Wednesday, 31 March 2010

Shook No.8 OUT NOW.....



IT’S THE FILM+MUSIC ISSUE… film scorers, underground filmmakers, music supervisors, subversive picture houses, advert music, off-the-wall music promos and rare film posters… includes Lalo Schiffrin, Clint Mansell, Flying Lotus, Air, Sons of Cuba, Barry Jenkins, Jonny Trunk, The Scala, David Shire, Top 50 Music Docs, Narcotic Farm, Mo Ali, Spike & Jones as well as Prince Paul, JP Massiera, Bounce exhibition, Plastic People, Mount Kimbie, Ty, Subeena, Mizz Beats, Gonjasufi and a whole lot of other good stuff.

Purchases for March/April

Just nabbed these recent releases.....

California Funk 2xLP (Jazzman033)

After several years of extensive work and painstaking research the latest in our explorations into regional US funk obscurities is finally here. Has the wait for California Funk been worth it? Well, let’s see what we have: 21 of the finest, rarest and most desirable funk recordings from the Sunshine state, put together for the first time with the personal blessing of each and every artist represented herein – shoddy bootleg this is not! Both the LP and CD contain in-depth sleeve notes detailing the history of funk and R&B in California and the social conditions which led to the funk explosion of the late ‘60s. In addition there are thoroughly researched notes for every individual track, revealing for the first time the hidden stories behind such revered and enigmatic artists as Leon Gardner, Arthur Monday and Delores Ealy, The double LP is presented on two pieces of 180g virgin vinyl, lavishly housed in a double gatefold sleeve with full colour inners, label scans and extensive liner notes featuring many previously unseen photos of the bands and musicians involved. The CD houses the same in a 24 page colour booklet. BACKGROUND

Whereas the musical profiles of cities such as Detroit and New Orleans are well established and much celebrated, the vast cities of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area have been mostly skimmed over and not given nearly enough attention. The black music from California of the ‘60s and ‘70s is especially under-appreciated, seemingly unable to stamp its own musical identity on the world.

Yet during this time, many artists were busily plying their trade at a grass roots level in LA and the Bay, releasing 45s literally by hand or through small independents. Today many of those very 45s fetch hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds at online auction with lovers of real soul and funk desperate to get hold of them. Following on from our previous funk collections of Texas, Florida, the Midwest and the Carolinas, we applied ourselves to what proved to be our most ambitious and far-reaching project yet – to source and compile the best vintage funk that California had to offer. From the rugged street funk of Arthur Monday to the Latino flavours of Enrique Olivarez, from the soulful jazz grooves of blues legend Johnny Heartsman to the aggressive politicising of King Solomon, there is real diversity on offer – these aren’t mere JB sound-a-likes but talented individuals who brought their own voice to the funk sound.

Putting together an album like this is no easy task. It has certainly taken a while to come to light, but we are confident that California Funk, with its divergent sounds and intriguing avenues, will not disappoint, and indeed we hope that it will help raise the standing of California in R&B, soul and funk circles from here on.

KEY POINTS:

· 21 of the rarest, hardest and most coveted funk sounds from California, recorded 1968-77
· Deluxe double LP on thick 180g virgin vinyl with gatefold sleeve, full liner notes and colour printed inners.
· 24 page CD booklet with photographs, label scans and liner notes from our own original research and interviews
· RARE and FINE music reissued only with Jazzman – all because WE DIG DEEPER!

1 Water Color All Bundled into One
2 Arthur Monday What Goes Around Comes Around
3 Leon Gardner Farm Song
4 Chucky Thurmon Turn it Over
5 Delores Ealy Honeydripper
6 Ray Frazier I Who Have Nothing
7 Enrique Olivarez Arriba Tipo
8 4th Coming Cruising Down Sunset
9 King Solomon Political Rag
10 JGD & the New Breed North Richmond Breakaway
11 LA Bare Faxx Supercool Brother
12 Apple & Three Oranges Curse Upon the World
13 Lil' Lavair Cold Heat
14 Rhon Silva Get it Right
15 Billy Larkin Funky Fire
16 California Gold Notes WB302
17 John Heartsman & Circles Talking About my Baby
18 Enrique Olivarez Al's Place
19 Mr Clean What's Going On
20 Edwards Generation Smokin' Tidbits
21 Winter Bones


JM.074 - Mark Capanni - I Believe in Miracles / I Believe in Miracles

Oh YES! The one everyone’s been talking about, the incredible song that’s the talk of the internet, at long last, and with the blessing of Mark Capanni himself, here it is as it should be, the ORIGINAL VERSION of the Jackson Sisters classic rare groove anthem ‘I Believe in Miracles’, out now on DJ friendly Jazzman 7” 45rpm VINYL!!!

If you haven’t heard this song yet prepare to be struck down with awe for this is one tune that I guarantee will make your eyes open and jaw drop! Sublime Axelrod-style folk jazz orchestration backs Capanni’s carefree yet poignant vocals on THE original version of the Jackson Sisters ‘I Believe in Miracles’. Recorded in 1973 and performed by Mark Capanni who co-wrote the song, this was completed and ready to go a full 14 months before the Jackson Sisters version hit the streets. Despite the Capanni version having been pressed up it failed to make an impact – too soulful for rock radio but not soulful enough for RnB radio – and the record was pulled. It was the Jackson Sisters with their full-on dancefloor funk that did the business, released in 1974 it’s since gained legendary status, a musical definition of the rare groove era and with a multitude of versions and remixes. BUT it’s only recently that this amazing ORIGINAL version has been discovered, and with original copies of the 45 practically impossible to find, our Jazzman release can only be described as being utterly essential to all DJs, dancers and music lovers, everywhere.


Mr Sad Head - Hot Weather Blues / Sad Head Blues 7" (Jukebox Jam)

A whole raft of top notch Jump Blues was issued on the RCA Victor label in the first half of the 50s but it seemed that the company wasnt fully sure of how to push the huge amount of vibrant R&B talent they had amassed on their roster. Even though RCA was a leading major, artists such as Mr. Sad Head, who issued 4 high quality singles on the label, are now amongst the more mysterious and obscure names in vintage R&B.
Here are the pick of the Mr. Sad Head releases right here in this two sider 45. The flip, Sad Head Blues, is a straight ahead West Coast Jiver with the classic big city sound. However, Hot Weather Blues is the BIG tune so it gets on the A side on our limited run reissue. Alternating between a mambo-inflected minor key riff and a regular jiving rhythm, Hot Weather Blues is the kind of unique and quirky sound we actively seek out at the Jukebox Jam club night. The song was also recently played by none other than Bob Dylan on his radio show, so it seems Jukebox Jam are not the only Sad Head admirers..!

