Crate digging: Ahead of his DJ date at RockNess, Glasgow’s David Barbarossa gives us five of the best
Fern Kinney ‘Baby Let Me Kiss You’ (WEA) lurks on the B-side of mums’ favourite ‘Together We Are Beautiful’, and it’s a slow, sleazy electronic killer. Right from the impassioned moan that introduces the track — I’m not convinced it’s just kissing she wants — this is pornodisco of the highest order.
Very much part of the dream-pop/chillwave scene, Teengirl Fantasy ‘Cheaters’ (Hivern Discs) is something else entirely, shimmering synths attached to a heavy Chicago house rhythm to create an enormous club smash. The flip has a tripped-out R&B mix by the always amazing Beautiful Swimmers. If you see anything with their name on it buy on sight.
Talking of Chicago House, Gene Hunt Chicago Dance Tracks Part 1 (Rush Hour Recordings) is the real deal, and previously unreleased. Dating from 1982-1989, these selections sound fresher than most modern dance music. The whole package is special, with interviews, original club flyers and photos from the day, but it’s not just a history lesson: this is music for dancing in dark rooms with sweat dripping off the walls.
Xander Harris ‘Urban Gothic’ (Not Not Fun), meanwhile, is more music for running down dark corridors with blood dripping off the walls. New synth sounds from the John Carpenter school of thrills, it sounds like the soundtrack to an 80s straight-to-video nasty, going straight past cool into cold. Don’t listen with the lights out.
Tobias Keeler’s a good friend of mine. From time to time he sends me missives from his native Sweden in the form of some truly beautiful psychedelic sonics, which I like to enjoy in my flotation tank. I’d never considered starting a record label before, but he really should be heard by everyone so I’m hoping to release Tobias Keeler Various (Wild Combination Records, hopefully) on vinyl later this year, then sit back and wait for Rumours level sales. Check him out at halfawakeandhalfasleep.tumblr.com.
David Barbarossa runs David Barbarossa’s Thing, Fri 3 Jun; Wild Combination, Tue 21 Jun, both at Nice’n’Sleazy, Glasgow. He also plays Rock Ness, Sub Club Arena, Sun 12 Jun.
Fern Kinney - Baby Let Me Kiss You
Teengirl Fantasy - Cheaters OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Read full review of Urban Gothic - Xander Harris on Boomkat.com ©