Luca Brasi 2 - Kevin Gates

If Kevin Gates's Luca Brasi 2 had been released before the 15th of December last year it would most definitely have been in my best of 2014 list. On first listen I thought this was nowhere near as good as his other 2014 release, the excellent, By Any Means. Now I'm pretty sure it's even better and possibly his best recording to date. I also thought there was nothing as bangingly hit worthy as Don't Know What To Call It from 2013's Stranger Than Fiction which should have been a number 1 smash.  I Don't Get Tired featuring August Alsina is almost as awesome but only reached 107 on the US chart and only 33 on the US R&B chart. Then again how many songs about working hard are hits? It's all about the partying in the charts innit?. Kevin Gates has had a hell of a winning streak though with his previous 7 or 8 mixtapes/albums (My files have disappeared so???). Luca Brasi 2 sees him team up with DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz mixtape team for the first time. Gangsta Grillz have been behind such classics as Young Jeezy's Trap Or Die, Lil Wayne's Dedication 2 and Lil Boosie's Streetz Is Mine among many other groundbreaking semi-legit mixtapes.

It starts off with an Intro that gets straight to the heavy issues Gates is now known for depression and aggression. He mentions being like God, cocaine, cars (big theme with Kev) and something about a Barber Shop. Next is I Don't Get Tired, which was the first and only single so far from the LP, that irritated the hell out me when I first heard it but now I see this is an incredible tune. This features some of his most incredible rapping. Kevin's flow is so idiosyncratic that nobody sounds like this guy. The timbre of his voice is so exquisite. It has quite an affect on the ladies (I've seen women leave their phone numbers on the interweb for Gates) and the men as well. I mean I wish I had a voice that great. I Don't Get Tired features mental fast rapping followed by smooth melodic choruses featuring divine backing vocals and August Alsina's luxurious feature. The tune's about getting dead presidents (that's $$$ folks). He goes from living on an airbed and eating stale Rice Crispies to owning a farm? I hope that's what he says. I can see him and Lil Boosie sippin' lean on the front veranda discussing their prison days with a host of ladies in bikinis. In one section it sounds like he's melodiously singing "I was just tying to get an eye lift." I mean this guy first entered the penal system at age 13 and is currently on parole, he's so hood there's no way he's saying that but I want to believe it because that would be so funny. Anyway this track is some kind of strange salute to the American dream. John Gotti fits with the mafia theme of Luca Brasi who was a character in The Godfather who was Don Corleone's enforcer but I guess he's most famous for being included in the quote "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes." John Gotti is a catchy highlight of the album. This could be Kev's most megalomaniac song ever. He compares himself to John Gotti, God, he is Luca Brasi, his mother fucked an angel and he's immortal. Audis, Porsches and Maseratis all get mentioned. Its such a cool pop song you don't even notice at one point he sings he's so depressed he wishes someone would kill him.

The megalomania continues on Perfect Imperfection. It all begins with an incredibly infectious disco violin (synth violin?) sample that is soo good. Then Kev's off comparing himself to Forrest Gump, then says he's Michael Jackson reincarnate and channelling the spirit of Ali The Greatest. He still needs affection though and asks if it's 'ok to cry if you're dying inside?' But he has his craft perfected, he's never wrong, Drake says Gates don't bullshit and all other rappers are fake because they ain't from the ghetto in Louisiana who just take loads of drugs. Having said that Kev admits codeine helps him get by. But those other rappers never had to grind so hard to pay their lawyers yet still go to prison and have your bitch not pick up the phone whilst incarcerated.

Plug Daughter is one of the most sonically cool tracks here with it's classic minimal horror motifs. This is another mafia tale. What the fuck is a Plug daughter? Out The Mud has a backing track reminiscent of a really gentle 90s IDM track with fucking great poetic Speedy Gonzales rapping. Sometimes I think how the hell does he do that? Then he just slips back into melodic hooks like it's nothing. Sit Down has the best bass pressure this side of a No U Turn track along with really subtle haunting piano and synth stabs. Sometimes he fits more words into a tune than early Bob Dylan. The mafia theme continues. Fact and fiction collide. His Breadwinners Association Company is a bona-fide organisation but he places it in a mafia context. I'm astounded again by his rapping on this tune. He has the the best delivery in the game and has had for some time. Complaining's all mad bitches, sex, foreign cars and spending paper. It sounds like he's singing at one point 'them bitches bad but Paco ain't complaining.' I really hope Paco is another Gates alias but I think its just me mishearing again. This is why I don't read lyric sheets it takes away the mystique. Talk On Phones is a classic Wire situation. He rhymes open cases with poker faces you gotta love that. There's like a brilliant one note horror synth stab throughout as well as gloomy swirling synths that are awesome too.

Wassup With It & In My Feelings are as close as Kev gets to a slow jam. Wassup With It could be a smash hit. It's got the melodic pop goods, the only thing holding it back would be all the profanity like 2013's Midnight Run from Dj Mustard featuring Royce The Choice, Skeam & Casey Veggies ie. these two tunes are pop perfection but could never be commercial hits which is such a shame. Gates just wants a fuck with no strings. He's been tainted by past relationships he's just 'tryin to hit that pussy one time, that'd be cool' right? In My Feelings starts out like it could be a slow jam with it's 2014 version of a silky 70s vibe but it's sugar & poison. He's having a massive crack at Southern Christianity in the verse then in the chorus it's all like romantic and soft but then he's into another angry verse then back to the sugar to finish. You don't really have to guess what Pourin The Syrup's about. He's drinking the lean because he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders. Kudos to Kev again this time for rhyming famous with anus. Top that motherfuckers. Wild Ride is a plea for a threesome. Clits, eatin dick, fondling balls, pussy drippin, ass up and face down all sung with a heavenly backing track. Confusing lyric: 'Bonnie & Clyde her', what the fuck does that mean? Must look up the Urban Dictionary on that one. Makin Love is about loving the hustle not some tune about a sex romp. The narcissism continues with lyrics like 'They don't even call me Kevin no more, they call me awesome.' 'I am the way the truth and the light' and 'I am Flawless'. A final shout out to his Maserati engine and guess what he don't get tired. He must be mixing his lean with something of the amphetamine variety though because codeine makes you v tired. I should know I just took some.

