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.

Solid Gould

Sublime sounds for Sunday courtesy of Mixmaster Morris aka Morris Gould aka The Irresistible Force.

Although he's created some deft beats and pieces, Morris is best known for defining then redefining the ambient/chillout crossover in the 1990s. The first time I heard of him though was in 1987 and an insane chopped up edit of Perfect Skin by Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, tucked away on the B-side of the My Bag 12" single. 

 

I also had a 12" of Yon Yonson by The Dave Howard Singers with a couple of bonkers remixes featuring samples of 80s TV sensation and sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer but I didn't realise that these were early Morris mixes until he replied to a Tweet I posted about the record a year or so ago. A remix of the Stump single Charlton Heston the same year is similarly cracked.

Today's mix is a little more laid back...well, apart from a cheeky sneak in of one of the above near the end. Oh, and an even cheekier phone prank pulled by Richard D. James on Morris and Robin Rimbaud aka Scanner.

 

Apart from that though, it's a little more laid back, I promise. You get several of the usual suspects in the early to mid 1990s downtempo arena, plus a few 21st century remixes and a couple of reworks of his own music as The Irresistible Force. All in, a baker's dozen of tracks coming in at a wink over 85 minutes. 

This selection is not a patch on what Morris himself would mix together - for evidence, I can easily recommend any of the mixes that are available to purchase or view online. But I'm learning very slowly.

 

1) Speedlearn (Reformed By The Irresistible Force): The Higher Intelligence Agency (1994)

2) Space Is The Place (Intergalactic Ambient Mix): The Irresistible Force (1991)

3) Freeform Attractor (Remixed By Mixmaster Morris): Aural Expansion (1995)

4) Phone Pranks 1: Caustic Window ft. Morris Gould & Robin Rimbaud (1994)

5) 2046 (The Irresistible Force Remix): Saafi Brothers (2019)

6) Autumn Leaves (The Irresistible Force Full Chill Mix) (Cover of Edith Piaf): Coldcut ft. Janis Alexander (1992)

7) Duende (Mixmaster Morris Ambient Sunrise Mix): The Irresistible Force ft. Nik Turner & Youth (2016)

8) Barbarella (The Irresistible Force Remix): Barbarella (1993)

9) Scientas (Irresistible Force Mix): The Shamen (1993)

10) Yon Yonson Meets Dr. R-R-Ruth (Sex Sample Sequel #One) (Remix By Dave Howard, John King & Morris Gould): The Dave Howard Singers (1987)

11) Fish Dances (Instrumental) (Remix By Mixmaster Morris): The Irresistible Force (1999)

12) Tranquility Gate (Mixmaster Morris Remix): Bluetech (2019)

13) Hey There Look At You, Unravelling (Mixmaster Morris vs Chris Coco Remix): Coco, Steel & Lovebomb (2015)

 

1987: Yon Yonson Meets Dr. R-R-Ruth (limited edition 12"): 10

1991: Space Is The Place EP: 2 

1993: Autumn Leaves (promo white label 12"): 6 

1993: Barbarella EP: 8

1993: Different Drum: 9

1994: Caustic Window LP: 4

1994: Colour Reform EP: 1

1995: Remixed Sheep: 3 

1999: Fish Dances: 11 

2015: The Chillout Album Remixed: 13

2016: Society Of Inner Light: 7 

2019: Liquid Geometries In Dub: 12

2019: Mystic Cigarettes: Special Mixes Of Classic Flavours: 5

 

Solid Gould (1:25:10) (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)