Tuesday 7 December 2010

Ambient Mosaic 7

Finally got around to doing one of these. Good timing as well: I think these sort of mixes are particularly good for the cold winter vibes.
This is what I like to call Nu-New age: a very broad array of tones, ambience and repetition amongst other meditative characteristics.
This features David Sylvian, Polwechsel & Fennesz, Arthur Russell, Max Richter, Mist, AGF, CFCF and others.

Thursday 2 December 2010

Winter Mix

I've made a nice little winter mix to keep you warm at this time. Hope you enjoy it.


Brrrrr!!

Thursday 28 October 2010

Tuesday 26 October 2010

Encounters: "Escapista" [Video]

Compiled by Memo. Stitched together by Eric and Memo.

Friday 8 October 2010

Monday 4 October 2010

Spanish Pies




















Paul made a mix a couple months back that featured a "schizoid mélange (mezcla perhaps?) of groovy beats, flamenco pop, adverts, latin vocal histrionics and burping." His masterful work inspired me to follow up with a sequel of sorts.
"Spanish Pies 2" is a humorous Spanish erotic mixtape. Featuring Los Hermanos Calatrava, Los Angeles Negros (Chile), Rita Lee (singing in Spanish), Susana Estrada (sexiest groove since "Je T'aime..."?) - speaking of which, there's at least two pieces to be found that make references to said seminal erotic piece of pop legend - amongst other delights. There's allusions to cars and football, in this context turned to an object of perfect physique, and the goal as orgasmic satisfaction, respectively.
Paul also designed the beautiful artwork, so extra kudos to him.
Click on the covers to download the mixes. Both in lovely 320.

Saturday 2 October 2010

Trip Mosaic 21

New trip, featuring T-Rex, Bob James, Joe Meek, oOoOO, Phu'o'n Dung, Modern Lovers, Ennio Morricone and more.
Click me.

Friday 1 October 2010

Trip Mosaic 20


More tastiness with the likes of Burt Bacharach, Pavement, Joe Meek, Los Diablos Rojos, the Cramps, Serge and Jane, Bich Loan and CBC Band and more...
Click on Jean-Claude Van Damme.

DubFunkBreaks


A new mix, this concentrates on beat music and some purple haze of the dubby persuasion as I know it to be. All spliffed-out grooves featuring the Upsetters, Scientist, Tayo meets Baobinga, Part Time, Soreng Santi, Baby Jazz, Sly and family, DeWolfe library grooves, Bob James, Stevie Wonder, Prine and other funkateers.

Ambient Mosaic 6

Clocking in at nearly two ours, this ambient megamix features Detroit Escalator Company, bits from that Justin Bieber track that some dude time-stretched by 800%, GAS, transitional sleep records, Destroyer, Fennesz, Loren Connors, Ms. John Soda, Ravi Shankar, no Eno this time, I'm afraid (he's got a new album coming out and a track off that might be featured in the next installment of the Ambient Mosaic); some Arthur Russell, Ryoji Ikeda and Carston Nicolai and much, much more...

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Monday 27 September 2010

Ambient Mosaic 5

Even more soundscapery with How To Dress Well, Deerhunter, GAS, Foxes in Fiction, M83, Lars Åkerlund, Bitchin' Bajas and more...
Dig!

Sunday 26 September 2010

Ambient Mosaic 4

More dream-scapery by the likes of Foxes In Fiction, M83, D.D. Denham, Luomo, Kraftwerk, Celer, Gas, Arthur Russell, Ravi Shankar, Koen Holtkamp, Lawrence English, Fennesz, The Album Leaf, Oneohtrix Point Never and more.

These mixes are best played at moderately low volumes. In the (paraphrased) words of Brian Eno: "This soundtrack has been designed to intermingle with the sounds of the dinner table".

Get it!!!

Thursday 23 September 2010

Gaze Mosaic 8


Featuring No Age, Weed, Chapterhouse, Slowdive, Galaxie 500, a Starslinger remix of the new Deerhunter tune ("Beat-Haze" is apparently the stylistic term, according to the blogosphere), Ultra Vivid Scene and more...
Get in!!

