Belonging Yet Longing

On this day in 2021, I posted excitedly about Dot Allison's return with Long Exposure, the lead single from Heart-Shaped Scars, her first album in 12 years.

In October 2022, I created and posted a Dot Allison selection and wondered why it had taken me so long to get around to it, given how much I love her music.

Five years on from that initial post, three years and seven months on from that Dubhed selection, and I've only just got around to creating a companion selection. Yet, it all feels like it was only yesterday, 

Ironically, I haven't included any songs from Heart-Shaped Scars per se. Instead, there's a remix of Cue The Tears by Anton Newcombe, and the original demo of The Haunted, featuring Amy Bowman. Amy also provides backing vocals to the opening song, Milk And Honey, from 2023's Consciousology. Both albums are furnished with lush string arrangements by Hannah Peel.

One Dove inevitably appear, Sirens taken from Morning Dove White, produced by The Sabres Of Paradise aka Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns. Fallen is an absolute classic, this version taken from the original promo white label 12" by "Dove".

Most recently, Dot has collaborated with both Mark Peters and Andy Bell, the former transformed into an ambient excursion by Richard Norris, the latter a cover of The Passions featuring Michael Rother.

Further Dot duets include Jude Rawlins, Christian Henson and Slam, 2007 track We Medicate transporting on a satisfying Bauhaus vibe. 

Dot has always travelled comfortably in the worlds of electronic and alternative music, between the dancefloor and the folk club, from glow stick to torch song.

Although the music here spans over three decades and each of Dot's albums and collaborations have their own distinct identity, I'm amazed at how well the selected songs sit together. 

As a companion piece to my previous selection, Everywhere Yet Nowhere, I also think it works really well. Completely accidental, but both come in at 61 minutes, just five seconds separating the two. And as Everywhere Yet Nowhere begins with Dot and Christian Henson, so Belonging Yet Longing ends with the same pairing. 

I'm not in the least objective about this because I'm such a fan of Dot's music, but these are two of my favourites of the many hundreds of mixtapes I've created in the past forty years.

1) Milk And Honey: Dot Allison ft. Amy Bowman (2023)

2) Sirens: One Dove (1993)

3) Wistful Summer: Dot Allison ft. Jude Rawlins (2012)

4) I Wanna Feel The Chill: Dot Allison (1999)

5) Sundowning (Richard Norris Ambient Remix): Mark Peters ft. Dot Allison (2022)

6) Fallen (Dawn): One Dove (1991)

7) Cue The Tears (Anton Newcombe Remix): Dot Allison (2022)

8) Lo-Fi Love Song: Dot Allison (2000)

9) You Dropped Your Soul: Dot Allison (2007)

10) I'm In Love... (Album Version) (Cover of 'I'm In Love With A German Film Star' by The Passions): Andy Bell ft. Dot Allison & Michael Rother (2025)

11) We Medicate (Album Version): Slam ft. Dot Allison (2007)

12) The Haunted (Demo): Dot Allison ft. Amy Bowman (2023)

13) When Love Comes Alive: Dot Allison ft. Christian Henson (2012)

1991: Fallen EP: 6

1993: Morning Dove White: 2

1999: Afterglow: 4

2000: Substance EP: 8

2007: Exaltation Of Larks: 9

2007: Human Response: 11

2012: Pioneers 01: 3, 13

2022: The Entangled Remix EP: 7

2022: Sundowning EP: 5

2023: Consciousology: 1

2024: Demo-itis: 12

2025: Pinball Wanderer: 10

Belonging Yet Longing (1:01:21) (GD) (M)

You can find Everywhere Yet Nowhere here

All Guerilla, No Filla

The Guerilla record label shone briefly but oh so brightly. Launched in 1990 by William Orbit and Richard O'Dell aka Disc O'Dell, it ran until 1994 (although it was 2003 before the company was formally dissolved).

