DHS 12 - Part 13 (S)

Straight in - no fuss, no nonsense - no unnecessary use of clichés and certainly not just typing words, haggard, for the sheer, pilfering, joy of them.  Assuage.

*shakes head*

H
Etherwood, check - Talabot remix, check (Duff - I think the track this reminds you of might be by Gloworm - not sure though - I'll let you check and let us know...) - the Fort Romeau remix, ideal for 4pm on a Tuesday afternoon as you neck a cheeky half on Mambo headland in Ibiza... - Caribou - struggled with this until I heard the Mano Le Tough remix and then went back to the original and suddenly it was all there - I'm an arse like that sometimes... - Daniel Bortz, Tuff City Kids remix - yeah, I get you - it's nothing special yet it's very, VERY, good - kind of embodies a whole sound I'm really into which I can't describe very well at all - the best I can do for now is, 'the-sound-that-twelve-years-ago-and-14-bpm-faster-would've-had-you-going-mental-to-at-3am-in-Heaven-but-now-is-much-more-laid-back-maybe-'cos-we're-all-old-no-real-idea-love-it-though'.  Hope that clarifies it...


D
Largely speaking all, ALL, in favour of this selection - your most obscure, esoteric and strongest for a good little while.  Special nod to 'They Won't See Me' by The Field which is simply mag-nif-i-cent and has been procured for future mixing purposes (along with some very interesting remixes but I'll leave you to explore them for yourselves...).  You've picked a couple of 'alt-j' tracks - by absolute coincidence they have a new album exclusively available on Spotify today!  Both tracks are new to me and good - pick of the two would be 'Hunger Of The Pine' - but I shall be listening to the new album thanks to you.  Aim - Demonique - really like this.  Absolutely all over the place in a terrific way.  Big fan.  Dustin O'Halloran - there's a tradition on DHS of emotional, mournful, piano tracks and, simply, this is a worthy edition to that cannon.



S
It's been about a year now since I did a straightforward DHS selection of five bumping dance records - so that is exactly what I'm doing now...

Dr.Packer - this guy is the best 'edit' artist to emerge since Late Nite Tuff Guy a couple of years ago - his stuff is amazingly good - loads of 'edit producers' head for the classic/obvious records to rework when they want to make a name for themselves - when this guy reworks a tune it's the best version of that tune you've ever heard - consistently.  This one is his best yet.  Yes, it does help that I absolutely loved the original ('Magic Touch' by Loose Ends - 1984/5?) but this rehash (released this week) is going down to universal acclaim and just is very, VERY, good.

Je'Couleur - obscure track off an obscure compilation of down-tempo 'nu-disco' - it's chuggy, 'deep', (very) slow trance music as far as I'm concerned - totally hypnotic with small little elements being added just exactly where you think they should be as it ever-so-slowly builds - beautiful

H.O.S.H. & Andhim - relentless, simple, burgeoning, effective & gorgeous

Lord Of The Isles - probably my pick of all the producers I've heard over the last 12 months - and I've said so for a while now - I know Hodge has heard this before - possibly you both have - but it is without a shadow of a doubt one of the very best records of 2014 - available in a 6 minute, more dancefloor focussed, version and this, longer, more headphone friendly epic. 

Little Dragon - ever since I heard the gorgeous "co20" by Lord Of The Isles (above) I've grabbed everything released with his name on it - this track simply justifies my actions...

xx

DHS 12 - Part 12 (D)

And here we are again, and with echoes of ‘where’s my music yo’ ringing in my ears I have finally managed to get around to my DHS update, almost a month after Hodgson and with me having berated his tardiness last time as well. Poor effort on my part. Still I’m doing all the typing during the day, where I’m also listening to tunes so that surely has to count for something ? You’ve gotta love that last month before redundancy eh…  

Anyway, I’m back in the badlands of south London, although to be fair no-one has been beheaded or shot dead by police down here recently that I know of so maybe that whole south London stereotype needs to be revisited. Peckham Rye does have 9 (count ‘em) beauty salons within the first 100 yards of the train station so that’s something to get used to, it’s a whole different culture down here. You have to wonder why people put so much time, effort and money into how they look, rather than who they are, but maybe that’s just the way of the world – after all facebook is everywhere, even now in this very room…

But that’s enough social commentary – my thanks as ever for some wonderful music from you lads:

S

Kicking off with Domain – this is what the word lush was created for I think – a nice representation of Canon here. Lovely.

