Stage 33, Iceland

Stage 33, Iceland and i'm nearing the end of my eurosonic trip, what a place to finish, land of fire and ice, Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle, which passes through the small island of Grímsey off Iceland's northern coast. With just 300,000 inhabitants (a medium sized city), its tiny just 0,06 % of the EU population. When humans arrived(864 AD), birch forest and woodland probably covered 25-40% of Iceland’s land area. But soon the settlers started to remove the trees and forests to create fields and grazing land, almost totally destroying the great resource. Btw the old english for birch is beorc thats bjork in icelandic. Well after a millenium of their mainland brethern from skandinavia formally running the show they do very well themselves these days.
The reason we stop over at Iceland here is of course Bjork,  she put Iceland on the map of the musicworld, in her wake lots of great artists came to the fore that might have gone unnoticed otherwise. So what is it that this small group of people produce so much great music, well isolation-interdependance, long cold winters- indoor activities , a love for singing and making music together between the storytelling all this surely laid a solid base for youngsters to explore their skills on, naturally there's sex and alcohol aswell, but above all the beautiful awe inspiring landscape that surrounds them, well ...

Obviously i have to start this Iceland post with Bjork a concert registration ripped from the DVD, followed by a great side project from another great icelandic composer Johan Johansson, Apparat Organ Quartet. Gisli has been called the icelandic Beck which is almost obvious but he does it with gusto and some great lyrics aswell. Gus Gus got picked up by 4AD, eager to pick another Icelandic cherry, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson a prolific artist into some ancient religion aswell, hardly surprising Genesis P is a mate , his music scores however are beautiful drifting like clouds over the icelandic country and sea sides. Finally Emilíana Torrini-davidsdottir- so you catch the drift, a real icelandic beauty nice sensual voice place her between Bjork and Stina Nordenstam . Id say check em out, i have full downloads via divshare over at rho-xsss.

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Bjork - Cambridge ( 98 )
Apparat Organ Quartet - I (02 )
Gisli - How about that ? (04)
Gusgus - Polydistortion (96)
Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson - Children Of Nature, Angels of the Universe ( 96, 01)
Emilíana Torrini - Love In The Time Of Science (99)

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Bjork - Cambridge ( 98 * 375mb)

Björk's musical career began when she was 11, studying classical piano in elementary school. One of her instructors sent a recording of Björk singing to RÚV, then the only radio station in Iceland. The recording was broadcasted on radio nationally; after hearing it, a representative of the record label Fálkinn contacted Björk with a record contract offer. She recorded her eponymous debut in 1977, it featured several Icelandic children's songs and covers of popular songs such as the Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill", sung in Icelandic. In 1980 she graduated from music school. In 1981, she and bassist Jakob Magnússon formed another band Tappi Tíkarrass and released an extended single, "Bítið Fast í Vítið" in the same year. Their album Miranda was released in 1983. Next stop, the gothic rocklike KUKL ("sorcery" in Icelandic), toured with Crass, and Flux of Pink Indians in the UK, they released 2 albums, The Eye in 1984, and Holidays in Europe in 1986, both on Crass Records. The band dissolved , fused with the surrealist group Medusa and was reborn as The Sugarcubes, more on them in my next post, in 1992 The Sugarcubes dissolved

Bjork found her self in London, she already had entered the UK musicscene, singing 2 tracks on 808 state's excell album, Qmart and Ooops, she met up with the then hot producer Nellie Hooper and together recorded her solo debut album, Debut (93) , a mix of songs Björk had written since she was a teenager as well as newer lyrical collaborations with Hooper. It was named album of the year by NME, at the 1994 Brit Awards Björk won the awards for Best International Female and Best International newcomer. Well she became involved with the indie-dance and movie scene, too much re recall here Post (95) and Telegram (96), here creative breaktru Homogenic (97) followed by Selmasongs (00) the soundtrack for the movie Dancer in the Dark, for which she won best actress at Cannes. It had been a dazzling decade for Bjork

In 2001 Vespertine was released, not in the spring as was her wish but the distribution apparatus said no, so she launched it anyway during an live concert broadcast on the net.Well her megastar status grew some more making a lasting appearance at the oscars (2001), and the opening of the olympics 2004 singing Oceania, and a nice platform to promote her voices only album Medulla, Army of me remixes (2005) was released to support the 2004 tsunami victims, later that year the soundtrack to Drawing Restraint , her partner Matthew Barney "s movie (a contemporary media artist working with film, video installations, sculpture, photography and drawing), with whom she has a daughter Ísadóra. Greatest hits albums, boxsets , remasters and concert, docu, and clips dvd's , 11 in all thusfar were released. Too much to tell about this diva, wiki has a nice compilation, check it out here !

One of the earlier DVD releases was recorded in Cambridge, 2nd December 1998, featuring The Icelandic String Octet, and Mark Bell (LFO), a very close concert, balancing the abstract electronics by Mark Bell, the strings from the octet with her beautiful voice.



01 - Intro (2:24)
02 - Hunter (4:38)
03 - Come To Me (4:28)
04 - All Neon Like (5:11)
05 - You've Been Flirting Again (3:22)
06 - Isobel (5:21)
07 - Immature (2:56)
08 - Play Dead (3:58)
09 - Alarm Call (3:20)
10 - Human Behaviour (4:00)
11 - Bachelorette (5:21)
12 - Hyperballad (4:42)
13 - Pluto (4:26)
14 - Anchor Song (4:13)
15 - Jóga (5:56) cambridge clip


Bjork @ Base
Bjork @ MySpace
lots of Bjork @ YouTube
Bjork @ Amazon

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Apparat Organ Quartet - I (02 ^ 315mb)

The Apparat Organ Quartet was founded in 1999 by Jóhann Jóhannsson, a noted Icelandic composer and musician. The band, 4 keyboard players and a drummer, plays several different organs and uses other devices such as a vocoder, has a sound reminiscent somewhat of German band Kraftwerk. Apparat, though based in Reykjavík, has toured throughout Europe, but thusfar only released this album in 2002. Main man Jóhann Jóhannsson however has been busy releasing several works of acclaim under his own name.



1 - Romantika (4:42) great clip
2 - Stereo Rock & Roll (4:17)
3 - The Anguish of Space-Time Voc-Adda Ingólfsdóttir (6:10)
4 - Cruise Control (3:38)
5 - Ondula Nova (5:25)
6 - Global Capital Voc-Adda Ingólfsdóttir (5:21) clip
7 - Seremonia (5:00)
8 - Charlie Tango # 2 (7:23)
9 - Sofðu Litla Vél (5:29)

Apparat Organ Quartet @ MySpace
Apparat Organ Quartet @ Amazon uk

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Gisli - How about that ? (04 ^ 251mb))

Gisli is a solo musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist now operating in Oslo, Norway. His brand of pop-rock has been likened to, amongst others, Beck, more specifically, Gisli is likened to the Mellow Gold-era Beck; a creature that brought us acoustic hip-hop and dry humour along the lines of Loser and Soul Suckin' Jerk, but he lists his own heroes as people like Eels, loads of hip-hop and Leonard Nimoys Spock. He's led the sort of life youd expect from someone whose parents had the flash of inspiration (or madness) to give him a name which means Hostage. Hes only started thinking about that since people started picking up on it in England, and now frets that its weird. A lot about Gisli is weird, although we wont give him any more grounds to over-think things.

"My father was a fisherman, who would return from trips to Germany with records by the Beatles. From then on it was a barmy adventure from his dads record collection straight into Iron Maiden by age six. Later, he got into unlikely bedfellows Duran Duran, David Bowie and hip-hop. Its all kinda what my album sounds like I guess! " he grins



01 - How about that (3:00)
02 - Straight to hell (3:27)
03 - Go get 'em tiger (3:28)
04 - Worries (2:17)
05 - The day it all went wrong (3:52)
06 - I don't fight (3:48)
07 - TV is the devil (3:04)
08 - End of my ropes (3:29)
09 - Passing out (3:07)
10 - Can you make me right (3:21)
11 - I'm trying (3:43)
12 - Mind games (3:27)
13 - You and me (2:36)

Gisli @ Base
Gisli @ MySpace
Gisli @ Amazon

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Gusgus - Polydistortion ( 96 * 475mb)

Widely acclaimed as an avant-garde group of musicians and performers, Gus Gus mixes together different mediums to create a unique musical sound. Their trademark style has an ethereal quality, combined with funky bass, drum sounds and the intelligent use of technology. Like their fellow national, Björk, Gus Gus has developed a sound that is all their own: innovative and challenging, yet accessible and even dance-floor friendly.

Gus Gus as an electronic soul band formed in 1995. A short brake in a making of the short film "Pleasure" made it possible for the first Gus Gus self-titled album to be born. In 1996 Gus Gus got a deal with 4AD. This collaboration gives birth to 3 albums, "Polydistortion", "This Is Normal" and finally "Gus Gus vs T-World". After the This is Normal album the filmmaking arm of GusGus, Kjartansson and Árni Þorgeirsson, split off to form the production company "Celebrator", nowadays known as "Arni & Kinski", which has produced award-winning advertisements and videos. A few former members have gone solo, most notably though Emilíana Torrini, who was replaced by Earth aka Urður Hákonardóttir.

