May 17, 2017

RhoDeo 1720 Aetix

Hello, after a decade of Aetix, creating posts on one artist/group is getting harder, not that i'm through, but hey i started with several acts in a post, at the time this heightened the chance for a takedown, one reason for me to center my posts on one artist/group. All this created leftovers and acts with just 1 or 2 albums, time to get these out.

Note there's a new host here today subyshare.com, I got decent downloadspeeds (150kps) tell me how it works for you. Meanwhile it looks like Mozilla users don get the captcha shown this makes the 1 min wait for free users irritatingly useless, however Chrome and IE nor Opera have that problem, so if you really want that Colourbox, use another browser.


Today's artists are one of the legendary 4AD label's earliest and most under-recognized acts, they were among the first artists outside of the realm of hip-hop to rely heavily on sampling techniques; ultimately, their arty blue-eyed soul -- a fusion of far-ranging influences spanning from classic RnB to dub to industrial -- reached its commercial and creative apotheosis through their work on M/A/R/R/S' seminal "Pump Up the Volume" project, a reflection of the group's longstanding interest in the burgeoning underground dance music scene of the 1980s.....N'Joy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

The band was formed by brothers Martyn and Steve Young, Ian Robbins, and vocalist Debian Curry. Curry and Robbins departed the band in 1983, with the role of vocalist being filled by Lorita Grahame from that point on. Colourbox stood apart from their then-4AD labelmates, their sound was eclectic, drawing from reggae and soul influences (with covers of tracks by U-Roy and Augustus Pablo released as singles), beat-box driven hip-hop rhythms, blue-eyed soul, as well as a fusion of far-ranging influences spanning from classic R&B, to dub and industrial.

Following their debut single "Breakdown" / "Tarantula" in late 1982 (and a 1983 remake with new and permanent vocalist Lorita Grahame), a four-track mini-album simply titled Colourbox was released in November 1983, displaying the band's fledgling experimental sound. After a handful of singles, Colourbox's first full-length studio album—also self-titled—followed in August 1985, which further refined the band's diverse palette, mixing sample-splattered power-punk instrumentals with elegiac piano pieces ("Just Give 'em Whiskey" and "Sleepwalker" respectively), commercial pop ("The Moon Is Blue" and "Suspicion") and more reggae and soul covers (U-Roy's "Say You" and The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging On").[citation needed] It was to remain the band's only full-length album.

In 1986, the band issued two completely different singles simultaneously on the same day: one was an instrumental initially intended as a FIFA World Cup anthem of that year ("The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme"); the other, a cover of Jacob Miller's "Baby I Love You So," featured third member Lorita Grahame on vocals. The same year, 4AD issued the 1983 mini-LP on CD for the first time, with the 12" versions of both of these singles added, along with the B-side "Looks Like We're Shy One Horse / Shoot Out" and the previous non-album single "Breakdown".

In 1987, at the behest of 4AD chief Ivo Watts-Russell, the Young brothers teamed with labelmates A.R. Kane as M/A/R/R/S to record a single fusing the rhythms and beats from classic soul recordings with state of the art electronics and production. Complete with scratches by champion mixer Chris "C.J." Mackintosh and London DJ Dave Dorrell, "Pump Up the Volume" -- a breakthrough effort heralding sampling's gradual absorption from hip-hop into dance music and ultimately the pop mainstream -- soon topped the British charts, the first 4AD release to accomplish that feat. Plans for a follow-up never materialized, however; stranger still, despite M/A/R/R/S' success, both the Youngs and Colourbox seemed to vanish, with no future recordings forthcoming. The pressures of sudden success and the long-running litigation caused by the use of samples resulted in the band never recording as Colourbox again.

For a brief time following Colourbox's dissolution, Martyn Young served as a producer on records by acts as diverse as The Christians and fellow labelmates The Wolfgang Press, whilst former singer Lorita Grahame lent her vocals to a record released by short-lived One Little Indian act Hit the Roof (on a cover of Edwin Starr's "Contact"). Since then, little has been heard from any of the group members, save for a brief return to promotional duties for Martyn Young in 2001, to oversee the release of the Colourbox compilation Best of Colourbox 82/87.

4AD released a self-titled box set of four compact discs, compiling all of their catalogue (the full-length album with its companion remix album in full, a 7" mix CD, a 12" mix CD, and the first EP with two BBC Radio sessions and a previously unreleased mix of "Arena") on 21 May 2012. The collection, marking the 30th anniversary of the group, was sequenced by Martyn Young. In 2014, Colourbox were the subject of an exhibition, Music of the Band (1982 - 1987), curated by Wolfgang Tillmans at his Between Bridges gallery in Berlin. A compilation of 16 tracks selected by Tillmans was released by 4AD to tie in with the exhibition.

