Thursday, May 09, 2024
Various - 030313 (Tresor)
Title: 030313
Artist: Various
Label: Tresor
Cat Number: TRESOR360
Genre: Techno/Electro
1: Model 500 – I.D.L.E.
2: Ectomorph – Searching (Live At Globus)
3: AMX – Your Body
4: DJ Stingray 313 – Dynamic Instability
5: JakoJako – Metal Goat
6: Erik Jabari – Screamore
This release is a fusion of Berlin and Detroit, brought about by Carhartt & Tresor to highlight the output of their home towns. Opening with a “lost” track from Juan Atkins, ‘I.D.L.E.’ is an agile piece of electro distinguished by its synth swirls and vocals. It’s pretty good. As is ‘Searching (Live At Globus)’ from Ectomorph. Another electro offering but one that seems to be in a state of breakdown and decay compared to its predecessor. ‘Your Body’ by AMX is all angular stabs and flanges pushed along by a deadpan spoken word. ‘Dynamic Instability’ is a track that could only have been made by DJ Stingray. Ratcheting up the bpms but still infectiously funky, his sound is unique but it does sound like it was produced in an abattoir. The artists representing Berlin stay within the techno domain with ‘Metal Goat’ by JakoJako sounding like wind chimes on crack, and Erik Jabari’s ‘Screamore’ a concave undulation of a track that defty rides the machine funk wobbleboard. All in all a really strong release in which all tracks are infinitely useful and, mostly, imaginative and original.
Track Of The Day: Candido - Jingo (Original 12" Mix) (Salsoul)
‘Jingo’ is one of the, if not the, most memorable hook(s) in all of dance music and, as it was released back in the budding stage, it’s a proper testament to longevity and quality. Which isn’t surprising when you consider that Candido was a pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz and the creator of the multiple percussion set up. ‘Jingo’ is perhaps his best known tune outside of jazz circles and this version highlights his conga playing and is a simultaneously languid and energetic piece of Afro Cuban disco that crosses over effortlessly and is maybe responsible for more bad backs and funny muscle mix ups from superannuated shape throwing than most other tunes.
Wednesday, May 08, 2024
Sunday, May 05, 2024
Track Of The Day: What Time Is Love? (KLF Communications)
This was one of the most played tracks at the orbital raves, the few I went to almost used it as punctuation. It didn’t seem to matter who was playing, the unmistakeable riff would come pounding through the speakers intermittently as the accompaniment to the wanderings of rudderless ravers with bewilderment in their eyes. Incredibly influential and a tune that I still have in my head every day.
Friday, May 03, 2024
Track Of The Day: Derek Carr - Nite Drive (Part 3) (Trident Recordings)
There’s something very banal about tracks that intone repetitive lyrics that shine the spotlight in them. And such is the case with this piece of sleazy electro brilliance from Derek Carr. “Night drive, city streets, techno music, techno beats.” That’s about the size of it, and wonderfully effective it is too. I remember an interview with Andrew Weatherall were he remarked, in reference to The Hydronaut vs Morgan Geist’s ‘Deep In The Feeling’ that the eponymous spoken sample, no matter how cheesy, was necessary in order to set the mood, or something like that. That track opened his 1996 Essential Mix, and is a deep banger. This piece of understated machine funk boogie is very much in the same vein. Conjuring up a hot and humid ambience as it gets bumped in your very own metaphorical low rider.
Thursday, May 02, 2024
Track Of The Day: Sandals - Nothing (Hard Hands Ritual) (FFRR)
Well this is a surprise. The mind does play tricks on you from time to time and for whatever reason I wake up with this in my head. A forgotten chugtastic gem years ahead of its time fusing The Sandals, with Leftfield in the year they released ‘Song Of Life’. (Leftfield had already produced The Sandals debut 'A Profound Gas’.) The great thing about Leftfield is that they need revisiting, something I’m happy to to with almost anyone. When looking through their back catalogue it really feels like I’m hearing a lot of their output for the first time. It sounds different and fresh. This dub is one such piece. Absolutely brilliant stoned immaculate, atmospheric plodding which straddles trip hop before it was a thing, and enlightened disco. Come on feel the vibes.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Robin Wylie - What Is Zero (Ritual Poison)
Title: What Is Zero?
