So good....

Tornado Wallace - Rainbow Road EP - Instruments Of Rapture by Tornado Wallace

One of my favorite 12"s right now.

Chilling in the waves....

This is my favorite record right now. Yeah, it's two years old, but I'll be honest and say I slept on it initially. I heard a couple songs in passing, but never really listened. But then at some point I heard the entire EP and was hooked. It's one of those records that I listen to repeatedly and then put aside for a while. But I find myself always coming back to it.

The combo of clever and original sampling, a keen but lo-fi production sense and haunting, melodic vocals really works. His other stuff is good too, especially "High Times." I heard Washed Out recently signed with Sub-Pop, good for him. I hope they help him get to the next level, he deserves it.

CLUB MARS, NYC 1989-1990

I spent way too much time at this place as a kid in 1989, but damn it was fun.

Sleeper of '09....

The Black Keys + a bunch of MC's = a really good album. I slept at first because it's Dame Dash's project but in early December I checked it out and was really impressed. Top notch production which nicely combines The Black Keys' dirty blues and soul sound with an East Coast Hip Hop aesthetic. There are some interesting combos of MC's as well, which usually, but not always, work.

It's been a slow build but I'm glad to see the Blackroc project is starting to really grab people's attention. If you haven't checked it our, it's worth doing so now.

BLACKROC- S/T LP

Uptown gold....

Harlem's Cash = Monster Rap (i.e. this dude is way, way ahead of his peers)

I'm always happy when a rapper comes along who reinvigorates my passion for the music. I'm even happier when it's a New Yorker. When they're from uptown, where I was born and raised, it's the icing on the cake. Harem's Cash is just that MC. I've heard bits and pieces of his music for a minute now but I finally got around to downloading his mixtapes. I was really impressed. He's extremely lyrical, has an excellent flow, a great voice, as well as great choruses and concepts for his songs. Some of his choices of original beats weren't as impressive but they were definitely different and well produced. The Government, his main producer, certainly pushes the envelope. How he isn't signed and on the radio with all of the cornballs that are out there I'll never know. But it sure wouldn't be the first time.

CHECK HIM OUT HERE

PLUS HERE'S A LINK TO HIS MOST RECENT MIXTAPE

Depth Charge...

Floating Points - " Vacuum EP " ( Eglo Records UK 2009 )

A couple of months ago I picked up what would become my favorite House track is quite a while at Turntable Lab. It was on a label I knew little about from an artist I had heard of but associated with downtempo, experimental electronic stuff. That track was "Vacuum Boogie" of off the "Vacuum EP" by Floating Points on Eglo Records UK. From what I've read the man behind the EP has just recently started working in the House Music realm. If this is any indication he has a bright future ahead of him.

It's a record that has the elements I love in a track; deep, dubby, spacey, melodic and bass heavy. I was hooked from the first time I heard the hard, lo-fi drums which start the song. From there Floating Points builds up the track nicely, adding sounds after sound until the full groove is revealed in all it's sonic glory. Yeah, it's that good. One of those 12's I've listened to repeatedly at one time, happily getting up to put the needle back to the beginning again and again.

CHECK IT OUT HERE. Enjoy...

BUY IT ON VINYL HERE. Unfortunately, the record seems to be sold out at both Turntable Lab and Dopejams, the only two U.S. retailers I've seen the record stocked in. So that means ordering it from overseas unless the 12" can be tracked down domestically. You can always buy the digital version but I'm a vinyl guy so I'll let you figure that out on your own.

In Fashawn...

Fashawn - " Boy Meets World. " ( One Records )

I'm back after a looong break. Work and life got in the way for a while. One of the things that inspired me to return is a great new Hip Hop album which may be under the radar for a lot of people. It's "Boy Meets World", a collaboration between Fresno, Ca MC Fashawn and one of my favorite current producers, LA's Exile. Like Exile's last collabo "Below The Heavens" with Blu, this album is produced entirely by him and has a cohesive sound which isn't heard much anymore nowadays in the era of multi-producer LPs.

The record touches on a wide array of subject matter with a fresh, conscious yet streetwise approach. Fashawn has an energetic style and doesn't really sound like anyone else, which is always nice considering how many rappers lack originality in 2009. I like the fact that he can be substantive and thoughtful without being preachy. Oh yeah, and he's only 21 years old. Definitely one to watch in 2010 and beyond.

Exile comes with his usual sample-driven style which while definitely similar in some respects (particularly on this album which has many piano/keyboard heavy tracks) maintains an eclectic feel. Also, he still has some of the best drums in the game right now, which is something I look for in a producer. If you get a chance check the album out and support the artists.

