Disco Fabric.

I've got my hands the new Fabric 43 CD. Its the disco edition with US-born and raised Metro Area taking the reigns. Taking a slice of their favourite and rarest disco tracks they've put together something really special. If you're a fan of the the lush funky sounds that have been sweeping dancefloors worldwide all year get your hands on this definitive selection. Its been on repeat for 3 weeks day time and late night! It's out next week.

The Disco Four Move to the Groove [Instrumental] buy [zsh]
Plez I Can't Stop [Acid Rainforest Mix] buy [zsh]

If you like these sounds you should try and get your hands on the RA 114 by Aeroplane.

Deadbeat Dub.

I bought the new Deadbeat EP 'Roots and Wire' yesterday. The feeling is all dub, from straight up dancehall reggae to earth-moving tribal techno. Its out on Wagon Repair. Strong, deep, weighty sounds. Requires good quality sound reproduction. He's playing Fabric in November.

Deadbeat ft Paul St Hilaire Babylon Correction buy [zsh]
Big congo drum reggae.

Deadbeat Grounation [Berghian Drum Jack] buy [zsh]
Industrial power station techno.

Tim G & Steinberg

OK so two of my favourite producers right now are killing it. Following the huge success of Justin Martin's remix of 'Revox' and the chatty underground minimal bleeper hit 'Mr Dry' - check the end of my last mix - Tim G has released an assured big room record on Renaissance. The grooves that his tracks drop into are so strong. I saw him DJ at 54 Commercial Street a month or two ago and his set most of which was recognisably his own production was awesome. Catch him all over London and Berlin right now.

Tim G Creature buy [zsh]

Next Daniel Steinberg who has a totally pared down jacking sound has just released a sick new track. I posted up the dirty Mexican release 'Cobra Limbos' at the start of August which has been a big party hit. His tracks and this track here is more bumpty electronica than anything. I like the little monologue and groove. Bumpty Bumpty. He's in Manchester on Friday.

Daniel Steinberg Opening Close buy [zsh]

vump.

through and through.

Good Times.

Slam City Destroyer [Part 1] [buy] zsh
Good times techno. I love Slam.

Spencer Parker Chiho [Jerome Sydenham remix] [buy] zsh
Good times tech-house. Courtesy of Buzzin' Fly. The banging Jerome Sydenha mix.

vump.

through and through.

vump. volume 6.

vump. volume 6.
size.

House and Techno.

Swayzak w Benjamin Zephaniah Illegal [Bigga Bush version]
Lephtee So Far Back [The Nova Dream Sequence Remix]
Shonky Tuesday Paranoia [Dub mix]
Portable Albatros
The Martin Brothers Rocket Surgery
Mark August 3 of A Kind
Audiojack Japan 4
Decimal Automath
Underworld Dark & Long
2020 Soundsystem Pyscho [Burnski remix]
Daniel Steinberg Cobra Limbos
Tim Green Mr Dry

Roots.

Artic Monkey's Matt Helder remixes the first single from Roots Manuva's new album.
Roots Mauva Again & Again [Matt Helder remix] buy [zsh]

Lush.

This tin whistle isn't in a hurry to get anywhere. Nice when it breaks.
Holz Mein Block in the Sea buy [zsh]

Pacier. Rushing synths and chugging beats.
Luke Solomon Demons [Brennan Green remix] buy [zsh]

Nathan Fake back in June.

through and through.

Aeroplane.

Aeroplane have done this weeks RA podcast. I chopped out their remix of The Shortwave Set track 'Now Til 69'. The whole mix is wicked lush spacey house and really really loving this track.

The Shortwave Set Now Til 69 [Aeroplane remix] zsh

The latest four RA mixes are always feed into the vump side bar on the right at the bottom.

Oppressive.

There's some hanging in the air over East London tonight. A sullen apocalyptic feeling. Really bright flashes on the horizon. God knows what they are. Its hot, muggy and dark and lots of people on the street. The tramps were threatening Tesco Metro. Mass anxiety.

With tension in mind this Soma track is all bass and too many beats. Urgent with fractured melodies. Unsettled but ultimately warm.

Harvey McKay Xiphoid [buy] zsh

The Model.

Check out Fink's take on Kraftwerk's classic 'Das Model'.
Fink The Model [buy] zsh
Kraftkwerk The Model zsh


It feels much better in German.

