Lana Del Rey takes pole position in rich textured Blue Velvet
1 (NEW) LANA DEL REY – BLUE VELVET / RIDE REMIXES – POLYDOR
Let’s start with the cover of Blue Velvet, Penguin Prison delivers a cool’n’deadly simmering neon disco number, Lindstrom does his epic overhaul business, conjuring up 9.27 minutes of locked in euphoria, and Classix gives it a back in the day Balearic feel. Ride however gets the drum’n’bass treatment from Special Request, and a sublime moody techno teaser care of Hugo Barritt. Fill your boots. http://youtu.be/K__HRYZ8wr0
2 (6) NEIL HALSTEAD – PALINDROME HUNCHES – SONIC CATHEDRAL
Recorded over two weekends in the music room at the local junior school, this LP has got a certain fragile beauty and a lot of honesty. The playing is delicate and understated as it drifts around the melancholic lyrics and melodies, leaving you deep in thought as you sip your brandy in front of the log fire. Perfect for a winters night in. http://youtu.be/da7gMOY8bTA
3 (5) ROSES GABOR – STARS / NIGHT SKY – GIRLS MUSIC
After collaborations with Gorillaz, Buraka Sound Sistema, SBTRKT and Shy FX, Roses Gabor makes a quality double edged debut on Toddla T’s label. Both cuts buzz with club excitement and post night out journeys home in the early hours. Blissed out but a bit on edge. http://youtu.be/ApijvD-xAJg
4 (1) CHEVAL SOMBRE – MAD LOVE – SONIC CATHEDRAL
A stunning LP of sonically sweet and melancholic absorbing late night love songs. This New York based singer / songwriter was joined by Pete “Sonic Boom” Kember of Spacemen 3 fame, who not only played on the LP he also co-produced & mixed it. Other musicians that got involved are Andrew VanWyngarden & Ben Goldwasser of MGMT, whose studio it was recorded in, also Dean Wareham (Galaxy 500, Luna) and Britta Phillips (Luna). Together they have made the psychedelic album of the year, it’s an awesome work of beauty. http://youtu.be/CUhbfGOUX8k
5 (8) THE MANSISTERS – E.P. PHONE HOME – MY FAVORITE ROBOT
Scandinavian duo Kasper Bjorke & Jon Atli deliver 4 tracks of cutting edge camped up electronic wizardry under their new moniker The Mansisters. Izone bumps n grinds in the basement, Lille Du shakes n quivers in the strobe light, Free At Last is heads down no messin’ and the closing Theme Of Paris Hilton leaves you feeling spooked. Top stuff.
6 (10) THE COUP – SORRY TO BOTHER YOU – ANTI
Boots Riley is the radical dude with his controversial finger always on the button, and he’s back with his outfit’s sixth studio LP, a genre crossing slap in the face, taking in hip hop, soul, psychedelicia, punk and pop with an array of guest appearances. It’s got a certain retro feel as it protests, breaks away from the norm and pushes forward. http://youtu.be/uaFQw52wJug
7 (3) SUNSHINE JONES – BELLE AME ELECTRONIQUE – NITE GROOVES
S.J. is better known as one half of the ground breaking husband & wife duo from San Francisco Dubtribe Sound System. This is his second solo LP and he’s retained a lot of those distinctive earthy textures and organic percussive rhythms, working their way around lush deepness, ambient washes, his soft trademark vocals, alongside out there guru spoken word, and classic house riffs set in a bed of modern dancefloor psychedelia. It’s blissed out grooves all the way. http://youtu.be/9rpGPWY_pFg
8 (11) THE HEAVY – CAN’T PLAY DEAD – COUNTER
After whipping up a frenzy across America, Bath’s finest are set to release another soulful swamp rock monster, from their third LP “The Glorious Dead”, which would make even the most stiffest of zombies, do some fluid moves to the hot ‘n’ funky grooves. Plus it comes backed with a Kenny Dope Mix of their global anthem “What Makes A Good Man”.
9 (NEW) PARA ONE – WHEN THE NIGHT FT. JAW – MARBLE / BECAUSE
Hot from the press in Paris comes an irresistible fat slab of funky modern electronic soul, with great vocals and adventurous nu disco twists. If this don’t make you move then you might as well give up. DVNO strips it back and delivers a sassy electro remix, and Discodeine takes it on a peaking house route. It’s massive. http://youtu.be/HeSgvHKMpUE
10 (12) NOLAN – FREAK ON EP – GRUUV
The title cut is a solid house number with soulful licks, familiar riffs and a certain 90’s feel. Spanish duo Kyodai do the remix that sends it through the roof, giving it a Blue Note swinging jazz work out, sort of Laurent Garnier’s Sound Of The Big Baboo, which is top draw. http://youtu.be/3w7iDfb8VQA
11 (19) KRIS MENACE FT. MISS KITTIN – HIDE – COMPUPHONIC
The German electronic dance pioneer is set to release his third LP Features, the first with guest vocalists, and this lush, glossy and slightly cheesy slice of nu-disco is the first single. It comes with 5 remixes, including Pwndtiac’s gobsmacking showstopper, which is a fat
slab of acid tinged electro house. http://youtu.be/CjG92cKFKc8
12 (15) BREATHLESS – NEXT TIME YOU FALL – TENOR VOSSA
The first single to be lifted from forthcoming LP Green To Blue is a beautiful fuzzy melancholic affair with layering riffs that build around Dominic Appleton’s lonesome vocal. http://youtu.be/W3PDodIOvOE
13 (13) NAYTRONIX – DIRTY GLOW – PLUG RESEARCH
The quite remarkable debut LP from California based Nate Brenner, who also plays bass for leftfield pop outfit tUnE-yArDs. Dirty Glow is a heady brew of funky beats, hip hop grooves, Sesame Street influenced riffs, feel good chords, breezy jazz flourishes, fairground organ, cute electro, 60’s melodies and harmonies with Nate’s vocal coming over a bit like Daniel Johnston. http://youtu.be/fgMm7hgIaAo
14 (16) CHRISTIAN ORLO – FEELING DRY EP – RIFF RAFF
The title cut is a nice house groover that makes good use of a Marvin Gaye sample and comes with a couple of deep and atmospheric mixes care of Riff Raff and Jimmy Maheras. But the outstanding cherry on the cake is the closing track, 23rd Dimension’s In Hyperspace Dub of “Another Night”, perfect for an epic slo-mo house end of night sunrise.
15 (NEW) ANDRADE – INCONDITIONAL EP – HUDD TRAXX
Four cuts of lush deepness with a slightly warped feel. The outstanding title track has got a filmed in black & white, hustling on the busy streets of New York feel, complete with smoking strung out junkies, scoring in damp bedsits and working on hard times jazz licks.
16 (20) POP LEVI – MEDICINE – COUNTER
Surrey’s answer to a modern day Mickie Most is back with his fifth LP. He’s still got the Marc Bolan thing going on, but this time round Ziggy Stardust, The Stooges, Ian Hunter and Vivian Stanshall join the party. If you like your rock & pop glammed up, filled with debauchery, dressed in 70’s chic and finished off with smudged eyeliner, then this is where it’s at. http://youtu.be/HEJu__ZQVog http://youtu.be/gsPFX4V5JNM
17 (18) DUB PISTOLS – ROCK STEADY FT. RODNEY P & LINDY LAYTON – SUNDAY BEST
Bouncy bouncy feel good beamer from their current LP Worshipping The Dollar. King Yoof comes up trumps on the remix front, adding organ stabs from the Willie Williams classic Armagideon Time, and launching into some nice snatches of drum & bass. http://youtu.be/cBzoesnhFJI
18 (NEW) AEROPLANE FT. JAMIE PRINCIPLE – IN HER EYES – AEROPOP
The debut release on Vito De Luca’s label Aeropop is a nod to 80’s polished shiny pop. It comes with a good set of remixes, Tiger & Woods go for a sexy Daft Punk influenced work out, Chopstick & Johnjon get deep and sensual, and last but not least Louis La Roche serves up a bombastic big synth assault. http://youtu.be/fJ56dkuXb7o
19 (22) FALTYDL – STRAIGHT & ARROW – NINJA TUNE
Modern electronic soul with subtle pulses and shuffling rhythms that work the lush pads, velvet tones and from the gut vocal loops. Remixes come from Four Tet, Mike Q & Divoli S’vere and Gold Panda. http://youtu.be/XT5QX5mRiys
20 (21) STUMBLEINE – SPIDERWEBBED – MONOTREME
The debut LP from one of Bristol’s rising electronic producers, is a laidback and dreamy ethereal affair, that takes you into the magical world of morning dew, delicate mists, hazy sunshine and strange fungi. It comes with a nice whispy version of Mazzy Star’s Fade Into You. http://youtu.be/5UrM0GHCKeE
21 (24) D/R/U/G/S – THE SOURCE OF LIGHT – PIAS
Euphoric synth pop with an edge and an attitude. Daniel Avery gets freaky with it, and Max Cooper takes it on an epic spaced out cosmic journey. http://youtu.be/1mv9bFVfbcY
22 (NEW) PLANAS – THE LONG GAME – EXCEPTIONAL BLUE
London’s Toby Davies aka Planas has gained quite a reputation and is a musical force to be reckoned with. His debut LP sees him team up with various singers, creating high drama urban bass’n’beats with pop savvy and a melancholic edge. His star is shining bright. http://youtu.be/jbbd-d1C9XI
23 (NEW) STUBBORN HEART – STARTING BLOCK – ONE LITTLE INDIAN
An out there slice of futuristic blue eyed soul lifted from their critically acclaimed eponymous debut LP. The 128 Yard Dash Remix compliments the song beautifully with a percolating groove of skipping percussion and deep disco bass, and the Something New Remix goes on a dark and fizzing slo-mo chunkathon. http://youtu.be/3RlbcQOPgis
24 (17) LETHERETTE – FEATURETTE EP – NINJA TUNE
Duo from Wolverhampton make their debut for Ninja Tune. Kicking off with Warstones a bouncy infectious slab of French influenced disco house. Surface drops down to a delicate electric soul smoocher with soft and distant vocals. Ettewards gets the futuristic dancefloor pumping again amid cascading washes, and Wecko brings the EP to a low slung rhythmic close with a sense of awe and wonder. http://youtu.be/pYw1qkZu8UM
25 (NEW) TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB – SUN REMIXES – KITSUNE
Gildas opens the show with a burst of summer sun, Gigamesh serves up a tangy electro infused number, Robert Delong gets on the juddering mind altering shots, and the ever reliable Fred Falke shakes his disco magic. http://youtu.be/MRkWxKvbwM4
26 (NEW) DELS – BLACK SALAD EP – BIG DADA
Much lauded MC Kieren Dickins gives us a five track taster of what’s to come in 2013. Main cut Bird Milk featuring singer Bila is spun out, paranoid, fucked up and on a sort of a dark Toon Town vibe, with grainy low slung bass, working its way around a classic horror film soundtrack and a loose version of the main riff from The Animals’ House Of The Rising Sun. And that’s just for starters. http://youtu.be/pKWiXLaRBMA
27 (NEW) THE BARKING DOGS – YOUR HIGH FT. TOM TRAGO – GOMMA
The Milanese duo return with a tripped out claptastic slab of nu disco, sporting dubby subtle vocal hooks and off the wall piano flourishes, which give it a proper melon twist. The Analogue Cops serve up a boosted techy remix sending it into overdrive.
28 (NEW) CHERIE LEE – LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME THE REMIXES – DANSE CLUB
The original released in 1995 on Music Station now goes for stupid money on Discogs, Ebay etc. So those rather Smart brothers at Danse Club have picked it up to launch their Gold Series with. It’s the first of many long lost gems that will be getting hot remix treatment from some of today’s bright young things. Berlin’s Oliver $ leads the charge. http://youtu.be/WACBf7zMw_o
29 (NEW) MILTON JACKSON – LESSONS LEARNED EP – BLACK KEY
Chunky drums and skipping percussion push atmospheric spooky fairground sounds into a spirit lifting feel good number on the opening See The Light. Old school keys and vocal loops weave around deep rhythms on the following 5 Cities, which also comes with a tougher Andy Ash Remix.
30 (NEW) DEYMARE – WHILE SHE DANCED – MUSIC WITH CONTENT
The second release from Manchester based club night Content comes care of Finnish DJ / producer Tomas Bjorkman aka Deymare. The lead cut mixes ruff n tuff drums with subtle keys and a laid back slurred vocal. Nice.
To get your track submitted for consideration please contact Dean Thatcher at deanthatcher25@hotmail.com Vinyl & CD’s much preferred it makes compiling a lot easier.
