As big fans of Max, we invited him to curate the first in Rough Trade Shops’ Behind the Counter series, in which some of our favourite artists create mixes especially for us using the records we sell on the shop floor.

The result is a 36-track compilation of soundbites, pieces of composition, interesting mixes and curious musical choices including tracks from Mogwai, Boards of Canada, Philip Glass, Aphex Twin and Low among some classical works by Rachmaninoff and Bach.

In this two-part podcast Max chats to Nigel about the process of his selection and we also hear a selection of songs from the compilation.

Buy the album here:
roughtrade.com/music/max-richter…-the-counter-with

Behind The Counter With Max Richter Parts 1 & 2

misc

Let the Children play...

When it came out in 1984 the far-out album Sweet Sweet Dreams by Trinidad & Tobago’s Shadow (aka Winston Bailey) was described as “way ahead of its time”. Undeservedly it was panned by critics and, unable to reach markets, disappeared into the dusty record collections of a few music aficionados. Now, more than three decades later that cosmic dance-floor UFO is about to take off again, change all that and set the record straight. Remastered and cut by Frank Meritt at The Carvery the album is truly a masterpiece.

But who is this Shadow behind Sweet Sweet Dreams? Shadow is a man of understated magnitude. A truly enigmatic artist, he first emerged in Trinidad and Tobago during the 1970s, becoming a part of the tapestry of Caribbean music and reinvigorating calypso at the time. Calypso, the indigenous folk music of Trinidad and Tobago, has roots in West African kaiso rhythms, French Creole influences, and the hardships endured by the African slaves brought to Trinbago, whose descendants still use it as a tool for satire, self-expression,  and social commentary. Calypso has also given birth to several other music genres, including soca, with its uptempo beats and festival context. Shadow effortlessly moves between both.

Accoring to Carl "Beaver" Henderson, one of Trinidad's veteran producers; “Shadow broke all the traditional musical rules and made his own and that made him a musical giant. He changed the face of Calypso music in 1974 with the release of "Bassman" a tune in which Bass and magnificent horn line took central stage changing Soca music for ever. What Shadow did with his music was to put calypso on the International Dance circuit, giving it a totally different groove. You could take his music and swing it in any direction; Disco, Pop, Calypso, you name it. His music was different from anything that existed before”. 

This inert creativeness culminated in Sweet Sweet Dreams which was arranged by Shadow and deals with burning and ever-relevant themes like love and the ups and downs of relationships. a surprising fact for someone mainly known for his satirical and political lyrics. It prompted his manager to wonder if Shadow had written the lyrics while in a state of ‘tabanca’ (a word used in Trinidad and Tobago to describe lovesickness). 

Sweet Sweet Dreams was recorded at the legendary SHARC studios, located on a hill in Chaguaramas (near Port of Spain) and despite a fantastic sound and monster Soca-boogie tunes like “Lets get it together”, “Lets Make it Up” and “Way, Way Out” the album was a commercial flop, probably due to the fact that it didn’t sound like anything else coming out of Trinidad & Tobago at the time: It fused a range of different rhythms and new sounds, primarily heavy synth riffs.

Shadow took the album’s lack of success in his stride with usual aplomb:
“When I did Sweet Dreams I expect something could happen. But nothing big happen because I have no big market and no distribution and all this thing now. So I just cool myself and move on to another song. I wasn’t doing just one song. I used to always have plenty songs at the one time. And be writing music”.

What Shadow didn’t realise back then was that the proto-electronic cocktail he had mixed in 1984 would only find the recognition it deserved three decades later. Life has swung full circle: Sweet Sweet Dreams has come true and been elevated to holy grail status becoming one of the most sought-after Caribbean disco records in existence. Asked about this turn around Shadow mused  “I’m trying to understand that part. A lot of people ask me for it over a few years now. But I never give anybody it. That music wasn’t for then. It’s for now”.

Sweet Sweet Dreams

Get the Record

LETS GET IT TOGETHER - SHADOW

Winner of 2nd place in the International Songwriting Competition, in the instrumental category.

Its the end of another year, and what a wild and chaotic year it has been. Needless to say lots of good things have happened in 2016 as can be found in this blog post http://helthehatter.tumblr.com/post/152910935316/good-things-that-happened-in-2016.


