it looks like divshare have lost all my download stats, sheesh! I've been using them to keep track of how many times each of the press play's have been downloaded... argh!

warning: dabbling in disco will lead to harder drugs

You're playing a killer disco set, dropping some slo mo wobblyness, ever inching toward the weird wall, or something along those lines. The question on your mind is how far do you push it? I'm thinking a mental beauty such as this Japanese, Psychedelic, freak out could only work in the best of places (which is likely to be an absolute dive), a place in nirvana perhaps. I'm digging this massively; it's from Apryl Fool's, 1969 epynomous lp on Columbia and is mad, bad and pure gold. Be warned, this ain't no Disco...

Apryl Fool - The Lost Mother Land Part 1

island of dreams

Another gem from recent digging turned up on the debut album by Hummingbird, actually there are a number of excellent tracks on this 1975 album. Hummingbird was Bobby Tench's band, you might know him from work with Jeff Beck, the aforementioned Linda Lewis also features on backing vocals, plus drummer Conrad Isidore (who worked on a Stephen Stills album or two, and on Linda Lewis 'Fathoms Deep' amongst others), keyboards by Max Middleton (Bee Gees, Frampton, Chris Rea, Jeff Beck) and Bernie Holland on guitar. The particular track under the spotlight is a Salty Disco, meandering, smoked beauty, which has some excellent Classic Rock vocals over an exquisite arrangement of some damn fine instrumentation. Salty Sunday sounds for bearded minds...

Hummingbird - Island of Dreams

ooowee!!

As the only honcho of these here pixels and megabytes, I quiet often fall behind on getting things to you timeously. Sometimes even, rarely though, I will forget entirely about a track I wanted to post, the thought and track slip through the cracks into dusty remote areas where they wait (as if waiting was actually doing something) to be rediscovered. today's track is one of those...

DJ & digger 45 Badger (of Shoreditch UK) send me a CD of edits over a year ago, I play it often, so often that I've now damaged it. Anyway, more than a couple of the edits are pretty exceptional and one of them I have been secretly wishing would come out on vinyl ever since i first heard it. Another is a real favourite, it's an edit of 'Brother Louie' which is by Hot Chocolate (originally by Stories), though 45 tells me most of the vocal was stripped away... Monster track alert! Much thanks to the Badger!

45 Badger - Ooowee!

wind on horseback

I've been digging a lot just lately, in dusty crates and boxes in dirty concrete basements and I've had some extra ordinary luck finding pockets of gold, in between mountains of Phil Collins and Dan Hill albums. You will certainly benefit too from these excursions to forgotten spaces, as this insatiable blog demands more lost, found, new and old grooves of distinction.

I've recently found copies of two Mandrill album's, both are in relatively good nick, both are delicious Afro jungle Soul Funk sides, but for tonight I really wanted you to check out the brilliant 'Wind On Horseback' from their 1975 album 'Solid' which came out on United Artists. It's epic, rich groove, thick with instrumentation, spirals upward into an endless peak of soul haunting. Solid!!

Mandrill - Wind On Horseback

hibernation

British based, furry Disco friends Bear Funk have gone into hibernation... in the middle of their summer. In an inverted world this would deceptively mean that they've flipped the switch into overdrive. In fact it's quiet simple; Bear Funk just put out the compilation of the year (so far) and called it 'Hibernation Vol1'. They modestly describe it as 'a few greatest hits of the previous months, the future smashes and some exclusives unavailable elsewhere' and in every sense it is just that; a collection of recent and unheard items from their ever growing catalog. It's truck loads more if you're a slave to the Bear Funk, if your perversion is an insatiable taste for brilliant wobbly, leftfield, dubby Disco, if, like me, you dream of friendly Bears who jack to sweaty beats in sweaty underground nightclubs just off the coast of Cassiopeia.

This new Disco thing (Nu Disco or whatever) has developed far and beyond it's mid to late 90's 'Return to Disco' manifesto; on 'Hibernation Vol1' there are no emulating voyeurs and there are no replicas whacked over a 4/4 club beat. Instead these fine producer's search across the spectrum of Soul, Funk, Electronica, Afro, Cosmic, No Wave, House and more, and by taking tip's and trip's from the past they head deep into the heart of darkness in search of a future Disco lovin' time.

Perhaps I should just tell you who's on it... Social Disco Club get's on with a lush midtempo beauty which features Maia and an edit by Greg Wilson, Max Essa's premium new project Jan Ken Po appears, as does the brilliant scientist of sound Altz (twice), Blackjoy hands in an excellent remix of The Diaphanoids hit 'Mermaids of Lunaris', Sleazy Mcqueen, Wierdo Police, King DJ and Ronda all drop excellent tracks and Free Disco's 'The Kelp Man' wigs out on psychedelic Rock beard action. Elsewhere you'll find the superb 'Terror Island' remixed by Enzo Ponzio as well as Innervisions & Nature Records' Roberto Auser doing a fantastic hybrid cosmic warehouse excursion. It's DJ friendly, it's a party in a box and 'Hibernation Vol1.' is surely on your must grab list. I've said it already, the compilation is class!

As a taster, you get the deep 'n delicious Afro builder 'Daybreak' from Kotey Extra Band, it might be my favorite on the collection with it's spaced out Santana vibes and Soul Funk roots... Superb!!

