The Electric Images In My Mind #15


Here’s the link to the release page for the DJ Food vs The Amorphous Androgynous 12″ remix of ‘The Illectrik Hoax’ for Record Store Day 2012. There won’t be any ‘buy’ links until Monday because it’s against RSD rules to advertise a release with a pre-order option before the day. The ‘Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble’ mix is 17 minutes long and comprises 3 ‘tracks’:

DJ Food – ‘The Illectrik Hoax’ feat. Natural Self (The Amorphous Androgynous Remix)
DJ Food & The Amorphous Androgynous – ‘Don’t Pray, Don’t Bother (We’re Evil)’
DJ Food & The Amorphous Androgynous – ‘The Electric Images (In My Mind Never Die)’

Phew – pretty complicated huh? I’m going to be making tracks with one word titles from now on… There are now 1500 copies on multi-coloured, marbled vinyl, pressed at MPO in France, and the three tracks are split across two sides, cut at 45rpm.

There’s also a 4-track download too with the full 17 minute Amorphous Androgynous mix plus radio edits of ‘The Electric Images (In My Mind Never Die)’ featuring Natural Self and ‘GIANT’ featuring Matt Johnson. Exclusive to the download is the remix by 2econd Class Citizen of ‘The Illectrik Hoax’ as premiered at the Planetarium shows in January.

To say I’m pleased with this release is an understatement, everything about it, from the remixes to the artwork to the actual vinyl discs, I’m 100% happy with. For it to be part of Record Store Day too makes it even better. Don’t worry if you can’t/don’t get one on RSD, Ninja will have 70 copies in the Ninja shop for sale on Monday 23rd and they plan to keep it in print as long as there is demand.

Posted in DJ Food, Ninja Tune, Openmind designs, Records. | 17 Comments |

Amorphous Androgynous mix on Solid Steel


On tonight’s Solid Steel show on Strongroom Alive radio we have an exclusive 30 minute Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble mix by The Amorphous Androgynous in the guest slot. It includes a couple of exclusives as well as part of their remix of ‘The Illectrik Hoax’ which is out this coming Saturday for Record Store Day.

Sadly, I won’t be there as I’m playing in Switzerland with The Herbaliser but DK will be joined in the studio by PC and there’ll be a competition to win a copy of the 12″ in all it’s multi-coloured glory. Listen again now via Strongroom Alive’s site or Solid Steel.

Posted in Radio, Solid Steel. | No Comments |

Leviathan graphic novel preview

Leviathan first appeared some years ago in the pages of 2000ad comic. It’s a dark tale, set within a city on a ship, adrift for 20 years after its maiden voyage (very well timed). A series of murders lead Detective Sgt. Lament into the depths of the ship where dark secrets lurk. Written by Ian Edington and illustrated by D’Israeli, this is well worth a look, in fact you can read the first 5 pages over on CBR now.

Posted in Comics. | 3 Comments |

Prometheus viral video #2

[youtube width=”640″ height=”380″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOOJl5lWNfM[/youtube]

In case you missed the first one…

[youtube width=”640″ height=”280″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb7gspHxZiI[/youtube]

Posted in Film. | No Comments |

Star Wars toy documentary ‘Plastic Galaxy’ trailer

I have a bit of a rep for being a Star Wars fan, yeah, I like it (‘it’ being the original trilogy), it was part of my childhood and always will be, but it doesn’t consume me. My studio isn’t littered with original SW toys preserved in boxes and I don’t own replica outfits for cosplay events. The newer films are worthless to me although I do enjoy a bit of the Clone Wars cartoons with the kids and the Star Wars Lego sets are great fun.

What I don’t need to see is things like Star Wars Kinect, themed Burlesque shows and R2 D2 leotards, Star Wars is for kids and the things that still move me about it are those steeped in nostalgia. The Retro Star Wars blog is a good example, the fantastic design and iconography of the films that seeps into fan made posters and graphics or the toy side of things. Where music and toys collide, in projects like the Rave Wars 7″s, I can appreciate this as a fun crossover and this new documentary – Plastic Galaxy –  ticks both the toy and nostalgia boxes.

Posted in Film, Star Wars. | 2 Comments |

Rat Records instore for RSD this Saturday

I’m playing at Rat Records in Camberwell between 12-2pm this Saturday for Record Store Day, alongside Andy Smith and others. This is my local record shop, selling used vinyl and CDs and they have a regular weekly turnover of goodies at affordable prices. Even though they won’t be stacked to the gills with all the other RSD releases I’ve got a box of my DJ Food vs The Amorphous Androgynous 12″s to sell there, possibly even some limited copies of ‘The Search Engine’ with the flexi disc too.

So, if you can’t make it into town or don’t want to battle the masses for the 1 copy of the release that the shop decided to order and just want to browse in a fully stocked used store, listening to great music, then come on down. The nearest tubes are Oval or Elephant & Castle and then it’s a bus to Camberwell Green and you can see it from the main crossroads.

Posted in DJ Food, Records. | No Comments |

The Electric Images In My Mind #14

When we commissioned The Amorphous Androgynous to remix ‘The Illectrik Hoax’ little did we know what we had let ourselves in for. Not only did they produce a 17 minute, 3 part remix, a 30 minute mix for Solid Steel (airing this Thursday night on Strongroom Alive) and another ‘basement jam’ work in progress mix, but also  – this priceless artifact accompanied the remix when it was delivered.

Several people have been asking about a DJ Food release entitled ‘Post Mash Analysis’, but I’m sorry to say, it’s a reference to this text, which we sent out as part of the press release, and some shops have listed as the title. The remix 12″ and download will be available this coming Saturday, April 21st, as part of Record Store Day, and afterwards via the Ninjashop and FSOLDigital online stores. The release page on the Ninja site is taking a bit longer than expected, partly because the titles are too long for the site to cope with (arf) and we’re still trying to find out the position on posting pre-order info before the actual day with RSD, only 5 days to go now though.

 

Posted in DJ Food, Music, Ninja Tune. | 5 Comments |

Scottish dates in May postponed

It’s with great regret that the dates at The Reading Rooms in Dundee and Chambre 69 in Glasgow that I was to undertake with DK have been postponed. This is due to a run of bad luck the gig organiser has experienced recently and the dates will hopefully be rescheduled soon. Hopefully any ticket purchasers can contact the venue and get their money back.

Posted in DJ Food, Gigs. | 1 Comment |

DJ Shadow Archival Project: MPC Era ’92-’96

A major new archival release exposing Shadow’s early production on the Akai MPC. Containing entirely unreleased material spanning from 1992 to 1996, the project is entitled, “Total Breakdown: Hidden Transmissions From The MPC Era, 1992-1996”. Included among the highlights are instrumental tracks from an aborted 1994 EP planned with The Gift Of Gab, which includes the original demo of what would eventually become “Six Days.”

The new collection of “MPC Era” tracks follows on from the much-loved “4-Track Era” releases from 2008 and 2009, and establishes a pattern which should be familiar to Shadow fans. “I like to follow up new material (such as the recent ‘The Less You Know, The Better’ LP) with a tastefully-done archival project,” Shadow explains. “As long as the old stuff is given a context and doesn’t overshadow the new, I think it’s a healthy exercise for me, and one that re-calibrates me for whatever new musical path lies ahead. I think it’s important to revisit where you’ve been occasionally so that you can determine where to go.”
“Total Breakdown: Hidden Transmissions From The MPC Era, 1992-1996” will be available on CD, double-vinyl, and download, with exclusive content available at DJShadow.com. This project has been in the works for a LONG TIME, more details about release dates and other specifics forthcoming. In the meantime, enjoy the free track to whet your appetite.