Target - Give Me One More Chance / Cleveland 7" (Soul7)

Another modern soul rarity out now on SOUL7!!! This little beauty was recorded in upstate New York in 1973 and is just the ticket for an neat uptempo shuffle in the modern room.

As usual this SOUL7 reissue is FULLY LICENSED and restored from the ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES so it SOUNDS GREAT – unlike what you get from SHODDY BOOTLEGS! And in keeping with the spirit of collecting the pressing run is limited to ONLY 500 COPIES worldwide!

THE STORY BEHIND THIS RECORDING:

When 4 close friends – Dean, Brian, Shelly and Vince - got together in the small town of Rome in upstate New York to form a band, little did they know that the music they made would still be raising dancefloor dust over 30 years later! Self-funded and pressed in only 500 copies back in 1973, the 45 featuring the catchy ‘Give Me One More Chance’ was sold from the very bandstands they performed from while gigging up and down the East Coast. The record was made just as much as a ‘thank you’ to fans as well as a shout to the bigger record companies in the hope of making it big. Another single did appear later, but with zero distribution and little knowledge about the workings of the record biz meant the lucrative recording contract they hoped for failed to appear. Dean and Vincent still perform to this day, as the duo act D.V.D. the Band.


Bonobo - Eyes Down 12" (Ninja Tune)

"Eyesdown" is the second single from Bonobo’s forthcoming and highly anticipated new album "Black Sands", featuring vocals from Ninja’s hot new signing Andreya Triana. The original version mixes a rolling break with a subtle bassline and Triana's wonderful soul-jazz vocals. Future broken beats? Nu-nu-jazz? Dubstep-light? Whatever we're calling it, this is a bit spesh. I'm sure the remixes have caught your attention already, but here's a quick rundown if you're slow on the uptake: That man Floating Points reworks the track in a slightly more techy style, with Detroit-meets-jazz influences oozing out of the vinyl. Warrior One ramps it up a bit in a broken UK funky style with a touch of rave. Which leaves Appleblim & Komonasmuk to supply a version that's more minimal house than dubstep. Quality all round." (Piccadilly Records)

1 Eyesdown (Radio Edit)
2 Eyesdown (Floating Points Remix)
3 Eyesdown (Warrior 1 Remix)
4 Eyesdown (Appleblim & Komonazmuk Remix)
5 Eyesdown (Instrumental)
6 Eyesdown (Album Version)


Madlib - Medicine Show 3 (Deluxe 3xLP)

"3LP DELUXE Limited edition, 3 disc, 43-track version. The album covers are individually silk screened and numbered by Hit+Run in variations of black, gold, and red. 1250 of this edition will be made.

Beat Konducta in Africa is an instrumental hip-hop album produced & mixed with Madlib, featuring J. Rocc. This album bases itself on the obscure vinyl gems from the afro-beat, funk, psych-rock, garage-rock & soul movements of African countries as diverse as Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana and Ivory Coast.

Madlib's Beat Konducta instrumental series - created from Madlib's raw beat tapes - began in 2006 with Movie Scenes, an imaginary movie & TV soundtrack with the feel of Blaxpoitation soul, afro-psychedelia and moody progressive rock. Beat Konducta in India (Vol. 3-4) and A Tribute to J Dilla (Vol. 5-6) followed in 2007 and 2009".


Floating Points - Peoples Potential / Shark Chase 12" (Eglo Recordings)

"This is now the official release after the limited whites we had last month and I'm sure many of you will be having to buy it again after the inclusion of the new b-side "Shark Chase" - much better for us than the A-side (and that wasnt half bad too!!). Its a menacing brass-prodded organic house track with the deep brass sounds building up to a crescendo which, as the title suggests, brings to mind the Jaws soundtrack. However, John Williams never had these rhythms - a winner, reminiscent of classic techno too such as "Knights of the Jaguar" or even "The Man with the Red Face" or proper Carl Craig - its that good! "Peoples Potential" is enough reason to buy anyway, a jazzy acidic house track much like the Floating Points sound we expect - high standards indeed!"

Tracklisting

1 Peoples Potential
2. Shark Chase


Anthony Red Rose - Electric Chair 7" (Dug Out)

A stinging, thumping, futuristic soundboy frightener, terrible and remorseless, this was originally brandished by JA producer Dennis ‘Star’ Hayles in 1989, caged in a label sampler. Mid-decade, Red Rose had a smash hit for King Tubby with an immortal song about a rhythm with fierce tempo; by now it has mutated into a killing machine, controls set to vaporize all zinc pan, super-charged with the shock treatment of all dibbi dibbi.

Saturday, 13 March 2010

ITS COMING: Madlib Medicine Show No. 3: Beat Konducta in Africa



3LP DELUXE Limited edition, 3 disc, 43-track version. The album covers are individually silk screened and numbered by Hit+Run in variations of black, gold, and red. 1250 of this edition will be made.
2LP EDITION 2 disc, 37-track album (without bonus tracks), with printed cover.
CD EDITION Full version of the album with 12-page CD booklet.

Madlib Medicine Show No. 3: Beat Konducta in Africa will be released March 23 as the third installment of the producer's one-release-a-month music series for 2010. Beat Konducta in Africa will be released as CD, 2/LP, limited 3/LP deluxe, and digitally.

Beat Konducta in Africa is an instrumental hip-hop album produced & mixed with Madlib, featuring J. Rocc. This album bases itself on the obscure vinyl gems from the afro-beat, funk, psych-rock, garage-rock & soul movements of African countries as diverse as Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana and Ivory Coast.

Madlib's Beat Konducta instrumental series - created from Madlib's raw beat tapes - began in 2006 with Movie Scenes, an imaginary movie & TV soundtrack with the feel of Blaxpoitation soul, afro-psychedelia and moody progressive rock. Beat Konducta in India (Vol. 3-4) and A Tribute to J Dilla (Vol. 5-6) followed in 2007 and 2009.