Tuesday 21 September 2010

Ambient Mosaic 3

New Ambient Mix featuring Aril Brika, Burger / Voigt, Foxes in Fiction, Evan Abeele, Taurus do Brasil, Celer, Ayshay, Zonotope™, more sounds from the womb, Balmorhea, Max Richter, Clara Rockmore, Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal, Mira Calix, Bitchin Bajas, Godsy, Mark McGuire, Holy Other, Tiago, Tim Hecker, Seaworthy, and yes, Eno.
Get in!!

Wednesday 15 September 2010

Nedry: "Condors" (GodDon'tLikeIt and Memo Remix)


There's this new London-based band called Nedry. You should check them out.
My mate Anthony (God Don't Like It) and I made a remix for the title track to their album. You should check it out as well. Here.

Monday 13 September 2010

"Absolutely" and "Cosmo Polly Tang" Albums Now Available Through Bandcamp



My third and fourth albums (2006 and 2008, respectively) are now available for purchase (quite cheap!) digitally via Bandcamp. Click on the cover art above for either album and it should take you to said album's Bandcamp page:




Both albums are also available in physical CD-R with artwork. Send me a message if you would like one. They come with a free download code.

Gaze Mosaic 7

...and more dream pop by the likes of Slowdive, Spacemen 3, Stereolab, Memoryhouse, Jesu, Red House Painters, Mazzy Star, Tamaryn, Galaxie 500, The Radio Dept and more...

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Trip Mosaic 19


And another one. This features wonderful sounds from the likes of Devo, Stevie Nicks, The Doors, Black Sabbath, William DeVaughn, Les Rita Mitsouko, Vangelis, Black Puss and a terrible version of me singing over a Flaming Lips instrumental. Nice.

Gaze Mosaic 6

Featuring Tamaryn, Spacemen 3, Blonde Redhead, Jesu, Radio Dept. and more dream pop goodness! Now on Soundcloud:

Gaze mosaic 6 by memoguerra

Sunday 29 August 2010

Ambient Mosaic 2

New Ambient Mosaic, though I'm starting to think the namesake is not completely accurate. It's more kosmische or drone-y, really. Anyway, it's good for playing when you go to bed before falling into the gentle, comfortable arms of sleep.
This features some transitional sleep records and some relaxing "sounds from the womb" (recordings captured by inserting a condenser microphone into a pregnant woman's uterus) interspersed with music by the likes of Panda Bear, Eno, Aphex Twin, Stars of the Lid, Pivot, Oneohtrix Point Never, Eluvium, and other soundscapes.

http://www.mediafire.com/?m1eobu0zj9kppj2

Trip Mosaic 18


Featuring Fever Ray, Les Rita Mitsouko, Dead Luke, a very old piece by yours truly, some Dam Funk and some Juan Torres, and much more, with transient random noise bursts and some announcements.

Thursday 26 August 2010

Trip Mosaic 17


Featuring the likes of Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Aphex Twin, Yamasuki, Chaz Jankel, Henry Mancini, Terrestrial Tones, Iggy Pop, Bola de Nieve, Roky Erickson, Games, B-52s, Roxy Music, Joy Division and more...

Wednesday 25 August 2010

Party Mix 2

I've also done a new Party Mix. There had only been once of those so far, so here's something to put on and dance to whilst we say goodbye to summer: see you in a, er, pretty long fucking time from now.
Anyway, this might take those post-summer blues away, even if only for 50 minutes.
Get it here.

Live Guitar Loops and Electronics

Hello. I've been away for a while. I've got something new to post. It's just a little recording I did of myself doing some guitar loops and adding electronics live. I just like the texture and repetition it created. It reminds me of Spacemen 3.
This might later serve to either bookend an album or as some sort of interlude.
Get it here.

