DHS - continually evolving...(?!)

Messrs D&H - your attention please...

A proposal;

I think we have now proved that DHS was a decent idea and has got the legs to endure for a good while yet.  But I've been thinking - is there a way to add more value to the basic idea...? 

And, consequently, I'd like to make a suggestion to you both.

*drum-roll*

"DHS-LP"

Here's how I'm suggesting it;

- I create a new, distinct and seperate list, 'DHS-LP'
- it is open for one month at a time either twice or three times a year
- (either January & July, or January, May & September)
- during the month it is open we each deposit one, whole, album into the folder
- before the folder opens again (4 or 6 months) we each undertake to listen, in full, to each album posted
- albums can be, within reason, any format whatsoever that is on Spotify - i.e, artist album, 'best of', various artist compilation or DJ-mix
- (acknowledging that there are some HUGE compilations on there which would be unrealistic to listen through)
- (brief?!) reviews to be blogged on each album entered as and when the listener is inspired to do so
- that's pretty much it

So; thoughts...

S
x

DHS 11 - Part 1 (S)

Good work on the 'Best Of...' chaps

Choices 901-905 coming up but before them a few words about 891-900...

891-895 - H, old boy, there's not much I can say about that selection - they're all great tunes and I'm glad you love them.  Really very glad.

896-900 - D, Immortal Technique & Sigur Ros need no words from me - I'm very happy you also love them.  Guy J is very you - would expect you to mix with this; MJ - didn't really know the original and I'm not sure this is Nero's best work...; Emile Sande - this girl is class.

So, there you have it - short and sweet - here's 901-905;

Ok, as I explained to Duffy when we met in Brixton a while back - this DHS selection of mine has been a LONG TIME coming.  I wanted to do a 'five-pick' that was simply tunes from 1983 ('ish) that are basically responsible for me being where I musically am now.  It's taken a while 'cos unfortunately, great though it generally is, Spotify isn't as hot as it could be on early 80's underground New York electro.

However, sufficient have surfaced now to enable a worthwhile stab at it.

I don't remotely expect any of these to have anything like the impact on either of you as they did on me - I'd almost go so far as to say it'd be impossible.  But bear with me - it's important to me that DHS gets the full breadth and depth of all of us so, without further ado; this is how I started...

Hashim - Al-Naafiysh - probably stood the test of time better than anything else - I still read now and again that this gets played today...

Newcleus - Computer Age - they at least two hits that resonated for longer than this one (Wikki-Wikki & Jam On It), but I went for this 'cos the 'futurism' of it totally enthralled me back in the day...

Information Society - Running - something of a cult record in recent years - I have the original 12" bought in import from Groove Records in Soho (in '84?) and I'm honestly not sure the purchase of a single record has ever given me greater satisfaction.

Man Parrish - Boogie Down Bronx - this is the fella that did THE best '83 Electro record ever (Hip Hop Be Bop - which is already on DHS) and this was the very different follow up - I can still rap 90% of this without thinking about it...

Double Dee & Steinski - Lesson 3 - as the title suggests this was the third, and what turned out to be final, 12" single in a series.  Steinski basically took the template that Grandmaster Flash laid down with his 'Official Adventures Of...' release and went to town on it - basically set the template for MARRS/Coldcut/DJ Shadow/et al in terms of a bunch of samples all edited down into one cohesive whole.  I was torn as to whether to do Lesson 1 (aka The Payoff Mix), Lesson 2 or go with 3 - obviously I've gone with 3 but the other two are on the same album as this track. 

AND, as a bonus, I cannot highly enough recommend the hip-hop mix that is disc 2 of the release that the 'Lesson' tracks are on.  It's fantastic.

There you have it chaps - eleven is up and running...

S
x

Best of DHS 9 & 10 (H) & 3rd Anniversary 3

Apologies for my delay in adding - life has been getting in the way of music lately - disgraceful behaviour.

So, no messing - straight in:-

SR3 (  ) - first record of theirs I ever heard ("what's the standout piano track early on in the mix, it's utterly jaw dropping ?!" ; "I'm afraid it's time for you to listen to all the Sigur Ros albums with immediate effect, you've avoided it far too long!!").  Thanks for the intro guys.... words fail me, they really, genuinely do.

PSB - London Can Take It - Possibly the most original and diverse (yet painfully and just soul destroyingly short to the extent of, dare I say it, infuriation) record included on the lists thus far.  Imagine opening a set with this tune.  Banjo Rave (this is not a euphemism).  Fantastic.

Bicep, Ejeca - You - Moody, deep, love the first time the vocal sample is allowed to breathe fully about half way through - the whole track then fits in to place.  Very neat production indeed and one of my fave's of the year.

Guido Percich - Greenwich - I feel like I've been wrapped up and transported back to Sheffield in the late 90's; Thursday night; Orchis; too many Stella's; sweaty, packed, dark little dacefloor rammed against DJ booth; Pink Versace peaking; double nutting Benson and Hedges after forgetting already had one lit; not even on the planet.........all these memories from a record put down 2 years ago.  Lush.

Maps - MD Rmx - Very difficult decision on this..... Goodbye Horses (a massively worthy tune imo) got nudged by this, but I simply couldnt ignore a tune that never fails to put a gargantuan smile on my face - quite a 'big' record considering my current leanings.... but at 4:45 I'm like a kid in a sweet shop, sh!t cliche but sadly there is no better way of describing it.

OT Quartet - HTSD - WALLOP.  Hugely fond memories of school holidays - M.O.S The Annual on cassette, takes you back a wee bit, the tunes surrounding this at the back end of the mix on that tape were actually very good indeed.  Cracking track.

Stupid task this last bit - I ended up being a right selfish tw@ - initially had 8 of my own in the potentials list!!  Only marginally softened it by adding one track from you two on my final selection, but to be honest, this is best of and these are worthy additions IMO...

Liquid - safe to say this is one of the tracks that hugely increased my love of all things dance/rave back in the early 90s (92?!).  Too many good memories to recall... Simply fantastic rave break, melody and vocal sample.

Animal collective - to be honest this blew past me first go round.... Then it cropped up in a playlist elsewhere and I recognised it... Then it came on as I was drifting off once and I was sold.  Totally addictive, cool production, slightly unusual beat programming and a welcome addition due to its quirky nature.

Midnight Juggernaughts M83 rmx - many reasons for choosing this, primarily it is one of the best examples of a remix that I know of in recent years... The original is upbeat synth house pop rock (yes sadly this genre exists)... How did your man come up with this interpretation, I ask you?!  I don't care, it's totally lush and one of my favourite things he's done (which is praise indeed considering all his beautiful work on original artist LPs)... Secondly but equally important; the vast majority of the M83 back catalogue is unavailable on Spot (Close Your Eyelids... Tragically unavailable) and so I really felt strongly that this guys moody melodic influence, not to mention distinct production, should be included where possible.

Go forth, Mr S.... #11 is calling....
H

Damn...

... after all that the Yann Tiersen track is ALREADY on the The Best Of.  Who knew...?!

In which case I'm replacing it with;

Bjork - Dull Flame Of Desire (Modeselektor Remix For Girls) - ironically the Remix For Boys is an absolute steaming muck-heap of an effort but if there's a better remix than the one For Girls on the whole of DHS then I challenge you to bring it to my attention.

*crosses fingers that this too isn't already on the Best Of...*

Best of DHS 9 & 10 (S) & 3rd Anniversary 3

Whose ridiculous idea was this then...?!

Six of the best from the previous 180 and then any three more from the remaining 720?! 

Mentalism.

So, before I go completely round the twist never to return here are my six of your best from DHS9 & 10;

Frontside - Dammerung - probably THE best tune from probably THE best commercial mix CD ever.  It's hard to leave some tunes out during this 'Best Of' pruning but to have left this off would've been barbaric.

Underworld - Two Months Off - dropping this for the first time at Pat Goodall's i-Witness was a moment I always remember very fondly - still got absolutely no idea how I was sent the tune so far ahead of release.  So simple, so compelling, so relentless, so very, very, joyful.

Carter & Swain - Believe - first heard this during a mix session at D's many years ago, during which he gave me a vinyl copy.  Can genuinely say it never left my record bag and was one of the *must* finds when I 'went digital'.  Just a fabulous record.

Emeli Sande - Heaven - to be honest you could play pretty much anything over a loop of THAT drum break and I'd be in raptures.  But to add in some nice lyrics, a BIG voice and some gorgeous strings well, I never stood a chance really.

Fun - We Are Young - from the moment daughter asked me to get this onto her phone for her I was hooked.  Not sure why but it would never have occurred to me to sling it on DHS so I was mightily pleased when one of you did.  Feel a slight fraud when I'm belting out the chorus but I simply ain't bothered innit.

Underworld - And I Will Kiss - What an amazing few moments they were - the gaze of the entire planet focused on London and out come Underworld with the most epic thing they've ever done - and while the rest of the world marvelled at the unfolding spectacle those of us who instantly 'got it' were just blown to bits.  I just want to drink beer now for two hours whilst listening to H tell me all about it - get it in the diary sunshine...

So there you go - my six of the best of the previous 180.  Wasn't easy but I'm 95% happy with them - although in moments of uncertainty I think about changing one or more of them for; Moby's OMD remix, Song To The Siren, the Djinxx remix of Steve Mills and PM Dawn.  But, no - I'm happy with them as they are and that is that. 

