Ring The Alarm playlist 3 June 2023

Dub Syndicate - Dr Who

Herbs - French Letter dub

The Pelicans - Banana dominion

The Lost Skrolls of Hamaric - How to find royal jelly

Praxis - NBS-X

Prince -Batdance

Temptations - Aint no sunshine

Whatitdo Archive Group - Mirage

Isaac Hayes -Walk on by

The Charmels - As long as I've got you

Carla and Rufus Thomas - We're tight

Mable John - Shouldn't I love him

Jeanne and the Darlings - Hang me now

Ike & Tina Turner - Somebody somewhere needs you

Jive Turkeys - Chickenfoot

Soul Scratch - Look how far we've come

Gene Washington & the Ironsides - Got to get through to you

Bubaza - Yeah yeah

Black Market Brass - Sagat theme

Ikebe Shakedown - Hard steppin'

Jungle Fire - Firewalker

Harry Beckett - Fantastic things

Lord Echo - Nightclub daydream

Loop Guru - Single orhan first year camel

Alogte Oho and his Sounds Of Joy - La ka ba'a

The Circling Sun - Bliss

Jefferson Belt - Sugar cookies

Lady Wray - Joy and pain (Pete Rock remix)

Ring The Alarm playlist 27 May 2023

Ike & Tina Turner - Contact High

Ike & Tina Turner - Somebody somewhere needs you

Ike & Tina Turner - Sexy Ida pt1

Tina Turner - Whole lotta love

Ike & Tina Turner - I idolize you

Ike & Tina Turner - Funkier than a moquito's tweeter

Ike & Tina Turner - She came in thru the bathroom window

Ike & Tina Turner - Fingerpoppin'

Ike & Tina Turner - It's gonna work out fine

Willis Jackson - Nuther'n like thuther'n

Dizzy Gillespie - Manteca (Funky Lowlives remix)

Babor Szabo - Mizrab (Prefuse73 remix)

Scrimshire - Flames

Misha Panfilov - On the hook

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band - Murkit gem

Eje Eje - That rainy dawn

El Khat - Ya raiyat (radio trip edit)

The Circling Sun - Bones

Painspeople - Invisible radio sky

Kings Express & Richie Phoe - Ready steady go (feat Horseman/Earl Sixteen) Richie Phoe remix

Kings Express & Richie Phoe - Stranger things (feat Horace Andy) Richie Phoe remix

Lone Ranger - Barnabas Collins

Buju Banton - Massa god world a run

Pliers - I'm your man dub (Bonner Productions)

Errol Dunkley - OK Fred

Brockaflower - Yams

Fat Freddy's Drop - The raft (Jet Jaguar's findaway remix)

Loudhaler - Refresher

Shogun Orchestra - Leogane

What is Batov Records?

I've been getting some cool digital promos from this label for a little while now, and they consistently drop great music, plsu they make lots of 45s, what's not to like. I thought I'd do a bit of digging on the label and who's behind it.

Batov Records describes itself like this: "Batov Records boasts a refreshing blend of artists from around the world. The roster ranges from Global Funk to World Beats and Middle-Eastern Grooves.

"Batov came to life in London, but the music has its roots in those odd corners of the globe where people make music just for the fun of it.

"Back in the heady summer days of 2013, Doron Erez aka DJ Kobayashi (of the band Gypsy Hill) & Bob Martyn started up Batov as simply a place to call home for Gypsy Hill’s catalog. 

"Around the same time, Herbert Newbert (Gypsy Hill co-founder) & Kobayashi set up a recording studio & production team – Down & Left was born. Slowly the Batov Records sound came together with this early batch of artists, focusing on Global Funk to World Beats and Middle-Eastern Grooves."

DJ Kobayashi

The label originally started as a way to release Gypsy Hill's music. Kobayashi told interviewer Tzvi Gluckin:

"It was another way to create an online illusion [laughs], as if there was a label behind the band. But it developed into something that is bigger than we thought, and we are very happy about that. Everything I do, I try to do to the best way that I can. Once I am doing it, I think, 'OK. We’ll make a logo. We’ll make a website.' We had a recording studio on Denmark Street in London, and we had a lot of friends and musicians passing through. 

"What happened was that it basically created interest in the label from other people who liked what we were doing. It grew organically, and the offers started to come from everywhere. When you’re in London, it feels like a small village. Suddenly, you get people sending emails from New Zealand or the States, from people who really like the label and want to be a part of it. We thought, 'Oh man, it’s actually making an impact.'"

Read the full interview at The Ingathering. His dad was in Eurovision Song Contest in 1978. The interview also explains how he ended up with a Japanese DJ name. Apparently he wanted to DJ as a kid, and started when he was about 12.

