The Cold Cut

Ashwin here.

So guys, this week I've been making a mixtape for a friend, and I figured a good way to introduce myself would be by posting it on here for you lovely people.

But first, let me extol the virtues of the cassette mixtape over a CD. I'm sure plenty of people think cassettes are obsolete these days, but in my opinion they serve a vital role.

Practically, in some ways they're more useful. You can only store 80 minutes of music on an audio CD, but 90 on a cassette. They're also more durable, it's hard to snap a tape in half by accident. Tapes are prettier too. Case in point: the first google image result for cassette, vs the first google image result for CD...





which would you rather stick in your stereo?

The most important thing though, and I cannot stress this enough, is this:

sequential access

i.e. to listen to a track you have to have listened to (or fast forwarded past) all of the tracks before it. This is the real magic of a mixtape. With a mixtape, you can tell a story, build up to crescendos, and make the listener expect and receive whatever you want. When you can instantly skip to any track you want, this power is lost. You've gone from a musical novel to simply a group of tracks. You've lost your power over the listener forever without sequential access.

Nevertheless, here is my mixtape in all of its digital, skippable glory. Hope you like electro.

Justice vs Daft Punk vs Kanye West vs A-Trak vs Diplo- Fortisphère (Immuzikation Blend) (Link 2)

What happens when you take the songs below, splice them and force them into a shell of 3 minutes? 'Fortisphere'. In a time when many people are talking about the end of the world, this is the song that I would want to go out to.

• Justice - Planisphère Part 1
• Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
• Kanye West - Stronger
• Kanye West - Stronger (A-Trak Remix)
• Kanye West and Daft Punk - Stronger (Live at the Grammy's)
• Diplo - Work is Never Over
  

It's reassuring that some things never change. Even though the stock market is slowly dying, and the world is rumoured to end sometime soon, one thing has never changed. No matter what, I can always rely on a new track from Immuzikation gracing my ears every now and then. And that's why we love him so damn much.

The latest and greatest from Alfredo is 'Fortisphere', a truly epic piece of mash-up magic that combines most of the things I love and somehow manages to not screw it up. This song is destined for a live outing soon- no club, stadium or galaxy is too big for this song.

'Fortisphere' is just another string to Immuzikation's bow- if someone doesn't snap this guy up soon I might have to start my own record label and do the honours.

Myspace

Will here, and as promised, a new face. Be warned- with a musical knowledge that spans across galaxies, Ashwin is here, and he takes no prisoners. Enjoy.

Hey guys, I'm the new guy here at The Cold Cut, I'm Ashwin and it's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm no fan of small talk when there's music to be argued over.

So while Bloc Party seem to be moving away from the guitars and onto the synths with their latest surprise release, Justice seem to be doing the opposite.

Their new release was commissioned by Dior Homme for their new fashion show. It shies away from the more lightweight, simple, glitchy hooks of their album, and takes a more Waters of Nazareth approach to things. The tracks are intense, exciting, even involving a massive guitar solo in the final act. A guitar solo, in electro!

You all know why the dance world fell in love with Justice in the first place, that gritty, messy, just downright thrilling grungy sound, and the rock flavour accentuates that no end. It sounds more like Justice than ever, unapologetic electro in the high polished world of fashion. Enter Planisphère.

Now comparisons will always be drawn with Daft Punk when it comes to Justice, and DP themselves did a killer track for Louis Vuitton. This is more some kind of hectic electro opera though, with it's overarching melodies and hooks. Think Intersterlla 5555 kind of thing. I can see Justice doing a feature film if they keep stuff like this up. Man, that has to happen.
Anyway, enjoy the tracks.

Justice - Planisphère, Part 1 [Link 2]

p.s. Will pronounces Justice differently to me. I say Justice, he says Justeece. I think I'm right though, since in the introductions to Ed Bangers compilations, they say Justice. Opinions? [Will: I'm just trying to sound French!]

