Under The Radar No.4: Thomas Leer – International (Global Mix)

Found this one in a little shop in Chichester and it just ‘looked’ good. Made in ’84 it sounds perfect for now and has been the morning record in my house for a while. On the surface it seems quite pleasant but the song is basically about trafficking heroin (‘traveling across the world, selling it to boys and girls’). Seems like there’s lots of digging to be done into the world of Thomas Leer.

Thomas Leer: International (Global Mix)
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[Apiento]

Mix: Jolyon Green – Return Of The Secret Garden

Back before Test Pressing got all serious on itself Jolyon Green did one of the first mixes for the site. It’s here if you missed it. We are happy to welcome him back with a new mix for us which starts with the Durutti Column (as Jolyon says ‘never has a Manc accent sounded so balearic’) and goes from there.

Jolyon Green – The Return Of The Secret Garden
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[Apiento]

Streatham Island Discs No.8: African Head Charge – Throw It Away

This is from the ‘Off The Beaten Track’ LP. Not only does it have a pile-driving groove, but the mix (by Adrian Sherwood) is phenomenal – everything is constantly shifting and shimmering as he drops the various elements in and out. One of many highlights from the On-U catalogue.

African Head Charge: Throw It All Away
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[Tim Hayter]

Time Out: Ibiza ’89 Piece

Thanks to Tony Pointer.

[Apiento]

Streatham Island Discs No.7: Jorge Ben – Minha Estrella E Do Oriente

This is one of the first Brazilian records I ever bought, and its still my favourite, nearly twenty years later. The credits on the back of the sleeve read like half a Brazilian football team – Joaozinho, Wagner, Dadi, Bidu, Gil, and Jorge. The flute arrangements are by the great Artur Verocai. A very special record.

Jorge Ben: Minha Estrella E Do Oriente
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[Tim Hayter]

The Face: Sheryl Garratt Chicago House Piece

September ’86 saw Sheryl Garratt visiting Chicago to cover the emerging house scene. It’s perhaps the best piece on ‘house’ written to date (and that’s without even mentioning Neville Brody’s design). We will be speaking to Sheryl in the near future about her life in clubs.

“Ron mixes “Go bang” by Dinosaur L into a treated tape of Aretha singing “Respect”, the Willie Colon and Denise Laselle acapella leads – unbelievably – into Sade singing “Maureen” without the advanced aerobics on the dancefloor ever slackening…”

Class.

[Apiento]

Time Out: Shoom Piece

Thanks to Phil.

[Apiento]

DJ Magazine: Harvey Interview

Load of magazine bits coming. First up DJ magazine hit Harvey’s house…

Thanks to Phil.

[Apiento]

Radio Show: Massive Attack – Kiss 14:09:94 (Part Three)

Back, on it and here we go again. More classic Bristol sounds. ‘Looking at my Gucci it’s about that time…’.

Massive Attack – Kiss 14th September 1994 (Part Three)
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[Apiento]

Being Slow…

Apologies for being a little slow at updating recently ladies and gents but it’s been a busy time at Test Pressing towers. Forthcoming will be an interview with the lovely Sheryl Garratt, a fireside chat with Green Gartside of Scritti Politti, some East London talk with Trevor Jackson and a lovely mix from Balearic Mike of Mancunia. Also, while I’m here, if anyone is in the Dalston-end of town this Saturday those top chaps from Bad Passion have Thomas Bullock of Rub ‘N’ Tug at one of the best venues in town for a heads-down-arms-aloft session, The Shacklewell Arms.

[Apiento]

Radio Show: Massive Attack – Kiss 14:09:94 (Part Two)

Massive Attack once again showing us how it’s done, this time taking in Brand Nubian’s classic ‘Love Me Or Leave Me Alone’, Mr Fingers, Marvin Gaye, Fab 5 Freddy (sounding fresher than ever) and some feel good sounds from The Players Association.