Kev. He don't get tired.

Friday The 13th

Any excuse to play another tune off John Carpenter's brilliant Lost Themes album. This is so epic. Carpenter out Goblins Goblin on this one. I think Carpenter admits to the massive influence that Suspiria, the film and the OST, has had on his own film making, scoring and career. I have a very authoritative book on American Film in the 70s worth like $200 called Lost Illusions: American Cinema In The Shadow Of Watergate & Vietnam 1970-1979 published by Charles Scribner's Sons (Macmillan Library Reference USA) but it always makes me chuckle because they call Goblin 'a Japanese keyboard group.' So they weren't too authoritative on Italian synth prog Horror bands. Somewhere else in the book Goblin are referred to as The Goblins. Sounds like a great 60's garage rock band though doesn't it - The Goblins! There probably was a band called that from the mid-west of America who released one 7" of teen angst in 1965.

Speaking of The Goblins here's one of the best bits of the soundtrack to the 1977 Italian cult movie Suspiria. Now those are some of the greatest soundz ever to come out of a synth ever aren't they? It doesn't get any better than this for soundtrack gold. That percussion too...mmm...almost a gamelan vibe albeit a tres creepy and demented one. Debt is owed by everyone on this post to the nightmarish vision of the great Goblin. Great Japanese keyboard band that they are.

From the first movie? Named differently on some releases I think? I can't find the track Mrs Voorhees which has the subliminal kill kill kill thing in it. Maybe it's called something else as well on other releases. Who Knows?

This is from the original 1982 pressing of the Friday The 13th LP on Gramavision which contained 4 tracks. So I think this is like a megamix of Friday The 13th parts 1, 2 & 3 or as the composer's like to say 'a suite'. Penderecki and Herrmann loom large here don't they? The full version of the first Friday The 13th's OST didn't see light of day until 2012 as far as I can gather. Then last year Waxwork Records re-issued it. Correct me if I'm wrong though. Maybe there was a 1980 pressing of the full version but it's not listed on discogs. Anyway I'm confused but happy Friday The 13th everybody!

I know it's a snippet but it's very cool because it's like a classic movie trailer not an annoying soundcloud thing. Actually why the hell not post the full 27 minutes of much awesomeness? Go ahead press play it'll be the best 27 minutes of your week I guarantee it or your money back.

More 80s horror for your Friday The 13th. Chuck is one of my favorite film composers What about those drum soundz and that quintessential 80s guitar lick. I could listen to this shit all day....oh...that's what I've been doing.

Alright this is the last one and it's pure horror gold. Recently re-issued on Terror Records Co. for the first time since 1980, only took 35 years for that to happen. In the interim the OST gained much notoriety and a massive cult audience who had to put up with dodgy mp3s for many years or fork out the big bucks for this rare and much coveted item. More synth horror awesomenessss. Never seen The Boogey Man. Maybe I'll try and watch it somehow. I suspect it won't be on my T-box. Then again Philip Brophy's Body Melt was on there as was Sorority House Massacre 2 (with a terrific score from good ole Chuck Cirino). So who knows?

Deep-Tech & John Carpenter

This remix is the goods, better than the original methinks and speaking of John Carpenter recently, you can hear his influence once again on this tune. The Deep-Tech producers understand his minimalism and it meshes well with their own. The vibe too.....

Loving this one off John Carpenter's 2015 Lost Themes on the Sacred Bones label. I was thinking Sacred Bones is not really my scene, you know, retro rock and all that but hey they re-released the Eraserhead soundtrack, Gary War's 2009 classic Horribles Parade and I do really enjoy hearing Moon Duo on the radio. It's funny I went a bit off Carpenter's soundtracks when he started using more guitars but the thing is all the other stuff is still in there, it just has guitars as well. I may have to reassess his later work. It's not like I hate guitars or anything anyway. Most of my favorite LPs have guitars on them!

A little bit of old School Carpenter. Soo spooky....

UK Garridge 101 - Part 2

This one is from 94 and is a gem. My files have disappeared and my computer is dead till I get someone to look at. I'm not hopeful though. I'm using the Mrs computer. I don't think I had this as an mp3 track, it was definitely on a mix though. So this is a Ray Keith alias and there is some Foul Play connection as well. I think they did something on the flipside. I don't know if Ray went onto garage or continued on with drum'n'bass.

Now this is Wookie from 99 and it's garridge gold. I don't think I knew this one at all. That organ sound plus the drums and bass seem so simple and that's what makes this so great. Then there's that cool serene outro, nice.... I guess it reminds me a little of some of those early hardcore trax that were really minimal like 2 Bad Mice but Wookie does it in garridge form.

Ha, now we're back to Steve Gurley who may or may not have had anything to do with that Renegade B-side at the top. I think I'm lovin the dub (below) even more than the vocal mix. Gurley did both of these versions. Gee he had a knack for this shit. The way he seamlessly went from hardcore to jungle to garridge is something to behold. Nobody probably did it better as far as I know (future topic perhaps?) He was born to do it......er...... wonder what the original is like?

 

Part of a discussion with Simon Reynolds, author of Energy Flash & Retromania, and me lifted from the comments box.

Simon

heard lenny fontana 'spirit of the sun (steve gurley remix)"? also tuuuuuuuuuuuuuune.

Tim

I found the 'Full Vocal Mix' on this mix at Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/stevegurleyselectedvinyls/steve-gurley-selected-vinyls

This is a pretty cool mix from Revealomaniac, no relation.

The 'Full Vocal Mix' & 'Ballistic Beatz Dub' are not on i-tunes or Beatport. I don't get these guys and the way they treat their own archives?

