Cacophonous Bling

Luca C & Brigante: Genuine Balearic Contenders

2012-01-26T17:04:00.003Z

Read my interview with the dynamic duo for Ibiza Voice here.

Confessions Of A Completist

2012-01-25T18:25:00.003Z

How many dodgy purchases have been made due to that unstoppable urge to complete, to have the set? What's the psychology involved here? To have something beyond all reasonable critical criteria? Sometimes I feel that I must be one of the worse. The amount of money I've parted with just to have the last piece in the jigsaw, only to get it and find it wanting; no matter though. As long as it's filed away, as long as I know where it is . . .as long as I'm the only person who can use it, play it, touch it . . .Under these circumstances it's just as well I'm the only person in my house with a legitimate interest in modern electronic dance music. My twenty year-old stepson likes hip-hop, but of the gangsterism variety and thinks Lil' B can't rap, although I suspect he dislikes him more for making an album called 'I'm Gay (I'm Happy)'. My twelve year-old is, as you would expect, influenced more by his older brother than by me, so Wiz Khalifa is currently at the top of his playlist, as well as Lil' Wayne and Kid Ink. The Missus used to have great taste, but that has sadly evaporated and now her playlist is decided by whatever's on the car radio. While I'm typing this in the bedroom, i've got Intergalactic FM on. Current tune, Ultradyne - 'We Are Eternal, Return Of The Five' This type of ambience generally sums up my musical taste as far as my family are concerned. Druggy, geeky shit that you'd have to be off your cake to have an interest in.

Every time I'm accused of " . . .just being concerned with my own stuff", an accusation that invariably arises after having been seen dusting my 1210's and CDJs, not to mention the rest of my "rig", I wonder what life would be like chez moi if I was really fastidious. Obsessive to the point of it becoming medically interesting. I remember when I lived in the States for a year, exactly twenty years ago in fact, and I was walking down College Avenue on the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick where I was studying, and someone I knew whose name I've forgotten had just bought a copy of the then new Beastie Boys cd 'Check Your Head'. I tried to take the cd insert from out of the box to unfold it so I could have a look. Whoever it was wouldn't let me though, telling me that he was "really anal" and, therefore, I wasn't allowed to paw said document. I do remember he looked, and for the most part acted, like a hippy, so no surprise there then. he's probably anticipating the Republican nomination of Newt Gingrich as I write with salivating lips. Open marriages will be cool then.

I'm just as bad though, and that worries me. I have no problem with people using, or fingering my things as long as I can be sure they're going to respect them. Track records aren't good though. My other half has lost or broken almost everything she's had of any worth. A Leica camera and a really, really good Sony Walkman, but I mean a really good one. I've wanted to buy her some nice gadgets but she just doesn't "get them." I think she's winding me up. I bought her a Buddha Machine as a test. If she breaks that at least the outlay won't have been too crippling. The kids know better than to ask to use small, integrated electronics that belong to me, but truth is they aren't really that arsed. Having said that, they're welcome to, as long as I control the environment. Again though their trail of decay and destruction rivals that of their mother's. Broken laptops, camcorders and headphones don't fill me full of confidence.

At least my record collection isn't alphabetically ordered. When labelling I go against the grain, preferring to put track name first rather than that of the artist. I would have to make an exception if mass compartmentalisation took place, so I have resisted so far. There are groups of releases roughly arranged according to genre, feel and impression. Arbitrariness is a virtue as far as music is concerned, impression also. While I appreciate the depth of feeling that goes into making the best tracks, I'm not always certain that critical reciprocation is warranted. Strange, you may say, (if you react at all), that someone who spends time writing music reviews shouldn't really care what people think of it. Well I don't, so there. I'd be writing this blog regardless of the possibilities of anyone reading it. I prefer not to engage in Internet jousts and "debate" because it doesn't really exist. There are points of view, and put-downs, and no middle ground between discussion and argument. However, I'm certainly not vain enough to think that mine is the only opinion that matters, it just does, along with many others.

So where does electronic music get off in all of this? Well, it's the soundtrack to my day and informs most of what I do, along with a few other things. It's not regarded as an arbitrary fact of life, more like a concrete one which contributes much on a subliminal level. I'm always listening, and when I do so, I'm on the floor wherever and whenever, linking beats to beats and experiencing flashbacks and deja vu. At the moment I'm listening to a set by Ben Annand, his '122011-1' freely available on Soundcloud along with many others. He's a Californian DJ who totally encapsulates the Wiggle vibe. The excellent Finn Johannsen is always getting lots of love from me whenever possible, and his new electro mix for Mnml Ssgs is an education. There's a new Andy Weatherall to listen to, recorded at the Back To Basics 20th Anniversary in November, a mix by Boris and Prosumer from the Honeysoundsystem in San Francisco last March, the latest Teshcast by Edit Piafra, three from Luv Jam, someone whose tracks i'm enjoying a lot at the moment on Electric Sheep and Black Sheep Trax . . .a mix by one of the Romanian Arpiar crew, Rhadoo, again from last November . . .the last Ben UFO set from Rinse FM, Norman Nodge's set from Berghain from the 14th of last month, the Two Bears Essential Mix from last Saturday, Milton Bradley's Smoke Machine podcast, Field Recording 033 | 19.454.18.5.25.5.18, and the last FACT mix by Blondes. The only way to listen to most of the is while I work, or at random. It's the soundtrack to my own personal space and it's non-stop.

Piranha The Remixes - Luv Jam (Black Sheep Trax)

2012-01-24T17:36:00.002Z

Read my review of Luv Jam's 'Piranha The Remixes' for I Voice here.

Deep Electric EP -The Rimshooters (Slow Motion Records)

2012-01-23T17:45:00.004Z

Read my review of the Rimshooter's slo-mo acidic Italo offering for Ibiza Voice here.

When I Sold My Soul To The Machine

2012-01-22T12:59:00.002Z

Inspired by listening to Intergalactic FM - I don't know why it's taken me so long, I listen to it every Sunday - here are the five parts of the excellent DIY doc "When I Sold My Soul To The Machine." The link y=used to have a download option but doesn't anymore. I'll post one if I find it.

Intergalactic Love-In

2012-01-22T12:07:00.002Z

January Chart

2012-01-15T13:51:00.010Z

Rooted EP - Locked Groove (Hotflush)

Impressions Of A Rainstorm EP - Levon Vincent (Novel Sound)

Kris Wadsworth & Butane Present: Team America - Kris Wadsworth & Butane (Alphahouse)

Out Of Fire - Mike Wall (Hidden Recordings)

Industry Remixes - Pacific Blue (Pacific Blue)

Res - ATEQ (Giegling)

When The Time Has Come - STL (Something)

Wayne County Hills Cops Part 2 - Omar S/Ob Ignitt (FXHE)

Relation EP - Imugem Orihasam (Sistrum)

Barry Tone EP - Frits Wentink (Triphouse)

Step Aside (Lightweight) - Life & Death (Visionquest)

2012-01-10T17:25:00.004Z

A fine way to bring in the New year. Read my I Voice review of the latest on Visionquest here.

The Society And The Spectacle

2011-12-31T23:38:00.004Z

As we stand on the threshold of another year, spare a thought for those going out tonight. I've just seen on the BBC News that house parties are where it's at. That is staying at home, having some mates around, or just family, eating, drinking and making merry. Has it ever been the reliable option to go out on New Year's Eve though? The last time I remember doing it was for the millennium celebrations when I was over in Paris. We spent the few hours leading up to midnight at a friends, eating, drinking and making merry, then we walked the short distance to Montparnasse, which afforded us a splendid view of the Eiffel Tower and its firework display, after which we took a cab across town to Bastille and went to a few parties in lofts and studios. OK, not exactly clubs, and no money changed hands . . .so maybe we didn't go out after all. Having thought about it for a little more I'm left wondering if I've ever been out on New Year's Eve. . .

. . .but that's only if "going out" means going clubbing, which is something I haven't done for a couple of years. I haven't shut the door on it but I wonder what's in it for me. One person who shows no sign of throwing in the towel is my aborted November interviewee Harvey, who plans to play Tokyo tonight. He also makes some very obvious, but simultaneously informative, points about the relationship between DJing and performance. This put me in mind of something A Guy Called Gerald said when I interviewed him back in 2008 (it's about halfway down the chat). I've never been to a club expecting to do anything else but socialise, tap off, drink, take drugs and listen to good music (order not important); which is just as well because, for the most part, you're lucky if you're allowed all of those nowadays. It depends where you're from of course. In the UK, despite our creativity and appetite for new experiences, there's always been too much of an authoritarian feel to clubbing. The licensing laws played a big part in this, and continue to wherever they can get a foothold. I suppose the entertainment element for men, at least, revolved around trainspotting to a certain extent, and watching the DJs fingers deftly flex, extend and retract. Not my idea of a good night out, but I can't say I've never done it. It always amazed me how much time certain individuals had for the hangers-on and deck parasites that would crowd them out. The last time I saw Mark Farina he was dignity personified, (this was a while back, and he could have changed I suppose), showing the records off and even fitting in a few words between his silky smooth transitions. I remember that I bumped into him the day before I saw him, in Black Market Soho. He didn't know me from Adam but he introduced me to his wife and took time out to chat as if I was an old friend.

Generally though, clubbers are treated as badly, if not worse than football fans for the most part. Not content with wanting to them pay through the nose for the privilege of buying massively overpriced beverages, they are shunted, cattle-like through the night on a conveyor belt of doom that could make that of the early Ford assembly plants seem appealing. As has already been touched on, I write this from a UK perspective, where the institutionalisation of doing such things has been locked in accordance with the law and the Daily Mail school of moralising for so long that most people wouldn't know a good time if it skull-fucked them. Going out these days isn't what it used to be. You're not treated like a proper adult in a lot of places, and monitored by security who aspire to the sergeant's role in "Full Metal Jacket", without the delivery. I'm hoping for a return to the rave in the next few years. As we enter uncertain political and economic times the brand might drop its guard and the corporate nature of what going out has largely become will hopefully evaporate and then, as Bill Hicks said:

"The world is like a ride at an amusement park. It goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it's very brightly coloured and it's very loud and it's fun, for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question: Is this real, or is this just a ride? And other people have remembered, and they come back to us, they say, "Hey - don't worry, don't be afraid, ever, because, this is just a ride..." But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok. Jesus - murdered; Martin Luther King - murdered; Malcolm X - murdered; Gandhi - murdered; John Lennon - murdered; Reagan... wounded. But it doesn't matter because: It's just a ride. And we can change it anytime we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings and money. A choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one. Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, to a better ride. Take all that money that we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace."

A Couple To End The Year With . . .

2011-12-30T12:02:00.003Z

. . .but I'll still try and post some original pirate material tomorrow. Meanwhile, here are links to RA reviews of 'Your Sun' and 'Tropical Cruize.'

A Journey To Uncharted Destinations EP - Terence Fixmer (Planete Rouge)

2011-12-21T08:54:00.002Z

Here's my review of a fine release by Terence Fixmer on his own Planete Rouge imprint for Ibiza Voice.

