Limited to just 200 copies on double vinyl, you can get it here - http://www.holidaysrecords.it/
Saturday 29 August 2015
Akira Sakata and Konstrukt - Kaishi: Live at Kargart
I am pretty sure you are not allowed a 'curious music' blog without throwing in the occasional free-jazz record, and this one is a veritable corker. A live collaboration between saxophonist Akira Sakata and Konstrukt, the album comprises four parts taken from a single session in Istanbul earlier this year. What makes this so refreshing is that, whilst it retains the wayward nature of free-jazz, it manages to eschew much of the noisier elements of the genre, with swathes of almost funky bass permeating the erratic drums and horn howls. Closer to Albert Ayler than Peter Brötzmann, the work sprawls dementedly over the 15 or so minutes of each part, but does so with palpable form - even at it's most free, the work oozes an over-riding structure and clarity, however abstract. It's also surprisingly melodic, with extended almost Prokofiev styled riffs running through a mist of tape echo one minute, only to be followed by psyche-inspired arabic sequences the next, rendered on a bed of intricate percussion. Add in some monkish throat singing, and a flirtation with drone, and it adds up to a wonderfully engaging take on a naturally difficult genre.
Limited to just 200 copies on double vinyl, you can get it here - http://www.holidaysrecords.it/
Limited to just 200 copies on double vinyl, you can get it here - http://www.holidaysrecords.it/
Friday 28 August 2015
DJ Mix - Ewan Hoozami's Dead Wax Social!
The mix was recorded live in one take. Enjoy!
Tracklist:
- CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - ABDUL HAMEED FEAT NAHID AKHTAR
- ANNU MALIK FEAT ASHA BHOSTE & CHORUS - SUN O DILRUBA DIL KI YEH SADA
- DILBARA DILBARA - M ASHRAF FEAT NAHID AKHTAR
- MOCHA VELVET - JU PAR UNIVERSAL ORCHESTRA
- VULCAN PRINCESS - STANLEY CLARKE
- SNEAKING UP BEHIND YOU - OCHO
- TRIP WIRE - NICK INGRAM
- EGYSER - SAROLTA ZALATNY
- BERLIN - HEIDI BRUM
- GREEN ONIONS - THE EXCURSIONS
- ONE MINI JULEP - ERIC DELANEY
- RED RIVER VALLEY - JAAP ZEELAND
- HE'S A REAL GONE GUY - NELLIE LUTCHER
- THE BEST THING FOR YOU - DAVID JACOBS
- SOMEBODY BUY ME A DRINK - OSCAR BROWN JR
- JUST DROPPED IN (TO SEE WHAT CONDITION MY CONDITION WAS IN) - KENNY ROGERS AND THE FIFTH ELEMENT
- I NEED YOU - O TERCO / SAME
- BLUES TRIP - MORGAN STEVENS
- LOVE LOVES TO LOVE LOVE - LULU
- BLACK ANT - OSIBISA
- WILD CHILD - THE GUILLOTINES
- UNITY - OPERATION IVY
- 52 GIRLS - B-52S
- MOON MADNESS - PASCAL & THE LUNAR-TIKS
- WAITING ROOM - FUGAZI
PS - want to download this so you can keep it for ever and ever? https://www.dropbox.com/s/rrmtz8885iezjzr/Ewan%20Hoozami%20-%20Dead%20Wax%20Social%20Mix.mp3?dl=0
Thursday 27 August 2015
Kojak - 2 Exciting Stories! (Charity Shop Gem of the Week)
Now we're talking... a great example of the kind of bonkers but undeniably cool records that can be found in bargain buckets if you keep your eyes peeled.
This is one of many storybook/record sets I've picked up over the years (almost all without the book)
Littered with great quotes, sound effects and soundbites, all in an ultra-cool New York drawl, with some ridiculous characters and plots that just about make sense... what's not to like?
This is one of many storybook/record sets I've picked up over the years (almost all without the book)
Littered with great quotes, sound effects and soundbites, all in an ultra-cool New York drawl, with some ridiculous characters and plots that just about make sense... what's not to like?
Wednesday 26 August 2015
La Monte Young & Mariam Zazeela - The Black Album
It's like Christmas, but early.
