New hot releases
As One 'Out of the Darkness' (Ubiquity, November 22, 2004)
Thomas Fehlmann 'Lowflow' (Plug Research, November 30, 2004)
Ricardo Villalobos 'The Au Harem D'archimede' (Perlon, October 11, 2004)
Swayzak 'Loops from the Bergerie' (K7, September 13, 2004)
Brooks 'Red Tape' (Soundslike, October 11, 2004)
Osunlade 'Yoruba Soul Remixes' (Rapster, October 18, 2004)
Michael Mayer 'Touch' (V2, November 8, 2004)

And coming soon ...
Triola 'Im Funftonraum' (Kompakt, December 6, 2004)

Bad reviews (or ... good reviews from a bad critic)

I promised myself not to buy an album when I read the review and ...
1. The review compares/refers to my favourites bands. I did it before and the result is always disappointing. A nostalgic critic ... desperately looking for a new band sounding like they used to do in the good all days ...
2. The review ends up with the sentence 'One of the best albums of the year so far' or something like that.
I read the review of the new Swayzak album in popmatters.com. The guys write a laudatory review of the album ... I copy below the highlights:
... The bassline that swoops down and forms the song's major hook could have wandered in off New Order's Power, Corruption and Lies, ... Underworld ... coolly pulsating beats of old-school techno and deep house to more conventional songwriting forms ... the emotional integrity that made acts such as New Order, Depeche Mode and the Human League so compelling ... reminds me of Depeche Mode's Martin Gore ... somewhat reminiscent, in an odd way, of Simply Red or even Chris Isaak .... One of the best albums of the year so far
Of course, in spite of the above, I will break my own rule (once again) and buy the album

Crap Service.
AUNA is crap. One month after I called them to get their adsl service, they came with a contract to be signed (with different conditions to the ones agreed by phone!) and they say the need 40 days more to give me the telephone service ... and after that they will start enabling the adsl (another 40 days?). Will I have the adsl by January? I pray.
And I read that AUNA wants to buy ONO ... God help them.

No posts
No posts since August! I have no access to the internet at home yet. They promised to have my ADSL ready in 20 days …

Roy Davis Jr. is back
Ubiquity is releasing the new album by Roy Ravies Jr. in September. Apparently the album includes his previous two singles for Ubiquity "If you wanna" and "I know what you are thinking". Another classic release by the San Francisco label? Can't wait to find out.

(Not) focused
Focused on dance music for the last few months, I didn't notice that Mark Kozelek, the leader of one of my favorite rock bands, the mighty Red House Painters, released an album with his new band: Sun Kil Moon. The album is called 'Ghosts of the Great Highway' and was released in March this year by the independent label Jet Set records.

Cheering up myself
According to BBC news, a study published in the New Scientist magazine says Madrid the 3rd friendliest in the world (being Rio de Janeiro number one and San Jose in Costa Rica number two).
AND, cities such as Kuala Lumpur, New York, Singapore and AMSTERDAM were deemed the least friendly.

I move to Madrid!
I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! in September

Hird
Swedish label Dealers of Nordic Music is releasing the debut album of Hird "Moving On" in September. He raised much expectation after his appearances in the nordic label compilations Nordic Lounge Vols 1 and 2, his remixes for Koop, for Quant and for Compost Records' Morricone remixes series. The inclusion of "I Love You My Hope" in the latest Hed Kandi Beach House could make him a star ;-) A hype? We will see ... in the meantime I am enjoying his music on a quiet summer night ...

(free) tip of the summer ...
... in four steps:
1) Do an internet poll to choose the best 30 tracks of Underground Resistance
2) Master the 30 tracks in a double CD
3) Ask Dan Sicko to write a nice note in the booklet.
4) Get rich

Check this out: James T. Cotton's first album: The Dancing Box.
Tadd Mullinix, also known as Dabrye and SK-1, makes his first full statement under the James T. Cotton alias.
Press release: "A psychdelic album in every sense, The Dancing Box pays respects to classic Chicago acid and leftfield Detroit techno, but does so with its own force and verve."
Grooves: "dirty, spooky house music...you could dance to this, but not in any venue your mother would approve of. Disconcerting, vampiric and intense"
Out on July 27 on Spectral records.
Spectral is releasing also the Matthew Dear's come back, the 8 song miniLP/CD "Blackstrobe".

