Latest Purchase - Function

Function - Feed-Forward Versions (Sandwell District)

The picture above shows the lovely vinyl this record is pressed on. It isn't the same as mine, which is typical with the marbled plastic, as each one is unique. Combine this with a sleeve that is matt charcoal on the outside with printed versions of a variety of familiar Sandwell images on the inside and you have a lovely package all in. 

I was half way to buying it before I'd even heard any of the tunes, simply because of the gorgeous presentation and the fact that this is the latest in a string of hot releases from Sandwell District.

The record is a pair of reworks of key tracks from the Feed-Forward album. The versions are credited to Function this time and carry on developing the distinctive Sandwell sound. Excellent stuff all round, although one of the tracks (Falling the Same Way) has an added crackle sound that has started to grate a little on repeat listens. Could just be my shit gear though.


Hear some samples

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 - Sandwell District

Sandwell District - Feed Forward Test Session (Sandwell District)

 

I'm finally getting over my mid winter period where I feel like I ought to hibernating and I'm ready to do something other than massacre computer game sprites.

Part of this has meant that the search for special plastic has been rejuvenated, and this is the first fruits of this year that I've thought was worth talking about.

More of that sweet, minimal Sandwell sound over a pair of sides. The fact it's meant to be a live recording might account for how familiar parts of it sound. If this is Sandwell District live, I hope they play near me soon.

I can't pick a favourite between the sides and I am liking the single more each time I play it so I reckon it's safe to say this is a winner. 

This however brings me on to a bit of a rant. I am frankly raging that all of the copies of the Sandwell Feed Forward album that came out around the same time seem to have been bought up on pre-order by speculators who want to punt them on the internet at gouging multiples of the original price. Shame, because I reckon it could be something special. Maybe I'm just annoyed I didn't get one though.

Latest Purchase - SCB

SCB - Hard Boiled VIP (SCB)

Yet another moniker and label for Paul Rose aka Scuba, who seems to be about the most prolific producer around just now, between his remixes and other projects and labels. At least it seems like there is always something new that he has been invloved in in the shops when I go out, and I've been picking up a fair bit of it.

The lead track, Hard Boiled VIP is a remix of an earlier Scuba single and makes it far more techno than the original. There isn't much here that is particularly innovative or novel, but it is done really sweetly and is a style of record that I have found hard to resist for a while now. expecially when this well executed.

The flip side 28_5 is more pumping than the lead track, but it doesn't really do very much. It is fairly repetitive, but I reckon it would work well for mixing.

 

Latest Purchase - Frozen Border

Frozen Border - Frozen Border 03 (Frozen Border)

Another internet purchase, but one of the rare ones that didn't go so well. I ordered it off Discogs ages ago, but the guy just never sent the record. I eventually got a refund after 4 weeks and used it to buy it again from Juno.

More top quality techno from Frozen Border. I still enjoy the nameless, faceless stamped label techno thing. I think its the B side I prefer of the 2 tracks on this, although they do seem like 2 mixes of the same tune. No problem though as its a belter.

Latest Purchase - Slackk

Slackk - Theme EP (Numbers)

 

Didn't know anything about this until I saw this in the racks in rubadub. Numbers is the label they are running now and I've not been that interested in many of the releases, but I still check them out.  This wasn't a hard decision to make.

rubadub say something like the title track ‘Theme from Slackk’ brings back the raw aggression of the aptly named Underground Resistance classics Fury and Punisher and intermixes it with the tribal energy of UK Funky". I think this is pretty accurate, although I did change one of the track titles. It certainly put ideas like that into my head before I'd read their blurb.

I had a huge smile on my face as soon as I heard this, so it was definitely coming straight home with me. The two versions of Theme are great fun. The only real difference is that the dub doesn't have the voice spelling out S-L-A-C-K-K.

The other side 'Fireflies' uses similar sounds, but is maybe a little more 'serious'. This is a quality single and I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for Slackk in future.

Latest Purchase - Visnadi

Visnadi - Four Journeys (UMM)

I picked this pretty ancient and flaky release up off Discogs the other day.  It has kind of been on my want list for a very long time, since I first heard it on a really old Slam Essential Mix, back around the time it was broadcast and sold as a double tape at the Arches nights.

This mix had a really big influence on my record buying and listening and was a mainstay for my friends and I for a while.  I heard it while I was still getting familiar with dance music and it showed a few really fruitful avenues of exploration in terms of artists and labels that were new to me. I've now bought the lion's share of the releases from this mix and there are even still a couple that I'm looking to get.

Despite a truly tragic introduction, I really like Transpassage.  It's impossible to tell if this is by association with my history with the track or if I'd think it was shit if I heard it for the first time today, but who cares.  I will say that the rest of the single is awful and I haven't really got anything good to say about it.  Discogs says that Transpassage was produced by someone different from the rest of the single and I reckon that may explain a lot.

Latest Purchase - Horizontal Ground

Horizontal Ground - Horizontal Ground 05 (Horizontal Ground)

This was the single that Kid Ritalin played at our recent practice.  I was totally blown away by it and as I mentioned in the last post I went in to rubadub the next day to pick this up and check out all the other available releases.

I really like both sides of this single.  The a-side starts with a few minutes of percussive build up, leading to a pulsing bassline and some dubby chords. Excellent!

The flip side uses basically the same palette of sounds , but starts with the chords from the get go.  I feel I probably prefer this side as it doesn't take so long to get going, and has less of an outro.

I've got to say that I love the fact that the info on this record is black text printed on to a black label.  Not exactly user friendly, but then there is no really meaningful info there anyway.




 

Latest Purchase - Frozen Border

Frozen Border - Frozen Border 1 (Frozen Border)

More white label techno from rubadub.  I'd let this Frozen Border label pass me by until Kid Ritalin let me hear some stuff on the related Horizontal Ground label at one of our recent Molotov Disco practice sessions. I went in to rubadub the first chance I got and they had a fair few titles from both labels. I found a couple that I had to get straight away.


I don't know anything about the artists behind this, but for me that just adds to it.  I kind of like my techno to be nameless, faceless and pressed on to info free white labels.  Discogs says its UK based and that is where the info stops.

There are two untitled tracks of jacking techno on this 12. They both have a quite a retro sound and while they may get a little bit repetitive if you listen to them just as tracks, I'm certain that they would mix well.

I reckon the a-side shades it slightly for me but they are both solid tracks.

My copy of this is slightly different from the the versions pictured as it has a white label with just an e-mail address stamped on to it.

Latest Purchase - Model 500

Model 500 - OFI/Huesca (R&S)

I have to say that I was very excited when I first heard of this release, the first new Model 500 record in over 10 years. The truly legendary innovator Juan Atkins has been releasing records on his Metroplex label since the mid 80s and a number of them are among my all time favourites.

Add to that the fact the Mad Mike has joined in along with some of his Underground Resistance acolytes and I really didn't need any more convincing. I was so certain it would be good that I bought it without listening to it first.  I was not disappointed. I picked it up in rubadub almost a week ago now and I have been playing it over and over since.  

OFI shows the new line up have updated the classic Model 500 sound of bassline, processed vocals and electro percussion.  But what a bassline this time!  Only UR make this kind of wonky electronic funk, and it's been a while since it was as fine as this. 

The breakdown comes from nowhere and disappears as fast, but the melty synths that come in are so sweet. Then it's back to the bassline and the boom. This all adds up to a stunner for me, if a little odd in places.


Mad Mike remixes OFI on the same side where he strips it back, boosting the vocals and arpeggios and a adding a wee bit of acid burble.  Very Kraftwerk. Very good. I love the way he twists the arpeggio around, it sounds a bit like he could be playing guitar to me, but who knows?

On the other side you'll find Huesca, which sounds so Detroit it hurts.  It's more 4:4 than OFI, and the overall effect puts me in mind of top notch Red Planet or Galaxy 2 Galaxy, but still with a distinct Model 500 flavour. Right up my street.

This is a fucking awesome single and I really hope I don't have to wait another 10 years for the next one. This collaboration has brought the best out in everyone and reminds me why I love Detroit music so much.

Latest Purchase - Point Blank

Another from the discogs package.


Point Blank - Meng's Theme Remixes (R&S)

This really is fairly ancient.  First released in 1994,a time when trance wasn't a bad word. I remember hearing both sides of this record loads during the time I was first getting into clubbing and partying.  I thought it was about time I picked it up.

For me its mainly about Jeroen Verheij's remix of his own track, although I still have a soft spot for Joey Beltram's remix, despite the fact its really starting to show it's age.

Latest Purchase - Jeff Mills

Today was a good day.  

Half day at work then off to get the records.  I picked a discogs order and got something from a shop as well. A few beers along the way and now I'm home to take it easy as I've got plans for tomorrow.

I'll start with a selection from the discogs package.  I got a load of old stuff that I've planned to get for ages off the rubadub discogs.  There was plenty of temptation, generally going pretty cheap and I had to restrain myself a little. I threw a load back after my initial trawl. I was also tempted to pick up some stuff I've already got because I'm sure I could punt it again for more. I guess you can take a boy out of the 80s, but.........

Jeff Mills - Our Man In Havana (Purpose Maker)

 
It's ages since I bought a Jeff Mills record, but I've been meaning to pick this one up for a while.  It features on the Beer for Breakfast mix that my brother and I did a few years back.  It was one of my brother's records and it came out around when I stopped chasing the Axis / Purpose Maker sound so I didn't have it.


A bit of a mistake really as this is an excellent 12. It was Cubango that we used on the mix I mentioned. The other tracks are all solid Mills techno that make me wish I could beatmatch.

Latest Purchase - Modeselektor

Modeselektor Presents Modeselektions Volume 1

The second of my pre gig purchases from yesterday.  

Apparently a limited edition of 100, with hand written numbers.  I got number 43 of 100. I bought this mainly for the Modeselektor track, but the Ramadanman and Bok Bok contributions are both interesting as well.

VW Jetta, the Modeselektor A-side is a bass heavy, acid driven stomper.  I've been following their releases for a good while now and love the really consistently high quality of their releases, and the excellent sound they achieve with their production.  This is no exception to the their recent string of belters.

If this is as rare as indicated, I'm not sure whether there will ever be good links to get to hear this.  I've added a link to the rubadub page where you can at least get a sample.  I'll change it if I can get something better later.

Modeselektions Volume 1


My love of SoundCloud just keeps growing:

Modeselektor - VW Jetta
Ramadanman - Pitter
Bok Bok - Say Stupid Things

Mix from Back in the Day

My brother and I have done a few mix cds over the years under the name of Infrasonics.  Our combined, but different perfectionist streaks made it difficult work at times, but the results always made it worth it.

I've added a link to SoundCloud where you can get our Beer for Breakfast mix.  I'd like to add a tracklist, but that will take a bit of work. Maybe later.

Enjoy. K.  


infrasonics mixes