[New Mix] SP - House 4 The Holidaze

Here's a little something I threw together for my drive to Ft. Lauderdale for my 48 hour Christmas vacation. A little something to help you through the winter months and into the new year. Starts off mellow and funky and ends with some electro/wobble party music. Comment if you are so inclined. As always, enjoy!

SP - House 4 The Holidaze (December 2009 Mix) (right click and "Save As...")
Runtime: 1:07:36
Size: 95.2 MB

Tracklisting:
1.) A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebaum (Sir Piers & Si Ashton'e Curious House Mix)
2.) Inland Knights - Where Ya At?
3.) Steve Wonder - My Cherie Amor (Scott Wozniak & Master Kev Remix)
4.) Tommy Largo - Work Dat
5.) Moloko - Sing It Back (Boris Musical Mix)
6.) Chris Harris & Dom Martin - SoulGroove
7.) 1200 Warriors - Lose Control ft. The Wu-Tang Clan (Sneak's Deep House Mix)
8.) KC & The Sunshine Band - That's The Way I Like It (Jones Glitch Electro Remix)
9.) AC Slater - Play the Record Again (ft. Henry Rollins)
10.) B. Rich - Can't Take What I Got
11.) Drake - Forever ft. Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem (Steve Aoki Remix)
12.) Dani Deahl ft. Whisky Pete - Poppin Bottles (Dani Deahl Remix)
13.) Ellie Goulding - Under the Sheets (Kids At The Bar Remix)
14.) Birdman - Money to Blow ft. Drake & Lil Wayne (Radioaktive Remix)
15.) Count & Sinden - Beeper (A-Trak Remix)

Recorded December 23, 2009

Posted via web from Adding To The Clutter

Music of the Week - Albums of the Year

Every year, there are always those artists and/or albums that just blew us away. Whether it was the music, lyrics, or just the simple anticipation of a release, every music fan has a few selections that made their year (and in this case, maybe even the decade). The following is a list of some of my favorite releases of 2009, including singles, EPs and full-length albums (in no particular order except the first two).
After reading through, if you feel I've overlooked something, or need to add it to the list, please feel free to let me know in the comments.

PANTyRAID - The Sauce

I've mentioned PANTyRAID (the duo of Marty Party and Ooah) in a few previous posts, but I can't say that The Sauce isn't one of my favorite albums in some time. Honestly, I've still never heard any solo work from Marty Party, but Ooah (and The Glitch Mob outfit) has been a staple in my musical diet for a while. This release came out of nowhere, and if it wasn't for my curiosity, I might have skipped right past this release. It was, of course, the name of the group that peaked my interest... and I'm so pleased that it did.
Clocking in at just over 55 minutes and 11 tracks, its not the longest LP of the year, but it keeps you on your toes the whole way through. At times its hip-hop, other times downtempo, and others still, dubstep, but even genre-bouncing as it does, the songs have a true symmetry to them and its one of the few albums you can listen to from start to finish and all over again.
The PANTyRAID Mixtape they released free online only helps you love them even more, dropping glitched-out acapellas over tunes from the LP as well as two tracks from the boys' solo work, one non album track and a random DZ tune in there too.
PANTyRAID Official Site

Brother Ali - Us

This one is probably tied with PANTyRAID for album of the year, in my opinion (and maybe even trumps it - depending on when you ask me). The Rhymesayers crew consistantly impresses me with releases from Atmosphere, P.O.S., Jake One, Eyedea & Abilities and more, but Brother Ali is simply in a class of his own.
Arguably similar to Pharoahe Monch in his rap/sing delivery, Ali distinguishes himself with a little more soul, and a storytelling style that's simply unparalleled in today's hip-hop mainstream. Not since the "old days" of hip-hop have I heard someone tell such heartfelt and sincere stories with the swagger and consistancy of a soon-to-be legend. Calling himself "The Preacher" isn't just an ego-boost either: this guy really has it in him to draw out emotions in even the most cold-hearted hip-hop head.
I love music with a fervent passion, but its not often when I'm truly moved by a song. Sure, there are those tunes that I love, and can listen to on repeat for far longer than any sane person, but sometimes there are those moments when music just touches something inside us that unleashes a wave of emotion. This album contains one of those songs for me. "You Say (Puppy Love)" is, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest hip-hop songs of my lifetime, and on more than one occasion, has brought tears to my eyes (literally). Maybe its because of my past, my relationships, my personality, or whatever reason you want to psycho-analyze, but the song - lyrics, delivery and music - is in perfect harmony with itself and somehow dials right into my soul. Maybe you won't notice it at first listen (and maybe you will), but you can hear the emotion in his voice and you know that he's really digging deep into his own soul to bring out the reality and passion of his music.
Brother Ali Official Site

Sub Focus - Sub Focus

Young Nick Douwma, known to many as Sub Focus, has been one of the most talked about drum and bass producers since his "X-Ray" started destroying dancefloors in 2005, even though he'd dropped five 12" releases prior to that (one of which being "Soundguy/Blue Note," one of my favorite Frequency Recordings releases ever). Since then, he's delivered on the hype by dropping release after release on Andy C's legendary DnB label RAM Records, and finally dropped his long awaited self-titled full length earlier this year.
Even with releasing 4 of the tunes from the LP as singles prior to the release, the album is totally worth the repeat purchases. And if you were expecting it to be 170bpm+ the whole way through, you've got another thing coming. Nick proves he's one of the UK's heavy hitters by ranging from DnB to dubstep to house and breaks, all while keeping you intrigued and amazed by his self-taught mastery of production (and always with some killer bass).
Sub Focus on MySpace

DJ Hell - Teufelswerk (Day/Night)

