ELECTRONIC EXPERIENCE

Sorry for the lack of posts in recent life, I am actually currently working on some music (dewolfe influenced of course) that I haven't been able to finish for quite a while. This week's first collection is a rare moog record by Michael Hankinson. For those in the dark about Hankinson, he was an Englishman living in South Africa where he was director of EMI Music for the Pleasure label for a bit, and was responsible for at least another album that was called "The Unusual Classical Synthesizer" which was composed in the Walter Carlos style. I'm a particular fan of "Poet Poet".


Courtesy of BM right here folks:


Michael Hankinson - Electronic Experience

TIME CYCLE

Electronic library album from 1984, in my opinion better than the average 80s libraries. James Asher plays the following instruments: Roland CSQ600, Roland Jupiter 8, Moog Prodigy synths, Washburn bass, Hyaman drum kit and Linn Drum. Delightful sheet.

James Asher - Time Cycle

7 DIAS DE ENERO

Quite rare & interesting soundtrack from a Spanish thriller film I settled down to recently with a glass of mango and some hemp. I don't know too much about the composer Nicholas Peyrac or Roland Romanelli who arranged it, but I can say that it is a wonderful, fully replenished zoot musik. Released by Apolo Records in 1979. Exclusive right here.


7 Dias De Enero - Nicholas Peyrac & Roland Romanelli

FOREST OF EVIL

I've been on an anarchist musik tip this week. Browsing through a catalogue that was forwarded to me by Underground Reverie, I came across some proper gems. I was somewhat taken aback by this terrifying cue music for horror, mystery, drama, suspense & mystery. The pieces are composed by Eric Allen and Frank Reidy. Enjoy


E. Allen & F. Reidy - Forest of Evil [Dewolfe]

WONDER

L'Imparfaite - the word that comes to mind when I think of Peter Reno's music, a somewhat earlier version of Cylob or Mark Cheyne. Imperfect, yet broad, lush and panoramic in so many ways. Perfect.


Peter Reno - Polaris [The Music of Peter Reno]

DMX KREW - FREEESH

Two tunes from one of my favourite producers- and one of the nicest blokes in the game. Ed DMX or DMX Krew - as he likes to call himself - has produced over 5 studio albums for Richard D James' [AFX Twin] Rephlex imprint over the years. One of these was an album composed of recordings that were first aired on Breakin' Records but taken together and edited to be put out on Rephlex in 1997. It's an amazing album, where synthpop and acid reign supreme. Classic 303 sounds are mashed with some killer vocals, performed by Ed himself. One is "Ready to Roll", a 303-heavy native floor filler whilst "I'm All Alone" is a little bit darker and carries all the texture of a classic model 500 track. 


Enjoy it here on .flac!


DMX Krew - I'm All Alone
DMX Krew - Ready to Roll

FUKAMACHI  - INTRODUCING "PONTA" MURAKAMI

Produced by Jun Fukumachi, who also plays keyboards and moog & arp synthesizers. This is a really crazy record, plenty of experimentation around percussive sounds (timpani, gongs, cymbals, Japanese drums) often processed by electronic devices. This is a fantastic example of the kind of early records that explored power jazz funk territories.

Jun Fukumachi - Introducing Ponta Murakami

MILKWAYS GALACTIC REACTION

The members of Milkways are not always clear, as no information is provided on the sleeve but rumour on the greater internet has it that its alternated between three and four members. Trax on the Galactic Reaction LP are listed as Rody Sainroch & Regis Dupre in any case, with contributions from Didier Guinochet and Phillipe Pages. If you like spacedroid disco gems, then you will -gasm over this. Enjoy!


Milkways - Galactic Reaction

SELECTED SOUND III

Sup folks - sorry about my prolonged absence - I was in hiding pre-leapday so I could avoid my girlfriend and a certain leapday tradition. Anyway I'm back, and if you enjoyed the valentines day Selected Sound library bonanza, then you will most certainly love this. It comes courtesy of Orchestra Mladen Gutesha's Metropolitan Sounds and it is filled with amazing funky brass and reed arrangements with a large strings group. With some jazz fusion musik and a pinch of easy listening - Metro-sounds is perfect if, like me, you are engaged in acts of rapprochement post leapday. 


