Machines Are Funky: 23/2/08 with Dyed Soundorom

Last night's playlist. Peruse at your leisure:

Music - DJ Bone (Subject Detroit)
Set to Receive - The Black Dog (Soma)
N-Train - Brendan Moeller (Third Ear)
Sexvibe - Pitto (Arearemote)
Sentimente (Nea Marin remix) - Internullo (Desolat)
Shit Happenz - Jaxson (Hypercolour)
Therapy (Exercise One remix) - Peter Grummich (District of Corruption)
Bombasm Bubble (Bombasm mix) - Dave Brennan (Bombism)
Nobutyeahbutno - Extrawelt (Kompass)

Dyed Soundorom in the mix. Download HERE

Osci - Kate Simko (Spectral Sound)
CDR - Pedro
Enerverende - Federico Molinari (Oslo)
Unknown
Sean - Ben Klock (Klockworks)
The Mission - Dirk Diggler (Resopal)
Protect It - Lauhaus & Chaptal (Remote Area)
God Made Me Funky - MD Express (White)
Sitting in the Sun (Derrick Carter mix) - Dialect (Distance)
Chez Damier(KMS 49)
Track 5 - Giles Smith pres Two Armadillos (Four Twenty)
Twilight in DC - Baltimore Washington Project (Poji Records)
Question - Dyed Soundorom (Freak n' Chic)
Atmospheric Beats - Kerri Chandler (Ibadan)
Serenity - EBE (Soma)


There are links to Dyed's Myspace and Freak n' Chic's in the previous entry. There are also links to Soma's and Funk d' Void's, which brings me around to the competition
question.



I've got two copies of the above cd to give away. (BTW, I don't know why the jpeg has turned blue, it should be brown/beige. To win one of them answer this question.

What is the name of Funkd' Void's first album?

The comp will stay open until my next show on the 8/3. You can send answers to me at corey.paul@209radio.co.uk.


Mark your emails "Funk Competition" and please include all contact details. Alternately, leave a comment on this blog between now and the 8/3. Again leave contact details, plus email address. Good Luck!

A lot going on here over the next week. Girlfriend going into hospital for a few days, all hands on deck. Could anybody expecting feedback please be patient? Cheers.

Machines Are Funky: 23/2/08 with Dyed Soundorom Mix and Competition

This week's show will see the second hour given over to a guest mix by Dyed Soundorom on the occasion of his first release on Parisian label Freak n' Chic. See this bio from, predictably, a press release.

Dyed Soundorom is one of the most exciting young talents to come from the late-90s Paris club scene. 2008 is set to be the year when he goes from a cult underground player to a fully fledged talent on the European dance scene.


At 26, Dyed has been immersed in clubland since the age of 18, when his fascination with Michael Jackson's Thriller and his older brother's mixtapes pulled him headfirst into the world of electronic music. He was a promoter first, making an immediate splash through running the infamous React parties at Les Bains Douches.. Becoming a DJ was a natural extension through his love for the music he heard at React and also at parties like Kwality at Batofar (Dan Ghenacia's residency) in Paris. It was there he met Dan Ghenacia, Shonky and :Terry: - aspiring, inspirational artists with whom Dyed felt an immediate connection. Their free-spirited ethos and passion for deep electronic music coincided with his attitudes and it was the beginning of enduring friendships.


Dyed quickly developed a devoted following of fashionistas, artists and the hippest clubbers in Paris as he played at parties Alcazar and Batofar. London promoters Foreign Muck wooed him over the pond to make his UK debut and since then he's become a fixture at London's best clubs like T-Bar and Fabric; as well as across Europe, including Spain, Italy, Belgium and Germany.

After the success of his 'Mezzanine De L'Alcazar' compilation that Dyed mixed with Chloe, Dan Ghenacia invited Dyed - alongside Shonky - to do a mix for the premier Freak n' Chic Rendez-Vous compilation, released in April 2007. "They're amazing DJs and they've supported me from the beginning," Dan says simply.

In addition, I'll be playing some wonderful stuff myself and there'll be a competition to win two copies of the new "Hi-Fi Sci-Fi Volume 4" mixed by Funk D'Void on Soma. Keep it locked.


Click on the link to listen live tonight from 7-9pm.

Tokyo Shanghai - Shlomi Aber (Ovum)

Title: Tokyo Shanghai
Artist: Shlomi Aber
Label: Ovum
Genre: Messy, Druggy Stuff

Quivery
Tokyo Shanghai

"Quivery" is a competent acid bubbler which, while offering nothing new, at least feels like it means business and will always be a helpful set addition when things start to flag just when they need to be getting more serious. It's a mixing track by any other name, "meat and potatoes intensity" with some nice "tuneful" white noise as a backdrop. "Tokyo Shanghai" uses slightly jarring notes to get things going along with sporadic rattles and echoes to eventually create mass wonkiness, the type that will all make sense in a sweaty back room with cheap lighting and BO (now the smoking ban's in full effect). A solid two tracker with it's heart firmly in hedonism.

