DO YOUR HOMEWORK

 

Pittsburgh underground legends Grand Buffet aka Jackson O’Connell-Barlow and Jarrod Weeks make synth-driven, intelligent, indie hip-hop.

Long player ‘King Vision’ is the seventh release by the duo and it marks their tenth year as a group, they’re definitely coming in from the left of the field and previous highlights include ‘Oh My God You’re Weird’ and ‘Murderfuck’. 

Out through Fighting Records earlier this month the album is a definite departure from their previous material and although the requisite low-fi production still remains the songs themselves offer a wider range of styles and influences, with Eels and Beck springing to mind.  

Lyrically, this time around atleast, the main themes of the album are those of individual freedom and self-empowerment, with a nod to those ‘darker’ forces that rule the world. 

The duo tour constantly and have appeared with Of Montreal and Streetlight Manifesto, and they’re currently midway through some Florida dates with Girl Talk. Check ‘em out. 

mp3: grand buffet - dark autumn.

FANCY DANCING

image: maddy julien

This Busy P remix of the track ‘What’s Your Name Again? by ace French garage rockers Fancy has been around for a long time, having first appeared a year ago on the Ed Banger head honcho’s ‘Rainbow Man’ release. It’s the real Ed Banger deal, which may or may not be a good thing depending on whether you’re tired of this stuff or not now.

The track has recently been re-issued on the flip of the 12” ’Fancy’ EP which is out through Disque Primeur. If you haven’t seen Fancy yet, or more notably, enigmatic frontman Jessie Chaton, all that will change if you’re going to catch Justice on the impending NME Brats tour, let’s just say he’ll leave an impression.

mp3: fancy - what’s your name again? (busy p remix).  

ARE YOU READY?

 

I try to dip into Kanye’s blog on a daily basis and if you’re not you should take a look. Such is life, I hadn’t looked on it for a couple of days and he comes in with some big news about this summers ‘Glow In The Dark’ tour under the heading of ‘The End Of The World As We Know It’. The flyer is up as a taster (complete with very shady star wars lettering) and as yet there’s no dates, but I’d expect pretty good coverage. 

mp3: crs (lupe fiasco, kanye west, pharrell) - us placers.

SWEETEST BADU

I don’t normally post r&b but this new track ‘Honey’ is classic Erykah Badu, produced by 9th Wonder, it’s taken from the forthcoming album ‘New Amerykah’ which is set for a late February release. 

The Chris Robinson directed video is set in a record store - remember what one of those are? - with the singer going through racks of music, recreating the classic cover art of seminal albums from artists such as Eric B and Rakim, Funkadelic, Diana Ross, Grace Jones, Minnie Riperton, Chaka Khan, Nas, and De La Soul. Sweet.

mp3: erykah badu - honey.

PUCK ROCK MUSIC

Here’s an updated, polished and tighter version of the Dmitry Fyodorov track ‘1b-1′ that’s just been released on Adrian Recordings.

This has apparently been made with the help of black magic and ice hockey which sounds like a winning combination, so if you like your house music dark and distorted with a nod to the current French sound, then you’ll probably like this.

mp3: dmitry fyodorov - 1b- 1.

MIDWEEK MIX

 

Following the response to the last exclusive mix for these pages, here’s another top notch mix from Manchester DJ Mat Payne, which has been expertly crafted even though he’s got a perforated ear drum.

01. Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve - Space
02. Chemical Brothers - Battle Scars (Beyond The Wizards Sleeve Reanimation)
03. D.I.M. - Is You (JFK Remix)
04. Crookers - Big Money Comin’
05. Detboi - Gunshot Lean Forward (Andy George & JakZ Remix)
06. Brodinski - Bad Runner
07. Azzido Da Bass - Dooms Night (Crookers Bum Mix)
08. 909Disco - Donnerstag
09. Surkin - Radio Fireworks
10. Strip Steve - Pacey’s
11. Duke Dumont - Lean & Bounce
12. Autokratz - Pardon Garçon
13. Proxy - Decoy
14. Federico Franchi - Cream (Franchi Alternative Mix)
15. Simian Mobile Disco - 3 Pin Din
16. Tiga - You Gonna Want Me (Tocadisco Emergency Exit Remix)
17. Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler (Jesse Rose Remix)
18. Blende - Peaches (Les Petits Pilous Remix)
19. Altern 8 - Armageddon (Cosmo Remix)
20. Human Resource - Dominator (Hostage Ravemix)

Mat Payne - Exclusive GWTP mix Volume 2.

