DJ Alex Corton – Good Looking Records

Good Looking Records

Flowrian / Scott Allen – Imagine No Longer / Parallel Reality

2013

The raft of music that ebbs and flows down this artery of Good Looking makes its way toward the final eight, 12” single releases on the main label catalogue. The freshness and experimental beginnings have led us up through 20 or so years of atmospheric history. Lots of classics, lots of artists and the remolding of the sound as it meanders along. While the early days contained the fresh waters that sped you along with a new rush of white water falls and exhilarating saturation, the calmer waters were now opening up, finding a few currents here and there to push things along. 

    Today’s artists are Florian Boo, who is Flowrian. He has his first solo release on Good Looking Records, following the collaboration with Paul SG and Pulsaar from February of 2013 with ‘Corrupt level’. He is joined on this plate by a guy who’s been a pillar of the atmospherics for the last 14 years. Owner of the prolific label, Soul Deep Recordings, American DJ, Producer, Label Owner and jack of all trades, Scott Allen has been an integral part of the scene and a big reason for the expansion of drum and bass in the U.S. We reviewed one of his works when we reviewed Expressions Recordings. He also helped run the ‘Soul Deep Vs Smooth N Groove’ events. Today, (and about time too), is his one and only release on the Good Looking 12” single, vinyl series. 

   ‘Imagine No Longer’ on Side A sets up the trundling, liquid amens and loops a decadent and mystical hook into the mix. There’s a groove that radiates from this track which gravitates around your soul with magnetism. There’s a little section where the vocals say “imagine if you could speed it up and slow it down” that I really dig, with the change in key. It’s only a tiny fraction of the track, but it wets the beak beautifully. Set up your deck chair, put your feet in the water, face the sun and let the music work its way into you. 

   When I put this next track on over on the other side of the disc the expectation is high, as Scott Allen has a very special talent in the studio. The end result is one that does not disappoint. If it’s the funk laden groove of a liquid step above, you have it right here. Scott delivers ‘Parallel Reality’ to a mirrored vision of the space between the possible and impossible. The acoustic twangs are sublime in this tune. So elegant and balanced, with a rich, productive sound. Scott drops a real high end piece of music onto this disc. This is just a snapshot of his abilities, as he continues to bloom across the world of drum and bass with his work. A big shout to Scott as always. Keep doing your thing mate! 

  If you can’t sleep at night and need something to read, this blog has nearly all the Good Looking Records 12” singles on it. You never know, you might nod off?

Good Looking Records

Paul SG & Altitude / Rowpieces – Stay Strong / Share The Vibes

2013

   On our return from the weekend we now venture onwards with the next five Good Looking Records. Bukem’s legendary record label was flowing along nicely, and the artists of the era were getting a pretty strong push forward having their names attached to the Good Looking Organization. On the flip side though, they might not have received any pay for the music they made. The label may have been a good associative tool, but it didn’t put food on the table. 

   Luckily, we were in a strong position with the music that was around in this period. Paul SG was back with a collaboration featuring a real talent, Ali Taher, who is Altitude. He has had releases out on Celsius., Prestige and also Warm Communications. The B side has a chap called, Robert Schmidbauer with his first release on Good Looking. We featured a super EP by him on Fokuz Recordings, paying odes to Future Engineers, Intense and Artemis with his Recollection EP. He is known as Rowpieces. 

   Let’s get the platter that matters rotating and push that volume into the balance of brut force and clear cut clarity. 

    ‘Stay Strong’ unties the carabiners of brass band spirits and guides the listener to a liquid roller that buzzes with bass, nods your head and has that ability to float in this tranquil yet busy pool. While it’s not much of a stand-out release, it catches the long term memory bank with the hook “you..stay strong..let your spirit free”. One that you’ll have in your head for a long time after. 

   On Side B, the extremely talented Rowpieces holds open the palms of his hands and beckons the gods with a delightful piece of music. The bass guitar sound is filtered and manipulated in such a unique way in this tune. Nothing fancy with the beats, but just check out the work and harmonies with the pads. ‘Share The Vibe’ stretches the imagination, filling so many variations within the tune. You actually forget the bog standard beats and it’s all about the numerous instruments that dabble fresh emotions and feelings within. The saxophone and piano coil around each other and hug those pads with tender and expressive warmth like no other. 

   Two decent tracks on here, one that sticks in your mind and the other, an open and creative slice of talent. Big up to Paul, Ali and Rob “Row”. 

Onto the next white label in the series, tomorrow. Have a great week. 

Good Looking Records

Submorphics / Malaky – Cosmic Blue / Drifting 

2013

Today we reach one of my personal favorites on the white label series. Both tracks have a go-to lure that has me plucking it out the wall of white sleeves and smiling, whenever I’m roaming the shelves. 

   Greg Axelrad is US artist, Submorphics. He is from the home of techno, Detroit. I’m not sure what happened to him but he’s been quiet for the last ten years. Hopefully he’s making music somewhere, under some name. His talent is exceptional. 

   Malaky is Andrew Brewin out of Leicester, UK. We reviewed a piece of work from him and mSdoS when we spun through Criterion Records about two years back.

    On Side A, ‘Cosmic Blue’ really does blow a lot of the tunes in this series, off the pier and into the treachery of the void below. It’s such a catchy, harmonious string riff which lights the wick of this tune. The beats hurtle along and the bass groans back there, taking with it the moods of the ancient gods. When the breakdown arrives, it sucks you in even deeper. It’s a fucking magical piece of music this one. Also, that stammering, electric piano is just perfection! If there’s only a couple of this series that you really need, this is one plate you cannot ignore. Even if the flip side was poor, this side really does lift up the bar and deliver a prize bull to the market. 

   The good thing is, the flip side is a really good tune too. 

   ‘Drifting’ takes the chocks from under the wheels and pushes the throttle forward, releasing the ground brakes and taxing out to the launchpad of liquid sensationalism. Malaky assembles a firing piece of music here that barrels through the low level clouds and pushes up and out above the film of the atmosphere. That B-Line is just so incredibly nourishing and pure. As we near the breakdown, the bass encases you even more as it punches down into your bones, shaking up the nerves and allowing your insides to melt. Andy really smacked an Eagle drive on a par 5 hole right here. Seriously impressive music, and for me, one of the very best plates all round, in the white label series. 

  There is a blog I have with all but three of the GLR catalogue (three test presses at that), for your perusal. Here it is if you’re interested in amazing your family and friends with a back story of Good Looking. 

Have a superb weekend and get those tunes spinning!

Good Looking Records

Motta & mSdoS / Paul SG – Dots / Electric

2013

We reach the 85th Good Looking release today with more liquid love from the big names of the music from this era. The sounds had come a long way from the early seed, planted back in the early 90s, but the music continued on with a passion that remained at the core and simply refused to be forgotten. I always felt that it was different people at different stages of life that dropped in and out, rather than good or bad years. If you were around during a personal distancing from the music, you may have thought the music had become less appealing. The thing is, you dig deep in any year in its history, you’ll find real gems. 

   The deck is spinning and the vinyl sits ready to receive the needle of truth…shall we?

   Side A is Motta & mSdoS with ‘Dots’. A punchy, in your face beat leads to the piano breakdown which keeps things in a real jazz vibe. It’s that bass line on this that breaks open the mold though. A regurgitating, low level bass heaves up a forceful torrent of vibration and the lure is spot on. I remember not really feeling this one too much when it was released but I really do like it now. The feel good sounds flow out of this really impressively. I’d like to know what inspired the guys to call it ‘Dots’ unless it’s the bassline that makes you see them on a big sound system? 

Edit: Chris replied about the title ‘Dots’

“Dots … It’s from Polka Dots lollll. I love that kind of clothes on women. When I started the idea I maybe saw a girl with a polka dots dress. So I kept the dots :)”

Much appreciated, Chris!

