Cage Against The Machine for Christmas Number 1

Last year, Rage Against The Machine managed to steal the top spot of the Christmas chart from the X Factor winner, Joe MacThingy. Personally I wasn't bothered about that campaign. We swapped a song released on a major label for a song, ahem, released on the same major label. It didn't exactly feel like the machine had successfully been raged against.

Last year's success has prompted several copy-cat attempts to flashmob the Christmas number 1 using online social networks. One of these campaigns has come up with the perfect riposte to the bland muzak churned out by Simon Cowell's televised music factory: 4'33" of silence, courtesy of the late John Cage. Not so much Rage, but Cage against The Machine.

It is easy to sneer at deliberate silence and dismiss it as pretentious. But there really is no need. All you need to do to understand 4'33" is listen to it, and think about what you can hear. It is music that specifically encourages thought - the perfect antidote to the X Factor's intentionally thoughtless ditties.

An official version of the release has been recorded by a diverse bunch: the Kooks, Orbital, Enter Shikari, Dan Le Sac, Scroobius Pip, Suggs from Madness, Billy Bragg and Imogen Heap. I suspect this may be the only time these acts find music they can unite around!

The single has been released today on independent (yay) record label Wall Of Sound. Check the official website for the download links, including a remix package featuring interesting takes on silence by Fake Blood, Mr Scruff, Adam F, Herve, Aeroplane, Alex Metric and Japanese Popstars.

Oh and all profits will go to charity. How could I have not won your support?!?!!

Cage's biggest non-Cowell rival appears to be The Trashmen's Surfin' Bird, made famous by Family Guy. Don't get me wrong, I like Family Guy, but I really don't see how a song famous because of a TV programme would be a better number 1 than, err, a song famous because of a TV programme.

Now if you don't mind keeping it down, I've got some listening to do.

Fifteen Albums

I thought I'd play along with this meme. It is totally non-optimal; it's missing The Cinematic Orchestra for a start. I also think there are too many entries from too recently; ten of the albums were released in the last ten years. But I tried to ensure it covers the range of soulful/rhythmic/electronicky sounds that I love.

THE RULES: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen albums you've heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.

UPDATE 30/09/10: Yestereday I posted a link to a YouTube clip featuring one of the best tracks from each album on Twitter. I've now embedded each of these clips below the name of the album for your delectation.

The Avalanches - Since I Left You


Mr Scruff - Keep It Unreal


Quantic - Apricot Morning


Q-Tip - The Renaissance


James Brown - In The Jungle Groove


The Haggis Horns - Hot Damn!


Fat Freddy's Drop - Based On A True Story


Bonobo - Days To Come


Silkie - City Limits Vol 1


Guido - Anidea


London Elektricity - Power Ballads


Alix Perez - 1984


Orbital - Orbital 2


Daft Punk - Alive 2007


Hybrid - Wide Angle

Bestival 2010

I was at Bestival this weekend, and had one of the most incredible and intense weekends of my life.

The genre-defying sonics of Flying Lotus blew my mind, the heart-melting soulful reggae Fat Freddy's Drop left me in tears, and the bouncy blissful glitches of Four Tet had me captivated. And that's just the acts beginning with 'F'.

But my moment of the weekend was with Mary Anne Hobbs. Despite leaving her Radio 1 show last week, she is still the undisputed Queen of All Things Electronic and Experimental. She proved her acumen atop the most spellbinding stages I've seen - I can only describe it as an exploding dystopian tripod.

She finished her set with this old skool rave meets ground-shaking dubstep banger. Enjoy!

My New Favourite Derivative Work

Take this bland pop crap from Justin Bieber...



...and time stretch it to make it 800% slower. The result is this 35 minute ambient masterpiece:

J. BIEBZ - U SMILE 800% SLOWER by Shamantis

So simple, but so effective. It reminds me a bit of the Brian Eno track used in the Lib Dem's "28 Days Later"-esque election broadcast. Try playing them together; it works rather nicely.



One of the many cultural revolutions the Internet has sparked is the explosion in derivative works. From mash-ups to remakes to photoshops to remixes, the creativity of some people knows no bounds. I hope this gets considered as the Lib Dems develop their policies on IT and IP over the coming 12 months.

I can't put the wider case as well as this video - 20 minutes well spent, I promise:

Ain't No Stoppin Us Now

Apt song for how I'm feeling about the Lib Dems at the moment...



Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We're on the move
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We've got the groove

There's been so many things thats held us down.
But now it looks like things are finally comin' around.
I know we've got, a long long way to go,
and where we'll end up, I don't know.
But we won't let nothin' hold us back,
we're putting our selves together,
we're polishing up our act!
If you felt we've been held down before,
I know you'll refuse to be held down anymore!

Don't you let nothing, nothing,
Stand in your way
I want ya'll to listen, listen,
to every word I say, every word I say

Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We're on the move
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We've got the groove

Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We're on the move
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We've got the groove

I know you know someone that has a negative vow,
and if you're trying to make it they only push you aside.
They really don't have, no where to go.
Ask them where they're going, they don't know.
But we won't let nothin' hold us back,
we're gonna put ourselves together,
we're gonna polish up our act!
And if you've ever been held down before,
I know you'll refuse to be held down anymore!

Don't you let nothing, nothing,
Stand in your way
I want ya'll to listen, listen,
to every word I say, every word I say

Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We're on the move
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We've got the groove

Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We're on the move
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now
We've got the groove

Blog Theme Tune

Yay! Blogs are getting their own theme tunes!

So here's the official Split Horizons theme tune:

2009's New Year's Resolution

I haven't made a New Year's Resolution this year, but I did last year. I vowed to buy and listen to an album for every week of the year. Here's what I bought:

Boxcutter - Glyphic
Trentemoller - The Last Resort
Justice - Cross
Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
De La Soul - Buhloone Mindstate
Benga - Diary of an Afro Warrior
Azaxx - The Exotic Delight Bay
Royksopp - Junior
Mistabishi - Drop
DJ Hidden - The Later After
Mutt - Treading Water
Various - Balmer Loosies vol 3
Stonephace - Stonephace
Hint - Driven From Distraction
Natural Self - The Art of Vibration
Various - Shapes 09:01
Domu - One Offs, Remixes and B-Sides
Fat Freddy's Drop - Dr Boondigga & The Big Bw
Bop - Clear Your Mind
Various - Sick Music
Mulatu Astatke and the Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information, Vol. 3
Orbital - In Sides
Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract
Q-Tip - Amplified
Karl Hector & The Malcouns - Sahara Swing
Various - Tru Thoughts 10 Year Anniversary
D'Angelo - Voodoo
Alix Perez - 1984
Burial - Burial
Four Tet - Ringer EP
Various - Electro Swing
Pablo - Turntable Technology
Various - Black Feeling
Various - Modern Funk
The Apples - Buzzin' About
Breakestra - Duck til Dawn
Coldcut - Let Us Replay
Coldcut - Journeys by DJ: 70 Minutes of Madness
Mr Scruff - Bonus Bait
Echaskech - Shatterproof
Boys Noize - Power
The Field - Yesterday and Today
The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die

TOTAL: 43

CONCLUSION: FAIL

(I have a niggling suspicion that I've missed a purchase from an HMV store, but I can't think what.)