Yo Ho Ho..

A couple of festive tunes to round off our year: Have a Kraut-rocking Christmas with Can's magnificent version of 'Silent Night' (A perennial fav at JPP). Also check out Wooden Shjips motorik rework of 'O Tannenbaum'. Splendid tackle to eat your turkey too. Thanks for stopping by this year, see you in 2011 for more musical merriment.

Can- Silent Night (Download)

Wooden Shjips- O Tannenbaum

Tis the season to be Jovi..

Kicking off a week of festive offerings with this blistering slice of digital Jazz From Nathan Fake. You'll wrap your gifts a WHOLE lot quicker if this is your soundtrack..

Nathan Fake- Xmas Rush (Download)

Just Press Play Mixtape Vol 15: Albums Of 2010

The final mixtape of 2010 see's us look back at our albums of the year: Big hits from the likes of Gonjasufi, Luke Abbott, Tame Impala, Jacky Chalard and many more. Get it over at Mixcloud.

2010 Part 3: Compilations/Reissues

Onto the final part of our round up of 2010, it's the best compilations & reissues of the year. Some absolute belters here..

Chris Carter- The Space Between (Optimo Music)

This compilation focused on Carter's output between 1974-78 and was originally released in 1991 on Industrial records (Gristle's own label). As Mr Twitch explains:

"These are some of the key recordings in the history of electronic music. They were made using very basic equipment at a time when there was no blueprint for what electronic music could and should be. There is a beauty, an emotion and an imagination present here that is lacking in a lot of modern machine music. This music is as vital and wondrous today as it was four decades ago.”

(Buy)

Deutsche Elektronische Musik- V/A (Soul Jazz)

German electronic music, kosmische music, cosmic rock, space music. The objectives were to create new music, ‘free’ from the past. A music that gave seed out of the cultural ‘nothingness’ that young Germans felt as a consequence of Germany’s role in the Second World War. A generation who grew up stifled by the recent history of Nazi atrocities, the guilt of their parents’ generation and their disillusionment at the reintegration of old Nazis into mainstream society.

Gila- This Morning (Download)

(Buy)

Jacky Chalard- Je Suis Vivant, Mais J'ai Peur De Gilbert Deflez (Finders Keepers)

Once again delving deep into their archive of obscurities and long forgotten rediscoveries, Finders Keepers present this 1974 collaboration between French prog-pop star Jacky Chalard (and his group, Dynastie Crisis) with science fiction writer/voice actor, Gilbert Deflez. This album is like a psychedelic radio play, setting incredible French rock music backdrops against spoken passages.

(Buy)

Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra- Love Of Life (DFA Records)

Since the mid-late '70s Peter Gordon and His Love Of life Orchestra have played a pivotal role in the development of the studio-as-instrument and the general direction of dance music ever since. From his base in the epicentre of New York's East Village, surrounded by the likes of Keith Haring, Arthur Russell, and David Byrne, Gordon, an accomplished composer and technician, created a distinct body of work which bore testament to his talent.

Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra- Beautiful Dreamer (Download)

(Buy)

Bruce Haack- Farad: The Electric Voice (Stones Throw)

The set centres around Haack's use of the vocoder, which he successfully created and put to work several years before its most notable use on Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn'. Haack is a truly unsung hero of electric music, an iconoclast, a self-taught savant of sorts, and an innovative early adopter of plugged-in production techniques who developed a unique agenda to educate children with his music.

(Buy)

Pomegranates- V/A (Finders Keepers)

Finders Keepers once again manage to educate and amaze with a prime selection of mindblowing obscurities - the production on so many of the tracks here just beggar belief. The music reflects Iran at a time when it was undergoing massive change, partly due to the influx of Petrodollars and the pervasive influence of modernity which created a tension between mystical Eastern traditions and the freedom of socioeconomic development.