So - three more from anywhere?!  After being initially mithered I hit upon a method; stick on Total DHS, put it on random play, keep clicking fast forward to the next track after 20 seconds writing down those that 'jump out' - stop when writing when ten are listed - whittle down to three.  So based on that, and that alone;

Band of Horses - The Funeral - a more 'unlike me' song you'd struggle to find but there's something about it - I literally couldn't tell you what it is but there's something... 

Yann Tierson - Comptine d'un autr ete, l'apres midi - one of the very best examples of the brilliance of DHS, without which I would never have heard this.

FSoL - Papua New Guinea - we can't really expect to have a 'Best Of' list and then not include this, surely?!

Onwards...

x

Best of DHS 9 & 10 (D) & 3rd Anniversary 3

Well I figured it was high time that we had these best of selections on here to be honest so I am beginning that trend that hopefully you biys will feel minded to follow. Ive loved the best of process, as it gives me a chance to re-visit some too hastily discarded and cast another ear over 120 tracks once more. Tremendous.

Its been a hard decision, which was 28 after the initial cull and has been quite difficult even fromt here. As I type, its still 13 left to go. I now have no idea whos they are so its completely random, so if one of you had all 6 then thats the way it is, no politics or making sure its 3/3 !

So going through the 13 remaining roughly in order of how much Ive played them and how I couldnt bear to leave them out, it is:

Dammerung - The Return
Staggeringly beautiful piano work, really moving piece of music.

Harder than you think
Damn this track got me, initially I didnt like it, especially the repetitive flavour flav - but those huge chords and some killer Chuck D lyrics got me hooked and its been on my fave list almost non-stop since it was added.

Jar of Hearts
I have to fess up - I utterly love this record, even if the ocean sessions version does it slightly better for me with the vocal. Builds and builds making great use of a strong voice and a simple piano and the crescendo with the change of lyrics just lets you feel the passion - this was definiately written about someone in particular. FACT as hodge would say...

Lie Down in Darkness (Photek Remix)
Its just bloody huge isnt it ? Taken an inauspicious original and turned it up to 11, making full use of the Moby strings with some fuck off beats and brilliant arrangement. Again this hasnt been off my playlist since it was added. Monster.

Pure & Easy
This is dripping with funk isnt it ? Such a happy, groovy record, I dont think its possible to love music and not love this record. Wonderful.

Distant Shores
Massive, massive prog record this one that ticks all the boxes for me - one day I will layer this at both ends with the perfect accompanying tracks as it deserves supporting acts. I could get lost in this record - it has it all, great riff, wonderful strings, top arrangement. Tremendous.

Shouts out to 8th Wonder, Heaven, Song to the Siren, Aviator, Paper Planes and Opus.

Amazingly we cleared 3 years at the end of July since this wonderful idea began and somehow we have to pick 3 tracks from ANYWHERE to add to the list. That like trying to select the best 3 pieces of hay from a haystack. Tough one. So I just plunged in and picked some at random.

Baunz - 'Let me Feel - Ejeca Remix'
Largely because I really needed to pick 7 records for 9 & 10 and I couldnt separate this and the Dundov track. The break is ridculous and rather unexpected. Love it.

Dr Dre & Snoop Dogg - 'Still D.R.E.'
Because quite simply, one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time just cannot be in there.

Tori Amos - 'Precious Things'
Great lyrics, great song, you can tell she means it. Love the live version with the crowd and of course that famous piano. Tune.

One Love

DHS 10 - Part 18 (D)

Alright already ! What is with all this 'short and sweet as I can make it' and 'I really did try and keep this short' nonsense ?! You two need to revel in the written word I feel. Sometimes some extra perspective or a bit of a preamble make for a better read I always find, although whether that is the case here I'll let you be the judge of. I do like a word or two as we know, and as the propensity for me to ramble on could hit at any time I'd better leave some room for that later and get a crack on with the job at hand for the final time in DHS 10...

Sully:

MacArthur Park - is this a piss-take ? The lyrics are just non-sensical, and you say Diana Ross covered it... surely a jest, there is literally no way I can imagine her singing those words. Is this really in your top ten or is this entire selection a piss-take ? You strange, strange man....
If You Could Read My Mind - Disco has to be very good to get me interested im afraid and this just isnt, some of the strings and the piano are ok, but the rest just leaves me fairly cold.
Helplessly - Now this is much much better, definitely a good disco record - great arrangement, especially the vocals - the bridge is top-notch and there is plenty of variation. Great voice too. Good shit.
May I - Hmmm, can see why its never really made it onto your lists, there isnt really much to it is there ? I know you like stuff like this, but I dont really get why. There's nothing wrong with it, but it just doesnt register with me at all.
Spake Katzle - This is easily your best selection this time for me, straight on my list and many listens it has had too. Totally agree with all your comments and I would play this no problem - top tune.

Hodge:

Here Comes the Sun - wow this is pretty deep deep house isnt it ? Like it, has a real atmosphere to it and in the right circumstance would really work well.
Sweet Lies - I have to admit Hodge, your desire to deconstruct things and understand how / why they work loses me at times - you do it a lot with films as well as music. Its just a difference of course, but I never concern myself with the why, just whether or not it does. This is ok for me, I would lose the vocal and that riff gets annoying after a while. Nice strings though. And as for all that other mullarkey, well I'll take your word for it fella...
A Very Different World - This has got Funk D'Void stamped all over it in big letters hasnt it ? Good tune that really comes into its own in the final third, especially with the drop after the break, which is pretty ace in itself.
Opus - Well I certainly cant improve on your description Hodge old boy. The best of your bunch for me (I do enjoy a good string) and it certainly has a moment or two in it. Epic and beautiful.
1000 Lords - Ridiculously huge. Ridiculously. Devastation on any dancefloor if played at the right time - I seem to recall this had people dancing on the tables at Inigo didnt it Kev ? Immense.

A special doff of the cap for a special homage to our creator and founder Ron L... (sorry, wrong meeting) Guru Kev. Very nice and sealed the deal on something very similar I am now going to do, beginning and ending with tracks from the man like Sully:

Immortal Technique 'Dance with the Devil'
I was round at Sully's place and he was playing some hip hop tunes and Ashleigh was knocking about, then told me he had a tune to play me but had to wait until Ash went out - I asked why as there were plenty of f-bombs coming out from the stereo to Ash's ears as it was. Then he played this. Could well be the darkest record ever cut. Lovely use of the tune and some great story-telling, and some decent rhymes. The bit at the end with the reprise is nonsense though. Seminal otherwise.
Guy J 'Lost & Found (Sahar Z& Guy Mantzur remix)'
Finally I can get into this dude, needed a remix to do it though. Much better than the original to these ears, the main part from around 4:40 being the money shot as it were. Its on TOTO2 and is a great builder for a certain kind of mood, with more oomph than the original.
Michael Jackson 'Speed Demon (Nero Remix)'
This is a really good remix of a tune I never thought much of, and neither can I find much by Nero I like either. I'd imagine you really need to know the original to get it, and still might not like it anyway but I really do and its a top bit of a production for my money. Totally marmite.
Emily Sande 'Read All About It, Pt III'
Oh my, what a voice, and this is where it is best used, in a ballad with some amazing lyrics. The piano reminds me of Timbaland's 'Apologize' which is very good, but this is much better. This girl has something special I reckon.
Sigur Ros 'Untitled #3'
Not enough Sigur Ros you say Kev, well best I end with the first Sigur record you ever played me, as part of your 5 track mix for the bedrock board way back when - that had Jenny Miller (Newland) saying it had made her cry on the tube. There is something so simple and so pure about this record. I must have heard this 100+ times easily and like DHS it never diminishes.

To you both my sincere musical respect. Three years, four months and nine hundred records later. That really is quite something and every new update is always among the best emails I ever get.

One Love

DHS 10 - Part 17 (H)

 I really did try and keep this short believe it or not...apologies... Buckle up and get stuck in:-

D:

Mt.Eden – Big fan of this in the car turned up loud, worthy addition.

Clint Mansell – Not seen the film, it comes highly recommended but with a health warning:- Don’t watch with even the slightest or remote feeling of depression... Anyway, the music: beautiful arrangement, quite powerful yet melancholic, great stuff.

Felix Da Housecat – I’ve never been able to get into this record, I’m afraid... the best thing I’ve heard with it was someone ripping the vocal and dropping it over a very deep acid number.  Just can’t get into the original.

Dream Academy – Never heard this before; love it; great addition.  Good old Dario G nicking that vocal chant J

Rose Royce – Classic tune, timeless vocals.

S:
Richard Harris  - not sure why anyone would leave a cake out in the rain to be honest, what a waste.  I’m a bit suspicious of these lyrics.

Viola Wills & Moment Of Truth – nice to have a classy bit of D.I.S.C.O on here.  I think in a way there is no more joyous form of music and I don’t care how camp that comment sounds or how camp the music sounds, for that matter.

Jamie Lloyd – can’t get into this as a stand-alone track sadly..I find it just a bit too boring - could definitely see it working in a mix very well though.

Motorcity Soul (Jerome Sydenham Remix) – smashing tune, have played it a lot, it’s repetitive but in contrast to previous tune from a very early stage it gets its “anticipation” hooks into you and builds on that and keeps pushing.  Very hypnotic, addictive groove – one I can keep going back to and has been added to my Masterlist.

Right – I’m sure this will be considered very cheesy (but I hope not a kop out just because we all have them), but even if so...frankly, my dears, I don’t give a damn.

