After hours grooving…
01. Serge Gainsbourg – L’Histoire de Melody Nelson
This is basically how I’d like every after-hours party to sound.
02. Massive Attack – Mezzanine
There are so many tracks from Massive Attack’s catalogue I could have included in this list, it’s impossible to narrow it down to 1. So I’ll narrow it down to 1 LP – my favourite, Mezzanine.
03. Roy Davis Jr. – Gabriel Live
Through all my experimenting with different styles of music – this is one of the few records that has remained in my bag regardless. It’s a timeless track that fits almost any setting.
04. Junior Boys – In The Morning (Alex Smoke mix)
I have a vivid memory with this track playing during one of the first after-hours parties I went to, so it always brings me back to that place and time whenever I hear it. Sounded great then – sounds great now!
05. Moodyman feat. Charlotte OC – Hangover
Wanted to include a new’ish release, and I love this from Moodyman – reeks of late night/early morning.
06. Erick Sermon feat. Marvin Gaye – Just Like Music
This is how you sample a record. I recently watched Mark Ronson’s TEDtalk where he said, “you can’t hijack nostalgia”, which is true – but this definitely creates nostalgia of its own.
07. D’Angelo – Shit, Damn, Motherfucker
I’m a big fan of D’Angelo’s music – it was tricky to single out a favourite, so I chose the one with the best title.
08. Aphex Twin – Alberto Balsalm
‘Alberto Balsalm’ was the first Aphex Twin track I knowingly heard, and the track that prompted me to dig deeper. Can’t knock the master!
09. Bill Evans – Peace Piece
Bill Evans is one of my favourite pianists. It’s pretty hard not to zone out when listening to this.
10. Prince – I Wanna Be Your Lover
Had to finish the list with some Prince – he can do little wrong in my eyes.
Zebidiah – Wabi-Sabi (Chasing Unicorns)
The magical Chasing Unicorns label creeps ever closer to double figures with another fantastic offering, this time from pirate radio talent Zeb Wayne aka Zebidiah. Acclaimed talent and Civil Music man Brassica comes good once again on the remix front. This is actually Zebidiah’s debut solo EP, but in the past he collaborated (on Southern Fried Records and Nervous) with Thomas Gandey for EPs that got plenty of praise from Wolf & Lamb and Damian Lazarus. The man himself has been known to play jazz and classical at piano concerts as well as having a love of hip hop, experimental music and plenty of house and techno.
Opener ‘Unpremeditated’ is a spacious, lurching muddle of slapping drum hits and firmly rooted bass that’s run through with weirdly treated vocal snippets, found sounds and instrumental daubs. Eventually it coalesces into an upbeat – pop leaning house track but never does it sound anything less than wholly inventive. The Brassica remix is an 80s sounding, serrated and arpeggiated affair with over sized drums, laser like searching synths and corrugated rums that make you want to move.
Zebidiah’s next cut ‘Tengoku’ is another beguiling and off kilter arrangement of glitches, snatched drum hits and implicit post-garage rhythms. Never settling in one place it fires your every synapse with its urban sense of neo synthetic soul. Lastly, ‘The Soloist’ pairs skipping, rubbery drum kicks with off time percussion and an airy male vocal and, overall, has a playful sense of rhythm and unpredictable charm.
This is a fantastic statement of intent from the Zebidiah and announces the arrival of a fantastic new talent on an equally well-esteemed young label.
Zebidiah – Wabi-Sabi (Chasing Unicorns Cat. No. CU009) Released 9th June 2014