Orchestra Mladen Gutesha - Metropolitan Sounds.

UNIVERSAL ROBOT BAND

This legendary boogie track by Universal Robot Band, a result of the collaboration of exemplary producers/songwriters Greg Carmichael and Leroy Burgess (leader of the group 'Logg'), is a dancefloor winner. The extended club version, with its long, bass-infused intro, cowbells and tight background vocals, never fails to evoke an energy in the listener. It's somewhat ironic they're singing about being broke given its such a feel good jam - nevertheless, this is disco instrumentation at its best.. enjoy and let it all hang out!


Universal Robot Band - Barely Breaking Even (Club Version)

DON HARPER - LIVE NEUTRAL EARTH

Impress library release from 1974, and an extremely rare electronic gem. I found it a while ago and have been showing it bare love since. Enjoy 


Don Harper - Live Neutral Earth

THE KEVIN PEEK EXPERIENCE - STRAIGHT FLIGHT [DE WOLFE]

Been showing some love for the Kevin Peek Experience for some time now - a thoroughly enjoyable record from the pre-lost years, 1981!


The Kevin Peek Experience - Straight Flight

SIMON PARK - KNOCK ONWARDS

Excellent music de wolf release here - features an amazing range of large orchestral pieces with synthesized variations played by the International Studio Orchestra, conducted by Simon Park.


Simon Park - Knock Onwards

UNIT 9 - ANTHONY HOBSON - "DELTA" 

I've been engrossed in this particular catalogue for the last couple of days, and it's brilliant. Great rhythmic electronics from this 80s series.


Unit 9 [Anthony Hobson] - Delta Series

MERCURY LIVING PRESENCE

Nice treat here for everyone which comes courtesy of the Mercury Living Presence series. For me, this Paray/Dupre recording of the Saint-Saens 3rd is still pretty much unsurpassed. Preceding Munch with a first stereo recording, but lacking RCA's vast marketing clout, Paray bestows a magnificent idiomatic reading of elegance, grace and precision complete with an authentic French sound from the orchestra he had trained in Detroit (of all places). With prominent inner voices, Paray's lithe, supple, evenly-paced approach with restrained dynamics revels in the score's abundant coloration. The impact is somewhat abetted by a superbly crisp and detailed recording with remarkably precise stereo imaging that captures the clarity of the textures and invites understanding and appreciation of Saint-Saens' gifts of orchestration that the blurrier acoustic of Munch and many others tend of obscure.
         The download link is a four part-er, because it's in .flac which is really the only format suitable for such a quality recording.


MLP - Paray [Part 1]
MLP - Paray [Part 2]
MLP - Paray [Part 3]
MLP - Paray [Part 4]

TEDDY LASRY

This right here is probably the reason I'm doing this blog - it's so rare, so fine and utterly mesmerizing. It's a rare library compilation by the inimitable Teddy Lasry put out in the 90s by the French label outfit Musique Cinema Television. Some of the tracks, the first ten ones, are lifted from the old Patchwork albums. Groooove!


Teddy Lasry - Fusion Funky

ACTION DESCRIPTIF

Quite rare French library music from the 80s. It some pretty awesome cinematic music based on synthesizers, but also guitars, piano, bass, flute and cello. Notable names include Philippe Brejean, Georges Lartigau, Marc Goldfeder amongst others. Highly recommend you give this a listen - I'm currently stockpiling this kind of stuff in prep for a future project involving a short film to which I hope to write a score. But, alas, that's a somewhat distant dream. 


Action Descriptif - Ambiance Movement

THE ELGINS - DARLING BABY

The Elgins were a great little group on Motown's VIP label during the 60s and they had a sweet falsetto soul style that reminds me a lot of the best work by The Miracles during the same time. Lead singer Saundra Edwards has a style that is similar to Smokey Robinson's high vocals and the heavy production by the Holland/Dozier team provides a nice counterpoint to keep the lyrics from getting too sickly sweet. For me, the standout track is "Good Lovin'" -  a little bit sweet, a little bit heavy - and all nice nice nice!


The Elgins - Darling Baby

TEMPREES - THREE 

Brilliant work by one of the greatest harmony groups of the south – the mighty mighty Temprees, standing proud on this, their 3^rd LP! The album’s a bit less raw than some of the group’s other stuff and some of the tracks were recorded in Philly, and have a bit of a warm 70s Philly soul finish – a great approach that the group even further than you might have thought from their first two albums.


