whiskey on a sunday

Sunday Best Records have been knocking out the seven inches by the dozen over the last few months. One of their latest releases is 'Animal Sounds' by Grand National. For this one they've raided Human Leagues studio and robbed what sounds like an old eighties Fairlight synthesiser. It's an altogether low-key affair that I didn't like on the first listen but since then its really grown on me. It's such a slow builder and the build of the song is somewhat reminiscent of the low-key build up on Sweet Harmony by The Beloved. Of course it sounds nothing like that tune but there are similarities in the undercurrents of both tunes. The B-side features a remix by Fear of Theydon and it takes the low-keyness, takes a beat, layers it with some dinky keyboard sounds and turns it into quite a groover.

Another seven that I picked up is the second part of a two-part release by The Little Ones. It's two remixes of their latest single 'Ordinary Song' on Heavenly Records. The first remix is by X-Press 2 and it's a full on, four to the floor tune. The flip-side is a remix by Electrelane, a band that I enjoyed at last years Electric Picnic. It couldn't be more different than the X-Press version. This one is a simple guitar riff overlayed with an ethereal sound that is reminiscent of listening to the Cocteau Twins play in the next room. It's all a bit spacey. I like it though.

I've been breaking my nuts trying to get a seven inch copy of 'It must be love' by Labi Siffre. I've ordered it online twice only to be told that they didn't have it. I've a funny feeling that I actually have a copy already but I haven't found that yet. Instead I picked up 'Too Late' by Labi and its the business. Its like an old bluebeat tune. Simple off-beat guitar riff and Mr Siffre's dulcet tones. I love it. J'adore.

In the same secondhand shop I chanced upon the second seven inch release on the Trensmat label. I've mentioned these quite recently and I'm also awaiting delivery of their two latest releases. The seven i picked up is by a band called 'Mugstar' and to be honest this is pretty full on prog. I'm not sure which tune is on which side, but the one that I like is fucking rocking and I'm not pushed on the other one.

The latest from Tiny Masters of Today is released on Mute Records and is called 'Hologram World'. Its an infectious little garage punk-pop ditty. I can't really say much more about it.

Brass in Africa was released on seven inch in 2007 but I only heard it today for the first time. Its by Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and released on Handcuts Records, a Tokyo based label and shop. It's a reworking of Shaft in Africa (from the movie soundtrack of the same name) and it's funky to bits. It has all the urgency of the original tune and a lot more.

Last but not least is a 2007 release from Cucumber on Cosmic Groove, the French shop and record label. It's a complete sixties groove on the a-side 'It's Hippopotime' with a little bit of scratching and what sounds like a kazoo in the background. You feel like you're in a sonic advertisement. There's a bell chiming in the background that reminds me of a song used in a recent advert for somethin I don't remember. The b-side is a bit more brassy sounding with a wah-wah guitar running through it. It's all starting to sound like a psychedelic extravaganza.

I was watching Other Voices during the week and Interference were on it. I was only wondering what happened to them and indeed posed the question on this blog very recently. They never went away you know, or if they did, it wasn't too far. I remember seeing them play a lunchtime gig in Merrion Square and the same series of gigs also saw The Frames play the same venue. Coincidentally, Glen Hansard from The Frames was also on the Other Voices show. Glen is starting to look too much like Avid Merrion for my comfort. Someone should tell him.