Mix: Suono/Signs Of The Sun
April 28, 2011
Suono are Danny Potts and Tony Daly who have regularly been running Bank Holiday Sunday parties just outside Newcastle at a venue (well pub really) called The Tanners for over seven years now.
Over that time they’ve had as guests such as Moonboots, Balearic Mike, Mudd, Phil Mison, Daniel Baldelli, The Idjut Boys, Kelvin Andrews and Greg Wilson to name a few. Clearly men of taste. This weekend sees the great Mudd making an appearance with some of the Claremont crew in tow (see below for more details). Looks like a good one. Here’s a mix from the chaps. Starts mellow and builds from there…
[Apiento]
Mix: Spencer James/Life!
April 27, 2011
Spencer James has spent more time in clubs than most and has great taste in music from those well spent years so we asked him to do us a mix of his favourite mellow moments. Enjoy.
Image stolen from Dan Holdsworth.
[Apiento]
Video: Electric Elephant 2011 Teaser
April 27, 2011
Sweet video from the Electric Elephant peoples for their forthcoming festival in the summer. Special props for using ‘Like A Ship’ by Pastor T.L. Barrett.
Thanks to Moonboots for the heads up.
[Apiento]
This is an exhibition starting this Thursday (well the private view is then) at The Printspace on Kingsland Road in London’s Shoreditch showcasing the work of photographer Dave Swindells, Nightlife Editor at Time Out Magazine for over 22 years, and someone we have (er) borrowed heavily from over the last few years of Test Pressing (hence feeling obliged to tell anyone within five square miles of the gallery to go take a look). We love what he did and everything he captured. The reason these pictures, and the articles and videos we post, are so invaluable in our opinion is that they capture exactly what was happening rather than someones dusty memories so this one comes recommended. Go check.
Here’s what the website says….
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In this exhibition, Swindells presents a series of images giving us a once in a lifetime view into the Second Summer of Love (a period in 1988-89 when electronic dance music exploded in Britain’s club scene). His images focus on how ‘Balearic Beats’ – a multifaceted and unique fusion of rock, funky reggae, Eurodisco and Chicago house – as well as the ecstasy-fuelled clubbing style of life experienced in Ibiza, gave DJs the inspiration to create a freer and unrestricted club scene in London.
These images show the nightlife of Ibiza in the late ‘80s, with its open-air dance floors for those hot Mediterranean nights, drawing an all-ages, polysexual crowd in an easy-going hippie-inspired atmosphere. This atmosphere was nonetheless self-consciously stylish (unlike many of the dressed-down Brits). The clubbing culture to this time was very different too. ‘In these photos you won’t see people texting or tweeting, videoing their mates or posting on Facebook,’ explains Swindells. ‘Nobody had mobile phones, and the only person likely to be taking pictures was the club’s own photographer. So there was nothing else to do but live in the moment, enjoy the parties or watch other people having fun while dancing the whole night’.
If you are interested in more of what club culture in Ibiza and London was like at this time you should visit ‘Spirit of Ibiza 89′ at theprintspace Gallery from Friday 29 April to Wednesday 18 May 2011. The opening times are from Monday to Friday 9am –7pm at theprintspace Gallery on 74 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London E2 8DL.
The opening night will be on Thursday 28 April from 7pm to 9.30pm. Admission is free and theprintspace hopes to see everyone there.
Afterward the exhibition will continue at the International Music Summit in Ibiza.
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So there you have it, get along if you are in the area.
[Apiento]
Alright we are a bit slow covering this one (blame the sun), but it’s a good one and needs a mention. The work of (producer and true balearic head) Leo Zero, Luke Insect and (acid houser that never stopped moving) Dave Little is on show at the IG Gallery as we speak. What makes it worth a special mention is the online shop is now open with some class prints on sale from the chaps. Check the Spectrum print below from Dave Little from an edition of 25 signed by the artist for a taste of what is available. There is more from all the artists at the shop so click here if you want to see more.
[Apiento]
This one is my favourite Claremont release for some time. I love Crosby Stills & Nash to pieces so the A side ticks the boxes for me with its hippy Laurel Canyon vibes. It’s a lovely song and total grower. With more like this we could have our own balearic Fleet Foxes. On the B side Tiago comes with a twisted fucked up ten minute version excursion taking in kraut and balearic vibes along the way but in a truly modern style. It’s a fine piece of work and I’d love to hear him produce the whole album bringing it in somewhere between his remix and the original. It’s amazing and Tiago if you read this do us a mix of stuff that influenced this as I’d like to hear it right now. It’s a fantastic release for Claremont and ones that show its not all about acoustic guitars in their part of London town. Fine work Mudd. Buy it.
Torn Sail / Birds (Excerpt)
Torn Sail / Birds (Tiago Remix) (Excerpt)
‘Birds’ is out May the 4th on Claremont 56.
