Invisible Superstars
One would presume that this name was in direct reference to the fact that this compilation is made up of tracks created by amazing artists that many people will simply never have heard of before. Minus Controller 7 (of recent “Get Ready For The Young Folks” 7″ fame) I honestly had never heard of anyone featured on this release before.
The Secret Life Of Sound presents Invisible Superstars Volume 001. The Secret Life Of Sound is a record label owned by Rob Seeman and he enlisted the help of Controller 7 to create a sort of beat tape/sonic experiment featuring a host of their favourite electronic beat producers, all to be released; digitally, on 1000 pieces of limited vinyl and also 300 pieces of extremely limited GOLD vinyl. They wanted to create a unique record that could give the listener an insight into a world of diverse analog samples generated through non-traditional means of music composition and instrumentation. I have the said sought after gold vinyl, and I can tell you right now that it is something special indeed.
For starters, here is the tracklisting:
1. Miles Tilman – Chicken Salad Beats
2. Scott Matelic – Thoughtless
3. Controller 7 – Consumer
4. Tenshun – Mindfuck
5. Zombie Mountain – Heretic
6. Meatsock – Another Place
7. Mormon Freegan – Seeing n=0
8. Corsic – Romoxy
9. Buddy Peace – Slow Gang Funeral
10. PNS – Storm
11. Skoweyajeed – Papal Brakedance At 23.33
12. Thomas Dimuzio – Tire Damage
As soon as I heard the opening bar of Miles Tilman’s Chicken Salad Beats I knew this LP was gonna be good. Really gritty bass driven electronic beats – proper head nod stuff, whilst not being too overwhelming or overbearing. Like an up-to-date continuation of some of the early Coldcut material. Exquisite production and layering, this one would go down just as well in the car as the club. Next up is Thoughtless by Scott Matelic, no word of a lie, my favourite track right now, just incredible. So understated, yet so pure. Check it for yourself…
Scott Matelic – Thoughtless
>> download track / YSI
>> buy Invisible Superstars Vol. 1 @ TSLOS
This download link will expire on 2nd March.
The third track is a guitar driven heavy beat track by Controller 7, flexing that musical muscle and opening further the wide array of sounds Controller 7 can produce. Following that is a cinematic Wu-Tang’esque piece by Tenshun that breaks down into a real moody piece indeed. Many purists will want to seek out further Tenshun work after hearing this one!
Heretic brings us a more downtempo, yet trippy track. Enriched with details but light enough to just chill to. Keeping it relatively chilled, but switching the tempo up, Meatsock presents an almost drum ‘n’ bass tune with big props to Boards Of Canada and other such contemporaries. Mormon Freegan then flips the whole thing on its head and gives it some mash-up styles, somewhere between sci-fi soundtrack and gameshow in a steady beat style. Romoxy then brings everything back into line with a beautifully paced hip-hop beat laced with ethereal keys and brass. Just lie back and immerse yourself in this one.
The last quarter of the LP is a little more off the beaten track and commences with Buddy Peace’s Slow Gang Funeral – an eclectic blend of jazz-hop beats, vocal samples and electronic bleeps. It has a great rhythm to it and in ways reminds me of some of the more courageous Skalpel efforts. Following on is PNS with Storm, a downtempo head nodder for the head nodders. Often it can be the most simple sounding tracks that are the hardest to perfect – to create something so open can take great levels of detail and technique, well this PNS track hits the nail on the head, music for musicians or productions for producers?!
Skoweyajeed provides the penultimate track, an out there soundscape that Four Tet would be proud of. The final track is by Thomas Dimuzio and if nothing else just goes to show what can be achieved with sound. Thomas is a “sound designer” and will sample anything to create a desired sound. It’s hard to label exactly what he does, but it is bloody interesting.
I have to doff my cap to The Secret Life Of Sound, as with this release they have really gone out of their way to share with us such incredible talents that seem to have been overlooked previously. It has been good to see Controller 7 records being raved about of late and perhaps now some of the other artists on Invisible Superstars Volume 1 will also achieve some further recognition, they definitely deserve it. If you can, definitely try and cop a copy of that gold vinyl… if you still can!
Useful links:
- The Secret Life Of Sound website
- The Secret Life Of Sound MySpace
- Controller 7 website
- Controller 7 blog
Dilla: Gone But Still Strong
James Yancey would have been 34 years of age Thursday just gone. That is no age. But as someone once said “when your chips are up… your chips are up” and James left this crazy casino of a world two years ago tomorrow (Sunday). Jay Dee was an incredible talent and a hugely respected artist amongst his peers, taken from us prematurely, leaving a legacy that has gone from strength to strength.
Each Dilla fan jumped on the Yancey-Express at different stations along his musical journey, but it is pleasing to see so many people getting joy out of his work, both recent and from way back. For many it has been a cathartic experience, and an exploration, to work their way back through his credited work with a diverse array of artists. If I had a penny for every time I heard someone say “I had no idea Dilla worked with Pharcyde!”, I’d nearly have as much money as Kanye West!
Steve Spacek – Let The Dollar Circulate
>> download track / YSI
>> visit Steve Spacek @ MySpace
This download link will expire on 16th February.
“Jay Dee was a producer’s producer, and not just in a press-release way. The dude made us all feel wack in a way that I can’t even explain to you. He was real black music with the soul out there on the floor, pushing every angle to take soul places it has never been before. He took sounds from other dimensions and infused soul into them. He made exactly what he wanted to hear and didn’t think of how it was gonna sound on an A&R’s table – and he walked away with every shred of credibility and creativity that we all wish we had.
