music « Hong Kong In The 60s

Diskotopia Compilation Out Today!

January 30, 2012 by Christopher Leave a Comment

As of today, the new compilation from our good friends in Tokyo, Diskotopia, is available to download from Boomkat and all other good online music stores. The album features a brilliant remix of our track “You Can Take A Heart But You Cannot Make It Beat” by the label’s proprietors, A Taut Line and BD1982 (which you can download for free from XLR8R), as well as a new track from Chris’s side-project with A Taut Line, Greeen Linez (the video for which you can watch below).

Those in Japan also have the option of buying the compilation on CD (including 4 exclusive bonus tracks) from Tower Records and other retailers. It’s an absolutely fantastic album, but don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what Joe Muggs had to say about the release in the latest issue of The Wire magazine:

N.B. to accompany this release, an exclusive track by BD1982 & A Taut Line will be available to Wire subscribers next month, as part of the magazine’s Below The Radar compilation series.

Filed under music Tagged with cd, compilation, diskotopia, download, greeen linez, japan, release, tokyo

Sixteen Albums From 2011

January 1, 2012 by Tim 17 Comments

It might not have been as good a year musically as 2010, but there were plenty of records we loved over the last 12 months. Modesty prevents us from including My Fantoms, so here are the rest:

The Advisory Circle – As The Crow Flies (Ghost Box)
The High Llamas – Talahomi Way (Drag City)
J Mascis – Several Shades of Why (Sub Pop)
Battles – Gloss Drop (Warp)
Giorgio Tuma – In The Morning We’ll Meet (Elefant)
James Ferraro – Far Side Virtual (Hippos In Tanks)
Testbild! – Barrikad (Kalligrammofon)
Mountains – Air Museum (Thrill Jockey)
North Sea Radio Orchestra – I A Moon (The Household Mark)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica (Software)
Moon Wiring Club – Clutch It Like A Gonk (Gecophonic)
Jon Brooks – Music For Thomas Carnacki (Cafe Kaput)
Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972 (Kranky)
Pye Corner Audio – Black Mill Tapes Vol.2 (PCA Transcription Service)
Euros Childs – Ends (National Elf)
The Leaf Library – Different Activities, Similar Diversions (Proper Songs)

What were your picks of the year?

Filed under music Tagged with 2011, 2011 albums

Christmas treat: new video by Jade Boyd!

December 25, 2011 by Mei Yau Leave a Comment

Merry Christmas everyone! As a special festive surprise, here’s a new video by the brilliant Jade Boyd for our song “Tracker Vale” (taken from our 2010 free download EP Places). We first hooked up with Jade via Brighton’s The Outer Church, when she made some amazing visuals to accompany our gig there last year. In between working at the Unsound festival, the Southbank’s Sound Of Fear event and all sorts of other exciting projects, she’s fine-tuned some of the visuals that she made for us into a beautiful and haunting clip that we’re absolutely delighted with. Hope you enjoy it and have a wyrd and magickal holiday season…

Filed under film, music Tagged with jade boyd, the outer church, video

A Very Modular Christmas From Ebenezer Moog

December 12, 2011 by Tim Leave a Comment

Here’s a Christmas treat: both sides of a 1974 novelty single I picked up in a charity shop, from the aptly-named Ebenezer Moog. Released on Atlantic, the A-side is a jolly modular synth sound overload that gives Belbury Poly a run for his money, while Silent Night on the B is impressively sinister…

Ebenezer Moog – A – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Ebenezer Moog – B – Silent Night

Filed under music Tagged with 7", christmas, moog, mp3, silent night, vinyl, xmas

Must you leave your tapes lying around?

December 1, 2011 by Tim 3 Comments

I’ve always loved early cassette packaging designs, and I just came across this beautiful set of old inlays from Flickr user Jubru, via an old post at Grainedit.com. Check it!

Here are four of my favourites:

They don’t design ‘em like they used to.

Filed under art, music, pictures Tagged with cassettes, design, nostalgia, tapes

DJ fun at How Does It Feel live

November 27, 2011 by Tim Leave a Comment

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of spinning some of my treasured 45s in support of White Town and three other great acts, at How Does It Feel‘s live gig night at Brixton’s Jamm venue. A few people came up to me throughout the evening to ask what I was playing, so I thought I’d share a list of my choices with you. I particularly recommend the yodelsome Alice Babs tune if you haven’t heard her before.

Stereolab & Sonic Boom – Splitting The Atom Part Two (Duophonic)
Holger Czukay – Ode To Perfume (EMI)
Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers – Egyptian Reggae (Berserkley)
Duane Eddy – Gidget Goes Hawaiian (London)
Ennio Morricone – My Name Is Nobody (General Music France)
Los Diablos – Un Rayo De Sol (EMI/Odeon)
Helmut Zacharias – Teatime In Tokyo (Polydor)
Les Souls Men – Allons La Caze (Soredisc)
Digno Garcia Y Sus Carius – Brigitte Bardot (Palette)
France Gall – Baby Pop (Philips)
Alice Babs – After You’ve Gone (Fontana)
Can – I Want More (Virgin)
Yamasuki – AIEAOA (UK Records)
Denton and Cook – Tomorrow’s World (BBC Records & Tapes)

I had so much fun choosing how to follow each record. If you put on gigs or clubnights, why not book me to play more weird pop nonsense?

Filed under events, music Tagged with 45, DJ, hdif, singles, vinyl

Stereo Wonderland

November 10, 2011 by Tim 2 Comments

I’ve always loved the various STEREO!! banners that you’d find on LPs of the 50s and 60s. Hats off to howtobeatretronaut for compiling a bunch of them!