SECURE SHOPPING
Bubble Club – aka former music industry executive Dan Keeling – will return with his second EP for the International Feel imprint next month.
Bubble Club preps In Consequence Of A Wish for International Feel
by Juno Plus on 07.02.2012 at 15:29pmTheo Parrish and Legowelt remix Mind Fair for International Feel
by Scott Wilson on 06.10.2011 at 15:43pm
International Feel have just announced details of their next release from newcomers Mind Fair, backed with heavyweight remixes from Legowelt and Theo Parrish.
In an intriguing break from the norm, the next release on International Feel will come from Japanese techno artist Gonno, with Skudge and Gatto Fritto employed on remix duties.
We’ve teamed up with International Feel to offer two lucky Juno Plus readers a Locussolus vinyl/CD goodie pack.
International Feel has announced its second Studio release, a two track EP that includes a re-imagination of seminal krautrock outfit Popul Vuh’s score for the Werner Herzog film Aguirre, The Wrath of God.
Dan Keeling aka Bubble Club, the man behind the eighth Juno Plus podcast, announced himself to the record buying public in 2010 with three excellent 12″s that touched on the dubby side of disco.
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Given the sheer number of British artists releasing on International Feel, we’re beginning to think that a free trip to Punta Del Este is offered as part of any record deal. Indeed rumours (possibly started in the Juno Plus office) persist that Bubble Club, Gatto Fritto and Coyote have all been spotted walking around London in recent weeks sporting unseasonable tans. The latest to potentially be soaking up rays on the South Atlantic coast of Uruguay are The Mythical Beasts, aka Felix Dickinson and Toby Tobias. If either of these names need further introduction then back to those disco night classes with you! As The Mythical Beasts, Dickinson and Tobias present an altogether more lackadaisical sound, with “Communicate” fully channeling the sound of Dutch icon Jan Hammer, as sleazy 80s synths combine with the most glacial of funk riffs.
This wouldn’t be an International Feel twelve without some exquisite artwork (check) and a discerning selection of accompanying remixes. On this occasion we are suitably stocked with a variety of takes from Permanent Vacation, Alphabet City and Das Volt. The Munich duo lead the way with a tight tropical disco take that ups the pace, brings out some hollow percussion and focuses on a particularly introspective xylophone melody. Up next, Alphabet City prove their recent Under The Shade EP was no fluke with a chunky yet glistening electro funk reimagination. Our personal favourite, however, is the spooked out Giallo disco take from Late Night Audio’s Das Volt.
Tony Poland
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In an age where single track downloads rule and consumers pick an choose their favourites, I worry for the future of the album format. It saddens me that some artists have given up trying to make “proper” albums altogether, instead putting together commercially attractive but culturally worthless collections of hits and misses on a simple theme.
To those of my generation – and, before you ask, I’m in my early 30s – carefully crafted, properly thought out albums are still of great beauty. For all the hyperbole, such albums are still rare in electronic music. Sure, there have been some good albums in the last 18 months, but they’re few and far between. This is not to say that there’s a dearth of talent out there; far from it, in fact. It’s just that some artists suit the album format more than others.
On the evidence of this luscious debut set, Ben “Gatto Fritto” Williams is one of those artists for whom the LP is a snug fit. Gatto Fritto was clearly designed to be listened to in sequence, ideally in the comfort of a deep armchair or sofa, with something medicinal – alcoholic or otherwise – nestled loosely between the forefingers. Considered on those terms, it’s sublime. Like his previous exemplary 12” singles for Dissident, Electric Minds and International Feel, Gatto Fritto quietly tiptoes between claustrophobic paranoia and dream-like bliss – on some occasions even within the same track – see the calming yet uneasy “Solar Flares Burn You”.
Like all good albums, it’s a journey. This voyage begins with a duo of evocative, offbeat pop moments, “The Curse” and “The Hex”. Dreamy and druggy, bright and otherworldly, they seem to squint at the sun whilst riding slow motion grooves that draw from disco, Italo and Balearica. What immediately follows is a touch more nightmarish, particularly “The Grinding Of The Brakes”. Whilst intensely beautiful in parts, there’s something rather ghoulish about it’s grandiose Radiophonic Workshop synths and wall of sound production. It sounds like Phil Spector after a night smoking crack.
But then, like the best albums, Gatto Fritto changes tack. The brilliant “Invisible College” – still Williams’ finest moment – offers a complex but cosy collage of nu-Balearic loveliness. “My Ethereal Body” is cascading and cacophonous, breathless and brilliant. Then there’s closer “Beachy Head”, an ever-building climax of electronic wizardry, sun-bright synths and dreamy imagery. All great albums end on a high, and this is no exception. Like the rest of Gatto Fritto, it’s utterly beguiling.
