Thursday, November 23, 2006

The Idiots... Winning?

With Bush and the Republicans getting their asses whipped in the Elections and Rumsfeld (The Devil) loosing his job finally, I am now feeling a sense of relief that the idiots haven't taken over the asylum completely yet, although with the prevalence of reality TV shite like Big Brother and Heat magazine hypnotising the populous, I sometimes agree with James Holden's views that the idiots are indeed winning. (Or is it just the government and the media keeping everyone stupid by feeding them bullshit 24/7?) Anyway I digress. This is a music blog after all and if you want searing political commentary then there are plenty of other blogs for that.

James Holden's new album 'The Idiot's Are Winning' was released a few weeks back and it is one of the electronic albums of the year in my opinion. Released on his own Border Community imprint it is a logical progression from his 12" 'A Break in the Clouds' released on the same label back in 2003. Holden's work doesn't follow the regular strict conventions of most Techno and he deliberately makes his tracks difficult for DJs to play, thinking that the "Cult of the DJ is absurd". Just check some of his remixes for Madonna and Depeche Mode to see what I mean. The two tracks here are a good introduction to the rest of the album, using glitched-up micro beats, the track 10101 is very reminiscent of Akufen, but just as you think you've heard it all before his trademark synths kick in and you know you could only be listening to Holden.

James Holden - Lump The Idiots Are Winning LP

James Holden - 10101 The Idiots Are Winning LP

Buy Border Community releases at Juno

James Holden's Remix of 'The Sky is Pink' by Nathan Fake was one of the defining records of 2004/05. It helped define a new direction in the Progressive Tech House/Techno sound. One man who has paid attention to this is Stephan Bodzin. For some of his new material (recently previewed on OHMYGOSH) he has taken the blueprint from this track and turned it up to 11, creating some searing synth action in the process. His remix of The Knife also uses this technique to devastating effect. Enjoy This.

The Knife - Like A Pen (Stephan Bodzin Mix)


As far as I know this is unreleased, But buy other Stephan Bodzin tracks at Beatport and Juno

Monday, November 20, 2006

They're Back

And Did We Mention Our Disco? makes its triumphant return to London clubland on Friday 1st December. This was my favourite club of the last 2 years in London. Residents Den Odell, Rory Phillips, Glyn Campbell and Natasia Ksaiba are joined by Simian Mobile Disco and JD Twitch (Optimo) at a brand new venue, The Sub Club. (Any relation to the Glasgow venue?) for their usual mix of (in their words) post-punk, glitch-funk, schitzo-electro and mutant disco. Hmm, Nice. You can get full details from the Our Disco Website and their Myspace

Now I have been bigging up Optimo rather a lot of late so this post will be the last Optimo related post I do for some time. (Phew I hear you cry)

The first track is Twitch's remix or rather cover version of James White & The Blacks 'Contort yourself' from 1978. This was released on the ZE Records Label and was the first release on ZE in almost 20 years. It was later licensed to the Modern Wild Dub compilation. You can read about it in greater detail from Twitch on the Optimo Discography Page you can still buy the compilation from Juno

Twitch - Contort Yourself (Optimo Mix) ZE Records 12" 2003

This is an unreleased version of a mix done for the Skylax label in 2005 of Denise Motto's I'm In XTC It's a jacking Chicago House track from 1987 with a bassline used from Adonis' No Way Back that originally came out on Kool Kat records.

Denise Motto - IMINXTC (JD Twitch's xx Mix) Unreleased version

And lastly here's a bit of mashup fun live from Optimo in 2003. Its starts with Jello Biafra's speech about the invasion of Iraq (now more pertinent than ever) and mashes up John Lennon, Techno and the old Grand Prix theme! I'm still trying to place the horn section, I've heard it before but can't remember the title. Answers on a postcard please.

Twitch & Mac - Give Peace A Dance (Live At Optimo 16.02.2003)

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

One Hell Of A Weekend

Fans of The Freelance Hellraiser can delight at the prospect of seeing him perform twice this weekend. His DJing skills will be put to the test as he hosts XFM's Remix night at Cargo on Friday. And if that doesn't sate your appetite and you still require another hit, he will be performing live with his band at Clash Club @ The Luminaire, Kilburn on Saturday.

As a special treat here is another remix fix for all you junkies out there.

The Freelance Hellraiser - Weightlessness (PUZIQUe Remix)

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Optimo On Radio 1

Optimo have just done the Essential Mix for Radio 1. It's their usual collection of eclectic Funk, Disco, Post Punk, Electro and Techno. And it Kills. If you ever get the chance to make the pilgrimage to The Sub Club in Glasgow, Do. You will not be disappointed.

