Eclectic Hermit

Review: Scuba - Triangulation...

2010-09-15T17:20:00.004Z

Triangulation (definition): The location of an unknown point.

What initially strikes me upon listening to Scuba’s sophomore effort however is that the Hot Flush Records boss knows exactly where he’s at. Despite running his own label (home to recent critical faves Mount Kimbie), holding a residency at Berlin’s legendary Berghain and releasing music under two different monikers (SCB is his more techno orientated sound), Paul Rose has managed to produce an album that stands out as one of the best of the year.

While Rose may move between the boundaries of electronic music, there is still a unifying theme to his productions. Pressure, depth and melody are often present, and whether the track in particular leans towards dubstep, techno, or (more recently) drum n bass, it’s always very ‘Scuba-ish’. These three genres do provide the backbone to the album, but they’re blended so well that it would be unfair to categorise it as anything other than ‘post-dubstep’ and leave it at that.

After opener Descent informs us that we’re in for some deep listening, second track Latch explodes into action after a relaxed start with a half-step drum pattern and mounting synth line. Minerals employs the sound of dripping water as a percussion tool, while You Got Me takes the heaviest stab at drum n bass of any track on the album.

Album highlight Before comes thumping out of the speakers with a beat that would snap your neck if it weren’t so, well, ambient. A chopped-up vocal sample provides the hook, and the synths provide an aural signpost that is completely recognisable after only one listen. So You Think You’re Special provides an uplifting counterpoint to the darker tracks on the record, containing as it does the lines ‘Here you’ll find the one/Here in the sun’.

All told, Triangulation is a beguiling, cohesive album that more than justifies being listened to as a whole, and only on repeat listens does it reveal hitherto unseen intricacies and depths that are simply hinted at with a cursory glance. A must for any discerning fan of music, electronic or otherwise.

Crabs out of 5: 4.5

Buy it at Boomkat

Emika...

2010-04-19T21:37:00.005Z

Waaaaaay back in November I blogged about Emika's debut single Drop The Other, a fantastic tune that was aided in no small part by a stunning Scuba remix.

Not content with one heavyweight producer enhancing her beats, she's roped in Tectonic label boss and all round Bristol-based legend Pinch for new single Double Edge.

Download a mix she dropped on MAH's show recently here, and peep the video below for Double Edge.

If the names of Scuba and/or Pinch haven't immediately made you want to check this out then I would suggest you were beyond hope, but if you like your beats claustrophobic and menacing with just enough of a hint of melody and daylight then i would click away post-haste.

The single will be Released May 10th on Ninja Tune. Pre-order the 12" or MP3s here.

We Have Band - WHB...

2010-03-23T10:19:00.005Z

I'm sure that being in the loop and au courant has its advantages, but it sure does take a lot of effort to stay on top of the game. What with the proliferation of music being thrown at the listener from all sides, separating the wheat from chaff can be hard work. Which is why at the Eclectic Hermit nowadays you will only find me posting about music that i really, actually, like.

WHB have been on my radar since the start of last year, having won the Glatonbury emerging talent competition, released a couple of superb singles and floated a few demo tracks of material around the web. I saw them twice at Glastonbury and they shot straight to the top of my bands of '09 mental list.

Well due to my total ineptitude at staying on top of the latest music news, it was only yesterday I found out that WHB are releasing their eponymous debut album on April 5th.

Tracklisting:

01. Piano
02. Buffet
03. Divisive
04. Love, What You Doing?
05. Oh!
06. How To Make Friends
07. Honeytrap
08. Hear It In The Cans
09. Centrefolds And Empty Screens
10. You Came Out
11. WHB
12. Hero Knows

Feel free to pre-order the album here.

The Divisive EP was released yesterday, buy it at 7Digital.

Divisive comes backed by four remixes, not including this one by DJ Mujava of Township Funk fame.

Download: We Have Band - Divisive (DJ Mujava Edit) (YSI)

The video for Divisive sees the band acting as a human font and being extremely patient with the directors.

We Have Band - Divisive - by JUL & MAT from JUL & MAT on Vimeo.

And finally, the unreleased demo of You've Had Band, the track that really piqued my interest in this fantastic group. I believe it will appear on the album as Centrefolds And Empty Screens.

Download: We Have Band - You've Had Band (YSI)

Deep Medi...

2010-02-23T18:16:00.003Z

I've spent much of the day delving into the archives of Mala, DMZ, and Deep Medi Musik. I started digging last week after checking out Mala's interview/lecture for the Red Bull Music Academy. It's amazing what you can do with some Discogs info and a bit of googling.

Out this month on the Deep Medi imprint is Mark Pritchard's Elephant Dub/Heavy As A Stone 12". Heavy As A Stone is stunning, I just had to loop it 3 times in a row to appreciate what's going on in this track. Very essential stuff.

Read what Boomkat have to say on the matter and get your copy here, before it's sold out.

Mala Myspace
DMZ Myspace
Mala Discogs

Oh aye, and the other half of DMZ, Coki, is at The Faversham in Leeds this Friday with Joy Orb and Brackles. Get on down.

Magnetic Man...

2010-02-14T19:41:00.004Z

If you didn't know, Skream + Benga + Artwork = Magnetic Man.

You might think that the originators and innovators of the dubstep sound would be content to rest on their collective laurels and let a new slew of producers take the mantle, but they are still pushing forward into new territory as The Cyberman EP shows in abundance.

Much attention has been lavished on the title track, but it's Eclipse that captured my attention. What with all the stabbing synths, staccato drums and, of course, a nice bit of wobble, you may need a neck massage after listening. Be warned, this is big.

Magnetic Man - Eclipse (YSI)

Blackdown posted an interview with the guys recently, well worth a read in you're interested in dubstep history.

Buy the EP at Boomkat

Thanks Brain(feeder)!...

2010-02-14T18:46:00.003Z

Well Hot Damn! That Flying Lotus chap sure knows how to start a record label. His new Brainfeeder roster includes Samiyam, Ras G, The Gaslamp Killer, FLYamSAM, Mono/Poly, Teebs, Dr. Strangeloop, Lorn, Matthewdavid, Ques, Daedelus and many more.

New Daedelus EP/Mini-album 'Righteous Fists of Harmony is out March 22nd.

MP3: Order of the Golden Dawn ft. Laura Darling (YSI)

Below is the new video for 'Fin de Siecle'.

Daedelus "Righteous Fists of Harmony" from DestroyRockMusic Inc. on Vimeo.

If you're anywhere near big London Town on the 10th of March you have to check out the Brainfeeder sessions @ Fabric. How's this for a line-up:

Nosaj Thing
Tokimonsta
Dimlite
Gaslamp Killer
Daedalus
Flying Lotus
Dorian Concept
Martyn & Kode9

I imagine that will get quite raucous.

brainfeedersite.com
myspace.com/brainfeeder
twitter.com/BrainFeeder
vimeo.com/brainfeeder

Whack my Bonobo...

2010-02-14T18:29:00.004Z

"Simon Green aka Bonobo returns with one of the key cuts from his forthcoming album, “Black Sands”. Drawing as much on the rhythms of two-step as the lush soundscapes for which he’s best known, “Eyesdown” also features a remarkable vocal from Andreya Triana and enough fuzzed-out sub-bass for a binful of dubsteppers. Classic and contemporary, melancholy and exhilarating all at once, “Eyesdown” sounds like the kind of record Massive Attack could be making if they were starting out now."

Well that's what the PR says, but listening to the track i've no idea how they came up with that Massive Attack reference. Still though, tis a good 'un, and well worth a few clicks of your mouse.

The drums are reminding me of Mujava's Towship Funk too, which is no bad thing.

Listen/Download/Pre-order here.

Hold your Tunng...

2010-02-14T10:39:00.004Z

My favourite experimental folk band, Tunng, are set to release their new album And Then We Saw Land on March 1st on Full Time Hobby records. From the Tunng site:

"Our new album '..And Then We Saw Land' will be released on March 1st. It's available to pre-order on CD, LP, MP3 download and FLAC lossless audio download, as part of an exclusive bundle which includes a live DVD of the our Twisted Folk collaboration with desert dudes Tinariwen. You can pre-order the album (and DVD) from Full Time Hobby and if you would like to download a taster track right now click here!"

Well go on then! I've just ordered the CD/T-shirt bundle.

George & Caplin get remix'd...

2010-02-12T21:36:00.004Z

Plastic Sound Supply are a record & art label from Denver, CO, USA, specializing in genre defying experimental electronic music and art.

They're celebrating the release of George & Caplin's 'He Really Got Through to Advertising' remix album with a free MP3, and how could I resist?

This Cacheflow remix from the album is right up my street. The term 'melting pot' may have been coined for just such an occasion, as Cacheflow segues seamlessly from glitchy futurism to dubstep-lite and all the way through to folksy, ambient beats.

Grab it for yourself here (Right-click)

Preview & buy MP3s from the album here

You bring me Joy...

2010-01-16T13:21:00.005Z

Seems like every man and his blog has posted the Joy Orbison BSRkR 01 mix over the past 6 months, so I won't bother repeating it here. However there is one track from it that i just can't get out of my head. Here's a decription of the track by the ever lyrical 20jazzfunkgreats:

"The last C.O.M.B.i. edits 12 is killer, this mystery Japanese wizard gets the party going like the old skool was N.O.W. on one side, and get down well nocturnal on the flip, which is what we are bringing you: a metronomic disco funk beast that slides menacing across streets of a deep blue which resemble, for a moment, colossal coralline reefs across whose ancient underwater surfaces flicker hallucinatory shadows, the echoes of a dramatic score to make all Chromatics fans lose their shit do spread like blood spilling from wounds inflicted with frantic strings that stab the soul of a beautiful ghost of unbearable loneliness and mad longing."

Indeed.

C.O.M.B.I. - It a late (YSI)

If you live in The North and fancy seeing Joy Orbison spinning his impeccable tastes live, you couldn't do much better than seeing him headline The Faversham in Leeds on February 26th, alongside Coki, Floating Points and Brackles.

What a ridiculous line-up. Tickets here. See you there.

Drowning in a sea of wav...

2010-01-13T12:56:00.003Z

Or a sea of mp3, if you're less inclined towards a pun and more towards correctness.

Over two years ago I published what ranks among my most popular blog posts ever. (It had four comments, although one was spam).

It was an A to Z of tracks that I was into, and looking back at it now I think the list stands up as a pretty good and varied barometer of what was around at the time. Think of it as an extremely local Hype Machine if you will. It was partly topical (Bat for Lashes), but mostly it was an excuse for me to post up an eclectic bunch of tunes (which is what this blog was started for in the first place).

This week I was reading an article in The Guardian that mentioned something about how music in its digital form was losing out to solid formats because of its vast availability and the increasingly unlimited storage capacity of digital players/hard-drives. I have been feeling this myself over the last couple of years, having moved almost exclusively from purchasing CDs and vinyl to exclusively downloading mp3s.

So this post is actually only an excuse for me to sift through my laptop in an attempt to try and connect with some of the music that has been languishing there, unlistened, while searching for more, more, more on the neverending network of blogs, websites and online record shops over the last year or so.

I've got hold of more new music in the last year than at any other time in my life, and it was hard to pick only one artist for each letter (should it be Burial&Four Tet/Benga/Boxcutter/Bok Bok/Bat for Lashes etc) but who knows, there may be more A to Zs in the future.

If you have any suggestions/comments/praise/hate, stick a comment in below. And it goes without saying: if you like the artist, do something to support them like buying a gig ticket, mp3 or even better, a CD!