Pat Pong.

For someone who has been known to make psy-trance I actually really like this track.
Pest Pat Pong [Solid Groove remix] [buy] zsh

Wink.

Alex Kidd Don't Hide It [Wink's Acid Pussy Interpretation] [buy] zsh

fəˈhiːtə.

Daniel Steinberg Cobra Limbos zsh

Win Fabric Tickets.

To celebrate getting back into vump. I've got hold of a pair of tickets to give away for next Saturday's Fabric which includes a rather silly array of stella DJs.

Room 1 see Sebo K and Rekid-head Radio Slave line up with resident Craig Richards. Room 2 hosts the electronic music stalwarts of Andrew Weatherall, Terry Francis and Optimo. And in room 3 Leeds head Tristan Da Cunha goes head to head with Greg Wilson. INTENSE!

Radio Slave Bell Clap Dance [Sebo K remix] zsh
Fred Everything Huggin & Kissin [Greg Wilson edit] zsh

To win tickets all you have to do is email vumpme@googlemail.com with the answer to the follwing question. Which DJ in that line-up has put out the latest 2020vision mix? Shouldn't be too challenging. First person to email gets a prize!

Dub.

I have rediscovered some of my old dub albums. I wouldn't like to pretend to be any expert on dub but it does sound good in the sunshine. The 'Studio One Dub' album is a favourite. Dubs versions of some of the seminal reggae label's back catalogue.

Dub Specialist Bionic Dub zsh
Dub Specialist Chase Them Version zsh

Another dub (cross over) album I really like is Sonar Kolletiv's 'More Dub Infusions'.

Rhythm & Sound with Cornell Campbell King in my Empire zsh

Hiatus.

vump. is back! apologies for the hiatus! Since March my live musical highlights have included Ralph Lawson at Basics, Matthew Dear at the Institute of Contemporary Art and Nathan Fake rocking the Star of Bethnal Green. I've also been on a pretty uncontrolable beatport spending binge of late so loads of intensly good music!

To celebrate the reinstatement of regular posting I've got seven days of vump posts of quite biblical proportions. They will include an exclusive face-to-face interview with Simian Mobile Disco, a new vump. mix, a review of some the best new podcasts, some summer dub, german techno, english house and a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Andrew Weatheral, Radio Slave, Sebo K and Greg Wilson at Fabric in next weekend.

vump.

through and through.

Breaking.

Slightly between jobs, cities and flats with no internet at the moment but have lots of music to post up and will do very soon.

Podcast. 2020 Soundsystem.

The Yorkshire based deep house label 2020 Vision founded by Basics resident Ralph Lawson is (as you may have noticed) a favourite imprint of mine. They represent what British deep house is. Evolving, jacking and emotive, groove-driven, soulful dance music. From rich, organic and melodic textures to brain blagging digital nonsense. From the Basics heavyweights of Ralph Lawson and Paul Woolford to bass chugging Burnski, Ralph's live show 2020Soundsystem and the digitally jacking Audio....jack. The podcast is 22 episodes old right now and features a selection of live and studio mixes from 2020 artists. I checked it out a few weeks ago before going to to see Paul Woolford in Tokyo and loved the Simon Baker episode 21 mix. Paul Woolford who released his new album 'The Truth' a couple of weeks ago rocked Womb and has subsequently posted that live mix as the new episode. Slightly creamed myself!

So the Simon Baker (#21) march episode is an expertly mixed developing work out. A definitive deep house mix. Check this sample from the 45 minute mark.
2020#21 Simon Baker sample zsh


Wooly blew the crowd in Womb away so if you are hearing the hype around his new album and want to hear what this veteran DJ has to offer definitely check out the mix. The sample below is from the start of the recording just as Wooly was starting to up the ante!
2020#22 Paul Woolford live @ Womb, Tokyo sample zsh


Crack open iTunes and subscribe or sign up on the 2020 Vision website and download the full mixes from there.

Zabiela.

I first saw James Zabiela in the grounds of Lord Lichfield's Shugborough Hall at a Renaissance party back in 2004. It was just when he was hitting the scene being championed by Sasha as the next big thing. You could feel his unique talent standing in a 5000 person tent watching him scratch trance tracks on CDJs into his progressive house and breaks set. The soundsystem wasn't great as well or at least had had its volume cut because of licensing and sound complaints from the villages surrounding, but still you could hear that this was something different and special.