The sight of the custom camouflage 12" single designed by Steven Cook - sometimes in blue, sometimes in green - in the record rack was a happy moment, a guarantee of quality locked in the grooves.

Guerilla was instrumental in bringing progressive house music to a wider audience and in particular introducing me to artists such as Spooky, D.O.P. and React 2 Rhythm, who have remained required listening ever since. 

William Orbit debuted Bassomatic (or Bass-o-matic, if you prefer) on the Guerilla before a deal with Virgin Records beckoned, and released the seminal Water From A Vine Leaf, featuring Beth Orton and remixes from Spooky and Underworld. An edit of the original version closes this selection.

Spooky and Underworld teamed up for a classic remix of the former's single Schmoo, getting today's mixtape off to a rousing start. 

Spooky make three further appearances, firstly remixing Jo Bogaert (the brains behind Technotronic) and The Chameleon Project aka D.O.P. aka Kevin Hurry and Kevin Swain. 

There's also Persuasion, their frankly stunning collaboration with Billie Ray Martin on the Throbbing Gristle song, with D.O.P. returning the favour on remix duties.

D.O.P. (Dance Only Productions, if you were wondering) released two volumes of Musicians Of The Mind, which don't get the attention and respect afforded to contemporary albums by Underworld, Orbital or Fluke, but were must-have purchases at the time and still hold up, thirty years on.

Speaking of Orbital, they dub up early Drum Club single Alchemy, whilst Glasgow legends Slam soup up Supereal.

I could go on about the rest of the selection, the glaringly obvious omissions, the expertly curated compilations that Guerilla issued in those golden years. Instead, I'll just point you to the music for the next 87 minutes. I'd love to hear what you think.

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

2) Go Getta Nutha Man (The Whole Shabang Mix By Phil Kelsey): Bassomatic ft. Divine & Glory B (1991)

3) I Still Want Ya (Nooshty Mix By Lisa Loud & Mat Clark): Outer Mind (1992)

4) Ooh La La (Album Version): D.O.P. (1993)

5) Your Face In My Mind (Pat Pong Ghekko Blast Mix By William Orbit): Lizzie Tear (1990)

6) Rhythm Addiction (Lea Bridge Road Mix By Sugar J. & F.C. Harmony): React 2 Rhythm (1990)

7) Alchemy (Phasers On Dub Mix By Orbital): Drum Club ft. Kate Holmes (1993)

8) Water (Spooky's Heavy Water Mix): Jo Bogaert (1994)

9) Feel (Spooky Remix (Part 1)): The Chameleon Project (1993)

10) Persuasion (D.O.P. Mix) (Cover of Throbbing Gristle): Billie Ray Martin & Spooky (1993)

11) United State Of Love (The Slam Remix): Supereal ft. Janet Cofie (1992)

12) Fight Back (Rootsman Version By Digidub aka Lee Berwick): The Moody Boys (1994)

13) Water From A Vine Leaf (Album Edit): William Orbit ft. Beth Orton (1993)

1990: Rhythm Addiction EP: 6

1990: Your Face In My Mind EP: 5

1991: Go Getta Nutha Man EP: 2

1992: I Still Want Ya EP: 3

1992: United State Of Love EP: 11

1993: Alchemy EP: 7

1993: Guerilla Remix EP: At The Moment Of Impact: 9

1993: Musicians Of The Mind Volume 2: 4

1993: Persuasion EP: 10

1993: Schmoo EP: 1

1994: Recycled EP: 12

1994: Water EP: 8

2003: Pass In Time: The Definitive Collection: 13

All Guerilla, No Filla (1:26:54) (GD) (M)

Dave Dreaming (For Dave S.)

Celebrating my friend Dave Scantlebury, 11th December 1957 to 20th January 2009.

We shared a birthday and a voracious, genre-defying appetite for music. We knew each other for less than a decade and a half, worked together for less, but those times were crammed full of music swaps, nights out and the occasional gig. Today's selection barely scratches the surface, yet also sums up what connected us.

