J.M.S. Joint of The Week: Portishead - "Humming" (1997)

Another classic album celebrating it's 20 year anniversary is Bristol's legendary Portishead's sophomore album simply titled Portishead which was the follow up to the Trip Hop classic Dummy (1994), a perfect soundtrack for grey and bleak rainy days and chill mode after a big night out (or in).

Fans were very curious why the follow up album took so long but were quickly hushed once they got to listen it. Portishead didn't have the same impact as the debut album but was still a great follow up but definitely a more darker sounding album and the track I have chosen here is a perfect example of how ill Geoff Barrow's production really was (he should have produced more Underground Hip Hop records because he was giving RZA a run for his money at one stage) and how Beth Gibbon's shimmering vocals were the perfect accompaniment to his production.

I've always loved how "Humming" starts with orchestral strings, eerie and haunting Sci-Fi sounds and leads up to the scratchy, slow pitched crunchy drum break (the original artist escapes me at the moment sorry) and rumbling bassline all dripped in oceans of reverb.

If you haven't been exposed to Portishead before, I suggest that you start with Dummy, then search all of the remixes and B-Sides, move on to the remixes for other artists (Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Massive Attack, Bjork etc) and then check for this LP, the Third LP and who knows we still might get another Portishead album in our lifetime.

J.M.S. Joint of The Week: The Doppelgangaz - "Olympics" (2017)

Some brand new Dopp Gang (EP and Matter Ov Fact) illness taken from the forthcoming LP Dopp Hopp, which I am really looking forward to if this one and the previously released "Rapamycin" are anything to go by. I personally feel that they get better with each album and I played this one to a colleague who hadn't been exposed to them, he said man this is dope, why haven't I heard of these dudes before? Dope indeed.



You can pre-order the album and Dopp merchandise at the following spots:

DoppShop
DoppHopp_IT (iTunes)
DoppHopp_AM
DopHopp_BC (Bandcamp)



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J.M.S. Presents - Man, We Had It So Good (1990-93 Dance/Soul Anthems) Vol.2

Peace, here is the second volume of the Man, We Had It So Good series, a look back at more of some of the finest that the early 90's had to offer in Dance/Soul music.

Like the first one, this was a genuine joy to compile and took me down some fascinating trips down memory lane.

This volume focuses more on the Soul side of things of which the UK was immensely good at and you will hear a barrage of rumbling bass-lines, pianos, classic and fat drum breaks and loops and truly soulful vocals.

I have a theory that the music was so much better back then because people were happy with what they had and social media  and smart phones (both double edged swords) hadn't changed the way people communicate and people were connecting with each other on a proper Human level, the music was the soundtrack to their lives, this was well before fake celebrities, fake artists and fake presidents changed the World for the worse.

So much of today's music is just empty, void of any soul and without any substance because the people recording it are disconnected and don't care about the culture behind it but with that said a lot of great music still gets made and I quite enjoy Deep House/Soulful House and Liquid Drum and Bass because you can feel the heart, soul and passion that goes into it.

NB: I've been trying to track down old copies of Music Week's Record Mirror dance supplements as it it had the best Dance charts, if you have any of these in PDF please send me an email

So once again, enjoy :)

J.M.S. Presents - Man, We Had It So Good (1990-93 Dance/Soul Anthems) Vol.2

01 Sugar Bullet - Dreaming
02 Loose Ends - Don't You Ever (Try To Change Me)
03 Banderas - This is Your Life [Less Stress Mix]
04 Kim Edwards - Stand Tall
05 Volume Ten - Pride
06 Innocence - Natural Thing (Elevation Mix)
07 Caron Wheeler - Livin' in the Light (The Original Story)
08 Sade - Feel No Pain (Nellee Hooper Remix)
10 Lindy Layton - Lines
11 Less Stress - Don't Dream It's Over (Edit)
12 Movement 98 (feat. Caroll Thompson) - Joy & Heartbreak (Mellow Mix)
13 Joanna Law - First Time Ever (Mellow Groove)
14 Omar - There's Nothing Like This (Remix)
15 One World - Down On Love
16 YoYo Honey - Groove On (Perfecto Mix)
17 Jesus Loves You - Generations Of Love (Oakenfold Mix)
18 SFS -I Don't Even Know If I Should Call You Baby (Karen Carpenter Late Night Mix)
19 Bassomatic - Fascinating Rhythm (Extended Version)
20 The Beloved - The Sun Rising (Danny's ''Love Is''... Remix)

Until the next one...

J.M.S. Joint of The Week: Juice With Soul - "Body Armour" (1993)

Juice With Soul (Juice and Soul) was one of those groups that had a minor hit in the 90's, ("Gang Lingo" with Lt. Stitchie) which was a firm radio and club fave in 1993) dropped a decent album on a major label (Atlantic) and then vanished into the ether, this was sort of the case for this duo of Bostonites but member Juice/Big Juan later went on to be a part of the Kreators who are probably best known for the superb posse cut "Home" (which featured the late, great Guru).

"Body Armour" lifted UK legend's Soul II Soul's "Fairplay" drums to great effect and some smooth horns in the hook while tales of corrupt cops are told.

Sadly Juice/Big Juan lost his battle to cancer in April of 2016.



Bonus Joint: "To The Uumhm" which sports one of the greatest piano loops used in the 90's and the fat "Zimba Ku" drums.

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