DHS 9 - Part 4 (S)

First off a brief review of D's closing five selections from DHS8 and an apology for having been so remiss;

Do The Right Thing - total class
House Music - amibivalent to this for some reason
Pump Up The Jam - undeniable record but not a personal favourite
All Funked Up - one of the 90's highest points, massive (MASSIVE) thumbs up from me
Tyrantanic - not my favourite mix of this but still enormous

... and then onto the ten choices since my last go;

Slowdance - hmmmm, vaguely Sigur Ros'ish but not quite there...
Truth - nice little song - putting it onto the phone for further listens
Universe - lush - Giggsy's been hammering this on FB - occasionally irritated by the vocal but it is a great record
Far Nearer - loving the steel drums aspect - Jamie XX did a very well received mix recently that I keep meaning to get round to
Onice - given the label it's on I kind of expected it to be bigger but it's pleasant enough once I realised it wasn't going to be full on

Set Adrift On Memory Bliss - still remember exactly where I was (in the car driving through a storm in Devon) when Tong played it as his Essential New Tune. Probably the best hip-pop record ever?
Battle Without Honor or Humanity - first 40 odd seconds are immense, thereafter it tails a bit but WHAT an opening - brilliant film too
Secret Smile - vaguely remember this - nice little pop tune
Limited #4 - loving all the Circulation stuff
Energy Flash - hmmmm, not so much going for this 'live' version but the original cut is indisputable


... and then finally onto my next five;

The Sugarhill Gang - 8th Wonder - was listening recently to 'The Official Adventures of Grandmaster Flash' and remembered that the sample from this is my favourite part of that (epic) 12", so had a look for it on Spot and voila - first class party tune, cheesy-as-all-hell-ol'-skool-raps and THE funkiest horn section you can imagine

K.I.D. - Hupendi Muziki Wangu - partly because of the crazy title but mostly because this sums up just about perfectly the underground, original, disco stuff that is totally doing it for my ears right now. Just a wonderful old record. If it appeals then I thoroughly recommend the album and ALL the Horse Meat Disco stuff.

Solee - Legends - OK, not sure one of us has done this before and I have thought long and hard about it but, having done so, I think it's more than justified. Two mixes of the same tune in one selection. The first one is laid back and blissed out. The second one is absolutely firing. Both share top-notch production, some lush sweeps and strings and the most addictive, kind-of-synthesized-tuba, hook. Pick your favourite or, as I do, adore them both! And if that wasn't enough then the John Tejada remix on the same package takes it brilliantly in a slightly more tech-house direction. MASSIVE.

E.M.F. - Perfect Day (Chris & James' Epic Adventure Remix) - Everyone remembers EMF's 'Unbelievable' and I was always a fan of D:Ream's remix of 'They're Here' but, good though they were, this is totally different gravy. Chris & James did some full on remix stuff in the mid 90s but they've never bettered this. From the firing breakbeats at the beginning that give way to a stomping flat four pattern, the brass, the 'chorus voices', the relentless build, the beginnings of the piano, the breakdown, the perfectly sampled vocal, back in with the breakbeats, piano mayhem, the second build, the second breakdown is just disgusting - really shouldn't be allowed. And from there the breaks fire back in for a while and then, and only then, does it gradually begin to relax its grip as it starts to head for home, via one more little build and break. Gentlemen I cannot commend this record to you highly enough. Really I can't. Best remix of a pop song I have ever heard by miles. Possibly the best remix I've ever heard. Honestly. Remarkable.

*goes to lie down*

S

DHS 9 - Part 3 (D)

Im back by public demand, you're now rocking with a one man band....only you're not and its a 3 man show - that was DHS 8style too. And its good to be here in part 9 where all things come to pass. Or do they... closing in on the big 10 for a selection where Im sure I struggled at times with DHS1, it just goes to show how much music there is out there eh, we may be at a more leisurely 2 a year (which is mostly down to me) but that just makes it a bit more fun I reckon. Or indeed special, although I was reading some gentlemans literature recently where the female lead used the line 'and I wanted the time that I got my puppies out to be special' so thats rather diminished in meaning for me, although they were spectacular puppies, so y'know, one door closes...

Anyway enough of the deranged ramblings of a confused mind, heres my take what we've just had:

Big Kev:
A typically eclectic and educational selection from the man like Sully. Loving Terminator, completely zeitgeist with some gorgeous synth action. Even the sound effects are endearing ! Not big on caterpillar, but then I never really liked Crystal Method - nice drop in the middle though, and afterwards its nice and lively. Base 6 - shocker - im not big on this to be honest. I mean its the chems, so its miles better than most stuff and its ok but far from their best for me, which they obviously used up all on the flip side. As for Spor, well im glad I was sitting down - bit too much for me, although as Kev said, some nice musical moments on there. And the Moby remix, well oh my fucking christ this tune is just ridiculously brilliant. Ticks every box for me and I even prefer it with the vocals - been on my playlist ever since K-Dog sent it over many moons ago and always brings a smile. All in all good work that man !

Big Hodge:
Well mate this really was quite a selection and I totally dig that about DHS. Marmite at its best, but as with any art form if it provokes a reaction it must have something in it. Slowdance is a good case in point, whats with the scratchy effect ?? Nonsense. Theres actually a cool tune underneath that - one that takes quirky and fucks it to within an inch of its life then gives it a dirty sanchez to boot. Truth, totally get the spaghetti western reference Hodge and a nice vocal with some cool lyrics - would have never thought in a million years this would rock your boat ! Love it. Universe is a track that I dont like im afraid, that vocal treatment just bugs me to be honest which is a shame as the rest of it is well put together. Far nearer isnt really my bag either but who doesnt like a good steel drum - would be perfect for carnival a definite outside in the sun record. Onice could well be the best tune of the selection its just sublime to these ears and I totally agree with the Jam & Spoon reference. Wonderful wonderful record and on the Rob playlist. Excellent work chap !

Ok well heres my humble selection...

In at number one and after waiting since day 1 on spot a seminal record of my impressionable teenage years has finally rocked up and it is:

'Set Adrift on Memory Bliss' by PM Dawn

Theres nothing not to like about this record, a killer sampled riff, laid back beats and an even more laid back rap. A real seminal record for me... "she was right though, I cant lie, just one of those corners of my mind..."

My second record is one that just, well, has to be on our list, and I think thats all I need to say - one of the great film score moments...

'Battle Without Honor or Humility' Tomoyasu Hotei

Its just epic isnt it, and damn that film had some fucking cool tunes !

Which leads me on nicely to one of my favourite records of the last 15 years. Took me a while to get the meaning and when I did I thought it was simple yet clever - possibly even polite smut if there is such a thing:

'Secret Smile' Semisonic

And not a bad tune either. But its time to go a bit large, so here we go with an absolute monster from my early djing days - had to hide after dropping this its just insane:

'Limited #4' Circulation

Brutal but brilliant prog-techno I would call this, difficult to drop in as it left you really nowhere to go (unless you were a techno dj) and you couldnt play it last, went well after Alive by Daft Punk though. Play it loud and get ready for the bleeding ears...

And while we're on a techno tip, I have to sign off with a classic that really needs no introduction:

'Energy Flash' Joey Beltran

One love
p.s. you're both cunts and you know why. Toodles.