Mark Barrott - Sketches From An Island 2

So this is more of a heads up than a review as we haven't got a promo and the album isn't released until tomorrow. To be honest most of the reviews we intend to do will be short and sweet as we would like to consider ourselves a musical Tinder if you like. We'll throw a load of releases at you that we think are worth checking out and you decide what is good for you and which to swipe left on. So cop a listen to this album sampler of the impending Sketches From An Island 2 to be released tomorrow and carry on reading.



Just as a bit of background Mark is originally from Sheffield but, as lovely as this jewel of South Yorkshire is, has probably wisely ended up in Ibiza via spells in Berlin and Uruguay. A prolific and eclectic music maker of three decades experience Mark has now wound up being one of the modern Balearic flag bearers both with his own increasingly chilled productions and by putting out a multitude of artists and  releases on his International Feel record label that largely fit that loosest and most open to interpretation of genre labels.

Sketches from An Island 2 is not going to change that reputation with it's blend of laid back island vibes, sun drenched soul and easy listening bordering on the queso like which have all combined to produce the perfect summer soundtrack not to mention being on of those rare releases that you and your parents will probably both agree on.

If you want to investigate further then here is the prequel album in all it's easily obtainable Bandcamp glory.

Blue Velvet Revisited by Tuxedomoon / Cult With No Name

Blue Velvet is one of the best films to come out of the 80's, maybe even better than Ghostbusters and Top Gun. Interestingly David Lynch invited a young German filmmaker, Peter Braatz, to document the making of the film giving him unrestricted behind the scenes access which he took full advantage of to produce his documentary of Lynch at his peak and this classic moment of cinema history.

What makes this soundtrack more interesting than most is the fact that Braatz was convinced the score should dictate the film and wouldn't start the film until the score had been finished. To this end he enlisted one of his favourite bands he figured would be perfect for the job - Cult With No Name who then enlisted Tuxedomoon to also contribute. For good measure Braatz also threw in a track from artist, educator, original singer of Ultravox and general music legend John Foxx.


The creative process was also slightly unusual in that the groups decided not to reference or be influenced by the original Angelo Badalamenti score and understandably so as it is a Braatz rather than a Lynch project. Recording by the two groups was done separately in Brussels, Mexico and London and we can safely concur that they more than obtained their goal of producing a dreamy, reflective and quietly evocative soundtrack.

The score is all about mood rather than style and is the sum of many parts. Partly neo-classical, part ambient, part electronic with the odd man out being "A Candy Coloured Clown" an uptempo cinematic techno psych jazz fusion with hints of Underground Resistance's, "Knights Of The Jaguar" that occurs half way through to momentarily rouse you from the otherwise sedate, contemplative nature of the rest of the album.



We can't recommend this album highly enough and it's another fantastic addition to Crammed Discs wonderful MADE TO MEASURE composer series of releases which we suggest that you investigate.

T_A_M - In Tandem

So we stumbled across this album today, thanks to a Bandcamp purchase by Philip Sherburn that popped up on our feed. We'd never heard of this Aberdeen based producer but are overjoyed he's now on the radar.

So how about the music? Well it's hard to pin down. Experimental for sure with a unifying melodic thread running throughout the electronic compositions. At times post grime at others ambient and occasionally neo-classical and sometimes all of them at once. Really you are best of having a listen and making up your own mind.

Can't help thinking he looks like a nice chap from the photo as well :)




If you want to find out a bit more then check out his Facebook, Twitter or Soundcloud below

Chilled album alert: Wolf Müller & Cass - The Sound Of Glades

Chill Out (mini) album of the day is this lazy, dreamy, percussive, positively Balearic - The Sounds Of Glades by Wolf Muller & Cass. Five tracks and thirty nine minutes long this release just drifts and wraps around your head like smoke from a freshly lit cigarette but without the health risks.

A nice versatile production duo they really have come up trumps on this one for the mighty International Feel Recordings. Find out a bit more about Wolf Muller & Cass. by hitting the links and if you don't know International Feel then you are in for a treat.

Thomash - Calango Funando Palha (Lunar Version)

So as well as using this blog to promote our own DJ mixes we're also going to be posting about a few of our musical discoveries along the way and I can't think of a better way to start than this following track from DJ Thomash a German producer, DJ and party organiser from Cologne who is now living in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Now the original of this tune from his 2014 Candomble EP was nice but Thomash has decided to revisit it, give it a remix and in doing so he has elevated it to a whole new dimension.




