The date of our next Corsica Studios shindig is fast approaching (6th November to be precise), and I just realised that I have yet to give you your list of recommended listening in preparation for the nights festivities. Time is clearly of the essence here, so get your notebooks out, fire up Bleep in another tab, and the lesson shall begin...

Four Tet - Love Cry (Domino)


It only seemed right to launch our new residency with the aid of our old partner-in-crime from the old one at The End, so Mr Kieran Hebden will be graduating to our main room to work it as only he knows how. Kieran can currently be heard playing most months at the deep and dark Plastic People, but such a fan am I of his DJing shapes that even that is not enough for me: watch him give Corsica's boho crowd a thorough shakedown using his own decidedly atypical selection of "dance" music, and you will see why. And in a stroke of perfect timing that I can only wish was intentional, the Four Tet man also has a mysterious new vinyl release ready to ship next Monday (2nd November), and available to pre-order now from Bleep: all anyone seems to know about Love Cry is that it has a pretty brightly coloured label, comes backed with a B-side called 'Our Bells', and is likely to fly out of the shops at a similar rate to that Burial collaboration of earlier this year, so don't dawdle...

Luke Abbott - Whitebox Stereo (Border Community)


I am teasing you again here, as this one won't be out until November 30th, but you can pre-order the vinyl now from Rough Trade so you are prepared. Maths and hedonism make surprisingly comfortable bedfellows on Norfucker Luke Abbott's latest EP, which will be given a thorough roadtest in his Corsica live show; the entrancing pagan techno of lead track 'Whitebox Stereo' meanwhile will be unveiled here in video form in a matter of days, so watch this space. But you don't have to wait any longer to purchase Luke's twisted rework of The MFA's synth-pop-tastic Throw it Back (We Will Destroy You): cartoonish collectible vinyl awaits you over at Juno, or get the mp3s right away from our own online store...

Rocketnumbernine - You Reflect Me (Champion Version)


Rocketnumbernine are a pair of brothers who (when they aren't playing in post-rock stalwarts Rothko) have their own improvisational synth-and-drum operation that travels a similar road to Messrs. Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid: debut album You Reflect Me is available now from Norman Records. We have had the pleasure of seeing them live a few times now, and have always found their explorations to be eminently danceable; but sadly that sort of thing just doesn't happen in most band venues, which is why we decided that it was high time that someone booked them for a club do. Get yourself down early to catch them, and do be obliging on the feet-moving front, for I am hoping that the combination of the visual spectacle and Rocketnumbernine's loose, easy groove will be the perfect way to overcome that early doors awkwardness of a not-yet-full club venue.

Lone - Lemurian (Werk Discs)


Nottingham's Lone comes booked at Luke Abbott's special request, but to hear Lone's music is to love it, and we are all aboard the fan train. Luke described Lemurian to James as "the ultimate music to listen to when falling asleep on aeroplanes", which I am assured is a good thing, whilst I reckon it could be the perfect stop-gap treat to keep Boards of Canada's legions of fans going until tea time. New album 'Ecstasy and Friends' will be out "soon" on Werk Discs, and I'm afraid I can't be anymore accurate than that; but I can tell you that you can already hear samples from it on his Myspace, so it can't be that far off. More will hopefully be unveiled during the course of his live set in Corsica's room two, where our own Nathan Fake and Wesley Matsell form the DJ bread of one tasty danceworthy electronica doorstep sandwich.

And with that, your shopping list is almost complete: all that is remains is your ticket to the party on November 6th, which you can sort out now from Ticketweb or Resident Advisor. Any further info you might need you will either find on the flyer below, or on the accompanying Facebook event page, and I won't keep you from your homework any longer.

Labels: Holden, Luke Abbott, Nathan Fake, The MFA, Wesley Matsell

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Loath as I am to rely on Wikipedia for my information, it does appear that the jury is still out on whether we're going to get that eagerly-anticipated second series of Nathan Barley. Although a runner friend apparently held a tape of read-throughs for a second series in his very own hands a couple of years ago, more recent interviews with Barley-actor Nicholas Burns had cast doubt on that second series possibility; but the continued evasiveness of creators Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker (who, incidentally, is a fully paid up fan of our own Nathan (Fake)) and recent Channel 4 plugs to catch up with the first series on 4oD has given me new hope. (I am sure most of you have seen it already, but those from abroad, and anyone else who didn't catch it first time around, might appreciate the link to see where the title of Holden's The Idiots Are Winning album really came from...).

