Top Ten December 2009:

December 2009

(in alphabetical order)

Anders Ilar: Ulterior Motives (Level)

Aroy Dee: Once You Loved (MOS)

Conforce: CCCP (Modelisme)

Echologist: Ritual (Steadfast)

Egbert: Vette Sounds (GEM)

Jolka: Convection (Sect)

Mike Dehnert: Nano (Clone)

The Parallel: The Parallel (Komisch)

Samuli Kemppi: Rymd (Time To Express)

Steve Parker: Mexilhao (Alan Fitzpatrick Remix) (Weave)

Isomer Shift makes Jack De Marseille Best of '09.

Jack De Marseilles enters Isomer Shift at No.2 in his Top Ten tracks of 2009 for DMC Updates 'Trainspotter' feature.

World Tour 2010:

Balance/Tilted Disco - Boxing Day, London.

Confirmation that I'll be appearing at the Balance/Tilted Disco Xmas bash at the Rhythm Factory in Whitechapel, London. Don't miss this one - checkout that line-up!

Vince Watson mix ft's B12 EP:

Vince Watson

Check Vince's interview and Winter 09 mix at the excellent Infinitestatemachine blog here. Features 'Pugnaxian Wisdom' and 'Traverse' from my recent B12 EP.

Sound Obsession - December 2009:

"ECM - the first decade" Pt I

Mal Waldron Trio - Boo - ECM
Jan Garbarek Quartet - Concentus - ECM
Jan Garbarek Quartet - Afric Pepperbird - ECM
Terje Rypdal - Tough Enough - ECM
Chick Corea - Crystal Silence - ECM
Chick Corea - Return To Forever (Intro) - ECM
Keith Jarrett - Lalene - ECM
Stanley Cowell - Miss Viki - ECM
Dave Holland Quartet - Conference Of The Birds - ECM
Eberhard Weber - An Evening With Vincent Van Ritz (Intro) - ECM
Ralph Towner & Glenn Moore - Re (Person I Knew) - ECM
Julien Priester - Images - ECM
Keith Jarrett & Jack DeJohnette - Pastel Morning - ECM
Ralph Towner - Icarus - ECM
Bennie Maupin - Winds Of Change - ECM
Gary Burton - Three - ECM
Gary Burton Quintet - Unfinished Sympathy - ECM
Steve Kuhn - Trance - ECM
Dave Liebman - Loft Dance - ECM
Gary Burton & Steve Swallow - Sweeping Up - ECM
John Abercrombie - Love Song - ECM
Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life - ECM
Pat Metheny - Sirabhorn - ECM
Barre Phillips - Mountainscape VII - ECM

ART-DDS1: Release date - January 2010

slightly later than previously announced - ART-DDS1 will be released in January 2010. Exact date to follow....

Top Ten November 2009:

November 2009 (Alphabetical order):

Agoria: Magnolia (InFine Music)

Clara Moto: Silently (Kirk Degiorgio Remix) (InFine Music)

Ed Rush & Nico: Defect (Peter Van Hoesen Remix) (Perc Trax)

Jim Rivers: Full Tilt (Wehbba Remix) (Tronic)

Kevin Gorman: Shakey Stripped (Mikrowave)

Luke Abbott: Quicunx (Buzzin' Fly)

Max M: Egg (M Rec)

Tom Hades & Marco Bailey: On The Rocks (8 Sided Dice)

Valmay: Distrust (Blueprint)

XDB: Gate (Wave Music)

Isomer Shift: MIX MAG TUNE OF THE MONTH

Sound Obsession - November 2009:

"Cover To Cover"