During the 4AD years, Gus Gus starts touring massively, stirring the music world with their powerful live-show. In 2002 Gus Gus made their 4th studio album "Attention". Their music is eclectic, and although primarily classified with techno, trip-hop and house music, they have experimented with numerous other styles. They have also remixed several famous artists. Recently they released their latest Forever .



01 - Oh (Edit) (1:17)
02 - Gun (6:08)
03 - Believe (7:18)
04 - Polyesterday (4:52)
05 - Barry (5:57)
06 - Cold Breath '79 (6:42)
07 - Why? (4:04)
08 - Remembrance (8:06)
09 - Is Jesus Your Pal? (3:34)
10 - Purple (8:01)
11 - Polybackwards (5:00)

12 - Cold Breath '79 (Husmix) (5:02)
13 - Believe (16B Remix) (7:23)
14 - Believe (LFO Remix) (5:11)
15 - Polydistortion (8:06)

Gus Gus @ Base
Gus Gus @ MySpace
Gus Gus @ YouTube

Gus Gus @ Amazon

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Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson - Children Of Nature, Angels Of The Universe (96, 01 ^ 387mb)

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson was a pioneer in the use of computers when composing music and cleared the path for new ideas in recording and arrangements. He has worked on ambitious, experimental and original projects with various musicians, such as Psychic TV, Current 93, Sigur Rós, Steindór Andersen and Eivør Pálsdóttir.

He's been recording with Frostbite (1993), Hafler Trio-(H3ÖH) 93, Grindverk 97-99, apart from his soundtracks composing, he's become an expert on norske myths, paganism, from his interest on magic and the Reich's orgone therapy, for which he created a center, to the Ásatrú Association (old pagan Norse religion) from which he's been a member since his sixteenth, and which he has been ordained head of 5 years ago.

Hilmarsson, with over 20 soundtracks to his name is Iceland's most prolific film composer. In 1995 he won European Film Composer of the Year for his work on the Oscar nominated 'Children of Nature', for which he also collaborated with Fridriksson and 'Angels of the Universe' writer, Einar Mar Gudmundsson. On Children of Nature, he makes full use of keyboards, electronics and samplers, supplemented highly effectively by strings and percussion. The result, which he dedicated as a "commemoration of those I have loved and lost", is an accessible but profoundly moving set of short pieces which have a melancholic yet often uplifting feel to them, this is superior soundtrack music rather than classical music per se. It blends rather well with another soundtrack he did for another Fridriksson movie 'Angels of the Universe'
about a man's descent into despair and schizophrenia, one might expect a pretty moody score, and that's indeed what we have here, brooding, wistful soundscapes using mostly very organic-sounding keyboards and electronics, with melodic themes provided by a bit of classical guitar and violin. The first fifteen atracks are by Hilmarsson, Sigur Rós contributes the last two tracks of the score * not here but available at Rho-Xsss.



01 - Ars Moriendi (5:54)
02 - Charon (2:29)
03 - Sudurgata (3:26)
04 - Farm (3:15)
05 - Snatis's Death (1:24)
06 - Journey (4:07)
07 - Escape (1:28)
08 - Coffin (2:04)
09 - Ascension (4:08)
10 - Titles (3:12)
11 - Aerophilia (3:20)
12 - Pretty Angels (5:06)
Angels of the Universe
13 - Approach / Dream (3:07)
14 - Memory (1:56)
15 - The Black Dog And The Scottish Play (1:23)
16 - Degradation (1:19)
17 - Over The Bend (4:18)
18 - Colours (1:56)
19 - Journey To The Underworld (1:46)
20 - Shave (0:35)
21 - On The Road (2:28)
22 - Another Memory (1:47)
23 - Relapse (1:23)
24 - Coma (0:53)
25 - Schiller In China (2:52)
26 - Helpless (1:08)
27 - Te Morituri... (2:50)

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson @ Amazon


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Emilíana Torrini - Love In The Time Of Science (99 ^ 453mb)

Emiliana Torrini Davidsdottir, grew up in a town near Reykjavík, her italian father owns and operates a well-known Italian restaurant in Iceland where she used to waitress Emiliana joined a choir at the age of 7 in which she sang soprano until she went to opera school at the age of 15. She became well-known in Iceland in 1994, when, aged 17 she won the song competition of junior colleges in Iceland, singing "I Will Survive".

From 1994 to 1996 she released three albums in Iceland, Spoon (with a band of the same name), Crouçie d'Où La, and Merman. She has been a member of Icelandic artist collective GusGus, and contributed vocals to several songs on their debut Polydistortion (1996).

Her breakthru came with this, her 1999 " Love in the Time of Science" (produced by Tears for Fears' Roland Orzabal). In 2002
Torrini was able to sing Gollum's Song, the end theme of Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers when fellow Icelander Björk backed out due to pregnancy. In 2005 she released the album Fisherman's Woman featuring the singles "Sunnyroad" and "Heartstopper." In 2006, Torrini was nomimated for the Icelandic Music Awards held in Reykjavík in four categories: Pop Album of the Year, Song of the Year (Sunnyroad), Singer of the Year and Video of the Year (Sunnyroad, She won all except Song of the Year.



01 - To Be Free (3:25)
02 - Wednesday's Child (3:54)
03 - Baby Blue (4:05)
04 - Dead Things (4:25)
05 - Unemployed In Summertime (3:46)
06 - Easy (3:21)
07 - Fingertips (3:43)
08 - Telepathy (4:00)
09 - Tuna Fish (3:12)
10 - Summerbreeze (3:48)
11 - Sea People (1:12)
Xs
12 - Baby Blue (Ray and Christian mix) (7:30)
13 - Easy (Tore Johansson videomix) (3:06)
14 - Fingertips (Mice Parade remix) (4:42)
15 - Slowblow (2:03)
16 - I Really Loved Harold (3:48)
17 - Ruby Tuesday (4:49)
18 - Tomorrow (3:48)
19 - Merman (3:03)
20 - Frank Mills (2:17)
21 - Gollum's Song (from OST Two Towers) (5:48)

Emiliana @ Base
Emiliana @ MySpace
Emiliana @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Stage 32, Ireland Pats Day

Stage 32, We're still in Ireland and would you believe it, on St. Patrick's Day (March 17) the formal national holiday on which Ireland celebrates its patron saint, St. Patrick. In recent years the celebrations in Dublin have been extended to a week-long event called St Patrick's Festival, encompassing a spectacular fireworks display (Skyfest), open-air music, street theater and the traditional parade. It started to become a big feastday for the Irish , after those that emigrated wanted to display their heritage, and started parading thru the streets of Boston, Chicago and New York, on march the 17th, St Patricks Day. Well the idea caught on and after 270 years its became a global event for Irish Expats and everything relating to Ireland. Leprechauns not withstanding , of course it started of as a catholic thing. The Bishop, and former slave, that managed to elude the druids and convert the pagans to christianity, the story about snakes is a reference to the paganism that worshipped them. As the story goes he used the shamrock to explain people about the trinity (father, son , holy ghost). Well goodluck to the irish !


The music today is a crossection again, starting with The Undertones, who's Teenage Kicks kept John Peel going , i came across an EP of Stiff Little Fingers and a rarety by Wings - Give Ireland Back To The Irish, packaged together, all vinyl rips btw. Cruachan,  folk metal yes, Energy Orchard is another band from the northern part of Ireland, great music-wrong name-great for a techno trance outfit, HAL was the established musicpress hype of 2004 and well if only the world wasnt such a mess, Thin Lizzy would have made some sense of it, and im sure Phil Lynnot would create a Jailbreak riot, alas not to be anymore. The Thrills 2nd album turned out to be ok, but the next one must clich it for them. Lunasa , cant do with a class act folk band. I conclude
 with one of the biggest upcoming bands of the moment, Snow Patrol, they seem to be jinxed so lets cross our fingers for them.

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Irish Pots of gold..

The Undertones - The Undertones (79)
Cruachan - Pagan (04)
Energy Orchard - EN (90)
HAL - Hal (05)
Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
Thrills, The - Let's Bottle Bohemia (04)
Lunasa - Sé (six) (06)
Snow Patrol - Final straw (03)

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The Undertones - The Undertones (79 * 377mb)

The Undertones formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1976. Their debut EP, Teenage Kicks, was released by Belfast record shop owner Terry Hooley on his Good Vibrations label in September 1978. The song captivated Britain's top DJ, John Peel, who played the song on the BBC air. This attracted a deal from Sire Records Company, which released the band's debut LP in April 1979. That fall, Undertones earned kudos as a support act on the Clash's American tour.
A second LP, Hypnotised, was recorded and released in 1980, followed in 1981 by their first LP for EMI, Positive Touch.

