Sally Shapiro Disco Romance Klein
Disco hasn’t been this poppy since Cerrone crushed clubs with hits like “Supernature” and “Hysteria.” Swedish representative Sally Shapiro, alongside producer Johan Agebjorn, offers italo-electro-pop, rekindling the spirit of Sylvester and the almighty New Order. Reverberated drums + chunky synths x effortless vocals = mega-club jams galore.

Tim MaiaWorld Psychedelic Classics 4: Nobody Can Live Forever: the Existential Soul of Tim MaiaLuaka Bop
Brazilian psyche-master Tim Maia is a fucking warrior. This dude tried to make it in the US music biz during the early ‘70s, but was deported for drug trafficking. Shortly after, he joined a cult that believed humans descended from aliens who would eventually save the purified believers. Oh, and he recorded this collection of soulful tracks that make our hearts flutter.

September Collective All the Birds Were AnarchistsMosz
September Collective is Stefan Schneider (Mapstation), Barabara Morgenstern, and Polish born Paul Wirkus. Collectively (no pun intended) they produce ambient downtempo, taking brushed percussion and piano scores to new heights. Like Mogwai for adult contemporary radio, All the Birds Were Anarchists soothes and disturbs.

Various Compost Black Label Series Vol. 2Compost
Put simply, Compost’s Black Label series is the best shit they put out. Don’t get us wrong. Ben Mono is killer, and every once in a while a jazz or soul track is critical, but this is disco/tech-house bliss. Featuring tracks from Zwicker, Move D, and DJ Enne, this dance-heavy mix cooks.

Artanker Convoy Cozy Endings The Social Registry
Artanker Convoy has come out of its improv-shell on its second record for The Social Registry label. With the band’s minimal percussion and dark synth leads paving the way, indie-jazz will never be the same. Does indie-jazz even exist? Looks like it.

Allesandro SteffanaPoste E Telegraffi Important
Italian guitarist Allessandro Steffana makes ambient kraut rock with extreme precision. Not unlike the atmospherics of Eno and Robin Guthrie’s resonating guitarlines, Steffana’s compositions flow through space with like an astronaut on Xanax. Film music lovers, prepare to be swept off you feet.

Fisk Industries EPs and Rarities Mush
Boards of Canada should probably seek cover, because Fisk Industries is ready for war. Sound designer Mat Ronson makes glitchy, atmospheric beatscapes that induce paranoia and head nodding (usually a byproduct of banging hip-hop tracks). This collection includes a few obscure vinyl-only releases and two full-length albums from back in the day. We couldn’t think of a better intro into this British composer’s world.

Dev/NullLazer Thrash Cock Rock Disco
In typical Cock Rock Disco fashion, Dev/Null is the culmination of pent up aggression and rave fever. While there’s 12 times more beats than a grindcore band could ever pump out, Lazer Thrash is doomy hip-hop/metal-breakcore for psychopaths and club kids. In other words, it’s r-a-d.

Skeletons and the King of All Cities LucasGhostly
Pop keeps getting more and more fucked up, but SATKOAC are hard to compete against. Lucas is an ambitious concept album revolving around a beauty obsessed king and hair (don’t ask). Don’t let the obscurity fool you. Skeletons and the Kings of All Cities is a novel project with as much pop accessibility as any other weird-pop oddity.

Heiroglyphics Over Time Heiro Imporium
Oakland is a beautiful place–mostly because of Hieroglyphics. This collection of B-sides, remixes, and unreleased tracks is a reminder that Oaktown’s indie heros Del, Casual, Domino, Pep Love, and Souls of Mischief still own shit. Seriously.

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Northwestern University graduate Nguan, whose work has been featured in the likes of Vice and Arktip, grapples with what he calls “emotional globalization” in his Ordinary Fantasies show. Traveling from Beijing, to Los Angeles, to Venice Beach, he defamiliarizes images from everyday life in a big city.

See Ordinary Fantasies now, at XLR8R‘s Peepshow.

TTC are France’s response to the cornball party rappers that the US churns out–except they’re good. Really good. Under the guidance of resident producer DJ Orgasmic, these Frenchman own raved-out hip-hop. Whether or not anyone understands what the hell these dudes are yelling about, dancefloors will go insane. “Telephone” is proof.

See TTC’s “Telephone” now at XLR8R’sVideo Section.

Black dye, 0s and 1s, cyberpunk, undercuts. Just a few of the influences channeled for my hacker mix, featuring Black Strobe, Franz & Shape, and The Hacker alongside some main sources of their inspiration: Skinny Puppy, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb. Too bad I only had an hour on this one–not even enough time to get to Ministry or Clan of Xymox, Booka Shade or Boyz Noize. Maybe I’ll have to do a follow up, but in the meantime put on your trenchcoat, pop open a can of Jolt, and prepare to get fully k-rad. Dedicated to Shark and Manuel Transmission.

Star Eyes

XLR8R editor Vivian Host (a.k.a. Star Eyes) contributes a DJ Mix to the XLR8R Podcast each month. Check out February’s “Deadline Dance Party” Mix, featuring tracks from Klaxons, New Young Pony Club, Drop The Lime, Green Velvet, and more. Download these podcasts by subscribing to iTunes (recommended) or with the RSS reader of your choice, by clicking here.

Tracklisting
1. White Rose Movement “Girls In the Back” (Independiente)
2. The Cure “Fire In Cairo” (Digitalism Remix) (white)
3. Yoshimoto “Du What Yu Do” (Trentemøller Remix) (Unorecordings)
4. Depeche Mode “Something To Do” (Black Strobe Remix) (Mute)
5. Anthony Rother “Luzifer” (Datapunk)
6. Front 242 “Headhunter” (Wax Trax!)
7. Franz and Shape “Angel’s Gate”
8. Nine Inch Nails “Sin”
9. Black Strobe “Nazi Trance Fuck Off” (Black Strobe)
10. Microchip League “New York New York” (Westside Music)
11. Nitzer Ebb “Join in the Chant” (Mute)
12. The Prodigy “Smack My Bitch Up” (Sony)
13. Nitzer Ebb “Control I’m Here” (The Hacker Remix)
14. The Knife “Marble House” (Rex the Dog Remix) (Mute)
15. Dirt Crew “808 Lazerbeam” (Dirt Crew)
16. Clock DVA “The Hacker” (Wax Trax!)
17. Ellen Allien “Down” (Bpitch Control)
18. PTP “Rubber Glove Seduction” (Wax Trax!)
19. Zombie Nation “Talks” (UKW)
20. Sweet Exorcist “Testfour” (Warp Records)
21. Grauzone “Eisbaer” (Welt-Rekord)
22. Skinny Puppy “Assimilate” (Nettwerk)

Sub Pop, the label responsible for releasing classics from the likes of Earth, Modest Mouse, and The Postal Service is offering one Washington or Oregon high-school senior a chance at their first ever “Loser Scholarship.”

Said lucky senior will receive $5750 to apply toward college tuition. Naturally, the label is looking for the artistic-minded kids of the world, and those with enough self-awareness to understand why they’d prefer to spend their days in an indie-rock band (or doing some other form of art).

Students have until May 1 to prove their creative ambition. Applicants simply need to send over a hard- or digital copy of their portfolios, write a one-page essay, and pray for some fiscal indie-love. 

XLR8R had its hands full at this year’s South by Southwest festival, shooting loads of pictures and video footage for XLR8R TV, throwing parties with labels like Hydrahead and Tigerbeat 6, and wandering aimlessly through the back roads of Austin in search of the after parties. See the madness, fully documented through the camera lens, at Peepshow.