Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Thisisnotanexit goes digital

A short blog post as we descend into hibernation - the snow has come so its time to hide away and listen to the Detachments album on repeat (trust us it's made for when there are days with snow on the ground) and wait until the warmth reappears.

To get you through the nights here are FOUR rare / unreleased tracks you can get from the Thisisnotanexit store. Not available anywhere else. What price exclusivity?

Detachments - The Flowers That Fell (Niallist ColdMixx) by ThisisnotanexitRecords

Naum Gabo - Pictur (Tim Goldsworthy Remix Parts I-VI) by ThisisnotanexitRecords

Both of the above plus the T&A End Of The Pier Remix of Detachments Holiday Romance and the CFCF Remix of The Dark Esquire's Situation can be got from here and only here. Buy them from us and we might be able to buy little Timmy something nice for Christmas.

Seriouksly, ik need a new laptkop and thiks iks the state mky keyboard iks ikn at the mkkoment. Nikghtkmare.

http://thisisnotanexitrecords.bigcartel.com/

Friday, October 15, 2010

NOTHING BUT US


I'm DJing at the Nothing But Us night this weekend. Free entry and I'll be dusting off some of the following if the crowd follow my lead.....


















Sunday, October 03, 2010

DETACHMENTS


Detachments debut album is out now on Thisisnotanexit Records. Featuring 11 tracks as recorded earlier this year in the coldest February for decades Detachments debut album is wildly ambitious and takes the 80s synthpop blueprint and updates it for a modernist oos audience. Imagine Hurts if they'd listened to Cabaret Voltaire and OMD and Depeche Mode rather than Westlife and the best of bits from The X Factor.

http://thisisnotanexitrecords.bigcartel.com/product/detachments-detachments-cd

You can also get a limited 300 only 12" of the new single Holiday Romance featuring remixes from Cosmo and Andy Blake. Andy Blakes 17 minute take has been called "the remix of the year" by Slutty Fringe and "brilliant" by Simian Mobile Disco. Sounding like Throbbing Gristle meets Phuture its a sensational redux.

http://thisisnotanexitrecords.bigcartel.com/product/detachments-holiday-romance-12

For those of you in London town Detachments will be celebrating the release of the album with a special London show at CAMP in Shoreditch on Tuesday 5th October.

Doors from 7.30pm. Tickets are £6.00.

http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=400117&referral_id=tw_uk_buyat

Final Detachments show in the UK for a while. They're heading off to France and Spain after this.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Detachments - Holiday Romance Video

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Command V 1st ever live show!



Command V played their debut live show on August 25th in New York City.

Stay tuned for details of their debut single Lost On Me coming soon with remixes from Jacques Renault, Optimo, Mighty Mouse, Night Plane and Max Pask.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Detachments Live at World Unknown August 13th 2010

Detachments Live at World Unknown August 13th 2010











Detachments live at The Alibi in Dalston Friday 27th August. Free entry.

Holiday Romance out 6th September.

Debut album out 20th September.

On tour from 21st September.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Dark Esquire - LEXICONS


This week sees the release of The Dark Esquire's Lexicons.

Featuring the single version, plus an instrumental dub edit and remixes from Italians Do It Betters PREMIER RANG and Detachments its available only from Junodownload.


We've still got a few copies of Situation available from the Thisisnotanexit store so if you have't got one go get as its the only way to get the 12" version of Situation and the CFCF and Crimea X Remixes.


The Dark Esquire website is coming soon....

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Simon A. Carr Slutty Fringe Set 7.8.10

Simon A. Carr Slutty Fringe Set @ The Big Chill House 7th August 2010

Palms - Boundary Waters (Gavin Russom Remix)
Public Image Limited - Flowers Of Romance
Public Image Limited - Flowers Of Romance (Instrumental)
Michael Moorcock - Time Center
Detachments - The Flowers That Fell (The Niallist's Coldmixx)
Medio Mutante - Another Land
Six Sed Red - Shake It Right
Das Ding - Inter Cesters
Pink And Black - Sometimes I Feel
The Flying Lizards - Money
Modern Art - Still Life
Kristal - Love & Magic (Dub)
R3mote - Lonesome Frontier
The Shortwave Mystery - Without Cause
Dakar & Grinser - I Wanna Be Your Dog
Depeche Mode - Nodisco
The Bridge - Love Dance (Industrial Mix)
OMD - Messages (GW Ruff Edit)
New Order - The Beach

