Nine Bloggers* Walk Into A Bar...

...and a wonderful, unforgettable evening ensues.

John & Jenny, Alyson & Mr. WIAA, Cee, Ernie, The Swede and Walter **, it was a privilege to meet you all and spend a few hours in your company at #BlogCon25 last night.

Thank you so much for your kind words, support, encouragement, the amazing gifts and, most of all, the opportunity to be in your company. I loved every minute of it.

I hope you have many happy memories of your time in Bristol and have a safe and smooth journey (especially Walter - no flight cancellations or delays, I hope!)

1) Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin): Sly & The Family Stone (1969)

2) Thank You For Being A Friend: Andrew Gold (1978)

3) Letter Of Thanks To A Friend (Live @ Rockpalast, Biskuithalle, Bonn, Germany): Anne Clark (1998)

4) Thank You For Being That Friend, You Know, The One You Never Want To Say Goodbye To.: Unloved (2023)

5) Thank You Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very Much (cover of The Scaffold): unknown (c. 1980s)

 

 

 

* Seven bloggers, two partners, to be precise, but that's nit picking.

** Yes, I now know all of their civilian identities. but blogging aliases preserved where necessary for the purposes of this post!

Holmes' 13

This post was originally intended to represent a David Holmes mix CD-R circa 2005. It was all going swimmingly until I got to the final track and found that it's on a CD single, unripped to date and boxed away in a far flung corner of the attic. One for another time then but it'll be worth the wait, I promise.

Instead, here's a brand new 13-track, hour-long selection of tunes that were more readily available on my hard drive. It's a varied mix of music covering David's solo material, 'band' projects The Free Association and Unloved, soundtrack work, remixes by and for artists such as Primal Scream, Richard Sen, Ashley Beedle, Tim Goldsworthy and Secret Knowledge and a reciprocal remix to wrap things up by Andrew Weatherall and Keith Tenniswood aka Two Lone Swordsmen.

I like it, I hope you do too. 

Clan K are decamping to Valencia for a few days of cultural and culinary delights as well as some much needed R 'n' R. It's our first family holiday of any description for nearly four years - and it really feels like it - so I can't describe how much we're all looking forward to the break.

Rest assured, Dubhed dailies will continue in my absence: in a feat of unprecedented preparation, by the time you read this, I should have posts lined up and good to go. 

See you when I get back, sun-kissed, belly full, mentally and physically replenished and ready to foist fresh nonsense (my meanderings, not the music!) onto the blogosphere.

 

1) Boowaah: Unloved (2022)

2) Uptown (Free Ass Remix By David Holmes): Primal Scream (2008)

3) Sugar Daddy (Out Of Our Brains On The 5.15 Mix By Disco Evangelists aka David Holmes & Ashley Beedle) (Single Edit): Secret Knowledge (1993)

4) Why Not (Richard Sen Remix): Unloved (2020)

5) Lifting The Building: David Holmes (2004)

6) Bedroom: David Holmes (2002)

7) Lyman Zerga: David Holmes (2001)

8) My Mate Paul (Holmes & Goldsworthy Remix By David Holmes & Tim Goldsworthy): David Holmes (1998)

9) It's Not You, It's Me: Unloved (2019)

10) The Parcus And Madder Show: David Holmes (1997)

11) Salut La Dolce Vita Pt. 1: The Free Association (2002)

12) Minus 61 In Detroit (Full Length Version): David Holmes (1995)

13) Rodney Yates (Two Lone Swordsmen Remix By Andrew Weatherall & Keith Tenniswood): David Holmes (1998)

 

1995: Minus 61 In Detroit EP: 12

1996: Sugar Daddy '96 EP: 3 

1997: Let's Get Killed: 10

1998: My Mate Paul EP: 8 

1998: Stop Arresting Artists: 8, 13

2001: Ocean's Eleven OST: 7

2002: Analyze That OST: 6 

2002: Come Get It I Got It: 11

2004: Ocean's Twelve OST: 5

2008: Uptown EP: 2 

2019: Killing Eve, Season Two OST: 9

2020: Why Not EP: 4

2022: The Pink Album: 1

 

Holmes' 13 (1:01:35) (KF) (Mega)

God Save The Ing

...that is, if your thing is dancing, jigging, shaking or some other ing that involves moving, because the next hour and an a half is all about the beats. 

