LOCK IT DOWN volume 3

Short story: In 2005 I made a mix called Lock it Down and distributed it among friends. Things got a bit out of hand and it became quite a succes. People I had never seen before in my life were discussing the mixes I made. Volume 2 was soon in demand and eventually it was released in 2007 through an internet label called TheNewWorck. They dubbed volume 2 as volume 1. Now, 41 months later (yeah, I know) here's volume 3. Or volume 2. Whichever you prefer. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it. One drops, riddims, foundation, effects... It's all there. Let the music do the talking..

Tracklist:

LOCK IT DOWN

MAJOR RIDDIM
Professor - Fi R type
J. Boog - Let's do it again
Lutan Fyah - Come over
Tarrus Riley - Wildfire

DUBWIZE RIDDIM
Peetah Morgan - Warzone
Assasin - Priority
Busy Signal - Spliff tail

REBELLION RIDDIM
Johnny Clarke & Fantan Mojah - Rebel with a cause
Luciano & Mikey General - Hosanna
Chezidek & U-Roy - Teach dem

GANGSTA LIFE RIDDIM
Junior X - Gangsta life

PRISON BREAK RIDDIM
Luke Rich - Prison Break
Million Stylez - Born in the system
Natty King - Purge dem
Michael Rose - Fight I down

HIGH HORSE RIDDIM
Omari - Live up
Lutan Fyah - Love
Nazzle Man - Yu a mi woman
Fantan Mojah - Nuh easy
Dlp - High Horse

HOT MILK RIDDIM
Gappy Ranks - Put the stereo on

STALAG / STAGALAG RIDDIM
Demarco - Skull inna belly
Busy Signal - High Grade
G Whizz - Nuh wa si dem
Assasin - Bam bam

BLESSINGS RIDDIM
Etana - War
Lutan Fyah - Cherish the earth

EVERYDAY RIDDIM
Jah Knight - Keep blazin'
Million Stylez - Everyday
Ziggi - What you stand for

GOOD OVA EVIL RIDDIM
Jah Cure - Don't let them cry
Sizzla - Herb

FEW YEAR OLD RIDDIM
Natural Black - No set like rain
Mega Banton - Blaze
G Mafia - Wine up

ONENESS RIDDIM
Million Stylez - Oneness

JAH LIVE RIDDIM
Duane Stephenson - August town
First Born - Not afraid
Tarrus Riley - Love created I
Luciano - Jah live

Download is available at: http://thenewworck.com/genre/reggae/the-new-worck-355-of-cold-sweat

Tribute 2 Cliff Burton

The last few weeks ANIKULAPO has been re-discovering his old metal collection; the classic speed and trash riffs haven't felt so good in a long time, makes me wanna get up and MOSH IT UP! On top of that, yesterday we watched the excellent documentary HEAVY METAL IN BAGHDAD,  which I certainly can recommend. So fuck yeah, metal it is these days! Metallica, Suicidal, Sepultura, Anthrax, D.R.I. and Slayer, amongst others,  will bring you one hour of good friendly violent fun. This is a tribute to one of metals biggest heroes CLIFF BURTON (1962-1986) R.I.P., and don't forget to raise your fist and bang your head against the wall!

New ragga dubstep track Bojcot Selectah (Utrecht, Netherlands): End up Dead

BOJCOT SELECTAH-END UP DEAD by bojcot selectah

New ANIKULAPO mix: An Inconvenient Truth



RETURN OF THE BOOGIE pt 2

Early 2009 Lock it Down wrote a piece about the return of the boogie in the dubstep scene. Much has happened since then. Joker has become a major player in the scene, playing in front of large crowds and signing a publishing deal with Universal Records. His succes has caused a floodstream of boogie influenced dance music, most commonly know as 'Purple Wow" these days. The other artists we wrote about have taken things into a different direction...

2000F & J.Kamata were always ahead of their time. For one, Joker was greatly influenced by these two Danish producers (and played a key role in their Hyperdub release) as are a great many other people out there. Still, not much is heard from the dynamic duo themselves after their monsterhit "You don't know what love is." Granted: they've made a couple of remixes, which were really good, but didn't quite reach the great heights of their debut 12 inch. The wait for a new, original tune is long. But the future does look promising...

Earlier this year I visited 2000F and J.Kamata in their studio in Copenhagen where they played me some snippets of new material. All tracks were still work in progress, but from what I heard the lads are taking it even deeper into the jazz, boogie and funk registers. Their signature sound was still there, but the tracks sounded even more autonomic and different than anything else they ever made before. Quite an effort for a team who didn't regard musical boundaries as something to acknowledge to begin with. Perhaps the duo just needed a break from the dubstep scene to get back to their own?

