Dancey indie-synth music with vocals that doesn't suck?
July 19, 2011 12:29 PM   Subscribe

Recommend me some music like Cut Copy, The Whitest Boy Alive, Junior Boys, The Temper Trap, and Phoenix.

I love music that's good for driving and makes me want to dance, but doesn't necessarily sound like bleepy bloopy boomboomboom fakey electronic stuff. I think understated vocals and at some level of analog realness are key. Specifically, these songs really do it for me:

Cut Copy - Take Me Over

The Whitest Boy Alive - Fireworks

Junior Boys - Hazel

Phoenix - Everything Is Everything

And this song which I just discovered on Slacker is blowing my fucking mind.
It's right on the edge of what I'm looking for (not as dancey), but ohmygod:

The Temper Trap - Love Lost

Bands or albums that are consistently good are preferred, but single tracks are fine, too. And yes, feel free to recommend anything -- new or old -- it doesn't matter. e.g. something like Genius of Love by the Tom Tom Club would qualify if I didn't already know about it.
posted by buckaroo_benzai to Media & Arts (27 answers total) 45 users marked this as a favorite
 
If you like TWBA stuff, you'll be needing to check out Erlend Øye's other output under his own name and also as one half of Kings of Convenience.

You'll probably dig the latest Destroyer album, Kaputt.

I love this sound myself, but I'm at work away from my collection. More as I think of them.
posted by carsonb at 12:34 PM on July 19, 2011


Probably doesn't qualify under your "understated vocals" criterion, but maybe try the new Teddybears album Devil's Music. It's got guest vocals from folks like The Flaming Lips, Cee Lo Green, and Robyn, so each new track is a bit of a change-up.
posted by Joey Bagels at 12:42 PM on July 19, 2011


Just discovered this guy John Maus. Very synthy, little on the lo-fi side, vocals seem understated.

The new Ford + Lopatin album has some of what you're looking for too, although it veers a bit into R&B. This is the stand out track: "Voices"
posted by the foreground at 12:47 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


Like carsonb I love this stuff but need to get to my collection to do a full recon search. In the meantime I recommend Yeasayer's most recent album.
posted by telegraph at 12:52 PM on July 19, 2011


I saw Temper Trap in Montreal. Delphic and The Hundred in the Hands opened for them. I dug them both.

You might also check out:

M83
The Faint
Bag Raiders
Austra
The Knife
Passion Pit
posted by vecchio at 12:58 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


You need to listen to Scandinavian music (as others have suggested). Your kind of music is one of Scandinavia's biggest exports.

Off the top of my head, try Pacific, CEO, The Embassy, The Tough Alliance, and if you like those I have many more suggestions where those came from.

Also, not Scandinavian, but you might like The Naked and Famous.
posted by mokudekiru at 1:00 PM on July 19, 2011


Foster the People Pumped up Kicks
posted by sweetkid at 1:06 PM on July 19, 2011


Kele - Everything You Wanted and/or Tenderoni.
posted by wuzandfuzz at 1:11 PM on July 19, 2011


Oh, another one is Empire of the Sun.

The first half of that album is amazing and then it kind of goes downhill :/
posted by the foreground at 1:11 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]




Cults
Hey Champ
The Tune-Yards
Two Door Cinema Club
VHS or Beta
Sleigh Bells
posted by jbickers at 1:46 PM on July 19, 2011


And if "not as dancey" stuff like Temper Trap turns you on, you absolutely positively must seek out Glasvegas.
posted by jbickers at 1:48 PM on July 19, 2011


Response by poster: Wow, you guys are great. A lot of this stuff is right up my alley! Keep it coming!
posted by buckaroo_benzai at 1:53 PM on July 19, 2011


Try The Sounds. They have a new record that I don't personally recommend but Dying To Say This To You from 2006 had some really amazing stuff on it. Check out "Hurt You" from that album.

(There is so much great stuff in this thread! Thanks especially to lonefrontranger for The Glitch Mob - totally new one for me and wicked good so far.)
posted by CRM114 at 2:02 PM on July 19, 2011




They don't have vocals, but Holy Fuck definitely fulfil the dancey indie-synth music description. I haven't had a chance to listen to their new album yet, but LP is a doozy.
posted by garrett at 3:02 PM on July 19, 2011


I saw Holy Ghost! open for Cut Copy on their last tour; definitely check them out.

If you like the Knife, you should check out Fever Ray, which is basically a solo album by the female singer in the Knife.
posted by immlass at 3:40 PM on July 19, 2011




Midnight Juggernauts
Hot Chip
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 4:25 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


Wanted to second Twin Shadow, Neon Neon and Washed Out, all great choices.

Also, don't think anyone has said Neon Indian yet.
posted by the foreground at 7:14 PM on July 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


I stopped by to suggest The Naked and Famous also and I'll raise you Gypsy and the Cat.
posted by Ness at 5:58 AM on July 20, 2011


Oh and you'd probably enjoy the Kitsune Maison compilations - 7 through 9 are very much in the vein you seek.
posted by Ness at 6:03 AM on July 20, 2011 [1 favorite]


Both of Friendly Fires's albums! Blue Cassette (from Pala) and Skeleton Boy (from their self-titled). They're great live as well.

Others...

Alan Wilkis - Pink and Purple (+ many of his remixes)
Bright Light Bright Light - A New Word to Say
RebekkaMaria - Corollaceous
The Golden Filter - Solid Gold
Strange Talk - Eskimo Boy and Climbing Walls
Ellie Goulding - Guns and Horses

If you're not opposed to total cheese, you can get a lot of car-dancing mileage from Private's album My Secret Lover. See We've Got Some Breaking Up to Do.
posted by Cue the Strings at 9:10 AM on July 20, 2011


Nobody's mentioned New Order yet??? For shame! They practically invented this genre.
posted by schmod at 11:32 AM on July 20, 2011


Have you heard this Fred Falke remix of The Whitest Boy Alive?

It's been my favorite song to wake up to for a couple of years now.
posted by screamingnotlaughing at 12:40 PM on July 20, 2011


Big seconding for The Knife.
I also love The Whitest Boy Alive. Another band that comes to mind for me when thinking of them is JJ. Might be a bit calmer than what you're looking for, but the music is amazing, has a lot of textures and for some reason listening through their albums makes me really serene. I first fell in love with Ecstasy, you might like You Know , Things will never be the same again or Masterplan (also, My Life doesn't fit with your description but it's an AMAZING song if you have the chance to listen (more on the sad side though).
I, like others, also recommend Erlend Oye if you like whitest boy alive. I particularly liked what he did as part of the DJ Kicks series (compilation / mix).
Thanks for this question now I have tons of music suggestions to check out! :)
posted by kitsuloukos at 2:22 PM on July 20, 2011


Mr. Wuzandfuzz here - I vote for

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70sT1py0m-s

Figurine - IMpossible, etc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcgPI-zDZWg&feature=related

The Faint - Call Call
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ81NLny0SU

MGMT - Time to Pretend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9dSYgd5Elk&feature=fvsr

I listen the the MGMT song and I think about my commute and my laptop and it makes me sad
posted by wuzandfuzz at 9:39 PM on July 21, 2011


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