Archive for the ‘remixes’ Category

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The extra “E” still annoys me.

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013

As I start planning out my move to Japan, it’s becoming apparent to me that I won’t be able to update the blog consistently with new music for probably at least a month. This is partly due to the fact that I just won’t have time when I first get to Japan, between my job, finding a place to live and all the other stuff that comes with a major move. But honestly, a much bigger reason for the impending lack of updates will be because I’ll be without a turntable for at least a month – I’m not having mine shipped out to me until I get firmly settled.

(And before any of you ask, I’m not just going to buy another turntable in Japan because my turntable is a rare custom-modded black Technics SL-1210Mk2 and it is DOPE.)

I do, however, want to keep some sort of regular content going on this site in the meantime, so I think the best solution will be for me to temporarily take this blog into a “greatest hits” mode – highlighting some of the best tracks that I’ve posted over the years.

I already got a good line-up of tunes planned for this, but if you want to browse my archives (all seven years worth, holy shit) for some tracks you may have missed over the years, now is the time. Leave a comment in this post with your requests, and if I also enjoy the track in question/have the MP3 still/want to re-record it because the old file sounds like dogshit, I’ll be sure to include it in the month long Lost Turntable retrospective. And don’t bother mentioning Depeche Mode, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys or Madonna. I’m already planning on reposting any still hard-to-find cuts by all of them. You might as well throw in Big Country and Big Audio Dynamite into that mix as well.

Until then, here are some tunes by two bands who I thought were the same band when I was 10 years old. Because 10-year-old me was kind of dumb.

The B-52’s
Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland (Extended Mix)
Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland (12″ Mix)
Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland (Dub)
Seems like an odd vacation choice.

This is…not a very good song. I love the beat and the vocal hook would be fine too if it wasn’t, k’now, half of the damn song. This is definitely one that works better as a brief single. However, since I’ve posted every rare B-52’s remix I own, it would be silly to stop now.

Deee-Lite
Groove Is In The Heart (Meeting Of The Minds Mix)
Groove Is In The Heart (Peanut Butter Radio Mix)
Groove Is In The Heart (Jelly Jam Beats)
What Is Love (Holographic Goatee Mix)
What Is Love (Frenchappella)
What Is Love (Rainbow Beard Mix)
I used to hate “Groove Is In The Heart.” In fact, I think the only song young me hated more than that was probably R.E.M.’s “Shiny Happy People” (which featured Kate Pierson from The B-52’s). And while I continue to hate “Shiny Happy People” with a fiery hatred of a thousand suns, “Groove Is In The Heart” has finally started to grow on me. I think it took me discovering good disco and 80s house for me to finally appreciate the song and what it’s trying to do. I still hate that slide whistle though.

“What Is Love” still kind of annoys me though, but the Rainbow Beard Mix is pretty great.

Posted in B-52s, Deee-Lite, remixes | 9 Comments »

KRAUTROCK-POWERED MOTORCYCLES

Thursday, October 17th, 2013

The Tigers won. America won’t default. I’m functioning on very little sleep. This post is silly. I apologize.

Yes
Rhythm Of Love (Dance To The Rhythm Mix)
Rhythm Of Love (Move To The Rhythm Mix)
Rhythm Of Love (The Rhythm Of Dub)
City Of Love (Live Edit)
Fuck yeah, Yes remixes! Is synthpop Yes the best Yes? Probably not. But it is the “best” Yes.

I have a strange fascination with Yes that I still can’t really explain. I don’t know why. I only own a handful of Yes records, and I don’t even think I’ve listened to all of them. I actually know very little about the band, a fact that I’ve been wanting to remedy in recent months. Actually, I’ve toyed with the idea of buying all of Yes’ records and reviewing them all, in chronological order, simply as a writing exercise and as a personal quest to find out for myself what the hell they’re all about. I might still do it someday. Prog rock is hella big in Japan after all. This despite the fact that drugs of any kind are nearly impossible to find there. The wonders never cease.

Anyways, these remixes really aren’t prog rock. As I said before, this is synthpop Yes. Like all synthpop Yes, this song was co-written and produced by Trevor Horn, so sometimes I like to close my eyes and imagine Frankie Goes To Hollywood covering it.

