Who are the Golden Filter?

That’s a question to which I don’t really know the answer, but I think that’s the idea with the Golden Filter (myspace::official). What I do know is this:

They put out a little track around mid-2008 entitled ‘Solid Gold’ which got all the right people raving. Comparisons to Little Boots were coming thick and fast. It’s actually a really solid, pardon the pun, piece of production with sugary sweet lyrics laid over a smooth synthy backdrop and a pumping bassline.

They’ve been getting rave reviews ever since, showing up at a few shows and putting out remixes. Their Peter, Bjorn & John remix got the blogs a-talking, but I’m more taken by the Cut Copy effort. While In Ghost Colours was a more up-tempo and upbeat affair, TGF take it down a notch with their signature synth keys and bass — it almost feels like it might not work but it definitely does, in the end.

Track: Cut Copy – Far Way (The Golden Filter Remix) (listen).

A Reminder’s top 28 of 2008 list.

A long time ago, A Reminder was the first blog, certainly the first music blog, I ever read.

A stalwart feature of the blog has to be the annual tabulation of Australian (and NZ) bands, great and small. This is a list worth paying attention to, least of all because I have similar music tastes to Sean and the group of bloggers who contribute, but mainly because the list seems to appreciate the underlying value of a band beyond its most recent release or ‘hype value’.

I’m not even sure what the criteria are — but it’s a good list.

This year’s top spot went to The Drones who, sadly, I’ve seen only once. A pleasant surprise was the inclusion of You Am I. Cut Copy placed well above The Presets, perhaps controversial, but I’d have to agree.

Cut Copy – Hearts on Fire // KIM – Party Machini.

Modular has been very, very busy of late. Chiefly with hot exports Cut Copy and The Presets’ new records and maaassive tours, but also pressing old KIM and Cut Copy singles onto new wax.

First up, you might remember Cut Copy’s ‘Hearts on Fire’ from about 12 months ago – yeah, it was the lead-in single for In Ghost Colours. It had a full 12″ release and everything, even a banging remix from Joakim, which found its way onto the Bang Gang DJs’ Light Sound Dance compilation from around that time. Well, as if a new album and single since then wasn’t enough, Modular saw fit bestow a new Midnight Juggernauts remix upon us and another 12″ release, with Calvin Harris remix apparently in tow and a new video:

Don’t get me wrong, both these remixes are damn fine and breath new life into a track which, frankly, was awesome on its own. But with all the great material on In Ghost Colours just dying to be remixed and released… why?

‘Hearts on Fire’ is due out June 5.

Track: Cut Copy – Hearts On Fire (Midnight Juggernauts Remix) (listen).

Second, and similar to the above, even with The Presets machine in full swing, Modular seem to be not so quietly re-releasing KIM’s entire back-catalogue. This I can at least half understand. Some of these tracks have only seen limited Japanese release, or were released when KIM was on Cutters/Bang Gang 12s aaagees ago. So we can now enjoy ‘Party Machini’, a track which was also on the seminal LSD compilation, again. There’s even a new remix or two thrown in for good measure.

Cut Copy play on Rove.

Australia’s favourite Shoe-gaze indie revival trio played on variety show Rove last night. What can I say, it wasn’t the Knightlife version of ‘Lights & Music’ punters have been treated to over the last six months, but it was still quality.

Also, this clearly means all Rove’s other guests lip-sync.