All Rights Reserved

Charge Into 2017

Download

Dennis Franklyn Williams known as Merchant.
He borne in 1943 at Trinidade where he live all his life and be came one of the must brilliant calypso artists.
We proudly present this maxi single of the track "Tumble Down" taken from the album "Ha Coming Too" original released in 1987.
Now new tree versions inside this 12" to put fire on the dance floors around the world!

Ostra Discos © 2017

Merchant - Tumble Down (Unrealeased Extended)

Mix of the Week #168 is "Happy In Hollywood" by DJ Duckcomb

ID requests to @djduckcomb

Dream Chimney 'Mix of the Week'

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Mix of the Week #168: Duckcomb - Happy In Hollywood

Behind The Counter With Max Richter (Part 1)

Behind The Counter With Max Richter (Part 2)

New Hawaii

Eddie Suzuki "City Of Refuge" (Sinergia)

This player previews V/a - Pantsula! - The rise of Electronic Dance Music in South Africa, 1988-90

Release: December 4, 2017
PRE-ORDER VINYL: http://bit.ly/PantsulaLP

Late 80s South African dance floor winners only! Selected by DJ Okapi and Antal, the compilation holds tracks by Jivaro, The Hard Workers, Ayobayo Band, S.Y.B. & many more. This is the sharp electronic music that fuelled the local Pantsula dances during the 80s and 90s . A must have for fans of Bubblegum and Kwaito music. 

The 12 tracks selected for Pantsula! come from a very unique, very different time and place. They represent the birth of electronic dance music in South Africa, through the songs of one particular independent label from the time: Music Team. The sound represents the culmination of the bubblegum era, when South Africa’s disco artists outgrew their American influences and forged an increasingly electronic and ‘local’ pop sound.

Evolving over time since long before the 80s, the distinctly South African subculture of Pantsula is more closely associated with an attitude, a style and a signature dance, rather than any specific sound. In the late 1980s and early 90s, Pantsula was also the name given to a new type of dance music taking over the streets of South Africa, influenced by earlier bubblegum and the rise of Shangaan Disco, but with a far broader appeal and a harder, purely electronic sound.

Tracklist:
1. The Equals - New Lover
2. Jazino - Ushelakanjani
3. Jivaro - What Next
4. S.Y.B - Jika Magogo
5. Scotch Band - Watsotasama
6. Kakappa - Sisonke
7. Spirro - Ma Hero (Dub Mix)
8. The Hard Workers - Ayoba-yo
9. Ayobayo Band - Sorry Bra
10. Rush feat. Linda Ziqubu - Sobohla Manyosi
11. Chaka - Via Tembisa
12. La Viva - Go Siami

PANTSULA! - THE RISE OF ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC IN SOUTH AFRICA, 1988-90 (RHMC 003)

Taken from 'The New Monday' LP by Shigeto, out October 6, 2017.

Order Links:
The Ghostly Store: https://goo.gl/9qivRk
The Ghostly Store (UK/EU): https://goo.gl/VpDovn
Retailer of your choice: https://Ghostly.lnk.to/shigeto

Follow Shigeto on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/shigeto

The New Monday

Shigeto - Detroit Part II

Mostly piano and violin.
Featuring the Joshua Bell Violin by Embertone.

This piece came from wanting to create something that has a bold story but remains intimate.
Along with the piano and solo violin, the ensemble is only four 1st Violins and three 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellists and Basses. This for me is very small, compared to my usual huge ensembles of 60 or more string players.

Join me on Patreon for the latest: www.patreon.com/dexterbritain

www.dexterbritain.com
2017 All Rights Reserved DBML

Pushing On (September 19th 2017)

Creative Commons Volume. 5
Contemporary Classical soundtrack music.

Download at dexterbritain.bandcamp.com

www.dexterbritain.co.uk

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Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dexterbritain

Download / License

The Time To Run (Finale)

Legendary independent vinyl retailer, Rough Trade, takes you behind the record shop counter to discuss the most exciting new albums, as well as chatting with the recording artists themselves.

Behind The Counter With Max Richter (Part 1)

Rough Trade Edit Podcast