Can you imagine a Frankie Goes To Hollywood/Yes collaboration!?! Oh man, why didn’t that happen? That’s the greatest tragedy of the 1980s.

Tangerine Dream
Streethawk (Radio Remix)
There was a TV show in 1985 called Street Hawk. It was about an ex-cop who fought crime with the help of a super-powered motorcycle. The theme song was by Tangerine Dream.

So…yeah. So…okay…so…I don’t even know where to begin with that entire statement. I need to let that sink in. Y’know what? Let me watch the opening credits to the Street Hawk TV show, maybe that will help me figure out how to put my thoughts to words.

HOLY SHIT HOW COME MORE PEOPLE DIDN’T WATCH THAT SHIT IT’S LIKE KNIGHT RIDER BUT WITH A MOTORCYCLE AND A SOUNDTRACK BY TANGERINE DREAM OH MY GOD.

Ahem.

Yeah, okay. I can’t comment on that. It speaks for itself. I got noting – maybe if I watch that opening again.

AND THE DUDE’S NAME IS JESSE MACH!? WHY? WAS “JOHNNY FAST” TAKEN?!

Wow. Okay, seriously, all of you need to read the Street Hawk wiki, because someone put a lot of effort into making sure everyone knows that Street Hawk is currently available on DVD (ORDERING NOW) and that at one point there were Street Hawk toys and even freakin’ Street Hawk novelizations.  And then check this incredible Street Hawk fansite. Because if you don’t, who will? Aside from the apparently millions of dedicated Street Hawk fans out there.

Wait a second, this site even has Street Hawk fan-fiction.

I have to go. I have reading to do.

Fuck your Breaking Bad nonsense, Street Hawk for life.

 

Posted in B-sides, live, remixes, Tangerine Dream, Yes | 3 Comments »

If Congress Doesn’t Get Its Shit Together I’m Gonna Make Them Listen To That Korn Dubstep Album

Monday, October 14th, 2013

Yo, if the government defaults and the world descends into a Mad Max-style apocalypse before I move to Japan I’m going to be really pissed off.

Depeche Mode
Strangelove (Strangemix)
Photographic (Photogenic Remix)
I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead (Deathwish Remix)
These are bootleg mixes taken from an untitled LP, but I thought that were good enough to share here. Although the first is labeled as a remix of “Strangelove,” it’s actually a medley/megamix composed of what feels like nearly a dozen different Depeche Mode tracks. While I think megamixes are typically pretty bland, this one does some interesting things, including modifying the “pain” refrain of “Strangelove” to fit the melody of “Just Can’t Get Enough,” although to be honest I do feel that I’ve heard at least one other remix do that trick before, so maybe I’m giving this release too much credit. I also like the “Photographic” and how it transforms the tune into a more dance-friendly track with an upped tempo and an added synth-melody. The inclusion of a remix of “I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead” is a bit surprising, since that track wasn’t even on the original US release of Speak & Spell (I don’t even have that track, since my copy of Speak & Spell is a first-printing). However, since that track was never released as a single and has no official remixes at all, it’s kind of cool to hear another take on it, even if it is pretty simple.

Korn
A.D.I.D.A.S. (Synchro Dub)
A.D.I.D.A.S. (Under Pressure Mix)
A.D.I.D.A.S. (The Wet Dream Mix)
Yeah, so…I like this song. Always have. In fact, I like most of Korn’s sophomore album Life Is Peachy. Speaking as someone who has admittedly not absorbed the entire Korn oeuvre, I think it’s their best album. I sure as hell liked it when I was in high school. Sure, it stupid, sophomoric aggro-metal meant to appeal to the lowest common denominator, but it’s really good sophomoric aggro-metal meant to appeal to the lowest common denominator! “No Place To Hide” is a good song! “Good God” is a downright great song! “A.D.I.D.A.S” is…um…well…

I like this song. Don’t you judge me.