EDIT: Direct from the hand of JD Twitch himself, here is the MP3 of the mix without Pete Tong's annoying voiceover. A big thank you for this.

Download: Optimo Espacio - Essential Mix (12.11.06) 2 Hours 165mb






Tracklist:

Jesse Jackson 'Intro'
The Jellies 'Jive Baby on a Saturday Night' (Marathon)
Prinzhorn Dance School 'You Are the Space Invader' (DFA)
The Bar Kays 'Holy Ghost' (Stax)
The Staple Singers 'Slippery People' (Epic)
Chic 'Good Times' (Atlantic Records)
Troublefunk 'Drop The Bomb' (Sugarhill Records)
Prince 'Sign 'O' The Times' (WEA/Paisley Park)
LCD Soundsytem '45.33 part 1' (DFA)
Altz 'Max Motion' (Zi-Koo)
UnknownmiX 'The Siren (Lo Soul's Hot Edit)' (Playhouse)
Dondolo 'Dragon (Shit Robot Firebreathing Remix)' (Tiny Sticks Records)
The Gossip 'Standing In The Way of Control (Playgroup Dub)' (Back Yard)
Depeche Mode The Sinner in Me (Ricardo Villalobos Conclace Remix)' (Mute)
Ricardo Villalobos 'Fizheuer Zieheuer' (Playhouse)
Hansepferd 'BismarkE' (Nobistor)
Saint Ibot 'White Night' (Tendenzen Freier Entfaltung)
Marc Houle 'Bay of Figs' (M nus)
Paul Johnson 'Rubber Band' (Dust Traxx)
Sparks 'Beat the Clock' (12 Inch Stars)
Kenlou 'Sensational Beats' (MAW)
Bumblebee Unlimited 'Lady Bug' (Red Greg/Unidisc)
Lindstrom 'The Contemporary Fix' (Feedelity)
Hot Chip 'No Fit State' (EMI)
The Rapture 'Get Myself Into It' (Vertigo)
X Vectors 'Your Love'
Love Is All 'Busy Doing Nothing (An Optimo (Espacio) Remix)' (Parlophone)
Divine 'Shake It Up' (Break Records)
Bobby O 'She Has a Way (Glimmers Edit)' (O Records)
Yello 'Bostich (Reese Uptempo Mix)' (Mercury)
Mala 'Left Leg Out' (DMZ)
Neu! 'Hallogallo (Mary Hill Rework)' (Brain)
Grauzone 'Eisbar' (Welt-Rekord)
Crass 'Bloody Revolutions' (Crass Records)
The Celestial Choir 'Stand on the Word' (Larry)

JD Twitch has also done a new mix for Beats in Space. Download the mix here.

Check their website and myspace for latest info.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Feeling It... Three



Here's some new tracks which I'm currently feeling right now. There is no common thread between any of these tunes, except all will work on a dancefloor at different times of the night from warming up through mid set to the full on climax. ohh.

First up is the new tune by Lazy Fat People. Its somewhat of an odd moniker for two blokes from Switzerland, who by all accounts are not lazy nor fat. With three singles released so far this year and another, The Pixel Girl EP in the works for Planet E it seems like they are pretty prolific. The Shinjuku EP on Wagon Repair is a subtle Techno throbber with livewire synths that float in and out creating peaks and troughs that lifts it above many other mundane minimal tech tunes out there.

EDIT: Full version removed by request. Here is a sample instead.

Lazy Fat People - Shinjuku Shinjuku EP Wagon Repair 12"

Buy Wagon Repair records here

Depeche Mode's influence on modern electronic music cannot be underestimated. I have loved their stuff since the tender age of 15 and Violator is an all time classic. Mention their name to any electronic pioneer from Derrick May to François Kevorkian and they will sight Depeche Mode as an influence. When I heard rumour of a remix by Ricardo Villalobos over the summer and talk of his sets in Ibiza containing a new remix of the band, my anticipation was high to say the least. Now Villalobos is not my favourite Techno producer, personally I don't see why people go so nuts about the guy. He has never bettered 'Dexter' and 'Easy Lee' from the Alcachofa album. And his new material just doesn't blow me away. Listening to the yawnathon of his new release 'Fizbeast' on Playhouse, which you can preview over at OHMYGOSH I was bored to tears. NOTHING happens... for 35 mins. Having said that I do however love this remix, but it is the dark tones of the vocal which I keep singing to myself which really has me hooked. Decide for yourself, but I think Villalobos is OVERRATED. Discuss.

