The Delicate Soundwaves, Vol. 1
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1. Le Disco
Life & Fun (Mud Edit)
For the first DJhistory compilation the site has put together an album of never-heard original disco, lovingly retouched by the world’s finest remixers. In 1979 the cream of French and British session musicians gathered to record some of the most scorching disco ever committed to vinyl. As a series of Disco & Co albums on the Tele Music library label, this ended up as radio talk-show sound-beds and backing music for car chases on French cop shows. Le Sweeney, anyone? The few copies that slipped out were highly prized: today an original copy of the Arpadys LP goes for £300, if you can find one. As a service to disco, DJhistory has unearthed the original tapes and recruited an all-star cast of splicing fingers – the Unabombers, Ray Mang, the Idjut Boys, Leo Zero, Mudd, Al Kent, Faze Action, Mudd and Toby Tobias – to polish them up for today’s dancefloors. The results speak for themselves.
Various - Le Disco : Telemusic Remixed (DJ History)
2. Bjørn Torske
Hatten Passer
A truly eclectic producer, Bjorn Torske’s releases have have taken in everything from deep house and techno, via electronica and Balearica, on labels such as D-Jax-Up-Beats, Svek and Telle. “Feil Knapp” (Norwegian for ‘wrong button’), his first album in six years, is filled with a strange assortment of instrumentals that have been captivating us here at Piccadilly HQ. There are improv-driven dub tracks that resemble Deadbeat or Burnt Friedman (”Spelunker” and “Kapteinens Skjegg”), blissed-out ambient dreamers (”Hemmelig Orkester”), two twitchy, conga-filled Norse disco numbers (”Hatten Passer” and “God Kveld”) and rejuvenates deep house on the jazzy “Loe Bar”. With music this brilliant, let’s hope he keeps hitting those wrong buttons!
Bjørn Torske : Feil Knapp (Smalltown Supersound)
3. Pollyester
You Are Amen
It’s time for another collection of beats, textures, melodies and vibrations whose influences range from Detroit techno to German experimentalism, 80s west coast vibes, Italo disco, soul, industrial, ambient and avant garde to create what could loosely be called ‘exploratory space dance music’. This compilation is designed to reflect the diversity and energy of what’s been going on in the slightly more underground Balearic / cosmic disco scene over the last couple of years. Packed with exclusive tracks as well as a few ‘new underground classics’ like the rolling Throbbing Gristle meets Snatch slo-mo groove of “You Are Amen”, the neo prog deep bush kalimba vibes of “Pissed and Passed Out” by Ghost Note, the Arthur Russell-ish narco-disco of Nite Jewel’s “What Did He Say”, Canyon’s deep space blues “Big City Lights” and Gatto Fritto’s kraut-meets-disco epic “Hungry Ghosts”. You’ll also find brand new tracks by west coast surf head Hatchback, LA dude Eddie Ruscha (Secret Circuit), New York’s Soft Circle (aka Hisham Bharoocha ex Black Dice drummer), Cornwall’s Kerrier District and Brighton’s Soft Rocks. Add to this unreleased remixes of Black Devil Disco Club, Glass Candy and Georges Vert by Richard Sen (Padded Cell), Brain Machine, Johan Agebjorn, and Rune Lindbaek. New discoveries like Pink Stallone from New York, Norwegian disco Viking Lukas Nystrand, italo fiend CFCF and east coast meets west coast duo Expanding Head Band (actually Tussle producers Quinn Luke & Alexis Georgopoulos aka Bing Ji Lingand Arp!).
Various Artists : Milky Disco II (Lo Recordings)
4. Meanderthals
Andromeda (Prelude To The Future)
London’s Idjut Boys and Rune Lindbaek of Oslo are Meanderthals. As longtime friends and fans of each other’s music they have discussed the idea of working together in a musical context for years and in 2008, they finally began to make those ideas a reality. Throughout the year they travelled back and forth between Oslo and London to create their debut album, “Desire Lines”. The album’s title is based on a theory. This theory is used by architects as they observe where people choose to walk before making a path. The chosen path as a desired line. Meanderthals’ “Desire Lines” is the trio’s chosen path of beautiful and mellow balearic disco. A warm and dreamy blend of dub, folk, prog, kraut, psychedelia and 70s west-coast combined to invent an organic, slanted, and proggy feel. Recorded live, the album features contributions from good friends, including Pete Z (DJ Harvey) on keyboards, Des Morgan (Yam Who?) on drums and percussion, Malcolm Jospeh (Grace Jones) on bass, Per Martinsen (aka Mental Overdrive) on percussion and Raj Gupta (Laj & Quakerman) as sound engineer.