Thursday 1 July 2010

Encounters feature on The New Review


We're humbled to report that the good people at The New Review have been nice enough to do a small feature on us on their podcast. Thank you for the kind words, guys. You can download the Encounters feature by clicking here. But do check out their show at www.thenewreviewpodcast.blogspot.com

Saturday 26 June 2010

Trip Mosaic 16


And another one! This one features a bit of cheese but the likes of The Unabombers, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Fleetwood Mac, Alan Parsons, Arthur Russell, Atlas Sound, Talking Heads, Bridgitte Bardot, Roxy Music, INXS, New Musik, Furia, Stereolab, Arnold Schwarzenneger giving aerobics lessons over a soundtrack of Blue Oyster Cult, some Goblin reminiscent of "Don't Fear the Reaper" complete with cowbell action, Fred Bongusto, and more...

Trip Mosaic 15


Features Charles Dodge, Clinic, Van Morrison, Roxy Music, George Harrison, Gang Starr, Arthur Russell, a Todd Terje dub of Paul Simon's "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes", Sonya, The Ex with Tortoise, The Moog Synthesizer with The Camarata Contemporary Chamber Orchestra, and more...

Tuesday 22 June 2010

Ambient Mosaic 1

I've started a new series. This one is comprised of all things drone, minimalist repetition, soundscapes as well as kosmische and ambient sounds for you to relax, bliss out and drift off. You can even got to bed with these, whilst you let it's gentle blankets of sound cover you, making you feel fuzzy and warm.
This features Sufjan Stevens, Bass Communion, Jackie-O-Motherfucker, Oneohtrix Point Never, Emeralds, Sakamoto, Eno and Byrne, Fennesz and Sparklehorse, Animal Collective, Loren Connors, and more...
Get it here!
It's probably safe to assume that as with the Gaze Mosaics regularly featuring a Valentine's track, this series will probably see Eno coming up often.

Monday 21 June 2010

Gaze Mosaic 5

Brand spankin' new Gaze Mosaic featuring Viernes, My Bloody Valentine (they probably appear on every tome of this series, but not only are they the spearheads of this particular sound, they've got too many great songs), Hammock, Spacemen 3, a new Catalan all-girl group called Aias (they either sound like a more ecstatic Cocteau Twins or like religious chants put to a shoegazey backdrop), some Shop Assistants, Loop and more.

Thursday 10 June 2010

Trip Mosaic 14


Well, you can't say I've not been productive these last months. I give you the next installment in this prolific series. This one mashes Mehr Pouya, Nick Drake, Aamon Duul II, Polyester, Them, a pretty epic Fleetwood Mac bit, a ten year old Bjork, Neu!, a dog training record by Barbara Woodhouse, much variety and some Herb Alpert for good measure in a fully bearded, psychtastic, tropical, groovy mush to soundtrack the summer! ...amongst other things...

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Two new tunes!

Hey, I've finished two new tunes. They are long and therefore were very laborious. I spent quite a lot of time on these. The first is a track called "Maya" featuring my good friend Mr. Raccoon from Mexico. I named the song after his newborn daughter who was born the day he sent me his vocals (surely the dude had better things to do that day?!?!?!) Goes to show how committed to his art he is. Check that track out below:

Maya (feat. Mr. Raccoon) by memoguerra

The other tune is a proggy suite. Check that out below:

Childhood idols by memoguerra

Both tracks will be coming out soon on my upcoming album "(material)." on Abstrakt Muzak. Watch this space for more info on that....

Trip Mosaic 13


New month, new Trip: features Cabaret Voltaire, Sroeng Santi, Brainticket, La Dusseldorf, Amazonas playing a bit of Santana, Space, and more...
Get it now!

Saturday 5 June 2010

Gaze Mosaic 4


Brand new Gaze Mosaic. Features Cocteau Twins, Slowdive, Spacemen 3, Serena Maneesh, My Bloody Valentine, Wild Nothing, Shocking Pinks, Lotus Plaza, Jesu, Ride, Memoryhouse and more. Get it here.

Tuesday 25 May 2010

Trip Mosaic 12


It's just too much fun making these...
Got some mutant electro-funk by the Cabs, motorik glam-soul courtesy of the Thin White Duke (that's Bowie, not Jacques Le-CUNT), kraut-techno by Antiguo Automata Mexicano, some Scott, Electric Flag and much much more.

Thursday 20 May 2010

Friday 14 May 2010

Gaze Mosaic 3


And just when I thought I was done with the Gaze Mosaics, I mustered up another one.

