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MIDNIGHT DRIVE

Doxa Sinistra

The Other Stranger / Strange

Mysterious Dutch outfit Doxa Sinistra have been operating on the fringes of the industrial-experimental and sound collage tape scenes since the very early 1980s. Their output has long been coveted by fans of DIY and left-field music since their earliest transmissions, and this featured 1983 recording 'The Other Stranger' might well be one of their most known. A truly strange offering, the track is a cascading acidic and minimal stripped piece, bathed in disparate resonant sample sources that could possibly have been recorded straight from the TV set. Nobody really knows what it all means, but it doesn't matter as the end result is an engaging mesmerising hypnagogic masterpiece of sampling and rhythmic free sound. A true classic from the outer reaches of electronic music.

Midnight Drive label owner Brian Not Brian featured 'The Other Stranger' on his now infamous 'Holywell Session' cassette tape for the sadly missed Blackest Ever Black ever label in 2014, and the track was also a highlight of Boards Of Canada's cult 'Societas X Tape' for NTS in 2019. This special 7" vinyl only edition also features the more stripped back rhythm track version entitled 'Strange' on the b-side that is a slightly longer mix with a different arrangement and no samples, letting the minimalist acid and drum machine workout unfurl at its own steady woozy pace. This is the first time both versions have been remastered and have appeared together as a single and it is presented here with the blessing and involvement of Doxa Sinistra.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Batshit genius from these mythical Dutch industrialists. Cultishly coveted by those who know it; I can't think of any other record quite like it.

TRACK LISTING

A. The Other Stranger
B. Strange 

Clive Stevens And Brainchild

Mystery Man - Inc. Velvet Season & The Hearts Of Gold Remix

The third release on Midnight Drive takes us back to the heady days of 1984, New York City. We find Clive Stevens, a UK born saxophonist, producer, writer and poet at the helm of a truly staggering cast of international musicians known as 'Brainchild', recording an LP entitled 'Semjase' for Brazilian label Vôo Livre. The LP featured incredible session musicians whose CV's include work with some of the biggest names in popular music including Chic, Kate Bush, Miles Davis, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty and more (the list is endless). One track from this fairly obscure LP - 'Mystery Man' - somehow managed to find its way into the hands of the one and only Daniele Baldelli, who swiftly turned it into a cosmic classic. Present and correct on a number of the cosmic tapes, "Mystery Man" is a truly unique record melding electro-style programming, live percussion, synthesizers and vocals into a blistering slow motion disco jam that'll have you dancing like a loon and scratching your head trying to work out when, where and how it was made. Not content with offering us ucky bunch a first official reissue of this classic, Midnight Drive procured the original 1984 session parts from Clive himself, enabling a brand new remix from Gerry Rooney and Joel Martin aka Velvet Season & The Hearts Of Gold. Stretching the track to new tripped out heights, Gerry and Joel transform the cosmic roller into a dreamy and dubby tropical pop killer perfect for your next Balearic dancefloor set.


STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: Holy interplanetary beach resort Batman! Midnight Drive pluck one of the finest Cosmic classics from the Baldelli tapes and deliver a first official reissue of the mega "Mystery Man". Alongside the original mix of this totally tropical electro-funk killer we get the dubby delight of a brand new extension from Velvet Season & The Hearts Of Gold. Top one!

TRACK LISTING

A. Mystery Man (Disco Mix) 
B. Mystery Man (Velvet Season & The Hearts Of Gold Special Disco Mix) 

Midnight Drive extend their winning streak with this most beautiful and unique of records - Makers 'Don't Challenge Me' - A truly idiosyncratic early 70's electronic oddity that has long been a coveted and highly prized piece of music by obscure music lovers for many years.

Makers was the moniker for another studio project by legendary euro-disco pioneer Boris Midney. Midney, a Russian ex-pat, explored his own sonic world and in the process crafted some of the biggest records during the most fertile times in the disco period, he created numerous projects including Beautiful Bend, USA-European Connection, Caress and many more.

A classically trained musician and jazz artist, his trail-blazing studio work meant he was one of the first producers to embrace the capabilities of multi-track mixing in a most creative way. Listening to this 45, a limited release on his own 'Midney' micro label, you can certainly hear genius at work, it's mind boggling that this record was crafted when it was (1972) as it sounds totally ahead of it's time and sounds exciting and original to this day.
This is the very first time this record has ever been reissued (it was included on the most incredible 'Personal Space' compilation from a few years ago) and people will be very surprised to hear the b-side for the very first time - 'You're Shy' - A sweet soul number that almost recalls The Staple Singers and could easily have been released on Stax or any familiar labels of that ilk that somehow manages to retain the strange and overall DIY aesthetic of the 'Makers' sound.


STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: If, like me, you became obsessed with the kaleidoscopic world of those Trapdoor mixes a few years back, you'll lose your shit for this 7" reissue. The work of Boris Midney, "Don't Challenge Me" is a superbly spacey psych-funk groover, packed with seductive soul and the nebulous haze of the milky way.

TRACK LISTING

A Don't Challenge Me
B You're Shy


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