Passion Pit “Constant Conversations” Gossamer (Columbia) I’m not quite sure how I feel about the new, moody Passion Pit. Via an article on Pitchfork, I was surprised to read Michael Angelakos say that the Cambridge group’s second LP, Gossamer, was going to be an introspective, melancholy affair. The Passion Pit that we knew from the group’s breakout debut, Manners, was bouncy, sunny, and bursting with life. It seemed unlikely that the group would be able to capture that aesthetic successfully, and I also wasn’t … →

Blur “Under the Westway” Under the Westway 7″ (Parlophone) It’s coming up on ten years since we’ve heard a full album from the London brit-pop legends, but they’ve been hinting at it, and it certainly feels like we’re getting closer to it. Until then, we’ll have to tie ourselves over with this new 2-song single released in anticipation of their big Hyde Park performance for the closing ceremonies of the London Olympics. This, the a-side, plays like Blur’s very own “Hey … →

Scuola Furano “Danceteria” (f/ Fiorious) 108 (Nano Rec) Scuola Furano is the alter ego of producer Borut Viola, a native of Gorizia, a small town in Northeastern Italy. After a string of scintillating singles, remixes, and edits (and a debut album that I frankly haven’t heard), we finally get a full entrée in the form of his exquisite sophomore LP, 108. Easily one of the top dance records of the year, Viola’s music lives somewhere in between disco, house, techno, and pop, and it’s … →