As is traditional at Christmas for this blog...

There is no new Xmas mix this year.

But here are the old ones again in a playlist on MixCloud, here they are on YouTube, and here are the old blogposts:

• Xmas Mix 2010
• Xmas Mix 2011
• Xmas Mix 2012
• Xmas Mix 2014
• Xmas Mix #5

And here are three tracks that would make the cut of the next mix, if that ever happens again...

Confidence Man - Santa’s Comin’ Down The Chimney

Rotterdam Termination Source - Merry X-Mess

The Treacherous Three - Santa's Rap

Doof doof and Bluesky

If this festive season is starting to get a little too sweet and cloying, then cleanse your palette with this.

A solid hour of doof doof courtesy of yer man Teki Latex and his Hard House Special for Call Me Radio out of Nantes.

Also, I've pretty much ditched Twitter for Bluesky - @ceefaxoflife.bsky.social. It's not as fun, but it's a lot less vile. Plus no Temu ads and AI blue-tick replies.

Related post: Game On with Teki & Nick's Mixtape Quest Adventure

Futureheads Buzz

Not one, but two Buzz Mag reviews in 2024. Heady stuff.

Anyway, this one was for The Futureheads - Decent Days & Nights: The Singles on Cherry Red.

Pretty sure I gave it five stars, but what can you do?

Decent Days & Nights: The Singles is out now.

Related post: Black Devil Disco Buzz (February 2024)

9 in 1 (43)

Insert intro here.

DJ Subaru - I ᐸ3 You

As mentioned in the last list, I was looking to add this track when I instead added the Prins Thomas remix of My Love. Turns out I <3 You is on the same EP. I blame YouTube search, the emoji in the title, the good lord, and everything apart from myself.

Aphex Twin - Carn Marth

Three 9-in-1s in a row with an Aphex track? I always thought this was called Corn Mouth. Not sure I can show my face in Cornwall again. (Carn Marth is a hill near Redruth, which I would've known if I'd finished reading Walking the Music of Aphex Twin).

Bill Nelson - Tender Is The Night

A second appearance for Bill Nelson in one of these lists, after When The Birds Return popped up in 9 in 1 (30). I need to delve into his back catalogue for more skewiff synth-pop gems from the 1980s like this.

I Start Counting - Talk About The Weather

Talking of skewiff synth-pop gems from the 1980s, how about this banger that came out on Mute?

The Whitest Boy Alive - Burning

Fun fact - this is the first-ever mp3 I bought off iTunes. Deeply Mid-00s coded. Love Erlend Øye's voice.

Electrelane - Saturday

I also really love Verity Susman's voice. And once again I commit on this blog to getting some Electrelane albums in my life.

Picross DS OST - Ambient

I'm now into Picross. And I'm gonna crack open Fruity Loops and Audacity to make a chopped and screwed remix of this gem by Nobuhiro Ōuchi, Masashi Sugiyama, and/or Ayako Yamaguchi for the Nintendo DS. At some point in 2025. Maybe.

Adam F - Circles

I could've picked a higher res/bit-rate video, but as I've said before, I like the grainy look and crunchy audio of stuff uploaded to YouTube over 18 years ago.

Q Project - Champion Sound (Total Science Remix)

Yep, as I approach peak mid-life crisis mode, I'm fully getting back into the drum and bass I listened to as a teen. God the sound that crashes in at 2:48. Off to Discogs I go!

Original image: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Related post: 9 in 1 (42)

Kernowbeat!

Good post today, lads, and not just talking about my COVID booster appointment...

"Recorded in any feasible circumstance around Penryn & Falmouth", KERNOWBEAT! Vol. 1 is "a compilation featuring songs from various artists comprising the Cornish psych, punk & beat scene."

You can add krautrock to that list, lots of motorik drumming and scuzzy propulsive vibes. 

And while there's nothing particularly groundbreaking here, it's still a really solid comp from a beautiful part of the world, with the top picks being The Heavenly Bodes - Captain Bligh and The Tantric Tantrums - Penryn Surgery 2...

Hopefully, I can catch some of the bands featured here when next down.

9 in 1 (42)

We go again. Nine tracks I've been enjoying recently.