A is for Aardvarck - Untitled 2 (Bloom 3)

B is for Boy 8-bit - The Cricket Scores

C is for Caspa - Back to '93

D is for Darkstar - Aidy's Girl is a Computer (Kyle Hall Oats remix)

E is for Emika - Drop the Other (Scuba's Vulpine mix)

F is for Fever Ray - Seven (Martyn's Seventh mix)

G is for Gemmy - Rainbow Road

H is for Hudson Mohawke - ZooOOoom

I is for Ikonika - Smuck

J is for Joy Orbison - J. Doe

K is for King Midas Sound - Lost

L is for L-Vis 1990 - Come Together

M is for Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement

N is for Nosaj Thing - IOIO

O is for Optimus Grime - Immortal

P is for Peter, Bjorn & John - It Don't Move Me (Weird Tapes remix)

Q is for Q-Tip - Renaissance Rap remix (ft. Busta Rhymes/Raekwon/Lil' Wayne)

R is for Rustie - Zig-Zag

S is for Skream - Dutch Flowerz

T is for Toddla T - Rice & Peas (ft. Mr Versatile)

U is for Untold - Stop What You're Doing (James Blake remix)

V is for Visti & Meyland - Yes Ma'am (Trentemoller remix)

W is for White Denim - I Start to Run

X is for The XX - Heart Skipped A Beat

Y is for Yeasayer - One (MMMatthias remix)

Z is for Zomby - Tarantula

Download A to M here (Z-Share)

Download N to Z here (Z-Share)

The post artwork is taken from The Gashlycrumb Tinies, an illustrated poem by Edward Gorey. View it here.

You better run fast...

2010-01-05T19:21:00.004Z

Seeing as my last post about Yeasayer got taken down for copyright infringement, i thought it might be nice to share some music that the artist themselves has already made freely available.

If you are a) into the Swedish reggae scene or b) been keeping up with the european snowboard films this year, you may well have heard of Congo Man Crew. If not, now's the time to get involved. Their Myspace and Facebook pages provide scant biographical information, but the music more than speaks for itself.

Deep roots reggae laden with tasty riddims and vocal hooks is what the crew is about, and you can download their latest EP Run Fast ft. Mysticman right here.

Download: Run Fast EP (Z-Share)

Congospace

Their music features on Jolly Roger, the latest flick from the Pirates crew.

Check the trailer below.

The Christmas Chiller...

2009-12-24T16:07:00.004Z

Yes yes y'all, Christmas is upon us with a capital C. Snow has fallen all around us, children have been playing and having fun, and it might even be the season for love and understanding.

All this aside however, if your celebrations are proving to be a little more stressful and tiresome than you would like, here's a piece of music that may give you a little respite from the madness.

Released in February of this year, Cinematic Dubstep Vol. 2 is the soundtrack to a film that hasn't yet been made. The final track on the compilation was the one that hit me hardest. 6 minutes of skittering drums, and synths that hit you like waves. Check this out on a good pair of headphones with a drink in your hand and feel the stress wash away.

Merry Christmas everybody.

Cogent - The Guard

Discogs
Stream & Buy at Digital Tunes

Slam & Groove 4 - Mixed by Optimus Gryme...

2009-12-10T10:00:00.004Z

This does what it says on the tin, the latest in the Slam & Groove series is a serious heavyweight mix. Get it while you can, Noize Zealand is on the rise!

Featuring 30 tracks of pure Dubstep goodness from some of the world's top producers including Datsik, Chasing Shadows, Excision, Kryptic Minds & Optimus Gryme.

Direct links:

Good Quality (192kbps : Faster Download Time, approx 8 mins)
http://www.mediafire.com/?iejozmzlnit

Best Quality (320 kbps : Medium Download Time, approx 11 mins) http://www.mediafire.com/?mhyiyjmyiyz

Tracklist:

1. DR. ISRAEL - GANGSTA N POLICE
2. DISTANCE - HEADSTRUNG
3. FREELAND - ROCK ON [EMALKAY REMIX]
4. TIKI - TANGAROA VIP [BULLETPROOF REMIX]
5. OPTIMUS GRYME - SING IT TO ME
6. NERO - BAD TRIP [BAR 9 REMIX]
7. CHASING SHADOWS - AMIRAH
8. 12TH PLANET & DATSIK - TEXX MARS
9. STEREO TYPE - SHOCK [NERO REMIX]
10. CHASING SHADOWS - ILL
11. ULTRABLACK - BEAR TRAP [EXCISION REMIX]
12. OPTIMUS GRYME - MEZZANINE [VIP]
13. VASKI - RESONATE
14. DON GOLIATH - NO SOUNDBWOY NO CRY [DZ REMIX]
15. TRUTH - INTERNATIONAL
16. OPTIMUS GRYME & BULLETPROOF - BUNGALORE
17. BULLETPROOF - SAN CROW
18. PLANAS & RUCKSPIN - THE NATURE OF IT
19. SCHEMA - CHUTNEY GRIP
20. BOOT - SPEECHLESS
21. DISTANCE - TRAFFIC [GOTH TRAD REMIX]
22. BREAKAGE - HIGHER
23. ROB SPARX - BLOODBATH
24. EXCISION & THE SUBDIVISION - TITANIUM
25. KRYPTIC MINDS - ONE OF US
26. BLACK SUN EMPIRE - THE INVASION
27. KRYPTIC MINDS - SIX DEGREES
28. SUB SCAPE - NOTHING'S WRONG
29. SUB SCAPE - ARTIFICIAL DREAMER
30. ANNE RANI - FALL [TECH ITCH REMIX]

For more Free Dubstep Mixes go to: http://www.optimusgryme.co.nz/downloads

And check out http://www.nzdubstep.blogspot.com/ for more scene info

Return of the Mac...

2009-11-30T19:31:00.003Z

My girlfriend is called Caroline.

Fleetwood Mac have a song called Caroline that I hadn't heard of until last month. (It was released in 1987. What's 22 in blog years?)

The bottom line is that the song is huge in the best 80s way possible. Tons of echo on the drums and a massive chorus that I still can't get out of my head.

Regardless of what my girlfriend is called I would have posted this track anyway because it's a beast, but i like the synergy nonetheless.

Whatever music you're in to, take a break from it for 3 minutes and 49 seconds and turn those speakers up.

Fleetwood Mac - Caroline (YSI)

Buy Tango in the Night

Noise Zealand style...

2009-11-25T13:47:00.003Z

I spent this summer in New Zealand, and between all the skiing and partying managed to dig up a few gems from the local scene.

Optimus Gryme aka Charlie B is the biggest name in the NZ dubstep game right now. I saw him play live at the BASE 10 year party in Wanaka, and was surprised the roof was still on the building by the end of his set.

He released his debut LP back in June, and his Annihilation of the Ego EP is considered one of the best records of the year. If you like your beats heavy, smooth and experimental then this is the guy to check out.

Optimus Gryme - Immortal

Optimus Gryme - A Billy (ft. Billy Fluid)

Buy Optimus Gryme @ Beatport
Grymepace
Check out nzdubstep.com for more info, tour dates and free mixes

Purple Trinity...

2009-11-24T14:25:00.003Z

I've been listening to a lot of Dubstep this summer, and Joker is one producer who's really caught my ear. Part of the Purple Trinity group with Guido and Gemmy, his bright, technicolour beats are just what the scene needs to revive itself after getting slightly sidetracked into the 'who can make the heaviest bassline' thing. The Purple Trinity's brand of psychedelic dub is much more my thing.

So to catch you up, a mix from each.

Joker - Purple Wow Sound Mix (Z-Share)

Tracklist:
1. Heny g – Delayed Style
2. Silkie – 7-1
3. Joker & Ginz – Purple City
4. Joker – Psychedelic Runway
5. Joker – Gullybrook Plain
6. Joker – Digidesign
7. Guido – Tango 140
8. Gemmy – Espaniola (SOMETHING LIKE THAT )
9. Gemmy – The Box Remix #2
10. Gemmy – BT Tower
11. Gemmy – Back 2 The Future 2012
12. Gemmy – ……
13. Joker – Do it
14. Joker – Early morning
15. Benga – Buzzin’
16. RSD – Naked Mario Kart
17. Skream – Unknown
18. Silkie – Weird Piano
19. Quest – The Unknown
20. Rude kid – Are You Ready (Instrumental)
21. Maniac – Three Crows
22. Joker & Rustie – Play Doe
23. Joker – Untitled

Guido Mini Mix (Save as)

Tracklist:
Guido - Tantalized
Guido, Aarya & Ruthless - Beautiful Complication
Guido - Chakra
Guido - You Do It Right
Guido - Orchestral Lab
Gemmy - Johnny 5
Guido - Mad Sax
Joker - Do It!
Guido - Tango
Joker - Digidesign

Gemmy - Mix for Fact magazine (Sendspace)

Tracklisting:
Jakes - 'Nyabingi'
Rustie - 'Black Block' Remix
Gemmy - 'Purple Moon'
Gemmy - 'Johnny 5'
Kutz - 'Spaceman' VIP
Davinche - 'Jam Hot' Remix
Joker & Ginz - 'Purple City'
Joker - 'Do It'
Gemmy - 'Shanti Riddim'
Gemmy - 'Kodoma'
Gemmy - 'Rusty Tin'
RSD - 'Pretty Bright Light'
Gemmy - 'Bk 2 The Future'

Further reading on the Trinity and Purple sound.

myspace.com/guidoproductions
myspace.com/thejokerproductions
myspace.com/djgemmy

One more (Ninja) Tune...

2009-11-24T12:54:00.004Z

Oh, hello there. It's been a while, but I keep getting fine slices of aural science delivered directly to my inbox by the good folks over at Ninja Tune records, and who am I to deny their artists the essential air of hype and publicity (even though this blog has the readership of the proverbial one man and his dog) that music makers so relish in these days of multi-faceted media platforms? No-one, that's who.

Fink's track 'All Cried Out' has been a favourite of mine since it featured on his Biscuits for Breakfast album all the way back in '06. He released latest album Sort of Revolution this summer, and to celebrate an i-tunes only release of Sort of Versions (acoustic versions of tracks old and new) i'm giving you his take on R.E.M.'s 'The Apologist'. The ghost of John Martyn pervades, but never dominates Fink's work, which is by turns original, evocative and engaging.

Fink - The Apologist (acoustic)

Get Sort of Versions here
Get Sort of Revolution here
Finkspace

Now I know that PR folks can stir up a lot of BS about their hot new artist, but I must say comparing Emika to Fever Ray, The Knife and Burial (three of my favourites) in one sentence more than piqued my interest. Add to that a remix by none other than Scuba and I was a goner.

I'm a big fan of Scuba's crackly, claustrophobic and driving production, and this track delivers on all accounts. It also reminds me of another of Hot Flush Records talents, Vaccine.

The single 'Drop The Other' plus remixes is out on the 18th January on Ninja Tune. Big.

Emika - Drop The Other (Scuba's Vulpine Remix)

Emikaspace
Scubaspace

Why can't I have a smart dog like that?...

2009-07-15T19:40:00.003Z

This, and a couple of other questions, has been raised by Rex The Dog's remix of new Fever Ray single Triangle Walks. (Eclectic Hermit trivia, The Knife were the first artist to be posted here on this blog).

Questions such as: Why can't Rex The Dog do an entire Knife remix album? How does Karin Andersson manage to write such damn good songs? Why can't I keep the smile off my face?

I for one would love an LP full of hands-in-the-air italo-swedish disco tracks, so let's make it happen. The petition starts here.

Fever Ray - Triangle Walks (Rex The Dog Remix)

Buy Fever Ray - Fever Ray

Buy Rex The Dog £4.98 on Amazon! Get your hands on it.

Hey! I know that song! #1...

2009-07-15T19:13:00.006Z

The first in what may become an occasional series of posts that deals with well known tracks and the original music they sampled.

In today's case we have the modern classic Aint Got Time To Waste by Aim, which took inspiration from Marc Moulin/Placebo's Humpty Dumpty.

The Marc Moulin version appeared on the playlist at my work last month. It reminded me just how good Mr Turner's work is, and brought memories flooding back of playing Tony Hawks for hours on end in my teenage years.

Marc Moulin/Placebo - Humpty Dumpty (YSI)

Aim - 'Aint Got Time to Waste (YSI)

I believe Cold Water Music was reissued last year with a couple of bonus tracks, but here's a link to the original on Amazon.

