On tonight’s agenda we have…. @shyfx #vinyl (Taken with Instagram)
This ones pretty rare these days #vinyl (Taken with Instagram)
Kartoons, owned by the world renowned Nicky Blackmarket was a direct offshoot from the home of Blackmarket Records. Founded in 1997 with a total of 34 releases, the label featured the likes of Ray Keith, TNT (Target & Trend) alongside some lesser known artists such as Jonnie Braze, Live Crew and Fade.
2 Degrees was, without a doubt, the biggest selling release on Kartoons which must have featured in every Drum & Bass DJ’s set during 1997. Love it or hate it, this record paved the way for Jump Up in the late 90’s. The sample “better get the old man down here”, taken from the 1983 film Wargames played a memorable part in the track, as does the string intro and what I assume was some kind of elephant sample.
The main drawback of the label, and possibly why it wasn’t recognised by some as credible is probably because it was trying to be a bit of everything. Hopefully the mix will prove this, its a mixture of Jungle, bordering early Liquid, some Tech Step, Jump Up and a bit of Hard Step - so many sub genres I could probably write a book just on that.
In my opinion Blackmarket should have stuck to what he did best, he obviously had the contacts and in terms of knowing his selection, he was then, a good Jump Up DJ. Looking back now at Kartoons its a real surprise to find maybe 4 or 5 well known Jump Up tunes on this label - I only featured 2 in this mix, the rest will be on the next instalment. Would this label have worked as perhaps a alternative to Urban Takeover or Proper Talent? In my opinion, yes it would have - a bit more input from the likes of Trend and less from Ray Keith and this would have probably made Nicky Blackmarket a bit more spare change to buy pocket torches with.
Hey, at least he’s still smiling so he’s doing something right.
1) Fade - TDK - Kartoons Volume 15 - 1998
2) Unknown Artist - Side A - Kartoons Volume 01 - 1997
3) Dragon Fist (Ray Keith) - Double Bass Funk - Kartoons Volume 08 - 1998
4) Jonnie Braze - 1-2 - Kartoons Volume 14 - 1998
5) The Outlaw - VR-6 - Kartoons Volume - 1998
6) Dragon First (Ray Keith) - Assault - Kartoons Volume - 1998
7) Dragon First (Ray Keith) - Follow The Leader - Kartoons Volume 10 - 1998
8) Live Crew - Told - Kartoons Volume 03 - 1997
9) TNT - 2 Degrees - Kartoons Volume 02 - 1997
10) Trigger Happy - What Goes Around - Kartoons Volume 21 - 1998
11) Trend (RIP) - ! - Kartoons Volume 02 - 1997
12) Jonnie Braze - How U Want It - Kartoons Volume 14 - 1998
13) Dragon First (Ray Keith) - Filter - Kartoons Volume 20 - 1998
After my last label mix (Kartoons) I thought it best for my next mix to pay homage to my all time favourite Drum & Bass producers, two artists who I have stalked on Discogs in a kind of worrying fashion over the last few years, trying to pick up obscure remixes and forgotten bits of vinyl. Aphrodite has carried his style well over the years and since the early days of Jump Up his production has been duplicated, copied, ripped off by many - some have succeeded in manipulating that trademark bass, others have blatantly done a poor job. I don’t think that Drum & Bass would have been what it was in the mid 90’s without contribution from both Mickey Finn & Aphrodite, nearly every set in ‘95 and ‘96 featured heavily with tracks from Urban Takeover and other sub labels. I think for me, the clever use of Hip Hop samples, straight kicks and snares along with the original wobble bass seems to be a winning formula.
It really hit home when Stalker was featured in Human Traffic in 1999, the same year Aphrodite released his self titled album - this was a time when, for me, the direction of Drum & Bass seemed uncertain. A time when new genres were popping up all over the place, most of my close DJ friends had moved over to the likes of UK Garage or the deeper aspects of Drum & Bass. I think Mickey Finn lost the production plot a while before this, this was almost certainly demonstrated many years later with the release of the label Finn People - a kind of, dare I say it, Clown Step affair which didn’t really hold a identity or feature any big releases - mind you, by ‘07 the days of BIG tunes was far gone. This was the digital age by then.