(Buy)

Psych Funk 101- V/A (Now Again)

Surely one of the most exquisite, well-thought out and inspiring compilations of the year, Psych Funk 101 introduces prospective psychonauts to the global phenomenon of psychedelic funk music and covers the "Golden Years"of the movement, from approximately 1967 until 1980 with a selection of tracks which have never been previously reissued before! Presented as an in-depth lesson in the distinctions, traits and characteristics of the style, this stunning disc is a veritable treasure trove of essential Psychedelic Funk spanning the planet, from South Korea to Lebanon backed up with weighty liner notes priming the listener on each individual track.

(Buy)

Return of the Sherm- V/A (Light Sounds Dark)

A mighty followup to last years incredible 'Sherm Sticks & Other Nasty Joints' compilation from the badass muthas at Light Sounds Dark Records. As with the last LP, there's a heavy bunch of psyche rock, disco and proggy dancefloor goods unknown by all but the most dedicated diggers. Psyche and disco heads alike should be wetting themselves over this, especially if they've got an eye on the tracklists of DJ Harvey.

Unity- O Wa Noue Me Nou Ma (Download)

Ruth- Polaroid/Roman/Photo (Angular Recording Corporation)

Ruth's 'Polaroid/Roman/Photo' is one of the most extraordinary archival discoveries to resurface thanks to a groundswell of vintage '80s coldwave/darkwave/synth-pop. Angular Records included it as part of their awesome 'Cold Waves & Minimal Electronics' compilation earlier in the year, and now give the full original album a well warranted reissue 25 years after the drop. The fact that the original only sold 50 copies back in 1985 means it exchanges hands for over £300 these days, which should tell you something about its cult status in the annals of underground synth pop.

(Buy)

The World Ends Afro Rock And Psychedelia In 1970s Nigeria- V/A (Soundway Records)

As the summer of love was blossoming in London and San Francisco, Nigeria was imploding into civil war. Also known as the Biafran war of 1967, it was a grisly conflict taking over three million lives yet at the same time as the country was being pulled apart there was a new world beginning. The tracks featured represent a forgotten chapter in Nigeria’s musical history when the youth threw their varied morsels into the pot from hard rock to psychedelic soul when guitars were cherished instruments, symbolic of a new movement, when highlife and Afrobeat played second fiddle to ‘the beat’.

(Buy)

2010 Part 2: Long Players

Onwards to the second part of our look back at 2010, this time focusing on the best LP's. Once again there is no countdown as music should NEVER be a competition. Whittled this down to 18 records...

Luke Abbott- Holkham Drones (Buy)

'Luke Abbott's debut album of Kosmische electronics is the best thing Border Community have released in years. It puts to use Abbott's beloved collection of boutique analogue equipment in 12 delicately structured and warmly effervescent arrangements ideal for intimate headphone and after-hours sessions'

Arp- The Soft Wave (Buy)

'Though Georgopoulos (Arp) still has a knack for creating environments in which you want to recline, hammock-style, he's also peppered The Soft Wave with soft blasts of blissed–out fuzz. Recorded to two-inch tape, its warm glow and blown-out formalism will undoubtedly appeal to a broad, sophisticated range of tastes'

Brian Eno- Small Craft On a Milk Sea (Buy)

'The new Brian Eno record has been produced with the help of Jon Hopkins & Leo Abrahams (Formerly Colonel). The record see's Eno's trademark delicate ambience married together with a tougher, louder, more dance floor orientated sound'

Matthew Dear- Black City (Buy)

'it's no secret that he (Matthew Dear) saves his finest, most pop-friendly ideas for release under his birth name, unpressured by dancefloor trends and free to create something very much in the image of his own romantic psyche. So with 'Black City' he hints at classic pop from Talking Heads to Prince and Roxy Music mixed with an advanced electronic sensitivity'

Four Tet- There Is Love In You (Buy)

