Most of times I wonder to myself, what love is. I like to think that love being both a verb and noun is that of a recurring state of mind, that inspires your cyclical emotions to a positive state. Which makes your cold days warmer, and your gloomy days, sunnier. Fyfe Dangerfield's song She Needs Me, goes to show that no matter what goes in his life, his life is always much better by being with the one he loves, and being there for each other. The hint of lyrical romance remixed with the playful attitude of London's Monarchy, marriage a beautiful song to daydream and move to, you might just find yourself getting married on the dance floor, to the spell of amour. Dreamy, catchy, fun, honest, mesmerizing, and poetic is what love should be; for the better, or so my own philosophy.

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Fyfe Dangerfield - She Needs Me (Monarchy Remix) [M]
Fyfe Dangerfield - She Needs Me (Monarchy Remix) [Y]

Venture more of Monarchy remixes and songs here.

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The Boogaloo Crew comes from London, where they produce good tracks and remixes. Very young and talented, they played at Plan B on Saturday right after Solo and came to Paris for Brodinski Residency #2 in November where they rocked it out.

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DRT - Rising Sun (Boogaloo Crew Remix) [M]
DRT - Rising Sun (Boogaloo Crew Remix) [Y]

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Boogaloo Crew - All Green [M]
Boogaloo Crew - All Green [Y]

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Zombie Disco Squad - Eurovision (Boogaloo Crew Remix) [M]
Zombie Disco Squad - Eurovision (Boogaloo Crew Remix) [Y]

Boogaloo Crew on Myspace

It's not often that my whimsical prayers get answered, but just before Christmas last year, New York came to me. No perhaps not the 54,555 square miles of American soil that a deal with the devil would have given me, but rather, a city's inspiration in the shape of Nate and Pete Shy Child. And luckily when they were in London to shoot their new video, they kindly answered a few questions for us about their new album "Liquid Love" due out in March this Spring. So yes there may be some hearty competition from The Knife and Two Door Cinema Club but below are a few reasons why you should totally save your pennies for Shy Child- if not all of them. Yep just splash out, knowing full well you can sleep peacefully at night having three gratifying records in your music player. You know it makes sense. Although for now, here's the title track Shy Child are giving away as a little treat ahead of their album release.

Shy Child - Criss Cross [M]
Shy Child - Criss Cross [Y]

Pablo, Funkism: A warm welcome to London (even though it's freezing!)

Pete, Shy Child: Thanks!

Funkism: What's keeping you warm in this weather guys? My gran can knit you some ace jumpers.

Shy Child: We go inside. Our homes have heaters!

Funkism: So you've put taking over the world on hold?

Shy Child: Nope but I'll take a tropical island for myself though, I'm good with that.

Funkism: Look, I've got a machine here made from fairy dust and tin foil and it lets me read inside your minds (mwhaha)- but, for the readers, could you explain what keeps you grounded? Fuels your creativity? Makes you work?

Shy Child: The deeply rooted fear of being boring and unloved I think keeps me working. I take issue with the word creativity when used in this context. Commonly it's used by people who don't consider themselves "creative" as a way to describe or rationalize the differences between how they operate and how a "creative" person operates. There is nothing magical or preternatural or special about creative behaviour. It's assimilating and expressing the connections between emotion and experience. Lots of people are too lazy or unsure of themselves to do that in an interesting way, so they sequester away the "creative" personality as atypical, abnormal, anti-establishment, etc. This is why art is perceived as having a somewhat marginal role in modern society. In my opinion creativity is defined as using your brain.

Funkism: The machine is showing up a guilty pleasure, but it's all fuzzy, and I'm pretty sure there's a life rule that means you now have to tell us. What is it?

Shy Child: My daily life is kind of a guilty pleasure. I was raised catholic so anything at all that resembles bodily joy triggers a complex series of subconscious automatic responses, which emerges as unbridled obsession with sex. Which I then feel guilty about, refueling the responses and perpetuating the cycle. It's a self-birthing emotional mechanism ingrained in the fabric of American middle-class morality, from which basically everyone I know is trying to escape .

Funkism: So we’re hyped to hear your next album is due for release come March 2010- what themes can we expect on this record?

Shy Child: Expect forbidden love, missed chances, lost innocence, found innocence, hurt feelings, mended feelings, strange circumstances, unlikely lovers, unseen forces, failed intuition, hopeful pessimism, hateful compassion, harmonious dissonance!

Funkism: Like the irresistible juxtapositions in life?

Shy Child: Irresistible juxtapositions? Like a turkey sandwich two inches from my mouth? There's nothing irrational about that to me. It makes total sense!

Funkism: Is there anything in particular that you can’t wait for everybody to hear?

Shy Child: Well we have an instrumental rap funk-rock fusion album coming out on the heels of "Liquid Love" called 'Misguided Attempts'!

