6 Mix: Adrian Sherwood

I'm guessing that as part of the On-U Sound 30 year anniversary celebrations, this is another example of (the rather belated) recognition of the label's, and of course Mr. Sherwood's, fantastic contribution to our musical education.

An eclectic 2 hour mix, broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music on Saturday 28 January 2012 at 22:00.

While much of it will be familiar to On-U Sound aficionados (African Head Charge, Mark Stewart, Bim Sherman, New Age Steppers, Gary Clail), there's also some tasters from Adrian's forthcoming album, and other rarities that, to the best of my knowledge, are not available elsewhere (the Congo Natty dubplate of Max Romeo's all time classic Chase The Devil and Adrian's own dubplate of Caspa's Where's My Money?).

Oh, and an Arabic version of Bob Marley's War...

Well worth a listen. And that's the understatement of the year.

1. African Head Charge: Take Heed... & Smoke Up Your Collyweed
2. Lee 'Scratch' Perry: God Smiled (Moody Boyz Remix)
3. Caspa: Where's My Money? (Adrian Sherwood Dubplate Version)
4. Codec & Flexor: Time Has Changed
5. Mark Stewart Vs. Primal Scream: Autonomia
6. Primal Scream: Ju-87
7. Lee 'Scratch' Perry: Like The Way You Should (Digital Mystikz Remix)
8. Adrian Sherwood: Untitled 1 (from forthcoming album)
9. Adrian Sherwood: Untitled 2 (from forthcoming album)
10. Bim Sherman: Golden Locks (Original Version)
11. Bim Sherman: Golden Locks (Acoustic Version)
12. Adrian Sherwood: The Law Of Man (from forthcoming album)
13. Harry Beckett: The Storyteller
14. Harry Beckett: Something Special
15. Crispy Horns: Metropolis
16. Gary Clail & On-U Sound System: Two Thieves & A Liar
17. Jeb Loy Nichols: To Be Rich (Should Be A Crime)
18. Samia Farah & Neyssatou: War
19. New Age Steppers: The Scheiße Song
20. New Age Steppers: Conquer (featuring Ari Up)
21. Andy Fairley: Jack The Biscuit
22. New Age Steppers: My Nerves
23. Mark Stewart: Gang War
24. Lee 'Scratch' Perry: Jungle Youth (Congo Natty Remix)
25. Max Romeo: Chase The Devil (Congo Natty Dubplate)
26. Adrian Sherwood: A Piece Of The Earth (featuring Little Roy)
27. Adrian Sherwood: U Are Sound
28. Mark Stewart: Jerusalem

Download Part 1
Download Part 2

Karmadrome/Eat Me, Drink Me, Love Me, Kill Me CD

One of the many CD versions of the 12" posted originally here.

Think this was the first outing for PWEI-Zation since it first hit the turntables in 1989 on the release of Very Metal Noise Pollution.

One for the completists amongst us.

1. Karmadrome (7")
2. Eat Me, Drink Me, Love Me, Kill Me
3. Karmadrome
4. PWEI-Zation

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92º... The Incredible P.W.E.I. Vs. Dirty Harry

Another fine slab of musicality from Stourbridge's finest, and like other posts here, taken from the excellent Cure For Sanity.

All three tracks stand up to scrutiny, with The Incredible P.W.E.I. Vs. Dirty Harry particularly liable to induce dubbed-out foot-tapping.

Flood is credited with original production for tracks 1 and 2, and the remix for both these tracks are down to the prolific Boilerhouse.

1. 92º Boilerhouse (The Birth Mix)
2. 92º Boilerhouse (The Birth, The Death Mix)
3. The Incredible P.W.E.I. Vs. Dirty Harry

Go on, make your day. You know you want to...

Download

Breach The Peace E.P.

Like many others, I suspect, I bought this in the lead up to the Criminal Justice Act.

I need do no more than quote Autechre:

"we advise DJs to have a lawyer and a musicologist present at all times to confirm the non-repetitive nature of the music in the event of police harassment".

A1 Breach The Peace
A2 Do Et

B1 Seven
B2 23 Minute Warning

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Bulletproof!

If you're something of a completist (like myself), then this will be of interest. However, if quality is in your heart, then this may come up somewhat short.

As I noted in my earlier post, the title track was going to need some radical work to move it into silk purse territory. Adrian fails on this front again, and Boilerhouse fare no better.

The final shame of it all is that the last track (which I believe appears nowhere else) proves to be a sadly accurate assessment of the whole sorry mess.

There we go, that'll be no downloads then...

1. Bulletproof! (Adrian Sherwood Remix)
2. Bulletproof! (Original Boilerhouse Mix)
3. Bulletproof! (Extended Adrian Sherwood Mix)
4. Good From Far, Far From Good

Download

Punk Funk 12"

Another slab of vinyl from the Elementalz album.

