Delusions of Grandeur B-Sides (Hardkiss Music)

“It’s a rare and dangerous sensation to cup an atomic bomb in your hands.” - Terry Matthew

Originally released on vinyl only, these three tracks were B-sides of singles that appeared on the 1995 classic Hardkiss double album Delusions of Grandeur. If Delusions… was the bomb, then these three moody remixes are some radioactive fallout from that initial blast of electronic dance music creativity.

“Raincry” by God Within was Scott Hardkiss’ breakthrough single. It began with a tribal chant sample in a small garage in Twin Peaks, San Francisco. Within the year, that chant was being dropped by DJs all around the world. This mix has a slower burn than the A-side, but all the epic emotion and drama.

“3 Moods in a Gurple Pardon” is Robbie Hardkiss’ remix of Gavin Hardkiss’ first single as Hawke. Here, the unique tech / break / house meditation “3 Nudes in a Purple Garden” gets funked up with latin percussion and a stomping bass line added to the ethereal melodies of the original.

“Steal From The Rich” is also a Robbie remix. This one is a slowed down, funked up reworking of God Within’s “The Phoenix.” Recorded in Nottingham at DIY Studios, this DC Go-Go inspired mix is quite the departure from the big, banging mixes on the original single by Rabbit in the Moon and Scott Hardkiss.

Tommie Sunshine (Brooklyn Fire / Ultra) – “This is the definitive sound of SF 90's Rave. Very happy to have these on hand!”
Chris Fortier (Fade) – “Can’t miss classics….”
Nick Warren (Hope Recordings / Way Out West) – “Sounding as ace as ever!”
Vanilla Ace - “Nice one!”
Duserock (Sleeper Cell / EMDM) – “You can't go wrong here.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) – “Raincry is one of my all-time favourites and this version does not disappoint.”
Christian Martin (Dirtybird) – “Stone cold classic.”
Pepe Link (Pacha Mallorca) – “Raincry is awesome, love it!”
Liquid Todd (Sirius XM Radio / BPM) – “Hawke rules!”
Leigh Morgan (Urban Torque Transmissions Syndicated Radio Show) – “Raincry still sounds perfect after all this time.”
Simon Kirk (Stag Beetle radio show) – “These are fantastic. There is little that hasn't been said in praise of the Hardkiss sound - utterly unique and timeless is what it means to me and these carry on their story beautifully. 10/10”

Available now from Beatport, Junodownload, iTunes, and Spotify.

Hardkiss - Delusions of Grandeur (Remastered 20th Anniversary Edition) (Hardkiss Music)

"I made absolutely sure that none of us would ever return to normality again."
- Scott Hardkiss

Hardkiss are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Delusions of Grandeur. The out-of-print album will be released digitally for the first time on May 25th, 2015. A commemorative 20th Anniversary double CD includes a 32 page booklet written by Terry Matthews of 5Magazine. This and other special offers including vinyl and The Hardkiss Vault '91 - '99 are available exclusively via a PledgeMusic campaign.

"Hardkiss’s music defies musical barriers, time and space with off-the-teabags loved-out majesty and manages to suspend the listener in a bottomless pool of fragrant intoxicants and rabbit aphrodisiac heart rhythms."
- Kris Needs, Melody Maker

Nick Warren - "Still sounding as wonderful as they did the first time I heard them. Brilliant music like this never ages."
Tensnake - "Great classics."
Darin Epsilon - "'Raincry' is still sounding great to this day."
Anthony Pappa - "Amazing and classic … it's always been one of my favorite releases."
Larry Tee - "A tasty selection!"
Chris Fortier - "A classic of classics … still as stunning as ever."
Christian Martin (Christian Martin) - "'Out Of Body Experience (Burning Spear)' is so sick."
Hardway Bros (A Love From Outer Space) - "Love love love!"
Chrissy Murderbot (Planet Mu / Loose Squares) - "I remember buying this when it came out. Hyped for the remasters!"
Öona Dahl (Hallucienda) - "'3 Nudes Having Sax On Acid' is still amazing to play in a set! Timeless, all of it."
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "Sometimes you look back on classic records with rose colored spectacles. This is not one of those times … these tracks are just as spiritual, emotional and dance-able as I remember."
Generic People (Cut For Life) - "An absolute stone cold classic that has stood the test of time."
Andy Wilson (Ibiza Sonica FM / Balearica) - "I have cherished copies of these on vinyl and played them to death, especially at beach and jungle parties in Thailand in the early '90s. It's so great to get nice new digital versions to play again."
Dr. Best (Radio Z, Germany) - "I love my crackling vinyl copy from back in the days, but now it shines in remastered sound quality … nice."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.

Hardkiss - 1991 (Hardkiss Music)

Reunited in the SF Bay Area three years ago, Gavin and Robbie have produced a new album under the Hardkiss name that stands tall in the often repetitive world of electronic dance music. They’re using the occasion to relaunch their Hardkiss Music label in honor of their sorely missed brother, Scott. The 1991 title alludes to the year the collective was formed, leading to their infamous escapades during the early rave days as producers, promoters, label heads, and world-class DJs.

Bringing things back up to speed, Gavin and Robbie have created compelling contemporary beat-based songs as fitting for club speakers as they are for home audio systems. Noticeably, a strong emphasis was placed on sound design, intricate synth work, and vocal processing. Most of the songs feature the vocals of Robbie Hardkiss with additional vocals coming from Austin’s Tameca Jones and new York rapper turned singer, Scavonne.

