When most folks think about DFA Records and 2016, there is really just one major news story that comes to mind. Hell, it might just be the music story of the year. And as excited as we all are to see James Murphy et al back in the studio and back on stage,  we can’t let that overshadow the fact that his record label is absolutely killing it this year. And it’s only March.

So for our Tunes of the Month, here are five recently released or preview tracks from the Brooklyn label that, incidentally, just like Idle Time, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year.

Essaie Pas – “Le Port du Masque Est de Rigueur”

Essaie Pas is a French-Canadian dark disco duo comprised of Pierre Guerineau and the exquisite Marie Davidson. I pride myself on my passable linguistics skills, as well as the fact that I can converse in two different Romance languages. French, though? I can’t pronounce half the songs on their new album, Demain Est Une Autre Nuit, and I sure as hell can’t understand the lyrics. And I think that’s what makes it so damn alluring. I take my minimal dance music with a heavy dose of mystery, and this track is the spookiest.

◌

Guerrilla Toss – “Grass Shack”

Guerrilla Toss dropped Eraser Stargazer last week, and this song perfectly sums up the wild barfight of punk guitar chords and funk basslines flipping stools and breaking bottles all over the record.

◌◌

Shit Robot – “End of the Trail”

Marcus Lambkin, aka Shit Robot, is following up 2014’s excellent We Got a Love with his third LP for DFA Records. What Follows comes out in May, and it features other DFA standouts like Pat Mahoney, The Juan MacLean, and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, who provides the vocals for this preview single.

◌◌◌

Holy Ghost! – “Crime Cutz”

Holy Ghost! hasn’t released any new material since their full-length debut for DFA almost three years ago. The “Crime Cutz” single came out last month, and the synthpop wonderland is a welcome return to the studio for the duo.

◌◌◌◌

Wolfram – “United 707”

This might be my favorite track of the five and, frankly, I’m surprised at how much I enjoy this December single from Austrian producer Wolfram. It’s slow-burning European electrodance just begging for 100 different remixes. I want the Gridwalk kids to rip it up.

 

◌◌◌◌◌