Species Piracy

a+robin+and+amy+photo
I absolutely love this photo of Robin The Fog (centre) and Amy Cutler (right) from their brand new Species Piracy audio visual show that premiered last Thursday at Iklectik. I couldn’t go but this photo and the footage captured by Jamesalechardy looks great and more info on the project which centres around ‘an ongoing ensemble live cinema project inspired by the dark arts of de-extinction’ is available here amycutler.net. They’re looking for more gigs of this nature so contact Amy via the website.

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #17: Raj Pannu – Past Crimes EP

Raj front
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

Raj back
#17. Raj Pannu – Past Crimes EP 12”
My old friend Raj Pannu finally releases a new 12” with his own compositions on this excellent electronic 5 track EP. On the To Pikap label out of Thessaloniki, Greece.
https://topikaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/past-crimes
https://topikaprecords.bandcamp.com/music

Raj A
Raj B
Raj topik

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #16: Various Artists – Tape Excavation LP

Tape Excavation front
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

Tape Excavation back
#16. Various Artists – Tape Excavation LP
Literally what it says on the tin; obscurities from the tape drawer compiled by Bruce Licher and beautifully printed on a custom card sleeve with inserts, all lovingly detailed in the Savage Impressions book that this originally accompanied which showcases 30 years of the Independent Print Project label’s release history.

https://brucelicher.bandcamp.com/album/tape-excavation

https://independentprojectrecords.bandcamp.com/merch/savage-impressions-an-aesthetic-expedition-through-the-archives-of-independent-project-records-press-book
https://independentprojectrecords.bandcamp.com/music

Tape Excavation detail 2
Tape Excavation detail
Tape Excavation inside
SAVIMP front
SAVIMP
SAVIMP 1
SAVIMP 2
SAVIMP 3
SAVIMP pages

Mixcloud Select 176: Tour Mix 08/06/2007

MS176 CDr
Sorry this is a bit late, Mixcloud seemingly deleted the original upload that I made last week. I also just noticed that I missed MS172 – which is all ready to go but will have to wait until next year as I have a Xmas mix for next week.

I’m not sure why this is called a ‘Tour Mix’, it’s not a live set for sure but I could have conceivably made it on the laptop on tour – maybe I was out with DK promoting our ’Now, Listen Again’ mix CD, I’d have to check dates. Anyway – Zero db tackle Sun Ra for the opening and I think this only came out on their own Reconstruction compilation of remixes rather than on any official Sun Ra release. John Cale then trades places with James Murphy for his LCD Soundsystem cover, which sounds a bit strained and painful in hindsight now. Next up is the first of three Mr76ix tracks from his 3 (Minority of 1) album on Skam with a magnificent tempo switch down into Def Tex’s ‘Bomber’ – what a bassline! Def Tex were great, always inventive hip hop and this was from their second album on Son Records.

Battles seemed to explode out of nowhere but they’d already made three singles before signing to the label and ‘Race:In’ came from their debut LP, Mirrored. Kidkanevil’s ‘5th Gear’ features Latyrx’s Lateef The Truthspeaker in a horny flute ode to getting down to it with a subtlety rarely present in rap. But here’s another with Pharaoh Monch expertly remixed by Optima Espacio into some sort of slow build electro gospel banger. There’s a guitar solo over a breakdown FFS! Keeping on the love-tip; an overlooked DJ Shadow B side from his Outsider album era sees him mining a psych funk angle on ‘Love, Love’. This was only on the CD single and later download of the ‘This Time’ single, no idea why it didn’t make the album and the non-LP cuts and remixes were frequently better than some of the material on that record IMO.
MS176 PRS

Oh Pepe Deluxe, how I loved (and still do love) their Spare Time Machine album, two tracks here sum it up – tightly constructed, immaculately produced sunshine psychedelia. They really string out the intro to ‘Apple Thief’ but when it kicks in it’s well worth the wait. ‘Go For Blue’ also inspired a colour-based mix of songs shortly after this including ‘Purple Rain’, ‘Mellow Yellow’ and ‘Mr Blue Sky’ but that’s already on the web. I’m wondering where I heard Candie Payne’s track from as I don’t remember buying it, maybe a promo or a compilation – whatever, she’s got that 60s doom pop sound nailed. Mr76ix sounds like he’s been listening to the last track on Selected Ambient Works II and put some rave beats to it and Battles are back again with the epic ‘Atlas’ – remember that great video of them in the mirrored box? Mr76ix plays out over the breakdown of this with a beautiful beat-less piece called ‘Romanticism’ before we’re back into that drawn out guitar trade off that builds into the final section.

