Glens Falls

Another solid release from Wide Records. This one see's Pirate Soundsystem in typical form, wobbly basslines, cut up vocals and heavy on the rave samples. I would highly recommend all 3 original tracks but the pick of the bunch for me is the Chrissy Murderbot remix of Rush Around which you can get here. Forthcoming on Wide is an ep from Berlin native Doshy thats full of bass goodness, that one drops next week.

Pirate Soundsystem - Pum Pum Head

Magenta

Todays music comes from Chicago native and founder of 4 Track Records, Dj Hyperactive. The track itself is a solid favourite of mine, pounding drums with a rising synth line and skippy percussion. The simplest of elements that when combined in the right way really make something thats perfect for switching up styles midset. Being honest though, its the kicks that really do it for me on this one. Its gotten a re-release with some tasty remixes for 2009 aswel.

Dj Hyperactive - Reptilian Tank

Leaves

Music today comes from the legendary Detroit tech outfit Model 500. Anyone else think Juan Atkins looks a lot like Omar?

Model 500 - Huesca

Model 500 - No UFO's (Instrumental)

Alarmism

No one wants to tell a story anymore. Few years back you could find plenty of tracks with a narrative, be they about kids doing laughing gas in a club a la Flash by Green Velvet, or underage sex whilst on yokes a la the Horrorists One Night in NYC. Even Celeda was getting in on the act telling us about the Underground. Real lack of any sort of story telling ability behind most of modern "dance" music.

Todays track comes from a legend in the house scene and a Dj that I went to see not too long ago having no idea what to expect and leaving very happy. The remix comes courtesy of a producer enjoying the best phase of his career with his tracks being on the playlists of the worlds Dj Elite and his skills as a remixer in hot demand.

Marshall Jefferson vs Noosa Heads - Mushrooms (Justin Martin Remix)

Hard Times

Keeping on the theme of "everyone loves a rave chord". Here's one of my favorite tracks from Nu-Matic "Hard Times". Released on XL Recordings which was once the finest rave labels of its day this is a certified banger. Check it below.

Nu-Matic "Hard Times"

Monga

One from the vaults now. As a mate of mine said to me recently, "everyone loves a rave chord", and I couldnt agree more. Most will remember SL2 from their school disco days jumping around to On a Ragga Tip but this track is a little more reserved, switching between the classic rave synth sound to a more airy house tip and then back again.

SL2 - Dj's Take Control

Yellow Can

New track from Octave One available for free downloaod over on their Soundcloud page, perfect excuse for me to post an old favourite of mine, featured on the Dave Clarke mix posted here not too long ago.

Octave One - Blackwater (E Dancer Vocal Dub)

Select Ambient Works 85-92

I have to say that my favorite DJ/Producer of all time is Aphex Twin. Whether its creating beautiful tracks like Nannu or Flim to the mental sound of tracks like Vordhosbn I just love every moment of his records. To me the man is the embodiment of godlike genius. The one piece of his work which I would recommend to anyone is Select Ambient Works 85-92. It opens with the excellent Xtal a track that has one of the most beautiful vocals on a track ever and a break that gives me the biggest grin every time it kicks in. Going through 13 tracks We Are The Music Makers is also another of my personal highlights for me on this album sampling Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory it kicks into a beautiful break. Other personal highlights of this early acid house magic include Green Calx, Heliospan, Aegosopolis. Overall this album is an essential purchase. If you own it go listen to it if you dont buy it! Below is an interview with the man himself on MTV's Partyzone.

Aphex Twin Interview

Red Butler

Its always nice when your somewhere new and you find something familiar.  Whether thats an Irish bar in Kuala Lumpur or a big mac in Tokyo. Iv been trying to find new music lately with mixed results. Its either not very good or perfect for home listening. Nothing really that I could picture myself playing in a club, until I spotted a familiar name. Neil Landstrumm is someone I remember from a few release on Tresor and Music Man. Im absolutely loving the Empire on a fiver ep he's done with Rustie and his new long player on Planer Mu is next on the shopping list once I gets paid. Until then Im seeing myself listening to the below quite a lot. 

Neil Landstrumm @ Bombomatic

Twitchy Eyes

Iv always liked James Ruskin, you know exactly what your gonna get. You know its going to be stripped back, looped and pretty bangin. The vast majority of his releases came on his own Blueprint label with 4 albums also appearing on Tresor. This mix sees him in flying form in the Berlin club in 2003. 

James Ruskin @ Tresor 2003

Seems hes found the best way to play his trademark sound out by developing a live set. I always find it interesting when a dj/producer tries to do this, can they replicate the same kind of energy and diverse range as playing other peoples tracks? or does it fall a bit short of the sound you usually associate them with.

James Ruskin Live 2009

More info and an interview here.

Eye On You

I must admit, im catching on to this a bit late in the day. Joy Orbison is the 22 year old nephew of Ray Keith and his Hyph Mngo/Wet Look ep is one of the most talked about releases of the year. I never really got Dub Step, it was either too chin strokish or too aggresive for my liking but this is just right. Blisfull synths, haunting vocals and lovely builds. The ep dropped on Hot Flush last week and I would seriously recommend picking it up.

