Just Because 028 / Terry Thomas In Ibiza

Terry Thomas In Ibiza 1981. Well balearic.

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Who Was It? / Gala Drop Mix Information Request

Someone wrote in asking for information on the Gala Drop mix we featured not long ago and I have all the information for you but I can’t find your email. Nelson from the band has sent me a lovely email with all the information you need. Shout if it was you and I’ll pass it on. Cheers!

Just Because 022: It’s A Smiley Sort Of Day

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Just Because 021: Advert For Grace Jones ‘Living My Life’

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Faith’s New Website…

Our friends at Faith have just got their new site up and it’s looking very tidy with easy access to articles and the forum all topped off with nice design.

Check it here.

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Cleaning Records The Copydex Way…

Someone told me this worked so I thought I’d try it out. I tried it on a bit of a good record, Prince’s ‘Black’ album, but luckily it seemed to work. Anyway, take one crackly record and a pot of Copydex and off you go…

Step 1: Open Copydex, remember smell of youth and dead fish and paste liberally onto the record.

Step 2: Cover the whole record with glue.

Step 3: Let the glue dry until clear. This takes a while so go to work or something.

Step 4: The fun bit – start peeling off the glue.

Step 5: Pull it all off.

Et voila. I was chatting with the editor of Mojo not long back and they had never heard of this over there but I reckon it works. It pretty much cleaned this one up getting rid of the majority of the pops and crackles. Good to see Copydex has uses other than pasting it on your hand and freaking out your mum/girlfriend/child when you pull your skin off in front of them. In short, one to put on the ‘try when I’m bored list’.

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Is Moshi Moshi The Most Balearic Indy Label Going?

I was wondering the other day if Moshi Moshi are the most balearic indy label out there. When I say indy I don’t mean indy in a ‘no support from the majors’ kind of way as that would take in Claremont and Golf Channel (amongst others); I mean indy as in cute girls with fringes wearing badges on their cardigans to weekenders in Camber Sands and boys in duffle coats (though they are probably all wearing Vans these days). I have to hold my hands up there and admit that my definition of indy is stuck in 1994 but there we go. I prefer it there than to the 2011 version.

Point is, I have been getting sent more and more Moshi Moshi stuff and they seem to be releasing a massively broad section of music and a lot of it falls into our court. They are also putting out the new Hercules & Love Affair album and Stephen Bass (A&R/part-owner) has a massive love of Oni Ayhun but for me these three tracks show they are a label doing the right things, much of it with a tropical balearic world feel.

Case 1 – Nguuni Lovers Lovers: Cheza Ngoma (Excerpt)
This one is from one of the new Moshi Moshi labels, Dream Beach, which is being run by a chap called Ed Frankel. Hope to find out more on this as we go.

Case 2 – Metronomy: Everything Goes My Way (Excerpt)
This one is taken from the new Metronomy album titled ‘The English Riviera’. Much of it is flipping great in an XTC sunshine way. Moshi Moshi manage these guys and make them wear their Christopher Cross love with pride.

Case 3 – Au Revoir Simone: Tell Me (Villa Nah Remix)
This one I totally slept on last year but every time it comes on in the studio I am now working in it makes me smile. A great pop record with that drum machine on it that always sounds brilliant. One to put on the shopping list if, like me, you missed it.

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Do Us A Favour – Save Our Forests…

So we don’t really do political stuff here but I kind of like forests. They are mellow, beautiful and are a great part of our famous countryside. The government have announced they will pause forest sell-offs for a few months, which is a good sign, but the forests are still in danger. For that reason, if you haven’t got round to it yet, and you like forests, click here and make your voice heard on the Save Our Forests subject. I also like libraries so we may look to do something on that soon. They need saving while we’re at it. Anyway, click and sign your name on the forest issue if you haven’t as it only takes a second.

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Just Because 019: ZTT Advertising

Thought and fine design on show here. Stolen wholesale from Trevor Jackon’s Facebook page (more from him soon).



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Test Pressing 2010 Round Up

Time for our round up of the year and it looks like we have a clear winner in the singles category with Begin’s ‘Velocity’ with lots of love for Claremont and Golf Channel on the label front. It’s been a good year in our eyes for lovely down tempo music and here’s to 2011 and throwing more in the pot and seeing what comes out. Thanks to everyone who fed in on this one.

