APPLEBLIM Vs. WEDGE ON SUB FM - PHOTO SPECIAL

Well I've been regularly listening to his Sub FM radio show for ages, but last night I finally got off my arse and made the ten minute car journey across Bristol to hang-out with DJ Wedge at his home (his bedroom, to be precise!), to soak up the vibes first-hand as his show streamed live across the world. Guest DJ for the evening was Appleblim, which seemed quite appropriate for the occasion, as it was he who first introduced me to Wedge way back when they were still living over in Bath, and was also his djing partner at that first public performance at one of the very early Dubloaded sessions. Appleblim brought an impeccable selection along, mixing-up the flavas despite having had most of his dubplates stolen recently (ouch! the financial loss alone almost brings tears to my eyes!) but I won't say much else about it because if you missed the show, you can download a recording of it here and experience it for yourself. And you can blame me for those bits where his mixing went a bit wonky, cos I kept putting him off with my inane background chatter. Apologies for that, bredrin. At least I provided the beers. Nice to see the Gatekeeper putting in a late appearance too (watch out for his remix of Wedge's 'Overfiend', forthcoming on new Bristol imprint Reduction, as reported by Kek - I got a test pressing in the post earlier this month and can attest to it's greatness). I took some pictures...

The stream is live-o!

Mic-Controller: Wedge gets evil

Deep concentration: Appleblim steps up...

Loefah test-pressing - forthcoming on Oris Jay's Texture label. Note turntable in serious need of a good dusting!

Appleblim mans the deckles, whilst Wedge checks the shout-box activity

Wicked dark 2 Step vibes from TRG. This is Appleblim's Transition dubplate, but apparently the full release is now in the shops. I shall procure a copy at the earliest opportunity!

CD-R exclusives scattered across Wedge's bedsheet

Wedge models the Mode Recordings cap, available from all good retailers. Possibly.

Gutter, Appleblim & Gatekeeper. Jesus, and I thought I needed a haircut!

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It's probably gonna be a bit quiet at this blog for a few weeks for three reasons: (1) The schools have just broken-up for summer so my parenting duties will significantly increase, thus drastically depleting my mental/physical energy levels, (2) I'll be taking the family away on holiday in early August and won't be online much, if at all (3) what little spare time I do have must be devoted to planning, mixing, recording and writing my second Blogariddim podcast, scheduled for this time next month. Frankly, I'm fucking panicking about the deadlines now, but hopefully it'll all come together in time. Fingers crossed....

? - '?'

Just been listening through a cd-r of new tunes from a certain local producer I know...awesome stuff, but then the final track is so fucking deep it dare not even speak it's name - listed simply as '?' by ?. The restless insectoid beats scuttle across a throbbing bass pulse as spine-chilling waves of texture reverberate across the void, occasionally crossing paths with flickering echos of a ghosted riff. Such depth, yet so much restraint. Almost painterly with it's impressionistic dabs of sound. And at 8 mins and 38 secs, it's visibily stretching the groove out, oozing beyond the standard 5-6 minute mark of most tracks I hear, and could quite easily seep past the 10 minute mark if allowed. Post-dubstep, post-Basic Channel, the next stage on (or perhaps next level down) from Appleblim's "Vansan". The future is here, and it's being made by one of my mates. I'm fucking stoked.

UNDER_SCORE AFTERMATH

Well the rest of the UK might be drowning in misery at the moment, but I had a lovely time at Under_Score last night. When I arrived a little before 10pm it was a bit quiet and I didn't recognise any familiar faces (though luckily I had the ever-reliable Doppleganger for company). Nevertheless, I instantly felt at home in the familiar surroundings of Cosies' tiny basement, with a soundtrack of lush dubby techno emanating from the speakers, which turned out to be the last ten minutes of Jim Petherwick's early set. Jim plays off vinyl, but also employs a loop sampler, which enables him to perform some neat little tricks on the fly, like energising Rhythm & Sounds' languidly gorgeous "We Been Troddin'" with a steady 4/4 kick, before mixing seamlessly into Deep Chord's "Empyrean", one of my favourite tracks from the recent 'Coldest Season' series on Modern Love.

