Album of the Week: 74 Miles Away

I first heard about this project through the guys at LaidBackRadio.

A collaboration between Belgian jazz pianist/composer Pierre Anckaert and producers Monkey Robot (previously known as Infinitskills), the album is made up of 4 original tracks composed by Pierre Anckeart and performed by his trio, and then the 4 tracks re-worked by The Monkey Robot.

An original concept, this collaboration also produces some stunning results.
Not least the amazing “Same Dream Again” featuring the vocals of Ahu and Miles Bonny

74 Miles Away – Same Dream Again feat. AHU & Miles Bonny by LaidBack

To top it off the album is packaged beatufully & will make a very welcome addition to your collection.

You can find out more about the project here

And you can hear tracks from the album on this week’s Trust in Dust show on Mixcloud

TRUST!

#albumoftheweek – @wayneLOTEK ‘International Rudeboy’

My first encounter with Wayne ‘Lotek’ Bennett was reading an article in Computer Music about his studio set up & working methods. Hearing he had produced tracks for Roots Manuva and was signed to Big Dada I instantly went down the record shop to dig out a copy of Lotek Hifi’s self titled mini album. I was initially interested and impressed by the warm and crisp production, but I was also quickly won over by his clever wordplay and distinctive flow.

In recent years he has relocated in Australia, produced the Brit Award winning ‘Speech Therapy’ for Speech Debelle, and finally hits us with his debut solo album ‘International Rudeboy’

Launched in time for summer in Australia, it hits the UK in the middle of a major cold snap, delivering sufficient heat to restore feeling to even the coldest of toes. Musically, we are treated to a warm, crisp blend of ska and reggae which provides the perfect backing for Lotek’s lyrical wordplay.

Highlights for me include Splendid, Rudest Dude, Dreader than Dread and Paid, but the quality is high throughout.

Don’t just take my word for it, get over to Lotek’s Bandcamp or itunes to grab your copy.

#AlbumOfTheWeek ‘Voltage Controlled Feelings’ by @Opoloposweden on @TokyoDawn Records

It’s no secret that I LOVE Tokyo Dawn Records. Since the release of ‘The Repeat Factor’ by Portformat around a year ago, which was easily my favorite album of last year, I took a keen interest in the label and have been amazed by their subsequent releases including the Portformat remixes, Swede:art’s ‘Emotional Colours’ and its subsequent remixes, an incredible compilation called ‘The Heart’ and now, their latest addition, Voltage Controlled Feelings’ by Opolopo.

Opolopo takes you into another world with his boogie-jazz-funk-fusion album, sounding like the music from 80’s film soundtracks such as Tron & Blade-runner bought into the 21st century.

Stand out cuts for me include ‘Kobayashi Maru’, ‘Waiting’ ft Farah and the closing opus of ‘Ballad For Amalia’ but I could easily list more. You can check the album out now on Tokyo Dawn’s site. I suggest you do that & get your order in now!

Another classic release from Tokyo Dawn. Quality Guaranteed.

Trust.

Trust In Dust on #InvaderFM 023

Coming up to 6-months now that I’ve been part of Space Invader Radio crew and the latest installment is a particular favorite of mine, packed with loads of great new music, I was really feeling this one. You can listen to the show here

Album of the Week from Opolopo called Voltage Controlled Feelings, out soon on the fantastic Tokyo Dawn label (Review to follow soon)

Plus new EPs from Montgomery Clunk on Error Broadcast) and SBTRKT.

The show kicks off with a great band based in Dublin called Holy Roman Army, covering a Pixies track in their own style, amazing track, and the quality continues in the form of the Greymatter remix of Stac’s ‘Glory’ and a host of other top tracks from Paul White, Fantastic Mr Fox, Grillo, Pursuit Grooves, Space Dimension Controller, Jamie Woon & Lukid.

Been away too long…

Not posted anything for a long time. Been enjoying Brighton too much! But I’m back. New posts coming soon.

Trust

#nowplaying @BBE_Records @Mixcloud Competition Mix

Strangely enough, just after I’d done the Grand Central Session mix, Mixcloud announced this competition to make a mix from the BBE Records back catalogue.

(hear the mix HERE)

I’ve been a huge fan of BBE for many years now so it sounded like my idea of heaven. I spent hours digging through my BBE records which left me with the difficult job of narrowing down such an unbelievably long list of great tracks into a mix that would fit onto a CD.

I was having to chose from some of my all time favorite tracks off some of my all time favorite records such as

J Dilla – The Shining
DJ Spinna – Here to There
King Britt – Adventures in Lo-FI
D’Nell – 1st Magic
Million Dollar Orchestra – Better Days
Osunlade – Aquarian Moon
Visioneers – Dirty Old Hip-Hop

I settled on the following track listing (hear the mix HERE)
Tracklist / Chapters
The Million Dollar Orchestra – Dontcha Wanna Get Down
Katalyst – How About Us Ft Steve Spacek
D’Nell – This Thing
King Britt – Transcend Ft Bahamadia
Dj Spinna – Love Is Sold
Rokstone – Soon Come(Several Small Fury Bugz Cooperating In The Attic Mix)
Osunlade – Aquarian Moon
Pete Rock – Pete’S Jazz
Dj Jazzy Jeff – Da Ntro
Will.I.Am – Lay Me Down (Ft. Terry Dexter)
Roy Ayres – Brand New Feeling
Madlib – The Way That I Live Ft Stacy Epps
Visioneers – The World Is Yours
Dj Jazzy Jeff – We Live In Philly
J Dilla – Won’t Do
Nicolay – Memory Lane

I trust you will enjoy the mix as much as I enjoyed putting it together, so please give generously, hit the favorite / LOVE button, leave a comment, tweet about it, and please spread the word!!