The next five tracks are a musical homage/‘Thank you’ to a good mate who’s introduced me to a sh!t-tonne of music which has played a MASSIVE part of my life across recent years, and no more fitting time to do it than as my last selection of our collaborative 10^th List.  This was by no means an easy process AT ALL.  It wasn’t until I seriously started looking at what had and hadn’t been included in the lists thus far... then I kept adding stuff and thought about trying to add tunes that represent the last four/five years (one from each year type scenario) but in the end I’ve just settled with those that have totally poisoned my brain (in a very, very good, infectious way); that are now just part of my being; the ones which won’t leave me alone - that I hum without realising I’m humming; that I jump around to whilst having a crafty snout outside at midnight to – In short; the tracks I know I can always rely on.

So without further ado/waffling... S; Thanks for the music.....

The Timewriter (Stryke remix) – in reality this could have been any of the modern DMTH stuff we’ve grown to love across the last 6 years or so, but nothing gives me the same tingle as the stretched moody melodic synth section like this – it’s warmer than a hot bath on a summers day and god only knows how it would make you feel if you were on one.  3:34mins.... big waves....vocal.... bass....I’m melting.

Booka – Sweet Lies (PB mix).  Good grief.  I distinctly remember sitting on a long, slow train home from Victoria, half cut, wolfing down chicken with one hand and wrestling with a hard drive which had just been newly furnished with 8gb of new tunes linked to my laptop in the other, then playing this over and over, pissing people off cos my headphones were far too loud.... couldn’t have given less of a fuck about anybody around me in my entire life – totally engrossed... 3:36 things start to get tense....build to that emotive vocal.... just stunning.  I think this was probably the most cleverly programmed track that came out that year.  The beat/s and the ability to interpret/hear that tricky melody in two different ways falling on/off-each side of the beat....then the melody stretch, quickly tightened back up only to stretch back out and fade.... beautifully trippy.  Would love to hear this played out on a decent system.

Vince Watson – Funk D’Void rmx – the ‘3-in-1 record’, as I call it ...no better example of a modern tech house track taking you on a journey than this in my opinion. I stand by my comment a few years ago that those strings could somehow be manipulated into making a record all of their own.... Don’t even get me started on the bassline... the crisp production and the melodies...A true masterclass with dancefloor killing capabilities.

Davis – Opus.  Something in this incredibly simple yet stunning melody pattern just takes me away from wherever I am and transports me – I’m not even sure where I go but I don’t exist on earth for 9 minutes, I know that much.  5:40mins “please just never let the following sounds end”.  It is a rarity in that I would love to hear it banged out mid-set and get lost in it (Can’t imagine how good that would feel), yet I also play it quietly before going to sleep because the melody is just too lush to miss out on before drifting off.  Splendidly hypnotic, uplifting magnificence.

Butch – ZB rmx.  UNRELENTING PEAK TIME AURAL HEROIN : KILL ME NOW PLEASE.

*Most honourable mentions MUST go to – DeadMau5 - Faxing Berlin, a proper modern classic (Arguru was shortlisted also); Masseyeff – Mugen (the sort of record I would love to use if I played out...an early eve, deep and twisted groove but one which has a kind of signal “right; here we go then”); Thalstroem – Springtide (could SO easily have been in, perhaps I’ve been mean to it cos it’s relatively new, but hey, it made the cut); Pedro Cali – Misty (Rdrgz Jnr mix), absolutely LUSH*

K.O.K.O

H

DHS 10 - Part 16 (S)

Short and as sweet as I can make it...

Alicia Keys - will still be played on the radio in ten years time
Hackman - slaughters the slightly saccharine original but, unfortunately, won't be getting radio play in ten years time.  Loads of good 'UK Bass' music coming out like this.
Clash - classic, end of story.
MIA - real earworm when it was out - nice to hear it again after a decent break
Isley Brothers - right up my alley.  Lovely.

Mt.Eden - it's fine but there are similar tracks that I prefer
Clint Mansell - very, very familiar without having seen the film.  Nice.
Felix Da Housecat - Nope.  I've tried, really I have. But no.
Dream Academy - only real surprise is that it took so long for Sunchyme to use the riff.  Liked this 27 years ago and still do.
Rose Royce - an absolute classic but, strangely, not my favourite version - those 70's electronic drum pad sounds irritate me after a while - indisputable song though


Richard Harris - MacArthur Park - some of the most surreal lyrics ever penned, sung by one last century's  classic hellraising actors (who couldn't really sing very well) and backed by an orchestral arrangement that is beyond epic.  The older I get the higher up my list of favourite ever (EVER) songs this climbs - it's just about into the top ten now.  If it hadn't been complete overkill I would also have included the 18 minute Diana Ross cover version which is also magnificent.

Viola Wills - If You Could Read My Mind - we don't have anywhere near enough disco on DHS and I will address that from hereon.  Nice, poignant, lyric, wonderful voice and sumptuous arrangement.  Very nearly went for the 12 minute version - the arrangement is even better - so check it if you like this.

Moment Of Truth - Helplessly - continuing to address the disco imbalance... Produced by Tom Moulton who, given the amount of influence he had over modern music and the sheer number of classic records he was involved with, should be far more of a household name than he unfortunately is.  Listening to stuff like this it is SO easy to see the progression into house music.  Check the tightness of the drums with the bassline and the sheer sumptuousness of the strings.  And all done in the 1975 with real people playing real instruments and not a computer in sight.  Beautiful record.

Jamie Lloyd - May I (Quarion Remix) - included here 'cos I feel sorry for it - it's been on my possibles list for very nearly 18 months and has been sixth choice any number of times.  Deep, techy house. 

Motorcity Soul - Space Katzle (Jerome Sydenham Remix) - been a favourite of mine for five or six years now - played it out loads of times and it's never failed - was also on the recent TOTO I think...  Just a fabulous, fabulous build to it.  Slightly mournful feel and yet also very uplifting.  AND an absolute dream to mix in with and out over.

That's me done.  See you in The Best Of...

DHS 10 - Part 15 (D)

Greetings mere mortals and fellow denizens of the world of escapism - it seems one of our number is getting into his films at present and this is long overdue IMO, we shall try to guide the young padowan through the plethora of bad films and take him to the righteous place of DH's amazing good taste and film knowledge.

However we know that music is of course our first love and if we could take a projector or a stereo to a desert island then the projector is staying at home - anyway you'd also need a white sheet and nails and thats just too much effort. So as ever an eclectic and enjoyable selection from you both - my comments are as follows...

Pass Out - Not for me at all. Improve the lyrics and then we'll talk as the rest of it is ok.

Wildest moments - I agree this is really nice mate, although since when was 'into it before my daughter' a badge of honour ? It should be the other way around surely.. great voice and while I think she has more to offer, this peaks at 'nice'

Pixelated People - Yeah this is good, and the subtle rob base sample is cool.  Agree with Hodgson, its very well produced and a great vocal - Jess Mills is one to watch.

After Light - See what you mean about the car thing, this is a track that gets better the louder you play it. Would have preferred less minor keys myself, but hey without the bitter the sweet aint as sweet - great break in the middle and the comeback is ENORMOUS ! Excellent.

Limit to your Love - James Blake is quite clearly a cunt. He makes a beautiful soulful record with a beautifully melancholy piano line and mourning voice and then pronounces it 'wa'erfall' which grates like you would not fucking believe. Its like being in the record shop and hearing an amzing record that has stuck in a vocal stab for no good reason. Would have been a best of possible, but if I never hear it again that will be fine as its just frustrating.

No One - Is there such thing as a bad Alicia Keys record ? Great voice as ever and faultless production, top tune.

Close - first time I was listening I thought this was still the same record that had just gone a bit left at the traffic lights all of a sudden. Its ok, but some of the keys sound out of place to me, not musically, but just the format they are on - cant describe it any better than that im afraid and its not a patch on Keys.

Straight to Hell - wow - so this is where that amazing hook is from ! Recognised it immediately as the next tune - but not being a fan of the clash didnt know about this. The Clash just dont do it for me - I think its the guys voice, doesnt work for me when slowed down. London Calling and Should I stay are both where he's at vocally for me. Again its ok, but nothing more for me. Not really interested in music getting political personally.

Paper Planes - I always judge records after a few listens by how I feel whenthey come on the shuffle and this one always lifts me up. Technically it shouldnt, I dont want to like it - not a fan of sound effects and I think that 'all i wanna do is BANG ! BANG ! BANG !' is verging on glorifying guns. But they have taken the sample and improved it and her vocal is ace. The track Jay-z appears on is very poor could have done a lot more with this.

Footsteps in the Dark - ha ha ! Love that hook, Cube was a very wise man to use it and have heard it was a good day hundreds of times, so much in fact that this original doesnt sound right - I did exactly what you said Hodge and the Cube lyrics were going through my head. This one is a bit lachrymose for me and Im gonna stick with the O'Shea.

As ever gentleman, my thanks.

My 5 picks are:

Mt Eden 'Oh that I had'
Totally dont classify this as pop AT ALL Kev, be interested what makes you think that it is ? I could wax on again but I wont 'I JUST NEED ONE MORE FUCKING HIT' !!

Clint Mansell 'Requiem for a Dream'
Loved this so much, the film is ace (one for you Kev) if very bleak - reminds me of Santa Monica as I tracked it down in LA when I was there for a couple of gigs back in 2004. Been done to death since then - was used in another film (which I didnt know you could / should do) and sky used it too. Huge.

Felix da Housecat 'Silver Screen (Shower Scene)'
If ever there was 'music noir' then this is it - extremely atmospheric for what is essentially a banging electro track. And boy does it bang, play it loud. Great vocal hooks and changes in the track.

