Not as seminal a release as its predecessor, ‘Feel It’; nevertheless, this one is just as infectious and dynamic. ‘You Can’t Stop The Groove’ is a masterfully produced piece of early nineties house music that could only have come out of The UK. The eponymous vocal sample intones intermittently as a deceptively minimal groove, embellished by rave traces, stomps the dance floor into oblivion.
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
KiNK - Vacation (Perc & Bailey Ibbs Remixes) (Hypercolour)
Title: Vacation (Perc & Bailey Ibbs Remixes)
Artist: KiNK
Label: Hypercolour
Cat Number: HYPE107
Genre: Techno
1: Vacation (Perc Remix)
2: Vacation (Bailey Ibbs Remix)
Not having heard the original of ‘Vacation’ I can’t really tell you how much it has been altered by these two remixes. Not that it matters a jot, as these “straight up techno bangers” almost certainly bear little or no resemblance to it. The Bailey Ibbs Remix really travels. It’s got funk down its shit stoppers and bed bugs in its grinders. It’s a great piece of machine funk characterised by some off beat percussion and I would play it pitched dolwn a little, but that’s just me. Perc’s version is for when you don’t give a shit. Don’t try and dance to it, you can’t. Shake your shoulders and hope for the best. Rhythm is wasted on it, primal movements only. Is this what is played in the sex vaults in Berghain?
Monday, October 30, 2023
Track Of The Day: Abe Duque – What Happened? (Abe Duque Records)
Great release this, and it was a tussle to either nominate this, or the equally excellent ‘Disco Lights’ on the flip. Anyway, while all three tracks definitely sound like they were recorded at the same session, it’s this one that goes out on a limb a little bit more than the others. Blake Baxter’s vocals are characteristically tantalising, and to think this came out in 2004! If ever a track was of this time and place, then here we are. What makes me laugh is that “Sonar, what happened?” is said in the exact same year as when I made my only visit to the festival, which was excellent. Having said that, I went the next four years but just partied at the ridiculous amount of beach events that make up the “Off”. I suppose this came out during a particularly fertile period for minimal, a lot of which was awful; but the words are prescient, and while they may sound like an old man yelling at clouds, are relevant.
Sunday, October 29, 2023
Track Of The Day: Turturu - Ratting Club Stories (Audiomutz)
From the recently released ‘There Is No Creator’, this tune comes backed with two versions of the title track which, while both very good, aren’t on this one’s level. More recently it’s been Barac’s set which have been standard bearers for the Romanian minimal sound, and he’s taken it in a very singular direction. Creating world’s where lucid dreaming is a vibrant facet of the dance floor. The tracks are percussive, druggy, self-propelling and once in the mix, trippy and elastic. Often characterised by layers of spoken word vocal samples, they are at their best, when they drive with purpose. A lot of what used to pass for minimal was guilty of having no low end and being self-indulgent. Not so this stuff. In the hands of a master craftsman/woman, these compositions are the building blocks of new worlds. Listen to almost any of Barac’s online sets if you need convincing.
Saturday, October 28, 2023
Track Of The Day: M.R.E. - Key Thirteen (Fluid Electronics)
A very recent release, and one I picked up on courtesy of a 214 mix from last month. This sublime piece of electro is one of the standout tracks and is all about mood and a relaxed, diffusing euphoria. Very melodic and with a nice low end, this is a subtle, mesmerizing composition which is versatile enough to be mixed in at any point in a set, peaking at all the right moments and maintaining a fine line in emotive contrast.
