DHS - a Spotify adventure

DHS is all about music - specifically music chosen, on Spotify, by D, H & S.

The three of us choose five songs at a time, add them to a Spotify playlist, and explain why we've chosen them. Once we've done that six times each we close the list and open the next one. Occasionally we review what we've picked and add it to 'the best of' playlist and once in a blue moon we each select an entire album.



Sunday, 5 December 2010

DHS7 (15) D

Well Im feeling a lot of spot love right now - the way you can just lose yourself in new and different and unusual music is second to none, and its all down to how its all linked. Im particularly loving the fact that you can find a dance artist whose stuff you like then see if they are on any compilations, then check other tunes on the compilation and off you go - I ask you what better way is there to spend an hour or 2 on a cold sunday afternoon by yourself ?

Firstly some very deserved shouts out to the DHS crew, purveyors of fine and quirky music they both are. Firstly to the Don, our very own guru of all this musical - K-dog:

A Beautiful Mine - Excellent ! Loving that ending and the full range of the percussion, already knew the bassline was a killer and cashback ! theres an extra long version.

Just the way you are - In the nicest possible way, you're an utter cunt Sullivan. I hate that I love this, but love this I do, totally and utterly - its a complete pop record and this lads voice is amazing. The fact that it is teenage girl fodder is what irks me - I feel Im being played (maybe im actually a 14 year old doris ??)but maybe I should just get over myself... !

Winter in July - Mate. Suddenly its 1990 again and im hanging around causing trouble with my boom box on the estate near where I lived. Had this on 7" bizarrely - nice change of direction after 'beat dis'. Tune.

Mr Gaunt PT 1000 - You have to be in the right mood for this I find - absolutely haunting piano and voice, a thing of beauty no doubt, great selection.

No Partial - Probably my least favourite of the 5. It does what its supposed to Im sure and its a nice beat and subtle melody but personally I'd like more of a variation and change up. Or to get stoned first.

All in all a top selection my man, now onto the H-Bomb:

Love Movement - This record is immense mate. It just washes over me in warm waves and is so well judged - it would be perfect to be playing on a beach while you swing gently to and fro on a hammock, sipping a cold one, soaking up some rays as a soft breeze went by. Lovely.

White Love - This is actually a really good track, but youve got to want it - that guitar at the beginning is not the best to these ears ! Nor to be honest is the whole composition until about 1:45, after that it really picks up. Surprising choice from you fella - but then Im sure you're a man of varied tastes !

Everything is Alright - How good is the guitar riff in this track ? Doesnt do a whole let else, although that melody is frankly good enough on its own and beautifully accompanied.

Never Mess With Sunday - This tune makes me feel quite melancholy, but in a good way if you know what I mean - I think its because the entire riff is in a minor key. Whatever, its a cool tune and the last minute or so is epic. Good stuff.

Avril 14th - Short and sweet on the piano eh ? You cant go wrong with a piano tune as far as im concerned - a nice track to end with.

Great stuff H and as ever I thank you both for enriching my life most sincerely. Hope I can keep up with the quality...

Mad World - Ambition feat. Gary Jules
Never heard of this rapper before and stumbled across this as I continue to hope for the Gary Jules version of Mad World to appear on Spot. Seems this is as close as we'll get for now but it really works well for me, the rapping isnt bad and the Jules part has just been lifted from the aforementioned track. Some of the lyrics are quite sharp too.

Heroes & Heroin - Gary Jules
As I dug further after the above, this is probably the standout track of his one album on spot. It pootles along very nicely, but its when he really reaches out in the choruses and the bridge with his vocal range, that the track comes to life, worth it just for that for me.

Glitterball - FC Kahuna
This has been on my list for while now and was inspired to look for it after a recent H selection when he mentioned it or something similar and lo and behold its now there. You probably both know it but if you dont then you really should. Supremely funky but also brilliantly constructed - the tune in the breakdown and the build up is immense and very original to these ears. Its a real bumper of a track.

