DHS 9 - Part 4 (S)

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

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

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

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

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


... and then finally onto my next five;

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

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

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

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

*goes to lie down*

S

DHS 9 - Part 3 (D)

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

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

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

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

Ok well heres my humble selection...

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

'Set Adrift on Memory Bliss' by PM Dawn

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

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

'Battle Without Honor or Humility' Tomoyasu Hotei

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

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

'Secret Smile' Semisonic

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

'Limited #4' Circulation

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

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

'Energy Flash' Joey Beltran

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

DHS 9 - Part 2 (H)

DHS 9!! GET IN THERE!! :)
Buzzing off this lads - we're away to the races with the new one - I've been bursting to get some tunes I've heard lately up here.... but first lets have a little peek at the first 5:-

Kid Frost - never heard this, cool track - the triple album it's off looks wicked too, good intro - cheers.
Crystal Meth remix - proper acid techy breaks - wicked tune, sure I've heard it on a mix somewhere, maybe a Plumps mix, can't remember.
The Chems - totally forgotten about this track....I bought the SG single so I know it well - proper bass line thumper - jump up breaks with some AWESOME drum samples.
Spor...........errrm - that's just gone straight into my "Best of Potentials" list!!! hahahaha - can't pick it for probably a year or more but it's ready and waiting all on its Jack for others to join it (soon I hope!!) Proper took me by surprise, what seemed like it was going to be a Sotomayor type chill out record explodes into breaks fury - what a f-ing brilliantly original record, particularly the drum programming - offbeat/onbeat/cut up stuff - very cool indeed. Hard to believe it was 2008... if you'd told me some kid did that yesterday I'd have believed you.
Moby - the bald vegan strikes again (by way of a cracking remix)... Sasha and Digweed opened an SW4 rave with this and the crowd sounded like they were proper on top - great party record.

Soooooooooooooooooo - I've gone all quirky - complete change of direction - can't imagine a few of these will win me many friends but I've been loving weird stuff of late and so as awlays I feel it is my duty to share:-

Matthew Dear - wtf is this all about?! I have no idea but I LOVE it - moody, haunting, eerie... don't adjust your headphones - them crackles is all part of the piece. Somehow this reminds me of Berlin (the group not the place). The original is mental (it's got a chugg factor to it) but this is just somehow weirder and yet totally beautiful and sad all at the same. (By the way the Mark E remix from this EP is ace summer chuggy house - check it too.)

Alexander - what an absolutely storming vocal over a nice organic production.... I can genuinely play this four or five times in a row and still get a buzz off it... really listen to the lyrics if you can (repeat plays essential) - some cracking little rhymes (not to mention the brilliantly oxymoronic "Your darkness is shining, My darkness is shining"). The intro reminds me of the old spaghetti westerns from when I was a kid :)

Aquarius Heaven - again; wtf is this all about?! I genuinely don't care - f-ed up distorted totally mental non-sensical vocal over one of the moodiest tracks I've heard in time... when it slows then drops back in... class. WHAT THE ....?! Is that vocal ?!? "F---ing the world and make the universe be my baby / lady" - I think it is anyway!! Mindloss - the geezer needs to have a day off!! Little story behind this - my mate who lives in Barca sent it to me on You Tube - when I said "this is the easily one of the best tracks you've tipped me, where did you hear it?" - he replied "The club by the airport.... it opens at 9am on Sunday morning.... guy dropped it at 11:30.... f-ing crazy - very messy, people losing their minds all over the shop!"

Jamie xx - that's that then; I'm off to buy a steel drum and get me some lessons! One of my tunes of the summer.... dub, house, carnival rave music.... bet this gets thrashed in Notting Hill this weekend. The four four section is wicked and could/should be longer.

Spada - one of my favourite releases of 2011. Saiz uses it on his recent Balance mix. Simply quite stunning. Reminds me of the lovely old melodic trippy trance that the German guys used to make.... like early Jam & Spoon... great to use in the mix as well I would have thought... the big kicks don't come in until over half way - and then that humming bassline near the tail end. So uplifting. The sun aint shining but this record definitely is.

As ever - Keep on Keeping on - God bless the beats.

H

DHS 9 - Part 1 (S)

Hehehehe - I always find starting off a brand new DHS to be most exciting - anticipation of bombs to drop and gems to discover. To think we've already done over 700 tracks in total DHS is mildly arousing - and by the end of DHS9 we'll have taken that over 800. *applause all round*

Enough of that though. DHS is choons not chat.

Starting off DHS9 then in bombastic fashion with five HUGE dance tunes from across a range of styles;

Kid Frost - Terminator - early 80's (1983?) electro tune from the days before 'rap' when you would gets rhymes on a whole range of tunes. Always loved this and it's a classic of the time.

