In Every Dream Holmes A Heartache

2024 has been quite the year for David Holmes, hasn't it?

Blind On A Galloping Horse, Holmes' album with Raven Violet and a highlight of last year, enjoyed a truckload of remixes over three companion volumes this year, all of them essential purchases. 

David was also busy remixing and producing other artists, and whilst I may wait until Primal Scream's latest effort ends up in the bargain bins, I was otherwise snapping up the various EPs and singles as soon as they dropped.

All of which has resulted in a '2024 highlights' selection today that focuses solely on David Holmes. Six remixes, forty five minutes, electronica with pure heart(ache) and soul. And I didn't even include this stone cold classic remix/rework/mash-up/call-it-what-you-will of an already classic tune.

Things get off to a heavy start with Theis Thaws, an intriguing collaboration between Mike Theis and Tricky, featuring Rosa Rocca-Serra. There's a three-minute version of this remix on the standard digital release, this one gets to Fly To Ceiling and out the skylight and up to the sky, stretching its wings for nearly eight minutes.

As Ammonite, Amy Spencer delivered a remix of Emotionally Clear for Blind On A Galloping Horse (Remixes Vol. 2) back in March. David repaid the favour with a rework of You Don't Know Me for Blueprints Revisited, an EP of remixes from Ammonite's debut album, which appeared in September. Only the latter appears in today's selection, but you need both of them in your life, believe me.

Two alternative picks from the Blind On A Galloping Horse remix collections. First up, X-Press 2 aka Rocky & Diesel aka Darren House and Darren Rock, with an instrumental remix of Yeah x 3 (with apologies to Raven Violet, the vocal version was released in 2023). It's a welcome reminder of why I fell in love with X-Press 2 in the 1990s. 

Smagghe & Cross are a relatively newer partnership. I'm familiar with Ivan Smagghe from his previous work, especially as a co-founder of Black Strobe. I didn't know anything about Rupert Cross, but the few Smagghe And Cross remixes I've heard have been really good, including this version of Too Muchroom, which features Raven Violet's vocals to stunning effect.

I've featured Sylvia by Lisa Moorish in a couple of previous 2024 selections, both the album version and David Holmes' vocal remix. As Peter Murphy from Bauhaus once sang, now here's the dub. One of my favourite songs of the year, in any version.

As is Aerodromes by Acid Klaus, whose P.T.S.D By Proxy EP is a treat from start to finish, featuring the various vocal talents of Philly Piper (Philly Smith to her family), Lias Saoudi, Cat Rin (Catrin Mair Robinson), Rosey PM and Maxine Peake. 

 

The single version of Aerodromes appeared on the same highlights selection as the album version of Sylvia last week, so here are Lisa Moorish and Acid Klaus reunited again today, this time given the David Holmes treatment. 

This is the second appearance of Aerodromes (David Holmes Remix), previously sitting in the middle of another 2024 highlights selection, barely a month ago. No apologies for this, it's a truly stunning eight minute masterclass in the art of the remix.

I have loved David Holmes' music since I first heard over three decades ago. 2024 has proven time and again why he remains an unstoppable force of nature, continually questing, inviting and thrilling with his work. And if you think that's mere hyperbole, stick this on for three quarters of an hour.

 

1) Fly To Ceiling (David Holmes Extended Remix): Theis Thaws ft. Rosa Rocca-Serra (Fly To Ceiling EP)

2) You Don't Know Me (David Holmes Remix): Ammonite (Blueprints Revisited EP)

3) Yeah x 3 (X-Press 2 Remix - Instrumental By Darren House & Darren Rock): David Holmes (Blind On A Galloping Horse (Remixes Vol. 2))

4) Sylvia (David Holmes Dub): Lisa Moorish (Sylvia EP / Divine Chaos (The Remixes))

5) Too Muchroom (Smagghe And Cross Remix By Ivan Smagghe & Rupert Cross): David Holmes ft. Raven Violet (Blind On A Galloping Horse (Remixes Vol. 3))

6) Aerodromes (David Holmes Remix): Acid Klaus ft. Philly Piper (P.T.S.D By Proxy EP)

In Every Dream Holmes A Heartache (45:32) (KF) (Mega)

What Will I Do Without The Weight Of You?

Today's selection is inadvertently a dozen highlights from 2024, connected simply by virtue of incredible voices.

 

All of the albums, EPs and one-offs deserve a post in their own right, but suffice to say here that every single one is worth tracking down. It's been an embarrassment of riches these past twelve months, without a doubt.

