Flying Visit

Domenico Gnoli - Unbottoned Button (1969)

Apologies for the big gaps once again, I've been busy and not really felt like writing too much. I've been keeping notes on tracks I do want to talk about though, so let's get stuck in. I've been revisiting HEALTH's Death Magic once again, it's a record I love a whole lot. There are a couple of tracks on it that break with how I remember the full thing though - when I think HEALTH, I picture their noise-infused sound with lyrics streaked with nihilism. LIFE however, feels much more lighter in execution.

The noise element is still there with that deliciously distorted opening hook, but the delivery and lyrical content here feels much more... indie, for want of a better term, The kind of track that would break onto the radio every now and then - the chorus of "I don't know what I want, but I know that I don't know what I want" being that kind of clever rhythmical wordplay that is catchy as all get out. It's a feel it shares with LA LOOKS, a track that actually did appear on some indie compilations of the time.



Next is a track I've talked at length about in the past, the closing track for The Chemical Brothers' Push The Button: Surface To Air. Coming back to this album has been a bit of a mixed bag, I loved it way back when a friend loaned the CD to me way back when but some of the tracks have fallen prey to overplaying. Tracks like The Big Jump and Galvanize for example. Now that isn't a knock on the album, hell, it's not even the Chem. Bros' fault - those tracks have just been licensed and soundtracked a million times since release.

But that's maybe why I've fallen in with tracks like Surface To Air. It's a masterclass in the way the Bros build up tracks - perfectly placed as the final track of the album, it really feels like a complete journey over the 7 minute runtime. It takes a little while to get going, but I can't help falling in love all over again come around the 1 minute mark. It doesn't leave you hanging for the entire runtime, it only takes until roundabout the halfway mark for the full effect to come into play. signposted with a lovely almost post-rock-esque crescendo. And even then it's not done, adding a lovely bass line not long after and continuing to evolve over the rest of the runtime! It's a fantastic piece, frustratingly only available on the premium Soundcloud legitimately so I'm including a YT player as well for the full thing.

The Chemical Brothers · Surface To Air

And that'll be all for today, I am going to try and be a little more active soon as things are winding down, I have plenty to write about but it is finding time that is the issue! I may change tack and do some more of these smaller posts in future to mitigate that a bit, but it shouldn't be long before I can return to my usual ones. At any rate - as always, stay safe and enjoy the music.

-CVF

Same Name Game 2

You ever stumble across a note that you'd left yourself and just plain forgotten about? that's what this post is. Around the same time I made the first version of this post I must have made a second draft for a sequel that then got buried under other posts. There was nothing to it other than a cursory list of tracks so I figured I'd come in and flesh it out, and here we are.

Claudio Bravo - Mystic Package (1967)

The main limiting factor for this one is that some of the tracks aren't on my usual bandcamp players, but that's not the end of the world. It's also not the case for this first one either. Kicking off with a bit from Kavinsky's delayed debut. After a string of home-run EPs I was very excited for Kavinsky to drop an album, which eventually came to be in OutRun. OutRun is... fine. I told myself at the time its just because I was getting a little sick of the retro electro aesthetic but even on revisiting it my opinion remains the same. By far and away the best tracks here are the ones that were already on EPs that came before, but there are a couple standouts in the original camp as well. Don't let that put you off if you've never listened to Kavinsky before, the album is a great starting point. Since originally making notes for this post the man has announced a second album as well, and the single from it is very nice. Here's one of the standout originals, Blizzard.



From there we hit up Light Club, with one of the many tracks from Hotline Miami that are seared into my brain. Their Blizzard is a perfect addition to the sequel's soundtrack, very befitting of the more surreal direction that it took. Slightly off kilter, I think I could best describe it as nervous trap, a great choice to set the atmosphere for the scenes with dialogue. Sadly, like a lot of artists from the Hotline Miami OSTs, there hasn't been a release from Light Club in nigh on 10 years at this point, though a quick thumb-through of Discogs tells me that one half of the duo is still pretty active. I always think that's a bit of a shame, if you really dug the vibe of the OSTs like I did and go looking for more you can find that well dries up pretty quickly. Having said that, some of them are still at it, M.O.O.N. of Hydrogen fame has just dropped a new album for example.



