Various

Portland club and restaurant, Holocene has become the epicentre of cultural cross-pollination since opening in 2003. The artificial boundaries outlining the aural terrain of various genres has been transcended with this, their debut release, allowing punk, folk, hip-hop and techno to peacefully coexist and even hit it. Music is music again as laptop geeks and indie rockers gleefully hang out and work together with smashing results. Holocene matches Portland’s best bands with the city’s emerging electronic talent for remix duty, creating a fusion of styles that would fit well with the DFA roster, and though the music is undeniably now, one can’t help but associate the sound with ’80s synth punk or no wave. Standout tracks include Blitzen Trapper’s super funky remix by Kittenz, Alan Singley’s drifting folk song with treatment by DJ Tant, the Kingdom remixed by Copy, reminiscent of Hot Chip with more bite, and Toothfairy’s turbo-folk remix of Bobby Birdman. This is an excellent album and hopefully the first of many to come.