As Art and Entertainments Editor for Perth Life, Co-owner of recording studio The Velvet Lounge & Studio and an exceptional club journalist, Jo is a key player within the music industry and the go-to girl when it comes to electronic and techno music! Find out what top 5 albums, Jo has been listening to throughout the lockdown now…
Album 1: Plastikman – One Sheet (1993)
Why did it make the list? Plastikman, the recording alias of techno legend Richie Hatwin, dropped the iconic Sheet One album in 1993. I don’t know what I love most about this album. Its 60s/70s influence from electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream. How the release went on to define a whole subgenre crossing minimal techno and acid. Or, the fact that the entire album, which is still so profound in music history, is based on capturing a seriously wavey LSD trip. Probably a bit of everything.
Favourite Track: Plasticine. I love the intro effect of the aircraft flying over and how he mixes it. The whole track encompasses the vibes of a huge warehouse rave at 5am.
Album 2: Amy Winehouse – Back to Black (2006)
Why did it make the list? Quite different from minimal techno, but need to include an album for every shade of lockdown in the list. Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black is one of my all time favourite albums. It sounds amazing on vinyl, her raw, old-world voice was just made for it. She took old influences of jazz, soul and funk and made it current. I don’t think we’ll ever see someone make it cool for Radio 1 DJs to be spinning jazz again in this lifetime.
Favourite Track: He Can Only Hold Her. Definitely a sunny day in the garden with a few tins kind of song.
Album 3: The Martinez Brothers – Space Jams Vol.2 (2020)
Why did it make the list? Not strictly an album, it’s a mixtape of edits taken from live sets, but nonetheless it’s soundtracked my lockdown so far. The Martinez Brothers dropped this shit hot collection of pulsing house and disco edits back in February following Space Jams Vol.1 in summer 2019. It’s a total groove. A jigsaw of samples, urban influences and obscure effects that the brothers are best known for and I’ve completely fallen in love with it again over the past few weeks.
Favourite Track: Tricky, I feel you kind of need to listen to the whole thing as a collective. But, if I had to pick I’d go with their edit of Untrue Attraction.
Album 4: Oasis – Definitely Maybe (1994)
Why did it make the list? I’m still as obsessed with this album as I was the first time I heard it. Noel’s songwriting absolutely nailed a moment in time of young adults, losing hope, losing jobs and wanting to kick the arse out it. The simplicity of the album is what makes it. There’s no real musical training and certainly no vocal help on Liam’s part but they still absolutely smashed it better than any suited ’n’ booted music professional ever could.
Favourite track: It’s got to be Live Forever. One of the greatest songs of all time nevermind just this album.
Album 5: Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977)
Why did it make the list? A classic. There aren’t enough words in the dictionary to describe the effect that Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours has had on music since it was released in 1977. The sheer level of shit that was going on in the behind the scenes of this album makes it astonishing it ever made it to release. The Chain, Go Your Own Way, Songbird; there are more classics in the one album than most bands will write in their entire career.
Favourite Track: It changes on the daily. But today, I’m supporting Queen Stevie and going to go with Dreams.
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JO DARGIE
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The Music Files 