Hong Kong in the 60s: My Fantoms

We have been enjoying London-based trio Hong Kong in the 60s' dreamy use of rudimentary analogue technology up here at the Moonbase since the release of their debut EP Willow Pattern Songs in 2009. Since then there has been a freely-downloadable EP Places as well as a collaboration with The Advisory Circle for a slice of 7" vinyl on Ghost Box. However, delightful news recently reached us that the band's long-awaited debut album My Fantoms has finally been released. And a thing of wonder it is too. Warm woozy electronics playing beautifully naive melodies over primitive drum machine rhythms, with delicately delivered vocals from librarian Mei Yau Kan. Synaesthetes will find that listening to the album conjures up a sensation of playing with a large multi-coloured plastic abacus on a Summer's day. You can listen to all the tracks on the album and buy the download version right now for the very modest sum of £6. The CD edition will be coming out on 2 May. You can find more information about the album on the band's website. To mark the auspicious arrival of their debut album, Hong Kong in the 60s are playing a few dates over the next few months. The most exciting of which is in the form of a support slot for the High Llamas in London on 22 May 2011.

A Message from Jean-Jacques Perrey

Honorary Moon Lord, Dana Countryman, has just been to Switzerland to visit his friend, hero and musical partner (and patron saint of Project Moonbase), Jean-Jacques Perrey. While he was there, Dana filmed Jean-Jacques giving a message of thanks to his fans following his recent 82nd birthday:

For more information about Jean-Jacques Perrey, we heartily recommend a visit to Dana's official website.

PMB020 Lullaby of Georgeland: George Shearing, Toots Thielemans, Cal Tjader, Jon Brooks, Dim Dim, Ray Davies, Classic Steel

This year has not been a great year for legends of the jazz, soundtrack and retro-futuristic worlds. The latest loss to planet Earth is Sir George Shearing who sadly left us on 14 February.

We at the Moonbase are big fans of the sound of latin jazz and Sir George was one of the greatest practitioners of the art. His quintet also featured two of our other favourite musicians, namely Baron Jean "Toots" Thielemans (harmonica, guitar, whistling) and Cal Tjader (vibes). So on this week's bumper edition of the show we pay tribute to Sir George by hearing music by the great man himself as well as music by Toots and Cal.

We also have a couple of tracks from the latest release by Jon Brooks (aka The Advisory Circle), more jazz flute, some humouristique Belgian pop from Dim Dim and we peak far too early by starting the show with an extraordinary slice of Classic Steel.

As well as the music, MC Zirconium tells us this week that making your way in the world today takes everything you've got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you want to get away. Where everybody knows your name - and we know your name and where you live.

UPDATE: This episode is featured in Tom Robinson's pickofthepods.

Listen now:

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Or download the MP3 directly.

The Music

1.	Neal & Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra: Also Sprach Zarathrustra from In Concert
2.	Ray Davies: Shaft from Golden Hour of Button Down Brass
3.	George Shearing: The World Is A Ghetto from The Way We Are
3.	Jon Brooks: Carnacki Theme One from Music For Thomas Carnacki
4.	Dim Dim: Flit from Kiwi
5.	Toots Thielemans: Wilsamba from Aquarela Do Brasil
6.	George Shearing: Caravan from Latin Verve Sounds
7.	Jon Brooks: The Samaa Ritual from Music For Thomas Carnacki
8.	Herbie Mann: Harlem Nocturne from Latin Fever
9.	Cal Tjader: Lullaby of Birdland from Black Orchid

The Unnecessary News

• A German Bill to Protect Kids' Right to Make Noise
• We have a message for Phil Campbell. There's a Phil Campbell Convention, in the Town Phil Campbell.
• Just say no ... to robot marriage
• Mars landing simulated in mock astronaut mission
• Darth Vader + Justin Bieber = The ultimate Sith superweapon?
• RoboCop statue in Detroit gets $50,000 funding

Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed

We at Project Moonbase say "Oh dear me, no" to communism but "Oh golly, yes!" to Cosmic Commie Concrete. Yes communism is a filthy habit but somehow despite the oppression, rotten cars and interminable queuing, a few brave souls managed to create some of the most brutal, space-aged, constructivist concrete confections ever, ever, ever. It's architecture, but not as we know it. Photographer Frederic Chaubin shows us 90 buildings across fourteen former Soviet Republics. In what can only be described as "a book full of pictures."

CCCP: Cosmic Communist Constructions Photographed [Hardcover]

PMB019 Funky Germans Rocking Thailand with Caterina Valente, Peter Herbolzheimer, Sroeng Santi, US Navy Steel Band, Laetitia Sadier

On this week's distinctly rock-flavoured show we have some more examples of Luk Krung and Luk Thung from the latest Finders Keepers compilation, Thai? Dai! We also have a couple of selections from the recently released second volume in the Funky Fräuleins series as well as another slice of Classic Steel. But perhaps most excitingly of all, we have - for one week only - a return of The Herb! Yes, we've been digging through the lunar archives and have managed to find a Peter Herbolzheimer track from the mid-70s that was never released on vinyl but which has popped up on a tasty compilation of "krauty schlager wonders" (we're allowed to say that because that's how this German compilation describes itself).

For this edition of the podcast, MC Zirconium advises that you have a bucket of iced water at the ready.

Listen now:

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Or download the MP3 directly.

The Music

1.	Sroeng Santi: Kuen Kuen Lueng Lueng (Iron Man) from Thai! Dai?
2.	Caterina Valente: I Dig Rock And Roll Music from Funky Fräuleins Vol. 2
3.	Peter Herbolzheimer: Rock-O-Mobile from German Funk Fieber
4.	US Navy Steel Band: Overture to William Tell from Steel Appeal
5.	The Loved Drones vs Laetitia Sadier: Contact
6.	???: Machine Gum from Wall You Need Is Love
7.	Fiona Silver: Help from Complete Beatles on Ukulele
8.	Jane Weaver/The Focus Group/Susan Christie: A Circle And A Star (Part 2) from The Watch Bird Alluminate
9.	Plearn Promdan: Kosok Tee Det from Thai! Dai?
10.	Heidelinde Weis: Der Supermann from Funky Fräuleins Vol. 2

The Unnecessary News

• Man Takes-On Ridiculously Long Name, Simply Because He Could
• Top 10 superstitions people rely on everyday
• The Colonel's Secret Recipe Revealed!
• The world now has its first graduate in Beatles studies
• Men distracted from news by sexy newsreaders
• The World is sinking: Dubai islands ‘falling into the sea’