"Electroclash" was a word that was thrown around a lot the past decade. It was used to describe groups like Fischerspooner, Tiga and a number of others, but to really get down to the nuts and bolts of it, look no further than International DeeJay Gigolo Records front man Helmut Josef Geier, better known as DJ Hell.
At 47 years old, Geier released "Teufelswerk," a double-disc release featuring quite the range of flavor. From the 13+ minute epic "The Angst/The Angst Part 2," to his unexpected collaboration with Diddy on "The DJ," Geier proves that this isn't just a young man's game... the older folks can get down just as hard, and following on the heels of a consistant string of releases since 1991, he proves he's still got it.
His use of dark, synthy textures and haunting melodies and effects give his music a strange and eerie feel, but there's still something about it that lets you find a groove and settle in. Its minimal, yet complicated, and is an all-around interesting adventure through electronic music.
DJ Hell Official Site

L'usine - A Certain Distance

It took a good friend (and a lot of persistence) to open me up to house music, and one of the first artists he was able to get me into was L'usine (aka. Jeff McIlwain). There was something about his style - so melodic and ethereal, but with just a hint of an edge - that captured me. After a few years of following him, I was extremely excited to see him releasing consistantly through Ghostly International (home to Matthew Dear, Dabrye, Michna and more), one of my go-to labels.
His album A Certain Distance sees McIlwain still in top form, creating beautiful music with a keen (and rarely seen) ability to toe the line between headphones and dancefloor. "Gravity" is simply beautiful: with its vocal edits and blips of melody that you can't help but mellow-out to, and tunes like "Cirrus" and "Baffle" seem aptly titled as you get lost in the music.
L'usine Official Site

Wax Tailor - In The Mood For Life

I'll admit, when this CD came across my desk, I had no idea who Wax Tailor was, and once I did my research, I was a little apprehensive. I mean, I've got nothing against the French, but when it comes to hip-hop - from France - I don't trust anyone but DJ Cam. I'm so glad to be proven wrong (yet again).
I hadn't heard of any of the guest vocalists/MCs on the album, but after hearing their contributions to In The Mood For Life, I'm definitely interested to hear more. Mattic's lyrics on "Until Heaven Stops The Rain" are hot, Sara Genn's voice is absolutely beautiful ("Dry Your Eyes" is probably my number one pick from the LP), and Charlotte Savary does wonderful things with "Dragon Chasers." Not forgetting the other songs those two ladies feature on, as well as appearances from Dionne Charles, Speech Defect, Voice, Charlie Winston, ASM and Ali Harter, this record definitely finds its way into my top pics of the year - backed by proof that it dropped in late September, and is still in rotation on the iPod and the 5-disc CD changer at the house (an extremely rare occurance in my home).
Wax Tailor Official Site

Bassnectar - Cozza Frenzy

This one isn't for everyone. If you're a fan of something a bit more laid back, a mellow vibe, or just some tunes you can relax to with a glass of wine (and/or whatever else you choose as your poison), don't pump Cozza Frenzy through your speakers... because it does exactly what it says on the tin (and I thought I could avoid using that phrase!).
The man known as Bassnectar drops 14 tunes to do some serious damage - to speakers, dancefloors, car windows, and possibly your neighbor's cat. It is the brainchild of Lorin Ashton who, according to Wikipedia, describes his sound as "omni-tempo maximalism." Actually, I found this part of the Wikipedia entry a little humorous: "The sound gravitates toward heavy tempos, playing with double time and half time, and using electronic methods to embellish and reinforce other styles of music, including ragtime, punk rock, blues, batucada, polka, salsa, film scores, gangsta rap, beatboxing, balkan gypsy music, ska, death metal, or dub." Even as a musician, I'm not sure how to take that.
But understand it or not, Ashton delivers it. The album is pure chaos, but in perfect harmony. It still manages to be aggressive while combining all those wildly different elements, and still mesmerizes the senses.
The full-length isn't technically all Bassnectar tunes, as you'll find his remixes of Mr. Projectile and Fever Ray included, but the sound is its own, and if nothing else, they guy can sure smash shit up.
Bassnectar Official Site

Exile - Radio

When this one first came in, I freaked out, thinking it was a new release from Tim Shaw (now known as Tim Exile, formerly releasing as just Exile) who's 2005 album Pro Agonist was an incredible venture into the depths of IDM. I was wrong, but totally ok with what I was hearing.
The first time I heard this Exile (real name: Alec Manfredi) was when he produced a tune for Jurassic 5's Feedback album called "Baby Please." Radio follows a previous full-length and an EP, as well as one of many Jay-Z Black Album remix LPs containing his instrumentals. Its akin to a mixture of Vocal Studies-era Prefuse 73, edIT's Crying Over Pros For No Reason, and a chopped, edited and remixed mash-up of hip-hop/jazz/funk-style music.
I'm not sure if my description really does it justice, so take a listen for yourself, or just check out the video link below (originally brought to my attention by Joe Shockley) to see the man in action along side DJ Day-D.
Exile on MySpace
YouTube Video

BlakRoc - S/T

I talked enough about the BlakRoc LP last week, but I had to include it here. If for no other reason than the fact that its the Black Keys producing hip-hop with some extremely cool collaborations. And the fact that Damon Dash had his hand in it is still interesting to me.
BlakRoc Official Site

Deadmau5 - (For) Lack of a Better Name

Love him or hate him, the Canadian sensation known as Deadmau5 (Joel Zimmerman) burst onto the scene last year with a fury unlike anything the electronic music scene has seen since Pendulum. Strangely enough, Deadmau5's (is that the right way to add posession to his name?) biggest hit off last year's Random Album Title got the reworking and re-release treatment with the help of Pendulum's Rob Swire on vocals.
The album itself won't be all-new to fans of Zimmerman's previous work, as some of the tunes have been seen on 12" and MP3 release, including the aforementioned "Ghosts N Stuff," "Moar Ghosts N Stuff," "Hi Friend" (feat. Flipside), "Bot" and "Word Problems," but those who don't go out and snag the singles may only be familiar with the tunes from DJ sets or Zimmerman's live show.
Two tunes from the LP have already gotten the remix treatment: Ghosts N Stuff has seen official and unofficial remixes from Nero, Sub Focus and Miami's own Hydroz and a host of others, and the "Strobe" remixes were just released, including a version from DJ Marky and S.P.Y. that was completely unexpected.
This album, similar to Random... was released in a few versions. Depending on what you're into, there are mixed and unmixed versions available, as well as a double disc, which includes both.
Deadmau5 Official Site

