...written and compiled by spank.
The Heavenly Social was an unusual paradox. Whilst plundering the past for inspiration and vinyl, residents the Chemical Brothers, Jon Carter and Richard Fearless pushed forward the frontiers of music. The only policy about the music played was that there was no policy. In the same week that the NME had described the Social as a non-House club the Chemicals dropped a tonne of 1988/89 acid house. Regenerated in the form of the Heavenly Jukebox these boundaries have been pushed back even further.
The layout of the Turnmills (Tall Paul Newman’s Dad’s club) has been radically improved. Upstairs sees the introduction of the Heavenly Singles Bar, a mini record shop supplying a very tasty selection of 12"s, a bar (at which to be served you have to name three records that changed your life), DJs and seating. Downstairs with the introduction of the Hall of Mirrors there are now two dancefloors. The Hall of Mirrors is somewhat reminiscent of what could happen to a ballet studio in the right hands where as the main floor still maintains the original mayhem. The Jukebox also deserve a gold medal for their propensity of chill-out areas which included multiple screenings of ‘Toy Story’! The only possible criticism one can find is of the toilets, of which the occasional mutterings of ‘Trainspotting’ were heard.
Anyway, less of these frivolous extras, for the main concern of Jeff Barret and the Heavenly crew has always been the music. Every week anything can happen and because of the laid back attitude and open minds of the clientele always goes down a storm. Regular appearances feature quadruple deck manipulators the Psychonaughts, Jon Carter doing his big bold ragga type thang and Fearless mixing anything from old school electro to heavy guitar riffs. One thing is for sure, never try and pigeon hole these boys as it will come back in your face a thousand times fatter.
One dimension that Heavenly has taken even further is the cultivation of new talent from all over the world. Next month sees guest slots featuring the mesmerising funkiness of Basement Jaxx, the nu-Brit house of Faze Action and retro-activity from Brighton based Skint as well as stalwarts such as Andy Weatherall, David Holmes and Norman Cook. Bring your 8 squid, bring your friends, bring an open mind and expect the unexpected. The most up for it night in London by a long shot.
[For more details call (0171) 494 2998. Catch the Heavenly Jukebox on tour at Warwick University, Nov.27].
TJ REHMI The Fusionist (Nation) Feb 10
Drum and Bass has built up a huge following over the last 18 months particularly due to Talvin Singh's 'Anokha' Monday night at Blue Note. TJ Rehmi's debut 12" for Nation follows this trend providing 4 tracks of chilled jungle-jazz with a Asian folk and blues flavour. 'The Fusionist' is a masterpiece of programming, accessible and marred only by an over repetitive tabla sample. Far better is the subtle jazz induced 'Jogi' which is the aural equivalent of the vision of a sunset. 6
ESPIRITU Baby I Want To Live (Heavenly) March 3
Her of the 'Always Something There To Remind You' / Tin Tin Out fame returns with her enchanting Peruvian voice. Trying her hand at Drum and Bass of the EBTG variety - light, fluffy and disposable. Fortunately those Heavenly Social bad boys Fearless and Carter get their mitts on it and give it a devastating overhaul. 8
SPRING HEEL JACK Bank Of America (Trade 2 / Island) Feb 17
SHJ start this year with a bang of atom-splitting proportions. 'Bank Of America' features complex structures that take a dark, deep, devious turn that is high on explosive percussion and whirring generators of bass. 'Sunburst' - the urgency but with the fallout factor of rippling bass and breezes of saxophone. 9
SOURCE DIRECT Black Domina (Science/Virgin) Feb 3
Over the past months one has come to recognise both Source Direct and Photek's Science label as hallmarks of quality. Therefore although 'Black Domina' is streets ahead of most of the output of Source Direct's contemporaries; the trademark formula of cinematic soundscapes and heavy jazzy B-lines fails to live up to expectations. B-Movie material from the normally block-busting duo. 7
DAFT PUNK Da Funk / Musique (Soma / Virgin) Feb 3
Deserved re-release of arguably the finest record of 1995. 'Da Funk' features the tension of crowd babble, dirty 303s and distorted siren like guitars is offset by the restrained funky breakbeat that they overlay. 'Musique' displays Daft Punk's revolutionary EQ-ing skill to the full as the futur-disco thrusts and turns before bursting its way out of your speakers. Handle with care. 10
DEATH IN VEGAS Rekkit (Concrete) Feb 24
A track in two phases. Phase 1 is deceptively chilled with chugging beats and a fruity bassline prior to phase 2 hitting off. Minimal beats provide the backdrop allowing the dirty guitar to work itself into a frenzy climaxing at (8) on the sleaze scale. Lord Sabre Andy Weatherall also turns in the goods with his 'Greetings From Lino Square' - anyone for ghoulish-electro? 8
MUKI Jahbar (Mantra) Feb 3
The intelligence and technical prowess of 'Muki' does nothing to taint the emotion and delicacy of this beautiful hybrid. Neither drum and bass nor techno nor jazz this track contains elements of all three genres. The mix by the desperately underrated Peter Lazonby is the only one that comes remotely near to dancefloor friendly but this makes it none the less an essential purchase. Atmospheric, spaced out and intricate electronica this is a fine example of what occurs when technology is left in the right hands. 10
