DHS 12 - Part 13 (S)

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

*shakes head*

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


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



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

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

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

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

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

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

xx

DHS 12 - Part 12 (D)

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

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

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

S

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

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

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

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

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

A really great selection there bigman, muchas gracias.

H

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

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

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

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

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

Anyway, another top selection.

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

The Field ‘They won’t see me’

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

Alt-J ‘Tessellate’

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

Alt-J ‘Hunger of the Pine’

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

Aim ‘Demonique’

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

Dustin O’Halloran ‘We move lightly’

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

 Until next time

One love

DHS 12 Part 11 (H)

Sorry.  Over a month has passed.
D
C&C - huge
Bee gees - huge
Sister sledge - HUGE
daft punk - don't even get me started on tunes off their first LP... I know they're not terribly complicated but I was 17 when that album came out and it had a massive impact on me and how my adult tastes evolved into what they are now (I'm notably talking about the chuggy disco stuff which I've loved over the last 4 or 5 years)
Morricone - I think my love for his music in the big clintwood spaghetti western trilogy is well documented.  Some people don't rate the pictures but I love them.. I grew up watching them with my old man and regard them as classics.  I just like listening to his best of cd/playlist... I get why they used this for dramatic effect/as an opening but the crowd stuff just bugs me... I'd rather not have to hear them!

S
Domain - beautiful... Yes it is in there for sure... Subtly done.  Lush.
Love beat - painfully beautiful... The a side of this has been in my potential list for several years now
You are my sister - nicely delivered vocal as you say and fair play to him
Reverie - saw this on the forum and immediately added it to my masterlist... It is without question another of the best records from this year.  STRINGS! Reminds me of that epic funk d'void remix of Vince watsons work from about three summers ago.  Pure class.
Etherwood - how have I not been on this kid since his LP came out end of last year?!... Def the man of the moment for me.....

Neatly, KS' last track leads me into my next five, a small taste of my soundtrack to the summer

Etherwood Rmx - just lush... The kid is really talented  with his own work and he can also tear up a remix and make it infinitely better than the source material as this shows.  So lush.

Talabot Rmx - someone posted this on a (once fun and informative) music forum.. I check in from time to time and I'm glad that I do when people bother to use it for what it's meant for: sharing the great music that's out there and chatting about it.

Fort romeau Rmx - bought two or three things that fort romeau did last year... This being probably my favourite... Cracking melody, feel good, summery-sunshine house.

Caribou - back with something to challenge the uplifting melody of "Jamelia" ... Similarly I think this is crying out for someone to edit it and bolster the kick drums to make it a bit of a bigger sound.  No doubt one of my faves this year though.

Tuff city kids Rmx - I CANNOT get this out of my head ... I absolutely love it and truth be told I have no idea why... I find it completely infectious, but it's not as if the bass line is exactly anything complicated... The shimmery/spectral echoey sound, simple but adds a great mood... The even love the frankly weird sounding vocal.... Digweed stuck it on the Miami compilation and I've listened to it non stop since... This is another of those tunes that if heard in a club would signify to me that it was about to step up a gear and kick off.  Def a highlight for the summer.

Hope you enjoy one or two... There's lots more to add from his year, it's been a belter so far in my opinion.

K.O.K.O
H

DHS 12 - part 10 (S)

Evenings are drawing in then...

H
Joy To The World - all I can say is 'Thank You' - genuinely 'Thank you' - not so much for the introduction but for the very, very timely reminder - what a dribblingly gorgeous thing...

Broken - you're right, it sounds absolutely immaculate - was initially torn on whether I'd ever play it but I've picked the EP up and am 87/13 on the yes side so stand by your pause buttons...

Okinawa - can't fault it in any way other than that tiny 'spark' that just somehow isn't there for me

Rift Valley - (think D conflated his description of this and your description 'The End' in his last posting - maybe not - whatever...) - the fact that I pretty much built a mix around this a while back (as H alluded to) tells you what I think of this - it's beautiful.  It's wonderfully, wonderfully, uplifting.  It's simple as all hell but it's so, so good.  What a fantastic remix.  (To suggest that it takes slightly too long to get the 'money shot' and then it's over too quickly, would be churlish...)

The End - big fan of Joe T Vanelli since 20 years ago - big fan of HS82 since 3 years ago - two of them together was never going to go wrong was it...  Just about as good as 'bog-standard' house music gets in 2014 - and I mean that to sound better than it comes across when you read it...


