That’s Seu Jorge strumming in front of an installation by Os Gemeos at the opening for the Art In The Streets show at MOCA a little while back. When one of my favorite musicians is playing behind a drum kit customized by a pair of my favorite artists (Gemeos are identical twins), I call it a good night. Funny thing too, there wasn’t even a crowd around Seu, he was just quietly jamming and most people didn’t even look twice! All the songs I’m sharing today are good on that level of greatness. Nothing in your face, nothing that will make you throw beer bottles at the stage, just mellow mood makers.

Boom Clap Bachelors :       Løb Stop StÃ¥ &       Testikularitet
more goodness from Robin Hannibal and crew, who’s officially one of my favorite producers out right now.

Nova Nova :       Prisoner's Song
not sure what language this is, but the way she floats over this 5/4 groove gives me goosebumps
**UPDATE**  Vocals on this track come from Hungarian singer Márta Sebestyén (thanks N!)

Seu Jorge & Almaz :       Everybody Loves The Sunshine &       Cirandar
I’ve had this album for a while, but was waiting for the right moment to drop these goodies

Ducktails :       Hamilton Road
lo-lo-lo-fi indie sounds from New Jerseyan Matthew Mondanile.

Ocote Soul Sounds :       Pirata
off the latest release Taurus from Martin Perna & Adrian Quesada (Antibalas/Daptone crew members).

League :       Golden Maps
this one popped into my inbox and I’m happy it did. Check out more from these guys here.

Brandt Brauer Firck :       Bop
acoustic techno? Yes. Check them out here.

Blundetto :       Nautilus (ft. Shawn Lee)
reggae take on the Bob James beat digger classic. This whole album is great.

Crafty ole Gilles Peterson put together a contest to remix select tracks off his last album, recorded in Havana. If it had just been a chance to remix these great Cuban musicians, I probably would still have done it, but as extra incentive, the winner gets 2 tickets to attend the Rotilla Festival of Electronic Music in Cuba. That lit the fire under my ass and put me to work. Here’s what I came up with. If you like it, and want to help me possibly get to Cuba (where I would absolutely love to go), then please take 15 seconds to vote for my remix right here (no email or login required- just scroll down to mine on page 2). Either way, I’m glad I had the opportunity to remix this and I’ll make a download available soon…

La Revolucion Del Cuerpo (Captain Planet Remix) by ChuckWild

Back in NYC, crashing on couches, having lots of fun on all levels, on every front, all the time. A soundtrack of pure hot sauce is the only thing on my menu right now. Thanks god we have dudes like these guys, reminding us that too much of a good thing is not too much at all. The whole album is fire, as to be expected, but I’m particularly feeling this collabo with Santigold. Also just got turned onto Frank De JoJo‘s version of the Larry Young beat digger classic “Turn Off The Lights” (which I featured on Captain’s Crate back in the day). While the OG version is kinda unfukwitable, JoJo’s updated grimey bass falls right in line with The Beasties dirty wah-wah clavinet on “Make Some Noise”. While we’re at it, I figured any excuse to make a playlist of distorted basslines is a good one. Hot sauce, hot sauce, more hot sauce and a little sriracha on top.

The Beastie Boys :       Make Some Noise &       Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (ft. Santigold)

Frank De JoJo :       Turn Off The Lights
Came out back in 2000!?! Still sounds fresh

Saadi :       Below The Waist (cover of the Queen Ifrica classic)
From the Summer Of Saadi mixtape (2010) that I slept on. Check out Dither Down records for more hot sauce.

