@ I Feel This

Finn Johannsen – Betalounge 05/09

Back to the Betalounge, with a set between The Saint and The Warehouse. If you have influences, show ’em!

Live @ Betalounge Hamburg / Germany / March 2009

Jigsaw – Sky High
North End – Kind Of Life (Kind Of Love)
Platypus – Dancing In The Moonlight
Don Ray – My Desire
Frankie Valli – Heaven Above Me
Teri de Sario – Ain’t Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You
Carrie Lucas – Keep Smilin’
Crown Heights Affair – I Don’t Want To Change You
Fern Kinney – Love Me Tonite
George McCrae – Don’t You Feel My Love
Voyage – I Love You Dancer
Patti Labelle – Get Ready (Back To The Music Box Edit)
Donna Summer – Our Love
Gary’s Gang – Makin’ Music
Alba – Only Music Survives
Jimmy Ruffin – Hold On To Your Love
Phyllis Nelson – I Like You
Jody “Fingers” Finch – Jack Your Big Booty
Jomanda – I’ll Give It To You (Come Get It)
Gallifré – Night Beats (House Rhythm)
Dunamis feat. Sarah – You Can Make It
Bim Marx – Stronger
Jack Penate – Tonight’s Today

V.A. – Perspectives 01 (Room With A View)

Ein neues Label aus Hamburg, betrieben von Phil Dairmount, das sich dem großen House-Erbe der Stadt verpflichtet fühlt. Allerdings nicht dem Erbe das schnell als „zu schwul“ in Form von Vocal House mit fahlem Pomp und schwachen Songs zur Zielscheibe des sich formierenden Techno-Gegenlagers wurde. Vielmehr geht es um die Zeit als alles House war, und Techno nur eine weitere Variante davon. Und nun wo die in langjähriger Abgrenzungsarbeit errichteten Kategorisierungen wieder eingerissen werden, kann man diese Haltung wohl getrost als gutes Timing bezeichnen. Für den guten Zweck ließ sich dann auch der alte Besen Austin Bascom alias Abacus reaktivieren, dessen Großtaten auf Fragile, Prescription und Guidance sich hier mit „The Answer“ gut nachempfinden lassen. In Dunkelheit grabender House mit Botschaft, der langen Anlauf nimmt und dann alle Anwesenden im Club umrennt. Auch Sasse besinnt sich auf seine alten Tage und beschwingt mit sphärischem Acid, der alte und neue Traditionen an eine üppige Tafel setzt. Den Ausklang gibt Superbads schräges „Brethren“, das sich anhört als hätte Richie Hawtin einen übergebliebenen Fuse-Track aus dem Archiv mit einer Spielzeugmelodie versehen. Interessanter Einstand.

De:Bug 04/09

Playing Favourites: Daniel Wang

> Ennio Morricone – Rodeo

This is from an old French movie soundtrack, „Le Casse“. I picked this for the string arrangement, because it puts a lot of emphasis on build-up, thus linking to the way Disco producers arranged strings for climactic dancefloor moments.

To be honest, I muss confess I don’t know Morricone’s works so well. I don’t think I have been a really big fan, partially because I don’t know it so well. My first impression of this track, which I didn’t know, was that it’s a formal composition. In my head I make a distinction between pop music, which has almost very definite rules, and people following it like Abba. It’s not formulaic, but there are very basic chord progressions that are based on Blues and Jazz that you can do in pop music and that have their own logic and their own progression. Many pop songs are actually the same song. “Good Times” by Chic is one kind of groove and twenty other songs sound exactly like it. It could be “Rapture” by Blondie or something. That’s pop music writing. And then you have soundtrack music writing and it has a different logic. It doesn’t have to follow a certain progression like in pop music, which has a reason and an impulse that keeps on pushing the song forward. When I heard this I thought it is a very good example of soundtrack music writing where you don’t really have to explain the logic of the chord progression, it just sets a mood. It makes an ambience. I think this is probably from 1967 to 71.

Good guess, it’s from 1971.

