As a hallmark of the onset of summer, the Gay Days compilation from Centaur is out now. The fifth installation in the series offers a continuous mix of covers and perky dance tracks mixed by DJ Randy Bettis. Like a roller coaster, Gay Days starts off with a rush with mixes of Ari Gold’s ‘Where the Music Takes You’ and Paula Abdul’s comeback single ‘Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow.’ Sampling Loleatta Holloway’s vocals is one thing, but trying to tackle her songbook is something else altogether. Few have the meaty chops to give justice to this former Chicagoan’s work, as heard on Candy’s subpar update of the Black Box jam ‘Ride on Time 2008.’ But Lady D. is the life source here with her remarkable rendition of Leona Lewis’ recent chart-topper, ‘Bleeding Love.’ The compilation comes to a close with the Radboy Vocal Club Mix of Brian Kent’s ‘Everything Changes.’ This is not a remake of Kathy Troccoli’s inspirational pop hit of the same name, although both have big tasty choruses.
Pictured: Kerli. Chris Willis photo by Karl Grant
Blank & Jones step forth with the new album The Logic of Pleasure. Highlighting the set are three remixes of much overdue new material from poetic songbird Vanessa Daou. Daou’s work here will appear in its original form on her forthcoming album. Also renowned for remixing material by The Pet Shop Boys, Chicane and Dario G, the German duo Blank & Jones recruits New Order’s Bernard Summer on the lead single, ‘Miracle Cure.’
The dual-disc compilation Cinco celebrates the New York nightclub Cielo with a sophisticated lounge sound. Mixed by Nicholas Matar and Willie Graff, the set includes a sample of Sting’s ‘If You Love Somebody Set Them Free’ on Kenny Bobien’s ‘Set Them Free,’ as well as the Louie Vega remix of club sensation Ultra Nate’s ‘Twisted’ and out New Yorker Joi Cardwell collaborating with Steal Vybe on ‘Wanderlust.’ Cinco seamlessly combines elements from jazz, world music, house and chillout music for a mix that translates into the sound of the condensation dripping off of an ice-cold martini glass.
Out singer Chris Willis has been in much demand lately. He can be heard on the stellar crossover dance track ‘Love Is Gone,’ which is just one of his many collaborations with French producer David Guetta. Pulled from Guetta’s album Pop Life, ‘Love is Gone’ won a World Music Award in 2007 and in 2008 received The Winter Music Conference Club Award for Best Club Anthem of the Year. Willis also lends his vocal talents to Ultra Nate’s recent club smash ‘Give It All You Got.’ As part of the Arsenal of Sound event, Willis is slated to come to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont on Sat., July 12.
Icelandic queer-fronted group Sigur Ros is back with its fifth album med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust, meaning ‘with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly.’ The songs still are epic, with the longest clocking in at more than nine minutes. But this time around, the outfit favors a more natural feel, owing to last year’s acoustic tour, as documented in the film Heima. The angelic vocals remain over a dreamy instrumentation direct from an otherworldly acid flashback. Sigur Ros returns to the Windy City with a concert Wed., Sept. 24, at The Chicago Theatre. Recently, Sigur Ros teamed with Bjork for a concert in Reykjavik to raise environmental awareness. Sigur Ros’ latest is out now on XL Recordings.
Newcomer Kerli has come a long way from her native Estonia to make an impact in the music industry. The material on the beautiful platinum blonde’s debut is inspired in parts by goth icon Amy Lee of Evanescence and Bjork, as well as Scandinavian songstress Bertine and Lilith Fair veteran Tekla. ‘Walking on Air’ draws comparisons to critic darlings Sia and Jem. Kerli’s debut album Love is Dead was slated to come out July 8, featuring ‘Beautiful Day,’ a track she penned with Good Charlotte’s guitarist Benji Madden.
On its debut, Beams, the Australian duo The Presets won me over with the cleverly titled ‘I Go Hard, I Go Home.’ Skipping the sophomore slump, the Presets boomerang back with the cool, electronic collection Apocalypso, in the process saluting Fischerspooner and Bent during their respective groundbreaking breakthroughs. Having a homoerotic video for ‘This Boy’s In Love’ with two topless lads wrestling in milk does not hurt, either.
Samantha Crain stopped by Schuba’s recently with her band The Midnight Shivers, and will join the Hotel Café Tour in the fall. Her soon-to-be-released EP, Confiscation, has a comfortable folk-pop feel with a strong sense of songwriting. The stand out track, ‘Traipsing through the Aisles,’ is reminiscent of Feist’s warm, quirky single ‘Mushaboom.’ The 21-year-old Choctaw Indian from Oklahoma then takes a quite drastic turn on the beautiful yet sparse ‘In Smithereens, The Search for Affinity,’ which has traces of a guitar adding the effect of looking into a vast field on a starry night. Crain’s tour schedule has her sharing the stage with Sam Phillips at The Old Town School of Folk Music Sept. 6-7.