BTW, Shlomi? Shite photo . . .

Ed DMX at The Priory

This Thursday local lads The Priory will be welcoming old school stalwart Ed DMX to the Fez. It's the latest in an ongoing series of quality programming for the boys. Ed follows on from Luke Slater last month and precedes the best of the bunch, Andy Weatherall, who'll be gracing the decks on Maundy Thursday thus ensuring a packed house as it'll be the holiday season starting on Good Friday.

Here's a link to an interview with Mr DMX from Richard Brophy's TEST blog. Very interesting . . .

Machines Are Funky: 9/2/08

Here's tonight's playlist:

Technology Gap - Underground Resistance (UR)
Ghipwe (Plasmik remix) - Dadableep (Fear of Flying)
Cihangir (Brennan Green remix) - Wax Poetic (Nublu)
Stalega feat. Cateno - Kreon & Lemos (Resopal Red)
Give and Take - Prosumer & Murat Tepeli (Ostgut Ton)
Annihilating Rhythm - Sascha Dive (Drumpoet Community)
EVP Echoes - The Black Dog (Soma)
Poing Poing - The Donk Boys (Floppy Funk)
Dirty Girlz (DC'S Bonus Pass) - Trademarq (Classic)
Stay (Sei-A remix) - Buset (Fine Art)
Too Many Machines (Argenis Brito remix) - COTK (Auralism)
Lilly Louisa (Hollmar & Ulyssees' Electrikscrewdriver remix) - Sasse & Holmar Filippson (ThugFucker)
Erotic Discourse (Green Velvet edit) - Paul Woolford (20/20 Vision)
Visually Hungry (Arnaud le Texier remix) - Tom Dazing (Heimatmelodie)
The Melody (Carl Craig remix) - Francesco Tristano (Infine)
Quivery - Shlomi Aber (Ovum)
Two Sops in Williamsburg - Alexi Delano (Clink)
Coconut Level One - Liviu Groza (Minimood)

I'm off to France for a week on holiday. Some sounds will go up next weekend when I'm back, and a new mix by the end of the month.

Take it easy

Misc Lenten Offerings

Title: The Path of Least Resistance
Artist: Alexi Delano
Label: Clink
Genre: Funk on a Stick

Criminal Optimist
State of Oblivion
Two Stops in Wiliamsburg

Clever, four-to-the-floor minimalism from veteran scenester Alexi Delano. "Criminal Optimist" is an elastic groove that calls to mind a team of drunken frogs walking a tightrope. They'll get there, but there'll be twists and turns en route. "State of Oblivion" is an urgent shuffler that, aided by the use of some sharp-edged stabs and a concave backing, will find it's way into the bags of most discerning selectors. Finally,. "Two Stops in Williamsburg" is another intelligent groove that falls somewhere in between the tempo of the previous two tracks and uses a funky flange to good effect. All together a package from the darkside from Mr Delano.



Title: Too Many Machines
Artist: COTK
Label: Auralism
Genre: Analogue Stroked Dub Techno

Too Many Machines (original)
Too Many Machines (Franklin de Costa remix)
Too Many Machines (Argenis Brito remix)

Low-key atmospherics from COTK. "Too Many Machines" is, in it's original mix, a dubby affair with robotic vocoders murmuring sinisterly as if in a state of long-awaited evolution. This change of state is further enhanced by the speeding up of the synth, but things implode and collapse back to their original state. The Franklin de Costa remix is an abrupt tour through a twilight demi-world of stark proportions, a useful DJ tool, while Argenis Brito's effort is a cross between the two. An uptempo, but slightly less abrasive, take on the original; minus some of the touches that mark out the original. It is, however, my favourite of the three versions on offer.

Title: Cihangir Remixes
Artist: Wax Poetic
Label: Nublu
Genre: "World" Techno

Cihangir (Brennan Green remix)
Cihangir (DJ 300 Motech remix)
Cihangir (Ghostnote remix)

From the press release:

Cihangir is taken from the recently released Istanbul record by Wax Poetic. It’s the latest incarnation that sees frontman and Nublu founder, Ilhan Ersahin (tenor/keys) hook up with renowned Turkish vocalists and musicians to create their own picture of modern day Turkey – a street-art portrait that is vibrant and current, one that tosses the ‘world music’ misnomer on its head.

An interesting and varied three tracker. Brennan Green's remix is a lazy, jazzy groove that has one imagining a heavy session on the hookah, fugs of smoke being pushed across space by the vaguely bossa-novaish tempo. DJ 3000 has no trouble applying his trademark percussive touches to the Turkish - inflected ambience, hailing as he does, from not too far away in Albania. Ghostnote's (aka Anton Esteban and Alex Posell, the DJs from the esteemed New York underground disco crew, No Ordinary Monkey) remix is one for the warm-up. Atmospheric and clandestine, serious too, hinting at things to come.

A strong package with each interpretation being very useful and individual.

And There's More . . .

As the great Jimmy Cricket once said. Meanwhile, here's a few jottings on some recent releases.

