Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Part-time Hellraising
In a very spurious link to Halloween and all things evil I thought I'd present some new material from The Freelance Hellraiser (see what I did there). Otherwise known as Roy Kerr, The Freelance Hellraiser came to prominence with his masterful mash-up 'A Stroke of Genius'. Since then he has produced an album, Waiting for Clearance Featuring collaborations from Iain Archer, Nigel of Bermondsey, Gary Lightbody and one Jan Hammer. Its impact on these ears was a bit underwhelming, not quite achieving what I had expected from such a talent, but I can honestly say that the remix of the next single 'Weightlessness' is an Electro House stormer with filthy beats and searing synth action. Reminiscent of the current wave of Electro Rock productions and remixes from the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and Soulwax with their Nite Versions, it is a searing rework that will do serious damage if dropped at the right time. The B-side to Weightlessness is a new track, 'A Punk Rock Version of God' (now that's a good title) that uses big bleeps and bigger guitar riffs that will bring out the air guitarist in us all.The Freelance Hellraiser - Weightlessness (Freelance Hellraiser Remix)
The Freelance Hellraiser - A Punk Rock Version of God
And as a special bonus we have The Hellraiser's remix of the officially the most hyped band of the moment, Klaxons. You can check www.freelancehellraiser.com for more info or check his myspace. Buy his records at Juno
Klaxons - Atlantis to Interzone (Freelance Hellraiser Remix)
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Just the right side of dirty...
Here's an intimidating S+M dungeon of a tune, just in time for Saturday. If you are heading to a darkened dancefloor tonight, I guarantee that this will put you in the mood to behave badly. I'm not generally a fan of vocals in techno, but You're My Kind!, the b-side from Don't Go by Elektrochemie is a shining example on how to do it properly. In fact, the 'firm but fair' gothic eurotrash style vocal really makes this a memorable piece of work. Well, that and the intense bass-synth action.Although the vocal sounds like the classic Berliner style, Caitlin Devlin (appropriate surname!) is from Australia, although does now live in Germany, where the other two members of the group, one Thomas Schumacher and his friend Stephan are located.
Elektrochemie - You're My Kind!
www.elektrochemie.co.uk
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The Original Wave of New Wave
All Photos © Ted Polhemus/PYMCA. Boy George & Steve Strange, 1981. Various Blitz Kids, London 1981
It's the second in my series of posts dedicated to classic youth subcultures of the 20th century. The New Romantic movement evolved out of the Punk and New Wave scenes and mixed Bowie's glam to the mechanised beats of Kraftwerk. 'Bowie Night' was opened by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan along with George O'Dowd (Boy George) and Phillip Salon and originally started at Gossips in Soho and then moved to The Blitz. This club went on to define the movement known originally as 'Cult With No Name' and later the New Romantics which frequented it became known as 'Blitz Kids'
Ted Polhemus has documented this scene since its inception and is now an author of numerous books on style tribes and youth subcultures. You can buy his books at Amazon and you can view more of his shots at PYMCA. As far as the music goes I thought I'd give you something special from Optimo and some classic intrumentals from The Human League. J D Twitch mixes up Synth Pop, New Wave and Electro-Pop into a mix which he describes as 'Electrobeat'. The sequel to the Electrobeat mix. The Cold War Mix is described as gentle which builds into something "dark and intense" which evokes "the atmosphere of the Cold War when a sense of imminent dread permeated the air."
Optimo - Electrobeat mix 45mins
Optimo - Cold War Mix 45mins
The full tracklisting for the Electrobeat mix is here. The track listing for The Cold War mix is here.
