More Of The Good Stuff . . .

Seldom has the spoken word been used to more dramatic effect, well that's what I like about "Web of Deceit" anyway. One-time Derrick Carter sparring partner Chris Nazuka on fine form as Primary Colours on Fair Park straight outta Texas. Another firm underground favourite on the South London/Croydon underground from around ten years ago. Lovely. I'll post a similar track from his "Butterfly" EP on Tweekin' soon.

Web of Deceit - Primary Colours (Fair Park)

And here's another sure shot. The record that most people remember Siesta Records for. "Hear 'dis Sound" by Halo & Hipp-E aka H-Foundation. It's a true bi-polar mixing track with a great Michael Smith sample thrown over the top. You've surely heard this one. Came out at the beginning of the millenium.

Hear 'dis Sound - H-Foundation (Siesta)

John Ciafone In The House

Two of the tracks I'll always remember from my Wiggle days. I moved back to the UK from France in the second half of 1997, the perfect time to catch these two monsters. The first, a dub mix of King Britt Presents Sylk 130's "Whwn The Funk Hits The Fan" lays down a steam train of a groove that when played at optimum volume works the crowd wickedly. The second, Ciafone's Chiapet project on Yoshi Toshi is messy drug music of the highest order. "Tick Tock" comes in two mixes, the "Apocalypse Now" mix, and the one here the "War Of The Worlds" mix. Having said that, they could have got things mixed up as the helicopter in the background is more US Army than Martian.

Masters of the dark dubby house groove Ciafone and Lem Springsteen as Mood II Swing are sadly missed. For me they more or less define house music as I like it to be heard. A whiff of Basic Channel laying the foundation for chunks of groove. They are sadly missed.

Please comment on the files if they're in any way defective. I'm new to this game and expecting plenty of teething trouble. If these go well, there'll be more.

When The Funk Hits The Fan (Mood II Swing's When The Dub Hits The Fan) - Sylk 130 (Ovum)

Tick Tock (War Of The Worlds Mix) - Chiapet (Yoshi Toshi)

Hope they come out well.

Machines Playlist: 28/7/07

Here's the playlist from last night's show.


Boys (Summertime Love) – Hazel Robinson (Republic of Desire)
Be Alone – Loran Waldek (Stratospherik)
Lost On The Way To DC10 (Berlin version) – Troy Pierce (Minus)
Kind Of Nitzer – Aril Brikha (Peacefrog)
Another Shan Deal – Kyoto Young Team (Clever Music)
China Girl – Adam Beyer (Mad Eye)
Funky Noise – Largo and Brian (Beiak)
Do It Again (Oliver Huntemann remix) – Chemical Brothers (cdr)
Lost The High – Vector Lovers (Soma)
Fire (Claude Vonstrokes “Like Fire” remix) – Jeff Samuel (Poker Flat)
Face Your Fate – DJ 3000 (Motech)
Rainbow Delta (Jerome Sydenham remix) – Len Faki (Ostgut Ton)
004 – Mountain People (Mountain)

Ewan Pearson Fabric Radio Mix:

Like A Child (Carl Craig remix) – Junior Boys (Domino)
Kazan – Motorcity Soul (Aus)
Do It Again (Audion's House Arrest remix) – The Chemical Brothers (Virgin)
Superjam – Superpitcher (Kompakt Extra)
Shadow Ray – Omar S (FXHE)
Put Put Put (Tobi Neumann remix) – M.A.N.D.Y. (Get Physical)

Magda Had a Little Troll & Wonder 21

Read my RA reviews of the "Magda Had a Little Troll" remixes and "Wonder 21" by Karmina here & here.

Back to Burn???

Some pretty nice computer-generated images of Liverpool's new stadium. Looking good . . .


Seems like I've been to the dark side of the moon and back when I've just been to friends in North Wales for four days. Had a nice, relaxing time, saw Mr Hurst, now resident in Oslo, who said I can come out there to play. Sounds good. He was with Rima, his girlfriend, and it seemed bizarre that I hadn't bumped into him since 2003.

