A Cycle Without End

A dozen picks from my weekend music haul, half-and-half new releases and newly discovered.

I've been dipping into the PRAH label archives, including their annual 'Scratching The Surface...' samplers, mostly name your price and bursting with curiosities from their catalogue. Choice picks here are from Gentle Stranger and Raven Bush, plus a remix of Stroud-based 4-piece The Umlauts by label mate Hiro Ama. All good stuff and well worth a visit.

There's quite an electronic lean to this selection, spanning Prins Thomas, Luke Vibert and Soulwax, from 10:40 to Pye Corner Audio via 100 Poems, with a bold Bowie cover.

Autumns are new to me and I've been listening to the Through The Re-Construction Of Grace EP on repeat. The remix of Trolley Coin featured here has a real Mark Stewart vibe, which I love. A perfect counterpoint is DJ Lui's edit of a Fad Gadget classic, Lady Shave.

Wrapping things up is a remix of Not On The Radar, the title track of Mark Fry's 2025 album. As a teenager in 1971, Mark released Dreaming With Alice, which went on to become a psychedelic cult album. Three and a half decades later, the difficult second album appeared and Mark's been on a roll since, Not On The Radar being album #5.

And who to remix? None other than Richard Norris, delivering another slice of sonic sunshine.

It was such a fruitful shopping trip that a second 12-song selection will be popping up here sometime this week. In the meantime, try then go off and buy!

1) Boiler Suits & Combat Boots (Hiro Ama Remix): The Umlauts (2022)

2) Cycle: Pye Corner Audio ft. Andy Bell (2026)

3) Once In A While: Gentle Stranger (2021)

4) Løveskatt (Prins Thomas Diskomiks): Ora The Molecule (2025)

5) Winner: 10:40 (2026)

6) Perfect We Are Not: Soulwax (2026)

7) To Ziggy With Love (Cover of 'Ziggy Stardust' by David Bowie): 100 Poems (2026)

8) Floss: Raven Bush (2019)

9) Trolley Coin (Dyslexia Mix): Autumns (2026)

10) Lady Shave (DJ Lui Danceteria Edit): Fad Gadget (2015)

11) Don't Touch (Luke Vibert Remix): The Veees (2016)

12) Not On The Radar (Richard Norris Remix): Mark Fry (2025)

2015: Lady Shave EP: 10

2016: The Veees: 11

2019: Jeté EP: 8

2021: Phantom Thoroughfare: 3

2022: Boiler Suits & Combat Boots EP: 1

2025: Løveskatt EP: 4

2025: Not On The Radar: 12

2026: More Songs About The Sun: 2

2026: Partick Sailing Club Presents PSC#001: The Beautiful Flowers Wait For Peace: 7

2026: Perfect We Are Not EP: 6

2026: Through The Re-Construction Of Grace EP: 9

2026: Winner EP: 5

A Cycle Without End (1:02:04) (GD) (M)

Waxing Lyrical

Three mailshots from Soulwax, Follytechnic Music Library and Leo Zero, all containing the musical equivalent of a volcanic eruption (I should hasten to add, in respect of impact, not catastrophic devastation).

First up is a standalone single from the brothers Dewaele, spending a magical mystery tour in Abbey Road Studios 1, 2 & 3 to come up with this absolute banger. Beats, vocals, keyboard stabs, squelchy bits, you name it, it's got it, delivering seven minutes and twenty five seconds of club- and ear-friendly pop goodness. 

It's incredible to think that the first release from Follytechnic Music Library was barely three years ago. FML1 was an album of Hot Chocolate edits, so it seems fitting that the latest, FML39, features another sweet thing, namely Blancmange.

A dozen skillful edits from their 1980s period, mostly singles, of which I've plumped for the most obvious, Living On The Ceiling.

Every FML is a labour of love and a delight to the ears. Individual releases are name your price, or you can buy the full discography (currently at 46 items) for a tenner. You will not regret it.

Leo Zero has been a longtime hero of mine when it comes to edits and mash-ups, and he's been on a creative streak with the former in the past 12 months, with a slew of new releases.

