The Exciters - He's Got The Power (1963)

i don't understand why the exciters aren't more famous (or weren't during their time). He's Got The Power is a fucking riot, brenda reid's voice just nails that passionate, completely irrational, teen devotion to a fling.




for an equally awesome bonus track check Blowing Up My Mind in which she likens love for a guy to a gastro-intestinal problem (after eating too many beans). great stuff.


p

Burial - Truant / Rough Sleeper (2012)

New tunes from Burial.
I don't need to introduce it more than that do I?


Rough Sleeper:


Truant:



-L

Munir Bachir - Luth Solo "Oud" Recital A Geneve (1971)

the oud is a difficult instrument to play. after taking several oud lessons last year it dawned on me that for sub-par western guitar players the oud's mere shape is cause of concern (never mind the lack of physical frets), its bulky round body forbidding any comfortable playing position. unfortunately, like the arabic alphabet, the oud's shape and form are only the first real obstacles to playing the instrument. what follows is a maze of rhythms, patterns and cultural lyrical and musical references that i failed to get a grip on. understandably, i did not persevere.

a young m. bachir in 1937

iraqi-born oud maestro munir bachir did persevere. in fact, he brilliantly mastered the oud to the point of apparent time and space transcendence. bachir's skills are perfectly conserved in the following live recording in Geneve, Switzerland. the whole album is pure oud in all its solo glory and all tracks are mind-blowing; nonetheless, i've got special love for bachir's cover of asturias (aka spanish caravan by the doors). highly recommended.

find the whole album here, it's owed - as so many other great finds - to ghostcapital.

-p

George Mukabi - Bibi Mama Ngani Mzuri

Amazing African folk from Kenyan fingerstyle legend George Mukabi. His career spanned several years before his untimely death in 1963. In that time he only recorded around 30 songs, but they went on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies in his native Kenya and beyond.

This track, Bibi Mama Ngani Mzuri, is simply wonderful. I first heard it on BassClef's excellent mix for Fact Magazine from some time ago which has a host of dizzyingly good African tunes - listen to that here.

-L

Can - I Want More (1976)

here's some brilliant frenetic energy by Can. the vocals were sung by all band members simultaneously, spawning a near-demonic mass chant driven by some of the best synth hooks ever. overall the whole thing feels like the manson family on mountains of coke laced with copious amounts of acid. in all seriousness though, beyond the cliché drug referencing, this song is fucking amazing.

also definitely check out the soundcloud track underneath, a slowed-down version concocted by Flash Strap that changes its character to a ridiculously chilled out tune.



mellow times:




p

Ntlaveni Bro No. 2 - Shiluva Sha Mbilu (1980s)

i'm getting the hang of this soundcloud thing.
more fireworks from afrosynth:


p

Alt-J (∆) - An Awesome Wave (2012)

Cambridge based ∆ - pronounced Alt-J (yep, lol) are making a massive impact right now with their Brixton-recorded debut album 'An Awesome Wave'. [Ed: They even just won the Mercury Music Prize in the UK. For our international readers: that's a slightly big, if largely corporatised and debased, deal. It's now called the fucking Barclaycard Mercury Prize].

So in the spirit of jumping on the bandwagon (and a particular love of their geology-friendly album cover) I've added a couple of my favourite tracks from their new album.

Bloodflood:

Tessellate:

-F

Ramones - Pet Sematary (1989)

While I was making dinner last night I spun myself an eclectic punk & post-punk mix. I tried to trace a line from early progenitors of thrashy and punky guitar riffs, through classic punk anthems to post-punk and electro madness. Included everything from The Clash to The Fall, to Joy Division, Devo, Talking Heads, and ended up with a load of the melodic hardcore punk I listened to when I was growing up like Propagandhi, Strike Anywhere & Faded Grey. 

Anyway. Somewhere in the mix I listened to a tune I hadn't heard in years and I just love it: Pet Sematary by The Ramones. While it's got quite an 80s poppy - almost Billy Idol-ish - quality to it, it's just an awesome song. (I also love a lot of Billy Idol btw - but in a bit of a lol way)  

The main hook is just a classic.

-L

Soothsayers - Human Nature (2012)

This is an excerpt of a review I wrote for Brixton Blog - originally posted here.

Human Nature is the fifth studio album by Soothsayers and largely emphasises the reggae elements of their proclivities. Although the album is such a musical collage, that’s barely a signpost for you. In fact, if all the musical elements were signposted they would be surrounding you, facing inwards, while you pirouette on a roundabout made of roots, jazz and afrobeat.

To get you in the mood (and because there aren't many tunes available from their new album yet) here's a track from their dubby 2009 album One More Reason (right).

The lilting, powerful trumpet and saxophone of founder-members Robin Hopcraft and Idris Rahman, respectively, form the central thread weaving through Human Nature. In One Day the driving brass hooks provide a cohesion to the other signature theme of the album: the beautiful triple harmonies of Julia Biele, Hopcraft and Rahman. There is a fragility in their voices which is overcome through their heartfelt harmonisation and soaring melodies. And at its peaks these vocals are even faintly reminiscent of roots reggae maestros The Congos (and believe me I don’t make that comparison lightly – one of my greatest roots reggae albums of all time was Heart of the Congos!).

But it is a distinctively modern recasting of dub, reggae and roots and there are brilliantly experimental moments, with cacophonous finales overlayed with guitar, keys, horns and delayed vocals.

