With the ownership of land and culture being at the forefront of some leader’s minds right now, we’ve decided to concentrate on territories for our Seasons Changes mixes this year. To create a quartet of offerings, we’ve gone back to the old concept of the Four Corners of the Earth, with our corners consisting of Africa, The Americas, Asia and Europe.

This third selection takes us to the most populated region on Earth, Asia. As we can only do 4 instalments each year, we’ve had to ditch the green Olympic ring and have thrown in all the countries of Oceania here. Again, we share music directly from the continent, music influenced by the continent, and music made by the wider diaspora moving out across the world.

Asia has the hottest capital city on the planet, which is Bangkok in Thailand, but it also has the coldest, Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia (from where crane driving beat maker Bodikhuu dreams of Brazil and one of his tracks features here). It’s musical history is as diverse as it’s weather, from origin unknown instruments to scenes that copy, imitate and improve better than anyone else in the world. In all honesty there’s too much to write about it as one region, which is why we let the music take you their instead.

45 tracks curated by Kamikaze, Jimmy Monsta Funk and Keith P. 

Full track list below, hope you dig it.

Phuong Tam – 60 Nam [Sublime Frequencies]
Akiko Yano – Another Wedding Song [We Want Sounds]
Meitei – Shinobi [Kitchen Label]
Sundancer – Dedare Tanjung [La Munai]
Bill Evans Orchestra – 55 Days at Peking [5 Borough Breaks]
Fat Freddys Drop – Pull the Catch [The Drop]
HAAi – Bodies Of Water [Mute]
Park Hye Jin – Never Die [Ninja Tune]
Yaeji & Oh Hyuk – 29 [XL]
Black Allan Barker – Take Me Back [Flippin Yeah Records]
Paul Marks – Botany Bay [Black Box Records]
The Herd – 77% [Elefant Tracks]
Bodikhuu – Berimbau [Farsi]
Light the Fuse – Spiral [Black Milk]
Betty Chung – Bang Bang [Back To Mine]
Arooj Aftab – Inayaat [Verve]
Morteza Mahjubi – Improvisation In Afshari [Death Is Not The End]
Divide And Dissolve – Denial [Invada]
The Apples – Killing! [Freestyle Records]
Karakuri & Kazahaya – Funcky Water [Breakin’ Bread Records]
Steroscopic Jerk Explosion – Sitarmania [Cosmic Groove]
Nazir Ali feat. Nahid Akhlar – Society Girl [Finders Keepers]
Nashenas – Your Sorrow Is Killing Me [Strut]
Baligh Hamdi & Magid Khan – Gazairia [Altercat]
Shankar Jaikishan – Todi [Outernational]
The Sun Ra Allstars Band – Hiroshima (excerpt) [Art Yard]
Geinoh Yamashirogumi – Kaneda [Victory]
Kyoka – 23ish [Raster-Noton]
Ofra Haza   Im Nin’Alu (Paid in Full Mix) [Globe Style]
Lokkhi Terra Meets Shikor Bangladesh Allstars – Shaddho Ki Re Amar [Funkiwala]
Levni & Sloth Pallas – Msakker (feat Stormtrap Asifeh) [Tektosag]
Oliver Doerell & Jawad Salkhordeh – 1979 [Sonic Pieces]
Uwalmassa – Rantas [Mana]
Prettybwoy – Genetic Dance II [Svbkvlt]
Leon Thomas – China Doll [Soul Brother Records]
Lord Beatjtzu – Ol’ Dirty Kung Fu (excerpt) [Asgard Records]
M. Ashraf – Too Bhi Piala Chum [Finders Keepers]
Kink Gong – Xinjiang – AT (horse) (excerpt) [Discrepant]
Pu Yai Lee Santana – Rung Fah Puping [Finders Keepers]
Madlib – The Rumble [Stones Throw]
Malik Abdul-Rahmaan – Kampung Baru Stroll [Paxico Records]
Hermitude – Splendid Isolation [Elefant Traks]
Yoshinori Sunahara – Journey Beyond The Stars [Pool]
Mr Ho – Not Good With Others [禁 JIN]
Flora Yin Wong – Hanging A Thief [First Light]
Ken Ishii – Extra [R&S]
Yothu Yindi – Treaty (Peace Division Vocal) [Mushroom]
Tony Brown – Bengali Love [NSC]

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Working around the globe in line with Equinoxes and Solstices, Jimmy Monsta Funk and Kamikaze continue bringing together a collection of records to represent a different corner of the globe. These sessions are epic. If you missed Africa (https://awkmo.co/four-corners-2022-africa-kamikaze-v-jmf/) I highly recommend going back to check it.

Defining “The Americas” sonically is a difficult task. With the USA arguably being the most broadcast, exposed and targeted culture, balancing their “American Songbook” with a region infinitely older presents a pretty wide chasm, and plenty of opportunity for misses. The crew take the challenge in stride, weighing the contributions of The Pharcyde, Stevie Wonder, Plastikman and Prince next to Dengue Dengue Dengue out of Peru, much reissued 50’s cha-cha band Conjunto Casino, Puerto Rican bandleader Eddie Palmieri and Brazilian samba singer Elza Soares.

30 tracks spread across two hours. Kick back and open your mind.