Posted in Depeche Mode, Korn, remixes | 4 Comments »

Don’t Leave Me This Way 2x

Thursday, October 10th, 2013

Apparently, if you do a Google search for my site right now, it says that I might have been hacked. However, EVERYTHING IS FINE. Apparently some dickweed was using my site to put up spam pages selling viagra, but the page has been removed and all traces of the hack have been scrubbed from my site, thanks to my hosting provider. None of this was ever a security threat to any of you, I just wanted to let you know in case you were searching for my site and came across the warning. I submitted a review to Google, and hopefully they’ll remove the warning once they realize my shit is clean. Of course, knowing Google’s track record with giving a shit about the small guy, I expect this to happen sometime around 2019.

Anyways, some new stuff up at Mostly-Retro. First, a review of a shit release by Mondo Tees, followed by a weird thing about finding undeveloped disposable cameras. And football.

I told you it was weird.

The Communards
Don’t Leave Me This Way (Mega Mix)
Don’t Leave Me This Way (The Gotham City Mix)
The Communards were Jimmy Sommeville’s second band, formed after he left The Bronski Beat in 1986. They, surprise, sounded a lot like The Bronski Beat, but it would be hard not to with Sommerville’s overpowering falsetto. This was the third single from their debut album, and for it they were joined by Sarah Jane Morris, a jazz singer whose voice is about two octaves lower than Sommerville’s. However, both their voices are booming as all hell, making a duet between them a pretty intense experience.

Making things more intense is the fact that both of these remixes are each 11 freaking minutes long. That’s insane. INSANE. Bu that’s nothing, they also released a remix that was a “what the fuck” inducing 22 minutes long.

Now, I’ve long gone on the record as saying that if a song is great then the best thing a remix can do is just make it even longer, I cite the 9-minute remix of George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” as concrete evidence of this. But let’s not get crazy. Shit, even these 11-minute remixes try my patience a bit. But I’m not going to hate on any decent version of “Don’t Leave Me This Way” and Sommerville’s vocals carry both these versions just fine, even if they do drag on for just a smidge too long. The keyboard solo in Gotham City mix is pretty great too.

Jeanie Tracy
Don’t Leave Me This Way
Don’t Leave Me This Way (Mixed by Sylvester)
Hey, look it’s more “Don’t Leave Me This Way!” It’s almost like I planned this shit.

I found the original mix of this a while ago and have been loving it ever since, but my goal was always to find the Sylvester Mix, because, well, Sylvester is dope. I actually bought a 12″ single with that mix on it when I was in San Francisco, but it turned out the record was way too warped to play. Total buzzkill.

However, I somewhat serendipitously found a copy of the same single at my local record store just two weeks later, and it was in mint condition! There was much rejoicing.

There was so much rejoicing that I started to research Megatone, the label that released the single, and discovered that three 2CD collections of Megatone 12″ singles were released a few years back. So I just went ahead and bought all three of those. The version of the Sylvester mix that I’m sharing tonight is from one of those collections, it sounded better than my vinyl rip.

I mean, I’m moving to another freaking country in a few months, I need to…stock up on my….predominately gay-themed disco compilations.

Shut up. Don’t judge me.

Both of these versions are FUCKING AMAZING. By the way. Jeanie Tracy for President.

 

Posted in Jeanie Tracy, remixes, The Communards | 2 Comments »

Harold and Frankie

Monday, October 7th, 2013

Caring about baseball for the first time in 16 years (when the Indians were in the World Series, for those wondering) has really taken a hit into my productivity. Games every day? Jesus, how the hell do baseball fans get anything done? I’m used to wasting just one day a week to sports, I don’t know if even I have enough lack of motivation to subject myself to this much longer.

And besides, I have a shitload of stuff to do! Operation: Get Crap Out Of My House is well into effect, but I still got a few “big ticket” items I need to unload.

In fact, can I interest any of you in the following?

Super Famicom (Boxed!)

023-001
A complete Super Famicom system, complete with both controllers, A/V cable and original AC adapter (so you might want a power converter). Comes in its original box too! Looks great and I can verify that it plays games perfectly as well. I’m asking $100 for this (shipping not included). That’s about $20-$40 cheaper than most Super Famicoms you see on eBay when you factor in the high international shipping you typically have to pay.

024-001

I occasionally help out in my friend’s used games store, so believe me when I tell you that coming across one of these in as nice shape as this one is doesn’t happen everyday!

