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

Re-Post Requests...

As per usual, I've been utterly rubbish at regularly posting (normal excuses apply - work, family, indolence, etc.).

Will try to put that right in the next week or two, but as a starter thought I'd re-post the following:

• Shut Up & Dance - Death Is Not The End
• SL2 - On A Ragga Tip
• SL2 - Way In My Brain (Remix)/Drumbeats
• Various - XL Recordings - The Third Chapter

Follow the links to the original posts, and the download links should now work again.

Death Is Not The End

Having heard Green Man (Rum & Black Mix) on XL Recordings: The Third Chapter, and in various other remixes in clubs etc., it was with some confusion that I contemplated this CD whilst standing in yet another charity shop.

The reason for this confusion? I did not have my iPod with me, so I was not sure if this was the Shut Up & Dance that I thought it was; this combined with the odd album title, even odder cover artwork, and even odder still the inner sleeve shot (see below) which made me think that this could be some sort of jazz-funk nightmare or the like.



Having taken the chance, I'm glad I did because:

a) They are the Shut Up & Dance I thought they were.
b) It's a really interesting mix of dance, rap and hard to describe music.

It's hard to pick out favourites here because it's so eclectic, so it depends on what mood you're in. So, based on my mood at the time of posting, I'd recommend Here Comes A Different Type Of Rap Track, Not The Usual 4 Bar Loop Crap and Down The Barrel Of A Gun.

Java Bass will suit you whatever your state of mind, great bass line...

1. Death Is Not The End
2. Raving I'm Raving (Remix)
3. Autobiography Of A Crackhead (Acoustic Version)
4. Cape Fear
5. Here Comes A Different Type Of Rap Track, Not The Usual 4 Bar Loop Crap
6. The Green Man
7. Java Bass
8. So What You Smoking?
9. Runaways
10. Blue Colour Climax
11. Pure White Black Life
12. The Art Of Moving Butts
13. Down The Barrel Of A Gun
14. My C-Lab Crashed & Did This

Download

Way In My Brain (Remix)/Drumbeats

Another CD single acquired in Swindon, but at a different time and in a different shop to On A Ragga Tip.

Apart from track 3, the others sounds somewhat dated, and dare I say it formulaic?

Anyway, this one is dedicated to Musical Coco Basket, who has, apparently, had to sell music for food in the past. Hope this fills your stomach...

1. Way In My Brain (Remix Edit)
2. Drumbeats
3. Aftershock
4. S.L.Ectro

Download

On A Ragga Tip

Having posted XL Recordings: The Third Chapter, thought I'd see what I've got by any artists that were on it, and it turns out to be not much.

The one exception to that is The Prodigy, but it's not as if millions of others haven't posted on Liam and co., so I'll not bother.

The second exception is SL2. Although I'm not personally a huge fan, nor do I normally post anything but vinyl rips, wanted to post this CD single (picked up in a charity shop in Swindon of all places) for The Double K, in recognition of his kind comments.

For my money both tracks 2 and 3 are better than the title tracks - maybe that's just because I've heard On A Ragga Tip too many times.

Here it is:

1. On A Ragga Tip (Edit)
2. Pleasure (Original Mix)
3. Changing Trax (Original Mix)
4. On A Ragga Tip (Original Mix)

Download

XL Recordings: The Third Chapter

The only one of the four original chapters that I own, and probably the second best. Really like XL Recordings: The First Chapter best - sweet house, rather than this more techno-centric release.

After The First Chapter, XL helpfully started putting descriptions of what you would find on the enclosed vinyl, so XL Recordings: The Second Chapter was sub-titled "Hardcore European Dance Music"; this one was "Breakbeat House"; but for XL Recordings: The Fourth Chapter they returned to the mystery approach, and no sub-title was forthcoming. By this time though, most punters knew what they would be getting, and the artists weren't exactly unknown either, containing the likes of Underworld, The Prodigy, Liquid etc.

The highlights here for me are Smokin' and Hoovers & Spraycans:

A1 Sweet Harmony (Liquid)
A2 Green Man (Rum & Black Mix) (Shut Up & Dance)
A3 Uptempo (Reese Mix) (Tronikhouse)

B1 On A Ragga Tip (SL2)
B2 Smokin’ (Project One)
B3 Keep The Fire Burning (The House Crew)

C1 Everybody In The Place (Fairground Mix) (The Prodigy)
C2 Hard Times (Nu-Matic)
C3 Right Before (First Project)

D1 The Bouncer (Housequake Mix) (Kicks Like A Mule)
D2 DJs Take Control (DJ Seduction Mix) (SL2)
D3 Hoovers & Spraycans (Mark One)

Download

At last...

... got myself together and have ordered a USB turntable. Gave up on getting the Rega Planar 2 up and running.

Aaah, I can feel the vinyl beckoning me as we speak...

First on my list, as promised, will be Live At The Brain Volumes 1 & 2, along with XL Recordings: The Third Chapter.

After that, who know what horrors my vinyl collection will throw up...