Sapient - Famine Friends / Make Morphine and Debaser - Back to Work

Not only did I include these LPs in a Music of the Week post a few weeks ago, but I dedicated an entire post to Sapient's incredibly impressive amount of output in the past year. If you haven't snagged these LPs yet, I don't know what you're waiting for (THEY'RE FREE!!). And since you're copping 3 free albums, do the guy a favor and buy Letterhead and Make More if they're not in your library already.
SandPeople Music Official Site

FELT - Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez

Murs and Slug made their return to the duo that paid homage to Christina Ricci and Lisa Bonet in past albums, and dedicate this one to Rosie Perez. This time, instead of Slug's Atmosphere partner Ant, Aesop Rock is at the controls.
Again, another album that got the Music of the Week treatment... but definitely one of the better releases this year. Rhymesayers come through again.
Rhymesayers Official Site

Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

I was debating including this album in my list, but decided it deserved its place.
Granted, I'm beyond tired of hearing "Empire State of Mind" and "Run This Town," but you can't argue that Jay is one of the most consistant MCs in the game, and he knows how to make hit records. One of the years most anticipated releases, The Blueprint 3 featured Kanye and Timbaland production, and still more of Jay's seemingly unending source of 16s.
Another "love him or hate him" artist, no one can argue that Jay-Z is one of music's top dogs, and for good reason.
Jay-Z Official Site

Eminem - Relapse / Refill

I can't include Jay-Z and not mention the triumphant return of Marshall Mathers.
No one really knew what to expect from Em's Relapse. Would it be more of The Eminem Show? More of the same 4/4-type beats with the same style delivery? More of the Eminem we've all gotten a little tired of after hearing him do practically the same thing on each song?
Thankfully, no. Em returned to the hip-hop scene with vengeance. Apparently, he was listening to people who said he fell off, gave up, or sold out. It seems he heard us talking about how good The Slim Shady LP was, or even how The Marshall Mathers LP was good, but nothing since really stood up to those releases.
What man can make a song about getting molested by his stepfather not only listenable, but darkly humourous and captivating? How many MCs can write an entire album about murder, drugs, sodomy, and pop culture, yet make it something you can put on repeat and actually enjoy?
Only one: Eminem. And he proved it with Relapse. He soldified it with Refill. Something tells me he'll do it again with Relapse 2 next year.
Eminem Official Site

Zion I - The Take Over

I've never heard Zion I on the radio (unless of course, I'm the one playing it), but I should. They've got a unique sound, but its got its hit qualities."DJ DJ" found its way into a few of my sets this year, and the album was on heavy rotation in the car for a while. The beats are tight, lyrics are on point, and the album flows really well from start to finish. It's been a while since it landed back in my CD player, but just thinking about it makes me want to hear it again.
Zion I Official Site

Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself

Firstly, rest in peace Charlie Cooper. Charlie passed on January 22, and the album dropped February 3, so this was a bittersweet release for fans of the group. The long-awaited follow-up to A Map of What is Effortless andfollwing the release of Remixes Compiled, Immolate Yourself was unexpected, different, and awesome.
The boys did something different, possibly turning some people off, but I for one loved what they did. It was a new take on their sound, and like Pendulum's In Silico, or RJD2's The Third Hand, even if it wasn't what you were expecting, I can't understand how you weren't pleasantly surprised.
From what I've read, Josh Eustis (the other half of TTV) still plans on making more music, and I'm really interested to see what comes next.
Telefon Tel Aviv Official Site

Junior Boys - Begone Dull Care

After hearing Jeremy Greenspan's guest vocals all over Morgan Geist's Double Night Time, I was dying for a new Junior Boys album. A few months later, Begone Dull Care was waiting in my inbox, and I was thrilled.
Similar to TTV, the duo went in a somewhat different direction with this LP (when compared to Last Exit and So This Is Goodbye), but again - in a very interesting and exciting way. I'm a diehard Junior Boys fan, so I won't go overboard with a track-by-track rundown or anything... especially cause I'm still a little bitter that I had to miss them in concert last month when I had the chance to go for free and got stuck having to cover a shift for someone.
Junior Boys Official Site

Steve Angello & Laidback Luke - Show Me Love (feat. Robin S)

I'd venture to say 95% of the music-listening public knows the original "Show Me Love." And if you played this new revamped version for them, they wouldn't be able to tell too much of a difference, but Steve Angello and Laidback Luke made this one all their own, and dropped a hella-remix bundle to prove it.
The 12"/MP3 release features reworks from Blame, Afrojack, AC Slater and two more to guarantee you can play them no matter what your style may be.
"Show Me Love" on Beatport

Squarepusher - Numbers Lucent (EP)

Tom Jenkinson will forever be one of my all-time favorite producers. The guy is a genius. Even when he's (in my opinion) way over-the-top, there's still something about his music that's got soul and a strange genuine-ness to it.
The Numbers Lucent EP followed his 2008 Just A Souvenir long-player, and fell right in with the album as if it could've been a second bonus disc (which I wouldn'e be surprised to find out wasn't the original plan). And his Solo Electric Bass 1 album I haven't gotten my hands on yet (it was limited to 850 copies), but I can only imagine how incredible it might be too.
Squarepusher Official Site