Depeche Mode - The Sinner In Me (Ricardo Villalobos Conclave Remix) Best Of.. Remixes CD

Props to OHMYGOSH for this mix.

Over and Over by Hot Chip keeps on getting released, er over and over but everytime the new mixes still sound great. My current fave is this understated dub house workout from Mock & Toof.

Hot Chip - Over And Over (Mock And Toof Dub) EMI 12"

Buy it at Juno

Last but not least is this monster of a remix by Modeselektor of Dial Zero by My Robot Friend. Thanks to Fluokids for turning me onto this. I had to go out and purchase this as soon as I heard it. The big grimey synth riffs and scattershot glitched Hi-Hats will get everyone with legs jumping around like loons.

My Robot Friend - Dial Zero (Modeselektor Remix) Soma 12"

Buy it at Bleep.com



Saturday, November 04, 2006

I'm A Tiger... Hear My Roar

I got sent this insane mix from Jan Simon Spielberger aka DJ Shir Khan. This comes straight out of Berlin and is probably the best cut-up mix I've heard since 2manydjs Radio Soulwax Pt 2 and Optimo's Kill The DJ mix. Seriously Good.

Check his website for more info www.dj-shirkhan.de and his myspace

DJ Shir Khan - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 64 mins









Check the Tracklist. Insanity!


1)Intro / Fancy - What's your name again? (Busy P Rmx/Disque Primeur)
2)Uffie - Hot Chick (Ed Banger) vs Liquid Liquid - Optimo (99 Records)
3)Cobblestone Jazz - Dump Truck (Wagon Repair 014) vs Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler (Kitsune)
4)Mr Oizo - Halfanedit (F-Communications) vs Abe Duque - Who's got the Flave (White) vs Goon & Koyote - The Dough (Arcade Mode) vs Claude von Stroke - the Whistler (Dirtybird)
5)Williams - Picadilly Circuits (Get Physical) vs Amanda Blank - Blow (Oxys Anthem/Milkcrate) vs Goon & Koyote - The Dough (Arcade Mode)
6)Man with Guitar - Man with Guitar (Kitsune) vs Adam Sky - Ape X of RocknRoll (White/Kitsune)
7)Adam Sky - Ape X of RocknRoll (White/Kitsune)
8)Freeform Five - No more conversations (Mylo Rmx/Royal Flush)
9)Skream - Midnight Request Line (Tempa) vs Zongamin - Bongo Song (Ed Banger)
10)Spac Hand Luke - Psycho (Rephlex)
11)Services - Element of danger (Mstrkrft Rmx/A touch of class)
12)Peaches - Downtown (XL)
13)Rick James - Superfreak vs Basement Jaxx - Where's your head at? (XL) / Bad Production - Bad Reputation EP (BadEP001)
14)Surkin - Kiss and Fly (Institubes) vs Para One - Dudun-Dun (Mstrkrft Rmx/Institubes)
15)Para One - Dudun-Dun (Mstrkrft Rmx/Institubes)
16)Justice - Waters of Nazareth (Justice Rmx/Ed Banger)
17)Tiga - Far from home (Digitalism Rmx/Pias)
18)Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow (Van she Rmx/Kitsune 038)
19)Shit Robot - Wrong Galaxy (DFA)
20)The World of Betty Botox / G4 Faggot - Kasablanca Compact (Botox02)
21)MU - Tiger Bastard (Output) vs M.A.N.D.Y. - Jah (Jona Rmx/Get Physical) vs System Imaginique - The sublime moment (USA Import Rec./Eskimo)
22)M.A.N.D.Y. - Jah (Jona Rmx/Get Physical)
23)Modeselektor - Kill Bill Vol.4 (Bpitch) vs Sugardaddy - Chasing my Tail (Bonemarrow Edit/TTribe01)
24)Voom Voom Peng Peng - Bounce (K7/G-Stone)
25)Trickski - Sweat (Sonarkollektiv)
26)Makossa & Megablast - Kunuaka (G-Stone)
27)Franz&Shape - Maximum Joy (Yuksek Rmx/Relish)
28)Dj Edgar - Satisfaction (White)
29)The Tape - (Chris de Luca Rmx/Instr/Kitty yo) vs Niji - Your Mummy (Tummy Touch)
30)Niji - Your Mummy (Tummy Touch)
31)Bootlegers with Respect (White)
32)Jamie Lidell - A little bit more / Luke Vibert mix (Warp)

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?