The Sin Of Pride was released in 1983, shortly before the Undertones split up in the summer of 1983 after a series of summer festival gigs. Feargal Sharkey launched a short-lived solo career
, while the O'Neills won critical plaudits -- but little sales -- for their tough-minded political band, That Petrol Emotion. Hopes of re-forming the original lineup for John Peel's 50th birthday fell apart after the O'Neills' father died. The first new album in 20 years, Get What You Need, was released on September 2003.



01 - Family Entertainment (2:37)
02 - Girls Don't Like It (2:10)
03 - Male Model (1:55)
04 - I Gotta Getta (1:54)
05 - Teenage Kicks (2:26)
06 - Wrong Way (1:24)
07 - Jump Boys (2:36)
08 - Here Comes The Summer (1:37)
09 - Get Over You (2:37)
10 - Billy's Third (1:57)
11 - Jimmy Jimmy (2:39)
12 - True Confessions (2:23)
13 - (She's) A Runaround (1:47)
14 - I Know A Girl (2:34)
15 - Listening In (2:22)
16 - Casbah Rock (0:44)
Bonus
17 - Smarter Than You 1:39
18 - True Confessions 1:56
19 - Emergency Cases 1:58
20 - Really Really 1:52
21 - She Can Only Say No 0:54
22 - Mars Bars 2:10
23 - One Way Love 2:16
24 - Top Twenty 2:14
25 - You've Got My Number (Why Don't You Use It!) 2:40
26 - Let's Talk About Girls 3:35

The Undertones @ Base
The Undertones @ Base2
The Undertones @ YouTube

The Undertones @ Amazon

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Cruachan - Pagan (04 * 311mb)

Cruachan probably took their name from the ancient city of the same name, which was the capital of the old Irish kingdom of Connacht. they mix Celtic music, history and mythology with black metal. Cruachan's black metal influence, however, has become diluted in recent releases, and most fans only consider their first album Tuatha Na Gael to be black metal, recent work has become more melodic, with softer vocals, courtesy of Karen Gilligan, who joined after the release of Tuatha Na Gael. There is more of a metal sound to Pagan (as compared to The Middle Kingdom and Folk-Lore), very similar to the sound of their first album Tuatha Na Gael. However, there is still plenty of folk sound to it. That is probably what makes this release the most versatile: it can please the most diehard metal fans, but also those fans who have grown to love the folk aspect of Cruachan.



01 - Michael Collins (3:51)
02 - Pagan (5:08)
03 - The Gael (4:02)
04 - Ard Ri Na Heirann (5:03)
05 - March To Cluain Tairbh (2:00)
06 - Viking Slayer (4:15)
07 - 1014 AD (3:36)
08 - Some Say The Devil Is Dead (3:13)
09 - 1000 Years (3:51)
10 - Lament For The Wild Geese (1:28)
11 - Erinsong (5:19)
12 - Summoning Of The Sidhe (3:00)
13 - The Fall Of Gondolin (7:46)

Cruachan @ Base
Cruachan @ YouTube
Cruachan @ Amazon

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Energy Orchard - EN (90 * 330mb)

Energy Orchard were an Northern Irish guibased rock band of the late 1980s and early 1990s, from Belfast. Fronted by Bap Kennedy (brother of Irish singer-songwriter Brian Kennedy). Musically, Energy Orchard could be described as an Irish folk/rock/pop combination. But they aren't just taking old traditional songs and putting a faster beat behind them or just playing them with an electric guitar. They're taking those musical stylings and rhythms, throwing away some stuff, retaining the rest, pushing the result through the modern influences of rock, jazz and blues to create something really unique. They've got a great bluesy feel to them; the soulful harmonica that permeates the album just sounds wonderful..

Their first single, Belfast, which was their most succesful song reaching 37 in the UK charts. The first album, Energy Orchard, was released to some critical appreciation, but with some reservations about it being overproduced (producer was Mick Glossop), somewhat diluting the band's raw live sound. Subsequent albums compensated for this, the 1992 release Stop the Machine, 1993's Shinola (released on Essential Records), Pain Killer (1995) and a 1996 live album.

Despite extensive touring, the breakthrough to mainstream success eluded them, the band were dropped in 1996 and subsequently disbanded, though Bap went on to have some success with a solo career.



01 - Belfast
02 - Somebody's Brother
03 - Lion
04 - One, Two Brown Eyes
05 - King of Love
06 - Sailortown
07 - Walk In Love
08 - This House Must Fall
09 - Sweet Irish Rose
10 - Hard Street
11 - Good Day To Die
12 - Belfast (Instrumental)


Energy Orchard @ Amazon

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HAL - Hal (05 ^ 285mb)

Paul and Dave Allen, the Irish brothers at the forefront of quartet Hal, harmonize like the Beach Boys (Dave -vocals/guitar and Paul - vocals/bass), Stephen O'Brien (keyboards, occasional guitars and backing vocals) and Steve Hogan (drums) formed in 2003. HAL was signed to Rough Trade Records following a bidding war with several major labels.

Their first single, Worry About the Wind was released in 2004. This single was very well received in press and many claimed that HAL would become the band of 2004. Their debut album, "Hal" was one of the best reviewed albums of 2005. Their singles "What a Lovely Dance" and "Play the Hits" feature prominently on Match of the Day and World Cup 2006. The band also released a double 7" single with UK Indie band: The Magic Numbers. HAL contributed their song Keep Love As Your Golden Rule to this single. And more love from the musicpress; The Irish Post Best Newcomer Award 2005, Best Irish Album of 2005 in the Irish Independent, Nr.1 album van 2005 in French music magazine MAGIC. Yes nobody can deny they yearn for the good old days with beautiful harmonies like the Beach Boys and The Beatles delivered, retro is all over these 11 tracks like white on rice. Happy music with melancholy just around the corner...

After a short tour through England, Ireland, Europe and Japan, the band went back into the studies at the end of 2005. Their highly anticipated second album is expected to be released in 2007.



01 - What A Lovely Dance ( 3:50)
02 - Play The Hits ( 3:21)
03 - Keep Love As Your Golden Rule ( 3:54)
04 - Don't Come Running ( 3:27)
05 - I Sat Down ( 4:26)
06 - My Eyes Are Sore ( 5:22)
07 - Fools By Your Side ( 4:03)
08 - Worry About The Wind ( 4:06)
09 - Satisfied ( 3:18)
10 - Slow Down (You've Got A Friend) ( 3:00)
11 - Coming Right Over ( 4:33)

HAL @ Base
HAL @ MySpace
HAL @ Amazon

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Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak (76 * 222mb)

Thin Lizzy was founded in late 1969 in Dublin, Ireland, by Lynott, guitarist Eric Bell, electric organist Eric Wrixon and drummer Brian Downey. Wrixon was gone by early 1970, and tiring of the limited possibilities in Dublin, the group relocated to London in 1971.Signing a contract with Decca Records, Thin Lizzy's first hit came in 1973, with "Whiskey in the Jar", a version of a traditional Irish song. However, the group initially had problems matching the success of "Whiskey..."

Bell left, and was replaced by Gary Moore who left too, Lynott and Downey regrouped, recruiting Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson as guitarists to make what was arguably the classic Thin Lizzy lineup.Fighting (1975) was their first album success(TL's 5th album), however the following album, Jailbreak, was their breakthrough, to this day the boys are back in time gets good air time on classic rock stations.Jailbreak is a tremendous effort from the band, Phil Lynott providing solid bass work along with his sly "ghetto" vocal, the incessant rhythmic rolling of drummer Brian Downey, a range of song styles that is rare for any artist from any decade, and of course.....there's Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson with guitar clash acrobatics throughout. A truly amazing record through and through.

During the late 1970s and early 80s, Thin Lizzy played to a rabid fanbase but was unable to break into mainstream markets. Their live shows were no-nonsense, no special effects affairs relying purely on the music and Lynott's rapport with the fans. Their critically acclaimed Live and Dangerous has been called one of the best live albums ever.

After a farewell tour in 1984, Lynott dissolved Thin Lizzy and focused on his solo career. Lynott continued his solo career, which he had begun while still with the group with the album Solo in Soho, yielding several hits, and "Yellow Pearl" (used in the early 80s as the theme tune for the BBC programme Top of the Pops-see Midge Ure). Lynott died in January 1986, a victim of drug abuse. The remaining members of Thin Lizzy (John Sykes and Scott Gorham, Brian Downey declined ) reunited in 1999 for a European tour and live album, currently, as of 2006, touring the UK and Ireland. They will support Deep Purple again in April and May of 2007 for their UK tour.



01 - Jailbreak (4:04)
02 - Angel From The Coast (3:07)
03 - Running Back (3:17)
04 - Romeo And The Lonely Girl (3:58)
05 - Warriors (4:12)
06 - The Boys Are Back In Town (4:30)
07 - Fight Or Fall (3:48)
08 - Cowboy Song (5:18)
09 - Emerald (4:04)

Thin Lizzy @ Fanbase
Thin Lizzy @ YouTube
Thin Lizzy @ Amazon

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The Thrills - Let's Bottle Bohemia (04 * 281mb)

The Thrills are an Irish indie/rock band, formed in 2001 in Dublin. The band is made up of lead vocalist Conor Deasy, guitarist Daniel Ryan, guitarist and bass player Padraic McMahon, pianist Kevin Horan and drummer Ben Carrigan. Their big break came with their debut album So Much for the City which became an Irish number one. The four members spent a Summer on vacation in San Diego where they wrote several of the tracks for their second album, Let's Bottle Bohemia, which enjoyed similar success to the band's debut, largely on the back of the single "Whatever Happened to Corey Haim?".
The Thrills are currently recording their third album, their third full-length will be out sometime in early summer 2007.