If you want to know a bit more about Thomash you can connect with him on his Soundcloud, Facebook and also his Bandcamp profile - keep an eye on what this guy is doing, his future is bright.

Breaking update, the tune is now available on Bandcamp to buy:

Lazy Days #1 - Some Of Our Favourite Chilled Tracks From The First 6 Months of 2016

So the second mix from The Slow Music Movement is here & after the soporific vibes of the inaugural Horizontal #1 mix we raise the tempo slowly, throw in a few beats & try and make sense out of various styles of music from Ethiopian, reggae, hip hop, Americana, electronica through to soul, future boogie, jazz & super slow dreamy house. The main connection between all the tracks is that they are some of our favourite chilled tunes from the first 6 months of 2016.

What struck us is quite how many of those tunes we brought on Bandcamp which is one of our favourite places to go digging digitally & with the added bonus that most of the money goes direct to the artists that make such great music, if you don't know the platform check it out.

So make sure you follow us as there is plenty more to come and maybe if you like what you hear you would think about sharing it on social media as unfortunately we only get paid in "plays" and "likes" & we're trying to reach out to the world :)

Tracklist:

Mikael Seifu - Soul Manifest (Bandcamp)
Aston ‘Family Man” Barrett - Pleasing Dub
Blundetto - Hard Til I Dub (Dub Store)
Contact Field Orchestra - Sluice Box Tavern (Bandcamp)
Elephant Revival - Hello You Who (Thirty Tigers)
Western Skies Motel - As The Flames Rose (Bandcamp)
Ritornell - Book Of Now feat. Mimi (Karaoke Kalk)
Moonchild - Nobody (Tru Thoughts)
BADBADNOTGOOD - Time Moves Slow feat. Samuel T. Herring (Innovative Leisure)
Midflite - Autumn Love (Cascade)
Submerse - No Continues Kid (Project Mooncircle)
Ghostnaut - Lips Move feat. Poet Azeem (Cascade)
Moses Boyd - Dreaming (Bandcamp)
TRZ Trio - Limiar (Soundcloud Free Download)
Gecko Turner - I’ll Do That, Mo Colours Rmx (Lovemonk)
Letherette - Sweeter (Wulf)
The Mixtapers - Glorious Days (Sonar Kollektiv)
Chris Coco - It An Tells Ya (Disappear)
Huerco S - Cubist Camouflage (Proibito)

The Slow Music Movement Inaugural Mix - Horizontal #1 Is Here!

This is the inaugural mix from the newly formed The Slow Music Movement so we thought we'd kick things off as slow as it gets and build from there.

Working 120 hours a week? Partner just run off with your best friend? Moving house, changing jobs, taking your final exams or just struggling to cope with the pace of modern living?

This mix can help.

Take a moment, jump on the sofa, dim the lights, pour yourself a glass of your favourite tipple & let these beautiful tracks sonically carress your temples & rub your back with hot oil. Slowly all that stress & tension with start to seep through every pore until you reach a state of zen like bliss or more than likely fall asleep with the glass of wine still in your hand. We can't be held responsible for any stains on your new sofa by the way.

You get the idea - no beats, gentle sounds, subtle drones, delicate instrumentation & beautiful music.

If you like what you hear then connect on social media - this is just the start...



Mop Mop - Alfa (Agogo)
Gold Panda - Unthanks (City Slang)
Solo Andata - Porcelain Blue (12K)
Weirdance - Weirdistan, Outrospective Version (165c Records)
Huerco S - Hear Me Out (Proibito)
Tindersticks - Follow Me (City Slang)
Aukai - Hideen (Bandcamp Self Release)
Dakota Suite & Emanuele Errante - A Worn Out Life (Karaoke Kalk)
Submerse - It's All Fun & Games Until Someone Loses (Project Mooncircle)
Choir Of Young Believers - Olimpiyskiy (Ghostly International)
Phaeleh - All That Remains (Undertow)
Tobias Preisig & Stefan Rusconi - Gilliane (Qilin)
Solo Andata - Laugh Shattered (12K)
Robert Logan - Wind (Slowfoot)
The Balustrade Ensemble - Everything Stirs (Serein)
Lo Tide - Roll (Diventa)
Emufucka - Yuna (Fremdtunes)