Archive
Picks 1/6/2013
I feel like I’m lying when I say I’ve been busy, but I guess I have been. I still have a huge stack of records (that will grow this week, I’m sure) to get through, but I have some of the choicest material ready for y’all. To those not in the know, I’m putting together a new monthly underground dance night in Long Beach with my man David Valdez. Our first night is February 8th @ the Que Sera and I just confirmed our special guests! More info late this week…
– Pulled from the bins of Amoeba, Fingerprints and Chemical-Records.
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Geeeman – Bang’t (Jack For Daze/Clone, 2012)
The term “DJ tool” just doesn’t apply for this one – this is a straight up DJ weapon. Both sides are heavy bangers in the Dance Mania style, which as I’ve said before, is a nice break from all the MK/Kerri Chandler aping going on. This record made it onto a lot of year end lists, and it reminded me that I had heard it throughout the year, and that it really was a killer. A quick scour of the internet stores resulted with no luck, but I vaguely remembered seeing a copy at Amoeba. As luck would have it, I ended up at Amoeba a few days later with my buddy Sean and sure enough there was one sealed copy hiding for me in the House section.
“Bang’t” (above) hardly needs any explanation. Simple and effective, repetitive and memorable. It’s a deep jackin track that works really well for a multiple reasons: 1) that organ riff is pretty fucking dope, hard to deny that 2) the vocal, “balls are bangin” nuff said 3) the percussion is fairly complex and always 100% primed at making your ass shake. I can not wait to play this out at the kick off party next month…
On the flip, “Fire Extinguisher” is an acid drenched stormer, a real barnburner. The track isn’t as memorable as the flip, but that’s what makes it so appealing – it’s a track that can be molded into your set as a bridge track. Again Geeeman/Gerd is absolutely masterful on the rhythms. He pays a lot of attention to detail when arranging, but also feels like he has a lot of fun doing it. For some reason, all I can think is that I’d love to hear this on a boat.
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V/A – Romeo Must Die (Blackground, 2000)
Well, yeah, you guessed it, I am currently obsessed with Aaliyah. When I think of Aaliyah I remember being 12/13 and discovering MTV and TRL – with “Try Again” being a very clear memory of that time. I didn’t really have older people around me showing me music as I was growing up so I just kinda blindly wandered out into the world. But that particular video and song are very clear, I remember how beautiful Aaliyah looked and just how intense the whole video was with all the dancing and kung fu. I wish I had bought this soundtrack when it came out, but I’m sure I appreciate it more in 2012.
I want to start with the Destiny’s Child track, “Perfect Man.” This is ALL Beyonce on here, and at 19 years old, we only catch a glimpse of the complete force she was beginning to become. Her voice is assertive and confident, riding the beat very well and playing the role of diva as if she were born for it. The beat is really interesting to follow as well, the xylophone tones are particularly memorable and this one has been getting a lot of play in my home.
On the hip hop tip, BG absolutely kills it on “Rollin’ Raw” over a funky Mannie Fresh beat. BG’s flow is syrupy and monotone, the hazy beat being the perfect match. However, looking at Timbaland & Magoo’s “At it Again” we find a much more complicated affair. The video is totally worth watching for the Aaliyah and Missy cameos, but it also magnifies the strange turn that this song takes. In my book, Timbaland is an incredible visionary, a producer unique and unparalleled, but really, homeboy’s track record isn’t exactly clean – his sense of humor doesn’t always translate well through the music. About 3 minutes into “At it Again” the track steps into halftime and the video takes a rap-rock approach. As a stand-alone beat I can definitely see Three 6 Mafia rapping over the dark crunk rhythm, but in the context of Timbaland, it’s just a headscratcher. Another example is Aaliyah’s kinda banger “Are You Feelin’ Me” which Timbaland again drops into halftime and then plays hypeman to himself with a whole bunch of “are you feeling this yo?” and “who is the best at making the beats” chants. Timbaland expected my confusion and cuts the track with the statement, “You never saw this coming.”
As of right now, “I Don’t Wanna” is easily my favorite Aaliyah track, and I’ve been playing it nonstop as I’m working on dance steps in my room. Yep. Peep the live video from TRL on Spring Break or something up top (above), Aaliyah brings so much energy from the start. I really wish I would have been able to see her live. Over the track her cadence is absolutely incredible, she’s got a natural swing to her voice that if represented visually it would look like her thin hips swaying. “I don’t wanna be… I don’t wanna live… I don’t wanna go… Shit, I don’t wanna be alone.” A track for those cold and lonely winter nights.
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Stanton Davis’ Ghetto/Mysticism – Brighter Days (Outrageous/Cultures of Soul, 1977/2011)
Brighter Days is a mythic album in record nerd circles, it’s whispered about with great hyperbole, descriptions sound like Chick Hearn giving a play-by-play. Oh and to top it off, it’s one of Madlib’s favorite jazz records. All I could ever take away from the different blogs, interviews and conversations, was that I would like it and it was guaranteed to be funky. With mythic records like this, I prefer to just dive in and listen to the whole thing front to back like it was meant to be, so I rarely allow myself the pleasures of Youtube teasers. I’ve had this record for a few weeks now and it’s partially the reason why I’m so backlogged; this record is incredibly confounding, yet it is just as compelling. The range from epic spiritual jams like “Play Sleep” (above) to hard funk like “Things Cannot Stop Forever” is incredible, but it’s worth noting that the band was primarily a club band aimed at getting people to boogie.
To be honest, not all of the tracks on here are winners, or perhaps not all of them are as life-changing as I had hoped for. There’s a lot of cheesy vocals on here, taking on a Lonnie Liston Smith or Gary Bartz kind of vibe, best exemplified in a track like “Brighter Days/Brighter Daze.” The instrumental jam is great, but the vocals are just too damn distracting, or rather they fail to offer anymore than the music.
Unquestionably, it’s the instrumentals that do it for me, whether it’s the languid spiritual vibes of “Play Sleep” (above) or the slightly more CTI sounds of “Nida,” the group works well in a jazz setting. Taking the jazz element and adding elements of funk and fusion, tracks like “Space-a-Nova” and “Space-a-Nova Pt 2” are tracks that could work at a dance, while maintaining plenty to offer for the heads as both tracks are bizarre explorations of a samba rhythm, layered in synth fog and atmosphere. Big record overall.
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Moodymann – KDJ 16 (KDJ, 2004)
This is a somewhat mysterious record. Two untitled tracks on single sided vinyl, apparently a lost record from ’97 or ’98. In the youtube posting above the tracks are cut together when there is actually a definite pause break on the record. The first track is an incredible gospel edit, it’s fiery and funky and probably something I will play out a little too often. The second track is more typical KDJ latenight funk – hazy, heavy bass, and strangely seductive. A guitar sample creeps in towards the backhalf of the track and it’s really familiar sounding, but I can’t place it. Another of many masterful, wonderful releases from one of my favorite people making music. I’m stoked to be seeing him next week at the Lift’s 3rd Birthday party.
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Dabrye – Selections: One/Three (Ghostly, 2001)
Dabrye doesn’t get enough respect, the man has been doing his machinefunk hip hop for quite some time, and has been mining techno and other electronic influences before it was cool to do so. And really, he’s had such a tremendous influence on where avant hip hop is today that he should be so much bigger. I’ve been meaning to pick this one up for some time now and I’m really glad it fell into my hands.
The big track is “Hyped Up Plus Tax” and I guess it was used in some phone commercial. It’s a great track, with beautiful string samples and a swagger that still sounds fresh today. It’s one of those tracks that sounds so dope as an instrumental but is begging for a cat like Danny Brown to add some extra murk to it. “Smoking the Edge” steps it up just a bit and that beat is just so fucking hard. Dabrye handles the rhythm really well, breaking it down on a controller or maybe even in the box, but making it sound like he’s juggling it like a DMC champ. Boy got so much swag.
On the flip, “With a Professional” takes the tone back down and offers a bit of sunlight. It’s a very mellow track, handled very well, but still a little dirty and glitchy. For my money, “So Scientific” (above) is the one. The track is funky and hard, all done with a deep bleep influence. Dabrye handles his percussive elements really well and incorporates dense polyrhythmic structures that are wonderful to breakdown and even better to groove to. It’s a complex track that is thoroughly enjoyable for your head or feet. Another one of my favorites from the D.
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Beneath – Illusions (Keysound, 2012)
Beneath was one of my favorite producers to pop up in 2012 (along with Xosar) and this end of the year release on London’s Keysound label was highly anticipated. He has crafted a unique and well-defined sonic identity where the vibe is equal parts UK Funky, Dark Garage and old school Dubstep; a sound characterized by precise percussion, fat swelling bass, eerie atmosphere, and accentuated by pure primal functionality. I’ve been sneaking Beneath into all sorts of sets throughout 2012 and people always dance.
The record kicks off with the eerie industrial gloom of “Prangin‘” which although is a fully-functioning dance track, it has qualities that make it accessible off the dancefloor. It’s atmospheric with a cinematic quality to it, fully-functional and bass heavy, yet it works best as the soundtrack to my bus ride into work on these cold gray mornings. The sample intoning “It comes from the heart” offers a shade of light, and perhaps a view into the very human artistic expression that Beneath is looking to evoke. On the flip, “Wonz” follows suit with a few horror movie piano samples thrown in for good measure.
“Illusions” is on side C, and this track is precisely the reason that made Beneath my favorite producer in 2012. While hard and funky, hes incredible at using space and silence as an instrument in of itself. He feels fully comfortable in dropping all sound for a few bars, before bringing that spartan snare back in, that tribal drum derived from a sampler preset or generic plug-in, but when isolated and placed in a thick web of black gauze, draped by fat globs of bass, and a little music box melody coming out of nowhere – all is perfect.
The big track, and the track that has had me salivating from the start is his remix of “Concrete Jungle” (above) which was by far the highlight of his incredible mixes for FACT and Boiler Room. Which, to sidetrack myself, reminds me that I absolutely love Beneath as a DJ. As in, I’ve got his FACT and Daily Street mixes on my 4GB ipod right now. Anyway, what more can I say about “Concrete Jungle” other than I can’t wait to play this out? Big release, looking forward to Beneath’s output in 2013.
Picks 11/18/2012
Not a whole lot caught my ear this week. These two picks are strong though. Stay up.
– Pulled from a trip to Fingerprints.
Lukid – Lonely At the Top (Werk, 2012)
I’ll admit it, I’m fairly new to electronic music, any genre. I grew up with the close-minded American punk rock mentality that electronic music sucked. Things change, and in 2010, it was Lukid’s Chord, along with works by Fourtet, Teebs, Flying Lotus and Floating Points that were my gateway drug. Chord is a rough and raw mishmash of hip-hop by way of Dabrye, with dabs of electro and the imminent “bass music” scene. While the album featured fragile, pretty tracks like “Makes,” it was the bass heavy, thorny, filtered floor-shakers and head-nodders that prevailed. Since then, Lukid has excelled on a handful of remixes and truly found a voice across two excellent and defining singles for his own Glum record label. On Lonely At the Top, Lukid furthers his compressed tape-visions, but adds vibrant color and softer edges to both thoughtful beat productions, as well as his dance-influenced tracks.
The guy has shown a lot of growth in his music, and I can see the parallel in my own growth as a listener along with it. Where Lukid’s sound was more “aggro,” he’s now moved into a mode that is just as moody, but more centered and at peace. His sentimental downtempo songs are no longer brittle or cluttered, they now breathe and have life, as heard on “The Life of the Mind.” The atmosphere is thick and his love for shoegaze and post-rock is firmly evident, but what is most striking is that Lukid has managed to make synthesized music feel extremely emotive. The chords dip, the vocal sample coos, the atmosphere has a cloudy bounce to it – a wonderful moment that is over way too soon.
This growth is mirrored on the abstract hip hop track “Laroche,” where he builds a sweet pop melody, a summery type of beat, then brings in crunchy 808’s and skittering high hats for just a few short bars before returning back to his summery daydream. Whether a pastiche of the current taste for “trap” or perhaps a more innocent nod to the style, Lukid demonstrates a restraint that few other producers care to employ. He has moved away from his unrelenting raucous tracks, and shows that the idea of “keep them wanting more” is sometimes the best strategy.
As was the case on Chord, Lonely At the Top’s excellent cover art mirrors both the sound and vibe of the music. The foggy synth tones bleed into percussion stabs to create a soupy industrial funk. There is somewhat of a Detroit low-fi brightness to the chords as heard on “Manchester“, but met with an equal fascination for the poppy pink fog of My Bloody Valentine – as heard on the Dilla influenced “Bless My Heart.” It’s all soupy goodness that is a real delight for the ears, especially if experienced with quality headphones. However, the layers of haze do make it a little difficult to play out, as I played out the electro jam “Southpaw” the other night and it just sounded a bit too muddy.
Lukid is really moving forward and getting closer to the masterpiece that he is capable of. To date this is his strongest work yet, as well as his most complex. He may not yet be as popular or revered as Flying Lotus or Fourtet, but in due time he will be regarded as a formidable peer who explored the same rich influences and crafted his own unique take on experimental electronic music.
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Various Artists – Glücklich II (Compost, 1996)
Maybe it’s the nature of DJ culture in Southern California, or perhaps the key lies in the endless time capsule crates of Fingerprints, but I often turn up great rare groove/latin compilations issued 10-15 years ago still in the shrink. I’ll pull the record, turn it over and try to decide if this going to be some culture caricature or real deal grooves. In regards to hunting “world music,” there’s a couple of easy warning signs to help you spot a whack imitator: 1) If the main artist/songwriter/producer is named something like “Steve Johnson,” it will be so lame 2) If there are elegantly dressed white people dancing on the cover, it will be lame 3) If the record label is American, it’s probably lame – although changing, historically, most of the good reissue labels tend to be European 4) If the performer is presented as a caricature of either his/her/American culture, it’s definitely lame 5) If there is a write-up on the back by a journalist/musician/musicman, read it, this is the final step and usually the determining factor of lameness.
Glucklich II easily passed all my criteria, and really, with a subtitle of “A collection of European fusion tunes with a Brazilian flavour,” it’s hard to pass up. The banner lives up to its summation, all the tracks were performed by German based musicians, some with latinoamericano lineage, some not. Jazz fusion can very quickly cross the line into unlistenable cheese, but all the groups here take the samba/batacunda vibe seriously and keep the tracks focused and funky. I’m not too knowledgeable about the European jazz scene, so none of these names sounded familiar, but a shout out to both Gilles Peterson and Ubiquity gave the nod that these would be real tracks.
The nine songs can be characterized into being either more jazz based or more samba based, and they split fairly equally, with just the right amount of balance amongst and within the compositions. Joe Haider Trio’s “Tante Nelly” sounds like a lost Sambalanço Trio track, moody and deep while retaining an organic streetwise groove. On the flip we have the incredible “Otão E Eu” by Nicos Jaritz, a rough batacunda track that sets itself apart by deep rolling bass – I can’t wait to play this out every chance I get. It’s an absolutely killer track that is mesmerizing when played loud, as the sound of so much clanging live percussion is truly uplifting. Livening things up with a tropicalia inspired vocal jam, Ximo & Judy’s “Vou Vencer” is equal parts “tristeza” and romance, a track that lingers after it’s gone.
Surprisingly, the track that has stuck most with me is the moonlit vocal number, “Go For the Others” by Sail-Joia. At first listen, the vocal just didn’t do it for me – I thought the English ruined some of the mystery of the music, but I realize now the intended audience didn’t speak English, thus their vision captures the romance of this Tropicalia ode to the pampas. The lightly galloping rhythm and smoky arrangement recalls the cinematic psychedelic work of Marcos Valle. The vocal is haunting, emotive, and cool, but with a sense of knowing. Most interesting is the incredible soprano sax solo by Shawn Bergin, who taps into Coltrane spirituality, but with a mood that would have been at home in Mulatu’s band. A big success.
Picks 11/11/12
I like to think about the geographical coverage that music has, about the routes it takes – how it seems to drop off influence like straying musicians on a long tour. This weeks picks cover a kind-of relationship between NY and the Caribbean, in that all the records were based out of NYC, but two of them bear cultural significance to the Caribbean, but wouldn’t be the same without their NY musical counterparts.
– Pulled from a trip to Bagatelle.
Chic –Chic (Atlantic, 1977)
I’ve gotta get something off my chest real quick: Disco was my first true love; I have incredibly fond memories of being a young kid and dancing in my room to Ray Rhodes DJing on Disco Saturday Night – bumping the boombox, just bugging out to all the funky grooves. Even when I discovered punk, and consequently became consumed in that world, I was still drawn to four-on-the-floor and fat basslines wherever I could find it. Consequently, my re-immersion in disco has been very nostalgic and extremely fulfilling. Looking back to the Disco Saturday Night show on KBIG, I realize that Chic, played a big part my favorite songs of that time, tracks that still hold up today. Listen to “Dance Dance Dance” (above), “He’s the Greatest Dancer” or “Le Freak” and feel how suggestive the 4/4 percussion and slinky bass grooves are, especially when paired with simple refrains and subtly uplifting arrangements that aim straight for the boogie-oriented parts of your body.
Chic was the group’s first album, and the beginning of a great run for Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. The group fused the groovy, urban funk and soul of NYC with the focused kick of European disco ala Cerrone; a match that resulted in a number of hits for both the band and the numerous A-listers they worked with (Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, Madonna, Debbie Harry). The band was flexible, funky, soulful, and with a sense of fun that quickly became the soundtrack to not just Studio 54, but dark clubs and aromatic backyard parties everywhere. This is clearly not disco by numbers, however, and the group uses innovative arrangements and unique instrumentation to accent their elegant vibe. The keyboard solo in “Dance Dance Dance” is a particular highlight for me, and must be included when played out.
For every ferocious floor-filler cut on the album, there lies a more gentle, jazzy, quiet storm tune with soft vocals, a warm subdued atmosphere and lots of velvety space. “Sao Paolo” has a strong bossa nova nod to it, and it allows space for the group to show off their chops while still keeping the mood up. The Luther Vandross featuring “You Can Get By,” is another highlight, which outside of the cheesy verses, predominately focuses on a groovy shuffle while the strings struggle to match the velvety voice of Vandross.
But ultimately, the reason why Nile Rodgers’ revival of Chic is not only still relevant, but powerful, is that this music has real timeless groove to it, their funk is earthy and human. The words are simple, they’re easy to sing along to, the bouncy rhythm is genre/culture-crossing – Chic’s brand of fun is universal. As they end the album with the late-night cut “Strike Up the Band“, the track’s refrain lets loose the secret to the band, “Strike up the band / Making music is our plan / Got to feel the rhythm if you can.”
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Scorpio – Scorpio (Geronimo, 1987)
I’ve been playing a lot of Hatian kompas in my sets recently, and it seems to be going over very well. It’s a style related to merengue, but the truly good stuff has some of the best aspects of psych-funk, afro-beat and disco. The acidic guitars and bleeding synths spin in hypnotic loops, the percussion charges forward in never-ending groove, call and response vocals propel the feet forward, and the bouncing rhythm commands you to float.
As with most island music, the albums are predominately calypso/soca-minded and thus often fall in the pitifully cheesy spectrum of the music world. In the case of this album, side A is an exceedingly jolly affair with lots of bright images of umbrellas in glasses and palm fronds.
Thankfully from the first moment of side B the listener is lured into the dance with a rumbling groove and haunting rhythm melody. “Min Yayade La DR” (above) is really strong, an incredibly adaptable dance track that has enough low end to be snuck into anywhere from an Afro-minded set to disco or house. Aside from a faulty synth solo, the eight minutes are pure sweaty pleasure. “Noel” is a bizarre Christmas track is pretty funky, nowhere near as strong as “Min Yayade,” but there are some really memorable horn lines, some tough vocals and an overall vibrant groove. Not a track I can see myself playing out too often, but hey, Christmas is coming up.
Frankly, this is one of the more exciting finds I’ve yet to pick up at Bagatelle. It’s not easy to find Hatian records out on the west coast, as much of the music landed and stayed in either New York, Miami or France. It’s on trips like this one that I feel vindicated in my habit.
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Admiral Tibet/Coco Tea – Reality Time/Lonesome Side (1987)
This was a really great find, two strong Jammy/Steely & Cleavie riddims voiced by two great vocalists. Steve picked up a big dancehall buy last year, but new stuff keeps getting put out in pieces and this is one of the new things that totally blew me away. When I first put it on, it was the Coco Tea side that made me bring it home, but once t hit my system at home, I was able to fully experience the heaviness of the “Reality Time” riddim.
As I often stress on this blog, there are records which need to be heard with the proper instruments; a quality soundsystem or good headphones are the only way to truly experience the range in tones made available by some music. That being said, listen to the “Reality Time (Version)” and turn up the bass, the way it kicks in the left channel is absolutely killer. It has depth and roll to it that dubstep producers today wish they could replicate. But this is old school, 1987, made in Jammy’s studio in New York with both dancehalls and whips in Flatbush and Kingston predominately on his mind. I can’t express to you how much I love this riddim, I would have to geek out about the chronology of musical advancement, of genre movements – as to how this video game-esque riddim, weighed by fat synthbass and three-note casio melody would influence the IDM/Warp movement. Truly fat riddim, I love the vibes on this. Pure meditation.
Coco Tea’s track, “Lonesome Side” is great too, and works in a different setting. It’s a shuffling lover’s track; sweeping low end gives the track an infectious swing to it and Tea’s voicing is really catchy and fun. This will be a great backyard party track once the weather warms up again. Big ups to the NY-Kingston-Long Beach connection.
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Donald Byrd – Love Byrd (Elektra, 1981)
Donald Byrd’s A New Perspective was the record that made me fall in love with jazz, and it still firmly stands as one of my favorite albums today. Like many jazz heads, I loved to hear Byrd working in his soulful post-bop mode, or doing his funky thing with the Mizzell Brothers and Blackbyrds. Thus his, (as well as most jazz players’) 80’s records went overlooked and flipped past an have become dollar bin staples. I demoted the time period to quiet storm waste, elevator muzak, or sad bebop revivals.
While playing a Mizzell-Byrd track a few months ago I had someone come up to me and talk to me about a Byrd-Isaac Hayes collaboration, a record that eluded the cheesiness of 80s jazz. It was this 1981 record, with the boring cover, that hid the unassuming funk of two legends of black American music.
Looking at reviews for this album across the internet is pretty funny, they are filled with negative declamations that Byrd is selling out, that this music is not jazz, etc – but they’re missing the point entirely. This album is a production of Isaac Hayes, it’s heavily reflective of his vision and he employs Donald Byrd’s voice into the mix in a way that accents Hayes’ soulful-funk. I had a discussion the other night while seeing some friends DJ, about that particular brand of music that is the essential Sunday morning housecleaning soundtrack, those records that are airy, vaguely romantic, yet upbeat and memorable. This record falls squarely on that mark. The soft groove of a track like “Feel Like Loving You Today,” is melodic and uplifting, the vocals vague, yet romantic. Throughout the album the group is a strong representation of the work Isaac Hayes is known for, even highlighting the use of his Hot Buttered Soul Unlimited quartet, so there are plenty of moments of saccharine cheesiness that ultimately keeps Hayes from being a more revered member of my record collection. Yet, being 1981, there is plenty of bounce and quiet storm shuffle, carried out in a way that does sometimes straddle the line of tastefulness, but ultimately results in funky feel-good music that feels similar to the work of Stevie Wonder.
What separates Donald Byrd from other jazz-turned-r&b artists in the early 80s, is that he keeps the late night vibe that has made him a favorite since day one. The melodies tend to remain subtle and the focus prevails on soulful vocal intonations or a funky instrumental, as seen on “Love Has Come Around.” This album may not be without its outdated flaws, but in moments like the heart-on-the-sleeve singing in “I Love You Love” (above) we realize that we’re not listening to a jazz album – this is a soul album; and if there’s one thing that Donald Byrd has, it’s plenty of soul.
Picks 10/29/12
Day late this week. You know I’m a diehard vinyl guy, but I do buy mp3s sometimes. Sorry if I disappoint. Also, my Amoeba pull was excellent, so I’m breaking it up – half now, half later.
– Pulled from a trip to Amoeba and an order from Boomkat.
Main Attrakionz – 808s and Dark Grapes II (Type, 2012)
A vital hip hop resurgence is currently in full effect, even to the degree of blogger minds declaring a second coming of the golden age. Main Attrakionz are highly representative of this “post-internet” hip hop movement that organically utilizes social media, drawing influences from every corner of the infinite span of fiber optic cable. The Oakland duo (wattup to the bay!) have emerged as one of the figureheads of the contemporary left-field low-fi hip hop movement and 808s is their brilliant calling card. To say that the release of this mixtape at the end of summer last year was well timed would be an understatement; the critical hype behind Clams Casino was frothing, A$AP Rocky’s first music videos had just dropped and Main Attrakionz tapped both artists for the standout track “Take 1.” But it wasn’t just that they tapped two hyped talents, it was that their own sound was comparable with the blunted headiness of Clams’ work, and their youngster street raps played the west coast parallel to A$AP’s Harlem tales. Main Attrakionz were able to ride both waves to land at a place where a year later 808‘s is a more enduring work than either Instrumentals or LiveLoveA$AP.
It really took me a while to warm up to Main Attrakionz; the mixtape sounded too foreign from the hip hop I was used to. Squadda B’s voice and style are so different, I imagined the beats too subtle and I (naively) couldn’t locate any real bombs on here. But as every digger knows – there are records that you find, and then there are records that find you. I’ve learned to love the pulsing 808 hits, Squadda’s strained flow, and the thick smokey instrumentals. Tracks vary from mellow heady tracks like “Diamond of God” to real street bangers like “Nothin Gonna Change.” MondreMAN and Squadda aren’t the most impressive rappers in a Busta/Freddie Gibbs way, but they are dexterous in the way they ride the beat, melting words together or apart, lacing them with emotion and letting them linger for effect.
What I really dig most about this record is how fucking honest these lyrics are, there’s little posturing here, few gangster fantasies, no Scarface worship, and few uses of the word “bitch” or its synonyms. These two aren’t pretentious conscious rappers, but in their own way Squadda B and Mondre keep it real, keep it meek and are transparent in their love for the music. Maybe its because this is a street mixtape, maybe its because they were 19 when it was recorded, or maybe its because they’re a product of a generation that is trying to rise above the bullshit that has been mainstream rap for the last 15 years. Whatever it is, this is going to go down as one of the most important rap records released in this generation. Download it for free over at MISHKA – go ahead, they want you to. (And yes, they dropped a new record this week – it’s dope go buy it)
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Mahmoud Ahmed – Alemye (Amha/Mississippi/Change, 1974/2012)
I first heard Mahmoud Ahmed on the 2008 Believer music issue CD and his track was an easy standout amongst the vibrant tracklist. There was something about the soulful delivery and the hauntingly penetrating music that really took hold of me. That compilation CD, but really that song in particular played a very important role in my life that summer. Among other things, it piqued my interest in African music, and thanks to an industrious roommate of mine, I pretty soon had a majority of the Ethiopiques compilation series. There is really nothing quite like the sound of “ethio-jazz,” a descriptor that can describe anything from northern soul, soulful ballads, funk bombs or dense groovy instrumental explorations. The only characteristic one can draw upon is that the music is dark, haunting, and unbelievably entrancing.
This is the third Mahmoud Ahmed vinyl reissue to come out in recent years and may be the best repress yet. Recorded in 1974, this album is buoyed by the unbelievable musicianship of the funky Ibex Band. The group is tight, and the members are highly capable of demonstrating their individual talents in nuggets of sound that are as rewarding as the star vocalist himself. On the wonderful rendition of the Ethiopian standard, “Tezeta,” the band stretches out into a deep funk groove that burns slowly, moving forward in perpetual motion, drawing the listener into a hypnotic state. The recording has a very raw, low-fi feel to it, but if anything, the atmosphere and ambiance are further increased – giving these songs a further spiritual impact. Across the album Mahmoud Ahmed channels incantations and sermons, casting forth tales unknown by words, but understood by tone. Take a listen to the conviction in his voice on “Wogenie,” as he is accompanied by simmering organ, muted horn stabs, faint wah guitar, and thick throbs of bass.
The music moves in unison, engaging in unspoken dialog with Ahmed, a communion which makes the entire album feel like a deeply religious experience. It is that undeniable spirituality that draws me to the sound of Ethiopian music, and Mahmoud Ahmed is often the conduit. This classic sound has been enjoying quite a surge in popularity in recent years, having been sampled and reconstructed by artists from Gaslamp Killer to Nas to Ducktails. Thanks once again to Mississippi for the excellent reissue.
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Dre Skull – Loudspeaker Riddim (Mixpak, 2012)
To be perfectly honest, I basically bought this for the unbelievable Popcaan voicing above. The video has been on constant repeat since it came out, and it especially enjoys plays when I am drunk, attempting to youtube DJ at a friend’s house. I love the vibrant colors, the energy and posturing of the youths, while the tour of the streets of Jamaica is a wonderful match for Popcaan’s strong and focused social narrative.
The lyrics are representative of the classic reggae ghetto blues, opening with “Sad to say/White people ah bawl/Indian people ah bawl/Black people ah bawl” in order to right away reach out to the universal struggle that faces those who find themselves both poor and young in a world that is governed by those who are old and wealthy. It is a song of desperation, “Wey di system do fi ghetto yute? Nutten./Every day anodda madda bawl” but the singer also offers warm advice, “Suh ghetto yute don’t mek nuh silly plans/Believe in yourself be ah man.” The voicing is filled with emotion, and it is astoundingly evident that these are not just lyrics, but a real glimpse of Popcaan’s worldview.
It also helps that Dre Skull’s riddim is really great. The bass is warm, the snares sound bright and the synths reach upwards, giving the track a larger than life quality to it. As evidenced by Beenie Man’s “Hot Like Fire” voicing, it lends itself both to a focused narrative as well as being a fucking banger. Dre Skull is on the cusp of stadium sized top-40 hits as he masterfully crafts tracks that are energetic and modern, yet are not dumbed down, populist beat-by-numbers dance tracks. He’s already worked with some of the biggest names in dancehall (Sizzla, Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel), and recently worked on Snoop Lion’s album, and I don’t expect him to back down anytime soon.
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Herbie Hancock – Head Hunters (Columbia, 1973)
I first bought a copy of this album when I was 18 or 19 and not really familiar with jazz at all. I probably listened to it a few times, grooved to “Chameleon” and then relegated it to some dark corner of my collection. I eventually sold it in a big purge and for years now I’ve been meaning to pick up another copy.
Listening to “Chameleon” now, I’m completely blown away by how advanced this track is. That bass is so thick and funky, Harvey Mason’s drumming is supertight and the recording is so clear and vibrant. It’s really amazing to me that a track this deep was recorded in 1973 as it is a huge precursor to jazz-funk, boogie, and deep house. Hancock is absolutely prime on this track as he switches between clavinet, rhodes and a then brand new Arp Odyssey; and playing them each in a way that truly fits the sound of the instrument. A truly massive track that still works in almost any context today. iI it doesn’t make your head bob, your feet tap or your hips grind, then you obviously are not listening to the song.
The rest of the album pares down the boogie and is more straight-forward jazz based. Paul Jackson is funky as hell and Harvey Mason seals in the pocket. All of the songs have a deep groove and an explicit sense of adventure and cosmic exploration. The beer bottle whistle on “Watermelon Man” is just as iconic as the album cover, and this type of sound exploration is truly one of the elements that separates Herbie Hancock from his peers. He reaches for tones, arrangements, instruments, and moods not yet conjured by other jazz players. This record is one of the most pivotal in all jazz and is a clear highlight in the often-brilliant catalog of Herbie Hancock. I believe there is a repress out now, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to track down a copy of this classic.
