BOB STANLEY 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs have more than proven their music knowledge across a stellar run of prior compilations, including The Daisy Age, Fell From The Sun and English Weather. This time around, they're tapping into the freeform climes of the late 70s and early 80s, as punk exploded and a myriad of bands channelled the unique, downcast mood of Britain into wildly creative, nervously urgent songs. Across four sides we take in all manner of cult selections and outer limits largely in the loose fit realm of post-punk. It's flawlessly selected and programmed - another reminder of how immersive a proper compilation can be.

Review: House music exploded in the UK in 1987 and continued to blow up in the ensuing summers. But with all the high energy parties and ever more visceral rave sounds, people needed a break, and so it was that in February of 1990 the KLF invented new slowed down after-sounds on their Chill Out mix. This collection gathers best sub 100bpm cuts form that time, as assembled by Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley. Fun fact - the artwork for the LP is a picture from the new book on acid house by photographer Dave Swindells which is well worth copping if you can.

Review: On his latest compilation for Ace, St Etienne's Bob Stanley has chosen to evoke memories of the summer of 1976, when Britain sweltered under a heatwave and those under the age of 16 felt like the school holidays went on forever. Stanley's vision is undoubtedly a nostalgic one, with many of his on-point musical selections seemingly coming with their own opaque, easy listening-tinged sepia hue (see Lynsey de Paul's 'Sugar Shuffle' and Jefferson Starship's hazy 'Miracles'). Highlights are plentiful, from the jammed-out Clavinet solos of Simon Park's 'Stoned Out' and the soul sweetness of Shuggie Otis's 'Inspiration Information', to the Bob James style jazz-funk of John Cameron's 'Liquid Sunshine', and the bubbly Brazilian bliss of Azymuth's 'Montreal City'.