D
C&C - always uses to get this lot muddled up with Snap! - having explored both again before writing this I think Snap! just edge it for me although 'Sweat' is better than 'Ooops Up' and 'Cult Of Snap' but behind 'The Power' and 'Rhythm Is A Dancer'.  There is no need  at all to bring Technotronic into it at this stage...

Bee Gees - you'll never find me saying anything bad about this lot or this tune...

Sister Sledge - or this lot and this tune - although a separate exploration of the various edits/remixes of it might be interesting to pin down a collective favourite - I think this original has been bettered...

Daft Punk - I think your description was bob-on D, 'filtered summer beach fun'...

Metallica - I'm all for the crowd involvement and atmosphere but there's only room in my ears for one Metallica tune - sorry, I know that's pathetic but that's the way it is... (it's 'Nothing Else Matters' performed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra)

S
Domain - so, we've had Pachelbel's 'Cannon' when H posted the 'original' - then I slung it up in the guise of a 90's indie band sing-a-long and now it's here again - or is it, drifting in and out between crashing wave sounds and metallic wind-charmer chimes, it's kind of there but it isn't really and yet it absolutely is - a retrospective glance back at the Future Sound of London.

Love Beat - this is the musical equivalent of meeting someone you've known for years and kind of fancied from afar but kept your 'cool' distance from because you're 'cool' right?  But then suddenly you're confronted up close and personal and all pretence has gone straight out the window and you're just a gibbering wreck unable to control syllables let alone sentences as the beauty that you always knew was there is suddenly made manifest x1000 and your eyes glaze over and you don't even want to breathe anymore and then the piano kicks in and you dissolve into pointless gloop...

You Are My Sister - Boy George guests on a duet from 2005's Mercury Prize winning album - suggest you put aside the gender-bending logistics of the lyric and just wallow in the emotion of the delivery...

Reverie - every now and then a dance track leaps unheralded from the miasma surrounding it and grabs my attention.  For every ten that do so there's maybe two or three that get more than one or two subsequent plays.  Relatively rarely then does a track leap unheralded from the surrounding miasma, grab my attention, get played several times and then go on to be microscopically lasered into the very fabric of my musical clothing.  This one did.  Immense.

Hold Your Breath - piano, emotive vocal, gigantically swelling strings, thundering breakbeat, incredibly laid-back bass - repeat in various combinations - fade - genuine musical perfection 

xx

DHS 12 - Part 9 (D)

Afternoon all,

Im off to Hampton Court Palace to watch the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with some picnic action and fireworks tonight, which could really be something - cant wait. Not that the RPO will be gracing my selections anytime soon I wouldn't have thought, but in such a setting it should be an evening of aural pleasure. Speaking of which, my grateful thanks for your recent selections...

S-Dog
Enola Gay is a tune I am sure I must have heard before - the infectious hook sounds very familiar as does the melody. Proper nice tune that, and while its very 80's the lyrics are not as asinine as you usually got from the synth bashers at that time. Nice.
Dreamy Days is a tune I havent heard before, and neither have I listened to Roots Manuva at all - MacArthur Park again - impressive effort there Kev. Best rapper from the UK ? Hmmm not so sure about that but this is a boss cut, added to my list. Top work.
Fantastic man - I see what you say about it being bonkers; its certainly that but I have no idea whether I like it or not. Even after at least half a dozen listens I cant tell, some days I like it some days its like someone dragging an iron glove across a blackboard !
Winter in June - solid enough prog record for me, cant quite feel the amount of love for it that you do my friend but nice enough.
All Together Now is a stone cold classic. Takes me back to my mis-spent youth and even though it fills me with some melancholic feelings thats more to do with what was happening at the time rather than the record. Top tune.

H-Bomb
Sorry mate, but Joy to the World is bringing no joy to me at all. To me it's really bleak, cant get onside with it, just makes my skin itch.
Broken however is an absolutely wonderful tune - so atmospheric and that bass break is immense. Great filtered vocal and a wonderfully restrained feeling to the whole thing - on a big system it would blow your socks off. Definitely deserves that medal !
Okinawa - you are right, I totally wouldnt associate this with Digweed but its been so long since I heard him or one of his mixes that to be honest I have no idea what he plays. This is very nice though, understated for me against 'hugely uplifting' for you - which says a lot about our difference in tastes I think !
The Rift Valley - no idea what 'burning man' mix you mention here, but then I am so far out of the dance music groove in the last few months thats not surprising. Care to forward on. This reminds me strongly of 'somewhere over the rainbow' by the IZ and really is very nice indeed - great use of melodies and strings you're right. Top job.