   Paul SG puts together a classy string of resonating liquid droplets along this power line of sound, for ‘Electric’, on Side AA. This era of the liquid scene was still one where the creativity lay within, with a little panache and grace. The breakdown on this tune is a beauty too. The way it soothes and then spins into this house beat, slowly speeding back to the regular tempo. Even that shows a smattering of the diverse and freshness that was around at this time. The little laser warps and stationary backing pads wrap up the tune in the soft blanket that shrouds this track. Lifting the spirits and raising the heat, increasing the joy inside. Big up Paul, a wicked tune this. 

  Here is the blog of my Good Looking Records reviews and pictures. I hope you get the chance to dive back into some of them. 

Good Looking Records

soulTec / Arp-1 & MJT – A Need In Me / Last Call

2013

Today we reach another anticipatory drumroll of new artists on the Good Looking Records label. It was a completely different field of studio dabblers by this time in the scene, while the strongly associated names on the label were either onto other projects or life’s necessities, we now had the artists that had been inspired by the sounds of the past, who brought things into the future. New, evolving technology, new formats and a vibe that catered for today’s discerning music aficionado.  

   SoulTec is Anthony Finch, from Oxford. His background love of jazz, funk and soul led him into the liquid electronic world, that lay on that prime coat of musical grip. Anthony is always dropping in on music posts too on social media and it’s always good to banter with him and rack brains over times gone by with the history of the music. He has released tunes on Soul Deep, Have-A-Break, Smooth N’ Groove and his own label, Sheer Velocity which was set up with Dan Fridd (DJ Fridd), Mark Green (Mark Halflite). Anthony mentions, “I vaguely remember making this. Came together pretty quick. Some miles Davis some drums and an 808 and bobs your uncle. Remember sending to mr B and he was pretty excited about it. :)”.

   A big respects out to him and thanks for adding a bit about the story on the release today mate. It is most welcomed!

  Side A is ‘Need In Me’ whispers the notes of days gone by, life without the hooked chaos and the hark back to simplicities of the good stuff. The wind instruments in here add that squeeze of the classic, while the drums roll and bass purrs. I remember listening to the Bukem In Session CD and from all the tunes on that mix, I found myself having this one stuck in my head the most. It’s not one that makes the hairs stand on end, but at least you’ll actually remember hearing it. This went a long way during this period of the music. 

    We reviewed Spanish artist, Arp-1 when we reviewed ‘Lithuanian Beauty’ on Expressions with Blade from the year prior to today’s. He also had releases on Telluric and Fokus. 

  He joined up with a guy we reviewed during the Black Reflections label, with a track called ‘Cinnamon Eyes’. MJT, George Verveniotis, hails from Greece. (I was thinking of a Ceaser joke there but I could see the tumbleweeds approaching..ha ha). 

   ‘Last Call’ is on Side AA of this plate. Featured on the ‘Bukem In Session’ CD it has that suspenseful, crime-thriller, strings loop (like Tayla’s ‘Turn It Around’) which holds the standard liquid beats and a very absorbent and rumbling bass line which bruises the temples with its murmuring, together. Just as you like it! The rebels are marching across the minefields without the pathways and illumination, so tread carefully with this one. It’ll keep you gripping the edge of your seat and paralyze the senses. 

    These sounds held a solid quality in the liquid drum and bass field. The character was still in them, and you could still just about  recognize the producers style still. 

   My blog is here. You may know. You may not.. but now you do.

Good Looking Records

Vandera / Dave Owen – Anandamide / Deep Breathin 

2013

   On we go with the white label series on the Good Looking label. Two more artists today make their debut. We only have about three weeks of 12” singles left to review on Good Looking. But do not worry. There are some albums and the 20 EP’s still ahead of us along with a few side projects. More than enough to maintain the flying flag of the label. 

   Jasper van der Aart is Holland’s first artist to hit the Good Looking Records (if I rightly remember). While he is not as prolific these days with releases, he had a few out on Fokus Recordings. The write up about him on his Facebook and Discogs page makes him out to be some mad ‘Dr. Emmet Brown’ style of potion scientist during the daytime and a musical agitator of all things sound, drugs and mind altercations, by night. This probably goes someway to explaining why he titled this tune ‘Anandamide’. Well, Anandamide is the Sanskrit word for joy, bliss and or delight. It is the result of a chemical reaction through fatty enzymes in a body which release a feeling of relaxation or ease. Apparently it was only discovered in 1992 which was not far from the things going into my body and producing some euphoria, during that year. Uh-hum.

    ‘Anandamide’ is one of those tunes that when I first heard it, I got some serious chills. It rolled out nice, clear cut amens for a start which had been missing in a lot of the music released around 2012 and 2013. This sank the ruff neck teeth in with its rain of electronic sounds and smears of bass, and it just rolls. The little trumpet bursts and the trance like breakdown, really spun a sleek and refreshing web on Good Looking, among a lot of similar, cookie cutter tracks in liquid. This is definitely in my top 5 tunes on the White Label series. 

   You may also have been aware that there was a blue vinyl release by Joy Orbison called ‘Hypf Mngo’ remixed by Vandera (its labelled a drum and bass remix but he’s credited), which sounded very similar to today’s release. I didn’t get that one, but it’s basically the same percussion. ‘Anandamide’ is a little corker of a tune though. One of the last on the label to really give it some welly on the amens anyway. 

   On Side AA is a guy who I also bumped into at Plush back in 2013 in Austin city centre. I still remember chatting with Dave Owen about the town of Newbury in Berkshire as I lived just down the road in Basingstoke. He had a connection with Newbury (he or parents, I can’t remember), which was pretty unexpected coming from a guy from Indianapolis. And there we were nattering in a nightclub in Texas! Dave had been rolling out tunes for over ten years, from 2009, up until around 2020. I’m not sure if he’s just DJing now or hunkered in a studio somewhere. I did see him on quite a few flyers after 2020. He is another really top guy and solid behind the decks. 

   Here we have ‘Deep Breathin’ smoking out the shackled resins then wafting in the smooth vapors of bliss, cooling the soul. There is a viscous movement between the arrangement of this piece, settling the layers and compacting the final result with a vintage twist to a modern style. Dave really pushed a chilled, piano tinged liquid groove out here. One for the smokers corner. Oooosh.

   Massive respect to Dave, and fingers crossed you get back to Austin again soon. Respects!

   Onwards we travel. Forward bound. 

My blog happens to be here. Stating the bleedin’ obvious, you’re on it. I hope you get to dive into the back catalogue at some point.

Good Looking Records

Paul SG, Flowrian & Pulsaar / Random Movement – Corrupt Level / Alone This Way (No Need To Stay)

2013

This week we continue on the journey through the White Label Series of Good Looking Records. I hope you had a great weekend?

    Today we have the third release on this latest burst of releases, and the GLR store was knocking out tunes monthly. The way the music had remolded had created a lot of sifting through the music to find tunes that deserved the dollars and cents. I was locked in collector mode though, so you’ll get each one reviewed. I’m going to play each one and crank up the volume and review each one with a positive mind frame. There are some pretty decent tunes, so we’ll let it roll…

     Austrian based Paul SG teams up with a couple of Swiss based artists for the first track on Side A. Florian Boo, is Flowrian, who has been making music for over ten years on labels such as Fokuz, Soul Deep, Celsius and Paul SG’s Jazzsticks. Pulsaar is Thomas Steiner. While his output isn’t as extensive as his counterparts here, he does put on a decent show when he plays. 

   Side A is ‘Corrupt Level’, extracting  succulent bass and melting pads out of the trunk of the liquid tree and stretching out the crucibles walls that sit within the branches of life.  There’s someone chatting about “drinking a glass of water before bedtime and troubles will be gone”, in here which sounds like an old fashioned answer phone message. The breakdown sits back nicely inbetween the frantic drum work and as tunes go, I actually like this. There’s a tendency for a lot of liquid tunes to lack character, especially moving through some of the tunes in this series. This one holds its head up though. 

    On Side AA, we have Mike Richards who I actually met over here as he swung by (a few times) to Plush when it was running, in downtown Austin. He’s a guy that couldn’t be more friendly and fun to hang out with. He’s also one shit hot musician, as well as producer and DJ. He is Random Movement. Here we have ‘Alone This Way (No Need To Stay)’ moving the thermometer levels to a sunny and fresh breeze temperature, to cast your eyes and ears out to the clarity and warmth of a shiny new day. The party that jives within this tune is a balance of manic and settled. Half your body wants to chill and the other half wants to shake up the bones inside. 

A big shout out to Mike, and hope you swing by Austin again, soon! Big up mate. 

 My blog seems to be building one or two views so why not be that third? You’re on it already so be that the magic number? 

Good Looking Records

LTJ Bukem – Music (Technicolour Rework)

2013

Today’s review had many of the die hard fanatics of not just Good Looking Records, but the classic 90s sounds, skeptical about today’s release. Back in 1993, Bukem had given us a tune that refined the whole structure of how music that many of us went out and danced all night too, could transport you to realms of the unthinkable. It was one of the boldest and rewarding times ever within the history of the jungle and drum and bass world. Bukem gave us ‘Music’ as a pivotal, and looking back, essential moment. 

    In 1995, Bukem then handed remix duties on ‘Music’ to Peshay, to be released on the Good Looking Records sub label, Nexus, run by Tayla. It was with plenty of scrutiny that the remix was dissected and honed in on, only to discover that Paul ‘Peshay’ had not only kept one of the most important tracks in the history of the music, in highest honor, but had also so subtly and delicately added some fine touches, in making one of the very few remixes that held its own against the original. It really is a work of art. 

   This brings us to today. Fast forward 20 years from the original release and remix duties handed to a guy who I have a lot of time for. Peter Rogers is Technicolour, half of the eventual duo that became Technimatic, with Andy ‘Komatic’ Powell. I first heard a Technicolour track on a streaming show where they played ‘Cetrifuge’ on Spearhead. It really grabbed me, and I just hoped that Pete had the music gods with him for the Music rework. We are lucky that that is very much the case. 

    Side A breathes a fresh approach to this track and Pete puts a really thoughtful and engaging production and spice into this rendition of the classic. It’s not cheap, it’s not lazy and it’s not pieced together with the,wham-bam, thank you mam, approach. Technicolour delivers a fucking honorable and modern flair right here and I absolutely love the end result. The track will stand proudly In the bronze medal place of the Music saga in my view and that, in no way is a bad thing. This really has a special place for me in that it tore apart the Atlantis Remix and showed us that some of the most far fetched clutches of creative music making and remixing were still out there. It is a very worthy and respectable remix this. Technicolour deserves a lot of credit indeed for this work. Hats off sir! 

   Side AA has a nice updated clean version of the classic original so you can don the gold medal of the trilogy into the ears. 

    Have a good weekend! We have three days off work now so the tunes will be flowing at some point (or hopefully points), during the rest bite. Ez all! 

Good Looking Records

LTJ Bukem – Atlantis (Marky & S.P.Y. Rework)

2012

As we embark on our next enriching era of the Good Looking Records label, we skip across another time span between 2009 and December of 2012 with the new age of internet organization. While the distribution had moved from the now defunct, Nu Urban, it was now the Good Looking Organization (GLO) that operated the website that gave us the next few releases on the label. It was the vinyl releases that I honed in on and it was my mission to continue to fill the shelves with my favorite label of music. 

   This was really the moment I found that I had become a mad, possessive collector for this particular label (no shit, Sherloock). Regardless of the music, my heart was set on each release. Many are good and a few I rarely play. I’ve always been picky, and am these days. It went against many of my record buying habits to be honest. Anyhow? let’s  embark on this next series of the white label releases from Good Looking. We head from GLR080 to GLR095 and the end of the 12” singles on this monumental label. 

   Side A has Marky & S.P.Y. reworking the classic GLR003 from 1993, hitting the tempo and consistency of this dawn of a new era. While it maintains the key elements of the original, you have to take both the original and his version and separate them like two brawling school boys beating the living shit out of each other. Once parted, and you look this version dead in the eye, you can adjust your mindset from the original and start to realign your acceptance of this tune. It has no comparison in status, and never will, but it’s not how it works for a vast number of classic reworks (a handful accepted). but for the modern times (all be it 13 years back now), this version does put a fresh little twist on things and it will still get the crowd feeling mighty good. That is a sure thing. 

   Side AA is the original mix of ‘Atlantis’ from Bukem, which we reviewed on June 20, 2025. Hearing it again this far down the line is a great reminder not only of how far the music had come, but also how important and unique the early GLR plates are. It’s great having a clean and fresh sounding copy of ‘Atlantis’ too. This release started the white label series off and the thought of more remixes of classic tracks was a little daunting to be honest. Well…just wait until tomorrow’s release. 

Good Looking Records

Furney / Paul SG – A Song For Kong / Forever

2009

For today’s review we have the first in a batch of three Test Press only releases which had been missing for many years. I remember getting the news from Paul Bendall, about Matt Small having the three Good Looking (GLR077-79) and two Looking Good (LGR053-54) up for grabs. By the time I’d put my name in the hat, I managed to grab today’s TP and then both the LGR’s. I was also stretching the wallet out, moths flying everywhere, getting them, so I doubt I’d have reached bagging all five. They were not cheap. Money and vinyl, you know. 

    Furney has another of his ‘Furneyesque’ style of tunes with a pumping rhythm and a nice sounding strings intro to ‘A Song For Kong’. The chanted caveman wailing vocal adds a hint of the red Mediterranean heat, but the basic track is one that falls a little flat to be honest. The breakdown has its usual 30 seconds of rest bite, but plunges its head underwater without any noticeable effects. I’d put this into a ‘filler’ category if you just need something to drop when you can’t dive deep into the crate..in other words, more of an emergency choice. 

   On Side AA we have a guy who has continued to make a solid impact on the drum and bass world. Austrian based, but German originated, Paul Biegel is Paul SG. This was his first release on the wax of GLR and we have a few more of his coming up in the white label series too. The owner of Jazzsticks Recordings, his background is one of live bands, drumming, guitars (which I believe is where the ‘SG’ is from for ‘Solid Guitar’) and a profound love of jazz. ‘Forever’ takes the flare and eclectic merging of rapid, detailed beats and a hook that drives the wheel of the jazz cafe, around for the full spectrum of liquid frills and spills. The way the music was moving  into a quick fire beats-bass-looped sample, was becoming frequented more and more at the end of the first decade of the Millennium. The DJs were speeding up the beats and the mix selections, while the ability to truly recall particular pieces of music, was fading a little. From out of some of that fog though, you had some real talent. Paul SG is one of them. 

    Test Press time is done. Here are the next two test presses which I do not own, so will be skipping unfortunately:

GLR078 – Concept & Shnek / Utah Jazz – Kind Of Blue / Money’s One Thing – 2009

GLR079 – Furney / dRamatic – I’m Awake Now / Creation – 2009

   Tomorrow we move back into our Time Machine and skip forward to 2012, for the next wave of Good Looking Records, taking us from GLR080W to GLR095W and up to 2014, where the last of the label is laid to rest. 

   My blog continues, if you are interested in reading about nearly all the GLR releases on 12” singles. Plenty more still to come.