Friday, August 06, 2010

CLAN OF XYMOX



Tomorrow evening I'll be warming up for the Detachments live show at The Big Chill House with a bunch of post punk and minimal wave records. I packed this track last night when I was sorting through some records. I've been loving it all week after rediscovering it on the Creatures Of The Night Optimo podcast. Optimo have basically taken a scalpel to the A Day Remix - taken out the gothic overtones - and ramped up the screeching best bit. An example of what re-editing can achieve! This is most certainly in the bag for tomorrow night for when the dancefloor gets going.

You can get it on this LP as you shouldn't DJ out with 160kps MP3's.


Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Slutty Fringe and World Unknown


We'll start this off with saying sorry about Friday night and The Drop being closed down by the council a few hours before the THISISNOTANEXIT party. A total nightmare. Still, we'll have Night Plane back over soon for a live show and keep you abreast of Thisisnotanexit events.

Oooohhhhhhhhh here we go.

For those who needs their THISISNOTANEXIT live fix then there are two London based events over the next couple of weeks which are of note.


First up is the Slutty Fringe 4th Birthday Party at The Big Chill House on Saturday 7th August. It's almost a Thisisnotanexit party as Detachments will be playing live and myself and Matt Waites (aka Moscow) will be DJing alongside the Slutty Fringe people. Moscow remixed Detachments Fear No Fear and has been a friend of Thisisnotanexit from the start so should be a blast.

I'll be doing the early shift from 8.30pm spinning weird synth records, post punk and minimal wave. Proper DJs and proper beatmatching later on after Detachments.


Facebook event page:



Then on Friday 13th August Detachments head South to play at the quite awesome World Unknown party in Brixton. Hosted by Andy Blake and Joe Hart and playing the sort of music Thisisnotanexit wholeheartedly approves of. I'll let them tell you what the score is.

World Unknown is a monthly session with a soundtrack that takes in elements of Belgian new beat, EBM, electro, acid house, synth wave, techno and dark balearic, and hangs out somewhere in the territory inhabited by Ron Hardy's wild, kinetic take on house in its prototype form at Chicago's legendary Muzic Box circa '83-'86, alternative dance mecca Medusa's in Chicago during roughly the same period and later and the sound of Belgian clubs Boccaccio, Carrere and Ancienne Belgique in the mid to late 80s. Naturally Andy and Joe bring things bang up to date with their own unique take on things, digging deep into their expansive, labour-of-love record collections for those gems that nobody else is playing...yet.

Andy Blake has remixed Detachments new single Holiday Romance into an 18 minute 1 take acid house groove that was exclaimed by the Slutty Fringe guys to be the remix of the year. So watch out for that out soon. Somehow everything on this post links all together. Beautiful.

Facebook event page:


World Unknown mixes from here:


And that folks is that.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Executive Slacks


Executive Slacks were a band from Philadelphia in the early 80s that I got turned onto by Trevor Jackson (after hearing him play The Bus) and James Murphy (after hearing him play 30 Years). I never tire of their album YOU CAN'T HUM WHEN YOU'RE DEAD after picking up a copy on ebay - as I purge my collection down to the records I love I know this is one I'll never sell. I may well play The Bus tonight at the THISISNOTANEXIT night at The Drop as its one of those records that is just ahead of its time and is exactly the sort of out there record that people are too scared to play these days. Check them out playing The Bus live. Seriously, how cool.


Here though is a track of the forementioned album called CINEMA which is the sort of thing I'd love to play to an openminded crowd at 3am to really freak them out or drive them to smash the windows and the walls. Smash it. Smash it in.

I saw you in the cinema
You had no arms and legs
I had to put you in the seat
Sick of falling down


See you at The Drop. Doors 11pm. We'll try and record some of tonight's action and share next week.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

As you walk through the valley of the damned...



As you walk through the valley of the damned looking for respite from the constant bombardment of media messaging and our iphones connecting my brain to your brain and sending off fire signals at a rate of 72 per second we bring you news that this Friday 30th July we return to new cooler than thou disco basement THE DROP to bring you THISISNOTANEXIT and spread our musical vision like a virus. It will infect you given half the chance. Our message and music will improve your life though. We will be playing things that will open your mind.