Single: Begin: Velocity (Begin)
Film: Of Gods And Men
Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Virgo: RU Hot Enough
Label: Claremont 56
Book: William Maxwell – The Chateau
DJ: Gareth Marshallsea
TV: Miranda

Singles: DJ Nature: Destiny Reprise & Joy Orbison: The Shrew
LP: Charlotte Gainsbourg: IRM & Four Tet: There is Love In You
Film: Bird On A Wire
Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: About a dozen Joy Division live bootlegs
Label: R&S (James Blake, Space Dimension Controller) or Golf Channel (DJ Nature & Gala Drop)
Book: Martin Beck series – Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö
DJ: Jarvis Cocker on 6music
TV: New series of Futurama

Single: Falty DL: All In The Place (Discoko)
Album: Junip: Fields
Film: Toy Story 3
Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Mundo Muzique: Andromeda
Label: Claremont 56 (Again!)
Book: Michael Lewis: The Big Short
DJ: Martin Dutton
TV: Breaking Bad
Spotify Playlist: Not really been near it lately….

Single: Storm Queen: Look Right Through
Film: Ghostwriter – Roman Polanski or probably Downtown Calling if i already had the chance to see it…
Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Betty Wright: Got It Right (Moxie Edit)
Label: Golf Channel
Book: IQ84 – Haruki Murakami
DJ: Harvey

Single: Begin: Velocity / Optical Holiday
Best Film: Monsters
Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Alien Signal – Dawn of a new era
Label: Cordings
Book: Take Ivy
DJ: Phil Mison / Phil South
TV: The Trip

Single: Four Hands – Hizou
Film: Machete
Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Afterhours – Waterfalls
Label: (Sorry) Claremont 56
Book: Zola – Germinal
DJ: Idjut Boys, Kelvin Andrews & Phil Mison
TV: Breaking Bad

Favourite Release Of The Year So Far: It’s been a great year for music so not an easy choice. Misti and Veyland ‘Stars’ for proving that piano riffs and a sense of humour are still alive and well in house music. The blazing horns and nyabinghi of ‘Kumina Mento Rasta’ by Wareika Hill Sounds. And ‘Play Music Selecta’ by Kalbata and Mixmonster, featuring Jah Thomas, for its thundering bassline and showing the dubsteppers what dub really means.

Film: Four Lions. Chris Morris confirms his genius with a film that manages simultaneously to be hilarious, tragic and thought-provoking.

Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Ella and Louis Again – Verve Records 1957. I don’t know how this was recorded but it is by head and shoulders the best sounding record I own. It’s like having them singing in the corner of the room. Oscar Peterson on piano is a nice touch.

Label: Honest Jons

Book: ‘The Lunatic’ by Anthony Winkler, the very funny story of a rural Jamaican madman and his encounter with a solidly built German tourist.

DJ: Lil Louis at Corsica Studios blew me away. Amazing mix of jacking house and disco, climaxing with ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’ by the Supremes.

TV: The World Cup

Spotify Playlist: Spotify hasn’t reached Jamaica yet but having DJ Gabre Selassie online is all you need. Augustus Pablo’s bredrin keeps the Rockers flame alive http://www.ustream.tv/channel/rockers-sound-station

SINGLES
1. Begin: Velocity
2. Incarnations: Make You Mine
3. Storm Queen: Look Right Through
4. Broken Bells: The High Road
5. Holger Czukay: Persian Love
6. Midlake: Roscoe (Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Re:animation)
7. Sam Sallon: You May Not Mean To Hurt Me (Leo Zero/Begin mixes)
8. Kurt Maloo/Sophie Zelmani: Afterglow/If I Could (Rune Lindbaek Mixes)
9. Mudd & Pollard: Vincent
10. Max Essa: Panorama Suite / Uptown Vibration
11. IFEEL STUDIO 001: Coptic Sun
12. Four Hands: Hizou
13. Locussoulus: Little Boots
14. Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Soul Mekanik remix)
15. Begin: Optical Holiday
16. Cantoma: Under The Stars / Gambarra (Ray Mang/Lexx Remixes)
17. Beach House: Zebra
18. Steve Mason: Am I Just A Man
19. Still Corners: Don’t Fall In Love
20. Pacific Horizons: Universal Horizons / The Amulet

