Once upon a time, I went to London. It was the summer of 2k7, and it was the summer I spent abroad with no cash, morals, or self-control. In other words, it was fantastic. Encouraging my debauchery were a lovely group of Londoners, who, taking me under their wing, ensured that I was never without a swanky party to attend, a sambuca shot and/or vodka diet coke in hand, and some notorious Brit house music to dance to. I could go on and on because I have about one hundred million stories, but, instead of taking time to write all of them out, I’d rather just introduce you to the spectacular music project of one of my London besties—The Neon Lights.
Made up of Alex Le Roux (a.k.a. London bestie) and his friend Dario Darnell, The Neon Lights are an indie-electronic duo soon to be known for their innovative combination of live drums, catchy synth lines, and powerful harmonies. After meeting at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (a school started by Paul McCartney), these kids began fusing their musical minds together, successfully transforming their make-shift, late-night, dorm-hall studio sessions into a powerfully addicting electronic force. So far, they’ve kicked off 2k10 to one hell of a start—releasing a remix of The XX’s “Crystallized” (see below) that has gained major love from the top tier of British music media (i.e. BBC Radio 1, Galaxy Radio Network, KISS FM and more). With an E.P. set to debut this August, they are currently slaving away making new material, working on commissioned remixes from other big named acts, and playing gigs and festivals throughout the UK.
The XX—Crystalized (The Neon Lights Remix)
Even though I have always L.O.V.E.D. the original version of this song, I understand how people uber-hyping the shit out of the XX has made “Crystalized” slowly disappear from each one of your go-to playlists. BUT… good news. These guys do something inexplicably spectacular to it. To me, it’s the perfect remix; they put a novel techno twist on the song without sacrificing the original integrity (and low temperament) of it. Anyway, you probably just want to hear the damn thing by now. SO, GO! LISTEN! ENJOY! And keep an eye out for these kids.
