Victory Lemonade

William Fitzsimmons - So This Is Goodbye (Pink Ganter Remix)

2011-10-13T00:29:00.000-07:00

So This Is Goodbye has some very well thought out lyrics. Can anyone not remember a breakup in their past that made them feel exactly the way William Fitzsimmons does in this song? I doubt it. Although it takes a truly talented lyricist to write words that anyone can relate to wholeheartedly, the real beauty in his lyrics is not found in the words themselves, but rather in the layout of the verses. It's just so damn elegant.

VERSE 2:
And I'll miss you like you're dead
But I never got to grieve you
Cause I saw you
In the arms of someone else

VERSE 6:
And I'll miss you like you're dead
And find a way to grieve you
Cause I need to
Try and start again

William Fitzsimmons - So This Is Goodbye (Pink Ganter Remix)

The Polish Ambassador - Space Kitten

2011-10-12T23:49:00.000-07:00

Space Kitten played on my Breakbot (plus other various artists) Pandora Station today while I was at work and I couldn't help but bounce around in my office chair to its infectious techno beat. You won't regret listening to this.

The Polish Ambassador - Space Kitten

Bedük - Love Tonight

2011-10-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

Love Tonight is a dope house song by Turkish DJ Bedük. The song is incredible, but as an unrelated aside, he really needs to get a new publicist. I see where they were going with the photo above, but it totally backfired when all four bikini-clad models decided to make weird, not-sexy-at-all faces. I'm seeing (from left to right) constipated, possessed, mocking, and Zoolander. What do you see?

UPDATE: Bedük's publicist emailed me after reading this post and said he thought my comment about the photo was funny. Awkward...

Bedük - Love Tonight

Boombox - Stereo

2011-10-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

Boombox's singer sounds like he might not have the strongest vocal abilities, but he turns this potential weakness into a unique singing style and makes the absolute best of it. I really respect that. The end result is a swanky jam that makes me want to put on some pleather bellbottoms and strut my stuff at le disco.

Boombox - Stereo

Velours Perfect - Old Pirate

2011-10-05T22:18:00.000-07:00

You probably wouldn't be able to guess this from looking at the photo, but these two lunatics are the makers of some very, very fine chillwave music. Listen below.

Velours Perfect - Old Pirate

Shy Child - The Beatles

2011-10-04T21:50:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that I have a dangerous addiction that needs to be addressed. First of all, I'm not totally sure I would even like this song at all if it didn't have synthesizer in it, yet here I am, posting away. What gives? Why am I so irresistibly drawn to the beautiful sounds of this blessed electric piano (also often paired with the equally alluring and almighty vocoder)? I've tried to justify my predictability with thoughts like "Hey, at least I know what I like" and "Your blog readers will enjoy the consistency!" but there's no getting around this. I'm an electrofunkaholic. I need to go to rehab soon before I pull a Midnight in Paris and get trapped in the UK in the early 80s. In the meantime, enjoy this amazing tunage by Shy Child!

Shy Child - The Beatles

Breakbot - Shades of Black

2011-10-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

This song is aural Prozac. It's the kind of music I'd put in a feel-good rom-com movie montage depicting two friends walking the streets of a bustling city, playing frisbee in the park, frolicking on the beach with a golden retriever, mushing ice cream in each others' faces at the boardwalk, speeding along a coastal freeway in a convertible, and ultimately falling in love.

Breakbot - Shades of Black

Band of Horses - Factory

2011-08-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Factory is a beautiful song about a man who is looking back at a past relationship he hasn't gotten over and the lyrics are so. good.

It's temporary, this place I'm in.
I permanently, won't do this again.

Band of Horses - Factory

Muscles - Sweaty (Shazam Remix)

2011-08-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

I went to the Bag Raiders show at Mezzanine last night and had an amazing time. Bag Raiders were good, but Ken was a little put off by the fact that they were basically lip-syncing the whole time and I guess I was too [drunk to notice]. Muscles, a relatively new DJ from Australia, was one of the opening acts and I was super impressed by his overall enthusiasm and skill whilst DJing. He sang along to every song like it was his favorite and was all-around just really fun to watch. He played the Shazam Remix of his own song Sweaty and the crowd went crazy yelling the PEACE, LOVE, ECSTACY, UNITY + RESPECT part. Check out the song below:

Muscles - Sweaty (Shazam Remix)

Is Tropical - The Greeks

2011-08-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

This is quite possibly THE BEST MUSIC VIDEO I HAVE EVER SEEN. Obviously the message it sends to kids isn't...the greatest...but it's not marketed towards kids so that's what's important. The gunfights and explosive cartoon blood are totally over the top and I LOVE IT. Sniping old grannies walking down the street and blowing a teddy bear's brains out? These kids are ruthless! You have to watch this.

Is Tropical - The Greeks

Afrojack & Quintino - Selecta (Lazerdisk Party Sex Remix)

2011-08-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

Funky beat by the one and only Afrojack and an even funkier remix by Lazerdisk!

Afrojack & Quintino - Selecta (Lazerdisk Party Sex Remix)

Best Coast - Our Deal (VIDEO)

2011-08-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

This music video for Best Coast's Our Deal was directed by Drew Barrymore and stars a bunch of young Hollywood actors and actresses: Chloe Moretz from "Kick-Ass," Miranda Cosgrove, from "iCarly," Alia Shawkat aka Maeby from "Arrested Development," Tyler Posey from "Teen Wolf," and Donald Glover from "Community." Note to all artists looking to make their next music video: mini-movies are the way to go!

Best Coast - Our Deal

Doris Troy - Just One Look

2011-08-19T22:29:00.001-07:00

Against my better judgement, I watched Crazy Stupid Love last week. The movie itself was not good, but I did get something worthwhile out of it: I was reminded of how wonderful this song is! As my loyal readers (all 2 of them) probably know, I'm a total sucker for Motown music and this song is no exception. Every now and then, I like to throw a track like this up on Victory Lemonade because new songs aren't necessarily good, and some of the best songs are oldies. T.G.I.F.

Doris Troy - Just One Look

Benny Benassi ft. Gary Go - Cinema (Skrillex Remix)

2011-08-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Youtube is infamous for having some of the stupidest user comments of all time, but am I the only one who has noticed slightly more cynical and educated comments lately? Obviously it really depends on the genre of video you're watching, as different videos attract different kinds of viewers, but I certainly would not claim to watch the most intellectually stimulating videos and I swear I've noticed a morphing comment culture. People are getting so picky about comment quality, in fact, that anytime anyone posts some sort of joke or attempts a witty comment, 15 other people jump on them for being stupid or unoriginal. As much as I feel like I should not praise this sort of down-putting banter, I just can't help it :D It's so much more entertaining to read than "this song is sick" or "love this song." Plus, I really see this as being beneficial for everyone. Now all the Negative Nancy moderators can feel good about themselves for putting people down and simultaneously intimidate people out of posting more pointless comments. Win-Win. This (semi-sarcastic) rant was spurred by my musical selection of the day: Benny Benassi ft. Gary Go - Cinema (Skrillex Remix). Some lol-worthy user comments from one of the song's Youtube videos. But I've seriously digressed. I'm not a huge dubstep fan, but Skrillex is an extremely talented DJ and definitely deserves all the recognition he's been getting lately. The 1:20 drop in his Cinema remix is earth-shattering, and the Gary Go vocals add such nice contrast to the dubstep portion of the remix. Lemme know what you think.

