high tide

You've come a long way baby! Welcome to the 2010's. I've got some really groovy things lined up for lovers of this site in upcoming months, as well as the usual crate finds, new releases and mixes of distinction. In fact I heard today, for sure, that we'll be getting a mix from one of the edit scene's finest, a man who seems to have all the records we keep hunting for and then some. I've also hooked up with a bunch of exciting labels to keep you plugged into current sounds and there are also a couple of new interviews for your reading and learning pleasure.

Tonight, however, I wanted to give you a heads up on a mix that's been doing the rounds on the net, from Moonboots (he the master of all things deeply Balearic). The mix is called 'Seasons Come, Seasons Go', it's been available for a month or so, but more recently got re-upped at a higher bit rate, cos it's so damn special. You really need it.

One of the tracks on the Moonboots mix is by Batteaux, it's the single 'Tell Her She's Lovely' by the brothers Batteau, which was also sampled by Ghostface Killah on one of his tracks. It is a confusing train of thought which attempts to work out why they weren't better known; their 1973 eponymous album fits with ease next to your best CSN records, with it's shimmering MOR atmosphere, beautifully penned tracks and vocal washes. Check out 'High Tide', one of several seriously fine beauties from this fairly hard to find gem... happy hunting!

Batteaux - High Tide

friends

Well I don't know about you, but that was the year that wasn't (though oddly it was also the year of some great achievements), and I'll be trying to find an appropriate way to give it the boot, tomorrow evening around midnight. Thanks again to all you regulars, you keep this place alive and keep supporting the underground. Here's wishing you all the best for 2010, may your most left field ideas now pay off.

I been blasting this anti drugs, Jazzy, Funk, Latin beauty all afternoon. Family Affair had a number of singles during their short life together, 'I Had a Friend' was a b-side, it got 'spotted' by Florian Keller on one of his 'Creative Musicians' comp's back in '05. Keep your friends close...

Family Affair - I Had a Friend

Lightspeed Recordings

With the vinyl market shrinking (and growing in other obscure places) daily, many labels and artists are obviously sticking to digital only releases. I still struggle with the idea of 'owning' an mp3 or wav, but this year I finally got off of my 'strictly vinyl' in clubs point of view. I'm not at the 'going laptop' stage and am not likely to ever get there either (can check email at home), but playing out good quality wav's off CD seems fine, if not for the ability to tap into the vast (read as infinite) world of digital only releases, edits etc. 

LightSpeed Recordings have in the last year, put out 3 digital releases with tracks from Late Nite Tuff Guy, DJ Agent '86 and more recently Bodie Lee, all of which are worth a look in. Bodie Lee's 'Go Chic Lightening' EP is the one I keep coming back to when looking to drop something that's great fun, a little bit Euro Disco, well cheeky and a guaranteed floor rocker. There are remixes from Faze Action, Rudy's Midnight Machine (my favourite) & Ajello on it, plus the three original's from Bodie. Pulsating, wobbly, hypnotic, tasty Disco party tunes.. check 'em out here (if you havent already) and grab the one they gave us below...


Bodie Lee - Monaco (Dj Agent 86's Disco Bomb Edit)

kumbayero mikz

Where would we be without Soundcloud? We'll for starters we'd be back in that place where blogs were the main internet source for underground sounds. Not so anymore, and in some ways that's a very good thing. Soundcloud gives you direct access to artists and an almost infinite number of mixes, tracks, edits 'n remixes in every genre... much of it can be downloaded too. anyway blah blah Soundcloud... I seem to live on there.

It's via the above mentioned treasure trove that Berliner Johannes Budweg send me his 'Kumbayero Mikz' and it's a very fine thing too. Johannes is a club promoter for 'In Love With', he's worked with some great dj's like Cosmo Vitelli, DJKaos & Prince Language amongst others, he also contributed to the Macaroni Club Berlin blog for a bit, you can also find out about his own productions as Tdaance here. Go grab the mix here.

cycles

Wolfgang Bock's 'Cycles' LP on Telefunken is a sought after Cosmic Space Disco album, it's not that hard to find or even that expensive (well it's not cheap), but it is pretty extraordinary. His tracks build layer upon layer of detailed, trippy electronica. The title track, an epic and beautiful exercise in spirals of sound, is perhaps the deepest of the set and works wonders as a soundtrack to watching the blistering sun move across the sky on a Sunday afternoon or slo motion footage of volcanoes erupting...

