Universal Language

Transglobal Underground have been speaking truth to the times we live for more than three decades and what better example that music is a universal language than in the grooves of their tunes?

I've selected ten songs from their extensive catalogue, spanning 1991 to 2025, a mixture of singles, album tracks, remixes, deep cuts and obscurities that only hint at their rich and varied history. 

There is a very deep well to draw from and though I can't quite believe that it's taken me over five years to debut a Transgllobal Underground selection, there is plenty more to come.

1) The Elephant (The Balaphon-A-Bing Bong Immigrant Mix By Transglobal Underground): Dodgy (1994)

2) Jatayu (Album Version): Transglobal Underground ft. T.U.U.P. (1994)

3) Kese Kese (Where's The Sarangi Mix By Transglobal Underground): DJ Cheb I Sabbah ft. Mala Ganguly & Shafqat Ali Khan (1999)

4) International Times (Apis Bull Mix By TGU): Transglobal Underground ft. Neil Sparkes & Queen La Cuica (1995)

5) City In Peril (Dub Colossus Mushroom Mix By Count Dubulah): Transglobal Underground (2020)

6) Temple Head (Burundi Beat Mix By Aki Nawaz & Paul Tipler): Transglobal Underground (1991)

7) Slowfinger (Album Version): Transglobal Underground (1993)

8) Baby It's Cold Inside (Transglobal Underground Remix): The Cold Head (2025)

9) Bujdosó (Transglobal Underground Remix): Anima Sound System (1999)

10) The Green Spider (Single Version): Transglobal Underground (2019)

1991: Temple Head EP: 6

1993: Dream Of 100 Nations: 7

1994: International Times: 2

1994: So Let Me Go Far EP: 1

1995: International Times EP: 4

1999: Bujdosó EP: 9

1999: Shri Durga EP: 3

2019: The Colours Started To Sing Again EP: 10

2020: Walls Have Ears EP: 5

2025: Torture Chamber EP: 8

Universal Language (57:31) (GD) (M)

Wob Almighty

Any day is a good day to listen to Jah Wobble, so here's a fresh 75-minute Dubhed selection of 12 songs that have been touched by the hand of Wob.

Spanning 1991 to 2002, this is a globe-trotting expedition taking in artists from Australia, Brazil, Jamaica, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, with frequent rest stops in blighted Blighty.

Turn up the bass, dial up the volume and prepare to immerse yourself in an eclectic mix, including a UK #1 single!

As it's Friday, I've reposted more Jah Wobble wonderment, including a previous Wob-heavy Dubhed selection from 2022.

1) Paths (Jah Wobble Remix): Robert Miles ft. Nina Miranda (2001)

2) Chains (Wobble Mix By Jah Wobble): The Wolfgang Press (1994)

3) Familus Horribilus (Mega Wob 2) (Remix By Jah Wobble): Pop Will Eat Itself (1993)

4) Go Into The Light (Celestial Dub Mix By Jah Wobble): Ian McNabb (1993)

5) Kiss Kiss (Jah Wobble Remix) (Single Version): Holly Valance (2002)

6) Night Nurse (Jah Wobble 12" Mix) (Cover of Gregory Isaacs): Sly & Robbie ft. Simply Red (1997)

7) Child (Jah Wobble Mix): Definition Of Sound (1996)

8) So Let Me Go Far (So Let Me Wobble Jah) (Remix By Jah Wobble): Dodgy (1994)

9) Texture (Remixed By Jah Wobble): Soft Ballet (1992)

10) Liquid Cool (Jah Wobble Remix): Apollo 440 (1994)

11) Chinatown New York (Wobble Mix By Jah Wobble): Bebop 90 (1991)

12) Ĉuovgi Liekkas (Jah Wobble Remix II): Mari Boine (2001)

