Little Boots ain’t lost the beat.
After unleashing a slew of happy feet-friendly dance tunes–including “Shake,” “Every Night I Say A Prayer” and “Headphones”–lil’ Miss Little Boots has just released a cover of the Bronski Beat classic “Smalltown Boy” for Ministry of Sound’s new compilation, Uncovered Vol. 4.
For those less familiar, the oft-covered, oft-sampled 1984 synth-pop single (many of you should recognize that main riff from September‘s “Cry for You”) explores the alienation, bullying and dejection of growing up gay in the ’80’s (“Mother will never understand why you had to leave/But the answers you seek will never be found at home.”) It’s a major LGBT anthem, recorded well over 20 years before “Born This Way” or the #ItGetsBetter movement.
The Little Boots take on the track is both faithful to the original and a thrilling sonic update, taking the ’80’s New Wave synths of the original and polishing them up with throbbing House beats and spacey electronica beamed in straight from the 22nd century. The first blast-off into the chorus, especially, is a major treat, complete with coos and disco vibrations that play like an ode to Donna Summer‘s “I Feel Love.” It’s really an amazing version!
Miss Boots also performed the cover live (and did the song proper justice!) during the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco a few weeks ago.
Along with her cover, Little Boots just released a brand new mixtape created for the We Love closing party at Space in Ibiza, which includes tracks from Tensnake and the ever-amazing Róisín Murphy.
And finally, just in case any of you plan to be somewhere exotic in the next coming weeks, keep on the lookout: Miss Boots might just be spinning her latest DJ set at a venue near you!
OCTOBER
– Sala Copernico, Madrid – Friday 5th October
– Razzmatazz, Barcelona – Saturday 6th October
– Freeform Festival, Warsaw, Poland –13th October
– Planet Terra Festival, Sao Paulo, Brazil – 20th October
NOVEMBER
-Primavera Fauna, Chile, 22nd & 24th November
“Headphones” was released in June. (iTunes)