This record has been at the top of my wish-list forever, but the £100+ price tag for old battered copies of the impossible grail always prevented me from buying it. La Monte Young is incredibly prolific, and records everything he ever does, but, somewhat against the grain of internet culture, never actually releases anything. Having a grand total of two commercially released albums (plus a few shoddy bootlegs), it is possible to pick up the 100 hours or so of the rest of his output on torrent sites, but you rarely find anything in the flesh... until now. A limited re-release that seems to be already bordering on going out of print, this album consists of two long-form 'drone' tracks - the first for two singers (Young and his wife Zazeela) and sine tone, with the second for two gongs. Like all Young's music, it's not for the faint-hearted, and you'd be forgiven for assuming a lack of progression throughout the 20 or so minutes of each piece. However, the careful use of specific frequencies creates all kind of odd psycho-neurological affects in the brain, creating a space that is beyond conscious attention - the mind tunes in to a new way of being, freed from the constraints of taste or opinion.
I can't sell this record enough - it is one of the greatest things to every grace wax - designed to be played loudly and in a single, uninterrupted sitting, I defy anyone to not get caught up in its trance-like effect under the right conditions. If you're in New York, Young and Zazeela have an ongoing installation where you can go and sit in on these continuous drones and chants - their house is an open performance space that has been running a perpetual version of this work for nigh on 30 years.
You can pick this up at Piccadilly records for at least another ten minutes - Buy it
This record has been at the top of my wish-list forever, but the £100+ price tag for old battered copies of the impossible grail always prevented me from buying it. La Monte Young is incredibly prolific, and records everything he ever does, but, somewhat against the grain of internet culture, never actually releases anything. Having a grand total of two commercially released albums (plus a few shoddy bootlegs), it is possible to pick up the 100 hours or so of the rest of his output on torrent sites, but you rarely find anything in the flesh... until now. A limited re-release that seems to be already bordering on going out of print, this album consists of two long-form 'drone' tracks - the first for two singers (Young and his wife Zazeela) and sine tone, with the second for two gongs. Like all Young's music, it's not for the faint-hearted, and you'd be forgiven for assuming a lack of progression throughout the 20 or so minutes of each piece. However, the careful use of specific frequencies creates all kind of odd psycho-neurological affects in the brain, creating a space that is beyond conscious attention - the mind tunes in to a new way of being, freed from the constraints of taste or opinion.
I can't sell this record enough - it is one of the greatest things to every grace wax - designed to be played loudly and in a single, uninterrupted sitting, I defy anyone to not get caught up in its trance-like effect under the right conditions. If you're in New York, Young and Zazeela have an ongoing installation where you can go and sit in on these continuous drones and chants - their house is an open performance space that has been running a perpetual version of this work for nigh on 30 years.
You can pick this up at Piccadilly records for at least another ten minutes - Buy it
Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground
Well, here's a rarity... No, not an ultra-sought-after 1st press of Tangerine Dream's debut album Phaedra (although that would be nice). Even rarer, a record that excites both your Curious Music correspondents in equal measure! As I'm writing this, I realise that we were both slobbering over the Kung Fury record from a few weeks back, but let's not let the truth get in the way of hyperbole...
"I'm going to get this" said Dann, emailing me a link to a new record. Usually, it's some difficult jazz or ultra-minimal drone music so I agree it's a cool record, but not one for me. This time, however, the title alone piqued my interest.
But before I investigate the record in question; an aside. I hate the term 'World' music. It's so patronising, like calling non-white people 'coloured'. At the risk of sounding trite, we're all in our own little patches of planet Earth, and using that term to describe music that's not British/American immediately puts it in the category of 'Other' - you might as well call it 'Funny Foreign Music'.
But I digress. My point is I really like discovering the sounds from far-flung nations, whether old or new, traditional or modern. Some of the most interesting and amazing music I've ever heard has been created when two cultures meet - Indigenous music influenced by a disparate sound, usually British/American music. There are countless examples throughout music history, from Jap-rock to Afro-disco. It's a trend that, with the information-sharing capabilities of the internet, has become even more prevalent in the modern age.
Nowhere is this better showcased than on Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground
At CMFCP we can't often be accused of being at the forefront of the hippest new global club music, but thanks to the aforementioned record, it seems we are! Dance music heavyweights such as Diplo and Major Lazer apparently hoover up the finest South American bass/electronic club music and bring it to mass audiences. We're not too sure how all that sort of thing works but what we hear is some highly unusual and captivating electronic music.
It's been a while since I went to a sweaty rave, which is partly because the music doesn't often appeal. The current crop of celebrated UK Bass artists rarely do it for me - without wishing to sound too much like an overly nostalgic old sod - I remember when club music made you want to dance.
Mount Kimbie would have been in the chillout room back in the 00's. I've nothing against him or his music, but I find it odd that these days he's main room fare.
By contrast, this Peruvian stuff would really get me hyped. (No, not that kind of Peruvian stuff)
2 tunes in and Deltatron's Ego Trip is an absolute banger; with Trap-style hats, 80s throwback synths, heavy 808 bass tones and a steadily ascending lead line that gets into your bones. I would lose my shit to this if I heard it on a big rig.
Qechaboi's Iseecumbiapeopleagain mixes Postal Service style beats with glitchy synths that wouldn't sound out of place on a Game Boy... but wraps it all in a Cumbia shuffle that's kind of the perfect example of what this Peruvian scene has to offer.
Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground has introduced me to new music from an area of the world not famed, traditionally, for pioneering advances in that regard. With acts like Animal Chuki, Tribilin Sound and Pirana Sound System demonstrating this kind of sure touch, it's a scene I will be paying close attention to from now on!
Available on Double-Vinyl with a sweet as fuck cover design, and available direct from Bandcamp or from most good online stores, Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground is highly recommended for anyone interested in electronic music. I can feel a trip to Peru brewing ...
Have a listen here:
Buy direct from Tigers Milk Records here https://tigersmilkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/peru-boom-bass-bleeps-bumps-from-perus-electronic-underground
In addition, there's a fascinating video documentary about the thriving Lima electronic music scene... check it out here!
"I'm going to get this" said Dann, emailing me a link to a new record. Usually, it's some difficult jazz or ultra-minimal drone music so I agree it's a cool record, but not one for me. This time, however, the title alone piqued my interest.
But before I investigate the record in question; an aside. I hate the term 'World' music. It's so patronising, like calling non-white people 'coloured'. At the risk of sounding trite, we're all in our own little patches of planet Earth, and using that term to describe music that's not British/American immediately puts it in the category of 'Other' - you might as well call it 'Funny Foreign Music'.
But I digress. My point is I really like discovering the sounds from far-flung nations, whether old or new, traditional or modern. Some of the most interesting and amazing music I've ever heard has been created when two cultures meet - Indigenous music influenced by a disparate sound, usually British/American music. There are countless examples throughout music history, from Jap-rock to Afro-disco. It's a trend that, with the information-sharing capabilities of the internet, has become even more prevalent in the modern age.
Nowhere is this better showcased than on Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground
At CMFCP we can't often be accused of being at the forefront of the hippest new global club music, but thanks to the aforementioned record, it seems we are! Dance music heavyweights such as Diplo and Major Lazer apparently hoover up the finest South American bass/electronic club music and bring it to mass audiences. We're not too sure how all that sort of thing works but what we hear is some highly unusual and captivating electronic music.
It's been a while since I went to a sweaty rave, which is partly because the music doesn't often appeal. The current crop of celebrated UK Bass artists rarely do it for me - without wishing to sound too much like an overly nostalgic old sod - I remember when club music made you want to dance.
Mount Kimbie would have been in the chillout room back in the 00's. I've nothing against him or his music, but I find it odd that these days he's main room fare.
By contrast, this Peruvian stuff would really get me hyped. (No, not that kind of Peruvian stuff)
2 tunes in and Deltatron's Ego Trip is an absolute banger; with Trap-style hats, 80s throwback synths, heavy 808 bass tones and a steadily ascending lead line that gets into your bones. I would lose my shit to this if I heard it on a big rig.
Qechaboi's Iseecumbiapeopleagain mixes Postal Service style beats with glitchy synths that wouldn't sound out of place on a Game Boy... but wraps it all in a Cumbia shuffle that's kind of the perfect example of what this Peruvian scene has to offer.
Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground has introduced me to new music from an area of the world not famed, traditionally, for pioneering advances in that regard. With acts like Animal Chuki, Tribilin Sound and Pirana Sound System demonstrating this kind of sure touch, it's a scene I will be paying close attention to from now on!
Available on Double-Vinyl with a sweet as fuck cover design, and available direct from Bandcamp or from most good online stores, Peru Boom: Bass, Bleeps & Bumps From Peru's Electronic Underground is highly recommended for anyone interested in electronic music. I can feel a trip to Peru brewing ...
Have a listen here:
In addition, there's a fascinating video documentary about the thriving Lima electronic music scene... check it out here!
Thursday 20 August 2015
Hohokum - Soundtrack
Ghostly International curate the soundtrack to this indie video game, in which the main protagonist is a kite. A who's who of contemporary synthwave, the artists include Tycho, Com Truise, Matthew Dear, Shigeto and more, all oozing the same brand of rubbery synths and minimalist beats.
A incredibly hip affair - as you might expect from the subject matter - the vinyl itself comes on clear splattered wax, and annoyingly offers about half the track count of the download version.
Still, a pretty good introduction to the world of Ghostly International and their ilk.
A incredibly hip affair - as you might expect from the subject matter - the vinyl itself comes on clear splattered wax, and annoyingly offers about half the track count of the download version.
Still, a pretty good introduction to the world of Ghostly International and their ilk.
Wednesday 19 August 2015
Week 2 Winners!
Every week (ish) we'll be picking weekly winners in the following categories:
Freak of The Week
Charity Shop Gem of The Week
The premise is simply to draw your attention to outstanding examples of the above-mentioned,... whether it's a deliciously baffling record, a great flea-market find, or a superb new re-release!
So, without further ado, get stuck in...
Freak of The Week
Charity Shop Gem of The Week
The premise is simply to draw your attention to outstanding examples of the above-mentioned,... whether it's a deliciously baffling record, a great flea-market find, or a superb new re-release!
So, without further ado, get stuck in...
Thursday 13 August 2015
Le Millipede: Happy Planet Index
What the world needs is clearly more beardy white men playing children's toys as instruments, right? This should by all rights be really, really horrible, yet somehow it works - adding a sort of film noir jazz to an otherwise cutesy backdrop of tinkles and grunts. Basically a one-man operation led by trombonist Mathias Götz, the album has a sort of rolling, wayward charm, as if he simply got a few drunk mates round to flesh out his tunes at the last moment - an effect that is surprisingly pleasing, creating the sort of relaxed, folksy vibe that is all too often missing from work of this nature. It feels very much like the 'fun' side-project of an otherwise more 'serious' musician, and judging by the company the man keeps - both in terms of quality and quantity - it probably is. That's no bad thing however, as it is the combination of audible playfullness and compositional rigour that makes the album stand out from its peers, a result that is slightly silly and pristinely honed in equal measure.
Pick it up here - http://www.alientransistor.de/
Pick it up here - http://www.alientransistor.de/
Thursday 6 August 2015
Battletoads!
I know what your thinking - I wish someone would release the soundtrack to obscure Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's computer game ripoff Battletoads on vinyl, right? Well thanks to Iam8bit, your dreams have finally come true. Pressed on (of course) froggy green vinyl, you can pick this up on preorder right now - the first batch was a Comic-Con exclusive that sold out immediately, these are unlikely to last too much longer.
Pick it up here - http://store.iam8bit.com/collections/rare/products/battletoads-vinyl-soundtrack
DJ Food talks Flexi-Discs (The Vinyl Factory)
Total legend and Ninja Tune stalwart DJ Food did an interview with the Vinyl Factory about his incredible flexi-disc collection. Very much worth a watch if you appreciate true digging!
Tuesday 4 August 2015
August Podcast!
August 2015 Podcast now up!
We're delighted to bring you our very first podcast! We dig into some very odd records and talk bollocks. What more could you want.
It'll be up on iTunes shortly, but for now you can hear it Mixcloud...
