MIXMAS #2

Season's greetings from Manchester's fidgeting bass merchants HeavyFeet (A.K.A. Mike and James) comes courtesy of this downloadable mix featuring a host of 1990's ravourites. Yes, 'ravourites'. We invented that.

Also be on the lookout for the pair's 'Killa EP' which will be out in '09 via Trevor Loveys' Tragic Magic label.

WON'T PARTY

The NYE party organised by Don't Panic at The Sheridan Suite has been cancelled. It looks like its difficulties are linked to some suggestions by Greater Manchester Police that drum & bass events are notoriously violent. Which is rubbish, of course. But there you go. Other objections were based on the event being likely to draw on a large local crowd - with that "local" audience seemingly suggesting difficulties too.

Here is a picture of The Sheridan Suite taken as it hosts some kind of drum & bass-free exhibition:


If anything, that carpet probably requires an ASBO.

MIXMAS

With a special Christmas gathering poised for 27/12/08, the people behind delectable digital dance-pop offering Clique have still found put together a collection of the night's 17 favourite tracks and remixes of 2008.

You can download it here.

View the track list here.

TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY

As much as lots of people throw themselves into the festivities at this time of year, it can also be a bit of a miserable time for many. While very unlikely to cheer-up the most depressed, there's a melancholy-tinged selection of music that you can download here.

And, should it be needed, The Samaritans are available all over the Christmas period.

MY NAME'S STELLA, SO IT IS

Ideally, in one's stocking this christmas, I would mostly like a girl from Northern Ireland called Stella. Not sure why, but these are the 2 base criterium for my perfect partner.

In the meantime, here is a DFA promo vid involving Kermit the Frog, James Murphy and a great city that isn't as good as it once was, apparently.

2 videos on the trot! We're spoiling you.

SING-A-LONG

Metronomy always have good videos, the one above is a wonderful example.

The record is out now I think.

ONE FAT LADY

In what's becoming some kind of annual tradition [think Christmas with less bells on], we asked some of our contributors and friends to give us their favourite musical moments from the last twelve months. In this case, their '8 from '08'. Just that we could present some kind of end of year round-up type thing. This is apparently what happened:

I Am Sam

Alter Ego - 'Gary (Carl Craig remix)'
Lindstrom - 'Grand Ideas'
Snoop Dogg - 'Sexual Seduction (instrumental)'
M83 - 'We Own the Sky'
The Chap - 'Ethnic Instruments (Joakim remix)'
Little Boots - 'Stuck on Repeat'
Joakim and the Discos - 'Love & Romance & a Special Person'
Metronomy - 'Radio Ladio'


Daniel Nolan

MGMT – 'Kids'
Sam Sparro – 'Black and Gold'
Ashlee Simpson – 'Outta My Head'
The Chemical Brothers - 'Electronic Battle Weapon 10'
The Aspirins For My Children – 'Attention (feat. thecocknbullkid)'
Little Boots – 'Stuck On Repeat'
Hot Chip – 'Ready for the Floor'
Mystery Jets – 'Two Doors Down (Duke Dumont reconstruction)'


Jamila Scott

Santogold - 'Unstoppable'
Health - 'Triceratops (Acid Girls Rmx A)'
Solange - 'I Decided'
Dinosaur Pile Up - 'Love Is A Boat And We're Sinking'
Florence & The Machine - 'Dog Days'
Be Your Own Pet ' 'Heart Throb'
Kanye West ft. Mr Hudson - 'Paranoid'
Feist - 'I Feel It All (Diplo Remix)'


Danny McFadden

Whitest Boy Alive - 'Golden Cage (Fred Falke remix)'
Aeroplane feat. Kathy Diamond - 'Whispers'
DJ Mujava - 'Township Funk'
Estelle feat. Kanye West - 'American Boy'
Little Boots - 'Meddle (Treasure Fingers remix)'
Ghostface Killah - 'Charlie Brown (DJ Mehdi remix feat Mapei)'
Midnight Juggernauts - 'Road To Recovery (Curses! remix)'
Black Kids - 'I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You (The Twelves Remix)'


Gary Ryan

MGMT – 'Time To Pretend'
Mystery Jets – 'Two Doors Down'
Hot Chip - 'Ready For the Floor'
Neon Neon – 'I Told Her On Alderaan (Richard X Andress remix)'
Black Kids – 'Hurricane Jane'
Girls Aloud – 'Hoxton Heroes'
Frankmusik – 'Three Little Words'
B-52s - 'Funplex (CSS mix)'


Dan Gent

I listened to Elton John and Pink Floyd this year, plus re-listened to Kings Of Convenience (Quiet Is The New Loud) lots. I also enjoyed listening to Slum Village and Madlib. And Late In The Evening by Paul Simon [thanks, Danny Webb].
New records? Some of the Aeroplane stuff ('Now Till 69' in particular). I also enjoyed a Supermayer remix of one of the Hot Chip records. Can't remember much more. 'Time To Pretend' was the best record.
Best gig was My Bloody Valentine.

VIRAL MARKETING

Local hip hop/dubstep/grime quartet Virus Syndicate host a Christmas party at Mint Lounge 22/12/08. The Planet Mu-signed act's special guest is Plastician.

Meanwhile, here is a mix put together by VS's MRK1 and JSD.

Tracklist:

1. Skream - Filth Master
2. Chase and Status - Bits 320
3. Freq Nasty - Iraq
4. Skream - unknown
5. Jakes - Freak out special
6. MRK1 - Pornstar
7. Chimpo - Lock off VIP
8. MRK1 - Infected
9. MRK1 - Deathstar
10. MRK1 - Electronik
11. Skream - Calous
12. Benga - 26 Bass Refix
13. Chimpo - Badman no friend fish
14. Biome - unknown
15. Skream - Simple City
16. MRK1 - Counteraction
17. Benga - Night Special
18. Chimpo - Smokin Camal
19. Chimpo - Informer
20. Chimpo - Lickle Stereo
21. Chase and Status - Badout Riddim
22. MRK1 - Borderline Vocal
23. Rusko - Period
24. Virus Syndicate - Love the music (instrumental)
25. Sugh Knight - ?

LOST SPACE MEN

Petitions! Huh? What Are They Good For? Absolutely Nothing! As Edwin Starr didn't sing in ermm... a demonstration against petitions.

Some petitions have been good though, NN can't think of any right now per se, but we have found one that you should maybe 'electronically sign' here.

Oh, sorry, the petition is about the wonderful Upperspace gallery and general social/rave space needing a new home - because nobody likes a vagabond at yuletide. Upperspace was based on the corner of Hilton and Newton Street in the Northern Quarter and was a vision of Manchester's cross-medium creative future. Alas, the city has conspired to stop this sort of progressivism and hence, the guys are looking for a suitable new abode.

All the info you need to know is here on this helpful Facebook group.

JE SUIS UN TIGRE!

Here at NN we like all things pretty, so imagine our delight when one of our favourite people, Joakim, finally launched the website for his fashion offshoot Tigersushi Furs, thus allowing us to purchase nice things without having to go to the shop in Paris.

Tigersushi is Joakim's record label, home to the likes of Poni Hoax, Principles of Geometry and current tail waggers Desmond and The Tutus.

Anyway, here t'is.

SOME RECORDS

Rave with just a touch of Baltimore, Baile Funk and Bhangra from the old braptop.

Filed away here.

PARTY LIKE IT'S ERRR ... 2009?

What's happening on New Years Eve this year? I know that 2 of Manchester's bestest underground clubs are holding hands and kissing on the 31st December with the excellent one-night merger of MeAndYou and That Amazing Thing. It's at Soup Kitchen, plus it's only £6 which is credit crunch-tastic or something.

More details here.

Isn't it sad that Cliff hasn't met the right girl yet?

WHITE CHRISTMAS?

This is probably a bit off topic (and we're aware that the greyscale imagery here won't do it justice) but Islington Mill's RAW Design Studio has been running a fun project called Christmas by Colour.

Basically they've been inviting people to re-imagine Pantone colours as festive favourites with carefully selected re-named shades becoming part of both the company's Christmas card and a limited edition poster. The date has now closed for entries meaning that those that made the final cut will be announced very soon.

TWIST AND SHOUT

Splendid news: Contort Yourself sent us a mix of CY anthems past and present. You can download it here. And you can peruse the track list here:

1. Ladies and Gentlemen – STEALMYBURGER

2. Bathroom Gurgle (Tomski Remix) – Late Of The Pier

3. Walking Down The Street (Bart B More Jackin Down The Street Mix) – Ron Carroll

4. Suspense Is Killing Me – Boy 8-Bit

5. Shake It Down - Laidback Luke & A-Trak

6. The Worm (Original Munich Version) – ZZT

7. Miss Pacman (Oliver $ Rmx) – RQM

8. Midnight Request Line (Switch Remix) – Skream

9. Beat Bang - Machines Don't Care

10. Dum - The Martin Brothers

11. Lean & Bounce – Duke Dumont

12. Worry About It Later (Switch Remix) – The Futureheads

13. Enfant (Riton Rerub) – Sonny J

14. Cream (Original Mix) - Federico Franchi

15. Jack Got Jacked (Jack Beats Remix) – AC Slater

16. Midnight Stalker – Drums of Death

17. Sunglasses at Night (DIM Remix) - Tiga and Zyntherius

18. White Knight Two (Laidback Luke Remix) – Surkin

19. Let Me Back Up (Crookers Remix) – Don Remini

20. Raven – Proxy

Amazing. Yes.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

GETTING COLD FEET

Wow, how cold was it today? Not that cold apparently because I was offered a flyer by one of the Monday Murkage promoters and he had no socks on and he was only wearing espadrilles*.

Mental.

If I was him I'd be dancing to fend off the frostbite, probably to something like this;

MP3: Foals - Cassius (Tensnake Remix)

*Not only espadrilles you sicko.