DHS 8 - Part 8 (H)

well done gents - some more top tuneage. D Lupe - I enjoy everything but the chorus to this! Cant say why, just grates on me. TV on Radio - as soon as I heard this I knew that I knew it - top track, well done for finding, D. The Game - it's ok - reminds me of Fiddy Cent/G-unit. Fatboy - it's a fun tune, from a fun LP some good memories. Moby - back once again... emotive, good melody with reasonable production.... PK rmx is still the don though. S ok - sorry for repetition, but it is factually correct... Rasoul - tune Three Drives - tune Solar Stone - tune Stryke/Oscar G - tune Lustral - TUNE Heavily moved by Estroe's recent Transitions mix - I could of actually picked Chymera's mix of Corrugated Tunnel's "Transist" but it's not such a good stand alone track imo. Check it out in Estroe's or Mothersole's recent mix for it's full effect... it needs to be mixed to sound less monotonous.... Still; I've managed to bookend this with Estroe's first and last records, both her own productions: Estroe - Emotional Rollercoaster perfect electronica to my ears, moody, emotive and beautiful - one of those tracks that I immediately had to look up as soon as I heard it...as the mix progressed I basically sat looking at the producers of the entire track list. Fritz Kalkbrenner (rmx) - Paul's brother has had a massive miami hit with the original of this (Sasha's been playing it mid set, it's def an energetic record and worth a listen).... the sun's coming back out and this is the pace of tune for me in the sunshine. DO NOT expect this to do anything/go anywhere - it just chugs along doing making nice bass sounds to slowed down samples of the original. The next two records have given me some hope that decent pop music is NOT entirely f -ed. Aloe Blacc - I Need a Dollar first heard this as the theme tune to How To Make it in America (same writers as Entourage). This kid can sing, and he now definitely knows how to write a pop/underground crossover. This LP is one of the best things I've listened to this year (released in 2010 but new to me), it has hip hop, soul, blues and reggae influences and the rich vocal's are just very refreshing to hear, considering he's in the US industry which is swamped with too artists who sound the same as each other. I think this will go big (if it hasn't already) Breakage / Jess Mills for some reason this really reminds me of the early 00's era with all the crossover vocal house records that were big, iio, Kosheen etc. It's nothing exciting in terms of what it does but it has a that energetic bass line and the little dubstep beat drop which slots over the 4-4 which means its immediately got mass chart/pop appeal for todays scene. Estroe Signing out with the tune that signed out Transitions show is the Distortion mix of Estroe's modern classic. This, for me, is just superb - it works; kooky top drums (not to mention a solid kick; a given) teaser melody, electronic vocal snippet, moody breakdown and effects, funky kicks and groovy bassline, acid loop (increasing intensity), then we're 5mins in and that fly-away melody drifts in and you've stopped breathing and are just existing. Sorry, got a bit carried away. Enjoy. H

DHS 8 - Part 7 (S)

Ok - the scenario would appear to be that I've been tag-teamed by two big heavyweights and backed right into a corner. I dropped my guard without realising it and took a short series of hefty blows. I've dropped my chin to my chest and covered up in an instinctively defensive reaction. The tag-team blows seem to have lulled and, having gathered myself and regained focus, it's time to come out swinging with a really quite damaging combination of Hooj punches.

DJ Rasoul - Oh Baby (Quin Whalley Remix) - !!BOOM!!

Three Drives - Greece 2000 (Farmatronic Genetic Mix) - ! KAPOW !

Solar Stone - Day By Day (Red Jerry's Dub) - !*THWACK*!

Oscar G & Stryke - Hypnotized (Red Jerry's Dubby Vocal) - @!* CRASH *!@

Lustral - Everytime (2007 Album Original) - **!* SMASH *!**

(And yes, before one of you tries a counter-attack, we have had the Lustral song before but it was a significantly different mix and the strings in this are quite sumptuous.)

Hooj were a great label who hit a very, very hot streak - between '96 and '02 if they released something I bought it without bothering to listen first. One of the things Hooj did very well was put a decent variety into their remix packages - and it is from there that this selection is largely made. So, having launched my come back a quick word about what preceded it...


Kanye - ok, here's the thing. This isn't hip-hop - it's pop-hop, or hip-pop, whichever you prefer. And it's not alone - there's countless records following the same template - a few melodic hooks in them (usually the chorus) and some rapped bits (often the verses). Some have more 'singing' than others. They're aimed squarely at commercial success. And that's fair enough. But the only difference between this and "Price Tag" is in the detail - they share the same broad brush strokes. Ashleigh's playlist has got loads of stuff like this - and I listen to it loads.

The Naked And Famous - undecided. A bit Kate Bushy. The kick drum's too prominent?

Who Made Who - yeah, nice. Knew this already and just my kind of thing.

Stefny Winter - I kind of agree with what you posted about it - the 'shimmering' middle section is lush - the rest of it borders on the the sort of techno I can't do - stays just on the right side though.

Beach House - Immense.

Lupe Fiasco - see Kanye above. Looking forward to giving the album a proper listen.

TV On The Radio - Interesting. A mate sent me another track off the same album (Halfway Home). Got an early Bloc Party feel to it. Which can only be good.

The Game - much more hip-hop than hip-pop. Ashleigh wouldn't like this at all. Not the most original subject matter but yeah, it works.

Fatboy Slim - works for me.

Moby - by far the most popular DHS artist. Pretty sure I've got a Laidback Luke remix of the original of this track, which, if I'm honest, I prefer to this 'quiet' treatment of it. DHS does like the Mobster though.

DHS 8 Part 6 (D)

Ah I love the smell of spotify in the evening - there's something just so right about sitting down for an hour or two and just looking up old favourite tunes and finding some new ones, always a pleasure never a chore... and now Ive got my 5 ready, but first some comments on the previous 10...

Firstly, and lets get this out of the way, Sully what the fuck were you thinking with Jessie J - do you really want to lose all the massive amounts of musical respect I have for you ? Do you really like that ? This is the doris whose other tune is called 'do it like a dude' for fucks sake. I think you had your fatherly love goggles on for this one... however 'do what you want' and 'I shall overcome' are corking tunes so I shall just about let you off... and always cool to hear a sample in its original form on the Bob James track.

Hodgson however, gold star chap. Runaway I dont know why I like it but I do, Young Blood is properly ace very uplifting, Keep me in my plane bubbles along gorgeously, and while Echinodon is downright scary for most of it the break makes it all worthwhile. 10 Mile stereo is just lush, end of.

Ok bows and arrows at the ready, its my next 5...

Lupe Fiasco feat John Legend 'Never Forget You'
Oh my god. This has been on seriously heavy rotation for days, I utterly adore this record. Lupe has FINALLY released his 3rd album (Lasers) and its a bit different could be a grower not sure yet but this is EASILY the stand out track. Its just a completely gorgeous tune, with Legends great voice and Lupe's lyrical flow. Like 'Hip-hop saved my life' part 2 I reckon, with a better chorus

TV on the Radio - 'DLZ'
Im not sure if this means im finger-banging Sully's sister or even if Im teasing one out over the bigman, but this is the end track on an episode of Breaking Bad (which Sully got me into watching and yes its ace) towards the end of the second season (props to shazam) and it just grabbed me. And Im not, either of them.

The Game 'Higher'
Oh what a bass line, what a melody - just try and get the rising piano chords out of your head, that riff is infectious and is a hip hop standard I reckon. Cracking track but that piano nails it.

Fatboy Slim 'Punk to Funk'
Another dip into the wonderful 'Better living...' debut album. A gloriously fun and happy big beat ditty, just some filters, some beats and an addictive hook - ah the blissful simplicity of fun summer music.

Moby 'Wait for me (ambient)'
I could fill up spot (and probably will) with all the wonderful string music the mobester has produced, gets me every time. This one too is perilously close to finger banging etc but this version is just IMMENSE and I actually think it would be wrong of me not to draw your chaps attention to it, just in case you havent heard it already.

Music is the Answer.

DHS 8 - Part 5 (H)

Right lads - as ever some super tracks been added....

D
Verve - top tune (I heard a rumour or read something that the orchestral riff was written by the Stones a long time ago and they had to buy rights to it?!?)
Rafferty - enjoyable - very much a Heart FM track!
Guetta - not for me.
Mogwai - excellent, reminds me of uni (how fast does this sound now?!?)
Pavarotti - goosebumps - fond memories of summer holidays, playing footy everyday in park... the music is perma-etched into your brain. Superb.

S
Jessie J - not for me.
Bob James - Ace.
Marva - such a great break / drums - used by many.
Jase FOS - GREAT record, very moody, would like to hear the breaks version.
Axwell rmx - Lesson learned: never judge a track before you've heard it.... I really had it in for this track before listening (don't know why! - guess that just on paper I thought it would be uber tacky after he'd already done the biggie off their first LP) anyway - enjoyable, nice one.

