It's been a month... apologies; I had a nice little lot lined up then of course, as is the way with musical searches, some new-ish things became available and some absolute (previously assumed obscure) old gems were also found meaning I had to change my list entirely so that it made sense (well, to my ears anyway!!). No doubt to your delight, S; I have avoided adding Dixons' xx remix, but it very nearly went on.... I shall leave that in your capable hands!
But to go back on yours, Gents....
D,
Drake - have heard this quite a bit and it definitely gets inside your head... can't decide whether I'm into it or not... his voice grates on me a bit.
J & K - was disappointed in this LP to be honest, didn't deliver enough considering the talent involved. This track and two others from memory were the standouts.
Rodriguez - the out-laws lent me this dvd and have been encouraging me to watch it which I do need to get round to. the story sounds compelling. nice vocals.
Costello / Kinks - two bona fide classic records.
S,
Depeche Mode...didn't really start to research and listen to them until uni (98)... the classics were all known to me because they littered my childhood radio listening but the other stuff off the LPs was only made known to me during uni. 5 solid tracks selected, the last two being my favourite by a long stretch. All salute a truly prolific recording pop group who have provided immense original content for all our generation of knob twiddler/remixers to get stuck into.... Can't stop playing Deep Dish rmx of Freelove currently!
Very much into my moody house again at the moment (probably the change in weather!)... this little selection starts off that way then hopefully chirps up a bit...
Kotya - nothing too exciting but as you know by now I just love a bit of understated melodic deepness, pitch this down a touch and it's absolutely spot on.
Fairmont rmx - seriously in love with this track... it does funny things to me and I don't know why; I can imagine D listening to this and saying "this is f--ing depressing" ! but it does it for me - immense producer this kid, so much attention to detail... some of his other stuff is almost too clinical but this is just perfect.
Talabot/Pachanga Boys - LOVE the old skool sounding drum sound effect/loop that starts at 2:40... brings back some ace memories of the old breakbeat/hardcore tracks of the early 90's. Lush record, nice groove and builds beautifully. If you fancy a bit of minimalist breaks/rave then check out the noise on Pachanga Boys Blue Mix of this... pretty brutal, I like it but probably a marmite track.
THE African Dream - and I do stress the word THE!!! THIS IS THE F--ING TUNE I'VE SPENT YEARS HOPING I WOULD FIND ONLY TO LEARN THAT PRODUCE RECORDS (WHO RELEASED AN EXCLUSIVE TAPE COMPILATION ON WAX MAGAZINE WAY BACK IN THE MID/LATE 90'S WHICH I BOUGHT AS A KID) BASICALLY LOST A LOAD OF MONEY AND TUNES GOT SNAPPED UP BY OTHER LABELS! I lost my tape, I lost my mind.... until I found a glimmer of light - a tiny footnote on discogs listing of the tape (which I am sadly going to re-buy, yes I'm going to buy a cassette in 2013) stated 'later released under 'The African Dream'... WHAT?! Whacked it straight into Spotify and up the fucker pops on a goddamn Groove Armada Late Night Tales compilation, several of which I have bought!!!!!!!!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaargh! kicking myself somewhat. anyway this is the record I asked S to try and find on 4Four messageboard and all sorts... When Kalkbrenner released Gebrunn Gebrunn I was obviously instantly reminded of this gem of a track because of the distinctive vocal. Such a smashing tune, really cemented my love of deep house with an American soul influence (US garage)
Rodriguez rmx - I'm not always one for remixes of proper old classics but in the last 5 years there have been some excellent re-inventions, totally remodelled records, and this is one of them. Taking a banging trance classic and turning it into a bouncing deep house track that sits a third of the way through a set as opposed to at the end. Superb. Really wanted to share this as I meant to play it a few weekends ago but forgot to whack it on a memory stick! I like this a lot but perhaps it will split opinions.... only time will tell.
As ever: Keep on keeping on,
H
Thursday, 3 October 2013
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
DHS 11 - Part 13 (S)
H's 'proto-trance' selection; all good as far as I'm concerned - that was the sort of 'sound' I was growing up with in the 80s - European, synth-pop - love it. Although that version of Humanoid Invasion does seem to be lacking some 'ooomph' in the *ahem* bottom end...
D's 'not-connected-in-any-way' selection; Drake - serious ear-worm, Jay-Z & Kanye - more ear-worm, Rodriguez - nice enough - the 'weird-noisy' middle section is cute for 1972, Costello and Kinks - classics although, on a personal note, that particular Kinks tune always leaves me a bit cold whilst the Costello tune is the absolute opposite - melts me every time.
And so...
