V.A. - DJ Kicks: Mr. Scruff (!K7)

When I look at official DJ CD-mixes as releases and whole music-industry landscape: . in recent years fabric's fabric/fabriclive decide to stop at number 100, or Ostgut Ton with Berghain/Panorama Bar series went completely on streaming, also their mixes are for free - just to mention them for example. Yes, there are others, but smaller or obscurer - and even they went, on cassettes or "selectors" put their mixes online, by themself, without any label.

I can say there is only one edition that stays still  And that is !K7's DJ - Kicks, which celebrates 25 years of continuity and quality. I want to say, maybe the success of DJ - Kicks is in two simple things, first: the selection of DJ/producers/musicians, and second: selectors/DJs/producers have the freedom to play their music, but it is not essential to play their usual DJ set. They can play whatever they want. It wasn't surprising for me to see that new release for series was Mr. Scruff aka Andy Carty, one of the funniest and a synonym for fun and happiness on the dancefloor, the DJ with such a broad taste, and playing records that are made for smiling, making fool of yourself, or trying weird dance moves for the first time.


I want to say: every mix so far, I have heard, by Mr. Scruff is stripped down of every feeling of seriousness and moodiness. Every mix is all about pure fun and enjoyment, and again taking things seriously. Check them here, and you will see what I'm trying to say/write.


                          

It is not easy to pin-point what Mr. Scruff plays. Well, he plays everything!!! The word eclecticism... well his mixes are far beyond whenever you say that his/her mix is eclectic.
And to try to review his new official released mix is a perfect example of that. The amalgam of soft ambient harmonies, Soul, Funk, Roots Reggae, Dancehall, soft Indie Pop, Brazilian jazzy Bossa Nova, Samba, Boogie, P- Funk, Afro - (write whatever YOU want and feel), slow lo-fi House, Dub, Breakbeat, Electro, filtered House and Disco, melodic reminiscence of Detroit Techno, Fusion Jazz, Hip-Hop, Garage/Grime, and everything else, in-between, and mentioned up.
The style that is combinations of combinations, variations of variations, melted in one cauldron - mixed on CDJs, turntables, with samples and acappelas - everything cooked on the temperature for perfect tea and served in a plate of your own choice, with forks, spoons or chopsticks. We Love You, Sir!!!

Maybe I shouldn't write all of this, and if you want me to put it in two words: pure fun!


                             


Playlist:
1. Iona Fortune - Da You
2. Equiknoxx - The Link
3. Black Pocket - Thank You And Credits
4. Vernon Maytone - Old Pan Sound
5. Tiger - When
6. DJ Nervoso - Kuia
7. Andreya Triana - Gold (Max Graef Remix)
8. Sudan Archives - Wake Up
9. Emilio Santiago - Bananeira
10. Rosa Maria - Samba Minerio
11. Laurel Aitken - Sexy Boogie
12. Antibalas - Si Se Puede (Battle Of The Species)
13. Natural Self - The Sound
14. Tony Allen - Gbedu B
15. Dobie - Magenta
16. Errorsmith - My Party
17. Mr Scruff vs CyberPunkJazz - 3001: A Space Disco Remix (DJ-Kicks)
18. Fats Comet - Dub Storm
19. Ding Dong - Badman Forward Badman Pull Up
20. Paddy Steer - Loufoque
21. Andy Ash - Ease Yourself
22. Mr. Scruff - Where Am I?
23. Max Graef - No 5
24. Alexander Robotnick - Love Supreme (Extended) feat. Stefano Cocco Cantini
25. Hashim - We're Rocking The Planet
26. Zongamin - Nonstop
27. Bumcello - Frbom
28. Archie Pelago - Brown Oxford
29. Seiji - Loose Lips feat. Lyric L
30. Snowboy And The Latin Section - Carga Tu Bateria
31. Drymbago - Chupacabra


Like every DJ - Kicks compilation/mix, every DJ has an exclusive track for the release, so here is Mr. Scruff vs CyberPunkJazz - 3001: A Space Disco Remix (DJ-Kicks):


                             


If you want to know more about Mr. Scruff check his website, it is all there!!!





