The Zzub Chart

Neil Halstead delivers this year’s winter warmer

1 (2) 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

 

2 (3) 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

 

3 (NEW) IMPULSION – THE HIGHER TRIP EP – MICRONAUTICS

Four cuts of top rate house infused disco sassiness. The legendary DJ Pierre gets the ball rolling with a sweeping and tweaking 15 minute extravaganza of The Trip. Kings Of Tomorrow deliver a Ghetto Mix and a Sanjay Dub of Higher, both tracks doing the do, and Impulsion bring proceedings to a climaxing grand finale with the peaking ‘ouse Musiq. http://youtu.be/pCvBG-eUzGo

 

4 (4) 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 (1) 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

 

6 (9) 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. Massive. http://youtu.be/HeSgvHKMpUE

 

7 (8) 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”.

http://youtu.be/YAkkIU9tjac

 

8 (5) 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.

 

9 (15) 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 vibe, complete with smoking strung out junkies, scoring in damp bedsits and working on hard times jazz licks.

 

10 (22) 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

 

11 (25) 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

 

12 (12) 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 (19) 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

 

14 (16) 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

 

15 (NEW) BEHLING & SIMPSON – CLOSER EP – 2020 MIDNIGHT VISIONS

Three choice tracks that are cutting it from top duo on the Bristol scene. The title track features Shanti Celeste (great name) doing a breathy mesmerising vocal, over swinging crunchy house rhythms, infectious key riffs and a railroad train bell. Fuse Strategy features James Fox injecting a modern soulful R’n’B feel, offset with spaced out jazz funk keys. The closing U Were All Mine keeps the soulful flavours flowing in a chiming blissful state on an organic percussive groove. Nice.

 

16 (NEW) PADDED CELL – GUARDIANS OF THE NIGHT – DIFFERENT

Richard Sen & Neil Higgins make a welcome return with their first single for a few years. It’s a New York post punk disco influenced number with up to the minute trimmings, and vocals from Free Disco alongside a percussionist, guitarist, sax player and live bass, coming together on a proper old school groove. Deviancy Amp on the flip fuses raw synth stabs and funky percussion for a packed dance floor.

 

17 (18) 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

 

18 (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

 

19 (20) 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

 

20 (NEW) REMAIN VS POPULETTE – DISCOMFORT – MEANT

A funky and slightly smutty slice of edgy dark electronic disco from France. Troy Pierce is up first at the mixing desk with his Flight LH 436 Remix, a deep out there traumatised techno journey. Chloe takes a trip around the haunted disco, and marc Pinol gets locked into far out slo-mo heaven. One for the freaks. http://youtu.be/NLma78rY3_k

 

21 (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. All washed down with a bucket of illegal homebrew. http://youtu.be/fgMm7hgIaAo

 

22 (23) 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

 

23 (28) 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

 

24 (26) 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

 

25 (27) 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.

 

26 (24) 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

 

27 (29) 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.

 

28 (NEW) BREATHLESS – GREEN TO BLUE – TENOR VOSSA

A double LP of blissed out melancholy, with hints of classic 60’s & 70’s psychedelia, intertwined with strung out country, despairing laments and colourful cosmic death marches, all wrapped around Dominic Appleton’s grief stricken vocals.

 

29 (NEW) TWO FINGERS – VENGEANCE RHYTHM – BIG DADA

Amon Tobin continues his two fingered assault with long lasting damage, as sickening beats batter your grey matter into useless mush. http://youtu.be/TN1BN4keamc

 

30 (30) 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.