Label:Madlib Invazion
Catalog#:MMS-003
Format:CD
Country:US
Released:Mar 2010
Genre:Instrumental Hip-Hop

Tracklist:
01. Motherland
02. The Frontline (Liberation)
03. Raw Introduction To Afreaka
04. African Voodoo Queen (Drama)
05. Jungle Soundz (Part One)
06. The Struggle To Unite (One Africa)
07. Mandingo Swing
08. Endless Cold (Lovelost)
09. Chant 2
10. Afrosound Panorama
11. Hunting Theme
12. Yafeu
13. Afritonic Pt. 1
14. Afritonic Pt. 2
15. Tradition
16. Spearthrow for Oh No
17. Tear Gas and Bullets for Freedom
18. Heritage Slip
19. Land Of The Drum
20. Red, Black and Green Showcase
21. Blackfire
22. Obataive
23. Warrior's Theme
24. Mtima
25. African Map Watch
26. Street Hustler
27. Kanika
28. Chant 3
29. The Show (Inner View)
30. Brothers and Sisters
31. Freedom Play
32. African Bounce
33. Umi (Life)
34. Natural Sound Waves
35. Jungle Sounds Pt. 2
36. Mighty Force
37. Unika (Outro)
38. Bonus A
39. Bonus F
40. Bonus R
41. Bonus I
42. Bonus C
43. Bonus A (Amanaz)

Friday, 12 March 2010

"WHEN YOU'RE STRANGE" - A Film About The Doors....



Taking its title from the cabaret-tinged Doors hit “People Are Strange,” the film chronicles the creation of The Doors’ six landmark studio albums in just five years, as well as their electrifying live performances. Rare cinéma vérité footage offers an intimate glimpse into their musical collaboration – and their offstage lives....



'Following a prestigious festival run, WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE: A FILM ABOUT THE DOORS will receive a theatrical release in select markets on Friday, April 9. The crowd-pleasing documentary has been featured at the Sundance, Berlin, Deauville and San Sebastian Film Festivals and most recently played to sold-out shows at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.



Produced by Wolf Films/Strange Pictures, in association with Rhino Entertainment, and released by Abramorama, the 90-minute film is the first feature documentary about The Doors.

“They say if you remember the ‘60s you weren’t there,” said producer Dick Wolf. “I can state definitively that one of the things I do remember is buying THE DOORS first album the day it came out and then listening to it about ten or twelve times in a row. Both sides. Every song. I’ve been a fan ever since. This movie is the story of the band but it is also an insight into a moment in time that will never be repeated.”

WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE uncovers historic and previously unseen footage of the illustrious rock quartet and provides new insight into the revolutionary impact of its music and legacy. Directed by award-winning writer/director Tom DiCillo and narrated by Johnny Depp, the film is a riveting account of the band’s history.



Said Depp, “Watching the hypnotic, hitherto unreleased footage of Jim, John, Ray and Robby, I felt like I experienced it all through their eyes. As a rock n’ roll documentary, or any kind of documentary for that matter, it simply doesn’t get any better than this. What an honor to have been involved. I am as proud of this as anything I have ever done.”

The film reveals an intimate perspective on the creative chemistry between drummer John Densmore, guitarist Robby Krieger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek and singer Jim Morrison — four brilliant artists who made The Doors one of America’s most iconic and influential rock bands. Using footage shot between the band’s 1965 formation and Morrison’s 1971 death, WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE follows the band from the corridors of UCLA’s film school, where Manzarek and Morrison met, to the stages of sold-out arenas.

Shortly before the film’s theatrical release, its soundtrack will be available March 30 and features 13-songs chronicling The Doors’ six landmark albums with studio versions of classic tracks mixed with legendary live cuts including performances from The Ed Sullivan Show and The Isle Of Wight Festival.

The film is produced by Wolf Films/Strange Pictures, in association with Rhino Entertainment, and released by Abramorama. Additional credits for WHEN YOU’RE STRANGE include producers Dick Wolf, John Beug, Jeff Jampol, and Peter Jankowski. The film is written and directed by Tom DiCillo (“Johnny Suede,” “Living in Oblivion”). Narrated by Johnny Depp.
' (DETAILS FROM THE DOORS HOMEPAGE)

Thursday, 11 March 2010

New FACT mix 129: Seiji

To coincide with FACT's Top 20 Broken Beat feature that I posted recently, Fact Magazine also posted a new mixtape by Don DJ Seiji, so i thought i'd mirror/post a link here to the set...


"Paul Dolby – better known as Seiji - has played a hallowed role in the evolution and enrichment of UK dance music.

Ever since his 1996 debut, the Close Encounters EP, the Londoner has been engineering uniquely bashy, swung grooves that take inspiration from the special torques and syncopations of jazz and the musics of Africa, South America and the Caribbean. One of the progenitors of “broken beat”, and a long-time member of Bugz In The Attic, Seiji’s influence is now more keenly felt than ever, with myriad UK funky and contemporary garage producers referencing his work, consciously and, at times, unconsciously. 2562, Shortstuff, Martyn, Untold, Bok Bok, Altered Natives, Roska, Geeneus – these are just a few of the producers who owe a significant debt to Seiji.

Over the past decade and a half Dolby has proved a prolific and restless talent, presenting his own fresh and eccentric takes on house, hip-hop, R&B, drum ‘n bass, dancehall and 2-step, most recently making “weird rave” with Riton as Computer Juice. Still, if you’ve not checked out the wealth of paradigm-shifting material he recorded in the years 1995-2003, that’s where you should begin: get hold of his three 12″s for Reinforced, the incredible ‘Into The Now’ (released on 12″ by Dego’s 2000 Black imprint, subsequently licensed by Carl Craig’s Planet E) and – a particular FACT favourite – his none-more-bruk remix of Fertile Ground’s ‘The Moment’.

