Atticus Bloggimus

Where to find me

2011-04-26T15:45:00.000-07:00

It should be fairly obvious by now that I no longer use this blog.

If you're interested in what I have to say, you can follow my personal blog:

kersplatticus.wordpress.com

I'm also writing a strictly music blog with a couple of friends:

decibelity.wordpress.com

There you have it.

Best
Atticuc

2010-07-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I've not updated this blog in about 3 1/2 months, which is at least several eternities in e-time...

Back in February I deleted an entire folder with all my ideas, links, lists, half-finished posts, etc. - it was basically about a year and a half's worth of work, which for some reason I had neglected to back up. Doh!!! That little blunder along with school, a new girlfriend and a general reassessment of my priorities basically left this place in disrepair.

Apologies to anyone who's enjoyed reading this (all - what is it six - of you?). The bad new is that I am probably going to pack it in as far as this endeavor is concerned. But the good news is that I've started a new blog and, though I've not gotten anything up yet, I promise that once I do it'll mop the floor with this one...

Expect rather heavy focus on music - i.e. what i'm listening to as well as free stuff I've found and probably some mixes compiled by yours truly - but in general the content is gonna vary a lot more.

I'll link to my new diggs as soon as I got something up worth looking at.

Thank you, whoever you are.

peas
A-to-the-x2T-I-C-U-S

Lupe Fiasco - Enemy of the State: A Love Story

2010-03-01T15:13:00.000-08:00

This mixtape turned up on the internetz a couple of months back, but I've only just now gotten around to listening to it. I've never really thought of Lupe as a freestyler, but given the quality of everything else he's done, I shouldn't be surprised at how good this is.

Grab this and listen as Lupe flexes lyrically over the course of 20-some-odd minutes, on everything from synth pop to dirty south rap to Radiohead.

DOWNLOAD

http://www.lupefiasco.com/

[edit: you can download all of Lupe's mixtape's here]

Bullion - Pet Sounds in the Key of Dee

2010-02-18T14:21:00.000-08:00

London's Bullion is one of the dopest producers in left-field hip hop period. Over the last few years, he and his One-Handed Music label-mate Paul White have been churning out groundbreaking, hallucinatory psych-hop like it ain't no thang.

This is the "mixtape" that announced Bullion's presence as a serious creative force back in '07. And yes, the execution is every bit as good as the premise.

DOWNLOAD

Oh, and if you're a collector or jockularly inclined, be sure to check Bullion's latest single Say Good Bye to What out now.

http://www.myspace.com/bullionness

http://onehandedmusic.com/

El-B's Mundo Musica Cumbia Mix

2010-02-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder where El-B - the man who's drums inspired Burial to start producing - got his rhythm from?

Well if you're a fan and you've pondered the origin of that deadly syncopated swing he injects into his tracks (it's not anywhere in the EU that's for sure) then this probably makes a lot sense, like it did for me.

I love Cumbia and i know absolutely nothing about it, other than it's almost impossible to sit still through.

Cut up dance hall style with air horns and shout-outs, this 55 minute mix is a perfect intro to Cumbia and ideal for walking through the Mission, or any other sunny Latino-filled place, on a day like today.

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/ghostrecordings

Bun B - No Mix Tape

2010-02-11T19:07:00.000-08:00

Bun serves up this appetizer (which actually is a mixtape) just ahead of the release of Trill OG: installment three in his triad of trillness.

If you're familiar with the man then I probably don't need to convince you check this out. And if not, here's your chance to clock one of the dirty south's best.

...uh, the first beat is actually pretty weak, but after that shit gets stupid trill son.

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/bunbofugk

The Horrors - Primary Colours

2010-02-03T17:16:00.001-08:00

You know, I vaguely recall seeing a promo picture of these guys a couple of years ago. It was in Rolling Stone or Spin or something like that. At the time I was nonplussed: besides the unctiously fawning press release - which was obviously aimed at teenage girls - the dudes looked like ridiculous, wannabe goths in the accompanying photo. Like they were advertising for Hot Topic or something.

I can’t speak for what they sounded like back then, because I had already dismissed them as a contrived marketing gimmick or at best a cheap rip-off of The Cramps. From what I understand though, they’ve altered their sound considerably for this sophomore effort; bringing in big time production help from Portishead’s Geoff Barrow and Chris Cunningham.

The result is kind of like b-movie meets garage rock – a weird hybrid of gothic surfiness and blood-shot paranoia, where warbled synthesizers and entropic distortion collide with the stark and hollow coldness of vocalist Faris Badwan, who has definitely listened to more than his share of Joy Division. Though he sounds like Ian Curtis more often than not, Badwan does a cockney-ish punk thing pretty well too on songs like Mirror Image and Three Decades.

The use of synthesizers (tonally and in the manner they’re employed) is one of the more distinguishing aspects of Primary Colors. Swathes of them warp and refract into distended melodies adding to an already disorienting amalgam of reverb-drenched guitars, Phantom-of-the-Opera organs and grinding amplified feedback.

On Three Decades synths screech like twisting steel and surf guitars are bent and stretched to the point of creating an unsettling Doppler-like effect.

Who Can Say, probably the most pop-friendly tune, is a love song undercut by dirty, serrated guitars and giddy synthesizers saturated with reverb until they create a kind of hall-of-mirrors-like sound a la My Bloody Valentine.

The lyrics, when decipherable, are predictably morose, but what else could you really expect a band calling themselves The Horrors.

Not everything is so over the top though. The sprawling 8-minute, synthetic odyssey, Sea Within a Sea is melancholic and almost Depeche Mode-eqsue. My favorite of the lot, it's a lovely way to send things off after all the carnage.

I reckon you could pick apart the obvious influences: Joy Division, The Smiths, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, My Bloody Valentine, etc., etc.; wax condescendingly about how they’re just the sum of these various reference points. You could ridicule the blatant Halloween/b-movie shtick. You might label the approach pretentious or heavy-handed.

None of this, in my opinion, changes the fact that it's a flawlessly executed hybrid of dark garage rock, gothic punk and psychedelic noise.

http://thehorrors.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/thehorrors

The Flaming Lips / Star Death and the White Dwarfs - The Dark Side of the Moon

2010-02-01T15:15:00.000-08:00

Wow! Just… wow. The Flaming Lips have got to be the only band with the stones to attempt something like this, and surely the only one with enough creativity and artistic integrity to pull it off.

For those who dug the sound of Embryonic – their obtuse, experimental double album released back in October – this will probably go down well (in fact if you’re one of these folks, it’s worth checking out even if you’re sick to death of The Dark Side of the Moon or were never a Floyd fan in the first place).

The Lips’ re-imagining of this almost canonical record produces an effect that is truly surreal. Like the original on an ephedrine bender and no sleep – the experience is more paranoid, more hallucinatory and generally more unsettling. The tone is set in the first few seconds when Henry Rollins (who’s been tapped to do all the speaking parts) says, “I’ve been mad for fucking years. Absolutely years … I’ve always been mad”

As with Embryonic, the aesthetic dept to early Ummagumma-era Floyd is palpable; thus in a neat stroke of irony it’s essentially an update of classical Floyd with an approach owing in part to pre-classical Floyd.

Did I mention it was loud? Yes, really loud. Loud and weird. The amplitude’s been cranked and the freak-out knob is at least at 11 - smearing the pristine production of the original into a chaotic mash of buzzing ambiance and crunchy distortion.

The chiming clocks at the beginning Time, for instance, have been replaced by digital, saw-wave alarms and a full on air-raid siren, and the song itself is inverted; with the intro being noisy and the verses/chorus being subdued.

Sex-obsessed Canadian shock-tress, Peaches, was a surprising though ultimately brilliant choice for That Great Gig in the Sky. The cultured elegance of the original tune has been replaced by a chugging, rhythm-heavy groove that’s more than a little rough around the edges. And Peaches’ vocals have been run through a guitar pedal, contorting her normally mid-coital moan into the tortured howl of some orgasmic BDSM fetish involving electrified clamps.

Money retains its original bluesiness, but Wayne Coyne’s vocals get the vocoder treatment and the result sounds like robotic alien lounge music that might fit in a David Lynch film or maybe a tavern on Tatooine. Us and Them sounds positively meditative compared to the rest of the madness.

Because Pink Floyd’s most celebrated record has become practically ubiquitous in the years since its release – you can hear it in the dentist office FFS –one could be forgiven for overlooking just how groundbreaking-ly weird it actually was. The Flaming Lips, having now put their own spin on it while staying true to the original spirit of weird, continue to do whatever the hell they feel like. And I continue to applaud.

http://www.flaminglips.com/

Ronin - Best Laid Plans

2010-01-28T15:04:00.001-08:00

When artists give their music away it tends to arouse certain preconceptions - i.e. the quality of said music is suspect and thus not worth paying for (which is why it's being offered for free).

This is an exception to the rule; a full-length album's worth of moody, cinematic trip-hop with a dark, jagged edge; think DJ Shadow crossed with Amon Tobin circa Supermodified. Sinister atmospherics, dusty hip-hop drums, touches of jazz, orchestral samples and dialog from obscure film noir, swirl together in a sonic cauldron of claustrophobic urban dread.

Ronin's a turntabilist which means:
A) that his work leans heavily on the art of creative sampling to achieve it's affect. This could be a well placed orchestral horn stab, paranoia-inducing strings or nicking a piece of a Hitchcock movie. It also means scratching everything from Chuck D to a recording of someone reading Edgar Allen Poe.
B) a keen ear for transitions and overall flow of composition. The seamless blending of tracks is reminiscent of a proper DJ mix and also a well scored film.

Great concept and damn near flawless execution.

Grab it while you can

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/roninonetwo

Let Money Speak Freely

2010-01-22T14:37:00.000-08:00

In a 5-4 ruling yesterday, the Supreme Court overturned two of its previous rulings designed to limit the amount of money that big business can funnel into elections.

The majority, led by Chief Justice Jon Roberts, are claiming it as a victory for political free speech. Those who dissent worry about the flood of corporate capital that will inevitably ensue.

Perhaps you're the type of person that thinks so what big business runs everything already. That may be so, but it doesn't make the self-righteous way that Roberts et al wrap themselves in a garb of anti-censorship any less nauseating. It’s also a slap in the face to an American public that’s becoming acutely aware of just how limited it’s influence is.

The question that springs to my mind is just when did corporations become American citizens? And what entitles them to the same protections guaranteed by our Bill of Rights? As far as I can tell it ain’t in the constitution.

Let’s be honest shall we? Corporate “free speech” is not about expressing dissent, it’s about buying off or attempting to buy off those necessary to get what is desired. That might be a bit hyperbolic, but it’s the way things generally play out isn’t it?

The whole affair really brings up a larger issue I have with the way that government is conducted these days.

Unless I’m thoroughly mistaken, our founding fathers intended our government to be a special kind of entity; one beholden to its people. Not in the sense that a company is beholden to its share holders (although that’s much closer to our current situation), but in the sense that its very existence owes to those who’ve entrusted authority in it. This would seem to mean looking out for the populace even at the expense of profit (e.g. who would you rather have inspecting your meat, someone whose top priority is turning a profit for shareholders or someone whose top priority is public safety?).

Unfortunately during the 20^th century the US government’s relationship with its people began to change from one of responsibility to the interests of those who grant it authority, to one of a client/server nature. (The problem with this being that obviously those clients with the biggest accounts are of primary importance.)

This change was a subtle process that unfolded over several decades*. It really took flight though, during the reign of the younger, dumber Bush, whose administration, in its race to prove the incompetence of government, couldn’t privatize itself fast enough.

It’s really difficult from here, to see how this money-corrupted system is going to fix itself. Remember when Obama promised an end to the unfettered influence of corporate lobbying? Well this decision just means more money will be thrown around; so more big energy, more insurance, more Wall Street, etc.

But hey who am I to criticize the free speech of others right?

*there's an excellent book called Downsizing Democracy that lays this out in painstaking detail.

Alone Tone

2010-01-16T18:12:00.001-08:00

This site is easily one of the coolest things that I've discovered on the internetz. The guys who created it are dedicated to providing a platform for independent artists to showcase their music. Alonetone.com allows musicians, bands and record labels - or anyone else promoting music they own the rights to - free and unlimited uploading capabilities.

"most of the 'free' services you'll run into elsewhere are running ads, funded by investors, or actually owned by media conglomerates. In general, they are hoping making money off of your 'content'...erm...music. Most music communities are overly obsessed with genres and popularity, and we're just not turned on by that. Time for something new, don't you think? alonetone was started to provide a non-commercial alternative. Something useful,
something different, something that the musicians can feel like they own. Beyond that, we want to do it right. Clean, only the essentials. Not too dorked-out. Easy to get around."

[Taken from the about section]

Once uploaded to their servers, the music is then free to stream and download by listening public. That's right free, no strings attached.

Alonetone has built a community of scores of independent acts of every stripe and genre imaginable who want nothing more than to share their art with us; free of charge. "We believe in giving our music away" they say in the FAQ section.

If you're sick of all your music and/or are the adventurous type, go check this place out.
The design is sleek, easy to navigate and of course add-free. You probably won't recognize any of the artists, but try downloading single songs from ones with cool names or interesting profile pictures.

You might have to dig a bit, but it will be well worth it if you end up with something amazing you never would have found any other way.

Happy hunting.

http://alonetone.com

Oh No - Dr. No's Ethiopium

2010-01-06T20:38:00.001-08:00

Stones Throw beatmaker and younger brother of Madlib comes through with some solid hip-hop productions, which have been getting serious play in the old ipod as of late.

In the vein of Donuts or a Beat Konducta release, it’s a collection of instrumentals (36 to be exact) loosely assembled in mixtape fashion – basically a showcase for what Oh No’s been doing lately.

Like Dilla and his older bro, Mr. – excuse me – Dr No has that innate ability to make music that does a lot without doing much. His style’s lax, almost slapped together feel belies the kind of ability you can’t teach. No fancy techniques; no DSP trickery, just a good ear, an expansive collection of obscure records and a knack for flipping an oddball sample into a hot track.

From the West Indies to Africa; Central Asia to the far East and back to the American South and Motown; Ethiopium is riddled with sounds from across the globe. Chanting monks and sitars sit next to synthesizers and reggae horns; bluesy guitar riffing, Hammond organs. Vintage drums and the ambiance of well worn vinyl, make these beats snap and crackle with the savory grittiness that characterized the hip-hop of yore.

Madness starts with what sounds like a banjo stretched into a warped loop and then coupled with a fat analog bass line and some high pitched Dr. Dre-synths. The Funk achieves it's namesake with hand-clapped drums that stutter, a blaxploitation-style guitar sample and some funky-ass horns. Adventure is a simple idea made interesting with the addition of a backward snare, a tambourine, some cymbal crashes and cut up Bollywood vocals. The saxophone led Juke Joint is reminiscent of the kind jazzy boom-bap perfected by Greyboy.

http://www.stonesthrow.com/ohno

http://www.myspace.com/ohnodisrupt

Joshua Wentz - Now is the Winter of Our Disconnect

2010-01-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

This is something I stumbled on by pure happenstance. I was visiting my parents for the holidays, and there was a foot of snow on the ground. I decided to make a seasonally appropriate playlist and after I finished selecting the music, I named my little compilation Winter of Our Disconnect. I felt like my creation could use some accompanying art, so I entered the words into a Google image search and the sleeve for this is what turned up.

I was a bit peeved at first, because I liked my little literary play on words. Then I noticed Wentz was offering it for free download. I figured I might as well check it out; there may even be something on it that would fit the vibe of my mix.

I love the internetz.

______

Wentz, it turns out, is a singer/song-writer type, whose style blends song writing with classical, jazz and electronic influences. The six songs included here vary a bit, but they all share an almost tangible wintery-ness and production as cold and pristine as new fallen snow.

Simple, unadorned piano and an Art of Noise-y synth sound introduce the first song, Something. Upright bass, brushed drums and jazzy flourishes of keys, make this love song (one of the only tracks with vocals) the “warmest” moment on the EP. Later, on

Injuctioner, Wentz’ piano glides sleigh-like over icy, warbling synth bleeps, an upright bass line and live drums, which have been chopped up drum and bass-style. It’s a lovely piece of atmospheric D&B that would have been right at home with LTJ Bukem and Wax Doctor. Whiteout - also relatively uptempo - has a much more straight forward groove. Rolling synthetic bass, Melodica and step-y drums accented with jingle bells, frame its glistening piano arrangements.

The slightly creepy feel of Tundra Kingdom reminds me of a Boards of Canada interlude. It's a drum-less piano and synth piece, that lives up to its namesake; evoking the forlorn solitude of a desolate wind-swept plane in the dead of winter. The album’s final song Exit, is a beautifully simple piano piece – less than a minute long – that fades gently into the frigid night.

Score! And the even bigger score was stumbling on Alone Tone, a site that allows artists to share their music with the world on the condition that it be offered for free. Not for how much you want to pay or after you sign up for their service, but free.

http://www.joshuawentz.com/

Fat Freddy's Drop - Dr Boondigga & the Big BW

2010-01-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

The seven musicians that comprise this New Zealand collective are all veterans of Wellington’s live music scene and it shows. They play well to each other's various strengths and influences and in doing so create a unique blend of conscious roots-reggae, funk, jazz and spacey, electronic dub.

In lieu of a drummer, rhythm is handled by founding member and multi-instrumentalist Chris Faiumu aka DJ Fitichie, who uses his MPC to create various grooves from the standard hip-hop variety to Caribbean-style syncopation to 4-to-the-floor techno. Keyboards add synthesized atmosphere and dubbed-out sonics as well as hefty amounts of sub-bass to the mix. A versatile three piece horn section(trumpet, saxophone and trombone) provides much of the flavor that makes FFD’s sound so distinct - bringing the funk, soul or reggae accordingly. Then there’s vocalist Dallas Tamaira’s velveteen croon, which holds the whole thing together. The resulting product is something like how a futurist Motown record made in a Studio One echo chamber might sound.

Dr Boondigga.., the group’s sophomore release, is divided into nine songs which sprawl out over 70+ minutes without ever really losing focus. The listener is eased in nice and smooth with Big BW, a luscious piece of neo-soul. The drums slap hip-hop-style and the sleek horns, spacey synthetic ambience and rolling bass line would be right at home with the G-Stone dub of and downtempo of Kruder & Dorfmeister et al.

The Raft is an elegant play on roots reggae ala Midnight, but modernized with electronic flourishes. The pulsing rhythms of ShivaMan and Wild Wind take the dub aesthetic deep into electronic country, while still maintaining a live feel. On both tracks, Tamaira’s voice floats in and out of a low-end chasm where guitars, horns and keys reverberate and various sound effects ricochet in classic dub tape-delay style.

Other pieces, like The Camel, featuring singer Alice Russell, lean heavier toward traditional American sounds. The song’s guitar lick and horn blasts are decidedly funky, but the hook and especially Russell’s raw vocal delivery create a satisfyingly bluesy edge. The Nod moves even further into Americana, heading south toward New Orleans jazz territory; with lyrics about cooking up soul food and a raucous brass breakdown - complete with tuba - that’s got all the bawdy energy of Bourbon Street.

Pull the Catch, the album’s first single (and probably my favorite song) incorporates all the of band's many influences. Beginning with a lo-fi, retro-dancehall riddim, it blasts forward in time and fidelity; shape-shifting into high-tech, Gucci, Spacek soul. The groove is laid-back but deliberate. The reggae guitar-picking, Tubby-esque horn arrangements and galactic atmospherics especially well suited to Tamaira’s vocal style.