Benny Benassi ft. Gary Go - Cinema (Skrillex Remix)

Veronica Maggio - Dumpa Mig

2011-08-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

Really wish I understood Swedish right about now. I read some hilariously translated lyrics and deduced that Dumpa Mig means Dump Me and this is a breakup song about a guy who calls Veronica and tells her that he doesn't want to break up with her over the phone so she should come pick him up from work so he can do it in person. What a jerk. Get your own ride home from work!

Veronica Maggio - Dumpa Mig

DJ Quik - Book of David

2011-08-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

DJ Quik's new album Book of David is a must listen. He collaborates with some of my favorite rappers (Bizzy Bone, Bun B, and Ice Cube) and brings back west coast gangsta rap in a big way. If you've been disappointed with the direction of rap music lately and have been longing for the mid-90s again, look no further! Even though this album was released only a few short months ago, when you listen to songs like So Compton, it's clear that DJ Quik still has it. He also throws some amazing slow jams like Time Stands Still in there too. One of my favorite lines from the song: "You didn't think that I would go too far, I mean me being from Compton and all, but still I grabbed some cork, some yarn, and rubber and made myself a ball." Amazing. I had a really hard time picking a third song to post because there really are so many great ones, but I ended up choosing Boogie Till You Conk Out. The name itself cracks me up because it totally seems like a PG-version of a song that was originally titled Get Shitfaced Till You Vomit and Pass Out on the Toilet, but I also just love Ice Cube's voice, so that was probably big part of it as well. If you're intrigued and looking for some more suggestions, check out Across the Map, Hydromatic, and Luv of My Life.

DJ Quik ft. Blakkazz K.K. - So Compton

DJ Quik ft. Dwele - Time Stands Still

DJ Quik ft. Ice Cube - Boogie Till You Conk Out

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (Kaskade Remix)

2011-08-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

I hope I don't lose all credibility when I tell you that Teenage Dream is me and my boyfriend's song. Go ahead, vomit all you want, but I love it. I got in a legitimate fight with my roommate once because she hated it so much and I refused to stop playing it in our apartment. Still not sorry :D. Anyway, this Kaskade remix is about a year old but I still listen to it all the time and I just realized I never posted it, so here you go. <K+A3

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (Kaskade Remix)

Oh Land - White Nights (Music Video)

2011-08-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

This killer video from Oh Land is entertaining from start to finish. I love how they filmed the choreography in the grid/geometric set and think the entire video complements the song so well. I've always liked the videos Oh Land has done, but this is the first time I've been extremely impressed. Keep up the great work!

Oh Land - White Nights

Nicolas Jaar - Problems With The Sun, Keep Me There

2011-08-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

Lounge/electronic/funk/jazz artist Nicolas Jaar's latest album Space Is Only Noise is incredible. I was going to say that this is not the type of music I usually post on Victory Lemonade because it's not a mainstream genre, but then I realized this is exactly the type of music I usually post here: GOOD MUSIC! :D I think you'll like it.

NOTE: Do NOT attempt to listen to these songs on crappy built-in computer speakers. Plug that shit in.

Nicolas Jaar - Problems With The Sun

Nicolas Jaar - Keep Me There

Lips - Everything To Me

2011-08-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous chorus, heartfelt lyrics, beautiful vocals:

It would mean everything to me if we could take a holiday
'Cause you and I bone tired every night isn't my idea of play
And even our smallest dreams getting lean never sees the light of day
So it would mean everything to me...

You can fight but you won't always win
Somehow life finds a way to beat you
But I'll come join you in the ring
Guess it shows just how much I need you

There are days I would pay anything just to leave it all behind
There are times I can't find any light to get me through the daily grind
I know you feel it too seeing just how long it takes you to unwind
So it would mean everything to me...

Lips - Everything To Me

CSS - Hits Me Like A Rock (Dillon Francis Remix)

2011-08-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

The vocals are kind of cheesy, but the drop at 1:26 and the synthesizer at 3:08 makes everything worth it.

CSS - Hits Me Like A Rock (Dillon Francis Remix)

Electric Six - Synthesizer

2011-08-01T13:51:00.000-07:00

I randomly came across this song while searching for synthesizer tutorials on Youtube, and second only to Orelha Negra's M.I.R.I.A.M., it's probably one of best songs I've accidentally discovered on Youtube. This song came out in 2003 but sounds like it came out in the late 80s and as someone who unabashedly admits to not liking 80s music, I must concede this is pretty amazing. Add a hilariously low budget music video in the mix and I'm hooked. All the Youtube comments are saying the full album is amazing as well, so I'll have to check that out and report back later.

Electric Six - Synthesizer

Curren$y ft. Lil' Wayne - My House (Vodka & Milk Remix)

2011-07-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

This remix is infinitely better than the original. I've been over Lil' Wayne for a few years now (and I don't have a clue who Curren$y is) but with a little Vodka & Milk magic, this song has transformed from borderline unlistenable to insanely catchy. Try to resist the head bob. I dare you.

Curren$y ft. Lil' Wayne - My House (Vodka & Milk Remix)

Azealia Banks - 212

2011-07-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a minute since I've posted on Victory Lemonade. My life has gone through some serious changes in the past few months — I got a cat on a whim, graduated college, road tripped across the country, tragically lost my cat in Yellowstone, contracted Lyme disease, moved into a new apartment in San Francisco, and started working full time on launching a new non-music related website. Some definite ups and downs, but all-around I'm happy about where I am now and have finally gotten my life figured out to the point where I've started listening to music again! It's strange how I go through musicless phases, but sometimes I don't have time to peruse blogs for hours on end and I was never one to post just for the sake of posting. Anyway, enough with the personal stuff! Today I bring to you the catchiest song I've heard in a long time: 212. Azealia Banks is an up and coming rapper from Montreal who makes Minaj look like a l00ser baby. Her rhymes are littered with profanity which usually turns me off a little, but her silky flow makes it sound so damn good that it doesn't even matter. On top of everything, she raps over a house beat! It's BOSS.

Azealia Banks - 212

Foster The People - Call It What You Want & Pumped Up Kicks (Gigamesh Remix)

2011-05-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

Piano dance can do no wrong. I know that these songs are all over the internet already, so I won't drone on. If you haven't heard of em yet, check out both tunes below.

