On the eighth day of Choonsmas, a treat to marvel forrrrr....here prancing n dancing come the Trouserlings, led by the red-haired Rua(ri)! 🦌
We arrived at Dekmantel Selectors 2019 as a group of 8, where we realised we needed to name our merry-band. Included with Ruari & the Trouserlings were 3 of us Peppers. Upon the moonlit beach of the Garden resort, The Trouser was formed as a pack of Elders and Youngers, Peppers and their A-pepper-prentices, and as brothers and friends. Growing up round the corner in fabled Stockport, 3 of the 4 Trouserlings are family and friends who have been doing our collective nuts in since around 2004 (1998 if you ask EJ!). Over recent years they have grown denser with the addition of Cheltenham’s very own walking hairbrush, Mish. They can now be found often guided, as they were at ‘Leccies’, by a wiser, older, warden-like figure of the Trouser, Ruari; who never lets them go too far astray on their path of tyrannical destruction. Our time in Croatia seemed to age and weary the young Trouserlings, and they have since become a sort of understudy to us older Peppers… Over-looking their rascal chat and nonsensical made-up language, we summoned an inkling of pride in seeing them take the reigns of our monthly show this November.
Whilst we are proud of them, we trust Ruari has helped to guide Dylan, Mark, Cregg & Mish to provide picks that are not reflective of their true shadow characters…
On the eighth day of Choonsmas, a treat to marvel forrrrr....here prancing n dancing come the Trouserlings, led by the red-haired Rua(ri)! 🦌
We arrived at Dekmantel Selectors 2019 as a group of 8, where we realised we needed to name our merry-band. Included with Ruari & the Trouserlings were 3 of us Peppers. Upon the moonlit beach of the Garden resort, The Trouser was formed as a pack of Elders and Youngers, Peppers and their A-pepper-prentices, and as brothers and friends. Growing up round the corner in fabled Stockport, 3 of the 4 Trouserlings are family and friends who have been doing our collective nuts in since around 2004 (1998 if you ask EJ!). Over recent years they have grown denser with the addition of Cheltenham’s very own walking hairbrush, Mish. They can now be found often guided, as they were at ‘Leccies’, by a wiser, older, warden-like figure of the Trouser, Ruari; who never lets them go too far astray on their path of tyrannical destruction. Our time in Croatia seemed to age and weary the young Trouserlings, and they have since become a sort of understudy to us older Peppers… Over-looking their rascal chat and nonsensical made-up language, we summoned an inkling of pride in seeing them take the reigns of our monthly show this November.
Whilst we are proud of them, we trust Ruari has helped to guide Dylan, Mark, Cregg & Mish to provide picks that are not reflective of their true shadow characters…
We hope you enjoy sifting through our proper mixed bag of tunes that have soundtracked an incredibly west period in history. We feel these releases have been on the ride with us and deserve acknowledgement. What better way than a big old peppered round up eh?
Ruari: Ok it came out in December 2019 allow me! It 100% got me through the start of this year, leading into the Covid madness that ensued. Toeing the line between Dark and Minimal Wave beautifully. Its hauntingly melodic lyrics, coupled with a stabbing beat, are what make it really stand out for me. ‘Trust’ sort of makes you feel like you’re sad, on Halloween, in the 80s –– but you like it for some reason. This was my go to commute song in January, to wake me up. Remember commuting? Nar me either…
Dylan: It does exactly what it says on the tin; ‘Four Amazing Tracks’. Lilipulu managed to pack so much into this EP and I’ll never be able to pin it down. As soon as I heard ‘A2’, I really fell in love with this release and wanted everyone to hear it too. It really is a chuffin’ belter.
Mark: This year's first choice was an easy one given the beautiful debut full length LP from Lyon's Organizatsiya, released on Knekelhuis back in October. Soothing acoustic melodies weave seamlessly through hypnotic IDM iterations, while alluring french spoken word, that emerges in seemingly unexpected places, dances playfully between the two. On paper it doesn’t sound like a combination that would work particularly well. But Organizatsiya have pieced these sounds together expertly; producing a heavily textured record that constantly keeps you on your toes.
