A Danger To Ourselves

Ten songs featuring David Sylvian, spanning his first solo single in 1984, an unexpected collaboration earlier this year and eight more diversions over the past four decades.

This is a sequel of sorts to Saturday's post, which focused on the Top 10 Jaoan songs challenge, posted by Top10Nathan on Bluesky. 

Whilst I enjoyed but didn't participate in it, I couldn't resist the inevitable follow up challenge, to post the Top 10 David Sylvian songs.

It was a fairly open brief, spanning not just David's solo albums (of which there are plenty) but also his collaborative efforts, including his 1993 partnership with Robert Fripp, the Nine Horses collective, and many, many guests appearances with other artists. 

I didn't have a defined sequence of ten songs to start, rather a short list of about 15-20, which I was deciding on instinct for the first five days, by which time the final five and order had been settled on.

These are not my Top 10 David Sylvian songs: there are far too many for that; I could have pretty much posted the whole of Brilliant Trees for example, and 'padded out' with a few more songs. 

I also imposed a couple of rules: vocal songs only, no instrumental pieces, and only one pick from each release; not that it made the shortlisting process any easier.

I knew from the start that the opening song would be Cosa Rora by Lucrecia Dalt, which came out on 28th February 2025. It's a great song as it is, but the completely unexpected spoken word passage by David at the end seals the deal. Check out the EP on Bandcamp, if you haven't already.

I also knew that the selection would end with Waterfront, from 1987's Secrets Of The Beehive, another album that I could have posted in its entirety for the majority of my 'Top 10'. 

My one song rule meant that I had to forego other brilliant songs such as Orpheus and Let The Happiness In, though others picked up on these and more on Bluesky.

It had to be Waterfront, though. The piano and strings arrangement by Ryuichi Sakamoto is sublime, and David's voice is so rich and deep that it gets me every single time. I've been moved to tears on occasion when the song has caught me in a moment.

To me, Red Guitar and Darshan represent the populist end of the Sylvian spectrum. The former was such a striking solo single in 1984, and a stark change of direction from where Japan had been heading. In sequencing Red Guitar as the immediate follow up to a new song, I also appreciate how timeless David's music is. Hearing the opening two songs for the first time, I think you would be hard pressed to guess that forty one years separated them.

Darshan appears on the David Sylvian and Robert Fripp album, The First Day. The original studio version is over seventeen minutes long. I instead went for a remix by The Grid, which clocks in at a 'mere' sixteen minutes and eight seconds. 

After an ambient introduction for three minutes, the beats kick in and David's voice and Robert's guitar lock into the groove, to great effect. I love Dave Ball and Richard Norris' partnership, but it's one of my favourites of their many remixes. 

I don't know if this was a label prompt (both were with Virgin at the time, alongside The Future Sound Of London, who also provide an epic reconstruction) but I'm siure that it would have needed David and Robert's buy in. Either way,  I'm glad that the Darshan EP came to be.

The natural follow on is 1989 one-off Pop Song, which of course is anything but...and yet. I loved it then as I do now, but Pop Song's quirky time signature and sudden pauses and, despite it's non-conformist structure and against all odds, for being an ear worm. 

I've paired a couple more collaborations, separated by a decade. David continued to work with his former Japan bandmates, including early contributions to Mick Karn's solo career. Buoy was the single from 1986 album Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters, and it's great, though for this selection, I've gone for When Love Walks In which I think could also have been a contender for a promotional release.

David first collaborated with Russell Mills on 1991's Ember Glance (The Permanence Of Memory), comprising a near 33-minute piece The Beekeeper's Apprentice, and Epiphany, just shy of two and a half minutes. 

David returned half a decade later to guest on Russell's first album under his alter ego Undark. Notorious for returning to, refining and reworking his music, the Undark song How Safe Is Deep? is no exception, appearing a few years later on the Godman EP in two variations, re-titled Shadowland.

The rest of the selection comprises songs from the 1990s and 2000s, perhaps a period that many are less familiar with, though none the less rewarding in my experience. Dead Bees On A Cake (1999) and Blemish (2003) particularly resonate with me and whilst I've only relatively recently come to Nine Horses, it's another rich and deep addition to the Sylvian oeuvre. The song pick here features Stina Nordenstam, who proves a perfect vocal foil for David.

