Delighted You Could Come

Last month, I travelled to London to see Scritti Politti at the Southbank Centre in London.

It almost didn't happen. Again. Long-time readers may recall my heartbroken post on Saturday 2nd October 2021, when I had to pass up the opportunity to see Scritti Politti perform Cupid & Psyche 85 in its entirety at the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

As in 2021, I'd bought multiple tickets, planning this as a Clan K excursion to The Big Smoke, maybe an overnight, taking in some other sights and sounds whilst we were there.

What helped was that Green Gartside's crew were playing two shows that day as part of a wider celebration of Rough Trade's 50th birthday. So, going for the matinee show was a no-brainer. A leisurely train journey to London, check in at a hotel, a spot of lunch, the show, then the evening as we pleased.

Of course it was never going to be that straightforward. In a real-life comedy of errors, obstacles began to converge, culminating in having to reschedule Mama K-in-Law's stay at Casa K so that it overlapped with our planned London excursion.

The upshot is that the family trip became a solo there-and-back-in-a-day journey. Even then, the fates seemed to be conspiring to prevent me getting to London at all.

I've booked a return journey from Chippenham to Paddington but even allowing extra travel time, a horrendous succession of obstacles en route, from heavily laden tractors, to a motorist who can only have been moving their car by sticking their feet through the bottom, a la Fred Flintstone, meant that I arrived at the platform just in time to see my booked train departing on time. That last bit is important.

No problem, I thought, I'll just hop on the next one. Except the arrival time came and went with no update. And then it delayed by 5 minutes. Then 10 minutes. Then 15 minutes. Then just 'delayed'.

When the train eventually arrived, we all crammed on, standing room only. And then nothing. And then an announcement that the train was being held so that the police could attend a serious incident on board. And then a police officer walking determinedly though the train, checking to toilets next to us on the way. And then a few minutes later, a different police officer coming in the opposite direction, doing exactly the same thing.

Eventually, the train got on the move... only for an announcement that the service was now terminating at Reading and we'd all have to get off and hop on another London-bound service. At this point, I realised that I'd left my will to live back at Chippenham.

That was the worst of it, though. I made it to Reading, made it to Paddington and, a relatively short while later, found myself exiting Waterloo tube station and a short walk from the Southbank Centre. Hallelujah!

Unfortunately, no time for the pre-gig lunch and leisurely amble that I had envisaged, it was a light jog to the Southbank Centre to get there in time for the start of the show. 

My first visit to Queen Elizabeth Hall and I found my 'rear stalls' a few rows down from the back of a steep, tiered theatre set up. One advantage of not being able to flog the unused Clan K tickets was that I now had three seats to myself and a pretty decent view of the stage.

The support was billed as "Tyler Ballgame Sings Rough Trade". I'd heard a little about Tyler, but not enough to have much of an opinion. That all changed with the opening moments of the opening song, The Beatles' Long, Long, Long accompanied by piano and (as it happened, for this song only) Tyler on acoustic guitar, and the voice of an angel.

From there, a sublime and spine-tingling cover of Fade Into You by Mazzy Star, followed by River Man, Tyler recounting that a shared love of Nick Drake at his first meeting with Geoff Travis and Jeanette Lee was the sign that Rough Trade was the label for him. (The Beatles was Jeanette's pick BTW).

Another Rough Trade classic, with Arthur Russell's Words Of Love, then a new song Lucky Ones and, to close, perhaps inevitably with The Smiths' Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want.

Einschmarrnhalt has kindly posted the latter on YT. It was ten times better in the moment.

Suffice to say, I am now a full convert to Tyler Ballgame's musical magnificence. It was a fantastically wonderful start to the concert.

There wasn't long to wait before the main event at just after 4.00pm. Knowing that doors open for the evening show was at 6.00pm, I'd come in expecting that Scritti Politti's set would be little more than an hour. When the back catalogue is full to bursting with bona fide classics, then how could I or anyone be disappointed with the setlist, whatever it turned out to be?

