London Town

T’other week time was taken out from the daily grind to traverse the London streets and see what was shaking. First stop was Wetherspoons for a lovely spot of fish, fresh from the deep fat fryer. Yes. Yes.

Following that we took to the streets and in the absence of any dosh meandered through the corridors of power drinking in the sights and admiring streets which weren’t covered in chicken bones.

Bucky P, Brown’s stomping ground in Whitehall, a slice of Green Park, popping into the ICA followed by bouncing past the Ritz and hailing a tube back East. It was deeply Balearic and enhanced by chowing down on an off cup of tea.

That weekend we got messed up big time and I reverted to type by trying (unsuccessfully) to take a picture of a beautiful scotch egg. I failed but it came in a lovely white boat. And set sail straight into my greasy gob. Wobble on that.



Royal vibes



Not lost. At all. No way.



Power



Intoxicating

GRUM

Wordola people. Little bit of a break from the shackles of the typewriter but we're back and repping. Here's summat fresh from GRUM, a mad young man from Leeds who sounds like he's been licking Daft Punk records and watching Tron on repeat.

He's been banging round the blogs for a while and now Zane Lowe has done a sex wee on him and baptised the man in name of Radio 1.

So there you have it. I'm slower than the Lowe. But honestly I've been repping him for time. Check his No Love Lost Records mixtape here. It was a soundtrack to us accidentally smashing up our flat when we first moved to the smoke last October. Plus someone's put together this ridiculous video to accompany GRUM's debut single, Runaway. It's a weird soft porn Thriller-esque vid feat. a Dan Ackroyd look alike getting fresh with some ladies. Er serious...

Blood red freewheeling

I'm backed up with verbalisations to smack all over this webpage. While I collect my thoughts, get the thread straight and rearrange my pants here's summat that's slightly old but still sounds as fresh as a lovely new day.

Aeroplane are doing the bizness right now and this is it. Even better is the 12 inch which comes in blood red. Plus the middle of the record is a close up of the cartoon Sebastian Tellier's crotch. I'm not sure he's sex on a stick so this is one for the ladies with the feted mind and the sunglasses.



Well worth checking is this month's Mixmag cd as Aeroplane are at the helm. It's called Disco Balearia. Plus this is pretty gold too and is offa another mixmag cd. Although the magazine is officially the biggest pile of dogshit money can buy.

Coma - Embargo (Allez Allez remix)

Coma? Embargo? Allez Allez? Firm? All sound faintly anonymous, a bit electronic and a little German. Firm are a label based in Cologne who are very matey with Kompakt.

Allez Allez have a wicked blog where they you could drown yerself in the mass of music it packs.

Many names but most importantly this tune is the bomb.

We Wear The Gold

Sheffield club nights C90 and Rough Disko have been dilly-dallying for time, attempting to outdrink and outnerd each other via arm wrestles, epic binges, meat eating competitions and heated debates on the pros and cons of Dj Funk and whether his wardrobe is too fresh.

So it’s no surprise that after all this flirting, the pair of floozies have decided to jump into bed with each other, have a frig and tumble and show the world the resulting mess they made. Out of the shadows comes We Wear The Gold, an evening of booty and bass. This is what these cretins listen to when no one else is watching. The first one is Friday March 27th at the Stockroom in Sheffield. Check it.

Even better they’ve put together a pair of mixtapes to showcase what flex they’re saying. Noisy stupid club music.

The first one from the Gag Reflex is you can download here. The mysterious Derek Tibbs' masterwork can be found here. Get on these free loads.

Rob Da Bank

Typewriter out. Trousers on. Here's a link to a Rob Da Bank compilation review which I cracked out yonks ago for Fact magazine. They put it up on their website recently and it’s even graced the pages of the seasonal hard copy of the publication. I’d like to do more of this stuff but I’m too busy doing a job where I have to produce news stories on Slovakian politics and savings accounts.

Here's the link

Tirk 02

Props to go out to Tirk records here. They’re on the verge of releasing their Tirk 02 compilation, and deserve a bit of kudos. licks and affection.

They’ve put out some right records and artists yet no one appears to have shout their corner too much. Full time stoner, New York ex-pat now Sheffeel disco freak Maurice Fulton makes records for them as does Eric Hedford, one time drummer of the Dandy Warhols, now purveyor of wobbly punk funk.

Throw in Sugar Daddy, Greg Wilson and electronic crooner Louie Austen (Check 'Grab my Shaft' for the steeze) and they're hotter than hot and worthy of respect.

Check my witterings on the new compilation here.

Can I have an Ashtray?

Not sure what the blog etiquette is on posting consecutive posts on the same topic. Anyhoo here's a demonstration of giving the 'rules' a good fuckin over. This Alexander Robotnick tune is so hot (accompanied by another amazing video) that I can't resist.

Alexander Robotnick gets distressed

(Mr Robotnick by Mike Rosley)

Check out Alexander Robotnick up there. He's a pretty old dude. But being old doesn't stop anyone from loving their italo and doing the electronic circle jerk. His past is long, varied and full of madness. He's scored films, he's hailed as the godfather of the whole italo revival by many arbiters of taster and he loves smoking snouts.