Martyn Young has been playing additional keyboards, recording, producing and mixing the new Modern English album, Take Me To The Trees came out Sept 2016 (excellent come-back btw). Ian Robbins died in 2014. Martyn's brother Steven Young died on 13 July 2016.

xxxxx

Colourbox is the debut mini-album from Colourbox, released by 4AD in November 1983. MAD 315 is the album's catalogue number, used to distinguish it from their 1985 self-titled album, although the mini-album is sometimes referred to as Horses Fucking due to the cover image. Colourbox are as revolutionary as they remain unfairly obscure. Mixing soul sensibility (Lorita Grahame's gorgeous vocals) with fundamental eclecticism into a not at all easy sound identifications, this (actually their self titled debut mini LP) is one hell of a tiny experimental episode from their precious vaults. "Justice" demonstrates the creative process without digital equipment available now - which Colourbox pioneered beating down many of their peers. The track leans towards ultimate balladry while at the same time the listener is mercilessly mindwarped to great effect by its subliminal, experimental repetition. Even Grahame's voice is suddenly perverted by a tape-like chewed sound sliding in and out of its massively reverbed melodic focus. Albeit released in 1983, 'Colourbox' mini LP is way ahead of its time.



Colourbox - Colourbox EP 1 + Live (flac  349mb)

01 Shotgun 5:41
02 Keep On Pushing 5:16
03 Nation 10:00
04 Justice 4:50
bonus
05 Arena (Extended Version) 5:02
BBC Jensen Session (11-11-82)
06 Punch 3:53
07 Kill It 3:39
08 Bleach 3:58
09 Water Up The Tap 4:55
BBC Jensen Session (5-6-84)
10 The Look Of Love 2:52
11 You Keep Me Hanging On 2:44
12 The Wanderer 2:44
13 Low Rider 2:59

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

The band's sole full length album was, and is, a lost treasure -- though much about its production and general sound firmly places it as a product of the mid-'80s, it was still a stunning debut which covers any number of sounds and styles with aplomb. The result is a unique fusion, where you can't quite guess what will happen from one track to the next, but the sound still resembles the product of one particular vision. The opening songs set the range and ambition of the group straightaway -- from the instrumental "Sleepwalker," a truly beautiful piano piece with some extra production touches, the band slams into the sampling/guitar/rock/dance masterpiece "Just Give 'Em Whiskey." Crammed with samples from the likes of Westworld and The Prisoner, it's a total winner of beat, sound, and arrangement. Lorita Grahame makes her first appearance on the next number, the previously released cover of U-Roy's dancehall classic "Say You" -- her lovely singing provides the anchor for the album as a whole, matching the multiplicity of Colourbox's approaches with skill. The other cover on the record is often cited as its highlight -- a revamping of the Supremes' tremendous "You Keep Me Hanging On," which makes the near contemporaneous take by Kim Wilde seem like the weedy thing it is. There are plenty of other examples of Colourbox reaching for the skies, though: from the mid-century tearjerker gone modern "The Moon is Blue" and the album-closing gentle drama of "Arena" to the aggressive "Manic," which features a snarling guitar solo from William Orbit. There's a slightly curious discrepancy in the album's varying editions -- the vinyl version featured an extra record with other tracks and some alternate versions, only half of which ended up on the album. Those included were another take on "Arena" and the amusing samplefest "Edit the Dragon."



Colourbox - Colourbox (flac 436mb)

01 Sleepwalker 2:15
02 Just Give 'Em Whiskey 4:18
03 Say You 3:57
04 The Moon Is Blue 4:36
05 Inside Informer 4:25
06 Punch 5:00
07 Suspicion 4:27
08 Manic 2:26
09 You Keep Me Hanging On 5:37
10 Arena 4:22
11 Edit The Dragon 2:43
12 Hipnition 3:06
13 We Walk Around The Streets 0:24
14 Arena II 5:00
bonus
15 Manic II 5:53
16 Fast Dump 5:40
17 Sex Gun 4:08

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Coming alongside the truly epic ‘albums’ collection ‘Colourbox’, this companion record hoovers up all of the legendary 4AD band’s 7” material. For completists and those with limi...ted attention span



 Colourbox - Singles (flac 394mb)

01 Baby I Love You So 3:19
02 The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme 3:07
03 Hot Doggie 2:56
04 The Moon Is Blue 4:34
05 Breakdown 4:13
06 Tarantula 3:45
07 Philip Glass 3:29
08 Looks Like We're Shy One Horse 4:36
09 Say You 4:19
10 Fast Dump 4:07
11 Keep On Pushing 3:47
12 You Keep Me Hanging On 2:39
13 Breakdown 3:58
14 Tarantula 4:15
15 Shadows In The Room 4:57
16 Punch 3:43

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Coming alongside the truly epic ‘albums’ collection ‘Colourbox’, this companion record hoovers up all of the legendary 4AD band’s 12” material. The eclectic trio of Martyn and Steve Young and Lorita Grahame was particularly productive in the early 80s, and the non-album 12”s were easily as good as their wildly eclectic album releases. This complilation features the band’s first mini-album in full, as well as the 12”s versions of classics like their legendary cover of Augustus Pablo’s ‘Baby I Love You So’ and doomy, cavernous electro lynchpin ‘Tarantula’. Do yourself a favour, grab the ‘Colourbox’ albums collection , then give yourself an entire afternoon to take all of it in. Insanely essential, don’t miss this!