Track Highlight: Organizatsiya - Die idee der toleranz
Matt: My personal standout from the excellent two part tape from London rapper Clbrks and producer Morriarchi. The beats on this tape are all ridiculously tight, perfectly complimenting Clbrks wordplay and relaxed flow. The sheer quantity and quality of material both of these guys are releasing at the moment is crazy, Clbrks output for 2020 standing tall at two albums, 3 EPs and a half dozen features. Expecting big things from him in 2021 after his signing to Blah and recent involvement in COTD
Mish: What I love the most about this album is how astonishingly well the simple juxtaposition of hard and soft is achieved. The hypnotic and transcending sound design is coupled with dusty, yet pounding breaks and slamming drum tracks in a way that would slap iiiiiinside but would be more than appropriate for listening elsewhere. What also stands out for me in this record is how Andrea comfortably operates at a wide range of tempo whilst baring a variety of stylistic influences from the club music realm. I’ve listened to it countless times since it’s release and it just doesn’t seem to get old. In its sonic vastness there appears to be countless subtly nuanced details that you can hone in on with each listen that may have gone previously unseen.
Ruari: Had to shout this one out real quick. My guy Joe Morton, dropping this dead lovely, summery, synthy EP that definitely brought a smile to my face on various occasions throughout this shit year. Released on Shadow City under his JJ MORTIE alias, making disco/nu disco focused stuff, darker and chuggery stuff under Jay Gadian which has caught the eye of object blue on a number of occasions.
Dylan: This album accompanied many late night drawing/working sessions. Sometimes i’d just let it repeat, and each time it felt new. It’s a wonderful, seamless journey and is a testament to just how talented Suzanne Kraft is. He tells stories and I reckon we are blessed by his prolificacy.
Matt: The title track from the first 'The Key to Our Love' compilation from Symphonical Records, taking an in depth look into Black and Brown American soul music. The compilation pulls a lot of rarities including some previously only private pressed singles which produces some complete unknowns. A huge variety of tracks on this compilation make it a real treat, described as 'super-sweet low-rider/gangster/chicano soul' and I can't do any better than that.
Mish: There are no real separations between the individual tracks in this album, encouraging a continuous audible experience. A blissful and oceanic journey that morphs gradually over time makes me feel as if I’m transcending through dream-like states, carried on the back of Python’s tough syncopated riddims. Seamless transition between tracks is something that I love about an album that you sadly don’t see so often these days, especially in the club music world. So it’s really nice to have something that you can really zone out to for a short while.
Mark: In the final instalment of a proper beltin warrior themed trilogy of battle-ready slammers released on Antinote; D.K's Rising EP holds 4 incredible club-ready, EBM tinged drivers that are sure to get yer blood flowing. Admittedly, this was a release in December of last year, but was a discovery made because of none other than this rag tag bunch of semi peppered lot when they brought Solar n Mozhgan down to Bristol the following January, who subsequently opened with the punchy electro-style drums of Frozen Sword. Each track as good as the last. All-killer no-filler.
Track Highlight: D.K. - Frozen Sword
Ruari: Not a Christmas song, but every year since I can remember my Dad lights the fire and puts the vinyl of Irish Heartbeat — crackle of the fire and crackle of the record is an undefeated combo. This is the tune from that album that really stands out for me and is incredibly nostalgic. My brothers and I trying to sing the words in Irish, but remembering we don’t speak Gaelic, is a Christmas must.
Dylan: This will always be a Christmas tune in my eyes. Purely because it reminds me of sitting round my dining table on Christmas day after too many rounds of consequences and shot Jenga.
Matt: Incredibly crease / genius mashup tape from Cookin Soul, perfectly blending Doom acapellas with classic christmas songs made into delicious beats. Found this last Christmas thank you to the YouTube Algo Gods and have been patiently waiting to rinse this again in a festive setting. This is the opening track, who knew you could make Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire slap?
Mark: What’s more festive than the mashup of a jolly christmas tune with a 90s techno classic? Two genres which are probably the antithesis of each other, yes. But Christmas is all about love and harmony, right?
Mish: This had to make a feature simply because of how jokes it was when a yung Piggybankshoe drew for this festive stinker at the Loose Knees Christmas party last year. A weaponized trance edit of ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ will forever be crease and go off like no other dumb merry party starter.
[We couldn't find the individual track but this megamix of the B-side of the album is definitely a suitable sub, starting with the chosen track too!]
Ruari: Might sound mad, but being made redundant gave me the opportunity to reevaluate what I wanted to do with my life. Now I’m actually working towards something worthwhile.