Victor Jara – Manifesto [Canto Libre]
Stevie Wonder – Pastime Paradise [Motown]
IAM – Tam Tam De l’Afrique [Parlophone]
Edwin Producciones – El Nato [Honest Jons]
Dengue Dengue Dengue – Dorada [Enchufada]
(Rara in Haiti) – Bourg Champagne [Folkways]
Marcelo D2 – A Procura Da Batida Perfeita [Mr Bongo]
The Pharcyde – Runnin’ (Jay Dee Extended Mix) [Delicious Vinyl]
Elza Soaras – Mas Que Nada [Blue Note]
Jean C Roche (Birds of Venezuela) – Palmar [Sub Rosa]
Gail Laughton – Babylon 1500 BC [Pleasure For Music]
Eden Ahbez & John Harris – Overcomers Of The World [Bear Family]
Prince – Mountains (Extended Version) [Paisley Park]
The Staples Singers – Slippery People (Club Version) [CBS]
Grace Jones – Pull Up To The Bumper [Island]
Uwarani – Lemesi Le Bichugubei [Soul Jazz]
Steel Image – Shango! [Trans Air]
Solat ft Billy Jones – You Are Gonna Miss Me [Kindred Spirits]
A Tribe Called Red – The Road Ft. Black Bear [Scion]
LCD Soundsystem – North American Scum [DFA]
Original Tropicana Steel Band – Funky Abbey Road [Steel Funk]
Conjunto Casino – Que Golazo [Vampi Soul]
Eddie Palmieri & La Perfecta – Cachita [Grosso]
Francisco – Wache [Heavenly Sweetness]
Plastikman – Spastik [Novamute]
Red Planet – Wardance [Red Planet]
Calexico – Güero Canelo (Nortec Mix By Panoptica) [City Slang]
Walter Gavitt Ferguson – Bachelor [Bongo Joe]
Joseph Spence – The Glory Of Love [Mississippi]
Gina Martin – Omo Belli [Soul Jazz] 

The post Four Corners 2022: The Americas – JMF v Kamikaze appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

I don’t know how I could’ve been any later on posting this, the first edition of the annual equinoxical rituals from Awkward Movements crew. The fact that part 2 for 2022 is just days away prompted me to lock myself away for a few minutes and share what’s become one of my most important listening pieces for the year so far.

Recorded back in February and shared at the time, Kamikaze and Jimmy Monsta Funk took on Africa as the theme for the first of the musical explorations. The deepest of the four corners when it comes to sonic contribution and evolution, it’s probably unsurprising then how much material they’ve pulled out here that I’m. hearing for the first time.

There’s no way to describe this besides a beautiful journey. There are many intersections where raw field recordings meet modern interpretations on traditional rhythms seamlessly. As always I’m left in awe of these two masters.

With the ownership of land and culture being at the forefront of some leader’s minds right now, we’ve decided to concentrate on territories for our Seasons Changes mixes this year. To create a quartet of offerings, we’ve gone back to the old concept of the Four Corners of the Earth, with our corners consisting of Africa, The Americas, Asia and Europe. We’ve racked our brains as to how we’ll divide up the countries of the World, but it’s a much more anodyne process than that which took place in Berlin in 1884, Cairo in 1921 or Yalta in 1945.

This first selection takes us to the cradle of civilization, Africa. We hope to share with you music directly from the continent, music influenced by the continent, and the threads of culture that weaved into the multi-lingual countries that the African diaspora have spread out to under the steam of their own volition, and through the threat and receipt of violence by their colonial oppressors.

Full tracklist below.

Happy Equinox! x

Mulatu of Ethiopia – Chifara [Worthy]
Pharaoh Sanders – Our Roots Began In Africa [Verve]
Cesária Évora – Angola (Bateau Ivre Rework by Pepe Bradock) [Lusafrica]
The Ano Nobo Quartet – Maria Cze Bu Tem [Ostinato]
Maulidi Musical Party – Kabibi [Buda]
Maalem Mahmoud Gania – La Ilha Illa Allah [Hive Mind]
Salah Ragab – Ole (Cairo Version) [Honest Jons]
Aby Ngana Diop – Dieuleul-Dieuleul [Awesome Tapes of Africa]
Hugh Masekela – Don’t Go Lose It Baby [Jive]
Albert Bisaso Ssempeke & Band – Akasozi Bamunanuka Keyagaza [Nyege Nyege Tapes]
Mira Calix – Transport Me [Warp]
Klein – Skyfall [Pentatone]
Africa Express Presents – Terry Riley’s In C Mali [Transgressive]
Maw Presents A Tribute To Fela – MAW Expensive [MAW Records]
Buraka Som Sistema – Komba Featuring Kaysha [Enchufada]
Hunanki – Atiah Mba [Makkum]
Nihiloxica – Black Kaveera [Crammed Discs]
Pan Afrique – Angee Koko : Rasta Cobra Okot Rework [Nyege Nyege Tapes]
Nephews of Phela – Uhuru Mash-Up* [Unknown]
Africanism Loves Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Steel Storm (Main Mix) [Africanism]
Four Brothers – Makorokoto [Discograph]
Hocine Chaoui – Ouechesma [Outer National]
Guedra Guedra – Aura [On The Corner]
Zuli – Where Do You Go [UIQ]
Stay-C – Russian Doll [Hospital]
MC Solaar – Nouveau Western [Talkin’ Loud]
Aquizim – African Connection [Ariwa]
Scotch Rolex – Omuzira (ft. MC Yallah) [Hakuna Kalala]
DJ Black Low – Stiwawa Quitter [Awesome Tapes From Africa]
Riton & Kah-Lo – Fake ID [Last Gang]

The post Four Corners 2022: Africa – Kamikaze v JMF appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

“Water is wet” – Shabazz Palaces, 2020

Following from the goal to capture the four elements sonically, we’re closing at 2022 (and Seasons Change 2021) in tribute to the December solstice with a dedication to Water. Jimmy Monsta Funk and Kamikaze stepped up to deliver 30 cuts over two and a half hours drawn from their collections. 