December Chart

2011-12-20T15:45:00.011Z

Step Aside - Life & Death (Visionquest)

Endless Feeling - Gavin Herlihy (Culprit)

Remote Locations EP - Pointbender (530 Techno)

Too Far (Dettmann's Definitions) - Morphosis (Delsin)

Balsam Peruvian EP - Gathaspar (Thema)

On & On - Raiders Of The Lost Arp (Curle)

Shadows - Floating Points (Eglo)

Fachwerk EP - V/A (Fachwerk)

Kompaction Project - V/A (Monocline)

Kurama - Lawrence (Pampa)

It's the end of the year and the time when a lot of good stuff gets slept on due to end-of-year lists being compiled. I could have listed another ten at least, but that would have been greedy.

End Of Year Caveat

2011-12-19T10:44:00.002Z

Top Tracks (incl. Remixes)

Wolfram feat Haddaway
A Thing Called Love (Legowelt remix)
Permanent Vacation
Deepak Sharma & Dieter Krause
Wolkenreise
Hidden Recordings
A Sagittariun
The circle Stops Somewhere
Elastic Dreams
Benoit & Sergio
Everybody
DFA
Julio Bashmore
Battle For Middle You
PMR
Benoit & Sergio
Let Me Count The Ways
Spectral Sound
Alex Jones
Romania Pika
Hypercolour
Sigha
I Am Apathy I Am Submission
Blueprint
Radical Majik
Fianchetto
Boardroom Music
Space Dimension Controller
The Pathway To Tiraquon 6
R&S

Top Compilations/Mixes

Marcel Dettmann
Conducted
Music Man
Scuba
DJ Kicks
K7!
Ben UFO
Rinse 16
Rinse
Marcel Fengler
Berghain 05
Ostgut Ton
Seth Troxler
The Lab 03
NRK
Pearson Sound/Ramadanman
FabricLive 56
Fabric
Lawrence
Timeless
Ccocoon
Jackmaster
FabricLive 57
Fabric
Prosumer
Panorama Bar 03
Ostgut Ton
Soul Clap
Social Experiment 002
No. 19

Top Artist Albums

Planetary Assault Systems
The Messenger
Ostgut Ton
Tommy Four Seven
Primate
CLR
Lucy
Wordplay For Working Bees
Stroboscopic Artefacts
Sepalcure
Sepalcure
Hotflush
Legowelt
The TEAC Life
Self-Released
Rustie
Glass Swords
Warp
Roman Flugel
Fatty Folders
Dial
Maceo Plex
Life Index
Crosstown Rebels
Nicolas Jaar
Space Is Only Noise
Circus Company
Steffi
Yours And Mine
Ostgut Ton
Morphosis
What We Have Learned
Delsin/Morphine
K-S.H.E.
Routes Not Roots
Sklylax
2562
Fever
When In Doubt

Top Labels

Stroboscopic Artefacts
R&S
Hotflush
Visionquest
Hypercolour
Culprit
Clone
Permanent Vacation
Electric Sheep
Mathematics
Modern Love

My caveat here is that when compiling these lists I didn't always order them accordingly. I always find the "Top Tracks" list especially difficult to compile. I should have added Omar S's 'Here's Your Trance, Now Dance' but everybody else seemed to so what the hell. Labels, well you can only play the hand you're dealt and, although I listen to as wide a range of stuff as possible, like the tracks list you can't do them all. I can see why Crosstown Rebels won this year, it's getting to the point now when if you stick around for long enough it'll happen like a Nobel Prize or an Oscar but for me at least they put out quite a few average releases which I remember far more than the good stuff. Electric Sheep is an interesting and varied label which, with it's Black Sheep Trax offshoot has a great range and will hopefully turn a few years in the year ahead. Hotflush and Stroboscopic Artefacts were probably my top two here though.

The "Compilations/Mixes" list is totally occupied by mixes. I listen to more mixes than anything else, preferring to have my music in situ. The mix cd had a bit of a boom year, with some sturdy contributions, the best of which I think I included. I will go with Dettmann as my top for this year, Prosumer was excellent as well, as were Pearson Sound and Jackmaster. Finally the albums. There was some great techno released this year, as is the case most years, but Morphosis stood out, his individuality and twists being ultimately more appealing than the grit and dirt of Tommy Four Seven, Planetary Assault Systems and Lucy. Rustie's 'Glass Swords' was a crystallisation of every bling-laden, steroid-enhanced wall-to-wall sensurround experience I've ever had, or am likely to. Crosstown Rebels make their only appearance in my chart with Maceo Plex's excellent 'Life Index', but this album heralded another wave of copyists and fit so snugly against Hot natured that the impression it made on release diminished progressively as the year wore on.

Organic Jam - Medu (Earlydub) & Connection EP - Endless (Electric Deluxe)

2011-12-15T17:12:00.004Z

Here's a couple of tasty morsels you can read about over at RA. 'Organic Jam' & 'Connection'.

Neurotic City EP - Means (Black Nation)

2011-12-13T21:12:00.002Z

Read my review of the understated 'Neurotic City' EP here.

Random Film Clips Of DJs Playing: 7

2011-12-10T11:49:00.003Z

Shackled EP - George Fitzgerald (Hotflush Two)

2011-12-08T17:36:00.002Z

Here's a link to my review of George Fitzgerald's 'Shackled' EP.

Journey With The Heavy - Dro Carey (Ramp)

2011-12-05T17:10:00.003Z

Read my Ibiza Voice review of 'Journey With The Heavy' here.

Captain's Log Star Date Crotch Scratching

2011-12-04T16:15:00.001Z

Check the Youtube comments.

It's been a strange month. My cosy routine of finishing work, bringing the grubs back home from school, playing music through my laptop and reviewing it simultaneously has been put out of joint a little due to the fact that I have recently purchased a new desktop. Now I write from the bedroom, upstairs so it's difficult to keep an eye on the kids. The arrangement is cosier and more conducive to concentration. I should be able to get shitloads more done in the future, but it's proving to be a difficult transition. I'm finding it difficult to shut myself away from the rest of the family, not because I don't want to work, but because I'm a creature of habit who likes to have everything done by a certain time in order to relax. I also often feel at odds with the world I'm trying to cover. I haven't been out clubbing for a while, nor do I really want to. I haven't played out in a log time either. Life has taken over and sometimes it's difficult to summon up the motivation to get things back on track.

So, as far as the blog's concerned, a scanner is the next big thing. I mentioned a few weeks back that I would be filling its pages with classic articles from times gone by. Test Pressing is a blog that has done this very well and I intend to follow in its footsteps. I went back up to the old country a couple of weeks ago and brought some magazines back home that had been living out their lonely existence as a time capsule. Post-Christmas I shall begin the long, but rewarding task of searching for interesting seminal interviews and putting them back in the spotlight through this blog.

So form my position on life's bridge I can see that I've already done a lot of things and there's no real need for self-justification in the context of clubbing. A Friend of mine went to the recent Classic party last bonfire night at Hackney Downs Studios. It didn't get going until 2am, he was there early and wanted to leave early. This is a person who's done more than their fair share and still has a healthy appetite for the music even though he's advancing into middle age. Anyway, Rob Mello was good, Luke Solomon played like he was pissed, and Derrick Carter was too hard. One persons viewpoint. Everybody else could have been having the time of their lives. However, this is as qualified an opinion as one could hope to have and it wasn't good. Let me add though that this character has recently become a father and is flush with the joys of parenthood. A big factor. Like everyone will eventually realise though, a crossroads is reached and sometimes the realisation that the clubbing experience is one that relies on the many being exploited by the few can be a little difficult to square with the notion of the supposed togetherness that is cashed in on. It's not like this everywhere of course. Just another aspect symptomatic of rip-off Britain paired with the overriding attitude of puritanism and containment.

I digress as usual, just posting for the sake of it and trying to justify my position as a writer by production. I must post some more music-related stuff up instead of insane ramblings. So, with that in mind I will, this week. On another tip, wasn't the Prince documentary on BBC4 last week a let-down? Problem is it'll always be like that unless he gives permission to make one, and collaborates as well. Even then it might still be shite because it's difficult to see him letting himself go to any real extent. What's interesting me at the moment is the housier and techier stuff that dubstep has been giving rise to this past year, and where it's all going to end up. The misogynist v dance music debate started by The Queitus, after they opportunistically picked up on a couple of throwaway tweets from Scuba and writer Kristan J. Caryl was entertaining too. It was very interesting that it was Ben UFO who brought it to the attention of a wider audience. Before this all blew up I was browsing Facebook and I came across some photos showing a Red Bull Music Academy gig he DJed at in The London Eye. It seemed to be full of spotty males and no one else, so I, innocently I thought, commented "Where are all the chicks?" Mr UFO didn't waste much time in repyling, saying, rather hurtfully I thought, something along the line of " . . .no one's used a word like that since the early eighties . . ." Well Ben, maybe I should have known better, because I was probably the age you are now at that time and I can tell you that no one used it then either. My response was to then ask "Where are all the birds then" thinking he might be more familiar with my cockney palare. I could tell from this second comment that our bridges had been well and truly burnt and I was probably nothing more than a more reactionary Jeremy Clarkson in his eyes. Little did I realise the bombshell he would unleash.

I Remain/Noburu - Zhou (Punch Drunk)

2011-12-01T17:49:00.002Z

Here's another from the vaults. The mysterious Zhou's latest, and Punch Drunk's too.

83370 EP - SiNTEG (Fur Trade Recordings)

2011-11-30T17:47:00.002Z

Read my Ibiza Voice review of some new music straight out of Montreal here.

Sealed EP - Dinky (Crosstown Rebels

2011-11-29T18:51:00.002Z

Read my Ibiza Voice review of Dinky's 'Sealed' here.

Across the Sea - VVV (Fortified Audio)

2011-11-24T17:50:00.002Z

Read my Ibiza Voice review of 'Across The Sea' here.

November Chart

2011-11-22T17:38:00.011Z

Neurotic City EP - Means (Black Nation)

Me & The Machines - STL (Something)

Unbalance 1 - Unbalance (Unbalance)

Mysterious Intrigue - Kuba Sojka (Mathematics)

DRM - Merveille & Crosson (Visionquest)

Sphinx EP - Marcel Fengler (IMF)

Fantastic Voyage - Jeff Mills (Axis)

Blue Organ EP - Kevin McPhee (Hype Ltd)

The Voices From Hypothalamus - Fiat600 (Nice Cat)

Deep Deep Down - Cottam (Aus Music)

Conducted Mixed By Marcel Dettmann - V/A (Music Man)

2011-11-21T17:28:00.002Z

Read my Ibiza Voice of Marcel Dettmann's brilliant 'Conducted' here.

Anytime You Please EP - Micha Klang & Kuroneko (Adult Only)

2011-11-20T14:24:00.002Z

Lack of time means very little recent original material here on ye blog. I'll be putting a chart up by tomorrow. Meanwhile, here's the first of a few Ibiza Voice bits I've written.

Are Things Really That Interesting?

