Taken from their album, Music For Collapsing People (2000 / Stereo Deluxe), this sizzling tune by Moodorama grooves along with some of the most infectiously elastic basslines that I’ve ever heard. Embellished with lovely hooks and angelic female vocals, it instantly became a chillout classic when it was released.

It still sounds fresh today.

Whenever I listen to this track, I somehow always picture myself lazing on a tropical beach, with a nice Pina Colada in my hand — complete with a paper umbrella! Ahhhh….. kitschy but wicked nice!

Moodorama - Sinzing Sunset Boulevard

It’s truly a beautiful tune but their puzzling lyrics really leave me scratching my head! Here’s an example…

VERSE 2:
I took up the chase and tried to catch as much as possible;
didn’t find truth, how should I know my fate was like?
Can you hear the edge; I do and I think it’s harmless.
Otherlands like you, unknown and new.

CHORUS:
Simple things in life are the best,
Love so warm besides.

See what I mean?

Forever forward-thinking, auteur Amon Tobin always perplexes and delights with his unpredictable breakbeat/drum n’ bass thrills and spills.

Twisted bossanova, hip hop, jungle, baroque, cinematic soundscapes, jazz noir, angelic choirs, psychedelic filters, hard rock riffs, super-speed percussion — all blend harmoniously in his lush works; sometimes altogether in the SAME song!

Recently inspired by Foley artists who work in audiolabs recording sound effects for films, Monsieur Tobin has gone the way of musique concrète, venturing out with his microphone and finally collecting a cacophony of field recordings. The result is his new darkly experimental album Foley Room that’s just been released (5th March ‘07). Check out some video trailers, courtesy of the nice chaps at Ninja Tune.

With this new album out, I figure it’s time to re-kindle my forever-love for this beatguru… He who exploded my mind many years ago and enlightened me that time signatures are redundant in drum programming. Hehe.

Here are some of my favourite classic tracks from him, a remix by Dillinja, one with Bebel Gilberto singing over his original tune (hauntingly beautiful!) and a few sneaks from Foley Room…

He is a rhythmist extraordinaire.

He is a walking drum machine.

He is on a mission to pummel our tiny heads with super-complex rhythm structures while deceptively soothing us with beautiful cinemascapes.

He is a shapeshifter. A permutator. A supermodifier.

A master of melodious manipulation.

Who needs Heroes when you have Amon Tobin to save the world?

Keepin’ up the good vibes…
(Apologies for the bad audio; my CANON IXUS couldn’t take the bass, I guess!)

It’s 3am. Just got back from Fort Canning Park — was there for the most excellent Good Vibrations Festival.

Jurassic 5 was tight as hell…

and the Beastie Boys…

The Beasties were DA BOMB!

They played an awesome set combining LIVE funk jamming, old skool rap with hilarious stage antics and of course, PUNK tunes — the crowd went absolutely mental when they played ‘Sabotage’ as a concert-closer.

They even dedicated this closing song to a special someone…

This next song is dedicated to the President of the United States of America… George W Bush!

Then they launched into the riff for ‘Sabotage’. Brilliant!

Mixmaster Mike displayed dope turntablism skillz with wicked-mad scratching & beat-juggling. Watch the video below where he shows off during the ENCORE performance and see the crowd go wild when he drops the first samples of ‘Intergalactic’!

Headbanging at his keyboard was Money Mark who was insanely funny too — especially when he ran amok like a crazy monkey and LEAPT onto his keyboard after jumping up and down with wild abandon during ‘Sabotage’; he went crashing onto the stage floor with the keyboard then picked himself up sheepishly! Haha. Watch the video below… he’s at right side of the stage!

Then there’s the dude from the crowd who climbed up the tall scaffolding and needed 2 security personnel to yank him down. Here are 2 videos of that. LOL… RAWK!

Not just one…



But TWO!

Here are a few more video excerpts I took for your viewing pleasure…
(sorry about the bad audio, the sound system was LOUD!)

I had waited almost 15 (fifteen!) years to watch the Beastie Boys perform LIVE — ever since ‘Licensed To Ill’ funked up my life — and it’s been well worth the wait.

** If you want any of the photos or videos, please leave me a comment or
email me: adrian@creamtone[dot]net & I’ll gladly send you high-res ones.
Please don’t hot-link or use them without my permission, okay? Aiiight.

Formed on the planet of JAPAN circa 1990 by DJs Tadashi Yabe, Toshio Matsuura and French expatriate Raphael Sebbag, they space-invaded Tokyo’s underground club scene and quickly became highly influential extraterrestrials that everyone worshipped. Soon enough, global domination was theirs and even Gilles Peterson and Norman Jay championed them.

Almost two decades on, the alien mothership is still going strong.

Since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day — although the whole commercialism of romance stinks — here’s a U.F.O. classic reminding us what ♥ L.O.V.E. really should be like.

After all, martians have feelings too.

United Future Organisation - On Est Ensemble Sans Se Parler ~ L.O.V.E.

Dedicated to all the aliens (and ah lians) from Venus whom I’ve loved before.

“Get your soul satisfied, get your brain a little fried, by the Squire for Hire — he’ll naturally set your soul on fire!”

Yes, the fine jazz squire who calls himself Nathan Haines hails from New Zealand — the land of sheep! Classically trained in jazz and now based in London; he’s even dabbled in Drum n Bass, releasing jungle dubplate classics as Sci-Clone (together with A-Sides) under the revered Metalheadz label.

The trip-hop tune I’m sharing with you is the title track from his album Squire For Hire — released in ‘03 (post-DnB days). It’s a got a relentless rolling drum-groove, infectious organ chords and features the ’sex with attitude on high heels’ vocals of disco-queen Marlena Shaw.

Tune in & treat your ears to some aural sex now…

Nathan Haines (feat. Marlena Shaw) - Squire For Hire

Feeling like something more upbeat? Here’s a bonus house mix that’s equally delectable… just for you!

Nathan Haines (feat. Marlena Shaw) - Squire For Hire (Capricorn mix)

Gonna upload a few more photos and videos as soon as I can sort them out (there are hundreds!).

Enjoy, chickadees.

Left Kings + Right Röyk…

Here’s the original acoustic version…
Kings of Convenience - I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From

Here’s the remix that really transforms and lifts the whole tune…
KoC - I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From (Röyksopp Remix)

Both are delicate masterpieces — perfect earphone music for moments when I feel like sitting on the beach, watching ships pass by, under the evening sun.

Coincidentally and rather strangely, both bands hail from the town of Bergen, Norway and both bands are made up of two blokes.

Must be all the salmon they eat. Haha. Oops.

Yes, Krissie… more haiku coming soon. Soon.

It’s been so hectic at the office that I’m almost going nucking futs… thank goodness CNY is around the corner.

It’s been an interesting January, meeting lotsa new people under unexpected circumstances and learning lotsa new things about myself. Yep, ‘07 has been pretty eventful so far.

How eventful, I hear you ask? Hold your horses! I’ll write more about it when I finally find time to plonk myself down in front of my laptop and actually compose meaningful clusters of 17-syllable prose (haiku lah!). Haha. But seriously, I’ll do some overdue blog updating soon.

Hope everyone’s been having a great year. I can’t wait to see what February will bring me.