Category: Electronic

Festivals 2021

Merry Christmas readers. My present to you on this festive day is a window into a happier future. Smile.

Future jazz in Cambridgeshire
Not really my jam, but Christ does this look like a party. One to raise the hairs on the back of your neck
This just looks ludicrous
Taking it down a notch. Deep stuff
HOLIDAY.
This one from Gottwood is too spicy for here, but I highly recommend a watch

5 Years of Shall Not Fade

As you might have been able to guess it is 5 years since Bristol-based label Shall not Fade entered the scene. To celebrate, their 5th compilation. There is a lot to like packed into the 16 track double-LP (with 5 bonus tracks on the digital version).

My picks are Everything You Need by Module One & Soela, Welcome Aboard by DJ Psychiatre and T Garden by the ever-impressive Lxury.

A View of U – Machinedrum

This is a really interesting album to listen to. Tracks are scattered from 81 to 147 bpm. I get that that might not sound like an appealing prospect to some people. But I think this is one worth a little effort. Each track feels like an event – they weave together in way that shouldn’t work but does.

You’ll know what I mean from the first two tracks The Relic and Star – they have more than a touch of Jacques Greene about them – building R&B vocal samples into a broody electronic aural landscape – but they go into a darker place than Jacques tends to. The album then swerves into over the top brass and hip-hop with Freddie Gibbs on the vocals, before reaching my top pick, Wait 4 U. It is neat and uncomplicated, like an early Ramadanman track. My other top pick is Believe in U is Wait 4 U‘s upbeat twin. A final mention goes to 1000 Miles, featuring Sub Focus.

Bonus track: this is what got Machinedrum onto my radar back in 2014. It’s his emotional remix of Kelis, and it’s a banger.

Róisín Machine – Róisín Murphy

The inimitable Irish songstress Róisín Murphy back with her first album for 4 years.

The whole release has a really fun, chuggy, funky feel with heavy disco influences. As always, her vocals range from the sultry to the melodramatic in a way that only she can pull off.

There are some great tracks on the album (Simulation, We Got Together and Murphy’s Law are my picks) – but what really stands out is the quality of the package. The mixing has been given so much attention and love. Each track flows into the next in a natural, but original and exciting way. Maybe it is a bit of nerdy thing to call out, but it all comes together to create a very cool 54 minute experience that’ll give you a good lift.

Sidenote, she released this on her own label which is called Mickey Murphy’s Daughter. That has to be one of the best label names going.

We Should be Free – Mark Hawkins

Dear reader, I have an apology to make. This track came out in 2018 and came into my life hard. And I’ve just been sitting on it. It’s not good enough from me. No excuses. You come here for quality music, and I’ve let you down by taking 24 months to serve it up. Please accept my apology.

Now, what do we have here? It is a house track with massive energy that walks the line between sweet and sour. It’s screwy, it’s pumping. Huge vibes. A real monster. Enjoy.

Interesting sidenote: in much the same way as The Black Madonna rebranded to become The Blessed Madonna during the BLM movement, Marquis Hawkes has switched to his birth name – Mark Hawkins. He explained his original choice of artist name as a nod to the legendary late house producer Kenny Hawkes. However, he has been criticised for co-opting black culture for his own gain, and with the additional scrutiny and awareness that the BLM movement has created, decided to go with the name his mother gave him. Fair play.