Another relatively short mix, 7 songs in 46-and-a-quarter minutes, in slightly more relaxed mood for a sunny Sunday.
The Orb have been on a creative high in the past couple of years and their remixes for other artists have been right up there too. This track also opens up the remix companion of Scottish duo Dohnavùr's second album The Flow Across Borders, which also features Richard Norris, Pulselovers and Kieran Mahon.
Rude Audio's new EP, Big Heat, was released exactly one month ago and has already been praised by Swiss Adam ("returned to do the summer of 2022 a massive favour") and Walter ("on heavy rotation at my place and [,,,] one of the sounds of this summer". Dr. Rob's description of today's featured track Rudely Fresh as "a cool Compass Point-esque meeting of new wave and Nyabinghi" is spot on. The entire Big Heat EP is a treat, with remixes of the lead track from Rich Lane and Bedford Falls Players and a suitably epic remix of Dust Devil by Al MacKenzie to round things off. If you pop over to Rude Audio's Soundcloud page, you can also find the Al MacKenzie Beatless Remix of Dust Devil, available as a free download.
I stumbled across the cover of Stevie Wonder's 1980 classic Master Blaster by accident whilst browsing the Echo Beach website. Dubby Wonder is "soundscapes ecologist" (great job title) Lee Groves and Eugene Tambourine is a "DJ, re-editor and multi-instrumentalist"; both are currently based in New York City. I love the vibe of this slowed-down, dubbed-out version.
Another classic getting a contemporary relick is Dub Organizer, from Lee 'Scratch' Perry's 1973 classic Upsetters 14 Dub Black Board Jungle. Perry is joined by Subatomic Sound System aka John Emch, another NYC resident, following their 2017 collaboration Super Ape Returns To Conquer. Dub Organizer (2019 Relick) is still available as a free download via Bandcamp or Soundcloud.
Richard Norris seems to be an unending well of creativity, with multiple solo and side-projects on the go and somehow finding time to produce and remix music for other artists too. Bishi aka Bishnupriya Bhattacharya provided guest vocals to Norris' 2021 track Water. The single/remix package was one of last year's highlights and here he repays the favour with a beautiful, minimal remix of Bishi's current single Reflektions.
One final cover version here and it's another dub side project of Lee Groves, this time as Rude Boy. Discogs lists one solitary release by Rude Boy, an album in 1998. Over twenty years later, Groves reunited with Kingston, JA vocalist Kardi Tivali to cover a couple of club classics, Pump Up The Volume by M|A|R|R|S and today's selection, Superstylin' by Groove Armada. Rude Boy's original version of the latter appeared on Version Excursion, Don Letts' spectacular contribution to the LateNightTales compilation series. I've opted here for Swiss dub explorer Delaypilot's sweet remix.
Rounding things off is another dub rinse, this time by Salty Man aka Raf Rundell, of Lighthouse by Mattiel from her third album Georgia Gothic, out earlier this year. I enthused about the Georgia Gothic Dubs EP - and this track in particular - back in May and it's remained a playlist regular since.
1) New Objectivity (The Orb's Rest & Be Thankful Remix): Dohnavùr (2022)
2) Rudely Fresh: Rude Audio (2022)
3) Master Blaster (Vocal Version) (Cover of Stevie Wonder): Dubby Wonder ft. Eugene Tambourine (2022)
4) A Me (The Dub Organizer) (2019 Relick): Lee 'Scratch' Perry & Subatomic Sound System (2019)
5) Reflektions (Reworking I) (Remix By Richard Norris): Bishi (2022)
6) Superstylin' (Delaypilot - Roots Dub Remix) (Cover of Groove Armada): Rude Boy ft. Kardi Tivali (2021)
7) Lighthouse Dub (Raf Rundell's Salty Man Dub): Mattiel (2022)
2019: A Me (The Dub Organizer) EP: 4
2021: Pump Up The Volume / Superstylin' EP: 6
2022: Big Heat EP: 2
2022: Georgia Gothic Dubs EP: 7
2022: Master Blaster EP: 3
2022: Reflektions EP: 5
2022: The Flow Across Borders: The Remixes: 1