The Dream Academy 'Life in a Northern Town'
I remember when I was trying to track down 'Sunchyme' that Paul 'Homer' Stubbs in swag mentioned it sampled this record but i couldnt have cared less - he didnt have it. That hook makes this record and takes it away and lifts it up, would sound good in any record but the contrast to the minor vocal is spot on and im loving this. Not sure which is better actually.

Rose Royce 'Love dont live here anymore'
Oh my what a vocal ! The rest of it i can take or leave, but that very first line is just immense and I couldnt listen to this woman sing all day long. Marvellous.

Hope you like

One love

DHS 10 - Part 14 (H)

Some powerful records being added - good work.

Jnr Parker - reminds me of the sort of stuff AIM starts his sets with. It's a smokers record. It's tripped out soul - a proper "grower" to my ears.

Sky - I remember listening to this stuff in my mums Fiesta in the 80's!  This one is not really for me.  Can see how it's relevant again now due to pacing - it's the guitar that fucks me off.... strip that out and you could play it as a DJ tool, set progresser.

Guido - something in the construction of this makes me feel like I don't need to listen to another prog tune ever again and that is saying something..that's the way I felt about Cass & Slide the first time Sasha started playing them.. the fact that this was written in 2010 only serves to make me love it more.... it feels like peak time Sheffield, the former "Music Factory" nights.  My first ever Pink Versace.  Melt down.  Straight into best of potentials.  Strong.

Bicep & Ejeca - well Bicep didn't miss a trick on their name did they/he/she/it ?!  Fuck me hard.  The production on the vocal is absolutely mindblowingly epic.  Don't even get me going on the beats.  Oh yeah - the bass aint bad either, is it??!

SR - hehehehe - many fond memories of being ordered to listen to this LP top to bottom by Sully when I was doing my professional submission document only to tell him to "fuck off, I'm pulling back to back all nighters in order to finish it - I NEED TECHNO not fucking chillout!!!!"  In the end I was so intrigued, played this album and was totally distracted... long story short I finally (I promise this is true, despite it sounding totally OTT/melodramatic) finished my final piece of the 150 page submission and placed each of the four copies together in order as this LP drew to a close.... then the last 4 minutes of this track came on at 5:05am and I just lay down on my office floor upstairs and wept "I've done it... jesus christ thank you christ I've finished" hahahahaha - what a tw@.  Their best overall LP - not a bad track on it imo.

TT - been on my 'potentials' list for years.... likewise I wanted to leave enough time to pass prior to adding.  MASSIVE record.  The seminal record that really anounced to the world that UK hip hop could cross over (truly, truly cross over) and bomb the shit out of US music whilst at it - big track world wide.........love the jam that ends with "CLC Kompresser just in case that don't impress her" - genius.  The d'n'b conclusion just takes the piss.  Have some of that you septic w@nkers... Don't tell us how to do hip hop, we just blew you out the Atlantic.

Jessie Ware - I've had a track of hers on my list to add for a few months now.  Not heard this before.  Lush - smashing vocals - please keep going - you and Emile Sande are the future of this genre.... and the young lady below of course....

Jess Mills..... where's the techno??  Oh JESS Mills..... sorry couldnt resist.  More of the same - high quality vocals with someone who knows what they're doing on the mixing desk.  Cracking pop music with soul and high quality beats.  More please.

Rustie - MAKE THIS LONGER.  IMMEDIATELY.  Serious beats.

Blake - this was CANED on Radio 1 for a while back there.  With good reason.  Lovely melodies - amazing voice (stop saying "wa...erfaaaal" though).  Proper dangerous bass, distortion and overall production.  The rough with the extremely smooth - works incredily well.  It very muc reminds me of the old King Tubby soundsytem stuff but then I guess that's the blueprint for all modern Dub/Dubstep.  Great stuff.

INLUENCES PT.2

Keys - wow this kid can really sing.  She makes me feel weird.  First time I heard this tune I was out shopping (help me god)... swear down I was straight to the checkout "What's this CD???..... the track playing now.... find out NOW".

Hackman - What da?!? Who thinks of doing this?!  Is it by accident do you reckon?!  3 months it took me to work this out........ drove me mental; "I KNOW IT - I KNOW IT.....".  Couldn't for the life of me place it.  Then it just clicked in.  Sounds so obvious hearing them next door to each other.... believe me when I heard this track last year I hadn't heard Keys' track for AGES.  Big record, bought it on Beatport, love it.  When the 4:4 drops it's buzzing.

Clash - I don't really wanna get too political on here - google this and read for yourselves.  God love 'em - what a band. No-one even comes close these days. 
(Still fucked off that my "Straight to Hell" t-shirt got 'lost' in the move out of London ... deep suspicion my missus threw it out due to too many holes.... disappointing behaviour)

MIA - another one that drove me insane when it came out .... "Why can't I remember that 'kettle' sounding effect?!??!".  Very clever referencing the Clash in this tune; immigration links etc etc.  Never heard anything else she's done.  When I heard this I was just hooked.  And of course to add to the theme Mr Jigga and K-West clipped the "No-one on the corner have swagga like us" for their monstrously popular "Swagga like us".... The biggest US hip hop star sampling an up and coming UK hip hop artist... who would've thunk it??

Isley Brothers - intro..... if you don't give it "Just waking up in tha mornin' gotta thank God" then you are not normal.. That is official.  What a smashing record.  My mates old man used to play Isley Brothers tapes every morning on the way to school so when Cube sampled this we were just throwing eppy's.  Cube's track has already been added to our lists by one of you boys, so my work here is done....

Until next time,
H





 

DHS 10 - Part 13 (S)

Compuphonic - Sunset - 'tis slightly camp isn't it which in itself is no bad thing - listened a few times now and just not sure I'd play it out which, rightly wrongly, is the test I apply to this kind of music

Simplicity Is Beauty - Telemachus - I went through a stage of just buying Mothersole tracklisted stuff blind - if I could afford to I'd probably still be doing so.  You're right, he does know how to pick a tune. I'd definitely play this.

Andhim - Wallace - yeah, easy to see how this works.  Large.

Throbbing Gristle - Hot On The Heels Of Love (Ratcliffe remix) - really like how it starts but it wanders after a while and never quite returns...

Underworld - And I Will Kiss - you're lucky to have got this 'cos I damn nearly put it straight into the Best Of DHS but the slightly OCD part of me didn't like the breaching of protocol that that would've required.  As Duffy and I sat and watched the pastoral scene giving way to an industrial revolution and this tune began to unfurl in front of our ears I turned it up a bit.  Then a bit more.  The quite a bit more.  Then I quite bravely proclaimed to Duffy, 'this is fucking immense'.  And so it was.  And so it remains.  The Isles Of Wonder CD1 hasn't left the stereo in my Mum's car since I gave it to her in the Lake District almost 4 weeks ago and she pretty much plays track 4 (this) on a loop.  I have to say I'm not entirely comfortable with that but there you go - a very real testament to what happened in those 15 minutes in that stadium.  Absolute magic.  I am genuinely looking forward to being regaled by H's views on it when next we meet.

Junior Parker - Tomorrow Never Knows - I tried really hard with this - it ticks a lot of my current boxes - 70s, funky blues, etc - even listened to the whole album (upon which River's Invitation has got to be THE most accurate facsimile of the James Brown sound ever) - but after all that effort the best I can say is I'm glad I heard it (genuinely) but won't be going back.

Sky - Westway - picking up on your posted comments - not many 'kids' get the fact that 'progressive-rock' existed as a completely accepted genre from circa 1970 - it was the genre that took the guitars and the keyboard elements of 'rock' and spun them out - out of all seeming control in some cases.  And THAT is what the original intention behind the journalistic coining of the term 'progressive-house' was meant to reflect.  Anyway, I digress - this track is entirely new to me although I'm aware of the band - one has only to look at the track lengths on the album to see that this lot were very much part of the 'prog-rock' cannon.  Reminds me very much of the Ozric Tentacles stuff which, if memory serves you weren't keen on - a revisit required perhaps?!

Guido Percich - Greenwich - I believe you called this 'Guido' in your blog post - you nutter you - but yeah - very familiar from our mixing weekend - and nice too.  The sort of thing that Beatport can legitimately label as 'progressive house' in amongst all the utter dross that really shouldn't be...

Bicep & Ejeca - You - what's not to ADORE?!  Probably my two favourite producers of the year (although both Huxley and Trevino would run them close) - and they get together on ONE record.  It's like someone got off the carpet off Studio 54 the morning after it closed and had musical sex with the whole 90's UK Garage scene and then gestated and birthed this fantastic hybrid sound of 2012 disco-tech-step.  Kind of thing.  The whole EP is MASSIVE. 

Sigur Ros - Untitled 8 - Frankly disgusted that we're closing in on 900 tunes on DHS and this is only the second Sigur Ros track.  All I can really say about this is that I stood open-mouthed and openly crying first time I saw them do this at Brixton.  And I was one of dozens, probably hundreds, in the venue doing the same.  When it came to an end there was no applause for 2 or 3 seconds - no one knew what the hell to do.  Absolute shellshock.  The drumming when all hell is let loose (9m26s) is fantastic - even if it's not as dynamic on this album as it is live.  Staggeringly beautiful piece of music.  Thank YOU mate.


So, my five. 

There have been two or three of pop/dubstep tunes I've had on the list for a while but I needed a couple of others to 'bind them' into a selection of five - those tunes arrived recently so, without further ado...