Foster The People - Call It What You Want

Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks (Gigamesh Remix)

Conner Youngblood - Monsters & A Summer Song

2011-03-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

Conner Youngblood is a new unsigned artist from Dallas who describes his music as bluegrass/club/indie which I suppose is accurate enough, but what category do you put banjo dubstep in anyway? Monsters and A Summer Song are quite different -- one has a dark and moody chorus, the other has a lighter, more upbeat melody. Both, however, are a little country with elements of electronica perfectly blended in. This is certainly a fusion of genres that I never saw coming, but I can't say I hate it one bit. Listen to both songs below and decide for yourself.

Conner Youngblood - Monsters

Conner Youngblood - A Summer Song

Calvin Harris - Stars Come Out

2011-03-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

If you read Victory Lemonade with any regularity, you'll know that Calvin Harris really gets my juices flowing. So much so, that there is rarely a CH tune that comes out that I don't try to claim is my favorite one to date. Usually I'm going off about Flashback, The Rain, You Used To Hold Me, or some of his even more ridiculous(ly good) ones like Colors or Acceptable in the 80s, but today I have something new to rave about! "New" meaning it came out last year and has been a staple of every one of my iTunes playlist made since, Stars Come Out is an epic tune about loving life. He sings about watching the stars come out (obviously), feeling the morning rain, dreaming, and the power of the human brain. If that doesn't inspire you to get off your couch and stop moping about your mundane life, I think you should try listening to it one more time. Happy Friday!

Calvin Harris - Stars Come Out

YACHT - Dystopia (The Earth Is On Fire)

2011-03-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

I posted YACHT's Summer Song music video on my old blog several years ago because it's stupid and hilarious (and probably one of my favorite music videos of all time), but then I never heard from YACHT again. This supposed disappearance is likely only due to my lack of research, but nevertheless, they were missed. Today, YACHT is making their Victory Lemonade comeback with their wonderful song Dystopia. I can't wait for the music video!

YACHT - Summer Song

YACHT - Dystopia (The Earth Is On Fire)

Deadmau5 - HR208938

2011-03-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

This song crashed SoundCloud's servers and is, hands down, the best Deadmau5 song I've heard. All you Ghosts N Stuff lovers: this will knock your socks off! No comparison. I took a break from blogging this month because 1) my laptop speakers AND headphone jack are broken and 2) the music I was finding wasn't really inspiring me to blog (sad times, I know) but this song has definitely snapped me out of my blogging funk. <3 Deadmau5 <3

Deadmau5 - HR208938

Katy Perry ft. Kanye West - E.T.

2011-03-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

Katy Perry can do no wrong. Fireworks is even growing on me! She's definitely come a long way since her days as a Christian singer and thank GOD for that...no pun intended. Speaking of religious beliefs, if I weren't athiest and had to be Christian, I'd definitely be the Katy Perry kind of Christian -- the cupcake bra-wearing, blue wig-donning, singing about lesbians and alien love kind of Christian. I could go on forever about how sweet she is but I'll just leave you with this: Katy Perry's cat is named Kitty Purry. WTF! So awesome. Enjoy her single featuring Kanye West, E.T., below.

Katy Perry ft. Kanye West - E.T.

Florence + The Machine - I'm Not Calling You A Liar

2011-03-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

Florence Welch on her sense of style: "For the stage, it's Lady of Shalott meets Ophelia...mixed with scary gothic bat lady. But in real life I’m kind of prim." Oof. Not sure why anyone would describe themselves as prim. Fashion sense aside, Florence has the voice of an angel and completely opened my eyes to the wonders of harp music. I read somewhere that she has dyslexia, dysymetria, depression, and insomnia - which, if you know her music, makes perfect sense - but wow! That can't be easy, yet she's still manages to do incredible work and inspire millions of people around the world. Very impressed.

Florence + The Machine - I'm Not Calling You A Liar

Sak Noel - Loca People

2011-03-05T12:31:00.001-08:00

Someone showed me this track last night and I literally can't stop listening to it!!! I don't really have anything to say about this song other than it is a straight banger. I predict We No Speak Americano type popularity for this Spanish piece of fire. What more do I need in a club hit than a sexy foreign chick's voice laid over catchy beats? I've never heard of this Sak Noel character but I hope he has more songs like this up his [record] sleeve. (You like that pun?) I can't really find any other songs by this dude at this point, and Chubby Beavers is the only blog I've seen post about it in English (yo only speak americano). I can't even find any Sak Noel on what.cd! Ugh, la gente esta muy locaaaaa. What the fuck? Time to move to Barcelona.

Sak Noel - Loca People

Tyler the Creator - Assmilk ft. Earl Sweatshirt

2011-02-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

Tyler the Creator is NSFL (Not Safe For Life). If you have ever recognized yourself as someone with a tendency towards violent or disturbing thoughts, I do not recommend listening to this song. Don't want to give anyone any ideas...

However, if you have faith in your own sanity and think you can handle listening to songs about being diseased, killing people, and raping girls then I'd suggest checking out this tune. Despite the horrifying nature of his lyrics, Tyler the Creator has an interesting voice and an even more interesting point of view on life. I'd say, content-wise, he's the love child of Swollen Members and Eminem with no morals whatsoever. You've probably seen his video Yonkers floating around the blogosphere (the one where he eats a cockroach, vomits it back up, and then threatens to stab Bruno Mars in the esophagus (LOL) ...standard?) -- Assmilk is similar. Assuming that the lyrics aren't autobiographical, this song is the bomb but listen at your own risk! Don't act like I didn't warn you...

Tyler the Creator - Assmilk ft. Earl Sweatshirt

Adele - Rolling in the Deep (Jamie xx Remix) (Prince Club House Edit)

2011-02-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

First off, apologies for the past few posts having failing music players. I didn't realize it until just now. Apparently the crappy site I use to host and hotlink my music files has crashed and I don't know when it's coming back. I'll replace the links as soon as a find a good (or equally crappy) hosting alternative, but the Mediafire download links still work!

Moving on, Adele's first single off her sophomore album (21 -- dropped last month!) came out in November, so over the past few months, as DJs and artists have begun to digest this classic compilation of soulful tunes with surprisingly clever lyrics (You held my heart inside of your hands...and played it to the beat), I've been discovering some pretty amazing remixes, remixes of remixes, and so forth. My favorite of the bunch is by Prince Club (I've been on a house kick lately...). Check it out below!

Adele - Rolling in the Deep (Jamie xx Remix) (Prince Club House Edit)

Bag Raiders - Always

2011-02-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

Bag Raiders' USA / South America tour dates:

3.24 New York, NY (Santos Party House) // 3.26 Miami, FL (UMF, Bicentennial Park) // 3.26 Miami, FL (Bardot) // 3.31 San Francisco, CA (Popscene, Rickshaw Stop) // 4.2 Los Angeles, CA (V-Lounge) // 4.3 Vancouver, BC (Fortune) // 4.7 San Diego, CA (Voyeur) // 4.9 Bogota, Colombia (Festival Estereo Picnic) // 4.14 Mexico City, Mexico (Syntheticrock Anniversary Party) // 4.15 Buenos Aires, Argentina (MSTRPLN, Studio Crobar) // 4.16 Santiago, Chile (Club Fauna)

No Durham, NC?? Ridiculous!