01 - Tell Me Something I Don't Know (3:57)
02 - Whatever Happened To Corey Haim? (3:34)
03 - Faded Beauty Queens (3:40)
04 - Saturday Night (2:32)
05 - Not For All The Love In The World (4:06)
06 - Our Wasted Lives (3:46)
07 - You Can't Fool Old Friends With Limousines (3:12)
08 - Found My Rosebud (4:20)
09 - The Curse Of Comfort (3:02)
10 - The Irish Keep Gate-Crashing (3:10)

The Thrills @ Base
The Thrills @ MySpace
The Thrills @ YouTube
The Thrills @ Amazon

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Lunasa - Sé (six) (06 ^ 287mb)

The band is named after Lughnasadh, an ancient Irish harvest festival, and also the Irish word for August. Lúnasa’s self-titled 1996 debut album was considered by many to be a new chapter in the development of Irish music. By pinning traditional elements of composition and instrumentation to a fluid rhythmic undercurrent, Lúnasa achieved a new pinnacle of urgency and intricacy -– sparking off unprecedented acclaim and notoriety in the process. "The Kinnitty Sessions" was named Best Traditional Album by Irish Music Magazine in 2005..

Lúnasa’s sixth album Sé (pronounced "Shay-Irish for "six"), reveals the band at the top of their creative prowess. Sé was produced by double-bassist Trevor Hutchinson, the band’s trademark instrumentals are as tight, weightless and clean as ever, with a sophisticated perpendicular swing that sometimes knocks more typically straight up-and-down reels and jigs sideways. But despite the festal merriment of the dance pieces, the real standouts are the slow airs, with meandering melodies, gradually revealing themselves in full splendor. Piper Cillian Vallely, flautist Kevin Crawford, and fiddler Sean Smyth create a melodic context while introducing the alternating contributions of guitarists Paul Meehan and Tim Edey. Six years of constant touring has elevated the band’s already-formidable skill to peak brilliance, perfectly captured on Sé..

Lúnasa's concert at this years Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow will be aired on BBC4 sat 17th, St Patrick's Day at 1900 GMT. If you miss it or can't get the channel it will be available on http://www.bbc.co.uk/celticconnections after transmission.



01 - The Cullybacky Hop (4:52)
02 - Lecken Mor (4:24)
03 - Absent Friends (5:27)
04 - Loophead (3:24)
05 - Midnight in Aviles (4:40)
06 - The Dingle Berries (4:53)
07 - Black River (3:37)
08 - Road to Barga (3:05)
09 - Two of a Kind (4:35)
10 - Glentrasna (3:57)
11 - Boy in the Boat (4:53)

Lúnasa @ Base
Lúnasa @ MySpace
Lúnasa @ YouTube
Lúnasa @ Amazon

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Snow Patrol - Final Straw (03 ^ 298mb)

Snow Patrol formed in Scotland, however their members are from Northern Ireland, they started 1994 as "Shrug" by students Gary Lightbody and Mark McClelland at Dundee University, the band was performing gigs at the university and surrounding pubs before changing their name to "Polar Bear" (or "Polarbear") in late 1995. In mid 1997, they released a three-track EP, Starfighter Pilot, due to legal threats from an American band with the same name (led by Eric Avery, the former bassist of Jane's Addiction), they became "Snow Patrol". At this point, Jonny Quinn, also from Northern Ireland, joined as permanent drummer, the band released their next EP Little Hide on Belle & Sebastian's label Jeepster Records, that put some effort in to promote them. Two albums on Jeepster followed: Songs for Polarbears in 1998 and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up in 2001. Sales werent what they should be and Jeepster dropped them.

The benefits came with their next album Final Straw in 2003, meanwhile another North Irishman had joined the Patrol -guitarplayer Nathan Connolly .The album was a big success and reached #3 in the UK, a year later it sold well in the US. March 2005, original member McClelland left the band, apparently over unsurmountable differences with Gary, 11 years of partnership ended, Paul Wilson replaced him on bass. A busy touring schedule not withstanding the band recorded their next album Eyes Open during 2005, it was released last spring and became UK's biggest seller of 2006.



01 - How To Be Dead (3:21)
02 - Wow (4:02)
03 - Gleaming Auction (2:04)
04 - Whatever's Left (2:39)
05 - Spitting Games (3:46)
06 - Chocolate (3:02)
07 - Run (5:54)
08 - Grazed Knees (2:55)
09 - Ways & Means (4:47)
10 - Tiny Little Fractures (2:28)
11 - Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking (4:32)
12 - Same (6:54)

diet version
Snow Patrol - Final Straw (03 * 70mb)

Snow Patrol @ Base
Snow Patrol @ YouTube
Snow Patrol @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Stage 31, Ireland

Stage 31, Ireland land of myths and music.

Todays batch is mainly about live music, Ireland is drenched in music, it is what keeps them together, the Virgin Prunes, risen from the same Dublin alley's that brought us U2, were famous for falling apart but the music they made together held them up. Sinead O'Connor got herself a reputation but i can only support her missions against child abuse and of course to save God from religion. An live album from her, accompanied by a cd with a tasty stew of leftovers. My Bloody Valentine's ended when after struggling for 8 years they were lauded the best, well i thought they were pretty good in 1988 when they released "Isnt Anything ". Solas Reunion is another live offering of excellent Irish folk musicians, The Frames were managed by industry and twisted themselves free to find that breathing music became much more fun, and they rolled out one successfull album after the other , as always accompanied by great live concerts, here captured on Setlist. Finally The Waterboys, not really Irish in the sense that Mike Scott is indeed a Scott, initially i planned it as crossover the irish sea album from Scotland, but i went to Wales, glad i did btw. Anyway this album is from the time that the Scott moved , lived and worked in Ireland and ended up touring as the Raggle Taggle band better known as the Waterboys.

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Irish Shamrocks

The Virgin Prunes - If I Die, I Die (82)
Sinead O'Connor - She Who Dwells In The Secret Place Of The Most High (03)
My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything (88)
Solas - Reunion (06)
The Frames - Setlist (03)
Waterboys - The Live Adventures of the Waterboys (98)

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The Virgin Prunes - If I Die, I Die (82 * 366mb)

Formed in mid-1977 in Dublin, the Virgin Prunes consisted of childhood friends of U2's Bono and The Edge. Lypton Village was a 'youthful gang' created by Bono, Guggi (Derek Rowan) and Gavin Friday (Fionan Hanvey) in the early 70s, where every member got a new identity and where they could escape from dreary and predictable Dublin life and be anything they wanted to be. It was both lead singers Friday and Guggi who first gave a teenaged Paul Hewson his alter-ego and world-famous moniker 'Bono Vox of O'Connell Street', later simply 'Bono'. Known for its outrageous and controversial stage performances, led by the bands' theatrical singer/songwriter Friday, they first began playing small shows in Dublin gaining them a cult audience and ridicule from the culturally conservative community..

By the end of the decade, they were ready to release their ideas to a wider audience. Their first single was released in 1980 and they were at their most prolific and innovative thoughout 1981-82, In November 1982, the Virgin Prunes released their debut album '...If I Die, I Die' (produced by Colin Newman of Wire) and "Heresie", a French boxset. "Heresie" was commissioned by Yann Farcy after seeing them perform at the Rex Club in Paris and was based on a loose examination of insanity.

Singers Gavin Friday and Guggi, along with third vocalist Dave-iD Busaras, guitarist Dik Evans, bassist Strongman and drummer Pod, released their first single in 1980. Pod soon left to be replaced by Haa-Lacka Binttii, who left around a year later, to be replaced in turn by Mary D'Nellon. In 1984, both Guggi and Dik left the band and the music business. Mary D'Nellon took over guitar duties and Pod returned as the band's drummer. The Virgin Prunes started to record the album Sons Find Devils, which has never been released. 1985 saw the release of a retrospective video (confusingly titled Sons Find Devils, despite having no connection with the still unreleased album) and a compilation album of rarities (Over the Rainbow).

The band toured as a four-piece and finally released a new album, The Moon Looked Down and Laughed, in the summer of 1986. Gavin Friday left the group in November 1986 to pursue a solo career, effectively ending the group. This was formally confirmed by a short comment at the bottom of the sleeve of a live album, The Hidden Lie, released in 1987. D'Nellon, Strongman and Busaras went on to record as The Prunes.