Tinie Tempah - Pass Out - don't care what anyone says this is quite probably THE best dance/pop tune since Beyonce's Crazy In Love.  I'd've picked it two years back but it was ubiquitous - but never once did it, or has it, got on my nerves. Lyrically it's remarkable - superficially it's utter dross but it's actually quite clever 'dross' - the lines about Scunthorpe and,  '... I bet your daughter knows...' make me chuckle everytime I hear them.  And the drop 3m23s is quality.  Top. Pop.

Jessie Ware - Wildest Moments - saw this Doris singing live to a remix of her latest single ('Running' - Disclosure remix) on tele recently - slung it straight on the DHS list - then listened to the album and just got caught up in this track.  She's new.  She's up and coming.  Her album is genuinely really, really, nice.  And I was into her before Ashleigh was...

Jess Mills - Pixelated People - according to my list I added this as a possible on 21st August - but I can't remember for the life of me how I came across it.  Oh no - hang on - it's come back to me...  That's right!  I recently discovered that 'Nocturnal Sun' is a production pseudonym of Maya Jane Coles - so I was digging around on Spotify to see what was there - found the 'Nocturnal Sun' remix of this tune and then fell for the original.  Pop with a hint of dubstep and a huge Rob Base & DJ Ez Rock sample thrown in.  D - in light of your recent 'conversion' to the poppier end of the dubstep sound might I suggest you give both the Nocturnal Sun (more of a dubby techno feel) AND Wilkinson (pretty much a dictionary definition dubstep remix) mixes a blast - they strip a lot of the 'pop' out of this original and detonate some proper bass on it...

Rustie - After Light - this works best in a car, at speed, with the top down, at night with volume induced ear-bleeding.  Say whatever you like about this - I can't fault one single second of it.  Absurdly brilliant.

James Blake - Limit To Your Love - cover version (original done by a band called Feist) that took a rather lovely, melancholic, downbeat lyric and DRENCHED it one of the biggest basslines you've ever heard.  Again, been on my possibles for a good long while but wanted to include it with some sympathetic choices 'cos it absolutely deserves it.  This fella was tipped for HUGE things a couple of years back - they haven't happened for him yet but this remains a fabulous piece of upfront British pop.  The video is beautiful too if you ever see it. 

DHS 10 - Part 12 (D)

Right then, music isnt it, you know - marvellous. Small boys, in the park, stereos for goalposts. Or something.

Better crack on, no need for spurious waffle, but hey when has that ever stopped me...

Sullivan:
London can take it - love this, so unusual, so epic and so sombre. Great music as a backdrop. Top tune if a little quirky.

Chrome Cavities - again slightly unusual to these ears. Not sure I really like the vocal to be honest, not a bad tune but not sure about the chimes either now I mention it...

Daybreak - very summery, very balearic, not really my cup of tea but would sound good in a bar or possibly while out driving.

The Simple Life - A heroin tune eh ? Praise indeed. Can see why you like it, and it again has a summer tinge I reckon. Has some nice touches to it, especially the vocal lick and the strings - a meatier bassier remix would nail it for me, but it is very good.

We are you in the Future - Its ok. Just not really for me I dont think.

Hodgson:
Sunset - minimal indeed, but that vocal hook is infectious, has been running around my head. Very nice warm up tune.

Telemachus - if im honest H I would have given up on this track as being too minimal if it wasnt for your chat. Does go somewhat Vangelis (although much more minimal) in the second half, which is infinitely better for it.

Wallace - Can see how this would be huge in a club, not sure it really translates otherwise, but can see how it all got a bit bouncy - top tune that somehow manages to be subtle and big at the same time

Hot on the Heels of Love - You're right about this being a marmite track mate, and it doesnt half have some production to it. Not really sure whether I like it or not ! Has some nice elements and its a cracking end of mix tune. Hmmm I think I like it, but couldnt really say why...

And I will kiss - Enormous. In many senses the biggest record thats ever appeared on DHS.

Well however can I follow that lot. I shall try...

Junior Parker 'Tomorrow Never Knows'
So moody, and the vocal just fits it perfectly, its just smooth and so laid back. Hunted it down after the Chems used it as their set opener while they took to the stage - to be followed by Hey Boy Hey Girl no less !

Sky 'Westway'
The old man used to hammer their stuff in the car way back when, been waiting for it for ages on spot. This record is very 70's but also not very far removed from a prog house track I reckon - simple and very effective. Love that bassline.

Guido Percich 'Guido'
From the recent TOTO2 mix.

Bicep & Ejeca 'You (Original Mix)'
You're welcome.

Sigur Ros 'Untitled #8'
So Tuesday was a shocker, an appalling day. Shit happened at work, my footy team was being stuffed and a bird I thought had promise had told me she wanted to be friends, and bollocks to the first 2 but the 3rd one stung a bit and overall I felt properly shit. I emailed Sully, he said load up spot and stick  ( ) on the headphones start to finish. Which I did. I'd forgotten the great magnificence of this album - for me their best (but its close with Takk and Agaetis) and its at its most potent when you listen to it all. And this track is immense, I mean utterly fucking immense. Its the negative of #3 I reckon (which stunningly isnt on DHS and might very well be the closer to DHS 10 if I have anything to do with it) and just cover all the bases, so emotional, so epic. From 6 minutes on it just fucking well transcends music - its like an aural orgasm. I mean well, I dont think I really have the words. Just listen. Loud. God Bless you Mr Sullivan.

One love my brothers, music is always the answer.

D

DHS 10 - Part 11 (H)

Greetings,

After an immense fortnight of Olympic sport I now actually have some time to get back to some music.  Some great music has been added - lets get stuck in.

D
TRON Legacy.  I got caught up in the hype for this and whinged a LOT about wanting to see the film when it got released... I didn't go and I've not seen it on blu-ray (many people have said "avoid" so thank f-- I didn't go to the flicks to see it).  Anyway; one good thing to come out of the hype was the well founded hype about the soundtrack... I bought the album the day it got released three days later it was on Spot (That taught me to be patient, eh).  I'm a big fan of the original and some of the reconfigured and have had a couple of tracks from the DPLP in my potentials for a while.  Moby and Photek remixes are superb - Jap Popstars is ok but not really for me.
MD remix of Maps.  Liking this a lot - loud in the car. Love the melody (has a 90's flavour to it), breakdown and build back to the drop.  Cool.
Moby remix of OMD - Didn't expect to like this (not sure why to be honest, very close minded of me) but really do.  Heavy rotation.  Moby's just taking the piss on these lists now.  The OMD remix I want will never be on Spot...

S
PSB - Londo Can Take It.... WOW. Best and most original track you've added for some time.  Needs to be 6 minutes longer.  Imagine opening a set with this?!
Fredrik - feel like I've heard this many times before, so maybe I saw/heard the ad without realising it (.... all I know is I'm drinking loads of cider right now).  Seriously, this is one of those tunes that poisons your brain (in a good way) and you end up whistling the childish xylophone hook to yourself all day then slowly you realise you know the lyrics.  Subliminal melancholic beauty.
Daly - very pleasant.... another one I feel like I've heard somewhere recently, might be a soundcloud mix I reckon.  Lush; balearic vibes.
The Juan (he/they should drop the "Mclean" - now wouldn't that be a clever play on words).  Keeping with the balearic sounds.... sounds very much to me like a mid set summer in Ibiza record.  Very nice indeed.
Martyn.... Wowsers.  Very ravey homemade feel to the middle section.  Then pulls it back in for the crisp finish you hope for.  Very much an end of the night feel to it.

Keeping with the electronic music theme...

Compuphonic - saw this in the "latest releases" section and recognised the label artwork from other tunes I've bought/heard and thought it needed a listen... glad i did; it's not mega special but it does what it does very well; very camp and slightly wonky, chuggy disco effort.  Reminds me a little of the Art Department formula.

Telemachus - Mothersole really does know his onions.  This is the opener to one of his recent mixes.... Sometimes he starts a mix with some edgier techno and they usually lose me a little...but when he starts with a record like this I know the rest of the mix is gonna be right up my alley.  I wonder if the producer/s of this record are fans of Vangelis per chance?!?  Check out 3:12 onwards..... brilliant, very sultry bladerunner-esque.

2 from the man like Danny...
Andhim - this is another tune from Howells' set from April at Bedrock.... HAD to know what it was, HAD to buy it upon release.  Again it doesn't necessarily go anywhere but it was one HELLUVA party record which he played in the last half hour or so of his set and the crowd were really going nuts at this point.  Proper bouncing.  Quirky little melody (is it a distorted guitar sample?! f-- knows but it sounded ace in a club)  Rocking tune, cool bassline.

Throbbing Gristle/Ratcliffe
IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SINCE SPOT STARTED!!  What a mint tune this is.  He finished disc 2 of his Miami GU with this track and it has stayed with me ever since first listen (primarily cos i skipped it back and listened to it about 8 times in a row at full volume in the car).  It's definitely a bit mental this track... it reminds me of something you might hear Burridge/Richards play at Tyrant/The Bonaparte parties... in fact all the weird components remind me of a track i selected from Tyrant not so long ago.  The whip, the gun-fire-snare, 80's electro, 90's synths, random background strings, warm fluid creepy bassline - f-ing bonkers.  End of the night track for when your head is mashed and I definitely accept that this is a bit of a Marmite record.  Well I like Marmite spread double thick on my toast.  Aces.