Simon

yes the mix in that Soundcloud thing (which i downloaded last year now i recall) that is the same as the one described as 'Renegade Business Mix' - so i wasn't wrong all along after all. phew!

i suppose it's not an archival culture really, as much as there are fanboys clustered around all different stages of the hardcore continuum who track stuff like who engineered which jungle or hardcore tune and auteur trajectories of producers etc - the actual core of the culture is not archivally conscious. all these great tunes we fetishise were done as fast-money music, it was about getting the track out for the weeks or few months it was blazing on the pirates and making quite a lot of quick money for the label and the producer. they weren't thinking that far ahead and many would have gone out of business. i mean is the label that put out the gurley rmx even in existence any more? is there anyone with an active financial interest maintaining the archive? probably not. but you would think that the artist would want to keep their work out there in some form. however i got the sense that Gurley was burned in his business dealings, that's the story i heard from somewhere, that he was locked into something iniquitous. so perhaps the whole period something he wants to put behind him, or even doesn't own that music. i mean a remix is usually a flat fee payment for a service, the remix is owned by the original artist / label no matter how different the track is at the end of the process.

Tim

Lenny Fontana has Hundreds of trax on Beatport and Gurley even has a few. They're just not the one's I want. Maybe there are some issues like you say with certain tunes. Steve Gurley did acknowledge and recommend that Soundcloud mix though. It's a funny old world innit?

***Both Victor Romeo's Inside You and Lenny Fontana's Spirit Of The Sun were issued on Public Demand Records which I don't think has a current release schedule. Probably shutting up shop in the mid 00s by the looks after 2-Step and UKG were superseded by Grime and Dubstep. In 2013 there was some archival (I think?) audio file release activity from the label. They do have a twitter account.

Twisted Mentasms

Keep It Coming (Dem 2 Twist Up Dub) - De Souza feat Marcell Duprey.
Holy Fuck this is a tuuuuune!!!!!!! This has to be one of the best records ever. I don't think I even knew these 2 tunes until the other day so they're new to me and they're fantastic. This one from 98's got subtle and slinky Mentasms. I can't believe how much I like garage now. I was certainly one of those guys who didn't get the paradigm shift. It didn't really matter because there was still loads of other types of music happening but then by the early 2000s even that had dwindled to a trickle. Never even heard of De Souza and according to discogs this was the only thing he did. Don't ya love that? Make an all time classic then skedaddle. Of course Dem 2 are always good. Did they do anything shite?

The Twisted Mentasm - Bizzy B.
Bizzy B man of many top tunes but this one totally passed me by. I'm wondering if there was a different version of this though but I can't seem to find it. Like Second Phase's Mentasm wasn't fucked up enough Bizzy B had to fuck with it some more in 1993. This is pure hardcore gold.

Mentasm - Second Phase.
Why the fuck not? Hey while I'm in the mood we might as well hear the most seminal rave track ever. What more can I say that hasn't already been said. Mentastic!!!

MENTASM 101

*Some people say my blog goes over their head a little. I guess I take for granted my knowledge & do expect a certain amount of pre-knowledge from my readers on the subjects discussed. Or I think 'hey they're on the interweb if they don't know what I mean, finding out is just a click away.' But people are lazy and will quickly lose interest. Anyway this is something I endeavour to correct. There's not much point preaching to the converted, or is there? There must be something in it as the same people go to mass each week. This would be a good essay topic. Anyway what I'm getting at here is that mental noise on Mentasm. When I say things like Mentasm Stab, Mentastic or Mentasms this right here is what I'm referring to-The tune Mentasm by Second Phase which was Joey Beltram & some other guy. It was released in 1991 on the legendary techno label R&S Records from Belgium in 1991. This sound became treasured and had to be had by every hardcore artist for the next few years in the 90s. It kinda actually was the sound of the 90s wasn't it? Hey it's even been back recently on some top 40 hits from the likes of Rihanna. I'm boring myself. Being a teacher must suck. Next week's class: The Hoover Sound.

On The Hi-Fi Part 39

An Ambient EP of loveliness from Loscil. Reminding me of the great Spectral Cassettes series that Pontone posted a few years ago. Those Pontone tapes were my gateway back into electronic music and current music in general. They can probably still be found at his ghost blog. Anyway For Greta is just what I need at the moment. Splendid aural serenity. This is soo good. Hey FACT is this 'power ambient' or just plain old ambient?

Never gone beyond the 70s with Baris Manco before but my GP who's from Turkey played me a track off this because I told him I loved 60s and 70 Turkish music. He asked me what my favorite Manco LP was and I said 2023 which he agreed is very good. He doesn't think the scene has been as good since the 80s and he's not an old guy maybe 40-45. So 'Retromania' goes on in Turkey too. He was also into Mogollar but not familiar with Bunalim, I guess they're obscure, whereas Manco was a big star. Sozum Meclisten Disari is an LP from 1981 and maybe his 6th album. I'm getting music recommendations from doctors now? Strange world indeed. Some good stuff on here. The title track includes lighting cigarettes, talking, pouring drinks, smoking, and what I assume is some sort of whispered words of seduction, a bit like a Turkish Serge Gainsbourg. Of course Baris Manco is a legend and musical innovator in his own right and needs no comparisons. I'd really like to know what the fuck he's saying in that tune. Gulpembe is irresistible Turkish prog synth gold with a hard riff and dark heavy bass. Funky 80s sounds with great keyboards and even a chipmunk choir are all put to good use on this recording. At certain stages during the album it's like Compass Point has been resituauted in Turkey and I mean that in a very good way. This LP contains a classic tune 2025 which is a top shelf cosmic Turkish prog funk jam. Donence the final track is an epic too, great space age synth and over the top guitars but with that unmistakable Anadolu vibe. Still getting deep with this one, however I reckon it's going to be another Manco classic to go along with his other three that I know and love. Thanks Doc, now about fixing these headaches...............actually I wonder if he has any other LPs he can recommend.

Came across this the other day. It's a 70s (1971?) library record on the Italian Leo label from Giuliano Sorgini. He recently came to people's attention due to the reissue of his soundtrack to The Living Dead At The Manchester Morgue on Death Waltz in 2012. Previous to that he was a renowned cult figure in the Library music scene. The one record I had back then was Under Pompelmo, from 1973, which actually got the reissue treatment this year on Italian label Cinedelic Records apparently. Percussioni In Crescendo is a drum heavy, dark, funky and an occasionally bombastic record. This LP can be Incredibly atmospheric and minimal at times. Percussioni In Crescendo's incorporates some good twanging guitars, quirky electronic tones and big big symphonic drums. A little library gem right here folks.

