Filthy Percussion Vol. 1: A.P.E. Records

Here's the first part of Filthy Percussion. As the title indicates, this series is gonna focus on drum heavy instrumental music. It's as basic as that, so without further ado...

Let's get started with one of my favorite little labels, A.P.E. Records (Analogue Production Environment) from the UK. They only released four 12"'s in the span of two years, and all of them are gems. Engineer/producer/drummer Mike Burnham (whom you may know from The Heliocentrics) worked on all of these releases.

The control room in
A.P.E. Studios - Cheshire, England

1. Redback: More Than Human B/W Brighter Day (12", 1999)

One of my favorite singles of all time is Redback's 'More Than Human' released in '99. Two guys make up this moniker, John Harris and Mike Burnham. Both tracks have incredible, dense and varied production, with rhythm that'll make your neck sore. I've dropped the needle on both sides hundreds of times and neither has lost its flavor one bit. The b side is equally as amazing, so happy hunting.

2. Mr. Chop: Cowboy Massacre B/W Wasp in a Jar (12", 2000)

Before Mr. Chop connected with Now-Again and Stones Throw, he was dropping plastic for A.P.E. and Stark Reality (the sub-label of Jazzman, not the late '60s fuzzy jazz band.) Chop has recently released two widely available EPs ('Sounds From The Cave' + 'Lightworlds') and produced a few tracks on MF Doom's latest full length 'Born Like This.' If you haven't checked out either of those EPs yet, you're dozing. Today I provide a clip from a long lost artifact released a decade ago. It's filled with haunting analogue drones and idiophones.

3. Precinct 47: Evidence (Reinvented Mixes) (12", 1999)

I have no information whatsoever on this artist/group named 'Precinct 47.' Needless to say, this single has alternate mixes by psych-fiends Cherrystones and Mr. Chop himself, so it has to be good. The best mix out of the bunch is done by the club-wielding caveman Chop. He builds up the track for a minute before he hits us with a frenzy of rapid-fire drums.