Come Dine With Me
It’s the start of the week – a busy week for me and the same probably goes for you as well. If not, I’m jealous.
If you’ve got anyone coming round to yours for a meal or a drink this week, may I suggest you play these two gems by Thievery Corporation. These are two of my favourite tracks from the D.C. based duo who frequently have guests on their worldly wise music.
Both of these songs blend seamlessly into the background of conversation and help set the mood for any dinner or drinks party.
Thievery Corporation get their soft dub sounds spot-on for Amerimacka with guest vocalist Notch.
Thievery Corporation – Amerimacka ft. Notch – 
Warning Shots ups the tempo slightly and the hindu-inspired vocal effects throughout display how perfectly they merge completely different kinds of music.
Thievery Corporation – Warning Shots ft. Sleepy Wonder and Gunjan –
Still haven’t seen them live yet. It’s on my list though.
Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation (Live at Merriweather Pavillion) –
Sexy
Heading down to a party called Bricks in Peckham tonight so I thought I’d check out some of the lineup and I’m seriously happy I did.
Al Bleek and Kid Drama aka Instra:mental are the brains behind this minimal creation and if I had to describe this song in one word it would be down-right sexy.
I don’t know what genre or sub-genre this falls under – you could call it drum and bass without the tempo but whatever it is, it works.
You could actually put this song on if your had a bird round – it would actually work!
Instra:mental – Watching You – download
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Another sexy electronic ditty is this classic Daft Punk track.
Daft Punk – Something About Us –
Have a good weekend people.
Notting Hill Carnival
I live just on the edge of the Notting Hill Carnival in London and most years I avoid it but this year, I ventured down.
Now as usual, I spent Carnival drinking rum and wondering around aimlessly until getting caught in a huge crowd of people and before I knew it I was 7 miles from home.
A friend of mine has captured some great moments from the carnival and it’s suddenly made me miss it a lot.
Will Morgan’s pictures from the sun-drenched bank holiday weekend in August are stunning and for anyone who hasn’t been before – these pics should serve as a nice taster for an event you have to experience at least once.
As well as the ones we’ve featured here, his Flickr page has a load more that all need checking out.
Here’s a track from the new Pama International album which suits the pictures perfectly.
Pama International – Equality And Justice For All –
Enjoy!
John Butler Trio – Ocean (Live At Webster Hall)
If it wasn’t for YouTube people like me, who don’t play instruments, would have no clue how skilled these guitarists really are unless we’d seen them play it in the flesh that is.
It’s unbelievable what’s possible on a guitar and there’s a handful of musicians who were destined for it. I unfortunately, wasn’t one of them.
Firstly, John Butler Trio. His experience stems from years of busking in Australia before releasing some really great albums to critical acclaim. This track, Ocean, has evolved and developed since he first started playing guitar and you can hear it’s got a certain age to it. I’ve seen him play this live and the composition is slightly different every time.
If I was to pick my favourite guitar solo – this would be it. All 13 glorious minutes of it. It’s incredible.
John Butler Trio – Ocean (Live at Webster Hall) –
Another amazing musician is Andy McKee. This song is from his album, Art of Motion.
Andy McKee – Drifting –
Steady Aim
These two songs bring back a whole lot of memories for me.
A time when I used to smoke a ridiculous amount of weed and when 56k dail-up internet was in full swing. So these songs, back then, would have taken the best part of 40 minutes to download!
These songs are off the album Cold Water Music by Aim and the second track was featured on the original Tony Hawks game which is how I originally came about it.
It’s seriously great production coupled with solid rap deliveries from QNC and YZ.
Aim – The Force ft. QNC
Aim – Ain’t Got Time To Waste
Both of these tracks sound similar to some Mark Ronson productions however these songs were made in 1999 when Ronson was still in nappies.
Aim’s studio albums feature jazzy instrumentals as well as guest collaborations like the two we’ve featured today.
Well worth investigating more and his rabbit hole runs deep.
Ones To Watch…BangaTang
Now here’s some really good Dubstep. None of that mental stuff. Thoughtful stuff.
Our good friends at SlyFly Records picked up BangaTang some months ago and since then the UK producer has seen his remixes officially commissioned for the likes of Kissy Sell Out and The Temper Trap. Both of which have been seriously good.
So who is he and where is he from? Well his name’s Jake and he’s from Leeds and that’s all I know. I’ve got very little info and his MySpace doesn’t give much away – all I do know is that he makes great beats.
BangaTang – Bashful – download
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Kissy Sell Out – The Kiss (BangaTang Remix) – download
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Thanks for SlyFly Records and we wish him the best of luck in 2010.
Video Drive-Thru Vol. 9
Wiley ft. Chew Fu – Take That
Bertie Blackman – Byrds of Prey
Vampire Weekend – Cousins
50 Cent – Baby By Me –
Get Plugged In!
We’ll start with a new guy in town. Rollz. Quite literally stumbled upon this track last night – it was one of Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record In The World’ tracks and thats incredibly impressive for a relatively unknown producer.
Rollz – Plugged In – download
Rollz delivers a dirty high energy tune that further enforces the steady return of underground Drum and Bass back into the mainstream.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Nero – Do You Wanna – download
It wasn’t long ago since we put up Nero’s incredible remix of the new DJ Fresh tune but now they’ve released a track of their own and it’s getting airplay in all the right places.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Calvin Harris – Flashback (Goldie Remix)
Stepping into the commercial realms of dance – Calvin Harris’s new album has a few tracks which I like but I’m happy that the old school big boys are getting their hands on his music. Goldie lays down a drum and bass rendition of the new single with a nice bassline inside it.
If anyone knows anything more about Rollz – drop us a line!
