PUYL Favorite Remix: Poliça - Tiff (Doc McKinney Remix)

Poliça made a song called "Tiff" with Justin Vernon this year. Doc McKinney, known for producing haunting tracks for The Weeknd, remixed the track. I can't say enough good things about it, yet at the same time, I don't want to say too much. When I first heard it in July, I knew I was hearing quite possibly the best remix if not song of the year. The replays continue to pile up, and it doesn't get old. Despite being released during the summer, these northern midwest artists manage to instill a bleak and somber tone, and the remixed instrumental complements that perfectly.

Listen:

PUYL Favorite Remix: James Blake - Life Round Here (Remix) (ft. Chance The Rapper)

Sometimes a remix doesn't require a drastic change from the original. James Blake recruited the young Chicago phenom, Chance The Rapper for a new twist on his own song, "Life Round Here". Blake stripped the drums away in the intro to make room for Chano to ease his way into the track before it opens into a raucous rap verse. Chance includes various musings concerning his recent travels and his life in general. "Life Round Here" is a fitting place for these two to join each other; both have garnered a great deal of acclaim in the past year, and are undoubtedly seeing their lives change in amazing ways.

Listen:

PUYL Favorite Remix: Dirty Projectors - The Socialites (Joe Goddard Remix)

Remixes provide many opportunities for musicians beyond simply twisting around someone else's song. Rising stars can gain a foothold by remixing a better known artist, and established artists can flex their creativity outside the bounds of their current fame.

Since I already wrote about one of my favorite remixes of the year, I was forced to dig for another to include on this list. I was more than happy to call up this remix of "The Socialites" by Dirty Projectors.  Joe Goddard, of Hot Chip, spins the dream-like original into a more focused and introspective sounding piece. Amber Coffman's angelic vocals remain untouched; Goddard is wisely aware that they can thrive in any setting. He takes great care to gently use an already great track to form another beautiful song.

Listen:

As a side note, we were saddened to learn today about the confirmed passing of Belgian singer The Child Of Lov. He released his excellent self titled debut earlier this year under an imprint of Dirty Projector's Domino Records. Take a listen to a couple of his songs below.

PUYL Favorite Cover Song: Purity Ring - Grammy

Purity Ring, one of my favorite new artists from last year, makes an appearance this year in the excellent cover songs department. A day after the 2013 Grammy Awards, the duo released their version of a 2010 deep cut from the venerable Soulja Boy Tell 'Em. The original features Ester Dean singing the beseeching chorus line and the young rapper expounding on why his contributions to music warrant the industry's most famous award. Megan and Corin molded that rough clay into what may be a more convincing finished product.

Listen:
Download: Purity Ring - Grammy (right click, Save link as...)

PUYL Favorite Cover Song: Anna Lunoe & AC Slater - All Night

Continuing with the cool covers, I've got this infectious version of J. Cole's "Power Trip". DJ AC Slater (not who you're thinking) pumped pulsing synths into a much more danceable beat than the original, and Anna Lunoe handled the vocals. She chose to stick with the sung lines, but drew lyrics from both J. Cole and his featured guest, Miguel. The result is an enlivened track that deftly demonstrates how one song can inspire and influence the creation of another.

Listen/Download:

PUYL FAVORITES & Cover Song: Elli Ingram - Poetic Justice

It’s that time of year again, when I finally share all the music that I neglected to post during the past twelve months under the guise of it being some carefully curated Best Of list. In reality, I’ve simply spent the last couple days scouring through the gigs upon gigs of music I downloaded this year, trying to find all the gems that I’ve been hoarding in my treasure hard drive. 2013 was another good year by my musical tastes. Many highly anticipated debut albums were released, surprise newcomers made their mark, and old favorites continued to impress.

I’m actually not a fan of year end lists; what does the end of the year signify in terms of music? Not much. Artists are constantly churning out content. For me, the best songs are the ones that engage me early on, AND still have meaning when I revisit them. Some songs are timeless works of art that can be appreciated even after countless listens. Others may take me back to what was going on in my life when the track came out, and have meaning for me in that way. It might take more than a year to truly define a favorite, so don’t be surprised if November and December releases don’t make as many appearances; there was certainly no lag in quality then.

I’m starting off with some awesome covers from 2013. Hip-hop songs naturally yield the best covers. The rhyme schemes can be reworked to fit any melody and they usually have a sung hook which can also be incorporated however the covering artist sees fit.

Elli Ingram put her spin on “Poetic Justice” by Kendrick Lamar. She closely matches the Janet Jackson sample, then branches off to cover the rapped parts as well.

