Pete’s Track By Track of iChill
September 19th, 2003 by susanna
iChill – featuring new and old artists from Laura B to Flipside – is out now. Here Pete Lawrence runs through his track-by-track notes of this new Big Chill Recordings release – and reveals his inspiration behind the compilation…
My ninth compilation of Big Chill material, iChill, came together again as I was finishing programming this year’s festival. It is made up of a selection of favourite tracks from the last few months, sounds that had inspired me, haunted me, nagged at me and become a soundtrack to the year up to that point, mostly listened to on iPod as I’ve been driving, cycling and on tour – a sort of snapshot of spring into summer 2003. It is probably more chilled than last year’s ‘Big Chill Loves You’ although it has its more upbeat moments. Thanks to Laura B for helping me smooth out the production and EQing going with the flow. Oh, and for the album title!
Pete’s Track By Track:
Artist: Flipside – Title: Andante (for Frederik)
Taken from the album ‘Inside’ these chillmeisters from Copenhagen were brought to my attention by Phil Mison and we immediate moved to book them for Eastnor this year. The whole album is a pleasure from start to finish, an immaculately produced glistening summer soundtrack. A wide open, serene instrumental, its opening energy hovering and promising for things to come. Every note in its place and with perfect economy of space.
Artist: State River Widening – Title: Early Music
A new name for me this year, but a sublime soundscape which floats along blissfully on a solid live drum track and a bed of gangly guitar and flute. An object of fragile beauty.
Artist : Laura B – Title : Ice Cold Water
A new sound and a new direction for the main French woman – with her vocals now delightfully upfront in the mix, and intimate in their delivery. You can hear the full dance mix of this track in your mind too, as its ambient cousin teases and cajoles here. No wonder Pete Tong has already picked up on the track. The long awaited Big Chill Recordings album isn’t too far away either and hopefully this will provide a tantalising taster.
Artist: Alucidnation – Title: The Blue
A previously unreleased gem from the Bruce Bickerton vaults, once again demonstrating just how prolific this man is and how high his quality control is too. The track unfolds over a simple, unfussy, but gently funky rhythm and chord progression and builds in its own unique way. The album is almost finished now for release in 2004. A unique, vital and very personal artist – and a great bloke too.
Artist: Shur-i-kan – Title: Revelations
Tom Szirtes’ debut Shur-I-Kan album certainly demonstrated his up and coming talents as a producer with a flair for melody and harmony and has successfully stood the test of time. This track is one of the strongest from his forthcoming album ‘Waypoints’ and builds slowly over a funky hip-hip track, and Tom’s musical dexterity cuts loose nicely as it reaches its climax.
Artist : Fragile State – Title : The Facts And The Dreams
Last year’s album was a classic introduction featuring the dynamic keyboard talents of Mr Neil Cowley. This remix of the title track features live instrumentation, and rocks (gently, of course!). For a band that have only played a handful of gigs, the live set rocks too (in a very chilled, warm and soulful manner…). And that Hammond organ… corker!!
Artist : International Peoples Gang – Title : That’s Her
Martyn Watson slipped a demo of this track into my hands in Nottingham on the last Big Chill tour. I remembered the name from the Time/Emit label from the mid 90s, and this track stood out as an immediate classic. A haunting vocal and a charged melody with a powerful production increases the pulse.
Artist: AGK – Track: The Liking of Things (Ackers & G mix)
Paul Gathercole has been part of The Big Chill’s extended family since Union Chapel days and has been quietly recording some excellent tracks over the years, as Diversity and Ackers and G – featured more than once on Big Chill compilations (most notably the ambient classic ‘Pling’ on The Big Chill Loves You’. More recently adding his distinctive and extraordinary vocals to the formula, he has changed the name again as he and Ben Ackland head off in a new direction.
Artist: Leggo Beast – Title: Skanked
Murray Clark has been part of the Pork set up for several years now and produces his own music in a distinctive style. This recently finished track is another exclusive and one that I’m really pleased to have on here, as one of the album’s most upful moments.
Artist : Feature Cast – Title : Composing Blind
I first heard this huge, string-laden epic on one of Nick Philip’s excellent mix CDs, and such has been its qualities of durability that I decided to license it and give it another spin. With an understated brushes-led drum track, and a filmic melody to die for, I’ve been asked for the title of this one more than any other record over the past couple of years.
Artist : Chilled By Nature – Title : Go Forward / Love Bubble Mix
Laura B and Bruce B strong-armed me into including one of my own tracks here, after I’d finished compiling. Luckily we had the space. I haven’t managed to complete much original material yet, but I’d like to credit Laura here for her savvy ability to get things done. Always a personal favourite track of mine, she brought the best out of it here with her razor sharp mix.
Artist: Natureboy – Track : Sweet Is The Air
Taken from the still unreleased album ‘Whoever You May Be’ and featuring Quantic vocalist Alice Russell, Dave Noble takes the pressure off and lowers the internsity levels with a charming bossa nova ballad, once gain proving that the word genius should be liberally applied to his work without restraint.
Artist : Jake Bickerton – Title : Are You Missing The Sun?
These Bickertons are talented bunch, as the world will realise when the soap opera finally gets made 
Bruce’s cousin makes his Big Chill Recordings debut here with a marvellous simple tune that sounds so easy and natural that it probably appeared to him in a dream.
Artist : Tom Middleton presents Amba – Title : St Ives Bay
Tom Middleton takes some time out from finishing his long awaited Cosmos album for another atmospheric Amba classic. Exclusive to this album, it’s one of Tom’s best ever, with a harp motif setting the tone, Echo strings building the cinematic magic and some moody fretless bass from Andy Kramer.
pic: Susanna Glaser
