Just got back from an amazing gig at Digital. Erland Øye’s The Whitest Boy Alive took the roof off a venue normally more associated with boompty boompty type beats than laid back Norwegian disco funk (if I have just coined a new pigeonhole, apologies). Sunday nights can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to live music, but this was absolutely spot on.

Support came from Bergen’s The New Wine, who played a good half hour long set of pleasant pop that was well suited to the task of preparing Brighton for the return of the TWBA after last year’s night at the neighboring Brighton Coalition.

The main act got on stage promptly at half nine, to rapturous applause from an expectant audience (many of whom knew the words to every song).

The majority of the set came from excellent new album “Rules”, which has been on heavy iPod rotation in recent weeks. But, in true Erland Øye style, there were plenty of unexpected treats sprinkled in through the set, including - but not limited to - Show Me Love (Robin S), You Don’t Know Me (Armand Van Helden), I Chase The Devil/Outta Space (Max Romeo/Prodigy), err… there were more too, but I can’t quite remember. All jolly good fun though.

The atmosphere throughout the night was fantastic and Øye is a great entertainer behind those big trademark specs.

The band were clearly connecting with the Brighton crowd and bounced back on stage for an extensive encore, which went on well after the night was supposed to be over… the crowd eventually got out after 11pm, but not before the grinning singer had danced through the throng of people on the dancefloor, up the stairs at the back of the venue and on to the balcony for a quick boogie with the crowd upstairs. Fantastic stuff.

This really was an electrifying Sunday night at Digital. Sweat was dripping from the ceiling, dancers had to be shuffled off the stage by burly security when Erland Øye got down and dirty in the crowd; every last person in the club was grinning by the end of the night. But not as widely as the band themselves, who clearly had a great time too.

Downstairs at the Globe this Bank Holiday Saturday night!

Freeeesh!

Big up to everyone who made it down to our NYE sell out at the Globe. Happy 2009!

LOVE THIS!!!

Anyone around The Level tonight?

Stop smoking hash on that bench and get yo’ ass into the Druids for a free party til 3am.

This gruesome twosome will be on the decks from 10pm til 3ish, horrifying the undead of Brighton with a selection of vile, disgusting loud music to send shivers up your spine.

Dead famous theme.

FREE ENTRY ++ CHEAP BOOZE ++ GHOULISH DJS ++ MAYBE SOME DRUM AND BASS ++ BUT MAYBE NOT

How are you fixed for Thursday night?

Fancy a boogie? Free Entry? Drinks Promos? The usual Pop Don’t Stop blend of funky dirty nonsense?

We’re on at the Brighton Coaltion (Kings Road Arches) from 10.30pm til late.

Come down and shake shake shake (da da da da da daaah) shake shake shake (da da da da da daaah) shake your booty… shake your boooty!

See you there

Ash & Alex

Ding Dong music fans, the nights are drawing in, the leaves are falling and huddling next to the nearest person for warmth, has become the new way of getting to know people whilst queing to get into your favorite nightclub. Choons Tunes Chewns thats what it’s all about, we love it, you love it and we got some Hot dates TBA soon so we can all get together and rub ourselves, lick our lips, practise heavy breathing and wait for the gargantuan bassline to drop.

In the meantime here’s some that were made earlier…

Moby - Disco Lies (The Dusty Kids Fears Mix)

This was released well early this year, March time. The Dusty Kid mix is awesome been a strong favorite in the POP sets.

Crazy P - Stop Space Return

Crazy P rock, you should be on this. check it out NOW!

It’s been a bit quiet round these parts in recent weeks, but that’s all about to change. We’ve got some more parties on their way, where you can expect to see new technology (possibly candles), smart new threads and a stack of new tunes. Or should that be a subfolder of new tunes, now it is all digital and that. Anyway.

More to follow on the parties shortly. Here’s a selection of the tunes that have been making us excited like bloated, deformed X-factor contestants when the judges say “you’ve got such character we’re putting you through” (and before the inevitable exit, leaving the younger, prettier types to wail out dishwater strength Lulu covers ad infinitum).

Alex Metric - Pins

Very very fat and funky tune from earlier this year. I think this was supposed to be the b-side to In Your Machine, but I love it love it love it. It starts quite nice and unassuming, but keeps getting more and more intense as it goes on, driving to a big Soulwax style silence then distorted/delay heavy slashdown at the end… not really an immense breakdown in any way but just a breather before getting back down to business.

It reminds me a lot of the Wet Clutch Edit of Alex Gopher’s Motorcycle, which was huge at the end of 2006… that starts all unassuming, but doesn’t stop until everyone’s hands are in the air. A very good DJ tool for when you need to pick things up a bit or want to play something a bit more expansive.

The Marine Parade website, where you can buy the track for a very reasonable quid, says that there is a bit of Prince to the track. I don’t really get that… but everybody’s Down With Prince. Recommended.

Golden Bug - LookLookLook (Inflagranti Remix)

I’m a big fan of Gomma and you should be too. People keep on comparing the label to New York’s DFA but, for me, they’re a world apart. It’s not that DFA don’t put out quality music (they’re home to LCD fer’ chrissake) but Gomma always seem to be a bit more “out there”, if you know what I mean. Their releases range from pretty straight up house music from Tomboy, through bizarre experimental noodling and a healthy dose of Krautrock. They are also good at posting mixes on the website, like this one from Munk.

Anyway, back to the Golden Bug tune - wow! Proper funky stylings, chopped in with eighties-DJ mutterings. What could be better? The whole thing is underpinned by an awesome bassline. I worry about overusing the word “funky” so the bassline is… err… umm… groovy? No, it’s funky dammit.

It’s rare to hear something so original, but somehow we have come to expect it from Gomma by now!

Pick LookLookLook up from Beatport.