Dave would have turned 69 on 11th December this year, and I'm sure he would still have been the life of the party, still doing 100-mile charity bike rides and still enthusiastically waving his latest music purchase at me, wanting to know if I'd heard it too.

I wish I'd seen Dave more often, had more days and nights out together, I wish he was still around to share music with. He still inspires.

69 Police is a rather on-the-nose reference to the age that Dave would have reached in 2026, and it's also a nod to the fact that we were both huge fans of David Holmes, pre- and post- his move into big budget Hollywood soundtracks. 

I first heard Bow Down To The Exit Sign via a CD-R rip that Dave gave me, although I bought my own legitimate copy on CD soon after. 69 Police is a joy and we were both particularly taken with Kieran Hebden's remix, then in that transitory period between leaving Fridge and finding his own audience as Four Tet.

Needless to say, we were also obsessed with everything that Andrew Weatherall did, musically speaking. Two Lone Swordsmen was perhaps very niche and bit too much for those that wanted him to repeat Screamadelica ad nauseum. That was never going to happen and we both loved these increasingly harder edged excursions into electro. 2000 album Tiny Reminders (another 'preview' rip from Dave before I got my own CD) is arguably the perfect distillation of this and one we got very excited about when it was released. 

Spiritualized was arguably a group that I liked but really grew to love through our friendship as Dave would wax lyrical in the pub over the genius of Jason Pierce. Amazing Grace in 2003 - and another 'try before you buy' gift from Dave - was an astonishing reaction to the increasingly expansive, densely orchestrated, out there albums that had been built up through the 1990s, a scuzzy, abrasive, quick-and-dirty sounding album that still followed the Spiritualized blueprint to brilliant effect.

A memorable gig that Dave and I went to in 2000 was at Fiddlers, the site of a former prison (c. 1740) in a suburb south of central Bristol. Touring their collaborative album Stop The Panic were electronic wunderkind Luke Vibert and legendary pedal steel guitar player B.J. Cole. It was as brilliant a show as it was a joy just to see the expression on their faces, especially B.J.'s, when they realised how much the audience were enjoying it.

Not only that, but the support was a set from Mike Paradinas, better known to us for his association with Aphex Twin and recordings under a plethora of aliases, most notably µ-Ziq. So, a pick from each to commemorate a great night out.

Dave selected Mott The Hoople and Culture to be played at the service celebrating his life, delivered by journalist, news presenter and interfaith minister Susan Osman. I shared the entire list in my post from 2022 and featured Two Sevens Clash by the latter, which reappears today, albeit an alternative version from a John Peel session in 1983.

Although I didn't explicitly mark Dave's passing in 2024, instead posting a 'chart history' selection from 20th January 1974, the latter also featured Mott The Hoople. I am taking this as a sign that following a two-year cycle in 2022 and 2024, Mott The Hoople had to appear again in 2026 and therefore they are also included in this selection. 

Dave and I were both at the Massive Attack gig at Bristol Harbourside in August 2004 and - you guessed it - massive fans, whilst we previously got to have an awkward exchange with Moby in February 2000 as part of the pre-show prize for my winning a pair tickets for his University of Bristol concert, courtesy of local newspaper, the Evening Post.

Dave also switched me on to DJ mix CDs, particularly the Essential Mix, Late Night Tales and Fabric series, the latter boasting an especially fine set from mutual favourites, Glasgow duo Slam. Their dub of Seventeen by Ladytron was a standout selection and I've included the full length version here.

The last gig that Dave and I went to was billed as a Green Gartside solo set, which in fact turned out to be a full band Scritti Politti gig in the intimate surround of the Arnolfini arts centre on Bristol's harbourside. It was an unforgettable experience and the few of us there, including Mrs. K and a couple of friends, knew we had witnessed something special. I had no idea that this would be the final time that I would see live music with Dave, yet it was perfect in every way.