Earth, Wind & Fire - Can't Hide Love - Columbia
Azar Lawrence - Can't Hide Love - Prestige
Gwen McCrae - 90% Of Me Is You - Cat
Vanessa Kendrick - 90% Of Me Is You - Glades
Doris Duke - Woman Of The Ghetto - Scepter
Marlena Shaw - Woman Of The Ghetto - Cadet
Daybreak - Everything Man - P&P
The Main Ingredient - Everything Man - Power Exchange
Eddie Russ - Zaius - Monument
Mixed Bag - Zaius - Tribe
Airto - Wind Chant - CTI
Harris Simon Group - Wind Chant - Baybridge
Natalie Cole - La Costa - Capitol
Ahmad Jamal - La Costa - 20th Century
The Carpenters - (They Long To Be) Close To You - A&M
Isaac Hayes - (They Long To Be) Close To You - Enterprise
Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman - Capitol
Johnny Harris - Wichita Lineman - Warner Bros.
Terry Callier - Just As Long As We're In Live - Cadet
The Dells - Just As Long As We're In Live - Cadet
The Band - The Weight - Capitol
Rotary Connection - The Weight - Cadet
Free Life - Spirit Of Love - Columbia
Eddie Palmieri - Spirit Of Love - Columbia
Odyssey - Don't Tell Me, Tell Her - RCA
Phyllis Hyman - Don't Tell Me, Tell Her - Arista
Cal Tjader - Corine - Fantasy
Flora Purim - Corine - Warner Bros.
Roberta Flack - Feel Like Making Love - Atlantic
Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Feel Like Making Love - Polydor
Bob James - Feel Like Making Love - CTI
Side Effect - Keep That Same Old Feeling - Fantasy
The Crusaders - Keep That Same Old Feeling - ABC
Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine - Sussex
Harlem Underground Band - Ain't No Sunshine - Paul Winley
Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues - Tamla
The Impressions - Inner City Blues - Curtom
Sarah Vaughan - Inner City Blues - Mainstream
Pharaoh Sanders - The Creator Has A Master Plan - Impulse!
Louis Armstrong & Friends - The Creator Has A Master Plan - Flying Dutchman
Carlos Garnett - Mother Of The Future - Muse
Norman Connors - Mother Of The Future - Buddah
Electro Keyboard Orchestra - Mother Of The Future - Sony
Al Green - Love and Happiness - Hi
First Choice - Love and Happiness - Warner Bros.
Ramsey Lewis - Whenever, Wherever - Cadet
Minnie Riperton - Whenever, Wherever - Janus
Esther Phillips - Home Is Where The Hatred Is - Kudu
Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Home Is Where The Hatred Is - Flying Dutchman
Maryann Farra & Satin Soul - You Got To Be The One - Brunswick
The Chi-Lites - You Got To Be The One - Brunswick
Willie Hutch - I Wanna Be Where You Are - Motown
Leon Ware - I Wanna Be Where You Are - Motown
Marvin Gaye - I Wanna Be Where You Are - Tamla
Mary J. Blige - I'm In Love - Universal
The Gap Band - I'm In Love - Mercury

Ben Sims charts Isomer Shift:

The well-respected Techno producer & DJ puts Isomer Shift at No.2 in his October Juno chart here...

Come join me on Twitter:

Top Ten October 2009:

October 2009 (Alphabetical order):

A Paul: Tethys (Analog Mode)

Andy Stott: Night Jewel (Modern Love)

Anthony 'Shake' Shakir: Arise (Syncrophone)

Contra Communmen Opionem: The Falling Sun (Mathematics)

Function: Disaffected (Ben Klock Remix) (Sandwell District)

James Ruskin: The Outsider (Blueprint)

Jeroen Search: Segments (M Rec)

Miles Sagnia: Sounds From the Abyss (Aesthetic Audio)

Morphology: TriOptimum (Abstract Forms)

Patrick Kunkel: Play The Game (Flux)

Book Choice #20:

Michael Chabon: Kavalier & Clay

Very cleverly constructed story of a Jewish escapee from late thirties Prague teaming up with a relative in New York to embark on a career of superhero comic creation.

Seemingly rather tame until two-thirds the way through when the pace quickens, the plot becomes overwhelmingly absorbing and at the same time - it brings all the previous 400 pages to life.