I found this old live set on my computer. Its well worth listening to. A true master of Pioneer CD decks and FXs.
James Zabiela live @ Monkey Business, Oslo
11.12.2004

01. Aphex Twin Windowlicker [Kreice Remix]
02. ?
03. Michael Gray The Weekend [Nic Fanciulli Mix]
04. Darko Pinx
05. Bizarre Groove Weightless World [EK Remix]
06. Chable & Fernandez Before You Beat My Box
07. The Prodigy Poison [JZ Edit]
08. Chable & Fernandez Before You Beat My Box
09. Lee Coombs Breakfast of Champions
10. Nicolas Vallee Theme From Silvertone [Black Jack]

Banging.

This blog house banger has been putting a massive smile on my face.
The Presets My People [D.I.M. remix] zsh

And I also LOVE this 20:20 track from Leeds boys Audiojack. Nicely jacking. The track takes centre place in my vv05 mix.
Audiojack Ameoba [buy] zsh

Shonky.

Parisian techno stalwart Shonky breathes some digital filth.
Shonky Olympia [buy] zsh

vump. volume 5.

vump. volume 5.
size.

Rotten.

1. Poxymusic War Paint [Claude Vonstroke remix]
2. Jamie Jones Amazon
3. Josh Wink Swirl
4. Fong Are You Lost?
5. Popof Alcoolic [Matt Tolfrey & Inexec’s Priorites mix]
6. Style of Eye Fick
7. Audiojack Ameoba
8. Dennis Ferrer Son of Raw [Loco Dice remix]
9. Jamie Jones Harajuku
10. Q Lazarus Goodbye Horses [Krikor edit]

vump. volume 4.

vump. volume 4.
size

Melodic.

1. Schatrax Mispent Years
2. Alex Smoke Always and Forever [Vapid mix]
3. Alex Metirc Holding [Dani Koenig remix]
4. Slam Azure [Part 1]
5. Radio Slave Screaming hands [Cosmo Vitelli's Radioaktivitat remix]
6. Len Faki Odyssee II
7. Jamie Jones Panama
8. Aril Birkha Berghain
9. Penner & Mulder Are You Lost

Underworld.

Underworld Jumbo [Futureshock Worlds Apart Vox mix] zsh

Just been listening to an old Fergie mix that he did for DJ Mag a while back. The mix was part of their DJ Allstars series. The mix is supposedly what the Northern Irish ex-Radio1 DJ would play at a house party. Its mostly classic house and techno including everyone's 90s favourites Underworld, Leftfield and Slam. That Underworld track was definitely my favourite song in the world ever when I first hear the mix.

Fergie DJ Mag Allstars Mix 07.2004
1. Josh One Contemplation (King Britt Funke Remix)
2. X-Press 2 Muzik X-Press
3. Moonchild V.O.A.T.
4. South Street Player (Who?) Keeps Changing Your Mind?
5. Leftfield Open Up
6. Underworld Jumbo (Futureshock Words Apart Vox Mix)
7. Psycatron Seventh Morning / Kats & Styles Presents 9 Mile Town Alter Ego
8. Futureshock The Question
9. Slam Positive Education / Said To Motherland
10. Fergie Spin Energy (Gleave & Johnston Remix)
11. Hardfloor Acperience
12. Gleave Dobbin & Phil Johnston Hardcore Motherfucker

I've got a few more recent mixes to post up very shortly so watch this space.

1991.

Q Lazarus Goodbye Horses [Krikor edit] [buy] zsh
Theres one copy of this vinyl for sale on discogs marketplace.
Re-edited by Krikor the '91 original features on the Silence of The Lambs soundtrack. Only 1000 copies were pressed of this new edit, which is actually a B side to a Pilooski edit I haven't heard - The The 'Giant'.

The Deepest Part of the Ocean.

Even more unbelievable New York disco house.
This time from Kelley Polar.
Kelley Polar A Feeling From The All-Thing [buy] zsh

Podcast. Fabric.

The sporadic Fabric podcast as you'd imagine is rather good. The format lets a music demi-god (or 'music luminaries' as fabric calls them) take the controls for 45 minute and introduce part of their musical story. I love hearing artists' influences and these shows let said artists dust off their classic old vinyl and tell you all about why it matters. The series is still pretty young, but so far they have had Andrew Weatherall, Doc Scott, Craig Richards, Jonny Trunk and Ross Allen present. At only 45 minutes they are a perfect commuting soundtrack especially if you're bored of your current music and need some old school inspiration.

