New Release / Invasion Of The Mysteron Killer Sounds

I read the other day that Prince went into Sounds Of The Universe to buy a few DVD’s in his lunch break (true that) and there probably isn’t a better record store in London for him to visit. Nicole from the shop, who served him, said ‘I was a bit shocked. I thought he might be a lookalike and when he came towards me I saw it was Prince. He was very low key, just with another guy. He bought four DVDs, including The Gospel according to Al Green, Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, and the night James Brown played Boston. They are quite hard to get in London. He didn’t really say much, he just wanted some concert CDs. He was just wearing black, very polite, looked nice, said please and thank you, I was just very pleased to see him.’

See, how sweet is that? Anyway, Soul Jazz, the label of the shop, have a new compilation out called ‘Invasion Of The Mysterons’ which is a collection of version excursions in a modern stylee accompanied by a comic by Paolo Parisi. Its compiled by Stuart from the label and The Bug – both people that know their onions – and you can see the track listing above. All we need now is that Heatwave back again.

New Release / Nebraska / Displacement / Rush Hour Recordings

I worked for eight years at a house label and still have a lot of love for the genre which is why it is nice to write about two house records on the bounce. Rush Hour are another label after my own heart with their work with Virgo and lets be honest the Dutch got house in a way that not a lot of countries did. Their clubs were always fun to visit and from the late 80s onwards there always a lot of synergy between the Dutch and English scenes. Anyway, we digress. I think this release is a double pack but its basically top notch house with something for everyone. It fits perfectly with the Running Back release below. Again no soundclips am afraid but check it on Phonica or Picadilly. Nice sleeve too.

[Apiento]

New Release / Suzanne Kraft / Green Flash EP / Running Back

Just got the new Running Back in and though I haven’t got my logic up so can’t give you any clips I thought I’d just give a quick heads up anyway. First track comes across like Loose Ends doing a house track and the others also have that sheen of quality. Its, as ever with Running Back, across the board goodness with heart and comes recommended. Get them while you can.

[Apiento]

New Release: Call Super / Staircase E.P

I like this one. Worth the entrance fee for the Wire mix of ‘Nosebleed’ alone which has an understated, almost new wave vocal (think perverted Michael Hutchence gone shoomy), alongside a rolling deep electronic disco track. Tidy.

Call Super: And It Was (Excerpt)

Call Super: Nosebleed (Wire Mix) (Excerpt)

The Call Super E.P will be with all good stockists on July the 18th.

[Apiento]

Release: Try To Find Me Vol.3 – I’m Dancer / Needs Ending (Golf Channel)

Here’s the second one from the Golf Channel package. This one I’ve been looking forward to since I heard it on Phil South’s mix from Electric Elephant as it has officially the most balearic record I have heard in a very long time held upon it. ‘Needs Ending’ is pretty simple and potentially from a really shit record but in this format it’s fucking brilliant. Looped and lopped endlessly with fx kicking in towards the end to round it off, its simple, has a great balearic synthy flute sound and ticks all the boxes for me. The A side has a banger on it to for all the party people. Its cheesy to say but B side wins again.

Try To Find Me Vol.3 / I’m Dancer (Excerpt)

Try To Find Me Vol.3 / Needs Ending (Excerpt)

Thanks Phil South for sending them over.

[Apiento]

Release: Juju & Jordash – Unleash The Golem Part 1 (Chelm Is Burning / Chelm Is Dubbing) (Golf Channel)

Always a good day when the postie turns up with two new Golf Channel releases. First up Juju & Jordash with ‘Unleash The Golem’ which is more specifically made up of ‘Chelm Is Burning’ and ‘Chelm Is Dubbing’. Giving you a minute excerpt of these doesn’t really do them justice but its safe to say they are more deep musical journeys for the head and feet with influences coming in from Sakamoto, Can, Mr Fingers, Thelonius Monk, Ornette Coleman and Cabaret Voltaire. They’ve got a website so if you want to know more about the chaps go here.

Juju & Jordash: Chelm Is Burning (Excerpt)

Juju & Jordash: Chelm Is Dubbing (Excerpt)

[Apiento]

Review: The Revenge / Reekin’ Structions

Quick review of the new Revenge record which I said I’d review weeks ago (sorry Melissa!). I like the Revenge, also known as Graeme Clark, as he takes it out there in a bit more of a ‘Greg Wilson music for the masses’ kind of way. You know… There is no snobbery – just take it to the dancefloor and lets have some fun.

