- Mon, 2011-08-15 12:09
Good day fellow music likers, allow us to welcome you for a short visit into the House of X-Press 2. Some of you may have heard the name before, but I'm sure the majority will be thinking, "who the fuck are these chancers?" Let me fill you in a bit. X-Press 2 are DJs and producers Darren Rock and Darren House (both our real names) a.k.a. Rocky and Diesel, from the ghetto that is Hayes in West London. We started DJing in 1988, playing at early acid house and balearic nights in and around London. This led kind of naturally into the recording studio and a bunch of remixes. Eventually ending up with us hooking up with Ashley Beedle in 1992 and forming X-Press 2.
We continued making music together with some success, culminating in our collaboration with David Byrne, Lazy, reaching number 2 in the hit parade. We've continued making music since then mainly as a trio, but since Ashley's departure in 2009 as a duo. There's a new album about to be completed and slated for release some time at the end of summer/start of autumn, along with a full and varied schedule of DJ gigs around the world and our weekly show on Ministry of Sound Radio. There's always something fairly musical occurring. So on that note, it's with great pleasure that we welcome you to our guest edit. Enjoy, and get right on one matey!
X-Press 2 Playlist
1. Lissie - When I'm Alone (Leo Zero Remix)
2. Talking Heads - Born Under Punches
3. X-Press 2 & Tim Deluxe - Lost The Feelin'
4. Virgo Four - It's A Crime (Caribou Remix)
5. Jon Lucien - Listen Love
6. Phuture Scope - What Is House Muzik
7. Emmanuel Jal - Kuar (Henrik Schwarz Remix)
8. Bad Bascombe - Black Grass Music
9. Marshall Jefferson - Move Your Body
10. Waterson - When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Kris Di Angelis & Sam H 'SOS' Remix)
11. Owiny Sigoma Band - Wires (Theo Parrish Remix)
12. X-Press 2 Featuring Doll - This Is War
13. Khaliq Al-Rouf & Salaam - Elephant Trot Dance
14. Stars 'N' Bars - Stars And Bars
15. Jerry Williams - Easy On Yourself
16. Leroy Brown & General Charghand - Gone Gone
17. Terry Brooks & Strange - High Flyer
18. Giorgio Roma - Across The Eastside
19. Die Vogel - Maikeferbenzin
20. Dadisi Komolafe - Speak No Evil
Track
Artist: Osunlade Track: Envision (Ame Remix) Release: July 2011 Label: Innervisions
Definitely one of the tunes of the year for us so far. Taking up the baton for Innervisions where last year's Kuar by Emmanuel Jal left off. Really beautifully simple groove and some lovely little keyboard parts, coupled with the tribal sounding beats make this a perfect dancefloor record that you can just lose yourself in. To be honest it was tough choosing between the two mixes on the release as Dixon's version is equally amazing. As a remixer, I think that when you have something so great to start with, you're always going to do great work. We're huge fans of Ame, Dixon and the Innervisions label in general and always look forward to the latest release. Long may they continue.
Album
Artist: Radiohead Album: The King Of Limbs Release: February 2011 Label: Ticker Tape
I got the album the day it came out and the following day was up at 4.30am to drive up to Snowdonia for a spot of mountain therapy. I think I listened to the whole album maybe 15 times on the drive up. It was absolutely ingrained on my brain by the time I'd started walking. Radiohead are one of those bands that seem to polarize people, you either love them or hate them. I definitely fall into the former. I'd kind of liked them since buying The Bends, but fell in love after seeing them perform at Glastonbury around 8/9 years ago. I love that they really get into the electronics and techier side of things. That whole vibe is captured perfectly on The King Of Limbs. It reminded me a great deal in parts of some of the tracks that we used to make as Ballistic Brothers; basically trip hop before it had a name.
Video
Artist: Grace Jones Track: Slave To The Rhythm Release: November 1985 Label: Island
Interview #714: X-Press 2 Read the full interview here
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