Tempress - Three [rar]

TIME

No need to state that Gladys’s voice is the most expressive female voice in Soul music. I dare say that her rich, warm, womanly timbre has still to find its match. And I have yet to hear a vocalist emote with more natural grace than she does. Sighing or soaring, her voice never fails to convince. But to give Gladys all the credit for this fantastic album would be wrong. The Pips provide the flawless canvas on which Gladys applies the full range of her vocal colors, ranging from heavy golden through earthy brown and cool blue to shiny silver. On Here I Am Again,There’s, A Lesson To Be Learned, and the title song All I Need Is Time, Merald “Bubba” Knight, William Guest and Edward Patten demonstrate how perfect vocal harmonizing ties together orchestra and lead singer. By the time All I Need Is Time was released in 1973, the group had recorded for Motown’s SOUL Records for seven years. The SOUL label focused on Motown’s R&B and Soul music instead of its popular crossover sound. Funny enough, however, the title song and my personal favorite Oh What A Love I Have Found have been written by  the Folk/Pop songwriter George “Bud” Renau. This fact only proves that tune doesn't really have to be born as a soul tune; it acquires its soulfulness through the delivery and interpretation by the artist. 


Gladys Knight & The Pips - All I Need is Time [rar]

THE NATURAL FOUR - GOOD VIBES

The Natural Four began their quest for stardom in Oakland, CA, in the mid-'60s, landing their first deal with a local outfit called Boola Boola Records. Initially, they had two '69 releases on Boola Boola — "You Did This for Me" and "Why Should We Stop Now" — that did well in the San Francisco/Oakland area. Within a week The Natural Four was sequestered in the rehearsal studio of Boola Boola owner and Producer Willie Hoskins and that writer, an avowed doowopper, Lonnie Cook. Ten hours later Lonnie had written and totally arranged "I Thought You Were Mine." In any case it’s a good album throughout, I hope you enjoy. 


Natural Four - Good Vibes [rar]

THEMES - STREET LEVEL: ALAN PARKER & MIKE MORAN 

The sleeve to this catalogued release says it all: "contemporary themes and underscores for urban and dramatic subjects". Great Jazz-fusion instrumentals on the A side and more electronically insistent sounds on the flip by the famous Alan Parker. Library music couldn't come more highly recommended!


Themes - Street Level

CHARLES LLOYD - SOUNDTRACK

Though Miles Davis eventually took jazz stardom to another level, Charles Lloyd was the first jazz rock star.  His mid-to-late-60′s quartet is not the most musically influential group of the period, yet it was the first group to regularly play clubs like the Fillmore in San Francisco and open up for groups like The Grateful Dead.  Their success was jump-started by the breakout '66 live record Forest Flower [recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival] and was sustained by steady international touring.  Listening to Soundtrack, the hippie connection should come as no surprise; the open-ended jams are often based in loose rock rhythms that occasionally drift into mellow improvisational territory not too far removed from the sensibilities of The Dead and other like-minded early psychedelic rock
        Today, the most notable aspect of the quartet is not what it was, but what it became.  Namely, it was the foundation of the Keith Jarrett / Jack DeJohnette collaboration that continued as part of Miles Davis’s post-Bitches Brew electric band and that still exists today in the form of Jarrett’s nearly three decade old Standards Trio.  That’s not to say the quartet hasn’t had any influence, as groups like Medeski Martin & Wood seem to have used Lloyd’s band sound as a primary influence on their own take on the gray area between jazz, rock, and world music.   However, Lloyd is rarely recognized in the pantheon of great saxophone players and is no stranger to the slings and arrows of fellow musicians, including this particularly harsh slight from Miles Davis:


“A lot of things were changing in music around 1967 and 1968 and a lot of new shit was happening.  One of them was the music of Charles Lloyd, who had become very popular.  When his band was really happening he had Jack DeJohnette and a young piano player named Keith Jarrett.  He was the leader, but it was those two guys who were making the music really happen.  They were playing a cross between jazz and rock, very rhythmic music.  Charles never was any kind of player, but he had a certain sound on the saxophone that was kind of light and floating and worked with what Keith and Jack were putting under and around it.  His music was very popular for a couple of years and so a lot of people started paying attention.  Our two groups shared a bill at the Village Gate at the end of 1967 or early 1968.  Man, the place was packed.  I knew Jack from when he filled in for Tony, and when Charles’s group was in town I would go over and listen.  He started accusing me of trying to steal his musicians from him.  Charles didn’t stay around for too long but made a lot of money during the time he was hot.  I hear he’s rich and selling real estate today, so more power to him.”