Because from 1972 on you start getting the big multi-track stuff, like Philly Disco and the more sophisticated pop, and this still sounds relatively simple. My first impression was it’s like a slightly cheaper copy of Burt Bacharach’s “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”, but with more drama. It has some very formal devices, like it’s basically a minor key. But at some points he plays the same theme but he opens it up with a major key.

Lately all this beautifully orchestrated obscure library music back is popping up again and people scan back catalogues for songs groovy enough to suit a Disco context.

Yeah, that’s interesting, and I think there is a good reason for that. There is such a thing as real music, in the sense that there were people who did music for films, like Ennio Morricone, or Giorgio Moroder, with a more naïve use of the rules, or the very sophisticated Henry Mancini, or Alec Constandinos, or Vangelis, or Jean-Michel Jarre. All these people were obviously classically trained and they followed the rules. It doesn’t really matter if it’s a Bossa Nova, 60’s GoGo or a Disco beat, the rules of the music don’t change. I think that is why everybody is going back now to find real music. When people like Masters At Work appeared in the 90’s, people who didn’t know anything about the basic rules of music started making music. That’s why it sounds so awful, haha. A lot of the DJ produced music doesn’t have its own intrinsic logic and sense. And chords, progression and melodies have that intrinsic logic. That’s what’s been missing. So everyone of this generation who wants to find out what is really musical has to go back to the 60’s and 70’s, and there you find it everywhere actually.

> Carter Burwell – Blood Simple

This is from the soundtrack of the Coen Brothers debut film “Blood Simple”.

It’s from the 80’s I suppose.

Yes, it’s from 1987. It’s a mood piece with a synthetic feel to it.

I found the orchestration is simpler, but it’s similar to the previous song. Again, it’s not a pop song with intrinsic deep logic. Like Bach’s “Air On The G-String”, that is also some kind of pop music because it has a very definite logic. This one has a formal piano theme that sounds a bit like Erik Satie. Simple chord, simple melody, a little bit like Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik”. It is not original, it is a formal piece, it follows a form that other people have created.

You could maybe alter its logic by just putting a beat under it, and by not adding much you would have a really moody dance track.

Yeah, actually this is the thing. To be honest, and many people are going to hate me for saying this, I’m not a big fan of Portishead. It’s very easy to make a mood piece. Anybody can do it. All you have to do is take a minor key and play some stuff over it, doesn’t really matter what. I think Portishead never even use a major key (laughs).

They don’t have to, really.

Yes. I think anybody writing good music should move between major and minor keys, that’s part of the magic. Since we now accept that some people make mood music, you can have a whole album of just melancholy. Personally, that doesn’t move me at all and I don’t find it very interesting. I think a lot of people in this generation think that this is a valid way to do music, for me it’s not enough. Salsoul records only have two or three keys but they do it so well, there are so many nuances.

I think the problem is that many people think they can only sound deep by using minor keys.

Yes, you’re right. That’s very true. If it’s not melancholy and it’s not moody then it’s not deep. Which is not true. That’s very profound what you just said. Read the rest of this entry »

Hofuku Sochi – Real-Life Undersea Organisms (Eigenvertrieb)

Hofuku Sochi im Live-Modus-Video-Audio-Mix im Hamburger Angelklub, und der Titel ist Programm. Wo die Krautrock-Elektroniker den Weltraum erforschten, kehren Stachy und Co. vor der eigenen Küste und tauchen weit runter. Der Sound ist jedoch durchaus vergleichbar. Es rumort und wabert, romantisiert drehen Bleep-Spiralen ihre Runden, später rücken ziemlich funktionstüchtige Dub-Basslines ein und es wird die Party forciert. Der freundlichste Ambient seit The Orb, mit entprechend lustig-anachronistischer Bildspur voller Cyberplankton und Sinuskurven, die an die seligen Zeiten erinnern, als X-Mix auf VHS der heiße Scheiß war. Dafür gehört ihnen die Calypso anvertraut und sie sollen solange auf große Erkundungsfahrt gehen, wie sie es für nötig erachten.

De:Bug 07/08

Druffmix 15 – Vocals Matter

And yet another guest spot at Hamburg’s cherished Betalounge location. Well I told you before how much I loved playing there. If, as usual, I was playing records there that I selected for a gig in town later, that gig was probably a good one, as it contains a lot of records I always loved to play. I remember people hanging out during my set there asking me about Minako’s “Town”, a Japanese disco gem. Hamburg clubbers are often very knowledgeable about music so that surprised me. Result!