Kotey Extra Band - Daybreak

What a sad day for music. The king is dead. Long live the king!! I cannot count the amount of times, while driving, or dancing, or hanging out with friends of all kinds, since I was about 10 that I have felt the power of MJ. From the Jackson 5 to The Jacksons to MJ on his own, that kid had all the best tunes and once collaborating with Quincy, he was unstoppable! No one else has come close!

playing catch up

Interesting week; bombed my email and lost over a years worth of communication, got flu, played a pretty crap set last Friday night, but we all know good things come from bad and good music will always lift you up.

If you haven't been over to Leftside Wobble for his latest edit, well then you're sleeping, it's really bloody marvelous, if you haven't been checking out the fresh batch of exclusive Blackjoy edits on his site, then you should cos they're also marvelous, plus you get to hear his latest productions and lastly If you haven't been checking Loudman Quietman, then get over there pronto to fetch a hot new exclusive mix by Beat Broker..

Tonight's track comes from Barrabas' 1974 album 'Hi Jack', it's my favorite on the b-side of the record and is a melty psychedelic slo mo ramble of quality! It's a bit Balearic, a bit BBQ and rather beautiful...

Barrabas - Fly Away

Press Play#25 - Pavel Plastikk

For those of you who are lucky enough to be enjoying the heat of summer and are in search of a top notch sound - track for heady ways and lazy days, look no further. Pavel Plastikk has created a mix of distinction for a.n.o.e.'s Press Play series, it's full to the gills with laid back, Psychedelic, dubbed-out and oceanic head food of quality. I'm pretty fussy when it comes to 'chill-out' tapes, but Pavel's mix is steps ahead with a careful balance of light and dark tones, antique sounds mixed up with modern Balearic (or balearic) beats, and more than a few moments of future/retro bliss.

Many of you will already know this Ukraine DJ from his multiple appearances around Europe over the last few years, most notably he featured at o8's Electric Chair organized Electric Elephant festival in Croatia (and he'll be back this year too), he's also played alongside Cosmo Vitelli, Pilooski, Lindstrom and a bunch of other very groovy individuals. Pavel is pushing forward this year with a load of interesting production and remix projects, again with some seriously good establishments like This Is Not An Exit and Cosmic Disco UK. Keep your eyes peeled for his upcoming gigs which take in Oslo, the Halloween Lowlife Party and Discobox in London. While Press Play #25 is very much a downtempo journey, you can expect Pavel to spin anything from Midtempo Disco to Psyche Rock to Acid House and Broken Beats, you can also expect whatever genre he takes in that you'll hear exceptional and original sounds. Check his myspace for more info about his successful night LOW, his past and hopefully, in the near future, listen to some of those tunes we've been hearing about.

So here it is, as always you can get it on the sidebar or here.

Press Play #25 - Pavel Plastikk - Adriatica

Tracklist

01 Ollano - La Couleur
02 Uriel - You Who Are Reading Me Now (Kid Loco's Love Experience mix)
03 Forest Hill - Gymnopedie (90's Summer Boogie Hiphop Mix)
04 Break Reform - And I (Yam Who? Rework)
05 Beanfield feat. Ernesto - Chosen
06 Fug - Ready For Us
07 Santana - Mantra
08 Eri Nobuchika - Kutuwonarasou
09 Jan Hammer - Flashback (Instrumental)
10 Maas - Look At Me Now, Falling (Maas 'Zoyd & Prairie Mix')
11 Earthbound - The Awakening
12 Athome Project - Summertime (Non-vocal-dub)
13 Jerome Badini - Trindade
14 Alex Kid - I Think (Dorfmeister & Alexkid Remix)
15 Stuff - And Here You Are

NB Also this weekend, I have another brilliant Press Play going up from Canadian Steve Yanko...

looking for answers

SirBilly is amongst my favorite re-constructors of older gems, partly because of his taste for 80's New Wave, Goth and Electro, partly because I know he is linked to another of my favorite, slightly more obscurist editors and partly because he is undoubtedly a master of the groove. Here is this Italian DJ & Producer's recent update of Eberhard Schoener's 1984 Italo Pop track 'Why Don't You Answer', it's a leftfield monster which features Sting on some vocal's - check it!!

Eberhard Schoener - Why Don't You Answer (SirBilly Extended Edit)

red light ladies

There is probably an excellent reason why British songbird Linda Lewis is so popular in Japan, there will also be reasons why her 1973 Reprise album 'Fathoms Deep' did not sell well in her home country, in spite of some apparent critical acclaim. The album is just amazing, Lewis is a beautiful combination of Minnie Ripperton & very early Phoebe Snow but with a slightly 'oddball' or even 'softball' bent. Linda went on to do a number of other albums, and is still working in the industry today (an interesting story if u decide to look it up). For the minute however, check out this magic Soul Folk gem about the girls who work the windows down in Amsterdam, one of many good tracks from the album. Bliss!

Linda Lewis - Red Light Ladies

Once again I've managed to fall behind on proceedings here; two killer Press Play set's are going up in a minute and a bunch of other things... hang ten.

friends

This track was brought to my attention by my good friend in Germany, Coffee Garner, it's a superb live Rock Disco Fusion jam from the band Atlantis. This particular version is off their 1975 'Live' album, which I don't know yet, but is worth getting for this track alone (I have one on it's way to me). Discogs has a near mint copy going for 20 Euro, if you like it as much as I do... beardy festival action...