Sharp Front Loading Stereo Turntable RP-117

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Okay, this thing is crazy. It’s a turntable that takes LPs like CDs, and then it can play both sides with no flipping required! It doesn’t sound amazing, but it certainly sounds as good as most mid-range turntables, and it’s a great talking piece to have as an auxiliary deck.  I haven’t played it in about a year, so I’ll test it before I ship it out, but last I checked it played fine. These can be a bit finicky too, so finding one in working condition is a real rarity.

013

I’m asking $300 for it, which is $100 cheaper than what they tend to go for on eBay. Don’t ask me about replacement styluses or needles for this sucker though, because I have no idea.

If either of these items interest you, leave a comment with your email (I won’t approve it, I’ll just use it to get a hold of you).

 

Okay, sorry for that brief QVC moment. If you read all that, I appreciate your patience and reward you with silly music from the 80s.

Harold Faltermeyer
Fletch Theme (Extended Version)
Fletch Theme (Radio Edit)
Fletch Theme (Fletch Rap)
Fletch Theme Bonus Beats (Hip Hop Version)
So I’m going to be real and just put this out there: I’ve never seen Fletch.

Okay, yeah, I know. Yeah, I’m sure its great. But by the time I was old enough to really appreciate it, Chevy Chase was well on his path of sucking, so I immediately associated the film with the long line of sucking pieces of suck he’s sadly known for today. I know I should watch it! I know it’s a good movie! But there are a lot of good movies I haven’t seen that I need to watch, and when I start looking at that list, I feel that movies like Godfather II, The African Queen and Manhattan probably take precedence over Fletch. Of course, you’re talking to the guy who decided it was of the utmost importance to mainline the first five Fast & Furious films in a 48 hour period, so what do I know.

Well, I do know that Harold Faltermeyer’s theme to Fletch is pretty fucking rad, and like some commenters have told me in the past, it’s actually even better than his theme to Beverly Hills Cop, something that’s no small feat. All four of these versions of the theme sound pretty similar to me, but whatever, it’s four similar versions of a completely bitchin’ tune, so I’m not going to complain.

Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Rage Hard (++) [Broad]
Sometimes I feel the need to just write about an album. No reason. Just because I want to. If I ever do this, I think I’d have to write about Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Welcome To The Pleasuredome. Not just because it’s a fantastic record and one of my favorites, but because I feel that I’m in the extreme minority in saying as much.  That album is a fucking masterpiece. Not only that, I feel that it perfectly encapsulates every single thing about the early 80s, from rampant casual sex to the constant threat of nuclear war. It’s an awesome record.

Liverpool, the group’s 1986 sophomore album, and their last release, is significantly less awesome. I’ve listened to it several times since finding it a few months ago, and aside from “Warriors Of The Wasteland” and “Rage Hard” it’s an entirely forgettable album. It also tries far too hard to recapture the magic of the original album in tone and structure too, right down to the random oddball cross-genre cover (a weak rendition of “Roadhouse Blues” filling in for Pleasuredome’s amazing take on “Born To Run.”)

But like I said, “Rage Hard” is a pretty great track, and thanks to Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s shameless(ly wonderful) practice of remixing and re-releasing singles ad nauseam, there are more than a few remixes of it floating out there. I currently have four: The Bob K Remix, an extended version, one simply titled “Vocal/Remix” that I got off of the Japanese version of the Frankie Said compilation, and the one I’m sharing tonight. Of those, I think this one is the best. It’s not the longest, but it’s still a hefty eight minutes, and unlike the other remixes, it never delves off into sample-heavy wankery or excessive non-musical segues or interludes. It just uses its eight minutes to take its time and really stretch the tune out. As I’ve said time and time again, the best remixes are the ones that just let a song’s natural awesomeness shine while not trying to change it too much.

Posted in Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Harold Faltermeyer, remixes | 9 Comments »

Blisters On My Blog

Thursday, October 3rd, 2013

My life has been pretty video game music centric this week, so I felt a change of pace was in order. I hope I don’t alienate my new readers, but I figure the sooner you get used to the random nature of this blog the better. Tonight it’s mid-90s techno. Next week I might post the soundtrack to an obscure 80s horror flick followed by remixes of the “Fletch” theme.

Okay, one of those is totally going to happen.

