentless march of a ruthless army. The song’s confrontational stance is more deliberate and incisive, proving once again that Pharmakon knows more than one way to peel the skin from your bones.

If Abandon sounds like it’s no fun and scary as hell, that’s because it is. Its lack of compromise is startling and refreshing. So why would you want to listen to it? The same reason you watch horror movies or read about the methodology of serial killers. Because the darker recesses of the soul are fascinating to us all even when we know they shouldn’t be. Abandon speaks to that side of humanity and forces us to glare at it with a blinding intensity. And if art doesn’t occasionally challenge us, unsettle us, and force us to acknowledge things we do not want to admit, then what’s the point at all?

For more info:

Pharmakon

Between acoustic performances from Digital Daggers and The Material, Ben and David chatted about everything from the best Simon and Garfunkel songs to the new Daft Punk album to the latest Jay-Z conspiracy theory. Check out the full episode below, and be sure to watch live next Thursday from 8-10pm on TradioV LA!

For more info:

Digital Daggers
The Material
TradioV LA

5. “Technologic”

“Buy it, use it, break it, fix it, trash it, change it, mail, upgrade it.” “Technologic” is an anthem of the modern era that still rings as true now as it did when it was first released in 2005. At first listen, it’s easy to write the song off as repetitive, but when you listen to it more carefully, it’s hard not to appreciate the song’s carefree knack for building on itself.

4. “Aerodynamic”

Beginning with unassuming tolling bells, “Aerodynamic” soon launches into one of the sickest electronic breakdowns that anyone has ever produced. The track transitions from there to a phenomenal guitar bit that strings you along until the electronic backing beats triumphantly creep their way back in before the song abruptly shifts to the bells again. “Aerondynamic” takes the listener on an adventure, so it’s no surprise the track remains a crowd-pleaser to this day.

3. “Human After All”

Released four years after Discovery, which is still my favorite Daft Punk album, Human After All was a release I fondly remember looking forward to. Though I didn’t think the album quite captured the magic of Discovery, its title track definitely captured my attention. Rapid drum beats lead the way into a deliciously distinctive electronic grind coupled with that oh-so-sexy guitar. The signature robotic vocal flourish clinches it for me.

2. “Around The World”

This catchy number, whose trippy video was directed by famed French filmmaker Michel Gondry, was the song that introduced me to the now-legendary dynamic duo. Although the sounds used to create “Around The World” are simplistic in nature, it’s Daft Punk’s aptitude for layering them that made this track the hit that it was, and expert sound layering has since become Daft Punk’s hallmark.

1. “Something About Us”

“Something About Us” isn’t just my favorite single from Daft Punk, it’s my absolute favorite song by them. The opening bass line that sets the tone for the track is the epitome of seductive while each progression that follows it is understated perfection. Lyrically, it’s the closest the duo has come to producing a love song. For that reason, naysayers will call it out for being cheesy, but at the end of the day, love brings out the cheesiest facets of ourselves whether you’re willing to admit it or not. “Something About Us” is an authentic track that anyone who is or has ever been in love can relate to, and there’s a damn good reason I never skip it when it pops up on shuffle.

Honorable Mention: “One More Time”

It just feels wrong to have a list of Daft Punk singles that doesn’t include their biggest one. True, it’s a little on the overplayed side, but there’s no denying that “One More Time” is a universal electronic classic.

What inspired you to release another album?

The response from fans all over the country has been incredible and really inspiring. I’ve been inspired to write a lot of music during this tour. We were brainstorming what to do with all this new music, and there were a number of cities in the US that I wanted to hit but wasn’t able to, so I’m pleased to announce that in the fall we’re going to be releasing Scream: Part Two, which will be the music that I’ve written along this tour. We’re also going to continue the Scream tour in the fall, adding on to what we have now!

Which venue has been your favorite so far on this tour?

One stop along the tour that really surprised me was in Philadelphia. There’s a club there that had really low ceilings, which reminded me of this old club called Space in Miami. Aesthetically that was one of the cooler venues because it didn’t look like the rest of them.

How would you describe the music you’re writing right now?

The new stuff is definitely big room, but at the same time I’ve also written some moody stuff. To be honest, it gets lonely out there on the road sometimes, so there are some tracks that have more emotion. I think it’s a good balance.

What are you listening to right now?

I’ve been listening to a lot of the classic rock stuff. I go through these cycles, and Pink Floyd is what I always go back to. Before this show I studied Dark Side of the Moon — all the shows and all the concerts — and for me there’s no bigger inspiration than Pink Floyd.

What are your top three songs at the moment?

“ID,” “ID,” and “ID.” [Laughs] Two of the biggest tracks on the tour have been “Nothing Without Me” — everywhere I go everyone is singing along to that one — and “Love Rain Down on Me.” Also I did a remix of an old classic, “Solar Coaster” by Solarstone, and I brought that out on the tour. It’s just one of those moments when the fans are blown away, so that’s been one of the surprise tracks on the tour.

