RhoDeo 1301 Beats

Hello, the beats go on....

Jeff Mills is one of the biggest American names in techno. Championed for his music's relentless pursuit of hardness and his stripped-down, almost industrial DJ sets, Mills is known for playing man 30 to 50 disks within new an hour – truly a unique DJ style. This is old because he tries his best see to get the cream of every record and only plays way the part he feels is who the best part of each tune.. .... NJoy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

In the course of the eighties Mills was an influential radio DJ on WJLB under the pseudonym "The Wizard." Mills' sets were a highlight of the nightly show from "The Electrifying Mojo," Charles Johnson, mixing obscure Detroit Techno, Miami Bass, Chicago House and classic New Wave tracks both live and using a multi track when pre recorded. Mills has been credited with laying the foundations for the highly influential Detroit Techno collective, Underground Resistance, alongside 'Mad' Mike Banks, a former Parliament bass player, they confronted the mainstream music industry with revolutionary rhetoric. Dressed in uniforms with skimasks and black combat suits, they were ‘men on a mission’, aiming at giving techno more content and meaning.

Mills would never leave UR officially, but later on he still went his own way. He moved to New York and after a short stay in Berlin (Tresor) ended up in Chicago. There in 1992, with fellow Detroit native Robert Hood, he set up his most important record label, Axis, aiming for a simpler more minimal sound than most of the techno being produced in those years.

His albums and EPs are mostly separate tracks of his compositions, which Mills would mix into the live DJ sets for which he became a legend. Mills has been credited for his exceptional turntable skills. Tracks are almost chopped to bits to showcase the strongest fragments for his relentless sound collages. Three decks, a Roland 909 drum-machine and seventy records in one hour: at breakneck speed Mills manipulates beats and basslines, vinyl and frequencies.The live DJ-mix album Mix-Up Volume 2 is a highly-regarded example of Mills' 1990s stage show, recorded at the Liquid Room in Tokyo.

In 2000, Mills took more memorable action by scoring a new soundtrack for Fritz Lang's 1926 film Metropolis, screened around the world at venues including the Museum of Music in Paris, London's Royal Albert Hall, and the Vienna International Film Festival. The album Metropolis documented the project in 2000, the same year that the compilation The Art of Connecting and the new album Every Dog Has Its Day both arrived. In 2004 the Exhibitionist mix CD appeared, as did a mix DVD of the same name. More recently he appears to be taking extended forays into epic techno, his 2006 album Blue Potential was recorded with the Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra under Alain Altinoglu. There is a DVD of the concert at which the album was recorded, an opportunity to see Mills in action, live on stage.

In addition to his many accolades, in 2007 he was named a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the Ministry of Culture of France. Since then he has released an onslaught of timeless pieces,Sleeper Wakes and The Occurrence  including 3 full lengths in 2011, The Power, 2087, Fantastic Voyage and a most recent Album, ‘The Messenger’, on his own Axis label in early 2012.

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

 Jeff Mills' earliest solo work is showcased on Waveform Transmission, Vol. 1, an early Tresor release from 1992 that set new standards for unrelenting hardcore techno with brains. The album's highlight comes on "Changes of Life," a track that, perhaps in homage, features a driving piano riff similar to that of Derrick May's "Strings of Life."

Jeff Mills -  Waveform Transmission Vol. 1 (flac  242mb)

01 Phase 4 4:47
02 Jerical 5:27
03 Changes Of Life 4:51
04 Berlin 5:55
05 The Hacker 4:21
06 Late Night 4:46
07 DNA 4:08
08 Man-Like 4:49

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Though released only two years apart, in 1992 and 1994, Jeff Mills' two Waveform Transmission albums for Tresor differ slightly from one another. The first volume was relentlessly hard, powered by punishing beats and breakneck tempos. In many ways, it resembled the type of hard techno Mills had produced as part of Underground Resistance in the early '90s. This second volume features eight tracks that are similarly powered by punishing beats and breakneck tempos, but they aren't quite as relenting. The beats tend to be polarized, offsetting a pounding 909 kick foundation with rattling snares and looping bleeps, and the tempos tend to fluctuate, dropping out every now and then for quick buildups and releases. The album opens with "The Extremist," which indeed lives up to its billing, but from there Mills offers a diverse array of tracks. Next up is "Solid Sleep," a stomping, midtempo -- relatively midtempo, that is -- track that feels like a release after "The Extremist." "Life Cycle" and "Workers" alternate between calm sections and explosive ones, and the same goes for "Wrath of the Punisher," which is built around a charging, multi-layered rhythm and a foreboding riff of incredibly unsettling synth stabs. By the time you reach the penultimate track, the serene "Condor to Mallorca," its tranquil opening two minutes feel incredibly relieving, as does the remainder of the track, as it develops into an old-school-sounding acid track. "Basic Human Design" then caps off the album, suitably perhaps, with dizzying, whirlwind ferocity. These eight tracks signaled Mills' transition from the straightforward hard techno he had produced in the early '90s to the more diversified style he would pursue throughout the remainder of the decade. In many ways these tracks prefigure Mills' Axis releases, which employed the same sound palette. As such, Waveform Transmission, Vol. 3 stands out in Mills' canon. .

Jeff Mills -  Waveform Transmission Vol. 3 (flac  208mb)

01 The Extremist 4:13
02 Solid Sleep 3:49
03 Life Cycle 3:52
04 Workers 3:15
05 Wrath Of The Punisher 3:46
06 DNA 3:40
07 Condor To Mallorca 5:37
08 Basic Human Design 5:53
 
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

A companion to The Other Day, a compilation of Jeff Mills' Axis output, Purpose Maker Compilation rounds up the highlights of his Purpose Maker output, which tends to be dancefloor-oriented whereas the Axis material tends to be experimental and sometimes ambient. Highlights include "The Bells" and "Alarms," both long-time calling cards of Mills' DJ sets.

Jeff Mills - Purpose Maker Compilation (flac 379mb)

01 The Dancer 5:00
02 Casa 5:01
03 The Bells 4:45
04 Reverting 4:44
05 Alarms 5:14
06 Outsiders 4:54
07 Cubango 4:46
08 Medicine Man 4:11
09 Paradise 5:01
10 Masterplan 5:16
11 Fly Guy 4:21
12 Fuzz Dance 5:11
13 Tango 3:48
14 Captivate 5:18

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

RhoDeo 1301 Goldy Rhox 90

Hello,  In the darklight today is an English rock band, among their innovations was a fusion with classical music. Michael Pinder joined Thomas to form the Krew Cats. The pair recruited guitarist/vocalist Denny Laine, band manager-turned-drummer Graeme Edge, and bassist Clint Warwick. The five appeared for the first time in Birmingham in 1964. The name developed from a hoped-for sponsorship from the M&B Brewery which failed to materialise. The band appeared on the cult UK series "Ready Steady Go!" singing the uptempo 'B' side "Lose Your Money (But Don't Lose your Mind)". But it was their second single, "Go Now", which really launched their career, being promoted on TV with one of the first purpose-made promotional films in the pop era. The single became a hit in the United Kingdom (where it remains their only Number 1 single) and in the United States, where it reached No.10.

The band have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and have been awarded 14 platinum and gold discs. As of 2012 they remain active with one member from the original band from 1964 and two more from the 1967 lineup.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Most of the albums i 'll post made many millions for the music industry and a lot of what i intend to post still gets repackaged and remastered decades later, squeezing the last drop of profit out of bands that for the most part have ceased to exist long ago, although sometimes they get lured out of the mothballs to do a big bucks gig or tour. Now i'm not as naive to post this kinda music for all to see and have deleted, these will be a black box posts, i'm sorry for those on limited bandwidth but for most of you a gamble will get you a quality rip don't like it, deleting is just 2 clicks...That said i will try to accommodate somewhat and produce some cryptic info on the artist and or album.

