New York DJ

Chairlift are one of the more prominent bands often lumped in with the hipster-favorite genre "chillwave," characterized mainly by its heavy use of '80s-inspired new wave synthesizer washes coupled with bits of homemade electronica touches, from skittery dance beats to ambient nature sound loops. Because of this, chillwave often has a more messy, cobbled-together, and at times endearing feel that balance out its slick new wave influences and - at its best - make this emerging style sound new and fresh.

Just because Chairlift are often considered "hipster cool" though, don't think you haven't heard of them. This Brooklyn-based band got some short but heavy exposure that gave them a bump to near-mainstream pop notice a few years ago because of their fun synthpop tune "Bruises." You probably know it not by the title, but by the lyrical riff "I tried to do handstands for you, I tried to do handstands for you" sung to a bright, catchy melody.

When it comes to not only chillwave acts, but most artists inspired by the new wave or new romantic sound of the '80s - from really popular groups like The Killers, to moderately-known bands like La Roux (read about them in a post from this blog here) to more obscure ones like The Mary Onettes (read about them in a post from this blog here) - their songs usually either feel "influenced by" or "derivative of" their inspirations. The former often means a song takes a cue from the genre but makes it into something original and alive, while the latter just sounds dated and flat.

"I Belong in Your Arms", from the group's new album Something, has so much of an '80s feel that it shouldn't sound so alive and fresh, but it does, and therefore impressively makes wondering whether it's the most original sound or not unimportant. Like "Bruises", it's great because it simply sticks in your head with bouncy verses and a uplifting chorus that resides in that sweet spot of being catchy and fun but not too cutesy or cloying. This new song, though, is not a simple re-hash of "Bruises" - there's a bit less quirkiness, and a bit more sexiness. Plus, you'll no doubt be into this song right away if you're a fan of New Order of the Cure  - the chorus here has a soaring beauty reminiscent of the best New Order songs, and singer Caroline Polachek even does a yelp and that Robert Smith "happy growl" thing with her voice that seems straight out of the Cure's "Lovecats." But ultimately, even if you don't know the styles that may have inspired the song's sound, this tune will win anyone over with its giddy joy. It's a song that simply but completely captures the feeling of being in Big Fun Love; it's like a little kid who's dancing and goofing around for you so much that after a few moments you can't help but smile.

Because this song goes down so easy and never "gets in the way" by being too bass-heavy, but also always feels lively and fun, it's perfect to include almost anywhere - from events where cool and interesting background music is important to setting a mood, like cocktail parties and slient auctions, to places where music is much more on display, like clubs, fashion show runways, and dance floors at indie weddings.

Have a listen, and whether you call this song new wave, chillwave, indie electro-pop, or ditch the labels and simply call it just catchy and fun, I think most anyone will agree that "I Belong in Your Arms" is quite easy to embrace.

Chairlift - I Belong in Your Arms

The Velvet Underground are considered one of biggest godfathers of today's indie pop and rock music. This is largely because in the late 1960s the group introduced an often dissonant, experimental, unpolished style to rock, as well as treated dark themes like drug use and the hedonism of the New York City party scene they were associated with in a gritty, straightforward way.

Of course, not all bands and performers that were to be called "alternative" and then later "indie" in years to come incorporated these exact elements, but so many underground pop and rock groups from the past 40 years – from Joy Division to The Pixies to Radiohead – have, like the Velvet Underground, introduced what at first were strange new sounds and often unlikely and edgy themes into the world of pop music.

But due to the Velvet Underground's often bleak lyrics and dissonant, droning guitar riffs, sometimes forgotten is that many of their songs had a languorous, shimmering beauty – and along with this, a few songs even had tender and affirmative lyrics. One of the best examples of this is a tune from their first album (produced by Andy Warhol), The Velvet Underground and Nico, called "I'll Be Your Mirror." It was released also as a single, as the b-side to another track off the album, "All Tomorrow's Parties."

"I'll Be Your Mirror" is a brief, sweet song in which the singer desires to show a person how great he or she is at the times when that person can't see it. Because it's the Velvet Underground working with Andy Warhol, this pleasant but rather generic sentiment is given a memorable quirkiness due to the vocals of Nico, a tall German model-turned- vocalist who handled lead vocals on this song and a couple others on the album.

Nico's performance shouldn't really have worked. She's pretty, but her voice isn't very good – it's sometimes off-key, and her English fights through a deep German accent. And while the vocal comes across as odd and icy, it's a credit of the band (and likely Warhol, too), that the oddness sounds endearing – there's a vulnerability to Nico's voice that deepens the sentiment of the song’s lyrics.

Just this might be enough for the couples that often hire us to DJ at their weddings, since they're often looking for a first dance that's sentimental, but also has some sort of eccentric charm. But for those who might like the melody of the song and not be a fan of Nico's vocals, also posted here are two cover versions of the song. The first is from 1989, the second is from 2003 – showing not only the continued affection that the Velvets have had in other artists’ minds over the years, but that the band created a song over 40 years ago that's been sturdy enough to work well when covered in two very different styles.

The Primitives, an English guitar fuzz-pop band best known for their bubbly single "Crash," covered "I'll Be Your Mirror" on a b-side to their single "Sick of It." Their version takes the song in a dreamier, more polished direction, though a bit of ragged guitar jangle shows the Velvet Undergound influence. Singer Tracy Tracy's sweet, lullaby-esque vocals that slighly recall the sound of early '60s girl groups are the star here. I heard this version first, so it's The Primitives’ more full-sounding treatment of the song that I have memories with – though of course those familiar with the original version may accept no substitute for Nico.