LPS
1. Steve Mason: Boys Outside
2. Beach House: Teen Dream
3. Charlotte Gainsbourg: IRM
4. Massive Attack: Heligoland
5. Cantoma: Out Of Town
6. Prince: 20Ten
7. Junip: Fields
8. Incarnations: With All Due Respect
9. Caribou: Swim
10. Smoke Fairies: Through Low Light And Trees

REISSUES/COMPS/EDITS
1. Various: Down To The Sea & Back Volume 1
2. Mark Cappani: I Believe In Miracles
3. Various: Pomegranates
4. Lou Bond: Lou Bond
5. KM Editions: Feelings Of Ecstacy
6. The KBE Edits: Hairy Bush EP

Film: A Single Man, A Prophet, The Kids Are Alright, Toy Story 3, Kick-Ass, Harry Brown, Gainsbourg.

Best Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Dust Springfield: Nothing Has Been Proved, Larry Heard: Sceneries Not Songs, Orange: Le Couleur, Depeche Mode: Enjoy The Silence (Hands & Feet Mix), Charles B: Lack Of Love

Label: Claremont 56/Leng stormed it again this year … good efforts also from Finders Keepers, International Feel, Is It Balearic?

Book: Bill Bryson: A Short History Of Nearly Everything / Notes From A Small Island, Ian Flemming: Goldfinger / You Only Live Twice, Tim Lawrence: Hold Onto Your Dreams, Peter Mayne: A Year In Marrakesh, Ian MacDonald: Revolution in The Head, Stephen Fry: Moab Is My Washpot (again), Julian Cope: Head On (again)

DJ: Graeme Fisher at The Acid Tree, Lexx at Space (Folk Ibiza), Idjut Boys at Cutloose, Prins Thomas at The Cultural Vibez Weekender, Mike Bee at Plunge.

TV: The Trip, Mad Men, Sherlock, The Art Of Germany, Qi, The New Doctor Who was better than I expected as well.

Spotify Playlist: Jolyon, Aficionado

Singles: James Blake: CMYK (but hype now but got played to death), Games ‘Strawberry Skies’, Begin: Velocity & COS/MES: Natural Lifespan
LP: Oneohtrix Point Never: Returnal
Film: Pan’s Labyrinth (only three years late)
Rediscovery In Your Record Collection: Barry Reynolds: Till The Doctor Gets Back
Label: Golf Channel / Claremont & Leng (both on fire this year)
Book: Roger Deakin: Waterlog
DJ: Phil Mison
TV: The Apprentice

Release: This has been much more difficult than I was expecting. Looking back at the new music I bought this year, right now I can`t see much that I couldn’t be persuaded to part with. If you were to come round to mine I would most likely be excitedly playing you the antiques I have found. Though I did finally manage to “get” The XX (a year later), I haven’t felt very inspired by new music this year. As a consequence I have been feeling very old. I`m sure this wasn’t because there wasn’t a lot of interesting and groundbreaking new music released this year (that`s Tim`s job anyhow) but it does have something to do with me being 200 km from the nearest record shop and getting totally fucked off with buying stuff on-line (fucking 90 second clips, limited fucking runs of everything, and the incredible amount of warped fucking records (1/3?) that have turned up in the post this year). To the sane among you it will be clear that a format change is called for but unfortunately I think I love vinyl more than I love (recorded) music. This morning if you were to ask me I`d say Pacific Horizon’s Universal Horizons.

Film: I haven’t been to the cinema once this year and have only rented one DVD. The Wrestler. While the story could only be a cliché, Rourke`s performance has – maybe unfortunately – stayed with me. This film and McCarthy’s The Road appear to be my current totems. What do you do when doing the best that you can just isn’t good enough anymore? I have had to ban myself from playing the Springsteen theme song, since it puts me on a terminal downer. Such is its resonance.

Rediscovery: Got to be Chairmen Of The Board’s The Skin I’m In. Weatherall’s Screamadelica show was a much needed wake up call. Where’s the soul gone? A mention in dispatches goes to Kokomo’s Use Your Imagination which has been played to a good response several times this year (thanks Tim).

