Quarterly Playlist Revue: Part Three: Idris Ackamoor, Stella Sommer, Mac Miller, White Denim, Simon Love…
September 26, 2018
Playlist: Chosen by Dominic Valvona & Matt Oliver/ Curated by Dominic Valvona
Priding ourselves on the diverse, pan-global playlists we collate for your aural pleasure and indulgence, the Monolith Cocktail Quarterly Revue series is the eclectic behemoth of them all. With no demarcation of any kind or rules we mix the harrowing and gothic with beckoning polyrhythmic dancefloor screamers, flights of panoramic fantasy with raging protestations, and the most sublime peregrinations with experimental cries from the wilderness.
Everything you find on this playlist has either featured on the site over the last three months or been in our general orbit (the sheer volume of music we get sent means there is inevitably issues of space and time, and so some great tracks just don’t make it; this is our chance to feature those lost tracks). Below you will find a full track list, including links to reviews.
Tracklist:-
Malawi Mouse Boys ‘Hunger (Hymn)‘
Spike & Debbie ‘Strike – Compilation Version‘
Dur-Dur Band ‘Yabaal‘
Goatman ‘Jaam Ak Salam’
Mac Miller ‘Party On Fifth Ave.‘
Parquet Floors ‘Wide Awake’
LCD Soundsystem ‘Oh Baby – Lovefingers Remix’
Papernut Cambridge ‘The Hobbledehoy‘
Yuzo Iwata ‘Gigolo’
Soft Science ‘Undone‘
Stella Sommer ‘Dark Princess, Dark Prince‘
Mehdi Rostami & Adib Rostami ‘Delight‘
Yiddish Glory (Loyko, Alexander Sevastian, Sophie Milman) ‘Shpatzir in Vald (A Walk In The Forest)‘
Yazz Ahmed ‘The Lost Pearl – Hector Plimmer Remix‘
John Coltrane ‘Impressions – Take 3’
Thelonious Monk ‘Nutty, Pt. 2’
RAM ‘Dambala Elouwe’
Vaudou Game ‘Tata Fatigue’
Derya Yıldırım, Grup Şimşek ‘Uc Kiz Bir Ana’
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids ‘Land Of Ra’
Bixiga 70 ‘Quebra Cabeça‘
Etuk Ubong ‘Black Debtors’
Ayalew Mesfin ‘Hasabe (My Worries)’
Ippu Mitsui ‘Shift Down‘
Otis Sandsjo ‘Teppich‘
Nyeusi ‘Jupiter’s Giant Red Spot’
Angels Die Hard ‘Acid Beach‘
Mothers ‘PINK’
Rat The Magnificent ‘Up The Street‘
American Nudism ‘Future 5-0’
Dead End, M, Second Son ‘Let The Music Talk‘
Tenesha The Wordsmith, DJ Khalab ‘Madea’
CRIMEAPPLE, Big Ghost Ltd. ‘Your Love’
The Last Skeptik, Mikill Pane, Allana Verde ‘Rules Of Engagement‘
Beans, Sam Fog ‘The Black Chasm’
Bronx Slang ‘Rushing The Stage‘
Wordburglar ‘Rental Patient‘
Gunshot ‘Sulphur‘
Stringmodulator ‘Betwixt & Between‘
Laure Briard ‘Janela’
Brian Bordello ‘Eddie Cochran’
Simon Love ‘God Bless The Dick Who Let You Go‘
Picturebox ‘The Vicar’s Dog‘
Atmosphere ‘Make It All Better Again’
Daniel Rossen ‘Deerslayer’
White Denim ‘Good News’
La Luz ‘Mean Dream’
Kammerflimmer Kollektief ‘Action 3: Thoughtless, Hamburg‘
Previous Quarterly Revues From 2018
Weekly Post Playlist#3: Aphex Twin, Any Other, Low…
September 21, 2018
Gianluigi Marsibilio’s Weekly Post Playlist
We’re back with our beloved weekly playlist. For this return I decided to bring you many beautiful new releases.
A cut above all and all there is, the featured track from Any Other we have to report is one of the most beautiful pieces from the Two, Geography album: a rare gem to be discovered absolutely.
Not only young discoveries like Any Other or TENUE but also absolute confirmations like the Low, who have produced a complex album, deep and able to reach the unreachable peaks for most of the bands in activity, a disk from low, but definitely not low-profile.
