6 in 1 (5)

There's always time for a list. Here are a few cuts I've been enjoying amongst the Christmas crackers...

Vito Ricci – I'm At That Party Right Now

Lo-fi AF house music, with a jokey video that's thematically close to Call on Me by Eric Prydz. A proper roller.

Bicep - Apricots

Bicep are back, sounding like Bicep. Apricots is off Isles, out on Ninja Tune 22 January 2021.

Against All Logic - Fantasy

Crunchy weirdness with a warped Beyonce sample? 100% up my street.

Bagarre - Lemonsweet (1985 Album Version)

This is from a compilation called "I-Robots - Turin Dancefloor Express - 70's - 80's Piedmont Area Italo Rare Grooves, Disco + Not Disco Sounds - Vol. 1". Which I bought immediately.

Desire - Under Your Spell

As featured on this bizarre but brilliant Arsenal x Adidas Originals advert (I would do anything to be in the back of that car with David Seamen and Steve Bould). Under Your Spell has got over 50m views on YouTube, likely due to it featuring on the Drive OST.

Lennie De Ice - We Are I.E. [Original Mix] (1991)

Before everything fractured and splintered, rave was just rave. You can hear hoover, hardcore and jungle elements are in here, but ultimately it's all about the rave.

I saw this on UK Rave Comments, which shared the awesome fact that the Dark Destroyer himself, Nigel Benn used it as ring entrance music. Yes mate.

Original image: Sérgio Valle Duarte Wikidata has entry Q16269994 with data related to this item., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Christmas Crackers 2020

Guys, there won't be a Xmas Mix this year. I know, how could 2020 get any worse, right? Still, you can catch up on my old Christmas mixes of hip-hop, electronica and festive weirdness below and over on my MixCloud.

• Xmas Mix 2016 (Rothfink's Merry Rustmas)
• Xmas Mix 2014
• Xmas Mix 2012
• Xmas Mix 2011
• Xmas Mix 2010

But just because there's no new mix, that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping my ear to the ground for the coldest Christmas cuts. Here's my pick so far...

SNL - Stu

I genuinely laugh out loud every time at "Bitch Tits".

Chilly Gonzales & Toddla T - A Very Chilly Mixtape: The Coldest Christmas

I missed out on reviewing this for Buzz, but no matter, it can go here. Here we go. 

This slaps - *****

Radiohead - Creep But It's All I Want For Christmas Is You By Mariah Carey (2020 Mix)

Welcome to hell/2020.

Nadolig Llawen.

9 in 1 (2)

This? It's a list of things I've been enjoying recently. That up there? It's a Rorschach test.

Suicide - Dream Baby Dream

From featuring on a perfume advert (Marc Jacobs I think) to popping up on all sorts of radio shows, I haven't been able to escape Suicide's sickly sweet synth-punk classic.

‌Mariya Takeuchi - Plastic Love

Feels like I've been unable to escape this City Pop banger either recently. That though may be down to listening to NTS lots, as well as dipping into the stream of 🇯🇵 Japanese 70s 80s New Music Soul Funk Disco Fusion City Pop Kayo Reggae 和モノ ニューミュージック🗼. 

DFA presents: James Murphy - 12 November 2020 on NTS

Talking of NTS (and I'll be doing a lot of that in this post), the LCD Soundsystem frontman and DFA co-founder ran through the formative tracks for both band and label earlier this month on the station. Lots of post-punk, new wave, and disco (mutant or otherwise), AKA the good stuff.

‌Akiko Yano - Hourou 

Can you take a second to appreciate one of the greatest album covers of all time, please? Thanks.

Hourou is another joy from the 🇯🇵 Japanese 70s 80s New Music Soul Funk Disco Fusion City Pop Kayo Reggae 和モノ ニューミュージック🗼 stream. It's track four from Iroha Ni Konpeitou.

‌New Order - Ceremony

Finally took the step of becoming an NTS supporter this month. One of the perks is live tracklistings. Which obscure cut did I use first it on? Errr... Ceremony by New Order on Charlie Bones' breakfast show. Look, I was still half asleep. But what a classic. And also big love for a breakfast show that starts at 9am and finishes at midday.