2011-11-06T16:57:00.003Z

Awful, starting an article with a rhetorical question, isn't it? Stylistically at least. Not that anything on this blog is ever really intended as being for academic eyes though, just for those of you who like a read and are interested in the random ruminations of a person, like myself who, due to arrested development, hasn't stopped being passionate about, and incredibly interested in, electronic dance music. Make that all music, but particularly house, techno and its offspring.

However, it's very difficult to talk about this stuff just for the sake of it. It's clear why the printed dance media have never been able to manage publishing their propaganda more than once a month - DJ Mag used to be every two weeks of course, but now it's seen the error of its ways - and even then still resorting to pad out their publications with as much tattle involving drugs, dicks in dayglo t-shirts who answer random questions about their most outrageous embryonic sexual experiences on club stairways . . .there just isn't that much to say. This area of music is still without very many real characters.

It's a pity that Tonka's 'Weekly Review Of Dance Music' is having problems fulfilling its purpose only a few months after it started, but I'm not surprised. I'm sure it'll continue but calling it 'Weekly . . .' was a mistake. It's my favourite read at the moment though and I'm annoyed because I missed a trick there. Procrastination payback time. I was thinking about introducing a column here that would have done much the same as the 'WRDM' but indecision cost me and I didn't. Still could though.

Taking delivery of a new computer in a few days time which will change my life. I'll have it moored in the bedroom, away from prying eyes and will be able to get on with a lot of stuff I haven't been able to thus far. Once I come back home with shiploads of old printed media that's when things will really kick off. I've got most of the copies of 'The Face' and 'I-D', as well as stuff like 'Soul Undergroound' etc that were printed during the eighties. I'll be driving up to my Mum's place in a couple of week's time and bringing them all back down with me. I know the excellent 'Test Pressing' has been there before and done it, but I think I've got more stuff to publish, so expect to see some seminal articles and interviews to start appearing on this blog before the end of the year. I just have to buy a scanner.

I suppose the real reason I haven't been writing much here recently is because I've been writing lots of reviews and interviews for Ibiza Voice and RA. I haven't written anything for a couple of weeks though, but have got a lot in the pipeline. One assignment was to interview Harvey, which I did, but whether it sees the light of day or not is debatable. I called him last Friday night at home in LA, chatted for around thrifty minutes, once some Skype teething problems had been dealt with, said goodbye and instantly realised that I hadn't recorded the conversation. Schoolboy error, as Ron Manager would say. I'm going to see if I can do it again but I'm not optimistic. It's a pity because he's a great interviewee and, although we probably didn't cover much new ground in comparison to past interviews he's given, it would still make great reading. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can do it again, but in the meantime I've got to put some questions together for Marcel Dettmann.

As you can probably see from my previous post, I've just reviewed Seth Troxler's 'Lab 03' double mix cd for NRK. While it's not perfect, it's still a very good mix and as good an indication of current trends in house and techno as any. Of course it all depends what you like, but Troxler seems to be up to the task and not just a party animal per se. The Visionquest label, which he partly runs, is very good indeed and seems to be interested in going places no other label currently is, or has. It's not that it's super original, but it is definitely very adept at putting an interesnting, out-of-kilter twist on a range of genres. Not a one-trick pony, that's for sure. Meanwhile Hot Natured seems to have hit the wall. Not that the music being issued isn't any good, but there's only so many hip-hop, r&b and eighties influences one can stomach. In truth though there's life in the project yet and I'm sure that once Foss and Jones regroup they'll have the stamina to go off on even more interesting tangents. Wolf & Lamb and Double Standard push the synthetic eighties slow to even more extreme limits though. It's fine, and interesting in small doses, but they're still churning out facsimiles of the sound a good few years after they started. It's over gentlemen. Use your undeniable talent to explore new worlds, seek out new civilisations, etc. I know that the three collectives mentioned are all pretty tight with each other and all have these separate identities to save themselves from themselves, as well as so we can tell them apart, but Hot Natured and Wolf & Lamb had better take different forks in the road because there's a hideous convergence coming up if they don't. Only Visionquest can survive on current form.

Marcel Dettmann's forthcoming 'Conducted' is as good a techno mix as I've heard. I've reviewed it for Ibiza Voice and, as already mentioned, have to put some questions together for him for an email interview. I'd prefer to Skype him but I've heard he doesn't think his English is that good so is worried he may not come across properly. False teutonic modesty I'm sure. I bet he knows his present perfect simple and continuous inside out. He's also about to become a father, so congratulations Herr Dettmann. Talking of techno, FACT Magazine have just put together one of their normally very-well researched lists on Jeff Mills, complete with commentary from the man himself. I say "normally" because while the article is very informative, Jeff Mills apparently stopped making essential music in the twentieth century. Of course these lists can never be too exhaustive, neither will they please everyone all the time, but methinks the gaping hole of the last decade could have been accounted for without too much trouble.

Great albums just released, or forthcoming from Planetary Assault Systems on Ostgut Ton, Dro Carey on Ramp and VVV on Fortified Audio. Crosstown Rebels more recent offerings seem to have fallen in to the bottomless pit that is slowly being filled by those deemed bland enough to provide filler for Hot Natured and their ilk's sets. Thankfully Dinky's latest is better than that, but the first release on Maceo Plex's new label, Ellum Audio, is just more of the same. As long as they're bedding loads of birds due to their new found fame as purveyors of sexy, groovy house that's ok I suppose. One more thing. Speaking of Hot Natured I bought the latest issue of DJ Mag yesterday to get the free Lee Foss mix cd. Haven't listened to it yet but his skills are not in doubt. Anyway, it happened to be their annual top 100 DJs issue. The complete absence of any female DJs from the list has already been the subject of an Ibiza Voice article. However, I wasn't at all prepared for the onslaught of airbrushed muppets who, by and large, make up the list. Who are these fuckwits? The only reason they're there is because they got their mates to vote for them. Isn't it about time that ability and artistry was recognised instead of spiky hair and shit taste? These twits are clueless. David Guetta may be top of the list, and he is popular, but he's crap. I'm older than him but I couldn't sell out and limit myself in the way he has. Bob Sinclair is another one. I used to bump into him regularly in Rough Trade in Paris in the mid nineties. Hasn't changed much superficially, lovely hair still, but any good taste he had has been slowly squeezed from him as he sold out. Carl Cox looks innovative compared to these lemons.

The Lab 03 Mixed By Seth Troxler - V/A (NRK)

2011-11-03T21:08:00.002Z

Read my RA review of Seth Troxler's new double mix cd here.

The Circle Stops Somewhere - A Sagittariun (Elastic Dreams)

2011-11-01T18:27:00.003Z

Read my RA review of 'The Circle Stops Somewhere' here.

Random Film Clips Of DJs Playing: 6

2011-10-28T08:07:00.002Z

Back From The Fatherland

2011-10-26T15:38:00.003Z

I've just spent almost a week back in the land of my fathers. Saw Liverpool draw 1-1 against a well-organised Norwich side, but they should have won and on another day could have had three or four. Anyway, while I was away from my desk a couple of reviews were published by RA.

The first, a write-up of 'The Boardroom Presents Radical Majik's Mental Health' can be found here.

The second is of Douglas Greed's 'KRL' and that can be found here.

The Established Order Of Things - Point B (Frijsfo Beats)

2011-10-20T16:06:00.003Z

Read my RA review of 'The Established Order Of Things' here

A Quick Round-Up

2011-10-17T16:31:00.002Z

There really hasn't been much time to write recently. Most recent posts have been links to reviews on other sites, and I'm going away for a week this Friday so that'll mean more dead air. At the very least I can hopefully point some of you in the direction of some good recent mixes. Some I've listened to, some not, so you'll have to take those on approval. I'll have much more time to listen to more mixes now though as the Mrs bought me one of those excellent IPod adapters for the car. You know, the ones that lock into a radio frequency and play the music through it. Wonderful what they can do nowadays innit?

So lets start with something that I've literally just come across. So fresh in fact that I didn't know of it when I started this article. It's Raiz at Berghain on the 5.7.11. Here's the link and I'm prepared to give this the benefit of the doubt because of the artists pedigree, the location and the comments from the listeners. Superficial? Maybe, but I'm sure it's worth it.

Next up here's an hour of Steffi live at the Boiler Room last month. One of the best around doesn't disappoint. I was cooking dinner most of the tkime while listening to this last night but I'm sure she got stuck into some dubstep as the hour draws to a close, or maybe it was the noise the central heating made as the pipes rattled when I turned it on for the first time this year.

Smear contribute the latest installment to the Electric Deluxe podcast series. You can grab that here. There's also an interview on the same site which you can read here.

The latest in the very good Louche podcast series is a set from Tama Sumo. Again, this is another one I haven't got around to listening to yet but the tracklist looks interesting enough:

1) Portable and Lakuti: A Deeper Love.
2) DJ Qu: Slidin' Thu.
3) The Mole: Johny Mc Hockey.
4) System 360: Super Tuesday.
5) Tin Man: Loev Sick (Tobias Remix).
6) Omar S: Gunup Runup.
7) Ramjac Corporation: Cameroon Massif!
8-) Mondo: Work Me Baby.
9) Tevo Howard: The Instruction (Acid Mix).
10) Steven Tang: Drone.
11) XDB: Apari.
12) Sigha: The Black House.
13) Big Strick: State Of Emergency.
14) Marcel Fengler: Thwack (Norman Nodge Remix).
15) Cosmin TRG: Fizic.
16) Anthony Shake Shakir meets BBC: Ngunyuta Dance Remix (Anthony Shakir Remix).
17) The Oliverwho Factory: Take Me Away.
18) Chicago Skyway: London Streets.
19) Matthew Styles: Don't Call Me Again.
20) Mary Boyoi: Zooz (Tama Sumo Remix).
21) Massimiliano Pagliara: In Order Of More Depth (BHFV Remix).

You can grab that here and subscribe to the whole series here.

Saarbrucken's finest, Roger 23, is always worth a listen, and he contributes the latest in the series of podcasts for Russia's Mixmag Info. Follow this link to download and for a q & a.

Head over to ASC's blog for the first in the 'Auxcast' podcast series. This is the tracklist so far, according to some forumite over at RA:

1.?
2.?
3.?
4.The Sight Below - New Dawn Fades
5.?
6.Kangding Ray - A Protest Song
7.Perc - ChoiceBuy
8.Cocteau Twins - Frou-Frou Foxes In Midsummer Fires
9.Sam KDC - Marine Light
10.ASC - Neptune
11.dBridge - So Lonely (Morgan Zarate Remix)
12.?
13.Badawi - The Axiom (Vaccine Remix)
14.ASC - Error Code
15.?
16.?
17.?
18.Björk - Undo

At first glance it seems a bit fluffy, but that may be because I'm being unduly influenced by the inclusion of one Cocteau Twins track, the titles of which are enough to bring me out in a rash. Link here.

FACT is on a roll right now. Serious stuff from Appleblim, Morphosis and today Raime. Each of these can be downloaded from here. The Morphosis one really is a trip.

