Hello. My name is Genuine Guy. One day, whilst lost in the dark forests of Neukölln I encountered a wise sage who entrusted me with a password. It was the password to a realm I once inhabited but had left behind, drawn away like a magpie, by the treasure of another. The treasure proved to be real, but in order to keep it, it was required of me to sacrifice 2 of my 3 dimensions, and my capacity for rational thought. I managed to escape from the operating table, ran to the nearest glowing terminus and entered the password. And so here I find myself. I hope to re-encounter this sage sometime soon, as he has rescued me. But here I give thanks to him as I know he reads this blog (the forest has WI-FI).

But there is a 3rd realm in this story. One also left behind, but not forgotten.

To be any kind of bohemian in London these days requires a bold, resourceful attitude. Or a shitload of money. Not being blessed with the latter, my beloved and sorely missed ex-flatmates are both shining examples of the former.

Separated only by a thin sheet of plasterboard, the embryonic stages of London’s Hype Williams was a daily occurrence in my life for several months. Their rapid metamorphosis, from initial stabs at guitar based slo-mo Americana to full blown, freeform art-project (now featuring floating members of 20JFG faves, Arch M and Hounds of Hate) has been truly outstanding. They told me they didn’t have anything interesting to say. But their re-contextualization of things absorbed whilst growing up and living in a messed up, multicultural capital lends their work an extra significance, that perhaps they are not aware of.

Hype Williams – mvp ’94

MVP ’94 is a hook laden access point to the more, seemingly unwitting, profound depth and experimental nature of their world. Here, the cold detachment and bass driven musics of London are assimilated and regurgitated via a genuinely DIY aesthetic, the harmonius echo-chambers of Telepathe or Gang Gang Dance and played back at the downer-induced tempo of DJ Screw. Music aside, the skewed appropriation of misogynist booty house lyrics via female vocals, is alone, a very bold and interesting statement.

Hype Williams – Feltt

More recently, lyrics are abandoned. Here, in favour of an indecipherable emotive incantation, lending a voice of hope to the hauntingly skeletal and astrally bleak post-punk dronescape beneath. Hype Williams aka Paradise Sisters have just dropped a new tape which you can buy here. Keep an eye on Ceylan Projects for news of many exciting things, involving members of the band and their affiliates.

Apart from sharing a building, the art of my ex-roomies is connected via a natural talent to reinvent certain racial stereotypes. Often incorrectly labelled as Riot Grrl, because there’s an apparently angry ‘girl in the band’ (dude, get over it) Akiko from Comanechi, attempts to stand against certain ideas about her national identity as a female, rather than just being a female. Although influenced by the music (but not necessarily the politics) of Bikini Kill et al, Comanechi are straight-up, balls out rock-stars, an exhilarating, and highly sexual (again, sex not politics) collision of j-pop and doom metal. Here, as the rather more 20JFG-worthy, and awesome Ghosthunter remix has been posted elsewhere, I present to you my own take on their music. I was handed a very beautiful song and could do nothing more than add a different backing. Lost on the GG storage device for a whole year, it is my gift to you. Their debut album is out now on Merok.

Comanechi – Close Enough to Kiss (Genuine Guy remix)

If this post seems rather nepotistic and self-promoting, I can assure you I am here for neither reason. I will be posting many things that I and my friends have made, altered, collaborated or just generally been involved with over the coming months as the beginnings of a possible new dimension for the blog, and the many characters in the 20JFG universe. This project is still in the research stages and will be unveiled soon.

In the meantime, as a further peace offering to you, the xxjfg reader, for such a long period of neglection, I give you this mix. Nothing you haven’t heard before, just a bunch of stuff that in my mind works very well together. It’s good to be back.

Genuine Guy – 20jazzfunkgreats mixtape 1

TRACKLIST

1. Terry Riley – You’re No Good
2. Rekid – 85 Space
3. Siriusmo – Wow
4. Natasha ft Clipse – So Sick
5. Flying Lotus -Melt
6. Slyvester – I Need Somebody to Love Tonight
7. Scotti Coats – Lude Boy the Rude Boy
8. Pan Sonic – Puhdistus
9. Cluster – Kekse
10. Bottin – Endless Mother