The selection ends inevitably with another act that we both loved, and another album that Dave loaned me. We were both hooked on The Future Sound Of London and when they released The Isness as Amorphous Androgynous in 2002, it was just next-level greatness.

Even the packaging was sublime, what I can only described a Chinese puzzle box-inspired CD flip box that required some thought and effort to unlock the 'secret' drawer to reveal the shiny disc within. No CD-R preview this time, Dave lent me the precious artefact so that I could enjoy the full immersive experience.

I love The Isness and, when I finally managed to get my own copy of the limited edition CD, it became the soundtrack to my and Mrs. K's summer, shared nights sat on the somewhat precarious rooftop terrace of our home at the time, glugging red wine and enjoying the journey from sunset to warm summer night. Admittedly, occasionally interrupted by the sound and light of a police helicopter chasing down the latest car jacker, but otherwise as blissful as you could imagine.

So many happy memories, either directly with or indirectly because of Dave. He was universally loved by everyone that I knew, which I guess is evident by how his presence remains with me, to this day.

Cheers, Dave, and thanks for everything.

1) 69 Police (Kieran's Remix By Kieran Hebden): David Holmes ft. Sean Gullette (2000)

2) Death To All Culture Snitches: Two Lone Swordsmen (2000)

3) She Kissed Me (It Felt Like A Hit): Spiritualized (2003)

4) Roy Castle: µ-Ziq (1995)

5) Hipalong Hop: Luke Vibert & B.J. Cole ft. Mexeena Carlos (2000)

6) Thunderbuck Ram: Mott The Hoople (1970)

7) Two Sevens Clash (John Peel Session): Culture (1983)

8) Daydreaming (Instrumental): Massive Attack (1990)

9) Seventeen (Slam Dub): Ladytron (2002)

10) Porcelain (Torsten Stenzel's Edited Remix): Moby (2000)

11) Robin Hood (Album Version): Scritti Politti (2006)

12) Go Tell It To The Trees Egghead: Amorphous Androgynous (2002)

1970: Mad Shadows: 6

1987: The Peel Sessions EP: 7

1990: Daydreaming EP: 8

1995: Trance Europe Express 3: 4

2000: Porcelain EP: 10

2000: 69 Police EP: 1

2000: Stop The Panic: 5

2000: Tiny Reminders: 2

2002: Seventeen EP: 9

2002: The Isness: 12

2003: Amazing Grace: 3

2006: White Bread Black Beer: 11

Dave Dreaming (For Dave S.) (58:36) (GD) (M)

Un Autre Côté

Side 2 of a mixtape labelled "The Best Of Trance Europe Express" and compiled sometime in 1998.

Trance Europe Express was an off-shoot of the Volume book/magazine/CD series, with five 2CD volumes between 1993 and 1997, totalling 120 tracks, many of which were exclusive to the series.

 

As I said in my original post in June 2022, the mixtape is intentionally misleading, The quality throughout the five volumes remained of a such a high standard that calling this 13-track cassette a "best of" was a bit tongue-in-cheek. It's a good primer though, especially as you can track them down for a few quid these days. The book and the slipcase may be a bit battered but the quality of the music within will be intact.

 

Alaska was initially a duo of Laurent Garnier and Nic Britton, later music solely credited to Garnier and released on his own F Communications label. Unreleased Project 1 appeared on Alaska's Deuxième EP around the same time as Trance Europe Express 4. The EP version is eleven and a half minutes long, a couple shaved off for this exclusive TEE edit.

Pluto was another non de plume, this time for Rolo McGinty, better known for his work with The Woodentops. On this 1994 track, Rolo is joined by Leslie 'Bullet' Lawrence and Steve 'Dub' Jones. Rockefeller appeared (misspelt as Rockerfeller) the following year on Pluto's debut album, Rising.