Keoki - Caterpillar (Crystal Method Remix) - released in the mid '90s the original version was/is an average 'progressive house' track - Crystal Method's remix twisted it into a breakbeat stormer that I absolutely hammered on vinyl. Love this track.

Chemical Brothers - Base 6 - had to check to see if this had already been picked (obviously it hasn't but it does become the 8th Chem's tune on DHS so far) - I'm not their biggest fan (that's D obviously) but this track (flipside of Star Guitar) grabbed me by the bits and pieces when I heard it for the first time recently. Huge.

Spor - As Dust Falls - honestly suggest you're both sitting down when this plays for the first time - and have a light on for the sake of your sanity. I used this on a d'n'b mix three years or so ago and I've still never really got over it. Some really quite nice little piano touches and synths in amongst some astonishing low-end mayhem. Absolute armageddon record.

Moby - Mistake (Maxime Dangles remix) - a really quite remarkable 13th appearence on DHS for the bald, veggie, freak. And, to be honest, the presence of this track on the list owes EVERYTHING to the remix. There are some good parts to the original but the remix teases them into something much (MUCH) better. Top tune - I've played this out in Clapham to a great reaction.

There you go chaps - off and dancing...

S
x

Onwards and upwards...

Ok chaps - so DHS8 is closed off (and shortcut link added to the blog).

The Best Of list is once again shut - and DHS9 is open for business.

As Tong would say, '... and we continue...'

S
xx

Best of DHS - from 7 & 8 (S)

Hmmm - I've gone backwards and forwards on this for a couple of weeks now and probably could do the same again so I'll nail it down based on how it feels today and, as you both have also done, give some (very) honourable mentions.

Nacho Soomayor - To Dawn Part II - simply gorgeous
Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo - also simply gorgeous
Jay Z - Lucifer - wanted to have one rap tune in my selection and this just edged out Kanye's 'Runaway'
Tony De Vit - The Dawn - for it's sheer relentlessness
Bomb Da Bass - Beat Dis - important early record for me all those years ago
Herbie Hancock - Rockit - an even more important, even earlier, record for me

Honourable mentions to;
Kanye West - Runaway
Moby - Lacrimae
Who Made Who - Keep Me In My Plane
M83 - Lower Your Eyelids To Die With The Sun
One Dove - White Love
Booka Shade - Scaramanga (Dusty Kid Remix)
Clock Opera - Once And For All
Bobby Brown - Two Can Play That Game (if this had been the 12" mix (not on Spot) I may well have had to choose it)
Lupe Fiasco - Shining Down
Antix - Lost & Found

Peace out rabbits
xx

The Best of DHS 7 & 8 (D)

Ok its time for that best of once again, 7 & 8 this time. Hodge getting in there first has taken '6am' off my list which would have been an absolute shoe-in to be honest - amazing piece of music. Out of the remainder i managed to get it down to 18 tracks of which 8 would have been on this list. But, we can only have 6 and they are:

Lupe Fiasco 'Hip-Hop Saved my Life'
Probably the greatest hip-hop track of the last few years, great productions, great lyrics and every single part of the production works, accessible but yet not cheesy, a rare feat.

M83 'Lower Your Eyelids to Die with the Sun'
This piece of music is awesome in its scale. There's nothing particularly clever about the production, but its just the way its put together and is unashamedly enormous, totally epic. Wonderful.

Triangle 'Five - We've Found it' King Unique Remix
Something about this just absolutely talks to me, loving the KU production and the vocal pitch is immense. The chorus line is just beautiful too and I love the key change in the voice with the just the right production behind it.

The Naked and the Famous 'Young Blood'
I just love the up-tempo nature of the music in this record, works really well with the vocal and certainly feels better than a lot of the other selections which while close, didnt make it as they were melancholy to these ears.

Who Made Who 'Keep me in my Plane (Max Pask Remix)'
Love that riff. Love the unhurried nature of the record, love all the elements and the warm analog sound. That bassline is rather tidy too - in fact everything about it just works.

Fritz Kalkbrenner 'Kings in Exile (Chopstick & Johnjon remix)
Not sure why I like this record as this type of stuff is usually to minimal for me, but there was no disputing I was chuffed every time it came up on the shuffle. I think it has a kind of brooding intensity which builds and builds all the way through it - maybe thats it. Anyway its fantastic.

If there were 8 selections...

Kasabian 'ID'
Mamas & Papas 'California Dreamin''

Honourable mentions:

MIT 'Rauch'
Revtone 'Love Movement'
Four Tet 'Everything is Alright'
Yppah 'Never Mess with a Sunday'
Delphic 'Counterpoint'
John Dahlback, Andy P 'Late Night Worries'
Beah House '10 Mile Stereo'
Duran Duran 'Drowning Man'
Eelke Kleijn 'Flavour Saver'
Tycho 'Coastal Brake'

Another great couple of DHS' lads. Keep up the good work !

One Love