01 - Ulakanakulot (2:26)
02 - Decline and Fall (4:45)
03 - Sweethome under white clouds (4:40)
04 - Bau-dachöng (5:47)
05 - Baby Turns Blue (3:39)
06 - Ballad of the Man (3:26)
07 - Walls of Jericho (3:08)
08 - Caucasian Walk (4:40)
09 - Theme for Thought (5:37)
10 - Baby Turns Blue extended (5:05)

Virgin Prunes @ Base
Virgin Prunes @ Amazon
Theme for thought live vid

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Sinead O'Connor - She Who Dwells In The Secret Place Of The Most High Shall Abide Under The Shadow Of The Almighty (03)

Sinead was born dec 66 in Dublin, after a troublesome youth, during which she found herself subject to her parents divorce struggles.Her advocating on behalf of abused children in later life is from first hand knowledge. After a stint of 4 years at a reform school run by nuns, she went a boarding school, her musical interests brought her into contact with Columb Farrelly, they recruited a few other members and formed a band called Ton Ton Macoute, musically inspired by Farrelly's interest in witchcraft, mysticism, and world music (84). Soon after her mother died in a car accident, she left the band and moved to London . Meanwhile O'Connor's time as singer had generated interest of the music industry and she was signed by Ensign Records. The recording of her debut album didnt go well as she and designated producer Mick Glossop didnt click. Inbetween she managed to get pregnant aswell, but succeeded in getting her way and produce her first albums herself. 1987's The Lion and the Cobra and 1990's I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got gained considerable attention and mostly positive reviews, as did her shaved head appearance. The Prince cover "Nothing Compares 2 U " reached no 1 all over the western world, suddenly Sinead was 'hot'.

After spending 7 years dividing her time between London and Los Angeles, O'Connor returned to Dublin in late 1992 to live near her sister and focus on raising her son Jake, then 6 years old, and spent the following months studying Bel Canto singing. The 1992 release of Am I Not Your Girl?, an album of standards and torch songs that she had listened to while growing up was marred by incidents at both the Garden State Arts Center, for refusing being opened by the star stangled banner and during a performance of War on Saturday Night Live where she tore up a picture of John Pope the Second (thumbs up from me) which lost for her much of the commercial US momentum her career had built up until then, bann ! burn the witch ! yes those sheep do bite..1994's more conventional Universal Mother did not succeed in restoring her mass appeal, though its opener, "Fire On Babylon," remains a fan favourite. She toured with Lollapalooza in 1995, but dropped out when she became pregnant.

Faith and Courage from 2000, was a return to form, and featured contributions from Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. Many songs on the album centre around the theme of healing. On the eve of its release she came out as a lesbian, and then retracted the statement. She released, Sean-Nós Nua, a collection of re-interpreted traditional Irish folk songs including several in the Irish language in 2002, followed the next year with this double album, She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty. It contains one disc which contains 3 demos and previously-unreleased tracks, from covers, to originals to traditionals and it blends very well. The other disc is a live concert recording, upon the album's release, O'Connor announced her retirement from music.

After she spend 2004 in Jamaica she returned with a well recieved reggae album Throw Down Your Arms in 2005. She is currently working on a collection of her own spiritual songs entitled Theology, release next month. The album will consist of two discs with the same songs, but performed just with acoustic guitar and voice on one, and with full band and production (Ron Tom) on the other.



Sinead O'Connor - She Who Dwells ( ^ 517mb)

01. Regina Caeli
02. O Filii Et Filiae
03. My Love I Bring
04. Do Right Woman
05. Love Hurts
06. Ain't It A Shame
07. Chiquitita
08. Brigidine Diana
09. It's All Good
10. Love Is Ours (Demo)
11. A Hundred Thousand Angels
12. You Put Your Arms Around Me (Demo)
13. Emma's Song
14. No Matter How Hard I Try (Demo)
15. Dense Water, Deeper Down (3:34)
16. This Is A Rebel Song (3:49)
17. 1000 Mirrors Asian Dub Foundation (4:53)
18. Big Bunch Of Junkie Lies (4:03)
19. Song Of Jerusalem (5:52)


Sinead O'Connor - She Who Dwells ( ^ 468 mb)

01. Molly Malone
02. Oro, Se Do Bneatha 'Bnaile
03. The Singing Bird
04. My Lagan Love
05. I Am Stretched On Your Grave
06. Nothing Compares 2 U
07. John I Love You
08. The Moorlough Shore
09. You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart
10. Paddy's Lament
11. Thank You For Hearing Me
12. Fire On Babylon
13. The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance

Sinead O'Connor @ Base
Sinead O'Connor @ MySpace
Sinead O'Connor @ YouTube
Sinead O'Connor @ Amazon

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My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything (88 ^ 251mb)

Guitarist/singer Kevin Shields and drummer Colm O'Ciosoig, formed their own band with Dave Conway around the end of 1983. The band was filled out by various members and split up and reformed on several occasions during 1984. Conway on the strength of the band's home recordings, managed to book the band a concert in Holland. The three recruited Conway's then-girlfriend Tina to play keyboards; adopted Conway's suggested name, My Bloody Valentine, for the concert; and moved to Holland. They stayed in Holland for three months before a lack of opportunities and correct documentation meant they had to leave. The band then chose Berlin as their next destination, where they recorded the mini-LP This Is Your Bloody Valentine for Dossier Records. The record failed to have the expected impact, the band left Berlin, returning to Holland briefly before settling in London around the middle of 1985. They were joined by bass player Debbie Googe got a recording deal and the EP, Geek! was released in December of 1985. The band soon began to play on the London gig circuit, but the record failed to make as much of an impact, again.
The next years 2 ep's were released did more gigs, until in 87 singer Dave Conway whose health had deteriorated decided to quit. After some time they managed to match in Bilinda Butcher, under pressure from their label Lazy rec they released 2 self financed EP's, until in 1988 Creation Rec gave them a proper contract with resulted in the EP Feed Me with Your Kiss and this " Isn't Anything" (1988), which married shimmering guitar distortions to ethereal folk-pop.

The thick, swirling, multi-layered guitar sound developed by My Bloody Valentine would later be termed shoegazer by the British press because of the band's tendency to look down while performing in order to manipulate effect pedals.
The follow-up LP Loveless (1991), the best known album of their career, is generally considered representative of their sound: a distinct blend of warped, effects ridden guitar sounds, ambience, and folk tunes. This time the main vocal duties were taken by Bilinda Butcher. However, some critics viewed the album's heavily processed sound as overly clinical. Shields wrote all the songs, except "Touched", a short instrumental by Colm O'Ciosoig. In 1999 Pitchfork Media declared Loveless to be the greatest album of the 1990s

After signing with Island Records in 1992 , the band spent half a million pounds of Island's money but did not produce another release, and their final recorded song made available for release was a cover of "Map Ref. 41N 93W" by Wire, appearing on Whore: Tribute to Wire in 1995. Debbie Googe left the band to form Snowpony. Colm O'Ciosoig eventually left and recorded an album with Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. Shields collaborated sporadically with other artists, and is currently remastering My Bloody Valentine's catalogue.



01 - Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside) (2:21)
02 - Lose My Breath (3:37)
03 - Cupid Come (4:29)
04 - (When You Wake) You're Still In A Dream (3:18)
05 - No More Sorry (2:47)
06 - All I Need (3:07)
07 - Feed Me With Your Kiss (3:54)
08 - Sue is fine (2:12)
09 - Several Girls Galore (2:20)
10 - You Never Should (3:22)
11 - Nothing Much To Lose (3:17)
12 - I Can See It (But I Can't Feel It) (3:11)

My Bloody Valentine @ Base
My Bloody Valentine @ YouTube
My Bloody Valentine @ Amazon

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Solas - Reunion (06 * 469mb)

Solas' name comes from an Irish word meaning "comfort" or "light". At the start 1995, the band was made up of Séamus Egan, who had already recorded two solo albums as well as a soundtrack to a film; Winifred Horan, a member of Cherish the Ladies; John Doyle, previously a member of The Chanting House with Egan; Karan Casey and John Williams.

Ten years on, the members of Solas have come together to produce this concert cd, despite personnel changes over the years, the band has remained friendly enough to collaborate once again. Former members, including the band's original touchstone vocalist, Karan Casey, guitarists John Doyle and Donal Clancy, and box player Williams shimmy around and in between current box player Mick McAuley, guitarist Eamon McElholm and singer, Deirdre Scanlan, together they swim through the 7 album back catalogue that is Reunion.

Solas' ability to exploit the nuances of the Irish traditional repertoire through stellar playing and sensitive arrangements is impressive, as are the original material contributed by several band members, including Seamus Egan, Winifred Horan, Mick McAuley, and John Williams. The performances manage to be flawless, while also spirited and good natured, all the players' talents seem to be showcased, and both singers receive their share of the limelight.




