Sunday Bonus: Skylab Radio x That's The Beat
My latest DJ mix is archived and ready for streaming.
On Friday afternoon, Naarm / Melbourne’s Skylab Radio were kind enough to broadcast my latest DJ mix: That’s The Beat - a selection of boogie, post-disco, electro, machine funk and synth-pop recorded in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1983 and 2021. You can listen to the archive of it here. I was (and am) really excited about this one, so I wrote up additional notes about some of the songs I included. You can read them below.
Snap, Sidewalk City (1983): Early 80s electro-boogie/breakdance music par excellence. Snap was a killer one off, but the musicians involved went on to do many many things.
Ardijah, Self-Titled (1987): For over three decades, Ardijah have been the soul of South Auckland. Their self-titled debut, financed with a brewery rock contest prize is an embarrassment of funky riches. I used two cuts off it, 'Jammin' and 'Like Me'. Crazy drum machines and synths, gorgeous vocals. So much love for this band.
Magic & Steel, Starship (2019): Yet more hardware driven machine funk, produced by one of the most humble and talented guys I know. Electro-boogie produced by a world-class breakdancer. Up on Bandcamp.
Patea Māori Club, Poi E (1987): Dalvanius Prime and the Patea Māori Club dropped this album four years after topping the NZ charts with what could be considered our unofficial national anthem 'Poi E'. My favourite cut off it is a boogie jam titled 'Ngoi Ngoi'. It's a tribe to the legendary Māori songwriter Ngoi Pewhairangi.
She's So Rad, Last Dance (2013): A killer early 2010s disco and boogie EP from Auckland's Jeremy Toy and Anji Sami. Both have made music for years under a number of aliases. Well worth looking into their catalogues.
Coco Solid, Cokes (2018): A Waitangi Day release from the greatest multi-disciplinary artist of her generation in Aotearoa. I used the boogie track 'Just One Kiss' produced by Jizmatron. This one was right on time. Btw, you have to watch her cartoon tv show, Aroha Bridge.
Mokotron, TATAU O TE PŌ (2021): Unbelievable Te reo Māori language electro-boogie and machine funk produced on real deal gear and featuring some spectacular Taonga pūoro playing. I used the title track. Cop this one on Bandcamp.
The Fan Club, W.G.A.F (1988): A Malaysian singer studying in Aotearoa teams up with a band of local synth-pop musicians. In the late 80s and early 90s they were on a tear. Huge pop singles, Italo Disco covers and the odd boogie number like this one. Huge in NZ and Malaysia.
Pierre Omaar, Contretemps (2002): A free bandcamp release. I believe this is an alias. Scorching instrumental boogie and jazz fusion. I used a cut titled 'Future World'.
Anyway, that’s that for another week. Thanks for tuning in.
FIN.