When one considers 'pop' music there are likely as many opinions as to its genesis and fruition as there are early albums and singles. Was it rock'n'roll that started 'pop'? Had 'pop' been around even before the first World War? Did The Beatles crystallise and distil it in 1963's 'Please Please Me'? Any and all such questions are largely daft and therein, for many folk at least, lies the attraction in addressing them - there are, of course, no correct answers and consequently one cannot be definitively wrong... However, no matter the opinions offered about the origins of 'pop' music - here are some indisputable pop music facts.
Depeche Mode have been going for 37 years. That's THIRTY SEVEN YEARS. Depeche Mode have released 49 UK charting singles; 13 studio albums - all of which have been Top Ten in the UK and, worldwide, sold over 100 million records. Depeche Mode have played live to over 30 million people.
THAT'S THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE!!!
It is for these reasons, but far from these reasons alone, that I unhesitatingly call them England's greatest ever 'pop' band.
Let me leave aside the round-number statistics and use less empirical arguments...
Depeche Mode helped spawn and have sustained the commissioned remix culture like NO other band. From 'extended 12" mixes' in the early 80s to full on re-engineered deliveries from just about every single worthwhile dance music producer ever - Frankie Knuckles, Francois Kervokian, Danny Tenaglia, Sasha and UNKLE to name but five - it would very probably be easier to list who HASN'T reworked one or more of their tracks than document all those who have (their officially 'unofficial' remix catalogue is GIGANTIC). They have been cited as a major influence by rock groups, pop acts, indie bands and dance producers from the UK, US, Europe and beyond and simple minded fans like me across the globe. Not to mention the photographers and film directors they have influenced, inspired and given opportunities to through their tours, videos and publicity work over the decades - eg, Anton Corbijn's filming of 'Devotional - A Performance' - the most stylish, elegant and somehow still emotional live gig film I've seen and which provided a major boost for Corbijn's career.
They are genuinely a band without peers.
And yet Depeche Mode are still MASSIVELY underrated and undervalued in the UK and it is a wrong that really should be righted - starting, in rather pathetic fashion, here, on the home of musical correctness...
A Depeche Mode 'top five' for DHS purposes is laughably impossible - but this is my best stab at it... (As befitting a 'pop band' I've limited my choice to singles and excluded all album tracks and/or remixes - but even so that's leaving somewhere around 90% of their eligible material out of the list. I've also kept it to the period during which they were my biggest influence, which is absolutely not to say that their more recent stuff isn't worthy.) So, in chronological order;
- See You (4th single, 1982)
- Blasphemous Rumours (12th single, 1984)
- A Question Of Lust (16th single, 1986)
- Personal Jesus (23rd single, 1989)
- Walking In My Shoes (28th single, 1993)
Wallop.
D's 'not-connected-in-any-way' selection; Drake - serious ear-worm, Jay-Z & Kanye - more ear-worm, Rodriguez - nice enough - the 'weird-noisy' middle section is cute for 1972, Costello and Kinks - classics although, on a personal note, that particular Kinks tune always leaves me a bit cold whilst the Costello tune is the absolute opposite - melts me every time.
And so...
When one considers 'pop' music there are likely as many opinions as to its genesis and fruition as there are early albums and singles. Was it rock'n'roll that started 'pop'? Had 'pop' been around even before the first World War? Did The Beatles crystallise and distil it in 1963's 'Please Please Me'? Any and all such questions are largely daft and therein, for many folk at least, lies the attraction in addressing them - there are, of course, no correct answers and consequently one cannot be definitively wrong... However, no matter the opinions offered about the origins of 'pop' music - here are some indisputable pop music facts.
Depeche Mode have been going for 37 years. That's THIRTY SEVEN YEARS. Depeche Mode have released 49 UK charting singles; 13 studio albums - all of which have been Top Ten in the UK and, worldwide, sold over 100 million records. Depeche Mode have played live to over 30 million people.
THAT'S THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE!!!
It is for these reasons, but far from these reasons alone, that I unhesitatingly call them England's greatest ever 'pop' band.
Let me leave aside the round-number statistics and use less empirical arguments...
Depeche Mode helped spawn and have sustained the commissioned remix culture like NO other band. From 'extended 12" mixes' in the early 80s to full on re-engineered deliveries from just about every single worthwhile dance music producer ever - Frankie Knuckles, Francois Kervokian, Danny Tenaglia, Sasha and UNKLE to name but five - it would very probably be easier to list who HASN'T reworked one or more of their tracks than document all those who have (their officially 'unofficial' remix catalogue is GIGANTIC). They have been cited as a major influence by rock groups, pop acts, indie bands and dance producers from the UK, US, Europe and beyond and simple minded fans like me across the globe. Not to mention the photographers and film directors they have influenced, inspired and given opportunities to through their tours, videos and publicity work over the decades - eg, Anton Corbijn's filming of 'Devotional - A Performance' - the most stylish, elegant and somehow still emotional live gig film I've seen and which provided a major boost for Corbijn's career.