Clara Moto, who's made her name through her output for Infine, has contributed a fine mix for Fabric you can find that here. Also on the same page is a mix from DJ Three. His mixes used to be quite common but are now as rare as hen's teeth. Here's the second part of a mix recorded in Chicago in the summer. Last but not least on the Fabric page is a mix from the godlike genius that is Legowelt. Get that here.

Finally here's a nice house mix recorded in Venezuala last spring. It's in two parts and comes courtesy of the Pack Up And Dance crew. Only problem is that it doesn't have a download option. If you like it, badger him a bit. Link here.

October Chart

2011-10-14T16:58:00.010Z

Hurrah! It's my birthday today so, fresh after sampling the seven course tasting menu at Cambridge's Midsummer House, here's this month's chart. I've got to do something, innit? Too bloated and corpulent to do anything else.

The Pathway To Tiraquon6 - Space Dimension Controller (R&S)

The Purple EP - The Analogue Cops (Out-Er)

Visionquest Fall/Winter Collection - V/A (Visionquest)

Dayz - Mathew Jonson (Crosstown Rebels)

Deep Deep Down - Cottam (Aus Music)

Quemadura Del Sol - Alejandro Trebor (Hidden Recordings)

The Established Order - Point B (Frijsfo Beats)

The Messenger - Planetary Assault Systems (Ostgut Ton)

The Boardroom Presents . . . . Radical Majiks Mental Health - Radical Majik (The Boardroom Presents)

Kiss 'N' Tell EP - B Bravo (Earnest Endeavours)

The Space Dimension Controller collection is one of the best things I've heard all year and carries on from where his previous R&S release, 'Temporary Thrillz' left off. Also impressive is the latest Visionquest compilation. This label is real carving out a niche for itself, straddling the psychedelic/dark pop/house music divide with ease. All the above are worthy of a mention. Mathew Jonson is back on form, the Analogue Cops more than live up to their name, Cottam returns with one of his best yet, and Alejandro Trebor continues Hidden's recent run of good form, backed up by a horde of remixes. There's Point B's latest on Frijsfo and Radical Majik - expect to see them both reviewed somewhere else soon, an excellent album from Luke Slater and the debut funkified release on Earnest Endeavours. Maybe I'm just in a good mood because it's my birthday, but I love them all. xxx

Eats Everything

2011-10-12T16:07:00.002Z

Read my Ibiza Voice review of the 'Eats Everything EP' on Dirtybird here.

Crazy P and Paul Woolford & Psycatron

2011-10-11T16:03:00.002Z

A couple of links to some articles I recently wrote for Ibiza Voice. First up here's an interview with Crazy P's Danialle Moore, then a review of Paul Woolford and Psycatron's newie on Hotflush.

Exone 10 - Dave Vega (Exone)

2011-10-10T16:28:00.002Z

Read my RA review of 'Exone 10' here.

The Isometric Dance Class Contd.

2011-10-08T09:25:00.003Z

Here are parts three and four of the same show that I uploaded last week. I must have stayed in front of the cassette player for more hours than I care to remember in those days. I wish I'd been a little more studious when recording this, because there's a guest mix that starts towards the end of the first side, it may be from Nipper, where he cuts up 'LFO' with some hip-hop, or hip-house, or something like that. Anyway, this is the last one of these radio recordings I've got. Loads of old Tim Westwood though, which are worth a listen for him alone.

Isometric Dance Class 3: 19.9.90 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part one here.

Isometric Dance Class 4 19.9.90 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part two here.

The Isometric Dance Class: 19.9.90

2011-10-01T08:22:00.003Z

For the first post of October, done during an unnaturally sunny day for this time of the year, I found a recording of an old Stu Allen or David Dunne show (I can't remember who) from Piccadilly Key 103 "back in the day." I can only imagine that I must have recorded this up at my mum's while waiting to go back to university for the start of my second year. Living in Wallasey meant that I had to twiddle around with the radio knobs to get reasonable reception, but normally seemed to end up doing so when it mattered. I didn't use to listen to the radio at university, preferring to play records and tapes constantly. Anyway, there was the occasional glimmer of light on Merseyside in 1990, but it came from Manchester every Sunday night. Listening to this tape now doesn't feel so much like the trip back in time it is, apart from analogue ruling the waves. There's a very eclectic approach, some of which comes off, and then again some of which doesn't. Sequencing skills are as smooth as sleight of hand and generally track selection is good. Not bad for a radio show that was broadcast between 7 and 9 I think.

I'll put another recording up next week.

Isometric Dance Class 1 19.9.90 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part 1 here.

Isometric Dance Class 2 19.9.11 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part 2 here.

Totalement EP - Andrew Grant, Tato & Tuccillo (Isgud Records)

2011-10-01T07:10:00.002Z

Read my (badly written) review of the 'Toltalement' EP here.

Raw Smoke/Bonfire - Reto Ardour/Benja (Hive Audio)

2011-09-21T18:41:00.002Z

Here's a link to a review of Hive Audio's latest, a double header with remixes alongside.

Smug?

2011-09-18T07:57:00.002Z

We were having lunch yesterday, music was lazily playing in the background, when out of nowhere the wife got very agitated. "What is this pretentious rubbish" she snarled (or something like that). It's bad tv theme music spliced together in a very smug way. That's what it is, it's smug." I stared back into my tomato salad and pondered my position. Anyway, this is what she was getting so worked up about. Is she right?

Random Film Clips Of DJs Playing: 5

2011-09-18T07:36:00.002Z

Dopplereffekt In Liverpool

2011-09-17T08:13:00.002Z

Dopplereffekt from kMike on Vimeo.

I came across this very interesting piece of news the other day. I can't make it, which is frustrating because I've just passed my driving test, but I have alerted ground forces and maybe someone I know will attend. Anyway, it's just an excuse to post some Dopplereffekt videos.

Regis At Animal Farm

2011-09-15T16:54:00.002Z

Essential stuff. Follow the link to Wax Works to download a wonderful double-header.

Into The Light EP - Re:Axis (Monocline)

2011-09-15T15:57:00.002Z

Read my Ibiza Voice of 'Into The Light' here.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

2011-09-11T16:16:00.005Z

My long summer holiday is finally coming to an end, as is the season itself, if it hasn't already done so. The nights have been visibly shorter for ages, the weather has, of course, been generally shite, and even the indian summer we often get at this time of the year seems a little shy. I've been searching for inspiration, to write some more stuff and to try and say a few more things, but I just haven't been feeling it recently. I'm sure that once I'm back at work I'll have a few more ideas. The fact that I've been dossing at home, having to take care of the kids has raised apathy levels.

Don't know whether to laugh or cry sometimes. While perusing my Facebook feed this morning I noticed that Seth Troxler had posted a joke, from a friend, on the subject of 9/11. They weren't his words, but it came out all wrong and it certainly sounded like he agreed with the sentiments expressed. Sadder still were the stream of comments from "friends" agreeing with it, no doubt because of Mr Troxler's apparent endorsement. Whatever your politics, it's a shit joke:

"What's the main difference between a cow and 9/11?

...you can't continuously milk a cow for a decade."

Come over to the UK, or England, to be more specific. We won the World Cup in 1966 for the one and only time but you'd think it was yesterday. Not only that. We believe that this success, and the fact that we invented the professional gane, gives us the right to believe we can win it every time it comes around. You guys don't know what milking something is . . .

In any case, it's been a reasonable year for mix cds. Marcel Fengler did one for Berghain, following on from Klock and Dettmann. Damian Lazarus has just released a new 'Get Lost' mix on Crosstown Rebels. Prosumer did an excellent one for Panoramabar, my favourite of the year so far. Jamie Jones has just released his Fabric Mix, which, while being solid, wasn't as good as I'd hoped. On a positive note for Seth Troxler, he's about to release a two cd set for NRK as part 3 of their "Lab" series. It's very nice so far; (I've only listened to the first disc.) Two from Cocoon have surfaced recently. The excellent 'Timeless' mixed by Lawrence, and the latest in the 'Green and Blue' series; again a two-disc set, one mixed by Raresh, the other by Sasha Dive. Another double helping comes in the shape of the excellent 'Ten Years Of Secret Sundaze . . ' Significant Fabric live mixes this year came from Jackmaster, Ramadanman and Four Tet. Finally, the DJ Kicks from Motorcity Drum Ensemble was also worth a listen

While we're on the subject of mixes, here are a few more which are worth your while. First, Dopplereffekt's set from the last Bloc. Grab that here . It's hosted by Mixcloud, so if you want to download, go here. FACT magazine's mixes are always worth checking, even if they are more miss than hit most of the time. The latest though is a definite download. It's a live set by Liverpudlian John Heckle. I rarely listen to artists doing pas, but this is excellent. Get on it here. The latest RA podcast, (there'll be a new one tomorrow), featuring DJ Deep is also worth checking. He hasn't physically changed that much since the mid-nineties, when I used to bump into him at Rough Trade in Paris on a regular basis. Him and Smagghe chatting together at the counter was fine for five minutes until you had to warn the pair of them that they were in danger of disappearing up their respective arses. Great DJ though.

One more before I forget. The post-carnival hoe-down at Rinse. Four hours of the Numbers show featuring Jackmaster, Ben UFO, Floating Points, Joy Orbison, Pearson Sound and Bok Bok. It's here.

Finally, the consistently brilliant Promo Mixes site seems to have stalled. Whoever's behind it could you sort it out, please?

September Chart

2011-09-10T15:07:00.011Z

Man Or Mistress - Levon Vincent (Novel Sound)

Untitled Dubs - Unbroken Dub (Rawax)

Seven EP - Untitled Dubs (Rawax)

Who Wrote The Rules Of Love - Omar S feat Colonel Abrahams (FXHE)

Analog Dreams Reworked - Patrice Scott (Sistrum)

Music Institute 20th Anniversary Series Pt 3 of 3 - V/A (NDATL Muzik)

The Second Son - John Heckle (Music For Mathematics)

Analogue Solutions 9 - Analogue Solutions (Analogue Solutions)

Warm Spiral EP - V/A (Roundabout Sounds)

Sample & Hold EP - Matthew Styles (Running Back)

Bit slow off the mark with a few of these releases, but that's what comes of spending most of August in foreign climes with no Internet access. A good thing on balance I think, but a bit of catching up required on returning. In any case, I'm mainly referring to the Levon Vincent and John Heckle releases, both of which have been out for a few weeks now.

On the NDATL release, there's a nice KDJ remix of Alexander Robotnik's 'Problemes d'Amour' which, while hardly breaking new ground, keeps things chugging nicely, as well as an "unreleased Alternate version" of 'Light Speed' by Model 500. Patrice Scott's 'Analog Dreams Reworked' contains versions by Johannes Volk, XDB, and a beatless version frlom Scott himself.The 'Warm Spiral EP' is quite a dubby affair, with a contribution from Dujin & Douglas, who were responsible for the debut release on Feelharmonic, reveiewed a couple of months back for RA. Finally, amongst other stuff, the Rawax releases, appearing simultaneously on blue and green vinyl, are studied exercises in depth and atmospherics.

I've also been putting in some time on Traktor, so I hope to have a new mix up on my tumblr site around the end of the month. Watch this space.

