Husky Loops - 'Huskmas (Husky Christmas)' Mix

At Christmas it is better to give than to receive, an old adage I'll admit but one that still holds true. No matter if you're not religious, or so jaded by excessive commercialisation that your humbug is set to Maximum Bah, the simple joy of seeing someone's face light up when they receive a present fair warms the heart (even that of a beardy curmudgeon like me). It doesn't have to be a big gift, a nice gift or even a physical gift; a hug perhaps, a smile or, better yet, a virtual mixtape (it's Christmas so forgive the tedious preamble).

London-based electro-indie-rock trio Husky Loops have had a fun-packed year spent recording, releasing new music and touring the UK & mainland Europe (including a stopover at Reykjavik's Iceland Airwaves Festival), finding time to sign for Danger Mouse's 30th Century Records along the way. They're a talented bunch of very nice chaps, and I'm not just saying that because they were excellent when I caught them at Southampton's legendary Joiners in February (even though they were), who I expect to hear a lot more of in 2019.

To wrap up what has been, in their own words, "an incredible year for Husky Loops" the trio have conjured up a mix, featuring a new song of theirs and a hand-picked selection of festive favourites, and posted it to SoundCloud (a note of caution, the mix will only be available until New Year's Eve).  



It's a nice pre-drinks mix of tunes, with maybe a song or two that you've not heard of (or not heard in awhile), so pour yourself an Egg Nog and enjoy.

Curxes - 'I Believe in Father Christmas'

If I didn't know better I'd say there were Elves on the Isle of Wight, escaped from the North Pole to fashion festive electronica and ambient sounds, for it's from across the water that this suitably Yuletide gem hails. 

From their Vectis base Curxes have taken on Greg Lake's 1975 Christmas tune, I Believe In Father Christmas, and created a beautifully delicate, dark and melancholy version of a classic.




Curxes have form for spinning a dark Christmas cover, their version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, recorded several years back for the excellent Breaking More Waves blog, is also well worth a listen/purchase.

CHAOS: 20 years and out

It's hard to believe I know but Chaos, Portsmouth's legendary alternative club night, is 20 years old this year. Since its inception in 1991 its entertained thousands with its fresh and dirty approach to music, first at South Parade Pier and, more recently, at the Wedgewood Rooms. Along the way its twice won The News' Guide Awards Best Club Night & Best DJs and has quite comfortably become the South Coast's longest running independent club night.

The 20th anniversary Chaos is scheduled for Saturday 26th November but, before you get a hankering for a slice of cake, any celebration must be tempered by the knowledge that it will also be the last Chaos; after 20 years of outstanding club nights the good people behind the scenes have decided to call it a day. The reasons behind the decision are both straightforward (20 years is a long time) and logical (there are many more pubs and venues offering a wide choice of music, wider than when the club night started) and fully explained on their website.

Over the years I've had some very good and, on occasion, very bad nights at Chaos, pretty much dependent on the amount of alcohol imbibed (more beer = more jumping around like a loonie). I'm old enough to (hazily) remember loud and raucous nights at the Albert Tavern on South Parade Pier, hopping over the moat of broken glass at the bar to get the beers in (and never risking the Sangria). I'd awake the next morning a fetid mess, wreathed in the smell of cigarette smoke and stale alcohol. Good times indeed.

Before it goes the way of Topdoris there are still a few opportunities to experience 'that Chaos feeling' before the lights finally dim over the wheels of steel; first up is this coming Saturday 8th October (£5 advance), then there's the legendary Halloween Special on Saturday 29th October (£6 advance). That sets things up nicely for the final Chaos, a two room celebration featuring DJs both old and current, all of whom will be spinning a cavalcade of Chaos classics (fingers crossed for Limp Bizkit's cover of Faith). Tickets will be £7 in advance and should be available soon. 

See you down the front then, yes?

Moi Caprice - The Town And The City

My copy of Moi Caprice's latest album, The Art Of Kissing Properly, arrived the other day and has soon become one with my CD deck. It won't budge, it can't be moved, it just demands to be played over and over again.

Part of the reason for this is tracks like this one:



H'mm. They must be putting something in the water in Denmark.