Podrophenia best of 2016

The latest Podrophenia is up for download and features Piley and m'selfs fave finds of 2016, plus - an interview with Paul Fleming of Baltic Fleet on the new album (some of the tunes you may recognise from Top Gear and Grand Tour). We've Star Wars songs contributed by the Podrophonic Massive, a stage invasion from some SFOB chums, news on a Southend themed wallaper- and an unreleased Howling Black Soul rarity- grab your copy hereabouts

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Words and Music: your recommended weekend reading...

Comes in the format of two art, fashion and music periodicals.

Plectrum The Cultural Pick: where Cathi Unsworth - described by author, David Peace, as “the First Lady of Noir Fiction”, talks to Jay Clifton about her previous books, her approach to writing and latest novel 'Weirdo'. Chris Price, interviews Bruce Lacey on his associations with The Goon Show, Ken Russell, The Beatles - he was George Harrison’s flute playing gardener in Help, and is celebrated in the Fairport Convention song, Mr Lacey. And new short fiction by Max Stites, fashion from Fifi Chachnil, make-up by Illamasqua and shoes by Jefferey West.

Alongside all of this cultural buffet - you'll find me putting Fay Hallam and The Bongolian, Balctic Fleet, Hollie Cook and Philippe Petit (my first classical/experimental review) under the Plectrum Analyser, in the music review section...

Perhaps, follow up by backtracking to my Bad Penny Blues interview with Cathi here..

Level 4: (a horror special) comes loaded with a Cathi Unsworth interview, Julian Wollatt's Zombie photography, Dan Newman's best of TV Horror.

And me (waddya mean shameless self promo!) contributing music reviews (Steve Hooker), book  reviews (Cathi Unsworth). And an exclusive interview with the ex-Ants that are now Wolfmen - Chris constaniou and Marco Pirroni discussing Live Aid, working with Tony Visconti, 12 string basses and conspiracy theories.... it's all hereabouts 

Snowbound Sounds

Photo by Bleech 

Yes it's a re-up as they say, but with good reason - I haven't had a chance to whisk together some new winter-drifters and fireside warmers yet- a playlist that would include Neu!, Ulrich Schnauss and Jon Hopkins - so whether your cosy-toes and tucked up in your pit, or like me, some poor gump schleping your way to work  (late start, early finish I reck') lend a reflective and frozen ear to this mix of frosty favourites..you know where to find the T-list.

Last Of The Winter Mixtures



Soundhog's booty of Brandy & Monica meet The Doves is a thing of such slow shifting pure beauty it really does deserve a solo posting..

Soundhog - The Doves Are Mine

Southend on Snow

Lazy Sunday - Last Of The Winter Mixtures

Photo by Bleech - he's in today's Observer you know

So as this year's chill begins to fizzle, perhaps it's time to take a reflective look at that was the winter that was - by way of a mix that's perhaps more downtempo, frosted - and some may even stretch to bleak, than the usual mondo mania. With a collection of cool jewels and crystal melts, from mainly Northern European icy climes.. Get Carter(Newcastle), Serge, Yves Montand and Air (France) John Martyn (Scotland), Baltic Fleet (Liverpool) and Stina Nordenstam (Sweden) ...threaded together by a motif of movment and travel - which I'd like to claim was planned, but in truth, is entirely random...

Last Of The Winter Mixtures



Roy Budd - Carter Takes A Train
John Martyn - Smiling Stranger
Yves Montand - Pour Faire le Portrait d´un Oiseau
Serge Gainsbourg - Melody
Minnie Riperton - Take A Little Trip
Dennis Hoppers Choppers - Ballad Of Fu Manchu and The Red Bride
Harsh Reality - How Do You Feel
Money Mark - Cry
Gather Round Children - Yoko In Idaho (Sufjan Stevens and Beatles mashup)
The Beatles - Flying
Stina Nordenstam - On Falling
Air - Soldissimo
Ian Brown - F.E.A.R
Easy All Stars - Karma Police
Baltic Fleet - 48 Hour Drive (Boston)
Boards Of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy
Soundhog - The Doves Are Mine

Soundhog's booty of Brandy & Monica meet The Doves is a thing of such slow shifting pure beauty it really does deserve a solo posting..

Soundhog The Doves Are Mine

Baltic Fleet - Clout Rock

My actual copy of Baltic Fleet's album 'Baltic Fleet'

I went to see The Bongolian at Blow Up Metro a few weeks back, first on the bill were Baltic Fleet whose set was as explosive as bare knuckle battling robots - since then I've heard them on Steve Lamaq, been checking out their (Myspace site ) and ....have even gone and got a copy of the album.

Imagine the demolition duo of Peter Hook on bass and John Bonham on drums dropping in occasionally to add their robust rhythms to the crystal synthscapes and fat anaglogue wallop of Boards of Canada. Almost impossible to pin down, but where 'Christiane F' imagery, Eno's 'Begegnungen' period,the sound of collapsing icebergs and the words Saw-tooth, ringmodulatorand oscillation all overlap on a Venn diagram is the place that Baltic Fleet inhabit with their nu wave for the space age...

Baltic Fleet - 3 Dollar Dress



Baltic Fleet - Castellon Theme



Silvery were second on the bill that night, whose higgldy piggldy Victorania arcade anthems and 'I was Lord Kitchener's Valet' outfits you can see here - the single 'Horrors' is out now. It looks like this .

My actual copy of the Silvery single 'Horrors'

Be sure to check back on Thursday for a ' Fu Fu Stew goes Mondo' mix - Where Vince the Soul Chef from Fu Fu Stew has prepared a 70 minute mix of New Wave nuggets, Electro anthems and early eighties treats. It really is something quite special...