Edo Lobo - Vento Bravo (EMI Brazil/Odeon, 1973)

Simply a mental track - drum'n'bass vamps in 1973.

Borne of the Bossa Nova scene, Edu Lobo is a bit of a genius. 'Vento Bravo' is from his 1973 album 'Missa Breve' and, to me, I can hear a massive amount of dubstep/drum'n'bass/Warp-type complexity in it.

When you listen deep into the maelstrom of rhythmic piano lines, metronomic drumming carefully placed brass and wandering bassline, it's easy to get lost with its exquisite, hypnotic structures.

Anything you can get your hands on is worth picking up as far Edu Lobo is concerned. The two new Bossa compilations of Soul Jazz - Bossa Nova and the Rise of Brazillian Music in the 60s and Brazil Bossa Beat: The Story of Elenco Records seem to have spurred a bit of a reissue programme so I will be replacing my dodgy mastered-from-vinyl Brazilian CDs for shiny new ones.

Insanely good.

Download Edu Lobo 'Vento Bravo' (Bossa Nova, Genius, mp3) (Rapidshare)

Alice Coltrane - Journey In Satchidananda (Impulse, 1970)

Expansive, springy and a just a little bit Free. 

A spectacular record for its time and still pretty damn amazing today. It's underpinned by a loquatious looping double-bass running through the whole track, anchoring the chorus of bells and understated drums.

A mysterious springy sound constantly unfurls whilst Alice Coltrane's harp scats playfully across the sound field.

Whilst the track doesn't develop in either arrangement or intensity, it's completely engrossing.

Download Alice Coltrane 'Journey In Satchidananda' (Free Jazz, elongated, mp3) (Rapidshare)

Acid Brass - Let's Get Brutal (Blast First, 1997)

Classic early House given a roughing up in West Yorkshire.

Oh, now this is special.

There's probably a whole dissertation online somewhere about the parallels between urban dance music pioneers in the 1980s and colliery employees in the 1930s. Or maybe not...

Whatever, the fusion works perfectly on the 'Acid Brass' album and rocks particularly hard on Nitro Deluxe's 'Let's Get Brutal'.

It breaks into life, low and brooding, with real, live handclaps that are a revelation of effective simplicity. Rolling toms and xylophone mark out a twilight zone where majorettes march out of t'pit, grime smeared across their faces, uniforms dirtied and torn. Then the melody comes in crisp and clear and you reach for the fluorescent lights.

NB. Please note that this post was published at 8:08 as a tribute to the pioneers of Acid House.

Download Acid Brass 'Let's Get Brutal' (Brass Band, Acid House, mp3) (Rapidshare)

Pale Saints - A Thousand Stars Burst Open (Brass Band Version) (4AD, 1992)

Brassed Off treatment suits Shoegaze masterpiece.

Across two awesome albums, Pale Saints were genius, marrying proggy time signatures with skyscraping, yearning guitar pyrotechnics and angelic vocals. One of my absolute favourite bands ever.

This track was given away as a 7" with initial copies of 'In Ribbons' and just works perfectly.

Layers of gorgeous brass recreate the soundwash of the original, creating a wide open, In The Bleak Midwinter vibe that rouses to a joyful crescendo.

Stunning.

Download Pale Saints 'A Thousand Stars Burst Open (Brass Band Version)' (Brass Band, Shoegaze, 4AD mp3) (Rapidshare)

Ultra Vivid Scene - Special One (4AD, 1990)

Crunchily chiming indie pop with mumbled vocals. And Kim Deal.

Ultra Vivid Scene released a trio of rather fine albums on 4AD and then, I believe, disappeared.

This single was lifted from their (well, actually his, Ultra Vivid Scene is really a solo thing by the coolly named Kurt Ralske) second album. It features sweet, pure vocals from Breeder/Pixie Kim Deal alongside a lazily cute, indie pop-ish tune.

Download Ultra Vivid Scene 'Special One' (indie, 4AD mp3) (Rapidshare)