Archive for the ‘808 State’ Category

Owner of a Lonely REMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIX

Sunday, November 17th, 2019

Yes
Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Wonderous Mix)
Owner Of A Lonely Heart (2 Close To The Edge Mix)
Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Not Fragile Mix)
Ever buy something that just leaves you confused about how the world works?

These remixes are from a CD single that I found  last week. It has left me with so many questions that will forever remain unanswered that I don’t even know where to begin with writing about it.

Why does this exist?
Who thought the world wanted remixes of “Owner of a Lonely Heart?”
Who thought that the world wanted remixes of “Owner of a Lonely Heart” in 1991?
Was this the part of a larger remix project that fell through?
What Yes fans in 1991 would be interested in dance remixes of Yes?
Who are those people and what drugs were they taking?
Did any club DJ in the world actually play these remixes for a dance audience?
Was said club DJ immediately killed for such a transgression?
Why the hell didn’t they recruit The Orb for this?
Why the hell did they recruit 808 State for this (yes really)?
Why the hell did 808 State say yes (to Yes)?

Those last two questions are the most pressing for me. Two of the three remixes on this single were done by 808 State. Not only that, at the time 808 State were at the absolute peak of their popularity and critical acclaim, coming right off the release of the ex:el album the same year. I assume that Trevor Horn, who produced this single, was responsible for getting  808 State and was able to do so because both he and 808 State were on ZTT Records at the time.

It’s funny how just one person can serve to be a connection between two acts that are so widely disparate in every way possibly imaginable. Trevor Horn is the Kevin Bacon of music, and not just in terms of artists he’s worked with, but in genres he’s crossed as well. You could probably connect a zydeco artist to a breakbeat DJ within six degrees by using Trevor Horn as a connecting point.

But of course, the most important question; are these remixes any good?

And to that I can firmly say; I dunno? Kinda? I guess?

They’re okay. The Wonderous Mix is very ambient and chill. It actually sounds like what I think a remix of Yes by The Orb would sound like. Most of it is original production and instrumentation that uses Anderon’s vocals and the guitar solo from the original tune as an accompaniment. It’s chill. I dig it.

Things radically switch gears for the 2 Close To The Edge Mix, which sounds less like a remix to “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and more like an original 808 State song that has a few samples of “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” If I heard this without knowing it where it was from, I would have never guessed the source material. It’s such a drastic deviation. It’s not terrible. If you dig this era of acid house then you’ll probably dig it. It’s just weird.

The Not Fragile Mix, on the other hand, doesn’t fuck around in letting you know that it’s a remix of “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” It doesn’t have the same structure or flow as the original, but elements from it are all over the thing. When the song’s signature guitar riff isn’t playing, you’re getting snippets of Jon Anderson’s vocals or quick explosions of the song’s notable synthesized sound effects.

Strangely (sadly), this is not the only Yes remix release. In 2002, Yes released the entirely unrelated Yes Remixes album. An even more baffling affair, that album tried to turn classic Yes prog anthems like “Starship Trooper” and “Heart Of The Sunrise” into standard techno bangers. I mean, say what you will about the remixes I’m sharing tonight, they’re not the greatest idea in the world, but at least the source material lends itself to remixes in theory. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” is a synthpop track. Synthpop tracks are remixed all the time into club-ready dance tunes.

Hella complex prog rock is not.

That album is a complete disaster in all the ways you might imagine (and then some). However, I at least I understand how that came into being. The remixes on that album were by The Verge aka Virgil Howe aka the son of Yes guitarist Steve Howe. Good old fashion nepotism giving the world something it never asked for yet again.

I assume that Yes Remixes is long out of print but don’t hold your breath for me to share that here. I like you all way too much to subject you to that.

Posted in 808 State, Yes | No Comments »

Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Techno

Monday, February 13th, 2017

Want a Life In Japan story? Feels like I haven’t told one of them in a while Have I talked about Valentine’s Day in Japan?

Valentine’s Day in Japan is kind of stupid.