Shock One - Shock One EP

New Zealand's Shock One (Karl Thomas) is one of the best producers in the game right now, and his EP on Futurebound's Viper Recordings is proof positive. Four tracks: three drum and bass, one dubstep, all smashers.
"Chronic" features MC Spyda doing what he does best, and "Polygon" with Reija Lee is just sublime, but the top of the list for me was his collaboration with Phesta and Metric on "True Believer." Absolutely smashing tune. A sure-fire way to fill (and destroy) a dancefloor.
Shock One on MySpace

The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die

Although the title track leaked out in '08, the full length didn't drop till '09, and what a return for the once thought washed up Liam Howlett and the boys from The Prodigy. Granted, their stage show is short one man from before, but Keith and Maxim are still there (I bet you couldn't name the fourth guy without looking it up), and they're still as wild as ever.
This album was a return to form for Liam, going back to making music with old school, hardcore influences, and not letting pop sensabilities stand in his way. "Omen" screams its synths and teardown breaks just as good as "Warrior's Dance" harkens back to better days and reminds you why you used to love these guys.
A few remixes dropped along the way from Chase & Status and Noisia (see below) to round out the genre-bending, but Liam definitely redeemed himself in alot of peoples' eyes with this one.
The Prodigy Official Site

Noisia

I'm not listing a particular release for these guys - mainly because they've had thier hands in a lot of pots this year.
They've produced bangers for Foreign Beggars (and remixed their own hip-hop tune into some sick drum and bass), released three 12"s of thier own, remixed the hell out of Example and The Prodigy, prodcued the Krause album No Guts, No Glory, appeared on Icicle's Cold Fear EP and Dom & Roland's No Strings Attached LP, and are currently wrapping up producing the forthcoming album from Haduken!.
Three boys from the Netherlands and a whole lot of worthwhile releases, yet still no album from them. I guess when you're working on so many projects, who needs a full length?
Noisia Official Site

Honorable Mentions: (with iTunes links unless otherwise noted)

Tosca - No Hassle

Swollen Members - Armed to the Teeth

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day

Royksopp - Junior

Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11

P.O.S. - Never Better

Owl City - Ocean Eyes

N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo

Just Jack - All Night Cinema (Import) (Amazon.com link)

Mos Def - The Ecstatic

LMFAO - Party Rock

Caspa - Everybody's Talking, Nobody's Listening!

John Tejada - Fractals EP

Jay-Z vs. Radiohead - Jaydiohead (jaydiohead.com - FREE)

DJ Signify - Of Cities

Consequence - Live For Never (Beatport.com link)

Johnny Cash - Remixed

Chali 2Na - Fish Outta Water

Asher Roth - Asleep in the Bread Aisle

La Roux - La Roux

Alix Perez - 1984

The Radio Debate, Part One - A Brief Introduction

Note: So I've decided to begin a series of essays - with no specific idea for topics yet - as I find myself inspired by something. My plan is to write a little on the subject every now and again when inspiration or information comes to light.
Comments, feedback, etc. are very much welcomed through out the posts. I hope they'll make for interesting conversation, and maybe lead us to new topics, ideas or information.
That being said, I present to you the first in the series:

The Radio Debate

Part One - Introduction

The Radio. At more points in our lives than we can remember, we listened to it intently. Its an invention that has kept you up, put you to sleep, kept you sane, driven you crazy, and been a staple in nearly every one of your lives.

I've been obsessed with radio from a young age. I work in radio. I live and breathe it. I love it. But so often, I find myself wondering what the future holds for it.

TechCrunch just posted an article about the online streaming service Pandora doubling its user registrations in the past year, and it got me thinking about what use there would be for terrestrial radio in the infinitely increasing WiFi/3G world we live in today. I really want to take a stance on the issue, but I'm one of the people that stand on both sides of the line: I'm an iPhone owner with a car radio hookup, I use Pandora and Last.fm both at home and on the iPhone and I subscribe to SiriusXM (both in my vehicle and online), I listen regularly to terrestrial radio, and work in the radio and media production industry.

Maybe the problem for me is that I was raised with a radio on in the background. I enjoy the presence of the jock in the studio between songs, and am a huge fan of talk radio as well. Working in production, commercials, promos, liners and station imaging is interesting to me on some level, even if for no more reason than to critique and learn from dissecting them. And on top of everything else, I'm a music addict: I literally listen to just about everything.

A while back, a friend and I were talking about how much we were both enjoying the Pandora experience. We agreed that the best part of the service was the ability to give feedback in likes and dislikes so it would get to "know" your taste (Pandora calls this the "Music Genome Project"). After tweaking your station, it truly is a completely customized musical experience... but its not personal. And for me, that's the rub. The local jock, the morning show crew, your favorite talk radio program: you know these people! On a very personal - and sometimes intimate - level, you feel a connection with these voices. These (generally) "face-less" people on the other end of the dial you somehow consider your friends. You're strangely comfortable with them. Pandora and Last.fm can't give you that. Not even your iPod can give you that. Which then brings us back to the question of where you find that personal connection, and the great radio debate: Is talk radio the future of FM, and thus, is AM dead? And even more, what will become of satellite radio? And what does it all really mean anyway?

Understandably, these questions may not mean much to some people. Though its difficult for me to contemplate a world without AM/FM radio (and after 5 years, Sirius as well), I'm sure there are those wouldn't care if it were gone tomorrow (take away the obvious references to power outage / end of the world scenarios, etc). But what about those of us who still see the radio as an integral part of our daily life? What future awaits us?

Posted via web from Adding To The Clutter

A rant about our "local scene" in St. Augustine and the DJing dilemma

This post may or not make me a pariah here in the St. Augustine Bar/DJ scene, but something inside me is compelling me to put this out there.

