tom thum beatboxing at tedxsydney

Tweet

I'd never heard of this bloke until this morning but I think that's the best beatboxing performance I've ever seen. It's worth watching until the end. He'll blow your mind.

bonobo - 'towers (feat sjerdene)'

Tweet

The North Borders album just gets better with every listen. It's definitely one of my albums of the year so far.

peter gabriel - 'solsbury hill'

Tweet

A lovely day like this deserves a great tune.

sigur rós - 'brennisteinn'

Tweet

The new album has been released and no doubt will be a big Summer smash. I'm not surprised with tracks like this frankly epic composition. 

phosphorescent - 'ride on/right on'

Tweet

Possibly my favourite song of their 2013 album. Fans of Damien Jurado/Felice Brothers and others of that ilk will love this album.

red snapper - 'crease'

Tweet

Here's a blast from the past. 

eddie cochran - 'something else'

Tweet

It all comes true man. Wow, that's something else.

for malin and erik

Tweet

Two of the loveliest people I know secretly got hitched today and just like June Carter and Johnny Cash in this video they are each other's best friends. A lot of people mention Cash's version of Hurt as their favourite but I'm sticking with Jackson. Just look at the way that the pair of them look at each other as they sing this, still totally in love with each other and making each other laugh after all those years. That's how I see Erik and Malin.

echo and the bunnymen - 'nothing lasts forever'

Tweet

A truly great track, probably their best in my opinion.

video of last night ever at paradise garage august 1987

Tweet

I have no idea how long it will stay up on Youtube but this is incredible - proper dance music history and a full 2 hours worth. I'm not sure what else to say - so I won't. 

dee dee warwick - 'you're no good'

Tweet

Sister to Dionne, cousin to Whitney, Dee Dee Warwick often gets overlooked and that's a real shame.Thankfully she's well loved and admired by Northern Soul fans to this day and with songs like this,  her version - and the original - you can see why.

dj shadow - 'def surrounds us (rockwell remix)'

Tweet

This has popped up a few times on my iPod recently and was a track that I overlooked to a large extent when I first heard this on the 'I Gotta Rokk' EP. Mainly because of the excellent title track and my favourite 'I've Been Trying' tended to see me rewinding back to the beginning at the end of these tunes rather than doing the whole EP justice. I've rectified this now but the oversight just goes to show how fickle I can be sometimes to my own detriment.

The song samples Edgar Varèse's 'Poème Électronique' and I'm very surprised to see that it's got a bit of a 'sample' pedigree with other bands who have also borrowed from the album including Meat Beat Manifesto, Herbie Hancock and Amon Tobin.

quincy jones - 'soul bossa nova'

Tweet

Proper Summer tune. 

my all time favourite disco tune

Tweet

I'm not usually the type to be able to say what my favourite tune is in any genre but for disco it has to be the Three Degrees with 'When Will I See You Again' and especially this Tom Moulton remix. 

gladys knight and the pips - 'on and on'

Tweet

I've said before how much I wanted to be one of the Pips. My goodness I love their style and you get to be backing singer with one of the greatest ever soul singers, male or female. Just look at them go...

seasick steve - 'back in the doghouse'

Tweet

I should like Seasick Steve more than I do. He's authentic, great musician and lots of charisma but unfortunately his brand of electric blues leaves me a bit cold at times.  I can't quite put my finger on it but after listening to his latest album there's about 60-70% of the tracks that I'd skip over. This track recorded for the excellent All Saints Sessions series is different. No idea why, it just speaks to me in a way a lot of his others don't. Strange world, eh?

12 year old larry collins invented heavy metal in 1958

Tweet

Remember the Michael J Fox guitar solo in Back To The Future where he says he's too ahead of the time? Utter tummy rot. Here's a performance that knocks it clean out the water and with a double necked acoustic guitar. I haven't seen that before in a video from the 50s let alone from a 12 year old. 

