Amir Sulaiman is on a mission to revive posi-hip-hop one track at a time. This activist, writer and MC is at his most uplifting on “Change Gonna Come,” a politically conscious opus that’ll have backpackers and nu-soul devotees equally energetic.
Hyper-conceptualized (at least on its mascara-streaked face) electro-goth combo I Am Spoonbender’s long-awaited return outdoes even their 1999 three-sided LP Teletwin. Advertised as a subliminal advertisement for itself (also available for free download), Buy Hidden Persuaders, released here as a gatefold CD, is a paranoid commentary on losing oneself in ad saturation. The music tends toward a vocal-heavy, noise-shattered shade of IAS’ early “new new wave” synth-pop. In her finest half-there dramatics Robynn “Cup” Iwata sings, “We all need mirrors to know who we are now” after a layered noise break, which may or not be part of IAS’ own ad campaign… Of course, we’ll never know, and that’s the punchline to this San Francisco group’s recurring in-joke. But the real joke remains: Can IAS really “sell” listeners a free album?
New Zealand-based Violent Turd has yet to miss a beat in the Shotgun Wedding series–each one different than the last-and this seventh volume is no exception. The first mix is former Funkstorungian Chris de Luca crunking out and glitching up three dozen hip-hop jams-Missy, Luda, Kelis, Diddy, and more leftfield additions Traxamillion vs. Autechre, Edit, Krazy Baldhead-with lots of his own tweaks. Serious bounce. Phon.o goes for uptempo dance with chunky instrumentals from Stereotyp, Diplo’s Bmore cuts, his own crunchy synth productions, and a healthy dose of Justin Timberlake. It’s a great preview of the two artists’ influences as the world awaits their original album. For a good time, call De Luca and Phon.o!
Paris, especially in the wake of Ed Banger and Kitsuné, is easily imagined as a ceaseless rampage of chic-meets-shabby funk, where cocaine-rimmed martinis float on seas of demitasse-sized pupils. But amidst the blitz, Guillaume Teyssier has recorded an album acknowledging the true origins of skuzz. This Joakim-produced Petri dish fetishizes everything captivating about New York’s Lower East Side from 1965 (ie. The Velvet Underground’s debut) through the roiling early ’80s. The diffused pastiche draws on Lou Reed, Suicide, Rhys Chatham, and Talking Heads, plus dashes of honorary New Yorkers David Bowie and Iggy Pop. A wanton strut anchors the most sodden eddies, on this chameleonic effort of psyche-rock squalor and squall.
Sicilian-born, Queens-repping Jak Danielz is no new jack, yet he’s likely a new name to most outside of the East Coast. This cat’s discography is so sparse that you’d be hard pressed to find his releases (other than his new album) on store shelves. Released by San Francisco’s renowned Bomb imprint, this 14-track effort is a solid introduction to Danielz, the hip-hop purist with a heavy New York accent and an urgent flow. When joined by Juice Crew member Craig G on the thunderous banger “Hip Hop Manual,” Danielz proves that battle rap still has a place in hip-hop, even if only on an underground level. Not every punchline-centric track holds up quite as well here, but Danielz offers lyrical variety by rhyming about growing up an overweight outcast in Queens-not something your average tough-talking MC would readily cop to these days.
David Wang, a.k.a. Mochipet, has been involved in the experimental scene since the ripe age of 15. Releasing records for labels as diverse as Kid 606’s Tigerbeat 6, Schematic, and his very own Daly City records, the producer has become a denison of dark, eclectic, and spastic electronic music. For this exclusive XLR8R mix, Mochipet pulls out a gang of unreleased heaters, a bunch of Modeselektor and Spank Rock mash-ups, and Metallica! We’re thrilled.
Listen to this podcast, or subscribe to the series, using iTunes, or with an RSS reader of your choice.
