I didn’t see this coming. But sure am glad it has arrived. This excellent cover of one of Pink Floyd’s very many seminal moments, in this case Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, was dated originally from 1968 (post Syd Barrett). Driven by crisp shakers and that signature bassline all sorts of wonderful atmospheric sounds are then added to the intensity as you would imagine of such a song. Particularly effective are the haunting strings as indeed is the vocal delivery which sounds suitably striking. Guy Gerber delivers a remix which transforms any notions of the sixties into something altogether future-charged with probing electricity existing readily amongst the various percussion and building layers of synthesized sound. Additional track, Guacamole proceeds to explore pulsating waves of resonating electronics providing a welcome contrast to the hazy strains of Set The Controls….
Can’t get enough of the past? Well, you’ve come to the right place. The legendary Salsoul label earned that accolade for one reason only and that was the music they released back in the 70’s and subsequent 1980’s, closing by 84 of that decade. Soaring songs, sonically reverberating instrumentation and production prowess that helped set the tone for tone for what came next. One glance over the tracklist and you can feel all that history breathing including timeless standards such as Double Exposure – My Love Is Free, which appears here with the Frankie Knuckles remix, plus the Shep Pettibone version of Inner Life – I Like It Like That. Other perhaps less well known tracks also compliment such as Larry Levan’s remix of Sparkle – Handsome Man and The Salsoul Orchestra’s – Sun After Rain with Tom Moulton’s glorious 12″ Mix. The second CD is all down to Dimitri who adds his flair to the affair care off a series of re-edits of additional releases that include the likes of fimiliar gems Love Sensation, Ten Percent, and Just As Long As I Got You. Respectfully yours.
In anticipation of his forthcoming debut artist album is this taster which does more than just whet the appetite. Fuelling inspiration from both House and Techno and feeling life-affirming, soulful yet packing a dancefloor punch is this standout production from Coyu, featuring Thomas Gandey. Not so often these days that piano chords sound as encapsulating but these clearly do, backed up by brittle drums, fizzy synthesized lines and a sense of tension that is paid off by the eventual arrival of such emotive keys. Equally invigorating remixes come from the excellent Gerd Janson who supplies two distinctive versions each highlighting vigorous aspects, a percussive Truncate plus a suitable pounding alternative take from Cosmin TRG.
This ticks all the boxes for me. Informed by the past yet diving straight into the future with rigours delight. If you still want to call it House Music rather than a mutation into something else then here is your starting point. Sizzling with electronic possibility, sleazy intention although capturing a sense of communal spirit, peaking at Acid attitude while reaching spine-tingling moments is the artists’ succinct five plus minutes of gorgeous ecstasy: After Dark. Conversely, Look Don’t Touch provides more brutal to the point movements again sequencing a past drenched in Roland 303 plus a deft dancefloor sensibility, along with Ted Rogers’ human vocal touch. Leaving the more retrospective Reckless to delve back into late night, early morning rhythms that fire hot snares and caustic notation right at you.
An excellent release of sound, and more importantly rhythm, on the opening track from DJ Deep’s new EP for Kerri Chandler’s Kaoz Theory. In many ways an effortlessly stunning piece of work that cumulates with a sense of bravado, taking you in one direction, while releasing you in another. Thai, begins and ends in anticipation which doesn’t actually hit pay-off but remains all the more powerful (and exciting) for that – if it followed predictable formula some massive beat would kick in and so on, but then this is about calibre rather than clique. The quality reaches another plateau via the super-charged emotions of the picturesque Tuesday Record Shopping In Paris which paints strident drums alongside a rush of energy to great effect in another well-crafted slice of music. Next, Guardian returns to a more familiar set of beats and bass, leaving the pounding, self-explanatory Cavalier Drums to pulverise all sense of reason into submission.
James Kumo combines an anticipation of the future alongside softer, more introspective keys that formulate a tempting, dive straight into landscape of sound that satisfies on many levels. The title track, Walking On The Ocean quickly builds in intensity releasing emotional resonance soon enough while attacking your feet with a series of pulsating drums and atmospheric layers of rewired electricity. The dangerously titled Silent Mass follows with even deeper, yet funkier drums programmed to excite its waves of sound still further, while Tribe ends via more robust tribal flavoured beats plus a tempo to match.
