A few of my favourite things

“When I drink Tea, It’s usually Tetley”

The Busking Champions of the South West, Hedluv & Passman are back with that difficult 2nd LP. Having confused/delighted/irritated audiences near and far, from Brazil to a string of 40th birthday parties “Dreckly” is the first taster of their new material.

Its everything you’d expect from Hedluv, ie. is it bad, is it good? Have Morris Minor & The Majors reformed? Daft, unabashed and embarrassment free as Hedluv lays his rhymes over Casio keyboard loops.
As many people will hate this as love it. To those that hate, I’m sorry I can see your point but whats that?.. I can’t hear you very clearly.. I’m just playing “Dreckly” 6 times straight on my ipod.

Hedluv – Website / Facebook / Myspace / Twitter
Hedluv + Passman – “Dreckly” (MP3)
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Roots Manuva has been cutting loose and having fun with his Banana Klan collective, their regular live extravaganzas feature 8 piece horn sections and a stage full of guests performing mad jams.

“Banana Skins Riddim” is a taster dub test tape with Manuva and other Banana Klan luminaries Jimmy Screech & Ricky Ranking. The combination of chatted vocals, cries of “Myyyy Goddd”, and lovely parping horns is irresistible. Keep an eye on Banana Klan both for exclusive previews and full on releases soon to come.

Banana Klan – Facebook/Blog/Soundcloud
The Banana Klan – “Banana Skins Riddim (feat Roots Manuva, Jimmy Screech, Ricky Ranking)” (MP3)
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01 Dub college volume 1: Ricky Ranking Mix Tape by Banana Klan

Every generation has a Weller song to call its own whether its by The Jam, Style Council or the Modfather’s “Wildwood” era. The glorious 8 minute Northern Soul swirl of Leo Zero’s “No Tears To Cry” remix may just be the track that bewitches a fresh generation. I’ve been meaning to post it ever since the record company emailed it out a month or so ago.
Leo Zero’s Dub Psychedelic Series previously sprinkled magic onto 70’s Bowie, and his Weller mix is a subtle triumph. On Soundcloud Leo was modest about his input “I can’t take credit for any of the parts! – I just did a beef-up and added some drums… the original is actually constructed with a lot of separate samples, I was very surprised when I cracked it open – it sounds so live, I thought it was all original“.

He was also understandably excited to be offered the chance to work on Weller’s material:

“A remix for Paul Weller / Island records that was a real honour ( and a lot of fun) to do. I think of this sound as what was going on at Blackpool’s Mecca Ballroom on the Northern Soul scene – slightly disco-fied…. but this track also reminds me of Neil Diamond and Glen Campbell – it’s a truly great song, and I was literally jumping round the studio with excitement when I first heard it! It was one thing to land a Paul Weller mix after being a fan for so long, but then to find out it was for such a belter of a song was mind-blowing.”

Paul Weller – Website / Facebook… errr Weller says social networking site are “bullshit”.
Leo Zero – Soundcloud – huge selection of Leo’s mixes) / Website
Paul Weller – “No Tears To Cry (Leo Zero remix)” (MP3)
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Listen: Paul Weller’s Spotify mixtape.

Side A: Late 60’s Lovelies – Jesamine – The Casuals, Traffic – Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush, Love Affair – Bringin on Back The Good Times, White Plains – When You Are a King, The Flowerpot Men – Lets Go To San Fransisco
Side B: Current Cuts – Rox – My Baby Left Me, Eliza Dolittle – Rollerblades, Erland and the Carnival – Trouble In Mind, Black Mountain – Stormy High, Dr Dog. – The Breeze

If you ever step into Soul Jazz Records beautifully tiled “Sounds Of The Universe“ record shop be prepared to depart significantly poorer.

As the name suggests they cover almost every sound from every part of the globe, but excel in the obscure or limited edition. You’ll find music in here you haven’t seen anywhere else.
Somehow I managed to escape with only a couple of 7″s and two typically brilliant compilations.
The first comes courtesy of Johny Trunk, the man behind Trunk records/website self proclaimed specialists in “Music, Nostalgia and Sex“. Their latest compilation “Bollywood Funk Experience” trawls the vast archive of Saregema, Bollywood masters whose history dates back to 1901 when EMI set up the label as its first overseas venture.
The frankly bonkers “African Dance” is representative of the album in that its bursting at the seems with seemingly contradictory ideas and sounds. The fact that it was recorded in 1967 makes its incredible inventiveness all the more impressive.

Trunk Records – Website / Monthly recommendations / Cookery
Kalyanji Anandi – “African Dance” (MP3)
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“Lagos Disco Inferno” has the following advice on its cover “Hello fans! It is highly advised to drop your pants before dancing to this non-stop afro disco“. Having tested this I can reveal that the vibrant 1970’s Nigerian Disco & Funk gems contained on the CD are equally enjoyable either in or sans your pants.
Read the Voodoofunk blog to hear about the trials of exclusive licensing and rows with BBE or as he calls them, British Bootlegging Enterprises.

Voodoofunk.com – Endless undiscovered West African musical delights
Download Desktop background of “West African” Album sleeves – JPG
Grotto – “Bad City Girl” (MP3)
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Check out the promo video featuring Doris Ebong’s wonderful “Boogie Trip”.

Since Father Abraham first introduced Music Like Dirt to the work of Alan Wilkis he’s become something of a hype machine fuelled phenomenon. Hopefully some of the acclaim for his remixes – he made Vampire Weekend don Day-Glo laces and head down the 80’s disco – will transfer to Wilkis’s own material (Listen to Pink & Purple here).
Here’s what Alan has to say about his beautifully subtle reworking of White Hinterland/Casey Dienel or “Idiosyncratic chamber-folk pixie” as the BBC called her.