Tune #101: The Space Cadets - Stotinki

In a previous post I mentioned the need for an experimental DJ set, following the standards of The Future Sound of London. A perfect learning start would be their first Essential Mix at BBC Radio 1, aired on 12 April 1993 (whoa, time flies!). Many obscure tracks are presented in the set, a personal favorite of which would be Stotinki by The Space Cadets.

The Space Cadets was a one-off collaboration between the British Asian Haq Nawaz Qureshi and Cypriot Harri Kakoulli.

Nawaz's history is definitely not common. He was born and grew up in Bradford. At the start of the eighties, he was the drummer in gothic punk band Southern Death Cult (until 1983) and later in alternative rock band Getting The Fear (1984). In 1986, he moved to London, in order to set up a company for signing artists to major record labels. Two years later, with no signings of compositions that fused world music with dance elements, he started with Katherine Canoville a new music label that focused primarily on that goal. The label was Nation Records, an early home for groups such as Asian Dub Foundation, Transglobal Underground and Loop Guru. In 1997, Katherine's involvement in the label ended, making Nawaz the sole head honcho. The steps followed by him were controversial. Spending a lot of his time travelling, he met with extremists and jihadists and he even attempted to meet Osama Bin Laden back in 1998. His controversial actions can be identified in his primary music project Fun-Da-Mental, with strong preference in Islamic fundamentalism. The ideology projected through his tracks was provocative and uncompromising, leading to trouble with the law and the label's directors.

Harry Kakoulli is multi-instrumentalist, mostly known for his tenure as the bass player for Squeeze, between 1976 and 1979. Throughout the first half of the 80's, he followed a solo career that spawned an album and a handful of EPs. Since the end of the 80's, he has been an early collaborator for Nation Records, composing records that fuse world music, techno and trance (adopting the label's ethos). His valuable experience gave him the chance to produce the first compilations of the music company (Fuse 1 & 2). Nowadays, he still involved in electronic music production, ranging from downtempo/balearic to progressive house and psy-trance (always with a Middle Eastern music essence!).

The original version of Stotinki (as well as the Dub mix) appeared for the first time in 1991, included in the second installment of the Fuse series. Two years later, a remixed version by Transglobal Underground (Tim Whelan & Hamilton Lee) surfaced in another Nation compilation, named Global Sweatbox Remix Album. The last version is the one that was used by FSOL for the Essential Mix.

The female vocals in the track are undoubtedly astonishing and they belong to Anglo-Egyptian singer Natacha Atlas, whose contribution to Nation Records is immense. Her singing career started by being a member of Transglobal Undeground and she is now considered one of the prominent singers in ethnic electronica genre.

Finally, you can enjoy the 3 versions of the track:

THE SPACE CADETS - STOTINKI



THE SPACE CADETS - STOTINKI (DUB MIX)


THE SPACE CADETS - STOTINKI (TRANSGLOBAL UNDERGROUND MIX)


P.S. I cannot imagine the connection between the sub-units of the Bulgarian currency (stotinki) with the track...

Tune #96: Earth Leakage Trip - The Awakening

I always wanted to compile an experimental music DJ set, focused on trippy music (a worthy adversary of the classic clubbing music!). I am lacking essential knowledge in electronic experimental tracks (at some time I need to perform a listening marathon for the back catalog of The Future Sound of London). This does not prevent me from enjoying forgotten downtempo tracks like this:

EARTH LEAKAGE TRIP - THE AWAKENING


Wandering in the music stores of Athens, I came across a white label from Rising High Records. The label of the late Caspar Pound was not "terra incognita" for my ears, but music project Earth Leakage Trip certainly was! Obviously, the purchase was a no-brainer for two main reasons: the consistency of the label in high-quality tracks and my curiosity!

Earth Leakage Trip was the birth child of Neil Sanford & Simon Carter. Their first release Psychotronic EP dates back to 1991 and it was provided by Moving Shadow, the seminal jungle label run by Rob Playford. It was one for first releases for the label and it was considered an underground gem (a collage of industrial, techno and breakbeat).

A second release followed on year later in Rising High Records, called Virtuality EP. The same blending ingredients were applied, but in a more mature manner (in my opinion). The highlight of the EP is the last track, called "The Awakening". While no energetic compared to the other tracks, the best use of sampling can be found here, which creates a neat cerebral texture assisted by the melody loops and breakbeat rhythms.

Simon's contribution to the project lasted until 1992, whereas Neil was the constant member. In 2003 the latter re-spawned the project, collaborating with Tony Lobue on future-jazz compositions, which had nothing to do with the experimental side of music.

If you are into non-danceable electronic tracks, only created to blow your mind, then ELT (pre-1994 material) is worth checking out.