Optimo homepage
Optimo Myspace
Ted Polhemus has documented this scene since its inception and is now an author of numerous books on style tribes and youth subcultures. You can buy his books at Amazon and you can view more of his shots at PYMCA. As far as the music goes I thought I'd give you something special from Optimo and some classic intrumentals from The Human League. J D Twitch mixes up Synth Pop, New Wave and Electro-Pop into a mix which he describes as 'Electrobeat'. The sequel to the Electrobeat mix. The Cold War Mix is described as gentle which builds into something "dark and intense" which evokes "the atmosphere of the Cold War when a sense of imminent dread permeated the air."
Optimo - Electrobeat mix 45mins
Optimo - Cold War Mix 45mins
The full tracklisting for the Electrobeat mix is here. The track listing for The Cold War mix is here.
Optimo homepage
Optimo Myspace
The Human League released an album of instrumental versions of some of their classic hits as an album Love And Dancing as The League Unlimited Orchestra in 1981. It was a collection of remixes and instrumental versions segued together by Martin Rushent. It has stood up as a classic of British Synth Pop/Electro Pop ever since and became a blueprint for early Electro House productions.
The League Unlimited Orchestra (Human League) - Things That Dreams Are Made Of Love And Dancing LP 1981
The League Unlimited Orchestra (Human League) - Do or Die / Seconds Love And Dancing LP 1981
The League Unlimited Orchestra (Human League) - Things That Dreams Are Made Of Love And Dancing LP 1981
The League Unlimited Orchestra (Human League) - Do or Die / Seconds Love And Dancing LP 1981
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Double Vision
I got handed a lovely promo CD from 20:20 Vision the other week and whilist at home playing said CD I discovered all the tracks had been released already! No matter, I can still share some of the gems that I found within. 20:20 Vision has been going for over 10 years and is now one of the most respected British labels releasing quality Deep House, Electro and Techno. Started by Ralph Lawson in 1995 when resident at the now Legendary Back To Backs in Leeds it has grown to include artists such as Carl Finlow as Random Factor, DJ T, D'Julz, Huggy, Fred Everything and Jesper Dalhback.
The tracks below range from banging Electro House from Paul Woodford aka Bobby Peru (This will do serious damage on any dancefloor) through Minimal Techno from Stephan Bodzin & Marc Romboy to the Nu Disco of Nick Chacona and 2020 Soundsystem
Bobby Peru - Erotic Discourse (Audio Jack Mix)
Marc Romboy and Stephan Bodzin - The Old Alchemist
2020 Soundsystem - Grey Clouds (Basethedubmix)
Audio Jack - White Noise
Nick Chacona - The Next
You can get more info on these artists at www.2020recordings.com
Buy the records at Phonica
The tracks below range from banging Electro House from Paul Woodford aka Bobby Peru (This will do serious damage on any dancefloor) through Minimal Techno from Stephan Bodzin & Marc Romboy to the Nu Disco of Nick Chacona and 2020 Soundsystem
Bobby Peru - Erotic Discourse (Audio Jack Mix)
Marc Romboy and Stephan Bodzin - The Old Alchemist
2020 Soundsystem - Grey Clouds (Basethedubmix)
Audio Jack - White Noise
Nick Chacona - The Next
You can get more info on these artists at www.2020recordings.com
Buy the records at Phonica
Monday, October 16, 2006
What The F*@K!!!
I cannot believe this! Yes I know I'm not the first to post this (certainly not the last) Headphonesex on the ball as usual and I Was There plus BLK:MRKT got there before me. I but I just had to do it. Along with their remix of Standing In The Way Of Control it seems like Soulwax are back on fire.This has to be one of their finest re-works (you can't really call it a remix) they completely annihilate Robbie Williams (Yes that one) and produce one of the biggest Electro House bangers of the year. Evil!
