[ in music ]

CD Releases: August 2002 updated:15/04/2003

Soane in music CD
Teeing off the inaugural release in the in music series is the big daddy of New Zealand House, Soane. Here we find Soane firmly entrenched behind the decks at the nineteenth hole with a hand picked selection of tunes to entertain you all.

Tracklisting:

Troffman, Hold U

King Britt presents Firefly feat Ursula Rucker, Supernatural (Hardsouls Trippin' Dub)

David Penn, Every Night & Every Day (Rhodes Dub Mix)

Nymphonx, Off My Mind (Jay J Moulton Dub)

Dizzy, You Saxy Thing

Papa Washington Trio, Trio De Janeiro (Del-5's Adventures In The North Mix)

Gene Farris, The Big Doobie

Marino Beradi, Do you Want To Dance With Me?

Ian Pooley, Missing You

DJ MFR, I Just Can't

Audiowhores, Got My Eyes On You

Che Fu, Fade Away (Soane Remix)

So put on ya plus fours, rustle up a set of clubs and head out for twelve holes with Soane as caddy, tour guide and mixologist. At hole nineteen convert your scorecard into a handy little CD companion that with the right amount of technology will supply you with countless hours of musical enjoyment.

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Spunk Records

New label for in music - recent releases

TRANS AM TA CD
URA062
In the course of seven years, Trans Am have created a body of work that is as inventive as it is referenced, as engaging as it is frustrating and as exhilarating as it is liberating. Trans Am originally tagged as the most likely post-rock band to actually rock, have never been uncomfortable in the skin they’ve chosen to cloak themselves in. Phil, Nathan and Sebastian have always dressed their records in a healthy combination of style and substance borrowing equally from the past and present as well as looking towards the future. Arriving fresh for 2002 TA is made for tomorrow, ready for today and not afraid to tackle yesterday whether it be 1980 or 1970. Don’t miss your chance as your presence is requested at the Heavy Metal Discotheque.

BELLE & SEBASTIAN Storytelling CD
URA063
"it's the best soundtrack in years. It doesn't feature old music specially tacked on a CD for marketing and advertising purposes, only new songs written specifically for the film". Sydney Morning Herald
A band that takes its name from a French television series about a boy and his dog would almost have to be precious. To be certain Belle & Sebastian are precious. But not in the negative sense. They make gorgeous, delicate music, led by guitarist/vocalist Stuart Murdoch, the seven-piece band has an intimate, majestic sound that is equal parts folk-rock and ‘60s pop. Storytelling, the soundtrack album to Todd Solenz's film of the same name. As it turns out, a lot of the album doesn't feature in the film, but all the music was, at the very least, inspired by the film. Alright? Yet another critically acclaimed album from Belle & Sebastian, damn!

GUIDED BY VOICES Universal Truths & Cycles CD/LP
URA064/VOLE547-1
"For every Britney Spears, there's a Guided By Voices out there somewhere." - The Edge
The story with Universal Truths And Cycles is that it melds old and new Guided By Voices approaches to spectacular effect. The album combines the spontaneous feel of early guided by voices classics with lessons learned in a big studio with Ric Ocasek and Rob Schnapf. The album includes both lo-fi and ‘mid-fi’ tracks recorded by the band and by Robert Pollard with an acoustic guitar, as well as full-blown ‘big rock’ recorded in a 24-track studio. Universal Truths And Cycles, the group's 13th record, is one of their strongest albums yet. Guided By Voices started the year co-headlining with the Strokes in Harlem and feature in the new Stroke’s video clip.

CORNELIUS Point CD
URA058
"Sounds like a record store’s entire contents pushed through a meat grinder". SPIN
Point is the long-awaited new release from Japan’s most innovative and respected musician, Cornelius a.k.a. Keigo Oyamada. It is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius forging a very different path from his 1998 US debut Fantasma (OLE300-1) which won a whole host of fans. Since finishing Point, Cornelius has been collaborating with many different artists on remixes such as Blur, Beck, Sting, K.D. Lang and most recently two Australian bands, The Avalanches and Gerling.

