Another week, another Five Essentials selection. Stepping up this week is R&S/Apollo affiliate and co-founder of vinyl-only, Parisien-cum-Georgian imprint Transfigured Time – Gacha Bakradze. Difficulties with distribution has unfortunately pushed the label’s third release back to mid-November at the time of writing, but that’s not to say Bakradze’s Before Time Altered Them won’t absolutely be worth the wait – spacey atmospherics around bouncy, driving percussion sees the artist refine rather than reinvent his sound after two similarly-themed outings on Spaced Hardware and the aforementioned Apollo LP Send Two Sunsets.

We thought it apt to get in touch with Bakradze on the eve of the release to give us his wonderfully eclectic Five Essentials, featuring Idris Muhammad, Talking Heads, and more..….

Pharoah Sanders – You’ve Got To Have Freedom
It just kills it every time I play it and I come back to it very often. The combination of drum and piano rhythm gets you moving straight away, with that psychodelic saxaphone by the man himself – so powerful.

Idris Muhammad – Could Heaven Ever Be Like This
If I mentioned Pharoah, there must be some place for Idris as well. I play it in almost every set and it’s really tough for me to mix, so sometimes I just ignore that and play without mixing.

Oby Onyioha – Enjoy Your Life
I play this song very often and I love the entire feeling of I Want To Feel Your Love, but this track is just as groovy and relevant today as it was when it was recorded.

Terrence Dixon –  Reasons (Vocal Mix)
I didn’t want to put this on the list, but those cymbals… Techno music that is heavily repetitive, deep and melodic. You almost can’t find this elegance in techno nowadays. The cymbals carry the track adding playfulness and drive.

Talking Heads – I Zimbra
I was a massive Talking Heads fan as a child. I was 16 or 17 when I first heard this. This record has so much energy, it makes me feel excited every time I hear it even now. David Byrne changed my vision of music.

Bakradze – Before Time Altered Them is out mid-November on Transfigured Time. Keep ’em peeled for physical pre-order links.

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