While there's still a few hours left of Christmas (at least here in California), I thought I'd post a few more festive tracks to keep you feeling that holiday spirit. Some of these are from the Christmasasaurus Vol. 2 comp, so I apologize for giving you the same presents twice.

Xmas '07

Tracks:
The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
Bit Shifter - Winter Wonderland
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Cold White Christmas
Saint Etienne - I Was Born On Christmas Day
Cocteau Twins - Frosty the Snowman
Au Revoir Simone - The Winter Song
Temp Sound Solutions - Dance of the Sugarplum Faeries
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes - Hava Nagilah (Gotta have at least one token Jewish song)
The Sonics - Santa Claus
The Crystals - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Cristina - Things Fall Apart (My pick for best Christmas song ever)
Sally Shapiro - Anorak Christmas
Signaldrift - Dripping Angels
Hai Robotto - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen First Noel
Simian Mobile Disco - I Believe (SMD Space Dub)
Seefeel - Spangle

Let's be honest, most Christmas "Muzak" is usually a depressing affair. And yet, as every greedy kid knows, "X-mas" can sometimes mean video games...Finally, there is some X-mas music that combines true holiday cheer with video game love: the Christmasasaurus Vol. 2 compilation of 8-Bit covers presented by Peppermint Pony and Bubblegum Octopus. Released by netlabel Candy Mind last year, you can download it for free here. The second in a series, this compilation features 24 artists, many of whom are clearly "taking the piss," but some of whom do brilliant versions of X-mas classics.

My personal favorites: Bit Shifter's computerized ode to snowy festivities, Winter Wonderland. Peppermint Pony's breakcore version of Deck the Halls. Bubblyfish's jet-powered Sleigh Ride. Nikaena Vizukae's wonderfully inspirational O Holy Night. 8-Bit w0nder's sweet, switched-on Dance of the SugarPlum Sprites. Lameboy's glitchy and catchy Joy To The World.

But by far the best is Unicorn Dream Attack's vocoder anthem L1ttl3 Drumm3r B0y, which reminds me of Grace Jones's stunning robotic appearance on the Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. Also, like Ms. Rene states in Pee-wee's special, thankfully there is a "Jewish portion of the show" with Animal Style's version of the perennial Hanukkah standard, Al Hanisim. Lastly, to round out the year, A Beautiful Lotus gives us Auld Lang Syne.

*BONUS LEVEL*: Datashat's hilarious Santa Claus Taking Sir Paul McCartney Up the Wrong'n. He explains: "Despite 'Wonderful Christmas Time' being a thoroughly wretched piece of filth, it has some irresistably nice little bits of synth work going on, you know you love it really, you little scamp."

Enjoy the latest RobotSound mix. Equal parts future disco/Italotronique, EBM, and percussion-driven electro with a Whitney/Kraftwerk mash-up and Iggy Pop cover thrown in for good measure.

HOTBOX 12.1.07

Tracklist:
Creme de Menthe - Do You Want My Love?
Francisco - Esplanade 97
Op:l Bastards - Sagittarius [Disco Flavour Remix by Patrick Pulsinger]
Microthol - Moroder Machine
The Immortals - Ultimate Warlord
Sync 24 - I Don't Know
Girls on Top - I Wanna Dance With Numbers
Nitzer Ebb - Control (I'm Here) [Dubfire's Jamrock Remix]
Dirty Princess - Jugaral Reves
Human Body - Galactica [The Hacker Remix]
Manic Mind - Mentally Sick
Anthony Rother - Moderntronic 1
Bass-A-Rani - Boogie Chasers [Dexter Edit]
Huntemann - Disco Tech [Die Raketen Remix]
Crash Course in Science - Cardboard Lamb [David Carretta Remix]
Princess Superstar - Do It Like A Robot [Hell Rocks the Equalizer Remix]
Mix Machine - Phreax
Archigram - Doggystyle
Polygamy Boys - Polygamy Boys Theme
Mr. Pauli - Satisfaction

Since I've been on quite the disco trip lately (thanks in part to Georgio and Cosmic Gary), I thought I'd switch musical gears and start what might become a new feature at RobotSound. My intent is to showcase albums that "flew under the radar" so to speak; Releases which deserved more attention than they received at the time. Chrome Tape, from the now defunct(?) band Motormark, is one such album that I believe merits further consideration.

Put out by Alec Empire's Digital Hardcore Recordings back in '04, and co-produced by The Droyds, Motormark's second full-lengther combines the attitude of punk with the buoyancy of melodic, guitar-driven dance rock, all backed by a robotic drum machine. True, for several of the tracks the basic drum programming leaves something to be desired. And the lyrical repetitiveness can become grating at times. But there's something exhilarating about the Fred Schneider-like vocals of singer Marko PolaRoid or the clamoring, overdriven riot-grrl delivery of bandmate Jane Motoro. The catchiness and sheer mobility of the songs help you overlook any of their technical shortcomings. Some tunes sound like they could've been part of a Pixies synth-punk side project. Others would fit nicely into a set of gritty, lo-fi Add N to (X) or Fat Trucker rockers. Anyway, if this release doesn't get your engine revving, you might be running on empty.

Motormark - You're All Talk
Motormark - Anti-Me

Pick up your own Chrome Tape [Cheap!] here: Chrome Tape

Los Angeles TF - Magical Body

Stereo - Somewhere In The Night
Baby's Gang - Challenger
Ganymed - Music Takes Me Higher
Stop - Wake Up
Kano - It's War
Chromatics - In the City
I-F - Secret Desire
Lifelike & Kris Menace - Discopolis

Vote Zombie in '08

Black Devil Disco Club / Unit 4 - An Other Skin (Days of Blacula)
Patrick Pulsinger & DJ Glow - Plowing the Dark
Shifted Phases - The Freak Show
Le Syndicat Electronique - La Frequence Morte
Lady Sovereign vs. Ministry - Love Me Or Hate Me Everyday
Ultradyne - Clones (Z Therapy Mix)
The Black Ghosts - Face (Switch Mix)

Hiem - Zombie Party

Relive Halloween '06 here. Boo!