if I don't post about these I never will...

Fennesz Sakamoto - Sala Santa Cecilia
Two names that will be familiar to readers of The Wire: Christian Fennesz laptop guitarist extrordinaire and Ryuichi Sakamoto Japanese composer. This is a recording of a live 20 minute laptop mini-symphony that the two of them produced at an Italian music festival last year. It clicks, pops and crackles in a way that will cause a few furrowed brows to those of you not familiar with modern electronic composition, but give it chance and you'll be rewarded with a very intelligent, sometimes beautiful piece of music that is refreshingly different to 99% of the music you'll here. Since the whole CD is just one 20 minute track I thought it would be taking the piss to post the whole track, so here is an edited segment from towards the end for you to try out...

MP3: Sala Santa Cecilia (edit)

Microsolutions #1: Microsolutions for Megaproblems
Soul Jazz is a label whose main truck is in compilations of sometimes forgotten, but always of the highest quality music. This compilation is a little different in that it is of modern electronic artists. Kid 606 makes an appearence with a couple of laid back reggae tinged tunes, as for the other people I'm afraid I don't know much about them. What I do know is this compilation is a mighty fine summer CD: slow, laidback, just about right for hot summer evenings.

MP3: Sunday Kind of Love