Musak - Trisco
There were fashionable remixes of this track, but I really love the original, its a got a real rawness to it. A very simply constructed dance tune but utterly devastating when used in the right place - the killer was its so unique it was incredibly difficult to use in a mix or a set (and believe me I tried !) but I heard it out in Brighton once and everyone went potty. The break ? Forgeddaboudit. Off the charts.

Like Minded - Huge A, Shmuel Flash
I'll save the best for last I think. As mentioned in my preamble this was found while searching through spot and having a liking for the Flashster. I cant even begin to do this justice with mere words so I wont even try. Lie down, close your eyes and let it take you.

Its been emotional.

Tuesday, 9 November 2010

DHS7 Part 14 (H)

Some good choices gents, of note; Beastie's (not listened to that for ages - well remembered), Fatboy Slim, Bomb The Bass and finally Rythym & Sound (possibly my favourite track on the list so far - HEAVY! You can just get lost/drown in that bassline - ridiculous).

Sorry for lack of attention, time keeping, tardiness - it's never through lack of listening to records, trust me! I've moved back into electronica mode recently so thought I'd share some tracks which have been feeling good in the moody weather:

1) Ulrich's Revtone remix - from Warren's GU30 in Paris. Watch your email inboxes. BEAUTIFUL.
2) One Dove - epic. S picked from this LP already but this had to go on. The haunting little vocal snippets are awesome.... lovely overall production - I find it very uplifting.
3) Four Tet - cheerful little guitar sample, always raises a smile - doesn;t go anywhere but doesn't need to!
4) Yppah - moody big beat track with lush melodies.... reminds me very much of Shadow.
5) Alarm Will Sound do Aphex Twin (figuratively) - sadly Richard's version isn't on Spot (check ya mail) but this version will suffice. Was reminded of this whilst watching a film at the weekend and have been caning it non stop since then. What's nice is that classical pianists are covering an electronic artist who used a machine/module to immitate a classical piano - I like that 'real'/ organic musicians realise that this is a superb melody and want to play their own version, despite the fact that it was written by what the majority of society would deem to be a 'button pusher'... I think tracks like this along with the Maxence Cyrin LP are proof, if it was ever needed, that electronic music can compete on emotional levels with classical music. Melancholic, simple, emotive. Lush

Sunday, 17 October 2010

DHS7 Part 13 (S)

As we start the round of penultimate entries for DHS7 I offer the observation that we've just passed the first anniversary of DHS - at least I think we have, I can't be exactly sure but I think it was around late September, early October we got started wasn't it? Feel free to correct if you have a better memory than I do.

Your last selections;

H - your Bad Boy choices were an interesting twist. I keep waiting for the day when I grow into 'The Blues' - it hasn't happened yet though. My loss I'm sure but it meant I liked the last three much more than the Clapton and Magic Slim efforts.

D - The Paul Mounsey tune is familiar to me - no idea where from. Nice though.
The De Vit scares me but in a good way - the idea that I used to dance to music that fast is almost unimagineable! I can see why you like the breakdown. Beastie Boys is large - pretty sure I've not heard that before whilst the vocodered voice is familiar - sampled somewhere maybe? Apologies for my rant against 'You're The Voice' - I was 'tired' after an unsuccessful pub-quiz! That and the fact that I absolutely hate it. Totally irrational - first time it's ever happened for me with a DHS selection but there's no point lying about it - I cannot stand that song. *Cue H selecting it for the next Best Of...* Last five minutes of Fatboy Slim are especially wicked.

Well played all round.

Next up;

RJD2 - you both know this well but possibly not in it's full glory. Quirky, with a different ending than you might expect.

Bruno Mars - if you like this I'll take the credit, if you don't then blame my daughter for it is her that has been hammering this into my consciousness. Back in the day this was the sort of thing you bought on 7" for a young lady you were keen on in the hope it would curry favour - I guess today you get a dodgy torrent download and bluetooth it to her mobile?!

Bomb The Bass - one of the first cd singles I ever bought - forgot all about it till a recent cupboard excavation.

Soap & Skin - currently featuring in adverts for the Ford Mondeo - another in a growing line of DHS 'fragile-moody-piano' tunes.