Friday, October 27, 2023
Track Of The Day: Davidovitch - Cellophane (Kompakt Extra)
Another day, another track on Kompakt. And while I remarked yesterday that ‘Timecode’ was my favourite track on the label, I had my fingers firmly crossed behind my back. As you can see, this track is on Kompakt Extra and I can’t believe it came out in 2006. I have memories of walking along the beach in Barcelona Off Sonar, and sauntering past Michael Mayer playing this track at an outdoor bar. Fast forward 16 or so years and this, along with another, was recognised in Ivan Smagghe & Chloe’s set at Covenanza. I couldn’t place it at the time so it annoyed the hell out of me. Then I came across a thread on the ALFOS Facebook page where someone had posted a clip of it being played there. Davidovitch didn’t produce much and, despite his Slavic sounding name, I believe he’s Swiss. However, this absolutely boss piece of sublime space disco that bounces along to an irresistible riff is difficult to improve on. It feels like it has scraped the essence of italo, hollowed it out into a disco echo chamber, and recomposed the constituent raw materials into more refined dance friendly weapons. At least that’s what I tell the ladies.
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Track of The Day: Justus Köhncke: Timecode (Kompakt)
Go back 15 to 20 years and Kompakt ruled the wave. The German label, which is still going strong, was heading boocoo playlists and was the last word in achingly cool electronic pop crossover, without actually doing much crossovering. This track by Justus Kohncke is my favourite on the label and pretty much typifies the whole vibe the label was trying to spawn at the time. It’s not techno, no matter how broad a church that may be, rather disco reimagined with more intelligent machines and a completely different turn of the century ambience. The pace is just right, you could dance for days to this track, and it gives off a bittersweet aura so thick it envelops you.
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
Track of Day: Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band - Sunshowers (RCA)
Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band was a forerunner of Kid Creole & The Coconuts, with August Darnell and Coati Mundi bridging both. “The concept of the group was the re-creation of a '30s jazz-swing band, Ã la Cab Calloway, with witty lyrics, a disco beat and lush disco arrangements and orchestrations.” This continued with Kid Creole who achieved global success. This track comes from their debut album, which also includes ‘Cherchez la Femme’, their biggest hit. ‘Sunshower is a harmonic tour de force and a Cory Daye tour de force. Definitely one for the slowie slot at the end of the night, even if it’s got bounce.
Various - Next Wave Acid Punx Deux Chapter 3 (Eskimo)
Title: Next Wave Acid Punx Deux Chapter 3
Artist: Various
Label: Eclectica
Cat Number: 541416667030D
Genre: Not Categorising
1. Boy Harsher - Machina (feat. Mariana Saldaña) (Dark Remix) *
2. Silent Servant - Non Fiction *
3. J.W.B. Hits The Beat - Body On Body (Curses Revamp) *
4. Hungry Boys - Toi *
5. Autumns - Repeat Prescription *
6. Nuovo Testamento - Heartbeat (Curses Remix - Edit) *
7. Buzz Kull - A Place (That’s Meant To Be) *
8. Soft Crash - Dolce Morte *
9. Dame Bonnet & Mufti - Pleasure Dreams *
10. Ultra Sunn - Night Is Mine
11. Neu-Romancer - Burning Eyes *
12. EVA - Industrial Hope *
13. Andi vs Randolph & Mortimer - Formidable Truths *
14. Zanias - Tryptamine Palace *
15. The Hacker - Monopoly *
16. Paradox Obscur – Evo-Devo
These gargantuan collections, three in total, are the result of careful curation courtesy of Curses. These compilations have such breadth and range that it is impossible to do them proper justice in the form of a micro review. So, why bother writing one in the first place? I suppose that if someone send me a release like this for free then I’m obliged to say something. And, after having received the first 2 and said nothing then number 3 demands that I at least give it the time of day. So, for whatever reason music like this is currently enjoying something of a renaissance. I remember going to clubs in the 1980s, like the State and the System in Liverpool, where genre mash ups were the norm and everyone felt the better for it. The range of tuneage temptation was vast and the programming was rarely questioned. I didn’t experience these tunes on a continental dance floor (except at The Dschungel in Berlin, December 1984, where the only record I can remember being played was ‘You Spin Me Round’ by Dead Or Alive. How’s that for coming full circle pop pickers?) Now what comes closest, particularly on these shore is ALFOS and its cohorts. Anyway, we need stuff to dance to which is “Timeless music that can be romantic, dreamlike and ethereal one moment, then veer into dark, industrial sounds the next”. I suppose that many may say that music like this lacks soul, without stopping to think that soul can be defined in multiple ways. The tracks on this compilation speak to me in a visceral way, and have influenced so much. I can hear ‘Step To Enchantment’ loud and clear in the grooves of ‘Repeat Prescription’ for example, that of ‘Industrial Hope’ is EBM template while the balance of ‘Machina (feat. Mariana Saldaña) (Dark Remix)’ is perfect. This is music that both finishes you off, and leaves you full of hope.
