A quick catch-up before we launch into 2015 proper. A run through of a few things that I missed, completely, and a few things that got released just before the end of the year, while I was lost deep in “round-ups”.

Scarlett Johansson & Joaquin Phoenix / Moon Song / Watertower

I only saw two new films in 2014. Richard Linklater`s “Boyhood”.
and Spike Jonze`s “Her”. Neither when they were released, both when praise and prize nominations were an old story. Both are great films, poignant, and thought provoking. While I find myself currently in a frame of mind dangerously close to that of Patrica Arquette`s character in “Boyhood”, Jonze`s opus raised so many issues for me, about love, and life. It left me wondering if the OS was a “Love App”, and if we all might be in need of one, as if we have forgotten how, or if not forgotten, then taken love forgranted.

“Her” has an excellent as yet unreleased soundtrack by Arcade Fire, but this is the Karen O, of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, penned theme tune, which like the female lead in the film appropriately only exists in the ether, the space between. If you are into this then you should also take a listen to Karen O`s “Crush Songs” which is similarly simple, honest, and fragile.

Pepe California / Born Sleepy

This was flagged up by Moonboots in one of his end of year charts. The Japanese trio put out a series of 7s in 2014 and they all disappeared instantly. The A-side on this one is Begin meets Morr Music, while the Natural Calamity remix on the other side is more Sven Weisemann with Crue-L`s DSK. I don`t know if these singles are going to be collected on an album, but someone needs to think about making them more widely available (please). File under Japanese Balearic alongside Sth. Notional`s “Yawn Yawn Yawn”.

You can check all three singles over here.

Grouper / Ruins / Kranky

Oregon`s Liz Harris on Chicago`s Kranky, laid bare. Treated piano songs that document in Harris` own words, “Failed structures. Living in the remains of love.” I will always be in the debt of on-line store Boomkat, as without them the “Fuck Dance Let`s Art” section of my shelves would be pretty sparse.

Mica Levi / Under The Skin / Rough Trade

This was also recommended by Boomkat, and a soundtrack to another Scarlett Johansson film. Yep I do have a problem, ever since those pink pants in “Lost In Translation”, and trying to not let it get the better of me is one of the reasons I haven`t yet seen “Under The Skin”. Scored by Mica Levi, the music deserves, and has received, the same acclaim as that poured upon David Lynch & Alan Splet`s for “Eraserhead” with which “Under The Skin” shares a truly unsettling quality. More feeling than music: an incessant scratching of fear, worry, and anxiety, like a vastly amplified “silence”. Animal. The sound of consciousness.

Seu Jorge / The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions / Hollywood

More film music. At last a vinyl pressing of Seu Jorge`s Portuguese Bowie covers, from Wes Anderson`s “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou”. Someone said “Boot” and there are some dodgy spelling mistakes on the sleeve, but the audio quality is fine to my ears.

Eddie C / #9 / Red Motorbike

Two edits from Eddie C on his Red Motorbike label, both I think Taiwanese in origin. Brought to my attention by the learned and very kindly Lexx, when included on his latest Test Pressing mix. I hit Lexx for about four IDs and he promptly replied to all of them. Gent.

Pacific Beach have clips of “#9” up here.

Free Association / #3 / Free Association

“Zulu salute” is an acoustic-led unidentified version of Manu Dibango`s “Soul Makossa” on and by Andrew Allsgood`s Free Association that I lifted from the end of year lists of Is It Balearic?`s Timm Sure. I also really like “Polyrhythm Jizm” on the same 12.

Free Association`s Soundcloud is over here.

Vincent Floyd / Moonlight Fantasy / Rush Hour

Rush Hour had a look around in the unreleased archives of Vincent Floyd, the Chicago producer best known for his two 1990 12s, the sublime “Cruising” and the sea-swept “Your Eyes”.The resulting harvest, “Moonlight Fantasy”, collects six tracks, and while “Dawn Notes” is Deep House that ticks all the right Larry Heard boxes, it’s the slower more R&B tempo-ed pieces, “Digital Sea” and “Frozen Tundra” that are personal favourites. Kinda like The Chimes, or Clivilles & Cole doing Soul II Soul.

George Smallwood / You Know I Love You / Peoples Potential Unlimited

Independent `80s Soul reissued on Peoples Potential Unlimited. To be played alongside Georgie Red or Foster`s “Tease The Cat”.

Golden Ivy / Sketches Of Golden Ivy / Fasaan

Teac-144 experiments where handclaps echo those `80s Indie Soul arrangements, percussion chatters like a kissing cousin of Mark Barrott`s “Go Berri, Be Happy” with a B-line, guitar glissandos mix with “Ballad Of Dorothy Parker” drums, and loose Afro loops smoke with Al Dobson Jr..
and Collocutor.

You can listen to “Sketches Of Golden Ivy” over here.

Thomas Bullock / Cambridge Man / Save The Day

Two edits from Thomas Bullock on his Save The Day label, which made the end of year charts of the Is It Balearic? chaps, Timm & Ampo, and Balearic Mike. Both sides of this are great, one a rework of Kissing The Pink, the other The Woodentops. I didn`t exactly miss this (honest). I had a copy pre-ordered at Tokyo`s Technique but I don`t think any copies ever actually made it to the shop. It`s release came at a time when I was trying to work The Woodentops “Get It On” into my sets.

Jose Prates & Miecio Askanasy / Tam!...Tam!...Tam! / Trunk

A Brazilian rarity from 1958, put together by Polish producer Miecio Askanasy from a global touring show called “Brasiliana”. Famous for being the one Brazilian LP that Gilles Peterson doesn`t own, having passed on it when the record was first unearthed by Far Out`s Joe Davis, it`s been suggested that “Nana Imborô” is the blueprint for Jorge Ben`s “Mas-Que-Nada”, and there are at least three other highly playable standout tracks. Now reissued by Trunk, my copy unfortunately must have got lost somewhere en-route as it took about twenty days to arrive. My kids marveled at me as I attempted to bend it back into something resembling a playable shape, explaining the physics of the process as I did so.

Professor Longhair / Big Chief / Soul Jazz

The latest in Soul Jazz`s series of sought after New Orleans Funk 7s. A Mardi Gras call to all tribes that was a significant influence on the nascent night-tripper, Dr John.