Once upon a time, long, long, LONG ago, DIY meant you hauled your candy shop down to the local club, and hoped a dj might sample your confections. If you were lucky, and they dipped their chocolate in your peanut butter, you might get played and have a hit. Nowadays, you can do all this from your bedroom (and you don’t have to open your candy shop unless you want to!).

That’s exactly what Microfilm are doing. Hailing from Chicago, Matt Mercer and Matt Keppel admit they’re not much for nightly parties, but they’ve managed to garner global kudos for their music. They’ve turned in remixes for Ladytron and Sarah Nixey (of Black Box Recorder) as well as a cover for the recent Magnetic Fields tribute album. They’ve even been featured on BBC Radio 1.

They sent us their new track, 'BFF', for EVB readers to sample. It’s a new direction for the duo, hardening their sound with a dark buzzing hum and vocoded vocals. I say it’s a direction they should keep going.

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In New York, My Robot Friend is currently doing it for himself, shopping around for a partner to release Robot High School, his eagerly anticipated follow up to 2006’s Dial Zero. It makes one wish they had some green to a help a brother out. Personally, I’m spending my wait replaying my favorite remix of his dictionarioke-tastic cover of Blondie’s 'Rapture'.

My Robot Friend - 'Rapture' (Freelance Hellraiser Remix) (Soma Records)

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This post was supposed to be Goldfrapp and their new single, A&E. But in my explorations of the various remixes, I unearthed my first official obsession of 2008 (*sigh* I <3 the internetz). I can’t help replaying Hercules & Love Affair’s new track Blind - over and over and over again. Featuring an invigorating horniness and distinctive vocals from Antony Hegarty of Antony & the Johnsons, it is an exciting taste of what H&LA’s Andrew Butler has to offer on his forthcoming full-length, expected from DFA in March.

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Blind – Hercules & Love Affair (featuring Antony Hegarty) (DFA)

It needs a remix. That was my first thought of A&E when Goldfrapp’s new album mysteriously leaked eons ago. And while the song has definitely grown on me over time, I’m happy the remixes are upon us. It’s probably not hard to guess which remix I liked best based on the preceding selection. But don’t overlook excellent reworks from current Brazilian wonder boy Gui Boratto and the much buzzed about Maps.

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A&E (Hercules & Love Affair) – Goldfrapp (Mute)

Dave Gahan, lead singer of Depeche Mode, is straight. And married. With children. A matter of public record for decades, you say? I don’t care. Boyhood crushes die hard. But the married daddy persona is working for Dave. His vocals have matured in suit, craggy yet romantic all backed with signature darkness. The second single from his second solo album, "Hourglass", is said to be "Saw Something" but the package seems to pay more attention to "Deeper and Deeper" featuring remixes by The Juan MacLean, T.Raumschmiere and Sebastien Leger. It’s Gahan at his sexiest. He’s gonna have you when he wants to. He’s gonna take you. That’s what he likes. He’s going down now.

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Deeper and Deeper (Shrubbn!! Single Version) (Mute)

Shrubbn!! is a side-project of T.Raumschmiere and Schieres that’s taken about 12 years to release their first 12”. They say they’re here for good.

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Shrubbn!! – Molly Rhubarb (Shitkatapult)

And now looking ahead, the year 2008 seems to be an impressive basket bulging with expectant goodness. New Hot Chip, Ladytron, Fischerspooner, Zoot Woman – it’s enough to get down on my knees and unzip sound unheard.

The new Fischerspooner track "The Best Revenge" doesn’t disappoint and opens up the new Kitsune Maison compilation (Kitsune France), apparently out on January 14th.

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The new Zoot Woman album (Wall of Sound) finally allows Stuart Price to work rather than sadly utilizing him to rework old standards for, well, old standards. Here's "We Won't Break":

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