If you’ve not seen this yet, it’s 45 seconds of amazing mashup saxamaphone for your Friday afternoon. Benny Hill’s theme has truly become a cultural staple, as it replaces the rather heinous tech-whatever that’s playing in the original video and gives the bro-trio (Pokemon!) a fun rhythm to bop to. Also that dude in the black tank totally works out. (via Laughing Squid)
Monthly Archives: February 2014
Glitch Mob Goes Under The Hood
The Glitch Mob’s new album is out and it’s fabulous. I’m still listening to it daily and am so glad they opened up their studio & production stuff to this interview. There’s a stupid amount of nerditry and music-related geek out here, most of it above my weight class, but I know all you synth & plug-in junkies lust after this stuff, so take it away Tumblr! Also, put the album into your face Here!
2013 First Time In 56 Years No Black Artist Had A #1 Single.
Just FYI, for all of the R&B, hip hop and straight up rap we had in our aural universe last year, not a single person of color had a number one hit. No Robin Thicke, in all his gropey ass glory, doesn’t count. No black artist had a top #1 Billboard hit, for the first time in over 50 years. I’m not sure what to think about this, but I hadn’t heard it reported anywhere, so I wanted to make a note of it. Cultural appropriation isn’t cool guys. (via Colorlines)
Midnight Music: Body Language by Queen (Holy Crap 80s)
For this week’s Throwback Thursday, I’m taking you all the way back to the early 80’s. While most people know Queen for their over-the-top anthems & Waynes’s World references, this music video reminds that there was a time when this shit was scandalous, and you couldn’t just twerk on stage without being savaged in the media…wait…where was I going with this? Oh right, being scandalous. So there’s a lot of that in the video, but there’s also this almost soothing beat that was pretty ahead of its time if you think about it. It gets NSFW fast so watch out.
James Murphy Wants Each Subway Station To Have Its Own Soundtrack.
James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem wants to make the sterile & dissonant noise associated with the negotation of a Subway turnstile better. The Wall Street Journal reports that Mr. Daft Punk Is Playing In My House found the spare time to give each station unique tones & a set of notes. Additionally, the the melodies would be richer as the station gets busier & it would be played when the subway stops as well. Anyone want to take odds on if this happens, and if it does, how much hilarious argument there’s gonna be about how stations sound? (via Wall Street Journal, though, why did they say “Musician” in the WSJ?)
Image via The Guardian. (I just thought he kinda looked like a lemur. You all know what a train station looks like)
Another Handful of Hip Hop
Coming at you again with another bunch of tracks that I’ve stumbled upon that remind me of where I came from. Lots of great lyricists on the streets these days. This time around, I’ve got 3 tracks from artists mentioned here before, and 3 new ones.
Schoolboy Q drops a fantastic set of rhymes over some electro soul beats in the first tune. An impressive start, but wait, there’s more.
Tinashe is doing quite well and decided to drop this gorgeous remix of a Chance The Rapper track into a mixtape she dropped in 2012. Chance shows up @ 2:12 and it’s featured correctly, while the remix ebbs & flows in the background. Glad to post about a lady remixing a rapper any time I can find quality, because fuck the patriarchy.
Speaking of fucking & the patriarchy, Ludacris has a new single, featuring Wiz Khalifa & beats by Cashmere Cat. This is a huge opportunity for Cashmere Cat, but make no mistake, this track is NSFW like woah. Definitely music for closed doors. Or a really sexy party, whatever your tastes.
This is an interesting one, straddling indie, Slim Shady/Chance The Rapper style silly flow and some interesting bass. It’s definitely a track that you need to take a second look at because this kid’s gonna go somewhere if he plays his cards right.
Give it up for my boy King Terry for this track. I played trumpet for years, and those smooth, jazzy transitions are seriously really nice. Can’t wait for the next King Terry track, it’s been too long I think. Gotta keep getting that grind on.
DVS is a local favorite that’s going to get maximum rep on this site until I don’t have fingers. The new track he’s featured on is about two steps from being better than the last 5 “EDM bangers” I’ve heard. The growling bass and intensely quick lyrical work is not to be trifled with. These guys have chops and they can hold their own wherever the battle takes them. Word is that there’s new hotness coming from DVS, so I’ll keep you posted on that.
(Image via The Hop Hop Renaissance)
Johnny Rotten, Drummer Robert Williams & Judge Judy (For Real. 1997)
Johnny Rotten on Judge Judy?! This is kind of incredible. Laughing Squid picks the choice quote from the 2:45 of artistic bad behavior:
“He’s a nudnik but you don’t have to be disrespectful.”
I won’t spoil who comes out on top, so check it out if you want to hear that delightful accent in full effect. ANARCHY IN THE…oh, yes, ok, I’ll quiet down, sorry Judge Judy. (via Laughing Squid)
Midnight Music: CHVRCHES – The Mother We Share (Moon Boots Remix)
Tonight, I wanted to give you some peppy but chilled out deliciousness that you recognized, but was still new enough that it kept you guessing. This rework of the hit by CHVRCHES by Moon Boots is something I could only describe as “twee house” the first time I heard it. It’s a dancey but not high energy, and is definitely a sweet tune to play while kissing someone you’re crushing on. Or walking on the moon, you know, whichever.
Nicki Minaj Is Back, Guns Blazing!
I was scared for a minute that Nicki Minaj was going to slouch and turn into a ditz when she decided to pick up the regular gig on American Idol. She has so much flow, talent & fire that I really think she can be one of the best female moguls in hip hop since Missy Elliot & Mary J Blige, and this video definitely gives me hope she’s on the way back to tangling with the big dogs in the game. World Star Hip Hop dropped it first and it’s been slowly catching the eyes of those in the know. Peep it and get excited.
Sturdy Portable Laptop Stand Review On Beatport. For Your Favorite On The Go DJ.
Beatport has continued their series of tech reviews and they’ve started branching out into things that you don’t need to plug in. Since every DJ I know always complains about their laptop stand, I figured I’d post this, and I hope it helps a non-zero number of you traktor/ableton jockeys out. Don’t say I never got you anything nice. On a more serious note though, things like this definitely prove that Beatport is a smart brand that’s trying to get information out to its customers. Good on em.
http://news.beatport.com/blog/2014/02/17/udgs-creator-is-a-great-compact-on-the-go-laptop-stand/
Terry Gotham 