an indian too

2009-03-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

Haven't had too much spare time recently between moving into a new apartment, starting a new job, and playing a bit more footie, but sometime things are just too hard not to share. I caught wind of this recent set of Hyperdub dubplates from Kode9 on Benji B's 1xtra show and went all dry mouth, punched in the stomach, floppy wet fish hands upon just upon seeing the tracklist. Extremely tasty forthcoming stuff from Ikonika, Darkstar, Kode9, and UK funky's alluring Cooly G, the recent stunna from 2000F & JKamata I've been humming to myself all last month, a few old favorites from Terror Danjah and Lemon D, and the proverbial icing on the cake... two new world premiere unfinished snippets of Burial tunes. Good news on these: present are melancholy future-garage vibes and ghostly pitch-shifted vocal snippets but absent are the what-I-find-to-be-sometimes-gimmicky ultra-swung and too-present-in-the-mix hi-hats. Kode talks with Benji B several times throughout the set about what he & Hyperdub are up to, divulging that they have six artists albums on the way this year and a forthcoming 5-year anniversary compilation (CD & 5X12"). To add to that, Kode9 (real name: Steve Goodman) has a book out this year entitled Sonic Warfare, about "using sound to make people feel uncomfortable" on MIT Press. But seriously, just listen to the tracks.... more evidence that my 2008 pick for label of the year will likely remain in that spot for '09.

Click through to download Kode9 on Benji B's 1extra show 2/20/09

(starts at 54:14 in)
Samiyam – Return [Hyperdub]
Samiyam - Trick Platform [Hyperdub]
Kode9 – Black Sun [Hyperdub]
Cooly G – Love Dub (Refix) [Hyperdub]
Ikonika – Sahara Micheal [Hyperdub]
2000F & JKamata – You Don’t Know What Love Is [Hyperdub]
Darkstar – Digital [Hyperdub]
Joker - Digidesign [Hyperdub]
Burial – Untitled (Lambeth) [Hyperdub]
LV – Take Away [Hyperdub]
Burial – Untitled [Hyperdub]
Kode9 – Too Far Gone [Hyperdub]
Terror Danjah – Sonar [FL]
Lemon D – Manhattan Melody [Conqueror]

narcoslippers

2009-01-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

I am ringing in the new year with a new mix (err, streaming set of songs that may or not be in the intended sequencing) over at Ridemypwny called narcoslippers. It is intentionally a break from all the bass-heavy dancefloor oriented stuff I've been bleeding my ears out with (although some hip-carousing grooves do appear in the second half) and it represents a slice of the warmer, fuzzier side of my listening habits. If you click through you can read a 20JFG-inspired rant that approximates a spirit-guiding of the journey.

Narcoslippers Mix

Tormenta Tropical

2008-12-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

Tormenta Tropical has been heating up in the last year, always a big wild night whenever I've made it out, especially now at its new home, the Elbo Room, whose intimate space and generous soundsystem make it the ideal space right in the heart of the Mission. The Bersa Discos boys (Oro11 & Disco Shawn) have been busy throwing down the psychedelic cumbias at many clubs around town, starting up Tormenta Tropical LA - the inagural bash in January brings one of my favorite producers of '08, Zomby (!) to the Echoplex - and are up to their fourth release on Bersa Discos which has been getting mad love by a wide array of folks. States-wide they are probably the premiere outlet for neo-cumbia and latin infused electro, a worlwide phenomenon profiled a few months ago by Jace Clayton (aka DJ /rupture) in The Fader.

This month will be a biggie with an appearance from The Heatwave, the London-based collective bringing their potent blend of dancehall reggae, bashment, hip-hop, mixed with UK bass sounds. Hopefully they will be springing some new Heatwave-patented refixes on us, the last few have been sensational: Rubi Dan over Benga & Coki's "Night" and Beenie Man paired with "Wearing My Rolex". Also supporting is Paul Devro of Mad Decent.

If you need more convincing check out the much in-demand Warrior Queen slewing it over The Heatwave's "Piano Riddim". Massive!

Warrior Queen & The Heatwave - Things Change

LAST SHOW: San Francisco Bootlegs And Beyond

2008-12-02T22:32:00.001-08:00

This week: a screening of rare and unavailable shorts featuring final or unique performances by musicians and other artists whose careers were ended, irrevocably altered, or otherwise truncated in our city by the bay, curated by the fine people at kino21, who have really been bringing some quality underground cinema as of late. Appearing in clips will be The Sex Pistols, Throbbing Gristle, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Lenny Bruce, and more.

Also, the best part is that this program is a benefit for the volunteer-run Artists' Television Access space on Valencia Street. A true home for film and video that would otherwise slip through the cracks into the forgotten realm. Please support.

8pm, Thursday Night, ATA, 992 Valencia St (@ 21st), San Francisco

25 Favorite Albums From 2008

2008-11-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

Flying Lotus - Los Angeles [Warp]

Deerhunter - Microcastle/ Weird Era Cont. [Kranky]

Why? - Alopecia [Anticon]

Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules & Love Affair [DFA]

The Bug - London Zoo [Ninja Tune]

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend [XL]

Portishead - Third [Mercury]

High Places - High Places [Thrill Jockey]

Benga - Diary Of An Afro Warrior [Tempa]

Stefan Goldmann - The Transitory State [Macro]

Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna [Social Registry]

The Mole - As High As The Sky [Wagon Repair]

Trim - Soulfood Vol. 3 [Self-Released]

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III [Cash Money/ Universal Motown]

Quiet Village - Silent Movie [!K7]

Lone - Lemurian [Dealmaker]

MIXED OR COMPILED

Appleblim - Dubstep Allstars Vol. 6 [Tempa]

Luciano - Fabric 41 [Fabric]

Various Artists - Steppas's Delight: Dubstep Present To Future [Soul Jazz]

Andrew Weatherall - Watch The Ride [Harmless]

Optimo (Espacio) - Sleepwalk [Domino]

Dixon - Innercity 2005-2008 [Cdr]

Plastician - Rinse 06 [Rinse]

Ivan Smagghe - Cocoricò 03 [Mantra Vibes]

Grievous Angel - Devotional Dubz Mix For Fact Magazine (download)

Favorite Producer of 2008

2008-11-14T18:52:00.000-08:00

Martyn

Recommended Releases:
Natural Selection / Vancouver [3024]
All I Have Is Memories / Suburbia [Apple Pips]

Remixes:
Ican, "Caminos Del Niño (Martyn's Oscuro Mix)" [Ican Productions]
Shut Up And Dance, "Epileptic (Martyn's No Strobe Mix)" [Shut Up And Dance]
TRG, "Broken Heart (Martyn's DCM Remix)" [Hessle]
Black Pocket, "U're A Star (Martyn Remix)" [Fat City]
Flying Lotus Feat. Dolly, "RobertaFlack (Martyn's Heart Beat Mix)" [Warp]

