polloxniner

Yes Yes Yes

I've finally come up for air. Ass long time, yes I know.
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I felt particularly compelled to rear my head after giving Ewan Pearson's spectacular Piece Work its umpteenth straight listen. Released in the US on September 25th via !K7, this double CD of remixes offers some familiar remixes while other gems have never seen the light of day. So consider yourself lucky, you filthy bastard.
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I admit that there's a great deal of good music teeming from various far-flung cities, from fresh new faces. Very cool. But I suspect that very few will endure as long as Ewan will -- having quickly become one of the genre's grand poobahs, a mainstay, and yardstick. Rather than choosing style over substance, he opts for style and substance. It's exciting, exuberant pop-meets-dance music with all the trappings of a classic. Test it -- revisit it next year or in five, it'll still be terrific. Instantly and easily, one of my top ten of 2007. One to own.
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Hardest part is choosing which of the 21 remixes to post, all are dope. So I'll choose two older/familiar remixes at random. FYI - his remix of Cortney Tidwell's "Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up" is brilliant so go pick it up:

Seelenluft feat. Mixmaster Michael Smith - "Manila (Ewan Pearson Remix)"
Bugged out house re-work of the original featuring 12-year Mixmaster Mike Smith from Compton.
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Freeform Five - "Perspex Sex (Ewan Pearson's Hi NRG Remix)"
Grimy, bad ass electro remix of the mutant disco-funk-house classic.

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Go buy it: Amazon | Phonica | Insound

Reading material: Pitchfork says...

That Time Again

Two major events coming up on my horizon. Indeed, they come around so rarely.
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First is my birthday in August, which I'll be celebrating properly in the good company of Daft Punk and The Rapture (who perform with Kavinsky). With my AAA, I'll have a smash up time getting, well, smashed up.
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Second is my summer vacation, a real treat since I so seldom take a holiday. In fact, this is the way I prefer to celebrate my birthday -- in seclusion with best friends -- rather than with some big blowout bash. Thanks to my friend Cash, my birthday holiday is going to be spent in the open seas on a yacht, drifting along far far away... away...
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Let's get on to music.
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Three random selections today, no logic to these picks other than the fact that I've been listening to them pretty frequently these past few months and will likely add them to my playlist when I go on holiday. I like them. Perhaps you will too. Plus, to be frank, I need a break from the usual blogfare du jour (SMD, Justice, etc). A little departure if you please.

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Tomboy - "Murky Jerky"
A.K.A. Who Made Who drummer Tomas Barfod, Tomboy  crams in all that euphoric and electro-bleep disco (complete with bongos) into his solo debut album Serios. Much funkier than his band-project fare.
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Beatconductor - "Keep From Going Under feat/ AZ"
This funky bit of hip-hop soul is from Beats Cut Out Played Back And Souled released on Dicey Records. Check the sample and collabo with AZ.
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MyMy - "Pelourinho (Playhouse)"
Warm waves of ambient dub. This is how I imagine I'll end my nights on the yacht.
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Hope you're all having a fun summer. I am. And I'm particularly pleased with my new MOB tshirt. Would go nice with bikini bottoms and a pair of sunglasses and a frozen drink in my hand :)

