50/Fifty Coming Up: #42 and #41

An A and a B in this pairing, with The Aloof and Bent.

At #43 we have Nottingham’s Bent with their track Always from the very end of the decade – 1999. Bent were/are Neil Tolliday and Simon Mills. More here. The original track is pleasant enough but it’s Ashley Beedle’s Mahavishnu Remix that gets the nod here. This is a superb bit of disco house, making the most of Bent’s quirky samples, including the title sample  ‘Always In My Heart’ by Norrie Paramour And His Orchestra. I love the piano houseness of this track, though D thinks “just don’t think it’s a great track, lacks bass“.

Best bit: when the disco beats come in at 0.30 to overlay the piano

http://www.facebook.com/bentworld

At #42 The Aloof with their Vietnam War paen Agent O from 1994. More on the The Aloof here. This track is described as progressive trance but the clattering drums and all round doomy air belie that description. Dance music generally steers clear of politics but this deals with use of Agent Orange (a defoliant) in South East Asia, as a chemical means of the US pursing its war in the region.

Best bit: when the raw vocals from Ricky Barrow come in at 2.20

~ by acidted on December 31, 2012.