Bit of a nice line up here for what sounds like a lovely party.It’s all been a bit slow around Test Pressing for reasons that’ll become apparent next week but if you’re north then this looks a safe bet to sink a Pernod and kick off your shoes…
Party: Phil Mison / An Evening With & Mixtape
July 4, 2011
Be rude not to write about this one… A whole night with Phil playing music for just over a fiver will be brilliant from the off. I’ll not say much more but recommend heavily and for more information you can go here.
While on the subject of Phil, Faith Fanzine asked Phil to do them a mix tape for the last issue and here it is. You can also listen to it here. Here’s the piece…
What other DJ can claim to have been resident at Cafe del Mar during its peak period of the ‘Chill out’ phenomenon, paving the way for all those festivals full of Guardian-reading, lentil-munching folk who went to school with David Cameron? Actually that’s not his fault as he is one fucking hell of a DJ with a deep knowledge and love of the music and a party. Phil didn’t choose this mixtape for you to play while you lay back and chill as your Cath Kidston, welly-wearing wife keeps Oliver and Lucinda out of the circus tent, but for you and your skanky pals to munch on a couple of little green fellas and a cold Union beer.
Pastor TL Barrett – Like a Ship (Light in the Attic)
An obscure gospel album recently re-issued on Light in the Attic. Made by Pastor Barrett in 1971 to attract people to his church in Chicago, I heard this and instantly loved it. I’m sure there are hundreds of amazing privately pressed gospel albums that I’ll never hear, but I’m just happy discovering this one.
Eloise Laws – Love Factory (Inferno)
Taken from the ‘Out on the Floor’ compilation by Neil Rushton, I first heard my friend’s older brother playing this when I was about 12. Everything from the cover artwork with a map of England showing mysterious places like the Twisted Wheel, Samanthas, and the Catacombs, to the incredible music made me rush out and buy a copy, even though I knew nothing about northern soul.
Jackie Lee – Darkest Days (Kent)
An emotional, raw, soulful track about a man going through a hard time. After ‘Out on the Floor’ I bought the first few Kent compilations. This is from number seven ‘Floorshakers’. I started venturing up to London and remember going to Grapevine Records in an indoor market off Carnaby Street. Seemed like a big adventure at the time, like going to another planet.
Ten City – Devotion (Atlantic)
The first time I went to Groove Records in about November ‘87 I bought this and Masters at Work ‘Alright Alright’. That started years of wandering West End record shops, if I didn’t go at least once a week I used to panic that I’d missed out on something. I bought anything that had Marshall Jefferson’s name on it, after Devotion came ‘Right Back to You’, it just blew me away.
William Onyeabor – Fantastic Man (Wilfims)
A friend went to New York a few years ago for a record fair, I gave him some money and in the pile he bought back was this. A Nigerian disco album from ‘79, the cover is knackered and the vinyl is pretty scratched, still sounds good when you play it out though.
West India Company – Ave Maria (London)
In about 2003/4 myself and my friend Oscar put on monthly Sunday afternoon parties at a bar in West Hampstead. One of our regular guests was DJ Gareth, ex Market Tavern / Love Muscle. I could have picked any one of his tracks, Melba Moore ‘Standing Right Here’, It’s Immaterial ‘Space’, Dennis Parker ‘Like an Eagle’, but Ave Maria was always played when it was most busy and people had had a few cocktails too many. Detroit Spinners ‘Ghetto Child’ always went down well too.
Teaspoon and the Waves- O Yeh Soweto (Sofrito)
A super rare track from their 1980 LP, re-issued by Sofrito. A kind of cover version of Back To My Roots (same music, different vocals), this sounded good the other week at Ross Allen’s Meltdown down the Social.
Gil Scott Heron – Angola Louisiana (Arista)
From his Secrets album, this is about the state prison in Louisiana, the largest in the US. It’s Gil imagining how grim it must be to be in there. Fond memories of hearing this at Chris’s afterhours in San Diego, a private club built in an office on the outskirts of San Diego. Thanks to Hugh for taking me there!
