First 10,000, then 20,000, now 50,000 songs can be added into Google Music. While the jump from 10K to 20K was useful as so far I have uploaded 11,379 according to my latest figures, I still am no where near digitising my entire back catalogue, including lots of album samplers, compilations etc etc. Last time I did some tidying up in my room I managed to fill two large toy crates full of CD compilation albums that I haven't dared to touch yet, so there's plenty to go.
If I've managed to amass at least 11.5K's worth of tracks, rounding up to around 12K with everything else I haven't added just yet, that means that if I keep collecting music at the same sort of rate by the time I die at around 80 years old that's nearly 33,000 tracks. Assuming that they will never put the library size up again and even for a free account, it is quite amazing that a company can offer enough space to store all the music I could ever buy (let alone download illegally) in my lifetime.
I still don't think I'm going to get rid of any of my CDs though, despite what George Takei recently posted on Facebook.
In a change from my usual CD hauls from car boot sales, this one comes from good old HMV. Despite having a lackluster selection of electronic and dance music (no surprises there I guess), there were quite a few gems on offer that I liked the look of.
Another quick look around my local car boot fair and I came away with a few CDs that looked worth having.
Switched On: The Cool Sound of TV Advertising
I'm really pleased with this find, as both the discs and the case are in completely mint condition - almost as if the copy had been given to someone and thrown in a cupboard as an unwanted gift. It's basically a cheap cash-in compilation of tracks used on adverts, but there's a good selection of end-nineties dance, big-beat and electro stuff. Basically a big trip down memory lane, if you like that sort of thing.
[Discogs]
Dance Tip 95
Another double CD release and in not amazing condition (though the CDs play fine), the only reason I bought this was to replace the cassette version that I had as a kid. And what an excellent double album of releases, with hits like Coolio/Gangster's Paradise, Outhere Brothers/BoomBoomBoom, Perfecto Allstars/Papa's Got A Brand New Pig Bag...pretty much all the big dance hits of the mid-nineties (check the discogs entry for a full run down). I think I remember playing Doom on my dad's Atari Jaguar listening to this pumping away - especially as the Jag version doesn't have music playing in the background.
[Discogs]
Age of Love - Age of Love Remixes
To be honest, I just bought this for the kooky folding cover and the fact that, as a React label release it had to be good. Actually it's a track I remember from Human Traffic and that I have on other late nineties dance mix releases, but either way it's a nice find and some...so-so remixes.
[Discogs]
I've started adding my CD collection to Discogs, more as a way of trying to keep track of what I actually have and need to rip to my hard drive.
Take a look at what I have on my profile: http://www.discogs.com/user/Southerntrax
All mix CDs from the car boot fair this time around and for 50p a double album, I don't think I can complain too much, especially considering that the CDs are in pretty good shape for what they are.
Kiss in Ibiza 95
Two CDs of classic mid-nineties dance tracks, which remind me quite a lot of some of the old tapes I used to have as a kid and listened to a lot. Though there's nothing particularly modern, it's a nice blast from the past and some different remixes that I hadn't heard before
[Discogs]
Cream Anthems 2001
A slightly more recent release, but on reflection it's still over 10 years old so nothing recent. There are some pretty dated tracks there and again, not many tracks that I don't already have in other releases on KISS, but still nice to have and in pretty good condition.
[Discogs]
Euphoric Chillout Breakdown
Pretty much what I actually wanted from the seller's collection, given that I really like the Euphoria collections and I haven't picked up a chillout album in ages. A pretty nice mix of different records, with some chilled out versions of trance floor-fillers as well.
[Discogs]
I suppose this is the whole reason I still dive into CD boxes at car boot sales, it's to find the bits in there that I haven't bought and never got round to buying. I'm talking about clawing past the Westlife singles and Nickelback albums to get the diamonds in the rough - though these days it does seem like the electronic and dance stuff I look for is becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of. Either that or the music itself doesn't date quite so quickly as pop - probably the main reason I started collecting electronic music in the first place.
