Track of the Week

August 25th, 2006

Today’s track comes from Jon Kennedy’s 2005 album Useless Wooden Toys. It was Jon’s third album and this electronic master piece was released on Grand Central Records. Essentially Jon Kennedy’s sound is downtempo electronica, but he approaches that genre from a slightly more raw angle - the sounds produced are very organic and come across in more of a jazz/orchestral manner than your standard downtempo music. Anyway, give this track a listen and judge for yourself…

Jon Kennedy - Never Wed An Old Man
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 1st September.

It was really tough picking one of those tracks as the track of the week. I’ve been listening to the album Useless Wooden Toys a lot recently and there really isn’t a bad song on there - they are all fantastic. Make sure you check out Jon’s stuff, you wont regret it in the least. Plus Jon is a really nice and sociable guy, so if you find yourself adding him to your friends via his MySpace page, expect some sort of conversation to ensue.

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Pass Me The Skalpel

August 24th, 2006

Sometimes I find myself so immersed in a discovery that I forget to share it. It’s not deliberate, and most of the time I’m extremely eager to share, but some I just forget to mention. Many of you with your eclectic ears will be no stranger to Skalpel, but I’m willing to believe that a lot of you think that’s the name of some shady metal band!

Well, they’re actually a Polish jazz duo. They gained a lot of fans in 2000 with their demo Polish Jazz - luckily for them that included in this new batch of fans gained was the label Ninja Tune. Their sound is obviously very jazzy, but it has hints of hip-hop and is often laced with samples. I happen to have a couple of lovely Polish friends, and they’ve ensured that I posses pretty much everything Skalpel have released - although the previously limited Polish release of 1958 Breaks can now be found as a bonus disc with their latest album Konfusion.

Skalpel - Not Too Bad
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 31st August.

As we speak, the Skalpel discography looks like this…

  • Polish Jazz EP (2000)
  • Skalpel (2004)
  • Konfusion (2005)

But it is also worth noting that they released an amazing mixtape in 2000 called Virtual Cuts - I’d urge you to try and source that from somewhere, it contains all the classic trip-hop and electronica tracks. 1958 Breaks, a remix album, was also released, in 2005, and included remixes by such artists as; Backini, Quantic, and Dr Rubberfunk…

Skalpel - Break In [Dr Rubberfunk 'Live @ No.10A' Remix]
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 31st August.

Skalpel mould the sounds of the 60s and 70s Polish jazz with fresh invigoration for the modern day. Naturally it would be handy to already appreciate jazz music, but Skalpel might just surprise you - much in the same way as Cinematic Orchestra or Jaga Jazzist. To be honest, the very fact that these guys are on Ninja Tune should be enough to intice you. I’m yet to see these guys live, that’s still on my to-do list, but I’m assured they put on a fantastic show.

I’ll leave you now with the original and short version of 1958, as featured on the 2004 Zentertainment sampler CD…

Skalpel - 1958
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 31st August.

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Odds and Sods

August 23rd, 2006

Half way through the week already, where does all the time go? Just got some odds and sods for you to peruse today. As ever, if you have anything that you believe may interest me, gimme a shout, I’m all ears.

The right honourable BDB (Badly Drawn Boy) is touring as a build up to his new album Born In The UK. His September mini-tour will see him donate £1 from every ticket sold to Oxfam. This is all part of the Oxjam national festival that is due to run through out October. Badly Drawn Boy’s album is due out on 16th October, and the September tour will be calling at; Nottingham, Glasgow, Dublin, and Oxford.

Have you checked out the new Oh No album yet? Well you should do. Oh No, of Stones Throw and being Madlib’s younger brother fame, recently released the album Exodus Into Unheard Rhythms - and it’s truly a great album. If you like your hip-hop with cool beats and slick raps, then it’s one for you. I’m really diggin’ one particular track though, and it features two of my other favourite Stones Throw people; Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow. You can check out the video on youtube, but here is the track…

Oh No - T. Biggums Feat. Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 30th August.

Anyone remember a young sassy London girl, that released a soulful jazz album back in 2003, by the name of Amy Winehouse? Well, she’s back. I know she’s been working with Mark Ronson and a new album is due out sometime soon, but did you see the photos in the press?! She’s looking really skinny, apparently a size 6 - plus she’s got herself some new tattoos and piercings, frankly I’m a tad worried. The new stuff is sounding good though, sorry for the ropey sound quality…

Amy Winehouse - New Album Clips
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 30th August.

