Neu-pish

Things that annoy me:





1. Anyone DJing using Ableton and who doesn't actually do anything inventive with it. You know mixing some Ed Banger B-sides and some Kitsune tracks at the push of a button is quite literally F*CKING BORING. Ableton allows you to do some really incredible and interesting things - and guess what you can play tracks with LIVE drums in Ableton with a bit of warping - who'd have thought!?! Lazy djing is back in vogue.



2. Neu-rave. Justice. The Klaxons. Ed Banger. Simian Mobile Disco. Kitsune. Just because. Oh and because the kids are wearing "Crazy dayglo outfits on the streets of East London".......

......all I have to say to that is I remember the kids wearing crazy day glo outfits and dancing to big synth sounding music at Gatecrasher in Sheffield a few years ago ( I didn't go - but I read about it).

Neu-rave = trance. Not good.

3. Having flu.

4. People on ebay not sending me the things I've bought - the last two things! And both had loads of positive feedback!

Over and out - this week I'm mainly listening to the new Emperor Machine 12"s, the new Carl Craig remix on Planet E, the Padded Cell mix from Beatsinspace, the BTWS remix of Findlay Brown, The Lotterboys Naum Gabo remix, Max Mohr - Trickmixers Revenge and They Came From The Stars - The Unstoppable Kite; so good even Tim Goldsworthy and Carl Craig like it.

David Lynch

A couple of weeks ago there was a screening of Inland Empire with a Q&A with David Lynch at the NFT - I missed out on tickets but you can read the transcription of the Q&A here:

http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2011369,00.html

Engrave March 9th into your arm with a compass as thats when Inland Empire will finally hit UK screens...

I

cannot

wait

Gucci Soundsystem - Acarpenter (Joakim Remix) on Death From Abroad. How good is this?! The best remix from Joakim, like, EVER!

This weekend I will finally be finishing the mix for Roy Danks show - have put together a couple of exclusive edits for it so it'll be worth the wait!

Soundtrack to this weekend:
Beck - Cellphones Dead (Villalobos Remix)
Switches - Lay Down The Law (Naum Gabo remix)
They Came From The Stars I Saw Them - Signals
John Forde - Stardance
Psychic Ills - Dins
OOIOO - Uma (EY3 Remix)
Link Wray - New Studio Blues
Sculpture - Flossy

And whatever I pick up from the record shop on the way home!

Here's a track from Beirut's debut LP 'The Gulag Orkestar' which was one of the unsung great albums from 2006. A genuine exciting and different sounding album.

This is a track called 'Scenic World' which should hopefully make you go and buy their album! You won't regret it. Honest.

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=2B7A2F742981E6BE

There I was bemoaning the lack of good music in January and then suddenly a load of good stuff appears worth spending your hard earned money on.

First up is Kotey Extra Bands (featuring Chas Jankel) cover of Giorgio Moroders 'Sooner or Later' which is an incredible piano disco track on Bear Funk and featuring Chicken Lips remixes on the b-side. Its all about the a-side for me.

Also worth tracking down is the Quiet Village remix of Gorillaz 'Kids With Guns' - starts off sounding like Burundi Black and then turning into a slow techno epic this is an immense track! Shame it never saw the light of day but what looks like bootleg white labels of this are floating around. Seriously good.

Also out this week is the double header from Booji Boy High on DFA/EMI on limited 7" and even more limited promo 12". Devo references - check. Hot Chip-esque vocals - check. Crazy off kilter production - check. If this isn't Hot Chip in disguise i'll eat my hat but DFA/EMI are not telling anyone! Ha! Have a listen for yourselves.

LCD Soundsystem are also back with North American Scum which is in some specialist shops on nice promo 12" - otherwise its out in February if your search reaps no rewards.

And I've just got a nice Flying Rhythms remix cd in the post - ah life is good.

Over and out.

January is rather slow for music isn't it? There's hardly anything out thats worth buying at the moment - but things worth looking out for are Shit Robots new remix forthcoming on cool as f8ck Japanese label Mule Musiq. You can listen to a section of it on Shit Robots myspace. I've heard the full 12 minute version and it really rocks. It will no doubt feature on the mix I'm doing for Roy Danks Apocalypse Now radio show so watch out for that...

http://www.myspace.com/shitrobot

There are some interesting albums out in the Spring and all eyes are on LCD Soundsystems 2nd LP Sound Of Silver (which someone leaked). The first single North American Scum is out soon and comes backed with a Kris Menace Remix (and yep thats leaked too). The Kris Menace remix is how shall I put this not very DFA, its very hands in the air. Maybe the version I've heard isn't even the right remix but a fake track - I can't hear any of the original track in there!!

There's also !!! Myth Takes and tracks from this are leaking all over the net like wildfire - the track you want to hunt out is A New Name. Mindblowing.

They Came From The Stars I Saw Them are threatening to break up / stop making music / gigging etc so jump on their myspace and tell them not to. The single 'that might never be' The Unstoppable Kite is seriously good and now may be stuck in the vaults forevermore. Carl Craig likes it. Zonagamin likes it. Tim Goldsworthy likes it. Tim Sweeney likes it. Optimo like it. IT NEEDS TO BE RELEASED AND BE AT NUMBER 1 FOREVER (or at least a week). Go on, go and pester the band, I dare you.

http://www.myspace.com/theycamefromthestarsisawthem

Inland Empire is also out this year. The return of David Lynch. Its already tattooed on my brain. Watch the trailer and get excited here:

http://www.inlandempirecinema.com/

Hopefully this means the second Twin peaks season will finally get released on DVD as he was gonna finish it once Inland Empire was done.

Tomorrow i'll post up a remix from Maurice Fulton that hasn't been getting enough exposure. And maybe next week my own re-edit of The Stooges - I Want To Be Your Dog as inspired by Optimo.

Happy New Year!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcRRDv22dEc

.....its 1 minute to midnight at Optimo on New Years Eve.....and then what wafts through the air but They Came From The Stars I Saw Them ITS TIME acapella style...."This is the time!" indeed. High five to the person who videoed the moment on their mobile phone!

Anyway - we're off into the studio soon to master the next single due out in the Spring. Hold onto your hats for this one.

Oh and if you live in a country other than the UK (ie the rest of the world) then ITS TIME will be in your local record shop real soon.

Happy Christmas one and all!

No posts for a while as I've been so dam busy. But hey ho here's some news.

Firstly, the first release on Thisisnotanexit Records is now available from your local independent record store on 12" and cd. Go and buy it! And if they haven't got a copy tell us as record shops are useless at keeping track of us independent record labels.

Its also available via the digital world and can be found on itunes (along with older They Came From The Stars I Saw Them releases). If you don't fancy lining Mr. Apples pockets then you can suport the digital independents Rough Trade Digital and Juno Download. Get to it you won't be disappointed! Don't believe me? Well Jame Murphy likes it, Optimo like it, Tim Sweeney likes it, Prins Thomas likes it, Jon Galkin likes it, Steve Lamacq likes it, John Kennedy likes it.......what else do you need to know.

Watch the official site for a new mix i'm putting together - downtempo weird stuff and weird disco - and also keep your ears peeled in New York as I'm doing a guest mix for My Cousin Roys Apocalypse Wow show on East Village Radio. Should be sometime in the new year so watch out for that.

I'm also in the process of starting a regular monthly Sunday night event with Need No Water Records to showcase new music we like and bands on our labels. More news when it all gets sorted (it'll be in East London is all I can tell you).

The next few releases on the label are pencilled for March / April time - once I have the remixes back I'l have a better idea of timings but there will probably be 3x releases before the summer...keep 'em peeled.

Thats all for the moment - watch out for the new Chemical Brothers track Electronic Battle Weapon #8 as its blowing up dancefloors at the moment, the new Whatever , We Want edits 12", My Cousin Roys Bobby's Back on Wurst Edits is worth shelling out for, Carl Criags remix of The Brazilian Girls should be out soon, Villalobos remix of Depeche Mode finally sees the light of day this week on vinyl, James Holdens LUMP makes my insides wobble, LSB Origial Highway Delight is disco of the highest order, NAUM (aka Johnny Wilkes from Optimo) has remixed Snow Patrol (???????????) and the new LPs by LCD Soundsystem and Joakim are stonking. I've also heard that Shit Robot has done a remix of a track by Kaos, judging by the stuff he did this year I cannot wait to hear it. Oh and Grindermans No Pussy Blues is mind blowing - Nick Cave back on the highest form.

Enough rambling, merry christmas all xxx

Well. The launch party on Friday was beyond belief. Thanks to everyone who came and made it - and I quote Bardens owner here - "the biggest, friendliest party we've ever had" - so give yourselves a pat on the back. I did a nice warm up job (I would say that) but They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them tore the place apart - ITS TIME was incredible! And then JD Twitch came on and played a 2 hour set of epic proportions - I can remember jumping up and down to Soft Cell, Talking Heads, Banbarra, Ram Jam, Jonathan Richman, LB, and then an epic finale of Richie Havens - Back to my roots into the Optimo Remix of ITS TIME! And boy did the place go crazy!

Here's my playlist for those that were there early:

Balanescu Quartet - Autobahn
Twin Peaks - Night time
Alternative TV - Facing up to the facts
Tones on Tail - The rain
Neu! - Seeland
Spacemen 3 - Walkin with jesus
Robert Wyatt - Biko
Suicide - Cheree
Judy Nylon - Jailhouse rock
Devo - I can't get no satisfaction
Tesco Bombers - Break the ice at parties
Sculpture - Untitled
Jonathan Richman - Egyptian reggae
Ciudad un revolution zapista - Nasty sex
Silver Apples - Walkin
801 - Tomorrow never knows
Material feat. William Burroughs - Seven souls
Teletron - What time (Instrumental)
Arthur Russell - Springfield (DFA Remix)
Art of Noise - Beatbox
Quiet Village - Circus of horrors
Johnny Thunders & Patty Paladin - Crawfish
Prince - Hot thing (Extended version)
Billy Thorpe - Steamulation
Wide Boy Awake - Slang teacher
Hot Chip - Over and over (Maurice Fulton Vocal Remix)
TJ Kong & Nuno Des Santos - Circus Bells (Spacemuffin dub)
The Units - High pressure days
A Certain Ratio - Do the du
Pink Floyd - See emily play
Jarvis Cocker - Running the world
The Passions - In love with a german filmstar (Dave Clarke remix)
Can - I Want More

Thisisnotanexit Vol.5 now available to download!

http://www.thisisnotanexit.net/audio.htm

Its the ITS TIME launch party this Friday! Get excited people! JD Twitch (Optimo) is looking forward to it and has said that he's looking foward to "freaking out" whatever the hell that means!

I'll be keeping it sedate from 8pm so turn up early if you want to hear music from the far reaches of my record collection.

And to get you all excited for Friday you can listen to the new Optimo Radio 1 Essential Mix here:



Click Here to hear it.




Tracklisting:
Jesse Jackson - Intro
The Jellies - Jive Baby on a Saturday Night
Prinzhorn Dance School - You Are the Space Invader
The Bar Kays - Holy Ghost
The Staple Singers - Slippery People
Chic - Good Times
Troublefunk - Drop The Bomb
Prince - Sign 'O' The Times
LCD Soundsytem - 45.33 part 1
Altz - Max Motion
Unknownmix - The Siren (Lo Soul edit)
Dondolo - Dragon (Shit Robot mix)
The Gossip - Standing In The Way of Control (Playgroup dub)
Depeche Mode - The Sinner in Me (Ricardo Villalobos Conclace remix)
Ricardo Villalobos - Fizheuer Zieheuer
Hansepferd - BismarkE
Saint Ibot - White Night
Marc Houle - Bay of Figs
Paul Johnson - Rubber Band
Sparks - Beat the Clock
Kenlou - Sensational Beats
Bumblebee Unlimited - Lady Bug
Lindstrom - The Contemporary Fix
Hot Chip - No Fit State
The Rapture - Get Yourself Together
X Vectors - Your Love
Love Is All - Busy Doing Nothing (An Optimo (Espacio) remix)
Divine - Shake It Up
Bobby O - She Has a Way (Glimmers edit)
Yello - Bostich (Reese Uptempo mix)
Mala - Left Leg Out
Neu! - Hallogallo (Mary Hill rework)
Grauzone - Eisbar
Crass - Bloody Revolutiions
The Celestial Choir - Stand on the Word

Blackstrobe have made their transition from the Output fallout to Playlouder Recordings with the release of Shining Bright Star today. Its a track thats been kicking about for a while and does everything a Blackstrobe track normally does. Its a bit like this that was on the so rare it hurts 5x12 Puma boxset that came out as part of the Miami Festival a couple of years ago.

I got my copy at an Output Records night and have treasured ever since as I believe there was only 100 made - but it had exclusive stuff from Output, Diplo, DFA etc on it. Anyway here's Blackstrobe doing their big ballsy electro techno house 'ting. Enjoy.

Blackstrobe - Pins and needles

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=93AA43FA7E5BE714

Myself and They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them mastered Twitch's remix of ITS TIME yesterday entitled ITS TIME An Optimo Espacio Remix. Its out in a few weeks as the first release on the label and is rather marvellous. A proper good twenty five to six tune.

It might be up on They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them's Myspace page if you can't wait....

Thisisnotanexit Volume 5 will be up on the official site shortly - tracklist below:

Thisisnotanexit Volume 5

1. The Liars - The Other Side Of Mt. Heart Attack
2. Alejandro Escovedo - Sex Beat
3. Jonathan Richman - Egyptian Reggae
4. Prinzhorn Dance School - Monsters (Demo)
5. My Sister Klaus - Privateer
6. The Jesus & Mary Chain - Vegetable Man
7. They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them - IT'S TIME (gay masters extended discomix)
8. The Fall - Blindness
9. Dondolo - Tetanus Crisis (Hot Chip Remix)
10. The Rakes - Binary Love (The Loving Hand Remix) (Thisisnotanexit Dub Edit)
11. Arthur Russell - Springfield (DFA Remix)
12. Jah Division - Dub Disorder
13. Blackdown - Crackle Blues (Burial Remix)
14. Kate Wax - Beetles & Spiders
15. Mongrel Wireless - You And I
16. Yo La Tengo - I Feel Like Going Home

Should be up over the weekend.....

In regards to the forthcoming first release on the label make sure you all come to the launch party we're doing - it shold be a good 'un.

They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them IT'S TIME Single Launch Party
Friday 17th November
Barden's Boudoir, 38-44 Stoke Newington Road, London, N16 7XJ

Featuring:

JD Twitch (Optimo)
They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them
Simon A. Carr (Thisisnotanexit)

Doors 2000
£5 entry all night
First 100 entrants will receive an exclusive limited edition CD featruing the unreleased An Optimo (Espacio) Dub Remix of IT'S TIME

Directions for Bardens Boudoir:
The nearest overground is Dalston-Kingsland (two stops from Highbury & Islington tube), Bardens is then a five minute walk up Kingsland Road. Buses 67, 76, 149 and 243 stop on the doorstep. Buses 149, 243 and 76 operate all night. Buses 242, 30, 38, 56 all go to Dalston Junction which is a five minute walk up to Bardens. Buses 38 and 242 operate all night

I put together this little re-edit of The Rakes Binary Love (The Loving Hands aka Tim Goldsworthy of the DFA remix) at the weekend as I'm not a huge fan of The Rakes singers vocals. I've therefore got rid of them....

The Rakes - Binary Love (The Loving Hands Remix) (Thisisnotanexit Dub Edit)

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&batch_id=8hfDQeq2p3k=

Here's some early shambolic and live Mark E Smith. These are so so good. Raw as hell.

The Fall - Industrial Estate (live) (One ofthe best Fall tracks ever)

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=B335D6F870B72D28

The Fall - Louie louie (live)

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=7042132D05451BB3

Here's the playlist from yesterdays DJ set @ The Lock Tavern - apologies for the technical problems to begin with but it worked out in the end.....

Jah Division - Dub Disorder
Annie - Helpless Fool For Love (JD Twitch Optimo Remix)
Arthur Russell - Springfield (DFA Remix)
Blackdown - Crackle Blues (Burial Remix)
Misty In Roots - Man Kind (LIVE)
Fun Boy Three - The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum
J. Richman - Egyptian Reggae
Stereolab - Solar Throwaway
Altz - Maxmotion
Prinzhorn Dance School - Monsters (Demo)
Deborah Evans - Side A Side B Side
Can - I Want More
The Persuader - Slussen (Go dub mix by Erot)
GUNSHOTS Jamaican Dancehall sample
They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them - IT'S TIME (gay masters extended discomix)
Pink Floyd - See Emily Play

I'm DJing at The Lock Tavern in London this Sunday afternoon - sometime around 4ish for 70-80 minutes - come on down if you're around, I'll be playing a no doubt mixed bag of stuff. I'm currently finishing Thisisnotanexit Vol.5 so I may well play a few bits and pieces off that.

No posts for a few weeks as I've been on holiday - plus label action is keeping me out (or in) trouble depending on how you look at it. Today we're going to go and master They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them first single for Thisisnotanexit Records with Kevin Metcalfe. It currently sounds amazing so once we've mastered it, it should sound Top 10. Its released November 13th on limited edition vinyl, cd and cassette but the band will be streaming it on their myspace real soon....and all being well should be all over the radio too...

We're having a launch party to celebrate the single release on Friday November 17th @ Barden's Boudoir (38-44 Stoke Newington Road, London) with a great line up of talent:

They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them
JD Twitch (Optimo)
Simon A. Carr (Thisisnotanexit)

Doors 2000 - 0200
Entry £5

Everyone welcome it should be a great night.

I saw The Fall on Friday at The Galtymore in Cricklewood and they ended their set with this beauty from their latest album, a 7 minute groove that sounds like The Fall covering LCD Soundsystem covering The Fall:

The Fall - Blindness

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=B3EE560F33071329

Over and out.

No posts for a while as I've been busy working on the first release for the label - I'll post the demo up in the next few days so that you can start to get excited about the properly mastered release in November - alongside that JD Twitch Optimo remix that is about to be done. They came from the stars, I saw them supported Magnetophone on Sunday night and played an amazing set - and Sculpture who supported fried my brain also....if you get the chance check him out.

Here's a cover of Pink Floyd's Vegetable Man which was on the b-side to The Jesus & Mary Chains first ever 7" - its rather rare this, and Jim Reid has also been playing this out at his solo gigs recently.

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=0693ACE51C7FEA64

And continuing the cover versions theme here's The Cramps covering Count Fives - Psychotic Reaction from their 'Smell the female' live LP. The originals great, and this is great too. Gotta love The Cramps.

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=CA8488FF517286A4

I also now have a soundcard and audio setup that works! So expect a few rare vinyl bits and pieces over the coming weeks, plus some exclusives from They came from the stars, I saw them...

I'm still having problems with my decks - mixer - Ableton - laptop - soundcard setup so until I get it sorted here are a couple of things to tide you over.

Over at our friend George Demure's myspace page is this downloadable track but figured I would put it up here too as myspace can be so temperamental. His new track Main Attraction can be streamed there too and should be making its appearance on little black 7" plastic real soon. Go and buy it as A) its great and B) he's one of the nicest men in music, seriously. Plus its not neu-rave!

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=228012B201303CC3

And this is most definitely not neu-rave! Its a track by OOIOO called UMA (apparently it means 'horse' in Japanese). Its from OOIOO's new cd TAIGA which you can purchase via import - apparently its going to be released as part of an ep in October backed with a remix by EY3 from The Boredoms! I cannot wait. I also got the EY3 remix #2 of Crue-l Grand Orchestra last week which is worth a listen - even at £12 for an import 12".

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=A384C3F54B7422E0

Just bought the new Stereolab 7" and the best of Blurt Vol.2 which I'm looking forward to - but the Gregor Samsa LP is still on constant rotation along with Chris Carters - Mondo Beat LP, the How To Cure Dyslexia 7" and some old stuff by The Scars....plus the demos from The Sorcerer and Hatchback that they sent me - glorious electro nu-disco.