Track Of The Day: Fred P - Tripping Out (On Escapism) (Syncrophone)

Great piece of Fred P from himself. I say that because it’s got everything you want from one of his releases. It’s a long track, which is important, and works on a typically subdued, repressed power level. There’s not a great deal of variety as far as the music is concerned, but that’s what I want from one of Mr P’s releases. I like the familiarity of it. The sporadic vocal sample gets things going and reappears throughout. However, it’s the deadpan spoken word that holds the balance of power, eponymously intoning, profoundly. As the track progresses it widens its scope it settles down into a track Mood ll Swing would be proud of, And actually, Fred P continues the good work of Ciafone and Springsteen in every way as well as they ever could.

Zobol - Killing Culture (Melodize)

 

Title: Killing Culture

Artist: Zobol

Label: Melodize

Cat Number: MELODIZE 019

Genre: Electro/Cold Wave

1: Uprising

2: Uprising (Extrawelt Remix)

3: Weapon Of Mass Destraction

4: Oppression 

‘Killing Culture’, an apt title for our times, is the latest release from Bristol’s Zobol. Someone who dabbles in electro’s Kuiper Belt., and this analogue tinged treat certainly takes us on a journey. The three original productions each scale varying heights of emotion and syncopation, none more so than ‘Uprising’ which, with its sound built around the crystallisation of loads of micro sonics. It’s the glimmers of light within the darkness that really bring this track to life, as well as the added padding of the 303, which acts like some sort of posture springing, reinforcing the track like an acid mattress. ‘Weapon Of Mass Destraction’ carries a lot more menace and is suitably dark and ominous. The melody is brooding and again, the creative use of squelches carries the track along. ‘Oppression’ is similar to ‘WOMD’ in mood. However, the percussion feels punchier and the break beats more muscular. There’s a lot to admire in these three tunes, and they’re putting Zobol alongside producers like Sound Synthesis and Plant43 as far as emotive mood creation is concerned. And then you’ve got an excellent remix from Extrawelt, who takes us away from the cyberfunk and gives us a synthetic soundtrack to a ride across the frozen steppes of your choice. Retaining the emotional content and hooks of the original, but reconstructing the beats into something more linear and martial.

Track Of The Day: Brian Transeau - Relativity (Carl Craig's Urban Affair Dub) [Deep Dish Recordings)

Coming at you from 1993, and even though Carl Craig remixed many tracks of note, it’s doubtful whether the sheer simplicity and breeziness of this early effort from BT has been matched. Well, it probably has I suppose. However, every piece of production is different and while of its time, that doesn’t mean that it’s not relevant now. This is a minimal piece of house music in the sense that all of the elements are highlighted in a modest way. However, it’s difficult to forget the electric flute, the restrained keys the insistent bassline and the shimmering cymbals. It must have been conceived as an underlay track but it’s so on point that it shines when it takes the spotlight. I just wish it was a few minutes longer.

Quiet Village & Vanessa Daou - Naked Hunger (Quiet Village)

 

Title: Naked Hunger 

Artist: Quiet Village & Vanessa Daou 

Label: Quiet Village

Cat Number: QV 002

Genre: Balearic Chug Stuff

1: Naked Hunger (Vocal Mix)

2: Naked Hunger (Spoken Word Mix)

3: Naked Hunger (Radio Edit)

Quiet Village, aka Matt Edwards and Joel Martin, enlist the considerable vocal talent of Vanessa Daou. She of ‘Give Myself To You’, and ‘Are You Satisfied’, two of Tribal’s finest moments, in order to propel the somnolent chug of ‘Naked Hunger’ to new and hitherto inaccessible heights. Something which, given her considerable presence sounds effortless. I guess that using the word “naked” quite often helps as well, because it makes you think of sex and stuff like that. Not sitting down in front of the telly with just your boxers on when it’s hot. The ‘Vocal Mix’ comes in at around 8 minutes, which is a great length to keep hovering in the mix. Thankfully, the ‘Spoken Word Mix’ is even longer, a thoroughly indecent thirteen minutes, no less. It’s also full of innuendo and wordplay. Not the ‘Carry On’ sort you may be pleased to know, rather the serious, philosophical, introspective type. It’s backed by bongoes and a piano that rises and falls. The bass and kick in the ‘Vocal Mix’ give way to something a little less analogue as a consequence, more organic. Whether this is in tune with Vanessa’s naughty thoughts is anyone’s guess. Anyway, all of this will make a lot more sense on the dance floor late at night, or at sunrise, rather than in your living room in the morning. Both versions are great though and, despite treading a fine line through the valley of cliches, (is there anything left that hasn’t been said?), this is a vital release.

