Find the Abstract: Tracks Played and a Hip Hop Introduction

Stewart Gardiner shares the records he played out at the end of January and discusses bringing hip hop into the world of Concrete Islands

I wrote about playing records at a local taproom back in November and since then I’ve done it another couple of times. My end of January slot was the most fun I’ve had there so far and I felt the most comfortable since I’ve started playing out again. This was in no small part due to dropping more hip hop this time around – something I played a lot of back in the late 1990s. It went down well and there were positive vibes in what is a compact (tap)room. I therefore thought it was worth sharing what records I played.

Please bear with me before getting to the list though, since this ties into something else I wanted to talk about.

I was pleased with the scope of what we covered last year on Concrete Islands (albeit certain musical areas were only dipped into), yet I was very aware of the complete lack of hip hop coverage and was keen to address that in 2020. With that in mind, I’ve made arrangements for some new hip hop to start flowing through Concrete Islands and I’ll be reviewing where I can. If anyone has any interesting recommendations in intriguing hip hop directions or a desire to write about such then we’re all ears.

So, hip hop is on its way. Meanwhile, I’ll be playing records out more regularly. I’ve now got a monthly slot at the Muswell Hillbilly Brewers taproom and I’ll be there on the last Saturday of the month between 7.30pm and 11pm.

To distinguish this from other Concrete Islands endeavours, I’m referring to the night as Find the Abstract. I’d previously lifted the phrase from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Excursions” to use on an online flyer for my January set and, well, it seems to have stuck. I know it’s an informal thing with just me playing some records, but the phrase feels like it fits the music (from The Pastels to Public Enemy anyone?) and indeed Concrete Islands in general. Of course it also helps that I needed enough words to make a type-heavy poster…

Tracks Played on Saturday 25 January 2020

Angelo Badalamenti – Sycamore Trees (with Jimmy Scott) (WEA)

Fernando Falcão – Memória das Águas (Optimo Music / Selva Discos)

Andrew Wasylyk – Mariner’s Hymn (Athens of the North)

Pastels / Tenniscoats – Boats (Geographic)

Spirit Fest – Anohito (Till the Gate) (Morr Music)

Hairband – Flying (Monorail Music)

Dolly Mixture – Side Street Walker (Spa Green)

Algebra Suicide – Seven Song (Dark Entries)

The Velvet Underground – Heroin (Verve)

Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch – Blue Frank (Rhino)

Jorja Chalmers – She Made Him Love Again (Italians Do It Better)

Godspeed You Black Emperor! – The Dead Flag Blues (Constellation)

The Heartwood Institute – Phun City (Polytechnic Youth)

Youth Stand Up – Diloeshutubui (Autonomous Africa)

The Prunes – The Plot (Mo’ Wax)

John Williams – Parade of the Ewoks (Sony Classical)

Beastie Boys – Intergalactic (Grand Royal)

The Pharcyde – Somethin’ That Means Somethin’ (Craft)

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Education (featuring Yasiin Bey & Black Thought) (Keep Cool)

The Four Js – Will You Be My Love (Numero Group)

De La Soul – A Roller Skating Jam Named “Saturdays” (featuring Q-Tip & Vinia Mojica) (Ace)

Sam Sever – What’s That Sound? (Fucked Up Sound) (Main Cut) (Mo’ Wax)

A Tribe Called Quest – Excursions (Jive)

Public Enemy – Don’t Believe the Hype (Def Jam)

Grandmaster Flash – The Message (Sugar Hill)

Liquid Liquid – Cavern (Strut)

Blondie – Rapture (Chrysalis)

Golden Teacher – Love Rocket (Optimo Music)

Dinosaur L – Go Bang (Francois Kevorkian Mix) (Soul Jazz)

Dub Narcotic Sound System – You Fuck Me Up (K)

Peter Ivers – In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) (Sacred Bones)

Sons and Daughters – Rose Red (Domino)

Scott Walker – The Seventh Seal (Mercury)

Purple Mountains – Margaritas at the Mall (Drag City)

The Royal We – Wicked Game (Geographic)

Grauzone – Raum (Naum Gabo Rework) (WRWTFWW)

Chris & Cosey – Walking Through Heaven (Conspiracy International)

Naum Gabo – Theme for Great Cities (Optimo Music)

New Order – Age of Consent (Factory)

White Eyes – It’s for You (Numero Group)

DJ Shadow – Building Steam With a Grain of Sand (Mo’ Wax)

Loraine James – Sensual (featuring Theo) (Hyperdub)

Olde Scottish – Wildstyle (The Krush Handshake) (Mo’ Wax)

Moor Mother – Private Silence (featuring Reef the Lost Cause) (Don Giovanni)

The Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra – Gayne Ballet Suite (Khatchaturian) (MGM)