Behind The Curtain

Let's, for a moment, take a step back from your typical main room d-floor and stumble over to the oh-so-alternative backroom with beanbags and incense burning and a couple of people busting out some way too enthusiastic experimental moves who everyone pretends not to be looking at. The music is nice in here too! Genre is no longer considered. Quirky op-shop garments are essential.

You could get started with some things just a little left of center like Bot'Ox, maybe reeling in some curious electro kids. It's got that sort of vicious edge they seem to be drawn to but, as you could easily forecast with Bot'Ox, is masterfully produced and is interesting enough for anyone to get into if they're keen. You could also chuck in some Padded Cell to again ease into things for the same reason. Big appealing bassline splattered with dissonant guitar, squawking sax and galactic sounds. Or perhaps some overly twisted classic disco like Erobique (thanks to blouse for this one!) which is defaced by some kind of mutant bass playing anti-melodies.

Bot'Ox - Arab Drift

Padded Cell - Faces of the Forest

Erobique - Endorphinmachine

You could probably get away with playing your average new agey psychedelic tribalfolk tune like Faux Pas' spectacular Rose's Lament, my new favourite song. It's like if Enigma was no longer awfully cheesy, they learned to play and use lots of different instruments and sounds, and... I don't know, became about 300 times better. Even then that's a terrible thing to compare it to, but the thought flashed through my mind on first listen. It's a really beautiful journey which you should take with the candles blown out and the volume up at dangerous levels. Thanks to Faux Pas' chart on RVNG this month I'm aware of this perfect Bullion tune which could aid a summer pool party as well as it could a back room full of happy huggy gurning kids. Just gorgeous!

Faux Pas - Rose's Lament

Bullion - Time For Us All To Love

There is of course always the option of throwing in some Pilooski stuff. Possibly more on the rocky side of things? His Michael Bundt edit is a sort of psychedelic rock dance fusion which, rather than really going anywhere, wades around through a bunch of slowly developing synths. The Can edit is more legit 60s psych-rock and would be killer for a beanbag moment or a hippie flowerdance. Love you Pilooski.

Michael Bundt - The Brain of Oskar Panizza (Pilooski Edit)

Can - Mother Sky (Pilooski Edit)

Or if you just think the kids are so fucked up they wouldn't notice a herd of rainbow oxen stampeding on the dancefloor, you could play something like this cheeky Joakim 30 second summary of the modern modern music. You could get kicked off the decks though. Yes, you'd be very foolish to even post this on a blog let alone play it in a club.

Joakim - One Minute to Catch Up and Forget

That would be a pretty messed up set... Probably don't take my advice.

Twelve Inches of Pleasure

I figured it was probably (over)time to post some stuff from records I've snagged in the last few months. Last year Eskimo Recordings released a nice compilation of some lovely galactic disco tunes called 'Cosmic Balearic Beats' of which Bottin's track Fondamente Nove in particularly really caught my fancy. Slow, easy going and spacey, it's a perfect warm-up disco track. The comp features killer artists like In Flagranti, Lullabies In The Dark and Cosmo - definitely worth checking out! Future Classic's latest release by Loin Brothers is equally brilliant, though a bit more down to earth. More like in the stratosphere than in deep space. Both are beautifully produced with tasty frilly layers decorating nice thick basslines.

Bottin - Fondamente Nove

Loin Brothers - Heavy Helmet

Permanent Vacation is probably still my favourite label at the moment. Picked up some older stuff (2007) the other day which are really delightful. The Steve Yanko track has lots of energy and bounce. I suppose the Antena track does too, bit it's a little darker. I'm really impressed that I picked both these records up recently not really knowing they were two years old, and wouldn't have known they weren't new releases if I hadn't checked. PV always sounds superfresh and groovy. If you're not familiar with their back catalogue, go hunt!

Steve Yanko - Prostitute Pink feat. Antena

Antena - On The Boat (Disco Devil's Rubber Room Mix)

For a bit of classic-influenced sounding disco, this Faze Action number is a winner. Big rollerskates and sequined super-wide flares and fingers pointing in all directions. Moving from 70s strings to 80s wackysynths: Heavy Hitter was one of my favourite tracks on Metro Area's Fabric mix, and this Social Disco Club edit is a beauty. Booming synth drums and parachute pants and video tape and experimental moustaches. Good times.

Faze Action - Stratus Energy (Special Disco Mix) [removed by request]

Barbara Norris - Heavy Hitter (SDC Re-Edit)

I don't like posting things that are being smattered all over the blogs, but I'll sheepishly make an exception for these two excellent new cuts. Gigamesh has pulled out a spectacular simple-but-effective remix of Everything In Its Right Place which I'm sure many of you cats have heard. Ever since hearing Josh Wink's remix, which is just a little too chilled to play out, I've craved a clubworthy mix to bust out. Finally the dance angels have granted my wish and this beast is upon us. Also, The Twelves' newish Groove Armada remix is fuucking great. So so tight and upbeat, irresistible on the dancefloor. Instant love.