 

Many of the artists here have become firm favourites thanks to the discerning taste and recommendations of my fellow travellers in the blogosphere. A shout out therefore for the following: HANN (C @ Sun Dried Sparrows), Humanist (Mike @ well, here pretty often), Nana Benz Du Togo (Ernie @ 27 Leggies) and Acid Klaus (Swiss Adam @ Bagging Area). Legends, all of you!

There's a connection to my birthplace Bristol, too, as three of the artists are based there: Emily Breeze, tor aka Tor Maries aka Billy Nomates and Katy J Pearson. I've been fortunate to see Emily and Katy live in concert. I was hoping to see Tor perform an intimate hometown gig last week at the wonderful Strange Brew, but unfortunately couldn't make it. One day, one day...

 

It was hard to narrow this selection down to a mere twelve, given the quality and quantity of great music. Criminal omissions include albums from Beth Gibbons, Ibibio Sound Machine, Isobel Campbell, Jane Weaver, Jo Bartlett, Sam Morton, Starless and Xan Tyler, and many more singles and EPs. Needless to say, I'm already thinking of a companion selection...

For today though, enjoy the next three quarters of an hour of subllime sounds.

1) Shade To The Sunshine: HANN (Forever In A Glance)

2) When I Look At You: Gates Of Light (Gates Of Light II)

3) Love You More: Humanist ft. Isobel Campbell (On The Edge Of A Lost And Lonely World)

4) Wicked Game (Cover of Chris Isaak): The Anchoress (Versions: Encore EP)*

5) Graceland (Single Version) (Cover of Paul Simon): Emily Breeze (Second Rodeo EP)

6) Tite (Kiledjian 'The Womb' Remix): Nana Benz Du Togo (Tite (Kiledjian Remixes) EP)

7) Aerodromes (Single Version): Acid Klaus ft. Philly Piper (P.T.S.D By Proxy EP)

8) Trance Stance (Single Version): Electric Blue Vision (Trance Stance EP)

9) wwid: tor (wwid EP)

10) In The Countryside: Kito Jempere ft. Lena Tronina (Part Time Chaos Part Time Calmness)

11) Sylvia (Album Version): Lisa Moorish (Divine Chaos)

12) Sky: Katy J Pearson (Someday, Now)

What Will I Do Without The Weight Of You? (44:40) (KF) (Mega)

* Yes, I know that Catherine Anne Davies originally recorded and released Wicked Game as a standalone single during lockdown in 2020. However, the song received it's first physical release at the weekend, on the 6-track Versions: Encore, a limited edition of 500 12" EPs on eco-vinyl. Each 12" is manufactured from leftover wax pellets, resulting in a completely unique colour combination, and hand signed by Catherine. But hurry up, only 17 left at the time of this posting!

You Don't Dance...Except At The Weekend

2024 has served up it's fair share of top notch electronic music and remixes and here's another eight reasons why.

Just over an hour of tunes that have been pumping on my stereo, a mix of well-known names and artists that I've heard for the first time on my many online shopping runs this year. 

All of today's selections are available to purchase digitally (links included in the song title), if you're considering a gift to yourself as a thank you for buying presents for all those other people.

1) Like This (Mindbender Remix By Mårten Attling): Stylic

2) You Don't Dance (Kenneth Bager Remix): Hess Is More

3) Ecce Homo (Apparition Remix By Michael Heffernan): Gavin Friday

4) Blind On A Galloping Horse (Sons Of Slough Remix By Duncan Gray & Ian Weatherall): David Holmes ft. Raven Violet

5) Aerodromes (David Holmes Remix): Acid Klaus ft. Philly Piper

6) Weekend Machines (Shubostar Remix By Jiyoung Bak): Jezebell

7) End Of Times (Rude Audio's Protean Remix By Mark Ratcliff): David Harrow + Little Annie

8) Real Magnificent (sLEdger Remix By Robin Dallison): Fluke ft. Leah Cleaver

You Don't Dance...Except At The Weekend (1:01:13) (KF) (Mega)

We Can’t Deal With Culture We Don’t Understand

The news that there had been rioting, violence and looting following the tragedy in Southport was sadly not surprising. 

 

And when media outlets reported incidents "across the UK", in fact it appeared to be concentrated in England, with Belfast making the news but no mention of similar disturbances in Scotland and Wales, as far as I could see.

I was also sad to see Bristol named as one of the cities but then, given it's prominent anti-racist activity, it's often been a magnet for the far right. And goodness knows we have enough of the morons who were born and "bred" in the city. I grew up with, lived in the same street as and worked with a fair few of them. 