Myspace [BUY]

So, same old, same old. I will now be enjoying my last day of Barcelona. I've never done this before, but here's a little role play of what I believe my Sunday in Barca will be like:

"Ooh, it's sunny here. 30 degrees, in fact (Celsius, people!). Let's go grab some chocolate con churros. Ooh, Sagrada Familia/Park Guell. Lovely. More food. More drink. It's baking hot now. Walking down to the Olympic Port. Chilled afternoon. Wait until 9.30. Finally grab more food. More drink. Flight Home. End."

As you can see, it should be fun. Anyway, short on time to create this post, (my flight to Barcelona leaves in a few hours and I'm not ready yet) so a few more tracks to keep you busy.

Coldplay Vs. Nas- If I Viva La Vida (Starters Remix) (Link 2)
Justice Vs. Wu-Tang Clan- C.R.E.A.M. Your Friends (Link 2)
Britney Spears Vs. Justin Timberlake- Break The Ice (Raza Remix) (Link 2)
Yoav Yoav- Adore Adore (modwheelmood remix) (Link 2)
Black Kids- Partie Traumatic (Link 2)

I'm going to keep this as short as possible: this post is acting as one of my 'breaks'... let me just fill you in. I'm at school at the moment, on study leave, and doing exams (every other day, it seems). To be honest, I'm wiped out. There is something sad about the existence that all final year students have at this point: much partying lies over the horizon, but at the moment all I do is sleep, get up, work. Rinse and repeat. It's boring, and at this moment, I'm severely tired of maths, chemistry and physics.

A few things to clear up: I apologise to all of you who have been sending me nice emails with music at the moment. I know I've been shit... Let me explain: I'm at school, and when I'm here I can't access MySpace or many other similar sites, so as much as I would love to listen to your music (trust me- I always listen to submissions... always), I can't post tracks unless you send me mp3 files. This wont be the case for much longer- I'll be out of here in 3 weeks. Oh, and please keep filling up my inbox. I love it, and promise to catch up when I'm free.

Okay, so just going to rattle out some of the great stuff from my inbox, and a few new tracks that I completely missed.

The Subways are back. Who, you might ask? Well, back in 2004, this three-piece were a huge indie hit: their songs were featured in various TV ads and also the O.C. (always a sign of success... sic). They're due to release their new album on 30th June, 'All Or Nothing'. Early signs show that the four year break has been very beneficial. Download the two new album tracks below. Myspace

The Subways- Alright (Link 2)
The Subways- Girls And Boys (Link 2)

I'm not entirely sure about this Justice remix of 'Electric Feel'. It's a little bit of a clanger, and the pitch change takes the retro vibe from the original. Regardless, it's a Justice remix, and whilst I'm beginning to think they need a break, it's another remix to add to their pile of inventive re-tools.

MGMT- Electric Feel (Justice Remix) (Link 2)

Okay- I'm starting to run out of steam (the little I even have left):

The Brakes- Into The Ground (Link 2)
Wow. Please bear in mind that this is live. Unbelievably tight. That's the kind of bond formed by a band who all went to middle school together, and have been recording since then. Myspace

CHAINGANG- Holiday (Link 2)
I eagerly await more news from this Australian group. Crunching bass, some urgent vocals and a new sound (very rare these days) have already set these guys apart. Impressive. Myspace

Roses, Kings, Castles- Sparklin Bootz (Link 2)
If you had told me that Adam Ficek from Babyshambles has a better voice than Pete Doherty, I wouldn't know what to make of it. And I don't. Oh, and his music is a little more tame that 'Fuck Forever'. Myspace

Webbafied- Can't Tell Me Nothing/Garbage (Link 2)
Webbafied- Phantom Part II (Link 2)

One of my favourite up and coming artists, Webbafied, has started to make some serious progress. I wrote a 'Definitive Justice' post a few months ago, and his tracks went to the top of the hype machine, as well as the post receiving a huge volume of hits and comments.