Wolfgang Bock - Cycles

a touch of soul

Quiet recently I posted a Chime edit which was done by Adrian Touchsoul; he's one prolific chap, sometimes putting several new edits up on his Soundcloud page a week, all of which are available for download, many of which are seriously fine. He has many followers there and I've even heard a track of his played by Red Rack'em on his radio show recently, not the only dj to be making use of his work then. Below you'll find Adrian's response to a bunch of questions I asked him and a lovely download of my favourite rework of his. The man's got it going on...

EDITS: I got into doing my takes on tracks..edits, reworks etc when really becoming more aware of how you can utilise part of some dusty/forgotten but decent compostitons and stretch elements out to make them work a litlle better on a dancefloor. Especially when you have some great work coming from the likes of The Revenge, 6th Borough Project, Super Value, Mark E to name a few, who's stuff has been a big influence over the last couple of years, especially in what I play...

But as far as influences go...Prince, EWF, Shakatak, Patrice Rushen, Recloose, Ian Dury, Marcus Miller, Chic...so many to mention...

WHY EDIT?: The tracks I may have turned my fingers onto of late are one's that I obviously love. Some may have that vocal element that turns you off from the rest of the groove or maybe there just is'nt enough of that part/breakdown/lick. And in bereft of maybe a decent 12" version, that's when I may give a track rework. Mainly just to see what dancefloor reaction I get when it's played out.

TOUCHSOUL: Myself and DJ cohort Gary Pescod have been playing and putting on our own events for the last 5 or 6 years now. Inviting decent local talent alongside us too. Keeping the floor filled with a good deep house, disco vibe. Also throwing soul, boogie, funk flavours into it. Trying anything decent really, we have a good following and have been branching out with friends in Newcastle too, namely One20 who just welcomed Craig Smith of 6th Borough Project for a corker party. Other than that I keep my blog running which helps us branch the groove out so to speak.

NOW : At the minute, people can catch TOUCHSOUL doing the first Sat night of the month at Joseph's Bar in Sunderland, plus at various events round Norteast England.. and will be hopefully very soon turning my hand at some of my own tracks...

Tom Browne - Charisma (Touchsoul Re-Rub)

trippin' on luna 7

Back in 2004, Licorice Soul Records re-issued a record from 101 Strings called 'Astro Sounds From Beyond The Year 2000' (like me, originally released in 1968). I grabbed the lp mainly out of curiosity and also because Licorice Soul had released a number of pretty great items. For awhile, in the early 90's there were a number of compilations around that would have been filed under 'Space Age Lounge & Cocktail' or something similar, 'Astro Sounds..' would fit well amongst them, though it would be one the finer. These comps fleeting value lay in just how kitsch the tracks might be, unless, like many a disco aficionado, the enjoyment is or was free of irony. But everything was 'Ironic' in the early 90's. Re-listening to it now reveals great grooves and stellar performances. 

101 Strings have made an awful lot of music, a lot of which sounds pretty awful to these ears, though I understand their standards are exacting in a way. The fact that their music was a reflection of the times (1957 - +/-1981), commissioned to sound like contemporary hits, many of the tracks I've heard don't seem to be much more than naf Classical Pop. So 'Astro Sounds From Beyond The Year 2000' is something of an anomaly ? Or perhaps at some point Psyche Space Rock was the sound of now... apparently in '68 it may have been, especially on 'Trippin' on Luna 7'. It's still kitsch mind.

101 Strings - Trippin' On Luna 7

ophis le serpentaire

Vincent Geminiani is probably best known for his track 'Ophis Le Serpentaire', it's the one that comes up most often on play lists and compilations. It is an amazing deep and lush beauty created by this master percussionist and composer for his amazing 1970 album 'Modern Pop Percussion' (the album was also released as 'Musique Pour Un Voyage' a few years later). Jazzland re-released this not too long ago on CD &; 7" for those who really need it.. 'Ophis' remains a timeless wonder...

