I NEED A RADIO

Sat. October 4, 2003
Categories: Abstract Dynamics

It’s a bit mad living in the environs of London without a decent radio. I’m getting increasingly frustrated being turned onto all this stuff (a) you can only hear on the pirates or (b) for eight quid a throw or (c) on mp3. (Having a Mac means downloading ain’t as easily as it could be, too, btw). Especially keen to hear Simon’s ‘orientalist darkcore bliss’ and all this colder-than-cold grime silver dollar circle is chatting about.
Bought Deuce online on Simon’s reccomendation – super-quick and efficient service, payment via paypal, arrives before you can say Jack Robinson – but, at least as far as the free CD goes, it seems like it was the wrong issue (as Simon admitted). I’m with Simon and Luka on this: Southside garage (Plasticman et al) doesn’t cut it for me. There’s something 2D and demo-like about it. It’s an anti-plateau: instead of not wanting it to stop, you’re forever waiting for it to start. It idles , like the engine of a car stuck in a traffic tailback. Croydon Techno , with all of the impersonality of Techno, but none of its sheen or gleam: concrete-grey, asphalt dull, subway anonymous.

5 Responses to “I NEED A RADIO”

  1. david Says:

    if i were you, i’d ask online peeps to trade CD compilations with me. (i guess you just did that.) i think £8 a throw is disgusting. i’m guessing that as you do all the groundwork of acquiring the subcultural capital, altering your “threshold of perception” to spot the nascent genre’s micro-innovations, you’re gonna end up in that endless need another fix situation. i wonder how much of this music will afford satifying longterm listening relationships? i’d spend my money on another Naxos disk personally: £5 per full-length CD. current faves that fit the grimesters’ hyperbole: Idil Biret disks of 3 Boulez piano sonatas (colder than than the coldest) and Hakon Austbo’s “Vingt Regards” by Messiaen (multicoloured orientalism that is not just ornamental. naive in the best sense of the word. true bliss).

  2. mark Says:

    Thanks, Dave. Yes, any tapes or CDs gratefully received. I’ll gladly swap for a compilation of John Foxx b-sides. 🙂
    As for classical timelessness versus Grime Now — well, that raises all kinds of issues, like why bother with pop at all? I’m sympathetic, but I caught the Pop bug so long ago, it’s part of my CNS now….

  3. Dave Hughes Says:

    Hmmm…
    I can’t say I agree with you on that note. Plasticman’s stuff is WAY out there right now in my opinion.
    You can dance to it, vibe to it and even smoke to it. His sets are extremely high energy on Rinse and he’s one of the few DJ’s on dial who play both grime and Forward style and pull it off neatly.
    check out his website…
    http://www.terrorhythm.co.uk
    I also just finished listening to a mix of his online – it’s fucking awesome stuff… http://www.terrorhythm.co.uk/filthypromo.ram

  4. anon Says:

    If you have a mac and you need a radio, you might consider gettin one of these:
    http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/radioshark/
    It basically plugs into a USB port and turns your computer into a TiVo for radio.
    Then you can encode all those lovely pirate stations and share them with those of in far away lands.

  5. Messhya Says:

    Big up plastic! im from south, born an raized… ona playground is where i spent mosta my… but serious ive met plastic a cupple times now tru mutual peepz, ive seen him about since we was young b4 all da hype an he may look a bit bate ina shubz onda ens BUTTTTTTT… An dats a bigga but dan Grandmas.. Hes got Soul!!!! I heard 1bre say.. ‘Hes not white man! hes clear get me!’ So dont get it twisted hes representing 4all of us down ‘HAIR’ as we pronounce it! my guys mekin beats 4 evry man2spit on an his promotions R putin us local mcs bak inda da club like 50! So NO-Hatin-MO-RatingZ Please!. MessHya Reportin live from da South Pole.