Gear Change: SYSEX Bonanza!

This time around, I've got a special treat for you guys. I've finally gotten around to dumping some custom patches from a few instruments I've had around, essentially the only ones that have bulk-dumping (or any kind of MIDI dumps at all, damned late-model Siel synths). Most of these aren't actually ones that I've made, I've sold off most of the synths that I used to tweak. On offer here is a sysex dump of an E-mu Proteus/1 (mostly factory patches but I've done some nice solid basses, might be worth a look), a Roland Alpha Juno 2 which was passed around the south Brooklyn Rave scene throughout the 90's and went through the hands of several big names, supposedly including Beltram, and the 3 Hoovers definitely lend some credence to that. There's some other absolutely great patches for the Juno 2, very soundtrack and dance oriented, with some evolving pads and moody drones. Finally, there's the custom patches from the Matrix-6R that I got for free when I picked up another keyboard last year (he thought it didn't work, turns out it was just that one output was dead). Some big custom leads, the usual strings, and some odd experiments, but the big sell on this set of patches is the tweaked upright bass preset, which he turned into one of the biggest, most gut shaking bass tones I've ever heard from any analog synth. You can drop these into a Matrix-1000 too, should work fine, and they blow away any of the presets on that box.

I did two dumps of the Alpha Juno 2 since it didn't belong to me and I couldn't confirm that they were correct. If anyone uses it and can confirm in the comments, that would be a big help! Thanks.

A Few Bits and Peices for E-mu Proteus/1
South Brooklyn Rave SYX for Roland Alpha Juno 2
Toolkit 6R SYX for Oberheim Matrix-6 or Matrix-1000


Should work in any SYSEX dumper just like normal, they were dumped to a Peavey Data Streamer and then copied onto an old laptop from the floppy disk though, so any confirmation would be welcome.

As always, remember to dump up your patches to a SYSEX file before loading any of these, because they will overwrite any custom patches you already have on your synth!

Pirate Radio: DJ Tat on SCR (Sheffield) 15-3-93

This one of those pirate radio tapes that I've had on rotation for the last year and half, which is quite a long period for me to keep revisiting a 128k rip of a tape with a ground loop issue throughout. Sound quality is alright aside from that though, but the real reason I keep coming back to this tape is the tracks. The best thing about pirate radio tapes from 86-94 is that they provide a window into the real sound of the time. You can get best-of's like the Soul Jazz comps or some of the older hardcore CDs, or bootlegs like the 'Where are those ... Crazy Times' series, but for the most part, you'll never hear the real limited release stuff, which is usually the most interesting (white labels, dubplates, side releases from major groups that never got officially dropped). If you're just getting into pirate radio tapes, 808 State has a phenomenal archive up of nearly every show they did from 1988 onwards here. I recommend starting around 1989-90, where they were playing a lot of their own unreleased tracks and were popular enough to be getting a terrific amount of white labels & etc. They were also quite good at radio, which is rare among pirate DJs since they were primarily live DJs just trying to get their name out there rather than maintain a public image or something like that.

Anyway, this tape is actually part of a countdown of DJ Tat's favorite tracks from 1991. It features a mix of some amazing classics and some truly mental bits of hardcore from way way back. Still trying to figure out what some of them are, if anyone can provide a tracklist in the comments I'd be terrifically grateful.

Find it here.

North Anglolia

Automation - Espionage

oh for the love of god

eevolute flavor

We're still active here, and I've just found a new deck to rip vinyl from, so stay tuned here! In the meantime:

If you're still seeing this

and you haven't got this: Frankie Knuckles - Ministry of Sound 1991

N-Joi - Live in Manchester

N-Joi - Live in Manchester (1992)

This and an album tonight. Half-hour non-stop live set from N-Joi circa 1992, all the hits in great quality.

bonus link: jackpot!

