Weatherall Remix Friday Eleven

Inevitably September arrives and brings summer to an end, dusk falling earlier and back to school. I’m feeling it particularly keenly right now, the changing seasons and forward march of the year.  And the return to work which happens today. 

This week’s Weatherall Remix Friday visits Two Lone Swordsmen in 1997 remixing old friends The Aloof (a group containing two former Sabres Of Paradise in Gary Burns and Jagz Kooner plus Rich Thair of Red Snapper, Dean Thatcher and Ricky Barrow). Sinking was the title track on The Aloof’s second album, following 1994’s superb dub- techno/ rave opus Cover The Crime. Sinking was a darker album, less clubby, more after hours, with some trip hop and blues as a part of the sound and more of a live band feel, something of a comedown record after the previous one’s partying. 

There’s plenty here to enjoy. TLS load up a skippy house beat, a deep house bassline, splashing cymbals and a lovely wiggly synth topline that weaves its way through the remix for seven minutes. Late 90s downtempo/ deep house that keeps your attention engaged and head nodding throughout. This vinyl rip has a lovely burst of crackle at the start for the vinyl lovers out there. 

Sinking (Two Lone Swordsmen House Mix)

Also from the 12″ remix package is a pair of Ashley Beedle remixes, this one being the pick of the pair. Clattering drums, whispers, whistles and minor chords.

Sinking (Nautical Cosmic Break Mix)

Number In My Phone

The new Unloved album, The Pink Album, is a twenty song, ninety minute opus full of girl group drama and atmospherics, Wrecking Crew instrumental sounds, a 21st century take on the 60s sound. Number In My Phone started as a moment, David Holmes scrolling through his mobile and realising he had the phone number of someone who had died (Andrew Weatherall as it happens but then also that he had his sister’s and parents’ numbers too), still had voice recordings but that they were gone- ‘Even though you passed on/ I’ve still got your number in my phone’. Unloved singer Jade Vincent took the line and worked it into a full lyric and the Unloved trio then took the Tales Of The Unexpected theme tune as a musical inspiration. 

Back in the early 90s David was part of The Disco Evangelists with Ashley Beedle, releasing De Niro, a progressive acid house thumper. Now, thirty years later Ashley has remixed Unloved in his Black Science Orchestra guise. Number In My Phone (Black Science Orchestra Remix) a lovely, slinky, bouncy take on the original, an acid bassline and some piano giving it a dancefloor groove. .