"What Are You On? What Are You On?" And I Said, "Apples!"

DJ Mag's The Making Of A Dance Anthem series has been running on YouTube since 2020, with over 60 episodes. I watched my very first one on Wednesday!

What a one to start with, though. The fabulous Kirsty Hawkshaw taking about her journey with Opus III and their cover of It's A Fine Day, born out of the rave scene and which became a global smash in 1992.

Kirsty's storytelling is superb, describing her journey from 4AD-leaning indie kid to ball-spinning, shaven-headed frontperson, guesting on Jonathan Ross' chat show, to her unflinchingly polite challenge to big artists for not clearing use of her vocals. It's only 12 minutes but honestly I could listen to more of Kirsty's stories all day long.

I've included all of the versions, off shoots and variants mentioned in the interview below. Whilst some of the songs have featured here previously, I think I've picked unique versions for today's post. I've also added the original version, sung a cappella by Jane Lancaster and written by the legendary Edward Barton.

1) It's A Fine Day: Opus III (Kirsty's debut performance on Top Of The Pops, 20th Feb 1992)

2) Halcyon: Orbital (the official 1992 video recut to the original 11-minute single version and released in April 2025)

3) Fine Day Anthem: Skrillex & Boys Noize (2023)

4) Fine Day XXIV: Opus III (production by Shadow Child and Adam F (Kirsty's husband); new vocals and video by Kirsty) (2024)

5) It's A Fine Day: Jane (1983)

 

 

 

 

 

Dip Your Hip

I have been a huge fan of Justin Robertson's work since I first heard his remixes at the start of the 1990s, continuing with his own material as Lionrock and various other guises throughout the decade and beyond.

The multi-tasking Justin has successfully worked as a DJ, music producer, painter, author and broadcaster for the past 30 years. Does this man sleep?! Clearly not judging by his musical output alone, a ton of which - new and unearthed from the vaults - has been released to the world via Bandcamp since June this year.

Today's selection dips into Justin's 21st Century output, from 2001's 'lost' classic album as Revtone to remixes for Noel Gallagher, Temples, Justice and The Whip and his continuing remixes as releases as Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33s.

 

There's so much to choose from that I struggled to keep it under an hour and a half, but I'm happy with the final selection and I hope you are too.

 

The post title is lifted from a sample used on the track Velocity Falls, a 1980s nugget, written by Chas Jankel and Ian Dury.

 

1) She Taught Me How To Fly (Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33s Remix): Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2018)

2) Blister Boy: Justin Robertson (2001) 

3) You Feed Me (Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33 Remix): Field Of Dreams (2022)

4) Velocity Falls: Justin Robertson Presents Revtone (2001)

5) City Lights (The Deadstock 33's Remix By Justin Robertson): The Ghost (2010)

6) Lemonade (Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33's Remix): Erol Alkan & Boys Noize (2010)

7) Bajo La Luna (Slam Mix By Stuart McMillan & Orde Meikle): Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33s (2017)

8) Shelter Song (Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33s Remix): Temples (2014)

9) Music Machine (Justin Robertson Remix): The Neglectarinos (2003)

10) Sticky Web Of Happy Spiders: Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33s (2023)

11) Justin's Kids (Revtone Remix Of 'Kids' By Justin Robertson & Dave Ralph): The Concretes (2007)

12) On'n'On (Justin Robertson's The Deadstock 33s Vox Remix): Justice (2012)

13) Sister Siam (Justin Robertson Vocal Mix): The Whip (2007)

2001: Have Mercy EP: 2

2001: Justin Robertson Presents Revtone: 4

2003: Music Machine EP: 9 

2007: Oh Boy EP: 11

2007: Sister Siam EP: 13

2010: City Lights EP: 5

2010: Lemonade EP: 6

2012: On'n'On EP: 12

2014: Shelter Song EP: 8

2017: Everything is Turbulence Remixed: 7

2018: She Taught Me How To Fly EP: 1

2022: You Feed Me EP: 3

2023: Sticky Web EP: 10

Dip Your Hip (1:26:09) (KF) (Mega)

It Smells Like Something Set Apart From Time

After yesterday's preemptive start to my favourites of 2021, here is a selection of my most played songs of 2021 so far. Anything released post-September will be at a disadvantage simply because they've been available for repeated listens for relatively less time. Even so, it was still hard to whittle down to an even dozen. 

 

Opening with Andy Bell, the preview/pre-release from the Another View remix album and arguably the standout track. Brian Dougans & Garry Cobain have delighted with another subscription-only 'Calendar' album this year, with an exclusive new or archive track each month; May's FSOL offering was a particular highlight. The Limiñanas collaborative album with Laurent Garnier was excellent and I especially love this penultimate track featuring Bertrand Belin. Hifi Sean's re-remix of Fire Island's 1998 cover of The Style Council's Shout To The Top is arguably the new definitive version of the song. 

 

Kelsey Lu has been an enduring favourite of the past couple of years and their collaboration with Boys Noize was accompanied by a stunning animated video. Jane Weaver released one of the best albums of the year with Flock, as did The Anchoress with The Art Of Losing. I first heard of Dan Wainwright this year via his Hope & Deliverance EP and Feel was a winner, as was Joe Muggs' mash-up of Lorde's Solar Power & Primal Scream's Loaded with the appropriately named Lorded. Long-time fave Ladyhawke made a mighty comeback with Guilty Love featuring Broods and yet another great video. 

 

The Orb had dropped off my radar for some years but Adam @ Bagging Area pulled them front and centre with a brilliant remix by Gaudi, as a taster for their excellent remix album. Rounding things off, my favourite song from probably my favourite album of the year by John Grant, who I managed to miss live on stage this year, making for a record four times. 2021 was a great year for music, but on this basis 2022 will surely be even better.

1) Indica (Pye Corner Audio Remix – GLOK Re-Edit): Andy Bell

2) Ride Or Die (Single Version): Boys Noize ft. Kelsey Lu & Chilly Gonzales

3) Fledgling Sun: The Future Sound Of London

4) Au Début C'était Le Début: The Limiñanas / Laurent Garnier ft. Bertrand Belin

5) Sunset Dreams: Jane Weaver

6) Shout To The Top (Hifi Sean Mix): Fire Island ft. Loleatta Holloway

7) Feel: Dan Wainwright

8) Lorded (Lorde v. Primal Scream): Joe Muggs

9) Show Your Face: The Anchoress

10) Guilty Love: Ladyhawke & Broods

11) Ital Orb (Gaudi Remix (Iron Chair) By Daniele Gaudi): The Orb

12) The Rusty Bull (Album Version): John Grant

It Smells Like Something Set Apart From Time (1:03:43)

Like A Kiss On The Run

One of the few positive things to come from lockdown was discovering more 'new' artists and music. I was about five years behind the curve, but Kelsey Lu is one of the most exciting and challenging artists I've heard in a long time. 

They first appeared in my 2020 round up last December with their ambient soundscape Hydroharmonia (Part 1) and again in May, with their excellent collaboration with Boys Noize, Ride Or Die. I've been listening to the latter regularly since and the single version featured in my Raindrops Keep Falling mix earlier this month. Today's selection doesn't even begin to do justice to the vast range and spectrum of Kelsey Lu's talent and creativity, but it will fit snugly onto a side of an old school cassette tape, if you're so inclined.

 

I'd recommend either/both of their albums, Church (2016) and Blood (2019). It's also well worth your time looking up their videos and live shows on You Tube, for some stunning visuals, costumes and spellbinding performances.

1) Empathy (2016)

2) Hydroharmonia (Episode 2) / Poor Fake (Omar-S Remix By Alex Smith) (2020)

3) Foreign Car (NAR x ADR Exhaust Diffusion Mix) (2019)

4) let all the poisons that lurk in the mud seep out (Live for Stephen Colbert's #PLAYATHOME, 02/06/21): Kelsey Lu ft. Kelly Moran (2021)

5) Shades Of Blue (Video Version) (2018)

6) Hydroharmonia (Episode 1) (6:20 Edit) (2020)

7) Blood (A COLORS Show, 18 April 2019)

8) Due West (Album Version By Kelsey Lu & Skrillex) (2019)

9) Ride Or Die (Extended Mix): Boys Noize ft. Kelsey Lu & Chilly Gonzales (2021)

 

Like A Kiss On The Run (45:48)

Raindrops Keep Falling

Thirteen songs to sail through a soggy Sunday. Select cuts from some of my favourite EPs, albums and remixes from the last couple of years, several purchased on Bandcamp Friday, which will be continuing for the rest of this year. It won't be a great surprise to see Dan Wainwright, Andy Bell/GLOK or Pye Corner Audio here, but there have been a few unexpected 'comebacks' from Ultramarine and D:Ream, which I've really enjoyed.

 

1) I Love You: Dan Wainwright (2021) 

2) Ride Or Die (Single Version): Boys Noize ft. Kelsey Lu & Chilly Gonzales (2021)

3) Parallel 6: Four Tet (2020)

4) Meet Me At Midnight (Dan Wainwright Remix): D:Ream (2021)

5) In My Sleep (DJ Nature Remix By Milo Johnson): Margee (2021)

6) Lagrimas De San Lorenzo (Coyote Remix): Chris Coco & George Solar (2021)

7) That Time Of Night (Single Version): GLOK ft. Shiarra (2021)

8) Memory Of Rave: Pye Corner Audio (2020)

9) Fledgling Sun: The Future Sound Of London (2021)

10) Rickie's Alibi: Andres Y Xavi (2021)

11) The Commune (Pye Corner Audio Remix): Andy Bell (2021)

12) Spark From Flint To Clay: Ultramarine ft. Anna Domino (2019)

13) The County (Revisited By Dylan Henner): Valgeir Sigurðsson (2020)

 

Raindrops Keep Falling (1:16:19)
 

Let Me Make A Sound Into The Wild

Ride Or Die: Boys Noize & Kelsey Lu ft. Chilly Gonzales

I belatedly discovered the music and performances of Kelsey Lu during the first lockdown in 2020, and I’ve been completely captivated ever since. I love that you never quite know what you’re going to get next, from classical to R&B to ambient soundscapes to techno, sometimes within the same piece of music. Their story is also a fascinating background that explains in part the rich diversity and unique character of their songs. There is a great interview with Kelsey Lu in The Guardian from Sep 2020.

Following the release of Let All The Poisons That Lurk In The Mud Seep Out, their collaboration with Yves Tumor on Christmas Day 2020, Kelsey has collaborated with Boys Noize & Chilly Gonzales on Ride Or Die. The Boys Noize You Tube page states that the song “reflects upon the tumultuous emotional tenor of our uncertain future before exploding into delirious, peak-time techno”. As if this isn’t enough to draw you in, the video is rather spectacular too.

I featured Kelsey Lu’s 20-minute immersive ‘nature soundscape’ Hydroharmonia (Episode 1) in my best of 2020 post a while ago, but I would strongly recommend checking out any and all of their back catalogue. With more new music - and hopefully performances - imminent in 2021, now’s the time to ride or die.
 
Buy Ride Or Die on Juno Download 

 

Outside
Inside
That side you'll know
That side you know
Outside you'll know
That side you know
Outside you know
Outside you'll know
That side you know
Outside you

Knew it from the start
Didn't I? Didn't I? Didn't I?
Like a kiss on the run
Salty cheeks from the sun
Be my ride or die
Like a kiss on the run
Salty cheeks from the sun
Be my ride or die

In the desert sky
A message right before my eye
In the desert sky
Flashed before my eyes, beforе my eyes, beforе my eyes
Yah, your cheeky bones said to the sky
Let me make a sound into the wild

Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die

Like a kiss on the run
Like a kiss on the run
Like a kiss on the run
Like a kiss on the run
Like a kiss on the run
Like a kiss on the run

Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die
Be my ride or die

Like a kiss on the run
Like a kiss on the run
I saw the signs
I saw the signs
Are you still lovin' on the sidelines
Got used to livin' on the sidelines
No use still living undecided
Be my ride or die

Outside you know
Outside you'll know
That side you know
Outside you know
That side you know
Outside you