Funkism: Could you both sum up “Liquid Love” in a few words? Or are we at the risk of giving birth to another sub-genre?

Shy Child: "Liquid Love" is mostly a homage to the promise and power of instrumental rap funk-rock fusion. But ACTUAL FULL-ON instrumental rap funk-rock fusion is what we offer in "Misguided Attempts," available soon as a high-priority download of the week at HMV mp3 download kiosks only!

Funkism: So we're in the future and Mother Nature has kicked our ass by plunging the world underwater, but luckily we find Noah's Ark, which records would you both save first?

Shy Child: Pete says Neil Young's Harvest. Nate says Prince's Purple Rain. Pete's dad says The Best of Creedence Clearwater Revival Vol. 1 and 2. Nate's dad says The Best of The Rolling Stones Vol. 1 and 2 which I think is called 40 Licks or something like that. Those are the 4 people on Noah's Ark. Me, Nate, My dad Tom and Nate's dad Harry. I guess we should find out a way to reproduce somehow.

Funkism: Eeeew...how about animals?

Shy Child: Cats and dogs. I don't really like any other animals. Sorry. Who cares about bugs and stuff like that, seriously. Are insects animals?

Funkism: C'mon save the Platypus. It's cool!

Shy Child: No

Funkism: Thank you guys, enjoy your stay here in London!

So despite the whole Nate and Pete, their dad's and reproduction somehow ending up in the same sentence together, I still think you should all go check out their album when it's set for release in March. There's instrumental rap funk-rock fusion and honestly I can't wait!

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London calling. What do you get when you combine Othello Woolf's dark rhythm of soul remixed by the electricity of metal musicians the Golden Silvers? The perfect start of a party! For those lucky Londoners, both acts including the Mystery Jets will be at The Legion January 21. Othello Woolf will be debuting his single "Stand" in London; the single and the remix by the Golden Silvers will transcend your imagination to a dance floor, where people are clapping and enjoying the music.

Hi everyone, here is a Funkism January Mix, as now we're going to post two mixes every month : one realised by one of us from Funkism + one made by an invited artist.

Miike Snow formed in 2007 and as well as making their own tracks they have helped big name artists create some hits, such as Britney Spears or Madonna and yes I do have both of these lovely ladies on my ipod but it's OK. The reason for this being ok is that they are remixes....so I’m still hip. Ever since we have known Miike Snow they have been blogged to bits, maybe even one of the most blog bands of 2009? And I'm sure a lot of you would agree they deserve all the attention they get, with each of their big singles comes big remixes by big artists. The next single to be released is called Silvia, it’s nice, melodic and charming. However, from what I gather the song is about a person having an affair? I guess that is the beauty of these guys, they make the bad things seem good.

This infectious yet kooky track by Daniel Steinberg just makes me want to stand in the middle of Paternoster Square and shout "jeez it's Friday for goodness sake" to all the onrushing workers. Then perhaps I could spontaneously divide the business community into two halves so we could all have one big corporate dance off? But alas, I keep forgetting I'm not Michel Gondry and instead lack the necessary ability to seamlessly blend a world in between reality and dreams. Fortunately Daniel Steinberg can in a space of seven gratifying minutes where he digs up old long forgotten records and revives them for a new sense of fun on the dancefloor. Last year's 'Rush Me' is the sound of Pilooski deciding one day he wants to move to Berlin to make tech house songs out of nothing more than the leftovers of a Bric-a-Brac shop. Of course full credit to Steinberg though, he's definitely a favourite already.

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Daniel Steinberg - Rush Me (Original Mix) [M]
Daniel Steinberg - Rush Me (Original Mix) [Y]

If you head over to Sensation you can buy his latest, 'Preacherman EP', out on Front Room recordings and featuring a remix from Teifschwarz. Released yesterday!

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Hello fellow funkers, my name is Sindy I am 20 years young, and studying in New York city. Am shy most of the times, quite the polar opposite of MTV’s Jersey Shore cast members (sorry to disappoint) but delighted to be part of Funkism, feel free to contact me if there is anything in particular you’d like to know of the city, or life in general. So what’s next for 2010? The New York Times predicts a future in 3D television, after the great success of 3D Avatar (which I have yet to see) sure, it’s nothing new but with television sets already in the works, it is as close as ever. Which makes me wonder, could this also crossover to the music industry? Imagine experiencing music videos to concerts, wearing 3D lunettes, who knows with technology ever evolving, I don’t see a why not. With such synergistic outlooks, here are two tracks hailing from New Yorker versatile DJ Eli Escobar of the Plant label. Eli was recently interviewed, which you can watch here. When asked about 2010, Eli mentions some exciting projects in particular forming a group with miss Amanda Blank. The remixes showcase the dance-ability of his musical creations, and his play with chords.