I know Webb has a load of great friends and we are all rooting for him: if you haven't downloaded it yet, 'Webbafied Does It Justice' is one of the best free releases of last year (yes, including 'In Rainbows'). He sent me an email update recently:

"So...my band mate Morgane invited me to the Release Party for ED REC VOL.3...LIVE in Paris, France...Of course I accepted the invite and got into party mode...assume of you may know, my latest project 'WebbaFied Does It Justice' is a cover of the Ed Banger Records Release 'Cross'

So it was a very good look for me to be in the house with these folks..hmmmm...Lemme rephrase that....not in the house..but ON THE BOAT...these dudes rented a boat for the party...it was nuts...we we're on La Seine at midnight when the Eiffel Tower lights up and shit..It was so ill!!!

Despite all the great scenery and extreme inebriation I had some promotional work to do...the first Person I polly'd with was DJ A TRAK...i don't know what the hell he was doing there but I'm glad I got to build with him...he was cool...talked about the buzz surrounding the Glow in The Dark tour...chatted about my project...and kept bumpin into each other for the rest of the night...It wasn't that big of a boat...oh...and his set was crazy...I got to build with DJ Medhi and he seemed impressed by the concept of the project...

I met both of the dudes from Justice...I hit one of them with a CD...He loved the idea of the project and assured me he would check it out...one of the dudes from Justice and Medhi did a set...and body'd it...the crowd was huddled around the DJbooth...it was funky as hell..it smelled like hot locker room and onions... Last but not least was Busy P...he was cool as hell...me and him kicked a lot throughout the night...I told him the details of the project and he was impressed with the fact that we didn't chop up their music...that I just rode it out as it was...he seemed genuinely interested in what i did...we had drinks..talked some shit....we really got it popping...he knew some of the people I came with so we were all just going in!! It was classic...
Left the boat at like 4:30am...got a crepe...hit the train...and hit the sack..."

Webbafied sent me some great photos: I'm pleased to see that he's making some serious progress. Visit Webbafied's Myspace and download his 'Hits Of The Year: Volume 1' and 'Webbafied Does It Justice' albums free. Now that Justice have a copy of his album I'm pretty sure things are going to get mental: more online exposure and some magazine interviews over the summer, no doubt. I can't wait!

Some very scary and mind blowing events took place over the last few days. It has rapidly dawned on me that these next few weeks will be the end of an era. Just over a month today, I will be leaving school, and wont have anything to really work for any more. It's both exciting and frightening. Luckily, I've secured a brilliant placement for my gap year with IBM (in short- dream job), and have also lined up some work experience with a certain car manufacturer (a clue: initials AM) for summer 2009.

I had my first A2 exam yesterday: M1, or mechanics, something that I should really be good at considering its the basis of my degree (mechanical engineering). I thought it went well, and now I must get back to the pile of work/job stuff that is building up in my room.

Anyway, I must apologise for my lack of inspiration or originality lately: I'm right in the thick of exam revision, and compiling a mixtape or trawling through my inbox is proving a bit time-consuming. However, my mid-term break is coming up on Saturday, and I have nine days to do loads of work and infuse this blog with some much needed inventiveness.

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Lupe Fiasco- The Coolest Vs. Let There Be Light (Justice Remix) (Link 2)
Lupe Fiasco- Lu Yourself (Link 2)

'Cross' and 'The Cool' were two of my favourite albums last year. I love Lupe Fiasco. I love Justice. Therefore nothing in the music world is as exciting as the prospect of Justice remixing the whole of Lupe's amazing second album. The above song is just the tip of the iceberg...

“I’m remixing the album with Justice, I’m gonna shout out to Justice”. It's comforting that the two outfits are working closely together, so the material can be treated with respect.