ART-DDS1: Lo-Fi Teasers

Kirk Degiorgio - "Swarm EP" - ART-DDS1 (2009) by kirkdegiorgio

Clara Moto: Silently (Kirk Degiorgio Remix)

Release date: November 2nd, 2009 - InFine Music (Fr).

Coming soon: ART-DDS1 "Swarm" EP.

Kirk Degiorgio: Swarm / A Way Of Life / Distant Realm (ART-DDS1)

Coming soon on ART, the first EP in the Dance Division Series. Featuring three full-on club tracks recorded at ART Studios.

To be released on vinyl and digital formats via Rubadub Distribution.

Audio teasers to come...

Sound Obsession - October 2009:

"Blue-Eyed Soul Special"

Marc Jordan - Survival - Warner Bros
Odyssey - Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love - Mowest
James Walsh Gypsy Band - Cuz, It's You Girl - RCA
Dan Penn - If Love Was Money - Bell
Cold Blood - No Way Home - Reprise
Firefly - Love (Is Gonna Be On Your Side) - Emergency
The Alan Parsons Project - The Voice - Arista
The Peddlers - I Have Seen - Philips
Christine Perfect - And That's Saying A Lot - Sire
Hall and Oates - Had I Known You Better Then - Atlantic
Christopher Cross - Ride Like The Wind - Warner Bros
Boz Scaggs - What Can I Say - Columbia
The Bendeth Band - Love Collect - RCA
David Sanborn Band - Promise Me The Moon - Warner Bros
Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Straight Ahead - RCA
Matthew Larkin Cassell - Heaven - Private Pressing
Caroline Peyton - Just As We - Bar-B-Q
The Rascals - Nubia - Atlantic
Colosseum - Elegy - Vertigo
Barbara & Ernie - Play With Fire - Cotillion
Seals & Crofts - We May Never Pass This Way Again - Warner Bros
The Players Association - Everything's Gonna Be OK - Vanguard
Heat - Still Waiting - MCA
Bob James - Sign Of The Times - Tappan Zee
Doobie Brothers - Dedicate This Heart - Warner Bros
The Beach Boys - Baby Blue - Brother
Mike Mainieri & Friends - More To Love - Just Sunshine
Jimmie Spheeris - It's You They're Dreaming Of - Columbia
America - Old Man Took - Warner Bros
Carole King - Haywood - A&M
Laura Nyro - Desiree - Columbia

The Black Dog Chart Isomer Shift:

See the latest chart from the electronic trio here...

Top Ten September 2009:

September 2009 (Alphabetical order):

&ME: FIR (Keinemusik)

Adam Beyer & Par Grindvik: Living Wheel (Drumcode)

Aroy Dee: The Planets (Delsin)

Craig Smith & The Revenge: The Soul Pt II (John Daly RMX) (Delusions Of Grandeur)

CV313: Subtraktive (Dub) (Echospace)

Davor: Transitional Objects (Jolka's Remake) (Matrix)

Dennes Deen: Break It Up (Gary Beck RMX) (MB Elektronics)

Obtane/Giorgio Gigli: Transmission (Zooloft)

Robert Hood: Superman (M-Plant)

Somnabulist: Human Dreams (Samuvar)

Isomer Shift: Boomkat "Recommended Release"

Online music store Boomkat make Isomer Shift a Recommended Release for September. Purchase link here.

Isomer Shift: Resident Advisor 4 Star review

Richard Brophy reviews Isomer Shift on Resident Advisor: click here

Isomer Shift: DMC Update 5 Star Review:

Book Choice #19:

Cormac McCarthy: Suttree

As sedately-paced and murky as the Tennessee River upon which Cornelius Suttree has made his home. An often humorous account of life on the margins in the town of Knoxville - and part auto-biographical, this is perhaps McCarthy's earliest masterpiece.

