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.

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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!