2010: The Final Frontier

Well, we're not going to forget the 27th of November in a hurry. Thanks to all who braved the ice and helped make it such an epic win. For those who missed out, Brassica - whose 'Hey Man' has incidentally just come out on Relish - let rip with a blistering live set that was as focused and uncompromising as it was dreamlike and futuristic. Kid Who's following DJ set was basically an education in dark, psych-infused cosmic disco.... Sound good?

On NYE we've been invited back to Shoreditch's Horse & Groom to host room 3 - the intimate 'boudoir' - and we're bringing Kid Who back as our special guest for the night. The last time we took over this room was for Lasermagnetic's Moxie party, and the atmosphere, mainly thanks of course to the amazing crowd, was just great. The rest of the night features legendary DJs Ray Mang and Rob Mello as well as the Discovery and Fragment crews and runs until 6am. Will we reach the outer rim by midnight? There's only one way to find out.

Sadly, Chev can't make it on the night as he'll be hauling his black ass down the pistes of Europe, but in an attempt to channel his spirit I will begin our mini NYE-teaser Youtube playlist with this wonderful cover:

Thanks to Derry for this incredible slice of eerie garage-psych stomp:





One of my favourite tracks this year - a perfect merger of Italo and washed-out psych:





And finally this dark dub-disco number from the night's headliner:






Set retroactive boosters to 11.


Kid Who on Myspace


Ray Mang on Myspace


Rob Mello on Myspace


[Photo credit: Jamie Grant]

Bad Dimension with Brassica and Kid Who: The Interview

We hope to see you on Saturday for another night of discodelic space-boogie at the Horatia. It’s a pleasure to welcome two of our favourite rising producers of 2010: Brassica, performing a unique live set, and guest DJ Kid Who. Brassica’s immaculate nocturnal disco has seen recent releases on forward-thinking labels like Dissident, Cyber Dance and Nocturnes, with a new EP forthcoming on Relish Recordings. Kid Who’s epic cosmic remixes chugged out over all our favourite dancefloors this summer, followed by the release of his first EP of originals, Ochre, and – today – this spangly number on Enzo Ponzio’s ‘Reworks’ EP.

To warm up for the party, we got together for a chat about genre-bending space noises.


BD: Recommend us three tracks that you’d like to hear more often.
KW:

• Charlie Mike Sierra - On the Moon
• Taj Mahal - Country Blues No. 1
• Scientist and Prince Jammy - Flash Gordon Meets Luke Skywalker

B:

• IV29 / Emmanuel Jal - Kuar (Olof Dreijer Remix)
• Ozric Tentacles - White Rhino Tea
• Spruxx & Bill Ambrose - Bad Lovers, Bad Drivers

What do you think it can be about some dance tracks that breaks through to engage people who wouldn’t normally choose to listen to electronic music?
B:
The non-musical/audible elements of the track. Now that supposedly 'everything has been done', many people need various pre-conditions to engage in a piece of music. For example a nice accompanying artwork/video they can associate when listening, whether their friends approve, whether the artist has a great ponytail, or whether it was made by that bloke from The Knife etc. This isn't a bad thing necessarily. However I do feel the closer we get to an unfiltered response of sound waves hitting our eardrums, the greater the musical experience. More instinctive, less cultural.
KW:
I think what is great about what's happening these days is that the genre boundaries are blurring, and have been for some time now, there's more scope for crossover. DJs are getting away with playing a wider range of music too, which I think helps people who are less familiar with traditional dance/electronic music get into the right frame of mind for it.


What is your favourite way to listen to music?
KW:
Among friends who are enjoying it as much as I am.
B:
On a cassette walkman with headphones, between the age of 8 and 14, in stereo sound, preferably produced by Trevor Horn or similar. Pure magic!


Some musicians seem to prefer to write in isolation, while others see their work more as part of an ongoing conversation in a developing scene. What role do you think listening to other people’s music has in your productions?
B:
You need a healthy balance of both. Some research and experience, some blinkered hard work. Regarding my own productions I'm lucky to have many musical friends that inform my work more than any wider-scale scenes or movements. On the other hand I've just recently countered this by moving to a disused care home on the south-east coast to write, record and produce with ample space, no distractions, no pressure to get a shit job to pay London rent prices etc. I'll swing the pendulum again soon and get back to a city in 6 months or so.
KW:
I don't think it would be possible for me to make music that wasn't referencing stuff I'd heard beforehand - that sort of thing just happens naturally whether you want it to or not. I can hear things in my own tracks which are coming from music I was listening to in my teens and even before then. I like to sample quite a bit too which I suppose is again dipping into the past. What's going on now has a huge influence on it as well of course - I doubt I'll be making this sort of music in ten years' time, things will have moved on by then and that's not a bad thing at all. I think dance music is always scene-driven, by nature. The true pioneers - and I mean the ones who really turn things upside down and create something totally fresh and new - they don't come around that often at all.


