WARMER MIXTAPES #613 | by John Salmon (Freeform Human and Midi Widow) and Martin Koszolko [Koshowko]/(Rycerze Dzieciom and Iubar Project) of Philosophy Of Sound
SIDE A | by Martin Koszolko
1. Death In Vegas | Dirge
I’ve heard this track for the first time quite a few years ago and it seemed very cinematic, it really gets my imagination running. I can imagine all sorts of weird video clips being made to this track. The song is one of those rare gems that doesn’t seem to by easily repeated, even by the band that came up with it...
2. Yello | Capri Calling
Since the previous track had a rather sombre title let’s go to Capri now. This track features an amazing collaboration that Yello had with the late Billy Mackenzie on vocals. I got instantly captivated by the vocals in this track as they are neither masculine nor feminine - totally unique and beautiful.
3. Phyllis Dillon | Woman Of The Ghetto (Marlena Shaw Cover)
Around 10 years ago in Australia, on a New Year’s day or a day after, someone was giving me a lift home after a very nice holiday with friends at a house by the ocean and the guy who was the driver had a compilation album called 100% Dynamite with this track on it. I was totally fascinated by the sound of this recording, it just makes you feel like you’re really back in the 60’s somewhere in a black ghetto. A great performance with a very rough and analogue sound...
4. Fat Freddy’s Drop | Cay’s Crays
It’s an easy transition from the Reggae of the previous track to Fat Freddy’s Drop. They’re quite an amazing band from New Zealand, again with some very unique vocals and a beautiful chilled Reggae influenced sound. It’s also very danceable! I discovered them through another, also pretty amazing track called Midnight Marauders that they had on a free CD sampler made by their label. That one track was enough to hook me for all other material coming out from these guys.
5. Rage Against The Machine | Renegades Of Funk (Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force Cover)
I enjoy listening to this cover so much more than the original. It’s quite different from the original and that’s probably the best way to approach song covers. It seems to encapsulate so many things that represent Rage Against The Machine. It’s from their very last album and has this massive energy that just makes you want to move!
6. Jeanette | Porque Te Vas
OK, so here is for a nice juxtaposition with the previous track. This track is kind of Disco influenced but in a very 70’s way with an orchestra playing all the Funky Music. Ages ago, pretty late at night I watched an old Carlos Saura's film on TV that featured this song in the closing credits. I recorded the movie on a VHS tape and I couldn’t forget the song since. Some years later I found the actual song on the Internet and many consecutive listening sessions are a proof of its everlasting magic.
7. Modern Talking | Diamonds Never Made A Lady
Well, since we returned to some Disco influenced tracks, here’s one I re-discovered a couple of weeks ago, again during a drive back from some sea-side holidays. It really takes me back to my Childhood years in the 80’s when this band was one of the acts with a cult status in Poland. This track has some really Retro analogue programming with quasi computer sounds in the background as well as some pretty subtle but Funky guitars. I think it’s a German answer to Italo Disco (via the tight pants of Bee Gees)...
8. Depeche Mode | Useless
Martin Gore is such a solid songwriter, who has been delivering the goods for so many years. Actually the compositions by Dave Gahan on more recent DM albums are equally solid I think. So here we have Useless which has this Rock influenced sound, which the band has been occasionally toying with. And as usual for DM it’s really melodic and catchy with a gentle touch of Darkness.
9. Leonard Cohen | Here It Is
I’m a total LC fan, buying everything that he releases. It started during my high school years and continues on. I love his sense of Humour and Irony and of course his poetry and his deep, low voice. He is also a pretty amazing songwriter. Here It Is is from one of his more recent albums and it’s very hypnotising... A bit Hip Hop influenced, one could say.
10. Queen | My Melancholy Blues
OK, let’s finish this mixtape with the ultimate after-party song - My Melancholy Blues. Since it comes from a band that could succeed in so many styles, here we’re getting not quite Blues but more of a Jazz track with some very laid back attitude and somehow sad yet beautifully presented lyrics.
7. Sabrina | Boys (Summertime Love)
This is totally awesome, look up the live clip, I always wanted to be the synth player, hopefully one day I will have those moves! Italo Disco meets Pop - awesome.