Some words from the man Kamikaze aka Paul Ackroyd:

“Well there’s an Atlantis mix near the back end, as an excuse to drop Donovan in an Awkmo mix. Also the Sun Ra sprawler ‘Atlantis’, and Gail Laughton from the harps of the ancient temples album from 1969 which has just got a sketchy bootleg press, but ghostly harp business about a 23k year old Atlantis temple.

Needed a skanker, so Augustus Pablo east of the river Nile. Tune. Also a sweet version of Ol’ Man River from that brilliant Reefer Songs album on Trikont (https://www.discogs.com/release/5722153-Various-Dope-Glory-Reefer-Songs-Der-30er-40er-Jahre) and a steel band doing a tune called ‘Mambo Lake’, cos that sounds like a sexy body of water alright.

There’s a snippet of Ras G about an expensive glass of water, the aforementioned wet by Shabazz Palaces, and some aqua glitch from Muslimgauze taken from Islamaphobia.

My first section calls on the original Czech Little Mermaid, Mala, Zdenek liska, before a stunning piano piece called song of the sea by everyone’s favourite ethiopian piano playing nun, Emahoy Tsegue Marian Guebru. Dwight trible closes this section with a water flow tune from his Cosmic Vibrations project.

My closing picks are really wet, with a massive field recording piece from Annea Lockwood’s study of the Danube, this particular section between the German towns of Fridingen to Ulm. Asa Chang follows with a brassy offering full of crashing waves before the mix closes with a Dirty Three classic from their ocean songs album, with the tune deep water very much standing the test of time.”

Enjoy.

Robert Hood – Face in the Water [Rekids]
Infiniti – Walking on Water [Tresor]
Terrence Dixon – Untitled 1 (Lost at Sea) [Surface]
Zdenek Liska – The Black Sea [Finders Keepers]
Emahoy Tsegue Mairam Guebru – Song Of The Sea [Mississippi]
Cosmic Vibrations Ft Dwight Trible – Water Flow [SpiritMuse]
Oldtoy – Water [FuFu]
Mos Def – New World Water [Rawkus]
Farsight – Door to the River [Maloca]
Augustus Pablo – East Of The River Nile [Music Club]
Cootie Williams & His Rug Cutters – Ol’ Man River [Trikont]
The Westland Steel Band – Mambo Lake [Nonesuch]
Studio Pressure – The Water Margin [Photek]
Inta-Warriors – Aqua-Pura [Dee Jay Recordings]
Black Radical MKII ‎– Monsoon [2 The Bone Mr. Modo]
Ras_G – $2 Cup Of Water [Leaving]
Shabazz Palaces – Wet [Sub Pop]
Muslimgauze – The Emir Of Aqua [Level Plane]
Lady Alma and The Rainmakers – Let it Fall (Original Mix) [Wonderwax]
Felix Da Housecat – Submarine (Splash Remix & Original Edit) [Radikal Fear]
Dukwa – Water [Dukwa Music]
Gail Laughton – Atlantis 21,000 B.C. [Pleasure For Music]
Donovan – Atlantis [EMI]
Sun Ra & His Astro-Infinity Arkestra – Atlantis [Saturn Research]
Mala – Sound Of The River Featuring Sylvia Falcón [Brownswood]
Carl Craig Presents Zoos Of Berlin – Looking For Water [Rapster]
Pixies – River Euphrates [4AD]
Annea Lockwood – A Sound Map Of The Danube : Fridingen To Ulm [Lovely Music]
Asa Chang & Junray – Kaikyo [Leaf]
Dirty Three – Deep Waters [Touch & Go]

The post JMF v Kamikaze – Seasons Change 2021: Water appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

‘Fire’ was approached slightly different, with each of us offering up multiple sections of 3-5 records and then Kamikaze taking on the task of sewing together the chunks. When we submitted our separate chunks they were mostly done across different genres – it was an approach we’re trying for the first time and that I’m keen to stick with.

The records were literally falling off the shelves for this one. It was the first time I had cause to reflect on funk, as a genre, and it’s tight relationship to fire, heat and burning. Jimmy Monsta Funk would likely argue the same for dub.

It’s only as I type this that I realise my folly in not including something to tribute to the famed Disco Demolition Night (pictured above) or the record burnings inspired by John Lennon remarking The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus”.

But who knows how we’ll flip it next year? There was so much left unplayed.

Kamikaze: https://www.mixcloud.com/kamikaze/ – @radiokamikaze
Jimmy Monsta Funk: https://www.mixcloud.com/JimmyMonstaFunk/ – @jimmymonstafunk