On the playlist we also share with you a more acoustic choice from Riccardo Sinigallia, singer-songwriter of the great Italian tradition who manages to combine wonderful texts, a coefficient of experimentation, always right and weighted.
The climax of the weekly point is a track from the Aphex Twin new Collapse EP; there is no need to say anything about a job of this kind perfectly pigeonholed in what is a unique project, visionary, music that goes beyond the common feeling.
Gianluigi Marsibilio
Monolith Cocktail Social Playlist XXXIV
July 31, 2018
Playlist Selection From Dominic Valvona
Our imaginary radio show, a taste of our DJ sets, the Monolith Cocktail Social is a playlist selection that spans genres and eras to create the most eclectic of soundtracks. Placed in a way as to ape a listening journey, though feel free to listen to it as you wish, each playlist bridges a myriad of musical treasures to enjoy and also explore – and of course, to dance away the hours to.
Volume XXXIV of this intrepid voyage begins with a musical traverse of the Sudanese and Ghanaian Highlife and funk scenes, with short intermissions from the all-too forgotten Psychedelic R&B and bluesters on the 6os West Coast, Electric Flag, and jazz explorations from the Invisible Astro Healing Rhythm Quartet. After that we’re off into calypso, kosmische, prog, golden era hip-hop, gangly post-punk love songs and alternative American rock music from the 90s, via Laba Sosseh, Thee American Revolution, Adam’s Castle, Novalis, Frick And Frack, Asher D, Archers Of Loaf, Ludus, Dunkelziffer, Grace Jones and many more. Plenty more genres pop up, with a few surprises from artists we feel have been neglected. The full track list can be viewed below.
Tracklist:-
Kamal Keila ‘African Unity’
Sweet Talks ‘Akampanye’
Pasteur Lappe ‘Dora’
The Electric Flag ‘See To Your Neighbour’
Invisible Astro Healing Rhythm Quartet ‘Praise One’
Vis a Vis ‘Obi Agye Me Dofo’
Pratt & Moody feat. Cold Diamond & Mink ‘Words Words Words’
Laba Sosseh ‘Maria Elena’
Marvin Pontiac ‘Small Car’
Lionlimb ‘Turnstile’
Les Variations ‘Silver Girl’
Thee American Revolution ‘Electric Flame’
Adam’s Castle ‘Dark Party’
Novalis ‘Dronz’
Ihre Kinder ‘Stunden’
Just-Ice feat KRS-One ‘Going Way Back’
Frick And Frack ‘Go Southside’
She Rockers ‘Give It A Rest’
Special Ed ‘Think About It’
Boogie Down Productions ‘Stop The Violence’
Asher D ‘Brutality’
Daddy Freddy feat Tenor Fly ‘Go Freddy Go’
The Cutlass Dance Band ‘Hwehwe Mu Yi Mpena’
N’Ghare Hi Power Band ‘Campus Rock’
Clive Zanda ‘Chip Down’
Tapes ‘n Tapes ‘Just Drums’
These Animal Men ‘You’re Always Right’
Subcircus ‘Shelly’s On The Telephone’
Archers Of Loaf ‘Wrong’
Exploded View ‘Summer Came Early’
Family Fodder ‘Deja Déjà Vu’
Ludus ‘Let Me Go Where My Pictures Go’
Josef K ‘Sorry For Laughing’
Dunkelziffer ‘Give Me Your Soul’
Ray Brown And The Whispers ‘Go To Him’
Joanne Grauer ‘Who I Am’
Grace Jones ‘I’ll Find My Way To You’
Michael Nesmith & The Second National Band ‘Bonaparte’s Retreat’
Graham De Wilde ‘Stratus’
Dominic Valvona
Playlist: Selection and words: Gianluigi Marsibilio
“No single birthplace of mankind, say scientists” so titled an article released this the week in “The Guardian” and in this Weekly Point it is equally impossible to research the origin of sound tracks and unique ideas like those of Generic Animal, Pippo Sowlo or Body/Head, the wonderful cross between Sonic Youth and Bill Nace.
Summer does not need half measures, but of winning certainties and bets: this is why we point out the Deafheaven and Laurel Halo, who make us dive into the most absolute quality thanks to their two opposing styles
There is a deep disconnection between the pieces, that perfectly matches with a continuous search for stylistic imperfection.
