Five (actually 6) songs I have been listening to for I don’t know how long. Each has at least one total standards-wrecking ass part in them, so I suppose that is the common thread here. I often think that if I pull out the songs with the melodies that really matter to me, I’ll be able to quantize a high-level view of my actual taste in music. Maybe that’s bullshit but:

Sophie Rimheden feat Annika Holmberg – Can You Save Me (Mt. Ventoux Remix)

I first heard this song early last year on the excellent Sackaros mix, put together by the always solid Johan Agebjörn. For the longest time I wrongly thought that this astral disco jammer was sung by Sally Shapiro, who Johan provides incredible italo backing tracks for. Turns out it’s Annika Holmberg, who I know shit all about, but who sounds like a beautifully fragile and breathless doll. I have danced after midnight to this track more times than anybody.

Bag Raiders – Shooting Stars

A couple of guys from Sydney making music with terrific soul. There’s a surge in Aussie synth that’s softer than the aggressive French sound that dominated for a few years there. Dudes like The Presets tried to make harsher electro make sense down under, and I never thought it worked that well. But there’s something bold about how Bag Raiders play up what is practically a slow-jam sensitivity into a big and bright hand-clapper. If you’re feeling this you might also like this Ted and Francis mix.

Radioclit – Secousse (Crookers Spino Mix)

This beast was on the Buraka Som Sistema mixtape, which led up to their outstanding Black Diamond LP. I’ve gotta say that this is the most massive leg-killing banger I’ve heard in like 5 years. I don’t know. I can’t remember listening to anything that got me this hype in forever, and the close second is another Crookers mix, so maybe I should give it up to those guys instead of Radioclit? Fidget House has its problems and for all of my misgivings about Crookers, there’s kind of no denying this shit for me.

For a treat try skipping to 1:55 on the video below and then click play on this track. Be sure to turn the video volume down too (classic as it is).

La Roux – Bulletproof (Zinc Remix)

La Roux will probably become a big deal. Who knows really? She’s compelling as a character, anyway, and her pop is pretty modern. I’d heard her stuff in lots of mixes but didn’t know it was her until Adam mentioned it. Then I happened to find some mixes of Bulletproof which I didn’t think much of until this one came on in the car during an alone morning on the way to the gym and when the bottom dropped out about a minute in the air around me seemed to compress. It’s a carbon fiber production — dense without the heavy.

Gang Gang Dance – House Jam

I was going to write a whole post about these guys but I can’t bring myself to do it. A lot of their shit is just too free for me. But fuck if Saint Dymphna isn’t an outstanding time. That album is a stack of new ideas, cut through with considered yet incredibly natural gestures. Anyway I’m putting this song up here because it’s like a sonic play for me. The first 3:00 set a richly layered stage for the next 16 seconds of spare, plaintive construction. And then you get 18 seconds of real, body-rending drama.

“Will clouds carry my tears to you?” Fuck man I’m dying! BTW I make a point of playing this song at most House Jams.

Starkey – Spacewalk

I had this post planned before I heard this song so it’s a bonus, and a fine way to end up. Starkey tends towards the Wonkier side of Dubstep, though I don’t know that this is particularly asynchronistic in the same way as his other stuff. It’s the last track on his LP (Ephemeral Exhibits), and it’s a mesmerizer. There’s a lot of what feels like angry pathos here, where you’re sort of resigned to the way things are but haven’t forgotten your frustration at your own sadness. But there’s redemption too, in the promise of progress through life, and the possibility of finding human communion.

This song makes me think about how when you take God out of everything you can replace him with Space.