Merry Christmas.

So I'm off on holiday.
Going to see Damian Lazarus tomorrow night as well on route in Tokyo which I am pysched about.

Big Merry Christmas from Asian vump. land.
Until 2008.

Nathan Fake Silent Night

2007.

OK so top musical moments from the last 12 months. I didn't really know how to even start working out which tracks I like the most but have trawled my brain and more usefully my computer so here it is.


Top 5 tracks.
So in reserve order. Burial Untrue is beautifully sad. Sonntag is two years old but I loved this soulful bleeper all year. Matthew Dear's off beat narrative is sexy and too catchy.
And so number 2, Shebag. No-one can argue with how good Chromophobia was. I have had many arguments about Shebang being the best track from it though. Wait for the break. It cannot be beaten. And number one, best track of 2007 is a ridiculous Hot Chip remix. They've put out so many incredible and pretty varied remixes this year and this uses the celestial vocal from Chungking's lead singer Jessie Banks. This song cannot not affect you.

1. Chungking Voodoo [Hot Chip remix] [buy]
2. Gui Borrato Shebang [buy]
3. Matthew Dear Don and Sherri [click for M.A.N.D.Y.'s remix] [buy]
4. Robert Babicz Sonntag (out in 2005, but couldn't be anymore 2007, for me anyway) [buy]
5. Burial Untrue [buy]




Top 3 Tech.no.
Minimal made sense in Ibiza. No question. The Gui and Robert Babicz tracks above will forever take me back to the villa parties. The Konrad Black remix, Pier Bucci and Lucio Aquilina track will take me back to the Monza. That and Samim.

1. Snax Honeymoon Over [Konrad Black remix] [buy]
2. Pier Bucci Hey Consuelo [buy]
3. Lucio Acquilina Magic M [buy]




Top 3 Tech.yes.
Those untasteful all out brain bangers!

1. Dusty Kid The Kitten [buy]
2. Unique 3 The Theme Rhythamtic remix] [buy]
3. Meat Katie & D Ramirez ft Odissi Stop The Revolution [Jamie Mchugh remix] [buy]




Top 5 House tracks.
From deep to techy and back to jackin'. Paul Woolford I love (Basics til I die). Also fell in love with Jesse Rose's (a-hem) fidgit house - his spliced up funk vocals are naiiiice. Trentemoller is trentemoller. "Constantly thinking about you. And I can't get through this at all". Shackleton is filth. And that Robosonic track (actually a end of 2006 track) has a wicked vocal. There were many more.

1. Paul Woolford Lies [buy]
2. Robosonic Yasmin [buy]
3. Trentemoller Moan [Trentemoller remix] [buy] [video]
4. Jesse Rose A Sided [buy]
5. Shackleton ft Jackon Del Ray Next to Nothing [Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts mix] [buy]




New wave nonsense Top 4 .
Love the Dragonette vocal and Felix Cartel's grit. Kissy's synth lines blew everyone away. Hadouken! are loud. And for pure comedy value Trash Fashion. Special because I have two mates called Dave and because one of the Dave's broke on the stage and on to the mic at Dogtooth when Trash Fashion were breaking out that track. It was a r***.

1. Dragonette Take It Like a Man [Felix Cartel remix] [buy]
2. Kissy Sell Out Harriet [Kissy's Special Annie Mac edit] [buy]
3. Hadouken! That Boy That Girl [buy]
4. Trash Fashion It's a Rave Dave [buy]




Top 3 Credible Robot Thoughts DJ tracks.
From our DJ sets from the first half of 2007. Baltimoroder's filthy remix, Fiest's perfect vocal got sampled heavily, and The Cure's F.I.R.E.I.N.C.A.I...R...Oh.

1. Fiest My Mooan My Man [Boys Noize remix] [buy]
2. Alter Ego v Lil Keke Ghost Musick [Baltimoroder remix] [buy]
3. The Cure Fire In Cairo [Digitalism remix] [buy]

Tokyo. November.

* Nathan Fake @ Taico Club, Womb (22nd November 2007)

Back to Womb to catch Nathan Fake. For some reason Womb were having trouble with their licensing so the gig was on early with the whole night shutting at 1. A Japanese DJ was playing some nice-enough minimal tracks before Nathan but as soon as he came on he up'd the tempo. I didn't know what to expect from him. Well actually I didn't get what I expected from him. I thought playing a live set he would be welding trippy soundscape into trippy soundscape. Like this live showcase that was recorded for the BBC. [Video with some incredible live visuals].

I actually went to see him at Bestival '06 but he was playingthe more stripped down beats in the circus big top and the sound got lost a bit. Plus I didn't have the patience to get into it. That and we found the 'Gulity Pleasures' hidden secret disco (down a tunnel from inside the Big Top) at the same time. That was a spiritual moment. So anyway, Tokyo and the bass and the beats.