Andrew Weatherall who's continual musical reincarnations span nearly two decades years looks back at the rockabilly and punk that influenced him. Craig Richards digs into his rare groove and soul back catalogue playing almost entirely tracks from the 60s and 70s. Doc Scott's I liked the most banging out everything from classic Chicago house to classic 80s hiphop, Pink Floyd to Kraftwerk. Jonny Trunk I'd never heard of before - apparently he is the man in charge of Trunk Records and their specialist London music shop. He presented a slice of that sound that focuses on vintage soundtrack rarities. And most recently A&R man and Giles Peterson-esque Sunday Best DJ Ross Allen takes controls presenting more rare groove treats.

Click here to stream the podcasts from the Fabric website or here to load up iTunes and subscribe.

Soliders.

Macho solider house. This track opens the RA. 90 mix mixed by DJ a called Sasso. Its warm digital house. Have a listen before it gets archived next week.
Poxymusic War Paint ft Gina Mitchell [Claude Vonstroke remix] [buy] zsh

Funk.

OK this post is all about feel-good organic electro and disco.

OK first up Hercules & Love Affair. DFA's new big thing by all accounts. There seems to be a lot of noise about them. Quite rightly as well. I am loving their album. Its been produced by original U.N.K.L.E drummer Tim Goldsworthy. Its nice to hear Anthony Hegarty on some funkier material than him and the Johnsons. 'Blind' os the album hit but loving 'Time Will' and the stupidly funky 'Hercules' Theme' are favourites as well.
Hercules & Love Affair Blind [buy] zsh


Next up I am really liking this Boys Noize epic. (I heard it on APR 25 – if you still haven’t check this perfect podcast out click the link on the right and have a listen). Its over 12 minutes long. It sounds like classic Chemical Brothers. Great emotive accessible dance music. With a couple of other remixes doing the rounds at the moment from Boys Noize that are less noisy and more organic – Cut Copy's Lights & Music and Snoop Dogg’s Sensual Seduction – is this the future of the new wave electro DJs? Filters off.
Apparat Arcadia [Boys Noize remix] zsh


This is sweet organic electro as well. Quick paced with fresh rising synths and making the most of sampling the sick Free Blood lyric.
Free Blood Never Heard Surf Music Again [Adventures Close To Home remix] [buy] zsh


Getting even more funky is this infectious disco electro track.
Mock & Toof Big Hands [buy] zsh


And I watched the bizarrely awkward 'Eagle v Shark' the other day which reminded me of this 80s banger.
David Bowie Let’s Dance zsh

All alone.

Fairly self-explanatory techno from Jamie Jones here. Join the funny internal monologue of an early morning clubber. Loving the prelude to this - 'Should Have Gone Home' - as well.
Jamie Jones Can't Believe I'm Still Here [buy] zsh

Actually its not that much a monologue. Check this old Loco Dice track for a funny monologue. Just the kind of thing you want to hear come silly o'clock.
Loco Dice Phat Dope Shit [Timo Maas mix] zsh

European Bob.

The Streets Weak Become Heros zsh
I realise five years went by and I'm older.
3.3.2003 - 3.3.2008

Sensual Seduction.

through and through.

Promo Loving.

A couple of tracks from artists that have got in touch with vump. recently.

First up a sick ethno-triphop track. I got sent from some tracks from an artist TagoMago. This particular one is a colloborative project of his called Fasafas. Released back in 2006. Check this out. It features The National Pygmy Choir of Western New Zealand.
Fasafas Chief Running Water and the Stale of Two Cities zsh

And second a fun minimal bleeper from a producer called Dom Trofski.
Dom Tofski The Click zsh

Everybody.

Sex in Dallas Everybody Deserves To Be Fucked zsh

Colour Me In.

I brought you some ColouringIN back in November and I finally have another track to post up. If you are not yet acquainted, ColouringIN are mighty househead Tom Neville and fresh producer talent Henry Bennett. This track is called O.K. While the Robot Restroom track that I posted up before is filthy android house the majority of the ColouringIN production is much more techno-pop. A infectious space full of odd vocals, addictive stripped down beats and spacey synthesized accompaniment. Currently most notably occupied by the likes of Matthew Dear and Hot Chip. This song has been in my head all day!