Lo-Fidelity Allstars
Blisters On My Brain (Many Tentacles Pimping On My Keys)
Blisters On My Brain (JDE’s Millennium Vocal Mix)
Blisters On My Brain (Sisters On My Mind Mix)
Blisters On My Brain (Tim Rex Lunar Dust Vocal)
Blisters On My Brain (Tim Rex Lunar Dust Dub)
I’ve been doing this for seven years and I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve ever posted a Lo-Fidelity Allstars track proper. I was totally obsessed with their first album for a good chunk of 1998, with “Battleflag” pretty much being my jam for most of my sophomore year of college. I haven’t really followed them since though, are their later albums worth picking up? Their first record is amazing, but it’s also really a product of its time, I wonder if they kept with the times that much. Electronic music is fucking fickle.

“Blisters On My Brain” is probably my second favorite track from their first album, with “Battleflag” being my obvious first choice. I just love the lyrics to this tune, especially the hook. “Never mind your fingers I got blisters on my brain” is such a great line, and while I don’t know what the hell a “disco machine gun” is, I totally want one.

All these remixes are great. “Many Tentacles…” is a excellent instrumental version, while the “JDE” mix really cranks up the samples and transforms the track in a classic big beat tune straight out of a Fatboy Slim mix. The “Sisters” mix is just fantastic and cranks the track into a rock tune thanks to a wall of guitar effects, while both Tim Rex mixes take the tune into trance territory to great effect. I love how five mixes can rework one song into so many different places and genres.

Traci Lords
Control (Overlords House Mix)
Control (San Frandisco Mix)
Control (DJ FX Frandisco Dub)
I’ve talked about Traci Lords a few times here, and I always say the same thing; she is tragically underrated as a singer/musician. Her sole album, 10,000 Fires, is really good! I mean it! Listen to it! It’s out of print physically, but you can get it on iTunes and Amazon now, so there’s no excuse.

These are great remixes of a great song. I wanted to also post the definitive Traci Lords track, “Fallen Angel (Perfecto Mix)” but my copy has a skip in it. I’m going to try and re-record it sometime soon. It’s one of the greatest techno tracks of all time, I need a good copy of it on my computer. I mean, if not then that $20 I paid for the Virtuosity soundtrack was just a complete waste.

 

Posted in Lo Fidelity Allstars, remixes, Traci Lords | 8 Comments »

I Still Have Too Many Records

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

A little over three months before the big move and I already feel entirely overwhelmed with stuff to do. Fun times ahead for sure.

I did make time to review the massive new In Utero box sets though. They totally blew my mind.

Oysterband
One Green Hill (Chumbawamba Remix)
Nothing like a little Celtic house/punk to unwind.

Björk
Joga (Alec Empire “Empire State Of Emergency” Remix)
Joga (Alec Empire “The Destroyer” Remix)
Joga (Alec Empire “The Planet Of Ice” Remix)
I think I have posted the “Empire State Of Emergency” mix on this site at least three times before this, but I don’t care. It’s an absolutely incredible mix, probably one of my favorite mixes of all time. Remixes that can take a song, transform them entirely, and create something that is just as amazing and wonderful but in an entirely different way are really few and far between. It’s just a great track, and I never get tired of listening to it.

The other two mixes are new though, off of a 12″ single I found while in Portland. “The Destroyer” mix is exactly what I expected, another experiment into digital hardcore insanity, a non-stop barrage of ear-drum shattering noise – I love it, although not as much as the original mix.

The final mix, however, is entirely different. It’s so out there and bizarre that I don’t even really know how to describe it. I guess it’s kind of ambient, maybe drone-like? It’s very different, especially coming from Alec Empire, a man who I imagine just walks around listening to Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music on loop 24/7.

Posted in Bjork, Chumbawamba, Oysterband, remixes | 4 Comments »

Buy My Records, In Person!

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

Thanks to everyone who sent me a message of congrats and well wishes in regards to my news about moving to Tokyo. It meant a lot to me.

A lot of people have been asking me what I plan on doing with my records. Well, I’m probably going to put them in storage. I have about 2,000 records, and while I have been whittling down my collection as of late, most of them are just too important to me, I can’t part with them. Right now my plan is to stay in Tokyo for a couple of years or so, if I end up staying their longer, then I might think about figuring out how to bring them over. Regardless, don’t worry, I’m not getting rid of my Depeche Mode records. I’m not crazy.