Here's a link to "Freedom" one of the standout cuts from the album.

Here's a link to it's Amazon page. The album is worth previewing at the very least. Cop it if you have the dough....

Brown Baggin' it....

Brown Bag All Stars - "I'll Remain" (Produced by Tailor Made NYC)

I just added a track I produced for good friends Brown Bag All Stars to my Mixpod. It's actually the song you're hearing right now. The mp3 was just leaked online and is already getting a lot of blog love. I'm really glad people like it, this is one of my favorite beats and BBAS really do their thing lyrically. In the near future look for songs I produced for Brown Bag Member Koncept on his upcoming EP as well as his new mixtape "Konverses V.2"

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

Syreeta & Stevie get housed...

Rainer Trueby - "To Know You " (Compost Recs White Label 2009)

Great House reworking of the 1972 classic "To Know You Is To Love You" by Stevie Wonder's protege, Syreeta. The original was written by and featured Stevie. This new mix is great, using snippets of the original smartly to build a great Deep House track. This is on a limited edition white label released by Compost Records out of Germany, a label usually known for Deep Techno. I was fortunate enough to be able to track down a copy here in NYC. It's a very recent release so 12"s should still be floating around. Easily one of my favorite club records of 2009.

CHECK OUT THE REWORK HERE

CHECK OUT THE ORIGINAL VERSION HERE

My mixtape's better than your album....

WALE & 9th WONDER - " BACK TO THE FEATURE " MIXTAPE

I don't plan on posting much new Hip Hop on here, there are a million blogs out there for that, but I will on occasion when it's a project as good as this one by one of DC's finest, Wale.

I've been a fan of Wale's since I first heard the "100 Miles & Running" mixtape a couple of years ago. Since then he's kept working hard, growing as a lyricist and songwriter. Add to that 9th Wonder's consistent boom bap production and a bunch of established and up & coming MC's and you've got one of the better releases of 2009. And yes, like has been the case for years now, this free mixtape, or "street album" really, is better than of the most official releases that are out right now. Enjoy...

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

Body...

Stephanie Mills- " Put Your Body In It " 12" Mix ( 20th Century Fox Recs 1979 )


While Disco heads have always loved both sides of this 12", it's unfortunate that the A-side, "What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin' ", the title cut of the related album, is the much more popular and well-known of the two songs. As is so often the case, the B-side wins again.

Here we have the extended 12" mix of one of my favorite late-70's Disco records. Produced by the great team of James Mtume (of "Juicy Fruit" fame) and Reggie Lucas (first Madonna Album, etc), this song features easily one of the best synthesized bass/keyboard lines in Disco as the main groove. Luckily, that part is featured even more on the 12" version. Released in 1979, it would be easy to mistake this for an early 80's track if it weren't for the strings and the change-up which are classic orchestrated Disco.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Somebody....

Glenn Jones - " I Am Somebody Instrumental " ( RCA Recs 1983 )

Even though this 12" is 26 years old, it's one of my current favorites of any genre. While this is a slept on record, it's a prime example of very well-produced major label Boogie. I was hesitant to share this track because it's an ignored hidden gem, but it's too good not to. I really love the hook, which was fortunately included in the instrumental, as well as the synth bass line, the main keyboard groove, and pretty much everything else. It's close to a perfect track, I don't even mind the slightly cheesy change up which appeared on many of the productions from this era. Check the ridiculous extended keyboard riff that shows up only once towards the end of the record, if only it was used more...

This is more proof that RCA Records was hands down one of the strongest, most consistent major labels when it came to club-oriented music in the early to mid-Eighties. Enjoy...

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Games...

Sweet G - " Games People Play Instrumental " ( Fever Recs 1983 )

I'm posting this track because I found a $4 mint copy of the 12" a couple of days ago which will be replacing the worn out one I've had since I was a kid. It's not rare, but I figured it deserved a posting. The A-side is of course an Old School Hip Hop classic that has been sampled endlessly. It was also a big club and radio record produced and arranged by Kurtis Blow and mixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez.

The song had a strong early 80's R&B/Boogie feel to it as well. Using live musicians along with some studio effects, it is superbly mixed and mastered. The drums are ridiculous, the bass line is heavy, the arrangement is layered and very musical, and the breaks are constant. While the vocal version was huge in the early Hip Hop scene and everywhere else, at least here in New York, the instrumental version also got play in the dance clubs and on R & B mix shows on stations like WBLS. It really became it's own record and much more than just a b-side.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Movement...

