The Samps, Sampladelia and Sampdoria

For Simon Reynolds sampladeila “… layers and concatenates musical fragments from different eras, genres and places to create a timewarping pseudo-event, something that could never possibly have happened.”

While written before the upturn in lo-fi’s cultural standing, and predominately focussing on techno and hip-hop, I think it is an apt description for the music of The Samps.

Merging the micro-editing and warped lifts of early hip-hop and contemporary dance, The Samps make greater use of the “-adelia”, their tunes closer to the (purple) haze of the first wave of psychedelic rock.

Recently I’ve been swimming in Samps. The band returned with the release/leak of Peppergood. Some of them make up part of Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, a band that are dominating my “recently played” menu.

More anomalously, Sampdoria finished 4th in Serie A, their best finish in years and I've just finished Reynolds’ Bring The Noise, though the above quote comes from the equally excellent Energy Flash.

Whatever the cause of the samp tsunami, if you haven’t sampled The Samps it’s high time.

[Right click and go for "Download Document"]

Glorified Walkman

Got around to sorting my phone after what happened in December.

I've missed having music on the go and the unexpected delights it throws up. The contrasts too between activity and soundtrack.

This morning I listened to the free-form, off-kilter German prog-rock (krautrock is a term I've grown to dislike) of Amon Düül II while on the bog. Lovely.

mp3---> Amon Düül II - Mozambique

Bring Back Literal Videos

Fuck metaphors.

Ariel Pink's Fact Mix

Been a while since I posted about a FACT mix or indeed Ariel Pink.

This sounds exactly how you'd imagine an Ariel Pink mix would. Woozy, disorientated pop music with plenty of googlies (I've decided from now on to use googly instead of curveball. Love cricket), all fizzy and fuzzy.

It's not the best mix you'll ever hear but it does offer an interesting insight into the minds of Ariel Pink and his Haunted Graffiti. Which I think is exactly what said about that Washed Out mix from a couple of months back.

mp3---> Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - FACT Mix 152 [Dead Link! Sorry if you want me to repost it, comment below]

Fact Mix 152: Ariel Pink’S Haunted Graffiti by Fact Mix Archive on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

01. НИИ Косметики - unknown

02. Samsimar - Indang Pariaman

03. Warfield Spillers - Daddy’s Little Girl

04. Vahag Sekadean - VS

05. Chuck Edwards - Oh La La La

06. FX - Les Choces Ne Sont Pas Ce Quelles Semblant

07. Aarow - Paris Now

08. Europeans - Europeans

09. Dirt Wizard - Kill The Wizard

10. Softboiled Eggies - Shower In The Rain

11. Devo - Bottled Up

12. Prince - When You Were Mine

13. t.o.l.l. - Milzbrand (edit)

14. Bobb Trimble - One Mile From Heaven

Heaven 17 = Cloud 9

Accidentally caught a programme the other night about Heaven 17 on BBC2.

It focussed on the recording of Penthouse and Pavement, though it did touch on their formation and the Sheffield scene as a whole.

I felt the wider influence of the Steel City on the astounding electronic music that came out of there in the late 70s had been better covered in other documentaries I've seen.

But as a snapshot from a particular angle, it is well worth an hour of your time. I didn't know for instance, that the track below had been banned by the BBC.

The fools.

It is a super-fast dancefloor classic. Also has the best bass solo ever in it. Fact.

Heaven 17: The Story of Penthouse and Pavement should be on the iplayer till Monday.

mp3---> Heaven 17 - (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang

Take Cover

I felt embarrassed in Spillers yesterday.

Doing my dad a favour, I went to get him a ticket for the Rollin' Clones in The Globe.

Why was I embarrassed? I have no issues with authorship in music. Nor authenticity for that matter. In fact the more synthetic the better.

So why do I have a hang up about cover bands when I adore fakery everywhere else in music? As a cheapskate I should be in favour but they're just... well... naff. And naffness is chronic.

So here's a proper band (whatever one of those is) covering the Stones. All female post-punk goodness from 1980.

mp3---> The Mo-dettes - Paint It Black

Swell Maps

Caught the advert for O2 featuring Gorillaz in the pub.

While I was yet again spitting feathers over the apprehensible scheme (priority my arse), I noticed one of the characters was wearing a Swell Maps t-shirt.

And hence I have a tenuous link to blog about some post-punk, for the first time in a long time.

Swell Maps actually preceded post-punk yet their strong DIY ethos, their willingness to throw styles and sounds together and their lo-fi aesthetics means we don't have to re-draw the boundaries too far.

This track is from 1979 and is shouty, surfy and jerky, and over in less than two minutes. It even has handclaps. Ideal.

mp3---> Swell Maps - Another Song

FYI: This song was recorded in Leamington Spa

Waiting For The Drop

Still don't know if I've got Thursday next week off work for Rusko @ Clwb.

Hyper-balls.

Advance tickets have already sold out but they'll be 200 on the door.

For the meantime I'll placate myself with some more bass pressure...

mp3---> Rusko - Jahova

Struck Dumb

A few weeks back The Futureheads released their fourth album. Their fourth.

I will always have a soft spot for The Futureheads. Saw them on that NME tour about five years ago with Bloc Party, The Killers and Kaiser Chiefs. They were the best band of the night.

I haven't bought any of their albums since their début. Seems that's the case with a lot of people. But every time I hear a new single it is always a corker. Which begs the question...

When's the singles collection coming out?

mp3 ---> The Futureheads - Struck Dumb

B-B-B-B-BASS

Often I like to try and say something when I post here.

Today I have nothing.

This is just a bass heavy monster of a track.

Rusko - Hold On (Sub Focus remix) [RCRD LBL]