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Come Out, Come Out

Six month since my last post. Ha! That's amazing, I almost forgot how to use this thing. Where did the time go? Wow. Feels like I've been underground (ok, I sorta was). Though actually, I've never been more out-and-about in my life. Things are very different.
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These few months, music's really changed for me, too. Or maybe I've changed. Changed the way I listen to music, the type of songs I like and digest, the things I hear in a song. And not in that bad, evil way that people would expect from someone working at a major record label. Rather, I've come to terms with the fact that I really like pop music. Maybe it's a dangerous thing to say in the presence of cool people. But I never said I was cool nor did I ever cater to the cool. Whatever the genre -- hip-hop, rock, electronica, soul, funk -- I gotta have some clear hooks, memorable phrases, and a slight melodic sweetness (be it saccharine or bittersweet). Not pop music as in the Pussycat Dolls, hells no. Though fuck... you gotta admit, Britney Spears' "Toxic" now that's a good jam right there.
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Roisin Murphy - "Overpowered (Kris Menace Remix)"
Murphy, perhaps better known to some as one-half of UK electronic-pop duo Moloko, is releasing her second solo album late 2007 on EMI with "Overpowered" as her first single slated for a July release date. To be honest, I'm not much of a fan and I much prefer this Kris Menace remix over the original which you can hear at her myspace page. It shimmers and cascades pop while the disco-house bassline keeps it fresh and funky, quite the summer song. Buy the album here .
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Anyone have any thoughts on Kanye West's "Stronger" yet, for those of you who've heard it? It uses samples from Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" -- I find it kind of amazing for two reasons: 1) Kanye West loves Daft Punk which warms my heart to no end, and 2) he raps "does anyone make real shit anymore?" in the song which sort of makes me wince. But I can't hate. Kanye's been cleverly tapping into electronica for inspiration lately, you'll hear it on his album. So happy 30th birthday Kanye in advance. Party.
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For you rock fans, I hope you will swing by the Knitting Factory tonight (it might be sold out though) to catch one of my bands, the Noisettes, as they rip shit up live for reals. Plus, Shingai (singer) is so gorgeous and decadent and sexy as she growls these songs out, I could just watch her on mute. If you're there and see me, come by and say hi.

It's Gonna Be A Minty Fresh 2007!

Here we are, kiddies, bidding sayonara to yet another year. Not that 2006 was just another year. It was a banner year for me both professionally and personally. Sure, there was that one shitty person or moment that put a damper on things... but eh... karma has an uncanny way of taking care of those things in time. I'm looking back at 2006 feeling deeply happy, grateful, and optimistic. I hope you all had a similarly good year.
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So the question is: How are you celebrating New Year's Eve? For those of you still undecided, here are some of the parties going on about the city I recommend:
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(Click invitations to enlarge)

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Guest DJs include Jamie Klaxon with host DJ Alex English. More info here.

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And speaking of DJs, here's a heads-up on NEXT ON THE DECKS 2. If you missed NEXT ON THE DECKS last year, I suggest you go check it out. Last year, Mark Ronson judged the competition and this year Steve Aoki Kid Millionaire takes the judge's podium. If you're an interested DJ, you need to submit a 30-minute mix by January 15, 2007. The winner gets an all-expense paid trip to the Winter Music Conference in Miami in March '07 as the opening DJ for Steve in addition to playing the Hollywood kick-off of the NEXT ON THE DECK 2007 TOUR. Other prizes include KREW Clothing, Supra Footwear and Zero Halliburton and Spinner.com.
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As a rule of thumb, I don't do Best-Of lists because I find it tough to limit myself to the best 10 or 20. So here's a round up of some of the albums and singles that got a lot of play this year:

