The Lost Record is a blog that shines a light on records that never made the move to digital (notably Spotify or Apple).  At best these records have a Youtube fan upload.

Dust Brothers – Song To The Siren (remix)

Thanks Steve Jones, for the latest in The Lost Record series, who would have thought the Dust Brothers would have become global superstars.

The Chemical Brothers (Tom Rowlands and Ed Gibbons) are one of the best live acts I’ve seen, this track was my introduction to them under their original guise of the Dust Brothers. The name was a homage to the American producers of the same nome (see Tone Loc, Young MC, Beastie Boys, Beck).

The Uk Dust Brothers’ first global tour in early 1995 included America, triggering the original Dust Brothers raising objections about the use of their name. So they switched to “The Chemical Brothers” having previously recorded the track Chemical Beats.

By the early 90s I was buying music based more on Producers and labels rather than groups or artists. This track was originally pressed as a white label in late 1992 before getting picked up by Andrew Weatherall and released on Junior Boys Own (and it was his remixes that sparked my interest). I was also aware of Tom Rowlands from Ariel on Deconstruction who had released Sea of Beats and Rollercoaster (never knew that..Ed).

The original version of the track has a mish mash of samples including the track it took it’s name from This Mortal Coils version of Song to the Siren, Coldcuts Beats & Pieces and Mantronix’s King of the Beats. Weatherall remixed it under his Sabres of Paradise moniker, extending it out over two versions. I’ve opted for the 100% chunk mix which kicks in with the break then builds with the bass and samples retaining more of a breakbeat feel than Full Sabre Mix which strays more into house music territory.

This was one a few records I bought on Junior Boys own which was set up by Terry Farley and Steven Hall as an off shoot of the Boys Own label. Boys Own was set up by Weatherall, Terry Farley, Pete Heller, Steven Hall and Cymon Eckel and featured quite heavily in my record purchases in the early 90s.

It is a lost record? Yes indeed, you may find the original mix on Spotify but not this

Steve Jones