The Stepkids

Stones Throw's psych-funk signings The Stepkids hit England for a couple of live dates ahead of the release of their self titled album in September. They've also just released a ltd ed vinyl only LP that was recorded live at Stones Throw's Direct to Disc #2 event in LA in May.

MP3:
'Shadows On Behalf' (from 'The Stepkids')


(From 'Direct To Disc')

More at stonesthrow.com/thestepkids.

This Is The Kit : Earthquake (Buddy Peace Faulty Lines Remix)

This Is the Kit has a new 7" out, which I completely missed in May, but this Buddy Peace remix just dropped into the inbox as a gentle reminder. The band are touring all over the summer at festivals and the such so be sure to look out for them.

More info at neednowaterrecords.com.

Greeen Linez : Palm Coast Freeway

Indulging their love of late 70s/early 80s synth-funk, Greeen Linez is the new collaborative project between Matt Lyne (A Taut Line) and Chris Greenberg from Hong Kong In The 60s. 'Palm Coast Freeway' is taken from their EP forthcoming this summer on Diskotopia.

*Update* As it happens, this track won't be on the EP and is a free download...so here it is!

MP3:
Greeen Linez 'Palm Coast Freeway'

Hackney Colliery Band : Pigmy Goats

Get a free download of this new track by East London brass ensemble Hackney Colliery Band, whose debut album is out 4th July through Wah Wah 45s.



More at wahwah45s.com.

Bibio : K Is For Kelson

Bibio's new album 'Mind Bokeh' is out this week and this is a song from it.

More at warp.net.

Rainbow Arabia : Without You (Nguzunguzu Mix)

My favourite twisted-electronic-freaky-world-pop-beat husband/wife band Rainbow Arabia have been remixed by equally bonkers LA producer team Nguzunguzu to produce this quite wonderful version of recent single 'Without You'. Their debut album 'Boys And Diamonds' is released through Kompact on 28th February.

]
Rainbow Arabia 'Without You' (Nguzunguzu Mix)

More at kompakt.fm.

Metronomy : She Wants

'She Wants' is a free download at metronomy.co.uk today.

Evan Voytas : Tomorrow Night We'll Go Anywhere

Kate Moss shows off her pants in a new Jamie Harley shot video for Evan Voytas's song 'Tomorrow Night We'll Go Anywhere' from his recent EP of the same name.



More at cascine.us.

Evan Voytas : Our Thing

Keeping the dying embers of autumn sun alive for a few moments longer, the delicately funky 'Our Thing' by LA-based Evan Voytas is from his new 'Tomorrow Night We'll Go Anywhere' EP. Although his spare time is currently taken up by playing in backing bands for Fly Lo and Gonjasufi, if this peach of a song is anything to go on they'll need to advertise for a replacement soon. 'Tomorrow Night We'll Go Anywhere' is out now via ace label Cascine.

MP3:
'Our Thing'

More at cascine.us.

Fela Kuti : Reissues

Knitting Factory Records release their third set of reissues by Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti this week. Spanning 1976-1980 the titles are Zombie, Upside Down/Music of Many Colours, Stalemate/Fear Not For Man, Opposite People/Sorrow, Tears and Blood, Shuffering & Shmiling/No Agreement) and V.I.P./ Authority Stealing.

MP3:
Fela Kuti 'Zombie'

More at knittingfactoryrecords.com

Hackney Colliery Band : Money

Gotta love a bit of brass.

More at Wah Wah 45s.

Psychobuildings : Portrait

Psychobuildings is pretty odd and pretty good.

MP3:
Psychobuildings 'Portrait'

More at transparentblog.com.

Primary 1 : Princess

I'm sure there's a pun in crossing Madness with Mad Max somewhere but its too late on a Friday afternoon for me. So just check out Primary 1's video for 'Princess' and be done with it.



Follow @theprimary1.

The Baker Brothers & Talc Live

I'm playing records at this night with some of my favourite people: funk trio The Baker Brothers, "the greatest band in the world" Talc and the legend that is Dom Servini. Its in support of The Baker Bros new album 'Avid Sounds', which features versions of some of their (and mine as it happens) favourite songs including: Fly Like An Eagle, Family Tree, Shack Up, Street Player...and more!

MP3:
The Baker Brothers 'Avid Sounds' Mixtape

Buy £5 tickets here.

Laurel Halo : Future Fruit

Having soaked up free jazz in Ann Arbor, house and techno in Detroit and folk and pop in Thailand Laurel Halo had a unique world of influences to draw on, which has resulted in a very distinctive sound. Now living and recording material in Brooklyn, 'Future Fruit' has been remixed by PS favourite Radiant Dragon.