Whilst we’re remembering artists that jumped the scene a few years ago, perhaps you’ll take the time to remember Detroit’s funkiest son; Amp Fiddler. He has a new album called Afro Strut due out on 28th August and I shall have a review for you very shortly. If anyone out there, that just so happens to like funky soul, missed out on his last album, Waltz of a Ghetto Fly, sort your life out and get it bought.

Class dismissed.

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Remix that bad boy!

August 22nd, 2006

You may, or may not, remember a couple of weeks back I made another entry called Remix that bad boy.  It contained some great remixes of already great tracks.  Well guess what… here’s another blog entry for the same purpose, you lucky mother-huggers!

First up is a De La Soul track remixed by British electronica guru Hint.  Perhaps you aren’t even familiar with the original De La Soul track, but that’s ok, what is important right now is that you hear the Hint remix.  Also, any Avalanches fans, listen out for a for a vocal in this track - you’ll recognise it if you catch it…

De La Soul - More Than You Know (Hint Remix)
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 29th August.

Here’s the ultra soulful funk master Lyrics Born, with his track Changed My Mind.  Only this is the remix by DJ Spinna.  This track was part of the Same Shit Different Day remix album that came out last year.  If you like Lyrics Born, and the idea of his stuff being remixed, then by all means buy the album…

Lyrics Born - Changed My Mind (DJ Spinna remix)
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 29th August.

This is the first of two Four Tet remixes I have for you today.  This one is a remix of Madvillain’s Money Folder, taken from the Madvillain Remixes: Four Tet EP.  Naturally MF DOOM’s vocals can be recognised anywhere, but the music wont be anything like you remembered from Madvillainy!  Typical Kieran modification…

Madvillain - Money Folder (Four Tet Remix)
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 29th August.

9th Wonder is a legendary hip-hop producer and he shows us that once more with his remix of the track Made You Look by Nas.  Takes a total different and chilled angle on the original…

Nas - Made You Look (9th Wonder Remix)
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This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 29th August.

I actually heard this remix before I heard the original, and although the original is good, I still to this day prefer the remix.  I’m talking bout RJD2’s remix of 70s 80s by Nightmares On Wax.  See what you think, anyway…

Nightmares on Wax - 70s 80s (RJD2 remix)
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 29th August.

Finally I have the second Four Tet remix for you.  This is a remix of Sia’s Breathe Me.  If you don’t know Sia, she’s sung on quite a few Zero 7 records - if you don’t know Zero 7… god have mercy on your soul, etc…  Anyway, although the original of Breathe Me is great, the remix is just as good, in a different kind of way…

Sia - Breathe Me (Four Tet Remix)
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 29th August.

Well, there you have it, six monster remixes for your ear drums to immerse themselves in.  Happy listening y’all!

Useful links:

  • Download - De La Soul - More Than You Know (Hint Remix)
  • Download - Lyrics Born - Changed My Mind (DJ Spinna remix)
  • Download - Madvillain - Money Folder (Four Tet Remix)
  • Download - Nas - Made You Look (9th Wonder Remix)
  • Download - Nightmares on Wax - 70s 80s (RJD2 remix)
  • Download - Sia - Breathe Me (Four Tet Remix)
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Molly Beanland

August 21st, 2006

I’m not sure just how quickly this young lady is gonna catch on, either you’ll be hearing about her everywhere from now on, or sometime in early 2007 you’ll be thinking to yourself “ah yeah, I remember reading bout her on some blog last year!”. Molly Beanland is the latest young singing sensation to be snapped up by a major label, which on this occasion is Island.

Molly is just 20 years of age and comes from sunny London. She’s been dubbed by some as the new Katie Melua, although from the demos I have heard, she is less guitar driven and more about pianos. Molly lists artists such as Jeff Buckley, Kate Bush, Rufus Wainwright, and a personal fav of mine; Tom McRae, as her influences. Her songs are fantastic, but naturally the most outstanding thing about Molly is her voice - it is extremely impressive. Molly has been singing to a high standard since just twelve years of age, and what can I say… the efforts have clearly paid off. So much so that she recently dropped out of her Cambridge University course to pursue her singing career. Anyway, listen for yourself…

Molly Beanland - Photographs
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 28th August.

At the moment details on Molly are vague, with no official website yet, just a MySpace page. Her album has been penciled in for spring 2007, but I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll be hearing more from her before then. But, enough of my ramblings, the proof is in the pudding as they say, so check out another early demo from this angelic sounding melody maker…

Molly Beanland - Regeneration
>> download <<
This download is a sample of the music only and must be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. This download link will expire on 28th August.

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