Show tonight. I'll be paying the Ewan Pearson Fabric promo mix that he did for his recently released mix. I haven't worked out the rest yet, but it'll be fun-packed and guaranteed to satisfy. I had hoped to have Hector, my young assistant, with me to provide some cutting commentary but he's off to a party to consume X amount of jelly and gum-rotting sweeties.

On my tod for the next two weeks, so I'll be putting up some MP3s from my collection, older stuff, nothing that I'm currently being sent. Keep it locked.

Flex at The Compound: 14/7/07

Mark driving his Traktor.



A fish in the crowd.


Clean yer ears, Pickles.


That wire looks suspect.

"Got any Veras? Lavverrlly . . . "

Panoramic view and gratuitous "loved up" hug.


Largo and life behind the dj.



The author and Tom Hallmark.





Tom on the ones and twos






There's no need for that!


So it's been and gone already. I remember first getting wind of the latest Flex installment back in February, eagerly anticipating it then and now I've probably got to wait until next year for another one. Anyway it didn't disappoint. The music was wonderful from start to finish. Le Jockey slowly opening things up, passing the baton on to Mark Henning, then to Mr C, Largo, Tom & Alex and The Priory. To say it was messy is an understatement. The deep, druggy tech-house that soundtracked the evening provided the perfect backdrop. I couldn't stop moving all night.

Mark played a good set, despite being plagued by periodic feedback which was ironed out for Mr C. He took it into the depths and then gradually built it back up again. I played the trainspotter once and was surprised to hear that the track in question was one I have but have never played, the Oliver Huntemann remix of “Do It Again” by the Chems. I've always played the spaced out layered cake that is the Audion “House Arrest” remix, but Oliver's is the business too. An excellent set by the gap-toothed cockernee. Largo took over and rocked it, you couldn't spot the joins and then time took on an elastic quality. I remember speaking to various individuals and constantly milling around the warehouse gibbering. I eventually wandered over to Henning's house as him and Cat had given me their front door key, let myself in and crashed out straight away.

A brilliant night, and all for just a fiver! It reminded me of Wiggle when it was at Happy Jack's at the end of 1997. Same old messy vibe. God, if we could only do this a bit more often. Every quarter would be ok, just to make sure the novelty doesn't wear off too quickly. I doubt that around here though. The partygoers on Saturday night went for it like starving men.

Viktor Casanova -The Italoboyz

Read my RA review of "Viktor Casanova" by The Italoboyz here.

Machines Playlist: 14/7/07

Here's the playlist from last night's show.

Guppipeitsche – The Wighnomy Brothers (Freude-am-Tanzen)
Honeymoon's Over (Konrad Black remix) – Snax (TNT)
Acid Drop (Hard mix) – TEK (Beiak)
Jungle River Cruise – Solomun (Liebe Detail)
Viktor Casanova (original) – The Italoboyz (Mothership)
World of a Woman – Naughty (Moodmusic)
Bumblebee – A. Reckitt (Horseplay)
Europa (Aux 88 Detroit mix) – Nukubus (SD Rcords)

Dave Congreve Mix:

Vertex of the Parabola – Quietpoint (PastaMusic)
Rhapsody in Pain – Pepe Braddock (Atavisme)
Trying to Stay Underground – Abe Duque (Abe Duque)
Anticlockwise – Digitaline (Cadenza)
ABN – Devolta & Aquatic (Kalkpets)
No Junk, No Soul – Peace Division (Crosstown Rebels)
Cygnet Glass – Chrom (Sushitech Purple)
Once Again – Luca Bachetti (Wagon Repair)
Innocence – Sierra Sam (Toys For Boys)
Between the Walls - Bart Skills & Anton Pieete (100% Pure)
L'delay – Automat 3000 & Jan (Cadenza)
Apnea – Marco Carola (+8)
Kimono – Chic Miniature (Musique Risquee)
Realtime Island – Dennis Karimani (Smallville)
RU OK? - Ambivalent (Minus)

Here's the comp question too.

To win two copies of the new compilationh on Dust Science "Faith is Fear" please answer the following, appalingly easy question.