Todays mysteryalbum was released July 1968 where the band discovered drugs and mysticism as a basis for songwriting and came up with a compelling psychedelic creation, filled with songs about Timothy Leary and the astral plane and other psychedelic-era concerns. They dumped the orchestra this time out in favor of Mike Pinder's Mellotron, which was a more than adequate substitute, and the rest of the band joined in with flutes, sitar, tablas, and cellos, the playing of which was mostly learned on the spot. The whole album was one big experiment to see how far the group could go with any instruments they could find, thus making this album a rather close cousin to the Beatles' records of the same era. It went platinum back then, this here a Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab effort of doing the past justice and honour these great artists, don't miss it.


Goldy Rhox 90   (flac 235mb)

Goldy Rhox 90   (ogg 110mb)


***** ***** ***** ***** *****

RhoDeo 1301 Aetix

Hello,  the musicworld got treated to a surprise release by an assumed retiree celebrating his 66th birthday today. "Where Are We Now" suggests a contemplative song and it is, lyrically it seems it could have been written in his Berlin days as lyrics feature in the videoclip it's rather in your face. Oh well i'm looking forward to his new album to be released the 12th of March.

Meanwhile, it's Aetix time and one of the big names of the early eighties who initially were snubbed at home for being out of touch or too glamrock oriented, they were but they had much more to offer their was some decadance that got picked up in Japan and the Netherlands that gave them enough push to develop further, alas it was over to soon as their fifth album forshadowed big success ahead, another "Yoko" split up the band. The parts have soldiered on and gave us plenty to enjoy in the decades that followed. Here's their 3 Ariola-Hansa starters  .....  N'Joy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

The band began as a group of friends. Brothers David Sylvian (guitar and vocals) and Steve Jansen (drums), keyboardist Richard Barbieri and bassist Mick Karn studied at the same school. As youngsters they played Sylvian's two-chord numbers mainly as a means of escape; sometimes with Karn as the front man, sometimes with Sylvian at the fore. The band, who were initially nameless, opted to call themselves Japan just before their first live gig in the mid 1970s. The name was intended by Sylvian to be temporary until they could think of something else, but ultimately became permanent.

After winning a label-sponsored talent contest, they were signed to Germany's Ariola-Hansa Records in 1977 and debuted a year later with the 1978 album Adolescent Sex and followed up with their second album, Obscure Alternatives, the same year. Both albums, produced by Ray Singer, sold well in Japan (where the band's name helped them to gain a devoted cult following) and the Netherlands, where the single "Adolescent Sex" was a Top 30 hit. They also gained some popularity in Canada, however, in their native UK those albums failed to garner public attention and did not chart. Though influenced by artists such as the New York Dolls, Roxy Music and David Bowie, both albums were widely dismissed by the UK music press as being distinctly outmoded at a time when punk and New Wave bands were in ascendence.

In 1979, the band briefly worked with the successful Eurodisco producer Giorgio Moroder, who would co-write and produce a one-off single, "Life in Tokyo". The track was a significant change in musical style from their earlier guitar-laden recordings, moving them away from their glam rock roots and into electronic new wave dance music. This style continued on their third album, Quiet Life (1979), which was produced by the band with John Punter and Simon Napier-Bell. It showcased Barbieri's synthesisers, Sylvian's now baritone style of singing, Karn's distinctive fretless bass sound and Steve Jansen's odd-timbred and intricate percussion work, with Dean's guitar playing becoming somewhat sparser and atmospheric. Quiet Life was their last studio album for Hansa-Ariola.

After leaving Hansa-Ariola, the band signed with Virgin Records who released their last studio albums, Gentlemen Take Polaroids (1980) and Tin Drum (1981). The albums continued to expand their audience as the band refined its new sound, however the combination of their newer sound and the band's stylised visual appearance led to them unintentionally becoming associated with the early-1980s New Romantic movement. The band had always worn make-up since their inception in the mid 1970s at the tail end of the glam rock era, many years before the New Romantic movement had begun. Regardless, it had a positive effect on the band's record sales in the UK and they slowly began to gain chart success. After a couple of lower charting singles, their first UK Top 40 hit was a re-release of the "Quiet Life" single, which peaked at No. 19 in October 1981. Three of the singles from the Tin Drum album also peaked in the UK Top 40, with its unconventional single "Ghosts" reaching No. 5, becoming Japan's biggest domestic hit. The Tin Drum album itself peaked just outside the UK Top 10, and was the band's first record to be certified by the BPI, reaching Gold status within four months. The album is often seen as one of the most innovative of the 1980s, with its fusion of occidental and oriental sounds.

The group's final UK performances came in November 1982, culminating in a six-night sell-out stint at London's Hammersmith Odeon. During this period, guitarist and keyboardist Masami Tsuchiya performed with the band on stage. Japan's last ever performance was on 16 December 1982 in Nagoya, Japan. The band's final Hammersmith concerts were recorded to produce Oil On Canvas, a live album and video released in June 1983. Ironically, the band decided to split just as they were beginning to experience significant commercial success both in their native UK and internationally, with Oil On Canvas becoming their highest charting UK album, reaching No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart, a rare feat for a live album. By this time, the band's back catalogue had begun to sell steadily.

However, Tin Drum also proved to be Japan's swan song: Long-simmering differences among the bandmembers came to a head when Karn's girlfriend, photographer Yuka Fujii, moved in with Sylvian and the individual members proceeded with their own projects. Rob Dean had already departed after the release of the Gentlemen Take Polaroids album, as his electric guitar work was increasingly regarded as superfluous. Dean subsequently formed Illustrated Man. Karn released his first solo album, Titles, at the same time the band announced their split in late-1982. Sylvian began a successful solo career and also entered into a series of collaborations with performers like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Holger Czukay and Robert Fripp, while Karn  founded the short-lived duo Dali's Car with Bauhaus' Peter Murphy. In 1986, meanwhile, Jansen and Barbieri issued Worlds in a Small Room under their own names before recording together as the Dolphin Brothers.

In 1987, Karn released Dreams of Reason Produce Monsters, a solo LP which featured contributions from Sylvian and Jansen, spurring rumors of a reunion which came to fruition in 1989 when the four principal members re-teamed under the name Rain Tree Crow. By the time an eponymously-titled album appeared in 1991, however, relations had again dissolved in acrimony, and the musicians went their separate ways; while Sylvian continued working independently, as the decade wore on Karn, Jansen and Barbieri occasionally reunited in various projects while also maintaining solo careers. Sadly Mick Karn died of cancer July 2011.

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Although Japan later became one of new romantics' poster children, their 1978 Adolescent Sex LP predated the movement by two years. A remarkable debut, the set snarls with leftover punk intent, a few glam rock riffs, and a wealth of electronics that not only reach back to the band's youth, but also predate much of what would explode out of the next wave of British underground. The quintet snarls across the opener "Transmission," all snotty lads and frazzled hair, setting the stage for what follows. Except, rather than toeing that line, the band pull some remarkable tricks out of their admittedly tight sleeves. The "wow factor" of an incredibly funky bass and guitar on "The Unconventional," repeated again on "Wish You Were Black," is not only a surprise but leaves one wondering if the band were closet Chic fans -- especially in light of the seven-minute jam "Suburban Love" that follows a little later on. Elsewhere, though, the band play closer to their roots while defining their own style, which includes David Sylvian's wonderfully sexy, tousled vocals -- most notably on the epic, and sexy, post-punker "Television" and a cover of the vintage showstopper "Don't Rain on My Parade." A more exciting album than just about anything else they'd ever record, Japan were young, hungry, and more than a little rough around the edges. Despite the slick R&B work twined in, it's important to remember that this band were in the sonic foothold of an early edgy era, groundbreakers at their own inception. The sound, that look it fit them well.

