bar italia

I know we have been quite lazy lately mainly because that holiday spirit has slowed us down a bit.Anyway,i guess these days most people have more fun things to do than scroll around blogs.So this is the first post for 2009.Sounds impressive.I have got to get used to that 9..This is a track that's been getting a lot of plays on i my i tunes lately and i was thinking of posting for quite sometime now.This slimy edit comes courtesy of from Kommand Tropical Disco and it is a Balearic cut of Italian melodramatic pop that comes from an artist that should feature in my dad's blog and not mine.So this is Italian stallion Lucio Dalla with ''Washigton'', getting specially treated by Kommand Tropical Disco,who have produced some really solid edits lately.Check their myspace page for more tracks and info.Kommand Tropical Disco Myspace.More Balearic kitsch for sophisticated people.

Lucio Dalla - Washington - Kommand Tropical disco edit

christmas time

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Roller Disco Orchestra - Little drummer boy

norwegian wood

If you take a look to the list of new releases on any respected dance record shop you will easily come to the result that re edit releases tend to be more than half of the record output that goes out out on sale these days.Almost every week an new label comes along with a bunch of re edits on much loved classics or obscure disco cuts.The truth is that only few of these releases really make a difference.Back in the day where the re edit business was a job for the few if you wanted to go for quality edits then you would go for the obvious choices like NYC legend Danny Krivit or the Moxie label edits.At the time noone could believe that a kid from Norway would be the newcomer that set the standards for the whole re edit frenzy that hit the music world the last few years.This is the real case though.In 2005 i stumbled upon two edits by a guy named Todd Terje.Michael Jackson's ''I can help it''(one of Terje's best edits in my opinion) and Chilly's exotique cover of the Yardbirds classic ''For Your Love'' were given a magic touch by Mr Terje and became two of the most loved tracks during the summer of 2005.Every once in a while a new edit would come up like Demis Rousos' ''I dig you'' or the Wilow Band's Wilowman creating a cult following for the young Norwgian and created much anticipation for his future mp3 gem.Todd Terje was the knob that opened the door to Norways magical music world for me and many others i guess.With remixes for acts like Lindstrom and Prins Thomas and original material like ''Italian Stallion'', which i consider to be one of his best releases, he showcases his strength as a producer.Nowadays Todd is consider to be one of the best remixers out there.His remixes for Jose Gonzalez,Simon Baker and Dolle Jolle were some of the top releases of the year. His re edits under the name Wade Nichols(Dennis Parker real name) continue to cause a stir upon release but for me the stakes are high for Terje's own production work.Only clocking at 29 years Terje has already played together with a legend like Francois Kevorkian at Deep Space and has a build a reputation of one of the hottest producers out there.Well i guess not many people can claim to have gone that high in such a short time.This Saturday Todd Terje is visiting Greece for the second time(after his small gig at Xalandri some years ago) and is our guest for this weeks special Christmas Plaidmusic party along with the Outro team at Yoga Bala.Todd was kind enough to give great interview for an Athenian newspaper which sadly never saw the light of publication(newspapers in Athens are weird) so im posting the interview here and apologize for the inconvenience caused.Hope to see you all at Yoga Bala on Saturday wearing your best faces.

Todd Terje's Interview

1. You are preparing your first solo album. Can you explain us what to expect?
Actually no, I don't know myself yet. I haven't worked that much on the album as much as separate singles so far. I'm setting up a label for my own stuff very soon, so there will be a few singles before I start working on the album.

2. What is it like growing up in Norway? How stimulating is the local music scene for your creativity?
Living in one of the most underpopulated countries of the world, it's of course much less hectic than everywhere else. I just came back from living in Berlin for the past 4 months, I felt much more relaxed immediately.
I've never relied that much on a music scene, it's been a bit "every man for himself". But I think that's the best way anyway. However, I'm gonna share a studio soon for the first time in my life, and some musical exchange would be great.

3. Which was the first song you thought that needed an edit?
Hmm...it's so long ago, hehe. One of the first tracks I tried to rearrange was Boney M's "Silly Confusion".

4. What's your inspiration?
My own imagination. I like to imagine a landscape, a setting, an atmosphere etc and try to think how that could sound.
Another way to make music is of course to listen to old heroes and try to recreate their sound, but to make different melodies, beats and arranging. Borrow some here, steal some there, it will always sound like you anyway.

5. Your bio mentions that in the beginning you thought that disco was a bit silly. What does disco represent for you right now?
Yes, as a teenager I thought it both looked and sounded a bit 'off'. I preferred higher tempo, more action, you know like kids do today.
For me, disco right now is the same as it has always been; a big influence. Disco is easier to sell these days, and that puts me off a bit. I used to like these sounds a bit because I felt they were different. They're not anymore, I hear disco everywhere now. In the same way, Fleet Foxes made loose my beard!

7. What do you think about music blogs?
They're here, they can give me good songs once in a while and kids listen to them. Kids who becomes djs these days play "blog music" which I don't like in general (it's all nu rave), but I guess you have to start somewhere. As soon as you get 25, you grow a beard and start playing Fleetwood Mac instead, hah.