Atlantis - Friends (Live)

messages from outta space... again

Sort of in a Boogie vein with added dreamy Pop'ness, Rah Band's 'Messages From The Stars' is even better, in my mind, than the classic 'Cloud's Across The Moon', maybe. Actually there are a few great tunes from British born Richard Hewson's band, dig around their catalogue if you haven't already. This spacey number is the original 12" A side 'Long Wave' mix; it has a similar vibe to some of the Freeez' trax, or shares a similar English take on Electro Funk, back in the early 80's. I haven't had all that much time to put up the growing stack of things I have for you, in the meantime, possibly for the fisrt time on a.n.o.e., a Pop track...kinda!

Rah Band - Messages From The Stars (Long Wave)

Bottin's Horror Disco

The thing about Bear Funk these days (in the past too, but somehow more than ever now) is their uncompromising search for and subsequent releasing of new and innovative Space Disco, it's why we love em so much and just lately there have been some sensational future classics put onto wax by the Bears (only recently I mentioned the Max Essa & Steve Kotey release, which i dare say includes two of my favorite trax of the year so far)...

Bottins 4 track 'Horror Disco' album sampler for Bear Funk is a superb slice of Italian (or Italo even) originality born out of an obsession for cosmic Soundtrack's and from the experience gained from working for such diverse institutions as Richard Dorfmeister, Centro Internazionale d'Arte e Cultura Palazzo Te di Mantova, Bangorfilms & many other intriguing individuals. But you know William Bottin's work already; this years 'No Static' release on Italians Do It Better is seminal, his 'Fondamente Nove' on Eskimo's 'Cosmic Balearic Beats Volume 1' from last year was also a standout track. I've yet to hear the Italo Disco soundtrack for 'The Boy With The Sun In His Eyes' which he composed, but i've heard only good things about it.

The 'Horror Disco' sampler on Bear Funk isn't disturbing at all; 'Disco For The Devil', a fantastic Morroderesque thriller, does have absurd and amusing 'horror Pop' lyrics. For the most part this EP is all about European panache (read as 'eccentric kitsch'), retro technology, cosmology, abstract creepyness and in the case of 'Bianca', leggy power babes in Porsche 928 s' taking in the Italian coastline while listening to Dave Grusin... or something along those lines... looking forward to the album.

Bottin - Bianca

it's all for real, baby!

Here's a lil' number which had quiet an effect on a.n.o.e. readers from back in the day (probably two yrs back now?), I've been asked by many to re-share the item as it is in all likelihood the best of the Sad Ghost edits found in these here parts. It's one of his better ideas, consisting of simply extending that fat, lush, sexy beast intro and leaving the rest, apart from some dubby bits, alone. It's an anyone can do it type affair and the star is without question the now bloody expensive original, what a track! Definitely in my top ten of all time!

Flowers - For Real (Sad Ghost Edit)

This file has been removed due to it's upcoming release!

beam 'em up...

I've been following Test Pressing for awhile now, it's a classy operation with really really good mixes from excellent dj's like Joylon, Lexx, a classic two part Alfredo influenced mix from the three kings Rocky, Diesel 'n Beedle, also Phil Misson, Danny Rampling and Apiento amongst other highly notables. More than that Test Pressing drop interviews with the likes of Dennis Bovel, their two part chat with Wally Badarou is essential reading for Compass Point aficionados, as well as a bunch of magazine articles, cultural things of interest and plenty really good music. One of the big guys over there, Apiento, runs his own production and edits site called Apiento.com; you'll find he hasn't put anything new up there in quiet awhile, but this matters not, as all the links are still live and the tracks (all) are unquestionably worth downloading (my favorite today is his own track 'Four In The Morning Mix', a musical doodle of much beauty). I've discovered that Apiento is working away in his studio on new things and some vinyl releases are in the offing. Anyway he has kindly given us this really marvelous edit of Supersempfft's 'Let's Beam Him Up', so good, so good I tell ya. Space is definitely the place... Thank you very much Apiento...

Supersempfft - Let's Beam Him Up (What If? Edit)

take me to the top

Been feeling that Boogie Disco sound all over again of late, like it's slightly older cousin Disco, there are any number of hit's 'n misses, credit card crunchers 'n basement bargains to be found. Advance's 'Take Me To The Top' probably fits more into people's idea of Italo Disco (especially with that early Kylie/Madge vocal it's got and being that it's Italian), listen to the instrumental however and that Boogie feel just lifts you up, mind you it's not entirely instrumental, but the main vocalist has been dropped out, which gives the track a whole other feel. Both are great of course, the b side's just better...

Advance - Take Me To The Top (Instrumental)

leftsidewayswobble'nshuffle

Leftside Wobble continue to bring it, this time with a lovingly done edit of Linda Lewis' 'Sideways Shuffle', Jonathan's take is audibly respectful to the Funk original, but also not without the essential added 'leftside wobbliness'. There's more goodness on the way too, a new 'Delirious Influences' mix goes up on the weekend and other worked over items are in the pipeline, so be sure to keep checking back or do the rss feed thing. Yes it's true, a.n.o.e. likes Leftside Wobble...

