Toddska - Gal From England

The better side of the Toddla T and Roska collaboration. Real big fan of this tune and its a good sign that Toddla can still bring some serious vibes when he needs to. One assumes that when you're in the studio with Roska, you go more to the Skanky Skanky side of your catalogue rather than the poppier sounding, upcoming sophomore effort of Watch Me Dance.

Skanky Skanky is a favorite of mine. Really fun album without being cheesy (at least to my ears) and one of the first modern dance release that I heard a few years back that took me away from the straight up electro sound. While the first drops from the new album seem a bit cheesy to me, I hope some of the deeper album cuts bring it back to the Toddla sound from the first album.

I Feel Better

I still need to pick up the new Hot Chip album. Though the reviews haven't been stellar, they are one of my favorite groups and I should support them/make up my own mind. But still like most people I did see their batshit insane/fucking awesome video for I Feel Better and I do like that song.

My interest was further piked when I heard the Ill Blu remix of the track when the mighty Toddla T was taking over the Kissy Sell Out show on the BBC*. Its a fairly sweet tropical-funky take on the track and is well worth checking out.

However as good as the Ill Blu remix is, its got nothing on the Bonnie "Prince" Billy version "I Feel Billy". One of the reasons I love Hot Chip as a group is their ability to make tracks that are big dumb fun dance tunes as well as songs with genuine emotion. This ability is fused on this track. Hot Chip have toned down the big cheesy string synths and put it into the bass which drives the track with solid kick drums. But the key to the track is the emotion driven by Billy, fusing his new vocals with Alexis' old ones turning the track into a duet of sorts. The money moment tho is where everything just fucking falls apart with terrifying cascading sounds with Bonnie prince Billy repeating his lines over and over. Club destroying, heart breaking.

Hot Chip - I Feel Billy
Hot Chip - I Feel Better (Ill Blu remix)

*Btw how awesome are the BBC with their streaming of radio shows, its a fucking good way to get new music. Though the constant presence of unreleased exclusives that I can't get yet is starting to get me down.