Clips from my new Bandcamp album, Patched Up. This is a collection of tracks recorded over five weeks between Christmas 2021 and the end of January 2022. They were originally presented as a series of performance videos on my YouTube channel as part of the #Jamuary2022 challenge: while I didn’t manage to record a track every day, I did end up with enough material for this mini-album. They cover a range of moods, from ambient to deep, 90s-style melodic techno.

I produced the tracks at home using a small modular system with various synths and hardware sequencers. The arrangements were jammed live and recorded in one take; I used a computer only to capture the audio, tidy up some mutes and fades, and add some reverb and delay via plug-ins.

Patched Up

Buy on Bandcamp

Patched Up | album clips

Rescued from the original cassette, a deep house mix from yesteryear...

Strange Attractor - Golden Gate (Phono)
PWOG - SA Track 1 (KK)
Point Blank - Rog [Herbert mix] (Phono)
CVO - Bonus (Balance)
Shazz & St German - Muse Q The Music (F Comm)
Yennek - Without (Art Of Dance)
Abacus - Come On (Prescription Collectors' Edition)
Chez Damier & Ralph Lawson - Dedicaton To Joss (Serious Grooves)
Q-Bert's Abstract Message - Mess of Afros [Glenn Underground mix] (Mephisto)
Dirty Jesus - Cut A Rug (Paper)
CVO - Party Time (Balance)
DJ Tonka - Feel [Derrick Carter mix] (Force Inc US)
I:Cube - Disco Cubizm [Daft Punk mix] (Versatile)
Swag - Creative Biting v9 (Jus'Trax)
DJ Assassin - Jazz Journey (Phono)


August 96 deep house mix

Deep house mix recorded for Raya collective in 1999:

isolee // beau mot plage <playhouse> .01
gemini // r u afraid? <earth> .02
ll.ek.tro // carbon academy <klang> .03
bluetrain // limited edition <bluetrain> .04
circulation // dubba <e3> .05 
brooks // pink cigarettes (rhythm plate mix) <mantis> .06
johnny fiasco // groove on (joshua's dubwise mix) <afterhours> .07
coastal commission // rhodes through space <pacific coast> .08
lovetronic // you are love (petalpusher dub) <naked> .09
hardrive 2000 // work this, like this <strictly rhythm> .10
glenn underground // cvo reprise <prescription> .11
derrick carter // dreaming again <classic> .12
rhythm plate // from the vaults <diy> .13
weekender // spirit in your soul <toko> .14
david alvarado // morning prayer <peacefrog> .15

One Track Mind mix 1999

One side of a cassette I recorded in 1996. If I remember right I had one Technics deck and one old belt-drive deck plus a Made II Fade mixer with no EQ or gain controls - no frills...

The Advent - Space Jazz (Internal)
Kosmic Messenger - Flash (Plink Plonk)
The Martian - Ghostdancer (Red Planet)
Morgan Geist - Room 120-2 (Metamorphic)
Kosmic Messenger - Eye 2 Eye (Plink Plonk)
Time Undefined - Journeys In Motion (Strictly Rhythm)
Herbert - Butthead (Phono)
Secret Ingredients - New York New York (Universal Language)
Chris Sattinger - Butterfly Skull (Synewave)
Jeff Mills - Outsiders (Purpose Maker)

June 96 mix side A

The other side of a cassette I recorded in 1996...


Interloper - Daddy Vegas (Plink Plonk)
Slam - Dark Forces (Soma)
Infiniti - Game One (Metroplex)
Maurizio - M5 (Maurizio)
Herbert - Take Me Back (Phono)
Secret Ingredients - Taking Over Me (Universal Language)
DJ Assassin - Jazz Journey (Phono)
Model 500 - I Wanna Be There (R&S)
Stacey Kidd - Think Of You (Peacefrog)
Future Soul Orchestra - Life's Journey (House Of 909)
Tone Theory - Limbo Of Vanished Possibilities (Plink Plonk)
FK - Hypnodelic (Wave)


June 96 mix side B

Another contribution to Raya's mix CD series - check out the others at http://www.raya.org.uk/mix/

My original 2001 sleevenotes: "this cd is an attempt to showcase some of the wealth of fantastic new music released  over the past couple of years which has (somewhat reluctantly) become labelled 'broken beat'. in contrast to my previous raya mix cd ('one track mind') which was dedicated to straight-up 4/4 deep house, this mix is far more diverse rhythmically and stylistically. what these tracks share is a fresh attitude to production which looks beyond the rigid confines of one particular genre and embraces a wealth of influences from jazz and afrobeat to uk garage and detroit techno and beyond, creating something new in the process. this mix aims to present a snapshot of a new global music scene which is  growing by the week and shows no signs of slowing down. enjoy."

