2010 : Heroes of the year Number 5

Second year running that Mark Pritchard has cracked the top 5 of the heroes list, again by just releasing (or is some cases still not releasing) just a few absolute gems.

Blen and How Does It Make You Feel as Africa HiTec, the bass rattling Elephant Dub and the 'oh that's where he sampled it' jazzy Heavy As Stone were all classics which I'm sure will go down amongst his already long list of very best work. Then in October when he guest hosted a show for Rinse, not only did he remind us all what a great dj he is (though I'm not sure anyone was under any other illusion) but he unleashed another monster us and once again adding another genre to the list - the juke anthem Out In The Street.

Blen 
How Does It Make You Feel 
Too Late 
Heavy As Stone 
Elephant Dub 
Rinse FM Show 

Blackclassical on SIR - Heavier than stone

I know you all already do but just in case there's someone at the back who hasn't been paying attention, you really should check out blackclassical's mixes on Spaceinvader. As I was listening back to last Sunday's show, I though I heard Mark Pritchard's Heavy As Stone - one of my favourites of the year so far. Of course, being the diggers' digger, it was obviously the original sample. Listen to both now and compare / contrast.

Messages From Africa: Space Invader Show 23/05/10 by Blackclassical on Mixcloud

Download: Heavy As Stone http://www.mediafire.com/?zzk33znzrod

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)