Vincent Geminiani - Ophis Le Serpentaire

Domu done and dusted pt 3.

As I agreed to sharing only a few, here is the last in the series of edits done by Dominic Stanton, the now ex Domu. I'm very pleased to have had this opportunity to listen in on a bunch of tracks which have clearly played some part in his musical history, both as a dj and as a producer and also to document my love for his sound in these pages. Anyway here's 'Bebop Medley' a Jazztastic Disco workout which I reckon could be great on a big system with a loose, free thinkin' crowd... so that's that then, hope u enjoyed them as much as I...

Press play #31: Cosmic Boogie

31 already ey? Not bad. Liverpool based, Stu Robinson aka Cosmic Boogie drops in with a brilliant Disco mix for the Disco Deviance label and a.n.o.e.'s Press Play series ( "3 underground 'brand not brand's come together in Disco frenzy" the headlines might read). But wait did I say '31', that's about 10 Press Play's a year. Maybe not quiet as many as I'd thought, but then quality doesn't hurry itself, does it?

Stu runs the very classy Cosmic Boogie website/blog, he also dj's under the name, produces under the name, has his own fantastic label also called Cosmic Boogie and just recently put out a set of lovely edits on label of distinction, Disco Deviance.With tracks from Ashley Beedle, Ian Dewhirst, Greg Wilson and himself, Robinson has in a very short time (a year) created a label which is high on the scene's watch list. It's no small feat in these strange times, but like anyone who cares enough, he's working every angle and he does it with his eye always on quality. It's no surprise then that Disco Deviance stepped up and put out 'Feels Good' & "Heads' for their 11th release; 'Heads' is that really excellent rework of 'Slippery People' which had an internet following way before it's much needed vinyl release and 'Feels Good' is that big tent mash up of Electra's 'Feel Good' and Candi Staton's 'You Got The Love', that you been hearing all over for the last six months. The usual good suspects have been all over this release, but just in case you haven't heard em yet, check here. 

Once again I'm well chuffed to be able to bring you this very fine mix and have it added to the ongoing story of Press Play. Stu tells me that he's got a solid bunch of releases lined up for the year ahead, so keep an eye out for those. In the meantime grab this top mix below or on the sidebar...

Press Play #31: Cosmic Boogie - Disco Deviance

Tracklist:
Geraldine Hunt / Heart Heart (Instrumental)
Gaz Nevada / Special Agent Man (Female Version)
Hooked (Neil Scott Edit)
Linkwood / Falling
LCD Soundsystem / 45:33 (Trus’Me Remix)
Eddie C / One With The Stars
Suzy Q / Get On Up And Do It Again
Linda Taylor / You and Me Just Started (Instrumental)
Loose Change / Straight From The Heart
Heads (Cosmic Boogie Edit)
Phantom Slasher / Lasagne For 10
Life / Your All Played Out
Debbie Jacobs / What Goes Up (Cosmic Boogie Edit)
Feels Good (You Got The Love) (Cosmic Boogie Edit)
Solid State / Philly Track
Rythm Makers / Soul On Your Side

Rune Lindbæk Mix (new)

I still have loads of new releases to get through, a few more dusty crate finds, and a handful of some very fine mixes. In fact it's all about the mixes this month, what with a couple of new Press Play's and a new and beautiful Balearic mix series from Pavel Plastikk (yes part one is finally here). But before we get there, I just wanted to give you a heads up on Rune Linbæk's new mix. "Rune Lindbæk Nomaden (Oslo) mix - tribute to the world's best underground disco joint!" for that is it's name, is essential... get it below...
note: the file is now permanently available here.
(since the original feed ran out)

Rune Lindbæk Nomaden (Oslo) mix 
- tribute to the world's best underground disco joint!