Joy Orbison - Wet Look

Also, heres a mix that was posted on Lower End Spasm back in June, as I said, really late getting on this one

Joy Orbison Mix

Pearson Sound - Indelible

Karizma - Drumz Nightmare

Nu-Birth - Anytime

Tonya Renee - About You

Altered Natives -Rass Out

Joy Orbison - Smother

Efdemin - Acid Bells Martyn Remix

Shed - Selection One

Ultramarine - Hooter Carl Craig Remix-Joy Orbison Edit

Joy Orbison - Tentative Bidding

Martyn - Hear Me

Joy Orbison - J. Doe

Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo

Judging from the amount of as yet unreleased material on this mix and others on mixes from the likes of Untold, we can expect to be hearing a lot more from Joy Orbison in the future.

These Days

I discovered this track only recently when I flipped over Joy Division's "Love will tear us apart" single. "These Days" is a tune that just blew me away. How they did not think think was worthy to appear on "Unknown Pleasures" bewilders me. It shows how Joy Division were pioneers of electronic/indie music but it show even more what a genius their producer Martin Hannett was. Joy Division and Hannett were a dream combination in a pre pro tools era I find the way Hannett used Joy Division like his own instruments amazing. Check out "These Days" below.

These Days - Joy Division

Seeing Stars

My favourite Dj bar none, Dj Godfather. I had a conversation not too long ago with someone about his skills as a dj. We talked about how, by comparisson, he wouldnt rate with the top turntabalists in the world, but, the top turntabalists in the world probably couldnt do what he does. Not only does he have all the tricks in his bag, he uses them in a way that its not showing off but increasing the tempo of the music he is playing and generally making any club he plays in go right off.

His Twilight 76 label, and later Databass, took the sound synonomous with Detroit mix tapes and pushed it onto a global audience. The label rosters read like a who's who of the scene with additions from the likes of Sekter 17, Keith Tucker, Dj Dijital on the electro side and Dj Nasty, Dj Slugo, Dj Deeon and Dj Omega on the ghetto tip. He is a Dj held in the highest regard with everyone from Dave Clarke to Daft Punk being a fan and his skils have taken him around the world many times. Iv seen him play in Dublin 5 times and hes the only dj that iv seen that i went to the gig completly sober and danced my ass off.

I dont think this mix represents fully what you could expect by going to see him in a club atmosphere but the tempo is frantic, the mixing is fast and theres plenty of mention of tricks, hoes and bitches.

Dj Gofather Promo Bass Mix 2007

Azzurro

Booty Bass is something that I try to like. I love Ghetto Tech and Electro so by association I should like it but Im often left unimpressed by what I hear. I hate sratching in records, all well and good seeing a DJ cut it up live but making it a mainstay in your productions is something I dont argree with, theres also the cheesy raps, the weak productions and just the sheer amount of awful tracks out there that makes it hard for me, personally, to find something that I could listen to more than twice before I bin it,or, play it out. I heard this track in the excellent Egyptrixx mixtape from last year and it took me downloading 3 albums,each with a different version of it to find it. Well worth it though.

Dj Trans - Ride Out

Dj Trans - Ride Out 1994

I suppose its a genre thats defined by tracks from the likes of 2Live Crew, Magic Mike and Sir Mix a Lot so when you look at it in that light its easy to see it for what it is. Fun music, made by guys about riding girls and all with a healthy splashing of sub bass and 808 Drums. Ingredients which, if used in the wrong way, can create something truly awful.

Aerosmith - I dont want to miss a thing (booty bass remix)

To finish, here is a selection from Discobelle from 08 thats one of the better mixes iv come across.

The Grey Album

On the eve of The Beatles releasing their entire back catalogue remastered and ready for its first digital release I've decided to write today's blog about the album that got me into The Beatles. Created in 2004 when Jay-Z released his so called curtain call
The Black album DJ Danger Mouse took it upon himself to take Jay-Zs vocals and and chop up The Beatles White album to create one of the best mash ups ever created the Grey album. Check it out below!

DJ Danger Mouse - The Grey Album

C20

Si Begg is giving his latest ep away for free. The man himself says, "Major labels and the bodies that represent them, such as the BPI in the UK and the RIAA in the USA would have us believe that sharing music is destroying music and the musicians that create it. We contend that the truth is, this cartel of major record companies, distributors and publishers have been systematically fucking musicians and the people that love and buy music for about 50 years. Creating, amongst other things, huge profits for shareholders, a rigorous, brutally industrialised method of music production, Hannah Montana and an inherently average, uninspiring, mainstream music scene. This traditional industry model is so close to death that we dare not entertain it here. Instead we leave it up to you to help determine how far this E.P. travels".

Its a novel idea and also one that could be used by other artists going forward. Radiohead famously had us pay what we felt appropriate for their last album and more and more musicians are looking for ways outside of the norm to get their music to us.

Remixes for this ep will come from Jimmy Edgar, David E Sugar and SCB but you can pick up the 4 original tracks in WAV format here, and, if you want you can pick up the special edition "hand-made in hackney" boxset of the release here.

Sun Swept

The Modeselektor mix that was on 2FM at the weekend. Some really good stuff in here.

Modeselektor on The Sessions, 2FM