In which UK city is Dust Science based?

Leave a comment after this entry with full contact details. Winners will be contacted after the 28/7. Good luck.

Feeling a bit fragile at the moment. Had by far the best night out of my Cambridge career last night. Photos and a match report to come over the next couple of days.

Machines Are Funky with Dave Congreve Tonight: 7-9pm

Because the last show was cancelled due to a dearth of Duty Managers, (volunteers who look after the building while shows are being broadcast, it's a compulsory requirement from Health and Safety), I'm going to broadcast Dave's mix on my show. I realise things are happening in reverse and that anyone who's interested who reads this blog will have already downloaded it, but some of the good people of Cambridge and beyond may need some swaying, and hearing it on my show could do the trick.

Straight after it'll be down to The Compound for Flex. I cannae wait Captain.

Full playlist tomorrow or Monday depending on my mental state.

Oh, and I'll also be running a competition to win two copies of the latest compilation on Dust Science "Faith is Fear." Full comp details to appear with the playlist.

Flex This Saturday

Flex returns this Saturday to the Coldhams Lane Compound. I doubt there'll be a better night in Cambridge all year.

Honeymoon's Over-Snax

Read my RA review of "Honeymoon's Over" by Snax here.

Cobblestone Jazz: Put the Lime in da Coconut

Read my review of Cobblestone Jazz's latest effort here.

Local Tracks but not neccessarily for Local People

Horseplay Records




Beiak Records Logo


I've had a sneak preview of TEK's “Acid Drop” on Beiak Records. TEK are Largo and Zero, and for this first release on the label they've drafted in Dave Angel's old school techno expertise to provide a remix for them. The track is an enjoyable piece of lively techno with a solid electro feel. I prefer the original to the remix and I'll be playing it on my next show on the 14th of this month.

I'll also be giving some exposure to “Bumblebee” which is the latest release on Le Jockey's Horseplay records. This track resembles TEK's in that electro is it's chief inspiration but it's a moodier, more European influenced piece. I understand it's a collaboration between Jockey and local clothes merchant Anthony Reckitt. It could be Reckitt's own work though, as it doesn't sound like Jockey's minimally slanted sounds at all.

Both acts are local, Cambridge talent (OK, Largo's Basque and now living in Bethnal Green), and will hopefully inspire others around these parts to go in the studio and get busy.

Rapture FM Mix: 27/6/07

The blurry images above are rumoured to be computer-generated pictures of Liverpool's new stadium. Has a certain insect charm that I quite like. I hope someone forms a multinational called "Scarab" and gets the naming rights.

They aren't the only images I've seen floating around, but they're better than the others.


This is a mix I did for local internet radio station Rapture FM (link on the right). It's a bit rough around the edges, but with the chatting over the top I think it's got a nice pirate radio feel to it, and it's worth listening to if only for the great transition between "Nip-Slip" and "In My Soul. . . . ."

. . .I've done better. . .

Tracklisting From Rapture FM Mix: 27/6/07

What Makes You Go For It – Prosumer (Ostgut Ton)
Lisa – DJ Spell (Mule Electronic)
We're Gonna Move – Brett Johnson (Hi-Phen)
Kazan My My remix) – Motorcitysoul (Aus)
Main Room (Jay Haze smack My Bitch Up remix) – Lullabad (Crack & Speed)
Nip Slip – Mathias Tanzmann (Moon Harbour)
In My Soul – Onionz & Tony (Siesta)
Plastik – Simon Baker (Infant)
Formaldehyde – Carassi & Capriati (Globox)
Club Silencio – Lazy Fat People (Planet E)
Sine E – Jambi (Horizontal)
Love Can Damage Your Health (Abicah Soul/Dennis Ferrer remix) – Telepopmusik (Objektivity)

Download it here.

Slim Pickings (Ben Mono remixes)

Great summer-leaning house from the Stick Figures via two Ben Mono (Compost) remixes. Of the two versions on offer I prefer number one. My only criticism being that there isn't enough variety between the two.

The World of a Woman

Read my RA review for Naughty's "World of a Woman" (Moodmusic) here.