Barbarik by William Orbit is another TEE-exclusive but containing all of the bleeps, tinkles, beats and spoken word sections that he'd made his stock in trade from Water On A Vine Leaf through to megastardom, producing Ray Of Light with Madonna. I love it.

Outcast (not OutKast) were Beaumont Hannant and Richard Brown. The former came to my attention via his superb remixes for Ned's Atomic Dustbin and his solo Tastes And Textures EPs. Whereas that music's closest and laziest comparison was trip-hop, Peach Taxi featured here is a much more housey affair.

Speaking of which, Glasgow legends Slam bring the house down with the mighty Soul Power. It's a testament to how much good music they were producing in the 1990s that this track would be a standalone TEE exclusive when other artists would have placed this firmly on a 12" A-side or album. The flow of new music has not slowed in recent years with Orde Meikle and Stuart McMillan still producing the goods, as June's Activate EP ably demonstrated.

Jörn Elling Wuttke and Roman Flügel formed Alter Ego in 1992, continuing with some success until a final album in 2007, with a posthumous remix album the following year and the release of a lost album in 2012. Sex And Gender is an exclusive track from their early(ish) period and a bridge between their first two albums.

Closing the compilation and bringing things full circle to the first volume of Trance Europe Express is the fittingly-named Trance Induction aka Tjeerd Verbeek. According to t'internet, these days Tjeerd is a biohacker and professional tai chi teacher, which seems a far cry from the urgent, pulsating N which seems purpose-built for a substance-enhanced club experience. 

 

Not your typical Sunday morning fare, but maybe this will transform your weekend chores and get the neighbours worked up. You know it makes sense!

1) Unreleased Project 1 (Trance Europe Express Edit By Laurent Garnier): Alaska (1995)

2) Rockefeller (Album Version): Pluto (1994)

3) Barbarik: William Orbit (1995)

4) Peach Taxi: Outcast (1997)

5) Soul Power: Slam (1997)

6) Sex And Gender: Alter Ego (1995)

7) N (Trance Europe Express Edit By Tjeerd Verbeek): Trance Induction (1993)

 

1993: Trance Europe Express: 7

1994: Trance Europe Express²: 2

1995: Trance Europe Express 3: 3, 6

1995: Trance Europe Express 4: 1

1997: Trance Europe Express 5: 4, 5

Side Two (45:47) (KF) (Mega)

Side One here

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) (GD) (M)

Dripping Onto My Tongue

Side 1 of a mixtape compiled 11th January 2003. Back to the old school - well, early 1990s at least - for today's selection of end-of-week bangers.

Bolting from the gate is Apollo 440 with Liquid Cool, which came with a plethora of mixes, including The Future Sound Of London and Jah Wobble and several from French duo Deep Forest. I wasn't a huge fan of the latter's music at the time but they turned out some pretty satisfying if safe remixes of this standout from the Millennium Fever album.

Dutch DJ/producer Patrick Prins was the brains behind Subliminal Cuts, originally releasing Le Voie Le Soleil in 1994. It was re-released in 1996 with further remixes, including this one by obvious fans of The Simpsons, Itchy & Scratchy. A duo of Seb Fontaine and Julian Peake, the latter had further chart success as Jules Vern, one half of Stretch & Vern.

 

Volcano were a trio of Norwegian DJs/producers, Ole Mjøs, Bjørn Torske and Rune Lindbæk, who teamed up with Sam Cartwright for a few singles on the Deconstruction label. Only Bjørn Torske and Rune Lindbæk are familiar to me from their later output. If you're into re-edits of 1980s classics, Rune Lindbæk offered up a 50-track smorgasbord including Thomas Dolby, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Amanda Lear and Toto. The whole collection is available as a name your price download from Bandcamp. 

 

Edinburgh meets Glasgow on the next track, Botany 5 representing the former, the legendary Slam the latter. Love Bomb is a match made in heaven, well, Scotland but what's the difference really? Botany 5 sadly didn't get beyond a debut album and handful of singles but it would be an understatement to say that Slam have done pretty well since then. 

