We have moved...

We have moved from blogger to our own fancy new website...

You can find it at www.nunorthernsoul.co.uk

Come over and say hello!

Introducing TOMO

When we decided to release the BJ Smith covers of Mos Def and The Pharcyde we wanted to create a limited edition package for the vinyl junkies and collectors amongst our friends...

We had been aware of Liverpool based artists, TOMO via our brothers over at No Fakin' who had been using his artistic skills for time on various posters and promotional material... Plus having ran into him at various events and record fairs we knew this cat was right for getting involved...

So no more rambling from us... here is what TOMO had to say and hopefully the photos tell the story!

BJ Smith 'Umi Says / Runnin'' available here with limited edition hand screen printed sleeves by TOMO

TOMO
When I was first contacted about working on this project I thought "Not bad eh", this being the kind of interesting work that I always look forward to. At the same time though it was a bit daunting, having not only to create something worthy of B.J Smith's wonderful craftsmanship but also that of "The Greats" - Mos Def and The Pharcyde. I started just exploring how the themes of both songs related to my own creativity. The messages in both tracks are not only great but also important, facing your troubles and sharing your positivity, universal stuff really. So like most people I'm trying to do this anyway, the inspiration is there already. I was sitting in my kitchen drinking tea with some guests whilst explaining the fundamentals of locksmithing when the spark hit me, I could finally see how it would look. So I grabbed a pencil and start making it happen. There's a lot of symbols common in my work, the moving hand, the running man, bricks, clouds, gemstones etc. Some of it quite cryptic but in a nutshell it just basically shows my interpretation of the music, it came out alright and I hope you all enjoy this one as much as I did. Peace. - Tomo

TOMO Website

Dedications to the Greats!

For our next release we have lovingly covered two stone cold classic, soulful, Hip Hop tracks... We had heard Benjamin James Smith cover one of our favourite bands and friends of NNS, Crazy P. After we had finished The Movedrill Projects with Ben, we suggested that he do a couple of covers for us, and below the endeavours of his work...

This will be released on Monday 28th January 2013, you can pre-order HERE via Bandcamp


B.J. Smith 'Dedications to the Greats' [NUNS002] Sampler by NuNorthernSoul

Rather then us ramble on about this, we asked Ben to give us his reasoning and thoughts... enjoy the read!

[BJ Smith]

How this project came to be.

This cover versions project began when Paul and I were asked by Crazy P to do a Smith & Mudd remix of one of their tracks from their 2008 release Stop, Space, Return. For one reason or another Paul and I couldn't get together and the deadline was fast approaching. I had just finished watching the film on music legend Johnny Cash "Walk The Line" and had to sit down and work on an Ad pitch for Robinsons - the brief was quirky acoustic. Halfway through the often thankless task of composing a pitch for a sync company, I slid me and my guitar at speed across the room on my wheelie chair, away from the studio and towards the kitchen, strumming as I went. I was consciously channeling the Johnny Cash style in a bid to remember what I love about music, where things begin for me, escape the "work" brain by going into my own private virtual Sun Records Studio and make a cup of tea.

This was when a penny dropped somewhere in my brain when the various jobs and extra curricular activities collided together in my mind. It's moments like these (normally but not reliably when one is making a cup of tea) that magic can happen.

I knew CP's song Fascination very well having been privalleged to early pre-album completion versions, and suddenly it jumped into my brain as I was strumming Cash style in the kitchen, waiting for the kettle to boil. Danni's lyric "You've been looking ... in the right place" lept out of my throat and sat perfectly over the opened chord rhythm guitar part I was playing, so I got straight on to Danni for an accurate copy of her lyrics and dashed into the studio to set up a mic ready for a one take wonder. 

Rather apologetically I email CP my re-imagination, knowing that they were waiting for a Smith & Mudd remix and would not be expecting my Cash cover. I held my breath sure that I would here the belly laughs all the way from Nottingham. Thankfully and surprisingly they loved it and 2020recordings released my version of Fascination coupled with CP's original, all packaged up in a pseudo Sun Records format.