Bag Raiders - Always

Rihanna - S&M (Sidney Samson Remix)

2011-02-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Got this remix off my friend Meru's blog and wanted to comment on the song content. I definitely agree that it's a little weird to put out a song about liking it rough when your ex-boyfriend fist-mashed your face in public, but I also think everyone is giving RiRi a little too much grief for some lyrics that she probably just intended to be playfully raunchy and reminiscent of la femme fatale. Plus, even if she is actually into kinky shit in the bedroom, that doesn't remotely justify domestic abuse in any circumstance. On a related note, it seriously depresses me thinking about all the women out there who still think of Chris Brown as hot/respectable/deserving of fans. Call me unforgiving, but I can't think of anything less sexy than beating up your girlfriend, and it disappoints and shocks me to see women who don't feel the same way: two fans showing support outside the courtroom - WTF! Talk about low standards.

Rihanna - S&M (Sidney Samson Remix)

Ultra Music Festival (LINEUP)

2011-02-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

I can't make it to UMF this year due to a combo of being too broke and in school, but it looks like it's going to be a wild three days. If you're fortunate enough to find your schedule open March 25 - 27, I highly suggest copping your tickets now before the price goes up again. The bands listed below are the updated Phase 2 lineup, which includes the recent additions of Duran Duran, Underworld, Armin van Buuren, Moby, Kaskade, Erick Morillo, will.i.am, Sasha, The Disco Biscuits, Avicii, Fedde Le Grand, ATB, Scream! & Benga, The Glitch Mob, Fake Blood, and more. Phase 3 updates TBA soon.

The NeverEnding Chase

2011-02-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

For nearly a year I have been wondering why no one listens to the Cinnamon Chasers. I can't think of a time when I DON'T want to listen to the smooth minimal beats of this sweet artist: in the sun, in the rain, when I'm sad, when I'm happy, when I'm chillin' in outer space, etc. Cinnamon Chasers is the solo project of Russ Davies, the son of Dave Davies and nephew of Ray Davies (the dudes who founded the band The Kinks back in the 60s). His first studio album released in 2009 was titled A Million Miles From Home and I always feel that way when I listen to it. It's still on repeat on my iTunes (and I copped that a year ago which tells you how good it is). His newest album, Science, was just released last week and I am pretty pumped. It kind of gives you more of a new wave feel than his last album (but maybe that's only because his song "Cuts Like Fire" sounds LITERALLY exactly like Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence"), while his first full length was more like what it might feel like to bowl cruise in a space ship. According to Davies, his inspiration includes movies like Flight Of The Navigator and The NeverEnding Story (aka what a child of the 80s might see on mushrooms). I just realized while writing this why his music makes you feel like you're riding on Bancor, that big white flying creature in The NeverEnding Story hahaha. I highly suggest looking into both albums so I am putting up "Luv Deluxe" from his first album and my favorite song off his new album "Magic Lover." Enjoy flying with Bancor!

PS. I suggest watching the "Luv Deluxe" music video... it's pretty cool and it won the SXSW 2010 award for Best Music Video!

Cinnamon Chasers - Luv Deluxe

Cinnamon Chasers - Magic Lover

Louis La Roche - Malfunction

2011-01-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

This song starts off a little boring but at 1:04 it takes a turn for the much, much better and melds into an impressive and soothingly rhythmic dance beat. I'm not sure why it's called Malfunction, as I would expect a song with that title to be much more industrial sounding, but instead the song is pretty poppy house, with Intergalactic-style references to the title littered throughout.

Louis La Roche - Malfunction

Work Drugs - Third Wave

2011-01-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Third Wave is chilled out yacht rock with a snare drum beat that reminds me a lot of MillionYoung and Washed Out. If I were to open a chic spa in downtown Seattle, I would definitely put this song on the waiting room playlist.

Work Drugs - Third Wave

TV Girl - If You Want It

2011-01-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

If You Want It has oldies-eqsue dopey vocals and a sing-songey melody that I so predictably cannot resist. Plus the lyrics are pathetically relatable, which I'm always a sucker for: If you want it, you got it / You only want it when you’re drunk / My friends say you’re obnoxious / You’re not so bad when we’re alone.

TV Girl - If You Want It

Mark Ronson & The Business Int'l - Somebody to Love (Redial's Sunday Drive Remix)

2011-01-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

CANNOT GET THIS OUT OF MY HEAD.

Mark Ronson & The Business Int'l - Somebody to Love (Redial's Sunday Drive Remix)

Caribou - Odessa

2011-01-03T16:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not entirely sure why people complain about end-of-the-year "Top Songs" blog lists. Personally, I love them. It's one more layer of filtration that I don't have to do myself. Even after these supposed gems have been sifted out of all the mediocre filler music bloggers post throughout the year when they have nothing better, I'd say the rate at which I find a blogworthy song is still 1/20. Anyway, to the point: I found a song that came up on several "Top Songs of 2010" lists that I LOVE and had never heard before. Check it out below!

Caribou - Odessa

The Lytics - Big City Sound Girl

2011-01-02T16:26:00.000-08:00

I got this song off my friend Lydia's blog Sunset in the Rearview. I don't post much hip hop here on Victory Lemonade because most hip hop that came out post-2005 sounds awful (Weezy being the exception...), but I still have a soft place in my heart for what Wikipedia defines as "alternative" hip hop (Roots, Common, Mos Def, etc.). The Lytics have soulful and poetic lyrics that will bring you back to the days of I Used to Love H.E.R. and Ms. Fat Booty, but somehow still manage to sound modern and fresh.

The Lytics - Big City Sound Girl

Mike Stud - College Humor

2011-01-01T17:47:00.000-08:00

Mike Stud played baseball at Duke as an undergraduate, dated my friend Kayla for a while (sorry KR, plz don't kill me lol), now goes to Georgetown, and honestly could not be summed up better than with his own lyrics: "God dammit I'm a douche." Despite the impression I've gathered from my various encounters with him at Duke, I can't deny that this song/video is hilarious and very well done. The honesty in his lyrics is refreshing and (even though it kills me to admit it...) charming. Good luck with everything, Mike! Random sidenote: pretttty sure the girl at the end of the video goes to Duke too?

Mike Stud - College Humor

Afrojack - Pacha On Acid (Krafty Kuts BONKERS Re-Rub)

2010-12-31T16:55:00.000-08:00

You probably know this already, but Afrojack and Dizzee Rascal drink gallons of Victory Lemonade every day so it should come as no surprise that a smooth, Krafty Kuts breakbeat mashup of two classic tunes from these artists would appear on my blog. I know you're all looking for an anthem to perfectly supplement the champagne-guzzling competition scheduled for later tonight so here it is. Happy New Year!!!!