01 - Pastures Of Plenty
02 - Coconut Dog,Morning Dew
03 - Silver Dagger
04 - Timmy Clifford's
05 - Newry Highwayman
06 - Reasonland
07 - Highlands of Holland
08 - Le Poules Huppées (Crested Hens)
09 - Rain And Snow
10 - Black Annis
11 - Who's in the what now
12 - On a Sea of Fleur De Lis
13 - Lowground
14 - Beauty Spot
15 - Ni na la
16 - The Flowing Bowl
17 - Lament For Frankie

Solas @ Base
Solas @ Amazon

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The Frames - Setlist (03 * 450mb)

The platinum-selling For The Birds, released on their own Plateau label in the summer of 2000, marked the end of major label bad marriages. The newfound independence set them to forging a sound based true to their instincts. The result: a collection of skewed avant-folk songs that sounded like they’d been written in a hole in the ground and recorded in some hi-tech coastal cave. Nobody could’ve predicted what happened next, things began to snowball. The album went from gold to platinum, and in its wake, renewed sales of previous Frames albums such as Fitzcarraldo and Dance The Devil. Somehow The Frames went from being Ireland’s biggest cult act to one of its top selling bands full stop. Plus, they were starting to sell out tours all across Europe, the US and Australia.

Meanwhile back home, by the summer of 2003, they were co-headlining the Lisdoonvarna extravaganza in front of 30,000 people. Funny thing was, they looked like they always belonged on that stage. The Frames were no longer noble underdogs.
While preparing their fifth studio album, the band released the live album Set List, at last capturing their incendiary stage sound on tape. The Irish public responded by sending it straight to number one in the charts, making it their third platinum album. 2004 saw The Frames sweep the Hot Press Critics’ and Readers’ Polls, and they also won their first industry gong in the shape of the Meteor Award for Best Irish Band. Burn The Maps (2004), is at once a musical tour de force and a statement of intent, an album whose campaign begins with typical Frames-ian audacity – an outdoor headliner at Marley Park in front of some 17,000 people. Their latest "the Cost" can be tasted at their MySpace.

“With The Frames, it’s the throwing your arms around the room thing,” says singer/guitarist Glen Hansard. “When our gigs are at their best, you throw the energy out and it gets thrown back twice the size. I mean, I find myself saying things on stage that I would never say in my life, it’s almost like a whole new character or creature is born when you walk on. If you trust in the moment, if you’re willing to be the fool and make the mistake and get it wrong, then you’ve great potential to get it absolutely right. And I think that can be the scary thing about a Frames gig and the great thing about a Frames gig.”




01 - Revelate (4:34)
02 - Star Star (3:41)
03 - Lay Me Down (4:04)
04 - God Bless Mom (6:14)
05 - What Happens When The Heart Just Stops (6:50)
06 - Rent Day Blues (3:56)
07 - Pavement Tune (4:54)
08 - Stars Are Underground (4:31)
09 - Santa Maria (8:16)
10 - Perfect Opening Line (4:38)
11 - Your Face (8:35)
12 - Fitzcarraldo (8:13)
13 - The Blood (4:35)

The Frames @ Base
The Frames @ MySpace
The Frames @ YouTube
The Frames @ Amazon

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The Waterboys - The Live Adventures of the Waterboys

The Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Britain and Ireland, most often their music can be described as a mix of Celtic folk music with rock and roll, or folk rock. After ten years of recording and touring, the band dissolved in 1993 and Scott pursued a solo career, they reformed in 2000, and continue to release albums.

At the invitation of new member Steve Wickham, Mike Scott moved to Dublin (85) and quickly became influenced by the traditional Irish music there as well as by country and gospel. The band's lineup changed once again with Scott, Wickham and Thistlethwaite now joined by Trevor Hutchinson on bass and Peter McKinney on drums. The new band, which the official Waterboys' website refers to as the "Raggle Taggle band" lineup, spent 1986 and 1987 recording in Dublin and touring the UK, Ireland and Europe. Some of these performances were released in 1998 on The Live Adventures of the Waterboys, including a famous Glastonbury performance in 1986. In 1988 Scott took the band to Spiddal in the west of Ireland where they set up a recording studio in Spiddal House to finish recording their new album. Fisherman's Blues was released in October of 1988 and showcased many guest musicians that had played with the band in Dublin and Spiddal. The album helped to increase the growing popularity of Irish music.

For a while The Waterboys were the best live band on the planet, so this is a welcome, if somewhat belated, addition to their ragged and glorious canon. A two-CD set recorded at various locations throughout 1986 (including selections from their mighty and memorable Glastonbury performance), it succeeds in documenting Mike Scott’s inspirational band of contrary Caledonians at their most savagely true and spiritually wild.The Waterboys’ 1986 Glastonbury performance (included here almost in full) is still the greatest bootleg I’ve ever heard; majestic, passionate, endlessly stretching - the best band on the planet in those between Bunnymen years. Everything you could want is here; vital revisions of album favourites, effortless improvisation, covers of country classics, covers of Dylan songs we didn’t know existed, Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’, Patti Smith, Van Morrison, everything. One of the greatest live albums in the history of music.



The Live Adventures of the Waterboys (98 * 342mb)
01 - Death Is Not The End
02 - The Earth Only Endures
03 - Medicine Bow
04 - Fishermans Blues
05 - This Is The Sea
06 - Meet Me At The Station
07 - We Will Not Be Lovers
08 - The Wayward Wind
09 - A Girl Called Johnny
10 - Purple Rain

 The Live Adventures of the Waterboys 2 (389mb)
01 - Be My Enemy
02 - Old England
03 - The Thrill Is Gone, The Healing Has Begun
04 - The Pan Within, Because The Night
05 - The Whole Of The Moon
06 - Spirit
07 - Savage Earth Heart
08 - Saints And Angels

The Waterboys @ Base
The Waterboys @ MySpace
The Waterboys @ YouTube
The Waterboys @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !

Stage 29, Wales

Stage 29, already and a little change of plans as i initially hadn't planned Wales, it would have been a mistake.

The Welsh cultural identity, is represented by elements such as monastic asceticism, a highly evolved secular legal system (Cyfraith Hywel), and a distinctive literary tradition which emerged after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century. Of the principal polities within Wales, only Gwynedd retained independence until the late 13th century, in 1282 the English conquest of Wales by Edward I permanently ended the rule of the Welsh princes, with Llywelyn's death and his brother prince Dayfdd's execution. Llywelyn's head was then carried through London on a spear; his baby daughter Gwenllian was locked in the priory at Sempringham, where she remained until her death fifty four years later..

From the 19th Century much of Wales became heavily industrialised, supplying the British Empire and its colonies with vast quantities of coal and steel and establishing a large manufacturing base. In the 20th century, Wales saw a revival in its national status. Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925, seeking greater autonomy or independence from the rest of the UK. A referendum on the creation of an assembly for Wales in 1979, led to a large majority for the "no" vote. However, in 1997 a referendum on the same issue secured a "yes". The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru) was set up in 1999 (as a consequence of the Government of Wales Act 1998) and possesses the power to determine how the central government budget for Wales is spent and administered.

Wales has four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. These areas include Anglesey, Clwydian Range, Gower and Wye Valley. The Gower Peninsula was the first area in the whole of the United Kingdom to be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in 1956.Tor Bay and Three Cliffs Bay, Gower (Gŵyr), South Wales.The coastline of South and West Wales has more miles of Heritage Coast than anywhere else. The coastline of the Vale of Glamorgan, the Gower Peninsula, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Ceredigion is particularly wild and impressive. Gower, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Bay all have clean blue water, white-sand beaches and impressive marine life. Despite this scenic splendour the coast of Wales has a dark side; the South and West coasts of Wales, along with the Irish and Cornish coast, are frequently blasted by huge Atlantic westerlies/south westerlies that, over the years, have sunk and wrecked many a vessel.

Two thirds of the 3 million Welsh live in the valleys and coastal plain of the south, with a further significant population concentration in the north east. The remaining areas in mid Wales, the south west and west are predominantly rural and characterised by hilly and mountainous terrain. The Welsh call themselves Cymry, "compatriots", and named their country Cymru, which is thought to have meant "Land of the Compatriots" in Old Welsh. Wales is officially bilingual, with 21.7% of the population able to speak Welsh and a larger proportion having some knowledge of the Welsh language according to a 2004 language survey.

Well i had to make some adjustments, as i haven't been feeling very well, but i got thru this post on the planned time, if all goes well, next saturday part 2 on welsh musicians, and yes i promise ill skip Tom Jones...

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Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth (80)
Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft (05)
World Party - Goodbye Jumbo (90)
Jem - Finally Woken (04)
Cale, John - Music For A New Society (82)
Darling Buds, The - Erotica (92)
Sasha (DJ) - Airdrawndagger (02)

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Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth ( 80 flac 237mb)

Young Marble Giants was a Cardiff post-punk band, formed by a trio in 1978. Their style featured minimal, unmistakable instrumentation provided by brothers Philip and Stuart Moxham, supporting the cool, gentle voice of Alison Statton. Stuart Moxham wrote the majority of the band's songs, and his writing was often deceptively simple-seeming, giving the YMG's classic work a uniquely fragile yet powerful quality. Centered around a weird mix of Philip's steel-hawser bass, Stuart's haunting, rhythmic Galanti electric organ lines and punchy rhythm guitar (played on a rare John Lennon style blonde Rickenbacker), with Statton's vocals tentatively hanging in the space above, the sound was unlike anything anyone had heard before.