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STUART PATTERSON DJ’s Take Control CD
(Keep Diggin)
File Under: Dance / House
KEEPCD02
Following the superb debut release from Red Snapper (KEEPCD01), the next outing from the label comes from Mr Soulsonic and Transfusion Records boss himself Stuart Patterson, who knows a thing or ten about tearing up dancefloors, and this luscious deep, soulful, funky tech-house mix demonstrates exactly where he's at. The track selection is as good as any - and perhaps even better! With legendary stalwarts such as Global Communications, Suba, Miguel Migs, King Britt, Morgan Geist and Bigga Bush providing the music and Stuart Patterson, in the mix and taking control. Like Obsessive, Keep Diggin' promises to deliver the goods in terms of super strength compilations. Red Snapper have already dug their crates for the label, so keep posted for future solid as steel releases. Fantastic!

RONNIE RICHARDS Experience CD/LP
(Atlantic Jaxx)
File Under: Atlantic Jaxx / ELCR / Reggae
JAXXCD002/VJAXXLP002
Jamaican born Ronnie Richards grew up in South London and has been involved in playing and making music since his youth and is a prolific songwriter. As the title suggests, the songs on Experience are based on the life and loves of Ronnie himself. Rather than use his songwriter’s platform to vent his anger and frustrations, Ronnie uses it to soothe the soul. Ronnie himself describes his music as E.L.C.R that’s Easy Listening Classic Reggae. From this description it’s easy to see that Ronnie is more influenced by Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs than Beenie Man or Bounty Killer. That said, as the version of Too Busy Thinking attests Experience owes just as much to the sweet soul music of Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson as it does to those Reggae greats. This is not a Basement Jaxx album, or a collection of Ragga-House tunes a la Jump and Shout. Experience is first and foremost about Ronnie’s songs and has been produced to bring his melodies and lyrics to the fore. Ronnie first met Basement Jaxx coincidentally through a shared rehearsal/studio space in Camberwell. Felix and Simon had a reggae tune playing and Ronnie stuck his head round the door and the three got talking. Ronnie’s talent and huge enthusiasm immediately struck a chord with the pair and they recruited him to supply backing vocals on a track from their Urban Haze EP. Some live appearances and Ronnie’s Missing You and Jammin EP’s followed and the trio went to work on an album. The resulting LP is a heartfelt, touching, laid back, soulful treat. The messages in the songs are always clear. From the humanitarian messages of Be Strong and Free to the melancholic lovers rock of I Can’t Wait and Missing You Ronnie has laid himself bare.

RALPH LAWSON PRES 2020 Revision CD
(20 20 Vision)
File Under: 2020 / Dance / Ralph Lawson
VIS075CD
2020 Vision boss Ralph Lawson has mixed this latest release from the Leeds stable, following Huggy’s and his own Visionaries mix albums. Here’s the premise: Ralph picks various top-class studio types to remix tracks on 2020, and then he mixes them all together. Simple, but effective. Among the remixers are luminaries such as Swag, David Duriez, Silicone Soul and D’Julz, and those who have provided tracks include Soldiers Of Twilight, Fred Everything and even Fatboy Slim. Highlights come in the form of the Swag reworking of Two Of A Kind from the Unlikely Lads, Audio Soul Project’s mix of Revolution by Fred Everything and the speedy Valentino mix of Bobby Peru’s Into The Feeling. Damnit, even Fatboy’s Song For Shelter sounds great with 2020 behind it. A perfect pick me up to get through winter and a great companion for the coming summer.

