The Cardigans"Life"
(Stockholm Records 523 556)
Swinging with the force of a mid-60's mod movie, The Cardigans will make you wish you were driving a BMW along the British coast. Oh sure, they are from Sweden...but hipster chic all the way!!! Minty Fresh will soon re-issue this domestically. Get it if only for the brightest cover of "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" to be found anywhere in the known universe.
Carnival - Garden's Gardenparty - Daddy's Car - Sick And Tired - Tomorrow - Rise And Shine - Beautiful One - Travelling With Charley - Fine - Celia Inside - Hey! Get Out Of My Way - After All... - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Portishead "Dummy"
(Go! Discs/London 828 553)
Film noir in sound. Back alleys with a Schifrin sample and drum machine. A languid sirens vocals mixed with the siren from an ambulance. This is the sound of Portishead. Exploding onto the scene last year with the hit "Sour Times" their sound combines the laid back style of a dimly lit smoke filled lounge with the drum and bass of modern trip hop. Mutated samples mesh with understanded music and the plaintive voice of Beth Gibbons providing the closest thing youšll find to John Barry / Lalo Schifrin soundtrack atmosphere in modern pop. Perfect for the late night unwinding or rainy afternoon lounge.
Mysterons - Sour Times - Strangers - It Could Be So Sweet - Wandering Star - It's A Fire - Numb - Roads - Pedestal - Biscuit - Glory Box
Saint Etienne"Too Young To Die (Singles 1990-1995)"
(Heavenly HVNLP10CDX)
A voice like pure heaven. Music as crystal as a summer sky. The bright Euro-pop of Saint Etienne will never be duplicated. Like the soundtrack to a forgotten movie, the sound of Saint Etienne sticks in your head and follows you for days. Vikšs brings a special presentation to Tuesday with an opening set of SE doing their greatest hits. We then clear the floor and let some of the most prestigious Djs and remixers twist those very same hits into a beat crazed sweaty nightmare of rhythm and dance. Vik hears Saint Etienne are no longer together, but this serves as a fitting collection to a brilliant career.
Disc One:Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Kiss And Make Up - Nothing Can Stop Us - Join Our Club - People Get Real - Avenue - Youšre In A Bad Way - Who Do You Think You Are - Hobart Paving - I Was Born On Christmas Day - Pale Movie - Like A Motorway - Hug My Soul - Hešs On The Phone.....
Disc Two: contains remixes by The Chemical Brothers, Billy Nasty, Secret Knowledge, Dean Thatcher, Andrew Weatherall, Aphex Twin, Gordon King, Sure Is Pure and David Holmes