Mouse on Mars
Mouse on Mars is releasing their new CD, "Radical Connector", on Thrill Jockey in August. A record so joyous and poignant that makes Philip Sherburne want to don a coat of feathers and run, run, run.

Unmixed
I took back to the shop the OM compilation CD "reMIXED". I was happy to get on CD some tracks only available on vinyl before, but to my surprise, the tracks are mixed (no note on the CD stating that, the press release saying: all full original 12" mixes). I do not like mixed CDs. I just want to hear the whole track, from the first note to the last. Am I the only one?
I even see record companies apologising for not mixing their compilation CDs! For example, read the notes on the End 50 label compilation CD or the press release of the Frerange label compilation "Yellow". It looks like the CDs are better sold when mixed.

Look back
iDJ Magazine has reached 50 issues and they celebrate it by choosing the 50 best dance albums and singles. No surprises on the list. Reading these kind of lists makes me think that the heyday of dance music was long time gone, which is not true. Also, it scares me thinking that in a few years there will be a sort of Uncut magazine for dance music, getting old dance stars on the cover ...

Sad
Racist little bitch bouncer at Elf (11) in Amsterdam: no Spanish allowed, only Dutch people. Sad, sad, sad.
Lucky to live among the barbarians? no, no.

Carl Craig, Derrick May, Derrick Carter, Kenny Dope and DJ Premier

They are all at the Islander festival.
Sometimes I think I am so lucky to live in Amsterdam ...

Club Risk Mainstage: Carl Craig Live (Detroit, USA), Derrick May (Detroit, USA) & Dimitri (back2back!), Benny Rodrigues, Eric de Man (decks, EFX, live!) , Derrick Carter (Chicago, USA), Roog & Erick E (back2back!), Martin Solveig (Fr) feat Jay Sebag (NYC, USA), Laidback Luke, Brian S, Hosted by MC Marxman.

Luvdancin': Kenny Dope (Masters at Work, NYC, USA), Jazzy Jeff (Philadelphia, USA), Ron Carroll (Chicago, USA), Cassie 6 feat. Lex Empress, Leroy, DJ Spinna (NYC, USA), Edo Salgado, Hosted by MC Gary (Legends of the Underground)

Rok je soks off:
DJ Premier (USA), CL Smooth Live (USA), DJ Spinbad (USA), SP,
The Partysquad , Mr. Wix , Pusha Mau , Hosted by MC Melodee & MC Fit.

Jimmy Woo: Real El Canario, DJ Manga, Hitmeister D, Antal, WannabeaStar & Miss Behave, Tom Trago, Ewout, Hosted by Drew MC

I have not posted for a while. I have been to Spain for 7 days. I spent some time in my mom's car so I made a 60 min tape out of some of my iPod's top rated songs. It resulted quite "micro house" or whatever. Here are the tunes:

Matthew Dear "Fex"
As One "Chiaro"
Nuyorican Soul "The Nervous Track"
Herbert "Freeze"
John Arnold (W/ Amp Fiddler) "Get Yourself Together"
Kenlou 2 "The Bounce"
Sascha Funke "Drei Auf Drei"
Yotoko "Be Yourself"
Recloose "Kapiti Dream"
Herbert vs Love From San Francisco "Young At Heart"

Brooks is back
The new Brooks CD, "Red Tape" will be released by Herbert's Soundslike label on Aug/Sept. The tracklist: accidents/restoration/roxxy/bedbugs/enormous memebers'club/man-size/burning buxx/tell somebody about us/a little bit of time/do the math/red tape. Reviewing the current single, which includes do the math/tell somebody about the beat/man-size/little drummer boys Hackneyed Central says things like: "If anyone tells you that stars don’t exist in today’s electronic music scene, shout the name of Brooks in their ignorant fucking face" and "crunchy 4/4 percussion, the barest of hook lines, defiantly harsh frequencies, and a low slung, sultry vocal". Promising.

Fred Everything
Fred Everything is releasing his new album, The Light of Day, on 20/20 vision the 28th of June. Guests on the album include Roy Davis JR, Joseph Malik, Heather, Rise Ashen, Judah Singer and The New MasterSounds. More deep house for the summer!