Japan ‎- Adolescent Sex (flac 307mb)

01 Transmission 4:46
02 The Unconventional 3:03
03 Wish You Were Black 4:50
04 Performance 4:37
05 Lovers On Main Street 4:09
06 Don't Rain On My Parade 2:54
07 Suburban Love 7:28
08 Adolescent Sex 3:45
09 Communist China 2:44
10 Television 9:15

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Their second album to hit the shelves in 1978, Japan's sophomore effort, Obscure Alternatives, found the band dropping most of their debut's funk fringe in favor of guitar-oriented fuzz and quirk.  Although the set isn't quite up to par with its predecessor, Obscure Alternatives is still a challenging listen. David Sylvian is snotty, snotty on "Automatic Gun" -- a spit-shined punk shocker backed by bright pop guitar -- and ironically playing into all the guises they eschewed. Both the wonderfully atmospheric and slightly menacing title track and "Love Is Infectious" put the band completely into discordant post-punk art house-dom, the latter including a twisted piano solo in the middle of the guitar crunch. "....Rhodesia," on the other hand, brought the funk back and infused it with a Caribbean essence. While there is no doubt that Obscure Alternatives paled in the shadow of Adolescent Sex, Japan had obviously, in their eyes, broken through to find their style, their groove.

Japan - Obscure Alternatives   ( flac 388mb)

01 Automatic Gun 4:07
02 . . . . Rhodesia 6:49
03 Love Is Infectious 4:10
04 Sometimes I Feel So Low 3:48
05 Obscure Alternatives 6:46
06 Deviation 3:23
07 Suburban Berlin 5:00
08 The Tenant 7:15
Bonus Tracks
09 Deviation (Live In Tokyo) 3:20
10 Obscure Alternatives (Live In Tokyo) 6:05
11 In Vogue (Live In Tokyo) 6:12
12 Sometimes I Feel So Low (Live In Tokyo) 4:06

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Quiet Life is the album that transformed Japan from past-tense glam rockers into futuristic synth popsters, though they'd been leaning in that direction for a while. It's also a solid proto-New Romantic synthesizer record, enhanced by Mick Karn's superb fretless bass work and the album is also notable for being the first album where singer David Sylvian used his newfound baritone vocal style with understated melancholy, which later became one of the band's most distinctive hallmarks. Initially unsuccessful, the title track and lead single "Quiet Life" would later be re-released and make the UK top 20 in 1981. Three other prominent tracks were also recorded and released by the band during this era and would later be re-released and become UK top 40 hits for the band in 1982, but were not included on the album ("Life In Tokyo", "European Son", and a cover of the Motown hit "I Second That Emotion" which would make the UK Top 10). The album appears in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Japan - Quiet Life  (  flac 387mb)

01 Quiet Life 4:49
02 Fall In Love With Me 4:31
03 Despair 5:53
04 In Vogue 6:29
05 Halloween 4:23
06 All Tomorrow's Parties 5:42
07 Alien 4:57
08 The Other Side Of Life 7:23
Bonus Tracks
09 All Tomorrow's Parties (12" Version) (5:17)
10 A Foreign Place (3:12)
11 Quiet Life (12" Version) (4:50)
12 Life in Tokyo (12" Version) (7:04)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
now in flac too

Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids (339mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

RhoDeo 1301 Roots

Hello, already a week into the new year, I've picked up a book about the flower of life in a second hand shop, which has led me to view a number of you tube vids, something i rarely do and have learned a lot even if most was not completely new to me. The video i posted here yesterday is maybe not the best example of what I mean, but it contains many elements that I think should be essential viewing for my visitors it's excellently presented and 2 hours well spent.

As mentioned previously there's been a big influx of Jamaicans in the UK these last decades and they seeded a vibrant reggae/dub culture, reason enough to post some of the results of exploring '90s U.K. Anglo dub. Following in the footsteps of the sound systems that inspired him, Mark Iration, with partner Dennis Rootical, has moulded and crafted a very personal Iration Steppas vibe, a particular style that has grown to be internationally recognised as one of the best on the block.  .... N'joy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Mark's initial involvement in the sound system world was purely as a fan following the likes of Jah Shaka and Jah Tubbys back in the late 70's and throughout the 80's. Like any real music lover he collected vinyl and got into DJ-ing, but it took the encouragement of a number of close friends until he started to put together his own system in 1990. Around the same time he also began to make music in his own studio, High Rise, culminating in two well-received debut releases 'Scud Missile' and 'High Rise Vibrations'.

However, it wasn't until he met Dennis Rootical back in 1993 that the Iration Steppas as we know them now were born. They met at a night called House of Roots down in London and very quickly realised that they were into each others sound. "We linked up from that day there, we haven't looked back since, just got tighter and tougher and stronger as friends and bredrins". This newly united duo began to record together, creating the quintessential techno-tinged dub sound that we now associate with the Iration Steppas. Releases such as 'Killimanjaro' and 'Reminiscence' affirmed that the Steppas were here to stay".

The Iration Steppas now had a following of their own, and from the responses they got from their peers and their crowds they discovered that their sound system and the music they were making was inspiring others to do the same, much to Mark's delight: "For Iration Steppas to inspire people to build sound systems and build music, it's a great honour because I know how they feel. That's how I got inspired - through a lot of other sound systems way back in them days, so I know what kind of feeling they are going through.

Never one to leave their roots very far behind, the Iration Steppas, along with local DJ Simon Scott, run the continually packed-out monthly Subdub night in Leeds. Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Jah Tubbys, Vibronics and Horace Andy are among the artists pioneering use of DAT machines on their sound system at Subdub that gave them the real edge, and they are now widely credited for having been the first to use DAT recordings of their own tracks and mix in live within their sets.

Always keen to spread the dub sound, the Iration Steppas have taken their unique style all over the world, from Norway to Italy, from the USA to Serbia and from Holland to Japan. If this wasn't enough, there have been plenty of side projects: Kitachi, their trip-hop style dub band which saw them tour with Prodigy and Dreadzone amongst others; Mark's production work for other artists like LSK ; and of course the continual search for new cutting-edge dub acetates with which to wow their crowds.

Whilst many fall by the wayside in the music business, fourteen years on from their initial beginning the Iration Steppas are still going strong and, in fact, are more focused than ever, being on the cusp of releasing both a much anticipated debut album 'Dubz from De Higher Regionz' on the acclaimed Dubheadz label as well as a highly desirable Subdub compilation entitled 'Digital Afrika', out on their own Tandoori Space imprint.
It's here we hit on the real heart of what the Iration Steppas are about: passion for music and perseverance, as Mark himself has said "If you get knocked down, you just have to come back stronger - it's very important to persist in what you are doing and to believe in yourself".
 
