Hot Tips

[Jonathan E.]

Jamie, you are being a big tease! That Sofrito comp is not out until January 18th next year! Nearly two months!!

But, as a matter of interest is there a Shadow track on it? Could you supply the name if there is, please? *

Meanwhile, for the great unwashed, whatever the state of our trousers and haircuts, Sofrito is kind enough to have one hell of a series of free-download mixes of tropically vivacious and vintage styles: http://sofrito.co.uk/mixes. There's new one by Quantic, Baranquilla a Buenaventura Mix, that may appeal to a certain Forum member resident in Japan — or maybe not, but worth a try, I'd say.

* OK, I clicked through to http://sofrito.co.uk/releases/sofrito-tropical-discoteque-compilation-on-strut.html and found the tracklist. There's a track from Mighty Shadow, long about my favourite soca artist — "Dat Soca Boat", which I suspect was the dynamite track on the Warehouse Mix to be found at http://sofrito.co.uk/mixes/tropical-warehouse-mix-con-hugo-mendez-y-frankie-francis.html and attracting several comments. I'm amused to note that my comment identifying the artist was deleted! I wonder if it should, however, be "Dat Soca Beat".

[Jamie Renton]

I wonder if it should, however, be "Dat Soca Beat".

Nah mate, it's definitely "That Soca Boat" cos the lyrics are "I don't wanna sink that ...

[Jonathan E.]

Yes, you're right. As usual, my wondering was pointless, but at least not suffering from chronic existential malaise this time, just the old proofreader's anxiety. Somehow, via Twitter and Google actually, I found a download for the track: http://www.rollogrady.com/sofrito-tropical-discotheque/, altough I'm not quite sure how that worked 'cos I'm not a tweet freak. There are tons of references to it all over the web and the tiniest bit of digging — indeed internet dirt-digging if you go along with Desmond Dekker's assertion that "music like dirt" — will find you the entire original album for download. Hint: it's called If I Coulda I Woulda I Shoulda, but the artist is just Shadow on the sleeve as opposed to Mighty Shadow. I think on the Warehouse Mix they pumped the track up in some way, tempo or bass EQ, that made it harder to understand the lyrics 'cos now they're much easier to understand on the download. Tell the truth, I liked the Warehouse version more; it's a bit rougher at the edges. Still, I'm looking forward to the Sofrito Tropical Discotheque release come January 18, 2011.



PS, Jamie, please don't worry about being a big tease! I'm always happy to hear about the groovy tunes coming your way. Early is far, far, better than late.

[Jamie Renton]

PS, Jamie, please don't worry about being a big tease! I'm always happy to hear about the groovy tunes coming your way. Early is far, far, better than late.

My addled memory tells me that the idea behid this thread was to alert Forumistas to new & forthcoming sounds without going into pointless (for the majority who haven't heard them yet) detail.

[taiyo no otosan]

Jamie, you are being a big tease! That Sofrito comp is not out until January 18th next year! Nearly two months!!

Yes, I second that. Us poor folk waitin' waitin'. I am only just catching up with the Analog Africa Angola Soundtrack release. This Sofrito one looks right up my street. Exactly the kind of thing I was playing to a frenzy of dancers a couple of weeks ago. And Jamie, I think you've seen recent photos of me - I certainly do not have a better haircut than you. I actually don't really have a haircut as such at all. Just hair.

Meanwhile, for the great unwashed, whatever the state of our trousers and haircuts, Sofrito is kind enough to have one hell of a series of free-download mixes of tropically vivacious and vintage styles: http://sofrito.co.uk/mixes. There's new one by Quantic, Baranquilla a Buenaventura Mix, that may appeal to a certain Forum member resident in Japan — or maybe not, but worth a try, I'd say.

Yep, I stumbled upon those last week. That Quantic mix was the soundtrack to cooking Friday night's dinner. Lovely stuff. Helped me enormously. The Frankie Francis calypso/cumbia is great too, while Hugo Mendez' Jazz Con Sabor is a nice trip down musical memory lane.

[Jonathan E.]

I was joking around a bit about the advance notice, etc. — except for the bits where I point out where people can actually get their hands on the music in question. Sorry if I warped the original intent of the topic, I'm useless at not coloring outside the lines.

Here's something I'm listening to on the http://3voor12.vpro.nl/luisterpaal/ site right now that some may like: Hela Hela by No Blues. Kind of Middle Eastern mixed with blues, a tinge of gypsy perhaps. Really very pleasant and accomplished and should appeal to a few of you I think.

[Nick Boyes]

Iron and Wine - ' Kiss Each Other Clean '

out later this month Sam Beam 's first new studio recorded album for 3 years and sounds like a good one based on the 2 snippets I listened to at the Piccadilly record store website

[Des]

Can't stop listening to The Sound of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz & Molam 1964 - 1975 from Soundway. A pinch of soul and funk, a drizzle of psychedelia, a sprinkling of cheesy pop - and you're away. Essential.



Unconvinced? Try this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSufID_9xiI

[AndyM]

That sounds nifty, Des; I can feel the plastic twitching.....

[judith]

Wonderful, Des! The album has been mentioned on 2010 best of lists, but I hadn't listened to any of it. I'm listening to it now, am just a little ways into the album. Of that I've heard thus far - the notable bass (for me, very much so) groove alongside and below the vocals (I know lots of people find far eastern singing styles difficult but I love them) and the reedy inter twinings of the more traditional sounding instruments and the handling of the guitar - just gets me and it's addictive, trancy even. The Shanghai divas, Cambodian pop from this era - and now this!

[Jaybird]

Yes a great album continuing Soundway`s cracking output....especially the opening bluesy (to my ears anyway) track and Ding Ding Dong gets me jumping around the kitchen too....but does anyone have the Sofrito comp. yet? Its early in 2011 but it looks to me like that will be the one to beat this year.

[Jonathan E.]

Sofrito comp is here. With only one play so far I can confirm Jamie's enthusiasm. Nice mix of older sounds reminding me of the glory days of "World Music" back in the early 1980s — but I was not familiar with any of these particular tracks back then. It'll be a good year if there's much to beat it.

[DavidM]

Hello Jonathan. Welcome back. I was wondering what you were up to (?).

[Tom McPhillips]

Wonderful, Des! The album has been mentioned on 2010 best of lists, but I hadn't listened to any of it. !

(When I get around to it...) it's definitely on my best of 2011 list - but then I'm somewhat susceptible to the Siamese...

[judith]

Gorgeous. Are these your cats, Tom?