Alright, sorry for the brief intermission, but I was enjoying my damn self way too much- first in tropical Guatemala, and then on the snowy slopes around Lake Tahoe. Today’s post is no best-of, but if you read this blog you already have a pretty good idea of my favorites from last year. There were a ton! Aside from the general lack of money in the industry at large (outside of the uber-pop single-slangers who monopolize most commercial radio), I really can’t complain about the state of music right now. The things I was loving that I didn’t post here, were the too-obvious ones that you probably heard a million other people raving about already (hello, Kendrick Lamar). Certainly no hater of best-of lists, check Anthony Valadez’s for a good one, I was extremely honored to see my Mystery Trip mix included on the Sasha Frere-Jones 2012 list for the New Yorker. Yeah, I was as amazed as you. Apparently I have some highfalutin fans! So here’s to another year bouncing past on a rushing river’s worth of good music.

Rhye :       Hunger &       3 Days
more from these 2 guys! If I did have a best-of list, they would certainly be on it.

Gramme :       Too High &       I Can't Resist (Leo Zero Remix)
simple and repetitive to the point where it’s almost stupid, and that’s precisely what makes it so great. EP is available here.

Late Nite Tuff Guy :       Do I Believe In God
nice rework of one of my favorite Prince songs- and it still sounds futuristic!

Psychemagik :       Dreams (Crystal Visions Remix)
while we’re on a roll of classics getting re-worked, here’s a nice tweak of Fleetwood Mac.

Kruse & Nuernberg ft. Stee Downes :       Love Can't Break You Down (Shur-I-Kan's 80's Mix)
doesn’t really sound too 80’s to me, more like contemporary indie pop, which is certainly close, but not completely the same.

Jessie Ware :       Running (Disclosure Remix)
Artful Dodger :       Please Don't Turn Me On (Disclosure Remix)
couple great remixes from one of my new favorites in the world of house music

Plezier :       Plezier Anthem
anthem indeed. This one kind of epitomizes the resurgence of 2-step / 90’s house swing that I’m loving.

Mystikal :       Hit Me
total wild card, but I was ridiculously happy to hear the No Limit soldier put this out, semi-fresh from jail.

Comin at you live and direct all the way from Guatemala– here’s a new one for you hot off the mixing board! In honor of this very special solstice, the ending of a 5,125 year Mayan calendar cycle, and the dawning of a new era of higher consciousness… I present you with this tropical tribal dancefloor heater. Cut me some slack on the artwork since I did it on the redeye flight coming down here (with turbulence & crying babies to boot). I hope you find a way to play this loudly at a holiday party, surprising the hell out of the unsuspecting guests, and then break out into some ferocious ancestral dance moves. Free download, once again…

Last night I was lucky enough to witness, first-hand, a musical experience that I had previously believed existed solely in the privileged memory of concert-goers’ past. On the same stage, performing live: Sly Stone, Shuggie Otis, Leon Ware, Zap Mama, Seu Jorge, James Gadson, Coco O. Oh yeah, George Clinton was there too, just hanging out! Since funk and soul were some of the main driving forces that lead my life into Deejay-dom and beyond, it was a magical moment to say the least. HUGE thanks and respect to Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and ArtDontSleep for making it happen. If I wasn’t leaving for Guatemala tomorrow I’d take more time to elaborate on exactly how amazing it was, and possibly even spend some time digitizing old vinyl to share with you, but… I’m on the run. In a very soulful mood, I’m sharing with you some new and old cuts that I think should help convey a touch of what it was that went down.

Courtney John & Ticklah :       Born To Fly
so happy about this collabo. Probably my favorite contemporary reggae crooner teaming up with one of my favorite producers in ANY genre- Dap Kings, Antibalas, Amy Winehouse secret weapon- the inimitable Ticklah. Get the 7″!

Bruno Mars :       Show Me
rare that I post from an artist as pop as Bruno, but this dude is doing it so much more legit that some other pop acts out there. Jus sayin…

Bomba Estereo :       El Alma Y El Cuerpo
one of my favorite bands in S. America. So good live, and this song in particular (which sounds very reminiscent to a certain K. Frimpong track), absolutely slays me. Get the whole new album here.