They are genuinely a band without peers.
And yet Depeche Mode are still MASSIVELY underrated and undervalued in the UK and it is a wrong that really should be righted - starting, in rather pathetic fashion, here, on the home of musical correctness...
A Depeche Mode 'top five' for DHS purposes is laughably impossible - but this is my best stab at it... (As befitting a 'pop band' I've limited my choice to singles and excluded all album tracks and/or remixes - but even so that's leaving somewhere around 90% of their eligible material out of the list. I've also kept it to the period during which they were my biggest influence, which is absolutely not to say that their more recent stuff isn't worthy.) So, in chronological order;
- See You (4th single, 1982)
- Blasphemous Rumours (12th single, 1984)
- A Question Of Lust (16th single, 1986)
- Personal Jesus (23rd single, 1989)
- Walking In My Shoes (28th single, 1993)
Wallop.
Friday, 16 August 2013
DHS 11 - Part 12 (D)
Oh my oh my oh my. As I remarked to Hodgson in an unremembered and frankly inconceivable series of drunken texts a couple of weekends ago - its been a long time. There is no need to go into the why on this here page, devoted as it is to music and particularly D, H & S music. Suffice to say that as ever I am reminded of the power of music and its ability to lift you up, if only temporarily. Two months and 6 days since the last post here and that is truly shocking, I shall endeavour to do better next time when hopefully I am back to full fitness, available for selection and not cluttering up the physio's room. So without further ado...
Kev
Loving 'Saturday' the original. Had a remake of this that I used to hammer way back when, think it might have been by full intention but cant be sure. It had a grey cover though. Possibly on credence. Ace tune.
Same goes for 'I want your love' that's a stone cold classic right there isn't it. Cant fault it in any way - a solid choice and great addition to the hallowed lists.
Hmmm David Bowie... never really been a fan of his but love 'Lets Dance' but only because of that riff which has DEFINITELY been used in a rap record - I want to say by the Notorious BIG, but it might equally be Puff Daddy, someone of that ilk anyway. Don't like Bowies voice I don't think.
Unfortunately 'Spacer' doesn't do it for me, been trying to think of why - could be all the 80's power chords, or that main hook I think, but no, not for me Im afraid.
However 'Im coming out' is tremendous, and this one was definitely used by the Biggie / Puff Daddy crew and the track I believe was 'mo money, mo problems' those boys definitely had some Nile Rodgers love. Good Selection Mr S.
Hodge
So its all about the Mothersole eh, and his roots of trance mix. Interesting. Was never a big fan of the 80's electro stuff unless it used strings really. This one has been sampled by MARRS I think ? Not sure it works on its own, not for me anyway - just sounds too dated and gimmicky as a lot of that stuff was then.
'Unveiling the secret' I do like, has a nice little melody in it, but that vocal just about gets away with it for me. Again sounds so dated, and not in a good way. Maybe I just don't like 80s dance ??
Zoolookologie is again very gimmicky isn't it ? Like someone trying out all the buttons on their new fx keyboard. Which is a shame because I think there is a half decent tune dying to get out of there somewhere.
Ha ha - 'Jabdah' is surely a classic 80s synth record, have heard this many times in many ways. Was certain some Spandau ballet-esque vocal was going to burst out over the top of it, but thankfully not. Top tune !
'Humanoid Invasion' is new to me (great name) but the main riff has been sampled and Ive heard it somewhere else. Very uplifting and very nice indeed, a good tune to end with Hodge old boy - top work.
Im going to burst the current trend and go for 5 records that have absolutely nothing in common...
Drake 'Started from the Bottom'
I love this, I don't know why really. Great tune, like his voice and the production is slick. All the swearing is a bit unnecessary really but it always gets my head bobbing. Dope.
Kanye & Jay-Z 'No Church in the Wild'
Top top tune this one. Great bass drum, nice strings and while Kanye I can take or leave, the singing vocal is perfectly offset by Jay-Z's lyrical flow and the whole thing is superbly out together. Not sure about the ending though...
Rodriguez 'Sugar Man'
Love this album and the story behind it is ace. Recorded the album in South America, completely flopped. Went about his life as a working musician. 25 years later he discovered hes one of the best selling artists in South Africa EVER and is owed a shitload of royalties. Apparently they thought he was dead or something. Likely story. Anyway this album is well worth a check, especially this track and 'cause' which has some great strings. His song have great lyrics and nice melodies.
Elvis Costello 'She'
Went to a free gig at Hyde Park a little while back. Elton John was meant to be playing but when he bailed they made it gratis. Costello played - this was his best one. And I love it from Notting Hill too.
The Kinks 'You really got me'
Ray Davies played after Elvis and he really got the place rocking with all the kinks tunes, this one of course being the most famous and rocking of them all.