Damir Plicanic







!IMPORTANT
1. If you want to review your new music album, LP or EP contact us, send a message, or old fashioned way damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com!!!
2. If you want to show the world your fascination with music, and want to share with us, and also like to mix, or make mixtapes for your friends, sent us (only exclusive, please don-t send us something that was already uploaded or share somewhere. From Death/Doom/Extreme metal over Breakcore to Synth-Pop or Hip Hop, over Ambient till Techno and House: please send us your, on this blog as the message, or old fashioned way damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com or simply with letters and through post-office.
3. If you have any ideas you want to share with us or simply get in touch, you know the drill!

TRIGGER CUT - Buster (Not on Label)

"At the beginning of the 1980s some bands wanted to go faster, others wanted to go slower, third wanted to sound more Metal, and the fourth went... somewhere else."

When I know, it's my day off, without any responsibilities, I like beer buzz early in the morning if 9am is early morning for You. And suddenly unfamiliar German guy, with only two friends in common, sends me the link for some bend on Bandcamp. The first response, when I heard two songs was "Thank you." And the second response was, "This sounds like something for AmRep or Touch and Go." My new friend said something that's what they want to do. And with pride, there is this dedication: "This Trigger Cut- Buster LP is dedicated to James Kimball ( Laughing Hyenas, The Jesus Lizard, Mule, Ghost Forest...) and his loyal friend Buster. Thanx James!" 

 
                         

As a big fan of the aesthetics of both labels and bands, it was instant love. To say that Trigger Cut sounds just as if Steve Albini decide to play with The Jesus Lizard, and try to sometimes sing about social situations and politics just like Minutemen.
You can check what I'm trying to tell you, just listen to lyrics to songs like Free Hugs or The Miners Are Back.

You should also check brilliant opener of the album Hellcat Bob, and a possible hit Mute Driver.



                           


Album really left an impression on me, not because, during these quarantine days, where I was into those classic bands that Trigger Cut wants to celebrate. And I'm glad that they are not trying to be retro (in a negative way), Noise Rock/Post-Hardcore Punk needs more bands. Even those who want to use the same atonal riffs, fast-changing rhythm tempos - why not?! That kind of music needs 2nd generation of that kind of musical aesthetics.

And you know what??? It doesn't matter if they are not from Jordan, Minnesota.


                                   
                   




More on the band:

Bandcamp: https://triggercut1.bandcamp.com/releases
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Trigger-Cut-742161089469022/


ALSO:!IMPORTANT
1. If you want to review your new music album, LP or EP contact us, send the message, or damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com!!!
2. If you want to show the world your fascination with music, and want to share with us, and also like to mix, or make mixtapes for your friends, sent us (only exclusive, please don-t send us something that was already uploaded or share somewhere). From Death/Doom/Extreme metal over Breakcore to Synth-Pop or Hip Hop, over Ambient till Techno and House: please send us your (for Don't Care About Podcast) on this blog as the message, or old fashioned way damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com or simply with letters and through post-office.
3. If you have any ideas you want to share with us or simply get in touch, you know the drill!
Contact over the blog, write email on damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com
  


Damir Plicanic

Don't Care About Podcast 15: Tijana Sevo - Funk All Up Selection

Born and raised in Prijedor, just after High School graduation she moved to Banja Luka, and now she lives and works between Banja Luka - Opatija - Prijedor. Her free time Tijana spends constantly discovering new and alternative underground spectrums of electronic music. She's constantly busy with her project, already with the cult following, under the name Illuminations. She organizes events, which are regularly held in "small, sweaty, and cozy" venue DKC Incel (old industrial space). She also promotes Somewhere In The City, special event shrouded in mystery, and always held in secret locations. Both projects are, as a representation of Tijana's own belives, that are the celebrations of underground music, with agenda on truly non-commercial values and direct alternative to commercial clubbing. Representation of true spirit of the dance music subculture, and a real education in art-forms of House/Techno/Electronica as an art-forms. Considering that she is not a professional DJ and she will never be, she picked some of the records from her collection and recorded this set. Thank You, Tijana for sharing your Music with us. And for those who never went to Illuminations, Somewhere In The City parties, it is time to scratch the surface and try to find... the underground. Good things come for those who want to go deeper.