ALBUMS
Sonic Youth: Rather Ripped
The Knife: Silent Shout
Ghostface Killah: Fishscale
The Rapture: Pieces Of The People We Love
Lily Allen: Alright, Still 
TV On The Radio: Return To Cookie Mountain
Hot Chip: The Warning
Lindstrom: It's A Feedelity Affair
Peter Bjorn and John: Writer's Block
T.I.: King
Junior Boys: So This Is Goodbye
Booka Shade: Movements
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SINGLES
Sonic Youth - "Incinerate"
The Knife - "Silent Shout"
The Rapture - "Pieces of the People We Love"
Justice - "Waters of Nazareth"
TV On The Radio - "Wolf Like Me"
Hot Chip - "Over and Over"
T.I. - "What You Know"
Peter Bjorn and John - "Young Folks"
Test Icicles - "What Your Damage (Alan Braxe and Fred Falke Remix)"
Poni Hoax - "Budapest"
Jamie Lidell - "Multiply"
Al Usher - "Gnanfou"
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I feel like I'm leaving a lot out but that's the thing about shortlists. I didn't include mp3s for any of the songs on this list as I'm sure a quick search on Elbo.ws or Hype (though Hype's always so glitchy and unreliable these days) will bring them up snap snap. Just seems redundant... not that I'm gonna leave you high and dry. Below's a grab bag of tunes up for only one week. After that, it's adios:
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Kirk Degiorgio - "Starwaves"
Trentemoller - "Take Me Into Your Skin"
2 Raum Wohnung - "Sex Secret (Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction mix)"
Sally Shapiro - "I'll Be By Your Side"
Justice - "Phantom"
Arthur Russell - "You Have Did The Right Thing When You Put That Skylight In"
Loose Joints - "Is It All Over My Face (Unreleased Original Full Length Version)"
RJD2 - "Beyond The Beyond"
Boat Club - "Vacation Forever"
Bloc Party - "Marshals Are Dead (Paul Epworth Edit)"
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Looking ahead to 2007, there's a bunch of great albums due out in 2007. Some I've already heard -- lots of gems! -- and others I'm already drooling over:
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Bloc Party: Weekend In The City
Air: Pocket Symphony
Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
!!!: Myth Takes
LCD Soundsystem: Sound Of Silver
Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
Courtney Love: How Dirty Girls Come Clean
Radiohead: Untitled
Smashing Pumpkins: Untitled
Cat Power: Untitled
Interpol: Untitled
Justice: Untitled
Alan Braxe: Untitled
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Hope you have a great New Year's celebration, whatever you decide to do. Do it safe and do it twice, I say. I'm still on holiday so back to tanning for me. See you all in 2007 -- it's going to be a fantastic year!

Happy Holidays

Ah, the holidays. Let me start by wishing you all a Happy Holiday! While I'm at it, I'll go ahead and wish you a Happy New Year (because who knows when my next post will be). I'm hoping to post again before 2007 but we'll see how that goes.
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Now if you've been hitting the holiday party circuit like me, then you're just about ready for a nice nap. Between all the company parties (i.e., Island Def Jam holiday party, Universal Records holiday party) and the non-company holiday parties, I'm done... for now. Luckily parties don't happen much on weekends, at least not in New York City anyway, so this weekend I'm going to nap, shop, detox, and get the naughty knots out of my hair.  *
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The new year brings lots of good things, and I'm super optimistic about 2007. One of the things I'm most excited about is a brand new project currently in the works. It's a project born out of my love for great music and desire to put it all out there for everyone. I've got good people and friends supporting me so I feel really blessed. More to come soon...
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Speaking of great new music, Alan Braxe is quietly working on some new/original material which will surface in early 2007. Personally, I'm about to bust at the seams waiting to hear finished tracks. He's been absent for far too long and sorely missed. Inevitably, though, when I think of Braxe I think of Fred Falke and Kris Menace for obvious reasons. So a while ago, I got my grubby paws on the "Fairlight" 12-inch and fell into a (space) disco-induced jag which I haven't been able to shake off for some time now. 
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Kris Menace feat. Fred Falke - "Fairlight"
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I don't know how this little edit slipped by most people, though in all fairness it wasn't released on its own. I think it's pretty fantastic in all its funky smoothness. Wilton Felder's sax slays.
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The Crusaders - "My Lady (Todd Terje edit)"
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By far, one of the best singles in 2006 was Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks" but since I seem to be on some kind of disco jag, I thought I'd hit you with this remix.
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Peter Bjorn and John - "Young Folks (Punks Jump Up Special Disco Mix)"
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Not to forget my own artists, there's so many great things awaiting them in the next year... just a few... from The Rapture shooting the video for their third single and Mika having his breakthrough year to Pharaohe Monch's return, and so on and so forth. Here's to a wonderful holiday, folks. And if I don't post this side of the year, then have a great new year as well. Until then, enjoy this. Keep the music playing...
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She's A Machine (Only If They Knew...)

I've been relatively low-key these past few weeks, staying away from parties and events, and going to shows only when necessary. I've been glued either to an office desk or a console board, or otherwise hiding in some quiet corner. It's partly stress, and I admit some of it is self-inflicted stress as I tend to be super-hard on myself. But it's cramping my style, people. I fear my friends are thisclose to an intervention and a hearty ass-kicking. I need to take a fucking chill pill. Must get back to the old Sunny...
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In 2007, things will be different. Right?
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Actually, things will be different after I see Borat tomorrow! Good times. I expect John and Julian will be quoting from the movie for the next few months... sorta funny, sorta annoying. Gah! "In Kazhakstan we have many hobbies: disco dancing, archery, rape and table tennis." Hahahahahahaha. Good times, indeed.
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So Kaiser Chiefs fans will be happy to hear that a new album is on it's way. Sounds good. First single is a winner, for sure. Also, look out for some new stuff out soon by DJ Shadow, The Rapture, U2, Pagoda, Razorlight, Shiny Toy Guns, and yes Lindsay Lohan.... details to come. Oh! Here's a behind-the-scenes video clip of The Rapture that Julian edited and posted on youtube for us.
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Fun. Going rollerskating myself week after next at The Roxy. Apparently, I've been living under a rock all this time -- the guys tell me that you're allowed to rollerskate AND drink at the same time now. What has this world come to? So wait a minute... two bars inside the rink serving alcohol. People wobbling precariously on wheels. Hmm. Smells like disaster to me.  Anyway, they insist we go.
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As for music, I'm posting only one song that I've been listening to ad nauseum for the past week:

Gorillaz - "Kids With Guns (Hot Chip Remix)"

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Reminds me of a really slow version of Madonna's "Hollywood (Remix)". Go see for yourself. Also listening to a new Ellen Allien remix of Beck which I love but that's for next time. Until then, bye all. 

 

The City That Never Sleeps: The Mixes

Holy fuck! It's been over a month since my last post? That's pitiful, really pitiful. What happened? Where did all the time go? Let's see, according to my last post The Rapture guys were playing the VMA afterparty at Gotham Hall. Huh? That feels like aaaaaaaages ago. Since then, well, I guess I've just been working a shit ton.
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Hmm.
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One of the private rooms in our offices is called THE WAR ROOM: couches, chairs, stereo, phone, laptop -- it's cozy and comfy. It's something of a hideaway. Once upon a time, it was one of those rooms reserved for artists and bands to chill in and do whatever they wanted to do. Not so much anymore. Ha! Nowadays, I use it to take late-night or weekend naps. Mike bought two bagful of pillows from Bed, Bath, and Beyond, god bless his heart. Yes, we all nap like kittens only to wake up and go out to work again. It's all very "Grey's Anatomy" seriously. I keep extra clothes, shoes, and toiletries at work, as customary that I keep the obligatory cocktail dress there ready to go, just in case. When it comes to music, it really is the city that never sleeps.
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As such, I tend to play as hard as I work. But that's another story and perhaps another post.
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Ready to sign some new, very talented, very exciting artists. I guess when the ink dries on the contracts, I can be more telling. But for now, I can say that the chance to work with Nigel Godrich is just blowing my mind. What a trip! A while back, I think I had the hots for him as I'm usually attracted to guys with creative minds and a level of accomplishment... or was that someone else? Erm. Anyway, he's one of the absolute few on the planet that I've fantasized about working with. The other would be Alan Braxe, of course. We'll see how that one goes.
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The end of October is likely to be mayhem through and through. Besides the 1,001 Halloween shindigs all about town, there's CMJ. Bah. I love it. I also love this. So random.