Favorite Singles of 2008

2008-11-14T18:06:00.000-08:00

Techno/ House/ Electro

SIS, "Nesrib" [Cécille]
Danton Eeprom, "Face Control" [Fondation]
3 Channels, "It's Gettin' Kinda Hectic (Mihalis Safras Remix)" [Trapez]
Ane Brun, "Headphone Silence (Henrik Schwarz Remix - Dixon Edit)" [Objectivity]
Simon Baker, "Plastik (Todd Terje Türkatech Mix)" [Playhouse]
Afefe Iku, "Mirror Dance" [Yoruba]
Alter Ego, "Jolly Joker (DJ Koze's Nuttich Styler Remix)" [Klang]
Italoboyz vs John Coltrane, "Bahia (Party Swing)" [Mothership]
The Juan Maclean, "Happy House" [DFA]
Little Boots, "Stuck On Repeat (Hot Chip Dub)" [White]
Stimming, "Una Pena" [Diynamic]
Tim Green, "Revox" [Dirtybird]
Runaway, "Brooklyn Club Jam" [DFA/Rekids]
DJ Mujava, "Township Funk" [Warp]
Idiotproof, "The Deacon (Oliver $ Made To Play Dub)" [Made To Play]
Ellen Allien, "Out (Audion's Out For Infants Mix)" [BPitch Control]
Move D & Benjamin Brunn, "Honey" [Smallville]
Discodeine, "Joystick" [Dark & Lovely]
Tobias., I Can't Fight The Feeling EP [Wagon Repair]
Henrik Schwarz / Âme / Dixon, "D.P.O.M.B. (Version 1)" [Innervisions]
Radio Slave Feat. Danton Eeprom, "Grindhouse (Dubfire Terror Planet Remix)" [Rekids]
Gotye, "Heart's A Mess (Supermayer Supermess Remix)" [Unreleased]
Late Of The Pier, "The Bears Are Coming (Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Remix)" [Zarcorp]

Dubstep/ Wonky/ Funky/ Grime

Geiom, "Reminissin' (Kode9 Refix)" [Berkane Sol]
Ikonika, Please/ Simulacrum [Hyperdub]
Magnetic Man, "Ligma VIP" [Planet Mu]
Kode9 vs LD, "Bad" [Hyperdub]
Ramadanman, "Blimey" [Hessle]
2562, "Morvern" [Tectonic]
TRG, Missed Calls EP [Subway]
Gemmy, "BK 2 The Future" [Punchdrunk]
Pangaea, "Router" [Hessle]
Shackleton, "Death Is Not Final" [Skull Disco]
Pattie Blingh & The Akebulan 5, "Brother: The Point (2562 Remix)" [Ramp]
Zomby, "Spliff Dub (Rustie Remix)" [Hyperdub]
Dabrye Feat. Jay Dee & Phat Kat, "Game Over (Flying Lotus Remix) [Ghostly]
Starkey, "Dementia" [LoDubs]
Darkstar, Need You / Squeeze My Lime [Hyperdub]
Joker, "Snake Eater" [Soul Motive]
Joker - Top Of The Game EP [Terrorrhythm]
Hudson Mohawke, "Oops!" [Wireblock + Luckyme]
Geeneus, "Yellowtail" [Rinse]
Benga & Coki, "Night (Geeneus Remix)" [Tempa]
Donaeo, "Devil In A Blue Dress" [Zephron]
DJ NG Feat. Katy B & MC Versatile, "Tell Me" [Data]
Paleface feat. Kyla, "Do You Mind (Crazy Cousins Remix)" [Maximum Bass]
Wiley, "Wearing My Rolex (Agent X Mix)" [Asylum]
Ghetto, "Sing For Me" [Unreleased]

Everything Else

The Lava Children, "I Am A Pony"
Hot Chip, "Ready For The Floor"
TV On the Radio, "Crying"
Lykke Li, "Little Bit"
Usher, "Love In This Club"
David Banner feat. Chris Brown & Yung Joc, "Get Like Me"
David Banner feat. Lil Wayne "Shawty Say"
T.I. feat. Kanye West, Jay-Z & Lil Wayne, "Swagger Like Us"
Music Go Music, "Light Of Love"
Santogold, "Creator"
Spiritualized, "Soul On Fire"
Speck Mountain, "Blood Is Clean"

Blackdown's 2008

2008-11-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

I forgot that the reason I really wanted to check in for the first time in 8 months was to link up on Martin Clark's year in grime & dubstep column from his excellent monthly gig at Pitchfork. 2008 had a lot of releases to entertain the ears, so in case you missed any of these do take the time to track them down. He delves into a lot of superb dubstep & grime, and also the new scenes emerging behind the the genre terms 'funky' and 'wonky' which don't mean a lot unless you've been following UK dance music this past year. A lot of stuff I missed out on and will be playing catch up with, but some have been favorites throughout the year. I will be posting a year end list of some sort next week, hopefully before before all the usual-year-end-madness and posturing begins...

As Above, So Below

2008-11-07T16:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I've spent most of the year in hiding. But not without any results, I suppose. The dreaded Master's thesis is kaput/ done/ completed and I get to move on from the realm of education for the foreseeable time being. This thesis was a short film project that ended up considerably longer than suspected, finishing at 27 minutes. Thematically I have a lot of things to say about it - a written component was required - but for here all you need to know is that As Above, So Below is an audiovisual journey through the mindscape of California featuring the city, the desert, the coast and the pathways that connect them. Sounds courtesy of Burial, Quiet Village, OOIOO, Massive Attack and more. Some clips can be seen on my new video production blog.

http://aaronrietz.blogspot.com

I made a small series of homemade covers to give to a few friends and supporters. I like how they turned out so I scanned and posted them below....
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2008-02-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

Our good friend Gavin Burnett (Oro 11 - pronounce as "orrrro own-say") lived in Buenos Aires for the last four years soaking up the sounds of Argentine clubland. Now settled down in Oaktown, he owns a gold-plated AK-47 & his cumbia edits have garnered praise from the Mad Decent blog and in Fader magazine. Tonight is a big night for him and fellow bay area/ Buenos Aires sometimes expat Disco Shawn as they are launching the first 12" from their label Bersa Discos with a big party at the Rickshaw Stop. Expect a bunch of peeps going bonkers to psychedelic cumbia edits, baile funk, dancehall, and various electronic sounds from all over the (un)known world. Paul Devro from Mad Decent guests.

If you haven't heard this sound called cumbia yet, just know that it's what all the thugs bump to in Argentina and other parts of the Latin world. Traditionally it has been very relaxed, riding along at a smooth 90 bpm with big fat accordion lines propelling the mellow groove. But now some bedroom producers from down south are messing with the formula, injecting mash-up culture, hip-hop, b-more, & dancehall samples, and some electronic textures and people are starting to take notice. On of the bigger techno tunes from last year - Samim's "Heater" - had a prominent cumbia sample. Diplo did a cumbia mix for the mad decent podcast a few months ago. But listen for yourself. Below is a track from Bersa Discos #1 and also a bumpin' mix of "Heater" with a Pitbull a capella done by some Swedish dude. Also check out Oro 11's MySpace for a bunch of edits and his original productions, my pick is "bussabussCumbia".

Daleduro - Bombon Asesino [from Bersa Discos #1]

Samim vs Pitbull - Hot Chico (Jonas Arbsjö RDS Bump)

Oro 11 MySpace [various tracks]

There was also an article in SF Weekly a bit ago on Tormenta Tropical that you can peep here.

Monday Movie [Parte 6]

2008-02-04T15:29:00.000-08:00

Light Years (1988) / dir. René Laloux

Excellent psychedelic animation from the French team who brought you Fantastic Planet. Originally titled Gandahar, the Weinsteins ported this gem across the pond and grabbed an bunch of American actors (Glenn Close, Jennifer Grey, Christopher Plummer) for a proper re-dubbing, which is actually a little flat, but renders the whole thing more watchable and lets you concentrate on the amazing imagery and bizarre time-bending story.

One young Gandaharian, Sylvain - looking much like David Sylvian from the cover of Quiet Life - is sent to investigate a strange mechanoid force who is running around turning peaceful countryfolk to stone. Aided by a band of genetically deformed outcasts who dwell in deep forests and underground caverns, he eventually discovers the source is a science project gone wrong that has come back to haunt his people. A giant synthetic brain they once devised and now operating from 1000 years in the future, has created the time traveling robot army to replace his decaying neural mass with the petrified people. I would say more but that would be giving away too much of the plot. Rest assured, the French have no problem with their animation being more strange, intellectual and adult-oriented than a dozen Disneys combined.