Exercising the duo’s penchant for electro funk boogie with an uplifting pop sensibility, “Don’t Worry,” “Flowers Blooming / Glow of Love,” and the Hardkiss Brothers Mix of “Revolution” are some of the album’s highlights. “Revolution” is a call for change with a peaceful urgency, pairing sunny vocal chants and bells with an electric bass groove with staccato guitar movement. A darker ‘80s tinge takes shape on “Don’t Worry” with tense, anxious synths and convincing lyrics that talk the listener out of any such feelings. “Flowers Blooming” is a mix of exciting disco licks, big ‘90s house key stabs, and a fat bass line riff rounded off by vocals ripe with positivity.

Certainly a must have release for the digital libraries, 1991 will also be available as a limited double album vinyl for those craving it in physical form.

Danny Howells - “Still sounding superb after all these years … killer stuff.”
Tensnake - “The Hawke mix of ‘It’s Right’ is my favorite.”
Mark Farina - “Good stuff.”
Nick Warren - “Champion stuff … Hardkiss never let us down.”
Jody Wisternoff (Way Out West / Anjunadeep) - “Funky s@&t. Loving it!”
Fort Knox Five - “Hardkiss never disappoints … as funky as ever!”
Severino (HorseMeatDisco / Dalston Superstore) - “Funky and cool … great stuff.”
Kris Needs (Data Transmission) - “Great to have them back with such a strong set, showing modern production suss with knowledge of the past.”
Sleazy McQueen - “Hands up feel good jams!”
Claudio Coccoluto - “Nice … and amazing.”
Alkalino (Estimativa / Audaz Recordings) - “Cool release. ‘Don’t Worry’ is my pick.”
Phat Phil Cooper (NuNorthern Soul) - “‘Revolution’ is a BIG track.”
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch) - “Mega-ultra-super-hot! As expected, a truly great stash of tracks here.”
Hard Ton (Gigolo / Permanent Vacation) - “I love it … pop meets the dance floor.”
Deron Delgado (Paradise / Stompy) - “Fantastic album! ‘Revolution’ has been added to my eternal playlist.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “Slamming mix of styles here … I’m really into ‘Flowers Blooming.’”
Deepshizzol (MyHouse-YourHouse) - “‘Flowers Blooming / Glow of Love’ is just amazing! It blew me away. Bring on the summer!”
Bob Duskis (Six Degrees Records) - “If only more electronic music had this much heart, soul, and sense of fun.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Boooooom! Wicked release from the brothers right here; deepness, techy edges, freaky vox - it’s all here. Top skills, Gavin and Robbie!”

Available now from Beatport and iTunes.

The Veda Rays - All Your Pretty Fates (The Scott Hardkiss Remixes) (God Within Recordings) →

After his acclaimed binary star-studded album Technicolor Dreamer and its epic intergalactic remixes, Scott Hardkiss introduces a new collaboration through his God Within label. It’s with buzzing Brooklyn-based indie-rock band The Veda Rays, an artsy, psychedelic noise pop quartet that, like Scott, are aiming far beyond this solar system. Scott originally bonded with the band’s drummer, engineer and mixer Jason Gates who, as a “brother in rhythm” also fascinated with music technology both archaic and futuristic, was enlisted to work on Technicolor Dreamer. The pairing flourished and as Jason formed his own Veda Rays project Scott became eager to get involved. “All Your Pretty Fates,” the lead track from The Veda Rays’ debut Gamma Rays Galaxy Rays Veda Rays, was chosen as the cut to get the full-on Scott Hardkiss treatment. Scott’s acumen at adding tasteful electronic beats and spaciness to rock n’ roll originals is well known through his past remixes for the likes of The Flaming Lips, Dean & Britta, Primal Scream, and even Elton John. The Veda Rays happily submitted to this treatment and the result is a hypnotic groover that showcases the band’s sublime vocals (courtesy of lead-singer James Stark) and instrumentation alongside Scott’s cutting-edge beats, arrangement and synthesized whiz-bang. The remix, found here in Vocal, Instrumental and Acapella versions, is a dreamy, Balearic, indie-dance delight guaranteed to mesmerize any interplanetary rave-up or cosmic disco. As an added bonus, Q-Burns Abstract Message saunters in from his Eighth Dimension to unveil a stunning Re-Edit of Scott’s mix that steps on the cosmic gas pedal for even more shimmery shoegaze-tronica. Beautiful, emotive stuff here, and a harbinger of both future excellence from rising stars The Veda Rays and another installment in imaginative, musical dance-fusions from Scott Hardkiss.

Justin Harris (Music For Freaks) - “It’s a very interesting and pleasurable track. Scott did a great job … a respectful redo, indeed.”
All Good Funk Alliance - “Very pretty. I could tell right off the bat that this was going to a special song. Sweet grooves!”
Phat Phil Cooper (NuNorthern Soul) - “Bloody lovely stuff, real dreamy …”
Stereo 77 (Research Deluxe) - “Shoegaze meets Balearic bliss? I’m down!”
Cloned In Vatican (Disco Volante) - “A very stylish fusion between Indie and Electronica.”
Will SumSuch (UrbanTorque) - “I’m really liking this. Definitely one for the end of the night.”
Fine Cut Bodies - “Nice laid back disco vibe!”
Below Zero Radio Show - “Anything with Scott Hardkiss and Q-Burns Abstract Message attached to it is all right by us. Nice work.”
Bruce Tantum (Time Out NY) - “Beautiful tune! I’ll be playing this a lot, for sure.”
Brewster Brigham (KISS FM, Australia) - “Music to make people happy. Spot on!”
DJ Nova (Rodon FM, Greece) - “The track has an everlasting tint that can work between many styles of music, from fascinating eighties tracks to sun-dressed nu-Balearics to sophisticated indie dance.”
Eric Duncan (Dr. Dunks / Rub-n-Tug) - “YEAH!!!”

Available from Beatport