Don't Touch That Stereo Part I

Millie & Andrea - Drop The Vowels (2014)
This is one of the dudes from Demdike Stare and some other bloke. For some reason I'm really enjoying this record which I didn't really expect to. I don't think anything much new is happening here. There a bit of post dubstep, some gamelan vibes, isolationist type ambience, a dose of Basic Channel, hardcore continuum styles, drum & bass pops its head up, tech-house (that was a thing wasn't it for a minute there in the 90s?) and I dunno it's all a bit zombie rave (that should so be a genre). Not really hands up in the air more like your arms fall off as you try to raise them above your waste. Is it undeconstructed or reconstuctured deconstruction or constructed unreconstruction? More to the point does anyone give a shit at this point? More nails in the coffin for rave in the best possible sense.

Clouds - Ghost System Rave (2013)
A bit late on this one. Ghost System Rave was only hipped to me in early January by Reynolds via Energy Flash. This is far and away the best album I missed last year, the only other contender being Holden's The Inheritors. It most certainly would have made my top 9. As far as album titles that describe their contents go this is perfection. Whilst the ingredients suggest the 90s, something pulls this away from mere retro-activity. Perhaps Future 1 is the only exception to that rule here as it soundz like an obscure 91 grimey 'ardcore gem that Blog To The Old Skool might have dug up. Ghost System Rave is not just techno micro-genres revisited. Its like you're hearing an early 90s rave through a ghost's ears. You feel like you've heard it before but you haven't, not like this. This is a delightfully askew musical experience. It sounds/feels like you've already dropped the drugs and you're occupying an inbetween dimension. This is an incredible musical achievement. Rave from the otherside. We just had Zombie Rave and now this is Ghost Rave.

Mixtapes again

Playground Mix 66-
Demdike Stare

Totally diggin this Playground Mix 66 by Demdike Stare. It comes from a Spanish website (I think) Playground Magazine. I once had a Demdike Stare record but didn't like it/give it much of a chance. Enjoying this mix so much and their musical tastes are up my alley making me reassess them, perhaps I should give them a second chance. Old faves Chrome, Branca and Cosmic Jokers mixed with unknowns (to me anyway) Jan Schaffer, Third Ear Band, Black Cat Bones and even one of their own tracks.

Then there are two (I don't think I've mentioned before) from Lunar Atrium aka Panabrite's blog. One is called Mix 3 Aquatic Sounds and is 25 minutes of the best underwater/aquatic library/oceanic documentary sounds you are likely to hear in such condensed form. At last check I had downloaded at least 12 aquatic themed records mainly from the Lunar Atrium site. Ever since I heard Sven Libeak's Inner Space LP many years ago I've been hooked on this kind of thing. I wish there was more of it out there. The mix includes Roger Davy, Eugen Thomas and Joel Vandroogenbroek amongst other luminaries of the library music scene. Choice.

Mix 3 Aquatic Sounds

Lunar Atrium

The other mixtape from Lunar Atrium is a fantastic cosmic synth mix with many arcane delights included. I think Phil Davies and Harry Ford are the only ones I know but that doesn't make it any less great. He's called it The Galaxyactivatorconnexionmix and it's every bit as quality as this years previously mentioned Lunar Atrium Mix.

Otherwise known as The Cosmic Synth Mix
From Lunar Atrium

Playground mix 73
by Mark Van Hoen.

This Playground mix 73 from Mark Van Hoen is much weirder than the last one on Pontone but no less interesting. Scott Walker on 16 rpm with Durrutti Column, Polysick, Cybertron and even Demdike Stare. What can I say this is one strange voyage. The wrong pills have been mixed with some bad punch and nobody knows what's lurking around the corner. Everything should turn out fine I think even if you're left a little disorientated.