Kanye is BACK

    
  In my opinion, when it's all said and done and musical historians are reviewing the music of our generation, Kanye West will go down as one of the greatest musicians of our generation. Throughout his career he's been able to make music that's popular, but still prolific and has constantly pushed at the boundaries of what hip hop is and what it can be. For instance, with "Stronger," he was one of the first to fuse electro and hip hop and even though the song eventually was overplayed, it was unbelievable.
     He lost a lot of people with his last album, "808's and Heartbreaks" because it was too sentimental and slow. Personally, I loved it because I thought the songs were beautiful and honest. With the album, he created a new mini-genre- that of the half-singing, half-rapping angsty musician. I don't know what to call the genre, but Kid Cudi also fall into it.
    In his new album, "My Dark Twisted Fantasy", Kanye is back in full force. He raps with power--literally (see Power), but he still hasn't lost his sentimental touch and so the album is full with a refreshing eclecticism. He has straight hip hop songs where he raps about how "this shit is ridiculous" ("So Appalled"), and then he has a few that were meant to be top 40 ("All of The Lights" which is actually unbelievable but its sure to be overplayed), and then he has sentimental songs like "Lost in The World" which samples Bon Iver (WHAT?) and its beautiful. My personal favorite is "Runaway" which is a nine minute piano ballad where Kanye expresses his dissatisfaction and toasts douchebags and assholes in a slightly pitchy, un-autotuned crone. I've probably listened to this album 15 times in the past week and everytime I hear it I find something new.

You can buy the album here. 



  All Of The Lights by Albou88

  Lost In The World - (With Background ringing sound) by anthonynani

New Benassi Banger

      This new Benny Benassi jam, "House Music," is the most ridiculously amazing banger I've heard in a long time. It hits right away and doesn't quit. It will make you dance, or maybe induce a siezure. Benny is BACK. 

House Music- Benny Benassi by Kodie James

And because I'm in the mood, I give you an amazing remix of Daft Punk's "Derezzed" from the Tron soundtrack.

Daft Punk - Derezzed (Breakdown Remix) by Breakdown

Wompalicious Weekly

   I haven't blogged this week at all. I just realized that. Well, to make up for it, I have compiled a quite dank wompy collection of dubstep songs. If your relatives that are visiting for Thanksgiving want to know what dubstep is, play this and show them and turn them into fellow bass cadets. Enjoy.

  Bassnectar & Datsik - YES by Bassnectar

  Sky Ferreira - One BAR9 Remix by BAR9

  Nosaj Thing - Coat of Arms (Boreta Remix) - Free DL by The Glitch Mob

  Example - Kickstarts BAR9 Remix by BAR9

  Bassnectar - Verbing the Noun (Original Mix) by TheLastShokman

  Empire of the Sun - We Are The People (Stephan Jacobs Remix) by Stephan Jacobs

  M.I.A. Steppin up (stepped up Ruff Hauser mix) by Ruff Hauser

  Datsik - "Retreat" by babymakinmusic

La Blogotheque- Take Away Shows

I recently made an amazing discovery: Take Away Shows by La Blogotheque. This blog in France meets up with a bunch of different artists and films them doing jam sessions. The videos are excellently filmed and all unique. You feel like you are part of this intimate moment with the band. It's amazing and a few of them have given me the chills. It's incredible how a video can really impact the way you appreciate the music. Check em out:







This next one is with an artist I saw in Copenhagen. Gaspar Claus is a celloist that makes very unconventional music. I saw him at the CPH Documentary Film Festival and he played behind a white sheet that had video being projected on to it. The director of the Take Away Shows, Vincent Moon, was there and he was filming him while he playing. So videos of him playing were being projected on to the white sheet at times and then they would shine lights to create effects with shadows. All while this was happening, he was playing music that was schizophrenic. At points it was like terrible sound effects that made you cringe and then it would suddenly break into beautiful music. It was an incredible experience and my description certainly doesn't do it justice.