Groove Armada - Drop The Tough (The Twelves Remix)

Radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place (Gigamesh Remix)

Catch The Twelves in Australia in May!

Colours of Colours

Having a bit of a Prins Thomas moment right now after finding a record of his I thought I'd lost and giving it another whirl. I was supposed to post his Force of Nature mix before I left and somehow missed putting it in the pile, so here it is belated and brilliant. Super chunky bass, hot percussion. His ability to sound like a true master of everything inbetween cosmic disco and techno is pretty impressive.

Force of Nature - To The Brain (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)

These are a couple of really interesting tunes I stumbled across during the week. Although the majorness of the Mugwump tune kind of irritates me a bit, I guess I can peer through my haze of bitterness and see that it's a really nice fun song. Just really playful and happy. Raoul7000 runs a really neat albeit sparse blog where I found this amazing edit he's done. The editing style and sound really reminds me a lot of In Flagranti. Lots of fucking with the structure, a big emphasis put on the bassline, pounding drums. This is definitely one of the coolest tunes I've heard lately. Viva el kazoo!

Mugwump - Ignored Folklore

Skyy - Skyyzoo (Raoul7000's Acme Edit)

This is another tune that was in my 'to post' pile and somehow vanished. Love Todd Terje's stuff, gutted that I missed him in Sydney a few weeks ago. The Chaz Jankel edit is a delight - the song is given a bit more space and disco atmosphere. The beautiful keys always send me to the clouds. And for good measure here's his classic Stevie Wonder edit. As close to perfect as it gets..

Chaz Jankel - Glad to Know You (Todd Terje Re-Edit)

Stevie Wonder - Superstition (Todd Terje Edit)

How much WhoMadeWho is too much WhoMadeWho? I suppose it's easy to just keep posting stuff of theirs since it's always going to be a guaranteed winner. Easy blogging! Anyway I've really warmed to In Flagranti's mix of Out the Door over the months after not being totally sure about it initially. A little dark at first but slowly little things are added here and there to brighten it up. It's a nice listen.

WhoMadeWho - Out The Door (In Flagranti Remix)

More more more more more more more coming.

Regresar

Made my triumphant albeit bittersweet return to Sydney yesterday, had a quick fly around Beatport and collected a few goodies both new and old. From now on expect things to be getting back on track! Or I hope that's what happens, since I don't have an excuse to be posting sub-par stuff anymore. Seems there's plenty of good stuff I've missed, so here we go...

Will be a good year with WhoMadeWho's new album on the horizon. Really enjoying the bits and pieces that have come my way, still with their signature quirkiness and droooool basslines. The single is pretty solid and it's got some nice remixes. Discodeine's is my fave, though I guess not really what I was expecting. More... normal? Either way they're both great tunes - promising for what's ahead.

WhoMadeWho - The Plot (Club Mix)

WhoMadeWho - The Plot (Discodeine Remix)

Discodeine and the whole Dirty crew get me really excited. I really dig their latest (not really that recent anymore) release, Tom Select. Super dirty and raw, sans yucky distortion. Perhaps not for everyone but for me it's a nice dark change of mood to a lot of stuff I'm listening to. Refreshing. Joystick, on the other hand, is super retro-synthy and upbeat vibey, one of those songs that instantly sounds like a classic you've known for years. Great melody. If you're not familiar with Dirty Sound System, Pilooski and the whole thing they're doing, investigate!

Discodeine - Tom Select

Discodeine - Joystick

Just randomly came across these: A couple of nice easy going soulful laid back discofunk tunes to mix things up. The Amplified Orchestra tune is a beautiful lounge groove to down some Mojitos to. Ultra hip bassline, ultra cool fluttering jazz organ. The Funkworks track is more upbeat with a retro-been-remixed vibe to it. Which I think it is? Good clean fun, nothing over the top - it's just a winning formula.

Amplified Orchestra - U Can't Help But Dance

Funkworks - Dancin' (I Just Can't Stop)

I love love love Escort's sound and was thrilled to find this new gem on my hunt. I didn't particularly like the original Zombi tracks it came with, but Escort predictably manage to perform a super tight funk makeover. Totally solid.

Zombi - Sapphire (Escort Remix)

This old Max Tundra really hits the spot for me. Is there an extended version of it anywhere? Great chopped up vocals from well before the electro era of vox megaediting and completely overdoing it. I have to say I'm still a sucker for it when it's done well like this. I just wish this wasn't such a tease!