Matt Anniss
The excellent International Feel imprint has furnished Juno Plus with a free copy of the rather plush looking gatefold limited edition Gatto Fritto LP, which we will be sending out to one lucky reader.
The shaggy haired DJing legend that is DJ Harvey will release his first solo album in June, under the Locussolus guise, with a package that includes remixes from Andrew Weatherall, Prins Thomas, Lindstrom and Emperor Machine.
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Over the past 12 months, Dan Keeling has impressed greatly with his productions under the Bubble Club moniker. The self-released “Lonely Acid”, “Morning Star” and “Violet Morning Moon” all demonstrated an innate ability to rise above the sea of mediocrity engulfing nu-disco, with carefully chosen remixes complimenting his brilliant disco/nu-disco/deep house fusions.
As good as those singles were, none were quite as impressive as this debut for the ever-reliable International Feel imprint. Where those quietly sparkled, “The Goddess” shimmers. Seemingly keen to fit in with International Feel’s relaxed ethos, Keeling offers up a sumptuous midtempo Balearic disco groove that’s so tasty, it’s almost edible.
“The Goddess” lazily rises and falls throughout, building rush-inducing pressure via layer upon layer of perfectly pitched instrumental elements – from spiralling sitar lines and sweet organ chords to soaring strings, distant flute samples and even some dubby vocal snippets. It’s truly mesmerizing, and as Balearic as they come.
As if that wasn’t enough, Quiet Village deliver their best remix for some time. Their 12-minute, delay-laden epic is not quite as wonky and ketamine-induced as their classic reworks of Gorillaz and Allez Allez, but it inhabits similar territory. Crucially, though, there are uplifting elements amongst the foreboding, delay-laden percussion, paranoid atmosphere and reverb-heavy organ chords. It’s this combination of light and dark elements that makes the remix so spellbinding.
Matt Anniss
Erol Alkan, Lindstrom, Prins Thomas, Soul Clap and Bubble Club will be among the artists to showcase their wares on Uruguayan disco label International Feel in 2011, alongside new albums from DJ Harvey and Gatto Fritto.
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Whilst a question mark remains over International Feel’s Uruguayan credentials, there can be no dispute that the label has enjoyed a fine year. Since their arrival on the scene with DJ Harvey releasing actual new music in the autumn of 2009, International Feel has carved a niche within the realm of contemporary discoteria for uniquely atmospheric music imbued with a real energy. Releases from Coyote, Rocha, Hungry Ghost and the aforementioned Harvey’s Locussolus project have been received in glowing terms by cryptic cosmic taste makers 20 Jazz Funk Greats, respected broadcasters like Tim Sweeney and DJing deities such as Erol Alkan.
This deluxe package compilation sourced from the Japanese market is a near perfect way to sign off 2010, collating a selection of the most prized tracks from the vinyl releases to date, generously padded out with a smattering of unreleased aural glee. The opening piano tones of Maxxi & Zeus’ “The Struggle” ease you in gently, and are further sedated by “Little Boots”, the syrupy prog rock meets slo mo chug of Harvey’s Locussolus. It’s the first exclusive track, After The Deluge’s remix of “Don’t Eat The Apricots” by Hungry Ghost, which lifts you out of the sensory slumber, thanks to the relentless pulsing disco groove, augmented by warm bass washes and plenty of dubby FX. The exclusive version of Rocha’s “Fingers Of Sand” that follows retains your interest with a bewitching combination of ethereal keys and a bubbling sense of acidic menace. Equally impressive is Coyote’s expansive and gently heated rework of International Peoples Gang’s “Second” which drowns the melody in copious amounts of dubbed frequencies.
However it is Thomas Bullock’s superlative reworking of Rocha which leaves the most lasting impression. The Welcome Stranger Creation Dub of “Feel The Love” begins with an air of tranquil fragility before gradually building towards an increasing storm of fizzing electronic drama. Bullock seemingly does his best work as Welcome Stranger and this is a stunning example.
Tony Poland
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International Feel, Uruguay’s nu-edit whatnot label continues their march towards disco dominance with Rocha’s follow up to last years Hands of Love (Fingers of Sand) EP. The mysterious duo open things up with a release over two 12″s showcasing their mid tempo house sound along with two different mixers: king of the splicer Greg Wilson and Thomas Bullock of Rub N Tug fame (working as Welcome Stranger), who both give their reinterpretations of “Feel The Love”. These nestle alongside Rocha’s own “Night Music”.