In what environment do you like to imagine people listening to your music?
KW:
On a dancefloor of course!
B:
I don't like to think about this too much. I would prefer if people listen in their own personal space. I don't think my music is good for club systems, but I'm working on this now beginning with my current live set-up. I'm also starting a new project with a very good friend which will address this directly. Surprisingly, a few people have admitted they have had sex to my last record. I thought that's what Carcass are for, no?


You both include psychedelic or cosmic elements in your music. What is it about this aesthetic that appeals to you?
KW:
Hypnotic rhythms, plenty of texture and lots and lots of effects! You can really have fun with it. It’s also quite tongue-in-cheek which I enjoy too.
B:
I suppose, as things currently stand these kinds of sounds exclusively belong to themselves and don't occur anywhere else - they have to be created and they're immensely enjoyable to hear because they exceed our auditory expectations. The sound palette belonging to many other forms of music differs little from the mundane sounds we hear every day. Perhaps, as computer technology is good at predicting patterns in future conditions, our current notion of 'cosmic and psychedelic' may be tomorrow's everyday sounds. I'm sure our cityscape would sound pretty cosmic to a cave man!


What visual art do you think your music most sounds like? You may draw us a picture.
B:
http://bit.ly/gFh928
I'm kidding... maybe one day.
KW:


Now that nobody seems to be able to make any money by selling records, we wouldn’t blame you for thinking about some merchandise. Rammstein do a branded blowtorch, and you can get Kiss licensed coffins. What would you like your first item of merch to be?
KW:
I wouldn't mind having my own branded breakfast cereal...
B:
I'm working on a range of new Class A drugs. Listen out at clubs... "any brassicas, mush?" Look out for the green pills with my face on it.

Audioscope 2010

A couple of weeks back, the discerning gentlemen of Audioscope over in Oxford raised loads of money for Shelter with a night of epic riffs and throbbing boogie. The bill racked up the legendary Kraut king Deiter Moebius, a rare performance by Billy Mahonie, The Oscillation (who you may remember unleashing the kosmische jams at the Bad Dimension opening party in August) and Catalan crazies Qa’a (who didn't make it to Oxford in the end, presumably because all those musical slabs of steel floor cladding and ventilation pipe wouldn't fit in the car) with loads of local favourites like The Half Rabbits and Nought. A team outing was mounted. The jury has been out ever since as to how any of us got home, but there is complete consensus on the excellence of the night.


This festival has been a yearly treat for ten years now, and this time has stretched to three nights: the final one is on Saturday. The full line-up can just about be made out on the right hand side of the handsome cake captured above (or here). If you can make it down, don't miss Mugstar, who will serve to remind you that swirling psychedelic jams are not at all incompatible with massive balls. Below is a clip from a performance at Tate Liverpool in 2005.



(photos Daniel Paxton / Stuart Fowkes)

BAD DIMENSION II

After a short break to regroup and rearm our psychedelic arsenal we're delighted to announce the return of Bad Dimension, featuring Brassica live and Kid Who on the decks.

Brassica is a hugely talented producer whose warm, warped analog explorations, passing through krautrock, disco and pure cosmic electronica, are truly unique. This near-perfect live set from Bristol over the summer, showcasing releases such as this one on Andy Blake's Dissident, should give you the idea:

Brassica - Live at 'I Feel Space' by brassica

Kid Who has been steadily making a pretty serious name for himself over the past year with some incredible releases, including what may be the last ever edits 12" on Mindless Boogie and his debut originals EP, Ochre. His brand of chuggy, druggy cosmic disco is both subtle and utterly irresistible on the dancefloor - and his DJ sets are no different...

Kid Who Interview and Mix on The Number 20

As ever, resident DJs will be plugging the gaps with psych, garage, kosmische and disco and the door will be free.