Side note: Cold Water Music also features one of my favourite covers of all time (see above).

I was at Glastonbury when...

2009-07-15T18:54:00.003Z

We Have Band played The Queens Head, when Skream dropped In For The Kill, when Crookers tore the metaphorical roof off, when Blur stormed the Pyramid, when a hundred other things happened, including the death of Michael Jackson. I was about to watch Metronomy when I heard the news, and walking about the site in the early hours of Thursday night with crowds of people dancing outside the Jerk Chicken bar to old MJ hits was a surreal sight.

I saw We Have Band twice over the weekend, firstly on Thursday right after Maximo Park had just opened the festival at The Queens Head stage, and secondly on the John Peel stage on Sunday. As you might expect, Thursday's gig was full of energy and excitement, the crowd was well into it, and i felt a real thrill about seeing live music again. Sunday was a tough slot for the band, as no amount of enthusiasm from them was going to gee a crowd up early on a Sunday afternoon after 3 days of revelling behind them.

Swiftly re-dubbed I Can Haz Band? (by me), they have firmly rooted themselves into my consciousness as a group destined for big things, and the tracks You've Had Band and Honeytrap have rarely been off my stereo since the festival.

We Have Band - You've Had Band (YSI)

We Have Band - Honeytrap (live) (YSI)

They recently released You Came Out on Kill Em All, buy it at Boomkat.

Wehavemyspace

Murder never sounded so good...

2009-07-15T18:36:00.003Z

A straight-up downtempo banger from Slow Train Soul here, providing an instantly engaging piano loop, a beat that'll make your neck ache, and vocal hooks that will stick in your brain for a long while.

Released in 2004 on Tommy Boy records, i've clearly been sleeping on this for a long while. But, as with many things, better late than never. Make sure you don't sleep any longer and download this track, as it's one of my favourites of the year so far.

Slow Train Soul - In The Black of Night (128) (YSI)

Slowspace

Amazon throws up the relevant info on purchasing the album.

Got any Clarky Cat?

2009-07-15T18:21:00.004Z

As if an obscure Brass Eye reference wasn't enough to make your day, the news that Chris Clark has just dropped his new long player 'Totems Flare' certainly will.

In celebration of this news (and it must be good news as it's forced me to blog after 2 months of silence) i'm throwing up an mp3 from his previous album 'Turning Dragon' to remind you, if necessary', just how good he is.

I haven't yet listened to 'Totems Flare' but if the marked evolution of his work so far is anything to go by, this new album should be an interestingly fresh take on the classic Clark sound.

Clark - New Year Storm

Buy some Clark from Boomkat, you know you want to.

Clarkspace

Knight Baggy, you are the man...

2009-05-18T16:09:00.002Z

An Australian friend put me onto this video, not that his origins have any bearing on the pure genius/autism that is Knight Baggy. In it, a Swedish man extols the virtues of his bezzy mate, and confuses us all in the process. A lot.

1) The mystery. Just who is this Knight Baggy? How did they meet?
2) The lyrics: "He's the king of the hill on the top of his horse, he's the master of all living warriors"
3) The hideous overexposure
4) The white dreads
5) The masks and overall dress of the dancers
6) The euro-rave beats
7) 5-30 secs - The lead singer's dancing.
8) The chorus! "Knight Baggy, he is ma friend, forever, and ever again". wtf?
9) 1.05-1.15 - Special effects split-screen bonanza.
10) 1.25 - The singer mimes the first bit of the verse and then what, forgets the rest?
11) 2.10 - During the breakdown the singer sits and contemplates his friendship with Knight Baggy
12) 2.25 - The dancer picks his nose, eats it, then sings the chorus.

This Website doesn't really help clear things up.

Tell your friends.

Waiter, there's a Black Moth Super Rainbow in my soup...

2009-05-18T15:30:00.004Z

I discovered BMSR while sitting at a bus stop in a French ski resort, and was instantly taken in by their blend of robust beats, fuzzy synth loops, distressed vocals and all-round good vibes.

Now, thanks to the power of the internets, you can be too. Go listen somewhere you wouldn't otherwise.

Black Moth Super Rainbow - I Think It Is Beautiful That You Are 256 Colours Too (YSI)

This post was inspired by good music and the power of memory.

Grab yer crayons kids...

2009-05-18T15:15:00.003Z

Let's not mess about. We all know who Blockhead is and what he does. This latest project from him titled 'Uncle Tony's Colouring Book' is self-released and features all sorts of jaunty, catchy, instrumental hip-hop beats for you to nod your head to over the coming months or try to hone your leftfield rhyming skills on.

This sample track contains all the jaunt you could possibly need for a good night in, so make sure to buy the album if you just can't retrain those feet from tapping.

MP3: Blockhead - Grape Nuts & Chalk Sauce (YSI)

Buy it

Also, this track feels instantly familiar. Has it been used on any commercial/film/tv project recently?

It's Dubstep, but not as we know it...

2009-04-26T12:39:00.004Z

...Or maybe it's exactly as we know it. Dubstep is one of the fastest growing musical genres in the world today, often breaking far away from its roots in UK garage, 2 step and grime. Producers like Vaccine, 2562, and most recently Martyn spring to mind as artists who are tackling the genre from different perspectives, whether geographically or musically.

Martyn doesn't like to pigeonhole his sound into a particular category, rather he prefers to dub it 'Martyn music' (fair play seeing as he's the one who's making it). It's a preference that becomes clear when listening to the new LP Great Lengths, as each track reveals something more about the Martyn sound, whether it's Boards of Canada style vocal samples, stabbing rave synths or lolloping melodies that ground the track while giving other sounds room to manoeuver around the bassline.

So, a dubstep album that isn't strictly dubstep, but neither is it techno, ambient, house, garage, or any of the other genres you may care to fling at it. It is however interesting, challenging and fresh. Let's hope producers of a lesser caliber than Martyn's don't try to emulate his sound, as i doubt the result would be any more listenable than this fine effort.

The album Great Lengths has been out for a week. Go buy it.

Martyn - The Only Choice (YSI)
Martyn - Little Things (YSI)

Martyn Myspace

TiredEyes...

2009-03-28T18:10:00.004Z

Pic: Christian Pondella. Rider: Eric Pollard

Those of us who keep half an ear to the soft, fluffy ground of the freeskiing world will doubtless need no introduction to TiredEyes aka H-Mob Productions, soundtrackers as they are of the hugely popular Nimbus Independent webisodes that began last winter season with the future classic 'Hunting Yeti' series, and continues this year with 'En Route', a travelogue of the world's best powder locations and feelgood moments, brought to us by the Nimbus crew that includes, among others, Eric Pollard, Pep Fujas, Chris Benchetler and Andy Mahre. Note to self: bone up on grammar and sentence structure.

However it seems that outside the skiing bubble TiredEyes is yet to make significant waves. With a forthcoming album (digital release only so far), things are hopefully set to change. With influences ranging all the way through soul, hip-hop, jazz and beyond, this music aint your typical jump-out-yer-seat stuff, in fact it can be slightly soporific if you're not paying attention. But once you start to peel back the layers, this fresh, innovative and emotive sound will soon become your powder cruising/summer barbecuing/(insert any relaxing moment here) music of choice.

A couple of tasty morsels to whet your appetite for the full release: Take Care of My Family, which is structured round a Cali P acapella; We're OK Watch TV; and To Say Goodbye.

TiredEyes - Take Care of My Family (YSI)
TiredEyes - We're OK Watch TV (YSI)
TiredEyes - To Say Goodbye (YSI)

No solid release date on the album yet but I know i'll be checking his myspace regularly for updates, and i hope you will too.

Nimbus recently dropped their second episode of 'En Route', and it looks like they enjoyed getting to grips with the lederhosen as much as the beer steins. Check it out, then go right back to the start and watch Hunting Yeti. Pow.

TiredEyespace
Nimbus Independent

Dubbel Dutch Dubstep...

2008-10-19T17:39:00.003Z

If you were in to holing pigeons, you could declare my posting on Eclectic Hermit sparse, sporadic or scarce to name but a few, this post making only the sixth of the entire year.

However, quality not quantity is the name of my current game and the Dubstep bomb I received in my inbox this morn was sufficiently tasty to oust me from my malingering stupor and coax some words out of my brainbox to accompany said tune.

Turns out Dubbel Dutch isn't a Dubstep producer by trade at all but a purveyor of fine House/Techno/Remix tracks, but he knocked this one up seemingly for a laugh and it turned out mighty fine indeed. All the ingredients are there: voice samples, scattershot drums, wonky basslines and a dark overtone. Here's to DD giving up his day job (techno) and creating more fine tunes in this style.

One to watch.

Dubbel Dutch - Majesty (YSI)

Myspace.com/dubbeldutch

It's me again...

2008-09-19T18:28:00.002Z

You know when you hear a track for the first time and it makes that instant connection, you fall in love, but then you don't know who it was or how to find it?

Enter the Hotstepper himself, monsieur Ini Kamoze, with One A Dem. Instant reggae banger.

Ini Kamoze - One A Dem (YSI)

Buy some music.
Inspace.

I'm talking 'bout the elephantitis...

2008-07-17T12:07:00.004Z

Pic: Jayenems

As introductions to Jamaican music go, you can't go far wrong with The Story of Jamaican Music. By no means comprehensive, it still serves as a taster of the Carribean scene from its early inception to the current Dancehall phase, taking in dub, ska and reggae influences along the way.

I was listening to an old Blue Room a while back when Monsieur Da Bank played 'Diseases' as part of the Dub Club segment on the show. Upon hearing said track i dropped everything and vowed to seek out a copy and share it with the wider world (or failing that, bloggers).

Which, in a roundabout way, is how i came across The Story of Jamaican Music. A 4 cd compilation, beginning in 1958 with ska and ending with the first wave of dancehall in 1993. A quick scan of Amazon reveals that copies are going for well over 100GBP! However, you can always do a crafty google search and download the torrent (but you didn't hear that from me).

As hard as it is to pick a favourite from the 95 tracks on offer, i'll have to go with the first one i heard, 'Diseases' by Michigan & Smiley. It still puts a smile on my face and makes me skank like a bad boy, and garners plenty of 'Who is this?' attention from friends when played in the car.

Having said that, i can listen to the entire collection quite happily (only having to skip Shaggy's dreadful Oh Carolina) and a few of the songs have made it onto my all-time favourites list.

Do yourself a favour and download them all.

The Wailers - Simmer Down
The Maytals - 54-46 (That's My Number)
Jacob Miller - Tenement Yard
Black Uhuru - Guess Who's Coming To Dinner
Michigan & Smiley - Diseases (Hermetic Seal of Approval)
Tenor Saw - Ring The Alarm

All links are Yousendit. You have a week. Go!

The Monday Chiller .28 - Velvet Underground...

2008-06-30T14:14:00.004Z

How has it taken me this long to listen to The Velvet Underground? Maybe because this album was so influential, so popular, so hyped that i felt the need to shy away from it. Having listened to it a few times over now though, there is one track that really stands out, it being Venus in Furs. Lou Reed gets kinky with the lyrics and musically the song is outstanding. Damn, makes me want to go live in New York and shoot smack.

The Velvet Underground & Nico - Venus in Furs (YSI)

Jeez, get off your horse and buy the album already.

Posts Postponed...

2008-05-29T14:59:00.002Z

If you've seen the new Indiana Jones film at a cinema in the past week then you may have seen this gem of a short before the main feature. Some may argue that the short was actually better than Indy IV, but i'll leave that debate alone.

The theme explored in this animation is the reason why i've not posted anything since getting back to Blighty, but rest assured there is something on the way. Albeit slowly. Very slowly.

Oh what, a new post?

2008-03-15T23:23:00.003Z

My listening tastes have changed recently, and after hammering Knightlife, The Knife, and Led Zep all through last summer i've been discovering The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and above all Liquid Swords by the GZA. Changing beds while listening to Unexplained and Shadowboxin' has become a weekly pleasure. Oh mad one!