A duet of Close Your Eyes next, first with Circ. I've talked about Circ's one and only album at length in a Retro Review and my feelings remain pretty much the same - if you like slightly kitsch early 2000's electropop as much as I do then you will find a lot to love. Echoing my thoughts from last time as well, the standout moment is still that incredible and obviously euphoric trance inspired breakdown around 2 minutes in - between that and the rest of the track its a great little capsule that is a distillation of the era's 'dance music' sound (see also, the very of-the-era music video) in my mind it's in the same ballpark as records like Mylo's Destroy Rock & Roll for example.



Speaking of, we're going to head over to The Chemical Brothers' Push The Button next, an album that I've thought about doing it's own retro review of. It's a bit of a mixed bag in my opinion, but one that's a little overlooked at the same time - look past overplayed tracks like Galvanize and there's some really great moments on here, my favourite being the spectacular closer Surface To Air. Close Your Eyes follows a similar kind of arc though, a real slow burn that builds to a post-rock-esque crescendo - not always my preferred way of things but sometimes it hits the spot just right, and when it does it's lovely.



Trying to make up for the back-to-back YT players with a little bonus, first things first kicking things more downtempo with my local hero Nightmares On Wax. Taken from Thought So... it has a little bit of a different sound to the albums before and after it, and a big part of that is probably down to how the thing was recorded - the whole album is a series of sessions recorded along the way as N.O.W moved from the U.K. over to Spain. This gives the whole thing this really interesting jovial 'live' quality, it feels like one big jam session and you're along for the ride.



And finally a bit of UNKLE, specifically their first album when it was a collaboration between James Lavelle and DJ Shadow. Psyence Fiction is a great little album, it was supposed to be getting an anniversary reissue a couple years back if I remember right but nothing seems to have come of it. Regardless if you are at all into 90's trip hop or are even just a fan of DJ Shadow it's certainly worth your time, Shadow's influence is very pronounced on it. Unreal is one of my favourite tracks from the LP, and there is also a sort of 'bonus' version on the end titled Be There, featuring Ian Brown of The Stone Roses on the vocal front. It feels very natural in its execution, it's not like the vocal has just been hastily overdubbed or anything - Ian's voice suits this sound really well, it's a collaboration I'd have liked to have seen more of, with UNKLE or a similar act.



And that'll be all for this time, I think I used up all my 'same name' ammo for a little while now! A little bit more of an eclectic mix this time around, but I hope you've enjoyed these tracks as much as I have putting this all together. I'm hoping to get back on track with the posting schedule so keep an eye out for more but until then, as always, stay safe and enjoy the music.

-CVF

The Great British Bonanza

Not going to lie, I didn't really have a plan this week, and I didn't want to leave you all with *nothing* for another week, so I decided to kinda cop-out a bit with some archiving I've been meaning to do anyway. Here is an old mixtape thing (and an idea I shamelessly stole from Bibio from 2013!); a whirlwind tour of the isles I call home - touching a whole host of genres along the way. It's not *strictly* electronic but only barely, before it goes all in on the Drum & Bass, ending in that gorgeous explosion that is Surface To Air. I believe I originally wanted this to be a more in-depth tour of genres of the UK (hence the big D&B part), touching on Garage, Trip-Hop and old school Rave and Hardcore. But that might be a bit beyond both my skill level and things in my collection! Perhaps another time. Full track list here:

Tracklist:
Broadcast - I Found The F
Grape Digging Sharon Fruits - Man-Made Reservoir
Commix - Burn Out (Fade Away)
Goldie - Timeless (Inner City Life)
Omni Trio - Sanctuary
The Chemical Brothers - Surface To Air


A little light I know, but I'll try and be back next week with something a little more substantial - if you've never heard this mix I did (it was originally for the podcast), I hope you enjoy! And as always - Stay safe and enjoy the music.

-CVF

Bank Holiday (2020 Re-post)

NOTE: Hi there! I'm going through the backcatalogue and re-publishing all the posts I can find. I'm re-posting them as new articles too just so there is visible content going up. This post is originally from April 2015.

Enjoy,
-CVF

Ah, Bank Holiday Monday: a British tradition. Not so much of an impact this one seeing as I'm only in Uni on Wednesdays these days but hey ho any excuse. So sit tight as I regale you with audio offerings from my collection.

David Hockney - Yves Marie in the Rain (1973)

As you may have seen on our FB I went thorough a bit of a Chemical Brothers thing, working my way out of it now but I will still say Exit Planet Dust is still the cure for what ails me. And the opening track will always have a place in my heart as well as the annals of Great British Electronic.



