The Soundr Hour - Spring Breaks

 

As the clocks go forward, Soundr steps into the new season with a fruity bouquet of blossoming breaks, blooming tunes and mellow beats -from trip hop to sunny lectro pop to breezy nu jazz..

 Dig in and bliss out...

Soundr DJ · the Soundr Hour: Spring Breaks -blossoming, blooming beats for spring

The Soundr Hour: Yacht Rock

Behold the maiden voyage of the good ship Soundr, making our our way out with a freshly pressed mashup from Mark Vidler and closing with a timeless treat from Christian Phillips - we navigate our way through classic AOR, surprisingly yacht and Nu Yacht. Minimum chat, maximum tunes. Climb aboard below...




Grab California Maneater here....

Spring Breaks

It's that time of year to follow the migration patterns of gnarly hippies and frazzled rockers through the ages  - and go green and escape to the country..

After a last minute spin to cobbled and cosy Medieval Rye last summer, we're itching for a revisit to sunny Stow on the Wold. Our 12th visit, has been booked, and we'll be rolling around the wolds for a while. Albums packed in the holiday hamper include newbies from  Sharon Jones, the Len Price 3 and Beck



But before we pack up and ping off - I'll be spinning in a few tunes at The Railway tonight, around Oil City Rollers - Bif Bam Pow booming out their Thames Delta R 'n B and Estuary boogie...

Expect this freshly pressed retro-groover from the House of Blow Up to make an appearance during the wing-ding..




While I'm away - I'll re-plant a spring mix from backawhiles..

April Flowers

Stow Away

What a week *sighs* of lazy loafing and sunny strolls around Stow-on-the-Wold. Where, bolt-holed away from the usual rush and bustle, a seven day stretch-out feels more like a fortnight. Highlights of this trip (our 9th now) include.

A cross-country ramble to Chastleton House. Sold by Robert Catesby (mastermind of Gunpowder/Parliment plot) to fund Guy Fawkes fireworks.

An improv tour of the Cotswolds Brewing Company - beer literally brewed in a barn.

The Glam Rock Pigs and minted that morning lambs at Old Farm

And Puffin Annual Number One found at Evergreen Livres

Just one low point. A £3.25 scotch egg from Daylsford Organic which tasted only of reformed cardboard and Gloy.

If you're ever heading that way, two new(ish) tunes perfect for rolling around the wolds are..

She & Him - In The Sun



Harper Simon - Shooting Star



Although track of the trip had to be...



Album of the week being

Lazy Sunday - April Flowers

Photo by Bleech

Well I’m off t’north for a few days break – between Holmfirth and Huddersfield in fact. So being the season when buds bloom and blossom and the sap starts to rise, thought it may be time to snapshot the outdoor action by way of a new Lazy Sunday mix ‘April Flowers’. Bedding together a sequence of sunny delights, spring breaks and chirpy numbers for your breezy listening pleasure

April Flowers



Telepopmusik - Genetic World
Moderato - Him
Danmass - Happy Here (Vocal Edit)
Abraham - Magpie
Kinobe - Grass Roots Horizon
Evolved Monkey - Naked Lady
Josh Rouse - Under Your Charms
Kevin Ayers - May I
The Noveltones - Left Bank 2
The Frank Cunimondo Trio - We've Only Just Began
Piero Piccioni - L'italia Vista
Saint Etienne - Sun In My Morning
Mother Earth - Apple Green
Lennie Hibbert - Village Soul
Norma White & Brentford Disco Set - I Want Your Love
Bill Cosby - No One Can Love
Arty Fufkin - All I Need's A Smile (Lily Allen vs Air)
Go Home Productions - Marvins Not In Love (Marvin Gaye vs 10CC)
Jellyfish - Russian Hill
XTC - Chalkhills And Children

See you in a week's time or thereabouts, and I’ll leave with you two other seasonal sounding nugg’s..

The Wolfmen Nothing To Say (Moulder Monitor Mix)
A softly wafting version of the original - you can catch the full basket of Wolfie alt.versions here – including one by ex-Ants producer Merrick/Chris Hughes and Depeche/Numan/Bloody Valentine mixer Alan Moulder



Evolved Monkeys - Like The Tsunami
Something loose and luscious from the Evomons – mixing the taste of sunshine honeycomb harmonies with the Tao of Bruce Lee

See Monkeys

I've always had something of a sweet tooth. I'm not aware if a related condition of 'sweet ear' exists - but if it does, I've got it. The symptoms being bending and buckling at the knee over honey-coloured chords, Milky Bar harmonies and butterscotch pop - almost entirely the type of confection Evolved Monkey excel at.

Sketching comparisons and contextual references is almost a disservice to Evomons intimate but open air sound and breezy rhythms. Although if pushed - suggesting they've cross-pollinated the slow melting melodies of Macca, Brian Wilson, Andy Partridge, Ben Folds and Jellyfish (with a small echo of The Charlatans) layered them on a bed of trip-pop backbeats and the space-age acoustics of Air or Goldfrapp all of which waft on the gently swelling drift of Yacht Rock - wouldn't be unfair..

There's not many albums I can play several times on the bounce and still want to reach for the repeat button - but weighing in at a perfect 40 minutes of well balanced and buffed quality pop, Project Messy is a selection box that's almost impossible to resist revisiting for a second helping

Evolved Monkey - Naked Lady





Recommended Reading..

Evolved Monkey website

Evolved Monkey MySpace