I’ve always admired Music From Memory’s knack for creating interesting comps drawing from certain times, places and artists - thinking in particular Outro Tempo, Uneven Paths, the Suso Saiz retrospective. Other people who I think have done really strong comps are the Jura Transmissions, and Analogue Africa.
What compilations have opened your eyes/ears to new sounds?
And also for those who have been involved in such ventures - they must be a logistical/legal nightmare sometimes, how long does the process tend to take, and do they turn out the way you originally intended them?
Mr Bongo comps over the last two years have really hit the mark for me…the Luke Una ones were next level in my view and changed how I think about music (listening and playing out). More than the sum of its parts.
Ditto the Rainer Trueby Presents Soulgliding comp when it came out; I really need a Vol 2.
Historical influence for me included the early-80’s series of compilations here in the UK called Streets Sounds which showcased a lot of then-current electro, boogie and street soul. There were a couple of different series which extended up to the advent of House. Not all the material on them has stood the test of time, but they were pretty influential.
I have various comps from the Soul Jazz label, all of which helped open my ears to stuff I wouldn’t previously have come across (notably their comps on the Tropicalia movement in Brazil, a Strata East label comp, Reggae Disco, and the Lovers Rock comp from their Studio One series)
Loved that Tropicalia one from Soul Jazz definitely opened my eyes to that music. Their kraut rock ones were a pretty great intro to that music for me too.
I’ve been inspired by many different compilations over many years, but I think the series that has had the greatest impact on me was headed by Roy Carr at the NME and started with this one in 1981:
And numerous tracks from these comps have still never been released even on those big retrospective band compilations. Like this tune, basically done by a Young Marble Giants offshoot:
Yes, I’d forgotten those NME tapes. Incredible range of music across the series, from 40’s blues and jazz up to highly experimental contemporary electronic music. I had loads of them, but I had a big purge a few years ago and they didn’t survive. Couldn’t bring myself to part with my copy of C81 though. Didn’t it lend its name to an indie revivalist scene a few years ago??
They also did some good label comps (Stax and Chess iirc?).
Those NME tapes look fantastic - were they given away with the mag, or did you buy them separately? My first contact with NME was in fag end of the Brit pop era and it was definitely a lot less interesting by then.
You had to cut out and collect a series of weekly tokens printed in the NME (you needed something like 6 out of 8 tokens), then send them together with a cheque or Postal Order for the cost of postage (about 20p…!).
I wonder whether anyone really counted the tokens!