Colourbox - Twelves (flac  494mb)
 
01 Looks Like We're Shy One Horse / Shoot Out 8:01
02 Baby I Love You So 6:45
03 The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme 5:30
04 Breakdown 6:17
05 Tarantula 7:02
06 Say You 5:31
07 Fast Dump 5:27
08 The Moon Is Blue 6:12
09 You Keep Me Hanging On 5:52
10 Breakdown (2nd Version) 7:53
11 Tarantula (2nd Version) 8:15
12 Punch (12" Version) 5:43

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

The people were exposed to House music in 1985/1986 and in 1987 MARRS were building the bridge between the upcoming House craze and the existing Hip Hop music (1988, the "golden" age of HipHop and birth of the sub-genres in House music). MARRS became the blueprint for Coldcut ("Bits n Pieces"), Bomb The Bass, S'Express and the early KLF (aka Timelords aka Ancients of Mu-Mu). It is thinkable that Pump Up The Volume inspired Fast Eddie and Tyree to finally create "Hip House". It is also the first or second case of copyright infringement (the other being Eric B. & Rakim's "I Know You Got Soul"). Nowadays there will never be a dance track again, that will change the way music is being created as MARRS's did. Don't miss the hidden gem Anitina (First Time I See She Dance). An interesting and groovy mid-tempo industrial club track with some solid drum and bass programming, wailing voices, strange samples.



M.A.R.R.S. - Pump Up The Volume (flac  153mb)

01 Pump Up The Volume (Re-Mix) 6:27
02 Pump Up The Volume 5:07
03 Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance) 6:39
04 Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance) (Re-Mix) 7:40


xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
 
 
 
 
 

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Rho

Subyshare.com is not working for me. It says "Wrong captcha" and no captcha is shown. The ideal is to have a host that can be download by Real-debrid.com for example.

Anonymous said...

Worked fine for me. Great post - a fine band back in the day.

Anonymous said...

Sorry it works fine. No wrong captcha. My fault.

Anonymous said...

Not working with Mozilla

Anonymous said...

Suby good with Explorer here. And no pop ups! Which was kinda scary lol

Charles said...

Such an amazing set this is. I'm so happy I managed to snag a copy of this boxset when it came out, now going for ridiculous amounts when you can find it. This music is too good to remain anonymous. MARRS was fine, but Colourbox was the shit!

Rho said...

Hello i upgraded my initial statement thus

"
Note there's a new host here today subyshare.com, I got decent downloadspeeds (150kps) tell me how it works for you. Meanwhile it looks like Mozilla users don get the captcha shown this makes the 1 min wait for free users irritatingly useless, however Chrome and IE nor Opera have that problem, so if you really want that Colourbox, use another browser."

Anonymous said...

Beautifull post, brings back some memories...

BTW Subyshare / Mozilla Firefox worked for me

cheers

Paul.C. said...

Mighty band,mighty post Rho.Cheers mate.

Anonymous said...

Greetings Rho,
Excellent sounds from an great band.
Thank you for sharing the 4cd box!

Could you re-upload M/A/R/R/S, please?
Thanks in advance.

Peace,
Don Julian

Rho said...

That's odd, but then there was much strife about who was entitled on all that money Pump up the volume made-and cost but why it was taken down already mystifies me, well it's live again now..N'Joy

Doc Vinyl said...

Is it possible to re-up please ?
Thanks

the saucer people said...

I'm sure I wore my Colourbox album out as I played it pretty much from the mid eighties to the chill out Sundays after coming back from the early free parties and raves in the late eighties and early nineties.

Not come across the 12 inch collection before - nver thought I'd hear the full mixes of Looks Like We're Shy One Horse/Shoot and Tarantula again unless I bought the original vinyl - definitely going to invest in a copy of the CD - 4AD definitely shaped my musical tastes across the entire 80s decade,from early Bauhaus and Cocteau Twins to This Mortal Coil - what a label.

psorb40 said...

Hi

The links for the first 3 CDs of the excellent Colourbox box set still work but can't seem to get the 4th CD to work (Deposit files). Any chance of a re-up? Brilliant blog btw, many thanks phil

psorb40 said...

no bother Rho, that Deposit file link seems to be working today!?

cheers
phil

piggybearsv said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Would it be possible, please, to update the links for these? Thanks very much for your post on Colourbox, and the many others on your blog!

AJ said...

Thanks for the Colourbox Box...could you check the link for the 7" singles? It is directing to the Clrbx EP1+Lv.zip file

Thanks
AJ