Clem Snide, an American alt-country group, recorded their version of the song on a 2003 release called A Beautiful EP. This version is the most stripped-down of the three, featuring only acoustic guitar, a bit of strings, and the fragile vocal – this time a male vocal – of lead singer Eef Barzelay. The effect of this "alt-countrification" of the song is makes it very inimate and warm – listening to it makes you feel like you’re hearing it sung to you while sitting around a campfire.

Whether you prefer vintage offbeat charm, dreamy pop, or mellow alt-country, give a listen to "I'll Be Your Mirror" and consider it for your first dance – however it’s recorded, its tender foundation reflects clearly through.

The Velvet Underground – I'll Be Your Mirror

The Primitives – I'll Be Your Mirror

Clem Snide – I'll Be Your Mirror

Hold on – this is not a new version of the classic doo-wop oldie by The Monotones, the one that has been way over-played in commercials for so many years.

While the indie band The Magnetic Fields' "The Book of Love" uses the same concept that the vintage song of the same title does – imagining the existence of an actual "how-to" book of love – this newer version manages, through a spare arrangement, a lovely melody, and lyrics that deftly alternate between humor and poignancy, to wring more complex moods out of the concept than just malt-shop sweetness.

We featured this song on one of our many indie pop playlists (go here for the link to that post) a bit ago. But, given that recently the song received a large dose of visibility due to Peter Gabriel covering it and that version being used in the finale of the TV show Scrubs, we figured the song deserved more attention as to why it's such a great first dance song for couples looking for an indie song that delivers a more original, eclectic take on romance – a take which we find so many couples in New York City often prefer that a DJ uses at their weddings.

"The Book of Love" was originally released in 1999, on the first volume (pictured at left) of The Magnetic Fields' triple album 69 Love Songs, and the tune has some of the album's most playful and touching lyrics. (Many indie pop fans are probably aware of The Magnetic Fields' singer Stephin Merritt, who also fronts several other indie bands and sometimes works solo, as one of the indie pop world's most respected songwriters.)

In the three verses to "The Book of Love," Merritt wryly paints a picture of an actual, physical book of love as mostly undesirable – it's heavy, long, boring, and contains a lot of outdated material. But yet in each chorus, he affirms that, since he’s so enamored of his significant other, anything – even reading or singing from such a largely unappealing book – can be pleasurable. And while the lyrics are funny and poignant, the music delivers as well. A seemingly distorted but still delicate ukelele under Merritt's warm baritone, and how the melody of the chorus gently soars hopefully upward perfectly establishes a mood of sweetness – not a sugary, doo-wop sweetness like the golden oldie, but a stripped-down, ramshackle sweetness that's quite moving.

The Peter Gabriel version, from his recent album of cover songs called Scratch My Back, (pictured at right) keeps much the same melody and lyrics, but violin and cello accompaniment add a more orchestral, lush mood. Also, because Gabriel doesn't linger on the humor of the verses as much as Merritt, the song comes across as more romantic, but less playful. However, this more polished-sounding version may have a slightly wider appeal to couples, and Gabriel's voice paired with a romantic song is almost always quite affecting and intimate, and this cover is no exception.

As a final pitch to you for using this song as a first dance, listen to the last chorus, and you'll likely think it's even more perfect to use.

The Magnetic Fields – The Book of Love

Peter Gabriel – The Book of Love

When we meet to talk with clients about music for their event, often the first thing we notice is that they've already dejectedly decided the music they really like and want to hear won't be able to be played at their event.

It may be a designer in a fashion show thinking that the music she wants to use for her fashion line will be too ethereal a sound to keep the audience interested. Or a couple who loves moody acoustic indie pop but thinks it would be too much of a downer to play a little at their wedding Or an organizer of a corporate party who worries that the employees won’t dance because they tend to like raw Southern hip-hop and their bosses wouldn’t. Whatever the case, whatever the event, it seems this kind of unfortunate premature musical censorship is everywhere.

It often comes from a good place of common sense or consideration, like an organizer at a art opening knowing that prospective buyers might not want to hear his beloved deep cuts of ‘70s classic rock all night long. But some of our clients’ decisions that their favorite songs or genres won’t work comes not from a good place at all, but instead from having met with conventional, unimaginative DJs that tend to work for bigger, more cookie-cutter DJ companies. We’ve heard from these clients that some of these DJs have told them straight up that the only way to get a party movin’ is to play disco all night.

Whatever the reason for clients' doubts in the music they love, one of the first things we tell them – no matter what their event –  is to open up their mind, revisit their CD collection or iPod, and make their “dream list” of songs they want to hear, with no censoring allowed. Put anything in you would love to hear. Not only does it make the process of selecting music easier, but also more fun. It will get you excited about the possibilities of hearing this music, as opposed to nixing songs right away and feeling frustrated that the soundtrack to the event is already not what you would like.

Now, will all these "dream songs" end up making the cut when the event arrives? Sometimes many of them do, sometimes they don't. But what always happens is that when we see these “dream lists” and talk a bit with the client to see what music is most important to them, we can then use our experience in knowing what of these songs will work given the mood that is wanted at the event, as well as what kind of guests will be there, and what kind of structure the event will have. Then we can suggest which songs to keep, which to think about not using. For example, a pair of melancholy indie songs at the more sedate moments in a wedding can feel absolutely right and even moving. So can a set of obscure hardcore punk during the more boisterous moments of a corporate party. And even a little experimental progressive rock can enhance the feeling of an art opening, if played at the right time.

By far, many more of the songs you really want at your event then you ever think you can play are actually able to be fit in, but not only that, they can be made to add to the atmosphere of the event. But to do it, you have to begin by letting the DJ know what you really want to hear. And if that DJ looks at your list, smirks, and says something about how you can't have a party without having "the Y" on your list, well, you know the time has come to find a different DJ.