Philip Glass - Vanessa and The Changelings

I promise this is the last mention of NTS in this list (maybe). A recent In Focus episode was on the classical minimalist legend Philip Glass. 34 mins in is this beautiful, if far too short, piece called Vanessa and The Changelings from The Hours OST. Someone must have made a loop on YouTube.

‌Avalon Emerson - Poodle Power

Right, time for something new in this list. How about some plinky techno from a recent DJ Kicks? Fab, here we go then.

‌

Luther Ingram Orchestra - Exus Trek

That's it, back to Winnipeg. Here's a Northern Soul stomper from 1966. Huge.

Little Richard - Rubber Duckie

We've been leaning on the TV a lot to keep the boy entertained recently. Look, the park closes at 3.45pm now. And it's well dark, like all the time. And there's pandemic. 

Anyway, Sesame Street have a load of playlists on YouTube, including 90s and 80s classics. There's plenty of delights from huge stars, so here's Little Richard singing Rubber Duckie.

Related post: 9 in 1

9 in 1

Ah shit, here we go again.

Ruff Sqwad - Tings In Boots (Instrumental)

Adore the roughness and the rawness. Pure Fruity Loops Grime.

Stevie Wonder - Race Babbling

Stevie was doing techno before techno.

Boards of Canada - Dandelion (Reversed)

It's almost like it was meant to be played this way. 

Sonic Youth - I Love You Golden Blue

As featured on Beabadoobee's Radio 1 Chill Mix, this is indie-rock at its most horizontal. Beautiful stuff.

Str4ta - Aspects (Demus Dub)

Big ZE vibes off this. Mutant disco for punks in pumps.

Daniel Lopatin - Mohegan Suite

After listening to Magic Oneohtrix Point Never, I thought I'd give the Uncut Gems OST a spin. Let me tell you, it is not the most stress-free music to study/relax to while working. Who knew?

Mera Bhai - Mañana Groove

Sounds like Mera Bhai takes a throw-everything-in approach to electronic dance music. Pulsing with ideas. 

Aaronson - Live at Le Pub - 6th September 2020

Barry's finest in Newport's finest.

Nicky Robson - Stars

I was absolutely certain I posted about this back in the early days of this blog. Look like I didn't. Great story, Sam. Well, Stars is basically David Bowie's Fame as cosmic disco, a track that chugs rather than charges and has Gary Numan's fingers all over it. From 1981.

Related post: 8 in 1 (4)

City Pop Don't Stop

I have to share this little lockdown joy.

Sorry, we're not meant to say lockdown are we? It's bad vibes. Firebreak. Or 'National Restrictions' if you're that side of Offa's Dyke. Good vibes only, please.

And that's what you get on 🇯🇵 Japanese 70s 80s New Music Soul Funk Disco Fusion City Pop Kayo Reggae 和モノ ニューミュージック🗼from New J Channel.

It's a live stream of amazing music, mainly city pop, with top cover art and a civil live chat with people from all around the world. It's all rather lovely and perfect to pop on in the background.

ニース / Nice.

Dorohedoro Lockdown

Need something new to watch? Dorohedoro on Netflix, mate, you'll love it. Even if you've never watched anime before, just go for it. I mean, it's lockdown again, so what else are you gonna do, bake banana bread again? C'mon.

What's Dorohedoro about? Well, there's this guy with a lizard head who's trying to find his human head. That's the main thrust of it. There are also two bounty hunters who are after lizard head guy and his friend who is really good at making gyoza. There are doors to another world. There are sorcerers. At one point a guy shows up with a cooked turkey for a head.

Look, it's best not to ask too many questions. Just jump in. 

Dorohedoro is a bizarre blend of gore and goofiness, dark fantasy and cyberpunk, ultraviolence and friendship. It's unlike anything I've seen for a very long time. And this absolute banger closes episodes 3 and 4. 

It's called Night SURFING by (K)NoW_NAME.

I'm only up to episode 6 but I'm already a big fan. Say no to banana bread and yes to Dorohedoro.

Related post: Kanedaaa!

8 in 1 (5)

More music I've been enjoying lately. Classic hip-hop, post-punk revivalism, soulful house and a song about Alexa all feature...

Finn - RTS‌

Closing out his recent mix for Resident Advisor (RA.746 - Finn) with his own soulful filter house jam is a nice touch, just like the mix into it from Trotters Independent Traders' Gotta Believe. Tidy. 