Growing up in south Florida and being raised on hip-hop and bass music has molded me and musical tastes into what they are today: eclectic and wide-ranging. Some days you'll find me listening to Metallica, 311 and Nine Inch Nails, and others I'll be jamming Sub Focus, RJD2 and James Zabiela. Now, if those names mean anything to you, you'll know how different all that music is from one another. I consider myself a bit of a music snob, but I think if you ask anyone who's history is remotely similar to mine (and they answer truthfully), they'll admit to the same. Sure, there are genres and artists I just can't get into and others who can do no wrong, but I think anyone who's a true fan of music feels very similar to me. First and foremost, I'm a fan of electronic music: drum and bass, breakbeat/electro, house, abstract hip-hop, IDM... whatever you want to call it, there's a good chance I'm into it. I was raised in a house where we'd have country on one day, classic rock the next, and pop music after that - all of which gave me what I would consider a pretty well-rounded musical palette. But electronic music is my personal favorite.

For over 10 years, I've been heavily involved in the promotion of electronic music. From my very first days in radio (in the late 90's), that's what I've been all about. My radio show, Subliminal Messages, has always focused on forward-thinking music. Starting from my obsession with The Chemical Brothers, to evolving a taste for DJ Shadow (thanks, Feller!), and being introduced to drum and bass in the way of Shy FX's "Simple Tings," EDM (electronic dance music) has pulsed through my veins.

I got my first DJ gig (outside of a radio studio) at 16, playing at Triple M's Heaven, one of my most memorable moments. Since then, I've played gigs all over south Florida and even had a short-lived residency here in St. Augustine - which is where this rant takes off.

Ask any DJ, and I'm positive they'll have at least one story about shady promoters... most of them have many (which is really a shame, considering how many good promoters there are out there). My shady promoter story is about that residency here in STA. I got the gig through a local reggae DJ, Brian "Raggamuffin" Sullivan, who I worked with at WFCF. The promoter asked him to put together 2 nights a week, one playing reggae (Brian's bread and butter) and one playing house. Now, Brian is one of the most down-to-earth and kindhearted guys I've met, and is extremely passionate about his music - which immediately gained my respect, as I'm the same way - and he knows his limitations when it comes to DJing multiple genres. I could never match Brian's skill or knowledge when it comes to reggae, and he also holds down hip-hop residencies here in STA, to which I could never match up (mainly because he plays spots where they want to hear stuff they know and have heard on the radio, as well as running 4-hour marathons of the aforementioned music). But he knew that I was all about EDM, so he recommended me to the promoter to play the house night (and I'm still extremely greatful for the opportunity). The first two or three weeks went great, with people turning out and seeming to enjoy it for the most part, though as the night progressed, I'd constantly get asked for Lil Wayne or T.I. or whatever hip-hop-turned-pop songs were on the radio at the time. So I gave in and started mixing styles, giving them a little hip-hop and a little breaks and house.

The problem was that the promoter didn't promote. By the end of the first month, I was basically the only one talking about the night, begging friends to come out because most of them had no idea the night - or even the place - existed anymore. Even with that, we threw a massive blow-out for Halloween. Over 500 people turned out for Brian and I, and the night was a huge success (by local standards). The following week, the promoter decided to "take the week off" and not follow up his biggest night ever... he didn't even open the doors. Suffice it to say, those doors didn't open again.

Recently, another local promoter/DJ went to the owners and pitched them another opportunity. They accepted, and from what I understand, the new night has been doing extremely well. Shortly after hearing they had reopened the bar, I tried contacting the promoter to ask if there was anything I could do to help... not only in the way of DJing, but promoting, offering to do graphic design, or anything that could potentially raise the awareness of the night and reignite the local scene, as well as get me involved again (after graduation, I left the radio station and have only played out once with Brian). I sent emails to multiple addresses, Facebook messages, etc., and never heard anything back from him.

Its now been over 2 months. The night seems to still be doing well, and just this past week, he's added 2 more DJs to the line-up. I'm wondering who these two other DJs are. I know it can't be Brian because he plays another bar on the night of this event, and beyond maybe one other person I know of in the area, I've never heard or seen any other DJs up here - playing hip-hop or otherwise. Last week's tagline on the promotions were "now with 4 DJs and brand new music you won't hear anywhere else." This got me wondering not only who those DJs were, but just what kind of music is he talking about? I re-started Subliminal Messages at WFCF in '08, and got constant phone calls thanking me for playing dubstep, drum and bass, house and breaks week in and week out on the show because these people couldn't hear it anywhere else. Is this the same "brand new music you won't hear anywhere else?"

In the past few months, I've put together a few mixes: one dubstep, one b-more, one house, and one with straight up party tunes. All of them have gotten good response from downloaders and people I've given them to - even those people who don't claim to know a single thing about EDM... which makes me wonder if I'm missing something. Not that St. Augustine is an EDM town - I know that - but there are definitely those people out there who want it, not to mention those people who don't know much about it, but they know party music when they hear it. And I know that dubstep from guys like Datsik or 12th Planet may be a little too much for them to handle, but drop in that "I Love College" dubstep remix and watch the floor fill up.

Earlier this week I tried again to be in touch with him, and still no response.

I just want to play music for people. I just want to make people dance. I've been doing it for over a decade. I've got a proven track record of radio shows, mixsets and successful promtotions. All I ask is for an hour to show you what I can do with a party. I'm already talking to my old crews in south Florida about upcoming gigs just for the simple fact that I'm fiending for a crowd to rock, and they've been happy to oblige. I've been a promoter, I know that you can't always take a DJ at their word, and that they might have to prove themselves, and I'm not opposed to that in the slightest. I'll play for free to show you what I've got.

Yes, DJ Hu and Classic Blends, I'm talking to you. My emails are in your inbox. Call a brother. I promise I'll make it worth your while.

