One Track Mind

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On June 23rd, Brooklyn’s Friendly Fire Recordings will release the debut record from The Phenomenal Handclap Band, an assemblage of New York City bands which includes appearances from members of TV on the Radio, The Dap Kings, Oakley Hall, Diamond Nights, Calla, and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (among others). Given this indie-heavy pedigree, perhaps the most surprising thing about the collective is how rump-shaking their music is. The party on a platter is helmed by DJs Daniel Collás and Sean Marquand, who ensure that the songs are engineered to move bodies.

As far as summer songs go, “15 to 20″ has all of your bases covered. Its layers of percussion, drums, and bass provide a fun, funky groove over which Lady Tigra (she of L’Trimm) lays down some schoolyard rhymes. Throw in some deep chiming bells straight out of the Futurama theme song, the occasional angular, distorted guitar, and, yes, even some handclaps, and the recipe is complete. “15 to 20″ is the sort of track you would expect to find playing at the out of control pool party scene in a raunchy teen comedy… and I mean that in a good way. It’s all about having a good time, getting down, and celebrating the fact that you won’t always be so young.