I'm in Serre Chevalier, France until near the end of April and it just dumped a foot of frsh pow so the skiing is ridiculous. As is my goggle tan so it happens. Tomorrow i'm off on a mission the find the most 80s combinaison (one-piece) possible. There's a local shop where you can pick them up for 1euro!

Right now i'm in the pub waiting for this weeks guests to arrive. They're supposed to get here at 8pm but delays at Lyon means 2.30am and they all want feeding! Purely radge.

Will post up pics and beats soon enough, i've basically not looked at any other blogs since december so can't wait for finding some sick new tunes. If anyone has a recommendation let me know cos right now i'm completely in the dark.

A bientot mofos.

Swittishness and good tunes...

2007-12-21T21:35:00.000Z

A lack of posts recently is down to the fact that i'm seasonnairing in Switzerland for the winter so there aint gonna be much new music. I'll probably post pictures up when i can and recommend some beats for pure mountain enjoyment, but check out all the links on the right for up to date tunage.

Pure Groove records just sent me this crimbo mixtape so get the fire going and blast it out instead of the usual Cliff Richard and Fairytale Of New York malarkey.

Pure Groove Christmas Mixtape Side A

Pure Groove Christmas Mixtape Side B

There's tracks on there from Noah and the Whale, Eugene McGuinness, Lightspeed Champion, Jay Jay Pistolet, Beans on Toast and Chris T. Worth cocking a snook at I reckon.

Merry christmas y'all and a happy new year from the land of Clocks and Chocolate and snow and bell ringing.

Queue and Eh? - Little Joy Box...

2007-12-14T11:05:00.000Z

I was introduced to Little Joy Box by Huw Stephens and his new music unsigned show on Radio1 a few weeks back. The track that hooked me in was Son of Dog, and after hearing the rest of their tunes on Myspace I had to contact LJB's creative voice, Sara, for more info.

Vital statistics (name, age, location etc)
A lady should never be asked to reveal her age, but I can tell you that i am, by birth and technicality an essex girl, though London is but a stones throw away!

How long have you been actively making music?
Little Joy Box was born about a year ago but before that I was playing bass, gigging and co-writing in The Itchy Tits (an all girl punk/rock band of friends I met at uni) for nearly 5 years which was great fun!

When did you realise that music was what you wanted to do?
My Mamma is a singer and had a contract with EMI when I was in the womb, in fact she was still gigging a week before i popped out so it's likely that I decided to do music about then!!

How did the name come about?
"Joy" in my opinion, is the ultimate word to describe happiness and I defo wanted that in the project. Put "Joy" with "Box" and (if you have a dirty mind) it can sound a bit rude, lol, but add "Little" to the front and it distracts from this and makes the name sound cutesy!

Does your location inform the music?
Hmm.. does Essex inform the music? Not intentionally, but i guess it must have an impact somewhere; circumstance, social, emotional situations are likely to impress my brain to paper.

What inspires you?
Gosh, if I analyse (haha i just noticed that anal makes up part of the word analyse!) my songs are about annoyances, animals, my Jesus complex, lost and future loves and sexuality, but i'm actually quite a nice simple girl in reality, these songs must just be a kind of cathartism!

What do you imagine people are doing when they listen to your music?
When people listen to my music they are either; loving it loathing it; busy being indifferent; eating, sleeping, going to the toilet, making babies, skipping and jumping all at once or not at all!

Favourite gig moment so far?
A lovely girl who randomly came to one of my gigs and is now a good friend told me that she liked my voice as it reminded her of chocolate, i liked that compliment!

Is there a particular song you like playing live?
When I play with my band, I like singing 'Hodgeheg' best as it's all jazzed up and about a hedgehog whose husband is cruel to her, so she decides that she "just can't deal with man's extra leg" and would "rather bat for the other side instead"

Have you a favourite moment from your career so far?
My most memorble JOY gig so far has to be my debut, when my loveable keyboardist didn't make it to the venue until the end of my 2nd song and then jumped on stage set up and played flawlessly through to the end of the set. It was kinda a Crystal Maze moment!

If my music was a fighting style it would be...
...akin to Buffy slayering demons whilst being witty in a US sitcom kind of way but being oh so girly at the same time. (or Mr Miagi; wax on, wax off!-who knows why?)

If I could be in any other band it would be...
...Queens of the Stone Age on their Songs for the Deaf tour and I'd be Dave Grohl pounding the drums!!

Are you signed to a label?
LJB is in discussion with labels but as of yet no pen has been put to paper.

Is your music available to buy?
There is a short run of JoY demo E.P'S which are to hand at gigs or on request via email.

Plans for the future?
Plans for the future all entail making JOY an epidemic!!!!

Thanks to Sara for taking the time to answer my reasonably cliched interview questions. Check out Son of Dog below, and when it's all over the blog-o-world in '08 don't cry when I said I told you so. Also, just put up on the Myspace is their cover of Pop-Hop track Hey Ya by the usually dependable Outkast. It's rather good I tell thee.

Little Joy Box - Son of Dog (YSI)

Little Joy Box - Hey Ya (Outkast) (YSI)

Little Joyspace

Squajillion Dollar DJs...

2007-12-10T19:39:00.000Z

Bah, humbug the lot of ya. Billion Dollar DJs were good enough to send me their new mix, one created entirely from bleeps and bloops available on myspizzace, and by the time i get round to posting it it's already been downloaded 30,000 times and featured on kazillions of blogs.

Well done anyway boys, clearly big tings a gwarn for the future. If you're digging on this make sure to check out their Halloween mix posted in... October.

The MySpace Mix Compiled and Mixed by

Billion Dollar Djs

Click here to download

Frikstailers - Foonkie Boogie
Blackpool - Two Kids
Niyi - 808 Clapa
MK303 - Floos (Remix B)
Blamma! Blamma! - Carry Me Home
Catherine Ferroyer-Blanchard - Tu Fais Le Malina
The Faint - iDisappear
Matthew Savant Mix)
Arrow!!! - D.O.E.S (Demo)
Pimp The System - PTS Anthem
Lismore - All That You Are
Snowden - Black Eyes
Le Castle Vania Remix)
The Twelves - I Feel Fine
Trippple Nippples - RIP Meat
Bitchee Bitchee Ya Ya Ya - Fuck Friend
Flamingo Crash - Yes? Yes? Yes?
Shoot Charlie - Boaster
The Genevan Heathen - Swagger (feat Omnikrom)
You Say Party! We Say Die! - The Gap (Between The Rich And The Poor)
SIBOT - 12345
Glass Candy - Digital Versicolor

Karoshi Brothers could take Mario and Luigi down...

2007-12-06T09:21:00.000Z

Recently i've been seeking out songs that soundtrack my life, were i a pro snowboarder. All songs like this fresh(ish) Karoshi Brothers track sound infinitely better when you can see Gigi Ruf dropping hammers on back-country kickers or Nicolas Muller popping off a cliff band on his way down a steep ass hill in your mind's eye.

I'm sure the press release for the song involved a combination of the phrases "anime-pop", "manga-disco", "Pokemon" and "Industrial-strength acid", because pretty much every review contains those words. And I thought journalists were hard-working types, not lazy hacks! (Note to self: get hold of industrial-strength acid)

Karoshi Bros - Love Da World
Karoshi Bros - Love Da World (Flash Atkins remix)

The Flash Atkins remix is great for when you want to escape those "cheeky" (another press cull) vocals and bliss out with the rolling bassline.

Bonus Turbo Points: Their label is based in Manchester. Big up the north.

Karoshispace

The Monday Chiller #26 - The Cinematic Orchestra...

2007-12-03T16:17:00.000Z

Some of the more eagle-eyed among you will have noticed a dearth of posts on the Eclectic Hermit in the past few weeks. I wish I could say that my recent hiatus has been down to my constant pursuit of musical perfection and that i'm now able to present to you the most aurally pleasing sounds of the year. However, all i've been doing is working, drinking, planning for trips and most recently, getting into Jazz. More on the Jazz front later.

On the 14th of December i'm off to Switzerland to work as a ski guide for the winter. It's going to be great for me but not so much for the blog, which may well grind to a standstill while i'm away. Before I go i'll try to do as many posts as possible, which are set to include a couple of Q&As with bands that should be on your radar, and some electronica related goodness. Mashed potato anyone?

So for one of the last Monday Chillers here is some Cinematic Orchestra, a group specially bred for the purpose of appearing on this blog and giving the listener nigh-on 7 minutes of uninterrupted meditation. Sit back, turn up the volume, and enjoy a sample of our show.

The Cinematic Orchestra - Wheel Within A Wheel

The track comes from Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Exclusives CD, released in 2004. It's kind of taken me three years to get round to listening to it properly, but now that I have it'll go straight on the stereo when I need something to chill me to the core.

Buy some Cinematic Orchestra
Buy Worldwide Exclusives

Orchestraspace

Pyrelli freestyle...

2007-11-27T22:45:00.001Z

My boy at Certified Banger posted a nice review of Pyrelli's debut album here a couple of weeks ago, and I just came across this little nugget on youtube of Sincere and Pyrelli freestyling on Tim Westwood's 1xtra show. Companion piece, or blatant idea biting? Answers on a postcard.

Buy Pyrelli's Vitamin A - A Twist Of Fate

I said fuck dancing all night but then that's just what we did...

2007-11-20T14:27:00.000Z

This is the offical video for Jape's song Floating. It was directed by M&E and D.A.D.D.Y. Floating is taken from the EP "Jape is Grape" which is due for release on the 19th of November 2007 (yesterday) on V2 records.

Any video that involves slow-motion and exploding fruit is good in my book.

If you like that then be sure to cop a feel of the EP, and in the meantime check out the killer remix of Floating from Tronik Youth.

Jape - Floating (Tronik Youth Mix) (YSI)

www.myspace.com/richiejape
www.myspace.com/matthewandemelie
www.myspace.com/teamdaddy

The Monday Chiller #25 - Burial...

2007-11-19T15:22:00.000Z

I can't say much about Burial without descending into hyperbole, but couldn't possibly not post a track from his new album Untrue.

As much as the Detroit Escalator Co's Black Buildings evokes images of the city, it's living and breathing core exposed through samples and caring construction, Untrue does the same for urban Britain. Black Buildings wasn't short of dreams, but where it sometimes lacked in substance, Untrue comes through with a plethora of new ideas and creates soundscapes to scenes you can hardly imagine. Listening to it brought up so many memories of travel, images of darkened streets and midnight driving, that i've been walking around in a daze since hearing it.

Burial's second LP is definitely one of the top 5 albums released this year. And yes, I have thought about what other records have been released so no, this is not a kneejerk reaction. Untrue really is that good.

To get a good idea of the themes and ideas behind Burial and the album (as much as is possible for an artist shrouded in mystery), check this Guardian article.

Burial - Untrue (YSI)

Buy Untrue
Burialspace

Hadouken Mini Mix on Radio1...

2007-11-17T15:01:00.000Z

Radio 1 have finally decided to enable you to download the weekly Mini Mix as easy as right-clicking and saving as...

For the inaugural mix, grimey limeys Hadouken! are at the helm and provide a solid 5 minutes of hands-in-the-air mash-up goodness.

Get your listen on...

Hadouken! - Mini Mix on Annie Mac's Mashup (Save target as)

Go to the BBC website to subscribe to the podcast.

Popes on Dope remix Thieves Like us...

2007-11-12T22:44:00.000Z

Before the slew of other remixes hit Hype Machine, check this one that Popes on Dope (aka me and Aidan of Certified Banger) have produced.

Thieves Like Us - Drugs In My Body (Popes on Dope Crack Team remix) (YSI)
Thieves Like Us - Drugs In My Body (Popes on Dope Crack Team remix) (ZP3)

Some would describe it as an ambient electro banger with a hint of gothic house, others would simply say it's a damn fine tune.

Let us know what you think and if you like it, pester Kitsune to let us win!

Feel free to share amongst your friends.

New Chewy Chocolate Cookies yeah?...