8. Roxette | Dangerous
I am a huge fan of the entire 80's Scandanavian Pop movement. They were making some amazing songs with gratuitous synth action also.
9. Belinda Carlisle | Heaven Is A Place On Earth
The way this hits into the chorus, all the key changes, the synths, the Epicness. Nuff said.
10. Lady Gaga | Poker Face
Massive out of the closet Lady Gaga fan, but to be more specific, a fan of all the songs she wrote with Kayhat Redone. From Morocco via Scandanavia. This includes the first album and Judas. Not a fan of her work with any other producer. Poker Face played all the right cards from the Electroclash movement at the time when the whole World was ready for it. Kayhat's combined Arabic understanding of Rhythm and Passion combined with his years in Sweden has made him one of my all time faces.
1. Death In Vegas | Dirge
I’ve heard this track for the first time quite a few years ago and it seemed very cinematic, it really gets my imagination running. I can imagine all sorts of weird video clips being made to this track. The song is one of those rare gems that doesn’t seem to by easily repeated, even by the band that came up with it...
2. Yello | Capri Calling
Since the previous track had a rather sombre title let’s go to Capri now. This track features an amazing collaboration that Yello had with the late Billy Mackenzie on vocals. I got instantly captivated by the vocals in this track as they are neither masculine nor feminine - totally unique and beautiful.
3. Phyllis Dillon | Woman Of The Ghetto (Marlena Shaw Cover)
Around 10 years ago in Australia, on a New Year’s day or a day after, someone was giving me a lift home after a very nice holiday with friends at a house by the ocean and the guy who was the driver had a compilation album called 100% Dynamite with this track on it. I was totally fascinated by the sound of this recording, it just makes you feel like you’re really back in the 60’s somewhere in a black ghetto. A great performance with a very rough and analogue sound...
4. Fat Freddy’s Drop | Cay’s Crays
It’s an easy transition from the Reggae of the previous track to Fat Freddy’s Drop. They’re quite an amazing band from New Zealand, again with some very unique vocals and a beautiful chilled Reggae influenced sound. It’s also very danceable! I discovered them through another, also pretty amazing track called Midnight Marauders that they had on a free CD sampler made by their label. That one track was enough to hook me for all other material coming out from these guys.
5. Rage Against The Machine | Renegades Of Funk (Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force Cover)
I enjoy listening to this cover so much more than the original. It’s quite different from the original and that’s probably the best way to approach song covers. It seems to encapsulate so many things that represent Rage Against The Machine. It’s from their very last album and has this massive energy that just makes you want to move!
6. Jeanette | Porque Te Vas
OK, so here is for a nice juxtaposition with the previous track. This track is kind of Disco influenced but in a very 70’s way with an orchestra playing all the Funky Music. Ages ago, pretty late at night I watched an old Carlos Saura's film on TV that featured this song in the closing credits. I recorded the movie on a VHS tape and I couldn’t forget the song since. Some years later I found the actual song on the Internet and many consecutive listening sessions are a proof of its everlasting magic.
7. Modern Talking | Diamonds Never Made A Lady
Well, since we returned to some Disco influenced tracks, here’s one I re-discovered a couple of weeks ago, again during a drive back from some sea-side holidays. It really takes me back to my Childhood years in the 80’s when this band was one of the acts with a cult status in Poland. This track has some really Retro analogue programming with quasi computer sounds in the background as well as some pretty subtle but Funky guitars. I think it’s a German answer to Italo Disco (via the tight pants of Bee Gees)...
8. Depeche Mode | Useless
Martin Gore is such a solid songwriter, who has been delivering the goods for so many years. Actually the compositions by Dave Gahan on more recent DM albums are equally solid I think. So here we have Useless which has this Rock influenced sound, which the band has been occasionally toying with. And as usual for DM it’s really melodic and catchy with a gentle touch of Darkness.
9. Leonard Cohen | Here It Is
I’m a total LC fan, buying everything that he releases. It started during my high school years and continues on. I love his sense of Humour and Irony and of course his poetry and his deep, low voice. He is also a pretty amazing songwriter. Here It Is is from one of his more recent albums and it’s very hypnotising... A bit Hip Hop influenced, one could say.