‌The Fall - Hit The North

How many tracks from The Fall will I include in these X in 1 lists before I admit I'm a fan?

 ‌A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum

Just some smooth AF classic hip hop.

‌Holy Tongue - Emet

Liquid Liquid-like dubby punk-funk from Al Wootton (who used to be Deadboy) and Valentina Magaletti. The whole Holy Tongue EP is on this tip, bang into it.

‌Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Turn Into

I'd like to tell you all about it [guitar solo that sounds like a theremin]. 

Dug out Show Your Bones the other day and goddammit I love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I looked at a couple of album reviews from when it came out, and there were some sniffy critiques, mainly around it not being as good as Fever To Tell... but what is? Show Your Bones is still a solid LP.

The ‌Futureheads - Man Ray

Another hit of post-punk revivalism. Man, I just want this to be over and be in a sweaty, dark room jumping around to The Futureheads.

Boards of Canada - Duffy

One of the snippets from This is Hexagon Sun, Duffy is one of the very few tracks that has been confirmed as BOC from the phase where they only handed out their music to friends and family. It's off Acid Memories from 1989.

‌The Cool Greenhouse - Alexa 

I adore novelty songs that speak to a specific time. This critique of voice assistants is funny, to the point, and a bit like a cross between Art Brut and The Teenagers. Trevor Jackson played it on his latest NTS show and it's available to pre-order on some weird random colour eco-vinyl 7".

Related post: 8 in 1 (3.0)

Buzz Jónsi

 

I reviewed Jónsi's new album, Shiver, for Buzz Magazine this week. Well, I gotta do something on my week off now that I can't leave Cardiff.

Anyway, Salt Licorice is the clear highlight from the Sigur Rós vocalist's solo album, as any track featuring Robyn usually is. Oh and A.G. Cook from PC Music co-produced it. Nice.

Shiver is out today (Friday 2 October 2020).

Related posts: Previous Buzz reviews yerr and I appear to have my own tag on Buzz which is nice.

This is Hexagon Sun

This is Hexagon Sun: A Video on Boards of Canada sat in my recommended list on YouTube for about a month.

It was there for a while because an 80+ minute fan video for one band is a bit of an ask. Yet, footloose and fancy-free on a Friday evening - and two cans deep into the Champigneulles - it was time to give it a go. And I'm happy to say it was worth the time.

It thankfully eschews voice narration (bar the odd snippet from John Peel) and lets Boards of Canada's sublime music breathe, with details and insight shared in captions. Visually it's very BoC, all grainy archive footage and fractals, and as such, you can slip it on and let it stream, drifting in when a sample catches your ear. 

As well as a relaxing slow TV-like watch, This is Hexagon Sun is also thoroughly researched. I learned a lot on a band I thought I knew quite well. For while I own all the main Warp albums, I didn't know that BoC has been active since 1989 nor how convoluted the campaign was for 2013's Tomorrow's Harvest.

This is Hexagon Sun is clearly a labour of love, so it's a little bit of a shame that it only has 40,000 views. So why not crack open a Champigneulles and give it a go?

Related post: Boards of Chinook

Original image: model's own.

10 in 1 (2)

Once again, I am asking you to give two hoots about what I've been listening to recently.

Au Pairs - Inconvenience

Scratchy punk-funk from 1981. Post-punk will never die on Ceefax of Life.

‌Parris - Soft Rocks With Socks

As featured on Joy Orbison's new Radio 1 Residency show, Soft Rocks With Socks by Parris is a little plinky mellow roller that's tidy like.

‌Giorgio Moroder - The Chase

Giorgio doing what Giorgio does - 13 minutes of glorious electronic disco music.

‌Autolux - Plantlife 

As featured on Erol Alkan's NTS show on 1 September, Autolux is one of those bands that I can't quite figure out how I've never heard of before now. Like shoegazy alt rockers going at it since 2001, I mean c'mon, how? 

‌Scan X - The Soul

As featured on the seminal (well for me it was) Sonar 2003 CD. Got it just after my 18th birthday for £14.99 in the Virgin Megastore on Queen Street. Pretty sure there's a picture of me holding it up with a pint of Guinness outside the 'little' O'Neill's on what Google Maps says is Trinity Street. Time is slipping through our hands like sand.