Their first vinyl release was on the compilation LP Is The War Over? on Cardiff DIY label, Z Block Records, in October 1979. While signed to UK independent record label, Rough Trade Records the YMGs released two EPs, Final Day and Testcard, and one acclaimed and very influential album, Colossal Youth (a reference to the Early Greek 'Kouroi' marble statues, from which the YMGs took the inspiration for their name.)

The band toured and played in the US and Europe, and played in San Francisco, Vancouver, New York, Berlin. Touring companions included the band Cabaret Voltaire.Musical influences included Eno, Kraftwerk, The Velvet Underground, Roxy Music, Can and others. The band were acquainted with Scritti Politti, the band of Cardiff native Green Gartside, and ended up signed to the same label, Rough Trade Records. It was revealed in the 2003 book Journals that the band were, along with Scotland's The Vaselines, Kurt Cobain's favourite band.

After the band split up in 1980, Stuart Moxham formed The Gist, whose song 'Love at First Sight' became a major hit on the continent when covered by French pop singer Étienne Daho under the title 'Café de Flore'. Following a very severe motorbike accident Stuart concentrated on home recording, which bore fruit in the album "Embrace The Herd,"(1982)

Philip Moxham went on to play bass for The Communards and Everything But The Girl, Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn's group. He features on their fourth album, Idlewild. Alison Statton, Spike, and Simon Emmerson formed Weekend (with Phil Moxham on bass) and released the acclaimed La Variete (1982) and Live at Ronnie Scott's (83) .

In early 2003, Statton and the Moxham brothers reunited for a BBC Radio Wales radio special. They performed one new song, "Alright," on this special. It was rumoured that the band might stay together to make further new recordings, but this project has not yet surfaced. There are however plans for at least one 'reunion concert' in the spring of 2007.



01 - Searching For Mr. Right (2:58)
02 - Include Me Out (2:01)
03 - The Taxi (2:06)
04 - Eating Noddemix (2:02)
05 - Constantly Changing (2:03)
06 - N.I.T.A. (3:30)
07 - Colossal Youth (1:52)
08 - Music For Evenings (3:02)
09 - The Man Amplifier (3:15)
10 - Choci Loni (2:36)
11 - Wurlitzer Jukebox (2:44)
12 - Salad Days (1:59)
13 - Credit In The Straight World (2:28)
14 - Brand - New - Life (2:52)
15 - Wind In The Riggin (2:21)
Xs Testcard EP
16 - Clicktalk (2:41)
17 - Zebra Trucks (1:32)
18 - Sporting Life (1:01)
19 - This Way (1:40)
20 - Posed By Models (1:22)
21 - The Clock (1:38)


YMG @ FanBase
YMG @ Amazon

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Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft (05 *flac 366mb)

Super Furry Animals(SFA) coalesced in Cardiff after members being in various other Welsh bands and techno outfits in the area. Rhys, Leuan and Pryce had been together since the early 1990s and had toured the north coast of France as a techno group. After Bunford and Ciaran ( Leuan's younger brother) joined, they got to work on writing some songs, and in 1995 ended up signing to Ankst, the famous Welsh indie label. The band are considered to be part of the renaissance of Welsh Culture in the 1990s: other Welsh bands of the time include Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and the Manic Street Preachers... (next post)

The Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (In Space) EP appeared in June 1995 to general critical acclaim and has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest-ever title for an EP, followed in the fall by the Moog Droog ep. When performing their first gig outside Wales-in London, they were picked up by Creation boss Alan Magee and signed to his label, where they released their debut album Fuzzy Logic (96), to good response. It set the trend for them of releasing many singles. A year later followed by Radiator which got even better press .

Fall 98 Out Spaced was released, a collection of songs from the 1995 Ankst releases, the band's favourite B-sides, plus "The Man Don't Give A Fuck" and "Smokin'", a round up/ drawing a line under SFA's initial phase, in preparation for more ambitious work to come. In 99 they were chosen best band in a NME poll, a good step up for the release of their next album Guerilla. As Creation closed up shop SFA released their next album on their own label, Placid Casual, a deliberate sidestep from their recent work: a largely acoustic album of Welsh language songs entitled Mwng (mane).

Their next album the orchestral Rings Around the World (2001) was their first release thru a major-Sony subsidiary Epic, it got them nominated for the Mercury price 2001. Phantom Power(2003), relied less on sound experimentation and proved to be a more stripped-down, back-to-basics recording, which wasn't particularly appreciated at the time and SFA was caught in the press doldrums. In early 2005, singer Gruff Rhys released a solo album Yr Atal Genhedlaeth, ("The Stuttering Generation", all sung in Welsh. In august SFA released this, Love Kraft recorded in Brazil.The album shows a more coherent, warm style, much more then on their previous albums. This laid-back ambience with some heavy use of strings returned them to their familiar status of critically-acclaimed cult favourites. Love Kraft was also the last album released under Epic Records, as their contact ran out in 2006. Cian Ciara side project Acid Casuals released their debut album "Omni" in January 2006 on the SFA's Placid Casual label. Meanwhile SFA signed to Rough Trade Records during 2006, as has Gruff Rhys, he released a single on 7" vinyl and download entitled "Candylion" in late 2006 which preceded an album of the same name that was released during the second week of 2007,expect the new SFA album within 6 months.



01 - Zoom! (6:53)
02 - Atomik Lust (4:53)
03 - The Horn (3:01)
04 - Ohio Heat (4:07)
05 - Walk You Home (4:00)
06 - Lazer Beam (4:55)
07 - Frequency (4:40)
08 - Oi Frango (2:23)
09 - Psyclone! (4:20)
10 - Back On A Roll (3:46)
11 - Cloudberries (5:04)
12 - Cabin Fever (6:21)

SFA @ Base
Placid Casual
SFA @ MySpace
SFA @ Amazon

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World Party - Goodbye Jumbo (90 flac 319mb)

Karl Wallinger (born 1957 in Prestatyn, Wales), he was immersed from a young age in the music of The Beatles, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan and Love. Echoes of these childhood heroes permeate the record he was to release thirty three years later (Goodbye Jumbo). His musical career began in the 1970s with a couple of unsuccessful bands and a brief job in music publishing, after which he became musical director of The Rocky Horror Show. He joined The Waterboys as a keyboardist from 1983-86. Whilst working on his World Party material, he also worked on Sinéad O'Connor's 1987 debut album The Lion and the Cobra - O'Connor. Wallinger's first release under the World Party banner, Private Revolution (1987), was a studied, if somewhat over-polished, combination of folk, funk and soul. Its title was a nod to its creation by Wallinger working alone in a home recording studio. It spawned a minor hit single in "Ship of Fools". It was on Goodbye Jumbo that Wallinger attained what – despite another decade in the music industry – is regarded as his creative peak.

The third album, Bang! (1993), was a bigger success in chart placing terms, reaching number 2 in the UK. Even so, the fourth album, Egyptology (1996), written following the death of Wallinger's mother, was commercially disastrous, although "She's The One" won an Ivor Novello award and was subsequently recorded by Robbie Williams. The album Dumbing Up was released in 2000 on the band's own label, and was a real return to form, arguably Wallinger's best work since Goodbye Jumbo. Shortly afterwards, however, Wallinger was struck down by an aneurysm that left him unable to speak. After a long rehabilitation, Wallinger returned onto the scene in 2006. as he played his first live show in a decade at the Austin South by Southwest festival.



01 - Is It Too Late? (4:24)
02 - Way Down Now (3:49)
03 - When The Rainbow Comes (4:58)
04 - Put The Message In The Box (4:16)
05 - Ain't Gonna Come Till I'm Ready (5:05)
06 - And I Fell Back Alone (3:57)
07 - Take It Up (4:37)
08 - God On My Side (4:14)
09 - Show Me To The Top (5:15)
10 - Love Street (4:21)
11 - Sweet Soul Dream Voc.Sinéad O'Connor (4:39)
12 - Thank You World (3:47)


World Party @ Base
World Party @ Amazon

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Jem - Finally Woken (04 flac 287mb)

Born June 18, 1975 in Penarth, Wales, Jemma Griffiths, better known as Jem, is a singer-songwriter known for her eclectic musical stylings. Although she began singing and writing songs at age thirteen, she decided to head into law and attended Sussex University. However, she spent less time and energy on studies and focused on being a DJ agent (although she did eventually receive a degree in law). There in Brighton, she spent a lot of time promoting club nights, and helped set-up and run the specialist breaks label Marine Parade. Jem left everything behind in November of 1999 and assembled a mobile studio where she further developed her songwriting and music production skills. During this period, she completed four demos that would eventually setup her career in the music industry.