Tracklist:
total science vs victor duplaix // messages <phillytest>	.01
da one away // trash da junk <main squeeze>	.02
afro force // goza <2000 black>	,03
nahawa doumbia // fatien [ig culture mix] <frikyiwa>	.04
nos // word to the wise <zest>	.05
domu // the long way up <neroli>	.06
orange water // love life <archive>	.07
loqate // miracles [recloose mix] <ubiquity>	.08
ben mono // moments <compost>	.09
afronaught // life on venus <apollo>	.10
son of scientist // theory of everything <main squeeze>	.11
trouble man // the essence <far our>	.12
as one // undefeated <ubiquity>	.13

If It Ain't Broke... (2001)

An excursion into some spaced-out midtempo grooves for late-night manoeuvres of your choice. Featuring music from The Nuclear Family, Lord of the Isles, Boards of Canada, Cloudface, Roman Flugel, Kraftwerk, Speedy J and more...

Behind Closed Doors mix (2015)

Full story: https://nothinbutmagic.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/headspace-emoticon-retrospective/

Otomi - Zusammen (EMOT 006)
Vince Watson - Intrisync (HS 017)
Dennis DeSantis - Leisure [Tom Churchill remix] (HS 011)
Double Helix - Subscript (EMOT 014)
KLaSH Productions - Scopex (EMOT 012)
Russ Gabriel's Audio Spectrum - Subliminal Dreams (EMOT 017)
Russ Gabriel's Audio Spectrum - Aldeburgh [Yotoko remix] (EMOT 016)
Mark McLaren - Sit (EMOT 002)
CiM - Edit Micro Tune (HS 009)
Marco Bernardi - Trane (EMOT 015)
Rei Loci - Transfiguration (HS 012)
Arne Weinberg - From Consumption To Enslavement (HS 014)
Derek Carr - Planet Jump (HS 015)
Tom Churchill - Spaces [Dennis DeSantis remix] (HS 011)
Dan Curtin - What Did He Get Us Into (HS 019)
Connective Zone - Dude (EMOT 010)
Total Science - I Know (EMOT 003)
Q Project - Spek (EMOT 004)
Future Beat Alliance - Head Ways (EMOT 007)

Headspace & Emoticon Retrospective

Taken from my Sunday Selections series over on MixCloud, this is the first in a series of mixes focusing exclusively on ‘golden era’ deep UK techno – the music that changed my life in the early/mid-90s. 

It features timeless classics and rarities from Black Dog, B12, As One, Stasis, Nuron, Link, Luke Slater and Aphex Twin - inspired by Detroit but looking beyond the dance.

Note: these are all recorded from vinyl, some of which has seen better days, so apologies for the occasional crackle and distortion...

Stasis - World Out of Time (Peacefrog, 1995)
As One - Light (Likemind, 1996)
Phenomyna - Earthfall [Nuron mix] (ART, 1994)
Aphex Twin - Delphium (R&S/Apollo, 1992)
The Black Dog - Sharp Shooting on Saturn (GPR, 1993)
Redcell - Infinite Lites (B12, 1995)
Nuron - Mirage (Likemind, 1994)
Link - The Augur (Symbiotic, 1993)
Luke Slater’s 7th Plain - Excalibur’s Radar (GPR, 1994)
Reload - Le Soleil et la Mer [Black Dog Productions remix] (Infonet, 1993)

Golden Era Techno Part 1

A follow-up to December's selection of mid-90s Detroit-influenced UK techno, this time featuring some US producers in the form of Carl Craig, Kenny Larkin and Abacus alongside the likes of As One, Stasis and Black Dog. Deep and timeless music for heads and feet.

NB: As before, these are all recorded from well-worn vinyl, so apologies for the occasional snap, crackle and pop.