Love Beat – that’s quite a description you’ve got there Kev. Like with the first track it is lifted from somewhere, or more likely knowing you this is the original use of that riff – certainly recall it in some 90’s tune or other. Its really beautiful and yet not very uplifting for me and the chat at the beginning is completely unnecessary I think. Nice though.

You are my sister – you’re definitely spot on about the emotion of the delivery, that’s unquestionable for me. However this song makes me feel uncomfortable. I really cant put my finger on why – possibly having a sister myself I just find it too saccharine sweet and the idea of me saying this to mine is what jars me !

Reverie – you have nailed it here Kev, this is definitely immense. And a nice use of ‘miasma’ too. Not much more to add, a great atmospheric record that just keeps getting better – on the master playlist.

Hold your breath – and again mate – what a vocal, great piano and some insistent drum and bass – love it.

A really great selection there bigman, muchas gracias.

H

Etherwood rmx – really like this one too, and have to agree this etherwood chap knows how to make a good tune ! Really works well around the vocals, giving them centre stage. Always nice to have an enjoyable d&b tune

Talabot remix – this reminds me of a really old record, possibly on hooj called something like ‘lift up my cup’ or something like that. The production is really slick, but don’t really like that tune – its what I’d recognise as a good tune, but just not one that rocks my boat overall, even though there are a couple of nice moments. My loss Im sure !

Fort Romeau Remix – Agree about the summery sunshine house comment, is really very chilled and would feel just right by the beach, goes up a notch towards the end which is always good I think. Nice piano loop too.

Caribou – you chaps may have got a hint that I really rather like this record. A 6 music one for me (more on that below) that made me stop what I was doing and turn it way the fuck up – cue dancing around the kitchen and hurried search on spot, followed by some appropriate cheering when said record was there. The climax of this record is HUGE and just keeps coming. Would deffo be on my list of tunes of 2014. Love it.

Tuff City Kids rmx – I see what you mean about this signifying that it was about to kick off, it really has a feel to it that you’d know in a top dj’s set could only mean one thing. A great ‘layering’ track I would say, in that you could have long mixes at either end of it with the right tracks and create smooth layers of tunes (if that makes sense ?!)

Anyway, another top selection.

So one could say that I have been rather spoilt with the latest round. However I really feel confident that I can hold my own this time, so here goes:

The Field ‘They won’t see me’

I stumbled upon this on a random search through spot, and it was very much an ‘interesting, interesting, very interesting…’ (its better if you can hear Barry Davies saying it) with a crescendo of ‘oh my word you have to say that’s magnificent’ which summed up my thoughts on it. A moody, growing, pulsating piece of 4am drug music. Aces.

Alt-J ‘Tessellate’

This has been on  my playlist for a few months here – props to my very cool girlfriend who sent it to me. Alt-j have their own genre as far as Im concerned, if you go through their tunes, they are almost impossible to pigeon-hole and even just on individual records. What is this one for example ? Haunting voal, great arrangement, almost a dubstep beat but with no bass ?! I’ll just settle for an amazing piece of music. And its not even their best tune…

Alt-J ‘Hunger of the Pine’

Nsafuyfsdavsasfv. Hmph. That’s me trying to convey the brilliance and originality of this record, and failing badly. I adore this tune, and like the above its incredibly produced in a genre all of its own. I don’t like all of alt-j’s tracks but I will be keeping a close eye on them as when they’re good, fuck me are they good. 6 music first brought this to my ears, god bless ‘em.

Aim ‘Demonique’

6 music again – easily the best music station around, especially on Saturdays and especially on Huey’s lunchtime show (he of the fun loving criminals). This was another ‘stop what Im doing’ moment, just for the backing sample to be honest – that’s an immense backdrop. It all gets a bit sinister with the film sample (Halloween) when I was really hoping for a great hip-hop track after the intro. But its very original to me, and my god, that sample and the bass riff together – huge. “We’re all afraid of the dark inside ourselves” !

Dustin O’Halloran ‘We move lightly’

From something to dark to something oh so light. Tell me this isn’t one of the most beautiful piano tracks you have ever heard !! It has a gentleness that cannot be overstated, melancholy yet uplifting and obviously constructed with tenderness and care. Adorable.

 Until next time

One love