Blog: WORD

Yes, they are back. The daddys of sample music have returned with one of the most surprising albums I've heard in a long time. Virtually silent since their last full album, Let Us Play , Jonathan More and Matt Black, have concocted an immaculately written and produced opus with Sound Mirrors . I wasn't sure what to expect from this when it started to sound like a overloaded guest pop album. It certainly does have a lot of guests, from Roots Manuva, Jon Spencer, and Mike Ladd to Amiri Baraka, Robert Owens, and John [...]

OH MY. I've been anticipating the release of Waxfactor's Sci Fu for almost a year. It's had some release setbacks, but it's now set to release March 13th. In the style of the Dday One megamix by 2tall below, the incomparable and all around nice guy Buddy Peace (the genius behind the A Crew Called Self mix for Boomkat) has done a spectacular 15 minute megamix for Sci Fu . To borrow a couple phrases from the Needlework Records camp, it's AYO STRATE HEAT HOLLA WHAT. This is truly a megamix in [...]

Mr Cooper's Amongst Strangers was just released in Japan on Wimm Recordings , and it's a lovely, beautiful piece of work. Fusing guitars, beats, and atmospherics, it never goes down the "trip-hop/acid jazz" path, but instead wears it's love of hip-hop, folk, and songwriting all up and down it's 12 numerically titled tracks. Mr Cooper's cred is well established with groups such as Amateur Dramatics (with Legs) and Lex recording group Mummy Fortuna's Theatre Company (with Sketchie). This debut solo album is a welcome instrumental turn for him, and should be right up the [...]

I promise this blog won't turn into the Needlework PR agency, but hot on the heels of yesterday's fantastic Dday One sampler comes the sampler to what has been touted as the one of the all time great mixes. Long (long, long, long) in the making, Rhythm Incursions presents Up The Anti finds the Rhythm, Inc. boys (Mr Trick and Waxfactor) collaborating on a gigantic mix that takes in all the things we know and love their radio show for. This sampler is the first 10 minutes of said mix. It's total insanity, feel with crazy [...]

Yesss! The Year of the Needle finally begins, as Trick and co. finally unleash some tastiness that is forthcoming from their label this year. If you've talked to me about music for more than 2 minutes lately, you know I'm a huge fan and supporter of the Needlework Records and Rhythm Incursions crew. The first album release out of the gate for them this year is a CD reissue of Dday One's Loop Extensions , which was put out as a very limited vinyl release last year, and immediately sold out. The CD [...]

The mix album is becoming a frequent occurence on my buying lists these days. Not just a mix, and not quite a fully produced album, but it operates somewhere in between. You're going to be seeing more of those reviewed here soon, but one of the best ones out there right now is David Castillo's Do Your Thing mix, which is available from TurntableLab at the moment. The meticulous and expertly put together package is really impressive for what I can only guess is a fully self produced release. The packaging is simple, but with a [...]

I was going to be updating the blog in a couple days with a write-up on J Dilla's fantastic Donuts album, anyway, but today's news that he has died made me step on it. I had just recently started getting really into this important hip hop producer through his more recent instrumental stuff...this is a true loss, he was an artist of the highest caliber. Donuts in particular was a revelation for me...a freewheeling psychedelic beat tape that covers all the bases and never drags. And it was just released [...]

So I went and spent some time to un-template this blog in the hopes that it will make me use it more. Hope you like it! Be sure to look for reviews, links, and news here this year. I'm working on an email notification thing, will let you all know when it's up and working. To christen my first post of the new look, I've got a treat here for you. My friend Waxfactor went on a bit of a nutty today about Smaze, the amazing producer responsible (with Zane3) for the legendary Beneath Autumn [...]

In the interest of continually becoming a better person, I have included mp3s with each of my "best of" choices this year. So now you can get a little taste of what I'm talking about. I had to lock this list before it got too out of hand, because I kept wanting to add more and more notable things. Like I couldn't figure out where to put Midaircondo's track "Serenade," which sends shivers up my spine, but the album isn't better than any of my top 20...oh well. Hope you enjoy reading and listening to my list. Please [...]

Thought I would use this space to possibly recommend some music I have bought recently. P-Love - All Up In Your Mind (Bully Records) P-Love rose to fame helping Kid Koala on his tours, both being Montreal natives. Then Marco Bully got a hold of him to do some 73s for his Sixtoo affliated label. This is a lovely lovely album, full of warm and beautiful melodies, crisp drums, and uncommon for an album of this sound...it's all played live, mostly by P-Love himself. Instrumental hip hop with an electronic [...]

I own it. It's got my name on it.