the cracks...

Time to move on... I dont know about you, but I've had this strange nagging prejudice about digital labels for some time. It's obviously born out of my chronic love for vinyl and while I have nothing against wav's and mp3's as such, it's when they exist without a more credible partner release on the black stuff, that i loose interest. Of course I am aware there are many labels doing great things via the digital medium and I'm aware that I have probably missed out on some very special music as a result of my narrow minded thinking. As there is so much music about these days, I guess, in the end, some sort of selection criteria is required, certainly there seems to be one already in place. Perhaps it's worth noting also that i have a similar prejudice against laptop dj's, so getting through to me on this level is always going to be difficult.

Anyway then along came uk based Audio Parallax Records. With one hand in the edits scene and two feet in original Deep House territories, this digital label has quickly (in just over a year) signed and released a huge amount of very lovely, deep music by various players from these terrains (both heavyweight and lesser known). Lets see, the list of contributors includes Volta Cab, Mannmademusic, Cole Medina, 78 Edits, Andras Fox, Andrew Clarke, Matthew Kyle, Legendary 1979 Orchestra, Joseph Terruel, Another Project, Quiet Fish, James Johnston and Simon Weiss amongst many others. I think there are 31 ep's in all and many of them are excellent. There does seem to be a thread which loosely connects the music on offer; it's all pretty underground, quiet a lot of it is mid tempo or even slo mo, it's often atmospheric as f*ck, and it looks to be a furtive breeding ground for creative endeavors. Not having released any vinyl so far has allowed the label to move quickly and perhaps make freer choices, it hasn't however, like so many other digital labels, meant that quality is compromised. 

I've meant to do several posts about the label before (thankfully they don't rely on me for their publicity), but their recent EP from Chubbie Boots (their fifth from a Melbourne based artist) has forced my hand in getting on with it. Chubbie Boots is Gavin Walsh, originally a guitar player; his musical journey from 60's and 70's Rock through Krautrock and Drone, eventually led him to left field modern electronica like Caribou and Flying Lotus. It's this journey that filters profoundly into his music and it's why the results are so individual. "The Cracks Are Starting To Show" is a strange and beguiling hybrid of Hip Hop, Indie, Cut Up Disco and Electronic Psychedelia, the opening track 'Adlerwerke' is a beautiful, sun drenched and hypnotic un-anthem (very the theme from Brokeback via some sort of Canadian electronica outfit). But then there's also the blunted boogie of the title track,  a backward sliding melodic workout called 'We Don't Want No Stinkin' Wurli' (which may be impossible to really describe) and the Slo Mo slice 'n dice quickie  'How Could I Forget'. This may be the label's finest moment so far... it's an opinion... Anyway the extra good news is this looks to be coming out on vinyl quiet soon. Which is having your cake and eating it as they say... check their site for more...

Press Play #56 - The Drunk

A little under a year ago I got to chatting with deep digger, dj and edit meister The Drunk. Mainly it was me badgering the man into doing a mix for a.n.o.e.'s long standing Press Play series. I've long been a fan of the mysterious fella, since his early releases on Rong and Freestyle, and I knew if I could pull it off, the series would benefit greatly. A little under a year later, many emails across the ocean and back and here it is. It is an eclectic beast that traverses Country, Reggae Disco, Afro, hairy Rock, House and a number of genre defying styles with the ease of a slinky rolling down the Odessa steps. At an hour and forty minutes, 'Drunkin' Jukebox' is an epic ride, it's packed with really amazing music (much of which i'd not heard before) and it's exactly what I'd hoped it would be, what I knew it would be... totally brilliant! Both you and I will be playing this for years to come...

If you dont already know The Drunk, check out these records, I suspect though, if you still read this blog, you're already very much tuned in and have probably already hit download... mega thanks go out to The Drunk, thrilled to have you join the Press Play crew...

Press Play #56 - The Drunk - Drunkin' Jukebox

same as it ever was...

Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. or maybe not. Rune Lindbaek re-wires Talking Heads classic 'Once In A Lifetime' into a nice n' clean, dub heavy edit. What else is there to say? Talking Heads are probably my favourite band ever, especially the first 9 albums. I mean, how many bands can u say did at least 9 great full length records? And Rune is one of my favourite contemporary producers, his work on the Meanderthals records alone is mind boggling and then there's his classic Those Norwegians and Klubb Kebab sides... I could go on...