I realised I was a bit samey with last bunch so switching up a few styles to give it some variation:-

Kanye - I could write too much about this artist and his recent 'come-back' after his fall from grace, but I will spare you... (thank god he dropped auto-tune, didn't dig the LP before this really) Lots of hype around this tune and the video. I picked the short/er version off the single. It got its hooks in me. Very melancholic, kooky, sad... is he the most honest artist in hip hop now, or just the most ironic (deliberately or otherwise)? Sorry, said I'd spare you...

The Naked & Famous - heard this on Radio today for first time ever and thought it was great, just bumps along, perfectly pleasant sounding electro indie pop effort.

WhoMadeWho - an old one I bought a while ago after listening to Ivan Smagghe's 120bpm summer Resonance festival mix... bumpy chuggy disco - cracking bassline production, awesome remix.

Stefny Winter rmx - picking up the pace a tad!...another one I bought a while back... stick with it, if the middle two minutes do to you what they did to me then I promise it's worth it... it starts very minimal... after many listens I realised that it's not just about the middle section... the production during the intro followed by the programming of drums is very clever indeed. The melody stabs and build in the middle totally blew me away though... intense... can't even begin to imagine what this would sound like in somewhere like Fabric.

Beach House - from the sublime to the ridiculous... every so often a track comes a long that almost takes control of your life. This is not it!! I'm only half joking - this is the track that inspired it, and in actuality it's becoming just as addictive as Night Plane's 'Str8 2 Ur Heart' the more I listen to it....beautiful melody, guitar and sentiment (I think), I'm still working my head round it....hope it's captivate's you as much as it has me...

H

DHS 8 - Part 4 (S)

Going to keep this brief - want to get this posted before I'm due out in 15 minutes.

As is traditional a brief word on the previous two selections...
Clock Opera - growing on me slowly, but steadily.
Tom Trago - nice
Esa - really nice, chuggy-chug-chug
Shonky - nice again
John Dahlback - my least favourite of your five Hodgson but that's being a bit churlish. Overall a 'nice' selection!!

Bittersweet Symphony - hmmmm - as long as I don't get to hear it more than twice a year this remains a big old tune.
Baker Street - class
David Guetta - I'm going to give it another go...
Moogwai - reach for the lasers
Pavarotti - a welcome second DHS appearance for the big fella

Well done again Chaps.

Now then;
Jessie J - Price Tag - Junior S tells me that this is/was number one recently - don't let that put you off - just about a perfect slice of pop/r'n'b. Vaguely reminds me of Lauren Hill. Couple of killer hooks. Expect to see it covered really badly by some scuzzy chav Doris on X Factor at the end of the year. Immense.

Bob James - Take Me To The Mardi Gras - continuing my little homage to some of the all time great hip-hop breaks - you should get this one instantly. But once you've got it the tune itself then grows into a really warm, lush green forest of funk. Kind of thing.

Marva Whitney - Unwind Yourself - another hip-hop break classic. Should be instantly recognisable to you both.

Jase From Outa Space - Do What You Want (Infusion Remix) - complete change of tack. Understated remix - unfortunately their breakbeat effort isn't on Spot or I'd've gone for that but this isn't a bad fall back.

Hard-Fi - I Shall Overcome (Axwell Remix) - second time I've had an Axwell remix of a Hard-Fi tune - similar formula here and why not to be honest - build the track, drop for the vocal, 'new day dawning, sun is shining', build the track again, tease the vocal loop back and BOOM. Massive club record by numbers. Couldn't care less. I love it.

S
x

DHS 8 (Part 3) - D

Im constantly reminded (although I have no idea why I'd ever forget) that music really is the answer - and theres a future selection right there - to your problems. Or at least it soothes the pain and rights the good ship 'mood'. Got a dull flight at 'WHATFUCKINGTIME!? o'clock' ? Stick on your favourite old mix and daydream about what djing could have been... feel like the world is full of unnecessary cunts ? Stick your spotify faves on shuffle and forget all about it. Priceless, utterly priceless. And it means theres no need for guns. Large guns. And bullets. Which is probably for the best...

Ok as ever I peer out from underneath a rather large musical shadow and pay homage to the previous selections:

'Think' - oh my word, utter kudos k-dog. Not a chance I could have called this, and then the bassline kicks in the middle. What a tune, absolutely dripping with funk. Tremendous.

'Cavern' - ha haaa ! Its white lines... just with an extra spoonful of funkiness - never thought that would be possible. Not for the first time I am genuinely awed by your music collection my man.