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Disco – D – Dance Tracs (Alleviated, 1986/2012)
I’m a big Larry Heard fan, and as far as the Chicago scene is concerned, I don’t think there are any other producers in 80s that could match Heard’s soulful machine funk. His tracks always had a very warm human quality to them, and little of his catalog can be deemed as tired or cheesy, unlike a lot of his Chi-city peers. His synth tones are warm, thick and spacey, with neat rolling melodies that are too subtle to be hummable, but are masterful in keeping a solid groove.
Dance Tracs is Larry Heard’s second release and is one his most rare, so it is nice to see it get a reissue. Listening to it now, over 25 years since its release, I can’t help but think about how the dancers connected to this music when they were getting buck in the club/warehouse/community center. I can imagine DJs starting a night off with some Prince, George Clinton, Kraftwerk, Egyptian Lover, but what did the crowd think when they heard the repetitive melody and sharp claps of Larry Heard’s quite unQuincylike “Beat It“? This is music with subtle overtones, tracks that are long and repetitive, rhythmic and trance-inducing – aka exactly what I want to be dancing to when I need to escape the pressures of the outside world.
The B-side (the A on the original issue) is three tight and funky rhythm tracks. No keys, all drum machine. In Larry Heard’s RBMA lecture he talks about his history as a drummer but also his extensive practice creating patterns on drum machines. This talent really shines on these tracks. Any of them would still work today, as the kick is hard, the hi-hats crisp, yet splashy and the claps primed for climax. Overall, this is an essential piece of Chicago House history by the one of the masters of the genre. Dance.
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DJ Spinn – What You Need (Lit City Trax, 2012)
In my experience, footwork tends to be a very divisive genre. The music is hyper, noisy, and as in your face as possible. Like most everyone else, I was obsessed with footwork battle videos before I got really into the music. The move was gradual, but I clearly remember the revelatory turning point when I caught another DJ at a party dropping a really great footwork set. And really, the music is not for everyone – it is very seriously intended for dancers and most tracks are made solely to throw down at battles, never to be released.
That being said, the footwork scene has come into its own since Planet Mu issued the first Bangs and Works compilation two years ago. A few of the compilation’s standouts, DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn, and Traxman have pooled together to start the Teklife collective and Lit City label with the purpose of educating those outside of Chicago about how the South Side gets down. Spinn’s What You Need is the label’s second release and demonstrates the elder’s take on the style. Spinn shows that footwork is a way of life, not a rigid set of musical rules, and really draws widee influences from trap, baltimore house, 70’s soul, and of course, classic juke/ghetto. Where Rashad is really an innovative producer who is taking rhythm and tonal explorations to an almost academic level, Spinn acts as his foil, and often offers more straight forward and focused on tracks that are fun, functional and relatively “normal” sounding.
The record opens up with “She Turnt Up” (above) and Spinn lays his cards out with that unstoppable hip hop banger voiced by the teknitian himself. It bounces at midtempo with hazy synths adding a thick atmosphere as the subs rumble and skip, while trap snares crack, allowing the smooth vocals to ride the groove into its catchy hook. To date I don’t see any footwork track having as much crossover potential as this party anthem. That vibe stays strong on the album, as Spinn gives a nod to classic ghetto house in his liberal use of sampling party kings like E-40, 2 Chainz, and 2 Live Crew. Sometimes his use of other artists is less a sample and really more of a remix, such as the stunning “Mercy” (the original will never sound the same again), or the subheavy refix of the Weeknd’s “What You Need.” The peculiarity of footwork – and particularly Spinn’s vision of it – is especially present on that track, as it has a smokey lightness weighed down by massive “rubbing” subbass (listen to it on good headphones and you’ll see what I mean), and skittering hi-hats with vocal samples that stutter and skip to the brink of annoyance, but then release into either a massive bomb or s laidback groove. And that’s the deal with Spinn’s record – as heard on “Do My Dance” – even when he drops a club banger, lean-back twerk track, the synth tones are almost too high pitched, the snares splinter a little too harshly, yet the groove remains undoubtedly alluring, and no doubt in a way that puts the dancer’s feet first.
GroovesGrooves No. 1 – Live at the Velvet Lounge
My first mix. Live at the Velvet Lounge explores thick bass lines, smoke-filled horn sections, dripping piano and the hip hop that could never be played on the radio. Can’t give away anymore details, but a tracklist is included. This is the soundtrack to your night at the place where champagne dreams and smoke-filled fantasies come true. Cover design by Eydie McConnell.
without music life would be a mistake 