Following Jim was another Under_Score resident, Placid, who kicked-off with some classic dubstep, like Pinch's "Qawwali" and Digital Mystikz "Lost City" (from the impossibly rare DMZ002 EP). I suddenly realised it's been ages since I heard those tracks in a club - you just wouldn't hear them at an actual dubstep night anymore. It was actually quite refreshing to hear djs simply playing great music without all the obsession with exclusivity that drives the dubstep economy. After Placid came Harry Glazebrook, peddling a nice line in funky minimalism with a bit of 2 Step garage thrown in for good measure, although when he tried playing a bit of Roll Deep he instantly cleared the floor - not the sort of response I usually equate with a Wiley production! After that came headliner Tom Ellis with a live laptop set showcasing his tight, fidgety minimal house sound, before Jim returned to the decks for a back-2-back session with Luke Malcher, cranking out a steady stream of top-drawer tunes from the likes of Sleeparchive, Redshape, Marcel Dettmann, T++ and a bit of Mala too.

The venue did get a bit busier over the course of the evening, and it was nice to see a pretty even male/female ratio (I'd had visions of it being a bit of a boy's club). In fact the crowd was getting quite hyped towards the end, in a mellow sorta way. A couple of familiar faces from the dubstep scene did eventually show-up - Tom 'Peverelist' and Mike 'Madboy' (the guy who made that 'Living Inside The Speaker' dubstep DVD). Mike in particular was having a whale of a time and I've never seen him so animated. For my part, having spent the past year listening to techno again in the solitary confines of my home, it was great to connect with this small band of like-minds. I guess I'd been put-off the idea of techno clubs because of some of the associations with mega-raves and pills, which is frankly a bit too wild for my tastes these days. But Under_Score had a nice intimate atmosphere and I didn't detect any obvious pill-head activity. In fact, it struck me that here was a little room full of all the people in Bristol who, like me, just enjoy minimal house/techno on it's own terms, without any reliance on chemical enhancement. It felt a bit like the early dubstep nights at Context and Ruffnek Discotek - a mini-communion of those 'in the know' which is a horribly elitist thing to say, but frankly I don't care. The important thing is, it feels like I've finally found a 'way in', an entry point to shared experience that's conducive to my way of life. Plus it was great to make a few new acquaintances like Jim, Duncan and Richard Carnage (of Tape blog infamy). Duncan has plenty of ideas for future Under-Scores, not least booking Baby Ford to headline the next one in September, which is great cos at least then I won't be the oldest person in the room for once.

Anyway, here's a few pics to finish with...

Jim Petherwick and Luke Malcher battling it out

Crowd scene, with Placid on the right

Harry Glazebrook keeping his shit funky

Feminine Pressure

Jim and Tom Ellis

Madboy in tha house

My (slightly truncated) thoughts on the new Deadbeat album are now up at Fact Magazine's online reviews section.

UNDER_SCORED

Absolutely cracking dub-techno mix from Jim Petherwick over at Tape blog. As the blog post explains, Jim is the resident techno don at the Under_Score night, possibly the only club here in Bristol dedicated to showcasing the best in minimal/dub house and techno. In the past year alone they've headlined such notable producers as Sleeparchive, Andy Stott and Claro Intellecto. I've been taking notice, but somehow never seem to be free on the night. Since my 'born again' conversion back to the cause, the only time I've heard techno in a club has been when I've played it at dubstep events (although I've also witnessed people like Appleblim and Headhunter dropping a few choice cuts in their sets) so I'm absolutely determined to reach this month's event at Cosies on the 21st (even though I know nothing about headliner Tom Ellis) to check the vibes, the beats and hopefully heap some praise on Jim and his cohorts for their unstinting dedication to the cause.

SUFFERATION!!

Volume 3 of Mr. Meme's 'Dubstep Sufferah' series is finally available to the general public! Interesting to see a bit of grime creeping in there (just when you all thought it was dead!), and nice to see some exclusive biz too, especially from Narcossist (aka Joe Cowton), who some might remember featured in several of my own mixes last year, plus a sliver of Bristol-H.E.N.C.H flava from Komanazmuk. A highly polished, conceptual set, as we always expect from Paul. Download and read the 'sleeve notes' at the Grevous Angel blog. Nice-up!!

PS. Check the interview Paul did for Blackdown, too...