Gui Boratto, Waifs & Strays

2011-09-07T11:50:00.002Z

Here are a couple of links to two reviews I did. Find 'lll' by Gui Boratto here, and the latest on Futureboogie, courtesy of Waifs & Strays here.

A Must-Read

2011-09-03T14:58:00.002Z

Read this, then these, then this. (The order is important, as you will see).

Who makes the best points?

Late Summer Mix-Down

2011-08-31T18:17:00.002Z

It's been a while since I've written a post detailing what I've been listening to lately, so here we go. Apart from the monthly chart, which could be a lot more precise, I listen to tons of stuff. Mainly mixes from all and sundry. It's been difficult recently to keep a focus musically so I'll just concentrate on the electronic dm end of things and we'll see where that takes us.

This year has been one of the best yet for Essential Mixes. Pete Tong's rather irritatingly stilted middle-aged bordering on teenage quack still pervades but as his show still proudly trumpets, it's still one of the best, whichever way you care to look. The previous post of convoluted quackery mentioned the very prescient fact that more than for a very long time, sounds are becoming homogenised and the underground is rapidly being consumed by the dark forces of acceptability. Having said that you can't argue too much with a lot of what's passed through Tong's scaly, lizard-like hands recently. The Jamie XX mix from last weekend being a good example. In spite of Mr XX's constant flavour-of-the-month leanings, it's actually a very listenable mix. Get it here. The Jamie Jones half of the Ibiza mix a couple of weeks earlier is also very nice. You can find that here. Stacey Pullen, one of my favourite all-time DJs (I'll never forget one sweaty e'd up night at The Rex in paris) contributed his second installment. Download that here. Download his first, from February 1996 here.

The FACT mixes are always worth a few minutes of your time, if not to judge them by their covers and slag them off before even listening. I've got a few lined up from this month but haven't got around to any of them yet, and if I'm really honest I can't remember the last one I really liked, so there. Get The Curse has a few interesting podcasts to discover, the last two, by Danny Daze and Burnski should be good (as you can tell I haven't got around to them either). Magda, who has always kept her head above the rest of the Minus camp, turned in a goodie for XLR8R recently, while Eric Cloutier showed off his skills during half of John Osborne's TAANSTAFL radio show, as well as contributing a podcast to Evad's Mixture blog. There are a lot of mixes from the blog owner there too, which is nice . . .Rounding off this paragraph in a very comprehensive way is Aesthetic Audio's head honcho Keith Worthy and his recent barnstorming selection for Mnml Ssgs.

I've been listening to a lot of Rinse FM podcasts recently, but mainly those from Alex Nut and Ben UFO, but haven't been able to download any from the last week or so, they seem to be suffering from post-carnival ennui. Ben UFO has a Rinse cd out next month, which you probably already know about, and Scuba has a DJ Kicks cd out soon too, which you maybe didn't.

Glorious Gibberish

2011-08-29T17:49:00.002Z

Writing this piece immediately puts me in mind of those Bing adverts that were on British TV not so long ago. In case you're not aware of them, they start off with someone asking someone else an innocent enough question which exponentially mutates until the person asking for information has far too much to deal with and not necessarily the answer they wanted when they began. This is an obvious criticism of Google and its (over) efficiency. Acknowledging its own inferiority, albeit in a roundabout way, is the only weapon Bing has. It'll never be as good as Google, but is its admission of defeat one which is borne of rigour or a lack thereof?

I suppose the reason I began writing this post is because of a feeling that's crept up on me recently regarding the intellectual regard that some artists are held in over others. Subjectivity is at stake here as I feel it is under attack from those who use it as an arbitrary weapon when it best suits them. I'm not taking aim at anyone particularly here rather, like nearly everything on this blog, a nebulous feeling that I'm becoming more aware of recently. Hype and bullshit will always be around, there will always be stuff in vogue. I just find it difficult to comprehend why certain parties always feel threatened by this.

At the risk of repeating myself, we're currently standing at a very large crossroads regarding edm. Never before, except at the birth of house and techno, as well as whatever passed for "rave" at the arse end of the 1980s, have styles intersected and cross-pollinated in quite the way they are doing right now. The commercial and the contrived haven't had such a good chance for ages for passing themselves off as something credible. The entrepreneurial end of things has also generated a stand-off of sorts with a reasonable body of DJs, who were once artists but have now started sucking Satan's cock (some of them anyway), generating a lot of antipathy between themselves and what they stand for, and the critical voice.

What they stand for is partying, hedonism and self-consciousness. But it's only accessible to a relative few. They've got their drugs and they're not worried about you. They survive on inflated door and bar prices which keep things sweet for themselves and their mates while those who can't afford to follow them around the globe don't notice the elitism too much, unless they're mingers or not wearing a wide-necked t-shirt or a pair of oversized sunglasses. You can argue that it's always been like this; what's changed though is the level of commerciality that prevails. The underground is being promoted as a healthy alternative as never before, so it's timely that I've just come across Legowelt's 'The Teac Life' album, which is being promoted as a free download. Check out the press release:

Hello

Welcome to "THE TEAC LIFE", This album is free to download and distribute.

Its got a hella lot deep tape saturated forest-techno tracks on it and when I say Techno i dont mean that boooooooooooring
contemporary shit they call techno nowadays with overrated tallentless pretentious douchebag cunt DJs playing a few
halfassed dumb mongo beats and being all arty fartsy about it.

I am talking about: Raw as fuck autistic Star Trek 1987- Misty Forests- X-FILES,- DETROIT unicorn futurism made on cheap ass
digital & analog crap synthesizers recorded in a ragtag bedroom studio on a TEAC VHX cassettedeck in DOLBY C with an
unintelligible yet soulfull vivacity.

if you like it you can donate some $ or Euros, Any donation small or large is appreciated u can paypal to:
wolfers@xs4all.nl so I can buy more crap synthesizers to make stuff like this and repair my Roland Juno 106 which stopped
working during the recording of this album...probably cause this shit is tooo deep and it just can't handle it.

Tracklisting:
1 - The Nightwind
2 - Half Moon 106
3 - The Soul of a City
4 - Forest Conditioner
5 - Metro Airport
6 - Moonmist
7 - Beyond ur Self
8 - Wherever we go
9 - Mystery Cruising
10 - Can U feel the other side of ur soul
11 - Dolphin Day 1992
12 - Dare to Dream
13 - Encounter at Farpoint
14 - U can fly away from the hood

Regards and god bless,

Legowelt

(C)2011 all rights reserved by Legowelt

http://www.legowelt.com
enquiries: legowelt-info@xs4all.nl
bookings: nick@octopus-agents.com

God knows who he's got an axe to grind with . . .but I don't have anyone specifically in my sights, rather the prevalent attitude of today's mainstream which, more than ever before, is hell-bent on assimilation for the sole reason of endless product placement and diluted Grandpa In My Pocket sunny side up idyllic living by the seaside bullshit. The very reason why the riots started earlier this month. Anyway, I digress. From tomorrow I will be publishing random lists of those who are "doing it for me" at the moment. This twaddle will be continued asap, but not now as I'm about to eat a boeuf bourguignon . . .at the end of August . . . a meal which is best enjoyed with the wind howling and the snow falling.

Random Film Clips Of DJs Playing: 4

2011-08-27T14:52:00.002Z

August Chart

2011-08-27T09:03:00.014Z

Adrenalin - Scuba (Hotflush)

Eternal Radiation EP - V/A (Atmospheric Existence)

The TEAC Life - Legowelt Free album from Legowelt's website. Download here.

Kissing Booth Criminal EP - Alicia Hush (Siteholder)

Monad Xl - Aoki Takamasa (Stroboscopic Artefacts)

One More EP - Pezzner (RebelLION)

Playdo - Matthew Burton & Nick Lawson (Leftroom)

In Dust - Roll The Dice (The Leaf Label)

Satin Panthers - Hudson Mohawke (Warp)

A Million Horses - Agnes Presents Cavalier (Drumpoet Community)

Welcome to a very hastily assembled August chart. I've been away for almost the whole month and have been culturally isolated for the whole time, my sole connections with anything resembling sanity being occasioanl forays into the world of gastronomy. I haven't had time to listen to much since I've been back, but have tried, and of course I had some of these releases before I went. Expect a more thorough chart next month.

Matthew Styles Interview

2011-08-26T10:18:00.004Z

Here's an interview I did with a man who knows his house. Matt Styles . A recent mix that I uploaded from Matt can be found here.

A Mixed Bag

2011-08-25T08:05:00.004Z

So, back form my hiatus. Great holiday so normality is taking a little longer to settle in. In the meantime, some reviews of mine were published by Ibiza Voice. Here's a link to Pezzner's
'One More' EP on Crosstown Rebels offshoot RebelLION, Death On The Balcony's 'We Need Passion' EP on Airdrop and Silicone Soul's 'Alive From The Opium Den' on Darkroom Dubs.

Les Vacances

2011-08-02T16:06:00.002Z

Start tomorrow. Last communication for a few weeks. No computers where I'm going. See you on the other side, in about three weeks.

Fantasy FM April 1990

2011-07-31T10:37:00.002Z

The last instalment of the pirate radio tapes takes us to a slightly different place, Fantasy FM. However, the ambience is very much the same as that in the Rave FM and Centreforce studios (or frontrooms). Again, two sides of an ancient C90 cassette digitised for your listening pleasure. Unfortunately, as it's from around the same time as the other recordings, there'll be quite a few tracks that eve already featured. Off on holiday for the next three weeks now. Maybe one or two posts before then. No more music until the second half of August. GThe download links are slightly better quality than what you'll hear on Mixcloud.

Fantasy FM 4.90 Pt 1 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download Fantasy FM 4.90 part 1 here.

Fantasy FM 4.90 Pt 2 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download Fantasy FM 4.90 part 2 here.

The Next Wave Is Permanently In Our Midst

2011-07-26T19:15:00.001Z

Another unfocussed ramble, partly inspired by a line I remember reading somewhere a long time ago attributed to Terry Farley (maybe). The subject of which was a lament on the behalf of house music and the lack of fresh blood coming up through the ranks. Of course this wasn't ever going to be an issue, but did things turn out exactly as the person who expressed the worries in question hoped for? Probably not, but did it really matter? Again, we can only speculate. The fact of the matter is though that whoever was worried enough to vent their feelings regarding the supposed lack of talent on its way up was almost certainly ploughing a very narrow furrow of typical music-related conservatism.

This is something that we are all afflicted by, never more so than when slagging off current trends and then remembering what it was like when watching Top Of The Pops and having your mum say that " . . . they all sound the same . . ." It's incredible how this outlook continues to be perpetuated by stealth and how conservative a lot of edm has always been. This is particularly true of house, whose often inoffensive outlook invites such comparisons much easier and quicker than its siblings. Maybe its apparent lack of intellectual rigour which can be put down, in part at least, to its relatively happy-go-lucky mindset - an obvious disco trait. This could be a reason. Far more likely though is its seeming lack of progression and evolution. How ironic that progressive house is anything but, having lifted its sobriquet from rock in order to describe its pompous ambience. How prog came to be synonymous with pomp though is anyone's guess.

