Test Pressing Podcast

From the North come Chris Stoker and Andy Bainbridge now residents in London and throwing one of the best parties around in Bad Passion. Next guest DJ up at Bad Passion is Tornado Wallace who we saw at the Beats In Space anniversary the other week and he was on firing form. Will be a good one that. If you want to buy tickets hit the link here (https://www.rsn-tickets.com/events/1667/bad-passion-6th-birthday-tornado-wallace). Chris and Andy are now releasing their own music. Chris has a project called Ess o Ess (https://soundcloud.com/esso-ess) with Jamie Blanco and Andy has one named Machete Savane (https://soundcloud.com/andyb1232) with Saul Richards. Finally check their podcasts (http://badpassionproject.com/podcast_site/) where they have had guests such as Dr Dunks, Tiago and many more. Dig in and enjoy the mix. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/photo-1-copy.jpg) (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/375-BAD-PASSION.png)

A while back we did a post (http://testpressing.org/2014/08/dj-harvey-on-xfm/) about a Harvey show on XFM that a friend had part of... Well, now we have the rest of it and seeing as he is doing a short Harvey & Friends tour (http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/events/dj-harvey-and-friends-uk-tour) in the UK from Thursday onwards we thought it a good time to run them all. Last time Harvey was over in London he played the South Bank as part of James Lavelle's Meltdown. At the party in a big top by the Thames you realised he is the one person that brings all the ages and different scenes together. He played all night and from the first record on played bumping disco and party music and everyone got down and into it. The London date will be a good one. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/RBMA_Harvey_A3_NEW.jpg) In December 2001 Nuphonic had a radio show on the newly started London station XFM. They invited guests to host a two hour radio show (Carl Craig and others) and Harvey was one of them. Heidi his manager and top DJ in her own right (more on her soon) dug the whole show out for us and here it is in four parts for you. Top radio with a disco beat and a smile. Part One is below, part two is here (http://testpressing.org/2014/10/dj-harvey-london-xpress-part-two/), part three is here (http://testpressing.org/2014/10/dj-harvey-london-xpress-part-three/) and part four is here (http://testpressing.org/2014/10/dj-harvey-london-xpress-part-four/). x. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/DJ-Harvey-London-Xpress-Part-1.png) You can catch Harvey and friends at Fabric on the 23rd October, Manchester Albert Hall on the 24th October and at the Simple Things Festival in Bristol on the 25th of October.

(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/DJ-Harvey-London-Xpress-Part-2.png) You can catch Harvey and friends at Fabric on the 23rd October, Manchester Albert Hall on the 24th October and at the Simple Things Festival in Bristol on the 25th of October.

Another one from the collection of Leo Mas that was given to him by Paul Oakenfold in 1988. A live recording of Spectrum where you can hear how good Oakenfold is at putting it together and too many (now) classic records to mention. Join in the chant. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/spectrum-by-dave-little.png) Artwork by Dave Little (http://www.davelittle.co.uk/). (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/10453195_10202070941750178_66276992_n.jpg) (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/353-SPECTRUM.png) Massive thanks to Leo Mas. x.

I really really love tapes like this. Leo Mas was round at Paul Oakenfold's house in 1988 and got given this tape of The Future from June that year that sees Nancy and Paul in full swing and makes "Dance You Fuckers" seem the perfect phrase. Balearic. Beats. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Future-Flyer-dance-you-Fers-.jpg)(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/The-Future-London-June-88.jpg)(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/353-FUTURE.png) Massive thanks to Leo Mas.x.x.

Leo Mas has kindly brought a series of Alfredo tapes to us and this is the first. 1984. Sade to Everything But The Girl. Sometimes you can talk a lot about these things and sometimes its just good to listen to the music and imagine what it must have been like hearing these songs outdoors in Ibiza surrounded by beautiful Europeans and high on holiday life. Point is - this is, alongside those Cafe tapes from Jose Padilla, is the roots of what we are all about. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Amnesia-1984-Side-A.png)(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Amnesia-1984-Side-B.jpg)(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Amnesia-1984-Cover.png)(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/352-ALFREDO.png) Massive love and thanks to Leo Mas.

A waltz. A pastoral rising through mist. An awakening of winds and moogs. Temple bells, buoys toyed with by waves. Ships in safe harbour. Spirits of Africa. A Loft re-entry classic. Cosmic strangeness. Orchestral Funk, borrowing from Bruno Spoerri`s library. German sounding Fusion, like Birth Control or Guru Guru with Toni Esposito on drums. Eastern fixated Progressive Jazz. “L`Eroe Di Plastica” meets Supersempfft. Miss Cherry and some sheep with a London warehouse staple. Industrial Electro-Boogie, close to Fasaan`s own song, or that of our mate Jex (http://testpressing.org/2014/03/336-jex-opolis). Voodoo from Nigeria, Afro Reggae with strings. An Orisha call and response, a welcome back to Shango Land, then a final dissolve into electric zither dissonance and drone. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/351-FASAAN.png)

“I decided the best way for me to produce these mixes was to go to a friends place and do each set / mix live on 2 turntables, with a basic mixer. I didn't want to use Tractor / Serato / CDs like most current DJs, as I wanted to try to replicate as much as possible how it was back then during the `80s, warts and all, and how my brother and I worked as DJs. I've tried to re-create that Warehouse feeling with the Pre-Delirium! mix, which starts off with a Scratch and Beats workout similar to what we did supporting The Clash at Brixton Academy back in 1984. Around 90% of the mix was created using the original records we played then. I feel that's important, as I wanted to keep it as authentic as possible, and there's a kind of archival artistic value in this fact, a bit similar to how the vitrines of flyers and posters of artwork for Delirium! were presented at The ICA's OFF-SITE/SUBCULTURE Exhibition in October last year. This Pre-Delirium! set moves from the Beat / Scratch segment into Funk and Soul records that I would mix and cut live at places like BATTLEBRIDGE and SUBSTATION, the 2 first underground and illegal parties we resided over as DJs from 82-85, moving into the Electro period through to the Industrial sound that we would also mix in and out of our sets during that time, spliced with political speeches and classic accapellas (Marvin Gaye for example over a cut-up loop of Veron Burch) re-edits and interludes. Maurice and I did this all live during our sets back then! I used all the original records that I still have, but had to augment them at times, as my brother`s record collection ended up in Japan, and ultimately disappeared. The Pre-mix also takes in the Delirium! Astoria era. Remember we opened that club with a line-up that included The Beastie Boys, RUN-DMC and L.L.Cool J. This was around late `85, the House explosion was still to happen, so the music policy at the club at that time was still very eclectic. I hope this mix manages to capture some of that.” Salsoul breaks. A Lesson from Double D & Steinski, from Flash. Malcolm X meets Kool Herc`s “Merry-Go-Round”. Go-Go from Chuck Brown. Proto-Go-Go from The Bar-Kays. “A Knife Slits Water”. A touch of Italo. Warp 9`s New Wave Funk. Tommy Boy. Twilight 22. I hear a (Disco) melody. Prince protégées, Shriekback`s bassline and Konk. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/350-NOEL-WATSON-620x620.jpg)

I love this lot. Their attention to detail (who cares wins), their don't give a fuck vibe and the breadth of music they are releasing on their label. Oh and the Tambien records they make. I think they're alright. They are from Munich and run a shop as well as throw parties (that I bet are pretty dirty in a good way). This mix was recorded at Public Possession Headquarters May 20th 2014. Tidy. Excerpt from their new fanzine... (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/PP1-620x439.jpg) (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/349-PUBLIC-POSSESSION-620x620.png)

Meditation through atunement. Ibiza dreaming. A hippie haven, a place to think. Laraaji in Central Park, crystals aligned, channeling Chakra. Breaking the waves, braving the storm. A King Street morning and Japanese House that seeks a more spiritual life. The Island vibes of Badarou meets Phillipe Saisse on Windham Hill. Blue Grass Raga, slides and sitars. A violin`s mournful song scores a scene from a silent film. A Jazz freedom. Rahsann Roland Kirk`s toys and whistles. Eno collaborators travelling new horizons. The music here segues smoothly like moving the dial between late night radio stations around the globe. An audio travelogue of the wee small hours, a world in between sleep. Brian Briggs` percussive percolations visit Bebe Baron`s Forbidden Planet, metallic treated guitar disturbs a Laswell / Celluloid nearly Africa. The final sound of a Tin Drum. If you liked the Jan Schulte mix, then you should be into this. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/348-PTAKI-620x620.png)

For me, Africaine 808`s “Lagos, New York” (http://testpressing.org/2014/02/africaine-808-golf-channel) has been easily the most consistent dance-floor tune of the year so far. I have without fail played it at every gig since it was released on Golf Channel in February, and it always either gets them straight on there, or keeps them on there. It has also proved to be the perfect transition record, from the Balearic Pop tat, that I usually warm up with, to, as the night moves on, the newer more obviously feet-orientated stuff. We “reached out” to the guys as soon as we heard the track, but with the re-launch and other bits and pieces happening, it has taken me this long to get something on-line. My apologies. To kick off we have the first section of a six-hour DJ set from Nomad, one half of Africaine 808, recorded at Goldene Bar in Munich, again in February. Interviews and the like will follow very soon. Nomad has been described by Beppe Loda, as his “Number 1 Afro music DJ”, and you may well get some more of this set at a later date, as it`s brilliant. I couldn`t name a single track on it. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/347-AFRICAINE-808-620x620.png)

(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/346-TOMMY-AWARDS-620x620.png) A Psychemagik-like coda for a hazy shade of winter. Prog blowing a Jazz spiritual. Gilmour glissando. Mediterranean dusk. A touch of temptation. Oh-so-in-vogue Japanese soundtracks and a Quiet Village Alan Parsons favourite. Sought after French 7s. Tim Maia getting it on. Summer Soul instrumentals, and cool cats in unexpected places. Jazz picking, Fusion odysseys. Soft Rock sex and the Spooks In Space. Sanctuary in reverb. Nick Nicely-esque Psychedelia, then back to Earth with Mr. Papathanassiou. There`s a nice interview with Alex & Jon on the way.

(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/foto-by-stephanmachac2-620x917.jpg) Jan Schulte came into my skyline when I picked up one of his Wolf Mueller 12s. Both of them are well worth checking saying that. Beat-driven odd ball funk business. So Jan is Wolf. He is also Bufiman or edits as (good name) Diskoking Burnhart McKoolski (currently going for big bucks). He’s also working on a project called "Montezumas Rache" with Christian Pannenborg from the Recordloft Berlin, and they have a 12 inch coming out soon on Second Circle (an affiliate of Red Light Records) which you can check here (https://soundcloud.com/secondcircle/montezumas-rache-wu-du-wu). Jan is resident at nightclub Salon Des Amateurs in Dusseldorf which Young Marco called “the weirdo post-Kraut scene's Haçienda”. He was also the musical host of the ace sounding Dusseldorf Art Academy parties “Single Club”, by all accounts a combination of art happening and 24-hour party. I’ve just had the pleasure of getting him to remix the new Jose Padilla track which is forthcoming on International Feel and, of course, he’s nailed it. A top man and he has delivered a top mix for us at Test Pressing here. Its forest music. Proper Tropical sounds in its truest form. Turn up the drums and get one with nature. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/345-JAN-SCHULTE-620x620.png)

Hammered pentatonics and a New Wave march. Hawtin`s Funk. Ravers suck our sound. Eastern promise and opium dens. Footsteps faltering, weary, slow but determined. Walking as if into legend and myth. Tremolo thinking. Vini`s thin fingers. Our mate Aaron, and Indra. The Shangri-Las lost in the Black Ark. Robert Wyatt getting lucky. Beautiful syncopation. Finis Africae like experimentation. Sun Ra. Tortoise. Post-Rock and Bubble Core heydays. Speck Mountain-isms and Factory grooves. Calm kalimba. Spiritual sax and rin gong harmonics. Harold Budd meets Pharoah Sanders. Where are you based? London. Is this your hometown? No, that's Maldon, Essex. How long have you been making music / running the label? I've been making music in bands since 1981. A Primary Industry, the band Ian & I had before Ultramarine, formed in 1983 and we started Ultramarine in 1989. My label Real Soon started in 2002. How would you describe your sound / the label`s sound? I'd describe the Real Soon sound as deep, abstract House music. I'm not sure if I can describe Ultramarine. Who would you most like to work with? Some dream collaborators for me would be John Surman, Will Oldham, Sam Prekop, Meg Baird and Benny Sings. What do you have lined up for 2014? On Real Soon, we have a 12” called “Passwords” due out hopefully in June, with remixes from our album “This Time Last Year” (http://testpressing.org/2013/09/ultramarine-this-time-last-year-real-soon) by Kai Alcé, Hercules & Love Affair and Juju & Jordash. “Every Man And Woman is a Star” has been re-mastered and will be reissued with new artwork on Rough Trade. This will be a double-album with a bonus 4-track 12" of our Peel session from 1992. Again, due out sometime this Summer. We've also just finished a music / video collaboration with Studio Heretic, who are London-based designers & screen printers, for a publication called “Random Spectacular” (published in June). The book includes an interview with Ultramarine by James Nice (LTM, Les Disques Du Crépuscule, Factory Benelux). The profits from the publication go to Maggie's Cancer Care Centres. (http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/344-ULTRAMARINE-620x620.png)

(http://testpressing.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/krossfingers-sketch-620x402.jpg) Guitar Journeyman ambience, `80s soundtracks, and synthetic Pop. Pastoral Kosmische, a blue-eyed skank, and Andean peace. Peter Green and a drum machine. Loveboat b...