The lyrics punctuate the album with social, political and environmental themes – including war, personal strife and climate change. Indeed the intro track Human Nature (Intro) provides a clarion call for action: “can we find ourselves a way to save our mother earth / can we reach beyond / we know we must / stop fighting wars while fires burn and waters rise / don’t close your eyes”.

The title track continues on these themes but instead takes a self-assured and up-tempo form – replete with driving beats and delicious guitar licks. We are also returned to the vocal hook which was stripped bare in the album’s introduction: this time in full force and heralding a sprawling jazz- and afrobeat-infused exploration of the themes of the album (musically and lyrically).

It is rare to see a band so comfortable in shifting gear within and between songs. And the way in which Human Nature drops from buoyant reggae into thoughtful dub and then off into a meandering jazz mash-up, is perhaps the magic of the album: a crystallisation of the wonderful, genre-sprawling chaos of Soothsayers.

You can sample and buy the album from here.

-L

David Thomas Broughton - Outbreeding (2011)

Having thought that the music of David Thomas Broughton was going to stay in my memories of 2005/06 and his amazing album The Complete Guide to Insufficiency I was pleased to come across his most recent album Outbreeding. Brimming with classic DTB low-fi guitar and Yorkshire-accented vocals, it's been a lovely rediscovery, even if he is prone to occasionally testing live shows! (that's a story for another day). Here's my favourite song:

River Lay:

Luke edit: srsly for those who don't know him, DTB is such a character I love him - check this vid:

Ain't Got No Sole (it's about losing a shoe obv):

Check out Crowns & Owls for more awesome videos

-F

Bob Dylan - Man in the Long Black Coat (1989)

Hey folks, I'm back. I know that you've missed me. Well Phil has anyway.
I'm easing myself back in with a simple but beautiful tune by Bob Dylan from his 1989 album 'Oh Mercy'.
There's something about the main chord progression in Man in the Long Black Coat which just makes it stick in my head - quite basic but just really sweetly fleshed out with little guitar licks, violin, harmonica. Love it.

There's even a nice animation of the song's narrative in the video by this guy: Andy Colunga.
Enjoy.



-L

Umazambane - Hambani Mabhaca (1982)

found this South African scorcher on the excellent afrosynth blog. fool's gold made a solid contemporary effort to emulate bands like umazambane, but nothing beats the real thing. what a riff.



i'm slowly working my way through all the compilations on the blog. def check out afrosynth 1: oldskool jive, it's loaded with gems.
-p

Donovan - Get Thy Bearings (1968)

p

Grimes - Visions (2012)

Hi there! This is my first post on FC so I should probably introduce myself. I'm Flo - I like daft things and a super-eclectic mix of tunes. So here's my opener:

After a summer of 60s renaissance and what I like to call 'sunday' music (maudlin folk etc.) I very much welcomed the arrival of Montreal's Grimes' third album 'Visions' into my shuffle playlist. An album of eclectic songs that you just want to play them again as soon as you've heard them: the album is full of songs that make you want to dance and its pretty radio friendly. Here are my two favourites:

Oblivion:

Symphonia IX (My Wait is U):

-F

Gang of Four - To Hell With Poverty (1981)

p

Michael Hurley - Tea Song (1965)

last friday people were fighting on the street and my housemates and i were watching from a balcony in my room. small brawls are quite common in our area, but this time dozens of young revolutionaries were pelting rocks, bottles and the occasional fence at a group of muslim brotherhood adherents and vice versa. both groups kept charging at each other, one to hold on to their occupation of tahrir square, the other to break through and take over.

Hardee's - back right - closed up shop for the occasion

over a hundred people were injured and eventually the revolutionaries won the square. since the wise choice was not to go out, we played risk and listened to michael hurley.




p

The Blue Rondos - Little Baby (1964)

p

Rail Band - Buffet Hotel de la Gare Bamako (1973)

ghostcapital recently re-upped this Rail Band record. it's mindfuckingblowing. the band also happens to have a great story; from GC:

"The Rail Band was founded in 1970, in Mali, with the sponsorship of the railway administration and the Ministry of Information. The National Railway Company secured a permanent venue at the Buffet Bar in the Station Hotel in Bamako. The band was formed with the hope of safeguarding and developing Malian music. The general idea was that weary travelers would tumble into the Buffet Bar where the Rail Band would perform real Manding music. Singing in Bambara, a Manding language spoken not only in Mali, but also in Guinea, the Gambia, and parts of Senegal, the band adopted traditional kora and balafon songs and rhythms mixing in an Islamic-influenced vocal style to what was becoming modern urban pop music. The Rail Band's music was Manding-influenced, latin-tinged, with with lightness and swing, and despite the modern instruments you can clearly hear the strains of the original Manding music." (African Music Encyclopedia)

it's such a brilliant idea to have a government ministry pay local musicians to lay out some of the best Malian music at the station buffet bar for everyone to enjoy. check the corporate record design, inc. the buffet hotel logo top right:

ok. so here goes. imagine being all angry and tired from travelling. to escape from the searing heat you order a beer in the Bamako railway station's buffet bar and you notice there's a band playing. and then this kicks off:


grab whole album here

p

Wendell Stuart & The Downbeaters - My World Is Empty Without You (1970s)

soul straight from the bahamas. the whole band seems enslaved by the rhythm, embellishing it with entrancing backing vocals and beautifully contained guitar riffs. subtle bliss.

so awesome

p

Little Ann - Deep Shadows (1970)

what makes northern soul vocals so sublime? why do we believe the message?
maybe it's the lack of self-consciousness, there's no space for irony. what's left is confidence in the raw emotions it tries to convey. what could be cheese turns to gold and when little ann sings "deep shadows surround me, nobody knows," we actually believe her.



p

Interview: Anthony B

Reggae legend Anthony B is in South London to play the Lambeth Country Show (if you don't know get to know), so I caught up with him for a chat. This interview originally ran on the wonderful Brixton Blog.