Linda Lewis - Sideways Shuffle (Leftside Wobble Edit)

planet sabbath

Things are getting nicely up to date around here, Press Play #25 is going to be up shortly along with a few more newly discovered dusty grooves, in the meantime, however, a quick story...

Recently while listening to the latest 'Dub Disco Deli' (no 5 in the mix series) on Jonathan Moore's Leftside Wobble ( a blog thats been getting far too many mentions on here lately), I heard DJ Steef's sublime edit of Black Sabbath's 'Planet Caravan' as well as another great item called 'Turn Off The Version' also by the mysterious Steef. Fortunately Jonathan was able to put me in touch with Steef who turns out to be Frenchman Frédéric Berthet, a name you might know if you bought any records by Troublemakers or Venus Attack Project on Guidance Recordings (late 90's to mid 2000's) or a bit later by Copyshop on Black Jack records or Bear Funk. DJ Steef is his edit/bootleg guise, an ongoing project which sees the man revisiting Pop Music from the last 50 years or so. Killer slo mo, balearo, Folk'ish, hippy house for your pagan dancing circle... watch this item blow up... Thank you so much Frédéric.

Black Sabbath - Planet Caravan (DJ Steef Edit)

it is bloody disco, it really is...

Hot off the presses and on the way to rekid stores around the globe (due to land on the 25th of this month) is the new Bear Funk by Soirée; Soirée are none other than label bosses Steve Kotey & Max Essa partnered in a unique supernova of talent (S & M Disco anyone?). Seriously, I know that sounds over the top, but think about it, Kotey and Essa... no instead check out the utterly brilliant 'It's Disco' from their ep, and be sure to check out the rest of the release, 'cos every track is really excellent leftfield future music; slo-mo, cosmo, cheeky, sexy, lovelee stuff. In stores by Monday next week, it's the Bear Funk release in a recent batch of good ones, credit cards at the ready... Thanks as always to the Bear Funk bunch.

Soirée - It's Disco

blackjoy

Blackjoy's latest release, a double sided set of brand new Disco trax hit the stores this weekend. That's exciting right? I'm a total fan when it comes to their music, their track 'Untitled' was rocking on my decks for what seemed like years (even after it got re - released on the Freerange label), their other big track has to be 'Moustache' (which got the same heavy rotation in it's various forms round here), more recently 'Mercurian' was further proof of the genius of Blackjoy. 'Blackjoy Disco Jams' is a little different to Jerome Caron and co's previous releases, perhaps less clubby and much more authentic Disco; 'Apollo Funk' is going to cause mahem on the dancefloor with it's upbeat swinging early Electro Funk feel, dynamite!!! Thanks to Jerome you're getting a radio edit of the A side 'Djomani'; it's a breezy, brite Afro jam with a geniune organic feel... don't forget to keep up with the band over at their blog.

Blackjoy - Djomani (Radio Edit)

bit 8

Think a young Prince living in Jimi Tenor's basement and you've sort of got an angle on Jitwam Sinha's 'Bit 8', a deep 'n sweaty, late nite, space jam from his unreleased 'Dark Matter and Freedom Drums EP'. Jitwam is kind of, as yet, undiscovered talent from Sydney, you must check his really cool biography which he made for this post and give his blog The Jazz Diaries a visit, most importantly check out the track; with Blade Runner era Vangelis like keyboard work or maybe even a touch of Dexter Wanzel and Jitwam's intimate and freeform vocals, 'Bit 8' is a bedroom beats beauty which I reckon has something a bit special going on... what say you?

Jitwam Sinha - Bit 8

future times...

I neeeeed to make some noise about Future Times and the insanely beautiful Beautiful Swimmers release they put out fairly recently. It's the boogie track of the last few months (along with the First Touch freebie mentioned below somewhere which is jammed with more new hi-end boogie booty), it's in some stores now and comes highly highly recommended. Future Times have a great website which keeps you up to date on their releases, you get some edit action, even some of their own original material (as wav's) and a bunch of excellent mixes. Them guys behind Beautiful Swimmers have offered up their 'Lifeguardians' mix (also available at their home address) to a.n.o.e. readers to give you a taster of what they're about, I'm re-hosting it because it's brilliant, a real Boogie flava Disco treat. I found myself thinking early 80's thoughts for the first time since the late 90's, you know about light sabers, baggy Liberto pants and the sweet shop at the corner of the street. Get it on the sidebar or here... just get it...

Beautiful Swimmers - Lifeguardians

(check the tracklisting in the comments)

PS I have loads of really good mixes coming up, including a new one from me - I just have to say that the downloads on the mixes are definitely down in numbers. I realize mixes are a dime a dozen on the net these days and there are quiet a few really good ones too, just be sure that I'm really picky about what goes up here and the Press Play series contains mixes from some highly specialized and knowledgeable dj's. Trust and download!

uber maximum bliss love

Scott Bliss, dropped his cracking Supermax edit in our post this week; a genuine fix for your obsessive downloading disorder. I'll leave the original track spotting to you and just say that it's a real joy to get this kind of quality to share with ya'll. I also wanted to mention that Scott's track 'The String Pusher' has seen a fair bit of www love since he put it up on his blog (and here) last December (rightly so too, its a beauty!!) and that he also played alongside Metro Area at a 'Where is The Love' gig in Boston a week or so back - from the pics it looks like it was a really good night out. A whole lot of super maximum Disco love from France via Boston then... lovin this!