RADIO BRISTOL

1) DJ Wedge - Sub FM - Tuesdays 10pm-12am

After taking a couple of months off to go traveling, DJ Wedge returned to Sub FM with his weekly dubstep session this week. I managed to catch most of the show, which also featured fellow H.E.N.C.H-ers Komanazmuk and Whiteboi spinning a relentless flow of exclusive material, culled from their rapidly expanding roster of Mode artists. At one point I heard Koman's "Shankstep" with the vocals from Various Production's "Hater" layered on top, which sounded spectacular. I'm not sure if that was an unofficial bootleg version, but it certainly hit the spot for me. Next week's show will have Appleblim and Gatekeeper guesting, so you know not to miss it. Speaking of which, watch out for Gatekeeper's "Let Go/Tense Past" forthcoming on Peverelist's Punch drunk imprint very soon. The flipside is the real killer tune for me, featuring some gorgeous dub-chord arrangements, clearly influenced by the Hardwax school, but propelled by a crucial electro-flavoured steppers' riddim. Yet another fabulous strand in the ever-developing web of influence between Bristol and Berlin this year. Big tune, big hair - 'nuff respect to tha Gatekeeper!!

2) Immerse Sessions - Passion FM - Wednesdays

Thinking and Kid Kut host the Immerse Sessions on Bristol's main pirate station, Passion FM. I'm not at liberty to publicly reveal the analogue frequency, but luckily the station has a live web stream here. The show will feature forthcoming releases from Immerse Records plus other exclusive material. The studio number is 07934 179 817 if you wanna give 'em a yell or request tunes. They're also actively looking for fresh content, so anyone with tunes, news or info should get in touch - radio@immerserecords.com.

PHONE TUNE 4 U

Been gradually working my way through "Bring The Noise" (no skipping chapters!) and of course it's a wonderful read, even when about artists who I personally detest, like Morrissey. Inevitably the book has been inspiring me to re-listen to a lot of old stuff (maybe leading to a few more blog posts in the future) particularly the 'Feminine Pressure' piece, a survey of 2 Step/UK Garage, originally published in The Wire, April 1999. The first thing I reached for after reading it was Woebot's excellent "Noir Desire" mix, and then riffling through my own (very meagre) store of 2 Step records. In truth I was never really a fan at the height of it's popularity, perhaps due to the genre's emphasis on vocals and slik production; my re-connection with the 'nuum occurring with the discovery of Eskibeat and dubstep around 2003-04. But I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Listening through the double compilation Blackmarket Presents 2 Step (Azuli Records, 2000) gives a pretty good account of the sound at it's most accessible, with the emphasis on full vocal tracks, rather then those using chopped-up diva samples (generally more favoured by enthusiasts like Simon and Matt) with the notable exception of Groove Chronicles' wonderfully stealthy "1999". It's a nicely presented package, with lots of close-up photos of the turntables in the Blackmarket shop, although the printed tracklist order doesn't tally with what's on the actual vinyl grooves. Thankfully the previous owner wrote the correct running order on the labels, saving me some serious confusion. But hidden amongst all those glossy vocal numbers is "The Phone Tune", by 212, which I absolutely adore partly for it's stripped-back minimalist approach, succulent subby bassline and eerie synth melody. But also the complete lack of soulful vocals (sampled or otherwise) instead substituting matronly female phone operator phrases and other tele-tones. It's like a 2 Step update of Kraftwerk's "The Telephone Call" or B12's "Telephone 529", but the really genius bit is the use of that annoying interference you get when a mobile phone signal cuts through your hi-fi speakers. The first time I heard it, I actually grabbed my mobile cos I thought I had an incoming call! It's the sort of track I could imagine starting life as a jingle on a pirate station.

I know absolutely nothing about 212. According to Discogs, "The Phone Tune" wasn't even released as a 12" in it's own right - it only appears on this collection. Who was this mysterious producer? Is this an unusually 'empty' example of 2 step?

BLUNTS OF DOOM...

Latest mix from my old mucker Krys Forensics (aka Tha Deadsteppah, aka Tha Doom Monger, etc). Exclusive biznizz. Don't have nightmares, kids...

VOLKANO...

Scorched Earth - El Kano's latest mix is like a volkanic eruption, spewing the fiercest sounds from the firmament of leftfield dubstep and techno.

Can you take the heat...?

SODIUM NIGHTLIFE

New blog from the Dissensus stalwart. Only one post so far, but I'm liking the vibe. And of course it always gives me immense satisfaction to know that I helped to nudge someone down a fresh path. Looking good, my friend...