Sandra de Sá :       Olhos Coloridos
funky Brazilian classic, since I’m feeling inspired by Seu.

Trio Ternura :       A Gira (Mr Mendel Edit)

Sunshine Anderson :       Heard It All Before (Quantic Remix)
not new, but still sounding great.

Tommy Stewart :       Bump & Hustle
classic. Still don’t have this on vinyl.

Fonda Rae :       Over Like A Fat Rat (Edit)
early 80’s disco gem

First Choice :       Let No Man Put Asunder (Moplen Reprise) &       Love and Happiness
10 mins of pure dancefloor goodness. And the female take on Al Green‘s staple.

The Decoders :       Walk On By ft. Noelle Scaggs
killing yet another soul cover, these LA locals are someone to be watching closely in 2013

Resonators :       Surrender Dub
top notch British reggae from my friends at Wah Wah records. Get the whole dub EP for free.

As the year comes to a close, rather than putting together a “Best of 2012″, I made an eclectic mix of sounds to help you reflect on the past 12 months while dancing your way into the future. From mid-tempo head nodders, to funky-house dancefloor fillers, and then out into some very deep and soulful selections, these 60mins should take you on a nice little trip around the sonic solar system. Featuring new music from Bomba Estereo, Rhye, Recloose, Superhuman Happiness, Tensnake, Tuesday Born and more. Some of these songs will be familiar to you, but about 1/3 haven’t been featured here yet, and of course even the songs you know always sound a little different in the mix. Full tracklist and download available on the BrooklynRadio page.

Brand new heat for you just when it’s starting to get colder outside. This is an old folk song from Zimbabwe updated for current ears and asses Captain Planet stylee. ChigiyoMaster is the lead guitarist for the legendary Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited. This is just the first taste of what we started when I recorded with them back in the Spring (damn so long ago already). Expect more collabos with the group soon… Also, the song is a free download, just gotta “LIKE” my facebook page alright?

The end of an era at least. Quetzalcoatl is returning, ya know, nothing too major. I’m gladly going to be down in Mayan turf (Lake Atitlan, Guatemala) for the solstice, which I’m very excited about. Rather than thinking of it as an apocalypse, I prefer picturing it as the dawn of a higher consciousness- perhaps presenting us with the emergence of a newly evolved funk. Then again, maybe I’m getting my hopes up too high. Some nice selections today that keep me daydreaming more than I probably should. And the pic above comes from the legendary Danny Lyon who has a great retrospective show up now at the De Young museum in SF which I checked out while I was in the Bay last week.

Superhuman Happiness :       See Me On My Way
rad coming together of musicians from Antibalas, Phenomenal Handclap Band, TV on the Radio and more… This song indeed makes me superhappy and I’m definitely lookin forward wo more from this gang.

Boyz Noize :       What You Want (Chromeo Remix)
bout time I had something new from Chromeo. All the right elements are here: vocoder, 80’s synths, disco bass, boogie guitar chops and some simple heartfelt whiteboy vocals.

Steve Bug :       Moment Of Ease ft. Emilie Chick
nice bouncy pop joint with a touch of jazz from Mr. Bug.

Andrew Ashong :       Take It Slow
yessssss. Even if you’re the type of person who rarely is willing to drop $12 on a 12″, this one is worth it!

Tiger & Woods :       Curb My Heart ft. 'EM
nu-80’s boogie ish from this mysterious disco duo

Canyons :       Tonight &       See Blind Through (Mic Newman Remix)
pretty late on discovering these guys, but I’m real glad I did. Slightly experimental indy-rock with some solid disco and electronic moments.

Lane 8 :       For You
haws muzzik (gotta say it with a German accent to sound correct). Loving the classic smooth late-night sound that this producer has been consistently putting out.

Letherette :       Warstones &       Surface
funky fresh beats and head trip shit taken from this great EP.

Lapalux :       The Hours
heavily compressed head nod business from this Brainfeeder crew member.

Flight Facilities :       Claire de Lune
really cool to hear something so atmospheric and chilled out from these funky Aussies.