8. What’s the ideal space for you to play and why?
The smaller the better has always been my thing. But after playing only small clubs in Norway, it's been a good change to play some "bigrooms". It's usually easier to adjust sound in a small room, but if the sound engineer did a good job in the big room, I think that's just as fun!

9. What are you going to present to your gig in Yoga Bala?
No idea. What do you want? Probably at least ONE Demis Roussos track and perhaps a bit of Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou?
I like the idea that you could play all kinds of music in a set, as long as you present it well (=that you look cool and beatmix everything, hehe).

10. Which phases of electronic music have you been through? Have ever been into more techno or drum’n’bas stuff?
I loved The Prodigy as a kid, all kinds of fast breakbeat tracks, jungle and a litte bit of drum'n'bass even. I've never been into techno that much, I think that's why I'm exploring it right now. I always thought it was too cold and monotonous, but now it's merging into all kinds of genres which makes it much more interesting for me.

11. Can you pinpoint the most sexy tracks you have checked out recently?
Hmm, sexy tracks... Salsoul Orchestra's "Nice 'N' Naasty", Orlando Johnson's "Fantasize", Grace Jones' "Feel Up" and Tony Silvester's "Pazuzu", that's definitely sexy!

13. How easy it for someone from Norway to embrace the Balearic sound?
Underground Norwegian music has always had a balearic touch to it. I don't know the reason why or when it started, it seems to always have been there. Mainstream Norwegian music is horrible, the swedes are much much better.

14. You are a trained pianist. Do you still listen to classic music and if so what exactly?
Haven't listened to classic music in a long time, but recently when I lived in Berlin I went to the Berliner Philharmonie and I was blown away! I went there 3 more times the following month, hehe.
I still love all the music I listened to many years ago, like Debussy's piano pieces, Grieg's (hey!) lyric pieces, Brahms' and Beethoven's piano sonatas. We heard Andras Schiff play Beethoven's "Appasionata" sonata 3 weeks ago, which was really really good for me, since I've become bored of Beatport music the last months.

15. What is your most valuable belonging?
My Martin guitar, my harddisk, my cd wallet and my incredibly big ego.

And since someone asked for an edit of Mr Terje's work here is one quite out of the ordinary.

Krikokos - life is a jungle Todd Terje re edit

tommy boy guest mix

As i've said many times before,one of the many intriguing aspects of music blogging is meeting people from around the globe.The elusive man that goes under the name Tommy Boy is one of the weirdest disco astronauts to float in the universe.His blog Arawa is weird enough to be one of the most interesting blogs out there mixing disco kitsch with horror chic.After the introduction well you guess that Tommy is today's guest mixer on Plaidmusic with his Stimulation mix.So without further ado this is the mix with a full tracklisting.Thanks Tommy.

http://www.muzak.arawa.fm/TB/Tommyboy_Stimulation.mp3



01 Thompson Twins - Beach Culture
02 Pure Energy - Love Game (H-Track edit)
03 International Music System - Love Games
04 Blackway - New Life
05 Neon - My Blues Is You (Slow Dub)
06 Shock - Angel Face
07 Brooklyn Express - Change Position (1988 mix)
08 Rosebud - Have a Cigar
09 Black Devil Disco Club - With Honey Cream
10 Roberto De Simone - Secondo Coro Delle Lavandaie
11 Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Are Sealed (H-Track edit)
12 Supercharge - I Think I'm Gonna Fall In Love
13 Virgo - Myspace
14 Rodney Baker - House Gril (Serge & Tyrell Edit)
15 Boys Inc - Melody Man (Minimal Spooky Noodles Edit)
16 Elektrik Dred - Butter Up (Instrumental)
17 Jungle Wonz - the Jungle
18 Tarot - Tarot Suite
19 Thompson Twins - Love On Your Side (Q&A edit)
20 World Premiere - Share The Night
21 R.A.F - Self Control
22 Billy Thorpe - Stimulation
23 Electric Mind - Summing Up

the countdown-end of year list

So this is our list with the best long players, singles and compilations from the year 2008.We tried to keep it short but it was quite hard.So without further ado this is our best of the best list for the year that's going away.

Best Singles



1.The Laughing Light Of Plenty-The Rose-Whatever We Want Records

This record was featured on this blog last September and it was a tune that long before it's release had left us wondering of it's origins.Thomas Bullock of Rub and Tug and Eddie Ruscha produced a record that mixed elements from the baggy era with hippy and disco.The mixture sounded like Stone Roses on acid.Released on Harvey's ultra eclectic label Whatever We Want Records, this is an item that's selling for about 50 dollars on discogs only after some months of it's original release.If you want a record to impress your friends well this is the one.






2.Dolle Jolle-Balearic Incarnation-Permanent Vacation



This was probably one of the tracks i enjoyed palying more than any other this year.Although many would argue that the remix of Plastik by Simon Baker was Todd Terje's finest hour,my pick is this one.Terje is proving to be an amazing producer that leaves his re edit duites to second place.Carrying the weight of Jean Luc Ponty's original this is record that builds slowly from a Balearic lullaby to a dancefloor killer.Played at the right moment it can be the record of the night.Todd Terje is showing off his producer teeth this year and we just hope to get more things from him in the same vein.





3.Primal Scream-Uptown-Andy Weatherall Mix-B Unique


Quite a natural selection if you take in consideration the fact that the man behind the production credits is one of my favourite producers ever and this marks his return after a many years silence as a remixer.The main attraction of the track are the lush strings that go wild towards the end of the song and the overall dubby feel of it,a trademark of Weatherall's productions.Overally a future classic that brings memories from the past.






4.Bastard-A Mountain Of One Rework-Not On Label


If i was making a list about last year these guys would be a candidate fore many categories.This year they offered as a remake of track by Ian Hunter that was rumored to be from Mott the Hoople but proved to be a track from Ian Hunter's ''You Are Never Alone With A Schizophrenic''.The raw energy of this song is overflowing through it's heavy guitar riff and the demented rock vocals of Ian Hunter.MOF brought an instant classic to surface and gave it a polished re work.If you like your disco with rock guitars well this one is the perfect choice when you want to go heavy.



5.C.O.M.B.I. Re Edits- You Got Love Song-It A Late

Yet another re edit release is featured on my list.When it comes to edits the ones that get really appreciated are the ones who get totally fucked up.This choice is what i believe to be the best re edit around as it features two songs that in their original form are quite low quality disco tracks opposed to the mountain of one rework who was based one a track that is killer in a any form.Rub and Tug who are rumored to be behind these Japanese series of re edits,do an remarkable job.Here we are dealing with two edits that are top notch and left me and Vags arguing about which one is best.After some time b side ''It a late'' with its slow motion action,rocky edge and eerie vocals proved to be the winner.If you think that the original song is by Village people then you get the point of successful re editing



6.It's a Fine Line-Woman-History Clock Records

This one has a long story behind it.Canadian space disco outfit G B and the tracks produced this stunning piece of protohouse electronic monster back in 1978,featuring some Supermax styled solid r vocals that gave a real rocky edge to it.This year Taco gave this track an edit in which he only extended the instrumental intro of the original.At some point Tim Sweeny spinned a record on BIS radio that sounded like a re edit of the original but with the vocals on.I was instantly hooked and since the original sells for as much as 100 euros i was craving for this mysterious release.I was so obsessed with the record that i made a re edit myself to play on my Dj sets.Quite recently i was relieved when i finally bought this great record.A must have!



7.Maelstrom-Enter The Cosmos-Solar Disco


If there is supposed to be one club record of the year then i'd have to choose between this one and Joakim's take on Dj MEdhi's Pocket Piano.After some thought i picked Maelstrom's Enter The Cosmos as the Sangt Goran remix on thsi one was one of the tracks that featured heavily on my playlist this year and it was always a sure winner on the crowd.A record that has a real housy feel to it with great piano hook ups that bring in the mind classics like Strings of Life.It's a pumping floorfiller that works on people every single time.It's a record that has put me out of many tight spot this apart from being a personal favourite so it definitely deserves a place in this list.



8.Metronomy-Heartbreaker-Diskjokke Remix



It was quite a drag to decide on this one.Without doubt one of the top releases of the year.It was almost impossible to decide which version we liked best.Every single on of them including the original are almost equally good.All the remixes are handling the original material in a totaly different and creative way.Although my dj sets were usually focused on Faze Action's dubby disco take on the original after some persuasion from Vags i settled for Diskjokke's dark and trippy version that keeps part of the amazing vocals and use them in full effect.Almost every single to emerge from Metronomy's great LP gets top remix treatment rating it amongst the best releases of the year.




9.Lovelock-Don't Turn Away From My Love-Balearic Beats 1-Eskimo

Almost every release on Eskimo tends to be setting the standards for top quality dance music.This one is no exception to the rule.Cosmic Balearic Beats was on e of the top compilations of the year with all the hot producer of the moment like Phoreski,Maelstrom and Disco Devil giving away top laidback tracks for this contemporary balearic record.The winner of this compilation though was a newcomer from the states under the name Lovelock.Don't Turn Away From My Love is track that sounds like it got out of the recording sessions of a late seventies European disco rock outfit that decided to go electronic.Imagine Supermax blended with french electronics wizard Frederik Mercier and you get a glimpse.With a promise of a new album and with the samples we were lucky enough to hear it seems that this guy is gonna hit the right spot in 2009.





10.Discodeine-Homo Compatible-Dark And Lovely

Some years earlier noone could predict the meyhem caused by a forgotten 60's northern soul allnighter re edited by guy called Cédric Marszewski.Back in 2006 this unexpected edit reached mainstream audiences and became the dance anthem of the ear.In the beginning it was like everyone favourite's toy but after it got out of the box i remeber being so annoyed by it's use even in cell phone ringtones that i decide to play psych uk outfit Timebox's from that moment on and only when people asked me to.Pilooski is for me one of the smartest and trained producers out there with an ear for the catchy as well for the obscure and his re edit skills are that of a suit tailor.Pilooski doesn't just extend songs.He beats the shit out of them with taste.And his knowledge in 60's psych repertoire gives him the privilege of going into territories that other dj's don't dare to.I mean who would have thought of re editing Beggin or Music Machine's trouble as he did on his latest re edits for Moxie label.A lot of you would think that all this is the intro for his latest installment in the dark and lovely series and that Elvis re edit in particular.Well although this re edit maybe in fact the release of the year i decide to concentrate on Pilloski's production duties and especially on the b side of his music vehicle called Discodeine.Most people would go for Joystick but give Homo Compatible a spin and you ll see that this under 100 bpm monster can rock a crowd better that any aspiring disco edit.




11.The Presets-Anywhere-Still Going Mix-Modular

Since we couldn't use an Underworld release on this list,this track qualifies fro the job.Although this hasn't even been printed on vinyl yet it easily became one of the most loved songs of the year even though it was a real late contender.At least one half of the Rub And Tug duo are featured on our list.Eric Duncan's and Liv Spencer's Still Going after releasing one of the signature tracks of last year,came back with some remixes that were on our top shelf for this year and if it hadn't be this one then Low Motion Disco ''LOve LOve LOve'' would have been here.The original song comes courtesy of on of the best LP's of the year from a group that took a while to convince me of their merits since im really stubborn sometimes(a loved person out there knows the story) but made me ending up loving them.It's a song that is surely reminiscent of Underworld finest hours and this makes it alone a classic.It's a love song for the concerning dancefloor.




12.Max Essa-Back To The Beach


Probably the best release to come out of the Bear Funk label.its a record that surpises me every single time i hear it.It has a certain quality that leaves me speechless.It's a contemporary balearic monster with great guitar work and dreamy synths.A record that takes you back to the beach anytime of the year.It's one of Vags' trademark tunes and everytime he plays it i keep asking what's playing.I don't seem to get it.









LPs and Compilations

1.Lindstrom-Where you Go I Go Too-Smalltown Supertown


If a dance record appeals to hard boiled indie fans then it's a sucess.Especially one that has tracks that go on for as much as 25 spaced out minutes.Leaning on the electronic mastership of artists like the Greek half god Vangelis and adding a Giorgio Moroder touch to it Lindstrom produced an album of just 3 tracks that explore space territories in balearic disco style.Aimed rather at your head and not so much at your feet this record needs a pair of good headphones or a good soundsystem and some of your precious time to get you on a an acid spaced trip that is hard to believe that is produced today.It seems that they put something in the water up there in Scandinavia.



2.Quiet Village-Silent Movie-Studio !K7


When Can't be Beat was released on Whatever We Want Records back in 2005 everyone was talking about the release of the year before the year was coming to an end.This slow and sensual scorcher backed by Pillow Talk,using sample from Alan Parson's project Voyager was followed by two more EPs on Whatever We Want records that gave a cult following to the band and paved the way for their stellar Lp that was released this year after much anticipation.Silent Movie is the soundtrack to an imaginary movie that is yet to be filmed.Songs like Giorgio Moroder's Flying High are becoming the ground on which Quiet Village are basing their tracks.Although not completely original this album flourishes of innovation as the way that it's makers handle their material is what makes it sound new.It's the best late night record your money can get this year.From the Spaghetti Western mood of Circus of Horror to the almost eerie 70's soft porn Broken promises this is a record that floats like water from start to finish.



3.The Time And Space Machine-5D Recordings


It's hard to believe that the man behind this record was partly responsible for one the most classics Balearic records of the 90's as a member of the 90's dance combo the Grid.Richard Norris is partner in crime of ex trashman Erol Alkan in the superstar remix duo Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve.This year they produced an album of reworked on obscure 60 and 70's psych pop tracks that was a million miles away from their usual remixing duties.Although this release could qualify for just an extension on the BTWS LP it's got an identity of it's own.I had to think hard which one of the two i would put in my top list and i ended up with this one.Once again Psych pop,Freakbeat and Kraut are blended together to an unbeatable result that's the perfect soundtrack to watch movies like The Wicker Man and burn incense sticks.It's an acid trip to space and back.Richard Norris collects the cream of the crop of 60 and 70's psych messes with them and serves them up in the best psychedelic record to come out in 2008.



4.El Bum-Bumrocks


If there was a spot for blog of the year here then Bumrocks would be without a doubt the winner.With guests like Tim Sweeny,Phoreski and Taco choosing the music Bumrocks became the best destination for anyone who wanted to get the most exclusive tunes to use on his cosmic flavored sets or showing off to his friends.The most common answer to the ''Where did you get this?'' could be ''At Bumrocks".So you can imagine that when Bumrocks decide to put out a compilation with some obscure balearic and disco cuts with Tako,Beat Broker and Hey Convict on the job,then you realize it's one of the best compilations around.Ultra limited and collectible this record is one of the best things i got my hands onto this year.All 8 tracks on the album are worth every penny and as a bonus you get the biggest and most hairy piece of ash you have ever seen featuring on the front sleeve.If you don't go for that then flip the record around and you get a chicken's bum.Weird..




5.Low Motion Disco-Keep It Slow-Eskimo Recordings


With Eskimo records producing some of the best LP's and compilations of the year it's easily tagged as label of the year.This case is one of the most accomplished releases of original material we dealt with this year.The name of the band and the title of the album couldn't be more informative on the music that's included in here.Low Motion Disco is a dark album of slow motion dance music that's maybe more base on early nineties dance indie acts than disco.If you liked One Dove,Love Corporation,Screamadelica and have a taste for seedy films then this is a record you should check out.The singles of the album got remixed by some of the best men in the job.Love Love Love got to be remixed by Aeroplane,Soft Rocks LSB and Still Going with the latest being one of the top releases of the year.Their latest single The Low Murderer Is Out All Night got an epic remix of slow motion king Mark E.

disco massage

Quite some years ago Athens was a place that had a night life that was flourishing with innovation.If you try hard you can recollect every single indie act with a handful of singles and an album giving concerts in Athens and the clubs were hosting a top international name at least one time per week.If you look closely to what's happening now you'll will easily come to the result that almost none of the rock acts that feature in the years top list of all music magazines don't include Greece into their tours.I'm not gonna try and explain the reasons that concerts are crap in Greece and concern only people who like dinosaurs.What i'm trying to say is at least one person who organises concerts should know that The Fleet Foxes is a band that people in Greece should have the chance to hear.And this is just an example of what i'm talking about.What the indie scene is failing to achieve here in Greece though,is been championed right now by what seems to be a renaissance of a club revival.The reason of the demise of club culture in Athens was that house music became a ground for social exhibisionism of rich Athenians that needed something else to do on the days they were not visiting their usual ''dog'' music shrines.A type of music that was intended for smoky clubs with people on acid was transfered on luxurious club restaurants with everyone sniffing coke in the back toilets.Lately thought things are starting to move in new more promising direction though.What the indie scene has failed to do and what the indie electro bastard idiom is failing to do as well,is now easily done by what many rushed to baptize the new disco scene.Whether a fashion thing or not(although im sure it is one) it's proving to be the saviour of the half dead Athenian nightlife.Many people jump on the bandwagon get a part of the pie,but the result at everyone's listening pleasure is that Athens is being visited by acts which are top names in their genre and fill the pages of music blogs and magazines around the world.Its better having the cream of the crop of a genre that is aimed to eclectism that to have the last contender of the local school band competition.Leaving aside my personal empathy, tastes or socializing issues im willing(and honestly i think everyone should) to embrace this effort no matter how some people want to call this.Honestly i think that it's been years that something so good has happened in Athens nights.It's all about music thought and things should stick to having fun with that.Having visited some parties like London's Horse Meat Dsico i realised that the people who are visiting disco parties outside Greece are not dressed like gong to Rio De Janeiro carnival and have normal jobs like lorry drivers,or plumbers and are not part of an arty farty part of the population who has a lot time to spare.Anyway enough with the nagging.Once i start i can't stop sometimes.This article is supposed to be an optimistic one so im gonna talk about the reason that i first started writing it.The reason was the first Encore party by the people formerly know as the Amateur Boyz.This Friday Athens will have the opportunity to listen to some of the finest Dj's and producers that are out there at the moment.Personally im really happy to listen for the first time the half of my favourite Dj duo Rub And Tug.Although Thomas is my man i think Eric will do the job nicely nasty.More than that that you get Moxie Paul the man responsible for some of the best re edits your ears have the pleasure of hearing,and co owner of the best record shop Athens has seen the last few years(and the reason that i think people will start buing records again).A special post about Paul is coming on thsio blog soon.As a bonus you get a live performance from DFA act Yacht.Im not a big expert on Yacht so i'll let others do the talking about them and concentrate on Rub and Tug.These guys are into so many things it's hard to keep up with everything.Responsible for the amazing Campfire mix and remixing everything from Zero 7, to Coldplay Lcd Soundsystem and Beastie Boys to Minimal Compact.they have build a reputation as one of the most eclectic duos to have emerged out of the Us.Tracks produced by them like WIld Rumpus ''Musical Blaze Up'' caused a big stir in the among music enthusiats.The best thing is that at the moment they are two of the most productive people around.Thomas is the one half of The Laughing Light Of Plenty responsible for this years top tune in everybody's list ''The Rose''.This anthemic Stone Roses sounding tune(featured on our blo ages ago before its' official release) became the most loved tune for people like Lovefingers,Tim Sweeny and many other DJs around the world.Thomas is also part of the supergroup ''Food Of The Gods'' featuring other memebrs like Harvey,And with first release on Whatever We Want Records that's gonna cause quite a mayhem.Eric on the other hand going under the name Still Going produced another anthemic track of the year the simply titled ''Still Going Theme" that was featured on everyone' playlists.With remixes for bands like the Presets and Low Motion disco Still Going produced some of the best tunes around.Their last but not trivial achievement are the almost cult rare re edits under the name C.O.M.B.I..Although not directly credited to them these Japan cut re edits are the cheesy disco slimeness transformed into dancefloor mayhem by C.O.M.B.I. or otherwise Rub And Tug.So i'll close this HUGE article with a treat from C.O.M.B.I called ''You Got Love Song" and believe me it blew my head the first time i listened it on headphones at Phonica last year.Bomb Music!

