When I heard that Squarepusher (Tom Jenkinson) was releasing a new album I felt like I was a kid all over again. His music has been a mainstay in my life since I stumbled upon MTV’s AMP show when I was 12. I can also credit Squarepusher as being the first artist to seriously “mind fuck” me. It was like nothing I had ever heard before and made me seek out other artists pushing sonic boundaries like Brian Eno, Philip Glass, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and of course Aphex Twin.
When I heard mista Jenkinson himself had a new mix for Mary Anne Hobbs I grabbed my headphones, logged off Twitter, and braced myself. I wasn’t sure if it would be filled with Amen break workouts, Acid squelches, or brooding Techno from a dystopian future (present). Once again Squarepusher had busted my brain. The mix is short and sweet with Jenkinson serenely flowing from Prog Rockers King Crimson, to Contemporary Classical composer Olivier Messiaen and even a track from AFX’s Analogue Bubblebath vol. 3.
So often it’s easy to get caught up in the politics of music and genre, brilliant mixes like this put everything back in perspective…it’s all just SOUND.
For once I’m featuring something I made. With classes over I finally have time to sit down and have some fun making tracks. My biggest hindrance to producing is disorganization. I spent the last 2 days cleaning up my computer and setting up my work space. It’s a damn shame when you can’t make a track because you can’t remember what hard drive your samples & sound banks are on.
Last night I finished 1 of what I hope to be many more new upcoming tracks from myself. I had fun making this one –recording myself saying “work dat” into my iPhone mic and emailing the m4a to my laptop. The best thing about making music is finding new techniques and trying new ideas which is what I did with this track. In a way I feel like I’m going back to my old style from 2005 of melodic Ghetto House/Juke combined with Memphis style beats. Anyway check out the track below and tell me what you think!
Real life has usurped Internet life once again, but I’m back with some new music! I don’t think my sanity would have survived this week if it weren’t for the discography of Jazzanova. Those soulful Berliners have a funky new live studio video for their track ‘Believer’ featuring Paul Randolph on the vox. It’s guaranteed to be a funky Summer with their album ‘Funkhaus Sessions’ dropping in May on Sonar Kollektiv. Do yourself a favor and head over to Amazon.de to pre-order the release.
If the upcoming album and video wasn’t good enough, Juergen von Knoblauch of Jazzanova is spinning at one of my favorite spots in ATL the Sound Table this Saturday! Edgewood Ave will definitely be popping, Carlos Mena will be playing in the Sound Table’s adjacent spot Space 2 for ancestral House session Bembe Atlanta. If you’re in the area –actually if you’re within 2 hours of the A such as I– do NOT miss this.
Julian Babinga – Mbongui Percussions (Safari Ambiance)
Sygaire / Eric Cosaque – Deux Mille Deux (Sonat Kollective)
Harry & Storm – Get Together (H&S dub edit)
Lord Nelson – Shango (Charlies / Soundway forthcoming)
Osunlade / Curramberos De Gamero – La Prena (Yoruba Soul Mix) (Soul Jazz Records)
Mohjah – Zion Gates (H&S Edit)
Daniel Haaksman featuring Suguindo Sonhos – Hands Up (Man Recordings)
Debruit – Nigeria What? (Civil Music)
The Gatanga Boys Band – Tiga Kundega (H&S edit)
Bulimundo – Santo Antoni La Belem (H&S Edit)
Batida – Alegria (Soundway)
Mbiri Young Stars – Ndiri Ndanoo Niwe (Kiru Brothers Sound / Soundway forthcoming)
Smahila & the SBs – Plan with God (H&S edit)
Soundway always brings the heat, literally and figuratively. This time Global dance floor heater Miles Cleret is dropping a mix of upcoming releases, Bass jams, and future classics with Dancing Time. For those of us not lucky enough to catch their 10th Anniversary East London party on April 20th this is more than enough to keep ya dancing in your living room. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOUNDWAY!
So it looks like two of NYC’s finest –Machinedrum and FaltyDL– got together to collaborate on a track last year in Machinedrum’s Brooklyn studio. Instead of letting the tune waste away on a hard drive FaltyDL has graciously decided to release the track for a free download on his Soundcloud. The track sounds exactly like you’d expect a collab between the two luminaries would –breathy pads and ambient textures, UK Garage-esque pitch shifted vocals, a nervous Juke styled beat, and of course low end pressure. Enjoy