Don't Care About Podcast 14: The Wizard Archetype - Solstice Eve

Very first mix in 2020, and we still couldn't wrap our heads, to make everything run smooth. We had some "I told You so" moments, we lost 4TB of music and documents, including reviews and a lot of new music, but, then came The Wizard Archetype, with his beautiful-crafted mix of underground dance into the rescue. We will try to write new reviews of some music we already wrote reviews, and it would be interesting to see, has that music survived "the hype". So here is something for 2020, and here are the words of The Wizard himself, about the mix: "Several years ago I started creating playlist with selected tracks from my ever-growing music collection. I guess it was the simplest way to put my favorite tracks in one place, so I can give them a proper listen. That playlist kept on growing and evolving into more playlists: hours and hours of strange electronic music, old and new tracks, various genres - yet all somehow connected by some incomprehensible, intangible idea. What was it? While listening to those playlists, I decided to explore and understand that idea.

While searching for the answer, I kept on getting myself caught in thoughts about a time of the early 2000s, a time when I actually stopped visiting raves in my hometown. I was in my early twenties back then, and from a perspective of a person that young, I had all the reasons to do so: something had changed on the scene in that time, as the “old-school” energy waned. Everything I loved about raves faded away so fast. Different people appeared, brought different music and different overall concept. Not of my liking. Not for me... so I walked away. But a dream remained - the dream of a perfect rave, where people like myself would come, share their love for music, make friendships and relationships, dance and have fun. The dream never came true - it lingered on for a while, then faded away into apparent oblivion...

In the end, I started mixing Psytrance, organizing Psy parties, loving it, though never as much as I have loved “the old school”. As the years went by (and the age of broadband Internet came), I drifted away from the Psy scene and started to explore other genres. That eventually gave birth to the abovementioned Playlists. As more years went by, I felt the urge to revisit the local party scene, which I did, albeit not expecting much. 

So, I kinda returned to the scene which I had left some decade-and-a-half ago. I wasn’t surprised by the most things I’ve found. But something did surprise me: it was the presence of something new, yet so old, and so strangely familiar. Was it... could it be...? It definitely felt like the spirit of the long-lost old scene. I felt its energy circulating among the new people that I’ve met as if they were rebuilding its material foundations. And, at the same time, more and more NEW music was filling my Playlists...

Then it hit me. I realized what are those playlists actually, and what is the basic idea that is keeping all those tracks together like an invisible glue. Right there in front of me was the soundtrack for my long lost dream of a perfect rave. It was the music for the party scene from a parallel universe, one that had evolved somewhere in the background of my consciousness. What made me realize that? Was it the old spirit returning, the one that never died, but kept on living inside the rare souls, waiting for a new chance and a new life?? I don’t know... 

All I knew was that I HAVE to start mixing tracks from those playlists. Our old mixing equipment was broken beyond repair, so I had to reach for digital mixing, and face my own prejudices about it (the same prejudices that, I guess, every old DJ has). I bought a laptop and a controller, and after only a few days of working on them, all of my prejudices disappeared, just as the darkness of ignorance disappears when illuminated by the pure light of the reason. I stepped with awe into the fascinating world of harmonic mixing, sampling, looping, effects, live remixing... and I started recording my mixes (you are, hopefully, listening to one of those mixes right now). And you can definitely expect more mixes, as well as more parties! Thanks for listening!"

