It’s been a good summer here in Weekenders land. Our inaugural playlist was inspired by a late night dance party to “Alive” by Empire of the Sun, who is now headlining major festivals. Capital Cities, Drop City Yacht Club, Cloud Control, Smallpools and a handful more have begun getting radio play (we see you, Evolution 101.7) and our very own Michael V has decided that Little Daylight (featured in vol. 2) is ‘Yr new fave band.’
I also featured a Daft Punk edit in vol. 1, and it was the first and only mention made here of the electronic duo or the album sprinkled in magic disco dust that got everyone high on life. People didn’t just freak out for Random Access Memories for no reason, and a sneaking suspicion told me this wasn’t the end of our boogie nights. Sure enough, with the help of Daft Punk and a few others, a genre that had been quietly stirring over the last few years was galvanized. One that we didn’t even know we needed.
We had been reliving every awful breakup with Adele and we didn’t know how to dance to Lady Gaga’s Euro-weirdness. The Decemberists were bringing us down, Radiohead was bringing us down, Wilco was bringing us down, and all the intensity harbored by Jay Z and Kanye and Green Day and Kendrick Lamar was bringing us down. And electronic seemed to be hell bent on dragging its feet through bass drops.
We needed a fucking break.
Listen carefully, and disco is everywhere. We’ve spent the summer tapping our toes and shimmying our shoulders to the Knocks, Disclosure, Cut Copy, and the ever-present “Blurred Lines.” Daft Punk is officially Top 40 status, and a new crop of DJs and producers are giving us something to smile about again.
You can find them on this Weekenders playlist, from the likes of Escort, Night Drive, James Curd, and Party Supplies.
Connecticut-based Business Casual Disco has been leading the charge, a dance-your-face-off DJ collective who, as the name suggests, reps disco no matter what the social setting. They are also responsible for introducing us to the stupidly catchy Startraxx “I’m Your Radio” (also featured) at last weekend’s Big Up Festival. So give it a listen and lighten up would you? Sometimes the kids just want to dance.
RELATED:
:: Alison’s Weekenders Playlist Vol. 5, with Man Man, Divine Fits, Naked And Famous, TIME FOR T, Crazypills, July 26, 2013
:: Alison’s Weekenders Playlist Vol. 4, with Ghost Beach, Fuzz, London Grammar, Case & Point ++, July 12, 2013
:: Alison’s Weekenders Playlist, Vol. 3: July 4 holiday edition with the Pixies, Avicii, Potty Mouth ++, July 3, 2013
:: Alison’s Weekenders playlist, Vol. 2: the Royal Concept, Capital Cities, White Lies, Coin, TV Girl +, June 21, 2013
:: Alison’s Weekenders playlist, Vol. 1: Empire of the Sun, Crystal Fighters, WALLA, Haerts ++, May 31, 2013