Dutch producer & Batavia Records boss ZaVen steps up to deliver this rich, deep exploration of sight and sound, albeit with a sleazy twist on the hot and suggestive title track, Your Fantasy My Reality. Its all revealed in the unfussy yet punchy drums, robust bass and wash of sound effects plus electric piano chords that generate an accomplished musical backdrop to the breathy, enticing vocals that feels reminiscent of classic 1990’s House (in a good way). Hot Air Ballon, then completes with more atmospheric sounds amid pointed beats and inviting hints of melody which once again rush over you in a most welcoming fashion.
Ian Shirley’s brilliant new book on Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty’s various exploits of the music world could be summed up in two words: Incendiary, insightful.
Yes some of the records they made together such as 1988’s Doctorin’ the Tardis may occupy the same realms as Agadoo in history, but then again they also timestamped beautiful, inspirational pieces of music such as their KLF ‘Chill Out’ album which captured those transcendent moments perfectly at the dawn of 1990.
The tale begins referencing The Illuminatus! Trilogy (a series of three novels written by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson) and significantly the ideas emanating there where eventually carried throughout their artistic endeavours. Although, the wildly impressive thing about the background to this story is primarily about Bill Drummond’s time in Liverpool orbiting the chaos of the Punk scene. Big In Japan features as of course does Roger Eagle and Ken Testi’s legendary club Eric’s, situated within the world surrounding all of that exciting possibility. As the adventure expands Drummond manages Echo and the Bunnymen as well as Teardrop Explodes, while running his own label alongside David Balfe the fabulous Zoo Records. Tales are legion around the era. And that is one of the strengths of the book that it covers the exciting times that played out from the late seventies straight through to the 1990’s. Which is of course complimented by the return of KLF at the end of this month in Liverpool.
In-between times the pair joined minds utilising eighties sampling culture through releases such as The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu highlighting the influence of American rap at the time, just before House Music hit the UK as a cultural force in 1988. Which in turn they absorbed releasing the Acid inspired What Time Is Love alongside a burst of other singles looped around the era.
Possibly, ironically given the strength of this book neither of the protagonists choose to be interviewed for the pages however an excess of source material readily fills in any gaps. Besides, given the pairs’ prevalence for Art inspired pranks, what’s not like about that?
Excellent new single from the Berlin duo sees brutal electronics transform into almost beautiful notation as brooding possibilities reveal themselves as sleazy temptations. Words remain important here as Fadila’s devilish vocal delivery impacts all the more while the sounds bump and grind below creating tense, gritty atmosphere’s to play with. Alternatively, try the Stripped Back Version which probes via the bassline aided by a dazzling array of effects and cleverly calculated arrangement.
Enticing you into all kinds of wrongdoings or to reframe that thought: FUN. Is this smouldering, seductively perfect Jazz number that soars and screeches via Jaleel Shaw’s hot blasts of not-so-cool saxophone commanding your attention amid Sylvia Black’s devastating vocal delivery – all shock and much awe – plus Brazilian Girls’ Aaron Johnston deftly punctuating drums and percussion. Designed for subterranean adventures, preferably after midnight has chimed, the title points in the direction of a full album, while also to be located in the Dean Dempsey film ‘Deadman’s Barstool’.
I didn’t see this coming. But sure am glad it has arrived. This excellent cover of one of Pink Floyd’s very many seminal moments, in this case Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun, was dated originally from 1968 (post Syd Barrett). Driven by crisp shakers and that signature bassline all sorts of wonderful atmospheric sounds are then added to the intensity as you would imagine of such a song. Particularly effective are the haunting strings as indeed is the vocal delivery which sounds suitably striking. Guy Gerber delivers a remix which transforms any notions of the sixties into something altogether future-charged with probing electricity existing readily amongst the various percussion and building layers of synthesized sound. Additional track, Guacamole proceeds to explore pulsating waves of resonating electronics providing a welcome contrast to the hazy strains of Set The Controls….