Solstice Eve

01 Fluke - Expo

02 Simmetune - Rampage

03 Neikka RPM - I Ride The Flames (Brainclaw Pyrotransporter Remix)

04 Empirion - Red Noise

05 Implant - Oxynoxe (Karl Hefner & Hugh Lagerfeld Remix)

06 RadicalG - Love ain't Fashion (Demia E.Clash remix)

07 VNV Nation - Aeroscope

08 Empirion - I Am Electronic (Olowex Remix)

09 Implant - The City (Aesthetische Remix)

10 mind.in.a.box - Supremacy

11 Anne Clark - Wallies (Night of the Hunter Remix by Juno Reactor)

12 Phase Fatale - Reverse Fall

13 Xtigma - Crash City

14 Peryl - Der Sturm Das Leben

15 Boy Harsher - Come Closer

16 Rude 66 - The 1000 Year Storm

17 Talla 2XLC - Back To The Roots

Don't Care About The Podcast 13: Betomeng - Audio Virtual Reality

We are really STOKED forthis one. This mix is on our 5.1 home soundsystem, and in our ears on ipod. So we are really proud that someone like Betomeng accepted to do mix. Trust us, this mix is above your average new-age-ambient-drone mix. This is the Standard.
Also check Betomeng if he plays somewhere near you!!!

Betomeng, also known as Ivica Ljubic is a professional Dj for 20+ years (since he was 19),
born in Aleksinac, Serbia. His interests and activities in this field are not limited to only one practical side of performing,
they span across various aspects and development of music through its history. 
From : Classical, Electronic, IDM, EBM, Ambient, Drone, Krautrock, Techno, House, Abstrakt, Noise, Jazz, Experimental, World, Tribal, and span all genres and all periods.
Ivica is fully committed to this sphere of life and given his current experience Ivica acquired skills and
the right mindset to adjust musical repertoire to the imminent atmosphere and energy to which
he is exposed at the moment and reflects it towards the crowd’s wishes,
thus enabling him to never rigidly cling to only one musical genre,
but to take the energy and dynamics of his performance and synchronize it with the current moment.
Betomeng played Serbia from south to north and east to west, Germany, Sweden, Croatia & Hungary. 
He has performed in iconic europian clubs Griessmuehle, LARM & Drugstore Beograd.

https://www.facebook.com/betomengmusic
https://www.facebook.com/betomeng
https://soundcloud.com/betomeng
https://www.mixcloud.com/Betomeng
https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/betomeng
https://www.youtube.com/user/BetomengLegoman
https://www.instagram.com/betomeng_legoman

Don't Care About The Podcast 12: Pacija - Fall

Pacija is an old friend of mine. We went through some great times while he used to live in Banja Luka, now this free spirit, and one of the first DIY rave party DJs. Now he lives, work, raise a family in Belgrade, Serbia, but comes from time to time.

But if you ever ask me what is role, actually where will you put in "History of electronic music in Banja Luka, well there are three  things that Pacija did:

First of all, as Punk kid, after few rave parties, he fell in love (actually find his niche) with EBM or Body music, with early electroclash (International DeeJay Gigolos just started to release that kind of music, with old Boccaccio Techno and Acid, with healthy dose of '80s synth-pop, and he was first who played that kind of mix in Banja Luka.
Also, he was one of the first who made few hundreds copies of his mixes, throw a party and gave every single CD for free to his friends or random strangers who would show up.
Then he was the first guy who organized his crew and throws a Rave in his own house... but also he invited everyone!!! I mean everyone he would meet on the street, people from all walks of life, he invited the whole City of Banja Luka. And I remember there was one rule: if you want to drink, or eat, or do something harder - you have to bring it with yourself - but also you can buy some cheap vine and at arrival, you would pour your whole bottle(s) into one big cauldron - so sometimes those parties were called "free sangria rave at Pacija's". And I still remember, while dancefloor was still getting crowded, a bunch of skinheads danced to Body music, or modern electronic gothic sound, bands like Covenant and Bigod 20. and there were no fights or arguments at all. in the morning around 7am or 8am, you could see all those people, together, cleaning behind them - as some kind "thank you" for a great night.

