Natural Self's 2009 LP, 'My Heart Beats Like A Drum' was an accomplished album of hip-hop-influenced funky dance-floor grooves with Nathaniel Pearn doing most of the instruments and vocals himself, and bringing in the odd guest vocalist such as Elodie Rama.
As seems to be the trend right now, Natural Self will soon release this remix mini-album, which contains 9 tracks plus an exclusive cover version of Radiohead's 'Street Spirit' (in which the original idea of a mash up of Street Spirit with the riff off DJ Shadow's Organ Donor eventually became a complete reworking with new instrumentals and vocals). Remixers on the remaining tracks include Prince Fatty (with a couple of versions of 'Midnight Sun'), Kid Kanevil, Eliphino and Yult.
Consequently, there is a wide range of styles on the album which, whilst not necessarily hanging together as well as the original LP, do make a worthwhile selection of tunes to get your hands on. Our favourite tracks are The Prince Fatty version of 'Midnight Sun' and Natural Self's own remix of 'All Static' and, whilst we didn't initially take to the Street Spirit cover, this is now definitely growing on us. The record is released on Tru Thoughts Records on 8th August.
Listen to 'Midnight Sun (Prince Fatty Version) by Natural Self
Lobisomem - Onze Pedras (Tall Corn Records)
Occasionally a deep electronica LP is able to stand out from the myriad of offerings that appear in our inbox. the recently reviewed Baths album 'Cereleun' was one, and like the proverbial buses, another has come along soon after. This Debut LP from Brad Loving aka Lobisomem (Portuguese for 'werewolf' apparently) is an extremely interesting mix of styles, managing to include influences from hip hop, Africa, South America, Jamaica and jazz, which means that, just when you thought you'd got the man sussed, he moves on to a different genre to keep the interest levels at their peak. All the tracks seem to have a dark edge, which is epitomised perfectly in the longest track on the LP (quite a few are sub 3 minutes) 'Saidera Harmony' which builds it's layers slowly and carefully into a lament for something obviously quite painful. With a distinctly Tortoise-like quality to the music, we're pretty sure that this guy will be making excellent music for a very long time. 'Onze Pedras' will be released September 14th 2010 on Tall Corn Records.
Listen to '20,000 Africans in Guangzhou' by Lobisomem
Listen to 'Saidera Harmony' by Lobisomem
VA - Horse Meat Disco 2 (Strut)
You may have noticed that there are quite a few Disco compilations around at the moment, but what makes Horse Meat Disco stand out is that their selections are very much focused on todays dancefloor. The team, which includes James Hillard, Jim Stanton, Severino and Luke Howard (aka Filthy Luka), have chosen some relatively well known artists from the past (Stephanie Mills, for example) and some nice rarities to build quite a diverse mix that keeps the tempo high right the way through the one hour and four minutes. When you buy the CD you'll get the full mix plus download codes for the unmixed tracks - this is a good idea, mainly because the discovery aspect of the tracks on the CD is one of the reasons to purchase, but also because, whilst the mixing is good (and far better than ours!) it does sound a little clunky in places. But this is a minor issue with an album that manages to find, and re-energise, some real underground treats. Out now on Strut Records.
This LP is so much more than just electronic chill-out music. The sound throughout posesses a great maturity and careful restraint, which is very surprising seeing as the artist is a Los Angeles' 21-year-old. Will Wiesenfeld came to the genre after being invited by Daedelus to share a bill with other LA beat musicians, but, as you can hear from the tracks presented here, he has managed to put his own signtaure to the sound. Whether it's from the ghostly vocals (all his own) or the mixture of acoustic and electronic instruments, this album brings increased pleasure with each listen. If you like your rhythms conventional, don't let the quirky beats put you off - this is an album to convert you to the more eclectic side of electronica. Released on July 6th on Anticon Records.
This is our second recent review from Tru Thoughts Records, and again we bring you rhythms from across the world. Saravah Soul are a band with Brazilian and English roots, a 7-piece that specialise in pretty niche rhythmic styles, including Jongo, Coco and Congo de Ouro (look 'em up), and then layer over an afro-beat vibe. If this all sounds like it might be a bit too much, it sometimes is. However, the over-whelming feeling from listening to this record is one of being educated and entertained at the same time. The tracks with the more African rhythms are the ones that work best for us (Janaina, Se Da Do, Mussum), as well as a cover of Jimi Hendrix's 'Fire'. The Saravah Soul sound has definitely moved on from their first (eponymous) LP a couple of years ago, delivering more passion and personality into the songs. If you're after a different take on the afro-beat scene then the Saravah Soul sound may be just for you. Out on the 5th July on Tru Thoughts Records.
Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno - Dog With A Rope (TT)
The last LP from Will Holland was 'Tradition In Translation' under the banner of Quantic And His Combo Barbaro, which was pretty much our favourite album of last year. The question is, could the multi-talented, and prolific, musician now based in Cali, Columbia, pull it off again, this time with his reggae and dub inspired project 'Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno'. Luckily for all of us, the answer is an emphatic yes. Quantic manages to take the tropical sounds of reggae, funk and Cumbia and combine them into a new style of sound. Opening with the dub heavy title track, the album moves through subtle different Latin American styles, but always keeping that core reggae rhythm. And, because this is Quantic, the music and production is absolutely top class. It's definitely an album for the summer months, but we can guarantee that you'll be listening to it right through the year. Out on the 19th July on Tru Thoughts Records.
This is the second LP from The Root Source, the jazz-funk band headed up by Hammond organist and pianist Andrew Fairclough. Whilst it harks back to a 70s jazz feel, what marks this album out from all the others is (and it's only coincidence that this is a title from one of the album's tracks) the pure imagination that Andrew is able to bring into each of the songs. For example there is the use of crying babies and (I think) mooing cows on 'Dervish Whirl' and the melody from the Oompa Loompa Song (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) which leads into the aforementioned Pure Imagination. This is not to say that this is frivolous music, far from it - it is great jazz music delivered with passion and depth. The musicianship is superb, from Andrew's contributions on Hammond organ (best displayed on Echoes Of Your Past) to the Brazilian rhythms provided by Roberto Ares Rio. If jazz-funk or jazz-dance are at all your thing, then this LP is a must. If the whole scene is new to you, then this is no better place to start. Out on the 19th July on Freestyle Records.
Moby - Wait For Me: The Remixes (Little Idiot Records)
So, very simply, this is a remix album from Moby's original LP released last year, with the individual tracks on CD1 and a mixed version by Moby himself on CD2. There are some heavyweight remixers here, including Tiesto, Gui Boratto and Carl Cox (which sound exactly as you would expect them to) but we prefer the remixes from the 'lesser known' guys, which tend to be a little more subtle. For example there is the gentle opener 'Isolate' from Mixhell (which you can listen to below) followed by (Meme favourites) Maps' remix of 'Slow Light'. There are two versions of probably the best track on the LP, 'Wait For Me' (which was also a single from the original album); these from Laidback Luke and Paul Kalkbrenner (the latter clocking in at over 9 minutes), which brings us to our general conclusion about this record: some very good tracks expertly remixed, but probably not a record you would want to listen to from start to finish in one go. This is a 'pick and choose' album that you'll want to dip into occasionally, but with the knowledge that what you do pick will be top-drawer stuff.
Out now on Moby's own Little Idiot Records.
Dimitri From Paris - Get Down With The Philly Sound (BBE)
Ever since we first heard about this record coming out we've been very excited. This was heightened even further by the label not sending out any promos prior to release for fear of it being leaked. Now that it is finally with us and we've had a chance to listen to it a few times, are we still excited? Damn right we are. Tracing the history of the Disco music created in Philladelphia between 1973 and 1980, this record drips with classic Disco names, both in front of the microphone (The Trampps, The Jacksons, Teddy Pendergrass,...) and behind (Gamble and Huff, Salsoul Records, Sigma Sound Studios,...). But what makes this record so special is that the compiler, Dimitri From Paris (a Meme favourite) has had access to some of the original master tapes to create brand new remixes of 5 of the tracks (some over 10 minutes long), plus re-edits of another 3 from the original stereo tapes. For anyone with an appreciation of dance music (for this is where the club sound really began), these are real jewels of songs, and they help recreate the excitement that must have been around during those early disco days. Packed with history (there are extensive sleeve notes plus video documentaries to accompany it) 'Get Down With The Philly Sound' is now the gold standard for record compilations.
Out now on BBE Music.
Listen to The Night The Lights Went Out (Dimitri From Paris Disco Re-Edit) - The Trammps
Listen to Living Together (Dimitri From Paris Disco Re-Edit) - The Jacksons
VA - Kitsuné X Ponystep (Kitsuné)
Following on from Kitsuné Maison 9 with its much gentler sounds, comes this new compilation from the uber-cool Parisien record label / fashion house.
Emphasising their fashion credentials even more, they have teamed up with London fashion house PonyStep who are also responsible for the Boombox parties (and, you'll remember, the Kitsuné Boombox LP). The connecting factor here is the DJ, Jerry Bouthier, who has compiled and mixed this CD. Jerry does most of the catwalk music at various Fashion Weeks and also for the Vivienne Westwood shows. The music is back up to speed after Maison 9, and has a good electronic dance feel thoughout - most of the tracks have been remixed, many by Jerry himself (under the JBAG guise). There are some known names (Roisin Murphy, Two Door Cinema Club, Adamski) and some interesting choices (Florrie, Bunny Lake), but, for us, this 'entertain and inform' approach is why we enjoy these compilations so much. By the way, we'd have given it 4 stars if there were unmixed tracks included as well. Out July 5th on Kitsuné.
Listen here:
> just here at the mo...
Download this: > It's a mix CD but...
> DIL
> I Feel Space
> Army of Lovers
Buy it here
> TBC
Listen to 'Momma's Place' by Roisin Murphy
Listen to 'Turbo Love (Light YEar Remix) by Bag Raiders
The Q Orchestra - Journey Through Sound (Freestyle)
Another funky LP from our friends at Freestyle Records - this one the work of 2009 signing The Q Orchestra. Formed in 2006 and formerly known as The Quasimodo Orchestra, the band is led by Greek producer Dimitri Nassios.
The album, essentially a trip through soul / funk wonderland in top gear, manages to avoid the 'so what?' trap that many of the resurgent funk bands of the moment are falling prey to. This is mainly due to the range of old and new influences that can be detected in the music, from Earth, Wind and Fire to Thievery Corporation and Dimitri From Paris. The best tracks for us are the ones with Jennie Kapadai on vocals, but the achievement is that they all manage to hang together to produce a surprisingly good album. Out June 21st on Freestyle Records.
LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (DFA/Parlaphone)
This is the third, and probably the last, LP from James Murphy, better known to the world as LCD Soundsystem. Usually at about this time for a musical trail-blazer such as James, the whole thing goes a bit pear-shaped: they lose their way, become self-indulgent and generally make bad records. However, we're pleased to report that 'This Is Happening' does not lose its way, is not self-indulgent and is actually a bloody good album. Part of that positive vibe comes from the fact that all of the songs on the LP are given a chance to breathe - for example, on the opening track, 'Dance Yrself Clean', it takes around 3 minutes before a synth even kicks in (and, boy, does it kick in); equally, on 'You Wanted A Hit' the build up is slowly and expertly sustained, and even the fade out at the end hangs around for an unfashionably long time. We also like the use of Nintendo-esque bleeps and the almost-stream-of-conscience vocals in the songs, but whatever Mr. Murphy does, he can't seem to do a thing wrong on this record. Even though some of his protegés are producing music that is just as good now, he will always be the fresh prince of dance-punk, and, by the evidence of this record, James Murphy still resigns supreme.
Out now on DFA Records.
Despite people talking about there being a Disco backlash, we're still finding the father-of-all-dance-genres fit and well as we head into the summer. And, just to prove it, Harmless Records will shortly be releasing the second tranche of CDs in their Disco Discharge series. Just like the last set, each of the four albums is a double CD containing original, and usually rare, 12" remixes of Disco's best tracks, lovingly compiled by Mr Pink into four further sub-genres: Diggin' Deeper, Disco Boogie, European Connection and Pink Pounders. So that's 82 tracks in all (166 if you include the first four CDs), which is an awful lot of Disco, by anyone's standards. As you can imagine with such a large amount of music, there are some cracking songs and some dodgy ones, but we were genuinely impressed by the general level of consistency. Whether you buy all the CDs or just the ones that appeal to you is obviously your choice ('Diggin' Deeper' would be the best start), but for anyone who DJs or is an avid music collector, we'd recommend getting your hands on the whole damn lot.
Out on June 7th on Harmless Records.
This is more of a 'secret back room' than a 'shop window' LP from Freestyle Records. Filled with remixes and unreleased tracks from the Freestyle vaults, this is a grand mix of soul, jazz, funk, afro-beat and latin styles carefully selected by head honcho (and Jazz Café owner) Adrian Gibson. As the cliché goes, there is something for everyone here, from the (literally) 80's sound of 'Rock Creek Park' to the b-boy grooves of 'Walking Sbase', with a rather curious version of Janet Jackson's 'Nasty' somewhere in between. There are two versions of The Fantastics' cover of The Small Faces' 'I Can't Dance With You', one a dancefloor remix from Sleeve, with the other a pretty much full remake (included rerecorded instruments) from Lack Of Afro (our favourite track from the LP). A worthy selection where each track can stand out on its own but with that common (but superb) Freestyle sound running through each. Out on now on Freestyle Records.
I was struggling with this record for a while - one minute I really liked it's hip hop / pop / funky grooves and fresh vocals, the next minute I was dismissing it as far too twee. What won me over in the end was the fact that Mrs Meme really got into it. So, with my 'Like' hat on, this is a record which showcases the vocal talents and songwriting ability of Lady Daisey, with tunes produced by her husband, Batsauce. The pair are originally from Brooklyn but have recently settled in Berlin in order to make this, her debut solo LP. We've already talked about the first single, 'Magical', from this here (where you can also listen to a couple of versions) and the rest of the album continues in a similar vein of 'sunshine hip hop'. The stand-out track for us is 'Goes Down Like' which features heavy sampling from one of our favourite songs of all time, Darondo's 'Didn't I'. We think this LP will grow on us over time - Lady Daisey is a summer sound and the sun is shining, after all. Out on now on BBE Music .
This record, volume two in a series of three, is sub-titled 'Soul, Funk and Organ Grooves from the Townships 1969-1976', and it does exactly what it says on the tin. We liked Volume 1, but we love Volume 2. This is an LP full of soulful, funky and groovy songs (told you), so does move a little bit further away from the more traditional African rhythms we heard in Volume 1. There are, as you might imagine considering the period, some psychedelic grooves in there as well. Of a compilation album of 22 tracks, it does really well to keep the quality consistently high - the majority are really good, and some are superb. Take for example 'Soul Time Nzimande Go' from Bra Sello And His Band, or 'Wait And See' from The Heshoo Beshoo Group, both big Hammond Organ numbers. All of this is due to the painstaking research of the series' compilers, Duncan Brooker and Francis Gooding. The other delight to be had from this record, which you may have guessed, are the wonderful artist names (for example Gibson Kente, The Klooks, Bazali Bam, and J. K. Mayengani And The Shingwedzi Sisters). Definitely a record with much to offer (including extensive notes in the accompanying booklet), it should be part of your collection as soon as possible. Out on 11th May on Strut Records.
We've been banging on about Suff Daddy for a while now: we love his laid back narrative hip hop style. This is his first artist album (the previous output being the compiler of MPM's Hi-Hat Club series) and is made up of a series of mainly short tracks, some instrumental, that tell the story of Suff Daddy's life, from trivia such as 'Konnopke' which describes Berlin's (allegedly) best currywurst, through 'Özdemir' which brings out Suff's love of Turkish beats, to 'Worst Case Scenario' which describes a relationship break-up. The other musicians deserve mention as well, all friends of Mr Daddy: there's singer and trumpeter Miles Bonny (soon to release his own LP) and vocalists Fleur Earth, Mar and Miriama.The sum-of-the-parts is that you get a really good idea of who this man is and what he is about, which is a big achievement for any record. Out now on Melting Pot Music.
The Dustaphonics - Burlesque Queen (King A Ling Records)
If you loved Healer Selecta's debut LP 'Let's Get It Started' (reviewed here) but wondered what it would be like turned up to 11, then wonder no more. Yvan Serrano-Fontova, aka Healer Selecta, has this side project called The Dustaphonics in which he provides a much more rock 'n' roll edge to his trademark funky soul music. Right from the out, you quickly realise that this album is going to start and finish at 100mph - the energy really does never let up. With superb vocals, there are reminders of The Bellrays, although always with a soul tip. The record is fairly brief, presumably because the band couldn't keep it going at that sort of level for that amount of time, and, despite the inclusion of a couple of instrumental versions, it could have done with a song or two more. However, don't let that put you off what is a storming record and an interesting extension of musical styles from this talented musician. Out soon on King A Ling Records.
This is the fifth LP from Minneapolis-based Martin Dosh (below), and is a peculiar mixture of many layers of drums and sounds, all arranged with impeccable detail by the man himself. Dosh is a natural collaborator and here he works closely with Andrew Bird to produce some interesting, ethereal, but beat-driven experimental music.
The album is named after Dosh's sound engineer, Tom Cesario, who passed away at the age of 35. This does not necessarily make for a sombre record although it does add a certain melancholy to some of the tracks. We're not sure if all the songs work for us (our favourite is Country Road X), but they'll likely grow on us over time, so it's definitely worth a listen if this is your thing. Out on Anticon 13th April.
The second LP from INFRAcom! this month - this one is another jazz-infused lovely, but with strong influences of afro-beat, soul and funk. The thing that makes this record interesting, apart from the accomplished music and vocals, is that it has a bit of a story to it. As the tracks cycle through, we are told of a modern Savage who is searching for a perfect land where music is the only law (my kind of place!). This is the third studio album from the Mop Mop central man, Italian Andrea Benini but this one stands out for us because of the diversity of styles that are blended so well and the quality of the vocals (mainly from the UK's Miss Baby Sol). Also worth checking out is the Mop Mop remix on the [re:jazz] 'Electrified album. The last track on 'Ritual of the Savage', 'Aria', finally brings our man to a place of harmony and peace - we recommend you join him there. Out now on Infracom! Records.
A wonderfully eclectic mix of music from Germany's [re:jazz]. This album includes electronic edits from the 2008 studio album 'Nipponized' plus edits of previous [re:jazz] tracks and a new song called Star Chasers. Remixers include Mop Mop (who have a new LP coming out soon), Atjazz and The Dynamics, which means the styles range from pure jazz, through electronica and reggae, right through to house.
The LP stands out in its own right, not just as a complimentary record to the originals: it's never going to 'set the heather on fire' (as they say in Scotland) but, as you can see from our ratings, it's going to be a firm favourite at those ultra-cool dinner parties you hold. Our favourite track on the LP is the Kiko Navarro remix of Gabrielle which features our favourite soul singer, Alice Russell. In fact there are two versions of the remix here, but the Main Mix just wins it for us. Out now on Infracom! Records.
Ashley Beedle and Darren Morris present Mavis (!K7)
This is a concept album with a twist. Quite a few twists, in fact. It all started when Ashley Beedle, he of X-Press 2, and his music partner Darren Morris, made a 58bpm instrumental track inspired by their heroine, Mavis Staples. At first they got Kurt Wagner of Lambchop to put some vocals to it (this is the opening track), then they altered the backing track slightly and sent it to a series of other vocalists, including Danielle Moore (Crazy P), Ed Harcourt and Orange Juice's Edwyn Collins. The amazing thing is that if you listened to this album without the background knowledge, it sounds like a 'normal' album, but full of beautiful songs. For example, there is 'Revolution' (and an extended version) with vocals by Candi Staton, 'What You Are Looking For' featuring John Turrell and, probably our favourite track, 'Nemesis Required' with Cerys Matthews on vocals. In these songs Ashley and Darren have managed to bring through the civil rights values that Mavis originally sang of, which makes it a very befitting tribute to one of the great R&B singers. With this many talented vocalists (I haven't even mentioned Sarah Cracknell from Saint Etienne yet) it's difficult to ignore this seductive record. Out now on K7! Records.
Just to warn you, this record will affect the way you think of the other records you listen to after this one. It's not a paradigm shift or anything so dramatic, it's just that 'CTRL ALT Delete' shows what you can do with music if you put your mind to it. And Chris Alfaro, aka Free The Robots, certainly has done that - this album is two years in the making (thank goodness Alpha Pup were so patient). It is a record bursting with genres, and it's not afraid to use them: obscure samples are blended together with analogue and digital compositions so that each song provides new and interesting insights. From the serene carousel-like electronic blips of 'Voices' to the ultra-dubstep rhythms of 'Orion's Belt Buckle' to the organ frenzy of 'The Eye', this is not an easy ride for the listener. Not easy, but thoroughly satisfying, and with the promise that this album will grow on you over the coming weeks and months. Mr Alfaro should be very proud of his debut LP. Released on the 30th March on Alpha Pup Records. Also check out the free download here and the Free The Robots mix on Paris DJs.
Tracey Thorn - Love and It's Opposite (Strange Feeling)
We loved Tracey's music with Everything But The Girl, the last being in 2000, and the solo record which followed in 2007 (the hiatus was to raise her family). Now it would seem that, along with the rest of her EBTG fans, she is experiencing the highs and lows of being a middle-aged parent, and this LP pretty well documents those lows. Subject matter such as divorce, living alone and the clash of youth and adulthood, make for some pretty stark listening, but Tracey manages to do it in an extremely beguiling and beautiful way, making this record stand head and shoulders above any other female singer-songwriters that you could name (but we won't bother to). There are a couple of covers here: Lee Hazelwood's Come On Home To Me (a duet with Jens Lekman) and You Are A Lover by Budapest’s The Unbending Trees, but it is the closing track ('Swimming', featuring Cortney Tidwell) that is the highlight for us. Could this be Tracey's best record yet? Probably. Released 17th May on (partner) Ben Watt's Strange Feeling Records. Download 'Oh! The Divorces' free here.
> Long White Dress
> Come On Home To Me
> Swimming
Buy it here
> TBA
dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip - The Logic of Chance
(Sunday Best)
At Meme Magazine we don't worry too much about specific genres, we just celebrate all music that is very good and stands out as being new and different. So it's with a beautiful twist of events that the brilliant new LP from dan Le sac Vs Scroobius Pip contains a song called 'Snob' which involves two vignettes of music lovers trying to be accepted in alien crowds: '[Music's] made to be heard, anyone can use it'. Thus concludes our plea for you to listen to this record, and then listen again. Listen until you know every song off by heart. Rarely does music of such energy and quality sound different enough to warrant a significant paradigm shift in your musical tastes. 'The Logic of Chance' is such a record. All songs are delivered with heartfelt passion, from both musician dan and vocalist Scroob, with 'enough force to break the Death Star', as they proclaim on 'Inert Explosion'. If you want to feel even just a small part of that energy, I think you know what to do. Out now on Sunday Best.
Meme's ratings are based on the fact that we will only present you with high quality music, so even a score of 1will mean that it is probably worth listening to. Here's a run-down of each rating:
5 - Outstanding LP that you must own - a classic
4 - Excellent LP that will not disappoint - high and consistent quality
3 - Very good LP with some stand out tracks - buy it if you like the style / genre
2 - Good LP but inconsistent - buy it if you know the band
1 - Disappointing LP - should have been good, maybe one or two good tracks
0 - We thought it was going to be good, but it's not. Don't even go there.
iPod / Dinner Party - this scale shows whether the LP is best kept to your own headphones or would be welcome at one of your high-class dinner parties.
Instant Love / It's A Grower - sometimes music takes a while for us to really appreciate it; this scale tells you whether you should give the LP a few chances before you form an opinion.
Hit & Miss / Everyone's A Winner - particularly useful on compilation LPs, this scale tells you how consistently good the songs are across the whole LP.
GenreWeb:
Because music, even on the same LP, can be so diverse, this is our unique way to show the genre of the music across all the possible genres.
The size of colour against each of the genre types shows how much of that particular type is exhibited on the LP. Most will cover a large blob around the same sort of area, or be very specific to one genre, but some more diverse LPs (compilations, in particular) will look more 'spikey'. Once you have worked out your 'ideal' genre web it is easy to quickly identify whether the reviewed record matches your tastes.
Come With Me 
Konnopke 
Tura Satana
Country Road X
So High 
Gabrielle
Nemesis Required