Meanwhile, in the absence of a sequel, the world (well, East London, but I am led to believe that they are pretty much the same thing) has only become more Barley-esque. As previously noted here, the fictional mp3 DJ decks of the Wasp T12 Speechtool were such a good idea that someone just had to invent the real thing (known as the Pacemaker), even going so far as to hire their own Barley figure to promote it. And life continues to imitate art, as eagle-eyed Barley-watcher Ali from The MFA observed when he happened upon this BBC News article about a recent ASA ruling on a typically provocative advertising campaign from American Apparel:

"The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the shots for American Apparel "could be seen to sexualise a model who appeared to be a child".

In a series of six pictures, the model revealed more and more skin until her nipple was partially exposed.

American Apparel argued the model was 23 and the images showed how to use its clothing to create different looks."

Which, as Ali wrote to me, does rather remind one of the “All models ages are models ages plus 5 years yeah?” episode (Episode 5), where Sugar Ape magazine stages a photo shoot to look like underage models are being molested in their offices for a special "Vice" issue; coincimentally, Vice is also the name of the infamous real-life magazine which ran the offending adverts in question...

And whilst we are on the subject of long-awaited comebacks, if you were wondering what on earth is going on with those afore-mentioned MFA fellows of ours, I am relieved to announce that a new single, the squelchy acidic synth-pop of 'Throw It Back (We Will Destroy You)', is finally set to hit shops on 19th October: watch this space for more information.

Labels: Holden, Nathan Fake, The MFA

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That our resident daft dance duo The MFA nurture a healthy respect for the Old (Skool Rave) Masters is no secret. In a move that can only be described as "genius", an MFA live set trademark of yore was the appropriation and perversion of the eponymous musical calling cards of the likes of LFO (as in "L - F - O") and The KLF (as in "KLF Aha Aha") to The MFA's own egocentric three-letter cause. Synth-pop gurus The Pet Shop Boys have previously found themselves the subject of MFA press shot admiration, and the man-love continues with a soon-to-be-unveiled video tribute to the deadpan legends to accompany long-awaited new MFA single "Throw It Back (We Will Destroy You)".

The subject of last night's itinerary was a band outing to see the mighty Orbital at Brixton Academy, stepping out on an MFA-style double date to relive the glory days at the hands of the recently reunited Hartnoll brothers. And whilst they are on that theme, if the MFA want to tick another legendary dance icon off their must-see list, then cosy home-from-home Ginglik provides the perfect opportunity right on our doorstep this Saturday night (26th September), when Altern8 dust off the boilersuits, masks and rave anthems for a set at the stalwart I Love Acid night. Self-confessed Altern8 nut Ali "The Bear" MFA is in for sure, and since dressing up in paper-white chemical suits and dust masks purloined from the engineering department was a favourite hobby of The MFA's collective university days, chances are Rhys might be up for it too. And since a certain B12 also numbers amongst Saturday's line-up, perhaps Mr Holden can even be convinced to join us too...


And since we find ourselves worshipping at the Acid altar this fine Friday afternoon, this seems like an opportune moment to tell you about our resident acidmeister Avus' own DJ mix tribute to the genre that he has contributed for this week's edition of the Allez Allez podcast series: featuring quadruple helpings of Armando and a brace of fresh new Avus acid workouts, turn on, tune in and jack out (not up, or off, god forbid) here.

Labels: Avus, Holden, The MFA

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Scottish one-man-band and one-time BC artist Dextro has just released his second album Winded, and the purpose of this little note is to let you know that you can get your hands on your own copy from the man himself for just £10 (including postage to wherever you are in the world) via his website.


Dextro popped by the Border Community back in 2004 to release the sublime folktronic Do You Need Help, gamely remixed for the dancefloor by class clowns The MFA. He then went on to team up with illustrious krautrock stable Gronland (home to pillars of the Krautrock community Neu!, Roedelius and Harmonia and modern-day revivalists Fujiya & Miyagi alike) for debut album Consequence Music, and this time the ever-devastating Clark was drafted in for a remix of the Hearts and Minds single.