RUFFNEK PICS

Nice to see the Ruffnek Discotek open for business again last night, relocated at one of my favourite venues, The Croft (the original home of Dubloaded). Also my final chance for some serious nicotine action before the smoking ban comes in to force tomorrow. Yep, for the benefit of overseas readers, I must point out that yet another blow has been struck against the civil liberties of the English people: no more smoking fags (or any other combustible substance!) in enclosed public places after this weekend. I'm more or less given up anyway, and am used to smoking outside at home ever since we had kids, but still I like a smoke with my Guinness when I go down the pub. And why not? I'm a grown-up - I should have the right to choose, right? Down with the nanny state!!!

But I digress...it was nice to see Atki2 teaming-up with freestyle MC Renee Silver once more (see above). Young Renee's verbal skillz is still ill - her improvised 'oral sex' rap (my suggestion!) hit the spot nicely, thankyouverymuch. Atki2's brand new 2 Step refix of Peverelist's "Roll With The Punches" was a surprise musical highlight.

It was a pleasure to see Plastician in action again - it's been a while. His set was all big wobbly bassline bizness, not much Grime, which was surprising. Nice to hear a Jakes tune in there. But who was the MC? No one seemed to know. Without doubt he was the most relaxed MC I've seen for a while, spending much of the night just rocking back on his heels with a big grin on his face. Reckon he'd smoked a bit too much of the funny stuff beforehand. Apparently Plastician's debut album is finally due in about four weeks. Yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it...

Missed Joker's set due to chronic exhaustion. The baby's been a bit ill recently and I've not been getting enough sleep. So it goes. Anyway, some pics...

Atki2 and Renee Silver

Plastician

It was a busy night - the crowd was hyped! Raaaahh!!

Ruffnek Maffia: Krys Forensics and Tim Dub Boy

My hero! Gutter with the mighty Peverelist

Watch out girls, the Dub Zombies are behind you!!

L-R: Gutter, Pete (Forsaken) and Henry (Heatwave, Dubstudio)

Nice to see Pete getting props in Blackdown's latest Pitchfork column, which in turn led to a Forsaken thread on Dissensus. I met Henry's mum, who proudly stated that she got him into reggae when he was still in the womb. Now that's hardcore. Additional shouts: Doppleganger, Thinking, Sally, Komanazmuk, Wedge, Chris, Adam Kidkut, Adam Smokering...

SPIRIT OF '97

After listening to the Metalheadz box again, it got me skimming through other d'n'b records of the period and not really getting much excitement from it all...perhaps it was little wonder that my brief love-affair with the genre was on the wane. The overriding sense I get is that d'n'b was determined to become sophisticated and highly polished, musical is the most conventional sense of the word, lifting endless jazz-inflected soundbytes (Rhodes piano, saxophone, smooth quasi-orchestral harmonies) and a general receding of ambition in terms of breakbeat manipulation and sampledelic science. True, there was some darker edged stuff coming through in Techstep and Neurofunk, but that wasn't a sound I found personally appealing. In fact, for me some of the most interesting d'n'b ideas from the period came from acts outside of the scene. And I'm not talking about the Squarepusher/AFX/Plug axis (though there were some cool records there too), but from the alternative Rock/Pop spectrum. Perhaps that was the last time that 'black' dance music sounds were embraced and incorporated into 'white' rock music, to any meaningful degree.

So you had formally acoustic Everything But The Girl playing with breakbeats on "Walking Wounded" in the Top 40, but also the more esoteric Stereolab adding a subtle d'n'b undercurrent on tracks like "Parsec", from their breakaway album Dots And Loops. Fascinating to hear that retro sixties-flavoured French sci-fi pop underscored by hyperactive filtered breaks. The album was partially recorded in Chicago with John McIntire, who was also experimenting with d'nb dynamics with his art-rock ensemble Tortoise. The track "Jetty" from their TNT album was seemingly a deliberate juxtaposition of programmed beat trickery and live performance - about three minutes in the track morphs from electronica into live instrumentation so artfully that you can barely see the join.

A much more overt clash of d'n'b with retro-pop came from the all-but-forgotten Mono, who's album Formica Blues made brief waves in '97. Mono were a duo, combining the breathy vocals of Siobhan De Mare with the studio-suss of Martin Virgo. On "Life In Mono", they combined a love of John Barry soundtracks with dub bass and elegantly sculpted breaks to create, what is for me, one of the landmark crossover tunes of the period, although "The Outsider" was hard on it's heels with a rhythm track clearly indebted to the ruffer end of the Junglist spectrum. At the time, I assumed that Mono would do for D'n'B what Portishead did for hip hop - and be fucking huge! - but as far as I know they disappeared soon after the album was released.