Title: Lilly Louisa
Artist: Holmar Filipsson & Sasse
Label: Thugfucker
Genre: House

Lilly Louisa (Gus Gus remix)
Lilly Louisa (Holmar & Ulysses' Electricscrewdriver remix)
Lilly Louisa (original)

Three versions of the same track. Don't really know what I expected the Gus Gus remix to be like, but it's ordinary and sounds like they really couldn't be bothered. It's a monotonous, modulated groove that has the odd flurry of something else overdubbed on top of it. Nothing to write home about. "Holmar and Ulysses' Electricscrewdriver remix" is more exciting, with a solid kick, squelchy bass and an understated percussive clip-clop that keeps things funky. Some interesting background ambience serves to raise the intensity levels as well. The original mix falls somewhere between the previous two, being closer to Gus Gus' effort, but lacking the funk of the other. A bit of a stomper, but a more interesting stomp than that proposed by Gus Gus. Not up to the standard of Mr Negative though.

Title: Question
Artist: Dyed Soundorom
Label: Freak n' Chic
Genre: House

Infection
Question

Sinister stuff from Soundorom. "Infection" is a sparse groove topped off with a repetitive spoken word sample that effortessly blends in with the prevalent mood. What's that voice saying, "crispy"? Anyway, it's a good track that sems to have more than a touch of the Jamie Jones about it. "Question" initially sounds like an out-take of "Infection" which adds handclaps and some warped noises before the vocal comes in the form of "question" being repeated. Both are good cuts but are a bit too similar to each other to really stand apart.

Title: Lost
Artist: Marc Romboy & Tyree Cooper
Label: Ovum
Genre: Sweat and Strobe

Lost (original)
Lost (Mazi & Duriez remix)
Lost (dub)

Good piece of nagging, but subtle, acid with Cooper's vocal adding occasional emphasis. The original stays true to the game and does the paranoid delusion 'ting very well.
"Mazi and Duriez's remix" opens things out a lot creating space and endowing an already good track with epic proportions. Not as claustraphobic as the original or dub, it offers something different and is the pick of the bunh for me. An all-round strong package.





Title: Custom Made
Artist: Mr G
Label: O Proof
Genre: Peerless Techno

Custom Made (original)
Custom Made (Wink remix)

Mr G could make, and I don't want to cheapen things here, 100 tracks all sounding exactly the same and I'd love them all. So, it makes me very happy to announce that his latest doesn't disappoint. I can't explain how happy I was to find these links in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago. Made everything seem worthwhile. The "Wink remix" does a little bit too much to a classic G groove. It's good, and gives it a nice tribal feel, and ups the intensity levels, but it's the effortless simplicity of the original I prefer.

It's an uncomplicated formula, and didn't a track once come out called "If It Ain't Broke . . ."? 'nuff said.

The return of sound. I'd better get a move on. A little bit of ground to make up so here's four more of the best. Off to Paris next Sunday, so I'll try and post a few more before then.



Jazz Journey (Swag's Night Sight mix) - DJ Assassin (Phono)

DJ Assassin had his moments. This and releases on Cross - Section and Ugly amongst others. This is truly wonderful though. Swag's golden touch being the deciding factor. I couldn't stop playing this when it came out, and now that I've rediscovered it I'm on another binge.



Freaked Out - Charley Brown (Guidance)

A Wiggle favourite. What a great label Guidance was. Wonderful music, great presentation and here's Austin Bascombe aka Abacus, sometime recording artist on Prescription and Balance, and Nigel Hayes, under the Charley Browne moniker. Mid headlining set burner for when the beans kick in.

My Soul, My Spirit (Mr G's Freedom Train mix) - Mike Grant (Moods & Grooves)

One of Colin Mc Bean's many remixes, and it's a belter. The drama is heightened by the strings and the shouting. Great dynamics in this one. It goes like a train. You better believe it. Much more than a one-trick pony. When I grow up, I want a sequencer with a "Mr G Sound" button on it.




Song of Life - Leftfield (Hard Hands)

Does this one really need me to wax lyrical? Thought not.

Ghipwe/Enter the Echo remixes - Dadableep (Fear of Flying)

Read my RA review of Fear of Flying's latest here.

Machines Are Funky: 26/1/08

Got through some good stuff on this week's emission:

A Black Man in Space (Original mix) - Dennis Ferrer (Objektivity)
Soledad - Rodriquez Junior (Leena)
Enter the Echo (Tim Gregor remix) - Dadableep (Fear of Flying)
Mumbling Yeah (Locodice Tribute mix) - Kabale und Liebe feat. Daniel Sanchez (AreaRemote)
Turn Around (Cassy's Smooth mix) - Prosumer & Murat Tepeli (Ostgut Ton)
Supertubos (Matt O' Brien remix) - Plasmik (Connaisseur)
BV Anthem - Brothers Vibe (Deep Vibes)
Infection - Dyed Soundorom (Freak n' Chic)
I Am UR - Underground Resistance (UR)
Letters Reboot (Cadenza)
Custom Made - Mr G (O Proof`)
May I (Quarion remix) - Jamie Lloyd (Future Classic)
Future Bass - Phonogenic (Moodmusic)
Spanish Breakfast - Rone (Infine)
Vertical Smile - Andomat 3000 (Cecille)
Kill Your Radio Station - Underground Resistance (UR)
Radioactive - Paul Woolford/Bobby Peru (20/20 Vision)

Just on case you haven't spotted it, a link to the archive is on the right. It's usually available within 48 hours after being broadcast.