Sound Obsession - September 2009:

"James Brown Production Special"

James Brown - Cold Sweat - King
James Brown - I Can't Stand Myself - King
Marva Whitney - Unwind Yourself - King
James Brown - I Got The Feeling - King
James Brown - Licking Stick - King
James Brown - In The Middle - King
James Brown - Say It Loud - I'm Black & I'm Proud - King
Marva Whitney - I'm Tired, I'm Tired, I'm Tired - King
Hank Ballard - From The Love Side - King
Marva Whitney - What Do I Have To Do - King
James Brown - Give It Up Or Turnit Loose - King
James Brown - I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing - King
James Brown - Popcorn With A Feeling - King
James Brown - Let A Man Come In & Do The Popcorn - King
James Brown - Mother Popcorn - King
James Brown - It's A New Day - King
James Brown - She's The One - King
Vicki Anderson - Answer To Mother Popcorn - King
Marva Whitney - It's My Thing - King
James Brown - Talkin' Loud & Saying Nothing - King
James Brown - The Drunk - Bethlehem
James Brown - Superbad - King
Vicki Anderson - Super Good - King
Vicki Anderson - Message From The Soul Sisters - King
Beau Dollar - Who Knows - King
James Brown - Soul Power - King
Bobby Byrd - I Know You Got Soul - King
James Brown - Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved - King
James Brown - Escapism - People
The Believers - Across The Track - Brownstone
James Brown - Make It Funky - Polydor
Vicki Anderson - I'm Too Tough For Mr. Big Stuff - Brownstone
Bobby Byrd - Hot Pants - I'm Coming, I'm Coming - Brownstone
The J.B.'s - Givin' Up Food For Funk - People
James Brown - There It Is - Polydor
James Brown - Get On The Good Foot - Polydor
The J.B.'s - The Grunt - People
The J.B.'s - Hot Pants Road - People
The J.B.'s - Soul Power '74 - People
Maceo & The Macks - Cross The Track - People
Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s - Blow Your Head - People
A.A.B.B. - Pick Up The Pieces One By One - I-Dentify

ART8 makes Juno Top 10 Bestsellers chart:

ART8 has made No.9 in the best-selling Techno sales chart for August-September at the large on-line dance music retailer Juno. The sales figures are taken over an eight week period.

The EP has been charted by T.J. Kong (Max 404), The Black Dog, Quarion and others. It has also made the 'Recommended Techno' list by Juno themselves and DJ magazine.

ART8 on Beatport:

ART8 is now available in DIGITAL format from all good online retailers, including Beatport.

Kirk Degiorgio: Isomer Shift EP (B12) - Lo-Fi Teasers:

Isomer Shift EP - B12 (B1223) by kirkdegiorgio

Top Ten August 2009:

August 2009 (alphabetical order):

Bjak: By My Side (Eargasmic)

Johannes Volk: Seed (Snapshot)

Kirk Degiorgio: Isomer Shift (B12)

Marcel Fengler: Gridlock (Ostgut Ton)

Quince: Sleepwalker (Music Man)

Rob Glennon: Bass Shifter (Paul Mac's Dub)(Nice & Nasty)

Shawn Rudiman: Human Amplifier (Minimalsoul)

Silent Servant: La Noche (Historia Y Violencia)

Solotempo: Satellite (Spezial Material)

TJ Kong: The Pearl (Compost)

Akai APC40 Ableton Controller:

Latest edition to the Studio and Live DJ setup. Akai's APC40 dedicated Ableton Live controller.

Kirk Degiorgio: Isomer Shift (B1223)

Forthcoming: Kirk Degiorgio B1223

Official EPM press release:

Kirk Degiorgio, the man behind Future Past and As One, continues to innovate with unique sounds and dancefloor friendly beats. The Isomer Shift EP is an uncompromising set of progressive dancefloor beats in the tradition of Craig, Saunderson and Beltram.

The four tracks are outstanding 21st century techno, an instant Degiorgio classic with typically syncopated dance beats, beautiful chords and rhythms that create mesmerising and energetic soundscapes.

