disco
Dunkeltier – Beyond The Iron Curtain (716 Exclusive Mix)
Ali Renault @ Mechatronica, Griessmühle (Berlin) 12.08.2017
Motor City Drum Ensemble – BIS Radio Show #901
Automatic Tasty – A World Of Moving And Connected Parts [SLPR006]
Mozhgan – The Bunker Podcast 152
Warp Factor 9 – The Atmospherian [ESP056]
Warp Factor 9 is a one-off project by John and Russell Kilby of esoteric post-rock bands The Crystal Set and Bhagavad Guitars respectively. The Atmospherian originally appeared on their self-released 1993 album Five Days In A Photon Belt. Carpentaria made an edit of the track linearly and replayed certain elements from scratch along with some re-recorded vocals from John. During this process, Tamas and Paul generated elements that would subsequently be used for a remix by fellow Aussie producer and prodigy Tornado Wallace.
Harmonious Thelonious – Abel [VER117]
Stefan Schwander aka Harmonious Thelonious is definitely not a newcomer. He has been around for a long time and has already released lots of amazingly varied music on labels such as Emotional Response, Italic, Meakusma and Diskant. He’s also an integral part of the infamous Duesseldorf / Salon Des Amateurs axis that is an obvious hotbed of talent. He describes his style as “American minimalism vs. African drumming vs. European sequencing”, a heady mixture which is clearly evident on this EP though with a definite Middle Eastern twist. Here at Versatile HQ we were introduced to this clutch of tracks by one of the members of Acid Arab and we were totally blown away. Stefan has a very unique production style, fusing all of the above elements with a hint of Gamelan, a dash of tweaked FM synthesis type sounds with a dose of warm ambience and finally his own singular touch on the mix. We are very happy to present you these 4 tracks to you, an essential EP from one of European music’s true originals.
Mekine U Teksi – Postanatolische Hybride: Die Steppenroboter LP [TFGC013]
Themes From Great Cities’ latest chunk of inspired, hard-to-define goodness comes from Mekine U Teksi, a fresh outfit formed by Murat Goktas and Irfan Derin. Dedicated to legendary, currently closed Dusseldorf venue Salon Des Amateurs, the mini-album – the duo’s debut release – is shot through not only with the arpeggio-driven pulse of vintage ’80s new wave, but also the chugging attitude of psychedelic nu-disco and the exotic, intoxicating melodies of traditional Arabic music. Of course, there are other influences that make their presence felt throughout – krautrock, dark Italo-disco, punk funk and dub disco – but these merely serve to enhance the duo’s core sound, which is rarely less than enthralling.
Delusion Men – Stuck On The Border [FN007]
The founders of Future Nuggets are delivering their debut full LP as Delusion Men, marking the peak of almost a decade long conspiracy. Ion D (Utopus) and Camil Dumitrescu (aka The Holy Fix) have amassed on this album tracks and bits spreading over many years, raw gems and shiny nuggets resulted from intensive electronica fusions. After the smash EP of Delusion Men in collaboration with Khidja (on P-Balans sub-label), this LP comes as another irrefutable proof of Bucharest’s already mature -partially under the radar- scene of electronic psychedelic hybrids, fittingly represented by Future Nuggets and P-Balans.
K.Bytes – I Adore Commodore: Computer Music Flash [MGLP104]
After the creation of Computer Disco, Marcello Giombini produces the year after I Adore Commodore – Computer Music Flash, which was mainly made with a Commodore 64. Giombini was a veteran of music applications with personal computer, started with an Apple II Europlus and then converted to the Commodore 64 thanks to the presence of 3 independent music generators that allowed him to make more elaborate music easier. The record was inspired by the VideoGames of the time, so that the titles of the 10 tracks are inspired by the names of famous games. The music was created using four to eleven Commodore 64 programmed and synchronized with an external audio interface. At the time, Giombini, in his studio in a basement just a few steps from Nomentana, Rome, had organized a small school with courses of basic and computer music. The graphic is the same of original LP with inner-sleeve dedicated to Commodore 64.
Lemonade – Dancer On The Shore [AU005]
Since 2009, New York three-piece Lemonade has released a string of fine records, between woozy Balearic synth-pop and leisurely downtempo grooves. “Dancer on the Shore”, their first release for three years, inhabits similar sonic territory, offering a fusion of Peaking Lights style dubbed-out synth-pop grooves, glassy-eyed vocals, tumbling acoustic guitar flourishes and humid steel drum melodies. Fellow NYC resident Jex Opolis provides two stellar remixes: a chunky, rolling, acid-flecked nu-disco dub and a drowsier vocal interpretation that’s as ear pleasing as they come. The other interpretation comes from Justin Strauss and Bryan Mette under the Whatever/Whatever alias and strays further towards acid-driven Italo-disco/deep house fusion territory.
Khidja – XLR8R Mix August 2017
Soft Rocks – Thru Wit Waitin EP [PTP009]
The Passport To Paradise gang are in fine form as they serve up four more tripped-out disco edits for the globally-minded savant. We take sail with the excellent ‘Thru Wit’ Waitin”, a beefed-up guitar chugger reminiscent of 70’s AOR in its steady percussive work and misty sax solo. It’s the guitar line that really shines here, lifting the tune into funk transcendence in the bridge. ‘Anybody Out There’ reaches out to the disco trippers with its northern Italian cosmic kitsch feel: starry-eyed synth pads float above reverb-soaked guitar musings and playful French vocal samples. A particular highlight. On the flip, Passport To Paradise take things south with a soulful West African shuffler guaranteed to elicit some arresting footwork. The EP leaves us with resounding vibrations from the Far East: ‘JP Wave’ explores ethereal planes, building up a dense rhythmic fabric punctuated by bass stabs and ornamental chimes. This is a clever bunch of edits for the more discerning selectors and enthusiasts out there- act fast.
Les Yeux Orange – Togosava [G+003]
Parisian party starters Les Yeux Orange continue to develop their Good Plus body of work with three more obscure digs. A predominant Afro theme presides throughout as we’re massaged by the kwaito smoothness of “Avidiyo” where synth marimbas ignite instant Balearic feels, Yanga Mbiwaa struts with much more of direct Nigerian disco funk feel with its big sing-along chorus and strong sense of drive. Finally “Autoradio” provides a more contemporary almost Italo-like take on Afrofunk with some expert trippiness buried deep in the synths and arrangement.
Kadeejah Streets – Part of the Winter Never Dies (HNYPOT231)
Black Bones – Black Bones 2 [BLACKBONES002]
The Black Bones boys have more than one trick up their sleeves, as another back-breaking digging session has unearthed some sacred remains, ready for modern scientific re-animation. ‘Sonny’ retools a Highlife classic into a splendidly sun-soaked Summer beauty. On the flip ‘XTC’ takes a more Cosmic route to dancefloor abandon, while ‘Roller’ is a barn-storming Discoid jam that wraps up another damn fine EP.
Sneaker – BAH037 [BAH037]
Sneaker; not just a cool sounding name… Edits as strong, rigorous and mind blowing as his require comfortable footwear. Lavish synth funk leads with a eastern allure on the infectious “Goddess”, “Watumba” is tom tom tamping funk beast that you could imagine every DJ from Harvey to Hell spinning while “Magic Fly” takes us on a slightly less obscure but thrilling orchestral cosmic sojourn. “Do It” rings the final bell with kitsch staccato synth effect and playground vocal calls to action. Tighten up your laces and do the robot.
Denis Mpunga & Paul K – Criola Remixed [MFM023]
Having thrilled dusty-fingered crate diggers with a reissue of Denis Mpunga and Paul K’s impossible-to-find mid-’80s cassette album Criola – an unusual but rather fine combination of post-punk and traditional Congolese music – Music from Memory has decided to give some of the tracks the remix treatment. As you’d expect, there’s many more hits than misses. Dutch rising star Dazion delivers a wonderfully cosmic revision of “Intermezzo B” full of fluttering new age synth lines and drum machine polyrhythms, while Tolouse Low Trax turns “Veronika” into a woozy and dreamy chunk of dub-flecked, loved-up downtempo bliss. Late night dancefloor thrills are provided by Interstellar Funk’s intergalactic tribal techno take on “Intermezzo 2” and Prins Emmanuel’s tactile take on “KWEI!”, which sits somewhere between dub disco, boogie and proto-house.
Same Speed Edits – Same Speed Sambas 2 [SASP002]
Same Speed Sambas are back to celebrate the sound of the summer in 2017 in their very own unique way.S earching out for more obscure uses of Brasilian rhythms and coming up with two dance floor delights – one from Denmark and another from right here in the UK – giving them once again, that unique Same Speed re-touch. Samba Operator takes a rare live recording of one of the UK’s finest soul acts of the 80s’ biggest hits and re-works it into a mostrous tropical club anthem; while Numero Dois goes down the Samba-Not-Samba route taking a Danish 70s girl band and giving them some very warm disco treatment. The result is something very contemporary sounding that’ll fire up the dance every time.
The Hipodrome Of Music 