For something that began in a very loosely planned way, I'm really happy with the end result. Far from comprehensive, yet I think it captures the essence of why David Sylvian's body of work is so challenging and so rewarding. As ever, you'll be the judge of that!

1) Cosa Rara (Single Version): Lucrecia Dalt ft. David Sylvian (2025)

2) Red Guitar (Album Version): David Sylvian (1984)

3) Darkest Dreaming: David Sylvian (1999)

4) When Love Walks In: Mick Karn ft. David Sylvian (1986)

5) How Safe Is Deep?: Undark ft. David Sylvian (1996)

6) Darshan (The Road To Graceland) (Translucent Remix By The Grid aka Dave Ball & Richard Norris): David Sylvian & Robert Fripp (1993)

7) Pop Song: David Sylvian (1989)

8) Wonderful World (Album Version): Nine Horses ft. Stina Nordenstam (2005)

9) Late Night Shopping (Album Version): David Sylvian (2003)

10) Waterfront: David Sylvian (1987)

1984: Red Guitar EP / Brilliant Trees: 2

1986: Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters: 4

1987: Secrets Of The Beehive: 10

1989: Pop Song EP: 7

1993: Darshan EP: 6

1996: Undark 3396: 5

1999: Dead Bees On A Cake: 3

2003: Blemish: 9

2005: Snow Borne Sorrow: 8

2025: Cosa Rara EP: 1

A Danger To Ourselves (58:48) (KF) (Mega)

If you like this, why not try Nostalgia Burns, my previous David Sylvian selection from February 2023? I didn't look at it prior to picking my 10 songs for Nathan's Bluesky challenge but incredibly I've managed to avoid duplicating any of the above tracklist. Even more incredibly, I managed to fit 11 songs into under 47 minutes!

Note: A few hours after posting this, I received an email from Lucrecia Dalt's mailing list, advertising her upcoming new album. It's title? "A Danger To Ourselves"...!

Why Everybody Needs A Bosom For A Pillow

Side 2 of a mixtape, compiled 14th February 1998. 

 

As I reflected when I posted Side 1 in 2022, this date was either the most unforgettable Valentine's Days ever, or one so traumatic that I've erased it from memory. I was in a relationship at the time, though not the long-suffering Mrs. K, who I hope can at least vouch that Valentine's Days have been a slight improvement on this one.

I was either in an upbeat mood or urgently needed cheering up, if the tracklist of this cassette is anything to go by. Beats, happy keys, lots of energy...I even wrote the word 'funky!' on the DIY front cover!

 

This 10-song selection picks from 1990 to 1994 and is chock full of gems, opening with Freaky Realistic and Subsonic 2, two acts that I loved but never got the attention that they deserved, seemingly due to record label shenanigans and mishandling.

 

The Grid on the other hand hand a monster hit on their hands with Swamp Thing (see what I did there?). It was a thrill to see Dave Ball and Richard Norris on Top Of The Pops, when it was still (just about) worth watching.

 

Fame was fleeting for poor ol' Adamski, sadly. Barely two years after enjoying #1 success, both follow up singles and album failed to make much of an impression, chart-wise. Which is a shame as the PiL-sampling Back To Front was a great single, bolstered by superb remixes by Leftfield. Vocalist Ricky Lyte had also enjoyed Top 5 success thanks to his guest spot (as MC Lyte) with The KLF on What Time Is Love?

 

Peppering their song with a sample announcing that "one spliff a day keeps the evil away" ensured that Fortran 5 were never going to trouble the charts, but Groove takes the already groovy album version down a notch, riding on a infectious bassline. Great stuff.

 

The Shamen, Scritti Politti and Sparks all hook up with remixers du jour, with Tommy D, Apollo 440 and The Rapino Brothers delivering tasty variations.

 

And, to add a little grit to the honey, The Fall's cover of Lost In Music by Sister Sledge, which I was clearly obsessed by in the 1990s, given the number of my mixtapes it appeared on. Admittedly, I still think it's a brilliant version and one that, when it comes crashing through the speakers, I turn up the volume.