How Deep is your Pond

Here's a mix forwarded to me by Cedric Maison of the excellent Hypercolour label.

Tracklist:

Jay Haze, Big Bully & Sven T - Soul in a bottle
Common Factor - Get down #3
Luna City Express - Venus'
Laurent Garnier - The man with the red face [Svek remix]
Mille, Mr Hirsch - Push you [Lowtec remix]
Jimpster - Seventh wave
Jimpster - Square up [John Tejada remix]
Sebastian Bouchet - Changing Lanes (Jens Bond remix)
Stefan Goldmann - Sleepy hollow
Dennis Ferrer - Son of raw
Two Armadillos - Tropics
Efdemin - Bergwein
MyMy - Fast freeze
The Fix - Anaesthetic

Link here

Sources - Matt Styles

Here's a review I did for RA but they decided they didn't want it. I forgot all about it until today. I've decided to leave it as I wrote it unedited. A bit of a dispute arose over my use of the word "reggae." As far as I'm concerned it may not be Bob Marley or Gregory Isaacs, but there's definitely a reggae feel to the title track, and what's dub if not reggae?

Title: Sources EP
Artist: Matthew Styles
Label: Horizontal
Cat Number:
Genre: Difficult to Pigeonhole House

A: Sources
B1: Double Exposure
B2: 520

Brtschirsch's 'Hook Up' and Villalobos' remix of Innersphere's 'Phunk' are two of the more recent examples of reggaes all-pervading influence and ability to reinvent itself, and now we have 'Sources' from Matthew Styles' new EP on Dinky's Horizontal label. Styles, Crosstown Rebels label boss, Damian Lazarus' right-hand man and dark horse dj here takes his first, tentative steps as a producer. This EP comes out at around the same time as 'We Said Nothing' on Diamonds and Pearls and hot on the heels of 'Lady Judy' on BPitch so are we witnessing a spurt of latent creativity ready to burn out just when we need it most, or the beginnings of a consistent run of critically acclaimed output?

'Sources' is a reggae tune, pure and simple. From the off-kilter gurgles that open it up and sound like they came straight from Lee Perry's lab to the simple but oh so effective bassline that gets overlaid by a more synthesised brittle top end. I feel that this particular twist on house could only have come out of London.However, it's not exactly the type of mash-up that the UK dance scene specialises in. It's much more subtle than that.

'Double Exposure' is more stripped down in its approach and relies on a galloping but restrained bassline to drive it. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's competent and well wrought. It's my least favourite of the three on offer but don't let that put you off. '520' is an altogether more interesting proposition with its sinister feel of isolation and sense of space. It too jogs along merrily but has a feeling probably similar to being lost in a void. It's vaguely Kafkaesque but not quite as oppressive.


An interesting debut from Mr Styles and one that, despite its influences, sounds original and refreshingly eccentric. One that you have to read between the lines.

Infine 2008 & 2009

Infine is a label overseen by French techno titan Agoria. It's seven releases old, numbering Danton Eephrom, Francesco Tristano and Clara Moto amongst it's artists. The end of this month sees Apparat release his second ep for the label, while new artist Rone follows on in February. It's output is always interesting and the EPs released so far have shown variety and originality.

This from their MySpace:

EASY MUSIC 4 HARD TASTE PEOPLE ! International & eclectic music home based in Paris. Created by Agoria, to pulse with love & passion projects from all over the world and different genre. InFiné is open-minded and looking for new way of spreading music for the future!

Here's a few words about those two upcoming releases.

Title: Arcadia
Artist: Apparat
Label: Infine
Cat Number: IF2008
Genre: Floaty Electronica

A: Arcadia (Boyz Noize remix)
B1: Arcadia (Telefon Tel Aviv remix)
B2: Arcadia (Original Video edit)

The "Boyz Noize remix" is a tease. It's very well produced, will, no doubt, do some dancefloor damage but I have two particular issues with it. It's epic length (Radio Slave style 12 minutes and counting) and it's tendency to breakdown every other minute into melodrama, thus ruining any momentum. When it rocks it's a passable homage to all things French, funky and strident, but it's ruined by it's inability to decide what it really wants to do. The "Telefon Tel Aviv remix" is much shorter at just over three and a half minutes and uses the vocal cadences over a much more sluggish beat. It's almost like a lengthened breakdown from the Boyz Noize remix, with the vocal to make it more interesting. Finally the "Original Video edit" comes in. It's very similar to the "Telefon . . ." remix, but twice the length and with slightly tougher beats. All in all an interesting package with reasonable breadth but for me, lacking that extra special something. Will go down very well at the end of the night as that all-important last tune on the trancier floors.