And I Will Kiss.
...
I will reserve comment upon this masterpiece for our next discussion in person.  I have listened to this an inordinate amount of times in the last two and a half weeks and I continue to marvel at the depth - There are, of course, too many nuances to this to discuss on here.  Suffice to say this is one of the finest pieces of music written/crafted by an electronic producer that I have listened to in quite some time.

Over. And. Out,
H

DHS 10 - Part 10 (S)

We move into the second half of DHS10...
Looking back briefly;

Close To The Edge - really rather nice - me all over.  Gold.
Singing (Dixon Dub) - quite like the wailing actually - nice enough track -  will get more chances to grow on me for sure. Bronze.
Les Violons Ivres - really rather nice - very similar feel to a one sided vinyl I used to hammer some years back - HUGE strings - great track. Silver.
My White Zebra - You're right it's not 'Opus', but then very little is - also like the Cosmic Cowboys remix on the same EP - solid.  Bronze.
Distant Shores - never heard a single Dundov track or remix that I didn't like - puts him up there with Paronator over the last 3 years for quantity and quality - this, again, is tremendous.  Silver.

Son Of Flynn - didn't care for it at all after the first 90 seconds or so but then massively changed my mind - the build and depth of the strings is lush.  Silver.
End Of Line  - it is immense and the production sounds fantastic but it just leaves me a bit cold.  Silver but then disqualified.
Arena - hmmm, keep swinging wildly on this track - at the point of writing I'm in favour of it...  Bronze but awaiting results of recent drug test.
Die Happy Die Smiling (Maxime Dangles Dub) - when this Dangles chap gets it right he really gets it right - his dub is definitely preferable to his remix - other tracks on the release are gash.  Silver.
Souvenir - was anxious about this - absolutely loved this song for pretty much 30 years and not heard this version before - Moby's treatment of it though is very respectful and actually, after a few listens, my cap is doffed - it actually adds something to the original.  Terrific.  Gold.

And my submissions;

Public Service Broadcasting - London Can Take It : if ever a track was immeasurably bigger than the sum of its parts it's this one - samples taken from World War 2 'public service broadcasts', plus banjos, plus strings, drums and rave synths.  The whole track is just wonderful but the second half desperately needs extending by several minutes.  Daft, brilliant, very stirring and frankly touched by genius given the current 2012 focus.  Immense.

Fredrik - Chrome Cavities : I spent upwards of 60 hours watching the Tour de France this year - there's a cider manufacturer whose advert uses this tune - they carpet-bombed the advert breaks in the TdF coverage on ITV4 - this tune got in my head and has stayed there.  Never tried the cider though...

John Daly - Daybreak : First came across John Daly when he put out an EP (called Sea Level) on Mark Cullen's (very underground) Further Records last year - it was half an hour of absolute bliss.  This album is very recent and, whilst it doesn't have anything as good as Sea Level, is rather lovely - this is my favourite track from it.

The Juan Maclean - The Simple Life (Marcus Worgull Remix) : my most recent Heroin tune.  Me all over.  Just beautiful.

Martyn - We Are You In The Future : Zabiela's apparently been battering this and with very good reason.  Breakbeat techno from right out the top drawer.   And yes, I am deliberately under-selling this...

In other news, as D so adroitly pointed out, DHS has just passed its third birthday.  To mark the occasion the 'Best Of DHS' list is now open again and I suggest we each add 3 tracks (one for each year seems reasonable) from any previous DHS list you fancy.  Thank you both for making what was just a bit of a daft idea one afternoon into an absolute mainstay of my musical life.

Ongoing respect.
x

DHS 10 - Part 9 (D)

Evenin' all. Im sitting here just a shell of a man, ruined after a day and a night on the smash yesterday, and that after spending 2 hours at the gym. Have been good for nothing at all today except listening to some good tunes so if I can stay awake long enough I'll have my say and add my 5, then its off to the land of nod. Getting up early this morning was a stupid idea.

As ever I thank you both sincerely for bring previously unheard music to these ears. Firstly with your selections Kev, kicking off with Walking in Rhythm, its very 70s isnt it ! Its pleasant enough but doesnt do very much for me, the verses are better than the chorus though and I loved the backstory - serendipity rules. Then its onto Nothing Gold which again im sorry to say doesnt do anything much for me, and again its nice enough - that bassline is the best bit but not at all sure about the vocal ! The best house record of 2012 is apparently Let Me Feel but im not sure about that... its certainly a good track and gets better and better - the break and after are the best bits, but again not sure about that echoey vocal - would have been better without it I think, but its a solid tune.Next up is Shining and thats a cool tune, a real progressive bumper and that sighing vocal is eerily reminiscent of something else but I cant put my finger on it. The proper vocal and the break are ace though. Chymera is the best of the lot for me though, lovely insistent melody and riffs that just keep on giving. Nice work.

Hodgson, one of your best selections I would say. Starting with Close to the Edge love that repetitive groove and the vocal is cool, nice insistent string towards the end too. Then its Singing by Agoria and I remember having a couple of his tunes back in the day his production is generally pretty good. This is a nice piece of dance music, although that wailing really is unecessary and detracts from the tune for me, not sure what they were thinking of there ! Then the same guy is up with Les Violins Ivres - its a famous piece of  classical music isnt it ? Ive certainly heard it somewhere before im sure - no matter the strings really are very good indeed. Penultimately its White Zebra and I agree its very hypnotic, real 5am deep in the set tune, I like this a lot, again with some nice strings and it really draws you in. For me though the best was saved for last with Distant Shores which is a remarkable piece of music, a great melody and insistent beats that really builds up the epic scale towards the end with the strings and the kickdrums - bring the drama ! Top work.

Well my selection has 3 Daft Punk records in it, but do not dismay. They are all remixes from their Tron Legacy score and its very far indeed from what you would expect from DP, they obviously have more strings to their bow. So first up is The Son of Flynn (Moby Remix) and is a melodic building monster with some squelchy 303 business thrown in, its simply sublime. Next up its Photek on remix duties for End of the Line and as you might expect its all big beatiness, with again some acid thrown in and some killer synths I reckon. Next up is the fast pace of Arena (remixed by the Japanese Popstars) and the breaks in this are immense, the biggy near the end especially so - must watch the film as the original score is pretty cool by itself. Keeping it on a house tip is Die Happy, Die Smiling (Maxime Dangles Dub) found after I went on an MD search after the Spotify powers that be cruelly removed his amazing remix of Mistake by Moby. The cunts. This is up there for me, the riff reminds me a bit of Amoeba Assassin 'Rollercoaster' but that was also a top tune and this one works well with just a smattering of the vocal now and then and a wicked break that build into a big peak - to be played loud ! I shall be getting this on beatport and (hopefully) blasting it at Adrians next week Kev. Tune. A change of pace for the last record and it is heartwrenchingly beautiful as far as im concerned, that piano is almost sigur ros and the vocal is a perfect match, with some lovely lyrics - it is OMD with Souvenir (Moby Remix) and its rapidly becoming a favourite of mine.

Good night, god bless, and god bless the United States of America. Or something.

One Love

DHS 10 - Part 8 (H)

Greetings Gentleman,

Thank you for your additions.  Diving straight in...

D
We Are Young - Love it.  Long may pop music like this be released.
Agnelli & Nelson - this sort of stuff reminds me of my days in Sheffield - certainly not a bad thing at all.... but Trance was a bit of a swear word up there when the Crasher backlash kicked off (basically 98 - the year I arrived!)
Silence - super record but not the right mix for my ears I'm afraid.  Killer melancholic vocal - stunning.
DP - I LOVED their first L.P but didn't ever really buzz off Rollin n Scratchin so struggle to get through this medley to be honest.
Sanvean - very, very pleasant indeed.

S
Blackbyrds - brilliant brilliant record.  Actually heard this for the first time during Semi Pro and watched to the end to pick up the name of the track. Love it.
Joakim - yep - nice groove... it's funky easy listening basically.
Baunz - same label as Midland has released on??  really picks up after halfway - not bad... bit of an acid feel to it.
The next two are your best additions for a while - both straight into my house masterlist...
Slideshow Park - can't think where I've heard this... in someone's mix recently I think - absolutely lush tune, proper brilliant use of the vocal.
Chymera - love their stuff, got a few in my house list already and this is a welcome addition there as well as on our lists.  fantastic melodies and upbeat techy feel.

Lots of house music in my car at the moment so that's what you're getting!

D Ghenacia/Shonky - one of my fave house records of the year thus far... Howells played this at Easter Bedrock and the response from the crowd was both vocal and  visible... you could sense it was almost his way of announcing 'my set is REALLY starting now so leave the f-ing bar and get into it'... Don't expect it to go anywhere at all, it is in fact incredibly repetitive but the deep groove is massively infectious and if we had a summer in this country then this would be in the soundtrack imo.

Agoria/Scalde - BIG fan of this (took me a while to get over the wailing... if I were a DJ I'd scrub that from the track before playing it) ... moody, melancholic, cracking bassline - another one that the floor really reacts to.

Agoria - this has been on my list for AGES but it came up on shuffle on my options list before going straight into Ryan Davis and they're both boosted by marvellous strings sections so it was just meant to be...

Ryan Davis - stunning.  Thanks to S for introducing me to this chap via Opus (which pound for pound sh!ts all over this tune to be honest)....this still has a very hypnotic feel and lovely string build and is worthy imo.

Dundov - cracking LP.... another amazing melodic build and something you can get lost in on the headphones.  Nothing too mental in terms of pace, just big synth lines which keep on giving.