Posted via web from Adding To The Clutter

Music of the Week (12/4/09)

Another week, another batch of tunes to keep you moving along...

Last week, I slacked on picking up the Blakroc album (probably because music almost never drops on a Friday), and boy was I disappointed in myself. A hip-hop album featuring Mos Def, Ludacris, The RZA, Q-Tip, Pharoahe Monch and ODB (and even Jim Jones?) produced by The Black Keys? You guessed it: its certified dope.
The LP opens up with "Coochie" featuring ODB and Ludacris, and what a way to get things jumping off! The beat is heavy and has just the right groove to suck you in immediately. As off-the-wall as we all know ODB was, his verses on this are surprisingly on-beat and on-point - a welcome change - while still holding true to the craziness that we all love Ol' Dirty for (R.I.P.)... and as always, Luda comes thru delivering a fun and party-filled 16 bars. There's been something about Luda from day one that appealed to me; his voice, flows, and the vibe he gives off always seems to do no wrong. Mos Def is featured on two of the tracks on the LP, and as one of my favorite MCs, he can do no wrong. Even the usually-too-heavy-to-listen-too-long M.O.P. member Billy Danze shows up on two tracks, both of which aren't too abrasive not to play on repeat. Nicole Wray, who my old friend Feller posted about on One Stupid Mop (with his review of the LP) is on 4 of the tunes, and her voice breathes a real soul into the tracks, just amping up the cool. This one comes highly recommended, and with good reason. The album also features Raekwon and Noe, and was conceptualized by Damon Dash, of previous Rocafella fame.
Blakroc on iTunes
Blakroc's Official Website

Tuesday saw the release of the newest EP from Hotflush head honcho Scuba (Paul Rose), entitled Aesaunic. Scuba's sound has always been a little off-the-beaten-path for what you're used to hearing from the dubstep scene, as are most of the releases from Hotflush... and it still remains one of my favorite labels out there. This EP sees Scuba doing something a little closer to 4/4 stuff, though you can hear his signature melodic, dreamy sounds throughout. Some out there might juxtapose this with some of Burial's stuff, and I can understand it. The echoes and delays on some of his drums and the sounds are Burial-esque, but Scuba's sound is uniquely his own. If you're looking for something to lounge out to, and still need something to keep you listening intently, this is one to check out for sure. I forsee a tune or two off this EP finding its way into an upcoming mixset.
Scuba - Aesaunic EP on iTunes
Hotflush Recordings Website

In the past, I haven't really dropped singles or random one-off tracks into this blog, but as I find myself coming across more and more added to my library, here are some things floating around the interwebs that you may want to check out:

This one has been posted all over the place, but I'm gonna re-post it anyway: Steve Aoki remixed Drake's newest chartbuster "Forever," and I'm sure if my local area had even the most remote EDM scene, you'd be hearing it for weeks to come. I've read mixed reviews on it, but I guarantee, like it or not, this one will get asses moving on the dancefloor. Sure, the verses have been chopped, and speeding Drake, Weezy and Kanye up while slowing Eminem down might not make sense to all of us, but play this one for the ladies - I promise they'll appreciate it.
Drake (ft. Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Eminem) - Forever (Steve Aoki Remix) on RCRDLBL

"Forever" has also gotten the remix treatment from Travis Barker... And this version is just sick. Travis has been putting his touch on alot of different things recently, and his work ethic and prowess working in multiple genres is just awe-inspiring. This post quotes him talking about doing the remix, and supplied me the video posted below.
Drake (ft. Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Eminem) - Forever (Travis Barker Remix) (via 2DopeBoyz)

Speaking of Travis, the word of DJ AM Nike Dunks surfaced this week. A tribute to the recently passed DJ, they're not my style, but still pretty dope. Seeing this post got me thinking again about AM and had me pull out his mixtapes with Barker. Both editions, entitled Fix Your Face, are a testament to how good a DJ he was, and how he pushed borders and genre bounced on his own, not to mention going way outside the box to team up with Barker on the TRV$DJAM project. I really regret never seeing him do his thing live, but I'm sure he's destroying heavenly dancefloors day in and day out.
TRV$DJAM - Fix Your Face (Volumes 1 and 2)

Lastly, I want to share something from khal's Dubplate Digest blog I mentioned last week. Now, I'm not a fan of Christmas carols (especially since they've been pumping through the PA at work since November 1), but if you're gonna listen to one, why not make it a drum and bass remix, right?? Mariah Carey gets the remix treatment from Blade... and you never know; this one may find itself being a closer tune the next time I play out somewhere in the St. Augustine area (just for kicks).
Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas (Blade 2009 Remix)

Take care everyone! Till next time...

Posted via web from Adding To The Clutter

Music of the Week (11/27/09)

My apologies for being a little lax on the posts. I meant to put up a MotW last Friday, but I hadn't really had the chance to go thru things the way I like, and there really wasn't too much to talk about... plus, its been a busy month so far.

Anyway, on to the action:

First up this week, something "new" from the trip-hop/abstract/however-you-refer-to-it legend known as Tricky. His album Knowle West Boy dropped a little over a year ago, but 9 of the tracks have been remixed and reimagined by the South Rakkas Crew on the aptly titled Tricky Meets the South Rakkas Crew.
Now, I'll be fair in saying that I've fallen away from buying Tricky albums since 2003's Vulnerable, so I haven't heard the originals that appear in remixed form on this LP. That being said, this one isn't really up my alley. There's a few things worth listening to, and maybe buying individually off iTunes or Amazon, most notably "Coalition," which will definitely find its way into a dubstep set... but all in all, I'm just not that into it. Maybe I'm being too closed-minded, but I miss the Tricky of "Christiansands," "Makes Me Wanna Die," and "Overcome" (amongst others). I was even one of the few people I knew who really enjoyed Juxtapose and even had Blowback on regular rotation for a while.
Maybe I'm just stuck on the Tricky of the 90's and early 2000's, but I feel his work back then (and when he was still working with Massive Attack) far outshines the more recent stuff. But, my tastes aren't universal, so check out the album in MP3 format until the hardcopy drops in December, and let me know if I'm wrong in the comments... I'm always open and willing to having my mind changed.
Tricky Meets South Rakkas Crew on Amazon (no iTunes listing available)

I'm an avid reader of khal's Rock The Dub blog, but as mentioned before, my tastes aren't universal, so I'm not always up on the stuff he posts - though he's got the inside scoop on everything hip-hop/dubstep/dnb related (with being a contributor to Dogs on Acid and having his RTD and Dubplate Digest blogs). One of the things we can agree on is the stuff from Elucid.
I slept on the Sub Bass Diet LP Elucid dropped for free, but finally downloaded it this past week, and have to say its something any fan of mashing up hip-hop and dubstep should appreciate. Since its free, I'll just pass you the link (above), and let you decide for yourself.

Why some people decide to name their band/group/alter-ego the things they do always escapes me. Hell, sometimes I wonder how my crew and I have come up with some of the names we have... but naming yourself Robot Koch seems like shooting yourself in the foot right at the starting line. Sure, some pronunciation word-play can be fun, and yes, you're not really expecting to have alot of radio play when you produce IDM, but really?
In any event, the man known as Robot Koch dropped his new LP, Death Star Droid, on Tuesday. An interesting combination of IDM, glitched-out hip-hop, and dubstep-esque basslines will have you thinking you're listening to the love child of Prefuse73, The Glitch Mob and Lusine. Ethereal melodies meet blips and wobble in an on-time/off-time experiment made for zoning out and letting the tracks do the work.
Robot Koch - Death Star Droid on iTunes

Speaking of mashing up random bits of multiple genres, Kid Koala's new project The Slew released their new LP, 100%, this past Tuesday as well.
The group, consisting of Kid Koala, Dynamite D and the former Wolfmother bandmates Chris Ross and Myles Heskett, puts forth something that some of you may find reminiscent of El Stew (which was a "supergroup" of sorts from the late 90's consisting of Eddie Def, Extrakd, Brain, DJ Disk and Buckethead). I'm not quite sure how to describe this album, so I'll let their promotional material from Terrorbird do the talking:

4 1/2 years ago, Eric San (aka Kid Koala) and Dylan J. Frombach (aka Dynomite D) started working on a rock record. Already deep into the psych rock-influenced score, they teamed up with the former rhythm section of Wolfmother,The Slew put together a full-blown rock band to do justice to the material in a live setting, in the form of six turntables,full band and wall of amps that made their way across North America this October. The Slew bring punk rock attitude back to the turntable unlike anything you’ve ever heard. The album, 100%, was meant for tour only but due to post-tour demand, is now hitting record stores.

Really off-the-wall but interesting stuff for sure.
The Slew - 100% on Amazon (no iTunes listing available)

I can't not mention the new LP from hip-hop's legendary Rakim. His newest effort, The Seventh Seal, brings his unmistakable back to your ears as if he hasn't been on a serious hiatus. Opening the album with "How to Emcee" reminds you that The R really is one of the Dons. Rakim has always been an unreal storyteller, and his rhymes are precise and only comparable to a select few MCs to have ever graced a mic (which I'm sure is a discussion that could go on for hours).
Now, I don't claim to be a wealth of knowledge in the hip-hop vein - there are way too many MCs and producers out there to know them all, but I was a bit disheartnened to find that not one of the producers from this album were recognizable names to me. I know there was alot of talk about Rakim working with Dr. Dre and that there was allegedly some big beef between them (or their people/labels/whatever) which cancelled the plans to have Dre produce the album... but where are cats like Primo or The Alchemist or 9th Wonder or someone with a proven track record on the beats? I'm not dissing the work on the album - cause it is solid, and Rakim has the ability to spit heat on anything, automatically raising the quality - but I guess I was just expecting "bigger name producers" to be all over getting a verse from a living legend. Is that too much to ask?
Rakim - The Seventh Seal on iTunes

Finally, I'd like to speak briefly about my biggest let-down in some time. When I first heard that it was coming, I searched high and low to find a leak or even radio rips of the tunes, knowing that this was gonna have to be off the handles... unfortunately, I was wrong in so many ways.
2005's Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture was one of the best "independent" hip-hop albums in a long time. With covers of Wu classics by cats like Aesop Rock, Planet Asia, MF DOOM, Del and more, you couldn't go wrong. When I heard version 2 was coming, I got excited... when I heard it was going to be called Enter the Dubstep, I was thrilled... When names like Evol Intent, Datsik, Trillbass and Parson were mentioned as remixers... well, lets just say I was probably a little too excited. Then, I got a copy. I wasn't too excited anymore.
I think one of the things that separates the Wu from other hip-hop groups is the extremely different styles of the MCs - their flows, delivery and rhymes are so different from one to the next, yet work so well when they're together on a record. Unfortunately, when their acapellas are dropped on dubstep beats, something changes. The off-time flow of an MC like the RZA can work over 80-110 bpm originals, but turn it up to 130-140 bpm, and it just sounds off. Now, I'm a producer, so I understand the endless hours of crate digging and going through the archives to find acapellas that sound right, or say the right things - most of the time to only find a snippet or two that you can use. And using snippets of hip-hop lyrics have worked so well in dubstep up to this point (see Datsik & Excision's "Swagga" or Bassnectar's "Cozza Frenzy" etc. for examples), it makes me question why the producers on this compilation had to try and force the entire verses.
I guess if you're a fan of the Wu, you can still appreciate what's going on here, but this release was lost on me. Listen for yourself, and again, if you think I'm wrong, let me know.
Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture Vol. 2: Enter the Dubstep on iTunes

I hope everyone's Turkey Day was good, and make sure to bundle up... it's getting cold out there (I should know - the heat in my place died last night). Till next time...

