With only a slightly embarrassing delay, here we have my special Homegame mix, entitled "Elektro Fiziks" (for reasons that should be fairly obvious) pristine and ready for you to download:
http://bit.ly/dBkM2U
For the uninitiated, every year at the Homegame Festival some kind soul organises a compilation CD lucky dip, giving everyone a chance to inflict their musical proclivities upon fellow bearded musos. Last year it proved to be a major hit and so it was something very much looked forward to again this year.
I still haven't heard from the lucky (or unfortunate - however you see it) person who picked this mix out of the hat. But it would be a shame, I think, only to inflict it upon only one person, so here it is for all and sundry to get their grubby hands on.
By now it seems almost hardly necessary to point out, having become something of a trademark, but the usual caveats do apply about appalling mixing skills. Maybe someone will teach me, one day...
Adios!
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Ten Albums of 2009
... in which I reveal myself as the pop fanatic I always knew, deep down, I was. No attempt has been made to make this list in any way credible - indeed, how could it? There are plenty of 'significant' releases that I've either deliberately ignored or not gotten round to yet and I make no apology (for none is necessary) This is purely and simply what's been spinning my platters in 2009...
1. Pet Shop Boys - Yes
Their most coherent and complete album for a good few years. Startlingly catchy, perfectly produced and continually lyrically intriguing. Has barely been off the stereo since its release. Not for everyone, yet neither is common sense or intelligence.
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
A successful change of direction. An easy target for those critical of anyone jumping on the rock-band-with-synths bandwagon, but the quality of the songs surely overcomes any cheap jibes. Would have been number one were it not for the truly cringeworthy Runrig overtones of 'Skeleton'... Karen! What were you thinking?!? A perfect album, otherwise.
3. The xx - xx
The kind of album that makes me weep at the folly of my idly mis-spent youth.
4. Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependance
It's only taken them four years but the two quiet Norwegians have once again managed to softly blow me away. Eirik and Erlend apparently have Northern Europe's largest horde of Reverb.
5. La Roux - La Roux
It's Yazoo but in 2009. 'Nuff said :-D
6. Annie - Don't Stop
Another pop gem from the girl who I would have to call the undisputed queen of underachieving Scandinavian pop princesses. The much delayed album has been reworked so many times and doesn't even include the singles "Anthonio" or "Two Of Hearts", but it still hangs together really well. Except "The Breakfast Song" which is hideous. Annie! What were you thinking?!?
7. Au Revoir Simone - Still Light, Still Night
I imagine heaven to be filled with girls who sound like Au Revoir Simone. Even when they're asking what time the next bus is or telling you to get out of the shower because it's 4am and you've been in there for hours. For example.
8. The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead
The Twilight Sad somehow manage to walk that fine line of brittle emotion and massive power whilst simultaneously off-handedly throwing in little hooks that send shivers down your spine. An incredible follow-up to Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters from the Best Band In Scotland Right Now(tm).
9. Lau - Arc Light
Much-lauded folk album from the trio of Kris Drever, Martin Green & Aidan O'Rourke. Avoids all notions of moribund, anachronistic Celtic/British folk and instead delivers something truly invigorating and timelessly modern.
10. Sally Shapiro - My Guilty Pleasure
Johan Agebjorn is undoubtedly one of my favourite producers and it's probably no great surprise that this album makes my top ten. It's great, a fine (if not earth-shattering) follow-up to 'Disco Romance' and kept my blood-Italo levels topped up nicely for most of 2009.
Appreciative knods go to Little Boots ("Hands") which should be in this list on the strength of the Phil Oakey guest appearance alone, The Whitest Boy Alive ("Rules"), Idlewild ("Post Electric Blues"), King Creosote ("Flick The Vs") and Junior Boys ("Begone Dull Care") Thanks for making my year that little bit louder.
1. Pet Shop Boys - Yes
Their most coherent and complete album for a good few years. Startlingly catchy, perfectly produced and continually lyrically intriguing. Has barely been off the stereo since its release. Not for everyone, yet neither is common sense or intelligence.
