Pholk Tape #6

This fortnight's tape has been a mixed blessing, on the one hand there has been a lot of amazing music that I've managed to find, or as is more often the case, has found me. On the other hand it's arrived at my iTunes in, well, let's say diverse states. The bit-rates have been all over the place, some were recorded ages ago, others poorly, whilst some seem to have experienced some kind of modern audio wizadry that makes them pop from the speakers like nothing else. All of them are exceptional, in my eyes anyway, and have given me many hours of pleasure over the last few weeks.

This mix is a lot less acoustic/alternative based to the last few so you have been warned expect some dodgy baselines, beats and tempos. This I have found is a lot harder to mix, but given the choice between 'losing some of the music to keep the mix sounding clean' and 'keeping the best music and acknowledging that me and garageband aren't the be best team to hit music production since Michael Jackson's "Thriller"', I'm going to opt for admitting my failings and giving you all the lovely bits of music.

2010 looks like it's going to be a year for the album, which I'm really looking forward to - not that I didn't love the remix-based year that was 2009, or indeed the albums that were released throughout the year - what I mean is that this year already has a lot of promise. With Bonobo, Four-Tet, Caribou & Ellie Goulding already announcing albums for the first half of this year. This tape features tracks from Bonobo & Caribou respectively, and they're both absolutely exceptional. Also with the return of artists like Santigold (you may remember her as Santogold) and M.I.A. back on the scene with albums in mind, it's gonna be a good one. A really good one.

The first album I was looking forward to has already arrived, Kidkanevil's "Basho Basho" from which I've used the track "Yokai", one amongst the many favourites I have off the album. I think this album has kicked me into a bit of a hip-hop stage so I've put on another old hip-hop favourite that I've been listening to again, Common's "Go!", a lot more chilled but still a classic in my eyes.

The Remixes are still ever present of course, yet another of Phoenix's "Fences", this time Delphic take up the mantle and demonstrate just how much this song has lent itself to remix. More, More, MORE Ellie Goulding, Russ Chimes dance anthem - that absolutely didn't fit the mix but I refused to take off - unfortunately looks set to thrust Ellie even further into the bright spotlight she doesn't seem all too keen on being in, if her Guardian music interview is anything to go by. Memory Tapes are back on top form again with swooping synth, steel drums and a bucket full of echo to pour over Tanlines' "Real Life". Sparkling, sparse and with more rythmic devices than you can shake an incredibly long stick at, it's all I could hoped for as a start to 2010. An old Diplo remix of Marlena Shaw's "California Soul" beautifully completes the quartet of remixes featured, stunningly understated and beautiful.

I've also put on two garage-esque tracks in the form of Zed Bias' "Neighbourhood" & a one off remix of Craid David's (or Artful Dodger's, I can't remember) "Gotta Get Through This" from one half of the sister double act Maya & Vanya, whose soundcloud page is one of my favourite places on the web. Maya seems to think it's customary to give us gifts on her birthday and not the other way round, which I'm completely for.

Schlachthofbronx teams up with equally difficult to pronounce music types Spoek & Gnucci Banana to shout my new favourite word "AYOOOOBAAA" which I'm told means just about anything good in South-African slang, which is brilliant (check my tumblr for the colourful accompanying video). Continuing the African theme is Aby Ngana Diop... no I hadn't heard of her either, but the good folk at Awesome Tapes from Africa had, and worked their magic with a cassette deck, computer & internet connection to bring "Dieuleul Dieuleul" to the internet's attention.

Other track's featured are Laura Veirs' "Carol Kaye", more beauty from the album July Fame that I've probably featured about half of already. Also in preparation for the return of Santigold, a record she worked on in 2001 as a producer, Res' "They Say Vision", some comfortable R&B pop with Hip-Hop overtones that just sounded to good to miss off.

That covers it all bar one, as you may well be aware by now I like to reserve the last track for something a little different. This is usually a track that has made me laugh, and this is certainly no exception. Following a recent Mad Decent blog post I discovered Wack Demos (www.myspace.com/wackdemos). This is a little gem of a site featuring some of the worst Demos a Boston Hip-Hop Record Company intern has come across, and Mulano's "Real Women" has to be the cream of the crop. So try and enjoy it.

That just about wraps things up so here's the tracklist:

01: Phoenix - Fences (Delphic Remix)
02: Tanlines - Real Life (Memory Tapes Remix)
03: Caribou - Odessa
04: Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed (Russ Chimes Remix)
05: Zed Bias - Neighbourhood
06: Schlachthofbronx ft. Spoek & Gnucci Banana - Ayoba
07: Aby Ngana Diop - Dieuleul Dieuleul
08: Res - They Say Vision
09: Marlena Shaw - California Soul (Diplo/Mad Decent Remix)
10: Common ft. John Mayer - Go!
11: Maya - Gadda Get Thru This Baby
12: Kidkanevil - Yokai
13: Bonobo - Eyesdown (Preview Edit)
14: Laura Veirs - Carol Kaye
15: Mulano - Real Women

Listen & Download: Mixcloud (Listen Now) | Mediafire (Download)

Please support the artists featured and the entire music community wherever possible by buying music from a reputable dealer such as iTunes.

Pholk Tape #5

Good News, I'm back and enthused again. I must apologise for the lack of devotion put in to the last two podcasts, it appears that doing mixes at home was a lot more effort than it is her, but on the plus side I'm back now and loving music more than ever again.


It didn't start off so promisingly for music though, my iPod did not get used once on my 6 hour journey back to the south-west thanks to a lovely old lady who got on the train at reading and talked to me for the last three hours of the train journey. That wasn't sarcasm she really was absolutely brilliant and no trouble to talk to at all, how I love trains sometimes.


Anyway, this didn't last, back in my house I've spent more time to listen to music than through the busy Christmas period, I've had plenty to be doing but I've been able to listen through writing e-mails, bits of essays and, embarrassingly, tweeting to a similar level. Me and the hype machine are close friends again and we meet up every day now over a coffee and light snack or sometimes breakfast. It's a good job to because he/she/it has always got something more to tell me about. This I think in turn has been what's made this latest mixtape such a joy to make (although I have had to trim not only the fat off but a lot of good quality bits too in order to fit it into the hour mark).


The mix itself features as ever both Feist and Ellie Goulding, which might I add is not a deliberate decision I make. I just can't seem to stop finding top top tracks from them both every fortnight, far too good to miss off. In fact a mars bar (or a lion bar Sim) for the first person to notice a mix that doesn't feature one of these two ladies somewhere. Other previously featured artists are the ever impressive "The Whitest Boy Alive" who opened these mixes up with "1517" 8 weeks ago and oxford (now allegedly in Scotland) based "Stornaway" who's track "Zorbing" also featured.


There are some new faces (to me at least), "Golden Silvers" who I was aware of but never posted until they worked with a brass band on a version of their track "Arrows Of Eros" which has improved it no end (in my opinion of course... which I hasten to add is both impeccable and unquestionable). Possibly more familiar names come in the form of "Basement Jaxx", one of the most on/off bands I've known, capable of real genius when they get it right & "Lykke Li", Who seems to be continuing to produce high quality at a more than steady, and consistently high quality rate.


Other tracks include "Obadiah Parker's" cover of "Hey Ya!" which is known for it's use in the classic sit-com hospital type drama Scrubs. "Hi Tiger's" Lo-Fi small disco track, aptly named "Dance Around" serves as the perfect set-up to "Sade's" 1980s hit "The Sweetest Taboo" (Please feel free to start dancing at this point).


Four-Tet has been one of my favourite artists for many years and one thing I have never been able to properly decide on is whether it is his solo work or remixes which show off more of his genius. One argument for the latter is "The Weight Of The World" remix, which again uses his talent of effortlessly building beautiful percussive rythms out of near enough every instrument in the track. The whole thing bubbles along nicely and he makes lovely use of a simple vocal to keep the whole thing feeling almost fragile. Reflective electronica at it's best.


The Final track is another beautiful acoustic track, "Hayden" with "More Than Alive", a delicate piano and male vocal picks up strength and instruments throughout the piece, highly uplifting stuff which I hope will draw things to a close on a reflective, but positive note.


Anyway enough of my incessant babbling, time to let the music describe itself far better than I ever can, here's the tracklisting...


Pholk Tape #5 - Tracklisting


01: Golden Silvers - Arrows Of Eros (with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)
02: Basement Jaxx - My Turn (feat. Lightspeed Champion)
03: Lykke Li - Breaking It Up (Pocketknife's Loosefoot Remix)
04: Beach Fossils - Daydream
05: The Whitest Boy Alive - Burning
06: Hi Tiger - Dance Around
07: Sade - The Sweetest Taboo
08: Kings Of Convenience - The Weight Of My Words (Four Tet Remix)
09: Obidiah Parker - Hey Ya! (Outkast Cover)
10: Feist & Ben Gibbard - Train Song (Vashti Bunyan cover)
11: Ellie Goulding - Guns & Horses
12: Stornoway - We Are The Battery Human
13: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home
14: Hayden - More Than Alive


The Keen-eyed among you may have noticed I have moved over from soundcloud to mixcloud, this is principally a space issue, although it does pose a few other advantages. So all previous mixes can be played online from here. That is all, apart from to say, please keep spreading the word to anyone else who may enjoy this, I intend to keep it up and if others like it that's always a bonus. Cheers.


Download: Mixcloud | Mediafire (Basic) | Mediafire (Podcast)


Please support the artists featured and the entire music community wherever possible by buying music from a reputable dealer such as iTunes.

Pholk Tape #4

I'm  not going to lie, this tape has been the hardest one to make so far, I was torn between doing a best of '09 style post or sticking with the format of the last 3 I've done and just make it music I've been playing incessantly for the last two weeks. What I've eventually settled for is the middle ground with almost a 50/50 ratio of best of my '09 and the last two weeks.


As usual, it's a blend of downbeat/upbeat music, which I always like to do, music is lovely in all it's forms and every body needs a little bit of variety in their ears. I'd like to say that keeps them healthy, but that would potentially be a complete lie, might be healthy for the mind though. In all honesty I'm probably clutching at straws, I'm still struggling to write this, the real reason I did it is because I wanted to, and ultimately (and very possibly also unfortunately) I have artistic control over it. So there, enjoy it, or don't, it's no bother to me!


Here's the Tracklisting:

01: The Antlers – Kettering

02: Animal Collective – Loch Raven

03: Ellie Goulding – Wolves (Bon Iver cover)

04: Feist – One, Two, Three, Four

05: Sleigh Bells – Ring Ring

06: Mick Boogie & Peter, Bjorn & John – Stay This Way

07: Major Lazer & Jah Dan – Cash Flow

08: Animal Collective – Daily Routine (Phaseone Remix)

09: Metronomy – Not Made For Love (ALALAL Remix)

10: Florence & The Machine – You've Got The Love (The XX Remix)

11: Ali Love – Diminishing Returns

12: Röyksopp – What Else Is There? (Thin White Duke Remix)

13: Memory Tapes – Plain Material

14: Beirut – My Wife, Lost In The World

15: Feist – Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming

16: Eric Cartman – Pokerface (Lady Gaga Cover)

P.S. It does bother me really, kepp downloading and tell your friends if you fancy, it's nice to share, or so I've been told.

Download: Soundcloud|Mediafire (Basic)|Mediafire (Podcast)

Pholk Tape #3

I've travelled back home to the South-East this week in plenty of time for Christmas, and as a result my days have been busy. But there's been plenty of time for me to listen to music, I mean, I had a 7 hour train journey to get through with only the aid of sausage rolls, 7up, and whatever I could convince people to text me. On a side note I challenge anyone to make a pair of earphones/headphones that remain comfortable for that long. Seriously, if you do make some or know of any, I will buy them, or put them on a Christmas list for next year...

Anyway that is all by-the-by and this is not by-the-by, it is now - although it won't be 'now' when you read this, it'll be your 'now' - but again this is besides the point. There has still been plenty of music old and new filling my ears this week, some of the names on here you'll probably be starting to recognise if you heard my first two mixes (Ellie Goulding in particular). Some may be of course new to these mixes but not to your greedy ears which are constantly scanning the acoustosphere (yes I made that word up) for traces of anything which pleases you. And some will, I hope, be new to both these mixes and your hearing-buds (I should stop doing this), because currently there's no chance of me 'buying' you a gift for Christmas.

There are some deliberately Christmassy songs on this tape but I resisted the temptation to bang together some Slade, Band-Aid, Chris Rea etc... as you'll probably get this anyway at a work or school Christmas party. And, in all honesty the DJ would probably do a better job of putting them together than me as well, and that's really saying something.

So what I've opted for instead is a hour long mixture of songs that to me at least have a christmassy sound. As with the last tape, there's still a cold feel to the mix, but this one has a softer more pituresque post card feel (barring the first two and last two tracks). I've thrown in a few tracks with sleigh bells on in case you fail to get the full effect of my hour and a half's hard labour.

But regardless of however it is put together, whether there is a theme or not, and whether I have back ache or not from sitting at aan awkward position for ages, it is obivous that there has been, is and continues to be good music being made every day. That's what tiny tim really wanted for Christmas, so "God bless 'im" and "God bless us, Every One"

Pholk Tape #3 - Christmas

01: LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 (Prince Language Remix)
02: Paul Kalkbrenner - Aaron (Dominik von Werdt Remix)
03: Two Door Cinema Club - Do You Want It All?
04: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps (acoustic/strings version)
05: The Low Anthem - Charlie Darwin
06: Scala & Kolcany Brothers - Heartbeats
07: The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York
08: The Low Anthem - To Ohio
09: Eddie Hinton - I Can't Be Me
10: Half Man Half Biscuit - It's Clichéd To Be Cynical At Christmas
11: Wilco - You & I (feat. Feist)
12: Jose Vanders - For Now
13: Ellie Goulding - The End
14: Prince Zimboo - Santa Flaws
15: Andrew - It's Christmas


Download: Soundcloud | Mediafire (Basic) | Mediafire (Podcast)


Please support the Artists featured, and all Artists, wherever possible by buying or downloading their music from a reputable resource such as iTunes


p.s. RATM for Xmas #1 - Get amongst it!

Pholk Tape #2

Winter is now fully upon us, I can tell as my right hand has been frozen to my mouse for the last hour or so and it's taking a while to get enough sensation in it to type this. The rain is tapping down on my window as it has been for near enough the entire day, making the thought of a hosepipe ban summer nothing more than a distant memory. But even if I had no window in my room, had not ventured outside into the murky (and damp) cold that is Plymouth City Centre and I had the circulation of an olympic gold winning long distance runner, I could still tell you the season. The key comes from the music, a mirror that reflects the changing of the seasons more effectively than even Michael Fish could dream of and every bit as well as the wind, rain and ever shortening days themselves.

Ok, so maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration and my 20 years of exposure to music and the collective work of thousands and thousands of seemingly tireless musicians, bloggers and music media types, shouting "winter" at me through their songs, blogs and articles would still lead me to believe the sun had risen on another beautiful Mid-Summers day. But with what I know in mind, I've certainly found the majority of new music I've come across to be... well.... for lack of a better word "Wintery". This in turn has led me to dig up some old winter classics to enjoy while drinking another cup of hot tea/coffee/squash late into the night, or whenever, I lose track of time after dark.

That said there still have been melodies from warmer climes swimming round my head as I try to add another couple of hundred words to an essay with an ever-shortening deadline. Case in point: Kelis' song Millionaire that she did with Andre 3000 back in 2004, a song that passed by almost unnoticed to me until it re-emerged on a blog 2 weeks back. With the aim of these mixes to serve as a memory for me (and others) to see what I was listening to each fortnight for what I hope to be years to come, I had to put some of these more 'summery' tracks in the mix. These tracks, however, come at the start of the mix before it descends into winter tones around 20 minutes in with Peter, Bjorn & John's aptly named "The Chills".

From there it moves through some icy electronica in the form of Phoenix's "Fences", A Burial remix of Bloc Party's "Where Is Home?" which true to from is formed of dark pulsing bass tones, shivering strings and an echoey vocal motif (easy to get lost in) and a complete reinvention of Erol Alkan & Boyz Noise's "Waves" in which the piano takes the lead and forms a piece reminiscent of the short animated film "The Snowman". After a short interval from soul classic "California Dreamin'" the music changes to a more folk(y) feel with tracks from two Lauras (Veirs & Marling) both offering fragile vocals and wistful guitar patterns to bring things to a close.

The final track, as in the first mix, is something a little different, an encore if you will. Ellie Goulding and Erik Hassle team up to cover Robyn's "Be Mine" and do a beautiful job of it. I hope this leaves you ready to continue with your day feeling a little more positive about this time of year.


Track Listing:

01: Alice Russell - Let Us Be Loving (KidKanevil Remix)
02: How You LIke Me Now? - The Heavy
03: Kelis - Millionaire ft. Andre 3000
04: Souls Of Mischief - Proper Aim
05: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - By The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth
06: Peter, Bjorn & John - The Chills
07: The Notwist - Boneless (Grizzly Bear Remix)
08: Taken By Trees - Watch The Waves (Memory Tapes Remix)
09: Phoenix - Fences (Def Starr Version)
10: Bloc Party - Where Is Home? (Burial Remix)
11: Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Waves (Chilly Gonzales Piano Remix)
12: The Mamas & The Papas - California Dreamin'
13: Laura Veirs - Sleeper In The Valley
14: Laura Marling - Goodbye England
15: Erik Hassle & Ellie Goulding - Be Mine (Robyn Cover)

Download: Soundcloud | Mediafire (Basic) | Mediafire (Podcast)

(Please support Artists featured, and all Artists, by buying their music from a reputable source wherever possible.)