Listen/Download:

Say Lou Lou - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Tame Impala Cover)

Say Lou Lou (FKA Saint Lou Lou) embody dichotomy and duality.  The sisters split time between Stockholm and Sydney while growing up.  Pop and rock are equally important to their sound.  Elektra sports the electric blonde hair, while Miranda is the brunette.  It's only fitting, then, that two twins well versed in uniting polar opposites would be skilled at rehashing someone else's song.

The girls tackled Tame Impala's track, "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards".  I previously shared the original on my Steam playlist where it played a pivotal point in turning the tape toward a darker, more pensive tone.

In reference to Tame Impala's music, they wrote,

[I]t also hints at music we listened to growing up. There is something sweetly familiar and nostalgic about the music, yet still fresh and innovative.

It struck me that this is exactly why cover songs can be so powerful and enjoyable.  I would argue that we only like new music when it incorporates something that we previously loved.  Of course, there are those moments when the stark freshness of a sound is instantly appealing, but even in those instances, it's usually the creative combination of old themes that piques our interest.  When done right, cover songs give us the best of both worlds; a delightful repackaging of something dear to our ears.

Trade an email address for the mp3 below.

Listen/Download:

Drift (Mixtape)

It's been a little over a year since I put out Glare, my first summer mixtape, so it was time to do it again.  A lot of artists and blogs drop summer mixes at the beginning of the summer as a soundtrack to the season.  I, on the other hand, prefer to release my collections as the summer is winding down because it helps us to hang on to the warmth a little longer.

I dug deep for the tracks on Drift; there are a lot of remixes and relatively unknown artists, but a few big names make appearances as well.  The tape is meant to shift from higher to low energy, but light summer sounds still pervade throughout.  Lyrically, my favorite verses are polar opposites of introspection and self awareness.  We hear Coco O of Quadron declare, "When I grow old, I'll still be me" which is contrasted by Thundercat's bewildered query, "Who are you, why you talking so loud? (I forgot you was my friend)".  Both are awesome lines, and reflect a great span of emotions and states of mind.

You can stream the mix through 8tracks by clicking the picture above.  Download links follow below, and the full tracklisting is after the jump.

Enjoy!

Download (Alt. 1) (Alt. 2)

Lucki Eck$ - Alternative Trap (Mixtape)

16-year-old Lucki Eck$ hails from Chicago, and he just released his debut mixtape Alternative Trap.  A lot of other writers have been urging people to listen closely to what Lucki is saying.  They're right.  You do need to pay close attention to catch all the similes, metaphors, and so-called hashtag raps in his verses.  He rhymes slowly, but it's still easy to miss things.  What I found most impressive about Alternative Trap is the maturity and confidence the young MC displays.  Clearly, Lucki is beyond his years in terms of beat selection (who else in hip-hop is sampling Daughter?) and rapping, but there is another intangible that really struck me.  This tape feeds a craving I didn't know I had.  He has only appeared on a few songs before this release, and yet listening to it is like enjoying a solid sophomore effort from an established favorite artist.  I truly didn't know what to expect from a full length mixtape, and now I'm entirely amazed and wanting more.  Perhaps my uncertainty as to which lane he would carve out as "alternative trap" left me unprepared, but I like it better that way.  This one will definitely be on heavy repeat, and I hope to look back at this mixtape as an important point in hip-hop.

Listen/Download:

Joywave - Tongues (ft. KOPPS)

Here's another track from a couple months back, but I haven't been able to get enough of it recently.  Rochester, NY natives, Joywave, and their crazysexycreepy friends from KOPPS once again formed like Voltron and combined their creative powers for this piece of musical art.  As soon as the "boom-pops" hit, you'll be hooked.  Strangely enough, that part ends up seeming the most structured; it grabs you by the collar and starts running, but refuses to reveal where you're going.  Trust me, it's a fun ride.

Yes, of course, something this fresh and cool would deserve the remixical touch of RAC, but for once I prefer the raw original with its raucous drums and moments of a cappella.

Listen:


Visit the Joywave website to stream and download their entire 88888 mixtape for free.  The songs are wildly different from "Tongues" and one another, but I still recommend you 'kopps' it.  There are even a couple features from STS!

Miguel - Do You... (Cashmere Cat Remix)

Cashmere Cat released his remix of Miguel's "Do You..." about a month or so ago to instant acclaim.  What we lose from the original in stripped down lyrics is more than made up for by the Kitty Kitty's addition of an entirely reworked instrumental.  When I first heard this, the love-as-a-drug theme and Miguel's smooth singing made it seem like a perfect late night song.  However, I've seen this remix pop up on several summer playlists, so I guess your perspective of a song can change with your mood or interpretation.  Give credit to Cashmere Cat for creating a track with such emotive flexibility.