Keepin' it on the isles, I've been looking back at my 2-step shenanigans I enjoyed as a yoof. Back in 2002, The Streets dropped Original Pirate Material. The lyrical content may be a bit dated these days (dropping references to Nintendo 64's and that) but as a soon-to-be-teen in the grimy post-industrial landscape of the north there was no record that I connected with better. That's changed since then of course, but I'd be lying if I didn't have a soft spot for tunes like this.



And one last local tune, what would be a post from me without a little Nightmares On Wax?. An early highlight on Thought So..., 195lbs is a perfect example of the jam style structure of the LP, as it was recorded in parts on a road trip as N.O.W upped sticks from the UK and settled in Spain.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Ilictronix Podcast: The Van Foxbat Chronicles - The Videogame

"In this episode: It's a Claude-centric week! Claude shares some some electro pop tracks. Adam shares his favourite cuts from video games.

We are a go for this week! and this episode makes me wish that me and Adam collaborated on our choices. As you should all know by now I am no stranger to including soundtrack stuff in my selections, hell just last week we had a remix from a Serial Experiments Lain as the intro. Long story short I end up talking pretty passionately about not only videogames as a whole, but their role in shaping my music taste as a wee Foxbat, being one of the few sources I had for *new* electronic stuff.

Anyway, I return to the days of ilictronix gone by, putting together a playlist out of whatever came up on shuffle. Aside from dropping a few unsuitable additions that have come into my library since, it even turned out like my old school shuffle posts to boot, we have some deja vu inducing tunes that come close to previous weeks'; with Shinichi's cover of Star Guitar leading the nostalgic electro charge, as well as yet another version of Rippin Kittin that actually features the title in the lyrics in this mix! Rounding out with a little from my longtime favourite animator come musician David Firth under his Locust Toybox alias and rather fittingly, another bit from The Chemical Brothers' Push The Button.

The second half of this episode me and Adam drop all pretences of dive right into our shared history of finding (and loving) tracks from videogames. It's not uncharted (ha) territory for me, but I was very excited to hear Adam tackle it and he did not disappoint. We share a lot of these choices in common, particularity towards the end. We have some good discussion in there too and like I said I wish that we could have collaborated fully on this list, I could talk for days about Rez for example, and I wish I recalled more of the info for this episode. Regardless, enjoy our choices for this week, and look forward to an ultra-long episode in future focused on soundtracks. As per usual, full tracklist and notes below: Tracklist:
Intro:
Jesper Kyd - Vegas

Claude’s picks:
Mitch Murder - Runners
Shinichi Osawa - Star Guitar
Golden Boy With Miss Kittin - Rippin Kittin (Glove Radio Edit)
Locust Toybox - Arisa
The Chemical Brothers - The Boxer


Adam’s Picks
Michiel van den Bos - Foregone Destruction
Amon Tobin - Ruthless

Claude's Special Replacement Selection:
Keiichi Sugiyama - Buggie Running Beeps 01

Photek - The Third Sequence
Omni Trio - First Contact

Outro:
FILTER FISH - Selected ID


Show Notes:
The Mitch Murder EP I talk about Mech Hunter OST is available from on his Bandcamp, it's name-your-price so you can pick it up as a freebie if you want, I personally threw a couple of quid his way because he has mos def earned it. Check out his other stuff while you're there if you wanna hear some of that "YuppieWave".

Mentioned in passing, but the Original upload of the music video for Shinichi's Star Guitar that takes more than a hint of inspiration from The Chem Bros' one. It's amazing how far streaming video's come on in 10 years, the compression's unfortunately reduced this one to a muddy mess.

I can't mention Rez without including a video of it in motion, I'm not exaggerating when I say it's a completely different experience in that context, and not only because the mix is slightly different on the in-game one. One of these days I'll dedicate a full episode to talking about it.

Probably missing one or two as per usual, but I will update as and when!

-Claude Van Foxbat

The British Bonanza (Podcast Supplement)

Holiday season means there'll be no traditional podcast episode this week, instead we have a kinda mixtape dealie from yours truly Van Foxbat. The running theme, as you might have guessed from the title is that all artists featured hail from the ilses I call home. I've had this selection half baked in a forgotten section of my HDD for some years now, I took it out and spruced it up a little bit, gave it a few extra tracks and here we are.



So please enjoy my slightly eclectic seletions for this week, we go from the skeletal electropop of Broadcast into some more folky stuff courtesy of the Grape Dgging Sharon Fruits, before making our way into drum & bass territory by way of a house tune from Commix; leading us into the gorgeous and etheral Timeless from Goldie, and the supremely lush Sanctuary from Omni Trio before coming to a close with The Chemical Brothers' Surface To Air, one of my all time favourite final tracks from an album. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week! Formatted track-list can be found below as usual. Me and Adam will be back to usual schedule next week, (at least until the December holiday season) see you then!

