July 1, 2009
In the wake of the King of Pop’s departure from the living, others who’ve died suddenly seem to appear, ghost-like and haunting, in the darker parts of my musical brain.
Dilla passed away almost three years ago, and those who’re interested not only in hip-hop, but in production and sound as a whole lost an absolute genius. Stories and pictures of him still cutting beats while attached to an IV, his life slowly seeping away, still haunt me whenever I hear his beats.
That said, the man seemed to never stop working, never stop producing or tinkering, and because of that we, his fans, keep getting the opportunity to hear new cuts, new beats, new expressions of his genius.
This isn’t the travesty of the Biggie remixes or the money making shitstorm that was everything released after Big L’s death. This is a beautiful collection of Dilla beats mixed and mastered by Pete Rock himself.
This is an ode, not a cash grab.
J. Dilla - Smoke ft. Blue
June 30, 2009
It is summer. Let the glorious rays of sun beat down upon my pasty skin. Let cold Mexican beer sit in plastic red coolers and beautiful people wear tiny clothing that showcases their scalded shells. It is unexplainable but the sunshine and the beers and the semi-nudity make me yearn, yen, absolutely desire the hard-rocking beats of anything suitably hip-hop related.
My playlist over the course of the last three days has featured Mos Def, J. Dilla, N.A.S.A., and a smattering of classic J5 and the absolutely must-listen Moment of Truth. I can not explain this need, but it exists and while perusing these cold, dark interwebs I was shown a ray of light in this vaguely hip-hopesque album entitled Ambivalence Avenue.
This is an exploded pinata of hip-hop and electronic influences. A vomitous spew of knob tweaks and bass beats that though erratic in composition, has moments of thump that have me smiling in to the warm glare of the sky.
Bibio - Jealous of Roses
March 26, 2007
Hello again. My name is Alex. I like hip-hop. And many other varieties of music. If I stick around, you’ll find out much more… Let’s catch up. This past Tuesday, the 20th of March, witnessed a slew of purchase-worthy releases. Notably:
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Low - Drums and Guns
El-P - I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
I’m pretty sure Abbey and Josh have mentioned a thing or two about the new Modest Mouse… But another one came out that I had to purchase ASAP, J Dilla’s Ruff Draft (Stones Throw). Which makes me think: What’s the number of hip-hop releases you are — or have already been — excited about in 2007?
Most likely, you’ll think, well….hmmm…The Roots…I think…came out in 2006, so…umm, none. Which is fairly true. Seriously, what has there been? Last year offered a consistently satisfying flow of stellar albums, a healthy dose of them undeniably worth the frequent visits. I would love to refresh those who missed out on some excellent hip-hop releases in 2006, but let’s try to get focused on 2007. It’s good to focus. Here’s a quick catch-up:
Gabriel Teodros - Lovework (MassLine)
Mr. Teodros may not necessarily be brand-new to some people. As one-half of local hip-hop duo Abyssinian Creole, Mr. Teodros showcased his talents on the their impressive 2006 debut Sexy Beast. While I personally favor the lazy-like-a-Sunday-afternoon vibe on Sexy Beast, Lovework is yet another fine and smooth local release perfect for the warm nights creeping up slowly upon us. Word on his self-proclaimed home website {www.masslinemedia.com} says that, in addition to getting love from KEXP, he’s been added to rotation at Los Angeles/Santa Monica station KCRW. Cali folks. Do yourself a favor. Request some Teodros. Check out material from his album at his myspace.
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