Music GUIDE
SINGLE RELEASE
Vinyl's Back In Town
Shimmer by Ash Carr
The Notorious Aardvark, 4 Kingsgate, Waterdale, DN1 3JZ
Ash Carr is a Leeds-based, Doncaster-bred house producer and DJ. His past guises - The Action Kids, Ash Static and Disko Nasty - have seen him churn out drum and bass, large slabs of techno and deep tech house, and it’s safe to say Ash has kept himself quite busy on the underground scene, promoting parties and nailing down many residencies.
The first records to come into my life were old - 78s of Frankie Laine passed down when my nana passed away. I didn’t have a record player, but even the feel, the weight and the tatty cardboard sleeves bearing the Fields Radio Ltd (52 Hall Gate) logo let me know they were something special.
His latest release, ‘Shimmer’, has been floating around the Traxsource charts for some time now and has been a weekend essential for the last two weeks, getting plays on legendary DJ Graeme Parks’ radio show. The track comes in two solid forms, the original mix and the saxtrumental mix, the latter a sun-tinged, dreamy house affair that would sit perfect in any White Isle set. The lead sax sample sets the pace and you find yourself happily nodding away whilst the rest of the track follows it into an old school piano sample before lifting off again. It’s all rather nice, moving with a solid groove before it slips away effortlessly. The original mix, however, strips away the sax and leaves the raw elements of the track to be revealed. Everything is more prominent here and the piano stabs almost take this track into techno territory. The bass line will give any decent speakers a run for their money and the piano drop takes on a whole new stance. House and techno DJs alike will appreciate Ash’s efforts here, as the track goes through the gears until it’s all over too quickly. Both tracks will no doubt make their way into many top DJs sets. Shimmer is available on itunes. To find out more about Ash Carr @ashcarrmusic soundcloud.com/ashcarrmusic facebook.com/ashcarrmusic
When I finally got hold of a record player and put them on, my suspicions were confirmed with the crackles, pops and the silky smooth vocals of Frankie himself. From then on I was hooked, bitten by that glossy plastic bug. There was, however, one issue. Doncaster had no record store and the only place to get my fix locally was the overpriced HMV, a trip to Sheffield or looking out for a special find on the market and car boot. Until, that is, The Notorious Aardvark waltzed into town, led by Simon Saynor and carrying with it a whole host of musical goodness. The Notorious Aardvark, located in the Waterdale Centre, will boast vinyl as 70% of its stock, alongside CDs, merchandise and, most importantly, record players. A 1950s themed living room space will serve as a spot for customers to hang out, drink coffee and listen to music, with a stage providing a platform for some of the area’s best bands to play. Opening 8am while 6pm to give working people a chance to pop in before or after, the shop will have music from all eras and all genres, as well as a dedicated section for local and unsigned musicians to sell their music. Doncaster hasn’t had a record shop for about ten years, and Simon admits he’s taken on a massive feat, but with 40 years of collecting records behind him, plus being immersed in the local music scene, he’s confident he can pull it off. With national sales rising every year, it’s clear the people want vinyl and Doncaster needs somewhere to buy it. Ryan Madin
Paul Prendi
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