Oh the track? It's driving thumping techno mate. Came out on the French label F Communications, who are celebrating 25 years this year. Bon Anniversaire, Laurent Garnier! Time again. 

‌

No_4mat - 1992

YouTube decided that last week I really needed to listen to some lo-fi house spliced with hauntological videos. And it was right.

‌999999999 - love 4 rave

See above but replace lo-fi house with nosebleed techno. The footage is of an Osho's dynamic meditation session. Looks a right laugh. 

Bustin

I know this is a joke but it still slaps. I don't make the rules. Do you reckon Ray Parker Jr has seen it yet? 

Bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin bustin.

Hiroshi Yoshimura - Green

I feel like this should be higher in this list, even though there's no ranking to these things. Why? Because I've been listening to so much Hiroshi Yoshimura this week.

And similar to Autolux above, I'm not sure how I've never heard of him before now. I mean he's the godfather of Japanese Ambient for crying out loud. You'd think during my big Susumu Yokota phase I would've found a pointer somewhere. But nope, and here we are in 2020.

Anyway, thanks to the YouTube algorithm for dishing up Soundscape 1 surround 1986 on Monday and kicking off a big week for Hiroshi Yoshimura in this household.

Also, I'm wracking my brain over where I've heard Green previously. Someone's either sampled it, used it in a mix, or it's a been on a soundtrack. As you can see, I've not really got very far with figuring this out

‌Hudson Mohawke - Vitalize

Another month, another collection of HudMo rarities dropped onto Bandcamp. Happy days. Vitalize is off Poom Gems. Lovely artwork again.

Related post: 10 in 1

Radio 1 Residency: Autumn 2020 Update

Another six months, another shuffle of the Radio 1 Residency slots.

Fitting with the times, this new roster doesn't really do it for me. Here's why.

Caribou's shows were essential and even Grimes's oddball selections have been worth a listen. Both are out after one season. They're joined by Paul Woolford AKA Special Request. This is especially gutting, as his raucous shows have always been top top stuff, with him dropping cutting edge electronic music from the harder end of the spectrum, as well as the odd early hardcore classic. It was a lesson.

And the replacements? Well, there's the Legendary DJ EZ decent start like, it could be good to hear where UK Garage is at right now. Joy Orbison might be alright, though I wasn't fussed on his first show. I gotta say, I don't know who Amelia Lens is, sorry. And then there's the giant shrug that is Disclosure.

Still, at least Teki Latex and Saoirse are returning.

Ins and Outs of Radio 1 Residency Autumn/Winter 2020

Ins

• Disclosure
• Joy Orbison
• Amelie Lens
• DJ EZ

Outs

• Paul Woolford AKA Special Request
• Caribou
• Grimes
• Denis Sulta

Remainers

• Eris Drew + Octo Octa
• Teki Latex
• Sherelle
• Saoirse

Bios and pics are up on the BBC Radio 1 website.

It feels weird not posting any music, so here's the last track from Special Request's last show, FBD Project - The Core, proper '93 jungle mate.

Related posts:

• Radio 1 Residency: Spring 2020 Update 
• Radio 1 Residency Goes On and On

6 in 1 (4)

We just have to carry on, don't we? Here are some things I've been listening to recently...

iamamiwhoami - Good Worker

I've been going through some of the albums I picked up for a pound a pop when HMV moved for a second time on Queen Street. Daphni, L-Vis 1990, and iamamiwhoami for starters out of a list that also features AlunaGeorge, Idjut Boys, and others.

It's iamamiwhoami that has stood out though. I never really gave Kin much of a spin first time around, and I missed the drip drip hype of video releases that proceeded the album's release. Strip away that hype and the backlash when it turns out it isn't Lady Gaga singing here and you're left with a very tidy pop album. The clear highlight being the lush, whoozy, driving Good Worker. Well worth £1.

‌Wayward - Marvin

Was pretty sure I'd posted about this before, and yep there it is in 2013. Anyway this tidy edit of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing, came up on shuffle in the Sandero and united the car on the trip to Amelia Trust Farm a few weeks back. The original is also on the Oak Furniture Land ad at the mo.

