Tracks

B-side Bonus!
Download a bonus track that didn't quite make the cut: "Princess" by Datarock from the 2007 album Datarock Datarock.

  1. Music Sounds Better With You — Stardust
    from Music Sounds Better With You, 1998

    This was a one-off club single from some form of Daft Punk. It also had a great Michel Gondry-directed video, and 10 years ago, was one of my first great electronic/dance music loves. This mix—and my love for this type of music—is somewhat oxymoronic considering I don't dance, but whatever. I dance in my car with the windows down.

  2. Love at First Sight — Kylie Minogue
    from Fever, 2002

    Anybody remember Kylie from her "Locomotion" days? I had that tape. A couple decades later, the pint-sized pop tart made one of the great dance-pop albums of our time. For real. And that's what it comes down to for dance/electro for me… I want it bouncy, poppy, and just plain fun.

  3. Waiting 4 U — Chromeo
    from Fancy Footwork, 2007

    This has a distinct '80s vibe that somehow conjures images of Peter Gabriel, Dire Straits and Herbie Hancock all at once. It's synth-y, bass-heavy and entirely enjoyable for any decade.

  4. Heartbeats — The Knife
    from Deep Cuts, 2005

    My introduction to this Swedish hit was inverted—I first heard and loved the Jose Gonzalez cover. As with most great covers though, eventually I sought out the source material, and surprise (!) it's as good as the one I know and love.

  5. Biological — Air
    from Talkie Walkie, 2004

    I'm living under the current impression that Air can only make good albums in odd numbers. Discounting the Virgin Suicides soundtrack, their first (Moon Safari) and third (this) albums are fantastic, while their second (10,000hz Legend) and fourth (Pocket Symphony) are anything but. So here's to album number five.

  6. Praise You — Fatboy Slim
    from You've Come a Long Way, Baby, 1998

    Fatboy Slim put out some of the best dance singles of the '90s. He might be derivative, appeal to the lowest common denominator of dance music connoisseur, etc, but I won't fault him for any of that. I like pop music, so I like Fatboy Slim. And besides, thanks to Spike Jonze he has some of the most memorable videos of the late-MTV era, this chief among them.

  7. Digital Love — Daft Punk
    from Discovery, 2001

    From the moment I heard "Around the World," I was a fan. Nothing could've prepared me though for the top-to-bottom genius of Discovery. The whole album plays so joyously that even I can't help but get up and groove. One of the great summer albums in my collection, and one that works both under the brightest skies of day and the brightest lights of night.

  8. These Things — Looper
    from The Geometrid, 2000

    I rediscovered this record recently after years of admiring it from afar. I dig Looper's chill, almost vernal take on electropop. Though they can amp it up, like on "Mondo '77," but they work best in the middle range, like here on the wistful "These Things."

  9. Number 1 — Goldfrapp
    from Supernature, 2006

    Goldfrapp's put out some solid singles of late, this being one of them. This song's inclusion on the mix is also proof that it's nice to share the vocal love with some ladies now and again—a dash of benevolence that other genres, like rock, don't afford quite as often.

  10. Lady (Hear Me Tonight) — Modjo
    from Modjo, 2001

    I don't recall where I first heard Modjo, but this European import caught me ear immediately. I was heavy into the Daft Punk record at the time, so this sort of acoustic take on dance music was a natural transition. I wonder what happened to these guys? I haven't heard a peep from them since this came out.

  11. Don't Falter — Mint Royale
    from On the Ropes, 2001

    I have to say, I was a fan of Mint Royale before I ever heard John in the Morning play "Show Me" every Friday morning for two years straight. This I remember well from an animated video spotted on my old favorite 120 Minutes, then of course I loved "From Rusholme With Love," featured prominently in Vanilla Sky. To JITM's credit though, I didn't own the entire album until he started playing that song.

  12. Ur a Girl — Junior Senior
    from Hey Hey My My Yo Yo, 2005/2007

    Why two dates? Because this came out in 2005—in Japan. I found it on the internet back then, and gobbled it up—I was a HUGE fan of their first record, and seriously disappointed their follow-up wasn't coming out in the states at any time soon. The two-year delay lessened its impact, but the odd couple's second album still emerges as giddy, kitschy party pop.

  13. Jus 1 Kiss — Basement Jaxx
    from Rooty, 2001

    I actually wanted to put the stronger "Romeo" on here, but just couldn't make it work with the flow. Maybe one day it'll appear on a mix. For now, let this be your window to the weird world of Basement Jaxx, where everyone's hot, the dancing is non-stop, and the drinks are strong.

  14. Easy Love — MSTRKRFT
    from The Looks, 2006

    Distorted vocals… might as well, right? It's not a dance record without at least one use of the vocoder (and I've got three!). This band might generally be a little to electro-punk for me, but this song has just enough sugary pep to hold my attention.

  15. Impressive Instant — Madonna
    from Music, 2000

    Madonna is a genius. How else can you explain how she so expertly changes with the times? In the '80s, she made dance music of a different sort, but now in the new millennium she smartly aligns herself with master producers like Mirwais to create dance anthems that are still on the cutting edge. She must be on steroids, because no one should be this relevant at this stage of their career.

  16. My Love — Justin Timberlake
    from Futuresexx/Lovesounds, 2006

    Speaking of relevance…how many people bad-mouthed *Nsync back in the day, only now to praise JT as the second coming of Michael Jackson? Seriously, you're all hypocrites. I unironically purchased Celebrity years ago, so guess what, the pot's not calling the kettle black, the refrigerator is.

  17. Sensual Seduction — Snoop Dogg
    from Sensual Seduction, 2008

    Snoop Dogg finally follows in Tupac's footsteps and declares his love for Roger Troutman, the original hip-hop Peter Frampton. It's weird to hear Snoop "sing" and not rap, but this tune works as both a cheese-tastic irony fest and and as a straightforward hip-hop love song.

  18. Computer Love — Zapp & Roger
    from The New Zapp IV U, 1985

    Zapp & Roger's greatest hits collection was actually one of my earliest CD purchases (all the way back in '93). I can't decide if I was hip or totally uncool for liking this while still in elementary school, but I'd like to think it was the former. Really, how many suburban white kids do you know that listened to one of the great influencers of modern hip-hop?