He popped up pressed a key on his laptop and released an hour of relentless beats. It was all more dancable. Its hard to describe the sound he was producing and do it justice. He really is just a master of the digital live show and it was incredible to watch someone who truly exploits the potential of laptop mixing in such a banging fashion. He played for an hour and bar one massive spacey break down near the end of the set it was intensely rolling chaotic bassy beats chopping and changing, filtered and cut in and out. He could be signed to Warp. It feels like it has a strong AFX influence. It was pity the gig was early as I imagine a lot of people missed it but his live show is definitely highly recommended.

All in all it was kind of like...
Remy & Roland Klinkenberg Scrambled [Nathan Fake remix] [buy]
(Addictive 2004)
Just louder, harder and more relentless, for an hour.

If you've never heard Nathan Fake listen to the now seminal.
Nathan Fake The Sky Was Pink [James Holden remix] [buy]



* Maetrik @ Treibstoff records night, Colors / Danny Howells @ Womb. (23rd November 2007)

So went to check out Danny Howells at Womb the next night hoping the license problem was just a weekday thing. It wasn't which sucked, but when we turned up the bouncer took us to one side and told us to come back at 5 in the morning, when they would open up the main room. So we headed to check out Maetrik play at Colors which turned out to be a sick little club. 3 floors underground in what looked like a regular apartment block. Low ceilings, a typically good Japanese soundsystem and a lot of refined in-the-know Japanese clubbers. The soundtrack was deadpan techno, with Materik the showcase.

Come 5 and Colors shutting up shop, we headed back to Womb. Ushered in quickly off the street outside Womb the place was fairly quiet, people-wise, but Danny had taken to the decks and was moving Tokyo's Friday night leftovers. It was a funny scene. Danny predictabley played electronica and progressive (sometimes techy) house. The only track I remember being played was a track I put up on this blog about two weeks before the gig. Its off a 3 year old Kompact album. Superpitcher Baby's on Fire.

At the time I thought this way incredible. The chances are fairly slim. At the time I was also standing next to the decks (trying to take press photos with a camera I had dropped and broken about 4 hour before) so thought I would have a word with Danny. I bounced up behind the decks to try and tell before he took the record off, but as I did one of the Japanese promoting staff went apeshit. I didn't understand her. She just didn't understand the importance of the situation! It was getting late in the day.

Rub n Tug.

The Rub n Tug Fabric installment wasn't an immediate hit with me. It took a few listen to really get in to. But ever since I did get into it it has been one of my favourites. Its a beardy New York trip through very housey house music. Its kind of epic in a solid every track is solid type of way. Its got a good acid house feel as well. RnT reference music from across the board, from 60s rock n roll to housed out hip-hop numbers in their mixes and production. Renowned for throwing all night New York parties they love to get stuck into playing long long sets playing their full music collection. Although I've never seen them DJ live (would love to) their sick eclectic tastes are obvious in what they've recorded. Check.

David Glimour Crack House Warning Party [Rub n Tug remix]
Chicago Transit Authority I'm A Man [Rub n Tug remix]
Sly Mongoose Snakes and Ladder [Rub n Tug remix]

I really like this track off their Fabric CD [buy].
Dondolo Dragon [Shit Robot 'Breathing Fire' remix]*
(Tiny Sticks 2006)
*ripped from the mix

Lucio Aquilina.

Finally this beautiful track has been released. Fresh out on Cocoon. The melody is so light and sounds kind of like a music box with a big building twitchy bass line. This is going to be very big.

Lucio Acquilina Magic M*
(Cocoon 11/2007)
*160kbps [buy uncompressed]
Highly Recommended

Modeselektor.

So just getting in to the Modeselektor album Happy Birthday. Put out in September on Bpitch Control.

Feeling two big tracks from it right now.

Micro-skitso rumbling tech-hop track!
Modeselektor The Dark Side of The Sun [Instrumental]
Theres a lyric from Puppetmastaz on the original.

And relentless tech-house affair Sucker Pin. Check the bam-bam-bam stab.
Modeselektor Sucker Pin
[Buy uncompressed]

Banging.

OK so enough of the wierdy leftfield oddities. Check this banging 20 minute mix from the Broken Hookers. It is without a doubt the best mix I've heard in ageeeeeeeeeeeeees. Properly banging. Some nice old school references. Donna Summer and Curtis McClaine thrown in. And lots and lots of bass.

I ripped the mix from ArePeopleReal 21. I put a post up about the Broken Hookers APR podcast before. They put together an incredible fortnightly podcast with a mix from themselves and a guest together with loads of other gems.