Because, as much as they love bassheavy dancefloor music, they seem to draw more and more from their roots. When asked to make a mixtape for a Danish dance event called Raw, they came up with something that is nothing short of stunning: a 9,5 hour (!!) mixtape containing funk, soul, disco, jazz, dubstep, purple wow and everything in between. To listen to the whole thing is a bit of a stretch but worthwhile the effort. The mixes are so solid you sometimes can't tell one track from another and the tracklist is simply amazing : some evergreens, some underground goodies, some dubplates, some new, most old...

Now, take a day off, disconnect the phone, grab your (wo)man and take it from the lounge to the dancefloor. The return of the boogie is here!

Tracklist:

Guy Bonnet & Roland Romanelli - Amour, Emoi... Et Vous (feat. Heidi)
Art Of Noise - Moments In Love
Don Blackman - Since You Been Away So Long
Bernard Wright - Music Is The Key
Ronnie Laws - Tidal Wave
Bobbi Humphrey - San Franscisco Lights
Lonnie Liston Smith - Devika (Goddess)
Idris Muhammed - Loran's Dance
Joe Zawinul - In A Silent Way
Herbie Hancock - Butterfly
Herbie Hancock - Sun Touch
Eddie Henderson - Inside You
Idris Muhammed - Piece Of Mind
Earth, Wind & Fire - Brazilian Rhyme (Interlude) 1
Deodato - Love Island
Eddie Kendricks - Intimate Friends
Bootsy's Rubber Band - I'd Rather Be With You
Anita Baker - Sweet Love
The Isley Brothers - Between the Sheets
Kleer - Intimate Connection
Bernard Wright - Who Do You Love
J.P. Rodgers, Jr. - I Enjoy Making Love (Just Like You Do)
Luther Vandross - The Night I Fell In Love
Patrice Rushen - Remind Me
Zapp & Roger - Computer Love
The S.O.S. Band - High Hopes
Hall & Oates - I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)
Alfreda James & Billy Ray - Back To Love (Remix Club Version)
Yellow Magic Orchestra - Computer Game
Trouble Funk - Trouble Funk Express
Kraftwerk - Metall Auf Metall
Kraftwerk - Trans Europa Express
Cybotron - Clear
George Kranz - Din Daa Daa (Original US Mix)
Kraftwerk - Number
Kraftwerk - Computer World 2
Vangelis & The American Orchestra - Blade Runner Blues
Strafe - Set It Off (Instrumental)
MC Shan - A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
Big Daddy Kane - Raw
Connie - Funky Little Beat (Instrumental)
Twillight 22 - Electric Kingdom
Kraftwerk - Musique Non Stop
Paul Hardcastle - King Tut
Zapp II - Dance Floor
Fatback - Is This The Future?
Midnight Express - Danger Zone
D Train - Keep On (Dum Mix)
The Other People Place - It's Your Love
Transllusion - Do You Want To Get Down

