Days that threaten Rain, and Hercules & Love Affair

Today the forecast in LA says "rain". However when I got to work it had not yet rained, although clouds hovered gorgeously over the 10 freeway. I work in a completely enclosed office so I have no idea whether the rain has begun yet, or even still threatens to. It's only March 2nd though and in my opinion it SHOULD be raining, even in LA, so I'm clinging to a picture in my mind that Santa Monica is entrenched in downpour. It makes me feel cuddly and happy to be working when it is raining.

And what does rain bring, but a need to listen to good music while you curl beneath a blanket! Hercules and Love Affair put out their album almost exactly a year ago... and yet, it still rings through my earbuds. I cannot get enough!

Today I'm posting Blind, as it came out a year ago tomorrow.
And I'm posting a remix of Raise Me Up from the fanTAStic compilation Kitsune´Tabloid, Compiled and Mixed by Digitalism, which was released last summer. I cannot recommend that album highly enough. So good.

Another reason this post is slightly relevant.. I am on a 2 week countdown to visit Portland, this time to see Kim Ann from Hercules and Love Affair do a DJ set at Branx.!!! It happens Saturday March 14th and they are playing with Linger and Quiet. It's gonna be a really good time.



Blind - Hercules and Love Affair
Raise Me Up - Hercules and Love Affair (from Kitsune´Tabloid)

Follow me now! (And Some Daft Punk Cuz I'm Nice)

So it turns out that kitties don't really like the snow. I placed Li'l Ira in a patch of snow only about 1 inch high and he freaked and ran back to the pavement. Now he just whines at the door to get out, and when he's out there he just runs back inside, paces around a bit and whines to go back out. I'd leave the door open but it's like 25 degrees out! 

The snow is freaking crazy here. It makes the city so beautiful, but Portland is really not equipped to handle more than a day of snow and this arctic weather is not showing signs of warming for the rest of the week! There's ice all over the road and my car went skidding about today. Tomorrow I am definitely staying in! But it is VERY fun to have snow for a short amount of time.

I added a new gadget on the side of the blog so you can follow the blog if you want. Just click to follow thedancingpanda so you can get updates when I make them! Pretty please? It would make me feel good about myself, and what else are blogs all about?

And here is some Daft Punk just because it never gets old!

Daft Punk - Fresh

The Year's Best Viral Video (And The Junior Boys)

The only "best of 2008" thing I'm going to do this year is post the best viral video of the year. Probably you've seen it. Hopefully you've seen it. But just in case you haven't, I've got it posted below. This is of course the ingenious "Barack-Roll"... what better sums up the year consumed by election than this video? And of course the amazing follow up "John McCain getting Barack-rolled" video.

Also posted are some great Junior Boys re-mix tracks. During the shortest days of the year, these tracks really feel good. The FM re-mix has this amazing build around the 4 1/2 minute mark that sounds like the "falling" from Super Mario Bros. Check it out and see if you agree. The original FM is so chill and awesome, the re-mix really feels good though. Enjoy!

FM - Junior Boys

FM (Tensnake Re-mix) - Junior Boys

Sleep Tonight (Junior Boys Re-mix) - Stars

In The Morning (Hot Chip Re-mix) - Junior Boys

How to keep warm (with Goshi Goshi)

This week in Portland we are expecting some pretty low temperatures... in fact, it might even (shhh, don't jinx it) snow! After living in LA for 7 years, this will be a real treat for me. I plan to get bundled up, throw snowballs, and then take my cat out in it to see how he likes it. I'm sure warm-weather animals just love being abandoned in snow drifts!


But in this cold weather am I posting Christmas music and elf gifs? Heck no!
The music I've got for you today is a fantastic desert-bound, manic, erratic, dance beat from newcomer Goshi Goshi (which means 'scrub scrub' in Japanese in case you were wondering). Goshi Goshi has just signed to The Young Punx label MofoHifi.


I've long been a fan of The Young Punx and I was sure I had posted some of their tracks before, but I can't seem to find the old post. The Young Punx are a London-based collective and they've put out some of my favorite re-mixes. One in particular sampled The Carpenters weird sci-fi anthem "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" and I've always really dug it.
Anyway this Goshi Goshi track 'The Lock Shot' will make you burn holes in the bottom of your shoes. Pull it aside for your New Year's party playlists, because fucked up people will love this shit. I want to hear The Lock Shot when I'm deep in the drunken, dancing trance on a packed dancefloor. Check it out, and these great Young Punx tracks also that I meant to post a long time ago, but apparently never got around to it (big surprise, right?)