Next week we’ll be presenting our selection of the 20 Best Broken Beats Records Ever Made, and the feature is heralded today by a superb new mix, exclusive to FACT, from Seiji. Weighing in at a colossal 29 tracks – the man is an incendiary, quick-mixing DJ, capable of shifting rhythms and tempos with supernatural skill and flair – it features no less than ten of his own productions, including the classic ‘Loose Lips’ and his recent remixes of Florence & The Machine and Gorillaz. Elsewhere there’s original ‘ardkore from Kaotic Chemistry, fresh dubstep from Skream and Mark Pritchard, house and funky from Mr Mageeka, DJ Gregory and Masters At Work, plus top-notch productions from Anthony ‘Shake’ Shakir, Sbtrkt, Greenmoney and Tim Green. It’s a mix that showcases the breadth and inclusivity of Seiji’s tastes, and it will also give you considerable insight into the depth, range and versatility of his own beats.

Those of you who know what’s what will already be downloading the mix. The rest of you, don’t sleep: here’s your one-stop opportunity to acquaint yourself with the work of a true dancefloor maverick. Get listening, and turn the page for our Q&A with Paul, wherein he tells us about his current projects (including his production work for Roisin Murphy’s new LP), and considers the meaning and legacy of ‘broken beat’.
"

DOWNLOAD HERE

Tracklisting:

Tracklist:
01. New Sector Movements – Digital Age [Virgin]
02. Greenmoney feat. Mz. Bratt – Who’s Greenmoney [dub]
03. Gorillaz – Stylo (Seiji remix) [Parlophone]
04. Seiji – Elevator [Seijimusic]
05. Seiji – Yesman [Seijimusic]
06. Todd Edwards – Rite Now [Grassroots]
07. Erykah Badu – Honey (Seiji remix) [Motown]
08. Basement Jaxx – Scars (Seiji remix) [XL]
09. Kaotic Chemistry – LSD [Moving Shadow]
10. Donaeo – Riot Music (Skream remix) [Digital Soundboy]
11. Mark Pritchard – Elephant Dub [Deep Medi]
12. Bugg Kann & The Plastic Jam – Made in Two Minutes [Labello Blanco]
13. Seiji – Hohoho [Seijigoodies]
14. Blapps Posse – Don’t Hold Back (Blappstramental) [Tribal Bass]
15. Tinie Tempah – Pass Out (Sbtrkt remix) [Parlophone]
16. Greenmoney feat. Lady Chann – Political Hype Dub [Fool’s Gold]
17. DJ Gregory & Sidney Samson feat. Dama S. – Dama S Salon [Defected]
18. DJ Joe T. Vannelli feat. Csilla – Play with the Voice (MAW remix) [Nervous]
19. DJ Champion – Motherboard [white label]
20. Mr Mageeka – Different Lekstrix [Numbers]
21. Seiji – Loose Lips (instrumental) [Bitasweet]
22. Lady Sovereign – Random (IG Culture remix) [dub]
23. DJ Beware & Motorpitch – El Toro (Seiji remix) [Man Recordings]
24. Seiji – It’s You [dub]
25. Tim Green – Kitsch In [Dirty Bird]
26. Florence and the Machine – Drumming Song (Seiji’s Squelchy Rub) [seiji.co.uk]
27. Anthony ‘Shake’ Shakir – Sunrise [Seventh City]
28. Extra Ts – E.T. Boogie [Sunnyview]
29. Seiji – I Can’t Let It Go [Seijigoodies]

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

New Besti-Mix by Cooly G



"The UK underground has long-been a fertile breeding ground for innovation, spawning a multitude of hyper-kinetic home-grown sounds spanning drum ‘n’ bass to dubstep, but it’s often felt like something of a boys club. Thank God then, for Cooly G, arguably the most exciting new DJ/producer on the scene.

Spinning at Camp Bestival this summer, Cooly's inspiration comes from US house, dubstep and funky, but the Brixton-based one-time pro-footballer brings a noticeably feminine sensibility to her productions, her acclaimed releases on Hyperdub such as ‘Narst’, ‘Love Dub’ and ‘Weekend Fly’ twining the rough and smooth, matching sweet female vocals with swinging beats and low-slung bass.

So, it’s with genuine pant-whetting excitement that we bring you our latest Besti-mix, an exclusive session from Cooly that brings together her own productions with those of fellow pioneering new-school beat-makers Martyn, Kode9 and more..."
(Feature from Besti-Blog)

Download: Besti-mix 8: Cooly G.

The 20 Best Broken Beat (Compiled By Fact Magazine)



In the late 90s a movement began in West London that was to inspire a new direction in dance music.

Though this movement was never acknowledged in the mainstream music press, never had a crossover chart single, and never truly transcended its community roots, there was a unique alchemy at work – a fertile moment in UK music where a group of friends began to experiment with new cadences, rhythms and distilled influences, meticulously crafting a new genre.

Though “Broken Beat” was never a tagline that the producers anticipated, and one that they often publicly resisted, those two words would come to represent the scattered rhythms, rolling bass-lines and soaring changes that were inherent to this new music. Prior to the mid-2000s, only one tiny divider in Soho’s Sounds of The Universe store, marked “West London”, and one primitive website, that of Goya Music Distribution, were the sum total retail outlets of this sound. The music was heard only at a club night called Co-Op, originally based at the Velvet Rooms, and in later years, at Plastic People, and like many cultures rooted in the Jamaican soundsystem tradition, what was heard there differed enormously from what was released – dub-plates, alternative versions, beat experiments, all united in their emphasis on heavy bass, staccato drum machine rhythms and soulful feelings. Walking into Co-Op for the first time felt like experiencing a glimpse of the future – hand-held laser pens swooped over a frenetic dance-floor, illuminating clouds of collie smoke like sniper sights scouting a post-apocalyptic battlefield, whilst a toy dub siren rang out from the booth, and IG Culture’s deep Jamaican accent punctuated the pounding rhythms – “it’s a Co-Op thing, it’s Co-Operation – if you ain’t here to dance you can go home now.”

Many of the producers who created Broken were dance music veterans, who worked hard to keep the focus on the Co-Op club, keep the music played there ever-evolving, and collectively resist any temptation to fall into a comfortable template. In this sense there was a manifesto about Broken Beat which was specifically informed by past experiences. A sizeable number came from an ex-Reinforced records background – the legendarily aloof jungle and d’n’b label run by 4Hero’s Dego and Marc Mac (pictured above) – such as Seiji, Marc “G” Force, Domu and Colin Lindo. Others came from a house music background, like Phil Asher of Restless Soul, Orin ‘Afronaught’ Walters or Darren ‘Daz I Kue’ Benjamin. One central element of the sound was Kaidi Tatham’s keyboard playing, a virtuoso jazz-funk musician who had been part of The Herbaliser in the mid-90s.