Tracklist:
Broadcast - I Found The F
Grape Digging Sharon Fruits - Man-Made Reservoir
Commix - Burn Out (Fade Away)
Goldie - Timeless
Omni Trio - Sanctuary
The Chemical Brothers - Surface To Air

-Claude Van Foxbat

Fest Reminisce

Friedensreich Hundertwasser - 626 The Way To You (1966)

Was talking to a friend about his recent fest trip; and in doing so revisited some homegrown bands that I think I often overlook. Starting with Basement Jaxx, this tune in particular falls into that category of so many forgotten dance songs in that I knew it pretty much from the opening but I'd long since forgotten about it. And I love how fantastically unapologetically bombastic it stats out, that bassy synth and Lisa Kekaula cutting thorough the soft strings of the intro in spectacular fashion. Her delivery is on point too, giving the bitter lyrics a rally cathartic edge. Definitely getting an honorable mention in future for sublime album openers.



Second is one of the actual reasons for this post; I've said a million times before I feel like I don't like The Chem Bros. as much as I should, they're always popping up in my recommends over on discogs and the like but I'd say I'm only passingly familiar with them at best. That is apart from Push The Button, which I know pretty much back-to-front thanks to a friend lending me a copy way back when. I've mentioned a bunch how good Surface To Air is as an album closer (and I almost did again) but I think it's time to give another shout out to another of my favourites from the LP. Hold Tight London is one of my go-to long haul travel tunes, (Ironically enough with all my train travel it should've been Star Guitar) it's seen me many places over the years and every time it feels just as sweet as the first.



Another tune I think falls into that same category is Miss Kittin & The Hacker's Hometown. Released a few years before their big comeback with the album Two, it sheds the techno/electro/clash sensibilities of their work prior and embraces this more House-y sound. The outright vulgarity of Kittin's lyrics is gone too for this single, the debauchery of Frank Sinatra replaced instead by more poetic musings. It's up there as one of my favourites from the duo, and much like Hold Tight London it's progression lends itself well to long-haul listening. I will always adore those synths that back the chorus, as much it feels like The Hacker is teasing you with them until they come round again. Get a load of the nostalgia-laden video:



-Claude Van Foxbat

Inde-pod-ance

You might've noticed I'd gone quiet again as of late, with reason this time though, as behind the scenes me and Adam have been refining the Podcast recording process. So to give it a test run, we recorded a very special independence day episode; with Adam managing to get it edited and put up on our mixcloud the same day(!). It's going up a day late here because I was out of town last night but that's no reason you can't enjoy our selections still. Tracklist after the player:



Opening:
When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Matzzz Remix)

Claude’s Selections
The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar
Shinichi Osawa - Maximum Joy
DJ Mehdi - Tunisia Bambaataa

Adam’s picks:
Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principle - Your Love
Adonis - No Way Back
Maurice - Get Into The Dance

Outro:
This random remix of Yankee Doodle Dandy we found

New Chems Quickie

It always pleases me to get updates like this in my inbox. I'd known the chem bros were brewing a new LP for a while, but it's nice to see them actually put up one of the bonus tracks for streaming instead of holding it for ransom after release (or worse, including it in a later pressing of the album after you've already bought it.)



It's decidedly un-Chemical Brothers for the most part it seems, almost minimal in a way. Can't say I'm the biggest fan of the sample that give it its title, but the other parts more than make up for that. The opening bass has seen me through some animating today, and probably will for the rest of the week!

-Claude Van Foxbat

Bank Holiday

Ah, Bank Holiday Monday: a British tradition. Not so much of an impact this one seeing as I'm only in Uni on Wednesdays these days but hey ho any excuse. So sit tight as I regale you with audio offerings from my collection.

David Hockney - Yves Marie in the Rain (1973)

As you may have seen on our FB I went thorough a bit of a Chemical Brothers thing, working my way out of it now but I will still say Exit Planet Dust is still the cure for what ails me. And the opening track will always have a place in my heart as well as the annals of Great British Electronic.



Keepin' it on the isles, I've been looking back at my 2-step shenanigans I enjoyed as a yoof. Back in 2002, The Streets dropped Original Pirate Material. The lyrical content may be a bit dated these days (dropping references to Nintendo 64's and that) but as a soon-to-be-teen in the grimy post-industrial landscape of the north there was no record that I connected with better. That's changed since then of course, but I'd be lying if I didn't have a soft spot for tunes like this.