Eric Kupper – Planet K (Tribal)
Muzik magazine organised a tour of Portugal in 1995 with a few DJ’s from England, Portugal and the U.S. Elliot Eastwick played this on the first night at the Kremlin in Lisbon and it just sounded brilliant. The week ended with Tony Humphries playing in the courtyard of a castle and Phil Perry finding an unmanned bar with free beer (a highlight of the week).
Angelique Kidjo – Batonga (Club mix)
A record I used to play a lot at the beginning of my, fairly unintentional, DJ career. Reminds me of too many vodka jellys at the Milk Bar, freezing in the bar at the Ministry and playing it most nights in Ibiza as it’s pretty long and was good to put on and nip to the loo. Heard Mark 7 play it at Disco Bloodbath last year, still sounded good.
The Crow – Your Autumn of Tommorow (Inferno)
Couldn’t resist putting another one on from the Out on the Floor album. Was either this or the Carstairs ‘It Really Does Hurt Me Girl’ which still gives me goosebumps when i hear the intro. ‘Your Autumn of Tomorrow’ is a strange piece of psychedelic funk which, according to the sleeve notes, was massive at the Blackpool Mecca.
Maxx Mann – Bloody and Blue (Red Dog)
‘This is a hot, new album by a New York City artist Maxx Mann. The music is beyond new wave and punk. People who enjoy late hour dancing will certainly crowd the floor for more than one cut of this record’… or so says the press release from this 1982 oddball disco release.
Jorge Ben – Curumin Chama (Orio)
I always thought Brazil was the land of gentle bossa nova, cocktails and exotic women. I recently saw a documentary on the history of Brazilian music, in which quite a few musicians had to seek refuge in London in the 70’s as they were being persecuted by the government (which was a military dictatorship) for being too political and subversive. Fantastic track which is generally known as “that one with the dog on the cover”.
Shuggie Otis – Aht Uh Mu Head (Resolution)
Best known for Strawberry Letter 23, first heard this on a Blessed Blackness compilation. I used to do the warm up sometimes at Plastic People, when it was in Oxford Street and the decks were on washing machines. Harri was the resident, he was always there early, I used to stick this on and have a chat. Nice bloke, very good DJ.
Jon Lucien – Listen Love (Verve)
Was aware of this first from a Jazz Juice compilation, but it didn’t really make sense until I heard Dave Henley play it one sunny afternoon at a Boys Own party. I was lucky enough to see him live at Dingwalls before he sadly passed away.
Pat Metheny – Last Train Home (Geffen)
I’m a big Pat Metheny fan, could have picked quite a few of his tracks to put on here. From the letters from home album, I’ll always remember playing this and a friend walking up and saying ‘ whats this?.. sounds like the theme from crossroads’.
Marvin Gaye – Where Are We Going (Motown)
Originally on a bootleg 12, this was finally released on a best of CD, a great track that could have fitted nicely onto whats going on. Years ago i saw a documentary where he goes to Belgium to get away from it all and sort his life out. At one point he goes into a church and sings the lords prayer, im not religious but that really got to me. Thanks to Moonboots for playing me this.
Wim Mertens – The Scene (Les Disques du Crepsucule)
Don’t know much about Wim Mertens apart from his Belgian and his music was used in the ‘belly of an architect’. Some of his tracks are bit too avant garde for me, but he’s done some real gems too, would love to see him in concert. This track reminds me of Ibiza.
Thanks to Faith.
[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]
New Release: Reverso 68 / Well Heeled Volume One
April 5, 2011
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]
Radio: The Balearicist’s Guide To The Revolution (What Is Balearic?)
January 30, 2011
This seemed to be the perfect post to follow the Amnesia videos. We spoke to Alasdair McGregor, one of the producers behind the documentary, who along with Mark Jackson (ex-Eastern Bloc) made this around ten years ago with various people discussing this history of balearic, what it means and what it’s all about.
The voices you hear in no particular order are Fred Deakin, Alfredo, Sally & Steve from A Man Called Adam, Chris Coco, Martin Brew, Pino from Madrid, Nancy Noise, Lenny Ibizarre, Morgan Geist, Lucinda Mason Brown, Rob Da Bank, Moonboots, Txema from Ses Salines, Phil Mison, Pathaan, Hugh Bryder, Balearic Mike, Justin Robertson, Oscar from Trax, Trevor Fung, Emily Nightingale and Nicky Holloway. Quite an extensive list.
