V/A - GREAT SUMMERGAMES STUFF | FLY

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The 2008 summer games in Beijing have had a rough journey to date on a number of accounts but there’s not going to be much of a disagreement that Rainer and his team have come up with a great concept and compilation that will last much longer than the two weeks of athletic effort in the capital of China.

In fact, the label released an excellent ‘trial run’ of a compilation earlier this year with Great Carnival Stuff (and it’s an album that was particularly deserving of out support as it earlier this year). Great Summergames Stuff is as equally full of wonderful exclusive tracks.

None better than the start off track with our favourite Austrian duo Makossa & Megablast who decided to pay tribute to Tibet, although they recently played a FanZone gig after a Euro08 game. Watch out for mantra spoken by Konchok Yoenten: Düsum Sangye (The Prayer to Guru Rinpoche for Removing Obstacles and Fulwilling Wishes: Guru Rinpoche, the Buddha of past, present and future. “Dewa Chenpo” - Guru of Great Bliss-the source of all the Siddhis. “Düd Dül Drakpo Tsal” - Wrathful One that subdues Negativity - who removes all obstacles. Grant your blessings we pray! Through them, may all obstacles-outer, inner and secret-be quelled, and may all our aspirations be fulfilled. It sounds heavy but it just adds some context to what is great dance track which is what M&M excel at all day long.

If there is a theme to this journey around the globe in music, it is that some artists have tried to incorporate their “traditional” music into their usually tech/house club style. Possibly the most notable in this respect comes from ‘Syria’ by Amir, Markus Mehta’s (modern day) ‘India’, a hybrid track of ethno-ping-pong via ‘Turkey’ (not that known for the game, an alternative ‘China’?) and Mihalis Safras from the spiritual home of the games, ‘Greece’.

Some seem to get a little confused and/or revert to national stereotype a la Etienne De Crécy on ‘France’ with the emphasis on opening the bottle of fiz, champagne anyone? Yes, please - top vintage and tuned in to pop your cork off. Not sure if Namito gets it on ‘Iran’ but if this what ‘Iran’ sounds like, I’ll be going and OK Corral is priceless.

And then some just go for a dance floor rave up like the imaginary boy from Napoli’s Underground, Danilo Vigorito (‘Italy’) and those bad boys from Botchit & Scarper, Atomic Hooligan, NZ’s rave up merchant Greg Churchill and one of the most prolific artists around, Lützenkirchen who’s even got a UK imprint now! His track ‘Cuba’ even sounds like a warped up version of the Dr. Who theme and ends CD2 on a high.

GusGus keep there ‘Iceland’ very minimal (who said like their medal tally is going to be?) and the album is fully populated with some of your (and Rainer Weichhold’s) favourite Great Stuff Recording, Craft Music, Kling Klong and Swings Records artists plus some new names (to me at least). Like Tommy Trash’s ‘Australia’ has the most exquisite use of a whistle that you’re ever likely to hear (outside of Studio 54).

What of Germany you ask? They get two goes. Swen Weber takes over ‘Germany’ with an awesome big beat with huge traditional Bavarian March sample and Tomcraft takes gets back to the ping-pong table with ‘Bavaria’ (is that cheating?)

As the idea is not the winning but the taking part, this album is a soundtrack to the festival of sport that will long outlast the two weeks the Olympics will take. It starts on 8th August if you’ve already forgot and, as they say, never right off the Germans; especially as Stefan Schumacher has worn yellow for two days now! But all credit to Mark Cavendish superb performance yesterday. Chappeaux one and all. Kraftwerk would be proud of you all whilst the CD is getting early support from all the big boys djs like Tiger Stripes, John Dahlbäck, Stephan Bodzin, Tocadisco, Paolo Mojo, Adam Freeland, Peter Kruder, Joseph Capriati, Roland Appel, Style Of Eye, Slam. Get the CD and find out what makes them get excited.

Reviewed: V/A - Great Summergames Stuff (Great Stuff) Cat. No. GSRCD007 Release date: 21st July 2008
tracklisting CD1:
1. Makossa & Megablast ft. Kuchok Yoenten - Tibet
2. Amir - Syria
3. Namito - Iran
4. Butch - Turkey
5. Danilo Vigorito - Italy
6. Etienne De Crécy - France
7. Swen Weber - Germany
8. David Amo & Julio Navas - Spain
9. Tomcraft - Bavaria
10. Aldrin & Akien - Singapur
11. Fergie - Ireland
12. Ramon Tapia - Belgium
CD2:
1. Tokyo Black Star - Japan
2. Rui Da Silva - Portugal
3. Markus Mehta - India
4. Gusgus - Iceland
5. Mihalis Safras - Greece
6. Steve Angello pres. Who’s Who? - Sweden
7. OK Corral - Romania
8. Atomic Hooligan - England
9. Greg Churchill - New Zealand
10. Tommy Trash - Australia
11. Lucca - Czech Republic
12. Lützenkirchen - Cuba

Links
www.greatstuff.eu
www.makossa-megablast.com
www.myspace.com/makossamegablast
16th June 2008: “Makossa and Megablast will be playing at the Volksgarten Banane for our Puma friends too. Check that, should be mental after the Austria vs. Germany game.”
www.namito.com
www.myspace.com/namito
www.danilovigorito.com www.myspace.com/danilovigorito
www.atomichooligan.com
www.myspace.com/atomichooligan
www.myspace.com/gregchurchilldj
www.gusgus.com
www.myspace.com/mihalissafras
www.swenweber.com
www.myspace.com/tommytrashspace