 

Speaking of which, William Orbit was already well on the way to global domination when Water From A Vine Leaf was released in 1993. Featuring Beth Orton on vocals (although not noticeable here) and a stunning remix from Underworld (one of two), both of whom had even greater things ahead of them. This remix comes in at just under 12 minutes and really, just isn't long enough.

 

Keeping it short and sweet for the closer then is 808 State, with a scuzzy mix of Open Your Mind, a double A-side with Lift which just about cracked the UK Top 40 (#38) in August 1991, continuing their on/off relationship with singles-buying public. I bought this on CD single for pennies a couple of years later from a music stall in the Eagle Shopping Centre in Derby. Great times...!

 

1) Liquid Cool (Deep Forest Trans-Afrique Life Extension Express) (Remix By Eric Mouquet & Michel Sanchez): Apollo 440 (1994)

2) Le Voie Le Soleil (Itchy & Scratchy Mix By Julian Peake & Seb Fontaine): Subliminal Cuts (1996)

3) More To Love (K-Klass Pharmacy Dub): Volcano (1994)

4) Love Bomb (The Slam Production) (Remix By Stuart McMillan & Orde Meikle): Botany 5 (1990)

5) Water From A Vine Leaf (Underwater Mix Part 2 By Underworld): William Orbit ft. Beth Orton (1993)

6) Open Your Mind (Sound Garden Mix): 808 State (1991)

Side One (46:11) (KF) (Mega)

Soul Rebel Sold Out To Disco

An Imaginary Compilation Album featuring Billie Ray Martin, which JC at The Vinyl Villain kindly hosted on 17th June 2021.

It resurfaced yesterday when Billie posted a Spotify playlist link on Twitter and as I mentioned the ICA in my reply. I got this reaction.

 

I've been a big fan of Billie since the late 1980s and the ICA was my effort to shine a light on her incredible body of work, whether solo or in collaboration. The rules of the ICA are pretty straightforward: 10 songs, two sides, roughly 45 minutes or less, replicating the experience of listening to a vinyl album then flipping it over to play the other side.

It took me a long time to finish the ICA as I really struggled to whittle my short(ish) list to just 10 songs. In the end I cheated and included a "bonus 12" EP" with a further 4 songs.

JC's generosity in hosting this and other posts were a springboard to launching my own blog and The Vinyl Villain remains one of my touchstones for what a great music blog should be.

I've recreated the ICA here as a continuous, 68-minute mix. For the sleevenotes, here's the link to the original TVV post. 

 

Whilst Billie continues to work on new music, many of her releases are available digitally (several EPs in greatly expanded form) via her website or Bandcamp. All highly recommended, of course.

Side One

1) (I Spent Hours Again) Wishing You Well (Single Version By The Grid aka Dave Ball & Richard Norris): Billie Ray Martin (1993)

2) Bright Lights Fading (Original Edit): Slam ft. Billie Ray Martin (2004)

3) Heavy Game (Album Version) Hifi Sean ft. Billie Ray Martin (2016)

4) Talking With Myself (Live @ Simon Forestiero Got 2 Be Funky, Piccadilly Key 103 FM Radio Manchester) (Cover of Electribe 101): Billie Ray Martin (2002)

5) Hyper Lust (Album Version): MOTOR ft. Billie Ray Martin (2012)

Side Two

1) I've Never Been To Memphis (Radio Edit): Billie Ray Martin (2001)

2) The Crackdown (Radio Edit) (Cover of Cabaret Voltaire): Billie Ray Martin ft. Stephen Mallinder & Märtini Brös (2010)

3) No Brakes On My Rollerskates (Mark Moore & Mr. Motion Mix): Hot Skates 3000 (2003)

4) Undisco Me (Original Radio Edit): Billie Ray Martin (2007)

