detroit grand poobahs - 'sandwiches'

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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

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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'

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

jj - 'beautiful life (air tycoon remix)'

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

my first ever record

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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)'

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

belle and sebastian - 'i fought in a war'

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

robert owens - 'i'll be your friend'

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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'

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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'

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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'

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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'

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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'

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

rrose - 'waterfall (birth)'

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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)'

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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'

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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'

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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'

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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'

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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'

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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!