10. Queen | My Melancholy Blues
OK, let’s finish this mixtape with the ultimate after-party song - My Melancholy Blues. Since it comes from a band that could succeed in so many styles, here we’re getting not quite Blues but more of a Jazz track with some very laid back attitude and somehow sad yet beautifully presented lyrics.
SIDE B | by John Salmon
1. Nirvana | Smells Like Teen Spirit
When this thing came out it hit like a bomb. All the desperation of young innocent, minds dealing with a bleak and meaningless suburban life set up and bought into by their parents and society in general encapsulated in 4:30.
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers | If You Have To Ask
The Chili Peppers introduced me to Funk, and in a pretty big way, I remember having this on repeat on the Discman wherever I may tread. From memory it certainly gave my stride a fair bit of swagger, both from the accented upbeats and from worry the Discman might skip!
3. Revl9n | Walking Machine (SebastiAn Remix)
When it arrived it totally blew me away, I still think that the current crop of maximal glitched House and Dubstep owe a lot more to this producer that anyone is willing to admit.
4. Soulwax | NY Excuse
Electroclash has been quite an important movement for current Dancefloor Music. For me somehow Soulwax manage to convey that vibe the best.
5. Fischerspooner | Just Let Go
On the same tip, Just Let Go also changed my life, something about the Futuristic Punk sounds these guys put together.
6. Regurgitator | Black Bugs
All this talk of Electroclash reminds me of Regurgitator - Black Bugs and the album Unit. The album this is on was released in 1997. It pretty much predates the Electroclash movement. I have wondered for a long time now whether these guys should have delayed release of this album for 5 years. As the World wasn't ready for it and Australia definitely was not ready for it. It was filed under Aussie Indie Pop band goes weird. It should have been files under Pioneering Genius.
1. Nirvana | Smells Like Teen Spirit
When this thing came out it hit like a bomb. All the desperation of young innocent, minds dealing with a bleak and meaningless suburban life set up and bought into by their parents and society in general encapsulated in 4:30.
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers | If You Have To Ask
The Chili Peppers introduced me to Funk, and in a pretty big way, I remember having this on repeat on the Discman wherever I may tread. From memory it certainly gave my stride a fair bit of swagger, both from the accented upbeats and from worry the Discman might skip!
3. Revl9n | Walking Machine (SebastiAn Remix)
When it arrived it totally blew me away, I still think that the current crop of maximal glitched House and Dubstep owe a lot more to this producer that anyone is willing to admit.
4. Soulwax | NY Excuse
Electroclash has been quite an important movement for current Dancefloor Music. For me somehow Soulwax manage to convey that vibe the best.
5. Fischerspooner | Just Let Go
On the same tip, Just Let Go also changed my life, something about the Futuristic Punk sounds these guys put together.
6. Regurgitator | Black Bugs
All this talk of Electroclash reminds me of Regurgitator - Black Bugs and the album Unit. The album this is on was released in 1997. It pretty much predates the Electroclash movement. I have wondered for a long time now whether these guys should have delayed release of this album for 5 years. As the World wasn't ready for it and Australia definitely was not ready for it. It was filed under Aussie Indie Pop band goes weird. It should have been files under Pioneering Genius.
7. Sabrina | Boys (Summertime Love)
This is totally awesome, look up the live clip, I always wanted to be the synth player, hopefully one day I will have those moves! Italo Disco meets Pop - awesome.
8. Roxette | Dangerous
I am a huge fan of the entire 80's Scandanavian Pop movement. They were making some amazing songs with gratuitous synth action also.
9. Belinda Carlisle | Heaven Is A Place On Earth
The way this hits into the chorus, all the key changes, the synths, the Epicness. Nuff said.
10. Lady Gaga | Poker Face
Massive out of the closet Lady Gaga fan, but to be more specific, a fan of all the songs she wrote with Kayhat Redone. From Morocco via Scandanavia. This includes the first album and Judas. Not a fan of her work with any other producer. Poker Face played all the right cards from the Electroclash movement at the time when the whole World was ready for it. Kayhat's combined Arabic understanding of Rhythm and Passion combined with his years in Sweden has made him one of my all time faces.
