2009年 Aug 9日 Sunday, 0:01

Every now and then I make compilations for friends. I find this quite
rewarding because it makes me listen to music more carefully and think
about why I want someone to listen to a track. So I thought I'd write
out the tracklists of some of these compilations along with some of the
`decision making' that went into choosing the tracks.

This particular mix cd is for Brian K. Brian made me a very nice mix cd
earlier this year and I promised I'd do the same. It only took me four months.

Mix for Brian

1. Oxygene Part 4 - Jean-Michel Jarre
This is, of course, a classic all the way back from 1976! Two tracks on the Return from Planet Dub album by Lee Perry feat. Doublestandart and Ari Up - Oxygen Part 4 (feat. David Lynch) (really!) and remix of it called Deadly Funny sample Oxygene Part 4.
2. Triangle Walks (Tora Vinter Remix) - Fever Ray
Fever Ray has been satisfying my Knife needs very well. The remixes for the album have come from new (to me) artists. Tora Vinter for example. Nice and bouncy without losing the eerieness of the original.
3. Come to Berlin (Telefon Tel Aviv Remix) - Barbara Morgenstern
Z-soldier sent me this track I think. Fine remix of a fine track. RIP half of Telefon Tel Aviv.
4. Break the silence - Rude 66
Much of Rude 66's music is more electro but this track is as dreamy as they come. I should have discovered this track two years before I did because it was number 30 in the late CBS Top 100 for 2006. But the robots lets DJ Robot X down and he instead played the rather pointless Message From Heaven. Still the gods were kind and I chanced upon this track while playing sharevari's radio.
5. Wo Kommen Wir Her (Frank Kusserow Remix) - La Rez
This track was on Anthony Rother's Fuse compilation. Tracking down the full version took some time but was worth it. I wanna visit Frankfurt am Meer! Who are La Rez I wonder. Very little information on them online.
6. Beach Kisses (Rework) - Dosem
The highlight of the excellent Balance compilation by Joris Voorn. I love the synthetic saxophone sounds on this one. Makes me think of a summer on some balearic beach. Thanks to Hypnotic Beats for the painstaking deconstruction of the Balance comp - don't let the haters get you down.
7. Ce N'est Pas Bon (Bullion Remix) - Amadou & Mariam
Brian put Sabali on his mix. I loved it and wanted to respond. Thankfully an excellent remix by Bullion appeared on p4k in time.
8. The Way It Used To Be (Left Of Love Dub) - Pet Shop Boys
I wanted to love the new Pet Shop Boys album Yes more than I did. I ended up liking the companion remix album by Xenomania, Yes etc. more. This track makes a nostalgic epic by leaving out almost all the vocals. The remix album did a good job of highlighting the good stuff on the album and more or less rehabilitated it for me. I think Johnny Marr can be heard on both the original and the remix.
9. Fight For Love (European Man Remix) - Nathan Kowald
European Man takes a bedroom synth instant classic and makes it even more gorgeous. European Man might have a new album soon under the name Erik XVI.
10. Darling - Popular Computer
11. Automatic Lover (ODahl Remix) - Jay-Jay Johanson
We are now deep into the synthpop world. Though in truth, that's more the natural state of affairs around here. I came across both of these tracks through the excellent Tracasseur blog. The unremixed track is excellent too as is the original by Dee D. Jackson.
12. Stars - Mr. Fingers
One can learn a lot from studying the CBS Top 100. This shimmering track for example was on the original CBS Top 100 from 2004. It's also the only track by an american artist on comp. Mr. Fingers is Larry Heard.
13. Spinning for Spoonie - Neil Halstead
I loved Slowdive. I also love Mojave 3 and Neil Halstead even though it's not been easy lately. But tracks like this help me keep the faith. Butterfly flap your wings.