Maybe it’s because I haven’t had solid food in 8 days (back on the master cleanse), but this week’s downtempo psychedelic soul installment seems super appropriate. I’ve been floating a foot and a half off the ground, and moving a lot slower than my normal bustle. Hope you don’t mind slowing down with me for a minute while listening to these choice selections.

Robert Glasper Experiment :       Afro Blue ft. Erykah Badu (9th Wonder Remix ft. Phonte)
the features may seem excessive when written out, but I’m so happy to hear these vocalists together on one song. Sure, sounds like it could be 2000, but that vibe will never not be good to me. Little Brother lives!

Miguel :       Gravity &       Kaleidoscope Dream
the general vibe of this album is more electronic & even kinda 80’s rock-ish than I would have expected, but when the dude let’s loose on some simple head nod grooves, sick songs like these result. There’s also Adorn, which is amazing.

Chris Turner :       Liquid Love (og version)
lying in bed, post coitus, this is exactly what your endorphin flooded brain fiends. I swear I know the sample, but can’t place it… anyone help me out?

S3 (Miles Bonny & Brenk Sinatra) :       Don't Stop
been liking what I’ve been hearing from Mr. Bonny lately, but the simple swingin production on this one takes it up that extra notch.

Maze Hill :       Long Haul (LV Remix)
space is the place. I love how this track evolves. First heard LV on his (her? their?) excellent Scrimshire remix.

The Stepkids :       Sweet Salvation
probably my favorite cut of the bunch today, and one I’ve been fiending since I first heard it on the radio a month ago. Absolutely love the harmonies and trippy breakdowns. Godbless you Stepkids.

Tame Impala :       Mind Mischief
ok, now we’re moving into straight psych zone, where these guys are the current heavyweight champs of the known universe! I haven’t done it yet, but this album sounds like it was made to accompany a mushroom trip.

Diplo :       About That Life ft. Jahan Lennon
I love how versatile this guy is. From producing for Beiber and Usher, to making the hardest electro bangers, to this rootsy psych shit. I can’t lie, that’s mad inspiring to me.

Superhumanoids :       Too Young For Love
sprawling and grimey indie synth goodness from this group. And it turns out they’re at the Echo all month including tonite, gotta check that.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti :       Baby
these guys get extra points on the record nerd tip for doing a cover from Donnie & Joe Emerson.

New MTR podcast is up! Some familiar tracks on here if you’ve been checking the site, but also a handful of newbies that I haven’t posted. I was feeling pretty groovy this week, so pardon my disco. Also some nice funky electro remixes, house joints, and some smoothed out downtempo loveliness to finish it off. 60mins of non-stop good music, accompanied by my not so velvety voice. Gotta give a shout to Drea up in Oregon for the ill pic today. Seems very appropriate, because while Summer may officially be over, the heat shows no signs of letting up. Get the full tracklisting and a download of the show on the Brooklyn Radio page.

Do I really need any excuse to play the funky shit? I guess lately I’ve been feelin the need to go back to what got me into music in the first place.  While I may not have grown up at the roller disco, I’ve always had a serious soft spot in my heart for those tunes. If you hear a deluge of disco edits and breaks start to flood this place, please excuse. On the flip side, if I start posting all the underground hip hop that I was obsessed with in the late 90’s and early 00’s, then feel free to stop me, cause most of that stuff can stay buried for a while longer without me complaining one bit. Also, some of these tunes today are at lower bit rates than I normally like to post, so if you have a nice clean rip at a higher rate, send it my way… Shout to my girl Leesie-bo for today’s epic graphic.

Brooklyn Express :       You Need A Change Of Mind one of my favorite 12″s I’ve discovered so far this year. Marvin meets James Brown with Brooklyn boogie all over it

Imagination :       Just An Illusion &       So Good

Herbie Hancock :       Stars In Your Eyes

Ozone :       Strutt My Thang

Jimmy Bo Horne :       Spank

Eddy Grant :       Time Warp
yes, Metro Area’s “Muira” is a blatant rip-off (done well at least) of this classic. Used to rock this all the time…

Arts & Craft :       I've Been Searching
I got hip to this one from disco digging kingpin Al Kent.

Cameo :       The Sound Table
another old ‘secret weapon’ of mine that got a lot of spins when I first discovered it around ’03. Still sounding fresh.

Konk :       Baby Dee

Bush Tetras :       Can't Be Funky

So. Hot. Mind been melting the past couple days. Thankfully, working on music is sometimes easier when you stop thinking. I’ve also been painting boomboxes and wrapping up this Stupid Hype soundtrack- more info on both of those projects soon. For now, I’m taking a nice little break to bounce around in my room with an icey beverage and 3 different fans blasting at my crotch from different angles. If this ain’t the definition of YOLO, I don’t know what is. Also gotta take a quick second to shout out Op Art master Bridget Riley for the painting above. Ok, Over and out.

Alison Valentine :       Peanut Butter (Moon Boots Remix)
Smooth and thumping at the same time is not an easy feat to pull off, but this guy is managing all that and then some.