Track list:
Sun Ra – Satellites Are Spinning (Zero db remix)
LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends (John Cale version)
Mr76ix – H.A.A.R.P.
Def Tex – Bomber
Battles – Race:In
Kidkanevil – 5th Gear feat. Lateef The Truthspeaker
Pharoah Monch – Body Baby (Optimo Espacio mix)
DJ Shadow – Love, Love
Pepe Deluxe – Apple Thief
Pepe Deluxe – Go For Blue
Candie Payne – I Wish I Could Have Loved You More
Mr76ix – Spirit of Man
Battles – Atlas
Mr76ix – Romanticism

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #15: Stereolab – The In Sound stamp sheets

Stereolab stamps 1
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

Stereolab stamps 2
#15. Stereolab – The In Sound stamp sheets
Commemorative stamps that went with the long sold out 7” release Independent Project Records made with Stereolab.

https://independentprojectrecords.bandcamp.com/merch/stereolab-the-in-sound-stamp-sheets-set-of-4-different-colors

https://independentprojectrecords.bandcamp.com/music



Stereolab stamps 3

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #14: Source: The Independent Project Records Collection CD

Source front
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

Source back no
#14. Various Artists – Source: The Independent Project Records Collection CD
A starting point for newcomers to the label, largely run, designed and printed by Bruce Licher, featuring a number of his own aliases alongside post-punk bands of the 80s and 90s.

https://sourcevariousartistscompilation.bandcamp.com/album/source-the-independent-project-records-collection

https://independentprojectrecords.bandcamp.com/music

Source back
Source CD
Source inside
Source package

Obscure Records box set

CompleteObscure_LP03 web
Obscure RecordsBrian Eno and Gavin Bryars‘ short-lived record label from the mid 70s – is getting a lavish reissue this month via the Italian label, dialogo. The ten albums released in three batches between 1976 and 1978 are getting the box set treatment on vinyl and CD with accompanying books detailing their checkered histories with new sleevenotes and essays by key contributors. The label very kindly sent me the full digital release and I’ve been revisiting – and in some cases hearing for the first time – all the volumes in pristine, digitally-remastered quality seeing as the handful of originals I have on vinyl have been around the block a bit now.
Co-curated at the time by Eno, Bryars and Micheal Nyman and resurrected by Bryars with full co-operation of all featured artists for this release, the ten albums form a snapshot of a young, experimental set of avant garde composers, mainly from the UK, setting out in careers that would take them in different directions with varying levels of succes, fame and notoriety. The most famous of the set are by the key curators – Bryars’ ‘The Sinking of the Titanic / Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet’, Eno’s ‘Discreet Music’ and Micheal Nyman’s debut,’Decay Music’, but you’ll recognise others among them too; The Penguin Cafe Orchestra’s first LP is here alongside works by John Cage, David Toop and Harold Budd’s introductory outing.

CompleteObscure_LP05_C web

Several things strike me about these albums; the amount of samples – or ‘found sound’ as they’re called in the sleeve notes – some of them use. At least half the catalogue use or manipulate voice or field recordings, in Discreet Music’s case, affecting or looping sections of another composer’s work as just another instrument. It’s also interesting to note how many of the participants were also working part time in the education system, no doubt influencing future generations in other ways beyond these albums. There’s probably a book to be written about the hidden history of art and music taught through the universities of the UK by some of its most unique practitioners.

The label have done a beautiful job representing these albums as one body of work with the CD version looking like a perfect companion to the Oblique Strategies box on the shelf. The sleeves are facsimiles of the originals, reproducing sleeve notes inside the book along with reflections from Bryars, Toop and more as well as insights into their legacy, the cover reconstructions and even the myriad of different pressings of the originals out there. According to the sleeve notes there was to be an Obscure 11, Eno’s Music For Airports, but at the last minute he changed his mind and started the Ambient Series; four albums that bear similarities to the Obscure releases, not least in their cover designs as well as his hand in their production. Times and the composer had moved on and a new movement was afoot, leaving the Obscure catalogue at a perfect ten, a time capsule of a collective that would splinter in different directions and prove influential in ways none could predict.

An aside concerning the cost of these box sets, they’re not cheap but look worth every penny. Downloads of six of the albums are also available on the label’s Bandcamp for €12 per LP – minus the classics by Eno, Penguin Cafe, Michael Nyman, Harold Budd (which you can find easily elsewhere).

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #13: Bruce Licher – Exploratorium 3” CD / Expanded CD

Exploratorium 12%22 front
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

Exploratorium CD back

#13. Bruce Licher – Exploratorium 3” CD / Expanded CD
The first of several releases I’m going to feature from Independent Project Records. The exquisitely designed and letterpress-printed releases on this label have to be seen and held in the flesh to be fully appreciated.
This is label owner Bruce Licher’s solo ambient explorations, firstly as a 3″ CD held onto 12″ square piece of card and later in a custom-printed foldout card sleeve with booklet on regular-sized CD.

https://brucelicher.bandcamp.com/album/exploratorium-expanded

https://brucelicher.bandcamp.com/album/exploratorium

https://independentprojectrecords.bandcamp.com/music



Exploratorium 12%22 detail 2
Exploratorium 12%22 detail 4
Exploratorium 12%22 back
Exploratorium CD inside
Exploratorium CD
Exploratorium detail CD 2
Exploratorium detail CD

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #12: Anna Readman comics

AR comics
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

#12. Anna Readman comics
I discovered Anna’s autobiographical comics amongst the small press section at Gosh Comics (the best selection in London) and was delighted when she recently won the Observer/Faber’s best graphic short story prize – one to watch.

https://annareadman.bigcartel.com/

www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/05/anna-readman-winner-observer-faber-graphic-short-story-prize-2023-dancing-queen
https://goshlondon.com/small-press/

AR 1
AR 2
AR 3
AR 4
AR 5
AR 7
AR 8
AR 9

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #11: Kevin Foakes – Wheels of Light book

WheelsofLight_cover edit
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

#11. Kevin Foakes – Wheels of Light + Four Corners Books
Got to plug something of my own – my book on projection wheel designs for British light shows has been out for just over a year now and the lovely people at Four Corners Books have a wealth of obscure publications to complement it.

WOL3
WOL7
WOL6
WOL2
WOL5
There’s still time to buy from Four Corners before Xmas and, if you spend over £30 on their site, they’ll send you a limited edition enamel pin designed by John Morgan, plus a Bearandas postcard as an extra stocking filler. Offer ends 18 Dec, while stocks last

409035921_877193421077393_3041382409223599658_n

https://www.fourcornersbooks.co.uk/books/wheels-of-light/

https://www.fourcornersbooks.co.uk/



Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #10: Lo Five – Vanish LP

Lo5 front
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

#10. Lo Five – Vanish LP + Castles In Space Subscription Library
Third album (I think? It’s hard to keep up) for Castles In Space from Neil Grant but only available via the CiS Subscription Library sub label. Luckily this is the best label subscription out there with exclusive members-only releases, regular competitions to win rare releases and test pressings and even chances to appear on record.
https://lofivemusic.bandcamp.com/

https://cissublibrary.bandcamp.com/community


Lo 5 back

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #9: Official Report On The Intransitionalist Chronotopologies Of Kenji Siratori: Appendix 8.2.3

TRS book CD
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

TRS book inside 1
TRS book inside 2
TRS book inside 3
TRS book inside 4
TRS book back

#9. Official Report On The Intransitionalist Chronotopologies Of Kenji Siratori: Appendix 8.2.3 Book / CD
 / DL
Avant garde cut and paste collage with the longest title I own plus mind-boggling paperback book from the wonderful Time Released Sound label. They are about to publish a book of 10 years of the label’s releases and packaging too – one to look out for.
https://timereleasedsound.bandcamp.com/album/official-report-on-the-intransitionalist-chronotopologies-of-kenji-siratori-appendix-823
https://timereleasedsound.bandcamp.com/

Modified turntable video content for you

A few highlights from Graham Dunning and my 40+ minute set on modified turntables at the Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava for the opening of the NEXT Festival 2023.