2023 has been a great year so far, musically speaking and as I hope this 14-track selection ably demonstrates. Several long-time favourites have returned with a vengeance: Cerrone, DJ Nature, A Man Called Adam and Four Tet; all delivering music as good as anything in their rich and varied catalogue. 

 

Others have done so in collaboration: Justin Robertson meets David Holmes' Unloved in the Temple Of Wonders; Telefís aka Cathal Coughlan (RIP) and Jacknife Lee holiday in Madrid with Howie B; Hifi Sean and David McAlmont take a dub excursion to another Happy Ending.

 

Some relatively recent discoveries continue to delight: Jezebell, Max Essa and Duncan Gray have all somehow managed to raise the bar with each successive release; how high can they go?

 

The rest are all artists that I've heard for the first time this year: Minus Yogis, Bárbara Boeing, Cee ElAssaad, DjClick and Masha Natanson; all very different, all worth further investigation.

Apart from Four Tet, I'm not sure if any of these artists will be troubling a stage at Glastonbury next week (though to be honest, my eyesight starting blurring after the tenth or eleventh scroll through the seemingly endless line-up page on their website). If they did though, I think they'd smash it.

 

1) A Part Of You (Club Mix): Cerrone

2) Follow Your Dreams: DJ Nature

3) Fruity Blues (Balearic Mix By Minus Yogis): Minus Yogis

4) It's Science Baby (Funkified): A Man Called Adam

5) Trading Places (6PM): Jezebell

6) Thrill Me (Justin Robertson's Temple Of Wonders Remix): Unloved

7) Short Haul: Duncan Gray

8) Beautiful (Hifi's Dub Excursion): Hifi Sean & David McAlmont

9) Baile Do Silêncio (Donald Dust Remix): Bárbara Boeing

10) Njalo (Full Length Version): Cee ElAssaad

11) Come Come The Rain (Club Mix): Max Essa ft. DC Mathias

12) Strawboy Supernova (Madrid Metal By Howie B): Telefís

13) Three Drums: Four Tet

14) 24022022 (Fluo Sobre RMX): DjClick & Masha Natanson

God Save The Ing (1:28:44) (Box) (Mega)

Acts Of God And Politics Collide

Continuing with my pick of 2022's musical highlights, here is a selection of my most played songs of the year so far. 

 

Generally speaking, anything released post-September should be at a disadvantage simply because they've been available for repeated listens for relatively less time. Emily Breeze's single Ordinary Life was released at the end of September, which indicates how much I love this song.

Some rules apply: only one song per artist, to avoid the final selection being limited to two or three albums (if you're asking, that would be Andy Bell, Confidence Man and Katy J Pearson). Last year, I struggled to whittle down the selection to an even dozen, so I've avoided that altogether and gone for 18 songs, coming in at just under an hour and a half.

 

The selection is loosely divided into two halves: the first is a bit indie/pop; the second detours to the dance and chillout tents.

Aside from the artists mentioned above Momus, Andres Y Xavi and Mr. Oizo & Phra make a return visit, whilst Ibibio Sound Machine, The Anchoress and Trentemøller finally get a look in. Some of my favourite remixes of the year (and not featured on Tuesday) reappear by Max Essa, Cosmosolar, Horse Meat Disco and Lee 'Scratch' Perry (RIP). There's a nod to Paisley Dark Records' superb Shelter Me compilation via Richard Sen and in a year of top notch releases with Darren Bell as Jezebell, Jesse Fahnestock also found the time to share new music as 10:40.

