So Hurried, So Tomorrow, No Today...I Can't Keep Up

As we're heading to the last Bandcamp Friday of 2025, I'm going to spotlight an A-Z of artist releases from this year that are at least on my shopping list, even if they don't quite make it final check out.

Today covers artists A-F, namely

Alex Kassian x Spooky x Placid Angles

Burial

Coyote

Deeply Armed remixed by Andrew Innes & Brendan Lynch and Keith Tenniswood

Eddie Chacon

Fatboy Slim vs. The Rolling Stones

Alex Kassian has taken Orange Coloured Liquid, a lush, languid track from Spooky's 1993 debut album Gargantuan, on a trip through time. Part I is upbeat, Part II is closer to the shimmering original, whilst Placid Angels aka John Beltran lands somewhere between the two. You also get Spooky's version to round out a satisfying EP.

 

Burial returned in August with the 2-track single Comafields / Imaginary Festival. As usual, I find both tracks simultaneously soothing and disconcerting, which are even more effective as I listen to this on a cold, dark, wet November morning...thankfully, not alone at Casa K.

Coyote aka Richard Hampson and Timm Sure have been successfully creating an immersive Balearic environment for many years now, and it shows no sign of running out of space to grow. This year has so far seen a trio of releases: 6-track EP/mini-album Wailing To The Yellow Dawn in April, one-off track Battle Weary in October; today's pick, also October, is the 3-track Escape Pattern EP.

Deeply Armed is Belfast trio Michael McKeown (vocals, guitar, synth, percussion), Aaron O’Neill (electronics, synth, engineering), and Kenny Whaley (bass, synth). 

The Healing is the first song that I've (knowingly) heard by them and there's a real David Holmes vibe, circa The Holy Pictures. No surprise that he and Andrew Weatherall were early supporters. Andrew Innes and Brendan Lynch offer a rousing 3-minute remix that sounds like (good) Primal Scream, but the pick of the bunch is Keith Tenniswood's down low mix that sounds like you're listening to the party next door, ear pressed up against the wall, wishing you there. Great stuff.

Eddie Chacon's solo catalogue has been a revelation. Lay Low is I think Eddie's third album, released at the end of January this year. The previous two were made with John Carroll Kirby; this time Eddie has collaborated with Nick Hakim and the results are phenomenal.

I could have picked any of the eight songs so, if you like Let The Devil In, you will love Lay Low.

Back in 2003, Fatboy Slim aka Norman Cook remixed The Rolling Stones' classic Sympathy For The Devil. Fast forward twenty two years, and this time he's mashed up (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (1965) with his own The Rockafeller Skank (1998)... and it works for me.

 

 

More tomorrow.

Gangsters, Gangsters, Everywhere Gangsters

Gangsters, the latest single from Mark Pritchard and Thom Yorke's Tall Tales album has arrived with a mesmerising / fascinating / irritating (delete as applicable) video by Jonathan Zawada.

I haven't yet heard the album, but it's piqued my curiosity and I will check it out at some point. This listen took me down a different - and more obvious - rabbit hole of songs with a gangster...with no prizes for guessing where it ends up.

A few special mentions: 

1) I've never seen the video for Gangsterville by Joe Strummer before, so that was a treat even if the audio quality is a bit hissy;

2) In case you don't already know, The Sinister Ducks were a super group, comprising Max Akropolis, Capt. José da Silva and Translucia Baboon, better known to you and me as Alex Green (Jazz Butcher), David J (Bauhaus) and Alan Moore (comics legend), with visuals by Kevin O'Neill (also a comics legend);

3) Up until about 5 minutes ago, I was convinced that the repeatedly sampled line in Gangster Trippin by Fatboy Slim was not "What we're doin' when a" but "Fluff with the women" and I am greatly disappointed to be corrected.

4) It doesn't get much better than the last song, does it?

Had I more time, I would have presented this as a Dubhed selection. Instead, enjoy the videos (where available) and some rather cracking tunes.

 
1) Gangsters: Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke (2025)

2) Big Time Gangsters: Benjamin Zephaniah (1990)

3) Gangster: Dreadzone (2010)

4) Gangster: Electronic (1992)

5) Gangster Of Love Part I & II: Jimmy Norman (1968)

6) Gangster Of Love: Talking Heads (1991)

7) Gangsterville: Joe Strummer (1989)

8) Old Gangsters Never Die: The Sinister Ducks (1983)

9) Gangster Chronicle (Live @ Green Theatre, Kiev) (Cover of London Posse): Tricky ft. Bella Gotti (2014)

10) Cowboys & Gangsters: Gichy Dan's Beachwood #9 (1981)

11) Gangster Trippin: Fatboy Slim (1998)

12) Gangsters: The Special AKA (1979)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2001: The Party, The Future

As an accidental companion piece to recent posts on Bagging Area and No Badger Required, I've been sorting out some CDs that I will no longer keep, having ripped them to MP3 some time ago. Prior to donating the CDs, I've been listening to each of them in their entirety. Some, including today's selection, have a tenuous link to NBR's excellent "Crossover Tracks" series (coincidentally, the artist in this morning’s final post also features here).

