I remember buying this from Tag Records in Rupert Court many moons ago, It was a regular haunt for me and Mark Collings was as responsible as anyone for emptying my pockets of disposable income. It’s nothing remarkable, but its tribal overtones and wild pitch veneer make it pretty irresistible, One of those to break out as a slightly more interesting functional piece of sonic topsoil.
Paris in the mid 90s was such a fertile bed of creativity and productivity were electronic music was concerned. And in amongst all of the house and filter disco there was also a very strong trip hop scene. Air sort of came along via that, while remains completely unique amongst it all. And this track, with its woozy ambience and cinematic scope feels like an abstract beat venture encased in amber. Frozen in time but still encompassing more than its era. A great track that sort of folds in on itself. Very introspective and made for a non specific headspace, while still having a universal feel. Dopplereffekt stepped up to remix duties, which sort of seals its magnificence.
Dayglo Maradona was Andrew Weatherall and Julian Cope, each of who turn in a version of the same track on this release. It’s Lord Sabre’s remix being featured today though. ‘Rock Section’ being named after the main protagonist of Cope’s awful ‘One Three One’, “A Time-Shifting Gnostic Hooligan Road Novel”. I say awful because up to tied time it’s possibly the worst book I’ve ever read. And saying it needs a good edit isn’t the half of it. Anyway, no such issues with this superior piece of shape-shifting psychedelic chug, that just unravels and unravels, doing its thing in amongst the multitudes. Maybe I need to revisit the novel, after all I did finish it.
Absolutely swatted after running the Cambridge Half Marathon earlier today. So here’s something that’s going to finish me off and see through that slide into oblivion. I have to cook a roast first though so, in for a penny.
Odd to think that Mick Jones’ Big Audio Dynamite was the only post Clash project to emerge with any credibility or lasting legacy. This particular track was huge, and is apparently inspired by the films of Nick Roeg, the verses each reference specific films and the spoken word samples come from ‘Performance’. Anyways, it’s a nice piece of work and takes my back to 1991 when I was at Rutgers University in New Jersey and BAD played an open air gig on the campus, along with The Farm and Downtown Science. Memires are incredibly hazy, but I was definitely there. There is an extended remix of this track ,but it’s not that much longer than the original. So, it’s another one crying out for an edit innit. And why not a future ALFOS classic? Or has it already done its time there?
The Asphodells, aka Andrew Weatherall and Timothy J. Fairplay, pimp ‘200’ by Baris K into some sort of transcendental accompaniment to a parallel universe Turkish Delight ad. This is distilled Convenanza. Understated, layered and mystical. If you’re out and about, stick this on.
This track came out yesterday I think so, as it’s been a while, I made good use of Bandcamp Friday and bought the EP. This is the pick of the bunch because it drives that little bit more and uses bongoes, keys and a subtle spoken phrase to help it along. These motifs are important and underrated. More to the point, Federsen is a great producer and Syncrophone is one of the most vital labels in recognising and releasing underground tunes that span a depth spectrum wider than the Mariana Trench.
Great record win which each separate element seems to be doing its own thing, yet everything falls together. The 303 is probably the dominant element, but the portentous synth swirls heighten the drama and eventually come to dominate just as much. There’s a feeling of collision on this track, between the past and the present. The old and the modern. Adapta was, I think, Bitstream straight outta Northampton Not too far away from where I’m typing these words as the crow flies. Amazing music. When will there be more?