Dylan: Kicking off the year with Semi P putting Mozhgan and Solar on at the island was honestly mega. After that shit went a bit South, but I thoroughly enjoyed using all my free time to work on loads of art work.
Mark: Getting a 1st in my dissertation which i wrote from my bedroom during lockdown #1, and landing myself in a sick job in the height of lockdown #2
Matt: Mozhgan and Solar closing out the Island and shelling it out on the first Trouserling show.
Mish: Little did i know these would be the last parties I'd go to for the foreseeable, Timedance 5th bday and Semi Peppered present Mozghan & Solar were absolute bangers to go out on. 2 of my fave parties to date and both highlights of 2020 for me. Another highlight would be my first solo commercial release via All Centre
All: After individually answering this question we realised we were all longing for the same thing: To get sweaty in the mix again with our pals. To chat raw at the back of the club and get active at the front. You know the drill. Hopefully that isn't too much to ask? Nice one
Taïga: There’s going to be no jungle / 160 I’m afraid, if anyone wants to hear our fave selections from that genre they can just listen to any of our sets! Mia: 2021 has been a great year for music, much like last year, the year before that, and all the other years. I don’t really think it’s possible for there to be an entire year where the whole planet collectively just puts out shit music, even if artists like Burial are giving it their best shot.
Ed: My selections reflect exactly what I’ve been listening to over the last year or two - lots of slow music to soundtrack many days spent at home. I’ve thrown one freaky dance tune in there for good measure, to keep the aliens over at Semi Peppered happy. Ben: Mad dog by name mad dog by nature, woof woof MLE: I am so strong haha
Here’s a lil selection of a few of my fave tracks that have gone into Ambient Babestation Meltdown mixes this year, and a few tracks that I plan to feature in upcoming mixes. Finding new music was never a problem working at Rye Wax, but as we’ve been shut since March I’ve been having to dig A LOT DEEPER and I think it’s helped make my mixes a lot weirder haha. Please enjoy my selection and dream of the day we can all float about the club in silly outfits and silly states once again.
SP: It's actually entirely to do with the pubs reopening. Enjoy with caution
Here are some of my top listens this year - ones that I've been playing and replaying. Most have been released in 2020, with a sprinkle of oldies too. I inevitably remembered loads that should be in here after making this, but I hope in sifting through this list there will be some enjoyable/meaningful listens in store for Semi Peppered friends and followers 🐇
Some of the stuff we have been digging this year and personal finds!
What ho!? The sun has shone, the birds have tweep tweeped and the second edition of our Peppered Digs is launched for public enjoyment. Celebrate the springtime harbingers with some bangers in bloom :)
A varying degree of musical tastes seem to exist within the Left, Right & Centre camp between ourselves so there may be a bit of disparity between each of our selections. However I think we can both agree that it’s been a topsy turvy year, but there has been lots of highs for us as a label and party, as well as individually. Huge shout out to all the crews doing the do and pushing things along in Manchester and further afield, and of course a big thank you to the Semi Peppered dons for getting us involved.
I mostly mix techno / breaks / house / fusion music. So I’ve tried to include six tunes that showcase these genres as much as possible! One thing I’ve learned from mixing is that there is endless music to explore and to never make your mind up on whether or not you like an entire genre! Fusing elements of one genre into another is a real game changer for me :)
Tracy: The selections picked by us are tunes that we’ve rinsed a lot this year and played quite often on our radio shows. I think they represent our sound as individual DJs but also as a collective.
In no particular order these are our top releases from 2020. Coincidentally featuring plenty of previous Cue guests (we’re not biased, honest) alongside some other favourites.
We’re Emma and Jonah, old friends and lifelong music obsessives. We both share a love for tunes that make us nostalgic for a neon lit past that didn’t happen. If it clears the floor, we want more.
Compiling this list for the SP crew made me realise how many amazing releases came out this year, a cause for celebration in a year of woe. This list scrapes the tip of the iceberg in terms of what I’ve enjoyed, but I have somehow narrowed it down to 8 LPs of 2020 that I have been rinsing and repeating.
Here's some choons, new and old that kept us going in this weird as hell year. Hope you enjoy.
I really had to stop myself from putting Babyfather’s ‘Meditation’ as my sole entry to this list because I’ve been playing that every day for the last three years. I thought it would be best to solely focus on tracks that have been released this year so here’s a list of my faves. Most of them have been included in mixes and radio shows and danced to in my parents’ living room.
