THIS AIN'T NO PARTY, THIS AINT NO DISCO

Snapped out of my perpertual techno disco electro mood for a bit, and I've been listening to a lot of downtempo post-jazz stuff today, which was my bread and butter a few years back (ninjatune/ mowax obsession). Really enjoying The Exposures, a Jan Jelinek side project, on Eastern Developments.

Also, I'm absolutely obsessed with Dabrye. I've known about this guy for ages (more for his James T. Cotton stuff), but this is the first time I've really paid a lot of attention to his album One/ Three. Great stuff. Pick it up here.

Dabrye-Smoking the Edge

It didn't take me very long to get back to techno. Here's a Michael Mayer radio mix that you might find enjoyable. The track at 15:01 or so rules. One night at the disccoooo.

Michael Mayer- Fabric 13 Radio/Promo Mix

THE LOOT, THE WARRANT...CONTESSSA!

Stay tuned for the long-awaited Recloose record, which drops Aug 23.
In the meantime, pick up his album Cardiology if you haven't yet. Here's a taste:

Recloose- Kaputi Dream

A PEARL UNDER MY TONGUE

Underworld-Tongue

OH, HELLO

Some nice music for you here. Watch out for Marc LeClair's (aka Akufen) new record. Not sure when the stateside release is, but its really good. Also, Konrad Black is one of my fav producers, and if you're in the NYC, come check out his set on Thursday of this week. I'll post the details tomorrow. Just received the new Jackson record on Warp in the post, and have been hearing amazing things, so I'll check it out tonight. Stay tuned.

Billie Holiday- Yesterdays (Junior Boys Remix)
Marc LeClair-236rd Jour
Konrad Black- Separation Anxiety (feat March 21)

QUIET ON THE EASTERN FRONT

Apologies for lack of posts. Been settling into a new job, and trying to enjoy the fact that it stays so light for so long. Very pleased to report that there is quite a lot of new music on the horizon. Been really enjoying a promo by a band called Motion Pictures ,which draws heavily on classic 60's psych/folk/pop. Really blissed out, relaxing music. Check out an interview on BBC Collective here. Also got the new Death in Vegas Fabric mix, and its absolutely fantastic. I've been on and on about how much i like the band for some time, but they've never really caught on stateside. Richard Fearless is also one of the best DJ's around for my money. He's always playing the best new minimal/ industrial/ leftfield stuff, mixed with the old acid sounds. I'll do my best to find his essential mix from Radio One from awhile back, so you can have a taste of it.

Here's the DIV Fabric mix Tracklisting:
01 Solvent - Science With Synthesisers – Ghostly International
02 Death In Vegas - Zugaga – Drone
03 Slacknoise Vs Plexus - Ana Tak 2 – Minus Inc.
04 Death In Vegas - Heil Xanax – Drone
05 Alex Smoke - Lost in Sound – Soma Recordings
06 Mossa - Cheap Therapy - Mo's Ferry Productions
07 Cybotron – Alleys Of Your Mind - Tresor
08 Solvent - Think Like Us [Ectomorph Mix] – Ghostly International
09 Alex Corton - Phlogiston - PAL
10 Dinky - Acid in My Fridge – Cocoon Recordings
11 Mathew Jonson - Marionette – Wagon Repair
12 Alex Smoke - Neds - Vakant
13 Wighnomy Brothers - Pele Bloss – Freude-am-Tanzen Recordings
14 Death In Vegas – Reigen [Acid Mix] – Drone
15 Analog Fingerprints - Accent – Pigna Records
16 Blue Ketchuppp – Don’t Trust Your Computer – Bee Records
17 Death In Vegas – Natja [Scorpio Rising Mix] – SonyBMG
18 Mathew Jonson - Typerope – Itiswhatitis Recordings
19 John Dahlbäck - Jenna – Morris Audio

A GOOD DAY FOR AIRSTRIKES

I have ITunes/Ipod ADD, and its driving me bats. Can't listen to any song for the entire duration...Must...stop...

Portable- Ebb and Flow
The Emperor Machine- Yes No Egg
Sigur Rós- Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása

*Loads of Sigur Rós videos here. They're playing NYC in mid sept!

