Sunday 31 August 2008

TEN RECORDS


1. Moodymann - 'I Can't Kick This Feeling When It Hits'
2. Chic - 'I Want Your Love (Todd Terje edit)'
3. M/A/R/R/S - 'Pump Up The Volume (Jacob London edit)'
4. Simian Mobile Disco - 'It's The Beat (Shit Robot remix)'
5. Jesse Rose & Trevor Loveys - 'Heavy What?'
6. Justus Kohncke - '$26 (Aaron Carl remix)'
7. Oliver$ - 'Phonky Bonky'
8. Kenna - 'Free Donuts & Shellfish (XXXchange remix)'
9. Alter Ego - 'Why Not? (Joakim remix)'
10. Aeroplane feat. Kathy Diamond - 'Whispers'

Here.

Saturday 30 August 2008

CUT THE CORD



Cord bar is closing tonight - not forever, just for 4 weeks. The former abatoir, once described by The Face as the coolest bar in Manchester, is having a much needed face lift and if my sources are to be believed the new look watering hole will be a bit classy.

Although the NQ would probably benefit from a bar closer to the aesthetic of Common than Walrus, any excuse to rip down the corduroy wallpaper will be welcomed.

Wednesday 27 August 2008

MY ONLY VICE



If you get caught wondering around the back streets of Piccadilly this Friday night and don't have a decent excuse to tell the marauding vice squad, here's a little tip;

Explain to the rozzers that you're actually going to indie-disco institution Keys, Money, Lipstick who are celebrating their second birthday at the Dickensian Star and Garter. Expect qualla new music and cheap booze from 2200 to 0230.

When they ask why your fly is undone tell them it was featured in i-D and all the kids are doing it.

Tuesday 26 August 2008

BEYOND THE (G)RAVE


I'll be posting a full interview with the quite brilliant Drums of Death soon. This will pre-empt his live set at Contort Yourself. And his new single that comes via Hot Chip's Greco-Roman label. He's been working with Peaches in Berlin actually. He only got back last night. When we spoke he was eating some bread in London and he exclusively revealed:


* Peaches' new album to be "surprising"
* How he transforms from "Colin"
* His shocking heavy metal love
* A fondness for bread
* Some other things


Wow.

Monday 25 August 2008

A LAND THAT I HEARD OF


Some time ago, I was sent a link to what will appear in record stores this bank holiday Monday, cased in shades of pink and depicting the silhouetted image of one, horned child leapfroging a bomb-headed other. The artwork’s perplexing to say the least. And, given the context of what’s enclosed, I’m not too sure there’s any real reason that the image should make much, if any, sense.

This is not least because the double disc contained within – a DFA selected compilation showcasing tracks released during the first two years of Berlin based label, Supersoul Recordings’, existence – is titled Nobody Knows Anything. Take that, and the fact that with the first track in, you’re at once transported past confines of the ordinary; blasting beyond previously known parameters as far-off, otherworldly spheres begin to unfold. Or, as the press release from the very first Supersoul output puts it best:

“Androids and other strange creatures … dancing, smoking and drinking casually alongside humans, while the full spectrum stroboscopes makes their bone structure visible to the rhythm of the music. Giant speakers … pumping out a mixture of strange noises, hypnotic melodies and pounding drums, quoting, recycling and rephrasing universal music history, reminding the crowd why they still go out dancing almost every night after all these years.“

Tracklisting:

Nobody Knows Anything
DFA Presents Supersoul Recordings (Supersoul/Kompakt)


CD 1:
1. Xaver Naudascher - Lost
2. Mogg & Naudascher - Moon Unit Pt. 2
3. Mogg & Naudascher - Moon Unit Pt. 1
4. Walter Jones - Deuteronomy Brown (I-f edit)
5. Plastique de Reve - Resist feat. Radical Cheerleaders
6. Strangelets - Riot On Planet 10
7. Xaver Naudascher - Afterlife
8. Max Brannslokker - Stropharia
9. Walter Jones - The Odyssey Sound (Mogg & Naudascher edit)


CD 2:
1. Skatebård - Marimba
2. Plastique De Reve - Lost In The City feat. Ghostape
3. Xaver Naudascher - Motor City
4. Strangelets - Riot On Planet 10 (Blitz Gramsci rmx)
5. Mogg & Naudascher - Moon Unit Pt. 4 feat. Rosalind
6. Skatebård - Pagans
7. Mogg & Naudascher - Moon Unit Pt. 3 feat. Arthur Hornig
8. Maxx Brannslokker - Solar Trip feat. Katya Tyukova
9. Skatebård - Flexy
10. Walter Jones - A.I.P. (X.L.N.'s Maison Vumbi edit)



Signing off with a nice, free download:
Walter Jones - The Odyssey Sound (Mogg & Naudascher edit)

Friday 22 August 2008

STARTED SOMETHING


If you're clever, you might have been a fan of Leeds' 2020 Vision label for a while. Especially given the caliber of releases from the likes of Paul Woolford, Ralph Lawson, Simon Baker and Dubble D.

Now there's another reason to enjoy the logo as they've just picked up local outfit Crazy P. Yep: them who used to be Crazy Penis on Paper Recordings. New album Stop, Space, Return will be released in October while there's talk of the nu-disco band getting the remix treatment from Maurice Fulton, Hot Toddy, Art Of Tones, Unabombers and Pete Herbert.

Meantime, there's a free exclusive rework of Crazy P's 'Is It Ever Enough?' that you can go download over here.


Thursday 21 August 2008

WE ARE SAILING




Yacht is Portland pin-up Jona Bechtolt, and he makes the sort of plonker pop that makes you want to a) dance and b) buy some colourful pumps like the kids in the Northern Quarter. It sounds like electroclash meets post-rock meets no wave in a big art rock orgy.

Now signed to DFA, and having recruited female side kick Claire L. Evans, Yacht are heading at mega-knots to Manchester for a Friday night show at the Ruby Lounge on the 29th of August.

Their big record out at the moment is Summer Song, probably being played by cool disc jockeys the world over. Watch the video, hear the music, be a better person.

Tuesday 19 August 2008

GET BENT



Manchester Pride beckons and a weekend indoors is the option of an imbecile. One of the best parties in town - which alas only shows it's face every now and then - is Club Brenda. Their Queer Up North shindig earlier this year was a winner and Sunday's do will be made of awesome too.

Honourable discotheque mentions also go out to the balearotastic Stay Free at the ever-expanding Saki in Rusholme and the Bora Bora party with phallicly named DJ Oliver Lang at Sankeys, both on Saturday. If you liked Bora Bora you'll probably like Space Ibiza on the Sunday, also at Sankeys. Most will know that Ancoats isn't that similar to Platja d'en Bossa, but with Ralph Lawson and Serge Santiago playing (and maybe the odd plane flying over) you're sure to have a buenos noche.

Snr. Santiago has done an interview on the main page saying how he doesn't really like remixing records, I too can feel the hate in these efforts from him.

MP3: Huskey Rescue - Summertime Cowboy (Serge Santiago Remix)
MP3: Dada Life - The Great Fashionista Swindle (Serge Santiago Remix)

Monday 11 August 2008

DWARF CLOWN



The credit crunch. Apparently it’s big news for most people in the UK, not in Manchester though. A trip to Market Street reveals not the tumble weed riddled images of British high streets as presented by the Daily Mail, but a Mecca for orange girls and rascal boys spending their money with little sign of abandon.

Those of you with lighter purses may be looking for more frugal examples of getting maximum joy from minimum spends. In terms of visiting discothèques in the city, most doors are less than a fiver, add a sneaky bottle of poppers and your cheapo night is sorted (if a little red-faced and generally dirty).

If poppers ain’t your (nose)bag, I suggest getting down to the Comedy Store at Deansgate Locks where on the second and last Sunday of the month the comedy is both free and fantastic – the best joke last night “Dwarf Clowns … the lowest form of wit”.

Saturday 9 August 2008

PREPARE FOR TAKE OFF


The Belgium-based duo Aeroplane has gained a lot of attention for their lush, dreamy prog and psyche-disco influenced dance-floor direction. So it's pretty exciting to hear that Naive Melody has secured their DJ talents at Charlie's 31/10/08. Even more thrilling once you've listened to the delicious 'Summer Warm' mix that's been doing the rounds of late.

And if you haven't been lucky enough to check that already, you can download it here.


Tracklist:

1. They Came From The Stars - 'The Gospel (Mungolian Jet Set mix)' [TINAE]

2. 'Pirmas Finns' [CD-R]
3. The Shortwave Set 'Now Til 69 (Aeroplane remix)' [Wall Of Sound]
4. Eine Kleine Nacht Musik - 'La Serenissima' [Modular]
5. Bostro Pesopeo - 'Communquis' [Permanent Vacation]
6. Grand Popo - 'My Territory (Joakim dub)' [CD-R]
7. Quixote feat. Lisa LI-Lund - 'I Started To Dance (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)' [Versatile]
8. Simon Baker - 'Plastik (Todd Terje Remix)' [Playhouse]
9. Henrik Schwarz/Ame/Dixon - 'D.P.O.M.B.' [Innervisions]


Wednesday 6 August 2008

THEME TUNES #10

Early reports suggested that Dave Vincent's new club (up where the old Soap Bar used to be in Sankeys) would be called 'Spectrum'. Well it's not. It's actually called 'Spektrum'. It opens in September. Listings can be found over at Northernights.


MP3: Spektrum - 'Kinda New (Tiefschwarz remix)'
MP3: Spectrum - 'Brazil'
MP3: Boards of Canada - 'Spectrum'