Ubermax - Kountry3astern (Scott Bliss Edit)

bless this house

A few things: If you're in an 80's house mood, you should go grab Leftside Wobble's newest mix Delirious Influences, have a read while you're there about the influence behind the mix - very nice!! On an entirely different end of the sound spectrum, I discovered this week that a.n.o.e. reader Bokut is a part of the exceptionally talented Voyagers Of Icarie. Go check out their Myspace and play some of their tracks; 'Purple Bamboo' and 'Pastlife' are exquisite tracks; free from genre, searching, intimate, complex and life affirming. Get thee there I say and take a trip inside!

Drum machine era Severed Heads produced a number of musical oddities but 'We Have Come To Bless This House' could easily fit into a slo mo Pilooski set from last weekend. From their 1986, depressingly titled 'Dead Eyes Opened' album 'This House' was probably a bit of a cosmic classic, I just don't know enough about these things. Deliciously deranged...

Severed Heads - We Have Come To Bless This House

who am i?

Here's another item I been wanting to upload for an age, the story goes - some years ago, in a Wire magazine, I read an article about pre Disco Psychedelic Soul or something like that, the article highly recommended a compilation of rare tunes called 'Chains & Black Exhaust' which was released back in the 70's, the name alone excites no? Finding the LP on vinyl proved impossible, though it did get a re-release in 2002 on Memphix on CD (I see on discogs here, that it has been re-issued recently, how's that for timing). Psychedelic Rock Blues Soul Funk about describes the kinds of sounds, but only half; 'Black souls voodoo rattlesnake juju' might be more accurate. Anyway it blows me head off for the most part and is a go to rekid when tame simply will not do!! deadly!!!!!!

Tiny Tex & The J Jones Connection - Who am I?

Press Play #24 - mikeBurns

Austrian dj & producer mikeBurns is un- doubt - edly amongst the names I keep a keen eye out for when hunting for new tracks; with the current surplus of edits, it's important to stick with the big game. Just over a year ago Mike offered a.n.o.e. an edit to upload, the then unreleased ep from which it came really rocked my world, it still does. Mike went on to release the fantastic 'Everybody's Mantra'/ 'Disco Child' 12" on top label Disco Devil late last year - a must own item. I've heard some newer bit 'n pieces too and can assure you more quality is on its way soon. Go check his myspace for details on how to listen to his radio show (which is excellent) and to get the skinny on events he's playing at...

As is usual with these Press Play thingy's, I'm really chuffed to be able to hand over mikeBurn's 'Dance, Dancing, Dancer' mix for your listening and loving pleasure! It's beard Disco central on this one as Burns takes in a number of killer dancefloor classics, plus a few lesser known bombs, pure gold baby!! Get the mix on the sidebar or below.

Press Play 23 - mikeBurns - Dance, Dancing, Dancer

01. Beard Science - Dancing Knights
02. Empress - Dyin' To Be Dancin
03. Jackson 5 - Hum Along And Dance
04. Chilly - Dance With Me
05. Kabballa - Yo Yo Dance
06. The Clash - Mustapha Dance
07. Starflight - Dance To The Beat
08. Kurt Cress - Sundance
09. Sam-Jam - Dance N Chant (Tangoterje Edit)
10. Voyage - I Love You Dancer
11. Frank McDonald & Chris Rae - Dance Robot
12. Revelacion - Krokos Dance
13. Gino Soccio - Dancer
14. Cappuccino - Hell Dance With Me
15. Supermax - Dance Dance Dance
16. Wild Cherry - Raindance

leadmeon

It's not unknown that Peter Brown was a bit of a genius, well they both were, but I'm referring to TK Records artist Peter Brown, Peter 'Stargazer' 'n 'Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me' Brown, the much loved master of spacey Disco, but also the unsung (um probably not) hero of beardy midtempo magicness. I've been replaying 'Leadmeon' from his 'Stargazer' album all weekend and marveling at it's silver vocodered genius... an album track that doesnt get enough attention...

Peter Brown - Leadmeon

hardcore softcore

Sleazy Porn music alert! What is it about Disco, Funk & Soul that is so suited to soundtracking a bit of 70's porn, there is a thesis in there I'm certain, but once the era had passed, x-rated movies would never be the same again; over polished, malnourished, hyper shaved Rave lite tunes killed porn, even sex maybe (nevermind!).

Following a mild thread of x-ratedness here on a.n.o.e., you get a direct link to Leftside Wobble's classy cut up of a 70's Euro softcore movie soundtrack item. Leftside Wobble (aka Jonathan Moore) runs the Leftside Wobble blog which features regular mixes from the man himself and just now, this edit too. Thanks JM for the heads up...nice n sleazy does it...

