Monday 26 August 2013

Zero 7- Don't Call It Love

Perhaps it is their use of powerful lyrics, or perhaps it is their use of a captivating beat, but Zero 7 has done it again. Time after time we hear music that is mundane and repetitive. The same lyrics echoing the same message. Something about love or loss. Zero 7 just does it better. Reminiscent of Gotye and perhaps even VanShe, "Don't Call It Love" is an instant classic for us. Take a listen. Take a trip and check out musical heaven. Bravo we say, Bravo.


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Saturday 24 August 2013

Blood Orange- Sutphin Boulevard- Bicep Remix

Old is Gold


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Saturday Sitdown With Highway SuperStar

We posted one of Highway Superstar's latest tracks a few months ago! "Chase" was an instant classic for us! We absolutely had to find out more about the elusive "Highway Superstar", so we got in touch with him and asked him a few questions! Check it out!



1) How did Highway Superstar begin? 
I've been a musician for all my life, playing in bands, recording music, always fascinated by eighties and the retro vibe, but it was only last year when I felt like I had a clear direction of a project I wanted to push forward wholeheartedly.

2) What would your top 3 musical influences of all time be?
80s pop, AOR and heavy metal.

3) All time favorite song?
I don't know, but right now I'm humming the solo from the Silverhawks TV theme...

4) If you could change one thing in the world, anything at all, what would it be?
"Cure terminal diseases."

5) All time favorite fast food restaurant?
Philadelphia. A kickass Philly steak place in Tel-Aviv

6) Any new EPs, albums, or singles coming out soon? 
There's a new song coming out these days, plus - getting geared up for a single and an album release in the near future.

7) All time favorite horror movie?
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare

8) Advice for newer artists? 
It's not about hardware, or software. It's about music. Don't settle for just producing for the sake of production. The musical arsenal is just as important as your production chops.

9)Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
As long as I'm still making music that I enjoy and people enjoy listening to, I'll be happy wherever I may be.

Thursday 22 August 2013

Disco Unchained Meets Sally Shapiro

 We caught up with Sally Shapiro earlier this month and decided to do a piece on the group! Both Johan and Sally are rather humble and down to Earth. Very nice people, and very quality artists. Check it out! 





1) What got both of you into music? How and where did it start? 

Johan - I've been into music, in one form or the other, as long as I can remember. I have tapes from when I was about six years old when I recorded songs from the radio, from the TV, or from myself singing or trying to play the piano. I got into electronic music at age 10 and started to save money for a keyboard, that I bought a few years after. Since then I have been making electronic music and on a "serious" level, with the aim to release it, since 2004.

Sally - I sang a lot as a child and was a big fan of the Eurovision Song Contest. I never aimed to do anything serious though before Johan asked me to sing on our first track as Sally Shapiro, "I'll Be By Your Side".


2) Where do your individual inspirations lie? Any artists in particular from a different time period?

Johan - It started with a big inspiration from the "dance romantic" sub-genre of Italo Disco from 1984 with artists like Valerie Dore, Katy Gray, and Savage. But nowadays I'm taking inspiration from lots of genres, like IDM, trance, neo-classical, jazz, etc.

Sally - Mylène Farmer is a big inspiration for the Sally Shapiro project for me.


3) What is the greatest challenge Sally Shapiro has had on its way up in the music industry?

"The greatest challenge was getting away with not making any live appearances. This has been troublesome for people in the music industry we have worked with (or tried to work with). But nowadays everyone knows it so it's not really a problem anymore, except that we probably sell less records because of it."


4) If there is one thing you could change in the industry, only one, what would it be?

The focus on albums still remains among record labels, reviewers, publications. It's like everyone is talking about the death of the album and then they give us 50 album reviews and 0 track reviews.


5) Is Sally Shapiro a full-time job or do both of you have other interests as well?

It's a hobby or an extra job. We both have normal lives apart from it. Johan spends some time with the business/promotion side of it, but Sally doesn't exist as Sally Shapiro between the hours in the studio, except for some occasional photo shoots and interviews. Our friends come from other places than the music industry, we don't really feel like being part of any scene or something like that.


6) (For Johan only) All time favorite food?

Fried tofu with satay sauce and rice.


7) (For Shapiro) All time favorite Dessert?

Chocolate pudding with cream.


8) Any new projects coming out soon? Major releases? Singles? EPs?

Nothing that's official. We're not completely inactive though


9) (For Johan) Any advice for newer nu disco/80s synth artists? 