And let's talk about how heavy the song is. They've taken the old blues standard that I've loved since I was a child (Lloyd Price's version is my favourite) and torn it apart. This is an incredible piece of music history. He has to be just about the coolest 12 year old I've ever seen. I'm jealous as hell.

carl perkins and jerry lee lewis - ' mean woman blues/blue suede shoes'

Tweet

That's one half of the Million Dollar Quartet back in 1971 rocking and rolling as they were born to do. 

ian dury - 'reasons to be cheerful part 3'

Tweet

I couldn't resist sticking this classic on. Been dancing round the living room to it. Damn what a tune.

vampire weekend - 'diane young'

Tweet

Last new release of the day from me, I promise. I'll leave you with the new Vampire Weekend video to their single 'Diane Young' and featuring as many of their famous chums as they could fit in. The alumni includes Sky Ferreira, Santigold, Dirty Projectors, P-Thugg et al. 

The song sees a departure from their previous African influences and a move towards honest to God, American rock. I think it suits them.

hot chip - 'dark and stormy'

Tweet

Talk about finger on the pulse. Yet another brand new release and only a few hours old. It was played for the first time this evening on the radio and is the first track from their upcoming new album. I think this one needs a few listens but first thoughts are that it's okay but not a super-smash. It's got a good feel to it but at no point does it grab you with both hands and demand you pay attention. When they come to put together their greatest hits this will sit somewhere near the middle but nearer the end than the beginning. 

lykke li and david lynch - 'i'm waiting here'

Tweet

This is soooo cool. I wouldn't have teamed these two up as a natural pairing but when you come to think of it they do seem rather suited. This is a quiet ballad number with nods to the trademark Lynch sound (echo, twang-y guitar) but it also has a 60s girl group feel to it too and Lykke Li does the mournful, haunting (I had to get that adjective in. It's a review of a David Lynch song after all) so well. I hope there's an album to back this up.

the xx - 'fiction (maya jane cole remix)'

Tweet

Just about the hottest young remix specialist in London meets just about the hottest young band in London. Brand new today.

bingo players feat. tony scott - 'devotion'

Tweet

Funnily enough, I've been listening a fair bit to the Nomad original, these last few weeks. I found that I'd added it to my iPod tunes and was pleasantly surprised to stumble across this on one of my commutes. This particular version appears to be a few years old but is brand new to me having only just come across it on the new Stanton Warriors Sessions Vol 4 album at the weekend. 

tricky - 'valentine'

Tweet

The new album is a quiet little masterpiece. There's no floorkillers but each adds to something so much greater than its parts. I've still not forgotten that appalling Maxinquaye gig last year and I'll probably skip any opportunities to see him live ever again but his studio albums remain as solid and as reliable as ever. The 'False Idols' album (how apt) has a very impressive supporting cast too: Chet Baker, Nneka, Antlers. It's an instant hit if you like the brooding, moody Tricky stufff.

detroit grand poobahs - 'sandwiches'

Tweet

This is an old favourite for a spot of dad-dancing in the living room with my 2 children. Perhaps the video wasn't appropriate but I bluffed my way through it and said they were singing about food. 

dub fx - 'no rest for the wicked' feat. cade & mahesh vinayakram

Tweet

Big thanks to my very good friend Jim M who got me onto this rooftop live jam. Cool video and a drop dead brilliant tune. If only all drum and bass was this good.

everything but the girl - 'the only living boy in new york'

Tweet

One of my favourite covers from two of my favourite people.

jj - 'beautiful life (air tycoon remix)'

Tweet

My favourite Gothenburg dream-poppers in a rather moody remix. Delightful.

my first ever record

Tweet

I was probably about 8 or 9 and had badgered my mum for this album as a birthday present for ages. I must have played it to death as well. I can still remember most of the lyrics. Brighton-born Den Hegarty (the mad haired one) put together a brilliant rock and roll revival outfit but sadly, was shafted so comprehensively by his record company that he had no choice but to leave the band. Thanks for the memories Den.

portishead - 'roads (monk and cantella remix)'

Tweet

This version is by fellow Bristolians and pioneers of the trip-hop sound, Monk and Cantella.

belle and sebastian - 'i fought in a war'

Tweet

Still my favourite B&S song even after all these years. 

robert owens - 'i'll be your friend'

Tweet

One last party favourite before I go out tonight and do some dad dancing alongside the beautiful people half my age. 

