Gilles Peterson announced on his show this morning that he was going to do a special show to celebrate Ninja Tunes’ 20th Birthday “as one of the most consistant labels” but there’s lots more than that going on!
And by coincidence, we previously mentioned that Mount Kimbie have remixed Andreya Triana’s single ‘ A Town Called Obsolete’ and Ninja Tune are kindly giving it away as part of their ongoing Ninja Tune XX Series of free downloads as a run up to the very impressive 20th Anniversary Box Set release. A remix of the track from dubstep pioneer Mala will also form part of the large collection of exclusive remixes featured on the compilation, plus there’s also a new song ‘Wonder When’ from Bonobo and Andreya Triana.
And if you can’t remember 20 years ago, Ninja Tunes have reminded us that back then, when Margaret Thatcher was still – just – in power, Nelson Mandela had just been released from prison, the World Cup was won not by Germany but by West Germany and a man called Tim Berners-Lee published a formal proposal for something esoteric called the World Wide Web. And two young DJ/producers, fresh from their success with the likes of household names such as Yazz and Lisa Stansfield as well as in their own right, returned from a tour of Japan sick of major label bullsh*t and decided to set up on their own. These two fresh-faced young men, Jon More and Matt Black, collectively known as Coldcut, made NINJA TUNE.
Twenty years! Twenty fu*king years!? That’s a long time for anything, but for an independent record label it’s aeons. So yes, we are going to make a fuss. Yes, we are going to celebrate. But this will not be a tired cash-in, a festival of re-tread or an orgy of old. NO! We are focussing on new material, new newness.
Visit the special site (see links below) for a and the info on the gigs, competitions, free weekly downloads and the incredible XX Box Set!
On September 20th we release an all out, big-as-big-bollo*ks boxed set with stupendous artwork from none other than Ninja designer Openmind. The set will consist of three hardcover cases in a hardback box, all beautifully made and with foil-blocked text and loveliness. These cases will in turn contain the following material:
Case 1 – 6 CDs of music (2 CDs will be material only available in this box set)
Case 2 – 6 x 7″ singles in a hardback book (all material only available in this box set) + an inner pocket with a Ninja family tree poster by Nigel Peake + Sleeve Cover Poster + Ninja Tune XX Sticker Sheet
Case 3 – Exclusive Hardback edition of Black Dog Publishing book ‘NINJA TUNE: 20 Years of Beats & Pieces’ by Stevie Chick (hardback edition only available in this box set)
It will include new exclusive tracks from: Amon Tobin, Roots Manuva, Kid Koala, Mr Scruff, The Bug, Jaga Jazzist, Bonobo, Toddla T, Blockhead, Daedelus, Dorian Concept, Two Fingers, Zomby, Luke Vibert, DJ Vadim, King Cannibal, Jammer, Shuttle, The Heavy, Yppah, zero dB and more to be announced. Plus a few choice overlooked favourites and rarities. Plus new exclusive remixes from: Switch, Henrik Schwarz, Autechre, Modeselektor, Matthew Herbert, Zomby, Toddla T, Cut Chemist, Roots Manuva, Gold Panda, Mark Pritchard, Amorphous Androgynous, Rustie, Actress, Tom Middleton, Micachu, Metronomy, Gaslamp Killer, Kronos Quartet, Tunng, Mala, El-P (and EL-B) and more to be announced.
The material not exclusive to the box will also be available on download stores and ordinary CDs in the shops.
Links:
ninjatunexx.net
Gilles Peteson 01.09.10 Mount Kimbie in session at Maida Vale www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/gillespeterson
