CAPTAIN STARLIGHT
Holger / Brussels
Given the fact that I’m more of a sucker for old records than for most of nowadays pop & dance music, I thought it would be a better idea to compile a little list with the best reissues of 2011. Five albums that were previously unreleased or pretty impo$$ible to find.
1. Stan Hubbs – Crystal (Companion Records)
Artifact of 80′s outsider rock from 1982. A few years after making the LP, Stan Hubbs became one of the few persons in history to smoke so much pot that he died. My most played record of the year.
2. Leda – Welcome To Joyland (Private Records)
Giorgio Moroder wasn’t the only white European guy who was capable of making a synth heavy dance record. Enter Peter Baumann (ex-Tangerine Dream) and female singer Leda for a completely spaced out and now almost impossible to get a hold of disco record. Originally released in 1978! Crazy stuff…
3. Jeff & Jane Hudson – Flesh (Dark Entries)
My favourite out of the huge lot of recent reissues of minimal synth records.
4. Harald Grosskopf – Synthesist / Re-Synthesist (RVNG INTL.)
Reissue of the debut album of Harald Grosskopf (percussionist of Ash Ra Tempel & Klaus Schulze). He isolated himself in a home studio in West-Germany for almost two months to record this. For those who like a Kosmische jam from time to time.
5. The Beach Boys – The Smile Sessions
Doesn’t need an explanation, now does it?
And shortly:
Album of the year: Sun Araw – Ancient Romans (Sun Ark records)
Song of the year: Connan Mockasin – Forever Dolphin Love
Dance track of the year: Storm Queen – It Goes On (vox)
Concert of the year: Hype Williams at King Georg, Cologne (& Omar Souleyman at AB, Brussels)
Party of the year: Andrew Weatherall at Sub Club, Glasgow
Interview of the year: Seth Troxler
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SIXSIXSIXTIES
Holger / Brussels
10 things for 2011
1. Tons of great podcasts, dj sets and mixtapes were uploaded to clouds all around, but the ones I keep returning to are Ben Pistor’s Morning mixes and Psychemagik’s Celestial Love & Sunrise podcasts. With selections ranging from beautiful Thai lounge pop to weird 60′s prog, they have proven to be the perfect soundtrack for late summer night hang outs and sunday morning stay ins, time and time again.
In the same vein, http://youarelisteningtolosangeles.com was also totally soothing.
2. Best youtube vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR_VhfxAnXU
3. I thought slow was already the new fast a couple of years ago, but some of my favourite dancefloor moments of 2011 evolved around a slow chugging rhythm. First off, JD Twitch’s Jamaican 7″ Soundsystem set at Glasgows’s Sub Club. I arrived kinda biased having never experienced a full on reggae night before, but this turned out to be so much fun. Twitch pouring out a 10 minute edit of Uptown Top Ranking, need I say more? Same guy, other location: the amazing new beat set Twitch delivered at our first Holger party in September has been discussed before on these pages, but it’s still up there in my list of favorite 2011 dance offs.
In 2012, I hope to make it to one of Andy Weatherall’s “Love From Outer Space” parties.
4. Labels of choice have been Futureboogie, Comémé, Visionquest, Crosstown Rebels, World Unknown, Sofrito. Some good releases on Hot Creations too, poppy hooks a plenty. I sometimes get the feeling Hedkandi territories are nearby though. I guess the jury is still out.
5. Too many brilliant singles and ep’s to mention. Some stand outs: Levon Vincent – Pivotal Moments In Life, Mathias Aguayo – Dance Machine, Omar S – Here’s Your Trance, Terje’s Ragysh & Snooze For Love, Soul Clap – Lonely C, Osunlade – Envision rmxs, Storm Queen, David August – Hamburg Is For Lovers, Jamie XX – Far Nearer, Parada 88 – You’re Gonna Miss Me etc. In number of plays, Teengirl Fantasy – Cheaters (John Talabot rmx) is track of the year.
6. Loved the “Voguing and the House Ballroom Scene of New York City 1989 – 92” book on Soul Jazz and happy to find out a compilation of voguing anthems (Diana Ross, Masters At Work, Junior Vasquez,..) will be out next month.
7. Been posting some pictures on my Tumblr every now and then. It’s a great way to save some of the great photographs I come across on the interweb. I particularly liked Ben Stockley‘s work. That light!
8. Older song on constant rotation: Letta Mbulu – Nomalizo
9. The “Parmentier” dish at Kika restaurant, Bld Anspach 177.
10. For 2012, i’m excited to hear Kindness’ debut album. Heard an early demo some time ago which was far beyond amazing, but the song seems to have been dropped for the album. Luxury of choice much? The first Zdar produced tracks which have been released in 2011 make me expect something big! Also looking forward to Blondes’ new album on RVNG.
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