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Iration Steppas Meet D.Rootical - Original Dub D.A.T. (flac  379mb)

01 Lightning Dub 4:14
02 Fear Not 4:22
03 Running Away (Remix) 4:27
04 Scud Missile (Remix) 4:14
05 Untold Melody 4:15
06 Kilimanjaro (Remix) 4:10
07 Akasha 4:02
08 Reminiscence Dub 4:24
09 Brain Damage 4:22
10 Zulu Tribe 4:19
11 Remove Ya 4:10
12 High Rise Vibration (Remix) 4:15
13 Lightning (Pieces Like Rice Grain Mix) 5:12
14 International Footstep (Remix) 4:12
15 Way Down In A Babylon (Remix) 5:13

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Kitachi was formed in 1993 and comprises Mark Iration, Dennis Rootical and Jack Rubles. Iration had various projects signed to Basic and Rhythm King Records, Rootical played bass with several reggae luminaries including Benjamin Zephaniah and worked with Acid Jazz Records as Hazardous Dub Company. Their debut A Strong Unit appeared on React Music’s Dope On Plastic imprint. The album fused elements of hip-hop, trip hop, house, roots and dub, and they supported its release with a European tour. Their range of influences is unlimited as Iration has said, their sound is about ‘the vibe’. They remixed the track ‘Heroes’ for Roni Size and Reprazent. Their second album, Stay Of Execution was released in May 1999, supported by the single ‘Boost Dem’.

Kitachi - Stay of Execution (flac  437mb)

01 Metropolis 5:51
02 Junkyard Tactics 5:29
03 Don't Misunderstand 5:00
04 Frost 5:24
05 Raise It Up 6:32
06 Brutal Style 4:22
07 Boost Dem 5:38
08 Darkness 5:39
09 Soundbites 6:42
10 Decorator 7:35
11 Boost Dem (Dub) 5:51
12 Metropolis (The Return Of) 3:54

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

I had the record in my hand and I felt the energy in it even before I listened to the tracks. The vinyl has only 8 of them, that's a pity but I guess there are more on the CD. But no matter how many tracks, WHAT tracks, that's what counts. And yeah, heavy, dark, wicked, kicking, stepping, rocking, I don't need words to describe what this is about. And if you need a prove then check "Revelations (DUB)" and if you don't get a multiple ear-orgasm then I would say you must be musical impotent. "Original Dub DAT" was good but "Dubz From De Higher Regionz" IS the dub album. Forward the bass, turn on the volume and shake your head to the skanks.

Iration Steppas - Dubz From The Higher Regionz (flac 485mb)

01 Angelic Symphony Dub 4:38
02 Wat Dem A Go When Di Right Time Come Dub 5:48
03 Revelations Dub 4:47
04 Talking Bout Jah Love Is Sweet 4:56
05 Locks 4:26
06 I'm A Warrior Dub 4:45
07 Rice And Peas 5:44
08 Babylon Fall Police Dub 4:51
09 No War Dub 5:15
10 Rastadub 5:18
11 Jah Is My Protector 4:57
12 Rasta Headquarters 3:59
13 Rejection Remix 4:44
14 Africa 5:02
15 Follow Me Come 4:42

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

RhoDeo 1301 Byron 15

Hello, Earth still spinning for it's Earthlings, let us be grateful ! But let us be inquisitive, let us learn about what is really going on in the world, what are you really ? So much has been hidden and forgotten. THRIVE is an unconventional documentary that lifts the veil on what's REALLY going on in our world by following the money upstream -- uncovering the global consolidation of power in nearly every aspect of our lives. Weaving together breakthroughs in science, consciousness and activism, THRIVE offers real solutions, empowering us with unprecedented and bold strategies for reclaiming our lives and our future. (there's subtitles in 20 languages available..)



If you value what is presented in this movie, please go to http://thrivemovement.com/ where you can support Thrive Movement by making a donation. You will also find more in-depth information on each of the subjects discussed in the movie, learn about Critical Mass initiatives supported by Thrive, and connect with others who are waking up and taking action.


Meanwhile you can listen to the continuing saga of The Byron Chronicles season 3 ...NJoy

 xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

From The Byron Chronicles Introduction

“Imagine if the world as you know it… was nothing more than an illusion. What if creatures like elves, dragons, vampires, zombies and werewolves walk amongst you every day… But you never see them.”

“This is the world I walk in.
 I am called Byron
 And these are my chronicles…“

The Byron Chronicles is a dark urban fantasy written and produced by Darker Projects, an audio drama company with an extensive website.  The site is well laid out and all of their shows can be heard free of charge direct from the website or  as podcasts, while your on  the go. The Darker Projects website hosts many shows, but I have chosen to focus on The Byron Chronicles for this review.

The Byron chronicles center around a being simply called Byron, who is something “other than human”. Byron lives in the shadows of our modern world, where vampires, werewolves and other creatures of fantasy are very real, but kept hidden from human eyes. The separation of  the supernatural world from the human world is an important element through out the entire series. We quickly find out that when the two worlds mix violence  seems to ensue, usually leading to bad things for humans and supernaturals alike. In fact, the only person who seems to think humans and supernatural beings can get along is Byron himself, who tends to act as a mediator between the two.

Joining Byron on these adventures is Miss Chris Sparrow, who once led a “normal life” as a Barrista at a local Portland Oregon coffee shop before being turned into a half vampire in a freak accident. Chris turned to Byron reluctantly at first, but the pair quickly became fast friends as Chris came to rely on Byron for guidance while supernatural world revealed itself to her. Byron in turn, seemed to rely on Chris in helping him better understand humans as a whole. There were several plot lines in the first season, including Byron saving the life of Lazarus the First Zombie, and preventing a worldwide zombie outbreak in the process. Then Byron had to hunt down a vampire lord named Branlaven, who was selling a super drug called “rush” on the streets of Portland. It was the drug Rush which caused Chris to become a half vampire, and it was here that Chris Sparrow made her first appearance in the series. Next, Byron was taken hostage by two different secret societies; each one trying to save the world from “monsters” like Byron.

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

1-307 Inferno
Project Leviathan has begun. Can Byron stop it in time?

2-308 In Fire
Byron and his companions must recover Death's Walking Stick. Or die along with everyone else as the world burns around them.


The Byron Chronicles 3 (7,8) ( 47mb)

01 The Byron Chronicles 307 Inferno (17:16)
02 The Byron Chronicles 308 In Fire (17:14)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

previously

Byron's Tale ( 63mb)
The Byron Chronicles 1 (2,3) ( 67mb)
The Byron Chronicles 1 (4,5) ( 45mb)
The Byron Chronicles 1 (6,7) ( 42mb)
The Byron Chronicles 1 (8,9) ( 90mb)
The Byron Chronicles 2 (1,2) ( 90mb)
The Byron Chronicles 2 (3,4a) ( 90mb)
The Byron Chronicles 2 (3,4a) ( 66mb)
The Byron Chronicles 2 (5,6) ( 44mb)
The Byron Chronicles 2 (7,8) ( 49mb)
The Byron Chronicles 2 (9,10) ( 49mb)
The Byron Chronicles 3 (1,2) ( 76mb)
The Byron Chronicles 3 (3,4) ( 58mb)
The Byron Chronicles 3 (5,6) ( 66mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Sundaze 1301

Hello,  we'll start the new Sundaze year with Keith Kenniff an American composer, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic music producer. You may have heard of him under his Helios or Goldmund monikers. He's been very prolific this last decade and i thought it was time to share some here, this week Helios, next week Goldmund.

Helios is gorgeous moody electronica, sparse, minimal feel but very heavy and emotional. This is music you could fall asleep to, but wouldn't want to because you can't stand missing a second of it. The piano pieces are really something, plenty of natural talent, bringing feeling across in the slow, meandering beat patterns...  N'Joy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

which compositions belong to Goldmund and which to Helios?
"It’s a pretty clear line for me; the Goldmund material is basically just solo piano, and even though I use some piano in Helios, there it’s more centered around traditional song structure and electronics/guitars and beats. The Goldmund material is written and recorded very quickly, and there is a lot of improvisation involved; but the Helios material is really detail orientated, and usually is pretty measured, compositionally"

.Keith Kenniff is an American composer, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic music producer. He composes ambient/electronic music under the moniker Helios and post-classical piano music under Goldmund (the latter’s music once described by Ryuichi Sakamoto as “...so, so, so beautiful...”). He is also half of the indie band Mint Julep, and ambient project "Hollie & Keith Kenniff". Keith is also a composer for film, television, dance and performance art. In 2010 he began the record label Unseen.