This is released on Dave Lee’s Z Records, someone I also massively admire for his ability to take it to the masses when deep down you know he’d rather be sat at home playing super rare disco records with his mates making bad jokes. Anyway, here’s the tracklisting as my review below won’t help you much with that and if you want an album that everyone can have fun too then get this.

Mid-Air: Ease Out (Revenge Edit)
Johnny Adams: Feel The Beat (Revenge Edit)
Sargeant & Malone: Love Message (Revenge Edit)
Velvet Hammer: Party Down (Revenge Edit)
The Joneses: Summer Groove (Revenge Edit)
Chapter Three: Smurk Trek (Revenge Edit)
Electric Smoke: Freak It Out (Revenge Edit)
Letta Mbulu: Kilimajiro (Revenge Edit)
Vance & Suzanne: I Can’t Get Along Without You (Revenge Edit)
Nel Oliver: Dream On (Revenge Edit)

Reekin’ Structions is in the shops now (I think).

[Apiento]

New Release: King Creosote & John Hopkins / Diamond Mine (Domino)

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…).

::

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)

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)

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]

New Release: Almunia Album (Claremont 56)

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]

New Release: Reverso 68 / Well Heeled Volume One

Reverso 68 is the studio based project of Pete Herbert and Phil Mison. This album is a limited edition release of some of their favourite forgotten balearic and disco tracks, as well as a host of previously unreleased Reverso productions. Tracks have been re-tweaked and dubbed for the dancefloor and it’s probably the best tenner you’ll spend for some time on anything of a balearic nature.

Here’s a taster…

Reverso 68 / Pacific Break (Excerpt)

Reverso 68 / Well Heeled (Excerpt)

[Apiento]

New Release: The Mythical Beasts ‘Communicate’ (Ft. Remixes By Brennan Green / Permanent Vacation / Alphabet City / Das Volt) (iFeel)

It’s a good day for new music. Just got this one and the new Todd Terje on Running Back (more on that later). The Mythical Beasts are Felix Dickinson and Toby Tobias who will be familiar to most of you. Felix has just done the last Originals compilation on Claremont and Toby Tobias has been doing stuff on Rekids amongst other things in recent times.

Both do it for the right reasons so we are happy to hear this one coming out sounding like a super super slow mo disco track in original form. It’s so slow you could almost push it over but it’s all the better for it. All the remixes add a different flavour so check them and make up your own mind. This one comes on 180g vinyl and in a nice sleeve to boot. Not sure when it’s out to be honest. I’ll try and find out.

The Mythical Beasts: Communicate (Excerpt)

The Mythical Beasts: Communicate (Alphabet City Remix) (Excerpt)

The Mythical Beasts: Communicate (Permanent Vacation Remix) (Excerpt)

The Mythical Beasts: Communicate (Brennan Green Remix) (Excerpt)

The Mythical Beasts: Communicate (Das Volt Remix) (Excerpt)

[Apiento]

New Release: Marco Passarani ‘White Dwarf/Black Dwarf/Colliding Stars’ (Running Back)

We just got sent the new Running Back and thought it best to contact head honcho Gerd Janson for the lowdown. Here’s what he said…

“Hello Paul,

Out now!

BASSarani in your face – again! Here’s part two of the ongoing Roma meets Running Back saga. Conveniently appearing in a white inner sleeve (slip it into the retro-futuristic telescopic picture sleeve that you hopefully already have), the Final Frontier/Pigna/Nature captain steers his ship into a safe harbour. Three tracks of hardcore space music and magic carpet melodies: “White Dwarf” appears as the final link between Frankfurt Trance and Tribal House, “Black Dwarf” is its beat-heavy brother (For DJ Use Only!) and finally we come full circle with “Colliding Stars Pt. 2”. Science ain’t no fiction.”

It’s a good one. Nice artwork again Running Back people.

Marco Passarani: White Dwarf (Excerpt)

Marco Passarani: Black Dwarf (Excerpt)

Marco Passarani: Colliding Stars (Excerpt)

[Apiento]

New Release: Bubble Club – The Goddess (Original & Quiet Village Remix) (International Feel)

International Feel seem to be going from strength to strength at the moment so good to see friend of the family Dan Keeling in his Bubble Club guise signing a new record to the label. The original track is a building piece of mellow balearic in the Bubble Club style. A synthy intro gives way to beats and builds up with additional piano lines and that trademark uplifting spacey sound. Quiet Village as per their previous release on International Feel are in heavy ambient mode. A lovely sleeve and fine mastering add to the package. Look out for it in the shops sometime around February.