Miles at once recognizes Lloyd’s group as an influence on his future direction and simultaneously dismisses him as an important player.  Truth be told, some of the most exciting moments of Soundtrack are when Lloyd is not playing – the trio seems to dig in further as the soloing builds to high peaks with some occasionally near-unbelievable percussive fury by DeJohnnette.  Sometimes Lloyd’s solos slowly peter out instead of building to a climax, but they are always steeped in deep emotion and unwavering lyricism.  His tone is rich and he has the audience hanging on his every note throughout the entire record.  Which is a hell of a lot more than most jazz musicians today can say for themselves.  I think that Lloyd’s ECM output of the past 20 years renders moot any discussion about his greatness and solidifies his reputation as an Important Figure in jazz.  But hey, that’s just me. Whatever your opinion on this, it's pretty hard to dislike this record:


Charles Lloyd - Soundtrack

LABRINTO

From São Paulo, the group was formed in 2003 by the desire and experience of friends who aimed to work out their musical influences through the composition of instrumental music. Inspired by feature movie scores, experimental music bands & sounds and references that go beyond music itself – like arts, photography and literature - the compositions look in to create textures and images based vibes: as in a sound track, but casting the listener to come up with the picture and scenario on his own mind. Labirinto develops sounds, timbres and dynamics that are all equally blended, avoiding the predominance of a unique sound source. Their harmonics constructions – done by guitars, bass and drums, followed by analogic and digital synths, cello, violin, piano and other instruments – prioritise the emotions aroused by running through the whole aesthetic labyrinth.

        Labrinto are acknowledged as pioneers in developing its musical style in Brazil. Their references are based on post-rock, progressive rock, experimentalism, minimalism, classical and Brazilian popular music. After 4 EPs, Labirinto releases its first full length album, “Anatema” at Dissenso Records. The album was produced by the band and mixed by Greg Norman in Chicago, at Steve Albini’s (who produced classics from Nirvana and Pixies) Electrical Audio Studios and mastered by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering. The cover illustrations were created by João Ruas, a cover artist from the american comic book magazine “Fables”. “Anatema” presents six tracks, each at more than ten minutes in length that should, in my opinion, launch Labirinto as a major name in the post-rock-scene worldwide. Instructed in studio work, the group made the production in a real watchmaker type setting, using over 150 channels in order to register more than six guitar parts included in the final mix. The result are tempos with unexpected climaxes and anticlimaxes in an music full of images, a multiple and sensorial experience that gets coloured while the instrumental evolution suggests unexpected trips. Enjoy!

Labrinto - Anatema [rar]

EMBIENTONA

I woke up really early this morning and had a wonder in the park near my house hoping to catch a glimpse of the usual congregation of birds there when a strange ambient [embientona in Russian!] song started playing on my mobile Walkman. I've been rediscovering Seefeel lately and I thought it might make a good post so that other folks could discover this amazing band for themselves. Between '93-96, Seefeel developed a form of sample-based rock that used guitars to generate a sound closer to ambient techno. Following the release of Quique, their first [and probably best] album, Seefeel represented a new point on the map where shoegaze met the more euphoric, ethereal end of rave. The song is called Hive, but it should really be listened to as part of the album [and in order]. It's a haunting tune with all manner of brilliance encoded therein. Here it is in FLAC for those well-meaning perfectionist folks:


Seefeel - Hive

DAPHNEY'S BEAT MEDITATION MIX #001

I've just completed a mix for the blog under my other alias Daphney. It's a little bit edgy and rough in places but I think I got it about right. In terms of the tune selection, see for yourself, I've included a tracklist which is shown on the soundcloud page where the mix is hosted. Whilst you're there, check out some of my productions. Thanks as ever for the support!