Even so, there was a tangible thrill when Green and the band took to the stage and the intro of The 'Sweetest Girl' kicked in. I was sufficiently far away that the band were a bit of a blur, but when Green started singing there is no way that this was a man who had celebrated his 71st birthday the previous month. It was like being a kid, hearing this song for the first time, all over again.

Apart from a relatively brief technical hitch with Green's guitar (and a "FFS!") and another moment when he was struggling to find the right key to start a song, until the keyboard player pointed out that he needed to swap guitars, all of Scritti Politti were super tight, especially given that this was their first gig in four years. 

Personally, I enjoy the occasional fluffs and fudges in a gig, it's what makes them unique and the outpouring of love from the audience to stage - frequent cries of "We love you, Green!" - mean that even a calamitous show would have been forgiven. No worries here though, the songs weren't just faithful reproductions of the studio versions - how could they be? - but they really came alive on stage.

As such, placing Skank Bloc Bologna between The Word Girl and Perfect Way didn't seem jarring at all. There was no attempt to smooth out the edges of the spiky 1978 single and yet it also sounded oddly contemporary, thanks to the skill of the band.

Green's introductory 'sleeve notes' for several songs also made entertaining insight into Scritti's early years, the quantum leap with Cupid & Psyche 85 and Green's frequently documented love of hip hop. This paved the way to the inclusion of the as-yet unreleased song, Trentavious White, the birth name of rapper Bankroll Fresh, shot dead in 2016 aged 28.

A slightly more reserved response to this song perhaps, compared to the others. Personally, I hope it sees the light of day on an official release.

Cupid & Psyche 85 is heavily represented, with Small Talk, Wood Beez and set closer Absolute joining the aforementioned The Word Girl and Perfect Way. All four studio albums were covered, sadly just the one from Anhomie & Bonhomie, but selecting Brushed With Oil Dusted With Powder was spot on.

Likewise, it was great to hear Asylums In Jerusalem, Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) and The Boom Boom Bap, though the very best was saved to last.

Coming back on stage for a single encore, and a second song from White Bread Black Beer, Petrococadollar is one of the finest songs Green has ever written and by this time I was an emotional mess. The cheers and applause continued long after the band had left the stage.

The journey home was a doddle by comparison, helped by the fact that I was positively levitating with happiness pretty much all the way back. I'm sad that Mrs. K and Lady K weren't able to share the experience with me, but I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to see Scritti Politti live in concert a second time, and Tyler Ballgame the first.

On paper, at nearly £100 for the three tickets, plus train fare, this is one of the most expensive gigs I've been to. I don't regret a single penny and I would do it all over again, if I had to. Even the nightmare journey to get there.

One of those very special moments that will stay with me for a long, long, long time.

1) The 'Sweetest Girl' (Single Version ft. Robert Wyatt) (1981)

2) Small Talk (Album Version) (1985)

3) The Word Girl / Flesh & Blood (12" Version By Julian Mendelsohn ft. Ranking Ann) (1985)

4) Skank Bloc Bologna (Single Version) (1978)

5) Perfect Way (Single Version) (1985)

6) The Boom Boom Bap (Album Version) (2006)

7) Asylums In Jerusalem (Album Version) (1982)

8) Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (Album Version ft. Miles Davis) (1988)

9) Trentavious White (unreleased; not included in this selection)

10) Brushed With Oil Dusted With Powder (Album Version) (1999)

11) Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (Single Version) (1985)

12) Absolute (Album Version) (1985)

13) Petrococadollar (Album Version) (2006)

Delighted You Could Come (52:09) (GD) (M)

There's plenty more Scritti Politti goodness available on this blog, with links below for your entertainment and listening pleasure.

Forever Green (August 2021)

I Recorded Them Once And I've Never Played Them Again (July 2021)

Forever Green But Not To Be Seen (October 2021)

Huge thanks for @birmingham81.bsky.social for the two gig photos of the full band and Green and Rhodri Marsden in close up. 

Stand Up...You Can Do It...You Got This!

More top tunes from this year so far, including a few from last week's Bandcamp Friday haul.

I like to imagine that there's someone out there who rips my selections onto a CD or cassette, which is why most of my compilations hover around the 45 to 60 minute mark.