Tracklisting
1. Metallica “Blackened” (Elektra)
2. Data “Paste Back” (Ekler’O’Shock)
3. Modeselektor “Kill Bill Original Mix” (Bpitch Control)
4. PU22L3 “Raving To Pieces (Mochipet Remix)” (Daly City)
5. Mochipet “Spankrock vs. Mochipet” (Unreleased)
6. Hexstatic “Auto” (Ninja Tune)
7. Jenny Goes Dirty “Amoureux Solitaires (Remote Remix)” (Kill The DJ/Tigersushi)
8. Siriusmo “Discosau” (Grandpetrol)
9. Knifehandchop “Tooty Fruity Booty” (White)
10. Apparat “Hold On (Modeselektor RMX)” (Shitkatapult)
11. Phon.o “Dumpsta Rallin’” (Shitkatapult)
12. Robosonic “Die Verwandlung (Christopher Just Remix)” (Undercoverart)
13. Mochipet “Crunktech” (Unreleased)
14. Mochipet vs. Spankrock “Farleft Soultrain Remix” (Unreleased)
15. Dopestyles Casual & Magz “Mr. Malaise & Friends (Mochipet Remix)” (Nightmaresoul)
16. Mochipet vs. Spankrock “Bump vs. Drop the Cellie” (Unreleased)
17. Forest Green vs. Modeselektor “Babus Dance 4 James Kim vs. Die Clubnummer” (Unreleased)
18. Norwegian Hood “Super Deadly Hate” (Norwegian Hood)
19. Mochipet “Nanu Nanu (Edit Remix)” (Unreleased)
20. Mochipet “Hope Again Feat. Mikah9 and Taiwankid (Deework Remix)” (Unreleased)
21. Mochipet and Slickrick “Ladi Daddy Live” (Unreleased)
22. Professor Bang “Put Your Joss On Me” (Unreleased)
23. Bloodysnowman “Drug Wreck (Clipd Beaks Remix)” (Daly City)
24. Bloodysnowman “Dead Raver Computer For Sale (Xiu Xiu Remix)” (Daly City)
25. Journey vs. [a]pendics shuffle “Mochipet Is Nuts” (Unreleased)
26. Mochipet “Randbient Works Tralphaz Remix” (Unreleased)
27. Mochipet “Do Geese See God?” (Daly City)
David Wang, a.k.a. Mochipet, has been involved in the experimental scene since the ripe age of 15. Releasing records for labels as diverse as Kid 606’s Tigerbeat 6, Schematic, and his very own Daly City records, the producer has become a denison of dark, eclectic, and spastic electronic music. For this exclusive XLR8R mix, Mochipet pulls out a gang of unreleased heaters, a bunch of Modeselektor and Spank Rock mash-ups, and Metallica! We’re thrilled.
Subscribe to this podcast: iTunes or mp3 format. For help, click here.
Tracklisting
1. Metallica “Blackened” (Elektra)
2. Data “Paste Back” (Ekler’O’Shock)
3. Modeselektor “Kill Bill Original Mix” (Bpitch Control)
4. PU22L3 “Raving To Pieces (Mochipet Remix)” (Daly City)
5. Mochipet “Spankrock vs. Mochipet” (Unreleased)
6. Hexstatic “Auto” (Ninja Tune)
7. Jenny Goes Dirty “Amoureux Solitaires (Remote Remix)” (Kill The DJ/Tigersushi)
8. Siriusmo “Discosau” (Grandpetrol)
9. Knifehandchop “Tooty Fruity Booty” (White)
10. Apparat “Hold On (Modeselektor RMX)” (Shitkatapult)
11. Phon.o “Dumpsta Rallin’” (Shitkatapult)
12. Robosonic “Die Verwandlung (Christopher Just Remix)” (Undercoverart)
13. Mochipet “Crunktech” (Unreleased)
14. Mochipet vs. Spankrock “Farleft Soultrain Remix” (Unreleased)
15. Dopestyles Casual & Magz “Mr. Malaise & Friends (Mochipet Remix)” (Nightmaresoul)
16. Mochipet vs. Spankrock “Bump vs. Drop the Cellie” (Unreleased)
17. Forest Green vs. Modeselektor “Babus Dance 4 James Kim vs. Die Clubnummer” (Unreleased)
18. Norwegian Hood “Super Deadly Hate” (Norwegian Hood)
19. Mochipet “Nanu Nanu (Edit Remix)” (Unreleased)
20. Mochipet “Hope Again Feat. Mikah9 and Taiwankid (Deework Remix)” (Unreleased)
21. Mochipet and Slickrick “Ladi Daddy Live” (Unreleased)
22. Professor Bang “Put Your Joss On Me” (Unreleased)
23. Bloodysnowman “Drug Wreck (Clipd Beaks Remix)” (Daly City)
24. Bloodysnowman “Dead Raver Computer For Sale (Xiu Xiu Remix)” (Daly City)
25. Journey vs. [a]pendics shuffle “Mochipet Is Nuts” (Unreleased)
26. Mochipet “Randbient Works Tralphaz Remix” (Unreleased)
27. Mochipet “Do Geese See God?” (Daly City)
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Mum will appear at the Iceland Airwaves festival.
