Neko Neko - Trouble in the streets / Playin ya self

MFM009 – Trouble in the streets / Playin ya self is Neko Neko’s latest release on My First Moth records and is available from all good record shops and online today! Limited edition hand stamped, one sided 12″. Buy 12″

“Neko Neko takes time out from recording his debut album (due for release in 2012) to drop two very different reworks for your record box.

On “Trouble in the Streets” he expertly revisits a jazzy house groover (St Germain’s “Rose Rouge”), shifting it up a few gears further into proper dance floor territory with heavy drums, percussion and adding catchy-as-hell vocal chant (lifted from an early 80s Lijadu Sisters African LP?)!

On the flip Neko Neko’s MPC gets possessed by the spirit of circa 1993 boom bap as he remixes Jeru The Damaja’s anti-playa anthem. Honky-tonk pianos, horns and boom bap drums all make for a worthy update of this stone cold classic!”

Reviews

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“I love the Jeru remix on the b-side”
DJ Format

“Ya Playin is ill yooooooo !!! Gonna rinse that one!”
Simbad – Brownswood

“Nice stuff, especially Trouble In the Streets will go down well in the clubs”
Mad Mats – Raw Fusion

Buy 12″

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MFM 009 - Neko Neko - Trouble in the streets / Playin Ya self 12"

Neko Neko’s next single release is with My First Moth records. MFM009 will be released on 12″ vinyl and digital download on the 30th of January at all the normal digital places and independent record shops. Limited to 300 and on one sided 12″ inch with stamped sleeve.

Catch a Preview of the track “Trouble in the streets” being played on BBC introducing Manchester by Ian Pennington from Now then Manchester @ 1.33 onwards.

Neko Neko On BBC introducing

Keep you eyes peeled for a preview of the B side coming soon.

Electronic Exchange - Second Shift EP

Manchester/Barcelona based duo, The Electronic Exchange have just released a new EP on the Concreate Moniker label entitled Second Shift EP.

The EP features two remixes by Neko Neko along side one by Pause and two new tracks from the Electronic Exchange.  Personalty I am really happy with how these remixes came out!

The EP is available on Digital Download now via bandcamp for £2.99.

You can catch the Electronic Exchange at band on the wall tonight supporting Bugge Wesseltoft!! They will be playing the UK in the not to distant future and are not to be missed live!

Neko Neko - Readers Digest LP

Well it’s here, 17 tracks of beats and samples made entirely from a reader digest boxset and some breaks on an MPC2000xl & 6 track tape machine. For more info on the project go here which has a full breakdown on the quipment used and ideas behind the project.

Available now for download in .wav, Flac and 320kbps MP3′s. There will be a limited CD release of this in the follow weeks and maybe even a special one off tape for the hardcore out there.

Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did making it.

Gray

Well I’ve not updated here for a while but I have been busy in the studio with upcoming releases. Some exciting stuff in the not too distant future. One of the projects is this readers digest beat tape album. Theres a bit of information that comes with this project so here goes.

Background

Some time ago I picked up a readers digest box set titled “international hits” from a charity shop for a £1. It contains 9 records of utter shit middle of the road, lounge and easy listening crap. I guess the idea behind it is that each record is in a style from around the world. It’s god awful.

So some time passed and then I got an idea one day to try and make something listenable from this giant paperweight. The project was born. I set some rules about how I could do this.

The Rules

They are simple and aimed at limiting myself, in theory pushing me to be more creative with what I got.

1. Samples to be used only from the records in the boxset.

2. Drum breaks are allowed to be used from other records, seeing as there are none on the boxset ones.

3. Synths can be used to make basslines and sounds but no melodys or main parts of the song can be instrument based, only samples from the boxset.

4. There are equipment limitations mainly that only analog equipment can be used, apart from mastering in the computer.

The Equipment

Seeing as I could only use analog equipment and was working with samples this is what I used. Most is in the photo above.

MPC 2000XL

Sansui WS-X1 (6-track cassette recorder, 2-track mixdown deck and mixer)

Sansui MD-R7 (tape sync box)

Deltalab effectron II (delay)

Electro Harmonix memmory man (delay)

Yammaha MG 16/4 (mixer)

Roland Alpha Juno 2 (synth)

DIY built synth

Technics 1210′s

Patchbay

Vestex PMC 05 pro sl (mixer with built in sampler which got used)

Cables

Mic

Everything is recorded to the sansui 6 track on cassette and mixed on it too. It has two tape decks one is 6 track one is 2 track. Idea being you mixdown to the 2 track from the 6 track. The MPC is recorded Live in one take with no overdubs. In fact not much overdubing being done at all as can only use 6-tracks. I will post more about certain pieces of gear later on.

