This very basecamp we created to share musical musings and generally keep us from creating a BB social media black hole, turns the grand old age of one this week. As we’ve hogged the weekly selections for the past 12 months, we are inviting our first guest to the party and we couldn’t think of anyone better to kick things off than Touch Sensitive bossman Mark Reid. He runs an incredibly good label in every sense and while some shout from the rooftops about everthing they’ve had for breakfast etc, others just get their heads down and quietly get things done, Mr Reid falls into the later category.

Below are five Mark has had on heavy rotation around his gaff of late and his reasons why…

Thought I’d go with a few recent purchases. Hope you dig!

Thanks to Black Bones for the shout.

Mark, Touch Sensitive Records.

Ramzi – Brazili

Loving everything coming from Glasgow’s 12th Isle crew. Their mixes and channels have led to me waste days down the Discogs/Youtube rabbit holes.

https://www.youtube.com/user/FrigidMix/videos

https://soundcloud.com/12th-isle

Godley & Creme – I Pity Inanimate Objects

I’m not totally up to speed on 10CC or G&C apart from the hits but have loved this odd track since hearing it on a Nite Jewel mix for Stones Throw years back. Was happy to find it in the bins in Malaga’s deadly ‘Mundo Vinilo’ (https://www.facebook.com/FanPageMundoVinilo/) Wish I could have afforded some of those Grabaciones Accidentales releases on the walls! 

Luka Productions – L’Excision

https://lukaproductions.bandcamp.com/track/lexcision

Really intriguing LP of African new age and ambient vibes that I kept returning to in late 2017 – released through the excellent Sahel Sounds label.

Cucina Povera – Elektra

https://cucinapoveraglasgow.bandcamp.com/track/elektra

Haunting and atmospheric LP of voice and electronics on the Night School label. An album that deserves your undivided attention – pulling you away from emails for 30 minutes.

The Fall – Leave The Capitol

If I’m honest, I’ve been listening to nothing but The Fall for a fortnight. RIP MES.

I’m not sure who is behind the Light Sounds Dark reissue/bootleg label but they have been releasing some ‘buy or cry’ records since 2009. It’s hard to pigeon hole the sound of the label because it ranges from strange lost soundtracks to acid house and everything in between. To my ears anyway it’s really brilliant underground dance floor fillers and oddities that always find a space in my bag. Below are five for the floor.

Whenever I’m in Dublin, I struggle to leave the city without a trip to All City Records and everytime it proves that good things can come in small packages, as this modestly sized store is absolutely jam packed with the good shit. Just like all the best record shops with clued in staff and buyers at the helm, you can pick up timeless represses of things you’ve worn out, find out about artists or labels for the first time and generally buy great music from a very broad spectrum.

Below are five I scooped last week…

I had picked up an earlier release on the Born Free imprint in Rush Hour, so was curious to hear more from the label. This track is the kind of club record I love, it does a lot with very little and will be useful for years to come.

It’s hard to make flutes sound good in dance music but Dan Snaith nailed it on an often overlooked album track Mars. A proper breakbeat club no that just builds and builds and something I felt was great to have on a 12″.

More non 4/4 club music, this time from Prins Thomas with a proper hypnotic roller entitled A.

Low slung dub from Orson on version = perfect start of the night vibes.

Sampha’s Process getting the remix 12″ treatment from Batu, Bambounou and Parris is a great example of modern UK electronics.

Some people truly put their own twist on things and in doing so often create output that transcends any boring fads & trends that exist within music. Peter Kremeier aka LoSoul is one of these artists, with his own take on modern electronics for Germany’s Playhouse and more, releases he created are still head and shoulders above a lot of house music you hear today.

Here are five from the past that still raise ID requests at the booth.

…And breathe

Squarepusher can turn his hand to most things, even dub. So pretty – when that glockenspiel hits it kills me every time.

Early Forest Swords making some amazing bedroom hybrid of Ennio Morricone, gloomy post punk and kind of that really shit sad boy ‘r and b/hip hop’ that people seem to lap up. Somehow he manages to make it all come together.

Was going to write something then read a Discogs review which put it a lot better than I ever could. See below.

Vaguely macabre and menacing, mesmerising yet uplifting was “Maze (Long Version)”, a slo-mo-genre-crossing anthem for the chemically assisted that was both retro and futuristic back in 2010, and still is to this day. Disco, electro, synthwave and bass music are on a boat doing maximum purple syrup and here’s what you get. So much atmosphere in there.

Mmm that sax. I know it has the slight whif of Kenny G but it’s so addictive when wrapped around some lovely Japanese soft psych. DFA seemed to agree.

Hypnotic weird jazz classic. I know very little about jazz but I do know this is genius.

Rohan Walder aka Randomer is someone who is consistently pushing things forward. I love him most in raw electro mode and also his own take on afro drum workouts. Heavy distorted kicks, crunchy percussion and yet always seeming to pack the funk. Five below that if you are gonna go raw, go Random.

Some people have been really pushing things this year with stuff becoming a lot less predictable and more risks being taken, here are five that got multiple plays from me in 2017.

Hands down a favourite artist this year was Manfredas, also check the amazing Glass Walk track from last year and his incredible remix of Moscoman’s Devoue.

A standout house track of the year on a label that’s been on a fine run of form, sounds like what I imagine Kid Creole could have concocted if on a house tip. A very clever sample workout indeed!

Credit to the edit, Kieran Hebden with a masterclass in how to cut up a killer funk track and ready it for modern day dancefloors.

Never failed in 2017.

Another stand out year for the amazing L.I.E.S record label out of NYC, which included releasing the great long player Pacific Alley by Krikor Kouchain. A camp consistently doing there own thing!

An all killer compilation this year came in the form of Elsewhere MCMXIII, packed with the kind of weird stripped back electronics that I absolute lap up. It included the ace Feta Version by Centre Of The Universe.