OUR SATISFACTORY SOUNDS SELECTIONS OF THE WEEK (29/09/14)

MAC DEMARCO – ROCK AND ROLL NIGHTCLUB

Mac Demarco is a huge favourite of ours here at Dissatisfied Sounds. His two most recent full length offerings ‘2’ and ‘Salad Days’ garnered him a huge hoard of devotees, but it is this low-fi track from his first album that got us intrigued.

Mac is known for being prolific, being competent on most instruments and its interesting to hear a track such as this where he is still carving out his musical identity. With warbley Elvis like vocals this track is underminned, as always with Mr. Demarco, a really juice guitar riff. Enjoy…

SATISFIED

FLEETWOOD MAC – RHIANNON (1976)

Rhiannon is one of our fave Fleetwood Mac tracks, and one of their first bangers after Nicks and Buckingham joined the group. From the Fleetwood Mac White album – the song itself has an interesting background.

Nicks discovered Rhiannon in the early 70’s through a novel called Triad, by Mary Leader. The novel is about a woman named Branwen, who is possessed by another woman named Rhiannon. There is mention of the Welsh legend of Rhiannon in the novel, but the characters in the novel bear little resemblance to their original Welsh namesakes (both Rhiannon and Branwen are major female characters in the medieval Welsh prose tales of the Mabinogion).

Nicks bought the novel in an airport just before a long flight and thought the name was so pretty that she wanted to write something about a girl named Rhiannon. She wrote “Rhiannon” in 1974, three months before joining Fleetwood Mac, while living with Richard Dashut and Lindsey Buckingham in Malibu,^[6] and has claimed that it took 10 minutes to write.

After writing the song, Nicks learned that Rhiannon originated from a Welsh goddess, and was amazed that the haunting song lyrics applied to the Welsh Rhiannon as well. Nicks researched the Mabinogion story and began work on a Rhiannon project, unsure of whether it would become a movie, a musical, a cartoon, or a ballet. There are several “Rhiannon Songs” from this unfinished project including “Stay Away” and “Maker of Birds.” Nicks wrote the Fleetwood Mac song “Angel” based on the Rhiannon story.

Nicks avoided wearing black clothing for “about two years” in an effort to distance herself from the witchcraft and dark arts associations surrounding her as a result of the lyrics to “Rhiannon” giving fans the wrong impression.

Its not the album version that we keep returning to however, its the above live 1976 version. Just wait until after the Lindsey Buckingham guitar solo and the building middle eighth – to see Stevie Nicks at her most 70’s (and probably most coked up) best. In the words of Nevermind producer Butch Vig in Dave Grohl’s Sound City – Reel Reel, “Boy, that Girls’ got some pipes!”

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RZA – YOU CAN’T STOP ME NOW

Coming from the Wu Tang Clan’s commander in chief the RZA’s fourth studio solo album Digi Snacks – You can’t stop me now represents the obligatory Hip Hop tune on our countdown. The album Digi Snacks can be seen as a concept album, with RZA himself saying,

“This world wasn’t in a digital format in 1998. Now digital is the most compelling form of commerce and entertainment so this is like a relaunch of the character.

The album is Digi Snacks because it’s a snack pack of Bobby Digital’s world. Not only music and sounds, but also the comic background, the sci-fi background, the black-exploitation background. Look at the artwork—a girl with an afro, an Asian girl, Bobby sitting in the big king’s chair and then the villains—Raven, Hawk, Eagle and Crane, the four birds of prey that I use as my enemies. Bobby Digital’s life-long nemesis. That adds a comic element to it—as well as martial arts. I’m planning a comic book, a video game—I’m already talking to people. I want fans to be aware of these things.“

Clearly RZA is an ambitious dude – but this track is worth all the pretence. Featuring our third fave Wu-Tang memeber Inspectah Decks and underpinned with an amzing sample of the Whatanauts – Mesage from a Black Man RZA spits his world view in true East Coast fashion.

