Death Strobe

So my friend Ash (Le Rouge) and I are starting up a little record label which I'm super excited about. Still in the early stages, but we're looking for submissions now. Deep dark indie party tribal disco - think any combination of those words, that's the vibe. Of course it makes things easier if you're in Sydney, but location won't be a reason to say no if the music is right. Email some music to info(at)deathstrobe.com. Everything sent in will be listened to by both Ash and I. Woo!

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Have had such a great week for finding music!! I should have waited a bit to mention Disconet - this latest release, Greatest Hits Vol. 4, I think is certainly an improvement on the other 3. Mainly because of the Fear Medley which I remember hearing in some set ages ago (was it a Horse Meat mix?) and really falling in love with. 14 minutes of totally pornographic disco. Yeah there are a couple of moments where it seems to just drift nowhere a bit, but for the most part this is hot hot music. And it's all worth it for the delicately subtle* sexual innuendo. Both tracks on the B side are alright, but Fear is the real reason to grab this record.

Easy Going - Fear Medley (Disconet Remix) [buy]

Clap Rules have produced yet another beauty here, which appears on Slow Motion Vol. 1. I'm so in love with their highly electronic yet really live sound. Basses popping and guitars twanging away over nasty sequencers, dreamy pads and cut up drums. With some rogue flute shoved in there for good measure. So desperate to see Fabrizio and his little crew doing this stuff on stage! Easily one of my top artists of the year, and I can only see them improving more and more. Bring on a second EP, enough of the single track teases!

Clap Rules - 123 cantyousee [buy]

Also should have held off on posting a version of Love Attack.. I never expected this would actually get released! Cosmo Vitelli played this edit of Love Attack when he was out a year or so ago and I was frothing over it. Sure, it's not WILDLY different to the original, and for good reason - it's hard to improve on something so classic. Still, this is my favourite adaptation of it. It's filled with those harsh cut loops that kinda polish it with dirt, if you get what I mean. Anyway, this is out on the latest I'm A Cliché release, Cliché Breaks 04, which is a fucking ripper, featuring edits from Richard Sen & Cazbee, Jacques Renault and Pierre Wax. That's proper value right there.

Cosmo Vitelli - Sex Attack [buy]

After a long wait, the next installment of Rvng of the Nrds has emerged from the shadows, this time with some fantastic tracks from Jackpot. The A side, Brief Encounter, is a beautifully edited high energy superfun disco treat. The other two tracks cover both light and dark synth heavy house infused nudisco. Very sad to hear that this will be the second last release in the series - mind you there's never going to be a shortage of top shelf quality music coming from the rad NY label/collective/whatever it is. As usual, this record is somewhat limited and truly is a MUST MUST MUST OWN.

Jackpot - Brief Encounter [buy]

By the way, thanks to all who replied to that last post!

*not

You Kids...

Just quickly would like to do a little survey. I feel like I don't know anything about the people who read this lil' blog of mine.. I'm keen to know who buys what. How many of you guys buy records regularly? How about digital music? Maybe even those weird compact disc things, does anybody still buy those? How about nothing at all? Very curious to know the general spread. In particular, does anybody ever follow the 'buy' links and get physical copies of what's posted here? Comment away dear friends!

I've been treating these releases from Loft Records like Pokemon - I simply MUST catch them all. This plump disco edit by Jordan Fields is the B on one such record put out through the mysterious label. Mysterious as in I can't seem to find any proper information about them whatsoever. Is it actually a label? Is it some kind of mini-distributor? Yes their website is aesthetically gorgeous but a bit lacking on the content side of things. But back to the song: very simple and very effective - a beefy 2 bar bass/keys loop that swells and stews and leaves you on edge hungry for more. Can imagine this being dangerously good on the dfloor.

Rare Disco - Unreleased (Jordan Fields Re-Edit) [buy]

Also on said label/thing is this very cool Disco Aerobics record edited by one Tony Bozak DJ. Biiig funky disco with classic power-strings to command and motivate even the chubbiest of aerobics classes. No, not really, I don't see how this song has any place in a gymnasium. This is far better suited to colourful sequined flares and extravagant 60s synchronised dance moves under the disco ball. Brilliant record!