2007-11-12T16:56:00.000Z

Chewy Chocolate Cookies (CCC to their friends) are responsible for the some of the (oven) freshest beats around at the moment, and they just made their new remix of The Toxic Avenger available for free on the myspace.

The list of upcoming projects sounds delicious, including a remix of Danger's 11h30 (Z-share link), a track that has been burning my stereo down for the past month or so.

The DJ Mehdi remix in particular is baked to perfection.

The Toxic Avenger - Superheroes (CCC rmx) (ZP3)

Chromeo - Bonified Lovin' (CCC rmx) (ZP3)

DJ Mehdi - Saharian Break (CCC rmx) (ZP3)

Remixes of Justice and SMD are also up for download on the Myspace.

Cookiespace
Official Site

Left of the centre...

2007-11-12T00:04:00.000Z

Three things you should know about Middleman. They're from Leeds, they're on the Bad Sneakers record label, and their new single Good To Be Back is ahwicked, what?

The track is released on 7", CD, and digital download on November 26th and there just so happens to be a launch party happening down at the Faversham, Leeds at 7.30pm on November 28th.

Middleman - Good To Be Back (YSI)

Everything Could Be Light Green did a wee expose on Bad Sneakers last month, check it here.

Good To Be Back is just the sort of thing i've been looking for in the indie world, and will brighten up your day with its sentiments and singalongability.

Middlespace
Bad Sneakers

If you go down to the woods today...

2007-11-11T02:39:00.000Z

I caught the end of this track on the radio the other day and thought 'Hmm, did Paul Weller invent trip-hop?'. Sadly, the answer was no. It turned out to be a little known remix of Wild Wood by lazy gobshite (in the nicest possible way) Geoff Barrow aka Portishead.

It took me an age to track down via the old interblag but get it i did and here it is. Two great artists combining to make sweet, sweet music.

Paul Weller - Wild Wood (Portishead remix)

The Deluxe Edition of Wild Wood has recently been released. Weller doesn't need any more money or recognition but if you have a few pennies to spare in the run up to christmas you might like to buy it and sit contented around an open fire, scoffing mince pies and soaking up the sounds of a man who is slowly ruining his good reputation with each successive release. Bah, humbug the lot of ya.

Wild Wood at Amazon

N.B. I considered 'Weller, Weller, Weller huh?' as an alternative title but the Grease nod was just too much.

Vice Unitaur @ The Faversham, Leeds - 31/10/07

2007-11-02T17:01:00.000Z

Vice magazine are cooler than you. And me. In fact, reading the latest issue today i became quite disheartened at my lack of pop culture knowledge. It aint just Vice though, seems like every album/gig/whatever review i read these days has to contain at least two references to obscure artists that i've never heard of. Or maybe i just don't pay attention.

Having said that, the Vice boys and girls can put on a damn good show. The venue was the Faversham, bang in the middle of student-town, Leeds. Having never been before, i was wondering whether to expect a dirty underground club or something pretentiously shiny. Thankfully the Fav is neither of these and works nicely, with a bar on one side, sofas on the other and a stage in the middle, which is really all you need.

First on were The Teenagers, who did their best despite a pretty lacklustre reception from the crowd. I enjoyed the tunes but toward the end of the set it all seemed to melt into one. The lead singer had fun doing a good impression of Mr Flowers from The Killers and the rest of the band were looking suitably cool/geeky, whichever way you see it.

I hadn't heard anything by These New Puritans before, and on the strength of their set i'll try to avoid hearing anything by them again. With lyrics that really probed deep into the nature of our reality including 'What's your favourite number? What does it mean?', they might go far in the art scene but i couldn't be arsed with it. Good beats though.

After These New Puritans there was a fair break in which time: my sister left the gig to go sleep in the car, there was a ruckus in front of the stage between some lairy dudes who were alternating between all-smiles and whatchoo-lookin-at?, and the DJs proceeded to spin some of the best tunes i've ever heard played in a club.

The main event. Crystal Castles. Their Myspace page describes the music as thrash/thrash/thrash, but a lot of their work including Trash Hologram and Untrust Us is nothing of the sort, more chilled out beats than jump-around anger. Well from the moment the group took to the tiny stage it absolutely went off. The lights went out, the beer was discarded and the beats began. I was pretty much dancing/jumping for the entire set, although it was pretty hard to dance while being battered from all sides by manic drunkards. That's what the live experience is all about though, and Crystal Castles deliver the raw energy they are famous for in spades. Alice is a pretty scary looking lass when in full on performance mode and her strobe-light just hyped the audience up even more. The gentlest beats on the records became the biggest, pulsatingest, hardcorest bangers in the live arena and i loved every minute of it.

I left the gig exhilarated and already looking forward to the next time i might be able to see them live. All in all, one of the sweatiest bands i've seen but also one of the best.

Cheeeeeers, Vice.

Tom Vek! Where aaaarrrre yyyoooouuu?...

2007-10-30T14:14:00.000Z

Seriously Tom, it's time to bring out some new material. The Blue Nile took 17 years between albums but that doesn't mean you have to try and match their record. I'm sure the new stuff will be good, and if it's not, then you can do a Prodigy and come back in 7 years with a half-arsed sophomore attempt.

Don't know Tom Vek? The guy invented New Rave! Not really, but he was blurring the lines between dance and and indie way before the current sweep of Dindie/Indiance artists.

MP3: Tom Vek - Things Are Here To Stay

To be fair, during his hiatus Tom has managed to appear on The O.C.

The Monday Chiller #24 - Johnny Flynn...

2007-10-29T22:17:00.000Z

Johnny Flynn is one of those annoyingly multi-talented people who seem to be good at everything, especially when it comes to making music. Along with his band The Sussex Wit he creates good old-fashioned folk/pop music with no hint of pretension that serves as a complete antithesis to the current trend in certain scenes (i'm looking at you, Hoxton).

New single 'The Box' is getting a good push on 6music at the moment, get on down to Flynnspace to hear it in all its 96kb/s Myspace glory.

MP3: Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit - Oh, To Eat An Apple (Thanks to The Daily Growl)

And in case you missed it first time around, Brown Trout Blues is one of my favourite songs of the year and is well worthy of a re-posting.

MP3: Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit - Brown Trout Blues

'I could be somewhere else,

I should be someone else but,

I guess i'm happy as I am.
Sometimes I find it hard to be a man,
and it's easier just to play the same old game,
of trying to forget my bloody name.'

With lyrics like that at age 24, you know the guy has a future in music.

Flynnspace
The Box is out 12th November on Vertigo

Super Turbo bonus material:

The Black Cab Sessions Chapter 1: Johnny Flynn

The Black Cab Sessions, Chapter 12: Langhorne Slim and Johnny Flynn

I'm afraid that you've caught me by surprise...

2007-10-27T22:13:00.000Z

Crystal Castles are playing as part of the Vice Unitaur over the next couple of weeks with French noise-makers The Teenagers and These New Puritans who I haven't actually listened to yet.

Get yourself over to this link to sign up for free tickets and get ya groove on, although if it's wall-to-wall with hipsters that could be harder than first imagined.

MP3: Crystal Castles - Trash Hologram

See you at The Faversham suckas.

The Monday Chiller #23 - Radiohead...

2007-10-22T11:49:00.000Z

Surely everyone who wanted the album has got it by now, and even those who weren't sure couldn't cock a snook at a new record that was, for all intents and porpoises, free.

MP3: Radiohead - All I Need

All I Need is my favourite track from In Rainbows because it manages to sound unlike Radiohead, but then at the same time it sounds entirely like Radiohead. Purpose-built for a spot on The Monday Chiller.

The sounds of Claire Sweeney
Dead Air Space

Trick or Beats...

2007-10-19T22:37:00.000Z

Shittybeatz aka Ric and Dan were kind enough to send me their new mix under the revised moniker Billion Dollar DJs. Here's what they have to say about it:

"Its a horror themed mix using loads of spooky electro/new-wave tracks, mostly from the 80's. Its got a kinda kitch b-movie feel to it and varys from fun Halloween dance tracks to dark horror stuff."

Bang it out loud while you're on a trick or treating mission or if you just want to annoy the neighbours.

Billion Dollar DJs - Nite of the Disco Dead mix (Z-share)

Tracklisting:

Chuckii Booker feat John 'Crypt Keeper' Kassir - The Crypt Jam
Goblin - Tenebre (Main Title)
John Carpenter - The End (Disco Version)
Ministry - Everyday Is Halloween
SSQ - Tonight (We'll Make Love Until We Die)
The Bollock Brothers - Horror Movies
Arch Oboler - Drop Dead Interlude
Mark Ayres - Nightmare On Elm Street Theme
Rockwell - Somebody's Watching
Marketts - Out Of Limits
Hashim - Al Naafyish (The Soul)
Pulsailama - Devil Lives In My Husbands Body
Honeymoon Killers - Wait And See
Flirts - Teenage Werewolf
Metronomy - Trick Or Treats
The Immortals - Ultimate Warlord (Remix)
The J Geils Band - Fright Night
Bush Tetras - Too Many Creeps
Severed Heads - Dead Eyes Opened
France Gall - Frankenstein

It's been a while since there were any electro beats on here, feels good to have them back. Mr Oizo did a mini-mix on Radio1 tonight so if I can track that down it will be up quicker than you can say 'My cats breath smells like cat food'. Blip.

Billion Dollarspace

Ray Lamontagne/100th post...

2007-10-18T12:41:00.000Z

Blimey.

100 posts and it only took 7 months.

Thanks to everyone who has read, commented, linked to me, and generally supported Eclectic Hermit since its inception. Shout out especially to Aidan aka Certified Banger who started up at the same time as me and continues to keep me informed on all aspects of hip hop.

The biggest shout of them all goes to the artists, without whom none of this would be possible. (This is turning into an Oscars speech. I'd like to thank my mum, dad, my pet cat Stan, that goldfish I won at the village fair once...)

If you haven't commented before, or even if you have, click on the button below and show some love.

I'm going to be showing Ray Lamontagne some love at his gig in Bradford tonight. To whet my appetite, here's his cover of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, and what a cover it is too.

Ray Lamontagne - Crazy (Gnarls Barkley)

Rayspace
Buy from Amazon

Here's to the next hundred. Hopefully you have enjoyed the tunes so far, i've certainly enjoyed posting them and have discovered so much music that without blogging would have completely passed me by.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink... oh, wait...

2007-10-18T11:37:00.000Z

From Tobinspace:

At the end of November, Ninja Tune is releasing a 4-song remix ep of Amon Tobin's song titled Kitchen Sink from his latest album, Foley Room. The release features remixes from Clark, Noisia, Boxcutter and Sixtoo and will be available on 12" vinyl and in digital download format.

You can listen to the 4 remixes on Amon's Myspace page now. For some reason I haven't got Foley Room yet, which is strange seeing as Supermodified is one of my favourite albums. Maybe I didn't want to risk the new album not living up to my expectations. Whatever the reason, i'm off to buy it now.

Amon Tobin - Kitchen Sink (Clark Remix)

If you like your beats experimental with elements of dubstep, hip hop, mentalism, etc then this is for you.

Tobinspace
Buy Foley Room
Buy Supermodified (Hermetically recommended)

FAKE RABBIT, REAL SNAKE!...

2007-10-15T19:14:00.000Z

I really like The Young Knives. They are an odd looking group but crank out awesome songs with plenty of sweaty energy and british wit.

New single Terra Firma is out on 29th October, check this 96Kb/s version if you haven't heard it and buy the single when it comes out.

The Hives also have a quality comeback single.

As do Oasis. Who'da thunk it.

The Young Knives - Terra Firma

Knifespace
Welcome to my official website

The Monday Chiller #22 - Angus and Julia Stone...

2007-10-15T18:48:00.001Z

'A book like this is an absolute winner. Hands down a five star master-piece.' Eleven Magazine

Eclectic Hermit favourites Angus and Julia Stone have truly delivered on the promise of their early EPs and produced a beguiling album well worthy of commercial success. Why is it that mainstream music outlets champion mediocre artists? Sod playing it safe, put some money into supporting people with real talent.