However, I am getting rid of A LOT of records. So if you live in the greater Pittsburgh area and are looking for some weird records, then you should totally swing by my yard sale, which I’ll be holding this Sunday from 9am -2pm. You can find full details at Craigslist.

Since coming back from my west coast trip, I’ve recorded about 40 LPs and singles, and I got about 80 more to go, so while my posts might be a bit spotty for the next few weeks, you won’t have to worry about a lack of quality tunes. Or “quality tunes” depending on your viewpoint of what I post sometimes.

Ini Kamoze
Here Comes The Hotstepper (Let Go Mix)
I know the second line in the chorus of this song is “I’m the lyrical gangster, murderer,” but for the life of me, every time I hear it, I sing “I’m the leprechaun gangster, murderer.” If the Leprechaun ever returns to the hood (again), they should take my lyrical suggestion and use it for a new remix that could serve as the film’s theme.

Prodigy
Poison (Environmental Science Dub Mix)
95% of Prodigy songs are just “Here Comes The Hotstepper” with more aggro beats and more menacing lyrics. Think about it.

Freur
Runaway (Dun Difrunt)
You’re A Hoover (Dun Difrunt Too)
Freur was an early group by Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, aka the sole consistent members of the legendary electronic act Underworld. They formed in the early 80s and released just two albums, Doot-Doot and Get Us Out Of Here. They broke up in 1986, at which point Karl and Rick went on to form the very synthpoppy original incarnation of Underworld (which was great in its own way).

The title track to Doot-Doot was the band’s only hit, and it was a hit for a good reason. It’s a goddamn beautiful song, easily one of my favorite tracks from the era. You can get “Doot-Doot” on iTunes and Amazon, and I suggest you do. Shit, I suggest you get that entire album, it’s great.

Another highlight from the Doot-Doot album is “Runaway,” which is also a slow-paced, emotional love song, and after listening to it on repeat for the past few days, I like it almost as much as “Doot-Doot.” I think the unneeded (and entirely 80s) sax solo takes a bit away from it though.

“You’re A Hoover” is a weird, wild b-side and reminds me a bit of early Flock Of Seagulls with a slightly more sinister slant. Karl’s vocals are great on it.

Both these mixes are shockingly rare. Doot-Doot has been re-released several times over the years, and while most re-issues include remixes of “Doot-Doot” and “Hold Me Mother,” none have included these mixes. Maybe they were lost to the ages?

I would love to hear Karl and Rick talk about the early Underworld/Freur stuff, but I guess they’ve always been a bit hush-hush on that era of their musical careers. Although they did finally re-visit “Doot-Doot” at a live show this past April. Hopefully they’ll continue to do so for future gigs, and we’ll finally get a live version of “Underneath The Radar.”

That song is fucking dope.

 

Posted in Freur, Ini Kamoze, Prodigy, remixes | 4 Comments »

I Should Probably Learn Some Japanese

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

Okay, so some news. Big news. Huge news. Life-changing news (for me anyways).

Remember when I went to Tokyo and I was all “OMG this is the greatest place in the history of the universe and I want to go back more than anything?”

Well, I just took a job teaching English in Tokyo, I start in January.

Holy shit!  This is totally a dream come true. I can’t believe it’s actually working out (fingers crossed). I’m so excited to start this new chapter of my life. I’m probably going to write up something that goes into detail about all the reasons why I’m making this move and career change, but I’ll save that for a later date. Right now I’ll address the question that most of you are probably wondering: what does this mean for Lost Turntable/Mostly-Retro?

That’s an excellent question, thanks for asking. To be honest, I don’t expect things to change too terribly much here at Lost Turntable. I don’t know if you know this or not, but Japan has more than its fair share of record stores, and as you can probably imagine, I’m going to continue to buy music once I get situated over there.  Will the focus of my blog change to cover more Japanese music? Well, it already has a bit, in case you haven’t noticed, but don’t worry, I don’t think I’ll be turning Japanese completely. The Lost Turntable’s focus has always been “weird shit that I want to write about” and that will continue to include Japanese synth-pop, German industrial music, British new wave music, and damn near anything else that interests me.

