Release The Beats

Immersed as we are in end of year round ups and best ofs, I'm swimming with the current and today's 64-minute selection rounds up some choice choons from the year to date. 

A couple of these tracks have appeared on previous selections, but are too good not to bring back in. 

Like Fire by Airsine came out on the ever-excellent Paisley Dark Records label in March and I've been obsessed with it ever since. Today's selection meaning that I've now posted all four versions from the EP, every one a winner, as they say.

Speaking of fire, Leo Zero has been on fire (musically speaking, not literally) with a truckload of releases that haven't skimped on quality. June saw Nebulon Systems Vol. 1, a 20-track monster of an album, with Orangutan placed smack dab in the middle, at track ten. Not only a great album, but a ridiculous bargain at £4.00 for the lot.

Another mind-boggling bargain was the Powder Wax Vol. 2 EP by Jesse Fahnestock, revisiting his 10:40 alias, whilst also delivering a dizzying array of music in 2025 with Darren Bell as Jezebell. 

Powder Wax Vol. 2 arrived in February as a 'name your price' purchase, comprising two songs, Beneath The Waves and Miracle Me. Both appeared on 2025 highlights selections in March and May, and Beneath The Waves makes a welcome return here.  

Pye Corner Audio have frequently dropped a new track in time for Bandcamp Friday, always an automatic 'add to cart' come the day. The Deep Cut appeared in March, one of five new standalone tracks in 2025, all of this calibre.

Orange Sunshine was originally on a flexi 7" with limited vinyl quantities of Hifi Sean and David McAlmont's album Twillight. In April, Orange Sunshine appeared as a standalone single, featuring rapper Sawlty (and David's nephew). Feel it!

In 2024, sLEdger provided Fluke with a superb remix of Fluke's single Real Magnificent. June saw the favour returned, with Jon Fugler and Mike Tournier's remix of Tweeba, sLEdger given a refreshing Fluke rinse. Wonderful stuff.

I've continued with The Future Sound Of London's 'calendar' compilations of outtakes and unreleased music for a few years now, and still get a buzz when each monthly link arrives, building up a 12-track collection by year end. PSUN K arrived in November, the penultimate piece from another cracking collection.

August saw the return of Puerto Montt City Orchestra with And We'd Be So Happy, a lovely slice of Balearic sunshine with a spoken word vocal by Kitty Salter, the daughter of band member Tim. The initial single was backed with The Cruel Mistress Mix, included here, with two further remixes from Balearic Ultras and downtownLOOP arriving a fortnight later. Sounds just as good in winter as it did in summer.

Fluke's spectacular comeback continued with May's release of I Wanna Be, a bouncing, life-affirming single in it's original form, and given a fantastic dub rinse by Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons. I am over the moon (all five of 'em) to have new Fluke music in my life.

Wrapping up this final round up of 2025's beautiful beats is Tambores En Benirras, who I splurged my cash on during Bandcamp Friday earlier this month, snapping up the entire catalogue in one go. It was worth every penny, not least for the trio of remix EPs accompanying the album Ondas Horizontales. 

It was almost impossible to pick just one, but I've settled with Steve Cobby's nine-and-a-half minute revision of Extensor Entregado from the inaugural EP. Highly recommended!

1) Like Fire (Mindbender Remix By Mårten Attling): Airsine

2) Orangutan: Leo Zero

3) Beneath The Waves: 10:40

4) The Deep Cut: Pye Corner Audio

5) Orange Sunshine (Single Version): Hifi Sean & David McAlmont ft. Sawlty

6) Tweeba (Fluke Remix By Jon Fugler & Mike Tournier): sLEdger

7) PSUN K: The Future Sound Of London

8) And We'd Be So Happy (The Cruel Mistress Mix): Puerto Montt City Orchestra ft. Kitty Salter

9) I Wanna Be (Justin Robertson - Five Green Moons Remix): Fluke

10) Extensor Entregado (Steve Cobby Remix): Tambores En Benirras

Release The Beats (1:04:11) (GD) (M)

More 2025 beats on prescription via these previous Dubhed selections: 

28th March: It's A Glamorous World 

11th May: Doused In Dopamine

4th July: Staring Into Air

9th August: Is It Obvious? Or Is It Delirium?

Hobby Horse

Somone (probably John Medd) mentioned Fila Brazillia the other day. 

I don't often do requests, even implicit ones, but their name started bouncing around in my head until I succumbed to the urge to compile a Fila Brazillia selection, celebrating the great remixes that they've produced in the last 30 (!) years.

Fila Brazillia appeared to be rested in 2006, Dave McSherry and Steve Cobby following other pursuits not limited to making music. Except they never really went away, reactivating the FB name for a series of remixes in the 2020s, not least for shoegazers bdrmm, who also happen to be fellow citizens of Hull.

In a nod to the more recent past, I've included a track from Offshore Sunsets, the rather wonderful EP released last year by Steve Cobby & Third Attempt aka Torje Fagertun Spilde.