Angus and Julia Stone - Horse and Cart

Seriously, this album is in the year's top 10.

Stonespace
Buy A Book Like This

If there's a party can i come?...

2007-10-15T17:33:00.000Z

Sportsday Megaphone seem to be turning into quite the reliable source for remixes these days, following up the alarmingly good (see what i did there) re-shuffle of The Rumble Strips' 'Alarm Clock', which incidentally i'm keeping in mind for the obligatory end of year best of lists, with a re-fix (how many other ways can you say rmx) of the Envelopes' 'PARTY', turning it into a weirdly hypnotic and funky track that I just played 4 times in a row. That sentence was long.

Thanks to Resonator for making me aware.

Envelopes - PARTY (Sportsday Megaphone Remix)

Sportspace
Buy some shit

Having hard times...

2007-10-11T16:23:00.000Z

This post could be the first in an ongoing discovery of the great songs behind great samples, in this case Ghostface Killah's Buck 50 which digs heavily on Baby Huey's Hard Times sound.

I discover a lot of good music through soundtracks, especially to Snowboard/Ski/Skate movies. This particular one is from Absinthe Films' More, a sick ass snowboard DVD available free with this months White Lines magazine.

The Original then:

Baby Huey - Hard Times

And the no less original:

Ghostface Killah - Buck 50

The original track was written by the funk-master himself, Curtis Mayfield.

The refrain 'Aint no love to be found, having hard times, in this crazy town' is ringing true with me at the moment after a few days in Amsterdam. That city needs to chill.

Tom's gone to Amsterdam...

2007-10-02T22:12:00.000Z

Back in time for The Monday Chiller.

Peter, Bjorn & John - Amsterdam

Rrreaching in my cupboard for a painkiller...

2007-10-02T21:47:00.000Z

Heavy heavy heavy.

Some heads knock pendulum for being overproduced and commercial, but tell me an entire club wouldn't lose their minds if this came over the speakers.

Freestylers ft. Pendulum and Sirreal - Painkiller

The Pendulum Radio1 Essential Mix is well worth seeking out if you like your DnB rrraucous.

Pot o' gold!...

2007-10-01T23:18:00.001Z

Blaow! Pitchfork has all the sweaty details and every man and his/her blog has no doubt posted the news but I had to jump on just to say 'sick but about time'. That's my two cents.

While salivating at the mouth and waiting for the album to mmm drrrrrrrop, check these tasty morsels that may be new to your ear-holes.

Radiohead - Talk Show Host (Black Dog remix)

Radiohead - The Gloaming (DJ Shadow remix)

Sebadohead - Fog (Radiohead cover)

I signed up for a new Fileden account so you can download direct instead of buggering about with multi-click links. Huzzah.

Is it wrong to want to pay 10p for the new album if i'm going to buy the Discbox?

EDIT: Talk Show Host link fixed.

The Monday Chiller #21 - Nightmares on Wax...

2007-10-01T22:14:00.000Z

Strings and lilting beats pour Les Nuits.

Nightmares on Wax – Les Nuits (Z-Share. Man I hate Z-Share, it sucks nuts but yousendit isn't working tonight)

Nightsite
Buy ‘Carboot Soul’ ici

The (late) Monday Chiller #20 - Tom McRae...

2007-09-25T10:29:00.000Z

Before Tom McRae became the wearisome troubadour he is today, his eponymous debut album contained a perfect mix of brooding menace, melancholic lyrics and musical experimentation. The first track on the album, 'You Cut Her Hair' is a fine example of this and only serves to remind listeners of McRae's later work that they'd be much better off listening to his first effort.

Tom McRae - You Cut Her Hair

Buy the album here. Average 5 stars after 60 reviews? On Amazon? Good skills.

McRaespace. Listen to an ace live version of Bloodless from 'Tom McRae' with total audience participation.

Sons & Daughters are back...

2007-09-24T15:39:00.000Z

I just heard the new single today on 6Music and it's safe to say that they've still got it, it never went away! (Note to self: tone down obscure Bo Selecta references).

Here's the blurb:

GILT COMPLEX is the first single to be lifted from Sons And Daughters' Bernard Butler-produced third album THIS GIFT (out early-2008). GILT COMPLEX is released on 7-inch vinyl and digital download on Domino Records on 29 October 2007.

Video directed by Forest Of Black (.co.uk).

It's Hip-Hop Jim, but not as we know it...

2007-09-24T10:37:00.000Z

Previously known to some as 'Ms Dynamite's little brother', UK rapper Akala is truly out of his sister's shadow on his upcoming second LP 'Freedom Lasso'. For your sampling pleasure here are three tracks from it.

Akala - Electro Livin' (YSI)

'The illest whipper-snapper from the land of sausage and batter.'

This isn't just the first track on the album, it's a statement of intent. Akala comes out with some sick lines on this one, constantly referencing his home land of England and buoyed by the beat, an electro scuzz-fest that sounds like what would happen if Justice started producing Hip-Hop.

Akala - Where I'm From (YSI)

'If as much man was dying in the streets as are dying in the booth there'd be nobody left.'

Akala lays some honest and intelligent rhymes on this track, protesting against fake gangsters trying to emulate their american counterparts, his upbringing, the way generations of his african elders have been treated, and favouring a complete antithesis to the standard ends-repping.

Akala - Bit By Bit (YSI)

This beat is what would come out of Timbaland's studio, had he been raised on a South-London council estate and fed a diet of pies and crime. It acts as the first single and serves as a good taster of the rest of the album.

Freedom Lasso is out next week, get it from Amazon.

Akalaspace
Official site

The Monday Chiller #19 - Jose Gonzalez...

2007-09-17T21:18:00.000Z

Jose Gonzalez - Fold

New album 'In Our Nature' drops next Monday September 24th.

Gonzalezpace
Buy it from Amazon UK

Mysterons will lively you up...

2007-09-15T12:09:00.000Z

'More fun than a weekend in Penzance' NME

'I cried salty Grandma tears when this mix ended' Vice magazine

'Mysterons are to music what Captain Scarlet was to the Watergate scandal' Word magazine

The above quotes are entirely fictitious but hell, that's what they'd all be saying if they'd heard of Mysterons. Probably.

Also known as Tim Southorn and Oliver Quinlan, Mysterons have been experimenting with sound and modifying equipment since their days in the 6th-form. They list influences such as Dangermouse, Royksopp, Aphex Twin, The Specials, The Pharcyde and Stevie Wonder, and with such eclectic taste how could their own tunes be anything but?

Firstly check out this mixtape, recently featured in DJ magazine and available to download for free from the Mysterons site:

Mysterons mixtape (27 mins)

Just one look at the tracklisting and you knows it's gonna be hot:

Intro/ Commodores- Captain Quickdraw
Bugz in the attic- Consequences
Break machine- Break Dance Party
Gary Numan- M.E. / Ray Charles- I got a woman
Benny Golson- The new Killer Joe rap
Quantic Soul Orchestra- Hold it down
mysterons- Don't phunk with my CPU
Spektrum- Kinda New / The Dave
Collin's Band- Ride your Pony
Luke Vibert- YoSePH
The Method- Fat Hair
Jean Jaques Perry- E.V.A. (Fatboy Slim mix)
Royksopp- So Easy
2 Live Crew- Can a nigga get a table dance? / Kraftwerk- It's more fun to compute
Uffie- Ready to Uff
Ram Jam- Black Betty
K.C. & the Sunshine Band- Sound your funky horn

Ripped casually from the myspace and listened to animatedly:

Mysterons - Moving Coils (Highly Recommended)

Mysterons - That's The Way (Highly Recommended)

Mysterons - Black As Mourning (Why kid ourselves, you know it's Highly Recommended)

As yet they remain unsigned, go be their friend on Mice Space and tell them you want to buy their records.

Mysterons myspace
Official website

If you like this, give a holler by clicking on the comment button below. Do it now, before you click off elsewhere on your ceaseless mission to find new music to slake your thirst. We're all on the same trip.

Do believe the Hype?...

2007-09-15T11:03:00.000Z

Well yes. I got bored of not being on Hype Machine so emailed them, espousing the greatness of my blog and asking them nicely to add me to their site. Which they did, and I am happy now, but it leaves me wondering where to go with Eclectic Hermit now that readers will be expecting some effort from my posts, instead of the usual half-arsed attempts at blogging I have been putting out lately.

New features are rolling around in my brain right now so fairly soon i'll splurt them out into Noughts and Ones and start getting excited about some of that music, which is why we're all here in the first place.

In the meanwhile, check the Mysterons on the next post, they're well worth a goose*.

*Yorkshire slang for 'look', get educated what!

The Monday Chiller #18 - RJD2...

2007-09-10T12:37:00.000Z

RJD2 - Get Off My Spaceship Bitch

Taken from the 2004 '1976' EP on Def Jux.

The Monday Chiller #17 - Curtis Mayfield...

2007-09-03T12:34:00.001Z

Curtis mayfield - Billy Jack

If you neglected to download the Electroma soundtrack the other week, here's another chance to catch Curtis Mayfield's ridiculous funk-fest 'Billy Jack'. By the time it's over you'll either be contemplating a career in funk or in a puddle on the floor. Feel that bass!

A to Z, because i'm bored...

2007-08-30T13:39:00.000Z

A is for All Saints - Chick Fit (Kissy Sell Out's Excellent Adventure)

B is for Bat For Lashes - The Wizard (Should win the Mercury remix)

C is for Crystal Castles - 1983

D is for DJ Dimitry - Lohan's Revenge Vs Dudun-Dun

E is for Eels - It's A Motherfucker

F is for Fancy - What's Your Name Again? (Busy Penis remix)

G is for Girl Talk - Bounce That

H is for Hiem - Tweak

I is for Iggy Pop - Nightclubbing

J is for Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit - Brown Trout Blues

K is for Karen O - Hello Tomorrow

L is for Lismore - Come Undone

M is for Metric - Monster Hospital (acoustic)

N is for Nick Drake - Cocaine Blues

O is for One-Two - O-Hot Brain

P is for Product.01 - Heart Ov Glass (Original Mix)

Q is for QOTSA - Lost Art of Keeping a Secret

R is for RZA - Chamber of Fear

S is for Supersystem - Born Into The World

T is for The Black Ghosts - Any Way You Choose To Give It (Boy 8-bit remix)

U is for Uffie - Pop The Glock

V is for Venetian Snares - Breakbeat Malaria

W is for Wiley - Gangsters

X is for Xzibit - At the Speed of Life

Y is for Yelle - A Cause Des Garcons (Riot In Belgium remix)

Z is for Zapan - Activate

Click this for A - M in a Zip file from Z-Share

Click this for N - Z in a Zip file from Z-Share

Artwork by Edward Gorey.

Reactions, etcetera?

Put on, put down, come on, come down, bring down...

2007-08-29T20:47:00.000Z

Beatsmithery. I like that word regardless of whether it’s officially a word or not. What we have here is some fine beatsmithery from Swedish artist/DJ/producer Staffan Ulmert aka Mojib, who is set to release his debut album proper ‘Whimsical Lifestyle’ on Canada’s Non-Existent Recordings on October 16th.

With beats reminiscent of Shadow’s best stuff, Mojib’s influences can clearly be heard in his work, but he manages to avoid falling into the category of ‘If I wanted to hear something sounding like Unkle then I would just listen to Unkle’ and also brings new shit to the table. Sampling film soundtracks such as Donnie Darko (My Love), Sigur Ros (Break Of Dawn), and remixing Kings Of Convenience and The Go! Team, his music never gets dull. The album looks like it could be a great soundtrack to the coming autumn.

Mojib – My Love

Mojib – Swamp Monster

Mojib – Break Of Dawn

Mojib – Learn the Put Down

The Go! Team – Grip Like a Vice (Mojib remix)

There is plenty to make and do on Mojib’s website: www.mojib.net. Along with snippets of the new album you can download his web-only LP ‘The Class of ‘00’, loads of remixes including a cracking Ian Brown rework, an Unkle megamix mashup and a great Avalanches mix.

