Thunder Picks #029

Other the past six months those that have read this column regularly may have asked the legitimate question, If this is THUNDER picks, how comes we just get that bloody Miles bloke banging on the whole time? Where are the other two, the ones with decent musical taste and great hair? Well this week the balance is redressed and Thunder picks is indeed brought to you by the more handsome two-thirds of Thunder, Joseph Apted and Rick Hopkins. So, lets go, lets go!

Hakim Murphy Smog (iLL Rivers)

Taken from Hakim's latest release Spanking Tables on the Manchester based iLL Rivers label, this has been out a few weeks but is worthy of a notable mention here with us at Thunder towers. Smog features a low slung bass that is slowly filtered to bring out the sound, eking every bit of bottom end from the nice slab of wax, Smog is also very minimal in production with a simple bass kick and stuttering hi hats but this doesnt deter it from being one of those record you' ll hear at 4 in the morning and have that 'wtf' look across one's face. A fine second release from iLL Rivers too. (Rick)

New release – Crow Castle Cuts – Le Macchine – Machine EP

Regular readers of Thunder Picks will know that we're big fans of the Blind Jack Journey's series with Gnork and others churning out some great stuff (even though Miles does keep moaning about the bloody breakbeat bit). As well as the BJJ stuff, the same people also have another label called Crow Castle Cuts which so far has half a dozen releases from people like San Soda & Luv Jam. The latest one is by Le Machinne, out of Milan, and is a cracker. 5 tracks of Italian machine funk ranging from deep, discoid warm-up tackle through to balls-out bangers. (Joe)

Staffan Lindberg – Y2K EP (Dolly Dubs)

Released in the latter part of 2013 on the consistently brilliant Dolly Dubs label which is run by the Panaroma Bar resident deejay the lovely Steffi. This is the 3rd release from Dolly Dubs by Staffan Lindberg that features 3 original cuts and a remix from the UK's Trevino who delivers a remix that is heavy nod to the Transmat releases of one Derrick May, a great remix no less but I've plumped for the original mix of The Orbit which also doffs its cap production wise to the Belleville 3 and primarily Mr Kevin Saunderson. (Rick)

Eddie Fowlkes – Special EP (Detroit Wax)

Another hot joint from the tail end of 2013, which I played on our NTS radio show when Thunder was joined by the brilliant Rick Wilhite prior to him destroying the floor at the Dance Tunnel later that evening. This twelve is from another Detroit legend Eddie Fowlkes on his own Detroit Wax imprint which is a subsidiary of the long running City Boy label and features 2 distinctly brilliant Detroit house cuts, Special is one of those cuts that will appeal to almost anybody who has a penchant for most things H O U S E. The looping sample of the vocal 'Special' and The Peech Boys Bernard Fowler proclaiming 'Can you feel it?' and that bassline… I sure as hell did and I hope you do too. (Rick)

Forthcoming on Silver Ash (release in March)

Not much is known about new label Silver Ash recordings other than they focus on dub/deep techno, and they're really bloody good. First one dropped last year by an 'unknown producer' and was massively hyped by everyone from Mike Huckaby to MCDE. The 2nd release isn't out until March but is already getting a lot of attention. The A-side features a fantastic new track called Karri which is funkier and more driving than the first EP but still retains that depth and emotion. The B side is a complete contrast with a massive remix from the first EP by dub techno master Fluxion who offers a Basic Channel-esque lesson in absolute deepness. (Joe)

Cop it here.

From the Vaults: Paul St. Hilaire & Ren Lwe – Faith (Vox Mix)

Listening to the silver ash record had me digging through my dub techno stuff, and couldn't help pulling out this track from 2003 by Paul St Hilaire (Tikiman) and Rene Lowe (Vainquer). Whilst there's tons of great dub techno records that I could mention, there's very few of them that I would genuinely describe as 'life affirming', but this track most certainly is. Music to get utterly lost in. (Joe)

Repress of the Week: Donato Dozzy – Plays Bee Mask

Chris Madak has put out some amazing music as Bee Mask, apparently the story goes that he asked Donato Dozzy to do a remix of his Vaporware track and Donato was so inspired by the source material that he sent back 7 different versions, which Specrtum Spools thought were good enough to bosh out as a double LP. So whilst 7 versions of one song might seem a tad excessive, Donato is obviously someone with the imagination and talent to make it a hugely satisying effort. The final track Vaporware 07 is a 9 minute electronic masterpiece that genuinely makes the hairs stand up on my arm everytime I listen to it, properly otherworldly shit. If ever there was a track made for riding across the surface of the moon, on a unicorn, whilst on loads of jellies – this is it. Back in at Boomkat and Juno due to a much needed repress… won't be around for long. (Joe)

Party of the Week: Thunder with Mark E, Friday 31 January at Dance Tunnel

As Joe and Rick seem to have forgotten, I thought I better mention this Friday sees the very first Thunder of 2014! Its the first pay day of the year and a night a lot of people will fall off the January wagon too, so it could be quite raucous. I say could be, we did the same thing last year with Gene Hunt and it was absolutely, definitely raucous (with Gene being at the centre of most raucousness). This month we have Mark E. Theres lots we could say but lets leave it at this Mark is one of the best UK DJs weve ever heard and hes no stranger to raucousness either. There might not be any advance tickets left by the time you read this but there WILL BE TICKETS ON THE DOOR, so probably best to turn up fairly early and make sure you get in without standing about and stuff. Doors open at 10pm. (yeah thats right, MILES)

If there are any tickets left for Thunder with Mark E, they'll be here. Otherwise, get down early – we'll see you there.