Mr. Fingers – What About This Love (Even Deeper Mix)
Code 718 – Equinox (Heavenly Club Mix)
Was (Not Was) – Listen Like Thieves (Giant Club Mix)
De La Soul – A Rollerskating Jam Named Saturdays (Mo Mo Dub)
De La Soul – A Rollerskating Jam Named Saturdays (6:00 A.M. Mix)
ABC – The Greatest Love Of All (Mayday Mix)
Thompson Twins – Groove On (Extended Groove Mix)
Aurra – A Little Love (Just A Little Silky Mix)
Johnny Dynell – Love Find A Way (Club Mix)
Electribe 101 – Talking With Myself (Frankie Knuckles Mix)
Wamdue Kids – That’s The Feeling
Richard Rogers – Can’t Stop The Feeling (Morales Sleaze Mix)
Swing Out Sister – Notgonnachange (Classic Club Mix)
Tafuri – What Am I Gonna Do About Your Love? (Silk On Steel Extended Mix)
Joanna Law – Love Is Not Enough (Mix D’Ambience)

Finn Johannsen – Betalounge April 04/08

And yet another guest spot at Hamburg’s cherished Betalounge location. Well I told you before how much I loved playing there. If, as usual, I was playing records there that I selected for a gig in town later, that gig was probably a good one, as it contains a lot of records I always loved to play. I remember people hanging out during my set there asking me about Minako’s “Town”, a Japanese disco gem. Hamburg clubbers are often very knowledgeable about music so that surprised me. Result!

Live @ Betalounge Hamburg / Germany / April 2008

Heaven 17 – …(And That’s No Lie) (Remix to Enhance Its Danceability)
Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band – Call Me
Antena – Mummy’s Not At Home Tonight
400 Blows – Groove Jumping
Clock DVA – Breakdown
Medium Medium – So Hungry, So Angry
Ian Dury & The Blockheads – Reasons To Be Cheerful, Part 3 (Long Version)
Thompson Twins – In The Name Of Love
Konk – Machine
Spandau Ballet – Chant No. 1 (I Don’t Need This Pressure On)
Quando Quango – Rebel
The Members – Going West (Dance Mix)
Modern Romance – Can You Move
Haircut 100 – Ski Club Of Great Britain
Dislocation Dance – Show Me (Extended Mix)
Johnny Bristol – Love No Longer Has A Hold On Me
Minako – Town
Venus – Twilight Zone
Syncbeat – More Music
Adonis – Lost In The Sound (Lost Mix)
Hanson & Davis – Can’t Stop (Piano Dub)
Will Downing – A Love Supreme (Psycho Supreme Remix)
Fred Fowler – Times Are Changin’ (5:00 AM Mix)
Queen Latifah – Come Into My House (Zanzibar Mix)
Jomanda – Don’t You Want My Love (Bizzy Ass Breakdown)
Project 122 – Kiss Me Baby (Club Vocal Mix)
C-Bank – Nightmare Of A Broken Heart (Dub Version)
Fox The Fox – Precious Little Diamond (Special Remix)
Les Rita Mitsouko – Singing In The Shower
Adele Bertei – Take It To The Bridge (Instrumental)
Atlantic Starr – Does It Matter
Womack & Womack – Baby I’m Scared Of You

Finn Johannsen – Betalounge 10/07 Part 2

Live @ Betalounge Hamburg / Germany / October 2007

Finn Johannsen – Betalounge 10/07 Part 1

Another appearance at the beloved Betalounge. I was probably booked to play a disco set at night in Hamburg and played some of the stuff I was about to play at the Betalounge in the afternoon. I loved doing that so much. They had a lot of listeners tuning in, and you had this sensation of sharing your music with so many people worldwide, at once. Well, it was about the music then. Now you get way more listeners via streams and on camera. So you can see the DJ too, doing it live. Well, for what it’s worth.

Live @ Betalounge Hamburg / Germany / October 2007

@ Hamburg Soul Weekender