I don't own a copy of this, but then so few do and it costs ridiculous notes when it comes up on ebay etc; The Pawnshop's 'The Telegram is Calling'/ 'My Shade' 7" from 1971 has been described as the ultimate Psyche Funk Library, double sider. The A side is a brilliant Sitar driven beatfest, while the B side is more mellow and organic - definitely something for the beards. Some diggers have said that The Pawnshop were infact Allesandro Allesandroni, Piero Umiliani and Gulliani Sorgini (all well known Italian library record kings), while others have said they were English (though the vocals suggest not). 'My Shade' is a lovely haunting trip...
While we're discussing kitsch sleazy Disco, one of my absolute favourites in the genre, would have to be Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch's 'Closer Closer'. 6th Borough Project have had a go at it on their latest EP, the fifth in a series for Instruments Of Rapture and it's superb. It's been awhile since I mentioned them on the site, not because I've not loved their many wonderful 12"s but primarily because they're getting well deserved, heavy press all over. I couldn't help myself with this new 12" which is in stores now; all three tracks are excellent, especially 'Closer' (which for some reason is called 'Change' on Juno) and 'Stratus Quo'... essential!!
Canadian producer Tony Green was responsible for some fantastic music, his work on Kebekelektrik's cover of Space's 'Magic Fly' alone, is testament to his greatness. He also produced, amongst many others, the very European sounding 'Hold Me, Touch Me' for Carolyne Bernier which is a kitsch and breathy Disco ride. The b. side instrumental really highlights the tracks breezy, slightly derivative, and irrepressible groove. Loving this today!
Frenchmen Rove Dogs and Jeff Lasson, are back together as Get A Room with a re-rub of a forgotten 80's Dutch gem (sung in English), out on their lovely Small Time Cuts label. They've got the inimitable Trevor Jackson on sexy sleeve design duty and once again a very limited 500 copies will be available.This isn't going to hang around the shops for long as it's a great Cosmo Balearo Pop crate find and a great edit. If your a collector and/or a left field dj, I reckon you'll want this, it's already gotten some good responses from Andrew Lovefingers, Damon Martin at Disco Bloodbath and James Murphy... check it!
Thisisnotanexit mark their first three years in the industry with an excellent (double CD) compilation called 'Thisisnotanexit: Manifesto One'; in these edit heavy and revisionist times TINAE go some way beyond merely helping to remind us what this game is really all about. I'm the first to admit to loving a good edit or re-release, but top class original music is always going to be the true source, the reason, the thing that pushes it all forward. TINAE are undoubtedly pushing it forward, their artist roster hosts a stellar spectrum of beat heads which includes Hatchback, Optimo's Naum Gabo, Night Plane, They Came From the Stars I Saw Them, Professor Genius, Detachments, Spectral Empire, Brain Machine and Parallels amongst others.
TINAE owner Simon Carr takes his inspiration from Tony Wilson's Factory Records, reading his blog makes this pretty clear, so does a quick scan of the cd, but you'll find shades of Warp there too and maybe even early Mute. What I'm trying to say is TINAE has a real attitude and depth of vision, it's a genuine label; while TINAE artists draw inspiration from deeper scenes like Disco Not Disco, or No Wave, or Psyche, Cosmic, Italo & Balearica, they are, every one of them, futurists of a kind, hunting out new sounds and territories. I love this double cd; the first disc is all originals and the second (which is also mixed by Simon) is made up, almost entirely, of remixes by some heavy heavy hitters like Prins Thomas, Chatteau Flight, Joakim, local kids King of Town, Brennan Green, Sankt Goran, Serge Santiago and Mungolian Jetset.
Anyway I could go on, just get it if you haven't already. Here is Professor Genius with a true synthy beauty called 'A Jean Giraud 5' to check out while you peruse their website. I wanted to add, since i just discovered, Simon is the co-owner of the label with his wife, who doesn't always get the credit she deserves for co-piloting this rocket...
Coming out in the next few weeks is a new Autodiscoteque 12", which features Disco Deviance's Dicky Trisco & Pete Herbert delivering a couple of hot rocks. The A side features a reworked early House, body poppin classic now called 'Visual', it's 'red light and a basement' heaven. Flip to the B side for another one of those bombs I have been going on about this week; 'Exodus' is the Bobby Blank produced classic 'Together Forever' (by Exodus), re-shuffled into a monster club track. It's probably obvious to mention that 'Together Forever' is the track Eddie Amador used for his well known hit 'House Music'. 'Exodus' is good times in a bottle, forget the clever, rare stuff for a minute and submit!