Niney – Blood and Fire [Trojan]
Prince Jazzbo – Fire Coal Version [Soul Jazz]
Ebenezer Calendar and His Maringer Band – Fire Fire Fire [Honest Jons]
Roger Robinson – Ashes to Fire [Jahtari]
Clancy Eccles – Fire Corner [Trojan]
Run Stop Restore – Light My Fire (1999 Future Mix) [Throw]
Little Barrie – Burned Out (DJ Nu-Mark Remix) [Genuine]
Lil’ Lavair and the Fabulous Jades – Cold Heat [Now-Again Records]
S.O.U.L. – Burning Spear [Top Pop]
Boris Gardiner – Melting Pot (Coldcut Re-Rub) [Trojan Records]
Cookin’ On Three Burners – Cressy St. Breakdown [Knowfoowl Music]
People Like Us & Wobbly – Bad News [Illegal Art]
Various Productions – I’m Really Hot [White label]
Squarepusher – My Red Hot Car (Girl) [Warp]
Naomi Daniel – Feel The Fire (Party Mix) [Outland]
Paul Johnson – Burnin’ For Your Yearnin’ [Dust Traxx]
808 State – Fire Cracker [Creed]
Bibio – Fire Ant [Warp Records]
Danny Drive-Thru – Violence Makes [Mind Fire]
Gaby Y Carlos – Hot Heavy Heat (Dimlite’s ‘Hot Air And Thick Plastic’ Remix) [Ish]
Richie Spice – Burnin’ (Coki Remix) [White label]
The Bug Ft. Manga Saint Hilare – Bang [Ninja Tune]
General Levy – Heat [Soul Jazz]
Lewi Cifer – Heat (Lewcified Remix) [Miami Inc.]
Johnny Jungle – Flammable [Suburban Base]
John B – Firewall [New Identity]
The Next Men (feat. Cutty Ranks, Dynamite MC, Rodney P) – Fire Walking [Scenario Records]
Percee P – Raw Heat (Original Version) [Stones Throw]
Fatlip – First Heat [Delicious Vinyl]
Mix-O-Rap – I Got That Fire [PPU]
Jana Rush – Rapid Fire [Objects Ltd]
J Dilla – Light My Fire [Stones Throw]
Sly & Robbie – Fire [4th & Broadway]
Midnight Funk Association – Firescratch [Mo Wax Excursions]
The Cure – Hot Hot Hot !!! (Extended Remix) [Elektra]
Kaiju – Burn Down Babylon [Deep Medi Musik]
only joe – Play With Fire (Dubkasm Remix) [Unit 137]
Hidden Operator – Dub You Understand (Arctic Haiti Version) [Kings Chamber]
GU’s Jaz Collective – Fuego De Sangre [Superb Entertainment]
Mad Bas’tard – I Am The Future (Strictly Underground Mix) [Omen]
G Double E – Fire When Ready [Jumpin’ & Pumpin’]
White Noise – Firebird [Island]
Uilab – St Elmo’s Fire [Duophonic Super 45s]
Broadcast – Drums On Fire [Warp]

The post JMF v Keith P v Kamikaze – Seasons Change 2021: Fire appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

I’m out of the picture this round with the birth of the latest addition to the Pettinger clan (welcome to the world Miles!), but Jimmy Monsta Funk (https://www.mixcloud.com/JimmyMonstaFunk) continues his recent onslaught of mixes with a wonderfully blustering wind-themed offering, whilst Kamikaze (https://www.mixcloud.com/kamikaze) goes full Chicago to recognise the incredibly rich musical heritage of the so-called Windy City.

Check out both mixes below with track list and narration underneath the links. And as always I hope to be back in action soon – in this case once I’ve finished googling “cheap people movers”.

Jimmy Monsta Funk

Artist ‎– Heavy Sea And Wind (EMI Seaside Sound Effect Record)
Hannah Peel – Wind Shadow (My Own Pleasure)
George Benson – The Wind and I (Warner Bros)
Santana – Singing Winds, Crying Beasts (CBS)
Talking Heads – Air (Sire)
Reggie Dokes – Earth, Wind & Fire (We Play House)
Ed Nine – Lake Shore Breeze (Tales)
Mandrake – World Wind (Dust Tracks)
Silent Phase – Air Puzzle (R&S)
Perception & Mad Mike – Windchime (Underground Resistance)
Fat Freddys Drop – Wild Wind (The Drop)
Kraftwerk – Aerodynamik (Kling Klang Dynamik Mix) (EMI / Kling Klang)
Shogun – Wind Dancer (Remix) (R&S)
Tableek – Everyone Knows Wind (BurntBerry)
Bob Dylan – Idiot Wind (CBS)

Kamikaze

So, Chicago…

Now I know what you’re all thinking here – neither Satchmo or Jelly Roll, nor indeed Jlin, are actually from Chicago. No, technically not, but the former two were early relocators to, and both such vital players in the jazz blueprint of the city, so they absolutely need representing here. And Jlin, from just down the road in Indiana is arguably the most important cog in the juke wheel post-Rashad, so she’s totally in here too!

A word on juke, because when I first became aware of it c.2009 I was sceptical, thought it would be a short-lived gimmick at best, but in fact it has gone from strength to strength over the past decade or so and remained one of the freshest genres out there. I’ve pulled a handful of my all-time juke hall of fame tunes in here. I’ve attempted to mix them but am woefully out of practice, so although far from slick, the tunes are bangin! Rashad & Freshmoon, Taye & Manny, Rashad & Manny, Nate, Jana Rush, EQ Why & Traxman, RP Boo, and of course Jlin.

Another splatterbeat carnage fest occurs later in the mix when a handful of 126 ish belters land in succession. In here there’s GU Boo, Chaka Khan, Beau Wanzer, Greens Keepers, Africans With Mainframes, and Hieroglyphic Being.

On a dance tip I should mention there’s a lot of stuff that isn’t necessarily covered here, and it’s interesting to think of how every record bod would approach a Chicago mix differently. Yes it always starts with jazz in Chicago, but we all take such different paths through music that I think most people would bring a different, though equally valid, three hours to the table. In fact I challenge any of you to go full Chicago, I wanna hear what road you go down. Gauntlet thrown.