Listen/Download:

Do you like this song?? YEAH?! Well, me too.

xlsrebelsx - Sinnaman (ft. Blu)

"Sinnaman" is a new track from xlsrebelsx off his forthcoming "desire" EP which will be with us tomorrow, June 4th.  Since his real name is Anthony "L's" Cruz, I'm assuming that that name is pronounced as L's Rebels with some x's thrown in there for the cool factor (Just one x has been working out great for Alexsaurus...)  Cruz has crafted a unique sound that crosses crooning hip-hop and classic rock, with an occasional twinge of fuzzy blues music.  We also get a tinge of Blu music; I was delighted to hear the MC fit himself so nicely into this head-nodder.  My interest is piqued, and I can't wait to hear more from xlsrebelsx.

Listen/Download:

Memorial Day Weekend Mixtapes

Did you guys know that this past week was May Mixtape Week?  Yeah, neither did I.  Apparently it was, though, because a trio of some of the most creative young producers all decided to release free mixtapes just in time for the long weekend.  I'll keep this post short, and let the music speak for itself.

First up is Ryan Hemsworth, aka The Prince Of Polo Sweatpants, and his EP, Still Awake.  The Canadian producer has become one of the most sought after remixers for his skillful meshing of chilled out ambient music with hard hitting hip-hop beats.

Listen:

Download: Still Awake EP

You shouldn't be a stranger to Chuck Inglish by now.  With The Cool Kids project on hold for the time being, both Mikey and Chuck have stayed busy with their individual careers.  Chuck has specifically released weekend cookout music before, so the timing of the drop for Droptops isn't a huge surprise.

Listen/Download:

And finally, I've got The Jellyfish Mentality, which is the third full length release from production duo The Jet Age Of Tomorrow.  This piece is the most complete effort; it's a borderline album in which we get to hear how much JAOT have matured their sound in the past couple years.  Matt Martians and Hal Williams really impress on Jellyfish.  Along with plenty of their familiar instrumental interludes, they rounded up quite a few of their Odd Future and just plain odd friends for an appearance heavy mixtape that doesn't disappoint.

Listen:  

Download: The Jellyfish Mentality

ASTR - Operate

I came across this song the other day and knew right away it was monster.  ASTR has been a group for roughly a year, but this debut single will ultimately stand as a pivotal piece in their career.  "Operate" is the perfect amalgam of every significant sound and style in 2013.  Building off of gritty synths, we're aurally assaulted by heavy bass hits and an overlay of trap snare kicks.  The echo chamber effect on the female vocals make them seem to mesh right into the menacing instrumental.  The 2013-centric effect is topped off by the extended doctor/operate metaphor.  This is the pop music extension of all the dark, brooding R&B and hip-hop we've been growing to love in our bedrooms late at night.  They obviously knew that you're not allowed to name a band today without generous use of the CAPS lock and deleting letters.  And finally, true to form for every artist we get excited about in this information saturated age, ASTR has given us next to nothing about themselves.  We know they're a duo from New York, but so is... everyone.

Listen/Download:

Check out more of the noise they make on their Soundcloud page.  

Phoenix - Entertainment (Blood Orange Remix)

Phoenix is a pretty big deal.  When the first single from their new album, Bankrupt!, dropped, it was immediately passed around by all the blogs, and even the radio stations put it in rotation right away.  As with any major release, the denizens of the Internet were eager to mash and mold it into new remixes.  We've already heard mixes from several big names: Dinosaur Jr. and Grizzly Bear got their respective claws and paws on "Entertainment" and handed off some respectable versions.  The Dirty Projectors got their filthy mitts on it too, and produced a fine remix.  Also, Hot Natured couldn't be bothered not to turn in a heated up take on the track as well.  In fact, if you head over to the band's Soundcloud all you'll find is the original, the aforementioned remixes, and the stems, so Phoenix is clearly inviting all comers to take a stab at creating some entertainment out of "Entertainment".

My personal favorite came from Blood Orange or, Devonte Hynes.  Always the creative pioneer, his version includes assistance from Mutya Keisha Siobhan.  MKS were the three founding members of Sugababes, they all left, and have now regrouped as this current trio.  Perhaps they are trying to avoid being entirely replaced again by using a name that is painfully specific as to its members...

Anyways, the added female vocals at the beginning of the track are attention grabbing and refreshing.  Think of it like jumping into a pool.  It's shocking at first, but there's no turning back.  It only takes a couple seconds to get used to it, and from there on out you're splashing around and having a great time.

