Monday, December 21, 2020

Mosaic Mix Series 053_Perrin

ALFOS EBS 15 - Sean Johnston (18-12-2020)

 

Tonka

 


The sad and untimely passing of Rev, a third of the legendary Tonka Soundsystem along with Choci and Harvey, was just another kick in the bollocks that 2020 has so far specialised in. I didn't know him personally, but definitely danced to his sets because I was a student in Brighton when he graced The Zap. Memories are very hazy, which is as they should be. I definitely took advantage of the pervasive substances . . . and thinking back to those days makes me realise that, like every frozen moment in time, they'll never come back, and will have to be appreciated for what they were and will continue to be in the minds of those who were there. Just like their protagonists.

I don't like to look back and say that "it was much better back in the day". Time marches on and things change and evolve. However, the videos posted here  encapsulate an innocence which, along with the previously posted 'A Short Film About Chilling', will never be captured in quite the same way again, no matter what. And when I see my kids, and I compare myself with them at their various ages and stages, I feel happy to have lived through such an era in my own way. I mean going to the gym does have some positives, but it’s not very mind expanding.

So I’ll be writing a post very soon on the originality of the British DJ. Nothing jingoistic or boasty, just a piece on why I think they deserve their own niche. For now though, here’s a glimpse into an age which I refuse to think is bygone.

I only came across these videos for the first time a couple of days ago via Twitter. There are more on the excellent "The Nearest Faraway Place", which I've linked to above.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Moving Foward Into The Past EP - Theiz (EPM)

 


Title: Moving Forward Into The Past EP

Artist: Theiz

Label: EPMusic

Cat Number: EPM87

Genre: Techno


1: Moving Forward Into The Past

2: Motor City Bliss

3: The Beauty Of Machines

4: Motor City Bliss (Carl Finlow Remix)


Theiz, returns after a long hiatus with an understated piece of work that is his first since 2005’s ‘Backyard Soundtrack Vol. 1’, an ambient collection which saw a digital only release. Of the four tracks here, both mixes of ‘Motor City Bliss’ stand out: the original being a piece of airy, Detroit-inspired stellar techno; the latter interpreted in a slower, more grinding electro fashion by Carl Finlow. ‘Moving Forward Into The Past’ is a subtle piece of beat driven ambience that has a nice whirly noise throughout and is made for walking down unlit streets. ‘The Beauty Of Machines’ picks up the pace, but not much, the groove’s lack of fluidity is interesting, as is its respiratory effect. 


Monday, December 14, 2020

The Shadow Acid Files EP - Shadow Acid (Exalt)

 


Title: The Shadow Acid Files EP 

Artist: Shadow Acid

Label: Exalt Records

Cat Number: Exalt 003

Genre: Techno/Breaks


A1: Brainforest
B1: Diode Ladder
B2: Another Chance
C1: Timescape (Extrawelt Remix)
C2: Seahawk
D1: Timescape (EP version)
D2: Loop 1
D3: Loop 2
D4: Loop 3
D5: Loop 4
D6: Loop 5
D7 Loop 6


The world of Shadow Acid is dense, pounding and sometimes claustrophobic. The flip side to that is an  deft use of eponymous flourishes that always allows the music to breath and, in doing so, creates space and new worlds. Once impetus has been gained a new species of music of the spheres is born with its focus on throwing shapes rather than chin stroking, you can do that too though. ‘Brainforest’ is thirteen minutes long, but doesn’t feel it, the whimsical flourishes of the 303 plotting its course as the crow flies. This sets the tone for the rest of the record. ‘Diode Ladder’ and ‘Another Chance’ squiggle their way forward with great vitality, while both versions of ‘Timescape’ are similar enough, but distinguished by the deeper bass of the remix. ‘Seahawk’ is the most radical tune here, going all out towards the end after having been quite placid before. And it’s bass and breaks which guide these tracks every bit as much as acid styles, coalescing to show off a dynamic sonic range. 

Wednesday, December 09, 2020

Gastronomic Delights: Boeuf Bourguignon



Gastronomic Delights: Boeuf Bourguignon


So a long time ago I did an imaginatively entitled series of mixes called ‘Gastronomic Delights’. These were all by me and each episode was named after a classic dish. (They are still preserved within these pages, but the links to the mixes don’t work anymore.) I liked that series because I’m sure they got this blog more traffic as passing trade would happen upon the name of the meal, follow the link and, probably unexpectedly, be introduced to some great music in the process. 


This mix marks the return of said series. It’s also the first mix I’ve done this year. I don’t know why this has been the case as I’ve been home a lot more, but the obvious change of routine hasn’t meant more time behind the decks. I also don’t have a track list for this, but I will try and retrace my steps over the next week or so.


Here is Michel Roux Junior’s recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. I follow my own instinctive path to culinary perfection where this party on as plate is concerned. I don’t use brandy or the tiny onions, but would if I had either, just to see.


Boeuf Bourguignon

Some recipes suggest marinating the beef for 24 hours or more, but I find this makes for a gamey flavour that’s not entirely true to the original. Like all braised dishes, this is best eaten a day or two after it’s made – simmer gently to reheat and add the garnish just before serving so that it’s bright and fresh. Boiled potatoes are the classic accompaniment but mash is more to my taste.” – Michel Roux Jr

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 bottle of red Burgundy wine

700g braising beef (chuck is good but cheek is best)

plain flour, for dusting

vegetable oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

60ml brandy

1 bouquet garni, made up of thyme, bay leaf and parsley stalks

400ml beef or veal stock (see below)

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter

salt

black pepper

Garnish

3 tbsp unsalted butter

12 brown-skinned cocktail or button onions (or small shallots), peeled

12 young carrots, peeled

120g smoked streaky bacon rashers or ventrèche, cut into thin strips

12 button mushrooms, wiped

juice of ½ lemon

Method

Pour the wine into a saucepan and boil until reduced by half. Trim the beef and cut it into 3cm cubes, then dust with flour. Heat a frying pan until very hot, add a dash of oil and brown the beef well on all sides. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas 3.

Once all the beef has been browned and set aside, discard the oil and add a tablespoon of clean oil, the sliced onion and crushed garlic. Cook until the onion is brown and caramelised, then put the meat back in the pan. Add the brandy, followed by the reduced wine, and simmer for 2–3 minutes.

Pour everything into a cast-iron casserole dish, then season and add the bouquet garni and stock. Bring to a simmer, skim well to remove any surface scum and cover loosely with a lid or greaseproof paper. Place in the oven and cook until the meat is tender – this should take 1½–2 hours, depending on the cut. Leave to cool, then take the meat out of the dish and set aside. Skim to remove any fat, then pass the liquid through a sieve into a pan. Boil until it thickens to a sauce, then add the meat. Cover and chill until needed.

To prepare the garnish, melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add the onions, seasoning, 2 tablespoons of the sauce from the beef and 4 tablespoons of water. Braise the onions until they are shiny and cooked through. Put the carrots in a pan with just enough water to cover and most of the rest of the butter. Season and bring to a gentle boil, then cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are tender and shiny with butter. Brown the strips of bacon in a frying pan. Sweat the mushrooms in a little butter until cooked but still firm and add seasoning and lemon juice.

To serve, gently reheat the boeuf bourguignon on the hob while you prepare the garnish. Add a couple of knobs of cold butter to enrich and shine the sauce, then garnish with the onions, carrots, bacon and mushrooms. Take the dish to the table for everyone to admire, then serve in wide bowls.








Tuesday, December 08, 2020

Corporal Pun EP - Begg (Null+Void Recordings)

 


Title: Corporal Pun EP

Artist: Begg

Label: Null+Void Recordings

Cat Number: NUL007D

Genre: Beats & Pieces


1: Corporal Pun

2: Crackin

3: Attenzione

4: Prelect

5: Sila


There’s nothing like a release that defies easy description to get the hyperbole flowing. Having said that, although this doesn’t fit into any specific category, what Begg has produced here does have a whiff of something whimsical, a tone which has been skulking in the background for a while now but hasn’t quite gone  full blown yet. It’s the music of synthetic nursery rhymes, some of which is how ‘Bagpuss’ might have sounded if sound tracked by Delia Derbyshire. ‘Attenzione’ and ‘Prelate’ debunk this approach somewhat, taking a more upfront route, the riddim being wonkier and punchier. The title track and ‘Sila’, however, bookend the beats with a more hauntalogical feel, while ‘Crackin’ is the sound of automatons gently coming to life and running riot in a toy shop before slowly sliding back to sleep.

Monday, November 30, 2020

Duncan Gray Chitter Chatter

Has it been difficult to keep the label going under lockdown? 

 

Lockdown had a big impact on the music industry. Having had most of our music sales reduced to the merest trickle by the advent of streaming services, many of us have been relying on live performance and DJing to earn any money at all. Lockdown put an end to that. It's not so bad for someone like me – I've never had enough DJ work to rely on for a main income – but for many of my friends this has been devastating. It's also forced people to try to find other ways to make money from music – merchandise etc. 2020 has been the year that tici taci stepped into the world of CD manufacture, and for the most part that's worked out very well.

 

For studio-based producers lockdown hasn't been so bad. If anything the producers on my label have had more time on their hands to create and produce. It's been easier to badger them into doing stuff for tight deadlines. And some have found that working from home gives them more family time and time for exercise etc.

 

 

What is tici taci’s demographic?

 

I'm not sure, but I suspect it's loaded towards people over 30. Having said that, there are plenty of people in their late teens and early twenties who have told me they love the label. I suppose it appeals to people who like their slo-mo a bit prog but not pompous (in the way that Leftfield were).

 

How diverse to you consider the label to be, and is there such a thing as a typical tici taci artist?

 

My mind isn't so open that anything can crawl right in, but I do feel the music on tici taci has been pretty diverse over the last seven years. My ground rule for demo submissions is that the music should feature live instruments, but there have been some notable releases which don't follow this rule and yet still capture the spirit of the label. One of my all time favourite releases on the label is Dawad and Mokic's ‘War Inside’, and that's all electronic. 

 

I do get sent a lot of demos from chancers who clearly don't have a clue what kind of music we release, and in the past there have been artists who were really persistent in trying to get a release on tici taci as it would help raise their profile – but the fans of the label expect a certain level of curation from me, and there's no point in releasing tracks which don't fit our sound. To answer your second question, I would say Uj Pa Gaz pretty much represents the typical tici taci artist.

 

Where do the tici taci artists come from, how international is its reach?

 

We are a worldwide label: we've featured producers and remixers from – oh let's see – the UK, France, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Albania, Australia, Mexico, Argentina, Romania, and Norway. Hope I didn't miss anyone.

 

The label has brought me plenty of unexpected opportunities to travel and DJ in many other countries, so I have to assume that the appeal is fairly wide. It all stems from Italo Cosmic Disco and UK post-punk really, so it's quite Eurocentric


.


.

 

 

 

Is ‘The Malcontent Vol. 2’ a follow up to 2017’s ‘Vol. 1’ in any way other than name?

 

Yes. I always intended to do a quick follow up to Volume 1 because I had so many leftover tracks, but in the end it took three years and I pretty much scrapped all those original leftovers. One thing that I was sure about was the involvement of the vocalists from Volume 1 – and wherever possible I tried to use the same singers and place their tracks in a similar position on the second volume. Hence both albums start with a track which was co-written with Snem K, and end with a track co-written with Sarah Rebecca.

 



And are you as dissatisfied as the name suggests? If so, why?

 

Originally I wanted to call the album ‘Content Provider’ because of the way music producers were being treated by streaming hosts, but Stewart Lee beat me to it. The “content” part of the word stuck with me, so I thought about its other meaning and the word “Malcontent” had some ambiguity as being “Bad Content” or “Dissatisfaction”. And yes, I am often dissatisfied, especially with my own music. I love the process of making tracks, but quickly become dissatisfied with them. The temptation is to just leave them behind and move on to something new, but anybody with production experience will tell you that the last 10% of the job is the slowest and most important part. The longer you work on something the less easy it is to be truly objective about it. Am I 100% satisfied with volume 2? Not really, but once it's done and committed to a release it is set in stone, and I'm sure I'll be happy enough when I look back at it in a year or two.

 

If you could describe the album in one sentence, what would it be?

 

That's difficult. I could describe what I intended it to achieve and see if that does the trick: I wanted to make an album of tunes at various tempos that you could dance to, with a consistent sound and feel, but also to be something that you could enjoy as an entire album if you listened to it at home or on a car journey.

 

If Discogs is to be believed, it’s only your second solo album in a recording career spanning two decades. Is there any particular reason why this is the case? 

 

I have made other albums as part of a collaboration, but these are my only solo albums so far. Part of that is because of the field of music in which I find myself working. Dance music is pretty ephemeral – and I think that's part of the appeal. True classics come along once in a while but for the most part these are creations with an existence like a mayfly. They appear in the  subculture of a subculture for a few weeks and then they are gone. They are supposed to be like that and I like that about dance music. Discreet packages of “now” entertainment made with a purpose in mind. It's only when you start to think of these things as having longevity that you run into trouble. I've been making and releasing tracks since the mid 90s and I barely remember the majority of them. And that's fine! No point in getting too attached. Here comes the next one...

 

 

 tici taci has become such a favourite label of the ALFOS DJs that it’s impossible not to mention Sean Johnson and Andrew Weatherall. What was your reaction to his passing and why do you think the music you release has become such a good fit for the fiesta?

 

Oh man, I was so blessed to have had Andrew in my life, and am so blessed to still have that connection through my work with Sean and my friendship with Andrew's brother Ian. I'm always amazed that Andrew welcomed me into his musical world as I don't really fit the imaginary bill – I'm no hipster or hustler, I was never one to be seen at all the right places, or hang out with the right people. But of course Andrew saw beyond that with people, especially producers. Andrew knew that I gave up a lucrative “sensible” career to become a pauper in music. He encouraged me to! But he also stood by me, and he positively came to my aid when I was floundering. He instinctively knew I'd be good at producing the kind of music he and Sean were playing at ALFOS, so he helped steer me in that direction. He helped me establish the label and it's no idle boast to say that tici taci has been one of the most played labels at ALFOS ever since the label started. It makes me truly happy that the ALFOS  community has accepted Sean's continuation of the name and the vibe. It was always the two of them, and both Sean and I know that our friend is always there looking over our shoulders, helping us make the right choices. 

 

 

Slough always seems to get a negative press, from John Betjeman to ‘The Office’. How has living there influenced you?

 

It was never a first choice place to live. I ended up here more than two decades ago. In fact I've lived in the same rented house for most of that time. Slough and the surrounding area made a big contribution to the growth of Acid House in the early days. The clubs, the record shops, the DJs and producers, there was a strong commitment to the scene in a way which was entirely absent where I'd grown up (Hertfordshire). I'd only been living in Berkshire a little while when I was introduced to the likes of Andrew, Phil Perry, and Billy Nasty, because of people I'd met in Slough. However, I expect gentrification and rising rents will force me out eventually. That'll be fine. I've done my time here.

 

After having had such a long career in music, what was the thinking behind forming tici taci?

 

It's was Andrew's idea really. After I got made redundant from my job working at the non-glamorous end of TV production, I was floundering. I couldn't get any work as I was already at the blunt-end of the desirable age spectrum. I started producing tracks at lower tempos with a lot of real guitars and bass on them. I sent them to Andrew because, well, because he was Andrew. To my amazement he called me up and told me he loved them, like, several weeks running. He invited me to come to an ALFOS party where I saw Sean for the first time in donkey's years, and heard the pair of them play a couple of my tracks. It was a life changer. Once I'd got a decent portfolio of releasable tracks together he said “You've got to start a label” and he took me round to Above Board Distribution where I have remained ever since. From there things took off. Every other label I'd started got stuck by the 5th release, but with tici taci it just kept working, and now we find ourselves at release number 65.

 

 

How important is social media in promoting the music and how effective is Bandcamp?

 

Eww, social media is a necessary part of running a label now. I'm not really very good at it but for people who love that kind of thing then it's a godsend. To be fair it has brought the label to the attention of thousands of people who might not have noticed it otherwise. That's happened largely because of the support I've had from Djs and clubs who have much bigger followings and are much more adept at working those social angles. Basically, other people have made me look good.

 

However, I applaud Bandcamp and everything it stands for. At a time when musicians need some extra help they are just about the only place holding out a hand. Altogether it's a great platform and really the model for the future. It's user driven and that clearly worries the old established structures.

 

The Bandcamp site for tici taci has different content to the main label : on our Bandcamp page you'll mostly find tracks which have been played at ALFOS but didn't get a release at the time. Crazy as it sounds, I couldn't keep up with the amount of tracks Andrew and Sean had played, and there are still at least a dozen more which got played and haven't been released. People keep spotting them in recordings of ALFOS nights and asking me if they're getting a release.

 

 

Do you think that the music business fetishizes youth and is it important to start early?

 

Ha, yes, it's all about selling product isn't it? If major labels and TV shows thought they could raise their revenue by making old people an attractive sales opportunity then they would. In fact you could argue that they have. Seasick Steve is no oil painting is he? Is it important to start early? Well if, like me, you take 20 odd years before you really hit your stride then yes. Start as early as you can. Some people seem to be born with the gifts in place don't they? I had to work at it a bit.

 

In most creative fields your kudos grows with age. Orchestral composers, Jazz players and fine artists don't really get a lot of flack for developing their skills over time, but the music industry has a tendency to take a talent, chew it up and spit it out. Rare is the pop or rock star that still produces vital work in the late phase of their careers. Rare but not unknown. And that's because the industry isn't geared towards veterans – many of them truly are jaded, and that will be a result of the treadmill they've been on. Tom Waits is still great, but he's never really let himself become just a cog in the machine.

 

 

What do you listen to in your free time? Could you list a top 5 of anything in general and nothing in particular?

 

 

If I've been working on music a lot then it doesn't leave much room in my head for recreational listening, and when I feel like that I do other things. During times when I step back from music production I get the chance to listen to music as a fan, and that's a wonderful thing. A lifelong obsession.

 

I have LOVED so many bands and artists over the years. Devoted myself to them. And some of those are artists I can barely listen to now. I think that's fine. To love and to move on is better than adhering to a single musical credo for the rest of your life. I almost never listen to dance music during my time off. An exception to this is Sean's EBS shows since lockdown started.  I also tune in to the Hutchinson Brothers show “Feed Your Head” on Kane FM most Sunday mornings to catch up with the new tunes and say hello to the community of listeners. It's a very social thing.

 

I have faith that future generations will create music every bit as wonderful, if not better, than what's gone before. If I didn't think that then I would be just a sad old Acid Ted.

 

So here's a top 5 of anything in general and nothing in particular.




Miles Davis – In A Silent Way



 


MGMT – When You Die



 




 

Pixies - Wave of Mutilation








CAN - Halleluwah



 


Melvins – Let it All Be

 

 

 Thanks very much Duncan for the time you spent answering these questions. Quickest answers I've ever got back, looks like it could have been a heavy stream of consciousness session.

 

Friday, November 27, 2020

The Malcontent Vol. 2 - Duncan Gray (tici taci)

 



Title: The Malcontent Vol.2

Artist: Duncan Gray

Label: tici taci

Cat Number: Ticitaci065

Genre: Psychedelic Chug

 

Title: The Malcontent Vol.2

Artist: Duncan Gray

Label: tici taci

Cat Number: Ticitaci065

Genre: Psychedelic Chug

 

1: The Owner (feat Snem K)

2: Twenty Seven Seven Twenty

3: Frank Lloyd Wrong

4: Afër (feat Olsi)

5: Dickie Biscuits

6; Gone & Forgotten (feat Dominic Silvani)

7: Learn More

8: Used

9: Temps Perdu

10: Don't Let Them tell You (feat Sarah Rebecca)

 

 

I’ve listened to this album quite a few times since first acquiring it as a consequence of engaging in a virtual masonic handshake with ithe brains behind it and, suffice to say, new things have come to light on each sonic engagement. A breadth of styles are covered with aplomb, what unites them however, is a steadfast devotion to the tempo of chug. ‘The Owner’ kicks things off in fine style, with Snem K’s foreboding vocals coming across like a combination of Scott Walker and Ian McCullough. The bouncy soul of ‘Don’t Let Them Tell You’ end things on an optimistic note, and is a sure fire hit pop pickers. In between there is all manner of other decent things to become imbibed by. I have no idea what the incantatory monologues featured in ‘AfĂ«r’ are referring to but, coupled with a mandolin-like guitar, the combination is mesmerising. ‘Gone & Forgotten’ is tailor made for karaoke. A little kitsch and over dramatic, but brilliant nevertheless. I’ve highlighted the vocal tracks so far, but hopefully not at the expense of everything else, all of which is made for prime time dance floor delirium. ‘Used’ is pure, panoramic chug business and has layers to get lost in, while ‘Temps Perdu’ is a more abstract, synth propelled planetarium soundtrack. Let’s hope that we all get to dance to this stuff sometime soon.

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Girl Like Me EP - Amy Dabbs (Distant Horizons)



Title: Girl like Me EP

Artist: Amy Dabbs

Label: Distant Horizons

Cat Number: DISTANT003

Genre: Deep House

 

A1: Girl Like Me

A2: Mellowday

B1: No More Distractions

B2: The Player

 

Pure house this: upfront and positive, energetic and groovy. It fairly skips along and if you can’t keep up get your breath back and come again. Listening to the whole EP is like being guided through an A to Z of soul-infused house. It’s a classy quartet which shows off a wide breadth of musical know-how, as well as a well-judged ear for mood. All of the tracks have memorable motifs, with ‘Girl Like Me’ being wonderfully catchy. Similarly ‘The Player’ scats its way into earworm ecstasy. Both ‘No More Distractions’ and ‘The Player’ inhabit the deeper end of the spectrum, making use of spoken word, chiasmic chords and epic, emotive ambiance to gain momentum from a slightly different angle. Rather like the last record reviewed, I’m sensing Ron Trent’s influence. A very classy EP which should keep the floors full in the future, I hope.

