by Paul V.

Singled Out

Janet Jackson - Feedback (Def Jam)

Admittedly, this didn’t floor me upon first spins. But the more I listened, the more it completely hooked me. She and producer Rodney Jerkins mean business here, offering up an ass-shaking beat and a lyrical delivery on the Ciara-meets-Britney tip. After her disappointing last effort, it sounds like Miss Jackson is back on track.

Hot Chip - Made In the Dark (Astralwerks)

After flooring us (and many a hipster dance floor) with their last effort and exceptional live sets at Coachella and the Henry Fonda (a gig I was lucky enough to DJ at), U.K.’s Hot Chip return with their stellar third effort, and it does not disappoint. The aptly titled disc further showcases that this rhythmic quintet resides way above the pack of most electronica outfits by being able to combine the sweetest of melodies and vocals along with what makes a body move. What also developed in the past two years of touring is a much tougher, beefier, fleshed-out sound—most evident on “Shake A Fist,” the first track we got treated to in late 2007. With a sample of Todd Rundgren explaining some studio trickery, and its whirring mix of flailing, whizzing synths and chunky drums, it’s already a club favorite. Similarly, “Ready For the Floor” is easily this record’s successor to “Over & Over” from their last record, standing out as an infectious mix of beats and sing-along lyrics (and it almost reminds me of early Vince Clarke). But the other charms here come on strong in the form of the undulating ballads and quieter moments, such as the sumptuous “We’re Looking For A lot of Love” and the ’60s-soul inspired title track. Another highlight is the indie rock meets honky-stomp vibe of “One Pure Thought,” and the Sparks-esque sounding “Hold On.” Highly recommended for all eclectic ears.

Felix Da Housecat - Virgo Blaktro & The Movie Disco (Nettwerk)

What I love about Felix Da Housecat is that with each new CD he drops, he takes on a new persona intertwined with some sort of back-story theme within in the songs. He arrives now with a much more elaborate fable, calling upon the funk of the late ’70s Italo disco as his inspiration. He claims he wanted to sound like George Michael meets Pet Shop Boys—if they were black—but I would say he achieved more of a Giorgio Moroder meets Patrick Cowley vibe. Expect some late-night tempos, throbbing grooves and that elusive vocoder/voice-box that dudes like Chromeo & Snoop Dogg love using now, too. “Like Something 4 Porno!” is as close to classic, 4/4 Paradise Garage disco someone can achieve in the 2Ks, complete with France Joli-esque breathy vocals. Clear inspiration from Devo & Human League hovers over the new wave electro of “Sweetfrosti” and “Nighttripperz,” respectively. There’s some icy minimalism in “Monkey Cage” (with a lyrical nod to Prince's “America”), and the euphoric “I Seem 2B the 1” just might be the Pet Shop Boys moment he was seeking out. Very few of the tracks here live past the three-minute mark though, and the only epic, direct-to-the-dance-floor moment is the heady and synth-swirled closer, “Future Calls the Dawn.” No boundaries get pushed here, but Felix has definitely crafted a nice, melodic, non-stop blend of glitzy, groovy tracks.

Robyn - The Rakamonie EP (Interscope)

Hailing from Sweden, the land of the hit makers, sassy girl Robyn has been burning up music blogs and dance clubs with various singles/remixes for more than a year, and we’ve been waiting ages for her proper full album to drop in America. Fear not, as she’s scheduled for release in April. To satiate fans and serve as an introduction to the newbies, this EP rounds up singles, acoustic versions, B-sides and a very tasty cover. Lead track “Konichiwa Bitches” remains an immediately delicious mix of fly-girl, braggadocio rapping set to a space-age, minimal dance groove. If you could morph Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes with M.I.A and Beck, you’d get your very own konichiwa bitch in your living room. That was co-written by fellow Swede Klas Ahlund (of the Teddybears), and next up is her cover of their hip-smackin’ smash, “Cobrastyle,” which she transforms with a much more subtle delivery. Ahlund also co-wrote “Be Mine,” which is stripped down to just a simple piano line, and really showcases Robyn’s knack for a beautiful melody and how alluring her voice is in this setting. She achieves similar and even more goosebump-inducing results on the scintillating “With Every Heartbeat.” Ending it all, her cover of Prince’s “Jack You Off” is neutered of all its early ’80s electronics and reconstructed on nothing but a player piano, sounding like a Tin Pan Alley-era ditty, with a boner. Catch her at the Troubadour on Feb. 9.

Check out DJ Paul V. spinning at Bootie L.A. the first Saturday monthly at the Echo and, on the first Friday monthly at Miss Kitty’s Parlour. Tune in Indie 103.1FM—Fridays at 5:30 p.m. for the “Smash Mix” and Saturdays midnight-3 a.m. for “Neon Noise.” More info at myspace.com/smashmix.