Digging this. Club Godzilla is back with Club God 4. You know what you're getting here songs about gettin booty and songs about getting booty, oh and songs about strippers and headjobs. The instant highlights are the Gangsta Boo contributions which are incredible. I can't help thinking there's too many features though and not enough of just Beatking on his own. Not sure what to make of Chedda Da Connect yet. Is he Houston's answer to Young Thug? Or is his flow way to close to that of Thugga's? He's only on one track so who cares? The rest is sounding v good. How To Make Love To A Woman is skit gold that had me laughing out loud as well as quite astonished at Beatking's audacity. Chamillionaire makes an appearance. I'm not really sure who he is is. He was someone in my hip-hop black spot area (98 to 2011*). Like was he good, cool or innovative? Beatking is really pushing taste boundaries on this release, which I guess is nothing new for him. Like he could give a fuck anyway! Particularly What Dat Mouth Do which is creepy but mainly really funny and probably the most pop tune on the album. Only got it on i-tunes yesterday so I'm still processing it all. I'll do a full review down the track.  It's getting a thrashing though. That's a pretty bloody good sign in this day and age, innit though?

WHAT I'M NOT LISTENING TO

Or the extended version of John Cage's 4.33. More like 4 hours & 33 minutes. Due to debilitating migraines I have to go into a dark room at the first sign of head pain and do nothing. No devices, people or books allowed. Just darkness, the sound of the house and its surrounds. Not as boring as one might think and kind of refreshing and definitely relaxing except for the headache part. Try it without a headache. Humanoid unplugged.

Dolphin Post-Rock

Totally loved this track by Bark Psychosis back in 92, still got the cd single. The Manman EP is a classic. Anyway there's a dolphin-esque sound in amongst the rest of their sumptuous sounds on this tune. Actually I remember this being way more dolphiny than it is. God I haven't listened to this in 20 years I reckon. You think Godspeed You Black Emperor had a few Bark psychosis records along with their Swans ones? I have a feeling that Bark Psychosis had another track that was a bit dolphiny but that would involve me having to go find the other cds, finding this one was hard enough. I know youtube! but hey that's lazy and I don't mind a bit of a rummage.  

Dolphin Jungle Part 2

Didn't know this Nebula II track from 93 at all till Simon pointed it out to me. Those first 2 records from Nebula II were so good I don't know why I didn't follow them beyond that point. There was so much happening in the 90s music-wise you didn't know where to look or what was coming next. There's another version I see there on the label which doesn't seem to be on youtube though.

The classic Bukem track Atlantis from 93 that needs no introduction. Been listening to so much obscure drum'n'bass that you tend to forget how good the main players were, early on anyway.

This Nebula II tune from 92 Flatliners isn't too dolphin e is it? Bit of Tone-Loc in there and a whole bunch of other stuff. Not heard this either...me like. 'ardcore!

Then there was this one too from Bukem, maybe it was on the other side of Atlantis no it was the follow up single. It's from 93 anyway. I recall enjoying this one. It must have been on a tape. God, maybe I'll get out some post-Rufige Kru Goldie.

Now this one is a crackin tune. I love that swallow/marine life (whatever the fuck it is) sample that I guess we all first heard on 808 State's Pacific State. I think I read somewhere that was just a standard sound setting that came with the ??? instrument. No one had to go searching for this sample on an obscure wildlife documentary. The beats on this are frenetic. A true fucking classic of Dolphin Jungle even if it's perhaps not as calm as some of the other tunes. I think this was Bukem's first 12". What a way to start huh?

Dolphin Tune - Aquarius

I'd heard this back in the day but didn't realise it was called Dolphin Tune. Is it really? Is this where the term Dolphin Jungle comes from? Is that even a term or do I just think it is? Or did it already exist so he was just taking the piss out of himself. I was a sucker for this stuff back then, the good tunes anyway, still am i suppose. This is a bewdy, I reckon. Perfect for my current headspace. It just seemed an unlikely hybrid that juxtaposition of ambient/new age and jungle beatz/choppage. Did someone say ambient jungle? The flip is fucking wicked too probably even better, especially if you get a couple of versions going at once like 40 seconds apart. When I first heard jungle I guess some time in 92 on RRR or PBS in Melbourne on a show called Roots, Ragga & Dub where they started having like monthly jungle specials, which I used to tape but those tapes are long gone, dammit! Anyway that's what I reckon they were doing playing the same track out of sync with at least two records possibly even more or other tunes entirely. It was like music being beamed into my crappy East Brunswick bedroom from a planet inhabited some super hyper spazzoid aliens. Don't let the fact that this is a Photek alias put you off. This isn't as methodical or detached as some his other material.

Forever grateful to the Professor of 'The Hardcore Continuum' Simon Reynolds who adds another contribution to my blog in the comments box:

"probably does come from that tune, but also Bukem was doing things like "Atlantis" and the whole sound of Good Looking / Looking Good is just aqueous isn't it?

there was 93 track by Nebula II on Reinforced called "Eye Memory' that actually has dolphin noises on it! The title is based on that idea that if a dolphin looks you in the eye, it'll never forget you."

I remember Atlantis but not sure I'm familiar with Eye Memory. Funds back in the day went mainly on gettin wasted so it was radio, tapes or clubs where you heard the music. Import 12"s were bloody expensive as were styluses. Loved those Nebula II trax on those Reinforced comps though.

Carnao Beats - Chords Of Life

This is an epic tune (maybe I already posted this whatever) that kind goes to all sorts of funny and unpredictable destinations. We're in the future now. That 80s synth drum sound which a lot of these Deep-Tech guys are so fond of reminds me of those groups from a few years back who had a micro-genre Outrun centred around the Rosso Corsa Records label. Some of the better groups from this milieu included ActRazer, Miami Nights 84 and Lazerhawk. Lazerhawk are probably the most ambitious of that crew and possibly the only ones still in existence if indeed they still are?. Their last album Skull & Shark went off into epic horror disco soundtrack territory and was damn fine. So I guess there's another connection to John Carpenter and Deep-Tech and music in general of the 21st century. Migraine kicking in and I'm on a tangent without a destination I think. I best be off to a dark room with no devices or soundz, doctors orders.

