Low Motion Disco - Love Love Love - LSB remix

Low Motion Disco's original of this is an incredibly liberal sampling of Rene & Angela I Love You More (read that as they've done practically nothing to it) but it did come with a stellar bunch of remixes from the likes of LSB, Still Going, Soft Rocks and Aeroplane and practically everyone that I talk to stumps for a different version.

I myself am partial to the LSB remix. LSB are made up of Pete Herbert and Baby G who some of you may know from the all-conquering FOG from a year or so ago. Pete is a one-man balearic hit machine and records under monikers such as Bakazou, Reverso 68, Frontera and loads more, Baby G besides being incredibly easy on the eyes is a ridiculously good DJ and provided the vocals on The Glimmers Esta Si, Esta No (Asi Me Gusta A Mi), which was on their free album The Glimmers Are Gee Gee Fazzi that they were handing out at gigs a while back.


Pete is on the right and Phil Mison is on the left.


DJ Baby G

You can instantly hear the hallmarks of a Pete Herbert record immediately with his so balearic you can feel the sand between your toes pianos and trademark wooshes and bassline, and this remix makes complete and utter sense here in the sunshine of Southern California. Usually I find Pete to fall into the 'once you've heard one, you've heard them all' category especially with the Reverso 68 stuff as they all have similar elements that drive the tracks but on this one he's added a few more elements to the groove and it is probably the strongest track that he has done in a long time, and it'll be a record that I'll be carrying around with me for a while to come.

Low Motion Disco - Love Love Love - LSB remix

As an added bonus for those of you interested in samples I've decided to post FOG for you and the record that it samples Crown Heights Affair You Gave Me Love, which is proof that sometimes the simplest ideas work best.

LSB - FOG

Crown Heights Affair - You Gave Me Love

Pierre-Estienne

Formerly the owner of the infamous Phat Beat Records in Cape Town, Pierre-Estienne left his stamp on the local scene by at first supplying the tightest of grooves to the local heads through his highly respected store, and then by bringing like-minded individuals such as former Cream resident DJ 'Phat' Phil Cooper, Faith resident DJ/promoter Stuart Patterson and Gigolo Records' Filippo 'Naughty' Moscatello to grace the decks and take people on hedonistic voyages true to the spirit of acid house in the Mother City.

After having moved to Taiwan in 2002, he brought with him his expert selection, educated ears and infectious enthusiasm for all things house to the island. Anyone who experienced any of his 6-hour plus sets at The Sound Garden will testify to his ability to make the break of another day a truly special and spiritual experience with his eclectic selections that perfectly suited the mood and had people dancing well beyond the break of dawn.

In November 2004 he formed The Beat Symposium with Marc Kets due to a frustration with the local scene and the lack of quality music being played in the clubs in Taiwan at the time. The Beat Symposium was a massive success with feature articles in The Taipei Times, The China Post and POTS all a result of the reputation that was built on the back of the events, such as the 'I Love…' series held at venues such as Eden and Boven in Taipei and was a success story built on two friends obvious love for a wide-array of music and resulted in sold out events each and every time as well as guest spots at events such as Taiwan's premier deep house night, Deep Inside.


In 2005 he got asked to be the resident DJ at Ministry of Sound Taipei where he proved his diversity by being equally adept at playing both warm-up and peak-time sets with the highlight being selected to open for the legendary Danny Rampling who was bringing an end to his career at the time. Pierre-Estienne was lauded by the local press and his time in Taipei culminated with him headlining the Ministry of Sound New Year’s celebrations alongside the UK’s Hyper to rapturous applause and glowing reports in the local media.

In 2006 he made the decision to return to Cape Town upon which he was made resident DJ at Roosevelt, the city’s newest top-end venue and he was been given carte blanche by the owners to play whatever he pleased.