Festivals: New York to Reykjavik
Everyone knows the Coachellas and Glastonburys of the festival world, but next up is something different, the New York-based Diamond Days, a psych festival of epic proportions that takes place from July 19-22, 2007. The event features Sunburned Hand of Man, Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, and Mythical Beast. Also, Reykjavík is home to the Iceland Airwaves Festival, which takes a closer look at the softer side of indie rock. Guests can expect artists like Múm, Of Montreal, and Deerhoof present. Sure, you can see all of those artists elsewhere, but can you see them in Iceland?
Hot Ticket
Just over a week ago, Japan’s ultimate psych-rock outfit Boredoms graced Brooklyn Bridge Park with their presence, performing the 77 Drum piece with, uh, 77 drummers. However, because too many tickets sold ahead of time, several people were denied entrance into the park to see the show. Thus, Jelly NYC and Going.Com have pledged to alleviate this problem for future summer shows, which include TV on the Radio. There will be a 3000 person pre-sale online, and a limited number of general admission tickets at the gate.
Cameron Octigan
Long Live the Bootleggers!
For anyone who isn’t sick of hearing about Justice (anyone?), Vice Records is bigging-up unauthorized, bootleg remixes of a certain, five-letter track by the Parisian duo, and in the spirit of community, has compiled some of the best bedroom DJ and professional versions of it. “D.A.N.C.E.,” in its many different forms, is now hosted the label’s Up Your Jaxxy MP3 blog, along with other Justice productions. Here’s to embracing creativity instead of suing people!
Adios, Audiofile
Any music fans who read Salon and have been used to filling up their iTunes with the site’s free downloads–which offer tracks by everyone from Kanye to Mogwai–can kiss those days goodbye. An announcement on the site simply says, uh, what I just said, that Audiofile will be discontinued. We await further explanation, but we like to think it was XLR8R‘s Downloads Section that made the uber-intellectual source throw in the towel.
Chances are, you will not be getting $7,000,000 to direct a widescreen space-age pop odyssey, as Mark Romanek did for Michael and Janet Jackson’s “Scream.” But it is eminently possible that you could direct a music video for your favorite indie artist. If that’s your dream, then Visual Rocks (IdN/Gingko Press; softcover/DVD, $29.95) might be your inspirational tool. The title highlights 19 music videos from the likes of Beck, Audio Bullys, and Pete Miser. No artist commentary here–this project emphasizes the creative teams (including MK12, Nylon Motion, and Nakd) behind the music. In the book and its accompanying DVD of interviews and videos, we watch Lightborne create a burning, paper-cut version of L.A. for Bad Religion, find out how Cat Solen got Evan Rachel Wood and Terrance Stamp to act out a plane crash for Bright Eyes, and follow Faile as they translate the heavy themes of power, corruption, and consumption into a video for France’s La Phaze. There’s not much glam here–sorry, Junior Hype Williams–but a ton of useful stories and tips make this the ideal package for frustrated creatives.
Artists do it all nowadays. They run their own labels and management companies, develop in-house talent and, apparently, produce riddim albums. By sheer luck or coincidence, this week, two of reggae’s most recognizable figures, Buju Banton (a.k.a. Gargamel), and Ghetto Youths International (a.k.a. The Marley Brothers), have both announced their impending riddim albums, featuring multiple artists on the same backing track.
Buju’s Gargamel Music, Inc. will release Buju Banton Presents: Excalibur Sound Vol. 2 – Smile, scheduled to hit stores in the US and Canada next Tuesday, July 24. The riddim recalls the positive vibes of Studio One and features an amazing lineup of artists, including Gargamel Music’s own New Kidz (on the title track) and Mitch, plus Anthony Cruz, Jah Cure, Tony Curtis, Lutan Fyah, Anthony B, and a fierce collaboration between Buju Banton and dancehall dynamo Sizzla, titled “All Shall Be Well.” Preview tracks are available at the Gargamel MySpace page.
Meanwhile, Damien Marley and fam the Ghetto Youths Intl. have linked up with rapidly rising producer Trevor “Baby G” James (son and protégé of Lloyd “King Jammy” James) to create the Gang War riddim album. The release features eleven versions from fourteen of dancehall’s biggest names, including Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, with his metaphoric “One Loaf of Bread (Something for You);” and two of the hottest newer hands in dancehall, hardcore singer Mavado and three-man vocal threat Voice Mail, joining Vybz Kartel.
The compilation is rounded out by cuts from Elephant Man, Bounty Killer, Sizzla Kalonji, and Wayne Marshall. The riddim has been described as “symphonic, with propulsive drumming and a repeating woodwind hook.”
Run by Stephen and Damian Marley, along with brother Julian, the Ghetto Youths International label is currently prepping albums by reggae singing sensation Javaughn and world-renowned rapper Mr. Cheeks. Gang War is in stores now.
