Childhood friends Tyler Blake and Michael David comprise the Los Angeles production duo Classixx. The group has garnered quite a reputation in both nationwide and worldwide dance circles for their tight as can be, disco-inflected remixes. And we’re not talking Beatport-style bedroom remixes that assault all senses and discount the beauty of DIY, but club ready tracks that have ended up on releases by megagroups like Phoenix, Passion Pit, and Major Lazer. Classixx’… or is it Classixx’s?… How about we avoid the possessive route altogether – Classixx released their debut album, Hanging Gardens, two weeks back to solid reviews.
“Holding On,” the first single off the album, is a definite standout. The track harks back to the sweet, analog sounds of the ’70s and ’80s, using them to create airtight grooves and loops. While managing to somehow feel both retro and contemporary, “Holding On” sounds weirdly similar to something off the newest Daft Punk record. It indulges in sounds — disco, funk and new wave — that have proven to be perpetually compelling regardless of their datedness. Whether it’s 1979 or 2013, “Holding On” is a darn good song, and you certainly won’t hear me complaining.