Taïga: There’s going to be no jungle / 160 I’m afraid, if anyone wants to hear our fave selections from that genre they can just listen to any of our sets! Mia: 2021 has been a great year for music, much like last year, the year before that, and all the other years. I don’t really think it’s possible for there to be an entire year where the whole planet collectively just puts out shit music, even if artists like Burial are giving it their best shot.
This has been a weird af year but here are some highlights from us which we hope you enjoy. Special shout out to Goutham for having the self control to not list Cockroach - Pearl (Bright Edit) [COMPOSE] {1996} multiple times.
Apologies! I’ve not bought a new release since the Music from Memory Almost Grown record, which was still a reissue haha! These ones are some of my fave digs from the year - a mixture of cheap and hard to find stuff, records that I have wanted for a while but managed to cop this year. Lots of digging and hermiting time, hope you like them/find them interesting! Merry xmas 💖💖 xx
d. clemente: Same as last year, I am here with a whole selection of dance music (sorry I actually don’t listen to anything else lol) that made me go like “wow, yeehaw, yes, alright alright, mmmmm”. DJ SWEAT: *siren plays* D-D-D-D-DJ SWEAT on tha haus! *toilet sound* merry all! *jingle jingle*
ETN: "We've spent most of the year agonisingly far apart from each other so our choices and highlights feel very unconnected. Doing our Noods shows as socially-distanced fb-chat b2bs has been an interesting diversion, but we're longing for the affectionate chaos of the studio sessions. We all miss each other and hopefully next year will be full of the shared experiences and connection that are the best things about being a Shrubbery!" Chukwudi: "Having blown my last ETN royalty cheque investing in phonecards, I've asked the band to get together for one last reunion gig so that I can keep the lights on this Christmas. Unfortunately all the clubs are closed so I've had to make do with an (apparently unpaid) spot on the semi peppered xmas countdown instead."
Ed: My selections reflect exactly what I’ve been listening to over the last year or two - lots of slow music to soundtrack many days spent at home. I’ve thrown one freaky dance tune in there for good measure, to keep the aliens over at Semi Peppered happy. Ben: Mad dog by name mad dog by nature, woof woof MLE: I am so strong haha
We’re long time friends and musical collaborators born and raised in Sheffield and now living West of the Pennines in Manchester. We spent some years in Sheffield running ‘Don’t Look Now’, a series of ludicrous parties, expressing our shared love of club culture and the musical heritage of the Steel City. Having temporarily taken a step back from promotion we now also host a monthly radio show called Roadside Picnic in which we can explore our more otherworldly thoughts and dreams.
Our top 8 tracks of 2020 (we’ve listened to tonnes of old ones from the 80s through out the digging process but we’ve tried to keep this strictly 2020 - with some of our fave oldies thrown in) but also less club focussed as clubbing seems so redundant right now (although we have thrown a few heaters in for you). A mixed bag for a funny old time!
SP: Huge shouts to everyone who was there for us and supported us in music and beyond last year, we look forwards to sharing good times together again soon!
The Trouserlings + Papi Ruari bring you another collection of varied morsels to warm the cockles. Here is to another year of following the Semi Peppered boys blindly into the sun.
2020 has been tough, and we’ve been fortunate enough to get through it with the help of those close to us. Now we hope you can join us in looking to 2021 as another year to be inspired by one another, and to keep on keeping on together.
Robbie: "Some highlights from a rollercoaster year, remembering the soundtrack of initial lockdown turmoil to reminiscing about the last tunes heard in the club." David: "As someone whose main hobby is clubbing and nightlife, this year I haven't stopped listening to dance music. Here's some new tunes I really look forward to listening to on a big soundsystem."
MLE: Hi, you may remember me from radio stations such as Balamii, Noods, Worldwide FM and the occasional guest appearances on NTS. Find my 2020 highlights alongside my fav bunch of dawgs…May 2021 be infinitely less painful. Solway Canine Collective: Ruff noises straight from the kennel. Another year of gutter tunes from the junkyard dawgs.
Not much new music in here (we’re crap at keeping up to date), but lots of goodies that we’ve played and enjoyed both inside and outside the space this year
Tried to keep it as weird as possible. And shed some light on some smaller acts from Bristol to Chicargooooooo.
Thank you to everyone that has been a part of Choonsmas this year, it's been a lovely way to end a turbulent year <3