I've also included a Lupe rarity: Lupe is currently on the 'Glow In The Dark' tour, opening in front of N.E.R.D., Rihanna and Kanye West. Reviews have been varied: the general consensus is that Kanye's ego is growing a little too big even for a stage to accommodate (hence his solo performance... no backing singers etc.) and that Lupe Fiasco is a legend in the making. 'Lu Myslef' clarifies that fact: Lupe raps over Eminem's hit, exercising his huge lyrical wit:

"Since you don't have half the stance like an amputee, You don't have half the pants that it takes to command a family, a fan, or command a fee... So you will never get the ransom you demand from me! The goodnews' my foot's loose, my hands are free."

[Buy]

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The Hold Steady- Sequestered In Memphis (Link 2)

A few days ago, The Hold Steady released their first single- 'Sequestered In Memphis'- from their forthcoming album 'Stay Positive'. This single shows no sign of progression, but really, do The Hold Steady need to change?

'Stay Positive' is more a message for the band than for their fans. They will need comforting when few people buy the album, regardless of the fact that they're one of the best bands making music at the moment.

[Buy]

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Beck- Chemtrails (Link 2)

I haven't always been a Beck fan, 'Odelay' was the sound of undistilled talent, and a couple of tunes on his recent album were quite quirky. However, barring that, I don't agree with the view held by many of my contemporaries- that he is a genius.

'Chemtrails' highlights an eerie new direction; already miles away from the fun and games of 'Cellphones Dead'. The best way to describe this song would be 'ethereal': I felt like I was wading through it (in a good way). After a few plays it has done considerable work in bringing me over to the dark side.

[Buy]

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Vampire Weekend- Campus (Rostam Batmanglij version) (Link 2)

Unreleased demos always cause a ruckus when they're set free: however, rarely are they superior to the studio version's. It's an interesting fact that in the recording process, 'Campus' has had something taken away from it. The strings arrangements on the album version are inferior, and the atmosphere of a uni campus on a summer's day is swiftly put across by the softer vocals.

And the most important thing this points out is that their self titled debut could have been even better. A scary thought.

[Buy]

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Cool Stuff

1. If you weren't aware of Datpiff, head over there right now. It is far and away the best place to find up and coming hip hop, rap and RnB artists, and the great part is that all the music is free. I have rediscovered some great artists, and am getting into new ones (Wale's '100 Miles And Running'- Highly recommended).

2. Coldplay are the centrepiece of the new iTunes advert, and it's breathtaking. With the soundtrack of 'Viva La Vida', the band perform in marching band style, complete with Apple's tell tale visuals. 'Viva La Vida- Exclusive On iTunes'.

When I first heard Justice's '†', I was impressed, but not as much as the hype said I should be. Worst of all, I found the Daft Punk comparisons confusing: they're a duo, and they're French. Must be the next Homem-Christo and Bangalter, then. Never mind the fact that their music is only loosely similar.

However, the album really crept up on me- mostly due to its marketing: the videos have all been excellent (watch DVNO, NOW), and the endless stream of remixes has kept up their exposure. Everyone has had a go, and whilst some have been more successful than others, there is no doubt that '†' is remix fodder. Even Justice have contributed- "What? So you weren't happy with the original song? Oh well...". Put it this way- wikipedia has a whole page devoted to Justice remixes. Here are a few of the best:

Justice- DVNO (Justice Remix)
Justice- Phantom Pt. II (Boyz Noize Remix)
Justice- D.A.N.C.E. (Les Rhythmes Digitales Remix)

Over the last few weeks, a more interesting application of '†' has emerged: the backing for a rap. Wale did it first, with the unbelievably amazing W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E., which I was only alerted to a couple of days ago. He really does kill it, and its an intuitive use of a brilliant song. I await his label debut: check out some mixtapes over at DatPiff.
'Cut beats; I'm a fucking word surgeon. Scalpel... Sponge... This working. D.A.N.C.E.'

Justice/Wale- W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.

Only minutes after hearing Wale's interpretation of the song, I received an email from Webbafied. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, this up and coming hip hop artist had me hooked from the moment I opened the email. Justice's '†', re-tooled with a rapper. The whole thing. Free. With the 'Grey Album', Dangermouse took two distant albums- The Beatles 'White Album' and Jay-Z's 'The Black Album'- and created something new, but retaining the quality of the original work. Webbafied has pulled off a familiar feat with 'Webbafied Does It Justice', except rather than working as a producer (like DM), he has lent his lyrical wit to the songs.

Justice/Webbafied- Let There Be Light
Justice/Webbafied- Stress

Admittedly, its an ambitious project, and not every track has the necessary space or vocal cues that Webbafied needs to work with. There are a handful of occasions, though, when the potential of such a project is fulfilled: the new version of 'Let There Be Light' sends shivers down my spine... 'Valentine' takes on a heartful meaning: 'Everyday is February 14th. Say my prayers hoping that you won't leave. All my life I waited for the right one. You're the type I need to mother my son.' Best of all, though, is 'DVNO', a song that has felt the power of ressurection. With So-Me's video and this re-tool, it is rapidly developing into my favourite Justice release, period.

The intelligence of Webbafied is clear: his interpretation of what the original songs are actually about is generally spot on. Artists hoping to cut a path into the big-time should follow his example: coupling your skills with an album of well known songs is a sure-fire way to get noticed. In doing so, he has already jumped the first hurdle: familiarity. And with a respect for the original material, he cannot fail: whereas Wale turns the backing treble right down, Webbafied waits for the gaps to do his thing. Sometimes, this creates awkward silences, but it's the right approach to take for an album interpolation.

You should check out Webbafied's MySpace page, where 'Webbafied Does It Justice' can be downloaded for free. Also, make sure you have a listen to his extensive back-catalogue.

Update: A behind the scenes look at the making of 'Webbafied Does It Justice'...

I doubt you will know So-Me (I didn't), but his work is inescapable. His music videos will probably rank in the 2007's most memorable lists: Justice's D.A.N.C.E, Kanye West's 'The Good Life'. Both great videos, but both toppled from their pedestal by So-Me's latest offering. Returning to Justice, the video for 'DVNO' is simply amazing. So-Me, an animator by nature, has put together something fresh, with graphics illustrating the words of the song and much, much more. Basically, if this doesn't win something, there's no hope for us. Watch it...

Justice- DVNO
Justice- DVNO (Youtube)

5 down, 15 to go. This is proving more taxing than I initially thought, but on the plus side the fact that I'm struggling emphasises the quality of music that has been released in 2007. Keep checking back daily for the countdown. Any guesses for my top 5? And what are yours?

15. Bloc Party- A Weekend In The City
I wasn't instantly won over by this, but the brilliance of 'Song For Clay', 'The Prayer' and 'On' had me in a head-lock from the start. The album won the battle, and its pleasing to see that their style is changing (and now we have Flux!). Unfortunately, they missed out on a golden opportunity by not releasing the B-Sides with the album- some of the bonus tracks are better than those on the release itself. Even without this addition, A Weekend In The City is a progressive, solid album, whichever way you look at it.

Favourite Track: Song For Clay (Disappear Here)

A brilliant opener, hectic and with more bass than ever seen on a Bloc Party song. Kele takes it to new heights with his falsetto. Tragically, the rest of the album couldn't quite live up to it, but it set the right tone straight off.

14. Justice- †
D.A.N.C.E. is one of my favourite tracks this year, and † lived up to the immense hype surrounding it. The common misconception is that Justice sound like Daft Punk, but as I've made efforts to point out, this really isn't the case. From experience, I've realised that you can't put this album on in the background (try learning for exams with †! Ain't happening...), and that when 'Genesis' kicks in, there ain't no going back. † demands your attention, and you had better give it.

Favourite Track: D.A.N.C.E.

It had to be, didn't it? Now all I have to do is find one of those awesome T-Shirts...

13. LCD Soundsystem- Sound Of Silver
Before Sound Of Silver, James Murphy was an unknown to me, his music an enigma. Despite this, I found it hard to ignore a well crafted, 9 track (no duds) dance album, held out in front of me by my brother. Crafted around the unstoppable trio of 'North American Scum', 'Someone Great' and 'All My Friends' (the latter two are both contenders for my favourite song of the year), Sound Of Silver is a rarity in that the dance beats are actuallly coupled with something meaningful, in the form of Murphy's lyrics.

Favourite Track: Someone Great

This one's for you, Michael! Destroys All My Friends on the emotion scale.

12. The Shins- Wincing The Night Away
The Shins are a frustrating band; whilst they might be big in America, they have yet to make an impact in the UK. That might be in the works, but an 'OC/Garden State effect' might help them along.

Just as with The Hold Steady, its great to see a group of 'older' guys making great music together. I absolutely loved Chutes Too Narrow, and with Wincing The Night Away, things only get better.

Favourite Track: Sleeping Lessons

This caught me off-guard the first time I heard it; unfortunately, it doesn't happen much in music nowadays, but I like being suprised...

11. Kings Of Leon- Because Of The Times
Third time around, the Kings took the road less travelled, and made things difficult for themselves. They emerged on the other side with the new outfits (skinny jeans, leather and new hair) and an updated sound. Because Of The Times pulls a new trick on us, and rather than re-hashing the excellent, but dated, Molly's Chambers and Red Morning Light, there are many signs of progression on their third album proper. Their most challenging, accomplished album to date.

Favourite Song: My Party

It is what it is- the high 'oooooohs' and the relentless guitar feedback make this gritty song into a classic. Textbook Kings with a twist. 'On Call' who?

Deep down inside, it really pains me to say this, but Justice are no longer the clear heirs to Daft Punk's large pyramid shaped throne. In fact, I would say they are close to being usurped from their 'temporary' position by Boyz Noize, a one man synth-king who regularly blows audiences away with his live performances.

I was incredibly surprised when I saw Justice at Lowlands this year, and it was much more of a 'performance' than I expected from two people. Their set-up was awesome, with two massive decks, a huge stack of speakers and their trademark neon cross. All in all, they gave a mind-blowing performance, linking songs together so that the sound was uninterrupted for an hour... but as good as Justice were, they didn't live up to my earlier claim as the rightful heirs to Daft Punk's legacy. In fact, when you hear them live you can tell quickly that theirs is a different style of dance music altogether.

My feelings have changed, but that's not to say that I don't believe Justice will go far with their unique style of music. The only thing is in Daft Punk's (extremely long absence) we all miss someone with their style, and in Boyz Noize, we may have found our substitute. Boyz Noize has obviously inherited their talent with samples: check out the tracks below for some clear proof. If you like his catchy dance tunes, "Oi Oi Oi", his new album, can be purchased here. Also, check out his myspace for a few more tracks (I have yet to dislike one of his remixes... check out Feist's "My Moon My Man" in particular).

Boyz Noize- & Down
Boyz Noize- Let's Buy Happiness

With the populatrity of dance acts such as Simian Mobile Disco and Justice, it might seem as if Daft Punk are beginning to lose their hold on their target market- they haven't released any new material since 2004. Under the alias of Daft Punk, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have created some seriously cool and smart electonica/dance music over the last two decades, which somehow penetrates your conscience whether you like it or not. As one of the most critically acclaimed dance acts ever (in terms of popularity and album sales) Daft Punk have produced two standout albums, Homework and Discovery, whilst their most recent material, Human After All, was really repetetive and didn't do well when it was released in September 2004. Don't let their latest album lead you into thinking the first two hit albums were produced by luck, however; these two guys aren't you're average Joe's... during their live performances they wear robot suits, and their faces have never been seen in clear view by the world (see images throughout the post of the robot suits and their anonymity). Their eccentricity really comes through in their live shows: during recent performances the band have performed in a giant pyramid (again, see pictures), not quite something I would call 'normal'....


The world-wide acclaim has caused the duo's songs to be remixed numerous times: most people in the world will have heard Kanye West's hit single Stonger by now, which samples Harder Better Faster Stronger, off of Discovery. Justice have also remixed songs, and they aren't afraid to show how much they owe to Daft Punk for pretty much inventing the French Dance Movement. Its very scary to look at how similar the two dance acts are: both are made up of two French citizens, and broke into the mainstream due to one song... Justice, though excellent, will be very lucky if they can emulate the success of Daft Punk. But before I start talking about them as if they are in the past, it is important to look at the prospects for the French Duo: due to constant remixes they are still very much in the limelight, and their live performances recently have recieved rave reviews: my brother was at the O2 festival this year and said that there performance was "the best thing he has ever seen" on a stage. With all that in mind, I doubt Daft Punk are just going to step aside and let up-and-coming bands such as Justice take over before their time is right.


I've included a few tracks below, which will hopefully give all of those who haven't heard of Daft Punk a chance to see what all the hype is about. Click the links individually to download the tracks, and be sure to buy some of Daft Punk's albums here...

Daft Punk- Harder Better Faster Stronger
Daft Punk- Technologic
Daft Punk- Digital Love

It appears that Justice have the smarts to match their seemingly endless ability to remix tracks and make them sound much better than the original; their new video for D.A.N.C.E.-their hit single- uses a frustratingly simple idea to great effect. Before I reveal too much, just watch the embedded video below, which features some cool t-shirts which I wish were real!

Well, I have been struggling to find a band worthy of writing about recently, after becoming completely immersed in the new Interpol album. But before I start talking about them (Again), I will talk about my latest favorite new band, The Whip. Their latest song, Divebomb, has been described by some as "the best song Daft Punk never made". Even amongst the intense competition created by other dance acts such as Simian Mobile Disco and Justice, The Whip are slowly carving out their own area of the dance music market. A four piece (3 blokes, one girl) from Manchester, there is a slow mounting buzz surrounding this band: they have received rave reviews from music outfits-NME and XFM to name a few- and their live performances are said to be "mesmerising". Well, I've been intently listening to a few tracks on a recommendation from my brother, and all six tracks I've heard have been great. There are three of the best tracks below, with Trash being the standout, and you can download them all here, or click on their respective links.

The Whip- Divebomb
The Whip- Trash
The Whip- Frustration

You can buy a 12" by the Whip here...

French dance music is very hip right now. Oh yes, Britain's greatest rivals from across the pond are churning out crossover dance hits effortlessly; most of us have heard Justice's hugely commercial single D.A.N.C.E. by now, an excellent song which will no doubt be unbelievably irritating come August. But don't for one minute think that this song came about through a bit of luck; no, Justice have got a truck load more songs to back them up, and their new album notoriously titled † has been receiving great reviews in all the major music magazines. And who can forget last years Never Be Alone, a massive hit in its own right, for which Justice were half responsible, alongside Simian Mobile Disco.

I will, without a doubt, be buying the album when it comes out: I've only heard a couple of tracks but I certainly haven't been disappointed. I suppose it is with this admission that it has fallen to Justice to be Daft Punk's natural successors as the saviours of French dance music; There's been a relatively dry spot in terms of great dance tunes since the likes of Homework and Discovery in Daft Punk's better years. Well, you only need to click the links below and download the two tracks I've include by Justice to see that this is all about to change. Enjoy, and please comment if you love Justice as much as I do. Also, has anyone out there heard the new Simian Mobile Disco album? Any good?

Justice- D.A.N.C.E.mp3
Justice-Me Against the Music.mp3