Sunday 2 May 2010

Caribou: "Sun" (Memo Remix)

Here's a remix I've done for a remix competetion that Dan Snaith (Caribou) has put together for his next single, "Sun", off his excellent new album "Swim". Not putting my money on it really, but I liked the result, I suppose.

Caribou: "sun" (memo remix) by memoguerra

Trip Mosaic 9 and Trip Mosaic 10


A twofer of Trips! Enjoy.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/1qeymmmdvjy/Trip Mosaic 9.mp3

http://www.mediafire.com/file/2ktwmn2kmen/trip mosaic 10.mp3

Friday 2 April 2010

Trip Mosaic 8


Reinhard Lakomy, Ravi Shankar, Billy Green, Wimple Winch, Gainsbourg, Bardot, Shocking Blue, Delia Derbyshire, Horrific Child, Joy Division, I get to plug a new tune of mine, Dungen, Robyn Hitchcock, Big Black, and er, you know, business as usual...

Saturday 27 March 2010

Answers to the Questions You Don't Know

Jesus. I don't think I've ever spent as much time on a track before. I possibly spent more time on it than Brian Wilson did on "Good Vibrations", only mine didn't cost millions of dollars to make or whatever.
I'm quite pleased with it, but I'm also sick of it by now, so I'm glad I can finally put it up on here and just forget about it forever.
Answers to the questions you don't know by memoguerra

Friday 26 March 2010

Trip Mosaic 7


-"Another one? But I only just got the last one!" says you.
-"Well, I'm just trying to keep you well fed." says I.

Heldon kick thing off in a grand way, followed by music from the likes of Attila (Billy Joel's pre-fame - prog organ and drums duo), the Brian Jonestown Massacre, the theme to "Logan's Run", Black Moth Super Rainbow, Stockhausen, Eartha Kitt's brilliant version of "Hurdy Gurdy Man", Orange Juice, Aphex Twin and more repetitive drone passages!

On A Future In Noise


A bit more press courtesy of A Future In Noise. Thanks to Marilyn for the kind words!

Record of the Week: Vangelis: "Who Killed the Dragon?" (Finders Keepers)

Amazing music by progmaster Vangelis lovingly repackaged by the good people at Finders Keepers as a limited 12" EP containing some of the Alpha Beta Stuff and what was previously released on his album "The Dragon".
As far as I'm aware these are some of the first recordings he did after his Bible-themed masterpiece with Aphrodite's Child "666". Amazing synths, amazing musicianship (the dude who recorded that glorious bass on "Melody Nelson" is on here) and it's simply quite a trip.
I find myself flipping the record constantly, playing it on repeat and feeling better about myself for possessing such a gem. A must have. Thanks again to the ever-reliable folks at Finders Keepers!
Click below to listen to "Stuffed Tomato". I don't know why it says it's by me, Soundcloud does that and my computer illiteracy is to be blamed, as I don't know how to change it. It's obviously by Vangelis.
03 Stuffed Tomato by memoguerra

Thursday 25 March 2010

Trip Mosaic 6


Hey all, a brand New Trip Mosaic for all you heads out there!
As always a mish and mash of different styles. Tunes and pieces from the likes of Rafael Toral, Indoor Life, The Knife, Liars, Boredoms, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Cabaret Voltaire and Loose Fur (to name a few) intermingle with the usual bursts of noise, ambient passages and library music.
The set closes with a marvelous tune by Los Mac's, whose 1967 album "Kaleidoscope Men" was rightfully described by my mate Paul as "the Chilean Sgt. Pepper's".
This is also perhaps the longest Mosaic I've done so far (clocking at around 84 minutes).
Trip out!