Over the past 3 or 4 years the label has had a steady stream of 45s and has pulled them together on a great compilation called Middle Eastern Grooves (out May 19), coming on on 2xLP vinyl and digital. 

One of my faves on the label is a group from Tel Aviv called Sababa 5, who have done some cool collabs with a singer named Yurika, a Japanese woman who arrived in the Middle East after becoming fascinated by belly dancing. Their version of the Moog classic 'Popcorn' is pretty great too. Have a listen and see what you find.

 

 

 

 

 

Listen to Batov Records on Bandcamp

Painspeople new single

 Cool new biz from Painspeople, spaced out dubby vibes, like it! Take a listen.

Ring The Alarm playlist 20 May 2023

NZ Music Month special - 2000 to 2010 flashback...

Manuel Bundy - Jazzy bizz

Tubbs feat Dallas -  Five day night (Fat Freddys Drop remix)

Issac Aesili feat Aaradhna - With you in my bed

Ladi6 - Burn with me

DLT - Liquid skies (Ultraneon remix by Luke Tomes)

Soane feat Tha Feelstyle and Boh Runga - All I need

Julien Dyne feat Tyra Hammond - Off my feet

Lewis McCallum - Fly or die

Kevvy Kev - Higher dread

The Black Seeds - Come to me (International Observer remix)

Unitone Hifi - Sneeze off

Sola Rosa - Lady love (Bigga Bush remix)

Submariner - Generation to generation

Juse - Slow down

DJ Vee feat Mighty Asterix - Best in me

Mephisto Jones - Chocolate hot sauce

Moodswingers - Recede to flourish

Video Kid - Dawn skate 88 (Jet Jaguar remix)

Audiosauce - Bee bo

Recloose feat Lisa Tomlins - Spinnin' out

Wild Bill Ricketts - Riki

Phase 5 - Bruised beans (finely ground)

Pains People - Predestination

Dub Asylum feat Sandy Mill - What the funk

Eru Dangerspeil - Sambaskool dropout

Loudhaler - Refresher

Eje Eje 45 on Batov Records

New 45 from Batov Records, from Eje Eje (aka Itamar Kluger).

Also check out their brand new 2xLP compilation of their previous 45s out this Friday, called Middle Eastern Grooves, amazing modern psyche funk from the Middle East.

"Batov Records’ Middle Eastern Grooves 45s series welcomes the latest addition to its eclectic roster - a two-track single from Eje Eje, the psych and funk inspired project from Şatellites band leader and producer, Itamar Kluger.

Featuring the tracks 'That Rainy Dawn' and 'Coral Sex', the single showcases Eje Eje’s unique blend of Middle Eastern melodies, soulful grooves, and psychedelic sounds.

On the A-side 'That Rainy Dawn,' The electro baglama player takes the lead, building and building as if, “he is pushing himself to his limit”, says Itamar, “seeking catharsis as he walks to the edge of the cliff with confidence”, whilst the a baladi rhythm plays like an immense march of drummers.

Itamar Kluger is best known for his work with the Şatellites, a six-piece band whose blend of Turkish folk and psych with funk and disco won them champions and listeners across the globe, from KEXP in Seattle to BBC Radio 6 Music, and FIP in France.

Eje Eje’s first 45 promises to be at least as quirky and original, if not more so, since the project is even more unshackled from traditional concepts of a band." 

Out June 9 on digital/limited vinyl.

Ring The Alarm playlist 13 May 2023

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Riot in Lagos

Mark Ernestus' Ndagga Rhythm Force - Lamb ji

Pedro Ricardo - Deheba

Espen Horne feat Faye Houston - Bakeren

Sampology & Charlie Hill - Stars and percussion

Great Revivers - Seek & destroy

Sababa 5 - Eilat 22

Cantrips - The big break

Jalen Ngonda - If you don't want my love

The Clash - He who dares or is tired

The Altons - Cry for me

Sunsay & the Soul Surfers - Be thankful for what you got

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band - Murkit gem

Stormy - I won't stop to cry

Eddie Ray - Wait a minute

The Rollers - Knocking at the wrong door

The Perfections - Why do you want to make me sad

Aretha Franklin - Lee Cross

Marie Queenie Lyons - Your thing aint no good without my thing

Gladys Knight & the Pips - Who is she and what is she to you

Patti Jo - Make me believe in you (Black Science Orchestra edit)

New Mastersounds - Nervous (raw mix)

The Bamboos - Ride on time

Harry Beckett - Fantastic things

African Head Charge - Dub some more

Dub Syndicate - Red sea dub

Lee Scratch Perry - Jungle youuth (Congo Natty remix)

Smashproof - Ordinary life (Moody Boyz remix)

1980s Akld photo book coming

"Following a couple of similarly conceived book releases of the slightly earlier punk period in Aotearoa, veteran gig photographer Jonathan Ganley is set to immortalise the post-punk era of Auckland in his new book CRUSH. 