New album Winded is an admirably DIY affair, released on his own 16K label, and sold direct from his own website, with a digital remix package being assembled as we speak. For people who like their electronica lush, soaring and with an organic folky edge (dare I mention Boards of Canada?), Dextro's music is life-affirming stuff. The pastoral textures perfectly soundtrack the contemplation of nature, a theme that keen hillwalker Ewan draws on repeatedly in his videos and artwork: his appropriately DIY video for album track Distance uses footage shot on the island of Eigg and the Ardnamurchan peninsula in the Scottish Highlands, and could well function as an advert for the Scottish Tourist Board, as it has just strengthened our resolve to pay a visit to the area very soon.

Labels: Dextro, The MFA

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They say great minds think alike. Ali "The Bear" MFA sent us this photo over the weekend: a black cab which apparently has the "best number plate ever", where meat meets legendary drum machine to cause much hilarity amongst the synth nerds. Coincidentally, James Holden had already spotted and chuckled at the very same cab out on our travels round London, much to my bemusement: look out for the techno-producing pig-farming taxi driver's P808 ORK cab on a street near you soon.


James was equally excited about our flight back from Frankfurt last night (following his appearance at minimal ground zero - aka Ludwigshafen's Loft club - on Saturday), whose flight number BA909 alluded to yet another legendary Roland drum machine. James' heart seems to skip a beat every time a digital clock rolls round to a Roland-time, whilst at one hotel on our Japanese tour last year James, Nathan Fake and Petter were simply overjoyed to be assigned rooms 202 and 303. Resident acid-house obsessive Avus is just as bad - in fact, for sheer nerdiness I would say that he is probably the worst of the bunch, and I don't think he would object to me saying that!

Other synth-related humour that we have seen recently includes the Poni Hoax keyboard that has been modified into a "Poland" by colouring in one leg of the R, and Nathan Fake's afore-mentioned Evolution UC-33, which has been renamed "Pluto" through some deft scraping-off and colouring-in. Oh, the fun that these boys have with their toys!

Labels: Avus, Holden, Nathan Fake, Petter, The MFA

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I think it is probably not too much of a secret that sardonic synth-pop pair the Pet Shop Boys number amongst the list of influences of our jokers in the pack The MFA. The faithfulness of Rhys-MFA's Pet Shop Boys press photo tribute is a clear indication of his adulation, whilst Ali "Bear" MFA's subversion of the pastiche of this classic shot by wearing an all-too-colourful Santa Claus bowtie probably points towards the fact that French fiddlers Daft Punk figure more prominently in his own personal ranking of legendary dance duos:


When I first discovered the tongue-in-cheek We're The Pet Shop Boys tucked away on sassy syntheticist My Robot Friend's Hot Action! album, I felt like it was a song that The MFA really ought to have written themselves - or at the very least covered. But then somewhat unbelievably the actual Pet Shop Boys, and then even Robbie Williams, beat them to it!

Recently, The MFA's idols moved another step closer to them, when I stumbled across the news that the Pet Shop Boys-produced Sam Taylor-Wood cover of I'm In Love With A German Film Star is to be the next release on Kompakt Pop, on 27th October. It was of course the Cologne-based Kompakt who licensed The MFA's The Difference It Makes from us way back when for an early release on their fledgling Kompakt Pop offshoot, and this recent Pet Shop Boys addition to the roster I suppose makes them labelmates of sorts to our dear old MFA. Exciting news indeed, especially if you are The MFA!


Speaking of those MFA fellows, there seems to be a lot of concern out there in internet-land over their recent musical silence, with a steady stream of emails and this article over on Fluokids wondering what on earth they are up to now? Groundbreaking developments this week that are much too tedious to go into in any detail mean that I can now finally confirm that there will be a new long-awaited MFA release on Border Community early next year, so we can all breathe a massive sigh of relief...

Their silence on the touring front however looks set to continue into the forseeable future, after poor old Ali-MFA was struck down by a pretty serious ear infection at the beginning of the summer, which even knocked out his balance and earned him a doctor's ban from going to any places that play loud music. The loud music ban remains in place for at least the next few months to make sure that the infection doesn't return, so touring is certainly out of the question for the timebeing. But fingers crossed he will be back to normal before too long: Get Well Soon Bear!