I HEART REVOLUTION

 

If you don’t know HEARTSREVOLUTION are Lo and Ben and their sound has been described as somewhere between HuggyBear and ‘The Virgin Suicides’ soundtrack by Air.

Some of you may remember the IHEARTCOMIX! remix contest at the end of last year  for their track ’CYOA’ or ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’.  The grand prize went to LA’s Dan Oh and his reworking will appear on the 12″ that is set for a March 11th release, alongside brand new remixes by Brodinski, CFCF, Lazaro Casanove and this one by Lauren Flax.

Also out in March, keep a look out for the IHEARTCOMIX Remix/Scion compilation that will feature a couple of Flosstradamus and LA Riots remixes of the duo’s tracks. 

mp3: heartsrevolution - c.y.o.a (lauren flax remix).

GHETTO FABULOUS

image: maurice asseraf.
Lastly today, just if you thought I’d gone soft on you (ahem..) here’s some Bloody Beetroots distorted goodness that you might have missed when it was originally posted on Pagette Music and Panda Toes. 

mp3: the bloody beetroots - detroit (ghetto edit).

WHO’S AFRAID OF DETROIT?

Check out the official video for the Claude VonStroke track. It’s a slick looking homage to the city.

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE

The new Gnarls Barkley album ‘The Odd Couple’ isn’t out until April but some of the tracks are floating around the internet ether and here’s one of them.

‘Run’ has got a definite retro feel and comes off like a cross between psyche-rock and motown, with added whistles. We always need more whistles.

mp3: gnarls barkley - run.

LOW END THEROY

So, this new single by Naledge and Double-O, aka Kidz In The Hall, is about driving in your car - a subject matter I try to steer clear of because I drive a lot for work and it’s boring - however the beats and rhymes are tight and intelligent so obviously exceptions can be made. Plus it does sound great in your car. 

A move away from their usual style, the track is taken from the duos sophomore album ‘The In Crowd’ which is their first for Duck Down and is set for an April release. The template for the track is the Masta Ace track ‘Born To Roll’.

mp3: kidz in the hall - drivin down the block.

WHAT’S GOLDEN

 

Here’s something a bit different in the shape of a nice slice of feel-good electrosoul from Los Angeles artist Sam Sparro.

Taken from his forthcoming debut album which is set to drop April 21st, ‘Black and Gold’ is out March 31st through Island UK and comes with remixes from Paul (Phones) Epworth and Al Usher.  

The track has received backing from the likes of Pete Tong, Mark Ronson and Basement Jaxx, and Popbitch recently said of the track ’Black & Gold is like mainlining sunshine!’. 

mp3: sam sparro - black and gold.

FOUR TO THE FLOOR

Yep, everybody is reforming and seminal UK post-punkers Gang Of Four are busy working on new material at the moment, some 15 years after the original line-up disbanded.

Currently recording at guitarist Andy Gill’s London studio, the groups new stuff is being released on a strictly on a D.I.Y basis, as bassist Dave Allen explains ‘We’re doing what bands ought to be doing. We’re writing. This time, there’s no label, no advice of the A&R and marketing folk’ he continues ‘We might be releasing the first single or four songs for free on the Internet, or on vinyl, or both, and just see what the marketplace is like. We’re trying to energize the base, and we know that we’re dealing with an enormous group of new and younger fans.’

Some reunions are so awful they’re barely worth contemplating ie. The Spice Girls, who rolled their brand of tired money making crap into town this weekend (they sold out the arena - unbelievable) and then you’ve got these guys who will hopefully show everyone how it’s done. Here’s a reconstruction of a classic cut from ‘Entertainment’ courtesy of Boston’s Death Row Archie that stays faithful to the original.

mp3: gang of four - outside the trains don’t run on time (death row archie remix).

FLYING BLIND

The vid for the Hercules And Love Affair track ‘Blind’ is here and has an ancient Greece type vibe about it that predictably ends up in a ritualistic orgy, but they didn’t have distractions like this internet thing back then, which may or may not be a good thing. The tune will be/is already big and is officially out March 3rd.

ROBOTIC REBOOT

Three robotic reworkings for the beginning of the week. Radioclit go crazy with Brodinski, Bart B More takes on the soon to be re-released Utah Saints classic, and Streetlife DJ’s work Public Enemy into the Busy P track.

mp3: brodinski - bad runner (radioclit techno jihad remix).
mp3: utah saints - something good (bart bmore remix).
mp3: busy p.e - get yo! rainbow man (streetlife dj’s cut n run remix).