ColouringIN OK zsh

Some other nice techno-pop.
Alex Smoke Never Want to See You Again [buy] zsh
Matthew Dear Death to Feelers [buy] zsh


You can hear an interview with Henry (ColouringIN) on Deepnote Radio 08 02 08.

Swedish.

through and through.

The Quaterly Review.

vump. recently turned 3 months old - a milestone in a young blog's life! So I thought it was time for a little reflection and a Top 5.

_________________________________________________________
5. Ou Est Le Swimming Pool

[umbrella.]

This is the best steal I've had from vump.s sister blog Plastic Cowboys (check out the face lift). Bright young indie kids cover Rhianna.

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool Umbrella zsh


_________________________________________________________
4. Tucker

[oddjob.]

A complete random find at Sonar 2006. Managed to catch him again in Tokyo back in November. Most talented freak in the world.


________________________________________________________
3. Vintage

[mathew jonson.]
[rolando.]
[cylob.]

Have loved some of the corking older tracks.
Expect more classics. I am fully indulging in the current mass dance music nostalgia.
Mathew Jonson Marionette zsh
Rolando Knights of the Jaguar zsh
Cylob Foid zsh


_________________________________________________________
2. ArePeopleReal

[podcast. arepeoplreal.]

I wanted to try and review as many podcasts as possible when I started this blog but very quickly found ArePeopleReal and got stuck with hours of wicked programming from The Broken Hookers. Entertaining indie and fine electronic cuts fill the space between mixes from themselves and an up and coming guest in each episode. The whole show has fantastic range covering the intersection of indie and dance, new and old that was so strong last year.

Here is a sample of the podcast, which I wrote about in the original post.
Right at the end of ArePeopleReal 17 [which featured a Brødinski guest mix].

"...this is a northern coast, a viking coast, and the noise that drifted up was viking music, table thumping music..."

Spoken word into heavy dub step.
Rob Hindle Buenos Aires 2am (Read By Jonathan Tafler) & Skream Bahl Fwd zsh

Chatting to The Broken Hookers since that post they told me the spoken word passage was a B side they'd found on a Lindstrøm (and Solale) EP called 'Let It Happen'. [buy] Both sides of that vinyl appear on Lindstrøm's 'LateNightTales' compilation.


_________________________________________________________
1. CroMagnon

[sendai. september.]

Another awe-inspiring Japanese act. There is something about the full commitment of Japanese artists to their trade. This 4 piece disco funk jam phenomenon are one of the coolest live acts I've ever seen. Thank you Yuzo for taking me!


_________________________________________________________
[years gone by.]
I put up a bit of background in my first post so if you've just stumbled across this blog, or have been watching it lately the first post was a bit about me and why I am often to be found dancing to electronic music.

Vintage Vocal.

Two wicked vocal melodic techno tracks.
The first is an old Laurent Garnier remix. I found it on the F Communications (his label) 1994-2006 Retrospective compilation. [buy] The second is a recent remix of Marshall Jefferson. The way this track builds in such a lush way is sick. Listen and let it get going and break over you.

Alex Attias 1000 leagues (Laurent Garnier's Wake Lab remix) [buy] zsh
Marshal Jefferson v Noose Heads Mushrooms (Justin Martin remix) [buy] zsh

I've been in two minds about the Marshall Jefferson vocal. Both vocals walk a tightrope of taste! On first listen I was thinking (especially the MJ track) "are the vocals cheesy"? It would be easy to be judgemental or too cool about these things but actually both are far from it, fresh and uncontrived. The LG remix especially is so well executed. It helps that you can feel the weight both artists carry as spiritual godfathers of electronic music. Effortlessly good the tracks (and vocals) stand up as great feel good techno.

Let me know what you think.

Bleep II.

My new favourite band, the enigmatic Basque peasant farmers/avant garde synth lords, Crystal Fighters.
Crystal Fighters I Love London [Instrumental] zsh

Vintage Simian Mobile Disco. This was the first track I could find of SMD after seeing them in Fabric killing room 2 back in the day. Its an early Kitsune release from 2005.
Simian Mobile Disco The Count zsh

1980s electroid rhythms from the illustrious Chirs & Cosey.
Chris & Cosey This Is Me zsh

---

vump. exclusive
crystal fighters interview
After hearing their music and getting slightly obsessed I wanted to find out more about the Crystal Fighters. Recently I was lucky enough to catch up with them before their gig at 12 Aklam Rd to get an interview.