On the A side, ‘Isomer Shift’ is a perfect example of Degorgio’s relentless rhythmical talents. Twisted beats, beautiful strings and chords combine to create a master work of futuristic funk. ‘Isidora’, the second track brings bigger and space-ier atmospheres to a club fulfilled beat.

The B side takes the future funk even deeper, great strings provide the backing for two tracks that see Degiorgio returning to his previous influences with rhythms and bass lines synonymous with Kirk’s much acclaimed earlier works.

Release date: 28th September 2009.

Audio clips to follow.

Kirk Degiorgio Bodytonic Interview:

Interview conducted August 09 - click HERE.

RIP: Rashied Ali

Rashied Ali (1935-2009)

Drumming colossus - master of the avant-garde.

Book Choice #18:

Thomas Pynchon: Inherent Vice

I've spent the last few days with a permanent - Pynchon would say 'stoners' - grin on my face. A new Pynchon novel is - for me - the literary event of this, or any other year and once again - as with 'Mason & Dixon' and 'Against The Day', this lives up to the billing. 'Inherent Vice' is hilarious. It's Columbo-meets-The Big Lebowski-meets Film Noir-meets-The Simpsons at the tale end of 1969 - post-Manson murders, exactly forty years ago in fact.

The plot is intriguing and navigable - by Pynchon's standards anyway. Drug references galore, a proto-Internet, Nixon-era - Manson fueled paranoia, surf, sex, L.A., L.V., plenty of stoner short-term memory lapses (which is catching as the reader is often victim of the classic Pynchon character overload... 'who? what? where? oh, now I remember...'), flashbacks, zombie surfer-bands, the ancient lost land of Lemuria, etc, etc. All packed into less than 400 pages - which for Pynchon is a novella.

It's Pynchon's most accessible book by far - there are even rumours of film industry interest. It forms a loose trilogy of the California novels with 'The Crying Of Lot 49' and 'Vineland', but there is none of the dark, deeply unsettling undercurrent present in those earlier works. It's full of classic 'stoner' humour with proper laugh-out-loud scenes - often involving Denis (pronounced to rhyme with 'penis' of course). It hints at the future of a paranoid surveillance society - linked to the ARPAnet, an early version of the Internet but really that's as close to a 'bummer' as it gets.

Sound Obsession - August 2009

"The Funky Side of 80's Boogie"

Billy Preston - If You Let Me Love You - Megatone
Goldie Alexander - Spend My Life With You - CBS
Avonn - I Wanna Dance - Champagne
Shades Of Love - Do Your Own Dance - ScorpGemi
Pike - Good Feelings - Penke
Tom Browne - Thighs High - GRP
Future Flight - Walk Don't Run - Capitol
Armenta - I Wanna Be With You - Savoir Faire
Raydio - Still In The Groove - Arista
Enchantment - Settin' It Out - RCA
Slave - Steal Your Heart - Cotillion
Fatback - Take It Anyway You Wanna - Spring
Brass Construction - We Can Work It Out - Liberty
Dayton - One Day Or Another - Capitol
Funk Fusion Band - Can You Feel It - WMOT
Herley Johnson Jr - Do It - Quality
Sunrize - Who's Stickin' It - Boardwalk
Blanche Carter - Straight Down To The Bone - TSOB
Rome Jefferies - Good Love - Rain Forest
Conquest - Body Movement - Prelude
Cameron - Boogie's Gonna Get Ya (Instrumental) - Salsoul
Delia Renee - You're Gonna Want Me Back - Airwave
Laurice Hudson - Feel My Love - Snowflake
Ozone - Come On In - Motown
Colors - Am I Gonna Be The One - First Take
Wish - Nice and Soft - Perspective
Dolette McDonald - (Xtra) Special - BC

ART8: Boomkat review

"Long awaited return of seminal imprint A.R.T, the label swinging back into action with three smart club tracks starting with the peaking 'Mass'. This track is made for the proper techno clubs and heads with Berghain-strength dub chords and powerfully straight forward yet carefully ornate machine rhythms executed in his classic style. 'Dipole' on the flip is another useful techno workout, while 'Decoherant' closes out on an emotive neo-Detroit tip. Apparently Kirk has forthcoming gear scheduled for B12 and Planet E sometime soon so keep them ears cocked. Solid twelve - get in."

