Following on from Cruisic`s cracking cover of 808 State`s Second Summer Of Love rave classic, Pacific, my friends at Tokyo`s fabulous Flower Records have a fresh, very fine, version excursion lined-up for their next 45. 

Released today, for Record Store Day, expanded to a swinging sextet, Onegram, deliver a live funk reading of Kraftwerk`s electronic landmark, Trans Europe Express. Featuring vododer-ed and spoken narration – an itinerary, I guess, for those groovy people onboard and along for the rocking ride – and a wah-wah guitar ringing behind those famous synth sequences. There’s a scorching saxophone solo, before the second half of the track, shifts gears, and like a runaway train, races at double time.

My talented tomodachi, Coastlines` Masanori Ikeda takes over the driver`s seat for the remix, and transforms the tune with some old school Miami Bass TR-808 boom and rattle. Building a busy, bubbling movement of machined marimba. The sax now squeezed out as a free jazz skronk. Electric electro fire music. Fans, followers, of the mighty Balearic Mike, should note that Mr. Smith put in an order well over a week ago. 

Onegram`s Trans Europe Express is released today on Flower Records.

A big Thank you! to Eitetsu Takamiya.