This Madlib-produced track combines hardcore hip-hop with a slight old school feel, reggae and opera. Jaydee delivers a melodic verse about a ride that someone in the crew owns and what he might do if he gets lucky with it.
Footprints
Generals feat. Jean Grae, Trap Clappa, Cheech Marina, Daddy Mills, A.K., & MacGuyver
Nid & Sancy Talk to the Machine
Emerging from the smoky remains of the New Wave/electroclash burnout, Nid and Sancy‘s Talk to the Machine is an evil kitten stripped of glitz. Sancy demonstrates a hot vocal range throughout the album-the standout track “No Fuck All” sees her giving her best Siouxsie siren wail one moment, then jabbering with Peaches‘ fuck-off-and-dance resolve the next. Obvious comparisons to female vocalists aside, the record‘s industrial-dance formula succeeds with meticulously dark production and metallic sex appeal. While it shouldn‘t seem entirely new to anyone who remembers Nitzer Ebb, Talk to the Machine at least gives compelling reason to revisit the sound.
Mawglee The Out of Luck EP
Brighton, UK‘s Mawglee (Tru Thoughts) sees his mesmerizing downtempo jams reworked by New York‘s Zeb and Austrians Ed Royal & Enne. Mawg‘s original track “Sofa” blends psychedelic jazz samples with shuffling beats sure to please Peace Orchestra and Nightmares On Wax followers, while Zeb‘s expert one-drop dub version is brilliant organic roots. A fantastic release.
Laroque Throw Your Hands Up
After successful tunes on Defunked, GLO, and Hospital, Laroque takes his mature production style-replete with flute riffs and sweet chords led by propulsive drum arrangements-to a higher level. “Throw Your Hands Up” is anthemic but not cheesy, and features a superb piano interlude that should cause some big-room pandemonium. Fans of atmospheric jazzy d&b of the 1996 Adam F/Peshay/jJ Majik variety should look to Laroque for similarly timeless music.
Basic Soul Unit Oceans EP
Carl Craig, Kirk Degiorgio, B-12, Stacey Pullen, and Kenny Larkin: these are the founding fathers of a particular style of ambient jazzy techno, the lush electronic sound of ’92-’95. Toronto‘s BSU (whose previous singles were championed by Jazzanova and Chateau Flight) revisits this classic motif, blending waltzing keyboard solos with waves of Arp and string-pad chords. Unlike most monotonous techno, BSU’s rhythms skip and skitter while traveling at bullet-train speeds. Back to the future indeed.
Loer Velocity Break Out
Former Yonkers (now Bronx-based) lyricist Loer Velocity clearly loves the art of rhyming-a fact made obvious on this excellent three-track clear vinyl release. He earns the right to brag “Man, my tongue‘s just poised, laidback and technical/definitely unlike the backpacking rest of you.” On “Elegance” he rides a quiet storm beat to ill effect, while “Industry Standard” features Lifelong, Oktober, and Vast Aire-great to hear MCs doing it for the love.
Bruno Pronsato Wuorinen
Pacific Northwesterner Pronsato’s minimal techno owes as much to the traditions of Stockhausen and Cage as it does Herbert and Hawtin. His tracks unleash strange noises arranged in no particular logical order, but they entertain nonetheless. Microtonal synth shards flay to and fro across a shifting foundation of quicksand beats that disappear before your eyes. Jackmate contributes an austere remix for “Wuorinen,” while “Live In Cascadia” is seven minutes of perfectly barmy techno.
Giant Panda Superfly
The five-man “black/white/Japanese” posse that is Giant Panda isn’t waiting for Cold Crush to reform. Instead they’re charting their own group-focused course in hip-hop by dropping lively singles like “Superfly,” which follows the internationally acclaimed “With It.” B-side “90s” is a reminisce cut that laments the decade’s darker moments and details hip-hop highlights of the “middle school.” Bear witness.
