Remix of the Week: Holy Fuck do things to Röyksopp

Next one in a nominally weekly series. We take a remix, re-work, re-edit - whatever - and big it up so you might then listen to it. The track doesn't have to be new or anything but usually it should stand-up to or even better the original. Usually it'd be a track we'd spin on a TomTom night - but don't hold us to that either!

For some reason, Icelandic band Röyksopp don't seem very interesting to me. Someone gave me their second album when it came out and I didn't listen to it (sorry Liam). In fairness, they did a great mix of a Kings of Convenience song a few years back and that one 'Eple' off their first (?) album is always nice to hear now and then - especially the Scratch Attack mix.  (Hello Aran McMahon!)

The original of 'Happy Up Here' is not bad I suppose. It bounces along airily for a couple minutes; has an indistinct vocal that might allude to the title; and will probably be used in an ad to sell you insurance before the end of the year.  The 12" for some REALLY ANNOYING REASON does not include the "Re-interpretation" by Toronto's analogue zealots Holy Fuck, though it does have about fourteen other versions of the song crammed in there. A lazy kick drum ushers in its groovesome three and three-quarter minutes; whooshing panning noises strafe the speakers; and then the sparring Low-era Bowie synths jostle with a bassline to crumble your corn flakes. There might be a Dyson in there at one stage. It's a belter. Job's a good'un.

Here we go again

This Saturday brings our second TomTom party in Sligo. Right now we're definitely focused on playing in our hometown, though we'll see what the new year brings in regard to the spreading of wings across the land for extra curricular activities.

Our first one took place in the Clarence and for a first night we were happy enough with the numbers. The Clarence has a punchy sound system and offers the chance to really pack a lot of people into a party but we're not convinced some of their regulars were entirely in love with our eclectic, not-always-balls-out-banging shenanigans. Saying that, we were happy to be play at that Wine St. venue and indeed we're very happy to play somewhere else in a few of days time. In fact, with the right folks and a decent set of speakers, we'll be content to try and rock a party any old place.

We'd been hearing lots about Tobergal Lane Cafe and especially some of the nights they've hosted upstairs; needless to say, our curiosity was pricked and we made inroads. Our old night Funk Up! started as an upstairs club also so it's funny that we find ourselves on a first floor again across the river. it should be interesting.

We've a had a bit of gap of a couple of months or whatever since the first one, but that's given us the chance to to really think about what we want in a party night and to further our investigation into the kind of music we want to play. As the tagline for our posters say: classic funk and future disco - old and new music with a definite groove; the aim is to simply get people smiling and dancing all night (er, with a few breaks obviously to buy some drinks and keep our hosts content). To get a definite feel for the kind of music we want to play, people can check out our song of the day tweets on twitter.com/tomtomtheclub. (And please follow us if you're on Twitter - we're thinking this thing could be used for interacting with a crowd during an actual set so it would be great to have a bunch of folks signed up as potential participants in that kind of experiement. By the way, anyone have any experience of beining involved in that kind of live interaction? Anyhow, give us a minute and we'll get back to you on that one in regard to TomTom nights.You got to find a way out of the womb before you can crawl etc...)


Hopefully we'll help fill some kind of musical gap in Sligo or at least add to what I'm being told is a good buzz about the place. That's great to hear - really. Before Liam and I started djing in the early part of this century (gulp!) it was either Equinox or Toffs and going for a well-timed 'supper' midway through the night as you crossed your fingers for a couple of minutes of Blackstreet's 'No Dignity' or something decent amid the odious chart fodder. But that's another rant for another post. Live and enjoy the present! See you Saturday people.

Remix of the Week: #1 Erol Alkan takes on 'Zero' by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Okay so the first in a, er, weekly series. We'll take a remix, re-work, re-edit - whatever - and big it up so you might then listen to it. The track doesn't have to be new or anything but usually it should stand-up to or even better the original. Usually it'd be a track we'd spin on a TomTom night - but don't hold us to that!

This week we kick off with one of our favourite remixers of recent times: Erol Alkan. A famed DJ, Mr Alkan has lately turned his hand to producing (see material by Klaxons, The Long Blondes) and recently appeared to team up with Boys Noize for a mental double-A side 12". However, what really excites us about Alkan is his role as a rip-it-up-and-start-again reinterpreter of other people's music.

He sometimes works with musician Richard Norris as the unfortunately titled Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve duo (see interesting renderings of the likes of Franz Ferdinand and the brilliant 'Roscoe' by Midlake here). The one we're focusing on here is an Alkan solo mix and also perhaps the latest official remix he's created. This year the Yeah Yeah Yeahs released their third record to favourable reviews; lead-off single 'Zero' showcased the bands somewhat new synth-rock direction in typically fervent fashion. The original's not half bad at all, but Alkan's version melts it into an unholy late-night party banger, primed to take the sweaty roof off of your local disco.