Southside Allstars - Southside Riddim

I don't know what it says about me that sometimes I have to wait 20-odd years to appreciate a music scene, but there we are. This track is also very useful if you need to brush up on your South London geography.

Tyler, The Creator - Noid

Obvs.

DJ Shadow - You Can't Go Home Again

Banged on The Private Press again for the first time in a very long time and I really dug it. Almost went with Walkie Talkie, but it's that little bubbly synth line that comes in around 2:48 (on this radio edit anyway) which swung it in You Can't Go Home Again's favour.

LCD Soundsystem - x-ray eyes

How things change. 10 years ago, I'd have posted a new LCD Soundsystem track immediately, in a separate post. But it feels like they've burned too many bridges what with the big goodbye and then coming straight back plus all the crypto-bros parties.

But hey, indie sleaze is now a thing and here's LCD sounding just like early LCD. Bygones but bygones innit.

Aphex Twin - PAPAT4 [155] (pineal mix)

Like with DJ Shadow, I banged Syro on for the first time in ages and it's a much more fun and enjoyable album than I remember. Also, where the hell have the last 10 years gone?

DJ Subaru - My Love (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)

I was trying to find 'I ❤️ You' by DJ Subaru (as played by Special Treatment a couple of weeks ago on Optimo's NTS show) but no luck on YouTube. However, this spacey chugger came up, and I can't resist a Prins Thomas remix. Thanks algo!

Mums of Death - Golden Axe

Went axe throwing with my mum recently. Learned she used to throw knives. As you do.

I first posted this track in 2011 and it made my end-of-year list too.

Sevendeaths - Wither Me (Cashmere Cat Edit)

Another one from those free LuckyMe Advent comps they used to do, this came up on shuffle on the train into Cardiff the other day and it just fit. 

Underworld - King Of Snake (Everything, Everything)

Man, I love Underworld.

Original image credit: STS-42 crew, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

9 in 1 (41)

Only just clocked that the previous post was my 24th of the year, which was my target for this year. After the record low of 23 in 2023, I set myself the target of two posts a month in '24 to take me to 24. And hey, look at us. Who would have thought? Not me.

Joy Orbison - Flight FM

A right rumbler to start us off. Might well make my best of the year list, not gonna lie.

Lemon D - Why? (12 Hz Mix)

Man, how good is that distorted kick/bass? Proper d'n'b. Dillinja last post, now Lemon D, I'm on a Valve tip RN.

Massive Attack - Exchange

The last track on Mezzanine, and probably my fave. Used to play that album so so much. Kinda drifted away from it though. So much in fact, that this is the first time I've posted about Massive Attack in the 15 years I've been doing this blog. Wild times. Wild, wild times.

Aphex Twin - #20

AKA Lichen. Still not bought the £40 cassette reissue, still playing the second-hand copy I got from Tangled Parrot in Carmarthen earlier this year.

The Flying Lizards - Move On Up

One of those covers where I'm not entirely sure how I haven't heard it before now. Curtis Mayfield's all-timer is squeezed of all its funk, leaving it so stiff it becomes funky again. An experience.

The Fall - The Classical

I hope he's saying 'obligatory knickers' there.

Lambrini Girls - Company Culture

Spiky sharp lyrics and spiky sharp guitars with a cheap fun video and a great vocal performance. Really into this. 

Floating Points - Fast Forward

I'm just a sucker for spacey propulsive electronic jams like this, I'm sorry but I won't apologise.

Mathew Jonson - Decompression

Grotty, industrial, minimal techno from 2004. Again, I'm a sucker for it.

Original image: Wenceslaus Hollar, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

'Deranged jungle during the day'

Right, there's got to be something in the timing of this tweet (post, whatever) moaning about Mary Anne Hobbs playing 'deranged jungle during the day' last Tuesday (1 October):

The downfall of 6Music is baffling. Going from a station with a clear identity and knowing who it's audience was to the current jumble sale is madness. Not to mention MAH playing 2 hours of deranged jungle during the day. Utter nonsense.

— Anon Opin (@anon_opin) October 1, 2024

And MAH banging Dillinja's rip-snorting 2004 Breezeblock mix out on her Friday 4 October show.

Someone must have clocked it.

As BBC Sounds only keeps its mixes up for a month, here it is on MixCloud...