The past few days have seen nine more added to the catalogue, covering a diverse range of artists from Sade to The Seeds, Christopher Cross to The Clash and, perhaps the most unexpected of all, Dinosaur Jr.

I was tempted to feature the latter but instead I've gone for Beverley Knight's cover of I Wanna Be Your Lover by Prince, performed for BBC Radio 2's Piano Room back in 2019.

Leo has turned that stripped down, three-minute version into a nine-minute dancefloor behemoth. I love it.

And a belated happy birthday to Beverley, born 22nd March 1973. What a legend!

 

Make The Sea Turn Turtle

Ushering in the weekend with 47 (and a half) minutes of electronica, spanning funk(i), broken beats, children's rhymes, new (and old) romantics, scuzzy guitars, pop vocals and non-stop dancing, sometimes ecstatic, always eclectic...

Some of these I haven't heard for at least half a decade, so it was a lot of fun playing mix 'n' match with the various sounds. Some of the segueways actually work, too! Which is nice.

1) Suck Acid, Pearl & Dean: Funki Porcini (1995)

2) Owner Of A Lonely Heart (2 Close To The Edge Mix By 808 State): Yes (1991)

3) I'm Still Searching (Junior Boys Spring 2005 DJ Mix By Jeremy Greenspan & Matthew Didemus): Visage (2005)

4) Leave Your Love (Justin Faust Remix): Young Summer (2014)

5) Backyard (Edit): Clearzone (1997)

6) Seventeen (Soulwax Mix By David Dewaele & Stephen Dewaele) (Edit): Ladytron (2003)

7) A Man Could Get Lost (Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing Remix By Harvey Goldberg): Soft Cell (1982)

8) Closer Than This (Xaphoon Jones Remix By Noah Beresin): St. Lucia (2012)

9) Make It Mine (Hilltop Mix By Daniel Stoner): The Shamen (1992)

10) Light Up: Fred Again.. & Mr Eazi (2022)

11) Love U More (Album Version): Sunscreem (1992)

1982: Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing: 7

1991: Owner Of A Lonely Heart EP: 2

1992: Art Of Compilation 10 (Art Of Mix bootleg CD): 9

1992: O₃: 11

1995: Ashabanapal's Big Pink Inflatable EP: 1

2003: nu:electronica_: 5

2005: Junior Boys Spring 2005 DJ Mix: 3

2009: Light & Magic: Remixed & Rare: 6

2012: We Got It Wrong EP: 8

2014: Leave Your Love EP: 4

2022: EarthPercent x Earth Day Compilation Album: 10

Make The Sea Turn Turtle (47:37) (GD) (M)

Better Do Better Than That

Back in my previous blogging life, I ran a series called Jukebox Juicebox, which randomly reviewed my music purchases at the time. Not to be confused with The Juicebox Jukebox, who apparently "create awesomely positive, fun, educational children's music, videos, and books"

The inclusion of Better Do Better (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version) by Hard-Fi in last Sunday's Dubhed Selection reminded me that I'd reviewed the single back in the day, which led me to dig out the original post from May 2006.

I'm re-presenting the whole thing, which takes in contemporary releases by Tiga and King Biscuit Time (Steve Mason) too. No edits other than the links, as several of the originals are now defunct, and some formatting here and there. 

I've also added the official videos, which I probably last saw nearly twenty years ago. Wow.

Hard-Fi "Better Do Better”

The Hard-Fi phenomenon has pretty much passed me by, not helped by the rather crap name and uninspiring sleeve designs. Yes, I know, never judge a book by it’s cover and all that… 

Anyway, this single caught my attention and it’s melody has been nagging at the back of my mind ever since. A slower number than the snippets of their Stars Of CCTV album I’ve heard so far, the song focuses on the return of an adulterous ex-girlfriend. 

Richard Archer’s lyrics are refreshingly direct - ‘Can you see me again? / Yeah right, you’ve been kicked out / Do you think that I’m that stupid?’ - and emotionally frank - ‘I cried so much / My face has never been the same’ - as the narrator realises that the wounds are still open, but steels his resolve to reject the girl he once loved. 