So, jazz. Because yes, it really does all start with jazz. Even when the actual jazz is off the table, its spirit remains. It infiltrates everything. This is the town that spawned math rock for goodness sake!

A mix of new and old jazz, hot and swing in here though. The aforementioned Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong, but also Lionel Hampton, Mead Lux Lewis, La Mont Zero Theatre, Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra, Art Ensemble of Chicago, and Matana Roberts, whose Coin Coin series has been an absolute revelation over the past decade or so. We’re on Chapter Four now, from which the tune in this mix is taken. If you’ve not caught up with these yet, you know what to do!

So math rock! Yes, math rock. We all hated the name, but good god did this offer us some fantastically angular guitar treats. Tortoise were always the posterkids of math, and if you’re not up to speed with your Tortoise then it’s time to get acquainted via whatever medium you digest your music.

But there were a slew of other acts challenging what it meant to be a rock band through the 80s, 90s and 00s, with endless short run 7″s, LPs and CD releases. Some became household names, others disappeared from memory. Featured in here are tunes from Shellac, Assembly Line People Program, Bablicon, and We Raggazi, who released a short but perfectly formed album in the late 90s, and whom I had completed erased from my memory until I started pulling this show together.

Always a lot of funk and soul and blues when thinking Chicago too. Curtis Mayfield, The Emotions, Maurice & Mac, Earth, WInd & Fire, The Chi-Lites, Kip Tyler, and The Staple Singers all featured in here.

Never a shortage of experimental offerings from Chicago either. We’ve got our two favourites Lauries – Anderson and Spiegel – both featured here.

And wrapping up the loose ends, one man band next levelist The Lonesome Organist, dirgey beatsmiths Shadowlust, post-flamenco dudes Gastr Del Sol, Ivor Cutler coverist Jim O’Rourke, troubled soul Kanye West, and house godfather Mr Fingers.

Chicago Rocks!!!

Jelly Roll Morton – The Jelly Roll Blues [Biograph]
Mead Lux Lewis – Honky Tonk Train Blues [Magpie]
Louis Armstrong – Doctor Jazz [RCA]
Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra – Hamp’s Boogie Woogie [Solid Sender]
Kip Tyler – She’s My Witch [Ebb]
Maurice & Mac – Lay It On Me [Checker]
Curtis Mayfield – Superfly (single edit) [Sequel]
The Emotions – I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love [CBS]
DJ Rashad & DJ Manny – R House [Planet Mu]
Jlin – Never Created, Never Destroyed [Planet Mu]
Jana Rush – Old Skool [Objects Ltd]
EQ Why & Traxman – Pump Dat Jam [Orange Milk]
DJ Taye & DJ Manny – Need It [Hyperdub]
DJ Rashad & Freshmoon – Everybody [Hyperdub]
DJ Nate – Sexual Healing [Planet Mu]
Kanye West – Gold Digger [Roc-A-Fella]
Laurie Spiegel – Patchwork [Unseen Worlds]
Gastr Del Sol – Bauchredner [Domino]
The Lonesome Organist – All Of Those Dirty Swine [Thrill Jockey]
Laurie Anderson – O Superman [white label]
Bablicon – An Orange Pumpkin Glowing Moon Ensemble [Pickled Egg]
Rob Mazurek Exploding Star Orchestra – Parable 3000 (We All Come From Somewhere Else) [International Anthem]
Matana Roberts – Trail Of The Shining Sphinx [Constellation]
La Mont Zero Theatre – Eulogy For The Black Fairy [Athens Of The North]
Art Ensemble Of Chicago – Theme De Yoyo [Universal Sound]
Tortoise – Eros [Warp]
Shellac – This Is A Picture [Touch & Go]
Assembly Line People Program – Noise Version 80 [Transcopic]
We Ragazzi – Being Alive Is Like Vandalizin [My Pal God]
Emperor Penguin – How Y’All Feel [My Pal God]
Mr Fingers – Can You Feel It (Chuck D Mix) [Trax]
RP Boo – Back From The Future [Planet Mu]
Hieroglyphic Being – Under The Stars [Last Known Trajectory]
Chaka Khan – I Feel For You (Remix) [Warner]
Beau Wanzer – Hey Hey Hey Hey [Russian Torrent Versions]
Greens Keepers – Bang In Your Face [Classic]
GU Boo – Make Me Dance [Strictly Jazz]
Africans With Mainframes – Negroid Spink [Soul Jazz]
Shadowlust – Jute [LIES]
Earth, Wind & Fire – Brazilian Rhyme (Interlude) [Columbia]
The Chi-Lites – Have You Seen Her [Brunswick]
The Staple Singers – Go Tell It On The Moutain [Fantasy]
Jim O’Rourke – Prelude To 110 Or 220 / Women Of The World [Drag City]

The post Kamikaze v JMF – Seasons Change 2021: Wind appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

And while Jimmy Monsta Funk and Kamikaze aka Paul Ackroyd have never stopped peddling the goods, it’s definitely been a minute since I’ve joined them on a session. Here’s our first offering for the year to whatever equinox deity might be listening.

Essentially one show in three pieces, Kamikaze opens it up, serving mostly beatless selections. All classical, choral, experimental, synth, jazz and the like somehow compressed in to the ten track limit we’d agreed on. Jimmy Monsta Funk picks up after an hour or so with tracks that cross musical genres and touch on the many aspects of earth from living down here to viewing the planet from space, before I finish it off with a bunch of joints that have no business talking to each other, but do anyway. There’s a min-essay on my track selection right down the bottom here, feel free to read along as you listen.