Meanderthals : Desire Lines (Smalltown Supersound)
5. Smith & Mudd
Little Mille
Moonboots says; ‘It’s raining. Sitting here on a cold and wet Mancunian afternoon it’s difficult to remember what summer feels like. However with this, the so-called difficult second album from Smith & Mudd on the stereo, a feeling of warmth breaks through the gloom. 10 tracks in total which continue on that deep Balearic vibe that Smith & Mudd are renowned for. As with the first album there’s more to S&M than a few pretty deep house tracks. We start with “New Sofa”, a lovely mid-afternoon, Pastis-drinking, ambient piece before entering “Genoa”’s gentle tribal drums and chants, plus another classic Smith & Mudd bassline. “Little Millie” comes next, a totally infectious Latin groover - and what a guitar line!. “The Delivery Man” does exactly what it says on the tin, delivering a killer groove, rolling percussion and an infectious guitar lick. Title track “Le Suivant” heads off into spookier territories - feel the sitars. Psyche-Balearic anyone? My personal favourite. “Two Rivers” drops next with its Ashra-vibed guitars layered over another epic bassline. “Ninety Three” is a spaced-out, slo-mo killer with a cheeky little GET UP vocal refrain. It’ll sound great at 6am with the sun rising over the Adriatic. “The Waiting” is probably the greatest Cafe Del Mar sunset track you’ve never heard. Finally, “Annette Road”’s Betty Blue-esque harmonicas bring a suitably gentle end to a truly lovely listening experience. As you drift off towards the end of this album you realise Smith & Mudd have pulled off something very special here. Tricky second album my arse!
Smith & Mudd : Le Suivant (Claremont 56)
6. Isolée
Albacares
An all new, exclusive compilation on Mule Electronic, compiled by Toshiya Kawasaki. Deep tech-house, techno and electronica from the likes of Isolee, Move D, Koss, Minilogue, DJ Koze, Foog and more.
Various Artists : My Favorite Things Volume 2 (Mule Electronic)
7. Mungolian Jet Set’s 16th Rebels Of Mung (Featuring Lindstrøm & Dominique Leone)
Clairevoyage
Every year or so Smalltown Supersound founder Joakim Haugland puts together a compilation to see where the label is at and where it’s heading. This year’s compilation became different. No only was Haugland satisfied with how the tracks worked together and with the flow of the album, also it was special as it was released in various ways and formats. First of all the album came out for free as a CD with UK’s Plan B Magazine. But the label also decided to make the album available on a limited edition vinyl as well as digitally, so that everybody that wants it can get it, fast and easy. Regarding the tracklisting, its all new stuff taken from the forthcoming releases in 2009 on Smalltown Supersound. As well as some exclusive goodies such as Bjorn Torske’s great Sunburned Hand Of The Man remix (a Moondog meets Count Ossie and the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari style remix!) as well as Prins Thomas’ remix of Tussle. The album also introduces the new signings; KXP from Helsinki, Mungolian Jet Set from Oslo, Meanderthals from London (and Oslo!), and, Drivan, which is Kim Hiorthøy with three Swedish girls on vocals. All great stuff!