5) Persuasion (SpookyBillie's Ventriloquist Mix) (Cover of Throbbing Gristle): Billie Ray Martin & Spooky (1993)

Bonus 12" EP

1) Captain Drag (Album Version): Billie Ray Martin ft. Ann Peebles & Carla Thomas (2001)

2) Candy Coated Crime (Disco Bloodbath Remix): The Opiates (2012)

3) You And I (Keep Holding On) (Album Version By Billie Ray Martin & BT aka Brian Transeau): Billie Ray Martin (1996)

4) The Long And Lonely Fall (Album Version): Billie Ray Martin (2016)

1993: Persuasion EP: B5

1993: 4 Ambient Tales EP: A1

1996: Deadline For My Memories: C3

2001: I've Never Been To Memphis EP: B1 

2001: 18 Carat Garbage: C1

2003: No Brakes On My Rollerskates EP: B3

2004: Bright Lights Fading EP: A2

2007: Undisco Me EP: B4

2008: BRM Live On Manchester Radio (Unplugged) EP: A4

2010: The Crackdown Project EP: B2 

2012: Hollywood Cuts (The Remixes): C2

2012: Man Made Machine: A5

2016: Ft.: A3

2016: The Soul Tapes: C4

Soul Rebel Sold Out To Disco (1:07:52) (KF) (Mega)

Heaven Leads To Hell

Side 2 of a mixtape, recorded 13th July 1997 and featuring a selection of 1990s favourites.

First appearance on this blog for German acid techno duo Hardfloor aka Oliver Bondzio and Ramon Zenker. Mr. Anderson was an early single on the Harthouse label, typical of the Hardfloor sound with hard beats and a chorus of Roland TB-303 bass synthesizers in the breakdown. 

 

Propellerheads aka Alex Gifford and Will White were everywhere in the mid-late 1990s, collaborating with Dame Shirley Bassey and composing the theme tune to The Graham Norton Show on Channel 4. They were also ubiquitous remixers and this, combined with Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield on vocals, helped (excuse the pun) propel Lopez by 808 State to #20 in the UK singles chart in February 1997.

A Man Called Adam aka Sally Rodgers and Steve Jones called in another duo, Glasgow heavyweights Slam aka Stuart MacMillan and Order Meikle, to remix Bread, Love And Dreams from their debut album The Apple. The sleeve of the single features Sally Rodgers' arse but there's not a single bum note (sorry, no more puns) in this remix.

 

I bought the 12" single of Sincere / 3-Wheel Crash by Robin Reliant for the sole reason that it was on the Finiflex label and it turned out to be a safe bet. Robin Hickman is joined on The Unstable Mix of the latter by John Vick and Fred Parsons aka Mr. Samples and Phunky Torso for ten minutes of progressive house, which really hits the spot.

 

Bumble were an early 1990s act that sought to marry club beats with traditional Irish music. 1992's West In Motion was released on U2's Mother label (yes, really). It caught the attention of Andrew Weatherall who provided an epic twelve minute remix, which itself laid the groundwork for his subsequent and equally epic remix of Peace Together with Sabres Of Paradise. The original cassette compilation featured Bumble's own club mix of the track, featuring Breda Mayock on vocals. I've swapped it here, mainly because I haven't ripped the 12" single in full but also because it gives me an excuse to include an alternative Weatherall mix, which appeared on a white label 12" and the CD single. 

 

Rounding things off is System 7 aka Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy, with the lush synth-rinsed breakbeats of Interstate, as remixed by Doc Scott. I'm a huge fan of System 7 and the duo's ongoing thirst for collaboration with contemporary artists. Simultaneously urgent and calming, this mix of Interstate is eight minutes but could have stretched to at least twice the length and not outstayed it's welcome. 

