SpaceDelica - This Week's Free Lab Radio: DJ Umb

Sometimes, you have to look back, to see the future.

A little background to this mix, by previous Free Lab Radio guest DJ Umb. The mix, originally in two parts, was triggered by a cassette mix tape: "The cassette is important because in a way it liberated me."

With retro cassette culture on the rise and labels that regularly launch on cassette (see our recent cassette-label show) it's apt that DJs and producers like DJ Umb give credit to how much these small recordables influenced our formative years.

Generation Bass blog and label founder DJ Umb explains what's behind his SpaceDelica mix:

My much older cousin who was so into Hi-NRG dance culture, gave me a hot mixtape many years ago on cassette. It was the first mixtape I had ever heard, and it blew my mind musically. Several of the tracks that I have now incorporated in this mix were on that tape cassette. The mix recreates that same vibe for me, listening to it, making it, I have that same euphoric feeling at that time. The feeling has not diminished one bit which is a testament to the timelessness of these tracks and the powerful effect of music on our souls.  

 Broadcasts Saturday Dec 19th 11-midnight GMT, repeats Thursday 2am. Listen on 104.4FM across London on you tranny dial, otherwise online with this handy player.

Casiokids Come Back

We like this too much. Possibly ten of the 40 thousand Youtube views might have been traces of us. OK maybe not, but the tight compression and the rhythm with it's mixed in African drums is just amazing. It's liberating too to have absolutely no idea what the lyrics mean, the light flow of the synths over the near-tribal drums narrates a story of its own unencumbered by "Yeah, yeah, yeah baby" or whatever it is in Norwegian. The video is typically narrative for the a-ha-endorsed Casiokids too; this is a contemporary kind of altar boy, in the super-chichi-retro temple of adoration of everything vintage. Liberated by electromagnetic TV voodoo the kid disco dances his way to the self-awareness that comes with adulthood. With nothing released since 2011 the band seemed to have underground but they were touring, appearing in pubs in the North of England and now back in Scandinavia. More recent work by the group is even more lo-fi casio, playfully delivered. What news? Watch this space!