Full show and selections below.

Kamikaze (0:00 – 58:25) 

Eric Whitacre, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Eric Whitacre Singers, Virtual Choir 5 – Deep Field Earth Choir
Meredith Monk, Vocal Ensemble, Wayne Hankin – Atlas – Part 3 : Invisible Light : Earth Seen From Above
Terry Riley, Kronos Quartet – One Earth, One People, One Love (From Sun Rings)
Tina Davidson, Hilary Hahn, Cory Smythe – Blue Curve Of The Earth
Jonny Trunk – Seven Tenths Of The Earth
Teresa Winter – สวรรค์ and Earth
Sun Ra And The Arkestra – Planet Earth
Baudouin de Jaer – Movements Of The Earth Around The Sun / Mouvements de la Terre Autour du Soleil
Bruce Lacey – Earth Spirit 7
Joe Henderson and Alice Coltrane – Earth

Jimmy Monsta Funk (58:25 – 1:46:20)

20th Century Steel Band – Heaven And Hell Is On Earth (Steel Funk)
X-Clan – Earth Bound (4th and Broadway)
D Mob – That’s The Way Of The World (Dub-Me Mix) (FFRR)
Nathan Haines Featuring Verna Francis – Earth Is The Place (DJ Gregory & Julien Jabre Voxy Pass) (Chilli Funk)
Armando – World Beat (Radikal Fear)
Armand Van Helden ft. Tekitha – Mother Earth (Armed)
Coldcut – This Island Earth Featuring Mpho Skeef (Ninja Tune)
Appaloosa – Travelling (Good Looking Records)
Asend & Ultravibe ‎– What Kind Of World (Back 2 Basics)
Sterac Electronics – Legacy Of A Lost World (Interpersonal XP)

Keith P (1:46:20 – 2:33:50)

Quick story (hopefully): I have no idea where my copy of The Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull by Earth is. 

The reason I bring that up is that my selection of tracks here was driven entirely by a search for that record. When Paul and JMF table an idea for a session, theme or general direction for us to come together with some radio on it sometimes becomes a process. It can become deep very quickly. I can spend days pondering years, alternative meanings, record sleeves and my state of purchasing items in my collection to find threads to tell a story. This is where the culling becomes, trying to create a narrative, and some of the best records are often lost to the fact that you just can’t make them work at any point in the the mix.

And keep in mind I bring the shallowest level of thought to this between the three of us: the other two go proper deep.

This time, however, it was not the case. When it was decided that the Seasons Change for 2021 would follow the four elements I started looking for my only Earth record which seemed appropriate. As I shifted through the shelves and boxes I started pulling out records that caught my eye as having an ‘Earth’ theme or connection; some on cover art, some on names and some on concept. When I got to ten I stopped. Despite genres or regrets of what I pulled together I wanted to see where it would go.

And that might answer the question as to why there’s no Ras G. The man we’ve spent more time bonding over, playing and writing about got no airtime despite his themes of space and the series called Down 2 Earth. I guess sometimes you just want to work for it a bit more.

Annoyingly, I still haven’t found my Earth record. I spent a few more days looking for it but never added to my stash of records that I’d already pulled for this show. I even went on to Discogs to see when I logged it, hoping for a clue, only for the database to tell me I never owned it. This is an outright lie. I know it’s in my house somewhere and now I can’t wait to find it, if only to prove my online collection wrong.

Track list below.

Galarrwuy Yunupingu – ‘Gurindji Blues’ (taken from Buried Country: An Anthology Of Aboriginal Australian Country Music)

There was no more logical place for me to start than with something from Mississippi Records’ compilation of Aboriginal Australian country music. The indigenous population of Aboriginal Australians are the world’s oldest civilisation, and as a culture have an unfathomable connection to the land.

The Beastie Boys – ‘Electric Worm’ (taken from The Mix Up)

As I passed The Mix Up I was reminded of the 7″ that came off the album, ‘Electric Worm.’ A lot of what we consider a connection to Earth comes from a necessity and dependency on the planet and the element, in a lot of cases it’s a mostly take-take relationship. Things growing from it, using it as a home, drawing nutrients and the rest. If my Year 4 science has stood up (hi Mrs. Burns), then these earth worms might be an exception to this rule. Much like trees taking on polluted air and creating fresh oxygen, earth worms pass the soil through their bodies and actually improve it’s fertility as a result.

King Geedorah – ‘Fazers’ (taken from Take Me To Your Leader) 

“King Geedorah / Take me to your leader…” – one of the greatest and rememberable album opening lines of all time. MF Doom’s Take Me To Your Leader  was the mother of all concept albums at the time of release and has held up almost 20 years on. 45 minutes of tracks written from the perspective of a giant three-headed lizard invading Earth…enough said?

Curtis Mayfield – Back To The World (taken from Back To The World)

Taking on a view of the Earth as the World, I couldn’t go pass this Curtis Mayfield classic. The title track from the 1973 album always struck me as odd that it says ‘back in the world’ constantly despite the LP and song being ‘back to the world’. As opening cut it actually references the later parts of the record that are yet to come, which again always struck me as odd but speaks to Mayfield’s ability to release LPs that take you on a full journey, more like movies than records in some cases.

