Eyesdown

Bonobo's new single Eyesdown, is a classy package that manages to sound both timeless and bang up to date.

I bought it for the Floating Points remix, which was used instantly on my Musical Chairs Mix from three weeks ago. But the whole thing is a total gem, and I keep drifting back to Appleblim and Komonazmuk's treatment. This swings wonderfully deep and low. A stern chord progression builds the tension, while the sad vocal line and restrained flourishes of disco strings make this perfect for the melancholic dancer.

I really recommend buying all the tracks though. The original mix, and the aforementioned Floating Points remix drift through hazy sub bass, mournful brass, and a 2-step lope, while Warrior 1's effort injects a bit of carnival fire.

And if you're still feeling generous after that, Bonobo's album Black Sands, is out now on Ninja Tune. I haven't got that though, so I can't say what the whole thing's like.

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Bonobo - Eyesdown (Appleblim & Komonazmuk Remix) from The Milky Bar Kid

Buy it from Amazon.co.uk

Shari & Vari

I have a lot of time for Shari & Vari, the two ladies behind the awesome The Number 20 blog. Here's why:

~ The music they post is invariably cracking
~ They keep it brief (which I most definitely don't)
~ The blog looks great
~ They obviously have a lot of fun

Recently Shari, who I think is quite new to DJing, posted a mix. It's called Things Are Going To Get Easier, and it's a wonderful blend of camp and star-spangled electronic disco. That's a good many of my buttons pressed right there.

So well done Shari, and well done also for letting me post it here so you good people can hear it.

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Tracklisting:
Nicolas Jaar – Time For Us, NUfrequency – Fallen Hero (Motor City Drum Ensemble Remix), Fortune – Highway (Eli Escobar Remix), Acos Coolkas – Untitled, Ali Love – Love Harder (Prins Thomas Diskomiks), Chaz Jankel – You’re My Occupation (Fromage Remix), John Daly – This Is A Lonely Beat, KRUSE, Florian ft SAARA – Thrill (Vincenzo & Elmar Schubert’s Satinsoul Remix), Mario Basanov & Vidis ft Jazzu – I’ll Be Gone (Downtown Party Network Remix), Sebastien Tellier – Things Are Gonna Get Easier

The Musical Chairs Mix

I shouldn't be farting around with this. I should be packing. My plane for India leaves in a few hours and I've still got packets of wet wipes and hand sanitizer strewn all over my room. But I haven't done a mix for a while and wanted to lay down some of the music I've been enjoying recently. They'll hold the plane for me, right?

There's been a bit of a musical crisis going on inside my head in the past couple of months or so. I'm not feeling much of the disco that's been produced recently. There's the creeping feeling that I've heard it all before. I've been so in love with the form over the past 4 or so years that I'm taking this as a bit of a betrayal. In revenge I've been seeking solace in the icy embraces of dubstep and its myriad offshoots.

This is a mix that tries to get my old love, and my new one, in a room together to talk about how we can all work this one out. It starts all hushed and splintery, but gets warmer and groovier, and there's a even a party at the end.

No cover art yet - haven't got time. I'll do you some when I'm back. Hope you like it and see you on the flip side! I'll be the sunburned one.

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Tracklisting:
Fever Ray with Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid - Here Before, Mount Kimbi - Vertical, Bonobo feat Andreya Triana - Eyesdown (Floating Points remix), Joy Orbison - So Derobe, Bei Bei & Shawn Lee - Make Me Stronger (Floating Points remix), Dorothy's Fortress - Neon Cities, Pixeltan - Scatter, Skatt Bros - Walk the Night, Tensnake - Get It Right, Cymande - Brothers On The Slide (Bonar Bradberry edit), Pantha du Prince - Stick To My Side (Four Tet version), Massive Attack feat Hope Sandoval - Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto remix), Spaghetti Circus - Still Going, Friendly Fires - On Board (Joakim Remix)

Versions

When it comes to inventions, it's generally agreed that the wheel was a pretty good one. As such, any attempt to reinvent it has usually gone down badly. Unnecessary, is the usual criticism. Don't bother.

Luckily, music ain't like that. It doesn't matter if your song is great, someone is going to come along and have another go at it.

Often that reinvention is going to be a turgid pile of tosh. But sometimes a reinvention comes along that brings new life to the old. It isn't necessarily better, but it has things that the original didn't. That could be a different sense of space, a different mood, a different flow... whatever. So here are four remixes I'm really liking.

DOWNLOAD> Stoned Green Apples - Sugar K (Yura Yura Teikoku Remix)

Japan's psychedelic mavericks, Yura Yura Teikoku turn out a wonderful bit of doom-disco from the Stoned Green Apples' J-punk original.

DOWNLOAD> Spleen United - Suburbia (The Juan Maclean Remix)

The rubbery bass line in this remix from The Juan Maclean is going to have dancefloors losing their nuts. Chunky.

Massive Attack and Hope Sandoval - Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto remix)
++REMOVED ON REQUEST++
Gui Boratto puts some propulsion into Massive Attack and Hope Sandoval. This is sexy, uber-deep, spacious, and fizzy.

DOWNLOAD> The XX - VCR (Matthew Dear Remix)

Matthew Dear manages to make The XX sound fun! Some almost beatbox-like percussion, woodblocks, and other tasty bits and bobs really bring the funk to London's hipster darlings.

Too Slow To Disco

Is it Sunday yet? Because this is a mix on the prowl for a lazy Sunday afternoon. In fact, it's basically cooking you eggs and bacon, tucking your favourite newspaper into your hands, and phoning your mates to see who's up for the pub later. That's how much this mix has its Sunday shit locked down.

Berlin resident Marcus Liesenfeld, aka DJ Supermarkt, has very kindly let me post it here for you people, and I think you should take full advantage of his generosity.

It's a wonderful collection of 70s soft rock gems and Californian singer/songwriter grooves. Interspersed throughout are the kind of radio jingles that instantly transport you to a time and place where handlebar moustaches are a must, aviator shades are a plus, and you've just taken your dad's Mustang without asking if you could.

DJ Supermarkt describes the delight inside as:

...an ex-monkee rapping, a weird erotic christmas song by georgie fame, the 70s 'super-studio-group' the attitudes, who played on thousands of records, Ned Doheny, Alessi Brothers, Rupert Holmes, Sanford & Townsend Band, Valerie Cartere, Paul Davis and commercial breaks by frank zappa, jefferson airplane, spliff (the nina hagen band), plus lots more other forgotten diamonds. enjoy and take the trip.

It slips down real smooth and nice. Like a chilled Mimosa. Thanks Marcus.

DOWNLOAD> DJ Supermarkt - Too Slow To Disco Mix

Too slow to disco (softrock-disco- radio-dj-mix) by dj supermarkt