This week’s selection is not for those that Thoreau calls “Mere herds of men”: we are ready to disguise and divide you but also to amaze you with these 10 songs.
We want to challenge you with a series of moods and sounds that could be a summer anti-soundtrack.
Our Weekly Point is a journey, a series of questions that are not always able to be answered, but this is fine for us and we allow ourselves to be supported by these questions, and an infinitely complex.
To paraphrase a poem by Amy Lowell: “I do not want to flaunt the PLAYLIST. I only want to share it “.
Words/Selection: Gianluigi Marsibilio
Gianluigi Marsibilio’s Weekly Point Music Selection
July 12, 2018
Playlist: Selection and words: Gianluigi Marsibilio
Gianluigi Marsibilio Weekly Playlist Report #1
All the best new record releases can be found on this new weekly Monolith Cocktail playlist. Everything is shaken with the right doses and we will let you discover the best pearls of the international music scene on a weekly basis. My name is Gianluigi Marsibilio and given my Italian origins, I will hopefully draw your attention to what is going on in my country musically.
The selection opens with the Murmurmur, super environmental rock and continues with pieces closely linked to the delicate and refined sound of the guitar.
Silky and hypnotic melodies intertwine and come to life in songs like Her’s.
These 15 tracks make sense if we can think and drag them into a world on the edge, underground and where the union and the mix of genres matches with creativity and cultural uniqueness.
In the fast burst intertwine pieces of prodigious and precocious artists such as Dusk and Bodega, we find authors of one of the best debuts in the history of contemporary Indian rock.
In a moment of absolute female renaissance, in which we can see the success of Soccer Mommy, Frankie Cosmos or Snail Mail, we point out Laura Jean Anderson and Clairo.
In the middle of the playlist I insert an all-Italian share with Mecna, one of the most eclectic of Italian rappers. I think a report like this is useful in understanding how, even the music of the tired European continent, is evolving towards new sounds.
See you next week. In the meantime tell us your thoughts and what you think of this edition’s weekly playlist.
Gianluigi Marsibilio
The Monolith Cocktail Social: Playlist #XXXIII
May 3, 2018
DOMINIC VALVONA’S PLAYLIST
In danger of repeating myself forever, but for newcomers to the site here’s the premise of my playlist selections. Previously only ever shared via our Facebook profile and on Spotify our regular Monolith Cocktail Social playlists will also be posted here on the blog itself.
With no themes or demarcated reasoning Dominic Valvona picks songs from across a wide spectrum of genres, and from all eras; Selection #33 being no different, with it’s venerated and Tarot card reader divine styler Kosmische intro from Walter Wegmuller and Popol Vuh and musical journey through Ethiopian spiritual paeans (Berthe Raza), Swedish jazz fusion (Solar Plexus), sublime drifting electronic heartache (Left Of Manila), French new wave electronic agit punk (Kas Product), Arabic fuzzed-up R&B (Sharhabeel Ahmed) and 32 other just as wonderful excursions through time and place.
Tracks:
The Monolith Cocktail Social: Playlist #XXXI
November 22, 2017
DOMINIC VALVONA’S PLAYLIST
In danger of repeating myself forever, but for newcomers to the site here’s the premise of my playlist selections. Previously only ever shared via our Facebook profile and on Spotify our regular Monolith Cocktail Social playlists will also be posted here on the blog itself.
With no themes or demarcated reasoning we pick songs from across a wide spectrum of genres, and from all eras.Selection #31, chosen as always by me, Dominic Valvona, includes Jean-Jacques Perrey‘s charming kitsch flights of fantasy into space, L.A. Jay‘s languid, floating jazzy remix of the Californian hip-hop troupe, The Pharcyde‘s Otha Fish, Penny Goodwin‘s fluttering flute ballad turn super funk acid dancefloor blast Too Soon You’re Old, South Seas dreamy sauntered pop from the Insecure Men, Kosmische traverses from the German dream team Mythos, plus spiritual, conscious and sublime jazz from Roy Hargrove & Ronnie Matthews and Brother Ah, and troubadour psych magic from Elyse Weinberg.
Tracks:
Jean-Jacques Perrey ‘Spatial Blues’
LaVice & Company ‘Thoughs Were The Days’
Jeff Parker ‘Get Dressed’
Claudia Lennear ‘Not At All’
Penny Goodwin ‘Too Soon You’re Old’
Insecure Men ‘Subaru Nights’
The Pharcyde ‘Otha Fish (L.A. Jay Remix)’
Lords Of The Underground ‘Flow On (New Symphony)’
Murs ‘What Do You Know?’