I am still threatening to cover all of their album in this Johnny Cash style, but for now that project is on the shelf for another day as NuNorthern Soul approached me with the interesting challenge of picking classic Hip Hop tracks for re-imagination. Only this time I decided to be more true to my own sound (whatever that may be) - I suppose a sort of blend of legends: Terry Callier, JJ Cale, Charlie Byrd, Nick Drake and more contemporary artist like the Stone Roses and Talking Heads.

In fact I have almost completed a Terry Callier cover in homage to the great man and his influence upon me, that blends a Roses indie vocal delivery with the rootsy folk picking patterns of Callier. This should be out early next year on NuNorthern Soul.

Big love and respect to NuNorthern Soul for all your support and kindness.

[BJ Smith] 

Trade secrets: A possible process I sometimes go through when deconstructing a song. 

1. Begin with scribing out the lyrics and getting into the story. 

1. Then listen to and focus on the melody lines and hooks from the original to find the essence of the "song".

1. Before a new concrete vocal line has been worked out, pick up the guitar or get in front of a piano to find the "song", by strumming/playing out a structure and listening for picking patterns or new chords that allow the "song" to breath.

1. Then spend several days playing around with the 
deconstructed song, working out an introduction and ending, finding a comfortable meter to deliver the lyrics (when dealing with Rap this can be a real challenge), till it all feels natural - like the lyrics and the guitar/piano belong together. Your aiming for an "unplugged" version.

1. Once an unplugged version comes to life it's time to record a "guide" track like they used to do in olden times - a one take wonder of vocals and guitar/piano.

1. After an atomspheric guide track full of character has been recorded, it's time to add layers of live instrumentation as if a "band" has turned up to develop the "song": live drums, live bass, live keyboards etc 

1. Once all the parts have been recorded and some dynamic shape (louds and quiets) developed, it is time to tweak the arrangement, get in to the mixing and add production sparkle.

1. Job done - turn around 2/3weeks!

Times are a Changing...

We are currently working on our new site... It will be the hime to lots of lovely music and info on events, releases, artists and general NNS musings...

Here is the designs as it stands, we have some tweaking to do, but it will give you a feel for the new styles...

NuNorthern Soul Session 43

NuNorthern Soul Session 43 by Nunorthern Soul on Mixcloud

Benjamin James Smith in Session / NME Selector / 27th July 2012

Our lovely friend and long time collaborator, and now NuNorthern Soul artist Benjamin James Smith has just been featured on the NME Selector show hosted by Goldierocks... He does his stripped back acoustic thang on 'Cortisol' which features on the 'Movedrill Projects' album that we have released then he flips the stone cold Hip Hop classic, 'Runnin'' by The Pharcyde into a Folk fuelled sing-a-long.


The Selector (week radio show for UK music, 27 July 2012) featuring Benjamin James Smith by British Council

Listen and buy Benjamin James Smith presents The Movedrill Projects HERE

The Selector Show - Benjamin James Smith

Those lovely people at the British Council do a regular podcast, it is called The Selector and it focuses on the best of NEW British music. The recently featured The Source from the Benjamin James Smith album, 'The Movedrill Projects' and they are bringing Ben in to record some tracks on Thursday 12th July 2012 for a future broadcast, Ben has a couple of treats lined up including an acoustic folk version of the track below.

 
 You can check the recent show here...

 

NuNorthern Soul Session 41

Once again we delve into the musical abyss in search of those audio nuggets of musical joy and perfection.

Our New Record Label... Our First Release

Perhaps calling it a record label is not correct and proper in the time of digital and CD releases, but we are releasing music and we would have certainly put this to vinyl had it not been so darn expensive...

We have taken the plunge, we are releasing an album of joyous music from long time friend of NuNorthern Soul, Benjamin James Smith.

Ben has been involved with NuNorthern Soul after a mutual friend introduced Ben to Phat Phil after Phil had been gushing about how much he enjoyed the musical outputs of Mr Smith, a meeting was arranged, a few pints of the Irish black stuff sunk, and music was discussed... The end result was Ben agreeing to put the first album out on the NuNorthern Soul label!!!

Benjamin James Smith presents The Movedrill Projects is a journey that has seen Ben working with several collaborators across a 10 year span. Musically NuNorthern Soul like to describe it as Gruff Rhys meets The Beach Boys on a Balearic Folk meltdown...