Gene Farris
Fantastic set of Gene Farris yesterday at Mazzo.

Apple Launches iTunes Music Store in the UK, France & Germany
I know they have the largest legal catalogue in the world but,
... still cannot find the tunes of most of this blog's favourite artists.
And I do not know if this is Apple's fault or the independent-small companies that normally issue the music this blog likes' fault.
I reckon iTunes won't make much money out of artists like e.g. Andres, but
... taking into account the costs of making those songs available, low sales shouldn't be a problem for them.
Anyway, welcome to Europe iTunes.

Lately
- I am really enjoying a lot Theo Parrish' "Parallel Dimensions", the re issue of his lost album on Ubiquity. This guy is ace. File him next to Moodymann and Andrés in the deep, deep, deep house shelves.
- I am a bit disappointed by the new Kaskade CD. Stick to the old one better.
- I am still a bit confused about the Junior Boys' "Last Exit" CD ...

This item is currently unavailable
Out of print CDs on my wish list ...

Driving Memoirs ~ Morgan Geist
Electro-Soma ~ B12
The Future Ain't The Same As It Used 2 B ~ Neon Phusion
Into a Separate Space ~ Morgan Geist
House of God ~ DHS
Little Green Lights and Four Inch Faders ~ John Tejada
Seven Days ~ Dark Comedy
The Jerusalem Ep's ~ Glenn Underground
Electronic Poetry: The Collected Works of Kosmic Messenger ~ Kosmic Messenger
The Birth of Techno Soul ~ Eddie "Flashin" Fowlkes & 3MB
Collective ~ Octave One
Soft Thru ~ Claude Young
Techno 2-Next Generation ~ Various
Techno-The new Dance Sound of Detroit ~ Various
Quest ~ Drexciya
The Vault ~ Blake Baxter
Reflections on Reflections ~ As One
Black Buildings ~ Detroit Escalator Co.
Detroit 313 ~ Various Artists
Everything ~ Stephanie Cooke
Planet E Presents: Intergalactic Beats ~ Various
Red Planet ~ Various Artists
Walter's Room ~ Black Science Orchestra
The Morerroronus World ~ Reflection
Hi Mom Let's Dance ~ Swirl People
Biokinetics ~ Porter Ricks

Yet another hot release
Freerange Records is releasing the debut album of Trevor Lovey, called 'Intastella', the 28th of June. I hope it includes his last year's deep house favourite 'Elevate Your Mind'.

Imposters
From the Amsterdam official website: "Amsterdam is a wonderful city. However, just like any other major city, Amsterdam has problems with crime. Fake police officers, for instance.These fake policemen are usually men of Eastern European origin who pretend to be police officers. This is how they operate".

How to spot them:
- Fake police officers always operate in civilian clothing. Real police officers working in civilian clothing will only very rarely carry out this type of check.
- Some fake police officers use shiny police badges as proof of identity. The real police in the Netherlands never use badges.

And above all ... real police officers in The Netherlands are extremely bad mannered. If you are treated politely, then they are definitely not real policemen!

Upcoming Paradisco3000:
18/06/2004 Theo Parrish & The Rotating Assembly, Antal, All Out K, Rednose Distrikt. Yes, at Paradiso.

no cure scoop: Jimpster remixes unmixed
Confirmed by Jamie Odell himself to this blog: the Jimpster remixes collection CD will be out on mid September and unmixed. "We deliberately left the Jimpster remixes unmixed so don't worry! Hope you like it. It's gonna be out around mid September so check out the site around the start of the month as you'll be able to get it online early".

Alone like a dog
I read in a Morrissey interview by Serge Simonart ... "to live alone is a privilege. It is a privilege to be free as a bird". And also: "I have nothing in life apart from dignity. Nothing at all".

And I also read raving reviews of the Canadians Junior Boys debut album, "Last Exit".

Jimpster news
Freerange is planning to release "a remix album which will contain selected highlights from Jimpster's extensive catalogue of remixes including some hard to find gems by artists such as Lisa Shaw, Blue Six, John Beltran and Fragile State to name a few".
Sounds good. I hope the CD is not mixed.

Troubleman: Another release to watch out
Mark Pritchard, formerly part of Global Communication and Jedi Knights, is releasing a solo CD "Time Out of Mind" as Troubleman on Far Out Recordings. According to Far Out's press note "Trouble Man’s debut album can only be characterized by one word – s o u l".