One of the (re)discoveries was two cover-mounted CDs released to accompany the Muzik Magazine Dance Awards 2001, respectively sub-titled The Party and The Future. With 'The Future' now being over two decades in the past, it's been a really enjoyable listen, both solid compilations and music that - to my ears, at least - hasn't dated as much as I may have thought. 

No surprise that Dot Allison was smashing it with the title track of her album, co-produced with Keith Tenniswood. Her current more pastoral music is excellent but this bass-heavy electro chugger is a welcome reminder of her dancefloor credentials.

From Edinburgh to Glasgow and a very pleasant surprise to find Monica Queen providing vocals to Chris Coco's All Of My Beautiful Friends. I got her 2022 album Stop That Girl as part of my Last Night From Glasgow membership and from there was belatedly introduced to The Kingfishers, little realising that Monica had been hiding in my collection all along. A reminder that I should also seek out the Chris Coco solo album that this track is lifted from.

Fellow Glaswegians Craig Morrison and Graeme Reedie aka Silicone Soul also pop up, a reminder of how good they were. Sadly, they appear to have called it a day over a decade ago. 

Another sadly defunct duo is Fort Lauderdale aka Steve Webster and Toby Jenkins. I've just discovered that they went on to form Higamos Hogamos in the late 2000s and Steve resurrected the latter to record and release an album, Generation Games, during lockdown. We Ain't Got No Money Honey is the opener of Fort Lauderdale's second album, Time Is Of The Essence, and it makes for a rather beautiful closing track too.

 

1) Mindset To Cycle: FC Kahuna (2000)

2) We're Only Science (Album Version): Dot Allison (2001)

3) Big Groovy Fucker (Edit): Plump DJs (2001)

4) Star 69 (What The F**k) (Wine 'Em Dine 'Em 69 'Em Mix By X-Press 2): Fatboy Slim (2001)

5) The Answer (Album Version): Silicone Soul ft. Melanie Clarke (2000)

6) All Of My Beautiful Friends (Album Version): Chris Coco ft. Monica Queen (2001)

7) Deeper Water (Wookiee Slut Extended Vocal Remix): PMT ft. Michelle Breeze (2000)

8) Darkness 01/01/01: Steve Mac & Yousef (2001)

9) I Feel Loved (Danny Tenaglia's Labor Of Love Edit): Depeche Mode (2001)

10) One For You (Original Mix): James Holden (2001)

11) We Ain't Got No Money Honey: Fort Lauderdale (2001) 

 

2000: ...A Soul Thing: 5

2000: Big Kahuna Kicks Two Sampler (promo 12"): 1

2000: Deeper Water EP: 7 

2001: I Feel Loved EP: 9

2001: Muzik Magazine Dance Awards 2001 Vol.1: The Party: 3

2001: One For You EP: 10

2001: Star 69 (What The F**k) EP: 4 

2001: The Drumbums EP: 8

2001: Time Is Of The Essence: 11

2001: We Are Science: 2 

2002: Next Wave: 6

 

2001: The Party, The Future (1:13:52) (KF) (Mega)

Darren In The Underworld

Inspired by Swiss Adam's return visits to some classic Darren Emerson and Underworld tracks and mixes over at Bagging Area and the coincidental inclusion of an Underworld remix on the cover-mounted Depeche Mode compilation CD available with the current issue of Mojo magazine, I've thrown caution to the wind and jumped on the bandwagon.

I've cherry picked half a dozen remixes from 1993 to 2003, classics all, and generous with beats and breaks. It's impossible for me to pick a favourite from this bunch.

 

1) Human Behaviour (The Underworld Dub (1)): Björk (1993)

2) Harlequin - The Beauty And The Beast (Underworld Alternative): Sven Väth (1994)

3) Sunset (Bird Of Prey) (Darren Emerson Remix): Fatboy Slim ft. Jim Morrison (2000)

4) David (Darren Emerson's Underwater Remix): GusGus (2003)

5) Schmoo (Underworld Mix): Spooky ft. Heather Sian Wildman (1993)

6) Risingson (Underworld Mix): Massive Attack (1997)

 

Darren In The Underworld (54:39) (KF) (Mega)

Couldn't Drag Me Away

Today's eclectic selection is linked by one thing. According to Apple Music, I last listened to these songs on 16th December in previous years. I'll leave you to surmise which ones got an airing last year and which haven't troubled a playlist since 2015 and which have fallen into varying degrees of neglect in between.

Nothing wrong with any of the songs per se, it's one of the challenges of having so much (too much?) music to listen to, with more new stuff coming in all the time, this year being no exception.

The selection opens with two of 2022's top acts, Working Men's Club and Confidence Man coming together in a remix soundclash. Prince appears in potty-mouthed abusive character from The Black Album, recorded in 1987 but shelved until an official, limited release in 1994. Another Prince - Prince Fatty, that is - pops up twice, firstly with Big Youth and Marcia Griffiths and again at the controls with Horseman. There's also a rematch between The Beatles (courtesy of My Brightest Diamond) and The Stones.