Friday, October 20, 2023
Track Of The Day: Mood II Swing - Move Me (Music For Your Ears)
Picked up at FNAC Montparnasse towards the end of my life in Paris and on red vinyl too, when people say that Maurizio influenced Mood ll Swing, it’s this track that I always think of. You need go no further than the beats, pure Basic Channel, whether by accident or design. Of course the spoken word takes it to another level, making it more memorable and compelling you to listen to it with more scrutiny. Minimal house before the genre was conceived, and still the gold standard.
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Track Of The Day: Shut Up & Dance - Cape Fear (Shut Up & Dance Records)
A great piece of tracky UK business, complete with swooping sub bass and video game synths. Listening to this is the aural equivalent of being in a sonic wind tunnel while being bombarded by hungry harpies. This comes from ‘Death Is Not The End’ and is a real hardcore/house crossover track, anticipating some of what would surface on Relief and associated labels by a few years, and underpinned by an unsettling sense of insect menace. The bass also reminds my a little of ‘Bon Voyage’ by Air Frog, however, the beats are quite different.
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Track Of The Day: Jeigo - Wing Systems (Air Miles)
A class track that is all about building and maintaining mood. Incredibly versatile and could be played ay any point in a set. I’m hearing more and more tunes like this being deftly put to work in such a way that they become the focus and the past simultaneously. At Covenanza, Ivan Smagghe and Chloe’s set was made up of stuff like this for at least the first hour or so. You had to know what the building blocks were, even though there was little at times to distinguish them. They fit together like tectonic plates, occasionally giving way to euphoric interludes, which gathered pace as the night progressed.
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Track Of The Day: Clark – Christo (Planet E)
The lushest track of the seminal ‘Lofthouse’ double 12”, which came out in 1995 and still sounds super fresh. This was one of Bell’s first forays outside LFO and it didn’t disappoint. The seven tracks were all floor focussed, offering the chance to dance at varying levels of intensity, and this particular composition is possibly the most sophisticated. It’s a piece that’s very typical of the brand of techno the UK artists really excelled at during this period. Taking its cues from Detroit, but using them to create a self-supporting sonic ecosystem all of its very own, ‘Christo’ is beautiful in its fragility and conjures up images of imaginary distant worlds, as well as those which really exist within us all. It’s still very danceable though, and has that sunrise vibe in spades.
Monday, October 16, 2023
Track Of The Day: Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force with Shango - Frantic Situation (Tommy Boy)
What’s better, the instrumental or the vocal? The vocal inevitably veers into cheese territory, but that’s its strength, so here we are. Can’t argue with the beats though. When I was growing up I was aware of this, but not fully ingrained, there were so many other things going on. The fusion of early rap and electro comes without any caveats and is as raw as can be. No pretence or artifice. Just a view into what was going on at the time in New York, and made adaptable globally. Arguably in the midst of the second great explosion of popular music, when the underground was all there was.