Check out other Plant Label Musicians here.

A great year ahead to all of you,
and a special thanks to the Funkism crew for
their warm hospitality, much love, stay safe. xox

Remember Ghosts of Venice? We did a piece on him just before Santa came which you can find here. He has just finished the video for his first single 'I Learned from The Best' and would you believe the video only took an hour to put together? It's the least you can expect from your Diploma in Multimedia I guess. And you can all get your mitts on it when it's released on Monday for free. POW!

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It seems fair to say that Denmark is so fucking cool right now? And I'm certain at this moment in time there's somebody opening their window to the magnificent view of Copenhagen's rooftops, or pacing along the Odense channel on their bike listening to the animate sounds of the city, so it comes to no surprise as to why their artists find so much inspiration from their homeland. Here we have Fallulah (above)- a kind of 'girl next door' making music whose grounded nature only adds to her glowing charm. And her songs follow in a similar suit. Her first single 'I Lay My Head' is simple in style but this only serves as a catalyst to focus on every single word of her beautiful voice. Then equipped with the oohoos and convivial execution we have the complete formula to fall in love with yet another Scandinavian singer-songwriter. Just one word of warning though: the definitions of Fallulah. While one means a magical, fairy-like creature, the other, and I quote, means "another word for a vagina". Although my sources might not be that reputable.

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Fallulah - I Lay My Head (Demo) [M]
Fallulah - I Lay My Head (Demo) [Y]

Her debut album 'The Black Cat Neighbourhood' is due out in Denmark in February so I have no idea when it reaches our shores- although I'll be sure to let you know when it does. We're so bloody excited for her!

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This is the official Computer Juice, who are made up of Riton and Seiji, video! The EP has been out since early December and I hope Santa brought it to you all!

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So basically Andy Caldwell just released his album, and after releasing an album we are going to hear the singles, and with singles come the remixes. That is enough about him, though it is a good album so I don't want to see anyone dissing or come up with a #heyo line! At Funkism we believe you come here to follow/ find out the new trends and the new artists making head away. It is the least you expect from a blog to be frank...

Although Andy Caldwell is good at doing his own thing and successful, he isn’t really that new trend we look at or for. We want to focus on new Funkism friend Screendeath and his latest remix ‘Scream’. Everyone is here to judge tracks; people will say the mad long piano intro is too much. But when the vocals come in the piano is what makes everything work and ensures you have the right boots on to fully appreciate the track. Once you have fallen in love with the enhancements used on the Andy Caldwell vocal you are going to want to find more about Screendeath and anything he is attached to.

I said on my twitter earlier today that 2010 is going to be the year for Irish acts, 2009 you only seen a snippet. Screendeath is only the start of it and at the tender age of 18 years old, I do not think he is going to stop any time soon with the music he is making. Already with a bag of official remixes (one being AC Slater – Hello, which shows a whole different side to Screendeath) and original productions already he is pretty on it in terms of making and creating.

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Andy Caldwell - Scream (Screendeath Remix) [M]
Andy Caldwell - Scream (Screendeath Remix) [Y]

Keep your peepers out for his Monarchy remix, once we know we can give you it you will not keep it hush.Preview Track | Facebook | Marky! Twitter

I'm not quite sure as to why These New Puritans have become so angry? Is it because of the snow? Perhaps they're too cold to be able to do anything? Well maybe the should learn how to make snow angels. Or snow wolves. Then they'd be able to have fun like the rest of us? I'd steer clear of their path right now though because it seems they want a war. To be honest they should just calm the hell down and take a minute to listen to their sophomore record 'Hidden'. Why are they not beaming with satisfaction from the work they've created? Their next single shows how much more they've have matured since 'Beat Pyramid' with a seven minute epic depicting an array of emotions such as anger, fear and dread. And joining this battle are- Sheffield dubstep producer Ghost Hunter and 2-step local Sbtrkt- who provide two excellent remixes for when the foreboding clouds ascend and the mood takes a turn for the worse. Everyone play nice yea?

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These New Puritans - We Want War (Ghost Hunter Remix) [M]
These New Puritans - We Want War (Ghost Hunter Remix) [Y]

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These New Puritans - We Want War (Sbtrkt Remix) [M]
These New Puritans - We Want War (Sbtrkt Remix) [Y]

Their album 'Hidden' comes out on Domino Records a week on Monday in the UK and March 2nd in the US.