Afrojack - Pacha On Acid (Kraft Kuts BONKERS Re-Rub)

jj - Still (Dr. Dre)

2010-12-30T17:15:00.000-08:00

This song is BEAUTIFUL. jj laces Dr. Dre's brilliant beat with graceful vocals that bring new life to this classic gangster rap song. Listen and download below:

jj - Still (Dr. Dre)

Bag Raiders - Sunlight

2010-12-29T13:50:00.000-08:00

Even though all the lyrics websites are claiming this song actually says "like light, snow white" I'm pretty sure they're wrong. It's BLACK LIGHT SNOW WHITE! Not only does this give me great ideas for Halloween next year, but that's some serious imagery. So many people tell me that they hardly even listen to song lyrics, and I always think about all the amazing poetry they're missing out on. I totally agree that pop/electronic music usually doesn't have the most sophisticated and clever lyrics, but every now and then you come across a song like Bag Raider's Sunlight and it makes all the lousy songs you have to filter through worth it.

Bag Raiders - Sunlight

Boris Dlugosch - Bangkok

2010-12-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

I think it's high time I posted a new house track. Boris Dlugosch has some Afrojack dance tendencies mixed with a little Sidney Samson funk...so I guess what I'm trying to say is that somewhere in Sydney right now, there is a hot club filled with sweaty ravers hardstylin' to this song. Enjoy!

Boris Dlugosch - Bangkok

Diamond Messages - Liquid Summer

2010-12-27T23:34:00.000-08:00

Winter just officially started, so I thought I'd melt your iced-over swimming pools with this melodic tune that reminds me of sitting on the porch in the summer heat with a glass of sweet, sweet Victory Lemonade. We're technically only a week deep in this cold weather, short day nonsense, but if you're anything like me, you're already anxious for the sun to come back, so hopefully this song will help to curb your longing and remind you of the golden days...

Diamond Messages - Liquid Summer

Touch Sensitive - Body Stop

2010-12-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Today I bring to you an airy disco track from Touch Sensitive that would be perfect for your classy New Years party this weekend. I'm not exactly sure who Touch Sensitive is, as the phrase "touch sensitive" is an extremely vague Google search and all the blogs that could find this song on have conflicting information. Some sites say he's an Australian producer and others say it's two dudes from Chicago, but it doesn't really matter because knowing where they/he are/is from won't change the fact that this song is gorgeous.

Touch Sensitive - Body Stop

Stromae - Alors On Danse

2010-12-25T15:23:00.000-08:00

Heather said she was going to post these but never did (AHEM) so here they are, rather belated. I love French rappers (Also check out MC Solaar - Au Pays De Gandhi) so when she showed me this song I was pretty pumped. If you haven't heard it yet, the song is fantastic, and the Kanye remix is pretty spectacular too. Merry Christmas!

Stromae - Alors On Danse

Stromae ft. Kanye West & Gilbere Forte - Alors On Danse (Remix)

Angus and Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane & Yellow Brick Road

2010-12-24T16:17:00.000-08:00

Naturally, as soon as my brother complains that I don't post enough house music I find new Angus and Julia Stone (ie. the antithesis of house...) songs that I love. I guess he'll have to wait! This Australian brother-sister duo had a platinum sophomore folk album that was the highest selling album in Australia in 2010. I think I like Big Jet Plane slightly more than Yellow Brick Road, but they don't really need to be compared -- both are A++!

Angus and Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane

Angus and Julia Stone - Yellow Brick Road

La Roux - Bulletproof (Tiborg Remix)

2010-12-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

Bulletproof is like Sexy Bitch. It will never get old! But I do understand that great songs are like a romance -- sometimes you just need to spice things up a little. Well, fear not! I have the perfect solution. Reignite the flame with this sexy Tiborg remix. While I don't think this song needs to be altered at all, this is definitely one of the best remixes I've heard.

La Roux - Bulletproof (Tiborg Remix)

Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80s

2010-12-22T18:54:00.000-08:00

I read somewhere that Calvin Harris is giving up his career as a musical frontman and is now focusing his efforts on DJing and producing instead :( I'm glad he's still doing great work (see Ting Ting's song below) but his unique vocals and lyrics will be terribly missed. Who else will sing about the importance of adding color to your wardrobe or promise to "do things for you" if you were born in the 80s???

Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80s

The Ting Tings - Hands

2010-12-21T13:30:00.000-08:00

Heard this last night on the radio and had to type random snippets of lyrics into my phone so I could find the song later -- one of those. Not your standard Ting Tings sound -- Calvin Harris helped them produce it and you can definitely hear his dance influence on the track. Enjoy!

The Ting Tings - Hands

Penguin Prison - Golden Train (The Royal Palms Remix)

2010-12-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

Golden Train sounds like Miami Horror and Robin Thicke got together to remix a Mulan song...AKA it sounds AWESOME. I've heard a few tracks from Penguin Prison but this is by far my favorite. A lot of blogs have predicted PP to be one of the biggest acts in 2011, and if this song is any indication, I'd have to say those predictions are pretty justified.

Penguin Prison - Golden Train (The Royal Palms Remix)

Aeroplane - Without Lies (Breakbot Remix)

2010-12-19T17:52:00.000-08:00

I hate when I sit on a song for a while because I'm too lazy to write a new post and in the meantime it blows up on Hype Machine. It's not like posting sooner would have changed anything since my blog isn't even on Hype Machine, but it still bothers me for some reason. With that said, let's just pretend like this file didn't get almost 3000 hearts last week and I'm the first to introduce this gem to the blogosphere! A beautiful synthesis of two of my favorite groups -- doesn't matter that the lyrics are stupid and no one actually likes cherry pie -- this song is fantastic.

Aeroplane - Without Lies (Breakbot Remix)

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend

2010-12-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

I love discovering artists. By discovering, I don't at all mean that I'm the first person to hear or write about their music. It's more of a personal discovery. For example, I've heard TONS of Robyn songs that I don't like and I couldn't understand why people were so into her. This same thing happened to me with LCD Soundsystem, but basically after months of confusion, I hear one song and all of a sudden the universe of music lovers decides I finally GET IT, as they open the pearly gates of artistic appreciation and beckon me inside. Now, as I listen to Robyn's Call Your Girlfriend, I can hear her laughing in the background, victorious.

Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend

White Town - Your Woman

2010-12-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

Thank you Chromeo Pandora station! White Town has a subdued yet ridiculously catchy sound and I dare say that it's nearly impossible to dislike. Kind of sounds a little like Gorillaz on a good day. Apparently, he's a British one hit wonder from 1997 with nothing to show for himself other than this song but hey, it's a great song! The only issue is it's sung from woman's perspective? So I did a little research and here's what I found (copied directly from the FAQ page on White Town's website):

Q: I love 'Your Woman' *BUT* what is it about??? Are you a man/woman/transsexual?

A: Ummmm...well, that's a toughie. When I wrote it, I was trying to write a catchy pop song that had more than one perspective. Although it's written in the first person that viewpoint isn't the same as it may sound. So, these are *some* of the things it's about: Being a member of an orthodox Trotskyist / Marxist movement (as I was for three years in the 80s). Being a straight guy in love with a lesbian (ditto). Being a gay guy in love with a straight man. Being a straight girl in love with a lying, two-timing, fake-ass Marxist. The hypocrisy that results when love and lust get mixed up with highbrow ideals :-)

Still makes no sense...but I'll take it.