Kalipo - Wut (Iptamenos Discos)
Title: WUT
Artist: Kalipo
Label: Iptamenos Discos
Cat Number: IDI016
Genre: Melancholic Goth Synthesis
01: My Symphony Of Rage
02: Seeking Angels
03: Shingami feat. Joy Tyson
04: Echoes Of The Past feat. Local Suicide
05: Bizeps
06: Seeking Angels (Radio Edit)
07: Shingami feat. Joy Tyson (Radio Edit)
When I reviewed '‘Curses presents... Next Wave Acid Punx DEUX’ - Dj Sampler (Eclectica)’ a few weeks ago and lazily categorised it as “dark disco” I had no idea that it was a thing. But here we are, the terminology is in the press release for ‘WUT’ in order to describe a fusion of melancholic vocals, italo disco, new beat smeared with a synthetic gothic brush. Sunshine music it is not, rather it’s a soundtrack to a manic sleigh ride on the steppes in the depths of winter, the destination always tantalisingly out of reach. ‘We reach full anguish overload early on with the necessarily short ‘My Symphony Of Rage’, as Kalipo feels like he’s about to short circuit. Then we have ‘Seeking Angels’, its growling synths would be equally at home at The Batcave as the Cosmic Club. ‘Shingami feat. Joy Tyson’ is a sweeping, epic piece of italo disco pessimism. ‘Echoes Of The Past feat. Local Suicide’ is cut from similar cloth. Veering from the diaphanous to the concrete, the vocals seem to exist in an interzone of indecision, crystallizing when the time is right. And ‘Bizeps’ is a minimal excursion into what feels like a trackier take on the prevalent mood. All in all, it’s a nice piece of work, with all tracks being useful and versatile in the right hands. You’ve heard it before, in fragments, throughout the last 40 years.
Sunday, October 15, 2023
Track Of The Day: Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop (Westbound)
I came across this video today never having seen it before, so it was an obvious choice. ‘Cosmic Slop’ was one of those tracks that for me signified something special at a particular moment in my life. It was one of those singalong earworms that myself and my better half picked up on, from God knows where. We listened to Funkadelic a lot in the early nineties, I’m not sure how it came about, but it seemed in tune with the life we were leading. They materialised out of a shared love of jazz and funk. While living in Paris, although I was feeding my record collection by living beyond my means catering for a serious vinyl habit, hoovering up house and techno the foundations upon which that music had been built were also being paid respect. I still have all of these records and cds and every time I listen to them I wonder at the warped minds that made them. Apparently the band were on acid during the making of this video, which isn’t hard to imagine. We got to see Funkadelic play on an island in the middle of The Seine in the early nineties, supported by Dee-Lite. They were great, and played for ages, a bit like Ken Dodd. Every time they came back for an encore they stayed for an hour. George Clinton would disappear for ten minutes at a time and let the band jam while he replenished himself. I reckon he’d put the acid behind him by then, but you never know.
Friday, October 13, 2023
Track Of The day: Merv – Battered (Third Wave Back)
So I stuck my hand into the shelves and came up with this. Both sides are great, but I prefer ‘Battered’ as it’s quite typical of the type of dub techno that I like. There aren’t many elements here, it’s a very simple track. The power is, of course, in the production and the clarity of sound. Although it is an excellent mixing track on account of its simplicity, there is more than enough going on in its expertly layered hinterland to maintain interest as well as momentum.
Thursday, October 12, 2023
Track Of The Day: Darren Harris - Orion Nebula (Ferox)
The opening track on ‘Adventures In Techno Soul 3’, this stupendous piece of dawn-of-time techno from the not often enough spotted Darren Harris really is something. I have to say it falls into the category of “tracks you’d forgotten you had until you randomly rediscovered them”. I originally wanted to post one of the tracks from his excellent ‘Tears’ release on Ferox from 2018, but couldn’t find it on Youtube. So here we are. All three of the ‘Adventures In Techno Soul’ comps are amazing, and this track is typical of the high standard of artistry within. Techno from another world or inspired by what was largely being produced in the early to mid 90s in The UK. This is a great record, full of emotion and power, but also having great subtlety. Mr Harris, where are you? More of this type of thing please.