Aphrodite obviously still plays all over the world, his sets these days still seem to feature the same spark his production did all those years ago, he seems to have moved on though bassline wise with his own production - not really something I am that keen on. That’s just a person thing though although I guess he had to move on sometime.
So here’s part one of some of my all time favourite releases by Mickey Finn & Aphrodite, a collection spanning many years and many samples. All mixed on 2 Technics 1210’s and a DJM700, nothing fancy but then I don’t think this series needs it.
If I was being really picky I should have also included Darren Jay but I should think his contribution to a few tracks was just a head nod, belly scratch and a few tweaks of the EQ - a bit like his mixing these days.
Here’s the tracklisting:
01) Frou Frou - Breathe In (Aphrodite Remix) - Island Records - 2002
02) Aphrodite - Karma Sutra - Aphrodite Recordings - 2001
03) Aphrodite - Cool Flight - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
04) Blackstreet - No Diggity (Urban Takeover Vocal Remix) - Not On Label - 1998
05) Amazon II - Music’s Hypnotizing - Aphrodite Recordings - 1996
06) Aphrodite - Def Jammer - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
07) Yum Yum - Fallen Angel (Aphrodite Remix) - Sperm Records - 1998
08) Aphrodite - Ganja Man - V2 Records - 2002
09) Aphrodite - Tower Bass - Aphrodite Recordings - 1996
10) Aphrodite Feat. Alibi - Tonight (Heavy Duty Dub Mix - Urgent Records - 1996
11) Barry Boom - Stand and Deliver (Darren Jay, Mickey Finn & Aphrodite Remix) - Universal Music - 1997
12) The Fabulous Baker Boys - Oh Boy (Aphrodite Funky Assed Remix - Multiply Records - 1997
13) Natural Born Chillers - Rock The Funky Beat (Urban Takeover Remix) - Warner Brothers Records - 1997
14) Apollo 440 - Raw Power (Urban Takeover Mix) - Stealth Sonic Records - 1997
15) Aphrodite - B.M Funksta - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
16) Spring Heel Jack - Bells (Aphrodite & Mickey Finn Remix) - Trade 2 - 1997
17) Aphrodite - Cool Rock Stuff - Aphrodite Recordings - 1998
18) Mutiny - The Virus (Urban Takeover Remix) - VC Records - 2001
19) Aphrodite - Fanfare - Aphrodite Recordings - 2000
20) Just Jack - Triple Tone Eyes (Aphrodite ‘Bring it Back’ Remix) - RG Records - 2003
21) Aphrodite - Woman That Rolls - Aphrodite Recordings - 1996
22) Aphrodite - London Massive - Aphrodite Recordings - 2005
23) Aphrodite - Stalker - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
24) Aphrodite Feat. Alibi - Sexual Healing - 1996
This is how it should be done #vinyl #jungle (Taken with Instagram)
Some reflection business #technics #vinyl #stanton #switch (Taken with Instagram)
In the bag for this evening #dj #vinyl #dubplate (Taken with instagram)
Want to know where to buy 2nd hand Jungle and Drum & Bass vinyl from in London?
Here’s a pretty good list complied from the good people of DNBA forum.
1) Music & Video Exchange
208 Camden High Street, NW1 8QR - Telephone 020 7267 1898
Opening hours 10am to 8pm 7 days a week (apparently!)
