CMU Playlists

Playlist: Moshi Moshi

By | Published on Saturday 24 April 2010

Moshi Moshi Records is known for being one of the UK’s premier tastemaker labels, with the likes of Florence & The Machine, Bloc Party, Kate Nash, Friendly Fires, Hot Chip, and The Drums all passing through its ranks on their way to stardom, many though the label’s acclaimed singles club. The last two years of releases through that will be collected on the new compilation, ‘Moshi Moshi Singles Club – Vol 2’, released on 3 May.

You can now also experience the label’s output via a new subscription service, which, for just £25 a year, gives you access to downloads of all Moshi Moshi releases before they are released to the general public. As brilliant deals go, you’d be hard pushed to find better.

In celebration of all this (and because we can), we asked Moshi Moshi co-founder Stephen Bass to compile us a playlist. It is brilliant. Here’s what he says about it: “This playlist is made as a protest against the short-termism of the modern world, and as a reminder to slow down every now and then. I used to listen to a lot of this sort of music, and it includes tracks that I have fondness for, if sometimes a fondness not for the particular song, but for their sense of depth and warmth. I deliberately chose long songs because I find that, these days, it is increasingly hard to have the patience to give things time without thinking ‘don’t bore us get to the chorus'”.

He continues: “So, I guess listening to this mix might be a bit like homework or an exercise. But I think anyone who has the time to lie down on their sofa with nothing much to do, apart from reading a book or nodding off, might enjoy it. The Theo Parrish one might be a little jarring, but that’s too bad, and I love aggressive techno too much to not have any on here. I really enjoyed doing this. I hope no adverts come up while you are listening as it will ruin the whole thing! Now you can see why the Moshi Moshi DJs won’t ever let me on the decks”.

STEPHEN BASS’S TEN
Click here to listen to Stephen’s playlist in Spotify, and then read on to find out more about his selections.

01 Andreas Dorau & Justus Köhncke – Bei Manni Un Bine
I love Justus and think he is brilliant. I stalked him for years after his involvement in a track called ‘From Disco To Disco’ by Whirlpool Productions. I love the lo-fi simplicity, and also have a weird fondness for the German language.

02 Toumani Diabate – Mali Sadio

I found this while looking for another recording of a musician from Mali. It has the same incredible percussive sounding string instrument in it, which has such a powerful sound, but the production reminds me somehow of something from the 80s, perhaps ‘Don’t Look Any Further’ or something from that period.

03 Fridge – Cims I Absimes

It was a toss up between this song and their old classic ‘Anglepoised’ (which is fifteen minutes of restrained beauty). Either are great and show just how clever that band were. They were the first band I ever signed as a young paranoid A&R man many years ago. We started up Moshi Moshi Records so that we could hopefully discover bands of a similar calibre and bring them to the world.

04 Pep Leguarda & Tapineria – Our Way To Fall

I think I bought the album this song comes from because its artwork was so beautiful. It’s full of long-lost Spanish folk recordings and is one of my favourite albums to relax to. I have bought about eight copies of it to give to friends over the years.

05 Hefner – The Greedy Ugly People (Electric Sound Of Joy Remix)

I was actually looking for some actual Electric Sound Of Joy music to put on this playlist, but this was all I could find. There was an ESOJ seven inch that I had years ago that was another influence on Moshi Moshi, and another reason for starting up a label. This has something of the feel of that record, but is a nicer mellower take on their sound.

06 The Penguin Café Orchestra – The Sound Of Someone You Love Who Is Going Away And It Doesn’t Matter

I have had a long love affair with the music of The Penguin Café Orchestra. I have always loved the melancholy and romanticism of this song, which is pretty much captured in its title. I think it was also used as the soundtrack to a TV series called ‘Road Dreams’, which I have a slight obsession with.

07 Robert Wyatt – Heap Of Sheeps

Another genius not afraid to experiment and not afraid of pain or beauty in music. It breaks my heart that he won’t perform live any more, though if he did I think I would be too scared to go and watch him play.

08 Theo Parrish – Falling Up (Carl Craig Remix)

Two great names combining to make one thing of extreme beauty. I guess I can understand this being a little abrasive to some ears, but personally I think it’s gorgeous. I wish there was more great techno or whatever this is in the world.

09 Alice Coltrane – Turiya & Ramakrishna

My favourite piece of jazz. Simple but effective.

10 Gavin Bryars – Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Gavin Bryars recorded a tramp singing what I guess is a hymn and set it to strings. I found this completely spellbinding when I first heard it. More experimental and intellectual music making but also something rare and beautiful.



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