Title: Bora EP
Artist: Rone
Label: Infine
Cat Number: IF2009
Genre: Atmospheric Melancholia

A1: Bora (Original)
A2: Bora (Vocal feat A Damasio)
B1: Flesh
B2: Spanish Breakfast

I really like the original of "Bora." It's just a monologue in French, and I've no idea who's speaking, but it reminds me of the much more monotonous voice in Coctaeu's "Orphee." In any case this is a strong EP that scores high on atmosphere and evokes a certain bittersweet melancholia. It's funny, after praising the variety of Infine this is an EP that presents subtle variations on the same theme, but then it's a good subject to experiment with. The instrumental expands on the vocal by amplifying the drama and ambience. It's trancetastic in a very sophisticated way, breaking down into an acid riff that reminds me of stuff that came out on Rising High a long time ago. "Parasight" by Balil springs to mind. "Spanish Breakfast" is a slightly different animal, being similar in general tone to "Bora" but starker and more wiry. Finally "Flesh" sounds like a cross between Captain Nemo on the Nautilus' organ and breaks, but they're very understated.

Two good eps, that while different, do have common ground. My favourite is Rone's, but Apparat is a comparitive old hand and while his EP isn't quite my thing, it's fair to say that it comes across as an equally sophisticated piece.

New Year Downloads and Machines Playlist: 12/1/07

Machines Playlist: 12/1/08

Here's the first playlist of 2008. Big things a comin' for some of these artists and labels this year.

Glittering Way - Itokim (Fine Art)
An Ill Collage - Bruno Pronsato (Hello, Repeat?)
Walkman - Johnny D (8-Bit)
Mismoplastico (Michal Ho Plastic Planet remix) - Virtualismo (Arcobaleno)
Emancipare - Petre Inspirescu (Arpiar)
Confessions of an English Opium Eater - Danton Eeprom (Infine)
Far Out - Sebo K (Mobilee)
Mind - Toketronic (Clever)
Trancized - Elektrodrei (Ostwind)
Acai - Jay Haze & Guido Schneider (Tuning Spork)
Walkabout - Nick Hogendoorn & Eelke Kleijn (Ork)
Bettfluchthemmung (Martin Czubala remix) - Stefan Tretau (Heimatmelodie)
The Rhythm, The Drum - Wipe the Needle (Deeply Rooted House)
The Road of Life (Quiet Village Sound Factory dub) - Francois K (Deep Space Media)
Glide Over - Miss Fitz (Raum)
Fat Cat - Guilluame & the Coutu Dumonts (Musique Risquee)
Red Coffee - Markus Enichson (Imprime)

So here's the first freebies of what I hope promises to be a great year. I'll also give details, when I can remember, of where I bought the tracks. I lived in record stores for about twenty five years and had some great times in them. I'm using the past tense because try as we might, it'll never be quite the same again.

Subject - Kou (Grass Green)

Old Bush sub-label and home to, amongst others, Terry Francis' and Nathan Coles' "Housey Doings." I'll post them in the future when I've found them. Until then, here's the pick of an obscure three tracker by Kou. Who he? . . .she?

Move My Body (Acid Jesus original mix) - Acid Jesus (Exploding Plastic Inevitable)

I first heard this on Darren Emerson's "Psychotrance" mix a log, long time ago. Originally released on David Holmes' Belfast-based EPI, it's Alter Ego don't y'know? Bought this from RoughTrade in Paris off a Mr Ivan Smagghe.





You Can't Stop the Groove (parts 1-4) - Coco, Steel & Lovebomb (Warp)

Not quite as good as 'Feel It' but not bad all the same. A deadly combination of staccato electronics and a rave diva assure this track's place in peak-time.


Take Me Back - Rhythmatic (Network)

"Electronic music with bleeps." Say no more, but don't forget the sub-bass.




Invisible Force - Industrial Bass Machine (Joey Boy)

Electro with robots on the sleeve, plus vocodered science-fiction ouija board vocals. Miami bass at it's finest. Grabbed at IQ on Lexington Street. I think Mr Dave Mothersole was behind the counter at the time.


The Bone remixes - Persuasion (Open)

Harvey and Hursty at the controls. No info on this, other than it's a remix. I've got Hurstey's copy (still) so it's a white label. Remixes by the original artist as far as I know. An afro-percussive cosmic monster.



El Ritmo de Verdad - Lego (Afterhours)

It's the vocal . . . Spanish over a woozy sax with a slow groove. Once heard never forgotten. Bought at Atlas.


Tech Trax Inc (Xplanatory mix) - Tech Trax Inc (Nu Groove)

First heard this on a Stu Allen show "back in the day." Rheji Burrell at the controls. A manifesto for a new world order with an oriental cyber backing. For some reason this reminds me of the city scenes in "Blade Runner." From Reckless on Berwick Street.



