Showing posts with label DJ Shadow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DJ Shadow. Show all posts

Friday, 28 November 2014

TUNEDR'S PLAYLIST - Late Night Hip Hop Vol.1

LATE NIGHT HIP HOP VOL.1



Winter's here, the nights are closing in, a playlist for the nocturnal B-Boy...Y'all know what time is it? Whether you're out on the town, driving home or you just can't sleep, these tracks will see you through the night. From the dark and sinister to the smoked out jazz joints, a Hip Hop playlist for the wee small hours.


TuneDr's Late Night Hip Hop Vol.1
(click to listen/subscribe)

1) DJ Shadow - Midnight in a Perfect World (1996)

Epitomised everything I loved about the 'Trip Hop' era, keeping the essence of Hip Hop alive with heavy beats and clever sampling from some unique crate digging. A genre saving track taken from his debut long player, Entroducing. 


2) Massive Attack - I Against I (feat Mos Def) (2002)

Dark and menacing in true Massive Attack fashion, perfect for vampire fans of the non silly Twilight variety. Well I say silly, this was lifted from the soundtrack of Wesley Snipes' Vampire bashing movie, Blade II. Where were you when we needed you to duff up Edward and co, pal? Oh and it also has the added bonus of Mos Def on the MIC. 


3) DJ Krush - Nosferatu (feat Mr Lif) (2004)

More vampire-rific Hip Hop referencing from Japan's finest Hip Hop export DJ Krush and Boston MC, Mr Lif. 


4) Dalek - Bricks Crumble (2007)

Exterminating any nocturnal Hip Hop doubters with this lo fi boom bap diamond. 


5) Ka - Nothing Is (2013)

When I heard this album, The Night's Gambit, it reminded me of the Marvin Gaye classic, What's Going On. One of my favourite Hip Hop albums of recent times, perfect for that night time walk home in the rain. 


6) Black Sheep - Try Counting Sheep (1991)

...and if in doubt count the sheep. A sure fire old school classic for all crotch grabbing B-Boy insomniacs. 


7) Guru - Loungin' (1993)

A laid back and smoked out classic from a Hip Hop Master, taken from Guru's 1993 Jazzmatazz project. 


8) Earthling - Infinite M (1995)

Spaced out UK Rhymes from Earthling


9) Handsome Boy Modelling School - The Truth (feat Roisin Murphy) (1999)

An absolute brilliant track featuring the mesmerising Roisin Murphy and taken from, So...How's Your Girl?, the Dan the Automator and Prince Paul project, Handsome Boy Modelling School. Try and catch her rapping performance in the absence of J-Live


10) Del The Funky Homosapien - Battle of the Shadow (2007)

It's Del and friends, enough said. Ok, with the Hieroglyphics then.


11) Herbaliser - If You Close Your Eyes (feat Jean Grae) (2005)

I was a big fan of Herbaliser at one time, particularly their collaborations with NY's Jean Grae. Their jazzy blend of Hip Hop and her clever and unique delivery always a winner. 


12) Young Fathers - Mr Martyr (2013)

There's more to Scottish heroes than William Wallace and Andy Murray. 2014 Mercury Prize winners, Young Fathers, stamp their authority with a series of stunning tracks, this one taken from the Tape Two EP.


13) Brother Ali - Begin Here (2009)

From the talented US MC's 2009 EP, The Truth is Here, but more importantly it's the sweet piano sample that gets me. 

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

DJ Shadow - 'Midnight in a Perfect World'

Recollection Collection......musical memories recalled with affection!



DJ Shadow - 'Midnight in a Perfect World' (1995)

I don't know exactly when it was but sometime in the early 90's I broke up with Hip-Hop. I wasn't entirely sure where it was headed or what it was trying to say anymore. Subsequently it went on to be arguably the most popular form of music, a classic case of 'it's not you, it's me'. However something was salvaged from this acrimonious split, I discovered the Mo' Wax record label which was founded in the early 90's by James Lavelle, who would later go on to form UNKLE. I felt the label retained the essence of Hip-Hop, going with the 'two turntables and microphone' mantra. Except instead of the mic, the tracks were sample heavy and predominately psychedelic in nature, hence the sometimes unwanted tag, 'Trip-Hop'.

Ain't no such thing as bad weather...word!

DJ Shadow was on Mo' Wax's books and dropped the classic 'Entroducing' album, a completely innovative record made up of beats and spliced up with old funk and movie samples. This track stood out for me as it sounded gentle in nature imagining a silent urban night scape but with the heavy 'boom bap' Hip-Hop beat to satisfy the head bobbing B-boy in me. Hip-Hop had evolved......a true gem.

You'll be pleased to know that Hip-Hop and I are back together now. I guess we just needed a break.

Have a listen to some of my favourite tracks on my Spotify playlist below or click here to read some more posts.


Wednesday, 14 December 2011

FLYCASUAL'S Best of 2011

It's always an unenviable task, trying to streamline your favourite songs into a playlist, but 5, outrageous! Oh the sleepless nights, who gets left behind?? I felt like I was the chopper pilot in the scene in Platoon where Willem Defoe's, Elias gets left behind.
Oh well, there goes Ghostpoet
Yeah, OK anyway, 2011 has been a great year for music but more so since the creation of this blog. One of the points of this blog was to find out what my friends/family were listening to and if they had any anecdotes about the songs as to why they liked them. I don't get to see them as often as I'd like to and like SFW said in his intro, "recreate the listening sessions of the past". So what better way than to conceive a blog where you can do just that!! As a result of the Guest Spots and my fellow contributors, who in turn have different tastes to mine, it has been a bumper crop! So a huge thanks to all of you!


Little Dragon - 'Ritual Union'
My favourite song, album and band/artist of the year for me, their Lo-Fi Electronica ticking all the right boxes, prompting me to get hold of their back catalogue. Ritual Union's a fabulous track (featured here), it's flavour encapsulated the summer for me, great voice and complete with synth sax break (there's not enough sax at the moment). Little Dragon's collaborations this year were exceptional too, including 'Wildfire' with SBTRKT (featured here too) and this beautiful piece, 'Scale it Back' with DJ Shadow.





Beastie Boys - 'Make Some Noise'
"oh my god just look at me grandpa been rapping' since 83". Great back to form old skool flashback from the Beasties with their silly witty rhymes and fresh beats. Trademark outstanding video too, with Hollywood cameos aplenty and if you have a spare 29:55 minutes, check the full video here....



Wild Beasts - 'Reach A Bit Further'
Fabulous vocals and melody, with happy memories of a perfect day spent on the beach with my wife and my little boy.



The Horrors - 'Still Life'
Epic retro 80's stomp fest, I can just picture a Miami Vice cut scene with a jilted Don Johnson tearing shit up around Miami. Would definitely feature on the soundtrack to the remake of The Breakfast Club.




Tinarwiren - 'Tenere Taqqim Tossam'
Unfortunately they didn't take up my offer of a cup of tea at my house (what??) when they were touring last month so I went to see them instead and I was not disappointed. Top, top tune from the desert rebel rockers, The Clash, Santana and Hendrix rolled into one (erm, if they were all Bedouins).




Sunday, 9 October 2011

TRACKS OF THE WEEK - 09/10/11

Autumn's here and so are our tracks of the week. Four conkers for you to fight your way through, got any for us?


Old Pa's Corner:-
Bob Dylan - 'The Love That Faded' (2011



Would Hank do it this Way?

This is a track from the new album of original Hank Williams songs which have never seen the light of day until now. The project was given to Dylan and he, along with some friends put music to the words and made this excellent recording. There are some great names involved, just look at the Cover! Dylan sticks closely to the Hank sound of a simple country tune with Pedal Steel Guitar and fiddle (the blueprint for country music). Two Country tracks in two weeks, am I type casting myself I ask?

Flycasual:-
DJ Shadow - 'I've Been Tryin' (2011)


This track is probably my favourite from DJ Shadow's new album, The Less You Know the Better. I'm a fan of DJ Shadow from way back in his Mo' Wax days but I found out that this track was released a year ago as a freebie,  oops, some fan then! What I love about Shadow is that although his roots are hip hop, his crate digging skills enable him to find those rare blues/soul gems and mix them up in that electronic/hip hop style unique to him. Eclectic and diverse as this excellent track clearly shows.


Shell Hunter:-
Future Islands - Balance (2011)




Today is a good day. Yesterday I brought home my brand new car so it was the first time I had the chance to put my foot down(to within the maximum safe speed limit guv, honest). In the words of Ferris Bueller "I love driving it, it is so choice!" The best thing is, I finally have an iPod dock so I can indulge in as many driving playlists as I can stomach! The first track I will be blaring out loud is this short and sweet synthpop number. With its base guitar heavy intro, it reminded me of Pulp's 'Do you remember the first time' and envelops me with the same lovely wave of goosebumps. These guys have been around since 2006 but Balance is the first song I've had the pleasure of hearing. There latest album 'On the water' is out on 11th. Can't wait!


Sfw:-
Ryan Adams - Invisible Riverside (2011)


This track from Ryans new album Ashes & Fire perfectly captures the genius of the man. Now his head is in a "better place", it seems that (some of) his critics are now on board, giving positive reviews and he seems to be getting quite a bit of exposure.  All of which, leaves his fans (i.e. me) with a smile on their chops!

More tracks of the week or cats in tuxedos? What? Just click here?
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