Also, the score is fucking sick. '88 still had just enough cheese mentality and soundtrack composers were willing to fool around with electronic gear and synthesizers way more than happens today.

Addendum: Three Boompity Bonkers Techno Tracks With Choir Samples From 2007

2008-01-31T02:48:00.000-08:00

Stefan Goldmann - Lunatic Fringe

Italoboyz - Viktor Casanova

Ricardo Villalobos - Primer Encuentro Latino-Americano

2008-01-31T01:31:00.000-08:00

If you still care to read some dude's take on the old year end wrap-up over a month late, I finally prepared my Best of 2007: One LOOOONG muthafuckin' list. In between a busted hard drive and some hectic holidays this took way longer than I would have liked, but as the sporadic nature of maintaining this beast has proven, it seems most of my time is spent listening to music rather than writing about it and sharing it. With all the developments in electronic music it is a full time job just tracking down new singles and mixes from one genre or corner of the globe, let alone the good bits from the whole world of stuff out there. I will remember this past year as a time when pop music as a whole seemed weak, but the rest of the music galaxy felt stronger in its diversity & cohesion than in years. Everybody started feelin' everybody else, hip-hop went all electro, techno confessed its love for dubstep, nu-disco for yacht rock, psych-folk for hipster metal, etc etc..... inclusivity reigned. This type of rampant cross fertilization has been a hallmark of the '00s, but never before has it been as fully realized and unforced than in this past year. Our future is bright compadres.

I would have added links to listen to everything here but the list kept growing and growing, making this damn near impossible to do. Please do leave your comments on what you were digging the most in this past year, what looks right-on with my list, what is whack, etc. Here's to a

you luved 'em, i luved 'em, we all luved 'em

Panda Bear, Person Pitch [Paw Tracks]
M.I.A, Kala [XL]
LCD Soundsystem, Sound Of Silver [DFA/EMI]

superbad lps

Matthew Dear, Asa Breed [Ghostly International]
DeepChord Presents Echospace, The Coldest Season [Modern Love]
Skull Disco, Soundboy Punishments [Skull Disco]
Burial, Untrue [Hyperdub]
Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam [Domino]
Holy Fuck, LP [XL]
Kalabrese, Rumpelzirkus [Muve]
Supermayer, Saves The World [Kompakt]
Pole, Steingarten Remixes [~Scape]
Melchior Productions Ltd., No Disco Future [Perlon]
Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedola [Secretly Canadian]
False, 2007 [M_nus]
Cobblestone Jazz, 23 Seconds [Studio !K7]
Chloé, The Waiting Room [Kill The DJ]

(Notably, this was also the only year in the past ten when Radiohead or Björk released an album that hasn't warranted inclusion on such a list.)

mixed and/or compiled

V/A, After Dark, [Italians Do It Better]
Prins Thomas, Cosmo Galactic Prism [Eskimo]
Ricardo Villalobos, Fabric 36 [Fabric]
V/A, Dirty Space Disco [Tigersushi]
Justine D, Rvng Prsnts MX5 [Rvng]
Optimo, Walkabout [Endless Flight]
Dixon, Body Language Volume 4 [Get Physical]
V/A, Ed Rec Vol. 2 [Ed Banger]
A-Trak, Dirty South Dance [Obey]

short stuff

Junior Boys, The Dead Horse Ep [Domino]
Lawrence, Rabbit Tube [Mule Electronic]
Dave Aju & The Invisible Art Trio, Love Always [Circus Company]
Âme, Balandine Ep [Innervisions]
Baby Oliver, Feelings 2 / Shot Caller [Environ]
Lovefingers, Rvng Of The Nrds Vol. 4 [Rvng]
Stimming, Funkworm Ep [Diynamic]
Audion, Noiser / Fred's Bells [Spectral]
Nôze, Remember Love [My Best Friend] & Piano Ep [Milnor Modern]
Jichael Mackson, ...Wasn't Me [Musique Risquée]
DJ Koze, All The Time / Cicely [Philpot]
Alex Under, Gris Anthemo [Cmyk]
Robag Wruhme Als Rolf Oksen, Bart Eins Ep [Freude Am Tanzen]
Hatchback, White Diamond Ep [THISISNOTANEXIT]
Roland Appel, Dark Soldier / Changes [Sonar Kollektiv]
Lee Douglas, New York Story [Rong]
Excepter, 'Burgers / The Punjab [Paw Tracks]
Gang Gang Dance, RAWWAR Ep [Social Registry]
Durrty Goodz, Axiom Ep [Awkward]
Studio, Life's A Beach Remixes [Information]
Hercules & Love Affair, Classique #2 /Roar [DFA]
The Lift Boys, Anarchy Village / Anarchy Way [Smalltown Supersound]

shorter stuff

Marc Romboy vs. Chelonis R. Jones, "Helen Cornell (Stefan Goldmann Macro Version)
Rihanna, "Umbrella (Vandalism Mix)"
D1, "Mind & Soul"
Benga & Coki, "Night"
Chromatics, "Running Up That Hill"
Rufus Wainwright, "Tiergarten (Supermayer Remix)"
Hot Chip, "My Piano"
Black Dice, "Roll Up"
Efdemin, "Just A Track"
Radiohead, "All I Need"
T2 feat. Jodie Aysha, "Heartbroken"
Peverelist, "Roll With The Punches"
Klaxons, "Golden Skans"
The Tough Alliance, "Miami"
Mari Boine, "Vuoi Vuoi Me (Henrik Schwarz Remix)"
Lindstrøm, "Breakfast In Heaven"
Battles, "Atlas"
Prinzhorn Dance School, "You Are The Space Invader"
DJ Blaqstarr, "Shake It To The Ground (Claude VonStroke Remix)"
Radio Slave, "Bell Clap Dance"
Pharoahe Monch, "Body Baby (An Optimo (Espacio) Mix)"
Jamie Woon, "Wayfaring Stranger (Burial Remix)"
Cortney Tidwell "Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up (Ewan's Objects in Space Remix)"
Mark E., "R&B Drunkie"
Maps, "To The Sky (The Loving Hand Remix)"
Hurricane Chris, "Ay Bay Bay"
Kanye West ft. Daft Punk, "Stronger"
50 Cent, "I Get Money"
50 Cent ft. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland, "Ayo Technology"
Snoop Dogg, "Sensual Seduction"
UGK ft. Outkast, "International Players Anthem"
Lil Mama, "Lip Gloss"
R. Kelly ft. T-Pain & T.I., "I'm A Flirt (Remix)"
Kia Shine, "Krispy"
Timbaland ft. Keri Hilson & D.O.E., "Way I Are"
Grinderman, "No Pussy Blues"
Kid Sister, "Control"
Samim, "Heater"
Burial, "Archangel"
Justice, "D.A.N.C.E."
Animal Collective, "Fireworks"
Vampire Weekend, "Mansard Roof"

in person

Benga & Hatcha @ Temple, SF
Italoboyz @ Decibel Festival, Seattle
Grizzly Bear @ Great American Music Hall, SF
Soulwax @ Mezzanine, SF
Daft Punk @ Greek Theatre, Berkeley
JD Twitch & Tim Sweeney @ Gun Club, SF
seeing Lemonade about 5 or 6 time around town

flicks

There Will Be Blood, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Zodiac, dir. David Fincher
Silent Light, dir. Carlos Reygadas
I'm Not There, dir. Todd Haynes
No Country For Old Men, dir. Joel & Ethan Coen
Death Proof, dir. Quentin Tarantino
Inland Empire, dir. David Lynch

other takes

FACT Magazine's Top 100 Tracks
Idolator Pop 07
TAPE's Top 100 12"s of 2007
Resident Advisor Poll: Top 10 Albums
Dusted Magazine - End of the Year: 2007
Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of 2007

2007-12-14T15:35:00.000-08:00

Really spot-on feature with the creator of my favorite album of the year in this month's Wire. Ever-reclusive Burial opens up deep, talking about his working methods and how he's never been to a rave. He's got a lot of love for M. R. James ghost stories, jungle, garage, 2-step, secret doorways, and the motion tracker sound from Alien. Also those bizarre snares and clickety-clackety percussive sounds he uses? Straight up sampled off the telly from Playstation games.

