Claremont 56

Review: Here's a question for you: What happens when you take a track by a British power trio heavily influenced by blues and psychedelia, and get a master of wayward, left-of-centre Balearica to remix it? You get the latest 12" missive from Claremont 56, which sees Bella Figura's "Better Man" reworked twice in impressive fashion by Magic Feet boss Craig Bratley. If you are familiar with Bratley's output for s It Balearic, Bird Scarer and Tsuba, you know the man breathes cosmic goodness and his work on Bella Figura's track offers a subtle new version that loses none of Justin Gartry's bluesy poignancy whilst adding a sparsely treated beat and plenty of low lying studio trickery.

Review: "Salmon Spungcake" was one of the last things Claremont 56 super-group Bison recorded before the sad passing of two of its' founder members, Holger Czukay and Ursula Kloss in the summer of 2017. Two years on from its initial release, Bison members Ben Smith and Paul 'Mudd' Murphy (also label boss) have decided to get it remixed, with original producer Conrad McDonnell (he of Idjut Boys fame) providing two suitably heavy dub disco interpretations, making this the band's first release since the passing of Czukay and Kloss. Check first the spacey A-side hypnotism of the "Zip It Shrimpy Mix", where melancholic chords and spaced-out vocal snippets wrap around a particularly percussive dub disco groove. Arguably even better is the stripped-back, bass-heavy and reverb-rich "I Think I've Got Gout Mix", which sounds like it was tailor-made to manipulate mangled minds at four in the morning.

Review: Cool story: 60s psychedelic folk strummer Cutter was spotted busking in an LA subway by Claremont 56's 40 Thieves. Instantly submitting to his acoustic charms, they strike up a creative relationship. Recruiting the writing skills of Jum Jum Records founder David Harks, they create the cosmic beauty that is "Strutting Serpent". Sitting somewhere between Cat Stevens and Paqua, it's the epitome of Balearic timelessness. For added psychedelic majesty flip for a future version of Cutter's classic "Gift Of Our Fathers". Stunning.

Review: As we continue to recover from the sheer awesomeness of Paqua's debut album Alkaliko, Claremont 56 commission two very special versions of the modern day Balearic hymn "The Visitor". Ray Mang reminds us of the true meaning of dub as we're immersed in a truly enveloping dynamic where flickers of the original's vocals fly and in and out of the mix. Idjut Boys follow a similar sentiment but instead of teasing us with the vocal shades, they extend, break down and rebuild the instrumentation in a way only they know how. Super-limited, this is the perfect complement to a perfect album.

Review: As Claremont 56's superb Originals series of crate-digging compilations tiptoes towards the final curtain (a celebratory vinyl box-set is due later in the year), label boss Paul Murphy hands the reigns over towards longtime pals DJ Spun and Ben Cook, the men behind San Fran/New York imprint Rong Music. If you've heard either DJ, you'd expect their selection to jump between a myriad of dubby, stargazing styles, and that's exactly what they deliver. From the intergalactic ambience of Space Time Continuum's "Transmitter", to the low-slung dub disco of Futura 2000, via the Balearic house shuffle of FM Inc and spaced-out punk-funk of Big Boys, it's a treasure trove of thrillingly atmospheric obscurities. Recommended... as usual.

Review: Hot on the heels of their top-selling collaboration with Quinn Lamont Luke, "The Distance", Smith and Mudd present a freshly re-mastered edition of their brilliant 2007 debut album, "Blue River". Surprisingly, it's the first time that the effortlessly Balearic set has come out on vinyl, something that should enthuse all those wax-lovers who like their grooves blissful, laidback and sun-kissed. It remains a wonderful set full of gentle, delay-laden guitar motifs, dubby yacht-rock basslines, spacey soundscapes, folksy motifs (see the impeccable title track), and jazz-funk influenced ambient instrumentals (the brilliant "Elsewhere" and "The Secret"). In other words, the album's magic has not been eroded by the passing of time.

Review: Benjamin Smith and Paul "Mudd" Murphy rarely disappoint, as those who copped 2016 album Gorthleck will confirm. "Janet 50" marks the experienced duo's first new material since (though we have it on good authority that a fresh full-length is also on the way). The track is typical of their work, with sumptuous, jazzy guitars, deep space effects and rich electric piano parts reclining over a blazed, Balearic disco groove. It's a sublime piece of music, all told, which is arguably made even better by B-side remixer I:Cube. The Parisian veteran thrillingly re-casts the track as a spacey, synthesizer-heavy treat rich in bleep techno inspired bass, Kelley Polar synths, gentle acid lines and Ben Smith's brilliant guitar improvisations. In other words, it's out-of-this-world good.

Review: For the recording sessions for Gorthleck, long-running collaborators Paul 'Mudd' Murphy and Ben Smith set up a small studio in a loch-side house in the Scottish highlands. The dramatic scenery and ever-changing weather patterns seem to have proved inspirational, because the album is arguably the downtempo duo's strongest to date. Variously influenced by kosmiche, Balearica, neo-folk, ambient, Tangerine Dream and movie soundtracks, the album's nine tracks meander along impressively, subtly shifting shape whilst winding their way into your subconscious. It's a beautiful set from start to finish, rich with hazy musicality and mood-enhancing moments, and comes highly recommended.

Review: Claremont 56 continue to disregard the genre boundaries - preferring instead to give good music the attention it deserves - as their latest looker of a twelve inch presents us the sounds of Torn Sail. Fronted by Smith & Mudd vocalist Huw Costin, Torn Sail go all 60s West Coast rock on us with the gloriously rich sounds of "Birds". From its acoustic beginnings the track gradually unfurls into a delightful groove embellished by soothing vocal harmonies. It's almost a thankless task enlisting anyone to try and remix what sounds like a perfect song, but Claremont 56 obviously chose right in requesting the services of Tiago. In the Portuguese producer's hands "Birds" is transformed into a heavily psychedelic freakout which gently develops into a kraut rock behemoth filled with swathes of heavy organ vibes. Containing several shifts in momentum - including a glorious half speed finish - this is a truly stunning remix which left our jaws occupying the floor!

Review: As he did to celebrate Claremont 56's fifth birthday, Paul "Mudd" Murphy has enlisted the help of the Idjut Boys to mark the passing of the label's first decade. This time round, the long-serving dub disco duo has put together a spellbinding, two-disc mix of specially commissioned material. Of course, they've gone to town, blending the label's 10th birthday tracks with oodles of dub delay, all manner of trippy effects, and a swathe of their own specially prepared dubs, DJ tools and re-edits. These intoxicating, mind altering versions are showcased in unmixed form on disc three, following two discs of horizontal Balearic bliss, slow-dance goodness and the impossible-to-pigeonhole antics of Can founder Holgar Czukay.

Review: Paul 'Mudd' Murphy has form when it comes to putting together must-have vinyl box sets. A few years back, he brought the Originals series of Balearic compilations to a close with a fine box set. Now, to celebrate the 10th birthday of his Claremont 56 label, he's put together another lavishly produced, five-vinyl set, this time made up of brand new or previously unheard material. As you'd expect, highlights come thick and fast, from the dubbed-out quirkiness of Holgar Czukay's "Music To Be Murdered By" and the rubbery electrofunk of Phil Mison's remix of FreshRo's "Pacific State", to the samba-boogie of Jex Opolis's remix of Paraiso, and deep space Balearic bliss of Leo Cecranti's "Andromeda Bound". Throw in killer reworks from Lexx, Bjorn Torske, Ron Trent, Larry Heard, Emperor Machine, and Murphy himself, and you have an essential collection.