Book Choice #17:

Jonathan Lethem: The Fortress Of Solitude

Beautifully written - memoir-like novel - of life growing up in the streets of Brooklyn. Set around the rough and ready Gowanus/Wyckoff projects in the seventies and eighties, it charts the progress of neighbours Dylan and Mingus. The former, an anxious white kid of bohemian parents, the latter a street-smart black kid newly arrived from Philadelphia. Their father-son relationships are at the core of the novel.

Despite leading a hermitic-like existence pioneering a new celluloid art form, Dylan's father unwittingly becomes a sci-fi art legend. Mingus' father meanwhile struggles Marvin Gaye-like, with a judgmental father living under the same roof. A one-time successful soul-singer he makes a half-hearted comeback in a P. Funk band before retreating into his house spending his days freebasing and listening to Donny Hathaway and Shuggie Otis.

Dylan's transition from the Brooklyn streets of tagging and getting 'yoked', to the privileged, liberal college in Vermont is full of tension and one of the books many successes. The magic realism of the 'ring' and it's superhero powers is a tricky element in the story - but such is Lethem's skill that it becomes a beautiful mystery left to the interpretation of the reader.

ART 8: OUT NOW!!

vinyl available at the following stores:

Rubadub

Interstellar Sounds

Rush Hour

DS2

Clone

Phonica

Boomkat

Juno

RIP: Sir Bobby Robson

Sir Bobby Robson (1933-2009)

There may be better quality photo's of Sir Bobby around, but this is how I'll always remember him. Full of joy as manager of my beloved Ipswich Town, as yet another team are brushed aside by our glorious passing game and team spirit.

My Dad and I hardly missed a home game during the Robson era. Those European nights were special - staying up late despite having school the next day. It was just the accepted thing to do in our town.

I'll never forget Sir Bobby coming to our school to judge a ball-juggling competition. He was the ultimate inspirational figure for all us kids who grew up in Ipswich during the seventies and early eighties.

We are - and shall always be: "Bobby Robson's Blue & White Army".

Jitter World EP - SOLD OUT:

Abstract Forms were adamant Jitter World should be a very limited edition as a treat for those who still love collecting Techno Vinyl. The initial run - originally intended to be severely limited to 200 copies - was expanded by another 100. These were all snapped up on pre-sale and gone within days.

Abstract Forms have listened to my pleas for them to re-press sometime in the future. They aren't promising anything, but a repress without the hand-stamped inserts is being considered.

Check the Abstract Forms website for further news:

ABSTRACT FORMS

Samuel L. Session charts Jitter World:

Jitter World is No.4 in Samuel L. Session's Juno Top Ten chart for July 2009:

Samuel L. Session Juno Chart - July 2009

DJ Magazine: Jitter World EP Review

Kirk Degiorgio - Jitter World EP (Abstract Forms) With Luke Slater in firing form and Kirk Degiorgio returning, you'd be forgiven for thinking a UK '90s techno revival was under way. 'Jitter' shows that Degiorgio is as relevant as ever; the title track is a layered deep house affair centred on a swinging rhythm; 'Back in my Head' mines the abstract As One sound with sublime melodies unfolding over a wiry, offbeat groove and 'Traject' is a full-blooded deep techno track. Sublime stuff.

DJ Magazine - August Issue No. 476. Review by Richard Brophy.