ARG

I'm such a Superpitcher fan, and I am gutted to not be able to attend his gig tonight. Tomorrow is the second day of a brand new job, one that I certainly don't want to be nodding off for. My flight back from North Carolina was delayed into NYC on Monday night, and I didn't arrive home until around 3 am the on the eve of my first day. So, as much as it pains me to say it, I'm sitting this one out to catch up on some Z's (and some writing). I expect a full report from those in attendance tomorrow!

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Philip Sherburne on Tori Alamaze in the Gray Lady

One Louder NYC with a news item on Jason from Spiritualized:

According to a message posted on the Spiritualized message board, Jason Pierce, AKA Jason Spaceman nearly died twice from an undisclosed illness, but has now recovered and is convalescing at home.

The issue was addressed by Juliette, Pierce's partner:

So nearly dying twice in the last 2 and half weeks jason has now and fantastically made an alarming and brilliant recovery and is due home today.
He is still fragile and really weak weighing in at maybe 8 stone but love and happiness on his side. weirdly he is still jason though no thoughts about how lucky he is just mentioned how mad it is that his record is written almost like he was ill before not that he's into esp and stuff
just in the most beautiful way
love to all and everyone who sent him get well wishes
cos he needed it and must have heard it
and thankfully he's here and back and coming home

get well soon, Jason. we love you.

Spiritualized- Lay Back in the Sun

SPLISH SPLASH

Haven't been paying a lot of attention to downtempo breaks since my Mo' Wax collecting days, but this cut is where its at. Its from Danny Breaks' new LP, Alphabet Zoo. Tip!

Danny Breaks- Windscreen Wiper

New issue of Earplug out today.

In other news, evidently there will be a reissue of Lindstrom's now-classic "I Feel Space" on Playhouse, with remixes from M.A.N.D.Y. and Isolee. I can't wait to hear 'em. Also got word that my friend James Friedman is finally getting around to putting out a mix CD, and that promises to be quite good judging by some of the tracks he's trying to license. Stay tuned for more details. Hm, what else. Still waiting for a release date for Brennan Green's sublime Little Ease 12' with a knockout Lindstrom remix to boot. Initial chatter indicates a late fall release, as I guess artwork has to be sorted out, etc etc. Loving the new Recloose record right now, and plan to give it a proper listen on the way down to NC this weekend. Who's coming out to Superpitcher on the 26th? Let me know.

Lindstrom- I Feel Space
Sylvie Marks & Hal9000- We Electric
Sascha Funke- Formes and Shapes (Ellen Allien Remix)

TIGER MOUNTAIN STRATEGY

Tall Blonde- Don't Stop
Tall Blonde- Mistaken Identity

This site evidently just launched, and I'm quite impressed:

Music Hurts

FOG

Jan Jelinek- Moiré (Strings)
King Tubby- A Rougher Version
Marsen Jules- Tous Les Coeurs De Cette Terre

QUESTIONS

Two tracks for you this fine evening. Been listening to both of these nonstop this week. The first is Lazyfish, From the Triple R compliled Trapez 1 comp. Its got pads that sound like electric, muffled & slightly out of tune timpanis. wow.

The second is a Schneider TM cover of the Smiths. Outstanding and v. catchy

Lazyfish- Falling
Schneider TM- The Light 3000

and! just in case you still haven't downloaded this:

Sebastian Tellier-La Ritournelle

right click, save, print, paste up around everywhere obey giant stylee. email me for the original file if you want to do something else with it.  

This piece by Nitsuh Abebe is the best Pitchfork feature I've read in some time.

KARL ROVE HAS A POSSE

..not surprisingly, its the WSJ Opinion Journal massif!

COSMIC CARS

Three pretty heady, headphone tracks for you tonight. One is I.A. Bericoher's Uno, on the M-nus Minimize to Maximize compilation, the other is from Thomas Fehlman's new record, Lowflow, which is worth picking up if you haven't yet heard it. Finally, a Aphex Twin Classic that Michael Goodstein dropped for the drunks at Misshapes a few weeks ago (and subsequently made me flip on the dancefloor, as it was slighly unexpected).

I.A. Bericoher- Uno
Thomas Fehlman- Hana
Aphex Twin-Windowlicker

Also, almost forgot to mention- be sure to check out Mr. Fehlman's Ocean Club radio show here.

