Oddisee has got some nice freenes lined up for us ahead of a new album dropping next month. It’s an EP of edits and remixes sounding promising, seeing Oddisee messing around with music by Metronomy, Bon Iver and more.
‘Odd Renditions’ will be available for free download come May 15th and meanwhile he’s got a video of a Marvin Gaye remix for us, to whet the appetite. Sweet.
Never knew young Marvin looked so good in skinny pants.
Saturday morning vibez here at the Pop Lock HQ.
Tall Black Guy working his charms with this at-least-four-consecutive-replays remix of Maylee Todd’s too-sweet-to-begin-with Hieroglyphics.
We just spent a whole dollar for this beauty. You should too.
People send me music to play and write about. They usually talk the talk, but the music don’t walk the walk.
This here though, came with no words what so ever. Just the link. I imediatley liked it. And the music too. Not sure what it is, but they got my attention alright.
So I know nothing to tell you about Kario Key. I’ll just let the music do the talking.
Oooh
Is it April 30th already?!
Cannot wait to get my hands on this hot hotness of a hot track.
Just wait for 2.35, you’ll see what i mean.
I been bad as usual, not finding the time to post stuff I want to. For instance, the lateset The Cleanup beats EP Cohen sent my way some two months ago almost. But now comes this recording of his 20min set at the newly born L.A. Boiler Room edition, and it’s clear it’s time to get typing.
So, Cohenbeats aka Michael Cohen, a super talented beat maker hailing from my home town of Tel Aviv has been at it for quite a few years. As part of the local hip hop crew Cohen @ Mushon he spits some rhymes and cooks some beats looking more towards the airwaves, and getting lots of local love for that. At the rest of the time he’s hard at work on some serious further out there beats, of the kind I love to love. RBMA spotted his talent way back in 2008, and the dude has been moving from strength to strength ever since.
On a recent long visit to L.A. he played this 20min set of strictly original beats at the Boiler Room, alongside some big beatheadz such as Samiyam, Computer Jay, Jonwayne and more, representing Tel Aviv with much much respect. Big Up!
Listen to, watch or grab his set right here (honestly, I tried as best as I can to embed it, but found that imposibble as it doesn’t seem to exist anywhere besides the boiler room site. What’s up with that?!).
Also be sure to check his bandcamp for lots of freebies, and most important, keep an ear on the man, since it seems to me he’s been keeping his best beats close at bay, and will have to unleash them eventually. And you want to be there when that happens.
There’s such an abundance of really great music these days. An unbelieveable amount of talent and wonderful high standards produce flowing freely. It’s unreal. Yet still, it’s only once in a while (suprprisingly enough, at the same rate as when you had to actually purchase albums, and only listened to about 1/1000 of the music you listen to today), that it really really hits that spot. Those moments when you can feel the music grabbing hold of your heart and physically twisting it. Sorry, was that too obvious of a metaphore? Probably because it’s such a percise feeling.
Enter Dirg Gerner. It took a long while since I first heard tunes off this EP played when he was hosted by Alexander Nut (Who accidently happens to head Ho Tep, the label releasing the Preface EP) on his Rinse FM show, until I actually got hold of this EP. But now that I have, I simply cannot stop listening to it. Gerner’s melodies are so deep and engulfing, his production so gentle and inviting. The superb vocal work by the lovely Fatima and Rahel, of Olmino whom I first meet here, and of Girner himself, the fine combination between jazz, soul, beats, electronics and so much more is just so so good, I don’t even know where to start.
As you can see, I’m pretty well emotional over this record. Thing is, it’s fun too. It’s not only touching, it is tight. It is groovy. It is fresh. This here is a timeless piece of music. I do believe so.
This EP is out now on Ho Tep records. In fact, it was out November last year, but only made it to digital late February. And now - a tiny rant. I get the vinyl thing. I really do. I get the concept of making it an exclusive too. But godamn, must we wait 3(!) months until a 12” gets its digital release?! I get even how making me feel like that about an EP by doing just so can make sense, but still… come on! I mean, even on soundcloud you can only listen to 3 of the 5 tunes on this EP. We digital listeners deserve a bone or two too, do we not? Have mercy.
