Hot New LP's

Lindstrom has a new album out, very nice it is too. There are only three tracks but with the shortest of the bunch clocking in at over eight minutes, you know this is going to be a 'cosmic journey' etc. Full of beautiful chords and excellent production - ignore what pigeon hole people are trying to stick it in and just enjoy it for what it is - great new music. FACT Magazine did a good interview with him recently, read it here. Dutch website 3voor12 have a stream of the whole LP so you can go take a listen before ordering the cd.

STREAM: Lindstrom - Where You Go I Go Too



Also sounding great is the new solo album from Steve Moore, better known as half of synth-rock band Zombi. I love the Zombi sound and this is an extension of that, though a little lighter. Drenched in atmosphere, full of lush textures and ethereal sounds, and of course with those heavy rhythms. Order it on vinyl or cd direct from the Relapse store.

STREAM: Steve Moore - The Henge



I've been listening to some of Legowelt's ambient stuff lately and so decided to visit his website and see what's happening. It still looks like 1998 there but there is plenty of new content, including a full free download of the new Franz Falckenhaus album "The Lost Border". Also check out this amazing piece of deep hypnotic techno from Dark Days 2, forthcoming on Strange Life records.

Legowelt - HAM Star Flowers.mp3

More samples and information at www.legowelt.com

Rhythm Heritage - Last Night On Earth

Somebody commented on my New York Digging post recently, requesting Rhythm Heritage - Last Night On Earth. It was an album I'd not really listened to much yet so I sat down with it this morning and gave it some time. It's a nice mix of funk and disco, a little cheesey in places but I have no problems with that. It's very grand sounding, like a lot of the seventies orchestrated disco stuff, and well produced. It opens with the Theme From Rocky (Gonna Fly Now) which is a good track but I have a nicer version by Richard 'Groove' Holmes that I might post another time. There is also another version of Steely Dan's Do It Again on there in a medly with Cisco Kid. Highlights for me are Angry World - part 1 of the Last Night On Earth suite - which has a solid, uplifting groove to it and some nice electric guitar work. And the upbeat disco cheese of Dance The Night Away, enjoy!

Rhythm Heritage - Angry World.mp3

Rhythm Heritage - Dance The Night Away.mp3

There was also an older request for the dub of Class Action's version of Weekend. No introduction should be needed for this classic track, and possibly the funkiest synth hooks of all time! Be sure to check out the more organic funk of the Phreek original too.

Class Action - Weekend (dub).mp3

Well, I hope you Anonymous readers are happy and come back to show your appreciation!

As you can see, the site has had a visual overhaul. It's been something I've wanted to do for some time now but haven't had the time or patience for. Well yesterday I did and I'm pleased with the results, hopefully you like it too - I'd be interested to hear your opinions. The aim was to make the blog look a bit more sexy and stylish without distracting from the music, which of course is the most important aspect. On a related note, I've had a couple of emails recently from companies offering advertising for music blogs but I personally think adverts are inappropriate on a site like this. The site is a hobby that costs me nothing to run, so why should I make money by sharing other peoples music? Not to mention the fact that the web is a far nicer place to browse without the intrusion of adverts.

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 suggests!

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