The Dirtbombs – ‘Jaguar’ (taken from Party Store)

Self-explanatory reference to dirt and earth, I’ve definitely not played this LP out as much as I should have. I was actually a big fan of The Dirtbombs about ten years before this crossover album of Detroit techno covers slung them to a new audience. Might be why I never gelled with this one as much as I could have as Party Store sounded nothing like anything they did during that earlier era when Jack White was touting them as an early influence. 

Drexciya – ‘Surface Terrestrial Colonization’ (taken from Neptune’s Lair)

Artists that I listen to are generally obsessed with space, and understandably so. Perhaps it was Sun-Ra’s influence, or our desire to be unbound but the infiniteness of space, but for whatever reason it’s a key driver in a lot of my favourite musical projects. Drexciya bucked this trend by creating their nautical afrofuturist myth of a civilisation underwater, born from slaves that were tossed overboard. We’re looking up for the future, maybe we should be looking down. This track sits in their storytelling as the meeting of the Drexciyans and those who walk on the Earth.

Pangaea – ‘Router’ (taken from Stepper’s Delight 2)

Listening back now, I could’ve done better here. I grabbed Pangaea to be resemblant of the largest supercontinent that ever existed, combining all of Earth’s landmass some 250 million years ago. I don’t want to bash anyone’s work here, as I’ve played this out and was a big fan of ‘Memories’ amongst other, but like so much else from this era this just hasn’t held up.

Zomby – ‘Digital Flora’ (taken from Digtal Fauna / Digital Flora)

Zomby’s catalogue, on the other hand, is like a bottle of Grange (I’ve heard, truth told I’ve never had as much as a sip). Not the whole thing (I mean who’s is?) sure, but it’s one of the most distinguishable sounds and seems to draw me back more regularly than is probably healthy. I’ve gone with one ‘Digital Flora’ here for obvious reasons, from the 10″ that has ‘Digital Fauna’ on the flip. This is one of those records that’s amazing on both sides, but never gets played out due to lack of intro/outro and time signature changes.

Linkwood and House of Traps – ‘Barely Eagle’ (taken from Firecracker EP 4)

Another 10″ plate…what a great format that is. Firecracker Recordings were the ones doing 10″ records and screen printing sleeves way before it was cool. This one was the first time I ever heard them and represents a pivotal point in my house education. I’ve spoken before about the love that Lindsay Todd and crew put in to their music and artwork (https://awkmo.co/firecracker-recordings/), and this one is no exception. Drawing inspiration from old comic book style dot matrix printing, EP 4 depicts a world exploded, fragments of Earth showering through space. A no-brainer selection based on the cover.

The Pixies –  ‘Digging For Fire’ (taken from Bossanova)

Maybe this would have sat better when we got to fire, but looking at the words of ‘digging’ and ‘fire’ in the same sentence the symbiotic nature of “the four elements” struck me. Rarely are they separated out in any way. Maybe getting too far in to it by this point but it’s also a nice conclusion to part one of four, next up is Wind coming in June.

The post Kamikaze v JMF v Keith P – Seasons Change 2021: Earth appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

Seasons Change has become my favourite way to mark the passing of months (sorry fam). Jimmy Monsta Funk and Kamikaze aka Paul Ackroyd put a session together every few months to give the seasons the celebration and send off they deserve. These sessions mark occasions that are occurring in the calendar and deliver hours of records that evoke emotion for the time.

‘Bleak Midwinter’ is self-explanatory. And yes, it gets bleak at times. Most importantly, however, it delivers a cold message and works as an excuse to take you on a journey unique to it’s selectors. Whittled down from 100 records and edited to fit under 3h, I’m pleased to be presenting this to you.

Whatever’s stressing you out right now just remember it can, and will get better.

All the best.

Mighty Truth – Is It A Wizard, Or A Blizzard? (React)
The Positive Force With Ade Olatunji – The African In Winter (Pamoja)
Black Flower – Winter (Zephyrus)
Millsart – Dr Ice (Axis)
Alan Johnson – Goron Sound [Blank Mind]
Oni Ayhun – OAR004-A [Oni Ayhun Records]
Cold Sensation – Liquid Empire (Beat Box)
Avenue – Ice Cubes (Beat Box)
Cliché Trax – When The Snow Falls (Djax)
Jana Rush – Chill Mode [Objects Ltd]
DJ Rashad – Who Da Coldest [Planet Mu]
Mega City 2 – London to Essex in 3 Hours (Hear Dis)
Nasty Habits – Let’s Go (Cold Mix) (Reinforced)
Higher Sense – Cold Fresh Air (Remix) (Moving Shadow)
Photek – Ni Ten Ichi Ryu (Two Swords Technique) [Science]
Hi Fi Power – Chill Out [Soul Jazz]
King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown – Frozen Dub (Clocktower)
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy – The Winter Of The Long Hot Summer (4th and Broadway)
Roots Manuva – Too Cold (Big Dada)
Boxcutter – Skuff’d [Planet Mu]
Milanese – So Malleable Cold Rmx [MG77]
Ghostface Killa – Winter Warz Featuring Masta Killa & U-God (Epic)
JJ Doom – Winters Blues (Lex)
Run The Jewels – A Christmas Fucking Miracle (Big Dada)
Coldcut – More Beats and Pieces (Daddy Rips It Up Mix By Coldcut) [Ninja Tune]
DJ Kool – Let Me Clear My Throat (Klassic Kool Original Version) [CLR]
Eight Frozen Modules – Echo Youth [Planet Mu]
The Vince Guaraldi Trio – Skating (Fantasy)
Wendell Harrison – Winter (Tribe)
Lando Chill Feat. Swansuit – Love Cold (Mello Music Group)
Robert Glasper – Cold (Loma Vista)
Aretha Franklin – First Snow in Kokomo (Atlantic)
Simon and Garfunkel – A Hazy Shade Of Winter (CBS)
Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson – Winter in America (Soul Brother)
Fridge – Cut Up Piano and Xylophone [Text]
Tim Hecker – The Piano Drop [Kranky]
FaltyDL – Winter Sole (Planet Mu)
The Martian – Journey To The Martian Polar Cap (Red Planet)
Stephen Brown – First Snow (Djax)
The Pipedream – Twilight Runner [Amberley]
Matthew Collings – Rapid Pulses [Magnetic North/Denovali]