Rhythm & Sound - gut twistingly deep dub tune - I know it's a Marmite selection but it's SO deep, SO hypnotic and SO relentless...

S
x

Thursday, 14 October 2010

DHS7 Part 12 (D)

Gentlemen; good evening.

I have been working hard and even have a few 'spares' on the possibles list so for once im ahead of the game - and with my lappy restored to its former glories after the old man "tidied it up a bit" its all go.

From the last 10, which were solid as usual - there was some real class. Favourites to these ears were 'over the rainbow' (you boys were spot on this guy has or indeed had a voice like molasses, silky smooth and beautiful), 'California Dreamin'' (stone cold classic, great switches from minor to major keys), 'Newborn'(great voice, even better track), 'Bad Boy' (The Clapton version - never heard much of his earlier stuff - very cool) and 'Bad Boy' (the theme from the film, wicked - loved it from seeing that - Will SMith was so good he even made Martin Lawrence look good !!)

Ok my next selection...

'North' Paul Mounsey
Spotters badge if you can tell where I got this from, but it was a true 'I have to know that tune' type moment. Took me a while to appreciate the rock guitar in the middle but great as the rest of it is, you do need something in the middle to break it up and give some variety. Wonderful melody.

'The Dawn' Tony de Vit
A late entry this one, inspired by a recent email from Hodge about the "late, great, Tony de Vit" as he was known posthumously. Ive never been a big fan and of course this track is boshing hard house, but stick with it - the break is utterly immense, as is the 2nd half of the track. A marmite track, especially for you lush melodic fans. Hope you like it.

'Intergalactic' Beastie Boys
This is a contender for their best tune for me and the competition is strong. Their lyrical interplay is as slick and clever as ever and the strings in the background are brilliantly judged. The rawness of the delivery and the smoothness of the melody contrast wonderfully - the dj cuts and scratches are just the coup de grace. And the end of the second verse is quality.

'You're the Voice' John Farnham
Fuck me how epic is this record ? Contender for best song of the 80's I would say - the soaring bridges, the even bigger chorus - even the bagpipes sound utterly ace. Massive, massive tune - singalongtastic and demanding to be played LOUD !

'Santa Cruz' Fatboy Slim
This is one of my favourite ever records. Thankfully not a popular track and from definitely his best, first album 'Better Living Through Chemistry' I could easily lose it to this record given the right set of circumstances. All of it is ace, the driving tune, the crashing breakbeats and the regular changeup. But the break, oh lordy the break. Gives me proper chills every single time, its the filter that does it I think. But the whole track has been wonderfully crafted even down to the extra crashing breakbeats towards the end. I love this record and I could never grow tired of it.

The dee to the you to the double eff...

Saturday, 9 October 2010

DHS Part 11 (H)

On the last batch....

Very fitting lyrics to Duff's opener; absolutely class tune. Soul II Soul - can't believe not on lists til now! PSB - classic. Big fan of Teardrop too, so it's nice to see it on. Don't really buzz of ATFC but I guess I understand how this can work on a big system.

Iz :) Bought that a while back after it featured on an advert, such a superb take on original. Cali Dreaming - superb. Elbow, stunning, stunning vocals. T-Power - bet some dj's had a good time mixing with this... insane 'intro'! Mr C tune is quality, sadly not available already.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I dared myself to do this, and now it is done:

1) Clapton - (from back in the day in the old man's Volvo)
2) Magic Slim - (as above)
3) RandomFrenchNeverHeardOfThemBefore - (Why does this sound so cool - I understand not one word yet absolutely love it)
4) P-Did - (smashed it at uni, just a fun track, no pretension)
5) Needs no intro... bump it up.

:)

H

Tuesday, 14 September 2010

DHS7 part 10 (S)

Settled in a few hours ago to review your last ten and post up my next five - had already listened through to each of the previous ten at least once - and for the first five of them a couple of times already. And then I got blown completely away by one of them. The other nine are all fine - couple better than the others but there's one that's different gravy. Completely different gravy. One of the absolute all time DHS classics. I'm almost tempted to put it on 'The Best Of' playlist right now. Good grief. What a tune.