For the uninitiated, Lambeth Country Show (LCS) is a formidably diverse two-day festival held in Brockwell Park, which last year brought in a crowd of over 180,000. With an eclectic musical line-up of reggae, folk, jazz, dub, and electronic music providing the soundscape for over two hundred stalls of arts, crafts and foods from all over the world – there is something for everyone. It’s so good that clichés become acceptable. I was lucky enough to catch up with some real picks of the weekend: reggae legend Anthony B and eclectic roots outfit Dreadzone.

Sunday 16 September will see Anthony B join the headline act Dennis Bovell Dub Band on the main stage (as if featuring legends like Janet Kay and Peter Hunningale wasn’t enough). I spoke to Anthony B, temporarily based in South London, about the upcoming show, Brixton, the importance of community and the universalism of reggae music.

“I haven’t played in Brixton before, but it’s beautiful”, he says. With this opening sentiment we were clearly off to a good start. We talked about the fusion of cultures represented at LCS, from cream teas to jerk chicken and folk music to dub, and I asked him what it’s like playing to such a cultural melting pot of a crowd.

“Well that was my first feeling when I heard about being part of this event. I feel wonderful – I’m honoured to be a part of it. It feels great and an honour to know Jamaica is being celebrated in Britain.”

Anthony is a strong believer in the universalism of reggae music and its ability to transcend social and cultural barriers.

“My second album was called Universal Struggle, and I think that’s what reggae music recognises. We don’t just sing about being in love. We don’t just sing about fighting. We sing everything. That’s what makes it so socially acceptable globally. Because it doesn’t matter where you are or if you’re from a different culture, we’re all just part of what we call a social community.”

And if there was one message which he would want to convey in his music? “Unity.”

His message is clear: “Together we find the strength to build a community, and from a community to a culture, from a culture to a nation: create civilisation.” And his parting words to the people of Brixton? “Keep embracing the Jamaican culture and the Jamaican people” and have a “peaceful, wonderful event” at Lambeth Country Show.

There is something deeply serious about the way Anthony talks about faith and politics and the power of music, but the overwhelming feeling is an uplifting and instinctively positive one.
-L

Index - Index (1967)

these guys were onto something, then completely bombed.

apparently the album was recorded in a basement, sold 100 copies, and subsequently forgotten. their parents eventually threw out all the remaining copies, probably thinking they were worthless. according to this blog, "an original of the album was recently offered on eBay for over $3,000."

grab the album on ghostcapital

p

Colourvision - Stumbleine (2012)

gloriously chill. more at stumbleine.bandcamp.com.
-r

Geeshie Wiley - Last Kind Words (1930)

was watching Crumb, a mind-blowing documentary on robert crumb. through the eyes of crumb you're sucked into a dysfunctional, despairing america. it's dark, haunting and real.

there's a moment when crumb puts on one of his favorite records and it just makes the movie.



The last kind words I heared my daddy say
Lord, the last kind words I heared my daddy say

If I die, if I die in the German war
I want you to send my body, send it to my mother, lord

If I get killed, if I get killed, please don't bury my soul
I p'fer just leave me out, let the buzzards eat me whole

When you see me comin' look 'cross the rich man's field
If I don't bring you flour I'll bring you bolted meal

I went to the depot, I looked up at the stars
Cried, some train don't come, there'll be some walkin' done

My mama told me, just before she died
Lord, precious daughter, don't you be so wild

The Mississippi river, you know it's deep and wide
I can stand right here, see my babe from the other side

What you do to me baby it never gets outta me
I may not see you after I cross the deep blue sea

-p

Phantogram - 16 Years (2009) / As Far As I Can See (2011)

Two swirling pop tracks from upstate NY, the former from the band's last LP Nightlife, and the latter from their only album Eyelid Movies. Get hold of both releases if you can, they get quite addictive.

 

-N.

The Cars - I'm Not the One (1981)

p

DJ Snoopadelic - Loose Joints (2012)

Yeh ok it's Snoop Dogg. Fresh from his Snoop Lion revelations he's now dabbling in electronic music: here's a pretty cool compilation of Euro techno and dance he's put together (well some of it's not the best, but hey). He's calling himself DJ Snoopadelic. Is there anything this man won't do?! That's the kind of question I never want to have to answer.

Stream it below or download it here:

-L

Major Lazer - Carnival 2012 Mix

Notting Hill Carnival is on the horizon, hurtling like a furiously vibesing cat towards hoards of loose-hipped Londoners. P.S. The cat has dub-sirens instead of purrs.
To get you in the mood, Diplo & Switch have released a banger of a dancehall mix (downloadable). So crack the red stripe and get MASH UP.

For more info click here.

-L

Free School - Tender Administration (2012)

Warning: Bumper blog & interview with an awesome band. Read the intro or skip to the interview. 

This post was rudely interrupted by my holiday – so it’s not quite as timely as I would have liked!!

Anyway, I recently went to the awesome Mostly Jazz Festival in my hometown of Moseley in Birmingham. It’s in Moseley Park – a smallish local park where I whiled away much of my youth. How ace is that?

So that makes it doubly amazing that it now plays host to a couple of great festivals – in addition to Mostly Jazz there’s also Moseley Folk Festival which is definitely worth checking out – it’s on in a couple of weeks!

It was pretty surreal standing watching Roots Manuva tear it up in the same place where I used to play football and goad swans.

Anyway. As well as some great big names like Roots Manuva, Ghostpoet, Gilles Peterson, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (yep!), there were some ace bands I hadn’t heard before. I loved Free School and their unique brand of chilled, animal-masked electronica. So I gave em a shout to see what they’re all aboot…

Free School is Steve Alcock and Andy Porteous. They enjoy skinning animals and making music out of their faces. Photo credit: Jack Spicer Adams

Why not click play here and then listen to their music while reading the interview below? Hmm? Why wouldn't you DO THAT?

Fucking Chill: So - who are Free School and how did you guys get going?

Steve: We were described recently as Birmingham’s finest romantic electric duo. Can I just state for the record that we’re not romantic together in the slightest and that anyone who says we are and that Andy often cooks for me is lying. We’ve been playing together in bands since 2004 but we decided to start a new thing 3 or so years ago and here we are.

Andy: Steve never cooks for me.

FC:  Mostly Jazz Festival was ace! D'ya have a nice time?!

Steve: It was swell as hell, thanks! Did you? George Clinton and Fred Wesley in our local park! I mean, it doesn’t get much better than that. It was great to hook up with Gilles Peterson again and to finally see Troumaca who we’ve been meaning to catch for a while.

Andy: Loved it, Soweto Kinch and Roots Manuva tickled my fancy, and we met some nice people who dug our stuff, what’s not to like?

FC: I had a banger, thanks. Who was the dude tambourining through the crowd during your final song? That was a nice touch. Panaudio shit!

Steve: Ha! That would be Señor Greg Bird, our flamboyant and sensual singer. He likes to party.

Andy: Check out his Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame outfit, sexy Prince-style vocalising over classic, filthy house. It’s fantastic, his ‘Black Tableaux’ EP is coming out soon on Speech Fewapy.

FC: Filthy Prince? Hello. We like our singers flamboyant and sensual here at Fucking Chill. What else have you been up to recently?

Steve: We’ve just played the Garden Festival in Croatia which was spectacular. What a festival! We hooked up with Andrew Weatherall and Sean Gorham, Mr Weatherall in particular looking splendid on the beach in his Victorian attire. Prior to that we played a great show with Editors and PEACE at the HMV Institute here in Birmingham. And we just played the ‘Off The Cuff’ festival, also in Brum. We’ve just put out the 14th episode of our podcast, this episode being the second part of our interview with Mark E. 

Andy: We’re also organising our ‘TenderAdministration’ night at the Bulls Head, Moseley. The next one is falling nicely on Sunday Aug 26th bank holiday, meaning everyone can stay up and no excuses. We’ll be playing live and we’ve got some amazing headline DJ’s to perform, namely Adam Regan from Leftfoot and the legendary DJ Dick from Rockers Hi-Fi. There’s also been a bunch of production work we’ve been doing for some awesome local talent; Victories At Sea, Sam Redmore and Big Tent & The Gypsy Lantern. It’s been a busy studio chez Free School.

FC: Jesus it's all popping off - that's great! Now for a shit question: how would you describe your music?

Steve: Uplifting, elevating, melodic plus drum fills

Andy: I wouldn’t. I’d just say I’m in love with it.

FC: Nice. Who are your main influences?

Steve: I like what Luke Abbott said recently about influence in that you can’t control it. Therefore you can’t discuss influence with any certainty because your creativity channels your ideas from a place we can’t access. Also, bad music can influence you as much as good music in that it helps you to avoid making certain decisions in the studio etc. Buuuuut, our new stuff nods to The Field and Fuck Buttons. The main influence for the album was Lindstrom, Depeche Mode and a little bit of LCD Soundsystem.

Andy: Orbital.

FC: Hadn't heard that Luke Abbott bit before - that's cool and I'd agree. What have you released so far and what have you got coming up?

Andy: A couple of 12”s through Tirk, ‘Ranting & Raving’ and ‘Unravelling After The Lottery’, a couple of remixes, one through local House label ‘Out Of Bounds’ and another on Disco label ‘Nang’. But this week sees the release of our debut album ‘Tender Administration’, through Tirk, which we’re very excited about, we’re really proud of it. Coming up we’ve got a very exciting remix of someone already mentioned in this interview, but we can’t say just yet! Also there’ll be stuff out through London label ISM records. More to follow…

FC: Juicy. Although if you expect any more coverage on FC you better email me that mix gossip. Last one - any gigs soon we should know about? Time to plug now!

Steve: The aforementioned ‘Tender Administration’ night at the Bulls Head, keep an eye out for the glitter-covered posters! 

Listen to Free School's Tender Administration above and then buy it from Tirk Recordings!

-L 

XX - Angels (2012)

i'm 1 month late with this, it doesn't matter: there's a new xx track.

their last album was mind-blowing, track after track, and i was wondering whether they'd be able to produce anything as coherent and solid. 'angels' leaves me undecided. pre-order the album here



p

Hot Chip - Look At Where We Are (Four Tet Remix) (2012)

Brand new remix from the maestro. Linked by @FourTet on Twitter last week, listened to on repeat by me this week...

 

-N.

Randy Alvey and the Green Fuz - Green Fuz (1969)

beautiful garage/cult classic recorded in a deserted roadside cafe. instant flashback to a time when bands still had theme songs and rock n roll was pretty fucking cool.



Here we come, we're coming fast
All the others are in the past
Jump to your feet, let us catch your eye
We're the green fuz

We're not too fast, we're not too slow
Come along baby to see where we go
Jump to your feet, let us catch your eye
We're the green fuz

p

Joey Bada$$ - Waves (2012)

If you keep up with contemporary hip-hop you'll probably already know about this guy, who released his first mixtape a few weeks ago, stream or download it here. Early 90s flavour, and with J.Dilla, MF Doom and the one and only Mr Lewis Parker involved in production I was expecting quite a lot and it delivered...then you discover the kid is only 17. Wow. I've posted what is likely to be the 'single' below, but other personal favourites include 'Don't Front', 'Hardknock' and 'Righteous Minds'. 

 

-N.

Osier Bed - Do You Think I'm Spooky (2012)/ I'm ok. - Fuck Everything (2012)

Double post! These two releases are both emo EPs from my home state, CT. Unlike many of the bands I see around, these are not simply friendrock for me (that being a band you support simply because you like to support the members as their your friends).

The first is the second release from Osier Bed, a band which I upped to FC a while back. They've developed their sound a bit on this one, with more 90s emo influence, and better recording quality than the last release. Riffs on this is fucking awesome. You can download this for what you want here:
http://osierbed.bandcamp.com/

I'm Ok is up next. Very noodley guitar, yelling, songs about quitting your shitty job at the grocery store, what more could you want? If you follow contemporary emo at all (I realize this is a shot in the dark), this band includes members of The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, a more post-rock/twinkly/pop brand of this CT sound. Get their EP here: http://imok.bandcamp.com/




Until next time.

- A

Joy Division - Atmosphere (1980)

was watching 24 hour party people and realized how epic/gentle this song is.



p

Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited - Rise Up (2005)

A while back I posted about Thomas Mapfumo*: 'Lion of Zimbabwe', anti-colonialist protest musician and subsequently exiled voice of marginalised Zimbabweans. Mapfumo is an inspirational musician, an individual articulation of yearning for freedom and an expression of hope through music. And I've recently rediscovered his album Rise Up.

Released in 2005, it  was a collaboration between African and American musicians, a blend which is clear in the formulation of the opening track Kuvarira Mukati (Suffer in Silence) with rolling hooks from a brass ensemble and a slickness in production which will be unfamiliar to fans of Mapfumo's early works like HOKOYO and Gwindingwi Rine Shumba. Check here for a full discography.

We strongly recommend you take every penny/cent from your bank account and give it all to Thomas Mapfumo now so he can keep making amazing music. Failing that: buy his albums here!!

Anyway, here's the opening track Kuvarira Mukati (Suffer in Silence):



Play loud. Feel the bass kick in. Beautiful.

*Christ that was almost two years ago. Remember kids: life is transient; hold moments like torches illuminating existence.

-L

Chris Kirkley - Mix pour emporter #5 for Cabaret Diaspora (2012)

Chris Kirkley, the one-man engine behind sahelsounds, has worked hard to bring West African music into the blogger mainstream. Kirkley scoured mp3 markets in mauritania (great read), gathered mobile phone recordings of local artists throughout the sahel and released some fantastic material (i consider the Ishilan n-Tenere compilation to be one of the greatest things we ever posted on FC). basically there should be more people doing the same thing everywhere.

so this is pretty exciting:
"here’s a guest mix I recently put together for Montreal’s “Radio Cabaret Diaspora”. Lots of jams across the board, music you’ll find on the site, records, plus some unreleased stuff."

enjoy,
p

Scotty - Draw your Brakes: The Best of Scotty (1971)

I've been plundering ghostcapital recently, one of the best blogs around. respect.

Check out this chilled summer scorcher. 



Grab the whole album here.

p

Radiohead - Staircase (2011)

Thom et al do chillin' with a capital C. Brilliant single released after the King of Limbs album last Summer. There is also an amazing live version on Youtube from the album's 'From the Basement' sessions.


 

-N.

The Definitive Collection of Federal Records (1964-1982) Disc 1

I've had this comp sitting around for a while, but never got around to listening to it. This was a mistake. I'm only through the first disc but its already worth sharing, as I haven't stopped listening to it for a few days now non-stop. Disc one (1964-1972) of this compilation is hit after hit of 60s-pop infused reggae. Still a fledgling genre at this point in time, you can hear tons of soul, Motown, and the like seeping into these tracks. Great great stuff. Hope you enjoy.

Get it

-A

Kuedo - Work, Live & Sleep in Collapsing Space (2012)

huge tune on repeat as i'm spitting through hundreds of footnotes, work bliss.

there's something about this track. it's just razor-sharp throughout, perfectly conceptualized and everything - love the aggressive beats and layered patterns - works. great stuff.

p

Dur Dur - Goromphmca

Nick here, guest blogging on FC courtesy of -L. I recommended a track back in February and they saw fit to invite me back so here I go with an absolute banger from Somalian group Dur Dur, sometime in the early 1990s. What I would give to hear it on the dancefloor. 