All in all Mojib is a welcome addition to the experimental/beats/downtempo genre and sits happily alongside peers Unkle, DJ Shadow, RJD2, Four Tet et al. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes to outshine those dudes in years to come, seems like they’ve fallen off a bit lately. The outsider? No ta.

Pre-order Whimsical lifestyle here.

M.I.A.? Eh? Eh?

2007-08-29T20:27:00.000Z

Seems I’m the only blogger in the West who hasn’t done a M.I.A. post, so check this remix she did of Cornershop’s Topknot. The first and last time Cornershop will ever feature on Eclectic Hermit. I hope.

Cornershop – Topknot (M.I.A. remix)

Get Kala here.

Fileden is for gays...

2007-08-29T18:31:00.000Z

They've suspended my account without warning so it'll be z-share from now on and you can't download any old songs. Bummer.

The Monday Chiller #16 - Jackson C. Frank...

2007-08-27T11:24:00.000Z

Catch a boat to England, baby
Maybe to Spain…. Wherever I’ve been
and gone….
the blues are all the same.

Jackson C. Frank - Blues Run The Game

Click over to Motel De Moka who earlier this month did a feature on Jackson.

The Monday Chiller #15 - Fug...

2007-08-20T11:23:00.000Z

Fug - Fairweather Friend

Downtempo orchestral beats with loping bass and piano loops to ease you through a post-festival/post-weekend/post-holiday Monday. Try if you like: Zero 7, Feist, Morcheeba, etc.

Since when has weather been fair though? It's been miserable in Yorkshire for the past three days when i've had nothing to do and now the weekend is over we've got bluebird skies. Gutted.

Incidentally this is the only record I ever bought from the now defunct Fopp shop. R.I.P. Fopp, Musiczone, Tony Wilson.

Electromawhat?...

2007-08-16T18:08:00.000Z

I saw Daft Punk's Electroma for the first time last night and well... it amazed me. Forget about the lack of dialogue and/or Daft Punk songs, because once you've witnessed 70-odd minutes of stunning cinematography, beautiful soundscapes, and the ambience of the piece has seeped into your very being, it won't matter. Just don't expect anything even faintly resembling "normal".

Bringing to mind the oppresively wide shots of Kubrick and the creeping unease of Lynch, the Punksters continue their journey of creative experimentation and push themselves into wholly new realms of audio/visual entertainment (Thomas Bangalter read over 200 back-issues of American Cinematography in preparation for the shoot).

The film tells a straightforward story, of two robots on their quest to become human. There are moments of comedy and poignancy throughout, and a couple of times i found myself drifting off into thoughts about the deeper meaning of the story and snapped back to the robots still doing what they were doing ten minutes ago. Action-packed it aint, interesting it is, depending on what floats your boat.

The soundtrack is awesome and isn't officially available, but in a great piece of timing Motel De Moka have put the whole thing up for your downloading enjoyment. My picks are the Curtis Mayfield track (pure steez) and Jackson C. Frank's haunting ballad.

If you have drugs, take them now.

I think Electroma is being released in the next month or two, so keep an eye out for it. If you've seen it, drop me a comment saying what your reaction was.

Purely bombastic...

2007-08-14T22:39:00.000Z

6 months later than everyone else... that's how i roll. I guess it's one of the problems you get from being a hermit, along with the lack of social networking.

No talk, just beats. The biggest, heaviest, neck-breakingist beats of the year, and it aint like there's no competition. Santogold what!

Santogold - Creator (Z-Share) (WMA)

Santogold - You'll find a way (Switch & Sinden Remix) (Z-Share)

I can see my speakers getting blown pretty soon.

The Monday Chiller #14 - Lovage...

2007-08-13T12:31:00.001Z

Dan the Automator doesn't put many of his feet wrong, and this 2002 mixtape supports that in a big way. One of the hardest working men in music takes some time to roll out the beats and produces a seriously eclectic mix, one of the highlights of which is available for your i-pod below.

Lovage - Stroker Ace (Z-Share)

Get it off of Amazon
Monkeys available here

Tussk Tussk...

2007-08-12T16:42:00.000Z

There's no need for all this secrecy and subterfuge from Rephlex surrounding The Tuss, everyone knows it's RDJ anyway and it's not like they need to work hard to create interest for new material by Mr James. I suppose if the tunes weren't up to scratch they could have continued the ruse to save face, but the EP Confederation Trough and following LP Rushup Edge (still short at 6 tracks) are simply as good as anything the Twin has ever done. In any guise.

This snippet of a review by Plan B magazine describes the music much better than I could right now:

'Rushup Edge continues the rededication to fast-paced, brain-bruising fun-fun-FUN! shown by the more recent Analords series of releases. There’s plenty of room for simplicity and repetition in music, but these six tracks reinvent themselves every few seconds, constantly refusing to get bored with one rhythm or melody. Every sound is fresh, as though each juicy synth wiggle and crisp beat were harvested from the circuit board in peak condition, Man from del Monte style. Each successive track piles on the layers, until ‘Death Fuck’ sweeps an avalanche through the speakers, leaving ‘Goodbye Rute’ in a realm of glacial relative calm.'

Check it.

From Confederation Trough:

The Tuss - Alspacka (Z-Share)

I especially dig the sample of the sound that's made when you clack your tongue off the roof of your mouth. Inspired.

From Rushup Edge:

The Tuss - Rushup I Bank 12 (Z-Share)
The Tuss - Death Fuck Mental Beats (Z-Share)

Or buy both from Boomkat if you're not down with the whole 'Amazon = world domination' thing.

Get deeper into the enigma and find other songs here, here and here. (The last two look the same but are different).

I'm using Z-Share for this cos fileden has just about filled it's bandwith boots for the month and will be resetting in 6 days.

Angus & Julia Stone @ Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh - 08/08/07

2007-08-12T13:04:00.000Z

At the risk of sounding like one of those '100 greatest films ever made... ever' lists where No.1 is something like Hot Fuzz or Gladiator because no-one can be arsed to remember anything further back in time, i'm putting Angus & Julia Stone right up there at No.1 on my favourite gigs list after seeing them on wednesday night, and consequence be damned.

If you know anything about said extremely talented Australian duo you'll know that they're not known for being extroverts (too many knowns?). In fact Angus sometimes looks like he'd rather be anywhere else than on stage, and they walked onto the small platform at Cabaret Voltaire (imagine an elongated cave and you're there) in a grand display of meekness before kicking off with opener 'All of me'.

Sounding better live than they do on record, Julia's voice alternates between a fragile croon and powerful wail (that's meant as a compliment) and Angus's finger-picking ensures that every track has an incredible lilting melody to it. The crowd were very appreciative and gave a good old whoop and a holler after every song, and the location gave a real intimate feel to proceedings.

The set was peppered with tracks from their forthcoming new album, including new single 'The Beast', 'Horse and Cart', 'Bella', and a track that could be called 'Memories' but i'm none too sure. Highlights included favourites like 'Mango Tree' and 'Private Lawns', but the real surprise was their folk version of Chumbawumba's 'I get knocked down', which started off slowly before rising to a storming crescendo and getting the crowd all hyped-up on memories of John Prescott getting soaked.

For me though the best moment happened when they came back on stage for the encore and the bassist started the opening riff to 90s classic 'Everybody dance now'. Julia explained that they played the song at home while mucking about and practising and wouldn't be playing it as part of the set, but after some encouragement from the crowd they burst into a strange folk-dance version of the song with Julia screaming the refrain and looking at the drummer because she was too embarassed to face the audience. It was one of those off-the-cuff/you had to be there moments that makes live music so interesting.

So after all that waffle here is the video for new single 'The Beast', out on August 20th.

The Beast

Add to My Profile More Videos

Debut album 'A Book Like This...' is out on September 8th. They're continuing to tour the UK as we speak so get some tickets and go along.

I got a letter this morning...

2007-08-10T16:26:00.000Z

What do you reckon it read? That's right, it read that Eclectic Hermit was posting three different versions of Death Letter in the vain hope of a triple-threat type situation whereby countless visitors are wowed by my knowledge of said song. Well instead of that we have The Original Blues, 70s style garage-rock Blues and Dad Blues (Mellencamp = BomChicka slide guitar), pick your favourite and imagine a world where wars are fought over whose version of the song is the bestestest.

Son House - Death Letter (Peel Session)

The White Stripes - Death Letter

John Mellencamp - Death Letter

The next step in this covers type malarkey is another triple-threat (phrase of the week) meets degrees of separation type situation where three artists are featured, linked to the previous artist by a cover of their song, for example: The Whites Stripes - Jolene (Dolly Parton), Dolly Parton - something by someone else, etc.

In case you were wondering, my favourite version is The White Stripes's's. If you don't own De Stijl, do yerself a favour and cop it on the cheap thanks to this Icky Thump furore.

The Monday Chiller #13 - Nick Drake...

2007-08-06T20:58:00.000Z

I'm in Edinburgh at the moment for a few days at The Fringe, but I did go record shopping today for the first time in yonks and have got 6 new albums and a couple of vinyls to pick tunes from, so expect a steady trickle of these from Thursday onwards, which is when I have to get back to Yorkshire and reality.

I got the Nick Drake Family Tree album last week and pretty much every track is worthy of being a Monday Chiller but Leaving Me Behind fits the bill perfectly.

Nick Drake - Leaving Me Behind

Maybe this feature should be renamed the Monday Melancholy Moment, most of the songs I post are quite depressing! Not to worry, upbeat electro next week.

Oh aye and if you are in Edinburgh this week then go see Hostage on Friday night @ Studio 24.

Lux Aeterna...

2007-08-02T12:11:00.000Z

Lux Aeterna, the orchestral piece written for the film Requiem For A Dream by Clint Mansell and performed by the Kronos Quartet is an astonishingly powerful piece of music that has seeped into popular culture in a way that not many other modern compositions can lay claim to.

The use of Lux Aeterna has been widespread in recent years, from film soundtracks (Sunshine, Lord of The Rings) to TV shows (Charlie Brooker - check the brilliant aspirational TV rant, best line: "suburban coffee-slurping smugitude") and adverts.

In terms of head noddage it's right up there with the heaviest Neptunes beat and never fails to get me hyped. The Lord of The Rings remix in particular amps up the aggression and immediacy of the original version and makes me want to go Hooooooooooo!

Oh Fortuna, you have been replaced.

Clint Mansell - Lux Aeterna
Clint Mansell - Lux Aeterna (Full Orchestral Version)
Clint Mansell - Lux Aeterna (Lord of The Rings Remix)

This will only work if you've seen the film, but it's awesome nonetheless. Toy Story 2: Requiem

The Monday Chiller #12 - Tunng...

2007-07-30T21:20:00.000Z

Tunng have a new album out August 20th. From it, here's 'King', a killer song containing a rambling grip of melodies combined with an ominous vocal delivery and the usual array of intriguing glitches and samples.

Tunng - King (Removed at the request of the Web Sheriff and Tunng. Buy the album!)

Pre-order 'Good Arrows' from Amazon.

The new single 'Bricks' will be released August 13th (my birthday) on Ltd Edition 7", featuring remixes from Dntel (aka Figurine / The Postal Service member Jimmy Tamborello) and Daedelus. Download it from Bleep.com on August 6th.

With this banger i thee wed...

2007-07-27T23:34:00.000Z

Wamp Wamp! What it do what it do? That's right, Aidan of Certified Banger infamy and his girlfriend Bec have gotten themselves engaged.

What better excuse to post good songs with 'wedding' in the title than the impending nuptials of this lovely couple (ahh). Well, they only just got engaged, but no doubt when they actually do tie the knot there'll be another celebratory post (leaving out Billy Connolly's D.I.V.O.R.C.E. of C.O.U.R.S.E.)

I hope there are plans to walk down the aisle to the Number 1 song on the HHC Top 100!