'Heavily influenced by his recent residency at Plastic People, it follows in the same vein as 2008's 'Ringer' EP: A 4/4 pulse is highly prominent throughout this most refined of electronic LP's that once again features the now signature sound of Kieran Hebden; A computerised record that has a very live feel'

Gonjasufi- A Sufi & A Killer (Buy)

'Cosmic desert dweller Sumach Ecks (Gonja) is a reformed drug addict turned yoga teacher and student of spirituality. You already know this is gonna be an interesting record. Produced by the likes of The Gaslamp Killer, Mainframe & Flying Lotus, it's stacked in psychedelic wonderment. In the words of Fly Lo, "Timeless Incredible Filth'

Gonjasufi- Ancestors (Mark Pritchard Remix) (Download)

Eskmo- Eskmo (Buy)

Showcasing his special brand of glooptronica, here's a few words from the man himself:

The album was written over a six month stretch “in the middle of a whole bunch of personal relationship-type stuff, a lot of deep life-experiences happening that helped the music just bleed out of me. I just poured all those feelings into the music, it’s very cathartic. This is the first full body of work where I’m singing all over it, and allowing myself to get over that furlough of expression has been really liberating.”

Grinderman- Grinderman 2 (Buy)

'Cave and his fellow Bad Seeds really hit their stride on this sophomore airing of the grimy side-project, expanding the range and repertoire of its swamp-rock sleaze... but not too much'

Grinderman- Worm Tamer (Download)

Maxmillion Dunbar- Cool Water (Buy)

Some words from the man himself on his soundssss

'Romantic slapback music, born in the incredible worldwide vibe environment of 1983. The lovely part of progress is activity. I been snowblind listening to all this Cocteau Twins lately, so pardon the reverb. New Age new tunes.'

Maxmillion Dunbar- Breathe What You Say (Download)

Connan Mockasin- Please Turn Me Into Snat (Buy)

'Please Turn Me Into The Snat is a dreamlike psychedelic opus that's quite unlike anything else out there that gets branded with the 'psych' tag. Don't expect any protracted krautrocking jams here though, there's something about Mockasin's music that's refreshingly concise and clearly laid out. The production arrives coated in a suitably hazy, Guthrie-esque dream-pop gauze, but beneath that there's always something ear-catchingly weird going on somewhere in the mix'

Pantha Du Prince- Black Noise (Buy)

Pantha Du Prince delivers one of his finest albums to date with the finely structured 'Black Noise'. Featuring contributions from Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear and Tyler Pope of LCD Soundsystem, Du Prince's latest album elevates him above the rest of the minimal crowd to a status occupied by the likes of Villalobos or Isolee, crafting delicately nuanced music that's at once rooted in the methods of classical techno and house music, but also appealing to a far wider audience.

Scuba- Triangulation (Buy)

'With a probing curiosity and focused remit, he's matched a clutch of previously incongruous dancing styles with a subtlety and class that's ensured respect from all corners of the club. 'Triangulation' guarantees that position with a superior set of future classics, connected thematically by impressive levels of electro-acoustic spatial technicality and divided only by an insistence on exploring multiple tempos and the freshest riddimic functions'

Soundcarriers- Celeste (Buy)

'The Soundcarriers' debut album, Harmonium was very well received, having successfully channelled the spirit of vintage prog and psychedelia - prompting widespread comparisons to the likes of Broadcast, Stereolab, David Axelrod and assorted other touchstones of sophisticated, retro-centric cool. Celeste doesn't tamper with the formula too much, and if anything it's a tightening and a honing of The Soundcarriers' craft'

Tame Impala- Innerspeaker (Buy)

'Tame Impala make psychedelic hypno-groove melodic rock music. It's intended for moving one's body to, and it's intended for keeping still and observing other forms of movement. It's bombastic but it's swirling, think of the shoulder bones of a giant striding feline creature through some kind of tunnel. If Tame Impala's music reminds you of what you'd want to put on when you next visit your mind's engine room then they're happy. If not, whatever, it's just music. Put it on when the sun next shines. Basically it's all about the feeling..'