Enjoy
One love
Kev
Loving 'Saturday' the original. Had a remake of this that I used to hammer way back when, think it might have been by full intention but cant be sure. It had a grey cover though. Possibly on credence. Ace tune.
Same goes for 'I want your love' that's a stone cold classic right there isn't it. Cant fault it in any way - a solid choice and great addition to the hallowed lists.
Hmmm David Bowie... never really been a fan of his but love 'Lets Dance' but only because of that riff which has DEFINITELY been used in a rap record - I want to say by the Notorious BIG, but it might equally be Puff Daddy, someone of that ilk anyway. Don't like Bowies voice I don't think.
Unfortunately 'Spacer' doesn't do it for me, been trying to think of why - could be all the 80's power chords, or that main hook I think, but no, not for me Im afraid.
However 'Im coming out' is tremendous, and this one was definitely used by the Biggie / Puff Daddy crew and the track I believe was 'mo money, mo problems' those boys definitely had some Nile Rodgers love. Good Selection Mr S.
Hodge
So its all about the Mothersole eh, and his roots of trance mix. Interesting. Was never a big fan of the 80's electro stuff unless it used strings really. This one has been sampled by MARRS I think ? Not sure it works on its own, not for me anyway - just sounds too dated and gimmicky as a lot of that stuff was then.
'Unveiling the secret' I do like, has a nice little melody in it, but that vocal just about gets away with it for me. Again sounds so dated, and not in a good way. Maybe I just don't like 80s dance ??
Zoolookologie is again very gimmicky isn't it ? Like someone trying out all the buttons on their new fx keyboard. Which is a shame because I think there is a half decent tune dying to get out of there somewhere.
Ha ha - 'Jabdah' is surely a classic 80s synth record, have heard this many times in many ways. Was certain some Spandau ballet-esque vocal was going to burst out over the top of it, but thankfully not. Top tune !
'Humanoid Invasion' is new to me (great name) but the main riff has been sampled and Ive heard it somewhere else. Very uplifting and very nice indeed, a good tune to end with Hodge old boy - top work.
Im going to burst the current trend and go for 5 records that have absolutely nothing in common...
Drake 'Started from the Bottom'
I love this, I don't know why really. Great tune, like his voice and the production is slick. All the swearing is a bit unnecessary really but it always gets my head bobbing. Dope.
Kanye & Jay-Z 'No Church in the Wild'
Top top tune this one. Great bass drum, nice strings and while Kanye I can take or leave, the singing vocal is perfectly offset by Jay-Z's lyrical flow and the whole thing is superbly out together. Not sure about the ending though...
Rodriguez 'Sugar Man'
Love this album and the story behind it is ace. Recorded the album in South America, completely flopped. Went about his life as a working musician. 25 years later he discovered hes one of the best selling artists in South Africa EVER and is owed a shitload of royalties. Apparently they thought he was dead or something. Likely story. Anyway this album is well worth a check, especially this track and 'cause' which has some great strings. His song have great lyrics and nice melodies.
Elvis Costello 'She'
Went to a free gig at Hyde Park a little while back. Elton John was meant to be playing but when he bailed they made it gratis. Costello played - this was his best one. And I love it from Notting Hill too.
The Kinks 'You really got me'
Ray Davies played after Elvis and he really got the place rocking with all the kinks tunes, this one of course being the most famous and rocking of them all.
Enjoy
One love
Monday, 8 July 2013
DHS-LP 02 (S)
The Jam - Setting Sons (late 1979 - fourth album)
The scene is the late 1970s. British rock/pop music is catalysing the 'new-wave' wave that would follow several years of increasingly predictable and formulaic sub-genres of rock - progressive, heavy/metal, glam, etc. The American led but UK owned rebellion that exploded in 1976 as Punk msSanifested itself abruptly and blazed bright, but short. Disco was hovering awkwardly somewhere in the background like a shy young thing who's not quite yet out of the closet - and all things musical got slightly confused for a short while...
In the midst of this confusion there was a genuine curiosity and, even, trepidation as to what would come next. And into that very space stepped Paul Weller with his first band.
The Jam's first two albums, 'In The City' and, 'This Is The Modern World' had been released more or less one straight after the other in 1977 - the first had created great excitement whilst the second suffered slightly from 'difficult second album syndrome'. More time was taken over the release of the third album, 'All Mod Cons', and that patience was rewarded as the band consolidated their small, dedicated, fan-base who saw something in Weller and his band that might be what they were looking for at the end of the seventies, as 'punk' died and 'rock' floundered. The interest in, and acclaim for, singles like 'Strange Town' and 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight - (my favourite Jam song and a genuine top ten of all time) had paved the way and the hungry public were curious for something bigger.