White Town - Your Woman

The Chemical Brothers - Midnight Madness

2010-12-16T13:11:00.000-08:00

Funky shit right here. Midnight Madness came out a few years ago as the first digital single off The Chemical Brother's Brotherhood album, but it still sounds as fresh as ever. Listen and download below:

Chemical Brothers - Midnight Madness

The Four Seasons - December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)

2010-12-15T18:55:00.000-08:00

When I was a youngin', I used to listen to Seattle's oldies radio station (no longer on air...RIP 97.3) every morning in the car when my dad drove me to school. Before NSYNC and BSB came to be, the only CDs I owned were Beach Boys, Elvis, Supremes, and Pocahontas. As a result, motown jams have always had a very special place in my heart. In fact, it is not uncommon for one of the great classics to bring nostalgic tears to my eyes, and no one evokes those drops better than Franki Valli and the Four Seasons. Since it's December already (oh, how time flies...), I figured this was a perfect song for today.

The Four Seasons - December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)

Happy 22nd Bird Day to me!

2010-11-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

My roommate showed me this song the other day during our typical getting-ready-to-go-out music sharing routine. The Bird Day sounds like an indie blend of old MGMT, Modest Mouse, and MillionYoung, and the following songs embody said descriptors to a T. These songs are off their debut album Collect Vibrations and I HIGHLY recommend listening to the rest of the tracks. I only posted three, but definitely check out The Past Noise and Gonna Beg You too. You can download the full zipped album here.

The Bird Day - Space Feeling

The Bird Day - Thirsty

The Bird Day - Spinning

"I don't take home losers."

2010-11-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Pre-Nicki Minaj era, I can't say I really listened to lady rappers much but now that I do, Rye Rye is definitely at the top of the pack. I recently stumbled across her latest collaboration with M.I.A., Sunshine, and after a few listens I'm totally hooked. The background melody sounds like a mix between a subdued Crystal Castles song and the music they play in the Goron Mines in the Legend of Zelda N64 game......anyone? Rye Rye's voice is cute and sassy and M.I.A.'s borderline senseless hook fits perfectly in this track. Sunshiiiiiinneee is a friend of mine. The second song is a mash up by RubenX of Nas and Damian Marley's As We Enter and Rye Rye and M.I.A.'s Bang -- also great.

Rye Rye ft. M.I.A. - Sunshine

Nas, Damian Marley, Rye Rye & M.I.A - As We Bang (RubenX Remix)

I could be wrong but...

2010-11-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

Oh, Chromeo. Sometimes I wonder how I can like music that sounds so god damn cheesy but then other times I throw up my hands and realize there's no point in trying to fight it. Everything that this hilariously talented electrofunk duo puts out is insanely infectious and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend's fiery and impassioned voice laces this saxophone filled number with irresistible charm. Check it out below.

Chromeo ft. Ezra Koenig - I Could Be Wrong

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!

2010-11-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

Amaze-y Winehouse covers one of my favorite non-Supremes oldies of all time. What a doll. Seriously. Even though she looks ridiculous and is irrevocably addicted to drugs/alcohol, her music has never been short of amazing. My love for her probably stems from the fact that I exclusively listened to Motown music from ages 5 - 12, but I still think she has incredible taste and an extremely unique voice. Winehouse aside, why were all the hot dudes named Johnny back then?

Amy Winehouse - It's My Party

Try to be sure right from the start.

2010-11-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

I Blame Coco's cover of Neil Young's Only Love Can Break Your Heart is a fantastic, dream-synth remix of a classic tune. The lead singer of the band, Coco Summer, is only 20 years old and apparently also Sting's daughter so I see where she gets her raspy Elly Jackson-esque voice and nose/jawline combo from. One of the best covers I've heard in a long time -- listen and download below.

I Blame Coco - Only Love Can Break Your Heart

What kind of jungle is this?

2010-11-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

Don Diablo and Dragonette kill this track. I forsee many-a remix in the upcoming weeks. Amusing video depicting a rather literal metaphor of drug culture and addiction. Kids getting crazzzyyy dropping citric acid in the bathroom!

Don Diablo ft. Dragonette - Animale

I bet you do this all the time...

2010-10-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

I have posted several songs by The Knocks before so this one doesn't need much of an introduction. Daft Punky, feel good, soulful, retro dance pop song that's sure to get you moving. We don't care if the sun comes up, cuz you know we'll be dancing with the DJ.

The Knocks - Dancing with the DJ

Just Relax...

2010-10-16T10:18:00.001-07:00

I hope you're ready to have your head explode. Because it will as soon as you indulge in the amazingly innovative graphics and unique design concept behind the Japanese Popstars' new video, Let Go featuring Green Velvet. The song itself is quite noteworthy, and has been stuck in my head for the past week but the graphics take this video through the roof. Their other songs have always been on the cusp of banger-ness but have never quite got there for me. I have to give it to the guys on this one though, I'm very entertained. I'll throw up an mp3 for you as soon as I can find one. But for now, just relax and let go.

Want you to make me feel like...

2010-10-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

I miss the Disturbia days of Rihanna. She has so much potential -- she's GORGEOUS and has a fantastic stylist, a decent voice, and a huge fan base. So what's the issue here? Obviously I don't know the whole story but I'm inclined to blame her record label for totally dropping the ball on promoting and marketing her last studio album, and probably screwing up her most recent album Loud too. For example, why does she have five new music videos out at once? It gives fans the impression that Rihanna's record label has no faith in her music and thought that none of the songs were good enough to stand alone so they put out five at once in hopes that one of them might be successful. I also don't like how with the release of every album, her marketing team tries to reinvent her image and intrigue listeners into finding out who the "real" Rihanna is. After the re-re-re-re-invention of Rihanna, it becomes prettttty obvious it's just a PR gimmick. With all that said, the first single off Loud peaked at number three on Billboard Hot 100 and number one on Canadian Hot 100, Australian Aria Charts and in New Zealand, so let's hope this album turns out better than the last. Only Girl (In The World) has a super catchy techno beat, Beyonce-esque vocals, and lyrics that have all the makings of a shamefully irresistible house song. Don't want to love it, but I do.

Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)

Let's take a SAVOYage

2010-10-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

Have your parched ears been craving some delicious Victory Lemonade over the past few weeks? Well fear not, because it's time to slake that thirst with some beats straight out of Boulder, Colorado. Everyone knows that kids from Boulder like to get stoned off their asses and listen to dope music, which is why I was not surprised to find out that SAVOY is straight out of BoCO! Gray Smith, Ben Eberdt, and Mike Kelly, who make up SAVOY, really know how to put out some bangers. They just released their new EP Nothin for Nothin in July, which you can download FO' FREE, on their website along with a few of their other releases. Their title track from the album makes me just want to go to a SAVOY concert and dance my ass off until my glow sticks burn out*. Gotta love that sample from the 1985 Money for Nothin song Dire Straits! These guys sure are easy on the ears, check em out. The Damian Marley remix is my personal favorite...