K.O.K.O
H

DHS 10 - Part 7 (S)

H

Franz Kirman - Liza (Charlie May mix) - I can get how this would suit a lying-on-the-lawn-headphones-on-staring-at-the-stars moment.  Played it several times now looking for something more in it - something to lift it to a more important level - and can't find it.  Nice though.

Apparat - Song Of Los - Really nice.  Difficult to say much more than that - like the lyrics, like the music, really like the mood/feel. 

Modeselektor & PVT - Green Light Go - Nice.  Like the stuttering rhythm.  Vocal's ok.   But then, halfway through, the drums and the vocal stop - and so does the track for me.  Shame.

Tape To Tape - Pure & Easy - absolutely the sort of thing I've been buying/listening to/trying to build a mix from - got SO much that sounds like this that I've almost lost objectivity about it all - I've certainly got worse than this but I think I've got better too.  Nice though!  (Have got the new 'Future Disco' mix/unmixed comp. if you're interested - 'Poolside Sounds' - if you like this then it's loads more of the same.)

Tripswitch - Strange Parallels - first listen was nice, second was really nice, third was really very nice.  Beautiful.  The pick of your bunch.

(Shame that your original choice of 'Rings Around Saturn' hasn't made it onto Spot yet - would've gone straight onto the 'Best Of Contenders' list)

D

Fun - We Are Young - Outstanding.  Every now and again, in a slightly repulsive attempt to 'keep my hand in' as far as the charts are concerned, I ask Ashleigh for her current Spot favourites - this topped her list a while back.  Very Nice.

Agnelli & Nelson - Everyday - got quite excited when I first saw it and then realised it wasn't actually what I'd thought it was - favourite tune of theirs is (the Matt Darey remix) of El Nino, although it/they sound very similar!!  Decent Oaky trance.  Nice.

Delirium - Silence - Yes, yes, YES - fabulous.  And yet, at the same time, oh no mate, no, no, no, no, NO.  Wrong mix.  Immense tune but has to be Fade's Sanctuary Remix.  Why?  Well... to my ears the song has a melancholy, almost mournful, edge to it but the Tiesto version 'trances' it out too much and leaves me uncomfortable - the production doesn't sit with the song - edgy, melancholic, song crow-barred into a smiley trancer.  Fade's Sanctuary remix on the other hand leaves it dark, slightly sinister, and entirely appropriate - there's more 'space' left in the mix and it's just far more powerful.

Daft Punk medley - not for me - call me the chief protagonist in a minority of one but Daft Punk have never managed to do anything for me.

Lisa Gerrard - Sanvean - all the time in the world for her voice.  Very nice.

So then;

Blackbyrds - sometime around 1982 my Grandfather, hugely out of character for him, bought me my first ever bit of 'hi-fi' (a dreadful Binatone mono cassette/radio combination) - it wasn't even my birthday - weird.  One night, way past my official 'lights-out' time I was listening to Capital Radio, then on 1548 AM, and fumbled in the dark to turn the 'select' switch to Cassette and accidentally turned it to FM.  Even though I'd changed modulation the radio was, serendipitously, still tuned in to a station on the new FM frequency.  I didn't even know there were radio stations on FM.  It was a pirate 'dance' station - can't remember if it was Horizon or JFM - no matter (although I would go on to spend ages listening to both) - but I can remember that I was utterly transfixed by the sudden clarity of the sound when compared to the, relatively, dreadful AM that was all I'd ever (EVER) heard before.  I listened for ages - completely stunned by what I was hearing.  The following day I got back from school, got a TDK ready, turned the radio back to the new found FM nirvana and pressed 'play-and-record'.  For a kid raised on Cliff Richard albums and the AM based pop stations of Radio 1 and Capital Radio the music of an FM based pirate was almost incomprehensible.  I'd never heard any of these records before - or anything like them - and the clarity with which they were received almost literally made me tingle.  I played that first, home made, pirate radio, FM Stereo, tape more times in the coming months/years than is imaginable.  I found it again a week or so ago when clearing boxes of my old stuff out of the loft ready to move out.  This song is the first one on that tape.

Joakim - was having a bit of a Todd Terje feast a while back and stumbled across this - listened to the original before the TT remix and almost didn't bother - the original did nothing whatsoever for me and I couldn't see how any sort of decent remix could be made of it.  Fortuitously clicked play on the remix and BOOM - was immediately interested and after 19 seconds, when the bass line drops in, I was completely sold on it.  The mini-drop on 2m38s elevated it even further.  One of the rare tunes that not only have I adored upon first listening but does everything I'd want it to do, when I'd want it to do it, if I'd been producing it.  Played it on a non-stop loop for almost 24 hours the following day.  Became completely obsessed.  Still am.

Baunz - I'm aware I've been rambling a bit so I'll keep this short.  The. Best. House. Record. Of. 2012. So. Far.  (All the other tracks on the EP are also excellent - the Huxley remixes of 'The Same Thing' almost matching this but just lacking the sheer filth of the build in this track.)

Slideshow Park - one of my favourite tracks from last year - played it every night in Clapham, often twice. Originally heard, and really liked, the original which has a much different feel to it but was also hammering another Solee track at the time ('Legends' - which I picked at the beginning of DHS9) so was drawn to the remix.  Reminds me of some of the late 90s (vocal) prog - similar feel to some of the stuff on Hooj back then.  Just keeps itself on the right side of dark/deep whilst including all the twinkles and sprinkles you'd want.

Chymera - sometimes discovering a record that's new to me simply makes me happy, sometimes it simultaneously makes me happy whilst depressing me that it's been missing from my life since its release.  This was out 5 years ago and I'm still not over the fact I only heard it for the first time earlier this year.  Utterly joyous slice of immaculate techno.

DHS 10 - Part 6 (D)

Well here we are once again, apologies for the slight delay, was fit for absolutely nothing yesterday - Midsummer in Varberg was ridiculously good fun, but very heavy. Friday we were up until 5.30 am knocking them back and catching up - then a few hours kip and had to be up and make a 10 ft cross (4 nails, sorted) and cover it in flowers and shit. Then some team backgammon with regular drink forfeits, including the losing team having to each knock back a can of lager in 30 seconds - not as easy as it sounds... and we lost a few times ! Then daft swedish team games largely involving throwing things, again with drink forfeits and while the girls all had flower tiaras there was thankfully no dancing around the cross that had been threatened. Thats just too pagan, and we were already in a cabin in the woods miles from anywhere so you dont want to push your luck I reckon. Then with a brief interlude for extreme animal violence, when the mother of the 4 two week old kittens we had wandering around the place (and they were just too cute and too funny) took exception to a little yappy dog a couple had brought, and came out of nowhere to introduce extreme prejudice to this dogs life. Cue a few seconds of claws, yelping, hissing and feline rage and all was back to normal. Dog was shitting itself. Fair play I reckon, but some dog owners just dont think... there was a reprise later when I inadvertently reversed my chair onto one of the kittens, but the cat just figured it was the dog again and piled in. Life's a bitch eh pooch, and this one isnt mucking about. The kitten was fine. We then got back to the serious business in hand which was obviously playing a ridiculous counting / singing drinking game that was absolute carnage and then somehow I made it to my alarm and staggered to the plane suffering narcolepsy every time I sat down. Got home and just crashed out all afternoon, only just waking in time to make it round a mates for a roast which was enormous and utterly brilliant and just what my battered body needed. There was some football match on that they were all nervous about but I was half arsed if im honest. Still feel a bit fucked today, so wasnt at the best at work and one of my female mates decided today was the day to get stuck into me on email just because i didnt want to meet her new (2 dates) man this Friday. Got the lot as you know how it goes, long rampaging emails about everything that was wrong with me, how I never wanted to meet her friends and all the things I did wrong. Bit harsh I thought, its not like shes my bird, but you know what they're like - lunatic mostly. Still, as our friendship was terminated (apparently) I wished her well and wondered briefly what was up with her today, then thought about something far more important, like was it time for a toenail trimming or could I leave it a couple of days ? Still, someone sent me a funny email about the england team so all was not lost.

And then I thought how about some new music for those decent lads on DHS and I got my shit together. But first, the previous 10...

Dawn of the Iconoclast - Kev my cap is doffed, this is immense. Totally love it and agree its a real shame a dance record (albeit a good one) using a sample is more famous.
Into the fire - hmm not sure about this one, there are definitely likable things about it - agree the layering and the hook are good, but not sure what it is, possibly that it just hasnt dated very well
Walk on by - dont like this version im afraid, Dionne Warwick nailed this record and it hasnt been bettered I dont think and im sure the stranglers have done better record - golden brown for one.
Goodbye Horses - like the vocal on this a lot, really nice chorus especially, but the rest of it just doesnt do anything for me, that voice could have been used to more effect in a stronger record with more powerful supporting elements for me.
Hold that Sucker Down - Huge, in your face, total brilliance, there is literally nothing not to love about this tune, excellent selection.

Liza - I love the setting you describe Hodge, and in the right environment I imgine this could be just what you want. Not really feeling it so far im afraid, although it does pique my interest more at the end when more is happening.
Song of Los - This is very nice mate and definitely a worthy addition - love that vocal and the understated backing at the beginning, which gets bigger towards the end but not too much, and really you wouldnt want it to.
Green Light Go - Agree the melody in this is wonderful, but by then the combination of the offbeat kickdrum and weird bassy noise have put me off, would love to hear a remix with a better drum pattern and more of the melody.
Pure & Easy - for me this is your stand out selection this time round Hodge, its got a great warm, almost analog feel to it and it doesnt need variety, that tune is marvellous on its own, with a few key changes and a great break. Top, top tune.
Strange Parallels - starts off threatening to go a bit weird doesnt it, but love that piano line, just the right side of haunting for me, the second half is nice and I like the build, but the piano is the best bit here.