Look and learn son. You don't get taught moves like this at school. I learnt this on the mean streets of Worthing.

mad professor - 'radiation ruling the nation'

Tweet

I loved the original and I'm deeply, hopelessly head over heels in love with this remix from the dub remix album by Mad Professor. He once played this at a dub reggae night at the Concorde here in my hometown of Brighton. I got as far the pillars by the fire exit facing the sea (for those who know the venue) and could get no further. The bass was so low it was making me feel queasy. He does love a bit of bass! 

The only other time that has happened was a small venue of Portobello Road back in the day when it was the Aba Shanti Sound System. All I could do was watch in awe as these superhumans rocked and rolled a few feet away from the weapons-grade speakers.

As a postscript can I just say that the cover of the album is just about the worst I've ever seen and totally unworthy to grace such a fine collection of remixes.

groove armada - 'raising the stakes'

Tweet

I always thought this was a very under-rated track from their 'Goodbye Country...' album. The bassline alone makes this a great track.

fort knox five - 'shift feat. afrika bambaataa and mustafa akbar'

Tweet

It's Saturday night and I'm in the mood for some seriously funky tunes. First port of call is Fort Knox Five. Funk guaranteed.

sizzla - 'subterranean homesick blues'

Tweet

It seems to me that Bob Dylan songs all sound better sung by other people. The one Dylan song I did prefer him singing is this. It's my favourite too, it's just so brilliantly observed and the video, shot in London behind the Savoy with a cameo part for Allan Ginsberg is iconic. It's as good a music video as you'll ever see. 

I came across this cover by Sizzla on a reggae tribute album to Dylan some time ago and Sizzla has done a wonderful job of making it his own whilst jkeeping the spirit and message of the song. Then I came across the video with Sizzla paying homage to the original too. This is what covering a song is all about. The reality TV driven karaoke pastiches make me want to tear my hair out sometimes. I do wish that just once, that one of those hapless fools would break free from Cowell's formula and go for Sizzla's approach.

 

amorphous androgynous - 'go tell it to the trees egghead'

Tweet

If this song doesn't relax you then you need medical help.

rrose - 'waterfall (birth)'

Tweet

It's too layered to be minimal, not quite techno, not quite electro, definitely not acid (although I can see why some might say it is). This track gathers weight as it goes along like a snowball rolling in the snow. I like this a lot. 

frankie knuckles presents director's cut feat. jamie principle - 'your love (the remixes)'

Tweet

Not one but all 3 remixes of one of the most important House tracks to come out of Chicago. 

boards of canada - 'reach for the dead'

Tweet

At last the wait is over. Ambient electronica maestros The Boards of Canada have finally released a full track rather than the little tasters we've been teased with up until now. The new album is out next month and if this is anything to go by it's going to be a seriously good long player.

talking heads - 'psycho killer feat. arthur russell'

Tweet

I was delighted to stumble across this rarity on Soundcloud recently. Byrne, Weymouth and the gang team up with experimental composer Arthur Russell for a raw version of the Talking Heads classic.

when saints go machine - 'iodine'

Tweet

Fresh off the presses, here's the single from their latest album and a quite stunning yet subtle video to accompany it.

tricky - 'past mistakes'

Tweet

I still haven't forgiven him for that abhomination of a gig last year with the live Maxinequaye performance but I still love his music. None more so than this.

the ronettes - 'i can hear music'

Tweet

I must have told you of my love for Veronica Bennett, lead singer of the Ronettes. The way she scrunches her nose and smiles...sigh!

lady waks in da mix #229 feat. smash hi-fi

Tweet

Everyone's favourite breakbeat DJ is in the house. 

stornoway - 'knock me on the head'

Tweet

I haven't listened to their first album in too long but I made up for that on the commute home tonight and now got their second album playing right now. It's a beautiful debut album and flows like a story with harmonies that barbershop quartets would be envious of. The second compliments the first rather well and shows a maturity to their music that makes me wonder where they go for their third album.

Track number 6. Cracking tune.

the aboriginal heavy metal gangs of wadeye

Tweet

Here's a rather strange thing. It appears that all is not well with the indigenous people of Waseye in the Northern Territories, Australia. The young men have formed themselves into gangs. Nothing particularly odd about that but they have named themselves after the bands of the golden era of heavy metal: Slayer, Megadeth, Judas Priest....they are all represented.