49 CDR copies were made which, laid out together, made up one big hand drawn picture by the artist Gill Rocca. They started it in 2001 and it was finished sometime in 2004. Alasdair tells us it has never been broadcast anywhere, and was just made for the hell of it really with the goal to find out the answer to that elusive question – What is Balearic?
The guys are currently working on a part 2, a sort of ‘What’s Not Balearic?’, of which they’ve already recorded interviews with David Mancuso, Cosmo, Soft Rocks, Leo Elstob, Jolyon Green, Sean P, Jeremy Gilbert, The Idjut Boys, Euan Pearson, Rune Linbaek, Lindstrom, Prins Thomas, Greg Wilson and Kenneth Bager with another 10 or so to get, so it may be a while coming.
Thanks to Alasdair and Mark. And Mike for the previous information.
[Apiento]
Mix: Phil Mison – Cafe Del Mar (Summer 1994)
September 5, 2010
Here’s a nice mix for the end of Summer, Phil Mison of Cantoma fame (check the album on Claremont 56) live from the Cafe Del Mar at sunset from ’94. Ben Turner, ex-editor of Muzik Magazine, recently wrote a piece on the summer of 1994 and listening to Phil at the Cafe Del Mar. Click here to read. Here’s an excerpt…
And here’s the mix…
[Apiento]
Photos: Balearic London
June 10, 2010
If you were wondering what the people behind the mixes looked like now you know. All the balearic people were in town last week for a charity special… Nice day chaps.
[Apiento]
Phil Mison’s Cantoma album is released soon on Leng/Claremont so we thought we’d put Phil in conversation with Joel Martin of Quiet Villiage to get some thoughts on music, the internet, finding new music and their clubbing pasts.
Test Pressing: Easy one for 5… When did you two first meet each other?
P: We first met properly through Oscar from Trax (London record shop). You gave me some CDs with mixes on and then I think we were doing a party in West Hampstead and you came down and played, Gerry (Rooney) played, and DJ Gareth (friend of Phil’s who live and hung out in NYC for years) played. It was a good party.
J: Gareth! He would tell you a little story about the records he played. Like I remember when he played Dennis Parker ‘Like An Eagle’ and he’d say about everyone in 12 West (an early club in NYC) where Tom Savarese was DJing…
P: Yeah I remember that. Apparently they had some massive steps at the back and loads of dancers would be doing a dance waving their arms like birds.
Test Pressing: You both put a lot of value in hunting down records for yourself, the same as say The Idjut Boys, Harvey, Gerry Rooney etc. How do you think the internet impacts upon what you are trying to do finding new music without everyone else discovering it?
J: I think it stems from people coming to see you and you having exclusive things that only you play and they can only hear you play. I think sometimes people get overtly paranoid about other people finding out about what they play and with re-edits, the internet and bootlegging, you never know whats gong to happen. But you do have to realise that DJs are only playing other peoples records and the artist would think it insane that you wouldn’t want to share their music with other people. It’s not like Scott and the Antarctic but it’s nice to have music that you have found yourself. With the internet now people don’t have to venture out. You can find what you want on the internet and its all about money – if you have it, you can own the record.
P: Maybe the day of clubs with one core DJ who has a core crowd going to hear them every week and hearing music from that DJ is long gone. It was like going to Pure or Glam (Danny Rampling clubs) and that was the only place you could go and hear ‘Come On Boy’ by DJ H featuring Stefy before it was bootlegged. If you’ve got the power and the crowd then that is a justification for not telling anyone about those records.
J: I had this discussion with Gerry Rooney the other day, and I am sure Phil agrees, that for quite a few of us there is as much a buzz in finding something in the field yourself (laughs) , as there is to listening to it and playing it. Finding it, and physically tracking it down is almost a bigger thrill or high than the music contained within.
Test Pressing: It’s definitely true that people used to make more of an effort to go and track records down in the late 80s and early 90s…
P: I heard about a fight in Trax records over a copy of ‘Numero Uno’.
J: (In disbelief) ‘Numero Uno’?! But yeah, there weren’t any record shops where you could get that stuff.