Bubble Club: The Goddess (Excerpt)

Bubble Club: The Goddess (Quiet Village Remix) (Excerpt)

[Apiento]

New Release: Hercules & Love Affair ‘Blue Songs’

Just got sent the new Hercules and Love Affair album and it’s a good one. Loads of future disco and a few slow-mo balearic disco moments for the heads. It seems to reference that Trax sound in places but manages to avoid becoming a pastiche. The only part of the album I’m not so fond of is the cover of Sterling Void’s ‘It’s Alright’ – mainly as I am not a fan of those take a cover and slow it down from the overkill adverts.

Tracks I’d particularly check are ‘Blue Song’, a lovely slow melodic number with African percussion, a sweet vocal and a lovely clarinet accompaniment, ‘Boy Blue’ a beat-less acoustic excursion which is calling out for a spacey disco remix and ‘Leonara’ which comes with a bass-line reminiscent of Nu-Shooz ‘I Can’t Wait’.

It’s an enjoyable ride.

‘Blue Songs’ is out in January (I think) on Moshi Moshi.

[Apiento]

New Release: Incarnations ‘Make You Mine’ (Lovemonk)

Quick heads up on this one. ‘Make You Mine’ slipped out last year so good to see it given a proper release. Incarnations are Daniel Collás, Quinn Luke (Bing Ji Ling) and Bart Davenport. They are very hippy (as you can see) and full of balearic notion. Their debut album ‘With All Due Respect’ was recorded in a beach side studio in Tarifa, and is out there on Spanish label Lovemonk. Think Elkin and Nelson on a warm Los Angeles stoned highway.

‘Make You Mine’ is out on the 24th of January on Lovemonk.

New Releases: Heroes Of The Galleon Trade / Ghost Note II (Golf Channel)

It’s always nice to get a package from Golf Channel in NYC and one just arrived with two new releases from Ghost Note II and Heroes Of The Galleon Trade, both with a focus on live instrumentation in the grooves. Rather than describe them which, as you can see, isn’t my strong point, here’s a couple of excerpts and look out for them in the shops early next year. It’s safe to say both are truly on point and show Golf Channel show no signs of letting up the quality control next year. And on that subject Happy New Year all. Here’s to a fine 2011 for everyone.


Ghost Note II: Kapwa (Excerpt)

Ghost Note II: Albularyo (Excerpt)

Heroes Of The Galleon Trade: Neptune’s Last Stand (Excerpt)

Heroes Of The Galleon Trade: Winter Island Romance (Excerpt)

[Apiento]

New Release: Games ‘That We Can Play’

This is our 500th post. Wallop! Anyway, have to say thanks to Emma Warren (check her show on NME Radio if you haven’t already) for turning me on to this one – the new project of Dan ‘Oneohtrix Point Never’ Lopatin and Joel ‘Tiger City’ Ford under the name Games. Dummy Mag called it synth rock but to us this track is the best balearic pop song we have heard in ages (though perhaps accidentally so as I am guessing neither of them has a clue who Alfredo is let alone William Pitt).

Their first 7″, ‘Everything Is Working’, released a month or so ago, is also worth checking if you are feeling this, though its more on a cut-up mellow hip hop synthy tip (yeah I know that sounds terrible but if I throw in enough descriptors perhaps you’ll get the idea).

Anyway, here’s an excerpt from Games’ ‘Strawberry Skies’ – worth buying the EP for alone and you might find some other stuff that you like on it.

Games: Strawberry Skies (Excerpt)

The Games EP ‘That We Can Play’ is out on vinyl this Monday 20th November 2010 on Hippos In Tanks. It’s out on digital already if you just want this track.

[Apiento]

New Release: Lexx – Messalina Edits 7

Our man Lexx has a new 12″ of edits out on Messalina and have to say ‘Go’ is sounding well up our street. Also loving ‘So Different Here’ that got sampled by The Beatnuts some time back. Think Lexx might be a sleeping B-Boy.

So Different Here (Sample)

Go (Sample)

Messalina Edits 7 is released tomorrow 02:11:10 and is available from Phonica, Juno and all good record stores.

[Apiento]