“Feel The Love” grooves on an acidic baseline, all twinkling pianos topped off with a subtle male vocal, made for heads down house shuffling. Greg loops up sections of the vocal, working around the two note keyboard line, heading straight for Balearic heaven. It’s already attracting Cafe Del Mar spins from Jose Padilla. Welcome Stranger’s Creation Dub takes things in an altogether more abstract dimension, building up from an echoed-out piano intro to huge chunks of bass and kick drum pressure, eschewing any white island feel for a heavier than plutonium, taut sound. If the room and the mood are right, off you go! Dark repetitive house of the finest variety, picking up praise and plays from the likes of Prins Thomas, Tim Sweeney and the Idjuts.
The fourth side of vinyl brings us to a suitable conclusion back to Rocha’s bubble bath gorgeousness with “Night Music’s” 11mins of layered sounds, all cicadas, congas, swooshes and spacey guitar lines. Deeper than a baby seal! It’s all lovingly housed in International Feels distinctive packaging, completing a pretty much essential set. Grabbity-grab.
Review: Matthew Clarke
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Timm Sure and Ampo are producers on the rise. Under their Coyote alias, the Nottingham duo have been responsible for some particularly slinky nu-Balearic moments over the past 12 months. Aside from remixes for Smith & Mudd and Max Essa, they’ve released six EPs and an album, Harlyn Bay, on their cheekily titled Is It Balearic? Recordings imprint.
Previously, their stock trade has been the sort of glistening, dubwise downtempo music that begs, steals and borrows from disco, glassy-eyed 1980s European pop, soft focus deep house, classic ambient house and the art-pop meanderings of Art Of Noise. So far, so Balearic.
This new EP for Uruguay’s fast rising International Feel label – home to Rocha, Harvey and others – is a departure of sorts. While the gorgeous flipside remix of International Peoples Gang’s “Second” is pure sunset Balearica – think Jose Padilla’s classic Café Del Mar compilations given a noughties reboot – lead track “Moving” is far more stripped down and dancefloor-centric than any of their previous offerings.
What’s more, it’s actually rather good. It’s clearly an attempt to create the sort of touchy-feely Balearic house bomb that would have caused a commotion in Ibizan clubs at the tail end of the 1980s. All the familiar elements are there; bongo-laden 114 BPM beats, sensuous, reverb-laden vocal, classic piano riffage and a synth bassline straight out of the Frankie Knuckles songbook.
It could have easily wandered into pastiche territory, but it doesn’t – thanks largely to the deft production and the loving way it’s been realized.
Review: Matt Anniss
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If you got asked to name a country that typifies the new disco heartland, you’d probably reel off a few before suggesting Uruguay. If press releases are to be believed the International Feel imprint has been doing it’s bit for Uruguayan national identity with a slew of releases that have been causing a storm on the more discerning disco dancefloors of the world.
Squeezing some discodust out of chairman of the discobeard board, Harvey, was obviously a good way to start. And hot on the heels of love for Harvey’s second installment of Locussolus comes Illuminations, this EP from Hungry Ghost. The 50% of Hungry Ghost familiar to anyone with a passing interest in sludgey house music is Ben Williams aka Gatto Fritto who has released music on Electric Minds and the sadly deceased Dissident, as well as turning in stunning remixes for Subway and Franz Ferdinand. The 50% of Hungry Ghost unfamiliar to most is Sam Weaver.
The Illuminations EP sees the duo work together for the first time in over a decade with the immediate thought upon finish being ‘Why did you wait so long!’ The title track might lift a percussive perk from Jagger’s ode to the devil but drowns it in live drumming and a lovely synth breakdown. B-side “Don’t Eat The Apricots” strays far beyond the realms of bog standard cosmic disco with six minutes afro centric disco that is built around taut percussion, with a floor destroying bassline hitting around the three minute mark.
Fans of remixes should take note here as two of the best are enlisted to reimagine “Illuminations”. Veteran Italian tape edit don Danielle Baldelli goes deep into cosmic delay wigout territory whilst Marcellus Pittmann takes the track into the sort of abstract techno that his work as part of legendary Detroit production triumvate 3 Chairs have become renowned for.
With releases such as these and the imprint’s forthcoming Summer Balearic Trilogy re/edit series to come, International Feel is certainly a label to watch out for.
Review: Tony Poland
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Why has DJ Harvey been hot property for the best part of two decades? Is it his effusive and laid back manner, his eclectic sets, his decision to leave the UK for pastures new? Having just released the much-hyped Locussolus EP on International Feel, and a remix of Dirty Jesus classic “Don’t Fuck With My Shit” on Juno Records, Harvey’s showing no signs of slowing down (or speeding up, for that matter). Oh, and he’s got a brand new Green Card. We spoke to him from his Los Angeles home about his return to Blighty, working with Rwandan refugees and remixing indie bands.
