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DFA RECORDS

LCD Soundsystem

X-Ray Eyes

    Recorded at Relax and Enjoy (London) and DFA (NYC)

    Produced and mixed by James Murphy for the DFA

    Engineered by Al Doyle and James Crump (London) / Korey Richey and Pablo Morales (NYC)

    Mastered and cut by Bob Weston at Chicago mastering service

    Cover photo by Stephen Nebesney 1987.

    Pressed at Paramount pressing in Denver, Co.

    TRACK LISTING

    A1. X-Ray Eyes
    B1. X-Ray Eyes (Extended Trash Can Dub)

    Liquid Liquid

    Bellhead / Optimo (Remix)

      RIYL: ESG, Pylon, Konk

      DFA no doubt owes a very large part of its existence to the incredible, indelible Liquid Liquid, so it is with great and humble honor that we release this 12” from the New York no wave legends, a double a-side package featuring sorta-new versions of classic Liquids tracks.

      This torrential take on “Bellhead” was recorded and produced by James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy in 2004 and originally appeared on DFA”s “Compilation #2.” It’s an all-timer percussion workout, bursting at the seams with marimba, drums, and, yes, all manner of bells, a far cry for the see-saw slouch of the original.

      The other side is a heretofore unreleased version of “Optimo,” which - bear with us here - was rerecorded by the Liquids in 2008 and then remixed by Optimo (Espacio), the Glaswegian duo who are named in tribute to the song in question. So, “Optimo” the song remixed by Optimo the people.

      If you followed that, then you know. If not, just remember that we’re all showing up here because of how important and essential this band remains.

      STAFF COMMENTS

      Matt says: Massive coup for DFA as they roster in one of the acts that inspired the whole ethos of label for two new versions of "Bellhead".

      TRACK LISTING

      A1 Bellhead
      A2 Optimo - Instrumental Mix By Optimo (Espacio)

      Mermaid Chunky

      Slif Slaf Slof

        Mermaid Chunky. It’s all in a name, sometimes. The danceable, costumed, curiosity rich duo of artists Freya Tate and Moina Moin are as imaginative as they profess. Or, to get more to the point, as we all need them to be.

        Freya and Moina are two visual artists and musicians from Stroud and South London, places where they importantly found communities (Stroud’s SVA and the capital’s Total Refreshment Centre) of like minded people just as willing to chase down an idea to its possibly illogical conclusion. And it is in the collective and the idea of participation that Mermaid Chunky really clicks. This is a party, a collective dance, made all the better with more: people, ideas, layers, kick drums, recorders, saxophones, frogs.

        To wit, the album’s first track and first single, “Céilí,” named after a traditional Scottish or Irish social gathering and dance, which builds from a simple recorder line into a swelling, warm burst of major chord dance music. Goosebumps or check your pulse.

        Further down the rabbit hole, “Chaperone” is almost boardwalk electro, like Fischerspooner on a ferris wheel; “Frogsporn” and “Nature Girl” are mucky, trippy dirges filled with stalactites of synth and squelch; “Tiny Gymnast” is a kaleidoscopic waltz into the night. Hold onto your seats, ladies and gentlemen.

        You might be wondering how we, DFA Records, all the way over in cynical Brooklyn, entered the picture. There was a day a few years ago, sun shining in full Springtime splendor, when James heard something while waiting for a coffee down the street from the office. It sounded simple yet deceptively complex: a dance track, but one where the one - that anchoring first beat in a measure - could be heard a thousand different ways. Frustrated and interested, he Shazamd the song, playing at the shop from an episode of Zakia’s Questing show on NTS, and brought it back to the office, where we all listened to it about fifty times. (The song was “Friends,” from Mermaid Chunky’s VEST EP, released in 2020. It led to an invitation to open for LCD at Brixton Academy in 2022. Mermaid Chunky has also played live alongside The Comet Is Coming, Alabastair Deplume, Snapped Ankles, and many others.)

        Thus began our search for Mermaid Chunky. A quest it has been and a quest it will always be.

        TRACK LISTING

        A1 Céilí
        A2 Frogsporn
        A3 Tiny Gymnast
        B1 Chaperone
        B2 Medieval
        B3 Nature Girl
        B4 Sad Nun

        Various Artists

        DFA Records Compilation #2

          First time on vinyl, fully remastered and resequence by James and Bob Weston.

          Behold, Compilation #2. A compendium what are arguably the best prime-era DFA cuts, mostly all recorded and/or remixed at the old DFA Studios on W. 13th Street (with some notable exceptions), released as 12-inches and then compiled onto a 3xCD set for convenience because, at the time, people actually bought CDs more than vinyl.

          Now, in the spirit of time not really being much of a linear thing anymore, and for our own selfish desire to have this version of Liquid Liquid’s “Bellhead,” produced by the DFA, finally committed to wax, we have reverse engineered this thing back onto vinyl and presented it as a four-record boxed set.

          We went back and found the master tapes or files for each song - a not insignificant effort given our habit of disorganization. We then rather painstakingly resequenced and remastered it with the guy we trust with such things: Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. The lacquers Bob cut were plated and pressed at what we believe to be one of the best pressing plants in the country: QRP in Salina, Kansas.

          We tell you all of this to say: we took this shit pretty seriously. Because we felt like it was important and because we felt like some folks would really appreciate it. It sounds remarkable. It looks great. (Rob Carmichael re-did the original packaging, adding a new photo from DFA OG Tim Saccenti from one of the original parties at W. 13th St.) Of course, we somehow can’t stop ourselves from making labeling errors - Pixeltan’s “That’s the Way I Like It” somehow escaped the center labels on the fourth record. It’s kind of the DFA curse. Has to be!



          TRACK LISTING

          SIDE A
          Black Leotard Front - Casual Friday
          SIDE B
          J.O.Y. - Sunplus (DFA Remix)
          The Juan MacLean - I Robot
          The Juan MacLean - Dance Hall Modulator Dub
          SIDE C
          Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom - Rise (DFA Remix)
          Black Dice - Wasteder
          J.O.Y. - Sunplus
          SIDE D
          LCD Soundsystem - Yeah (Pretentious Version)
          The Rapture - Sister Saviour (DFA Dub)
          SIDE E
          Liquid Liquid - Bellhead
          LCD Soundsystem - Yeah (Crass Version)
          SIDE F
          Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom - El Monte
          The Rapture - Alabama Sunshine
          SIDE G
          Pixeltan - Get Up / Say What (DFA Remix)
          LCD Soundsystem - Beat Connection (Extended Disco Dub)
          SIDE H
          Pixeltan - That’s The Way I Like It
          Black Dice - Endless Happiness (EYE Remix)
          The Juan MacLean - Less Than Human


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