What a tune.

Following on to my next five...

Israel Kamakawiwoole - 'Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World' - Very few people that I've ever heard professionally recorded have as pure a voice as this man. The fact he was a Maori and died young from health complication brought on by the fact he made Pavarotti look like Twiggy only add to the appeal. Yes you've heard both the songs before - maybe even combined like this - but never sung by a purer voice.

The Mamas & The Papas - 'California Dreamin''- Short, sweet, standard, classic. Of the five in this selection though it'll be the one you wake up humming tomorrow.

Elbow - 'New Born' - Searched for this on day one of Spotify 21 months ago - only very recently appeared. From the opening eight words it will, I sincerely hope, captivate you - I'm interpreting it as a love song - I'm not sure what else it could really be - there's something captured in the concept of the 'newborn' references that is very powerful. The band have gone on since this to achieve huge acclaim and success - although for my money they've only got close to this quality with one other song...

T-Power - 'Circle' - Almost endless introduction finally melts into classy mid 90's drum and bass - opening track from a quality album. God I love that drum pattern. You can hear what sort of territory the rest of the album heads off into as the track draws to a close and segues into the intro of track two - help yourselves if you're so inclined...

Mr C - 'Full Moon' - Deep, deep, deep house music with a slight techy-edge to it. Awful definition - wonderful record. Totally sums me up in terms of what I'd want to dance to and play for others to dance to. Proper lush.

Thankfully Im now back being disposed again...

My most sincere thanks for the warm wishes from H & S. You two really are a cracking pair of cunts. Good to be back.

Really enjoyed the last set of tunes - I always do really, nothing like the buzz of new records to check and while you wont like all of them - when you're dealing with likeminded people there are always going to be absolute treats in store. Gentlemen as ever I thank you.

From K's selection I really enjoyed Cant fight the feeling the most as I hadnt heard it before - great 80's power ballad. Also a big fan of 'I dont like mondays' - amazed the Boomtown Rats only touched the heights once with that song, but the pop charts are littered with such one-offs over the years. Also love The Way It Is, hadnt heard the original for ages, even though Changes by Tupac has been a regular on my ipod, and of course was on an earlier DHS selection.

I found H's selection nicely esoteric (especially compared to my more populist selections !) The Nosaj Thing sound is a real grower and very unusual - particularly their own track 'Light#1'. Of the remaining tracks I particularly enjoyed 'To Dawn Part II' by Nacho Sotomayor - it has plenty of depth, enough to not really (accurately) be labelled as a chill out record, has a touch of elegance and grandiose about it and as always, i love the build and the crescendo is tremendous (not sure about the answerphone message at the end though !!)

Ok to my selections:
Eric B & Rakim 'I Know You Got Soul'
Its been a long time, I shouldnt have left you without a strong rhyme to step to... kind of appropriate I think !
Soul II Soul 'Back to Life'
An ENORMOUS tune from my teenage years - although it was fairly ubiquitous so im sure im not the only one. Still sounds fresh now - classic record.
Pet Shop Boys 'West End Girls'
I had to double check that this hadnt been previously selected (although actually I had to for the first 4 of my 5) as I thought it must have been - just shows how few records we have actually added out of the possibles. Does anything need to be said ? An utterly seminal record.
Massive Attack 'Teardrop'
I utterly adore this record - for me its pitch perfect in every department - each element is absolutely right, that tune, that bassline that voice ! A match made in heaven... arguably their best track, although for me 'Angel' runs it very close
ATFC Presents Onephatdeeva 'In & Out of My Life'
As an enormous fan of 'right here right now' by the fatster i was initially sceptical of this record when it came out, especially when I heard Danny 'i know best' Tenaglia moved the vocal for his GU at the time as he thought ATFC had it in the wrong place !! But while RHRN is definitely raw and edgier this is a brilliant house record - particularly the big break and resolution, and indeed almost the entire second half of the record which I can personally vouch for causing dancefloor devastation its just enormous.

I hope you like. One love y'all.