SK Hi Crystal Fighters, it's been a bit tricky finding anything out about you online. Can you introduce yourselves, and explain how you came to form the band?

CF Hello, we are Crystal Fighters. I am Agostes and this is Tello and Elazar and this is Mimi. Me and Elazar know each other because our fathers grew up in the Basque Country together and his dad taught us both to play guitar when we were ten and we played together a lot. We know Mimi because she was my brother's girlfriend and she would write songs. We met Tello last year at my grandfather's funeral as he is the son of one of my dad's distant cousins and he was living in London and wanted to pay respect to his relatives, and this is when the band was started.

SK Wow that's pretty heavy stuff. So what happened from there?

CF At the wake me and Elazar were talking about this book of songs and poems in Basque and English my grandfather had written and given to me. Before he died he told me he had always wanted someone close to him to sing some of his words to the world with the force with which they were written. He wanted someone to entertain him and play the crazed and tragic warrior he liked to think himself to be, and when he saw I could do this, that I was doing this anyway, he gave the book to me. I could talk all day about this amazing man, but anyway, it is his spirit that we try to carry through into our music.

SK Overwhelming! So how would you describe your overall sound?

CF You know, we are trying to make stuff that is rhythmically and melodically like the Basque music we grew up with, but faster and heavier. Some of the Basque dances have been played on the same basic instruments for hundreds of years and yet in their simplicity there is the energy to make you dance all night. So we take these sounds and then add a huge sub bass, and my grandfather's crazy prophecies, and this is what Crystal Fighters sounds like. Fast, heavy, folk-influenced dance music with Basque instruments.

SK What can we expect from your live show tonight?

CF Our show is an opera of sorts; people die, people break down, people fall in love, people are violent to the bone. We are not really a band; we play live to draw people into our story as it develops. We all feel an enormous presence come over us when we make and play this music. We all used to make all different types or music, but now we only make this, because all the other stuff seems pointless now.


The show did turn out to be an opera. A real punch in the face kind of opera. Energy so big that it felt like an enormous presence had over come the crowd as well as the band. Check out their myspace and get to a gig near you.

Wonk.

In the red corner Front Room defector now fighting for the American Dirtybird we have British producer Riva Starr and his track 'Bubble'. In the blue corner fighting for Jesse Rose's Front Room we have label mainstay, jackin' housers Deadset with a live version of Brazil '70.

Riva Starr Bubble [buy] zsh
Deadset Brazil '70 [Live and Alive version][buy] zsh

Riva Starr is just about to put out a new EP, this time on Southern Fried. He put a mix together for Discobelle to celebrate. Deadset are realising exclusive digital EPs every month throughout 2008 in a series they are calling '12 Months of Deadset'. The above live track is one of two exclusive January Deadset remixes available from Beatport now.

Looking back.

Trying to track down a good quality copy of Schatrax 'Mispent Years' yesterday I stumbled across the Soma record shop. In their back catalogue they don't have the 1998 original but some Soma remixes. It seems the original hasn't been re-released digitally. So I bought a FLAC copy of the 'Josh Beat Adjustment Mix' as this sounds the closest to the original I think. The Silicone Soul and Funk D'void versions are a bit housey. I wish I used vinyl. Anyway getting sucking into the Soma collection I also found some nice Alex Smoke which was released about this time last year. This track Primia Materia is Soma gold. Liking the B side, Always & Forever [Vapid mix] as well.

Alex Smoke Primia Materia [Abort mix] [buy] zsh
Schatrax Mispent Years [Josh Beat Adjustment mix] [buy] zsh

You can now subscribe to Soma and receive every digital release they put out for the next 6 months for £19. You also get to pick 10 tracks from their back catalogue as well and some podcasts are thrown in too. The MP3s on the site are only 192kbs though so to get higher quality tracks you've got to pay £24 for a FLAC subscription. Cunning. Still getting 10 perfect sounded Soma classics alone for just £24 is probably just about worth it.


In other news, Azzido da Bass 'Dooms Night' has been re-released with 6 new remixes and the big Timo Maas version that did the rounds back in 2000. This track did go off in clubs back then, but do we really need it again? It is the kind of track that was sick the first few times, then inevitably got over played, wasn't that great and got boring. Now it just sounds dated.