Goshi Goshi - The Lock Shot
The Young Punx - Interplanetary (Digital Dog Mix)
The Young Punx - Fire

Hello Disco! (I'm talking Kennedy)

Disco is back! Hadn't you heard? It's doing great stuff these days like bringing back sequined catsuits...
getting people back onto the roller skating rink, (that's me!) and returning to the dancefloor.

Yesterday while listening to my Pandora station I was introduced to Kennedy, an eclectic artist who seems to be underrepresented on the internet. He's got a couple really great disco songs, though he seems to really be a party animal with a diverse sound. The song that really caught my attention was "Karate". It's a sugary sweet disco track that needs to be a huge hit. I highly recommend checking it out. The song came out early November on the "Life is An Afterparty" EP.
Also catching my ear was a single from last year "Your Mama" which is a fun disco tune as well. It's crying out for a re-mix to up its danceability. Who's up for the challenge? Do it!

Here's the video for Your Mama.



Kennedy - Karate
Kennedy - Your Mama
You can buy his tracks on Amazon and iTunes.

An Awesome Portland Winter Soundtrack (with Gejius)

So apparently December is as beautiful in Portland as November is. Today the skies are clear blue and I can see a snowy Mount Hood from my porch. It's cold, pretty, and I feel that there's some partying to be done tonight. (Plug: emerging artist Chloe Richard is showing her photography tonight at Valentine's from 6-9 with DJs and drinks.)

My lovely day's soundtrack is provided today by local Portland artist Gejius (pronounced Jee-Jus). The tracks I've got are totally groovy and atmospheric. The re-mix of The Fast Computers' Gravity/Love (from their 2007 release Heart Geometry, which is also really awesome) reminds me of some of my favorite Erlend Øye tracks, with the soft vocals atop a really kicking beat.
The track Makkuro Kurosuke has a looping piano at its base. The vocals are an eerie sound calling up the image of teenagers crashing a vacant playground. I wouldn't say it's completely danceable, but certainly perfect for hiding out in my house, feeling wintry, beat and all.

If you are local, Gejius is playing at Pi-rem on December 13th. I might have to stop by
(it helps that he's totally cute!).


Gejius - Makkuro Kurosuke
Gejius - So Sad (Gravity/Love remix)
The Fast Computers - Gravity/Love

My new location (and BPA, Toe Jam & Seattle)

I've been really busy lately with the following: quitting my job, feeling depressed about quitting my job, packing all my stuff up, stressing about moving, and... moving.
So I've finally moved from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest. Portland, to be specific. And. it. is. beautiful. Rainy, gray, with autumn leaves on the ground, sun peeking through the clouds, coffee, fashion, music. I'm in heaven, I swear.

To celebrate, let's all enjoy a song about another beautiful Pacific Northwest city, Seattle. The video has a really great concept and I just love the upbeat melody. I really wish I had been listening to this song on repeat on my way up the coast.



Also posted is another new track from BPA, Toe Jam, featuring David Byrne. Toe Jams got a ton of remixes already and has its own video, using "censor bar art". Very cute and entertaining. (As my cinematographer boyfriend watched over my shoulder he said seriously 'That must have been pretty fun to shoot' and I just kind of turned around and gave him a look.)



A little bit about BPA (The Brighton Port Authority)... It is a collaboration put together by Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), featuring artists including David Byrne (The Talking Heads), Iggy Pop, Emmy the Great, Jamie T, Dizzee Rascal ... The list goes on. Check out their website to see the full list of eclectic noise makers filling the bill. I'm expecting pretty great music to come of this after hearing these latest tracks. The album releases January 20th and the Toe Jam single is available now.



BPA - Seattle (Crazy P Remix)
BPA - Seattle (Jamie Fanatic Remix)
BPA - Toe Jam (feat. David Byrne)
BPA - Toe Jam (Database Remix)

You can buy a bunch more Toe Jam remixes here.