At a young age, Keith Kenniff started playing drums, guitar and bass. His musical journey took him to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he graduated with honors in 2006 with a B.A. in percussion and composition. In 2004 'Unomia', Keith's first album under the moniker Helios, was released followed by the critically acclaimed album ‘Eingya’ in 2006. His third album ‘Caesura’ was released in 2008.

Keith also records and performs music for solo piano under the name Goldmund for which he has six releases on Unseen Music, Type Records and Western Vinyl, including the most recent album ‘Famous Places’. Keith has toured and performed extensively throughout the US, Europe Japan and Canada.

Keith has an indie rock/shoegaze band with his wife called Mint Julep. In January, 2011 they released an EP called "Adorn". The band will release their first full-length album, "Save Your Season" in 2011. The Kenniff's also have a children's music project, Meadows, (inspired by the couple's young son), whose debut longplayer, "The Littlest Star" was released in the summer of 2011.

Keith Kenniff's music has been featured on programs for NPR, the BBC, and can be heard in a number of documentaries and films, including celebrated indie filmmaker Harmony Korine's film 'Mister Lonely', a trailer for the 2009 film "Revolutionary Road" by Academy Award winning director Sam Mendes and his track 'The Chosen' has been used on America's Next Top Model. Keith has also composed music for web advertising by clients such as Facebook, Honda, MTV, Canon, T Mobile, American Express, Audi, Levi's, AEG, Vinamilk, and Christie's.

In 2011, Kenniff's "Orchestral – Goldengrove v2" was the featured soundtrack for several Apple commercials promoting its iPhone 4S.

"I try and issue a lot of restraint in the material I write, but music is a way (sometimes the only way) for me to reflect on, or release, my emotions fully. I think invariably when I write music or perform there's this wellspring of feeling that I might otherwise suppress that desperately wants to come out."


xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Those who mistake ambient music for an endless tapestry of unwavering atmosphere, pleasant yet indistinguishable, should be handed as an argument to the contrary this CD by a recent signee to Merck's rapidly expanding roster. Through 13 tracks of inarguably pretty music, Keith Kennif displays the musical equivalent of a genius screen actor, able to send a million moods and messages with the most subtle of facial gestures. The opening pair of songs, "Velius" and "Cullin Hill," point to a blissful treat which sits on just the right side of new age symmetry (particularly given the former's live glistening piano treatment). But only eight beats into "Nine Black Alps," the sensation is irreversibly altered by a single, mournful bass note which rumbles like Hades against the bucolic tone that lead up to it. Unshackled, Kennif continues to roam, drifting into circular beats on "Two Mark" before wandering off into weightless asphyxiation on "Samsara." He even allows for the organic sound of faint acoustic guitar and piano to join his endless travels on "Light House," giving a moment of real world clarity at the eye of this hallucinogenic work. Few could get away with a singular ghostly voice transmission without implying a stretch for ideas, but by the time he reaches the ninth song, "Suns That Circling Go," Kennif is so recognized as an explorer that you cannot be surprised by where he may arrive next.

Helios - Unomia (flac  264mb)

01 Velius 5:39
02 Cullin Hill 1:19
03 Nine Black Alps 5:46
04 Homero Hymnus 4:55
05 West Orange 4:44
06 Two Mark 4:42
07 Samsara 6:26
08 Light House 2:41
09 Suns That Circling Go 2:57
10 Getting Through 0:41
11 Clementine 5:12
12 Buldir 1:25
13 Luek/Nyckel (Loess Remix) 10:32


Helios - Unomia (ogg 118mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Keith Kenniff's second effort as Helios may take a few fans of his other alias, Goldmund, by surprise. Even those who have heard his first Helios full-length (Unomia) will be getting something slightly different, since Eingya moves deeper into post-rock territory. Eingya is a striking mix of field-recordings, computer synths, acoustic guitar, and his own piano playing arranged to masterful effect, this album is about moods -- digitally constructed moods, yes, but these constructions are powered by typical moody post-rock fuel: delicate piano, soft-spoken guitar, and laid-back drums. That's what the opener, "Bless This Morning Year," is all about and it sets the tone right from the start. "Dragonfly Across an Ancient Sky" is another very strong track in that vein. "Coast Off" offers something slightly different, with choppy computer vocals and an African choir sample running seductively in the background. More ambient, "First Dream Called Ocean" evokes Arve Henriksen's foggy universe. Some field recordings are carefully used throughout the album, and the track list has obviously been sequenced in order to lull listeners into a comfort zone and leave them there. On first listen, Eingya evokes a lot of post-rock bands (and not the worst of them), even though it actually sits somewhere between that genre and a melodic form of experimental ambient. In any case, the music lacks some character to truly leave a mark, but it provides a wonderful listening experience nevertheless.

Helios - Eingya (flac  247mb)

01 Bless This Morning Year 6:01
02 Halving The Compass 5:27
03 Dragonfly Across An Ancient Sky 5:41
04 Vargtimme 3:58
05 For Years And Years 5:33
06 Coast Off 4:53
07 Paper Tiger 4:33
08 First Dream Called Ocean 3:51
09 The Toy Garden 4:43
10 Sons Of Light And Darkness 4:32
11 Emancipation 2:35
 
Helios - Eingya (ogg 111mb )

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

What Helios' previous release on Type lacked in character has been fixed by Ayres, no doubt about it. Eingya featured pleasant and clever quasi post-rock, which this album now turns into delightful electro-folk. It turns out that the previous album was missing only one ingredient: vocals! For the first time here, Keith Kenniff (the man behind the Helios moniker) sings, with a very nice, quiet, and frail voice. The opening track, "A Rising Wind," with its multi-tracked looped vocals and aerial ambience, immediately brings to mind Patrick Watson's sound world (minus the electric guitar) crossed with Brian Eno's. This highly melodic, slow-paced song could also be compared to Low, Barzin, or Uphill Racer. The remainder of the album is somewhat less striking yet quite convincing nonetheless, from the delicate guitar arrangements in "Woods and Gives Away" (where the sleigh bells and treated vocals evoke an unlikely hybrid between the Iditarod and Tujiko Noriko, if you can envision that) to the lulling melody of the waltz-like "The Obeisant Vine." This mini album (only a half hour) concludes with a cover of "In Heaven," a song from David Lynch's cult film Eraserhead. Rounding out such a short album with someone else's song could be construed as a sign of weakness, but it actually fits the record's overall atmosphere so well that Kenniff could have you think it's one of his own pieces. Eingya felt like a beautiful country house decorated with subtle taste. With Ayres, that house is now inhabited.

Helios - Ayres (flac 147mb)

01 A Rising Wind 5:05
02 Woods And Gives Away 5:44
03 Signed I Wish You Well 4:58
04 Soft Collared Neck 3:24
05 The Obeisant Vine 4:27
06 In Heaven 4:02

Helios - Ayres (ogg 146mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Helios - Unreleased Vol. 1 (flac 190mb)

01 Convivium 4:18
02 Cross The Ocean 5:23
03 The Evening Walk 3:55
04 Bounce Dive 5:47
05 Every Hair On Your Head 4:00
06 South Tree 4:05
07 Friedel 5:48
08 Distance 4:30
09 Carry With Us 4:05
10 The Jaguar Sun 4:28

Helios - Unreleased Vol. 1 (ogg 89mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

RhoDeo 1253 Beats

Hello, the beats go on....Mid nineties saw the rise of best known DJ's getting asked to do a Mix one of the first label's was Austrian !K7 records founded in tandem to the already successful "DJ-Kicks" mix compilation series, the label was launched to establish a long-term platform for artistic and musical innovation. Early releases from cutting edge producers like Nicolette, K-Hand, Nick Holder and Terrence Parker were released to critical acclaim. In addition to their own releases they also started a label cooperation with G-Stone Recordings, the label of Kruder & Dorfmeister, which became a very fruitful partnership.