A couple of new episodes of James In Real Life’s video diaries on the build of his Duplokit turntable –
Tonearms:

The Chassis Pt.1:

Mixcloud Select 175: 2004 Clean Up 08/12/2004

MS175 CDr
Nineteen years ago today this show aired on Solid Steel and served as a round up of a current crop of music that had come my way over the previous months. There’s a large rap quota in this hour-long set, mostly from the independent sector and what you could call ‘backpack rap’ (although I wouldn’t). A particularly trippy Solid Steel jingle opens the show by Pedro Chamorra and I have no idea who Levi is/was or where the track featuring BC and Saul Williams came from, nothing’s coming up on Discogs. Diplo’s ‘Big Lost’ is from his debut Florida LP and is still a classic, DK and I were such a fan of this record and props to Big Dada for spotting his talent early on. Not sure if the northern chaps chatting about record collecting over the top are Mark and Lard from 6 Music (or were they on XFM back then?). Natural Self was putting out 45s in the early 00’s on Tru Thoughts and here remixes The Limp Twins (Will ‘Quantic’ Holland and Russell Porter) from the Shapes Yellow TT comp. More Brighton-based music next from the Catskills label with a track from Infinite Potential’s debut 12”, As The Record Revolves – some very tight scratching on that.

The Perceptionists were a US group including Mr Lif and Akrobatik and ’Medical Aid’ was one half of a split debut 12” with another group, 4th Pyramid on Definitive Jux. Mark Rae’s ‘Reach Out To Me’ was from his third album, Into The Depths, with vocals by Veba – should have been a big hit. Busdriver’s first album for Big Dada contained the ‘Kev’s Blistering Computer…’ track and I just found out that he did a third for the label in 2014 that completely passed me by somehow. I loved Busdriver most of all of that Mush crowd, full of personality and an incredible flow, love how the DJ D-Styles cuts up the little blip noise from Herbie Hancock’s ‘Rockit’ for the chorus here too. In the liner notes Busdriver is credited with ‘Vocal Tension & Lyrical Release’, D-Styles with ’Turntable Blasphemy’ and producer Daddy Kev with ‘Strange Rhythmic Noise’. Diverse with Vast Aire came from the Chocolate Industries label as they moved into hip hop territory, with production by RJD2, another artist – like Diplo – who was adjacent to DJ Shadow in the production stakes around this time.

MS175 PRS

Back over to the UK for Bristol’s Hundred Strong which was the brainchild of Ben from the Purple Penguin record shop, always a destination when we hit the city in the 90s. I used to get sent M.Craft promos in the 00s and I always REALLY loved a couple of tracks on them, I really should investigate his back catalogue a bit more, seems this was from his debut single on 679 Recordings. I don’t recall this Massive Attack song at all, it sounds more like a Barry Adamson take on The Man With The Golden Gun than the band’s usual material. Seems it was from a soundtrack they did to a film called Danny The Dog which can be had extremely cheaply on Discogs although it looks like it was done by 3D alone without Daddy G from the credits.

Quannum released a double A-sided single for their US tour in 2004 and this is the Shadow-produced cut, all drum machines and synths rather than samples and points the way to his work later on. Blade’s ‘Scream’ came from his ‘Pop Idol’ single and is that Mr Thing on the cuts? DFA’s Juan MacLean work over Air in fine electro ‘drug chug’ style before the term was even coined. Sounds like I was caning outer space samples from Megatrip’s Soundbank CDs over the top too. 4 Hero go all Beatles-y with the mellotron on their remix of Chunking’s ‘Making Music’ (another Brighton band!) and then it’s back to the Anitcon crew with Sixtoo from his Ninja Tune 10” ‘BodyAche Summer’ EP – yet another producer up there with Shadow but moving in his own directions. In between this and Max & Harvey’s ‘Untitled Dialogue’ (another 10” on Ninja) I use a piece of speech about seeing sound that I would later fashion into a track on my Search Engine album. One half of Max & Harvey (named after the duo’s dogs I think I was once told) was Paul Frankland aka Woob and also Journeyman – they only released one single on Ninja but all their other releases are available on their Bandcamp and are excellent.
https://maxandharvey.bandcamp.com/music