1) Something New / Cosmic Love Vibes (Full Frealistic Version): Freaky Realistic (1992)

2) Addicted To Music (Incognito Brass Mix By Jean-Paul Maunick) (Edit): Subsonic 2 (1991)

3) Swamp Thing (Radio Mix): The Grid (1994)

4) Back To Front (Album Version): Adamski ft. Ricky Lyte (1992)

5) Groove (Edit): Fortran 5 ft. Shola Phillips (1991)

6) African And White (The Steve Proctor Remix) (7" Version): China Crisis (1990)

7) Phorever People (D's Mellow Dub) (Remix By Tommy D): The Shamen ft. Jhelisa Anderson (1992)

8) Lost In Music (Single Version) (Cover of Sister Sledge): The Fall (1993)

9) She's A Woman (The Apollo 440 Remix) (Cover of The Beatles): Scritti Politti ft. Shabba Ranks (1991)

10) When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way' (The Rapino Brothers Extended Sola Mix): Sparks (1994)

Side Two (46:09) (KF) (Mega)

Side One here

There's Still Something Going Round Inside My Head

Side 1 of a cassette compilation, recorded 23rd July 1994.

 

First of all, welcome to Alex from Germany, who has just started a music blog called Bamboo Temple Garden. On Thursday, Alex commented on my previous posting of side 2 of this mixtape which reminded me (a) how much I liked this particular cassette and (b) that over a year later I hadn't got around to posting side 1. Where does the time go?!

The determination to make this Saturday's post coincided with the completely unexpected but very welcome news on Friday (via Swiss Adam) that the mighty Fluke has reunited and have a new single out on Monday. Incredibly good timing as Fluke kick off this side with their own remix of 1993 single Bubble, which was originally only available on the vinyl 12" single. To say that I'm thrilled that they're back is an understatement.

Next up is another legend, Fabio Paras, operating under the Smells Like Heaven alias with Londres Strutt. I love this song, especially the remix here by Boomshanka, but it also used to cause my girlfriend at the time no end of amusement over a misheard lyric. Once you hear the sampled refrain "bassline kicking" as "baste my chicken", there's no going back, I'm afraid...

Dave Lee was at the forefront of the 1990s disco revival and the singles and remixes around his solo album Universe Of Love set the template for the rest of the decade. Believing his own name to be lacking the fizz and pop needed for his musical output, Dave merged the names of two US artists, Pal Joey and J Walter Negro, to create Joey Negro. Dave continued to use the name for three decades until in July 2020, he recognised that it was not acceptable and the alias was permanently shelved. Whilst the name may have been ill advised, the music is and has always been brilliant.

Which I could also say about A Man Called Adam, who have continued to produce great music in each decade from the (late) 1980s to the 2020s and show no sign of running short on inspiration. Bread, Love And Dreams is a much-loved single from their debut album, with a memorable cover image of Sally Rodgers' bum... I'm still not sure that I've connected that image with the lyrical themes of the song, but I guess it stood out on the record shop racks at the time. What also stood out was the quality of the mixes, not least their own but those by Slam and, included here, Graeme Park.

I only need mention the Sabres Of Paradise or the names Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns and you know you're in for a treat. This is their epic remix (one of three) of Conquistador by Espiritu aka Vanessa Quiñones and Chris Taplin. It's a 12-minute propulsive house monster, not a typical Sabres mix in many respects but proof that when they wanted to go there, they could lead the way every time. 

Who else to follow Andrew Weatherall than David Holmes? David sealed his reputation with an equally epic remix of Smokebelch II by Sabres Of Paradise, but this remix of should've-been-huge Freaky Realistic predates that milestone. Named after the now-legendary Belfast club that David and Iain McCready ran at the time, the two Sugarsweet mixes of Koochie Ryder take the song into a much different (head) space and will be a pleasant surprise if you're only familiar with David's later work.

And to close side 1 (and bridge to side 2, as it happens), The Grid aka Dave Ball and Richard Norris bring their own remix of Crystal Clear. This single came as a seemingly unbeatable remix package featuring Justin Robertson and The Orb. Both excellent but The Grid are more than up to the challenge, the Trimar Mix adding female vocals and an energy that elevates it even higher than the original album version. And it's all achieved in under five minutes. Great stuff.