‌Hudson Mohawke - B.B.H.E 

A no-look drop of rarities and unreleased cuts on Basecamp by yer man HudMo. You better believe it.

‌Donor Lens - Midnight Store

A vaporwave concept album about the notorious Midnight Store on the border of Cathays and Heath. You better believe it.

‌Planningtorock - Jam Fam

Yeah if you release anything that sounds like 80s electro-disco with a slight Factory Records edge it'll probably end up on one of these lists. Factor in that Jam Fam was made for a Chanel show, then it absolutely makes it.

‌Gary Low - I Want You

How the hell did it take me till 2020 to learn that Washed Out's Feel It All Around is basically this slowed down?

Related post: 6 in 1 (Yet Again)

Original image: User:W.wolny / Public domain

So long, Dad

Everyone is unique but Dad was more unique than most.

I’m sure many people have been told off for playing loud music at a caravan park. Yet few have been told off for blasting the neo-classical works of Karl Jenkins in the middle of the Canadian Rockies.

Everyone has a favourite colour, yet few committed to green quite like Dad did.

And many of us here today have travelled widely, yet Dad set foot on every continent on earth, except Antarctica, as there's nowhere to get a decent pint.

My Dad saw everything he wanted to see and did everything he wanted to do. He beat his own path through life and not everyone gets to do that.

And while his path was far too short to seem at all fair, I am so grateful that I was able to share some of that journey with him.

And Dad, while it pains me that Frank will not get to experience you first-hand, I will do everything to make sure you continue to be a part of his life. Whether that’s instilling in him your love for cricket, going for walks no matter the weather, or reminding him that if you can’t fight, wear a big hat, I will make sure he knows what a special man you were.

Right Dad, this is it. Whether your journey has ended or you are starting a new one, I just want to say this. Thank you. Thank you for everything, and I miss you and I love you.

So long, Dad.

7 in 1 (2)

Good tracks for bad times. Here's seven things I've been enjoying recently.

808 State - Olympic

Proper twisty bleepy acid house workout thanks yes. ‌

Walt Ever - Trenna Is A Dance

Prime cut of electro that Saoirse played recently on her Radio 1 Residency show. Well worth a listen that show is like.

‌‌

‌Jeff Mills - Changes Of Life

Classic relentless techno from the don.

Erol Alkan - Archway 1990 - 1991

Vinyl-only, two decks and a mixer, live no edits. This rough and ready mix from yerr man Erol Alkan is all music from his formative forays into records shops, and it's a fun hour. It even went down well on my workplace's Teams chat. Fancy that!

‌Bishop Nehru - MEATHEAD feat MF DOOM

Just remember all caps when you spell the man name.

The Fall - Lost In Music

Yeah, why not? Need some post-punk on here anyway. So here's The Fall taking on Sister Sledge (well Chic really).

‌Grandmixxer - Dunn's River to Nile Valley

Headache-inducing grime instrumental that slaps IMO.

Related post: 7 in 1

Original Image: Atlas Image [or Atlas Image mosaic] courtesy of 2MASS/UMass/IPAC-Caltech/NASA/NSF

Retro 8 in 1: Lost Note Special

Found this old note in a draw over the weekend:

It has somehow survived at least five house moves since being written in 2003. And I'm sad to report the Blackberry trial is no longer available, so let's lift our spirits with some early 00s "Tunes"...

Eberg - Plastic Lions

Glitchy winsome folktronica. Icelandic too. Big early-naughties vibe. 100% not a "Tune".

cLOUDDEAD - Dead Dogs Two (Boards Of Canada mix)

I found the first cLOUDDEAD album for a £1 once in Dig 'n' Delve in Falmouth. I wonder what happened to it? I mean if a scrap of paper can survive 17 years then surely a nerdy experimental hip hop CD on Big Dada can too? That doesn't really make sense, but then neither does cLOUDDEAD. Tune.

Jay-Z - 99 Problems

Tune. Obvs.

LCD Soundsystem - Yeah

Tune. Obvs.

I got this down as (Output), so this must've come out on Trevor Jackson's label before the whole DFA thing then?

Googled it. Looks like it was a promo. Wait, Wiki says "Output Recordings also co-distributed releases from DFA Records in Europe."

'king Sherlock over here.

SFP - Happy House  (Peel 14th)

Nothing coming up for this. Looks like this list is from January 2003, so I found a tracklist for John Peel's show from the 14th of that month. Nothing. Lost like tears in rain :(

MIA - Galang

Tune. Obvs.

Iz & Diz - Mouth (Pépé Bradock Mix)

Here's the first one on this list I've already posted about, and not that long ago either. I did it get it slightly wrong it that previous post though. Mouth (Brad Peep's Remix For Friends) came out in 2002 rather than 2006 as I said. But the timeline holds! Anyway, Mouth is like proper amazing deep house music that is made up entirely of vocal samples.

Tune, scratch that, CHOON.

Diamond Desmond - ? (Session in Wales 15/1/03)

Yeah, I've got nothing again. But I do have 2 more on the back of the sheet!

Jimmy Edgar - No Static

This is much closer sounding to Prefuse 73 than I remember Jimmy Edgar being, but I get why I wrote this one down. Kinda glitchy boom happy hip hop kinda yeah? Whatevs, Tune.

Sex In Dallas - Everybody Deserves To Be Fucked

Genuinely don't think I've thought of the Kitty-Yo label in like 15 years. Cheap, trashy electro that still fucks. CHOON.

7 in 1

More lockdown jamz. Seven of 'em.

Run The Jewels - Ju$t (Feat. Pharrell Williams and Zack De La Rocha)

Ju$t is a subtle as you'd imagine a collaboration between RATM's Zack De La Rocha and Run The Jewels would be and it still bangs. It was a toss-up between this and the Gang-of-Four-sampling The Ground Below from the new album.

Ju$t features on RTJ4, which was released early for free this week, and you're encouraged to donate to National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Fund if you download it.

‌

Squarepusher - Detroit People Mover

Sad boi electronica that hits the right note right now.

Folamour | Boiler Room: Streaming from Isolation

Been dipping into some of the live streams from Boiler Room and this uplifting soul and funk selection from Folamour is tidy like. Well Sunday.

NZCA Lines - Pure Luxury

Michael from Metronomy's main band drops another slick synth-pop banger.

‌The Fall - Totally Wired

No reason.

‌Kelly Lee Owens - Melt!

We still have to stay local during the lockdown in Wales, so I'll drive up and down the A4232 at night to get the vibe right, rather than down das autobahn. Fun plinky techno innit.

‌Daphni - Just Jam 118 

"Is THAT what Caribou looks like?" Plus One Loo, June 2020.

8 in 1 (4)

Grime, post rock, trance, new wave, here's a couple of tracks I've been enjoying during lockdown...

‌Carli - Lights and Strobes 

As featured in Jamie XX's latest Essential Mix, and boy is that an essential mix, is this spacey, ravey, uplifting... shit is this trance? I don't know what it is, or how this track works, but it's flipping great.

Aaronson - Pale Fire

Your favourite band from Barry (sorry Metabeats), Aaronson are back with a new EP of post-rocky post-rockiness. Buy You Are Not A Stranger Here on Bandcamp and all the proceeds go to the #saveourvenues campaign. 

‌Kraftwerk - Numbers

RIP Florian Schneider.

JME - 96 of my life

I remember Benji B rewinding this months ago on his show while walking the dog on a pitch black morning. There was a big thing about how JME's Grime MC was a physical release only, no streaming. But now it's on YouTube, and the sun rises at 5.30am, and everything is better. Well not everything...

‌Lori & The Chameleons - Touch

Kitch new wave that references Japan and features Bill Drummond of the KLF? Yeah go on...

‌Oscar Cash - Distant Horn (Salted Caramel Ice Cream)

I missed this first time around. If you got the deluxe edition of Metronomy Forever on vinyl, then you also got Oscar Cash Forever. The only mainstay in the band besides Joe Mount, well since Night Out anyway, keyboardist Oscar Cash offers a warped lounge take on the album. It's now on streaming services and was announced on Metronomy TV, the band's weekly show on Instagram. Metronomy TV is perfect lockdown viewing, with new music, covers, and oddball visuals. There's even a cooking section. You can catch up with Metronomy TV on YouTube.

‌Hodgy Beats - Bubble Gum

Had a phase a few weeks back when I went deep into the micro SD. Wasn't long until The Odd Future Tape appeared.