Soirée

Soirée's debut album just landed in stores all over, it's one of a few releases I've been holding out to hear for awhile now, mainly because their EP released back in May is one of Bearfunk's '09 highlights. Soirée are Steve Kotey and Max Essa, the two biggest bears at Bearfunk, their collective contributions to the revival and continuation of the broader Disco scene is much much more than merely respectable. I say broader Disco because really their tunes cross through leftfield House, Disco, Balearic, Jazz and Cosmo territories and here on the album you'll find them ever more increasingly mixed up. Max is also singing, his voice features on at least two of my favourite items on the album; the previously released and genius 'Zim Zim Zar Zar (Take Me To The River)' and the equally fantastic 'Synth Inside Her', both are marvelous oddball Euro Disco tracks, both have classic written all over them.

Nothing on 'Soirée' is a pastiche, Steve and Max bring their extensive knowledge about music's past into play with genuine love, not irony, through inspiration, not by copying. 'Pegasus Fly's Over The Red Moon' is beautiful, mellow, a bit Jazzy, a bit dubby. Also on a slo mo trip 'Overgroomed' takes a dubbed out jungle journey with Mick Karn'ish bass moves, cowbells and raw rhythms. 'Seven Sins From Heaven' heads west and finds moisture in the desert. 'More Steam Hercule' further mines Soirée's love of the dub, with Bluesy beardy Rock overtones, spaced out keys and a thick hypnotizing laid back beat. 'Soirée Theme' wraps it all up in uplifting, mid tempo, smooth, Jazz Funk which sounds like it could have come off a Lee Ritenour album - perfect to roll the credits over, credits which include Robin Lee (from Faze Action) on engineering duties and Dave Barbarossa (from Bow Wow Wow) drumming on a few tracks. 'Soirée' is an essential buy.

Soirée - Synth Inside Her

10

Since it's December and the year is almost out, I'm trying to half address the issue of 'great tracks that did not get enough attention in 2009' (see the below post on Atsushi Yano). So... A little while back I mentioned Cuebism had a new track on NY based Junior4 Records, the edit had been previously heard on his Press Play mix and had finally seen the light of day in the form of hot wax! It's an excellent Disco workout called 'Disco 2000' that'll have you sounding like Larry Levan when you drop it, it does not get better than this. But that is not the main reason for this post; Matador (Jr4's label boss) includes two excellent edits of his own on this 'Sub Edits' release; a fazed out take of 'Welcome To The Club' (which goes down a treat on the dance floor) and the curious and instantly classic '10'. '10' is a superb mid tempo 'Jackie Brown' styled Soul Funk bomb. Matador tells me the original is by Paris Holley, found on a rare 7" from 1973 which is produced and arranged by Paris. Matador has done a lovely job with it, plus he's allowed me to hand an mp3 of it over to you. Before you grab that, do me a favour and go check out his 12"s (yes there are two) here and visit the official site too. Keep your eyes on this guy and support him if you feelin' the music. Thanks Matt for the track, keep on keepin' on.

10 (Matador Edit)

do i do

Before I continue with the new stuff (there's quiet a bit to get through), I wanted to do a lil' crate digging post to balance things out...


I first heard this track on a Loud-E mix some years back and it's been on my want list since the moment I found out what it was. Maurice McGee's 'Do I Do' is a delicious proto House/ Italo Disco track with warm pads and cheesy Euro vocals (with xtra vocoder on top), it came out on Full Time Records in 1983. 'Do I Do' was fairly successful for Maurice, but after a further two 12"s he seemed to disappear from the record industry all together (a few obscure you tube videos suggest he's making a come back). The 'Instrumental' B side has some excellent Balearic bits added into the mix, but it could do with an edit as it becomes a bit repetitive. Check out the classic original... Good good Fun!

Maurice McGee - Do I Do

Sgt Lovebody gathers more troops

Sgt Lovebody returns with another two download-able edits on Juno Download; unleashed only days ago, these new cuts are part of a secret and ongoing military maneuver designed to keep the party rocking (or something along those lines). Back in the real world you know this guy, he's responsible for some serious party grooves, grooves you love. If I told you his identity, however, I'd have to decommission you. Check out the Sergeant's cool cut of a Sharon Redd bomb below; I love the original and really dig his upgrade much. Plus if you follow the links you can also check out 'Freewheeling', a brilliant slice of soul soaring Punk Funk'ness that I'll be hammering for sure.