thunder picks #035

Music

We caught up with the man who made all the rules. He said it is ok to make new rules

Palms Trax Houses In Motion (Tinman Remix)

One of the hottest new acts of 2013 was Palms Trax aka Jay Donaldson, a young, British Berlin producer who sprang into the consciousness of house music fans with the superb Equation EP, the first release on Dalstons Lobster Theremin label. It was hard to pick a stand out from that EP because every track was great but delicately constructed, soft yet hard Houses In Motion was particularly excellent. Now, with the original EP in high demand, its had a remix from Tin Man (another hot producer of 2013) who has turned it into an altogether more euphoric affair, slicing and dicing the original and stirring in an uplifting piano and a guttural acid line, then bringing the whole thing to the boil wonderfully. Im not sure its any better than the original but it definitely works, and comes on lovely marbled vinyl too!

Forthcoming: Legowelt Los Alamos EP (PPU)

Not so long along there was a very heated discussion over in the Thunder Facebook Group about Legowelt. It was suggested by someone not a million miles from here that maybe he was past his best and had resorted to making Lionrock rip off records. This suggestion enraged some of the elder statesmen of house music that we know, and its only in recent week any of them have started talking to me, err, I mean whoever it was, again. Well anyway, Legowelt is back with the best offering Ive heard from him for a long, long time. On ace label PPU too. Out soon!

Forthcoming: Yagya – Rigning Sj (Adult Comtemporary)

In a slightly confused state in a wood in Croatia last year, Mark explained he had done (or was doing to, I dunno, it was late) a mix with a load of Thunder noises in it. Fast forward (okay, maybe not that fast) to the present day and here it is on American label Adult Contemporary. Low slung and throbbing, it has an almost oppressive feel, like the pressure that builds before a storm on a muggy summers day. Its absolutely broodingly brilliant. Released early May.

Repress of the Week (hopefully): Oppenheimer Analysis – The Devil's Dancers (Clone Classics)

Apparently the Clone Classics series is getting repressed. I dont know if they all are but if that is the case, youll get a chance to own this on 12. Originally recorded by the group in 1982 and self-released on cassette, copies of which they hawked around gigs in pubs and the like. Come with us, the futures here to stay, dance with us New wave TDK genius.

From the Vaults: Chez N Ron Morning Factory (Prescription)

This was the record that really turned me onto the whole Prescription sound. A friend in New York sent me a tape with this on not long after I returned from my first trip there and it really the musical embodiment of a time and a place – 6am on a Manhattan dancefloor, the tourists are gone, its just the dancers and dancing is all that matters, lost, trance like in the music, the haze, the sweat, and the moment. This record is that moment. But forever.

Thunder Anti-Picks – Fadeouts

I cant tell you how much records that fadeout annoy me. It the pinnacle of lazy production dont know how to end a track? Well who cares, just fade it out and get down the pub early! As a DJ, I want to decide whether the track fades out or not, not have that decision made for me. It annoys me so much, I sold my copy of Glenn Undergrounds Jerusalem because EVERY track had a fade out and it irritated me too much to play it! I fact I can only think one thing that annoys me more fade ins

Party of the Week – THUNDER with Chez Damier, Friday 21 March, Dance Tunnel

Boy oh boy, am I excited about this. Thats not standard promoter excited about this one excited, I mean all I can think about and could quite possibly wet myself on the night excited. Chez has not just made some of the best records known to mankind (any genre), hes also responsible for the greatest house record label of all time (Prescription) and having cut his DJing teeth at the Music Institute in Detroit, he can play a few records too. Weve been chasing him for 2 years now and finally hes playing for us. So, yeah Im piss myself excited. Things have gone a bit bonkers of the ticket front but there will be a few on the door at 10pm and if you cant make it, well be on NTS with him at 2pm on Friday. Anyway, here's another Chez Damier pumper to sign off with!