Luigi Tenco – Angela
Luigi Tenco was a don! Such intense raw emotion and you feel it so strongly in Tencos voice. He’s also got a super intense and interesting backstory. Sounds like he ultimately got tied in with the mafia and died under some pretty suspicious circumstances after losing a singing contest.
Lung Tung Wai – Chaweewan Dumern
Got really into Thai psychedelic stuff from the 60’s/70’s for a bit. I find it so interesting how nations can have such a thriving music culture emerge over a decade or so and then it completely disappear overnight.
Mulatu Astatke – Yèkèrmo Sèw
You could get lost in the golden era of Ethiopian jazz for days! But this is my favourite pick.
Lonnie Liston Smith – Expansions
I was sat in the studio a couple of years back and this got put on. There’s this super fast double time swing triangle that plays from start to finish, and I remember us all laughing about how tough that must have been for 6 straight minutes! Poor guy.
Julie Stapleton – Where Has Your Love Gone
A classic! A girl played this to me at my house a few years back and it’s always stuck.
Singing Sweet – When I See You Smile
Heard this lots when I was a kid. I grew up mostly in St.pauls Bristol then Brixton London which both have big Jamaican communities so Dancehall, Ragga and lovers rock played big parts for me musically.
Mr.vegas – Bagpipe Riddim
This one properly reminds me of carnival! Brings me back every time. Bright colours, oil drum BBQ’s and dutty whining. That groove is such a jam.
Guido – Mad Sax
I remember being at house parties as a kid and throwing this on, would always get a great response. Such a killer track. Almost everything from this era was around 140bpm (the stock bpm setting for fruity loops) and this was great for some YouTube mixing. If you’ve got the patience to Cue it up right.
Peverelist – Roll With The Punches
Tom (Peverelist) is a legend, when I was like 13 he sold me my first record from “Rooted Records” which was in my eyes an institution of Bristols underground music scenes, much as “Punch Drunk” his label. He was and still is a massive part of my musical development and really encouraged me through his productions to push musical boundaries and explore my creativity with freedom. And this track really solidifies all that for me.
Koudlam – See You All
Love Koudlam, that whole album is amazing! Would like to hear more from this artist but there only seems to be this project. Perfect video syncing from French artist Cyprien Gaillard for this track too.
Yves Tomas – Pilot EP (Rekids)
Hailing from London but with roots in Bristol, Yves Tomas is a producer, vocalist and DJ brought up in the centre of UK club music. Since experimenting with music through his childhood and early teens he’s gone on to become an engineer, working in studios alongside some of the biggest names in grime and pop music. This has led to him developing his own unique style of electronic music as a reactionary expression to working in the meat grinder culture of mainstream music. He now joins Radio Slave Rekids – a label known and respected for discovering many luminary figures in electronic music.
With its otherworldly melody and echoing effects, ‘Braindead’ is a downtempo track that remains beatless until the halfway mark, moving onto the beautifully arranged ‘MA1’ with its reverb-drenched breaks, quivering synths, and ever-evolving chopped and looped vocals. ‘River’ then incorporates elements of grime and jungle courtesy of its lively stabs, soulful chords and compelling rhythm built on punchy percussion. Taking things into a spiritual direction, Elephant & Snake’ meanders forward using syncopated drums, washy chants and elevating organ keys before ‘Callout FM’ follows with its rattling snares, twisted arpeggios, and crystalline pads. Nearing the end, ‘Pilot’ is a stripped-back affair with sporadic kicks, a fuzzy bassline, and vocoder vocals until digital bonus track ‘Birds Of The Barbican’ ties everything together by generating an uplifting atmosphere destined to elevate revelers for many years to come.