Freda Payne - " In Motion - Instrumental " ( Sutra Records 1982 )

The legendary singer Freda Payne come through with a straight uptempo early Eighties Boogie track. Produced and arranged by a couple of the Sylvers brothers using a combination of live and synth parts. The B-side wins again; an instrumental version of the song with the hook and some sparse vocals included, as well as a robo-vocoder on the hook.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Back to the music...

Weeks & Co. - "Rock Your World - Instrumental" ( Chaz Ro Records 1981)

I'm taking it back to more of a live sound with this 12" which was recorded with a full band. "Rock Your World" was a pre-Salsoul release from the classic early Eighties group Weeks & Co. which features great horn arrangements, breaks, and an uptempo groove. Once again, I'm picking the instrumental version, which seems to be much harder to find online than the quite popular vocal version.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Welcome back.....

Over the last week I've been listening to the new De La Soul "album." Basically, it's a cohesive, continuous mix of brand new songs which loosely tie in to the work out theme of the company, Nike, who both sponsored released the album (on Itunes only.) It's nice to hear De La continuing to expand their sound. There are major electronic influences on this record which work on most cuts, and don't on a couple. as usual, they are on point lyrically and manage to drop knowledge in a subtle manner. They even dis Nike on a song and got away with it, probably because the suits over there didn't catch the references. Too bad for them.

While I love Nike kicks, and always have, I'm not a fan of their business practices, particularly when it comes to sweatshops and labor exploitation. I'm also unsure about this corporate giant releasing albums to promote their products. I suppose it isn't very different from Sony or Universal doing the same. I'll say one thing, De La used the opportunity to get more press than they have in years, and I feel they deserve it. They're an under appreciated group, to say the least.

If you're a fan, definitely check the album out. I'm not posting a download link, you can find one yourself. Or you can go to Itunes and cop it for $9.99.

Old to the new...

For many, many years this was my weapon of choice for making music:

The beautiful machine known as the MPC 2000Xl.



Very recently I bought one of these:

The new Macbook. (The $999 joint with all of the expansions)



One of the main reasons I bought it was for music production. Basically to drag myself out of the stone age of hardware and into the modern era of software. I have friends (shout out to J57 and AMD) who murder beats using computer programs. I've resisted. But no longer. Not to say my MPC is going anywhere, I still plan on using it as a central part of my production, but I am no longer a "purist."

I'm also no longer a Mac hater like I was when I used PCs. Sorry to say it but Macs are just more user friendly. I don't like how Apple manipulates their loyal customers or the market in order to make more profit (i.e. the iphone's original cost versus a couple of weeks later when it was lowered), but I can tell already that my music, DJing, and online presence will greatly benefit from the change. To all my friends who have been trying to get me to switch to software for years: you're all right. There I said it.

The man...

I went to the 90th birthday celebration of Pete Seeger last night at Madison Square garden with my parents, who have been fans since their early days as radicals in the 60's. If you don't know who he is, you at least know some of his songs. Since childhood, I pretty much guarantee it. Unless you grew up under a rock that is. For over seven decades he has fought for civil rights, peace, the environment, etc. He still is, plus he's influenced so many generations of musicians that last night looked like a who's who of the last 50 years in rock and Folk.

True music and film legends, African-American icons, Native American groups, even Obama, who sent a personal letter, all praised him. I have to say, the shit was touching, and more importantly, inspiring. My question is, who is going to replace people like Pete Seeger when they're gone?

Right on target...

THE JONES GIRLS - "On Target" Instrumental (RCA Recs 1983)

By 1983 The Jones Girls were an established act with hits under their belt. Even so, this is a lesser known track, but a really good one. A solid uptempo, boogieish production. The song was co-produced by Fonzi Thorton, who was an artist in his own right (Check out "(Uh Oh) There Goes My heart".)

I chose the B-side, which is the instrumental version of the album's title track. Really it's a dub in that the chorus and some backing vocals are included. Once again, I prefer this to the vocal version. I have to say, RCA records was killing it in the early 80's when it came to 12's. They put out many known classics (Evelyn "Champagne" King- "I'm I Love') as well as excellent releases that went under the radar of the general public, or that were limited to promo-only pressings, often with exclusive mixes.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Let's begin.....

Jeffrey Osborne - "Plane Love (Dub Version)" (A & M Records 1983)

Might as well start with a great track. Shout to DJ Seeps for playing this record, it helped me to remember I even had it. For the longest I slept on it, even though it's been in my collection for years. I'd heard played it out and in mixes but didn't put two and two together, duh. Yet another example of the dub version murdering the vocal one. George Duke's production is top notch, which is no surprise. Although he may generally be associated with Jazz Fusion stuff, Duke also produced some great Disco, Boogie and Club tracks. This is one of them...

CHECK IT OUT HERE