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (Rune Lindbæk Master Tape Dub)

hold tight

Spanish blogger and producer/editor Gorka Laspiur's rework of Magic Lady's 'Hold Tight' is exactly what a lovin' heart needs on a lonely rainy night in Georgia (or Jozi maybe). As good as anything by Chaka or Randy or Minnie even.. maybe. Gorka's edit is clean and well... tight. Get it on his Souncloud page or from the player below... Oh it's here, January 2012.. let's go. Wish you all the best for the last year on earth... hold tight!

Hold tight (Gorka edit) by Gorka Laspiur

do it slow

Hot Ice's 'Dancing Free' is a much sought after deep Disco groover, it can be found on the band's 'Hot Ice No.1' lp on Polydor from 1976. The track has featured on a couple of diggers styled comps, Dimitri & Dj Muro's 'Super Disco Friends' for example. The thing is the whole album is delicious and quiet varied in it's depth. It's not that hard to find and it's not all that expensive all things considered (about 35 euro should do it for a mint copy). 'Do It Slow' and the hippy Disco beauty 'Up Off Your Ass' are my favourite items on the record, although if you're looking for a guaranteed party rocker it would have to be 'Dancing Free'. I'm thinking you need to hear the slightly off beat and  spacey 'Do It Slow'.. check it...

Hot Ice - Do It Slow

journey to love

Tis the season of the chart and the forecast, but not here on a.n.o.e. Though not for some clever or thought provoking reason, but more to do with the fact that i don't have a clue about 96% of new records released this year. Thus it would be seriously uninformed. I did buy a lot of records in the past 12 months, a great deal more than I did in 2010. Partly due to a bigger budget for records (I just ate less) and partly to due to that chronic 'must have' emotional surge caused by so many good sides in 2011. Anyway you know what records you liked this year and you don't need me telling you what i think is better or best.

I hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season, I certainly needed the break. So here's wishing you all a fantastic year ahead, it's the year of the dragon soon and i heard the dragon smiles on everyone. So by February the latest, your year should be rocking! Expect more deep digs and the occasional look in on newer stuff on these pages, plus an ever growing Press Play series with some killer mixes coming up from Lee Douglas, The Drunk (oh yes!) and newer heads like Niall Kirk. I hope you've enjoyed the goodies from 2011, yeah i know it's been a little more erratic than the 'hardest working blog' of earlier years, but I gots to make the dough for the bread and biscuits. Love to ya all!! xxx...

Stanley Clarke - Journey to Love

spaced out

Funky midtempo, space themed Disco from Juice People Unlimited, lifted from their 'Disco Godfather' album on Apple Juice Records back in 1979. The album is the soundtrack to the fantastic blaxploitation flick 'Disco Godfather' which features the immense Rudy Ray Moore of 'Dolemite' infamy. The film's anti drug message lends the track it's double meaning (stating the obvious there I think - ed)... Trippin'...

Juice People Unlimited - Spaced Out

surrender

As their name fatefully suggests Secret Weapon is a lesser known Prelude outfit who released one album back in 1983. Actually they had club hits with 'DJ Man' and 'Must Be The Music', but their eponymous album is the harder to find beast and indeed it contains one or two real secret weapons. For me both 'Surrender' and 'Piece Of The Rock' are great tracks, I'm half surprised that they haven't been edited yet (hasn't everything been edited?), partly because they could do with a little clean up, but also because they're such tight grooves. Check 'Surrender' out below with its heady mix of midtempo R'nB Disco.. very Prelude...

Secret Weapon - Surrender

e. b.

Coming back to an old idea with this post. The fact is I'm sitting on a massive heap of edits from some great producers that never made it onto vinyl, or legit digital download (whatever that is). Anyway it's almost Christmas (whatever that is) so I'm gonna drop a few 320k 'lost' edits your way over the next month or so. Well Hung Don is an old moniker of a now fairly well known producer, it was a name he used to create something a little different from his usual stuff (um not that his usual stuff is usual at all) and probably to avoid any legal wrangles. His work as WHD had strong Hip Hop overtones and a cheeky attitude. Lets hope this doesnt get me one of those copyright warnings from the fat cats...