UK soul was represented in the contributions of Demus from the Young Disciples and IG Culture, whose career arc had taken in early UK hip-hop and projects for the likes of Island records. Mark De Clive Lowe, Alex Phountzi and Dave ‘Zed Bias’ Jones also played major roles and the best known outfit was doubtlessly Bugz In The Attic, a cooperative production “super group”, whose signing to V2 was about as close as Broken Beat ever came to cracking the mainstream. Beyond this the network extended worldwide, resonating in releases on a fledgling Rush Hour distribution in Amsterdam, the work of Italy’s Volcov, Germany’s Jazzanova, and Inverse Cinematics (now known as Motor City Drum Ensemble), Japan’s Jazzy Sport records and more.

Broken Beat was as diverse as its parentage would suggest – the arrangements, beats and tempos could vary drastically between releases. With this in mind it’s hardly surprising that many people couldn’t work out what Broken Beat actually was – or is – until the mid 2000s when a characteristic groove eventually emerged. The mindset and the culture was eclectic from the outset, it was vibrant, afro-futuristic dance music for 21st century b-boys and girls. Its roots were in the scientific soul of the Mizell brothers, the afro beat rhythms of Tony Allen and Fela Kuti, the electro funk and boogie of the mid 80s, the spiritual jazz of Sun Ra and Norman Connors, the soulful techno of Juan Atkins and Derrick May. But the execution and production was grounded in MPCs, SP1200s, the hand-me-down samplers of the hip hop and jungle golden eras, which gave the drums a raw, choppy rhythmic feel – hence the “Broken” tag. Though Goya Music Distribution sadly shut down in 2007, taking down many of the better labels with it, it certainly feels like some of this tradition – in particular the stripped down and syncopated drum sounds, and eclectic approach to fusing genres – continues to live on today in the sound of UK funky.

01: COLD MISSION
‘DRUG STORE RUDE BWOY’ (NU-ERA REMIX)
(REINFORCED 12″, 1996)

4hero aka Dego and Marc Mac have laid the foundations of so many important genres that it almost boggles the mind. Nu-Era was a 4hero alias, later known as Marc Mac’s solo pseudonym, most associated with the beautiful and rare broken techno LP Beyond Gravity. On the flipside of this Cold Mission 12”, released at the height of dnb’s popularity, Nu-Era take an odd left turn and slow down the driving groove, syncopating and stuttering the rhythm back to front, early and late. It may seem trivial in 2010 but this is how new directions are formed – many subsequent releases on Reinforced by the likes of Nubian Mindz and Seiji and G Force also dabbled in these same waters, setting the stage for the aesthetic of broken – an experimental, slower, more dancefloor-orientated cousin of jungle. It’s fair to say this remix was at least 10 years ahead of its time, a prototype for what was to come.

02: MISA NEGRA
SPIRITUAL VIBES
(PEOPLE 12″, 1998)

When this dropped in September 1998 it’s doubtful that many stood up and took notice. ‘Spiritual Vibes’ is a humble slice of what the B-side describes as ‘Afro Boogie House’, presumably because no better descriptive genre terms have been coined at this point in time. Misa Negra were Daz-I-Kue on production, and Kaidi Tatham on the keys, whilst a remix dub by Orin “Afronaught” Walters fills up the A-side. Whilst by no means as sophisticated as their later work as a group, Spiritual Vibes sets the tone for their Bugz In The Attic collaborations to come. There’s an inherent musicality about this 12”, and a quirkiness in the rhythms – the Afronaught dub starts half time and doubles over on itself. Bell trees, shells and shakers abound, reminiscent of spiritual jazz classics like Norman Connors’ Dark Of Light, whilst Kaidi’s voice echoes over the beats, whispering “Spiritual.. Vibes..” It’s an off-the-wall blend but it works – deeply reflective, brooding, partly melancholic, but heavy as lead and custom built for a system. The eccentric, almost childlike approach with which influences are mixed and blended here, is the very embodiment of what broken stood for in its infancy.

03: NEON PHUSION
THE FUTURE AIN’T THE SAME (AS IT USED 2 B)
(LAWS OF MOTION LP, 1999)

Neon Phusion are Alex Phountzi, Kaidi Tatham and Orin Walters. ‘The Future..’ is an early broken album with a live mood, doubtlessly the result of many blazed jam sessions. It’s a great example of the melting pot of the time, the optimism of the music, the fall out of drum and bass. You can liken the vibe to jungle at the end of its jazzy period – the feel is blissed out, heavily influenced by the space funk of the 70s but still rooted in driving percussion. ‘Timecode’ is an early take of Orin’s ‘Transcend Me’ with a Headhunters theme to it, whilst ‘Kulu Macu’ has an Afro-Brazilian touch, and raw beats come in the form of ‘Hot Ice’. Annoyingly, the dopest track – the title track ‘The Future Ain’t The Same (As It Used 2 Be)’ – is only ever found on the CD version, along with some other killer bonus material. In that form it’s a particularly quality listen a decade later.


04: VARIOUS ARTISTS
COOPERATION VOL. 1
(COOPERATION RECORDINGS 2X12″, 2000)

This is an excellent compilation of tracks from the scene at the time, with an number of exclusive beats on it. What’s striking about this is how diverse it is – from soft Brazilian lullabies, fusion licks, to harder broken, house and techno, as though no manifesto has been yet been formed. Here some of the finest of the era are nicely collected, including the likes of Seiji and G Force’s ‘Chase The Ace’, Phil Asher’s ‘Phoojun’ and Neon Phusion’s ‘Timeless Motion’, one of the absolute best tracks of the genre ever, worth also tracking down on a separate Laws Of Motion 12″. Raw drum breaks, swirling synths and a quality which some would now call “wonky” abounds. There is also the sound of imagination and cooperation defying the limitations of bedroom studios.


05: VIKTER DUPLAIX
‘MANHOOD’
(GROOVE ATTACK 12″, 2000)

“I want to know, what you taste like / Taste like in the dark” croons Vikter Duplaix over this classic disjointed rhythm. Though Vikter is a soul singer from Philadelphia, his work was first embraced and played to death by the West London movement, including Critical Point’s ‘Messages’ on MAW records, ‘Sensuality’, and ‘Looking For Love’ (which had a Bugz In The Attic remix on the 12”, and became a latter day Co-Op anthem). The critic’s choice is still ‘Manhood’ though, the first single after ‘Messages’, which innovates from the first bar to the last, and still gets revival plays today, an edgy slice of hi-tech soul production with the innate catchiness that exemplified the scene at the time. The transposed Detroit chord that cycles through the changes, and the stop and start rhythm were oft-emulated but never surpassed, and the vocal, at once kinky, sexual and even a touch romantic, always got the bodies going on the floor. It’s also worth checking out the RIMA version on the follow up remix 12”, much overlooked due to the intense popularity of the original, but still compelling and fresh today…

06: SON OF SCIENTIST
‘THEORY OF EVERYTHING’ / ‘ION STEEL’
(MAINSQUEEZE 12″, 2001)

The Son Of Scientist is IG Culture, whose formidable and charismatic persona reigned over the proceedings at Co-Op. IG’s chops as a producer are rooted in years of experience behind the boards, which he puts to great effect on this excellent 12″. ‘Theory Of Everything’ is as the title suggests, a holistic approach to beatmaking – all sorts of perverted clicks and distortions rise over the beats on this record, along with the rich Prophet strings of 80s electro, as though thrown together, but then sculpted into place. There isn’t a satisfying way to describe what this fusion is, it has to be experienced, and sounds even madder now than then – but it still manages to remain funky despite its harshness. Flipside ‘Ion Stee’l is also ace, with a filthly garage bassline and an awkward time signature. You can feel IG’s sense of humour in this mess, as well as his love for crafting immaculate soundsystem bangers.


07: KUDU
‘SPACE’ / ‘TRANZIT’
(BITASWEET 10″, 2001)

Quitely revived by Kode 9 on a mixtape I heard somewhere last year, ‘Space’ by Kudu is nothing if not a disturbing listen. The ascending synth lines creep up the spine, and many of them have a vocal quality to them, as though the circuits are trying to communicate. This was the work of Mark De Clive Lowe, Domu and Seiji in collaboration, and is a good example of the freaky psychedelic quality that many bruk tunes have. The drums skip and stutter satisfyingly, but the funk is somehow retained, despite the artificial sound textures and machines at work.


08: DOMU
‘SAVE IT’
(2000 BLACK 12″, 2001)

“I was 23 when it came out” Domu says of ‘Save It’, “And I remember feeling on top of the world every time it was played”. ‘Save It’ was not Dom’s first release, but it was certainly the tune that catapulted him into successful years of international touring, remixing and producing at the height of his career. “There’s always something you’re giving away,” sings Face, “So save it!” – leading us to assume the lyrics are about the popular attitude in the scene of being aloof and shutting your gob, rather like the message of Seiji’s ‘Loose Lips’. This is Domu at his most accessible – smooth Rhodes changes and a hooky ARP Odyssey bassline make this track an instant earworm inducer. One thing that is innovative about the record is the “early” clap, which gives the groove an awkward anticipatory feel, a pattern that was much imitated but rarely matched in broken’s later years.


09: AFRONAUGHT
‘TRANSCEND ME’
(APOLLO 12″, 2001)

If there is one broken beat anthem everyone can agree on, it’s ‘Transcend Me’ by Orin Walters. It’s a simple but effective blend – the Harvey Mason drum break from Weather Report’s classic Sweetnighter LP is sliced and diced into a million bits on an MPC3000 and re-sequenced to give the sensation that the drums are grooving in suspended animation, filled with infinite rhythmic variation. In the background, a filtered Kaidi Tatham rhodes part swells and burbles, meowing like a hungry cat that hasn’t been fed for days, until finally the song reaches a crescendo and Melissa Browne’s dreamy vocals glue the disparate elements together. At 7 minutes 55 seconds, ‘Transcend Me’ shows that Co-Op was not about the three-minute pop song – only there could something as astral, otherworldly, disorientating and spiritual as this become a seminal party tune.


10: DA ONE AWAY
‘TRASH DA JUNK’
(MAINSQUEEZE 12″, 2001)

“We live in the funk / trash the junk / now what have we done”. It’s a simple hook line, but it was so effective in the way it works with the drum pattern. Like “Save It”, “Trash The Junk” is all about the anticipation in the groove, the snare seemingly skipping ahead of itself in a delightful way, whilst the melody, changes and vocal sporadically interrupt the drums at the start of the bar. “Trash” is odd, whimsical and experimental, it’s hypnotic in the way in which it loops and builds, until eventually Kaidi’s jazz changes emerge to lift our spirits, and the track erupts with analog synth colours. Another masterful Dego production, it’s well worth flipping this over to indulge in the more minimal and hard edged 808 dub on the flip, which still hits hard and fresh enough to contend with any “funky” dubplate today.


11: MARK FORCE
‘GYPO’ / ‘40 DAYS’
(BITASWEET 12″, 2002)

Mark “G” Force is perhaps one of the lesser known broken innovators – despite a large and varied discography that included progressive collaborations with Seiji in the Reinforced era, and numerous heavy dubplates during the noughties, he is still under-repped and underrated today. ‘Gypo’ is one of those tunes that many will recognise even if they don’t know the title. It’s an odd one that stops and starts, literally 2-step in that it has two parts to the groove – half garage bounce a la Maddslinky, half boogie a la Central Line, with a bassline that’s just nasty. And that’s about it – instant rewind at Co-Op as soon as the b-line dropped, and a crowd screaming for the heavy groove. As with many of these 12”s, the critics choice is on the flipside – ‘40 Days’ is a beautiful slice of home-made boogie that wouldn’t sound out of place on the People’s Potential label if it came out tomorrow. The force has always been strong with Mark, and this still stands the test of time, totally relevant to the post-garage, post-dubstep scene of today.


12: SEIJI
‘LOOSE LIPS’ / ‘3DOM’
(BITASWEET, 12″, 2002)

Of all the tracks of the Goyamusic canon, ‘Loose Lips’ is perhaps the most well-known amongst casual listeners, and the one that crossed over to the widest audience. The heart of Loose Lips is a stripped down groove – a chopped drum break with Pierre Henry siren noises that echo away in the background, and in all honesty, not a whole lot else. The pattern in itself is noteworthy though – this was Seiji’s innovation, a double snare that emulates a Salsoul double clap at 130 bpm, a signature pattern often used in his work that followed. What makes the track so recognisable is Lyric L and her fast, high pitched voice rhyming with ease – “Loose lips, sink ships, flip scripts drama-tics” – repeated like a mantra for the length of the record. Easy to sing along with, or even shout along with, particularly if you’ve got a beer in your hand. The b-side ‘3dom’ is the real favourite though – hard to describe exactly why it’s so good, I guess it must be the hooky 5 note melody that leads it along. When Eve and Benga’s ‘Me and My’ blew up last year, it felt like ‘Loose Lips’ had set the stage for it seven years before.


13: AGENT K
FEED THE CAT
(LAWS OF MOTION LP, 2002)

Kaidi Tatham was the jazz virtuoso lynchpin in the Cooperation movement. Doubtlessly, most of the records listed here would not have existed if it wasn’t for Tatham, whose ability to improvise on countless instruments will leave you dumbfounded if experienced in the flesh. A masterful flautist, percussionist, keyboard player and more, it’s his signature changes, based on the styles of jazz greats like Herbie Hancock and Harry Whittaker, that take all the records he plays on to another level of harmony. Despite leading on countless sessions for his numerous friends and collaborators, Kaidi only received praise in his own name for a couple of anthems – the best known of which is ‘Betcha Did’, a heavily orchestrated work that sounds like the Mizell brothers playing at double their normal speed. On Feed The Cat, Kaidi finally got to helm his own album, and the results still sound compelling today – the title track, with its classic, richly textured UK boogie feel, pre-empted Dam-Funk’s revival of the genre by almost a decade. Elsewhere Kaidi fuses spiritual jazz, Brazilian rhythms and analog electronics, with such purity of intent and richness of execution that this surely will be a collector’s item in years to come.


14: 4HERO
‘HOLD IT DOWN’ (BUGZ IN THE ATTIC REMIX)
(TALKIN’ LOUD 12″, 2002)

This gem was where it all kicked off for Bugz In The Attic – a collaborative production outfit comprising Orin ‘Afronaught’ Walters, Paul ‘Seiji’ Dolby, Kaidi Tatham, Daz-I-Kue, Alex Phountzi, Cliff Scott, Mark Force, Matt Lord & Mikey Stirton. That’s a lot of folks crowded round one computer and one MIDI keyboard, and for those interested, no they did not all work on every track credited to that name. The ‘Hold It Down’ remix is the anthem that made them, however – as good as the 4hero original is, the remix takes the mood up a gear. It’s accessible enough to be pop, and has boogie at the very core of the beat, but the genius touch comes half way through, when the chords change and the lush vocals of Lady Alma overwhelm the mix. This 12” was very sought after at the time, due to multiple pressing delays, and even though it might be too rich and saccharine for today’s dancers, it’s a testament to a production team that were on fire in the studio, and such have been the recognized successors to Loose Ends and Soul II Soul in the UK soul canon.


15: NEPA ALLSTAR
‘THE WAY’
(SURPLUS 12″, 2001)

Tony Nwachukwu is another fringe character in the UK soul scene who was co-opted into the Co-Op movement, now better known as the founder of CDR/Burntprogress. Though perhaps not as core a member as the West London lads, Tony’s relationship with the scene dated back to his co-production of Attica Blues with Charlie Dark, and together they ran the successful Blueprint Sessions clubnight at Plastic People around the same time as Co-Op first opened its doors. ‘The Way’ is one of those one-offs that slotted in perfectly to the mood of 2001. Tony always favoured a more techno-orientated approach to production, and this record stutters along with a heavy mesh of analog bass and drum machines ticking away, whilst a chopped up sample of Brainstorm tells us “I can show u the way”. It’s the sophisticated engineering that makes this track, with the best bit being the jokey sample of a certain classic mobile ringtone in the breakdown.


16: COUSIN COCKROACH
‘THIS AIN’T TOM ‘N JERRY / ‘HANDS OFF DA CONTROLS’
(BITASWEET 12″, 2002)

The better broken tunes tend to fall into one of two groups – either they are richly layered, colourful, soulful, and steeped in the lush over-production language of boogie funk, or alternatively, just stripped down dubs which propel the dance through rippling sine wave bass and thudding kicks and snares. Cockroach falls firmly into the latter group, and of all the bass-heavy dubs, is probably the best. Produced by Dego, the name ‘This Ain’t Tom N’ Jerry’ pokes fun at the hardcore records he and Mark produced under that alias in the early 90s. Despite the in-joke, both sides of this sound like they were made with left over samples from that era, a rumour which is unsubstantiated with the author. There’s nothing to dislike here, just two sides of the baddest, most ear splitting stripped down bass and drum you can hear this side of King Tubby played at the wrong speed. The Jammy’s vocal sample says it best – “this one a badbwoy choon!”.


17: DALUNARTIKS
‘HIGHER’
(ARTHROB 12″, 1998)

Daz I Kue is the drum scientist behind many of the Bugz In The Attic tunes – Dalunartiks was a an early project with Alex Arnout which retained a raw hip hop feel, but at dancefloor tempo. ‘Higher’ has a B-boy quality, with Apache congas and horn stabs, whilst the drum groove is old-school but futuristic. The lush drop that follows the build is where it gets going – smooth Detroit pads meet gospel vocals to take it, literally, Higher. Essential because it blends a dusty crate quality with garage-style vocal chops and beats, and yet Daz’s signature afro funk is still all over it.


18: BLAKAI FEAT. BEMBE SEGUE
‘AFROSPACE’
(SCHTUM 12″, 2005)

The most recent record in this selection, and one of the last of the golden era of Goyamusic. Schtum was Mark Force’s label. Here he collaborates with Bembe Segue, one of the first ladies of Co-Op, who vocalled a vast number of the genre’s records. Bembe’s style is part Ursula Dudziak, part Tina Turner, ‘Afrospace’ a swansong to the Co-Op feeling. Her words “Something was missing from deep within, I’ll survive”, empower a groove that is reflective and fractured. The remix by BITA whizkid and technical specialist Matt Thylord finds a space between boogie and garage and hits harder. A latter day classic


19: QUANGO
‘LET GROOVE COME’ (CO-OP MIX / CO-OP DUB)
(PEOPLE 12″, 2002)

Produced by IG Culture and featuring Eska Mtungwazi, one of the finest jazz singers to emerge from the broken beat scene [today she works mainly with Matthew Herbert]. Eska and IG collaborated frequently on his New Sector Movements project and solidified a rapport on record that was breathtaking at times. The Co-Op mix of ‘Let Groove Come’ is definitely one of their most accomplished, and feels like suspended animation on the dancefloor. It hits with a jerky drum pattern, rugged in the extreme, but Eska clears the air around it with her pitch perfect harmonies, like a breeze blowing through the speakers. The rougher Co-Op dubs of many of the tracks listed here were often never released, and only ever heard at the club, which could be frustrating when trying to track them down. Fortunately, this one made it to vinyl


20: KAIDI TATHAM & DEGO
GOT ME PUZZLED
(2000 BLACK 12″, 2003)

And finally, the creative peak of Dego and Kaidi, the Gamble and Huff of broken beat. This one a certifiable anthem, played constantly and yet still not played out. From the moment the rich Juno pads open the track, it’s a showstopper, a slickly engineered recording, a virtuoso performance from Kaidi Tatham, and Dego at the top of his production game. Clearly this took a while to craft, as hinted at by the inscription “Big shout to Seiji & Mashi, it’s 5Dom l A.” This is built for the Plastic People sound system. The chorus has a gospel feel, the backing track is pensive and yet optimistic, electronic but still warm. The rhythm shuffles into infinity. This is the genre’s musical message personified.

I have posted this 3-hours-set which was recorded at the Co-Op Easter Spesh at Plastics back in 2005, featuring DJs such as Domu, IG Culture, J Da Flex and Benji B.

Tracklisting:

1. Afronaught - Transcend Me
2. DKD - Future Rage
3. Macy Gray - When I See You (Bugz in the Attic Remix)
4. Mark de Clive-Lowe ft. Bembe Segue - State of the Mental
5. Blakai ft. Bembe Segue - Afrospace rmx
6. Unforscene ft. Alice Russell - Don't You Worry (Domu Remix)
7. Alex Attias - Future Jazz
8. IG Culture/Likwid Bizkit - Dubplate
9. Lady Sovereign - Random (IG Culture Remix)
10. Yungun - Dubplate
11. Afronaught - Golpe Tuyo Calinda
12. Quango ft. Eska - Let Groove Come (Co-op Mix)
13. Son of Scientist - Solution (Dutty Church Remix)
14. Tubby T - Ready She Ready (Seiji Remix)
15. Sunship ft. Warrior Queen - Almighty Father (Solid Groove's-Underground Dub)
16. DKD - Future Rage
17. Seiji vs Q-Tip - Loose Tips
18. Seiji - Loose Lips
19. Maddslinky ft. Jenna G - Somethin' Extra
20. Seiji - 3dom
21. Shade of Soul - Give In To Me (4hero remix)
22. Phil Asher - Namby It Ain't (Original)
23. Plantlife - The Last Song (Bugz in the Attic Dub Remix)
24. Nutmeg - Oscar's Shed
25. Amy Winehouse - In My Bed (Bugz in the Attic Vocal Remix)
26. Yotoko - Mad Daze
27. Yukihiro Fukutomi ft. Lady Alma - Peace (Marc de Clive-Lowe Remix)
28. Domu - Let Me Be
29. Spymusic - Cloak Revealed
30. Mark de Clive-Lowe - State of the Mental (Phuturistix Remix) /with Yolanda's freestyle
31. Spymusic - Aerodescent
32. Face - No Fear
33. D'Angelo - Spanish Joint
34. Tye Tribbett - Mighty Long Way
35. The Detroit Experiment - Highest
36. SA-RA Creative Partners w/ Pharoah Monche - Glorious
37. Eddie Henderson - KUDU (Kyoto Jazz Massive Rework)
38. Yukihiro Fukutomi ft. Ernesto - Deep in Your Mind
39. Mark de Clive-Lowe - Relax Unwind (Afrojas Ricanstruction)
40. Tom & Joy - Antigua (Bob Sinclair Mix)
41. Focus - Having Your Fun (4Hero Remix)
42. Joy Jones & Daz-I-Kue (Nappy Godchild Project) - Divinity
43. Mark de Clive-Lowe ft. Alma Horton-Keep it Movin
44. Silhouette Brown - Spread That
45. David Borsu - Syncopassion (Surra's Sink The Pressure Remix)
46. Peven Everett - I Can't Believe I Loved Her (Remix)
47. Mark de Clive-Lowe - Tide's Arisin

DOWNLOAD HERE....ENJOY


ALSO CHECK THIS........Thanks to the Incubator Blog for this..

"Big thanks to Daz-I-Kue for this broken soul excursion prepared for the 2008 Winter Music Conference next week in Miami…"



Daz-I-Kue’s CO-OP/Miami Mega-Mix

Wednesday, 3 March 2010

New Besti-Mix by Johnny Trunk (Head of Trunk Records)


The seventh in our weekly series of exclusive Besti-mixes is a treasure-chest of esoteric electronica, weird film soundtracks, wigged-out jazz and rare easy listening goodness courtesy of record collector extraordinaire Jonny Trunk.

Having caught the vinyl buying bug aged 12, Jonny now runs the venerable Trunk Records - home to oft-wonderful British library, rarities, retro wonders and soundtracks, including those for the rather marvelous Wicker Man and Life On Earth - now owns over 8,000 “prized” records and reckons the format is “unique, sexy and pleasurable”.

We couldn’t agree more, which is why we asked Jonny to spin his finest vinyl at this year’s Camp Bestival. In the meantime, download his exclusive Besti-mix and let the man himself whisk you off to an enchanting, magical netherworld of yesteryear...

Download: Besti-mix 7: Jonny Trunk.