Oh, and one more thing. How come I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know who Dirg really is? Is it Flako or what? Seriously. Anyone?
Other than that though, pure love. Big time.
I just love following producers as they grow and change. I first got to know Italian beatscraft Grillo through a track of his that was featured on the Jus Like Music & Apple Juice Break present: Oscillations Part 1 compilation released almost two years ago. Since then I’ve gotten to know the man himself (and even share a hotel room with him), as, like myself, he broadcasts his Bubblegum Beats show on the mothership, Space Invader Radio.
This new beat tape sees Grillo taking the foot off the gas, and easing up his banging tendencies, making room for more melodies to shine through. I used to love his 120% full throtle bass-in-yer-face beats, but I find this direction to be very good for him, and for us too. The beat tape focuses on Brziliian music by Blanka, and the Bossa samples make for perfect building blocks for more relaxed and fllowing kind of jams. I find this beat tape to be Grillo’s most coherent, and probably best work up to date, and may I add, I’m simply proud of him! Big up!
And did I mention it’s a free download?
Lianne La Havas has a new video out.
If you’ve been feeling anywhere near what I’ve been feeling about this girl lately, that would be all you’ll be needing to know.
After listening to (and mostly watching) Forget a minimum of 10 times a day for weeks and weeks now, I know I’m not even able to tell how good this new song is. I’m too biased. All I know is Lianne La Havas is truly something. I’m just such a fool for her. She desrves to get huge. She desrves to get as much love as possible.
In case for some reason you’ve missed out on her up till now, you should really check out the Forget EP (including a great Two Inch Punch remix), her Live in LA EP, and the Shlohmo remix of Forget (blogged here).
After that, All you’ll need to know is that Lianne La Havas has a new video out.
Just a quick Sunday morning post.
While the world is still in slumber, over here another brand new week rears it’s ugly head. This Leonard Dstroy fixup helped out soften the blow, making it all seem a bit better.
It will work best if you’ll be staying in bed listening to it though..
New week? Let’s get it on.
Astro Nautico are definitely en route to becoming one of my favourite labels around. The Range’s The Big Dip (blogged about it here) from late 2011 first caught my ears, and now this fresh EP by one of the label’s founders Paul Jones is sounding just right. Broken Arrow consists of four original beats of the wonkier kind, presented in an assorted variety of spaced out flavours, plus two remixes by label co-founders Obey City and Kuhn.
Opening tune “Bad Haircut” (reminiscent of some Digi G’alessio beats) is a stand out here, and so is “Y” which samples Freez’s I.O.U. from 1983. And that Obey City remix is banging too!
Still Need to have quite a few more listens to this to wrap my pretty little head around it. But I sure know I’m feeling the EP, right from the start. It’s a free download and all that, so you know what to do.
Oops I did it again. Hadn’t posted nothing for too long. I’ve been a naughty boy. Whatever. Sue me. Wasn’t feeling like it (though there was plenty of great music to post about..). That’s kool though. You don’t want me posting stuff when I’m not really into it. That’s no fun. And this here is supposed to be fun. It sure ain’t about the money, I’ll tell you that.
Anyways, nuff about me.
My homies at Svetlana Industries are getting better by the minute, have I mentioned that already? Brey’s debut EP Brazil will be coming out on this boundry pushin heart mooshin Serbian-UK label in two weeks, but meanwhile they got this fine lo-co (that’s short for low cost, I just made that up, you like?) video for Brey’s Bengela.
Open wide and watch it. It’s good for you.
It sure makes me feel old to say this, but I can remember how MTV changed my life. I can recall the pressure I put on my parents to get us cable TV, and then to get me a TV in my own room, all for one single purpose - watching music videos all day long.
