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Listed: Matias Aguayo + Felix

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Dusted Features

Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists compiled by our favorite artists. This week: Chilean producer Matias Aguayo and U.K. chamber duo Felix.



Listed: Matias Aguayo + Felix


Matias Aguayo

As part of Closer Musik, Matias Aguayo was half-responsible for one of the noughties’ greatest end-of-the-night anthems, “(One Two Three) No Gravity.” But the Chilean has done plenty since that 2000 hit to deserve his spot in the echelon of the dance music world. Closer Musik’s After Love and his own Are You Really Lost are both touchstones in the Kompakt catalog. His latest, the ambitious Ay Ay Ay hit stores on Oct. 25 to rave reviews (officially, we liked it, didn’t love it), and includes a song that almost rivals “No Gravity,” the mellifluous “Rollerskate.”

1. Andres Landero - El rey de acordeón
As Colombian cumbia is very popular in México, it was there I first came across the music of Landero. In Mexico they listen to his cumbias, and to many other Colombian cumbia, pitched down to give it a heavier groove, a tradition that comes from Monterrey, apparently. Via this weird way, my interest in Colombian music grew, and in representation of the cumbia I list Landero … though I could have mentioned many others. Nevetheless, one of my favorites

2. Manu Dibango - O Boso
Not much to say to this. Just one record I can listen to again and again.

3. Aquecimento - "das Piranhas"
This is not an album and not even a 12". It is just a rhythm that is used in the "funk" from Rio. Its authorship got lost in its many interpretations, and you can find tons of different versions with different MCing on top. I like that these rhythms spread via the web and you can find them again and again, making their own way. As a DJ, I love to hunt down or watch things like that – and besides it is a killer rhythm, one of the most modern electronic I’ve ever heard.

4. Daniele Baldelli - Cosmic
This is a CD with a DJ mix that came out a couple of years ago, I chose it first of all because I loved it when I heard it and it is a great mix. I like very much the fact that here somebody has been really digging for music, not genrewise but more for one kind of feeling on a night, on a dancefloor, regardless of what context it comes from and how it was meant to be heard. I could also have mentioned sets by Ron Hardy or Larry Levan or several other DJs to represent beautiful sets, but this is an especially inspiring one.

5. Oiseaux d’afrique du Sud - Birds and Wild Beasts from Africa
On this record, the birds dominate. It is all recordings of birds – in the early morning, I put this record on and open the window. Actually, this is even not so much about this record and more about the birds. On a very late hour a friend of mine, quite drunk, told me a musician could learn everything from the birds, even more than from Duke Ellington. When I went to bed, I couldn’t fall asleep because of a fantastic bird concert that was taking place outside. And I definitely had to agree with my friend

6. Rebolledo - Guerrero
OK, this is a record on the label I run with Gary Pimiento and other friends, but I just had to put it on because the music and the people involved are already a part of my all-time favorites. So I put this wonderful 12" by Rebolledo, of whom I am a big, big fan.

7. Mike Dunn - "The Banger"
Another 12". This one, being not very known, just features one track on one side; the other one is empty. And this track is just a Mike Ink sample, pitched down, and some rimshot Chicago house percussions on top, provided by Mike Dunn. Sure, historically, it’s not a very important track, but for me this combination of this very steady pumping old-school cologne groove (I lived there over 10 years, with the groove of "jack") has been very inspiring and mind-bending. It represents the feeling of feeling at home some place were things fit, but not in the way they are meant to by the authors.

8. Mister Fingers - Introduction
Another album I can listen to again and again. Accompanied many different situations in my life.

9. Michael Jackson - Thriller
OK, this is not a very original answer, and I think this kind of list is meant to be very original. But being honest, I just have to add this record. Always loved it and probably always will.

10. V/A A casa Edison e seu tempo
This is a compilation of the first Brazilian record label, a collection, has the Pixinguinha group in it, Os Novos Baianos, etc. Thinking of a list like this being something like what records I would take on a lonely island with me, this would be sure part of it – and also the very early Duke Ellington recordings.


Felix

Nottingham U.K. duo Felix is piano/cello player Lucinda Chua and guitar/bass player Chris Summerlin, and like most rock bands on Kranky Records, the two traffic in understated vocals and slowcore accompaniment. Summerlin is also a fantastic graphic artist, and you can check out an incredible selection of band and tour posters (and his great taste in tunes) on his website, Honey is Funny. Felix’s debut album You are the One I Pick is out Nov. 3 on Kranky. Chua took part in this week’s Listed.

1. Hamlet Gonashvili - "Tu Ase Turpa Ikhavi"
Perhaps the saddest and most heart-breakingly beautiful music ever written? Georgian folk singer who tragically died by falling out of an apple tree in 1985 (the year I was born).

2. Erik Satie - all the "Gnossiennes," especially number 4 and played not too quickly
Most of them don’t actually have time signatures or bar numbers written in the score, it’s just one ongoing phrase. I really like this.

3. Michael Galasso - "Angkor Wat (Theme I)"
This is a truly lovely piece of music. I first heard it played over the final scene of Wong Kar Wai’s film In the Mood for Love.

4. Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Matt Sweeney - "Blood Embrace"
I listened to a lot of Superwolf whilst I was writing the Felix album. I love the balance in each song and how there are all these lovely moments that occur that keep you entertained the whole way through.

5. Serge Gainsbourg - "Melody"
I listen to the Melody record a lot, often wishing I was French.

6. Lords - "Liquor"
Lords are one of my favorite bands; I can’t hear this song without feeling happy, especially seeing it performed live. Joy. (Eds. note: Lords was Summerlin’s prior band.)

7. The B-52s - "Dirty Back Road"
If I was ever bullied into karaoke, it would only be for this song.

8. Regina Spektor - "December"
Her voice is totally phenomenal, the things she can do! I like this song because the intervals of the melody are really unusual but so very pretty. I am a great admirer of her early songs.

9. The Meters - "Cissy Strut"
Can’t really add anything. This is just such a good song!

10. Dirty Projectors - "Cannibal Resource"
This is my favorite record of recent times. Llife would be better accompanied by these girls singing “ay-oh, eh-oh.” I saw a video of them singing backstage on Twitter once. It really messes with your head!

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