Come Easy - Run Tings & Liftin' Spirits

Didn't Know this track until I bought that excellent Suburban Base Compilation last year. It just came up whilst I was on me pushy today. Gee there's some great choppage happening in there. Then you've got those strings which are just lovely and that quintessential female voice. Mmm.....me like a lot. Don't know anything about them except they, Run Tings, had a run of 5 or 6 records on Suburban Base. This did lift my spirits today. I don't know if it's like a split single deal or a collaboration. So I checked out the flipside (below) Invincible which is more your pure dolphin jungle but that's not a bad thing with me. I quite like it. There's a nice dark bit in the middle. It's hard not to resist that drummage, no matter how absurd and fusion e it is.

Computer On The Blink

There may not be any posts for a while. My computer is dying. Here a a great pic to tide you over.

..........or maybe not.....not allowing pictures from files which actually may have disappeared. Fuck! What's going on? Hang on it's letting me have a tune. Unfairly maligned in their time 1985/86 by like serious rock people man, you know the type, Bob fans coz he's so authentic man. Like he wasn't contrived or anything man. This is great pop. This is what my computer needs ie. Stimulation. Is it even Stimulation by Wa Wa Nee? My computer won't tell me. A late Australia day entry for all you punk rockers.

Industrial By Alessandroni

Totally love the cover.

I think I have about 8 of Alessandoni's solo library records, some Spaghetti Western soundtracks and a horror OST. He was also behind Braen's Machine who have two albums Underground (1971), that one is a particularly great groovy fuzz rock monster of an LP, and Temi Retmici E Dinamici (1973) and of course he was a frequent collaborator with Ennio Morricone. He also used the alias just Braen on the occasional collaborative library LP like two of my all time favorite library albums Biologia Marina (1973) on the Rhombus imprint and Ittiologia (1973) on the Cardium label. So it turns out he's in my record collection way more than I ever thought. I think the record company Dead Cert are claiming that Industrial is unreleased stuff from Alessandro. He did have an LP on Coloursound called Light And Heavy Industry from 1982 and Ritmo Del Industria from 1969. This LP does appear to be from 1976 and no tracks as far as I can recall I've heard before but I have a feeling this material was circulated in 76, probably in a very small quantity as I think I've seen copies on the interweb. Anyway this was a happy little surprise waiting for me in the morning. It's good stuff too. Industrial is a soundworld where acoustic and electronic instruments collide to create a wonderfully unique record. From start to finish the edgy intensity never dips below maximum. This is not easy listening library music which Alessandro Alessandroni is quite capable of and exceptional at. It's the opposite ie. not for the faint of heart or listener not willing to be challenged. Intense swirling electronic pulses, mental pianos, dissonant scrapes, repetitive violins, distant clangs, bubbling synthesisers, wayward dark bass throbs, weird percussion and tense guitars all add to this dramatic and incredible LP. Avivcendamento sounds like 3 different tunes playing at once and it's fabulous. A bit of atonal noise here, a little bit of discordance there. Horror motifs raise their zombie heads as do minimalism's, all with a Euro/Italo vibe and then some of it is quite uncanny, unlike anything he'd ever done before. This is incredibly outre and innovative music. His guitar playing in particular is mesmerising, strange, suspenseful and idiosyncratic. It's beautifully recorded and produced. Only a few listens in but its gotta be one of the best archival releases of the year already.



This is from his terrific Light & Heavy Industry LP from 82 and sounds not dissimilar to some of the tracks on Industrial By Alessandroni (couldn't find any of them one the youtube).

Leather In Rock

Well after Dave Graney's triumphant quintuple leather outfit in that previous post I was wondering if anyone else had been so audacious in their lifetimes to attempt such fashion highs?

Marlon Brando. Wild One leather.

Jimmy Dean's iconic leather, fag, hair, t-shirt, cheekbones......

Who are these guys? That's a lot of leather.

Jim Morrison owner of the world's most famous leather pants although apparently v stanky.

Jim in contemplating leather.

Lou Reed. 70s Heroin Chic leather.

Older clean Lou rides bike in leather. RIP in leather.

The Stooges. Not as leathery as one would have thought.

Elvis Presley. 68 Comeback leather. Was this leather's finest moment? He was hot ie. sweating it out for fashion. That's leather dedication!

Elvis in 70s King leather. 

Keef in leather/hair combo.

Suzi Quatro. The ultimate 70s woman in Glam leather.

Suzi lying down in leather jumpsuit. Nice.

The Ramones. 1976 New York Punk leather. Great leather/denim combo uniform. Very contrived, military-esque, I like.

Johnny Rotten. Can't really tell if this is leather. He was more fond of a sports coat albeit usually a mangled one, like his dog ate it.

Sid Vicious. Sex Pistol on his way to the grave in leather.

Michael Jackson. Billie Jean leather. Dancing in leather pants i would imagine is hard. Doing Michael Jackson dancing even harder. This could be quadruple leather? What if there's a glove on the hand in the pocket though?

Couple of faces later leather. You like my shoulder leather.

Melle Mel. Street corner hood leather. The last great icon of leather?

Blixa Bargeld. Strange German leather. Lederhosen-esque leather.

Dave Graney. Quintuple leather. Still the leatheriest I do believe. You are a champion of leather! I think MJ was Dave's only possible real competition and well he's dead now so game over.

*Later on twitter Dave replied:
honoured to be in the golden age of leather

Australia Day Melbourne Special

Total Control are a current Melbourne supergroup. You Know people from 'The Melbourne Bambino Music Mafia' This one is so much good, it was in my best choonz of 2014. Rock's not fully dead yet!

This tune was from Ooga Boogas excellent LP from 2013 Ooga Boogas. Guitarist Mikey Young is in the above Total Control rock group as well as the Eddy Current Suppression Ring rock band. Leon Stackpole singer, guitarist and keyboardist is an enigmatic man walking the earth and bringin back his casually odd tales for you to enjoy with an incredible backing band of course.