*I don't use glow sticks, are you kidding?

SAVOY - Nothin for Nothin

Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock (SAVOY Remix)

SAVOY - Real People

All systems go

2010-09-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

NERD's third studio album Seeing Sounds (2008) is their best album to date in my opinion. In the past, their albums have had a few notable singles with a bunch of unimpressive filler in between. This album, on the other hand, is a compilation of diverse and complex sounding melodies that still successfully uphold cohesive underlying tones and regurgitatable harmonies. With the right PR, almost every song could stand alone as a single. I'm not saying they don't have room to improve, but Seeing Sounds is strides ahead of their previous albums and I'd like to praise their hard work and creativity. One of my favorite lesser-known tracks off this ablum is You Know What, a subtle yet explicit account of a man cheating on his girlfriend, knowing that it's wrong, but not being able to give up the relationship/friendship he has with this other girl.

NERD - You Know What

Finally

2010-09-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for an LCD Soundsystem song that I actually like. It would have been so easy to jump on the LCD bandwagon but I've been holding out because the handful of songs that I had heard were pretty mediocre and when there's that much hype, I need fantastic to be truly impressed. I'm glad I waited because Tribulations is actually fantastic.

LCD Soundsystem - Tribulations

All that glitters ain't gold...

2010-09-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for the second season of HBO's How to Make It in America. If you haven't seen it, the show is about two young struggling entrepreneurs in New York who don't really have much going for them but never give up. To be completely honest, the plot so far hasn't been extremely thrilling but all HBO characters are subtle enough to make for decent television. So why can't I wait for this apparently mediocre TV show to start again? Well, you know when there's that one special thing that sets the tone for the whole TV show and makes everything worthwhile? Kind of like Sue Sylvester on Glee, or how all the characters in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are so hilariously self-absorbed, How to Make It in America and its intro song are a match made in heaven. The song perfectly embodies the spirit of hustling and the entrepreneurial American dream, while also somehow giving the characters depth and meaning in a way no TV show theme song has before. The song can definitely stand on its own (as you're about to find out...) but I highly recommend torrenting the first season and tuning in next summer for numero dos.

Aloe Blacc - I Need A Dollar

Greetings from the future!

2010-08-31T12:08:00.000-07:00

Excuse me, sirs and madams: it's been too long. I decided to backpost because I have a bunch of songs saved up from my blogging hiatus and I didn't want to wait to post them. This way I can also look back on my blog later and forget about the fact that I've been acting like a total douche and neglecting Victory Lemonade since I got back to Duke. Now that I've gotten all of my excuses out of the way, let's get on to the music! The magically soothing Beatles-esque voice of Hot Chip's lead singer Alexis Taylor is enough to make any girl cream her pants, but the dude is NOT attractive. For the sake of pleasant mental images, let's pretend he looks a little less like the pervy dude who sits behind me in Dr. Schaad's CE24 lecture AND Dr. Pratson's ENV130 class, and a little more like...Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Mmmm. Sorry for being shallow, but I'd never seen a picture of what he looks like in real life until I started writing this post and I'm just a little shocked I guess. Nevertheless, No Fit State is off Hot Chip's 2006 album, The Warning, and it really showcases how much talent this paperbagger has. Enjoy!

Hot Chip - No Fit State

I LIKE THAT.

2010-08-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

Love at first listen. Sidney Samson is bananas on this track. Like Riverside bananas. I'm dying. I hated on Luciana a while back and I'm about to give her way more credit than she deserves seeing that she basically just repeats the same phrase over and over for most of the song, but regardless she has completely redeemed my impression of her. Samson can do that to ya, I guess. Kudos to DJ Spryte for putting this all together.

Luciana ft. Sidney Samson & Itakuba - I Like That (Spryte Bootleg)

King Fantastic

2010-08-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

King Fantastic describes their sound as "westcoastsynthesizerbeachbumgangstermusic." I would say they forgot to mention a pretty substantial dubstep influence, but whatever you want to call it, it's DOPE. So, so, so, so good.

The Glitch Mob - Drive It Like You Stole It (King Fantastic Remix)

Bassnectar - Bass Head (King Fantastic Remix)

Ehh...

2010-08-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

Victory Lemonade <3 Neon Gold. But seriously, some of my favorite jams from the past year have come from their blog so I thought it was due time I give them a little credit. Moon Crooners by Egyptian Hip Hop is no exception. Disco synth over a Chromeo-esque beat with lots of cymbals = A++. The only thing I can think of that would make this better is...more cowbell.

Egyptian Hip Hop - Moon Crooner

Gettin' ready for the next phase.

2010-08-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Another day, another Dom song I can't get enough of.

Dom - Jesus

This must be a sin.

2010-08-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Mark Ronson & the Business Intl has been doing big things lately. They came out with Bang Bang Bang a few months ago and I wasn't a big fan at first, but it's been growing on me a lot. Peep the music video below. Lose It (In The End) is just as good, but you don't have to wait 3 months to dig it.

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl ft. MDNR & Q-Tip - Bang Bang Bang

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl ft. Ghostface Killah - Lose It (In The End)

Bone Dry

2010-08-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

So is it right for me to treat you like you did me when we were young? And is it right for me to wait to tell you now? Bone dry, bone dry.

A B & The Sea is originally from Wisconsin but they moved out to San Francisco (sounds a lot like someone I know...) to try to make a name for themselves. From what I can tell, they've been pretty successful and there is definitely more to come. You can download five songs (including Bone Dry) from their EP for free on their website...orrr you can just download it from me :P

A B & The Sea - Bone Dry

Duke

2010-08-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

Finally back in Durham. A song my roommate and I have been putting on to make the unpacking slightly more bearable:

The Morning Benders - Excuses

A soothing delight

2010-08-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Ahhh...I don't think you understand how great it feels to be reunited with civilization and technology after a week of seclusion and 1000 piece puzzles. Don't get me wrong — it was a great vacation, but after starting Victory Lemonade, my musical appetite has grown to be essentially insatiable. I used to be able to listen to a song for weeks before venturing out again into the blogosphere to find something new. Now, as soon as I blog about a song I like, it's on to the next. I can't decide if I'm not appreciating the music enough or appreciating it too much, but I digress. The point is that sans blogging abilities, I felt like a crack addict in withdrawal and I'm happy to be back. On to more important things...

Disco Ruido - Mrs. Love

BRB

2010-08-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

Family trip to the Adirondacks = no internet for a week, but this Yeasayer smash should hold you over 'til then. Have a good one! Be back soon.

Yeasayer - One

Do you really wanna say goodbye?

2010-08-15T06:16:00.000-07:00

Nika+Rory proves that one of the most hated yet simultaneously loved musical techniques still has more to give! This autotune goth-pop band sounds like a slightly happier and more electronic version of Evanescence. I sniped these three songs off PMA and they are as advertised: Pretty Much Amazing! — especially LA SUXXX.