Pierre-Estienne is currently resident DJ on the Global Breakthrough tour in Cape Town and over the past two years he has expertly provided the support for the likes of Lee Burridge, DJ Spen, Steve Bug, Ame, Diplo, Henrik Schwarz, Luciano and Clive Henry. He will also be making his second appearance at the Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi later in the year, a festival which has been described in the Guardian as the perfect place to open your ears and your hearts in a surrounding unlike any other.

Pierre-Estienne is a DJ with the talent and drive to reach the pinnacle of the profession with his unique take on house that takes in everything from disco and proto-house tunes to the deepest of grooves and a dash of the cutting-edge all served up with a huge dollop of soul and enthusiasm that always guarantee full dancefloors of smiling, whooping and hollering punters soaking in a man who has devoted his life to music.


Download his latest mix here.

TRACKLISTING

Unknown artist - Sigh - (2001 and one rmx)
Naughty - world of a woman (max skiba rmx)
tj kong & nuno de santos feat robert owens - merging
still going - still going theme
k.i.d. - hupendi muziki wangu?
marcello giordani - respect yourself (mr naughty rmx)
the chaplin band - il veliero
donald byrd and 125th St, NYC - Love Has Come Around

Space Invaders 30 years young

Space Invaders is my favourite game by a long, long, long way and I don't even want to know how many hours I've clocked up playing the game and I even went as far as to theme the first night I ever promoted some 13 or 14 years ago around imagery based on the game everywhere from the t-shirts we made to the images we projected. Obsessed is a word but I prefer otaku. With it being the 30th anniversary of the game and quite a few clothing companies such as 55DSL releasing special edition t-shirts to commemorate the anniversary. For those of you too young to remember the magic of Space Invaders here is a brief history of the game.


Space Invaders was designed and programmed by Toshihiro Nishikado for Taito, Japan in 1978 and remains one of the most popular arcade games ever made.

Space Invaders was originally going to be called something completely different as the aliens were originally soldiers which you had to shoot down. They decided that it was politically unwise to encourage killing humans so changed the people into aliens.

The game was licensed from Taito by Midway for production in the US. In 1980, the game was licensed by Atari for the 2600 game system and was the first arcade game ever adapted for Atari's home system. The Space Invaders franchise has flourished for more than 20 years and according to Taito, the game has generated more than $500 million in revenues over multiple platforms including coin-op, the Atari 2600 and the Nintendo. It was based on a 8080 CPU, had muffled analog audio, and simulated color by putting a transparent overlay on top of a monochrome display.

Space Invaders was the first arcade game to work it's way out of seedy arcades and into pizza parlors and ice cream shops. The Space Invaders phenomenon stuned conservative adults who were certain the games soured the minds of their youngsters. Residents of Mesquite, Texas pushed the issue all the way to the Supreme Court in their efforts to ban the illicit machines from their Bible-belt community. The game was so amazingly popular in Japan that it caused a coin shortage until the country's Yen supply was quadrupled. Entire arcades were opened in Japan specifically for this game. Space Inavders was released in Japan for the Super Famicom, to my knowledge its the same thing as Space Invaders for Super Gameboy. Many incidents of juvenile crime surrounded the release of this game. A girl was caught stealing $5000 from her parents and gangs of youths were reported to have robbed grocery stores just so they would have money to play the game.

Space Invaders was followed by several sequels as Space Invaders - Part II, Space Invaders Deluxe, Super Space Invaders 91 (Super Space Invaders has also another name... Majestic Twelve Space Invaders Part IV. Everything is the same as in SSI '91 except for the title screen. It was released in the US and Japan under this name, and I think SSI '91 was only released in Japan under as SSI '91), Space Invaders DX followed up in 1993 (a modern and 100 percent faithful JAMMA version of Taito's classic Space Invaders, but with a twist. There are several different games available to choose from: the upright and cocktail versions of the original plus the "colour overlay" versions) and in 1999 Space Invaders attacked once again from Activision.


