Saturday, February 28, 2009

Ciani Waves

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Suzanne Ciani is my secret crush these days. There's just something I find incredibly sexy about female synth nerds. Her 1982 masterpiece "Seven Waves" is one of those albums I can put on repeat for hours. The gentle, calming atmosphere Ciani creates with her vintage synthesizers soothes my soul. This is the stand out track from that album in my opinion

Suzanne Ciani - The Fifth Wave, Water Lullaby

If you're ever looking for a meditative "zone" out session on youtube, check out these vids of Ms. Ciani at work.





Vintage keyboards and proto-new age, electronic music. Does it get any better?!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

ARAWA Stimulatin' Mixin'



A few months ago PLAIDMUSIC asked me to submit a guest mix to their excellent blog. It's been enough time now that I'd like to share it with all of you. If you want to see the tracklist, it'll be in the comment section

Tommyboy - Stimulation

PS> I just wanted to let everyone know we've added a new mix section in the far right nav bar. If you've missed out on any of these excellent selections, here's your chance to catch up. Happy listening

I Want To Go To There



Discoring was the shiznit on Italian TV in the late 70s, early 80s from what I can see on youtube. I wish there was a rerun channel like VH1 classics somewhere here in the states. This intro sequence from Discoring uses entrancing imagery from italian discos complimented with the classic Gepy & Gepy track "Body to Body". Sometime in my life, I want to dance in a setting just like this. Help me make it happen ;)

I'll leave you with this amazing dub edit by Beat Broker who makes a great song even better! Another quality edit by the master

Gepy & Gepy - Body to Body (Beat Broker Intro Disco Dub)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Captain Starlight



amazing!!!

here's the full 11 minute version of this classic in all it's glory

Zazu - Captain Starlight

Monday, February 23, 2009

Spelling Love



Well, it's been awhile. I've been pretty distracted with other aspects of the internet recently. I feel maybe I've been neglecting my duties here. I hope this little jam makes up for the lost time.
Esavù only released a few singles in 1983. This is my favorite of theirs, especially the instrumental version. Seems prime re-edit material. The sound quality isn't the best, but that's the way the record sounds. Bought this for a pretty penny on ebay. Well worth it. I hope everyone enjoys this rare and special gem as much as I do.

Esavù - Spelling Love (Vocal)
Esavù - Spelling Love (Instrumental)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Farewell Mr. Francis

Mike Francis (1961-2009)
Hey survivor...

I Played Sports

Support radness in these dark economic times! Buy Buy buy this incredible album! Tommy and I can't get enough. Zeeriously. Try any of the links on the poster above or buy straight from Claremont here.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Babaluga!






Wow. This is like my ultimate dream youtube discovery. It's like on Tim and Eric Awesome Show when a skit gets so out there that it almost becomes plausible again. This is euro-pop culture at it's best and most ridiculous.

Unfortunately I can't find a shred of info on the group anywhere, in the top video there's only three of them and in the other two there's four (Hassan, Tito, Sonja and Thomas) so... were they like Menudo with the rotating members? Was it a one off novelty single for a TV show? And what drove the third member (I'll assume its Tito) away? Were the pressures of "live" performance and offbeat dancing too much for Tito? Was there a fallout with Hassan over Sonja's affections? Could he not handle Thomas' starter moustache envy? Would Mom not sign his permission slip? What do you guys think?

Here's the only copy of the song I could scrounge up and I TRIED man, trust me. Its only at 112kbps but whatever, its soooo good. Scratch that! Premini of super awesome blog, DJ's Are Persons, sent over a 192 copy this morning... Thanks dude! You made my day!

There are no losers in my paradise.

Babaluga- My Paradise (Extended)

By the way I looooove the seagull noises.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Dolly Dolly Dolly

As I write this here, lying under the covers near the brink of dreams, I hope that when the morning comes, I will be able to spring out of bed and embrace the day as giddy and openhearted as I'm sure Dolly does every morning.

This big hearted slice of AM gold discofunkreggae comes from Dolly Parton's ingeniously (cough) titled 1980 album Dolly Dolly Dolly.

Dolly Parton- Sweet Agony

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

We're Two!

Another year, another 80,000 ARAWA friends are made. Friends with strange made-up names, friends whose tastes run from the far far left to the debilitatingly eccentric (me!). Friends that meet through networks of strewn and tangled wires and invisible floating signals, leaving the constraints of the real world behind and yes, embracing the rainbow I always thought was too far to reach. Yeah, I totally just went there.

Over the past couple of years I've had the pleasure of meeting and founding a partnership with Tommy Boy through all these cables and wires. Though we've never met, I think we're the perfect foils for each others aesthetics and ears (a yang to my yin if you will) and have become fast friends over these airwaves. I couldn't be happier that he's here to share the trip with me.

Over to you Tom!

Thank you Sean. I'm so grateful to be a part of this B-Day celebration. Truth be told, I used to have a hard time coping with other peoples birthdays as a child. I remember sulking and wishing it was my day. Watching other kids open their presents was so difficult for some reason. So, needless to say, it's nice to be included in this special celebration!

ARAWA has meant so much to me in it's short life span. I remember like it was yesterday when I first saw my two favorite's in one post. JAZ's mix for ARAWA last year literally changed my life with regard to music appreciation. I feel completely humbled and blessed to be able to be part of this now ongoing tradition. I hope JAZ's unique sound has as much of an impact on our new readers as it had for me.

One of the things that has always drawn me to this site is the appreciation of nostalgia coupled with an eagerness to share and learn. Sean, you've really created something special here. I truly feel I've found my other half, my old best friend from the schoolyard, my long lost brother from another mother. Thank you for opening this space up to like minds and kindred spirits. I hope I can express my appreciation for this lovely place by continuing in the tradition you set forth with your very first post. Ok, enough of my emotional gushing. On with the festivities!

Back to you Sean!

In celebration we once again bring you an exclusive and increzzedibly rad mix from Dream Chimney's resident vicar and ARAWA's number one spiritdisco guru, JAZ. Thanks Jazzers! Another mix that bridges planets, connects musical dots and believes wholeheartedly in the warm and healing qualities of music and dancing. A good magician never reveals how a trick is done and its no difference with one who works primarily in the disco magics. Hence no tracklist, but feel free to guess away in the comment section friends.

For those that have come through here and left with something that resonates with them, something that made them look twice or chuckle, something that made them shift a shoulder or hip while the dishes were done, this place is for you and we thank you. You make this place a pleasure for us to return to time and again.

It takes a muscle to fall in love.

JAZ- ARAWA2: Phone Home

JAZ's debut album, I Played Sports packed with 14 magic edits will be released soon on Sixty Five (with artwork by me!) and you can check out some samples and preorder at Clone. Also check out his Libre Ambience 12" and ARAWA's 1st Bday mix here.