Some good bits:

"I don’t really go on the internet, it’s like a ouija board, it’s like letting someone into your head, behind your eyes. It lets randoms in."

"I’ve never been to a festival. Never been to a rave in a field. Never been to a big warehouse, never been to an illegal party, just clubs and playing tunes indoors or whatever. I heard about it, dreamed about it.... It was like when you first saw Terminator or Alien when you're only little. I’d get a rush from it, I was hearing this other world..."

For more read the complete unedited transcript of the interview.

Also the new Burial remix of Bloc Party is floating around. It sounds like you could drop it right in the middle of Untrue without feeling out of place.

Bloc Party - Where Is Home? (Burial Remix)

2007-11-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

I've been invited to join in on the festivities going off over at ridemypwny, a new mp-free minded group blog dedicating to keeping it brief & irreverent, started by some friends in the East Bay. I'm kicking things off with a curio I found on vinyl fairly recently...

Brooklyn Boyz Choir - Say Rayo! Brooklyn (Barbarino's House Mix)

2007-10-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

As a Halloween treat here is a 2005 mix from Quiet Village entitled "Fragments Of Fear". A splendidly spooked-out collection of old horror movie soundtracks weaved together with gothy rock and atmospheric disco. Better than your old spooky sounds mixes to scare the trick-or-treaters....

Tracklisting is as follows:

01. Intro
02. Goblin - Zombie
03. SSQ - Trash's Theme
04. Aphrodite's Child - Capture Of The Beast
05. Charles Manson - It's Coming Down Fast
06. John Carpenter - Reel 9
07. Susan Jacks - There's No Blood In Bone
08. Roger Webb Orchestra - Hammer House Of Horror
09. Pino Donaggio - Dead End
10. Fred Myrow - Mineshaft Chase
11. Ralph Lundstein - Horrorscope
12. Donald Rubenstein - Train Attack
13. Hot Blood - Soul Dracula
14. Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper
15. Les Baxter - Necronomicon
16. Christopher Komeda - What Have You Done To Its Eye
17. Paul Ferris - Witchfinder General
18. Chico Hamilton - Repulsion
19. Jack Nitzsche - Iraq
20. Paul Giovanni And Magnet - Corn Riggs
21. John Cacavas - Satanic Rites Of Dracula
22. Anne Clark - Our Darkness
23. Goblin - Tenebre
24. Ennio Morricone - Humanity Pt. 3
25. John Carpenter - Main Theme From Halloween

Fragments Of Fear - Mixed With Blood By Quiet Village

According to their myspace blog volume 2 is on the way!

You should also check out Pilooski's recent "the scary mix" from alain finkielkrautrock. Chock full of psycho-sexual samples, narcotics references and the usual twisted boogie you'd expect from the D*I*R*T*Y blog.

Deep Shizzle

2007-10-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

The Mole - Border Times

Monday Movie [Parte 5]

2007-10-22T09:30:00.000-07:00

Dudes (1987)/ dir. Penelope Spheeris

"Real life is NOT California. Real life is a shit sandwich... and everyday you gotta take another bite."

Penelope Spheeris (best known for her rockumentary series The Decline Of Western Civilization, and Wayne's World) directs this teen revenge flick where a trio of rockers (John Cryer, Daniel Roebuck, & Flea) decide to ditch their city gutter punk life and head out to California. After encountering some killer biker trash their plans get diverted. Cryer has an American Indian spiritual awakening and Roebuck learns to shoot guns from a wild west babe. Aimless teens become empowered and revenge ensues.

Flea gets offed in the first fifteen minutes which is lamentable and the plot gets so crazy garbled at the end, but this just makes it all the better to drink PBR tall boys to.

2007-10-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

Although they've probably got enough online hype working for them without pulling mine own head out of mine own arse to rave about them again, it would be difficult to overstate the new Chromatics album. Among the standout tracks on Night Drive is a cover of one the best songs ever, Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill". While it would impossible to outdo the vocal histrionics of the original, Chromatics make good by doing what they do to everything, smoothing things down to a somnambulist tempo and add the loving touch of italo disco. This signature style owes much to the hand of Johnny Jewel (in-house producer for Mike Simonetti's Italians Do It Better label and white deep v wearer). This aesthetic seems to be winning many converts recently: making inroads to the traditional indie community with the recent label comp After Dark, while also getting charted by many notable house & disco DJs. Chromatics' "In The City" even found it's way onto Dixon's outstanding Body Language Vol.4 mix from earlier this year.

Tonight, if I had a car, I would be taking my own dreamy disco night drive along to this...

Chromatics - Running Up That Hill

all neon like

2007-09-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

New Kanye album's been leaked for a bit, feelin' major this exchange from "Everything I Am":

"Ok fair enough, the streets is flaring up
'cause they want gun talk
or I don't wear enough...
baggy clothes, reeboks, or adi-dos,
can I add that he do spazz out at his shows?

Say goodbye to the N-double-A-C-P award
goodbye to the In-dia-Ar-ie award,
they'd rather give me the ni-nigger please award
but I just take the "I got a lot of cheese" award."

Oh and the Weezy appearance is typically breathless, belligerent and greatly appreciated. He spits "Suck my bat bitch" at the end of a track called "Barry Bonds".

But the best moment from the album is this ravey synths and soulful strings number, that along with the Daft Punk -infused "Stronger", sounds something like mainstreams hip-hop's response to nu-rave, the reemergence of 80's style in street fashion, and those damn ubiquitous neon sunglasses...

Kanye West - Flashing Lights (ft. Dwele)

crank dat supermayer

2007-09-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

... in which two globetrotting, taste maker deejay extraordinaires play sad, lonely boys disguised as superheros.

SuperMayer - The Lonesome King

The debut album from Kompakt label boss Michael Mayer & Superpitcher is really great fun & poppy (don't call it emo-) techno for the most part, but also flirts with quirky dance-rock and the ultrastylized type of Kompakt-trademarked trendy trance. As with most releases from these two, it's the attention to detail and nuance in texture that sets them apart. Every sound is highly coiffured and deliciously catchy.

In related news, Superpitcher is set to spin again in San Francisco on October 19th at Fat City. (Tix from Blasthaus available here.) You'll want to check it out 'cause his last appearance in town was a corker for sure. While Miss Kittin jumped around downstairs at Mezzanine to a packed house, Superpitcher did his thing for a dedicated 50 or so patrons in the damn-near-hidden upstairs lounge. While I never remember specific transitions or songs from DJ sets, the end of this one was just mind blowing enough to recall. "Return of the Zombie Bikers" (which was still new enough to really freak people out) gave way to that huge rockin' bassline from the DFA remix of "Dare", transitioning into the Mayer remix of "Happiness" during the vibed-out soundwash part. He then ended the set with some lovely AOR-type cheese that I don't recall, probably Todd Rundgren considering his stated affection for the pop maverick. Fucking hell is right.