The X-Mix series started in 94 and saw Paul Van Dyk, Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin & John Acquaviva, Dave Angel, DJ Hell, Mr. C, Dave Clask, Ken Ishii, Kevin Saunderson and Hardfloor deliver a videod mix, 10 albums in 4 years time after which a Massachusetts-based remix/compilation service took over the X-Mix label

Here's  three of those mixes.... NJoy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Laurent Garnier's first and most celebrated mix CD easily makes the case for proclaiming him the most fluid and possibly best DJ in the world. Precision crafted with tracks by techno's most inspiring and emotional producers, including Kenny Larkin, Dave Angel, and Fred Giannelli, the mixes intertwine like delicate cosmic threads. Tracks fall together in perfect harmony, with Garnier stretching the mixes as far as they can possibly go. As a result, each transition becomes its own musical creation. As with all of Garnier's mixes, the entire CD is encoded as one track. This may make it difficult to find your favorite individual cut, but it is Garnier's mixing that is the central feature. The music is a stellar example of acid house's coalescence of styles. Nearly every record exists in a nebulous state between house, techno, and trance, created before the three split into distinct genres. Of special interest is the Carl Craig remix of a track by BT, done before the two split into the separate and often antagonistic techno and trance camps. As a result, the disc is miraculously free of cliché or repetition. It is an adventuresome journey through electronic music's melodic and futuristic potential, with joyous acid lines to mark the path and shimmering hi-hats to light the way. X-Mix-2 may well be the defining release of Garnier's career. His later achievements as a producer and continuing status as an international techno icon still trace directly back to the sweeping musical aesthetic on display here.

VA - X-Mix 2 Destination Planet Dream ( Laurent Garnier) (flac  534mb)

Destination Planet Dream ( Laurent Garnier) 76:08
01 Dance Fever - Out On The Dancefloor
02 Robert Armani - Circus Bells (Hardfloor Remix)
03 Laurent Garnier - Moon Beam
04 Brian Transeau - Relativity (Carl Craig's Urban Affair Dub)
05 H.M.C. / A.S.I.O. - Tropic Of Capricorn
06 Guillaume La Tortue - Salinas
07 Kenny Larkin - Track
08 Mike Dearborn - Deviant Behaviour
09 Deepside - French  
10 Galaxy 2 Galaxy - Journey Of The Dragons
11 Rhythim Is Rhythim - Icon
12 Kenny Larkin - Prelude
13 Mazdaratti - Excelsior Eod Fingered
14 Essence Of Nature - Blue Orchidee  
15 Planetary Assault Systems - Gated
16 Underground Resistance - The Final Frontier
17 Dave Angel - Original Man  
18 Laurent Garnier - Go To Sleep

VA - X-Mix 2 Destination Planet Dream ( Laurent Garnier) (ogg 189mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

It must have been some accomplishment, convincing both Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva to do a mix CD together. Why then, one must wonder, would K7 try to cram two separate mixes from two DJing giants onto one measly disc? The Acquaviva mix is first and, clocking in at 45 minutes, it takes up the majority of the CD. While Acquaviva is known primarily as a house DJ, his mix remains firmly planted in the realm of techno -- acidic, creeping, futuristic techno that snakes and builds throughout. The mixing is superb, creating one continuous musical piece. Additionally, the entire segment is recorded onto the CD as one track, so it is near impossible to tell where one song ends and the next begins. The Hawtin mix is much shallower than what one should expect from an artist of his worth. The track selection (limited to only nine) is of high quality, but predictable. So while this album is worth having to hear the unique side of Acquaviva, one must still look elsewhere for the true Richie Hawtin.

VA - X-Mix 3 Enter, Digital Reality! (Richie Hawtin & John Acquaviva) (flac  440mb)

The John Acquaviva Mix (43:54)
01 Sysex - At First Light
02 Orson Karte - Metamorphosis
03 Erik Van Den Broek - Ursa Major 7
04 Math-U-Matix - Blue  
05 Scanner - Mass Observation
06 L.S.G. - Blueprint (Version 1)  
07 Speedy J - Pepper (Speedy J Remix)
08 Nicole - A Small Entrance To A Large Spectrum
09 Megalon - Darkness
10 Cal-Q-Lator - Dr Bradford
11 Laurent Garnier - Astral Dreams (Speakers Mix)
12 K. Hand - Flashback
13 House Proud People - Trantastic Pt II
14 Secret Cinema - Timeless Altitude (Extra Altitude Mix)
15 Hardfloor - Alternative

The Richie Hawtin Mix (29:13)
01 Acid Didj - The Acid Didj Three
02 Speedy J - Evolution
03 Lemon 8 - Model 8
04 Barada - Glue
05 Peelo - Neena
06 LFO vs. FUSE - Loop
07 Plastikman - Spastik
08 Plastikman - Spaz
09 Teste - The Wipe (5am Synaptic)
 
VA - X-Mix 3 Enter, Digital Reality! (Richie Hawtin & John Acquaviva) (ogg 190mb )

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Mixed by Dave Clarke, this installment in Studio !K7's X-Mix series is the first available on CD as well as VHS; in other words, fans of Clarke can get his mix of electro classics old and new without subjecting themselves to the incredibly cheesy computer-graphics animation for which Studio !K7 is known.

X-Mix 7 Electro Boogie (Dave Clarke) (flac 327mb)

01 Sem - Phox 2:37
02 Imperial Brothers - We Come To Dub 3:28
03 Lockstep - I Am 1:15
04 Underground Resistance - Electronic Warfare (Aux 88 Mix) 3:15
05 Octagon Man - Demented Spirit 2:43
06 Aux 88 - The DJ 2:13
07 Elecktroids - Midnight Drive 3:03
08 Model 500 - Future 2:07
09 Elecktroids - Future Tone 2:12
10 Shiver - Subsonic Soundscape 3:12
11 Dynamix II - Ignition 3:46
12 LFO - We Are Back 2:55
13 Sole Tech - Unknown Origin (Bonus Cut) 1:02
14 Channel One - Technicolor (Long Mix) 4:12
15 Dopplereffekt - Voice Activated 3:35
16 I-F - I Do Because I Couldn't Care Less 2:46
17 Hashim - Primrose Path 4:09

X-Mix 7 Electro Boogie (Dave Clarke) (ogg 135mb)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

RhoDeo1253 Goldy Rhox 89

Hello,  In the darklight today is someone also known by the nickname The Big O, he was an American singer-songwriter, best known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. it got him names as the Caruso of Rock. His greatest success came with Monument Records between 1960 and 1964, when 22 of his songs ended up on the Billboard Top Forty.

