Compilation nation

Hot Irish drum ‘n’ bass producer Code’s label, Subtle Audio Recordings, has just released its debut compilation on CD and vinyl. The highly impressive double-CD features one unmixed disc and one mixed by Code.

Tracks are lifted from the ten singles the stamp has put out since 2005, while the vinyl version features five exclusive tracks for DJs. Available from indie shops such as Beat Finder and City Discs in Dublin, the album’s worldwide distribution is handled by ST Holdings UK.
Another compilation to watch out for is An Taobh Tuathail Volume 2 on Psychonavigation. RnaG presenter and SiSi resident, Cian O Ciobhain has selected 14 tracks from the likes of Susannna & The Magical Orchestra, Boxcutter, Mice Parade, Hannu, Songs Of Green Pheasant, Sarsparilla and Somadrone.
Psychonavigation hosts four shows in August to promote the CD: on August 1st at Button Factory, Dublin, 8th at Roisin Dubh, Galway, 15th at Electric Underground, Cork and 22nd at Trinity Rooms, Limerick. Acts and DJs appearing include R.S.A.G, Alphamono, Dry County, Psychonavigation DJs and O Ciobhain.
Fresh from winning plaudits from the likes of Sander van Doorn for Bryan Kearney’s ‘The Walrus’ , Donegal-based Full Tilt Recordings has lined up its sixth single for release in July. ‘Dexeron’ is a techno-infused Polish electro workout from Chris de Seed and Messler, with a Dave Schiemann remix doing much big room dancefloor damage.
Cork’s Fish Go Deep have completed work on “a bunch of new tracks” with vocalist Tracey K. The duo’s Shane Johnson told Hot Press, “We have a new single out this summer, followed by an album in the autumn.”
Busy Dublin DJ and Andrew’s Lane Theatre resident Arveene has done a remix for en vogue French imprint Kitsune and lined up a string of Ibiza Rocks gigs for September.
His old pal DJ Wool – aka Glen Brady – has decamped to Berlin from New York for the summer and is dropping techno sets ahead of his return to Ireland for some DJ bookings on July 18 and 19.
Glen is promoting ‘Gangsters & Models’ (available next month on Pale Music International on 12-inch and download), which includes remixes from Stop The Violence, The Scandals and an absolute gem from Cobra Krames.
Glen’s band The Glass recently knocked out a Remixes & Rarities album on New York’s Plant stamp on CD. It’s also available on iTunes and Beatport.
Dublin’s Xpress Recordings have announced details of Rockwell’s ‘Flammable’, the debut single from Raymond O’Connor, of Slick DJ Mag fame. The all-Irish remixes come courtesy of Scott Curtis (Teknaphonik), Def Disko, Barry Dempsey, Paul Prior and Brian Taaffe, and cover the spectrum from minimal to trance.
Next up from DXR is Rob Hawk feat Caleb’s ‘It’s A Jungle’, inspired by Grandmaster Flash’s ‘The Message’ (also stimulation for the esteemed Niall Stokes’ Hot Press editorials, once emblazoned with the rap’s ‘it’s like a jungle sometimes’ refrain).
Remixers on this monster package include Cork-born Corrugated Tunnel and Limerick debutant Dan Sykes.
DXR’s parent label Nice & Nasty has a busy summer lined up too, with vinyl and digital singles from Marco Bernardi and EF,NG proving hugely popular; the latter a cosmopolitan affair graced by fresh treatments from acclaimed Galway house producer Aruba, Canada’s Tomas Jirku, Japan’s Katsuhiko and Arne Germany’s Weinberg.
Up and coming Belfast DJ Aaron Shims is behind the fifth single on Al Keegan’s Aciitone Digital imprint. ‘Infrasonic’ is a highly-promising slab of feelgood house.
2fm’s Mr Spring recently released four tracks from his cruelly overlooked Not For Sale album as the Not For Rent EP. Among a flurry of five-star reviews in the British press were outstanding plaudits from all-round legend Kris Needs in DMC Update and acclaimed author Bill Brewster in IDJ.
A video for one of its tracks, ‘Bootleg’ is online at youtube.com, while the four tunes can be downloaded from Juno. A further EP of album tracks follows later this summer.
Springer’s newly-extended Saturday show on 2fm (9pm until midnight) has been given a huge boost by Jenny Greene’s superb new Electric Disco show (6pm until 9pm). Add in the five hours of late night mix Sessions and the national broadcaster now pumps out 11 hours of dance or electronic music every weekend.
Even more exciting is the new all-dance digital station which this column predicted earlier this year. Pulse is the brainchild of RTE digital radio boss Mark McCabe and it went live for the first time at last month’s Planetlove Summer Session festival. Get yourself a DAB radio immediately or check it out online.
Among its archives is the fantastic 30-minute Summer Session tribute to Tony de Vit, the iconic DJ who tragically died at the age of 42 on July 3, 1998. Lisa Lashes, Lisa Pin-Up, Anne Savage, Tidy Boys and Beats & Pieces played a selection of the late idol’s greatest hits and remixes as the finale of the festival and were overwhelmed by the fantastic response from the crowd. It was a fitting tribute to a dance music hero … REST IN PEACE!