VARIOUS Subliminal Sessions 3 3CD
(Subliminal)
File Under: Dance / house / Subliminal
SUBUSCD5
Triple CD set mixed by label boss Erick Morillo. Here’s living proof of why the DJ mix will always outclass the faceless superclub compilations – Erick Morillo’s party loving character is stamped all over the first disc of Subliminal Sessions 3, catering for pretty much every house taste and whipping up a seriously funky storm. The carnival mood is set with anthems from Basement Jaxx, DJ Sandy, Goldtrix and Thick Dick, whose Insatiable is already one of the summer’s hottest tunes. The second part showcases Morillo’s much touted move into tribal territory, with minimal melodies and booming basslines that never let up in pace or tension. Who The Funk’s Sting Me Real is powerful vocal house looking back to 80s electronica, as is Jose Nunez’ The Inside. Dan Berkson’s Let My Soul Sing Across is a dark, dirty monster that will wow the progressive crowd, and in amongst this and other exclusives we have Morillo’s own new funky workout Come Make Me Over, a sign of good things to come on next year’s solo album. Finally the third CD takes things in an altogether more soulful direction as Erick trades the dark side for the light with some infectious funk and vocal housers. Check out the excellent Mustapha I submit 2 U - pure soul heaven! So a vibrant trio of mixes then, from a hugely popular DJ who seems incapable of putting a foot wrong. Don’t ya hate that?!

VARIOUS The Big Chill Loves You 2CD
(Big Chill)
File Under: The Big Chill / Dance
BIGCHCD01
As its title suggests, The Big Chill Loves You sounds like nothing so much as a personal confession made late at night or early in the morning when someone is so bursting with good vibes they throw all caution to the wind. While former compilations all testified to an exquisite taste in music and a great knack for long, slow-burn mixes, none of them wholly captured the feeling of The Big Chill on a Saturday night at The Enchanted Garden or, more latterly, dancing under the stars at Naxos or in the warm fug of the Dogstar or St James. Lovers of a good Big Chill party will therefore embrace this compilation wholeheartedly, equally relishing its uplifting and ultra-relaxed qualities. Anything goes: Kirsty Hawkshaw covers an old rave anthem, Pete drops a goose-bumpy Andreas Vollenweider track, Boomclick throw some hybrid broken beats into the mix, Future Sound of London make Robert Miles sound better than ever, there’s a hugely emotive track from Ulrich Schnauss, Tom Middleton gets right under Lamb’s skin, and there’s heaps of jazz. It takes you up, down, sideways – and somehow still makes you want to dance once you’ve checked the sleeve to discover what are these inspirational sounds you are listening to. And that’s just the first CD. As is something of a tradition with these compilations, where the first CD puts you in party mood, the second makes you remember just how much you enjoy the post-party ritual of sitting around drinking and listening to music before any mention of bed is made. Here, the second CD opens with a long, smooth selection of instrumental music: like Plaid at their most chilled, Ackers & G (elsewhere known as Diversity.) open up slowly and steadily, a little gem from Sasha Crnobrnja bursts into The Unfolding from Chilled by Nature, which does indeed open up innumerable and unexpected new vistas, such as some eccentric folky echo-plexed guitar boogie from The Pirates… it’s only when Laura B’s silken voice gently introduces itself into the mix that you suddenly realise that you have been off with the fairies for a good twenty minutes. Make no mistake: this is gorgeous, seductive listening music – the kind that can temporarily command all ears in the house despite advanced states of messiness and plentiful other distractions to hand. For those who know his style of DJing, it has Pete Lawrence written all over it. Pete in deep absorption mode behind the decks, shuffling innumerable records and CDs, making careful tonal adjustments, listening and looking intently, communicating an enormously broad body of knowledge – and a highly distinctive understanding of it – simply through his choice of music. Who else would know how to fuse strong flavours of folk, jazz and contemporary classical with the warmest of lounge, beats and electronica? At the end of the day what this compilation celebrates above all else is the sheer pleasure that can come from absorbing oneself deeply into music, whether one is partying, talking, cuddling, thinking or writing. With thirty tracks, including a number of exclusives and hard-to-find mixes, spread across two and a half hours, The Big Chill Loves You is indeed an overwhelmingly positive experience. Open your heart to it if you can.