You can find all of the Take Away Shows here: http://www.youtube.com/user/LaBlogotheque

Kid Cudi- Man on the Moon II

     Kid Cudi is an ex-coke addict and a  perpetually stoned loner. And he's completely honest about it. This honest about Kid Cudi's bleak world is what drives Man on the Moon II. Throughout the album he talks about how he is always high, his struggles with drugs, and his general unsatisfaction with life. It certaintly isn't a cheerful album and you have to be in the right mood to be able to take it all in, but he gives us an honest look into his life and he does so with an impressive diversity of style and an eclectic musical style. He also has some collaborations that enable him to fully express his emotions. In the first track, Cee Lo Green brings us in with poignant soulfulness in Scott Mescudi vs. the World. And in other songs, Mary J. Blige comes in with some more soul, and Kanye West and Chip That Ripper have some epic raps.
     Unlike Kid Cudi's debut, this album doesn't have any stand out singles like Day N' Night, Up, Up, and Away, or Pursuit of Happiness. The only song that comes close is Erase Me (which is a post-punk influenced break up song). What Kid Cudi loses with catchiness, he gains in poignancy and honesty. His honesty is daring. There are plenty of rappers (an artists in general) who in reality are depressed and lonely but still shallowly make music about partying and the good life (ahem, Lil Wayne). Cudi's honesty is refreshing and although it isn't always fun to listen, at least it is real.

You can buy the album here.

Scott Mescudi vs. The World feat. Cee Lo Green
Erase Me feat. Kanye West
These Worries feat. Mary J. Blige
Ashin Kusher
Trapped In My Mind

In Honor of JOOSE

Today is a sad day. Four Loko has decided to take caffeine out of their drinks and the FDA is just steps away from banning all energy drinks. I'm not one to talk about causes on this blog, but this is a cause worth fighting for. For all those in the states, drink a few JOOSE and start rioting. Protest against this injustice! Save JOOSE (and FOUR LOKO)! Save the world!

Some sweet JOOSE theme songs:

Girl Talk- All Day

Most mashups (however sweet they are) are kind of lame and easy to make. There's one huge exception though, and that is the music of Girl Talk. Girl Talk takes mashup-making to an entirely different level and I will never completely understand how his albums so seamlessly flow with such a variety of sounds and diversity of music. I've heard multiple theories on the matter (Robbie (SLTSVR) once told me he uses some sort of algorithm to determine when and where to place the songs) but we may never truly know just how Girl Talk does it. Just put his new album, "All Day," on, dance a little (if you feel it), and have your mind blown.

My personal higlight of the album is "That's Right" which samples "Single Ladies," "Rude Boy," "Party in The USA" and more. "Make Me Wanna" is also awesome- samples a little dubstep.
Girl Talk - All Day by mye499

O yeah, you can download it for free here: http://illegal-art.net/allday/

Get In The Cart, Pig

Deadmau5 released a song on his Soundcloud (where he released all his demos and unfinished work) page this week and it's been getting a lot of attention. It's called, "Get In The Cart, Pig." Its a lot like Strobe and it starts off with a slow build that is like the quiet before the storm, but, then breaks out just briefly and definitely seems like it would be incredibly epic if it was developed more and made longer with a better breakout. So, hopefully he works on this some more because it has mucho, mucho potential.

Deadmau5 - Get In The Cart, Pig. by fuckmylife

jj

jj is this awesome Swedish duo that turns rap and r&b songs into chill electronic ballads. The singer has this amazingly angelic voice and at points you can barely remember that the songs are covers. They've just released two new songs, "let them" which samples "I Wanna Make Love" and then "i'm the one/money on my mind" which samples the xx's Intro. Also, my favorite of theirs is "ecstasy" which covers Weezy's "Lollipop." It's pretty sweet. Check it.

jj- let them
jj- i'm the one/money on my mind
jj- ecstasy
jj- My Life

The Annual 2011

  The Annual 2011 Mega Mix by Ministry of Sound

   Every year, The Ministry of Sound puts out The Annual. It is pretty much the definitive collection of top dance and house songs for the year. It's a mammoth of a collection- 3 discs and so it's plenty of dance-ness. I have a playlist on my iTunes that has every Annual since 2008 and it is such a clutch playlist because I can just queue it up whenever I just want to dance. Or when I need some energy on a long car drive. Or when I am pre-gaming. Or when I am hungover and need a little pep in my step. It's pretty good for a lot of circumstances. You can just close your eye's and imagine you are in a club. A safe club without all the people and date-rapists. A safe club in your mind. Pretty niice. Some might say epic. Well, this year's has a lot of epic shit on it, like a collaboration with Armin Van Burren (number 1 DJ) and Owl City's Adam Young. It also has some new dance songs and new remixes of dance songs you have heard and just a slight sprinkling of dubstep.