Red 3Tracks/5 Loops - Agent Cooper (Raw Musique)

Looped techno on a mysterious label by a mysterious artist with probably no connection at all to "Twin Peaks." Undulating builders to underpin the mix. I bought this in Paris when I was living there. From Guillame la Tortue's Salinas in Montemarte I think.

Rafi-Ki - Zap Mama (Goodtimes Abroad)

Bit of a weird one, this. Zap Mama are a little bit of everything. Read this from their MySpace page.

"AFRO EUROPEAN MUSIC MARIE DAULNE created the concept " ZAP MAMA " with an acappella group of women . afro-european (post colonial generation; Europe and Africa ) ZAP MAMA started end 1989 , 1990. ffirst album out in 1991. ZAP MAMA is a humanitarian ladies world first."

They need a better translator. Anyway, this comes on like afro house with what I would term almost folky vocals. For some reason I can't get Steeleye Span out of my head when I hear this. I've heard DJ Heather play this on an old Groovetech recording from a WMC gig about five years ago. Other than that it's quite an obscure track. Got this at Black Market.

Machines Are Funky: 29/12/07 with The Fish

This is a very late post because I've been at my Mum's for the last week. I saw Liverpool grind out a championship capitulating 1-1 draw against Wigan, but generally had a good time. Thanks to Kirsteen and Richard for New Year's Eve. More to come very soon. No mp3s this week as promised. Next week . . .

Double-Checked - Sascha Funke (BPitch Control)
Chew the Whale Fat - Le Jockey (Clever)
Root Rot (Shonky dub) - Marc Ashken (Leftroom)
The More Things Change (original) - Tom Demac (Hypercolour)
Rubber Swingo - Rodriguez Jnr (Leena)
You Make Me Struggle - Let's Go Outside (Soma)
In Order to Dance - Guido Schneider & Jens Bond (Upon You)
Arcadia (Telefon Tel Aviv remix) - Apparat (Infine)
Beyond the Dark (Galaxy 2 Galaxy remix) - Raiders of the Lost Arp (Nature)

Mix by The Priory's The Fish:

Sorry. Tracklisting currently unavailable

Last of 2007

I love Christmas me, but there's only so many oysters you can eat, so much Champagne you can drink, before your thoughts turn back to 4/4/ beats. I've been sent a reasonable amount of stuff but, despite featuring it on my show, I never feel I'm giving that much feedback. Here are a few more reviews. Oh, and did I say the same this time last year? Probably. I'm going to revamp the blog this year, although I do have an affection for its rough and ready style. Feeds and all that . .
Here are a few reviews:

Title: Mango
Artist: Sascha Funke
Label: BPitch
Cat Number: BPC167
Genre: Slow-Burning

This is Sascha Funke's second album and it's a collection of bittersweet, melodic, trance-influenced compositions. It's a subtle spread that works well as a collection and is more than the sum of its parts. God knows why he decided to call it mango. It certainly doesn't remind me of fruit, rather an abstract flowering of nebulous proportions. In any case it doesn't have any real highlights which isn't a criticism, merely an observation which serves to exemplify its subtlety. 'Feather' is melancholic chill-out of the highest order while 'Take A Chance With Me' has a sort of suppressed menace that is continued on 'Double-Checked.' These textures echo throughout the album whose distilled essence is one of delicacy and nuance.

Title: A Picnic With The Hunters
Artist: Let's Go Outside
Label: Soma
Cat Number: Soma CD066
Genre: Sleaze Overall

Why am I reminded of dark Victorian streets and abstract shapes and phantoms while listening to this album? There's something here for everyone (and I know how cliched that is) not just over active imaginations like mine. Anyway Stephen Schieberl, aka Let's Go Outside is certainly fertile in the thought dept. Depth charge beats of varying intensity permeate this collection, along with crafty overdubs and sounds with a muted, shifting pitch. 'I Keep On Trying' is a good example of this wonkiness with its bass offset by what sound like processed pan pipes. There's more full-on bits like 'You Make Me Struggle' and 'I'm Sitting Alone' plus the corrupt musings of 'I'll Lick Your Spine' awaiting a rerelease with remixes by Ivan Smagghe and Massi DL. What I like most about this album, though is its use of vocals with no compromise on the instrumentation.



Title: Snap, Crackle and Drop
Artist: V/A
Label: Clever Music
Cat Number: Clever 023
Genre: Coiled Spring Waiting to Bounce

Mark Henning's Clever Music arrives at number 23 with a various artists EP that has funk and drive written all over it. First up is 'Special Brew' by Audio Dependent. This sounds like someone trying to keep a flea circus under control and losing. It's classic striped-down rolling house with a rolling bass that spirals. I like it a lot. 'Mind Funk' by Toketronic has some strange animal chants in the background and beats the drum for solemn tribalism. 'Le Jockey's 'Chew The Whale Fat' makes use of a prominent bass to guide it along. It's more of a mood setter than the previous two and bridges the gap nicely until we have the metronomic pong (as in the worlds first video game, not smell) of Zhao's 'Question.' The EP closes with 'Orange War Party' by Psycoded and Zoe which highlights some nice rimshot-like noises that breakdown into an insistent, synthetic groove. Good, Clever gear.