C.o.m.b.i - you got love song

northern light

Well i know havent' been around lately.After a week away in London i returned in Athens only to find a depressing scenery of half burned buildings and confused people.I usually prefer leaving subjects like this one for others though so i ll concentrate on what i do best.Today's track is by jazz guitarist and former Earth Wind And Fire member,Roland Bautista.The first time i heard thsi song was on a mix by Mr Todd Terje that is known to most people as the Elvis mix.This track had blown my mind away at the time and i was trying to locate it for a long time.It's a magnificent ballad in the vein of Crosby Still and Nash or Fleetwood Mac's seventies output that deals with the loss of love.There is a lovely vibraphone running through the song that makes it perfect for a wake up call.Thanks to Mr Todd Terje i discovered a great song.Speaking of Todd Terje,next week he will be joining us for a special Christmas Plaidmusic party.More details in upcoming posts along with an interview from Norway's re edits brainchild himself.

Roland Bautista - gone

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us

When i was a kid Ron Mael gave me the creeps.Well in this video he still does.Sparks were a band way ahead of their time.Grab a copy of Kimono my house and you will find out many reasons why MGMT were 36 years late.Songs like this one, "Here in heaven" and "Hasta Manana Monsieur" send shivers down the spine.I hadn't heard the album in years but last week i was in a great clothes shop in Soho called Behave and the really cool guy(wearing short short pants to the knee with high socks) who was working there was listening to this record.Anyway enough said.One of the best albums ever produced way back in 1972.This town ain't big enough for both of us!

guitara bomba musika

1.Metronomy - thing for me (Fontan mix)
2. Traffic - shout out
3. Matthew Dear - pom pom (The Juan Maclean back up vox)
4. The Power Station - some like it hot
5. Japan - suburban love
6. Womack & Womack - MPB (folk version)
7. Otterman Empire - dharma
8. Trans Am - first words
9. Tame Impala - half full glass of wine(Canyons drunken rage)
10. Fontan - sun up (A Mountain of one mix)
11. City Of Reverb - city lights (Prins Thomas mix)
12. Telex - raised by snakes (razormaid version)
13. Sly Mongoose - snakes and ladder (Rub n Tug mix)
14. Force Of Nature - frontman (Idjut boys mix)
15. Prefab Sprout - Bonny (Leo Zero edit)


some like it rock
some like it hot
early in the morning.
bump up the volume.
plaid loud and clear.

guitar bomb mix
http://www.zshare.net/audio/52558683a3a55a96/

beat broker mix

A new mix from me feat beats from one sauna men,woolfy,friendly fires
fan death,,peter visti ,mock n toof,city reverb,smoke city,low motion disco
and many more.
here we go

1.One Sauna Man - stairway to dub
2.Woolfy - nevee
3.Fan Death - Veronicas veil (Erol Alkan mix)
4.Low Motion Disco - murder is out at night (an-2 remix)
5.City Reverb - city lights (Prins Thomas mix)
6.Mock & Toof - underwater (alt.dub version)
7.Peter Visti - if only
8.Friendly Fires - Paris (Justus Kohncke remix)
9.Smoke City - Mr Gorgeous (Mood 2 Swing mix)
10.Throbbing Gristle - Hot in the heels of love (C.Graig mix)
11.Alexander robotnik - the dark side of the spoon (Lindstrom mix)
12.Chemical Brothers - A modern midnight conversation
13.The Beat Broker - cactus cooler (Citizen Kane mix)

beat broker mix
http://www.zshare.net/audio/523887245cde7011/

The Glimmers VS The World

This weekend Athens is gonna be a really interesting place to hangout.Unfortunately i won't be here,but most of you will have the chance to be part of an event that features one of the most respected dj duos around,the legendary Glimmers.For those who need introduction,the Glimmers otherwise Mo and Benoelie or the the Glimmer Twins are mainly responsible for the resurrection of leftfield disco nu disco or whatever you want to call it.Around 2000 i was browsing through a second hand store and stumbled upon a compilation under the alluring name Eskimo.At the time i was manly into house and early 80's new york disco so i was familiar with some of the tunes on the compilation but most of them were unknown to me and seemed quite intriguing.I bought the compilation and it proved to be on the records that changed my approach to music.Classics like Harry Thuman's Underwater were completely new stuff for me so you can imagine my excitement about this record.What links this story with the Glimmers is that the people who comiled the tracks for this compilation were in fact The Glimmers.So if i have to blame someone for being a music geek then these guys are the ones to blame.Coming from Belgium the Glimmers were two of the first people who tried to infuse obscure synth pop music from Europe(some call it Ital0),balearic and space disco into their dj sets.The result was a cult following from many music affacionados and their remixes getting a cult status in the music world.Now after many years of championing the scene the Glimmers are restless and have come up with many new remixes and EPs with latest collaborations with acts like Prins Thomas and Lindstrom and Ray Mang.Their new Lp ''The Glimmers Are Gee Gee Fazi 2'' is an essential release and you can have a free copy of it only by attending their upcoming Dj set.ALongside the Glimmers you will have the chance to listen to one of the hottest names around at the moment,the French Dandy Cosmo Vitelli.Cosmo runs one of my favourite labels ''Im A Cliche Records'' responsible for some of the best releases this year like Runaways's epic "She did it for the money'' or The Quiet Village mix of ''Delayer''.Cosmo contributes to the French superhyped blog Alainfinkielkrautrock which set the standards for quality music blogs about two years ago.Apart from all to he is djing around the world,re edits(his edit of Fleetwood Mac's Keep On going On is great) and tries his best to do all this in the best possible way.So this Saturday The Flying Lilis Brothers aka Disco Pogo with "Yes It Does Sure It does!!'' bring you the cream of the crop of Europes dance scene with an affordable ticket of 10 euro and the chance to get a free copy of the Glimmers new Cd.The Flying Lilis Bros were kind enough to give us interviews of the Glimmers and Cosmo to use on our blog.SO this is the first courtesy of The Glimmers

The Glimmers Interview

1.You've been djing for more than 20 years, what's the style of music that you can afford to play for more than fifteen minutes?

I would say, classics. Only tunes that have proved themselves to be timeless on the dance floor are the ones you can play for hours and hours.. No matter what genre or in which period they were made.

2.Everybody nowdays seems to be obsessed with nu disco, but you always had a preference to that kind of records. What do you think is going to be the next trend?

We don't care that much about trends, as a trend is only a tool to make money. Our aim is to bring a good party. And playing good disco is something that helps to create a good party.

3.The last two years you decide to release your own records ignoring the record industry. Did that thing work for you?

We certainly are very happy that we could do this, as it is a very challenging time. We make music we like, and we try to distribute this on our own way, and by ignoring the whole record industry we just make it very cheap and available for everyone. We distribute our CD's on events where we perform, and we make a deal with the promoter that he/she pays a little bit extra, and like this we can give away our CD's for free to the party people. They take it home, listen to it, copy it, give it away, sell it on ebay, whatever they want... A whole new way of distributing! In 2008 we did more then 50.000 CD's in the clubs and on top of that, DJ Magazine had us on their cover in April 2008 with one of our CD's so that makes a total of approx. 75.000 ! We never would have done that much with a record company.

4.What's the process behind the last 2 records. How did you make those GEE GEE Fazi albums?

Both CD's are a collection of tracks made over the last 3 years with several friends/producers we met on the road. We tried to create some sort of an album in two parts, but it is more a chronological selection of music made at first for 12" use only. Our real debut album will hit the clubs, not the shops, on January the 1st, 2009. It's called 'The Glimmers Presents Disko Drunkards' and it is a band project. Music written by us together with some musicians here in Belgium, all in the same sort of flow. We will try to get the guys on stage as well, somewhere in 2009.

5.Do you prefer making music or playing music that other people make? Do you want the people to know you as a dj or as taste maker and a good digger that finds strange but beautiful records?

We want it all I guess. It is all connected as well. You make music, you want the audience to like your own stuff. And it is great to hear great music made by great musicians, and it is amazing to mix records on a loud system and see people going crazy.

6. How did you decide to do your own label and what is your main philosophy. Are you planning any other releases?

We're planning a lot of releases this year, we still have a lot of music in the closet. We're going to try to get as much of our stuff out there. On vinyl, very limited, and on CD's, in the clubs.

7.What's the best party you've played lately and what's the strangest place you've ever dj?

One of the best ones really lately was Mexico City, a place called Covadonga. And Dubai was also great! There we played Alpha Night Club.
One of the strangest spots was probably in Brussels, the amazing Atomium. A strange but beautiful building made in 1958 for the world expo in that same year in Brussels. There has been only one party there with DJ's, and we were part of it. Very strange, as it felt like the building could collapse anytime..

8.What's your best memory from the prolific ESKIMO parties in Ghent?

A lot of crazy people, and a lot of styles coming together in one venue, like an indoor alternative festival. I think the one where we had Harvey DJing, that was an amazing one, and the one with Kruder And Dorfmeister as well..

9.What kind of music you play these days in the parties around the world and give us a top 5 tracks from the dark side of disco?

We still play all sorts of music, popular and underground, mixed.. as long as you can dance to it, and as long as it has a funky beat!
A top five would include Padded Cell's Word Of Mouth (in our remix), Grace Jones' Corporate Cannibal, Liquid Liquid's Cavern, ESG's UFO, Rub 'n Tug's remix for !!!'s track a year or two ago on Warp Records, what's it called again.. 'Hello ? Is This Thing On ?' and a lot more !

10. You have inspired many new djs but who are these who inspired you?

Only the ones we've heard are mentionable, as other legends must have been amazing to hear, but we did not had the chance (yet). The ones we've heard so far, and are a big inspiration:
Grandmaster Flash, DJ Harvey, Alex Patterson, Francois K., TLP, Martin Maurice, Juan Atkins, Eric Lobos, Alfredo..


