It's Not Over, Not Even When The Day Is Done

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

It's Not Over, Not Even When The Day Is Done (46:15)

Don't Get Stuck In The Past

Today's 2021 retrospective highlights some great remixes from various singles and albums. The post title is the opening line of track 1, but also slightly tongue-in-cheek: a quick glance at the track listing and it's like an old school reunion, with Soulwax, Darren Emerson, Mark Ronson, UNKLE, Groove Armada and - bloody hell! - Kris Needs. My other challenge was avoiding making this a Hardway Bros. 'best of 2021'. Sean Johnston has delivered so many fantastic remixes, several of which have featured in previous posts; for this selection, I managed to whittle it down to two. Also making two appearances is Jesse Fahnestock: remixing Spacemen 3 as 10:40 in April, which led me to many more subsequent Bandcamp purchases, and November's single Thrill Me, as Jezebell (Fahnestock & Darren Bell), which includes a suitably whacko retro sample. This is barely scratching the surface, and I've a long list of this year's music that I still want to get, as 2022 and even more new sounds approach.

 

1) A Hero's Death (Soulwax Remix): Fontaines D.C.

2) That Time Of Night (Darren Emerson Remix): GLOK ft. Shiarra

3) Sail We Must (Hardway Bros Remix): Wet Signals

4) Thrill Me (Darren Darko Mix): Jezebell

5) Flying Tiger (The Mole's Slower Remix By Colin De La Plante): Dreems

6) New Love Cassette (Mark Ronson Remix): Angel Olsen

7) Hegel Dialect (UNKLE Reconstruction): Krust

8) They're In Our Head (Kampong Glam Mix): Rude Audio

9) First Class Bitch (Groove Armada's Confidence Trick Remix): Confidence Man

10) Point And Kill / Fear No Man (mindtrix music Remix): Little Simz ft. Obongjayar

11) Walking In The Sun (James Bright Remix): Andres Y Xavi ft. Rolo McGinty

12) Obey (Hardway Bros Stereo Odyssey Mix): Rheinzand

13) Love Comes In Waves (Pye Corner Audio Remix): Andy Bell

14) Weekend (The Judas Triangle) (Dom Beken & Kris Needs Remix): The Orb

15) How Does it Feel? (10:40's Terrace Moonshine Dub) (Remix By Jesse Fahnestock): Spacemen 3

Don't Get Stuck In The Past (1:39:08)

 

A note on yesterday's post: track-by-track comments still to come. Early visitors may have noticed that I dropped Show Your Face by The Anchoress into the mix for a second consecutive day. Oops! That was a mistake: much as I love the song, it was supposed to be Let It Hurt instead, but in my half-awake state I pulled the wrong track. After a shower and a strong coffee, I've corrected and replaced the selection and link. Slipshod DJ licence currently under review and may be revoked.

My Converse Look Like They've Had A Hard Life

There has been so much good music coming out this year and the monthly Bandcamp Friday has seen me splurging on a regular basis. I'm still immersing myself in purchases from the last few months, but here are a dozen gems. Amongst them are a couple of nods to my birthplace (the Slack Alice compilation and James Dyer aka Chez De Milo), a couple of legendary producers delivering the goods (Dennis Bovell & Hugo Nicolson) and artists that I've belatedly discovered this year (SAULT, Rheinzand, Dan Wainwright, Andres Y Xavi). 

1) I Hope You Die A Painful Death: Fever 103° (from Slack Alice: 5th Birthday Compilation)

2) You From London: SAULT ft. Little Simz (from 'NINE')

3) Tres Freak: Gene Kennedy & Matt Prehn (from The Wild Army Vol.5 EP)

4) Strange World (Richard Sen Remix): Rheinzand (from Remix EP 1)

5) Spandau Mechanix: Bad Tracking (from Slack Alice: 5th Birthday Compilation)

6) All I Have Known (Dan Wainwright & Massey Remix): Super FU (from Cocoons EP)

7) Swanky Modes (Dennis Bovell Mix): JARV IS... (from Swanky Modes (Dennis Bovell Mixes) EP)

8) Bushwa (Smagghe & Cross Version By Ivan Smagghe & Rupert Cross): Chez De Milo (from Bushwa EP)

9) Railton Ruckus (Hugo Nicolson Remix): Rude Audio (from Railton Ruckus EP)

10) The Disco Dragger: Wet Signals (from Wet Signals EP)

11) Sparking Plugs (Hardway Bros Sueno Cosmico Remix): Deo'Jorge (from Robotic Souls EP)

12) Walking In The Sun (Coyote Higher Vibration Remix): Andres Y Xavi ft. Rolo McGinty (from Walking In The Sun EP)

 

My Converse Look Like They've Had A Hard Life (1:17:49)