One of two quite similar remixes that J. Saul Kane did around thirty years ago for The Sabres. This one was released along with a version by The Chemical Brothers and still has what it takes. It’s a wonderful, shuffling behemoth of dubbed out idiosyncrasies which segues seemingly disparate syncopation into one linear voyage of analogue heaviness. An interesting and humorous piece with a life of its own; primarily driven by guitar stabs and a throbbing low end. Unique amongst a sea of pretenders from the man that brought you ‘Han Do Jin’.
Monday, November 18, 2024
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Track Of The Day: Leonel Castillo - Stealer (Sushitech Records)
Nothing to see here, just a piece of groovy, funky, dubby minimalism served up for the discerning listener. Sonically very engaging because with tracks like these its all about what may happen rather than what does, and what does is very good. The pulsing vibes and shuffling percussion are perfectly timed so that when certain flourishes clash it feels like there are small explosions going off. Is this dub techno? Of course it is. Crucially it’s a good seven or so minutes long with plenty of swing. The perfect foundation for the mix and mass hysteria. Hypnotic and mesmerising, this is nothing you haven’t heard before, but it is executed with panache and style.
Friday, November 15, 2024
Track Of The Day: Janeret - Scape (Original Mix) (Berg Audio)
A track that’s just been released, ‘Scape’ has all of Janeret’s hallmarks. Deep, driving, hypnotic; something that will hold its own as a highlight as well as adding another crucial layer to the mix. It’s not rocket science os it? He’s hit on a winning formula and if it ain’t broke? Anyway, this might sound like these tracks are a bit predictable. Well, they are. However, when it’s what you come to expect and want, it’s just the ticket. This particular tune feels a little bit faster than some of his other recent productions, so I would pitch it down a little. It’s a keeper though. And, dare I say it, a banger.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Luke's Anger - Corporate Hell EP (Co-Accused Records)
Title: Corporate Hell EP
Artist: Luke's Anger
Label: Co-Accused Records
Cat Number: CR007
Genre: Tracky
A1: Corporate Hell
A2: The Sentinel
B1: UFOh No!
B2: Haffa Bar Jack
I guess the highest compliment I can pay a release like this is that it wouldn’t sound too out of place had it been released on Relief around 30 years ago. And I hope that sounds like the compliment it’s supposed to be, rather than a thinly-veiled comment on a lack of imagination in house music nowadays. Because this is house, rather than techno, even though it wouldn’t be out of place in such a set. ‘Corporate Hell’ is an exuberant piece of four to the floor excellence. It’s energy is palpable and it’s impossible to listen to without smiling. ‘The Sentinel’ is more minimal and goes harder. The rimshots are amazing, as is the farting bottom heavy backdrop. ‘UFOh No!’ is where we cross over from house into techno proper I reckon. The groove is tighter, the hi hats more emphasised, and the funk reeks of insect menace. It jars in the best way possible. And ‘Haffa Bar Jack’ signs us off in a similar way to ‘Corporate Hell’ only everything is amped up and those bonkers noises that Neil Landstrumm used to specialise in have been enlisted to ensure dance floor mania. There are a lot of similar sounding releases to this around at the moment, there have been for a year or two now. However, this is possibly the best I’ve heard. “Superbe”, as they say in France.
Later Version - Create All Next EP (Tartelet)
Title: Create All Next EP
Artist: Later Version
Label: Tartelet
Cat Number: TART054
Genre: Ambient Funk
1: Active Refill
2: Bushy Stunt
3: Wall Push
4: Drifting Pottery
5: College Identity
Described as “dreamy rave escapades” in the press release, this five tracker from Later Version, on the always reliable Tartelet deftly surveys a lot of the cross-pollinated machine funk hinterland, where deep house, in the case of ‘Active Refill’ blends seamlessly into the soaring breaks of ‘Bushy Stunt’, which comes to a grinding halt as it is absorbed by the meticulous beat abstraction of ‘Wall Push’, which acts as the EP’s fulcrum, inasmuch as ‘Drifiting Pottery’ dabbles once more with breaks and ‘College Identity’ stretches the percussion out into a more linear form. It’s quite a skill to pack so much into one release and make it work on so many levels, but Jerod S. Rivera and Daniel Letson manage it with plenty of room to manoeuvre.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Track Of The Day: The Doors - Riders on the Storm (Elektra)
I’ll always have time for The Doors. I might have been alive in the 60s, but has no idea of their existence being far too young. My earliest memories are those of TV, or better still ,TV and football. I can make out one or two episodes of Patrick Troughton’s ‘Dr Who’ through the ether, with everything crystallising in 1970 with the Mexico World Cup, and that immortal final. Somewhere else though, surfing the sine waves, were The Doors. Was Jim Morrison an irritating drunk? Possibly. He was also a star and a great lyricist. The Doors sold a lot of records and, rather like the Beatles, occupied the best of both worlds for a good few years. ‘Riders On The Storm’ is far from being my favourite track of theirs, but it came into my head while on holiday in Turkey recently and lodged itself there. I would have been 7 when this came out I think. And there’s still no escaping it.
Glok/Timothy Clerkin - Alliance (Bytes)
Title: Alliance
Artist: Glok/Timothy Clerkin
Label: Bytes
Cat Number: BYTES30
Genre: Cosmic Chug
01:Empyrean
02: AmigA
03: Nothing Ever
04: Scattered
05: The Witching Hour
06: E-Theme
07: Nothing Ever (Reprise)
The ‘pagan, pre-christian headspace’ referred to in the press for this collaboration between Andy Bell and Timothy Clerkin is something noticeable from the off. That sonic sweet spot being quickly attained on the mordant throb and grind that is ‘Empyrean’; a dark, electronic folk freak out. It’s the off-kilter wonkiness of the horns in the breakdown that does it for me, and then the low drone that sounds like a hurdy-gurdy on steroids. It’s a mood that is thankfully pursued to the end of this conceptual ode to the British countryside turned upside down. ‘AmigA’ with its dominant organ motif which, along with the guitar, harmonic vocals and undulating synths resplendent with high end flourishes coalesces to become a pastoral psychedelic hymn. Words aren’t necessary, you fill in the blanks. ‘Nothing Ever’ is a song though. The vocals rising through the fuzz and smeared ambience to dominate its twisted, cultivated context. This is pre-industrial revolution agrarian rock seen through a twenty first century context. Having to go backward in order to go forward isn’t an uncommon approach. However, the great paradox of this is that is sounds anything but retro, even while it conspicuously wears its influences. So both ‘Scattered’ and ‘The Witching Hour’ carry with it them the residual debris of first generation psychedelic workouts. It feels like happenings were conceived to showcase magical music such as this; portentous and throbbing. The latter lets the 303 loose, adding another dimension and amplifying the disorder which counterintuitively manages to hold itself together. Ushering out the collection with a reprise of ‘Nothing Ever’, which closes on a euphoric note, something that has always co-existed on a parallel level with occultish and hallucinatory traits throughout the entirety of this album developing them into some sort of discofied wall of sound on which multiple personas and worlds co-exist.
Saturday, November 09, 2024
Friday, November 08, 2024
Track Of The Day: King Crimson - Elephant Talk (E.G./Warner Bros)
A bit of an outlier for me this, and a relic of some stoned sessions that went a bit off piste a long time ago. A great track though. Particularly memorable for Robert Fripp’s inventive guitar playing, and Adrien Belew’s lyricism. The people who introduced me to this were friends from the other side of town, both literally and figuratively. We discovered that we had a lot in common. I guess my side was a bit more raw, but it's all about perspective.
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