Massive Attack – Kiss 14th September 1994 (Part Two)
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[Apiento]

London House Tree 1987 – 2008

Following the Face magazine clubbing tree Terry Farley kindly sent us the London House Tree that appeared in the Faith fanzine. There’s always a couple of clubs that get missed but it’s pretty much spot on. We’ll be speaking to Terry in the near future about the forthcoming Boy’s Own book and catalogue reissues. Looking forward to seeing all the fanzines in one place as they defined that era in such a fine style. Anyway, here’s the tree…

[Apiento]

Screening: Babylon

If you are in East London on Sunday (July 12th) you could do worse than to head down to Brick Lane where Soul Jazz records are hosting a free screening of the seminal UK reggae film ‘Babylon’. The film starts at 2:00 and is worth going to see for the bit with Jah Shaka and the dancers alone. Here’s the Soul Jazz guys on the film…

Directed by Franco Rosso in 1980, Babylon is a raw and incendiary film employing an effective mix of music and social commentary to recount the everyday experiences of a small group of working class black youths living in South London in the early 1980s.

Driven by a musical score composed and arranged by legendary reggae guitarist, former member of Matumbi and record producer Dennis Bovell, with additional songs by Yabby U, I-Roy, Aswad and many more, Babylon is a brilliant, breathlessly energetic, neo-realist snapshot of what it was like to be young, poor and black in early 1980s Britain. The film is rightly regarded as a cult classic and remains as socially relevant today as when it was made almost 30 years ago.

We will be screening a fully restored and digitally re-mastered copy of the film on a huge cinema screen, coupled with a Funktion-One sound system, in the main room at Cafe 1001 at 2pm. This is an amazing chance to catch a classic piece of UK Reggae history. This event is totally FREE so please arrive early to ensure you get a space on the sofas.

[Apiento]

Spotify Playlists 01 (Updated Again)

It seemed like there wasn’t a place to capture those Spotify playlists floating about so I thought I’d get a few together. You know what to do. Copy the link in your browser and off you go. It’s the modern C90.

Update: Just added a couple of lovely playlists from Manchester’s Jason Boardman – one of Aficionado favourites and also an Electric Elephant 2009 playlist. Better get the free music while you can as apparently Spotify are looking for a cash injection of up to £30M.

Jason Boardman’s Aficionado Classics

Jason Boardman’s Electric Elephant 2009 Playlist

Apiento playlist 01:12 (tracklisting above)

DJ History Balearic 25 & More

Wonderfulsound Libraries Spotify Playlist – The Harbour Mystery

Start of a Compass Point and related playlist…

Ripped In Glasgow Influences Playlist

Tim Hayter’s early disco playlist

Balearic beats from Jolyon Green and Moonboots

Low-down funky business courtesy of Rocky of X-Press 2 and Ballistic Brothers fame

Sweet Brasilian sounds courtesy of Russ F over at Brownswood

Send yours in if you feel like getting involved here. More to follow.

[Apiento]

Radio Show: Massive Attack – Kiss 14:09:94 (Part One)

Mushroom on the wheels once again showing us how to walk the genres in a fine style in this, the first part of the second week of Massive Attack’s promo shows for the ‘Protection’ album.

Massive Attack – Kiss 14th September 1994 (Part One)
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[Apiento]

The Face Chronology Of Nightclubbing

In the 100th issue of The Face magazine (September 1988), Dylan Jones, Sheryl Garratt and Robert Elms compiled a large article on 80s nightclubs and the cast involved. Here’s one part of it joining the dots between all the clubs of the decade.

Thanks to Phil Mison for the magazine.

[Apiento]

Streatham Island Discs No.6 – Haruomi Hosono: Aiwoiwaiaou

I know very little about this track. It’s from an early 90s CD called ‘Medicine Compilation from the Quiet Lodge.’ Wherever that is.

Nonetheless, it’s a lovely rolling track, some afrobeat touches and a flavour of New Orleans piano.

Haruomi Hosono: Aiwoiwaiaou
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[Tim Hayter]