Midweek Beats + Pieces Vol. 42

My weekly reading, listening, media work update.

Selected Works is a regular newsletter by the Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand) based freelance music journalist, broadcaster, copywriter, and sometimes DJ Martyn Pepperell. Yes, that’s me. Most weeks, Selected Works consists of a recap of what I’ve been doing lately and some of what I’ve been listening to and reading, paired with film photographs I’ve taken + some bonuses. All of that said, sometimes it takes completely different forms.

WHAT I’VE BEEN READING:

When Moog Arrived in the UK: Summer 1969, and Mike Vickers’ phone rings. It’s George Martin. The two men have worked together a lot, George producing and Mike arranging, but this time it’s a more unusual job. George says The Beatles are thinking about putting some Moog on a few tracks on the band’s new album (the one released a little later as Abbey Road). Would Mike come to the studio and sort out some sounds for them? Tony Bacon for Reverb.

Moodymann - The Spirit of Detroit: "I like to keep it Black and strong around here." Three decades into his career, the effortlessly cool artist is still repping the D and its people whenever he can. He granted us rare access into his world to unpack his love of music and the community that made him. Nyshka Chandran for Resident Advisor.

How Massive Attack’s ‘Mezzanine’ predicted a new era for British music: Released 25 years ago, Massive Attack’s third album, ‘Mezzanine’, signalled the closing of a chapter for the influential Bristol electronic group, and the beginning of a new one for British music as a whole. Spliced with jagged post-punk guitars, their final album as a trio predicted an end-of-century turn for the dark and brooding at the twilight of the rave era. Ben Cardew for DJ Mag.

For Laurent Garnier, Savouring Life Means Slowing Down: At 57, the French legend is contending with ageing gracefully in a fast-paced industry. Interviewed right before the cancellation of his summer tour, he discusses changing his lifestyle and how the pleasure of good music is just like eating a memorable dish. Andrew Ryce for Resident Advisor.

The Latin Implosion: Freestyle’s Mix Of Rap And Dance Hit Hard Then Fell Into Obscurity. Kenny Herzog for Wax Poetics.

Play Weirder: Livwutang Is The Diy-Inspired Dj Playing At Her Own Speed: Nyc-Based Livwutang Shares A Brooding Mix And Speaks About Clubbing Alone, Signature Tracks, And Why She Wants To Play Weirder Not Harder. Sophie McNulty for Mixmag.

Systems Overload - Britcore and the UK underground: In a hailstorm of sped-up breakbeats, wild stabs and rabid cuts, Britcore blasted out of the UK underground in the late 1980s to present a fearless, DIY flip on the burgeoning hip-hop tradition. Something so energetic was fated to burn bright and burn quickly, and its place in UK music culture has been largely overlooked outside of a fiercely devoted fanbase. But in the specific cultural stew of its time and place, a small crop of producers, MCs and DJs soaked up the horizon-expanding revelations of US rap and, through accident, ingenuity and fearlessness, stepped up with a genuinely unique proposition. Oli Warwick for International Orange.

WHAT I’VE BEEN DOING/WHAT I’VE GOT COMING UP:

Last week, Los Angeles-based internet radio station Dublab aired Sensitive, my two-hour exploration of the 90s French RnB, Neo Soul and New Jack Swing scenes. You can listen to it here

On Saturday the 15th of July, I’ll be back on Radioactive.fm in Wellington from 1-4 PM. That’s 88.6 FM if you’re still using an actual radio or streaming online over here. I’m thinking I might go for three hours of broken beat and bruk, but let’s see what happens on the day.

In other news, I’m currently working on features on Myele Manzanza and Clementine Valentine (formerly Purple Pilgrims) for Audio Culture and Rolling Stone ANZ. More details soon.

WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO:

In many ways, London selector/producer IG Culture really is the pioneer of the broken beat/bruk movement. Two decades on from his breakout releases, he’s back with These Times, a vibrant collection of street soul, hip hop, jazz and bruk-tinged tracks featuring vocals from Allysha Joy, Mike City and Natalie May. It’s worth noting that before he pioneered broken beat, IG Culture had a run as a hip-hop and jazz producer working with the likes of Monday Michiru, Roots Manuva and Les Nubians, so he’s no stranger to lower-tempos. Similarly, just as his early broken beat era often found him collaborating with a range of musicians and producers, These Times sees him calling on musical assistance from Wonky Logic, Wayne Francis, Alex Phountzi and the NSM Fusion Starship! For me, it’s all about the horn/vocal-driven vibes of the title track (featuring Allysha Joy), but every track on here has its own set of delights.

The last time I heard music like this from an Aotearoa/New Zealand-based producer was during Jeremy Coubrough, aka Tlaotlon’s run of genius releases in the early 2010s. Hailing from Pōneke via Boorloo Boodja, Current Bias has been bubbling up as a DJ/producer in the local underground dance music scene for a few years now, but Frontal, recently released through Related Articles, might very well be their first big moment. Across seven hybridized techno, breaks, ambient and experimental electronica club tracks, Current Bias captures the rhythms and textures of online life in 2023. The results might be terminally online, but they also feel so tactile you might try to reach out and touch them.

In yet more exciting news, the renowned electronic artist Laurel Halo is on the verge of releasing her first album in five years, Atlas. From the taste she’s given us with ‘Belleville’ (featuring Coby Sey), it would appear that Laurel’s gonna deliver some remarkable ambient jazz collages. I’m expecting some serious human/machine interfacing from this one, synthetic ambient textures and acoustic instrumentation moving in splendid harmony, hidden details, subconscious road trips, you name it. Fittingly, Atlas will be the first release on Laurel’s label Awe, which also shares a name with her well-loved NTS show.

FIN.