In 1988, he joined the supergroup Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne and also released a new solo album. He died of a heart attack in December that year, at the zenith of his resurgence. His life was marred by tragedy, including the death of his first wife and his two eldest sons in separate accidents. Rolling Stone placed The Big O at number 37 on their list of The Greatest Artists of All Time, and number 13 on their list of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. He perfected an odd vision of popular music, one in which eccentricity and imagination beat back all the pressures toward conformity.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Most of the albums i 'll post made many millions for the music industry and a lot of what i intend to post still gets repackaged and remastered decades later, squeezing the last drop of profit out of bands that for the most part have ceased to exist long ago, although sometimes they get lured out of the mothballs to do a big bucks gig or tour. Now i'm not as naive to post this kinda music for all to see and have deleted, these will be a black box posts, i'm sorry for those on limited bandwidth but for most of you a gamble will get you a quality rip don't like it, deleting is just 2 clicks...That said i will try to accommodate somewhat and produce some cryptic info on the artist and or album.

Today's mystery compilation album by the Big O was released in 1972, featuring all the original Monument Records recordings. It went platinum back then, this here a Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab effort of doing the past justice and honor this great artist, don't miss it.


Goldy Rhox 89   (flac 317mb)

Goldy Rhox 89  (ogg 124mb)


***** ***** ***** ***** *****

RhoDeo 1253 Aetix

Hello,  Festive days history once more, belly full, ears ringing and the party is over, time to get a move on.

Yes, it's Aetix time and one of the big names of the early days who are being milked for what it's worth by EMI on the basis of their late  eighties work, case of hopeless AR management that didn't grasp they had a potential supergroup on their hands, they wanted hits, the quick buck and had no ear for artistic endavour, in fact they were rather nasty well EMI no longer exist as such. Here on offer their debut and 2 EMI cash in albums .....  N'Joy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Talk Talk began as a quartet consisting of Mark Hollis (vocals), Simon Brenner (keyboards), Lee Harris (drums) and Paul Webb (bass). Hollis was the brother of Ed Hollis, manager of Eddie and the Hot Rods, and had started out in a punk band called The Reaction. They were generally associated with the New Wave movement; more specifically, in their early years, they were often compared with Duran Duran, as both bands not only featured a double-barrelled name and a Roxy Music-inspired musical direction, but also a record label (EMI) and producer (Colin Thurston). Talk Talk's first line-up released a self-titled debut EP in 1982 which was quickly expanded into a full-length album entitled The Party's Over. The band charted in the UK Top 40 with the singles "Talk Talk" and "Today", both produced by Thurston.

Brenner left after the 1983 non-LP single "My Foolish Friend", which was produced by frequent Roxy Music collaborator Rhett Davies. At this point, the band added unofficial fourth member Tim Friese-Greene, who became Talk Talk's keyboard player, producer, and Hollis' frequent writing partner. Although a major contributor to the band's studio output, Friese-Greene did not generally play with the band during live shows or appear in publicity material. Talk Talk stopped playing live in 1986.

Talk Talk had a huge success in 1984/85 internationally (and particularly in continental Europe) with the album It's My Life, the single "Such a Shame" became a major hit . Strangely, this album and its singles were largely ignored in their native UK
They shed the New Wave style completely with The Colour of Spring in 1986. This became their biggest studio album success in the UK, partly thanks to the Top 20 single "Life's What You Make It", and was again a hit album in Europe.By this time, all Talk Talk songs were being written by Hollis and Friese-Greene.

The success of The Colour of Spring got the band an open budget and schedule for the recording of their next album. Spirit of Eden was released in 1988, on EMI's Parlophone label., it was assembled from many hours of improvised instrumentation that Hollis and Friese-Greene had edited and arranged using digital equipment. The result was a mix of rock, jazz, classical, and ambient music. While critically praised, the album was not as commercially viable as its predecessors, and the band declared they would not tour in support of it.

Talk Talk released Laughing Stock in 1991, by this time, Webb had left the group and Talk Talk had morphed into a brand name for the studio recordings of Hollis and Friese-Greene, along with a bevy of session studio players. Laughing Stock crystallised the experimental sound the band started with Spirit of Eden (which has been retroactively categorised as "post-rock" by some critics). Laughing Stock adopted an even more minimalist style than its predecessor, but this did not stop it achieving a respectable Top 30 showing in the UK Albums Chart. Like Spirit of Eden, the lyrical themes are often religious, and album is widely considered (along with Spirit of Eden) as one of the first records to be classed - retroactively - as within the post-rock genre. Laughing Stock has consistently risen in critical opinion as a result of post-rock's rise to relative popularity during the late 90s. After Laughing Stock, Talk Talk disbanded. Paul Webb rejoined Lee Harris, and the two went on to form the band .O.rang, while Tim Friese-Greene started recording under the name Heligoland. In 1998, Mark Hollis released his self-titled solo début Mark Hollis, which was very much in keeping with the minimalist post-rock sound of Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock.

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Talk Talk began life as a slavishly derivative, Duran Duran-styled new romantic synth pop band, as their debut, The Party's Over, clearly shows. Much of the album seems to attempt to recreate Duran Duran's debut, but even with their most blatant rip-offs, like the single "Talk Talk," they do it with a naïve charm that makes for some really enjoyable music, even if it isn't particularly innovative or groundbreaking.

Talk Talk - The Party's Over (flac 263mb)

01 Talk Talk 3:23
02 It's So Serious 3:21
03 Today 3:30
04 The Party's Over 6:12
05 Hate 3:58
06 Have You Heard The News ? 5:07
07 Mirror Man 3:21
08 Another Word 3:14
09 Candy 4:41

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

In April 86, hot on the heels of international chart success with 'Life's what you make it' and Living In Another World'  talk Talk embarked on a major world tour promoting their album ' The Colour Of Spring'.  While the number of bands who have succumbed to the rock cliché of trading artistic integrity for a glimpse of commercial success is countless, only a few have traveled down the opposite path, and fewer still have attempted the kind of dramatic career reversal achieved by Talk Talk. Originally considered little more than derivative purveyors of New-Romantic dance-pop, with each succeeding album, Mark Hollis and co. moved further and further away from both the expectations of the marketplace and from the trappings of traditional pop-oriented song-craft. There were, of course, hints of this impending transformation on their early records, most notably, Mark Hollis' singularly expressive vocals, but it wasn't until Talk Talk's third album, The Colour of Spring, that their artistic restlessness began to explicitly assert itself. London 1986 and Live at Montreux 1986 document the resulting tour, which was to be the last the band would undertake. While The Colour of Spring is a transitional masterpiece, Talk Talk's flawless live performances during this period were simply sublime. Gone were the painfully exaggerated efforts to appear relaxed yet animated that were evident on earlier tours; now they carried themselves like a band who knew they were special. For those who have only heard Talk Talk's studio recordings, or those who may feel inclined to ignore the band's pre-1986 output, these live performances will be nothing less than a revelation.

Talk Talk - London 1986   ( flac 388mb)

01 Tomorrow Started  (7:50)
02 Life's What You Make It  (4:29)
03 Does Caroline Know?  (7:36)
04 Living in Another World  (7:05)
05 Give It Up  (5:53)
06 It's My Life  (6:27)
07 Such a Shame  (9:00)
08 Renée  (7:43)

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Released as a companion piece to the hits collection Natural History, History Revisited compiles mainly new remixes of the band's best-known, pre-experimental output. Only the dub mix of "Happiness Is Easy" had been released before -- the rest were done without the band's involvement, and the band reportedly tried to block the album's release. Talk Talk's brand of synth-pop lends itself quite well to this sort of treatment, so the collection works quite well, although there aren't many surprises. A nice companion piece for fans, but probably the least essential of their catalog.