JOHNNY COPELAND [CLOUD ONE] ORCHESTRA

I was somewhat on a comedown recently and I was going through my old P&P Cloud One project collection when I was reminded of this beauty. I've got a lot more to say about P&P, and I'm sure that I've got that ridiculous tune of theirs, "Flying High", lying around somewhere so I will try to do a follow up on this soon.


Johnny Copeland [Cloud One] Orchestra - Atmosphere Strutt

DISCO DUB VIBES

There is of course tons and tons of reggae disco, dubbed out B side instrumentals, jamaican boogie, london carribean scene funk and what have you, and by all means put your favorites in the comments section. Reggae and dub hit the North American and European mainstream the same time as disco and punk (right? no?), or so it figures I guess.  These two tracks though are from my own collection and I could not find them elsewhere on the greater internet, and are both very different from one another, so I though it would make a good post.


Landscape were a UK New Wave band that had some artsy electronic 7"s in the seventies and a couple of radio played synth pop tracks in the 80's (one was called 'Einstein' or something, and had a great video with the ghost of Einstein in it haunting a chemistry lab..). "The Fabulous Neutrinos" is a dubby instrumental B side to the harsh ears single "So Pure, So Good, So Kind", unearthed from a cheap record store many moons ago. Frankie Paul, sometimes called the "Jamaican Stevie Wonder" because of his poor vision, is a dancehall singer who was associated with the Coxsone soundsytem. "Funky Reggae Party" is an out of place mid tempo electro funk track that sits weirdly on the B side of the South London produced and recorded dancehall reggae album "Ripe Mango" on Blacker Dread Records in 1983. I forget which part of South London the Blacker Dread record store is in, but it's still there. Flip the record over and you will find a nice surprise: 


Franky Paul - Funky Reggae Part
Landscape - The Fabulous Neutrinos

SHE'S A PARTY GIRL

A younger and hipper friend of mine whose tastes I admire bought a bunch of records from his collection because he thought that I'd like them. One of the records was a weird, left-field boogie proto-rap type edit by this producer that he'd been into for a quite a while. I had actually heard the tune before, and took a nauseating, smug and an annoying amount of pleasure letting him know that my brother had owned a copy while he was still alive but which has since been passed on to me. Anyway, it's a tune called "She's a Party Girl" by producer Terrence Tee who also seemed to be behind a couple of known early rap and boogie 45's that have recently surfaced, but I don't think this is available out there at the moment (though I could be wrong). It came out on New York Town Records and on the sleeve it has it as being produced by Terrence Moore. I've searched high and wide for info on this dude and have so far come up empty.


Anyway, here is the tune. 320 freshness folks. Feel the vibe!


Terrence Tee - She's a Party Girl Vocal mp3

TREASURE

Sup y'all, here is part two of that bonanza that caused such a download frenzy on Valentines. Look out for the Roland Kovac tune in there, "Old & Young" - it's a roller. 

Selected Sound Library: Part II

SLIDE

Slave were a funk band who hailed from Ohio and made their name with successive hits in the charts in the early 80's with their more vocal, r&b-ish numbers. Their most commercially successful of these tunes was actually released in '77, and it's a single called 'Slide'. It's a sweet-as tune with that particular soulful quality mainly carried by the amazing lead vocals but also by Tom Lockett Jr on the keys and sax. Anyway, it was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest in one of their rather neglected songs, "Go Ahead in the Rain", off their landmark debut effort. Slave's first eponymous studio album has some notable stand-outs, including the fantastic groove and general head banger "You & Me", featuring killer vocals from lead singer Steve Arrington and Mark Hicks on the guitar rhythm. Great progression on this one. The other track I've included is on the same album, and it's called "Son of Slide" (A slight variation of the former number). Feel the heat folks!


Slave - You & Me
Slave - Son of Slide
A Tribe Called Quest - Go Ahead in the Rain

SELECTED SOUNDS LIBRARY: Part I

Selected Sound, the Hamburg based library company started with the 9000 series in in 1968. All records from that series had the same conservative, simple artwork, coloured in golden brown - nothing at all to indicate that there could be anything exciting on these records. Out of the 122 Library records that were put out between '68 and '87, there are as many below average productions as there are fantastically obscure funk and jazz pearls. Unfortunately, Selected Sound are now owned wholly by EMI, which is a real shame as these big guys aren't too interested in their old (and rather rich) repertoire.
     Anyway here is a is real Valentines treat - it's a collection of the best stuff to originate from the SS cupboards between 1968 and 1980 (i'll put up a second comp a bit later). So for those of you who are of refined taste should join me in getting the liquor out tonight and enjoying fine musical company. 