Monday Movie [Parte 4]

2007-09-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

Derby (1971) / dir. Robert Kaylor

A cinema verité journey inside the once-professional, now-underground pseudo-sport that refuse to die: roller derby. The filmmakers follow young factory worker Mike Snell who dreams of making it big on the circuit. We get a few extra-long shots of his predictably dull home life (in Dayton, Ohio, natch) that, when juxtaposed with the derby, make its violent spectacle just about the most exciting thing ever. Boredom at home culminates in carousing and womanizing, forcing his wife into a catty exchange with some neighborhood mistresses. Taking a small break from Snell's tedium, Kaylor intercuts to aging warhorse Charlie O' Connell, captain of the San Francisco Bay City Bombers.

While Derby never stops to explain to intricacies of the game, we are instead offered a barrage of up close & grainy on-the-track action footage which more than compensates. The simple pleasures of watching grown men in tights & leather calf-highs flailing all over the circle track, the notorious double take-downs (which is the roller derby equivalent of a home run & a touchdown making sweet love), and a few dropkicks to the head will suffice. When brawls ensue small children and grandmas in knitted sweaters applaud and women with beehives hug their husbands in admiration. The America on display here is mundane and brutal in equal measures. The film ends in uncertainty, with Snell hopping on his motorcycle, bound for Oakland and the training he hopes will propel him to the Bay City Bombers someday. Well worth tracking this down on VHS.

not talking today

2007-08-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

Will Saul & Lee Jones - Hug The Scary (Partial Arts Remake)

Lee Douglas - Ravm

Black Devil Disco Club - On Just Foot (Slide Inside Version With Prins Thomas)

Monday Movie [Parte 3]

2007-08-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

Mr. T's Be Somebody... Or Be Somebody's Fool! (1984)/ dir. Jeff Margolis

Absoludricrous pleasures emanating from this home video only release. Part motivational seminar for children, part music video, 100% "First Name Mister, Middel Name Period, Last Name Tee" action. T preaches empowerment through some unholy combination of rap, breakdancing and honoring thy mother. The fashion of the earnest youngsters is something to behold. My housemate swears Fergie is one of them, an IMDb just confirmed this. Time to break out the Kids Incorporated reords.

Someone made an awesome YTMND that plays the theme song...
http://BESOMEBODY.ytmnd.com/

2007-08-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

Of all the genre-defying tracks on M.I.A's new Kala (finally leaked, but out proper August 21), this is perhaps the weirdest. Over a trebly grime style beat and mournful "Blue Monday" chords, she busts out a verse from Frank Black's book, asking the eternal question "Where is my mind?". I might have time to sit around and think about it myself, but our favorite Sri Lankan has been cited all over San Francisco recently and she's looking for a husband. Here I come cutie, grrrrrrrr.

M.I.A. - $20

2007-08-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

Roundup of some newish tracks I've been feeling, and an older one that I've recently come back to be able to hear again... an incredibly dense, super-busy remix of techno artist Marc Ashken from the ever-prolific dubstep king Ollie Jones that was included on his BBC Essential Mix awhile back... a taste of the kind of bizarre electro that Pilooski makes when not producing ace edits for D*I*R*T*Y.... Claude VonStroke's take on the latest Get Physical release... and past evidence of the brilliance of Joakim Bouaziz.

Marc Ashken - Size 3 (Skream Remix)

Pilooski - Cheikir

Samim - Heater (Claude VonStroke Remix)

Max Berlin - Elle Et Moi (Joakim Remix)

Light Keeps Me Company

2007-07-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

Ingmar Bergman, 1918-2007

If you haven't yet, now is the time to pay homage. Watch them all. Persona, Wild Strawberries, The Seventh Seal, Hour Of the Wolf, The Virgin Spring and everything else this true film hero has made. I am falling asleep tonight to The Magician.

2007-07-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

Promising things from Pitchfork: a new mix section with song-by-song roundup/ interview kicked off by none other than JD Twitch. Check it here.

2007-07-19T02:12:00.000-07:00

A plea: please listen to this song as if you were up in the mountains or away from a city for the first time in a long time. Looking upward or lying on your back, noticing new constellations the lack of atmosphere brings. The stars you hadn't noticed now shining dimly and appreciated, they are filling in spaces in the blackness you forgot about. The ones you had seen and become acquainted with, more overwhleming than ever before.

Nôze - Piano

I tend to notice shapes and colors emerging when I listen in bed with headphones in the darkness. I am a minor synesthete, I think. The nightime sky metaphor keeps drifting back to me....

Monday Movie [Parte 2]

2007-07-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

Maximum Overdrive (1986) /dir. Stephen King

Awesomely done piece of genre trash with an AC/DC soundtrack and Emilio Estevez. Sole directorial effort from Stephen King based on his short story "Trucks", where machines go haywire when an comet from hell passes too close to Earth. The action revolves around the Dixie Boy truck stop outside Wilmington, North Carolina and the hapless people trapped there by a gang of killer big-rigs. Did I mention the AC/DC? (Cock rock and evil machines... check.) Best summed up by three gonzo lines and what prompted them.

Jukebox explodes...
"The whole goddamn world's goin' tits up"

Automated arcade...
"Yo mama!"

In comet dust tail, truck drives itself...
"They can't do that.... we made you! Weeeee maaaaade yooouuuuuuu!!!!!"

Watch these previews and treat yourself to a copy.

"You Gotta Believe ....Hey ....Hey"

2007-07-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

My hyper-literate monthly of choice, The Believer, has just issued their 2007 music issue the with an accompanying CD featuring some rare & exclusive tracks from Lightning Bolt, Magik Markers, Aesop Rock, No Age, Grizzly Bear, and many others. There are also articles aplenty: a search for reclusive folkie Bill Fox, a conversation between Khaela Maricich of the Blow and Miranda July, a rethinking of the famous & oft written about false dichotomy "Beatles, or Stones?", and the story of rock's rarest instrument - the Birotron - an offshoot cousin of the Mellotron keyboard made from nineteen 8-track decks.

The magazine also features a center fold-out lovingly chronicling every-metal-band-name-ever (!) beginning with the letter R. Excerpted the forthcoming book "All Known Metal Bands", which promises to be a "poetic document of the continual collapse and renewal of civilizations", this list brings up as many endlessly debatable questions as it answers. Who would have known, for example, there would be 21 "Requiem"-s and only 10 "Rigor Mortis"-s? 30 bands beginning with "Rotten" and only one "Roadkill Sodomizer"? This had me alternating between mind-blown disbelief and hysterical fit this past weekend as I lay floating in a canoe, flesh burning off from lack of suncreen, in the middle of Lake Pinecrest.

The thing that got me most excited however was this new song from Zach Condon who is the principal entity behind Beirut. They have a newish EP called Lon Gisland and one amazing LP entitled Gulag Orkestar that is everywhere by now and you should feel ashamed if you haven't listened to it. Most of the album sounds like it was recorded with a gypsy folk marching band (really just Jeremy Barnes from A Hawk and a Hacksaw & Neutral Milk Hotel-fame) but there are a few other songs featuring cheap synths and drum machines sounding like they are plugged directly into a four-track. This feeling is revisited here with a solitary trumpet line & Condon's multi-tracked vocals swooning over a synthscape straight out of Music Has A Right To Children.

Zach Condon - Venice

Oh, I also forgot to mention that I have an extra copy of the magazine complete with CD for one lucky reader (the one who write to the email address at the top of the screen first).

2007-07-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Cobblestone Jazz are so en fuego right now. Mathew Jonson's collaborative group had two of the most highly-tauted techno singles last year with Dump Truck and India In Me, and they are now making the rounds again with Dmt and Put The Lime In Da Coconut (all on the brilliant Wagon Repair label), as well as blowing folks away at MUTEK and elsewhere with their largely improvisational live show.