Test Pressing: I miss those days of wandering round Soho with your list of records trying to cross them off…
P: Yeah religiously from about November ’87 I’d go out every week and buy records. I’d panic if I missed a week buying records. Ridiculous.
J: It’s happening again with the small little labels. If you miss that first press and don’t get it within the first couple of weeks of it being out, you can get it on Discogs or whatever, but it will be £30 or £40 as no-one is doing long runs of vinyl anymore. Not on 12 inches.
Test Pressing: It feels pretty healthy at the moment…
P: I agree. There’s loads of good music out there.
J: I speak to certain trusted people as I won’t listen to clips. Mates of mine will listen to clips on sites for hours, and then make a list, and then go and listen to them properly in a record shop and then decide whether or not to buy the record. But for me, if I am going to spend £8 or £9 on a record then I want that record to be something that I’ll be listening to in 10 or 20 years time, and that will also sound good at home, because otherwise I’ll get it on CD.
Test Pressing: There seems to be a select few of you sharing music…
P: You realise how small this scene is sometimes to be honest.
Test Pressing: Have you both done LA?
P: I did a party with Tony Watson on the Hollywood Boulevard and we DJ’d in a bar with George Takei’s star outside and it was a great party. LA is a werid place. It’s hit or miss. You know you have the Sarcastic parties and that’s the biggest thing, I am not sure how big as I haven’t been, but I have been to Candelas and that’s only about 80 people.
Test Pressing: What about Japan?
P: The first time I went to Japan, it was to play at Ageha which is like a superclub over there. They took me up to the booth and it was 8 decks in there. But I wasn’t DJing there, I was in the shed outside (laughs). It was 200 people and me DJing all night. As it was getting a little bit light they pulled the doors open behind me and the sun was rising over a lake outside. I was like ‘fucking hell…’.
Test Pressing: Who was the last DJ you heard that you really enjoyed?
P: I’d say Mark7 at Disco Bloodbath.
J: Frankie Valentine at a small do in Stoke Newington. He was playing, and I thought he’d play house but he was playing serious serious adult music, and I didn’t know most of it. He was playing soul and disco, Euro records, then a boogie record and then a rocky cut… I had to go and say ‘this is serious Frankie’. I love to go out and hear music I don’t know.
P: But you’re a music obsessive. It must be hard to go out and hear records you don’t know…
J: No. Even when I was 17 going out, I was never the one wishing to hear a certain tune, I would revel in hearing music I didn’t know. It would be a real ecstatic rush. I definitely had the mentality of wanting to know what music was though, as once you hear a piece of joyous music you want to repeat that.
P: I remember going on a tour of Portugal with Muzik magazine with Paper Recordings, Danny Tenaglia and loads of others and Elliot Eastwick played Eric Kupper’s ‘Planet K’ and it was like what the hell is this…
J: He did a great mix of Robert Palmer. Do you remember? Rampling played it…
Test Pressing: Is that where you two meet musically?
J: Rampling was one of the first DJs I remember hearing club-wise, as I was always a big radio-head, but Rampling and Trouble I liked for different reasons. Rampling would play Euro and also New Jersey records and then Trouble would play the full on garage madness which is a different lick.
P: Rampling told me the story about how he booked Tony Humphries for Shoom. He had the tapes from Kiss or whatever, so he went to New York on the off-chance of meeting him. He went to Zanzibar and he wasn’t playing, went somewhere else and he wasn’t there and he was like ‘oh no’. So he was like ‘it’s a wasted journey’ and then he had one number and thought he’d have a final go. He dialed from the airport, Humphries picked up, he canceled his flight and went back. He met him, then he came over and played. I love stories like that as it shows the passion for it.
Test Pressing: Finally, what’s the one record you wish you hadn’t played?
J: The first record…
P: All of them (laughs)…
Cantoma’s album ‘Out Of Town’ is released on Leng/Claremont 56 on May the 4th.