As One - Shambala (Buzz, 1993)
Stasis - So-lar (Time Is Right, 1993)
Psyche - Elements (Planet E, 1989)
Abacus - Relics (Prescription, 1994)
Kenny Larkin - Butterflies (R&S, 1995)
Repeat - Lilt-A (A13, 1995)
Nuron - Eau Rouge (Likemind, 1996)
La Synthesis - Agraphobia (Plink Plonk, 1994)
Black Dog Productions (Atypic) - Otaku (Rising High, 1992)

Golden Era Techno Part 2

Another selection of mainly UK techno from the early to mid-90s. On this one there's a slightly more uptempo/dancefloor feel (in the middle section at least), with some deep grooves from the Pure Plastic/Plaid family, LFO's Mark Bell in his Clark guise, a soulful techno masterpiece from Inertia (aka A Guy Called Gerald), and a raw heater from Neuropolitique on Irdial. Recorded from vinyl once again with authentic grit.

Luke Slater’s 7th Plain - Time Melts (GPR, 1994)
Mark Broom & Dave Hill - Weather (Pure Plastic, 1995)
Neuropolitiue - Fusion-Neu (Irdial Discs, 1992)
Ismistik - Flowcharts Remade (Djax-Up-Beats, 1995)
Inertia - Nowhere to Run (Retroactive, 1990) 
Eco Tourist - Downtown Chic (Rewired, 1995)
Ed Handley - Nine Open (Pure Plastic, 1995)
Clark - Christo (Planet E, 1995) 
Balil - Rosery Pilots (Rising High, 1993)
Russ Gabriel - Airborne  (Input Neuron Musique, 1995)

Golden Era Techno Part 3

Recorded live at home on 9 March, 2013 - the first mix I've done for years. Various shades of house music, from brand new to 23 years old (and occasionally brand new that sounds 23 years old), with hints of techno, jazz and bass here and there. Enjoy!

1. Jupiter Jax - Ain't No Voodoo (100% Silk)
2. Kid Sublime - Afrofunkrhythm (Dopeness Galore)
3. Medlar - The Sun (Wolf Music)
4. FaltyDL - Hardcourage (Ninja Tune)
5. Joe - REJ Bit (Hemlock)
6. Four Tet - Pinnacles (Text)
7. Roman IV - Lucy (Running Back) [w/ Messages acapella]
8. Isolee - Wobble (Pampa)
9. Ob Ignitt - Oh Jabba (FXHE)
10. C++ - Abnormal (Blue Cucaracha)
11. Martin Kemp - No Charisma (Blunted Robot)
12. Legowelt - Clap Yo Hands (Clone)
13. Francesco Tristano - The Melody [Balil remix] (Infine)
14. Metro - Brownstone Express (Nu Groove/Rush Hour)
15. Ron Trent - Kids At Play (Electric Blue)

March 2013 mix

A recording of a live-streamed DJ set originally performed as part of The Nuclear Family's 'Family and Friends 011' event hosted by Further_In on 4 July 2020, alongside Laurence Hughes and David Siska. The mix features new and old techno from Detroit and beyond, including tracks by Shake, Robert Hood, Dan Curtin, Kenny Larkin and many more.

Live on Further_In, 4 July 2020

I recorded plenty of techno and electro-related mixes this year, but I've also picked up some new and old house stuff recently which didn't quite fit. So here's a selection of new jams, old favourites and timeless magic from the vaults... 30 years of heat from Ron Trent, KDJ and Pal Joey to Kyle Hall, ESB and Roberta. Enjoy!

Stuck In The House

A mix I recorded at the tail-end of 2020 for @mihailpetrovski's Multiverse Sessions radio show: https://bit.ly/3qrQOoJ.

Kicking off with an unreleased interlude by yours truly, it covers various shades of techno and electro from artists including @tapesjamaican, @pearsonsound, @reedalerise, @datashat, @legowelt-official, @cygnus and more.

Guest mix for Multiverse Sessions, December 2020

October 2003 DJ mix

March 2004 DJ mix

September 2005 DJ mix

DJ/producer since the mid-90s; co-founder of Headspace and Emoticon; half of The Nuclear Family (https://soundcloud.com/the_nuclear_family); monthly resident on @radiobuenavida

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