Ken Fec recently took time from his work with Black Moth Super Rainbow to craft a new album under his Power Pill Fist name. Kongmanivong proves just how enthusiastic Fec is with experimental music, as he mixes techno, Krautrock, post-modern rock, and pop together, and manipulates an Atari 2600 for added effects and all-out weirdness.
While the Gypsy scene in the States has been steadily growing, Europe’s faction has been not-so-quietly exploding over the past decade. Finland’s Farmer’s Market is one such band, who takes Balkan, jazz, and punk and throws in a touch of surf rock for laughs. Indeed this is music to be laughed at, and danced to. Their playing is fierce and phenomenal; it’s no surprise Surfin’ USSR is on Mike Patton’s Ipecac label, given the similar sonic motifs of Mr. Bungle. There aren’t many places to find an accordion being played like a guitar god’s hammer before the sounds of a Bulgarian school dance (with tablas, mind you) arrive unannounced. Strange wares for any market.
From Headman’s Relish label comes former Riot in Belgium member (who’s actually from Australia) Beni with his solo project. “Love See” is a great boogie-disco track with some French-house attitude, and solid groover that brings plenty party mayhem at the same time. If you dig “The Acid Never Lies,” you’ll love this new anthem.
The original version of this track was the closer for Radiohead’s much-praised In Rainbows album, which Amplive has reinterpreted and transformed into Rainydayz Remixes. Here, the Oakland-based DJ and producer adds delays, chops up Thom Yorke’s vocals, and has enlisted Del the Funky Homosapien to help with additional lyrics. Download the entire Rainydayz Remixeshere.
Hip-hop producer and much-respected DIY man One Be Lo has eschewed traditional record distribution and self-released his second album, aptly titled The R.E.B.I.R.T.H.. This transition hasn’t his abilities as an artist one bit. With the help of Vitamin D, Jake One, and others, One Be Lo has crafted another work of r&b-flavored beats and rhymes.
Excitement over Amplive‘s Radiohead remix album was stopped short recently, when a cease and desist from Warner put the brakes on the entire project.
But yesterday, it was announced that not only does the Oakland-based DJ and producer admit he should have contacted Radiohead prior to making the album, but that he has also been granted permission to release Rainydayz Remixes for free, as originally planned. Better yet, you can get the album right now.
Rainydayz Remixes is material re-interpreted from Radiohead’s über-hyped In Rainbows album, released last year to a tsunami of media attention. For the remix album, Too $hort, MC Zumbi, Del the Funky Homosapien, and others make guest appearances.
Download “Videotape,” featuring Del the Funky Homosapien.
Tracklisting
01 Rainydayz
02 Video Tapez (Ft. Del The Funky Homosapien)
03 Nudez (Ft. Too $hort & MC Zumbi of Zion I)
04 Weird Fishez
05 All I Need
06 15 Stepz (Ft. Codany Holiday)
07 Reckonerz (Ft. Chali2NA)
08 Faustz
Hip-hop producers and other composers seeking to sell their creations to singers and MCs have a new option. Black Vibes’ IveGotBeats.com has launched the Beat XChange, a web-based service that allows producers to sell their music online to artists, auction style.
Producers upload their music to Beat XChange and create a profile. Beat buyers search a music library by genre (rap, R&B, gospel, pop, dance), tempo, or price range and place a bid on the tracks they like. If the producer accepts the bid, the parties negotiate rights and usage using online tools, then the track becomes downloadable for the purchaser.
The Beat XChange intends to circumvent the traditional record label A&R process by directly connecting the artist and the producer. Beat XChange C.E.O. Gerald Olivari, says, “Recognizing the impact that technology, such as Pro Tools and social music networking websites, [has] had on the industry, we decided that it was the perfect time to introduce this service.”
Black Vibes also operates a music and entertainment news site that features videos, news stories, and artist profiles. A recent article featured rapper Talib Kweli’s (pictured above) open letter on Barack Obama’s candidacy.
Don’t get on the wrong side of Bounty Killer (pictured above). Otherwise, you might get boxed down and receive a Hennessy bath. At least that’s what happened to Killer’s one-time recording partner Harry Toddler, who had a run in with the famous Seaview Gardens DJ. “Killa buss off mi chain and wet me up wid liquor, and [Elephant Man] and him friends, dem start hold on pon me and say me fi easy, because him caan tek the embarrassment, and ting,” said Toddler. Ironically, Toddler’s latest single, “Don’t Run In,” is currently racing up the charts.