 

If that doesn't have you smiling and grooving wherever you are, check your pulse, you may need medical attention... 

 

1) Bubble (Braillebubble): Fluke (1993)

2) Londres Strutt (Boomshanka Remix By Ben Mitchell & Steven Harper): Smells Like Heaven (1993)

3) Do What You Feel (Dum Dum Vocal Edit By Dave Lee): Joey Negro ft. Debbie French (1991)

4) Bread, Love And Dreams (Parkside Mix By Graeme Park): A Man Called Adam (1992)

5) Conquistador (Sabres Of Paradise Mix No. 3 By Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner & Gary Burns): Espiritu (1993)

6) Koochie Ryder (Sugarsweet Mix Part 2 By David Holmes & Iain McCready): Freaky Realistic (1993)

7) Crystal Clear (Trimar Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris): The Grid (1993)

Side One (45:30) (KF) (Mega)

Side Two here

Happening

Strange Things Are Happening, Richard Norris' memoir of a frankly incredible life, dropped through my letterbox last weekend. I ordered it back in October 2023 so to say that I have been eagerly awaiting it's arrival is an understatement. 

I ordered the book via Heavenly so not only is it signed by Richard, there's a bonus CD featuring "Mixes and Collaborations 1988-2023". Of the 14 tracks, half are completely new to me, but when the ones I already own include remixes of Floatation by The Grid, Roscoe by Midlake, Disco/Very by Warpaint and Willow's Song by Katy J Pearson, then it's wonderful to have them all together on one shiny disc.

I've not started reading Strange Things Are Happening yet, as I'm (now hurriedly) trying to finish another book that I'd not long started but I'd still have no hesitation in recommending it. Given the sheer breadth and depth of Richard's contribution to music, which has been ever present for more than two thirds of my life, I am looking forward to experiencing those moments through his eyes, memories and words. 

I've tried a few times before to present Richard's music via a Dubhed selection, whether Beyond The Wizards Sleeve, The Grid or an attempt to encapsulate his wider work. An impossible task really but nature loves a trier so I've had another go.

This time, it's a mammoth 22 tracks, clocking in at exactly one hour and forty five minutes. In respect of sequencing and segueways, it's an absolute mess: if you've come here for amateurish crossfades, jarring edits and incongruous tracklist partners, then you've come to the right place. If I tried this in person in a public place, I'd be out on the pavement, my hard drive bouncing off my skull as the proprietor lobbed it after me.

However, focus past my ham-fisted attempts at mixing and marvel at the ambition and creativity of the artist at the heart of it all. Whether his own compositions, partnerships with Dave Ball, Erol Alkan, Finnur Bjarnason or more recently with Rachel Thomas and Stuart Carter as The Order Of The 12, Richard has the uncanny knack of tapping into something special. This transcends genres, hitting the sweet spot whether aimed at  club, dub or ambient heads, to name but a few.

Many of these are significantly edited - the original version of Ultramarine is twenty minutes long - but all are worth tracking down in digital or physical formats. A good starting point is Richard's Bandcamp page. I've been a subscriber for over a year and it's worth every penny.

 

1) Couldn't Do (The Time & Space Machine Remix By Richard Norris): Cheval Sombre (2014) 

2) Promises (Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve Reanimation By Richard Norris & Erol Alkan): Badly Drawn Boy (2007) 

3) Winter In June: Beyond The Wizards Sleeve ft. Percy Thrower (2007)

4) 10 Killer Hurtz More (Remix By Little Annie, Richard Norris & Skip McDonald): Little Annie (1994)

5) Texas Cowboys (Low Plains Prankster Mix By Justin Robertson): The Grid (1993)

6) Ultramarine (Edit): Richard Norris (2023)

7) April (Edit): Richard Norris (2021)

8) Ghost Dance: Richard Norris (2021)

9) This Too Shall Pass Away (Album Version By The Grid): World Of Twist (1991)

10) Morning Velvet Sky (Richard Norris Dub): Gulp (2018)