The flipside offers a dub by Wrongtom and The Stoneleigh Mountain Rockers, which strips both song and lyrics down to the basics – ‘You’re back, sitting on my doorstep / Your face makes me want to be sick / …it's a physical reaction...’ – making Better Do Better even more raw, in every sense of the word. 

All this, and gorgeous flourescent yellow seven-inch vinyl too. A great single that will undoubtedly repeat Hard-Fi’s success to date. 

Slow dance to this with your ex at the local disco and they'll get the message.

Tracklisting [7"]: 1. Better Do Better (Album Version) / 2. (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version)

Visit the official Hard-Fi website

Jan 2025 update: I abviously didn't follow the UK singles chart at the time. Better Do Better crashed in at #14, providing the band with it's 5th Top 20 hit. However, byt the time I posted my review three weeks later, it had dropped to #46 and continued a slow but steady slide out of the Top 100. 

Tiga “(Far From) Home”

The Canadian retro-futurist pop star is back with another slice from his Sexor album, featuring the seemingly unstoppable Soulwax. 

The original version sounds like the Human League fronted by Stephen ‘Tin Tin’ Duffy, whilst veteran producer Dave Bascombe beefs up the rhythm and melody for the radio mix on the CD single. 

A clutch of remixes wisely retain the vocals, but take the song in wonderfully different directions. Chicken Lips deliver a downtempo but extremely funky take. French duo Digitalism kick off with an intro not unlike Toni Basil’s Mickey, but rapidly entering dancesloor-shredding Chemical Brothers/DFA territory. 

Speaking of the latter, The DFA provide a further trademark mix (which is no bad thing, of course). What really pushes this take over the edge is a keyboard hook that sounds naggingly like Abba’s Gimme Gimme Gimme, as recently used in Madonna’s Hung Up. Four words: It. Works. Better Here. 

A version of Move My Body, the original of which was an exclusive on Erol Alkan’s Bugged Out mix compilation, maintains the quality for the dancefloor, with vocodered vocals and a nagging electro rhythm. 

The 12” vinyl versions offer the full ten-minute DFA remix plus a further Sexor Reprise by Tiga himself. A catchy song, offered in a variety of tempting formats. What are you waiting for? Indulge yourself!

Tracklisting [7”]: 1. (Far From) Home (Album Version By Tiga & Soulwax) / 2. (Chicken Lips Mix)
[CD5]: 1. (Far From) Home (Bascombe Radio Mix) / 2. (Digitalism Remix) / 3. (DFA Remix (Joakim Edit)) / 4. Move My Body (Version 2)

Visit the official Tiga website

Jan 2025 update: Undoubtedly boosted by my buying both the single on both 7" and CD, (Far From) Home debuted at #65...then disappeared from the UK Top 100 the following week. All of the subsequent singles and album listings on the Officlal Charts listing for Tiga are actually for US rapper Tyga. Come on, OC!

King Biscuit Time "Kwangchow"

A quick Google search revealed that Kwangchow is “a city on the Zhu Jiangi delta in southern China; the capital of Guangdong province and a major deep-water port”. My knowledge of world geography and history is pretty poor, so I’m not really much the wiser. 

As King Biscuit Time is the solo project of former Beta Band frontman Steve Mason, I didn’t expect the lyrics to enlighten me either. Opening chorus ‘How do you find a head when you got no fluid? / How do you find your heart when you feel no love?’, confirmed that expection. 

It may sound like faint praise but, if you’re a fan of the Beta Band or The Flaming Lips, then you’ll love this unconditionally. For the unconvinced, it’s difficult to know how to sell Kwangchow – and bonus track Tears Dry – other than to say that Mason is producing a more concise, coherent and generally more enjoyable version of his former band’s sound. 

If you remain unconvinced, then check out the remixes. The Doctors Of Love (no, never heard of them either) beef up the drum, ‘teardrop’ keyboard and piano parts to create a song that Primal Scream would kill to inlcude on their forthcoming album. 