I'm gonna head down a jump-up rabbit-hole.

9 in 1 (40)

It's a new dawn.

Malcolm McLaren - Madame Butterfly

It's the old 'seperate the art from the artist' thing with Malcolm McLaren for me. Not sure if he did anything truly awful but he always came across as a massive bellend. But he could create magic. Madam Butterfly is simply an incredible six minutes, gloriously of its time but a time I'd rather be in (1984).

Billy Joel - Big Shot

Yeah, I've started watching The Boys about four years after everyone else. And I thought I was done with superheroes.

Captain Beefheart - Hot Head

I remember getting Trout Mask Replica out of Cardiff Central Library as a boy and not bothering to rip it. Left me cold. However this later stanky grinding bar blues smear has something to it.

At The Drive-In - One Armed Scissor

Now this is something I bought rather than ripped as a boy, but lord knows where it went in all the moves. Had it in my head for days and now it's here. Glorious low bit-rate video too.

Loose Joints ‎– Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan Remix)

Bit of handbrake turn on this playlist but sometimes you have to slam it about. As featured in that Arthur Russell mix I posted about the other day (Arthur Russell produced it like). Just top notch disco house grooves from the masters.

Renegade Soundwave - The Phantom (It's In There)

One of those old bangers I've heard numerous times but never knew the name of like. Huge rave/breakbeat hardocre energy, would love to hear this and feel this in a field.

Leftfield - Swords

Went to see Leftfield a week or so ago. They didn't play Swords but it was still good, proper loud. Orbital also played but they were not good, the nadir being the endless Spice Girls vocal sample towards the end.

The double-bill was all part of Cardiff Music City Festival from the council. It was day after Carnedd said they were closing immediately and had six days to get out. Music city, baby! Still, nice puff piece in The Guardian, you know it's a winner when there's no comments section.

Rustie - Draoidh

I needed something from 2024 in this list, it's looking v. retrograde otherwise. Draoidh is the third track that Rustie has drip released this year and there's still no sign of any drums. Are we looking at an ambient album or the mother of all drops?

Philip Glass - Rubric

Charlie Bones played this today on Do!! You!!! Radio. I asked the boy what he thought of it. 'Pirate-y music'. I'm not going to argue.

Byeeeeee.

Original image: Post of Indonesia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Delayed All Russell Twitch

I've been meaning to listen to this for a little while, but it just goes to show how little I go on SoundCloud now.

Uploaded on 14 August 2024, an All Arthur Russell DJ set from JD Twitch of Optimo would've been on repeat for weeks 10 years ago. Instead, it's taken me till October to get around to listening to it.

Maybe it's the rise of Do You and NTS in my streaming time, maybe it's now the SoundCloud logo is black it kinda gets lost in the apps. (Turns out I can change it back to the old orange - funnily enough it switched around August too). Whatever it is, I just don't go on SoundCloud much anymore.

The mix itself is lush. Don't just take my word for it, the boy came over while I was writing this and said, and I quote "I love this music" and did a little jig. Then he went back to Octonauts. But Octonatus is a firm fave and not a lot competes with that. But Arthur Russell got cut through.

9 in 1 (39)

Calling it on number 39 with this design process. The 39 steps. The same image glitched and glitched again. It might have been more interesting if I could find the original image to compare and contrast. But there we are.

So, something new for the next list. It'll still be glitched and based on an image nabbed from Wikimedia Commons though. So not that new. But a change of sorts.

But for now, there's the image and here's a playlist of things I've enjoyed recently...

Herbie Hancock - I Thought It Was You

You can hear where Daft Punk got it from, can't you? Robolovin' goodness.

Hudson Mohawke - Escape

Talking of Daft Punk-y vibes this came up on shuffle on the short drive back from the beach this week. Turns out it's basically John Carpenter's Escape from New York theme with a few tweaks. Still good though. Escape is on the 2015 edition of LuckyMe's free Advent series. Gotta see if they're still doing those (edit - looks like it ended in 2018). And where I can watch Escape from New York. Love Kurt Russell.

Aphex Twin - Hexagon

One of the advantages of shuffle is hearing stuff with fresher ears. I usually zone out by disc two of Selected Ambient Works 2, and definitely by the time #19 (Hexagon) comes on. But up it came as I walked through the car park to the library last week and it caught me. Lovely stuff. 