2) Sister Ray
34-35 Berwick Street, Westminster, W1F 8RP - Telephone 020 7734 3297
3) Reckless
30 Berwick Street, Soho, W1 - Telephone 020 7437 4271
51 Poland Street, W1F 7LZ - Telephone 0207 256070
Opening hours:
Monday - Wednesday 11:30am - 7:30pm
Thursday - Friday 11:30 - 8pm
Saturday 11:30am - 7:30pm
Sunday Midday - 6pm
5) Sounds of the Universe
7 Broadwick Street, Soho, W1F 0DA - Telephone 020 7734 3430
6) Haggle Vinyl
114 Essex Road, Greater London, N1 8LX - Telephone 020 7704 3101
7) Flashback Records
50 Essex Road, Islington, N1 8LR - Telephone 020 7354 9356
8) IMO Records
7 Lyon Road, South Wimbledon, SW19 2RL - Telephone 0870 776 7777
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 11am - 6pm
Kool FM Presents - The Fever
Shy FX - Call Waiting VIP, remember this one? Personally, I kind of remember hearing it on a old radio recording years and years ago, no doubt from a Kool FM show but to be honest until I heard it at the weekend it was one of those forgotten tunes. Sure, the original version pressed to The Formula was well known and one that I used to play on a regular occasion but the VIP?
This tune really is the king of intro tunes, for those that remember Shy FX’s CNN intro its quite like that minus Brian Belle-Fortune’s vocal’s and the chopper sound effects. I am willing to bet some chocolate money that the vocals on this remix are Shy’s voice requesting someone to pick up the phone.
The tune itself can only be described as a Jump Up, Rolling Funk mash up in the most technical of terms. As far as I can see, the audio clip is nowhere to be found on YouTube, perhaps I should really convert it to MP3 and upload a copy.
Moving away from Call Waiting expect to hear other forgotten potential gems such as Krome and Times Nonstop Rocking which was a firm favourite with Ellis D around the era of release. Another big tune on this album is Mampi Swifts Dream’s which sounds quite like Warhead (as do most of his tunes!) and Ash’s Applause For The Cause - both very dancefloor and MC friendly.
I say MC friendly, by this I mean tracks that would suit a good MC’s flow - not some 15 year old biddy biddy MC, the only thing they suit is a prison sentence.
If you fancy grabbing a copy of this excellent album, bag one from Discog’s here
It’s also worth noting that CDJ users can buy a CD copy of this too, if that’s your thing.
Bass of the Trap? BM Funksta?
God knows, but this is a potentially unreleased dubplate from the mighty Aphrodite around 1997. Sampling the same sample used in Mystery Man’s ‘DJ Business’ from 92 and bringing the standard Aphrodite bassline that made him famous it’s a wonder why this wasn’t released past dubplate.
The well know BM Funksta and the VIP featuring The Jungle Brothers uses prety much the same structure although does away with the samples used in this version which pretty much made the original what it was.
Aphrodite’s kept pretty quiet about this one, no feature on his Soundcloud account and certainly nothing official from his well maintained Facebook page.
Who knows where it ended up or what the story was behind it, sadly it doesn’t look like it will ever see an official release.
So, this year the winners took a turn in a different direction - compared to previous years where Jump Up dominated the winners list it now seems that a more grown up, commercially aware list of winners has appeared. Has the stream of Pop Drum & Bass assisted with this years winners? In my opinion yes, without a doubt.
Gone are the days of the scene being a ‘Underground’ movement, that probably died a death way back in the middle of the 90’s. Now, in 2011 we have the likes of Hospital Records alongside Chase & Status actually pushing Drum & Bass to the mainstream and, I assume, making a actual living from it.
The die hard original Junglists will probably rage at this success, I know I did for a long time but I eventually decided that when I was 16 and playing upfront Jungle in the early 90’s the original Acid House crew probably thought the same about me. It’s called progression.
To be honest I am so far disjointed from the current scene that I can’t say my opinion is that valid but it’s nice to see the likes of Skibadee missing the top spot. It’s a game changer for some, especially the bait Jump Up producers such as DJ Sly who constantly put out the same old recycled spaff year after year.
Drum & Bass 2012 - time to accept progression I assume?
Personally I’ll just stick to vinyl and Jungle and let the new blood enjoy what’s now become a whole new scene.
