Monday's Long Song

Al MacKenzie is one half of Field Of Dreams (along with Chris Kentish), a Birmingham based duo who make music and put on club nights. Al has written and recorded a seven minute tribute to Andrew Weatherall, who supported their music, played at their nights and remixed their 2018 single Nothing Is Perfect. Sail On is a gorgeous way to spend seven minutes with synths bobbing about, a throbbing sequencer line, chuggy drums, a nod to Smokebelch, and eventually voice singing 'sail on' and a lovely wandering piano. It finshes with a horn and the sound of waves crashing on a beach. You can get it here, free or pay what you want (any monies raised are going to a charity for the homeless in Birmingham). Sail On is, I think you'll agree, rather lovely way to start the week.

Back in March Field Of Dreams released a single with a slew of accompanying remixes, the chunky, spine tingling, acidic, dancefloor monster You Feed Me. 

The remixes are well worth hanging around for with Bagging Area favourites Rude Audio and Justin Robertson on board. Rude Audio's remix is a sticky, sweltering version and with the bassline pushed up front has a New Order- esque feel.

Justin Robertson's Deadstock 33s remix slows things down, cowbell and whooshes, a bit of darkness on the dancefloor. 

The full package- original mix, instrumental and edited versions plus the remixes above and another from Joey T- can be found at Bandcamp. 

Rebuild

This is newish from Field Of Dreams who released the excellent No 303 e.p. earlier this year. Rebuild comes in an original mix which is an acid tinged chuggy stomper. The flipside is this, the Deconstructed Mix, which is heavy on the dub techno tip and adds space age sci fi sounds. The vocal sounds ominous but is asking for for a better life- 'we need to stand up, fight against corruption, injustice, intolerance... rebuild, rebuild, rebuild'. Ten minutes of unseasonal but life affirming stuff.

The Stars Were Aligned

This one follows on fairly well from Monday and Tuesday's posts, an uptempo, burbling, adventurous track from Birmingham's Field Of Dreams. I've written about them before, first last year when they released an ep called Nothing Is Perfect which included an Andrew Weatherall remix and then earlier this year with their still superb sounding three track No 303 ep. This one came off an ep called Whatever Happened To? which came out in between the two, in August last year, and sounds ace, a slow motion chug, bleepy and spacey with an echo-laden voice exclaiming 'It was euphoric, it was like the most amazing thing...'

No 303

Something brand new for Saturday, three tracks ideally suited for a Saturday night. Field Of Dreams are a Birmingham based duo who have just released this- the No 303 ep (so called because they forced themselves not to make the tracks without using their trusty 303). Opener Losing My Soul is straight ahead, dark house music, coupled with some mild existential dread, possibly that moment on the floor when you suddenly snap out, have a brief flutter of panic and then tell yourself that everything's fine, just close your eyes and reconnect. Track 2 starts long synth chords and some bleeps, a bit slower with a bassline that brings everything together. Track 3 is lighter, arpeggios, mechanical drums and some smile inducing piano. Just four of your British pounds- buy it here.

Nothing Is Perfect

Rome is a good city to walk around, despite the mad roads, even madder driving and uneven pavements. Some cities seem to be very delineated with different areas for shops, business, hotels, tourist attractions and restaurants. In Rome, everything is mixed in together. The driving is unreal, people largely driving (and parking) how and where they want. And hundreds of Vespas, in all kinds of condition and age- the one above was a beauty parked up on a pavement near  Piazza della Repubblica. The picture above was taken in the courtyard behind Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, a rather beautiful basilica built on the back of the Baths of Diocletian. The railway station, Termini, is just across the road. Our hotel was a 5 minute walk away, on the edge of an area packed with cafes, little bars and tabbachis, and street markets, populated by a broad ethnic mix. Walking around the city, up and down its streets, brought glimpses of side streets and across piazzas. It was hot and we got tired from walking but it was well worth it, especially as the sun started to go down and the golden sunlight lit up painted buildings.

Field Of Dreams have just released this song, Nothing Is Perfect, an uptempo electronic delight with vocals from Mr Bradley that remind me of Liam from Flowered Up. The run out groove contains two well chosen words to our current government. There is also a monster of an Andrew Weatherall remix. Out now on vinyl with individually hand painted sleeves.