If you like what you hear please share the tracks, you can also pre-order the digital album below or the CD now from Amazon, release date is the 25th June...

  Benjamin James Smith presents The Movedrill Projects by NuNorthernSoul

NuNorthern Soul Session 39

We have been a tad lazy at NNS HQ of late, sorry about that...

Here is the latest instalment of our podcast series.



Track List
Alan Parsons Project - Time
Benjamin James Smith presents The Movedrill Projects - Show Me Love
Bobby Goldsboro - Summer
Double - The Captain Of Her Heart
Forget Me Not - What Were You Gonna Say
Cerrone - Hooked On You
Lo Tide - Yello Brick
Ave Blaste & Lopez - Yesterday's Games
Synkro - I Miss You
The Slow Show - Brother
Jabru - Vice
Joash - Assassin
Morris Chestnut - Doodlebug

CREAM - My First DJ Set

So it was 1995 I think that I first played at Cream,… I was a huge fan of US Garage and DJs like CJ Mackintosh, The DEF Mix Crew (Morales, Knuckles) and MAW were the dons for me and I was a big collector of anything on black wax that fitted that US groove, so imagine my shock when I was asked to warm up the Annexe for Andy Weatherall… The Annexe at that time was a room for Techno, not the soulful swinging sounds of US Garage and the bumping delights of Tony Humphries inspired New Jersey deep grooves…

Anyway, not one to turn this opportunity down, I went through my records to pick out the chunkiest of beats and toughest of grooves… Todd Terry and DJ Duke productions made the grade, deeper proto progressive cuts from Danny Tenaglia and the legendary Vasquez beats and Morales Red Zone dubs all started finding their space in my impending set… Vocals got cut for a tougher beat driven sound...

So my set was 10 to 12 then Andy was to play till 2am... Andy the gent introduced himself and said he had not seen me play at CREAM before and I explained it was my first set so he said "well you should play till 12.30 then", it was rocking and he could see I was enjoying it so I ended up dropping this (see below) as my last track and the whole room went off, the heat level went up and staggered back off the mini riser in the DJ box and ended up on Weatheralls lap, he then said, "a tad cheesy mate, but it bloody works!' with big grin on his face...

For more CREAM nostalgia click HERE

NuNorthern Soul Session 36

NuNorthern Soul founder and host, Phat Phil Cooper takes over the reigns for this session of lowdown grooves.

Proper winter warmer gear with toe tapping and head nodding anthems a plenty.

Track Listing

Space Dimension Controller - The Birth Of A Feeling

Soft Rocks - We Hunt Buffalo

Dirg Gerner - My Queen

Little Roy - Come As You Are (Taken from the Nirvana covers album 'Battle for Seattle', check out one of the other tracks below.)

Com Truise - Hyperlips

1000names - Sushi Hour

LyricL - Amazed

Stevie Wonder - Living For The City

Joni Haastrup - Imokiraria

Colonel Red - Holla

Gregory Porter - 1960 What?

LyricL - Amazed

For those who maybe unfamiliar with the lyrical delights of LyricL throw back your mind and pin back your ears...

London based rapper and spokenword artist Nkechi da LyricL is British born with Nigerian origins. Her parents hail from Imo State (now Abia State), Isuikwuato and settled in the UK after fleeing during the Biafran War.

One of the UK's leading female emcees. LyricL has appeared on stages worldwide from St Petersburg to Lisbon, and released singles in New Zealand, Austria, Japan and USA. Sought after by many producers for her lyrical ability and creativity within Hip Hop, Jazz, Afro and Broken Beat and Soulful House.

Taken from http://www.lyricl.co.uk

When we received this album from old NuNorthern Soul Fam member, Sarah Sweeney who we first met when she was one of the Chibuku Shake Shake residents in Liverpool, and now resides in Cardiff, and  runs Fresh Rotations the label behind this release!

We couldn't believe our ears... Tight production, plenty of soul and killer lyrics and delivery so good, even UPS couldn't match!

NuNorthern Soul contender for album of the year!

Check out the sampler below... Then go and support the artist and label by purchasing a copy...

Buy from Kudos

Buy from iTunes

 

NuNorthern Soul Session 35 Guest Selector Mr Doris

First off, lets apologise for the numbering of the NNS sessions, we are at number 35, not 34 as this cloud cast may suggest...

Anyway, up to the plate is Mr Doris, Ibiza standard when it comes to something fresh and not mass produced, main stream junk food, this boy is straight up grade A connoisseur business, the Mac and cheese, the real tasty stuff... Mr Doris holds it down for We Love at Space on Sundays where he hosts his 'After Dark' sessions.

NuNorthern Soul first met up with Mr Doris many Ibiza full moons ago at the legendary Ancient People where NNS often shared the space to host leftfield parties, funky treats and beats order of the day (and night)... Ancient People has grown up in to an amazing Indian restaurant now, but back in the day it was the freshest party place for odd beats and pieces...

Our own Phat Phil clearly remembers hearing Mr Doris drop the following one afternoon, it was then he realised this man had soul! Perfect vibes!!

So here we have the Mr Doris guest selections for NuNorthern Soul.

Track List

This Is London  - Unforscene

The Roosevelt Blues feat. Megan Washington - Lanu

Mockingbird - Nostaligia77

In Your Eyes - Oddisee

Mutes & Drops - Hint

I Just Can't - Mozez

In the Twilight  - TM Juke

The Truth - Handsome Boy Modelling School 

Heroes (Kruder's Long Loose Bossa) - Roni Size

Rio De Noche - Red Astaire

Alcazar (Instrumental) - Tape Five

Pretty Little Thing - Fink

Sweet Thang - Shuggie Otis

Billy Jack - Curtis Mayfield 

For more fresh flavours and news from Mr Doris world check out

WEB: www.mrdoris.co.uk

FB: https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9053832793

MS: http://www.myspace.com/mrdoris 

SC: http://soundcloud.com/mrdoris

Mr Doris is also touring hard over the next months, be sure to try and check him

07 /12/11 After Dark, Red Bar, Ibiza   

11/12/11 Lock Tavern, Camden, London 

16/12/11 Tonic, Sydney

17/12/11 World Bar, Sydney

24/12/11 Fundafied. Sydney

25/12/11 TBA Melbourne

26/12/11 Newcastle Raceway

26/12/11 The World Bar, Sydney

30/12/11 Funkdafied, Sydney

31/12/11 Bellavista, Cairns

01/01/12 Space Festival, Sydney

01/01/12 High Flyers, Sydney

01/01/12 The Jam, Melbourne 

NuNorthern Session #34 Guest Selector - DJ Rich Ears

Guest Selector Rich Ears - Balearic Supper by Nunorthern Soul on Mixcloud

Our good friend from Amsterdam, DJ Rich Ears has sent us this lovely blend...


This is one to lull you back to the White sands of Formentera and the blue Med waters... This is a truly Balearic session!


Tracks

Of a Star - Sun Yawn on Me

The Orb - Hamlet of Kings

Pink Floyd and The Orb - Is there anybody out there

Jonathan Jeremiah - Happiness (Quiet Village Remix)

AKmusique - Saudade (Inside Mix)

Laura Bee - Lovebleeps

The Verve - Lucky Man

Oasis - Wonderwall (LDM's Dry Stone Remix 2008)

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (eleventhirtyeight edit)

Zero 7 - Destiny (Irrelevant Remix

Aretha Franklin -  I Say a Rittre Player (Dimitri Flom Paris Le-edit)

Henry Mancini - The Pink Panther [Lennart Ibizarre's El Cielo Mix]

Rhian Sheehan - Essáy x Rhian Sheehan x Morning Mountain (Borrowing The Past)

Global Communication - 807 (Young Edits Cosmic Communication Version)

Kiky Dee feat Pied Piper - Got Music In Me (Extended NuDisco Mix)

Alicia Keys - Feeling u (Freddie Joachim remix)

Flanger - Innerspace suit

Baz Luhrmann - Always Wear Sunscreen

Rich Ears Facebook

NuNorthern Soul Playback - Sunday 23rd October 2011

On Sunday the 23rd October we hosted a session at The Paradise in West London. We asked our good friend Benjamin James Smith to come along with a bag of Sunday selections... he delivered a quality couple of hours of delightful sounds.