Today fits the bill, with 10 songs at a smidge under 47 minutes, spanning multiple moods and genres.

I always look forward to new music from Duncan Gray and he's spoiling us in 2026 by releasing a track every month. Duncan's also got a bit of a funky groove going on, as evidenced on July's offering Netbacks. A tease at 5:24, this could run on a loop for hours and never get tired.

I enthused about Bounce & Salute by Cornershop and Bubbley Kaur a month ago, and my feelings haven't changed. I described it as "a joy to these ears" : swirly keyboard, dub effects and the melodic voice of Bubbley all combine perfectly. This should be the smash hit of the summer, in my opinion. 

In my round up of new releases, my one-liner for Blue Bird by Coyote was "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) for 2026? Even better."  Well, of course it is, it's Coyote.

I've been obsessed with Blue Bird and it's words of advice for the age of madness we're currently inhabiting. My favourite right now is

"What other people think of you is none of your business"

I should start applying these mantras to my own life.

Too Good To Stay first appeared on The Woodentops' fabulous 2024 album Fruits Of The Deep, a song which my review at the time labelled "indie pop par excellence bathed in the Balearic sunshine."  A 'Nightclub Mix' appeared at the tail end of last year, stretching the song and the vibe out over seven minutes.

In last Friday's BF shopping trip, I added the newly released Moongoose remix of the song, I know next to nothing about Moongoose aka David 'Yorkie' Palmer, but this is a cracker. A slow fade in (and out), building up an electronic throb, layered synths and guitars and the inimitable voice of Rolo McGinty. It's fantastic.

dee eye why's Bungalow Legs EP came to me via my subscription to Roberta Fidora's Neighbourhood on Bandcamp; she also gifts vocals to the opening song. dee eye why aka Mel Houghton operates in the same wheelhouse, straddling indie and electronica. Like A Winner leans to the former, pleasingly so.

Mindbender and 100 Poems is an unexpected but very welcome team up. Mårten Attling and Mike Wilson. Like Coyote's contribution, the songs is structured around a spoken word piece, this time from Irish poet Emmet O'Brien. That's where the similarity ends, especially on Mike's 100 Poems remix.

Dirty Dublin is "a postcard from the back streets [a] love letter to a city that refuses to become tidy." The remix provides an acid rain dance rinse that will leave you feeling energised, if a little grubby and segues perfectly into...

....Don't Stop by Bristol rapper Diz Undone, produced by Tom Caruana. The radio version files down some of the sharper language but the power and potency of the narrative is untouched. I'm looking forward to the album Love & Rage later this year.

A moment of chill, thanks to Richard Norris and Lol Hammond's collaborative project Moon Dust. Scarlet Traces is the closing track on Memories, Dreams, Reflections, an album that finds new shapes and forms from deceptively simple structures. One to lose yourself in.

My Electric Dreams has already appeared in a 2026 'round up' selection, back in March. My get out is that last time it was superb remix by Airsine; this time it's the original single version by Pete Bones. The Tubeway Army sample is used sparingly but effectively in this compact 4:39 banger.

And the selection comes back down again one final time for the closing song by Bristol-based, French-born voice-over artist, actor and musician Anne Gallien. Walking Barefoot / Marche Pied Nu is a one-off single, an irresistible mix of throbbing bass, sensual vocals and - the clincher for me - thumb piano and egg shakers. 

1) Netbacks: Duncan Gray

2) Bounce & Salute: Cornershop ft. Bubbley Kaur

3) Blue Bird (Single Version): Coyote

4) Too Good To Stay (Moongoose Remix): The Woodentops

5) Like A Winner: dee eye why

6) Dirty Dublin (100 Poems Acid Rain Mix): Mindbender & 100 Poems

7) Don't Stop (Radio Version): Diz Undone X Tom Caruana

8) Scarlet Traces (Album Version): Moon Dust

9) My Electric Dreams (Single Version): Pete Bones

10) Walking Barefoot / Marche Pied Nu: Anne Gallien

Stand Up...You Can Do It...You Got This! (46:57) (GD) (M)

Noh Baddah Try Fi Hide Fram It

Linton Kwesi Johnson performing his poem Inglan Is A Bitch on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1980.