Now this is a Melbourne (Is there a Geelong connection? I don't know. Danno why don't you let us know?) smash from 1987. I think the members of God were all teens at the time of this recording. They did an LP too but nothing can compare to the teenage kicks of My Pal. I cannot believe how fucking good this song is to this day! That intro, that riff, that singing man, those words, this song. Similar themes to the previous Sunnyboys tune I posted but this friend doesn't even like him. Members went on to be in bands Hoss, Powder Monkeys, Tendrils, Philistines, Bored and more. My Pal would always be the best thing they would ever be involved with despite how talented they were/are or aren't. Two of the members of God have now passed away both, I think, of heroin overdoses in the early 2000s. The Melbourne rock scene loved their heroin, hello Birthday Party. RIP Tim Hemensley & Sean Greenway. 

The title tune from Dave Graney's awesome solo cd, Knock Yourself Out, from 2009 is so great. So Dave tells us how fucking great his songs are and how great he is in true boxing/hip-hop narcissistic boasting sylee and it's infectious as hell. Then there's that great bit where he sings in French, Belgian or Dutch I don't bloody know but i can't get enough of that bit. Knock Yourself Out makes you wanna get out all the great tunes of his that he mentions during the song like There He Goes With His Eye Out, Night Of The Wolverine, I Got Dimensions etc. The video kind of fades out though when there's still like 2 minutes of the track left which is a shame. You gotta see the film clip though coz it's so Melbourne hipster it's hilarious. Then there's Mr Graney the one and only charismatic star who, as the rap kids say now, 'is in his own lane'. What's this look he's got goin? Some kind of double leather or hang on is it triple because of the hat? Wait are his shoes leather too?, if so that'd be quadruple leather. That would be Avant-garde couture almost would it not? Jesus I was just getting used to double denim as a concept. It's a bit Melle Mel meets Lou Reed 70s heroin chic in a Belgian sailor's bar. The full version of this tune is below because it's such a great song. You should also check out the entire album as it's a peak in his incredible career. Possibly his finest.

Phew that's it for Australia Day now. Jesus there were some odd selections there, huh? Strange. Well what did you expect? Did I post any Church? I've been listening to them all day anyway........ so....oh well next time.

Oh...... here's the full version of the tune Knock Yourself Out. Dunno 'bout the video.

Australia Day Part 3

I wanted the original version of Rock n Roll Is Where I Hide from the Dave Graney & The Coral Snakes LP The Soft'n'Sexy Sound but it's not on the youtubes but this is a pretty bloody good version though. It's the title track of a 2011 cd Graney released of reworkings of classic Coral Snakes tunes but with a different band, I mean apart from his Mrs and himself that is. I also wanted to put up Morrison Floorshow from the same LP but that's not available either. Anyway enjoy this one. Dave's an Australian showbiz maverick. My mother in law once described him as a bit like George Melly. Compliment or put down? I've never heard Melly's music but I have his book Revolt Into Style and that's a brilliant pioneering work of music writing.



This is from Sunnyboys self-titled debut LP from 1981 that was in my best reissues of 2014. Sunnyboys was produced by the legendary Lobby Loyde of Coloured Balls fame. This tune, along with most of the others on the record, takes on a whole new significance when you've seen the documentary 'The Sunnyboy' about singer/songwriter and guitarist Jeremy Oxley and his mental health issues. He's a sweet guy though, when you get down to it.



I could post the whole album but this one is particularly fine. Sydney was such an exciting place in the late 70s and through the 80s for all sorts of music. Apparently there was music on every corner and in every pub and a lot of it was free or like a dollar, so I've been told. The Sunnyboys LP peaked 13 on the national charts and was the 67th biggest selling album in Australia in 1981. It came in just below The Beach Boys Greatest Hits which is rather fitting as Oxley and Wilson both had siblings in their bands, had troubles with life, were both recluses at certain stages and both were possibly geniuses.

Australia Day Part 2

My Wife's Experience Part 2

Who'd have thought I'd like a Silverchair song but me and the Mrs both loved this. This is 12 years after their breakthrough Tomorrow from the 95 debut LP FrogStomp. It's an inspiring song from I think their 4th album 2007's Young Modern which was mainly psychedelic and I didn't really dig but the Mrs loved it. I love the MBV-esque outro on Straight Lines. Singer Daniel Johns has starpower and seems like a really top bloke who's had some health issues. So this tune is him fighting back against arthritis and anorexia.

Australia Day/Invasion Day Part 1

MY WIFE'S EXPERIENCE

Australia Day is usually my excuse to post great Australian music usually rock from over 25 years ago but we'll get to that later........My Mrs who gets a bit of mention here & there on me blog immigrated to Australia in 1987 when she was 13. She was from a lil' ole town in North Wales called Colwyn Bay which according to my vintage poster is the gateway to the Welsh Rockies. I didn't know they had a 'Rockies', neither did Emma, but there you go. Anyway on the plane on the way over she first encountered Johnny Farnham (Above) on one of those headset channels. The LP Whispering Jack apparently had its own station. She played the album several times on the long flight. It was a pretty big foretaste of what was to come because he ruled the airwaves and charts for the rest of the 80s. Whispering Jack sold a lot of units it's probably the biggest selling Aussie LP of all time. I did work experience in a record shop in 1987 and it outsold everything 50 to 1 and I think it had already been out for a year. Anyway I think even Coldplay did a cover of You're The Voice. I've heard this song so many times I don't know if I like it or hate it.

This was her next experience of liking Australian rock. Crowded House were a Melbourne band believe it or not. They lived, formed and played in Melbourne. At the start they went by the name The Mullanes. Emma got really into their 2nd and best LP Temple Of Low Men. Her favorite tune was Into Temptation. Funnily enough it was mine too and on a good night I can do a great version (well back in my drinking days). Yeah sometimes I'm a dag!



Now one of my wife's faves is Kasey Chambers who's an accomplished and popular country/pop singer/songwriter in Australia. This song Guilty I believe is a cover though but I don't know who by. It reminds me a little of INXS at their most rockin. Kasey is at her best when the guitars are really heavy. I think it's her dad who plays the axe on this one and he is a hell of a guitarist. I like a lot.

