Hi friends!
Writing these lines makes me reflect on how lucky I am to be surrounded by people who love music as much as I do. In this edition of Guest Selections, I have the pleasure of welcoming my best friend, DJ & music producer in crime.
This month’s Guest Selector is:
jona’s personal computer / Jonny Sriraxa
Under the production alias jona’s personal computer, and Jonny Sriraxa as a selector and DJ, Jona has been active across the Spanish capital for years, playing in clubs like Siroco, Cadavra, Tempo Audiophile Club, Sala El Sol, and others. Jona is a founding member of local collectives Hysteria 1518 and Casa Pangea, frequently performing as half of the duo Nostalgia Futura alongside LuciB, while active in other projects as Stereo in Dub (our own venture together, soon to be unveiled). Jona’s Jamaican roots offer a distinct complexion to a diverse percussive and rhythmic range of lively sounds from dub, disco, funk, house, breaks and beyond.
You can follow his musical trips in Spotify and Instagram!
Check out his curated picks:
V4 Visions: Of Love & Androids - VA (Numero Group / V4 Visions, 2022)
#Street Soul #Boogie #House #R&B #Jungle #Drum'n'Bass
Jona: The first track on this incredible project is “I’m Believing (In Love Again)” by Maureen Mason. Word, after beginning the compilation like this, I am believing too. This UK street soul revival boasts tremendously familiar sounding but varied sonic elements, linking reggae basslines, hip hop drum machine shuffles, proto breaks, jungle and two-step, and the smoothest of vocals. Giving us a taste of artists like Rohan Delano, Ashaye, Julie Stapeleton and others, we are treated to a narrative teeming with emotional, melodic lovers rock-like sentiment expressed through UK street soul all the way through.
Earth & Nightfall - John Beltran (R & S Records, 1995)
#Techno #IDM #Ambient
Jona: Detroit producer John Beltran’s premiere album released in 1995! For me, the only thing that makes this even more spectacular than what it is on its own is the fact that Beltran’s following and better known album, Ten Days of Blue, released in 1996, is the perfect evolution of the atmospheric outlines contoured in Earth & Nightfall. Truly difficult to tag in terms of genre, fluidly brushing up against ambient, IDM, techno, Detroit, and even classical elements (cheekily enough, the interlude-like track “Vienna” is an edit of J.S.Bach - Suite No. 2 In B Minor, Badinerie).
Raving Tonight - Don Carlos and Gold (Real Authentic Sound, 1983)
#Roots Reggae #Lovers Rock
Jona: A former Black Uhuru member, Don Carlos teams up with Gold to offer a lyrically and instrumentally complete set of meds. Trying to purchase the audio CD, you may come across comments like, “Anyone who doesn't like Don Carlos doesn't like their own mother...and we all love our mothers.” Justifiable. As all of the original dub and reggae rockers assemble, Don Carlos’ soothing voice takes us through the most critical motifs of 80s roots reggae – enjoyment, love and appreciation of music, prayer and spirituality, appeals to positivity and destiny, Africanness and the like.
praise the sun god - OSCOB (Gorgeous Lights, 2022)
#Vaporwave #Ambient #Experimental #Downtempo
Jona: OSCOB is a Vaporwave / Ambient / Hardvapour artist from Germany who produced a really incredible work of art with this album. The death metal aesthetic is attractive and beautiful, although the sound delivered through this album pivots in another direction entirely. The mood toasts a uniquely stratospheric, dimly light yet naturally luminous, urbanistic but dense and natural pack of harmonic vibrations.
Being - Quiet Dawn (First Word Records, 2018)
#Broken Beat #Jazz
Jona: Delightful gem from First Word Records producer, Quiet Dawn, based in the city of Paris. This piece is a part of the EP, Human Being: The Short Story of the Reed, and is a charming rendition of rhythmic and jazzy intonations underridden by a master class in how to make jazzy percussion, basslines, and modular synths live together happily ever after, making it the perfect catalyst for a cheerful moment on a beautiful day.
That was all for this week. I hope you liked the selections :D
Enjoy the weekend and tune in next Friday for more music!
Stay groovy,
Dudier