[Apiento]
Mix: Phil Mison – Days By The Sea
March 16, 2010
Following the lovely ‘On A Clear Day’ mix from Moonboots here’s his long term cohort Phil Mison with a new mix for you all. We’ve also done an interview with Phil regarding his new Cantoma album (out at the end of April) so we’ll post that soon…
[Apiento]
Radio: Phil Mison And Citizen Kane on Beats In Space
February 27, 2010
As you may know Phil Mison is friend and part of the Test Pressing firm so it’d be rude not to mention that he, alongside Citizen Kane, was the guest on Tim Sweeney’s always good Beats In Space radio show last week. Dig in here if you missed it. As you may know his new Cantoma album is coming in May with a twelve released just before with mixes by our man Lexx and the Idjut Boys. On the subject of Lexx look out for his new releases coming soon. We’ll speak with Phil about the album nearer the release date but until then enjoy the show.
[Apiento]
here
Party: The Return Of Afternoon Sessions
December 30, 2009
Happy to mention the return of the super mellow Afternoon Sessions. DJs Phil Mison and Steve Terry will be joined by Balearic Mike to play balearic beats, fascinating rhythms and sunset vibes. Price on the door? Nish. Perfect.
[Apiento]
Mix: Phil Mison – On The Dancefloor
December 4, 2009
Another one from the Phil Mison vaults. This one is from years back and came via Balearic Mike (thanks!).
Phil Mison: On The Dancefloor… (Part One)
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Phil Mison: On The Dancefloor… (Part Two)
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[Apiento]
Mix: Phil Mison – Cafe Del Mar (13:07:94)
October 18, 2009
Phil Mison: Live At The Cafe Del Mar (Part One)
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Phil Mison: Live At The Cafe Del Mar (Part Two)
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[Apiento]
Mix: Phil Mison – Cafe Del Mar 1995
June 19, 2009
Not much introduction needed on this one. More classic Mison action, this time from the Cafe in 95.
Side A
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Side B
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[Apiento]
Test Pressing Radio
June 8, 2009
Here’s an edited version of the Test Pressing Radio show on Diesel Radio. Steve Terry’s mix didn’t make the cut due to mixer issues but here’s Phil Mison in the mix and a few other bits. Steve will be back soon with a mix of his own. Anyway, until then here’s the show.
Test Pressing Radio
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[Apiento]
Test Pressing FM – We’re On The Radio…
May 22, 2009
Monday at 5PM Test Pressing is live on Diesel Radio with co-hosts Steve Terry of ESP and Phil Mison from Reverso 68 and Cantoma. Expect Steve’s slow house vibes, some mellow sounds from Phil and some Island Records as it’s their 50th birthday. So, 5pm here if anyone fancies. We’ll try and upload the show soon.
[Apiento]
Quick bit of history… The Café del Mar first opened on 20th June 1980 in Ibiza in the town of San Antonio de Portmany. It was designed by the well-known Catalán architect, Lluis Güell, who was in charge of the design, decoration and architecture of the building. People came from far and wide to visit the café and to contemplate the sunset, which in the words of the owners is, ‘undoubtedly one of the most incredible and marvelous sunsets on the planet’.
As we know the sunsets and their soundtrack are what the café is famous for, and Phil Mison was lucky enough to play there in 1993. At the bottom of this post is a recording of the set taken from a tape recorded at the time.
Since then Phil has been DJing worldwide and in recent years hosting daytime balearic sessions in the East London area with Steve Terry (look out for a mix from Steve soon). This weekend sees the fourth birthday of the Afternoon Sessions, and to celebrate Phil and Steve have invited Shoom legend Danny Rampling to come and play some of his favourite records. Get down there if you are in the area and enjoy the mix.
Phil Mison: Live From The Cafe Del Mar (20:03:93)
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[Apiento]
Mix: Phil Mison – January 2009
January 16, 2009
Slow start over at Test Pressing Towers this year but we are back in a fine style with a lovely Phil Mison mix. Due to there being a few unreleased bits and bobs on the mix it is only available to stream at present, so please respect that, but I will make it downloadable soon.
We have known Phil for many years now at Test Pressing. He, along with
Moonboots and a few others, has always been about the sunset balearic sound – check the piece above from an old copy of Jockey Slut from 1994/95. As many of you know Phil produces as Reverso 68 with Pete Herbert, and as Cantoma by himself, with this year seeing the release of a new Cantoma album which we are already hearing good things about.
Anyway, on with the program. Press play and enjoy.
[Apiento]
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