11) Meet Every Situation Head On (DJ Jackmaster Tab Fitness Mix By Richard Norris): M.E.S.H. (1988)

12) I Love I Hate (Lakeside Mix By The Grid): Neil Arthur (1994)

13) Pagan Dub (Edit): Richard Norris (2024)

14) Inner Communication Dub (Edit): Richard Norris (2024)

15) Find Yourself (Richard Norris Remix): Jacco Gardner (2015)

16) Lundi Bleu (The Grid 'Praise The Lord' Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris) (Cover of 'Blue Monday' by New Order): The Times (1992)

17) House Of Love (Single Version By The Grid): Billie Ray Martin (1993)

18) Abide With Me (Holy Dub - Remix By The Grid) (Cover of traditional song): Vic Reeves (1991)

19) Finally (The Time & Space Machine Re-Edit By Richard Norris) (Cover of Ce Ce Peniston): Cherry Ghost (2010) 

20) Somewhere Nearly Gone: The Order Of The 12 (2022)

21) Before Tomorrow (Richard Norris' Avalon Remix): Hollow Hand ft. Tim Smith (2023)

22) Hotel Du Lac 66º N2 (Edit): The Long Now (2018)

 

1988: Meet Every Situation Head On EP: 11 

1991: Abide With Me EP: 18

1991: Quality Street: 9 

1992: Lundi Bleu EP: 16

1993: 4 Ambient Tales EP: 17

1993: Texas Cowboys EP: 5 

1994: I Love I Hate EP: 12

1994: In Dread With Little Annie EP: 4

2007: Promises EP: 2

2007: West EP: 3 

2010: We Sleep On Stones EP: 19

2014: Couldn't Do EP: 1

2015: Find Yourself EP: 15

2018: Morning Velvet Sky EP: 10 

2018: Restoration EP: 22

2021: Music For Healing: January-December: 7

2021: Music For Soundtracks, Vol. 1: 8 

2022: Lore Of The Land: 20

2023: Before Tomorrow EP: 21

2023: Music For Healing: Colours: 6 

2024: Oracle Sound Volume Two: 13

2024: Oracle Sound Volume 3: Dub In Progress: 14

 

Happening (1:45:00) (KF) (Mega)

For your further listening pleasure:

Beyond The Wizards Sleeve: How Do We Start? (23rd July 2021)

The Grid: Think For Yourself And Question Authority (3rd December 2022)

Richard Norris: Clarity (6th August 2023)

Still Dripping Onto My Tongue

Side 2 of a cassette compilation recorded 13th January 2003. A return trip to the early-to-mid 1990s with some mid-week bangers.

 

The first of a double bill of The Grid on this side, Dave Ball and Richard Norris remixing one of Dublin's finest, Fionán Martin Hanvey aka Gavin Friday. You Me And World War Three was a single from Gavin's criminally underrated album, Shag Tobacco. 

From Dublin to London via Bristol as Way Out West rework Lucky Monkeys... well, it's Fluke really, using an alias to release the rather tip top tune Bjango on another label. Bjeautiful bjeats, one might say.

Next up a game of "Where's Bryan?" as Monsieur Ferry's cover of a Screamin' Jay Hawkins classic gets remixed beyond recognition by The Future Sound Of London. There were two Yage mixes on the CD single, one at 5 minutes and the 'Long Version' featured here just tipping the 10 minute mark. 

Shades Of Rhythm are Nick Slater, Kevin Lancaster and Rayan Hepburn. In 1991, they released Sound Of Eden on ZTT, with a re-release featuring a ton of remixes following a couple of years later. The Coco, Steel & Lovebomb Mix featured here is from the re-release (CD single). It's the only Shades Of Rhythm record that I own, but I've just discovered that they've been steadily releasing music from the archives on Bandcamp for the last couple of years, so I will check it out.

Back to The Grid with standalone single Diablo from 1995, featuring the vocals of another Dubhed favourite, Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones. Similar in tone to mega hit Swamp Thing, replacing the Deep South for Mexico, Diablo didn't match the success of the former but I never tire of hearing this song, especially in the full length version included here.