Tracklist
We're delighted to bring you our very first podcast! We dig into some very odd records and talk bollocks. What more could you want.
It'll be up on iTunes shortly, but for now you can hear it Mixcloud...
Tracklist
- Idris Muhammad - Soulful Drums
- La Batteria - Scenario
- Tullio de Piscopo - Drum Fantasy
- Dr Strangely Strange - Strangely Strange yet Oddly Normal
- Belle Epoque - Taste of Destruction
- The Night Terrors - Pavor Nocturnis
- Awolnation - Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf)
- Propagandhi - Haile Selasse Up Your Ass
- Powerglove - Blood Dragon Theme
- David Hasslehoff - True Survivor
Curious Music for Curious People - August 2015 Podcast by Curious Music 4 Curious People on Mixcloud
Monday 3 August 2015
Drumcell - Hypoxia
One of those minimalist synth gems that sold out the moment it was released, Hypoxia is one of the many 'homages' to sci-fi soundtracks from yesteryear, sonically dripping in all of the appropriate analog goodness. Recorded to tape from single takes upon a Buchla synth, then run through an analog reverb "with no post-production or overdubs", the two songs that comprise this 12" are beautiful and repetitive in equal measure, harbouring a dirty, earthy aesthetic born of the subtle drifts of oscillators on tape.
Limited to 200 pressings, Hypoxia comes in an assortment of five colors "carefully crafted by hand-mixing the vinyl materials. The clear plastic case is silk-screened with the Drumcell sigil in red ink and includes a 12x12 lithograph of Drumcell artwork created on a circuit-bent video processor". Marvellous.
Seems to be unavailable everywhere, but rumour has it Transmission will get a few more in soon.
http://transmissionrecords.co.uk/shop/drumcell-hypoxia/
Limited to 200 pressings, Hypoxia comes in an assortment of five colors "carefully crafted by hand-mixing the vinyl materials. The clear plastic case is silk-screened with the Drumcell sigil in red ink and includes a 12x12 lithograph of Drumcell artwork created on a circuit-bent video processor". Marvellous.
Seems to be unavailable everywhere, but rumour has it Transmission will get a few more in soon.
http://transmissionrecords.co.uk/shop/drumcell-hypoxia/
RIP: Idris Muhammad, legendary New Orleans drummer
Some sad news to start the week. Idris Muhammed, the legendary drummer whose work spanned several genres and decades, has died aged 74.
A hugely influential part of New Orleans' rich jazz scene, he recorded with Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders and Lou Donaldson, among many others, and toured with the likes of Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and George Benson.
Personally, it was his funkier output that alerted me to his existence, when I picked up Black Rhythm Revolution purely on the strength of its cover, several years back.
That record has got a lot of play over the years so I thought I'd give him a salute on his way to wherever dead people go.
A hugely influential part of New Orleans' rich jazz scene, he recorded with Ahmad Jamal, Pharoah Sanders and Lou Donaldson, among many others, and toured with the likes of Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and George Benson.
Personally, it was his funkier output that alerted me to his existence, when I picked up Black Rhythm Revolution purely on the strength of its cover, several years back.
That record has got a lot of play over the years so I thought I'd give him a salute on his way to wherever dead people go.
Saturday 1 August 2015
Self Defense Family - Heaven is Earth
A bit like normal rock music, but slower and without any hooks, and a singer who just angry talks over it all. Self Defence Family manage to be particularly weird by sounding so close to normality, coming off as simply too lazy to actually bother finishing writing songs - and yet, their songs have an underlying cleverness. Hints of unexpected keys, extreme repetition that seems to border on classical minimalism, and that relentless, grating voice that doesn't seem to be saying anything. The last album came with a whole extra slab of vinyl consisting entirely of one long interview with a 70's porn star. This time round, themes seem to veer between reports of explosions at science laboratories, buying the wrong flavour of teas by accident, to existentialist discussions at King Arthurs table.
And to top things off, its produced by that chap from Converge and comes on see-through vinyl.
Get it at Deathwishinc. - http://store.deathwishinc.com/product/DW170v.html
And to top things off, its produced by that chap from Converge and comes on see-through vinyl.
Get it at Deathwishinc. - http://store.deathwishinc.com/product/DW170v.html
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