[Apiento]
Too Hot To Blog
April 24, 2011
Back in a bit…
[Apiento]
Film: Visionare / East End Film Festival
April 19, 2011
The Laser Magnetic crew have organised a program with the Visionare pop-up cinema this year for the East End Film Festival that some of you may be interested in as there’s a few documentaries on show that look right up our street. The Norman Jay one about Good Times is a classic and the Yellowman documentary is supposedly an incredible look at dancehall and it’s crazy mixed up world. If you want to go to the East End Film Festival website you can get more information on the whole program. Here’s the info.
[Apiento]
Mix: Phil Mison / Notes From An Island
April 17, 2011
Always happy to welcome back our friend Phil to the fold. This mix was originally done for Sonica radio in Ibiza. In Phil related news the Reverso edits album is in the shops now and we expect good things from the next wave of Cantoma. We are also talking about doing a little party soon but we’ll keep you in the loop on that one once we push it on.
[Apiento]
Radio: Jon Savage – Savage Music 024 / 1969 Part 5
April 17, 2011
Sundays = Jon Savage in our house (and a new Phil Mison mix all going to plan). Here’s part 5 of the 1969 series. Crazy depth.
[Apiento]
Adam Khan is one of our occasional writers and here he is, as the title says, with a review of the new King Creasote and John Hopkins album. He’s also made a Spotify playlist to go along with the mix so check that under the review while you can as it’s all change with Spotify soon (cutting half the music unless you are a subscriber etc…).
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This is a great record to get lost in. It’s only just come out a few weeks ago but already I’m evangelical about it. If you love half of the stuff on Test Pressing and in particular those mixes or artists celebrated here that absorb you then this is a great record for you. Previously I’ve written about great albums from the past that I treasure and wish to share with anyone who seeks the same feeling from records that I do. But as you know there’s no time line to really astonishing records, they don’t go in and out of fashion, they exist of themselves.
So what does it sound like and why does it triumph over the other avalanches of releases? It starts with field recording of a Scottish Café and slowly a muted piano seeps in subtly transforming into a vibrating echoing hum (“First Watch”). Slowly emerging through these sounds (a gentle combination of found organic and electronic sounds) is the delicate voice and guitar of King Creosote (“John Taylor’s Month Away”). I knew of him vaguely but considered him previously as one of the legion of born again folkies clutching a copy of the Band’s Big Pink and scratching a ratty beard. Yes, this is in the tradition of other dark modern/vintage records (a bit like those faux weathered tables you can buy which someone has gone at with their sister’s knit comb) but the electronic washes of Jon Hopkins add an angelic choral atmosphere (“Running On Fumes”). I’ve recently been singing with a group of 30 people and that feeling of being lost in a beautiful noise that you are making is so striking, maybe I’m particularly alive to this. “ Bubble” and John Taylor’s Month Away remind me of the scene in “O Brother Where Art Thou?” where the characters stumble in the morning into a baptism by the river, where the white clad congregation pick their way through the woods slowly adding their voices to “Down to the River To Pray” which slowly builds.
I particularly like “Bats In The Attic” because of the female voice that joins the King which is just magical. I’ve listened to this record about 15 or so times and it just runs in and out of my consciousness. The best time to listen I’ve found is late night or early in the morning as I walk through the woods near my house especially on the recent bright light mornings. Others have compared this to Talk Talk’s “Spirit of Eden” which is not wrong but I’ve always felt there was a coldness at the heart of that record, in that every piano note seems to be have recorded separately and then placed down like a exhibit with white gloves. Great care but no emotional warm. This record has much more warmth and it ebbs and flows so naturally that I don’t know where it ends and where the background sounds of real life start. Honestly, I’ve had to take my headphones off at points to check whether sounds are creeping in from the day or from the record. That’s a beautiful form of disorientation and for that reason alone I recommend this record to you. This is a great record to get lost in. Let us know if you agree.
Here’s a playlist to go along with the mix.
[Adam K]
New Release: Coyote / Always E.P (Needwant)
April 16, 2011
Following their release on International Feel last summer Coyote come again with another E.P of hypnotic slow mo electronic business for the Needwant label. You probably know Coyote – they run the tidy Is It Balearic? label and go by the names of Tim and Ampo. Here they draught Neville Watson (a man who seems to like the raw sound of machines and a squelch) in to take remix duties. For us the winners are Watson’s Dub and the hidden gem ‘Corona’ on the B side. Here’s some clips…
Coyote / Always (Excerpt)
Coyote / Always (Neville Watson Remix) (Excerpt)
Coyote / Always (Neville Watson Dub) (Excerpt)
Coyote / Corona (Excerpt)
The Always E.P by Coyote is out April 25th on Needwant.
[Apiento]
New Release: Wild Rumpus / Cloudhopping (Bitches Brew)
April 16, 2011
Wild Rumpus is DJ Cosmo” Murphy and former Captain Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas. Apparently the goal with Wild Rumpus is to bring together disparate sounds such as disco, rock, surf music, blues, dub and country. The original of this one clocks in at 12 minutes and comes with a remix courtesy of our mate Mudd who cleans it up and runs with the melody (top work!) as well as an instrumental of new track ‘Tikkety-Boo’. Nice to see someone bending the rules.