Well Hung Don - E. B.

ready to fly

Some time back I mentioned that you needed to check out Niall Kirk's Amen Brother Disco Band on Soundcloud, where the man keeps a bunch of really great edits of lesser known goodies. Since that post Niall's added numerous off kilter chop shop jobs over the months and one thing is clear, he's got a great ear for unusual grooves that beg for repeated plays on sweaty, free thinking, underground dancefloors. One of his recent cut up's, a Psyche Beast of glorious stature called 'Ready To Fly', is destined, I hope (I hope, I hope), to find it's way onto vinyl sometime in the near future. You know you're onto something good if JD Twitch is already dropping it in his sets, even friend of a.n.o.e. Basso loves it, I love it! So I guess I'm saying it comes highly recommended. Like drugs and Spacemen 3 never happened...

Amen Brother Disco Band - Ready to Fly by Amen Brother Disco Band

Traveller

I've been keeping an eye on Traveller Records for awhile now, with early releases from Bicep and Rayko and Alphabet City and links to Kojak Giant Sounds, it was inevitable. But things got a lot more interesting over their last three outings. First off the label re-issued Jerline & Friends 'Joy Trip pt2' (a track i nattered on about some years back) as well as 'Tell Me' a superb groover from Jerline Shelton and her gang. It's a legit re-issue with the tracks being licensed from the original label, so major kudos there. The label quickly followed the 7" with a brilliant re-issue of original House tracks from Creation, Fantasy and X-Man. 'Deep' & 'Reach Out' hail from a time when House music was made on machines; warm analogue sounds, heaps of Soul and authentic art make this release unmissable. 

Most recently Traveller launched Ultimate Man's 'The Prologue', a killer House monster with Ravey stabs and a warehouse energy onto the airwaves. Ultimate Man is a side project of one Toomy Disco or Mariano Iliuta as he's known to his mum, it's undoubtedly the best thing he's done so far too. Sadly I think you'll find the record is sold out in most places, given only 151 copies were pressed up. Talk about creating an instant, highly desirable, hard to find record. I'd suggest putting Traveller on your radar if you haven't already, in case you miss any more gems from this Finnish goldmine... Check out a clip of 'The Prologue' below...

Magic Wand 4

News of a fourth Magic Wand 12" is trickling across underground music scenes as we speak, in fact Clone Records online store is already featuring it as a pre-order (with sound clips too) sometime ahead of it's January release schedule. The way I see it it's an AOR Disco Balearo types essential, not only because it has a synthy rework of an unlikely English Folk Rock ditty from Sad Ghost, but because the other three tracks by Coyote, T2MM & Swarthy Rogues makes this (possibly) the best Magic Wand release so far. But I would say that right? Certainly this piece of wax is as necessary to your collection as Magic Wand 1 is. Head over to Clone and abuse their players...

rainy...

It's a rainy night in Jozi Town, moody as anything. So here's Daniel Salinas' 'Like A Rainy Night' from his excellent Atlantis album. I'm wondering what happened to Whatmusic.com, they were responsible for a number of fantastic re-issues of hard to find Brazilian, Latin and Jazz albums during the early 2000's, amongst them Daniel's great record...

Daniel Salinas - Like A Rainy Night

Honey Machine

I have zero info on Nigerian 80's act Honey Machine, their self titled lp came out in 1982 on Grandstar Records. For the most part it's a Disco Pop record with vocals sung in English. The album opens with the shebeen Disco track 'Pleasure', surely some sort of proof of the material girl's far reaching influence at the time....?

Honey Machine - Pleasure

life with you

Italian musicians Franco Rago and Gigi Farina were known as Expansives, but they also worked under the names Decadance, Atelier Folie and Message From Future. If you're up on your Italo Disco then you know they released some great 12"s on indie labels like Leader Records, Proto, Durium and Blood Records. They would later find a new audience on labels like Viewlexx and Panama in the early/mid 2000's. Expansives 'Life With You' is exactly the kind of track that would have influenced Morgan Geist's Metro Area and is a phat slice of Proto House Electro Disco with just a touch of the Bee Gees. Originally released in 1982 this gem is now off the charts as far as cost is concerned, but if you dont know it, check it below...