Then, in '79, they dropped the 'Eton Rifles' single and followed it a couple of weeks later with the 'Setting Sons' album. And all three of them, the single, the band and their album completely blew up. At this stage I was ten years old - I had very recently been given my first (mono) radio/tape-recorder. I had started following the Top 40 chart on Radio 1 and I loved 'Geno' by Dexy's Midnight Runners. And then I heard 'Eton Rifles'.
I can't, and therefore won't, pretend that I was a HUGE Jam fan from that point on. I loved Eton Rifles from first listen but I was ten years old and it took another four or five years - by which time the band were long gone - before I'd get to hear the 'Setting Sons' album in full...
The thing about the album is, the MAIN thing about the album - apart from the intensity of the music and the 'tightness' of The Jam as a musical band, - is Paul Weller's lyrics. The bloke was 20 years old when most of the songs were written and the album recorded. And for a 20 year old his lyrics are, I believe, extraordinary. Just listen closely to 'Girl On the Phone', (rant against proto-celebrity-stalking-culture); 'Thick As Thieves', (lament for lost innocence of childhood friendships); 'Private Hell', (scathingly harsh treatment of the banality of meaningless suburban married life, written from the Prozac fuelled house-wife's point of view); 'Little Boy Soldiers', (polemic ditty about futility of political war); 'Smithers-Jones' (brilliantly harsh critique of the culture behind London's then rapidly expanding commuter-belt) - and that's only half the album covered...
I haven't not mentioned the other tracks 'cos their lyrics are any weaker - I just want to leave a few to discover for yourselves upon (what I imagine to be a) first listen.
Plus the album finishes on 'Heatwave' - the Jam's first recorded cover version and the first indication that Paul Weller's future would encompass a mellower, blacker, more soulful, r'n'b influenced tone.
Ten songs. Not a single bland one, let alone bad one. A properly great album and I commend it to you.
S
x
The scene is the late 1970s. British rock/pop music is catalysing the 'new-wave' wave that would follow several years of increasingly predictable and formulaic sub-genres of rock - progressive, heavy/metal, glam, etc. The American led but UK owned rebellion that exploded in 1976 as Punk msSanifested itself abruptly and blazed bright, but short. Disco was hovering awkwardly somewhere in the background like a shy young thing who's not quite yet out of the closet - and all things musical got slightly confused for a short while...
In the midst of this confusion there was a genuine curiosity and, even, trepidation as to what would come next. And into that very space stepped Paul Weller with his first band.
The Jam's first two albums, 'In The City' and, 'This Is The Modern World' had been released more or less one straight after the other in 1977 - the first had created great excitement whilst the second suffered slightly from 'difficult second album syndrome'. More time was taken over the release of the third album, 'All Mod Cons', and that patience was rewarded as the band consolidated their small, dedicated, fan-base who saw something in Weller and his band that might be what they were looking for at the end of the seventies, as 'punk' died and 'rock' floundered. The interest in, and acclaim for, singles like 'Strange Town' and 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight - (my favourite Jam song and a genuine top ten of all time) had paved the way and the hungry public were curious for something bigger.
Then, in '79, they dropped the 'Eton Rifles' single and followed it a couple of weeks later with the 'Setting Sons' album. And all three of them, the single, the band and their album completely blew up. At this stage I was ten years old - I had very recently been given my first (mono) radio/tape-recorder. I had started following the Top 40 chart on Radio 1 and I loved 'Geno' by Dexy's Midnight Runners. And then I heard 'Eton Rifles'.
I can't, and therefore won't, pretend that I was a HUGE Jam fan from that point on. I loved Eton Rifles from first listen but I was ten years old and it took another four or five years - by which time the band were long gone - before I'd get to hear the 'Setting Sons' album in full...
The thing about the album is, the MAIN thing about the album - apart from the intensity of the music and the 'tightness' of The Jam as a musical band, - is Paul Weller's lyrics. The bloke was 20 years old when most of the songs were written and the album recorded. And for a 20 year old his lyrics are, I believe, extraordinary. Just listen closely to 'Girl On the Phone', (rant against proto-celebrity-stalking-culture); 'Thick As Thieves', (lament for lost innocence of childhood friendships); 'Private Hell', (scathingly harsh treatment of the banality of meaningless suburban married life, written from the Prozac fuelled house-wife's point of view); 'Little Boy Soldiers', (polemic ditty about futility of political war); 'Smithers-Jones' (brilliantly harsh critique of the culture behind London's then rapidly expanding commuter-belt) - and that's only half the album covered...
I haven't not mentioned the other tracks 'cos their lyrics are any weaker - I just want to leave a few to discover for yourselves upon (what I imagine to be a) first listen.
Plus the album finishes on 'Heatwave' - the Jam's first recorded cover version and the first indication that Paul Weller's future would encompass a mellower, blacker, more soulful, r'n'b influenced tone.
Ten songs. Not a single bland one, let alone bad one. A properly great album and I commend it to you.
S
x
Wednesday, 19 June 2013
DHS-LP 01 - The thoughts of S...
DHS-LP 01
(H) Photek - 'Modus Operandi'
(D) The Chemical Brothers - 'Exit Planet Dust'
Interesting eh?!
At least to me it was, has been so far, and is - the transition of the DHS model from a handful of potentially disparate tracks into one where the focus is on one artist and a body of their work.
In terms of reviewing your choices I'm going to opt for a different model too - at least for this first round - we'll see how it goes for subsequent selections. What I mean is that I'm not going to write about track-by-track, but more take them at the album level - if not actually the (macro) genre level...
I'm intrigued, although not necessarily surprised, that you've both started off this DHS-LP adventure by choosing albums not only by 'dance' acts but by dance acts from a specific period - second half of
the nineties. I find this intriguing for two reasons.
Firstly I think that, more than any other broad musical 'genre', post-acid-house-dance-music successfully lends itself to the 'single' format rather than the longer playing album. The freedom that the single format conveys is much enjoyed by producers who will put out release after release across a variety of (relatively unrelated/obscure) styles and under a similar variety of pseudonyms, thus allowing each track to stand or fall alone on its own limited merits - as directly opposed to collating all those releases under one name and releasing a much riskier 'multi-(sub)genre' album. Most other rock/pop/indie/folk/etc acts generally only ever release under one name/identity. This dilution inevitably waters down both the numbers of dance-music artist albums and the quality of the tracks therein. As the 21st century has developed I think this has become less so the case - there are more esoteric 'dance' albums released now than ever before - but it took producer(s) with BIG balls to nail their musical colours to the album mast in the mid/late nineties to give momentum.
Secondly I find your choices intriguing for their very era of release - the mid nineties - quite simply the era in which you both 'fully succumbed' to dance music. Not remotely surprising but vaguely intriguing in that DHS-LP is a new venture and mid 90s dance music is something we all share in common and is therefore relatively safe ground. Also worth noting is how hip-hop influenced both albums are - again, no great surprise given both of your predilections for the slower, phatter, beat.
As for the albums themselves...
It will come as no surprise that I find the Photek sound more pleasing than that of the Chemical Brothers - despite the Chemical Brothers album offering an arguably broader range of sound than Photek's.
On Modus Operandi; 'Smoke Rings', 'Aleph 1' and '124' would be my pick of the album's content. Although there is no denying that the entire thing is fantastically produced and the quality of sound is great. Somewhat bizarrely it is the album's title track that is my least favourite - I'm really not a big fan of the overtly jazzy drum and bass sound. Decent album though, 6.5/10 for me.
As for Exit Planet Dust; firstly let me say I'm not a fan of 'segued' artist albums - you know, where there is no distinct gap between tracks but they're not actually 'mixed' in any constructive way...? This is, in places, such an album. Unfortunately. I like the dubby feel of 'One Too Many Mornings' and 'Alive Alone'. Other than those my favourite thing on here by a MILE - and still just about the best thing they've ever done is 'Song To The Siren' albeit that tragically they didn't use the fuller original version that they recorded as The Dust Brothers, whilst the full 10+ minute Sabres Of Paradise remix of it (released on Junior Boys Own) is genuinely a Top 20 of all time dance record contender. Again, decent album, for me a 6/10.
DHS-LP truly underway - looking forward to the next round of choices.
x
(H) Photek - 'Modus Operandi'
(D) The Chemical Brothers - 'Exit Planet Dust'
Interesting eh?!
At least to me it was, has been so far, and is - the transition of the DHS model from a handful of potentially disparate tracks into one where the focus is on one artist and a body of their work.
In terms of reviewing your choices I'm going to opt for a different model too - at least for this first round - we'll see how it goes for subsequent selections. What I mean is that I'm not going to write about track-by-track, but more take them at the album level - if not actually the (macro) genre level...
I'm intrigued, although not necessarily surprised, that you've both started off this DHS-LP adventure by choosing albums not only by 'dance' acts but by dance acts from a specific period - second half of
the nineties. I find this intriguing for two reasons.
Firstly I think that, more than any other broad musical 'genre', post-acid-house-dance-music successfully lends itself to the 'single' format rather than the longer playing album. The freedom that the single format conveys is much enjoyed by producers who will put out release after release across a variety of (relatively unrelated/obscure) styles and under a similar variety of pseudonyms, thus allowing each track to stand or fall alone on its own limited merits - as directly opposed to collating all those releases under one name and releasing a much riskier 'multi-(sub)genre' album. Most other rock/pop/indie/folk/etc acts generally only ever release under one name/identity. This dilution inevitably waters down both the numbers of dance-music artist albums and the quality of the tracks therein. As the 21st century has developed I think this has become less so the case - there are more esoteric 'dance' albums released now than ever before - but it took producer(s) with BIG balls to nail their musical colours to the album mast in the mid/late nineties to give momentum.