 

And then there is Hifi Sean and David McAlmont. Although I've not gone with scores and ranking for my selections, The Skin I'm In is something else altogether. A perfect combination of words and music, pop and politics from two artists at the very top of their game. Single of the year for me.

We've reached the penultimate day of 2022 and my penultimate highlights selection. To pinch the album title of today's opening artist Los Bitchos, Let The Festivities Begin! Well, from 7.00pm onwards, when I get home from work...!

 

(One) more tomorrow.

 

1) Pista (Fresh Start): Los Bitchos (Let The Festivities Begin!)

2) Ordinary Life (Radio Edit): Emily Breeze (Ordinary Life EP / Rapture)

3) Sidewinder (Album Version): Andy Bell (Flicker)

4) The Skin I'm In: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont (The Skin I'm In EP / Happy Ending)

5) Stop The Body: Momus (Smudger)

6) Sweetness Follows (Cover of R.E.M.): The Anchoress (Versions/EP 2)

7) Freedom: Ibibio Sound Machine (Electricity)

8) Alligator: Katy J Pearson (Sound Of The Morning)

9) Love Died In Our Arms (Lee 'Scratch' Perry Remix): Dot Allison (The Entangled Remix EP)

10) Lata Mangeshkar: Richard Sen (Shelter Me: various artists)

11) Fight Your Enemy (Cosmosolar Remix By Alejandro Gamba): Mundo D (Your Enemy EP)

12) Hits Me (Album Version): Mr. Oizo & Phra (Voilá)

13) Luvin U Is Easy (Album Version): Confidence Man (Tilt)

14) What Do You See In Me (Max Essa Extended Vocal Mix): Andres Y Xavi ft. Rolo McGinty (What Do You See In Me EP)

15) Adama (Yuksek Remix): Omri Smadar (Phase Of Motion EP)

16) Iz Um: 10:40 (Iz Um EP / 10:40's Advent Calendar)

17) Mother's Been A Bad Girl (Horse Meat Disco Remix): Unloved (Mother's Been A Bad Girl EP)

18) Glow: Trentemøller (Memoria)

Acts Of God And Politics Collide (1:29:10) (Box) (Mega)

When You're Down, Keep Looking Up

Today's selection highlights 20 of my favourite albums from 2022. I know I probably should have tried to stretch it to 22 from '22, but time constraints meant that I only managed 10 last year so this is a big improvement and fits neatly into a mock-CD running time.

 

As with last year, I've not ranked or scored the albums, just sequenced the selected tracks in a way that I hope makes for a satisfying playlist. Again, I'm a bit tight for time, so the commentary is minimal.

I had a very long shortlist so a mention to several albums that didn't make today's selection but are excellent nevertheless: Midnight Rocker by Horace Andy; Ibibio Sound Machine's Electricity, produced by Hot Chip; Alright by Luxxury; any of the other 5 albums released by SAULT this year; The Album Club's self-titled album; Memoria by Trentemøller, the list goes on. And so many that are still on my 'must buy' list.

 

Several albums, by Andy Bell, Katy J Pearson and Confidence Man, were contenders from the moment I first heard them and have remained playlist staples ever since. A couple - Orbury Common and Tomberlin - came on the back of support slots for other artists featured in this selection that I got to see live in concert. 

 

Julian Cope and Blancmange were back with new albums, whilst Altered Images surprised me with a comeback album full of pop hooks that firmly proclaimed that they were no heritage act. A very welcome return for all.

 

Cathal Coughlan teamed up with Jacknife Lee as Telefís for not one but two albums in 2022. The news of Coughlan's death in May was - and still is - a shock, one of far too many tragic losses this year. Telefís was proof, if any needed, that Cathal was on a creative roll and had so much more to share.