VARIOUS The Fat City Sound CD/2x12"
(Fat City)
File Under: Fat City
FCCD009/VFCLP009
"what compilations should be all about" Ministry Mag
Fat City Recordings have over the past four years set up three highly acclaimed compilation series inc. Mystic Brew, Special Brew and Fat ‘n’ Funky. The label has become known for representing a whole host of musical genres. Uncovering back catalogue classics whilst commissioning the freshest of productions from future heavyweight producers. The label attempts to represent the culture behind Fat City which includes the Fat City Record shop ( circa 1993 ) and the clubs they’ve run over the past 10 years in the U.K and across Europe. This is the fifth instalment of Fat City Recordings much lauded compilation series which represents the musical culture behind Fat City & Grand Central ( two of Manchesters more renowned labels ) Mystic Brew compilations are diverse, crossing styles and genres. They include tried and tested club favourites of the Fat City / Grand Central DJs combined with old and new productions that are influential to the producers on both labels. Featured here are tracks by Aim,

ROSE SMITH Dawn Raiding CD
(Glasgow Underground)
File Under" Glasgow Underground / modern soul
GUCD031
Rose Smith’s debut album Dawnraiding marks a further diversification in the catalogue of Glasgow Underground. This debut album from the London-based singer-songwriter sees the Scottish dance imprint widening their repertoire with a stunning collection of slow-burning songs. Produced by ex-Galliano linchpin Ski Oakenfull, Dawnraiding comes across like a smoky jazz connection between Abraham and Koop. Already being play listed by Gilles Peterson and on the ‘wants lists’ of lounge compilations across Europe and beyond, Dawnraiding is one of those smooth, swooning collections that slowly works its magic deep into your soul. Opening with Dawnraiding, Smith’s layered harmonies and Oakenfull’s cool horn-soaked production cut the perfect set-up to Life Changes, the first single. This superb, haunting melody first appeared when smith added lyrics and melody to an instrumental on Oakenfull’s debut album (for Sony France). Here Oakenfull returns the favour producing smith’s version of this poignant song. As the album progresses its scope increases with the sixties spirits of Innocent and the up-tempo gambol of Into The Deep. Add to that the dark, flickering storytelling on First Time Alive and the gutsy, saxy cover of Donovan’s Get Thy Bearings and you have an introductory long-player that’s hard to ignore. Future single The Party and the slow motion swing of Don’t Leave Me Standing conclude the package. In addition to Oakenfull, Dawnraiding features contributions from smith’s family. Her father, Trevor, who used to play with Electric Light Orchestra and Wizard adds cello to three songs while her cousin Morgan Nicholls is in Morgan who recently released an album Organized on Source. A stunning debut.

DJ C1 Shifting Gears CD
(Intec Records)
File Under: Intec / Dance
INTECCD01
"A strong, upfront and knowledgable techno mix with melodic content nicely balanced against floor power. Good job." 4/5 Jockey Slut
Sirwan a.k.a DJ C1 is a passionate and inspirational DJ and is seen by many as one of the fastest rising talents on the techno scene. With a spellbinding ability to put together House, Techno, Latin, Disco and much more sets him apart and takes his DJ’ing to a spiritual level. With an enduring passion for many forms of music, his underground ethic runs through every aspect of what he does. Shifting Gears is the first CD ever released on the Intec label (that C1 runs alongside Carl Cox) and a mix CD that reflects his desire to show the breadth and history behind Techno. The concept for this mix is one that takes energy levels up and down, something that some techno DJ’s may no longer be willing to risk. From the disco tinged grooves of DJ Q to the Neopolitan funk of Marco Carola & Gaetano Parisio (while laying a classic Joey Negro accapella over the top), industrial dark bass from Kevin Saunderson, to the jazz vibes of Andreas Saag this mix encompasses many flavours but retains a traceable thread from start to finish. Two techno classics are included: Jeff Mills Step To Enchantment and an ultra rare license of Red Planet’s Stardancer. C1 called Uunderground Resistance to ask about the track and the phone was answered by none other than "Mad" Mike Banks himself who was happy to grant use of this classic track. There’s also a future classic in the shape of Bryan Zentz’s D-Clash which will be released later this year on Intec. At times C1 displays quick and energetic mixing skills, at others he lets great records do their work, showing a real feel for how a dance floor moves and eschewing any set formulas on how to play, it’s done with feeling and passion. C1 holds bi-monthly residencies at Fabric in London and Row in Barcelona. He has been the lynchpin in the rise and rise of Intec Records in the last two years.

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