Nika+Rory - LA SUXXX (The Choice)

Nika+Rory - Do You Wanna Be?

Nika+Rory - I'm Not Going Anywhere

Good morning, Midnight.

2010-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Doooope electro house track by Bastien Laval and an even crazier remix! Both versions are worth checking out but serious, serious props to Wendel Kos for the edit. 0:51!!!

Bastien Laval ft. Layla - Restlessness

Bastien Laval ft. Layla - Restlessness (Wendel Kos Edit)

Remixability

2010-08-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

With blogging culture influencing the music scene more than ever, it has become very apparent that bands are purposely putting out music that begs to be remixed (and then blogged about). By releasing pop music with an accelerated beat, musicians are capable of reaching the mainstream as well as expanding their demographic base to the entire spectrum of electronic music listeners, post-remix+blog treatment. Example is the perfect...example...of this. Their original mixes are catchy but very cookie cutter electropop, so naturally, DJs hear this skeleton of a song and instantly want to put some meat on those musical bones. Wideboys, Devils Gun Zeitgeist, and Bar 9 most certainly caught this hunger and have fattened these Example tracks right up! Delicious.

Example - Won't Go Quietly (Wideboys Remix)

Example - Watch The Sun Come Up (Devils Gun Zeitgeist Remix)

Example - Kickstarts (Bar 9 Remix)

Fall in love in analog and never let go.

2010-08-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

Another c89.5 jam! I don't follow American Idol but I guess Blake Lewis was the runner-up on a past season? Anyway, I'm sure the question on everyone's mind right now then is what would brilliant Chew Fu DJing laced with Mr. Lewis' velvety vocals sound like?! Well, you're just going to have to find out for yourself:

Blake Lewis - Heartbreak On Vinyl (Chew Fu Remix)

Wanting things that we never had.

2010-08-11T05:12:00.000-07:00

Don't ask why I'm awake right now, but I thought I might as well spend these sleepless hours getting my daily blog post in. I heard this in the car on c89.5 tonight and had to type the lyrics into a blank text (while driving) so I could Google it when I got home...THAT GOOD. Haley's Enya-tastic vocals have lifted Deadmau5 (I Remember) and Kaskade (Move For Me) songs to the tippity top spots of international music charts and after listening to the angel laughter on this track, it becomes increasingly obvious why. This song isn't new, but post-DeadmasKerade, she released her first track under her own name and it's fantastic. Imagine driving home on empty roads with the windows down on a warm summer night blasting this:

Haley - This Is How It Goes

Smile and look so surprised.

2010-08-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Godddd this song/video is good. I first heard/saw Martina Sorbara of Dragonette when I was in Melbourne at Stereosonic last year waiting for Deadmau5 to come on and have been infatuated with her voice ever since. So come, twirl your dresses around, lift your cotton socks on, and turn your cameras on while she lights a fire in your new shoes!

Kaskade ft. Martina Sorbara - Fire In Your New Shoes

Pimps Don't Cry

2010-08-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't seen the Other Guys yet, but all the advertising they've been doing on Funny or Die recently is pretty hilarious:

Funday

2010-08-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

There's no theme or anecdote for today's post, just a few Calvin Harris and La Roux songs I've been sitting on for a while and wanted to share:

Calvin Harris - You Used To Hold Me

Calvin Harris - The Rain

I Blame Coco - Self Machine (La Roux Remix)

Major Lazer & La Roux - Magic (Falling Soldiers Dub)

ChillionYoung

2010-08-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

Is there anyone who doesn't enjoy a soothing and synthy chillwave song every now and then? It's the kind of music that has to suit your mood, but when it does, it's the perfect complement for that moment. MillionYoung's musical style varies from song to song, but all of it has an underlying ethereal chillwave sound that will sweep you off your feet.

MillionYoung - Pilfer

MillionYoung - Desperate Measures

Memoryhouse - To the Lighthouse (MillionYoung Remix)

She can't separate the man from the music...?

2010-08-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

If you can get over how unbelievably feminine his singing voice is, this song is actually pretty good. The video is unremarkable but I just wanted you to see what the fellow who calls himself "Plan B" (lol) looks like. Aaand while we're on this pop tangent, I posted a few 2AM Club songs as well. The only justification I can come up with for liking these semi/very-cheesy tracks is that I grew up in the Backstreet Boys/*NSYNC era and sappy boy band pop will always have a special place in my heart. Don't let my description deter you, though — I guarantee you'll find yourself wishing you hated these songs too.

Plan B - She Said

2AM Club - Worry About You

2AM Club - Nobody's In Love (Xaphoon Jones Remix)

Last and probably least, since apparently I'm the only person on the face of the planet who hadn't seen this yet, a ridiculously talented 6th grader putting Lady Gaga to shame:

Don't turn the Aeroplane off.

2010-08-05T08:39:00.000-07:00

I'm considering changing Victory Lemonade to be an Aeroplane-only music blog. Well, not really, but given the frequency with which their (err...his, I guess, now that Fasano bailed) tracks make it onto my front page, it might as well be. Some sneaky DJs leaked Aeroplane's remix of Chromeo's Don't Turn the Lights On yesterday and it's definitely giving the original mix a run for its money.

Chromeo - Don't Turn the Lights On (Aeroplane Remix)

Also, check out the weird and wildly entertaining Don't Turn the Lights On music video:

Let me see who you are.

2010-08-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

This is the second track by Washed Out that I've come across recently (I posted You And I a few weeks ago) that I was instantly hooked on after my first listen. Belong sounds like summer — and now that I've traded the San Francisco fog for the Seattle sun, Belong sounds like today.

Washed Out - Belong

In other news, this TED talk about how music has evolved with venue architecture is pretty interesting. David Byrne isn't the best speaker, and his take home point is a little vague and inconclusive but I really enjoyed watching his comparative slideshow of all the different venues juxtaposed with the music they housed.

How do you ever expect to be a real boy?!

2010-08-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

Realboy said this was "the very first track [they] made that [they] were actually proud of." I'm proud of you too. To make things even better, below is an image they posted of themselves on Myspace. Ahhhh how adorable.

Realboy - The Ritz

Bran Van 3000

2010-08-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

One of the main reasons I like this band so much is because they are capable of doing the exact opposite of what Maroon 5 does. And by that I mean their songs all sound different, almost to a point of not being able to recognize them as being the same band. I highly value musical versatility, originality, and creativity, and Bran Van 3000 definitely exceeds my expectations for these qualities. See what I mean:

Bran Van 3000 - Afrodiziak

Bran Van 3000 - Drinking in L.A.

Bran Van 3000 - Astounded

Dey like what is goin' on? I don't really know.

2010-08-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

I'm a little embarrassed to like this as much as I do. I have no clue who this Roscoe Dash cat is and Soulja Boy basically represents everything I hate about modern rap music but ohhhh welllll. This A-Trak remix is tight and I'm not going to fight it.

Roscoe Dash ft. Soulja Boy - Trizzy Turnt Up (A-Trak Remix)