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Somewhere between all the things he does (Fluokids, Miam Les Fruits) Pharrell made me another mix called "Pharrell's Sunny Get It To Fall Mix" -- download while you can. (*bisous*)
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Tracklist:
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Pipettes - "We Are The Pipettes"
Wolfmother - "Woman (MSTRKRFT remix)"
The Presets - "Are You The One (Van She mix)"
Midnight Juggernauts - "Shadows"
Jamelia - "Something About You (Mr Oizo remix)"
Giant Metal - "We Are Not From The Ghetto (Yuksek remix)"
Van She - "Aretha (Van She Tech EBS mix)"
Robbie Williams - "Lovelight (Soulwax Ravelight remix)"
Klaxons - "Atlantis To Interzone (Crystal Castles remix)"
Gentlemen Drivers - "Mass Damper Scarface - My Block"

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You must get a hold of Nick's (aka Catchdubs) mix on his site: click here for mp3 and tracklist.
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Oh, and for those of you who drool over all that electro-tech bizness, check out October (aka Julian Smith). Good stuff. And for your listening pleasure, here's October's May 2006 Mix -- download while you can. Tracklist here.

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Hopefully it won't be another month till my next post. But in case I do disappear, feel free to send me an email and a swift kick in the pants. Be well and be good.
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i never forget the ones i love

Mixed Bag of Tricks

I don't know who the man in this photo is but I think he looks pretty pimpin' -- he's got the whole Goodfellas thing going on from the waist up. He's even rocking a vanity cane. Fom the waist down, he looks like he's ready to run a 10K marathon.
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Just a quick little post today to tide you over till the next episode. (God knows when that might be.) I've been obsessive about a couple of remixes from French duo Cassius (a.k.a. Zdar and Boombass). "Toop Toop" is an infectious little treat of a tune (you can hear it on their myspace), and the remixes of this single even more so. In total, I have six -- SIX! -- different remixes but I figured I'd post the two I like best.

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Cassius - "Toop Toop (Olivier Koletski Mix)"

Cassius - "Toop Toop (Cassius Reggae Rock Mix)"

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Yes, yes... typically, I'd fear the word "reggae" in this context too but this track is more rock and bouncy bassline than any weird reggae sympatico. No need to tread carefully.
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And damn if there isn't a better album to blast at 1:00am when me and my late-night boys are still at work than Soulwax's Nite Versions. My buddy Mike even has a disco ball at his desk just in case I feel the need to break into spontaneous dance. Equally as good is this lapcrusher -- a must-buy.
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Soulwax - "Teachers"
Buy here
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Take Radioclit for example. Nothing super new but still so ace! Always a pleasure to revisit these boys. Particularly gravitating towards "Sound of C" -- it's so electric boogaloo, makes me want to do the worm which I reckon would be rather unsightly.
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I'm sure you've heard of The Blow by now -- and I don't want to bore you with yet another rehashing of their bio. And truth be told, it's a good trak but nothing earthshattering. Sorry. That said, here's a track from their album Paper Television.

The Blow - "Pile of Gold"

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I'm so excited that the general response has been so great for The Rapture single, "Get Myself Into It." People, it's just the single -- imagine just how incredible the rest of the album is! Just wait until you hear "The Devil" (probably my other favorite track off the album) -- you'll flip your lid. Plus, the guys are playing the MTV VMA Afterparty on Thursday... woohoo! The VMAs are the same night as the Jamie Lidell / Rocks Off Concert Cruise so I guess I'll miss going to the actual awards ceremony to catch Jamie on a lovely cruise boat and then book it to the afterparty. Should shape up to be a lovely week, indeed.

