Fresh for 2010

I know that my blogs played dead last month but in the few pre-Christmas weeks it seemed all hell would rise to stand between me and blogging. This includes a week of hideous flu and even 10 days offline; a situation I haven't experienced in the last 10 years.
Please take this Christmas package of albums which are especially dear to me as thank for keeping with me and... have a pig in the year 2010!

Stay tuned!

Jimpster - Messages From The Hub (1999 Freerange)

Ten years passed and this debut album by Jimpster still is so much joy to listen to. The ambient electronic jazz soundscape defined by Jamie Odell's antique keys and flexible fretless bass lines by Cheyene Towers is kept on the ground by additional live instruments and vocals and still it gives me a feeling of vast empty space. Also contains a rendition of Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage with new lyrics by Roger Odell (of Shakatak fame, so you see it's in the family). Too bad this was the last Jimpster release before he found out that the real dough is in the house music industry.

mp3 I 320kbps I 73 minutes I 168mb I link in comments

Rae & Christian - Northern Sulphuric Soul (1998 Grand Central)

I guess the title says it all. Mark Rae and Steve Christian bring the funky sound of Manchester (sic!) to the limit. Not a bad track on this platter. IMHO the best album ever released on Grand Central label.

mp3 I 320kbps I 58 minutes I 137mb I link in comments

The Ballistic Brothers - London Hooligan Soul (1995 Junior Boy's Own)

If our memories serve us well... Bunking school for crackers on a Friday lunchtime, forget your dinner ladies. Pirate radio,codes from the underground...Saturday night blues dances and forbidden moves to Phoebe's,Four Aces and Club Norick. Shaka, Fatman and Sir Coxone, the original drum and bass. Sneaking out of the back door with your brand new shoes. Saturday's alright for fighting. Skinheads getting a beat down, ambush in the night. Stuarts in the day Fila, Lacoste, Tacchini, Armani, Lois, Nike and Kappa. Taxing the rich and famous and rushing the Burberry door. Scoring a draw down the Saints. A pick up from the SPG. Blair Peach a crying shame the NF and unmarked police vans who is to blame? Clash city rockers and white men in Hammersmith Palais. Road trips to Caister, Soul Tribes, The Frontline and the Soul Partners. All dayers in Bournemouth taking the train, taking a train, ego trip dabbing speed it's all you need. Westwood, Family Quest no contest. West End B-boys and fly girls, chrome angels Graff bombing the Met. Breaking in the Garden ... Covent to you suckers. An armful of Studio 1 from Daddy Peckings. Flim Flam to Meltdown. The Jay Brothers, goodtimes and great tribulations. Gilles P and Paul Murphy Zulu style at the Electric. Brother Paul boogie times. The Beat Route and Hard Times. Fifteen years of fucking Tories, on the dole, a thousand stories of promised lands and meccas - Blackpool. To you the sweet sounds of Levine and Curtis. The Language Lab said and Dirtbox spread and old bill cracking miners heads. Who killed Liddle Towers? The Jam at Wembley seven times and National Health for the last time. Bump and hustle, soul 45s, too far gone there is no way back. Phuture, Acid, Confusion, The Rush, The Love, the smiling hooligan with dodgy gear open minds close and get the fear. East Grinstead and Bognor lads away, falling and laughing, escape to Brighton or off to Ibiza tying to maintain the buzz. Getting older and getting wed. Elvis is dead. Is anybody out there? A poll tax riot going on. They have sold my country...

There isn't much more to say about this album. Of the piles of vinyl released by Ashley Beedle, Rocky, Diesel and the beautiful Uschi Classen this one is closest to my heart.

mp3 I 320kbps I 60 minutes I 138mb I link in comments