Secondly I find your choices intriguing for their very era of release - the mid nineties - quite simply the era in which you both 'fully succumbed' to dance music. Not remotely surprising but vaguely intriguing in that DHS-LP is a new venture and mid 90s dance music is something we all share in common and is therefore relatively safe ground. Also worth noting is how hip-hop influenced both albums are - again, no great surprise given both of your predilections for the slower, phatter, beat.
As for the albums themselves...
It will come as no surprise that I find the Photek sound more pleasing than that of the Chemical Brothers - despite the Chemical Brothers album offering an arguably broader range of sound than Photek's.
On Modus Operandi; 'Smoke Rings', 'Aleph 1' and '124' would be my pick of the album's content. Although there is no denying that the entire thing is fantastically produced and the quality of sound is great. Somewhat bizarrely it is the album's title track that is my least favourite - I'm really not a big fan of the overtly jazzy drum and bass sound. Decent album though, 6.5/10 for me.
As for Exit Planet Dust; firstly let me say I'm not a fan of 'segued' artist albums - you know, where there is no distinct gap between tracks but they're not actually 'mixed' in any constructive way...? This is, in places, such an album. Unfortunately. I like the dubby feel of 'One Too Many Mornings' and 'Alive Alone'. Other than those my favourite thing on here by a MILE - and still just about the best thing they've ever done is 'Song To The Siren' albeit that tragically they didn't use the fuller original version that they recorded as The Dust Brothers, whilst the full 10+ minute Sabres Of Paradise remix of it (released on Junior Boys Own) is genuinely a Top 20 of all time dance record contender. Again, decent album, for me a 6/10.
DHS-LP truly underway - looking forward to the next round of choices.
x
Monday, 10 June 2013
DHS 11 - Part 11 (H)
It has been over a month, very remiss of me - sincere apologies.
D:
Patton - very very lovely (must be made longer); Gerrard - beautiful and serene, goosebumps; Armstrong - a class act as always; Eurythmics - one of the most influential records in my life for sure, have removed it from my potentials list; Reed - indirectly this is also one of the most influential records in my life - simply superb.
S:
Jean Wright - classic; Chic - timeless classic, Bowie - quite comfortably, for my money anyway, one of his top 3 records; Sheila - many happy memories of 6th form, cracking record; Ross - well and absolutely truly one of the most classic tracks in this genre ever produced. I actually prefer "I Want your Love" as it retains a little understated moodiness, but this record is totally iconic and the production / sounds were, and still are, much coveted and relevant now (for purists anyway)
Not planned to be back-to-back with S's tribute at all, it's just a timing situation because I'm listening to one particular mix A LOT again recently due to the sunny weather.....
My next selection is a big nod to Mr Dave Mothersole for introducing me to a whole plethora of absolutely incredible music which was recorded and put together in the 80's but 95% of which has been new to my ears. It is the superb, melodic, chuggy, hypnotic and hugely varied sound of the early morning Goa parties c.'83-'89 which he summed up with his "Unveiling The Secret - The Roots of Trance" mix; itself a tribute to the mythical Laurent who conducted his mixing of music via cassette decks - quite incredible by all accounts. SO happy to have been introduced this music... the emotions I went through when I first heard the style were, dare I say it, very similar to how I felt as a 7 year old kid when I first heard acid house in the late 80's... someone build be a time machine.... If you haven't listened to Dave's mix for a while do go back and revisit it (Soundcloud) but for the meantime here are five of my (many) favourites from the mix:-
Habiba
Unveiling The Secret
Zoolookologie
(These last two just made me lose my mind when mixed together; absolute power - you will understand why this music is often termed as 'proto-trance' by Mothersole and others)
Jabdah
Humanoid Invasion.
Keep on keeping on,
H
D:
Patton - very very lovely (must be made longer); Gerrard - beautiful and serene, goosebumps; Armstrong - a class act as always; Eurythmics - one of the most influential records in my life for sure, have removed it from my potentials list; Reed - indirectly this is also one of the most influential records in my life - simply superb.
S:
Jean Wright - classic; Chic - timeless classic, Bowie - quite comfortably, for my money anyway, one of his top 3 records; Sheila - many happy memories of 6th form, cracking record; Ross - well and absolutely truly one of the most classic tracks in this genre ever produced. I actually prefer "I Want your Love" as it retains a little understated moodiness, but this record is totally iconic and the production / sounds were, and still are, much coveted and relevant now (for purists anyway)
Not planned to be back-to-back with S's tribute at all, it's just a timing situation because I'm listening to one particular mix A LOT again recently due to the sunny weather.....
