We at Lefort admit we are slothful and so are happy to occasionally sit back, take a listen and ride the coattails of others.  So it is that we welcome guest blogger, Derp, to Lefort.  Take it away then, Derp.

Derp

You know, Lefort, your coverage of indie, country, soul, punk, reggae (wait, where’s that anyway?), jazz and traditional rock is all fine and good, but where are the electro sounds?  You’re failing to cover the most exciting genre happening in music today, a genre which appeals to both the young and the old (that would be you, monsieur).  I can help with that.  Let’s start with some of the most accessible artists and tracks in the genre, and then we can get into some more challenging material in due time.

Without further adieu, first check out Austrian artist, Parov Stelar.  The stellar Stelar uses swing music as his foundation and then layers onto it modern dance and/or electro beats for a combo that is unique and addictingly enjoyable.  The result is the sub-genre, “Electroswing.”  Check out Catgroove below, which is quintessential Stelar that employs a jazzy swing number, with a driving beat above and below it, and a resulting modern dance feel.  You and your readers will also likely enjoy the inventive solo dancing by “Forythe” in the accompanying video.  Afterwards, check out Stelar’s Chambermaid Swing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRtHYiWmsoA

Next up is Berlin’s Robot Koch.  First check out recently-released Nitesky, with its lyrics and melancholy sound.  John LaMonica’s vocals complement the tone of the song perfectly.  The song may remind your readers of The Antlers and their album, Hospice, with its mournful sounds.  But Nitesky is less depressing and, instead of causing me to think about death, reminds me of people naturally coming and going from one’s life.  Listen in at 2:03, when Robot Koch drops in a marching beat and causes my foot to start tapping and my head nodding along in agreement.  Nitesky is found on Robot Koch’s album, The Other Side.

After Nitesky, check out Robot Koch’s Hard to Find.  Hard to Find has a sort of lurching, marching beat that feels like it could be the background music to a great car chase or perhaps a scene of a lion chasing down and mauling a gazelle–something primal and vicious, but managing to be beautiful in the process.  If you like what you hear, go over to Sound Cloud in the embed below the video and check out more Robot Koch.

Album & EP Tracks by Robot Koch

Next up check out the song, We Can Make the World Stop, which is a “glitch” track by the aptly named LA group, Glitch Mob.  Glitch Mob is well known for songs such as Animus Vox, Drive It Like You Stole It, and Between Two Points, but this song adds some great aggression to the electronic sound.  Afterwards check out Animus Vox.

Moving on to some more adventurous and challenging sounds, check out LA’s Flying Lotus and their song Do the Astral Plane.  This song is just a straight up dance jam.  The ratchety, clicky-clack beat is topped with a smooth sampling of violins and bass.  Fun to listen to and impossible not to move something to it.  Flying Lotus has more challenging and rewarding material to dive into, but this is a good intro to one of the most talented artists in the genre.

I’ll be back to bring you more electronic in the near future.  Until then.  Derp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXdwb_lUKvs