warning: self indulgent post about the autumn mix tape i spent this afternoon finishing off and burning. i call it gold soundz, but there is no pavement on it. skip straight to the tracklist if you want, that's the bit that matters more.
this one has been stewing for a while, but i completely overhauled it today and injected some new things i hadn't thought of putting in before. the basis for the cd was choosing warm, fuzzy, glowing songs - my original inspiration came from three tracks: a)nils petter molvaer - merciful (herbert's we mix) b)etienne de crecy - scratched (dj hype kill the puritans mix) and c)roy davis jr. - gabriel.
i was having trouble finding tracks to follow their pattern of spangly golden afternoon sunshine-ness, tinged with melancholy. because i was trying to be too specific, and i was locked into the mindset that i was only looking for dance tracks. some tracks i did consider, but thought were a bit played out, like st. germaine's rose rouge, mr. scruff's get a move on, or honeydew. i have a bad habit of ruining cds by putting in songs i've heard 5 billion times before just because they fit in with the general scheme of things. then when i put the cd on all i want to do is hit the forward button. this time i was disciplined, i left out anything i've played to death.
once i hit on the idea of putting lootpack in, i was halfway there. i could keep the original intended ambience, but the range of things i could include was expanded. i was still confining myself to hip hop and electronic stuff though. today, when i rediscovered the magic crayon song in my 'sleepy' folder, it was all over. guitar music was finally allowed in! anyway, here's the tracklist (i know you're all gagging for it)
1) the avalanches - (original 7" mix) - electricity
this is a notable exception to my 'played to death' rule, but somehow i can never get sick of it.
2)stereolab - tone burst
encapsulates what stereolab's sound is sposed to be. droning and sweet, um, like a bee.
3)wu-tang clan - deadly darts
that rough wu-tang gleam fits in here perfectly
4)etienne de crecy - scratched (dj hype kill the puritans mix)
nuff said
5)roy davis jr. - gabriel
pevan everett sounds like prince swimming in a giant glass of champagne here
6)cold crush vs. fantastic - basketball court throwdown (wild style soundtrack)
just a bit of flava
7)lords of the underground - chief rocka
classic. the gorgeous jazzy beat by marly marl offsets what could be quite an annoying rap delivery
8)lootpack - loop digga
any song about record-nerd obsession is fine by me. especially if madlib done it. this is one of the best things he's ever done too
9)dj vadim - london mind state
blissed out but a bit sad and lonely, just like living in london! (note: i know shit about living in london). just keeps beautifully rolling along. water running down the drain and a few sparkling raindrops on the window pane.
10) clientele - we could walk together
a stained watercolour picture, very pretty.
11)new buffalo - this is more
wistful, with rainbow bubbles & super 8 footage, and a soaring heart
12)magic crayon - love doesn't happen that way
lofi stylings. like stephen malkmus but... i can't really place the influence even though i know it. it's washed under layers of harmony, guitar, organ and drums and especially cymbols! those manic rolling drums are great.
13) camp lo - cyber sex
getting a bit sillier now. sleazy porn soundtrack drums. "dress to impress, spark the ladies' interest". gets in over other camp lo candidates like 'glo' or 'sunkiss' because of the line 'then pull up your sundress' haha, sundress.
14)timbaland and magoo - we at it again
the blaxploitation falsetto in the background is what pushes this one over the line... it might have been a bit too rigid and futuristic otherwise. but no, it's still quite gold soundz somehow, fits right in. has a fizziness to it
15)dj maxximus - mercedes bentley vs. versace armani
now this one would never have made it in without timbaland. it's very sparse and actually quite cold. timbalaland would have stuck out too much without it though, so it ends up working well. it is also a great foil for the next track...
16)nils petter molvaer - merciful (herbert's we mix)
the way it contrasts up against mercedes bentley is awesome. this song sums up the entire cd perfectly. the line 'like trains forever leaving' sums up the track. the drums shuffle along, never quite pulling out of the station, but rolling along inevitably, nudged gently along with the molasses bassline. i love this song. i almost had to leave it out because i've been playing it non stop for months - but what would this mix be without it? plus coming in behind the maxximus track makes it sound fresh again.
17)aphex twin - bbydhyonchord
it's a surprise to find out dicky james is capable of something as tender as this. it could never be sentimental but it's moving in a way i never associated with afx. (note: i'm no afx expert. if you can prove me wrong, i welcome it)
18)beatles - i'm only sleeping
ends it quite well, i reckon.
― minna, Sunday, 21 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)
Interestingly, RDJ has claimed in interviews that 'bbydhyonchord' is
his most 'new' released track. That is, most of Drukqs is 1 or 2
years old, whilst that particular track sounds closest to what he's
producing today. (or at the time of the interview, at least)
If you want to hear some Twin that's as endearing as the
aformentioned track, take Sasha's advice on 'Alberto Balsam', but
don't stop there. Try and get a copy of his unreleased Analogue
Bubblebath 5, which was intended for release at the time of 'Richard
D. James album' (or, the Girl/Boy EP) but was usurped by said album
just after a small trial pressing of AB5 was made.
In particular the second track is absolutely tremendous: A bizarre
5/4 masterpiece that has a similiar kind of feel to bbydhyonchord,
but possibly a bit more interactive and 'alive'.
In addition to this you simply cannot go past 'Selected Ambient
Works Volume II', which is undoubtedly some of the most superb and
(in parts) moving ambient music ever produced.
― Andrew, Monday, 22 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)