What really interests the cognoscenti these days is techno, dubstep (which my Mac automatically rewrites as dustup) and its offshoots, funky, grime, two-step, etc. These show evolution and mutation. They aren't standing still but they can all be traced back to house. One of the most depressing sounds one can listen to at the moment is Derrick Carter on the ones and twos. Not because he's crap, he isn't. He's still, for me at least, peerless on the ones and twos. There are parts of his recent Essential Mix, for example, that completely blow me away, a purple patch about a quarter of the way through when he plays a record with a Bobby McFerrin sample that's as good as I've ever heard him. However, for the most part he plays the same as he did ten years ago. It's a cliche to say a DJ changed your life, but hearing DC on one of his first European tours, at a Soma party, (English party organisers in Paris, not the Glaswegian label), in a warehouse in the Parisian banlieu was one of those moments. He played an absolutely scorching set during a scorching night. The pills were top notch and my memories are crystal-clear. Derrick Carter became my favourite ever DJ that night, which is why it makes me sad that he hasn't pushed the boat out a bit more and remained true to his original spirit of relative eclecticism.

The only magazine I still buy is The Wire but, essential as it is, house is never featured in its pages. Meanwhile, it seems, one only has to sneeze in the British electronic urban underground to make the cover. What's keeping it away? Detroit is often referenced, but rarely, if ever, Chicago or New York, unless it's part of a nostalgia fest designed to contribute to an explanation of some new young producer's technique. House will always be with us, and there are many current takes on it which deserve their own front page but, although it gets its fair share of historical referencing, its current mutations are often dismissed as club fodder and drug-induced, decadent posturing. Until now, that is. I'm not sure why the current crop of (mostly) British artists have managed to stand out from the crowd, but it may have something to do with the current crystallisation of multiple strands of polymorphous permutations all having congealed to form one of the most fertile periods in dance music so far. You've heard it all before, but not quite like this, and it's all new.

To be continued.

Rave FM 2.90 The Second Chapter

2011-07-23T08:16:00.003Z

Here's another from Rave FM. Not much left to post now. Off on holiday the week after next so I'll post another cassette before I go. More of the same this, as interesting for what's said over and between the grooves as in them.

Rave FM 2.90 2 Pt 1 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download side one here.

Rave FM 2.90 2 Pt 2 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download side two here.

Alice Coltrane & Surgeon

2011-07-20T08:45:00.004Z

I should have linked to this ages ago, but didn't. Still, better late than never. Surgeon's excellent Wax Treatment mix from May can be found here. It opens with the sublime 'Journey In Satchidananda' from Alice Coltrane. Sublimely spiritual stuff. Images of the Louisiana swamps crowd my mind when I listen to this. What about youse?

Alice Coltrane - Journey To Satchidananda
Shina Williams and his African percussionists - Agboju Logun
Rhythm & Sound w/ The Chosen Brothers - Mash Down Babylon
Om Unit - Prawn Cocktail
Emmanuel Jal - Kuar (Olof Dreijer remix)
Zomby - Godzilla
RSD - Sugar Plumb instrumental
Martyn - Broken
R-A-G - Rage
Surgeon - Atol
Surgeon - Coaster
Paul Woolford - Let It Go (Kommonazmuk & Appleblim remix)
Linval Thompson - I Love Marijuana
Blawan - Lavender
Peverelist - Dance till The Police Come
Surgeon - Transparent Radiation
Chasing Voices - Acidbathory
Oscar Mulero - After All
RSD - Pretty White Light
Lone - Explorers
Martyn - Suberbia
The Tuss - Rushup I Bank 12
Taz - Future Funk
Ed Chamberlain - Synthia (Surgeon remix)
Surgeon - Right Road To Dubland
Scuba - Ruptured (Surgeon remix)
Inigo Kennedy - Obsidian
Surgeon - Sleep (Ultra Violet)
RSD - Over It
Love Joys - All I Can Say

Linkage

2011-07-19T16:49:00.004Z

Read my RA review of 'Yangango' by Gregorythme (Cityfox) here, and my Ibiza Voice bit on 'Alex Smoke Remixed' (Soma) here.

July Chart

2011-07-16T13:28:00.013Z

Atlantic EP - Metope (Factor City)

Lucky Tiger EP - Axel Boman (Glass Table)

Monad Vll - Go Hiyama (Stroboscopic Artefacts)

One Year Later - Arkist & Kidkut (Hotflush)

Subconscious EP - Jesuon (Hypercolour)

Thwack Remixes - Marcel Fengler (Mote-Evolver)

Untitled - V/A (Stockholm Ltd)

X-Trak 1 Remixes - Percy X (Soma)

Carbonated EP - Mount Kimbie (Hotflush)

Rendezvous/Fill Your Coffee - Arkist (Apple Pips)

Kelly Price Weight Gain Vol ll - Hype Williams (Hyperdub)

Dedication - Zomby (4AD)

Here's Julys chart, with two entires from Hotflush, and two from Hypercolour - Glass Table being an offshoot label. Hypercolour is on the proverbial roll at the moment, with each release being extremely well-balanced and full of rigour. A real effort is being made to involve interesting and off-kilter contributions. The third member of the trinity, Losing Suki, is just as good. Meanwhile 'Carbonated' from Mount Kimbie, features three original works: 'Carbonated,' 'Fulx,' and 'Baves Chords,' as well as a Klaus remix of 'Adriatic' and two remixes of 'Carbonated.' One from Airhead, and the cherry on top from Peter van Hoesen. Techno in the shape of the excellent remix package of Marcel Fengler's 'Thwack', 'Untitled' a various artists EP featuring contributions from Pfirter, Skudge, Staffan Linzatti, Oliver Kapp and Tom Dicicco, Go Hiyama's 'Monad Vll' and also Percy X's 'X-Trak 1 Remixes' with a contribution from both Joris Voorn (better than I thought I'd be), and Regis (exactly as I imagined). Zomby has an album out on 4AD, but don't expect The Cocteau Twins or My Bloody Valentine, while Hyperdub delves deep into abstract depths with Hype Williams' 'Kelly Price Weight Gain Vol ll.' As you can see, Arkist pops up twice: once on t6he already released 'Rendezvous/Fill Your Cofee' on Apple Pips, and again, this time with Kidkut, on the imminently appearing 'One Year Later'. Last, but by no means least, Metope's 'Atlantic EP' on the Barcelona-based Factor City is a six track release featuring remixes of two of the originals by Dave Dk, Undo and, perhaps the best of the three, John Daly.

Rave FM February 1990

2011-07-16T11:32:00.002Z

So here's this weekends instalment. The first of a couple of Rave FM cassettes, again from the first half of 1990. Expect similar vibes to the Centreforce offerings of the past two weeks. There'll be another one next week, then one from Fantasy FM, and then I'm off on holiday for three weeks.

Rave FM 2.90 Pt 1 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part 1 here

Rave FM 2.90 Pt 2 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part 2 here

The download links are higher bitrate than the Mixcloud ones. Still grainy stuff though innit.

Krypton Factor EP - Gavin Herlihy & Delano Smith (Apparel Music)

2011-07-12T15:59:00.003Z

Read my review of this Leed/Detroit collaboration here.

Centreforce 1990 Part 2

2011-07-10T15:22:00.001Z

Here's the second Centreforce cassette uploaded for your listening pleasure. This one is from a few months later than last weeks curtain raiser. Rave FM to follow next weekend.

Centreforce Circa 3-4.90 1 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part one here.

Centreforce Circa 3-4.90 2 by Cacophonousbling on Mixcloud

Download part two here.

The downloads are 320kbps.

Random Film Clips Of DJs Playing 3

2011-07-09T06:47:00.003Z

The Deep House Dilemma

2011-07-02T19:37:00.004Z

These two photos, of deep house's answer to John The Baptist John Daly, were taken at Manchester's Kraak Gallery at the end of last month. For me they sum up everything I love about clubbing. Of course the underground would love to be making more money but it wouldn't be the same then would it? Reminds me of a gig at Brixton's George lV twelve or so years ago with Terry Francis, only there were probably half as many people in attendance as there are in the photos. The girl at the front clearly doesn't care.

Centreforce FM January 1990 (Apparently)

2011-07-02T17:14:00.003Z

So, I've finally got around to uploading the cassettes I've been hoarding for the last twenty years or so. This is a two part recording capturing Centreforce Radio, a pirate that emerged at the arse end of the 1980s alongside others such as Rave FM and Sunrise FM, and it's as authentic as it gets. It's not very well recorded, there are occasional drop outs, and there is the sporadic voice of the omnipresent MC. I wish I had tons more of these, but I've only got one or two. They'll be uploaded over the next few weekends.

Centreforce Radio 1.90 1 by Thetreecanopy

Download part one here.

Centreforce Radio 1.90 2 by Thetreecanopy

Download part two here.

The downloads are 320kbps.

Antiz EP - M.A.D.A. & Plankton (Hidden Recordings)

2011-06-29T16:49:00.002Z

Read my review for I Voice on Hidden Recordings' follow up to 'Wolkenreise' here.

Connectivity

2011-06-26T16:35:00.002Z

Milton Bradley, of "Do Not Resist The Beat" fame and "The End Of All Existence"? Shurely shome mishtake.

I have to admit that my writing style can often be a little overwrought. There's a constant search when both reviewing and appraising to grab the most tenuous link possible and to rebrand it for public consumption; ie spout as much shite as you can and see if you can get away with it. Well, we often do. Such is the relative blandness of a lot of today's music, both electronic and otherwise, that any attempt to make it sound more interesting involves a verbal gamble with the senses. It's always been this way and I must say that I've been trying to get the metaphorical monkey off my back for ages now, but due to a lack of time and discipline I've failed up to now.

Having said that I don't really owe anyone any favours here. It's wonderful to receive so much free music but not so good to feel tacitly obliged to make your gratitude constantly explicit. I think I've done quite well so far though. One development over the last few years is that I've become increasingly isolated from the rest of what I would regard as "The Electronic Music Community." It's been touched on in at least one previous post so I won't reiterate the reasons why again, better just cut to the quick and list advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: well, zero really, barring filling the role of completely impartial outsider and, therefore, answerable to no one. Disadvantages: plenty, not least my inability these days to be able to engage with people who share my interest and passion for this music. This month marked the third year in a row I haven't made the trip to Sonar. In truth I was beginning to get a little bored with it, but who do I think I'm kidding. Three days from one year of relatively the same annual activity isn't really much to be bored of.

Even though I've always held the view that looking back isn't necessary, (except when watching coverage of Glastonbury. What a hideous homogenous Behemoth that has become. Going there these days is as mandatory as a gap year), and living in the moment is difficult to better re: house, techno and its bastard offspring, things do seem to have suddenly plateaued. I can't quite put my finger on it but certain things that should be exciting me aren't anymore. That's not to say that nothing is. There's plenty to be excited about, but the endless 4/4 furrow that has been ploughed for the last twenty five to thirty years is, I feel, about to reach critical mass and that within will germinate in all sorts of unpredictable ways. How I'm not sure but I'll follow up this post very soon though and list some thoughts.

