dark seas

Sorry about yesterday's absence-- had to do a lot of bureaucratic stuff, and I also purchased a 23-year-old Honda moped, so I was busy riding about and getting a feel for the whole thing.

Despite the fact that it is a beautiful, sunny day here in San Francisco, today I'm giving you a deep, dark techno track from our friend in Brazil, Hugo Tert. "Obesidade" is a 121-bpm piece with monstrously large bass and heavy kicks, lush synths with much reverb and delay, and minor-key harmonies that remind one of something on Systematic. Definitely a late-night burner, I wouldn't be surprised if Tert started getting some major recognition abroad-- he definitely deserves it.

Terttett- Obesidade

Hot old-school jams tomorrow, courtesy of Juan Atkins.

what i'm feeling

So today, a special treat. My friend Leo found the most impossible-to-find record in Chez Damier's catalog. Here is the Discogs entry, and you can find out more about the record and Chez Damier later on in this ILM thread-- Leo has a lot of interesting insights into the record that I could not possibly have, as he's possibly the world's biggest Chez Damier fan (for real), so it's recommended that you read the thread.

All I can say is that the A-Side of this record is some excellently lush, four-to-the-floor Chicago style house. A real pleasure to listen to, this is one of the best finds I've heard in a long while! The whole 12" is available below!

Boot Leg With Love- Untitled 12

Tomorrow, thinking some new deep techno that arrived in my inbox a couple days ago!

aw shucks

Before anything else, it is absolutely necessary that you see Hercules & Love Affair play live (if you can), as it's probably the best show I've seen and heard anytime in the past year.

Which gets to my next point: "Let No Man Put Asunder," the classic 1983 track by First Choice, has been popping up all over the place recently. After Hercules this past weekend, Honey Soundsystem DJ Pee Play played a nice, thumping edit of it, which got me to thinking about the infamous Ron Hardy and his edit of the track. With its excellent looping, jacking of the low frequencies, and sensuousness, it might be one of the best things that Hardy ever committed to tape during his lifetime. Re-released last year as "Baby, Baby Baby, Aw Shucks." Definitely worth blasting out of your car windows!

First Choice- Let No Man Put Asunder (Ron Hardy Re-Edit)

Tomorrow, some more ill jams. Also worth mentioning: the "Get Your Mind Thirsty" mix, full of UK acid and serious German minimal techno, is available again here.

love your brother

I've been listening to a lot of slower, smoother house tracks as of recent, and one of the constants on the iPod has been the Abacus dub of "Love Your Brother" by King Sunshine. This 120-bpm track utilizes the lush synths associated with Abacus, an array of mid-level synth harmonies, excellently programmed drum patterns, and an old-school bass-line that takes one back to early 90s New York house a la Utopia Project. A summer winner!

King Sunshine- Love Your Brother (Abacus RE.Think Dub)

Tomorrow, that Sasse track I've been promising!

azz klapz

So, two posts today, separated for your pleasure!

First of all, you should check out this great video of my pals Teengirl Fantasy playing at Death by Audio in Brooklyn last week.



Then, you should download the track performed above from this blog. However, since the Britisher there doesn't really talk about the substance of the music (besides making a totally bizarre comparison to Lindstrom), I'll say a few words. "Customize It" (alternately called "Azz Klapz," for those who want to be in the know) mixes the best of Baltimore club-style sampling, funky bass synth-lines, and nice crisp drum patterns; then, it explodes into a full-fledged 90s Euro-house track that is undoubtedly influenced by Robin S.'s "Show Me Love," along with a multitude of other classics. I especially love the lush synths that take over the track for part of its final minute. Totally awesome stuff, it is nice to know that these boys are getting so many props-- they deserve it to the utmost!

A bit later today: though I know I posted a track from Abacus recently, I have a remix of his that is just too smooth and lovely to not share.

long ways

Can't give you that Sasse track today, as I'm having bizarre issues with surface noise when I try to digitize vinyl. Tinkering a bit, should have something from him up by the end of the week.

It's hard not to mention that I've also been wanting to give you something from Lindstrom's upcoming album, and last night reminded me of why-- I was driving with a friend along the darkened bay, picking up a member of Teengirl Fantasy from the airport, and the last track of Lindstrom's latest came on my iPod. Needless to say, it was perfect timing, and we both revelled in it.

Possibly one of the most perfect tracks I've heard all year, "The Long Way Home" is everything from dreamy disco to Jan Hammer- esque electronic pop, from intensely-syncopated LSD semi-squelch to Cerrone-like synth bombast. Quite an astounding piece of work, and definitely one of my top five jams of the summer!