Title:
Artist: Rodriquez Jnr
Label: Leena
Cat Number:
Genre: Tech-House

Leenas fourth release sees one half of The Youngsters, Rodriquez Jnr take control. Anyway, first off we've got 'Rubber Swingo' which is aptly named as it relies on a prehensile synth line, along with muscular drums, to guide it through the dancefloor undergrowth. There are quite a few tracks out there at the moment utilising a similar technique, the Agaric remix of 'Reduxtion' by Acid Circus being another. 'Soledad' is more atmospheric, and reminds me of a soundtrack to a science fiction film I never made. It's an elegant piece of teched up space-age ambience that gives this double header an edge in the variety stakes.


Tomorrow it's the last show of the year so, as everybody else is busy organising their end of year lists I'm going to buck the trend and rummage around in the vaults for some stuff you may not have heard before. Oh, and the second hour of the show will feature a mix from the Fish from The Priory recorded back in November. The tracklisting will be posted on the 4/1 when I get back from my mum's.

Happy New Year!

Mark Henning at Harry Klein, Munich, 15/12/07

Mr Mark Henning has kindly provided me with links to a mix he did at Munichs Harry Klein club last Saturday. check it out.

Here & Here

I'm playing Le Jockey's Horseplay Records party this Saturday at Cambridges Box Tree. On from 11-12. Hope to see you there.

Beyond the Dark-Raiders of the Lost Arp

Read my RA review of 'Beyond the Dark' by Raiders of then Lost Arp here.

Machines Playlist: 15/12/07 & Damo Download

Damo was the guest on last nights show. I interviewed him during the first half, we started chatting during Dan Ghenacia's 'Garden' and 'Spanish Breakfast' by 320.

Beyond the Dark (DJS2 Los Hermanos remix) - Raiders of the Lost Arp (Nature)
Stars End Tazenda - The Model (Underline)
Garden - Dan Ghenacia (Freak N' Chic)
Flederlaus - Stefan Tretau (Heimatmelodie)
526 - Donnacha Costello (Minimise)
Fieberkurve - Andre Crom (Sender)
Spanish Breakfast - 320 (Infine)
005.1 - Mountain People (Mountain People)
Rugby (No Ton edit) - Matthias Tanzmann (Moon Harbour)
Red Cabaret (2000 & 1 remix) - Onur Oezur (Vakant)

Damo "Cognitive Dissonance" mix


01. The Tuss - Synthacon 9 [Rephlex]
02. Sleepless Crew - Zeros (The Wee DJs Remix 2) - [[unreleased]]
03. The Wee DJs - Cheap Shit [[unreleased]]
04. Volsoc - Easy Edit [Spacebar Sentiments]
05. Cane - Reez [Marguerita]
06. Phase Mojo - @cidic Movements [Pyramid Transmissions]
07. Mystery Artist - Ssiwsk [confined.be]
08. Nymate Association - System Online (C. Mantle Remix) [Subgrade Records]
09. British Murder Boys - Don't Give Way To Fear (Side A) [Counterbalance]
10. Aphex Twin - Isopropophlex [TVT Records]
11. Mescalinum United - We Have Arrived (Aphex Twin TTQ Mix) [R&S Records]
12. Scorn - Gravel Bed [Combat Recordings [unreleased]]
13. Komonazmuk & White Boi - Apocalypse [Combat Recordings]


Here's a direct link to download Damo's mix. I wish I could think of grown-up titles for my mixes. Watch this space.

Download here.

I'm taking a break from posting mp3s until the new year. Some reviews still to come between now and Christmas.

Machines Are Funky: 15/12/07 with Damo

On this weeks show I'll be welcoming Damo back to 209 Towers, he'll be providing an eclectic mix of electro, techno, and dubstep, amongst other things. I'll also be chatting to him about his involvement with Combat Recordings. This is a label he DJs for and has also done their internet radio show "Ammunition" on Pulse Radio, Samurai FM and Play FM too.

I'll also be playing some stuff myself from, amongst others, Raiders of the Lost Arp, Andre Crom, The Model, Dan Ghenacia and Stefan Tretau.


Machines Are Funky: 105FM in Cambridge 7-9pm GMT

209Radio.co.uk

Click on radio link to get the show.

Some Bits and Pieces

Flederlaus EP - Stefan Tretau (Heimatmelodie006)

Flederlaus
Bettfluchthemmung
Bettfluchthemmung (Martin Czubala remix)
Reiner Modern
Camille

Stefan Tretau debuts on Andre Crom's Heimatmelodie label with an accomplished four tracker. 'Flederlaus' skanks along with off-kilter synth stabs breaking the metronimic backing track and a spoken word saying "I don't need this shit". 'Bettfluchthemmung' comes in original and Martin Czubala mixes. The original is a dank, threat-filled journey through the darkside which, for some reason, reminds me of The Italoboyz. Martin Czubala's remix injects some funk into the proceedings and bounces along with Plastikmanish percussion. I prefer it to the two versions on offer, there is a muggy, pressurised feel to both though. 'Reiner Modern' offers something a little different to the rest of the EP, its more in-your-face and rawer and made for those dry ice moments. Nothing like a few contrasting loops going on to drive the dancefloor crazy. 'Camille' is a digital-release only track that, although it's described as a dj tool on the press release, still has more than enough subtlety to maintain interest.



