Contort Yourself

A few days ago I met an old friend for a couple of beers and we remembered once again when we were DJ-ing in the early 80's in our local pub. Later this evening we talked about our friends who passed during the last decade. One of them who passed too early in a motorcycle accident was Peter who was addicted to Frank Zappa. He was the one who introduced us to the so called No New York sound. It was Brian Eno who was one of the first that discovered this sound. It was a sound that was very new to us all. A lot of free-jazz on a perfect and steady rhythm groove made it more than worth to listen to. In these days we listened to James Chance, Defunkt and many others funk and jazz inspired bands. Some might call it eclectic but after decades nothing of this music lost of it's fascination.

James Chance and the Contortions - Contort Yourself

Monday's Long Song

It is 40 years ago when I first got contact to new black music. Sugarhill Gang and rap was new to me and many friends of mine in these days. Most of had had problems with new fantastic music swapping over from Great Britain and no ears for Rapper's Delight. For me it was a little miracle that in NYC is growing something new and spectacular. Looking back in history, this song may opened many ears for following artists like Grandmaster Flash and the Beastie Boys as well. A classic tune, worth be featured at this place as well.

Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight

Coo Coo Coo

A few days ago Santigold's new single came to my ears and I can't get it out of my head. Santigold 's records got many critical acclaim during the last decade but I couldn't agree to them. The more I am astonished that she made a tempting little piece of  Dancehall-pop song. Perfect for a easy start into Sunday.

Ever Impending Doom

The first full week of work after my hiatus is done and it happened what I suspected. My colleague left my a lot of work to that he should be done by him. So I had a few days of almost ten hours working days and came home leached out often and wanted nothing more but to recreate and listen to some music or watching TV. and hadn't the power to work on the blog. Now the backlog is worked off and from the next week on my work is regulated and it will work in the way it used to be. While recreating with music I remembered a record that I forgot to put on my list of records from last year. I can't explain why I forgot Spiritflesh's self titled record from last year. I featured the best song nearly three month ago on the Monday's Long Song series. The album is the latest release of Bristol's artists October and Borai. A dark and rhythmic excursion into atmospheric House and Dancefloor. Someone wrote about this album:

A slow-marching dread of bassweight pressure collides with the cloying grit of distortion, lurid effects processing and heavy synths. There's no explicit theme to the record but it comes on like a sonic depiction of the mystery, beauty and panic of an ill-fated expedition in an imagined tropics.

Spiritflesh - Ever Impending Doom

S

Disappointing Voting

Sad news that 60 percent of British parliament voted against a ruled Brexit. Mrs. May lost and I am afraid what will happen a few weeks ahead. I think that the ruling parties lost their influence to the country and a few hardliners will laugh about the stupid things that will happen. My hope is that Jeremy Corbyn will make a vote of no confidence to get rid of this unruled Brexit. May is gone but what bill be the next? I hope that the last word isn't spoken yet.

Bullet Proof

It is time to feature an artist that impressed me much on last years festival in Mannheim. I don't know why I forgot to do this but anyway, better late than never. This Is The Kit is the alias of British musician Kate Stables, based in Bristol and Paris. The music of this superb singer-songwriter is like by many others her beautiful and extraordinary voice. Absolutely worth to listen to.

This Is The Kit - Bullet Proof (Blue States Remix)
This Is The Kit - Moonshine Freeze

Monday's Long Song

Back on the blog after a longer period of relaxing and recovering to continue (not only) the series of a long song on Monday. Today's song is from Beastie Boy's second and masterpiece album Paul's Boutique. It is a landmark in hip-hop. After the party of their first album finished, where they combined classic rock with hip-hop the Beastie Boys grew up to real artists. They understood what hip-hop stands for and they detected sampling as a way to create sounds/songs. Not many albums from this genre were played by white guys that stood the times (another was the first album by House of pain that showed the self-confidence of white rappers). This songs shows the range hip-hop can stand for.

Beastie Boys - B-Boy Bouillabaisse