 

Quite a few were late entries, the common thread being that they're all on the Late Night From Glasgow label. I invested in an annual subscription in December and, as a result, received digital copies of the year's releases including In The Forest, Monica Queen, The Bathers, André Salvador & The Von Kings. My first vinyl order/delivery from LNFG has just been dispatched. If it arrives before year end and ignoring my earlier comments about not ranking or scoring, the package will contain what will undoubtedly be my album of the year. 

 

After a gig-less 2021, I finally got back out this year. Just the four, but what a four: Madness (Westonbirt, June), Katy J Pearson (Bristol, September), Blancmange (Stroud, October) and Angel Olsen (Bath, October). All very special in their own way and with great support acts. 

 

Time prevents me from waxing lyrical about every selection but a special mention for Andy Bell, whose album Flicker came out in February and has been followed by a steady stream of singles, cover versions and remixes. These have been collected on a trio of themed EPs - I Am A Strange Loop, The Grounding Process and Untitled Film Stills - plus a compilation/companion, Strange Loops & Outer Psych. And this isn't counting Andy's remixes as GLOK! 

 

Given that Flicker itself is a double album and deservedly so, the sheer amount of quality music that Andy Bell has offered up in the last 12 months is nothing short of phenomenal. I think Flicker would otherwise be my album of the year on a list of excellent albums by Weyes Blood, Pye Corner Audio and Unloved.

 

More tomorrow.

 

1) idkwntht: Tomberlin (i don’t know who needs to hear this...)

2) Fight For Love: SAULT (11)

3) Break It Bought It (Album Version): Confidence Man (Tilt)

4) Hot In Her (Album Version) (Cover of Nelly): Mr. Oizo & Phra (Voilá)

5) Sex Bunting: Telefís (a hAon)

6) Reduced Voltage (Album Version): Blancmange (Private View)

7) Haberdashery: Orbury Common (The Traditional Dance Of Orbury Common EP)

8) Saturation Point (Album Version): Pye Corner Audio (Let’s Emerge!)

9) Waiting For The Call: In The Forest (These Four Walls)

10) Big Time (Album Version): Angel Olsen (Big Time)

11) I Want You To Stop, You're Killing Me: Monica Queen (Stop That Girl)

12) Turn Of The Screw (Album Version): Unloved ft. Raven Violet (The Pink Album)

13) Changing My Luck: Altered Images (Mascara Streakz)

14) Cape St. Vincent: The Bathers (Summer Lightning)

15) Howl: Katy J Pearson ft. Orlando Weeks (Sound Of The Morning) 

16) January: Momus (Smudger)

17) All The Yin-Yangs That Give it Away: Julian Cope (England Expectorates)

18) Dieu Du Ciel: André Salvador & The Von Kings (Draped Apes)

19) Jenny Holzer B. Goode: Andy Bell (Flicker)

20) Twin Flame: Weyes Blood (And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow)

When You're Down, Keep Looking Up (1:17:22) (Box) (Mega)

If I Stand Up, The World Will Spin Away

Andrew Weatherall has frequently featured on this blog, most recently in June with a selection of remixes. However, I think this is the first time I've presented a selection exclusively focusing on the music he's released under his own name.

Without further ado, here's a 10 song selection in a little over 70 minutes, bringing together (mostly vocal) songs and remixes from Andrew Weatherall's solo albums and various EPs and 12" singles.

Today's selection title is a lyric from We Count The Stars (track 9) which complements the photo of the giant wooden gorilla, snapped in the gardens of Bristol Zoo when Clan K visited on Monday. Every 30 minutes or so, the gorilla's left hand would raise to it's mouth, which would then 'spit' water all over the children (and some adults) below, to their screaming delight.