Top Ten July 2009

July 2009 (alphabetical order):

A. Mochi: Blackout EP (Figure)

Artis: Skeptic (Numbercult)

John Tejada: The Locus Of Points (Palette)

Mariano DC: Damage Blocker (Varianz)

Obscurum: Dom (Reeko Remix) (Mechanisms Industries)

Oliver Huntemann: Shanghai Spinner (Joey Beltram Remix) (Ideal Audio)

Psycatron: Deeper Shades Of Black (After Dark Mix) (Guilty Pleasures)

Redshape: Violet (Delsin)

Rick Wade: Intelligence (Laid)

Tom Trago: Brothers Of String (Yuro Trago Remix) (Rush Hour)

Book Choice #16:

Nathan Englander: The Ministry Of Special Cases

A harrowing, powerful account of life in Buenos Aires during the seventies. It's as if the military junta took Kafka's 'The Trial' and used it as some sort of social control policy. The odd occupation of Kaddish and the Jewish cultural background to the story add an extra layer of interest.

The writer hits the heights for me with his respect for the 'disappeared' Pato by not revealing his final words written on hidden, crumpled scraps of paper - swallowed by another of the 'missing' and eventually lost as she is dropped to her death from an aircraft.

Reading this novel is akin to one of those 'anxiety' dreams where you can never quite accomplish an abstract goal upon which your life depends.

ART Studios - Flickr Set

ART Studios 2009

Kirk Degiorgio - ART8

Kirk Degiorgio - "Mass" - ART 8 (2009) by kirkdegiorgio

ART8 Resident Advisor Review:

ART8 Review by Richard Brophy

Book Choice #15:

Roberto Bolano: The Savage Detectives

A vast, sprawling, engaging novel revolving around the members of an obscure Mexican-based poetry movement known as the 'visceral realists'.

Essentially, a story involving a night-time escape from Mexico City by a group of poets protecting a girl from her violent pimp. This escape also becomes a search for an elusive poet in the deserts of Northern Mexico.

But sandwiched between this story are a series of wonderful short stories - told 'talking heads / documentary style' describing various adventures of the poets - taking us from Mexico to Nicaragua, to Paris, Barcelona, Israel, Angola, Liberia, etc.

Such is the scope of this novel that I will probably need to read it again to fully appreciate everything within. A monumental work.

Sound Obsession - July 2009

Michael Jackson Tribute

Jackson 5 - I Want You Back - Motown

Jackson 5 - ABC - Motown

Jackson 5 - Ready Or Not (Here I Come) - Motown

Jackson 5 - Can I See You In The Morning - Motown

Jackson 5 - Darling Dear - Motown

Jackson 5 - Feelin' Alright - Motown

Michael Jackson - I Wanna Be Where You Are - Motown

Jackson 5 - Looking Through The Window - Motown

Michael Jackson - Got To Be There - Motown

Jackson 5 - Ooh, I'd Like To Be With You - Motown

Jackson 5 - It's Too Late To Change The Time - Motown

Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine - Motown

Michael Jackson - We're Almost There - Motown

Jackson 5 - Forever Came Today - Motown

The Jacksons - Show You The Way To Go - Epic

The Jacksons - Man Of War - Epic

The Jacksons - Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) - Epic

The Jacksons - Blame It On The Boogie - Epic

The Jacksons - Things I Do For You - Epic

Michael Jackson - You Can't Win - Epic

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Epic

Michael Jackson - Get On The Floor - Epic

Michael Jackson - I Can't Help It - Epic

Michael Jackson - Rock With You - Epic

The Jacksons - Everybody - Epic

The Jacksons - Your Ways - Epic

The Jacksons - Lovely One - Epic

The Jacksons - Heartbreak Hotel - Epic

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean - Epic

Michael Jackson - Wanna Be Starting Something - Epic

Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (Demo Version) - Epic

Michael Jackson - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) - Epic

Michael Jackson - Baby Be Mine - Epic

Michael Jackson - Human Nature- Epic

The Jacksons - 2300 Jackson Street - Sony

Richard Maher Agency:

Richard Maher Agency

I'm very proud to announce that Richard Maher Agency are now the exclusive booking agents for my DJ and Live performances worldwide. RMA are one of the most respected agency's in the dance arena and I am really excited to join their roster.

