Help Popwreckoning by Bookmarking us on Delicious

I’ve always really liked Simian Mobile Disco, the production and remix team, which I guess you could call a band. They formed from the ashes of Simian and the members consist of James Ford and Jas Shaw. Their music is electronic based but always original and most of the time, a little out there. “Audacity of Huge” is a track off of their last studio release Temporary Pleasure. I didn’t think I liked it at first but I actually really do. It’s just so damn catchy.

.Simian Mobile Disco – “Audacity of Huge”
The song starts off very odd. The sequencers bubble like hot water, releasing up and down bleeps that get your head bopping in almost no time. We’re treated to a strangely auto-tuned voice that is reminiscent of a robotic dog barking. The chorus sounds like a trippy group of Gregorian Monks. It’s just a twitching, funky, electronic piece of production with nonsensical lyrics about Joey Ramone, PM Dawn and Damien Hirst, to name but a few. Best part of the track is vocals, they’re youthful and sleek, and sung by Chris Keating of Yeasayer.

.Dada Life Guerilla Fart #10 Remix
I don’t even know where a title like that comes from. The mix itself is a similar production the original and it’s hard to tell them apart. The Dada Life mix is a little harder and faster, with a bit more of a techno touch. But the vocals and overall progression of the words are allowed to run through. The biggest difference is that this mix splices the song at various points to interject its own musical compositions. Slight, but noticeable.

.Allez Allez Remix
This is another one of those mixes that hardly has a sound similarity to the original. The only part that sticks it the underlying bass riff. Otherwise everything built on it is much more ethereal, instrumental, softer and significantly more peaceful. It feels very airy and dreamy. It’s a great tune to have on in the background or at a party when you’re aiming for something a little more low key than dance heavy.

.Simian Mobile Disco Space Cave Version
Done by the originals boys, this is a re-working of their own. Very similar in progression but stripped raw, hence the Space Cave name. It’s very clubby, trancey and for those ‘out of your mind’ dance experiences. No vocals here, just pure beats and bleeps.

Simian Mobile Disco: website | myspace

Brooklyn-based psychedelic dance funksters the Phenomenal Handclap Band have announced East Coast and Canadian tour dates for this fall. This tour follows a string of club dates in September across the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

If you haven’t seen them yet, do yourself a favor and catch them on the road now, because if their buzz around their debut album is any indication, their star is just about to rocket to the stratosphere.

For some of these tour dates, the band will be touring with Bajofondo, a South American electrotango group, and as previously reported by PopWreckoning, with Simian Mobile Disco. The Phenomenal Handclap Band also will play two gigs in New York: one with Brazilian Girls and Man Man at Governor’s Island on October 2, and another at Irving Plaza with Montreal electrofunk duo Chromeo on October 16.

Tour dates
Sept 30 – National / Montreal*
Oct 01 – Paradise / Boston*
Oct 02 – The Beach at Governor’s Island / New York City^
Oct 04 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC*
Oct 16 – Irving Plaza / New York City%
Nov 01 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC#
Nov 04 – Metro / Chicago#
Nov 06 – Mod Club / Toronto#
Nov 07 – SAT / Montreal#

* with Bajofondo
^ with Brazilian Girls and Man Man
% with Chromeo
# with Simian Mobile Disco

Phenomenal Handclap Band: website | myspace | @ le poisson rouge | @ liberation dance party, dc9
Bajofondo: website | myspace
Brazilian Girls: website | myspace
Man Man: website | myspace | rothbury: day 2
Chromeo: website | myspace | rothbury: day 2

Photo: Mary Chang

You like to dance, right? Then I’ve got the tour for you. English remix and electro house princes Simian Mobile Disco have announced dates for a fall North American tour. The duo comprised of James Ford and Jas Shaw will be hitting both American coasts as well as Toronto and Montreal. They will be joined by psychedelic funksters the Phenomenal Handclap Band for several dates. The tour kicks off October 28 at Boston’s Paradise.

To get a feel for their music, check out their trippy video for “Synthesise” directed by Kate Moross and Alex Sushon below.

Simian Mobile Disco’s new album Temporary Pleasure will be released in the States on September 15.

Tour dates
Oct 28 – Paradise / Boston
Oct 30 – Webster Hall / New York City
Oct 31 – Starlight Ballroom / Philadelphia
Nov 01 - 9:30 Club / Washington, DC*
Nov 04 – Metro / Chicago*
Nov 06 – Mod Club / Toronto*
Nov 07 – SAT / Montreal*
Nov 25 – Mayan Theatre / Los Angeles
Nov 27 – Mezzanine / San Francisco
Nov 28 – Wonder Ballroom / Portland

* with the Phenomenal Handclap Band

Simian Mobile Disco: website | myspace
Phenomenal Handclap Band: website | myspace | @ le poisson rouge | @ Liberation Dance Party, DC9