Not enough videos are made for music I enjoy these days (and by videos I mean real ones, not just collections of 80’s tv clips). I guess it’s the times that have changed, and my taste which drifted to the edges, but I do miss it. The depth, meaning, and power over us that a good video can add to a piece of music is so immense. I miss it sometimes. A lot.
I’m writing all of this because of this amazing video here. See, I listened to the entire Taprikk Sweezee Repolyx album when it was released some months ago, and was enjoying it too. A few tracks stood out for me, I played them on the Pop Lock podcast, and that was it. But as much as I love Kidkanevil’s music, his remix totally didn’t catch my ears. Actually, when I saw this video the other day I thought it was a new remix, since I couldn’t imagine me not noticing such a great track in the first place.
Its this psychedelic animation, the way it reflects each and every element in the textures of the track, and the images it ran thorough my mind, that made the genious behind this track shine through. Now that I’ve seen the video, the tune got all these new meanings and connections in my brain, and I can hear so much more in it than before. I just wish more videos were made to music I love these days, that’s basically all I’m saying. Sorry I made you read all this to get such a simple point across.
Anyways, go grab the track for free over at XLR8R and/or listen to or buy the entire thing, say, here. There are no more videos but the music is still pretty great.
Cali beatgenious in LDN exile Kutmah comes up here with a weird, dark and dirty lil EP named Dusted Back Alley Beats, something that calls for the right time of night to really get in to. “Living in London and misses the fucking sun” says the info at bandcamp, and you can def hear that British greyness sipping into his soul.. In fact, if not for this beat, I just might have totally skipped it and never came back for another listen, but hearing this Portishead sample just grabbed me in the right place I guess.
Kutmah didn’t seem to do that much here, I think he didn’t even re-sample the original Portishead sampled from (wait a minute - did they even sample here? but they must have.. though couldn’t find trace of what the original is) but just took their beat, upped the tempo, and rearranged it a little. Either way, that’s totally all I needed from it. Good job.
Have a listen, and if you’re feeling like sampling another one, try Miracles too. And if it’s all good with you, head over to his bandcamp for a complete check out and a checkout.
My french homie monsieur Miqi O., a true beatman, with a tendency to the extremes, has been releasing his Untold beats EPs series for nearly 2 years now, and the time has come to end it all in big fashion.
Enter Untold VI, a full album of remixes by many a beatcrafts, playing around with the originals and putting in their own sound and feel to each beat. Some rather big names from the scene are featured here, the likes of Fulgeance, Leonard Dstroy and Professor Ojo, and not a few lesser known ones. There’s quite a lot of different sounds and vibes going on here. I must admit I find myself lately moving a bit away from the 8bit kind of thing, but there are beats here that go to different directions too.
The biggest jam here, the standout track by far to my ears, is B-Ju’s contribution, a percussive and rather upbeat affair, although not in your face whatsoever. It slowly evolves and engulfs you, with lush keys and chopped vocals, and just when you think you love it, it takes a bit of a twist and a turn, and becomes simply grand. Really loving this one. Was feeling Zo aka Le Chauve Souris’s remix too. Both are right down here, and the entire release is a free download over at bandcamp, so go grab yourselves a copy on your way out.
Zebra katz - Ima Read from Mad Decent on Vimeo.
Now this ain’t what I usually post on this blog, but this song, combined with this badass video has got me obsessed for the last few days, ever since I first saw it.
What the hell is this? Rap about school and reading? There’s a lot of bitch this bitch that involved, but still, it all takes place in a school and there’s talk of going to college and getting some knowledge? And it’s so barren. There’s just a beat and a bass. And mantra-like MCing by Zebra and his side kick nJena Redd Foxx.
And this video! What a perfect match for a tune like this. So minimal, so eerie yet sexy. I can’t stop watching this. Why can’t I stop watching this dammit?
This here is no mistake. It looks and sounds simple, but that just makes the genius behind shine the brighter. Every single little touch is well thought of, even the stuff that looks casual, or sounds a bit like a little glitch.
Mad Decent, chapeau!
This comes part of a whole EP including another track and four remixes. Oh, and it’s a free download. Maaaan.
