Luke Vibert, Plaid, LFO, and More Feature on Balkan Compilation
'Balkan Vinyl Allstars' will land early May.
Posthuman‘s Balkan Vinyl label will celebrate its 25th release with a new V/A compilation featuring tracks from B12, LFO, Luke Vibert, Plaid, Andreas Gehm, and Global Goon. Each track is taken from the label’s back catalogue; some are from sold-out 12″s, while others land from digital-only compilations.
The tracklisting and details are as follows, as told by Posthuman himself.
A1: LFO “I Love Acid”
I got to know Mark Bell initially on the internet about 15 years ago, we both frequented the same record label online forum. He had a brutal, acerbic wit and enjoyed trolling people—but in person/private was one of the most genuinely kind and supportive guys, always interested in helping out new artists too. When I put together my Acid Relief charity compilation, he was the first person to contribute—writing this track especially. It was the last ever track he released as LFO. He is very sorely missed.
A2: Luke Vibert “Jungle Hitler”
Luke has been a mate for a long time now, we first met when he played at one of our tube station bashes in the early 2000s. It was his track “I Love Acid” that I named my club night and label series after, and he’s gigged at more of my parties over the last decade probably than anyone except me or Placid. This was a digital-only track from a few years back that really deserved to be pressed on vinyl.
A3: Plaid “Hui”
Another digital-only track that needed a vinyl release. I don’t think I’ve ever told them this—we first met in 2000, when they came to one of our warehouse afterparties. Someone pointed them out to me and said, “See those two guys? That’s Ed and Andy from Plaid” …me and Rich were too nervous to say hello so we ran off into the stairwell for a smoke. We were excitedly saying to each other “Wow, Plaid are here!” like fanboys, only to look up and see them standing on the stairs above us. Not sure if they even heard, but we were absolutely mortified & embarrassed.
B1: Andreas Gehm “Heaven and Hell”
Bittersweet to re-release this. I found out that Andreas passed away on the same day my son was born. I’d been speaking to him just a few days earlier, he was in hospital and struggling with health and finances. Never expected that to be our last conversation. He’d released a 12″ on my label a few months previously, and we were planning on him coming to London to play a show but postponed the plan due to his health. I think it’s important that people hear this track. It’s one of his finest moments.
B2: Global Goon “Craehzrhd”
This is taken from the very first record on Balkan, Red from back in 2010. I still think it’s one of the best tracks I’ve ever been lucky enough to release. It’s become a bit of an anthem at I Love Acid too. Johnny Goon has done a few things on the label since, an I Love Acid 12″ and a full album included. He’s a hugely underrated talent.
B3: B12 “Proximity”
Before I started Balkan, I worked for the B12 guys for a while and was lucky enough to become one of the four acts to ever release on their label—along with Kirk Degiorgio, Stasis, and B12 themselves. We became good friends, played a lot of shows together, and when I started Balkan they were on the first release—and many others since.
Balkan Vinyl Allstars will land early May, with Luke Vibert’s “Jungle Hitler” streaming in full below.