Label: For new music, Hippos In Tanks continue to pique my interest (though I don`t often indulge) and I am still a sucker for the Echospace/Echochord sound. All the House I`ve bought seems to be on Clone or Rush Hour (or sub-labels thereof). There was the Cantoma CD (does the Four Hands count?) on Claremont56, The Struggle on IFeel, but maybe, just maybe RVNG for the Arp/Anthony Moore LP and CFCF`s The River.

For re-issues, Dug-Out have been pretty much essential and Light In The Attic have made available some truly great leftfield “soul” obscurities. Bureau B for all the Roedelius, and Minimal Wave definitely deserve a mention (particularly for the Ruins).

Book: Erik Davis’ Techgnosis. I have believed for a long-time that the future of the “human race” lies with machines and maybe the net (yep, I once smoked a lot of weed). With a little imagination a “virtual facebook” might allow us to teleport, time travel, leave the Earth and maybe achieve immortality. Here to go. But for a luddite like me the world wide web just seems to be one massive shop front. I am currently off-line learning acoustic guitar and campfire songs.

DJ: This was easy. Max Essa – bar or club always gives 100%, is never obvious, & always always rocks it – I think some people might be surprised – really pleased that all his hard work this year seems to be paying off for him and his family. Also sports an admirable, seemingly endless, line in smart knitwear.

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Just Because 018: Merry Christmas From Vybz Kartel

Time to get into the Christmas spirit. Watch the video here. I like his Clarks…

Thanks to James McLintock for digging that one out…

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New Faith Fanzine – Coming Soon…

New Faith coming soon with a big Harvey feature – which I know will please the heads no end…

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Just Because 017: Herbie Hancock

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Just Because 016: Balearic Beats Advert & Sleeve Notes

Was looking through an old i-D from October ’88 and found this advert for the Balearic Beats compilation on ffrr. Artwork, of course, by Dave Little. Thought it would be nice to scan in Terry Farley’s classic sleevenotes to go alongside.

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Just Because 015: Ms Grace Jones And Keith Haring

Ladies and gentlemen…

Image © Robert Mapplethorpe

Thanks to Nick Dart for digging this one out.

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Design: The Beatles / Authorship And Collaboration Chart

Seems an apt day to post this lovely Beatles chart, what with the whole fab four catalogue appearing on iTunes for the first time, taken from ChartingTheBeatles.com. It’s well put together and highlights the fact that George and Ringo didn’t get a look in. Must have been pretty annoying that they were in their massive mansions and Paul and John were in even bigger ones…

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Just Because 014: Pop & Lock

Another quick one stolen from Shawn Stussy’s blog to make mine look nice. If you have five minutes go kill it there.

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Free Track: Stereolab ‘Sun Demon’

The majority of the “free” stuff we get sent to “share” is pretty crap but occasionally there’s a good one and here’s a perfect example. Apparently when Stereloab were recording their last album ‘Chemical Chords’ they also recorded another set, the soon to be released, ‘Not Music’. ‘Sun Demon’ is taken from the new album which I imagine is out sometime soon. Again, it sounds very Stereloab and very individual.

Download ‘Sun Demon by clicking here.

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Back In The Pirate Days: Kiss 94 Newsletter

Here’s another great newsletter from Kiss dating to summer 1988. Love the awards part. Thanks to Strictly Kev on this one.

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Faith Summer T-Shirt / Boy’s Own Party

Couple of bits to tell you about regarding the Faith/Boy’s Own gang. First up, the new Faith summer T-shirt (above) is now available and comes with their ‘Black Cowboy’ mix (only available with the T shirt). Its looking good and is available here.

Secondly, a heads up on the forthcoming Boy’s Own party on September 11th at Cymon Eckles new Shoreditch venue. DJs include Andrew Weatherall, Dorian Paic and Vera from Frankfurt’s Cocoon and Robert Johnson clubs, Jon Marsh (mix coming from him at some point), Horse Meat’s Severino, Rocky and Diesel, Heller & Farley and Darren and Spencer from Kubikle. That sounds like a proper party. Tickets on sale from next week at Phonica, The Griffin pub in Leonard St (East London) or Ticketweb. Get them when you can as it’ll sell out pretty sharpish.

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