Late night pecadillo
Late Night Alumni's "Empty Street" on a warm June night ... love it!
And I am not the only one. Check out for more fans here
Thanks to my friend conazo for the inspiration on the title of this post. Watch him here (in white)

Kompakt 100
Kompakt is to release a compilation album of remixes, ‘Kompakt 100’, to celebrate its 100th release. The album, released on June 28, comprises reworkings of the Cologne-based label’s back catalogue by its current roster. You can read it on Jockey Slut, but not (much) on their own website. Strange (or underground, don't know).

Martians and Catastrophes
DJ Martian chooses Kenny Larkin's comeback after 6 years, "The Narcissist" album of the week and writes a raving review.
The Day After Tomorrow is ... rubbish (oh no, another review! Just couldn't help it)

Check out the DKD debut album
DKD are (a broken beat supergroup?) Dego (from 4hero), Kaidi Tatham and Daz-I-Kue (from Bugz in the Attic). The album is called Future Rage and is released (after an early 2004 Japanese edition) by Bitasweetblack and distributed by Goya Music.

Soft Pink Joke

Picked up a second hand copy of the Soft Pink Truth album and ... is it good? Well, yes it is. BUT it is also a joke and call me boring but I do not like joke albums. There has been many joke albums in the past, and I tried very hard to remeber one that I liked and ... I liked none. The legend tells that this album was made after a bet between the author, Drew Daniel, one half of Matmos, and Herbert who challenged Daniel to make a house album. What he did was a joke, a "funny" crossover between Herbert's sound and some disco pastiches. Still, the album is fine. Is only that I do not get the joke, or if I get it just don't make me laugh. Having said that, I still enjoy the track Soft Pink Missy included also in the Famous When Dead II compilation.

Editor's Note: Since making reviews is against the principles of this blog, the Editor holds the right to delete or edit this post. For a more authorised (and favourable) review read Andy Kellman's at All Music: "Glitched-up, busted, bootylicious house (...) rife with incredibly pleasurable rhythms and ensnaring hooks galore, the Soft Pink Truth's Do You Party? is a stunner"

Domu-Umod
Dominic Stanton (aka Domu, and one half of Yotoko) will be releasing his first CD under the alias of Umod ("Enter the Umod") on the 7th of June. You can hear the tracks in the Sonar Kollektiv website, the German label that will issue the CD.

NewOrder NewAlbum News
My all time favourite band, New Order, are currently "holed up in a studio in Bath working on their 8th studio album". Is it good news? Not sure, since they are not making anything decent since ... hum ... the "Regret" single back in 1993?

Two big big festivals with amazing line ups coming very soon

Movement in Detroit, 29, 30, 31 of May
Movement will be releasing a Movement CD: the official soundtrack of Detroit 's Electronic Music Festival. This 3 CD box-set, compiled and edited by Derrick May and Kevin Reynolds (Transmat Records) will be made available exclusively in America (???) at the start of the 2004 Movement Festival. Check the tracklisting here.

Sonar in Barcelona, the 17, 18 and 19 of June. No details about the usual luxurious Sonar CD provided yet.

Matthew Dear (live on stage) at Paradiso

Voltt is back on June 12 this time with Matthew Dear aka Jabberjaw). The guys from Voltt brought Villalobos on February (and I missed it).
The Line Up:
Main room: Matthew Dear (live) DJs: Toni Rios, Bart Skills
Bovenzaal: Amdam K (live) DJs: Break 3000 and Kostas Hom

Inspirit at Mazzo tonight

FRI.21: "Inspirit Music presents" DJ’s Jimpster(UK), Trentemoller(DK),b-ART, vocals by Amma(UK) 23.00-05.00

Is this the deep house week or what? Trentemoller was cited by DHN as one of the artists of the year in his best of the year feature for his releases "In Progress" and "Trentemoller EP" both on Naked Music. I copy below the press release from the Inspirit website.

Jamie Odell aka Jimpster is co-founder of the London-based Freerange label but most of all a very talented DJ and producer. His productions and remixes under the Audiomontage and Jimpster monikers have found their way to (compilation) albums on labels such as Compost Records (Future Sound of Jazz), Naked Music (Lost on Arrival), Peacefrog (Charles Webster) and Hooj Choons (Tom Middleton’s Sound of the Cosmos). His sound is best described as a fusion of nu-jazz, broken beats, and upfront deephouse.