Switch takes the unmistakable build up and drops into a standard dubby house track untouched. Laidback Luke and Crookers build more convincing electro house versions. The Crookers cut gets satisfyingly squelchy and filtered and takes the piss with a hum along vocal. Azzido da Bass themselves spin up the breakdown. There is a Lexy & K-Paul almost progressive house version. And then there is the Radioslave tech house version which makes the least reference to the original and is definitely my favourite. I just find this track really annoying and 6 new remixes and the thought of DJs playing this track again (in any form) really grates me. Unlike Schatrax its not a timeless record and enough time has not gone by to pass this off as a forgot classic. No its not classic and neither are the remixes. I wouldn't check this one out.

Azzido Da Bass Dooms Night [Crookers remix] [buy] zsh


What is both classic and timeless is Kevin Saunderson 1988 house track 'Big Fun' which Simian Mobile Disco have recently remixed. Bringing it up-to-date with some patient rounder electronics and echoed SMD reverb they did a good job of conserving the soul of this piece of house heritage.

Kevin Saunderson ft Inner City Big Fun [Simian Mobile Disco remix] [buy] zsh

Check the hi-tech video for the original.

Let me know your thoughts. Maybe you think Schatrax is boring, Big Fun cheesy and the Switch remix of Doooooooms Night is rocking your world.
Hope not.

No Computers. One Take.

through and through.

Rolando.

Just found the video for one my favourite tracks ever. Recorded in 2000 by Detroit's DJ Rolando. Seminal techno that also managed to cross over into the wider underground world and establish itself as a modern electronic classic. I was lucky enough to meet Rolando himself in Edinburgh where he now lives with his wife. Got very excited and wasn't very cool about the whole thing! The track still gets me.

I also found a cover of the track by classical pianist Maxence Cyrin who recorded a whole album - Modern Rhapsodies - of electronic music covers including Aphex Twin's 'Windowlicker', Gusto 'Disco's Revenge' and Sabres of Paradise ' Smoked Belched II' on his piano. Even LFO 'LFO'!! Is that not sacrilege? Check it out.

Rolando Knights of the Jaguar zsh
Maxence Cyrin Knights of the Jaguar zsh

Popof.

OH MY GOD...POPOF is killing me!

His tracks are absolute mayhem. 'Alcoolic' seems like some kind of (il)logical progression from the technonsense of Paul Woolford's 2006 genre-defying epic Erotic Discourse. Woolford's fired up a remix of it as well, adding reverb and absuing that tiny warped strangled (vocal?) sample even harder than Popof. Strap speakers to your face. Pure 5am nonsense. ARGHHHHH! SO SICK!
Popof Alcoolic [buy] zsh
Popof Alcoolic [Paul Woolford's AA remix] [buy] zsh

Wind it up and watch it fall apart.
Popof Hypnotical [buy] zsh

Sunday Best.

I LOVE Sunday Best. Its the record label run by hippie Radio 1 jock Rob da Bank. He used to present (the sadly deceased) Blue Room, as the sun came up on Sunday mornings. Now a days he presents 4 hours of Radio 1 which airs at midnight on Mondays. This is made up of 2 hours of himself and 2 hours featuring a guest where he chats to a musical demi-god about what music has influenced their career to date. Last weeks show featured up-and-coming vocalist Adele, which you can stream all day today from the Radio 1 website. Rob and Sunday Best is of course also behind the epic fancy-dress boutique end-of-Summer gathering on the Isle of White - Bestival.

Everything Sunday Best represents an incredible realm of alternative leftfield music. Every time you listen to his show you discover musical gems - whether its strange 1970s french electronica or weirdy beardy acoustic guitar nonsense, M.I.A. or Skull Disco, Devendra Banhart to Future Sound of London.

The latest Sunday Best compilation Winter Warmers [buy] is no exception. An eclectic medley. Every track melodic, many with a wonder filled lyric, some a bit happy clappy but all Winter Warmers. Music for Sundays.

Check these gems.

Poetic chatting.
The Hat Less of a lover [buy] zsh

Warm squelching gathering synths.
Grand Nation Rub Your Potion [Fear of Theydon remix] [buy] zsh

Echospace.