Expansives - Life With You

Thesda

Sometimes it feels as if there is no end to the number of great slept on records from the past, but to say 'slept on' suggests people may have ignored said records the first time around, when in fact so much great music is lost because there was no budget to market the beast or even press that many vinyls up. Certainly now, we are also discovering any number of... I want to say 'amateur' Disco, Funk, Soul, whatever bands over the years who produced low budget records of immense grooviness, 'amateur' is the wrong word...

I recently discovered the brilliant 'Spaced Out' album by Thesda. I don't own a copy (yet!!!) and i certainly dont hold out any hopes of finding one of the few hundred that were made, but this highly sought after record is such a beauty that it definitely deserves a decent repress. Here's what I know about the band.... Hailing from Bethesda, Eugene Hagburg, then assistant to the Postmaster General, had a deep passion for music. He'd amassed a healthy sized collection of studio bits and pieces and created a dedicated space in his home to write and produce. Members of Thesda would come over in the evenings to explore their significant musical interests, without the worry of professional studio costs and limiting label bosses. Here they would record 'Spaced Out' for Hagburg's excellently named label Integrated Performance Systems International, later their horn player would go on to join Trouble Funk. Apparently vocalist Lateefah had no real training but her performances on the tracks are both mighty and mighty wonderful. The album is sought after not only because only a few hundred were pressed, but also because it's a complex, spacey and deeply soulful Disco tinged side. While there are many far more uptempo items on the record, here is the marvelous title track...

Thesda - Spaced Out

Press Play #55 - Moonboots

To make up for recent quiet times here on a.n.o.e. you get a brand spankin' new mix from Moonboots. Well actually we refer to him as Sir Moonboots around these parts because he's the boss of soundtracking those quiet summer nights, trips to the beach, driving across the dessert in yer jeep and pretty much anything that involves living. Richard's mix goes beyond the Balearic in search of beautiful golden autumnal beats only to discover a message in the music along the way, a message that's both timeous and timeless. Moonboots has an uncanny knack for digging up previously little known gems that sound instantly familiar and almost as instantly get added to a long list of must have records. His 'Falling Leaves' selection is very fine indeed, classic Moonboots in fact.

We gonna run this one 'mystery mix' style, so if u spot anything drop it in the comments section and I'll get a playlist going. Huge thanks go out to Richard for the beauteous blend, it's more than a delight having you drop in on our little corner of the web. For the rest of ya, get downloading...

Press Play#55 - Moonboots - Falling Leaves

Track list: (spotted so far)
01. Jean-Pierre Martin - Close Up
02. The Bernie Leadon & Michael Georgiades Band - Glass Off
03. Doug Ashdown - Willie's Shades
04. Julie Felix - Big Bang
05. Herb Ohta - Fragments
06. Rachel Sweet - It's So Different Here
07. Michael Deacon - Won't be Long
08. Wendy Waldman - Cold Back On Me
09. Peter Nero - Soul Ballet
10. Scott Walker - The Old Man's Back Again
11. Michael Kiwanuka - Tell Me A Tale
12. Paul Horn - Long Time Gone
13. Willie Wright - Nantucket Island
14. Marvin Franklin - Kona Winds
15. Captain Beefheart - Observatory Crest
16. Michael Kiwanuka - I'm Getting Ready
17. Brian Hyland - The Thrill is Gone

Harry Mosco

I've got a killer new Press Play going up on the weekend from a Balearic Jedi, keep em peeled for that, but in the meantime I've been wanting to share this with you for awhile. I've been really enjoying a fair bit of Afro Disco bits n' pieces lately and a stand out record for me at the minute is Harry Mosco's 1979 album 'Peace & Harmony'. Harry made several albums over a period, all released through his own label Samba Records, but this particular record is the only one I have ever heard.  The two opening tracks on the record 'Sexy Dancer' & 'Step Up' are top class Afro Disco items, both with excellent butt moving grooves. The title track of the record, which follows, heads off in a Reggae direction, while the album closer is a superb dubbed out version of the title track. I don't normally hand over two tracks from a record, but I really want you to hear both of these... check em
Harry Mosco - Sexy Dancer
Harry Mosco - Peaceful Dub

find a way

Lusty Zanzibar's debut album has been awhile in the making, but with work on it now complete, Nang are letting it out to play with people this Monday. If you check out Lusty's first 12" on Bear Funk on Discogs, the 'recommendations' at the bottom of the page suggest artists like Morgan Geist, Ilija Rudman, The Revenge & Harvey's Locussolus would also be enjoyed by fans of the Zanzibar; Geist & Rudman's synth heavy, modern Disco is a good reference point if you haven't heard Lusty's music before, though Alex Cordiner's sound is certainly his own. Lusty makes intricate, elastic, electric and Italo influenced tracks, they're dense with keyboard pleasures, yet simultaneously light and uplifting. 'Find A Way' ventures through Disco, Deep House, early 80's Pop and even Balearic territories, some of the tracks feature the vocal stylings of Muneerah, but everything here is also about Lusty's obsession with the synthesizer. Square wave patterns, arpeggios, synthetic pulses, flourishes and oscillating sequences carefully combine into beautiful and deep melodies with tangible soul. The instrumental tracks on the record are currently my favourites, 'On Our Way To Bliss' and 'Luminous Motion' in particular are modern classic synth pieces, they're like updated dusty Library tunes played by a European Metro Area. Nang recently released the albums first single 'Feeling'/'Yeah' which came with mixes from Max Essa, Fear of Theydon and Ilya Santana, if you like the albums opening tracks, you'll love the EP. Check your favourite stores on monday and give 'Bliss' below a listen... Congrats on the album release Lusty!

lifetide

Swedish synth meister Ralph Lundsten has recorded a fair few albums, both in a solo capacity as well as in collaboration situations. His work began appearing around 1966 and if Discogs is to be trusted his last album was recorded in 2008. His 1978 track 'Discophrenia' has been given both the edit treatment (on Moton) and a full on remix pack which can be found on a late 90's Svek release. If you're into spacey landscapes and retro synth origami he's definitely on your radar. On a recent dig I managed to find two mint Library records by the man from the early 80's, which was a bit of a thrill and turned out to have a track or three of great value. One particular track of his, which I have been playing a lot, being drawn in by its muted brilliance, is from his 1979 album with The Andromeda All Stars (a crew he did several albums with) called 'Alpha Ralpha Boulevard'. Check out 'Lifetide' which closes the album. I see the track featured on a Prins Thomas mix for Fact magazine last year too. Excellent!

Ralph Lundsten & The Andromeda All Stars - Lifetide

Croose is back!

The joke is on me, only 5 posts or so ago I was ranting on about how much more into digging I am currently, than tuning into a lot of newer music. The next thing you know, we're being hammered by good good new tunes from all directions.The new one from one half of early a.n.o.e. press play champions Worst Friends' Tom Croose is, in a word, huge!. Actually it's been a minute since his dreamy 7" rework of Fleetwood Mac's 'Never Going Back Again', but 'Cho Chua' is a whole other kettle of Latin grooviness. Resista (previously the home to those 'Daphni Edits'), hits no. 3 with Croose's double sided Tropicalia rework. The Dub side takes things in a slightly more minimal direction, where as the A side mix holds nothing back in it's quest to bottle the very essence of sunshine and Brazilian attitude. Both sides are superb. Check it below and feel the heat, you might even do a little dance... I did.

Resista003 by resista

Noncollective

Noncollective have long been providing us with some of the finest mind expanding mixes available on the www, but now you'll find head honcho David McFarline has ventured forth into the dark and murky art of releasing records. I have no doubts at all that Noncollective No.1 is destined to become a classic in your record collection; Dutch dj Abel Nagengast hands in 3 superb and eclectic edits. 'Aegean Sea' has been getting a fair bit of exposure and for good reason, it's a Balearic meets Laurel Canyon, airy and uplifting groove of serious quality, 'Belly Button' is all sweaty and sticky Euro porn Boogie and '7th of April' heads off in a Noir Crime Kraut Dub direction.... or something along those lines. 300 copies only!!! Essential!!!

(Non, Nº.1) Abel – Aegean Sea by Noncollective

JTC love!

A few weeks back Rotating Souls Records (one to watch for sure) dropped Jupiter Tuning Center's excellent 'Vodka Sour' on 12". It's a monster Jazz bruiser with shades of Moodyman and tons of class, actually the e.p. features four tracks by the Berlin digger, producer and dj (two as JTC and another 2 under his Boogie Arkestra moniker). You get a cross section that includes 4 very fine slices of modern Boogie, Disco and Jazz House. The always good Rush Hour has copies if you want to check the beast. Frank De Kova has featured on these pages before (quiet a few times), you'll find his JTC and Boogie Arkestra projects developed out of a long and magical musical past which used to go under the name of Coffee Garner. More recently he's had a digital release with Editorial and now the 12". I'm a huge fan and I believe you'll also find a mountain of depth on his Soundcloud page where many unreleased gems reside. Just a few days ago a track called 'Voodou Disco Shizzle' popped up, it's really doing it for me at the minute (check it below), plus if you check the embedded player below that, you'll find a late night beauty that is no longer on his cloud, from last year. It's one of my all time favourites by the man. Get with the program on this guy!

voodou disco shizzle by jupiter tuning center

Press Play #54 - Antony Kein

Athens based dj and guitarist Antony Kein has been making his way on the Balearic scene over the last year or so, his mixes for the Amen Brother crew in Dublin (if you arent following them on Soundcloud, you should be), for Plaid Music and another for Pleasure Cruise'n are impressive and wonderful Balearic diggers journeys into the man's eclectic and seemingly vast record collection. His selection for Another Night which goes under the appropriate name of 'Under The Balearic Sun' is a delight and displays a knowledge for music usually associated with much older bearded fellas (Antony is 24). I still know very little about the man but I do love the journey... Thank you Antony, it a real pleasure to have you join the Press Play crew... check it!!

Press Play #54 - Antony Kein - Under A Balearic Sun

Track List: 
1.Bisca - Ninos
2.De Blanc - Hush
3.Sade - Siempre Hay Esperanza
4.Jah Wobble, The Edge, Holger Czukay - Hold On To Your Dreams
5.Pino Daniele - Me So' Mbriacato 'e Te Forever
6.Dave Samuels - New Math
7.Ivano Fossati - Panama
8.Lucio Dalla - Washington (Kommand Loves Obama re-edit)
9.Hong Kong Syndikat - Too Much (dub mix)
10.Ethereal Beat - Underboard
11.Georgie Red - Help The Man (save ya mix)
12.The Quick - One Light In a Blackout
13.Alla Pugacheva - Pevchaya (Timofey edit)
14.Aurra - such a Feeling (part 2 & 3)
15.Gypsy - Gypsy
16.Jan Akkerman - Streetwalker
17.Klaus Schulze & Michael Shrieve - Transfer Station Blue

Ok definitely the quietest month ever on a.n.o.e.... fear not, I have not given in (no way baby), work has been keeping me very busy which is always a good thing, but the downside is those of you who still read this thing have been short changed. We also just turned 5, or sometime last month anyway. The thing is, I have definitely had a shift in musical interests this year, favouring digging over a lot of new stuff that proliferates on the shelves of stores around the world. It's not a new thing and I certainly am still very much interested in things shiny and new, just not most of it. I maintain that a fair few contemporary producers are making some of the best music we have ever heard, but I seem to have an unlimited capacity for loving both amateurs and virtuosos from the past, heads who seem to live for their music and who's output now resides deep in bargain bins and forgotten basements just off your local high street. Obviously you have noticed the 'digging' trend in a great deal of the content up on these pages and I would say this is likely to continue... until the club closes down or we get turfed out! As I say, it's not new, it's just stronger... so onward then into the future (and the past)...

Randolph Baker's 'Reaching For The Stars' lp has been getting a fair bit of discussion on some boards lately, apparently there are a number of copies hitting ebay and the like (some of which are a bit warped) in the last while, which is rather cool if you need a copy. If you dont know the track that makes this LP very collectable, check it below, it's a feel good slice of dancing... ok we're back...

Randolph Baker - Getting Next To You

Spacey keys, warm bass, mellow beats, swirly fx and girls doing vocal gymnastics in unison seems the perfect soundtrack for Sundays. Go straight then to Ofrenda Con Vytas Brenner's 'Avila' on their double album from 1977, 'En Vivo!'.... waiting for my copy to arrive is like waiting for godot...

Ofrenda Con Vytas Brenner - Avila

With their excellent 'Disco Power Play' edits album done and dusted, Soft Rocks drop in at ESP Institute with the wonky and dubby, genre folding original "We Hunt Buffalo Now'. Like anything else on the label, this beast sounds like none other and simply put is bloody genius. The single is one of a series which leads up to the release of 'The Curse Of Soft Rocks', their second LP of the year, only this one's all original material. Original really is the right word for 'Buffalo' too, how else would you describe a track that conflates Elvis via Lux Interior, Dub, The Clash, a Cantonese waltz and Primal Scream? If that isn't enough, the flip side has a remix from Andrew Weatherall that joins a handful of contenders for track of the year.. no doubts... Check the clips below and buy it on the 3rd of October. Massive!!!

[ESP007A] SOFT ROCKS - We Hunt Buffalo Now (snippets) by ESP Institute

Ramada

If, for some reason, you're in Charleston, USA on the first Friday of any month, you're in luck. You can catch JAZ and Party Dad doing their combined Disco party thing at local joint 'The Upper Deck'. Personally, as a long time fan and friend of JAZ, I'd love to catch them spinning records. Having recently discovered Party Dad, only adds to the desire. But you're in luck anyway, as the duo, known as Ramada (when spinning together), have just dropped in with a fresh recording of part of their last night at The Upper Deck. It's a happy selection of classics, diggers gems and one or two more recent'ish bits. The recording is mostly of Party Dad, with a good slice of JAZ taking over around the 45 minute mark before handing the decks back to Tay who closes the proceedings. Sounds to me like a good night out, a few wobbly mixes suggests fun was had by all. The two will also be putting on a second roller disco party in October too, rightly and wonderfully named 'Heaven On Wheels'. So... more reasons to visit Charleston.

I've got quiet a few mixes to get up in the next short while, hope you're ready for 'em...

Ramada at The Upper Deck 

Press Play #53 - Sergio Rizzolo

One thing is certain, in the hunt for mixes from top diggers for a.n.o.e's Press Play series, you're really scoring well in 2011. I realise you may not know some of our contributors as well as you do others, but you can be sure the selection process is the same for all, hence every time I put one of these up I urge you to check it out regardless of who it's by. Anyway having said that let me present you with Press Play #53, a smorgasbord of lesser known and frankly completely unknown grooves (to me) found and mixed by one of Malmo's tuned in heads, Sergio Rizzolo. If you do a mild search of these pages you'll find we've been going on about him for years (as far back as 2008 to be precise). Sergio is a member of and dj's for a Malmo party collective called Prejka, they've been stirring up their crazy Swedish Disco sound over recent years along with fellow Malmo heads Parlour, Lugnet and others. I love this end of the scene, for it's mixed up, deep digging, free thinking take on music to dance to. Mr Rizzolo's 'Postcard From Schweeden' is yet another goldmine set made for your gold lovin' ears...
 
Definitely stop by Sergio's SoundCloud page for a gander at his excellent edits of obscure goodies (some damn fine tracks amongst them) and do also check his fantastic and long running blog Diskoakademin which is often, as the name suggests, a real learning experience. Lastly grab the mix and step inside the world of a Malmo Disco king.

Press Play #53 - Sergio Rizzolo - Postcard From Schweeden

Kelenkye Band's 'Moving World' Album is sadly their only record, but it's so good you can buy a near mint condition copy for about 770 Euro's. Ha! Someone at the excellent Comet Records saw fit, back in 2000, to add the albums highlight 'Jungle Music' to a compilation of Afrobeat goodies called 'Bilongo - A Third Collection Of Modern Afro Rhythms'. Now if you could only find a copy of the compilation. 'Jungle Music' is pure groove, coming from Ghana, Kelenkye's Afrobeat is all warm and fuzzy shebeen Funk, it plays right into the idea that Ghana is 'the heart and soul of West Africa', the rest of the album is good too... Check it...

Kelenkye Band - Jungle Music