Trentemøller is a multi-talented producer from Denmark who has given the deephouse scene a fresh twist with his electro-tinged productions and remixes for Naked Music amongst others.

Another hot deep house release!

Belgian band Swirl People released his new album, Special Combo on Aroma records the 17th of May. Check out his new website and listen to the radio edit of the opener "Lideloo dow dow".

New Kaskade CD out now!

Om records has released the new Kaskade CD, the follow up to his fantastic "It's you, it's me". It is called "In the Moment" and the tracklist is: 1. Steppin' Out 2. Maybe 3. I Like The Way 4. Honesty 5. Sweet Love 6. Strum 7. One You 8. Interlude 9. Soundtrack To The Soul 10. Everything 11. Yeah Right 12. Move 13. Let You Go
A review by Rick Anderson is already availabe on allmusic.com.

The first ever House Music Awards?

I read in Deephousenetwork that "this is very first ever Global House Music Award Ceremony". Nominations can be submitted till the 30th of June. On July the 15th the nominees are announced and the voting commences. The 6th of August the voting closes. You have to register and vote. Please do NOT vote no cure as you favourite web resource.

The House Music Awards categories:
Best Single - Best Album - Best Label - Artist of the Year - Best Vocal - Best Live Performance - Best Remix - Most Innovative Producer - DJ of the Year - Breakthrough DJ - Best Venue - Best Club Night - Best Event WMC - Standout Track of WMC - Best Magazine - Best Web Resource - Best Radio Station (Frequency or Internet) - Best Radio Show - Best Store - Most Innovative Technology - Contribution to House Music

As DJ of the year, people has voted so far the following: Smokin Jo, Carl Cox, Junior Jack, Derrick Carter, Joey Negro, Danny Tenaglia, Roger Sanchez, Kenny Dope, Seamus Haji, Ben Watt, Steve Lawler, Nic Fanciulli, Louie Vega, Brian Tappert, Mark Knight, Copyright, Neil Pierce, Danny Howells, Aaron Ross, Lee-Cabrera, Danny Rampling, DJ Gregory, Erick Morillo, Grant Nelson, Deep Dish, Tim Deluxe, Lottie, Kaskade, Nick Bridges.

Quite a nice lot

Detroit Fives

One hundred and nine people entered their top five favourite detroit techno tunes on Forcefield.org. This is the result.

Top 15 tunes

18 - carl craig - at les (buzz/planet e)
15 - rhythim is rhythim - icon (buzz/transmat)
13 - 69 - desire (infonet/planet e)
12 - rhythim is rhythim - it is what it is (transmat)
12 - underground resistance - journey of the dragon (ur)
11 - model 500 - night drive (metroplex)
11 - model 500 - no ufo's (metroplex)
10 - underground resistance - hi tech jazz (ur)
09 - underground resistance - jupiter jazz (ur)
08 - r tyme - r theme (transmat)
07 - underground resistance - final frontier (ur)
07 - rhythim is rhythim - strings of life (transmat)
06 - infiniti - game one (metroplex)
06 - underground resistance - illuminator (ur)
06 - kenny larkin - tedra (warp)

And these are the top 15 producers

80 - carl craig
79 - juan atkins
65 - underground resistance
64 - derrick may
21 - kevin saunderson
20 - drexciya
18 - kenny larkin
15 - jeff mills
14 - robert hood
14 - 'red planet'
11 - burden brothers
10 - james pennington
09 - blake baxter
09 - anthony shakir
07 - rolando

Got two good promo CDs

One is Quant's new CD, released by the Vienna label Eccochamber.
Read a review here, here, or here.

The other one is Peven Everett's Kissing Game. Originally released in 2002, has been re packaged and re edited by Kindred Spirits, now includes the 12" version of "Puerto Rico". I loved "Gabriel", his collaboration with Roy Davies Jr., and I like this one too.

Theo Parrish's "Parallel Dimensions" CD re issued

Next week, Ubiquity is releasing a new pressing of Theo Parrish's "Parallel Dimensions" CD. This album was originally released on Parrish's Sound Signature label in 2000. Check the beyondjazz.net review here.

Share the fall ...
hyper energetic though disappointing concert of Roni Size yesterday in Melkweg.

Amsterdam's 05 Days Off Line Up

WEDNESDAY 14 JULY MELKWEG:
Ellen Allien, Tiefschwarz (Basti), Felix Da Housecat, The Hacker, Manhead, Dj Frigidaire (Vive La Fete), 2πR modeshow, Freestylers(live), Lauruz Lauhaus

THURSDAY 15 JULY MELKWEG:
Hakan Libdo (live), das Bierbeben (live), Apparat (live), T.Ramschmiere (DJ), Peter Grummich, D. Meteo, Team Shadetek (live), WARP dj's en visuals, Chris Clark (live), Matthew Herbert, Jamie Lidell (live)

FRIDAY 16 JULY MELKWEG:
Joost van Bellen, 2 Many Dj's, Erol Alkan, Tiga (live), Ivan Smagghe (Blackstrobe Dj), Josz Lebon, Sandrien

FRIDAY 16 JULY PARADISO:
Louie Vega And His Elements Of Life, Osunlade's live band, Cassie 6, Leroy, Antal, Gary, Kc The Funkaholic

SATURDAY 17 JULY MELKWEG:
Life Savas, Lyrics Born, Roni Size live, Tali live, Adi-J, Flannagan, MC Dapper, L-Dopa

SATURDAY 17 JULY PARADISO:
San Proper, Comtron (live), Eric De Man, Jack Undercover Goes Underground, Roger Sanchez presents "Release Yourself", Tom De Neef, Melon

SUNDAY 18 JULY MELKWEG:
Jori Hullkonen, Avril, Laurent Garnier, Fabrice Lig, Scan X, The Youngsters, Richard, Aron Friedman

SUNDAY 18 JULY PARADISO:
Ata, Ricardo Villalobos live, Richie Hawtin, Magda, Rework (live), Losoul (live), Spektrum (live), Bart Skils, Kostas Hom

Music Overdose
New acquisitions: "Day by Day" Delsin Comp., Matthew Dear "Leave Luck to Heaven", Moodymann "Black Mahogani", Deepart "Snapshots", "Compilation 2" Music for Speakers Comp., Andres "Andres".
With thanks to Rush Hour (also for the great present: Peven Everett's "Kissing Game" promo CD!) and Fame Music record shops in Amsterdam.

Roni Size at the Melkweg
Roni Size is playing (live in the mix feat. Dynamite & Tali) this Sunday in Melkweg.

... and Mr. C at Mazzo
Mr. C, the former singer of The Shamen and now boss of End Recordings is DJing this Saturday at Mazzo.

Ishkur's Guide to Electronic music

I find this very funny. Do not miss the tunes they choose to illustrate the genres.

A top ten and a review

Andy Kellman's (raving) review of Moodymann's new album is now available at All Music. Surfing the web I found Andy's top ten list of 2003 at the Village Voice website.

This is the top ten list.

1 Matthew Dear - Leave Luck to Heaven (Ghostly International)
2 David Sylvian - Blemish (Samadhi Sound)
3 Jay-Z - The Black Album (Roc-A-Fella)
4 Monolake - Momentum (Monolake)
5 Ricardo Villalobos - Alcachofa (Playhouse)
6 Dizzee Rascal - Boy in Da Corner (XL)
7 Broadcast - Haha Sound (Warp)
8 Lawrence - The Absence of Blight (Dial/Kompakt)
9 Kelis - Tasty Star (Trak/Arista)
10 Andres - Andres (Mahogani)

New Moodymann CD available now

Yesterday, Peacefrog released the new Moodymann CD, the follow up to last year Silence in the Secret Garden. It is called Black Mahogani and the tracklisting is 1. Holiday 2. Roberta Jean Machine 3. I Need You So Much 4. Runaway 5. I’m Doing Fine 6. Shades Of Jae 7. Riley’s Song 8. Back At Bakers (On Livernois) 9. Mahogani 9000 10. Black Mahogani
According to Boomkat it should be "one of the slinkiest late-night vibed albums you’ll hear all year".

Two lost classics

Two new songs in my iPod. "Cost of Living" by Nu Era and "Tarenah" by Psychedelic Research Lab. I got them in a Mixmag compilation CD called Lost Classics, and I learned that both songs are also included in the Deepest Shade of Techno double CD compiled by 4Hero and released by SSR in 1996. This compliation is out of press at the moment but ... I just ordered a second-hand copy from Amazon Germany. The line up includes John Beltran, Ti To Ton, Morgan Geist, Octave One, Underground Resistance .... Can't wait!

A bit of nostalgia

That moment ... It was back in 1989. After a night out, I went to some British friends' apartment in El Carmen district in Valencia. They had a Sony Megabass stereo or something like that. They started playing on it (very loud) something that was new to me. It was dance music, but not cheesy. It was techno, but not dark. It was great! They told me it was Adamski's Liveandirect album. Stunning. Months later Adamski would become a star with the hit (uk number one?) classic single Killer, which featured another soon-to-be-a-star Seal. Something changed in my musical view at that moment. I knew dance music could be exciting again. Innovative, risky, moving, hard. Could MCA, now Universal, re issue the album, please? I know it is not a classic, but it was so special a that time. So much the sound of its time ...

My iPod is full

Damm it! So everytime I want to upload music I have to think what to delete ... I am now uploading (second-hand already, yup!) the 4hero's remix album so the drama is served. I already had the Jazzanova remix of "We who are not as others" so I can save a song ;-(

Is electronic music a form of art?

Do you think electronic music is a form of art? Then you should read this and find out why it is not frequently in the top ten charts: "Dehumanization of Art and Other Essays on Art, Culture and Literature" by Jose Ortega y Gasset. Do not be put off by the title. It is actually a short and enjoyable essay.

More snares

I knew about the Scattered Snares CD reading the Techno Rebels website (number two of year 2002 list). I learned it was compiled by Marc Mac (one half of 4Hero). I already had some 4Hero productions (and Jacob's Optical Stairway, and Tom & Jerry, and Queen Mecca ...). I knew the collaboration/remixes of 4Hero with people like Juan Atkins or Nuyorican Soul.
I had to buy the CD! And ... when I listened to it, all my expectations were met ... and surpassed.
Many different artists with one thing in common: break genres.
And that's what 4hero has always been good at. And that was the initial point of Drum'n'bass before it got stuck by the form constraints. Mix different things (techno, reggae, hip hop, hardcore ...) explore new fields, break the limits.

Scattered Snares

I bought Scattered Snares, the compilation put together by 4hero's Marc Mac for his own label Twisted Funk records. I agree with Andy Kellman from AMG when he says that "Scattered Snares is particularly ideal for drum'n'bass heads who have become disenchanted with that scene. Furthermore, those who have been turned off of broken beat due to the polite jazz leanings of some producers will find that this one goes down a treat".

I do not appreciate the "polite jazz leanings" of some Broken Beats Productions and I was longing for some innovative Drum & Bass for years. What I mean is ... Broken Beats without the jazzy pretentiousness !!! Innovative Drum'n'Bass !!! I love this CD !!!

The sweetest hangover
The busy weekend is over. Kevin Saunderson was surprisingly festive on his set at Hotel Arena. After three playful tunes I almost forget my eagerness to hear his classic productions. Anyhow, good danceable tech house. No art, but lots of fun, which is not bad for a Saturday night.

A suggestion: Could you please, managers of Hotel Arena, remove the huge podiums from the middle of the two dancefloors? They do not leave any space to dance!

No depression

Confirmed: no cure has nothing to do with No Depression, the alternative country (whatever that is) bimonthly named after the 1990 Uncle Tupelo's album. Although I must confess that Anodyne by Uncle Tupelo is one of my favourite rock albums of the 90's

By the way, on my way back home from the bike repair, I discovered browsing through Uncut at the news store that No Depression has released a compilation CD "No Depression, What It Sounds..." on March 8, 2004. The line up include the song Faithless Street fom Whiskeytown's debut album.

Kevin at Arena!
The sun is shining in Amsterdam. Kevin Saunderson is playing tomorrow at Hotel Arena. Fantástico!

Welcome
Welcome. Day One! First post. Let's start. This blog is named after a More Rockers song. What will I talk about? You guessed it ! Music.

And ... who are More Rockers?
More Rockers? More info! (Bit dated though)