Listen/Download:

G Milla - Downtown EP

I saw a link to a G Milla video in some random retweet the other day, so I decided to check him out.  I had no idea who he was, and he seems to have a relatively small following.  For now.  I only follow a couple people that follow him on Twitter and one of them is Lil B who follows everyone, so that hardly counts.  A search for his name on The Hype Machine turned up nothing.  After some more extensive research (Googling his name) I found a few blogs that have been tracking his music for a while but nothing too informative about G Milla himself.

I do know that he's young.  He's 19 years old, maybe 20 by now, and he's from Toronto.  His Facebook bio paints a rather dark picture about his upbringing, and his music reflects that.  He raps about the drug/money/gangsta lifestyle over trap-ish beats that carry a strong air of lean-sipping cloud rap as well.  I found it interesting that under his hometown he put YYZ, which is the code for the international airport in Toronto.  It's almost as if he's claiming roots in the city, but won't go so far as to say it's a permanent home.  He's disconnected, yet attuned.  A transient type, but still grounded.  Based on what little I've heard, I'm intrigued to see how he develops.

Stream/Download:


This eight track EP is supposedly the first in a series of planned releases.  In addition, check his Soundcloud for more free downloads.  He's got some fully formed singles as well as some seemingly unfinished instrumental projects.

Pay attention to the samples.  Soon they'll be more familiar, but I'm way behind on all the artists I need to show you...

G Milla dropped off the video for "I'm High (Purple)" the other day.  This was my first taste.  Watch:

Steam (Mixtape)

Looking at my Gucci, it's about that time...for a new mixtape.

I've started to more diligently build playlists.  Whenever I encounter a song that fits a certain vibe, I pack it in a playlist.  Usually I end up grouping only a few together and then making new ones, but for this mix I thought I had a good start.  It was supposed to be a collection of chill, sitting-around songs, but the list I had couldn't hold a candle to what I wanted.  Eventually, I just picked up songs by certain artists who I wanted to include, so this mixtape essentially became a showcase of all the people I think are going to attract a lot of attention in the near future.  There are some old joints sprinkled in too, but for the most part, this is a glimpse at the new class of budding musicians in 2013.

Since I actively went looking for songs that felt right to me, a lot of these tracks aren't ones that I'm already burned out on, so I'm pretty excited myself about how it came together.  A couple things are different on this mix as compared to past playlists.  There are several instrumental tracks.  Normally, I don't feature those, but for zoning out I think they work well.  Also, I'm unabashedly promoting hip-hop.  There's still a good blend of genres, but the rappers on here are ones I'm very excited about; I picked songs and artists I truly enjoy right now.  I hope you enjoy yourself once you kick back and let STEAM float through the air.

Download: STEAM (Alternate Link)

Keep reading for the full tracklist and an 8tracks stream.

Gilbere Forte - Pray

Here's a 'strong' effort from Gilbere Forte (get it?).  This dude has been around the rap game for several years now.  I first heard his music when he appeared with Kanye on the Alors On Danse Remix.  You'll hear all the Ye influences in his music.  Incidentally, that version is on a Fall Mix I made in 2010 that'll probably never see the light of day...it's just too late.

For his new single, 'Pray', Forte hops on a Fiona Apple-sampling production by Raak.  This is a good introductory track to Forte because he begins with a verse that gives some background about himself.  He touches on where he's from (Michigan/Philly/burbs) and his career thus far.  Then he dives right on into his passion for luxury items and excess, but does so with plenty of creative puns and one-liners.  He drops a few more hints about himself and where he's headed, but even if you're not too invested in what he's talking about, it's a head-nodder nonetheless.  I've given it the repeat treatment quite a lot over the past couple weeks.  Check it out.

Stream:    

Download: Gilbere Forte - Pray

Watch the seizure inducing video after the jump.

PUYL Lyrics: Dr. Dre - Forgot About Dre (ft. Eminem)

Here's a new kind of post for PUYL.  This time, I'm not simply sharing a download for a song I like, but I'm actually gonna show you WHY it's so special.

I'm a fan of hip-hop.  I know a lot of people have trouble getting into it because the subject matter can be offensive or unrelatable.  First off, there IS hip-hop that you would consider appropriate and enjoy.  It exists.  Just as every other genre covers wide ranges of topics, so too does rap music.  That's not what I'm discussing in this post, though.  Yes, this song has plenty of swearing and violence, but I'm less focused on WHAT is being said and more on HOW these two artists are saying their words.  And while lyrics and instrumentals are fundamentally similar in all types of music, only hip-hop makes a concerted effort to deliver the lines with such density while maintaining aesthetic rhyme structures.