Still, it's another reason not to stretch to the £40 they're asking for the cassette re-release of SAW II.

Louis Culture - Babe ft. Tora-i, Richie

Time for something from this year, here's some laidback... r'n'b? Only uploaded 10 days ago, it's got a way too low play count for something this good. Kind of a shame this didn't come out in the height of summer, the vibes are on point for hazy sunny days.

Laurie Anderson - Let X=X

Laurie Anderson doing Laurie Anderson things. I vaguely recall buying Big Science from a stall in Camden Market about 20 years but lord knows where that's gone in all the house moves since.

Ovlov - Grab It From the Garden

Switch hit now, I've always had a soft spot for this kind of shoegaze-y post-rock. I don't even know if that's the right term for this distortion-heavy guitar sound, but come autumn, it fits.

Stereolab - Come And Play In The Milky Night

Another list, another Stereolab track. God, this band are good, so annoyed it took me so long to get hooked.

Little Simz - 101 FM

Best ever UK MC? Does it matter? And where's that sample from? Is it Mortal Kombat? Or am I just thinking that as she mentions it in the track? Am I asking too many questions? Absolute bumper? Yeah?

Kneecap - Parful

Should've known this was a Toddla T production. Another bumper to finish.

Byeeeeee.

9 in 1 (38)

They just flicked a switch and now it's autumn.

Bog Band - Midnight Chancers

As mentioned in Flo Dill's recently returned newsletter, she compares this newish Irish band to Prefab Sprout, so obvs had to give it a go. Super slick, bordering on pastiche, lounge funk. Kinda hard to find anything else on them outside their Bandcamp, don't know whether that's a gimmick or they ain't great at SEO.

Metronomy - A Thing for Me (Breakbot Remix)

This came up on shuffle on a recent drive down to Portsmouth, shout out to Huis, my only highlight from that sub-ideal weekend. Anyway, love this remix by Breakbot maybe even more than the original. I first posted about this track in 2011. FFS.

Cornershop ft Rosanna - Double Denim

Yep, that Cornershop in 2024. Lovely summery bop with a criminally low view count on YouTube.

The Streets - Weak Become Heroes

The name's European Bob.

Ludacris - What's Your Fantasy ft. Shawnna

I was having an absolute shite week last week, then OG played this on Do You Radio. Cranked it. Life wasn't as shite. The power of early 00s commercial hip-hop. Not sure if it was linked to Luda whipping out some massive fake arms for a first pitch last week??

SOPHIE - Berlin Nightmare

Guys, hate to say it, but I'm not sure about this posthumous album. I want to love it but... I dunno. Hope I change my mind.

Vince Staples - Yeah Right

I mean compared to this, y'know? Kendrick on a SOPHIE beat, incredible.

Lynks - Str8 Acting

Electroclash will never die. Fun fact: I used this in another list in 2020, but CBA changing it now.

Vitalic - You Prefer Cocaine

And on the drive back from that shite weekend in Portsmouth was this absolute electro-techno banger from 2001. Any EP with this on would be a classic, but add in LA Rock 01 too? Ooof.

Modern yacht rock and the end of summer

Right, that's summer done.

It was confirmed this week, not by that Charli XCX tweet or y'know the calendar/weather, but by Gorilla vs Bear. They released their Modern Yacht Rock 2024 End of Summer Mix.

Talking of Charli XCX, she features here via a ropey Fleetwood Mac bootleg, but that's nothing compared to Stardust x Steely Dan - Music Sounds Better With Peg (Jack Hoeting Remix). Yep. Still, it kinda fits the mood.

I left it too late to link to the MP3 download (soz) but you can still stream it.

gorillavsbear · GORILLA VS. BEAR MODERN YACHT ROCK 2024 | END OF SUMMER MIX

Storming Sarajevo

Storming Sarajevo is a fascinating documentary about a small band of travellers/ravers taking a sound system to Bosnia in 1995 during the war there. It's well worth 30 minutes of your time, I found it really inspiring.

It was mentioned in passing by guest Johnny Banger on a recent edition of No Tags, which is quickly becoming an essential podcast to keep up with The Discourse.

9 in 1 (37)

Anyone else got the lurgy?

Flying Pop's - Open Your Mind

A Do!! You!!! staple, this video appears to be pitched down just like on the radio. Nice vibes, spacey house, bordering on chug. And yep, it's Pop's not Pops.

Stereolab - Doubt

Another one from that recent compilation, Little Pieces Of Stereolab (A Switched On Sampler) album. What a band, what a band.

Luis - jack anderson

Stick with it, it's about the vibes on this one, more spaced out ambient house. A quick search suggests that Luis also goes by DJ Python, which rings a bell. And I've definitely heard that vocal sample used in something before I'm sure.

Joy Orbison - Sicko Cell

Co. Caine. Powder.

Outkast - GhettoMusick

Feeling good, feeling great, feeling great, feeling good, how are you?

God, Outkast were so good.

Danny L Harle - Broken Flowers

I've been enjoying No Tags, a newish podcast from Chal Evans ad Tom Lea. Both were at FACT during its pomp, so it's about top top electronic music with top top insight and that. Anyway, during some recent discourse on Brat (there's been a lot of Brat discourse) there was a mention of an old PC Music x DISown Radio mix from 2014. And I had it buried deep on the SD card, so gave it another spin and Broken Flowers was the highlight. 

Fun fact it's a second appearance in a row for Danny L Harle on these lists.

Norken - Southern Soul

I feel I might have got my sequencing out on this playlist. Probably slots in better next to the Luis track. Whatever. This is another slow burner, all spacey feels, with pads and that. But it's the weird sounds that come in after 3 minutes or so I really dig.

Aphex Twin - Stone In Focus

I did not shell out £300 for the limited edition box set of Selected Ambient Works Vol II. I did shell out £1.50 (or whatever it was) on Bandcamp for the track left off the CD release 30 years ago. I also changed the artwork to the monkey in the hot pool from the YouTube video.

Love that monkey.

Mica Levi - slob air

I am obsessed with this track. 12 minutes of not a lot. Simple repeated drum fill. Gorgeous strings. Some babbling around 4 minutes in. That's pretty much it.

It's hypnotic. It's beautiful. I don't know how it works. But I don't want to know. I want the mystery. 

It's on Hyperdub too, which adds to the oddness.

I'm in my slob air era.

Track of the year, calling it now.

9 in 1 (36)

Really hitting a dead end with the glitch and glitch again assets. I should reset and restart but 36 isn't the number to do it on. Can I stretch it to 50? Or should I ditch the 9 and pick another number for a list? Let me know your thoughts, like and subscribe, like and subscribe...

David Byrne - In the Future

Hot takes for today from 1985.

Gold Panda - Enoshima

Your typical Gold Panda production, glitchy yet warm. It came up on shuffle as I walked around Llantwit in the sun, and it struck a chord. Enoshima is off 2013's Half Of Where You Live.

Joy Division - Atmosphere

Took the day off work after the dog died. Drove to Fontygary, taking the boy to soft play. Atmosphere was on the radio on the drive out.

Charlotte Dada - Don't Let Me Down

A Beatles cover from Ghana in 1971. This is CeefaxOfLife heritage.

Olive - You're Not Alone

A rare case of double posting on this blog. It's been over six years though, and I was vibing to this while driving back late at night after seeing Adam Buxton in the New Theatre (Jon Ronson was the special guest, obvs).

Leviticus - Burial

I think this is another Futuromania track. Kinda chilled jungle from 1994.

Charli XCX - Girl, so confusing

How's your Brat summer going? I prefer this version to the Lorde remix, not that anyone's asking nor should care, really.

Shygirl - encore (ft. Danny L Harle)

Another PC Music-affiliated rave pop banger, this time Shygirl. I thought Hyperpop was done, but here we are.

Hudson Mohawke - Things You Do

Veering dangerously close to a cohesive ending for one of these lists, as Hudmo produced a track or two of Brat and channels rave / happy hardcore for Things You Do. Features on that triple tape pack from a couple of years ago (Poom Gems from 3Pac).

So long, Cady.

I had to put Cadence down yesterday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sammyfax (@ceefaxoflife)

I had to pick crumbs off the floor for the first time in 10 years yesterday.

I turned to give the empty yoghurt pot to her yesterday.