Max Tundra - MBGATE

OK. More on the way. Sorry to those who have emailed in the last few months, I'm many thousands behind so it's going to take a long long time to catch up. Promise I'll listen to everything at some point though!

Interesting

This is possibly the most expensive internet cafe on the planet, so will fly through some songs. These remixes of Michoacan turned my head a couple of months ago and to be perfectly honest I'm not 100% sure why. The Fabrizio Mammarella is definitely my favourite of the two, it's a bit more interesting and fun and there's a catchy bassline in there. The Emperor Machine one just drags out a bit and lacks flair. I probably just threw it in for the Emperor Machine value.. Hope you can forgive me if it's not the best thing you hear this week.

Michoacan - She's Sent (Emperor Machine Remix)

Michoacan - She's Sent (Fabrizio Mammarella Remix)

Improving slightly, Dicky Trisco's edit of Zapped is at least a more interesting production. Still a bit bland.. My favourite of these four is Greg Wilson's 1gnition edit. Bassline is really hip and there are some nice blasts of horns and retro funk. If you're pushed for time too, just get this track. Another week in Brazil then home to spend a week punishing Beatport and record stores - expect lots of good music!

Phresh n Low - Zapped (Dicky Trisco Cosmic Edit)

1gnition - Secret Sunday Lover (Greg Wilson Edit)

Bi

Hood

Firstly, for those of you lucky enough to be in Sydney at the moment, if anybody is keen to see EDU K (Sweat It Out's latest Latino addition) I've got a couple of double passes to throw at people. The baile funk maestro is supported by Ajax (still Australia's #1 hero) and MC Gaff-E (world's #1 wardrobe) on this friday the 14th (after good vibes / valentines!) at the Art Factory. Should be a killer night, email me your full name quickly and you shall be hooked up.

Secondly, just jumped on a new WhoMadeWho track from the upcoming album which I'm super stoked about! It's classic WMW, heaps of energy, heaps of fun, heaps of yumyumyum bassline. Really excited to hear the album whenever it's coming out.. You've all heard me frothing over them in recent weeks due to their Aus visit.

WhoMadeWho - Swedish Meatballs

Nextly, some more old but great Metro Area tunage. I'm sure most of you guys know Miura and plenty more will have heard Erodyne but I'm not fussed. Such quality music. I'm always hugely impressed by the way they're albe to synthesise such brilliant sounds and arrange things so delicately so that everything fits like a glove. I just hope they keep churning music out - I hear Morgan Geist isn't all that keen on it anymore.

Metro Area - Miura

Metro Area - Erodyne

Lastly, check out the Beats In Space best of 08 podcast. Amazing. Marry me Tim Sweeney? It's the January 13th one I think.

Sucre was such a cool town. Can't manage to go anywhere without becoming the target of a water fight. Ah it's a hard life being a gringo. Taking a train to brazil (ooh Guillemots reference) tomorrow night, wheee! Super keen.

This Way

Ho hum. La Paz was the kuh-rayziest town yet! Had no idea so much wacky shit goes down there. I feel very satisfied (and still very ill) leaving with my "I survived the world's most dangerous vindaloo t-shirt." Highly recommend it to anybody, especially San Pedro prison.

I'm really looking forward to getting home so I can spend weeks catching up on music I've missed. I feel bad for posting things I scrambled together more than 6 weeks ago... Just wait it out, promise I'll come back strong. For the moment, here are a couple of nice tracks from In Flagranti and Popular Computer. The Flagranti track is typically hip strutty rhythm guitar with locomotive disco drums which dance away oh so prettily. Gorgeous sounding synths too. Sorry that it cuts out early, I guess the album it's from is gapless. Otaku is just a simple laid back easy-goer. Don't have a whole lot to say about it I guess, it's just nice.

In Flagranti - Escapade

Popular Computer - Otaku

A couple more classic remixes here from the ever tiring DD vault by Ewan Pearson and Maurice Fulton. The Playgroup one should be recalled by many, right? It's a classic! And not what I'd usually expect from Ewan and his spacey quasi-weirdo bag of tricks. A little bit twisted, quite addictive. The Over and Over mix (SORRY, I searched every last corner of the internet for a version that isn't cut up at the start, but it doesn't seem to exist. Please explain iTunes and friends..) is again nice and simple. Just a cool bassline and the perfect vocals and you're set. Maurice makes it seem too easy, as with just about everything he does.

Playgroup - Make It Happen (Ewan Pearson Remix)

Hot Chip - Over and Over (Maurice Fulton Remix)

Around about 4 more weeks of this insanity before home time. Wheeeee.