Leftside Wobble - Safari Kiss

mo biker disco

I'm half surprised that I didn't get any requests for 'Heavy Eyes' by Crystal Grass when in a previous post, I called it "Pure Horror Blues Disco" (I know, what an ass). Anyhow since we're doing Biker Disco (The Eagles post below if you're wondering) I thought, if you haven't heard this you need to. Hairy, beardy, and probably should come with an age restriction, could be great dubbed out even more than it is... dial m for maniac!!

Crystal Grass - Heavy Eyes

free wheelin' dub

French duo Rove Dogs' Small Time Cuts ep is about to drop in stores (or has already); Two Disco beauties and an excellent Cosmo Rock extension of The Eagles 'Those Shoes' make this one to check out. Both Disco tracks are dance floor fire, especially 'Run For Cover' which is particularly fine, plus I'm sure I should know the original 'Secret Lover', but by whom is it?. Keep your eyes peeled for an imminent Mindless Boogie release from these guys, go to their myspace (where u can tune into the current episode of their top 'Adventures of Rove Dogs & Golden Bug' mix series) and also check out this fantastic slice of Rock Disco for beards (big thanks to the Dogs for this)... free wheelin!!

Rove Dogs - Dub Shoes

your name is ...

Joe Bataan made a superb come back on his 2004 album 'Call My Name'; the title track is perhaps one of his finest nearly five minutes of Soul fused Funk. Recorded at NY's Daptone studios to ensure quality of sound, Joe put out an instant timeless classic with the track and the album; it's as compelling and moving as anything he'd done earlier in his career, perhaps even more so given his lengthy absence from music making (as far as we know). Killer sunday night groove!!

Joe Bataan - Call My Name

First Touch album!!!!

The word Disco, according to this man, is the 8496th most used word in the English language, I wonder how many times I've used it on this blog!!?? or even worse the amount of times I've typed 'edit'!!!??? (11033rd on that same list). There are a ridiculous amount of Disco Edits about these days, you know this and you know there can only be a small proportion of really good items amongst that ridiculous amount, fewer still are truly great and only some of those will push a scene along, grow it or develop it. This is true of any genre of music. It is even rarer (?) still then that you'll find current Disco producers creating an entire album of original material; a fine collection of deep Prelude inspired, early 80's styled Disco and then giving it away for free on the net. They say it has to do with a changing landscape in music, I say it's because they're in Mannheim and not Berlin, where convincing someone to spend money on such a class item would have been perhaps easier.

a.n.o.e informed you about the highsteppin' crew yonks ago (see this & this & this & this (which incorrectly claims the track to be a remix of an unknown Wave item which it's not)).... I know that's very 'I told you so' but in fact it's only because I have really dug so much of the crew's various beats 'n pieces. Now go and download the entire First Touch album; I'm inclined to say it's the Metro Area album they haven't made yet, but that's a bit lofty. Jelly Jam & Nanthara Vorabouth have created a wonderful album, I keep expecting to hear Chaka Khan come over on vocals. 'Pleasure for Your Treasure' is my current favorite, it's so 80's fm and early House perfectly matched for a late nite crowd.... rant rant - go get it... and report back here!

crystal grass

I first read about Crystal Grass over at, the always on point, American Athlete sometime back in 2007, a more recent post of his reminded me to bag a copy of their album 'Crystal World'; the title track is definitely the albums big deal, but in fact every track has something special about it, it's primo beardy Disco stuff, 'It's Heavy' is a current favorite, pure Horror Blues Disco that it is - it's heavy!

I also wanted to drop in a little noise about Athlete's prodigious edit prince Pat Les Stache (aka TJ Gorton) who has just released a second set of edits on his own Cabana Disco label which is excellent! excellent and essential. Check the link to hear the trax for yourself...

Back to Crystal Grass, it's been blogged before, but that never stopped us in the past, here's the title track to their album 'Crystal World'. Smoked up 'n spaced out Disco!

Crystal Grass - Crystal World

jackson remix rareity repost

I get a fair amount of requests to re-upload tracks I've posted in the past; I tend not to want to repeat myself on the blog and hope to encourage record hunting (as i believe mp3's to be inferior in nature to a 12" or LP), so I am generally not inclined to want to re post an item. I have been asked by several people for this one, some of whom expressed much keenness and excitement to get it. Coincidentally, the run of Ben Aqua images also makes a perfect companion to the track (he's a fan I reckon), so for those of you who wanted it and those who have yet to discover this wonderful, dark Micheal Jackson rework from Banzai Republic here it is...

Banzai Republic - Loungin with Jacko

Greymatter #2

Following on from an earlier post featuring Greymatter (here), we get to an as yet unreleased gem, kindly given to a.n.o.e. for sharing by the man himself; Azymuth's 'Carambola' has already been singled out as a distinctive club groover with remixes on Far Out by Mark Pritchard & Roc Hunter as far back as 2000 (both got a lot of play from me), but it's this re-fix from Greymatter that brings back the originals breezin', full swing Jazz thing for baby powder dancers, now with extra bits & beats - check it!!!

I should also let you know that Greymatter has an imminent release of his deadly re-work of Atmosphere's heaviest hitter 'Dancing In Outer Space' on newly formed Wolf Music, there's also one by The Revenge which is Revenge heaven; I gotta say I'm not one for the whole 'it's sacred' thing, but that doesn't mean i don't worry when I hear someones messing with a track like that - I'm happy to say the results are great and for very different reasons (have a listen to them here).