There was also a general sense that dance and rock were still on talking terms. Remember Noel Gallagher contributing some skewed guitar to Goldie's "Temper Temper". I can't imagine, say, Arctic Monkeys guesting on a Loefah record today. Of course, Noel also contributed vocals for Chemical Brothers' "Setting Sun", and besides most of those producers in the Big Beat scene (the other big breakbeat movement of the period) came from backgrounds in rock/pop groups anyway. As other, far more astute commentators than myself have already noted, Black and White music have never seemed as segregated as they are now, barring the odd renegade collectives like Various Production. Having spent the last few days wandering through 1997, I wonder if that's such a good thing.

METAL GEAR

Speaking of metal packaging, what about the Metalheadz 'Metal Boxset', a limited edition package issued in 1997. It's a film canister-style tin, very much similar in concept to (and maybe even inspired by...?) PIL's "Metal Box". Pry it open and you're instantly hit by a strong smell of vinyl, as the five 12" platters within are all sheathed in clear circular heavy-duty plastic covers, cushioned at the bottom by a layer of foam. There's also a little booklet, featuring lots of arty portraits of the artists and a short introductory note from label-head Goldie. His assertion that the Metalheadz roster were 'on top of the breakbeat game' was entirely accurate, though to be honest the whole thing does reek of self-congratulatory excess, a world away from the underground economy of white labels and dubplates that most of these artists emerged from just a few years earlier. Goldie always struck me as a rather ostentatious chap, so it's very much in character. But modestly he chose not to include any of his own work as Rufige Kru, and there's a real sense of pride and pleasure in the achievements of his compatriots which still shines through ten years on. Plus it's a collector's wet dream.

A nice thing to have, then, though I recall at the time being a little deflated by the musical content. The previous year's 'Platinum Breakz' collection blew my head off, and remains a quintessential document of the era, but much of the material here failed to elevate my mind to similar heights. It might just be that my interest in Drum 'n Bass as a whole was waning by that point, but then again I never really played it that much - it was always too much bother to extract the records from the tin - so perhaps didn't give it enough time to sink in. It was also stylistically confusing, featuring several cross-generic excursions (hip hop, funk and the dreaded specter of jazz) which might've dulled it's impact, though listening now, it's actually quite intriguing to hear Ed Rush experimenting with slower tempos and spongy double bass figures on "Westway". But I still don't get much joy from the nasty Techstep onslaught of "Sabotage" or Optical's "Shape Of the Future Remix". The contributions from stalwarts Photek, Dillinja and Lemon D are okay, but still not moving me to any great extent (where the previous year I thought Dillinja could do no wrong), but the opening assault from Digital, "Far Out", is classic Metalheadz with it's restless, convoluted breaks, paranoid atmospherics and ominous waves of sub bass pressure. But it's those non-D'n'B excursions that really surprise me now, like Hidden Agenda's "Big Lamp" - an improbable slice of phat disco-funk, that sounds more like something from the French 'Super Discount' scene (I admit I have only a passing knowledge of their work, so don't know if they explored this avenue further) .

But if I had to pick a favourite cut, it would have to be "Desist Da Black" by Dollis Hill (aka 4 Hero's Dego - this alias named after the London location of Reinforced Records) which is kinda like Detroity electrofunk with duelling 808 and 909 beats - perhaps a continuation of some of the ideas from his Jacob's Optical Stairway project. It has a hint of jazz flava, but rather than the usual cool-blue tinkling Fender Rhodes licks, the melodies are played with almost cheesy analogue synth sounds, harking back to the '70s Afro-futurism of Funkadelic's Bernie Worrell or Herbie Hancock at his synthetic best. It seems completely out of place on a Metalheadz record, but credit to Goldie for nurturing such diversity (though oddly, when Goldie himself made music outside the d'n'b style, the results were usually rubbish!).

CHAIN REACTION

Earlier this evening I was studying the fetishistic imagery over at Hard Format, and in particular Colin's mouthwatering collection of Chain Reaction compact discs, photographed in such detail and clarity you feel like reaching out and touching them. I'm a little jealous because I don't have them myself, though I do have a modest selection of the label's 12" output, but this is one of those instances where the CD catalogue is cosmetically superior to the vinyl, which is nearly always packaged in plain beige or black sleeves with their trademark battleship grey label art. Chain Reaction is/was a subsidiary of the Basic Channel empire, which, from 1995 - 2003, released a steady stream of product inspired by the original sonic blueprint created by Moritz Von Oswald & Mark Ernestus. Perhaps it is an indication of their generosity of spirit that Oswald and Ernestus chose to create the label specifically to release the music of their disciples, and it's output far outstrips that of the original host label. I'm not sure if the imprint is currently dead or dormant, but most of the 'first wave' imitators (Substance, Vainqueur, Monolake, Torsten Pröfrock, etc) have since carved out careers of almost equally legendary status in the field of minimal/dub techno.

