Song of the Day: FaltyDL - Straight & Arrow

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is “Straight & Arrow” by FaltyDL from the 2013 album Hardcourage on Ninja Tune.

FaltyDL - Straight & Arrow (MP3)

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Drew Lustman (aka FaltyDL) creates crisp, London-influenced electronic tracks that belie his American nationality. Raised on hip-hop and IDM, Lustman began creating electronic music in his twenties, taking note of the flood of pioneering electronic music that was coming out of England in the mid-2000s. Since is first release in 2007, FaltyDL has remixed a wide variety of artists (including Seun Kuti and the xx) while still regularly releasing original material. Beginning with a smooth house intro, "Straight & Arrow" runs through the last five years of London's underground electronic scene in about five minutes. Like a technicolor version of "Far Nearer", "Straight & Arrow" incorporates elements of garage, two step, and house that embellished with a wide palette of sonic highlights, slipping in blooping tones and warped and chopped vocal samples. "Straight & Arrow" wears its English influences on its sleeves, but its refusal to settle into one style makes it a fresh, varied dancefloor filler on either side of the Atlantic.

FaltyDL will be in Seattle opening for James Blake (whose new album is pretty good) on Tuesday, April 23 at the Neptune. Get tickets and info about that show here and keep up with Lustman by keeping an eye on his Facebook and Twitter, and watch a "fingertip orchestra" play the song in the official video for "Straight & Arrow" below.