The list of winners can be found here
After my last label mix (Kartoons) I thought it best for my next mix to pay homage to my all time favourite Drum & Bass producers, two artists who I have stalked on Discogs in a kind of worrying fashion over the last few years, trying to pick up obscure remixes and forgotten bits of vinyl. Aphrodite has carried his style well over the years and since the early days of Jump Up his production has been duplicated, copied, ripped off by many - some have succeeded in manipulating that trademark bass, others have blatantly done a poor job. I don’t think that Drum & Bass would have been what it was in the mid 90’s without contribution from both Mickey Finn & Aphrodite, nearly every set in ‘95 and ‘96 featured heavily with tracks from Urban Takeover and other sub labels. I think for me, the clever use of Hip Hop samples, straight kicks and snares along with the original wobble bass seems to be a winning formula.
It really hit home when Stalker was featured in Human Traffic in 1999, the same year Aphrodite released his self titled album - this was a time when, for me, the direction of Drum & Bass seemed uncertain. A time when new genres were popping up all over the place, most of my close DJ friends had moved over to the likes of UK Garage or the deeper aspects of Drum & Bass. I think Mickey Finn lost the production plot a while before this, this was almost certainly demonstrated many years later with the release of the label Finn People - a kind of, dare I say it, Clown Step affair which didn’t really hold a identity or feature any big releases - mind you, by ‘07 the days of BIG tunes was far gone. This was the digital age by then.
Aphrodite obviously still plays all over the world, his sets these days still seem to feature the same spark his production did all those years ago, he seems to have moved on though bassline wise with his own production - not really something I am that keen on. That’s just a person thing though although I guess he had to move on sometime.
So here’s part one of some of my all time favourite releases by Mickey Finn & Aphrodite, a collection spanning many years and many samples. All mixed on 2 Technics 1210’s and a DJM700, nothing fancy but then I don’t think this series needs it.
If I was being really picky I should have also included Darren Jay but I should think his contribution to a few tracks was just a head nod, belly scratch and a few tweaks of the EQ - a bit like his mixing these days.
Here’s the tracklisting:
01) Frou Frou - Breathe In (Aphrodite Remix) - Island Records - 2002
02) Aphrodite - Karma Sutra - Aphrodite Recordings - 2001
03) Aphrodite - Cool Flight - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
04) Blackstreet - No Diggity (Urban Takeover Vocal Remix) - Not On Label - 1998
05) Amazon II - Music’s Hypnotizing - Aphrodite Recordings - 1996
06) Aphrodite - Def Jammer - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
07) Yum Yum - Fallen Angel (Aphrodite Remix) - Sperm Records - 1998
08) Aphrodite - Ganja Man - V2 Records - 2002
09) Aphrodite - Tower Bass - Aphrodite Recordings - 1996
10) Aphrodite Feat. Alibi - Tonight (Heavy Duty Dub Mix - Urgent Records - 1996
11) Barry Boom - Stand and Deliver (Darren Jay, Mickey Finn & Aphrodite Remix) - Universal Music - 1997
12) The Fabulous Baker Boys - Oh Boy (Aphrodite Funky Assed Remix - Multiply Records - 1997
13) Natural Born Chillers - Rock The Funky Beat (Urban Takeover Remix) - Warner Brothers Records - 1997
14) Apollo 440 - Raw Power (Urban Takeover Mix) - Stealth Sonic Records - 1997
15) Aphrodite - B.M Funksta - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
16) Spring Heel Jack - Bells (Aphrodite & Mickey Finn Remix) - Trade 2 - 1997
17) Aphrodite - Cool Rock Stuff - Aphrodite Recordings - 1998
18) Mutiny - The Virus (Urban Takeover Remix) - VC Records - 2001
19) Aphrodite - Fanfare - Aphrodite Recordings - 2000
20) Just Jack - Triple Tone Eyes (Aphrodite ‘Bring it Back’ Remix) - RG Records - 2003
21) Aphrodite - Woman That Rolls - Aphrodite Recordings - 1996
22) Aphrodite - London Massive - Aphrodite Recordings - 2005
23) Aphrodite - Stalker - Aphrodite Recordings - 1999
24) Aphrodite Feat. Alibi - Sexual Healing - 1996