Meanwhile, the Suicide D.O.G.Z remix creates a naggingly familiar Eastern-sounding beat, frequently looping the vocals to hypnotic effect. An exclusive Suicide D.O.G.Z remix on the Poptones website cranks up the rhythm and dubs the vocals to birth a sweaty floorfiller. A promising taster for forthcoming King Biscuit Time album Black Gold and an introduction to a couple of remixers to watch.

Tracklisting [CD5]: 1. Kwangchow (Album Version) / 2. Tears Dry / 3. (Doctors Of Love Remix) / 4. (Suicide D.O.G.Z - Faudels Hash Den Remix)

There is no official King Biscuit Time website, so go check out Steve Mason's instead.

Jan 2025 update: Very unlikely assisted by my CD single purchase and reach of my blog review, Kwangchow charted the following week at #84, the last time that King Biscuit Time - and Steve  Mason as a solo artist - cracked the UK Top 100 singles.. There is no justice in the (music) world.

In other diappointing news, the Poptones website is long gone and I seem to have lost the exclusive download-only Suicide D.O.G.Z remix along the way. Gutted!

Was It That Obvious?

Rounding off my 3-day celebration of Australia, what better way to get the weekend started than with Kylie?!

 

If Dubhed was a prize-giving blog, then Charity Chic would have cleaned up yesterday with his astute prediction. Unfortunately, it's not but hopefully the crushing disappointment will be offset by the prospect of nearly 90 minutes of Ms. Minogue.

This being Friday, I've often tended to feature selections of 12" mixes and slightly more 'up' music so in Australian terms, it was always likely to be Kylie over Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, wasn't it? Although they did collaborate back in 1995, including a memorable appearance on Top Of The Pops, when the pop princess reinvented herself as Indie Kylie.

Today's selection however focuses solely on Disco Kylie, spanning three decades and showing no sign of slowing down now we're midway through the 2020s. 

Although her music career exploded from the Stock, Aitken & Waterman hit factory, Kylie moved on in the early 1990s and has followed her own course ever since, working with some dynamic producers and remixers along the way.

 

I've never particularly considered myself a Kylie fan, I've bought a few singles here and there mainly for the remixes but never any of her albums. I thought the 'country' songs a few years ago were a misstep, but that's the beauty of Kylie. If you don't like what's she doing right now, there will either be club-friendly remixes to compensate, or another change around the corner with her next album.

 

This is one musical pleasure I don't feel guilty about in the slightest. And even if my primary reason for buying a single or compilation was to get that remix by DNA, The Chemical Brothers or Tom Middleton, so what?

Today's selection reflects some early favourites: Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi is cheesy perhaps but I love it; What Do I Have To Do? and Shocked were the big hits whilst I was in Australia; The Chemical Brothers remix of Slow is twice as good as the original. And I would have bought the Soulwax remix compilation anyway - they're brilliant - but their scuzzy, fuzzy overhaul of Can't Get You Out Of My Head was worth the price alone.

In a half-arsed attempt to dodge the sniffer bots and a DMCA takedown notice, I've avoided any reference to Ms. Minogue in the post title and have named the selection SmileyKylie in the hope that it similarly avoids unwanted attention on KrakenFiles or Mega. As usual, the download links will be up for roughly a month, so get in there now!

 

1) Too Much Of A Good Thing (12" Mix By Phil Harding & Ian Curnow) (1992)

2) Into The Blue (Yasutaka Nakata (CAPSULE) Remix) (2014)

3) Finer Feelings (Brothers In Rhythm 12" Mix By Dave Seaman, Steve Anderson & Alan Bremner) (1992)

4) Red Blooded Woman (Whitey Mix By Nathan White) (2005)

5) Confide In Me (Justin Warfield Mix) (1994)

6) It's No Secret (Alternative Extended Version By Dave Ford) (1988)

7) What Do I Have To Do? (Extended Album Mix II By Phil Harding & Ian Curnow) (1991)

8) Falling (Farley & Heller Alternative Mix By Terry Farley & Pete Heller) (1994)

9) Slow (Chemical Brothers Remix By Ed Simons & Tom Rowlands) (2003)

