That Was The Month That Was
AUGUST BOOTY
Limited edition runs of 1970s style DJ re-edits seem to be flying off vinyl pressing plants at the moment. Far removed from the mash-ups of recent years (mix Nirvana with Destiny’s Child) the whole point is to stretch out the original source for the dancefloor.
Stumbling across Eamon Harkin’s blog was my find of the month. As is often the case Piccadilly Records brought Eamons name to my attention, stocking his wonderfully warped out version of John Carpenter’s “Assault on Precinct 13“. His website features mixes and edits of a better quality than you find on most expensive limited edition 12″ runs.
Harkin’s re-edit of Bill Withers “Harlem” layers soaring strings, stabs, killer drums, social commentary and more up and up, building till you think it impossible to rise again, only for another blast of strings to floor you again. Phenomenal
Bill Withers – “Harlem (Eamon Harkin Edit)” (MP3)
Visit Eamon’s blog for his latest re-edits all the way from the Human League to the Loose Jointz.
WINDRUSH ON DVD
Of the first weekly selection of tunes from my brother and fellow blogger “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before“, it may have been the Jay-Z/Daft Punk booty that sent the Hype Machine into a frenzy but it was “Spit It Out” by Warning! Heat Ray! that stopped people in their tracks.
As the song deals with immigration it’s fitting that Warning! Heat Ray! have also started a campaign to get the BBC to release their sublime 60th anniversary of Windrush documentary on DVD. Find out more, email Auntie, do the facebook thing and get this essential historical document on the shelves and in the classroom.
Hidden away on Hip-Hop Connection’s cover CD “Blighty” turns the history of Black Britain into a love song, a stormy love but love nevertheless. Natalie Williams provides the beautiful chorus that appears to be the standard fare of troubled relationship’s… it could be Rhianna’s latest but Doc Brown subverts the norm with his insightful rap.
“You stay in my veins like the Smith in my name, from this tiny island that I came”
Accuse me all you like of being a soft Guardian reading, hummus eating namby pamby liberal who sees London as some kind of multi-cultural playground where the worlds people join hands and skip happily to work everyday but I cant listen to this song without getting tingles down my back. I’ve tried believe me, and everytime..seriously everytime…it happens.
Maybe its just me? Have a listen…
Doc Brown – “Blighty” (MP3)
Doc Brown Myspace
THE RETURN OF BOMB THE BASS, BLUES & SUPERSOUL!
I own practically every tune, remix, or white label Bomb The Bass, Coldcut and S*xpress every released. They were my personal punk, the overthrowing of boring chart music and endless guitar solo’s by a bunch of geek’s with no musical training and a sampler!
So the long awaited return of Tim Simenon aka Bomb The Bass is something of an event. The first few tracks to emerge from the new album show Tim’s usual skill at roping in the latest and greatest talent in the “Featuring…” slot. John Spencer features as he did on Coldcuts last album, while on “Butterfingers” Fujiya and Miyagi are complimented by a sparse but gloriously burbling backing. Sink into the squelch!
Bomb The Bass – “Butterfingers (feat. Fujiya & Miyagi)” (MP3)
The influences of Krautrock, Electro, Chicago house, Italio disco and Detroit techno are all over DFA’s fantastic new compilation of the finest from Berlin’s Supersoul records. To appreciate “Deuteronomy Brown” you need to listen loud in the car, club or destroying your hearing on little white earplugs. That slap bass kills me.
Walter Jones – “Deuteronomy Brown (If edit)” (MP3)
Buy “Nobody Knows Anything DFA Presents Supersoul Recordings“ – Recommended!
If you want free downloads from across the musical spectrum forget this site and head to Puregroove Records. Almost everyday they have a free download from the store of the freshest and widest ranging new music out there. One day it’ll be some 8-bit house track and the next it’ll be Honkyfinger’s Blues! Armed only with a slide steel guitar, a kick drum and a beard he creates a phenomenal Bluegrass stomper. I’ve not seen him myself yet but Puregroove assure me he’s superb live too.
Of course they also tie up any visiting acts (see instores) and only release them once theyve signed every copy of their record in the store, but they also usually throw in Puregroove exclusive goodies like mixes, badges or prints.
Honkeyfinger – “Burning Skull Blues” (MP3)
THE LARGEST RECORD COLLECTION IN THE WORLD
Paul Mawhinney owns the largest private record collection in the world with over 1 million albums and a million and a half singles dating back to 1881 (the first flat record). The majority are available on anything other than vinyl but due to ill health Paul’s already closed his record store and has been looking for someone to take over his life’s work for a decade now.
As Paul puts it “Basically no one gives a damn!“. This is the story of one man and his music (thanks to I Guess I’m Floating for posting).
“Music was my first love and it will be my last”
600 HIP HOP CLASSICS IN ONE MIX
Talking of vast record collections Bobby Corridor’s dusted off 600 HipHop classics, put them in his magic blender and somehow squeezed them all into an hour and a half. Its witchcraft I tell you!
Visit here to download Bobby Corridor’s – “History Of Hip-Hop mix”
No month would be complete without a little Steinski. A rather tasty video to his classic “Lessons” record appeared, check it below:
ESSENTIAL LINKS
Vintage Reggae fans take a trip here to learn about and listen to the history of the “Answer” Rhythm.
Linkset.net have uploaded every single BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix from 1993 to 2008. Enough mixes to keep you listening 24 hours a day for a few months… slightly bonkers but head over here if you like mixes.
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