(hear the mix HERE)

#nowplaying Emotional Colours by @swedeart on @tokyodawn

So this album is getting a lot of buzz at the minute & I must say it’s worthy of the hype.

Coming out on the fantastic Tokyo Dawn Records, Swede:art has produced a cracking set of futuristic bumps. Predominantly instrumental tracks of wonky bass, electronic bleeps & dirty soul claps they whole album sounds quite unlike anything else.

The few vocal offerings are choice & work particularly well. Brooklyn’s finest ‘Pursuit Grooves’ sounds amazing on ‘Embrace the Chill’, and Stray delivers a gorgeous soul voice on ‘Linguistics’ plus there are solid contributions from Blacktronics, duktus & Caits Meissner.

This is a great summer album, booming out to sountrack BBQs or thumping out of your car stereo with the windows down.

You can hear several of the tracks on the latest Trust in Dust Radio show here

Nice one Tokyo Dawn, you’ve done it AGAIN!

Trust

#NowPlaying Grand Central Session

Paying tribute to one of my favorite labels who sadly shut up shop in 2006. I was introduced to the label by the guys working in Fat City Records (owned by Mark Rae) when living in Manchester, and quickly started devouring their catalogue. It fueled a major passion for the music that lead me in all sorts of directions of music that I hadn’t previously been into.

I salute you Grand Central. R.I.P.

Listen now on Mixcloud
Tracklist
Rae & Christian – Play On
Aim – Cold Water Music
Funkyfreshfew – Dimes Got
Aim – Loop Dreams
Only Child – U Bring Me Vibes
Aim – The Force
Rae & Christian – Ready To Roll
Only Child – Crazy Rhymin
Aim – Souldive (All City Mix)
Rae & Christian – Spellbound
Aim – Aint Got Time To Waste
Rae & Christian – All I Ask
Only Child – Lock It
Riton – People
Only Child – Space Disco
Mr Scruff & Mark Rae – How Sweet It Is
Aim – Just Passin’ Through
Mark Rae – Make No Mistake
Rae & Christian – Hold Us Down
Tony D – Don’t Want To Lose You
Rae & Christian – Flip The Mic
Gripper – Jazz Cop
Only Child – Just Begun
Tony D – Piano Grand

Trust In Space on @spaceinvaderFM

Trust in Dust is the latest to join the awesome crew of DJs and music lovers over at spaceinvaderradio

The first show was a special entitled ‘TRUST IN SPACE’ and was aired Monday 31st May 2010 at 6pm

You can listen to the show over here

Tracklisting

Big Space (Intro draft version) – Myele Manzanza
Fogged Spacesuit – The Clonious
Space – Beta Band
Metrorail Thru Space – Cut Chemist
Space Ho’s – Danger Doom
Spacecapades – Dam-Funk
Absolute Space (Jazzanova Remix) – Koop
Original (Feat. Buff 1 & RU C-L) – Space Invadas
Outer Space – King Midas Sound
Space-A-Nova – Stanton Davis’ Ghetto/Mysticism
Spacefruit (featuring Debi Nova) – The Sa-Ra Creative Partners
Spacebar (Interlude) – Emmanuel
Space Smoke – Super Smoky Soul
Space Balls – Dr. Who Dat?
Disc-O-Island (Space Africa) (feat PSS) – Grooveman Spot
Space Disco – Only Child
Breakin’ In Space – Key-Matic
Your Place In Space – Kohib
Space Between Thoughts – Raah Project
Walk in space – Fingathing
Space Date – James Pants
Spacecowboy Vs. Bobble Head – J Dilla
Spaceship – Kanye West
Spaceache – Jon Phonics
Space – Samiyam
Time & Space – Roy Ayres
In a Green Space – Koushik
Basic Space – The xx
Space In Veda – Emanative
Space Cowboy – Jamiroquai

Enjoy
TRUST!

Album of the Week >>> ‘DZA – FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT’ on @ErrorBroadcast by @sashadza

This is a gem of an album for the beat generation.

I first heard of DZA when the wonderful ‘Shifty’ appeared on Oscillations Part 1. Wonky but warm & listenable, it was one of my instant favourites from that album (have a listen here)

So when Error Broadcast sent out the promo of the DZA album I was intreagued and excited to hear the whole thing.

Right from the off, the warm & fuzzy ‘Naiads at Play’ sets the tone, drawing you into DZA’s world. A world of wonky jazz samples (Cold as Hell), 8-bit game soundtracks (Dabi Trabi), Blade Runner stylings (Out of Time), & some deeply moving & trippy beats (Homeparty, DZA’s Theme, Downtown Honeymoon, Softgram, Uproar in Heaven)

There’s a great variety of beats here but they all hang together really well & provide a really rewarding listen.

Full marks to DZA and Error Broadcast on this one.

Trust

***(TiDRadio 20 will feature 4 tracks from this as our Album of the Week, check the mixcloud page from Wednesday 26th May for the show)