10) Shocked (DNA Mix By Neal Slateford & Nick Batt) (12" Version ft. Jazzi P)  (2001)

11) Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi (The Revolutionary Mix By Phil Harding) (1989)

12) Chocolate (Tom Middleton Cosmos Mix) (2004)

13) Dancing (Initial Talk Remix) (2018)

14) Can't Get You Out Of My Head (Soulwax Kyluss Remix By David Dewaele & Stephen Dewaele) (2001)

 

1989: Hand On Your Heart EP: 6 

1989: Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi EP: 11

1991: Shocked EP: 10

1992: Celebration EP: 1

1992: Finer Feelings EP: 3

2003: Kylie Minogue (Special Edition) (2x CD): 5 

2003: Slow (promo 12"): 9

2004: Chocolate EP: 12

2005: Red Blooded Woman EP: 4 

2007: Most Of The Remixes We've Made For Other People Over The Years...: 14

2010: What Do I Have to Do? (The Original Synth Mixes) EP: 7

2014: Kiss Me Once (Japan only bonus track): 2 

2016: Confide In Me: 8

2018: Dancing EP: 13

SmileyKylie (1:28:22) (KF) (Mega)

* Or, to give the Soulwax compilation it's full title,

Most Of The Remixes We've Made For Other People Over The Years Except For The One For Einstürzende Neubauten Because We Lost It And A Few We Didn't Think Sounded Good Enough Or Just Didn't Fit In Length-Wise, But Including Some That Are Hard To Find Because Either People Forgot About Them Or Simply Because They Haven't Been Released Yet, A Few We Really Love, One We Think Is Just OK, Some We Did For Free, Some We Did For Money, Some For Ourselves Without Permission And Some For Friends As Swaps But Never On Time And Always At Our Studio In Ghent.

Whang Numbers

Six numbers by Nancy Whang, who I was delighted to see on stage with LCD Soundsystem at Glastonbury...well, courtesy of BBC iPlayer, if not in person.

So, what better excuse to revisit some of Nancy's extra curricular activity? I tried to select songs where she either assumes lead vocals or is up front in the mix. Trying then to find videos where Nancy makes an appearance was even tougher, so I pretty much copped out by the end. Sadly, her guest spot on IDLES' 2023 single Dancer doesn't make the cut on both counts.

However, plenty to enjoy along the way, closing with a sampler from a 2014 EP of Nancy covering some Casablanca Records catalogue classics which may have you reaching for your credit card.

And not to ignore LCD Soundsystem completely, here's a timely reminder of one of James, Nancy and the crew's finest moments.

Happy House: The Juan MacLean (2008)

All You're Waiting For: Classixx ft. Nancy Whang (2013)

Do That Dance: Shit Robot ft. Nancy Whang (2014)

E Talking (Nite Version - Felix Da Housecat Edit): Soulwax ft. Nancy Whang (2005)

Sharevari: Aidan Noell ft. Nancy Whang (2022)

I Was Made For Loving You (Extended Version) (Cover of Kiss): Nancy Whang & Drop Out Orchestra (2014)

 

 

 

 

 

Trust Me, I'll Follow You On Tuesday

 

Summer has been a little stop-start-stop-start round here, but Joe Goddard's delivered the cure with Follow You.

 

Four minutes and twenty four seconds of chiming synths, full fat bass and mellow vocal harmonies, this will probably be smashing it in the Balearics (no euphemism intended). I'll have to make do with the depths of the Forest of Dean and the heart of the Cotswolds this week, but frankly this should give you a lift wherever you experience it.

This is the third release from forthcoming album, Harmonics, out in a couple of weeks and another album to go on the impossibly long shopping list.

Follow You got me in the mood for more Joe, so here's a selection of Joe remixing and being remixed, going all the way back to his debut solo release in 2009.