Track List, CD/Vinyl Version:
1. Intropy (Original Version)
2. Vee In Detroit
3. Dreams Of A Piece
4. The Not-So-Quiet Storm
5. Fast Rap Fanfare
6. Intensely Hitting
7. Mystical With Solo
8. Alright
9. Don’t Try It
10. From The Old School
11. Freddi’s Popcorn
12. Quickstep
13. Movin’ On (Gab Demo 1)
14. Falling Up
15. Mellow But Chunky
16. Total Breakdown (Gab Demo 2)
17. Heavy Mood
18. Affectations
19. Perilous Journey (Gab Demo 3)
20. Aye
21. Brittle But Magic
22. Atmospheric Disturbances
23. Swimming Upstream (Gab Demo 4)
24. Up For Grabs (Outro)

DJShadow.com Bonus Tracks:
25. Give Up The Drums
26. Slow Poke
27. Vortex

All tracks are previously unreleased. Other digital release partners and bonus tracks to be announced soon…

Posted in Music. | 1 Comment |

The Muppets do Ken Nordine

The Muppets vs Ken Nordine? This is a sketch from a pre-muppets show called Sam & Friends (1955-61), this character was called Yorick and ate everything, kind of an early Cookie Monster. They (Jim Henson & friends) decided to use a Ken Nordine Word Jazz sketch – ‘Hunger Is From’ – as the basis of the sketch.

[youtube width=”305″ height=”240″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO2JmArTOSM&feature=related[/youtube] [youtube width=”305″ height=”240″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUWQKwrbcvA[/youtube]

This one is even better, ‘Visual Thinking’, great stuff, so early as well.

Posted in Film. | No Comments |

JG Thirlwell pays an Easter visit

It’s been a fun Easter holiday, back in the UK after gigs in France over the weekend. Lots of chocolate and hanging out with the family, then Lauren Laverne decided to play the new single with The Amorphous Androgynous AGAIN this morning after dropping it on Friday on her 6Music show. This time I was at home and had a bit of a moment dancing with the kids while it blasted out, one to remember there.

A lot of people have been asking when they can get it, I’m assured that the pre-order page will be up on the Ninja Tune site this week, there will be 1500 copies on 12″ vinyl for Record Store Day on April 21st plus it’ll all be available as a download with an extra exclusive remix by 2econd Class Citizen. Ninja have kept 200 copies back for their online shop so that those who don’t make it out on RSD don’t go without. Please don’t feed the flippers on eBay if you don’t find one on the 21st, this will be repressed if stocks run out.

To add to that, Jim Thirlwell is in town to play the Union Chapel Bar on Thursday 12th with his Manorexia band and called to see if I was up for a visit. Even though we met over a decade ago and have worked together it’s still surreal to be making tea for him and relaxing in my studio. The teenage fan me, back in the 80’s, wouldn’t have ever believed it. Greatest Bank Holiday Monday ever.

Posted in Event. | 2 Comments |

Moebius record sleeve for Guy Beart

I just spent the weekend gigging in France and found this in one of the record shops in Montpelier – from 1977, a gatefold LP cover by Moebius. According to those who I showed it to, Guy Beart was a very cheesy singer who played guitar and was the kind of un-hip singer your parents’ liked (if they were very un-hip) and they were surprised such a record existed.
Well he must have had a late flowering moment of inspiration for this release with what looks and sounds like a concept album based on a future civilisation, no doubt cashing in on the craze for all things sci-fi in 1977 once Star Wars opened. The music has its moments, there’s plenty of synth and space noises in there amongst the whimsical songs but the gem here is the cover, click for a larger version.

Posted in Art, Comics, Records. | 4 Comments |

The Electric Images In My Mind #13


In the in-box today: a 30 minute ‘Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble’ mix for Solid Steel by The Amorphous Androgynous including a reworking of a Gil Scott Heron track. This will be broadcast live on Solid Steel on April 19th via Strongroom Alive and then out on the web the day after via the usual Solid Steel channels. On the 19th there will be a chance to win a copy of one of these beauties too so tune in: 7-9pm. Also in the mail was an unreleased ‘basement jam’ version of ‘The Illectrik Hoax’, an abandoned version of the remix before they went in the direction you’ll hear on this disc.

Posted in DJ Food, Ninja Tune, Openmind designs, Records. | 7 Comments |

Interview on Contemporary Talks

I did a rather long and in depth interview with Elinros from Contemporary Talks the other week about pretty much everything really, music and design of course but we also ventured into motives, methods of creation, my childhood and how things ended up the way they did.

If you want to know what a Telepathic Fish is, if I’ve ever touched a sound or what I consider my best work then head over here, maybe have more than 5 minutes to spare though.

Posted in DJ Food. | No Comments |