Random Film Clips Of DJs Playing 2

2011-06-25T11:54:00.002Z

Here's a link to this morning's Essential Mix, which is a recording of this set.

I Am Apathy, I Am Submission - Sigha (Blueprint)

2011-06-24T16:53:00.002Z

Here's a link to my Ibiza Voice review of Sigha's Blueprint newie.

We Call Love EP - Art Department Featuring Soul Clap & Osunlade (Crosstown Rebels)

2011-06-22T17:00:00.003Z

Read my I Voice review of Art Dept's latest here.

June Chart

2011-06-19T09:58:00.021Z

It's worrying how fast time flies. Here I am, thinking that I should write another chart, when I realise that I've missed out May altogether. Ah well, April's was belated anyway.

Disappointing Dancefloors - Alex Jones (Hypercolour)

Sigha EP - Sigha (Hotflush)

Telophase - Incyde (Steadfast)

Convexations EP - Jon Convex (3024)

The Rejection - Corrugated Tunnel (Process Recordings)

Covers EP - Benoit & Sergio/Slow Hands (Double Standard)

Dancer In The Dark EP - Ahmet Sisman (Stock5)

Detroit Deepconstructed - V/A (Soiree)

How Can I Feel - Inxec & Leks (Culprit)

The Eastside Story - Marcellus Pittmann (Seventh Sign)

Transmissions - Norm Talley (Thema)

Visionquest Summer Beach Edition - V/A (Visionquest)

Principles - Benoit & Sergio (DFA)

Learning To Fly - Matthew Jonson (Minus)

Yangango EP - Gregorythme (Cityfox)

Rollercoasters Of The Heart - Bass Clef (Punch Drunk)

Scotch Your Mind - Alli Borem (Desolat)

Remixes - Steffi (Ostgut Ton)

I Don't Smoke EP - Matias Aguayo (Kompakt)

Panta Rei Remixes - Agoria (Infine)

Feeling a bit short of ideas and inspiration at the moment. Probably something to do with being at home while Sonar is going on. It's now three years since I was last there. I can clearly remember coming back from a Kompakt party to watch the closing stages of the Spain/Italy Euro '08 semi. Not what you travel to Barcelona for really, but hearing the cheers over the roofs of San Adria de Besos as Fabregas put in the decisive penalty made it all worth it.

Park Life

2011-06-18T14:07:00.003Z

There isn't that much going on today, but the sun is shining and there's a fair in the park in front of my house; so I thought I'd pop over to play footie with the grubs and, while we were there, I couldn't help but notice that said amusements were soundtracked by a reasonable array of relatively commercial disco, soul and funk. Here are some random bits.

Not Where You Might Expect It

2011-06-18T09:50:00.001Z

Disappointing Dancefloors - Alex Jones (Hypercolour)

2011-06-17T11:06:00.002Z

Read my Ibiza Voice review of Hypercolours twentieth release here.

Random Film Clips Of DJs Playing

2011-06-15T12:26:00.003Z

For that is what they are. I like watching stuff like this. That probably says a lot more about me than it does about those on the ones and twos. The Maya Jane Coles one is cool, more because you can actually see the crowd in a club than anything else. The Craig Richards one is similar, but very low-key. The Seth Troxler b2b with Ellen Allien may give you an epileptic fit. Then we go to the other extreme, with Jeff Mills live at Sonar five years ago. It's now three years since I last went. Too late for this year. It starts tomorrow. Sob.

Kenny Hawkes

2011-06-11T09:59:00.004Z

Kenny Hawkes, who died yesterday, occupied a relatively large place in my overall clubbing experience. More for being one of Space's resident DJs, alongside Luke Solomon at Bar Rumba, than anything else. Words are always dwarfed at times like these, so here's a link to a set from his pirate radio days at Girls FM, and the vids shows the man in action. It seems that every other post commemorates a death at the moment. Captain Beefheart, Gil Scott-Heron, etc; You take these things as you find them, and Kenny was just as significant in his own way.

Here's a link to an old post, that features an even older pair of interviews. The first from Derrick Carter, the second from Luke Solomon and Kenny Hawkes.

Buddies EP - M.A.N.D.E.A.R. (Get Physical)

2011-06-09T17:42:00.002Z

Read my review for Ibiza Voice of 'Buddies' here.

Bob's Your Uncle EP - Jichael Mackson (Stock5)

2011-06-07T16:03:00.003Z

Read my I Voice review of Jichael Mackson's latest here.

Axis Of Evil?

2011-06-05T14:07:00.002Z

It seems to worry some people that the direction of house music is currently in the hands of a motley crew of young upstarts just as intent on having a good time as making good music. Hedonism and house haven't always been the cosy bedfellows one might be led to believe. This has been the case more and more lately largely due to battle lines having been drawn between nerds and more nerds. Let me elaborate. It seems the done thing to take the lofty position of definer of house, that definition almost always being on the deep side, in order to differentiate from the relatively formulaic, but undeniably catchy and effective, sound that is currently making waves at the moment and has been for the last two years. I'm talking of course of those chaps in the Hot Creations camp, and, to a lesser but no less important extent, the relatively young Visionquest crew. Over both of these camps like some benign, but calculating svenghali, is draped the spectre of Crosstown Rebels.

So on the one side we've got the composite being of Hot Creations, Hot Waves and Hot Natured, on the other we've got Visionquest and their cohorts - an honourable mention goes to Benoit and Sergio, the Siegfried and Roy of house. How did we get here? Well, after a fair few years of minimal, stripped-down grooves, some of which are only now just ebbing away, the time was ripe for a change. Deep house, the street-cred stalwart of many a beer-belly endowed DJ has always been there, and has risen to prominence a lot recently, thanks in no small way to East Coast DJs such as Jus' Ed, DJ Qu and Fred P, as well as Steffi from Holland/Berlin. Of course this skims the surface and far more than these are involved in the music. Often impossible to differentiate it from certain strains of techno, its strength is in its versatility, its weakness in its reputation for geekdom. This is where the problem lies; schooled in all house styles and with depth, as well as libido and bass, Hot Creations bring the disco, Visionquest bring the rave, and they complement each other effortlessly.

Neither of these labels, and more specifically surrogate parent Crosstown Rebels, are wanting for credibility, publicity or plaudits. They've come a long way in a short time but their success was calculated and is no accident. What possibly gets on certain people's wick is the fact that success and fun seems to be going hand in hand. How can it be possible to be that good and hedonistic? Anyway, it's been a long time coming and the fact that it's arrived was always on the cards. It won't last forever but it has the opportunity to mutate and cross-pollinate a lot more successfully than many past strains. It's a resolutely Anglo-Saxon take on the genre that finds its true home in the sun and, more importantly, it's very much in touch with its feminine side.

Klap Voor Je Backingvocals - Duijn & Douglas (Feelharmonic)

2011-06-02T16:39:00.002Z

Read my RA review for 'Klap Voor Je Backingvocals' here.

Back In The Box Mixed By Global Communication

2011-05-31T16:34:00.003Z

Read my review of Global Communication's 'Back In The Box' mix for Ibiza Voice here.

Gil Scott-Heron

2011-05-28T08:33:00.002Z

Gil Scott-Heron, who has just passed away, was a crucial influence in so many ways. An amazing person who, when I first got into him, had just released 'Reflections' and, of course, 'B Movie,' one of the most politically-charged pieces of rhetoric I had heard up to that time. After hearing this I went down to New Brighton's Reaction Records and bought all the Heron they had: 'From South Africa To South Carolina', 'Bridges', 'Secrets' and 'It's Your World.' Shortly after myself and a couple of friends, Mr Clarke and Mr Hoey, made the pilgrimage to the Commonwealth Institute on Kensington High Street, From Wallasey, Merseyside, to see the man in person. Memories are very hazy but I remember it being very good, the Institute itself had a circular stage, and the Dread Broadcasting Company (DBC), provided the ambience. I think I travelled down to London for a few gigs, The Jam as well, but Scott-Heron's was seminal and very important. Like Captain Beefheart, listening to Gil Scott-Heron takes me back to music-filled days in friends, and my, bedroom(s), where we got up to all sorts of shenanigans while talking revolution and how we would bring down the Thatcher regime. Today I feel quite sad and, while not wanting to step into the realm of cliche but realising full well that it's unavoidable, feel like a little piece of myself has been chipped away. Strangely enough, one of the things I always remember about Gil Scott-Heron relates to his father, who played for Celtic in the 1950s. A strange but true fact that only adds more foundation to the mystique surrounding his son and something that must have had some sort of impact and influence on him, but what I'm not quite sure. In any case, I've put some videos of Gil up that represent the man as he still sounds in my mind. Sixty two as well. . .

Interview With The Revenge

2011-05-26T18:01:00.003Z

Here's a link to my interview with The Revenge for Ibiza Voice.

So, So, So - Rone - Infine

2011-05-25T16:14:00.003Z

Read my Ibiza Voice review of Rone's latest here.

Error Code/Abrupt - Roska (Hotflush)

2011-05-19T17:44:00.002Z

Here's a link to my recent Ibiza Voice review of Roska's upcoming debut release on Hotflush, (aside from a recent compilation contribution that is).

Eurovision Leylines

2011-05-17T19:46:00.003Z

Having watched most of the Eurovision Song Contest last Saturday night, I mulled over the thought, for much longer than was necessary, of how to apply the dynamics on show to the world of house, techno and their various offspring. Also, was it in anyway possible to watch what was on show and apply any thoughts on the attitudes of those on stage to their respective nations takes on 4/4 beats. This is obviously a ramble beginning with a whimper instead of a bang, so I'll can it right now.

I suppose I'm falling into the trap that so much of the printed dance media regularly succumbs to (I'm definitely thinking Mixmag more than any of its competitors here). Trying to think of an original angle on which to write a house or techno piece and spouting overcontextualised shite instead. The thing that most used to annoy me when reading an interview with an artist I particularly liked was that only around 50% at most of what was written related to the here and now, everything else being filler and intro, all of which you could read in any interview with said artist. Is it always necessary to introduce, and reintroduce in order to hopefully purloin new fans? I doubt it. The music I write about is, unfortunately, one of extremes and is, amongst other things, the property of nerds and geeks. To back this up, there's an interesting little debate going on over at RA in response to the review of the latest release on Hot Creations "Forward Motion." The impression I've been left with is that the Jones/Foss juggernaut threatens to engulf everything in its path, and the nerds don't like it. One of the worst things about clubbing is going out to an almost excessively male-populated club, where the only girls have been roped into coming along by their boyfriends. Anything, within reason, that gets more girls to dance, chaperoned or not, can only be a good thing. "Women Respond To Bass," as was once said.

Of course it's not black and white, nor is it easy to limit such an outlook to only one place. Different countries have different attitudes to partying and clubbing. It's not as much a way of life in the UK as a lot of people would have us believe, and conversely, neither is it in many other countries. Even though Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Mannheim have very healthy scenes or have become creative hubs, it's hard to imagine their respective activities becoming a national obsession. Holland, with The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the UK with London, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow, and Spain, with Barcelona, Madrid and Ibiza. Scenes that exist on a level on consciousness concealed from most of their populations, but seeking validation from the very people they often repudiate.