For all future bookings please contact RMA through the website at:

http://www.richardmaheragency.com/

Book Choice #14:

Simon Singh: Fermat's Last Theorem

Singh does an excellent job of explaining the complex mathematics behind a seemingly straight-foward theorem. This theorem however, has defied the world's greatest mathematicians for 350 years until Andrew Wiles finally found definitive proof after years of obsessional work.

The book not only explains the workings behind Wiles' proof, but gives the reader a broad history of mathematics from the Greeks onwards. It's rather bizarre just how many great mathematicians ended their lives tragically.

Despite enjoying the book, the obvious point that Fermat could not possibly have used the same methods when claiming his proof is only touched upon briefly towards the end. Perhaps the historian in me yearned for more research into whether Fermat really did have proof as he claimed.

BBC's Horizon documentary on the subject can be watched here:

Top Ten June 2009:

a new regular feature where I'll be listing my top ten fave tracks at the end of each month:

June 2009:

(alphabetical order)

Andres: Change My Mind (Mahogoni)

Doktrin: Lilum (Limetree)

Gerald Mitchell: Los Sunshine (Ican Prod.)

Kirk Degiorgio: Mass (ART)

Kuba Sojka: Message From Earth (Matrix)

Reade Truth: Crimen Excepta (Planet E)

Samuel L. Session: Can You Relate (Slam RMX) (Soma)

Sons Of The Dragon: Evolution Of Qui Niu (QV313 RMX) (Echospace)

Vince Watson: Fluxion (Pseudo)

Voodeux: The Paranormal (Mothership)

Currently feeling:

Voodeux: The Paranormal (Mothership)

Superb production, spooky concept and great for the dancefloor too. Eerie soundscapes meet catchy melodies in an odd cocktail of weirdness. Perfect for fans of 'Psychoville'.

RIP: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson (1958-2009)

ART 8:

Release date: July 30th, 2009

Book Choice #13:

Harry Mulisch: The Discovery Of Heaven

This vast novel, by Dutch author Harry Mulisch, comes with a hefty reputation and deservedly so. Although intimidatingly learned at times, the writing style is effortless and the pace increases exponentially as the story draws to its shocking ending.

The tale is of an angel's efforts to control events on Earth for a purpose revealed at the finale. One of the novels many strengths is that the main characters are so likeable; Onno and Max - the linguist and the astronomer who strike up a unique friendship - Ada, Sophia, and of course Quinten - the mysterious savant-like child with the striking looks.

The locations switch from the Netherlands to Cuba to Italy and ultimately to Israel. Against a backdrop of politics, revolution, the Nazi's legacy, religion, dreams and the nature of reality - Mulisch's masterpiece remains gripping over the course of its 700 plus pages.

Fascinating.

Sound Obsession - June 2009

Queen of Soul - Aretha Franklin Special

Aretha Franklin - Don't Let Me Lose This Dream - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Groovin' - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - I Can't See Myself Leaving You - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer For You - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Call Me - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Oh No Not My Baby - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Daydreaming - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Rock Steady - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - I Need A Strong Man - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Mr Spain - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Angel - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Somewhere - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - That's The Way I Feel.. (alt version) - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Master Of Eyes - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Until You Come Back To Me - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - When You Get Right Down To It - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - It Only Happens (When I Look At You) - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Jump - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Look Into Your Heart - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - No One Could Ever Love You More - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - When I Think About You - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Almighty Fire - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Half A Love - Atlantic
Aretha Franklin - Jump To It - Arista
Aretha Franklin - Love Me Right - Arista
Aretha Franklin - (It's Just) Your Love - Arista
Aretha Franklin - When You Love Me Like That - Arista
Aretha Franklin - Get It Right - Arista

Applied Rhythmic Technology - ART 8 EP

coming soon....

RIP: Kenny Rankin (1940-2009)

Silver Morning from 1975 -  with it's epic title track.