Come cool off at Rainbow Dreams #3 (it’s beginning to look like a TRIPLE RAINBOW!)…Yeah! Residents Los Bermanos (Jeremy y Lara Berman), D.Clapp and special guest Mr. G. will be droppin’ the proverbial heat. Expect the same great vibe and maybe even an exclusive track or two. Word!

ALSO, we splurged a bit last week and procured a new portable digital recorder (Zoom H4N FTW!), so we may actually make good on our long-overdue promise of actually recording the night…Stay tuned!

TONIGHT! Should be a good one.

Soapism’s resident reviewer, Marco Tulio Thrash, takes a look at Steve Summers’ new release on Echovolt. Thanks MTT!

Steve Summers is another facette of producer Jason Letkiewicz’s musical world about whom you can read more at the very clear and to the point confusedhouse.org website. During a recent interview, Lietkiewicz briefly and cautiously summed up the Steve Summers sound as “early chicago influenced house tracks”. I am so grateful for this description because I’m ashamed to say I am completely illiterate when it comes to house music.

His latest release for Echovolt Records opens with trigger happy snares and claps before a totally bumptious bassline kicks in. Soon after, a languorous seductress slips into her negligé in the form of a silky lead melody. The 16 beat hi-hats maintain the energy until an ‘electronic adventurer’ – style melody comes in to supplant the initial seductress. That pretty much sums up the EP opener “Lucid Fingers”.

“Deep Necking” is the other cut on the A-side. This is a more subdued jam with tingling percussives and a less manic drum machine allowing only for infrequent rhythm flourishes. In the background, a meandering snake charms around the mysterious temple ruins.

On to the B-side, where further pleasures await. “Seeing Things” is definitely a house track (not that I’d know any better) but there is something in its relentless and intoxicating hook that makes me think of 80’s pop and new wave.

“What Do You Think You Feel” revisits the languid seductress again, but this time it feels like walking into a human wreck during a sunny morning in some abandoned house taken over by nature. The ebb and flow swathes catch the breeze while ‘on-even-keel’ toms negotiate the debris from elsewhere.

This record is so good, like a hearty risotto paired with the perfect wine. The flavor stays in your mind long after it has left your mouth. It paralyses you in the moment, so all that you can do is bask in the full sound. Your mind in bliss, arms flail in abandon.

In this EP, Steve Summers opens countless minds and lifts the collective weary soul. He’s welcome at my house any time and something tells he’ll be welcome at yours too.

Hear some samples and buy:

Echovolt Records

Confused House

If you were lucky enough to make it out to the inaugural Rainbow Dreams party, then you know what’s up and most likely already have Friday, May 21st circled in lipstick on your Robots of the U.S.S.R. calendar. If not, read this write up.

This go-round we welcome guest DJ (and master of the Thing) Frantz, along with regulars D. Clapp and Lara Berman. ALSO, Factory Aire will be reuniting especially for this night. Rad!

Expect the good vibes.

Brooklyn Dreams – Street Man || Millennium – 1978

MTT is a long time Soapism friend and fav. His music is one-part minimal wave, one part electro-pop, served on a bed of sci-fi. Great song writing and very imaginative.

Check out his blog here.

Check out his CBS-turned-IFM show here.

Oh, and download these dope track:

Marco Tulio Thrash – This Day Is Done (Demo)

Marco Tulio Thrash – Anyday (Demo)

We haven’t posted a mix in a while, and for that, we are sorry. Please accept this Drunkin’ Mix For A Freind as an apology.

Yes, we realize that “Freind” is misspelled, but it kinda fits in with he whole drukin’ theme, so we kept it.

Drunkin’ Mix For A Freind – Tracklist:

1. Escape From New York – Fire In My Heart || Rollerball – 1984
2. Propaganda – Frozen Faces || ZZT – 1985
3. George G. – Ibiza || Fuori Di Testi – 1984
4. Steve Davil – Shake Me Up || Eyes – 1984
5. The Movement – Movement || ZYX – 1986
6. Mel & Kim – Showing Out || Polydor – 1986
7. East Wall – Ice Of Fire || Elettrica Dischi – 1991
8. Sharpe & Numan – Change Your Mind || Polydor – 1985
9. Scala – Macchina Nera || Epic – 1985
10. 400 Blows – Movin’ || Illuminated – 1985
11. Elitechnique – Munich Emotions || Clone – 2008
12. Ganymed – Future World || Bellaphon – 1979
13. Supermax – Spooky || Elektra – 1980

Soapism Mix – Drunkin’ Mix For A Freind

Yes, the rumors are true… Factory Aire is now a bi-costal duo. What’s this mean for you? Nothing really, other than the fact every time we reunite there is going to be a massive cosmic-level celebration of awesomeness. Are you awesome enough to handle it? Let’s find out…

Ocean Wings – Loving In The Snow (Vocal) || Technology – 1986

We were dealt a shitty hand going into the last Wet Set. Vern, the lovable, yet apparently dangerous Caribou that had once graced the walls of Good World and White Slab’s back room, had been relocated to storage room B. We all know it wasn’t Vern’s fault, but somebody had to take the wrap. Good thing the Woodland Creature Bar Workers local 179 has excellent legal representation.

In the meantime, the mask will have to do.

Thankfully, Lee Douglas, Roy Dank and Drew Van Atten were there to help us cope with our Artiodactylian loss. The night started a bit slow but quickly picked up steam, and by 11:45 we were at capacity. The music was sick, the people were great and, despite the absence of Vern, the party was a great success.

In other words: come to the next one.

Oh, and as expected, total FAIL on recording the night. We promise to try harder next time

Here’s some pics (thanks Carrissa!):

Bermano playing an imaginary record

Ce Ce: The life of the party

Roy doing his thang

Funny faces

DVA and 1/2 of Factory Aire

“I… resplect you”

DVA cuing up the Rolling Rocks

Yay!

The discopeter in full effect

Very serious.

Vern’s replacement

And here’s some music:

Nicole – Don’t You Want My Love (Dub Version) || Portrait – 1985

Not unlike the proverbial box of chocolate, when you come across an unbeknownst Atlantic record, with it’s iconic green and red label, you never really know what you’re gonna get. With a little past history and an educated guess you could rule out the chances of said record containing two beautiful cuts of robo-motional minimal-synth. But then you’d likely miss out on such gems as Krisma’s Miami EP.

Krisma understated roll in the history of electronic music dates back to 1976, when Maurizio Arcieri and his wife Christina Moser collaborated with producer Nico Papathanassiou and his better known brother Vangelis to release the singles “U” and “Amore” under the name Chrisma. In ‘78 they released the full-length “Chinese Restaurant”, which featured the top-10 single “Lola”. During the album’s promotional tour, Maurizio gained notoriety for the “finger job” — an aptly named stage trick in which he appeared to cut off his finger with a razor.

On top of the musical success, Krisma also directed three videos for MTV and developed KRISMINO, the first minisequencer. So yeah, they pretty much did everything. Awesome.

Some more info on Krisma:

Future Style

KrismaTV

Krisma Wiki

And here’s the record. “Samora” is a Soapism fav.

Krisma – Miami || Atlantic – 1982

Krisma – Miami Reprise || Atlantic – 1982

Krisma – Samora || Atlantic – 1982

For those interested in lossless: Krisma – Miami