And one last local tune, what would be a post from me without a little Nightmares On Wax?. An early highlight on Thought So..., 195lbs is a perfect example of the jam style structure of the LP, as it was recorded in parts on a road trip as N.O.W upped sticks from the UK and settled in Spain.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Commission

Apologies again for the quiet patch, but I done found myself a freelance job. Lucky for you it was a pretty speedy turnaround, so I can share with you the tunes I was jamming to while editing!

Chiho Aoshima - Yuyake Chan Miss Sunset (2006)

I always feel like I don't like The Chem' Bros. as much as I should. Don't get me wrong I love Exit Planet Dust and all that for sure but I don't really keep up with them as I should. Regardless when they hit their high points they really do, I've been looping this one for years and I'm not likely to stop now.



Remember when I was meant to give you a break from Simon Viklund? Turns out I LIED because this came on while I was editing and I forgot how much of a jam it was, this thing has some wicked bass in it. I'd love to see an album from the guy, if his soundtracks are anything to go by it'd be solid.



Also saw a return to form for the final track from Happy Birthday!, featuring Warp Records dwellers Maxïmo Park. Shame they've done nothing together since, the 'Selektor's style works real good with their contributions and I'd love to see where they take it with their current sound.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Post Deadline Quickie

Hey all, another year under my belt and a little bit closer to that degree now. And as such I'm looking to celebrate a little. Here are a few post hand in jams I have up at current.

Jeremy Mann - Sunset By Union Square

Opener from the Ellen Allien & Apparat collab. Not as lighthearted as the album title, Orchestra Of Bubbles would have you believe. The album is full of tracks that like Miss Kittin's I Com and Batbox are easily as at home on the dancefloor as they are on yer own. Solid intro and an album I definitely recommend you check out.



And a couple of sedate numbers I qued up for the ride home. I've said before I never really dug the Chem Bros. too much until a friend lent me Push The Button way back when. I was realy taken in by this track, it was a side to them I'd never really heard before and I loved it. Still got time for it every now and then these days, it's still a gorgeous tune.



And finally I put on the fittingly summer tinged Made In The Shade by The Deadbeats. I can't stress how much I love this LP, the guys are very underrated and hell I wouldn't have even found them had they not put this album out on Wax:On and been featured in a promo mix by Nightmares On Wax. Check them out for some lovely blissed out hip hop vibes.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Cutting Kids and Other Things

Hey guys, Nite here with a quick post this time. I didn't really have anything planned for this post thanks to college and mid-terms, so here's some interesting tunes I've found during the past couple of weeks.

First up, we have a previously unreleased track from Madeon named Cut the Kid.  Short, but sweet, it carries some powerful beats that you just can't help but dig. This will definitely be on your replay list for sure.

Madeon · Madeon - Cut The Kid

Next up is a Chemical Brothers track I discovered on a Sasha and John Digweed Mix CD. The track, named Enjoyed, is 8 minutes of Sitar-based Electronic music. It's absolutely lovely and perhaps one of my all time favorite Chemical Bros. tracks to date. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy (heh) this gem!




Third up on the list is this wonderful remix of Maya Jane Coles Something in the Air by Bonobo. Unfortunately, it's not out as an mp3 yet, but you can still listen to this wonderful tune on Soundcloud. It's Chill as fuck.

Lastly, in regards to Sasha, here's one of my all time favorite tracks from him. No words to describe how amazing this tune is.



Be seeing you all soon with some more tunes! Till then, have a wonderful music filled afternoon!


Peace,
Nite

Summer Vibes

For those of us not in the northern hemisphere, summer is her. So avoiding all of the crispy-ice tunes, here's my personal soundtrack to summer. I like to spend my summers relaxing and being around those that one would wish to be around with such amazing weather.

That Summer Feeling

First up, some sparkly build up from Van She. I'll admit, I liked the original Walking On A Dream by Empire of The Sun, but I also hated to like it. Van She's whole remix is a build up covered in sunscreen wearing some high fashion shades and swimwear with tropical prints. It just works.


Next is some amazing chunky goodness from Pretty Lights. His first album, A Colour Map of The Sun dropped in early July, and I love it. Combining what can only be described as 'phat' electro lines with pseudo-sampled soul, Pretty Lights has created something beautiful. This track is a clear winner in my book, and just fills me with excitement for summer days.



Seemingly minimalist compared to Yellow Bird, Montreal based CFCF's remix of HEALTH's Good Tigers still slots perfectly into the summer vibes playlist. With an almost reggae base to it, smooth as silk vocal work and a beat that doesn't overpower the delicate nature, CFCF perfects the summer sound with little soundscape.



Released July last year, Purity Ring's debut album Shrines was a modest success, and sat in the U.K polls at #100. A strange mix of hip hop inspired beats, electronic dance anthems and indie, Purity Ring have sparked my interest. I'm rather excited to hear what their next album brings. Until then, Fineshrine is my choice track for the Canadian electro duo, and for beach activities.



My initial plan was to post the entire list, but it just keeps growing. So I'll make this the last one for now. In 2011, the Chemical Brothers crafted the soundtrack to Hanna, a movie that seems to have gone by largely unnoticed. While the movie is a possible 4 stars for me, the soundtrack holds some quality gems, gems that sparkle in the sun.


Slip Slop Slap,
-Sulphites

AT / AA 93

Kazimir Malevich - Man In Suprematic Landscape (1930)

Good night out in Newcastle yesterday, gives me a chance to give my morning after playlist a good listen to while I travel the 3 hours home. This playlist has gone through many different volumes and rearranged countless times, but it always started with track 8 from The Chemical Brother's debut; One Too Many Mornings

AT / AA 55

Jim Rosenquist - The Specific Target (1996)

I said that the Chem Bros had a way with outros when it came to ending Push The Button. But what I forgot to mention is that their debut has an equally electrifying opening, Leave Home could have come anywhere on the album and been a good tune, but putting it as number one was a brilliant move. Have a gander for yourself!

AT / AA 4

VitaliV - Elvis

I must admit, for a long time I wasn't big on the Chem Brothers, aside from Star Guitar obviously. But I've picked up a few pieces here and there and back when a friend was kind enough to lend me his copy of Push The Button, and that's where I found this tune here. If we're talking progression, this tune nails it completely unlike the Deadmau5 method of builds, fakeouts and breakdowns. As an album closer, it's pretty much perfect.

Train Tracks

I like trains. They're alright, but up until now I've never had a reason to take them every day. Until now. I managed a few days before I couldn't cope anymore and enlisted the help of my ever trusty headphones. And that's where it comes into its own, the train journey now becomes your own personal music video.


Of course, I can't mention train soundtracks and music videos without dropping the most infamous example of it. The Brother's prolific video for Star Guitar was certainly present in my mind the first couple times I took the train, and it was only fitting that it was one of the first to accompany me on it. It felt fitting to use the original stone cold classic, while I do love Shinichi Osawa's electro-fied version, I had to give the Chems their run for the video alone.



It had been a while since I'd given Skream's debut a listen again, It's bloody quality stuff to this day, as a lot of earlier dub is. One of the standouts to me was the closer that just happened to come up after Star Guitar, it's filled with little flourishes in sound that are just great. And that constantly rolling bass lurking in the background of the mix doesn't go amiss either.



Just over halfway there and shuffle steps things up a bit, with a dollop of new school house from Rex The Dog. I love this track because it's a bloody perfect example of drop-teasing done correctly. Unlike tracks where you get 5 minutes of buildup for 30 seconds of payoff before another five minutes of build (looking at you there, Deadmau5), Rex teases you with snippets of the main hook before delivering in spades and heading effortlessly into breaks. It's really something.




I just couldn't leave Shinichi hanging though, after all The One is pretty class. So as we pull into the station this little number comes on; the closing track to The One, filled with all the good vibes and electro warbles that the rest of the LP has, all based around that one loop. I always get it and The Patch mixed up, they are quite similar 'cos they're both are based around a loop, the difference being I listened to The Patch to death and had forgotten all about Ami Nu Ku Tuu so that was a nice surprise!



And finally, giving me an upbeat start to my day was a long forgotten track from UK indie kids The Go! Team. Get It Together joins the exclusive club alongside Chris Clark's Lord Of The Dance of tunes I have with playful wind instruments in them. While that whole part of the track is pretty sweet,the real highlight for me is that amazing breakdown at the end (2:45) that completely changes the feel of the track and infuses it with some vinyl scratchin', hip hoppin' goodness.



Right, and now m'off to go book my ticket in preparation for doing it all again tomorrow! I'll catch you again somewhere down the line.

De-railed,
-Claude Van Foxbat