Monday 22 March 2010

Exploding Head Syndrome / Imploding Head Syndrome


Hi. I've made a new track. It's in two parts, the first "Exploding Head Syndrome", the second, "Imploding Head Syndrome". It's a bit abstract and fragmented. But I'm assuming that's just the way you like things. Listen below, I believe you can download it as well from Soundcloud by clicking on the arrow.
Exploding head syndrome / Implodin head syndrome by memoguerra

Monday 15 March 2010

Gaze Mosaic Vol. 2



As promised, I now unleash the second and probably final installment of the Gaze Mosaic. This one's longer and I think a bit more varied. No Dean & Britta on this one, I'm afraid, but definitely a lot of "gaze" permutations: classic 'gaze, nu-gaze, metal-gaze, shitgaze, maybe even chill-gaze and no-gaze, whatever those last two may be. Also some ambient passages mingle with the likes of Jesu, Ride and hey! "Cigarette In Your Bed"! A Sunny Day In Glasgow!
So light up a big fat one up (or two, because that is TWICE as NICE) and drift off to a hypnotic, hypnagogic state: that state in which you find yourself in limbo, somewhere between waking a dreaming. You do not know whether something happening in the environment around you, or indeed if what you are feeling, hearing and seeing is real or a dream. I think that's my favourite state to be in. I cherish those moments when I go to sleep.
Behold!

Plexus, Solar


So I was working on this pretty long and complex tune. It was taking me ages to record each part, arrange it and mix it. I guess I got tired of it from working too much on said composition.
So I had to take a break on it and start something new. It had to be the complete opposite. So I produced this very noisy schizzo track. I finished it in a day, so I'm quite pleased with the spontaneity of it all. It turned out quite good I think.

Monday 8 March 2010

R.I.P. Mark Linkous

First thing this morning, I learned the sad news that Mark Linkous had killed himself over the weekend. I was shocked in a way, only because his music has meant a lot to me over the years and it's always sad to hear news of this nature about someone who you felt you knew, if only through their records. But the other part of me wasn't as shocked, as anyone who is familiar with his history would understand.
Linkous recorded some of the most hauntingly beautiful music this writer has had the pleasure to hear under the name Sparklehorse. My introduction to him was his 2001 masterpiece "It's A Wonderful Life". As I digested the record, I was quick to pick up on a certain irony and cynicism in the title. It was such a moody album, perfect for a moody teenager such as myself back then.
What I learned (indirectly) from Mark was that it was OK to be a musical outcast. In artistic terms, you should do what you feel in your heart and hear in your head, no matter how complicated or fragmented it may seem to others. I also learned that if you have a strong vision or a very particular sense of a certain aesthetic, you should just go with it, even if it means going at it alone.
The time around 2001 and my introduction to Sparklehorse were my formative years as an artist. I was a curious listener, open to anything, and his music just made sense to me. It seemed very personal, so I wasn't too surprised to learn that for most of his output he had recorded every instrument, every little detail and all these tiny little nuances that only seemed to become more apparent with repeated listening. It wasn't surprising, but it was certainly very inspirational for me to do what I've been doing since. I think as an artist I owe a lot to Linkous and I know that I'm not alone in this.
I didn't know Mark Linkous personally, but he will be missed. Having said that, we've got all the great work that he did during his time on earth to hang on to. I'm sure it will continue to inspire new generations of young artists.
Thank you for the music Mr. Linkous. May you rest in peace.

Wednesday 24 February 2010

A Wall

And here's one that dates back to around 2007-2008CE (roughly). It''s off an album I did at the time called The Cosmo Polly Tang. Very Beasties influenced.
The only reason I'm posting this now is because it's been getting some blog love. That's right, people are now starting to catch up with what I did a couple of years back. Will it always be this way?
A Wall

A Crush


And track 6 from Petit Morts. This one's about a creepy stalker. I sing from his twisted, obsessive point of view.
The picture up there is famously known as "The Most Beautiful Suicide". On May 1, 1947, Evelyn McHale leapt to her death from the observation deck of the Empire State Building. Photographer Robert Wiles took a photo of McHale a few minutes after her death and was published in Life Magazine, I believe. She landed on a New York City cab. Her pose looks elegant and serene, her body laying on the crushed roof of the vehicle. (Crush, see what I've done there?)

Give Me Two of Yous


Track 5 off Petit Morts now finished. It was finished way back in 2004CE but only mastered until now for inclusion in this album. It was always meant to be on it.
Give Me Tow of Yous

Da Motorik Real

Here's one that I'm not even going to try fitting into an album of any sort. It's not single-worthy either. I did put a lot of work into it, but maybe I was just not seeing how hilariously ridiculous this piece of music is whilst producing it. It's still enjoyable, but its Speed Racer vibe just makes it a bit comical to me. You might like it though.