The Move ‘Message From The Country’
Affinity ‘I Am And So Are You’
Roy Hargrove, Ronnie Matthews ‘Salima’s Dance’
Brother Ah ‘Transcendental March (Creation Song)’
Joe Harriott, Amancio D’Silva Quartet ‘Stephano’s Dance’
Famous L. Renfroe ‘Believe’
Gunn – Truscinski Duo ‘Minetta River’
Krzysztof Komeda ‘Litania’
The Monzas ‘In My Lonely Room’
Evinha ‘Que Bandeira’
Elyse Weinberg ‘City Of The Angels’
Annette Peacock ‘Love’s Out To Lunch’
Midnight Magic ‘Walking The Midnight Streets’
Raw Material ‘I’d Be Delighted’
Mythos ‘Eternity’
La Dusseldorf ‘Geld’
Jean-Jacques Perrey ‘Chicken On The Rocks’
Playlist: The Monolith Cocktail Social #29
July 21, 2017
A PLAYLIST FROM OUR IMAGINARY RADIO SHOW OR ‘SOCIAL’
Chosen by Dominic Valvona
In danger of repeating myself, but for newcomers to the site here’s the premise of my playlist selections. Previously only ever shared via our Facebook profile and on Spotify our regular Monolith Cocktail Social playlists will also be posted here on the blog itself.
With no themes or demarcated reasoning we pick songs from across a wide spectrum of genres, and from all eras. Reaching edition #29 and still as eclectic as ever, this latest playlist chosen by me, Dominic Valvona, features Canadian Hollywood tipping rock glory from Neil Merryweather, the funk, the whole funk and nothin’ but the funk from Bernie Worrell, Afrobeat garage from Wells Fargo, beautiful flighty jazz transmogrifications of The Beatles via Ramsey Lewis, and experimental peregrinations of fantasy from Nicole Mitchell. There’s also tracks from Monomono, Gurumanix, The Stepkids, Trane, Leland, Sensations Fix (a regular at the Monolith over the years), Syrinx and many more (see full tracklist below).
Tracklist:-
Neil Merryweather ‘Hollywood Blvd.’
Birth Control ‘Hope (Single Version)’
Sensations Fix ‘Substance Of U’
Bernie Worrell ‘Woo Together’
Soul Explosives ‘Tryin To Get Down’
Rim Kwaku Obeng, The Believers, KASA ‘I’m A Song Writer’
Tee Mac ‘Nepa Oh Nepa’
Shintaro Sakamoto ‘死者よ’
Tommy Mcgee ‘Come On’
Peace ‘I Don’t Know’
John Holt ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’
Buckley ‘My, My, My’
The Beach Boys ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’
Peter Giger ft. Trilok Gurtu, Family Of Percussion, Archie Shepp, Wolfgang Dauner and Albert Mangelsdorff ‘Trans Tanz’
Goran Kajfes Subtropic Arkestra ‘Dokuz Seki/Esmerim’
Marco Di Marco ‘Le Mors Aux Dents’
The Last Poets ‘It’s A Trip’
Wells Fargo ‘Love Of My Life’
Monomono ‘Get Yourself Together’
Jesse Davis ft. Eric Clapton ‘Washita Love Child’
Gurumaniax ‘Voodoo Touch’
Min Bul ‘Champagne Of Course (Instrumental)’
Ramsey Lewis ‘Black Bird’
Ahmed Malek ‘Les Vacances De L’inspecteur Tahar’
Joe Maneri ‘Paniots Nine’
Shirley Nanette ‘All Of Your Life’
Eduardo Araujo and Silvinha ‘Sou Filho Deste Chão’
The Stepkids ‘Sweet Salvation’
Autumn ‘Goblin’s Gamble’
Pretty ‘Mustache In Your Face’
Trane ‘Still Burning Bright’
Hard Stuff ‘Jay Time’
Leland ‘I’ve Got Some Happiness’
Boots For Dancing ‘Salt In The Ocean’
Family Fodder ‘Savoir Faire (Single Version)’
Gabor Szabo ‘Song Of Injured Love’
Nicole Mitchell ‘Dance Of Many Hands’
Syrinx ‘Syren’