Hi again, for those of you who missed the last issue, or don’t really keep up and just found this page… this is the old skool section. I’m George, I’m talking to you about all old skool electronica from the ‘80s-‘90s, because it can’t be forgotten.
This month’s pick of the litter for me was 808 State’s latest album, “Blueprint”. Fair enough, you’re right smart arse, it’s not exactly old skool because it just came out. However, all the tunes on it are, and being a massive 808 fan I thought I’d at least pick it up, not knowing exactly whether to expect a cheap compilation that had been slapped together or something special. Well, I’m writing about it now because it turned out to be incredible!
For those who aren’t entirely in on it yet, Blueprint isn’t exactly a “best of”, it’s a mixture of tunes the group consider their favourites, with some modern remakes of their classics thrown in as well. Because of the fortune of every tune on the album holding up, and the fact that almost every tune isn’t available on another CD that’s easily accessible, it’s worth what it gives you in completion. Some of the more common tracks thrown in for the newbies are the very first version of their massive hit “Pacific State” and “Fire Cracker”. Fire Cracker, for those who don’t know, is one of the best things 808 ever did, and could not really have been a better choice for someone wanting to be introduced to them. Underneath the tune lies a 303 acid bassline, and on top of its gurgling is a beautiful mixture of strings and euphoric synths, as well as a vocal which I can never make out. For anyone who missed out on buying Quadrastate, if like me you really wanted that album for Pacific and Fire Cracker you may as well be satisfied with this release.
Then, onto the remakes… I really didn’t know what to expect from this, as although 808 State are excellent producers, I never really liked what they did later on as much. So as with many groups, I was wondering if these would be fillers, or just have completely different vibes. But no, I have to say I f*cking love the “Revisited” mix of “Cobra Bora”, which was actually my favourite tune by the band. On one hand, it doesn’t take the deep and progressive route the original did, but its skilfully crafted and blended in with modern, harsh techno and breaks. Hell, it almost carves a new direction for this generation, in a world where tunes can only be remixed as dubstep tracks nowadays it’s refreshing to hear 808 State are still up for the same improvisation and mixture of roots they were almost twenty years ago. Check it out below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANqymUiW0X8
Then on top of all this, 808 made the wise choice to include alternative mixes of their tracks instead of the ones we already knew. The mixes of “Timebomb” and “Plan 9” on Blueprint as awesome and represent just how much of a diverse group they were, Plan 9 is verging on ambient and sort of more lifelike with the use of guitar (Brian Eno helped make this mix, which was a bonus, you can tell he was involved), whereas Timebomb is fast, heavy and has a real feel of the rave scene. So for the £9.99 this album is going for, I would say *any* 808 fan can get a fair deal out of this. For the new listeners a couple, though not all, of the classics are thrown in, for the curious there are obscure mixes, and for everyone else wanting at least something new there are their brand new remixes.
Another little find this month I thought I’d throw in – “Remixes Vol Two” on Ganja Records, part of the classic remix series of DJ Hype tracks they brought out back in the early-mid ‘90s at the start of their run. I picked this up for a fiver and have to say both sides are real killers if you’re into the mash-up amen sound of around 1995. On one side there’s a remix from Origin Unknown with their amazing attention to detail on beat chopping, and on the other (my favourite) a wicked remix from Krome & Time. For any vinyl collectors, if you come across this grab it while the prices are still reasonable (don’t look at how much “Remixes Vol 1” goes for unless you want a free heart attack). Have a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh_rjx2oxDE
That’s all for this month, big ups and all that. Noone tried emailing last month, which is cool because this is pretty new and all, but the option’s still there – any questions related to the scene, my collection, or anything else about music, just drop your questions over at M.U.D.oldskool@gmail.com. Just please don’t email me about how you just broke up with your girlfriend, because I don’t care (lol).
Peace, have a happy February.