Andre 3000 - Dracula's Wedding (ft. Kelis)

Radiohead - A Punchup at a Wedding

Queens of the Stone Age - White Wedding (Billy Idol)

Evan Dando - $1000 Wedding

Congrats bruv.

Shy Child...

2007-07-26T18:58:00.000Z

...are fulfilling all my electro-dance-punk needs for the day. Go buy their album Noise Won't Stop, it's not too late to get on it.

Shy Child - Drop The Phone

They're touring the snowglobe at the mo, check the myspace for dates.

And is that a Hitcher t-shirt? You slaaaags.

None shall pass...

2007-07-25T18:20:00.000Z

Yeah i'm a little late on this one but I just heard it on the radio and had to stick it up. This track from Aesop's new album makes me think that Aesop Rock and Crystal Castles need to work together.

Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass

Risk One...

2007-07-25T14:48:00.000Z

Man talk about fingers in pies, seattle-based DJ, producer and all round party dude Risk One is bringing heat to my inbox via his refixes of JT, M.I.A. and The Cool Kids.

Risk One - My Patchy Love

M.I.A. - Bucky Done Gone (Risk One B'fix)

Cool Kids - Black Mags (Risk One B'fix)

Hit the myspace for more mash-up action and a couple of mixtapes that would even get Steve Hawking shaking his ass.

If you're in Seattle tomorrow night then make sure you get down the Last Supper Club for Risk One, Z-Trip, Aceyalone and Gift Of Gab! Someone get Mass Hysteria on the speakers and send me the video.

Risk also does bare residential spots and his own show 'The Leak' on X104 FM. Check it.

The Monday Chiller 11# - John Martyn...

2007-07-23T22:41:00.000Z

Apparently when Beth Orton was at uni she spent most of her time getting high and listening to John Martyn's seminal 1973 album Solid Air. I can't argue with that. The title track, available below, is a tribute to John's friend Nick Drake, who was suffering from depression at the time. Heavy.

You've been taking your time
And you've been living on solid air
You've been walking the line
You've been living on solid air
Don't know what's going wrong inside
And I can tell you that it's hard to hide
When you're living on
Solid air

John Martyn - Solid Air

I Fink he's gonna be big...

2007-07-20T13:24:00.000Z

Yeah bad pun but Fink is bringing the tunes and being helped along nicely by the latest UK Mastercard advert. You can stream his new single on the old myspace and download the tune below which is off his previous album Biscuits For Breakfast.

Fink - All Cried Out

He's a bit like John Martyn except not, but i'll probably do some JM on the next Monday Chiller so you can contrast and compare. Contrast, and compare.

It's Friday, yes it's Friday...

2007-07-20T12:03:00.000Z

If music were an STD, here's what I picked up this week:

Iron and Wine - Boy With A Coin

New single from Mr Beam, I heard it on 6music as I was waking up this morning. If you only download one song from todays post, make it this one. (Though they're all immense)

Crystal Castles vs. HEALTH - Crimewave

From the Castles/HEALTH split 7", this is all over the tinternet but too good not to post.

Grizzly Bear - Knife (Girl Talk Remix)

Ow! The Knife vs. Wamp Wamp? It's a sure hit in Girl Talk's hands.

Hexstatic - Tokyo Traffic

Heavy

Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Of (Mr Oizo Remix)

You know how the French are doing these days. This scuzz-fest goes beyond a remix and emerges an entirely different beast.

The Knife - One Hit (Crimp Yr Hair DJs Rmx)

My favourite artist being remixed by two of the slickest DJs abart? Good times.

To My Boy - Model

I hope To My Boy get more recogniton because this song can be filed under 'Great British Single'.

The Whip - Divebomb (Crystal Castles Remix)

Another CC track that sees the group seemingly unable to do wrong.

Enjoy the beats and the weekend.

Kings of Convenience / Feist...

2007-07-19T13:18:00.000Z

Feist is deservedly blowing up all around the internet/radio/print world right now, so instead of posting the latest remixes from her album The Reminder i'm going for the guest spots she took on the Kings of Convenience 2004 album Riot On An Empty Street.

I wouldn't own the album were it not for a couple of guys I randomly met while working behind a bar at uni. One of them owned a bookstore and recommended the excellent Confederacy of Dunces, and the other told me about Riot. I'm not usually one for taking up the recommendations of strangers but these guys seemed pretty clued up so I took a chance, and both the album and the book remain two of my favourites.

It comes as no surprise that Feist's tracks are among the best on the LP, especially on The Build Up, her haunting voice coming out of nowhere with a melody that kills me everytime. (I didn't realise how much I was into singer-songwriter/folk music til I started this blog. Gotta get back to the beats!)

Kings of Convenience ft. Feist - Know How

Kings of Convenience ft. Feist - The Build Up

Ah go on then, here's the Chromeo remix of Sealion and a track from Feist's new album. Go Buy.

Feist - Sealion (Chromeo Remix)

Feist - I Feel It All

Hunting for Remixes...

2007-07-18T12:48:00.000Z

The other night I went on a catch-up tour of some of my favourite blogs and ended up downloading about 80 songs, and that's only the stuff I liked the sound of. Working through them now it seems about 90% gold, and seeing as the new Bloc Party tune is a beast (even though two good songs does not a good album make) I couldn't resist posting a couple of remixes, cribbed from Missing Toof and Stereogum respectively.

Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches
Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches (Crystal Castles Remix)
Bloc Party - Hunting For Witches (RAC Remix)

Bonus Tunng material via Inkiostro:

Tunng - The Pioneers (Bloc Party)

The Monday Chiller 10# - Elbow...

2007-07-16T21:58:00.000Z

Don't mix your drinks
Don't mix with him
It will kill you one day
Good advice, sound advice
Why can't you be
Like him, like me
Look what you could achieve

Elbow - Don't mix your drinks

Zentertainment '04 yeah?...

2007-07-16T12:23:00.000Z

When Ninja Tune and Big Dada get together you know it aint gonna be your run o' the mill fare. Only the juiciest cuts will survive, and a selection of these can be found below, coming as they are from a 2004 label sampler that once again I have no idea how I came by.

If you're familiar with either label then you'll know what to expect: chilled out funky beats, abstract hip-hop, samples, lounge-jazz and all round downtempo randomness. I would love to post all 11 tracks from it but that might discourage you from actually buying the thing. The other 5 joints are beauties too though I promise.

Skalpel - 1958

Stabbing beats and horns on show on this uptempo scramble, described as Polish jazz trip-hop by some.

Blockhead - Insomniacs Olympics

Moody + Beats x distorted vocals / rolling with the homies = Insomniacs Olympics. Hooks you in from the first bars and holds court throughout.

cLOUDDEAD - Rifle Eyes (Fileden direct link)

Typically quick and impenetrable lyrics by Dose and Why? and production by Nosdam makes for a left-field hip-hop classic for those that are into it. Ambient noises and beats manage to off-set the fairly serious words on offer.

Jaga Jazzist - Day (Fileden direct link)

Ho! This one rocks my block indeed. Breaks-style electronica designed for August barbecues and driving about in your drop-top (a sunroof will suffice).

Wagon Christ - Saddic Gladdic

Wagon Christ aka Luke Vibert continues his take-over of the underground electronic/ambient/beats world with this total smoothie of a track laid out with a bouncing beat and tweaked out, playful synth loops that bring the summer vibe even though it's likely to be raining where you are (UK).

Infinite Livez - Worcestershire Sauce (Fileden direct link)

I only have this one Infinite Livez track to base all my opinions on so it's a good job the tune in question is a goofy off-the-wall banger in which Mr Livez spits rhymes about Cheese and Onion crisps (aka crips) and laughing cows. Big up the British sense of humour.

Could this be the baddest post on Eclectic Hermit so far? It's a contender.

For Super Extra Turbo Bonus material peep this king-hell of a video for the Coldcut and Hexstatic song Timber. Chainsaw solo anyone? Bong!

This can also be watched with your eyes on the Ninja Tune video retrospective available here, featuring more ermazing promos from the likes of Mr Scruff, Amon Tobin, Bonobo, DJ Vadim and Funky Porcini.

As you can see Fileden seems to be letting me upload again so from now on I shouldn't have to use the dreaded Z-Share. Woop and that.

Gypsy Punks Jump Up...

2007-07-16T11:31:00.000Z

"In the old time it was not a crime!"--He shouted. "Since you were Judge you'll die alone in madhouse...," then turned into a rabbit and suddenly was gone... Then this whole fucking thing broke out with gypsy riffs and crazy dubbing... Soon Judges were all drunk, the women were complete, and children were chasing the naked one... So since then I believe him... for it was true: along with my mind a one jamaican siren it was missing from the Courthouse.

From a chronicle of cultural revolution.

Gogol Bordello - Not A Crime
Gogol Bordello - Immigrant Punk
Gogol Bordello - Oh No
Gogol Bordello - Start Wearing Purple

These tracks are taken from the last album Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike, available here.

You can stream the new album Super Taranta on myspace here or buy it here.

Catch them at this years Leeds/Reading festivals in the UK or see the myspace for world dates.

Great Lost Soundtracks - Godzilla...

2007-07-13T14:01:00.001Z

Wow. This blog is really going off the rails. Or so it might seem to the casual observer. The Godzilla OST? Are you serious? Why yes, yes I am.

David Arnold - Opening Titles

This is some pretty epic stuff from the chap who scored the last four James Bond films. Maybe everyone was so gee'd up by the score that the film was kind of a letdown in comparison. Same goes for Godzilla.

Jamiroquai - Deeper Underground

Can it really be nine (9) years since Jamiroquai's last good song? Check the 50 second intro for lessons on how to build suspense. Ha.

Ben Folds Five - Air

What are the other four guys doing these days?

Greenday - Brain Stew (The Godzilla Remix)(!)

'Hmm, how can we shoehorn a popular pop-punk act into this soundtrack? I know! A godzilla remix!'

'Great! In what way shall we remix it oh exalted executive?'

'Hmm... let's keep it exactly the same except we can have Godzilla screeching throughout.'

'Great.'

You won't find this on Hype Machine. XXXclusive!

Video for Deeper Underground. This version is new to me. It's good to see Jay-Kay finding time for some hot-stepping and scatting while everyone else runs screaming for the exits. Fools. You're missing an intimate acoustic gig!

Misogynistic Saxophonegrime...

2007-07-11T12:25:00.000Z

J.M. Davies aka Datassette/Datashat has robots on his mind. An English fellow with a penchant for Businesscore and Chris Morris, he creates tunes with computers under the heavy influence of the C64 SID Chip, so get to know it before the 80s goes out of fashion!

Thanks to Datassette's GenreRator for the post title, now on with the tunes.

Datashat - Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn and John)

This, along with the Kate Bush and Interpol remixes (see last post) is probably all you've heard of Davies' work unless you delved deeper.

Datasette - Breakfast

There aren't enough breakfast-based tunes out there.

Datassette - Science Pipe

For all you Crystal Castles lovers, lovely Nintenbeats.

Datassette - Till Next Time

What is this? Minimal IDM? Glitch-tronica? Cillit-Bang Wrongness? I don't know but it aint half a sweet beat.

Datassette - Making Plans For Nigel (XTC)

Stripped down vocoder beats take this late 70s classic in a new direction.

XTC performing Making Plans For Nigel on Top Of The Pops in 1979:

1) Is that first shot just Youtube jitter or a BBC effect?
2) TOTP is all about the mime.
3) Is the lead singer a robot?

Check this fine slice of Businessfunk, also viewable at the Datassette myspace:

Make sure you go to the official site for many more tunes, Businessfunk mixtapes, Fur-Q's Uzi Lover and other mighty randomness.

What I like about the Data projects is that the angle of approach always seems to be from the side or a sneaky manouver round the back. He manages to keep an air of irreverance and even comedy without losing any musical integrity, whatever that is. I'd urge you to buy his stuff but it seems that most of it's available for free. Three cheers for the Shat.

Next time i'll be looking at advanced French hip-hop. 'Till then, goodbye.

DATASSETTE.NET