The night starts at 11pm and will feature Simon A. Carr and Spectral Empire playing music ranging from minimal wave to post punk to italo-disco plus whatever else we dam well feel like. We'll also be joined by acid-disko revolutionary NIGHT PLANE who will be firing off a series of Night Plane musical missiles direct onto the dancefloor.

Plus its free entry. FREE ENTRY. We're not getting paid - we're just doing it for the love.


We're even going to hand out some Night Plane CDs to those who come and understand our crusade.


It will be ok.

Night Plane will bring you a gift.

In fact here is a gift right now.


Download the stems for Night Plane's debut single CHINESE SHADOWS and do with them what you will. We're giving it all away. We ask for nothing in return on this occasion. There are only a few of us left who believe.



The Dark Esquire has a new single out soon. You'll only get it on a black disc of vinyl loveliness if you follow this link and buy one for £10. That'll get you the 12", plus download tracks plus a big kiss from The Dark Esquire. He'll even write you a nice letter and say thanks. Hell I will too if we reach the target.



Do the right thing. And help us spread the message.

Seriously, a world of labels releasing Mp3's. Who wants that?

Time is running out.

Friday, July 23, 2010

FACT 22 - MOTIVATION

According to an interview: "In 1986 I started recording electronic music under the name Fact TwentyTwo. Initially it was me and another guy - Dave Butler. Dave would sing and I would make music using a Roland 303/606 combo and some Casios and an Ensoniq Mirage sampler. We were in art school in Ohio at the time. We had lots of fun. Eventually, Fact TwentyTwo became my solo project."

Veronika played this on her EVR show last week and I had to hunt a copy of this out. A totally amazing 80s electronic pop track mixed with industrial overtones (and almost Aphex Twin electronics at the end) from an act called FACT 22. Don't know much else about Fact 22 - and it looks as though everything he released was on cassette at the end of the 80s. This will certainly be getting played at THISISNOTANEXIT next week. Dark, sleazy electronic music that's been getting alot of love this week.
Fact 22 - Motivation


Wednesday, July 21, 2010

MYSTIC ROCK - DOUBLE RAINBOW


My friend Mystic Rock who I've known for some time is in search of the thing. I'm not sure he even knows what the thing is. In fact when I asked him he gazed off into the distance blankly and emailed me this mix a few weeks later. This might be the thing. It might not. Whatever it is it certainly rocks like a 3 legged donkey on i-dose. Check out Mystic Rocks wonderful series on Mixcloud and read his wordpress as even though there's only one post it gives a wonderful insight into those few of us left that occasionally part with our jingle jangle gold coins in exchange for potatoes and black vinyly circular shaped records.

Mystic Rock also does his thing at various East London venues - the last one was a disco dancing extravaganza at the coolest new venue in the world THE DROP with Thisisnotanexit's own George Thompson from Spectral Empire delivering thing-ness. Watch out for more.

Mystic Rock - Double Rainbow mix

Yosemite bear - double rainbow ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI )
Brain Machine - Massive dying stars vibrating like giant speakers
Seahawks - Omega beach
Clara Mondshine - landing at full moon
Vangelis - Multi-track Suggestion
Ajello - 2000 light years from home
Sect - Man Of Wisdom
Lemon Interupt - Eclipse
Soul Clap - Dreams
Command V - Lost On Me (Jacques Renault Dub Remix)
Psychick warriors of gaia - rhythms (pull)
Siobhan Donaghy - don't give it up (carl craig dub)
Space teddy - i'm in trance with you (excpert)
Psychick warriors of gaia - rhythms (pull)
Psychick warriors of gaia - exit 23
Orbital - Steel Cube Idolatry (Dave Angel & Dave Dorrell Mutation)
Limelight - limelight (holy guitar mix)

Download here:

http://www.divshare.com/download/12062242-8b1

http://www.mixcloud.com/mysticRock/

http://mysticrock.wordpress.com/

Friday, July 16, 2010

MICHAEL MOORCOCK - TIME CENTRE


This is the sort of music we like to play at the THISISNOTANEXIT night at The Drop. A stone cold electronic classic from 1982. Bizarrely it's from the Hawkwind, Friends and Relations LP and this timeless piece of electronic magic somehow sits amongst a bunch of raaaaawk music. This track could easily sit with some of the early minimal / synth wave stuff from Europe and is a bit of an oddity (hence why we like it). I believe Baldelli and the like played this heavily back then in Italy and you can understand why - especially with the sloping bassline that emerges halfway through. It's short and sweet and has the thing as Horton Jupiter often looks for.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/sk6r3m

So, downloads so far from Harold Faltermeyer and Michael Moorcock. Are you saving these in a THISISNOTANEXIT: THE DROP playlist? You should. Next Friday we'll post something with a bit more dynamism.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Dark Esquire - LEXICONS VIDEO


Available August 9th at Juno Download.

Download release features single version plus remixes from Premier Rang and Detachments.

Available beginning of September 3D sleeve 12" if you pre-order here:


12" release features extended 12" version plus remixes from Premier Rang and Mirror People.


Sunday, July 11, 2010

SIMON A. CARR DJ CHART JULY 2010


Simon A. Carr DJ Chart July 2010

1. Cold Phoenix - La Fleur Du Destin (Airplane)
2. Command V - Lost On Me (An Optimo Espacio Remix) (Thisisnotanexit)
3. Factor Floor - Lying (Chris Carter Remix) (Blast First)
4. Brian Eno & Robert Fripp - Swastika Girls (Polydor)
5. Spectral Empire - Acid Neutraliser Sub (Thisisnotanexit)
6. The Dark Esquire - Lexicons (Premier Rang Remix) (Thisisnotanexit)
7. Night Plane - Str8 2 Ur Heart (Thisisnotanexit)
8. Son Of Sam - Nature Makes A Mistake (Running Back)
9. Simple Minds - Theme For Great Cities (Naum Gabo Reversion) (cd-r)
10. Detachments - Holiday Romance (Andy Blake's Mix For A World Unknown) (Thisisnotanexit)

Friday, July 09, 2010

Harold Faltermeyer - Running Man Theme

We listen to alot of music here at Thisisnotanexit HQ. In fact my headphones seem to be permanently on - constantly searching out interesting stuff. Mainly to play at the Thisisnotanexit night at The Drop - but sometimes just for pure pleasure.

Seeing as most people only visit blogs to get free music we've decided to dedicate Friday's to giving away music each week. We won't be giving away new stuff - instead concentrating on older music that we think deserves a search out and a reappraisal and that has been played heavily during the week. Think of it as our favourite tracks of the week.

First up, to start things off, is a track from Harold Faltermeyer. Most famous for Axel F - and in turn for that dam frog - Harold Faltermeyer also put together an awesome soundtrack for the great 80's film THE RUNNING MAN (go and dig it out and rewatch). I'm a big fan of soundtracks - especially horror soundtracks - but this features some great tracks and has been on repeat all week. Perfect for the early hours of Thisisnotanexit before it fills up and gets going. Spectral Empire turned me onto a couple of other soundtracks from the 80s (all of which seem to feature Arnie) but this is one I happened across that I've been loving this week.

Here then is the first track off The Running Man soundtrack album: "Intro - Bakersfield" - enjoy.


Who knows what I'll post next week. Stay tuned.

THISISNOTANEXIT: The Drop 30th July with Night Plane Live


THISISNOTANEXIT continues its monthly residency at The Drop on Friday 30th July bringing you post punk, synth pop and minimal wave (plus a bunch of other stuff no doubt) dedicated to the art of moving your heart and your feet.

This time we will be joined by the mighty NIGHT PLANE for his debut LIVE show. With the UK summer in full effect his balearic acid disko sound is perfect timing.

Last year Thisisnotanexit released the CHINESE SHADOWS 12" featuring 3x brand new Night Plane productions. THISISNOTANEXIT MANIFESTO #1 also contained a Night Plane track called LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. He's been busy since then working on his solo stuff as well as remixes and edits (check out his Detachments and Dark Esquire remixes) and his hot new tracks for 2010 include STR8 2 UR HEART (which got caned at the WMC and had DFA on the phone) and CRIMES OF THE FUTURE and No REGRETS.

For those of you with a production disposition we'll upload the stems for Chinese Shadows next week so you can have fun making your own interpretation. For now here's some linkage to Night Plane on Soundcloud. Perfect for a sunny day.





If you're on Facebook confirm your attendance via the click of your mouse.


Friday, June 25, 2010

CLUB SILENCIO TURPE MIX 002


Club Silencio furnish us with a new mix. TURPE 002. Go seek and spin spin sugar.


Don't forget the Club Silencio Felix / Turpe Traxx EP 12" is still available at a few shops and the Club Silencio - You Got To Look (featuring The Dark Esquire) is out this week on Juno Download.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

FACTORY FLOOR


My ears are still ringing.

Again.

I've just returned home from Factory Floor at Rough Trade East. 3 songs. Intensity of the highest order. Factory Floor take the throb, the trance, the noise, the groove, the i feel love, the gristle and focus in on a small circle repeating to infinity.

I bought their new 2 x 12" remix pack. Chris Carter - legend. Stephen Morris - legend. They're surrounded by people who know their stuff.

We spoke to Nik Colk. She said she'd do a remix for Thisisnotanexit. Here's hoping.

The last time we saw Factory Floor a few weeks ago we stood next to the singer from The Drums. Don't know his name. Don't care either. The NME appear to love Factory Floor. Bizarre. Don't let this tarnish your thoughts - it nearly made me dismiss them - but really The NME opinion is of no use to me - Factory Floor represent a new order.

The Chris Carter Remix of Lying plays at 45rpm on my turntable.

Buy their records.

http://blastfirstpetite.greedbag.com/buy/wooden-box/

Most importantly see them live.

My ears are still ringing.

Friday, June 18, 2010

NIGHT PLANE

ap55.jpg image by Saltlick

Night Plane twists Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti Round & Round into a sunbaked edit of dancefloor goodness.

Check it out on Soundcloud where you can also download it and pass on to your friends too.

Thisisnotanexit: giving you what you want.



Friday, June 11, 2010

THISISNOTAEXIT SUMMER SAMPLER 2010: PLEDGE


THISISNOTANEXIT SUMMER SAMPLER 2010 is released 21st June 2010.

TINAE 029

1/ Hatchback - Jetlag (Faze Action Remix)
2/ Command V - Hello (Moscow Remix)
3/ Club Silencio feat. The Dark Esquire - You Got To Look
4/ Detachments - The Flowers That Fell (Urlaubshits Minimal Rave Mix)

If you want it on 12" then you will have to follow this link and pledge. You won't be charged unless we get 100 people pledging for the release. This is a new way of releasing things for us and means that the formats releases come on (and the releases themselves) will be down to you getting involved. If you don't want it on vinyl then it won't come out on vinyl.


This 12" WON'T be in the shops. This is the only way to get hold of a copy.


Monday, June 07, 2010

THISISNOTAEXIT SUMMER SAMPLER 2010


THISISNOTANEXIT SUMMER SAMPLER 2010

TINAE 029

Released June 21st on Juno Download.

1. Hatchback - Jetlag (Faze Action Remix)
2. Command V - Hello (Moscow Remix)
3. Club Silencio feat. The Dark Esquire - You Got To Look
4. Detachments - The Flowers That Fell (urlaubshits Minimal Rave Mix)




Sunday, June 06, 2010

THISISNOTANEXIT Party 25th June 2010


THISISNOTANEXIT continues its monthly residency at new Stoke Newington venue THE DROP (underneath the Three Crowns) on Friday June 25th after a hugely successful launch party.

This time we will be celebrating the release of the THISISNOTANEXIT Summer Sampler (out June 21st) featuring 4 exclusive summer picks including Detachments, Hatchback, Command V and Club Silencio.

The night will commence at 10pm with Thisisnotanexit's own Simon A. Carr easing you into the weekend for the first couple of hours or so as he plays the wilder reaches of his record collection.

Detachments will then be performing live with a set scheduled for midnight.

Spectral Empire will take control of the decks after Detachments, setting a course guided by their own take on robo-italo and playing a wide variety of wild and crazy dance music to take you into the early hours.

There will be visuals and projections as part of the experience. As an extra incentive (as if you needed one) the first 50 entrants will receive a very limited edition Spectral Empire Dark Energy CD. All this for just five new pounds.

Come party with THISISNOTANEXIT.

Facebook event page:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=127179050636139#!/event.php?eid=127179050636139&ref=mf

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Gather round.

We have news and musical treats for your aural pleasure.

This week I did a special guest mix for the Slutty Fringe website.

You can read a short interview and listen to the mix here. It's on mixcloud.


A mix in the loosest sense which takes in a whole bunch of stuff that I'm loving at the moment - slow, dark and sexy.

TRACKLISTING

Iggy Pop interview sample #1
Colder - Fade Away (Output)
Brain Machine - Alchemia (Bronnt Industries Remix) (Thisisnotanexit)
Chris & Cosey - Useless Information (Wax Trax)
Van Kaye & Ignit - Picasso's On The Wall (Ding Dong)
Throbbing Gristle - Distant Dreams (Part Two) (Industrial)
Iggy Pop interview sample #2
Factory Floor - Lying (Blast First)
Joy Division - She's Lost Control (Factory)
Shortwave Mystery - Without Cause (Thisisnotanexit Manifesto #2)
No Fun Acid - No Fun Acid #2 (Gavin Russom Remix) (No Fun Acid)
Portishead - We Carry On (Universal Island)
Detachments - Sands Of Time (Thisisnotanexit)

For those of you in London town we will be launching the Thisisnotanexit monthly night tomorrow evening at The Drop (175 Stoke Newington High St, London, N16 oLH). Music from 10pm from me and Spectral Empire and finishing at 4am. Detachments will be playing live at 11.30pm.


Saturday, May 22, 2010

Spectral Empire : Dark Energy


SPECTRAL EMPIRE : DARK ENERGY

The journey begins Friday 28th May at The Drop.

Monday, May 10, 2010

HELLO

Monday, May 03, 2010

THISNOTANEXIT: The revolution begins!

THISISNOTANEXIT launches its monthly residency at new Stoke Newington venue THE DROP (underneath the Three Crowns) on Friday May 28th. It's taken us quite some time to find a venue that offers us everything we wanted but we're glad to now call The Drop home on the last Friday of every month.

There will be a policy of no guest DJs. Music will be supplied by Thisisnotanexit Label Head Simon A. Carr and Thisisnotanexit's own Spectral Empire.

The night will commence at 10pm. Expect music you wouldn't hear in a club for the first hour or so as we play the wilder reaches of our record collections.

Detachments will be the house band and will be performing live at 11.30pm. Support bands will be booked for future events.

In an age where the pursuit of the 4/4 beat has returned we'll be rallying against this by playing a broad spectrum of music taking cues from minimal wave, analog synth music, freaky disco, post punk, proto-house and EBM - the main motive being a movement of the head, the heart and the feet all the way into the early hours.

There will be visuals and projections as part of the experience and there will be exclusive Thisisnotanexit gifts - the first 50x people that arrive will receive a limited edition SPECTRAL EMPIRE MIX CD (Cat. No. TINAE 034).

The Drop has a capacity of 100 so we advise getting down early to ensure you get in. If you want to pre-book tickets don't hesitate to get in touch.

The revolution starts here! Let's go!

Facebook event page

Thursday, April 29, 2010

THISISNOTSPOTIFY


Today we can finally announce that some, not all, of the Thisisnotanexit catalogue is available to listen to and purchase on Spotify.

So far you can go and listen to the following:

Thisisnotanexit Manifesto 1 (TINAE 020)
They Came From The Stars I Saw Them - Rabbit Seal Monkey (TINAE 024)
The Dark Esquire - Situation (TINAE 025)
Spectral Empire - Black Shark (TINAE 014)
Detachments - Circles (TINAE 019 / 023 / 027)
Detachments - The Flowers That Fell (TINAE 016 / 018)
Night Plane - Chinese Shadows (TINAE 021)
Club Silencio - Club Silencio (TINAE 022)

Once more is up we'll let you know. Enjoy! And of course if you like the music don't be shy if you want to spend a few pence on an mp3.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

ENO

“I think records were just a little bubble through time and those who made a living from them for a while were lucky. There is no reason why anyone should have made so much money from selling records except that everything was right for this period of time. I always knew it would run out sooner or later. It couldn’t last, and now it’s running out. I don’t particularly care that it is and like the way things are going. The record age was just a blip. It was a bit like if you had a source of whale blubber in the 1840s and it could be used as fuel. Before gas came along, if you traded in whale blubber, you were the richest man on Earth. Then gas came along and you’d be stuck with your whale blubber. Sorry mate – history’s moving along. Recorded music equals whale blubber. Eventually, something else will replace it.”

ENO

Simon A. Carr Land Of Kings Bardens Boudoir DJ Set


Simon A. Carr DJ Set from Land Of Kings @ Bardens Boudoir 23.4.10:

1. James Chance & The Contortions - Contort Yourself (Twitch Optimo Mix)
2. They Came From The Stars I Saw Them - Its Time (An Optimo Espacio Mix)
3. M - Pop Muzik (Todd Terje Remix)
4. Command V - Lost On Me
5. Night Plane - Str8 To Ur Heart
6. New Order - Blue Monday
7. Iggy Pop sample
8. Moby - Go (Woodtick Mix)
9. Portishead - We Carry On
10. Detachments - Circles (King Of Town Remix)
11. Manicured Noise - Metronome (Cousin Cole Remix)

Monday, April 26, 2010

Optimo - gone but not forgotten...

Last night saw the end of an era. Optimo opened its doors for the last time and JD Twitch and Jonnie Wilkes took to the Sub Club DJ booth to play for the last time. Well, so they say. Optimo after 12 years will end in it's current guise but Keith and Jonnie may well play at the Sub Club together again but they simply won't be doing it every Sunday like they used to.

I'm surprised it made it this long to be honest - I thought they'd stop it at 10 years but they made it to 12. What can I say. I'm glad they did as in the past couple of years I made it up to Optimo twice.

The first time was bizarrely to cover for the guys when they were in Japan. I'd first met Keith properly after he came down to London to play at the launch party for the first single we put out on the label (the much overlooked They Came From The Stars I Saw Them - It's Time 12" which featured An Optimo Espacio Remix). Anyways I DJed, They Came From The Stars I Saw Them played live and then Keith DJed afterwards until closing. We then headed back to Horton Jupiters house for a bit of an afterparty and Keith came along - drunkenly in the kitchen Keith said that if one day him and Jonnie were away for a gig on the other side of the world they'd get me to cover for them. Pure drunken chat I thought but lo and behold Keith called me 12 months later asking if I was free in a few weeks time and if I'd cover for them at Optimo! Madness. I of course jumped at the chance and a few weeks later was stood in the booth of the sub club DJing to the Optimo regulars...the most fun I've had DJing in my life. I'll never forget the words from a particularly inebriated guy who at the end came over and said "Aye, you're good..........but you're not as good as Keith and Jonnie" - it felt like high praise from the Optimo faithful!

The other time I made it to Optimo was for my stag do last summer. It was a day, night and after party of epic proportions and we were all properly looked after by Keith and Jonnie. An amazing night and it properly blew all of our minds. The highlights were hearing Keith play the King Of Town Remix of Detachments Circles and it properly going off with full on strobes. And a typical Keith Ableton jam of Crash Course In Science cut up with a Billie Jean acapella (it was the week after Michael Jackson died).

Optimo have been one of the biggest inspirations for Thisisnotanexit - inspiring me to get Ableton, to expand my Djing repertoire, to even start a label. From the first time I downloaded one of their mixes I was hooked - and to be lucky enough to have had Keith remix the first release on the label, DJ myself at Optimo, put out Jonnies Naum Gabo - Pictur record as well as his Like Crystalline track on Thisisnotanexit Manifesto 1 is pretty dam amazing. Jonnie even emailed me the other day saying how much he loved Thisisnotanexit Manifesto 1! Optimo are quite simply lovely guys who love music and who put on the best dam party I've ever been to. Who knows what they'll do next. I know for a starter Keith is remixing the Command V single LOST ON ME that we're putting out this summer but after that I'm sure they'll be DJing anywhere and everywhere as much as they used to - but there won't be that regular Sunday night.

Weirdly in a few weeks time on May 28th Thisisnotanexit launches at The Drop in Stoke Newington. Inspired by Optimo on a small scale - we'll be featuring live bands early in the night and then only having resident DJs all night (myself and Spectral Empire) plus a friend doing visuals and projections. A focus on wild out there music and not sticking to the 4/4 conventions that appear to have become more and more prevalent again.

If the night is 10% as successful as Optimo then we'll be over the moon. This time if myself and Spectral Empire are away it'll be Optimo who will be coming to cover for us (maybe.....)

Here as a final treat is the last 15 minutes from Optimo last night featuring......Liquid Liquid, Nina Simone and a few other treats...it brought a tear to my eye. Enjoy.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/y6f70y

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Kate Bush Music Matters

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Detachments Camden Barfly Show



Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Detachments H.A.L.


Detachments H.A.L. is released this week on Thisisnotanexit Records. The track originally featured in an Andrew Weatherall produced guise late in 2009 but the band decided to reconfigure the track for their debut album (coming soon) and thus we decided we'd give you a taster of where the album might be headed.



The 12" features this new version of H.A.L. along with a new track called Sands Of Time. Sands Of Time features guest vocals from Heather from Salem. This took place in 2008 so we've been keeping this ready for the right moment to share with people. That time is now. Hope you like it - here at Thisisnotanexit HQ we absolutely love this track and is for us one of the best things we've ever released. Truly stunning.

http://www.myspace.com/s4lem

On the b-side of the 12" is the Ikonika Remix of H.A.L.

Ikonika is one of Hyperdub's rising stars and give H.A.L. a bass destroying refix. Watch yer bassbins.

http://www.myspace.com/ikonika



Also on the b-side is the Andrew Weatherall Disco Dub. This featured on the Circles Remix 12" Part One last year but is now sold out and still in demand so have included it here.

On the download release you can also get the instrumental version of H.A.L. and is available exclusively at Juno Download for 2 weeks - after that the tracks will be available from all download stores.

Juno Download Store

Get the 12" from these places. 200 have been pressed in a yellow sleeve and 200 in a blue sleeve. All lovingly screenprinted. Proper DIY punk rock. Choose your cover.

Juno

Phonica

Piccadilly

Thisisnotanexit Webstore

For those of you in London the band are playing at The Camden Barfly on Wednesday 14th April. Onstage at 9.45pm. Come down!

The Camden Barfly

And if you're not a Facebook fan of Detachments yet - what's your excuse?!

Detachments Facebook Fanpage

Monday, April 12, 2010

Detachments: Believe the hype

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Detachments H.A.L. Video

Monday, March 29, 2010

SPECTRAL EMPIRE - INNERFEARENCE / THE MINOTAUR OUT NOW

Spectral Empire this week unveil INNERFEARENCE / THE MINOTAUR which was previously only available on a very limited 12". Innerfearence was later tweaked into a cosmic 100bpm groove thang by Chateau Flight. Get the original here along with THE MINOTAUR which you can use to scare small children and / or your girlfriend with. Embrace the darkness.

http://www.junodownload.com/ppps/products/1547864-02.htm

Spectral Empire will be DJing at the THISISNOTANEXIT showcase at Land Of Kings on Friday April 23rd. We'll be taking over Bardens Boudoir and featuring Detachments live and myself DJing too.

Spectral Empire will also from Friday May 28th be residents at the THISISNOTANEXIT club night at THE DROP in Stoke Newington N16 alongside myself. Underneath The Three Kings. We'll be taking over once a month from 10pm - 4am to twist your minds and take you to the dark realm.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

POP MUSIC: NAGAIUTB


The charts. Not as good as they used to be? I thought it was me just getting a bit older. But then Twitch from Optimo sent me this. The Top 10 from a week in 1979.

1. BLONDIE - SUNDAY GIRL


2. ANITA WARD - RING MY BELL


3. MCFADDEN & WHITEBREAD - AIN'T NO STOPPING US NOW


4. ROXY MUSIC - DANCE AWAY


5. TUBEWAY ARMY - ARE FRIENDS ELECTRIC


6. M - POP MUZIK


7. THE CLASH - I FOUGHT THE LAW


8. AMII STEWART - KNOCK ON WOOD


9. QUANTUM JUMP - THE LONE RANGER


And then have a look at this weeks UK TOP 10.


Case closed.