And one of the most tech important stuff. In Banja Luka records were THE medium to play Techno or House, Cd's were second class (in 6 months a lot of things will change), but Pacija was a guy who wanted to play his music so much, but didn't want to buy expensive turntables, records, or CD players. He is the dude who was the first guy who played on the first consumer version of Traktor software. And imagine him, bringing his home computer (laptops didn't have powerfull processors and good sound cards), just to play his gig.

So that's some nice things I will present to a stranger if anyone asks me about Pacija, the rest is in our memory and in a strange place called past.

I hope you will enjoy this mix!!!

ALSO:!IMPORTANT
1. If you want to review your new music album, LP or EP contact us, send the message, or damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com!!!
2. If you want to show the world your fascination with music, and want to share with us, and also like to mix, or make mixtapes for your friends, sent us (only exclusive, please don-t send us something that was already uploaded or share somewhere). From Death/Doom/Extreme metal over Breakcore to Synth-Pop or Hip Hop, over Ambient till Techno and House: please send us your (for Don't Care About Podcast) on this blog as the message, or old fashioned way damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com or simply with letters and through post-office.
3. If you have any ideas you want to share with us or simply get in touch, you know the drill!
Contact over the blog, write email on damir.plicanic(at)gmail.com
  

Coil - The Gay Man's Guide To Safer Sex +2 (Musique Pour La Danse)

First of all, I want to say, that my worst reviews, actually are for releases of projects/bands/producers I admire - and of course some releases I waited for a long time to get my hands on. I can talk on this subject, but because I want to be proud of my reviews, I must be concise and direct. Yes all those, at least for me, reviews were written with so much passion that I wanted to tell the whole story, so a review would go in one direction, and suddenly will go in other. So let's keep it clean and simply, with soul and controlled fire and passion.


                              


The public announcement or public educational films are professionally made movies, mostly made by state broadcasting agencies or some kind of fund, to inform the general population about certain social problems that society is trying to fight at the moment (mostly) or some phenomenons in society (rare). When you think about these movies, if you haven't watched any, think about those movies "what to do in case of nuclear attack" or "if the stranger gives you candy, but the candy is in his car", or most famous Reefer Madness (1936) - about potential dangers of consuming marijuana.



                                   

In 1992, due to many deaths of HIV and AIDS, and cure still at no sight Gay Man's Guide to Safer Sex was released to inform the general public, in this case, one part of the public, about AIDS, what is causing it, how can you protect yourself, and still enjoy in sex. It is important to say that this movie is narrated and presented by a professional in HIV treatment Dr. Mike Youle, and it is directed and edited in such a way, that without any problems you could show this movie to adolescents - just in case if you are a citizen with high moral standards.(sic)

                                              

                                                                       

Now let's back to why are we here. After the original soundtrack for Hellraiser being denied, Coil since then only did soundtrack to the last film of their friend and director Derek Jarman's Blue. Jarman was already started to lose his sight due to HIV, so Blue was his "last goodbye", and it is named that way cause during production he started to see no certain palette of colors.
                                       
                                


During pre-production Coil were chosen to make a soundtrack to The Gay Man's Guide. And after 27 years, justice has done. Finally, we have the original release of the soundtrack, which perfect blends into vast Coil discography.


                                   

Theme From The Gay Man's Guide To Sex is nice chill-out track, perfect to describe what many calls the Balearic genre, and I have read somewhere, that with those Trip-Hop beats and Robert Johnson's samples present a blueprint to Moby's multiplatinum album Play.
Then there are instrumentals that perfectly reflects the time of 1992, Exploding Frogs that sounds perfect for heavily smoked, a smooth jazz club. Then there are Nasa Arab and Nasa Arab 2 psychedelic instrumentals, with a heavy new age-y with Goa/Psychedelic Trance vibe.

                             

 In the end, all I can say we were waiting for 27 years for this record, and we can be thankful for release of it. The record is perfect for those who are new, and also those who are fanatical about Coil. Both of the groups of the fans can catch with this soundtrack, that's for sure. and yes, it was worth of waiting for 27 years... Good things come to those who wait!!!

And here you can check documentary for yourself, and see, that is not a big deal - at all for typical Balkan moral panic.