This Week's New Music Releases

Ben Sim's & Escapism: Techno's a Swear Word
"Techno is a bit of a swear word to me now, being honest- I don't think what I make or play is 'straight techno', says British producer Ben Sims on the sleeve notes to his new mix CD Escapism. Despite Sim's protestations, the album contains 41 machine gun tempo hard dance electronic growlers from the likes of Oliver Ho, Steve Bicknell, Jeff Mills and Carl Craig suggesting his argument is more about semantics.

In fact, his favoured term for what most people do still label techno is "hardgroove", meaning "funky, at the centre, tough and hard at the edges," as he puts it. Recorded live in one take, Escapism Part One is certainly that, showcasing his blistering 3 deck mixing skills and superior DJ pedigree. The album comes out on Primal Rhythms shortly.

Tibetan Chillout Album- NOT For Pleasure
The Gyuto Monks, a sect of Tibetan monks who've been chanting for over 500 years are shortly releasing an album which promises to provide listeners with Samadhi, "a trancelike state of pure consciousness, undisturbed by the polarities of life, experience and thought.")

The Perfect Jewel- Sacred Chants of Tibet features the Gyuto Tantric Choir (no Tantric sex connection presumably) practising "multiphonic chanting", which in layman's terms sounds like a load of monks humming deeply.

Intriguingly, the sleeve notes stress the chants are not to be taken lightly, warning "it is important to remember that these chants are not intended as entertainment but as prayers." The album was also recorded in the studio of infamous West coast LSD gurus the Grateful Dead, who helped popularise the monks in the West.

The Perfect Jewel- Sacred Chants of Tibet is out on 5th August.

http://www.gyuto.org

Associates' Party Fears 2 Resurfaces On Generation 80s
Union Square Music are set to release an impressively selected 80s compilation shortly which includes Scritti Politti, Cabaret Voltaire, Propaganda and most impressively the Associates' all time classic Party Fears 2. Associates singer Billy McKenzie was one of the most talented and fiercely individualistic singers of the 80s, though tragically committed suicide some years after the band had faded into obscurity.

Generation 80s, also featuring tracks from the last serious left-wing orientated band The Redskins and Julian Cope's first band The Teardrop Explodes, is out now.

http://www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk

1: Jane - It's A Fine Day
2: Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax
3: New Order - Everything's Gone Green
4: XTC - Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me)
5: B52s - Rock Lobster
6: The Teardrop Explodes - Reward
7: Art Of Noise - Beatbox (Diversion 1)
8: Propaganda - Dr Mabuse
9: The Sugar Cubes - Birthday
10: Associates - Party Fears Two
11: Felt - Penelope Tree
12: Aztec Camera - Oblivious
13: Prefab Sprout - Lions In My Own Garden
14: Everything But The Girl - Night & Day
15: Monochrome Set - Jet Set Junta
16: Redskins - Lean On Me
17: Blondie - Atomic
18: Scritti Politti - Wood Beez
19: Yazoo - Don't Go
20: Cabaret Voltaire - Nag Nag Nag


Cream's Anthem Beachfest 2002
Cream release their latest compilation Cream Beach 2002 on July 8 (via Virgin) and despite the title, provide a double CD packed with night-time club hits. Electro based tunes like Green Velvet's La La Land, Ferry Corsten's Punk sit alongside trance anthems by PPK and Art of Trance while Marco V's remix of Ibiza anthem Cafe Del Mar rounds off the set.

Making some concession to the sand implied in the title, are relatively downtempo cuts from Royksopp, X Press 2 (Lazy) and Dove though it could as appropriately been labelled Now That's What I Call Anthems Volume 59.


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