Labels: The MFA

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So did you miss us? My good intentions to blog from the bus to the Taico Club festival by jacking some wireless quickly evaporated as the Tokyo traffic jam suddenly dispersed, so I'm catching up with you from the airport lounge as we sip Bloody Marys made by James and wait for our plane home.

A couple of near-fish experiences and some constipation problems (and occasionally quite the opposite - thank goodness for the Washlet!) has left us feeling a little fished-off with Japanese food, as we sit here dreaming about a cheese feast on our return.

For Japanese cheese is a strange beast indeed: James' staple diet is something of an exotic delicacy here, where cheese consumption is around 2 kg per person per year (compared to France's 25.4 kg - although granted that may not quite be a fair comparison!). Most cheese we have seen so far has been of the tasteless processed variety, although here in the lounge I did spot something rather brie-like - served up with fish, naturally. A highlight of the week for me was the look on James' face when his attempt to dab the grease from his pizza with a napkin (as instructed by Fairmont) lifted pretty much all of the not-quite-the-real-thing mozarella clean off. Bless.

But on the plus side, cutting down on the cheese for a week does mean that James' belly has taken on slightly less Sven-like proportions. And for balance, it seems that Americans don't have much idea what to do with cheese either, if this blog post on Cheese Rules sent to me by Rhys-MFA is to be believed.

Anyway, we might have to go and board soon, but I am sure there will be more on the rest of the trip later in the week once our bowel movements have returned to normal. Thanks to everyone who looked after us so well throughout our trip: it has been real.

Labels: Fairmont, Holden, The MFA

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Borrowed from an email from Luke Abbott this morning:

"Why do Hobbits go to nightclubs?

Because they love a little underground house."

Hobbits do go to nightclubs, as it happens. Elijah Wood is apparently "enamoured with dance music", or at least he was back in 2006 when Ronan Fitzgerald of the House is a Feeling blog bumped into him at "an unnamed indie rock concert". In the course of a discussion about his favourite tracks of 2005, Hobbit-face then proceeded to royally diss The MFA's The Difference It Makes (which Kompakt licensed from us), labelling it as "so wack" and not as "euphoric and exciting" as The Field.

Well at least The MFA don't have hairy toes. Oh wait a minute...

Labels: Luke Abbott, The MFA

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I really ought to have mentioned this on here sooner since it came out way back at the end of March, but as he is DJing at our next night at The End, lets make that the peg off which we hang this quick plug for Vincent Oliver's latest EP 3 for Lo offshoot LOAF.

Where the first Vincent Oliver EP and EP 2 were eminently home-listenable Arab Strap-esque insights into the psyche of the Lo-thario himself, EP 3 takes a different tack, offering up Vincent's originals for reworks by "great lads" Hrdvision, ISAN, Andrea's Kit, Rothko and a chap called Nathan Fake. Predictably, main-fan James (Holden) thinks Nathan's remix is "ace": "lovely and deep when you listen at home but curiously quite pumping enough for a club too". That's our boy...

As some of you may have already gathered, Mr Vincent Oliver is an old college chum of our own Nathan Fake, and kindly provided him with a rather nifty set of live tour visuals, guest-guitar and a remix for album track Long Sunny and the video for his You Are Here single. I imagine slightly less of you had worked out that he is also occasional office boy here at the Border Community, as part of a time-share arrangement with his other employers Lo Recordings. And it is for Lo that Vincent will be gracing the decks on May 24th (alongside Milky Globe and live sets from Black Devil Disco Club and Appaloosa), when Lo will be hosting room two at our next Border Community night at The End (tickets on sale here). Confused? You bet he is...

All three essential Vincent Oliver EPs are available to buy from the Lo Recordings Shop on mp3 or CD, but the real deal physical product is particularly desirable in this instance thanks to the special series of naked-Vincent-renderings created by artist Vania Zouravliov. Fans and groupies alike should be sure to add the nob-shot of EP 2 to their collection:


Although I do wonder what bunny lover Nathan Fake made of the dead-rabbit-on-a-stick on the cover of EP 3. James was most unimpressed with Rhys-MFA when he ordered rabbit in front of Nathan at a pre-club dinner in Berlin, but I must admit that I don't think Nathan was anywhere near as bothered as James seemed to think he would be...

Labels: Holden, Nathan Fake, The MFA

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