But there was a second wave of producers who's names don't trip off the tongue quite so regularly, some of whom seem to have disappeared off the map (unless of course they release so anonymously that no one even realises they're still active). One of the most prolific of the latter-period Chain Reaction artists was Konstantinos Soublis aka Fluxion. Tracks like "Haitus"(from CR-24, 1999) saw him galloping headlong into the abyss - the monumental repetition and magnetically slow pace of development creating a thunderous calm. Devoid of nearly all dynamic gear changes the rhythm becomes a still-life to be contemplated for it's subtle details. It's quite strange that this track should sound quite current in 2007. Not enough time has elapsed for it to have attained a certain retro charm, but that seems to be part of the Basic Channel equation: the music is so hermetic and inner-focused that it transcends fashion.

Not all releases slavishly adhered to the original blueprint. A particular favourite of mine is "The Red Line" by Shinichi Atobe, which revels in an endless cascade of sweet melodic ennui; an uncomplicated expression of emotion that most artists on the label would rarely allow themselves to indulge in. As far as I can tell, the EP from which this track comes (CR-34, 2001) remains the sole release from this mysterious artist. Other acts, like Hallucinator, experimented with various tempos and patterns outside the standard 4/4 mindset. A track like "Waterline", from the labels' final 12" release (CR-35, 2003) is a gorgeous slice of meditative dubtronica, but it's doubtful it'd ever crop up in a techno mix due to it's languid, tripped-out groove.

Although most of these second wave producers don't seem to inspire the same level of reverence that Oswold and Ernestus enjoy, I still think there's plenty of wonderful music to be found nestling in the Chain Reaction catalogue. Perhaps now would be a good time for a full-scale re-issue program. Having many gaps to fill in my collection, I'd certainly welcome such a move.

Eternal thanks and respect to the mighty Doppelganger for my new blog header/logo thingy (see above). Dave Nodz eat yer heart out. I hope he's not gonna charge me a fee for his services though...

SEVENS UP

As reported in The Guardian*, 7" singles are enjoying a bit of a resurgence in popularity recently. Of course, for some people, especially reggae obsessives, the format never went away - symbolic of the rich heritage of the Jamaican soundsystems, the humble 7" strikes a cultural chord that connects people from all walks of life. But what is significant here is that it's Indie/Rock groups like The White Stripes and Arctic Monkeys who are shifting big units right now. The share of the overall market is still minuscule, but despite the onslaught of download formats, the fact that 7" sales are on the increase does seem to defy logic. With cassettes already virtually extinct and CDs taking a hammering, why should this archaic format from the previous century still cling to life? With 12", you have that unbeatable warmth, bass-response and tactile ease of manipulation (when mixing) which digital has yet to fully achieve, so it's understandable that it remains the format of choice for many dance music lovers and djs, but why would your typical rock fan turn to the 7" in this day and age? Surely not for the fidelity alone? Maybe it's just because they look cute. I think they look pretty cute, myself. If nothing else, the 7" single is a design classic. And although it's hardly an antidote to file-sharing, it does at least slow the process down a little and may encourage the consumer to invest in an original, collectible edition.

It's a 'hard format' that can still inspire. I very rarely get excited when someone sends me an e-mail link to some promo MP3s they want me to review. Often I don't even bother to check the tunes. But every now and then the postman will turn up with a surprise 7" package and my attention is instantly captured. Last week I received not one, but two 7" singles from those nice people at Automation Records, all the way from Seattle in the US of A (see pic, above). Up to now, this little indie label has primarily released on CD format, but these are their first 7" products, sheathed in good quality card covers with full-colour artwork, proper white inner-bags and the whole package protected in a clear plastic outer-sleeve. It probably ain't gonna do much for the environment, but gosh don't they look lovely!

