acidbearboy 20.08/2008

Here is a nice little 45 minute mix of mellow soul and funk I recorded last night.

Tracklist:

Rosko recites Desiderata
Montana – Warp Factor II
Diesel & Jarvis - Blue Operator
Walter Murphy – Gentle Explosion
Bohannon – I’ll Be Here For You
Donald Byrd – Onward ‘Til Morning
Marvin Gaye – A Funky Space Reincarnation (inst.)
Tempest Trio – Starlight
Jimmy Spicer – Bubble Bunch (inst.)
Kinkina – Jungle Fever
Kamaal – Feelin’ (inst.)

acidbearboy - downtempo grooves 20-08-2008.mp3

Trashy Synthesizer Disco!

Gique, electro producer and a message board acquaintance of mine from rllmuk recently uploaded this mix of euro/italo synthesizer disco and synthpop in an effort to educate his friends that might be unaware of his musical references. Good mixing and great tunes, what more could you ask for? He describes the mix as "100% electronic, 100% 80's, little po faced, sometimes cheesy, but all good shit." Can't argue with that, enjoy!

Tracklisting:

Fockewulf 190 - Gitano
Klapto - Queen Of The Night
Casco - Cybernetic Love
Hardcorps - Je Suis Presse
Gino Soccio - Victim Of Change
Den Harrow - Broken Radio
Hugh Bullen - Alisand
Faxe - Time For Changes
Peter Richard - Walking In The Neon
Azoto - Exalt Exalt
Immortals - Ultimate Warlord
Tapps - My Forbidden Lover
M&G - When I Let You Down

Gique - Eurotrash 198X.mp3

New Professor Genius

I was tempted to say it's been a long time coming but there has actually been a fairly steady stream of releases since the debut cd-r was released last year. 'La Grotta' and 'Pegaso' both had 12" releases as well appearing on the 'After Dark' compilation from Italians Do It Better that just won't go away (recently released on vinyl). Then earlier this year there was new material with part 1 of the EP 'A Jean Giraud' on thisisnotanexit records. While we wait patiently for the second part of that, there are some exciting new tracks previewed on the Professor's Myspace page from the upcoming digital only EP entitled 'Down There'. Go check them out, Perspex Girl is sounding as sexy as the title sounds!

Black Sun

I picked this one up in Zulu Records, Vancouver. Although the label says Rockland, it looks like it was distributed by the Quebec branch of Polydor. Composed by Phil Walter and recorded at producer Wally Hamilton's place in New Jersey during March of 1978, the self titled Black Sun LP on contains two extended disco workouts, complete with one of the best sleeves I've seen for a long time. There is even some cosmic photography inside! Although I don't recognise any of the players, the band are pretty tight. As well as Phil and Wally who both play keyboards, there is the standard disco line-up of drums, percussion, bass, guitar, synths, strings, brass and vocals.

http://www.discogs.com/release/1267760

Black Sun on side one is a real chugger, with plenty of disco stomp and a driving bassline. The female vocal sings of how the Black Sun broke her heart, stolen her love etc. It's not a big vocal number though, with the main hook coming off the synth and strings (it sounds kinda familiar, not sure if this has been edited or if it's just a rip-off of Gino Soccio's "Dancer"). The brass section gives the track a very ‘big’ feel and I always enjoy a guitar solo with my funk and disco.

Black Sun - Black Sun.mp3

Big Money on the flip is a higher tempo affair, too fast in my opinion, I prefer to slow it right down to -6. The groove is a more loose and funky for this one and there is a stronger emphasis on the vocal from Lenny Garcia. I really like the piano work on this track, great brass and string arrangements and a couple of nice percussive breakdowns too. My only criticism with the tracks is that after 15 minutes of funk, they both just fade out - lazy!

Black Sun - Big Money.mp3

Disco Galactica

A couple of Battlestar Galactica related goodies for you today. I picked up the 12" Disco remix of the Main Title a couple of years ago, mostly as I loved the sleeve art. The opening always reminds me of the legendary (and now sadly defunct CBS Top 100). It's a fairly generic disco remix of the theme, certainly not something to play out but an interesting record to own.

Stu Phillips - Theme From Battlestar Galactica (short).mp3

The other track is taken from the original soundtrack LP that I picked up in New York. All the other tracks on the album are the standard orchestral music from the film but this disco cut from the Casino on Carillon scene is a lovely little track that you could certainly play to non BSG lovers!