1991: Fuse II: World Dance Music: 11

1992: Alter Ego: 9

1993: Familus Horribilus / RSVP EP: 3

1993: Go Into The Light EP: 4

1994: Going South EP: 2

1994: Liquid Cool EP: 10

1994: So Let Me Go Far EP: 8

1996: Child EP: 7

1997: Night Nurse EP: 6

2001: Paths EP: 1

2001: Remixed / Oðða Hámis: 12

2002: Kiss Kiss EP: 5

Wob Almighty (1:14:49) (GD) (M)

In Wob We Trust (January 2022)

Wob Three Times (August 2023)

Kicking Down The Khazi (December 2023)

You Can Touch It But It Will Not Fade

Side 1 of a mixtape, compiled 11th January 1998.

Following on from yesterday's post, this selection remains in the 1990s and features eight remixes that I was unlikely to ever hear down the local indie disco, but which in their own way, kick ass. What better way then to usher in the weekend?

 

In order to squeeze all the tracks onto a side of a C90 cassette, I originally cut Cornershop's Jullandar Shere in half with an early fade. For today's selection, I've kept the remix by Richard Norris (The Grid) and Choque Hosein (Black Star Liner) in all it's full, joyous glory. 

 

Conversely, I think the edit of Ain't No Longer (The Lost Riff) is possibly unique to a Select magazine cover-mounted CD. The full length version was intended for FPS-2, a remix companion to Dodgy's third album Free Peace Sweet, which was never released. FPS-2 was eventually snuck out on 1999's Ace A's + Killer B's compilation as a limited edition bonus disc and reappeared earlier this year on the gargantuan 8CD box set The A&M Years. Ain't No Longer (The Lost Riff) was also one of four tracks on a promo 12" of FPS-2 released in 1996, but I'm not heard it so I'm unsure if it's the edit or full length version.

Fans of Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon (which originated in 1994) will be disappointed to find that the titular Hollywood actor is not responsible for track 5's Audioweb remix. This Kevin Bacon is the former Comsat Angels bass player who teamed up with Floy Joy's touring keyboard player Jonathan Quarmby to form a successful production duo.

Without doing a disservice to Primal Scream, Fluke and Natacha Atlas, the final mention goes to Andy Bell, who delivers a remix (possibly his first?) of Ride that takes the original, Rolling Stones-indebted song to the moon and back. A precursor to his future music as GLOK, Andy Bell has also continued to record and release music with Ride and as a solo artist, including one of 2022's best albums so far, the majestic Flicker. I really must get an Andy Bell selection up here soon...

 

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, have a rocktastic weekend, everyone. More tomorrow.

1) Jailbird (The Toxic Trio Stay Free Mix By Kris Needs & Bent Recknagel): Primal Scream (1994)

2) Familus Horribilus (Mega Wob 1) (Remix By Jah Wobble): Pop Will Eat Itself (1993)

3) Jullandar Shere (Jeh Jeh Mix By Richard Norris & Choque Hosein): Cornershop (1996)

4) Absurd (Headrillaz Vox): Fluke (1997)

5) Faker (I, Mental Mix By Manna aka Kevin Bacon & Jonathan Quarmby): Audioweb (1997)

6) Ain't No Longer (The Lost Riff) (Remix By Jerome De Pietro) (Edit): Dodgy (1997)

7) I Don't Know Where It Comes From (Apollo 11 Mix By Andy Bell): Ride ft. The Christchurch Cathedral School Choir (1994)

8) Yalla Chant (The Lesson Four Edit By Youth): Natacha Atlas (1995)

 

1993: Familus Horribilus / RSVP EP: 2 

1994: I Don't Know Where It Comes From EP: 7

1994: Jailbird EP: 1 

1995: Yalla Chant EP: 8

1996: Jullandar Shere EP: 3

1997: Absurd EP: 4

1997: Faker EP: 5

1997: Vrooom! Motorcycle Loveliness (Select magazine promo CD): 6

Side One (50:36) (KF) (Mega)