Lee 'Scratch' Perry vs Kode9 - Yellow Tongue (dub)

Kode9 continues the 'dystopian funky' paradox with this new cut featuring Lee Scratch Perry. A combination of carefree caribbean percussion and dark bass stabs simultaneously recall images of a summertime barbeque in the Bahamas and any one of a number of 20th century dystopian visions of the future.



If you want a picture of the future, imagine a jolly, fat Jamaican lady playing a steel drum - forever.

Sigúr Ros Vs Mobb Deep

I think it was some point soon after Diplo mixed Snoop Dogg with The Cure I lost interest in 'Mash-up' mixes; to me they just seemed to be a competition of who could combine the two most disparate tunes for the purpose of either demonstrating eclecticism, or just plain old irony. If 'mash-up mixing' was to manifest itself in human form I imagine it to appear wearing a pair of flares, a gingham shirt and a new era baseball cap whilst cycling on a fixed-gear bike through Shoreditch.

Bearing this in mind I'm not sure why I clicked on a link to 'Sigúr Ros Vs Mobb Deep' by Emancipator, but I am glad I did, and recommend you do so too because it works incredibly well, and without a trace of irony.

Drexciya (James Stinson) interview from 2002

Conducted only months before James Stinson died. It's really depressing to hear someone talk about their future when they are so close to death, particularly someone who is so committed to what they are doing.



Now seems like an opportunity to post some of my favourite Drexciya tracks.







RIP James Stinson

Squarepusher interview from 1996

Particularly like the bit where he asks to do a soundcheck and gets completely shutdown. I imagine that doesn't happen too often nowadays.


The other two parts of this documentary are also on youtube:
Part 2 (Photek)
Part 3 (Source Direct)

How records are made.

Here is a short piece from BBC news about the process of pressing a record.

For the week ending 16/03/09

The 130bpm tempo and soca drum beats on '2 Far Gone' are further evidence of Kode9's continuing move towards the fertile new soil of (UK) Funky (house). However the word 'funky' is not helpful here, at least not as an adjective, and as for 'house', well there is a 4x4 kick drum in there somewhere ... underneath a lopsided snare pattern and a what sounds like a distorted Space Ape vocal sample. It really is a tough one to describe by comparision simply because, like much of his other music, it is so brilliantly unique. 'Black Sun' on the other hand undoubtedly sounds like the soundtrack to a psychotic episode: fidgety drum patterns support relentless synths that bend up/down/sideways to amazing but nauseating effect. I'll call this one paranoia-step, I think.
Kode9 - Black Sun / 2 Far Gone

Eyes and ears will probably be drawn to the Shackleton mix here but collaborator DJ Maxximus does the flip side more than enough justice with two great tunes. 'Israhell' particularly is worth your time, incorporating two key elements of dubstep in the big snare on the 3rd and that ol' wobble bass, but reducing the tempo to a lowly 120. Smart percussion fills the gaps nicely but more to the point this is probably my favourite use of the old wobble bass since Vex'd did 'Angels':
DJ Maxximus / Shackleton - Neo / Israhell / Neo [Shackleton remix]


And finally a brilliant 12" from the creative minds of Appleblim and Geoim. 'Shreds' on side A is a simply awesome: constantly evolving drum patterns splattered with all kinds of dub-inspired time delayed effects which eventually arrives at some simply stunning piano keys. Puts a smile on my face every single time. Side B on the other hand throws the dubstyled delay out the window and goes straight for punchy 2-step energy vibe:
Appleblim & Geoim - Shreds / Flame Tree

Interviews

I have been meaning to post some of these interviews for weeks and last week two more popped up (with Kode9 and 2562). Starting with the newest first:

Kode9 talking to Fact magazine about the constant evolution of his sound.

2562 mostly talking about his influences

RSD talking about his long term involvement with electronic music.

Theo Parrish running around Detroit capturing sounds and droppin some knowledge:

"Creating rap music because I never dug disco..."

I have been looking for the origin of the 'never dug disco' sample that Automator used for the legendary Bear witness since... well since I first heard that tune, which must be going on a decade! Amazingly the same verse also contains another sample Automator used to great effect on the track Holy Calamity two years later.

And here it is...

4-Ever Fresh - Urban Sound Surgeon

For the week ending 09/03/09

Martyn AND Surgeon remixes of Shed:
http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/servlet/Info?Track=OSTGUT020

Dubstep from Kryptic Mind's on Loefah's brand new Swamp81 label:
http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/servlet/Info?Track=SWAMP001

New Burial tunes

There's a Burial/Fly-Lo collab on Fly-Lo's myspace

And here are two more from last week's Benji B 1xtra show: