Philippe Doray / Asociaux Associés: Dans Le Dedale and Contrechant Magnetique
From: Nouveaux Modes Industriels [Scopa Invisible, 1980]

Those eagle eyed visitors among you may have noticed a security warning on the site yesterday. I can happily assure you that it wasn’t us guv and we were tarnished merely by association so feel free to browse safe in the knowledge that we have no current plans to infect your pc.

You may also notice that all the comments have suddenly vanished from the site, this is due to a long overdue update of our haloscan feed. Basically since taking over the site I’ve never had access to edit or delete the inevitable spam that appears and have been reluctant to update it due to some of the incredible comments we’ve received over the years. With the recent Runescape comment battering though now seemed an appropriate time but rest assured the old comments are still stored away for archive purposes. Thanks to Maru I have the password so all old comments are now back in action.

Anyway, this is a music site so probably best to put up some music eh? Something incredibly weird, sometimes wonderful and sometimes downright frightening for you today in the shape of Philippe Doray / Asociaux Associés 1980 experimental electronic album.

The “ahead of it’s time” description is one that is bandied about way too freely in my opinion but this album, like Bernard Estardy and Silver Apples, is the genuine article, some of its production and instrumentation sounding as out there today as it no doubt sounded 29 years ago.

It’s an album that will no doubt split listeners between loathing and loving and I’ll be the first to admit that some of the tracks leave me cold and with a slight headache however, when it works, it’s incredible stuff indeed.

Whether by design or not all the upbeat tracks on Nouveaux Modes Industriels seem to take their basic vocal rhythm from The Stones Not Fade Away which is not necessarily a bad thing but was a bit of a curveball on first listen. Dans Le Dedale starts off in the above fashion with Philippe delivering his lyrics over a pulsating drum line before some fantastically emotive chords reminiscent of 80’s house music cut through the dirty percussion. The layers of electronic production build up and up until you’re left with a pulsating wall of sound. A truly outstanding and jaw dropping piece of work.

Contrechant Magnetique is arguably the most pop standard track on the album but considering the company it’s keeping let’s keep that in perspective. More easy going than most of the album the track features Philippe in laid back mood, half singing half saying his lyrics over a minimalist throbbing bassline, the loosest of guitar riffs and what sounds like slightly spasticated electronic instrumentation. Hypnotic stuff.

I’ve never actually picked up any of Philippe Doray’s other work for fear that it might either a) break the spell I have from this album or b) Send me over the edge. Any heads up or tips would be much appreciated.

Som Três: California Soul and Homenagem a Mongo
From: Som Três II [RGE, 1969]
Brazil is hard territory to crack. It’s a country that’s nearly the size of the United States. It’s close enough to the United States to pick up on much of it’s art including jazz and funk. Many Brazilian artists such as Gilberto Gil have worked with North American musicians going so far as to record collaborative projects that were big in both Brazil and the USA. However, since what seems like Brazil’s popularity peak in the US was the early 60’s it hasn’t resonated as much since. However a few indie bands such as CSS and Bonde Do Role have made minor imprints.

Som Tres are one of many fantastic bands from Brazil that were able to meld a jazz, funk and blues sound while still remaining tight, varied and fun. What’s amazing is that you will here great guitar lines, piano solos, organ grooves and tight drumming. The only negative thing I can say about Som Tres is their singing. The two track I picked are instrumental as is most of their catalogue. But they are proof that some bands don’t need vocalists and in some cases have vocals that detract from the great music behind them.

The music covers so many different genres that it inspires so many different moods. Some tracks sound like the best television theme ever, while others could clearly soundtrack James Bond finessing his way amidst beautiful women, drink in hand near a beachside hotel. Others are dirty dirty funk done in what I can only assume are impeccable clean and sharp suits. I’ve never been to Brazil before and hope to go someday. If given the chance this will most likely be my official band of Brazil.

California Soul is an criminally short track at under 2 minutes. It kicks off with a piano line and some skuzzy organ. The two battle back and forth throughout the song even verging into Morricone territory. It’s over before you knew it began, and don’t forget the cowbell that hangs in there for most the song. Homenagem a Mongo goes the other way and showcases Som Tres’ horn section including some bass horns that give it some extra thump. Basically if I were committing crimes in Las Vegas circa 1971 this song would play over my criminal home movies.

Glenn Goins – Summertime

Quickie here post folks, when you find something new, rare, you gotta get it up and out.

Don’t know Glenn Goins, member of Parliament – Funkadelic, vocalist / guitarist? I guess get started at the brief Wikipedia entry. He is also the founder of the funk group Quazar. ‘Summertime’ is a recording from 1978, after he left Parliament-Funkadelic in February earlier that year. It could be an outtake from the 1978 Quazar album. Quazar and Glenn Goins also wrote and produced albums for others like the Crowd Pleasers (this track), and Glenn has appeared on albums like Johnny Taylor’s ‘Disco Lady’. There’s a nice little MySpace tribute page over here as well for Glenn with a few streams of Quazar and P-Funk songs featuring Glenn.

Sorry to be so brief – it’s Spring and I’m running off for the Easter / Passover holidays. Again this tune ‘Summertime’ was such a nice little find even though it’s Spring! You have to love the breezy song here featuring Glenn’s amazing gospel soul vocal work as always.

And of course we know Glenn for this classic P-Funk moment, when the mothership comes:

Charly Antolini’s Power Dozen: Uela Uela and Marabuena
From: Atomic Drums [EMI-Columbia, 1972]

April 1st today but the only foolish thing about this site would be if you chose to not check out the couple of tracks from Charly Antolini’s breaktastic album Atomic Drums.

A Swiss jazz drummer, Charly’s albums always offered up some fantastic playing but Atomic Drums stands out from most of his releases by combining this energy with an album’s worth of tunes that fall more on the funkier side of the tracks. As you would expect/hope for an album with such a promising title (but rarely get) the tunes on offer here also have an insane amount of open breaks so any aspiring producers, do your worst.

Uela Uela may be familiar from a variety of mixes/compilations over the years as it’s become a popular number with its call and response vocal and trumpet line and a relentlessly dancefloor orientated beat. As you would expect from Antolini, the percussion is fantastic.

Marabeuna, a track with far less publicity, is a fantastic rolling beast. With what seems to me to be heavy African influences, the tune once again features call and response vocals/horns along with an exceptionally funky organ riff as well. Great stuff indeed.

As is sadly often the case, despite being arguably Antolini’s greatest album, this is a real git to find in the field, particularly if you’re not in Europe. Still, dedication always pays off and if not, I’m sure there are blogs out there sharing the whole thing somewhere.

I would post more but I think the G20 protesters are about to make my afternoon very interesting. More tunes soon if I get out of this in one piece…….

King T: Bass (Remix) and Payback’s a Mutha
From: Act a Fool [Capitol, 1988]
There’s no denying that NWA, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Ice-T hit huge on the hip hop scene from the West coast. But sometimes because of the hype that surrounded NWA and later the Ascendence of Death Row, some of the earlier names from the West Coast get forgotten. King T is still known by his peers and much of the game, but ask most about him and they’d assume you meant Ice T or were talking about TI.

Both of these tracks stand out both for their production and for his work on the mic. The production is done by both King T and DJ Pooh. It has a lot more in common with East Coast production and reminds me of Marley Marl who King T would later have produce for him o The Triflin’ Album, King T’s third LP. These songs have much more in common with Tone Loc and Young MC then they do with the gangsta movement of NWA.

On Payback’s a Mutha one of his first singles King T absolutely destroys the track. It’s hard not to recall Marley Marl again and think of the rhymes of Big Daddy Kane even though King T beat Kane to the punch by 2 years. On King T’s second album At Your Own Risk Ice Cube was featured on the track Played Like a Piano. The two sound similar the way they hit their rhymes and spend most of the time sounding like their about to take a bat to you.

In 1989 King T appeared on the posse cut We’re All in the Same Gang, a cut produced by Dre and featuring nearly everyone from MC Hammer to Ice-T and Shock G. Later he would sign to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath and was yet one of the many artists who failed to put out an album on the label finally releasing his album The Kingdom Come.