I do suspect, however, that my productivity on this site will take a hit, especially when I’m first getting settled. I’m actually working on creating a backlog of posts though. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep the site updated on a weekly basis even if I get too busy to write for a month or so while I get used to my new surroundings and work schedule (I have to go to an office! I haven’t done that in years!).

As for Mostly-Retro, well, that’s a bit trickier.

Writing on Lost Turntable is easy. Find songs, rant, maybe write about songs, repeat. The stuff I put up at Mostly-Retro takes a bit more work and planning. While I have no plans on shuttering that site, I really don’t know what its future holds. Perhaps just sporadic updates, or a shift in focus. It remains to be seen. If you’re one of the very few people who read that site, I’m sorry if updates to it become even less frequent than they already are.

Anyways, I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF TO DO. I may not be leaving until January, but I have to figure out what to do with my house, sell a ton of my stuff, get my visa in order, find a home for my fish, pack up stuff for storage and probably do a billion other things that I haven’t even thought about yet. So this will be the only update to this site for a least a week until I get all that stuff in motion. Don’t worry though, when I come back I’ll come back in force with some truly awesome shit.

Now for the only tracks in my “Lost Turntable” folder that I can post without feeling compelled to write a 10 paragraph summary/analysis.

Adina Howard
Freak Like Me (Dub Instrumental)
Freak Like Me (Boogieless)
Freak Like Me (Remix)
Freak Like Me (Remix Without Rap)
Freak Like Me (Instrumental)
Freak Like Me (Accapella)
God, I hope I can find stuff as pointless as this when I move to Japan.

 

Posted in remixes | 22 Comments »

Lost Turntable: Now with 43% less migraines

Thursday, August 29th, 2013

You may notice a slight color change here! Why? Well, it’s a long story. Seriously, it goes back like six years.

When I first started this blog in 2006, I was still using an old-fashioned CRT monitor. Now, if you recall, back with CRTs, it was much easier to read white text on a black background than it was to read black text on a white background. Well, flash forward six years and several flat-screen monitors with increasing contrast later and oh my god reading plain white text on a pure black background makes my eyes want to pop out of my head.

So I was bored today and decided to finally give it a go at fixing it. I’m not super-happy with the results, but I do think it makes the site a bit easier on the eyes. What do you think? I know it’s not the prettiest color layout in the world, but hell, neither was hot pink and black. So whatever.

Now for a bit of shameless self-promotion. Over at my other site I wrote up a quick thing on this odd David Bowie record I found. And I also did a review of Death Waltz’s incredible Fog release. Read ’em. Love ’em. Share ’em. Make me happy. Repeat. And if you like reviews of hard-to-find and ridiculously expensive vinyl releases then check back at Mostly-Retro later this week and into the next for a review of the deluxe edition of Franz Ferdinand’s excellent new LP, as well as a look at a ridiculously rare record from a psych-rock band you’ve probably never heard of.

Cuz that’s the shit that really brings in the hits.

Information Society
Make It Funkier (Boot It Up Vocal)
Walking Away (SMD Mix)
Walking Away (House Dub)
Been a while since I posted any Information Society (or as the kids call them, InSoc). “Walking Away” was the second single from their debut album. It’s a solid tune, but let’s be honest here, it’s no “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Enegery).”

I don’t know what the fuck/funk “Make It Funkier” is, but it sure as hell ain’t funky.

Ryuichi Sakamoto
You Do Me (The Justin Strauss Remix)
You Do Me (Froggy Mix)
You Do Me (Just Right Dub)
You Do Me (7″ Mix)
I think I managed to go a whole month without posting some Sakamoto! Let me check to be sure…

Okay, so a few weeks ago I posted those Akiko Yano songs that he produced, co-wrote and performed on, but technically speaking they weren’t Sakamoto tunes, so I’m sticking by that. “You Do Me” is less disgusting than its title suggests, but it’s still not the best track. I like it for what it is, but when I get the Sakamoto itch (ew) I tend to go towards his work with YMO or even his classical stuff more often than this, it’s just a bit annoying if you ask me.

Posted in Information Society, remixes, Ryuichi Sakamoto | 5 Comments »

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