THE BEST MUSIC: NEW & OLD
DJ Koze and Roisin Murphy are icons in their own right, but together are capable of a kind of alchemy that I can’t get enough of. Here is their latest, You Knew. It drips with hurt, longing and desire. And what’s even more delicious is that DJ Koze has produced a whole album with Roisin, Hit Parade, out September 8th on Ninja Tune. Yum.
A very Happy New Year to you all. Thanks again for checking out the blog, and sending feedback, ideas, and love.
Before we get to 2023, here’s one final post on 2022.
Here are my most played tracks of the year courtesy of Spotify. Some gems in there. Heavily featured artists include Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Bonobo and Hand Habits.
And finally, here is a link to my top 50 on Soundcloud. Knock yourself out.
A short story: the year is 2014 and I am dancing to an unnamed DJ in a clearing in the woods at Secret Garden Party. This track comes on, and my little mind is completely blown by the bassline. So much so that I for a brief moment I consider a career as a DJ. Anyway, here we are 7 years on and that loop that comes in at 2:18 still packs just as much heat.
Today I’ve got an almost unreasonably deep EP from Canadian newcomer Chat Desmond.
If you only listen to one track, make it Gotta Light. In one sense, it is a mournful duet told in three parts; the male vocal takes us to four minutes in, before Gladys’ Knight’s familiar laments takes its place (the sample of DJ Koze’s Pick Up fame). Finally the two vocals greet each other in a touching finale. It is a really creative take on two samples that have probably been never been anywhere near each other before. But for all that beauty, it has another side – Gotta Light is basically a bit of a banger. The vocals are underpinned by this addictive acid-tinged bass line. Progression after progression leaves you on the tip and wanting more. Tune.
A couple more tracks to mention. The opening number Hiding From Love is another nice deep number. And as an added bonus you get a crash course in Year 1 of Philosophy undergrad.
Another to check out is Pinch Me, which is now the cause of me mentioning Beyoncé for the first time on this blog. Chat Desmond gives her Sweet Dreams the Cyril Hahn / Destiny’s Child treatment; a delightfully twisted, dark reimagining of the track.
All in all, looking forward to a Vol. 2.
As ever, a big shout out to Ben Gomori and his Turned On podcast for the tip.
When Matthew Herbert wants to do something weird, he becomes Herbert. And boy does he do it well.
Bodily Functions is his album from 2001. It’s all somewhere between jazz, electronica and house. It’s slinky. Highlights are It’s Only (made famous by DJ Koze) and my favourite, down at track 14, is The Audience.
And by the way, this guy does zero sampling and uses zero drum machines or synths. AND all of these tracks include samples of the human body. Crazy.
Bonus track: I Hadn’t Known (I Only Heard) and it’s only from 1998! It has just been re-issued and it sounds as fresh as you like.
What was the song of last Summer? Maybe DJ Koze? Maybe Whole Again by Atomic Kitten, experiencing a Gareth Southgate-related resurgence?
Either way, I think Dan Snaith (Daphni/Caribou) is taking the title for 2019. Sizzling is an upbeat disco house banger and you will hear it a lot. I say bring it on.
I’m growing a moustache to raise money for the Movember Foundation. So this month I will be honouring some of the best moustaches in music. You can donate to my mo here: https://mobro.co/harry-mo?
Here’s another phenomenal producer with a moustache to match. DJ Koze has all the tricks in the box, and earlier this year released this varied, original album. Bonfire will bring out the sentimental in you, then you’ll get sped up, slowed down and turned around until you hit the 3 stars of the listing. Roisin Murphy in Illumination, and then Pick Up and Planet Haze. It’s a real corker, from one of the most talented producers out there.
HARRY'S MUSICAL EMPORIUM 