Covered: Around The World Edition

NORWAY:
Singer/songwriter Ane Brun recently recorded her own acoustic version of Alphaville's 'Big In Japan' for a Swedish documentary called 'Stor I Japan'. It's currently sitting atop the iTunes Sweden chart. The simplicity of her cover reminds me of her sublime collaboration with Koop for 'Koop Island Blues'.

Ane Brun - Big in Japan (Alphaville Cover)


AUSTRALIA:
Angie Hart has a remarkable musical output that's enough for a whole week (or more) worth of coverage. Either when she was with Frente!, Splendid, or on her own, she proved that her voice is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. Her cover of The Cure's 'Pictures Of You' was produced for the Transport Accident Commission's anti-speeding campaign ad (which you can watch here), and when put into that context, it's pretty mesmerizing and touching. It's now available as a single on iTunes Aussie, but since I don't have access to that, this 96kps rip from her MySpace has to do. I really wish I could do a feature on her 'oeurve' someday.

Angie Hart - Pictures Of You (The Cure Cover)


SWEDEN:
Aww...Those Dancing Days! I've been quietly following them ever since Swedesplease introduced me to them with 'Hitten'. These girls are like the antithesis to the Disney empire, they're still in high school, and yet they already show more credibility and potential than those Jonas brothers or whomever Disney Channel starlets that are raping my ears by butchering the classics for dvd bonus features could ever dream of. Um, awkward comparison? Maybe I'm just biased because the lead singer reminds me of Molly Ringwald in her heyday. All of them are adorable, though! Here's their cool version of Britney Spears' 'Toxic', a b-side to their latest single 'Home Sweet Home', which is quite good by itself!

Those Dancing Days - Toxic (Britney Spears Cover)


UK:
Surprising listenable! I normally detested the idea of 'indie bands legimitizing pop hits by ruining them' but this is actually quite decent. This song is just that good.

Guillemots - Black And Gold (Sam Sparro Cover)


GERMANY:
Last but not least, a ridiculously awesome Latin-flavored cover of Daft Punk's 'Around The World'. Senor Coconut is just one of the many aliases of German DJ Uwe Schmidt. He has done a remix for Jamie Lidell in the same style. It's great fun to listen to, a very interesting interpretation it is.


Señor Coconut and his Orchestra - Around The World (Full Version)

So Long, Summer. A Mix Compiled By Zeon

It has become somewhat of a tradition for me to make an annual summer mix, and this year is no exception. So here comes the third. I've spent quite a lot of effort on this, as I want it to be capable of capturing my mood, the music I frequently listen to in the summer of '08, like a time capsule, so that one day I can look back and reminisce (and weep and moan about the good ol' days). I'm really satisfied with the results, I think I'm getting better at this, and I hope you will enjoy it, too, though it's kinda late by now, isn't it. I planned to make a muxtape, too, but the site's in trouble now, too bad. You can either download each track by choice or just grab the whole zip for convenience. Either way, here's my way of waving goodbye to an eventful summer.


TRACKLIST:


1. The Sundays - Summertime
The definitive summer song. This summer, I found myself listening to this song while going for a walk quite a lot, with the chorus constantly ringing in my head ("And it's you and me in the summertime..."). No one can sing like Harriet does. And the guitar slide at the end. This deserves its opener spot in every way. Classic.
2. Nine Black Alps - Bitter End
A jaunty, catchy number I discovered last year. I don't know much about the band and I doubt their other materials are as good as this track, but this really is a good one.
3. Irene - By Your Side
Probably the cheeriest song on the mix. From the mighty Swedish label Labrador. Wait 'til the singalong climax - I fell for it every single time. Oh, there it goes in my head again...
4. The Billionaires - The End Of Summer Song
I've been saving this one for this mix - very relatable lyrics. Great spirit, if by great you mean 'Let's get drunk by the campfire like we don't give a shit about tomorrow'.
5. Aimee Mann - Ghost World
Inspired by the graphic novel of the same name. I watched the film and read the book a few months ago, and I already declare it one of the greatest teen movies I've seen. So much angst & bitterness. I'm still in the process of coming of age, you know, and I don't think I'm coping well with it.
6. The Cardigans - Pooh Song
One of the best Cardigans b-sides. I think it is indeed named after Winnie The Pooh. There's not a note gone to waste in this track. So wonderfully twee. This is way before Nina started to drink too much and penned sad sad songs.
7. Club 8 - Heaven
More lovely Swedish indie pop. Club 8's last album was my number one album in 2007, which is not surprising as I became quite obssessed with twee pop last year, and this gorgeous single is one of the highlights of that album. So uplifiting, though there's a slight melancholy undertone.
8. Beth Orton - Central Reservation (The Then Again Version)
Remixed by Ben Watt, the other half of Everything But The Girl. Sweet slice of '90s electronica. I like the part when she says 'It's like...'.
9. Ivy - It's All In Your Mind
A short instrumental track, a very rare bonus from 'Long Distance'. Ivy is one of my favorite bands ever, I just had to include something by them. This one is a summery, relaxing groove, suitable for a stroll down the beach/along the park.
10. Texas - Say What You Want
A rediscovered gem. I didn't like Texas enough to feel the need to listen to every album and single they put out, but still I can't believe I missed this one. I saw my mistake and it's been on rotation ever since.
11. Goldfrapp - Caravan Girl (Live Choral Version)
Overlooked summer song of 2008. This version can be found on the single. The choral crescendo is eargasm.
12. Jens Lekman - Your Arms Around Me
I wish I could write love songs as easily as Jens does. An awkward tale about cutting off your fingers while slicing an avocado in a hot day in August. So silly, yet so romantic. This is movie-ending-soundtrack fodder, imagine lovebirds walking together as the camera pans to the dreamy skyline. Somebody hire me!
13. Caribou - Irene
A tad more leftfield. Psychedelic ambience. With a video full of National Geographic footage to boot.
14. Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man - Mysteries
Now this is just too beautiful for words. Almost hymn-like. I would have chosen this as the closer...
15. Alphaville - Forever Young (Hamel Album Remix)
...but I gave this one the honor instead. A sublime mix from Bill Hamel, probably the best one of this classic yet. No other track would do. Yes, I'd like to live forever, please, at least until I got bored of it. With this I bid adieu to the summer of '08, and say hello to what possibly will be the busiest quarter ever...Time doesn't wait for no one...


DOWNLOAD THE ZIPPED FILE WITH ALL 16 TRACKS