My next selection is a big nod to Mr Dave Mothersole for introducing me to a whole plethora of absolutely incredible music which was recorded and put together in the 80's but 95% of which has been new to my ears. It is the superb, melodic, chuggy, hypnotic and hugely varied sound of the early morning Goa parties c.'83-'89 which he summed up with his "Unveiling The Secret - The Roots of Trance" mix; itself a tribute to the mythical Laurent who conducted his mixing of music via cassette decks - quite incredible by all accounts. SO happy to have been introduced this music... the emotions I went through when I first heard the style were, dare I say it, very similar to how I felt as a 7 year old kid when I first heard acid house in the late 80's... someone build be a time machine.... If you haven't listened to Dave's mix for a while do go back and revisit it (Soundcloud) but for the meantime here are five of my (many) favourites from the mix:-
Habiba
Unveiling The Secret
Zoolookologie
(These last two just made me lose my mind when mixed together; absolute power - you will understand why this music is often termed as 'proto-trance' by Mothersole and others)
Jabdah
Humanoid Invasion.
Keep on keeping on,
H
Sunday, 5 May 2013
DHS 11 - Part 10 (S)
Chaps, apologies for tardiness in updating - I'll make this as concise as possible in reparation...
H's 5;
The two tracks off the Jozif mix are just splendid - about as far up my alley as you can get... *ahem* Herbert is nice enough although, if I'm going to be absolutely honest, I prefer the other version of the Apparat tune which is beautiful - the 'noise' version is more intense but hey-ho... Zimmer - that 'Raincry' sample is a proper spine-tingling thing.
D's 5;
Mike Patton - kindly commission him to make a version at least four minutes longer. Lisa Gerrard - lovely, lovely, tone to her voice. Craig Armstrong deserves a LOT more of my attention - anything I've ever heard by him is wonderful - this 'Storm' tune proves it to me - lovely. Eurthymics - possibly THE most recognisable first two seconds of a record - classic. Lou Reed - a song partially about transvestite blow-jobs - what's not to love? Stone. Cold. Classic. Whatever that means...
My 5;
Staying with the 'five-from-one-artist-theme', this lot is all about Nile Rodgers.
A couple of years back I read a blog somewhere that suggested Nile Rodgers was battling cancer. I googled around it and sure enough it was true. And he was documenting his own struggle against it on his website. And then - at exactly the same time - I came across a CD box-set of 'Chic' productions which served as a timely reminder of the man's absolute dancefloor genius. Since then I've read more about him, marvelled at the extent of his influence across modern music, watched a truly brilliant recent BBC documentary about him and generally just been somewhat in awe. And then Daft Punk released this summer's earworm and guess who'd played the bassline and twiddled the studio knobs...
Picking a mere five was frankly daft but here goes - Nile Rodgers - absolute total and utter dance music GOD.
Norma Jean Wright - Saturday (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
Chic - I Want Your Love
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Sheila - Spacer
Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out
x
H's 5;
The two tracks off the Jozif mix are just splendid - about as far up my alley as you can get... *ahem* Herbert is nice enough although, if I'm going to be absolutely honest, I prefer the other version of the Apparat tune which is beautiful - the 'noise' version is more intense but hey-ho... Zimmer - that 'Raincry' sample is a proper spine-tingling thing.
D's 5;
Mike Patton - kindly commission him to make a version at least four minutes longer. Lisa Gerrard - lovely, lovely, tone to her voice. Craig Armstrong deserves a LOT more of my attention - anything I've ever heard by him is wonderful - this 'Storm' tune proves it to me - lovely. Eurthymics - possibly THE most recognisable first two seconds of a record - classic. Lou Reed - a song partially about transvestite blow-jobs - what's not to love? Stone. Cold. Classic. Whatever that means...
My 5;
Staying with the 'five-from-one-artist-theme', this lot is all about Nile Rodgers.
A couple of years back I read a blog somewhere that suggested Nile Rodgers was battling cancer. I googled around it and sure enough it was true. And he was documenting his own struggle against it on his website. And then - at exactly the same time - I came across a CD box-set of 'Chic' productions which served as a timely reminder of the man's absolute dancefloor genius. Since then I've read more about him, marvelled at the extent of his influence across modern music, watched a truly brilliant recent BBC documentary about him and generally just been somewhat in awe. And then Daft Punk released this summer's earworm and guess who'd played the bassline and twiddled the studio knobs...
Picking a mere five was frankly daft but here goes - Nile Rodgers - absolute total and utter dance music GOD.
Norma Jean Wright - Saturday (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
Chic - I Want Your Love
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Sheila - Spacer
Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out
x
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