ArePeopleReal. 21. Broken Hookers mix.
[Get the full show from iTunes]

1. Curses! This Is The Way [Drop The Lime Mix]
2. Envelopes Smoke In The Desert [Yuksek Remix]
3. In Flagranti Affective Placebo Effect
4. Colder To The Music (Optimo Remix)
5. Donna Summer I Feel Love
6. Surkin Kiss N Fly
7. Eurythmics Love Is A Stranger
8. Curtis McClaine Let's Get Busy
9. Alter Ego Why Not? (Joakim Remix)
10. Trevor Loveys & Sinden The Crossing


If you prefer your beats a bit more on the minimal side check this mix from Allez Allez curator Steve Nolan. Allez Allez are responsible for the Wednesday Kompakt nights at Plastic People, who have seen, among others, Gui Boratto (I was there!!) and SuperMayer grace the decks/plug in their laptops. This mix was done for french blog site Get The Curse which puts out regular podcasts.

Get into this minimally groove driven mix. Edgy, dark and anx-ridden. Lush, warm and accommodating. It breaks down really nicely towards the end.

Get The Curse. Allez Allez. Steve Nolan mix.
[right click and save link]

1. Reclick Agrofunk (8bit)
2. Christian Linder Stay Sharp (RZ Records)
3. Louderbach Grace / Anxiety (Underl_ne)
4. Gel Abril Very Wrong (Be As One)
5. Jichael Mackson The Grass Is Always Greener (Musique Risquée)
6. Kollektiv Turmstrasse Tristesse (Connaisseur Recordings)
7. Barrientos & Corrado No PC (Platform B)
8. Sarah Goldfarb DJ Is Not A Machine (Curle)
9. Richard Belsom Rhythm / Scrap remix (Jack Digitals)
10. Lindstrom Blast Of Loser (Feedelity)
11. Argy 1985 (Liebe*Detail)
12. Hardfloor The Life We Choose (Hardfloor)
13. The Sun God Ancient Echoes / A Tribute To Larry Heard (Klang Elektronik)

Look out for an Allez Allez night near you.

Cylob.

Another strange electronica and veteran Warp artist here - Cylob. All encompassing fetal melodies. From the album Cylobian Sunset. You need big headphones for this.

Cylob Foid
(Rephlex 1996)



Next post will be banging.

Acid.

Luke Vibert I Love Acid
(Warp 2003)

Been a bit obsessed with Luke Vibert since I saw this video. He's part of Warp and also signed to Ninja Tunes which he release his more Ninja-esque output on under the name of Wagon Christ.

Found this remix of soul singer James Lidell. Liking when the bass kicks on this.
James Lidell A Little Bit More [Luke Vibert remix]

Also check the surrealist video for his mellow Wagon Christ track 'I'm Singing' and the trippy robot adventure video for his Luke Vibert track 'Receiver'.

Boy 8-bit. On Fire.

I LOVE BOY 8-BIT! This was going to be a post about Devil's Gun who he remixed at the back end of the the summer, but then I realised their sound is just boring 90s big beat and that I was in love with Boy 8-bit. So instead heres a post dedicated to Boy 8-bit's most recent output.

Devil's Gun Gold Dust [Boy 8-bit remix]

He's also put out an unofficial remix of a track off Burial's new album. Not massively altered, but just beefed up to play in a club.

Burial Archangel [Boy 8-bit simple remix]

And then there is THIS.
I just found this on his Myspace. Now I've heard this in a club somewhere, sometime I'm sure. Check this. This is sick funk.

Human Leauge / Jodeci Baltimore * The Things That Freaks Are Made of [Boy 8-bit mashup]
* Not totally clear that is what the track is called.

And another absolutely banger. Racing high end Kissy synth line and chopped up vocals.

Pomofomo Back At The Club [Boy 8-bit remix]

Robot For Brains.

Simple dubby funky electronica. Not quite so sure about the lyric.

Robot For Brains Spacefunk

Satanic Bass.

Rolling pagan drums and a dark self-deprecating vocal.

Shackleton and Jackson Del Rey Next to Nothing [Guillame and the Cotu Dumont remix] [Buy]
(Crosstown Rebels 07/2007)

And still I'm next to nothing.

Tech.Yes.

This track is still putting a MASSIVE smile on my face. Its absolutely ridiculous no-holds-barred techno. To get the most of this track find the biggest speakers possible, crawl inside them and crank up the amp to 11. Its probably a good idea to have a spotter as well, just in case your brain implodes. Expected a deranged inexplicable euphoria as Dusty Kid strangles The Kitten.

Dusty Kid The Kitten*
(Southern Fried 08/2007)

A second, fairly self explanatory outing.
Dusty Kid Constantly Rising*
(Python Records 04/2007)

Check Dusty Kid's myspace for some of his new, more refined cuts.
*Buy uncompressed.

vump.

[detroit] through and through.

Umbrella.

Check this cover of last season's pop sensation Rhianna's 'Umbrella'. Finally got hold of this track from Chuck on our sister blog Plastic Cowboys. Comes courtesy of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool.

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool Umbrella

Still Loving.

Roman True Love Owe Us Shit [So In La With You remix]