In terms of the actual music contained within, the first one is a split EP, with side 1 featuring three tracks from electro-mosh-punksters Abiku. I reviewed their album last year, and in truth not much has changed stylistically, although I will say that they work better in this format as a short, sharp dose of adrenalin. Side 2 is a couple of tracks from Kid Camaro, which veer closer to my orbit with pastoral 8-bit melodies over fidgety breakbeats. The sub-junglist contortions of "Dusk" hark back to the almost twee homespun drill 'n bass experiments of Aphex Twin circa "Hangable Autobulb", but with more of a vintage eighties computer game vibe. I wouldn't say I was seduced, but definitely charmed by it's advances.

The second EP, from Red Squirrels, is less easy to categorise. I guess it could be loosely allied to the latest 'Noise' movement currently bubbling under in the States (Wire readers will know what I'm on about) featuring several short impressionistic pieces, assembled from a patchwork of scrambled voices, muffled atmospherics, crumpled percussive loops and glancing instrumental moments. However, the opening track, called "The Painting", is a disarmingly direct song built soley from an almost painfully overdriven bluesy guitar riff with a strong guest vocal from Nichole. Go figure. The Squirrels have a Myspace page, if you want to make friends with them.

I must say I've enjoyed taking this latest little peek into the underbelly of American 'outsider' music, though if I'd been sent these over the 'net as MP3s, it's quite possible I would never have bothered listening to them. And cd-r promos could never match the tangible delights of these well-packaged 7" vinyl gifts. Perhaps it's a shallow thing to admit, but I felt inclined to like these records before I'd even heard a note, and that's got to be due to the format and presentation. Always judge a book by it's cover, right..?

* Guardian link spotted via this Dissensus thread.

READING MATTER

Hurrah! Resourceful Mrs. Gutter managed to find me a copy of Simon's 'Bring The Noise' in time for Father's Day (the chocolates and 'Best Dad Ever' mug were also gratefully received from my lovely children...not that they really gave a shit, but what the hell). I shall begin devouring it (the book that is, I've already started on the chocolate) very shortly, but thought I'd just say a few words in praise of another music book I've just finished, called "White Bicycles - Making Music In The 1960's" by Joe Boyd. The title is of course lifted from "My White Bicycle", the debut single by psychedelic group Tomorrow, the lyrics of which were inspired by the antics of a Dutch anarchist group (more info on all that over at Wikipedia). Although Tomorrow and Dutch anarchist groups don't really figure much in the book, it's worth remembering that the band were regular performers at one of the UK's most legendary underground clubs, the UFO, which Boyd curated in partnership with John Hopkins in 1966-67. The whole British psychedelic counter-culture was essentially born from that club - both Pink Floyd and Soft Machine were regular attractions (and don't forget that Boyd also produced the Floyd's first single, "Arnold Lane"). Of course it all went mainstream and sour very quickly, but Boyd's first hand account of that exciting period is fascinating. There's also some poignant observations of the decline of Syd Barret and, later on, the brilliance and tragedy of Nick Drake's brief life (again, remember that Boyd managed and produced Drake - quite badly, it seems!), plus the antics of The Incredible String Band (favourites of Boards Of Canada) and Sandy Denny/Fairport Convention. Boyd's tone is conversational and informative throughout...he really has lived such a wonderful, if occasionally precarious life, traveling all over the world, meeting and working with so many people who helped to shape the musical climate during that period. If there's one accusation I'd level at him, it's that he's a terrible name-dropper!

On the surface it might seem that Joe Boyd lived and worked in a time that has little significance to the sort of things I write about here, but in truth I've been an admirer of the man and many of the artists he worked with for some time. It took me a while to get into some of the British folk-rock groups, but as Boyd points out, us Brits are the only nation who are embarrassed by their own folk music, so I had a mountain of prejudice to climb! He has some very forthright opinions about what's wrong with music and culture today, and frankly there's an awful lot I agree with. In particular, his disdain for the scourge of digital/sampling technology holds a lot of water. If I was making 'real' music today, I'd want to work with people who knew about microphone placement and the subtleties of particular acoustic spaces, using analogue 16 track tape and avoiding 'Direct Injection' recording. But the thing I like about true electronic music is the way that artists can imagine and create their own imaginary acoustics and tone colours...a place where things like equalisation, reverbs, echoes and other sound processors are part of the creative process rather than a quick means of spicing-up dull instrumental sounds. I guess that, on paper, me and Joe are as far apart in terms of age and aesthetics as it's possible to get, but I like to think that we're both hardcore muthafuckaz in our chosen paths.

Available at Amazon, in case anyone's interested.

