01. Pet Shop Boys ‘Left to My Own Devices’
We’re both big fans of PSB, particular Lloyd. The album this is taken from features only 6 tracks but each is a work of art and sounds classy when played next to other music in a mix. The combination of the full classical orchestra with the disco beats and full-on synths sounds ecstatic. We love Neil Tennant’s positively English and surreal vocals.
02. Daft Punk ‘Digital Love’
This really reminds us of Video Killed the Radio Star by Buggles. It was a really unexpected slice of perfect pop on Daft Punk’s second album. The harsh autotune on the vocals is a clever bit of production to make the vocals sit in with the synths and the heavily compressed overall mix.
03. Depeche Mode ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’
Vince Clarke is Lloyd’s hero as a fellow Roland SH101 player. Layered analogue synths always sound fantastic (listen to Schmoof), especially if some of them are slightly out of tune. When DJ-ing, we find that this song always gets people on the dancefloor.
04. Chicks on Speed ‘We Don’t Play Guitars’
We supported COS a while back and have a particular fondness for this track. I think we appreciate the ethos behind it as much as the track itself; we don’t play guitars either but that doesn’t mean that you can’t rock. Sarah is a big fan of Peaches, who also features on this track. She does a great guitar solo in this track – technically awful but fabulous all the same!
05. Vic Twenty ‘Why Do I Want You When I Don’t Know What I Want?’
We’re big fans of this guy. This is a lovely melancholic song with beautiful layering of analogue synths. We like the subject matter too, a situation we’ve all been in. What’s love all about huh?
06. Prince ‘Bambi’
Sarah is a huge Prince fan so he had to feature somewhere in here. We’ve chosen a bit of a random album track from the self-titled album of 1979, which is one of his best. In this cock-rock/disco track, he tries to ‘turn’ a lesbian with the words “it’s better with a man”! It’s such a ridiculous idea and would sound arrogant coming from anyone else but he does it so well.
07. Aphex Twin ‘Milkman’
Richard D James is unlike many techno/electronica artists in that he writes some beautiful chord progressions and songs. His tracks sound very musical whilst also sounding experimental. This is such a simple tune but the delivery and pop sensibility are just perfect.
08. Girls Aloud ‘The Show’
Girls Aloud have had some great songwriters producing tracks for them and this is one of the best. There are so many electro acts out there that haven’t produced a track this good yet! Great synth hooks and vocal melodies. We’re big fans of Bananarama and Spice Girls and Girls Aloud have actually done a fantastic job of picking up where they left off.
09. The Knife ‘Heartbeats’
We were really disappointed that The Knife’s own version of this track wasn’t a bigger success but Jose Gonzales stripped it down to just vocals and chords and showed that it really is a well-written song. Acts like The Knife are often mistaken for being style over substance so hats off to Jose for bringing this track to the mainstream. Karin Dreijer Andersson sounds nuts when she sings!
10. Starbase 109 ‘Vacuum Clener’
The best kitchen sink drama track ever!
Schmoof ‘Chocolate Boyfriend released on Council Pop Records OUT NOW
Remixes from Starlet DJs, Fake I.D and Menlo Park
www.schmoof.com www.myspace.com/schmoofiness