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...
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Sunday, 23 September 2012
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
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
Saturday, 15 September 2012
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
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
Friday, 7 September 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
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
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
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
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
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
Thursday, 2 August 2012
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
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
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