Their first remix is part of the Juno Records 10th anniversary series, responsible for reissues of classic tracks bolstered by newly commissioned mixes. On paper the combination of this one instantly got my mouth watering and it actually turns out pretty well. All the best elements of the original track are there, with the beat flattened out more 4/4 stylee and the groove extended much further, teasing out every part of the original pioneering electro track . With Cobblestone Jazz being primarily an improvisational outfit both live and in studio, it rightly ends up sounding more like a Mathew Jonson solo remix than their proper singles, especially when the "Zombie Bikers"-esque bass line uncoils itself just after the 3 minute mark.

Cybotron - Clear (Cobblestone Jazz Remix)

also check this interview from Fact Magazine

2007-07-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

This beats the pants off of Kanye's new video. (I do crave a pair of those sunglasses though)

For more "Discovery" mixed with Transformers: The Movie go here

Jacko-lobos

2007-07-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

2007-06-27T15:24:00.001-07:00

A few months ago I went to the Folk Yeah! Festival in Heaven-On-Earth (Big Sur, California) for a low-key, stony weekend of camping with a bunch of hipsters in idyllic woods and watching a variety of folky-rock bands play this small roadside tavern. For the most part the music was pretty okay and mellow but I was totally unprepared & blown away by one of the last acts on Sunday night, a San Francisco band called BRONZE. They consist of vocals, drummer, and live electronics and have a very psyched-out dense sound that brings to mind Silver Apples if they had access to less primitive electronics. Accompanying their live show was some amazing lasers and projected visuals, but the absolute best part was the drummer: wearing an über-stylish neon green speedo, his nards kept falling out to the beat of the kick drum, but dude was so into the hypnotic grooves he did not care! Anyway these guys are killer, and are sure to blow us away with whatever they decide to record (hurry fellas!) but for now you can check out a live song and video on their-space. For those of us in 'Sucka Free, Bronze are playing this Saturday at a benefit for the El Rio along with other local luminaries & groove-hustlers Tussle, Paradise Island, Lemonade, & more.

Bronze - Scene Saw (Live) (link to MySpace)

Monday Movie [Parte 1]

2007-06-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

The apparent death-knell of the whole first-wave of "let us entertain middle America with urban culture" movies has to be Body Rock. Tellingly, this was released in 1984 along with such heavyweights as Breakin' and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. Starring an all-singing, all-dancing Lorenzo Lamas as Chilly D, enthusiastic street dude extraordinaire of the Body Rock crew, and his trials and tribulations of being tempted by the fame and money of a swanky Manhattanite club, prompting a re-evaluation of his musical passion, friends, and ambition. In this devastating scene, he encounters his old crew on the street wearing his new duds, and must tell his mother (Grace Zabriskie, the sour-faced grandmother from Big Love) that he is moving out so he can be surrounded by other artistes. The eventual epic, saw-it-coming reunion scene occurs in front of a giant friggin' boombox at the Rapstravaganza. Soundtrack ranges from new-wave soft rock to terrible electro and freestyle and includes Maria Vidal, Ashford & Simpson, and Laura Branigan.

Blank-Eyed, Nose Bleed

2007-06-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend in the Yay we are blessed with another delicious event from the Gun Club party people -- the dark disco genrefuck of Padded Cell from D.C. Recordings. It's not an underground location this time, but the newly rejuvenated Fat City will do just fine. As for Padded Cell expect scuzzy basslines, loads of crisp conga percussion fills, dark bouncy synths, a touch of Feedelity-style comsic swerviness, and plenty smeared eyeliner debauchery. If me trying to pull out all the stops on that description wasn't enough, here is a sampling of their 2007 efforts:

flipside from their D.C. 12" Moon Menace
Padded Cell - Faces Of The Forest

and remix of
a long dormant,
former ambient d'n'b,
UK-based Planet Dog artist (!?!),
that appeared on a recent DJ Harvey bootleg mix
Future Loop Foundation - The Sea And The Sky (Padded Cell Remix)

2007-06-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Todd Terje - Eurodans (Audiowhores Edit)

Traveling In My Mind

2007-06-14T15:06:00.001-07:00

Claude VonStroke - Who's Afraid of Detroit? (Audion Remix)

Turzi - Amadeus

Roy Ayers - Chicago (Edit de Prince Language)

An Indian Too Digs On (& Mislabels) Non-Electronica

2007-06-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the tenth anniversary of Jeff Buckley's death, and all the attendant posthumous releasing mania, I remembered this incredible gem. In my obsessive Radiohead collecting days some years ago, I stumbled across this "unknown piano song" which had been mislabeled as Thom Yorke solo work. I believed it too, for a while -- both their voices possess that same haunting vibrato, which is in full effect here. It starts with a minimal Ligeti-esque piano refrain and Buckley extending out these spooky phrases, slowing building with insane spiraling feedback and then crashing into a full band death-metal-funeral-dirge. I have no idea what it's call or what release it's from, and I don't have the patience to wade through a bunch of his work to figure it out, but I am hoping some Buckley maniac out there will stumble on here and alert us to where we can find more. Until then....

ADDENDUM from Friday June 22nd:

Turns out I was completely offbase and the song is from angsty Brit-stadium-rockers Muse! Thanks to some intrepid readers out there for their skepticism. It is a b-side from 1999 single "Muscle Museum" and it is completely unlike anything else I've heard from this group. (Admittedly, I do indulge in an occasional listen to the let-me-upgrade-Queen-with-arpeggiators-and-kickdrums-bombast of "Take A Bow" while not endorsing the band on the whole.) Here is a reposted version of the song that both enchanted & tricked me (sorry Jeff Buckley, I still love you more).

Muse - Con-Science

2007-05-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

Quick note about some oat-standing looking secretive shows this week that haven't been too publicized around these parts. I am excited especially about seeing Mr. Stefan Betke, his new Pole album is stellar and also, as a bonus for your friends who are fed up with experimental dub, more... accessible... than his 1, 2, 3 series.

2007-05-11T15:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been awhile to be sure.

Been neglecting this space for other projects: slacking off school, playing video games (dude seriously, i got a wii), watching the films of amazing Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethkul, not to mention coping with big depressing life issues and such. But now you have my undivided attention....

Here is something I've been working on recently in my Advanced Radio Production class and I hope you listen because it is about a fantastic minimalist rock band by the name of The Monks & their 1966 album Black Monk Time.

And as treat if you listened the whole way through (honor system now), this track from Silver Monk Time, the recent Monks tribute album:

Mouse On Mars - Momks No Time

Also I've been listening to a lot of other fabulous stuff lately... Dixon's Body Language Mix , two new releases from Skull Disco (the two-part Villalobos "Apocalypso Now Mix" 0f Shackleton's "Blood On My Hands" was worth the wait), new Mock & Toof re-edits on RVNG, Larry Heard's "Sun Can't Compare" about a billion times, the What Are We Doing Here? album from They Came From the Star, I Saw Them from 2003 I somehow managed to hear about just recently. Not as much digging techno lately, the Âme joint "Fiori" that's got everybody in a fuss not doing in for me. Still feeling the Kalabrese disc "Rumpelzirkus" and I managed to track down a super dubby & deep remix of his from last year that I will be so gracious to share.

Idjut Boys feat. Rune Lindbæk- Laisn (Kalabrese Remix)

Despite my woes, this weekend is looking partcularly inspiring. Tonight I Am Spoonbender is playing their first show in three years and Steven Stapleton of Nurse With Wound (!!!) is evidently doing something there as well. The atonishingly awful/good Ariel Pink will also be opening up. All this and then someone gave me free tickets to Morgan Geist spinning tomorrow at Rx Gallery.