Kardio EP - Andre Krom (Sender)

Adrenalin
Reha
Endorphin
Fieberkurve

A polished and variety-packed release from Andre Crom. 'Adrenalin' is full of insect menace, and comes on like the bugs out of Starship Troopers in a disorderly phalanx ready for battle. 'Reha' jacks along nicely like what Chicago house would sound like if it had continued to evolve and not got stuck in a rut. 'Endorphin' has a concave feel to it that culminates in a regimental acid hoedown. 'Fieberkurve' with its playful sounding beats uses a muffled vocal sample that, along with Akufen-like stabs repetitively morphs into what sounds like manic laughter. The EP is an exemplary piece of robotic funk with four very playable tracks that could each find their way into most sets when the time is right.

Foundation - The Model (Underline)

Aglomerarea Lemur
Terminus Interlude
Priests of Anacron
Constant Expansion
Stars End Tazenda

This EP comes slow on the heels of last years 'Prelude to Foundation' which I found to be quite a competent piece of work. The titles allude to some sort of science fiction parallel world and there's more than a hint of the cosmic about this ep. 'Terminus Interlude' reminds me of Model 500 while 'Aglomerarea Lemur' relies on a loping bassline to drive it. Without going into exhaustive detail this is a strong release that shows a conceptual approach and a breadth of versatility. 'Priests of Anacron' is a lovely, wistful bouncer that pops and bursts when you least expect it. 'Constant Expansion' has a nice kick and a wiry build while 'Stars End Tazenda' hits the right notes with its medieval cadences. Space music of the highest order from Underline.

The Garden EP - Dan Ghenacia (Freak n' Chic)

Cycle
Garden

Freak n' Chic label boss Dan Ghenacia returns to recording action with this January-bound two tracker. 'Cycle' doesn't do enough for me to keep things interesting. It's a solid enough workout but lacks variety, a good piece of functional mixing gear though. 'Garden' is more appealing and sounds like a more confident piece. It strolls along and has a nice throb to it. It reminds me of something but I can't for the life of me remember what.
'Garden' saunters along while 'Cycle' is more hesitant. Two sides of the same coin. A good release, but one track is visibly more appealing than the other to moi.



Reduxtion EP - Acid Circus (Droid Behaviour)

Reduxtion
Reduxtion (Agaric remix)
Unkle Jak
Uncle Jak (Audio Injection 1/2 Weird remix)

'Reduxtion' on its original form is a quirky, funky little beast with an off key melody and a skippiness that reminds me of speed garage. The Agaric remix is an altogether different propostion, taking things deeper and darker, but what I really like about it is are the background effects, that rush in and out and sound like someone tunefully screaming as they're being strangled by violin strings. Played loud this rocks. Unkle Jak is, inevitably, a Chicago influenced belter that gallops along and has some disembodied voices (I love 'em) sinisterly moaning intermittently in the mix. Audio Injection's mix is a bit sparser than the original, but has all funk elements intact.



Baby Moon - Itokim (Fine Art)

Baby Moon
Glittering Way

After the success of Basic Unit's 'Fedass' EP, Fine Art look to the east, Japan specifically, to consolidate their success. 'Baby Moon' is a deep, warm, analogous composition that begs to be played on a big system, having said that it's just as likely to make you curl up in a crepuscular ball as make you dance. 'Glittering Way' is a subtle percussive journey lit up along the way by lightness-of-touch synth stabs. A sophisticated release which, for me at least, reminds me of some of Ferox's more melodic moments.

The More Things Change EP - Tom Demac (Hypercolour)

The Clock (Live)
The More Things Change (original)
The More Things Change (Agnes Cardiff Headz remix)
The More Things Change (Agnes Wales Beatdown Reshake)

The live version of 'The Clock' really is hyperkinetic techno of the highest order. A keen ear for squelching that doesn't sound a million miles away from early Daft Punk lays a foundation for grooviness that drives things along nicely. 'The More Things Change' comes in three different versions, (quite why Agnes chose to christen his efforts the way he did is anyone's guess). The original is a restrained moody journey and while it simmers with a brooding intensity, is very different in tone from 'The Clock.' Agnes' 'Cardiff Headz remix' takes things down a notch, retaining the depth of the original but dispensing with the simmering intensity to drift off on a highway of analogue warmth. His 'Cardiff Beatdown Reshake' (what happend, did he bump into Craig Bellamy during a Wetherspoon's happy hour?) is a housier take on the tune which bumps along accompanied on its way by well-chosen squelches and some interesting background orchestral samples cunningly phased to make this a jack track that sounds just that little bit more menacing. Strong release from Hypercolour. All the bits are worth your time.