PADDED CELL

Richard Sen and Neil Higgins are not normal people. Having won notoriety as a Bronx Dog (Heavenly) and a Dirty Beatnik (Wall of Sound) respectively, Padded Cell came about in 2003, partly as a response to the conservatism of early millennium dance music but also to act as a conduit through which they could conduct and realize their most outlandish ideas.
Originally let loose in order to remix Big Two Hundred’s ‘Let it Bleed’, their first full scale release came in the Autumn of 2005 with Signal Failure, a prowling slab of sub aqua freak funk that reached like an ESP projection from within the Cell to the darkest corners of the dance floor.
With a sound that draws from sources as diverse as Goblin, The Velvet Underground, Arthur Russell, Prince, Carl Craig and label boss J Saul Kane, analogue fetishism and creeping psychosis are key themes, as is a need to create something that is both honest and unique.
It is their intent to fashion a sound that is soulful and emotional, yet also dark and narcotic; something that can be understood simultaneously by the head and the heart, getting under the skin in different ways. Rather than seeking to fit into a pre-existing niche, its about creating an idiosyncratic sound that is peculiar to their respective personalities and reflective of their combined experience.
A shared history as club deejays and producers means that even the most mind bending elements of their sound are conducted through dance floor focused channels; disco breaks and rolling percussion combining with menacing synth work outs, electro sensibilities and live instrumentation to create an unholy brew that has been described variously as ‘dark-disco’, ‘goth-disco-rock’, and perhaps most tellingly of all, ‘devils-disco’.
The Padded Cell inhabit a hinterland between many worlds and it is there that they conduct their alchemical experiments, the experiments that draw the listener into shadows with whispers and opaque promises; follow your ears and You’ll find yourself trapped within.

padded cell - are you anywhere

NEO-PROG WICKEDNESS

"I have never been one to steer clear of hyperbole, and so it is with great pride and conviction that I embark on this over- the-top endorsement of what may well be the greatest band to ever call Athens home. From their early days as post-emo-reformed-math experimenters, Maserati showed promise, but with last year's addition of dynamo Jerry Fuchs (who for my money is the greatest living rock drummer), the group embraced the misunderstood and oft-maligned universe of psychedelic rock, introducing a healthy dose of Pink Floyd and Can to their already compelling prog-punk mix. Drunk on the power of this newfound experimental freedom, Maserati continues to evolve in ways their built-in hipster audience might not fully appreciate but lovingly laps up all the same." - Ryan Lewis, Athens Banner-Herald

maserati - monoliths

GLUTTONY

During the mid to late 1970's the team of Laurin Rinder and W. Michael Lewis defined the disco sound that was coming out of Los Angeles. Their work on such projects as El Coco, Saint Tropez, Le Pamplemousse and countless others is legendary. In addition, they wrote the music to 525 television shows ("In Search Of," "Thats Incredible"), 35 films and produced 46 albums.

rinder and lewis - gluttony

BLACK DEVIL DISCO CLUB

ALBUM REVIEW FROM DISCOGS:
This is a very obscure release by one of the earliest of the euro disco artists who would later personify an entire genre. Originating from France, this release developed a major cult following all over Europe during the last 25 years and it is now considered to have been a major influence on many of the early 80's italo disco and euro disco artists who emerged on the scene shortly after this release. As for this LP - it's a 2-sided vinyl release with 6 songs all having a copycat sound effect that makes each song sound similar to the others. The only difference is a few tweeks to the synthesizer, the speed of the drum machine's BPM and some different vocals which ultimately allowed the amateur artists behind the Black Devil act to create their one and only LP. The songs were all recorded in real-time and all begin with that dark and wicked drum beat that sounds less like a disco song but more like the procession of a tribal ceremony in the jungles of Africa. Very bizarre, very rare, and very good music. Get it if you can!

"It's hard to tell whether it's a joke or not, but the original release from Black Devil Disco Club came out on Rephlex a couple years back and was reportedly originally recorded in 1978 by a mysterious French duo named Joachim Sherylee and Junior Claristidge. Eventually, it was discovered that the person behind the music was a French producer by the name of Bernard Fevre." - almostcool

black devil disco club - the devil in us (dub version)

SLOW MOTION BASS SKANK-OUT

aaron funk pillages black sabbath. thanks to chris davis for the tip! 

venetian snares - electric funeral

ROBOTIC NYMPHOMANIA

a classic and one of our favorites! enjoy. 

charlie - spacer woman