It's hit me a lot harder than I thought it would.

This came on shuffle as I drove back from the vets yesterday. I know Arcade Fire (or Win Bulter really) are kinda not on anymore, but it fitted the mood.

Wasted Hours. I've been trying to remember our last walk. She hurt her paw last week and was resting, so it's been a while. It was around the old town, the west end, and it was a normal walk. We had no idea.

But none of it was wasted, we had some good times together. Always cherish the good times.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sammyfax (@ceefaxoflife)

So long, Cady. You were the best worst dog in the world.

9 in 1 (35)

NGL, I'm not sure where May went.

New Jackson - I Wanna Be Adored

I'm a sucker for a novelty cover. Anyone for a glacial synth take of The Stone Roses?

Psychederek - Pacific State

I said I was a sucker for a novelty cover. This time it's an expansive rock take on the acid house classic from 808 State.

Just clocked that both are covers of bands from Manchester. Isn't that interesting? Isn't it just?

De'lacy - Hideaway

Hmmm, that's some crunchy mp3 audio on that video. I could find a more high-fidelity version, but it has its charms. A big house banger from 1995, I think this is the Deep Dish Mix / the Deep Dish Mix is the most popular version (like Fatboy Slim's mix of Brimful of Asha etc.).

Altrice - 'ever do you want

A thumping house bumper built around a snipped of Soul II Soul's Back to Life, Seiji Ono kicked off a recent show on Do You Radio with it. A statement start, oof.

Friendly Fires - Live Those Days Tonight (Lone Remix)

Picked up Pala from the Tangled Parrot in Carmarthen recently (what a record shop BTW). While doing my due diligence (looking up the album on Wikipedia) I learned of this Lone remix. Love a bit of Lone, just as I do the big FF.

Joseph Marinetti - Jumpstyle is Low Art (Carpainter Remix)

Off an old LuckyMe Advent comp, shuffle chucked this up on a recent drive back from Cornwall. There's 8-bit stuff, Miami Bass (I think), trance, all kinds of things going on in this. Good fun.

Omni Trio - Torn

Darkness and light this, plinky crystalline piano and vocal sample meets beat science and bass drops. Omni Trio and Moving Shadow at their finest. As mentioned in Simon Reynold's Futuromania, the fact that this is from 1995 but still sounds so progressive is nuts.

Reign - Skeletons March

Also from Futuromania, but there's no light here, just darkness, bordering on evil.

Rustie - Black Ice Mudra

The return of the king. What's it been, 10 years? I clocked that Rustie has been playing the odd show in Glasgow, but this is the first new music to be released. Hopefully a taster to a full release.

Yeah, I was standing outside Pret near St James's Park on a work trip, when the Bandcamp notification popped up on my phone. Had to separate myself from the group, earphones in like a knob, desperate to hear it.

But fuck it, Rustie's back. Rustie has returned. We are back.

9 in 1 (34)

Shouldn't it be warmer by now?

Anyway, here are nine tracks that I came across over the past month or so.

Electrelane - I Want To Be The President

A band I've always liked when I've heard anything by them. Weirdo, scratchy indie rock with flecks of post-punk and tonnes of ideas. Need to get an album or two.

Depeche Mode - Everything Counts

I picked up Left Cultures 02 on a visit to Shelf Life, Canton a few months back. The first piece in there talks about Everything Counts. And now it's here.

Hylif - Eyes Wide Shut

Popped up on shuffle as I shuffled to the library in the drizzle, the juddering synth line that comes in around 2:30 is what makes it for me.

Roedelius - Geradewohl

Beautiful fuzzy analogue synth workout with tape hiss and that from 1980s Germany. Boards of Canada before Boards of Canada. Swear it's been sampled somewhere.

Total Giovanni - Human Animal

I think these guys listen to Talking Heads. A lot. Sarahtonin's played this a few times on her excellent show on Do!! You!!! Radio, 3pm Wednesdays.

Deft - Supa Dupa

Lush if a little OTT post-dubstep from 2012. Popped up on shuffle during the drive back from Bristol to see Thundercat (who was fab obvs).

Turns out I posted about this track back in 2013 when I accidentally walked to IKEA.

