Faithless on Freegal

Faithless was a successful and much-acclaimed UK dance group active in the 1990s and 2000s. Fronted by Maxi Jazz, one of the smoothest rappers you're likely to hear, Faithless produced electronic music highlighted by intelligent lyrics which took on contemporary political and social issues, at times stirring up some controversy.  In 2006 MTV refused to play the video for "Bombs," a single released by the band which was pointedly critical of US and UK military involvement in Iraq.  A trilogy of animated videos Faithless released in support of their last album, The Dance, also generated some internet buzz with its erotic and psychedelic imagery.

During their 15 year career, Faithless frequently used noteworthy vocalists as a counterpoint to Maxi Jazz's rapping, among them Boy George, Cat Power, Dido and Robert Smith.  The instrumentation in Faithless's music was created largely by Rollo Armstrong (Dido's older brother) along with a female DJ (a rare thing in the male-dominated world of the disk jockey) named Sister Bliss.  Since they recorded all but their final album on Sony (or one of its affiliates), Freegal offers us a nearly complete collection of their music.  Read on for a quick tour of highlights from the band's releases on our download service.

How This Freegal Flew, or, Three Immigrants' EDM

I've discovered that Freegal is a good source of dance music singles.

This is an important discovery for me as I really like dance music, and I've always loved the single. I used to spend many hours (and dollars) in record stores digging through bins of vinyl singles, checking the little 45 RPM 7" singles for rare b-side tracks, and the big 12" singles for otherwise unavailable extended and/or remixed versions. Then record companies decided that singles "cannibalized" sales of full LPs (making me the oddball in the crowd who'd take great pride in placing every single associated with a given album next to the LP on my shelf). After 2000 the singles bins began to disappear from record stores. By 2010 record stores had disappeared as well (for the most part), so I've been lost at sea here in the desert, unable to find or buy the music that once kept my feet dancing. However, there's some hope for the dance single in the digital age, with online retailers both big and small beginning to sell .mp3 and higher quality .wav tracks, but the collections and browsing functions always seem haphazard, making any new vendor of dance singles welcome just because each one broadens the palate of options just a little.

Flume: The Next Future Classic

It is fitting that electronic producer Flume (21 year old Australian Harley Stretan) is signed to the label "Future Classics," because if Flume can keep building on the sound and hype generated by his initial offerings, he will rise to the top of the electronic music scene in no time! Flume's sound walks that tricky tightrope between dance floor smash hits and chill-in-your-home mood music. Glitched vocals, dreamy synths, smooth basslines: all the tricks of the electronic trade are showcased on Flume's "Sleepless" EP. The three-song download is now available for download on Freegal (which conveniently allows every library card to download three free songs a week)!

The first track, "Sleepless ft. Jezzabell Doran" is hard to describe, but I'll resort to calling it "pop-synth." Like fairy spirits at a night revel, the music spins round in a wild circle, inviting the listener to join in their dance. Doran's vocals are glitched and tattered, less words than pulsing sounds that add to the energy of the song.

I want my MTV: 120 Minutes, Alternative Nation, Headbanger's Ball, YO MTV Raps and the lost art of music video.

In my childhood and teen years, I fondly remember MTV being a terrific network that was led by creative professionals that were all about premiering quality music and entertainment. Much of their programming was all about introducing new and innovative music to the audience. Come reflect with me for a moment and let's revisit wonderful shows like 120 Minutes, The Headbanger's Ball, Yo MTV Raps, Alternative Nation, Amp, Beavis And Butthead, and Liquid Television.

Kaskade - Fire & Ice

Calling electronic music "big" these days might be an understatement. Turn on the radio, and it seems that every new song has been infused with the big, dance-friendly beats of trance, house, and dubstep music. In a world where the DJ is king, it is not uncommon for the person responsible for the beat (Calvin Harris, Tiesto, David Guetta) to be listed before the famous singers lending their vocals to the track.

For those unfamiliar with the electronic music scene, a worthy place to start is the latest offering from ten year electronic veteran Kaskade. Titled Fire & Ice, this two disc collection showcases Kaskade's talents for stadium-sized dance hits and collaborations with the biggest names in the electronic scene. And since everyone's all sweaty already in the summer heat, there is no harm in having a dance party!

Pop Perfection with Imogen Heap

I like to imagine artist Imogen Heap as a magical, musical pop fairy. This is not difficult: she wears flowing, ethereal gowns and braids feathers through her hair. Her voice is as mercurial as the wind - a whispering breeze one moment and the fury of a storm the next. And when I listen to the perfection of her music, I feel like one of J.M. Barrie's characters sprinkled with pixie dust - able to fly.

My favorite Imogen works: the collaborative "Frou Frou" album Details and the self-produced album Speak for Yourself, are (in my opinion) two of the greatest pop albums of all time. Details begins with the mesmerizing opening track "Let Go," which invites listeners to, "Let go, just jump in, oh well, what are you waiting for?" And it would be a huge mistake not to experience the magic of these eleven tracks. "Must Be Dreaming" paints the landscape of love in wild euphoria; "Hear Me Out" explores the swirling emotions of a jilted lover. Her voice glides and soars like a bird in flight across a digital sky of strings and synth, a flawless combination that has led to many triple-digit "play counts" on my media player!

Dancing on Broken Glass

My favorite words of advice from The Office's Michael Scott come from the infamous Booze Cruise episode, where he attempts to show off "the worm" dance move on the floor:  "Sometimes you just have to be the boss of dancing." For once in his life, he is right: we all love to dance! Some of us show off our moves in front of the bathroom mirror; others strut their stuff on a crowded dance floor. Some of us walk like an Egyptian; others throw their hands in the air like they just don't care. And then there are those of us who dance to bands like Crystal Castles and Sleigh Bells....