The Space Angels - It's Love, Love, Love.mp3

Here are the great covers for the LP, the back of which is where the single sleeve originates.
Front | Back

The Universal Order Of Things

"On July 4th, 1976, the Viking probe - a man made vessel - will send back pictures to Earth to let man see if life is on Mars. For what reason? Man has not mastered his existence on Earth. He cannot live in harmony with his natural environment yet. Out of all the things in the universe such as the sun, moon, stars, planets, the liquid, solid, gas, the hot, wet, dry, cold; Man is the only creation that is out of order with The Universal Order Of Things".

-Kenny Gamble

So I finally found a copy of Dexter Wansel's brilliant 1976 debut LP "Life on Mars". After failing to find it on my recent trip across North America, it turned up in Cross The Tracks on a trip to Brighton this week - nice condition and price too. It's definitely become one of my favourite albums since being turned onto it a couple of years ago. I can't think of a bad moment on the entire album but the penultimate track "Theme From The Planets" is about as close to perfection as you can get.

Dexter Wansel - Theme From The Planets.mp3

T.S. Monk

Today's track comes from the son of Jazz legend Thelonious Monk, who also played drums as well as doing arrangements on this project. I picked up this 12" promo whilst in New York, it's one of those strange records with the same version on both sides. Taken from the LP 'More of the Good Life', the track was co-written and produced by Sandy Linzer, who had previously worked with Odyssey. It has a lovely smooth disco-soul sound, with a great vocal delivery from an uncredited singer as well as great backing vocal and string arrangements. There is also a nice little sax solo leading up to the break just before the 3 minute mark. Lay back and enjoy this smooth groove.

T.S.Monk - Too Much Too Soon.mp3

Discogs: T.S.Monk - Too Much Too Soon (12" Promo, Mirage Records 1981)

Jungle City

More edit sources today. I first heard 'Jungle City' by Lexx in Stockholm back in January and was instantly hooked on the shuffling rhythms and sweet melodies. Some time between then and the 12" release for Bear Funk, I found the original track on the Joey Negro & Sean P compilation 'The Soul of Disco'. Laura Green's vocal suits the mood of the music perfectly and it's a nice alternative to the largely instrumental edit from Lexx (which you can hear on his Myspace page). Not a lot of info on the original I'm afraid, only that it was a b-side to the 1979 single 'Let Me Blow Your Whistle'. I also highly recommend the mix Lexx did for Beats in Space earlier this year, an excellent selection of deep funk, house and techno. Get the mix and tracklisting here.

Laura Greene - Manhatten.mp3

Classic Balearic

I managed to do a little record shopping whilst in Barcelona for Sonar last week (more info on that coming soon). I picked up a variety of italo, electro-pop and balearic bits at my favourite store 'Discos Edisons' after the festival, here is the full list:

Central Line - Walking Into Sunshine (Larry Levan Mix)
Kano - I'm Ready
Ivan - Baila
William Pitt - City Lights
Cashmere - Do It Anyway You Wanna
Siedah Garrett - Do You Want It Right Now (Jellybean Mix)
Gary Low - Forever, Tonight And All My Life
Digital Emotion - Steppin' Out
Spargo - Go

Never mind the so called 'Nu-Balearic' scene, you can't go wrong with classics like this!

William Pitt - City Lights.mp3

Staying with the summery theme, there is a lovely cut on the Spargo album called 'One Night Affair'. It leans towards the poppy/cheesy side of disco but I love the melody and chord progression, plus I'm a sucker for anything with a piano solo in.

Spargo - One Night Affair.mp3

Spargo - Go.mp3

The title track from the LP was annoyingly familiar sounding when I previewed the record in the shop but it wasn't until I got back home and browsed through my edits folder that I realised what it was. Lovefingers reworked it for his 'Bermuda' track, featured on the excellent RVNG of the NRDS Vol.4 EP from last year - check it out if you haven't already, 'Zoysia' on there is killer stuff.

Buy the EP from igetrvng.com

Aube records deliver again.

Just a little extra post to let you know this is now available from all good record stores. As ever from Aube, it's top quality stuff - get in there quick for the limited edition with handmade artwork from Kraftwerk's Emil Schmult!

aube005: Roland Sebastian Faber - Wettkampf der Moleküle

a - side: Molecular
aa- side: Eisengard

Molecular — a battle of particles... racing melodies fighting for dominance. An electronic pop tune with baroque influences somewhere between Johan Sebastian Bach and Jean Michel Jarre. Catchy, haunting, energetic and competitive. Let the games start! Eisengard is a story about a mellow ashra temple affair, a soundscape mixed with David Gillmore 'esque guitars and 808 beats.

Support from Aeroplane (Eskimo), Matt Edwards (Rekids/Quiet Village/Radio Slave) and I-F (CBS, Viewlexx). Stream both tracks in full at the new Aube website:

http://www.aube-prod.com