It's a difficult question to answer in a way that doesn't sound like too cliché. Be passionate about what you're doing. The day when the passion is gone, do something else until you find it again.


10) How did the both of you meet? 

We met at a youth environmental organization in 2001. However we didn't discover our common passion for 80s disco until 2004 when we started to swap mixtapes.
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You guys can check out some of their stuff here
 
 

Thursday 15 August 2013

Disco Unchained Meets Olympic Ayres

 Today was a rather busy day here at Disco Unchained. We got in touch with a pretty cool group;  Olympic Ayres. Check it out!





Shazeb:  How did it all start? What are the origins of Olympic Ayres? 

OA: It all started from trading loops with different melodies back and forth via email. We then had a jam and the rest is history...


Shazeb: That's great! Most groups do have similar beginnings. Anyways, what other artists have inspired your sound?


OA: Chic, Mount Kimbie, Kindness, Kaytradamus, and definitely CLASSIXX!


Shazeb: Boy oh boy. I'm a huge fan of Chic as well. I mean come on. Who in their right mind doesn't like "Freak Out." So tell me, any new projects/EPs/Albums/Singles coming out soon?


OA: Well, we just released Episode III. Right now we're choosing songs for our
next release.


Shazeb: I'll be waiting for those. Now, out of the music you have released so far, I must say I'm in love with your song "magic". Tell me about it. Explain a bit about the meaning behind the track.


OA: I guess its about focusing on an idea and bringing it to fruition; we're passionate about that. 


Shazeb: I could see that. Anywho, what advice do you have for newer artists in similar genres?

OA: Complete your tracks and complete them well!
 Shazeb: Couldn't have said it better myself. Alright, now for the serious stuff. What's your all time favorite place to hang out after work?


 
OA: There's a place I like to go on weekends called Soda Factory in Sydney. Great vibe, great music!
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You guys can follow Olympic Ayres here

Monday 12 August 2013

Saturday Sitdown With Carpenter Brut

Disco Unchained was given the opportunity to have a rather brief chat with a rather interesting artist. Carpenter Brut has perhaps one of the most unique sounds we have heard in quite a while. Imagine Justice  on LSD. Yeah, that type of band.





Warning : Heavy Satire



How did Carpenter Brut Start?
Pretty well, thanks.

What inspirations do you have regarding your music?
I'm not really inspired.
 
 All time favorite song?
Hey You - Pink Floyd
 
 All time favorite flavor of ice cream?
Vanilla Ice
 
 What is one thing you would change about the music industry if you could?
Kavinsky
 
 All time favorite movie?
The Thing
 
 Do you have other interests aside music?
Kitchen knife
 
Advice for newer synth artists?
Don't try to copy Kavinsky.
















 

Tuesday 6 August 2013

Carpenter Brut: EP 2

The video speaks for itself. Anyone with class is bound to enjoy music, and cinematography of this level.


CARPENTER BRUT - TEASER EP II from Deka Brothers on Vimeo.

NightDrive Meets Disco Unchained

The Texas based synth wave duo "Night Drive" hit the scene a few months ago. The band, composed of Brandon Duhon and Rodney Connell, has become one of our favorite groups! They're excellent in regards to their vocals, and solid in regards to their sound as well. 




1) How on Earth did Night Drive start?
We both knew of one another but were actually rivals over the same girl. She died in a car crash, which is terrible, but we became friends because of it. The band name is an attempt to sum up the strangeness of that whole scenario.

2) What would your top 3 greatest musical influences be?
LCD Soundsystem, New Order, and Cut Copy!

3) If you (as a band) had to pick your favorite song, what would it be? 
Well that's impossible, but let's go with Messages by OMD, no wait, Girls & Boys by Blur.
4) for Rodney: All time favorite favorite pizza?
edamame asian-style

5) for Brandon: All time favorite dessert?
Black licorice.

6) as a band, where do you guys envision yourselves 5 years from now?
Probably touring overseas, hopefully in your area of the world if possible.

7) Advice for newer synth artists?
Strike a good balance between taking it seriously and enjoying yourself. It also really helps to be working with people who are musically inspiring to you.

8) Any new singles coming out? Whats the deal with albums? 
New single "Sea of Light" coming out August 13th and the EP coming out September 3rd.

Check out some of NightDrive's stuff here!

Thursday 1 August 2013

Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place

We only have one motto; old is gold. This is one of our all time favorite 80s jams. This is the type of song that makes absolutely everything worth it. Don't believe us? Take a listen.