There are great live bands and there are great studio bands. Fat Freddy’s Drop is a phenomenal live band who’ve have gone and made a great studio record. Props.

http://www.fatfreddysdrop.com/

http://www.myspace.com/fatfreddysdropnz

DJ Jazzy Jeff presents: He's the King, I'm the DJ

2009-12-28T14:52:00.001-08:00

2009 was a banner year for celebrity deaths. And that being said, none were more ballyhooed than Michael Jackson.

Considering the nature of his relationship with the media, I suppose the circus was inevitable (the shady doctor and babies mama drama couldn't have helped matters).

Still the endless analysis and sudden posthumous fawning in which the press engaged was nauseating.

With this tribute Jazzy Jeff reminds us why regardless of his personal life, Mike's contribution to music is beyond question. Culled from 4 decades in the game, this mix of almost fifty jams includes the all the obligatory highlights as well as some exclusive remixes.

Props to Jeff for giving the King of Pop a royal send off.

DOWNLOAD

10 Years of Flying Lotus Mixed by The Gas Lamp Killer

2009-12-25T13:15:00.001-08:00

My favorite DJ compiling and blending a retrospective of one of my favorite Producers.

Thank you again Brainfeeder, this was a nice Christmas surprise,

DOWNLOAD

A Boom-Bap Continuum mixed by Clockwork, 2tall & Kyper

2009-12-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

Practically exhaustive documentation of post-2k hip-hop from the perspective of the beatsmith, the tracklist of this 80-minute mix needs to be seen or (better yet heard) to be believed.

The ten sections (1 for each year), feature everyone worth mentioning - from Premier and Pete Rock to Dilla to Prefuse 73; from Def Jux to London Grime/Dubstep to the latest in LA wonk - and are cut up with exclusive interview dialog from the the producers themselves (Madlib talking about the birth of Quasimoto for example).

Intro ft. Oh No, Waajeed, Dom Sum, Take aka Sweatson Klank and Jay Dee.

1999 – Mixed by 2tall
The Isolationist – Settle Down (prod. Vadim)
Lootpack – Episode IV (prod. Madlib)
Mos Def – Fear Not of Man
Company Flow – Blackout (prod. El-p)
Phi Life Cypher – Last Man Standing (prod. Nappa)
The Isolationist – Hydro Slush (prod. Vadim)
Smut Peddlers – For The Record (prod. Mighty Mi)
Task Force – Force The Resistance (prod. Mark B)
The Creators – Hard Margin
Afu Ra – Equality (prod. Premier)
Group Home – The Legacy (prod. Premier)
Afu Ra – Mic Stance (prod. Premier)
High & Mighty – Dirty Decibels (prod. Mighty Mi)
Consequence ft. Everyone – Nobody (prod. Nick Wiz)
Sir Menelik ft. Grand Puba and Sadat X – 7xl (prod. Spinna)
Sound Providers – Get Down (prod. Soul One)
Busta Rhymes – Rhymes Galore (prod. Rashad Smith)
Nobody – Green Means

2000 – Mixed by Kper
Quasimoto – Microphone Mathematics (prod. Madlib)
Lootpack – Loop Digga (prod. Madlib)
J-Zone – Metrocard Millionaire
Spacek – Eve (Jay Dee remix)
Common – Doin It (prod. Jay Dee)
Cocoa Brovaz – Super Brooklyn (prod. DJ Rob)
El Da Sensei – Keep It Live (prod. P. Original)
Cali Agents – The Good Life (prod. Protest)
Bumpy Knuckles – Stock In The Game (prod. The Alchemist)
Pete Rock – Back on the Block (DJ Krush remix)
Divine Styler – Make it Plain
Slum Village – Raise it Up (prod. Jay Dee)
Skitz – Twilight of the Gods
Lootpack – Weededed (prod. Madlib)
RZA – RZA #7
Ko-Wrek Technique – Metro Dade (Luke Vibert remix)

2001 – Mixed by 2tall
Prefuse 73 – Nuno
Dabrye – So Scientific
Jay Dee ft. Frank n Dank – Pause
Jay Dee – Busta (Much More Re-edit)
Pete Rock – Walk on By
Roots Manuva – Witness (One Hope) (Walworth Road Rockers Dub) (prod. Lord Gosh)
Cannibal Ox – The F Word (RJD2 Remix)
Cannibal Ox – The F Word (prod. El-p)
Masters Of Illusion – We All Over (prod. Kutmaster Kurt)
Mission ft. Mia Doi Todd – Home (prod. Thes One)
Jehst – High Plains Anthem
Skeme – Turning (prod. Skitz)
Maspyke – Truth in Position (prod. Roddy Rod)
Hi Tek – round and round
Kool G Rap – First Nigga (Premier Remix)
Dilated People – Clockwork (prod. Premier)
Erick Sermon – Music
Third Sight – Will I Get Shot by a Dope Fiend? (prod. D-styles)

2002 – Mixed by Kper
Ricci Rucker – Dirt Program
Dj Shadow – Six Days
Daddy Kev – Untitled
Boards of Canada – Sixtyniner
P.U.T.S – Acid Raindrops (prod. Thes One)
Harmonic 33 – Extraordinary World
Craig David – 7 Days (DJ Premier remix)
Non Phixion – The CIA Is Trying to Kill Me (prod. Necro)
Insight – Ghetto Blaster
Gangstarr – Skills (prod. Premier)
J Live – Satisfied (prod. Spinna)
Bumpy Knuckles – Scram (prod. Jazzy Jeff)
D-Styles – The Murder Faktory
DJ Vadim – Till The Sun’s in Our Eyes
Ricci Rucker – Dirty Larry remix
Busdriver – Imaginary Places (prod. Paris Zax)

2003 – Mixed by 2tall
Push Button Objects – 360 degrees (Prefuse 73 remix)
Romanowski – Super Skank
Pharoah Monch – Agent Orange (prod. SA-RA)
Madlib – Please Set Me at Ease (hip hop mix)
Smiley the Ghetto Child – Wake Up Call (prod. Premier)
Medaphor – What You In It For (prod. Oh No)
Jaylib – The Official (prod. Madlib)
Dudley Perkins – Falling (prod. Madlib)
Akrobatik – Remind my Soul (prod. Fakts One)
Prefuse 73 – Uprock and Invogorate
Prefuse 73 – Busy Signal (Make You Go Bombing)
DJ Baku ft. Rumi and Primal – Chikusatsu
P-Love – Fop Lights

2004 – Mixed by Kper
Metal Fingered Doom – White Willow
Dj Signify – Winter’s Going
De La Soul ft MF Doom – Rock Co Kane Flow (prod. Jake One)
Metal Fingered Doom – Shallots
Madvillain – Figaro (Prod. Madlib)
Take – The Start of Our Ending (Nordic Soul Instrumental)
El-P – Jukie Skate Rock
Vast Aire – Red Pill (prod. Ayatollah)
Dabrye ft Jay Dee – Game Over
Daedelus – Dumbfound (edIT remix)
Blendcrafters – Melody (prod. DJ Numark)
Machinedrum – Bill o Wads
Danny Breaks – Windscreen Wiper
Thomas Felman – Interstellar
Madvillain – Accordion (prod. Madlib)
Madvillain – America’s Most Blunted (prod. Madlib)
Sixtoo – Boxcutter Emporium pt2
Telefon Tel Aviv – I Lied
Loefah – Horror Show

2005 – Mixed by 2tall
The tape vs. RQM – Minimal
Prefuse 73 – Hide Ya Face
Ghislain Poirier – Dontsmileitspostmodern
The Bug – Fire (Version)
Boom Bip – The Move
Quasimoto – Greenery (prod. Madlib)
Jay Dee – Track 2 (from beat CD 05)
Jay Dilla – Lightworks
Oh No – Keepintime remix
MHE – 008
The Perceptionists ft. Guru – Party Hard (prod. Camu Tao)
Little Brother – Starvation (prod. Khrysis)
Oh No – Move (prod. J Dilla)
Percee P – Put It On The Line (BX remix) (prod. Madlib)
M.E.D – Can’t Hold On (prod. Madlib)

2006 – Mixed by Kper
Kutmah – Warm Like The Sunshine
Ras G – Birth of the Beat
Flying Lotus – 1983
J Dilla – In The Streets
Georgia Anne Muldrow – Hello
Shawn J Period – The Comeback
Nosaj Thing – Aquarium
Dj Krush – Kemuri (Untouchable Mix)
Clark – Herr Barr
Flying Lotus – Untitled
Modeselektor – Fake Emotion (Dabrye Remix)
Elliot Lipp – Rhyme War
Exile – Silver Moon
Ras G – Random Selection
Oh No ft. Vast Aire – No Aire
Foreign Beggars – Slow Broiled Ilk (prod. Oh No)
Exile – Planet Ox
Jneiro Jarel – Bboy Portrait in Spain
Para One ft. TTC – Musclor
Loefah – Mud
Hudson Mohawke – ZoOoOoOom

2007 – Mixed by 2tall
Kev Brown – Outside Looking In
Waajeed – Tron
Flyamsam – Green Tea Power
Flying Lotus – Shhh
Heralds of Change – Work That
Blockhead – Do The Tron
Black Milk – Sound The Alarm
Take – Walk Away ft. Gaby Hernandez
J Davey – No More (prod. Brook D’Leau)
Prefuse 73 ft. School of Seven Bells – The Class of 73 Bells
Oh No – Bouncers
Heliocentrics – Distant Star
Aesop Rock – Keep Off The Lawn
Busdriver – (Bloody Paw On The) Kill Floor (prod. Boom Bip)
Matty G – 50,000 Watts
Loefah – Disko Rekah
The Bug – Poison Dart (DJ Baku Scratch Megamix)
The Bug ft. Flowdan and Killa P – Ganja

2008 – Mixed by Kper
Funkenteller feat. The Deepspace 69 – Emulator
Megasoid – Soundbwoy Bass
Mike Slott – Deux Three
Onra – My Comet
Afta1 – Honey Dip
King Midas Sound – One Ting (Dabrye Remix)
Take – Make Believe
Mono/Poly – The Beatles, Bitch
Mweslee – Chandal 500
Maga Bo – Fire
Nosaj Thing – Coat of Arms
Guilty Simpson – Bitches (prod Mr Porter)
SA-RA – Talk Sex
Onra – The Anthem
Take – Bouncing Cherries
Onra – Bombs
Ras G – Overcast 78 Beat (Two)
Budamunky – Budamunk Funk
Hudson Mo – Still on It
Bullion – Rude Effort
Samiyam – Beat 4
Rustie – Zig Zag
Flying Lotus – Auntie’s Lock/Infinitum (Quarta 330 remix)
Joker – Gully Brook Lane
Matty G – West Coast Rocks (Glitch Mob remix)

2009 – Mixed by Kper and 2tall
Hudson Mohawke – Rising 5
Tago – Babel Fish
Paul White – Synth March
Machinedrum ft. ie.merg – 911
Loops Haunt – Impact Omnihammer
Blue Daisy – Space Ex
Bullion – Are You The One
Grandeurs of Delusion – Desrunay (prod. Uncle Lew)
Exile – The Sound is God
Jneiro Jarel – Ghetto Dreaming
Little Dragon – After the Rain (GB re-interpretation)
Ras G – Eunice in White
Diamond District – I Mean Business (prod. Oddissee)
Debruit – I’m Going with You
Samiyam – Rough Copy
Om Unit – Ether
Milanese – Disclosure
Danny Breaks & Adlib – The Sound
Nosaj Thing – FWD
Architeq – Sleeping Bear Lament (Take remix)
Black Milk – Bounce
Computer Jay – Distance
Harmonic 313 – Cyclotron
Dam Funk – Kill Dat
Fulgeance – Smartbanging
GLK – Anything Worse
Omega Clash – Junior
Floating Points – Shangri La
Mos Def – Supermagic (prod. Oh No)
Starkey – Miracles (Jamie Vex’d remix)
Mark Pritchard – Wind It Up
Dorian Concept – Her Marshmallow Secret

Get it Here

DJ Yoda's How to Cut & Paste: Country & Western Edition

2009-12-17T17:25:00.001-08:00

Those familiar with DJ Yoda know of his preponderance for cartoony weirdness, but this is messed up even by his standards.

Basically a 54-minute cultural blaspheme of hip-hop a Cappellas over bluegrass, and country songs with break beats; this latest volume of the How to Cut & Paste series is as uncomfortably funny as a B-boy battle at a square dance or a hoedown in the Bronx (just check the track list).

Some particularly WTF? moments include: a soul/reggae cover of Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire, a bluegrass cover of Andre 3000's Roses and a drum & bass & banjo twist-up.

1. Intro
2. 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
3. Country Delight - Country Mike (Beastie Boys)
4. Soul Hoedown
5. Country Rap - Treacherous Three
6. Hoedown - Special Ed
7. Country Harmonica
8. I'll Fly Away - Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch
9. Walk the Line - Johnny Cash
10. Ring Of Fire - Johnny Cash
11. Squeal Like A Pig (from the film Deliverance)
12. Kenny Rogers/Pharoahe Monch Dub Plate - Wyclef Jean
13. The Gambler - Kenny Rogers
14. Children's Story - Everlast
15. Rosa Parks - OutKast
16. To See You Coming 'round The Bend - Yonder Mountain String Band/Comin' Round - Bubba Sparxxx
17. Jambalaya (On The Bayou) - Hank Williams
18. Piece for Banjo (Drum and bass Mix)
19. Dirty South (What It's About) Feat. Toe Down
20. Hillbilly Rap - Neal McCoy
21. Bridging The Gap - Nas (Feat. Olu Dara)
22. Rambling On My Mind - Lucinda Williams/Hip-Hop - Dead Prez
23. Man Of Constant Sorrow - The Soggy Bottom Boys
24. Sucker DJs - Dimples D.
25. Maybe Tomorrow (Theme From The Littlest Hobo) - Terry Bush
26. Jolene - Dolly Parton/Superstition - Stevie Wonder
27. On The Road Again - Willie Nelson
28. Creepin' In - Norah Jones (Feat. Dolly Parton)
29. Cocaine Blues - Johnny Cash
30. Square Dance Rap - Sir Mix-A-Lot
31. Gin And Juice - The Gourds
32. Roses - Hayseed Dixie
33. Outro

Download mp3

[Thanks to Data Transmission for hooking it up]

http://www.datatransmission.co.uk/

http://www.djyoda.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/djyodauk

THE HOOD INTERNET

2009-12-12T10:26:00.001-08:00

Do you like mash-ups?

Do you like free music?

Have you heard of The Hood Internet?

If you answered yes to the first two questions and no to the third, you definitely need these guys in your life. Their site is a monument to the digital age and pretty much the mother-load as far as the nascent quasi-genre of mash-ups is concerned.

Besides running a huge blog and giving all their stuff away for free, what sets ABX and STV SLV apart from the rest of the pack is source material. The stuff they use tends toward the independent as opposed to the blatantly obvious like some other who are actually asking for money. *cough* Girl Talk *cough*

They like to squish stuff like Juvenile & Passion Pit , Dead Prez & Grizzly Bear and MF Doom & Ladytron together into confusingly awesome dance music.

For these aural alloys, they create fun photoshopped images of the artists and clever names like Two Weeks of Hip-hop, My Favorite Ladytrons, and Back that Sleepyhead Up.

For the jockeys, all bastardizations can be obtained individually. And for everyone else, there are CD length mastications affectionately called "mixtapes" (they'r now up to vol. four) that can be downloaded as single Mp3's or tracked out .zip files.

http://www.thehoodinternet.com/

*Even if you don't really like mash-up at all, this is worth checking out just for the novelty aspect. I mean, it's free and you can delete it from your hard drive so why not?

[Thanks goes to Evander Hologram for turning me onto these guys]

ESKMO - Colorbrain

2009-12-10T17:32:00.001-08:00

Another fantastic Podcast from the good folks at Brainfeeder. San Francisco's ESKMO helms a seriously dope 30 minute minutes of Dubstep.

Consisting entirely of his remixes and original production this exclusive showcase confirms ESKMO as one of the best this side of the Atlantic. If you like your beats deep, hypnotic and bottom heavy, you're definitely gonna dig this.

Grab it directly from Brainfeeder HERE

http://www.eskmo.com/

http://www.myspace.com/eskmo

Cougar - Patriot

2009-12-04T16:09:00.001-08:00

Cheers to the Turbo and his Jambox for emailing this to me a couple of weeks ago; it was a nice surprise. Cougar, as I recently discovered, is a Wisconsin-based group that specializes in a surprisingly eclectic brand of instrumental rock.

Some might be tempted to categorize it as post-rock whatever the hell that catch-all means (past the need for vocals?). But, given the (relatively) laconic nature of these songs and Cougar’s penchant for dynamic grooves and tempo changes, technically it would be better classed as “post-post-rock”; music for a generation of ADHDs whose attention spans are far too truncated to handle something like Tortoise.

I’d liken their general sound to a more rocking-ly up-tempo Explosions in the Sky or a significantly less mechanized Battles.

These eleven compositions that comprise this record, twist and morph into and out of each other- effortlessly incorporating elements of folk, shoegaze, world music and blues as well as harder rock and hip hop. Overall, there’s an almost tangible electronic affect and yet, barring some creative sampling and percussive use of glitching/stuttering, the music is decidedly organic.

Like Battles, these guys are all excellent players – in fact, tight isn’t a strong enough descriptor for the rhythm section; fucking vice-like would be more accurate.

Ringleader David Henzie-Skogen’s drumming often strays into mathy polyrhythmic territory, but there are also more than a few casual nods toward hip hop. Rhinelander for instance, is pure knock-your-block-off boom bap that mixes up ethereal church choir vocals with a big gnarly bass line and some minimal guitars with Ratatat-style processing.

The obvious diversity of influences swirling around the mix really keeps things from ever getting too stale. Pelourhino is gently processed folk anchored by a gorgeously delicate harp part. Beginning with celestial atmospherics, harp and acoustic guitar, its shuffling drums build into a percussive workout without ever abandoning the songs amiable grace.

And on the other side of the spectrum are cuts like Heavy into Jeff and the minute-and-a-half-long Thundersnow. This kind of distorted, full-throttled guitar riffing provides a great counterpart to moments like Pelourhino and the balmy tranquility of mostly acoustic Absaroka.

I don’t know about you, but for me just the words “instrumental” and “rock” together, conjure ideas of murky indulgence as well as things like bong hits and excessive use of the word “dude.” Patriot all but obliterates these preconceptions by the time opener Stay Famous builds to a noisy crescendo at three minutes in.

http://www.myspace.com/cougarsound

Hudson Mohawke Essential Mix 11/29

2009-12-02T18:52:00.001-08:00

[seems to have been some confusion w/ the original post]

What is it about Radio 1 and saving their best shit for the month of November? If you'll recall, it was around this time last year that they gave us a two-hour barrage of dopeness from Flying Lotus to punctuate a year's worth of generally bland house and techno.

For those who don't know Hudson Mohawke is a 23 year-old Scottish DMC champ. As part of that loosely defined (read: catch all for journalists) LA/UK axis of young urban producers, he traffics in an ADHD-influenced hybrid of skewed electro and chunky 8-bit hip-hop that the lazy (or unimaginative) are calling "wonky."

Being a DMC champ, dude's technical skills are locked. And selection wise, this mix's got everything from the latest genre bending of Joy Orbison to the early '90s 'ardkore of Manix**. It's basically a two-hour, transcontinental throw-down urban bass that thoroughly scrambles dirty-south crunk and glitchy R & B with chopped & screwed-up electro, grime and dancehall.

Get it while it's hot!

Tracklist:
Loops Haunt – Dusk Mechanics
Machine Drum – Sakatak
Red – I should tell ya momma on you
Hudson Mohawke – Bopgunn V1 Instrumental
Dorian Concept & Lil Filip – I’m A Balla [Patchwork Pirates Edit]
Hudson Mohawke – Fuse
Tiago – Babelfish
Rustie – Nekoo
Starkey – Ok Luv
Hudson Mohawke – Ice Viper
Hudson Mohawke – Overnight Celebrity
Hudson Mohawke – Start of A Story
Hudson Mohawke – Are You Feeling Hot
Hudson Mohawke – Take my hand
Hudson Mohawke – Still on it
Hudson Mohawke – Pipes
Hudson Mohawke – Chorduroy
Hudson Mohawke – Photo 2
Hudson Mohawke – Waldo’s Gift
Harmonic 313 – Scar (ft. Wiley)
Princess – Say Im your number one
Markis Sage – Creature of Lagoon
Redinho – Mo Brap
Krystal Klear – Boogie Wan
Midnight Star & Usher – Touch that midas Girl
Becoming Real – Get Hype
Free School – Grey Goose (ft. Kelis)
Ludacris – How low can you go
Redhino – Banger
Hudson Mohawke – Stay Fresh
Lazersword – Trapperkeeper
Lil Wayne – I Feel like dying [Flying Lotus remix]
KGB Man – Africa
Ply Firls – I Could Give You Reasons
James Pants – Lickin”Stick
Hudson Mohawke – Twistclip Loop
Carl Cox – Let’s do it
Apple – Die Siegalizer
DJ Seduction – Imp002
Becoming Real – New Kids
Manix – Heads in the clouds
Jjak Hogan – Frequency
Machindrum – Carry the Weight
Fatima Yamaha – What’s a girl to do
Nacho Patrol – Futuriscic Abeba [Hudson Mohawke Remix)
Slum Villega - Dirty [ft. ODB)
The Pharcyde - Passin Me By [FlyAsPie Remix]
Cloud One & Madlib – Unknown Interlude Track
SciFi Stu – The Will (ft. Vast Aire)
Terror Danjah – Bipolar
Joy Orbison – J.Doe
Lone – Sharpest View of the sun
Mwëslee – Eurocame Snips Track 4
Hudson Mohawke – Monde
Mike SLott – Snow Birds
Dimilite – Cotdam [ft. Pharrell]
American Men – AM System

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

If you likey the steez, be sure and check out Butter, his debut LP out now on Warp.

http://hudsonmohawke.com

http://www.myspace.com/hudsonmo

http://warp.net/records/hudson-mohawke

**this kind of vibe is especially promising to me. Could it be that this gratuitous gang-raping of 80's style and culture is finally on the wane?

Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport

2009-11-30T14:56:00.001-08:00

That old adage “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, should really be something like, “judge a book by its cover at your own caution.” Of course we’re all constantly making snap judgments about everything from the way people dress to how we think some future situation might be. It’s just that remaining stubbornly attached to this false knowledge, might cause one to miss out on something great.

Case in point: I’ve known of the Fuck Buttons for some time but had never got around to checking them out because, for some wrong-headed reason the name - though admittedly great - conjured images of middle-of-the-road, dance/rock (I like some of that stuff, just not enough to go out of my way for it).

Well about a month ago I was eating lunch with a friend who started talking about them. And what he was describing was nothing like the idea I had in mind.

So, on the strength of that conversation, I ended up grabbing Street Horrrsing and was like “holy shit!” My friend had been right. Instead of tired indy, electro-rock clichés the Buttons (Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power) sound was raw and noisey with a delightfully punky fuck-you-ness to . All mangled guitars, contorted vocals and squalls of feedback melded into solid edifices of exquisite frequencies.

And, as it just so happened they had a brand new album out. Oh, and it was produced by Andrew FUCKING Weatherall!

For this second release, they've refined the sound (as bands often do) - softening the edges slightly with the addition of synthesized textures - but not, thankfully, at the expense of the gritty noisiness that is their raison d’être. It's a sound that lies somewhere between the drones of Tim Hecker, My Bloody Valentine‘s wall of harmonic distortion and the rhythmic pulse of Berlin-style techno.

Tarot Sport is programmed in a very similar manner as its predecessor – with a sprawling progressive opening piece, that twists and morphs and eventually segues into a much shorter of kind of interlude.

Opening salvo, Surf Solar, begins with some flickering metallic pads before these creepy pitched-up, Exorcist-style atmospherics come crawling in. The ambiance, which lasts a full two minutes, is finally cracked by the introduction of methodical thwumping kick drums and then split wide open by a filthy serrated lead. The track builds and builds from an initial hiss to a growl to a full throated roar - stretching out to over ten minutes before dissolving into a malaise of static-y white noise.

Emerging from this sonic dust-cloud is Rough Steez, a strange mix of hypnotic rhythm and jarring sounds – its arpeggiating buzz-saw synths and mechanical squelches seem to float unnaturally over a shifting foundation of clickidy-clack percussion.

I’m really liking the decision to incorporate club elements as backbone for much of this album. The skeletal beats provide complimentary or at least neutral structures on which to drape the profusion of contrasting layers and textures which make up the compositions. This technique is exemplified in the hauntingly savage beauty of Space Mountain where simultaneously diametric streams - of melody and distortion; harmony and noise - cascade in every direction.

Hung and Power deserve credit, having beaten the odds by successfully following up a great album without merely repeating themselves.

http://www.fuckbuttons.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/fuckbuttons

Paul White - Sounds from the Skylight (Side B)

2009-11-28T11:32:00.001-08:00

This is the second part of White's excellent new album, which he's been kind enough to offer for free.

Same deal as Side A. You gotta give them an email address, but it's more than worth it.

Have a listen:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://paulwhite.bandcamp.com/album/sounds-from-the-skylight-side-b"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Alien Attack by Paul White&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/paulmw

The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra

2009-11-25T16:56:00.000-08:00

Is the a priori nature of mysticism incompatible with inductive reasoning?

Can there be reconciliation between metaphysics and rationality?

Or, practically speaking, why can't we incorporate wisdom from our ancestors with our scientific discoveries for a better understanding of our world?

As a recovering materialist, I find myself drawn to these kinds of queries and subsequently seeking out books that explore them.

The Tao of Physics was published over 30 years ago. And though countless books examining the overlay between science and mysticism have been written since, it remains as clear and compelling an analysis as you’re likely to find.

As a physicist interested in mysticism, I find Capra’s angle infinitely more satisfying than the glut of mystics trying to explain physics. Being a scientist, his organization is logical and his approach, which takes the form of a comparison, effective.

He divides his treatise into three sections, flavoring each liberally with quotes from luminary physicists and ancient spiritual masters alike.

The first, titled The Way of Physics, gives us a breakdown (in layman’s terms) of the discoveries of 20^th century physics (namely Relativity Theory and Quantum Mechanics) and sets up the terms for his comparison.

When attempting such a comparison, a problem emerges almost immediately; how does one find a common denominator for the objectively demonstrable nature of science (measurement, mathematics, etc.) and subjectively experiential nature of mysticism? Mysticism, after all, does not easily lend itself to a second hand account via language.

Taking a page straight from Wittgenstein, Capra surmises that language itself is an obstacle in this sort of pursuit. So rather than trying to bridge the gulf directly, he shifts gears. In the second section, The Way of Eastern Mysticism he explains in very general terms some core tenets of Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism.

We get the Four Noble Truths and the root of suffering from the Buddhism chapter; the eternally dynamic nature of reality from the Taoism chapter and the timeless unity of creation (Brahman) from the chapter on Hinduism.

Illusion, impermanence and underlying oneness are perennial themes in Eastern thought. And part three, The Parallels, is about looking more in depth at the findings of the “new physics” and interpreting them in a manner consistent with these themes.

The standard Newtonian view of the physics, we are told, traces its lineage back to ancient Greece; Euclidean geometry and the Atomists.

Euclid’s teachings held up to the rigors of science for hundreds of years until being annihilated by, first Einstein’s Special and General Relativity Theories which proved that standard geometry and linear time are constructs of our perception and then by quantum mechanics which turned our understanding of matter on its ear.

As opposed to the Atomists, who believed that matter at its basic essence consists of fundamental units, the quantum view holds that rather than discreet particles, the underlying nature of matter must be understood as a series of inter-related events in which particles are continuously engaging (thus rendering any attempt to isolate and analyze a particle from its greater whole is misguided and ultimately futile).

Capra’s book is philosophical in nature, but rather than asserting a position, he wants us only to consider its plausibility (that he uses the word parallel is instructive). His only real claim is the premise is that, both science and mysticism point to an underlying reality very different from the world of our experience.

It was hardly even new territory – Heisenberg and Bohr drew similar kinds of philosophical conclusions (read: Physics and Philosophy, Copenhagen Interpretation, etc.) – and yet this book continues to be controversial.

The vitriolic rebuke Capra's received from some in the scientific community, for this relatively mild conclusion, is telling. It seems there are those comfortable with bringing philosophy into the fray to fill in gaps and those utterly and violently opposed.

The ideological sensitivity of some materialists is fascinating to me. That their minds can snap shut so quickly at any perceived challenge to cherished belief while they simultaneously trumpet the virtues of rationality, can be almost comical.

Science may be an objectively bias free tool, but that doesn’t guarantee that those who wield it are free from bias and subjectivity.

If you like to think of science and spirituality as chocolate and peanut butter (two great things that are even better together) rather than say, oil and water, then check this out.

Ghost - Remixes from the Edge

2009-11-23T22:21:00.001-08:00

Wow, thanks Band Camp for hooking it up! First some new Paul White and now this Ghost thing.

I'd never heard of Ghost before, but apparently he's a fairly successful producer/engineer/DJ across the pond. Since he's giving away an album's worth of remixes he did for folks like At Jazz, Bonobo and Dabrye, I figured I could at least give it a listen. I'm Glad I did 'cause this shit, which runs the gamut from smooth, spaced-out grooves to bouncy club music to straight up grime, is tight.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://ghost.bandcamp.com/album/remixes-from-the-edge"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;No More Ghost remix by Ghost&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Download It Here

http://musicbyghost.com

http://bandcamp.com/

I've now gone back and clocked this summers Freedom of Thought and I'm really into it. It's a collection of mostly instrumental Mo' Wax-style sounds that you can procure for a reasonable price on his his site. Hazah for the internetz!

Paul White - Sounds from the Skylight (Side A)

2009-11-22T15:46:00.001-08:00

Of all the stuff I've discovered this year, nothing has been more unexpected or enjoyable than Paul White. I can't even remember exactly how I stumbled upon the London beat maker, but I do know it was blind chance.

White's Strange Dreams of..., released this summer on One Handed Music,
is a bizarre, Alice-In-Wondererland amalgamation of prog-rock, BBC programming, vintage psychedelia and Saturday television. A loopy, avant garde take on formula-plagued hip hop construction.

Now he's giving away half of his forthcoming album for FREE!.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://paulwhite.bandcamp.com/album/sounds-from-the-skylight-side-a"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Intro by Paul White&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Download it here

http://www.myspace.com/paulmw

http://www.myspace.com/onehanded

http://bandcamp.com/

Karen O and The Kids - Where The Wild Things Are OST

2009-11-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

If you’ve not seen the movie yet, I strongly recommend doing so.

Spike Jonze (with some help from Dave Eggers) has pretty much done the impossible in creating a feature length film from what was essentially a picture book with maybe a paragraph’s worth of words. And not just any picture book, at that, but a legendary bedtime story that means countless different things to several generations of kids and parents.

Jonze fought studio execs tooth and nail through multiple delays, insisting he to do it his way, or not at all. This meant among other things, that instead of going the CGI wank-a-thon route (thank god), he hired Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to design the costumes. And, that instead of a nice Hollywood ending where everything is resolved and everyone lives happily ever after, there is residual doubt, ambiguity and a distinct sensation of what the hell did I just watch? His uncompromised final product is absurd, melancholic and beautiful at the same time – similar to the feeling of reflection upon one’s childhood. The soundtrack, conceived of and executed by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O, does a splendid job of encapsulating this exotic cocktail of emotions.

To pull it off, O assembled a veritable super-group of indie rockers, appropriately dubbed “The Kids”, which includes her band mates as well as members of The Dead Weather, Folk Implosion, Queens of the Stone Age, Liars, The Raconteurs and Bradford Cox (Deerhunter, Atlas Sound).

Though leaning heavily toward folksy art rock, the 40-minute score manages to traverse an impressive sonic range. The largely instrumental pieces cover an assortment of moods and styles: from balmy campfire-sounding sing-alongs to lullaby-soft, music-box melodies. From moments of ecstatic and unadulterated, joyous indulgence to those of poignant, aching sadness.

Barring a few exceptions (most notably, a cover of Daniel Johnston’s Worried Shoes), O seems to prefer using her pipes as an instrument for accent rather than a lead in the conventional sense with fully fleshed-out lyrics. Dialogue from the film has been woven in (to great affect) with her minimal vocals in such a way that it can be difficult to discern O’s presence from that of the Max, the story’s protagonist.

Production is spacious – wide open as the imagination of a child. Behind an often deceptively jam-session feel, are rich arrangements of guitar, strings, piano, and synthesizer as well as a host of other instruments which loosely adorn these compositions.

A great example of this intricate roominess is the Arcade Fire-esque Building All is Love, a reprise of the main theme, which is piled high with stings and guitars. Rumpus is all guitars, sythns and plinging xylophone. An up tempo romp with hand claps, tambourines, shakers and backing children’s vocals that give it an irresistible never-neverland feel. A swung, hand-clapped rhythm and sing-songy vocals make Heads Up the catchiest tune on the album. And then there's Lost Fur, a sublimely simple instrumental piece which centers around a piano part and a few acoustic guitar chords. At barely a minute long, this sorrowful interlude is much more than the sum of its parts.

It’s funny, given what I’ve heard of O’s music, never in a thousand years would I have expected her to make an album like this (although given her history with Jonze I suppose she was a fairly obvious choice). I’m just gonna come right out and say that I’m not really a fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Beside the fact that I’ve always found O’s yowl to be incredibly grating, to me they’re the embodiment of that insular, nauseatingly self-important New York rock scene of the early aughts. So, I guess it feels kinda good in this instance to have my preconceptions rebuked.

http://www.myspace.com/wherethewildthingsare

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-O/20109076662

http://www.yeahyeahyeahs.com/

Dizzee Rascal - Tongue N Cheek

2009-11-11T14:28:00.001-08:00

If you’re at all familiar with Dizzee Rascal, you might be surprised by the kind of company he’s keeping these days.

Club circuit mainstays Calvin Harris, Armand Van Helden and even Holland’s euro-cheese extraordinaire DJ Tiesto all contribute to his latest record which is a kind of hip-hop/rave fusion that has already spawned three #1’s in the UK. His usual standby Cage did make about half the tracks, but even most of these have a decidedly club-y bent.

Initially it may seem a far cry from the moodiness of Boy in da Corner. It's true, he's mellowed slightly into a more comical persona (hence the Cheek), but Diz is still as verbally dexterous as anyone in the UK (hence the Tongue). He’s sort of like a British Weazy in that respect: a pop star that dabbles in silliness but has a street pedigree and the skills to back it up. Listen to the way he attacks his beats lyrically (especially on the Tiesto produced Bad Behavior) - the posturing may have changed, but the attitude is definitely there.

Not one to waste time with subtly, album opener Bonkers (produced by Helden) hits the ground running with little more than a single synth note preceding its full-on house beat. Both of the Calvin Harris produced tracks are anthems – all electro-house bass, arpeggiated leads and big hooks - that manage to be incredibly accessible without sounding paint-by-the-numbers. The infectious Dance Wiv Me is probably my favorite cut on the album. Holiday, which is equally addictive, avoids cheesy cliché even when straying into trance territory with that epic ‘90s-esque breakdown. The breakbeat-driven Road Rage, produced by Aaron Lactate and Samir, takes the club music theme in a tech-ier direction. Full of jittery synths and brooding atmosphere, it’s an adrenaline-soaked, low-end assault a la Baltimore, that's rendered almost ridiculous by it's subject matter - i.e. Dizzee making threats from a Mini Cooper

There are some slower jams too, presumably to keep things interesting. Chillin Wiv a Man Dem is Diz doing his best impersonation of an American rapper circa ’94. Kicking out rhymes about pot smoke and video games over a laid back beat anchored with a funk bass line, R&B synths, acoustic guitars and a sparkly keyboard lick - it’s like a British take on one of those classic summer-time West Coast jams.

And lest anyone accuse him of turning his back on the streets or his Roll Deep past, there’s the Aswad-sampling Can’t Tek No More produced by old-school junglist Shy FX. This bass heavy, syncopated riddim - complete with dubbed out horns, gunshots, and Dizzee waxing political in double-time - has all the skank of East London’s sound-system culture.

If the goal was to cross over without sacraficing quality, Diz pretty much knocked it out of the park with this one. Even if the kind of recognition he's received in Europe has yet to materialize on this side of the Atlantic, it doesn’t take anything away from the viability of Tongue N Cheek as a pop record that crosses barriers. Take note Kanye, this is how to merge street swagger with up-tempo dance beats and not come off like a blatant try-hard.

http://www.dizzeerascal.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/dizzeerascal

Alex B - Brainfood

2009-11-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

If you frequent my blog, you've no doubt gathered I'm a fan of LA's Brainfeeder crew. Flying Lotus, Samiyam, GLK, Ras G, et al are making some of the finest left-field hip-hop around right now.

Alex, like his colleagues, excels in the kind of lopsided ADHD hip hop, that journalists are trying to classify as "Wonky."

It's a kitchen sink approach to beat making where the traditional influences of funk and jazz mingle with dreamy atmospheric pads, electro bass-lines, g-funk synthesizers, and video-game melodies to form a sound equally suited for the club or your headphones.

This podcast is a showcase for exclusive productions from himself and some friends.

Go on, nourish your intellect.

1. 0:00 Introducing
2. 1:25 Alex B- At Channel One (Unreleased)
3. 4:25 Ziploc- Sushi Caps (Unreleased)
4. 5:40 Knxwledge- Petaluma (Unreleased)
5. 6:45 Count Bass D- Aurul S(ECT)s (Dwight Spitz)
6. 8:04 Devonwho- Zelda (Unreleased)
7. 9:00 Alex B- Wallin (Unreleased)
8. 12:40 Alex B- Metameme STS9 REMIX (Make it Right)
9. 15:21 AFTA 1- Believe (Aftathoughts)
10. 16:16 Alex B- Show Me (Unreleased)
11. 18:10 Get Nice Interlude
12. 18:40 Viktor Vaughn- GMC W/ Eucalyptus (Super Villian)
13. 21:25 Devonwho- Shut it down Remix (WAVES)
14. 24:30 Alex B- You and I Both Know (Unreleased)
15. 27:00 Alex B- Players J Dilla REMAKE (alexbeats.com)
16. 29:35 Alex B- Frankenstein (Unreleased)
17. 32:40 Alex B- Nothing is Always something (Unreleased)
18. 35:10 Heralds Of Change- Asswank (Puzzles EP)
19. 36:15 Alex B- SB (Unreleased)
20. 38:20 Alex B- Hide Extension (Unreleased)
21. 41:35 Alex B- Spain (Unreleased)
22. 44:45 Dibia$e- Be fly (Unreleased)
23. 46:10 OUTRO

LINK

http://www.brainfeedersite.com/

http://www.alexbeats.com/

http://www.myspace.com/spadra99

Raekwon - Only Built for Cuban Linx Part 2

2009-10-31T15:49:00.000-07:00

When I first heard about this, I was pretty skeptical. The name reeked of a crude attempt to cash in on the strength of one hip-hop’s greatest landmarks. RZA was in Hollywood; ODB had cashed his check at that great welfare office in the sky and it seemed like everyone else (except Ghost) had dropped off the face of the earth. It was almost enough to make me believe those (mostly journalists) attempting to conduct a post-mortem of Shaolin’s finest. Happily, I can attest that it simply ain’t so.

The classic Wu style is definitely represented here: a kind ghetto noir woven in gritty detail from threads of street life - murder, family, drug deals, betrayal, etc. No one in Wu, or otherwise, is more adept at this kind of narrative than Raekwon, who’s first Cuban Linx single handedly established the Mafioso Rap genre. He’s a born storyteller who boasts of having “8 million” on Sonny’s Missing: a grim yarn full of gory images about someone murdered for his riches - “…blood on his Adidas was thick ... they broke his neck in like 5 places / pushed him down the rail and he skinned his face.” segues into an informative 54-second rap about cooking up crack called Pyrex.

The production on Part 2 is top notch. If the original was good sashimi – raw, fresh, and unadorned - then this could be thought of as some sort of gourmet specialty roll crafted by artisans as diverse as Marley Marl, Dr. Dre, J Dilla, Pete Rock, Eric Sermon and of course the RZA. Full of orchestral strings, horns, organs and guitars (often lifted straight from gangster flicks) as well as the obligitory kung fu samples, it all seems specifically tailored to accommodate the Wu narrative style - sonically matching the cinematic quality of the content.

At 22 tracks, there is amazingly no real filler (it’s telling that everyone I’ve talked to has a different shortlist of favorite songs. Only the RZA produced Black Mozart seems to be haled universally). With all these cooks, it’s a testament to Rae’s vision that the cohesion hasn’t suffered, especially given the plight of 8 Diagrams which suffered from a glut of half-formed ideas and a lack of clear focus.

Lyrically, this is Wu in top form. Ghostface rips it up on about a third of the tracks, his rough staccato providing that lovely counterpoint to Raekwon’s buttery cadence. Cappadonna, Busta Rhymes, Beanie Sigel, Jada Kiss and most of the rest of the clan provide cameos as well.

GZA does his thing on We Will Rob You along with Slick Rick and Masta Killa. Method Man comes through with the hook for rallying call New Wu, a declaritive statement that the Staten Island crew, now nearly two decades in, can still hang lyrically with anyone. Inspectah Deck shows up seemingly out of nowhere to drop the first verse on the album and one of the best on Black Mozart. Ol Dirty gets a proper shout in the form of Ason Jones. It would be easy to overdo something like this, but leave it to Dilla - who employs emotive strings, chopped-up Motown vocals and samples from the fallen MC - to create a heartfelt and convincing tribute.

Despite the high expectations for a project of this magnitude, overall response seems positive. The criticism I have heard ranges from the disillusioned to the delusional (One guy complained that Part 2 lacked sufficient hooks, begging the question: What the hell have you listening to? Because Wu Tang’s MO has always been direct verbal assault – no gimmicks, just rhymes). It’s seems some were expecting this to exceed the original – or somehow revive the ‘90s golden era.

The ‘90s are gone forever, folks. Lacking the novelty factor and the context, there was no way this could have had anything like the impact of its predecessor; still, Part 2’s a quality hip hop record (among the best of ‘09) worthy of its illustrious namesake.

http://www.wutang-corp.com/artists/wu-artist

http://www.myspace.com/raekwon

The Gaslamp Killer - My Troubled Mind

2009-10-30T14:32:00.001-07:00

This EP was released on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder imprint a few months back. Now, if you’re not from Southern Cali, you may not be familiar with the GLK. That is probably going to change though, as he’s one of the most best DJ’s around right now - in any genre.

His self-released DJ mixes are fantastic! Who else can cram Can, Bullion Rusko, Dilla, Black Mountain and Dungen and 30-some odd other joints into the same set with surgically precise programming and blending? (that’s really a rhetorical question)

This seven-track EP’s a paltry 15 minutes, but it's practically busting at the seems with various and sundry influences. Experimental 60s/70s rock, prog, jazz, funk , African and world music are all mashed together into something that flows like a miniature dj mix; each track segueing into the next.

Anything Worse is like a cross between a DJ tool and a haunted house sound track. It starts out with a mid-tempo skeletal drum break before some synthesized atmospheric paranoia starts in. The beat gets all glitchy, speeds up for a couple of bars, then slows back down adding a disembodied funk horn and ends with Theramin and some 8-bit chip synths. Turk Mex starts out like pan-Asian world music crossed with hip-hop and ends up like some kind of psychedelic 70s blues.

Baiafro’s like a video game, an African drum circle and an acid trip all mixed up together. After a jazz sax sample it busts into a wicked b-boy style break which alternates with tribal tablas, before ending in a swirl of Floydian atmosphere. And the closer Birthday Song ? A fittingly weird conclusion to this jumble of ideas. It's essentially a Capella music wrapped in some dark synthesizer ambiance with a repeating sample of a guy saying “My troubled mind”

For some reason, it took me a couple of listens to fully grasp the dopeness. I don’t know what I was expecting this to sound like, but it caught me off guard. Given GLK’s esoteric approach to DJing, though, this EP makes perfect sense.

http://www.thegaslampkiller.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thegaslampkiller

http://www.brainfeedersite.com/

If you didn't get the message yet, check out this dude's DJ mixes. Here's a short one he did for BBC [.mp3] It's his official mixes that really kill it though!

For starters, I recommend:

Hell & The Lake of FIre Are Waiting For You

Passion Pit - Manners

2009-10-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

[I wrote this earlier this summer, but neglected to post it for some reason]

This album is a good measure of just how far my taste in music has spread. Back when, I would have swiftly dismissed this as awful on the strength of the vocals alone. Thankfully my tastes have changed since, because Manners has been the soundtrack of choice for my morning workout. (There’s nothing like running through the foggy morning streets of SF ready to collapse but pushing yourself on to the sounds of a choir full of kids chanting “higher and higher and higher.”)

What was originally a vehicle for Michael Angelakos to write songs as a Valentines gift for his girlfriend, blew the fuck up over the last year and is now a full on band signed to a major label.

Passion Pit’s sound is exuberant, care free, unabashedly cheesy and addictive, like all good pure pop music. Anchored by propulsive dance beats and Angelakos’ shrill falsetto vocals, the songs are overflowing with saccharine melodies; sing-songy call and response hooks and glutinous amounts of 80’s style keyboards (their live show purportedly employs no less than eight!). In short, it’s is an orgy of neon mechanized glee. Imagine MGMT doing a straight synthpop album and ratcheting all the vocals up an octave and you get a general idea.

This silly catchiness, however, belies some pretty sophisticated compositions. The drums they record live and then chop in a DAW, layering in cowbells and plenty of those 80’s style tom rolls. Then come the keyboards. Layer upon layer upon layer of synthesizers- fluttering, twinkling, gurgling, pulsing, arpeggiating. Stings, horns, key, guitars, bass - pretty much any kind of synthesizer patch you could think of. And finally comes Angelakos’ distinctly unrestrained pipes.

There’s not a lot variety, save for some tempo changing, but when you do something well…

My favorite songs are the propulsively infectious Little Secret featuring the aforementioned call and response refrain from a children's choir and The Reeling, a glistening monument of unadulterated pop bliss. Sleepy Heads is included here as well. Originally released earlier as part of the 2008 Chunk of Change EP , it was this youtube video that started all the fuss. And while I was initially was non-plussed, I have to admit, the pitched vocal sample and wail-y singing have definitely grown on me.

Got to hand it to these guys, this is pretty damn near flawless execution. Perfect mindless summertime listening.

http://www.passionpitmusic.com/

http://www.myspace.com/passionpitjams

Badmammal - Poleng Sets 1 & 2

2009-10-28T00:51:00.000-07:00

Bad man might be an even more fitting moniker for San Francisco-based artist/musician Chris Matule.

Both these live recordings consist entirely of original material from his three albums. The first set could be classed as something between IDM and downtempo. There's lots of live instrumentation and general weirdness which gives it an experimental uniquely folk-y kinda vibe.

The second set is a bit more straight forward electronic music, but still quality - gets especially good about halfway in.

Both the recordings were produced in connection with the Poleng Lounge (though not sure how exactly), located in San Francisco's Western Addition neighborhood.

Set 1
1) i know you well
2) gixon
3) retratos
4) novel/enterprises/little stranger/promise
5) ella
6) blue boy
7) dying digital hero

DOWNLOAD

Set 2
1) toppled statues
2) tide acid
3) we need breeze
4) shake funk/principio funk/papaya
5) memorial
6) kinky operator
7) my steam
8) blue 88s
9) ghetto bird
10) emergency

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/badmammal

http://virb.com/badmammal

http://goodluckbadluck.net

The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

2009-10-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

You’ve got to be doing something right if you’ve been around as long as The Flaming Lips and are still in any way relevant.

Wayne Coyne and company maintain their seemingly eternal vitality by re-imagining themselves before things can get stale. And, having mastered the art of skewed psychedelic pop balladry over the last decade, the time for such a reinvention was apparently at hand.

From the ragged feedback and rigid backbeat of opening salvo, Convinced of the Hex, it’s clear that we’re in for a different experience. This brash rough-hewn production is a complete departure from The Lips’ last three outings. The sonic palette has been stripped back to essential components – serrated guitars; lo-fi synthesized melodies; pulsating bass; distortion-blunted drums and Coyne’s wistful idiosyncratic croon.

Embryonic is a strange hybrid of electronic noise and alien rock sprawled out over two discs worth of experimentation. Long instrumental bridges blur into surreal atmospheric pieces and are punctuated abruptly by chaotic outbursts of noise. All-the-while, Coyne’s heavily processed vocals float over top hauntingly disembodied, like a relic from long ago or a hologram.

The debt to early Floyd, is stamped all over, but is especially clear on the Ummagumma-like See the Leaves with it’s cryptic lyrics; throbbing bass line; scatter shot drums and long end trail of creepy morose synthesizer.

The influence of '70s German bands like Can and Neu! is another key ingredient. Whether it’s the distortion-laden behemoth Worm Mountain, the hypnotic, mostly instrumental Powerless which stretches out to nearly seven minutes, or album closer Watching the Planets, this kraut influence is unmistakable.

Distortion is such a prominent feature this time around, it could be credited on the liner notes. It’s the primordial substance from which this dis-jointed auditory opus is wrought.

Even when they do the ballad thing, like on Evil or If, the results are frayed and messy (in the best way possible). There's a graininess and a kind of smudged ambiance that gives the whole thing an out-of-focus quality. Or conversely, in the case of The Impulse , you get the only “clean” cut on the album, but it's all vocoded which makes it sound radically out of place and just fucked up.

The album's flow is erratic, as is captured perfectly in the transition from the somber Evil to Aquarius Sabotage which noisily lashes in out in all directions with spastic drumming, squalls of feedback and synthesizer chimes before it dissolves back to ambiance. But, these contrasts of rhythmic to ambient; meditative to jarring; are what make this record so satisfying to me - they build tension and then release the pent-up anxiety in cathartic sonic blasts.

As much as I loved The ‘Lips sound of the early aughts, I don’t think they could have done anything better in that vein than Yoshimi, so I’m really grateful that they’ve taken things in this different direction. In the process they've come up with what might be my favorite record this year.

http://www.flaminglips.com/embryonic/

http://www.myspace.com/flaminglips

Oh, and I got to put in a plug for Silver Trembling Hands, just because I think it’s one of the best things they’ve ever written… I leave it to you to find out why though.

Domu - Bootsy 9/09 Mix

2009-10-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

West London's Domu is at the fore front of the broken beat sound, a propulsive mixture of funk, jazz, house and fractured rhythm. He's a great producer and an even better DJ. I've listened to a bunch of his mixes over the years and I think this is the best one I've ever heard. He moves so smoothly from instrumental hip-hop through Stax Records soul to the cutting edge of broken-beat and urban London underground. This is a great party mix. (The Leon Ware song is ridiculously catchy, I can't believe I'd never heard it before.)

Summer Sun - Sweatson Klank (AKA Take Remix) - CDR
DJ Devestate - Spinnin' - BBE
Leon Ware - Why I Came To California - Elektra
N'Dambi - The World Is A Beat - Stax
Jenny Burton - Bad Habit - Atlantic
Seiji - ...Can't Let You Go - CDR
Foreign Beggers - Don't Dwooh It (Machinedrum remix?) - Dented
Ilijia Rudman - Night People (Garage Mix) - OOFT Music
Shafiyq Hussain - Nirvana (Mark De Clive Lowe Remix) - Dublab
The Revenge - Forever In Their Debt (Red Rack 'em remix) - OOFT music
Linkwood - Fudge Boogie - Prime Numbers
Rachel Claudio - Gotcha (new mix from Nassua) - Jaffa Music
William Orbit - Purdy (Greenmoney Riddim Dub) - Just Music
Doc Daneeka - Deadly Rhythm - CDR
Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo - Hot Flush
Domu - Low Pass - CDR

DOWNLOAD

Why? - Eskimo Snow

2009-10-08T09:59:00.000-07:00

After co-founding Anticon, an Oakland-based label/collective considered “out-there” even by abstract hip-hop standards, Yoni Wolf (aka Why?) decided a few years back that he’d have a go at playing in a band. So the MC formed and now fronts a 3-piece retaining the Why? moniker.

Last year’s Alopcia, the second release as a band, was a brilliant combination of whacked-out hip hop and indie rock. These 10 songs were culled from the same batch of recordings as Alopecia, but lest you think that translates into a hastily thrown together project consisting of left over scraps, let me assure you, this is a hell of record. It’s genius might not be apparent instantly like it’s predecessor, but it’s a grower – a record that merits repeat listening.

Wolf continues his foray into uncharted territory, giving us an LP’s worth of folksy art-rock with nary a drum loop in sight. Sonically, Eskimo Snow feels blithe, casual and unrestrained. This is no doubt partially due to the decision to go with live drumming , but that’s not the whole story. With such a profusion of delicate-soft instrumentation - jingling pianos, sliding guitars, etc. - the whole approach seems more free form. Wolf, himself described it as “more wild”, noting the increased use of room mic’s on the drums. The grooves may be looser, but these are fully fleshed out songs, especially lyrically speaking.

Wolf’s greatest strength as a lyricist (in my opinion) has always been the seemingly bottomless well of bizarre imagery he is cabable of conjuring. When coupled with a sharp wit and the ability to deftly juxtapose cumbersome phrasing in an organic, stream-of-conscious manner, Wolf’s persona becomes anomalous. Though he’s completely eshewed the rhyming in favor of singing, it doesn’t compromise one bit the aesthetic weirdness that characterized him as an MC. On January Twenty Something he sings “If you called, and i didn't answer , / there's a chance I'll get back to you / but if you're bald, fat, and go where my pants were, / then you know I'm breeding for two”

Overall, the lyrical content of this album is pretty neurotic. Shot through with mortality and sex, it leans hard toward the morbidly introspective. And though he’s well known for self-deprecating, Wolf seems to drop any pretension or snarkiness, displaying instead, a more personal side of himself. It’s a good look. Even as he declares, “I conquered my own childhood silence / and now the world is my lit confessional marquee” on Into the Shadows of My Embrace there’s an earnest vulnerability that is truly endearing. The chorus of Against Me for instance is, “Oh am I too concerned with the burn of scrutiny? / Cold chased on run and covered like a horse before the race / Will I gain weight in later life? / And when will someone swing a scythe against me?”

The album finishes very strongly with a triage of what can only be called ballads. Berkeley by Herseback, The Blackest Purse and Eskimo Snow are gorgeous songs period. Wolf demonstrates that he’s plenty capable of following up a great record with out having to resort to more of the same.

http://www.myspace.com/whyanticon

http://anticon.com

Wittgenstein’s Poker by David Edmonds and John Edinow

2009-10-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

On October 25, 1946 the Mohamed Ali and Joe Frazier of 20^th century Western intellectualism clashed in Cambridge over the nature of philosophy in a heated exchange that has become the stuff of legend.

The setting: The Moral Science Club, a weekly philosophical gathering of faculty and students held in the H3 room of Kings Campus.

In the red corner was guest lecturer Karl Popper, father of critical rationalism and chief architect of the philosophy of science. And in the blue corner, Philosophy Department Chair Ludwig Wittgenstein - eccentric genius, mystic and logician who revolutionized our understanding of how language relates to reality (even going so far as to claim that there are no philosophical problems, only linguistic puzzles).

A man of almost over-powering intellect whose intensity was at times disquieting, Professor Wittgenstein had a habit of dominating the discourse at H3 and regularly overshadowed the featured guests. On that particular week, Karl Popper, who was somewhat of an intellectual bully himself, had been invited to lecture on a paper he’d written entitled “Are there Philosophical Problems?”

Accounts from those present of what actually transpired differ. What is a agreed upon is:

· the intensity of the brief exchange,
· that Wittgenstein brandished a fire poker while arguing his claims
· that when asked to give an example of a moral rule Popper said “not to threaten visiting lecturers with pokers.”
· that the encounter ended when Wittgenstein walked out of the room.

According to Unended Quest, Popper’s memoir, it was Wittgenstein who asked for an example of a moral rule and, upon hearing Popper’s quip about threatening guest lecturers angrily left the room.

According to others present, however, the question of moral rules was posed by a student after Wittgenstein had left. ( And, it is well documented that Professor Wittgenstein regularly picked up the fire poker, and often left the discussion abruptly when he tired of what was being discussed.)

The whole encounter lasted a scant 10 minutes, so this book can be thought of as a kind of investigative philosophical journalism that seeks to understand the event within a larger context of the two icon’s differing approaches to philosophy and the state of modern western thought in general, set against the backdrop of ravaged post-war Europe .

Through exhaustive research - interviews, correspondences and diary entries, etc. - the authors essentially construct parallel biographies, which circle back to that autumn night in Cambridge.

In the process we are treated to a particularly rich view of early 20^th century Vienna, where both men were were born and raised - products of a Jewish culture struggling to adapt in the transition from Austria-Hungarian empire to Nazi fascism.

Popper’s upbringing, though solidly middle class, was fraught with difficulty and he always viewed himself as the intellectual outsider, even after his rise to pre-eminence at the time of the Cambridge encounter.

Wittgenstein was the son of one of the richest men in Europe. His intellectual aura was said to be “incandescent” and he seemed to succeed breathtakingly in everything he tried his hand at. As an engineer, he patented a functioning prototype of a jet engine. As a volunteer soldier fighting on the front lines of World War I he was decorated several times. As a young man in his 20s he wrote what would become one of the century’s most important philosophical works Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (he was already a star by the age of 30). He even designed and built a house for his sister at one point. After returning from the war and having solved the puzzle of philosophy, he rejected his aristocratic pedigree, opting for the life of an ascetic. He retreated to the countryside and lived as a school teacher for years until he was coaxed back to philosophy by Moritz Schlick.

Betrand Russell was there as well that evening playing the role of moderator. Edmonds and Eidinow devote an entire chapter to Russell (The Thrid Man) and his connection to both men – concluding that the encounter probably would not have taken place if not for the famous logician. Russell was instrumental in both Wittgenstein and Popper arriving in England. A 22-year-old Wittgenstein, who had become enthralled in the philosophy of mathematics, sought the aging Russell out as a mentor. And Russell felt he had found his intellectual heir in Wittgenstein. But, in short time, the roles of teacher and student reversed. “Wittgenstein makes me feel it is worth while that I should exist, because no one else could understand him or make the world understand him,” Russel wrote. His relation to Popper on the other hand was tangential , but Russel did recommend him for a job at Canterbury University College in New Zealand, when Popper was desperately trying to flee Nazi Austria.

So, did Popper lie in his autobiographical account of that night? It was the firestorm of controversy after the publication of Unended Quest that ultimately resulted in Wittgenstein's Poker.

Again the authors explore the context for possible answers. Being Viennese, Popper certainly knew all about the famous Wittgenstein family long before Ludwig’s rise to prominence. Furthermore, Popper’s adopted outsider-status was in part due to his perceived exclusion of the Vienna Circle which claimed The Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus as its bible and Wittgenstein its patron saint. This fueled Popper's crusade against the Logical Positivism movement, which he would ultimately vanquish (in his opinion at least). What all this amounts to the authors seem to imply, is that Popper arrived at H3 with something to prove.

Wittgenstein by contrast, had apparently never heard of Popper prior to the confrontation, and according to exerts from his diary, had more pressing concerns on his mind that evening. So the answer, it seems, is that in Popper’s recollection this was a defining moment – the culmination of a lifetime’s struggle against an illusive adversary in which he’d emerged triumphant. For Wittgenstein, it was just another Moral Science session, albeit one flawed by some unusually stubborn upstart who refused to back down.

Regardless, the book provides a nice window into 20th western thought and is accessible even to those not philosophically inclined.

http://www.amazon.com/Wittgensteins-Poker

Bullion - Young Heartbreak EP

2009-09-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

Like his One-handed Music label mate Paul White, Bullion’s blissed-out forays into sound are hip-hop only in the loosest sense of the word.

Using nothing but the finest raw ingredients - vintage funk, soul, garage rock and psychedelia - Bullion sets the dial of his sonic Cuisinart to frappe and produces deliciously thick concoctions of woozy psy-pop.

This EP is essentially four A-side tracks packaged together.

The title track begins with a ticking clock and a snippet from some forgotten garage rock song. I love the way he warps the vocal after bringing in the drums and bass in. It creates an off-balance groove wrapped in a dissociative fog of nostalgia - like listening to The Byrds on a head full of cough syrup. (Just what you might expect from a guy who’s idea of a mixtape is mashing up J Dilla with The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds Songs in the Key of Dee. [download it here])

Are You the One is a gorgeous slow jam that rides a simple but very distinctive marching beat with an old-timey pop vocal soaked in reverb. The combination of the rhythm, an over sized bass line and the translucent quality of the vocal is like dub filtered through a particularly pleasant day-dream.

The other two tracks, Time for Us All to Love and Long Promised follow in the same vein of dazed garage-hop - proggy keys, fuzzy bass, sliced up vocals exhumed from who knows where and drums that are more than a little tipsy.

Listening to this is like smoking crack - it's over in less than 15 minutes and afterward, I’d do anything just to get another hit damnit! Please, give me another hit Bullion. I’ll... well I’m not gonna go there.

http://www.myspace.com/bullionness

http://www.myspace.com/onehanded

Marina Faib

2009-09-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

No doubt the Burial comparisons I heard piqued my interest. But it was learning that this "Faib" people were talking about was teenage girl that really compelled me to see what the fuss was about.

I'm here to report that the music of Russia's Marina Tovkach is quality though comparing it to Burial is a bit overboard and I feel, kind of a disservice to both parties. Sure, comparatively her sound lacks the atmospheric depth and shear rawness of the anomalous South London don, but damn, she's only 19 - give her a few years.

Those who like it deep and melodic should be well into this stuff as it threads a neat line through the intersection of dub ambiance, minimal techno, 2-Step Garage and Grime.

But don't just take my word, grab this promotional thing and judge for yourself.

(yeah she did produce the tracks perform the vocals and mix it all flawlessly)

WORN OUT PLACES
1. Faib - cold rain (Mindset dubplate)
2. Lostlojic and Faib - breath of spring
3. Faib - whisper of trees (ranking dubplate)
4. Faib - the silence
5. Faib - somewhere far away
6. Faib - one love
7. Okapi and Faib - nirvana
8. Faib - ticking clocks
9. Synkro and Faib - inhale
10.Faib - invisible light
11.Faib - my game
12.Faib - thrust in
13.Faib - broken mirror

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/faibdnb

Zomby - One Foot In Front of the Other

2009-09-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

It seems like a lot folks are rejecting Zomby's
latest offering. Maybe it was out of disappointment that he didn’t follow the trajectory they had in mind.

Not that he cares I’m sure, as this is a guy who seems to do as he pleases. A guy who blew up the spot last year with his self-titled EP on Hyperdub -- establishing insta-Dubstep-street-cred (and a formidable critical hype-machine) -- only to turn around and throw everybody for a loop by releasing an albums worth of raved-up, oldschool, breakbeat ‘ardcore (what!?). And, a guy that basically called out Simon Reynolds as incompetent .

Zomby’s a bit of an eccentric. A known parrot connoisseur. And an a-list beat maker whose true identity remains unknown (he refuses to reveal his face or divulge his name).

So, on to the music.

If your ColecoVision managed to achieve self awareness through some freak electrical storm and then eloped with a drum machine, scored some drugs and proceeded to hit the town for some clubbing, this would be the soundtrack. It seems ol' Zomby's gone off on a UK Garage tangent here; seven of the nine cuts are 140(ish)-BPM. The stiff drum programming gives the brittle grooves a slight jerkyness. The gawky rhythms are punctuated by manifold fractal bursts of bright digital melody that shift up and down in octave as well as in and out of time creating a slightly disorienting, though thoroughly satisfying WTF-effect.

When he hits the mark, as he does with the title track and FireFly Finale, the syncopated beats slink more than jerk. The propulsive rhythmic gyrations forming a hypnotic juxtaposition of lo-fi-meets-futurism and creating neat parallel to modern Dancehall (and thus acheiving a more Jamaica-centric than authenticity than almost anyone this side of the Caribbean) in the process.

The non-Garage-y “half-time” tracks are excellent as well. Godzilla is a stuttering slice of chip-hop drenched in a shower of twinkling pixels that shift in time -- changing from 16^th to 24^th notes and back. Helter Skelter, with less bleeps and more low end, stands out noticeably from the rest of the lot. Its oscillating haunted-house bass line, old-school jungle pads and general weirdness sound closer to his earlier Hyperdub stuff.

This release is certainly not as ambitious as the Zomby EP. I reckon you could even call it homogeneous (as some have), but when you’re good at something, you’re good at something. And I gotta give it up to Zomby, he still does the bleepy 8-bit grime thing (I refuse to use the word “wonky”) better than anyone.

http://www.myspace.com/zombyproductions

http://www.hyperdub.com/

The Grouch and Eligh - Say G&E

2009-09-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

This has been burning up my ipod all summer-- providing a perfect soundtrack to nice to days in the park, at the beach, at cook-outs, pretty much everywhere in the city as well as two trips back east.

As any fan of underground hip hop worth their salt could tell you, these two Cali vets have been putting it down as individuals and collectively with the rest of The Living Legends crew for well over a decade. I consider myself a fairly well-versed Legends fan, and I gotta say, it doesn’t get any better than this. Their third collab and the follow-up to 2003’s No More Greener Grasses is damn near flawless.

It’s one of the best hip hop records to drop in ‘09, but, even more than that, it’s the type that’ll be designated a classic in ten years. On the surface it’s a great party record drenched in the kind of laid back summer vibes that would be accessible even to those not inclined to listen to hip hop.

The beats, which are fuckin’ slammin’, are mostly Eligh’s; though Flying Lotus, DJ Fresh and Amplive contribute as well. The shear quality and variety of styles on display is impressive. Eligh has always been the best Legends producer in my opinion, but he’s clearly taken his game to the another level since Greener Grasses. Look no further than Comin’ Up featuring Mr F.A.B., where he flips a Band of Horses sample into one of the dopest tracks on the album, if you need proof.

Upon repeat listens, Say G&E is an expansive album with remarkable depth and heavyweight subject matter . The Legends, and especially Grouch, have always exemplified “conscious” hip hop to me and this is no exception. The message(s) transcend tired stereotypes about politics and ignorance. These themes are covered (and expertly) on Rivers Run Dry and Worried About the World feat. Sage Francis and Mike Marshal, but they’re really just footnotes. This album apparently seeks to snap-shot no less than the richness of the human experience.

This would be impossibly pretentious if attempted by almost any other rappers, but Grouch and Eligh are masters at grounding their verses in the reality of actual experience (as opposed to phony posturing) which produces endearingly genuine results.

The title track, which rides an ill Flaming Lips sample with Grouch rapping about his humble Fruitvale beginnings, is a homage to the determination it takes to make it as an “underground MC”-- working shit jobs and hustling beats to make ends. Eligh ups the realness factor even more. Anybody who knows anything about the misery of addiction will relate to his lyrics. On the Rick Rock produced Living In Denial, Eligh, waxes first person about being locked in a seemingly irreversible collision course with oblivion. Grouch plays the part of a close friend-- confused, hurt and powerless (which is probably not far from the way it actually went down). This is real existential, dark-knight-of-the-soul shit here. The addiction theme is expanded in several other tracks (I Know You Wanna Feel and Teach Me the Way, All In) each one documenting another stage in the process of redemption.

The overall sensation for me that emerges from this record is one of overwhelming reverence for the sanctity of existence. As Grouch raps on Push On (Push Up) “I really wanna loop the feeling/Repeat it for the world to see”

http://www.therealgrouch.com/v2/

http://www.legendarymusic.net/

http://www.myspace.com/livinglegends

2009-09-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it's been well over a month since I even attempted to post anything new. Moral's been pretty low 'round here and the general feeling's been, 'why bother?'. Well, it doesn't matter if only two or three people read this blog a day, that's not the reason I started it. So here's some fresh techno for anyone who's interested and I gonna try to go back to posting at least every couple of days. ...

DJ Loxy CX3 Podcast

2009-09-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

As an OG member of London's notorious Metalheadz crew, DJ Loxy, has been championing Drum & Bass since it's heyday in the 90's. Known for his ninja like dexterity and efficiency as well as his machine-like consistency in wrecking dance floors, Loxy has attained near mythical status as a DJ within D&B circles.

Admittedly, D&B has bored the shit out of me for years and as such I've not paid much attention to it for sometime. But, I came across this podcast- the third in a series done in conjunction between his Cylon and Xtinction Labels- and I have to say, it's pretty dope!

It's on a hypnotic, minimal tip- in a similar vein as Plastikman or Ricardo Villalobos or Basic Channel, but the rhythms are more fractured. Full of brittle drum programming and percussive clicks and pops which frame pristine melodies, atmospheric washes of synthesizer and cavernous technoid bass.

Though no official monker exists this yet, I'm liking Micro-Bass as it seems to sum up the vibe quite nicely.

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/loxydj

Bullion & Paul White FADER Mixes

2009-07-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

Bullion and Paul White both reside in London; record for One-Handed Music; and are dropping some of the freshest beats to be found on any continent. And FADER has been kind enough to solicit a mix from each.

PAUL WHITE
Intro
King Stitt - Herbsman - Trojen
Todd Rundgren - International Feel - Bearsville
BBC Radiophonic Orchestra - Doctor Who - BBC Records
Peter Baumann - This Day - Virgin
Joe Zawinul - In A Silent Way - Atlantic
Todd Rundgren - Never Never Land - Bearsville
Paul White - Highlife - Unreleased
Paul White - Universal Thoughts - Unreleased
Paul White - Alien Attack - Unreleased
Paul White - Get Em Up - Unreleased
Jo Jo Bennett - Leaving Rome -Trojen
Batucada Fantastica - Atabaques E Surdos - Musidisc
George Duke - OMI (Fresh Water) - Epic
Gong - And You Tried So Hard - Virgin
Utopia - Singring And The Glass Guitar - Bearsville
Paul White - Time Wars (Extended Version) - One Handed-Music

http://thefader.cachefly.net/FaderMixbyPaulWhite.mp3

BULLION
Brother Ah – Love Piece
Tightface – Track 24
David Earle Johnson – Grandma’s House
Leon’s Creation – Until You Were Gone
Ahu – Bitches Of The Past (Bullion Mix)
John Martyn – Smiling Stranger
Modern Sound Corporation – Safari
Maximum Joy – Searching For A Feeling
The Beloved – 1000 Years From Today (Todd Edwards’ Dub Mix)
Breakbeat Era – Bullitproof (Steve Gurley Mix)
The Soulful Strings – Within You Without You
Paul White – So Far Away
Candi Staton – You Don’t Love Me No More
Kraan – Young King’s Song
15. Harvey Mandel – Shangrenade
16. B.W.H. – Stop
17. Bullion – Crazy Over You

http://thefader.cachefly.net/FaderMixbyBullion.mp3

Click here to read the interview and props to FADER for hooking this up!

http://www.myspace.com/paulmw

http://www.myspace.com/bullionness

http://www.myspace.com/onehanded

http://www.thefader.com/

The Mars Volta - Octahedron

2009-07-25T22:40:00.001-07:00

This is another record I had to listen to several times to form a definite opinion of. It was panned from every angle before I even got a chance to listen to it, but we’re talking The Mars Volta, so what else is new. Having now listened, I can say that it will most likely due little to curry them favor with their detractors, many of whom will apparently never forgive them for ending the beloved At The Drive-In. I for one think it’s a solid record, though admittedly, I’m an avowed TMV fan.

After four albums of balls-out, psychedelic insanity, the guys have taken a sharp turn and landed in the land of swank, crushed-purple-velvet, prog rock. Latin percussive and freeform aspects have been largely abandoned in favor of a more straight forward approach. (If you need to fix with some of that familiar Volta mania, you’d do better grabbing Groupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriquez-Lopez’s new Cryptomnesia who’s spasmodic sonic outbursts are almost Turrets-like in their precipitous intensity.)

This is not technically a concept piece, at least in the sense that Bedlam was, there is none-the-less, a consistent thread that permeates this narrative however obscured by cryptic lyrical imagery it may be. Omar has said that “the main theme on this record is of disappearance: kidnappings and unexplainable things of that nature”

Essentially a collection of Televators style ballads; about half of the album doesn’t even have drums. That’s not to say that there aren’t any vintage TMV moments- in Cotopaxi, which is as close to up tempo as this record gets, Cedric’s howl whirls around a twisted rhythm in odd time and in album closer Luciforms, we find the familiar sound of Omar’s crazed soloing even if it is over a song that sounds sapped of it's vigor by Volta standards- just that, generally speaking, they’ve cranked back the freak-out knob by at least a good 30 percent.

Although less frenetic, Octahedron is every bit as ostentatious and chock full o’ the kind of excess that will surely cause steam to issue from the ears of haters. Album opener Since We’ve Been Wrong, for example, kicks off with a full two minutes of one note synthesizer sustain. And from there, it only gets more decadent. The TMV MO is in full effect- that is to say these songs are fantastically opulent, unabashedly self-indulgent and more than a little unstable. In short- utterly over the top. However, Teflon with its chugging, fractured groove and creepy distorted atmospherics is as good as anything the guys have written in my opinion. I would say the same thing of Desperate Games as well as the glitch-meets-dark-folk of Copernicus.

So this is basically the sound of The Mars Volta doing what The Mars Volta does- i.e. whatever they feel like at the time. They’ve always taken heat for making the records they want to make as opposed to those that the fans/critics/etc. want or expect them to. Octahedron, which forms somewhat of a middle ground between the warped interludes of ambient noise and the full-on assaults of garish bombast, is just the latest example of this.

http://themarsvolta.com/

http://www.myspace.com/themarsvolta

Joy Orbison

2009-07-23T12:38:00.001-07:00

UK urban music is at an interesting junction right now. After 2-Step splintered around the turn of the millennium, we got Dubstep, Grime and Bassline House. Now we have Funky, the latest permutation in the dynamic continuum London's sonic culture

This nascent scene is essentially a Frankensteining of 2-Steps offshoots peppered with some dancehall flavor and, interestingly enough, some classic New York style house ala Masters At Work (it's been about 20 years after all- so it can be officially considered retro).

Joy Orbison, with the eminent release of summertime anthem Hyph Mngo on Hotflush, has positioned himself at the center of this swirling nexus of this trans-generational new sound.

Check out this smoking mix, he did for a preview of what is sure to be a huge sound in the coming year.

1. Pearson Sound – Indelible // Aus
2. Karizma – Drumz Nightmare // R2
3. Nu-Birth – Anytime // Locked On
4. Tonya Renee – About You (Karizma Boucha Remix) // Home Recordings
5. Altered Natives – Rass Out // Fresh Minute Music
6. Joy Orbison – Smother // DOLDRUMS
7. Efdemin – Acid Bells (Martyn Remix) // Curle
8. Shed – Selection One // Soloaction
9. Ultramarine – Hooter (Carl Craig Remix/JORb EdiT) // Real Soon
10. Joy Orbison – Tentative Bidding // DOLDRUMS
11. Martyn – Hear Me // 3024
12. Joy Orbison – J. Doe // DOLDRUMS
13. Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo // Hotflush

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/joyorbison

Rekordah

2009-07-22T18:21:00.000-07:00

One of the UK's new crop of hybrid beat makers, Rekordah's sound is part hip-hop/R&B, part Garage/Dubstep and all dope. This mix, which was put together for GetDarker.com, is worth checking out if you like your beats crunchy, dubby and full of cockney attitude. Very reminiscent of the MRK1 and Plastician sound a few years back.

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/rekorder87

El-B - The Roots of...

2009-07-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

In the beginning (of the millennium) there was El-B. And El-B did beget Ghost Recordings. And Ghost did beget Horsepower. And Horsepower did beget Tempa and FWD …and thus was Dubstep born.

For those of you that may not know, El-B rose to prominence in the late 90’s UK 2-Step Garage scene. And by the turn of the millennium as Garage was fizzling out into a bubbly froth of over-indulgence, El-B was veering into uncharted territory with a sound that would eventually become the first wave of Dubstep. Stripping back the excess and forging a more muscular synthesis of moody rhythm, El-B’s syncopated sound was a hybrid of stutter-stepping Garage drums, bongos, swung hi-hats; dirty modulated bottom end; and London rude bwoy chatter run through huge amounts of delay. This mutant off-spring of urban dance music which, he aptly new dark swing, was prize fighter-like- weaving agile rhythms that packed bass bombs powerful enough to drop a grown man before you could say “come again selecta”.

This retrospect, compiled by Dubsteps de facto biographer Martin “Blackdown” Clark, was painstakingly culled from various b-sides, remixes, dubplates, DATs and white labels. Clark's selection, as one would expect, is impeccable- here is every El-B track worth having from the years 2000-02. (It should go without saying that this is probably the only chance most of us ever would have had to own decent quality copies of these siminal works.)

The earlier more straight-ahead 2-stepish stuff like In the Club, 2000, Digital and Show a Little Love head up the disc. Even at this point, these tracks though technically classed Garage, were exceptional in their clock-work precision drums, spliced up hip hop vocals, brawny bottom end and the dubby use of space as atmosphere. The obligatory dance hall smashers Serious and Lyrical Tempo are included as are a stellar pair of remixes for Zed Bias (the clanging samurai percussion and wistful vocal tune Timed Out and the crushing low end weighted Neighborhood ). The ultra-rare, proto-Dubstep skank of FWD anthem Buck ‘n’ Bury feat. Juice Man is available finally. And so are Cuba and Amazon, which both featured on original Dubstep All-Stars, the mix compilation that gave the sound its very name. And then so are gems like Among the Stars whose swinging astral jazziness; vaguely eastern sounding atmosphere; and steppy lopsided groove defies classification.

El-B ‘s output in this brief period of time is the stuff of legend. He repeatedly struck gold (and in the process inspired a cadre of up-and comers like Burial) by taking the most novel and enduring aspect of Garage, the infectiously skipping, off-kilter rhythms and marrying it with Jamaican attitude and the deepest gnarliest bass ever heard this side of 165 BPMs. And he did it always with meticulous production values. Since Dubstep blew up over three years ago, it’s good to see the man finally getting his due. If you like UK Garage or are at all interested in the genealogy of Dubstep this is an absolutely essential record.

http://www.myspace.com/ghostrecordings

http://www.tempa.co.uk/

http://blackdownsoundboy.blogspot.com/

Paul White - The Strange Dreams of...

2009-07-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

So glad I came across this, I really love White's beats. I mean, I believe he is the next DJ Shadow or RJD2. Maybe not so much in similarity of style, but definitely in kindred of spirit.

It seems to be the case that whenever hip-hop production has stagnated, somebody appears on the scene from out of nowhere to light the way out for everyone else. Shadow and RJ have both been those somebodies in the past; White is one of those somebodies right now. Because instrumental hip hop has seemed so stunted in recent years (to me at least) it’s refreshing to witness someone so clearly unbound by pre-conceived notions of what the genre should sound like. For White, like the illustrious company I’ve lumped him with, the rule book was tossed out the window long ago, leaving just a sampler and a seemingly bottomless crate of delightfully obscure vinyl.

Armed with a formidable reservoir of raw material (his day job was working as a library producer for the BBC) and a deft touch with the MPC , he flexes more creativity in the less than 45 minutes of this debut than many “producers” could muster over a career of writing tracks. We’re talking Madlib amounts of ideas. Though if we’re going to continue the analogy, I’d have to say that what the Beat Konducta is to jazz, White is to progressive rock.

Strange Dreams… incorporates snippets of reggae, funk, and hazy electronica along with vintage soul vocals and snatches of world music that coagulate with stiff, snapping rhythms; symphonic orchestrations and copious amounts of cheesed, arena-style synth organs and wanky guitar noodling. The resulting product is a fantastically quirky kind of prog-hop. The tracks are short, averaging less than 2 minutes long, and punctuated by various bizarre samples from arcane British film, television, and advertisements. They would almost leave one wanton for more but, like little haikus, are actually complete unto themselves; brief as they may be.

This is all executed in a tongue and cheek manner (as if it could be done any other way) and riddled with cartoon-y weirdness that evokes a certain nostalgia. But nostalgia in the most sincere of terms as White manages to avoid ever sounding forced or pretentious. Time Wars, for instance, is hip hop that manages to recall some cheesy, over-the-top American-Gladiators battle theme. While The Uprising of the Insane, with it’s ridiculously catchy pitched-up vocal sample, stomps with an off-kilter originality that immediately turned my head. But, perhaps no other track sums up this zany dopeness better than the funky strut of the extra-terrestrial-synth-led Alien Nature.

Though you'll find this on itunes, if you go straight to Paul himself he offers a variety of different packages (through Bandcamp) which range from a high quality digital download for £5 all the way up to a “£300: high-quality download, ltd edition handmade, hand-stamped pillowcase CD and a pair of exclusive beats made from samples of your choosing mastered & cut to dubplate.” (Wow!).

If you need a taste before committing, here’s an exclusive mix Paul did for the Mary Anne Hobbes Show on BBC Radio 1.

Enjoy!

http://paulwhitemusic.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/paulmw

http://www.myspace.com/onehanded

KutMah - Sacred Geometry

2009-07-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know a whole lot about this guy, but this track listing pretty much speaks for itself. An hour long voyage through the new instrumental hip hop renaissance; from LA to Detroit to London and back. Oh, and the mixing is tight. You need this, trust.

BLUE DAISY -FRONTIER -UNRELEASED
DABRYE-MY LIFE-INSTRO-1/3-GHOSTLY
LORN-WHAT'S THE USE-NOTHIN ELSE-UNRELEASED
ZACKEY FORCE FUNK-BOMBS-UNRELEASED
APHEX TWIN-GWELY MERNANS-DRUKQS-REPHLEX
ILLUM SPHERE-CAROUSSEL-FAT CITY
HASHIM-ECHO EXPANSION JOINT-UNRELEASED
QWERTY-ROLLBACK-UNRELEASED
HUD MO-GUNS INTERLUDE-UNRELEASED
ZACKEY FORCE FUNK-EL CAMINO-UNRELEASED
LUNICE-ANTE UP-UNRELEASED
PUDGE-RASTA-UNRELEASED
KNXWLEDGE -DRYICE-UNRELEASED
DIBIASE-STYLE THE RUKKUS-UNRELEASED
EXILE-SAN PEDRO CACTUS-RADIO-PLUG RESEARCH
BULLION-THE ONE-UNRELEASED
SAMIYAM-BRICKS -UNRELEASED-
FLYING LOTUS-UNRELEASED
DIBIASE-UNRELEASED
DILLA-U FORGOT?-UNRELEASED
DIBIASE-MURDER SHIT-UNRELEASED
SAMIYAM-FROSTED PACKETS-UNRELEASED
EXILE-IT'S GOING DOWN-SHAFIQ REMIX-PLUG RESEARCH
MR OIZO-BAD START-A.W.A-F COMMUNICATIONS
POWELL-ANTI M.C -BEATNICKS TAPE-
FLYING LOTUS-SANGRIA-UNRELEASED
SOME SHIT I GOT FROM RAS G
EXILE-EXTRA FUNK-UNRELEASED
POWELL-LOFI-BEATNICKS TAPE-
ELAQUENT-HIGH SCORE-AFTER MIDNIGHT-
SAMIYAM-HELLS BELLS-UNRELEASED
RAS G-ONE -UNRELEASED
DIBIASE -CLASSIC SHIT-UNRELEASED
FLYING LOTUS-TEKK BEAT-UNRELEASED
NOSAJTHING-COAT OF ARMS-DRIFT-ALPHA PUP
BEARDED BABY-MS.ISOBEL-UNRELEASED
FLAKO=LONELY-UNRELEASED
FLYING LOTUS-RAISE IT UP!-UNRELEASED
J-LAINE-LIGHTWORKS-UNRELEASED
SHAFIQ-CALI SLUMP-UNRELEASED
DABRYE-INTERSTELLER-T.F-PLUG RESEARCH
ILLUM SPHERE-INST-FAY CITY
RAS G -STAR MESSENGER-UNRELEASED
DABRYE-RECONSIDER-1/3 -GHOSTLY
DAKIM-TRACK 7-LEAVING RECORDS
LORD FINESSE-NASTY-MADLIB REMIX UNRELEASED

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/kutmah

Black Moth Super Rainbow

2009-07-09T16:27:00.001-07:00

The name may evoke ridiculously dubbed B-grade Anime, but don’t let whatever preconceptions you may have bar you from experiencing the awesomeness that is this band. In the backwoods of rural, Western Pennsylvania Tobacco Power Pil Fist Father Humming Bird, Iffernaut and The Seven Fields of Aphelion, concoct a uniquely potent blend of disorienting, lo-fi psychedelic. The sound like cotton candy– seemingly substantial upon first sampling but ultimately dissolving into a sticky, wispy malaise of sweetly addictive goo that gets stuck all in your head.

The warped and grainy weirdness of their music is in the same vain of pre-Music has the Right to Children Boards of Canada. Like early BOC it's chock full o' 70’s public broadcasting sounds and it’s got this distinctly de-ja-vu quality- at once dream like in its striking familiarity yet utterly fresh, alien even. It’s timeless in that it sounds at once archaic and post-modern. In fact, BMSR is not unlike what Boards of Canada may have become in some alternate universe had the brothers Sandison not found their calling in elegant, austere minimalism.

To experience BSMR is to be treated to an exorbitance of tone and aural texture Most of the instrument parts are recorded to tape (presumably an old 4 track by the sound of things) taking full advantage of the analog realm for the sweet sound of maximum saturation. The drums are often tracked live then resampled, edited and looped into shuffling rhythms. Obvious gear fetishists, they rely heavily on vintage synthesizers- and what an astonishingly bad-ass assortment of them the guys have collected: Rhodes, Moogs, Mellotrons and others yet unrecognizable to this reviewer lend this music its unmistakability. It’s the synth leads, along with the heavily vocoded vocals- warped beyond intelligibility and employed much more like an instrument than a traditional front man- that make for such a surprisingly unique brand of hallucinatory mutant pop; a veritable playground of sugary day-glow psychedelia.

Their sound has evolved over the years beginning with where Tobacco’s former project, Satanstompingcatipillars, left off and finally crystallizing with the smoothed out almost Air-style pop of their latest record Eating Us.

Falling through a Field, originally released in 03 (reissued in 2007), is the first full length under the BSMR name. A compilation of early material, demos, orphaned pieces from Satanstompingcatipillar recordings - it touches everything from dreamy shoegaze to bleepy, Atari-esque minimalism. Though somewhat rough it’s easily recognizable as the blueprint for what was to come. Balmy, acoustic guitars; and soft breathy vocals mingle with synthesized bells, warbled Casio pads, fuzzy distortion and dusty drums fomenting into an intoxicating brew baked to perfection in the waning light of the late afternoon sun.

Subsequent releases expound on this basic equation, adding depth with more complex instrumentation and lots more vocoding.

Start a People This album bridges the earlier demo stuff with the more polished contemporary sound. A nice illustration being the remix of I Think it’s Beautiful That You Are 256 colors Too. This newer version adds a slick funky bass line and twinkling synths as well as heavily processing the original vocals in the now accustomed BMSR style. Other faves include the hallucinatory Raspberry Dawn and the soothing lullaby-like 1, 2, 3 of Me.

Lost Picking Flowers in the Woods The title track of this ’06 record with its brittle tinny drums is an up-tempo trip into polychromatic daydream land; equal parts EDM and prog-rock. Another stand out, Drippy Eye grooves woozily with fluttering wood winds and synthetic ragged midrange. The long, winding, superb bass line intro anchors Flowers Grow Here, one of their strongest tunes to date! And Side 8 gets down hip hop style with a breakneck beat led by a dirty trash can snare.

Dandelion Gum. This was my introduction to BMSR and in my opinion, undoubtedly one of the finest records released in ’07. From beginning to end, it's the most consistently brilliant of all their albums ...or maybe I’m just biased. Nah. Lolipopsichord, Jump into My Mouth and Breath the Stardust, Sun Lips, Spinning Cotton Candy in a Shack Made of Shingles, and Untitled Roadside are all among their best tunes.

Drippers is a five track EP released in ’08 and is worth owning just for the up-tempo analog bass driven funk Zodiac Girls.

Fucked Up Friends This solo project from ring leader Tobacco was released on Anticon is possibly, my favorite album of the lot. Takes everything wonderful about the BSMR sound- the tripped out flutes, the gongs and church organs the vintage electronics faded with age -and hip-hop-itises it, adding catchier hooks and crunchier drums. Aesop Rock even shows up on Dirt mumbling something about Honey Bunches of Oats being the best cereal known to man.

Eating Us This record, which dropped about a month ago, is pure summer time vibes. By far the most polished offering yet, I dunno if you could even call it lo-fi any more. It’s probably their most realized album, though not necessarily the best overall. For this project, the guys saw fit to bring in a heavy weight producer to work some of that big-league sonic magic. Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips), to his credit, did an excellent job in augmenting the the BMSR sound. Twin of Myself and Smile the Day After Today; both choice slabs of electrified atmospheric pop that are as good as anything the guys have ever done.

http://www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com/

http://www.myspace.com/blackmothsuperrainbow

Fftang! Fftang! Mixtape 01

2009-07-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

Fftang! Fftang! is a monthly club night in East London that specializes in all manner of tropical rhythms. This mix, which was expertly assembled and programmed by Huskiii, is a torrid amalgam of salsa, cumbia, baile-funk, afro-beat, dancehall, and hip-hop. Perfect for long summer days and wild hedonistic nights. Muy caliente!

Huskiii - MIXTAPE 01:

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/fftangfftang

http://www.myspace.com/huskiii

Grizzly Bear Live @ The Fillmore 6/22/09

2009-07-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

[finally got this up]

I’m really having trouble finding the words to translate this experience. It simply left me awestruck. First, I guess I should say it was definitely worth the $30 spent, and that if you have a chance to see these guys, go. You won’t be disappointed.

After a nice opening set from fellow Brooklynites Here We Go Magic, the guys filed out and assumed their respective posts- arranging themselves laterally instead of the diamond configuration of a standard four-piece. Although The Fillmore was sold out, it was not so crowded as to be uncomfortable.

The show got underway with Southern Point from the new album. And by the refrain of “in the end…” I knew I was witnessing something exceptional. Ed Droste’s bewitching croon sliced through the atmosphere as the the stage exploded in a burst of resonant sound, flashing light and color. The dark psy-folk of Lullaby came next followed by the Wilsonian harmonizing of gently meandering Cheerleader. Knife was played and, as expected, was great. Central & remote, About Face and Fine for Now all hit the mark. Colorado and Reprise were amazingly intense live; both sublimely meditative moments.

The shuffling Ready Able with it’s distorted guitars; jagged, icy synths and hauntingly exquisite harmonies was definitely a highlight. Ditto Two Weeks, which I knew was coming as soon as Daniel Rosen discarded his guitar and sat down at the Whurlitzer.

I Live With You was a mezzanine of sorts, a lull in energy where the spell was broken only briefly by a fan who let out the best rebel yell I’ve heard since I left North Carolina. This then immediately transitioned into While you wait for the others; which happened to be the emotional apex (well for me at least) of the night.

Throughout, mood was deftly altered in a novel manner- tension built and released not through rising and falling of tempo, but through an unbelievably dynamic dynamic-range; we’re talking symphonic caliber. From the nadir of a single voice (Droste and Rosen traded vocal duties equally, backed by bassist Chris Taylor and drummer Christopher Bear) or acoustic guitar the amplitude would swell crystallizing into shuffling rhythms and four-part harmonies. Rising to at times to cacophonous crescendos of layered guitar and synths, flailing toms and crashing cymbals.

For the encore, we were graced with an acoustic version of All We Ask in which the guys crowded around one microphone old school quartet style.

Pretty much the perfect night. The only other thing I could have asked for was to hear Plans. Ah well, maybe next time.

...and

If you’ve not already got it, be sure to nab the new record Veckatimest, out now on Warp. If you’ve read the reviews but are skeptical of all the unctuously gushing adoration- yeah, it actually is that good. Named for a small island off of Cape Cod, the album is an opus of jangly guitars, wandering rhythms, and jaw-dropping harmonies so painstakingly crafted that would make Brian Wilson blush.

'Tis truly a beautiful record.

http://www.grizzly-bear.net/

http://www.myspace.com/grizzlybear

Skull Disco

2009-06-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

Woe was the day this maverick imprint disbanded.

With a penetrating vision and amazing quality control, Skull Disco carved a hybrid-genre niche that has yet to be filled. Some nameless form of mutant, tribal, dread: a teeming mix of minimal techno, world music, dub, and glitch. Ponderous, thudding riddims; skittering edits; Eastern instrumentation; jagged, techy synthesizers, heavily delayed vocals from Jamaica to India; grimey, modulated subbass and more tablas than you could shake a handballa at reverberate through cavernous dubbed-out atmospheres.

If you're already a fan, perhaps this mix, posted on the Skull Disco website will rekindle some fond memories. If you're new to the sound, now's as good a time to check it out. Either way, download the mix and check out the site.

http://www.skulldisco.com/

[edit] Sound quality of the mix is really poor... just go and purchase these two albums:

Sound Boy Punishments

Soundboy's Gravestone Gets Desecrated By Vandals

LTJ Bukem - The Essential Mixes

2009-06-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

I came across these mixes a few days ago and have been rocking them pretty hard since.

Although the game has since changed significantly- the playing field has opened etc.- back when, Bukem was an anomaly and his Goodlooking/Looking Good empire a force to reckoned with. It's easy to forget just how other-worldly ambient D&B sounded in the 90's and as defacto ambassador of the sound, just how big a pimp Bukem was. Besides scouting
talent and running the label, no one could mix this stuff up like Danny Boy.

With MC Conrad by his side, these mixes are 2hour long journeys into proper Artcore where frenetic chopped up beats ricochet around astral, loungey soundscapes: celestial pads, booming sub bass, lush string arrangements and lots of jazzy guitars, horns and Rhodes keyboards.

More than a decade down the road and this stuff still sounds great.

Essential Mix '95

Essential Mix '96

Enjoy!

http://www.myspace.com/therealdannyltjbukem

J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid

2009-06-15T16:34:00.001-07:00

Not being a car man, the only worthwhile thing I can see that has emerged from the frigid industrial waste land of Detroit is music. However, any city that produces Motown, techno and James Yancy has done more than enough assert its worth in the scheme of things.

Jay Stay Paid is a collection of 28 odds and ends compiled and programmed to play something like a mix tape- complete with interludes; shout outs from various names in the hip hop game; and the occasional MC. And while it doesn’t surpass the landmark that was 2006’s Donuts, it shines with a luminescence that stretches from beyond the grave.

Jay’s dedication was well documented; with a drive that bordered on obsession he honed his craft, continuing to produce right up till the end (he was still working on The Shining from the hospital bed). The peerless quality of his body of work reflects this dedication, but Jay had something else as well. Something innate. Something that can’t be learned no matter how much time one logs in the studio. He had an ear for this shit. It’s not just the way he programmed his samples but the samples themselves. His tracks mash together everything great about black music from at least the last 60 years- a funk guitar or bass line; a flourish of jazzy keys or horns; a criminally overlooked soul hook; g-funk-style synths; air raid sirens, and even techno elements (he was from Detroit after all)- and make it sound so effortless. He wasn’t obvious with his palate nor anal or rigid in his production. Dilla joints have a fluidity that damn near even borders on sloppy at times- the sampled elements gel in a way that almost sounds like live musicians playing. And the way he laid his drums out- easy on the quantize- can be heard in productions of everyone from Madlib to Sa Ra to Flying Lotus and Samiyam.

It’s all quality, but some stand out tracks for me are the twinkling elegance and low end throb of the Busta Rhymes sampling Mythesizer, and the simple but effective Expensive Whip. With its off-beat shaker; thumping techno bass line, hand claps and staccato synths, it might be my favorite cut of the lot. The vocal collabs, with Raekwon, Mobb Deep, (MF)Doom and some lesser known rappers are good too, but this is really Dilla’s show.

This album proves yet again that it was raw talent and not his tragic untimely death that made Dilla a legend.

http://www.myspace.com/jdilla

http://www.stonesthrow.com/jdilla

The Sadness of Sex by Barry Yourgrau

2009-06-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

I use to volunteer at the bookstore in the main branch of the San Francisco public library. Doing so afforded me first crack at the donated books when they arrived. Upon discovering this one, I was immediately intrigued by the title. After purchasing it for a dollar I promptly misplaced it until a just a few weeks ago when I came across it while cleaning.

The Sadness of Sex is collection of what I suppose could be called short stories- well that’s what Yourgrau calls them anyway. Narratives, essays or even poetry would seem to me like better choices in describing his work. Thematically, as one might expect, the thrust of this volume is about human emotions and relations and sexuality. But, Yourgrau plumbs the more primal, quirky and generally esoteric aspects of love, where the heartwarming meets the ridiculous and the macabre. The approach serves him well as this is actually much more fertile ground than the purely romantic or tragic which have been so exhausted as to become almost tired cliché. In a sense, the feeling many of these pieces exude is truer to the actual experience- something ubiquitous yet strange; at once felt by all yet beyond our common everyday language.

Riddled with dream-like surrealism and often lacking discrete beginnings or ends these loosely assembled works are full of enigmatic symbolism. Much of which can be only tangentially grasped by the rationally conscious mind- that is, partially decoded, but rarely fully understood. At the deeper, emotive, sub-conscious stratum, however, they ring home with a stunningly urgent clarity that often leaps from the pages. Awash with bizarre, poignant, amusing, and frequently absurd imagery; this volume makes for a highly enjoyable if, at times, bewildering read. Shape-shifting horses, A naked women who eats rabbits alive, a hospital “for victims of love,” the romancing of cannibals, and young boys catching and murdering the moon- Lord of the Flies-style; are but a few of the dynamic and insanely memorable images Yourgrau coaxes from his(our) subconscious.

The book is divided into several general sections that are named for specific pieces, each with slightly varying general themes. The portion entitled Snowfall might be my favorite. Though certainly not one of the more “out there” sections of the book, the pieces, which are about love lost, are sentimental and strangely comforting. The prose is beautiful and there is a familiar almost meditative quality to them.

Finally having had a chance to peruse it I can say that Yourgrau writes with an utterly unique voice and it’s been a pleasure finally being able to read him.

Scion A/V Presents: Blu Jemz Beat Machine

2009-06-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

1. O Spindles - Intro (Dark Room)
2. Dorian Concept - Sandwich Terror
3. Bullion - Keep It Tidy
4. Exile - Extra FUNK
5. Flying Lotus - Heat Wave 2
6. Mike Slott - Boxed In (Inst. Mix)
7. Waajeed - Tetris
8. Jay Scarlett - The Jawn
9. Dr. Who Dat? - Viberian Twilight, Pt. 2
10. Samiyam - Rough Copy
11. Karriem Riggins - “12’s In 8″
12. Ge-ology - Diurnal Insomnia
13. Blu Jemz - Almost There
14. Onra - Broken Language

Is this the new sound of LA hip hop? Scion (yes, the car company) seems to think so. I think that it's a nice collection of spaced out instrumentals. But go ahead, draw your own conclusions.

DOWNLOAD

Flylo and Samiyam's contributions are solid as one would expect. Bullion's track is DOPE! Watch out for this dude.

ANSIFORM

2009-06-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Boy, is it a great time to love music. There's never been more people making more different varieties that're more readily available. For all of you ambient lovers out there, I got a little sumthin sumthin for ya. Check out this intoxicating parcel of sonic bliss. The perfect antidote to anxiety, insomnia, or silence.

Ansi045 Room With Blank Walls 320kbps Mp3

If you likey, why not check out the Ansiform label's site where you can download 320's of all 45 releases for free or subscribe to their podcast.

http://ansiform.afraid.org/

Danger Mouse & Sparkle Horse Present: Dark Night of the Soul

2009-06-10T17:46:00.001-07:00

I’ve come to regard Danger Mouse as a genius- an eclectic A-list producer with the Midas touch. Naturally, after reading this BBC story I was intrigued. Danger Mouse collaborating with Jason Linkous (Sparkle Horse) and *gasp* David Lynch(!?) on a project featuring an ensemble cast of vocalists such as Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips) Iggy Pop, Frank Black, Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), and James Mercer (The Shins)? It seemed too good to be true. As it turns out it was- sort of…. EMI, it seems, put the kibosh on this project after a licensing dispute. Luckily for us, we live in the information age, so EMI can fuck off. Mr. Mouse and Mr. Horse have even gone so far as to package a blank CD with artwork, done by Mr. Lynch, and encourage people to download the music.

I had to listen to this album about three times before I could even fully form opinion on it. The title, which comes from a work of the same name by 16^thcentury theologian St. John of the Cross, should have given it away. But I was still surprised to discover that this was basically forlorn indie rock. Although Danger Mouse’s deft touch is definitely there- the loops and keyboard parts, the ingenious use of samples, etc.- this is essentially a Linkous’ project. And what initially sounded fairly straight forward has given way to a subtle depth upon repeated listens. This is a record that switches gears several times while continually mining the same vein of introspective soul searching. Heart break, addiction, alienation and disillusionment, are prominent themes throughout.

The songs are overflowing with rich instrumentation- lonesome harpsichord, warbly church organs, violins, chiming keys, morose synths, and every kind of guitar sound imaginable; from acoustic to slide to the full-throttled distorted riffing (Angels Harp feat Frank Black)- that blends seamlessly into multi-faceted arrangements of densely layered melody. Musically Dark Night occupies the intersection of folksy, indie pop; wistful rock; dark, psychedelic country and morbid punk.

A Soft Pink Bulletin-era sounding Wayne Coyne begins the proceedings setting the tone with Revenge. A ballad of love lost, his refrain; “the more I try to hurt you/the more it hurts me” is wrapped in melancholic strings, soft keys and ringing bells. Insane Lullaby, a personal favorite, features lush Shins-esque flourishes of strings, plinging xylophone and James Mercer’s sweetly soft croon floated over glitchey, distorted, percussive slag that might have once been a drum kit. Lynch even gets in on the action providing vocals for two of the albums best cuts. The delicate lullaby quality of Star Eyes acts as somewhat of an intermission, bridging the punk of Iggy Pop (Pain) to the lighter indie flavored pop of the second half of the album. And the crackling, dusty atmosphere; cheap saloon piano and eerily distant, nasally vox of the title track round out the album.

Another notch in Danger Mouse's belt, this record is a stirring ode to the human condition that insists upon repeat listening for full effect.

http://www.dangermousesite.com/

http://www.sparklehorse.com/

http://www.dnots.com/

DJ Craze - Bass Sessions

2009-06-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

Besides featuring every noteworthy old school electro bass anthem and then some, this comp has the added benefit of being mixed and scratched by the one and only DJ Craze. Craze is a 3 time DMC champ and Miami native so you know this is legit and not just some try-hard attempting to capitalize on the electro bass fad.

01. Bass Town 'Party Rock Crew'
02. 2 Live Crew 'Check It Out Yall'
03. M.C. A.D.E 'Bass Rock Express'
04. MC Shy D 'Gotta Be Tough'
05. 2 Live Crew 'Cut It Up'
06. Original Concept 'Pump That Bass'
07. Anquette 'Miami'
08. Dynamix 2 'Feel The Bass'
09. Rock & Fizz 'Let's Do It DUB'
10. Bass Generator 'Bass Generator'
11. Magic Mike 'Give It To Them'
12. Eddie B 'Rock The House'
13. Freestyle 'Don't Stop The Rock'
14. Dimples Tee 'Jealous Fellas'
15. 2 Live Crew 'Throw The D'
16. Anquette 'Throw The P'
17. Poison Clan 'Dance All Night'
18. Cybotron 'Clear'
19. 2 Live Crew 'Mega Mixx 3'
20. Egyptian Lover 'Egypt'
21. Dynamix 2 'Give The DJ A Break'
22. Magic Mike 'Magic Mike Cuts The Record'
23. Jock D & DJ Swift 'DJ Wars'
24. Tricky D 'Take It To The Dub'
25. Freestyle 'It's Automatic'
26. 2 Hyped brothers & A Dog 'Doo Doo Brown'
27, 2 Live Crew 'C'mon Babe'
28. Too BMF 'This Is Too Much Bass'
29. Afro Rican 'Give It All You Got'
30. Clay D 'Boot The Booty'
31. Clay D 'Mover Your Body To The Beat'
32. Gucci Crew 2 'Sally That Girl'
33. Young & The Restless 'Poison Ivy'
34. MC Shy D 'Shake It'
35. SirMixALot 'Rippin'
36. Le Juan love 'Everybody Say Yeah'
37. Uncle Luke 'I Wanna Rock'
38. Anquette 'Do The 61st'

DOWNLOAD

...instant dance party, just add soundsytem

Forbidden Faith: The Sectet History of Gnosticism by Richard Smoley

2009-06-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

I had been curious about Gnosis for a minute- mostly because I kept encountering references to it in my reading. I knew fuck all about it, except that it comes from the Greek word for knowledge. So when I was browsing through the book store down the street and came across this for a mere $5.00, it seemed the universe was telling me something. After taking the cue I dove into a comprehensive and thoroughly satisfying book.

First we are given a brief explanation of the function of religion, which is two fold:

to bring man in contact with the absolute
and possibly even more importantly, to act as an adhesive holding society together

With this established, he contrasts the mystic’s direct experience of the divine with second hand institutionalised orthodoxy . Those with direct spiritual access possess an inner resource and are generally autonomous. (Naturally they are seen by the church as a threat, and in times where the church wielded significant secular power were persecuted as such.) He sights an interesting recurring pattern in which a charismatic spiritual master will appear and through his teachings accrue disciples. After the master passes, the disciples will carry on the teachings. As time passes, the teachings become canonized and an institution is constructed to convey them second hand. This, Smoley says is how religions are formed.

Obviously, the most famous example of this in the Western world is Jesus of Nazareth. So it is there that we set out from. After a brief mention of the Gospels of Thomas, Smoley introduces us to the most prominent of the early Gnostic masters. Simon Magus, considered by the church to be the father of all heresy, heads the lot followed by Marcion, Valentinus and Basilides. From here, the roots of esoteric tradition are traced back to Plato and beyond to ancient India and Egypt. Consistently and often brutally persecuted by the emerging Papacy, Gnosticm was forced underground by 400 AD. There is no direct lineage after this, although the traditions and practices have been incorporated into countless sects, throughout the centuries. Consequently, the book jumps around quite a bit.

After the disappearance of the original masters, Christianity would, by a peculiar twist of fate, become “inoculated” with Gnosticism. This was due mainly to the teachings of influential theologins Clement and Origen who both rejected Gnosticism yet ironically embraced Gnosis. Manichaeism, is briefly discussed, for Mani’s belief that the physical world was a depraved illusion is a recurrent theme in the Gnostic tradition. And his dualistic doctrine of light and dark would influence orthodox Christianity immensely. The rise and fall of the Cathars, known as the Great Heresy is retold in the context of it’s gruesome fate at the hands of inquisitors. The Celtic tradition and Dionysus are also mentioned. The dark ages failed to engulf Ireland, resulting in a strain of Christianity that was cross-pollinated with more classical ideas and exotic practices.

The smashing of the Papacy’s iron grip over Western Civilization led to the the Renaissance, to a rediscovering of the Greek Classics, and a new flowering of esotericism. With it came Marcilio Ficino’s translation of the Corpus Hermeticus. Ficino’s pupil Giovanni Pico della Mirandola along with the German scholar Johannes Reuchlin translated the Jewish Kabbalah essentially introducing it's mystic practices to Western Europe. This period also witnessed the rise of prominent magi- most notably John Dee and Giordano Bruno who’s belief in ancient Egyptian Hermeticism would eventually cost him his life.

One of the most facinating parts of the entire book is the chapter on the secret society of Rosicrucianism and it’s catalyzing of Free Masonry. This hazy sequence of events has obviously been a point of intense interest. Having provided fodder for conspiracy theorists for nearly 300 years, the notorious Bavarian Illuminati's enduring legacy is a testament to their mystique if not their actual influence.

The last portion is dedicated to the reviving of Gnosticism in mainstream Western society. The timely publishing of books like Isis Unveiled by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky provided a spark for this movement, but it was the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Texts and The Gospels of Thomas that would blow it wide open and profoundely affect contemporary literature. Blake, Philip k Dick, the Da Vinci Code and Helen Schuman Course in Miracles all owe a dept to Gnostic tradition. In the final chapter entitled The Future of Gnosticism, we finally get some editorializing from Smoley. It's a beautifully written passage; a perfect way to round out the robust recounting of such a richly steeped history.

I would recommend this as a primer to anyone interested in esoteric Western religion. Or for those who are already familiar but interested in it’s influence over the course of Western civilization. At just over 200 pages this relatively brief volume packs quite a bit of information.

SAMIYAM

2009-06-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

The Internet is an amazing thing no? Witness one Sam Baker who, within the space of 2008, went from anonymously making beats in his bedroom to being a much vaunted player in the left-field hip hop game. His meteoric rise to prominence can be attributed in part to experimental beatsmith Flying Lotus who originally put him on. Lotus, who discovered him via Myspace, was initially instrumental in his name getting out there, but it was the avalanche of adoring taste maker blogs that sealed his fate. This is as good an example as we are likely to find of the emerging new business model, if you can call it that. Bloggers, not A&R label suites are the new gatekeepers, and global Internet credibility, (which will lead to a higher profile thus more concert revenue) not signing to a major for a multi-album deal is the new jackpot.

Sam's woozy, off-kilter electro hobbles with the swagger of a drunken b-boy- the drums pitching forward only to snap back into place. Loose, squiggly synths; lopsided, gurgling bass lines and an assortment of interesting, lo-fi, sampled instruments create a jagged motif which sounds thrown together, that is, spontaneous in the best sense of the word. If the beats sound a bit reminiscent of Flylo's, it may be because the two traded samples early on via the Internet. And would later form the Brainfeeder imprint once Sam relocated to LA.

I believe the acclaim is warranted but the obsessive harping on the Jay Dee connection not so much. Yeah, they’re both Michiganers who make(made) hip-hop, and I guess the case could be made that anyone producing hip-hop nowadays owes something to Dilla; but I think the comparison has been a bit over sold. So the dude likes experimenting with his drum machine without quantisization, it doesn't mean he’s a Dilla knock off. It just means his approach is relaxed and his style is a bit esoteric.

For a taste, check out this mix.

Also clock this unofficial debut he put together in ’08, Rap Beats vol. 1. (the files are poor quality but you'll get an idea.) Listening to this album is kind of like looking at the personal sketch pad of a Basquiat or a Robert Williams; yeah it’s only a semi-coherent collection of partially formed ideas, but it’s still fucking art. Especially digging the Nintendo inspired Super Chronizio Bros 2, the broken swing of Flotation Device, and the throw back electro bounce of It’s Important.

And make sure you grab his official release, The Return EP on Hyperdub. (Can’t say how jazzed I am about this new LA/UK axis of experimental electronic music.)

http://www.myspace.com/samiyambeats

http://www.brainfeedersite.com/

http://www.myspace.com/hyperdub

Flying Lotus Live @ Plastic People (London)

2009-06-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

Check LA's left-field, hip-hop don in action. Recorded in London, this mix is comprised of FlyLo's own stellar productions mashed and remixed with gansta rap a capellas, electro-house and dubstep. As adept in the booth as he is in the studio, this man deserves all the hype

DOWNLOAD

Be sure to check out Los Angeles on Warp, if you've not already. Essential!

http://www.flying-lotus.com/destroy/

http://www.myspace.com/flyinglotus

http://www.brainfeedersite.com/

Doom - Born Like This

2009-06-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

The masked villain returns once more to supply us with a lyrical fix. Doom (he’s dropped the MF apparently) brings the goods over seventeen tracks and the rhymes are at least on par with anything he's ever done-- haters be damned***. With the last couple of releases (especially The Mouse & The Mask) his demeanor had become relaxed, his tone buttery smooth, and his lyrical content, especially whimsical. Not so with Born Like This. There is an urgency in his timbre and delivery not heard since Viktor Vaughn. Lyrically, the content is darker and cynical; veiled political references abound.

Though not of Madvillain or DangerDoom caliber, the beats definitely slap. Doom flipped about half of them himself, and the rest have been outsourced to worthy hands. Madlib, as one would expect, hooks up the decidedly jazz-tinged number Absolutely. Jay Dee, having assumed near martyr status in the hip hop game, posthumously provides a pair. Gazillion Ear and Light Works, though not particularly similar, have that unmistakable Dilla characteristic… uh, what is it? Oh yeah, quality. Jake One, who I know nothing about, drops four of the hottest tracks on the album. The the way he programs his drums, and his delicate touch with various sampled keys etc. evoke Dilla or Madlib, but without sounding like blatant biting. The villains beats don’t slouch either. For fans of his signature, lo-fi minimalism, check the Charlies Angels sampling collab with Ghostface, Angelz . In addition to Ghost; Raekwan, Slug, Kurios and Empress Starh make appearances. The guest spots are, as always, top notch.

With all the different chefs in the kitchen one might think that the record would lack cohesion. But, Dooms style is quite distinctive and the whole thing is stitched together by the Fantastic Four and Spider Man samples that have become a hallmark of his work. On the whole I would say that, though this might not be my favorite release, it’s definitely worth bagging if you’re a fan. And if you’re new to this mans work its as good a place as any to start with.

http://www.myspace.com/mfdoom

***(Didn’t include this on my last post, but there has been some controversy over an alleged hoax. Supposedly Doom sent an impostor to gigs in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Internet is now full of hurt and angry nerds who: “can’t believe Doom would do this to his biggest fan!”. I would reply that the man is a super villain and doesn’t break character …ever! He’s even got a line in One Beer, as someone else pointed out ,where he explicitly says “he plot shows like robberies/in and out 1, 2, 3/No bodies pleased” And also, Doom makes great records but as performing MC, he just might not be all that good anyway.)

Satic'The Movement 1.1(Magic Night) &1.2 (World Music)

2009-05-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

1.1 Magic Night

1.2 World Music

More free beats for y'all. I should have posted this with the first volume
...better late than never.

http://www.staticthemovement.com/indexuk.html

http://www.myspace.com/staticthemovement

Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel

2009-05-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

Bradford Cox, the gangly, outspoken front man of Deerhunter, released another lesser hyped but equally great album last year. His side project, Atlas Sound, charts a similar course but leans more toward the experimental with a higher emphasis on texture. Layers of shimmering guitars; barbed, synthetic strings; ethereal pads; softly harmonized vocals; warm bottom end and tempered, skeletal drums create a sound somewhere between twinkling shoegaze and glossy ambient pop.

Beginning with a recording of a child talking about ghosts, the album materializes with a gradually overdubbed wave of electronic, jangling atmospherics. This escalates until the child's voice is eclipsed; fading from audibility. The rising aural tide proceeds giving way to the laid-back dreamy shuffle of Recent Bedroom. Quarentine’s chimey, synthetic vibraphones; rich, soothing bass line and velvety backing vocals provide a marked and pleasing contrast to the percussive crashing of shakers, rides and drum fills.

The heavily time-processed Ativan, with its surfy guitar and tambourine accented beat, plays like some British-invasion-era jam in an arena-sized echo chamber. This saccharine current continues with the faintly throbbing, heart-beat-like pulse of Winter Vacation and the drum-less On Guard, whose soothing liquified synths evoke the cliché of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

Close to half of the songs are sans-drums, including the title track which rounds out the lot. By far my favorite piece on the album, Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel inundates with a profusion of fragrant sonics. Church organs, synthesized pads, vibraphones and guitar distortion melt together into a sweet deluge that washes over; enveloping the listener in a haze of ambient bliss. This unraveling, this fade into entropy, is an altogether fitting end to an album that seemingly materializes out of thin air- the whole thing could be an aberation of the small child at the beginning telling ghost stories.

Another gem from a guy who seems to be only just beginning to hit his creative stride. Be sure to check out the latest Deerhunter: Microcastles/Weird Era Continued as well. Out now on Kranky.

http://www.myspace.com/bradfordcox

Sa Ra Creative Partners - The Dark Matter and Pornography Mixtape

2009-05-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

So I linked to this in my review of The Hollywood Recordings, but it's so fucking dope I think it deserves it's own post in case any of y'all missed it. 40 some odd original prodcutions, remixes and unreleased beats by the Children of the Cosmos. This slick mix of bouncy astral disco-hop is sure to ignite any dance floor. You need this shit!

DOWNLOAD

TV On The Radio Live @ Fox Theater 5/22/09

2009-05-23T00:13:00.000-07:00

Wow! what a show. The Fox theater is my new favorite Bay Area venue. Impressive is an understatement. Massive, ornate, bordering on the opulent, this recently restored icon from the 1920's can accommodate close to 4000 people. And the acoustics are excellent for such large venue. This is certainly a premier Northern California venue, as evidenced by the quality of acts it is booking: BB King, Animal Collective, Black Keys, Of Montreal and Bloc Party to name just those that have been scheduled in the past two months.

TVOTR are just an exceptionally professional live band. Always having been difficult for me to classify, I’m wanton for adjectives whenever I try to describe them to those not familiar with the music. I can’t think of anyone that’s got their particular mix of styles. The sound is a unique fusion of influences that range from post punk to Afrobeat to doo-wop.

Seeing them live really drove home their versatility. On the strength of only their own material (with the exception of an impromptu cover of Warren G’s Regulator) they traversed through many different moods, bringing the intensity up and down, in a very natural manner. It was a true journey, as cliché as it sounds, that’s basically what it amounted to. Tunde was amazing, as was the horn section consisting of sax and trumpet. Dave Sitek was doing all kinds of cool sounding stuff in the background as one might expect. The guys really compliment each other; doing multiple things depending on the song. Kip Malone, I found out, sings a lot more than I’d previously thought- he pretty much did the vocals for the entire first half of Dear Science.

One of the many things that made live show unique was the way they varied their performances of various songs from their recordings. For instance, they opened with Love Dog from their latest album. Now, on the album version the energy of the song is more or less constant, but the way they played it live was much more dynamic. They started really quite with just Tunde singing instead of the pads in the recording. The energy built and by the end of the tune it was really slammin’ especially the drums. From their they ran through A Method, Crying, Halfway Home, Wolf Like Me, Golden Age, Staring at the Sun, Shout Me Out, I Was A Lover, Dancing Choose, Dreams, DLZ and Dirtywhirl.

The show was pretty much perfection even before the stellar three song encore. Starting slow and emotive with Family Tree, the guys then played a haunting stripped back version of Stork And Owl, before finishing with rousing version of Lovers Day featuring several members of the audience.

My expectations for the night were quite high. With the exception of the irate giraffe-on-meth-looking, surfer dude who tried to start shit with my homie; they were thoroughly exceeded. Go see this band live, you won’t be disappointed.

http://www.tvontheradio.com/

http://www.myspace.com/tvotr

http://thefoxoakland.com/

Ida: The Missing Link?

2009-05-21T09:56:00.001-07:00

So, this 47 million year old fossil from the Eocene Era was recently discovered in Germany. Darwinius Masilae or Ida as it's affectionately being called is amazingly complete (95%) and is being hailed as the "Holy Grail" by some scientists.

The lemur-like skeleton features primate-like characteristics, including grasping hands, opposable thumbs, clawless digits with nails, and relatively short limbs.

"This specimen looks like a really early fossil monkey that belongs to the group that includes us ...is one of the important branching points on the evolutionary tree but it's not the only branching point."
[Biological Anthropologist Brian Richmond]

Or to put it more clearly, a missing link between higher primates (ie monkeys) and their more distant distant cousins (ie lemurs and such)

As is the S.O.P. for science, their is some disagreement about just how significant this discovery is. Some are saying that it's more of a "third cousin twice removed" than any sort of direct ancestor.

And predicatively the reactionary right perceives this, as well as any other evolutionary discovery, as threatening to their world view. Check out this Freeper article (and the comments below if you want a laugh)

Here's another righty website that says more or less the same thing. And quotes something called the Institute for Creation Research. LOL!

National Geographic Story

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/fossil-ida

http://darwiniusmasillaelink.com/darwinius-masillae/

So I guess the ultimate implications of this discovery remain to seen and will most likely fall somewhere between missing link and media hoax.

Two Fingers Bootlegs

2009-05-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

Amon Tobin's new project is downright pop-y compared to the Brazilian jazz-don-cum-dark-industrial-beat-scientist's previous efforts. Teaming up with DoubleClick, the Ninja Tune vet brings us a slew of unnofficial cuts in which the two warp and contort R & B a Capellas into formidable modulated bass monsters. Somewhere between, Glitch-hop, Grime, Bhangra and B-More Club, the sound is refreshingly different yet sure to tear up any dancefloor catering to the afformentioned styles. Especially digging the Funksteroung-esqe mangling of Missy and the bleepy post crunk twisting of J-88.

1 Spank Rock Backyard Betty (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
2 Missy Elliot Best Best (Two Fingers Bootleg)Mp3
3 Kelis Bossy (Two Fingers Bootleg)MP3
4 JJ-88 The Look of Love(Two Fingers Bootleg)MP3
5 Kool Keith Drugs (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
6 Busta Rhymes Don't Touch Me (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
7 Ciara ft Chamillionaire Get Up (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
8 Joell Ortiz Block Royal (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
9 Joell Ortiz Hip Hop (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
10 Khia My Neck My Back (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
11 Team Shadetek Brooklyn Anthem (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3
12 Nas You Know My Style (Two Fingers Bootleg) MP3

For more of this hybrid, transcontinental, urban-ingenuity, be sure and check the new self titled album out now on Big Dada. Serious bizness!

http://www.bigdada.com/

http://twofingersmusic.com/

http://www.amontobin.com

http://www.myspace.com/doubleclick

The Bush Tragedy by Jacob Weisberg

2009-05-19T15:59:00.000-07:00

I believe that this may eventually be considered a really important book. Possibly even essential reading for those trying to make sense of the madness that gripped this country at the dawn of the millennium.

Contrary to what partisans may claim, there is no real ideological slant here; this is neither apologist nor blatant hit piece. (The fact that it has been labeled both speaks volumes of the bitter rancor on display in our very much divided union.) No, Weisberg has approached this book like an actual investigative reporter- seeking to understand rather than to validate.

His analysis is shaped by an analogy of Bush to Prince Hal as depicted in Shakespeare’s Henry the IV parts 1&2 and Henry V, hence the “tragedy”. This literary framework, however, isn’t critical to understanding, but rather a clever intellectual exercise that no doubt adds an extra dimension to those familiar with the plays. (I myself am not and I still think it’s one of most satisfying works of non-fiction I read last year.)

Weisberg begins by delving back through several generations of Bush lineage and contrasting two opposing branches of his fathers side of the tree- the Bushes and the Walkers. The Bushes are old school New England Republicans; nuanced, cultured, pragmatic politicians- the embodiment of old money. The Walkers on the other hand are tacky, boorish and arrogant; folks who see money and status as an end in and of itself rather than a means. Weisberg uses this information to set up the central conflict of this narrative, that between the careful calculating of Bush the former and the classic Walker “put-it-all- on-red” approach of Bush the latter. The picture that emerges is that of a son who never felt he fit with his own family. A Fredo of sorts who could never live up to the expectations of his father. This pattern would dog Bush right up to the start of his political career in the late 80’s. His experience at Yale is a prime example: lacking the networking sociability of his father, he floundered at a time when achievement had come to eclipse legacy. The deep resentments garnered here would, of course, shape his virulent anti-intellectualism. Once in the Oval Office his need to differentiate himself from his famous lineage would define his tenure. Determined not to make the mistakes of his father, who’s cautious compromising W believed had cost the election, the younger Bush would be easily sold on the quixotic fantasy of bringing Democracy to the world by force.

One of the most informative parts of this book is the description of Bush’s relationship with God (obviously this was crucial in winning both elections, but especially in 2004). An alcoholic faced with the certain loss of his wife, he found Jesus and kicked booze. We are told that, though Bushes faith is genuine, his practice is self-serving; “self help Methodist” Weisberg terms it. Being quite consistent with the 43^rd presidents behavior, this “insight” should be fairly obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention. This chapter is actually very striking to me because of my knowledge of addiction e.g. it smacks of the glaring difference between aligning one’s will with a higher power and the invocation of said higher power as a justification for ones actions.

There’s lots of good stuff in here about the people the former president surrounded himself with as well. Weisburg characterizes his administration as an “adopted family”, and as such Bush consistently prized loyalty above competence. And as It just so turns out *gasp* many of them had ulterior agendas. Thus, our march to Iraq involved a perfect storm of circumstances; various powerful entities with myriad interests in the region; a president with something to prove who easily bought the fanciful idea of spreading (world) democracy via invasion of a sovereign nation (which was supposed to create a domino affect); a congress that cared more about their ambitions than their principles; a press that cared more about sensationalism and profit than it did the truth and of course the awful catalyst of 9/11.

Actually I came away with some new found empathy for our 43rd president. Granted he was unbelievably under qualified for the presidency (it would be comical if the consequences hadn’t been so tragic), but he was just doing the best he could with what he knew. Rumsfeld, Rove and Cheney et al. are quite another story; they were fully aware that a president like this only comes along once in a great while. They saw their opportunity to advance their personal interests and they exploited it, leaving the Bush name forever on the hook for this travesty.

Highly recommended for anyone still scratching their head about just how the hell we got from New York to Baghdad and how a C student who failed three businesses was ever in a position to lead us there.

Danger Mouse On Some Other Shit!

2009-05-16T17:29:00.000-07:00

So this looks awesome...

Hip-hop producer Danger Mouse is to release a blank CD, after record label EMI reportedly cancelled his new album.
Dark Night Of The Soul, a collaboration with rock group Sparklehorse, also features Iggy Pop and The Flaming Lips, along with artwork by David Lynch.
It has already been streamed online, but Billboard magazine said a "legal dispute" with EMI derailed the project.
Danger Mouse, who is half of pop group Gnarls Barkley, said he hoped people would still get to hear the record.
A spokesperson for the producer said: "Danger Mouse remains hugely proud of Dark Night of the Soul and hopes that people lucky enough to hear the music, by whatever means, are as excited by it as he is."
He added that the album, which comes with a limited edition, "100+ page book" of David Lynch photographs inspired by the music "will now come with a blank, recordable CD-R".
"All copies will be clearly labelled: 'For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.'"

Nina Persson of The Cardigans and A Camp is amongst the guest stars
It is unclear at this stage whether the record has been postponed or scrapped altogether. EMI could not be reached for comment.
'Excited'
At the time of writing, the entire 13-track album can be heard on the website of US public radio station NPR.
The free, legal stream has been the site's most popular page for more than 24 hours - but it is unclear how long the audio will remain available.
"We don't have a definite take down date," NPR Music producer Robin Hilton told Billboard. "It's up in the air."
Other guest stars on the record include The Strokes' Julian Casablancas, The Pixies' Frank Black, Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys, and Nina Persson of The Cardigans.
Danger Mouse first came to attention with a bootleg CD that mixed a capella tracks from Jay-Z's Black Album with music from The Beatles' White Album.
He has since gone on to produce cartoon band Gorillaz and alt-rock icon Beck.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8053471.stm

Crack House

2009-05-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

Fidget, or Crack House as it is more colorfully referred to, is the latest mutant sound in urban London dance music. An off-shoot of Bassline, Fidget is some what of a hybrid between British 2-Step, B-More Club and electro house, with just a dash of drum & bass. Rude bwoy chatter, air-raid sirens, twitchy synths, 303 acid, UK garage vocals, various bleeps and bloops, break beats and grimey low end fuse together to form this infectiously propulsive sound. Pioneered by Switch, it is currently being championed by the formidable DJ Zinc. This of course is not all that surprising as his Bingo Beats imprint has been pushing these disparate genres in one way or another for almost a decade.

Grab this mix Zinc put together and enjoy the new sound of Urban London in the comfort of your own headphones.

DOWNLOAD

Here are a coupla free tracks for the downloadin' as well.

http://www.djzinc.com

http://www.bingobeats.com/

http://www.myspace.com/bingozinc

Static the Movement Series 1.0 - Electr'hip

2009-05-09T18:05:00.001-07:00

This compilation is part of an ongoing series dedicated to breaking unknown beat makers from around the globe. Highlighting left field instrumental hip hop, broken beat, electro and everything in between, there's surely something here for every beat-nik

The video-game-meets-hip-hop bump of Budo's Moving Up alone justifies the hard drive space.

DOWNLOAD

Vols 1.1 & 1.2

Raekwon - Blood on Chef's Apron Mix Tape

2009-05-08T10:54:00.001-07:00

Hungry for some fresh hip-hop? Try The Chef's latest dish. Served up by DJ Absolut

DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/raekwon

http://www.myspace.com/djabsolut1

Boxcutter - Arecibo Message

2009-05-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

If you’re as big a fan of Barry Lynn’s music as I am then you’ll be as pleased as I was to find that this is as good as anything the man’s yet released. (after the tantalizing Radio 1 preview, however I had little doubt that it would be)

Arecibo Message finds Lynn honing his distinct sound to a fine point. His raison d’etre- celestial atmospherics, ethereal melodies, razor sharp drum programming and grimey bass and generally dubbed out vibes- is on full display, as is his obvious obsessive attention to detail. Lynn’s music could be compared to Mercedes Benz; sleek, modern, astonishingly well engineered and miles beyond the competition in shear innovation. True to form, he demonstrates yet again that to class his music as mere dubstep is doing it a disservice. Though firmly rooted in the 70 BPM bump of dubstep, Arecibo Message regularly transcends the genre- effortlessly flitting between techno, electro, atmospheric drum & bass, IDM and 2-step, often in the course of one song.

Released on the ever excellent Planet Mu, the album gets it’s name from the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. Presumably the “message” being some sort of contact with unknown extra terrestrial intelligence. This would go a long ways toward explaining the other worldliness of his interstellar dub sound.

Side Trak begins with synthesized bells, warm bass and a simple riddim. At about half way through he goes mental, thrashing about with that skittery metallic drum kit that seems to be proprietary (if you’re already familiar with his work you’ll know the one). In an obvious nod to the golden days of British raves, Mya Rave V2, starts with brittle UK Garage style snares and pitched up diva samples and vamped ‘ardcore keys At the break down, things get technical with slinky modulated bass and a beat that changes between straight up 4/4 house, 70 BPM dubstep and back to 2-step again. The futurist electro of Spacebass is one of the many highlights; here 80’s style electro squelches, 808 snares and hand claps meet with some really cool sounding synthesized keys, a laser bass line and mechanized android dub atmospherics. A Familiar Sound changes things up nicely. A heavily delayed r&b male vocal sounds disembodied yet quite comfortable over dubstep drums and bass. Keys, glitches, bleeps and synth gurgles swirl in and out making for a sleek bouncy hybrid of styles. Elsewhere Lamp Post Funk and A Cosmic Parent bounce with disco and almost Parliament funkiness respectively.

Lynn is again able to explore all kinds of different styles while remaining thoroughly grounded in dub. A must for fans!

http://www.myspace.com/barrylynnmusic

http://www.planet-mu.com/artists/Boxcutter

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-05-04T11:39:00.001-07:00

Wow! I haven't been this excited about a movie release in...
...well I don't even remember.

Almost everyone my age remembers this book from when we were little and I'm sure most would agree that it's one of the best childrens books ever.

So, normally I would be skeptical about the ability of Hollywood to adapt it to film. Luckily this project, which has been nine years in the making, will be directed by Spike Jonze. The screenplay was co-written by Jonze and celebrated novelist Dave Eggers. The film features music from Arcade Fire and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and will be released this fall.

Can't wait!

Nine Inch Nails Mixed Feelings DJ Mix

2009-05-03T21:39:00.001-07:00

Stumbled across this slick mix just a few minutes ago, and thought I'd re-post it for any NIN fans that may be out there.

Track List:
closer (precursor)
closer (further away)
get down make love
stuck throw this away
burn
into the void
a warm place (vocal remix ft stella soleil)
a warm place (original mix)
eraser (instrumental live 95)
reptile (instrumental)
reptile (remixed bu dave oglive)
underneath the skin
the downward spiral (the bottom)
the art of self-destruction (pt 1)
we're in this together
you know who you are
head like a hole (slate mix)
heresy (version)
happiness in slavery (pk slave mix)
burn like brilliant trash
happiness in slavery (broken)
happiness in slavery (fixed)
do not want this (instrumental)
do not want this
at the heart of it all
memorabilia
77 mins

This is actually a really bad ass mix! It features a lot of remixes I'd never heard before and it's put together really well. Flows seamlessly through a lot of different sounds.

DOWNLOAD

Wooden Shjips

2009-05-01T20:15:00.001-07:00

This is a band that I’ve really been getting into in the last couple of months.

San Francisco based Wooden Shjips (J is silent) navigate the waters between psychedelia, kruat rock and noise. The songs, which are mostly instrumental, are built on simple repetitive rhythms. To these modest foundations layer upon layer of guitar is added, resulting in fortified walls of harmonic distortion. So dense is this seething caldron of frequency that at times it all seems to smear together into white noise.

The vocals, which are generally very minimal and heavily processed, are sung by band leader Erik “Ripley” Johnson. The lyrics are nearly unintelligible and cryptic when they can be deciphered at all. His delivery and tone vaguely recall Jim Morrison. But Morrison as he might have sounded doing a dub record with King Tubby. Dripping with reverb and delay, they materialize and fade into noise.

The first album I obtained was the self titled Wooden Shjips. This record was made the old way- that is entirely analogue, from ½ inch tape to limited vinyl pressing. Opener We Ask You to Ride begins innocuously enough with looped drums, bass and Theremin-like synthesizer. Fairly uneventful until about a minute and forty seconds in at which point piercing distorted guitar slices through the methodical groove. This savage eruption foreshadows the onslaught ahead. All five of the tracks are sweet, but it’s on the bonus disc, comprised of the bands earlier 12”s, that things really heat up. Dance California starts with a formidable distorted Sabbath-esque riff. The intensity is then turned up to eleven with epileptic tambourines and torrential, blistering squalls of guitars. Death’s not Your Friend adds plinky synths and sleigh bells to the mix of ragged crunchy guitars. Ripley's vox drowning in time-based effects, seem to float disembodied over a great distance. Shrieking at the Moon starts, with a clean bass line then builds with twisted guitar distortion and escalates into controlled chaos almost dissonance at about three and a half minutes in.

The result is initially jarring but ultimately anesthetizing, kinda how I imagine the experience of being choked out in a sleeper hold would be.

The recently released Dos (Holy Mountain) begins with a snatch of feedback and a chunky distorted guitar riff. And though opener Motor Bike and Aquarian Time have a rough garage-y feel, over all the record seems more constrained. Having dampened down the visceral rawness of texture in favor of a more polished groove, this outing is heavier on the kraut influence- especially the organ-driven, funk of Fallin’. At other places things veer into surf territory (For So Long) with favorable results. I’m guessing this aesthetic change is due to the guys bringing in another producer and not because they’ve somehow lost the plot as some others have claimed.

As an interesting aside, it seems this band was started as an experiment with no intention of going anywhere. The project was conceived of by Ripley, as basically an outlet for improvisational jam sessions with friends. The thinking was apparently that gathering a bunch of guys with no formal musical training would bring a different perspective to the music. Here’s to the guys for committing this project to tape!

http://www.woodenshjips.com/

http://www.myspace.com/woodenshjips

http://www.holymountain.com

GRB 090423

2009-04-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

NERD ALERT:

NASA's Swift satellite last week recorded what they think is the most ancient event yet witnessed by man- GRB 090423, a burst of gamma radiation released in the annihilation a star some 30 to 100 times the mass of our sun. GRB 090423 was thought to have collapsed into a black hole some 13.1 billion years ago, when the universe was a mere 5 % of the age it is now, providing astronomers with a tantalizing glimpse into the distant past. With a redshift of 8.2, GRB 090423 is also the most distant visible object ever observed (the previous record was . Astronomers are counting this as conclusive proof of the existence of massive stars in the reionization period, and hoping it will help them to ascertain exactly when in the evolution of the universe galaxies formed.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17035-most-distant-object-in-the-universe-spotted.html