As an added bonus the track allows me to recommend two amazing resources if African beats is your thing. I first came across the track on the incredible Awesome Tapes From Africa blog, and the tune is also currently featuring on the free download tUnE-yArDs mix for Okay Africa's "Africa In Your Earbuds" series. They're also on Twitter @awesometapes and @okayafrica. Enjoy folks.

-N.

The Droids - The Force / Space - Magic Fly (1977)

i didn't know that Space Disco was a genre, or that it emerged in the 70s European disco scene and influenced french house [compare vids below to retro french synth Drive OST]. also, Space Disco artists dressed like this, which is why Eastern European countries banned their concerts:

live concerts revolved around terrible costumes and a girl performing some spacedance. also, apparently everything in space is made from aluminium foil. 

The Droids - The Force (1977)


Space - Magic Fly (1977)

p

Eddie & Ernie - I'm a Young Man (1964)

mmmm i'm a young mannn and i need some looooveee. pure soul found on the always excellent ghostcapital. check it out, comment, and especially grab the mixes.

  
p

Sandwell District - Falling The Same Way (2011)

There is nothing to say. This tune is just so fucking chill.



Sandwell District was originally Function (Dave Summer) and Regis (Karl O'Conner) - now it's a sprawling collaborative cabal on the techno scene releasing unceasing vollies of awesomeness. Find out more about Sandwell District over at Resident Advisor.

And if you're in London this weekend catch them on Friday at the one and only Bloc Weekend!

-L

Lord Nelson - 'Shango' (1978)

This track is a beautifully sparse and dark fusion of traditional Caribbean beats, calypso, afro-beat and ritual chanting, by Lord Nelson - a big figure in Trinidad and Tobago from the 1950s onwards.

To give a bit more flavour for the tune - a little Wiki-ing tells me that Shango is the Orisha (spirit/deity) of fire, lightening and thunder in the Yoruba religion which was followed by many in Trinidad and Tobago. There you go: we're all about cultural education here at FC.



Soundway Records are reissuing this tune with a B-Side dance remix by Daniel Haaksman and DJ Beware - quite chilled.

-L

Evil Jack

At the weekend I went to the awesome music all-dayer Waterfront Festival at the Canal House in Nottingham. It was coordinated by my wonderful friends Rebi and Al (LeftLion) with others who I'm afraid I don't know so can't credit here (sorry!). [edit: I'm told that Will Robinson (I'm Not from London) and Hannah Larham (Audacious Face music) are the brains behind the festival - see comment below - nice one guys!]

There were three stages full of some ace acts from Balkan folk to prog rock and future bass. Eclectic shit. And it was raising money for a new Cystic Fibrosis unit in Nottingham and also for Scope. How amazing is all that!?

Anyway - one performance that really caught my eye was Evil Jack. A mixture of beautiful trad folk covers and darting technical instrumental compositions.

Here's a selection of tracks from his Soundcloud page. He closed the set with 'You can fuck your 50mph average speed check I'm not slowing down' which is a brilliant track which bursts out in banjo style picking (Jack also plays banjo) and then meanders through some beautiful miniaturist phrases before coming full circle. Joe's Blonde Locks is another great composition. And after listening to his version of the traditional ballad Shady Grove a couple of times today I can confirm that it is definitely one which keeps rolling around in your head.

Listen to him. Like him. Go and see him. Nice one Evil Jack.

-L

The Bats - North by North (1987)

the bats = the smiths and the wedding present and something completely different.

 

p.s. play on 720 HD. lots of layered riffs that need undivided attention.
p

Nathan Fake - Iceni Strings (2012)

i got into luke abbott's 'holkham drones' over the last weeks, great transcendental beach tune [i'd find the youtube vid, but my internet's being an absolute dick]



abbott made me think of bordercommunity, so when i checked for new releases I discovered 'iceni strings' by nathan fake. good track, solid B side. check it.




bbbuy or what

p

The Clippers - An Evening With... (2010)

Artist: The Clippers
Album: An Evening With...
Release: 2010
Label: Topshelf Records


Tracklist:
1. Boku&Chevre
2. Wildflower
3. Quiet Confidence
4. Mature Women
5. Mulberry Cove


Minimal pop-rock with painfully catchy riffs and vocals that slay everything. The production on the vox is pretty high, and this might turn some off right away, but anyone who gives this release a chance is bound to love it. Plus its out on Topshelf Records, New England pride. Just saw these guys the other day at a friend's place, and they are even better live, so if you get a chance to see them, take it! (They are from Boston and play fairly often).



Buy
Download

-A

Ton & Sergio - Vou Sair Do Cativeiro (1971)

you will be missed, nicholai. here's a smooth electric sea to sail back home on.



p

Chrissy Zebby Tembo & Ngozi Family - My Ancestors (1974)

sun-soaked, fuzzed out, wah-distorted, Hendrixian psychedelia from Zambia, so great.

as my awesome ex-housemate pointed out, there's also some black sabbath in "trouble maker."

grab grab grab





p

Planning For Burial - Late Twenties Blues CS (2011)

Artist: Planning For Burial
Album: Late Twenties Blues CS
Release: 2011
Label: s/r


Tracklist:
1. Where You Rest Your Head At Night
2. Late Twenties Blues
3. I Put Red House Painters On A Mixtape For You
4. Rest Your Head


Planning For Burial is a solo project devoted to the art of slowcore (see Red House Painters). These dreamy, droney, shoegazey tracks wash over you with overwhelming melancholy, paralyzing any thought you had of being chipper today. Tracks 2 and 4 are interludes more than anything, but tracks 1 and 2 clock in at somewhere around 7 minutes, giving this tape some heft. Though time has no bearing once your sucked into this release.

Pro tip: Track 3 on repeat for the win.



Get it.

-A

Talking Heads - I Zimbra (1980)

gene wilder on the bongos for the talking heads, legend.



p

Four Tet - Jupiters single (2012)

We love Four Tet aka Kieran Hebden here at fknchill. Consistently progressive, layered, melodic electronic music. Just the way it should be. Chilling for the house, pumping for the club.

This is his new single Jupiters (if you need a catch-up, check out his last album There is Love in You - awesome). This track's so fresh I'm listening to it as I write this. ;-)

Loving this and need something more straight away? Check out his collaboration with Burial from a while back, Moth: phenomenal.



Four Tet's playing at festivals all over the world this Summer - so if you don't know him, get to know.

L

John Lennon - Be My Baby (1973)

today: shout-out to john lennon for celebrating the shit out of "be my baby"



and poor ringo:



p

FCHILL on 15,000 hits!

FCHILL broke the 15,000 mark!

To celebrate w/ otter love, follow instructions:

1. load both vids below, don't play yet

2. put 'foreigner' start marker on 00:17, keep 'otter' marker on 0

3. turn otter sounds OFF, keep foreigner sound ON

4. play simultaneously (yes). 

5. EXPERIENCE FULL OTTERFOREIGNER SYNTHESIS

p

Captain Beefheart - Hard Working Man (1978)

it is i, hypermasculine workerman.
p

Mo Kolours - Banana Wine [Official Video] (2012)

One-Handed Music, the label responsible for the excellent Paul White, just released a vid for Mo Kolours’ EP2: Banana Wine.

 "A video for the title track was clearly overdue and here we have footage of Mo Kolours doing his thing amongst all sorts of weird and wonderful footage of bananas, snake charmers, dancing girls and more. Watch it and see."

 


p

Zombies - Groenlandia (1980)

i forgot how fucking great this song is



p

Na Sirf Musiqi Balki Ghabrahat ft. Samuel Southgate - a medical mystery and two commonplace miracles: the life of the Fakir (2012)

Big effort to break new ground by creating social theory soundscapes. Or in other words, to "map the geography of exploitation through noise, beats, counterpoint, and plenty of groove, or aurally exploring social theory. A protest against injustice and a rallying call to all of us getting ripped off by the ruling class. While trying to look at music anew and cross cultural boundaries like a magpie with a minimoog."

deserves a spin.


p

For Levon Helm (May 26, 1940 – April 19, 2012)

the band was the only one for me, music straight from the gut.
RIP Levon



ALTERNATE TAKE: LEVON HELM

I’ve been beating my head all day long on the same six lines,
Snapped off and whittled to nothing like the nub of a pencil
Chewed up and smoothed over, yellow paint flecking my teeth.

And this whole time a hot wind’s been swatting down my door,
Spat from his mouth and landing smack against my ear.
All day pounding the devil out of six lines and coming up dry

While he drives donuts through my mind’s back woods with that
Dirt-road voice of his, kicking up gravel like a runaway Buick.
He asks Should I come in with that back beat, and whatever those

Six lines were bothered by skitters off like water in hot grease.
Come in with your lips stretched tight and that pig-eyed grin,
Bass mallet socking it to the drum. Lay it down like you know

You know how, shoulders hiked nice and high, chin tipped back,
So the song has to climb its way out like a man from a mine.

Traci K. Smith (The New Yorker)

p

Slim Harpo - The Best of Slim Harpo (1989)

Grab it,
absorb the chills
and watch this




"sting it then ... *pinggg*"
legend.
p

Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light (2012)

Listening to the new Spiritualized album 'Sweet Heart Sweet Light' on The Guardian's album stream. Hits and misses so far [loving 'heading for the top now' atm], but pretty great overall. Check it out.

still, Spacemen 3 was unbeatable.


p

Fancy Mike - Sigma Chi Primavera (2011)

Fancy Mike makes some chilled instrumental hip hop. He's signed to King Deluxe who have a roster well worth checking out.

Here are two remixes from his Sigma Chi Primavera EP. The EP is a series of collaborations and remixes, and both these below are remixing Ramachandran from his Madison Square Gardner EP.

First up here's the remix by satanicpornocultshop. Yes. satanicpornocultshop:



And here's a madcap vid to accompany the mix by Pixelord:



-L

S.E. Rogie - Palm Wine Guitar Music 1960-69 (1988)

S.E. Rogie has things sorted out. it's all about good vibes, respecting ladies and the large quantities of palm wine after which the genre was named. there's some clear country influences blending with laid back west-african melodies, while the finger-picking and vocals are phenomenal throughout. 'Please Go Easy With Me', 'My Lovely Elizabeth', and 'Advice to Schoolgirls' [Rogie advises schoolgirls to eat healthy foods and avoid hanging out with prostitutes] are personal favorites.