SPACED

I'm posting this one in case there's the remotest chance that someone, somewhere will be even vaguely curious to know the significance of the record I'm holding in this picture on my Facebook* page. It's no biggie, really. But let's take a trip back to 1977: The first Star Wars movie was the box office sensation of the year and I was a nerdy little kid fixated on sci-fi and music. So when I saw the promotional video for Space's hit single "Magic Fly" on TOTP, I was naturally captivated. Here was a group who wore astronaut suits so you couldn't see their faces, playing strange-looking keyboards on a spooky instrumental disco cut. Thanks to the wonders of Youtube, we can all watch that promo again. I've had the 7" single (in the generic pink Pye Records paper sleeve) for ever, but never got the more attractive-looking album. As an 8 year-old, my pocket money wasn't sufficient to go buying elpee records, especially when most of it was already being spent on Marvel Comics. I can't say I've ever really yearned for the album in adult life - I've never consciously searched for it in the crates or e-bay. But I guess I always knew it would be mine eventually and last week, during my regular trawls through the local charity shops, I finally came across a copy for 49p.

As an aside, I should just expand on the whole charity shop thing. Shopping around these places is a thankless task these days. It's very rare to find anything of true monetary or artistic value, but I just like the randomness of shopping this way. I find things that I never even knew I wanted, often these are records that are connected to my past, that didn't seem important at the time, but now resonate as beacons from times and places that can never be returned to. Sometimes it's just the sleeve designs that attract me. Sometimes there's a weird synchronicity aspect , as with my recent Vangelis scoop. I don't know where it's all leading, but I'm enjoying the journey.

But back to Space. After 30 years, the album is finally mine. The sleeve is a bit battered, but I don't mind that. I like sleeves that look 'lived-in'. Interestingly it says 'Original Version'. Why? Was there ever an unoriginal version? The record itself, as predicted, is not an overlooked masterpiece. In truth 'Magic Fly' is the only great tune on there. The opener 'Fasten Seat Belt' has the same throbbing bass sequencer as the hit, but, as with nearly all the other tracks, it's ruined by the over-elaborated arrangements. Clearly, Space were a bunch of crack French session musicians who knew their chops and set out to prove it, with lots of fiddly Clavinet riffs, piano embellishments and big flashy solos. There's a couple of nice percussive breakdowns, especially on 'Tango In Space', where they add a bit of phasing on the drums, but anyone hoping that this might be a missing link to Daft Punk or Air would probably be disappointed. If the record predicts anything, it's the jazz-lite cocktail disco of Bill Sharpe's Shakatak in the following decade. It's not all disco-tempo: there's a couple of slow ballads, including one called - get this - 'Velvet Rape'. I quite like the final track 'Carry On, Turn Me On', but mainly for the energetic performance by the uncredited female vocalist, who makes a few of those Donna Summer-like 'orgasm' noises towards the end. You can clearly hear that there's an edit around 6m10s, as though the producer decided her gasps and moans were getting a little too raunchy and spliced-out the offending section of tape.

The great thing about the track 'Magic Fly' was that it was so fucking cold, constructed of the most basic essential elements without falling back on flashy but ultimately meaningless musicianship. Even the drummer managed to restrain himself from adding any fancy little para diddles and played the beat like a human metronome. Truly, that track had 'space'. I can't say it spooks me like it did back in the day, but a lot of musical water has passed under the bridge since then. Whatever the shortcomings of the rest of the album, I'm still pleased with my purchase. Now I'm going to file it on that part of the shelf where all the records I only play once every 5-10 years go.

* I really haven't got a fucking clue why I set up a Facebook page. Basically I got invited by a Famous Dubstep Artist without knowing anything about it, but now it seems to be catching on like rabies. I've heard it described as a cross between Myspace and Friends Reunited, but I can't imagine anyone of my age group being on there, so I very much doubt I'll be linking-up with any old school pals through this. It's time's like this I really feel the generation gap. I mean, what's the fucking point of it all? Mind you, I did manage to track down Jack, the guy who took all those excellent photos for me last year. Nice to know he's doing alright up in Nottingham now. I guess I'll hang around there for a while and see if anything interesting happens...

Oh my days, Paul Autonomic bottles the zeitgeist with his latest Bloggariddims podcast. I haven't even heard it yet (it's on the download as I type this) but most of these tunes have been on my turntables too over the past few months, so I can vouch for the quality. And of course, Paul is a true artisan of the digital mixscape. Don't miss this one - essential!!!