The wicked poster design is courtesy of the ever-brilliant Simon Minter, at nineteenpoint

BAD DIMENSION

Sat 27 November 2010

The Horatia, Holloway Road, London

8pm-2am

Free entry

Brassica on Myspace

Kid Who on Myspace

Platoon - Magic Lantern

Sprawling, hypnogogic freakout from Cameron Stallones of Sun Araw and friends. Peer into the ether and you can just about make out Spacemen 3 and Funkadelic c. 1969 bursting into flames inside a burning star core . This is a ham hock in your cornflakes:



Track listing:

1. Dark Cicadas
2. Moon Lagoon Platoon
3. Planar/Sonar
4. On The Dime
5. Friendship

Try it here or get it direct at Not Not Fun.

Transmission - Solid Space and Ashra

So this is my first post ever on a blog* and seeing as I have to make some kind of lasting impression on the information superhighway, I thought I would put up some righteous jams.

First up is Tenth Planet by Solid Space, this slice of sparse synthpop sounds like the soundtrack to a lonely voyage into the unknown cosmos, with only the drawn-out robotic tone of a computer for company and the realisation that you're never going to get home. Hope you like this as much as I do.



Next up is Club Cannibal by Ashra. This little gem I am very much looking forward to dropping at the next night. I haven’t got much hyperbole to spit about this kraut-disco odyssey so just lay back and enjoy the ride.

*[all four of us are posting now, lucky you! - Ed.]

Transmission - Space Ranger

Space Ranger - Superstring

We had the best time at Lasermagnetic's Moxie party last Sat, mostly thanks to the genius crowd of exuberant space rangers who kept us chugging on until the plug got pulled at 4. So massive thanks to you all - and the Lasermagnetic crew - for making it happen! This also leads me neatly on to this track, the reaction to which, when Chev dropped it, was a joy to behold.

From 'Superstring' on Madrid-based Lovemonk

Space Ranger on Myspace

(...two artists with 'Space' in their name in one day. Oh dear.)

Transmission - Space Dimension Controller

Space Dimension Controller - Journey To The Core Of The Unknown Sphere

The title of this track and indeed the alias of its 19-year-old Dutch creator probably tell you everything you need to know about the tendencies it exhibits. Set the controls for the heart of... something.

From 'Journey To The Core Of The Unknown Sphere' on Royal Oak

Space Dimension Controller on Myspace

Transmission - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones - Undercover Of The Night

Heads up and hats off to Andy Blake, who confused the hell out of us at World Unknown on Friday (was that even you, Andy Blake? We couldn't see each other let alone the stage) and is also responsible for this incredible live mix from The Beat! which drew our attention to this extraordinary slab of sleaze. The Stones won't allow embedding of the original video, but the version below has better sound quality anyway.

The Rolling Stones on Myspace

Special Transmission - Moxie edits

On Sat 16th we've been asked to host room 3 of Lasermagnetic's Moxie party and we're a little bit excited. For those who don't know, Moxie is a legendary, mysterious disco edits imprint that has been quietly putting out enormous recuts for nearly 10 years, culminating in a 'Goodbye' 10" just a few months ago. In their only UK performance the Moxie crew will be joining Lasermagnetic residents Neil Thornton and Johny Chingas Hiller in the main room of the Horse and Groom, with Ears Have Eyes taking care of business upstairs. Hope to see you there!

A couple of favourite Moxie edits:

Moxie on Discogs

Transmission - Michael Bundt

Michael Bundt - La Chasse Aux Microbes

Many thanks to TJ Hertz for this glorious Kosmische tip. Krautrock-era electronica at its very best.

From 'Just Landed Cosmic Kid', out in 1977 on Asylum

Transmission - Diskjokke

Diskjokke - 1987

While we're on the Skandi album vibe, here's a track from the recent Diskjokke, 'En Fin Tid' on Smalltown Supersound. Awesome production and just the right amount of Diskjokke zaniness. On the other hand, if there isn't enough for you there, this unbelievable release should more than satisfy.

Diskjokke on Myspace

Transmission - Prins Thomas

Prins Thomas - Wendy Not Walter

It's high time we had a track from arguably the best DJ, and unquestionably the overlord, of the current space disco scene. His bi-monthly Ekstravaganza at Corsica Studios rapidly became a staple for us over the past year, with massive lineups always ending on a good 3 or 4 hours of pure education from the hairy maestro.

From 'Prins Thomas', his first full-length LP of original material, out this year on Full Pupp. Note the reference to a certain synth legend in the track title... He also has a massive back catalogue of 'Diskomiks' and edit work for other artists, almost any of which are guaranteed dancefloor dynamite.

