Machinedrum reworks Sun Ra for All City

Footwork expert Machinedrum helms the next release in All City’s mini tribute series to Sun Ra.

Anyone who follows All City will know the Dublin label is fond of conceptual releases and their Vision Of Saturn series is perhaps the most intriguing, reissuing original material from the sizeable archives of the legendary jazz experimentalist Sun Ra and pairing it with reworkings from some diverse contemporary producers. Hip hopper Ras G and Brainfeeder regular Austin Peralta have already contributed to the four part series, with the penultimate entry from Machinedrum using elements of two Sun Ra tracks – namely the classic “Door Of The Cosmos” and “Mu” – in one remix. “Door Of The Cosmos” was the centrepiece of his 1979 album Sleeping Beauty, and its languid charm remains undiminished some 33 years later. It was given a new lease of life last year when German producer Motor City Drum Ensemble dusted it off to open his 2011 DJ-Kicks mix. “Mu” meanwhile was released on 1973 LP Atlantis.

Although the more downtempo styles of Ras G and Austin Peralta lent themselves well to the more sedate side of Sun Ra, clips at the Rush Hour site show Machinedrum’s entry into the series is perhaps the most radical of the three so far, applying his hyper-kinetic footwork style rhythms to samples of the original and turning in something that sounds like a free-jazz freakout from the sessions that went into making last year’s album Room(s).

No release date has yet emerged, but the single will be released on vinyl only.

Tracklisting:

1. Machinedrum – Door of the Cosmos / Mu
2. Sun Ra – Door of the Cosmos