Tribute 03 landed in stores just last week. 'We Love Debbie' revisits the Blondie bomshell's classic 'Heart Of Glass' in a decidedly non Disco manner; for most of the track Debbie's vocal's sound like they were recorded from the room next door to an empty Max's Kansas or CBGB's, the original backing music has been stripped away and replaced with a stuttering groovebox and the oddest, distorted, Township jive I ever did hear. Having big expectations of how this could have gone may get in the way of hearing what is a very fresh and thrilling rework. What I do know for sure is, play this to an up for it crowd and watch the room light up, the dancers are loving it; it is in fact a right knees up which sounds a bit Theo Parrish and a bit JD Twitch. I heard a rumour that its made by Situation, which may account for it's hi-end production and forward looking attitude. Check it, get it, play it... boom!
just got hit by DMCA for having this track up, and it was streaming, not for download.. wtf!! - hunt it out in the shops! They keep removing my post, in spite of the fact that I have long since removed the track...
A whole bunch of heavy hitters are about to.. um.. hit the shelves, so I'm going to focus on those for the next few posts and resume the download type entries shortly.
First up, it's no secret that I'm a big Bear Funk supporter, so I could hardly skip out on mentioning the new Kotey Extra Band & Bottin collaboration which will be in stores today (Monday 8th March). The release is as good as you'd imagine, but you might not expect Bottin's Expresso Dub of 'Hot Ring' to be quiet as brilliant as it is. There is no doubt in my mind that this will go on to be played for years to come; it's an instant classic which strongly draws on a rich NY Disco not Disco sound fusing it with off kilter Techno stabs and mondo keyboards, it has a live band feel and it's gonna rattle a bunch of left field dance floors. Apparently the original is inspired by Riz Ortolani's music for 'The Girl In The Yellow Pyjamas" and both the other versions on the 12" are fantastic. This dirty dub on the other hand is pure sex!
Nacho Patrol released 'Futuristic Abeba' on Kindred Spirit back in 2008; it continues to be an amazing ep which manages to fuse Detroit Techno with a choppy Arabic/Afro hybrid sound and a heavy dose of Ray Manzarek influenced keyboards. Nacho Patrol is probably far better known as Legowelt or even Danny Wolfers, thus no further introduction of this probable genius is required. The EP is not hard to find (check Discogs) and just incase you hadnt heard it before check out 'Mind World' below. Apparently new material is on the way, so keep em peeled.
Italian DJ Sir Billy brings the party with his electrifying mix, 'Children Of The Revolution' for our Press Play series; expect lots of synths, obscure Indo/ Italo Disco, old skool Electro, heavy Edits, New Wave and banging early House designed to bump and grind like there is no tomorrow. Sir Billy has in recent years become known across the www for his fantastic edits, but he's been a DJ since 1984, he was the voice behind Templebeat (an electrorock combo who gained massive airplay, charted in Germany and Switzerland, played several European festivals and appeared on RAI + MTV's 120 Minutes), he has written a novel and is a journalist for two major Italian music publications. Sir Billy is also a total vinyl junkie, this combined with his extensive knowledge of music has led to his unique voice on the scene; there is no one that sounds quiet like him. It's a real delight to have him in the series; check out the tracklist below, grab the mix and join the revolution (which is really just a great party)...
Tracklist: CAMPAG VELOCET – Bon Chic Bon Genre (Hard Skin)
PRIMAL SCREAM – Come Together (Hypnotone Brain Machine Mix)
THE CLASH – Magnificent Disco (BC Edit)
MARIUS – Disco Drummer (Dicky Trisco Version)
WEST INDIA COMPANY – Ave Maria (Extended)
POPPY FACTORY – Flying (Stars Touchdown Mix)
DISCODEVIL – Hippie Dance
IF? - Open Up Your Head (Trancefield Dub Mix)
BABY FORD – Children Of The Revolution (SirBilly Bump And Grind Edit)
BODIE LEE – Monaco (DJ Agent 86’s Disco-Bomb Edit)
KELLY CHARLES – You’re No Good For Me
HERCULESE – Sunday Morning Fever (RM Edit)
DOOBIE BROTHERS – Long Train Running (Loop Intro)
HEAVYHANDS BAND & TM ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS – Heavyhands (Pump It Up (Instrumental)
MUDD – 54b (Ray Mang Acid Reflux)
AJELLO – Dolphy (In Flagranti Re-Edit)
LAURIE MARSHALL - Disco Spaceship (Instrumental)
I don't own a copy of this, but then so few do and it costs ridiculous notes when it comes up on ebay etc; The Pawnshop's 'The Telegram is Calling'/ 'My Shade' 7" from 1971 has been described as the ultimate Psyche Funk Library, double sider. The A side is a brilliant Sitar driven beatfest, while the B side is more mellow and organic - definitely something for the beards. Some diggers have said that The Pawnshop were infact Allesandro Allesandroni, Piero Umiliani and Gulliani Sorgini (all well known Italian library record kings), while others have said they were English (though the vocals suggest not). 'My Shade' is a lovely haunting trip...