It was another five years before I was exposed to LKJ's writing, thanks to an inspirational English teacher who saw some glimmers of hope in the rag tag jumble of spotty teens facing her. I can't remember which selection of poems she chose, though it's fair to assume that Inglan Is A Bitch may not have been one of them.

I was nine years old when Inglan Is A Bitch was transmitted on BBC2 and there's no way that either my parents would be watching OGWT or that I would be allowed to stay up that late to watch it with them.

Forty six years later, Inglan Is A Bitch has lost none of it's impact, and this reading of the poem conveys the sheer power of LKJ's words and masterfully paced and restrained performance. 

For Bass Culture, Linton's second album, he teamed up again with Dennis Bovell, Inglan Is A Bitch leading side two. The tempo is up, the rhythm and melody is the musical equivalent of sunshine, a counterpoint to the stark narrative. 

1980 also saw the release of LKJ In Dub, a seminal release and companion to Bass Culture. BItch Dub is track two side two and takes the song on a while different (road)trip.

Waking up to the news that the grifter has returned as MP for Clacton is no surprise. Whilst he'll be crowing about his victory and "letting the people decide", it's against a backdrop of less than 50% voter turn out, none of the major parties participating in the by-election, and Count Binface coming second with nearly 9,500 votes.

Inglan Is A Bitch.

 

There's No Q In Karaoke

It's twenty years since Q magazine celebrated it's twentieth anniversary with a cover mounted CD of cover versions. Q folded in 2020, apart from a brief resurrection as an online publication in 2023-24, so there won't be a fortieth anniversary follow up.

i've dusted off my review from 2006, including one of the worst opening lines I think I've ever committed to page or screen...

Crudely speaking, the cover version is a bit like playing Russian Roulette: you never know if you’re going to get a misfire or be blown away. 

For every radical reworking, or serendipitous introduction to a great artist by way of the tribute, there has been a major crime committed against music. Q Covered, a cover-mounted freebie compilation to celebrate Q Magazine’s 20th anniversary in May, provides ample example of all of the above across it’s fourteen tracks. 

Franz Ferdinand kick off proceedings with a spirited version of Gwen Stefani’s What You Waiting For? that effortlessly slips in a blast of Billy Idol’s White Wedding at the song’s close. Proving that rock is again the new pop, 

Sugababes’ take on Arctic Monkeys’ I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor is more club-friendly but less convincing than the original. 

By and large, the subsequent tracks continue to be largely faithful to their source, with only The Flaming Lips and Nick Cave attempting to take the songs in a different direction. The former’s orchestral reprise of Kylie’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head is ironically forgettable, but Cave’s reimagining of Pulp’s Disco 2000 becomes entirely his own. 

Elsewhere, Jack Johnson’s updated lyrical respin of Three Is The Magic Number is undermined by bland delivery, whilst Corinne Bailey Rae and Jamie Cullum provide technically accomplished but inevitably inferior versions of Björk and Jeff Buckley respectively. 

Paul Anka’s ill-advised swing version of Oasis’ Wonderwall enables the listener to consider Mike Flowers’ Pops’ previous lounge (piss)take in a more positive light, if nothing else. 

Unsurprisingly, the biggest musical aberration is committed by the terminally dull Travis. Thankfully, as the album’s closing song, it’s easy to skip on the CD player. Incredibly, the worthy Scots manage to out-bland Britney Spears with their ‘hilarious’ take on her breakthrough hit …Baby One More Time. 

Q Covered does have some other high points, however, in the trio of covers by Elbow, Richard Hawley and Editors. Elbow’s unusual choice - August And September, a track from The The’s 1989 album Mind Bomb – was in fact recorded for an abortive 2002 EP release from the latter’s 45 RPM singles collection. Whilst Guy Garvey and co. don’t quite match the emotional intensity of Matt Johnson’s original version, it’s inclusion here deservedly rescues a fine song from obscurity. 

Q Covered is probably not worth shelling out good money for on eBay, but at least half of the tracks warrant a listen, if you can find them on the internet.