Posted via web from Adding To The Clutter

Random Torque Shout-Out

I'm a life-long Floridian, so I've been to Orlando more times than I can remember. Most recently, my ventures have been to party with some of the cooler peeps in the scene, knowing that the parties are always top-notch. My last visit was to catch the 10th Anniversary of Planet Of The Drums at The Social (also where I caught Ming+FS years ago) a few weeks ago. Orlando greats Circle K and Collaborator opened for the POTD boys, and I just wanted to take a moment to shout them out.

Cirlce K and Collabo (and Melistic of Jungala) are the masterminds behind Torque, Orlando's 10+ year old drum and bass weekly, and not only are they great guys, but true promoters of the music. I thought it was awesome to find the pic below over at Media Contender. I met the man known as Gridlok back in 2000-2001 when I was promoting with EvilBase and the DrumWerkz weekly. Good dude, makes some seriously sick stuff, and he continues to get better. Glad to see him repping the home state boys out in his new home of California.

Gridlok at the Project51 release party of the Void LP - Respect LA

All the original pics and post here.

Posted via web from Adding To The Clutter

Music Of The Week (11/13/09)

Happy Friday the 13th! [insert creepy music here]

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. I've been working on some personal projects and been a bit busy with work (which is a definite positive for the guy who's been pretty bored off his ass for the past two months)... plus, there hasn't been a whole lot going on worth posting about. It's even been a pretty slow week for music, but there's still some things I want to put you up on.

First and foremost, the new FELT drops on Tuesday (11/17). Entitled Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez, this collaboration between Atmosphere's Slug and Living Legend MURS is a very different sounding album from the first two. Both Christina Ricci and Lisa Bonet were produced by Slug's Atmosphere partner Ant, whereas this one comes from the mind of DefJux's Aesop Rock. Aesop's beats definitely change the vibe on this one, and Slug and MURS come harder than ever (with seemingly more swagger and confidence in their lyrics), which does great things to compliment Aesop's more rugged sound. No disrespect to Ant's always-solid production, but Aesop and the boys seem to have really meshed with this album, and I'm looking forward to hearing more collabs between them.
Slug has been leaking random things online since before Atmosphere's When Life Gives You Lemons... dropped last year, and if you head over to the Rhymesayers site, you can download the track "Felt Chewed Up" (for free) to get a taste of what you're in store for. I'm lucky enough to still get the promo/pre-release business from some of my old radio contacts, but plan on seeing me in my local shop on Tuesday to support and get the unedited version (my current copy is all radio edits). For fans of Atmosphere, MURS, Aesop Rock, Rhymesayers or DefJux sound, this one is a must. The iTunes preorder comes with two bonus tracks, including an Ant remix of "Bass For Your Truck" and a Grouch remix of "G.I. Josephine," so get on that if you've got the chance, or pick it up from Fifth Element (Rhymesayers' personal choice for an online shop), and get in on some great bundled packages with t-shirts, hoodies, etc. (Come to think of it, maybe I'll just order it there and cop a Felt hoodie for the winter...)

Last week, I mentioned the PANTyRAID album The Sauce, and dropped this link to their mix. I finally got the chance to listen through the whole mix the other night, and felt like I would be depriving you of pure FIRE if I didn't reiterate how good this album - and more specifically, this mix - really is.
Some of you may be familiar with these guys, some may not, but if you are, and have heard edIT's Hefty Records mixtape Flossed Out, then you should have a decent idea of what you're gonna get (if you don't have Flossed Out, I suggest you search for it). Tracks from PANTyRAID and some solo work from Ooah and MartyParty found their way in there, along with a tune from dubstepper DZ, and what I know has to be a remix/refix of an edIT joint off his first LP, Crying Over Pros for No Reason (also a must-have for any fan of abstract or downtempo hip-hop/IDM). The tunes are laced with glitched-out acapellas from Jay-Z, Kid Cudi and even Britney Spears to name a few, and the whole thing jams for a solid 45+ minutes.

I want to make mention of something my good friend Jon Methodus put me on when we made the venture to Orlando a few weeks ago to play a gig and catch the 10th anniversary of Planet of the Drums in AK's home town (which was one of the most relentless, euphoric, and unspeakably loud DnB shows I've ever gone to). The Barbarix remix of Mistabishi's "Printer Jam." The original is a really tight lesson on producing with abstract and "non-musical" sounds, and is really an excellent tune (the video is pretty interesting too), but this remix compliments (and in my opinion DESTROYS) the original and flips it into dubstep heaven. The sounds create such a grimey, yet seductive tune that anyone with a hint of love for electronic music is sure to enjoy.
I'm normally on the ball with Hospital Records releases, but I somehow missed this one, and my massive thanks to Mr. Meth for bringing it to my attention!

And Tittsworth just announced that his new mix Diversify Yo Bonds is official now and can be reposted (he sent out a tweet earlier in the week with a preview), so here's the link. Looking for something to get you moving into Friday night? You're welcome.
Also, his track "Here He Comes" featuring Nina Sky and Pitbull, which was in regular rotation on my old radio show, just got the remix treatment from AC Slater as well, and can be copped exclusively from Beatport. I'm not as big on this one as most of the other things AC has done, but it should still get the crowds shaking their asses... and if not, there are also remixes from Stretch Armstrong & Jaime Fanatic, Nadastrom, and Rico Tubbs & Will Power, so you have no excuses.

I'm sure there's probably a few things I'm neglecting to post here, but that'll happen. It just gives me an excuse to post more next week. Till then, enjoy the weekend!

Posted via web from Adding To The Clutter