Disco Dance Demonstration - Latin Soul Hustle [buy]

For ages I totally forgot about DiscoEdits.com. Big mistake. The site's ever-so-generous caretaker Afro Jackson knows some fab music from some deep crates and knows how to edit it. It's all really high quality authentic stuff, a real gold mine for top shelf stuff you won't find elsewhere. Put the player on random, hit play and enjoy! I won't be neglecting AJ's lovely site again. Promise.

Sparque - Take Some Time (Afro Jackson's Short Edit)

This remix from Horse Meat Disco is certainly not what I expected. It's actually quite thumpy and deep with a few acidic moments. However it does retain a lot of the cute poppy charm of the Phenomenal Handclap Band original, which is nice. This is a big release! The Prins Thomas mix is great as well, and I expect Ilya Santana's will be a winner. Beatport is, as far as I know, the only place you can get the tracks at the moment, although (for me at least) they're territory restricted. Fuck it's ridiculous. Seems like they're actively trying to discourage people from buying music. Not going to spill a big rant just now, but it seriously pisses me off.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band - You'll Disappear (Horse Meat Disco Remix)

Be good. Stay in school. Respect your elders. And all that. Hey who in Sydney wants to give me a cushy job?

Prodigious Disco

Have been listening to Harvey's famed '98 Essential Mix plenty in these last sunny weeks, and every time remember how much I fucking adore this song. It really is classic beyond classic. I think I slightly prefer Larry's remix to the original 12" mix, since it's a bit better structured for the club and it seems a hair beefier. It's just one of those songs where every element is memorable and the whole thing comes together perfectly. Pretty much as good as it gets as far as I'm concerned.

Instant Funk - I Got My Mind Made Up (Larry Levan Remix)

This is an absolutely colossal beast of a track upped and slightly edited by Rolfski on his excellent Deep Disco Soundcloud group. 14-odd minutes of epic spacey psychedelic disco jam. The original is the work of supreme producer/writer Celso Valli, perhaps best known for his groundbreaking releases as Azoto. This Patrick Cowley remix is just insanely big, a total sweat-factory. Thank you Rolfski!

Tantra - The Hills of Katmandu (Patrick Cowley Remix)

YES YES YES In Flagranti's latest Sounds Superb re-edits record is out on Juno Download. This one is a bit more of a party edition than some of its predecessors. The first track, Leach Power, is the most fun of the three - saturated in that signature IF sort-of-humourous/ironic merry holiday vibe. Sorta sounds like The Clash turned 80s flamboyant synth rock. I think I read somewhere the 12" is out on the 18th (this Friday) but you can get it digitally as of yesterday. Not that it wasn't predictable, but it's another expert release.

Servo - Leach Power [buy]

This is an awesome little disco nibble released as a 7" on the minuscule NYC Sound Record/Japanese Import Record imprint, somehow affiliated with/stemming from Loft Records. From what I can gather, Yoshi Nakamura aka King Onkyo is some hip collector from Tokyo who has clearly delved into some deep crates. The A-side here just pops in from nowhere with some cute funky disco, agogos and cowbells blazing, funky bassline strutting. The B is great too! This is pretty limited so snag a copy while you can. More goodies from Loft on the way.

King Onkyo - Untitled [buy]

Got a bunch more brilliant tunes to let loose this week (hopefully) so get excited!

Peaking Duck

Well deserving of Picadilly's disco record of the week, this is an absolute gem of a remix by Brennan Green of a coolies 40 Thieves tune originally released on Permanent Vacation. This one grooves supremely. It has sex with the hottest women. It sets fire to even the dampest brick wall. It oozes cool as dense as dark matter. And so on. Qzen's smooth vocals perfectly match the rich hearty bass and slightly acidic (pH 5.5) synth line. Also my fave of the week. Yumsies! Out on Brennan's own Chinatown label.