CJ Bolland - The 4th Sign

CJ Bolland - The 4th Sign (1992)

Here's CJ Bolland's debut full-length off R&S, lot of classic bits of uptempo house in the dutch post-new-beat vein (Trance before it became "Trance" and people started doing that dour face whenever anyone mentions it). This rip is off the japanese CD re-release from '95. Here's a discogs review:

The 4th Sign, CJ Bolland's full-length debut for R&S, is notably — and refreshingly — free of his previous singles successes for the label. Instead of padding out the LP with a few of the club hits he'd recorded during his four-plus years on R&S, Bolland uses the opportunity to explore new methods and construct an album of tracks that work together as well as apart. True, there's not that much different here musically; it's a nine-track course through much of the same hard techno and pummeling trance he'd been known for. But the effects programming is inventive and just a bit leftfield for the dancefloor (at least circa 1992), and Bolland ranges from sleek trance ("Aquadrive"), to hardcore ("Spring Yard"), to symphonic progressive house ("Camargue"). Though the best tracks ("Nightbreed," "Mantra," "Thrust") come with help from the Advent's Cisco Ferreira (maybe this should've been released as a Space Opera LP instead), The 4th Sign is a near-perfect debut.





and the inevitable tacky 90s techno music vid:


Snag it above.

Also, check out the legowelt site on the 12 July post for some raw 808 beats, goes great with the Willesden Dodgers post from back in January. I just wish he'd included the track BPMs. And if you haven't gotten it already, get the second hour of this Rush Hour Radio podcast for a ton of rare chi-town tracks



haha sampling an alpha juno hoover into an emulator iii. classic.

VA - Kickin Mental Detergent

VA - Kickin Mental Detergent (1992)

Classic comp from my personal favorite '92 label, Kickin Records. Proper cuts of some serious breakbeat hardcore tunes here. As the cover says, 100% TECHNO.


Liner Notes:

WARNING: This record contains 11 tracks of 100% pure techno energy. This is the sound of KICKIN' RECORDS, one of the most uncompromising underground labels in the world today. The artists on this compilation are pushing the boundaries of contemporary music, creating an exciting and original new sound. Since the beginning KICKIN' has released one ground breaking track after another. Starting with THE SCIENTIST's "Exorcist", every KICKIN' single has gone top 10 in the British dance charts and five have hit number one! This amazing string of hits has earned KICKIN' a loyal following worldwide.

Mental Detergent kicks off with "Temple Of Dreams" by MESSIAH. This intoxicating song threatens to make pop stars out of the lads. Moving straight into the top 20 of the UK pop chart and number 1 on the dance chart, "Temple Of Dreams" weaves dreamy vocals with raw techno energy. Next up the chilling voodoo of "Evil Surrounds Us" by WISHDOKTA, followed by "World Famous", an unrelenting hardcore track from the Manchester duo ZERO ZERO.

THIRD MIND really start to cook with "Beans And Barley" then it's back to MESSIAH with their massive "There Is No Law". The sonic assault continues with ZERO ZERO's breakthrough US release "Zeroxed". The hypnotic "Just Makes Me" from THIRD MIND will take you over the edge just before WISHDOKTA casts his spell on you once again with "Sunrise". THE SCIENTIST slams his number one dance hit "Exorcist", followed by the ragga-acid sound of "You Think It's Over" by DEA. Finally THE SCIENTIST takes it to the limit with another number one dance track "The Bee".

Until now most of these songs have only been available as import singles from London. Finally together on one record this collection of hit singles will take you on a journey to the center of the KICKIN' sound. Get ready to get mental.

Mix #1 - Hardcore Rave Techno

I've finally had time to sit down and figure out the basics of Live, here's the rough draft of my first mix. I'll replace it later if I decide to go back and patch up the rough spots, but it's nothing I'm going to be shopping around for gigs so I'll probably work on something more useful instead.

It's not contemporaneous and it's not all rave techno, but it's got some (a lot of) floor burners and I'm pretty pleased with it for a first go. If anyone wants a tracklist, drop a comment and I'll write it up.

DOWN FOR NOW until i find some host that doesn't wipe things out as quick as zshare

VA - United Stance of Techno

Various Artists - United Stance of Techno (1993)

Probably one of the best hardcore compilations I've ever found. Picked up the tape version from a thrift store a couple of subway stops north of me, was so blown away by the tracklist that I picked up the CD for next to nothing on ebay just to share here! Energy Flash, Sesame's Treet, House is Mine, Trip II the Moon, just a grip of absolute classics from my favorite era for rave. Only complaint is that they used the c.j. bolland mix of NRG's I Need Your Lovin, when the original is much better if you ask me.

That said, get a load of this shit:







I'll never get tired of the intro to this track, rest of it's kind of crap in comparison.

I love the 909

But I felt the 808 would fit my sound needs better. So I bought one. It's everything I'd dreamed it would be. The xoxbox arrives later this week.

That said, here's to the 909 I couldn't afford to go with her. the hats... the hats... oh god the hats...

Series 2: Pick & Choose

Until I get my ripping setup back in action, I'm going to make a go of posting the better bits of my mp3 single rip collection. That'll mean picking through the larger batch torrent stuff I've got. To kick this little project off, here's a bunch of Altern-8 tracks you can't get on CD (and which I'm pretty sure haven't been posted anywhere else (oh look, I'm wrong.)).



Altern-8 - Overload EP, Infiltrate-202 & Activ-8 Singles (1990-91)

Comes off quite a bit closer to their more 'serious' (and lower tempo) Nexus 21 project than the more jump-up raver tracks Altern-8 were known for. Great stuff, but the mixes are much more spacey and come off almost like some bleep shit really (especially the EP). I almost like it more than the usual style they had, since they tended to fill out a mix instead of leaving a bit of headroom like these tracks do. Hell, Passion Devotion nearly hits a Chicago feel. Probably for lack of breakbeat samples. Dig the Freestyle sample on the Infiltrate 202 Vertigo edit and the chill piano house of Re Indulge off the Activ-8 single.

VA - Balearic Beats Vol. 1

VA - Balearic Beats Vol. 1 (1988)

This one is courtesy of the once magnificent, now defunct audio.out blog. So much great music lost to the void (that I hadn't gotten hold of yet...) when he went offline. This is probably up someplace else, but since I've been mentioning it to friends so much and it fits SRO's style such as it does I'm tossing it up here just for simplicity's sake. Cover blurb:

balearic beats by farley

"wot shall i file this BALEARIC BEATS under?" so young joe public, y.t.s., go-getter at yo-price megastore hits his first problem in pigeon-holeing the black vinyl. now seeing that the only "MATEY" joe's "EVER GOT RIGHT ON" is the rubbery balloon type his guv'nor sells, i think we should explain this happy, happy, groove a little more.

now while it's true that the balearic beat was born in IBIZAN clubs, such as AMNESIA and PASHA, it's breeding took place in a small, sweaty, strobby, smokey south london club called ..... THE SHOOM. the hardcore original shoomers, along with another london club THE FUTURE, had discovered the JOY'S of balearic beats, during several previous "summers of love" (sic), and had brought the music and the attitude back to london with them. the kinectic style of dancing now associated with balearics ugly brother, ACID HOUSE, is pure ibizan in origin. The loudest screams at SPECTRUM are always reserved for NITZER EBB and the RESIDENTS while hearing ENZO AVITABILE booming through the smoke at JOY is an ecstatic experience one step away, (some say forward) from sex.

THE FINI TRIBE and MANDY SMITH have become anthems all over clubland, whilst my personal faves are the fast euro-rhythms of CODE 61 and the post-punk thrashing of THE WOODENTOPS. every track of this album will fill floors and put smiles on faces, Throughout the balearic underground. look, i wonder if poor joe's getting the gist of all this, for joe and the yet uninitiated, balearic is the following and much, much more.....

.....loads of hugs and kisses ... smiley t-shirts and happy faces.... feeling saucey instead of sauced......eating fruits on the dance floor....bashed up converse trainers.....lovely girls with blinding accents.....ice pops.....hedionism....sparklers at the future....indian belly dancers at the shoom....almost everyone finally realising that "only love can conquer hate"....watching the sun set at the café del mar....watching the sun rise on primrose hill....the karma collective....poncho's pony tails and body paint....dj alfredo....new friendships....loads more hugs and kisses....just let this piece of warm anglo-ibizan club culture rush over you, enjoy it mateys!!!

loves & respects to OAKEY, THE RAMPLINGS, GARY HAISMAN, JOHNNY WALKER, STEVE PROCTOR, NANCY NOISE, and to all those out there who truly "shoooom!!!"

xxx hugs and kisses xxx - farley.
BOYS OWN FANZINE

God, don't you just love that knackered proto-raver writing style. This one's even better than the Technorave thing from last month. Anyway, this comp was released by the Boy's Own crew and stands as the defining first-generation balearic collection. Toss it on the monitors and play like you're Rampling at Shoom. Check this out too, I keep forgetting to buy this damn thing and I'm sure by the time I have the spare cash around it'll be sold out and worth a few hundo on ebay or something. Grab the 44-page pdf preview, only a tenth of the full book. Epic shit.

CBS Top 100

Nothing new from me tonight, but I wanted to point this out to anyone who follows SRO (especially anyone interested enough to be reading me now after that months-long break). The CBS Top 100 is pretty much the definitive italo/electro/house/etc recc list. If you've noticed the new IFM widget on the side, IFM is what CBS evolved into last year. Four channels of amazing music and shows from some of the best talents in the West Coast of Holland scene (perhaps the best thing going at the moment), 24 hours a day 365 days a year. They didn't do the Top 100 show the last two years due to the switchover to IFM, which is kind of a shame, but there's still three years out there to download. Obviously these aren't my original posts, just strong endorsements.

2005
2006
2007

VA - Street Buzz

VA - Street Buzz (1990)

Last one for tonight. Here's the '90 acid/piano/bleep house comp mentioned previously. First half is chock full of cheese house, I'd swear I remember half of them from the yearly dance at my elementary school. Picks up quite well in the second half. I should mention that this comp is actually structured and mixed rather than just being a collection of singles, so it works pretty well all around even if the track selection isn't perfect. That Jet Lag track is killer though (still a sucker for 303), and the pianos on Mary had a little Boy are straight off of "Going Back to my Roots."

List:
1. Love's Calling - Sybil (remix)
2. Independant - Salt 'N Pepa (Brixton remix)
3. Nothing Compares 2 U - MXM (remix)
4. Simba Groove - Hi Power
5. Give In To The Fight - Ready For Reality (remix)
6. Take Back The Love - Samaria
7. Nitro - Ambassadors of Funk (London Symph Bleep House mix)
8. Falling In Love - Sybil (dub) <- picks up here
9. Kick Your Legs In The Air - Adam Ice/Poor Pocket Productions
10. You're No Good For Me - Kelly Charles (previously unreleased)
11. Get Your Thing Together - Urban Rhythm
12. Do You Want Me Baby (Dirty Love) - Lipstick/Lee Marrow
13. Mary Had A Little Boy - Stax (remix)
14. Jet Lag - Northern Lights

Can't find any album art online, but the disc can be had at amazon for about $4. ASIN B000008L7T

VA - Technorave 2: Trance Atlantic

VA - Technorave 2: Trance Atlantic (1992)

Found a nice stack of CDs today, 2 '92 Hardcore comps, a '90 bleep comp and an absolutely classic electro library record I'll be posting later tonight. First, though, is this Network/Next Plateau comp from '92 featuring Altern-8, Forgemasters, and 10 of the best cuts of stripped down bleep-style Hardcore from the year it peaked (and it can be had for pennies over at amazon. Chock full of Mentasm too, have you no doubt. I'll let this bit from the inside cover say the rest:

They call it rave. They call it techno. The fast forward electronic dance music that has dominated UK club culture for the past two years has been named, named and named again. What does it really matter? When the tones begin and the bass kicks, instinct tackes over and the limbs move involuntarily. This aural avalanche is the wave of the future. This post-Dusseldorf hyperactivity starts a new chapter in club culture on both sides of the Atlantic. "trance atlantic" is your passport to the future. Within the space of forty minutes your understanding of this underground phenomenon will be complete. You will then laugh as inferior bleep parodies are presented to you dressed as the real thing. All the artists featured here record for Network Records, based in Birmingham, England. Since the mid-eighties, label owners Dave Barker and Neil Rushton have encouraged the music, releasing classic early techno from Detroit and the then-fledgling English scene. Neil and Dave encouraged Detroit innovators Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson without whom this music would be very different. They set up Network in 1990 - a label with a crystal clear identity, sharp from the grooves to the sleevs - to cope with the increasing number of bedroom techno creators whose tapes often found their way to Birmingham before the London majors. Such was the reputation Network was developing, the UK's leading independent. altern 8's "frequency" available previously only as a limited edition white label pressing wastes no time in applying the pressure. You are the brick and this is the mineshaft. Altern 8's "Activ 8" was a Number Three pop hit in the UK which shows just how far things have gone. Altern 8 dresses in nuclear fallout suits and wear bright yellow dust masks. They hail from the UK's own Techno City, Stafford. They like to travel from rave to rave by hot air balloon. Sometimes the underground is a surreal place to be. nexus 21's "sychologic p.s.p." shows a more reflective side of the sound. "rhythmatix" is mathematic in its digital precision. The ghost of Kraftwerk somewhere in the new machine. The forgemasters' "stress" is the sound of Sheffield. Sheffield was once a major industrial centre. Sheffield made metal. Nobody wants metal anymore. Plastic will do. The Forgemasters make music like metal. There's respect to the past with an eye on the future. "stream" is a moment of relaxation. Can't dance forever. xon's "dissonance" fascinates with its twists and turns. In its complexity it reminds of the work of Derrick May who is in there somewhere. "turbo" and "heavyweight apply the pressure, both brutally futuristic electronic dance anthems, both hard, loud, insistent. This music isn't going away. This music is the wave of the future.

- John McCready, London, 1992

There's some seriously hard cuts on this comp, miles better than most of the hardcore I've posted in the past.




Keep an ear out for the samples and post all the lifted bits you recognize in the comments!

Graeme Park & Mike Pickering - Hacienda Live mix 08-1989

This is one I've had on rotation for an age, would almost swear I'd posted it up but a cursory review makes it clear that I have the privilege of posting this now, rather than at a time when I had other bits to provide. This is a DAT bootleg of a latter-era Nude party. Mix is top quality, as you would well expect of this legendary party. Even the boot gives a great sound-image of what the party was: whistle brigade is out in full force and captured here.

Park & Pickering - Hacienda pt 1 pt 2 08-89


ARTEFACT - AGIT'POP (1981)

TLR - Road To Rimini 18/10/08

Another mix that's been a mainstay for me. Doing an old-skool mix with twenty (or so) years perspective makes it so much easier to know the listening crowd. In this bit you'll find everything from pop disco cheeze to ace legowelt trax and a lot of acid and chicago shit providing substance. It's a mix so good you won't care that the old lady next to you on the train gives you the eye 'cause the 4/4 beat is spilling from your ears. Go listen to some choir music, ma'am, my church preaches a different gospel. Enjoy.

TLR - Road To Rimini 18/10/08

Ellis Dee - EOE Set @ Fantazia NYE 12-31-92

here's a bit for the breakbeat hardcore heads out there (easily my weakest posting constituency). nicked from the its all about old skool forums (hit that up if you're down with the sound). Homework assignment: lay down someting interesting.

Ellis Dee - End of Event Set @ Fantazia NYE 1993 (12-31-92)