Latest Purchase - The Dirtbombs

The Dirtbombs - We Have Your Surrounded (In The Red Records)

 

My love for The Dirtbombs just keeps growing. The two records I bought recently have been getting a lot of plays and have made me curious about the back catalogue I can see on Discogs.

This is an album of mainly original material, as opposed to the covers albums I've bought so far, but this is no bad thing as it demonstrates that they are just as comfortable and capable creating from scratch as they are at re-interpreting other folk's songs.

There are a lot of songs I really like on this record and it is a bit more rocking and possibly a little more polished sounding production-wise than Ultraglide in Black or Party Store. It is pure joy to get another top class album by a new favourite.

I've finally caught up with February. It's been a bit a mad month in terms of the amount of new vinyl I've added. Plus my computer is getting more and more cranky making posting a really frustrating process, which I let myself get really behind on. I've been posting like mad for a wee bit, covering about 3 weeks of solid spending, but this is my most recent and I only picked it up on Saturday. (2 days ago). March is looking good already as I've already got a couple in the post and there are known new releases that I'm waiting for and a trip to Manchester that will include shops to look forward to.    

Latest Purchase - Sofrito

Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque (Strut)

 

Another selection I caught from Rothko when he was updating me on his latest records. He only played me a couple from tracks from this and I was convinced I had to pick it up.

The tracks Peter played me were mainly African sounds, but now that I've got it home and played it through a few times, I've found that there is an awful lot more to it than that. There are also loads of Latin sounding things from around the Caribbean and Central and South America, as well as funk from everywhere.

I've not taken to it all immediately. There is maybe a bit too much accordion for me to be won over by it all straight away, but i like the funkier stuff and there are some cool new sounds and rhythms that my ear might get tuned to, but there is at least a song a side that I reckon I'd be happy to play out. Still playing it through a lot to figure whats what. 

There are plenty of places to hear samples of this if yr interested, but I've found a couple of videos from it.

Latest Purchase - Untold

Untold - Stereo Freeze (R&S Records)

I'd missed this recent release on revitalised R & S Records until Rothko was playing me some of his latest new records. I immediately went daft for the lead track on this single.

Stereo Freeze is a monster of a dubstep/electro banger. I've been playing it a lot, and mainly at ear-shredding volumes. This is easily the best track I've heard by Untold, but is so good that I'll keep checking them out, just in case there is more as good as this.

The flip side isn't quite so good. There are excellent elements and sections, but the whole is a little disappointing. Much more the Untold I'm used to. 

I picked this up in Undergound Solush'n in Edinburgh when I ventured through there to celebrate my brother's birthday.

 

Latest Purchase - Al Green

Al Green - Greatest Hits (London Records)

My favourites from this album are so familiar to me that I think I assumed I already had them somewhere. perhaps on one of the many daft compilations I've bought over the years. After checking though, I found there was a massive Al Green shaped hole in my collection which I lept onto Discogs to sort out.

Gorgeous, lush, warm Memphis soul with Al Green's beautiful vocals setting it all off to perfection. I'm listening to the album while I write this and I just keep getting so carried away by the music that I can barely concentrate to write. I reckon there are a number of stick on, no argument classics in this collection which I am delighted to finally have in my hands.

 




 

Latest Purchase - Cosmin TRG

Cosmin TRG - Separat/Izolat (Fifty Weapons)

I've been checking out all of the releases I've seen by Cosmin TRG since I picked up his double pack on Tempa, which was one of my records of the year last year. I haven't always liked them as much, but this is a belter.

This latest release on Modeselektor's Fifty Weapons label gives as a pair of chunky mid-pace dubby techno tunes that would not sound out of place on the Modern Love label. Both sides seem to be variations on a theme, but both would make excellent mixing/dancing gear. I like both sides and have not really taken either side as a favourite yet.

Latest Purchase - Orphan101

Orphan101 - Propa/Disemble (Apple Pips)

 

More hybrid weirdness from Apple Pips. I've been buying these on sight for some time and even though the artists are usually new to me, they are often a gateway to quality and unusual stuff.

Orphan101 gives us pair of understated tracks that could both probably be called dubstep, but there is a definite electro feel to the lead track, while the flip is more techno to my ear. I reckon I prefer the A-side as it has a great pulse and generates an unusual atmosphere. The flip has a little strangeness that I think could get on my nerves after a while.

Latest Purchase - Littlefoot

Littlefoot - Interplanetary EP (Well Rounded Records)

 

A random selection from the racks of rubadub, I didn't know anything about this artist or label before I gave it a spin. I always listen to lots of new records when I'm out shopping and am not too choosy about the unknown gear I add to my pile. It only takes a few moments to check out a record and there is no harm in listening to a lot of pish in order to sift out the gems.

Littlefoot seems to be a fairly new artist and produces a genre-splicing house+ sound that I'm taking to quite quickly. I find it quite hard to describe the sound of this single, there are a lot of familiar elements and few that are new to me and the tracks are pretty different from each other.I like all three of the originals Littlefoot has produced, but the remix is disappointing.

I've added a link to Soundlcoud where you can hear samples of the single.

Hear the single

Latest Purchase - Fujiya & Miyagi

Fujiya & Miyagi - Ventriloquizzing (Full Time Hobby)

 

I first heard Fujiya & Miyagi a few years back when one of their songs, Collarbone featured on a car advert on TV. I was immediately taken with their Can/Neu! style sound and have been listening out for them since. Unfortunately for me, they didn't make a vinyl release of the album Transparent Things, so I've been trying to pick up the various 10" singles. Only got one so far.

I saw this album in Mono and decided to take a bit of a risk on it, as much as I like Transparent Things, I don't really like the album they made in between and I hadn't heard any of this yet.  I'm glad I took the punt on it though.

Their sound has changed a bit over time. They are a little darker and tougher sounding with the keyboards more prominent, and even a few wee hints of funk here and there. The album starts out really strongly, but I think it falters a little later on. No real problem though as there are easily enough quality songs on here to make this a worthwhile listen.

   

Latest Purchase - The Detroit Cobras

Detroit Cobras - Original Recordings (Munster Records)

Detroit Cobras - Mink, Rat or Rabbit (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

Detroit Cobras - Life, Love & Leaving (Sympathy for the Record Industry)

Detroit Cobras - Baby (Rough Trade) 

Ok, I'll admit it. I went a wee bit mental. I'd had a few drinks on a Saturday afternoon after a slightly disappointing trip round the shops. I'd been listening to Ultraglide in Black and was keen to hear if there was more stuff in a similar vein around. Discogs was clear and recommended nothing but a selection of Detroit Cobras albums and I'd heard the same from my DIrtbombs fan workmate.

It didn't take much internet magic to get to hear a enough of these records to get very excited by the soulful, rocking covers of obscure old tunes with awesome female lead vocals.  This really is my idea of pop music, in that I can never believe that anyone wouldn't like it. I reckon even my mum would enjoy the Detroit Cobras.

I think they might write a few songs of their own, but there is a wild selection of different songwriters credited for most the tracks, many of them a total mystery to me.  Maybe need to start digging. 


Each of the albums has a slightly different sound, but its more about the production than a change of style I think. I've only listened to the albums through a couple of times and now can't resist just jumping around between my many favourites. 


I know when I get this excited about something it can end up being fairly short lived, especially when I play the songs too often too quickly, but I'm pretty certain that there are a few tunes on these albums that will be bringing a smile to my face for a while to come.

Latest Purchase - Zomby

Zomby - Liquid Dancehall (Ramp)

 

Catching up on another older tune i missed first time around.  Zomby has made a lot of records that have attracted my interest over the last wee while. Some of them have been straight up genius like The Lie, while others just haven't moved that much at all.

I had thought that this was one of the singles that left me a little cold, but I reckon that is because I'd paid too much attention to the A-side, which I'm still not very keen on. I heard Rothko playing the flip side recently and was straight over to find out what it was. I saw that I could get a copy as a pair with the Peverelist of the previous post and here we are. 

 

Latest Purchase - Peverelist

Peverelist - Infinity Is Now (Tectonic)

I've been on a bit of spree recently and haven't really been writing about the records as they came in. A lot of gear from the internet so it was all coming in dribs and drabs. I decided to wait until everything had arrived before posting, but i'm feeling the backlog is getting a little out of hand.


This is an older release on Pinch's label Tectonic that I missed when it was first released.  Punch Drunk boss Peverelist gives us 2 excellent techno flavoured dubstep tracks. Nice effort in mutual back scratching with the back and forth of releases on each other's labels. I always like that kind of thing as it makes it easier to keep exploring and discovering new music through the connections.

I reckon I prefer the flip Junktion for its unusual rhythms and weird atmosphere, but they are both quality tunes.

Latest Purchase - RZA

RZA/Various Artists - Ghost Dog: The Album (Epic Records)

I guess it must just have been sloppy research, but I'd managed to convince myself that you could only get this selection of songs on cd. I'd thought the only Ghost Dog vinyl was the excellent soundtrack that Rothko has. That record is all the instrumentals that appeared in the movie. The movie is odd, but I recommend having a look, although some of my mates would have it in their list of Worst Ever.

I nearly burst with excitement when I saw that there was a vinyl version of these songs while putting together the page of my most played tunes of last year. 

Produced and masterminded by RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan and featuring the Wu and their extended clan, this is an album of songs that I guess are inspired by the movie and use many of the instrumentals from the soundtrack. I've longed to get this on record since I heard it, which is so far back it's lost in the haze of pre-history (maybe 8 years ago?). I have loads of favourites from this album but I'll just add videos rather than blether on about how good they all are.

I sometimes find that finally getting a record I've been hunting for ages can seem to take some of the shine from the songs, as if the fact that I just couldn't own the songs made them all the sweeter. Not an issue with this album though. I'm just frankly delighted to have it in my paws at last and it's getting a lot of plays. Certainty for going in the bag to play out as well.  

Latest Purchase - Octave One

Octave One - Revisited Series 2 (430 West)

New remixes of old favourites Octave One including a version from current crush Sandwell District made this a very tempting package. One that I had no inclination to resist.

Regis and Function take on I Believe for the Sandwell District Remix. I had a listen to the original again to get a bit of perspective. I think it is Octave One's first single. The Sandwell boys have really reworked this tune with typical quality Sandwell bass, rhythm programming and atmospherics to start with. This leads on to the whole vocal and a big whiff of the best synth sounds from the original. I guess if you just heard this and didn't know all the info you could easily take it that Sandwell District had just taken a leap and put a vocal on something, but I reckon this is a top quality remix.

The original track for the flip side is drawn from one of my favourite Detroit singles. I remember before it came out there was hype about it being specially created for the tracks to really complement each other when mixed. Its true as well, they do sound great mixed and you can really play around with them.

For a record nerd like me, the fact that this record has 2 catalogue numbers and is somehow on 2 labels that I like was enough to make it noteworthy, nevermind that it was belters by UR and Octave One on either side.

I love both sides of the split single, but I had always prefered the one with the big sticker that said Aztlan.

However, listening to the new remix and looking at Discogs again has enlightened me to the fact that I've had these the wrong way round the whole time as I had no idea that the original single was mislabeled. Which has somehow unsettled me a little and belatedly added to my esteem for Octave One. 


I don't know much about Aril Brikha. I initially thought I'd prefer if he'd taken his ideas and developed them as a whole new song, but I am warming to his rework of Daystar Rising. I think I'm always a bit resistant to remixes of favourite tunes but I reckon this remix has enough going for it that I won't always reach for the original instead. Sweet, smooth techno with a busy bassline and some choice elements from the original plus some unusual synth lines that I guess are Brikha at work. Might need to check his stuff out.