WOEBOT

Gangsta Techno.

Without further ado I give you...........the TWANBOC Gangsta Techno Megamix. I've been fulminating over this for weeks now and have only now (literally) cleared a space on my desk and dusted down the 1200s. So if you don't do mp3s maybe now is the time to start. I reccommend Winamp if you're from the Darkside, iTunes if you're on the Mac (bless!)

0.00. Little Lenny: Bum Flick (Shocking Vibes)
Just to get you in the right frame of mind

0.34. 4 Most Poets: Reasons 2 B Dismal (Nu Groove)
If you ask me the next Retro hot-spot will be early Strictly Rhythm and Nu Groove. Also labels like 4th Floor, Atmosphere and Bonesbreaks. Early stuff by Lenny Dee, Joey Beltram, Critical Rhythm, Bobby Konders, the Burrells. This stuff is TOO HIP!

2.58. Eddie "Flashin" Fowlkes: Goodbye Kiss (Metroplex)
The grimiest nasty bit of junk to come out of Detroit. BOOO YAAA! From 1986. Thats fucking ages ago.

5.04. A Guy Called Gerald: All Night Baby (Juice Box)
Juice Box (sighs).......Midst his revival as a gun-toting Junglist (we're talking 28-Gun Bad Boy Era Gerald here) the big man looks up at Manchester's grey sky. The clouds part and God winks at him. Gerald rushes home and lays down this utterly presicient writhing bitch of a jacktrack. This is no Ricky Rouge stuff (his smooth Chicago alter-ego on Juice Box) this is a bit of "pure-blooded-Rottweiler-knawed" BLAADCLAAT Gangsta Techno.

7.50. New Horizons: Slamdown (500 Rekords)
From the epochal Scrap Iron Dubs No.1 EP the mutha.....brings to mind cruising in a SUV through a deserted dockland industrial estate.....er......in Jamaica.

11.47. Armand Van Helden: Witchdoktor (Strictly Rhythm)
From Armand, that rarity, the American B-Boy who likes house. Even more transgressive than an American Indie fan liking Hip-Hop ;-)

14.25. Mood II Swing: I see you Dancing (Groove On)
To briefly cool your fuddled heads. This is Gangsta Techno as in SHWAGGERING and SHEXY like a Rose Royce tune. (Hi Luka!)

17.00. Steve Poindexter: State of Shock (Chicago Underground)
Impossible to know which one of Poindexter's tunes to put on. Check his trademark whistles. NASTY. From 1991....and compare it to this.....

20.17. Youngster and 116: Baby Pulse (Promo)
......which sounds so incredibly Chicago. Right down to the backspins, brittle clackety clack 808s, and "Baby" vocal hook. Slightly kicked myself that I didn't squeeze Wizzbit's Jam Hot in, which is even more Chi-town-esque. But hey that's how it goes when you're on da flow.

21.56. Armando: 1991 (Muzique)
And just to ram the point home (crikey this is becoming yet more didactic than a Derrick May mix) here's Armando from my fave Chicago label Muzique, who only ever put out blinding records.

23.12. 2nd II None: Bulldozer (Road)
Brilliant haunting Techno inna UK Garage style. Sounds like Mayday's Phantom or some such except it's got that RUDE edge, slightly blistering basline, not speccy. Hard to imagine an MC on this one though.

25.45. Wiley: Igloo (Promo)
From the don himself, proving this Gangsta Techno conjecture of mine (WHICH I SEEM TO NEED TO HAVE TO REMIND SOME PEOPLE WAS MY FECKING IDEA, AND IF IT NEEDS TO BE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED SHOULD BE DONE WITH MY FECKIN NAME ATTACHED) is not so peripheral. Wiley is getting his chops from Ragga. That rhythmic inflection is pure Batty Rider. Gangsta seen!

27.18. Coda: Bassline FM 1st March 2003 (Home Recording)
Just to clear the smoke from the room, and to remind everyone that the UK Garage here is really intended as nothing more than a backdrop to a bit of lyrical MC-ing. This is a great likkle bit, not from one of the big shows (hey don't be fooled by Luka's Radio Times-style listings, take the plunge, turn that dial) it's often the small crews where things are happening. Suprisingly mellow.

So there it is. Can I dress up like DJ Rupture and make like I'm famous, or should I stick to typing? Tell me. On second thoughts, diss me and I'll clean my gun pon your nose.

Posted by Woebot at April 23, 2003 10:10 PM