Orville Peck: Smalltown Boy (Bronski Beat Cover) Since its 1984 release, Bronski Beat’s seminal “Smalltown Boy” has remained an expression of hope and liberation from isolation and homophobia—and now masked cowboy Orville Peck has recorded a cover of the electro-pop anthem. Replacing the synth riff with a twangy one, and Jimmy Somerville’s soaring falsetto with his own booming, classically trained vocals, Peck transforms the classic …
French producer/DJ Breakbot (aka Thibaut Berland) returns with the EP Be Mine Tonight which features the buoyant “Translight.” Shimmering synths, a soaring vocal loop and the delightful dings of a glockenspiel all combine for a poolside disco tune that’s made for summer. The song’s boppy, feel-good energy is quintessential Breakbot.
Moderat: Bad Kingdom Moderat—the collaborative side project of Berlin-based artists Apparat (Sascha Ring) and Modeselektor (Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary)—takes listeners on an illustrated journey of the downfall of English aristocracy in “Bad Kingdom,” the first single off their forthcoming album II. The entrancing Pfadfinderei-directed video emotionally matches Apparat’s luring vocals, which are both juxtaposed with Modeselektor’s intricate beats for a harmonious track that toes …