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It seems a tad on the ironic side that I'm starting the new year by revisiting the past. Undeniably backwards perhaps. But I have a good reason since, although it's the season for fresh starts, towards the end of the last year we were looking at a scene hellbent on reinventing itself. We're no longer just satisfied with the all-brawl-no-brains noise sounds of the previous two, three, four years- but rather a more experimental and inventive approach to the bass genre. We can look to the fresh faced Night Slugs (see below for the new Bok Bok mix) whose latest releases have really started a buzz in London right now. It's nothing short of awesome. And Untold, another name taking to the stage last year, has shown us all that there's nothing erring about his beats: bold, magnetic and genuinely addictive. Here's a remix of 'Stop What You're Doing' by James Blake (not to be confused with the tennis player) and tell me you're not hooked. Serious talent.

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Untold - Stop What You're Doing (James Blake Remix) [M]
Untold - Stop What You're Doing (James Blake Remix) [Y]

If you go on James Blake's myspace, I really can't get over how good them tracks in his player are. Support from the Pitchfork fairies too. Head over to iTunes for the full quality version.

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More important than my meeting, even if it was with the world leaders, on the summit of the mountains of Tibet, discussing a strategic plan on world peace, is the news of the new project from The Knife. It's a collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock for their experimental opera based on Charles Darwin and his book 'On The Origin Of Species'. The first studio recording 'Coloring of Pigeons' was given away on The Knife's website today and it's nothing short of amazing; un beau voyage lasting an epic eleven minutes. How much more awesome can Olof and Karin Dreijer get? Possibly somewhere in between Zeus and the creator of the world himself, Morgan Freeman? In fact, even that isn't special enough.

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The Knife - Coloring of Pigeons [M]
The Knife - Coloring of Pigeons [Y]

The two CD soundtrack drops in Spring and new dates for their live performances are still ongoing so be sure to keep an eye out if they drop into your area. Who's Susan Boyle again?

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We've been hooked on Egyptian Hip Hop's youthful panache since we first caught an earful of their eerie pop last year so, like a pagophagiac to Mr. Freeze, we went mad at the news of a collaboration with LA Priest. I must admit initially I was secretly hoping for Farid Shawki to bust out a few joints over some Dilla-esque beats but such activity only exists in a far better place than the current world we live in. Although when we have an eleven minute adventure like 'Nifeo' to mull over, then hell this life ain't too shabby after all. Even more so at the thought that we could potentially see two albums produced by both their bands by the end of this year. Then good grieffery, we'll have a party.

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Egyptian Hip Hop & LA Priest - Nifeo [M]
Egyptian Hip Hop & LA Priest - Nifeo [Y]

And if this is the first time you've come across Egyptian Hip Hop then please pop over to the Hype Machine and stream some of their older demos. Like 'Rad Pitt' which, incidentally, is exactly how it sounds.

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If you're a massive fan of the Gold Pandas and Joy Orbisons in this world then I'm already certain that you'll go mad for Floating Points. Well for one main reason really; they've all got the ability to capture beauty in the space of a few minutes. And at this point I'm assuming you all still love the God-like figure of silly pop that is Sebastien Tellier since his innocuous divine intervention attempt on the Eurovision Song Contest? Yes, yes I guess it's true he's still immortal. It's that outrageous beard, ohh how I long to find one of my own some day. More to the point, last month saw the release of 'L'amour et la violence' featuring a (dare I say it) lame remix from Boys Noize but also a fresh fist of awesome from Floating Points who continues to impress and redress the electronic and dubstep scenes. One to add to your 2010 watch lists.

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Sebastien Tellier - L'Amour Et La Violence (Floating Points Remix) [M]
Sebastien Tellier - L'Amour Et La Violence (Floating Points Remix) [Y]

And if you haven't already, go check out his 'Love Me Like This (Nonsense Dub)' which is an epic eight minute journey that goes well with bagels. Luxury multi-tasking all the way.

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If I was about eight feet taller and times ten faster then I'd be the kind of superhuman who'd completely get his act together and get on with things. Totally. Though excuses aside I'm really looking forward to 2010, as minds grow wider and opportunities become greater, I think it will be a really significant decade. So to kick start this new era, it's quite fitting to have something that seriously rocked the end of the last. And if I did some kind of chart, the 'Khattabi' EP would have easily featured somewhere near the top. Matt Walsh kindly gave away the Clouded Vision remix of the on fire Danes, Kenton Slash Demon on his 'Diary of a DJ' blog so do it justice and blast the fuck out of it on your speakers. This is some kind of voodoo tech that'll make you high and eventually combust into flames. That's if you're lucky. And then perhaps you'll go up to techno heaven where Tartelet Records offer you sponge cake before bed.

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Kenton Slash Demon - Khattabi (Clouded Vision Remix) [M]
Kenton Slash Demon - Khattabi (Clouded Vision Remix) [Y]

I hope you all seriously had an amazing New Years Eve party last night and may the good times continue on today. Personally Erolplane at Dead Disco, Glasgow, was a love fest. So much bloody good stuff all in one venue.

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