40 Thieves - Don't Turn It Off (Brennan Green Mix) [buy]

Since laziness is becoming even more of a key theme on this run down old blog, I figure why not keep throwing in stuff that's been in my record box for a while to help fill in the gaps. Nitedog and Lovefingers' Blackdisco series has been fantastic thus far, offering some slightly obscure funky disco cuts for dancefloors to enjoy over four generously music-filled records. I particularly dig volume 3 - all three tracks are ripe for playing out with good results guaranteed. Love this spiffy party edit of Nitedog's, flaunting some durrrty long haired guitar (haha jokez), some uplifting plonky piano and some enthusiastic disco shouts. Fun music.

Bionic Boogie - Chains (Nitedog Anonstop Edit) [buy]

Although none of them have really grabbed me by the throat and slapped me about, I feel I should at least mention the recent-ish release of these best-of Disconet records - a popular DJ subscription service running from '77 through to 1990. All pretty stock standard stuff really; quality music but rarely audacious (or so I feel). So yeah, some of the finer picks have been reissued and you may or may not find them interesting. At the very least, you can't really go wrong with them - this remix of Love Attack is a perfect example. Who doesn't love Love Attack? Solid.

Ferrara - Love Attack (Disconet Remix) [buy]

Another song I've been very reluctant to post over the last... forever. So I'll just get rid of it and let the listening publique decide. I just really dislike the vocals on this track - aside from that it's a winner. From Eskimo's first Cosmic Balearic Beats compilation (of which the second volume is now out of the gates, can't wait to hear it!) this Lovelock track is a tasty spacey slowish chugging number which is stained with whimpy cry-baby lyrics that really just feel completely unnecessary. Instrumental please. Sorry if I'm being harsh... I do love the song. But yeah, check out the new collection here which, like its predecessor, promises to be an excellent album!

Lovelock - Don't Turn Away (From My Love) [buy]

Finally, the first hour of a truly spectacular 3hr set by Mark Seven at Horse Meat Disco some months ago which was a super limited bonus with his latest 12 from oki-ni. I just got this link from the djhistory forums so I hope I don't get in trouble :)! 60 solid minutes of incredible gay disco that, whether deep down inside or blatantly on the surface, everybody loves! Don't deny it. This is really special stuff. So is Mark's EP, Travelogue, which appears to have been selling like hot cakes all around the net. Seriously good music.

Mark Seven - A Salute to the Men of Vauxhall (Disc 1) [buy EP]

If you're in Sydney, come to World Bar tonight around 12! Everyone else, have a good weekend!

A Flower of Unknown Colour

Sorry about the delayyy, brain has been fried. Dear me.

No clue how I missed this a couple of months ago, I'm horrified i could let ANY In Flagranti track slip past me. This remix of The Glass is just fantastic, nothing less than what I would expect. 20,000 different rhythms bouncing around, hypnotic forever-unresolving chords that keep reeling you in, this is extreme dance material. Play it loud loud loud. Cover the furniture in bubble wrap first.

The Glass - Wanna Be Dancin (In Flagranti Remix) [buy]

A couple of classic edits from a couple of true masters: Theo Parrish and DJ Harvey. Fuck, these are as groovy as you could possibly ask for. My only general complaint about this era of edits is, in my mind, they tend to drag on a little bit. That said, they're still streets ahead of most that are being done 5, 10 or 15 years on. Smooth ultra-hip breaksy jazz funk from Harv'; big bold disco anthem from Theo's Ugly Edits series. Genius!

The Dells - Get On Down (Theo Parrish Re-Edit)

DJ Harvey - Joyous

Just realised I haven't posted this before when I was sure I had. Well, this Light Sounds Dark edits record is a special one to say the least. Amongst some obscure disco cuts, this is my favourite - a cute laid back number with some adorable chirpy vocals and wandering flute. Certainly the most 'normal' of the bunch, the other stuff on this 12 is much more adventurous and out-there. If you can hunt it down it's well worth owning!

Sarr Band - Double Action (Light Sounds Dark Edit) [buy]

Promise I'll be good and post another by the end of the week. In other news, a Disco Delish night is definitely in the works for Sydney so stay alert.