| Festivals ahoy - Tribal Gathering (held in Luton) and the Essential Music Festival (held in Brighton) have both been booked on the same day - May 24. Of the two Tribal is probably the strongest line-up, including the first live performance for ten years by the teutonic electro legends Kraftwerk, the debut live UK performance by Way Out West, T-Power, Daft Punk, Empirion and Gilles Peterson, all spread over 9 stages. Brighton features such luminaries as Carl Cox, Laurent Garnier and Luke Slater’s Planetary Assault Systems. Pay your money and make your choice........ |
| The Fugees are set to appear in the sequel to Jimmy Cliff’s film ‘The Harder They Come’. Filming will commence in June........ |
| The guiding force behind the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA, has signed to Gee Street Records to release a solo album. Don’t hold your breath though, the second Wu-Tang, the second Gravediggaz, the solo album from Cappadona plus work for his Razor Sharp label all take preference. All this and still time to set up the new Wu-Wear shop that opened last month........ |
| Former Heavenly Socialites the Chemical Brothers are kicking up a storm in America with their no messin’ selection of beats and riffs. A second album entitled ‘Dig Your Own Hole’ will be released in early April. This will be preceded by the excellent single ‘Block Rocking Beats’ on March 17 and a UK tour stopping off at the Que Club in Birmingham on April 18. Support will come from Richard Fearless’ Death in Vegas. Tom Rowlands is currently producing tracks for the Charlatans........ |
| March 21 sees the Orb, currently riding high with their ‘Toxygene’ single also playing at the Que Club to promote the album, ‘Orblivion’, released February 24........ |
| Dot Allison, former One Dover and uber-Babe, has had tracks produced by Death in Vegas. Dot’s verdict “Dark and moody with fast electronic beats”. With a voice of a siren she surely can do no wrong!........ |
| Amyl Nitrate has become a prescription only drug following a government crack-down (no pun intended) last month........ |
| Hotly tipped French Beat Meister DJ Cam releases his new 12" ‘Meera’ through Inflammable Records/ Columbia on Feb. 10........ |
| Leftfield are currently collaborating with the hip-hop God (and generally big, scary bloke) Afrika Bambaatta. Sources predict a single in May although at time of going to press it was not clear whether it would be the aforementioned collaboration........ |
| “Friends stick together” - so when two of CJ Mackintosh’s chums were forcibly removed from his Ministry of Sound Rulin’ night he handed in his residency. Favourite to pick up the residency include Pete Heller, the Beloved’s Jon Marsh and Jazzy M. CJ is currently available for birthday parties, wedding receptions and retirement bashes in the London area........ |
| Hurrah! Re-release of the month must be Jean Jacques Perry’s top seventies tune ‘EVA’ (you know, the one from the Lucozade advert). The backbone of many a chemical breakbeater’s set, it comes with remixes by none other than Fatboy Slim and is released on BGP........ |
| Equally smart is Armand Van Helden’s remix of The Sneaker Pimp’s ‘Sugar Sugar’ (One Little Indian). Anyone for jungle with their cup of house........ |
| Maddest album of the month must go to the mix album ‘Do Not Adjust Your Set’ by the Bolton Brothers (Vital). Featuring tracks from Leftfield, Strange Brew, Freakpower, The Wise Guys amongst others, radically altering “slow n’ chunky is made fast n’ funky” by playing them at 45rpm instead of the conventional 33rpm. Never again need you feel guilty about playing a record at the wrong speed ........ |
| Spring Heel Jack are currently recording their new album due for release in the summer in between touring in Estonia and a brief stint in America......... |
| Upcoming events in your area: Heavenly Jukebox featuring bad boys Jon Carter (Monkey Mafia) and Derek Dahlarge (Wall of Sound) DJ at Mojo, University of Warwick on February 27 - The Muzik Mixmaster Tour featuring Darren Emerson (Underworld), Darren Price (NovaMute & part time Underworlder), Steve Bridger (Blood Sugar & Muzik Bedroom Bedlam champion) and the West Midlands mix winner all play at Warwick University, March 7 - Dope on Plastic tour with Monkey Mafia’s Krash Slaughta, John Stapleton & Kitachi live at Coventry University, March 13 - The Godfather’s of House Tour ’87-’97 featuring Farley Jackmaster Funk, Marshall Jefferson & Tyree Cooper at Planet, Coventry, March 13........ |
| Finally the two funniest stories of the month feature holes and pissing........ |
| Number 1 is the scare that the limited edition Polo Holes caused school teachers across the country. Embossed with the letters P, O and L the teachers feared that these ‘small pills’ were new forms of E! Most amusing is the response from the Nestle Rowntree spokesperson “The sweets are thicker than most pills and they also have a glossy surface, unlike most pills which tend to be matt” - Doh! I don’t know about you but I can not imagine the majority of my 55 year old cardigan and open toe sandal wearing teachers could tell the difference between a record and a CD, let alone be in the knowledge of the aesthetic properties of illegal substances........ |
| Number 2 (as featured in Muzik) is the tale of techno god Carl Cox dispelling all myths that he is infallible. Whilst Djing at Nicky Holloway’s Velvet club, Carl Cox felt the need to relieve himself. Due to previous problems at the club Holloway had fixed a contraption in the DJ booth to allow the DJs to just piss and go. However, a little worse for wear, Carl decided to try out the aforementioned contraption. Bearing in mind how big Carl Cox is, that’s a lot of urine. Unfortunately for fellow DJ Billy Nasty, Cox’s judgement was somewhat blurred. What he perceived to be the porterloo was in fact Billy Nasty’s brand new Wu-Wear jacket. Needless to say the jacket wasn’t waterproof and Billy Nasty didn’t find this tale as amusing as we at Futureactive do. |