Joachim Dyrdahl, known in the music scene as successful producer and DJ “diskJokke”, has debuted the latest video for his new single “Now Dance”. Initially reaching fame for his imaginative remixes of songs by the likes of David Lynch, Lindstrøm, Foals and Bloc Party, the Oslo-based artist is now coming into his own, creating original, funky sound mixes based in electronica and infused with hints of house, disco and pop.

Below is the most recent video, designed to accompany “Now Dance”, a single that has also been reworked by UK artist Bright Light Bright Light. The song is one of many singles featured in the limited edition 7” series, produced by Oslo-based label Splendour, a brand that has collaborated recently with high profile artists such as His Highness and Shimmering Stars.

In honor of Roxy Music’s 40th Anniversary, the Vinyl Factory has just released two remixes of the band’s most iconic tracks. The new vinyl 12” features a dub-inspired remix of “Love Is the Drug” by Todd Terje and “Avalon”, remixed as a chillwave experience by Lindstrom and Prins Thomas. 

“Avalon” begins with the sax solo, extending the intro to a slow build of synths (much thanks to Brian Eno, listed on Wikipedia as playing synthesizer and “treatments” for the group).  It continues as an instrumental until the classic warbling guitar solo comes in, and Bryan Ferry’s vocals are deconstructed as if in a preview—definitely could have used more as it makes the listener pine for the original.

Look for a deluxe box set to come out April 2nd, the exact anniversary of the band’s self-titled debut album. Roxy Music: The Complete Studio Recordings 1972 - 1982 will be available through Virgin Records.

After Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode high and dry in 1981, no one would have guessed he and the man who succeeded him as the band’s primary songwriter would ever collaborate again. Yet Clarke and Martin Gore are releasing new material together, under the name VCMG. The two technopop icons never shared a studio,collaborating mainly via internet. Still, this marks a monumental development for Depeche Mode fans, hardly two years after Clarke’s replacement, Alan Wilder, joined Depeche onstage for the first time in 16 years. Clarke, of course, has made a name for himself in Yazoo, the Assembly, and Erasure. Here is “Spock”, the title track of VCMG’s first EP, which released December 12 last year. As Clarke and Gore have promised, it is an instrumental dance track that reflects its creators’ interest in minimal European house. The full VCMG album is slated for release this month.

  VCMG - Spock by Mute UK

The Dø (pronounced “doh”) is an indie folk/pop duet whose sound is as diverse as their members’ nationalities. The band is comprised of two members, Olivia Merilahti, who hails from Helsinki and Dan Levy, from Paris. The two collaborated to release their first studio-produced album, A Mouthful in 2008, which went on to top the French charts and earn rave reviews from critics. Their sophomore album, Both Ways Open Jaws dropped in 2011, and garnered much critical acclaim and audience attention. The Times even went so far as to call it “a late contender for album of the year”.

Citing influences that include Jimi Hendrix, Ella Fitzgerald, Eminem and The Wu Tang Clan, the Dø’s sound is incredibly varied. With elements ranging from classical to hip-hop, the Dø defy classification, as they prove with their cover of Janelle Monaé’s “Tightrope”, a song that once claimed the position of number eight on Rolling Stone’s Best Singles of 2010 list. While the original starts out fast and upbeat, the Dø cover builds to its climax slowly and, clocking in at just over nine minutes, includes an instrumental featuring sliding electric guitar and pulsating drumbeats. The vibe varies from blues to rock to a few things in between, and is tied together by Olivia Merilahti’s excellent wailing vocals, sure to become a fixture on the indie pop scene.

Back in 2004, the Washington, DC-based indie band Cartel generated a lot of buzz with the moody, Echo & the Bunnymen-esque “Fleets”. Then, they discovered a rock band from Georgia had dibs on the Cartel name. So, Cartel became the Cedars. They released an excellent EP, Another Season, in 2007. Rightly figuring that if such a strong, Coldplay-if-Coldplay-was-three-times-better effort wouldn’t get them a proper record deal, nothing would, they split.

Now, they are back, under the name Ms. Director, with a seven-track EP, Santo Domingo. The overall sound hasn’t changed much, and that’s a good thing. The guitars and keyboards are a bit more hazy, but the muscular rhythm section and Brian Leatherman’s beguiling voice hold it all down. Let’s hope the third name is the charm. Have a listen to Santo Domingo via Bandcamp, and download it there or from iTunes.