As I was in the midst of uploading this selection, and typing a dedication to the aforementioned Mr. Medd, I belatedly realised that I've done the very same thing in March 2023! 

Fortunately, I've only duplicated two of the eight songs on each selection, so I hope you will overlook this dereliction of due diligence on this occasion. 

Forty six minutes of phat beats and summer vibes, with a lil' bit of chill. Raising a glass to you, John! 

1) Forever Broke (Fila Brazillia Remix): The Seatbelts (1999)

2) Nepalese Fish Dances (Remix By Fila Brazillia): The Irresistible Force (1999)

3) Wild Party (Remix): Fila Brazillia vs. A Certain Ratio ft. Denise Johnson (2003)

4) The Sign's Alive (Fila Brazillia Dub Mix): Lypid (2000)

5) Be Careful (Fila Brazillia Remix): bdrmm (2023)

6) Golden Brown (Fila Brazillia Remix-Ambient) (Cover of The Stranglers): Better Daze (1997)

7) The Spy From Ankara (Fila Brazillia Remix): Snooze (1996)

8) Feeling Seen: Steve Cobby & Third Attempt (2024)

1996: The Man In The Shadow: 7

1997: Remix Project: 6

1999: Cowboy Bebop: Remixes: Music For Freelance: 1

1999: Fish Dances: 2

2000: The Sign's Alive EP: 4

2003: Fila Brazillia Versus A Certain Ratio EP: 3

2023: Be Careful EP: 5

2024: Offshore Sunsets EP: 8

Hobby Horse (46:24) (GD) (M)

You can find my previous Fila Brazillia selection, A Gazillion Brazillians, waiting for you here.

And whilst I'm name checking talented music makers, check this out.

Waiting For The Time To Come

Even now and then, I do a mix on the fly that lands just so, really hitting the sweet spot. I like to think I've managed it again today with a 63-minute selection of songs that have come out in the first half of 2024.

I say this every year, but it's been a bloody good year for music. If there's ever a moment when you think you've heard it all before and there's nothing to lift the spirits, along comes something to dissolve that cynicism. My longlist was at least twice as long as the 11 songs that made the final selection. I love every second of it and I hope you do too.

Fluke's surprise comeback this year was a delight, not least with the release of the, well, insanely beautiful single Insanely Beautiful. All of the mixes are worth your time, but I have been obsessed with their remix featuring lead vocals by Leah Cleaver. I think it's one of the best things they've ever done and I can't wait to hear what's next.

Likewise, Fruits Of The Deep, the first new album in 8 years by The Woodentops was like a gift from the heavens. Ride A Cloud paved the way in spring 2023, followed a year later by Dream On, which frankly should be mandatory listening. Rolo supplied a wonderful dub along with a superb, uplifting remix from Balearic Ultras which I've included here.

Pete Paphides has delighted me on two fronts this year: firstly, a belated catch up with his autobiography, Broken Greek; secondly, by signing Iraina Mancini to his Needle Mythology label. Following up on last year's Saint Etienne remix, Richard Norris and Erol Alkan have got together again as Beyond The Wizards Sleeve to re-animate the title track of Iraina's debut album, Undo The Blue. I'm so glad that they did as they have created a thing of exquisite beauty from a song that was already special.

C.A.R. is Chloé Alexandra Raunet, who I was vaguely aware of from her time in Battant and associations with Timothy J. Fairplay and Andrew Weatherall, but came back to in her current incarnation via a remix by (and for) GLOK aka Andy Bell. I previously included the Anzu EP in my 2023 'best of' singles. However, Anzu was re-released in March with a brace of Hardway Bros remixes that will make you fall for the song all over again. I've opted here for the dub, which is equally precision tooled for the dancefloor.

In February, Matt Gunn released the Elexperimental EP, four tracks self-described as resembling "something akin to Kraftwerk & LCD with a bass after a big night on the sauce". Drive Thru Century, featured here, is labelled as "Matt Gunn vs The Death Rattle Of An 80’s CR78", which may tell you all you need to know. Matt released a brand new track on Friday, Dub Clone Rising, too late to make this mix but well worth a listen, nearly ten minutes of bass heavy vibes.

Another February release on the always excellent Paisley Dark label was the 3-track PoPoPom EP by Spanish artist Stylic. Second track Like This is a thunderous beast, laden with vocal samples and locking into a hypnotic groove that's hard to resist. A remix EP followed in April, with both Keith Forrester and Mindbender aka Mårten Attling eager to get their hands on the track, and with good reason.

From there and a superlative remix from the aforementioned Andy Bell in his GLOK guise. David Holmes' album with Raven Violet, Blind On A Galloping Horse, is astonishing and between February and May, a steady stream of remixes and versions have emerged. Andy seems to be steering GLOK in a slightly different direction, if this and other recent remixes are an indication, though similarly transporting the listener to a wholly different headspace. 

Easing a little bit of funk back into proceedings is Steve Cobby & Third Attempt aka Torje Fagertun Spilde, with the closing track from their Offshore Sunsets EP. Feeling Seen is fuzzy funk (is that a thing?), perfectly connecting Kingston upon Hull and Tromsø, Norway.