Part 1
 
Video streaming by Ustream

Part 2
 
Video streaming by Ustream

Abu Maxim and The Praetorian Steppas [KAT012]

Those busy beavers over at KAT HQ have been bending their ears to find sonic treats and audio treasures to present on that black plastic stuff and boy, have they come up with the goods on this one...


"With 2 tracks that go against the recent KAT grain of straight up edits to add a four to the floor flavour.

Starting things off is 'Sometimes I Get It', a glorious mid-tempo disco houser which strips back Ronnie Laws ‘All For You’ and Marvin Gayes ‘Come Live With Me Angel’ to their bare bones and starts again from scratch. The result is a squelchy bass line, conga led, dance floor smash with modern soul and jazz funk vibes aplenty.

On the flip we have ‘Sweet Love', a slightly more uptempo track again with a disco house feel. A true string-led beast of a track mashing up Bernard Herrmans 'Taxi Driver', Kleer 'Intimate Connection', Marvin Gaye 'Right On' and Herbie Hancock 'Stars' among others. 

Toughened drums underpin a wealth of strings, synths, sultry vocals & keys resulting in a modern day (soul jazz funk disco) houser that will pummel any half decent sound system that lay before it…

Under his Freak Seven ‘guise, support on his recent (and brilliant) Rush Hour release support came flooding in from Andrew Weatherall, Dixon, Ross Allen, Xpress 2 and Dave Clarke to name but a few, Freak Seven is one to watch so keep ‘em peeled!"

With support and reviews already coming in from the following...

Colin Curtis - REVIEW

Moggsy, Elektric Elephant - Both are ace...'Sometimes I Get It' is huge..... one of my fave tracks this year... HEAVY

Kev Beedle, Southport Weekender / Solar Radio - Nice one. Love these tracks !!

Alex Keening, Radio 1 Producer for Gilles Peterson - 'Sometimes I Get It' is a killer.

Sunday Afternoon Easy Listening

Bored on a Sunday? Well that's what prompted Phil to jump on the decks and throw down some of his current faves for Sunday afternoon sessions...

Ashley Beedle edits, Ben Smith covers of Crazy P, deep soul vibes from Steve Spacek, choice joints from Joyce Cobb, Bill Withers, Terry Callier plus loads more make for a lazy afternoon of music...

Slight technical issues at the start, but all smooth after that...


Video streaming by Ustream

NuNorthern Soul October Session

As we slip into October and the Winter starts to creep in... Wait, whats that...? It's still summer, a barmy late Indian one at that... Bloody brilliant!!!

Us NuNorther Soul monkeys are coming back to that London on Sunday 23rd October for a little soiree in The Paradise by Way of Kensal Green. Joining us to unleash a musical jaunt through laid backsville and thought provoking downtempo moods and grooves is our dear friend, Benjamin James Smith.

Helping to get things started properly, Ben has put together this lovely, jubbly selection for your ears, toes, fingers and feet...

Benjamin Smiths Indian Summer Selections by Nunorthern Soul on Mixcloud

Our session starts at around 5pm and more details are available on the Facebook page which is located HERE, please click on and check it out.

Ashley Beedle Edits (KAT45-004) - 7" Vinyl Release

Our brothers in boogie and purveyors of vinyl are ready to drop another 7" of joy in the form of 2 cracking edits from Daddy Ash aka Ashley Beedle...





The promo blurb reads...

First up we have Flora Purim getting Ashley Beedle's extended edit treatment with the sublime Latin Jazz Funker, 'Angels'. Great vocal hooks, guitar licks and a jazz funk groove with added disco overtones to boot...
If the Mizell Brothers had been born in Rio then this is what it probably would've sounded like.

On the flip we have Brian Protheroe's 'Pinball'. Ashley Beedle's tripped rework does exactly what it says on the tin... Stretched, dubbed and arranged to perfection.

Once again KAT45 dig deep and deliver the goods!

These should be in all decent vinyl emporiums on the 23rd October.