Monday 22 February 2010

Actuas Amor, Finges Ternura (Caricias Falsas)


And here's the fourth track from said album. This one was pretty much finished already I just had to do a bit of mastering and tweaking to it and I reckon it delivers that downtempo-ambient fix we all have every once in a while. It's functional music. For sex.

Amante Menguante


Here's the third track off of the "Petit Morts" project. It's a love song. In Spanish. The title and the picture up there are both a reference to a scene from Pedro Almodovar's "Hable Con Ella", in which one of the characters imagines himself as a character in an old film called "Amante Menguante" in which he plays a shrinking man who gets so small that he gets to walk on his lovers naked body. I think the image is very evocative of the mood I'm trying to show on this album. It's very romantic.

Wednesday 3 February 2010

Gaze Mosaic vol. 1

I'd started doing a new Trip Mosaic when a few songs in I noticed that the overall vibe was leaning towards a shoegazy haze so I carried on in this manner. So yeah, I've brought the gaze upon ye!
It's not strictly or exclusively classic gaze like Chapterhouse, Ride, Slowdive and other Creation cohorts, but basically anything that shares a similar aesthetic even if it is of the post-Valentines era. Basically it's not meant to be a comprehensive lesson in what the original shoegaze movement was from the mid 80s to mid 90s.
A big pile of records were left out due to the mix reaching its 70 minute mark, so there will be a part two soon. Watch this space.

on a new band a day


A bit of press this morning. The good people at a New Band A Day reviewed my song, "A Minha Son". Thank you for your kind words!
http://www.anewbandaday.com/

Tuesday 2 February 2010

La Muerte Pequena


The second track from the "Petit Morts" project that I'm in the process of finishing. http://www.mediafire.com/?yzwdj0qq2nh

Thursday 28 January 2010

Encounters MySpace Up and Running Now


I'm happy to say that our band's MySpace is now up and running. In here you will find some of our works in progress and other shizzle such as news, er, when we have some news to report. We're working hard to be very active this coming summer with a release and a bunch of live gigs. So watch that space!
myspace.com/encountersbande

"Portugal"

Carrying on with my mission to rescue old material, I finished another one last night. This one is not meant for "Petit Morts" though. Rather, it's another one of those tracks that were nearly finished before the great hard drive disaster of 2008CE (roughly). All I had left after that were bounces of what I had up to that point. Some other tracks weren't that lucky and all files and remnants of them were lost. As I tend to write songs by means of production, a lot of these will probably just never see the light of day, unless of course one day I've got enough money to get someone to rescue the files out of the dead hard drive which is still in my possession, and if that's even possible.
But back to this one for a sec: the bounce I had to work with had pretty much all the parts recorded, but it was a rough mix. I had to take the bounce and use all sorts of editing and audio-trickery to fix it up and I'm glad to say that I am happy with the result. I have now pronounced one more old track RESCUED AND FINISHED. It is called "Portugal". The lyrics are in Spanish and they are in no way meant to offend anyone of Portuguese nationality or descent. Anyone who knows me will know that my lyrics are often nonsensical and cut up David Byrne stylee. I've never been to Portugal but I am sure it is a lovely country. The lyrics in the chorus say that "I don't want to go to Portugal." That's not true of me actually. In fact I would very much like to visit said country's lovely beaches at some point.
The song features some tape hiss that was treated to sound like the way I imagine the breeze and seagulls might sound like in Lisbon. So yeah, it's kind of a beachy, breezy song complete with synthesized string arrangements, Rhythm Ace bossa beats, found sounds and plenty more.
Hope you enjoy it.

Friday 22 January 2010

Trip Mosaic 5

Last night I got stoned and did another mix for anyone who cares.
It's a great life for a man of leisure...
Get it here.