Ok my lot - a summery selection that always gets my toes tapping or makes me smile...
Gonna Make you sweat - C&C
On first impressions this is just a throw away pop song - certainly those lyrics suggest so, but I think its so much more than the normal trash that is wheeled out - the difference here is the production is immense. The layout and arrangement is very clever, bringing parts of the record in and out and thankfully keeping the 'rapping' to a minimum which actually gives it some charm for me. A step up from normal pop records.
Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
I have to fight the urge to strut when I hear this and Im walking somewhere. If I was at a party or a club and it came on - I'll be giving it plenty. Proper party music.
Sister Sledge - Lost in Music
Stone. Cold. Classic. No idea why we dont have a sister sledge record in DHS already...
Fresh - Daft Punk
Filtered summer beach fun with the Punk, one of several stand out tracks on their debut.
The Ecstacy of Gold - Metallica
Pretty sure they're just playing the Morricone recording as they use this for their intro, AND we've had this before but I absolutely adore the crowd joining in, gives it another dimension. So here it is. And here it is on youtube if you are so inclined: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihimYfIbrVo

One love

DHS 12 - Part 8 (H)

Much time has lapsed and much has changed for me lately so apologies for the delay.  I seem to remember posting a series of tunes from our last break in the West Country (about two years ago) under much more malign circumstances so this time will be a brighter feel :)

D,
Not really feeling this selection as much as some of your others to be honest mate... That said I like Alpha Male and Deesh for the reflective/moody vibe and they will be added to one of my electronica lists so nice one :)

S,
OMD - it's bona fide as one of the most instantly recognisable melodies of its era.  Geezers voice winds me up a little, but I'm sure there was an instrumental version? A mate of mine used to play it after fabric.. Could have that wrong though given the state of us back then.
Roots - could bang on and on and on about this kid. To me he he represents the birth of true UK hip hop becoming credible and from the streets to the (semi)mainstream. I CANED his first LP Brand new secondhand at uni and it still sounds good to this day. This is also a tune... I didn't really follow him properly after the first two LPs but ll be revisiting him by the power of spot now.
William O - cheeky chirpy little number which made me grin
Dance disorder Rmx - put simply this is quite possibly one of my fave tunes of the year thus far. This and co2o absolutely sublime.
The Farm - stunning. I'll be the one with my lighter in the air shouting "ONE MORE" at the top of my voice.

So, as seems to be the case with many of my additions .... Some tunes I've been nailing recently:

T-tauri : absolute stone cold classic record. Been listening to a few of JD's mix efforts recently, old and new (see below), and i dug out the first disc of his choice mix for the train which is I think is easily one of my fave retro mixes and contains a load of stuff you wouldn't necessarily associate with the bedrock boss. Lush tuneage.

Jobe - I posted on the board a few months back "the man deserves an award/medal for that bassline"... Pretty much sums it up really. Superb build, lovely pace and an utterly filthy bass drop.  So crisp, countless listens, never get bored... Great producer.

GA Rmx - fair play to sasha for churning out a couple of freebie mixes last year (1 mixmag cd, one online, both from Ibiza) which worked pretty well. Heard this Rmx and it really stuck out, immediately looked it up and was not at all surprised to see it was Gabriel Ananda... Has totally smashed it for five yrs+ now, really has this deep melodic sound nailed down... Gives it the wonky treatment on this outing which isn't usually my taste but it works superbly well.

RVD Rmx - The first two discs of JD's Argentina mixes are absolutely blinding (bar perhaps two tunes)... Again what I love about this is that you wouldn't necessarily associate this with Diggers yet if you go and see him play a full set (8hours) he will spend a good three or four hours playing lush, deep groovy records and the room has a superb party feel to it.  This is a prime example. Hugely uplifting (and one a I know struck a chord with another of our number considering its inclusion in a recent online mix release!). Summer happiness.

