Mixed Signals / Miss At Your Peril

Mixed Signals is a new label – a collaboration between Seance Centre, Smiling C, and Left Ear Records. The label launches on March 27th with a trio of 12s that you’ll miss at your peril. Reissues of near un-Google-able private pressings. If the signals are mixed, well there’s no confusing their purpose as all 3 are aimed at the heart of the mirror-balled floor.

Harold Lucious` Reconnections is a 4-track cherry-pick from the Brooklyn-ite`s self-produced, and distributed, 1990 LP, Connections. Songs ranging in tempo between slow, sparse, seductive drum and key scapes to Prince-influenced sexy dancers. Big bass synths and crazy latino machines providing a “ride” that offers to “turn you out”. What Does It Take boasts West Phillips-esque pianos, while I Like It has a touch the Bobby-Os about it. Snares snapping like BDSM whips cracking.

Outta NewJersey are Eros, with 2 takes on their 1989 release, Go For It. The demo version, made for Motown, is an infectious male vocal-led, jazz-funk jam, originally cut as a 4-piece in 1985. For the `89 rework, reduced to a a duo, they get far more electronic, with drum machines backing the clipped guitar and slapped bass. Synths swirling around the classy clav. Lead genders are swapped, and the boys instead stick to shouting encouragement. Something of a mini epic, over the course of its seven minutes, the tune gets increasingly spaced out. Bouyant and upbeat, the breakdown is an electro arcade game accompanied by frantic six-string strum. Emitting a strong 80s London warehouse party vibe, it could be Colourbox hi-jacking Hi-Tension`s Brit-Funk.

From Chicago come LITIA=LOE – Life In The Insane Asylum = Life On Earth. Their Each Dawn Every Dawn is rude, ruff, and raw house music – made in a basement by acolytes of legendary Chi-Town establishments such as Medusa`s, Power Plant and The Warehouse. Committed to tape by four friends, the morning after, still wired from the night before. Inspired by Nitzer Ebb, Bauhaus, and Chris & Cosey, the track pounds – and I mean pounds – in a place pitched between Jamie Principle and Twilight 22. A dark, urban, sci-fi gothic, where eerie synths and gated sequences surround a dubbed, deranged reality rap. The bass, relentless, ridiculous, body-shaking. Imagine Steve Moore`s predatory Panther Moderns in 80s shoulder pads. Or, a moody, mutant Nu Groove where Foremost Poets` Reasons To Be Dismal meets Alias` Civil Defense. A second more stripped back mix adds a military tattoo. Drum rolls intent on banging Ron Hardy`s Box.