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you're missed 

TRIPLETS: Las Islas Baleares

It's been a while.
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I've been busy. Even too busy to blog, if you can imagine that. There was once a time when I'd post every single day. Maybe even twice a day, if the spirit moved me. Fancy that.
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Faint and distance memories now.
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But by saving grace -- and just in the nick of time -- my good friend Howie who comes to us from London and works with some of the best producers, DJs, and artists this side of the equator, is launching a new series here on PolloxNiner called TRIPLETS. The premise is to take an underlying theme or concept and to post three tracks tying them all together. Rather than explaining it away, I'd just rather let Howie speak for himself:
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My relationship with this blog only started relatively recently. I work with a producer who had found his unfinished production of a great New York band posted up here (mentioning no names). But after it was so ‘rapturously’ received, and after officially berating the author for posting up said work, we quickly realised we had a shared love of the same music. I have been responsible for some of the music posted here already (notably Al Usher’s remix of Grandadbob) so it wasn’t long before Sunny cajoled me into putting pen to paper (as it were) and sharing some music and words with you.
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So for my inaugural post I follow on from where Sunny left.
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The summer.
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At one point is promised so much. So as a disappointing World Cup ends (for most), the summer really begins to heat up. It can only mean one thing --  the silly season is upon us.
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How I dreamt of this moment in February. The moment when the sun rises at 5am and sets at 9pm. The moment when David Beckham lifts aloft that famous trophy. The moment when I get my Birkenstocks out of retirement. And, most importantly to some, the moment when thousands of pasty faced, badly dressed Brits journey to the 'white isle' to get drunk of the streets of San Antonio or dive into the K-hole at DC10.
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Well 3 out of 4 ain’t bad.
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So. Ibiza. What an amazing place.
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With it's mystical charm and spiritual vibes, it has a special significance for me as I grew up on that magical Isle. I spent the first 10 years of my life on the beach at Salinas. It was an idyllic childhood and I like to consider myself to be an original 'balearic boy'.
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They say 'nostaglia is used by older people to take the fun away from younger people' and when I think specifically about Ibiza I can't help thinking there's some truth in that. It WAS so much better back then when Ibiza impacted on our cultural history almost 20 years ago. It was a simpler time. The music too was very different to the glitchy, k flavoured, minimalism that seems to the 'groove du jour' on the island today.
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So anyway, I was listening to a work in progress of a DJ Naughty remix of Grandadbob ‘Pictures’ the other day (the followup to Al Usher's amazing remix of their previous offering "Hide You" ). It's pure modern balearica. It'll get posted up here as soon as it's finished but listening to it (and general loving the fact that summer is here) has made me go back and dig out some balearic classics for my debut post.
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Here are 3 very different 'balearic' records that make this writer long for 'summers of love'. Hope you like them.
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Cocteau Twins – "Suckling The Mender"
A ‘Café Del Mar’ classic and one of those tunes that work perfectly as an aural sun-downer.
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Les Negresses Vertes – "Zobi La Mouche"
Dance music in its true sense. A true balearic classic.
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Fluke - "Philly"
Pure indie-dance. Real ibiza vibes. Shame their post Philly output hasn’t quite lived up to this.

Summertime Music

Some songs seem to lend themselves to warmer, sunnier days. Music that gratifies a yearning for something organic, syrupy, and a bit sentimental perhaps?
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Last year, I was sent a copy of Crazy P's full-length album A Night On Earth, out on Shiva Records, and immediately gravitated toward the first track "Lady T" which I posted some months ago. Buddy Matt Fluxblog also posted. All dirty disco beats and dark funk grooves, the track owes more than a nod to the Bee Gees and The Jackson 5, but not exactly something I'd revisit all too soon. I've heard Crazy P's a stellar live house act kicking out some incredibly memorable shows around. If only they'd swing around these parts, I'd put down good money to see them live.
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Just days ago, randomly rummaging through some music for these hot summer days and went straight for the Crazy P album again. This time, "Bumcop." And what a summertime groover it is. Upbeat house music, sun-kissed with stains of soul roots and '70s funk. Comes complete with congo beats and all! Reminds me of great summer moments from last year. And anytime a song can wax nostalgic of those sunny days is worth revisiting again and again and again...
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Crazy P - "Bumcop"

Shiva Records :: Amazon :: Insound
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good memories, indeed