The Sky News screen grab above features a few of these fine examples of homo moronus in Bristol on Saturday, facing off against the police. Maybe you recognise some of them. If you happen to serve them at a cafe or takeaway any time soon, hawk a big flob into their food or drink with pleasure.

 

The mobs are described in the news reports as "protesters". That's far too kind a word for them. As a group gathered at a city centre hotel, I assume in the hope of forcing any immigrants within to go back where they came from, a larger group blocked them, chanting, "We are many, you are few. We are Bristol, who are you?"

 

There seems to have been some needless social media ripostes about how many of the counter group were in fact from Bristol, which I think is missing the point, or at the very least missing the scene from this classic film. On Saturday, those who turned up to challenge hate and violence were all Bristolian. 

 

I hadn't planned to write this when I started today's selection, it was supposed to be an fairly innocuous round up of some 2024 musical highlights that I haven't covered in previous posts. The post title is a line from one of the featured songs, Too Muchroom by David Holmes and Raven Violet. That, and a sense of horror at the TV news reports, seem to have guided my fingers at the keyboards as I started to type.

 

You may read some deeper meaning into some of the music choices today but I promise that any themes or connections are purely coincidental. What does link them however is that they represent what continues to be a great year, aurally speaking.

 

Fluke have been one of the comeback success stories of the year. Jack was released in May with another new song possibly titled Real Magnificent 'coming soon'. 

Jesse Fahnestock has never been away and here he is again, with two cracking collaborations, firstly with Emilia Harmony as Electric Blue Vision (and remixed by himself as 10:40). Then, Jesse returns to close the selection with his partner in crime Darren Bell as Jezebell, delivering the fruity tune Citric, freshly squeezed from their Weekend Machines EP.

Sean Johnston also makes a couple of appearances as Hardway Bros. Alessandro Sarsano aka DJALE remixes Functions For Machines from the excellent My Friends EP. Sean later reunites with Duncan Gray for another Hardway Bros Meet Monkton Uptown excursion, this time the aforementioned David Holmes and Raven Violet track.

Richard Norris released an exclusive 4-track EP (album?) in June, only available to subscribers, presenting music he'd created for a show at Paris Fashion Week. Each of the 4 mixes runs to nearly 14 minutes, so I've created a crude 8-minute edit of Mix 3 to include in this selection. 

I've been subscribing for a couple of years now. It's superb value for money and also raises funds for mental health charity MIND. I cannot recommend it enough.

Paris In The Summertime aside, Richard has a vast catalogue available on Bandcamp and in fact all of the music featured in today's selection is available to purchase there. If you like what you hear, go track them down, you will not be disappointed.

The penultimate song by Third Attempt samples from Louis Malle's 1981 film My Dinner With Andre

"You see, I keep thinking that what we need is a new language, 

a language of the heart."

 

The quoted lines are spoken by Andre Gregory, who appears opposite Wallace Shawn (if you don't know the latter's name, you will instantly recognise the face). The film is essentially two friends sharing anecdotes over a restaurant meal for the best part of two hours. They don't make 'em like that anymore. 

If you made it to the end of this post, many thanks for indulging me and I hope the music is sufficient compensation!

 

1) Jack: Fluke ft. Leah Cleaver (SW18 Sessions)

2) Trance Stance (1040s Haight Steppin Remix By Jesse Fahnestock): Electric Blue Vision (Trance Stance EP)

3) Hell Below: Acid Klaus ft. Lias Saoudi (P.T.S.D By Proxy EP)

4) Song Of Siraba (Mindbender Remix By Mårten Attling): A Space Age Freak Out (Shelter Me: In Crisis)

5) Paris In The Summertime (Mix 3 - Khayem's Olympic Edit): Richard Norris (Paris In The Summertime)

6) There’s Dust On It: Pye Corner Audio (There’s Dust On It EP)

7) Gold Rush (Dub): Break Mode ft. Nuri Orman (Boomarm Nation Family Album 2024)

8) Functions For Machines (DJALE Last Song Remix By Alessandro Sarsano): Hardway Bros (My Friends Remixes EP)

9) Waif Mentality: Orbury Common (Waif Mentality EP)

10) Too Muchroom (Hardway Bros Meet Monkton Uptown Remix By Sean Johnston & Duncan Gray): David Holmes ft. Raven Violet (Blind On A Galloping Horse (Remixes Vol. 2))

11) Language Of The Heart: Third Attempt (Offshore Sunsets EP)

12) Citric: Jezebell (Weekend Machines EP)

We Can’t Deal With Culture We Don’t Understand (1:09:56) (KF) (Mega)