1) Mr. Anderson: Hardfloor (1994)

2) Lopez (Hard On) (A Progressive Mix By The Propellerheads): 808 State ft. James Dean Bradfield (1997)

3) Bread, Love And Dreams (Slam Mix): A Man Called Adam (1992)

4) 3-Wheel Crash (The Unstable Mix): Robin Reliant (1993)

5) West In Motion (Andrew Weatherall Drum Mix): Bumble (1992)

6) Interstate (Doc Scott Mix): System 7 (1995)

Side Two (46:55) (Box) (Mega)

It Feels So Good To Be Free

After a week of slipshod sequencing from yours truly, here's Spooky to show how it's done. This came as a freebie cover mounted mix CD with DJ magazine way back in June 2007. The title says it all: the set was mixed live at Auto Cinema in Monterrey, Mexico and is heavy with new tunes, including a mix of their own New Light, the original vocal version providing the title of today's post.

 

1) Pass The Suntan Lotion (Nic Fanciulli Mix): James Talk (2007)

2) Praise (Llorca Mix): Art Of Tones (2007)
3) Bhalobash (Original Version): Mike Monday (2006)
4) Blue Glass: Piemont (2007)

5) Umbrella (Spooky Remix): Chymera (2007)
6) Zoom In: Kupon (Matthew Roberts & Matt Thomas) (2006)

7) The Pressure (King Roc Mix): The Breakfastaz (2006)
8) Static (Satoshi Tomiie Mix): Planet Funk (2007)
9) New Light (Spooky's Strobelight Mix): Spooky ft. Celestine Walcott-Gordon (2007)

10) Latinhead (Tarrentella's Re-Edit): Soul Mekanik (Kelvin Andrews & Danny Spencer) (2006)
11) This World (Wighnomy Brothers & Robag Wruhme Bukklefipps Remix): Slam ft. Tyrone Power (2004)

Live At Auto Cinema, Monterrey, Mexico, 2007 (1:05:03)

Return To Concussive State Mixes

Side 1 of a mixtape, compiled 25th April 1999, featuring Slam singles, remixes and rarities, 1991-1997.

 

1) Intensities In-Ten-Cities: Slam (1993)

2) Pacific Dance (Slam Remix): State Of House (1993)

3) Tokyo Stealth Fighter (Slam Conflicting Beats Mix): Dave Angel (1997)

4) White Love (Slam Mix) (Dub Half Edit By Khayem): One Dove (1993)

5) Soul Power: Slam (1997)

6) Chronologie Part 6 (Slam Mix 1) (Edit By Khayem): Jean-Michel Jarre (1994)

Side One (45:27)

 

Get Side Two here  

United State Of Dub

13 tracks, 12" mixes, more dub, less vocal, 'nuff said.

 

1)  Hope (Cameless Rub-A-Dub): Loop Guru ft. Zahrema Di Starace & Natacha Atlas (1993)

2) Touch Me (Two Lone Swordsmen Dub) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood): Sweetie (2002)

3) Open Up Your Head (Trancefield Dub Mix By Leftfield): If? (1991)

4) Buddy X (Masters At Work Dub No. 1): Neneh Cherry (1993)

5) United State Of Love (Soma Dub Remix By Slam): Supereal (1992)

6) Gandhi (Dicky Trisco's Heavenly Dub): Le Corps Mince De Françoise (2010)

7) Dr. Lee PhD (Dub Mix By Mario Caldato Jr.): Beastie Boys ft. Lee 'Scratch' Perry & Money Mark (1998)

8) Silver Surfer (Dub) (Remix By François Kevorkian & Goh Hotoda): Lizzie Tear (1988)

9) One Of Our Submarines (Salz Dubmix): Thomas Dolby (2003)

10) Karmacoma (Bumper Ball Dub) (Remix By Mad Professor): Massive Attack (1994)

11) Adventures In Failure (Dub): MC 900 Ft. Jesus (1991)

12) Stupid Girl (Dreadzone Dub Version): Garbage (1996)

13) Shelter (Slow Phase) (Dub): Spooky ft. Julie Daske (2007)

 

United State Of Dub (1:20:05)