Anyway, it certainly does train your eyes to recognise and exclude the million copies of Boyzone and Billie so you can find something better - in this case four albums for a couple of quid for the lot.
True Playaz In the Mix Volume Two: Honestly the best of the lot, this is a turn of the century drum and bass mix from DJ Hype, featuring a decent amount of Ganja Kru and Hype tracks plus his excellent scratching over the top. Reminds me of his mix for Darklight that I really enjoyed as a kid and well worth 50p. [Discogs]
Back To Mine with Everything But The Girl: Again a pretty good find given that the likes of Groove Armada and Rae & Christian put out albums for these guys, though the choice of bar room house makes me question whether EBTG got the brief for a chill out / downtempo album. Still enjoyable for the Model 500 and Carl Craig tracks however and for so cheap I can't really complain all too much. [Discogs]
Red Rat - Oh No it's Red Rat: Speaking of Groove Armada, the only reason I picked this up at all was for the fact that this rapper worked as a vocalist on Lovebox and Soundboy Rock, well before they went all indie. However I still haven't had a chance to listen to this, but even if it is a lemon from 1997 - on the legendary Greensleeves label no less - then I think I can spare 50p. [Discogs]
St Germain - Tourist: well I had to pick this up as it is fairly decent condition and the album is synonymous with other chill out albums of the time (Kinobe, Air etc) so I had to really. [Discogs]
Quality over quantity this time: some early 2000s Drum & Bass from London Elektricity and a double album from Aquasky.
Billion Dollar Gravy is an excellent album, as with most Hospital Records releases - lots of rare groove samples over breaks and altogether a sort of lounge lizard feel to this album.
Beat The System has some pretty nice breakbeat and bass tracks, though it does sound quite dated. I must have tons of these CDs and most of them sound very very similar.
A quid for both of them and with very few scratches makes for an excellent deal and it's surprising to see these sorts of things at a car boot sale in Thamesmead.
Sometimes it's nice to get something unexpected. I've been a big fan of Berlin-based club Watergate since I first heard Sebo K's Watergate 4 in Swag Records (RIP) as a place to get really good quality house music that has more emphasis on underground vibes and as few commercial tracks that might feature on a throwaway Ministry of Sound compilation as possible.And in keeping with the rest of the series, the album art is really striking and impressive. It's the sort of artwork that really makes owning a physical copy of the CD worthwhile
So cue Kerri Chandler. Oddly enough, the first track I ever heard from him was the lovely Digital Love Affair from Sebo K's Back Up Volume 1 and this really set the scene for this release. It's deep, American house with some excellent synth bass and lead lines, opening up with a really soulful number from Detroit Swindle and continuing with funky basses, some lovely vocal samples and that Chicago drum shuffle that makes this a catchy little mix. It's at once a nostalgia-infused throwback to older records from the early nineties as much as it is a presentation of more recent productions.
In terms of slotting in with the rest of the series, this really hits all the right notes you would expect from a Watergate mix: an excellent compilation and well worth owning.
A recent trip round a nearby car boot sales yielded some very cheap classic dance singles - I'm really feeling the mid-nineties Baby D / Let Me Be Your Fantasy and Livin' Joy / Dreamer EPs in particular. Both of these have about six or seven tracks EACH: a radio edit, full single version and tons of remixes. Gone are the days when CD Singles were good value, you're lucky to get four or more tracks these days. Sure, some of the remixes are hit and miss, but the more the merrier in my book.
I'll pick up anything by Blue States for the unreleased B-sides, but as of writing I haven't actually got round to listening to it yet. The same is true for Sincere, thought while I bought MJ Cole's classic for the B Sides, it was only when I got home that I realised that it came with the video and a Jazzanova remix that I hadn't heard before - it's a tasty track indeed.
All this for a quid - can't really go wrong there.