Rasta singjay Lutan Fyah may have taken his name a little too literally. The popular performer, who has been riding the reggae charts in Jamaica with hits like “Save The Juveniles” and “St. Jago,” is under investigation for arson. Members of Fyah’s crew allegedly torched the houses of men who heckled Lutan at a stage show.
Hot 102’s Richie B hosted the first annual Excellence In Music and Entertainment (EME) awards. Some of the winners included Lutan Fyah (Cultural Artist of the Year), Cham (Most Uplifting Lyrics), Junior Reid (Top International Artist), and Anthony B (Biggest Comeback). 2008 is also a first for Jamaica, with the EME’s and the upcoming Reggae Academy Awards being the nation’s first two domestically produced events honoring reggae.
Bounty Killer, Mavado, and Tarrus Riley all performed at a half-time concert during a friendly soccer match between Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz and Costa Rica. The Boyz were ultimately unsuccessful, falling to Costa Rica 0-1, after an 80th-minute goal from Costa Rica’s Victor Nunez.
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands reggae star Pressure Buss Pipe (or simply Pressure, to most fans) will debut a new video from his recently release Love & Affection album. The video for the Don Corleon-produced “So Appealing” will be shot this week in New York.
Several excellent artist profiles appeared in the reggae press last week. Singer Cherine Anderson, one of reggae’s most promising new female artists, is a Sly & Robbie protégé who has racked up recent appearances on singles and videos. Ms. Anderson will be on tour this spring and summer with Sly & Robbie’s Taxi band showcase. Elsewhere, Tarrus Riley, who many reggae fans regard as 2007’s best new artist, “>shared his views on his career, women, technology, and the music industry.
Bunny Wailer’s daughter, Ngeri Livingston, who now records as Sensi Love, was the surprise musical guest Wednesday, February 6 at the 16th Bob Marley Bash in Negril, Jamaica. The Atlanta-based Livingston has kept her music career a secret from the public, and her famous father, until now.
Early bird tickets for Northern California’s Reggae Rising concert are available now. The outdoor show takes place August 1-3 in Piercy (Humbolt County), CA, and will feature UB40, Junior Reid with Andrew & Wada Blood, Don Carlos, Gentleman, Tanya Stephens, Black Uhuru (special set featuring Don Carlos and Junior Reid with Sly & Robbie), and more to be announced.
Dutch website Reggae Vibes has a unique reggae time machine. Go to the Charts tab and click Revive Top 10, for a peak back at the U.K.-based magazine Echoes‘ Top 10 albums from 30 years ago. The chart for February 1978 included (from 1 to 10) Hot Rocks’ Mash Down, Hortense Ellis’ Unexpected Places, Trinity’s Starsky And Hutch, Hugh Mundell’s Book Of Life, Dillinger & Trinity’s Jesus Dread, Wailing Souls’ Bredda Gravalicious, Dennis Reid’s Land Of The Rising Sun, Burning Spear’s Throw Down Your Arms, Horace Andy’s Higher Range, and Bongo Gene Campbell’s Skyjack.
Billboard’s February Top 10 Reggae Albums
1. Bob Marley Forever Bob Marley (Madacy)
2. Collie Buddz Collie Buddz (Columbia)
3. Ky-Mani Marley Radio (AAO)
4. Putumayo Presents: Latin Reggae (Putumayo)
5. Shaggy Intoxication (VP)
6. Stephen Marley Mind Control (Universal)
7. Reggae Gold 2007 (VP)
8. Strictly The Best 38 (VP)
9. Strictly The Best 37 VP)
10. Notch Raised By The People (Machete)
Prepare yourself for one of the best techno mixes of the past few years. The mastermind of hard techno has compiled over 40 tracks into a seamless mash-up of electro, house, funk, disco, and relentless tribal-techno stomp. Over a quarter of the tracks are from the hands of Mr. Sims, while those from Paul Mac, Mark Broom, DJ Rush, James Ruskin, and Mark Williams also factor in heavily. The mix starts with a bit of sample slice-up, and quickly moves into steady, filtered key stabs followed by absolutely pounding, driving 4/4 bumps. Showing off with screaming acid basslines, dubby effects, and dirty ghetto-tech cuts, Sims never lets up. Imagine a night of spastic hard house, full of DJ trickery, hard mixes, and thumping percussion, and you’ll still only be half way there.