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Track Of The Day: Hiroshi Watanabe - Star Seeker (Select Kashiwa Recordings)
A superior piece of stellar techno that contains heavy trance trace elements and is on a label that sounds like it has Japanese corporate identity. Hiroshi Watanabe hasn’t put anything out under his own name for a couple of years, but started doing so in 1996 on Nite Grooves. This is techno, but the devil’s in the detail and in the foreground of the dramatic sweeping synths there’s a jazzy, improvisational nucleus. He also records as Kaito for Kompakt, where his sound is more full on trance orientated. This piece, however, is very Detroit – inspired, with layers of soul and a complementary sense of scope.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Track Of The Day: Newworldaquarium - Trespassers (Delsin)
A unique track this one. Omnipresent in my head for as long as I can remember. 10 minutes long and never repeats itself, even though it feels like it does. Not a Basic Channel track, but coloured with the same brush. Loops upon loops, each one slightly askew from the one before. Not too fast or too slow, which in these days of cosmic bliss is just right. Disco, not disco. Filtered to oblivion in parts, but would I label it as such? Probably not. Propelled by its own momentum. Nothing much happens, so it’s all about what does and the groove it follows and creates.
Monday, October 09, 2023
Track Of The Day: Clyde - Serve It Up! (Brooks HipHouse Mix) (Mantis)
I recently came across a Facebook post, I’ve forgotten the group it was in, asking about hip-house and for suggestions as to what is any good. The usual names flashed through my mind: Fast Eddie, Tyree, KC Flightt, etc. Of course I’d completely forgotten about this gem from the right side of the pond. Not that it’s the best or anything, I mean what is? It more than holds its own though, standing the test of time well, with original sound design. Coming soon to a dance floor near you where obscurity holds sway.
Saturday, October 07, 2023
Friday, October 06, 2023
Things That Happen At Raves
Something I forgot to mention during my stream-of-consciousness coverage of last weekend’s events in Carcassone was the encounter I had during ALFOS on Friday night. I was dancing and wearing the tee shirt in the photo when a chap, (whose name I’ve forgotten), beckoned to me and whispered in my ear “You’re wearing a tee shirt made by a friend of mine”. “And who would that be?” I asked. The gentleman then told me that it was Andy Cole, not the one time Newcastle and Manchester Utd striker, but the real name behind Luv Jam, last heard of on these pages around seven years ago with a great mix, and contributor of another one more than ten years ago. He then showed me a photo of himself and Andy taken not two weeks before, and took a photo of myself wearing said tee to send to Andy. He also said that I was the only person he’d seen, besides himself, wearing one of these designs (of which there are a few different ones). I’ve since written Andy an email and received a very quick reply. Apparently he’s going to send me some music. Lovely stuff. Interesting observation from La Femme when describing the crowd to the kids: “They all look like Paul, but some of them have got beards.”
Wednesday, October 04, 2023
Tuesday, October 03, 2023
Covenanza 2023
When I snapped up tickets for this years Covenanza, and then quickly sorted out the flight, I was already in a state of advanced euphoria – induced senility. I must have been, because not only did I buy the ticket through Opodo, mistaking their website for Ryanair’s, I also didn’t notice that the flight out to Caracassone from Stansted was at 6:15 am on the Friday. We flew out on Friday and came back on Sunday, something brought about by our recent acquisition of a dog, and not wanting to be away from him for too long. This won’t be the case next year. I plan Thursday to Monday minimum. Anyway 6:15 am came into sharp relief very quickly, the only relief about leaving at this ungodly hour was that we are only a 40 minute drive from the airport. Of course we had to be there 2 hours before, which meant getting up at around 2:45 am. What was even worse was the weather. Apocalyptic rain of biblical flood proportions. Driving was terrible and when we finally got to the carpark we had to wade through a ridiculous amount of standing water. Once in Stansted we slalomed around the crashed out cadavers, got through security and went into the eating, duty free area. Hideous. Jam-packed with zombies. It could have been a Friday afternoon it was so rammed. The flight wasn’t full, which surprised me, but there were a fair few recognisable Covenanza attendees on it. Anyway, landed on time and it was boiling. The temperature during the day over the weekend was around 30-31 degrees, and it didn’t dip below 