BEST OF 2010 Mixtape

Here's my 100 minute comp of my favourite tunes of the last 12 months. It wasn't intentional but there's quite a lot of synths on this, from the cold and discordant to the warm and lush. Oh I do love synthesizers!

TRACKLISTING:

Silverclub - Your Headphones
Ben Butler & Mouse Pad - Electric Bamber-Boo
Divorce - Bloody Horn
Fox Gut Daata - Frontal Skull Jamz (Cupp Cave Remix)
Tyler The Creator - VCR/Wheels
Mungo's Hifi - Belly Ska (Dubatak Mix)
Sad City - Sister
Ben Butler & Mouse Pad ft The Niallist - Infinite Capacity (Fulgeance Remix)
Dam Mantle - Purple Arrow
Horse MacGuyver - Nod
Detachments - Flowers That Fell (Niallist ColdMixx)
Goldfrapp - Hunt
Areil Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Fright Night
Nite Funk - Am I Gonna Make It?
Space Dimension Controller - The Love Quadrant
Lindstrom & Christabelle - Baby Can't Stop (Idjut Boys Remix)
Brassica - New Jam City
LCD Soundsystem - You Wanted A Hit
Gold Blood - I Dreamed A Dream
Liberta - The Fountain

Download my BEST OF 2010 Mixtape here.

There's info and links on the tracks after the jump:

[[[Click here for more info]]]

HOUSE MACHINE Uh-Oh

I'm on a roll with HM! But then these tunes have been written in my Grooveboxes for a while now. Here's an old one that's a center piece of my live set - called "Uh-Oh" after the distinctive vocal-y synth sound:


Uh-Oh by House Machine

HOUSE MACHINE Bang Goes The Clock (Instrumental Edit)

House Machine is still coming along strong - here's a short instrumental cover of "Bang Goes The Clock" by Connie's Crew on Cam City Records from Chicago, 1988. I'll put a vocal on this someday. And the clock pictured above is a relic from Hiroshima. Boom.



Bang Goes The Clock (Instrumental Edit) by House Machine

DISCO BEARD Beardumz EP Free Download

Another crosspost from Shallow Rave, where there are Christmas goodies galore!



Disco Beard may not really exist any more, but we have rounded up a few of their edits that kind of got away and put them all in one place. There are four tracks in total, two of which are disco, the other two are by indie darlings Stereolab:

1. CITI Roller Disco (Long Edit)
2. RICHARD T BEAR Sunshine Hotel (Disco d'Bear Edit)
3. STEREOLAB Interlock (Disco Edit)
4. STEREOLAB One Finger Symphony (Disco Edit)

Download here.

METATRON Black Christmas EP Free Download

X-posted from Shallow Rave.

Here's something to fill you all with Christmas cheer - a free EP of Christmas themed tracks from Metatron, now with added John Carpenter, cold wave and witch house influences.



1. Tundra
2. Midnight Sun
3. Black Ice

Download here.

This is for all the people who have just been dumped or lost someone they love. 'Cos Christmas sucks when that has happened. Happy Christmas! xxxx

In Bent Magazine

Published by Disinformation!

My article on Kanye West's "Power" video (see below somewhere) was picked up and republished by one of my favourite sites Disinformation (www.disinfo.com). Nice! They've offered me a contributor's account which I have accepted - even though I only occasionally write about the esoteric/occult. But I will probably focus on the weird aspects of music anyway. So thank you Disinfo, and thank you Kanye!

ZSA ZSA NOIR - Hey Lean Diggy Doggy

Here's the video for the new single by gender bending Manchester performer/producer Zsa Zsa Noir, available to buy from iTunes right now. She makes a great dirty racket. I'm in the video for this, shot on the abandoned top floor of Islington Mill. Fierce!!

HOUSE MACHINE Pressure

More House Machine bidnis, this time a bit more doof doof doof than usual. This may just be a tribute to every ned's favourite Weegie techno club. I went to the first ever Pressure back in November 1998, fact fans (headlined by Green Velvet and the Chemical Brothers) but got ejected for being less than discreet with the contents of my shoe.


Pressure by House Machine

Hogmanay 2010

Fuck knows if I am gonna be able to make it to Glasgow with the weather, but if I can I will be doing a short live PA at this party:

Some Old-School House Clips Pt 2

I've been digging in the Youtube virtual crates for some more old school house - this time moving form the late 80s into the early 90s and form Chicago to NY and Detroit. This stuff is the roots of my House Machine stuff. Some of these will be getting interpreted for use in the House Machine live show:



According to legend, this is the first ever house track pressed to vinyl, dating from 1984. It's based on an earlier tune (itself a remix) from 1980 by MACH. Keeping the bassline alive, I am working on a House Machine version right now.



A Kevin Saundeson production from 1988, which I guess means it's techno, though it fits more into Chicago-style for me. The vocal hook is awesome, and getting nicked.



A Masters At Work production from 1994, this combines elements of booty-bass with some cheap Casio sounds before blossoming into an awesome deep house groove. This is why people rate MAW so highly.



An epic Wild Pitch remix by DJ Pierre, again on Strictly Rhythm which was THE coolest label in the world back in the early-to-mid 90s. This takes its sweet time, but it's worth it.

WILLOW SMITH versus HOUSE MACHINE "Whip My Hair (Vogue Dramatics Remix)"

I've set up a Soundcloud for House Machine, (whose album is coming along very nicely at the moment) and to help launch it I've done a cheeky wee vogue-style remix of Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair". This would be used in the ball category "dramatics" where the voguers really go off and do whip their hair (or wigs/weaves) around a lot. I hope they can werk to this:


Whip My Hair (Vogue Dramatics Remix) by House Machine

VOGUE BRAWL Flyer!

It's on! SO BRING IT!

In the Metro! 15-12-10

Swamp Planet Christmas this Thursday!

I'm doing a wee reading at this on Thursday, it's at the Anthony Burgess Foundation here in Manchester, 6.30 to 8pm. For your aural delectation I shall be reading aloud a William Gibson Christmas tale! There will be mulled drinks, random present, and an Alien Santa. If you're about come down - more details are on the Facebook event page. Thanks to Bren O'Callaghan for asking me!

Niallist Interview on Weaponizer

Wahey! Weaponizer have published an interview with me, where I talk about making music, Metatron, Glasgow versus Manchester, and some other interesting bullshit. Read it here.



Weaponizer is a site dedicated to fiction and prose, run by Bram Gleiben in Edinburgh who also runs the Black Lantern netlabel. Black Lantern have put out two EPs of my music under the name Metatron. You can download them for free here and here, and if you would like to try before you "buy", here's a playlist of those tunes:

Mix for Che Camille

A mix for Che Camille, using some of the tunes picked for Edinburgh Fringe show and the Fierce Ruling Divas Ball. Happy Christmas beatchiz! xx.


Che Mix by theniallist

SILVERCLUB Fine Print
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM I Can Change
TIGA Shoes
ARMAND VAN HELDEN Witchdoktor
SHITROBOT I Found Love (Edit)
DIRTY DISCO YOUTH Minds Off (Tommii Sunshine & Figure Mix)
STEVE POINDEXTER Work That Motherfucker (Chuck Hampton Edit)
RÓISÍN MURPHY Momma's Place
EURHYTHMICS Love Is A Stranger (Coldcut Mix)
HARD TON Losers
THE COUNTACH Melvin Made Me Do It (Clouded Vision RMX)
CE CE PENISTON Finally (Jemex Remix)
SAUVAGE Release The Fashion
THE NIALLIST ft PRINCESS and BEN BUTLER & MOUSEPAD I'm Avoiding You
MGMT Congratulations

"Witch-House" guest reviews on Lo-Quality

I co-reviewed the new compilation of "witch-house" music from the label Disaro with Alex over on Lo-Quality. The album is called "ISVOLT" and there are a few good tracks on there - though be warned they really are not house tracks, more like a cross between noisey shoe-gaze and southern hip-hop. With a gothic sensibility. Read the article here.



The big witch-house band of the moment is Salem. To do some preliminary research I looked them up on YouTube and was flabbergasted at how bad they sounded. However, they played their first Manchester show the other week at the Islington Mill and according to this review by Graham Dunning at Clogged Machinery, it was actually pretty good!

2nd place in the Pierre Pascual remix comp!

