Biesmans - Trains, Planes & Automobiles

Belgian-born Biesmans has not only found a literal home in Berlin, but he's also found a home for his music there too. His debut on Watergate Records, Trains, Planes & Automobiles, features two originals alongside a Fideles remix. Those unfamiliar with Biesmans' sound will immediately notice his penchant for producing splashy, prismatic, synth-driven tracks. Whether labelled indie, disco, house, or simply electronic, every one of Biesmans' tracks has an undeniable 80s allure. Playing into that theme, this new Watergate release harkens back to John Hughes' 1987 classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Like the EP's inspiration, the title track has movement at its core, propelling itself ever forward. First, it chugs like a locomotive before breaking through the clouds, soaring high above it all, eventually coming back to earth only to get stuck in traffic, accosted by a chorus of car horns. Again like the EP's inspiration, the title track perfectly straddles the line between slapstick and sentimentality, thriving through its killer chemistry.

Following "Trains, Planes & Automobiles" is the Fideles remix which, if we're to stick to the old movie metaphors, feels like it fits more in the 90s. With a new breakbeat bed and industrial energy, it becomes grittier and altogether more brooding, shrouding the scintillating synth work in a thick fog. And from that darkness emerges the final piece of this retro trifecta, "Save The Night." A triumphant affair, its driving groove emulates the horizon, hiding the sun's radiance until its glorious glimmers finally grace our skin. The warmth of "Save The Night" rests right beneath the surface, threatening to break through at any moment, and when it does with the vocal hooks and swirling synths, there is little better feeling. It is like dancing in the rain, revelling in each resplendent drop.

Stream Trains, Planes & Automobiles below and get it from your preferred source here.

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Girl Friend - Tragic On The Dancefloor (Louis La Roche Remix)

Less than a month after British DJ and producer, Brett Ewels, aka Louis La Roche dropped his funky, disco-inspired EP 1996, he's lent his delicate, heartfelt, and warm, strident-chords to Girl Friend's single, "Tragic On The Dancefloor." Much like 1996, this remix imbibes with intoxicating, old-school vibes leaving listeners swilling in the inebriating awesomeness. As though pulled straight from a John Hughes 80s film, sound-tracking the end-credits, in a cathartic conclusion, "Tragic On The Dancefloor," is a slice of a musical era that has seemingly passed. By now, you probably are well aware of my penchant for being incredibly nostalgic of the 80s. I think I'm so sentimental towards that decade (of which I saw 8 months) in a twofold manner. One, because it was truly the first time synthesizers hit the mainstream, with the new-wave, and two, I feel it was a time more focused on discovery, playfulness, and creativity rather than what is cool or marketable. So big ups to artists like Louis La Roche, who do what they want and don't succumb to the pressures of being the next big thing.

Shimmering synths and disco guitar, reminiscent of Nile Rodgers with Daft Punk, glide beautifully around Girl Friend's vocals. Further depth of production prowess comes in the form of ever so delicately modulated vocals, and slightly warped synths. "Tragic On The Dancefloor" transports listeners to a blissfully beautiful, platform in the heavens. Light and breezy, the music overtakes our corporeal body and sets revelers on an unavoidable crash course of ecstasy. I can't help but be reminded of the moment in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, when the beast is lifted up by Belle's love, and transformed back into the prince. Something about the Beauty and the Beast, has found its way into my consciousness; the whole soundtrack is incredible but it's Alan Menken's "Prologue" that I've found myself using, both as an alarm and palate cleanser (check this beautiful piano cover).

There's still no release date announced yet for "Tragic On The Dancefloor," but staying tuned to both Girl Friend and Louis La Roche's socials (below), as well as this blog and my Twitter, will certainly keep you apprised of its release.

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