What are you listening to?

Hypnotic, brooding techno by the old incarnation of the band Black Dog. Amazing to think that this track is 31 years old already. One of the first electronic albums I bought. Not a danceable track, something to chill out to, late at night. The 3 musicians who made this music splintered into two new bands, one kept the name Black Dog and the other was a new duo called Plaid. Both are still putting out new albums today.


This second track is about 15 years old, from a concept album exploring the ideas of underground bases and surveillance culture. Both tracks have aged like fine wine. It's nice to know there are still musicians in the UK pushing the boundaries of modern music.


The closing track I link below is a very simple ambient chord piece, but it's the most beautiful way to close an album I can think of. Taken from the 2009 album Further Vexations. Reminds me of early 70's Pink Floyd.

 
Everything but the Girl, a few choice tracks from their sudden divergence into house music and dnb. I love this band, and I'm amazed how this Husband and Wife duo have stuck it out and never gone crazy despite their enormous success in the 90s. They wear their success well is how I'd put it.



 
A few more choice cuts which feature Tracy Thorn's effortless jazz-style vocals. This music is very evocative of mid 90's London life for me. So glad I don't live there any more however! ;-) The 3rd track is where she worked with Massive Attack, good speakers needed for the throbbing dub-style bass.



 
Max Romeo and The Upsetters, from those days when it seemed like reggae was gonna take over the world. And in a way it did, it fed into so many of the underground dance scenes, which gravitated to the awesome bass possibilities in particular. in the UK, sounds ystem culture inspired generations to come. Back when I was a naive, idealistic young hippie I wrote 3 songs inspired by these guys, but they were never taken beyond the jamming stage with my keyboards. One day I intend to do them justice, I find this take on spiritual protest music so refreshing, especially during times such as these, the world is hell at the moment. I need music like this in my life just to keep my head above the suffering I bear witness to. Anger obviously requires a decent catharsis, and music such as this provides it.

I think a musically proficient member of the forum perhaps could make a piece of music which bears witness to the world as it is today, without being too preachy of course. Reggae can teach us a lot in this respect; it's religion is a bit daft, but the old Rastas saw "Babylon" all too well I think. Much thanks @Liliea for prompting my journey into reggae ear worms tonight!


 
The Congos, with their falsetto-strewn take on the more soulful side of the protest movement music of the times. Jamaica was a turbulent place in the 1970's, with Michael Manley and Edward Seaga forever in battle for political control. The Rastas were caught in the sights of an increasingly conservative political class who knew full well that this was a group of people who could not be controlled, so they sought to criminalise them.

I had to share Bob's classic too, you can't have enough Bob in your life, just perfect to my ears.


 
John Martyn, Outside In. Initially a very successful folk music performer in the ridiculously talented UK scene of the late 1960's, he morphed into a kind of jazz fusion sonic explorer for a few years in the mid 70's. Sadly no longer with us, he lived the rock n' roll lifestyle a little too much for his own good. Whenever I think of what it would be like to exist in 4d, this kind of music (along with Weather Report) springs instantly to mind. He was a one man effects pedal maestro, his use of echoplex delay pedals made even the most straightforward riff just kind of ring out into space. Psychedelic, impressionistic, instinctive; he chose a path that none of his peers could have expected.

Island Records founder Chris Blackwell allowed Martyn complete artistic freedom to make what he wanted, and boy did he oblige! I include a live version of Outside In as well, so you can hear his mastery of the guitar and completely fearless approach to improvisation. Blackwell said his early morning (5am) recording session with Martyn for the epic classic Small Hours ranked as the most incredible moment of his recording career, and this is the man who signed Bob Marley saying this! He pretty much invented ambient music, you can even hear a flock of geese caught in quieter moments of the recording. It perfectly captures the vibes of an all-nighter gently swinging into the dawn, what we used to call the "morning glory". The stillness of the hour is eerie to behold, I think that's why it's also the optimum time to pray. Small Hours is kinda like a prayer to the dawn.

A true innovator, without John Martyn there'd be no Portishead that's for sure.

I'll include that track also, though it's hard to pick favourites from his considerable back catalogue. Thank god for music though, emotionally I'd be lost without it, it helps keep me sane in this wicked world.



 
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