Urlaubshits

2008 is gone, but I felt it necessary to highlight a few things I haven’t really mentioned or stressed enough in the blog over the last year. Some are for fun, some are serious. Mainly though, I just find it surprising that there are still people out there that haven’t yet heard “Put A Donk On It”.

YouTube musical phenomenon of 2008: Blackout Crew – Put A Donk On It

If anyone ever wondered what the Kersal Massive did when they grew up, then look no further than the Blackout Crew, a gruesome bunch of “musicians” who are almost singlehandedly responsible for spreading the genre known as “scouse house” across Britian. The titular “donk” is seems to be an onomatopoeic word, derived from the sound made by the bouncy synth stabs which characterise the sound of “donk house”. Allegedly, the “donk” itself is never synthesized, only sampled, and then transposed to achieve the desired note. Or maybe it just arrives in the post, like at the beginning of the completely nonsensical video.

And if you think it’s all harmless fun remember that the laugh that you hear at 1:02 is the same laugh you’ll hear just before he decides whether or not to kick your head in outside your local Wetherspoons.

Top record I loved but really shouldn’t: Fake Blood – Mars

I hate this kind of stuff, I really do. I’ve been continually scarred by going to clubs playing this trash too many times, and hopefully I’ve finally learned my lesson. But this tune just has a kind of something that I can’t really put my finger on. One thing it did perfectly was to capture the essence of old school rave in a way that none of the so called “nu-rave” acts ever did, but combining that essence with a gurning bass that tears your face off.

A lot has been made of Fake Blood and his secret identity. Back when nobody really knew who he was he seemed slightly exciting. When everyone found out the he was someone who used to be in late 90s big-beat act The Wiseguys, it didn’t seem quite so exciting.

Lazy lying journalist scum award: The Sun

Back when Burial was nominated for the Mercury prize, The Sun took it upon themselves to try unmask him, declaring that he was “the chart equivalent of graffitti artist Banksy”. The Sun wrote that producers in “the frame” included Aphex Twin and Fatboy Slim. I don’t know what “source” The Sun got this information from, but I’m guessing it was probably some teenager’s MySpace page, the go to source for any Murdoch owned rag when researching any news story. It would have been nice for Burial to have his anonymity, but nobody can really begrudge him unmasking himself when the press are alleging your real identity is Norman Cook.

Remixers of the year: Aeroplane

Aeroplane did 9 remixes in 2008 (10 if you include the unreleased Cut Copy remix), and each and every one of them was superb. My personal favourites are their remixes of David Rubato’s “Circuit”, Low Motion Disco’s “Love Love Love”, and Das Pop’s “Fool For Love”. Seek them out and you won’t be disappointed.

Runners-up: Hercules and Love Affair, The Loving Hand

Almost as prolific as Aeroplane, Hercules and Love Affair had remixes on three of my top ten records of 2008. The best by far was the “Herchouse Mix” of Chaz Jankel’s “Get Myself Together”, which was an old school house and acid tinged masterpiece. And I couldn’t forget to mention Tim Goldsworthy’s Loving Hand remixes, which continue to inspire awe in all those who hear them. His mixes of Lykke Li’s “Little Bit” and Maserati’s “The World Outside” are well worth listening to, and demonstrate two very different sides to his output, one being a lush house reworking which brings out the best in Lykke Li’s vocals, the other being a glitchy piece of technodisco.

Label of the Year: Permanent Vacation

If this had been any other year then it would have been DFA without any doubt. From it’s impressive beginnings in 2006 when it re-released Antena’s Camino Del Sol, along with a host of reworkings by luminaries such as Todd Terje, Joakim and Chromatics, to 2007 when it released Kathy Diamond’s debut album Miss Diamond To You, Permanent Vacation have been establishing themselves as a name to be reckoned with. But 2008 saw them go into overdrive, releasing something almost every month of class and sophistication, defying genre and pushing balearica and nu-disco further forwards than anyone else. In a year that has been overcrowded with disco edits, it was a breath of fresh air to see a label taking risks and giving such priority to new producers.

Runners up: DFA Records, Thisisnotanexit

DFA gave us some of the best singles this year – Blind and Happy House, but there were many other gems to be discovered, and their Death From Abroad imprint and partnership with Rong expose the world to more great stuff. And Thisisnotanexit took risks and gave us something a bit different. Detachments, Spectral Empire, Brain Machine, and remixes from great new talent King of Town and Moscow.