Blundetto ft. Hindi Zahra :       Voices (General Elektriks Remix)

Rob Roy :       Carmencita
Off his last mixtape/album King Warrior Magician Lover (free download), accompanied by this crazy sick video

Submotion Orchestra :       Finest Hour (Planas Remix)
the mellower side of dirty bass, I suppose this is like a subtle touch of wasabi in the sonic world of spice

Really proud to be a part of this latest release from Akwaaba Music (who, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a big fan of). Since 2008, founder Benjamin Lebrave has been digging up the hottest heat from Angola to South Africa and helping it get heard internationally. More recently, he’s been coordinating remixes from DJs and producers around the world. This latest effort comes from Ghanian Hiplife stars Ruff-N-Smooth. You can check out the original version of Azingele (produced by Richie) or hear them crushing it in a reggae stylee. Listen to my take on the track below, with plenty of grimey Brooklyn bass, and buy the whole set of quality remixes (including one by my BK brethren DJ Chicus) on the Akwaaba Bandcamp page.

Azingele (Chuck Wild Remix) by Akwaaba Music

And here’s a lower-bit-rate download of the track. If you’re feeling it please support by copping the hi quality MP3.

Ruff N Smooth :       Azingele (Chuck Wild Remix)

Yesterday was Record Store Day, which, if you’re like me, means very little, because every day that I pass a record store becomes record store day. However, because it was an official holiday, I felt obliged to go out of my way and find a new spot. In the ongoing effort to avoid more gloomy scenes like the ones pictured here, I encourage each and every one of you to pitch in and do the same. As we all know, once you’re inside the magical atmosphere of a good music emporium, you never know what you’re going to find. Whether it’s great music or great comedy that I stumble upon, I’m rarely disappointed. And while big record labels continue to struggle, and CD manufacturers shut down factories, vinyl sales are somehow still on the rise. Because I rarely have the time anymore to digitize my recently acquired bounty, I picked a very scattered selection today. But I also feel like it reflects the random nature of what you encounter at used record stores. Enjoy these songs, all from vinyl I’ve picked up in the past 9 months or so, and go find a new record store!

The Dance :       Tumble To The Power &       Past Is Past
I first heard about this record over at Waxidermy and had been on the lookout for a while. Thank you A1 in NYC (still one of the all-time greatest) for helping me check it off the want list. And if you want the whole record, Other Music has made it available digitally.

Ozo :       Listen To The Buddha
I found this 7″ (along with a bunch of other good ones) in Detroit at People’s Records (pictured above) when I was driving x-country last summer.

Orchestre Baobab :       Sibou Odia
Good Records NYC gave me this one for a great price because of a little water damage to the cover. This place always surpasses its name.

Muscle Shoals Horns :       Addicted To Your Love
I think I first heard this song on the legendary Soul Boulders mix, but I just pulled it recently, can’t remember where.

Freda Payne :       Suddenly It's Yesterday
This one’s been a repeated revelation- those strings! Ameoba SF comes through yet again.

Johnny Thunder :       I'm Alive
not to be confused with the guy from The New York Dolls, I learned about this Johnny from Doc Delay at Good Records NYC.

Ben Aiken :       If I Told You Once ( I Told You A Million Times)
It’s a little hard to play this one on repeat because it reminds me of my last girlfriend, but then I listen to “I’m Alive” again and feel better.

Not only am I jumping on the solo-artist-wagon, which is just as bad as the bandwagon, but I’m also a little late. Thing is, while avalanches of media praise tend to piss me off, it’s really the un-deserved or overhyped aspect of the barrage that suffocates me. The two artists I’m shouting out today are fully deserving, and while I may be a few months past the crucial blogosphere instant-hype deadline, I truly believe these are songs that will stay with me for a long time. Minimal, moody, bass heavy, acoustic-meets-glitch. These latest albums from The Weeknd and James Blake are helping me hear the future.

p.s.– I cleaned up our blogroll links. Got rid of dead ones and added a couple newbies. Click away and continue your mp3 quest.

The Weeknd :       High For This &       The Morning
Crooning like the best of em.  This is my new favorite sex album, and it’s free.

James Blake :       Wilhelms Scream &       Limit To Your Love (Feist cover)
From his debut full-length. Check his 4 prior EP’s for more of the craziness.

Untold :       Stop What You're Doing (James Blake Remix)
Little something extra that I pulled off this dubstep comp.