20 at night. We had to hang around an hour or two until we could go to our apartment, so we went to a cafe and walked up to the Canal du Midi near the train station. After that we went to our accommodation and crashed out. Knowing when to rest and then to roam was a difficult balancing act, but I think we got it right over the weekend, which was a holistically charged one, because we only went up to the chateau at 10 both evenings, missing any of the acts that came on before. On Friday we caught the end of Sons of Slough’s set, which sounded brilliant, and the same for Om Unit on the Saturday. Vox Low followed Sons of Slough, and Acid Claus were on after Om Unit. Everything was great. As far as the music goes a few observations. Vox Low felt like chug made flesh. They are a heavy, grinding, densely layered experience in which the feeling is of being chucked down the cosmic rabbit hole, having a skeleton transplant and then being sonically reassembled on the other side. Acid Claus were interesting. It’s difficult to shake the feeling that you’re not listening to a rave rendition of John Cooper Clarke who occasionally morphs into Jason Williamson. Great use of the vocoder, the girls could sing, and everyone had presence. They were fun. Sean Johnson closed proceedings on the Friday and was on blistering form. I’m a big fan, even though apart from last years festival, my only point of contact is the EBS series of mixes. I’ve never been to ALFOS in The UK, but this will change soon enough. I’m not going to get into the track id scenario, it was just a chuggy throb, but not necessarily linear. There were plenty of moments when the mould was broken and we went beyond the point of no return, only to be brought back onto solid ground. So many beans were being consumed, but no one was making a nuisance of themselves; oh, maybe that chubby bloke who didn’t seem to be able to stand upi straight for more than a few seconds and had the knack of walking in front of you every five minutes from any point in the chateau. Harmless buffoonery though. Just gently push him out of the way and watch him propel himself into the milieu, of which there were many. Ivan & Chloe on Saturday built it up very patiently. I recognised a tune, one that I have, but can’t remember what it is. Anyway, they were flawless and face melting. Not much more to say really. Everyone was in the moment and I was no exception. The music was deep, very danceable and narcotically influenced. One thing for next year though, The queue for wristbands and drinks tokens on Friday was a joke. It felt like we were in line for new passports and everything was incredibly slow. We returned the next afternoon for tokens, but couldn’t get any for the first night. We were also told by the lady managing the tokens on Saturday that the police had been in at around 2 am to stop any more booze being sold. I mean it probably didn’t matter by then as everyone was twatted, however, a more up for it, but simultaneously placid crowd would be difficult to find. I pondered the possibilities of the local bizzies using three dimensional profiling, by which everyone attending would be required to say how many kids and pets they have, and these wojuld be somehow holographically projected on on a 3d diais around their person. And I wasn’t even on drugs. We also squeezed in a couple of great meals. Friday night at Brasserie Des Platains, somewhere we discovered last year. Cheap as chips proper French brasserie scran, and on Saturday night Le Bistrot d’Alice, a real high quality temple of nosh. Both brilliant meals and really nice places to pass a couple of hours. Food is very important you know.
Monday, October 02, 2023
Kmyle - Obsession EP (Kmyle Records)
Title: Obsession EP
Artist: Kmyle
Label: Kmyle
Cat Number: KML005
Genre: Techno
1: Obsession
2: Autobahn
3: Canicule
4: Kinetical Rhythm
5: Kinetical Rhythm (Vril Remix)
6: Dark Bodega
Kmyle’s ‘Obsession EP’ is, for the most part, an over accelerated piece of work which, if it just took its time a little, could have been so much more. Each of the original versions rattle along at break neck speed, fusing together elements of techno and trance in such a way so they reach some sort of symbiotic critical mass and coalesce in profundity. There are certain parts of certain tracks I like, but it’s all so unnecessarily rushed and needs to take stock somewhere along the line. ‘Obsession’ and ‘Canicule’ are the tranciest of the pack, with ‘Autobahn’ possibly trying to simulate a no holds barred drive on an empty road. ‘Dark Bodega’ is, for all its lack of restraint, possibly the most interesting piece here, (undulating synths can be very effective), while the Vril remix of ‘Kinetical Rhythm’ is funkier than the original and has more meat on its beats than each of the other tracks here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