 

As I said, an eclectic selection that starts off in the club, staggers to the late night cafe and then stumbles home, regretting the excess the following morning. Perfect for a Friday going into Saturday, in that case.

1) First Class Bitch (Working Men's Club Remix): Confidence Man (2020)

2) Lararari (Canzone Felice) (Santos Disco) (Edit) (Remix By Sabino Contartese & Davide Marsilio): Santos & Sabino (1998)

3) Bob George: Prince (1987)

4) Gangster Tripping (Long Edit): Fatboy Slim (1998)

5) Of Course I'm Lying (The Truth Is) (Remix By Boris Blank & Dieter Meier): Yello (1989)

6) Steppin' Out Of Babylon: Prince Fatty ft. Big Youth & Marcia Griffiths (2019)

7) Wild Horses (Acoustic): The Rolling Stones (1971)

8) I Sold My Soul On Ebay: Swansea Sound (2020)

9) No In A Dat (Album Version): Horseman (2014)

10) Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey (Cover of The Beatles): My Brightest Diamond (2008)

 

1989: Of Course I'm Lying EP: 5

1994: The Black Album: 3

1998: Gangster Tripping EP (USA promo CDS): 4

1998: VC Recordings Summer Sampler EP: 2 

2008: The White Album Recovered (Mojo magazine promo CD): 10

2014: Dawn Of The Dread: 9

2015: Sticky Fingers (Deluxe Edition): 7

2019: In The Viper's Shadow: 6

2020: First Class Bitch EP: 1

2021: Live At The Rum Puncheon: 8

Couldn't Drag Me Away (45:19) (Box) (Mega)

The Perception Of The Movement Of One's Own Body

Side 2 of a mixtape entitled Kinesthesia, originally compiled in 1998 for my brother and sister-in-law and re-recorded for my own collection on 13th and 14th May 1999.

Whereas Side 1 was a straight reproduction of the track listing, for some long-forgotten reason I decided to tweak Side 2, swapping a remix of the opening track by Radiohead for the album version and replacing Saint Etienne for Mulu. 

 

Guitars at the forefront of this selection, even with the remixes, Massive Attack roughing up Manic Street Preachers, Rosetta Stone adding a touch of Goth to Mulu and Sub Sub on the cusp of throwing off their club clothes and dressing up as Doves, with assistance from Tricky. 

 

A few beat-heavy classic tracks from Armand Van Helden, Djum Djum and Leftfield and Fatboy Slim's tribute to former Beats International colleague Lindy Layton to add some spice to the mix. Pulp go full on sonic assault with Party Hard whilst Bran Van 3000 up the ante with an escalating, squalling closer, proving they could have been more than one-hit wonders.

1) Planet Telex (Album Version): Radiohead (1995)

2) If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next (Massive Attack Remix): Manic Street Preachers (1996)

3) Daaboodaa Munks: Armand Van Helden (1997)

4) Difference (Steng Mix By Djum Djum, Leftfield & Mat Clark) (Edit): Djum Djum (1990)

5) Pussycat (Rosetta Stone Mix By Porl King & Karl North): Mulu (1997)

6) Song For Lindy: Fatboy Slim (1996)

7) Smoking Beagles: Sub Sub ft. Tricky (1996)

8) Reflection: Massive Attack (1998)

9) Party Hard (Album Version): Pulp (1998)

10) Forest (Album Remix): Bran Van 3000 (1998)

1995: The Bends: 1

1996: Better Living Through Chemistry: 6

1996: If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next EP: 2

1996: [Progressive House Classics]: 4

1996: Smoking Beagles EP by Sub Sub / Tricky Kid EP by Tricky: 7

1997: Pussycat EP: 5

1997: Sampleslaya: Enter The Meatmarket: 3

1998: Glee (UK Edition): 10

1998: Inertia Creeps EP: 8

1998: This Is Hardcore: 9

Side Two (46:52) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here

There's Help, If You Know Where To Look

Side 2 of a mixtape, recorded sometime in 1998. 

 

This one's a bit of a mystery as the original cassette is long lost and I only came across the track listing whilst sorting through a box of paperwork. I've no idea if I did the mixtape for myself or a friend, but it's big on beats and euphoric synths so it's ideal for getting up and out on Saturday after an exceptionally long week at work.

1) Salva Mea (Album Version By Rollo & Sister Bliss): Faithless (1996)

2) Atom Bomb (Atomix 4): Fluke (1996)

3) A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre Of The Ultraworld (Orbital Dance Mix By Alex Paterson & Jimmy Cauty): The Orb (1990)

4) The Way (Joshua's Dubwise Mix By Joshua Michaels): Global Communication (1996)

5) La La La (Fatboy Slim Mix By Norman Cook): Tranquility Bass (1997)

Side Two (45:26) (KF) (Mega)