Wild Rumpus / Cloudhopping (Excerpt)
Wild Rumpus / Cloudhopping (Mudd Remix) (Excerpt)
Wild Rumpus / Tickety Boo (Excerpt)
‘Cloudhopping’ will be out in May on Bitches Brew on 180 gram vinyl.
[ApIento]
Art: Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore / Mark Leckey
April 13, 2011
I’ve been meaning to post this one for ages. This is like art made for us by us. Mark Leckey is from Birkenhead in the Wirral and is a British artist, working with collage art, music and video. His found art and found footage pieces span several videos, including this one – Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore from 1999.
[Apiento]
Party: An Evening With Matthew & Jolyon
April 11, 2011
While we are on the subject of Claremont this weekend long time residents at Lowlife and favourites at Aficionado in Manchester, Matthew and Jolyon, are overseeing their next ‘An Evening With…’ night. The venue in Aldgate East is the same as before and I am sure (its the last party to be held there I think) it’s going to be a good one.
I think the tickets are moving pretty quickly so if you fancy it then send £7 via Paypal to simon@claremontinc.co.uk. More details on Facebook and Resident Advisor. While on the subject Jolyon’s recent ‘Passport To Eternity’ mix for us is an absolute beauty if you haven’t heard it yet.
[Apiento]
New Release: Almunia Album (Claremont 56)
April 11, 2011
Woke up early with the sun still out from the weekend and put on the new Alumnia album that Paul Mudd had sent over and I’m happy to say it’s a good one. Perfect for late moons and early mornings. For me the album really warms up in the second half as more vocals appear and the tracks almost take on a Durutti Column / Michael Head (Shack/The Strands) sort of atmosphere. I heard it totally different to the press release which only says good things about the album. It stands on its own feet, is full of melodies and I’d love to see them make a pop album next time with pure songs and melody as they’d pull it off easily. Great album.
Alumnia / Kissing Time (Excerpt)
Alumnia / Moving Up (Excerpt)
Alumnia / Travel (Excerpt)
Alumnia / Until She Comes (Excerpt)
The album is released on May 23 with a limited run of 300 gatefold vinyl copies.
[Apiento]
Dance: Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Rosas / Fase – Four Movements To The Music Of Steve Reich
April 10, 2011
I’ve just got in from Saddlers Wells after watching Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Fase – Four Movements to the Music of Steve Reich. The piece first premiered in 1982 in Brussels and uses Piano Phase, Come Out, Violin Phase and Clapping Music. It’s not in my skill set to do the work justice with words but it was like the music was written for the choreography which makes sense as apparently her work often focuses on the relationship between dance and music often with a focus on a specific composer. All pieces were performed as a duo other than Violin Phase with repetitive movements moving in and out of phase making me think it must be incredibly hard to perform. Here’s the ‘Clapping Song’ piece.
[Apiento]
Mix: Psychemagik / Celestial Love
April 8, 2011
Here’s a good one for the weekend – a new mix from Psychemagik. It’s a sweet sounding one with lots of bits I haven’t a clue about and it hits the mellow balearic nail square on the head. With the sun out this sounded lovely on the stereo today. Hope it sounds as good in your place.
Psychemagik are also close to finishing their first album of edits soon to be released on Ambassadors Reception. This’ll highlight the more leftfield aspects of their record collection. Here’s a taster…
Psychemagik: Ass Nation (Excerpt)
Psychemagik: Move Your Butt (Excerpt)
[Apiento]
Radio Show: Noise In My Head
April 8, 2011
While we are on the subject of radio here’s another one from a friend of the family. Celebrating its 5th anniversary, Noise In My Head is a weekly show that airs every Sunday night on Melbourne based community broadcaster Triple R (102.7FM) before being archived online here at the Noise In My Head site.
Hosted and programmed by Michael Kucyk, the show is pretty broad taking in all styles. Mixes and other involvement has so far come from Lovefingers, Juan Atkins, Danielle Baldelli, Nozaki DJ, Abel, Justin Vandervolgen, Beppe Loda, Basso, DJ Garth, DJ BRKA, Chee Shimizu, Ronny & Renzo, Hey Convict! and more. You get the idea.
We asked Michael what the Noise In My Head site was about and the focus is on representing whats happening in the Melbourne club scene, championing events like Bamboo Musik and providing a platform for their lesser known, more interesting local DJs – Misha Hollenbach, Roman Wafers, Steel Bonus, Biscuit, Canyons and Gordy Zola. Going on the music we have heard coming in from Hey Convict! and others from that side of the water it’s a scene worth checking. If any of you Melbourne people want to do something for us just shout at the email to the side.
[Apiento]
Anyone who has been reading Test Pressing for a while knows how much we love the work of Island Records. This piece comes from The Face in April ’84 and is about Jean Baptiste Mondino’s debut release for Island Records. Mondino, as most of you know, is the guy behind those iconic Grace Jones sleeves. I love that story about how when Badarou and all those guys turned up to Compass Point to make those early Grace Jones records that Chris Blackwell had pinned up the visuals Mondino had already made and said ‘we need the music to sound like that’. Anyway, shame Mondino didn’t make more music as it fits into our world perfectly. Love the video too.
[Apiento]
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