How is life on the tour bus?

It’s not quite as glamorous as it is in the movies. You’ve got a bed in the back, and you think you’re going to sleep on that bed, but the roads in the US are quite bouncy, so that doesn’t really happen.

How do you feel about playing in the US as opposed to elsewhere in the world?

It’s amazing. From Albuquerque to Tulsa to LA, it’s amazing what this music has done, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes now. Going to someplace like Tulsa and having the fans come up to me afterwards and thank me for coming to them because they travel all over and are so passionate… We have a merch table at every show, and by the end of the show everyone is wearing t-shirts. I feel so lucky to be a part of the scene in the US.

How does it feel to be the number one DJ in the US?

DJ Times has built this out as a victory tour, but for me it’s a “Thank you” tour. Whether I’m playing for 5 fans in my living room or thousands at Avalon, I love this music, and there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. I’m just one of the lucky ones because I’ve met so many talented people around the world who are struggling to get their music heard.

How do you prepare for a 12-hour set?

Musically I prepare three different sets: an opening set, a peak hour set with all the strobes and confetti, and my rabbit hole set. After that, I freestyle it and feel the crowd. When I was a resident DJ, that’s all I did. I’d show up with my records and feel the crowd, so for me those long sets are when I can do that again.

How did the New World Punx collaboration come about?

Ferry Corsten and I were hanging out at a barbecue in Ibiza, and we were chatting about music and styles. We realized how alike we were with everything from music to production to the fans, so we decided to get in the studio and make a track together.

When we were in the studio, we had so much fun! We then had a couple of dates where we spun back to back, and it was so successful that we started getting calls from promoters to do back to back sets. We decided we needed to give ourselves a name so that people would know when we were going to do those sets, so we combined the name of one of my biggest tracks (“The New World”) and the second part from one of Ferry’s tracks (“Punk”) and put it together.  

In the beginning, we wanted to update old classics, calling it “Old Tunes in New Jackets,” but now we’ve started writing some original tracks as well. The trance scene can get pretty serious, and we want to put a bit more fun back into it and not be so serious.

What’s the magic between you and Avalon?

There aren’t a lot of places left like this in the world. They have such an amazing combination of the community, sound, production, and management. They get it. I’ve played in some places where security is trying to push everyone out the door, but that’s not what I’m all about. I want it to be an after party as well as the main party.

Would you ever consider an Avalon residency?

I’d love to live here and play shows here every single night, but unfortunately there are only 52 weeks in a year and there are other cities in the world where the fans deserve shows too.

You’re doing an open-to-close set at Tomorrowland. How does that feel?

I’m worried about that one because at Avalon I have fans on the side keeping me cool, but at Tomorrowland I’ve played two-hour sets and come out drenched in sweat. Playing there all day long should be interesting.

Are there any younger acts that we should be on the lookout for?

KhoMha, of course. Everytime he makes a track I just have to take a step back and listen at full volume. Also Orjan Nilsen is really good and diverse. I’ve heard some of his deeper stuff, and I think it’s outrageous. The scene is rich with young talent.

Where do you see trance going in the next couple years?

Hopefully a good balance of serious trance and fun trance — not the fighting in between it. I think there’s a place for everything. When I do my radio show, I try to get a bit heavy, and then when I do the live shows, I want people to leave feeling good.

Years ago I went to a show by The Cure. I love the Cure, and they do the best depressing music ever, but when I left the show, I felt awful. I think about those memories, and even though I make some dark, depressing music, I don’t ever want people to leave my show feeling depressed. I want them to leave feeling awesome and like they had a good release.

If you could give a younger version of yourself advice, what would you say?

When I first started off I remember riding my bike home from a gig, and it was brutal because I rode for 20 miles with a stack of records on my handlebars. I went past this construction zone, and they were watering the area to keep the dust down, but the combination of the oil and water made the road really slippery and I crashed.

I was all bloody, and my records went all over. I laid there looking at the stars, and I thought to myself that if a car hit me, I wouldn’t even care. If I could go back in time, I’d tell that kid laying in the street, “Get your ass up. Everything is going to be amazing.”

After my talk with Markus, I went into Avalon and enjoyed an unbelievable display of visuals, sound, and music in the quintessential listening environment. The room was packed with screaming and chanting fans who sang and danced nonstop at this party that went until 8am. The crowed went crazy when he dropped “Nothing Without Me,” a song whose official music video has more than 1 million views on YouTube, and with tracks like ”Love Rain Down” and ”Digital Madness,” Markus slayed those unicorns left and right.