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THOM YORKE – HARROWDOWN HILL

We love a good change of pace to keep you guys on your toes here at DS and so lets go for a but it of electroey rocky – well…. its hard actually to define Thom Yorke. The Radiohead frontman simultanously breaks down generes he himslef creates. his first solo effort the Eraser is no better exampke of this.

Harrowdown Hill in Longworth, Oxfordshire is notable for being the place where the body of Dr. David Kelly was found in 2003. His evidence had raised questions about Saddam Hussein’s possession of weapons of mass destruction — the official justification for the UK government’s decision to invade Iraq. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Yorke said, “The government and the Ministry of Defence… were directly responsible for outing him and that put him in a position of unbearable pressure that he couldn’t deal with, and they knew they were doing it and what it would do to him… I’ve been feeling really uncomfortable about that song lately, because it was a personal tragedy, and Dr. Kelly has a family who are still grieving. But I also felt that not to write it would perhaps have been worse.” In another interview, Yorke said that “Harrowdown Hill” is “the most angry song I’ve ever written in my life. I’m not gonna get into the background to it, the way I see it… And it’s not for me or for any of us to dig any of this up. So it’s a bit of an uncomfortable thing.”Yorke also notes that “‘Harrowdown Hill’ was kicking around during Hail to the Thief, but there was no way that was going to work with the band.”

A deeply personal, dark track that bears repeated plays. One that leaves us uncomfortable and at that same time….

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OUR SATISFACTORY SOUNDS SELECTIONS OF THE WEEK (22/09/14)

ANTHEM  – BLACK ROSE

We love a bit of Barrington Levvy here at Dissatisfied Towers and frankly we also love a good remix. Anthem’s Black Rose provides us with both and that makes us very happy!

Henrik Schwarz and Jesse Rose are two names synonymous with House music, no doubt. The former releasing a strew of quality originals and remixes for a long time now (one of which featured in our top 2010 list) ; the latter is the boss of the glorious Made to Play imprint as well as Front Room and Play it Down, not to mention a superb producer. In fact his “Let’s Start Again” EP on Dubsided back in 2005 is a huge record and I relish playing that badboy on the ones and twos every time I get a chance. 

These two pillars of modern dance music culture have come together to bring you a track of such epic proportions that there can only be one word in the Oxford English Dictionary apt to describe it, and that word is Anthem. Now you may be thinking that they are blowing their own trumpet a little bit, however when these two mammoth minds collide under their Black Rose moniker it is safe to say they have the “cojones”, the gravitas and an esteemed music CV to label their debut output as such.

The video will make you trip harder than falling down a flight of stairs – but its definitely worth a watch. Check this massively original tune out and check Anthem out – the duo make literally crazy music.

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RJD2 – GIMME THE LOOT

RJD2 is an amazing DJ, creating haunting;y orginal soundscapes with the same ease that he creates melodic joyful tunes. Ghostwriter is probably our favourite of his – so when we came across this remixed with our third fave Biggie track, we were in love. The two tunes seem to mesh perfectly, with the horns of Ghostwriter mixed perfectly with the GIMMME THE LOOT chorus. We almost prefer this to the Biggie original, as when we hear “from the berretta, putting all the holes in ya sweater” nothing can stopping us from jumping up and grooving to this remix. We don’t feel the need to say much more about this one- it speak s for itself. 

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COWBELL – HANGING BY A THREAD

Cowbell – and their debut offering Beat Stampede – aren’t breaking new ground by any means. But you don’t always have to be different to be great.

‘Hanging By a Thread’, Sam Cooke-esque soulful pop inviting replay after replay, shows a lighter side of the band daring to emerge from the album’s crackling, cranked guitars and stampeding drums. Beat Stampede is a record so studded with top notch tunes that, in the good old days when people hung on a disc jockey’s or popular music journalist’s every syrupy word and duly trooped off to department stores with real paper to buy real plastic, it would genuinely and without irony, be described as ‘chart topper’. Unfortunately now days – its a bit old hat.

