>> Troubleman
bio: Far Out Recordings are proud to release ?The First Phase?, the new album by Troubleman aka Mark Pritchard, this March 2005. A collection of new exclusives, hard-to-find remixes and early tracks, ?The First Phase? shows the development of Mark?s inimitable Troubleman style. It?s not hard to see why his effortless blend of hip-hop, funk, soul, drum ?n? bass, electro, easy listening, reggae and Detroit techno has won him fans as diverse as Kenny Dope, Carl Craig, Jazzy Jeff, Seiji, Zed Bias and Gilles Peterson. ?The First Phase? gathers together four new exclusive tracks produced by Mark since ?Time Out Of Mind? was released, plus six formative early Troubleman cuts and Mark Pritchard remixes previously only ever released on LTD 12? runs and now available for the first time together on CD.
NEW EXCLUSIVES: Originally intended to be opposite sides of a funk-reggae 7?, ?The First Phase? and ?Intergalactic You, Intergalactic Me? show Mark?s love for all things dub. ?The First Phase? is reminiscent of the dub step sound Mark has pioneered alongside long time cohort Danny Breaks, whilst ?Intergalactic You...? gives praise to Jamaica?s finest The Upsetters. Detroit techno has always been an influence for Mark and is apparent on the next exclusive, the full on motor city banger ?The Switch?. The final exclusive cut is ?The Otherness?, a slice of deep twisted breaks with a Global Communications vibe.
CLASSIC REMIXES: The Troubleman project was born sometime around 98 following the two now legendary remixes Mark completed of Azymuth tracks for Far Out: ?Carambola? (1998) and ?Pieces Of Ipanema? (1999), both of which are featured here. These, alongside his remix of Stereo?s ?Stereo People? were formative in encapsulating the Troubleman dancefloor sound that is loved by both house and broken beat heads. Over to Mark: ?I was really trying to get away from four to the floor but at the same time keep a groove in my club stuff, inspired by Kenny Dope?s tracks that didnt have straight beats and the hip hop I was then making. I?ve always been into Azymuth and the chance to remix them was great. With ?Carambola? I used the bassline from the original and built a new track around it. I was also really happy with the ending section when it go into a more electronic vibe, its one of my favourite mixes ever?. Despite being five years old these mixes still rough the dancefloor as well as any current big tune.
DELETED EARLY CUTS: Alongside Tom Middleton, Mark was the other half of Global Communication and the Jedi Knights and fans of these seminal 90s electronic acts will delight at tracks on ?The First Phase? such as, ?The Messenger? where Mark incorparates Detroit techno sounds and textures with electro breaks and 2-step rumblings, and ?Lullaby? which sounds like the Godfather JB getting down in Detroit. These two gems and ?Where We Stand? are all cuts released on the first two Troubleman 12s which are now deleted.
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