Track list:
Pedro Chamorra – Solid Steel intro
Levi feat. BC & Saul Williams – Resource : Life
Diplo – Big Lost
The Limp Twins – A Day in The Life Of Mr. Jones (Natural Self mix)
Infinite Potential – Can You Dig That?
The Perceptionists – Medical Aid
Mark Rae – Reach Out To Me
Busdriver – Kev’s Blistering Computer Tan And Driver’s Rapper’s Rapper Moniker
Diverse feat. Vast Aire – Big Game
Hundred Strong feat. Joseph Malik – All Ain’t The Same
M.Craft – On The 389
Massive Attack – One Thought At A Time
Quannum – Put Yer Back Into It
Blade – Scream
Air – Surfing On a Rocket (Juan MacLean remix)
Chungking – Making Music (4 Hero remix instr.)
Sixtoo – Waiting For Anything
Max & Harvey – Untitled Dialogue

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #8: The Luvmenauts – In Space LP + comic
 / DL

Luvmenauts LP comic
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support. 
Buy links in bio

#8. The Luvmenauts – In Space LP + comic
 / DL
Fuzz drums and electronics with an outer space theme – check,
Luke Insect-designed sleeve – check,
Accompanying comic illustrated by Moon Toboggan – check.
No-brainer
https://theluvmenauts.bandcamp.com/album/in-space
https://dorightmusic.bandcamp.com/
https://www.moontoboggan.com/art
https://michaelmcglennon.bandcamp.com/merch

Luvmenauts LP comic back
Luvmenauts LP back
Luvmenauts comic 1
Luvmenauts comic 2
Luvmenauts comic 3
Luvmenauts comic 4
Luvmenauts comic 5
Luvmenauts comic 6
Luvmenauts comic 7

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #6: Luke Insect – Acid Valley book + posters


AVbook
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.

#9. Luke Insect – Acid Valley book + posters

A3 sized catalogue for the recent Acid Valley exhibition documenting all the posters Luke has designed for Trades in Hebden Bridge and the Golden Lion in Todmorden. He also has limited copies of the posters for sale too if you contact him.
https://lukeinsect.bigcartel.com/product/acid-valley-a3-poster-book
https://cargocollective.com/lukeinsect
https://www.instagram.com/lukeinsect/

AVbook1
AVbook2
AVbook3
AVbook4
AVbook5
AVbook6

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #5: The Real Tuesday Weld – Winter Warmers

WW tin lid CD card web
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support. 


WW tin lid 1 web
#6. The Real Tuesday Weld – Winter Warmers 3” CD
As is the custom, each December brings a 3” CD release from Stephen Coates aka The Real Tuesday Weld. This is a companion to the soon-to-be-released Camberwell Kid album and the fifth Xmas CD I’ve designed for him.
https://therealtuesdayweld.bandcamp.com/album/winter-warmers

https://therealtuesdayweld.bandcamp.com/

WW cards web

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #5: Vic Mars -The Beacons LP

VM front
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.|

5. Vic Mars – The Beacons LP 

Beautiful outdoor atmospheres evoked on Vic Mars’ fourth LP for Clay Pipe Music, complete as ever with lovely cover art by Frances Castle who runs the label.
https://claypipemusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-beacons
https://claypipemusic.bandcamp.com/

VM backVM insideVM no.s

Christmas Collector Countdown 2023 #4: FSOL – Pulse Five 12″ + poster

FSOL Clear
A daily post throughout December of records, CDs, books, comics or other ephemera that I’ve bought or been given recently from independent artists, labels or publishers who would welcome your support.
#4. The Future Sound Of London – Pulse Five 2×12” / poster

FSOL black
OK, so something I had a hand in – it was an absolute pleasure to design the sleeve and poster for this unreleased collection of early 90s tracks from the FSOL stable and help contribute a new volume to the legendary Pulse series.
De:tuned have black and clear vinyl editions plus I designed an exclusive De:tuned T-shirt that heralds the label’s 15 year anniversary in 2024.
Detune T shirt
FSOL Orange
https://detunedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/presents-pulse-five
https://detunedrecords.bandcamp.com/merch/15-years-de-tuned-t-shirt-3
https://detunedrecords.bandcamp.com/
The orange vinyl edition is a Bleep exclusive and I worked with Jonas Ranson again for the numbered screen printed poster available as part of their advent calendar.
Each Bleep 12” should come with one of six different postcards taken from the bottom of the poster.

FSOL poster
https://bleep.com/release/430034-the-future-sound-of-london-presents-pulse-five
https://bleep.com/merch/429802-the-future-sound-of-london-the-future-sound-of-london-presents-pulse-five-print