W00t! I came runner-up in the Pierre Pascual remix competition! :-)

"WINNER OF THE REMIX CONTEST !
MM Minimano ( Hong Kong )
2nd prize : Délicat mixx by The Niallist ( for the groove! )
3rd prize : Noisy pearls remix by KathCharles Martin Gonthier Béringer ( for the sensibility )
All 3 win COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY of Pierre Pascual !
...Thanx to EVERYBODY for your participation ♥ ♥ ♥"

Here's the winning mix:
Pierre Pascual - Sous Les Sycomores (MM Minimano Remix) by Pierre Pascual

Scroll down a bit to hear mine.

Kanye West "Power": Illuminati Overkill

So, have you sen the video for Kanye West's "Power"? And did you notice all the occult symbolism there-in? Come on, let's be honest here - you'd have to be a total fucking idiot not to.

I have commented on this kind of thing before (most notably Lady Gaga), but if you are new to the modern trend to read everything in pop music as being controlled by the Illuminati, then start here with a brilliant piece by the Fortean Times. Of course, written as it was about 12 months ago, it already seems out of date as it doesn't feature Kanye. But I'll come clean on all this "conspiranoia" fascination - I'm sick of it. I'm over it all. And why? Because the tables have turned - this is no longer about an audience reclaiming popular culture with fresh and bizarre readings. Now it's nothing more than a clever marketing gimmick. Conspiracists, KANYE IS TROLLING YOU.

Read the rest at Shallow Rave

Picture from Oh No They Didn't.

HOUSE MACHINE That Beat

I've got my House Machine mojo seriously workin at the moment. I've overcome a bit of a block with finishing this project, now everything is going on the back burner til this is done. I am gonna see if I can get an album done in the next two weeks or so. All the parts are already written on my two MC-303s, I just need to record, tweak and edit them. Here's one I made earlier, this was a beat for LGTFX that didn't get used but sounds good on its own:


HOUSE MACHINE - That Beat by theniallist

More "I Came" reviews.

Couple of goodyins here, from Mixmag and Bent, though there still seems to be confusion over how to spell my name:

DETACHMENTS Flowers That Fell (Niallist ColdMIxx) out now

ANOTHER remix this week, this is one that I did almost a year ago and is now available to buy on MP3 from Thisisnotanexit Records. It's of the indie band Detachments and their very catchy single from 2009 "The Flowers That Fell". My inspiration was a cold wave breaking on a synth beach. Covered in pebbles. At night. In January. You can buy it from here - and while you're there, pick up a copy of T&A's remix of "Holiday Romance" by the same band. It is so ace I used it on the Menergy Heathers mix - it's the fire to this ice!


DETACHMENTS Flowers That Fell (Niallist ColdMixx) by theniallist

Blazin With Damien!

We went to see Fucked Up playing at the Kazamier in Liverpool on Wednesday night - one word: AMAZEBOLZ! We even got to blaze with Damien - he's lovely and he hugs like he means it. Man. If you ever get the chance to catch one of their shows, then do - I will too.

This was my first ever trip to Liverpool, and I saw Dane from the Invisibles (as he is now) coming out of a toilet in the Swan pub. I know it was him because he was wearing a mod-target jumper, and nobody else wears that, right?

On a related note, author Steven Blush is giving away 24 hours of American hardcore punk (1981-1986) for free on his website right now. That's 911 tracks of angry American people shouting and swearing. Go get it...

Lo-Quality Niallist Interview Part 2

In the second part of Lo-Quality’s interview with The Niallist, we look deeper into gay club stereotypes, future LPs, and how Nibiru could put a dent on proceedings.

Gay-friendly clubs have a bit of a reputation for rating highly on the cheese factor in terms of musical content, and it's only in recent times that reputable dance has started to become an equal part of the focus i.e. Menergy, Club for Heroes, Horse Meat Disco and so on. What moved you to become involved with Menergy and introduce electronic stylin' to the crowds?

Find out right here.

PIERRE PASCUAL "Sous Les Sycomores (Niallist Délicat Mixx)"

The next up in my current crop of remixes. Pierre Pascual is a French artist I have been following for a while, he also goes by the name "Chose Chaton". He makes romantic electro with a distinct queer edge, and his track "Teenage Love" will bring a tear to your eye. I did a disco-style remix for this, taking cues from French electro and nu-disco.


PIERRE PASCUAL Sous Les Sycomores (Niallist Mixx Délicat) by theniallist

More on Pierre here: http://www.pierrepascual.fr/