Azymuth - Carambola (Greymatter Disco Steppa Rework)

georgie porgy

Five20East's latest L.E.S.S. Productions cd 'Forever In Their Debt 6' will be in select stores in a minute, if you're a fan then move fast; as always there are only 100 numbered copies and as always it's primo, pitched down stuff. Could be, it contains one of the years hottest club tracks so far; 'In The Dark' from up 'n coming Out In The Sticks is top of the pile Disco-touched Deep House, also keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming Disco Deviance 12" from them. The Revenge edit of Micheal Wycoff's 'Looking Up To You' is a bumping midtempo beauty, as is Ooft's acidy tease-athon rework of Toto's 'Georgie Porgy' which should take the roof off any party with ease. The Andy Ash track 'Mason in the Brain' is also a noteworthy filtered Disco House hybrid item.

Thanks to those fine fellas at Five20east, you're getting the on fire rework of 'Georgie Porgy' from Ooft... think I betta dance now!

Toto - Georgie Porgy (Ooft Rework)

P.S. I've cleaned up the 'Keepin Connected' list; removed dead links, blogs that haven't updated in ages and added some new ones. Just in case u wanted to know...

don't stop

Sly & Robbie, along with Tyrone Downie as Bits & Pieces, doing their inimitable and beautiful dub thing on 'Don't Stop the Music', a slo mo dubbed up Disco delight with mickey mouse rap bits and some deeply soulful chorus pieces - genius!. Apparently Sad Ghost didn't like the actual 'don't stop the music' vocal, so it's off his version which may infact be too short...

Bits & Pieces - Don't Stop the Music (Sad Ghost Dub Edit)

ben aqua vs a.n.o.e.

I haven't exactly worked out how to introduce this idea I've had for a.n.o.e., or even how to refer to it... The next 6 posts (that would be the ones above this post right), though not likely to be in the next 6 days, will feature visuals by Ben Aqua. Usually I do em; I don't like to spend too much time on them, sometimes opting simply to crop a relevant pic, sometimes working them further in some way or other, occasionally creating something from scratch. It struck me recently, that it might be fun to get other visual people to do some for me too, but with the same or a similar 'not too serious' approach. The only issue, i thought, that might arise is having to provide said visual people with the tracks I would be posting before hand, but that sounded too much like art 'inspired' by music, which isn't the point at all and besides I have no real idea of what's coming up next. So yes, some continuity oddness' may occur.

First up with this experiment is multi media artist & dj Ben Aqua. Ben's work, inspirations, collections, videos & more can be seen on his website Aquabiotic (be sure to check out the links under 'thy empire'). I'm not going to get into talking about what is so great and so interesting about his work, if u like what he's up to then you'll find out more... Thanks so much Ben!

oh and... check here, for a link to a not so new but still top class mix from the fella...

press play #23 - PBR StreetGang

When I got Press Play #23, just a few months back, I was very excited about letting it loose on you lot and could hardly wait to post it. Things conspired against my wishes to do so, but now that order has been restored in the room at the back of the house (aka 'life in general'), I am very pleased to be able to bring you this excellent exclusive set from PBR StreetGang.

First off, I wanted to say that StreetGang's 'Busy Bee' from last year on Red Music, along with Richard Sen & Cazbee's 'Cat Dance' was my ultimate Disco dj tool; it got worked into sets (every time i played out or in) over and over again, perfect, as it is, to return to, to drop snippets of and of course to spin the whole track on its own. It reminds me a lot of the popping Disco track played in the bar scene from Blade Runner just after Deckard gets off the video phone with Rachel; a piece of music which made a deep impression on me as a kid, but can only be heard by viewing the film as it remains unreleased on cd or vinyl. 'Busy Bee' has similar flavours, but much more of course.

PBR StreetGang, if you don't already know, is Bonar Bradberry & Tom Thorpe. Bonar has been dj'ing for years, though he is still pretty young, currently lives in Leeds, had that excellent 'Dungeons' release on Mindless Boogie, as well as another one on Croatian Disco label Red Music (also great). Tom owns a Bar Lounge called 'Franks', is also a dj and promoter for their popular Techno, House, Disco night at 'Asylum'. The two met up in 2002, PBR StreetGang was formed when they both moved to Leeds at the same time. It's probably key to know that they initially worked a 6 deck rig before graduating to Ableton, a keyboard, decks and whatever else is available. It's not the size of that original rig that's important or interesting but rather the idea of layering tracks, moving through more of their favorite sounds in a shorter time frame and integrating the whole thing into a power packed, unique, party soundtrack. Their Press Play, excellently titled 'Rough at the Bottom', is exactly that; a mighty, well brewed, deeply layered, Disco hybrid, quality party monster. Check their myspace for further information on these cats on the rise. I'll pop the track listing up in a bit, in the meantime get it on the sidebar or here. Maximum synth Disco pleasure!!

Press Play 23 - PBR StreetGang - Rough at the Bottom

track list:
01. Ron BaseJam - No Jose - Unreleased
02. Try & Find Me Vol 1.- Golf Channel
03. DirrtyHaze - Super High (ilya Santana mix) - Tirk
04. D-Classics - Dancing Machine - D-Classics
05. Ilija Rudman - Dance Disorder (Faze Action Mix)
06. Rune Linbek - Junto Jaeger - paper
07. Greg Wilson - Cosmic DJ Delight - Rvng Intl.
08. PBR Streetgang - the Brown Tribute - Unreleased
09. Arcadion - ARC - DC Recordings
10. Sebastien Tellier - Kilometer (Aeroplane mix) - Unreleased
11. Grace Jones - Williams Blood ( Reverso 68 Mix) - Unreleased
12. They Came From The Stars I Saw Them - Moon Song (Holy Ghost Remix) - Thisisnotanexit
13. Ajello - Dolphy - Rebirth
14. Arpadys - Meteor One (Bonar Bradberry Special Edit) - TeleMusic/DjHistory
15. Fernando - Blade Drummer - Redux
16. Dolle Jolle - Balearic Incarnation (Todd Terje Miks) - Permanent Vacation
17. Donald Byrd - Love Has Come Around (Moxie Edit) - Moxie

Beats loops and samples:
Tikker & Chistoidz - Ework Endoor Forest Jam - Lunar Jam
Chateau Flight - Instant Reply
Grace Jones - Williams Blood
LoveBirds - Juicy

testimony in space

While searching for a contact at a prominent edit's label I accidentally connected with Dutch edits man & dj, Tako. Tako was one of the regulars on the now defunkt Cybernetic Broadcasting System (currently reconfigured as Intergalactic FM), along with his buddy Loud-e, Intergalactic Gary and many other fine dj's. His Ambassadors Reception 12", 'My Kind of Woman', from last year is a favorite too, so it was a pleasant surprise which has led to you getting an as yet unreleased, top dollar edit from him to download. Check out Tako's excellent refix of Wolfgang Maus' very deep and spacey 'Testimony'; the original track can be found on Maus' 1979 album 'Children of the Universe' which is unsurprisingly not all that easy to find... what a deadly, beautiful, tripped out track!!! Thank you so much Tako.

Wolfgang Maus - Testimony (Tako Edit)

classic's re-issued

It seems that while i was out, a plethora of re-issue's have hit the shelves, some of which are extremely tasty and desirable; 'Buari's 'Disco Soccer' for one, a properly done re-issue of Byron's excellent 'Too Much' from the very fine Flexx is another and the album from Who's Who, which contains that classic slice of euro Disco heaven 'Hypno Dance', also just came out. Who's Who was of course produced by Thomas Bangalter's dad which is pretty cool really. The 1980 album has quiet a few tricks up it's sleeve ('Dancing Machine' is brilliant!) and the eastern feeling 'Hypno Dance' is one of those saught after tracks that really is a beauty... just incase u haven't heard it... now spend money!

Who's Who - Hypno Dance

back on the lowdown

That was the month where things fell apart, I'm glad to say the wheels are back on and things will be continuing as before here on a.n.o.e.. I'm delighted to see that downloads over the last while have been pretty healthy in spite of a severe lack of new tunes - all good ? then moving on...

Something definitely worth acquiring is the new Nick Chacona & Anthony Mansfield 12" from Redux. Ok so you've seen me flying the Redux flag on the sidebar for some time, this is because in my dj capacity, more than just a handful of Redux's Disco infused releases have been high on my playlist and always get really great responses from dancers. Nick & Anthony's two new tracks are destined for the same heavy rotation, especially the delicious midtempo Disco bump & grind bomb that is 'Slow 'n Low' which you're also getting to download here - thanks to the crew at Redux. The pair go much deeper on the flipside with 'Swingfunk', it has poppin Disco beats 'n bits all mixed up in a creamy early Deep House sounding shuffler, it's lovely. San Fransisco based Anthony Mansfield & NYC's Nick 'Pool Man' & 'The Green Men' Chacona don't really need introductions, check their back catalogue for a set of superb credentials, in the meantime feel the undeniable groove of this...

Nick Chacona & Anthony Mansfield - Slow 'n Low

green circle

Melbourne's Junji Masayama makes his debut release on Bear Funk in a couple of weeks with a tasty blend of dubby Disco, Altz-like quirkiness, leftfield techno & solid rhythm heavy grooves on his 'Green Circle' EP. I love this ep, it's a stand out release amongst outstanding recent releases (Bear Funk are on some kind of extended quality roll as usual). The title track seems after several plays to be the lead moment, but everything here is simultaneously interesting and deeply groovy. It's always a good thing when u can add a new name to the 'things to look out for' list, Junji is no ordinary thing though; very leftfield, very heavy rhythms, very very...

Junji Masayama - Green Circle

ps - still got the heavy deadline blues, apologies for the slowness...

coming right now

Before I set the next Press Play on you and launch the new visual content guest program here on a.n.o.e., I wanted to hand over this extremely beautiful Afro Folk track by Ofege. This Nigerian outfit's albums (there are four of them) are pretty hard to come by, but they are so remarkable and wonderful that finding them in any format is pretty essential. 'Come Right' is from their album 'Higher Plane Breeze' and was recorded right after it's members graduated from high school, as it is the third of the four albums, u can thus gather that Ofege were still in school when they recorded the absolute genius that is 'Last Of The Origins' and 'Try and Love'. Gem amongst gems!!

Ofege - Come Right