Yeah, make it stretch like bubble gum.

‌Junior Boys - Birthday

‌LA Priest played this on a recent episode of Radio 1's Chill Mix and it jolted me back to Llantwit Major. Birthday features on one of those Jockey Slut compilations, Disco Pogo for Punks in Pumps Vol 11. Sad boi electronica for sad boi Sam, post Manchester, pre Falmouth. Jeez what a time. Anyway,Jockey Slut may have closed in 2004 but they've got an Instagram that's definitely worth a follow.

Related post: 8 in 1 (3.0)

Original Image: W.carter / CC BY-SA

All 4 The Techno

How's your sourdough starter and your YouTube yoga going? Yeah, me neither.

Instead, I'm getting through lockdown by grinding through FIFA Mobile (Sammyfax - OVR 117 come at me bro) and with All 4, Channel 4's catch up service. Still 4OD though.

I like All 4. I like its limited choice. I like its freeness too. Yeah, the adverts are a pain but I could always upgrade to All 4+. I won't but I could.

Anyway, freedom from choice. It means I actually watch stuff rather than endlessly scroll before becoming paralysed through dawdling.

This limited choice applies to the 20 odd films that are available. And in the Strange and Unprecedented Times ™ it's meant I've been able to tick off two classics. Both have killer soundtracks too.

First up is Assault on Precinct 13. John Carpenter's cult action b-movie from 1976 absolutely holds up and the minimalist electronic soundtrack is a joy.

You've got a few days left to catch it on All 4.

Unlike Trainspotting, which I don't think ever leaves the service. Here's Underworld's Dark & Long (Dark Train) from the lovely scene where Renton comes off the scag.

I'm thinking Sexy Beast next, but whatever it'll be it will thankfully be a quick decision. What I'm not thinking is taking up yoga.

Related post: All 4 Amen

qu 1

Aphex Twin resurfaced again this month. There were six new uploads to the user18081971 SoundCloud account, which has been confirmed as that of Richard D. James. But there was also mourning.

James' father, Derek, passed away recently, as shared in user18081971's bio. It wasn't related to COVID-19, which made the accompanying comments relating to house arrests and a police state all the more puzzling. Yet grief affects people in many ways. The comments have since been deleted.

For an artist that so often shuns the limelight, his family has cropped up throughout his output. There are the vocal snippets of his parents ("You've got so many machines, Richard.", "Richard? Yep", Lornaderek) and the immensely sad (if true) reason behind the Girl/Boy EP cover.

The EP is purportedly the gravestone of his brother, also called Richard and stillborn three years before him. He may even be the Twin in Aphex Twin.

Yet as with everything to do with Richard D. James, it can be hard to figure out what is true and what is not. Sadly, however, it does appear that his father's passing happened.

As Resident Advisor reports, the mp3 file of qu 1, one of the six new uploads, includes a note that says "See you on the other side, dad." Fans have since gathered in the comments of qu 1 to express their condolences.



One for fans of SAW2 and as I write this you can still download the mp3.

Thanks to RA and FACT.

Related post: More Selected Ambient Works

8 in 1 (3.0)

How are you? How's your lockdown? Here's some music I've enjoyed recently. A lot of it will be from BBC Radio 6 Music, as we've tended to keep it on all day. Community spirit and all that. And Steve Lamacq and Shaun Keaveny haven't been on which helps. Though if they keep playing that sodding Sports Team song that'll soon change...

Anna Meredith - Paramour

Gonna get into Lego train sets.

James Holden & The Animal Spirits - Each Moment Like The First

I've posted about this track before, but it appears the SoundCloud link is kaput, so there's a double reason to post about this spooky wibbler from James Holden & The Animal Spirits.

Todd Surge - Inspector Coarse (DJ Space Heater's HMT VIP)

Anyone for an acid/gabber take on Inspector Norse by Todd Terje? I can't find it on YouTube or SoundCloud, perhaps because DJ Space Heater got impeached for making it. But Spinee drops it around 46 minutes in here.

Bickle - Naked

I know 2009 was really bad with the financial crash and all that but compared to now? It wasn't that bad really was it? The pubs were still open at the very least. So here's Bickle in 2020 with something that sounds like it's for the blogs of 2009.