So, in Japan Valentine’s Day is all about the dudes. Women are not supposed to get gifts on Valentine’s Day. For real. Instead, women are supposed to give chocolate to men. Then, men are supposed to return the favor a month later on March 14tth. That day is called White Day, and on White Day men have to go out and give chocolate to any woman who gifted them chocolate the month prior.

I’m not one to besmirch another culture’s traditions or customs, but it’s hella complex and confusing to anyone who hasn’t grown up with it. And a lot of Japanese people I know aren’t particularly fond of it. I’ve heard men use the term “Chocolate Abuse” to talk about women gifting them large amounts of chocolate only because they want to force the man’s hand and make him gift them a similar gift a month later. It’s not gifting out of love, it’s gifting out of obligation.

But that’s not why Valentine’s Day in Japan bothers me. No, Valentine’s Day in Japan bothers me because there’s not protocol for what us gays are supposed to do. My boyfriend and I both agreed to celebrate Valentine’s Day and tell White Day to fuck right off. And that’s all well and good, but that means that every February 13th I’m the only dude in candy store, surrounded by women who look at my giant white ass with bemusement wondering if I’m just an idiot gaijin who doesn’t know better or, y’know, the correct assumption.

Anyways, gender stereotypes aside, I love giving my boyfriend chocolate because every year he acts surprised and it’s just the cutest shit. So I guess I can’t complain too much.

Here’s some techno. Happy Valentine’s Day.

808 State
Lift (7 Inch Mix)
Lift (12 Inch Mix)
Lift (Justin Strauss Remix)
Lift (Metro Mix)
Lift (Lift Up Dub)
Open Your Mind (Sound Garden Mix)
Open Your Mind (Open Mix)
I originally posted these tracks on January 13th of 2010. Let’s look back at that post to see what I was rambling about at the time…

Boy, I was really angry about Jay Leno. Seems like so long ago (probably because it was.) Anyways, venting and petitioning for my favorite late night talk show to stay on the air sure seems mighty quaint now, doesn’t it? Nothing like the sudden and brutal rise of fascism to really put things in perspective.

But where was I? Oh yeah, “Lift.” Bought this single in Kichijoji a few weeks back, totally not realizing that I already had a copy back in the states. Oh well, saves me the trouble of trying to bring my original copy here and it also gave me the chance to re-record it with much better equipment than I had back in 2010.

Ken Ishii
Pneuma
Twist Of Space
Low
I wanted to share more of this man’s amazing work, but shockingly enough a lot of it is in print and easily available (and cheap) on iTunes in the states! So if you like what you hear here I really recommend you check out some of his albums proper. Future In Light and Jelly Tones are two solid picks to start with.

Posted in 808 State, Ken Ishii, remixes | 2 Comments »

Acid House Live From Tokyo

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2014

In case you were worrying that all of the posts this month would be nothing but weird Japanese shit, don’t worry. I have plenty of weird British, American, Canadian, German and who the fuck knows what else shit for you all to enjoy too.

The Orb
Asylum (Andy Weatherall Blood Sugar Mix 1)
Asylum (Andrea Parker’s Bezirkskrankenhams Mix)
Asylum (Kris & Dave’s You Are Evil – But I Like You- Remix by Kris Needs & Henry Cullen)
Asylum (Thomas Fehlmann’s Mix)
Four Orb remixes = 30+ minutes of music. They’re all also drastically different from each other. I dig all of them, but my favorite is this radically-named “You Are Evil” mix because, yo, that shit sounds evil. It’s like someone took an ambient house track and dragged it through Aphex Twin’s basement or something. Brutally great stuff.

808 State
Olympic [Live In Tokyo, 29 June 1993]
10 x 10 [Live In Tokyo, 29 June 1993]
These are from the Tokyo edition of the brand new Zang Tuum Tumb compilation The Organisation of Pop. The album was released in three different regions, USA, UK and Japan, and each got an exclusive version with exclusive cuts. I really can’t tell you how different they all are because I haven’t gone through the hassle of comparing them all track by track, but from what I’ve gleamed, the Japan version wins in terms of exclusives, with awesome live cuts like these being a big reason why. I was shocked to hear how much “10 x 10” works as a live cut. It’s just amazing.

If I can find the time and find it worthy, I might write up a full review on this in a week or so. I have to work past something I’m writing about Emerson Lake & Palmer first.

You heard me.

Posted in 808 State, live, remixes, The Orb | 1 Comment »

Electoral Dance

Thursday, November 8th, 2012

Hey remember when a religious zealot tried to win the presidency but forgot that people who weren’t white/rich/straight/assholes voted?

Let’s never speak of his name again. Instead let’s dance to silly remixes.

Tori Amos
God (The Thinking Mix 2)
God (Acapella Vocal and Rain Mix)
God (The Rainforest Resort Mix)
God (The CJ Bolland Mix)
Talula (BT’s Synethasia Mix)
Now that the election is over, I can get back to obsessing over the things that really matter, like why the hell there hasn’t been a box set release of Tori Amos remixes?

I’ve lamented about this before, and I’m sure I’ll lament about it again when I inevitably post more Tori Anos remixes, but it’s one of those things that just drives me insane. There must be close to a hundred, if not more, amazing Tori Amos remixes that are out of print, and goddamit I want a way to get them that doesn’t involve me hunting down every 12″ single and CD maxi-single under the sun. I have better things to do.

Well, maybe not, but still, it’s annoying.

These are pretty good remixes, even though most of them don’t focus on Amos’ lyrics. The “God” mixes are the best, while the BT mix of “Talula” is a little on the repetitive side for me. His “Tornado” mix of the song was way better, but I’m not sharing that since you can get that everywhere. And you should, as it’s really freakin’ good.

808 State
10 x 10 (Hitman’s Club Mix)
10 x 10 (Hitman’s Instrumental Mix)
10 x 10 (Trans Disco Express)
10  x 10 (Black Eye Mix)
La Luz (Chunky Funky Mix)
I only own one 808 State album, their legendary 1991 opus Ex:El, which has the timeless “Cubik” as well as awesome songs featuring Bjork and Bernard Sumner. I am not familiar with Gorgeous, the album from which “10 x 10″ is from. However, after hearing “10 x 10″ and falling batshit in love with its blessed house sound, I bought the album and plan on listening to it in its entirety while I drive to Toledo (shudder) this week. This is my favorite kind of house music, equal parts 90s rave and 80s “let the diva scream her lungs out” dance music.

I also love the sampled “10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10″ vocal bit. I was muttering it when I was working out this morning, I’m sure that made me look like Rain Man while I was on the treadmill, but whatever.

Posted in 808 State, remixes, Tori Amos | 3 Comments »

Early 90s electronic music for the win – Aphex Twin and 808 State

Sunday, September 4th, 2011

I rarely post music that I was into when it was originally released, but I can proudly say that I was listening to music by tonight’s artists back when they were the cutting edge of all things electronic. I’m not that cool though, I wasn’t rocking out to these at illegal midnight raves or anything like that. No, instead they served as background music to countless Doom marathons and Punisher comic book reading sessions.

It’s amazing I turned out as well-adjusted as I did. …okay, maybe it’s amazing that I’m not more fucked up than I already am.

Enjoy, and tune in Monday, if you think this shit is weird…just wait.

Aphex Twin
Vaz Deferenz
Ice Hedral (Philip Glass Orchestration)
Pancake Lizard
Is there an artist out there as diverse and batshit crazy as Richard D. James?  Take these three tracks, all of which are from the single to “Donkey Rhubarb.” “Vaz Defernz” (named after the part of the male anatomy that allows for ejaculation) is a pounding track that’s about two steps removed from full-on acid house, but it’s followed up by Philip Glass’ orchestral version of “Ice Hedral,” one of the most haunting and beautiful tracks you’re likely to ever hear. Then that’s followed by “Pancake Lizard,” a simple, quiet and almost playful electronic piece that’s nearly ambient. And they’re all B-sides, yet more amazing than anything you’re likely to hear from mainstream electronic/dance music today. Has James put anything out since the Analord series? I miss him.

808 State
Cubik (Pan American Experience)
Cubik (Kings County Perspective)
In Yer Face (Mancunian Delight)
Cubik (Kings County Dub)
You know how many versions of “Cubik” there are? Me neither, but it’s a fucking lot. On my computer I have the original version; the “Tomix” remix; the 88 and 98 remixes, the Dominator/Cubik mashup by Soulwax and these three versions from the “Cubik” single I picked up at Amoeba in San Francisco. That’s eight different versions. They should just pull a Moby, make them into one massive mix and release that as a CD. That would be epic. Or should I say “epik?”

No, I probably shouldn’t have.

Posted in 808 State, Aphex Twin, B-sides, remixes | 3 Comments »

808 States And Heartbreaks

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Go Mavs!

Aw shit, now I have to update my blog five times next week!

Oh well, it if means that LeBron James is sad and angry then it’s worth the work.

808 State
Cubik:98 (Victor Calderone Remix)
Cubik:98
Cubik (Tomix)
Ooops (Utsula Head Remix)
Ooops (Mellow Birds Remix)
Ooops (Eric’s Kup of Hysteria Remix)
Ooops (Eric’s Kup of Hysteria Edit)

So this is weird.

I found this 12″ to “Cubik” a couple week ago, which I promptly bought and listened to. After rocking out to it for a bit I decided to revisit Ex:El, the classic 808 State album from which it came.

Now, I have Ex:El on both vinyl and CD, and I never got around to ripping my CD version. When I popped it into my computer, I discovered that the CD version of Ex:El that I have has a drastically different mix of “Cubik” on it.

Nearly every release of Ex:El just as the regular version, while some also have the Pan Am mix and other additional mixes on a bonus disc. My version of the CD doesn’t have any of those, instead it has a crazy nine minute version of the track that isn’t on any other version! After doing some digging on Discogs, I discovered that this is the “Tomix” version.

Still, it’s weird that no other version of this album has that mix. How the hell did that happen? It’s totally the best version!

Since no digital version of Ex:El has the “Tomix” mix I’m including it here for your listening pleasure, as well as some remixes of the Bjork-featured “Ooops,” which are all from the 12″ single. Enjoy the mixes while I frantically plan to create five day’s of content for next week.

 

 

Posted in 808 State, remixes | 11 Comments »

Have a Belgium Electronica Christmas

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

So Christmas is rapidly approaching. Oh joy. Hey, don’t get me wrong, I love my some Christmas. I get good gifts and I get to see family I like. Unfortunately, that family is in Ohio and to see them I’ll have to spend a whole freaking week in the state where hope dies.

I plan on getting in two more posts before then though. I have some remixes of a kinda-sorta holiday tune I want to get in here before Christmas comes around, and I want to give you all the Christmas present of horrible/amazing disco. I don’t want to say too much, I’ll just say that the album I plan on uploading this Christmas Eve may, in fact, be the stupidest fucking thing I have ever put on this blog. And when you look back and see some of the shit I’ve subjected you all to, that is really…really saying something! So you all have that to look forward to this week, which is nice.

Until then, Belgium electronic music! Enjoy.

Hooverphonic
Club Montepulciano (Bugs Downtown Remix)
Club Montepulciano (Bugs Uptown Remix)
Club Montepulciano (Hooverphonic Funk Remix)
Club Montepulciano (808 State Remix)
I never heard of Hooverphonic before I bought this 12”, which I picked up only because I saw 808 State’s name on one of the remixes. I’m glad I did though, because these remixes are some funky chilled out shit (that’s a good thing). This is the most chill stuff I’ve ever heard from Belgium, of course the only other bands I know from that country are Soulwax and Lords of Acid, neither band being known for relaxing, mellow grooves.

Lords of Acid
Do What You Wanna Do (D.O.’s Pleasure And Pain Mix)
Do What You Wanna Do (Jade And Khan Erotix Mix)
Do What You Wanna Do (Carl Says “Do It Boy” Mix)
I Sit On Acid ’95
Sex Bomb (Live)
Speaking of Lords of Acid! I didn’t realize until about five minutes ago that both these bands are from Belgium. This Belgium-themed post was entirely accidental. Maybe the lunar eclipse on the winter solstice has something to do with it, and its changing my astrological whatever so I have an increased subconscious desire to listen to Belgium electronic music. Whatever, it makes about as much sense and is as plausible as anything else involving astrology. Did anyone get a chance to see Lords of Acid this summer? I saw they recruited a Rock of Love contestant as their new lead singer. Was she any good? Did she cover Tom Jones’ “Sex Bomb?” These remixes and live cuts are from a CD Single.

Posted in 808 State, Hooverphonic, Lords Of Acid, remixes | 3 Comments »

House Music for Late Night Justice!

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

You’re going to hear me whine about Leno for a while now, so just get used to it.

Conan announced that he’ll quit The Tonight Show if he’s forced to 12:05, and I can’t blame him. NBC is treating him like shit, and for some reason treating Leno, an unfunny baboon with the most poorly rated network TV show since Capitol Critters, as some big-chinned god. Why? Leno left The Tonight Show, tried something different, and it failed. Failed epically! Have you ever watched The Jay Leno Show? No, of course you haven’t NO ONE HAS. And here’s a shocker, when a network’s 10:00 show is a piece of shit no one watches, less people watch their late night program? Who knew? Oh wait, everyone with a fucking brain knew!

Conan’s audience skews young, and it also skews tech-savvy, so it should be no surprise that the internet is all about Team Conan on this one. You, as a connoisseur of good taste (you must be, you’re reading my blog) have to do you part! Check out this article by The Consumerist. They have listed the email addresses of every executive at NBC. Email ALL OF THEM, do it repeatedly, then create multiple e-mail addresses and do it again, and again, and again. Tell them that you refuse to watch a late night show hosted by Jay “My Chin is a weapon of mass destruction” Leno and that if they don’t keep Conan at 11:35 then you’ll never watch another show on NBC ever.

And if you’ve seen their shitty primetime line-up then you know that won’t be a hard promise to keep.

On a related note, if Jay Leno does get The Tonight Show back this should be his fucking theme song. Bitch. (Sorry for the stupid video that goes with the song).

Oh, and if you are for some reason an idiot and think Jay Leno is right to do what he’s doing don’t bother commenting to share your viewpoint, because I won’t approve it. The Lost Turntable is a dictatorship, run by me, so don’t bother complaining about it.

The KLF
The Dogg Bite Mix
This is a weird mix, it’s mostly “What Time Is Love” but some other KLF jams make their way in as well. It’s from one of those subscription-based DJ records services. It’s actually pretty damn good too.

A Guy Called Gerald
Automanikk (Just 4U Gordon Mix)
Automanikk (4Q 808 Mix)
Automanikk (Derrick May The Force Be With You Mix)
Automanikk (Bass Overload Mix)
Voodoo Ray Americans
That is a really stupid alternative spelling. The song is good though. I like the band Gerald is in more though…

808 State
Open Your Mind (Open Mix)
Lift (Lift Up Dub)
Lift (Metro Mix)
Lift (Justin Strauss Mix)
Open Your Mind (Sound Garden Mix)
Lift (12” Mix)
Lift (7” Mix)
Well speak of the devil! I don’t even remember buying this 12”. I was cleaning out my music folders and came across a huge WAV file that had the entire 12” on it. I’m so disorganized that it extends to my virtual belongings! It’s sad really. The last time I cleaned my room (which was…many eons ago) I found 20 socks, two magazines that had articles I wrote, a picture of me from 3rd grade and a copy Purple Rain…on vinyl! God only know what I’ll find if I ever clean out my basement.

Posted in 808 State, A Guy Called Gerald, remixes, Team Conan, The KLF | 2 Comments »