Plus points as well for getting more women in rock n roll, especially on the drums.

This however, is not to say we find it, how do you say….

SATISFYING 

REMY SHAND – TAKE A MESSGE

In case you forgot, Shand hit it big in 2002 with his debut album “The Way I Feel.” In 2003, he picked up four Juno Award nominations and won in the category of R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for the track “The Way I Feel.”

He was also nominated for four Grammy Awards that year, including, Best R&B Album, Best R&B Vocal Performance – Male, Best R&B Song and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

His best tune in our opinion is the above “Take A Message”.

Then  disappeared, some claiming that he had fallen into drug addiction, others that he had quite the music biz and finally others claimed that he had finally just topped himself. That is…..until the middle of 2013 wheremysterious videos sta`rted popping up on his youtube account.

We love a bit of George Michael here and Remy easily takes up the mantel and rolls with it – cool pop tunes from Canada.

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OUR SATISFACTORY SOUNDS SELECTIONS OF THE WEEK (15/09/14)

Yo Yo – Dissatisfied Sounders – welcome back to another iteration of our fave sounds of the week. Let’s jump right in…

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE – SERVO

We’ve spoken about Dig! before – one of the best music docs out there and we really can’t stress enought the quality of the band the doc focusses part of its time on the BJM.

Anton Newcombe, the tortured genius of a frontman is wise in his choice of instrumentation and band members contributing in all the tracks. The mad genius he is, often plays all the instruments himself but in “Servo”, he and Matt Hollywood the usual bassist do everything, Matt playing the acoustic guitar and Anton playing the catchy riff tearing through the lonely synth opening the song.

A acid-rocky number this is definitely in our top five BJM tracks – and from the stellar Give it Back Album – you should definitely check it out.

Also check out Anton’s Youtube channel – he’s just as mental as ever….thankfully.

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CHRIS ISSAC – WICKED GAME (SOULCLAP REMIX)

Chris Issac’s Wicked Games is a phenomenal song – unfortunately is best remembered as the soundtrack to Ross & Rachel’s breakup (“We were on a break!). However Mr. Issac’s song is given a bit of a lift by the Soulclap guys. It’s always great when a remix gives you more of what you loved in the original – exactly what this tune does. He may be a massive Elvis look alike – but this remix is dripping with plently of 21st Century hooks and  an echoey soundscape.

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DEVO – GUT FEELING (SLAP YOUR MAMMY)

Yep…..pretty weird

As always at Dissatisfied Sounds we like a good change of pace- so here we go with 80’s mentalists Devo. We’re big fans of Wes Anderson’s films and we were pleasantly suprised to realise that his long term score provider Mark Mothersbaugh is actually one of the two brothers in Devo. Hence this track cropping up on the seminal The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. A special band with weird hats and with a title that contains Slap Your Mammy – they’re hard to pin down – but never dull. Gut Feeling may be one of the bands more conservative efforts – it certainly is no bore and if you’ve ever seen The LIfe Aquatic you’ll know what we mean when we say this track conjures images of the open sea.

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BUGSY FT. SKITZ – BORN INNA SYSTEM 

Well it wouldn’t be Dissatisfied Sounds with out a Hip Hop select….so here we go….

Buggsy, The fast spitting Rasta emcee from the district of St.pauls in Bristol, UK. Not shy of entertaining crowds down to his poetic also african drumming based background.

First came to the Airwaves in 2005, On Rodney P and Skitz’s 1Xtra show with a smashing track produced by drum and bass legend Dj Die, Followed up by another smasher ‘Nail Biters’ Produced by Dj First Aid. Both tracks displayed crazy flows with loads of clarity which caught many peoples ears and they wanted more.

Now he has made his First Official release named ‘The Great Escape’ Which is surley due to set standards in the UK also Display Buggsy’s true musical abilities. Featuring Tracks Like BORN INNA SYSTEM, PURE GAS AND CONNECT THE SPDIF FT. JEHST AND FARMA G.

This one’s our fave though – ENJOY!

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OUR SATISFACTORY SOUNDS SELECTIONS OF THE WEEK (08/09/14)

PEACE – MONEY 

from the burgeoning Birmingham indie scene – band Peace have divided critical opinion with their debut album. They are seen by some as British indie’s great hope. They made the BBC’s Sound of 2013 list and have been championed by NME, which described them as “important”, the music press’s highest accolade; others call them derivative, and make unflattering comparisons to early-90s post-baggy bands. Both camps have a point.

This new track isn’t exactly a change of tack – but is well produced and definitely worth a listen. The band are evidently aiming to conjure images of 21st century ennui – check out the reference to Bitcoins –  and it certainly tickles us enough to recommend it. Check it out and let us know what you think.

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RICHIE SPICE – YOUTHS DEM COLD

“If Education is the key – then tell me why the Big Babylon make it so expensive for we?”

It’s lines like the above that separate Richie Spice from the rest of the neo-Reggae pack. Much like Hip-Hop plenty of artists in 21st Century Reggae fall on the wrong side of satisfaction and fail to capitalise on genuine talent – by relying on base subject matter and unoriginal source material. Richie Spice bucks this trend by painting pictures of what life is actually like for most Jamaicans – toasting over sun dripped dub beats.

This is one of our favourite tracks out of Jamaica in the last ten years and as such we suggest you definitely get acquainted by Mr Spice. With rising University fees – the question has never been more relevant – why do they make so expensive for we?

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THE BAND  – THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN

The Band garnered huge success, were Dylan’s go to band on tour gained little mainstream recognition in their own time – one of those exciting nomadic bands that only the 60’s and 70s seemed to produce. Rag Momma Rag may be the band’s most radio friendly tune – but its this that has lest the most lasting impression.

The Night they Drove Old DIxie Down was written by Robbie Robertson. The lyrics tell of the last days of the American Civil War and the suffering of white Southerners, as evidenced by the lyric “the winter of ’65”. Dixie is a nickname for the Southern Confederate states. Confederate soldier Virgil Caine “served on the Danville train”. Union cavalry regularly tore up Confederate rail lines to prevent the movement of men and material to the front where Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia was besieged at the Siege of Petersburg. As part of the offensive campaign, Union Army General George Stoneman’s forces “tore up the track again”.

The song’s lyric refers to conditions in the Southern states in the winter of early 1865 (“We were hungry / Just barely alive”); the Confederate states are starving and defeated. Reference is made to the date May 10, 1865, by which time the Confederate capital of Richmond had long since fallen (in April); May 10 marked the capture of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and the definitive end of the Confederacy.

Robertson claimed that he had the music to the song in his head but had no idea what it was to be about: “At some point [the concept] blurted out to me. Then I went and I did some research and I wrote the lyrics to the song.”

Considering the band are from Canada and have little invested in the South – other than it being their adopted home later in life – it is the ability to paint a portrait of such an intense time – and portray the suffering of the pro-slavery South in the Civil War with such empathetic success smacks of Nirvana’s Polly and really stands as a testament to the power of music to tell a story.

We dare you to listen to the song and not feel a swell of compassion for those lives lost in a war that turned brother against brother – father against son. The live version we’ve embedded above is our favourite – as you can really hear they emotion in their voices – very satisfying we think…

Quite heavy? Well have a listen – have a cry and then move onto out next selection.

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DAS EFX – THEY WANT EFX

Well it wouldn’t be our satisfactory sounds of the week if we didn’t include some Hip Hop would it? This one’s no recent find but one we think has garnered enough main stream accolades that it should. When Jay-Z say he was most influenced by DAS EFX when coming up with his flow-style – you know these guys aren’t to be played with.

With one of the best rap samples of all time – using James Brown’s Blind Man Can See It – this song is a classic with an original flow  that makes our Top 10 Hip Hop tunes of all time.

What do you think?

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Our Satisfactory Sounds Selections of the Week (01/09/14)

Our Satisfactory Sounds Selections of the Week (01/09/14)

Soooooo – September is here. Its gunna start getting cold soon – so we thought it best you get all cuddled up with a blanket – whack on the fire and warm yourself with this week’s satisfactory selects.

COLD WAR KIDS – ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS 

Speaking of the cold – Industry veterans Cold War Kids have been around a while (10 years to be exact). We loved their first full offering Robbers and Cowards (check out that screechy guitar on We Used to Vacation) but they’ve been a bit quite of late . That is until their latest release All This Could Be Yours pricked our ears. Complete with jazzy piano and funky cymbal playing the band are known for, they have maintained the style that won them so many critics at SXSW where the band really broke globally. However when we first heard the poppy chorus we did worry that maybe the band had decided to hitch a ride on the mainstream; however the chorus is succeeded by some cracking screechy guitars and they bring it back and smash it out the park. A top tune for a top band – the forthcoming Hold My Home LP could take them into the stratosphere. To be released in October of this year – we suggest you check it out – this track certainly left us satisfied

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PRINCE FATTY – SHIMMY SHIMMY YA 

We loved the original – RIP O.D.B! – but we have to say that Prince Fatty knows how to produce a respectful remix. Using the same hooks that made us fall in love with the cracked-out genius that was Ol’ Dirty Bastard – but with a really dense dub reggae beat and the spot on choice of Horseman to toast; this track reminds you of the original without ever feeling derivative.Not easy to do.

psssst! Prince Fatty’s the white one

There’s  Not really much else to say about this one except that Prince Fatty is definitely worth seeing live and never stops touring. Also check out this other cover of Shimmy Shimmy Ya by the Wu-tang produced El Michels Affair – very satisfying hearing one of our best rap tunes sung by a school choir. O.D.B. Would be proud……we think.

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JUNGLE – THE HEAT 

Jungle are a massive Dissatisfied Sounds favourite. We want to say that they’ll be massive but they’re most of the way there already. Album at the top of the iTunes chart? – check – Embarking on a big US tour? – check – Massive sets at Glastonbury and Coachella? – you get the jist…. Watch out for our forthcoming post on their eponymous first album – but as a little taster we wanted to satisfy you with The Heat. Pick any of the tracks from their first LP and it is a scientific fact that you will be grooving at the LATEST by the 1:00 minute mark. Nothing exemplifies this better than the above video for The Heat. With a rainforest of sounds and beats -these guys are bringing the originality back to sampling – rejecting the common practice of recycling old successes in favour of creating their own unique soundscapes. Having watched them at Reading this year – we have never seen a crowd be converted to a band so quickly and so completely. The Satisfaction was palpable – as is ours…..

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NORMA FRASER – THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST 

No for something a little more mellow. “The First Cut Is the Deepest” a 1967 track written by Cat Stevens, originally released by P. P. Arnold in the spring of 1967. Stevens’ own version originally appeared on his album New Masters in December 1967.

The song has covered by the whole world and their wife, most notably spawning hit singles for four different artists: P. P. Arnold (1967), Keith Hampshire (1973), Rod Stewart (1977) and Sheryl Crow (2003).

But its Norma Fraser’s version that we like the best. It’s somber but with enough humour to avoid sounding earnest. A big hit in Jamaica in the 1970’s – if you’ve ever felt some teenage heartbreak your young life. This song will resonate.

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OUR MOST SATISFACTORY SOUNDS OF THE WEEK (25/08/14)

Our most satisfactory sounds for the week starting 25/08/14

21st Century – Remember the Rain

Ice cool R&B (the proper kind) from the 70’s group 21st Century. Released in 1975 this song didn’t garner too much success at the time and somewhat ironically the titular century is probably the one where the group will enjoy their most success.  The recent tragedy is that “Somebody Else” a song by American R&B singer-songwriter Mario, featuring vocals from Nicki Minaj, uses the track as a sample – meaning Remember the Rain will reach an audience – but probably for the wrong reasons. We refuse to put a link to Mario’s track – so check out this soulful classic for the right reasons. – SATISFIED

MC Eiht – Streight up Menace

The 1993 single by MC Eiht off the soundtrack of 1993 movie Menace II Society. The lyrics of the song focus on the life of the characters in the movie, acting as a sort of plot summary for the film. Old skool Hip-Hop done right – no complaints from us. Haven’t seen the movie? Check out the track- it’s better anyway. – SATISFIED

NECRO – WHO’S YOUR DADDY

Wow……Where to begin? Firstly if you didn’t know already Necro prides himself in rapping about the most depraved and sordid details one can think of. Manson murders described in all there gory details? – Check Creepy Crawly – The depths of drug abuse? I Need Drugs of course. But it is not the gore and wince-inducing subject matter that Necro’s tracks have in common……They’re all really fucking good. Who’s your Daddy is no exception – sampling the Zombie’s Time of the Season – in this track Necro postulates about his penchant for hookers and porn stars. Listen to the track below – but especially watch out for the line;

“Ridiculous pussy lips – I predicted, you’ll be addicted to my dick once you licked it”

Disgusting, horrific and absolutely ingenious. Making it not only one of fave rap lines of all time – but one of our favourite tracks as well. – SATISFIED

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE – BLUES FROM AN AIRPLANE

Jefferson Airplane are great, but they were even better with Dissatisfied favourite Skip Spence on guitar. This track was from the debut offering Jefferson Airplane Takes Off. Its a great tune and much darker and broodier than some of their more happy clappy numbers. Enjoy….. SATISFIED 

OUR MOST SATISFACTORY SOUNDS OF THE WEEK (18/08/14)

Our most satisfactory sounds for the week starting 18/08/14

King Harvest – Dancing in the Moonlight 

Original to the tune made famous by everyone’s not so favourite band Toploader. These fur clad 70’s rocker’s vocals are just oh so sweet they makes us want to, well…dance in the moonlight I suppose – SATISFIED

FIDLAR – Crackhead Ted

This tune from the prolific Californian punk rockers is a pretty low fi effort, with squealing guitars and an unnerving video to match.  The band make no secret for their penchant for booze and drugs, and Crackhead Ted is no exception to the rule, with singer Zac Carper reeling of a list of narcs that would cause Keith himself to think twice. But with the suggestion from the band that they’ve already forgotten how to play the song and that they wrote it over the course of a weekend – we think you should check it out before the band forget about it all together – SATISFIED

Brothas Doobie – Lost in Thought

Now for a little change of pace. 1995 saw Cypress Hill at the forefront of the mid-90’s rap scene. Black Sunday had exploded across the globe and everyone was craving their blend of South Californian post-gangster Hip-Hop. Enter Brothas Doobie – whom Cypress Hill announced as their protégés.

Fast forward to now and  Brothas Doobie never reached the heady heights that their  mentors may have  – but with Lost in thought, with its clever sample of the Los Angeles Negros, they stand apart from Cypress Hill; displaying their more patient and thoughtful approach. A seminal tune from a group who deserved more recognition at the time. SATISFIED

together Pangea – Sick Shit

Much like FIDLAR, together Pangea are doing their best to claw back some credibility for modern rock – shunning the heavily produced offerings of previous years, for raw driving punk music, heavy on the guitar, drums and well, pretty much everything. The track comes from this years Badilliac – however we prefer the Rollo & Grady’s session recording – as the guitar really sings. Enjoy below,

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Bella Figura – Remember You Said 

DissatisfiedSounds favourites Bella Figura are simply great – even better live. We don’t feel the need to say much more as this massive track does the talking. Watch out for more stuff from us about these guys – they’re gunna be big.

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