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Written by Gregg Shapiro
Sep 22, 2011
Cut Copy plays Turner Hall in Milwaukee on Sept. 22. – Photo: Courtesy
Yelle
Yelle’s straight (or non-gay) domination of the dance floor continues with a swirl of new releases, including “Safari Disco Club” (V2/Downtown). This one picks up the beats where Yelle left off with “Pop-Up.” You’ll be encouraged to don your pith helmets and head for the club, where you won’t have any trouble hunting and capturing reasons for dancing to “Comme un Enfant,” “Que Veux-Tu,” “J’ai Bu” and others, all sung en Francais.
Cut Copy
The album opener on “Zonoscope” is as exhilarating as the urban waterfall depicted on its cover. Titled “Need You Now,” it gets things off to a spectacular start. You can almost feel the spray – or is that your dance partner’s sweat? The thrills continue with “Take Me Over,” which sounds like it fell out of 1982. Other dance delights include “Pharoahs & Pyramids,” “Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution,” and “Corner of the Sky.”
STRFKR
Starfucker is a nifty name for a band, don’t you think? The Pacific Northwest-based trio’s third full-length “Reptilians” takes an interesting approach to getting you up and in motion. A playfully experimental quality saturates much of the record. Determined not to bore, Starfucker keeps the beats breezy and bright on songs such as “Julius,” “Bury Us Alive,” “Death as a Fetish” (featuring Mattress) and “Quality Time.”
Cold Cave
“Cherish the Light Years” by Cold Cave is a hot commodity that alternates between the audio slam of “The Great Pan Is Dead” and the updated new wave undertow of “Pacing Around the Church.” The cut “Confetti,” with its New Order influence, is cause for celebration. The horns on “Alchemy and You” conjure a kind of nostalgia. If the aptly named “Icons of Summer” doesn’t become a tea dance sensation, then shame on the DJs.
Jessica 6
Led by Nomi Ruiz (of Hercules and Love Affair fame), the trio Jessica 6 wastes no time in getting listeners’ asses in gear on “See the Light.” “White Horse” is a magnificent piece of dance music, and Ruiz’s distinctive vocal skills make it that much more special. “Prisoner of Love,” featuring guest vocalist Antony, has a lock on hipness and hip-shaking. “In the Heat” is a steamy blast from the past, while “Fun Girl” and “U Motion” live up to their names. The dramatic ballad “Not Anymore” gives Ruiz a chance to show off another side of herself.
Young Galaxy
Canadians Young Galaxy, featuring the husky Annie Lennox-esque vocals of Catherine McCandless, find their dance groove on “Shapeshifting.” “Blown Minded” is the exactly right title for a song that is capable of messing with your head and your feet. The strutting and relaxed “Peripheral Visionaries,” the funky and folky “Phantoms” and the handclap-inspiring “B.S.E.” are also standout cuts.
Holy Ghost!
Holy Ghost! scares up plenty of opportunities to dance on their self-titled DFA full-length debut disc. The blissed-out track “Wait and See” won’t keep dancers waiting long to move to it. The same goes for “Hold My Breath,” “Jam for Jerry” and the anything-but-slow “Slow Motion,” all of which will have dancers testifying to the power of dance music.
