Timothy returns to Dungeon Module with six raw but playful house trax influenced by the early days of Chicago when you could still hear the wave influence. 12 bit drum machines, haunting strings, metallic percussion, cavernous flanger, stuttered vox. An antidote to over slick 90s house pastiche. This album is a fine example of the style Timothy has refined for years, from the psychedelic slam jak of ‘Junior’s Revenge’, to the heads down funk of title track ‘Home Of The Cone’.
Something different and special for Dungeon Module 008, Timothy J. Fairplay invites artists he admires both new and established for music on Working Overtime Volume One. The compilation begins with ‘Master Blaster’ by RZ-1 warrior and REALM resident Oyster, then Alex Israel keeps up the jackbeat intensity with ‘You Forgot The Briefcase’. Chupacabras is next with pressure building Thanet party electro jam ‘OFF Planet’. Hope Of The States frontman Sam Herlihy debuts his electronic project Total Mathematics with the cinematic ‘Warningcamp’ to close the side. ‘Set Phasers To Stun’ starts side B, analogue house by Computerdisco constructed in a workshop of vintage synths overlooking the Bristol Channel. Timothy first met Rebecca Goldberg playing at Tresor, ‘URNOTALONE’ is hypnotic Minimal Nation style Detroit techno featuring field recordings from her recent trip to Roswell. Alan Harman appears with ‘Blast Zone’ in his instantly recognisable and unparalleled cold wave style. Timothy J. Fairplay finishes the album with the lo-fi synth, melodica and Space Echo of ‘Night Warden Dub’.
More or less in a chronological order this is the last part of our favorite tracks from 2024.
Timothy “J” Fairplay returns with the 7th release on Dungeon Module. Like last years ‘Rule The Streets’ ‘Local Networks’ is made up of 8 Chicago House influenced beat tracks made predominantly with Timothy’s Casio RZ-1, just a couple of synths and an A/DA Flanger. As you have come to expect from Dungeon Module, raw but stylish 80s into 90s basement music to jack on.
Timothy J. Fairplay presents ‘Dungeon Module Volume Two’ is a follow up to last years Volume One and as before a ‘compilation of tracks made by occasional visitors, Alias’s, pseudonyms, mystery producers, assumed names and alter egos who make music in Timothy’s Dungeon Module studio. The compilation begins with ‘Bad Guys’ by Timothy himself, sounding like one of those minimal wave records that were popular in Italo clubs, and ‘Success’ by Tear Jerker is raw NO-303 Chicago House music. Bizet’s ‘Farandole’ gets a west coast rework by TJF, and ‘Iron Thorn’ by Leon Kaiser is part of the unreleased soundtrack for the Poliziotteschi film of the same name. Starting side B, Based in Dawson City, Main Street Mining are back from Vol 1 with ‘Its About Time’ followed by Media Attention who is Timothy J. Fairplay and Jamie Paton, ‘Golden Era’ is heavy New Beat influenced club music. Crunchy jack track ‘Not Licensed For Use’ by P2000M made entirely with Timothy’s Casio RZ-1, and the enigmatic Antoine Rouge makes his return from Volume One with ‘Pocket Keyboard’ to close the cassette. Finally there is a digital only bonus beat track version of Main Street Mining’s ‘It’s About Time’.
Here are our favorite albums from 2023 compiled in chronological order.
Continue reading “2023 Best Albums”
‘Rule The Streets’ is Timothy “J” Fairplay’s latest album on his label Dungeon Module. After 2021’s ‘A Snowstorm In The Tropics’, 2023 has been a busy year for the label. In February Timothy released ‘Dungeon Module Volume 1’ followed by ‘I Lay Awake At Night Scheming’ in August. This album was recorded in Timothy’s current studio, with his Casio RZ-1 central to the set up. 8 raw jack tracks inspired by the early days of house music, and catches Timothy at his most minimal. The early days of the Chicago and Detroit and how they drew influence from Europe in their stripped back sound is an endless influence on Timothy’s work. The bumpy opener ‘Rule The Streets’ has a vocal refrain which sounds like something from a 70’s gang movie. ‘Insufficient Funds’ is a playful jam based around a junk shop delay unit. ‘Pleasure Beach’ an 8 bit house/funk beat track. ‘Back To The Stone Age’ with its flanger heavy percussion and a booming Adonis style vocal. Side B starts with ‘Instant Replay’ with its rolling 808 toms and white noise intro. ‘Safety Patrol’ has a deeper Mr Fingers feel, followed by the stalker-ish ‘Gang Bass’ with its sampled live bass and strings. Last of all is ‘Livin’ It Up’ made entirely with the sampler on the RZ-1 sounding like a Lil Louie demo.
Timothy J. Fairplay presents a new 8 track album ‘I Lay Awake At Night Scheming’. This is to some extent a lost album, the bulk of the album was made for a project which never came to fruition, and there’s a few tracks which have been in Timothy’s live sets for a few years, but have never had a proper release. Raw emotional synth and rhythm tracks for late nights in the dungeon.
Timothy J. Fairplay presents ‘Dungeon Module Volume One’ an eight track compilation of tracks made by occasional visitors, Alias’s, pseudonyms, mystery producers, assumed names and alter egos who make music in Timothy’s Dungeon Module studio. Some of these tracks have appeared in Timothy’s dj sets and radio shows over the last year.There’s Timothy himself with ‘88 Manchester swimming pool party jam ‘Soap’. ‘Brain Wave’ by Humberside synth pop/new wave outsider Roland Telescopes. The robotic electro of ‘Northeast Sector’ by Zentraedi and closing side one with some deepspacetechno is MR. R.I.N.G. with ‘Mick’s Broadcast’ – taking its cue from a cut from the Running Man Soundtrack with a similar name. Side B begins with Main Street Mining and the flanger heavy jackbeat of ‘Main Street’, then we have the long over due return of Antoine Rouge with the stomping euro dance of ‘Street Sucker’. Berlin school from Longo with its disco beat and monotone ‘Dancing Boys’ refrain. Finally the raw electro of Effectron ll ‘One More Day’ made with just an 808 and a Transcendent 2000.
The Hipodrome Of Music 