Robbie Williams - Lovelight (Soulwax Ravelight Dub)
Phonica had copies but have sold out unsurprisingly.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Ultra Rare Beck
Considering all the buzz about Beck's new album 'The Information' I thought it high time to post these two ultra rare Beck goodies. These were originally released in 1995 on a Various Artists 7" named 'We are Bacteria' and were credited under the name 'Mr Hansen' They are considered demo tracks by Beck himself but I think they stand up as some of his best work. Polished up they would fit in perfectly with any of his new material. You can read a detailed analysis of Glut and Untitled by clicking on the links. They aren't even registered on Discogs. For up to date info on Beck visit BeckBeckBeck.netBeck (Mr Hansen) - Glut V/A We Are Bacteria 7" 1995
Beck (Mr Hansen) - Untitled V/A We Are Bacteria 7" 1995
Friday, October 13, 2006
Logical Progression
We've given you some Modeselektor and I'm pretty sure our regular readers will know of our love for Apparat so we though it appropriate to divulge what they sound like when they share the same studio time.According to the bible there's only been one full Moderat release to date which came out on BPitch Control in 2003. As you'd expect, it's a bass-heavy glitched electronica affair and although it's nothing earth-shatteringly original (it is 3 years old mind!) it's well worth checking out nonetheless, especially for the speaker-shaking 'Russian Courier'.
However, I actually think that some pages are missing as looking here would suggest there's at least one other release too.
They've also put out a couple of other tracks on compilations including the tasty little nugget of dub electronica below.
Here's hoping there's more such collaborations in the pipeline!
Moderat - Let Your Love Glow
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
1001 Sessions
This Thursday the ill-ec-tro-nic (The Langer and RAW) will be joining Information Party resident Andy G for our monthly round-up of all things electronic at Cafe 1001 on Brick Lane. It promises to be another night of Techno, Electro and House with minimal and not so minimal sounds filling the concrete confines of the shell that is the 1001. So as a taster of what is to come here is my mix from last months event. Listening to it I'm very proud of my selections and I think it flows very nicely (apart from a couple of dodgy mixes towards the end as I got more inebriated!) I would love to hear your feed back and hopefully see you down there. Click for a MapLanger - Live mix 1001 (14.09.06) 74 mins
Tracklisting
1. Gabriel Ananda & Cio D'or - Lauschgoldengel
2. Alex Under - El Enucentro
3. Anja Schnieder - Lily of the Valley
4. Cobblestone Jazz - Dump Truck
5. Ellen Allien & Apparat - Jet (Paul Kalkbrener Mix)
6. Apparat - Berlin
7. Two Lone Swordsmen - Ricos Helly
8. Rhythm & Sound - Poor People Must Work (Carl Craig Mix)
9. Hiem - She's The One (Mathew Jonson Circles in Time Mix)
10. Gabriel Ananda - Doppelwhipper (Live)
11. Ame - Rej
Saturday, October 07, 2006
The Newer Wave of Nu Rave
So the hallowed rag that is the 'NME' has jumped on 'Nu Rave' bandwagon by gathering a disparate bunch of bands together and creating a new scene. The latest issue has the Klaxons on the front cover declaring "This country needs to party" and articles on Shit Disco and Datarock. Forgive my negative views about this but I have never held NME in very high regard, I had a brief fling in the mid 90's when they offered limited coverage of the emerging 'Intelligent dance' music scene but that soon evaporated when they only seemed to do articles based around marketable 'bands' or should I say 'Brands' and dismissed the rest of the electronic music scene as 'Faceless Techno Bollocks'.Clubs like Trash and And Did We Mention Our Disco have been pioneering this Electro Rock (As I prefer to call it) sound for the last 3 years so once again NME you like to stumble in, declare it the 'Next Big Thing' and then destroy it 6 months later.
Anyway I can actually recommend parting with your cash for the Slammin' mix CD from everyone's favourite Indie remixers Simian Mobile Disco. The track listing reads like a Shoreditch Twat's wet dream!