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
A successful change of direction. An easy target for those critical of anyone jumping on the rock-band-with-synths bandwagon, but the quality of the songs surely overcomes any cheap jibes. Would have been number one were it not for the truly cringeworthy Runrig overtones of 'Skeleton'... Karen! What were you thinking?!? A perfect album, otherwise.
3. The xx - xx
The kind of album that makes me weep at the folly of my idly mis-spent youth.
4. Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependance
It's only taken them four years but the two quiet Norwegians have once again managed to softly blow me away. Eirik and Erlend apparently have Northern Europe's largest horde of Reverb.
5. La Roux - La Roux
It's Yazoo but in 2009. 'Nuff said :-D
6. Annie - Don't Stop
Another pop gem from the girl who I would have to call the undisputed queen of underachieving Scandinavian pop princesses. The much delayed album has been reworked so many times and doesn't even include the singles "Anthonio" or "Two Of Hearts", but it still hangs together really well. Except "The Breakfast Song" which is hideous. Annie! What were you thinking?!?
7. Au Revoir Simone - Still Light, Still Night
I imagine heaven to be filled with girls who sound like Au Revoir Simone. Even when they're asking what time the next bus is or telling you to get out of the shower because it's 4am and you've been in there for hours. For example.
8. The Twilight Sad - Forget The Night Ahead
The Twilight Sad somehow manage to walk that fine line of brittle emotion and massive power whilst simultaneously off-handedly throwing in little hooks that send shivers down your spine. An incredible follow-up to Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters from the Best Band In Scotland Right Now(tm).
9. Lau - Arc Light
Much-lauded folk album from the trio of Kris Drever, Martin Green & Aidan O'Rourke. Avoids all notions of moribund, anachronistic Celtic/British folk and instead delivers something truly invigorating and timelessly modern.
10. Sally Shapiro - My Guilty Pleasure
Johan Agebjorn is undoubtedly one of my favourite producers and it's probably no great surprise that this album makes my top ten. It's great, a fine (if not earth-shattering) follow-up to 'Disco Romance' and kept my blood-Italo levels topped up nicely for most of 2009.
Appreciative knods go to Little Boots ("Hands") which should be in this list on the strength of the Phil Oakey guest appearance alone, The Whitest Boy Alive ("Rules"), Idlewild ("Post Electric Blues"), King Creosote ("Flick The Vs") and Junior Boys ("Begone Dull Care") Thanks for making my year that little bit louder.
Saturday, 14 February 2009
If I Know You
New video for one of my favourite tracks of 2008, from The Presets...
Via Pitchfork
http://pitchfork.tv/videos/the-presets-if-i-know-you
Via Pitchfork
http://pitchfork.tv/videos/the-presets-if-i-know-you
Monday, 1 December 2008
Milk
Here's the thing. I like milk.
I mean, what's not to like? You can drink it 'straight', you can froth it up and put it in your posh coffee, you can make milkshakes with it, you can pour it onto a bedazzling array of different breakfast cereals, you can turn it into cheese... You'd have to be mad not to like it. Milk is undoubtedly one of the best reasons for being alive. I'm always immediately suspicious of anyone who professes not to like milk, or even - yes - if they're not quite as over-enthusiastic as me. (That's you, you suspicious people, you.)
So, I have to admit that it grates with me every time I see one of these god-awful celebrity-endorsed milk adverts that seem to have constantly besmirched our streets and magazines and bus shelters and lives for at least the last decade.
The question is : Do I really want to see Myleene Klass or Nell McAndrew or anyone, actually, with milk smeared across their faces? No, thank you. Does it look attractive? No. Is it funny, perhaps? No. Does it make me want to buy milk? No. (I buy it anyway - lots of it - but that's besides the point.)
Why would anyone think this is even remotely attractive? Ugh! Clean yourselves up, honestly! You - celebrities! - did your mothers teach you no manners? Did they?? All you are demonstrating is a vulgar disregard for hygiene and a basic lack of cup-to-mouth manual co-ordination which most people learn and master well before they reach primary school age.