Whittling down thousands of photographs to 145 of the most striking, the book spans the years 1982 to 1990, showcasing both local legends such as Fetus Productions, Chris Knox, and Straightjacket Fits, and international visitors, including iconic shows from The Clash, The Fall, and Sonic Youth. Ganley pairs the images with his own written accounts of the era, ensuring this is an essential tome for your collection."

Preorders over at Flying Out, out May 26, 2023. 120 pages, 145 photos.

Ring The Alarm playlist 6 May 2023

Valia Calda - But in the end we'll be together
Mark de Clive Lowe, Shigeto & Melanie Charles - MFT

Sampology & Charlie Hill - Galaxy

Kahil EL Zabar - How can we mend a broken heart

Fred Wesley & the JBs - Watermelon man

Patrizia & Jimmy - Trust your child

Isley Brothers - I know who you been socking it to

James Young and the Housewreckers - Barking up the wrong tree

The New Process - More mess on my thing

Col Nolan and the Soul Syndicate - Buckingham Palace

Darondo - King's man

Leonard Charles - Clean as mana

Boom Pam - Silver lining

Whatitdo Archive Group - Cashmere chamber

Resistance Revival Chorus - All you fascists bound to lose

Lost Tribe - Summer in the winter

Moizna - Just another day

Ermehn - Walls of steel

DJ Vee feat Mighty Asterix - Best in me

Video Kid - Dawn skate 88 (Jet Jaguar remix)

Shogun Orchestra - Shadow clan

Clear Path Ensemble - Absolvo

Lord Echo - Thinking of dub

Mareko - Stop drop and roll (Dub Asylum skavoovie version)

Mr Reliable - Lucky dub

Che Fu - Get up stand up

Aaradhna - Keep your cool

Screaming Meemees -Stars in my eyes pt1

Rocco - Number forty three

New Dub Asylum EP out now - Aotearoa Hiphop goes to Skaville

 

What it sez on the label... some mashups of a few more local hiphop classics. I had a lot of fun making these. Enjoy! Share em round.  

New Scrimshire album out late May

Uk producer Scrimshire has a new album Paroxysm out May 26, here's the latest single off it, called 'Flames'. It starts out with a jazzy shuffle and some playful clarinet, then the skippy drums kick in and carry it off bouncing thru the streets. Well groovy.

About the album: "In the last few weeks of October 2022, Scrimshire wrote a new collection of songs with the descriptive working title "Scream". A direct response to the absurdity of the breakdown in the UK government, the horror of the treatment of refugees arriving on our shores and the callous disregard for the trauma being caused to low income people or anyone considered "other". 

While self-preserving Conservative MPs fought for their jobs, record profits were announced by energy companies as crippling amounts of money were gouged from people's pockets. The anger, sadness, mourning, and frustration was poured into these recordings."

Ring The Alarm playlist 29 April 2023

earlyW-Rm - Bin bass riddim
Team Shadatek - Yoga riddim

Robot Riddims - Robosoca

Coldcut x On-U-Sound - Aztec riddim

Miss Red - Nah bad love

Sweetie Irie - Slim body girl

Tanya Stephens - Need you tonight

Beenieman - Who am I

Super Cat - Dolly my baby (Bad Boy remix)

Billy Preston - Space race

Herbie Hancock - Bring down the birds (b-boy mix)

Gary Bartz NTU Troop - Celestial blues

Clear Path Ensemble - Sunrise motif

Salah Ragab - Egypt strut

Mike Nock - Space bugaloo

Nina Simone - Suzanne (live)

Sampology & Charlie Hill - Constant call

Ebony Steel Band - The model

Lord Echo - Nightclub daydream

Dubmatix - Iron lion

Mokotron - Restless tide

Smith & Mighty - Anyone...

Sababa 5 - Rosenzweig

James Holden - Contains multitudes

Sisters Underground - Aint it true (Dub Asylum ska version)

Night Owls - Me and baby brother

Suizen - Cartesian space (4D mix)

'Proud' compilation gets a vinyl reissue

After 23 years out of circulation, it's back...

"Flying Nun Records and Huh! are delighted to announce the reissue of Proud: An Urban-Pacific Streetsoul Compilation — the landmark 1994 album, conceived and produced by Alan Jansson — to be released on Friday 26th May on extended double vinyl for the very first time.


Originally released on CD and cassette in 1994, and briefly available again in 2000, Proud has been unavailable in its physical form for the past 23 years — although the album has never really left Aotearoa’s collective psyche — being named Independent Music New Zealand’s ‘Classic Record’ in May 2022, as well as being listed in Nick Bollinger’s 2009 book 100 Essential New Zealand Albums.

Remastered over 12 months by Alan Jansson, this Proud vinyl reissue includes iconic tracks from Sisters Underground (‘In The Neighbourhood'), Otara Millionaires Club (‘We R The OMC’) and Semi MCs (‘Trust Me’). and adds a side of rare 1994 12” remixes including the collectable ‘Sisters On The Boulevarde Dub’ found only on the original promo. 

The double LP is available on limited edition yellow and red coloured vinyl, as well as a standard black edition — both versions feature sleeve notes from Philip ‘Sir-Vere’ Bell and Volition Records’ Andrew Penhallow."

Preorder from Flying Nun.

Read the in-depth backgrounder on the Proud Comp at Flying Nun's blog.

Lord Echo rarities comp out soon

I went to see Lord Echo and his mighty band when they played in Akld at the Hollywood Cinema a while back (I wanna say it was a few years ago but the pandemic screwed with everyone's timelines, right?), and they advertised they would have some of these rare Japan-only sevens on sale at the merch table. There was only a handful left and they'd all gone by the time I got there, even tho I thought I was early. So happy to see this release coming... 

"Fans rejoice - Lord Echo‘s limited vinyl-only singles will be available digitally worldwide at last, as well as compiled on a vinyl album presented in an embossed Japanese printed sleeve and obi strip.

Not one to succumb to the pressures of our capitalist overlords, the enigmatic producer continues to tinker away on various projects, including the hefty task of renovating an abandoned Masonic lodge into a recording studio in rural New Zealand.

While we patiently await new music, we can revel in versions that escaped the typical overthinking that occurs during the album process, instead reflecting the spontaneity and freedom of a touring artist. All tracks bar one (‘Thinking of Dub’) were initially released on short-run 7” singles for Echo’s early Japan tours, made only available to dedicated fans who attended the live shows.

The country holds a special place in his heart thanks to the warm hospitality of its citizens, in particular tour organiser and label owner Kenji Sakajiri from Wonderful Noise (with whom Soundway is co-releasing the vinyl album). 

That said, cultural differences made for unforgettable if not unique experiences of performing in Japan – from DJ etiquette which compelled him to stay to the end of the party no matter what, to a near-religious moment of dancing to Pat Metheny around a bonfire in the woods. A regular visitor to Asia will also be familiar with the concept of “lose-face”, and in the case for Lord Echo it was processing the crushing shame of DJing a digital set alongside heavyweight Japanese collectors or next to signage stating “REAL DJ VINYL ONLY”.

Humbling moments aside, the Japanese obsession with detail and quality can also produce a high level of experience, one that left such an impression upon Echo that the track ‘Nightclub Daydream’ is inspired by the near-utopian clubs he visited and the sound systems that drive them. 

Unexpected perhaps that such an atmosphere of perfectionism also unleashed creative bursts, resulting in a heavy, subby version of “In Your Life” with Lisa Tomlins taking over vocals, an upbeat reggae cover of William DeVaughan’s “Be Thankful For What You Got”, or a version of “Woah! There’s No Limit” with influences of soul and early hip-hop amen breaks.

Without further ado, Soundway presents Lord Echo’s ‘Rarities’, a collection of sought-after singles now made very much accessible to you the people." OUT 5 May 2023 on vinyl/digital, on Soundway

Ring The Alarm playlist 15 April 2023

Junior Murvin - Cool out son
Yellowman - Nobody move nobody get hurt

Skin Flesh and Bone - Do it til you're satisgied

Sister Nancy - Mumu is coming

Improvisators Dub meets Iration Steppas - Wah wah (12" mix)

Manasseh and Natty P - Skenga (12" mix)

Mungo's Hifi - Roll it

Stinky Jim feat Nazamba - Steam fish

Ras Stone meets Dub Terminator - Bad mind

Dam Native - Behold my kool style (Dub Asylum 'Return of the Dredi' reggae remix)

Herbs - Meteli

The Lahaar - Work work work

Ebony Steel Band - The robots

DJ Black Low - Lovey

Eje Eje - Saved from the jazz

Carolyn Franklin - Dead man

Erma Franklin - I'm just not ready for love

Aretha Franklin - Get it right

Rick Clarke - Do what we gotta do

Soul II Soul - Keep on movin'

Fuemana - Cool calm

James Holden - Trust your feet

Mr Scruff and Kirtsy Almeida - Pickled spider

Androo - Slice dub

Ardijah - Way around U (swing gat mix)

Junior Reid - Rappa pam pam