Matt Styles Mix

2011-05-15T16:32:00.004Z

A new Matthew Styles mix was forwarded to me the other day. I have no doubt it'll be very good, but I haven't got around to listening to it myself yet, harangued as I have been by domestic duties, such as painting the house, and attending a Linton Aztecs v Aston Villa old boys game in hideously unseasonable freezing conditions. No tracklist for this at the moment, but it's hot off the press; so here's a link.

Some 'Tings

2011-05-14T17:12:00.002Z

I listen to mixes, tons of them, in fact I listen to mixes more than anything else and never fail to be enthused by what I hear. I never really wanted to be in a band; all that endless rehearsing and sound checking to almost certainly play the same stuff night after night with little or no spontaneity. Of course it all depends who you are but when I think about this my mind always goes running back to two gigs from times gone by. The first was Lloyd Cole and The Commotions at The Royal Court in Liverpool in 1985 I think. The second was Sonic Youth on their "Daydream Nation" tour in Kilburn, which must have been in 1988. Anyhow, both gigs were very disappointing due to each band in question playing perfectly flawless sets obviously designed to promote a recently-released album. Sonic Youth in particular were disappointing, I was expecting it from the nervous, fastidious Cole. Sonic Youth were so disappointing that all I really remember from the gig is Mudhoney, who were infinitely better.

So it's a DJs life for me, (hypothetically at least). So much more control, variety and autonomy. With this in mind, here are a few links to some sets I've been listening to recently. Some you'll have already come across, others maybe not.

Seth Troxler's Essential Mix

Has its moments, but could have been better and more up-to-date. Probably recorded a couple of months ago. The mailout that accompanied this has raised a few eyebrows due to Seth seeking recognition for having "mixed it live . . .in one two hour take . . " whatever that means anymore.

Here's the tracklist:

Mirko Loko - I Love Prince Tool (White)
The Mole - T Strings (Unreleased)
Terje Bakke - All Night Long Edit (Unreleased)
The Mole - Laderoke Remix (Unreleased)
DJ Sneak - Delta Trippin’ (a:rpia:r)
Leon - The Power Of Dreams (Viva Music)
Matt John - Hello Again (Unreleased)
DJ Sneak - Delta Trippin (Ricardo Villalobos Lemi Smoke Remix) (a:rpia:r)
Mirko Loko - Butterfly (Unreleased)
Masomenos - Happy Accident (Wtm)
Moodymanc - Black Paint (Larry Heard’s After Dark Mix) (Tsuba Colours)
David K - Baha Road (Unreleased)
Rodriguez Jr. - Orinoco (Claude Monnet Remix) (Unreleased)
Benoit & Sergio - Let Me Count The Ways (Spectral)
Maceo Plex - Fallin’ (Visionquest)
Benoit & Sergio - Everybody (DFA)
Julio Bashmore - Battle For Middle You (PMR Records)
Terry - Time Doesn’t Count (Shaun Reeves And Tale Of Us Remix) (Lowpitch)
4th Measure Men - 4 You (Maya Jane Coles Remix) (Defected)
Alain Ho + Kat Boelskv - Stronger (Unreleased)
Dave Vega - Woes Of Me (feat Seth Troxler) (Exercise One Club Mix) (Exone)
Deniz Kurtel - Make Me Feel (Crosstown Rebels)
Nhar - Innerplace (Perspestiv)
Massimiliano Pagliara - Hypnotic Arpeggio (Playhouse)
Tiga - Gental Giant (Turbo)
Footprintz - Golden Dreams (Reprise) (Visionquest)

Andy Weatherall live at the Electron Festival, Geneva, 21.4.11

I'm about halfway through this as I write and so far so satisfying.

Maceo Plex at IWW, We Are Rebels, Harry Klein, Munich 5.11

Not sure of the precise date for this, I think it's a couple of Fridays ago. It's the whole night so you'll need perseverance. Don't know where Mr Plex pops up. Here's the cast

IWW - We Are Rebels:
MACEO PLEX aka MAETRIK (Crosstown Rebels / Treibstoff, Valencia)
Fabian Kranz (IWW, München)
MAXÂGE (IWW, München)
Sebastian Galvani (IWW, München)
cons-t (IWW, München)

Anyway, into the unknown with this one as I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.

Richy Ahmed's Fabric mix 4.11

Mr Ahmed is a recent addition to the permanently lubricated stable of Hot Natured artists overseen by Jamie Jones and Lee Foss. This set is perfectly in keeping with their sound and, as such, is slightly predictable, but in a very good way.

FACT Mix 240, John Convex.

This one won't be around for much longer, so get on it. Brilliant, especially that Egyptian Lover track.

FACTMix 244, Aardvarck

Aardvarck looks a lot like a few people I used to buy weed off back in the day. Well he is from Holland.

That's all I can be bothered with for now. In any case I've just switched on the telly and Citizen Smith's on. Haven't seen it for at least thirty years. More later in the week. I am excited.

Belated April Chart

2011-05-02T15:09:00.018Z

Thought I'd get this done by the end of deadline day, ie: Saturday. Fortunately reason took over so it's seeped into May. The normal round of releases, not specific tracks. There'll be another one in a couple of weeks.

Armies Of The Night - Manik (Ovum)

Further - Lando Kal (Hotflush)

The Parkhurst - Terrence Dixon (Thema)

Through Motion - Midland (Aus Music)

Motorik Life - Hardrock Striker (Skylax)

Wax 40004

Shots EP - Shenoda (Hypercolour Digital)

Klap Voor Je Backing Vocals - Duijn & amp;Douglas (Feelharmonic)

Like A Circle - Terence:Terry (Landed Records)

Chase's Dream - Agaric & Walker (Dumb Unit)

Sometimes Takes Longer - Burnski (Dessous)

Lime & Pink EP - Wadsworth (One Records)

Dark Song EP - Tale Of Us (Visionquest)

Father, Father - Julio Bashmore feat. Javeon McCarthy (Futureboogie)

Panoramabar 03 Mixed By Prosumer - V/A (Ostgut Ton)

Back From The Brink . . .

2011-05-01T15:21:00.002Z

. . .of never giving a shit ever again. Anyway, here are links to two reviews that were published while I was away. The first is for 'Motorik Life' by Hardrock Striker on Skylax, and the second to Terrence Dixon's 'The Parkhurst EP' on Thema. One last day of the holidays to go, so a chart tomorrow methinks.

The Heat Is On

2011-04-23T19:46:00.001Z

Off on holiday tomorrow so that means no posting for a week. Of course this gives the impression that I'm never off this blog, which is slightly wide of the mark. If I could it would just be a repository for high-quality incisive wit and observation, but one has to be inspired, and I'm mostly knackered.

Anyway, in between righting various reviews, interviews and giving feedback to sundry agencies on the state of the promos they're sending me, I manage to eke my way to the weekend. That's about the size of it I suppose. The promo situation is especially grating. I've just reviewed the current Hardrock Striker release on Skylax which is backed with two versions by DJ Sprinkles, aka Terre Thaemlitz, who also alludes to the promo situation in a recent interview on Mnml Ssgs and takes issue with the use of the word "support" that accompanies various campaigns. It's loaded with deception and bollocks. The ticking of the requisite box of course allows distributors and labels to credit themselves with using your name, even though it's more than likely that said record won't ever go near a set, or at most will be rendered in Ableton where its constituent parts will be atomised and reanimated in another form. Kris Wadsworth recently hit the nail right on the head by declaring himself a "promosexual." I had no idea that the term actually existed and thought that Kris had cleverly coined it. He has adapted it though to define himself as a person who only wants to be targeted by agencies and labels whose music he likes (I think I got that right, can't find his original comment on Facebook). In any case, here's the actual definition.

The weather is definitely looking up in the UK at the moment. It's about 25 outside as I write, far too hot to be walking around unless you've got a good excuse. Rather typically, it's a good 8 degrees cooler in Beziers, where we're going tomorrow. Timing is everything I suppose, so who is going to get it right this year?

The Hot Natured posse can't fail to hit similar heights to those already reached last year, along with kindred spirits, Soul Clap, (who seem to have been the butt of some recent hating, for some reason, I would hazard a guess because of their knack of convincingly ghosting behind a mass of reediting while, to all intents and purposes being astute business men and party animals), and Wolf & Lamb. Audiofly are duo who have been hovering but still really need to make their presence felt. They could start by producing something distinctive I suppose. What depresses me more than anything else I suppose is that so many of the promos I decry as being bland, formulaic sunshine shite have every chance of finding their ways into the sets of DJs I really like and I'm sure that this could be avoided if it weren't for the incredibly incestuous world of electronic music. OK. That's the decadent international party circuit generalised and glossed over. What about the rest? (To be continued).

Anyway, maybe a lot of the bilge being sent my way can be stopped. I'm partly to blame I suppose. I rarely refuse a friend request on Resident Advisor so who's to know what I'm going to be sent, from who and from where. I'm well aware that I sound like a terrible snob saying this but standards are slipping. The diy legacy formulated by punk has gone into overdrive since the advent of the mp3 and digital djing. It's not the format that's the problem of course, but it's ease of use and its a problem. Nowhere more so than on Juno's pages over the last few weeks, where they have started to list digital releases alongside vinyl ones. I may not buy the vinyl, but I still don't want to see it classified against all the digital drivel that is released every single day. Juno is now unviewable when in this state, although it seems to be quite arbitrary. Sometimes it's like that, sometimes not. I'm sure when the Desperate Bicycles started pressing their own product and making their own picture sleeves out of paper bags they never anticipated this.

Anyway, I'm on holiday tomorrow. Next weekend a very late April chart. Have a Happy Easter.

A Couple Of Bits Before A Well-Deserved Break

2011-04-19T17:25:00.002Z

I'm off on holiday from Sunday for a week, and of course I'll be away during the royal wedding. Anyway, I managed to get a couple more reviews out of my system first, so click here for my review of the imminent 'Hot Waves' comp, and here for my review of 'Memories' by Antonio Olivieri on Darkroom Dubs.

Been Touched?

2011-04-15T16:16:00.001Z

Read my badly-received review of the 'Been Touched' EP by Darlyn Vlys for Ibiza Voice here.

Tracklist For Last Weeks Mix

2011-04-09T08:43:00.001Z

Follow this link for the tracklist

You Can't Be Serious!!!?

2011-04-05T18:37:00.002Z

This is pretty depressing stuff. It's difficult to believe that one's watching a pretty well-rounded artist in the shape of Luciano sucking Satan's cock so readily. Having said that, it's really just the final nail in the confirmation of his descent into shite. To his credit Carl Craig looks fed up, he's probably saving his energy for one of the ladies dancing along behind him.

Won't Get Fooled Again Mix: 1.4.11

2011-04-02T17:23:00.003Z

Head over to my Tumblr mix site for my latest effort. It's a much-improved in every way version of what I put up a few weeks back, which has now been consigned to the trash. The tracklist will appear in around a weeks time.