Adelphi Music Factory - Ready To Go

Another car bumper, this was on the radio on a particularly sunny trip back from Cowbridge. Maybe it was spring sunshine, maybe it was a quick pint of HPA in the Vale of Glamorgan Inn, but this throwback/pastiche rave track hit the spot.

Cece Peniston - He Loves Me 2 (Steve Silk Hurley Original 12 Inch Mix)

Classic house, sugary sweet but still with a lot of punch. Absolute bumper.

Lindstrøm - Closing Shot

Incredible, emotive electronic disco music that makes me want to drive down neon-lit highways. A lot of driving in this post, huh?

Aphex Day

Thought I'd squeeze in a quick Aphex post for Avril 14.

Raji Rags has dropped a two-hour mix for Bleep today of  AFX classics and rarities.

Bleep · Bleep Mix #281 - Raji Rags - Aphex Twin Mix

Neis.

Related post: Happy Aphex Twin Day!

Futuromania Delayedia

I had a good post day today with Simon Reynold's new book Futuromania arriving. His first book in 8 years, Futuromania "shapes over two-dozen essays and interviews into a chronological narrative of machine-music from the 1970s to now." Right up my street.

It also came with a little fanzine called 'From Synthedelia to Memoradelia', which is nice. 

I'm reading Bob Mortimer's The Satsuma Complex at the mo, so I won't be diving straight into it, but expect tracks mentioned in it to crop up in future 9-in-1 lists. Though maybe not the next one as I think that's already full.

In the meantime, Reynolds did a guest show on NTS this week, so you can get a taste of what's to come.

NTS Latest · Simon Reynolds: Futuromania 090424

Numberwangs

I finished The Number Ones by Tom Breihan the other day - "Twenty chart-topping hits that reveal the history of pop music" is the blurb.

Another library find, the book is plucked from the Stereogum series and focuses on the Hot 100. I knew most of the tracks and was particularly looking forward to the later ones, big pop tracks from after I dropped out of following the charts.

So, I know I'm out of the loop, too old, too slow, but it still came as a surprise that I'd completely missed a track that's approaching 1 billion views on YouTube. A song that topped the US charts for seven weeks in 2016.

I'm talking about Black Beatles by Rae Sremmurd feat Gucci Mane...

I mean it's shite, but I should still be aware of it, right? How much else have I missed? And what have you missed? Everything is fractured, everything is walled off. Even the charts aren't the charts. As Breihan wraps up his book with a look at BTS and K-Pop, he states:

"... the Hit 100 is no longer a historical record of the music that dominates pop culture at any particular moment. Instead, the pop charts look more and more like a battlefield for competing fan armies."

And y'know I think that's a shame. Again, I'm acutely aware I'm an old bastard, but the charts should chart what's popular. 

And again, I'm saddened that we're losing a consensus, or shared experience, of what-happened-when, some cultural touchpoints which we can all acknowledge. It feels like sports are the only points-in-time events anymore, and even those are disappearing behind paywalls. Plus for the most part, the final score is the final score, an objective truth that can't be twisted or distorted.

Anyway, The Number Ones is a solid pick-up for anyone interested in pop, and particularly strong on tidbits and trivia. I mean, did you know that Chubby Checker was a pun on Fats Domino? Well, it didn't pop into my bubble.

PS: Use your local library before it's too late.

9 in 1 (33)

Am I hitting a dead end with the distorted pictures for these 9 in 1 lists?

M(h)aol - Pursuit

Heard this in the bath after my son decided to pee on me. 

To be clear, my son is four and it was an accident.

Good song this. Scratchy propulsive indie rock.

SYBS - Gwactor

Heard this in the car on the drive to Porthmadog the other weekend. Thankfully no pee was involved in this anecdote, though you could also call this scratchy propulsive indie rock.

Sachasom - Braf Oedd Byw

This and the previous SYBS tracks were the opening two tracks of a recent Mirain Iwerydd show on BBC Radio Cymru. Her show is well worth a listen to get a taste of some of the interesting stuff happening yn Gymraeg ATM.

Stereolab - Tempter

I preordered that Little Pieces Of Stereolab (A Switched On Sampler) album that's coming out soon.

 "Alongside the Switched on Vol 1-5 boxset, Stereolab are also releasing a budget priced, 15 track introduction to the Switched On series, taking 3 tracks from each volume and housed in a simple card wallet with bespoke artwork." 

