Towards the end of November 2000 I landed in London with a backpack, one cassette tape and dreams aplenty. Years have mysteriously passed (who knows where the time goes?!) and here I found myself, as Londoner as can be, celebrating twenty years of trials and tribulations in the city. For 20 days (+ 1) in […]
20 songs to celebrate 20 years in London
SOUNDS OF 2020 – THE WEIRDEST YEAR IN MUSIC
“Music is the healing force of the Universe” This quote taken from Albert Ayler’s spiritual jazz masterpiece perhaps never sounded so accurate as it did in 2020. Most of us searched for solace in music in even deeper ways than ever. I for one spent even more time than usual consuming music, digging, seeking out, […]
Gratien Midonet Compilation on Time Capsule
It is finally here: the project started at the tail end of 2019 has finally become reality with the release of a retrospective of Midonet’s career highlights on double vinyl and in full audiophile glory. After tracking down Gratien in Noumea, New Caledonia, we spent the best part of 2020 exchanging long emails as I […]
Roots & Culture – Sounds of Love and Freedom
The recent combination of a lockdown + unusually hot weather has made us dig deep in the crates in search of fresh tropical grooves. Mixes were made, with two of these focusing on roots and culture iterations in all their glorious varieties.
Music For Quarantine (Pt 2): Dream Attack
Confinement obliged, I’ve spent some time exploring new corners of the house lately, and that included going through some long neglected CD shelves and shoe boxes. Found a few gems and many a memory along the way (Mazzy Star! Silver Jews!), and made this laid back lil’ mix out of it.
Sounds of Our Times – Music For Quarantine
Just over a couple weeks ago, I was asked by Christina Hazboum of Marsm Arts (the company with whom we toured Palestine in July 2019 in a cultural exchange between the UK and Palestine) and the lovely chaps at Rhythm Passport to put a mix together. Christina’s hometown in Palestine, Bethlehem, had already been in […]
100 X 100m Swim Set
On Saturday 07th of December I was “invited” to participate in a 100 x 100m charity swim event. In an outdoor 50m lido on the southern side of the river (!) on a freezing December morning in London. This begs the immediate questions: what kind of invitation is this?? What kind of friends do I […]
2018 – My Year In Music
Starting with the party scene, Beauty & the Beat has been the source and inspiration for two brand new audiophile parties, one in Paris called Sweet Apric∞ts, and the secnd one in Sheffield called Apricot Ballroom Sound System. (Ah those apricots! Glad to see them back in fashion, half a decade after their first rise […]
Guest Mix for Ransom Note
Towards the end of 2018 I was invited by the ever excellent music blog Ransom Note to deliver a mix to add to their series “The Wednesday Alternative”. As always it’s a psychedelic and eclectic affair, which goes from ambient to krautrock to cosmic funk to island disco to upfront gwoka, deep kadans and much […]
XTERRA WORLD CHAMPS MAUI 2018
In 2009 I was a youthful and wide-eyed triathlete, landing in Maui for my first experience of the island (and my 2nd xterra ever). I’d flown in with my steel framed Kona Caldera mountain bike and aluminium wheels (must have weighted about 12 kg at least), and within a couple of days was sent out […]