Ok some more from me:

We are Young - Well you might have heard this a lot recently but this is the latest great piece of indie pop for me - the lyrics are outstanding and its anthemic quality and the huge ending are marvellous
Everyday - Been after this since day 1 on here, and finally they have almost the version (no vocal on the original version) that is one of my best ever ecstacy moments in Gurnmills at the Gallery. The break is possibly one of trances best, bettered only by the next song...
Silence (Tiesto's Search for Sunrise Mix) - the greatest trance record ever made. End of. Weve had the acoustic for a while, but this one just has to be on the great DHS. I could bang on for a while about why this is great but I'll simply say every single element is pitch perfect and oh my fucking christ that vocal - its been enhanced of course but it all the better for it.
Alive - this has a couple of other tracks on the mix with it, but its all about the set up for the money shot which is very much Alive at the end - check from about 5-6 mins in if the sheer bloody minded techno pounding of it isnt for you. I love it and Alive was always in my dj box, not least because you could show off on the cdj800 with the loop and reverse buttons. Monster.
Sanvean - and just to calm it all back down before the end, this epicly, hauntingly beautiful aria that i find totally inspiring and uplifting. Wonderful.

One love

DHS 10 - Part 5 (H)

Right we've had almost a week and I slowed us up last time so coming out of the blocks swifter this go around.

D:
Straight up and down - not bad bluesy, rock.  I think probably made better cos we both know what usually follows it!  Great series - vey much looking forward to s.3.
Sweet Dreams - absolutely beautiful - straight into my low bpm/nighttime list.  Long may he churn this sort of stuff out.
Fortitude - not for me this one.  It's reasonable but I prefer his downtempo nowadays.
Slow - very hypnotic, very listenable love the very high pitch melodic twinges when everything else has dropped out, classy touch. Again - straight into my night-time playlist.  Lush overall production.
Outro - very lovely.  I couldn't ever put it in the same bracket as 'Lower your eyelids..' to be honest, it's just not epic enough or as emotive for my ears.  It does have a superb build for such a short record of this nature.... vocal grated on first listen, now i love it... For what it's worth this is not one of his better LP's imo.  It's too 'bitty' - don't get me wrong there are some lovely sounds and noises on there but he really needed some stronger records in that central section growing towards the conclusion.  That's my take..... I guess it's tough when you've already made so many beautiful records already!

S:
Dead Can Dance - Glorious.  Sounds amazing up loud in the car - you look like some kind of psychopath in towns or built up areas though... like you're off to commit some kind of massacre.  Lapping it up.
Hitlist - there' every possibility this is new to me!  I like it a lot - I'll be clicking on the LP to check out more of this stuff.
Stranglers - sorry mate, I like the group, but this version of this record is not for me AT ALL - I rarely skip tracks but I have to buzz this one when it comes on!
Psyche - absolutely f-ing brilliant.  I  have CANED this track this week - superb addition.  (Who remixed it??  When I saw "Duke" I immediately thought of JLC in his Thin White Duke guise.... any idea??)
OT Quartet - :) :) :) :) :) I'll never forget the first time I heard this, it was on the very first "Annual"compilation that MOS did - think it was Tongy and Boy George on duty, 1 disc each.  This featured at the back end of an otherwise non-descript mix-by-numbers routine, no doubt knocked up by a music lab technician as opposed to the DJ's - that aside the last 20 minutes o the mix was brilliant and this track was most definitely the highlight.  Absolute belter.

Some tunes I've been listening to in the last 6 months, and one that I have been listening to since I was 16...

Liza (CM remix) - I could waffle a lot about this track... the original is ok, but May's pacific remix captures something missing from the original and turns the main melodic section into a thing of sheer beauty.  It's one of the most lovely pieces of music I've heard in years....lying on the grass at midnight in shorts and a t-shirt (yes it was that warm not so long ago) watching the stars, this on the headphones - proper bliss.

Song of Los - This is not a bad LP, some great moments, probably not as solid as Walls, but this is a real standout track which opens the record up...and it just stuck in my brain, found myself singing the main refrain and humming the moody melodies A LOT; a worthy addition I hope you agree.

Green Light Go - more evocative mood music from the German techno B-Pitch brigade.  Again, the melodies get stuck in your head.... that lyrics like "Go out and break their hearts while faking every part...Go".  Class.

Pure & Easy - don't expect this to go anywhere gents, it's just a nice warm summertime groove, a real slice of feel-good disco-house with a smashing bassline and smooth overall production.  Been listening to the mix which this track features on a lot recently.  Very good indeed.

Rings Around Saturn - errrr..this is THE track that started an obsession with the artist if truth be told.  One of the first records i sought when Spot started...I've been waiting to add it since dawn of man.... it keeps coming in and out of availability, i hope this gets added ok because my list now links it to my own digital copy...let me know.  Needs no introduction to KS.  But it will no doubt be new to D.  This featured on a couple of bootleg tapes taken from the Blue Note that my mates had in 95/96...Bukem then featured it on the mix cd of his Logical Progression double LP and we were all over the moon (a bar was set by this compilation in my opinion and I'm not sure it has been matched in this genre since to be honest).  I got some comments about a statement I made regarding my final track in my last selection 'potentially being in my top 20 of all time'...well the production on that first 'snap' on the Claro Intellecto tune took me RIGHT back to the first time I heard this record (despite its pace the overall production is incredibly moody and similar also)... Rings Around Saturn(originally known as "Pharoah" as a nod to Pharoah Sanders, who features by way of a subtle sample at the outset and througout - presumably a man of inspiration to Parkes and the mood set to the whole piece really) its drums and its production and its attention to detail is just immense.... and I will happily vouch for this track in my TOP 5 of all time, of all genres - it has just been like an old friend of sorts... one of the few tracks I can genuinely listen to over and over and over and still enjoy like I did as a kid; it's a cliche but I can still listen and hear new stuff in this record... intricate layers of drums, on and off beats - just crazy, haven't even mentioned THAT bassline....I like to deconstruct it mentally and listen to the snares alone, then I'll listen again and listen only to the hi-hats etc etc, but then I accept that I am not normal and that this way of listening to music may not be to everyone's tastes, nor the track for that matter.  If so, sorry for wasting nine minutes of your life reading this twaddle an listening to that pap.

Keep on keeping on,
H

DHS 10 Part 4 (S)

Chaps,

H - as per D's previous post, it's not my place to say anything about your first three.  God bless you for choosing them and God bless Carter and his memory.
Goyet - you say it's everywhere, and I'm sure it is, but that's the first time I'd heard it - and that says much more about me than either you or the track itself.  After a couple of listens, yeah, 'quirkyness' is slightly appealing - I'll be giving it time to grow.
Claro Intelecto - has been a name growing in my consciousness for a while - got a couple of remixes by and tracks of - production on this is almost brutally crisp, and you're right, it does get better the longer it goes - you've made very big claims for it - I'll give it more listens for sure and be interested to see whether it stands up to your claims for it in a while.

D - Straight Up & Down - not seen Boardwalk Empire so can only take it on the tune itself - not especially my cup of tea - the first 'slide' up the guitar fretboard grated on me and I hoped it wasn't to be repeated - unfortunately it was...
Moby x 3 - that ups the total of Moby tracks over Total DHS so far to 17 - remarkable - Sweet Dreams, Slow and Fortitude in that order for me - the first two of those each deserving more listens with potential for very good things indeed...
M83 - he's good at this sort of thing this fella - puts me in mind of a 21st Century Jean Michel Jarre - not sure about parity with 'Lower Your Eyelids',  for me anyway, but a worthy inclusion for sure

Right... 

My musical head has been a bit scrambled of late - long, tedious story that I don't even know if I understand or could explain, but lots of indecision and no focus, concentration or confidence for some strange reason.  So the solution is to put the 'Possible DHS picks' playlist onto random and just write a short bit about the first five tracks it plays.

Dead Can Dance - Dawn Of The Iconoclast - this tune's brilliance is its cinematic, sinister, mood - it's tragedy is that it will only ever really be known as the tune that Future Sound Of London sampled 'that' bit from for Papua New Guinea.
Hitlist - Into The Fire - mid 80's synth pop record - minor hit - not sure it ever troubled the Top 20 - one of the first 12"s that took me ages to track down - whether you like it or not is open to discovery but I think it's plain to see why I do - I'd agree the lyric doesn't stand up too well now but that's gone after the first couple of minutes - basically has all the elements of a great dance/trance record - the initial guitar hook is relentless, as are the drums/percussion - then in the second half 'The Build' starts -  layers of synth and voices build the intensity and the melody uplifts - loved it 26 years ago - still do.
The Stranglers - Walk On By - this is the second time I've chosen a cover of this song - the first one was by Isaac Hayes and was s.m.o.o.t.h as silk - this is entirely different and absolutely no less brilliant.  One of the greatest songs ever.  If you get a chance to watch them performing this live on a YouTube video then please do - mesmerising.
Psyche - Goodbye Horses - (a cover of) the song that was playing whilst the lunatic in Silence Of The Lambs dressed himself up, tucked his Hampton between his legs to dance like a girl and prepared to slaughter his dungeon-bound victim.  Quite literally the only song about horses that I'll listen to...
OT Quartet - Hold That Sucker Down - erm, wallop.

Soon to be single,
S
x