Track Of The Day: Underground Sound Of Lisbon – So Get Up (Danny's "In The Light We Sleep Mix') (Tribal)

Not the excellent original, but the equally great Danny Tenaglia remix. Darker and more linear, straddling the divide between techno, all-out acid, italo and synthcore. I mean how many subgenres can be coined to describe a single track? This is a seriously great tune though, and quite overlooked I think. It’s title seemingly a riposte to Felix da Housecat’s ‘In The Dark We Live’, this functions in a similar way to ‘Bottom Heavy’, but at a lower frequency. Much more sinister and designed to underpin a variety of different tempos and styles. As a DJ it’s a gift. Due a revival, expect to hear Barac, or one of the other Romanians airing their dubby laundry over the top of it at some stage.

Track Of The Day: Linton Kwesi Johnson - Shocking Dub (Island)

Linton Kwesi Johnson’s first four albums, recorded between 1979 and 1984, were a vital aural collage surrounding my receptive young ears. And this track comes from his third, ‘LKJ In Dib’, released in 1980. The great Dennis Bovell was a constant presence throughout LKJ’s recording career, the two being as vital to each other as Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. ‘Shocking Dub’ is a typically downbeat, reflective and transcendental  piece of music, whose deconstruction is very much a movable feast. And Bovell, in spite of being everywhere that matters for the last almost fifty years, is still very much an unsung hero. Vivid memories of this playing in Vincent’s bedroom, bookended by the likes of Cabaret Voltaire and Captain Beefheart.

Scratch Perry-The Heptones-Play on Mr Music

Track Of The Day: DJ Pippi & Willie Graff - Lunares (Leng)

My youngest is flying to Ibiza tomorrow, and I’m a little bit jealous because I’ve never been. Anyway, he’s starting to get into music and making tunes. I’m pretty much letting him develop in his own way but being on hand in case he has any questions or wants any advice. I’m sure he’ll try and find some clubs to go to when he’s there, but he’s not too clued up at the moment. Having said that, neither am I. I guess he’ll go for the bigger venues, as those are the ones his friends will also gravitate towards. It would be nice, however, if he happens to come across a place where they’re playing stuff like this. He’s definitely into more BPMs at the moment, I mean he is 18. You never know though. I’ll be playing this in the car later when I grab him from the train station, as well as other Balearic delights, and let’s see if he asks what it is . . .

Animix One Hundred & Seventy Nine: Agonis

 

Animalia · Animix One Hundred & Seventy Nine: Agonis

Track Of The Day: Havantepe – Muon (Spcinch)

Track Of Yesterday: Augustus Pablo - Meditation Dub (Landmark)

Huerta | HÖR - September 8 / 2025

Track Of The Day: Cabaret Voltaire - Everything Is True (Plastex)

Preceding ‘The Conversation’ by a year and, to the best of my knowledge, still only available on CD. ‘Everything Is True’ is the opening track from ‘International Language’, and is an eloquent blend of the ambient and dance floor. It was those dynamics that ‘The Conversation’ amplified to such amazing effect further down the line, which makes me think that, in spite of this album being credited to both Kirk and Mallinder, the hand of Kirk is the controlling influence. Including a submerged spoken word sample from Orson Wells, ‘Everything Is True’ is trademark Cabaret Voltaire. Disorientating, haunting and, above all, funky. It’s a good three minutes before the kick first hits, but before that it’s impossible not to listen. There are layers upon layers of subtlety to penetrate. Phantom voices come and go in the void while various disparate sonic elements come into play, and then disappear. Nobody has ever done it better.