Written by hKWAP on Monday, 24 of November , 2008 at 3:30 pm
This season of Entourage came to a close so this post will mark the final “music of entourage” write-up for quite some time. Again, the masterminds behinds the show’s musical supervision have come dressed to impress as the season finale yielded some impressive tunes. First up, “Me Myself and I” written by hip-hop deity, De La Soul was featured as the crew frequented an NY bar. Secondly, and far more interesting was the use of “Can You Get To That” by Funkadelic behind the closing credits. Both picks were unexpected and complimented their respective scenes perfectly. Props to Entourage for a great season of television and music.
Written by willshoob on Saturday, 22 of November , 2008 at 8:15 pm
This is the only good material Mr. West has released since Graduation. Granted, it isn’t original work, but it still makes me take interest to Kanye when auto-tuned albums don’t. Anyways, DJ Benzi and Plain Pat commissioned some of the best re mixers out there to make a remix album of Kanye’s greatest “hits.” Some of these remixes are old and have been around for a while, but there are also some new remixes as well. The mixtape is free, and you can download it below. Anyways, some of the re mixers that are big in our little blog world are also featured on this mixtape. They feature Nick Catchdubs, Eli Escobar (created the best Kiss Kiss remix out there), A-Trak (an old remix), Diplo (another old remix), Benzi, and DiscoTech (another old remix). I included my favorites from the mixtape below… Enjoy!
Written by willshoob on Thursday, 20 of November , 2008 at 7:24 pm
I was home sick from school today, so I ended up watching VH1 and Fuse music countdowns when I wasn’t sleeping. Anyways, whenever there was a hip hop countdown, T.I. grabbed two of the top spots every time with “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life.” Granted, “Live Your Life” features Rihanna and “Whatever You Like” was born for radio, I don’t understand how “Dead & Gone” has gotten absolutely no love. It features a tremendously catchy hook, sung by “Justin Timberlake” and a nice beat. It really doesn’t make sense to me why it isn’t the biggest hit of the album. Maybe he’s saving it so Paper Trail can make a revival, once it has cooled down on the charts. Anyways, download my favorite Paper Trail song below… Enjoy!
Written by willshoob on Wednesday, 19 of November , 2008 at 7:31 pm
Our #1 homie Sam Smith linked us this fantastic video. One of the funniest videos ever, MrChiCity3 is a new Tape hero. Watch the whole thing, it won’t disappoint you.
WARNING, VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Written by willshoob on Wednesday, 19 of November , 2008 at 6:37 pm
From what I can gather, Paper Route Gangstaz’s “Fear and Loathing in Hunts Vegas” is a collaboration between DJ Benzi, Diplo, and a bunch of Mad Decent artists. I’m not sure about the Mad Decent part, but I know that the first song is by Blaqstarr, a Mad Decent artist.
The album starts off with a real laid back, Diplo produced track entitled “Stuntastic” and is by Blaqstarr. If Cher were a hip-hop producer, I would guess that this is her creation. I wouldn’t say that it features a “cheesy” synth line, but it definitely reminds me of the 80′s. I really enjoy this song as an intro, because it does a real nice job of doing what it’s supposed to do, and that is to introduce. It shows a laid back sort of R & B part of the album (Blaqstarr) and then when Jhi-Ali spits a verse, you are introduced to the hip hop part of the album. Diplo’s remix of “Rollin’” comes up next, and as much as I love Diplo, I really dislike this remix. It’s boring and not half as good as some of the other remixes. Skip a few tracks, and we arrive at another Diplo remixed track, entitled “Don’t Go.” I like this remix a lot more. I don’t know what the original sounds like, but this is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It features one of my favorite rappers Wale, which probably helps contribute to my favoritism towards it, but that’s expected when you encounter a favorite.
As I listen to the album, I wonder why this gangster dirty south album is any different from some mainstream commercial radio artist. I’ve come to the realization that it’s all about the beats. Diplo is the real difference between this album being good, and it being just another “gangster” album. For example, skip ahead a few tracks and we arrive at “Bama Gettin’ Money”, remixed by Diplo. The chorus is “Gettin’ money oh ‘Bama gettin’ money oh!” Normally this would be considered garbage, or just flat out bad music… But Diplo puts an absolutely great beat over it, and it turns the song into a genuinely good song. Another one of my favorites is “Grind Baby” by X.O. I think I’ve mentioned this song on The Tape before, but I’ll talk about it again. This is probably my favorite beat on the album, as it samples Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So.” It’s a bomb ass song.
Even if you’re not a fan of gangster rap, I recommend you go download this album. You pay what you want, so there really isn’t a reason why you shouldn’t buy it. It features absolutely bomb beats by Diplo, and just fun songs in general. I know I’m an advocate and believer in “real hip-hop” that has a meaning and purpose, but it’s sometimes it’s fun to let yourself go and just listen to some entertaining music.
Written by hKWAP on Wednesday, 19 of November , 2008 at 5:09 pm
Pitchfork Media has just recently released what I believe is their first tangible publication. This being the book entitled “The Pitchfork 500″. This text aims to select what the Pitchfork staff believe to be “the greatest songs from punk to the present”.(1977-2007) The book is not lacking in diversity of genres, as the 500 tracks represent artists from AC/DC to Outkast and in perusing the book, you get a pretty concrete sense of the change in musical terrain across the three decades. I really appreciate how the songs are listed by era rather than in a best to worst fashion. However, I feel that the writers felt obliged to represent some bands simply because they were monumental or a phenomenon in their time and not because they had a particularly great song. Pitchfork also includes a number of songs by ultra-indie groups like likes of Animal Collective, Panda Bear and Black Dice all of whom should be recognized for their artistic vision, individuality and non conformity, but whether their individual songs should be listed alongside Killing In The Name and Paranoid Android is very questionable. Agreeably, picking 500 songs out of an era which has produced seemingly endless great music is a difficult nigh impossible task and despite my criticisms, Pitchfork did a pretty fine job. Here are my top ten favorites of the 500 chosen tracks…
Written by pistachionut on Tuesday, 18 of November , 2008 at 9:25 pm
Remixes of the King of Pop seem to be a staple of modern electronic music. On my radar right now, there are three pretty fresh remixes of MJ’s classic, “Thriller.” Two of these are original tracks using a sample, while the third is a remix. The only difference I can sense is the use of vocals. First off is Villains “Thrilla.” It’s a starts bland track, really only making nice use of the sleazy porno hornline from the original. It does, however, find its second wind. When the chopped up vocals come in, the track gets a new life. Herve’s “Cheap Thrills” has a similar ambition. Perhaps more heavily weighted with original material than samples, Herve makes a great synthline out of the classic booming horn. Unfortunatley, he doesn’t really go anywhere with it, leaving the track to end pretty much the same way it started. DiscoTech’s remix might be my favorite of the three. It filter’s in the booming horns, making a great build. And of course, having the vocals in full makes all the difference. DiscoTech seem to be nailing the remixes of late (“Whatever You Like”; “Homecoming”)
Written by gzabriel on Tuesday, 18 of November , 2008 at 7:46 pm
Sprouting from increasingly revered metropolis, Chicago, come Loyal Divide. Their second EP Labrador sounds like a telepathic chess match between Radiohead and Apparat, or a sandwich of trip hop, paranoid electronic beats, and a haunted dream like atmosphere. Young Blades sounds like Timbaland stuck in a nightmare and put through a blender. Labrador sounds like Ellen Allien drowning in a layer of feedback and then rescued. Lover I Can Tell You feels like Banjo Or Freakout and Animal Collective’s daydream set to a fluttering heartbeat. Vision Vision’s wobbly synth and alien slap bass get masked by screams and then salvaged and the EP is finished. In their well written words:
There remains one true payoff for a musician -the release of performance. Chicago’s Loyal Divide understands this well. To witness their live show is to witness a channeling of heaped aggravation; to hear them is to hear the musical approximation of fevered confession. Truly a live act, Loyal Divide knows how to produce electricity from frustration – frustration with poverty, each other, and the road. The band looks forward to only one thing: leaving all the sludge behind for a brief moment of on-stage catharsis, in turn strengthening their bond and legitimizing their hard work. When not performing, the group goes subterranean, retreating to their basement, away from the outside world, socializing with no one but themselves and their instruments. In an effort to stave off boredom, the group has forever committed to developing their sound; something along the seams of the genres they adore most: Hip Hop, Ambient, Shoegaze, and Pop. Loyal Divide hope to
eventually join the ranks of music’s most forward thinking luminaries – artists like Animal Collective, Liars, and Radiohead - groups who push boundaries while captivating listeners, who trade in conformity for vision, licks for nuance.
Loyal Divide’s music is exciting, passionate, and awesome and you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check them out. Their EP is out soon so be sure to grab it.
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