Don't be fooled either into thinking this is a bit of a laugh. People, property, communities are getting seriously harmed. See for yourself here.

Part 1:

Part 2:

richard villalobos - 'timemorf'

Tweet

When I started this blog I thought I'd be playing a lot more minimal techno (hence the name) but not working from home so often has meant that I don't put it on anymore. I find it helps me concentrate with the spreadsheets. No idea why, but it does. I will rectify the absence right now with this beauty from everyone's favourite Chilean party animal DJ/Producer.

biting tongues – 'boss toyota trouble'

Tweet

I'd forgotten about this tune. It popped up on a CD I recently bought - 'Factory Records Rare 12" and Remixes.' It's very Splodgenessabounds, Blockheads. Pretty damn cool.

mungo's hi-fi - 'dem no like it (feat omar perry)'

Tweet

This has the kind of stomach-churning low bass that reminds me of Mad Professor sound systems.

black grape - 'shake your money'

Tweet

The Rolling Stones have been a great source of inspiration for some classic songs, Bittersweet Symphony being (probably) the greatest example but here's another that I love as much. It was a song placed in the graveyard slot of second to last track on their first album and far too rude to release as a single although I recall Chris Evans playing a heavily edited version on his breakfast show once. It also features Sean Ryder quoting the famous Troggs outtake...the one about sprinkling a bit of fairy dust and you've got a hit record. It's a corker and no mistake. 

...and the Rolling Stones song it emulates? 'Fool To Cry'. 

vashti bunyan - 'pink sugar elephants'

Tweet

The original working of the song that she changed later to the 'Train Song'.

elvis presley - 'such a night'

Tweet

My children have just gone to bed a little bit bemused and embarrassed as their dad danced around the living room to this song....and not missing a single inflection as he sang along, I hasten to add. This is one of my very favourite Elvis tunes too. 

mexican institute of sound - 'escribeme pronto'

Tweet

Have I played this before? Ah well, if I have then it hasn't been for a long time. I'm in the mood for some Latin-infused breaks and beats. Saturday morning music!

hiroshi and kudo featuring dj milo - 'return of the original art form'

Tweet

Still my all time favourite hip-hop record. 

darker than blue - 'ghetto funk'

Tweet

You know when a track just hits that sweet spot? 

tiffany - 'panic'

Tweet

Not just a collector's piece but actually a pretty interesting reworking of the Smiths song by none other than Tiffany....yes, that Tiffany. It sounds to me like a Depeche Mode backed track that Ridley Scott might use. I like it.

thievery corporation - 'vampires (afrolicious and rob garza remix)'

Tweet

Ahead of the release of his remixes album Rob Garza from Thievery Corporation has made available as download this funky little number. It's retained the North African soul of the tune but freshened it up and given it a new set of clothes. You can read more and download the track here.

bonobo -'cirrus'

Tweet

The awful, numb feeling after losing to Crystal Palace yesterday has made any attempts at listening to upbeat music futile. I think the key word here is down-tempo and this is what the new Bonobo album delivers by the bucket-load  It's quite ethereal and suits the mood perfectly.

leftside wobble - 'acid soul 10 mix'

Tweet

I was sent this by a friend and it could possibly be the best dance mix I've heard in years. Leftside Wobble is one half of Coldcut so this comes with a lot of pedigree and a guarantee of quality. That first track especially....it will have its own entry here soon, it is that good.

saint saviour - 'tightrope (all saints basement sessions)'

Tweet

I'm going to keep waxing lyrical about Saint Saviour until she achieves the rewards that she deserves. This will blow you away - it sounds like the best James Bond theme never made.

jackie opel - 'pictures of smoke'

Tweet

This is very apt right now in my house. I'm just preparing the Sunday roast in the kitchen but we've got the shisha pipe going and the air is full of apple tobacco smoke. This tune is a ska classic from right back to the beginning of the genre in the early 60s. What a tune.

owiny sigoma band - 'magret aloor'

Tweet

I have a serious contender for my album of the year. It's a superb work of art from the first right through to the last track. Best described (by me at least) as Kenyan 'Owiny' music meets psychedelic funk with a splash of techno. This is just one of the tracks but oh my goodness, just how good is this? Seriously....how good is this? Genius.