Prins Thomas on Myspace

Transmission - Architeq

Architeq - Into The Cosmos

Dub-hop isn't our usual fare, but Architeq is too good to dodge a mention on this blog. Analog production and a groove the size of Venus.

From 'Gold + Green', on Tirk

Architeq on Myspace

Transmission - Chrome Hoof

Chrome Hoof - Vapourise (Vocal Mix)

They were so great at Offset. Sit back, relax and let your mind be violated by these legendary sages of disco funk doom.

From 'Crush Depth', forthcoming on Southern

Chrome Hoof on Myspace

Transmission - Straight Shooter

Straight Shooter - Frame of Mind

We had a wicked time on the 28th - hope you all did too! Thanks to everyone for coming down and making it so special. Big shout out to The Oscillation as well for absolutely smashing it. They even blew up a guitar amp - it doesn't get much better than that! The details of the next BD are just being finalised so watch this space... In the meantime, here's a monster classic.

Transmission - THE OSCILLATION

The Oscillation - Head Hang Low (Bright Confusion Mix)

This track makes me feel like my brain is gradually being erased by undulating light. Tonight, of course, you can see this band and the light artist responsible for the video at the very first ever BAD DIMENSION. Bring it on.

The Oscillation on Myspace

Julian Hand on Myspace

Transmission - Amon Düül II

Borne from the still-smouldering ashes of Amon Düül in 1968, Amon Düül II were a key influence on the development of krautrock. 'Between The Eyes' is a typically sprawling lysergic jam:

Transmission - Tame Impala

Tame Impala - Runaway, Houses, City, Clouds

You're floating in a sea of guitar fx. Or is it drowning?

From 'Innerspeaker' on Modular Recordings

Tame Impala on Myspace

Transmission - Cerrone

Cerrone - Supernature

From 'Supernature' on Malligator

Cerrone on Myspace

Transmission - Kid Who

Above My Head (Kid Who Edit)

Chugging edit perfection from our great friend Kid Who, a man with a lot to answer for.

His recent Cosmic Disco mix is right up our space highway as well...

Out earlier this year on heroic Belgian edits label Mindless Boogie

Kid Who on Myspace

Transmission - Todd Terje

Dølle Jølle - Balearic Incarnation (Todd Terje's Extra Døll Mix)

Enormous arpeggiathon from Norway's finest remixer, on Permanent Vacation

Todd Terje on Discogs

Transmission - Discodromo

Discodromo - Cosmorama

On Internasjonal, Prins Thomas' vehicle for anything that sounds Norwegian but technically isn't. The release also comes with a most worthy Diskomiks by the man himself.

Discodromo on Myspace

Transmission - Can

Mother Sky - Can

The hypnogogic soundtrack to an incomprehensible space ritual. Forget the atomic clock - set your watch to Jaki Liebezeit.

Transmission - Monks

There's a party inside Higg's boson and you're all invited:

Transmission - Chateau Marmont

Chateau Marmont - Nibiru

Almost as cosmic and impressively focused as the content of this

From 'Nibiru' on Institubes

Chateau Marmont on Myspace

Transmission - Gary War

Gary War - Highspeed Drift

From 'Horribles Parade' on Sacred Bones Records.

Gary War on Myspace

Transmission - Emperor Machine

The Emperor Machine - Kananana

From 'Space Beyond The Egg' on DC Recordings.

Emperor Machine on Myspace

Transmission - Archie Bronson Outfit

Archie Bronson Outfit - Magnetic Warrior

You know a song is great when white lightning shoots out of your eyes the first time you hear it.

From 'Coconut', Archie Bronson Outfit's third LP.

Archie Bronson Outfit on Myspace

Welcome...

Welcome to the Bad Dimension blog! We'll be using this space to post news about the night - as well as any musical bits that we're loving too much to keep to ourselves, and maybe the odd set too...

We're hugely excited to announce the opening night featuring the extraordinary psychedelic hypnosis of THE OSCILLATION with visuals by the brilliant Julian Hand. Rather than reel off more silly adjectives, I'll direct you to this video of the two in collaboration, which speaks for itself. The rest of the evening will comprise our in-house DJs taking you on a journey from psyched-out 60s garage to the furthest reaches of contemporary space disco, with an emphasis on dancing, and fun. We're keeping the door free - this is about the music, folks.

The incredible poster art for the night is courtesy of Peter Attridge.

More to follow...stay tuned...

BAD DIMENSION

Sat 28 August 2010
The Horatia, Holloway Road, London
8pm-2am

Free Entry

The Oscillation on Myspace

The Horatia on Facebook