Kat 45 Records: Ashley Beedle Edits

Haven’t heard of Hemel Hempstead aka Ashley Beedle? Well you should have. Beedle is a British DJ/ Producer/ Remixer who has been involved in the British Electronic music scene since the 80’s, a time when, gulp, Acid House was in it’s hey day. Rooms chest high with smoke, lots of E, and a movement that spawned Hip House and “Girl I’ll House You” by the Jungle Brothers. Beedle is probably best known for being a member of Black Science Orchestra, which I was introduced to through music guru Rick M a few years ago. I don’t know how I missed that record when it came out, but I wasn’t a club kid, so that might explain it. At any rate, Beedle plowed through dance charts in the 90’s with the Ballistic Brothers, a collaboration with David Byrne, and was head honcho at a few record labels as well. He has also shown off his excellent producing skills by contributing a remix of Bob Marley for the Africa Unite: The Singles Collection with “Stand Up Jamrock (Ashley Beedle Remix).”

“ If the Mizell Brothers had been born in Rio then this is what it probably would’ve sounded like. ”

Fast forward to 2011, Kat Records nailed down Beedle to remix two tracks and have him do the switch from the big records with little holes to the little records with the big holes, aka the 45.

“Flora Purim getting Ashley Beedle’s extended edit treatment with the sublime Latin Jazz Funker, ‘Angels’. Great vocal hooks, guitar licks and a jazz funk groove with added disco overtones to boot. If the Mizell Brothers had been born in Rio then this is what it probably would’ve sounded like. The second side sees Beedle remixing “Brian Protheroe’s ‘Pinball’. Ashley Beedle’s tripped rework does exactly what it says on the tin: Stretched, dubbed and arranged to perfection. This lost psychedelic pop classic reached #22 in the charts in 1974!”

Since I have been dabbling in a bit of Psych lately (albiet the new Psychedelica and The Stepkids), I am digging this re-edit of “Pinball”. The dubbed out, trippy vocals and beat get going and by the time the saxophone kicks in your may or may not be in full freak mode. This is an end of the night song for me for sure. “Angels” has that Summertime vibe that you can carry with you all year long, because really it’s Summer in Rio every day in my head. This brings up images of lounging poolside somewhere, Brahma in hand (or maybe both hands), feet up, just enjoying the scenery. If Donald Byrd wanted to lay some horn over this and go Brazilian, he most certainly could. These two are Beedle’s personal favorites, and why not, he’s done a bang up job on both of them. Check out the videos for both tracks:

Ashley Beedle edits – (A) Angels KAT45-004