Why would I do this?

I don’t know it seemed like a fun thing to do, which it has been. Fun to make it and challenging to get around all the limitations. Literary have to make something from not much. Surprisingly simple to record and work. I suppose i wanted to get away from having a gazillion plugins or synths to play with. Might sound weird to some. Also wanted to get a more hands on or live approach to music making, not just clicking away with the mouse. In that respect it’s been dope to do. I suppose I wanted to see if I could work with these limitations and take music back to being about working with what you got and having fun with it.

The end result

The end result will be an album or long EP of tunes. Not sure about ow it will be released format wise, might do small run of CD’s if not most probably digital.

Mind on fire have released a limited edition of their recent compliation release featuring Neko Neko alongside other Manchester producers and artists.

Only 50 in the world, they hold a limited spraypainted version of the Great Minds LP, 2 of our compilation CDs and an exclusive piece of artwork by Barney Francis. The Great Minds Ltd Edition Bags are £20 and available now from Piccadillly Records or Eastern Bloc in Manchester, or by emailing info@mindonfire.co.uk.

Don’t sleep on this as they are flying out very fast.

Neko Neko’s debut 7″ vinyl release on my first moth records is now available in digital download format. The digital download release includes an extra track ‘Rocky boat’.

Track listing

1.Pesticide

2.Plus & minus

3.Rocky boat

The digital downloads are available from all major download stores in mp3, flac and wav’s.The price varies but is about £2.50 for all three tracks.

Itunes

Juno

amazonMP3

Neko Neko is very happy to annouce that Manchester based label My first moth are releasing a 7″ vinyl single of Neko Neko’s tracks Pesticide and Plus & minus. The release date is Monday the 29th of November and will be available as a 7″ vinyl single and digital downloads, from record shops across the UK and as an import in Europe and USA.

Some kind words….

This guy is great! He really reminds me of some of RJD2′s early (and best) work but with less samples and more instruments. I hope he’s working on an album because i’d love to hear more music like this!
DJ Format

This new Neko Neko record could easily be used as a movie soundtrack. It also reminds me of an era of music based on heavy drums and melodic samples, the kind of record Mo’Wax would’ve loved to release back then.
DJ Lefto

Neko Neko lays down a wonderous cinematic trip that brings to mind Roy Budd’s wonderous compositions, the spiritual harp of Dorothy Ashby, wigged out drum patterns and that’s only the first track!!! This highly recommended 2 tracker sidesteps the usual ‘beats’ cliches and lays down a progressive take on musical beauty but more than manages to stay funky fresh too…More please!!!
Jumbo Records

Update sold out at Piccadilly records shop on 1st day, added new buy link below. Get one before they are all gone.

Buy 7″

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Manchester clubnight and collective Mind on fire are releasing a compilation record to launch Mind on fire records. The record features a host of local artists established and up and coming, including exclusives from LA77, XXXY, GKUT, Neko Neko, Woli Wols, Grave Architecture, Zoir and Pareesa.

Due out sometime in November on 12″ vinyl and digital downloads. More details soon, check out the sampler above for now.

Hello all

I hope everyones had a good summer, although not a very sunny one.

It’s been a long time since i’ve posted anything here and theres a good reason for it. I’ve been busying myself redesigning my website and finishing off my favourite sound is orange, more on that later.

There are many new features to the site such as a music page with more music ..d live page, updated discography, links page, sitemap and a new contact page. I’ve also added a search function so you can search the whole site quickly. The forum is also a new feature and a place where you can discuss Neko Neko releases, gigs, news, write gig reviews and just kick back and chat.

The shop page has had a massive revamp and now sells DRM free, digital downloads of individual songs and full releases in 320 kbps mp3 and AAC formats as well as CD’s.

Theres plenty of other new features so why not have a virtual stroll over.

www.neko-neko.co.uk

Neko Neko

Currently listening: Every Day By The Cinematic Orchestra Release date: 2002-05-28