Stinky Grooves 05.05.09 plus some big O and a little Cotti

King In My Empire - Rhythm & Sound & Cornell Campbell (Soul Jazz)
Shreds - Geoim & Appleblim (Berkane Sol)
Backwardation - Timeblind (Version)
Run Tings - Cotti (Soul Jazz)
King Step (Unitone HiFi Rmx) - Overproof Soundsystem (Elephant House)
El Llanto De La Pava (Remxi) - Toty DJ
Balkanski Kumbia (Uproot Andy Rmx) - Yuri Yunakov & Ivo Popasov
Consciencia del Barrio - El Hijo De La Cumbia (Soot)
Zorzal - Chancha Via Circuito (ZZK)
Moth - Four Tet & Burial (Text)
Quest - Nosaj Thing (Alpha Pup)
Troubled Mind - He Said Omala (Origin)
Whole Wide World (Instr) - Flying Lotus ft Declaime (Ramp)
Reminisce - Onra (Favourite)
Shimmy Shimmy Ya - El Michels Affair (Truth & Soul)
Heavy Hands - Clutchy Hopkins (Ubiquity)
Together -Breakage ft David Rodigan (Digital Soundboy)
Bear Witness - Pangea (Hot Flush)
Flame Free - Geiom & Appleblim (Berkane Sol)
Time Dilated By Matter - Timeblind (Version)
Sweat Until The Morning (Quiet Village Rmx) - Vagabond (Polydor)
The Hologram - Mark Pritchard (Ho Hum)
Dec. Machine Funk All Eras - Prefuse 73 (Warp)
Regalo - Prefuse 73 (Warp)
Keep It Moving (Instr) - Flying Lotus & Declaime (Ramp)
Wolf Cub _ Burial & Four Tet (Text)
Verdad (Kelpe Rmx) - Fedaden (Nacopajaz)
Boks'd - Subeena (Imminent)
Safari - Brendon Moeller (Third Ear)
The More That I Do - The Field (Kompakt)

Soaked in hauntification and ghostly, ghoullish grooves tonight - if I say so myself (and I do) t'was a veritable exorcism of excellence and one of them shows that just made itself up as it went along - with scant regard for plans, plots or other palaverations. Once again I'm flinging up a couple, I had hoped to have Stinkbombs 909 available for a dollop of DLing from this here Stinktrum, in the space between now and last weeks show. Alas... it has required a little browning in the metaphorical oven before I plonk it on your digital platter. It will be up in the next 48 hours, in the meantime...

He Said Omala, featuring Graham Lewis from the wonderful Wire (who featured pretty heavily for me in my teenage years) and this crucial cut came up when I posted the excellent Kid Cudi and Sharam joint last week. To be honest this is one of just a few tracks I've heard from the outfit, and it's the only one that has lodged, permanently... massively, in my musical memory. Our old Unitone HiFi labelmater, the marvelous Lee Berwick (Digidub, Smart Alec & Clever Clogs etc) was running this when he came over for an extended stay in '97 (I think, dates never a strongpoint), and it's one of many Berwick boomers that there was no way he wasn't leaving behind.  From memory he'd bucked up on Mr Lewis, and the combo, on one of his Swedish visitations, and had only good things to say. 

It's credited as being a version of Roy Orbison's 'Blue Bayou' but I think that's just a way of avoiding licensing the sample. It's all about the tension and release in the drums and the manipulation of Mr Orbidoib's phenomenal, fragile vocal. No one does hurt and vulnerable like the late great Roy, and I guess I was a shoo-in with this song as I'm an Orbison devotee through and through. Don't start me on that. Killer, killer tune.

Buy digitally, Im pretty sure this place is kosher and not some russian banditos who dont pay fer nothing.

27 11space Graham Lewis's latest outfit... interesting!

He Said Omala on Discogs, might be the best chance of finding this sucker artefactwise

Graham Lewis

TROUBLED MIND (aka BLUE BAYOU) - HE SAID OMALA/ROY ORBISON

This next track is a little scorcher from Cotti that I have been hanging out for (did I miss it on some release?), and had hoped would have been on one of the 12" releases for the vocalised version 'Calm Down' by Doctor. This comes on the double disc audio component of another supremely dealt with Soul Jazz package Dub Echoes. As is often the case with their releases there's just a couple of tracks that I don't have or really want on vinyl but it's a pretty useful primer set for dubutantes, and makes for a cracking listen. The DVD is also really worthwhile, it would be easy to pick holes in it, point out massive omissions or say 'why did/didn't they talk to X'  but ultimately it's a really good watch. There's a bit of humour, intentional and otherwise (the Audio Bullys??!! what the ....) amongst a LOT of interview footage, and you can tell it's all been done with a lot of heart and passion. Seriously..check 'em.

Buy Dub Echoes CD and/or DVD loca-lee

Cottispace

RUN TINGS - COTTI

19-11 the countdown heats up

19. Good Times (Quiet Village Rmx) - Mark-E & Dragon (Internasjonal)

Deservedly up amongst the tall timber in the top 20, this 12" on Prins Thomas's somewhat hit & miss label, is a deep discoid depth charge, superbly turned by Joel Martin and Matt Edwards. Surprisingly none of Quiet Village's own tracks from their brilliant 'Silent Movie' album made it in the list, mainly because several were favourites of previous years, and it's such a complete album experience in itself it doesn't bear too much splittage . This mix is a super sludgy exercise in gentle doofery that begs, nay demands, repetitious listening.

(Internasjonalspace)

(Mark Espace)
(Dragonspace)
(Quiet Villagespace)

Mark-E

GOOD TIMES (QUIET VILLAGE REMIX_ - MARK-E & DRAGON


18. God Smiled (Moody Boys Remix) - Lee Perry (On-U Sound)

Being fortunate enough to have been slipped a copy of this very early in the piece, many months before release, this was a tune that that burnt a hole in my metaphorical pocket. Curiously enough, the original version of this was pretty much my least favourite track on the Sherwood and Perry re-union album, but Mr Thorpe's remix may also have spoilt my enjoyment of the source as it rapidly became THE version for me. It's been a real treat being able to play new Moody Boys material, and just like back in the day it's become a secret weapon of dancefloor dandemite for a stenchworthy selector. Seeing Sherwood back on form, and doing the right kind of work to befit his talents is also extra welcome, and a little bird (or rather a large insect) recently tipped me to the fact that there may be some more worthwhile emanantions from On-U Sound towers in the near future. 'The Mighty Upsetter' album didn't drop with the impact it should have, maybe because the excruciating record with Andrew WK got more hype. That's nigh on criminal, and if you haven't already, I suggest you track down a copy forthwith.
(buy) the album, 12" is gone.
(buy) from Japan with extra toon 'Queen Elizabeth's Pum Pum'
(buy) the dub version, haven't had a chance to get my hands on this yet.

LeePerryspace
(MoodyBoyzspace)
(AdrianSherwoodspace)
If you’re not familiar with the Moody activities of Mr Thorpe check the history

Tony 'Moody Boyz' Thorpe

you know who this is, right?!

GOD SMILED - LEE PERRY vs THE MOODY BOYZ

17. Grounds For Divorce – Elbow (Geffen)
For many years I have had the greatest difficulty in describing the music of SJD or finding artists that you can say 'it's a bit like', with 'Seldom Seen Kid' Elbow put themeselves (at least partially) in that frame.  They've always made a pleasing racket and Guy Garvey's vocals and lyric writing are exemplary but they've never put together an album that convinced me like this one. As good as that Mercury Award winning album is (and it is), this track is by far the standout, and justifiably so. If you scoot around the internets there's a suitably epic version of this with a full orchestra that's also pretty tasty... but I'm trying to avoid takedown notices (tres dull). So here's a live version from Jonathan Woss's show, as they don't even let you embed the official video (way to go Geffen! thats how you get people excited about music). This album was given a piss poor job in this country which ultimately means its unlikely we'll see the band here in the near future, that simultaneously sucks and blows.
(buy) NZ
(Elbowspace)
(Elbow-web)
The right hon. Graham Reid put it nicely here.




16. Calm Down - Doctor (GPP)

(buy)

Having instituted a Vocoder ban from day one at Round Trip Mars (though SJD naturally circumnavigated that, by doing the brilliantly voice-boxed 'Unshine' for 'Sideways Too') I was never too keen on the itch that turned into a massive weeping wound, that is Autotune.  When Dave Kelly brilliantly used the effect on Beenie Man & Ms Things  'Dude' over five years ago (!!) it was inspired, this past year or two it has mostly been insipid. Just about the most interesting and adventurous use I've heard since, was when I was obliged to acquaint myself with Ween in preparation for a Listener interview, and I was reduced to genuine, old fashioned and un-acronymed laughing out loud type behaviour by their track 'Spiritwalker'.  Sometimes, not nearly often enough, it's just the ticket, and this unmitigated burner from Doctor is ample proof of that. It helps that the rhythm from Cotti is a Mariana Trench deep lick of what most people will recognise as Dawn Penn's 'No No No/You Don't Love Me' that truly makes a soundsystem come alive, and start talking with its fists (dropping it at the Turnarounds 5th Birthday was a woofer-worrying highlight for me). Doctor has got his singjay style on lock, and if there was any doubt about its original potency and lyrical might, then you only need to look at the remix, which read great on paper but failed to ignite. I have a feeling this is a record that will be hard to keep out of my box, for some time to come.
(Cottispace)
(Doctorspace)

Cotti

Doctor



15. Cool Out/One Ting (Dabrye Rmx) – King Midas Sound (Hyperdub)
While I have to confess that the first King Midas Sound stuff I heard, on one of the spray of compilations Soul Jazz endlessly emit, didn't really get me going - this 12" fried my circuits. Like most, I was initially drawn to Ghostly International's sporadically brilliant  D'abrye, and his mix, which  by all accounts has plundered a huge chunk of a venerable Detroit record in its making (the details are out there but.. who cares?!) It's a right slinky tune for sure, but the unassuming, almost overlooked, A-side, 'Cool Out'  is the one that has lodged in my cranium with longetivity. The special project of Kevin 'The Bug' Martin and Roger Robinson, King Midas Sound is no less potent, but at the other end of the aggresso spectrum to most of the Bug gear. Kevin was saying while he was over here that he's had resistance towards his mellower gear in the UK , that's categorically ludicrous given the strength of this slow-burner and 'Flying' (b-side of the 'Ganja' single on Ninja Tune). Not all tunes have to explode, to show their firepower.

(buy)

(KingMidassoundspace)


ONE TING (DABRYE RMX) - KING MIDAS SOUND



14. Tic Toc - Busy Signal (SSMG)
As commercial as a $100 note, this sino-electro-bashment boomtune, should have elevated Busy to a level more befitting his astronomical talents. The 27 year old producer  Shawn Scott of SSMG just seems to have some real chemistry with Snr Signal, and we aint done with that pairing in this countdown of cruciality yet!  Their combination on this is something special, like paw paw juice and Grey Goose and it will forever remind me of Rarotonga, The Beyond The Reef radio show and the Cook Island's own DJ Tic Toc...yes indeed.

(buy)
(Busyspace)




13. Converted - Cosmo Vitelli (I'm A Cliche)

With a long (and strong) career that I first became aware of with the jazzoid tickler  'We Dont Need No Smurf Here' over a decade ago, Cosmo Vitelli is one of those guys who just pops up in the right place. Last year was a bumper for his superbly named  I'm A Cliche records and this track was the pinnacle, straddling styles and letting off just the right amount of gentle doof and sly skank.  I know there's a Bot'Ox album just around the corner, but I hope Mnsr Vitelli doesn't neglect his own releases, I could live with a lot more gear like this .... and the A side is none too shabby either.

(buy)
(Cosmospace)
(I'm A Clichespace)



CONVERTED - COSMO VITELLI


12. Birds Of Prey - Architeq (Tirk)
An awful lot of wonky hoo-ha passed under the bridge in '08 and while the Flying Lotuses and Hudson Mohawks of the world copped all the attention, Sam Annand from East Fife (north of the border) probably provided my most enjoyed and played, distressed hiphopular excursion. Big points go for utilising different sounds and not following the herd, and there's a healthy vein of dubwise doodackery running through Architeq's material that demands expansion. All of the 4 tracks on this EP rep themselves exceptionally well, and had this been on a trendier label I'm pretty convinced it would have made a much big splash. Whatever.. it's a fine addition to the Tirk family, and will soon be joined by a remix EP that looks pretty compelling too. Architeq is definitely a name to keep an eye on in '09, and Tirk have a new compilation  and  other stuff on the horizon that all looks well enticing. Keep it ornithological.....
(buy)
(Architeqspace)
(Tirkspace)

Architeq at one with his machines.


BIRDS OF PREY - ARCHITEQ

11. Truckers Delight – Flairs (RoXour)
(buy)
(Flairsspace)
The other side of this 12", 'Better Than Prince' is far better known (and even copped very late vid play on C4), but it doesn't do a thing for me. Through my cynicalovision it's just more late 00's irony wrapped up in a greasy skin of overused 80's references, whereas this track has got something all of its own going on. First up there's the brilliant bassline, the sort of audio anaconda that demands the whole song be written around its peaks and troughs. Everything else fits in untypically and excellently, finding room for a couple of diversions before it builds to a climax that leaves you wanting just a bit more, and if you're anything like me slipping the needle back on for a repeat dose. There is something (fiscally foolish?!) special and downright satisfying about buying a 12" for just one track, and really not giving a toss about whatever else is on there. At the very least it's a confirmation that maturity, a mortgage and good sense arent getting in the way of the primal pursuit of exceptional vinyl, above all else. Lionel Flairs has 'sweaty armpits, muddy trench geezer' as his myspace motto and the pictures to prove it,  if he was using that perpiratory pressure for more instrumental incandescence he'd be getting my vote every time, but I suspect this may be a glorious one off.

TRUCKERS DELIGHT - FLAIRS


There will be no Stinky Grooves playlist up tonight as there will be no Stinky Grooves (record company hat on tonight). Instead we'll get a little post up about this weekend's Cuba Street Carnival in the next  day or two, because I'm unashamedly excited about riding them scoop bins with the Mighty Asterix...ooh wee!