My good friend Skyla Stover has been lacing me with the latest Jamaican music on a monthly basis for a few years now. I’m not even sure how she stays so in touch with it while living in Brooklyn, but I think it’s safe to call her an aficionado. I asked her to write about some of her recent favorites for MTR:

“Dancehall music is not all that well known among us in the US, although it is increasingly becoming more popular these days. Most people have heard classics on the radio like Shabba Ranks ‘Mr. Lover Man’ , Beenie Man ‘Dude’ , and more recently,  Gyptian ‘Hold Yuh’. These hit songs are only a taste of the fun, dance-loving, Jamaican culture that produces hundreds of songs each month. A new development in dancehall culture, as of 2008, is the feud between two of the hottest artists- Vybz Kartel and Mavado. It began at Sting, one of the biggest shows held in Jamaica. Mavado and Vybz Kartel, who were once part of an alliance, battled their artistic skills lyrically against one another. It ended in a confusing mess of who won and now, three years later, there is still a beef. Fans choose between Vybz who is part of the Gaza side or Mavado who is part of the Gully side. You now hear many songs about Gaza/Gully (areas of Jamaica) and here are some to get you started! Lets not forget Jamaica, although a troubled country, is still full of beautiful people, great music and love. Keep hanging on Jamaica!

Vybz Kartel :       Dancehall Hero ,       Gaza Commandments ,
      Clarks (ft. Popcaan & Gaza Slim) &       Look Pon We (ft. Russian)

Mavado :       All Dem A Talk &       Stulla

Mr Vegas :       Sweet Jamaica

Spragga Benz :       Shotta Culture

Chase Cross :       Better Dayz

Seanizzle :       One Day

Just a few things that go bang. I am literally itching to DJ… need a new gig here in LA badly. If you want to have the illest wedding party, bday jump-off, warehouse rave, or bar mitzvah freak-out, you know who to call.

Buraka Som Sistema :       Buffalo Stance
remake of Neneh Cherry’s 80’s classic

DJ Zinc ft. Ms. Dynamite :       Wile Out
happy to hear something new from this miss, I’ve been missing her

MJ Cole ft. Serocee :       AO (Zed Bias Wind Up Mix)
more fiya

Original Chappa :       High Grade
dont even remember where I got this mp3

Tinie Tempah :       Pass Out
I’m not mad to be hearing this break on US radio. Probably my favorite beat in months

Ward 21 :       Bang Bang
vocoder meets crunk meets dancehall

Over the weekend I visited the Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain (that’s it above) in the middle of the desert. Chatting with Leonard, the 79 yr-old man who hand built the psychedelic mountain of latex & adobe, was followed by partying with a motley crew of nomads and drifters in the make-shift town of Slab City. Later that night, sleeping under the stars, we were hit by a freezing wind and sand storm. Basically, a fuckin awesome weekend! But yeah, that night was very cold. Today I was supposed to fly back to NYC for a show, but alas, the homeland is being bombarded by yet another snowstorm and all flights were cancelled. Hopefully I’ll make it there tomorrow, with a high temp somewhere in the teens to welcome me. In light of this winter cold front, today’s songs all sound chilly to me-enjoy the frostbite.

Adele :       Rolling In The Deep (Jamie xx Remix)
heard this on KCRW and it was love at first handclap

Plan B :       Prayin' (Breakage Remix)
sounding very reminiscent of  Burial, but I don’t mind

Jimmy Edgar :       Hot Raw Sex (Machinedrum Remix)
Machinedrum turned this song into a complete mindmelter

Tensnake :       Coma Cat
this one is actually a completely undisputable JACKING of this, but again, I don’t mind

Monyaka Band :       Street People (E's E Re-Dub)
the homies Names You Can Trust have a new site with more free funkiness for download

Roots Manuva & Wrongtom :       Dutty Rut
I know reggae normally feels tropical hot, but this whole album highlights the grimier (and colder) side of dub

That’s Not It Video (Directed by Va$htie) from Jasmine Solano.

I’ve always doubted that armageddon was due to hit in 2012 (sorry Nostradamus), but the way this year has kicked off for me, I’m beginning to change my tune. In times of stress and intense adversity, I turn to music for help. Listening helps change my mood, and making music is the best escape from reality I’ve ever found. So maybe as we approach the end of the Mayan calendar I’ll stay closer and closer to my keyboards.

Some of you will be familiar with my friend Jasmine Solano from her busy touring schedule (perhaps you’ve caught her live or DJ-ing in a city near you), or maybe from a track I posted here that we made together a while back. In any case, I definitely want to help her get some much deserved shine on MTVU. Check out her video and single and give it a vote so she can start being famous already! After that, proceed and listen to some other brand new hot shit that will help you focus on the progress of human artistic ingenuity- even in the face of the apocalypse.

And one last note… I know I’m not the man to do “best of’s“, BUT my old acquaintance with a penchant for all things psychedelic has put together another edition of his highly excellent “Splendid Moments” mixes. Go to PandemoniumJones.com to download 2010’s best trippy music.

Jasmine Solano :       That's Not It (produced by DJ Wonder)

Lykke Li :       Get Some (Beck Remix)
damn Beck, why you gotta be a Scientologist?!?

Yelle :       Safari Disco Club

Sensual Harassment :       Daddy Long Legs
get more free music from these guys HERE

Rafter :       No Fucking Around
get more free music from this guy HERE

DJ DRM & Captain Planet – Deep Thaw Mix by bastardjazz

While I was back in Brooklyn over the holidays, I caught up with funky tactician and mastermind behind Bastard Jazz Recordings– DJ DRM. We Threw a couple raging parties together, including a NYE bash that will live in infamy for many years to come, and managed to sneak in the recording of this Winter mix as well. We wanted to make a mix that sounded appropriate with 3 ft. high snowbanks outside, so while we dive into some deeper electronic sounds, there’s also plenty on here to warm the soul. Lots of classic favorites of ours from across the board, plus plenty of unreleased records forthcoming from Bastard Jazz, BSTRD Boots, Captain Planet himself (my oldest alter-ego), and some extended friends and family. Just click on the Soundcloud link for a complete tracklisting.

We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it.

best bevy of 2010- the “Knob ‘n’ Nog”

I always have a hard time picking favorites. I think I technically could make a “Best Of 2010” list, but it would be so all-over-the-place and seemingly random that it probably wouldn’t serve many of you readers anyway (Kanye & Mark Ronson would be on there next to The Black Keys and Quantic). In lieu of that, how about a handful of great new music that I just got? The best thing about the holidays is seeing family and friends, best thing about family and friends is raiding their music libraries. Looking back through my iTunes recent additions, I realize there was a gargantuan bucketload’s worth of great releases last year and I’m honestly pretty excited about the state of music right now. I’ve also been hard at work in the studio, so 2011 should see some new developments on that front as well…

Miami Horror :       Holidays &       I Look To You
these guys are giving Duck Sauce a run for their money.

El Guincho :       Bombay
wasn’t really feelin this dude’s first album, but Pop Negro is a big step up and the video for “Bombay” is bananas good (you will have to go through age verification to watch, but it’s worth it).

Fitz & The Tantrums :       Money Grabber (Party Supplies Remix)
fellow LA old souls get a nice rework here that’s definitely going to find it’s way into my DJ set

Hundred Strong :       Time ft. Amp Fiddler &       Find A Way ft. J Todd
check for the new album “Stylin Free” from this skilled Bristol beatsmith.

Kris Kasanova :       Break Up &       Caviar Dreams ft. Ibe
both from his new (FREE) album “The Long Way Home” produced entirely by my homie Ibe who also graces a few tracks with his smooth vocals.

Lord Echo :       Thinking Of You ,       Wang East & The Book Keeper
had I gone through with a best of, this album would be on there. So so good.