Aie, sorry guys- couldn't resist some DJ Screw:
R. Kelly- Feelin on your Booty (Screwed & Chopped)

TWO BEFORE SLEEP

Two quick tracks for you. The first isa slice of brooding, dub techno (like a jilted female Deadbeat?) from Monika's great 4 women no cry compilation (check out more info here), and the second is a classic that likely needs no introduction. Enjoy.

Catarina Pratter-Stronger Than Before
Jay Dee - Plastic Dreams (Original Mix)

Strongbad email: Techno

Superpitcher Preview
July 26th, Cielo
A version to appear in Time Out New York

Though he may have gained stateside notoriety for embracing the glam rock inspired schaffel sound, Superpitcher stands at one the brightest feathers in the Kompakt cap for more than just odd time signatures. In addition to his debut LP, Here Comes Love, and a series of 12’ releases, the remix discography looks like a who’s who of minimal techno and beyond. His latest mix CD, Today, showcases his nuanced DJing style, which avoids any big-room barnstormer clichés, focusing instead on sequence, cerebral micro house textures, and tension. The mix mirrors the warm, emotive pads and swollen strings – as well as the melancholic theatrics – that Superpitcher embraces in his sets, proving that sunshine and Goths can co-exist, after all.

SWEAT ON THE BROW

...and a shot across the bow.

From this morning's White House Press Corps gaggle ...

Question: Do you want to retract your statement that Rove -- Karl Rove was not involved in the Valerie Plame expose? -- involved?

McClellan: This is -- no, I appreciate the question. This is an ongoing investigation at this point. The President directed the White House to cooperate fully with the investigation, and as part of cooperating fully with the investigation, that means we're not going to be commenting on it while it is ongoing.

Question: But Rove has apparently commented, through his lawyer, that he was definitely involved.

McClellan: You're asking me to comment on an ongoing investigation.

Question: I'm saying, why did you stand there and say he was not involved?

McClellan: Again, while there is an ongoing investigation, I'm not going to be commenting on it, nor is --

McClellanN: -- any remorse?

McClellan: -- nor is the White House, because the President wanted us to cooperate fully with the investigation, and that's what we're doing.

Question: That's not an answer.

Question: It's not an answer. And you were perfectly willing to comment from that podium while the investigation was going on, and try to clear Karl Rove. Why the double standard? Why were you willing to say Karl Rove was not involved when -- and talk at length about it, when the investigation was going on, and now that he's been caught red-handed, all of a sudden you've got a new line?

McClellan: No, I don't think it is the way you characterize it, as new, because I have said for quite some time that this is an ongoing investigation, and we're not going to get into discussing it while it's an ongoing investigation. I've really said all I'm going to say on it.

Question: But you did -- you did discuss it while it was an ongoing investigation. You stood there and told the American people Karl Rove wasn't involved.

McClellan: I've said all I'm going to say on it. Go ahead, April.

AS LONG AS I CAN DANCE TO IT

My friend Dave played the full-length version of Justus Kohncke's Timecode out on Friday, and I must stay its stellar (literally, brah!). I couldn't help but think of how nice to drop the vocals from Lipps' Inc. How Long? over this version. Maybe a little edit is in order?

Also, for those of you in the NYC, be sure to check the Robert Smithson exhibit at the Whitney Museum. He's best known for his Spiral Jetty work, but also worked with several other materials/styles/ as well. I went today, and was surprised at the wide range of mediums and sheer volume of work for someone who was only 35 when he died. Bottom line: If the Boards of Canada had an official artist, I think Smithson would be it.

According to Gothamist:

On two weekends this fall (Sept 17 - 18 and Sept 24- 25), a man-made "island," consisting of a tug boat pulling a large barge loaded with earth and planted with various trees and shrubs according to Smithson's specifications, will travel around Manhattan's harbor. The project will be visible from various points along the city shorelines.

Justus Kohncke- Timecode (Edit)

THE SKY WAS PINK

Nathan Fake- The Sky Was Pink (Icelandic Version)

The weekend of Lindstrom/ Prins Thomas continues! Saw them play at APT on Thursday night for Pop Your Funk, which was fantastic. They're playing at PS1 at the moment, and I'm going to pop into the Tribeca Grand to see them play again tonight.

I'll post a tune of theirs tomorrow.

OH BRIT

James Wolcott on Brit Hume's reaction to the London bombings:

Always looking for the silver lining in a choking cloud of smoke, that great humanitarian Brit Hume, reflecting on the financial ramfications of the attacks, said on Fox News that when he woke up and saw how steep the stock futures had dropped, he thought, "Hmm, time to buy."*

And yes, he actually said, "Hmm," as if he had been thoughtfully stroking his chin as he watched those numbers drop. As bodies were being borne into ambulances, Brit was considering what a keen opportunity this was to place a buy order.

Leaving aside what this says about his cold-fish character, it's not even an intelligent investment response. It's one of those contrarian go-against-the-crowd moves that's so obvious that the crowd itself figures it out and nullifies any contrarian advantage. It's like when someone gets the bright idea, "Since everyone is going to be leaving town for the long weekend on Friday morning, I'll leave late Thursday night to get a jump on traffic." Only to find out that a couple hundred thousand commuters had the same bright idea and there you are stuck on the Van Wyck at 2 AM.

spiral jetty 2 

spiral jetty 

stung 

SOME READS

The new issue of Boldtype is out, curated by the RZA, no less.
Read an interview my friend (and Boldtype editor) Toby Warner did with him here.

Also, be sure to check out the new Earplug today. We cover Saint Etienne, Frank Martiniq, the new Ghostly comp, as well as my review of Soul Jazz' excellent new acid comp. As usual, there's the latest in news, rumors, commentary, streaming mixes, and charts from the best in the biz. Check it out, and as always, let me know if there is anything you'd like to see us cover.

DAPPER DAPPER

Is it just me, or does Ryan Elliot's press photo look like a Banana Republic ad? In any case, he's a cracking good DJ (Matt Dear's partner in crime), and he's mixed Disc two of the new Spectral comp on Ghostly. Check the tracklisting here.

Speaking of Ghostly, Michael Segal is an in-house artist there, and I really dig his stuff. Lots of his artwork on the Look Group website, here. I want to buy all of those postcards.

JERK CHICKEN JERK FISH

Ok, Ok, I think I'm a little late in getting the Tom Vek memo (har har), but his stuff is fantastic. Watch for some appearances stateside-- this guy is to be watched.

Also, if you are in London on the 15th of July, please check out Our Disco. I haven't been to London in entirely too long, but I remember Plastic People as being a super cool space. Plus, I respect Rory's taste in music immensely. Check some of the mixes from their site here.

Tom Vek- C-C (You Set The Fire In Me)
buy his record here

Durrty Goodz-Gimme Dat

Yet to hear the entire International Pony album, but word on the street is it's a corker. Good thing, as DJ Koze's new one is snoresville. Pains me to say it, but its true. Stick to gems like Brutalgar Square, Spiecher 11 or one of his live sets. When Ewan Pearson calls you the best DJ in Germany at the moment, you're doing something right.

Oh, you need to own the Le Dust Sucker album.
A mp3 sample of "Mean Boy" from juno.co.uk here.

International Pony- My Mouth (Jackmate Dust Mix)
Ada- Cool My Fire (Erland Oye and Band remix)

And, for everyone who didn't grab this the first time, the closing track of of Superpitcher's superb mix Today

Sebastian Tellier- La Ritournelle

YOU SET THE FIRE IN ME

If you live in the NYC, One louder is an essential read. Check their reviews, commentary, best-of lists, as well as a cool selection of mp3s including a Michael Mayer Peel session!

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

An old favorite, and a track I've just discovered, off of Alex Smoke's new LP, Incommunicado, which is one of the more exciting releases I've heard this year.

Boards of Canada- Roy G Biv
Alex Smoke- No Consequence

The best photo of my roommates ever taken.

HAVE LOVE WILL TRAVEL

A few weeks ago, I posted the Rex the Dog minimix up here. Now, courtesy of boomselection, check dj yoda's.

DJ Yoda- Annie Mac Minimix

FROG MARCHED

It looks like this story on the identity of who leaked Valerie Plame's day job is going to reach its crescendo very soon, although I'm not sure how its taken two years to break.

Back on August 21, 2003, Joe Wilson had this to say:

"It's of keen interest to me to see whether or not we can get Karl Rove frog-marched out of the White House in handcuffs. And trust me, when I use that name, I measure my words."(emphasis added)

On Friday's taping of the McLaughlin Group, Lawrence O'Donnell mentioned that he knew for sure that the leaker was Rove.

According to Isikoff's story in Newsweek,

"The e-mails surrendered by Time Inc., which are largely between Cooper and his editors, show that one of Cooper's sources was White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, according to two lawyers who asked not to be identified because they are representing witnesses sympathetic to the White House."

Three things
1. The ever important news cycle- America tends to be focusing on the Sandra Day O'Connor resignation, as well as the still unresolved Arruba story.
2. The long weekend allows the White House PR machine to be working overtime while the rest of the country is paying attention to their hamburgers and Rodger Federer's service at Wimbledon.
3. Karl Rove is about as slippery as they can get. However, if there is email evidence and/or some sort of paper trail (substantiated by Judith Miller's notes?) then it would be quite difficult to get out of this one, even for him.

Lately, it seems that every thing I listen to eventually leads back to the new Isolee LP, We Are Monster.

Buy it from your friends at Neptune Records here. You won't regret it, as this will end up on many a best-of 2005 lists. I guarantee it.

Not convinced yet? Check out Michael F. Gill's review on Stylus. He's one of my favorite electronic music writers at the moment.

Isolee- Enrico

The beginning of the end.

LAY BACK IN THE SUN

Wow. Just rediscovered this in an old cd wallet. Four Tet's first record ever, 36:25. One of my favorite pieces of music to write to. Rumor has this that a young Kieran Hebden put this together using free, downloadable sequencing programs. This was first released on Trevor Jackson's Output Recordings label.

Four Tet- 36:25

SOMEONE HIRE NATE AS AN A&R NOW.

Kid's got stellar taste, and the most encyclopedic knowledge of anyone I know.

From: colin nagy
To: Nate Cunningham
Sent: Fri, 1 Jul 2005 12:57:40 -0400
Subject:

Nate:

Really into the 13th floor elevators right now. What can you recommend in terms of drum heavy psych rock. I know a bit of the electric prunes (just cos they've been sampled by fuckin everyone) but I'd like to explore a bit more.

From: Nate Cunningham
Subject: Re:
Date: July 1, 2005 4:16:55 PM EDT
To: colin nagy

drum heavy, or even just heavy, psych rock isn't really my thing. EVERYONE talks about flower travellin' band, though, especially the album satori--krauty japanese psych from the early 70s. i think the self-titled morgen album is pretty great, new york 1968. i'll dropload a couple tracks from that and you can decide. les rallizes denudes, what i've heard has been incredible, more japanese stuff, probably a bit rawer than the flower travellin' band, but just great rhythmic, melted shit. i think the cdr i have is called enter the mirror or something like that, but i have no idea what's supposed to be the best. i assume you're more than familiar with can, but if you don't know their first record monster movie, you should check out the remaster of that. there's also soundtracks, which is mostly more chilled out but mother sky is fifteen minutes of skeletal hard-psych bliss. psychedelic underground opens with a fifteen minute track that to me is as good as anything, but some find the simple riffs and just the whole communal chanting business tedious. in general, this record is pretty percussive--but it's hippies with bongos rather than some wizard on a kit--nothing anyone would sample. amon duul ii is a proper band though and yeti and wolf city are both basically perfect albums--i guess they're prog, but i'm sort of afraid of prog and these records do not meander around too much or lose their momentum.

nate

p.s. i should have in a couple weeks the first few albums of this band cymande, which is like a mix of reggae and funk. maybe that sounds awful, but on one track i've heard they get into a minimal groove that you'd swear is like liquid liquid or some other james murphy fetish--complete with cowbell--in like 1970! i'll pass it along when it comes

En route to NC for the long weekend. Should be quite nice. Brought my laptop with me, so stay tuned for some more music. The new Kid 606 is quite good, as is Felix Laband - Dark Days Exit on compost. Just listened to Jan Jelinak's Loop Finding Jazz Records on the way down on the plane. Its exactly what I've been looking for in music lately.

Also, this is one of the funniest things I've seen on ILM for some time.