1. SebastiAn - Ross Ross Ross
2. Franz Ferdinand - The Fallen (Justice Remix)
3. Zongamin - Bongo Song
4. Mystery Jets - Crosswords
5. The Gossip - Standing In The Way of Control (Soulwax Nite Version)
6. The Emperor Machine - Seka Wants Your VCS3
7. Klaxons - Magick (Simion Mobile Disco Mix)
8. Datarock - Fa Fa Fa
9. Material - Secret Life
10. Para One - Du Dun-Dun
11. These New Puritans - Elvisss (Demo)
12. Shit Disco - I Know Kung Fu
13. Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler
14. Digitalism - Jupiter Room (Martian Assault Edit)
15. Hot Chip - Boy From School (Erol Alkan Extended Rework)
However, for those of you that don't live in UK you can download it in all it's glory here.
Simian Mobile Disco - New Rave (Electro Rock) mix 58mins
Sunday, October 01, 2006
The Nu Wave Of Old Rave
All Photos ©David Swindells/PYMCA. L - R. Raver, The Trip, Astoria, London 1988. Danny Rampling, Joy at Shoom, Fitness Centre, London 1988. Acid House Ravers, London 1988. Raver with E Mask, Roller Express, Edmonton, London 1992. Acid House girls at Shoom, The Arena Club, London May 1988
I thought I'd change tack for this post and showcase some of the best youth culture photography there is. This is going to be the first of a series of posts of images and music based on the history of youth culture in the UK. All the images will be come from PYMCA, the Photographic, Youth, Music, Culture, Archive. It's the best archive of youth photography there is, but I'm just biased because I work there!
Future posts will include Original Mods from the 60's, The Psychedelic madness that was the UFO club circa 1967, Original Punks at the Roxy Club in 1977, Skinhead and Ska styles and sounds from the 70's and 80's, New Romantic styles and Synth Pop from the blitz and Taboo and Old Skool Hip Hop images from the mid to late 80's.
But first up it is the styles and sounds of Acid House and Rave, the movement which changed the face of clubbing and music forever. The images above were taken by legendary club photographer David Swindells who has been at the top of his game for over 20 years. His images from Shoom, The Trip, Spectrum plus all the original raves have defined the era.
Every 20 years or so culture and fashion recycle themselves and currently Rave styles and sounds are back with avengence so what better opportunity than to post some of my favourite Rave anthems. All these classics utilize the breakbeat which came to define the Rave sound and was the prototype for Jungle and Drum n' Bass. Just check the 'Strings of Life' breakdown on E-Vapour-8, nicked wholesale from the Rhythim is Rhythim classic!
So check these next tracks out, you got Asterix in space, watch yer Bass Bins I'm tellin' yer!
To check out more images from the archive go to www.pymca.com where you can search the archive and purchase any of the images for your wall. for more info email info@pymca.com
But first up it is the styles and sounds of Acid House and Rave, the movement which changed the face of clubbing and music forever. The images above were taken by legendary club photographer David Swindells who has been at the top of his game for over 20 years. His images from Shoom, The Trip, Spectrum plus all the original raves have defined the era.
Every 20 years or so culture and fashion recycle themselves and currently Rave styles and sounds are back with avengence so what better opportunity than to post some of my favourite Rave anthems. All these classics utilize the breakbeat which came to define the Rave sound and was the prototype for Jungle and Drum n' Bass. Just check the 'Strings of Life' breakdown on E-Vapour-8, nicked wholesale from the Rhythim is Rhythim classic!
So check these next tracks out, you got Asterix in space, watch yer Bass Bins I'm tellin' yer!
Nightmares On Wax - Aftermath Warp 006 12" 1990
Altern 8 - Infiltrate 202 (Vertigo Edit) Network 7" 1991
Altern 8 - E-Vapour-8 Network 12" 1992
Shut Up & Dance - The Green Man (Rum & Black Mix) XL The Third Chapter - Breakbeat House Compilation 1992
Liquid - Sweet Harmony XL The Third Chapter - Breakbeat House Compilation 1992
Digital Excitation - Pure Pleasure (Rave Mix) R&S 12" 1992
