Wednesday, 4 August 2010

A little test.

Just checking the new Boomkat embed for links. So here's a banging EP from Sepalcure you should hopefully be able to preview (albeit with Boomkat bleeps!)


Read full review of Love Pressure - SEPALCURE on Boomkat.com ©

Tuesday, 3 August 2010

Bonjour.

Hello, again. I'm freshly back and freshly tanned from the fresher than fresh Soundwave festival. I'm kind of happy noone really reads this because I, selfishly, don't really want anyone to know about Soundwave! The place is insane. A kind of Ibiza for the middle-class, were I to be snobby.

Anyway, on to more music. This blog started out mainly as a general moan point for my life, but as I seem to be meandering into a music journalism career path I guess I'll focus on that stuff. Woop.

So, I'm going to start doing some album and EP reviews, but, as I'm short of time and rather ill, I'll just pop up a few youtunes to keep you (and me) occupied.

First, another banger from the infamous Hudson Mohawke, everyone's favourite nutbag. This tune, along with several others, was free as part of the marketing campaign for Sonar festival in Barcelona, which apparently wasn't great this year... but this tune is!



Next, something I really should have given a proper review when it came out. Regardless, Mount Kimbie's first full LP, Crooks & Lovers, soldiers on. Check out one of my favourite tracks from this absolutely monstrous eater of superlatives, 'Before I Move Off'.



OOooh, Rudiiiii. Yes, yes, Rudi Zygadlo is back with an entire album, featuring the aforementioned 'Resealable Friendship', expertly remixed by Starkey, and the original version of 'Filthy Logic'. Entitled Great Western Laymen, for some indecipherable reason, this album is move of the same post-hiphop, jarred, glitchy beats with a cart full of synths and more drops than you can shake the brok-stick at. Even my dog likes it. Youtube seems shy on Rudi tracks though, lest they be posted twice, as such, here's a mash-up from the man himself, a Milanese track with the vocals of the much admired Joanna Newsom over the top. Enjoy.



Finally, a bloody Four Tet remix! Aren't I good to you? I know little of Caribou, so I'll do some sniffing and get back to you on that, but this is just beautiful. Till next time, god bless, and don't smoke hi-grade.

Monday, 19 July 2010

Soundwave, Petrcane, Hvratska.

Bleep, bleep. Off to the sunny shores of the adorable Adriatic. Pints of Ožujsko, cabonara pizzas and over-priced chips await. Soundwave festival in the remote and beautiful village of Petrcane (of Garden festival fame) is the destination, fat beats is the obligation. Check out the promo vid:



And check out the line-up!



Top billing.

If you're heading there too, I'll be the guy in the tree.

And here's a couple of beats from the festival's headliners to get you in the mood/make you wish you had a ticket:







See you on the beach!

Sunday, 11 July 2010

Sugar Minott.

Rest in peace. Another legend has left us at just 54. Sugar was one of the leading Reggae artists from the legendary Studio One, and writer of one of my all time favourite Reggae tracks (see first video below). As a small testament to his career, here's a few of his tracks. God bless.

Oh Mr. D.C.

No Vacancy

My Love is True

Wednesday, 7 July 2010

Hello.

Please look at this:



And this:



Aaaand this:



That is all.

Friday, 28 May 2010

Home again, hoppity hop.

I have finished university! Quite a frightening prospect in fact; I kind of feel rudderless after how many years of education treading a much trod path. Oh well, I'm home. Well, for a week. Time for free cooked dinners, clean sheets and the snuffles of much missed pooches.

It's also my sister's birthday, which brings me onto my first port of call (apart from a happy 25 years of age for Miss Rosemary): Joanna Newsom.



You see, I bought my sister (being an avid vinyl collector) her new album, Have One On Me on triple 12". And it's a bloody great album. I know a lot of people feel let down by the changes in her voice, direction, and less focus on her harp. However, her new(ish) voice is beautiful, at times reminiscent of an early falsetto Joni Mitchell, sometimes she shifts into the powerful ranges of Cat Power and at others she manages to pitch high into the old fairy tale appeal seen in the The Milk-Eyed Mender. It is unfortunate she can't do this often any more, due to the development of vocal chord nodules she suffered from prior to this albums release, but luckily that whimsical charm is there for all to see on two other albums and EP's, especially Ys, often quoted as her most revered work to date.

She is also really hot.

I cannot recommend this album highly enough. In my opinion, at least, it deserves several listen-throughs, don't resort to the nowadays common practice of skipping through or purchasing singular tracks on iTunes. Buy the whole thing, buy it on CD, even better, buy it on vinyl. To give you some idea of the album's quality, here is one of my favourite tracks, 'Good Intentions Paving Company':



And here performing ''81' on Jools Holland:



Other bits of interest now. There's a couple of adverts surfaced recently that caught my attention. Sorry if this is old news, I'm not the biggest watcher of TV...

Firstly, O2 have used Jaylib's (J Dilla and Madlib) first version of 'The Red' in an advert. I say first version, as Jay Dee was sued for the use of a sample he didn't ask permission for, thus the album version differs, and in my opinion suffers. Props there to O2 on two counts. Here's the advert:



Second on the list is the new Nike advert. If you're not excited enough already for the World Cup, this'll do it. I'll be posting more and more footy related bollocks as this we get into June. HD enabled here for its full glory:



My, my, this is a long post. And I've posted next-to-no hip-hop or beats. Well, I'll leave you with some top Brazilian hip-hop from Marcelo D2, featuring his own son, awww. Peas and gravy lovers.

Sunday, 16 May 2010

Nearly damn done.

Woah there! One blasted exam left, and it's a doozey. 'Rich and Poor in Roman Society' may sound simple enough, but when faced with an arrogant, useless, post-Mussolini-esque-psuedo hell-wench, well, we get problems.

Anyway, I'm less stressed and blogging is back. On the way: a brand spanking new mix (featuring a remix/mashup by my tender self), my first fully produced tune and extracts from my novel... Maybe. Right now I'll just chat balls and link you some cool stuff ya'know.

MARK DOOLING (lol!) AKA Marshal William Darling, Martial, "The Great Mustache Hope", also my first ever blog follower (check check), though I think Creepy Mr TC is on this shit too (and first). Love you. Anyway, Dooling has a blog too, it's called Viking Massage, god knows why...

Blap blap. Also another universityillayally friend of mine has one too, he goes by the name of Michael, and his is pro. Check out the wonders of Hot Calamari!

None of my other friends are remotely productive, so until they get off their slotherly, sofa burnt backsides they ain't getting no shout out. That's right, not a whiff. Snap.

Treats from me to you:



Who's that fella? Yeah! It's Debruit! Wooh! The genius behind that stomping post hip-hop/electro meets afrofunk badness that only the French do well. Anyway, he's great, and recently had a Fact "download-of-the-day" in the form of the beautiful remix of Grovesnor's Taxi. Unfortunately, due to my tardniess, this way a few weeks ago, so you canee get it off Fact anymore. Help is at hand, however, get the track here!

Check out a snippet from his Heart Beats 4 Haiti EP too! (Old news I know, but what can you do?)

Snippets "heart beats 4 Haiti" produced by débruit by dEbruit

Cracking.



And who's this chap you ask? That's right! It's our old friend, Shafiq Husayn! Recently, I have been playing to death a tune of his latest LP which, admittedly, isn't the greatest record, but this badboy is something else. Chilled vibes with seraphic vocals from the adorable Fatima:



And, that's all folks! I will actually be back soon. Till then, don't eat bloody baked beans!