Wednesday 20 January 2010

Petit


Today I started doing something I've been meaning to do for oh, about 6 years. Way back in 2004CE, I started conceiving a concept album of sorts (what a pretentious wanker, I know. ho hum) The loose concept for the album was going to be the "tribulations of love" (what a corny wanker, I know that as well).
That's right. My pretentious corny self of half a decade ago wanted to devise an album that expressed the concept of love in all its ragged, wonderful and often bizarre glory; love in sex and violence; the psychology behind love and devotion, etc... That album was to be called "Petit Morts".
The semi-title track "Petit" was to kick off the album on a mellow note (I like slow-burning album openers). My initial idea was to actually record a sexual act performed by a passionate but romantic couple who are genuinely in love and thus, making love, not just fucking. It had to have some depth, you had to be able to hear the love in the moans, grunts and their wet kisses. I imagined a similar scenario to that in which Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot first recorded "Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus", him making her reach orgasm as the song crescendos toward the end. That version was apparently too sexy for radio, so Serge eventually re-recorded it with Jane Birkin in a more toned-down manner, but still quite sexy. The song became an international hit and many have reported to have conceived their offspring to this piece of music.
This wouldn't be me with my partner as that would be too personal, which I always try and avoid. The work always needs to be taken from a different perspective, as an observer, if you will. I always try to put myself behind the work that I do. It's more interesting that way, but I digress. It would also just make me uncomfortable when listening to it and even more-so when playing it to people. That would almost be like showing them a home made erotic video of one and his partner. And I would also be too shy to ask anyone that I know to perform so I can record it and use it in a piece of music. So I found a porn film on the internet. After much KAK, I found a decent one of a genuine couple, no cheesy soundtrack, copulating passionately. Their performance made me feel like a voyeur, as I recorded the audio onto tape and made the transfer with some processing and mixed it into the track.
Anyway, it would be the start of the record, that which would lay everything on the table, make the concept clear from the start and be explicit about it before the rest of the album comes along and investigates, dissects and analyzes these themes - including all the baggage it comes with and its taboos and grey areas - in the context of an album consisting of music that flows piece by piece, awkward situation by awkward situation in a devotional, dedicated, desperate love and the animal instincts it brings out in oneself.
Or that's my explanation of it, anyway... I guess once this album materialises the listener can take whatever meaning they give to it. For now there's this tune: an economically melodic but minimalist instrumental with a meaning.
So I find myself revisiting an abandoned project to try and save it, track by track. This one's the first I've done. I shall continue to do so at a leisurely pace.
I never meant to just abandon the entire project, I genuinely meant to come back to it and now felt like the right time. The reason it was put on hold in the first place is for two reasons, really:
1. I was also writing and recording material for another album at the same time and I felt more inclined to the vibe of the other one. So I finished said album and carried on like that for a while, sort of forgetting about it at the same time.
2. I didn't feel confident enough to take on a project of that nature at the time.
Anyway, more to come from this, I'm sure. This album will be finished at some point.

Protect Me From Love


Way back in 2005CE Kylie was still hot shit. Since then she's battled cancer and retired from the spotlight a bit. Who can blame her, she's being doing this since I was a lad.
Anyway, I wrote a song back then. I fantasized that I was writing a song for Kylie to sing. She would've done a hell of a better job than my very modest performance. And a hell of a lot sexier! That was the way I imagined it anyway.
The song is still in my catalogue, so if Kylie makes a comeback someday and I'm in the position to get it to her people maybe my dream will one day come true.
Listening to this version performed by yours truly, it's clear that I'm way out of my comfort zone, even for a time when I was still trying to find what my comfort zone was, exactly. It's the probably the poppiest thing I've ever done. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not me really, but then it was never meant to be a song for me to release under my own name.
So why am I coming back to old shit I've done all of a sudden? Well, they come up on my iTunes shuffle every now and then and while I don't personally care much for those works these days, there's still something about them that may be interesting to some people. I know I had good feedback back when I did them, so it'd be a shame to just forget about them completely.
More of this embarassing shit to come, surely.

Tuesday 19 January 2010

Hot Lava


Here's a bit of a fun throwaway I recorded in a few hours at some point last year.
It's a little rocker in a faux Cramps stylee. I'm not usually known for bringing out the rock in my music, so this is a bit of an oddity. And it's one of the shortest tunes I've ever done. Hope you like it.