Are there two finer words that "budget priced"? Anyway, while the CD is getting posted at the end of the month I got the mp3s straightaway and Tempter is one of the standout tracks. 

Hot science fact - I ordered the CD off Bleep rather Bandcamp as the postage was a lot less. You're welcome.

The Human League - The Sound Of The Crowd (Instrumental / 2012 Remaster)

Veronica Vasicka played this on her recent NTS show and stripped of most of the vocals, it really focuses on what a taut banger The Sound of The Crowd is.

Ginger Ale - Happy House (D.Funked Remix by Dexter)

Richard Sen kicked off a recent show on Do!! You!!! with this 00s electro cover of Siouxsie and The Banshees. It veers very close to naff, but there's just enough here to keep it to the right side of the banger line.

N.E.R.D - Run To The Sun

Flo Dill on NTS now, dropping some sweet summery nostalgia.

The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes

I felt the sun's warmth on my face for the first time in a long time the other day. And that means it's Doobie Brothers time.

Alien Ant Farm - Movies

There are a lot of tracks I heard on the radio in this list but this one takes the biscuit. When OG played Movies on Do!! You!!! it was a moment. It may have fixed me. I found February really hard, with the rain and illness and the rain and work and the rain. I even managed to fit in a tiny menty b and walked out of work and all the way to Cowbridge.

But hearing Alien Ant Farm - of all things - flicked a switch. It's curdled nostalgia but it worked and I feel a lot better now. The power of music, lads, the power of music.

9 in 1 (32)

Suppose it was only a matter of time before PhotoMosh started watermarking and charging. TBF I've been using it for years on here, surprised it hasn't happened before like.

A Tribe Called Quest - Dis Generation

Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes still doing it. You love to hear it.

David Axelrod - Holy Thursday

Gotta say I only really know this from Lil Wayne's Dr Carter but it seems it's been sampled extensively and used on all sorts of soundtracks including a GTA game. Incredible jazz funk rock from 1968.

Ouri - Down

Throbbing electronic music from Ghostly in 2018 though it sounds a little older than that. I heard this on Hyperdawn's Sunday Mix for Crack Magazine last month.

Youandewan - Be Good To Me, Poly

When those chords start I always think it's gonna be a bit Radiohead then it starts twisting and twinkling and ends up nearer early Caribou... and looking at the YouTube comments, it samples Weird Fishes by Radiohead, so there you go.

KLF - What Time Is Love?

Right, the next couple of tracks have all been mentioned in Party Lines, Ed Gillett's excellent exploration of dance music and British culture. The first half of the book is particularly strong, debunking the myth that acid house exploded out of nowhere in 1987 when Paul Oakenfold et al brought the music, the pills, and the vibes back from Ibiza. Instead, it traces a lineage of 'illegal' partying through the New Traveller movement of the 1980s, the free festival scene of the 1970s, and blues dances and sheebeens of the 60s. 

Smith and Mighty - Bass Is Maternal

Party Lines also traces how the state suppressed these gatherings and through the co-opting of rave, we've ended up at business techno and santisied festivals. There are other excursions in the book, from a stinging takedown of Boiler Room, plague raving during the panny d, and the rise of pirate radio, but it's the first half that really sticks.  

Will Powers - Adventures in Success

Actually, the stuff on the Nine o'Clock Service, which blended rave music with Christian worship in Sheffield is also mind-boggling. Turns out it was a personality cult riddled with sexual and psychological abuse, with people still coming forward over 30 years later. Proper grim.

DJ Pierre - Box Energy

Also in this section about Christian worship and dance music, it mentions a Channel 4 show fronted by Adam Buxton called God In The House. You will not see anything more cringingly 90s and it's no massive surprise that Dr Buckles doesn't ever bring it up.

Red Hot Entertainment - Junior Spesh (ft. Jaxor, Klayze Flaymz, Terra & Ray)

Anyway, I really dug Party Lines, especially as picked it up by chance from the local library, something I've not done in years.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sammyfax (@ceefaxoflife)

Feels like it's only a matter of time before they come for the libraries. Get down there while you can.

And yes that's Kiell Smith-Bynoe.