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The Inkwell Mixtape

posted by • January 24, 2009 • Leave a comment

inkwellcover

I met Chen Lo a few years ago when he came to work at an after school teen program called Crown Heights Live, where I was working at the time. It became apparent from the first conversation I had with him that he was the real deal, the most genuine combination of artist and community activist you could ever hope to meet. I watched a group of our teens, with his commanding inspiration, record a full-length album from start to finish. So many artists, due to cynicism or stubbornness, fall into the trap of either compromising message for music or music for message, and Chen has done neither. For real, I am proud to know him and call him my friend. If anyone I know deserves to make it, it’s this man right here. I helped work on this project (I mixed down a handful of tracks) and aside from giving you the full download link, I’m separately posting a single I produced, which is only available in snippet form on the mixtape. Enjoy! Continue reading…

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Oh Yes, He Had A Dream

posted by • January 21, 2009 • Leave a comment

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGKW3O6EpMo[/youtube]

I’m sorry this is late. If I had a time machine, well, I probably wouldn’t even be here sharing this. But seriously, even if I am a bit late to the game, El DeBarge, Fat Boys, Full Force, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Whitney Houston, Kurtis Blow, Stacy Lattisaw, Lisa Lisa, Teena Marie, Menudo (with Ricky Martin), Stephanie Mills, New Edition, Run-D.M.C., James “J.T.” Taylor, and Whodini?! I don’t know what the equivalent would be these days, except probably that there’s just no equivalent. Originally organized by Kurtis Blow and others in collaboration with Dexter Scott King (MLK Jr.’s son).

The King Dream Chorus and Holiday Crew – King Holiday

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Vortex-Exploding-with-Birds Music

posted by • January 18, 2009 • Leave a comment

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/2120027[/vimeo]

So you might start noticing I’m mostly posting videos. Being one of the graphics guys, it seems to make sense my stuff would lean towards music mixing with visuals. Or maybe: meh, it is what it is. This is not even the type of music I would normally find myself listening to, but I was captivated enough by the visuals that I got a little into it. Not even sure what to call it, but who’s able to keep track of all the sub-genres these days anyway…

The video is not even paired with the music for reasons much beside the fact that the audio works well as a test for the render. But hey, it works. Imagine if your iTunes visualizer eventually looked like this… Created by  Robert Hogdin.

Update: So apparently Hogdin actually is one of the creative geniuses behind the current iTunes visualizer. I never really use it, but now that I’ve taken another look, I guess I can’t say I’m that surprised.

  • koenski • January 18, 2009

    High,the new lay-out is bigger and bolder and good luck with it!.I`m a bit of a fan for a while now.I linked you on my wellviewd blog.Im into cars,art,design,space,new and eighties indie music and lots more of course,the world is not enough..koenski-beterweter.blogspot.com

  • Szandor • January 18, 2009

    Amazing! really cool site too. im glad i found you. thanks!

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Holy Land Heat Part 1

posted by • January 16, 2009 • Leave a comment

shrinerdance


Apocalypse :  Under The Eucalyptus Tree & No Place For Two On The Pole
taken from their self-titled album on NMC (1972)

Shlomo Gronich & Mathi Caspi : Kvinta & Opening & Elohim Merachem
taken from the album Behind The Sounds on Hed-Arzi (1972) 

Soulico & Axum : Pitom Banu (Wido Remix)

Sabbo (Soulico Crew member) :  Booty Bounce


Your loyal captain here, aka Chuck Wild, with the first check-in from Zion (I’m hoping there will be more, but it’s always a lil hard on the road). Young Murphy’s Law and I came here together in a brotherly burst of Jewish frugality- taking advantage of the most secular of Birthright trips- at the begining of the new year (still hung over, the both of us). 

Despite rockets flying and bombs dropping (on the UN building!?!), we’re managing to explore the mellow maintained by Israelis even in the eye of the storm. We’re meeting genuinely great people in throngs and even finding some new music. I posted a few jew grooves back in Captain’s Crate (see: Soul Messengers, The Platina and Mordechai Ben David) but it’s been a while, and now I’m actually walking on their turf for the first time. 

I was told that Apocalypse is kinda like the Israeli Led Zeppelin, and while they can’t really hold a torch to Page & Plant, we’ve been bumping this while cruising through the desert in our rented Fiat. On the quieter, more introspective side, I picked up this cool “experimental” record by two of Israel’s bigger musical names, Shlomo & Mathi. I like the cover they do of “Rocky Raccoon” on here as well. 

Also, big up to Ido Wido (who I met in Tel Aviv) and the whole Soulico Crew! They’re a sick DJ/music making/party rocking collective who produce fly remixes and have a new album coming out on JDUB records soon… 

If you’re looking for more of those old school 70’s rare Middle Eastern cuts, peep the that Soulico did a while back for the Mad Decent blog. 

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The N.A.S.A. Alliance

posted by • January 14, 2009 • Leave a comment

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/2555969[/vimeo]

Where did these dudes come from?? It’s not like on first listen, these tracks sound so radically different from some other electro hip-pop out there right now. But the duo Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) and Ze Gonzales (DJ Zegon) that make N.A.S.A. (North America/South America), have constructed what at least has potential to be a really great project. With a full-length release due next month and a complimenting documentary (?) in the works, they are at least worth keeping an eye on. You can’t really listen to their tracks without thinking ‘mashup,’ but leaving it at that seems somewhat dismissive of the incredible collaborative work that went into this endeavor. These aren’t mere remixes, but original tracks with a choir of featured artists that don’t make up your everyday trip down to the recording studio: David Byrne, Chuck D, Seu Jorge, Santogold, M.I.A., Tom Waits, Kool Keith, Kanye, Lykke Li… WTF?? So again, I ask – where did these dudes come from? Check their MySpace page for more. Continue reading…

  • wc • January 14, 2009

    That’s the same question I’ve been asking. I started getting these SqueakeClean newsletters (probably via Scion or Antics), and dismissed them as post-Hollertronix wannabes. But when I first heard of the music video involving Chuck D, Obey, and the director duo.. and then numerous other projects involving Santogold, Kanye, and seeing them perform on the same bill as Justice, its like I HAD to notice.

    And the song ‘Money’ has more to it than just its musical qualities.

    The album’s contributor list absolutely nuts. It has to come from their combined networking right? Speigel being Spike Jonze’s brother and former producer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

  • prince of ballard • January 19, 2009

    did sam spiegel, of spiegel catalog fame buy these artists??? everyone has a price. so maybe he used daddys money to gett these artists to work with a no-name?????? i’m not trying to hate, i’m just trying to make sense of somthing that doesnt add up.

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