28 August 2007

Kenlou: "Moonshine/Hillbilly" 12" single

Lordy. I've had this on my wish list for years and only JUST picked up a copy. Wow - what a blast, and what a classic.

Urgent percussive midtempo house beats kick in from the start so the tune's a doddle to mix. Then there's the midway break into a cheery, bouncy, jazzy saxaphone break guaranteed to lift the spirits of the crowd. Strong bassline, enough flange / pitch bend / other effects variety to make it worthwhile playing to the end, and a sharp, incisive bar structure that makes it fun to cut with. A staple.

Label: MAW Records
Catalog#: MAW 001
Format: Vinyl, 12"
Country:US
Released:1995
Genre: Electronic
Style: House
Credits: Engineer - Steve Barkan*
Producer - Masters At Work
Written-By - Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez* , Louie Vega
Notes:Track A: Recorded at Dungeon Tape, Brooklyn, NY.
Track B: Recorded at Base Hit, NYC.
Pressed at Europadisk. This release was re-issued around 2000 with different artwork.
Rating: 4.3/5 (95 votes)

Tracklisting:

A Moonshine (7:54)
B Hillbilly Song (6:09)
Harmonica - William Gallison

08 August 2007

A silent film that speaks volumes from the past

Movie review of "Silent Running".
Published on facebook.com, 8th August 2007.

How odd that a film made 35 years ago is more relevant today than it was then. Sublimely simple and idealistic at the time because it was based on issues that had only just begun to occur, it is now almost a syllabus-compulsory educational film into the long-term effect of a cavalier attitude to the planet we live on.

Excellent performance from Dern, who has more time in front of camera than the rest of the cast put together, with the possible exception of the three robots combined (Huey, Dewey and Louie), to whom the viewer finds themselves emotionally attached before the film is over to such an extent that [spoiler alert] when one robot is swept into space, tears are almost inevitable.

02 August 2007

Mindlock: "Timewarp" 12" single

Nice three-track hard house 12". All three mixes are no-nonsense progressive but with different combinations of urgency and thoughtfulness. B2 track is probably the best of the three with a distinctive and sample-hungry "house of pain" vocal loop.

Label: Time Unlimited
Catalog#: TIME 042-6
Format: Vinyl, 12"
Country:Germany
Released:1996
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hard Trance
Credits: Producer, Written-By - Jan Friedrich
Notes:Written and produced by Jan Friedrich at Megaflex Studios.
Rating: 4.3/5 (25 votes)
Submitted by:DJ_Dawn

Tracklisting:

A
Time Warp
B1
Plank-Ton
B2
Air Raid

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
PR, internal communications and branding pro currently freelancing as a consultant, writer, DJ, and whatever else comes my way.