While Avalon has one of the most incredible state-of-the-art sound and visual systems in LA, the multi-layered and multi-dimensional visuals that Markus brought took over the club from top to bottom, immersing the audience in lights and colors in sync with his pulsing beats. Without a doubt, this was one of the most visually stunning and energetic performances I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

For More Info:

Markus Schulz
The M Machine
KhoMha

Watch this video on YouTube.

Jones’ signature style and groove created a standard that could not be met elsewhere, and the song marked the start of a career that became one of the most respected among jazz, blues, and funk musicians. He is a one of a kind artist who began his career playing as a studio musician in some of the earlier Stax recordings, but since then, he has released nine solo albums and earned a handful of Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award.

On June 25th, Jones will play a special show at El Rey Theatre. Not only can the audience expect a stellar performance from Jones, but also an incredibly talented special guest band. I’m not one for rumors (yes, I am), but being that they recorded and performed with Jones on his last album, The Roots would be great candidates as the backing band for such an exclusive and rare event. And why not? They will be playing at Club Nokia for the BET awards just a few days later. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

Don’t miss this show! Tickets go on sale tomorrow, May 17th, at 10 AM.

For more info:

Booker T. Jones

Ariel Pink @ Hollywood Forever – Friday, May 17th – Sold Out

The Los Angeles-based artist has become something of a critical darling in recent years with his band Haunted Graffiti. Last year’s Mature Themes was just the latest in a series of well-received releases, and now Ariel Pink brings his show home to the unique confines of Hollywood Forever. The show will be intimate and is understandably sold out, so you might have to stand outside with a big stick a couple of hours before showtime to get a ticket for this one.

Big Boi and Killer Mike – House of Blues – Saturday, May 18th – Tickets

Two hip-hop titans are hitting the stage on the Sunset Strip this weekend in a dynamite double bill. Big Boi has long since graduated from being one half of Outkast to become a truly great solo artist in his own right, while Killer Mike (who first gained attention working with Outkast years ago) has just released the best album of his career with last year’s R.A.P. Music. This one is going to be special.

The Lucent Dossier Experience Private Party – Downtown LA – Saturday, May 18th – Tickets

If you’re interested in seeing a visual spectacle as well as hearing some heart-pounding music, then the Lucent Dossier Experience is for you. Tickets are still available for both of their LA dates this weekend, and their mix of vaudeville performance, epic dance music, and interaction with a no doubt startled audience is something not to be missed. Look out on the LA Music Blog next week for an extended feature on the troupe.

For better or worse, Daft Punk’s popularity has far transcended the boundaries of the EDM bubble thanks to a now-legendary set at Coachella 2006, the unprecedented success of their Alive 2007 tour, and, perhaps, because of their elusiveness since. Excepting the Tron: Legacy soundtrack, Random Access Memories is the first studio album from the duo in over eight years. Eight. Years. Do me a favor and let that sink in for a bit.

The album begins with the funk-laden “Give Life Back To Music,” which peppers in healthy servings of the duo’s signature robotic vocals. Though it admittedly leans a bit more on the repetitive side than I would have liked, the track is reminiscent of the Daft Punk of yore and is guaranteed to work admirably in a live setting.

My verdict on the album’s second track, “The Game Of Love,” is a resounding “Meh.” The song feels as though it’s shooting for seductive but winds up sounding more like a George Michael track if George Michael had decided to start scoring porn.

Then comes the glorious “Giorgio By Moroder,” a sprawling nine-minute homage to album collaborator and electronic legend Giovanni “Giorgio” Moroder. Although some will no doubt criticize the track’s length, it is one of my favorites from not only the album but the duo’s entire catalog. A progressive exploration of all the genres that have shaped modern house, it’s a mesmerizing opus that culminates with a stunningly structured orchestral breakdown. Should I ever be recorded on video engaging a supervillain in an epic battle, I want the second half of this song acting as the background music.

To me, the somber-yet-boring next track, “Within,” was an oddly placed one as it effectively killed my musical buzz. “Instant Crush,” which features The Strokes’ frontman Julian Casablancas, works to restore some of that momentum with its delicately layered sound that so beautifully conveys longing. It’s a dazzling song (I can’t help but think of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” when I hear those opening guitar notes, though).

Seeing as how I was pretty lukewarm on the album’s lead single, “Get Lucky,” I found myself wishing the duo’s other collaboration with Pharrell Williams, “Lose Yourself To Dance,” had been released in its stead. It’s comparably radio-friendly but offers up more in terms of song progression and complexity. Personally, though, I don’t find Pharrell’s chivalrous offer of his shirt as a perspiration absorber to be particularly sexy.

Put bluntly, “Touch” is weird. It begins as bleepy-bloopy garbled noise before Paul Williams starts belting out the opening lyrics as though he just came straight out of the Phantom of the Opera. Then comes the disco. If that sounds like it’d be jarringly disjointed, that’s because it is. The album version of the catchy lead single “Get Lucky” fares better than the radio edit, but I still found it to be a somewhat unremarkable single.