Various Artists : Smalltown Supersound On Fire (Smalltown Supersound)
8. The Emperor Machine
Hairy Knuckle
Andy Meecham (Chicken Lips etc) hatches a third album under his Emperor Machine guise. “Space Beyond The Egg” can be split into many parts. From album opener “The Frontist” - pregnant with menacing funk, to the droopy and lead-footed disco of “Hairy Knuckle”; the mantric swing of “Kananana” with its lethal vocal hook, to the strange amniotic cascades of “Silvercape”, not to mention the lurking deviant that is “Dave Gent” or the Afro-cosmic reverie of “You Clapper”. Attempting to describe these tracks in words is, of course, academic and irrelevant when compared with the actual listening experience. Put quite simply, this is music for your insides that will help turn you inside out. This is the sound of the dream of whatever it is that lies inside the egg: its near perfect conception of the space beyond. Enter that space with the help of The Emperor Machine…
The Emperor Machine : Space Beyond The Egg (DC Recordings)
9. Bronnt Industries Kapital
S.T.R.Y.K.E.R
Revolving around Bristol, UK-based producer / multi-instrumentalist Guy Bartell, Bronnt Industries Kapital has spent eight years exploring deep frosts of electro-acoustic melancholy, slow-burning sonic terrain and uncharted detours into the absurd. “Hard For Justice”, however, will blow away any lingering preconceptions with a phallic flourish of a Colt 45. This new LP is frontloaded with an arsenal of synth-funk bullets that fizz with thrilling John Carpenter electronics (”An Index Of Corporate Art”, “Knights Of Vipco”, “Streets Of Fury”), bristle with low-end Motorik finesse (”Objects & Purpose”) and bubble over with HI-NRG Giallo-disco pulsations (STRYKER). And while the epic dystopian gloaming of Bronnt’s earlier work fleetingly descends on “European Male” and heartbreaking closer “Unbelievable Computer Of Love”, you will, ultimately, die dancing. If “Hard For Justice” were a film it would probably star Steven Siegal in his prime, go straight to video and be mangled by the machine on first viewing: for Bronnt Industries Kapital, there could be no higher compliment than that.
Bronnt Industries Kapital : Hard For Justice (Get Physical Music)
10. Permanent Vacation (Featuring Kathy Diamond)
Tic Toc
This is the first full 12″ from Permanent Vacation, the newly formed production outlet by label heads Tom Bioly and Benjamin Fröhlich. For the track “Tic Toc” the pair have fulfilled a long-time dream to work with beloved disco songstress Kathy Diamond. “Tic Toc” is a very hooky, old school sounding house track with a big piano line. If you like Crazy P, this has a very similar edge to it (inc. vocal and instrumental versions). From overground to underground, the flipside brings us “Zucker Hut”, which aims more at the red-lit basement dancefloor. With its sweaty tropical atmosphere, heavy percussive rhythm, dirty bassline, floating strings, arpeggiated synth and big horn section, it’s reminiscent of those post-punk disco-not-disco fusion tunes.
Permanent Vacation Feat. Kathy Diamond : Tic Toc / Zucker Hot (Permanent Vacation)
11. Clandestine
Radio Rhythm (Killer Whale)
In 1981 Arthur set up Sleeping Bag Records with Will Socolov, the name coming from the fact that Socolov was actually using a sleeping bag in his apartment at the time. The label quickly gained a reputation for innovative and eclectic dance music releases - remember, this was the post-punk era when most ‘indie’ labels had an ‘anything goes’ attitude. Arthur Russell himself was a one-man eclectic production army, releasing any number of tracks for Sleeping Bag under various different guises. From the President Reagan-sampling electro cut ups of Bonzo Goes To Washington and hip hop of Sounds Of JHS 126 Brooklyn, to the extended disco improvisation of Felix, Dinosaur L and Indian Ocean, this album gathers together some of Russell’s best work for the label.
Arthur Russell / Various Artists : The Sleeping Bag Sessions (Sleeping Bag / Traffic)
12. Loui$
Pink Footpath
The second in the “Originals” series takes us to Stockholm and the home of Mark Seven, a great and diverse DJ, a passionate music lover / record collector (check those hand-built bespoke oak record shelves!) and proprietor of www.juswax.com. His real strength is his ability to go out and dig for those special records. While most people would just be happy compiling tracks from other people’s playlists or to buy the regulation well known classics, Mark is to be found checking through piles and piles of obscure records from the most unlikely sources in search for that special gem. And gems are definitely what he’s come up with for this Claremont 56 compilation! From the sleazoid Moogy funk-rock opener “Stars’n'Bars”, via blissful beauties like “I Dream” and “Hepno Beat”, and on to the proper dirty grooves of Joker’s “African” and hands-aloft piano house like Clay “My Unknown Love”, “Originals Volume Two” is a second essential offering in the series.
Various Artists / Mark Seven : Originals Volume Two (Claremont 56)
All reviews come from Piccadilly Records website.