Nicolas Jaar - Mud

Nicolas Jaar is one of those names that I always see around but I can't tell you much about him. He's played by DJs I like, features in mags I read, but I've never really listened to him. Kinda like Maribou State till recently. Anyway, I don't know if Mud is typical of his output, but there's something in this track's brooding oddness, its funereal march, that worms it's way into my head. Stick with it.

Paul Woolford - Erotic Discourse

Always thought this was Daniel Avery. There you go. Judging by the YouTube comments it was equally popular with the ket and nitrous crowds. There's nice.

Boys Noize - Midnight (Boys Noize & Mr. Oizo Handbraekes Remix)

Can't remember exactly which version they use in Giri/Haji, but we'll go with the Mr Oizo remix because he's always a fun choice for a remix. As I write this you've got 11 days left to catch the first episode of Giri/Haji on iPlayer, and I recommend you do so. It's the second best thing I've watched on lockdown, after...

Joe Exotic - I Saw a Tiger

All hail the Tiger King.

Related posts:

• 8 in 1 Again
• 8 in 1

Es Buzz

As promised here's the second of my reviews for Buzz Magazine this month (after yesterday's Maribou State post) and it's one of my fave albums of the year so far.

ES
Less of Everything (Upset The Rhythm)
*****

Brutal and direct, Es’s debut album is a gothy synth-punk triumph. It ticks every box. Maria Cecilia Tedemalm’s vocals are stark and detached like Kim Gordon’s, spouting absurdist lyrics that still kick. Katy Cotterell’s bass explodes like shrapnel, forcing the melody under your skin. Flora Watters’ synth is set to ice blast, covering the album with a gothic sheen. Tamsin M. Leach’s drums are relentless. Less of Everything is short, sharp, and stripped, minimalist yet raging. It’s good. Es are good.



Less of Everything by Es comes out on Friday 3rd April 2020. They are/were due to play Cardiff Psych & Noise Fest 2020 on Friday 22nd May, so we'll see.

Related post: Urgh!

Maribou Buzz

Not one but two reviews for Buzz Magazine this month. I'll post the Es review tomorrow but for now, it's Maribou State.

MARIBOU STATE
Fabric presents… (Fabric Records)
***
While the world falls apart around us, there’s a certain comfort that venerable London club Fabric is still chucking out mix albums. Rebooted in 2019 as Fabric presents, Maribou State is number 205. And it’s the classic DJ mix journey, starting all sultry and slow before getting harder and faster towards the end (much like making love to a beautiful woman). We take in dusty disco and house shufflers, going global in the mid-section with Kiki Gyan’s Ghanian funk and the German 80s electro of Supersempffts. Rinse and repeat.

Fabric Presents Maribou State came out on Friday 27 March 2020.

Related post: Locked Down (post from 2011 on Four Tet's FabricLive 59 but with a spooky title) 

8 in 1 Again

Here we go again! Been a minute, so here are a few things I've been enjoying recently in no particular order.

Discwoman 87 x Fauzia

As featured on Resident Advisor's Mix of the Day (my new go-to for work music), Fauzia drops a short, sharp and fun 40 minutes for Discwoman.

Deux - Game And Performance

Ah, remember minimal wave? Only 10 more years till nu-cold wave.

Special Request - Elysian Fields

Still really enjoying Zero Fucks. Still free so no excuses, even if you only have a passing interest in drum 'n' bass. 

Real Estate - Paper Cup

Missed out on the latest Real Estate album in last month's Buzz reviews (picked up Islet instead). Sounds like they're still doing their chillwave/Aztec Camera thing. Good for them.

Throbbing Gristle - United (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix - Vocal Version)

RIP Andrew Weatherall. RIP Genesis P-Orridge. 

Octo Octa - Bodies Meld Together

Simple, effective house rumbler from one of the new Radio 1 Residency DJs.

GFOTY & Spinee - Huge Spinee

As featured on Oli XL's new NTS show. Get it down yerr.

Four Tet - Mama Teaches Sankrit

Only had a quick dive into Four Tet's new album Sixteen Oceans, but the closer, Mama Teaches Sankrit stood out straight away. Pretty, shimmering, yearning electronic music.

Related post: 8 in 1

Original Image: The original uploader was Tomruen at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA