Son of a bitch, I'm sick of these dolphins..

Don't need any excuse to post tracks by today's artists; Only just got around to watching Wild Combination at the weekend, it's an excellent insight into the genius of Arthur Russell as told by his nearest & dearest. There's a very sweet moment where his parents describe initially not liking his music because 'You couldn't tap your foot to it'.
There's also a new Russell compilation to feast upon, 'The Sleeping Bag Sessions'. Sleeping bag was Russell's label which ran in the early eighties & who's roster included Mantronix, Cash Money & EPMD. As the blurb says: 'You seriously need this album if you have any interest in disco, house, hiphop or amazing 20th Century music'. Get it here.

Clandestine ft Ned Sublette- ‘Radio Rhythm (S-I-G-N-A-L S-M-A-R-T)’ (Dub Mix) (Download)

Bill Callahan returns with his 13th studio album 'Sometimes I wish we were an Eagle'. The baritone is in fine form as he explores his usual tragicomic themes, it's also great to hear that old audio hiss on this intimately produced long player.

Bill Callahan- My Friend (Download)

And from the last album under the Smog moniker here's 'I'm New Here':

'Met a woman in a bar
Told her I was hard to get to know
And near impossible to forget
She said i had an ego on me
The size of Texas

Well I'm new here and I forget
Does that mean big or small'

Smog- I'm New Here (Download)

Hey Greg, why don't you go piss your pants?

Thee Oh Sees certainly don't hang about- 'Help' is due shortly on In the Red Records & it's their 5th long player in as many years. Rawkus, Unhinged, Mucky Rock & Roll (Just how we like it). They have many dates in the USofA at the moment, go see them.

Thee Oh Sees- Ruby Go Home (Download)

Picked up this week's last tune from Alainfinkielkrautrock a little while ago- It's an amazing 12 minute groove that goes through several mutations. Perfect for losing yourself in over the weekend..

Indian Rope- Downsized/Critical Mass (Download)

I saw you playing chess with death yesterday..

Couple of mid tempo bumpers today- Architeq's new E.P comes with a strong remix package that includes reworks from Fulgeance, James Pants & this one from Kelpe. Get the full package from Juno download.

Architeq- Birds of Prey (Kelpe Remix) (Download)

If the Beach Boys had gone to summer school with The Flying Lotus, they may have just come up with something like this: Bullion's 'Young Heartache' E.P is brim full of psychedelic wonder, get the full release from Boomkat.

Bullion- Young Heartache (Download)

Just Press Rave

Everyone's a DJ these days: I'm one too. Here's the first in a series of mixes for your listening pleasure, Just Press Rave (See what I did?). Here's the tracklist..

Just Press Rave

1 The Mole- For the Lost
2 Simon Baker- Plastik (Todd Terje Remix)
3 Sister Sledge- Lost in Music (The Revenge Rework)
4 The Revenge- Savin' the Day
5 Cronk Family Enterprises- The Fitting Room
6 Capracara- King of the Witches (Rub n Tug Remix)
7 Franz Ferdinand- Ulysses (Beyond the Wizards Sleeve Remix)
8 Blehorkestar Bakija Bakic- Fizheuer Zieheuer (T2 Edit)
9 Quixote ft Lisa Li Lund- Before I Started to Dance (Chateau Flight Dub)
10 Royksopp- Happy Up Here (Holy Fuck Reinterpretation)
11 Baby Oliver- Primetime (Uptown Express)
12 Metro Area- Dance Reaction (Just Beats)
13 Grace Jones- Williams Blood (Aeroplane Dub)
14 Scott Walker- Get Behind Me

If you'd like me to come and rave up your disco, please get in touch. Royksopp's newie is a bit too chirpy for my liking, Holy Fuck save the day with a gem of a Rejiggle.

Royksopp- Happy Up Here (Holy Fuck Reinterpretation) (Download)

Think I'm a little obsessed with Todd Terje at the min, could easily have done a mix using only his tunes & re-edits. Here he is getting busy with Rogue Cat, the new side project of Dean Meredith (Chicken Lips). Get it here.

Rogue Cat- Magic Journey (Todd Terje Remix) (Download)

Many thanks to Lord Huntoir for today's picture..

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines..

Chris Clark returns with a mini LP entitled 'Growls Garden', and what a corker it is. 5 varied tracks that swing between booty bass & violent electro, he even has a bit of a sing on the title tune. Get over to Boomkat for the full release.

Clark- Growls Garden (Download)

The 14 tracks service continues to throw up many a good ditty: This week's early electronic music is particularly illuminating, here's a cut from the Wonky part 2 collection from a fortnight ago. Aquatic bass indeed..

Ghislain Poirier- Slow Fat (Download)

That's a honey of an anklet you're wearing..

DC recordings get their '09 started with a debut eponymous long player from Higamos Hogamos: It's preceded by single 'Major Blitzkrieg' which is a barnstormer: A Kraut-Rocking, Disco Popping beast of a tune, get the wax here.

Higamos Hogamos- Major Blitzkrieg (Download)

Kode 9 is always one of the more interesting dubstep producers. His latest effort is out now & it showcases a more melodic side. Not even sure you would class 'Black Sun' as dubstep, I've been classing it as 'Well Good'. Get the full release at Boomkat.

Kode 9- Black Sun (Download)

Notes & Correspondence..