Now This is Music, who put out the amazing Township Funk, are deeming it fit to unleash new tune Obsession for the Disco Freaks, complete with remixes from the likes of Rory Phillips. The title and vibe sums up where we're at.

The video is below. When I saw it for the first time I almost pissed my pants due to the sheer amount of strong looks. What a freaking hero. That dancing. Jesus. There's a vid of his mixing double below at a party in what looks like an Austrian dungeon. Eek.

Omar S disses on Ricardo Villalobos

The latest Fabric installment is from a slightly unknown entity, the vaguely mysterious Omar S. No, me neither but according to reports, Mr S has been swaggering round Detroit for a number of years making real men’s techno and shooting his mouth off. He sounds like a top bloke and genuinely mental.

Check out the Resident Advisor interview with the man in preparation for the release. Omar has ‘done a Villalobos’ as it’s now known by filling his Fabrish mix with his own productions. Whether this move is an act of great narcissism, bravado or a bold statement of intent he was obviously unaware that it had been done previously. And he’s not happy.

RA: How has the mix been received?

Omar S: “You read the shit people are saying already about the Fabric Mix? A few assholes are talking about "Oh, Omar-S. He did the same thing as Ricardo Vi-vi--...." whatever the fuck he's called. I don't even know who Ricardo Willalobo is. I ain't start hearing his name till like a year ago. Who the fuck is that? So how would I know what he did for Fabric? I don't even know how to say his last name, why would I bite off of him?”

Check the full interview here. It is worth it.

Important Warp news

Warp and Turbo are up there as my favourite record labels in the world right now.

Amazingly both appear to be springing into activity again in the 09 with great and glorious gusto.

According to the former, it's celebrating its 20th year of activity on the earth with a compilation and number of events. Here's what they're doing and what you can do to help them by visiting Warp20

'Create The Definitive Warp Album. Vote for your favourite ever Warp tracks here. Your top 10 (by different artists) will combine with our top 10 to make a historic album for release this Autumn. Leave personal messages and memories and the best will be printed in the album art. We Are Reasonable People.'

Not only this, but they're throwing a series of parties across the UK during the summer.

Paris, New York, Sheffield, London and Tokyo are the locales. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Sheffield and a party to truly bring home the vibe of the bleep.

Sign up for emither updates here

The final bit of good news is that the bathroom door (see above) is finally getting fixed. As previously reported, we had to bash it in last October after an unsuspecting guest became trapped inside after which I did the same. That crack in the middle is the damage wrought upon it. So hopefully within a hour we'll be able to defecate and simultaneously lock the door.

Heavy.

Important Turbo news

Big news people. Big, heavy, bubonic news.

First of all is that Tiga's record label, Turbo, has just overhauled it's website. Yep that's right. I told you it was BIG. But it is. Not only is Tiga's second album due very soon (Ciao Tiga is it's name, rave pop is probably gonna be it's game. Although I wouldn't want to stick him in a box), happily they're putting together a compilation of the best bits from the label under the title of Omni Dance. Out on May 25th it looks, how you say, sicker than sick.

Check out the new website here...

Turbo Records

For those of who cannot get enough of Tiga's thoughts, there's an amazing interview with him about the new album on there.

This bit is the funniest moment...

Q: Are you happy with what you’ve been able to achieve?

Tiga: Once you realize you have the power to rent a limo anytime you please, you know in your heart that you’re not like other men. To hear 10,000 people chant your name and then have them locked inside the venue until you have had a chance to learn all of theirs. My goal has always been to become the most famous man in the world by the time I am 50. Failing that, I will assume the identity of a respected physician. My album’s success will determine whether the world will ever come to know Dr. Timothy Tiga.

And you can get more of his updates on the twitter he's set up. Dip into this and you'll realise the man is monstrously tapped...

Tiga Twitter

Not that I'm obsessing. I'm just laughing. A lot.

Rex the Dog

During 2005 and 2006 I used to drive an old Volkswagon Polo around Sheffield. Like that one in the picture. It was unfortunate that the car died a premature death while I was working as a stage manager at the Leadmill. During the 12 hour Sunday shift (which was fucking awful by the way) some rotter nabbed the bastard. It was found burnt out on the Parkway about a week later and I had to pay for its disposal.



One positive aspect to the whole ting was I’d manage to remove my cassettes from the vehicle before it was looted. One such tape was an electro - disco remix put together by Rough Disko resident, Gag Reflex. We used to drive around blazing crop on the way to the off license with this tape ramped up to eleven for the best part of 12 months. I used to drive everywhere just so I could listen to this freaky tape.

Anyhoo one of the songs on there was Prototype by Rex the Dog. Out on Kompakt the first time round, it’s a ridiculously over the top piece of rave-musik and sparked off a lorry load of Chinese whispers about who da Dog actually is or was. Like the gaggle of nerds we are, we spent yonks discussing the possibles.

Nearly 4 years later Rex the Dog is eventually about to re-release his debut album. One of the launch parties was at the Star of Bethnall Green a mere ten minutes around the corner from our London gaff. We discovered that far from being Carl Craig or a member of Kraftwerk the Dog is a greasy Euro-trance looking type of dude who would still be stealing your beak during the after-after-after party and waking up on your sofa on Monday covered in piss. Disappointingly the mystery is over. But Prototype is still amazing. Check it.

Rough Disko was last night...

But here's the flyer/poster for it. This kind of lateness is almost a parody of Peter Saville and Factory records. Almost. Now at the Harley by all accounts last night's RD was a great success...

Check out what's happening in Sheffield on the RD front here...

Calvin Harris in 'good' shocker

Well, well I'm surprised. I thought this guy was as much of a cunt as you did. His collab with Dizzee always gets my booty bouncing but the man himself is a massive stain. His lame appearances on T4 and hawking of Acceptable in the 80s at any festival of the 08 appeared to cement that.

However, right now this new single is sounding amazing. Maybe in two weeks when it's literally everywhere it'll sound like a sack of hairy balls. But, despite beginning like an early Snow Patrol b-side, it blasts off into Fred Falke territory via Detroit and some serious finger wiggling... This is his post on the MySpace from end of January...

'Pete Tong had the first play of I'm Not Alone on friday, that's my new single, it's on my music player now.
In an attempt to delay piracy i have given it an "I'm Your Nan" remix, so i hope you enjoy that.
Obviously I hope you like it, it's had some interesting reactions so far - a lot of them good, some of them bad!
For those hating, please be aware that what i'm trying to do is make memorable music, and given that i have already made songs that sound like Acceptable in the 80s and The Girls, and indeed 'Dance Wiv Me' it's time to move on and keep it interesting, which involves taking risks, one of those risks being that perhaps nobody will like it...!
But i would much rather that be the case than i make some cut up distorted blog house tune, i think there is enough of that around at the moment.
So give it a chance won't you?
Thanks
Calvin x'

I'd seriously advise you to check it on da MYSPACE...

Yacht a lot of rubbish

Maybe I’m just slow, but the musical strain of non-deviancy that is yacht rock appears to be making something of a resurgence right about now. So named cos its makers used to hang around on yachts snorting beak and guzzling champagne, it’s yer basic soft rock. But inherently strong.

We even ventured to Sail on Sailor, an evening hosted by Johnno Burgess from Bugged Out and dedicated to the smooth vibes of Toto and the Doobie Brothers. It was at the Queen of Hoxton, a suitably tacky bar which aims to be trendsville Shoreditch personified but falls somewhat short of making it due to a lack of small dogs and big hair.

Highlights from the night included Private Eyes by Hall & Oates, seeing Erol Alkan fiddling with Mr Burgess’ knobs (arf arf), a 12 minute version of Africa by the aforementioned Toto. Then we left, went home to indulge in more yacht-based antics. Balearic.

Here's Toto's Africa in all its glory - and if you can find it seek out a copy of the Resident Advisor podcast by Johnno Burgess.

No beef but come on mate

At the minute I’m being bombarded by remixes from Herve aka The Count aka one half of Dead Soul Brothers aka Speaker Junx. Seemingly everyone wants his bass heavy production fingers stuck inside them, rejiggling their insides and straightening their face.

About two years ago every thing Herve touched was total hype - Roisin Murphy, Princess Superstar and the Chemical Brothers have been some of the big name benefitees. 12 inches of rejigs and original material were popping out all over the place. Herve appeared as a particularly fertile musical mother who couldn’t go for a walk or look at a set of railings without becoming pregnant with tune, opening his legs and spilling out another bastard offspring with a bassline for an umbilical cord.

Flash forward to 2009 - he’s ubiquitous and ended up remixing celebrity brat and perpetual attention seeker Lily Allen in a dubstep stylee - See what you think.



Incidentally we tried to book Herve for a party in Sheffeel about two years ago. He blew us out for a Daft Punk after party.

Zoo Zoo Zoo

Myself and Jeff visited London zoo on Valentine’s Day last month. Here’s what we saw - special props to my sister for sorting the guest list - and extra props to the vultures. Apparently they're the highest flying bird. One caught out by a plane doing the wiggle at 37,000 feet. Hype?



Gary Ablett



Long neck flex



A hog



Strong Meerkat vibes



Murderah!



Squat flex



Yes?



Bearded pig getting a honk on

Hype delivers

At the start of the year La Roux was among the names being warbled about by every bozo and his fucking dog. I initially cast her in the same box (I.e coffin) as Florence and the Machine and the increasingly irritating Little Boots - the one full of rusty nails, cat shite and no talent.

However her new record is genuinely ace. And even better is the Skream remix. Along with yer boy Toddla T he should have been in the list of hype acts for 09. Check him here at Stealth a couple of weeks dropping his own rerub - witness the sickness…



And considering he’s the poster boy for dustep he’s put together a rather tasty and surprising disco mix up. Check it here...