Stones Throw Sweats - Winter 2012

I know it's summer down here in NZ, but there are one or two international readers right?

Check the lovely new sweats range for 2012 from my favourite record label Stones Throw.

Girls and boys cuts in grey/black speckle and classic grey marl crew necks and hoodies.

With the exchange rate looking real nice for us here, look into the future and see that you need one of these babies for your Winter wardrobe.

Head to stonesthrow.com

Madlib x Black Star x Blu

Madlib. Man or BEAST?

Black Star have just released their reunion single 'Fix Up' on the world.

It is the pre-cursor to what is being touted as the lead-single of their upcoming sophomore release.

Talk about 'the difficult second album'; their sublime debut LP 'Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are...' was released in 2002!

Turns out that Blu also had dibs on that same beat w/ a track titled 'EZ'.

Oh well, all great MC's. 

Double ups are mean as boltz!

Sam Champ - Remix EP Instro's

Sam Champs dope Remix EP from late 2010 had some of THE best remixes goin' round for this past year.

Understandably it was an underground/internet with track from it doing some serious play time on more discerning radio stations around the planet.

The king remix off it was probably his rework of D'Angelo's 'Left & Right'...

Well, now you can cop the remix instrumentals for some serious blend action.

Courtesy of  DJ Rahdu over at BamaLoveSoul. 

Also, keep a look out for Sam Champ's upcoming project with Buscrate's 16-Bit Ensemble.

Big up Rahdu and Sam Champ!

It's the D, Baby! Well, Maybe

Holy mother-of-soul!!!
D'Angelo dates have been announced for Europe in early T-12, and it all looks pretty legit according to Okayplayer.

Mr. We Miss You needs to actually hit the stage (and his notes for that matter) for the long awaited dream to come true, but we can live in hope can't we.

It was pretty hard deciding on which pic of the man to use for this post as most are either buff-D from a decade ago or ruff-D looking all bloated and unhealthy in his mug-shots.

So as you can see I plumped for the above classic from the sleeve of his absolute classic 'Voodoo' LP.
In the meantime, let's cross fingers, hope the man is doin' okay and have a listen to an all-time jam.

Freddie Gibbs x Madlib ( I call it Mad-Gib) - 'Thuggin'' EP

Sometimes I try and make mixtapes in a Madlib style but it just doesn't work.

Even if I set out to do a totally loose mix, my inner semi-perfectionist (I'm not completely pshyco) can't resist cleaning it up just a little.

So, I really admire the way that 'Lib just keeps putting out music with a hit & miss attitude.

He is so prolific that he seems to just put it out there which you could say is reflected in the way he treats his DJ sets.

You could argue that he might not be as focused as he was in the early to mid 00's when he put out his best works, but i'm really not that fussed. Although we're all hangin' for Madvilllainy 2!

Anyhow, here's his new shit with Freddie Gibbs...

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Thuggin' by Rappcats

Tony Andrews (Funktion One) x RBMA Interview

Hadn't heard of this guy, but I am really interested in what he has to say about the way that musical payback trends are inherently affecting the way listeners hear and consequently do or don't enjoy their listening experience of music.

Vinyl vs. digital and all that...

Lecture: Tony Andrews of Funktion One (Madrid 2011) from Red Bull Music Academy on Vimeo.

Monday Five - 14th November, 2011

This week's tasty jams...

One. Tom Browne - 'Come For A Ride'

Two. Busta Rhymes - 'Turn Me Up Some'

Three. MED - 'Flying High'

Four. Jaylib - 'Raw Shit' (Instrumental)

Five. Herman Chin-Loy - 'Heavy Duty'

Base FM - Pete Rock Interview

Got an interview down with legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock a couple weeks ago.

Had to get a bit of post-pro done before I hit it up on Mixcloud, but here it is now for a listen.

No insane revelations, but a focus on his production with tracks from his back catalogue as well as touching on the subject of his cousin Heavy D who coincidentally passed away yesterday at the WAY too young age of 44.

Rest in peace Heavy D.

Base FM Interview - Pete Rock by Djdanpaine on Mixcloud

JBrown - Summer Mix

JBrown mixtape on a lovely smooth vibe.

Check a DL HERE

1 Bullion- Time For Us To Love

2 Towa Tei - Technova

3 De La Soul - I Be Blowin'

4 Frank Ocean - Strawberry Swing

5 The Roots (Do Dilla) - Upper Egypt

6 Aaliyah-Rock the Boat (Dam Funk & Shash'u Remix)

7 Team Jordan - Stadium

8 Jens Lekman - Postcard to Nina

9 Neil Young -Harvest Moon

10 MF Doom- Zatar (Instrumental)

11 Dorothy Ashby - The Moving Finger

12 Little Dragon- Seconds

13 Radiohead- House of Cards

14 ??-??

15 Smashing Pumpkins - Luna

16 Malcolm Mclaren - Madame Butterfly

DTMD - 'The Flame' (Def Dee Remix)

Def Dee remix of DTMD's 'The Flame' from their recently released 'Main' Dollas' LP.

Salva - 'Obsession' feat. B. Bravo

Salva - Obsession ft. B. Bravo by FoFMusic

Total fave right now...

M.E.D. - 'Classic' LP

Stones Throw Records (pretty much) resident rapper M.E.D bka Medaphoar has just released his latest LP 'Classic'.

Pick up the DL from the Stones Throw Record's website.

BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Stories: Gone Too Soon: J Dilla

BBC's Benji B has always been a champion of the late-great J-Dilla.

As part of the 'Gone Too Soon' series, Benji recently broadcast  a one-hour special on Jay Dee the G.O.A.T.

Comments from Common, Mos Def, Mase from De La Soul, Questlove...

As an essential musical history lesson or an update for fiending fans, must-have.

Hit it up HERE for the DL

DJ Bobby Brazuka - 'A Tribute to Chase, Paine & Bundy' Mix

Auckland City's Brazilian ambassador and all-round party guy Bob Brazuka has put together a new mix in his long line of musical episodes.

This one is titled 'A Tribute to Chase, Paine & Bundy'; a tribute mix to some of his favourite DJ's, DylanC, Manuel Bundy and ahhh, me.

Smooth grooves are definitely the modus here: DJ Mitsu the Beats, Sade, Roy Ayers cover versions, Dilla and all that!

Have a listen for yourself.

A Tribute to Chase, Paine & Bundy by Bobbybrazuka on Mixcloud

The Tuesday Ten - 1st November, 2011

I been slack again.

Missed Monday's Five, so the reward for you is a Tuesday Ten. Whoop whoop!

So many killers; enjoy...

One. Kelis - 'Milkshake' (Shlohmo Remix)

Two. Herman Chin-Loy - 'Heavy Duty'

Three. M.E.D - 'MEDical Card'

Four. Full Crate - 'Fluffy Dragons'

Five. The Chills - 'Pink Frost'

Six. Slava feat. B. Bravo - 'Obsession'

Seven. De La Soul - 'Sunshine'

Eight. Last Order - 'Summertime'

Nine. J-Dilla - 'Milk Money'

Ten. Jaylib - 'Heavy' (Chronic Mix)

P.S. Check out the Charlie Crumlish video version for Jaylib's 'Heavy'.

This video actually mad DJ Jellyfish's year!