Snapped in the lock

Got good and fucked up at Sofrtito's Tropical Halloween Sound-clash last Saturday.  I hadn't been out to one of their parties for a while, and it turned out to be another reminder of why their nights getting that cult-ish legendary status.  You just cant argue with a shit hot party.

= WIN

Adding to my overall enjoyment of the night, was a whole bottle of Patron (its like tequila, but nice), NY Diesel, free spiced rum, enough Efes to submerge a medium sized child in, and the company of some people I haven't seen in a while.  One of them being Ben (Nostalgia77) Lamdin.   Ben keeps busy, so we bump into each-other a couple of times a year, usually in East London, and usually in the company of Nat(ural Self), who still lives in Brighton. For the moment...

Nat's actually coming to the end of a tour of the U.S. (well, more a tour of the coasts), and is hitting San Francisco right about now.  I'm looking forward to hearing how he finds it, as SF is one of my favourite spots out there, and he's linking with some local heads I know.  He's been blogging his way through it, so if you want to know what he's been doing, go here.

Anyway, whilst trawling through my bookmarks of stuff to look at I came across a Wax Poetics post for the Broken Keys project, which for those that don't know - is Nat and Ben, and a link to a mix they did.  Its been about since earlier this year, but I must have missed it. Its called The Elbow Grease and Engine Oil mix, and its essentially a playlist of some stuff that inspired the Broken Keys sound, sort of souly/bluesy -psychadelic-funkrock.

Here it is.

Its just what I needed today

L8r

Joint Venture

Two of my boys, who I've been trying to get to link up forever, have finally got it together.  Though I'm assured its purely platonic, Natural Self and DJ Centipede will be DJing at the Make out Room in SF (honestly, they're just gonna be spinning wax) for the Loose Joints night on the 6th of November.  I would be going down myself, but I'm 3000 miles away.

If however, you are in the Bay a week on Friday, you should seriously go check it.  It's right on 22nd in between Mission and Valencia.

If you're hungry I remember a place a bit further up on 24th that has crazy tasty Burritos (go for the black beans rather than the refried).  Its called Papalote, though I guess if you're in that area you'll be kinda spoiled for Mexican food.

Broken Bread?

Potentially disastrous news for the BBoys....

There are to be no more Breakin Bread nights for the rest of this year, and maybe even ever again at the Jazz Cafe, thanks to a new, wack, policy instituted by the venues higher ups.

Despite being one of the more popular and well respected nights, the Jazz Cafe has decided that, the'yve had enough of being a real music venue and that the future lies in cheezy shit.

No lie. The management have started booking slots to cater for the musically retarded.

Check it.

Are you a talent vacuum?
Do you wish to inflict your horrible taste on the unsuspecting?
Yes?

Well then, try the brand new monthly night Hairbrush Heroes.  You douche.

I would like to say I have nothing against Karaoke, but that would be a lie.  I can just about tolerate it when it happens to other people, in private, or possibly if it involves Big L, but otherwise, I wish death upon them.  Painful humiliating death. A death that might involved forced exposure to red hot metal and, if I feel really sadistic, over 30 continuous seconds of Hollyoaks. Including the theme.

Alternately, for the shame impaired, there's the new weekly I Love the 80s.

To be fair, I  do like a lot of terrible shit from that particular decade, but I wouldnt openly admit it, and I feel that actively encouraging people to go out and appreciate the music that made people think Stevie Wonder was "Not Good" or that Haircut 100 (see below) are any way acceptable, could contribute to the corruption of our youth and the downfall of mankind.

Seriously. Haircut 100. The motherfucking HORROR.

I guess this is just the way things go, but god dammit, I don't have to like it.


Now if only there was some way I could vent my anger through some kind of  free electronic medium....

Halloween in the Tropics

I am so going to this.


Its taking place at a new venue-  The NEW Empowering Church, Hackney E8

OoooOOooo..

Halloween. Spooky.

The Next Round

Dom (from the Nextmen) Posted the video for the newest single off the Join The Dots album on his facebook a while ago, and it reminded me about a couple of other videos of theirs that have been kicking around.

The track Dom posted is called Round of Applause, and the vid is a slickly edited montage of clips from every-fucking-where.
Notable examples include:
The Blues Brothers, Mystical -Shake yo ass, Superbad, Ferris Beullers Day off, Airplane 2, Batman, Napoleon Dynamite, Some Elvis movie, Footloose, La Haine, Shaun of the Dead, Toy Story, Some Like it Hot, One of the Muppet movies, Zoolander, Spinal Tap, Britney's Toxic, Flight of the Concords, How High, The Bourne Supremacy, Boogie nights, Sin City, the Big Lebowski, Anchor Man, Pirates of the Carribean, Ali G, The Next Episode, Hot Fuzz, Superman, Lapdance, Dusk Till Dawn, The Chronic Tour, Fear and Loathing, George Bush flipping the bird, Bad Boys, Hurricane, Mulan Rouge, Classic England Footage, some other things I coundn't place (possibly Juice) and Bob Dylan.

Oh yeah, and the tracks not bad either and features every-bodies favorite Bristolian D&B/Hip Hop crossover emcee Dynamite.

See for yourself

Round of Applause

Feel free to let me know what I missed out.

The other video that's doing the rounds, also from the new album , is for Lions Den, featuring Ms Dynamite and Andy Cato.  Have to say - I wasn't feeling this track or the video, which was released a little after the album launch, but then, I heard it loud and it all kinda came together.  The vid is pretty well done, but there's that whole Uncanny Valley thing going on, which gets to me.

Anyway, here it is. Make up your own mind.

Lions Den

The next two videos are from This Was Supposed to be the Future (2007).  It's called Something Got You featuring Zarif, and I think its my favourite track on that album, but I'm torn between the official version, and the acoustic.  I think I'm going to side with the acoustic, but the official video is dopeness. I submit both for your perusal...

Something got you (official vid)

Something got you (Nextmen Unplugged)

C'est Dope, no?

The last vid, is for a track that never came out, which you should all feel gutted about.

Its another in the Nextmen unplugged series, this time featuring Bridgette Amofah, who I've only had the pleasure of meeting once, a couple of years ago, near the inception of Heads High, back when they were still doing the Soho sessions.  Girl has got some pipes.

Out of Your Hands (Nextmen Unplugged)



That's it for now.

I know I've been slacking, but my life's kinds clusterfucked at present, but I promise, I'll be back on it.


Later

Dukes Up

My day job is severely cutting into my blogging time of late, so I'm just gonna pass on the stuff that comes my way..

..For example, here's the latest podcast installment from Duke Etienne (Head High). 

Duke Etienne Podcast #14


Dark Knight  // Mutant Funk
Bookworms // African Rhythms
Zomby // One Foot Ahead Of The Other
Silkie // Spark
Red // I Should Tell Your Mama On Ya
Baatin // Marvelous
Jimmy Castor Bunch // It’s Just Begun (Larry Levan Mix)
Holzer & Kamura // Pure Love
Players Association // Let Your Body Go
Don Armandos Second Avenue Rhumba Band // Deputy Of Love
Fallout // The Morning After
Martyn // For Lost Relatives
F // Epilogue (Ramadanman Mix)
Kode 9 & The Space Ape // Do You See What I See
Elemental // Talk

Point of interest - Track 5 in the mix is "Ishould tell your mama on ya" by Red (some guy out of LA, who seems to be riding out a wave of interest right now), I fucking love.  Strange looking cat, but definately onto something.  Here's the Youtube vid, with some extra remixed bits:



PEACE

Old Money

Just a sneaky repost of a mix from Akuma on Cash Rules celebrating his acceptance into the ranks of the elderly (Happy 30th Adam).

 Akuma - Old Man Mix


01. Jane Birkin And Serge Gainsbourg - Jane B
02. Ghostface Killah ft. Raekwon - Shakey Dog Part II
03. The Delfonics - Trying To Make A Fool Of Me
04. The Isley Brothers - Footsteps In The Dark
05. Althea And Donna - Uptown Top Ranking
06. Betty Wright - Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do
07. New Birth - Blind Man
08. Busta Rhymes Ft. Uncle Murda - Director's Cut
09. Zapp - Computer Love
10. Tenor Saw - Ring The Alarm
11. Alton Ellis - I'm Still In Love
12. Amy Winehouse - Cupid
13. Fabolous ft. Ne-Yo And Raekwon - Make Me Better (Remix)
14. Billy Paul - Let The Dollar Circulate
15. Crooklyn Clan - Let's Get Ill
16. Mary Jane Girls - All Night Long
17. Jimi Hendrix - Foxy Lady (Rob Tex Remix)
18. Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half Steppin'
19. Kellee Patterson - I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More
20. A Tribe Called Quest - Scenario
21. Diamond D - Sally's Got A One Track Mind
22. Matumbi - Brother Louie
23. Blu And Mainframe Are Johnson And Johnson - Why
24. Chicago Gangsters - Gangsta Boogie
25. Cam'Ron - Silky
26. Swizz Beatz ft. Lil Wayne - Up In The Club