Rounding off this side is Rising High Collective aka Plavka Lonich and Caspar Pound. Caspar sadly passed in 2004, only 33 years old. Plavka has continued in music, both as a collaborator - most famously with Jam & Spoon - and as a solo artist. Her latest single, In The VIP, was released last month and you can find Plavka's recent releases on YouTube.

 

1) You Me And World War Three (Armageddon Mix By The Grid aka Dave Ball & Richard Norris): Gavin Friday (1996)

2) Bjango (Way Out West 'Bjangin' Dub) (Remix By Nick Warren & Jody Wisternoff): Lucky Monkeys (1996) 

3) I Put A Spell On You (Yage Mix Long Version By The Future Sound Of London aka Brian Dougans & Garry Cobain) (Cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins): Bryan Ferry (1993)

4) Sound Of Eden (Coco, Steel & Lovebomb Mix By Chris Mellor): Shades Of Rhythm (1993)

5) Diablo (Acapulco Gold Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris): The Grid ft. Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones (1995)

6) Liquid (Perry & Rhodan Mix By Ralph Hertwig & Tommi Eckart): Rising High Collective (1994)

 

Side Two (45:55) (KF) (Mega)

Side One here

Clarity

Just over a month since wishing Richard Norris a happy birthday and hinting at a follow-up selection, here it is, all fifty seven and a half minutes of loveliness for a Sunday.

 

The forecast was for nothing but rain but instead the sun is streaming through the windows, with clear blue skies as far as I can see, a reminder that summer is still here.

 

Today's selection spans an incredible 35 years, from Richard's early sonic experiments with Genesis P-Orridge/Psychic TV resulting in the seminal Jack The Tab album, founding The Grid with Dave Ball and Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve with Erol Alkan, further experiments with The Time & Space Machine and currently, a prolific output in his own name, not least the Music For Healing longform series and Oracle Sound dub excursions. 

 

I am in awe.

 

It's been a year of tough choices and occasionally poor decisions, but one of my best was to take up a subscription to the Inner Mind members' club via Bandcamp. I enthused about it last time and I'd recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed this selection, particularly the opening and closing brace of tracks. It really is money well spent. Thanks, Richard!

 

1) Golden Waves (2020)

2) Coral 2 (Edit) (2022)

3) Without Your Clarity I Would Still Be Bound By Gravity (Boundless Mix By Richard Norris & Dave Ball): The Grid (1993)

4) Move With The Season (Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve Reanimation) (Remix By Richard Norris & Erol Alkan): Temples (2014)

5) Frontera Del Ensueño (Radio Edit By The Grid aka Richard Norris & Dave Ball): Rey De Copas (1989)

6) Oxygen: Griselda (Genesis P-Orridge & Richard Norris) (1988)

7) The Throw - Levitational (Remix By The Time & Space Machine aka Richard Norris): Jagwar Ma (2014)

8) After The Gold Rush (Cover of Neil Young): The Time & Space Machine ft. Raissa Khan-Panni (2010)

9) Water (Dohnavùr's Werra Foxma Remix By Alasdair O'May & Frazer Brown): Richard Norris ft. Bishi Bhattacharya (2021)

10) Free Ride: Richard Norris (2021)

11) Shark Tooth Dub Extended 2 (Edit): Richard Norris (2023)

1988: Jack The Tab: Acid Tablets Volume One: 6

1989: Frontera Del Ensueño EP: 5

1993: Crystal Clear EP: 3

2010: Set Phazer To Stun: 8

2014: Sun Restructured: 4

2014: The Time And Space Machine Dub Sessions: 7

2020: Golden Waves EP: 1

2021: Hypnotic Response: 10

2021: Water EP: 9

2022: Coral EP: 2

2023: Oracle Sound Volume One: Bonus Dubs EP: 11

Clarity (57:31) (KF) (Mega)

 

Further Dubhed selections from the archives:

The Grid (3rd December 2022)

Beyond The Wizards Sleeve (23rd July 2021)

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)

Birthday Dub

Another belated happy birthday, this time to Richard Norris, who celebrated his 58th on 23rd June by recording and releasing a new track called Birthday Dub. It's a monster and available as a name your price digital download on Bandcamp.