Another man who quite clearly is as enamored by the game as I am is French street artist Space Invader whose work can be seen everywhere from Manchester to Varanasi. This interview that first appeared in Swindle Magazine probably best sums the man's work up.

The classic arcade game Space Invaders was named as such because it featured aliens from outer space invading Earth. Space Invader chose his name because he very literally invades space—public space, to be more specific. For close to 10 years, Space Invader has been infiltrating cities and subtly altering their landscapes.


Whether you call it public art, street art, or graffiti, Space Invader’s art is smart. I first saw Invader’s work in London, where he had skillfully integrated one of his mosaics into a pillar of a historical building. The mosaic didn’t seem out of place in that location, only the subject matter. I had played Space Invaders obsessively as a kid, so I immediately recognized that Space Invader had converted the game’s crude, square-pixel iconic characters into square tiles. I’ve always admired those who turn limitations into assets, and Space Invader’s translation of pixel/screen to tile/street is a perfect example of this. The decorative aspect of the tile mosaic lends itself perfectly to architecture. The installed invaders become counterculture surveillance drones, reminding people that government and monolithic corporations aren’t the only ones watching. What I like most about street art is that it’s a defiant act of expression circumventing bureaucracy. The street artist’s goal has always been to find spots that provide the ideal balance of visibility and longevity. As cities have become more vigilant and sophisticated in their graffiti removal, most street art is cleaned immediately. Space Invader’s mosaics are rarely removed, because they’re visible to the right people yet under the radar of the “wrong” people. Space Invader may not be dropping the biggest bombs in the most dramatic battle, but he is winning the war by not bringing the wrath of the authorities, while still reminding people that underground expression is alive.

After I noticed that first invader, I started spotting them in many cities. I was constantly amazed at how thoroughly thought-out Space Invader’s techniques and placements were. Eventually, I met Space Invader when he was visiting L.A. He was only in town for a few days but managed to hit great spots all over town, including some daring spots at LAX airport. Dominated by signage and billboards, L.A. is a tough city to bomb with mosaics that are generally only about a foot wide. It appears that Invader thrives on finding solutions to the limitations of his medium, and not only found spots that worked well from cars, but in some mosaics used tiles that reflected car headlights. On Melrose Ave., he constructed a 15-foot mosaic out of one-foot-by-one-foot tiles.

It wasn’t until I traveled to Paris that the full scope and scale of Invader’s work hit me. He started his project in Paris in 1996, and most of his 589-plus installations there remain. Everywhere I went, there were invaders, either jumping or peeking out. Some older, lower mosaics were partially removed, not by building owners but by fans hoping to collect a piece; to combat this problem, Invader devised an elaborate hanging system to place the invaders out of reach.

I also noticed that no two invaders were identical, though many were similar. Space Invader was using repetition to familiarize people, but also evolving the images to expand his visual vocabulary within constraints most artists would find very limiting. Whether or not he intended it, Space Invader’s work mirrors the video game culture it references, acknowledging the sensory-overloaded public’s need for immediately digestable symbols. Invader’s pop art may seem shallow, but by taking the risk of illegally re-contextualizing video game characters in an urban environment that provides more chaotic social interaction than a gamer’s bedroom, he makes a statement about the desensitizing nature of video games and consumer culture. In a postmodern paradox, a game like Grand Theft Auto takes the danger of the streets and puts it in a safe video game, while Invader takes a safe video game icon and inserts it into the danger of the streets.


Beyond his diligent street bombing, Invader documents his placements very thoroughly. For each city he invades, Invader creates a map of all his mosaics. An interested party can then tour the city and see the mosaics firsthand. The maps are meticulously designed pieces of art themselves. For Paris and L.A., Invader has published books with photographs of his installations, maps, and other bits of ephemera and inspiration from those cities. Invader looks at culture globally, and views the whole of his project as the sum of every mosaic, sticker, T-shirt, and footprint (he has made shoes with the Invader print on the sole) he has left around the world, combined with the collective experiences of every person who has ever wondered, “Why is this Space Invaders character here?