Disappointingly, the title track is lifted straight from the album, however the Underdog and DJ Crystl treatments of Mad Headz both add interest - hypnotic bass on both.

A1 Punk Funk
A2 Mad Headz (The Underdog Remix)

AA1 Mad Headz (More Edz Remix)
AA2 Mad Headz (DJ Crystl Remix)

Download

Alphabetical Response 12"

One mixed-race, one black, one yid.

This 12" is from The Brotherhood's third album, Elementalz, and a fine slab of vinyl that is too. Let's face it, rap that name-checks Poohsticks, Worzel Gummidge, Barry Sheene and quotes Frank Bruno has to bring a smile to the face.

I've always liked British rap, but there's precious little of it that's that good, but this stands up well. What really struck me when I first heard it was that they weren't trying to out-gangsta US rappers; in fact there's no gangsta at all.

Instead, we have some clever rhymes, politically aware lyrics, and best of all a dark, brooding feel to everything.

Fine, fine music.

A1 Alphabetical Response (LP Version)
A2 Alphabetical Response (Instrumental)

B1 One³ (LP Version)
B2 One³ (Instrumental)

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Nostalgia's Not What It Used To Be...

Been catching up on things now that work is beginning to wind down for the year, and re-discovered lots of draft posts for vinyl I have digitised over the past months.

Sadly, it turns out that most of it was shite, hence the title of this post.

However, I recognise that my taste is not everyone else's, so thought I'd list the vinyl I bothered to digitise, but won't bother to post.

If anyone has a burning need for any of these, just ask nicely, you never know what might happen:

The Beatmasters: Dunno What It Is (About You) 12"

Brothers In Rhythm: Such A Good Feeling 12"

Coldcut: People Hold On (The Blaze Mix) 12"

D-Mob: We Call It Acieeed 12"

Deee-Lite: Groove Is In The Heart 12"
Deee-Lite: Power Of Love 12"

Digital Orgasm: Moog Eruption 12" (Promo)
Digital Orgasm: Running Out Of Time 12"
Digital Orgasm: Running Out Of Time (Remixes) 12"
Digital Orgasm: Startouchers 12"

Double Trouble & The Rebel MC: Just Keep Rockin' 12"

Still don't know why I ended up with so much Digital Orgasm - average at best, and that's being unkind to average...

Haunting Ground

Ah, Jarrett Tomlinson, one of the most beautiful voices in reggae.

Not only that, but he has worked with some of the best in the business:

Dub Syndicate
Horace Andy
Roots Radics

Don't normally feel comfortable with posting albums, but pretty sure this one is rare, and it's too good not to share.

Word of caution though: the vinyl looks like the rolling seas - it's on very lightweight vinyl and hasn't fared well, so the quality's not great.

Worth putting up with though, I think.

A1 Haunting Ground
A2 Life
A3 War Mongers
A4 Gold & Silver

B1 For The Future
B2 Thanks & Praises
B3 Moving
B4 Got To Get On
B5 Hang On

Download

Landing Party

Reminded of Radical Dance Faction by Roy Rocket's recent post, and as a result just ripped this from vinyl.

Have to admit when I first got my USB turntable, two R.D.F. albums found their way onto it fairly quickly, Borderline Cases and Wasteland. Sadly, at the time these turned out to be in the "nostalgia's not what it used to be" category, so never bothered with this 12".

Maybe I shouldn't have been so hasty. This actually stands up pretty well, once you've got used to Chris Bowsher's style, and are feeling receptive to the political/social overtones.

Gary Clail sounds like Maggie compared to this...

A1 Landing Party

B1 Landing Party (Short Version)
B2 Riverwise II

Download

The Afro-Left E.P.

Ah Leftfield. Unrivaled music, but so little of it...

This E.P. starts with the standard Leftism version, to remind us where we're starting from, then moves into the variants.

All three derivatives are different, but true to the original. Can't find any mix credits, so I assume they are all the product of Mr. Barnes' and Mr. Daley's hard work.

Afro Ride is more housey than tribal; Afro Sol more hypnotic; Afro Central more eclectic.

1 Afro Left
2 Afro Ride
3 Afro Sol
4 Afro Central

Download

Carnival

As I explained below, I had been looking for this Lionrock gem for ages, remembering wholly positive reviews by mates in the early nineties. Don't know how I missed out on getting a copy back then, but now I've got it, it's not disappointed.

Great samples (is it only me, or can I hear Thunderbirds drums in there?).

Chugs along nicely, exactly as it should.

1 Are You Ready To Testify?
2 The Guide
3 As Dawn Approaches
4 The Prankster's Mardi Gras

Download

P.S. not going to post Tripwire, as it's available all over the inter-web...

Escape

The last of the Clail triumvirate, and a fine way to round things off it is too.

Escape is not a straight lift off The Emotional Hooligan, as it's nearly a minute shorter. Sounds like they simply faded out the album version at around 3:30. What a strange decision.

Thankfully, Escape (On The Mix) redeems this miserliness, and things are rounded off solidly by False Leader (Parts 1 & 2), featuring the ever popular Marcus Garvey Dread sample from Big Youth's Dreadlocks Dread.

1 Escape
2 Escape (On The Mix)
3 False Leader (Parts 1 & 2)

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These Things Are Worth Fighting For

Until I looked carefully, I thought I had just picked up the CD version of the 12" I already own, but I was only partially right. The 12" and this CD share the following tracks:

These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Mix)
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Radio Mix)
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Radio Mix)

But the CD has these two mixes which are not on the 12":

These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Club Mix)
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (On-U Sound Mix)

The 12" has this mix which is not on the CD, but is on the These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Justin Robertson Remix) version:

These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Lion Rock Mix II)

Honestly, I hope no one accuses the record industry of taking advantage of those of an anal disposition, because as we can see from above this would be wholly unwarranted.

Anyway, here's the lot, I'll leave it to you to resolve any duplication...

1 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Mix)
2 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Perfecto Radio Mix)
3 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Radio Mix)
4 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Club Mix)
5 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (On-U Sound Mix)

Download

These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Justin Robertson Remix)

I'd already heard the Lion Rock Mix II version of this (it's on the 12" I previously posted) so I was looking forward to the others, to see what magic Mr. Robertson had been able to weave.

Pretty good they are too.Lion Rock Mix IV really chugs along nicely, and the break around 2:10 in the Prankster Mix I really hits the spot.

Probably one for the Gary Clail and/or Justin Robertson completists, but worth a listen nonetheless:

1 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Lion Rock Mix II)
2 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Lion Rock Mix IV)
3 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Prankster Mix I)
4 These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Prankster Mix III)

Download

TV USA

Following on from the previous post, only going to post this Sheep On Drugs acquisition, as I discovered I already had versions of both Track X E.P. and Motorbike/Mary Jane (meaning others had already posted).

As it happens, this is the best of the three anyway, being closer in style to Out Come The Freaks from Live At The Brain 2 (in fact if I'm not much mistaken The Flaming Church is a reworking of Out Come The Freaks?). Personally, I didn't get on quite so well with their other releases.

Like the sample on The Flaming Church; makes me smile...

1 TV USA
2 USA
3 Church
4 The Flaming Church

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Oxfordshire Market Town Defies Expectations...

I wouldn't normally look to bore anyone with the minutiae of my life, but today was such a surprise I'm willing to break my self-imposed rule on this.

Picture the scene: a sleepy Oxfordshire market town; I'm there to complete some tedious shopping (personal hygiene products etc.); the weather is unseasonably warm.

On the off-chance, I venture into a well known charity shop. I've been here before, and the audio items on offer have been the normal uninspiring candidates: Westlife, S Club 7, Kylie etc. etc.

On this occasion, however, things are different. At the front of the normally piss-poor collection of CD's is Lionrock's Carnival - I've been looking for this for ages, both on-line and in the real world. Next I discover Tripwire by the same esteemed artists. My pulse quickens (such is the banality of my life).

It becomes clear that someone's collection of early 90's CD singles has somehow ended up here. They are either a music lover who has lost the faith, or whose other half has chosen to punish them for unknown misdemeanours.

No one gives this stuff away, at least not if they are in their right mind. Here's my haul in full:

Gary Clail & On-U Sound System:

Escape
These Things Are Worth Fighting For
These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Justin Robertson Remix)

Leftfield:

The Afro Left E.P.

Lionrock:

Tripwire
Carnival

Pop Will Eat Itself:

Karmadrome
Bulletproof!

Sheep On Drugs:

TV USA
Track X E.P.
Motorbike/Mary Jane

System 7:

Habibi

Once I've burned them, and worked out what's not been posted before (or is available to purchase) I'll share my good fortune.

Charity's never been so good...

Cheeba E.P.

More choice tunes from Rising High, this time from Project One.

This 12" bought off the back of XL Recordings: The Third Chapter.

Although the Linval Thompson sample on Smokin' is well worn, and dare I say it clichéd now, back then it was fresh.

Ah, takes you back to an age of innocence...

A1 Smokin'
A2 It's Driving Me

B1 Give It All You Got
B2 Live Vibe II

Download

Brutal-8-E (Orange Edition)

Great track.

Great mixes.

Tell me you're not smiling...

A1 Brutal-8-E (Jungle Brutalism Mix)
A2 Brutal-8-E (Z-Trance Mix)

B1 Brutal-8-E (Orange Edition)
B2 One For John (DJ Nex Mix)

Download

Hypnotic St-8

Ah, happy days, with Altern 8 for company.

All sounds a bit samey now.

Didn't back then.

A1 Hypnotic St-8 (Higher St-8 Mix)
A2 DJ Nex's Break

B1 Infiltrate 202 (Joey Beltram Remix)
B2 Armageddon (We H-8 Garage Mix)

Download