Tiny Sticks At Juno Download

Review: It's a while since we heard from skewed disco experimentalists Mock & Toof. Clearly, they've been busy. "My Head" is the first single from their forthcoming long-awaited sophomore album. It's a little reminiscent - aesthetically, at least - to "Underwater", their dense, clav-heavy single on DFA from 2008. "My Head", though, is altogether looser and sparser, focusing the action about a great dub disco groove and some sweet vocals. The remix package is equally as tasty, with Lauer delivering a moody, synth-driven rework (kind of like a deeper version of Simoncino's Italo efforts) and Juno faves Juju & Jordash dropping some sweaty, voodoo rhythms.

Review: This second full-length from London-based disco experimentalists Mock & Toof finds them in fine form, expanding on themes first explored on their 2010 debut, Turning Echoes. Surprisingly, the mood is slightly on the subdued side, with only a handful of tracks - the clav-heavy recent single "My Head", the near-Balearic "Wake Me Up", the wonky house strut of "Walking The Streets" and swinging, Arthur Russell-ish "Get Me Out Of The Way" - cutting loose in pursuit of dancefloor pleasures. Elsewhere, we're treated to a diet of dubby grooves, downbeat explorations and warming Balearic sketches. It's a well-rounded set, all told, and one that should appeal far beyond their usual fan base.

Review: After a short sabbatical, Tiny Sticks founders and occasional DFA types Mock & Toof return with a remixed version of album highlight "The Key". Available in vocal and instrumental flavours, the Call Super mix sees them at their quirky best. Stylistically, what's on offer is a curious but endearing fusion of spaced-out acid house riffage, chiming deep house melodies, Berlin techno attitude and densely layered vocals snippets. It sounds like Mungolian Jet Set or Ost & Kjex after a bottle too many of Chilean Merlot, drowsily offering a drunken shuffle while the rest of the dancefloor reaches for the lazers.

Review: Although critics will undoubtedly be tempted to, stapling Mock & Toof to the disco and nu disco sound that has continued to blossom over the last few years is surely a limiting description for the British duo. So far, the producers have conducted themselves with an originality, creativeness and eclecticism that renders this kind of categorisation as useless. Debut album, Turning Echoes acts as a marker for this approach, proving that it is simply impossible to pigeonhole the delightfully off kilter duo.

Duncan Stump (Mock) and Nick Woolfson (Toof) steadily built a reputation for themselves with illicit edits of Madonna, remixes for the likes of Hot Chip and Friendly Fires and a display of quirky and interesting releases for James Murphy's DFA and Mule Musiq. But it is on Stump's own Tiny Sticks imprint, which he founded in 2005 that Mock & Toof release their debut full length. Taking disco, deep house, post punk and pop amongst a whole host of other credible and mature music forms, the duo have created an album that combines a leftfield dance aesthetic with an infinitely broad sound palette to create a certain contender for this year's most intriguing record. Citing David Byrne and Roxy Music as major influences, the album is more focused on an entire listening experience as opposed to just a collection of tracks. Having spent over a year in the studio writing and producing, Tuning Echoes is a largely vocal affair that also features previous collaborator Gavin Gordon and the Munich based singer-songwriter Pollyester. Having said that, Mock & Toof have not totally abandoned their love of the dancefloor, as alluded to on tracks such as "The Key," "Underwater" and"?Normans Eyes." We also see the twinkling pop of "From Kashima," the electronic boogie of "Day Ken Died" and the slo-mo arpeggiation of "P2160." A wonderfully unique and diverse album, Turning Echoes cements Mock & Toof?s position of two of the UK's most creative producers.

Review: Mock & Toof's excellent album Temporary Happiness sees its second lot of high profile remixes arrive, with a double header of electro superstars in the form of Legowelt and DMX Krew reworking the percolating house number "Walking The Streets". First up, Hague-dwelling Danny Wolfers delivers a typically excellent analogue techno reworking held together with vintage breakbeats and smothered in hazy organs, disembodied vocals and 303 squelch. DMX Krew's remix is the more literal reworking of the two, using the catchy bassline as its hook, and weaving subtle acid tendrils around its pleasantly unfussy rhythm. Easily as good as the Lauer and Juju & Jordash remixes of Mock & Toof from last year!