 

1) The Moton 5.2 (2020)

2) Built Back Higher (Radical Majik Re-Mix By Steve Boardman) (2009)

3) Disappear (Duncan Gray Remix) (2016)

4) Making Friends With The Invader (2018)

5) You Can't Do Disco Without A Strat (Single Version By Andrew Weatherall) (2006)

6) Confidence Man (Album Version By Andrew Weatherall & Nina Walsh) (2016) 

7) Miss Rule (2009)

8) Vorfreude 2 (2017)

9) We Count The Stars (Unloved Remix By David Holmes, Keefus Ciancia & Tristin Norwell) (2016)

10) The Last Walk (Album Version By Andrew Weatherall & Nina Walsh) (2016)

 

2006: The Bullet Catcher's Apprentice EP: 5 

2009: A Pox On The Pioneers: 7

2009: Andrew Weatherall vs The Boardroom Volume 2: 2

2016: Convenanza: 6, 10

2016: Consolamentum: 3, 9

2017: Qualia: 8

2018: Blue Bullet EP: 4

2020: Pamela #1 EP: 1

 

If I Stand Up, The World Will Spin Away (1:11:35) (KF) (Mega)

We All Need Something To Live For, Baby

A short mix, long on uplifting beats and featuring a bunch of tunes that have had me dancing around the house - and occasionally in the garden, to the mortification of my family - this summer. 

I know very little about Mundo D, other than he's a producer from Valencia called Edmundo De Diego Del Castillo. He has released a few EPs and remixes in the past few years, including this little gem, which came out via Nein Records at the end of May. Argentinian DJ & producer Cosmosolar aka Alejandro Gamba is also new to me but the two come together wonderfully on this opening track.

 

Holiday is the only track on this selection from 2021 but I belatedly bought it this year after falling in love with Confidence Man's second album, Tilt, which came out in April. Remixers Bruise are a duo comprising Christian Campbell (Sona Vabos) and legend Darren House (aka Diesel of Rocky &... and X-Press 2 fame) and they do not disappoint on this version. If you didn't catch Confidence Man's Glastonbury set, I'd highly recommend checking it out, including this energetic version of Holiday.

 

I featured YouTube videos of Yuksek's remix of Adama by Omri Smadar in early May and Neu Tech by D.S.D. aka Damien Doherty a couple of weeks later and both tracks have remained on heavy rotation at Casa Khayem since.

Richard Sen has been particularly smashing it with some superb remixes in the last few years for Rheinzand, Unloved and GLOK. Lata Mangeshkar was his contribution to Paisley Dark Records' charity compilation Shelter Me and a highlight of a frankly superb album from start to finish. 

 

David Holmes has already released one of 2022's top tunes, It's Over, If We Run Out Of Love. Not content with that, there's a new 22-track double album from Unloved called The Pink Album, coming in September. Lead single Mother's Been A Bad Girl hit the ground running in June, with a clutch of remixes, including vocal and instrumental bangers from Horse Meat Disco.

 

Bringing things to close is a track by Luxxury aka Blake Robin that's so new, it came out in the last 24 hours. I Need Somebody features on Luxxury's brand new 11-track album Alright. If you're quick, you can pick up the digital Deluxx 27-track edition on Bandcamp for a tenner (US or UK), featuring bonus instrumental versions.

 

And, before you know it, your 45 minutes are over. Worth another spin? You'll be the judge of that. 

 

More summer sounds tomorrow.

 

1) Fight Your Enemy (Cosmosolar Remix): Mundo D (2022)

2) Holiday (Bruise Remix): Confidence Man (2021)

3) Adama (Yuksek Remix): Omri Smadar (2022)

4) Neu Tech: D.S.D. (2022)

5) Lata Mangeshkar: Richard Sen (2022)

6) Mother's Been A Bad Girl (Horse Meat Disco Remix): Unloved (2022)

7) I Need Somebody (Album Version): Luxxury (2022)

2021: Holiday EP: 2

2022: Alright: 7

2022: Mother's Been A Bad Girl EP: 6

2022: Phase Of Motion EP: 3

2022: Shelter Me: 5

2022: Thee Wild Army Vol. 6 EP: 4

2022: Your Enemy EP: 1

We All Need Something To Live For, Baby (45:00)