 

 

I'm a few months into my first year as a subscriber via Bandcamp. It's been an immersive experience. Not only do I get new music (like Birthday Dub) on release, there are subscriber-only releases (the similarly bass-heavy album Oracle Sound Volume One, for example) and access to Richard's full digital discography. And there's a lot, including his Music For Healing series and the rather wonderful Lore Of The Land by The Order Of The 12. 

 

The original 'Music For Healing' version of June is twenty minutes long. Here's the edited version to give you a flavour.

Richard is also a prolific remixer, not just as The Grid (with Dave Ball) and Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve (with Erol Alkan) but hundreds (thousands?) under his own name. This is a particularly fine example from last year, a transformative remix of Sundowning by Mark Peters featuring Dot Allison.

 

Here's another, Richard's 2021 remix of Machine Girl, a track originally from Perry Farrell's 2019 album Kind Heaven and co-starring his wife Etty Lau Farrell.

 

Speaking of remixes by The Grid, I've always had a soft spot for their rework of Am I Right? a 1992 hit for Erasure. The Unofficial Erasure Club clearly agreed and compiled a video montage for the remix in 2015.

As for The Grid themselves, Floatation and Swamp Thing are perhaps the defining tracks, but I loved pretty much everything they did. Another early favourite was the single A Beat Called Love, song and video featuring the rather wonderful Sacha Souter.

 

If Sacha looks familiar it's because she adorned the cover of Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs top notch compilation from last year, Fell From The Sun: Downtempo And After Hours 1990-91, featuring the original album version of Floatation which (if memory serves me correctly) is ironically one of the few versions not to include Sacha's sublime vocals!

 

I was tempted to cap this off by reposting a link to a Richard Norris-inspired Dubhed selection from 2021, but I'm going to hold fire on that for now as I have a few ideas for another post. In the meantime, many happy returns Richard and thanks for all the music, past, present and future.

Hanging On

Gosh, these weekends seem to be coming around quickly...! Here's another uptempo mix to round off the week and usher in a couple of days' respite from what has been a rather full on seven days.

The typically loose theme of today's selection is guest appearances galore. Where else are you likely to find Pharrell Williams rubbing shoulders with Steve Ignorant, Half Pint, Billie Ray Martin, John Grant, Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones, Peter Murphy, Emma Pollock, Zip Rapper, Alison Goldfrapp, KC Flightt, not to mention Carry On film legend Sid James and yesterday's birthday boy Greg Dulli?

The music is largely rooted in the 21st Century, with the occasional dip back into the 1990s, with a smattering of cover versions of Pink Floyd, The Clash and Julee Cruise.

Now all I need is a black coffee and some damn fine cherry pie...

1) A.D.D. S.U.V. (Armand Van Helden Vocal Remix): Uffie ft. Pharrell Williams (2010)

2) Diablo (The Devil Rides Out Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris): The Grid ft. Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones (1995)

3) I Try To Talk To You (Ha-Ze Factory's Mucho Elegante Rework): Hercules & Love Affair ft. John Grant (2012)

4) Falling (Log Lady Mix - Short Version By Kjeld Tolstrup & Per Holm) (Cover of Julee Cruise): One-Eyed Jacks ft. Zip Rapper (1991)

5) Somebody Needs You: Lo Fidelity Allstars ft. Greg Dulli (2002)

6) Heavy Game (Night Excursion): Hifi Sean ft. Billie Ray Martin (2017)

7) Front 2 Back (Todd Terry Unreleased Mix): Playgroup ft. KC Flightt (2006)

8) Bike (Steve James Mix) (Cover of Pink Floyd): Fortran 5 ft. Sid James (1991)

9) Paper (AXOR Remix By Sam Barker): Starless ft. Emma Pollock (2020)

10) Bankrobber (Cellar Mix) (Cover of The Clash): Audioweb ft. Half Pint (1996)

11) Are We Here? (Industry Standard?): Orbital ft. Alison Goldfrapp (1994)

12) Who D'You Think You're Talking To?: Buscemi ft. Steve Ignorant (2021)

13) We Dive: Rambient ft. Peter Murphy (2001)

 

Hanging On (1:02:47) (Box) (Mega)