Space Invader is one of the most thoughtful and focused artists I’ve ever met. A perfectionist, Invader always puts forth the extra effort to make sure his work makes the maximum impact and endures. His work is subversive, but it isn’t anti-social vandalism. He considers his work a “gift” to the city. One day, cities will come to appreciate this gift, as many of their inhabitants already have, and will pay to preserve his additions to their landscapes as art landmarks.

Space Inavders - they don't make them like they used to. Happy 30th.

James Pants - We're Through

Texas-native James Pants is going to blow up this year mark my words. After meeting Stones Throw head honcho Peanut Butter Wolf after his prom at the turn of the century he has gone on to intern at the label as well as to surpass his original goal of having a 45 on Stones Throw by becoming a regular on the Stones Throw release schedule and with his forthcoming debut album Welcome set to end up in everyone's recordboxes, his profile is bound to grow in the coming months. James' sound is hard to pin down but it is kind of like the bastard love child of Cybotron and Egyptian Lover getting down to the Mystic Five after being awake for three days. His style is loose enough to be funky and thankfully isn't overly-produced so his work doesn't lose that swing that works so well on the dancefloor. We're Through is one of the freshest records that I have heard in a while and I can imagine this working just about anywhere that people dance to good music everywhere from Aficionado to a block party. The dub of this in particular is incredible and he also gets points for having Parra design his record cover.

Suit up. Dive in. Get loose.

James Pants - We're Through

Also check out the latest episode of the Fabric podcast for more James Pants and Peanut Butter Wolf goodness.

One Hundred Project : Jeffo

What is on your stereo at the moment?

While I type this I’m listening to Ekranoplan by Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound. An amazing Danny Webb recommendation.

3 records that changed your life. Why?

Human League – Dare. The first proper album I ever owned, and I still play it now.

New Order – Technique. THE PERFECT ALBUM.

Michael Head & The Strands – The Magical World Of The Strands. Just a beautiful, beautiful album. My first glimpse into the world of Shack. I bought it on the strength of a review in the NME & it took me a while to get into it, but oh wow was it worth it. My desert island album without doubt.

What are you looking forward to?

Having a summer this year, NY in September, seeing some South African fella in Cali.

What couldn’t you live without? Why?

Music, gigs, ale, socialising….. Holidays… The Mrs too I suppose.

Most memorable gig?

New Order every time!
The Verve on their first reformation in The Academy around ‘96
!!! in a half empty Academy 3 on a Sunday night, absolutely mental
Phoenix again at The Academy 3 a couple of times.
Shack in the back room of a boozer called The Casa in Liverpool ’07.

Who/what are your influences?

I really don’t know to be honest.

What is the best and worst thing about the city that you live in?

The best is that it’s a big world class city with loads to offer. You could never be bored in Manchester. Also that it has a smaller feel to it, you’ll always meet somebody to have a pint with. Oh, and we’ve got Aficionado once a month too.

Worst, crime and horrible little scrotes, but you’ll get that anywhere.

Given the accelerated pace of modern culture, what are we due a revival in?

Nu-rave??

Hero? Why?

Dunno, the people you really respect always seem to let you down. I always loved Mick Jones, but now he’s hanging around with Doherty and jamming with Hard-Fi. Grim.

I absolutely love Gruff Ryhs though.

Is there anything else that you feel that we should know?

I’m a champion Lego builder.


Jeffo is one of The Bears Upstairs who present a show on Unity FM in various states of inebriation. Jeffo is the rockier end of the bear spectrum but he's just as likely to play a disco record as he is to play something something with guitars. You'll struggle to find a better person to share a pint and a boogie with on a Saturday night and he's all the first bear to take the plunge with the One Hundred Project and for that I doff my hat to the man.