Of course, while facile celebrities can perhaps be expected to openly show off their vacuity in displays such as this, one might hope for advertising executives to have a little more decorum and respect for the products they sell. But who actually thinks that this is a good marketing idea? OK, having a milky moustache is a 'cute' thing for a small child to do - but let's not forget that small children also look 'cute' in dungarees, enjoy wreaking violence upon their siblings and often urinate in public at inappropriate times. Not cute. No.
What other foodstuff would advertisers treat this way? "Oooh, let's market our new baked beans by having Jonny Wilkinson plaster them across his face". or "I think the benefits of our new chocolate would best be demonstrated by having an X-Factor runner-up mash it into her hair or ankles"?
Thinking about all this in terms of culture, one can only hope that these ads and the people behind them, are symbolic of dying, pre-Credit Crunch British attitudes - of a voracious culture gorging on its own lazy profligacy, too busy consuming to notice it's own dirty face. Think about that next time you greedily guzzle a big glass of milk - but at least wipe your face afterwards, please...
I mean, what's not to like? You can drink it 'straight', you can froth it up and put it in your posh coffee, you can make milkshakes with it, you can pour it onto a bedazzling array of different breakfast cereals, you can turn it into cheese... You'd have to be mad not to like it. Milk is undoubtedly one of the best reasons for being alive. I'm always immediately suspicious of anyone who professes not to like milk, or even - yes - if they're not quite as over-enthusiastic as me. (That's you, you suspicious people, you.)
So, I have to admit that it grates with me every time I see one of these god-awful celebrity-endorsed milk adverts that seem to have constantly besmirched our streets and magazines and bus shelters and lives for at least the last decade.
The question is : Do I really want to see Myleene Klass or Nell McAndrew or anyone, actually, with milk smeared across their faces? No, thank you. Does it look attractive? No. Is it funny, perhaps? No. Does it make me want to buy milk? No. (I buy it anyway - lots of it - but that's besides the point.)
Why would anyone think this is even remotely attractive? Ugh! Clean yourselves up, honestly! You - celebrities! - did your mothers teach you no manners? Did they?? All you are demonstrating is a vulgar disregard for hygiene and a basic lack of cup-to-mouth manual co-ordination which most people learn and master well before they reach primary school age.
Of course, while facile celebrities can perhaps be expected to openly show off their vacuity in displays such as this, one might hope for advertising executives to have a little more decorum and respect for the products they sell. But who actually thinks that this is a good marketing idea? OK, having a milky moustache is a 'cute' thing for a small child to do - but let's not forget that small children also look 'cute' in dungarees, enjoy wreaking violence upon their siblings and often urinate in public at inappropriate times. Not cute. No.
What other foodstuff would advertisers treat this way? "Oooh, let's market our new baked beans by having Jonny Wilkinson plaster them across his face". or "I think the benefits of our new chocolate would best be demonstrated by having an X-Factor runner-up mash it into her hair or ankles"?
Thinking about all this in terms of culture, one can only hope that these ads and the people behind them, are symbolic of dying, pre-Credit Crunch British attitudes - of a voracious culture gorging on its own lazy profligacy, too busy consuming to notice it's own dirty face. Think about that next time you greedily guzzle a big glass of milk - but at least wipe your face afterwards, please...
Friday, 25 July 2008
Dog Show
Electrofreaks.com brings news of the eagerly awaited debut LP from canine electro genius Rex The Dog, apparently titled "The Rex The Dog Show" and the lead single, "I Can See You, You Can See Me". The latest track is not quite as in-yer-face as previous singles, but I kinda like it...
Bizarrely, I have also discovered that the man behind Rex the Dog was also responsible for early 90s eurodance classic "You Belong To Me" by JX.... Remember this one?
I am now on a mission to discover the early 90s cheesey secrets of today's credible underground electro producers, so watch this space!
