Thursday 26 March 2015

Dig Deep Recommends: Tom Boogizm - Pariah-Caste (Vol. 1)


The cassette tape appears to be making a bit of a come back as more and more underground artists use the media as a vehicle to get their music out there.

This month Tom Boogizm, one of the lads behind the best new small but seminal club nights to come out of the north in the last 5 years, discretely slipped out a beat tape and I have just had a chance to hear it.

Aware that Tom has been working away in his Moss Side based studio for a while now, I was keen to hear what he's been up to.  The 3 tracks I heard are the kind of murky dubfunk infested vibes that are akin to his DJ sets. His love of hip hop shines through as he skillfully overlaps rapped lyrics no doubt lifted from his treasured vinyl. The sound is raw and reminds me of Flying Lotus, Dilla and Omar S.

Now very much immersed in the Manchester music scene, hopefully this is just the tip of the iceberg and there is much more to come.

The tape is available from Bookat who describes the release as: "**Bespoke, hand-made J-cards. Edition of 30 (or 50, label can't remember)** Ascendant Manc DJ, Tom Boogizm relinquishes a headful of squashed edits in 'Pariah-Caste Vol.1 2014'. Crumbled with pie-eatin' digits and hashed out in Moss Side, it sounds something like listening to Peace FM on qaaludes - smoking up a stack of slackened boogie, hip hop and dub joints with the trunk-ready flex of DJ Screw or Delroy Edwards' 'Slowed Down Funk' volumes. For those who like it rugged and raw; this one you. Gwan check some of his mixes online, too. They're mint."

Little know fact, the Artist Name was spelled incorrectly on the artwork. It's Pariah-Caste, not Praiah-Caste.

Check for Vol 1 and more Pariah-Caste releases on Discogs.





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Thursday 12 March 2015

Dig Deep on Cowbell Radio #22 with Old Boy (Dead Horse Gang)


This month we welcome Old Boy aka Doug Chippendale to the Dig Deep Family. One of the North West's up and coming DJ and promoters, his Dead Horse Gang have consistently set the benchmarch for great guests at their events which cover all that's good in the world of music.  At the end of March they welcome chief lumberjack Marcel Vogel and fellow face Ruf Dug to the city.



As we got under starters orders we did a little Q&A type thing to get to know the party loving jockey...

How long have been buying vinyl?
I've been buying records on and off for 15 years.

Are you a selector or a collector?
I guess you could call me a selector who collects random stuff that makes me happy.

When did you get into DJing and why?
I bought my first set of turntables at the tender age of 15. My older sister saved me from happy hardcore and after listening to am old mike c an graham park mix tape I was hooked on house music and have never looked back.

Where do your influences come from?
Along the way I've been influenced by the likes of Yousef, Todd Terry, Lil Louis, MAW, Theo Parrish, Underground Resistance, DJ Sneak, Derrick Carter you get the jist!

Where will people have heard you playing?
Over the past few years I've held a residency at Uber and have played festival's such as Wickerman, Beat-Herder and Solfest. As well as playing up and down the country, Leeds, Cornwall, Newcastle...

What have been the highlights of the last 15 years?
I'd say a few personal highlights have been warming up for Greg Wilson, Crazy P, Krysko, The Unabombers, and playing the same bills as Groove Armada, Sasha, Derrick Carter, Sneak and Yousef.

How would you describe your style?
I just like playing good honest music. If it makes me jump around or get emotional when I first hear it I want others to experience what I've just felt from that certain track. I never plan sets, I just go with the flow.

Tell us about Dead Horse Gang?
I put together the Dead Horse Gang cause we've ran nights up here in Carlisle to different degrees of success. Over the years, at other nights I have been involved with, we've had the likes of Andy Votel, Gas Lamp Killer, DJ Format and the Unabombers to name a few. I always wanted to bring a sound to the city that I feel needed to be heard. However it's a struggle trying to educate people away from what's popular. So I hung up my promoting hat a few years ago but just couldn't give in. So Dead Horse was born. Hence like flogging a dead horse. The gang is made up of 78 Edits, Sam Pemberton, Tim Hamblin, Mike Yates, Mike Boorman and Tim Forester, and recent guests include Harri n Domenic. We're steadily getting a trot on and people seem to dig what we do at last.  On March 28th we have Marcel Vogel and Ruf Dug doing a 4 hour back to back set!

What have you got coming up next and later in the year?
You can catch myself and various members of the gang playing up an down the country this year. We've got Beat-Herder and Solfest coming up.

Where can people check you out online?
All details of gigs will be on the Dead Horse Gang facebook group: -
facebook.com/thedeadhorsegang
soundcloud.com/d-c
soundcloud.com/western-groove

Don't miss this chance to check out Old Boy in the mix. Catch it first exclusively on Cowbell Radio...

Tracklist:

Saturday 7 March 2015

Cream Of The Crop - March 2015 Vinyl Chart


This month's #1 spot goes to the latest signing on Cottam's excellent Ruff Draft label. The sweet as house music from Chesus aka Earl Jeffers has to be labels best release to date.  Hot on it's heels is that long awaited afro bomb from Watson on An.Art. There are a couple more gems from Rahaan, Secret Squirrel #6 and the debut release on Pete Herbert & Dicky Trisco's new Paradise Row label.

Deeper heads should check the ER 12", the Linkwood LP (review to follow), the essential repress of Rick Wilhte's Analogue Aquarium LP, OOFT's string laden take of Sade and the Detroit Visionaries EP. Downbeat fans need to listen to the Dilla-esque 'Rockaway Beach' by M5K.

There is a raft of classic boogie and disco on Unidisc Canada - these look legit. The much sought after Supafunkanova Volume 1 from Joey Negro and Sean P as well their Volume 2 follow up - both packed to brim with groove after groove.

7 x 7"s lead the way on the funk side with must haves coming from Anthems Of The North, Millie Wright, proper latin from Conjunto Los Felcas, Mukatsuku's Afro Gems Volume 5 plus a restock of Ian Neville's edit of Dance Your Blues Away.

Lastly don't miss what could potentially be a summer anthem from Lonely Boy on Futureboogie. It's the 10 minute long 'Emperor Machine Disco To Go Special extended dub mix' of 'I Like Disco' that I keep going back to.

Follow the link below for the full chart.

http://www.juno.co.uk/charts/dj/536543-Paul_Thornton_itch_Dig_Deep/1442072-Chart/