The Fall- Our Future Your Clutter (Buy)

'The Fall return with a 28th long-player, featuring the same band line-up that featured on 2008's Imperial Wax Solvent. Having hit upon a strong run of form in recent years, these post-punk survivors show no signs of fatigue. Another great entry into this band's prodigious catalogue'

The Phantom Band- The Wants (Buy)

'The Phantom Band have certainly wasted no time in following up last years 'Checkmate Savage', new long player 'The Wants' is now available from your local record store. Cementing their place as one of the most interesting guitar bands to eminate from our fair Isles in a long time, the record sees them continue their sonic experiments through a range of different styles. None more so than on standout track 'The None Of One', an 8 minute beast that begins all ballad like, bursts out into a kraut sphere and ends in a beautiful swirl'

Voice Of The Seven Thunders- Voice Of The Seven Thunders (Buy)

'Rick Tomlinson, who conventionally records as Voice Of The Seven Woods, returns under the tweaked moniker Voice Of The Seven Thunders, a move apparently prompted by the discovery of an apocalyptic tome dating back to 1870, filled with various doomy texts and lectures. Correspondingly, the tone and temperament of Tomlinson's material has shifted, moving emphasis from ornate psychedelic folk to more assertive, electrified rock variants often verging on fuzz-strewn bluesy ragas'

Just Press Play Mixtape Vol 14: Trax of the Year

Volume 14 of the mixtape looks back at the musical year as we pick some of our favorite tracks. Features Gil Scott Heron, Flying Lotus, Brassica, Scuba & many more. Presented by Jo Good & JT. Grab it at Mixcloud.

2010 Part 1: Tunes

Many thanks to Ms Good for her recent posts. We are gonna kick off our round up of 2010 with our tracks of the year. These are not in any order as music should never be a competition. These are simply the trax's that rocked our socks this year:

Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti- Round And Round (Buy)

Aux 88- Voice Modulation (Anthony Rother Remix) (Buy)

Banjo Or Freakout- Since We Last Met

James Blake- I Only Know (What I Know Now) (Buy)

Blondes- Paradise City (Buy)

Brassica- New Jam City (Buy)

Eric Copeland- Fun Drink Death

Jacky Chalard- Superman Supercool (Reissue) (Buy)

George Fitzgerald- The Let Down (Buy)

Flying Lotus- Do The Astral Plane (Buy)

Funkineven- She's Acid (Buy)

Grinderman- Heathen Child (Andrew Weatherall Remix)

Health- Nice Girls (Blondes Remix) (Buy)

Gil Scott Heron- New York Is Killing Me (Buy)

Higamos Hogamos- Sorcery (Version) (Buy)

Jon Hopkins- Vessel (Four Tet Remix) (Buy) (Download)

Kink- Bittersweet (Buy)

Antoni Maiovvi- Horsehead Blue (Buy) (Download)

Oneohtrix Point Never Ft Antony- Returnal (Buy)

Rocketnumbernine- Matthew & Toby (Four Tet Remix) (Buy)

Rooflight- Around Here (Buy)

Space System- Petik (Buy)

The Alps- Black Mountain (Buy)

The Crystal Ark- The City Never Sleeps (Buy)

The Liminanas- Funeral Baby

Williams- Confused Arp Disco (Gatto Fritto Remix) (Buy)

I cannot do with any more education. I was full up years ago..

Revisiting the fantastic Gonjasufi record from earlier this year, the sample laden epic got me searching for a few of the originals; The track used for 'Duets' is 'The Other Song' from Spirit. It's off their 1975 release 'Son Of Spirit' and is well worth tracking down if your planning a little psych out. You can pick up the LP here.


(Download)

On a similar psychedelic tip is this from Damon; 'Don't You Feel Me' is off the wonderful 'Forge Your Own Chains' compilation which we've featured before and is well worth your hard earned buck.

(Download)