The Very Best :       Yoshua Alikuti &       Mghetto (ft. Xuman)
Big big album from this dynamic duo. I was a little thrown off by the heavy use of reverb throughout the album, but the epic 80’s stadium vibe is growing on me.

TNGHT :       Goooo
I’m officially tired of names that remove all vowels, however, that’s not enough peev to keep me from going ape over this track. The video helps too.

Lloydski :       Go To Sleep (La Royale's Do Not Sleep Version)
Funky mid-tempo electro bounce that reminds me a bit of the better work by these guys. Check out more from the young funky Mexican who goes by La Royale right here.

SoulParlor :       Now! (Souled Remix)
house music done right. Old school bounce with plenty of bass. If ya don’t know, now ya know…

Lane 8 :       Thinking About You
Been digging a lot of 70’s & 80’s disco edits lately, but this dude went and removed Stevie altogether, and it still works! More from this San Franciscan disco dude right here.

Oliver Cheatham :       Get Down Saturday Night (Black Amex Dub)
Speaking of disco edits… check out a bunch more of the good stuff from these Denver, Colorado heads.

Blood Orange :       Sutphin Boulevard &       S'Cooled
Super late on this guy, but whatever. If I missed it then probably some of yall did too. Smooth indie dread head that I’m sure Frank Ocean listens to.

Jessie Ware :       Swan Song &       Sweet Talk
I can kind of understand why it took so long for someone to attempt emulating the inimatble Sade (she’s close to untouchable), but I gotta admit Ms. Ware is doing a damn good job at it. The production on this whole album is bananas.

Full Crate :       Cherrie Hats (ft. Chris Turner) &       Wet
late night soulful heady beats from the Netherlands, made by this man. Making me miss Amsterdam…

Nothing crazy here, just a nice lil throwback reggae stepper’s mix of this new one from Bibi Tanga & The Selenites. I’ve been a fan of these guys since this joint was in regular rotation, so I was happy to oblige when asked to do a remix. It’s a little more old-school feeling than most of my recent tracks, but it seemed appropriate with the vibe of the vocals. Check the soundcloud for a very different take on it from fellow LA heads Mathieu Schreyer & Computer Jay. It’s a free download, so share away…

***UPDATE*** Alternate download link here:       My Heart Is Jumping (Captain Planet Remix)

I don’t really know where to begin in relaying any type of accurate account of the past two weeks. My friends had tried to warn and prepare me, but how do you get ready to visit an entirely alternate world? I’ll have to sit with my thoughts and experiences for a while longer before I can make any real sense of what it was. The enormity of the city (yes, it’s a fully functioning metropolis) was so great that even after constant exploration, I saw maybe 1/3 of it while I was there. Music (especially BASS) was constant- from all angles, at every hour, loud as hell. While I was somewhat correct in my fear of too much dubstep (and trance), I managed to find plenty of alternatives. I’m already scheming how to bring my own soundsystem out there next year so that the presence of good music will not be an issue. The whole experience was so much bigger than the music or a festival. At it’s core, what I took away, and what I’m already missing, was an overwhelming sense of pure freedom and expression. I feel extremely grateful to have access to that. Sorry, hippie rant over.

In other news… I was very sad to hear about the loss of DJ Matthew Africa. His Soul Boulders mixes were staple listening for me. O-Dub has written some really nice things about him.

Also, for anyone in the LA area, tomorrow night I’ll be kicking off my new Saturday residency at the Virgil alongside my homie and mixmaster comrade Canyon Cody. Come out ready to sweat, cause it’s a dance party!

Pretty Lights :       Fill Your Eyes ,       High School Art Class , &       Double Love
this dude is the un-official soundtrack of Burning Man. Aside from a couple cuts I hadn’t been that crazy about his music, but now I see where it comes from and how it fits in, so I guess I’ve been converted.

Hot Chip :       Look At Where We Are Now (Major Lazer vs Junior Blender Remix) &       How Do You Do (Todd Terje Remix)
as if these guys weren’t good enough already, they went and got remixed by some of the best

Maddslinky :       Special ft. Omar (Simbad 4x4 Remix)
great dub version of this tune as well. Shouts to Garth Trinidad for turning me on to it

Little Dragon :       Sunshine
they can do no wrong

Midnight Magic :       Same Way
nice mid-tempo space disco jam perfect for lazy afternoon beer drinking

Robin Hannibal :       Sneak Preview
somehow I slept on this gem from the guru of smooth

Hiatus Kaiyote :       Nakamarra &       The World It Softly Lulls
great soul jazz & future beat album from these Aussies.

Mishal Moore & DJ Fonti Project :       Let's Roll
don’t know how I got this, but I dig the minimalism meets 808’s

AlunaGeorge :       Your Drums
another hit from these young Brits. Very much lookin forward to more

Young Wonder :       Orange
great mix of electronic styles on this heavy head nodder

Anthony Valadez :       Sunny Spot &       Walking Away ft. Damon Aaron
taken from a very nice and surprisingly mellow album by this LA DJ who I’ve seen rock parties on several occaisions