Edgar Froese - Epsilon In Malaysian Pale

I've been listening to this today for obvious reasons. It's Froese at his most serene and beautiful which is all I can handle at the moment. This was the second LP in his classic Brain trilogy that began with Aqua in 1974 and ended with Macula Transfer in 1976. I think I love these three LPs more than anything he did with Tangerine Dream. These were released on Brain the German label but I think Virgin licensed Epsilon In Malaysian Pale in 1975 for the British market. Parallel to this Froese purple patch was another for Tangerine Dream. During this same time frame Tangerine Dream released 3 classics too. They released 3 of my 5* favourite TD records. In 74 it was Phaedra and then in 75 they released two masterworks Ricochet and Rubicon. That's a hell of a few years for Froese. What a synthesiser legend. He was also pretty handy on the ye olde guitar. Thank you for the magic you created with your synths.

*The other two Tangerine Dream classics in my book are Zeit from 1971 and Atem which was released in 1973. Hey some of his soundtrack work was good too, solo and with Tangerine Dream. Stuntman was a great solo one. Tangerine Dream had some bewdies Sorcerer, The Keep and Thief were outstanding. Apparently he did a soundtrack for one of the very recent Grand Theft Auto's which I've never heard. Froese had a couple of other good solo records too in particular Ages (1978) and Pinnacles (1983).

I really liked it a few years ago when it was like everyone was influenced by Froese and Tangerine Dream. It was like the future had finally arrived and it was as Froese and co had predicted with those records by Emeralds, Oneohtrix Point Never, Mark McGuire, Panabrite, Steve Hauschidt, Outer Space et al. It was all really cool music. That must have been flattering for Froese.

I'll leave you with a quote from the Kosmische musician himself:
"There is no death, there is just a change of our cosmic address."

John Carpenter - Lost Themes

WHAT THE FUCK???

What a nice surprise to brighten the gloom of my past week or perhaps add to the gloom but that will make me happy. Why didn't someone think of this earlier? Just get John Carpenter the music composer to do albums without the films. The films, have been nowhere near as brilliant and influential as his scores. I don't necessarily hate his movies but I think his scores are 20th century masterpieces. I dunno if I've heard anything by him from this millennium, though. Anyway lookout Zombi, Pye Corner Audio, Drokk and Umberto the real deal is here to give you a run for your money as just a recording artist. I'm a little excited by this prospect I must say. Halloween 1, 2 & 3, Escape From New York, Assault On Precinct 13, Christine, The Fog and Prince of Darkness are among my favourite pieces of music of all time! I'm not the only one who thinks this. Check out industrial music, 90s Memphis Rap, Techno, Doomcore et al. as well as 21st century genres like Deep-Tech and Ratchet. I was only saying the other day right here on this blog that John Carpenter might be the most influential musical artist of the 21st century. His music is universally adored and held in high esteem. Let's hope this record lives up to our expectations. If not, don't worry there will be another Umberto record around the corner (I hope) and whoever else Carpenter is currently influencing like Xander Harris, Gesaffelstein, Shay & Sinista etc.

This sounds very good indeed. It more than makes up for the lack of a new Umberto album last year.

Rap Mixtapes - Influx Inertia 2

Lovin the cover! Surely he'll get sued?

This (above) is coming soon, looking froward to that. Future's just put out another mixtape. I haven't had time to check out the last one properly yet or his LP of last year. In a minute he's putting out anotherbloody one with Young Scooter. The Rap Mixtape Inertia continues. Boogie have finally been been given a listen and their Thirst 48 sounds pretty good so it's missed mixtape purgatory as has Goldlink's The God Complex. I came across RJ & Choice's Rich Off Mackin which has Mustard on the beat throughout so that could be good? Or maybe not. Chief Keef's at it again but I've barely been able been able to give the last two mixtapes a go let alone his LP. Then we've got a Rome Fortune collaboration with OC Maco Yep and yep I'll listen to it one day this year possibly. Now I feel like I need to reassess OC Maco because one of my favourite rappers, Mr Fortune, thinks he's worthwhile collaborating with! Lil Wayne makes a return with Sorry for the Wait 2 which I just read on twitter has been downloaded a quarter of million times already on Datpiff after less than a day. Cheddar Da Connect's Catchin Playz 2 is currently getting a hearing here.???. Piling up are Young Scooter, Rae Sremmurd, Lil Herb, Juicy J, Mike 'Will Made It', Young L, Drake and all the blah blah mentioned in that previous post. The Zuse mixtape Illegal Immigrant is becoming a 2015 favourite. There has been like over 30 mixtapes alone released at LiveMixtapes this week so far. Then there's a whole bunch of artists who I've never heard of and perhaps it should stay that way. Someone needs to stop the clock and let the future shock dwindle a little. Imagine being a Gucci Mane fanatic? How exhausting would that be? All I want is Club God 4! Where is it?

To Download Or Not To Download?

******* STOP THE PRESS *******

The ClubGodzilla himself informs me on twitter that Club God 4 will be issued on February the 3rd. I'm guessing as a free mixtape, probably on i-tunes as well. I dunno? Wouldn't a physical LP be cool? We'll see, I mean I saw Kool John did a cd of his classic free mixtape $hmopcity.

Steve Gurley/Foul Play

This one's is from 93. An all time classic no doubt. 4 horsemen was a Foul Play pseudonym. There's an unmistakable 4 Hero sample in there from Mr Kirk's Nightmare. The flipside We Are The Future is just as stunning.

This one from 92 co written and produced by Gurley and 2 High. Actually the other version Dub In U might even be better than this, might dig that out to compare.

Steve Gurley had a lot to do with 'ardcore and Jungle before he went Garridge. I'm pretty sure this was just him on the remix of Omni Trio's Renegade Snares (Foul Play remix). God I love Omni Trio. I never tire of them. They are a gift. What was it Kodwo Eshun said about Omni Trio? Something about them 'being so kind'. He's right they have been kind to me for creating such great music and giving me so much pleasure through the years.

The Future Is Dark - Redlight

I was going to continue on with Steve Gurley's history and more Garridge (that'll have to wait) but I came across this. What a bewdy. Somehow this has passed me by for 18 years. I don't even recall it on any mixtapes/DJ sets or even mentioned anywhere ever. I guess it's a slight anomaly with it almost being a 93 Darkside throwback but that bass (which is soo good) puts it firmly in 1996, the era of Jump Up and Tech-Step. So this was just before Garridge took over and Drum'n'Bass dwindled away into inconsequence. Many of Drum'n'Bass's motifs however would continue to pop up in UK Garridge, Grime, Dubstep etc.