Selected Sounds Library Valentines Special

LOVE FEVER

It's Valentines and there are a few things in the air. Folks everywhere are muttering the L-word and probably making fools of themselves. Here's one for Sky and all the other Formel Eagles out there - it's a great number from Gayle Adams made and released in 1981. I've never heard of a female audiophile. I have never met a girl that who lusted after shiny knobs and had to have that preamp with a flow chart emblazoned onto the front of it. Knobs, switches, VU metres, equalisers, quadrophonic, and reverse stereo. I often wonder what a stereo would look if it was designed by girls. Anyway, I'm all whipped and shit.


Big ups to Gershy for the artwork on this one. 


Gayle Adams - Love Fever

THEO PARRISH V GQ-TWO

Does anyone remember GQ? Most people would for their seminal "Disco Nights" in 1979. They were from the Bronx, NY and first got together in '68 as Sabu & The Soul Survivors. As the boogie fever took hold though, they evolved with the sound to become a little bit more suave and cool. After a few disappointing  minor hits, they produced a proper second LP in 1980 and called it "Two". Not all of it is amazing, but man there are some quality moments. 


For Ugly Edits, a bootleg series, Parrish I seem to recall dusted off several numbers from the album and re-invented them with a whole new vibe. Parrish's edits showcase lead singer Emanuel Rahiem Leblanc's incredible emotive vocal quality as it melds nicely with the bassist Sabu Crier's wicked basslines. He gets rid of the choruses out of "Lies" completely and turns the cut into a powerful, linear dancefloor head banger. On "Is it Cool" he places particular emphasis on the powerful horn breakdowns and extends the track to a full 10+ minute groove. In Ugly Edits then, Parrish takes tunes that had received little excitement back in the day into stone cold classics.


Theo Parrish - Is It Cool
Theo Parrish - Lies

GARAGE HOUSE

Here's one for Faisal, a friend of mine from University - it's a garage house rare classic. It's called "You Don't Know", a special remix from 1985 and produced by Paul Simpson. It still sounds absolutely amazing today, turn it up!

Serious Intention - You Don't Know (special remix) 

PHILLY WORLD RECORDS

Someone has recently managed to plug into the master-tape-matrix over at Philly World Record's Alpha Studios and helped themselves to a few choice instrumentals of their uptempo boogie numbers. I've much respect for whoever it was, and I've managed to put them up here for anybody who doesn't want to go out for the next few hours. Notable beats here include Brutus's "Excitation" which is simply fantastic.
In the next few days, I'm going to upload some literature that I wrote whilst back at university - some of it deals with charting the use of sonic landscapes by African American slaves during the latter half of the 19th Century as vital emancipatory tools. I basically looked at how sound was used by these slaves to sing their way to freedom and how the baton was passed from generation to generation of black musicians from Armstrong to the Free Jazz movement of the 50s/60's. Bit nerdy, but I think it goes with the essence of the blog nicely.


Allan Harris - You Bring out the Best in Me
Akasha - Thunder in your Love
The Chestnut Brothers - Sweet Little Rita
Joe Freeman - Sneakin' (No Respect)
Sophie St. Laurent - Sex Appeal
New Experience - Prove it to me
Lustt - Pillow Talk
Venus Starr - Ms. Sassy, Frassy, Classy
Kim Covington - All of my love
Company B - Fascinated
FM Funk - Take off your make up (let your hair down)
Gypsy Lane - Cold Fire
Deborah Washington - Nothing but drums
Sir Scott Rock with The Jammal - Learn to Jamm-a-lott
Hipnotic - Are you lonely mp3 
Colarina - Calle Ocho (Meet me on 8th Street) mp3 
Reall Juice - Complicated Situation Dub mp3 
Brutus - Excitation  
Suzann Riches - Hungry for your love 
Russel Dabney - In the Middle of the Night  
Erotic Drum Band - Love Disco Style