1) What You Waiting For? / White Wedding (reprise) (cover of Gwen Stefani / Billy Idol): Franz Ferdinand

2) I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor (cover of Arctic Monkeys): Sugababes

3) Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (cover of Kylie Minogue): The Flaming Lips

4) Venus As A Boy (cover of Björk): Corinne Bailey Rae

5) August And September (cover of The The): Elbow

6) Some Candy Talking (cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain): Richard Hawley

7) Orange Crush (cover of R.E.M.): Editors

8) The Sun Always Shines On TV (cover of a-ha): Delays

9) The 3 R’s (Three Is The Magic Number) (cover of Robert Dorough): Jack Johnson

10) Wonderwall (cover of Oasis): Paul Anka

11) Lover, You Should’ve Come Over (cover of Jeff Buckley): Jamie Cullum

12) Disco 2000 (cover of Pulp): Nick Cave

13) There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (cover of The Smiths): The Magic Numbers

14) …Baby One More Time (cover of Britney Spears): Travis

Whilst you’re surfing, here are some other recommendations:

1) This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us (cover of Sparks): Billie Ray Martin

I was hoping to find Billie’s wonderfully creepy cover of Throbbing Gristle’s Persuasion from the 1990’s, but no joy. This is a demo intended for a Sparks tribute album and Ms Martin matches the Mael brothers inch for eccentric inch, not least for her rather fetching lisp!

[2026 note: sadly, Billie's demo techno take on Sparks has subsequently been lost in cyberspace, so I've included links to her live 'cabaret style' versions of both songs, performed in 2009]

2) Get Ur Freak On (cover of Missy ‘Misdemeanour’ Elliott): Ergo Phizmiz ft. Martha Moopette 

He’s been described as ‘a musical equivalent to Chris Morris’ and this is not a bad summation, with a track even more unsettling than the Missy ‘Misdemeanour’ Elliott version. You can also listen to radically different takes on Gwen Stefani, Lauryn Hill, Destiny’s Child, Kelis, as well as The Velvet Underground’s White Light / White Heat album in full.

3) Wish You Were Here (cover of Pink Floyd): Idha with Andy Bell 

Before you ask, it’s the Andy Bell of Oasis/Ride fame, not the Erasure front man, in case you were expecting a Scissor Sisters-style glam-disco cover of the Pink Floyd classic. Instead, Bell’s adds guitar to wife Idha’s gentle delivery, similar to her downbeat cover of Primal Scream’s I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have (aka Loaded).

[2026 note: no longer available online and regretfully, one that I didn't download at the time]

4) Life On Mars (cover of David Bowie): The King’s Singers

Anyone who watched family ‘variety’ TV shows in the 1970s will shudder at the mention of this singing group. However, this is firm proof that G4 weren’t the first besuited blokes with cheesy grins and tight harmonies to tackle the Bowie classic.

[2026 note: The YT post description opens with "The King Singers elevate a Bowie classic to a new low!" I couldn't have put it better myself!]

5) Geburt Einer Nation (aka One Vision) (cover of Queen): Laibach

Laibach have covered Opus, The Rolling Stones, Europe, Edwin Starr, Jesus Christ Superstar, even The Beatles’ Let It Be album in it’s entirety. This version of the Queen song takes the song to another level. Jahwohl!

6) Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) (cover of ABBA): The Leather Nun

The Leather Nun seemingly regretted recording it and never played the song live. Unsurprisingly, ABBA didn’t like it, either. Despite this, in my opinion their guitar laden version of this disco classic is one of the Leather Nun’s finest moments.

7) Do You Got Time (aka Let The Music Play) (mash-up of Shannon & Plaid): Leila

Shannon’s 1980’s electropop classic becomes slightly unhinged thanks to Leila Arab’s unsettling electronica underscore, courtesy of a mash-up with Plaid's 2001 single Squance. Check out Leila’s similarly edgy mash-ups featuring Aaliyah and Michael Jackson on her website.

[2006 note: Leila's website - and free downloads - no longer available, but you can find many of these and more over at Soundcloud]

8) Fade To Grey (cover of Visage): Nouvelle Vague 

Their previous album introduced us to their low-key, acoustic takes on the likes of The Undertones, The Sisters Of Mercy, Joy Division, The Dead Kennedys and The Clash. New album Bande A Part continues in the same vein – this track is accompanied by reimaginings of Echo and the Bunnymen, Blancmange, Lords Of The New Church and even Bauhaus’ seminal goth classic Bela Lugosi’s Dead.

[2006 note: with apologies to Ernie for yet more Nouvelle Vague]

9) Driving Home For Christmas (cover of Chris Rea): Pony Club

Whilst musically faithful to it’s source, Mark Cullen’s vocal delivery imbues Chris Rea’s seasonal classic with a growing sense of dread. Somehow, I sense it’s not because the turkey will have been overcooked again.

[2006 note: no longer available online]

10) Rock-A-Hula Baby (cover of Elvis Presley): Pop Will Eat Itself

This originally appeared on a largely crap 1990 NME compilation called The Last Temptation Of Elvis. The King would probably have spun in his grave a few times on hearing this, though mainly due to the infectious (but now overly familiar) breakbeat.

11) 1969 (cover of The Stooges): Solex

Elisabeth Esselink has been producing lo-fi gems since the late 1990s. Her take on The Stooges’ classic makes the narrator seem like they’re trying to stir up a revolution in a locked, empty room!

12) Lundi Bleu (aka Blue Monday) (cover of New Order): The Times

Ed Ball drops the beats per minute and produces a rumbling, bass-heavy monster of a track, sung in French. The CD single featured alternate versions of this New Order classic in German, Spanish and Japanese. Seek out the definitive 10-minute original album version on Pure, which throws in samples from A Clockwork Orange for good measure. 

[2006 note: this time, I've plumped for one of two remixes that The Grid produced for the single release. Even further removed from the original, and utterly brilliant]

First Night Nerves Every One Night Stand

Two from Ian Dury & The Blockheads, from 1978. 

What A Waste! followed by Wake Up And Make Love With Me. 

'Nuff said.

À La Mode

I still haven't made up my mind whether I like Nouvelle Vague's cover of Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode. 

On paper, the pairing of Skye Edwards from Morcheeba and Larry Love from Alabama 3 is inspired and yet, after a few listens, it's just not doing it for me. The prospect of an entire album of covers - A Date With Depeche Mode - therefore doesn't immediately appeal.

However, it inevitably sent me down a rabbit hole of other Depeche Mode reinterpretations from the well-known and relatively obscure. 

If you can make it to the end without skipping, you're in for a treat: my online search uncovered the fabulously named Skapeche Mode, who cover the Basildon boys in a - you guessed it - ska style. 

From the live clip, it's definitely more about the entertainment value than the note perfect performance, but when the brass section are sporting angels wings and the lead singer is dressed as Mork from Ork, how can you not have a good time? 

Messrs. Gahan and Gore, take note.

1) Enjoy The Silence: Nouvelle Vague ft. Skye Edwards & Larry Love (2026)

2) I Feel You: Palm Skin Productions (2025)

3) Never Let Me Down Again: The Smashing Pumpkins (1994)

4) It's No Good: Dee Madden (2016)

5) Somebody: Veruca Salt (1998)

6) Stripped: Duncan Sheik (2020)

7) Just Can't Get Enough: The Wannadies (1995)

8) See You: Marsheaux (2015)

9) World In My Eyes: The Cure (1998)

10) People Are People: Skapeche Mode (2014)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Middleage Fanclub

Less a comment on the current age status of Teenage Fanclub, and more a nod to my belated comprehensive education in the TFC ouevre, past and present, in the past few years. 

In fairness, I was in the last few months of my teenage years when the lads first burst onto the scene but, apart from all of the missed gigs not least when Gerard Love was present, I think coming to them later in life has also brought it's own rewards.

Current case in point is their latest single, Day In The Sun, with an album Do Not Dare to Dream following in October.

Superficially, a blend of pleasing chords, gentle harmonies and life affirming lyrics. I love the undercurrent of squally guitar and swirly keyboards, and it's all wrapped up in under 200 seconds.

