Thee robots got fonky this past Saturday night, with Georgio and myself throwing down a number of Prince [or Prince-related] jams. Getting prime billing was Dez Dickerson's [I Want 2 B A] Modernaire. Dez, who played guitar for Prince in 1979/80 [before leaving after becoming Born Again and getting replaced by Wendy], performed with his Modernaires for a scene in Purple Rain, but only 18 seconds of his song ever made it into the film. The track was supposed to get released as a single and appear on the Purple Rain soundtrack (which eventually became a Prince-exclusive affair), but Dez's song got shelved, multiple label offers fell through and a solo career failed to materialize.

Fast forward 25 years and the long-lost Modernaire finally gets a proper single release, mastered from a newly discovered tape recording. Put out by the fine folks at Citinite and pressed on translucent red vinyl, it also contains 5 funked-up mixes/remakes from DMX Krew, Luke Eargoggle [Faceless Mind], Hot Persuasion, Complexxion, and the ever heavy-breathing Egyptian Lover. Check Citinite's Modernaire page for online retailer/distributor links or go to Bleep.com to buy the mp3s. I suggest buying the vinyl pronto since it is a limited edition and I'm sure once those collectors find out, they'll be snapping them up like Prince at a high heels sale. So in the words of Morris Day, "I wanna see some asses wigglin'...I want some perfection."

Another act to look out for on the Prince/Midnight Star/Cameo/Zapp-inspired tip is Bumper, side-project of Mr. Pauli with Geoffrey T. Their sound incorporates LinnDrum, vocoders, and funky basslines, blending vintage Minneapolis genius with early Jedi Knight electro fuckery. Stream their Never Stop EP here to get a taste of new jack electrofunk, because when it comes to all things Prince, It Takes An Erotic Village...

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