Hope all good with you and just in from the Kraakers… Their new single ‘Plastic People’ is out August 11th and they play the Big Chill August 2-3rd and then Big Chill House London on Saturday August 9th and then the Bloom Festival on Sunday August 10th. More info www.kraaksmaak.nl
1. Don Cherry – Malkauns (A&M)
Someone out there is apparently re-releasing promo 12″s on thick crispy vinyl pressing, but if this is their standard, keep ’em coming! ‘Malkauns’ is a 12-minute long Eastern-influenced epic track from Cherry’s 1975 album ‘Brown Rice’, but in this case perfectly pressed on one side of this 12″ release. Think Miles Davis, Alice Coltrane, etc. during that period. Check out the Eddie Hazel release as well!
2. James Pants – Welcome (Stones Throw)
Typical oddball release on Stones Throw with producer James Pants mashing up late 70s electro, funky breaks and rock (!) into an irresistable double album full of unexpected twists and turns.
3. Randy Weston – African Cookbook (Atlantic)
Africa-influenced jazz album from 1964 (but released only years later, in 1972). Nice blend of bop and african rhythms and a very good listen all the way through.
4. Syclops – A Lovely Sunday (DFA)
Stand-out track from their first album ‘I’ve Got My Eye On You’. Produced by Maurice Fulton, it’s a mixture of nu-jazz, electronica and house arranged and played by some Finnish guys.
5. Argy – Focus on Argy (Poker Flat)
Excellent compilation by Argy on the Poker Flat.label. Features tracks by Argy himself, Dj Gregory, Sydenham, etc. Percussive, funky deephouse and minimal techno, which work both for the floor and for listening at home.
6. Blue Flamingo – 78 R.P.M. (Excelsior)
Great Dutch cd with 78 RPM jazz, blues and latin nuggets from the 1930s to 50s. Feels like you’re the first person in 60 years to hear all this stuff. We’re all doing the Jitterbug again at Jalapeno!
7. Kraak & Smaak – 5 Minutes of Enzo (Jalapeno)
Extended version of the1 minute melancholic soundtrack on the new album, featuring our local Italian antiques dealer on vocals. Especially made for the Hotel Costes compilation series but why we didn’t think of this earlier…???
8. V/A -Don’t Stop: Recording Tap (Numero)
A triple LP (with all the tracks on a cd too!) box set of soulful disco, funk and proto-rap from obscure late 70s label Recording Tap. Nicely packaged and compiled by reissue label Numero.
9.Mike & Rich – Mr Frosty (Rephlex)
Expert knob twiddlers Mike Paradinas and Richard James AKA Aphex Twin got together on ‘Mike & Rich’. Pulled this 1996 album out by accident and couldn’t resist to put it on again. Freaky and moody stuff abound but this was my favourite; a lazy electronic disco track.
10. Roisin Murphy – Cry Baby (EMI)
Featured on her most recent album ‘Overpowered’, this is our favourite, especially since we saw her perform live at the Bestfest festival in Bucharest where we played too. Raw 80s Italo disco production a la Bobby Orlando (Divine a.o.) with a driving synth riff and cowbell percussion – our favourite instrument of all time.