With another heatwave about to frazzle this already scorched island this week, I wouldn't necessarily recommend a day in the sun in literal terms, but I can get behind this Day In The Sun any time.

Let Everything Flow

Just let it all wash over you, with this 50-minute mix of mellow sounds.

Pye Corner Audio get things flowing with the opening and title track of Lake Deep Memory, an album inspired by Martin Jenkins' trip to Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in 2024. Ostensibly there to play a festival, it clearly left a lasting impression, as evidenced in this immersive piece of music..

Still Water 2 was released in July 2025, the seventh in Richard Norris' Music For Healing: Oceans series, which he accurately describes as "a balm for the soul". The slow, gentle piano plinks are gorgeous.

If you think you know The Woodentops, think again. Rolo McGinty can pretty much turn his hand to anything, musically speaking, including this tribute to the river Thames, released last month. The full-length version clocks in at nearly 16 minutes; I've included just over half here, to encourage you to get yourself over to Bandcamp and buy it.

Zi Lan Liao is married to Jah Wobble and when her harp met his bass, magic happened. I discovered an extract of 34-minute suite The River from 1998 on the superlative Jah Wobble compilation I Could Have Been A Contender in 2004. Even in truncated form, the epic scale of the music is not diminished.

Who else to follow this than Kate Bush? Lake Tahoe is from her (to date) last album of original material, and one of her longest songs, nudging over the 11-minute mark. Piano, an angelic duet and a lead voice steeped in a lifetime of stories, both lived and discovered, all in perfect harmony as Kate recounts the tale of a Victorian woman who fell into Lake Tahoe, only to rise as a spirit.

Have a beautiful Sunday.

1) Lake Deep Memory: Pye Corner Audio (2025)

2) Still Water 2: Richard Norris (2025)

3) T H A M E S: The Woodentops (2026)

4) The River: Jah Wobble presents Zi Lan Liao (1998)

5) Lake Tahoe: Kate Bush ft. Stefan Roberts & Michael Wood (2011)

2004: I Could Have Been A Contender: Anthology: 4

2011: 50 Words For Snow: 5

2025: Lake Deep Memory: 1

2025: Music For Healing: Oceans 7: 2

2026: T H A M E S EP: 3

Let Everything Flow (50:49) (GD) (M)

Who Can Calculate The Orbit Of His Own Soul?

Celebrating William Orbit aka William Mark Wainwright, 15th December 1956 to 23rd July 2026.

The news of William's passing broke on Friday, unexpected and deeply, deeply sad.

I first encountered William Orbit's work in the late 1980s when he remixed Dreaming by O.M.D., Camouflage by Stan Ridgway and More by Doctor & The Medics. 

The latter two were on the I.R.S. Records label, where William had not only found work as an in-house producer, but a home for his band Torch Song, with Laurie Mayer and Grant Gilbert and his first Strange Cargo album. There was a previous solo album - Orbit - in 1987 but, to be honest, it's not that good.

The 1990s not only saw an exponential growth in his work as an in-demand producer and remixer, but the launch of Guerilla Records, who were a go-to for quality electronic and dance music, including William's own Water From A Vine Leaf, featuring Beth Orton and era-defining remixes from Underworld and Spooky. 

The decade drew to an end with one of his greatest collaborations, Madonna's incredible Ray Of Light album. William's CV expanded to such an extent that I think it might be a greater challenge for anyone to find that they don't have music in their collection that has William Orbit's involvement in some shape or form.

In recent years, I greatly enjoyed William's musings and memories on social media, sometimes completely leftfield or stream of consciousness, but always entertaining. The insight into such an incredibly questing and creative mind, responsible for so much music that I've listened to , bought and treasured through my life.

I've created a 46 minute selection on the fly, very little deliberation over the song choices, other than wanting to include some overlooked gems and deeper cuts, and spanning the 1980s through to the start of the 21st century.

The nine songs create some strange bedfellows: Creation hopefuls 18 Wheeler next to Seal and Kate Garner (post-Haysi Fantayzee) followed by Limp Bizkit. All Saints fans may be out for my blood for choosing the instrumental version Pure Shores, but I wanted the music to have space to breathe. 