Ethereal Detroit dub techno. Spacey.
Deepchord presents: Echospace Empyrean zsh [buy]

Bit more of a head-nodder!
Deepchord presents: Echospace Abrazas zsh [buy]

I Wanna Be Adored.

The Stone Roses I Wanna Be Adored [Bloody Valentine edit] zsh [buy]

Techtonic.

# Fairly obsessed at the moment with the combination of big rumbling bass and tiny precussion detail. Cue, Peter Grummich and 'Breezin'. Voted ResidentAdvisor's 17th best track of 2007. A track that just washes over you. (Check the B-side 'Fresh Air for Fresh People' for its deeper bass, splurges of waaahs and sporadic rave whistle solos.)

Peter Grummich Breezin zsh [buy]

# Some techy-house I guess. Awesome production from Trentemoller's DJ buddy and fellow great Dane - Tomboy. Whatever it is, its fun. He is also one half of Filur who put out the beautiful sunrise house track 'You & I' a while back.

Tomboy Baffioso zsh [buy]
Filur You & I [Trentemoller Free Dub] zsh [buy]

# And here is a macho, bumpy, jackin house track from Jesse Voorn. Broken down to almost breaking point on the remix here by Tony Senghore.

Jesse Voorn Here It Comes [Tony Senghore's dirty mix] zsh [buy]

Tokyo. January.

* Sven Väth @ Sound of the Eighth Season, Womb (26th January 2008)

Sven Väth. Feel his wrath.

It is always a great feeling to walk into a club and feel a buzz like something epic is about to kick off. Sven Väth has the global following that inspires insanity at every party he plays it seems. I've been a fan of his mixes for a while. His Sound of the Sixth Season is a favourite. The Seasons referring to the summers Cocoon (which started in 2000) has been running for in Ibiza. Touring with his Sound of the Eighth Season mix he was making his regular stop in Tokyo, where he will be opening up a new chapter of Cocoon in April. This was my first time to see him live. Slightly exciting.

By midnight he was already on the decks and easing the assembling masses into a solid groove. Patiently he built his set to fit the atmosphere. Womb had ramped up production with a huge LED light wall behind the DJ booth and strobes dotted everywhere - some hanging down off the ceiling. He rolled through waves of minimal very groovy beats in and out of well known cuts. By 1 or 2 he was getting stuck into the likes of the jangling music box lushness of Lucio Aquilina 'Magic M' - a Cocoon signing from last summer - and the Brodinski banger 'Bad Runner'. Sven played the crowd perfectly. He was attentive, as he strut his stuff around the DJ booth. Chest out taking the love from the Japanese crowd. Around 3ish he took the pace down a little, playing slightly more menacing techno, including the crowd-stirring almost-spooky glockenspiel number by Supermayer, 'Two of Us'.

Every so often Sven released a pressure valve in the club with a long sustained burst of angry loud KKKkkkssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh feedback over the beats. Whenever the energy in the club was peaking - boom- KKKkkkssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh - which was followed normally followed by as much smoke as the clubs techs could release and pandemonium from the clubbers.


Around 4, he decided enough was enough. He up'd the pace and the bass, dropped Alter Ego 'Why Not?' followed by an hour long onslaught of equally nuts, up front tech.yes. The place jumped.

He finished his encore with a remix he co-produced and with Jörn Elling Wuttke and Roman Flügel (Alter Ego) back in 2000 which has just been re-pressed and is re-released this month. Sunpeople 'Check Your Buddha [Sven Vath remix]' [buy]. It also features on Sven's Sound of the Second Season compilation [buy]. You can hear its vintage but it still sounds fresh with a spiritual spacey breakdown and gaining raw bass.

Apparently Sven went on to play the afterparty in a office block basement which Richie Hawtin turned up to play.

Lucio Aquilina Magic M zsh
Supermayer Two of Us zsh
Sunpeople Check Your Buddha (Sven Väth remix) zsh

Disco.

OK so quickly going to put up some disco for the weekend.
From New York put out on DFA this is Holy Ghost!
Panthers Boglin City [Holy Ghost! Disco dub] zsh
Holy Ghost! Hold On zsh [buy]

And in a similar slightly more jumped up vein - disco jam ban - !!! (pronounced chk chk chk). So good live. Check them out if you get a chance. Infectious off-kilter rolling guitar disco!!!
!!! Yadnus zsh [buy]

I am heading out to Tokyo to see some sumo and also Sven Vath. Have a good weekend!