Dub Techno Will Never Die

Image Credit: Lektrolab (CC Licence)

I've been working my way through FACT's 25 Best Dub Techno Records Of All Time over the past couple of mornings after they re-posted the article on Christmas Day on their Facebook page. As we all know, nothing says Christmas like a bunch of Germans channelling Lee 'Scratch' Perry.

That being said, the dub techno scene was far wider than just Basic Channel getting deep in Berlin in 1995, with US and Kiwi producers getting in on the act. In fact there are still people making this stuff, though FACT admits it fell out of fashion in the early-00s, but who cares about fashion?

I've had a pleasant couple of mornings working my way through this list, listening to it as I get back into the Game Of Thrones books and wait for Plus One Loo to arise. If I had to pick a highlight I think I'll go for the woozy yet driving Nautical Dub by Porter Ricks...


If only I knew about it while reporting on the Nautical House scene.

Xmas Mix 2014

It's that time of year again!

You can like it on YouTube...


You can heart it on MixCloud

Xmas Mix 2014 (#4) by Sammyfax on Mixcloud

And you can download it from Box


Tracklist:

1.The Walkmen - Christmas Party
2. The Dream Scene - Jingle Bells
3. The Sonics - Don't Believe In Christmas
4. Devo - Snowball
5. Lady Gaga - Christmas Tree
6. Cascada - Last Christmas (Club remix)
7. B2K - Jingle Bells
8. R. Kelly - Love Letter (Happy Holiday - Christmas Mix)
9. Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You (So So Def Remix)
10. Master P & C-Murder - Christmas In The Ghetto

Bathtime With Yamaneko

I have been belatedly working my way through FACT's best free mixes of the year and while there are some lovely ones, I can't say they are game-changers.

One such example of an utterly lovely mix that doesn't exactly alter the course of electronic music is Yamaneko's Pixel Healing Spa, which is an absolute joy to hear and is aptly named; listening to it is like having a nice long soak and y'know, not everything has to be a sharp turn this way or that - this is music for pleasure's sake.



FACT describe it as an "ultra-soothing bath-to-bedtime mix [that] combines mellow Japanophilia with breezy dreamcatcher vibes, birdsong, ominous RPG moods..." and it's hard to argue with such an assessment, so turn those taps on, grab the Matey and get in.

Getting Wavy: Zopiclone & Metronomy

It's that not so wonderful time of the year again when my ability to sleep plummets and I'm back on the zopiclone.

Zopiclone is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic agent used to treat insomnia and trust me, I asked for the Benny-D's, but they don't like dishing out the Valium any more, the damn shame.

Insomnia and sleep deprivation can do many weird and wonderful things to the mind but it's hard to explain or describe it all. And the thing is, taking hypnotics can also do lots of weird and wonderful things. I decide to call it being wavy or getting wavy.

This track, funnily enough the Bedtime Mix of it, is pretty wavy.


[MP3 >>> Metronomy - Holiday (Bedtime Mix)]

Xmas Mix Update: The Dream Scene

Research continues for the killer crimbo cuts for Sammyfax's Xmas Mix #4; there's even a playlist about it on that YouTube.

Alongside that list I have my own little one on iTunes, which is coming along nicely - talking of which, the new red iTunes icon continues to throw me, anyone else equally and inexplicably shook-up by this?

One artist that will definitely be making the cut this year, and at least once at that, is Javier Morales, whose The Dream Scene Christmas album is quickly becoming a firm favourite in the House of Fax.

Plus One Loo kindly put me on to his work after the rather special video for Sleigh Ride! did a thing on Reddit recently...

In the comments section of said video is a link to the album from which it comes. Sadly the ZIP seems busted but you can right-click and download most of the tracks including Jingle Bells [mp3 hot link], which is nailed on to feature in Xmas Mix #4.

If you like the idea of Ariel Pink, Beck and Darwin Deez having a holiblaze and recording a session, then you'll love this festive album.

Battles, The Blue Club & The Bay

As promised in the bio on my new Instagram account, I like to take pictures of signs; stupid signs, graffiti on signs, neon signs and it's the latter that has sparked this post.

A few weeks ago this sign appeared on the side of what was The Point in Mount Stuart Square, a quite frankly brilliant music venue that I think is still sorely missed in Cardiff.

My initial joy was soon tempered, as I saw all the white trucks with their cables spewing out of their backs and I twigged they were filming again, which is a very common occurrence around the Square.

No matter, The Point will continue to live on in my heart as one of the finest this city has had, an old church with amazing sound and cheap Red Stripe in it. It also held one of my favourite all-time gigs, Battles in 2007.

Times and signs may change, but the good times live on and Atlas is still an absolute stonker of a record...

Music Video Of The Year: Dizzee Rascal - Pagans

Like a red bro of Scorpion and Sub-Zero with some extra Raiden-shit going on, Dizzee Rascal gets all Mortal Kombat and drops some haterz... and in the process takes the video of the year gong at the CeefaxOfLife awards.



It's obviously been ripped and you can download it from My Free MP3 >>> Dizzee Rascal - Pagans

Second Sight: Instagram & More Xmas Mixes

I'm really starting to catch up with all this social media stuff now, as following on from the launch of this blog's YouTube channel, I have also joined Instagram.

Annoyingly there was already a Sammyfax on there, so my username is CeefaxOfLife. So far I appear to be taking lots of pictures of cranes, the sky and stupid signs. Give us a follow, yeah?

To celebrate this momentous occasion, here's another Xmas Mix from my YouTube channel (and if you really love it, here's a link to download it)