2007-04-14T19:24:00.000-07:00

Highly recommended essay on the dearth of humor in indie music and the "Serious Question" by Sam Ubl over at Stylus.

Check it.

Get My Bleep On

2007-03-30T15:31:00.000-07:00

Bay Area purveyors of quaalude disco, berlin bangers, & wacky crunk rejoice! One of my current favorite artists (and most frequently blarged about) is playing this Saturday at 222 Club in San Francisco -- Matt Edwards aka Radio Slave aka Rekid aka 1/2 of Quiet Village Project. As you might have guessed his DJ sets are as varied as his production work, as evinced by the link below (courtesy of Fact Magazine). There will be local support from Monty Luke & TK Disko. 222 Club is at 222 Hyde St @ Turk.

Stream Rekid's mix for Fact Magazine here

PAP INDOLGENCE

2007-03-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

Timbaland's forthcoming artist album, Shock Value, has been mainly disappointing in my cursory listen today. Particularly the entire last 2/3 of it stinks (cringe-worthy duets with Fall Out Boy & She Wants Revenge especially). But there are a few moments early on worth hearing. Among them are lead single, "Give It To Me" with Justin Timberlake & Nelly Furtado -- the only real radio-play receiving banger I've been feelin' in the past few months -- and another only-in-the- Timbaland-production-book number, "Way I Are".

Think of it as "My Love" redux. The same gigantic trance-rays of death make an appearance, combined with cold exotic synths and an eminently mixable house beat. Kinda like the type of dark club music The Knife would make if they grew up in Miami instead of the icy Nordic. Here, if we could only replace the sorely predictable phrasing of R&B nobody Keri Hilson and "baybee-gurl" -isms of D.O.E. with Karin Dreijer and um... somebody hotter?!? then we'd all be in pop heaven. If I can find a instrumental, I will post it stat - you just get your producer friends ready to do some major surgery and resurrect this potential banger with an acapella worth the beat. In the mean time we can all eagerly await to hear what he does with Bjork...

Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E. - Way I Are

Also worth posting is another of Timbaland's recent productions from Young Jeezy's Thug Motivation 102, brilliantly showcasing both his continuing a) fascination with mouth percussion, and b) irreverence for using regular hi-hat sounds as predictable placards of time.

Young Jeezy feat. Timbaland - 3 A.M.

My Friday Crack

2007-03-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

Helium-soul dubstep!!!

This track is a huge leap forward (or sidestep, depending on your take) for the restless versatile music of dubstep. No more sulking about in dank urban dens or catching the last tube to Elephant & Castle, this tune is aiming for the top of the pops comparatively from what the rest of the scene is producing. Love to hear where the vocal bit is sampled from. Bet if I was more familiar with British pop I'd already know. It sounds like it could be late 90's garage/two-step, or earlier from that same decade American r&b? Regardless, it challenges the whole eerie, off-kilter vibe that is becoming de rigeur in dubstep, and although it will probably be a one-off track leaving the general path unchanged, it is fucking beautiful for right now.

D1 - Mind & Soul

Another potential melding point/ breakthrough track is Burial's in-progress remix of "Wayfaring Stranger" by Jamie Woon.

Available on Burial's myspace

I was tipped off to this ditty (and indeed a good deal many others) by Kiran Sande's Fact Magazine column, The Contemporary Fix. Otherwise known as Mr. Soft, he runs an excellent blog by the name of TAPE, where if you have never been, I'd recommend staying away from there, it will make your tunes feel irrelevant.

2007-03-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Waited forever to hear this track, and finally it's here. It seems like you would need to start your own weekly newsletter to cover all of Carl Craig's activites as of late, but how can we complain? The C2 renanaissance has given us some uniformly superb remix work (except for maybe the choice of keeping the vocal bits for his take on X-Press 2's "Kill 100"?) and unlike some other top producers, never seems to depend on rehashing the same formula again and again. In the last few months he's put out stellar versions of tracks by Faze Action, Amp Fiddler, Japanese Synchro System, Lazy Fat People, and let's not forget to mention an unparalleded 2006. This one is no exception... oh, and the source material is no slouch either.

Junior Boys - Like A Child (Carl Craig Remix)

2007-03-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

I've been out of the loop for a while, but after finally getting my hands on a Nintendo Wii such can be expected. Since school work is at a standstill, this week will hopefully be a return to shifting through the staggering amount of new music being released in these early months of what is looking to be a promising year. Until I get a grip on that, we will be digging back a few years for this next track, to a time just before Mr. Schwarz started getting his much deserved mad props and bloggers were jumping all over every single thing he touched.

Alex Smoke - Don't See The Point (Henrik Schwarz Vocal Mix) (2005)

And then going even further back, a leftfield disco oddity from pop reggae superstar Eddy Grant. My vinyl version comes on the b-Side to his biggest hit "Electric Avenue". When you hear this one I am sure you will agree it is near unbelievable that these two tracks are packaged together. This is the same guy who wrote "Walking On Sunshine"? It has an incredible cosmic feel to it without indulging in any of the familiar contrivances we are getting accustomed to from the buttload of disco neuvo and re-edits as of late. Listening to it now, the memorable vocal snippet surely influenced Metro Area's "Miura".

The Coach House Rhythm Section - Time Warp (1982)

Motiivi Unknown

2007-02-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

A lot of folks have been waiting for another outing from these three Finns since back in 2005 when their soul-destroying punisher of a track "1939" made us stock our shelters in delightful anticipation of whatever other firebombs they decided to drop. And it struck a chord elsewhere too, getting licensed to mixes from artists as disparate as Annie & James Holden. Two years down the road we find them now in Kompakt's Speicher series sounding unfortunately more shiny - rough edges polished back by software perhaps? The A-side "I Don't Feel Good (When You're Not Around)" is a bit of a let-down, brandishing these ugly ravey stabs that scream dancefloor filler. The flip, however, is a bizarre treat. While never as noisy as their former release, it pursues a more familiar moody-yet-hard vibe for a few, then drops the beat to let metallic synths trumpet around an abstract plain for the last five minutes. Like Eno doing Metal Machine Music. I'm not sure where they fit in much with other techno contemporaries but path they've carved with "1939", "Floor Defender" and now, "Mankind Failed", is to be applauded.

Motiivi:Tuntematon - Mankind Failed [Kompakt Extra]

New Beat, Old Beat

2007-02-13T02:36:00.000-08:00

I know I've posted on them
recently, but lately Quiet
Village Project has been
turning out some very special under-highlighted dubs in a very particular opium-laced mode.... double dutch disco is what you might call it. I'd hazard Matt Edwards has been groovin' on Rub-n-Tug's Better With A Spoonful of Leather. This is where 45 rpm disco & new beat becomes all spacey, pitched-down paranoia. The perfect come-down sound.

Gorillaz - Kids With Guns (Quiet Village Remix)

And here's an old treat that I can't seem to get out of my head as of late. House legend Jesse Saunders getting all suave & sexual on your ass under the guise Z-Factor.

Z-Factor - I Am The DJ

GAME OVER

2007-02-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

<<atari pixel fetish people click below for your retro gaming gaga >>

pes has more if you want them

Put Your Schaffel Shades On

2007-02-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

By way of their offshoot K2, Kompakt brings us the consummate union of one dormant subgenre and one reigning one in what will perhaps be the subgenre to end all subgenres..... minimal shuffle?!?

Maxime Dangles - Don't Worry

2007-01-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

Celebrate good times indeed. The ever ambitious Gun Club party folk have announced their one-year birthday is a redux of one of the top nights in our fair Bay Area last year: JD Twitch & Tim Sweeney are comin' back. February 24th. Location unknown so far. All-nighter.