Artist: Robin Wylie
Label: Ritual Poison
Cat Number: RP011
Genre: Advanced Beat Dynamics
1: What Is Zero?
2: Pulse Track
3: Shadows In The Sunlight
4: Kid Dynamite
‘What Is Zero?’ is a difficult to pigeonhole release that, I’m happy to say, feels very natural. Demonstrating elaborate second nature beat comprehension. The title track is proto hardcore, albeit polished and very much in the present moment. ‘Pulse Track’ is all bleeps and elaborate, urgent percussion, in spite of which it bounces along purposefully and cleanly. ‘Shadows In The Sunlight’ is one of those that you dread having to explain. “Is this electro or breaks?” I’m veering much more towards the latter due to the its busy nature. However, there’s a case to be made for the former. Just don’t find yourself standing next to me when its being played. ‘Kid Dynamite’ definitely finds itself in the fragmented category though, leaning on acid, amongst other things, to plot a steady course through choppy, wonky waters. And that’s just about it. A release that is nothing if not versatile and very danceable, with portentousness, funk, yelping and a different beat for each occasion. All very satisfying if you ask me; which you didn’t. Thankfully.
Track Of The Day: CTI - Dancing Ghosts (Doublevision)
Released on Cabaret Voltaire’s Doublevision, originally an outlet for video, but then the records followed (I had the VHS of ‘Johnny Yesno’.) ‘Dancing Ghosts’ is the work of CTI, aka Chris Carter, Cosey Fanni Tutti and John Lacey. And is a piece of music ahead of its time. I don’t know much about these things. However, it is apparently one of the first tracks to combine the Roland TR808 and TB303”. Of course we’re talking acid house well before it was a thing. And this is an astounding piece of work. A friction filled piece of slow, haunting dance music that must have really felt like the future to anyone lucky enough to have heard it at the time. Which I didn’t, and I’m surprised at that as I was a big Cabs fan and one of my best friends had bought everything by Throbbing Gristle. A deep, elemental piece of electronic music is this, in which so much that followed can be heard. Arguably, one of the most important and influential tracks ever made. Hyperbolic? Moi?
Monday, April 29, 2024
Kosh - Enslaved EP (Convergence)
Title: Enslaved
Artist: Kosh
Label: Convergence
Cat Number: CONV003
Genre: Breaks/Trance
1: Enslaved (Vox Mix)
2: Enslaved (Bonus Beats)
3: Supernova
4: Above & Beyond
5: Enslaved (Sorrow Mix) (Digi Only)
Having come into prominence on the back of electro & breaks on Casa Voyager, Kosh now seems to be going through some changes. The title track (Vox mix), still dabbles in this sound very effectively, the beats having a live feel, the vocals coming straight from some trippy prog rock improvisation. The hallmark are the keys though, which embellish and expand the foundation and remain a constant throughout all versions. The digital only ‘Sorrow Mix’ is notable in that it departs completely from the original into trancealvania. There are good and bad elements here, the bad being the plodding little riff that breaks the track up. The rest is ok. ‘Supernova’ uses a guitar loop that reminds me of ‘Prescription Every Night’, but in reality is pretty far away from it. It reaches a crescendo that is backed by a vocal that sounds like an aerobics teacher with a cold giving orders. ‘Above & Beyond’ is another track uses trance elements, more upfront this time, and feels like it wants to be at the forefront of a Goa revival. Having said that, it’s good; keeping itself in check and resisting the temptation to go full on Juno Reactor. So, along with the title track, probably my pick from always interesting and imaginative release.