Pick it up at the Ministry of Sound.

Armin Van Burren and Adam Young- Youtopia
Alex Guadino- I'm In Love (I Wanna Do It)
Afrojack- Take Over Control
Sydney Sampson feat. Wizard Sleave- Riverside (Lets Go!)(Warren Clarke Remix)
Tiesto and Diplo- C'Mon
Marco Calliari- We Speak No American (Montreal House Mafia remix)
PJ feat. Velvet- Stereo Love

Belle & Sebastian- Write About Love

 
   You've probably heard of Belle & Sebastian. If not, they are a duo who plays really beautiful melancholy love songs and some upbeat love songs. They definitely have a very retro, 60's pop feel. Their new album is pretty good, if you're in the mood for it. For me, its not always what I'm looking to hear, but, it is damn good at moments. This new album has some really quality songs especially, "Little Lou, Ugly Jack, and Prophet John" which is the amazing duet with Norah Jones. The title track is also very quality.

Get the album here.

  06 Write About Love (Feat. Carey Mulligan) by jackpumpkinhead

  Belle & Sebastian - Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John (Feat. Norah Jones) by nixsantos

Flying Lotus- Pattern + Grid World

   
     The music of Flying Lotus is like none other. It's also makes the listener feel as if they are on some sort of drug. It has this strange quality like it's there but then again not really- kind of a dream sensation. You are surrounded by these beautiful sounds but they don't really have any definition or concrete quality that you can put your finger on. And the music has a much different construction than most music, the songs are more like noise that set the mood for a waking dream-state. I think this a pretty remarkable feat and that's why I sometimes love to listen to Flying Lotus.
      Earlier this year, he came out with an album Cosmogramma which is awesome and you should get your hands on it. And recently, he came out with some more music-ness in his new EP, "Pattern + Grid World." It's more of the same from the artist. Its definitely worth checking out if you've never heard of him and/or my vague above description intrigued you.

flying lotus - kill your co-workers by stay-puft

Flying Lotus - Camera Day (taken from Pattern+Grid World) by Warp Records

And here's a really cool remix he did a year or two ago of A Milli-- It gives you the feeling of the codeine/THC riddled haze that the song was probably created in:

Flying lotus - robo tussin by AD.

O yeah his music videos are really TRIPPY, too:

Star Slinger

   
     I first discovered this electronic producer when I heard the song, "May I Walk With You" a month or two ago on the Hype Machine. The song has this really unique beauty with scattered vocals that you can't fully hear the whole song and a really laid back guitar. Something about the song feels like real life because the sound changes and is scattered and never clear so you can never really sit back and be totally comfortable in it, but it still is a really chill song. It's a weird dichotomy of sound.
   The rest of his stuff is really unique and good too. His album, "Volume 1," samples a lot of retro music and is very funky and groovy. He also has a really good Remixes 2010 album. I don't really know what to call his music, but on his website, it says "Instrumental Hip-Hop" and so I'll go with that.
    You can get all of his stuff on the website for free: http://www.starslinger.net/home.html. Enjoy!

Star Slinger- May I Walk With You
Star Slinger- Dutchie Courage
Star Slinger- Gimme
Star Slinger- Mornin'
Star Slinger- Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins Rework)
Star Slinger- Bumpkin
Star Slinger x Wiz Khalifa- All You Got To Do

Audiodax- Make Noise

       So, I just returned from Amsterdam. The whole four days seems like a hazy dream, an awesome hazy dream. Here I was kind of sad that the trip was over, and what do I find in my email? Why, a fresh, brand new song from Audiodax! I honestly don't think anything could be better at this moment.
      This new song has a really cool, innovative chorus that features some harmonic feedback between Temble and K-Flo. Like all Audiodax songs it just makes you feel good. The world would probably be a better and happier place if everyone had heard an Audiodax song once in their life. It's cheerful, smooth and cool, and it's just about as good as Christmas. Audiodax is making some serious noise.

Audiodax- Make Noise