Party Like It's 2009

Happy New Year and all the best for 2010!


Download: Orbital - Chime

Songs of Praise: Best Songs of '09

I was going to put a little piece up the latest Space Invader show but the show was actually a collaborative effort by myself and Colin Cubikmusik, so instead I'll just direct towards his blog where he rounds it all up very nicely.

http://cubikmusik.typepad.com/cubikmusik/2009/12/songs-of-praise-best-songs-of-09.html

If you just want to listen again, you can do so here:

Space Invader Mix 27.12.09 Side A by Paul Riley on Mixcloud

Space Invader Mix 27.12.09 Side B by Paul Riley on Mixcloud

Space Invader Mix 27.12.09 Side C by Paul Riley on Mixcloud

2009 Record of the year 1 : Heroes of the year

1. Burial and Four Tet

Is it cheating to have two people at the number one? Not if between them, their tracks are three of my favourites of the year and their collaboration was my number 1.

I guess 2009 was actually a quiet year for both of them - their entire collected output would probably come to somewhere around 30 minutes of actual music. Firstly Burial, who after all the Mercury prize and outing fiasco last year, kept away from the spotlight and his only release was to be a part of the Hyperdub anniversary compilation.

Four Tet dropped the first single from his forthcoming album late in year and showed that he still knows what works on the dancefloor after a couple of experimental free jazz albums. His choice of remixes was also spot on with Joy Orbison being asked to do the business and delivering. I can't wait for the album in early 2010.

When the two combined on the ultra limited 12", I knew before even hearing the track that it would either bring out their very worst and be some messy experimental noise, or the very best and be heavy dubstep / atmospheric type thing. I was really pleased then that I was completely wrong and in 'Moth', they actually made a deep house track. Ok, house music with some mad noises, those skippy / clicky beats and cut up vocal snatches. Its all about the build, the drops and coming backs for seconds.  That's why we've gotta have house music all night long.

Download:

Burial - Fostercare 

Four Tet - Love Cry 

Burial and Four Tet - Moth 

And if you are wondering where Joy Orbison, the xx, Shackleton and many others are from the chart, check out Songs of Praise on Sunday when me and Colin will be doing a 3 hour run down of all our favourites of the year with (hopefully) very little overlap from this chart. Check it here: Space Invader Sunday 6 - 9 pm

2009 Record of the year 2 : Heroes of the year

2. Mr Beatnick

I've been a big fan of this guy for a couple of years now, firstly from his writing on the Brownswood site and more recently for Shook magazine - he is a self proclaimed archiologist of sound. This passion for digging out the lost and unknown was manifested in a series of classic mixes of jazz and library cuts on his Shhhhh site.

As a producer he has been responsible for a couple of the wonky / broken anthems - 'I Know All The Bitches' and the 'What's Going On?' edit. This year has seen more of his productions / remixes released including one of my records of the year, 'Walk' by Jungle Drums. The second track I've picked came through his twitter page where he slipped out a couple of exclusive edits earlier in the year. 

However what I really want to focus on is how he is pushing forward his dj sets. Since the summer, he was (to me) one of the pioneers of using his UStream site to throw down some random and irregular sets. Highlights have been the day he bought a huge collection of old jungle records and rinsed them one Saturday afternoon or the time he was spinning and Dobie came on chatting. Nick invited him round to play a few tunes of his own and within an  hour they were back-to-back playing classic disco breaks. 

A short clip of the session can be found here:

As a short introduction to his style, I can also highly recommend his mix for Mary Anne Hobbs from August.

 

Mr Beatnick - Mary Anne Hobbs Mix by mrbeatnick

Ustream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/moog-madness

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mrbeatnick

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MrBeatnick

Download: Jungle Drums feat Ahu - Walk (Mr Beatnick Remix) 
Phat Kat - Lovely (Mr Beatnick I love Melanie Edit) 

2009 Record of the year 3: Heroes of the year

3. 8Bitch

Maybe a surprise choice but I'd like to think it's just a bit of an upfront exclusive and this time next year everyone will be raving about her. Anyway, no-one else has so many tracks (19!) in my 'most played' list this year so she must be doing something right.

For anyone deaf or daft enough to have missed her this year her music ranges from techno, r'n'b, to dubstep and dirty old crunk. Oh yeah and throw in that she's not just a great producer, but that she can more than hold her own on the mic too. And be an international dj superstar. And although I'm generally on safer grounds talking about her music, she's also involved in fashion, acting and some sort of Dj computer game which I don't even want to bother asking about.  However I think her greatest achievement of the year was that she made La Roux sound less shit.

After months of constant pestering and annoying her with "when are you getting released?" "when are you getting released?", the big news came through last week that the new year will finally see the release of her first records. News as to whether or not it'll be a tropical picture disc is as yet unconfirmed.


Twitter: http://twitter.com/the8biTCH
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thisis8bitch

2009 Record of the year 4: Heroes of the year

4. Floating Points

As a long term lurker on the brownswood site, I had been watching the continued rise of FPS work for nearly two years now. From demos and remixes played at CDR nights that eventually went on to be his big breakthrough full releases, it has been interesting to quietly watch him develop.

I think he would have been in my "heroes" list just for Love Me Like This, but through in his three other releases (each of which also came with some stunning b-sides!) and the remix for Bei Bei and Georgia Anne Muldrow and finally the live session on Gilles Peterson's show, says that the album and live shows from this guy are going to be amongst the highlights of next year.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/floatingpoints

Download: Floating Points - Love Me Like This (Nonsense Dub) 

2009 Record of the year 5: Heroes of the year

5. Mark Pritchard

Over the next few days, I'll be focusing on a few of my "heroes" this year. People who have really been pushing things forward this year. 

I think with the Harmonic 313 LP from 2008, Wind it Up this year and (whenever they eventually drop) Lion and Heavy as Stone, Mark Pritchard meets this criteria and then some. 

Always a name you can buy blind, from his classic work with Tom Middleton, the track with Spacek in  '07, the remix of Guilty Simpson, hell even Rhubarb and Custard wasn't too bad back in the day. He kind of went a little quiet (to me) a few years ago but then came back stronger in the past 24 months or so. 

On a side note, big up to Warp and Hyperdub - two labels closely associated with Pritchard's work in his various guises - who both celebrated milestones this year and continue to put out some of the most forward-thinking and interesting records around.

Myspace

Download: Mark Pritchard - Wind it Up (feat. Om'mas Keith) 

2009 Record of the year 8 - 6

The Revenge / OOFT blog has been one of the 'must check' sites for me this year. Their very limited edition downloads of edits / remixes from their sets might have gone from the sublime, see below, to the ridiculous, see their latest Wham meets Diana Ross cut up (move quick here), but the quality is always of the highest order. Here they drop a bit of Neneh Cherry with Malcolm Mclaren to great effect.

8. Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance (The Revenge Edit) 

Whats left to say about Rustie? I think a lot has been written about the Glasgow scene he, Numbers, Hu Mo et al have been at the forefront of this this year.  Completely different to the Glasgow that Revenge (see above) must be living in but still, was there a more vibrant city this year? Is Rustie going to make the album of 2010? With his productions like this and Bad Science, you know its going to be something a bit special. Or is it going to be the year the piss poor imitators move into the scene flood it with crap?

7. Keyshia Cole - Shoulda Let You Go (Rustie Keesha Resmak) 

Who would have thought Whitney Houston would have come back so strong? Well, although the original mix was good, it took a little re-edit from Scrimshire, extending it and using a little bit more of the Loleatta Holloway sample, to really send it soaring. Adam must be the most generous man of the year as not only did he give away this gem away, if you move quick enough, you can still pick up his full artist album either as a pay-what-you-want download or limited edition personalised cd here: http://scrimshire.bandcamp.com/

6. Whitney Houston - Million Dollar Bill (Scrimshire Edit) 

2009 Record of the year 11 - 9

I don't generally check a lot of what the likes of Diplo, Jesse Rose and Sinden etc play and that style of house however this track was in one of A-Trak's lists. It really stood out to me because he described it as a Beyonce accapella over Doug E Fresh drums. Sounded good to me.

11. Beyonce - Single Ladies (Ted Smooth & Mick Boogie Edit Remix) 

One of the most eagerly anticipated, hyped and unsurprisingly  disappointing albums of the year was Blueprint 3. It did however have one stone cold classic Timberland beat. 

10. Jay Z - Venus Vs. Mars 

Seiji's blog (seiji.co.uk) has been giving away little exclusive tracks and remixes for the past few months and for me, this was the pick of the bunch.

9. Seiji vs Lady Chann - Sticky Situation (Seiji's VIP Mix) 

2009 Record of the year 14 - 12

You can't really review 2009 without mentioning the events of 25th June. I think some used it to try to put out any old crap with the tagline of MJ tribute. Most were just very poor remixes which added absolutely nothing to the original classics. Even The Roots ruined Billie Jean so it really does take something special to not only pay homage but also perhaps improve on the original. I think they managed it this time.

14. The Roots - I Wanna Be Where You Are w/ Erykah Badu 

I could really have chose any of Onur Engin's edits which have been appearing on Soundcloud this year, however if pushed, I think this one would be my favourite. My only (very slight) issue is that it needs to be longer, that loop could o on forever for me. However until then, the repeat button will have to do.

13. Diana Ross - Brown Baby (Onur Engin Edit) 

Another new producer in '09 (to me anyway) whose tracks first started appearing again on Soundcloud earlier this year. His full release, Strings Detached, was a great little ep and whetted the appetite for more releases and remix work. I've recently been hearing very good things about his dj sets too - must catch up with one of them soon. The broadsheets must be tipping this guy as one to watch in 2010, right?

12. Flying Lotus ft Andreya Triana - Tea Leaf Dancers (Blue Daisy Remix) 

2009 Record of the year 17 - 15

I think this track could have been the first time I really saw the benefits of Twitter. Questlove from The Roots took up the challenge to take an unusable album and make something out of it. He tweeted his progress along the way and then at the end, posted this video and the track up to show mission accomplished.

 

17. The Randy Watson Experience - Philip Michael Thompson (?uestlove edit) 

I hadn't really thought that dubstep would have crossed over to US rappers so well but this is one heavy track that really worked. I don't think it actually got a full single release yet as it hasn't yet been the pop chart hit it deserves to be.

16. Eve with Benga - me N my (Dirty)

This album almost slipped me by earlier this year but the inclusion of this track in, what was probably the best mix cd this year, Modeselektor's Body Language Vol. 8, I immediately had to go back and check it again.

15. Animal Collective - My Girls 

2009 Record of the year 20 - 18

Beak> were Geoff Barrow's (of Portishead) new side project band, whose limited edition box set album sold out before you could even say gone, despite very low key publicity. Thankfully it has now been repressed as a single cd and can be picked up here: http://beak.bandcamp.com/

20. Beak> - I know 

I never really found out too much about this track or who the Mcsleazy was that put it together but it grew to be one of my favourites from September. Drone guitars with the classic 'Baby I Love You' seemed a little strange on paper, but actually turned out to compliment the wall of sound Spector might have been making today if he wasn't planning on working with Charles Manson or whatever else he gets up to these days.

Also, I can't pass this moment without paying a small tribute to the writer of The Ronettes track, Ellie Greenwich, who sadly died this August.

19.  Arab Strap vs The Ronettes - Baby, 1 4o7e 1ou (Mcsleazy Bootleg) 

Where did this one come from? Well, some street festival in Manchester back in July would be the precise answer but who would have thought a steel band playing post punk could sound so good? Well, lots of people it seems.

18. Steel Harmony - Steel Transmission 

Round up

Just a bit of a round up from the last few weeks. I think all the good new tracks I have been listening to have already been heavily blogged so I don't really want to spend too long or what you probably already should be very familiar with. But incase you have been hiding away trying to deny it is Winter or something and completely missed them, you need to check out Rustie, Flying Lotus and Dobie's latest.

There have been two more Songs of Praise shows on spaceinvader fm which can still be played again here and here. From the first I think the track which got the most attention was the Digital Mystikz one, and from the show last Sunday, I think one or two people were surprised by the inclusion of a Chris Rea Christmas classic.

One final bit of news, me and Colin have finally sorted out the list for the end of year show so I can start putting my own favourites up on here now, so that will start in the next few posts over the coming days.

Downloads: 
Digital Mystikz - Pathways 
Chris Rea - Driving Home 

Sorry

No posts last week as I've been finalising my best of '09 lists to be started this week.


To go some way towards making up for a lack of any new tracks, here's an epic Sunday morning classic. The photo above is my own picture of Tiergarten at dusk before you wonder why its a bit crap.


Download: Rufus Wainwright - Tiergarten (Supermayer Remix) 

Northern Chill By Nature

Not really any story with this track, just a bit of a down tempo classic to start the week. From the b-side of "Karma Police" and also 1,000 chill out compilations, comes this classic Zero 7 remix of Radiohead.


I guess for a few years around 2000 / 01, anything with "chill out", "down beat" or "Zero 7 remix" would make most people run for the hills as there was a bit of over kill with that sound, too many immitaters, too many crap compilations with the same tracks on and the whole scene seemed to me to get associated with  TV advertised cds. Yet I still think a lot of what Zero 7, Fila Brazillia, Presence, Kruder & Dorfmeister and the like (who must have made a packet off all them compilations), stands up quite well.


Download: Radiohead - Climbing Up Walls (Zero 7 Mix)

Warp-ed

I've been listening to a lot of the old Warp records recently on the back of the recent 20th anniversary box set. I especially love all the early bleep techno ones - LFO, Nightmares on Wax, Sweet Exorcist etc and the series of "Intelligent Techno" albums of Aphex Twin, Speedy J and Autechre.

The later stuff, such as from the 00's, I can dip in and out of, it's not always my kind of thing whether its because it just went too noisy and untuneful or its just not what I expect Warp to sound like and the shock actually takes away from the music, such as with Maximo Park.

The track I have chosen, I first heard through one of those Mixmag Live! compilations mixed by Slam and on the Sasha and Digweed Renaissance mix. It took me a while to track down (although it isn't particularly rare) but I finally got hold of the classic Warp compilation "Tequila Slammers And The Jump Jump Groove Generation". I must have realised I'd got a bargain because I have left the price sticker on it from Oxfam - 99p!

Download: Jaco - Show Some Love http://www.mediafire.com/?wkykjymfbhz

Lil Wayne - The Carter Documentary

The Riley Family album

For no reason whatsoever, I thought today, I would write a little bit about how my family have influence my musical tastes.

I guess sharing a bedroom with my brother who is 5 years older than me as that introduced me to house and indie music. In there I could hear 808 state, Stone Roses, Primal Scream, Happy Mondays and everything else he was getting taped off his friends in the early 90s. When he moved out, he actually became a bit more heavy rock and its actually quite rare that we find records we are both equally passionate about anymore. I guess the alt-country / folk type stuff is our only meeting ground anymore.

My dad was a teenager in the late 60s / early 70s and as a kid I never really liked a lot of his records. I remember he had a Beatles compilation called "Rock 'N' Roll Music" which had a drawing of someone holding the sleeve but you could never place your hands correctly to match how it wrapped around the sleeve. (I guess you have to see it to understand). He also had "Abbey Road" and a Beach Boys Greatest Hits that I liked but then there was far too much Moody Blues and Rod Stewart who I hadn't yet grown to appreciate a little more. But even then it wasn't The Faces, it was actually Rod's solo albums weren't don't appeal that much to me today either.

My mum has never been much of a music fan, generally liking whatever is on the radio she can sing along to with the wrong words and even as a teenager didn't really buy many records. The ones she did were all big chart hits but yet I actually find more gems looking through my mum's 45s than my dad's. Theres more soul and disco stuff - Jackie Wilson, George Mcrae, Motown stuff and the track I have chosen to highlight from Freda Payne. I'll ignore the fact she also loved Donny Osmond and David Cassidy!

Download: Freda Payne - Band of Gold 

Best album of the 00's?

The often controversial (read: wrong) NME has delivered it's top 100 albums of the 2000s, and although instantly forgettable, over hyped and / or brand new records appear, there is no room for my album of the decade.

Now, this may be a very controversial choice, I have a friend who laughed when we were discussing this topic a few years ago and I told him this was my favourite. He didn't even think this was the best album by this band in the last 10 years! I had some sympathy but only because I think they have made two of the greatest albums ever made and anyway his argument wouldn't stand up anymore as the other record came out in 1999 and so is ineligible for this chart.

My choice is from 2002, The Roots "Phrenology". Although I love every track on this album, I particularly can't get enough of the middle section - the flow from the Ursula Rucker "WAOK Rollcall" of honours for the 'architects' of hip hop including Vanilla Ice, the Apache break lead "Thoughts @ Work", the party rocking "The Seed (2.0)", then in starts slowing down with "Break You Off" and wrapping up the section with the epic 11 minute "Water". And that doesn't even include the beautiful "Complexity" with Jill Scott.

A few years later I lent my cd to a friend and when I was picking it up, I was on the bus and could hear someone behind me listening to "The Seed" pumping out of his headphones. After a quick reassuring check in my bag to make sure I hadn't been robbed, I turned and gave a little appreciative smile. She probably though I was insane.

Download The Roots - Water

Read the whole NME list here

The most stressful mix I'll ever do

Yesterday afternoon, when I was expecting Colin cubikmusik to be promoting the Spaceinvader fm show, he announced there had been problems with his computer and he wouldn't be able to make the show that evening. As I kind of had my planned tracklist set for the show I should have been doing a week later, I thought it wouldn't be too much trouble to step in.

So with 6 hours to go before broadcast, I finalised the tracklisting and began mixing the 2 hour show. Then there was issues with not having a huge amount of memory space left on my laptop so had to move things around, clear some crap etc. I had been sent some info about uploading it for broadcast but couldn't really make any sense of it so arranged that I'd upload it and send a link to be downloaded and set up for broadcast - I know, time consuming but the best way in the circumstances. Well that was until after 44 minutes of a 45 minute upload the internet connection died on me! That left an hour to upload again, send it and prepare for broadcast. Messages were flying back and forth across twitter that one person was going out, another was already out and might not be back to download. To say, it was getting a little tense and fraught would be putting it mildly.

Then at 17:50, the message came through, "DONE". We were good to go

Thankfully though, the feedback from the show was all positive, especially the final 45 minutes of some classic reggae and dancehall vibes which had Colin grinding around the kitchen to his Sunday roast - I don't really want to picture it myself, but there you go.

You can listen again or download the show from here: Spaceinvader Mix 15.11.09 by paulr

And here is a track that perhaps conveys some of the urgency and excitement of the day. Download - Flourgon and Ninjaman - Zig It Up