Lindstrom- The Long Way Home

Tomorrow, thinking something fantastical.

floating world

(photo by F.D. Rahman)

So, despite all of my house and disco leanings of the past couple of weeks, I've also spent a large amount of time listening to the minimal, dubby techno found on Basic Channel's Chain Reaction label. Among the various artists with releases on the label, the Grecian Fluxion is probably my favorite. With tracks that range from more straightforward dub techno to dreamy ambient soundscapes (and everything in between), Fluxion is truly an artist who needs more recognition, particularly given the current penchant for releases on the Modern Love imprint. "Multidirectional I" has a heavy kick and writhing bass that provides forward movement against mid-level, delayed organ synths and hi-frequency, highly-nuanced washes. Weird descending lines, very low in the mix, provide a hallucinatory quality to the whole track that is quite something. Off of one of my most-listened to albums during the past year, Bipolar Defect. Highly recommended!

Fluxion- Multidirectional I

Tomorrow, some deep stuff from Sasse.

drumming deep

Over the past week, I've become obsessed with this record, and thought I'd share a piece of it with you. Orlando Voorn needs no introduction to those familiar with Detroit techno, and really, neither does the track I'm posting: "In Da Jungle (Modwheel Safari Remix)" is a classic of the genre, with deep driving kicks, propelling secondary tribal percussion, jungle-animal samples, and a refrain of such intensity and simplicity that it is near-impossible to not be hypnotized by the track's end. And at about 128 bpm, it is perfect for mixing with a lot of different tracks. Awesome stuff from one of the forefathers!

Playboy- In Da Jungle (Modwheel Safari Remix)

More illness coming your way tomorrow.

on the march

First things first-- I saw White Rainbow last night, and he was totally awesome. Love that DIY techno shit!

Tonight, thinking about going to see Tussle, but have been a bit stupefied by the 21+ rule being used by the venue. It's a gallery! Have some common decency and let everyone in on the goodness.

Despite that bit, though, I started thinking about how much I like Tussle, and how I'm going to give you a song by them today. "Elephants" is a 130 bpm track with a heavy tribal, percussive nature that is at once quite gorgeous and quite menacing. When the main, lo-mid 'melodic' line comes along about four minutes in, the track positively shakes with energy. A real gem in the world of live bands, I definitely recommend seeing Tussle play sometime-- it is guaranteed to be a fantastic, sweaty show.

Tussle- Elephants

Tomorrow, new and wild things.

my lover my machine

You know, sometimes I believe that Jamal Moss is a crazy genius along the same lines as Kenny Dixon Jr.-- his releases (and back catalogue) are so consistently mind-meltingly weird, complex creatures that to simply call them 'house' or 'techno' would be doing them, and him, a great disservice. "Machines for Lovers" hovers around the 130 bpm mark, but it is more notable for its excellently-syncopated synth work, whooshing hi-frequencies, and harmonies that could easily be analyzed by a conservatory composition class. Such stellar stuff that it kind of renders one speechless-- just listen! Originally released on Spectral in 2004.

Hieroglyphic Being- Machines for Lovers

Tomorrow, some wild live music for your enjoyment.

a chat

Today, an old-school treat from Abacus, aka Austin Bascom, a truly underappreciated deep house head with ties to such luminaries as Ron Trent, Chez D., and so on. At about 122 bpm, "The Abacus Chat" is a lesson in how to do your synths right-- lush mid-level chords swell while more hi mids do a bit of Chicago squelch, the drum sequencing is excellent, and the deepness of the bass is something for the ears to behold. Finally, with a sample that sounds like Paul Robeson reading Countee Cullen, and a traditional African song coming in ever-so-slightly at the track's end, this is some deep, funky, Afrocentric house that is sure to please. Originally released on Prescription in 1994.

Abacus- The Abacus Chat

Tomorrow, something nasty and awesome frm Jamal Moss.

the dance in france

What with all of the hype surrounding Lindstrom's newest record, Where You Go I Go Too, I thought it appropriate to post a live PA set from the man himself, culled from his first-ever performance in Paris at the Nouveau Casino in February, 2006. Though it is true that he isn't necessarily a beat scientist, his selecting is fantastic and this is a great set to get down to. Enjoy!

Lindstrom- Live at Nouveau Casino 13-02-2006

Tomorrow, perhaps a bit from the fiiiiilllllthy Egyptian Lover, who I am seeing perform for the second time tonight.

ain't no junk

Today, a 2001 track from one of Chicago's most underappreciated producers and DJs, Stacy Kidd. "Junkyard Funk" is a fiery, funky Chicago house piece that brings Theo Parrish to mind, what with its liberal sampling of bass and guitar licks from old disco-funk. Coming in at around 125 bpm, it's perfect for mixing, particularly given its deep kicks and omnipresent hand-claps. A real summer party track, sure to make the crowd go nuts. Also, if you ever get a chance to see the man spin, do it-- quite an experience.

Stacy Kidd- Junkyard Funk (TP's Real Right Re-Edit)

Tomorrow, a live set from our man Lindstrom.

young summer

If you're embroiled in the current house and techno scenes, then it is quite likely that you've heard of The Youngsters. I'd never paid much attention to them because they always seemed a bit too electro for my tastes, but after being given their newest EP to review, I realized that I might have been wrong all of these years. The Phoenix EP, on Ovum, is a nice slice of summery goodness-- the title track is a hip-shaking tech-house number that utilizes hi-frequency, spacey keys and female vocals to create an Ibizan early-morning atmosphere. In some ways a throwback to progressive synth sounds of yesteryear, the track is nonetheless incredibly satisfying, with deep kicks and hand-claps propelling it into the listener's ear. Sometimes reminding me of Lindstrom, oddly enough, I highly recommend kicking back to this track with a cool beverage. Aaah.

The Youngsters- Phoenix

Tomorrow, an old-school house track that I've been jamming on.

fire it up

Today, a special treat. Remember a couple of weeks ago when I posted that amazing video of Lee "Scratch" Perry working on his new album with Andrew W.K.? I got an advance copy, and it actually is a pretty damn good record-- party-ready, perversely sexual, and still keeping some of the vibe that has made Lee Perry one of the most celebrated performers of our times.

"Fire" is the second track on Repentance, and it begins with awesome ascending horn synths and piano trills, then launches full into a moaning, fiery dub track that becomes more and more hallucinatory as it moves along. A mind-melting, shambling dub if there ever was one, it is a great thing that Lee is back in the game and knows how to burn it up despite his new non-smoking policy.

Lee "Scratch" Perry- Fire

Tomorrow, some new tech-house from across the pond.

in a station of the metro

Sorry for the weekend absence-- after seeing Dam Funk and Morgan Geist both spin great sets on Friday night, I spent all day Saturday barbecuing and then proceeding to this crazy all-night disco party. Really quite a weekend. Love watching the sun come up!

Today, a new techno track that got its hooks around me from the first time I heard it. Parisian producer David K. brings some heady minimal our way with "Rue Montmartre," his second contribution to Guy Gerber's Supplement Facts label. DJs are raving about the track all over, and it is easy to see way-- the major synth-lines are lushly melodic and rather low in the mix, the percussion patterns are reminiscent of Adam Beyer's excellent recent work, and use of hi-frequency washes is among the most effective I have heard. It reminds one of speeding along in a train, perhaps of Robert Babicz's work, and at times contains hints of BC-style filters. A truly atmospheric techno winner, highly recommended!!

David K.- Rue Montmartre

Tomorrow, thinking about highly illegal things.

the knife fight

Today, a departure from synths and beats for a bit of dirty, patriotic retard rock from an old band full of old friends. Have fun at the barbecues and don't get too wasted-- you want to go out dancing later. I'll be checking out Morgan Geist at the Elbo Room in San Francisco, which is sure to be a great time!

Lesbian Mom Knife Fight- USA

Tomorrow, some new techno for your ears.

we don't do the things we used to do

Today, I'm giving you a classic track from my man Roy Ayers. Been digging on his stuff a lot recently, and I thought it was about time that I shared something of it. "Running Away" is a nice disco-funk track, clocking in at 114 bpm, with lyrics reflecting a strange mix of joy and resentment about a relationship gone sour. The bass is super heavy and writhing, and the guitar can bring to mind Chic or even the Universal Robot Band. Really sweet stuff!

Roy Ayers- Running Away

Tomorrow, a secret joy.

unsafe unsound behavior

Today I asked Lindstrom whether he ever listened to Jan Hammer, and he assured me that he knew his stuff from Miami Vice. But hell, I thought, a lot of people don't know Jan Hammer from anyone, so I should post some Jan Hammer. (No Moroder-style disco today, oops).

"Knight Rider 2000" from the 1994 album, Drive, was originally the theme to a 1991 pilot episode of a new Knight Rider series that never sold to the networks. Alas, David Hasselhoff was too busy with that Baywatch thing by then, I think.

Anyway, it is a great, much-sampled track that will certainly worm its way into you-- trust!

Jan Hammer- Knight Rider 2000

Let's get down tomorrow.