Technically, he was a genius. Not a technical nerd (I wish he was), but really he was just that good – almost like he was from another planet. If God gives talent, Jay’s was hip-hop, and he even kept God guessing. Dilla invented trends, never followed ‘em.” - Diplo.
I don’t know if there’ll ever be another producer quite like Dilla, but he has influenced many. And don’t be mistaken, he was heavily influencing people way before his passing (like Diplo said above), it’s just like so many stories told, it can take a tragedy to open up some eyes.
“J is absolutely the most influential producer to bless the boards in the past decade, period. His talent spawned a whole new sound in hip-hop, R&B and soul music. I can honestly say that I have developed a bit of Dilla-ism in my approach to making beats at times. He was undeniably every producer’s favorite producer. He kept cats on their toes and was always ahead of himself. His vibe was infectious, electrifying and mystical. J. Dilla is an innovator and a true legend of our generation. I’m going to miss him.” – DJ Spinna.
DJ Spinna – Dilla is the G.O.A.T.
>> download track / YSI
>> buy Dilla is the G.O.A.T. @ Turntable Lab
This download link will expire on 16th February.
J.Rocc has released the third and final part of his mixes dedicated to the memory of Dilla. You can find links to the podcast and downloads at the Stones Throw website. Also check out this mural painted just outside Paris…
“Certainly one of the most important producers of our time. Apart from his incredible impact on music, which we all know about, my most poignant memory of Jay Dee was simply how humble and modest a fellow he was. Meeting him the first time I was filled with trepidation that he’d be this overbearing hip-hop monster, all blinged up and stuff, so you can understand how relieved I was when we got straight into a conversation about Cal Tjader. Pure music, man. He’ll be missed.” – Gilles Peterson.
The Roots – Dynamite!
>> download track / YSI
>> buy Things Fall Apart @ Amazon
This download link will expire on 16th February.
We’ll never forget. RIP James.
Useful links:
Filed under Info, Links | View CommentsWeapons Of Jazz Destruction
Sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? But relax, the only thing that is threatened with destruction is the ignorant belief that jazz music is dead. Jazz music isn’t dead, my friend – jazz music is alive and Ben Lamdin is here to testify. Who is Ben Lamdin?! He is Nostalgia 77, front-man of the Nostalgia 77 Octet and producer of the new Octet LP Weapons Of Jazz Destruction, out now on Tru Thoughts! That’s who!
Weapons Of Jazz Destruction dropped towards the end of November last year and kind of got sucked up into the end of year whirlwind vortex, so perhaps only the staunch fans had this register on the old radar. However, I’m not one to be committed to putting things in particular boxes and I believe that ones enjoyment from the arts does not have to be restricted by any boundaries. Fortunately in the case of this new album, I do think that it is very much accessible to anybody willing to relax and open their mind. The album is an hour long and takes the listener on an immense journey through time and styles. Inklings of legendary sounds, coupled with a fresh modern influence intended to stretch ones ear beyond its usual path. Of course, if you are actually a big jazz fan, then you are in for one hell of a treat.
Although not always an option, it really is advisable to listen to this record on a decent sound system. The array of instruments, and the sounds they obviously produce, is both rich and refined – it is a real sensory experience. You can close your eyes and invisage being dragged along a beautiful journey. Initially sounding like some powerful early Miles material, then later bounding through string laden lounge dreams, as soulful as they are hypnotic.
Ben Lamdin’s career thus far tells an interesting tale of a young man that started in the relms of hip-hop and funk, then made his journey back in time to find a more organic and hands-on sound that perhaps only jazz can provide. If one was to suggest that Danger Mouse or Dr. Dre were to head up their next project with an 8 piece jazz ensemble, you’d probably choke on your cheerios. Alas this is what Benjamin Lamdin did. Many hip-hop aficionados confess to a love of jazz and/or funk, but rarely do you expect them to output such material. I guess the closest we have come recently would be some of Madlib’s work, most of which was largely sampled and remixed. The Nostalgia 77 Octet is just that… an Octet.
This blend of electronic production techniques, paired with jazz and various soulful elements is perhaps what gives the sound such an edge. It would be easy to miss the target with something so bold – but Lamdin and his cohorts seem to pay a lot respect to the sounds they are crafting, no shortcuts are taken. The results are spectacular. Cliche as this might sound, Weapons Of Jazz Destruction truly makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It is exquisite. Powerful, emotional. A set of 11 masterful compositions, that even in their infancy already sound timeless.
Nostalgia 77 Octet – The District
>> download track / YSI
>> buy Weapons Of Jazz Destruction @ EtchShop
This download link will expire on 10th February.
It’s all about the peaks – the highs and lows. From melancholy to inspiration, and back again. This album has a lot of depth to it, expressed in such an awesome fashion. Three quarters of it is instrumental, whilst the fantastic vocal talents of Sophie Smith are evident on a few tracks. As I said before, this already seems timeless. The only thing that could possibly better it would be to experience a live session of the said material. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that. Weapons Of Jazz Destruction is in a similar vein to the previous Octet albums Sevens and Eights and Borderlands, although perhaps a bit darker. I’ve always felt that the best songs were the dark ones, and this just goes further to back up my theory. Well Ben, you’ve done it again.
Useful links:
Filed under New Release, Review | View Comments