The post JMF v KK: Seasons Change – Bleak Midwinter appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

You’d think during lockdown I’d be working my way through the records faster but it turns out the opposite is true. Recorded this one over three months ago and hadn’t even had time to move it of the recorder

I can’t recall a show that we’ve played where the sounds has shifted so much. As we venture in to the experimental bits and pieces this is to be expected though. We kick off in Mali with Alkibar Gignor before going to the ever mysterious Lost Tapes Record Club for “a unique project channelling ethnographic Radiolore from the Dorset village of Symondsbury” which kicks us down a totally different path, and at which point I mix up Chris Cornell for Chris Cunningham. Sorry Chris.

Hype Williams and Demdike Stare flipping up some Shangaan Electro, Black Rain, field recordings from Kink Gong, Sad City NHK’Koyxeи, Andy Votel and Demdike Stare as Slant Azymuth, the somewhat head-wrenching Phillipe Pettite with a concept album, Black To Comm with another concept album, Head Boggle, Ekoplekz and ending with some Portishead and an unnecessarily long and boring story about Andy Smith and Top Shop.

There’s music in here that you won’t find anywhere in any format, anywhere else but on these records.

This batch throws up some of the best looking artwork we’ve seen to date. Check the show above and the sleeves below and up on insta (https://www.instagram.com/awkwardmovements).

The post All My Records Episode 16 appeared first on AWKWARD MOVEMENTS.

Whittled down from a list exceeding 100 records, the end result is 46 tracks across three hours. Ranging from Alice Coltrane to Elvis Presley, The Roots to the Doors, Prince to The Pixies and beyond, there’s real message in all this music.

Headphones in or speakers loud, enjoy.

Gustav Holst – Venus, Bringer Of Peace [Decca]
Alice Coltrane – Atomic Peace [Superior Viaduct]
Sun Ra Arkestra – Nuclear War [Strut]
Boogie Down Productions – World Peace (Jive)
Dabrye – Air Feat MF Doom (Ghostly International)
Pink Siifu – Peace God Feat Jeremiah Jae (Pink Siifu)
Ras G – Peace (Saalaam) [Ramp]
The Roots – Peace [Remedy]
Ras G – Love and Peace [Leaving]
Chimurenga Renaissance – Peace Always Has A Price [Glitterbeat]
Lionrock – Packet of Peace (Jeff Mill’s Deep House mix) (Deconstruction)
The Lordd – Peace Is (Jerome Sydenham remix) (Kraftmatic Records)
Jean-Luc Ponty – Computer Incantations for World Peace (Polydor)
Prince – Partyup (Warner Bros)
Creation Rebel – A Peace Remedy [On-U Sound]
Jah Woosh – Peace and Love [Original Music]
Tappa Zukie – Peace and Love [Ras]
Most Wanted – Calm Down (Fever Records)
Paul Simpson Featuring Adeva – Musical Freedom (Free At Last) (Cooltempo)
Logic – The Warning (Planet Pacific)
DJ Skull – Promise of Peace (Sect Records)
Victor Romeo Presents Leatrice Brown – Love Will Find A Way (Dance Mania)
Robert Hood – Peace (Closing Theme) (M-Plant)
Rev Lonnie Farris – Peace In The Valley [Mississippi]
Elvis Presley – (There’ll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me) [Victor]
Pete Seeger – Turn Turn Turn (CBS)
Johnny King & The Fatback Band – Peace Love Not War (BGP)
The Doors – Peace Frog (Elektra)
Bharat Karki and Party – International Peace [Em]
The Maytals – Give Peace A Chance [Trojan]
Poor Righteous Teachers – Time To Say Peace (Profile Records)
Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five – World War III (Sugar Hill Records)
DJ Freshtrax & Ace II With Pressure Zone – Destruction (Dub Zone Mix) (Beatfarm Recordings)
DJ Dawn & The Ranking Queens – Peace Truce Thing [Soul Jazz]
Sugar Minott – Peace Treaty Style [Soul Jazz]
Bob Marley & The Wailers – War (Island Records)
Sizzla – Strength And Hope (Xterminator)
Tranquility Bass – They Came In Peace (Mo Wax)
The Pixies – La La I Love (4AD)
William Onyeabor – Why Go To War (Luaka Bop)
Paul Hunter – Reflection (Guidance Recordings)
Pharoah Sanders – Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah-Hum-Allah (Prince Of Peace [Verve]
Lonnie Liston Smith – Peace (Flying Dutchman)
Ornette Coleman – Peace (DOL)
African Head Charge – Peace & Happiness (Shashamane Version) (On-U Sound)
Rhythm Doctor – Phuture (Truelove)
Joe Smooth Featuring Anthony Thomas – The Promised Land (Club Mix) (D.J. International)

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