What I've done here is take the lyrics to "Forgot About Dre" and then color code all the rhymes.  In each of the three verses and the hook, I highlighted each new rhyme with a different color.  I nearly ran out of colors in Em's verse.  In addition, there a few instances of alliteration and nearby sounds which can be seen in bold.

The result is a visual representation of all of the rhyme patterns in the song.  It not only reveals that almost every line is rhymed with something, but also how extensive some of the rhymes are, the many multisyllabic rhyme schemes, and the overlapping of patterns.

Dr. Dre carries the assonance of "o_ee" throughout his entire first verse.  There are also various other rhymes interspersed among the main rhyme.  For the third verse, he begins with an identity rhyme ("up to me") three times before expanding to other approximate rhymes.  However, he uses that phrase in three different contexts.  Here are the lines rewritten with the different meanings made more explicit:

If it was (my choice)/You motherfuckers would stop coming (toward me)/With your hands out looking (in my direction)

The repetition of lines isn't lazy or uncreative, it's deliberate.  Dr. Dre ends his verse with ten lines which match the "having that" scheme.  Replace any of these three-syllable rhymes with one of the others and it still fits.

Eminem may be the most masterful wordsmith of all.  He carries several rhyme patterns on for many bars while including other internal rhymes along the way.  "Walking by" does not rhyme with "barking dogs" when placed side by side, but Eminem's pronunciations allow the right sounds to be heard in order for the rhyme to work.

What I find most remarkable about these verses is that almost every rhyme is at least two syllables long.  In fact, we get two examples of FOUR syllable rhymes.  "Can full of gas"/"hand full of matches" and "Been in the lab"/"pen and a pad" are simply amazing and fun to say.

Stream: Forgot About Dre

I hope this analysis sheds some light on the complexities of hip-hop songs.  I don't know why rhymes are pleasing to hear, but when they're constructed in this way, it really is impressive.  It seems that the more rhymes they pack in, and the more tangled and interwoven they are, the better it sounds.

"Forgot About Dre" is one of the most well constructed rap records I know of, but there are plenty of other great songs and rappers out there.  I might make this piece a semi regular feature whenever I come across particularly interesting rhyme schemes, so stay tuned.

Khari Mateen - Full Moon (ft. STS)

Khari Mateen is a young, Philly-based producer, but he already has an impressive portfolio of production credits to his name (That's right, he was behind the boards for The Roots a few times).  He's also a singer and multi-instrumentalist with plenty of songs of his own.  For "Full Moon" he brought in STS, or Sugar Tongue Slim, to spit some sweet verses over the syrupy instrumental.  I enjoy the production a lot, but the cello part at the end really brings the track to life for me.

[BONUS] Because of the lyrics "Soooon, she gon' have me in a dark room", I like to follow this track with "Darkroom" by one of my emerging favorites, Misun.

Listen/Download:

Make sure to check out his Bandcamp account for a slew of free releases.  I thought his instrumental tape "Roy G. Biv" was a cool concept.

Shlohmo & Jeremih - Bo Peep (Do U Right)

Alright. Shlohmo and Jeremih were brought together by Yours Truly and Adidas Originals for a series called "Songs From Scratch" (Watch it).  The two were put in a booth together, and not allowed to eat, drink, sleep, or leave until they had a hit song.  Okay not really, but that's what they did anyway.  This combination was the result of someone recognizing that Shlohmo did a great job remixing Jeremih's "Fuck You All The Time" and deciding we deserved an original collaboration.

I always like getting a peek behind the scenes of the creative process.  It's interesting that in the video both artists seem to allude to reservations about working together, but ultimately discover that "the vibe" is good between them.  The final product really is an impressive piece.  Shlohmo does a phenomenal job providing an ominous and brooding instrumental, while Jeremih switches between crisp singing and mumbled-rapped lines.  The title alone reveals the lyrical content; Jeremih explores the line between tender affection and intense lust.  For me, it's been one of those late night songs that I already know I'm going to play again just seconds after it's started.

Listen/Download:

Misun - Promise Me

Misun released another single today, and they continue to impress.  I previously posted their song "Harlot" so I was definitely excited to check out their latest effort.  I was not disappointed.  Nacey and William DeVon provide spacey arpeggios and fat synths over a tight drum line.  No sounds overpower each other; they remain in a good balance.  Meanwhile, Misun queries "Can you promise me that when we are asleep/All of the dreams that we have are for keeps?"  She proceeds to gain comfort from a touch; that physical certainty reassures her of the reality of her dreams.  The song ends with soft whistling and birds chirping, symbolic of the dawn of the next day.

As I said before, I'm truly amazed by all the tracks this group has put out so far.  My hope is that a full length release and tour dates are in the near future.  Their debut EP The Sea is currently up for free on Nacey's Soundcloud as are their other singles from this year.

Listen/Download:   

Tuxedo - Tuxedo EP

This is what it's all about for me.  All the hours spent listening to music, all the effort I put into looking for music, all the 'likes' and 'follows' pay off when something like Tuxedo pops up on my radar.  After Andre of RAC gave the remix treatment to Mayer Hawthorne's hit "No Strings Attached", the two have linked up to release a funky dance EP under the name of Tuxedo.  I guess the biggest thrill for me is to able to share something new and awesome while it's VERY fresh; I mean, come on, their Facebook and Twitter accounts are still in the double digits.  This particular collaboration is also exciting because just yesterday I was thinking about how I should share some Mayer Hawthorne music on here.  He's a great vocalist and deserves some recognition.  So what could be more perfect than brand new original music from him with the help of perennial PUYL favorite RAC?  Oh, and it's free to download.

You are going to want to grab this EP immediately.  If you aren't home, Get U Home quickly and Do It cuz this is So Good.  

UPDATE: It looks like I may have prematurely shot my wad on this one.  In fact, RAC is NOT linked with this project, but was simply aware of the collaboration.  I read a little too much into a tweet of his and thought he was involved.  The real production genius behind Tuxedo is Jake One who has produced a myriad of records for a wide range of hip-hop acts over the years.  Cool!

Tokyo Shawn & Kami de Chukwa - Scrapemoney

Savemoney is the name of a Chicago collective of musicians, artists, and friends.  It is most famous for being home to such rising stars as Kids These Days and Chance The Rapper, but the crew is much deeper than those two excellent acts.  "Scrapemoney" exhibits the talents of Savemoney members Tokyo Shawn aka Preston San, and Kami de Chukwa.  Both rappers dominate the furiously aggressive beat, spitting plenty of clever metaphors and cultural references in their lines.  I've been meaning to post this song since it came out almost a year ago, and I'm finally doing it now because it's so good.

Get familiar with the Savemoney Army through this interview and check out Preston and Kami's Soundclouds for more music.

Listen/Download:

Biggie Remixes

Today marks the 16th anniversary of the death of Christopher Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G.  He was killed too soon at the age of 24, but his music and legacy survive and continue to inspire musicians to this day.  Countless rappers cite Biggie as their primary influence for their craft.  Most fans can't necessarily relate to his lyrics, but they can appreciate his storytelling and wordplay, as well as his unique and adaptable flow.  I'm sure that is why so many producers have found it relevant and easy to include his vocals on remixes.  To celebrate his contributions to hip-hop and music, I decided to share a couple of remixes of his songs that I particularly enjoy.  I think these tracks demonstrate the wide breadth of B.I.G.'s reach.

Teenage producer Yinyues constructed this quick song using an unreleased track from the Life After Death album.  Yinyues had barely been born when Biggie was gunned down, but that's the point: you don't have to be a contemporary of a legend to be inspired by his work.

This track includes bars from the oft-sampled 'Dead Wrong' which Mr. Francois weaves over an excellent instrumental from 'Linguistics' by Cunninlynguists.

Download.     

Chrome Sparks - Sparks EP

It's after 1:00 AM, so of course I'm avoiding sleep and listening to some chill music.  I really can't help it.  Tonight it's all about Chrome Sparks, the musical alias of 22 year old Jeremy Malvin.  He's a Brooklyn based producer whose background includes studying and touring as a percussionist.  Chrome Sparks has become his creative outlet for synthesizer productions.  His tracks have limited vocals so all of the focus is drawn to his excellent instrumentals.  The result is a combination of dreamy and trippy music that, at the same time, sounds carefully structured.  Malvin hasn't thrown things together haphazardly; he clearly has a writing process.  He makes the songs seem cohesive and driven, while still allowing the listener to drift off and enjoy the sonic scenery.

You can find all his releases on his Bandcamp or his Soundcloud.
Stream/Download the Sparks EP below:

Gabriel Nascimbeni - Café

Artur Haddad

I've got a little international flavor tonight.  Normally, I reserve the café for when I need to wake up, but this track is pleasantly calming.  It's by Gabriel Nascimbeni, a young musician from São Paulo, Brazil with help from Natália Pesciotta.  If my high school Spanish education is serving me well, I can roughly translate the Portuguese on his website to learn that he has composed for soundtracks and commercials, while also creating his own music.  In addition, he was invited to the Red Bull Music Academy in 2010, which is a music workshop for promising new artists.  Nascimbeni truly does show a lot of promise; even with only a small collection of songs on his Soundcloud, it is obvious that he has a lot of talent and is a devoted student of his craft.  For me, it's special not having any idea what he is saying.  I can simply free myself to enjoy his musicality.

Listen/Download:

Asher Roth - Dude (ft. Curren$y)

Dude.  This song flew under the radar when Asher Roth dropped it on Ash Wednesday a couple weeks ago.  I only first heard it the other day, and I haven't stopped playing it since.  I'm sure a lot of people haven't heard anything from Ash since his novelty hit, I Love College, back in 2009.  Anyone who thought he faded into obscurity as a one hit wonder is sorely mistaken.  Roth has been laying low in the underground scene and has actually developed into a well refined rapper.  This collab with the Hot Spitta Curren$y should give you an idea of what his interests are: relaxing and enjoying himself.

Blended Babies handled the production and couldn't have done a better job.  The tight break beat, strolling bass line, and sparse piano chords lay the perfect setting for the two MC's to roll through their bars with ease.  It's chill.  It's good.  Check it out, dude.

The Pharcyde - Drop (Music Video)

This video is a classic.  If you aren't familiar with the alternative rap group, The Pharcyde, they rose to prominence in the early 90's with hits such as "Drop" that strayed away from the aggressive gangsta rap of the day.  The song is great; it was produced by J Dilla, and features a familiar sample from the Beastie Boys.  Ad Rock and Mike D even make an appearance in the video.  The video itself is what I want to draw attention to, anyway.  The guys from The Pharcyde enlisted Spike Jonze to direct it.  He was already making a name for himself by shooting creative videos for bands like Weezer,  Dinosaur Jr., and the Beasties.  Spike would ultimately go on to direct movies like Being John Malkovich and Where The Wild Things Are as well as produce for the Jackass series.

Back in 1996, though, Spike gave The Pharcyde a straightforward video premise: they take a reversed version of their track, shoot the music video backwards, and then reverse it again to give the final product.  It was brilliant because the band would appear to be doing impossible things because of a simple camera trick, but creative types rarely settle for the easiest route.  In order to make it seem more realistic, Spike wanted the guys to memorize the words to their song backwards so that their lip synching would still match up when the video was played forward.  One of the reasons I enjoy hip-hop so much is the linguistic word play.  I almost never care about what is being said, but rather how it is being said.  So I am very appreciative of the effort The Pharcyde put forth just to make the video work.  Essentially, they memorized a totally foreign song and performed that instead.

Hit the jump for Jonze's proposal and a couple of videos that give more insight.

Mikky Ekko - Pull Me Down (T.Williams Remix)

There has been a recent resurgence of male R&B singers happening, and I like it.  The genre as a whole has been evolving to combine influences from artists of the 90's and contemporary electronic production.  I've got quite a few singer-producer duos that I'm really excited about, and many DJ's are gaining fame as individual artists as well.

Mikky Ekko has been receiving a lot of praise for writing and singing on Rihanna's powerful track "Stay".  His own most recent single, "Pull Me Down", got the remix treatment by a group of talented producers including Odd Future's The Internet and Ryan Hemsworth.  However, the T.Williams version caught my ear in particular.  He strips away the familiar rough-around-the-edges sound of the original Clams Casino beat, and swaps it for a more driving UK dubstep beat.  The new synths dance along perfectly underneath Ekko's heartfelt vocals.  He certainly gives the song a new feel, and it's great to see all of these artists' creative interpretations.

Listen/Download:

Kurt Vile - Wakin On A Pretty Day

Hopefully you're waking on a pretty day today.  Every day is beautiful, but the waking part can be hard; I get that.  Especially on Sundays.  If you're currently resurrecting yourself after a long weekend, you don't want to sit in silence with your misery, you need some calm tunes in the background to ease your pain.  Soft, rhythmic guitars and a soothing voice should do the trick.  Also, you don't want to have to bother with picking a whole playlist; you just want to put something on and get back to focusing on living.  I've got you covered.  Kurt Vile (formerly of The War On Drugs) is set to release his next solo album, Wakin On A Pretty Daze, this April.  As a promotion, he released all nine and a half glorious minutes of the first single for free.  Check it out.

Stream:


Download: Kurt Vile - Wakin On A Pretty Day

Alison Valentine - Peanut Butter Remixes

I figured something sweet sounding would be appropriate today, and Alison Valentine couldn't have a more fitting name.  Her song "Peanut Butter" was a feel good track from last summer, but I actually found a couple of stand out remixes.  In fact, it seems that this first one has eclipsed the original in terms of popularity.  Each remix takes the song in a different direction, but both work well because, as everyone knows, peanut butter goes great with everything.

Moon Boots' version builds off the summery goodness, but adds a little more bass and drums, filling out the body of the song.  Moon Boots is a Chicago artist who has been pioneering a 'nu disco' sound as well as toying with R&B and house music along the way.  He met Valentine at one of his shows when she brought him flowers.  To return the favor, he lent his remix skills to her track, and the Moon Boots remix was born.

Alternate Download

Valentine herself remixed "Peanut Butter" for MTTM or Married To The Mob, a New York clothing brand.  This version is slowed down, has more of a funk vibe, and has less of a lo-fi feel.  The result is a much more overtly sexual track, and it emphasizes the "peanut butter" lyrics more too, which I like.

Mardi Gras!

Today is Mardi Gras so I decided to find some party tunes to soundtrack the day.  Since New Orleans is ground zero for Fat Tuesday celebraging, I scoured Soundcloud and Bandcamp for some awesome artists straight out of The Big Easy.  Specifically, I focused on the NOLA Bounce scene.  Bounce music is characterized by frenetic, high energy hip-hop beats that are made to get you moving.  The instrumentals are often built around the famous "Triggaman" beat from The Showboys' "Drag Rap".

You'll hear that sample during Gypsyphonic Disko's "Hey Pockey Phonic" around the :50 mark.  It should be obvious by then, though, that a lot more instrumentation goes into these Bounce jams than just samples.
Gypsyphonic Disko - "Hey Pockey Phonic"

I've featured Nicky Da B before on his track with Diplo, so his style of furious, in-your-face rapping and specific instructions on how to contort your body should feel familiar.
Nicky Da B - Beating Down Yo Block (Produced By J-DAWG)

Finally, we've got "Hide & Go Seek" by The Honorable South which is a re-imagining of a song of the same name by Bunker Hill.  This group has features of Bounce in their music, but they also incorporate elements of electro-rock, funk, jazz, and soul.

The city of New Orleans has long been a hotbed for cultural mixing and their music is no exception.  The energy and diversity in these songs should do the trick to get things shaking this Mardi Gras.  Enjoy!

Chill Bump - Five Minute Breather

Chill Bump are a hip-hop duo from France.  Producer Bankal cooks up some delicious beats, using a variety of original instrumentation and some clever samples as his ingredients, while MC Miscellaneous spits his spitfire lines over them.  His rhymes run the gamut from serious and political, to humorous and laid-back.

Coming from scratch and battle rap backgrounds, these guys are well rooted in the elements of hip-hop.  Their music provides an interesting case study in the international reach of hip-hop.  Miscellaneous raps in English for Chill Bump, and they have clearly drawn influences from American rap legends.  They often mention growing up listening to rap, so for them it has been a life long love affair.  As I said, they cover a wide variety of themes in their songs, themes that are consistent for pretty much any upbringing.  It seems that effective expression can take whatever form you need it to, regardless of nationality or language.

Chill out and Bump...Chill Bump:


Download 'Five Minute Breather' from their Hidden Strings EP here, and be sure to grab the rest of their releases on their Bandcamp as well.  They had a busy 2012 so I'm excited to see what they've got in store for this year.

Nujabes & J Dilla

On February 7th, 1974 the world was blessed with the birth of two men who would go on to help redefine the boundaries of hip-hop production and inspire fans around the world.  Detroit based J Dilla brought neo-soul stylings to the forefront of hip-hop during the late 90's.  Meanwhile, Nujabes was incorporating classical and jazz music into his productions from Japan.  James Yancey battled lupus and ultimately succumbed to his disease in 2006.  A few years later, in 2010, a car crash claimed the life of Seba Jun.

Both DJ's were true crate diggers; they made an art form out of selecting the perfect records for their tracks.  Even before their untimely deaths, they were gathering support and acclaim from across the hip-hop community for their works.  Their productions were well respected by both fans and fellow artists, and they were recognized for their progressiveness and creativity.

We have a fascination with dead icons, especially those that are gone too soon.  What's great about artists is that they leave behind a physical embodiment of their person within their works.  The emotions, feelings, and souls of J Dilla and Nujabes are captured in their music; forever accessible to us.  Even with their passing, their gifts and talents are preserved in the medium they loved.

Rest In Beats and Happy Birthday to you both.

A couple of my favorites: