Let's Dance

I had a post about Richard Norris planned (semi-planned and half written in my head) about how I didn't expect that he would be tagged, to date, 37 times in posts here and how without realising it he is a Zelig-like figure in my record collection (and cd and mp3 collection). He appears throughout from writing for the NME in the late 80s to the the Jack The Tab album with Genesis P. Orridge in 1987, his output in the 90s with Dave Ball as The Grid, the songs he did with Joe Strummer as The Mescaleros started out, his music as one half of Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve with Erol Alkan, his solo stuff as The Time And Space Machine from around the time this blog started in 2010, his much more recent releases as Circle Sky and a multitude of remixes from way back then to now.

I got in from work last night to find Richard is sharing various unreleased tracks from his vaults starting with this one from four years ago called Let's Dance (not that Let's Dance). Free download for a limited time. A thumping, analogue acid house banger.



It was this track spinning on my car's cd player on Thursday morning that started the original post being written in my head, a remix of Gulp and a piece of space-disco so perfect it could convince you higher life forms were involved in its production.

Morning Velvet Sky (Richard Norris Remix)

And while I'm here Gulp's album All Best Wishes is a beauty, an album from this year that I keep coming back to. Gulp would easily fit in on a bill alongside Jane Weaver and Cavern of Anti-Matter for a really good night out. Silver Tides is the album's closer and is sublime.

All Good Wishes

One of my most played 12" singles from last year was Morning Velvet Sky by Gulp, a Cardiff based group comprising Guto (from Super Furry Animals) and Lindsey Leven plus guitarist Gid Goundrey. The single came with an excellent space-disco remix from Richard Norris as well as the original version. A couple of days ago Drew pointed me towards their new album All Good Wishes, which came out at the start of the month and is packed with 60s psych influenced songs, some of that strange folk tinged stuff and some progressive, cosmiche exploration. So now I have another album that I need to buy. Thanks Drew.

Morning Velvet Sky Drive

Two new Richard Norris remixes for your enjoyment at the start of the week. There's a lot of new stuff out at the moment, from all over the place and a multitude of sources. It's difficult to keep up.

This one is a new version of Morning Velvet Sky by Gulp, one that has gone down a storm recently with punters at A Love From Outer Space. Pulsing synth bass, echo on the drums, and then joined by a spaced out, slightly folky vocal. Blissful. Gulp contain one Super Furry Animal (Guto Pryce).

And this one is Richard's remix of Drive by Halina Rice, a London based producer. It picks up where the previous one started/left off- whooshing synths, electronic arpeggios, Halina's choral vocals and some space age flamboyance. Magical stuff.