Now mister please go easy with me
I say please go easy with me
I quite agree that you can dance very well
Oh, please go easy with me

I don't love you when you holding my hips
Why should you rough me like this
I don't love you when you touching my breast
I want you to be at your best

Mister please go easy, oh
Please mister go easy with me

ooh lala
p

also, best cover:

Paul White - Rapping with Paul White (2011)

As usual, I'm at least 6 months behind on what's totally HOT. Anyways, Paul White is the peanut butter to my jelly. Rapping with Paul White is J Dilla/80s mixtapes/sheer playful creativity and pants down one of the best things i've heard this year.


p

[p.s. yeah and then there's this
]

Barbra Mercer - Hey (1965)

p

Fela Kuti & Afrika 70 - Zombie (1977)

A scorching summer is coming, so some Fela Kuti is in order. Check out 'Zombie', 12 minutes of frantic afro-beat energy that triggered a brutal attack by the Nigerian army (ordered by the president, Kuti's ex-classmate in school) who killed Kuti's mother, murdered his friends, and destroyed the Kalakuta Republic - Kuti's anti-state commune. All in all, a lesson in the power of music.

"The album was a scathing attack on Nigerian soldiers using the zombie metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military. The album was a smash hit with the people and infuriated the government, setting off a vicious attack against the Kalakuta Republic (a commune that Fela had established in Nigeria), during which one thousand soldiers attacked the commune. Kuti was severely beaten, and his elderly mother was thrown from a window, causing fatal injuries. Soon after Kuti's mother had been injured, the commanding officer defecated on the elderly woman's face. The Kalakuta Republic was burned, and Kuti's studio, instruments, and master tapes were destroyed. Kuti claimed that he would have been killed if it were not for the intervention of a commanding officer as he was being beaten. Kuti's response to the attack was to deliver his mother's coffin to the main army barrack in Lagos and write two songs, "Coffin for Head of State" and "Unknown Soldier", referencing the official inquiry that claimed the commune had been destroyed by an unknown soldier."
Wikipedia

Here's the whole album.
-p

OK Captain - "Newport" (2010)

Pop-punk-cheesy-nostalgic-anthemic-goodness. The lyrics are made all the better if you know the author, Chris, who will be an 18 year old New England beach boy for eternity. If you're a twenty-something and this doesn't make you yearn for days of no responsibility, sneaking out to drink on the beach, and eating bad Chinese food (that's probably just me) then I feel sorry for you. If it's too cheesy...well I will admit it has some cheese...but hopefully you'll join me as "I stand still as the sun comes up and watch my youth wash away."



Download for Free: http://therealokcaptain.bandcamp.com/

p.s. this band no longer exists, so that might give them some credibility or something.

-A

Richard Swift & Damien Jurado - Other People’s Songs Vol. 1 (2010)

lo-fi chills with damien jurado (and richard swift), whose "denton, tx." is still one of my favorite tunes; all recorded in 1 weekend.

if you're interested in recording methods etc, read this.

“Other People’s Songs Vol. 1” is a collection of covers recorded on the weekend of August 21-22, 2010 (with the aid of a four-track cassette recorder and a Coles-4038 ribbon microphone). It is available to you (the world) via the inter-webs for FREE. These recordings came about spontaneously, and we wanted to share them in the same manner. Look for another one around Winter time. “Thanks, Brochacho” - DJ/RS

p

Dark Dark Dark - Wild Go (2010)

Huge love to Flo for putting me onto these guys. She's great.

Dark Dark Dark are one of those bands which strike you instantly with the effortlessness of their musical craftsmanship.

Take some solid folk stock, infuse it with Balkan and Appalachian flavours and pinches of pop, Americana, jazz. Serve up with heart-achingly beautiful vocals from Nona Marie Invie.

You've just made a fucking WINNING stew of awesome DARK DARK DARK. Watch these, then agree with me.



And here's Nona on her lonesome:


If you're in the UK then you'd be a fool* not to catch them playing at Bush Hall in April.

*A damn fool I tell you.

-L

Cemetery - Demo CS (2011)

Great debut release from Chicago goth/punk four-piece Cemetery. The demo starts off with high energy/dreary songs, and ends with a gothy, dark ambient track. Everything in between is great, filled with brooding atmosphere and cool riffs. I'm new to deathrock and the like, so if you don't think this will be your thing, try it anyhow, you might be surprised. Here's a taste:



Snag It.

Best heard with lit skull candles, and an elaborate cross. Broody listening.

-A

Dubious Caesar - Guide to the Night (2012)

Here's a beautiful new track from Dubious Caesar called 'Guide to the Night'. Hot off the press n that... I've been waiting for this to get recorded for ages.



-L

Skinnyman - Council Estate of Mind (2004)

Seminal UK hip hop from Skinnyman. This LP was put out in 2004 by the now sadly defunct Low Life records who gave a platform to a host of incredible acts. The roster included the likes of Braintax (co-founder of the label), Lewis Parker, Jehst, Task Force, Yungun, Klashnekoff, Rodney P... god there were loads of sick artists.

Below is the title track off this album below which is an amazing tune. His lyricism is socially conscious, speaking of marginalised communities and lives lived on the edges. Eight years down the line and in the current economic climate it's even more relevant.



P.S. I've also just read that Skinnyman's currently serving a 16month jail sentence for assaulting a woman he used to have a relationship with. I don't know the details, but that's just horrible. I guess that's just another reminder of why we shouldn't elevate people who speak for great ideals. We're all humans with failings.