If you haven't already, do your self a favor and listen to Twitch and Wilkes' BBC Essential Mix from a few months ago for a supreme example of what this dude is capable of.

Optimo Essential Mix

Three Songs (Two Of Which Are Crunk & B Remixes) Making Me Wish I Were Dancing In London Town, Accompanied By Photographs Apropos Of Nothing

2007-01-29T16:42:00.000-08:00

P. Diddy - Tell Me (Switch Remix)

Voodoo Chilli - Look What You've Done To Me

Missy Elliot - We Run This (Duke Dumont Remix)

Mr. Teki Back

2007-01-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

Teki Latex of TTC fame has a solo album coming out (on Virgin France, no less) backed by some promising remixes on the singles, one of which I have for you below. In this shot dude looks like a honky Heavy D. or a euro-fied Patton Oswalt, I can't make up my mind. Up-and-coming Parisian producer Surkin - who with the rest of the Institubes crew is still un-just-ly lurking in the shadow of Ed Banger - does well to turn the smarmy smooth groove quotient of the original into some filter-house monster stomping alongside a stuttering bobble-head.

Teki Latex - Les Matins De Paris (Surkin Remix)

Also of note is Surkin's appearance on Orgaga's mixtape for the Alors Les Filles, On Fête Noël? party that happened in Paris. He actually swipes the bottom end of "Da Funk" for the second half of this remix, updating it with 21st-century electro-house tempo and the attendant grittiness you might expect. Sorry but it's in mixed form....

Para One - Midnight Swim (Surkin Remix)

If you enjoy these tracks please, please buy this stuff (and other French badness) at Arcade Mode, s'il vous plaît!

Enthusiasm

2007-01-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

Round up of a few stellar recent tracks - big ole' long ones. The elusive Serafin emerges from hibernation with his leisurely take on Butt-Rich's newest. The Mole modernizes and modulates a disco classic. Superpitcher learns how to play a recorder. And Quiet Village takes you home deep & dubby.

Martin Buttrich - Well Done (Serafin Remix)

The Mole - Jingover

Superpitcher - Lick The Pipe

Grandadbob - Pictures (Quiet Village Dub)

Bleeda Frum Da Eah

2007-01-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

Another Modeselektor release is upon us, although if you saw them at all in live mode last year it is one you will instantly recall. Figuring prominently in these raved about sets amidst broken techno & chunky hip-hop was their own potent concoction: mutant dancehall. From Tigerbeat6's Jamaican-minded imprint Shockout:

Modeselektor - Weed Wid Da Macka feat. Ninjaman
mp3 from zShare

And this one from their BPitch Control album "Hello Mom!" is in the same vein, if you know what I'm sayin':

Modeselektor - Silikon feat. Sasha Perera
mp3 from zShare

A Number of Names - Sharevari

2007-01-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

merci beaucoup Pierre pour ce vidéo!

Don't Call It A DJ Tool

2007-01-05T12:44:00.000-08:00

I love everything this guy has touched so far, so imagine my pleasant surprise when he gets tipped to remix The Rapture. I was a bit skeptical listening to the first two minutes of layered building, although it remains true to his bleepy, grindin' production ethos. About 2:15 in he drops the bass for a moment and proceeds to some deft vocal cut-up shit that totally destroys your spatial awareness in the best way possible. Get your yourself a nice pair of headphones and try listening in a crowded cafe while the insaneness happens, then find yourself looking around to gauge somebody else's reaction and realizing you are all alone with respects to this nasty bit of tunage. Oh, and the Simian Mobile Disco mix of same track is worth checking out too.

The Rapture - W.A.Y.U.H. (Claude VonStroke Pantydropper Vocal Mix)
mp3 from zShare

About the only other track from Mr. Dirtybird that I haven't seen licensed to a Fabric comp or in some mega dj's top ten is this bouncy buzzin' monster which probably missed greater recognition due to its initial appearance in an Om Records compilation. It deserves to be heard.

Andy Caldwell - Warrior (Claude VonStroke Sharp Toof Mix)
mp3 from zShare

If you are in San Francisco and your night isn't already full with Thomas Fehlmann & Gudrun Gut go check out the whole Dirtybird crew at the Mezzanine for a mere 5 bones. Although I am getting tired of finding myself at Mezzanine damn near weekly instead of some more sordid, intimate locale you got to admit they are stepping up the booking game for the whole city with a few choice nights looming ahead these next months.... Carl Craig/ Lindstrom, Switch, Ed Bangers Night!

And while I am big upping SF parties, tomorrow night is the second [Kontrol] night at The End Up with Dan Bell & Matt Dear performing live as Audion. The first one was really a treat because the system is one giant notch above where these type of nights usually find themselves (sorry Rx, BOCA, Dark Room, et al.). Don't miss this one.

Better Bastard

2007-01-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

Amusing mashups are still a dime a dozen but I want to highlight two of the best I heard this last year. (Aside: Is that term "mashup" even accurate/valid anymore? Bootie is still using the term to bring more folks into the fray, but I like the embracement of "bastard pop" to describe what was formerly "bootlegs" or "mashups". This seems even more appealing when used to describe increasingly sophisticated attempts to re-wire the circuitry of the pop machine, 'specially when you start to think of Girl Talk and five hundred other similar folk probably lurking on myspace. And when I say sophisticated I just mean something that isn't Song A + Song B = Song C. Anyways on to the tracks.)

Justin Timberlake - My Love (Diplo Remix) : jt vs lcd soundsystem
mp3 from zShare

Cassie - Me & U (Siik Remix) : cassie vs ratatat
mp3 from siik.org

(Check out siik's site for other choice cuts - his Amerie remix is another sign of brilliance- the dude is one p-fork track review away from blowing up.)

....and if you're still interested here's another that was oddly hilarious combined with my enthusiasm for the original.

Fedde Le Floyd - Put Your Hands Up For The Wall : flg vs pink floyd
mp3 from zShare

Auspicious Begunnings

2006-12-29T21:52:00.000-08:00

Hello people. I intend to post here semi-regularly about music (mostly of the elektronische tanzmusik variety) and whatever else pops up. This mix I made the other night has some of my favorite tracks from double-o six and a classic as well. Hope you enjoy - and forgive the rough spots!

1. Chrome - (I Left My Heart) In San Francisco [Ralph]
2. Chelonis R. Jones - Deer In The Headlights (Radio Slave Remix) [Get Physical]
3. Nass - Untitled (Side A) [Teile]
4. Someone Else + Miskate - Ooo Yeah [Microcosm]
5. Green Velvet - Shake & Pop [Relief]
6. Radio Slave - My Bleep [Rekids]
7. Paperclip People - The Climax [Planet E]
8. Mekon - Boy Bitten (Padded Cell Remix) [Pias]
9. Betty Botox - I'm An Indian Three [Botox]
10. Cosmic Sandwich - Battle Twig [My Best Friend]
11. Fedde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up For Detroit (Claude VonStroke Packard Plant Remix) [Data]
12. Reel 2 Real - I Like to Move It (Mr. Oizo White Label Mix) [white]
13. Audion - Mouth To Mouth [Spectral]
14. Heidi Vs Riton - Vejer (Jesse Rose Remix) [Get Physical]
15. The Knife - Silent Shout (Troy Pierce Barado En Locombia Mix) [Mute]
16. Kerri Chandler - Phuck This Cowbell [Max Trax]
17. Luke Solomon - Ghouls (Claude VonStroke's Beats From The Grave) [Rekids]
18. The Juan Maclean - Love Is In The Air (Mook & Toof Remix) [DFA]
19. Hot Chip - Boy From School (Erol Alkan's Extended Re-Work) [EMI]

Download mp3 (320kbps) here:
2 Garlic Martinis Mix