  

Monday, November 23, 2020

RA.755 Z@P

 

Whispers EP - Continental (Recit De Voyage)

 


Title: Whispers EP

Artist: Continental

Label: RDV (Recit De Voyage)

Cat Number: RDV07

Genre: Deep House

 

1: Flying Dub

2: Way U Jack

3: Whispers

4: Whispers (Cosmin TRG Remix)

 

For the latest release on Molly’s Recit De Voyage, we have a reissue from 1994 which doesn’t betray its age one bit. The three original tracks are deep house straight out of the Prescription Underground colouring book, with the effervescent analogue warmth of the title track having Ron Trent’s paws all over it. Cosmin TRG remixes it to interesting effect, stripping it down and amplifying the synth swirls. This allows more space between the beats into which is poured occasional sonic dissonance. Both the driving ‘Flying Dub’ and ‘Way U Jack’ sound very similar, with both having Murk - like flourishes to underpin their general trajectory. The former being more fluid than the latter, which occasionally pauses for thought amongst the disembodied voice and handclaps.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Hypersocial & Safety Test - Patrick Conway (ESP Institute)

 



Title: Hypersocial/Safety Test

Artist: Patrick Conway

Label: ESP Institute

Cat Number: ESP054

Genre: House

 

1: Hypersocial

2: Safety Test

 

For his second outing on ESP Institute, Patrick Conway, (not his real name, far too bland), presents the listener with a double header of contrasts. ‘Hypersocial’ is a minimal slow burner made for hot summer nights and, as things stand, psossibly warmer, hermetically-sealed winter ones. It’s an elegant piece of understated simplicity which is as meditative as it is dynamic. ‘Safety Test’ couldn’t be more different. It’s a tonally abrasive tune, composed of dense, heavy breakbeats which, while rhythmical, still manages to sound vaguely dissonant. If your after a contrasting double header, you’ve come to the right place. ‘Hypersocial’ is the one here though.

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Vinland In Space - Rudoh (Jugaar Records)



Title: Vinland In Space

Artist: Rudoh

Label: Jugaar Records

Cat Number: JR001

Genre: Electro/Breaks

 

1: Djemo

2: Van Turbo

3: I Feel U

4: All Is Holy

5: Van Turbo (Shedbug Remix)

 

Jugaar Records is a new “label that aims to present fresh, forward-thinking sounds of the region without compromising on quality, bending the rules to achieve much with little.” So far, so stereotypical. Not an issue, however. It’s difficult to think of new things to say in such a situation. I think whenever I finally get my act together and start a label, I’ll remain in the shadows and let the music do the talking, which is almost as clichĂ©d. Thankfully this is a fine release. The region in question is South Asia, quite a large part of the world without a significant electronic music footprint. The minds behind it have connections in Pakistan and Bangkok and have come together to produce a fine, concise  package of breaks and electro with a dense, subtropical ambience. ‘Djemo’ is the lushest track here, ‘I Feel U’ is an ultra relaxed journey through sun-drenched vistas and ‘All is Holy’ has similar tricks up its sleeve making use of vast synth swathes paired with a pervasive humidity. Of the two versions of ‘Van Turbo’, I’m feeling the Shedbug Remix more. It’s all good though, and well worth getting to know. 

MOSAIC MIX SERIES 052 O'KEEF

ALFOS EBS 13 - Sean Johnston (14-11-2020)

 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Chart November 2020


 Tweaking Paper – D’Arcangelo (Analogical Force)


Party Hello – Spage (Ritual Acquaintance)



Shape Shifter - Versalife (Delsin)



Passing Shades – Group Rhoda (Dark Entries)



The Malcontent Vol. 2 - Duncan Gray (Tici Taci)


Piston Pump – Adam Pits (X-Kalay)


Whispers EP - Continental (Recit De Voyage)


Girl Like Me EP - Amy Dabbs (Distant Horizons)



 

Placeless EP – Losoul (Another Picture)



Integration EP – Mental Overdrive (Love OD)