Ironbound, the new five-track EP from Chris Malinchak on French Express, is a pleasure-inducing tour of hi-hats, vocal chops, and 90′s dance sounds. This is slow house, but will leave sweat dripping down the walls of most clubs. That’s important, because he plays U Street Music Hall on May 26th.

The release opens with “There I Was (Again),” a reversion of his popular track released in January. The reversion is a welcome update, not least of all because it’s missing the sample/interpolation of Diplo’s “Look At Me Now” beat. Aren’t you glad these reviews come with such opinionated nerdery?

Instead, “There I Was (Again)” is full of phased and flanged and filtered vocals that would make Alan Braxe blush. And the breakdown we get? So satisfying. Starts with some really simple electric piano pads, but quickly gets interrupted by aggressive vocal chops that build into a nice sustained groove to finish out the track.

A quick tour through the other tracks:

“Brooklyn Bounce” does just that – the thin synthesized drum kit bounces and stutters across the track while the vocal samples yell out “Two-step!” Malinchak adds in some nice sub-bass and airy synths to round things out.

One of the standout tracks on Ironbound is “Fuego.” As a sucker for global group vocals, this track feels un-hateable, but if that doesn’t do it for you then the throw-back 90′s horn/organ stabs should.

“Razor 2.0” uses white noise to great effect in its synth lines, making the whole track feel much larger and more… epic. Combined with the vocals that sound like they were sampled through a walkie-talkie, the track risks taking things a turn for the lo-fi but Malinchak balances it out with exquisite engineering on the other synths and drum line. The production feels clean, strong.

The closer on the EP is “Kuzari.” The sonar whine and organ (which serves double duty as synth and bass) move the track through with purpose. The vocals are quite literally crying out with aspiration “I wanna be.” The only downside is the synth line at the end of the track gets so little play. Someone should really make use of it in a remix.

In the DC area? Check out Chris on May 26th with Oliver.

Dope live recording from young DC buck DJ Yorker. Give it a listen and keep an eye out:

Dave P. & Sammy Slice of Philly’s “Making Time” are returning to U Hall Saturday night at BLISS with Will Eastman & Lxsx Frxnk!

To prep for their return to DC, they’ve put together Weekend at the White House – a near two hour mix showcasing their eclectic taste ranging from indie dance and nu-disco, to the harder-edged flavors of techno.

Enjoy/download the mix below, and we’ll see you Saturday at BLISS!

Doors open at 10:00 pm, purchase tickets here, RSVP here

Dave P. & Sammy Slice – Weekend at the White House

Just in time for his show at U Street Music Hall tonight, get to know a little more about Brooklyn-based producer and DJ Bit Funk. Bit Funk will be supporting Classixx tonight at U Hall, accommodating the crowd with a unique set of nu-disco and indie dance vibes – see event details.

Blisspop: We’re excited to have you in DC! Is this your first visit?

Bit Funk: Most people don’t know it but I was actually born in DC. It’s all slightly complicated because I’ve moved so many times. I’m really looking forward to coming back to DC though. It’s been a while since I was there.

You’ve often been mentioned under the name “Randolph Anatole Vespasien III.” Major props if this is your actual birth name! If not, how did this name/alias come about?

Nah, that was just a joke. My real name is Federico Vasco Raymundo Jr. [...that was most likely was another joke]

Can you tell us about your background growing up Toronto, living in windy-city Chicago, and what led your decision to move to Brooklyn?
Keep reading…

Last August, we posted an introductory write-up about Norwegian duo Lemaitre and how they were working on some new tunes for an upcoming album. Since then, they’ve been hitting the web with promo videos and teaser clips to hype their latest record, Relativity I. The EP was finally released this past Friday and seems to have complimented Lemaitre’s production just as expected.

Lemaitre – Coffee Table

Despite the small record, the quality of the four-track EP seems to weigh it down with ease. Each track is a platform for Lemaitre’s distinctive funk, yet, seamlessly takes a breath to blend in a deep indie moment. The EP definitely serves Lemaitre well as they’ve been known to jump around genres. It couldn’t have been released at a better time as it is quite perfect for these chilly winter nights spent inside with candles and steamy cocoa. Check out the rest of the tracks and purchase the Relativity I on iTunes.

Video for: Lemaitre – Appreciate

In addition to the release, Lemaitre has more exciting news. The duo is currently booking a 2012 tour and is interested in getting visually creative with their live stage performances. They’ve put out a teaser made of light and object animations along with a note stating that they’re looking for some programming help. If you’re an animation techie, feel free to contact them for the opportunity!