After yesterday’s foray into indie rave pop with St.Etienne (note: they are playing Cambridge the same weekend as Convenanza, unfortunately), here come the combo who perhaps typify blissed out melodies more than most at the beginning of the nineties. The Beloved were embraced by ravers, maybe as part of a comedown ritual. No one’s going to be freaking out to this track, but it would definitely have an effect in the chill out room, and its obvious manifesto of loveliness took the hippy stuff one stage further than most. Anyway, this, and ‘The Sun Rising’ are the two go to Beloved tracks, and still do the business today and every day.
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Track Of The Day: St. Etienne - Nothing Can Stop Us (Heavenly Records)
The third single from their debut album ‘Foxbase Alpha’ way back in 1991, and it’s difficult to imagine a more perfect piece of sun-kissed pop. The genius of this is that it’s all totally about mood. Lyrics are minimal and the melody combines the feel of the first and second summers of love. St. Etienne are finally hanging up their various bits and pieces this year, and are touring to commemorate themselves. I was at Harry Enfield at the Cambridge Corn Exchange last night and happened to notice that they are playing there in August. That should be perfect.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Track Of The Day: MPEG - Bite The Bullet (Threads)
One of those tracks that’s currently blending a groove with trance. The overtones are obvious, but that doesn’t detract from this tune’s richness. Definitely one to elevate the mix to unscaled height. The only downside is that it’s not available as a digital file. Of course it’s the choice of the label to remain vinyl only, but all that does is limit the horizons of the music. Only a few people can own it and Discogs sharks eventually profit from it. I mean I love vinyl, but I’ve never known a scene to innovate whilst being wilfully stuck in the past.
Monday, April 20, 2026
Track Of The Day: Brooks Mosher - Entrenched (Dolly)
Nice track from Brooks Mosher from Dolly’s relatively early days. I used to buy all of the releases, but now I’m satisfied with the digital files, in much the same way as I am to buy 95% of my stuff that way. This track has a nice dissonant energy, underpinned by a propellant beat. E erything is going off in all directions. It’s ace, but really needs to be cranked up.
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Track Of The Day: Crackazat - Shine (Club Mix) (Freerange Records)
This track opens Colin Dale’s most recent Abstract Dance show, which I posted two days ago. And it grabbed me right away. Great jazzy feel, vocals work well and wonderful summer energy. I’m all for escapism these days. Living in the present is it. And although there are certain elements of this track which I could possibly do without, they coalesce brilliantly. Dropped at the right time this will slay the floor.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Track Of The Day: The Desperate Bicycles - Skill (Refill Records)
Throughout their short existence, The Desperate Bicycles were perennial John Peel favourites and this track, ‘Skill’, which had equal billing with ‘Occupied Territory’ on their penultimate release, featured in a session that they did for his show in the summer of 1978. In spite of not owning the record, this is the track by them that I remember the most, mainly because of the slightly dissonant guitar riff that runs through it. I had the’New Cross, New Cross’ release, which is currently going for an exorbitant amount on Discogs. Hearing this track, however, instantly takes me back to listening to my radio between 10-12 on a weekday night, (not Friday when the ‘Rock Show’ was on), it balancing next to my ear, often in total darkness.
Friday, April 17, 2026
Track Of The Day: Ian O'Brien - Dayride (Ferox)
Superior jazz-inflected techno from Ian O’Brien, on Ferox. One of the best labels for as long as it lasted. You can feel the roots of the genre in this one. It’s an undulating flying carpet of machine funk. Machine funk that also crosses over into jazz and house. There’s a real Brazilian feel to the percussion and a great attention to modulated detail. The dynamics are amazing and the sense of eternity implicit. Wondrous stuff.
Colin Dale - Abstrakt Dance Show 16.04.2026
Track List.
Crackazat – Shine
Louie Vega Presents Funki Cadets Featuring Willy Soul - Feelin' Good Tonight (Shapes Mix)
Harry Dennis - Counting Clouds (Rob Redford & Damian Charles Jungle Sounds Mix)
Black Jazz Consortium - A Century Of Love
Piers Kirwan ft Dalena - Kingdom (Sean McCabe Cosmos Dub)
Tevatron - End Of Cycle
N808 - Witches Witch feat Zoe Wavy
Mr. G – Firewater
Dan Ivy ft. Biyi – Location
Jay Robinson – Stroker
Native Alien - Universal Language
Analog 87 - PH3 This Must Be The Place
Techfunkers - You Can't Stop Us Now (B-Boy Mix)
Slok – Roots
Underground Resistance - The Outer Darkness feat. Saul Williams
LAZA - When My Mind Overflows
Loxodrome - Fornax A
Wet Basement - Fill Rate Parte 2
D5 - Sides Of Space
James Shinra - Hive Mind
San Soda – Cocomo
Etcher – Phonetics
SLPWLKR - Self Control Test A
Brooks Mosher - Get Ready ( Fred P. Reshape )
Planet People - Reaktor Theory
You & Me - Close To Me (Robert Hood Remix)
Tim Wright - Oxygen (Abe Duque RMX)
Ian O'Brien - The End of an Era
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