Who are Redlight?

Is there more pre Garrdge gold to be discovered? I really did think I'd excavated everything up to the point of the UK Garridge paradigm shift. But perhaps not.

UK Garridge 101

Another tune I only just discovered from 1998, well identified, as I'm pretty sure I've heard it before and maybe it's in a mix I've got. The vocal version is good too. So Grant Nelson is apparently like the godfather of UK Garridge and was doing it long before everyone else. I read somewhere that Nelson is still doing his thing in House related zones. He was also Bump & Flex so this is him remixing himself.

Turns out Steve Gurley did a remix of Things Are Never by Operator & Baffled. I can't work out if it was his dub version in that previous post or not. Anyway this is a tune from 2000 he did and it's a cracker. One wonders if there is an actual vocal version of Hotboys though, because I've not been able to find one. Bloody hell! Steve Gurley was in 4 Horseman Of The Apocalypse and Foul Play. Then he became a leading producer of UK Garridge and a remix extraordinaire. Legendary enough for ya? I'm expecting him to show up at some point in the Deep-Tech milieu, if he hasn't already that is.

Simon Reynolds adds the Gurley remix of 'things are never' is so much better than the original - which is good - but it's incredibly baleful and rolling. but it's not on YouTube, which is odd, i remember it getting played a lot on the pirates, so obviously well loved. i might try to dig it out and digitize it and put it up myself.

Deep-Tech Is This Where It's At?

Found this excellent article over at Blissblog about the Deep-Tech scene in London by Dominic Morris (at a publication I'm reluctant to publicise after some shameful journalism last year. I'll make this one exclusive exception due to how much I'm diggin the shit he's talking about). Mr Reynolds has some thoughts too and both have an excellent selection of tracks from the scene. I tried not to double up on those. Morris too senses something in the air. I mean I knew nothing of the tensions in the scene until now but I can sense something has to give. I was also thinking how blank a lot of this stuff is and how Eno will probably show up any minute now saying something about the scene. My wife said Dance Muzak that she could ignore at low volume but get into the groove if it was boomin out of the speakers. I love that dichotomy. But for me with the volume lower it's just as mesmerising (if you're listening). It's like these tunes don't need any extraneous bits. The tunes have just enough in them to excite the punter who's invested in the music and is willing to get deep. I don't go to clubs anymore, hey I moved to the desert, but all club music gets road tested on my bike (you know my legs are moving, a bit like dancing) and going to sleep in bed (which usually includes some kind of drug of the drowsy variety, hey they're drugs). Deep-Tech has passed both tests, whereas say Gabber only really passes the bike test (but I'm not taking amphetamines to kill pain or sleep). Deep-Tech can be really trippy and hypnotic music as well as truly bangin. That's the secret to this music, I reckon, that precipice. A bit like Ratchet's 'deceptively simple' trademark, it might seem basic but it's architecturally sound and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. This precipice is probably way harder to achieve than you think.





One of the outstanding tunes from Audio Rehab Volume 1.

Here's another parallel that Deep Tech has with Ratchet and it seems loads of other musical styles - John Carpenter. You can hear it most definitely in the above track. Here's a thought/question/future essay 'John Carpenter: the most influential musician of the 21st century?' That's a whole other story but a tiny piece of the Deep-Tech puzzle.

Speed Garridge to Deep Tech (?)

Came across this tune last night, fuck it's good. This is a UK Garage tune from 1997 but it's the dub version. After listening to a lot of current 'Deep-Tech' music from labels Audio-Rehab, Definition Audio, House Ent., Mokujin etc., Things Are Never (dub) by Operator & Baffled kinda seems appropriate. I hear a lot of Garridge in the music from the artists on those aforementioned labels. Obviously house is a big influence on 'Deep-Tech' but it's all definitely coming from the UK with the bass and rhythm. Even the house inspiration in this 'Deep-Tech' genre (not lovin that name) seems to be predominately of the late 80s British Acid House variety though, doesn't it? But perhaps it's Bleep with it's lavishly clean production sounds, along with it's bass weight and depth, that informs this music most. Then there's, you know, bits of the the other stuff that Speed Garage stemmed from Jungle, Drum'n'Bass, NY Garage, R&B, Reggae and of course good ole Disco. Deep-Tech's even got a bit of old school Electro and Techstep in there at times, I reckon. It's good stuff. Probably the best thing since UK Garage really. Is it something new? (Is the Hardcore Continuum back on track?) Even if it's not, Deep-Tech has somehow captured my mind and body like Grime and Dubstep never did. This stuff for some reason* seems so much better than that of the acts producing genuine fakes of jungle, drum & bass, grime etc. I love this track Insomnia from Camo Crooks (below). They also had the outstanding tune Maestro on The Various Audio Volume 1 compilation on the Definition Audio label.

Bloody hell make up your minds already! Some are calling it deep house, others tech house, minimal, even jackin electro or just plain old house but it's 'Deep-Tech' that's really stuck. These genre names have been around the block several times already though and sometimes in a derogatory way. I mean I used to want throw up at the mention of deep house. The music of Theo Nasa, Nightshift, Hugo Massien, RS4, Camo Crooks, Ghost House Banton, DJ SKT et al. deserves better than that. Come on all you micro genre geeks here's your chance to give this stuff a new and better name! At the same time making a name for yourself. Will that then signal the genre's demise though? You get the feeling that something is going to happen very soon like a break off genre from Deep-Tech before a rebranding even happens. For more music from this London scene (I believe it's spreading. I mean "hi I'm in Australia") check out these two highly recommended (by me at least) compilations that were in my Best of 2014 list.

The Audio Rehab compilation has tracks from Hugo Massien, Nightshift, RS4, Mark Radford, Shay & Sinista, Carnao Beats, DJ SKT and so on.

*I wanted to post my fave Hugo Massien tune Mitte but it's not on the youtubes. These Deep-Tech guys seem really protective of their music. A lot of it can only be found in annoying snippet form online. I mean I payed for both of those compilations but maybe they want their scene slightly insular and only for the truly dedicated ie. patrons willing to pay for the music (those who care). The dilettantes and dabblers can fuck off which is kinda cool I suppose.