HS82 - another total gem from "that" Lee burridge mix from burning man festival.... Think it's been caned by all and sundry to be honest and rightly so.  What a totally stunning melody/string section/breakdown, vocal, production.... Just some totally lush sounding corresponding noises.  Great stuff.

Hope all goes well with each of you.
As ever: keep on keeping on,
H

DHS 12 - Part 7 (S)

H's 'hosing it down' selection;
Burial x 2 - both terrific - wonderful mood on Night Bus and Archangel is as classic a record as DHS has ever seen.  I would take this opportunity to say though that I've been somewhat disappointed with the recent Burial offerings that I've heard - the guy had such a distinctive and innovative sound that it was genuinely exciting to see where he'd go next but I'm left feeling a little flat...

The Cure - Plainsong - I don't need to say anything but could probably do two thousand words on it without pausing for breath.  Brilliant song from a faultless album - D, I implore you to give the album another chance...

Clubroot - Closure - this guy is beautifully mining the seams that Burial unveiled - gorgeous - fits the theme of your selection wonderfully but then half a dozen others across either album would've done.

Area Forty One - PRTCTN - the only one of the five not known to me previously - like it a lot - listened to the rest of their stuff on Spot and like it too - good work...

I would close that little section by saying it is absolutely hosing it down once more as I listen to the above again and write this piffle - all five wonderfully augmented by the rain hammering off the skylights - very apt.


D's 'all about two albums' selection;
I get somewhat conflicted by dance music artist albums - when they're good they're genuinely brilliant but by and large I just don't get them - God knows I've tried over the last 20+ years but time and again band after artist after band, album after album after album, fails to hit my spot - hey ho...

Royksopp x 2 - always had Royksopp filed under 'remixes are better than originals' - and listening back to these two does nothing to shift me from that although the initial build on Alpha Male is quite buoyant - leaves me wondering how good it could be if someone remixed it...

Mogwai - got intrigued a dozen years ago always seeing Sigur Ros bracketed alongside this lot (as well as Godspeed You Black Emperor and Mum!) so I investigated - almost all of it left me chilly if not cold but a GYBE track did make it onto Terminal Moraine.  Then, out of the blue, my 17 year old nephew asked me to source this, 'Rave Tapes', album for him in January, which I duly did - so this was my second opportunity to flick through the album.  Nothing here to dislike but hard to find stuff to adore - their sound seems to be halfway between Sigur Ros and God Is An Astronaut and I think I prefer each of the extremes.  I'd take 'No Medicine...' out of these three.


S's 'properly eclectic' selection;
OMD - Enola Gay - I was absolutely obsessed with this tune as kid in 1980 - so much so that I really wanted to know what 'Enola Gay' meant - I remember asking my teacher at school but he, nor anybody else, could help me so, pre-internet, I had to resort to getting my Dad to take me to the local library (we ran there and back together one afternoon before tea for some bizarre reason!) to research it and thus the lyrics all made sudden sense and added a greater poignancy to what I already felt as a strangely emotional tune.  Arguably THE first synth-pop classic and all about what remains the only ever unequivocal usage of WMD...

Roots Manuva - Dreamy Days - so, I've thrown MacArthur Park at you both twice, firstly in the guise of Richard Harris and then Donna Summer and I did tell you it hadn't finished - you'll find a sample thereof herein!  Boss tune from the best rapper this country has yet produced.  And that's me finished with MacArthur Park for now...

William Onyeabor - Fantastic Man - hang onto your hats lads, this is madness...  I got sent this late last year by a message board mate who wanted to use it in a mix but needed it 'warped' so it held a constant beat and wondered whether I could help.  It wasn't the easiest thing I've ever warped and by the time I was finished it was burnt into my head, where it remains to this day.  Absolute stone-cold bonkers mentalism. 

Snuff Crew - Winter In June (Dance Disorder remix) - this wasn't in my selection till last week - for the simple reason that I hadn't heard it this time last week.  Then a (completely different message board) mate posted it on his Google Plus feed and BOOM.  Hooked.  Completely.  Still don't know if I've made the right decision going for the remix over the original but I've done so simply 'cos the remix is longer and the bliss therefore lasts slightly longer.  Fantastic record.

The Farm - Altogether Now (Classical Mix) - Pachelbel innit.  Lads, I promise you now - if I ever get to play one last closing set, at a half-decent venue, with a decent crowd, this is my last, closing, tune.  Savagely fabulous.  Thank me later...

x