_N.E.R.D. – “Hot-N-Fun” (Boys Noize & Hot Chip Remix)

I wasn’t so sure if I liked N.E.R.D’s “Hot-N-Fun” featuring Nelly Furtado when it released in May. At first I thought it was an okay track that tried too hard to be  a summer hit, but it grew on me once I actually realized that this is N.E.R.D. – they’re just 3 dudes making fun, dancy music.

To try to make us love it even more, they got amazing artists like Yeasayer, Hot Chip, Boys Noize, and Crookers to hop on the N.E.R.D. train and remix this track for their “Hot-N-Fun” single EP.  My favorite from these 4 have to be Boys Noize and Hot Chip’s remixes. My least favorite has to be Yeasayer’s

N.E.R.D. – “Hot-N-Fun” (Boys Noize Remix)

N.E.R.D. – “Hot-N-Fun” (Hot Chip Remix)

Listen and download to the other two at 514 blog.

My summer is sure not going to be Hot N Fun, especially in July. I’ve got a summer school course starting in a couple of days…

_Hot Chip – “She Wolf” (Shakira Cover)

Electronic band Hot Chip has surprised and wow’ed us with a cover of “She Wolf” by Shakira during the BBC Live Lounge. This song has been one of my guilty pleasures ever since the video was released, and I’m glad one of my favorite bands has covered us. This song even translated into a term called ‘chicwolf‘ in the fashion world.

This cover sounds like an 80′s version of “She Wolf”, which already sounds 70′s-like, it’s so robotic! Good job Hot Chip.

Hot Chip – “She Wolf” (Shakira Cover)Link 2

_Hot Chip – Hand Me Down Your Love

Sorry for the slow updates, I have a lot of mid-terms and final exams right now in school, and swamped with work so my time on the computer has been decreasing significantly. I’m almost done with exams though so expect a lot more posts.

Over the weekend, Hot Chip’s album, “One Life Stand” leaked over the internet if you haven’t known already. I’ve listened to it a couple times and it’s definitely an album that takes time to appreciate and grows on you instead of hitting you hard in the ears.

I was particularily interested in the 2nd track, “Hand Me Down Your Love”. I definitely really like the contrast between the drums and the piano. The repetitive lyrics that Alexis sings is great as well. The use of violins blends is also great to listen to. Overall, probably one of my favorite tracks from the album.

Hot Chip – “Hand Me Down Your Love” Stream

_Hot Chip – One Life Stand (Music Video)

Hot Chip has debuted their first music video to their 4th album with the same name, “One Life Stand” out on February 8th. Watch out for semi-awkward dancing near the middle of the video.

_Hot Chip – One Life Stand

Hot Chip are easily one of the coolest electro-pop bands out there. This quintet from London are experts at crafting music with catchy guitar riffs and quirky electronic beats. In their new single “One Life Stand” this order hasn’t changed at all. They still maintain everything about their older music that makes it fun loving, danceable and electronically charged.

What I like is that they always manage to inject a subtle hint of 80′s electronic dance music, while still maintaining their indie roots. It could be their smooth accelerated bass lines, Alexis Taylor’s croon or maybe just the all around danceability of their music. But it harks back to an era when electronic dance music started getting the notoriety it deserved.

This will no doubt be one of the more upbeat tracks off their upcoming fourth album which will be titled the same as this song. Watch out for the album to drop sometime in the first quarter of ’10. Which i like the way Hot Chip explains it in an interview with NME – “There will be a new album, set for release in early parts of next year, to warm the cockles of your soul right in the middle of the bleak mid-winter.”

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_Hot Chip – Take It In

This is Hot Chip?? Really?! Judging from the first single off their new album, One Life Stand, titled, “Take It In,” the guys have taken a cue from some of the more experimental acoustic bands in the game right now. Part of me feels like this makes me nostalgic for the sound that Hot Chip made themselves known for. At the same time, the unstructured rhythms, and the added unstructured acoustics seem to add another layer to their music.

Melodically, it may be some of their best work, but I still hope the album provides us with at least one or two anthems that we can clap our hands to like we’re used to. It would take an entirely new direction to remix this song to make it ready for the floor. Therefore, I put you to the challenge! Now, take it in!

Hot Chip – “Take It In”Stream