 

Let's Go Back (Joe Goddard Remix): Kraak & Smaak ft. Romanthony (2023)
All That You Want (Joe Goddard Remix): Ibibio Sound Machine (2022)
Starseeds (Joe Goddard Remix): Seahawks (2020)
Happyface (Joe Goddard Remix): ALASKALASKA (2019)
Children (Hercules & Love Affair Remix): Joe Goddard (2017)
Gabriel (Soulwax Remix): Joe Goddard ft. Valentina (2012)
Apple Bobbing (Four Tet Remix):Joe Goddard (2009)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...But When You Want Me, It Might Be A Different Story

Following my sideways reference to him in last month's post about cover versions of Nelly's Hot In Herre, today's selection is firmly focused on Canadian DJ & producer Tiga Sontag.

 

Another artist that I've lost touch with in recent years, although a quick scan of t'internet indicates that although his third album was in 2016, Tiga has released a steady stream of singles in the years since, in addition to DJing, production and running the Turbo Recordings label.

 

I only have one Tiga album, the 2CD deluxe edition of debut Sexor, so today's selection draws heavily on this. You also get a few collaborations with Soulwax (or one of the Dewaele brothers, at least), a Chromeo rework and a nice update of The DFA remix by Mojo Filter aka Ben Zaven Crane. In between, two answerphone messages, some nice chunky beats and basslines, wrapping up with the song that supplies today's post title, featuring The Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears.

 

Strap in and enjoy the ride.

 

1) Good As Gold (Album Version By Tiga & Soulwax) (2006)

2) Pleasure From The Bass (2006)

3) Burning Down (No! No! No!) (2003)*

4) What You Need (Chromeo Remix) (2010)

5) Jamaican Boa (ft. David M.) (2006)

6) (Far From) Home (Mojo Filter Returneth Re-Love) (2018)

7) Move My Body (Only4Erol Mix By David Dewaele) (2006)

8) "Tiga's answerphone" (2006)

9) Time 2 Kill (2007)

10) You Gonna Want Me (12 Inch Dance Mix By Tiga, Soulwax & Jesper Dahlbäck) (ft. Jake Shears) (2007)

 

* also known as Burning Down (London's Burning) or Burning Down (TGV Remix)

 

2003: Burning Down EP: 3

2006: Move My Body EP: 7

2006: Sexor: 1, 2, 5, 8

2007: Sexor (2CD Deluxe Edition): 9

2007: You Gonna Want Me EP: 10

2010: What You Need EP: 4

2018: Modern Re-Loves Volume 4: 6

 

...But When You Want Me, It Might Be A Different Story (42:07)

Too Punk To Funk

2007 mix, which I think I may have put together for a friend's birthday. Definitely a snapshot of a moment in time, when it was all about indie disco and big beats. The cover is a remixed image taken from the We Never Know CD single by Nicolette. A long time since I've heard some of these songs and many of the acts are now consigned to history, but I'd forgotten how good some of these remixes are.

 

1) Girl And The Sea (Cut Copy Remix): The Presets ft. Kendal Cuneo (2005) 

2) Gravity's Rainbow (Van She Remix): Klaxons (2005)

3) X-Ray (South Central X-Ray Vision 'For Those With Eyes To See' Remix): The Maccabees (2007)

4) Please (Remember 1992? Remix): Paul Hartnoll ft. Robert Smith & Lianne Hall (2007)

5) Jique (MSTRKRFT Remix): Brazilian Girls (2006)

6) Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before (A Chicken Lips Malfunction): Mark Ronson ft. Daniel Merriweather (2007)

7) Save Me (Coldcut Remix): Nina Simone (2007) 

8) Backfire At The Disco (KGB Remix): The Wombats (2007)

9) Office Boy (CSS Remix): Bonde Do Role (2007)

10) Sexy Results (MSTRKRFT Edition): Death From Above 1979 (2005)

11) Me And My Man (Whitey vs. Chromeo 'Fly Whitey' Mix): Chromeo (2004)

12) Standing In The Way Of Control (Soulwax Nite Version) (Khayem's Cheeky Re-Edit): Gossip (2006)

13) Broken Drum (Remixed By Boards Of Canada): Beck (2005)

14) You'll Never Change (Album Version): GusGus (2007)

15) Woozy With Cider (Jon Hopkins Remix): James Yorkston (2007)

 

Too Punk To Funk (1:17:42)