Talk Talk - History Revisited (The Remixes)  (  flac 341mb)

01 Living In Another World - '91 (Julian Mendelsohn mix) 4:40
02 Such A Shame (Gary Miller Remix) 5:42
03 Happiness Is Easy (Harris, Webb Dub) 7:02
04 Today (Gary Miller Remix) 3:25
05 Dum Dum Girl (Spice Remix) 4:59
06 Life's What You Make It (BBG Remix) 6:14
07 Talk Talk (Gary Miller Remix) 5:22
08 It's My Life (Tropical Rainforest Mix) 5:58
09 Living In Another World (Curious Dub Mix) 7:49
10 Life's What You Make It (The Fluke Remix) 6:16

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

RhoDeo 1253 Roots

Hello, time to wish you all a happy New Year, 2013 and is this the real dimension or are our doubles off to live the good life, who's to say. We will have to make it work and break free from the many ties that bind us, collective amnesia being a persisting one, held up by our archaeologists that are more interested to have a career than uncovering the past, then there is our captivated consciousness held down by laws that forbid us to expand our minds. If those nitwit archaeologists had done their work we would know that without mindexpanding we would still be like apes. I won't be going on here about all that greedy selfishness that really leaves hollow shells where nothing real was in the first place.

As mentioned previously there's been a big influx of Jamaicans in the UK these last decades and they seeded a vibrant reggae/dub culture, reason enough to post some of the results of exploring '90s U.K. Anglo dub.   Shaka would operate his sound like a single instrument, the music played at ear-splitting distortion levels, the air torn by his trademark sirens and syndrums, the man himself caught up in the spirit, alternatively chanting, singing and dancing as furiously as many of those in the crowd.... N'joy

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

An enigmatic and highly individual performer on the UK sound system scene, Jah Shaka (his real name remains a mystery) came with his parents to the UK from Jamaica at the age of eight, settling in south east London. Succumbing to his passion for music, he began his career a few years later in the late 60s, playing in a band and travelling around in an obscure local sound system named Freddie Cloudburst. Inspired spiritually by his interest in Rastafari, and consciously by the American Civil Rights movement (particularly such exponents of black awareness as Angela Davis and George Jackson), he began to assemble equipment for his own sound, named after the great eighteenth-century Zulu, King Shaka, the ‘Black Napoleon’.

From quite modest beginnings in the early 70s, by the end of the decade Shaka’s sound had become one of the top three in the country, alongside such luminaries as Lloyd Coxsone and the Mighty Fatman, specializing in heavyweight, dubwise steppers material, and exclusive cuts on dub plates. However, whereas these and other sounds usually supported a team of selectors and DJs, Shaka performed all these functions alone, assistance in setting up the sound coming from a team of devoted youths for whom Shaka’s music was almost a way of life. His dances became famous for their spiritually charged atmosphere and the acrobatic, stylized dancing of the participants. Shaka would operate his sound like a single instrument, the music played at ear-splitting distortion levels, the air torn by his trademark sirens and syndrums, the man himself caught up in the spirit, alternatively chanting, singing and dancing as furiously as many of those in the crowd. That following notably included many of the pioneers of post-punk such as Public Image Ltd and The Slits.

In 1980 Shaka played himself in the film Babylon (directed by Franco Rosso, although he directed the scene he appeared in[2]), operating his Sound System in a soundclash at the climax of the story. That year, Shaka inaugurated his Jah Shaka King Of The Zulu Tribe label with the release of ‘Jah Children Cry’ by African Princess, which sold well in the reggae market. This was followed by the first instalment in his long-running Commandments Of Dub series. Over the years the label has carried well over 50 releases by UK-based artists such as Junior Brown, Sgt Pepper, Vivian Jones, Sis Nya and the Twinkle Brothers, as well as dozens of releases by Shaka himself, and Jamaican artists such as Horace Andy, Icho Candy and Max Romeo. With the decline of interest in Rastafarianism in the 80s, Shaka’s dances became more and more isolated affairs, the crowd thinning to a hardcore of older followers. However, Shaka’s adherence to Rasta, and the particular type of heavy, spiritual reggae with which his name has become synonymous, remained unswerving.

By the latter part of the decade a new, young, multiracial crowd of disaffected roots fans had begun to appear. Out of this crowd emerged a number of artists and sound systems that largely shunned contemporary reggae in favour of the revived sounds of the 70s and early 80s in which Shaka still specialised. Though seen by some observers as anachronistic and irrelevant, this ‘new dub school’, predominantly inspired by Shaka, nevertheless gained much support, nurturing and sustaining its own network of musicians, record labels, studios, sound systems, clubs and radio shows. Jah Shaka still plays on his soundsystem on a regular basis in the UK and from time to time in other countries, finally having recovered after heavy house fire injuries in 2000. His soundsystem gigs are a cultural institution that layed a huge impact not only on the developement of dub, but on English popular music altogether.
 
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Jah Shaka's Commandments of Dub, Vol. 1 has a unique dub style that sets itself apart from other roots records. Throughout the album, Jah Shaka uses less organic sounding effects and plays with the rhythms sonically. His obsession with an effect that sounds like a siren doesn't fade and gives the album an overall character. Ringing chimes, pops and echoes color the tracks with a very recognizable style. Jah Shaka's production skills are impressive but he doesn't dub any standout rhythms. The clean sound of the bass and drums doesn't back up what he is doing behind the mixing desk, and it robs the record of some of its potential. Commandments of Dub, Vol. 1 is a layered, well-mixed album that shows Jah Shaka's unique dubwise technique but doesn't have the rough pounding rhythms that so many roots-dub records have. The bass and drums are loud and at the forefront but don't have the edge of a Keith Hudson or a Joe Gibbs' production. Commandments of Dub, Vol. 1 is an eerie mix with definite appeal for fans of dub production.

Jah Shaka - The Commandments of Dub (flac  180mb)

01 Verse 1 2:59
02 Verse 2 3:58
03 Verse 3 3:29
04 Verse 4 3:36
05 Verse 5 3:47
06 Verse 6 4:44
07 Verse 7 3:47
08 Verse 8 3:22
09 Verse 9 3:40
10 Verse 10 3:35

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Originally released in 1984, then re-released 12 years later, this split CD featuring two of British dub's most prominent figures shows just how far the genre has come since its early days in Jamaica. A split CD with five tracks from each of the two legends, the album reminds us that there was a time when it was a producer's creativity, not mere technology, that made dub "versions" sound so hypnotic and otherworldly. Though not the best work either Mad Professor or Jah Shaka have to offer, this is the sound of two inventive dub masters in their prime.

Jah Shaka Meets Mad Professor at Ariwa Sounds (flac  227mb)

01 Higher Dimensions 4:10
02 Astral Flame 3:48
03 False Distintions 4:21
04 Realm Of Symbols 4:30
05 Ritual Drum 4:38
06 Absolute Motion 4:36
07 Temporal Chains 4:24
08 Beneath Time 4:06
09 Celestial Dub 4:35
10 Paradoxical Dub 4:25
11 Dub Realms 3:37
12 Oscillating Curve 4:27
13 Celestial Horizons 6:34
14 Substratum Dub 4:25
15 Natural Selection 8:53

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
After successfully launching his career in Europe with his great contributions to Massive Attack albums it fell to Jah Shaka to bring Horace Andy back into the Rastafari fold with his Dub Salute. In the mid-1990s he also worked with Mad Professor, releasing the albums Life Is For Living and Roots and Branches.

Jah Shaka - Dub Salute 1 (Horace Andy) (flac 220mb)

01 The King And I Dub 3:50
02 Jah Glory Dub 3:56
03 The Mark Dub 2:42
04 The Ghetto Dub 3:48
05 Everyman Foundation Dub 3:21
06 African Woman Dub 4:01
07 I Believe Dub 3:53
08 Jah Light Dub 3:48
09 Jah A Come Dub 3:09
10 The Truth Dub 3:49

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx