Review: The Secret Garden - Weekend Away (Dicky Continental Remix ft. Ioan Omar) (Ramrock Red Records)

Another 'Weekend Away' party experience arrives at the airport gate as Dicky Continental and Ioan Omar turn-up to get away to The Secret Garden without any passport issues!

As rumoured with The Secret Garden (aka Alex Vickers) original 'Weekend Away' (with a  Dadhaus Remix - see review HERE).

Passport control clearly didn't see that Dicky Continental is in fact Rich Thair who has added live drums and bass plus the tricky-Dicky "puts the keys hook through a Sherman Filter far too many times. Rich says, "Alex’s main keyboard line is so strong and hooky so it was always going to be fun working on this. So much soul and warmth." - it certainly gives a hazey beach Balearic vibe that's brought back to earth by the vocals, courtesy of Ioan Omar (check the lyrics below).

Omar, apparently will feature heavily on the forthcoming Dicky Continental album ‘Queer The Pitch’ (Ed. is this something to do with the World Cup) that's going to also come out on Ramrock Red Records this year!

P.S. we're also told that the DC album will feature 18 year old Sofia El Kamel on bass– the talent is stacking up!

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  RRR099 The Secret Garden - Weekend Away (Dicky Continental Remixes) | The Secret Garden, Dicky Continental | Ramrock

Artist: The Secret Garden

Title: Weekend Away (Dicky Continental Remix ft.Ioan Omar)

Release date: 3th July, 2026
Label: Ramrock Red Records
Cat. No: RRR099
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Lyrics:
Call the collective
Upgrade to the mindscape network
Inside me call that. One.
That’s us I call us love
Transcends the stars above
Like diamonds in the
I see you smiling
I see you shining

Review: The Secret Garden - Weekend Away (Original + Dadhaus Remix) (Ramrock Red Records)

Relive that 'Weekend Away' party experience born via the likes of Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz Air like there's no tomorrow with your audio pilots for today The Secret Garden and Dadhaus!

Ramrock are flying at the moment with the No’West Remix) EP of 'Space Soul Mother' by the duo known as Suddenly WOW! (see review HERE) that's just been released.

This time, The Secret Garden (aka Alex Vickers) have been inspired by a period at the birth of like the much loved/hated (equal measures) budget airline as they flew to brand new destinations that had yet to be discovered by the party people that want to get away for the weekend; ask DJ Christoher Long (aka The Rhythm Doctor) who is now resident in Tallinn, a city almost unknown in the UK in the 90s/even now!

If the original get you there the Dadhaus gets you past Door Security into the Late Night Disco with full-on strobe synths, Italo-keys and duty-free abandon: "Oh Yeah!"

There's hints of Moist favourite Dicky Continental on the remix (well, with a name like that!) but in the meantime, also recommended are previous releases by The Secret Garden, 'Names In The Sky' featuring Jo Wallace (see review HERE) and 'Spirals' featuring Cordelia Olwen (see review HERE).

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER:  RRR098 - The Secret Garden - Weekend Away EP | The Secret Garden | Ramrock

Artist: The Secret Garden

Title: Weekend Away (Original + Dadhaus Remix) 

Release date: 29th June, 2026
Label: Ramrock Red Records
Cat. No: RRR098
Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: The Secret Garden - Spirals ft. Cordelia Olwen (Ramrock Red Records)

Let's see what's in The Secret Garden this summer.  Dizzy after Mrs Ramrock's  vocals for 'Names In The Sky', this time is 'Spirals' on the beach, litterally, as that's where Cordelia Olwen's vocals were recorded!

You will recall the previous release by The Secret Garden, 'Names In The Sky' that featured the vocals of Jo Wallace, the boss at Ramrock HQ (see review HERE), that got worldwide plays and was championed by Don Letts at BBC 6 Music.

Well, this time the vocals by Cordelia (50% of Clone + Cord) were recorded so close to the sea that you've got authenic wave sounds on 'Spirals' that give it more than a synth-pop Balearic vibe that's deep. Plus, there's some proper lazy days lyrics here and that's enhanced by the "dreamy" instrumental version.

Apparently, the seed of this collaboration was planted last summer at a rare The Secret Garden gig in the Chiltern Hills where Alex and Cordelia met.  Since then, after some serious file swopping, 'Spirals' will be spinning your head and feet.  

I hope this will be released on vinyl at some point so we can get it played at Chilled Cider (Ed. that's the one that overlooks the sea) but until then, it's yet another summer winner from Ramrock, perfect timing as ever.

 

Artist: The Secret Garden

Title: Spirals ft. Cordelia Olwen

Release date: 28th July, 2025

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR087

Format: Bandcamp / Digital

Review: The Secret Garden - Names In The Sky feat. Jo Wallace (Ramrock Red Records)

Whether it's the Garden of Eden, The Garden of Earthly Delights or indeed, The Secret Garden, here's the flowering of Mrs Ramrock on vocals for 'Names In The Sky'.

Jo Wallace, the boss at Ramrock HQ, has made an appearance previously on the label (see review HERE) was introduced by Dan The Drum (he of 'Jazzcazz - see review HERE) to Alex of The Secret Garden and the result is this great track, 'Names In The Sky'.

Whilst older readers may imagine a John Gordon Sinclair /  Clare Grogan moment on the "End Of Summer" headland/beach but this is always going to be "current" which is kind of ironic as Alex's inspiration and the title was inspired by a Nancy Wilson track from 1968.

But don't get the impression that this is all dreamy stuff as the track (with the instrumental) is serious disco-boogie-funk ready for the spaceship dancefloor (and possibly a dubby remix from the Morris & Wallace team?)

Another winner from Ramrock and perfect timing as ever. 

Artist: The Secret Garden

Title: Names In The Sky feat. Jo Wallace

Release date: 28th October, 2024

Label: Ramrock Red Records

Cat. No: RRR070

Format: Bandcamp / Digital