'Garden Party' - hmmm not so sure about this one, doesnt really work for me. I have to be honest, it sounds like a daytime tv programme !! Sorry but it does...

'Livin inside your love' - how smooth is this record ? Never really got the whole Benson / Vandros / O'Neal vibe im afraid - but I bet they were never shy of somewhere to park their todger at the end of the night - I reckon this makes plenty of ladies slide off their seats.

'Without You' - A strange one this, bit of a warm up record per chance Kev ? It would be brilliant for that. You're right that vocal is a bit marmite - bit too depressing for me I think. On a completely unrelated note I had some marmite chocolate recently - it was like something out of charlie and the chocolate factory - ridiculous.

'Once & for all' - gotta agree with you H, a real superb vocal. I really like this, especially when the kick drum gets involved. Tidy.

'Lost in the Streets of NYC' - This is another strange one, very apt title I reckon and manages to be a bit funky and a bit melancholy all at the same time. I think I like it but I cant be absolutely sure and I quite like that about it !

'Luxarama' - This really is some chuggy detroit house, very nice indeed mate. Would also sound good in a warm up mix, would definitely get my head nodding.

'Le Velour' - ....whereas this is deep in the mix type music for me, when you're really lost in it. Kind of hypnotic I'd say, and in a good way. For that 3am head down shuffle !

'Late Night Worries' - Oh my what a tune this is, the stand out selection from you this time round bigman. Real peak time business, would sound incredible on a big system - im totally loving the mixture of sounds and the real energy to it especially as we come back from the break. I love shit like this. Take a bow son.

Ok my turn and as ever I'll add some commerciality to the proceedings...

The Verve 'Bittersweet Symphony'
Why the fuck isnt this on DHS already ? Eh ? Eh ? Come on, why not ? Is it just me then - this record absolutely talks to me, theyve nailed it. And its got killer beats, great vocal and an unbelievable melody. This could well be in my top 50 of all time (and thats the lowest number Im prepared to commit any record to, uterly impossible to go lower with any confidence, ie top 10 !)

Gerry Rafferty 'Baker Street'
A nod to the recently departed, Im not sure what else he did of any note but this record is MASSIVE. That tune is outrageous and the understated vocal is perfectly judged - recognising its all about the melody. Tune. Absolute tune, no question.

David Guetta 'Memories'
I adore this record, the melodies are simply sublime and its such an in your face tune - wicked bassline and just gets me going every time - im a sucker for piano house even when its this commercial, and the secondary riff takes it to a new level. So much so I can ignore the inane lyrics and in fact quite like them by association. Tried to find a dub mix as that would be perfect, but alas no.

Moogwai ' Viola'
Have discussed this before, amazing trance tune. Yes its drug music but its fucking good drug music.

Luciano Pavarotti 'Nessun Dorma'
Two words - Italia '90 !! Englands last great world cup and surely the best ever world cup theme tune, still gets me going now - I can see Gazza, Lineker et al. The crescendo is everything great music should be - passionate and stirring the senses. As my man Bill Hicks says 'play form your fucking heart !' Well the big lad certainly does that here.

One love

DHS 8 - Part 2 (H)

Sorry for slow addition.
Some good records added recently. I had the "Silence acoustic" track in my potentials but it turned 'grey' a while back, so was waiting for it to come back...well done finding it elsewhere D.

Been left with a tough act to follow by S.
Once again I'm not theming my latest additions, only by way of mentioning that they are what I'm currently listening to/purchases which have been on heavy rotation on ipod... hope you enjoy a few:-

Clock Opera - I have both this and the more disco tinged Little Loud Remix.... opted for this one to kick off my 2011 on Spot, it's moodier than the original and LL versions... superb vocal and understated production.

Tom Trago - think this is a few years old now but is new to my ears... doesn't really go anywhere but doesn't need to... moody washed out piano, cracking drum licks and that 'scratchy' filter make for a cool production effort. Sounds like a record Benn Watt would use in one of his Buzzin Fly mixes.

Esa, Mervin Granger - chuggy detroit influenced house with a nice melody.

Shonky - picking up the pace and the funk a little.

J Dahlback - won't apologise for picking another KU remix.... talented lad, seems he can turn his hand to most styles of electronic music (certainly for remixing duties anyway) and make a big hit.... I should imagine this considered very obvious, cheesey, mainstream blah blah blah... couldn't really care a hoot - it works for me, usually loud on the way home from work.