Some tracks today from a bulging mail bag- First up is Matt Harding, who has new LP 'Year' ready to roll. It's a dynamite collection that takes gentle folktronic jams & wobbly electronica. The record is due on Moshi Moshi in a couple of weeks.

Matt Harding- New Us (Download)

Coltrane Motion hail from Chicago & hears what they sound like: 'let's make a dance record that sounds like what we dance to: girl groups and big beat and fuzzed-out indiepop / let's make a phil spector shoegaze laptop record out of drum breaks, drone and broken synthesizers / yeh, let's call it rock n roll'. They also only seemed to be influenced by artists that can be abbreviated to 3 letters (They seemed to have missed ABC off their list). They're on tour at this very minute, go catch them if your stateside. They also have a new 7" available check the Myspace for all the details.

Coltrane Motion- The Year Without a Summer (Download)

Next stop Cologne; Coma have a new E.P to share with you entitled 'Choices' which continues their melodic techno experiments. You can get the 12" here, they're also compiling a new mix for the eternally excellent Allez-Allez, be sure to check it when it drops.

Coma- Yellow (Download)

The new Zombie Nation Long Player is top bloody notch- Every track will light a huge fire under your Discoteca. Wunderbar. Here's the album opener:

Zombie Nation- Mas De Todo (Download)

Nice idea from Warp- You can vote for your favourite Warp tracks with the top 10 being compiled for release in the autumn. Vote here, it's sure to be one hell of an album...

Fingers on Buzzers..

Everyone likes a nice T-Shirt don't they? Well here's your chance to win one. 3 have launched their new one-off website ‘3 Snapshots’;

'A crack team of the UK’s top journalists has been dispatched to Tokyo to give you a unique insight into the technological and cultural life there. They'll go off the beaten track to get an inside take on the world's capital of invention and ideas to share with you.
3Snapshots.com will cover everything from Japan’s design, trend and technology forward thinkers to the new generation of movie directors making films for mobile phones and also tune into mobile music with Merce Death, watching him stream a live gig directly to the UK.
Tokyo is the capital of blogging culture and the journalists will be tuned-in to the bustling pace at which the Japanese communicate and discover what it’s like to function in a city buzzing with mobile technology.
Via their daily multi-media blogs the journalists will reveal everything from the mood of the city and the innovative things they’ve experienced that day, to the quirks of the Japanese lifestyle'

To mark the launch of the site on we’re giving away some Graniph T-shirts from the Graniph Japanese Designers Project (Go & have a look at the website, they look well tasty). All you have to do is answer the following question:

What would you rather be attacked by? A Shark or a Bear?

email answers to jthirkettle@hotmail.com, best answer wins.

I've seen her dehydrate, Sir. It's pretty gross..

A brace of rip roaring tunes to kick off the week with- Head over to Phonica & check out the re-issue of Crazy Gang's 'We are the Crazy Gang' LP, a long lost Italo gem that deserves to be rediscovered. Well ahead of it's time, 'Telephone Computer' features callers phoning a computer for answers to their questions. A sort of 1980's version of Google.

Crazy Gang- Telephone Computer (Download)

And from the imperious 'Scott 4' here's the majestic 'Get Behind Me'.

Scott Walker- Get Behind Me (Download)

The whole cashew-raisin balance is askew..

I've been getting acquainted with an absorbing collection of outlandish cover versions from Fractured Recordings- 'Recovery' features 20 artists who have each been asked to cover a song from the 70's, 80's & 90's that is particularly significant to them. It includes contributions from Mika Vainio, Matmos and Zoviet France amongst many others. Tracks tackled include 'Planet Rock', 'Heart & Soul' and 'Billie Jean'. Here's a couple of tunes from the compilation; A quite astounding version of 'Warm Leatherette' and a drone version of 'My Sharona'. Your ears are not deceiving you.

J G Thirwell- Warm Leatherette (Download)

Susan Stenger- My Sharona (Download)

A little Friday bonus- Here's a new track from Dognoize (Of which I am one half). Telluswhatyouthinkyo.

Dognoize- Access Experience (Download)

Q: How good was the first part of the Red Riding Trilogy?
A: Very fucking good.

Knock on the sky and listen to the Sound..

Following on from their recent Milky Disco comp, Lo Recordings give us another quality collection: 'A Psychedelic Guide to Monsterism Island' contains original recordings from a load of kaleidoscopic pilgrims including Gruff Rhys, Richard Norris, Luke Vibert, FSOL etc. Check out the Myspace for details of their podcast, get down your record emporium quick sharp when it's released in a couple of weeks. A couple of tunes from it:

Marc Shearer- Magma on my Mind (Download)

Cherrystones- Seven Thousand Pound Bee (Download)

Monstrous Rock Fry Ups

It stings the nostrils. In a good way..

Sore Eros will send you to pleasure town- Shdwply Records have just released 'Second Chants' an enticing, dreamy collection that gets more interesting with every listen. A perfect escort for a Sunday afternoon, be quick as there ain't that many about.

Sore Eros- The Dream Self (Download)

Think Laurent Garnier sums up Harvey Mckay's '69' pretty neatly- 'Faaaaat mother fucker. Will play this a lot..'. Splendid slab of glitch and noise, get the full release from Juno Download.

Harvey Mckay- 69 (Download)

You can now follow this blog on Twitter if you do that sort of thing..