Cosmo Vitelli Interview



What kind of music did you grow up with?

I was raised in Africa till 7 years old, my parents were listening to Jazz and soul music.
Back in France, I started playing in bands around 15, playing indie pop and trying to sound like the Stone Roses.


How did you first got into DJing and production?

I was part of an indie band called Perio, wich made 2 albums and some 7". Then the singer left to America, and I couldn't find any interesting band to be part of. I started quickly to do my stuff, and electronic music gave me the tools to be independend, and not to have to rely on a band. By chance, I found a label without really having to search and quickly signed to Etienne de Crecy's label Solid.
I played as a Dj in friends parties since a long time but started playing in clubs then.


How would you describe your sound?

It's the music of someone who couldn't choose between being a good professional or a very bad one. I guess I'm between the two.


Tell us a bit about the recent french scene. Who are your collaborators and partners in crime?

I'm not so much into that at the moment as I travel a lot. I know most of the people involved in it, as I've been doing music around since many years now, but there's not as many connections as you may think. We don't spend our time in other's parties for example. Honestly, last time I saw most of them, it was in a foreign country


What can someone expect from your recent DJ sets?

Fun, disco basslines, bad taste...



What's next for I'm A Cliche? Future plans?

A compilation should come very soon, with lots of unreleased materials. New 12" too, On the other side, with my band Bot'Ox, we just finished an LP wich will come out early next year.


What's the story behind the label name?

The name comes from a song of one of my preferite bands called X Ray Spex, an english "punk" band with a brillant lyricist, a singer called Poly Styrene.


Favourite artists at the moment?

I have a serious problem, I don't really have any. I'm really disapointed by most of the music I can hear at the moment.
I guess most of the exciting music can be heard live than on records now.



Favourite artists of all time?

Kraftwerk, Robert Wyatt, Keith Richards, Sly&Robbie...But it changes every minute


What is your advice to up and coming producers/DJ's?
To find a real job


Favourite place to play worldwide?

I have a residency in Paris, obviously called I'm a Cliché. It's a privileged moment and I really feel at home there.
But in any case, a good party is a combination of so many things, a nice crowd, the right place at the right moment, a good soundsystem, etc...Sometimes you hear a lot about some place and when you go there nothing special happens. Or the opposite.

Cosmos Vitelli's interview by Fantastikoi Hxoi
http://fantastikoihxoi.blogspot.com/

......and its like cosmic>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Every once in a while, an album comes along that doesn't simply surprise you, it takes you down an alleyway, rips off all your clothes, then hares away with your socks on its head, singing selections from South Pacific. And just before it disappears from view, you notice that David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Brian Eno are cavorting alongside it, sharing the spoils and plotting further misdeeds. The fact that the original miscreant then shrugs them aside and tears off on its own is neither here nor there. What matters is, when Scott Walker set to work (somewhat reluctantly, one feels) on the third post-comeback Walker Brothers album, that was the impression which he had in mind. Of course it wouldn't quite work out like that. Whatever else they may have been, as their rebirth accelerated towards its gory end, the Walkers remained a democracy, splitting vocals and songs between the three non-siblings, and only occasionally allowing any one the upper hand. But whereas John was still locked into the art country balladeering which had always been his forte, and Gary was having trouble completing his allotment, Scott had finally realized that he had more to offer than another Kris Kristofferson outtake. As a writer, he had been all but silent since the late 1960s, when his peculiarly twisted post-pop visions sent solo album after solo album hurtling into a commercial void. Now, however, he was reaching back into that abyss, and emerged with four songs -- "Niteflights," "The Electrician," "Shut Out," and "Fat Mama Kick" -- which not only realigned his entire future career, they also twisted the on-going landscape of rock music itself. Electro-pumping soundscapes of grandiose synth, all four were clearly inspired by Bowie's recent work with Iggy and Eno. But they took that role model so much further that within the year, they themselves were delineating much of what Bowie himself would accomplish on his own next two albums (Lodger and Scary Monsters). Elsewhere, Midge Ure later confessed that "The Electrician" inspired him to write Ultravox's "Vienna," and, from there, one can project the entire new romantic/synth-pop movement from Walker's presumably unwitting role models. In a perfect world, Scott would have completed the entire album himself, or at least been given an EP to himself. But of course that was not to be, and so Nite Flights appeared with the rest of the boys, the rest of the baggage, and, though both John and Gary at least tried to keep up with their bandmate, their failure was as painful as it was inevitable. Gary's "Death of Romance" and John's "Disciples of Death" are at least vindicated by their titles, but the songs are as thin as their composers voices and could be outtakes from another allbum entirely. They're certainly from another planet. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide

WALKER BROTHERS - NITE FLIGHTS

incantations

This is a stunning italo medley cover of two famous songs written by british prog superstar Mike Oldfield(Incantations and Foreign Affair).Italian group G.A.N.G. produced this slimy piece of cosmic kitch in 1983 and was their only release along with K.K.K which is a great piece of protohouse Italo Electro.Im not a fan of Oldfield's work but this song keeps me going.
G.A.N.G - INCANTATIONS