Her debut album has defied the categorization of some music critics with a fusion of genres. While some of her songs are straight up rock ballads, some of her tracks verge on electronica and trip-hop. Her throaty, mellow voice draws immediate comparisons to Imogen Heap, Beth Orton and to a lesser extent Dido. However, Jem herself prefers to let her musical work stand on its own, rather than be compared to other artists. Along with electronic producer Guy Sigsworth (Bjork, Frou Frou), she wrote the song "Nothing Fails", which was later reworked by Madonna and appeared on her 2003 American Life album



01 - They (3:16)
02 - Come on Closer (3:47)
03 - Finally Woken (3:58)
04 - Save Me (3:34)
05 - 24 (3:55)
06 - Missing You (4:01)
07 - Wish I (3:56)
08 - Just a Ride (3:21)
09 - Falling for You (4:18)
10 - Stay Now (3:44)
11 - Flying High (4:08)

Jem @ Base
Jem @ Amazon

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John Cale - Music For A New Society (82* flac 297mb)

John Cale was born in Garnant in the heavily industrial Amman Valley, and Welsh is his first language. Having discovered a talent for piano, he studied music at Goldsmiths College, the University of London, then he traveled to the USA to continue his musical training.There he met a number of influential composers, John Cage among others. Cale played in La Monte Young's ensemble the Theater of Eternal Music, the heavily drone-laden music he played there proved to be a big influence in his work with his next group, the Velvet Underground. He joined up with Lou Reed in the newly-formed Velvet Underground in 1965, but left in 1968, due in part to creative disagreements with Reed. When Cale left, the experimentalist tendencies largely went with him, noticeable comparing the noise-rock experimental White Light/White Heat that Cale co-created with the calmer The Velvet Underground, recorded after his departure.

After leaving the Velvet Underground, Cale produced a number of albums, including Nico's The Marble Index and The Stooges' debut, and began to make solo records. His first, Vintage Violence came in 1970 . His solo record of 1973, Paris 1919, is regarded by many as a classic. It is made up of elegantly crafted and tastefully arranged songs with arcane and complex lyrics. Cale also continued to work as a record producer. In 1974, he joined Island Records, and worked in that capacity with Squeeze, Patti Smith, and Sham 69, among others. He produced a number of important protopunk records, by Patti Smith, The Stooges and The Modern Lovers.

Moving back to the UK he produces a trilogy of albums - Fear, Slow Dazzle, and Helen of Troy which were recorded with other Island artists including Phil Manzanera and Brian Eno of Roxy Music, and Chris Spedding . His often loud and confrontational live performances fitted well with the upcoming punk rock developing on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Cale took to wearing a hockey goalie's mask onstage; see the cover of the Guts compilation (1977). It was a very odd and menacing look, utilized several years before the fictional Jason Voorhees first appeared on screen and made the goalie's mask all but synonymous with evil. During one gig he chopped the head off a dead chicken with a meat cleaver, and his band walked offstage in protest.

In 1982, Cale released this Music For A New Society. Seeming to blend the refined music of his early solo work with the threatening music that came later, it is by any standard a bleak, harrowing record. It's been called "understated, and perhaps a masterpiece.", and in ways his answer to Lou Reeds Berlin. Afterwards Cale took a long break to spend time with his wife Rise Irushalmi and daughter Eden.

He returned in 1990 with Brian Eno on Wrong Way Up, this wasn't the best of moves as Eno meanwhile had gained much status since their previous collaboration, two captains caused the album to become a split (certainly on the album). The following years Cale contributed to diverse projects notably two Zazou albums. In 96 in honour of Andy Warhol he recorded an album with Lou Reed again, Songs For Drella. Cale worked on several soundtracks and his autobiography, What's Welsh for Zen ?, was published in 1999.
With music influenced by modern electronica and alternative rock John Cale returned as a regular recording artist, 2003's E.P. Five Tracks and the well recieved HoboSapiens. That record was followed with 2005's album BlackAcetate, which consolidated John Cale's reputation as a versatile and tirelessly innovative music auteur.



01 - Taking Your Life in Your Hands (4:45)
02 - Thoughtless Kind (2:45)
03 - Sanctus (Sanities) (5:56)
04 - If You Were Still Around (3:24)
05 - Close Watch / Mama's Song (3:07
06 - Broken Bird (4:43)
07 - Chinese Envoy (3:11)
08 - Changes Made (3:12)
09 - Damn Life (5:11)
10 - Risé, Sam And Rimsky Korsakov Voc.Risé Cale (2:12)

11 - Library Of Force (Unreleased) 4:47
12 - Chinese Envoy (Outtakes) 3:39
13 - Thoughtless Kind (Outtakes) 2:34

John Cale @ Base
John Cale @ Amazon

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Darling Buds - Erotica (92 flac 302mb)

The Darling Buds was an indie band from Caerleon near Newport, Wales. The band were formed in 1986 and took their name from a British novel called The Darling Buds of May, They were considered part of the short lived "Blonde" movement (indie rock band fronted by blonde female singer) along with the like of The Primitives and Transvision Vamp. .

After releasing their debut single on their own label, the group signed to Native in 1987. They received a lot of airplay on John Peel's Radio 1 show, and were championed in the press by Chris Roberts of the Melody Maker. At the height of "Blonde" in 1988 the band were signed up by by Epic and had moderate chart success with a top thirty single and album. They even managed a few appearances on Top Of The Pops. They released Pop Said (89)

Bloss left in 1990 and was replaced by Jimmy Hughes who had previously been the drummer in Black. The band then decided to go for a more sophisticated style with their second album, Crowdaddy, but didn't really regain their previous popularity. This the third and final album "Erotica" was released in 1992 but caused hardly a ripple amongst the music press, who seemed uninsterested in the layered and stylistic, semi-techno pop, and deep toned emotive vocals of Andrea. The band then toured the States for a year but decided to call it a day after getting throughly fed up with the music business.

Blonde..Andrea has since moved into acting and has toured with a local theatre company. She has also presented a music show called "The Slate" for BBC Wales.



01 - One Thing Leads To Another
02 - Sure Thing
03 - Off My Mind
04 - Gently Fall
05 - Please Yourself
06 - Angels Fallen
07 - Isolation
08 - Long Day In The Universe
09 - Wave
10 - If

Darling Buds @ Amazon

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Sasha (DJ) - Airdrawndagger (02 flac 403mb)

Sasha, Alexander Coe,  was born in Bangor, Wales in 1969, but spent most of his youth with his mother in the Welsh town of Hawarden. Sasha's early musical taste was primarily Top 40 pop music like The The and The Police, Instead of continuing his schooling, Sasha moved to Bangor to live with his father and stepmother. Sasha's stepmother forced him to take piano lessons, which he disliked at the time; Sasha certainly found the lessons to be beneficial to his music career.
He began his career playing acid house dance music in the late 1980s in the Manchester area, and became a central figure in the development and popularisation of electronic dance music. In 93 he teamed up with John Digweed, touring internationally and producing a series of mixes and together they were instrumental in the evolution of progressive trance and house music.

In the mid-90's, turned out several productions of his own and did remixes worked with BT. In 1999, he formed a new partnership in the studio with Charlie May (aka Spooky) and released the anthemic "Xpander" EP, several mix albums later, in 2002 it was time for his own full length album "Airdrawndagger". It had taken several years to produce due to Sasha's desire for the album to be "as near to perfection as possible."When it was to much fanfare finally released, in August 2002, . there was a lot of head scratching", according to Sasha, which he attributed to its unexpected mix of genres. The album doesn't feature the "club sound" of Sasha's previous mix albums, in fact it there's a lot of ambience on it, nevertheless Airdrawndagger received favorable reviews. Sasha himself described it as "a selfish, slightly self-indulgent record", though he maintains that he is "happy with it to this day, Sasha held an amateur remix contest for the album's first single, "Wavy Gravy" , due to it's response, Sasha released all the tracks from Airdrawndagger on his website, so that fans could download and create their own versions.

In 2004, Sasha signed with Global Underground to produce another mix album. However, he found the process of creating a standard mix album unrewarding, and decided to apply his production and DJing skills to a mix compilation that resembled a "real" album—that is, one featuring original material, Involver, was "a fusion of mix album and production record", consisting mainly of Sasha's reworkings of tracks by other artists. In 2005, Sasha produced his next album, Fundacion NYC, based on his nights DJing in New York at the Fundacion club. Fundacion NYC received positive reviews for its originality, he plans to make a series of Fundacion albums. The next year, Sasha released 10,000 copies of a June 2006 DJ set for sale using Instant Live, making him the first DJ to use Instant Live's licensing and publishing services.While continuing to regularly DJ, Sasha is working on material to produce another Involver mix and the next Fundacion mix.



01 - Dremples (1:23)
02 - Mr Tiddles (4:53)
03 - Magnetic North (5:17)
04 - Cloud Cuckoo (8:26)
05 - Immortal (4:53)
06 - Fundamental (9:11)
07 - Boileroom (7:02)
08 - Bloodlock (7:57)
09 - Requiem (6:07)
10 - Golden Arm (5:46)
Sasha (DJ) - Wavy Gravy
11 - Wavy Gravy (7:30)

Sasha @ Base
Sasha @ MySpace
Sasha @ Amazon

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* All downloads are in * ogg-7 (224k) or ^ ogg-9(320k), artwork is included , if in need get the nifty ogg encoder/decoder here !