In the interests of stupid eclecticism, I've noted that this should make an interesting combination with the new James Yorkston album that's due out at the beginning of September also!
Bizarrely, I have also discovered that the man behind Rex the Dog was also responsible for early 90s eurodance classic "You Belong To Me" by JX.... Remember this one?
I am now on a mission to discover the early 90s cheesey secrets of today's credible underground electro producers, so watch this space!
In the interests of stupid eclecticism, I've noted that this should make an interesting combination with the new James Yorkston album that's due out at the beginning of September also!
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
The Ultimate Secret Bunker
I suppose most of us must give at least a passing thought, at some time or another, to what we might do and where we might go in the event of some horrendous world catastrophe - nuclear war, bird flu, the rapid onset of the next ice age, perhaps, or a giant, out of control rabid, toxic Celine Dion rampaging across the globe.
World leaders have certainly given it some thought at various points in recent history, building vast underground bunkers and complex communications infrastructure to ensure that they (and maybe a select few of us) survive. Most recently we had the opening of the Global Seed Vault built under a Norwegian mountain to store all known types of crop, in case some future disaster puts at risk our capacity to produce Corn Flakes and Hovis.
But now I know exactly where I'll be heading should the prophets of doom start their oratory in earnest:
http://gizmodo.com/5018990/lego-secret-vault-contains-all-sets-in-history
Yes, it's the secret Lego vaults, where the crazy Danish plastic brick makers have stashed away one complete set of every Lego product ever made. Really. Every one.
Can you imagine a more fulfilling way to live out your last few days on Earth, as the meagre food and oxygen supplies dwindle and the hope of salvation recedes? Something better than having access to all those Lego Space and Pirates sets that were just that little bit too expensive for your Dad to buy you, even at Christmases or significant birthdays? Come on!!??!
Sorry guys, you can all go off and live in a bunker full of seeds and grain (grain?! Puh-lease - even the most fertile of imaginations would have difficulty making any fun out of a few big piles of plant germplasm) I'll die happy pretending to be a wee square yellow spaceman with limited capacity for limb movements and a head that has a tendency to fall off at the most inopportune moments.
If the rescue parties ever arrived with news of mankind's miracle survival and the great hope for the rebirth of the human race, they would find me, like a crazy, child-like Colonel Kurtz muttering to myself about the scarcity of roof pieces and my grand plan to build a replica Berlin Wall out of thousands of 2x6 multi-coloured studded bricks.
World leaders have certainly given it some thought at various points in recent history, building vast underground bunkers and complex communications infrastructure to ensure that they (and maybe a select few of us) survive. Most recently we had the opening of the Global Seed Vault built under a Norwegian mountain to store all known types of crop, in case some future disaster puts at risk our capacity to produce Corn Flakes and Hovis.
But now I know exactly where I'll be heading should the prophets of doom start their oratory in earnest:
http://gizmodo.com/5018990/lego-secret-vault-contains-all-sets-in-history
Yes, it's the secret Lego vaults, where the crazy Danish plastic brick makers have stashed away one complete set of every Lego product ever made. Really. Every one.
Can you imagine a more fulfilling way to live out your last few days on Earth, as the meagre food and oxygen supplies dwindle and the hope of salvation recedes? Something better than having access to all those Lego Space and Pirates sets that were just that little bit too expensive for your Dad to buy you, even at Christmases or significant birthdays? Come on!!??!
Sorry guys, you can all go off and live in a bunker full of seeds and grain (grain?! Puh-lease - even the most fertile of imaginations would have difficulty making any fun out of a few big piles of plant germplasm) I'll die happy pretending to be a wee square yellow spaceman with limited capacity for limb movements and a head that has a tendency to fall off at the most inopportune moments.
If the rescue parties ever arrived with news of mankind's miracle survival and the great hope for the rebirth of the human race, they would find me, like a crazy, child-like Colonel Kurtz muttering to myself about the scarcity of roof pieces and my grand plan to build a replica Berlin Wall out of thousands of 2x6 multi-coloured studded bricks.
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