BC1FM’s Dave Pearce and Judge Jules are among the champions of Northern duo Agnelli and Nelson’s uplifting synth scorcher ‘Holding Onto Nothing’, which looks bound for the UK top ten (at least) when it’s finally released on Xtravaganza later this fortnight… Dublin DJ Jason O’Callaghan has achieved what A&N did by getting a track released on Dutch label ID&T. Jason’s remix of Scott Bond & Solar Stone’s ‘Naked Angel’ is out next month…
Virgin Prunes, rated by this scribe as the most influential Irish band ever back in the hotpress 25th anniversary special, are releasing a ‘Best Of’ compilation later this year, and Gavin Friday and the boys are commissioning a series of remixes to mark the occasion. This scribe hereby offers his services for free. Classic Prunes single ‘Baby Turns Blue’ (from the cruelly underrated If I Die, I Die album) was recently included on React Records’ punk funk compilation Nag, Nag, Nag… Dublin duo Decadence launches its new single ‘Time & Money’ at The Sugar Club in the capital this Saturday (Feb 14). The single will be released on Wetclay Records…
Dublin producer Dalto (aka Robert Dalton) is currently deciding between two licensing offers for his powerful Irish hard dance creations, ‘Swamp’ and the mesmerising ‘Psycho’. The tracks were co-produced by Alan Pullen and Raff from RDG Studios, and the interested UK labels are Redemption Records’ new offshoot Birmingham Hard Style and Jay Pidgeon’s new, as yet untitled, label. Pidgeon will be releasing a series of 12 inchers by Raff and Pullen, incidentally. And Pullen is also being headhunted by Alphamagic for a 4-track EP. Regular readers will recall this column predicting big things since last summer for the radical approach to hard dance production that Raff and Pullen have taken. Respect gentlemen…
2FM DJ Mister Spring is currently in the studio co-producing Liquid Wheel’s second album. Spring was also at the controls on their hotpress acclaimed 2003 debut Candidates … Dublin house club Bodytonic is putting together its second Greenhouse Effect CD, to be released in March. The label is looking for Irish tracks to include, and the four best on the album will be released as a vinyl EP on the new Bodytonic label. Get your submissions in pronto to Bodytonic Music, Leshamstown Lane, Drumree, County Meath…
Albums currently exciting Beats & Pieces and released this fortnight include Oxia’s 24 Heroes (funky techno and electro on the always excellent Good Life label), Hu Vibrational’s Beautiful: Bonghee Music 2 (deep percussive afro-jazz fused with hip-hop sensibilities on Soul Jazz), and Funk D’Void’s Volume Freak (inspirational techno on Soma). Choice compilations surfacing this fortnight include Palmbeats Volume 1 (excellent ethnic disco dubtronics with some new remixes included), !K7 Trash (superb mash-up mixes on !K7), Gilles Peterson’s Southport Weekender on Susu, and the reissues of Grand Central compilations Central Heating and Central Heating 2. Last but not least, if seventies disco and funk are your bag, check the delightful Dmitri From Paris collection on Defected…
Ryan Maxwell has been chosen from over 50 hopefuls as the weekly resident DJ for LOVE Saturdays, which opens at Club Matrix, Dungannon, County Tyrone this Saturday (14th). Fellow Larne man and BBC Radio One star Fergie recently decsribed Maxwell – nominated in last year’s BBM Club Awards in the Most Promising Northern Irish DJ category – as one of the North’s brightest hopes. Other Irish appointments for LOVE Saturdays on a monthly basis are Chris Davis (former resident at Armagh club The Met), Northern production whizzkid Gleave Dobbin (of Coast To Coast fame), Bangor DJ Boyd Sleator, Derry DJ resident Gerard Clarke, and Larne DJ Ryan Blair. The launch party sees clubbing giants Godskitchen – back at the Point on March 13th with Lisa Lashes) and LOVE go head to head. DJs on the night include Ferry Corsten, Marshall Jefferson and the aforementioned Ryan Maxwell…
Stiff competition for LOVE Saturdays will be provided by The Met in Armagh, which is now under the management of Billy Dunseath and Debbie Young’s High On Life company. Sonique stars alongside John Power (playing his last ever gig) this Saturday (14), and in the coming weeks the club will play host to BK, Guffy, Lisa loud, Yomanda, Mister Spring, Dave Pearce and Tall Paul…
Lisa Pin-Up plays After Dark in Listowel on February 27, supported by local DJs Fizzy and Excel… Absynth opens in Dublin on February 21 at Oil Can Harry’s. Nigel H is behind the new club, and Francçois is the opening night guest… Fellow DJs will be running a Valentine’s night hard dance extravaganza at The Bridge House in Enfield. DJs include John Kerrigan… Drum ’n’ bass queen Storm launches Ri-Ra’s Most Wanted compilation at the Dublin club on February 13 … THE BEAT GOES ON!