Download 'Future Fruit'
Download 'Future Fruit' (Radiant Dragon Remix)

Get Back Guinozzi : Low Files Tropical

Get Back Guinozzi have a naughty video for their new single 'Low Files Tropical'.



Buy at FatCat.

Richard Swift : The Atlantic Ocean

Richard Swift's new album 'The Atlantic Ocean' is released in the UK next week. The blue-eyed soul of 'Lady Luck' is the best track on it and luckily its also available for free from Secretly Canadian's website.



Download 'Lady Luck'

Buy at Amazon.

Proper Big Ones Mix

Proper Songs is throwing a party on the 15th August at The Boogaloo (AS IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW) so here's a mix of songs - Proper Big Ones - we may or may not play...but you get the gist.

1. R. Dean Taylor 'There's A Ghost In My House' (Motown)
2. Anita Harris 'The Clapping Song' (CBS)
3. The Phenomenal Handclap Band '15 to 20' (Tummy Touch)
4. Talking Heads 'Psycho Killer' (Sire)
5. America 'Horse With No Name' [Todd Terje aka Wade Nichols Edit] (Warner Brothers)
6. Roxy Music 'Love Is The Drug' [Proper Songs Reedit] (Island)
7. David Bowie 'Lets Dance' (EMI)
8. Fleetwood Mac 'Little Lies' (Warner Brothers)
9. Anita Ward 'Ring My Bell' (TK Records)
10. Orange Juice 'Rip It Up' (Polydor)
11. George McCrae 'I Get Lifted' (TK Records)
12. Booker T & the MGs 'Green Onions' (Stax)
13. The Stranglers 'Peaches' (EMI)
14. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukelele 'You Can't Force A Dance Party' (Paw Tracks)

Proper Big Ones by Proper Songs on Mixcloud

Off The Grid Mix

What with Proper Songs HQ still not having the 'net since moving (though we're not homeless now) and to make up for the absence of a podcast this month, here is a 1 hour 'Off The Grid' mix straight off the old vinyl - snaps, crackles and pops at no extra cost.

01. Dion - Daddy Rollin' (Decca)
02. Bonnie Koloc - Don't Leave Me (Ovation)
03. Francoise Hardy - Le Temps De L'Amour (PYE)
04. Fleetwood Mac - Hypnotized (Reprise)
05. Lalo Shifron - Quite Village (CTI)
06. Madlib - Elements For Mr Crabfeather (Stones Throw)
07. Lark - Hatbox [The Bees Version] (Care In The Community)
08. Donovan - Teen Angel (PYE)
09. Neotropic - Sunflower Girl (Ntone)
10. Roxy Music - Avalon (Warner Brothers)
11. Family Man Barrett - Soul Constitution (Dubstore Records)
12. Sam Ragga Band - Ibis Dub (Eimsbush Entertainment)
13. Found - Mullokian Dub (Surface Pressure)
14. Money Mark - Sometimes You Gotta Make It Alone (Mowax)
15. Scanner - 1978 Formant Modular (Static Caravan)
16. Elmore Judd - Eigenfunktion (Above The Clouds)
17. Yo La Tengo - Autumn Sweater [u-ZIQ Remix] (Matador)
18. The Beach Boys - All I Wanna Do (CBS)

Off The Grid by Proper Songs on Mixcloud

DJ Food : One Man's Weird Is Another Man's World

News of the forthcoming DJ Food EP was announced today along with the quite fantastic artwork by 2000AD artist Henry Flint. 'One Man's Weird Is Another Man's World' is released on 6th July, here's what they say about the tracks.

'The Illectrik Hoax' features Nathaniel Pearn aka Natural Self aka one half of The Broken Keys in a role he's not normally known for - vocalist. Kev approached him after hearing an uncredited vocalist on two Broken Keys tracks which turned out to be Nathaniel's first forays into singing.

'extract from Stolen Moments' is the first of several variations on a theme that will run through the forthcoming album of the same name. Co-written with PC and seeing the light of day in remixed form after being shelved at the last minute for the Kaleidoscope album.

'All Covered In Darkness Part 1' hosts guest appearances - in sample form - from two artists previously associated with DJ Food. Ken Nordine should need no introduction, he provides the verses whilst the harmonies of The Dragons fill the choruses. The good Dr. Rubberfunk joins in on drums to glue the whole thing together and then freq's out on Part 2 as things get heavy.

'A Trick Of The Ear' A 13 and half minute polyrhythmic percussion epic mixed by ex Tortoise member Bundy K Brown who also provides a remix with an epic title to match. Headphone music based on circular rhythms aimed at the head rather than the feet.

'Colours Beyond Colours' Meditations on colours from far out in space, looking back through the Kaleidoscope.