sweet tee - 'i got that feeling'

Tweet

I love the breaks in this very old school hip-hop classic. 24 years old and still as fresh as a daisy with a stripped back feel and samples to die for.

probably the most extreme music video you'll ever watch (NSFW)

Tweet

This video is very clever but it's not for the faint-hearted. Think 'Smack My Bitch Up' but more so. Needless to say it's not suitable for children, for watching at work or for the squeamish. 

hidden orchestra - 'spoken'

Tweet

I tried and failed to get my head around the Scott Walker albumwhilst wanderin around Poplar on my lunch break. I think I need to sit down with the lyrics in front of me and follow along with the songs. It's not the type of album you can zone out to with headphones on. The Hidden Orchestra however are made for the job and I've been enjoying their 'Archipelago' album for the past hour. The arrangements are lush, evocative and soaring as this track shows.

the xx - 'reunion'

Tweet

It must be something in the water...or maybe I'm just taking more effort when listening to music but XX's 'Coexist' album has been the soundtrack to my daily commute for a few days now and I've discovered all sorts of things hidden away within the album that I missed when first listening. If I carry on like this with my re-appraisal of 'difficult' recent releases I might just be ready soon to tackle Scott Walker's 'Bish Bosch', an album that has so far remained impenetrable to me.

12 alabama bands you should listen to now

Tweet

The very excellent Paste Magazine has a brilliant article about the Alabama music scene and in particular 12 bands that are doing the state proud. A lot of them seem to come from Birmingham and a lot are bluegrass/Americana/country oriented as you would expect but there's nothing stale about the sounds and you will have a very enjoyable few hours exploring these bands - all of which were new to me although there's a fair degree of musical pedigree there. Here's the link.

And this is my pick of the bunch. St Paul and the Broken Bones 'Sugar Dyed Honey Pants'. 

nick cave and the bad seeds - 'mermaids'

Tweet

I've been quite underwhelmed by the 'Push The Sky Away' album and it has quite upset me that I feel like this about the person I regard as my number one musical hero. I spoke to someone who managed to get tickets for the accompanying tour and they told me that there was a ferocity in the live performances missing from the studio album. Although this is one of his slower numbers this live recording of his latest single 'Mermaids' does reveal an additional spirit or even soul that lifts it from album filler to a quite romantic track. 

the temptations - 'ball of confusion'

Tweet

Inspired by listening recently to the Unkle track that sampled this classic I feel moved to play the original. What a tune.

street sign rap lyrics

Tweet

This is a clever concept. Jay Shells has taken his love of hip-hop literally to the streets and referenced the blocks, streets and corners name-checked in classic rap songs. 

depeche mode - 'welcome to my world (grubber remix)'

Tweet

It's taken a few listens but I think I'm finally getting their latest album. It sounded a bit dirge-like on first listen but it's actually more rocky laced with a lot of humour. In places it reminds me of those very heavy electro goth/industrial sounds of :wumpscut: and Marilyn Manson and in other places a more classic Depeche Mode  sub-ballad feel. If you're struggling with the album I'd recommend sticking with it because it is well worth it and if you already love it then play it some more! 

nick cave and the bad seeds - 'red right hand'

Tweet

This song still has all the venom in it that I heard when I first listened to it 20 odd years ago. "You're just a microscopic cog in his catastrophic plans.." Incredible.

apollo 440 - 'vanishing point'

Tweet

I've written about my love of Apollo 440's 'Electroglide in Blue' album before. It's a rarity in that there's absolutely no album fillers; every single track stands on its own as a work of art. This is a case in point.

sun city girls - 'el solo'

Tweet

I've written about this song before but finally it's been uploaded onto the web for us all to listen to. Enjoy. 

ursula 1000 - 'electric boogie (fort knox five remix)'

Tweet

Saturday nights are made for tracks this damn funky.

fun boy three - 'the lunatics have taken over the asylum'

Tweet

I feel like this whenever I look at the BBC news website. 

amen corner - 'if paradise is half as nice'

Tweet

This is how I feel about Brighton and Hove Albion. One of my favourite tunes to sing along to in the shower as well!