February Dispatch \ Off Modern mix

Text: Felix Petty

Hello again,

It seemed our last column was so popular that it broke the whole of Dummy for a week. So either, you all just wanted to ogle at a bloke who would make Bright Eyes the first track of a mixtape on a website generally more interested in dance music; or secretly, you all really like Bright Eyes.

I hope it’s the second one.

This dispatch though, is a lot more focused on what’s going on now, so we’ve got some dope new cuts from all the hottest movers and shakers that have been lucky enough to have their music downloaded by yours truly.

So, since we last spoke I’ve been sifting through a fair chunk of new (or at least new-ish) releases; firstly, we’ve got the BANGS & WORKS VOL 1 compilation, released by Planet Mu, it’s a beginners guide to the freakiest, weirdest and most strangely compulsive sub-genre of house; sliding out of urban Chicago, it kicks itself a freakish little hole inside a groove and works it over until you’re nodding away without even realising it.

In other excellent compilation news Soul Jazz dropped a Future Bass awhile back, a collection of, well, bass music from future (I think?). Two tracks here are nicked from there, Randomer and Harry Craze. Like everything Soul Jazz seem to do, its pretty incredible.

Also dropping this month are tracks from D/R/U/G/S and Chad Valley, who, shamelessly, are playing at the next Off Modern, and this is a massive plug for it. It’s on February the 17th at Corsica Studios, which is located in the happy neighbourhood of Elephant & Castle.

Continuing on our shameless plugging vibe, we’ve got some tracks from previous O/M guests, Koreless and Vondelpark. Both of whom are fucking incredible. Vondelpark has just released his debut EP, Sauna, on R&S, I’ve got a feeling its sold out now, though. The way he mixes simplistic beats around haunted vocals is jaw-dropping at times. Start Life probably isn’t the most reflective of what he does, so you’re best to just explore the young maestros work yourself.

Lone’s Emerald Fantasy Tracks LP has been soundtracking grey days in Off Modern office recently, as has Big L, who just dropped a collection of rarities from a recording studio beyond the grave. Bringing his total of posthumous albums up to four, which is four times as many as he managed to release whilst alive. Big L’s ghost is probably sipping some expensive champagne with Tupac, Elvis, Buddy Holly and JFK on that island where celebrities go after they’ve faked their own deaths. We’ve also got Lil B’s ‘I’m Bill Clinton’ which is pretty inexplicable really.

Playing us out this month are two tracks, one by the preciously talented yoof Zoo Kid, whose voice is hauntingly mature for such a young whipper-snapper; what could easily sound forced or trite is instead soft and aching, quite an achievement. The other is for Charlie, whose probably been crying through the night, lost deep in the internet, trying to get this here website up and running again. So we’re done for another month, with a classic cut from the finest Welshman to have ever worn leopard print.

Tracklisting

I. Whea Yo Ghost At – Whea Yo Dead Man – DJ Elmoe
II. Hathway – D/R/U/G/S
III. Re-Schooling – Lone
IV. Gone – Harry Craze
V. Puzzled – Randomer
VI. Bill Clinton – Lil B
VII. Up Down Up Down – Koreless
VIII. . Lifestyles Ov Da Poor And Dangerous – Big L
IX. Up and Down – Chad Valley
X. Start Life (Be Side Version) – Vondelpark
XI. Out Getting Ribs – Zoo Kid
XII. Motown Junk – Manic Street Preachers