Likewise, I've skipped the singles from Ray Of Light for an album cut which is a perfect example of why the team up with William was so inspiring.

Bassomatic's finest moment is represented here with an alternative mix from the 12" single, 

Malcolm McLaren turns up with The Bootzilla Orchestra (remixed with S'Express guru Mark Moore, whilst I've closed the selection with William's remix of The Shamen, a memory of happy times in clubland.

Today's post title is lifted from De Profundis, a letter written by Oscar Wilde in 1897 whilst imprisoned in Reading Gaol, to his beloved Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas. If you have time to spare, you can find De Profundis in it's entirety here. The quote in question is on page 22 (of 28) and seemed fitting for this tribute.

Rest easy, William.

1) Stay (Strange L’Escargot Mix By William Orbit & Mat Ducasse): 18 Wheeler (1997)

2) Crazy (William Orbit Mix): Seal (1990)

3) Pure Shores (Instrumental) (Remix By William Orbit & Mark 'Spike' Stent): All Saints (2000)

4) Fascinating Rhythm (Soul Odyssey Mix By William Orbit): Bassomatic (1990)

5) Call A Wave (Orbital Mix By Mark Moore & William Orbit): Malcolm McLaren & The Bootzilla Orchestra ft. Gina Cie & Jeff Beck (1989)

6) Love Me Like A Rocket (Psychomix By Paul Caplin & Torch Song aka William Orbit): Kate Garner (1983)

7) My Way (William Orbit Remix): Limp Bizkit (2001)

8) Shanti / Ashtangi (Album Version By Madonna & William Orbit): Madonna (1998)

9) Hyperreal (Orbit) (Remix By William Orbit): The Shamen ft. Plavka (1990)

1983: Love Me Like A Rocket EP: 6

1989: Call A Wave EP: 5

1990: Crazy EP: 2

1990: Fascinating Rhythm EP: 4

1990: Hyperreal EP: 9

1997: Stay EP: 1

1998: Ray Of Light: 8

2000: Pure Shores EP: 3

2001: My Way EP: 7

Who Can Calculate The Orbit Of His Own Soul (46:45) (GD) (M)

It was only in May this year that I wrote about William and Guerilla Records. I've reactivated the link the to the bespoke Dubhed selection that accompanied the post.

Re:Make Re:Model Re:Markable

Re:Make Re:Model is the latest collection of remixes by Richard Norris, a person that I've pretty much run out of superlatives for when it comes to describing the quality and impact of his music.

I've been a subscriber since 2023, receiving new digital releases at least every month, sometimes several in one go. I also buy other new or old music outside of this, remixed by or crediting Richard.  All this and still at best, I would describe myself as an 'enthusiast'; given Richard's prodigious work rate, 'completist' remains an aspiration.

Re:Make Re:Model is a classic example. Available as a 12-track double vinyl or 19-track deluxe double CD or digital compilation, spanning 2010 to 2026, 11 of the 19 selections were completely new to me.

Richard himself modestly describes Re:Make Re:Model as "a variety of Balearic and dancefloor workouts", whilst I'd go a tad further by saying that it's a breathtaking study of the art of the remix, and a stunning snapshot of a master craftsperson. 

Where else might you find such an enriching collection of music, encompassing dub, folk, acid, ambient, vocals, instrumentals, genre-splicing dancefloor workouts and polished radio friendly hits?

It's Bandcamp Friday today. If you only buy one record, make it this one. Better still, buy the album and then subscribe. It'll be the two best decisions you'll have made this week, if not this year.

Here's a sample track from each of the four vinyl sides, plus one of the CD/digital 'bonus' tracks.

1) Alphaville (The Time And Space Machine Remix): Bryan Ferry (2011)

2) Before Tomorrow (Richard Norris' Avalon Remix): Hollow Hand ft. Tim Smith (2023)

3) Mesmerize (The Time & Space Machine Remix): Temples (2013)

4) Children (Richard Norris Remix): Joe Goddard (2017)

5) Find Yourself (Richard Norris Remix): Jacco Gardner (2015)