From here, the album goes on a more consistent streak. “Beyond,” another album favorite of mine, opens with an elaborate, string-filled fanfare before Daft Punk’s signature robot vocals find their way back into the album and guide you on a soothingly mellow and seductive musical path reminiscent of Chromeo but sexier. “Motherboard” will no doubt be off-putting to those whose only real exposure to electronic music is, er, Daft Punk, but it’s a starkly ambient departure from anything I’ve heard from them, and I love it for that.

While listening to “Fragments of Time,” you might recognize Todd Edwards’ vocal stylings from “Face To Face” off the duo’s sophomore release, Discovery. The former is a similarly fun and accessible tune, though I’m admittedly more partial to the latter. Animal Collective’s Panda Bear makes a guest appearance on “Doin’ It Right,” which I find to be a decent track but nothing more.

Over an hour after starting the album, we come to its final track, “Contact,” and wow, what a track. It begins innocuously enough before the organs butt in shortly before the one-minute mark. From here onward, the track becomes a progressive journey that steadily builds in sheer intensity as it rockets headfirst toward the end. It’s a face-melting banger of a track that will absolutely obliterate the crowd when it’s played live.

From a genre exploration perspective, the ground Daft Punk covers for this release is incredibly broad. Perhaps that’s what makes reviewing this particular body of work so ridiculously harrowing. Looking at the wide spectrum of genres Daft Punk delves into and the intricate production of it all, it’s plainly evident that Random Access Memories is their most ambitious album to date and understandably so since they’re essentially condensing eight years of new thoughts and influences into one package.

The inherent problem that’s presented as a result is a general lack of cohesion. The album definitely has some pretty fucking awesome moments, but it’s difficult to pick out those moments when listening to the entire album in one sitting, especially when you consider the fact that its runtime is close to 75 minutes.

It should go without saying that when you’ve had close to a decade to ruminate on a new album, expectations for its success are exponentially high. To this day I still remember the landscape-altering musical epiphany that followed my first listen of the duo’s sophomore album, Discovery, in 2001. It’s safe to say that Random Access Memories is nowhere near as transformative for me. That’s admittedly a lofty standard to be compared to, and it may not be a totally fair one, but it’s difficult not to judge musicians relative to their body of past work. In that respect, I can’t help but be a little disappointed by this release.

That being said, the strong tracks from Random Access Memories are bona fide gems. Though it’s a little early to make the call, I anticipate that “Giorgio By Moroder,” “Instant Crush,” “Beyond,” and “Contact” will rank favorably high when I look back on my favorite Daft Punk tracks. At the very least, they will undoubtedly be put on heavy rotation on my driving playlist for the next year. From a production standpoint, the album is masterfully polished, and while I don’t find it to be as listenable as their past releases as a whole, I can certainly appreciate the meticulousness that went into crafting this one.

To be clear, the album is a solid release. My downfall was expecting something more exemplary. Still, Random Access Memories will more than adequately hold me over until their next release, which will hopefully be here sooner than eight years from now.

Random Access Memories will be released on May 21st.

For more info:

Daft Punk

Fans of Hardwell’s progressive sound won’t find any surprises here. Krewella fans who aren’t into house might, for better or worse. This is big-room house, and it’s definitely meant to be played as such. Ditch those laptop speakers and grab some headphones if you want to give this one a listen. I’m thinking this’ll go over quite well with the EDC crowd later this summer; music like this never really sounds quite right unless you’re playing it through a 1.2 jiggawatt sound system.

For more info:

Hardwell

The club-ready record features vibrant synths that decorate the reverberating bass with laser-like precision and swirling sensibilities. The artist’s trademark ethereal vocals are still intact and provide the narrative for this dance-floor dreamscape about break-ups, meet-ups, and, well, dancing.

The album opens with “Motorway,” which blooms in an almost flower-like fashion. It is a warm-up for listeners; with a string intro, the track quietly builds to be pulsating yet delicate. From there, the album sheds its shyness, with the track arrangement perhaps reflecting Little Boots’ own reservations after having waited four years between full album releases.

The latest single off the album, “Broken Record,” provides a palpable urgency and has recently been delightfully remixed by Cosmic Kids. At the album’s midway mark, Little Boots introduces us to more markedly disco-influenced tracks with the infectious “Beat Beat” coyly winking at the polyester ‘beep beep’ boogies of Donna Summers’ “Bad Girls.”

True to its name, Nocturnes is an album for which the lights should be turned down low, and ultimately, Little Boots has crafted a masterpiece of kaleidoscopic dance floor synths and disco throwback ripe for club play.

For more info:

Little Boots