Jeffo Kumo Mix

Tracklist

Lets Just See - Engineers
Ballade De Melody Nelson - Serge Gainsbourg
Now I must remember - Bent
Triad - Three Blind Mice
Someday Soon - Doves
What Else Could It Be - Lambchop
Kinda Wasted without You - Roger Nichols
Bowl Me Over - Acid Casuals
Animal Sounds - Grand National
Love Vibration - Josh Rouse
Heavy Metal Drummer - Wilco
Clear Spot - The Pernice Brothers
Cigarettes Will Kill You - Ben Lee
Hide & Seek - Eighteenth Day Of May
You're the Best Find - Stuntmen

Download the mix here. (Also be sure to listen to them in the right order if they don't come up in that way)


Jeffo also moonlights as the talented one in Hot Chip.

Jamie Lidell - Little Bit of Feel Good

Jamie Lidell has in recent years been using his dulcet tones to channel a host of soul deities through his thoroughly unique and modern take on R&B and funk. One minute he's almost Otis Redding then he's a hint of Sly and then he has a touch of Stevie to him but he's no copycat by a long way, what Jamie has done is taken his influences and put them into a thoroughly modern context. The production values and the song-writing is as strong as ever and it would be no exaggeration to say that if Robert Owens was the voice of the 80s and 90s then Jamie is destined to be the same for the noughties. Just like Robert Owens he has an innate ability to standout above the deluge of singers in the crowded market all of which is done with style and a voice that resonates through any genre that he lends his full range to.

Previously he was known for his sonic experimentation during his time as a member of Super_Collider alongside Christian Vogel and he still carries that need and that will to move music forward now that he is working alongside Mocky, and the two albums that have come out of this fortuitous relationship, Multiply and the his forthcoming opus Jim, have been as strong as anything released. Jamie also has a live show that is as brilliant as it is barmy, so check his tour dates on his website and make sure you get down to see the king of blue-eyed soul in action, you won't be disappointed.

Jamie Lidell - Little Bit of Feel Good

These videos show Jim having a lot of fun promoting his album and galavanting around Hollywood here in California and thank fuck they are aren't as bland as your usual promo videos, especially those from this side of the pond where cookie cutter doesn't even begin to describe most of the artists. Not sure where part 3 is though.




..and here he is performing Multiply with Jools Holland backing him up on the piano.


If you don't have any of Jamie's albums then quit fucking about and go out and buy them. That simple really.

A Day In LA

I take a trip to Los Angeles once every five or six weeks to go shopping and have a look around Dogtown.


This is the Ramona Expressway, which thankfully spares us having to drive straight through Hemet to get to the highway.


The Silent Movie Theatre is the last remaining movie theatre that only shows, you guessed it, silent films. Built in the 40s, it is has recently been refurbished to its former glory and has served as a multi-purpose venue with everything from concerts to independent screenings happening regularly.


I'm not sure who the artist is that has done these Martin Luther King posters but they're everywhere in and around Melrose and Fairfax.


This looks a but like the work of The London Police but it's a lot looser. Any idea who the artist is?


Los Angeles is an opportunist's playground and how better to advertise your self-defense seminar than to stick your poster under a reward poster calling for information in a murder case?


This is just down Fairfax just before you get to Canter's Deli, it made us laugh.


I love people who do this sort of thing, simple yet effective.


Of the thirty of forty pictures of actresses outside Bennett's Ice Cream I chose to take a picture of the Gerald Ford picture and not the buxom bikini clad actresses. Oh well...


This kid couldn't have been older than six or seven.


I really like the top image, really strong. Anybody know who the artist is?



Downtown Los Angeles just before you get to Little Tokyo.


Bottom left is a sticker of the Obama poster that Shepard Fairey did a few months ago. I have 4 or 5 of them and in keeping with the ethos, if you want one I'll send it to you. The women are two of Fela Kuti's wives and the pictures came in the boxset that was released a couple of years back. You can also play spot the Moodymann flier.