Another international partnership that continues to deliver the goods is Jezebell aka Jesse Fahnestock and Darren Bell. Weekend Machines is the lead track from a 4-track EP landing on 3rd July and it signals a further evolution in the duo's work, which never fails to excite and entertain. If this doesn't get you moving, check your pulse.

I enthused about the México 24 EP by La Guardia De La Luz and Picotropico in May and I'm still feeling the love. I've inevitably gone for the best song- and remix title of the four, and it's chock full of chug, to put it mildly.

The closing track isn't new at all - it was released in September 2022 - but is new to me as I was gifted it on Saturday night. I'm on the mailing list for Lithuanian label Electric Shapes and they are extremely generous in dropping emails with free download codes for their back catalogue. Unfortunately, without fail I've seen the emails when the codes have long been used...until last night, when I just happened to be checking emails when their latest gift landed.

So, I am now the happy owner of the Crouching Tiger EP by Jokios Kultūros aka Dovydas Platakis. Jokios Kultūros loosely translates as 'uncultured' though this release is anything but. I've enjoyed all seven tracks, though the remix here by German DJ/producer Tassilo Vanhöfen has currently nudged ahead as my favourite.

I usually include Discogs links to the artist's names. This time around, I've gone for Bandcamp links so that you can check out purchase their releases if you like what you hear.

1) Insanely Beautiful (Leah’s Mix): Fluke ft. Leah Cleaver

2) Dream On (Balearic Ultras Brooking Bass Remix): The Woodentops

3) Undo The Blue (Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Re-Animation): Iraina Mancini

4) Anzu (Hardway Bros Conqueror Knock Dub): C.A.R.

5) Drive Thru Century: Matt Gunn

6) Like This (Single Version): Stylic

7) Agitprop 13 (GLOK Remix): David Holmes ft. Raven Violet

8) Feeling Seen: Steve Cobby & Third Attempt

9) Weekend Machines (Single Version): Jezebell

10) I First Learned About Shelley's Through A Magazine (Pico's Stoke-on-Trent Is Not In Mexico Remix By Picotropico): La Guardia De La Luz

11) Crouching Tiger (Tassilo's Vision Serpent): Jokios Kultūros

Waiting For The Time To Come (1:13:38) (KF) (Mega)

A Gazillion Brazillians

Today's selection flies the flag for Fila Brazillia aka Dave McSherry & Steve Cobby. 

The duo began to record under that name in 1990 but I think it was probably the mid-90s when I particularly became aware of Fila Brazillia via two tracks: their own song A Zed And Two L's and a remix of Cotton Wool by Lamb, which I featured here last month.

 

This selection focuses exclusively on Fila Brazillia's remix work from the late 1990s to early 2000s, a 45 minute ride taking in The Irresistible Force, King Louis, Lypid, Unitone and UNKLE. There's another great remix of a Lamb track, unreleased at the time in 1996 but which surfaced online circa 2015. The pair also bravely take on a Simple Minds classic. The original of Theme For Great Cities is unbeatable but I like what they've done, increasing the tempo but retaining enough of what makes the song so special. Busta Rhymes also gets Brazillified, the first of what turned out to be (at least) four remixes of Do My Thing across multiple releases. Kids warning on the latter, as Monsieur Rhymes is characteristically potty mouthed throughout.

 

One thing you can depend on Fila Brazillia for is bringing an irresistible groove to the party and they do not disappoint on any of the eight remixes featured here. I'll be playing this loud today to counter the midweek slump with some midweek funk. Bring it on!

 

If that's not enough Fila Brazillia for you, the boys have kindly obliged by making a large chunk of their back catalogue available on Bandcamp.

 

Today's selection was inspired by and is dedicated to the multi-talented John Medd. Thanks, John!

 

1) Nepalese Fish Dances (Remix By Fila Brazillia): The Irresistible Force (1999)

2) The Sign's Alive (Fila Brazillia Dub Mix): Lypid (2000)

3) Theme For Great Cities (Fila Brazillia Remix) (Full Length): Simple Minds (1998)

4) Berry Meditation (Fila Brazillia Mix): UNKLE (1997)

5) Do My Thing (Fila Brazillia Mix 1): Busta Rhymes (1996)

6) Dag Nabbit (Fila Brazillia Remix): Unitone (2000)

7) Lusty (Fila Brazillia Mix) (unreleased): Lamb (1996)

8) Paraplegic Soul (Fila Brazillia Remix): King Louis (2003)

 

1997: Do My Thing EP: 5

1998: Glitterball EP: 3 

1999: Brazilification: Remixes 95-99: 4

1999: Fish Dances: 1

2000: Fresh Diggings From The Claypit EP: 6

2000: The Sign's Alive EP: 2 

2003: Fila Brazillia: B2: 8

2015: Lusty (promo MP3): 7

 

A Gazillion Brazillians (45:38) (GD) (M)