Galaxy 2 Galaxy - Journey Of The Dragons
Posatronix - Danz'
UR - Twista (The Dance)
DBX - Squelch
Pepe Bradock - Deep Burnt
Anja Schneider & Sebo K - Rancho Relaxo (Original Mix)
Aril Brikha - A Groove La' Chord
Cube 40 - Bad Computa
Choice - Acid Eiffel (Live by Bugge Wesseltoft)
Digital Mystikz - Neverland
Ramadanman - Offal
Dubbel Dutch - Throwback
Raheem Devaughn - I Don't Care (Mischief Makers Remix)
Ted Esha - 83
Harry Craze - Wa6
Brian Eno - An Ending (Ascent)
Mr. Fingers - Can You Feel It
Bam Bam - Where's Your Child?
Plez - Can't Stop
Tyree - Acid Over
Mike Dunn presents The MD X-Press - God Made Me Phunky (Original Mix)
Tim Driver - Colorama
Paperclip People - Remake U No
Jonny L - This Time (Carl Craig Mix)
Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless) (Basement Boy 'Strip To The Bone' Mix)
River Ocean - Love & Happiness (Yemaya y Ochun) (Masters At Work Dub Beats) + Love & Happiness (Yemaya y Ochun) (Maw Remix Keyapella)
Peshay - Vocal Tune
Fusion Forum - Vintage Keys (The Art)
Bizzy B & Pugwash - Just A Little Crew
Immortal Minds - Cosmic Jungle Remix
Deep Blue - Helicopter
Goldie - Inner City Life
DJ Dextrous - Nice 'N' Slow + 313 Bass Mechanics - Pass Out (Acapella)
DJ Slugo - Bitch Give Me Some Pussy
Remote - The Swarm
Silicon - Electorn Push
DJ Zap - I Can Make U
JKamata - Ekstasi
Dave Clarke - Protective Custody
The Prodigy - Weather Experience
Vangelis & The American Orchestra - Blade Runner Main Title
Lil Jon & The East Side Boys feat. Gangsta Boo - Da Blow + Bo Hagon's Phone Call
2000F & JKamata - You Don't Know What Love Is (VIP)
2000F & JKamata - You Don't Know What Love Is (Sukh Knight Remix)
Skream - Filth (Silkie Remix)
Silkie - Step Aside
Skream - If You Know
Von D - Incognito
501 - Everything In Its Place
Phuturistix - Blind Faith
Quest - The Unknown
V.I.V.E.K - Barcelona
Improvistators Dub meets Iration Steppas - Wah Wah (12" Mix)
Digital Mystikz - Thief In The Night
Mala - Lean Forward
Synkro - Just Say
Von D - E Von
Silkie - Test
Kito feat. Reija Lee - LFO
Turboweekend - Something or Nothing (2000F & JKamata Remix VIP)
Low Pressure - Babylon Bigtime (2000F & JKamata Remix Instrumental)
Caspa feat. Uncle Sam - London City (2000F & JKamata Remix)
L-Wiz - Girl From Codein City
Mr. Dé - Superugly (Funk Piano Mix)
Drexciya - Andreaen Sand Dunes
Lilly Allen - Just Be Good To Me (Joker Remix Instrumental)
Sticky - Paccman
Mala - Left Leg Out
Erykah Badu - Next Lifetime
Frank McComb - Twenty Four
2000F & JKamata - Dukkehus
Joker & TC - It Ain't Got A Name
Aztec Mystic A.K.A. DJ Rolando - Jaguar (Original Mix)
The Deacon - Soulsaver
Moreso feat. Filthy Rich & Damon Trueitt - Take My Hand (Industry Standard Mix)
Millennium To Millennium - Timeline
Ramadanman - Mir
Beezy & Kromestar - Say Yes
Alicia Keys - Feeling U, Feeling Me (Mala Remix)
Alicia Keys - Feeling U, Feeling Me (Interlude)
Nabo - Helt
Roy Davis Jr. - Dance With Me
A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum (UK Radio Edit)
Carly Simon - Why
Madlib feat. M.E.D. - Please Set Me At Ease (Hip Hop Mix)
Sunshine Anderson - Heard It All Before
Dâm-Funk - 10 West
LL Cool J - I Need Love
Nabo - BS Disaster (Bless Edit)
Flying Lotus feat. Andreya Triana - Tea Leaf Dancers
Quest - Smooth Skin
Jill Scott - Slowly Surely (Theo Parrish Remix)
Faze-O - Riding High
Mazarati - Stroke
P-Funk Allstars - Hydraulic Pimp
The O'Jays - Put Our Heads Together
D Train - You're The One For Me
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Let The Beat Him 'Em (The Pop Radio Edit)
Main Source - Looking Out The Front Door
Larry Larr - Confused (The Soul Convention Remake)
Keith Sweat - Keep It Comin'
Earth, Wind & Fire - Brazilian Rhyme (Interlude) 2
Weather Report - River People
Carl Craig - At Les (live in Paris)
Timeline - A Moment
Timeline - Time Sensitive (Los Hermanos Remix)
Flora Purim - Transition/Conversation
Dâm-Funk - The Sky Is Ours
Azymuth - Dear Limmertz Prelude
Robert Glasper feat. Bilal - Chant
Mark Pritchard - ?
Kraftwerk - Spiegelsaal

Download:

https://www.yousendit.com/download/aHlReFlYT2JwTVd4dnc9PQ

mixtape mania

Currently  the Lock It Down Pose is enjoying some nice mixes made by friends from all over Europe. We love mixtapes and consider this a logical way of sharing our musical obsession. Enjoy!

First up is a Drum & Bass mix by DJ Salor Bassclap (Spain)  called ACID GROOVE. He just moved from Brussels back to Cordoba and surely will rip up some dancefloors over there...

Next up is Jungle Moon (France), who morphs reggae into drum & bass, but always rootical. Born in the French mountains, he now resides in Utrecht. Check his SUMMER 2010 mix .......

And finally and fortunately ...... another mix by our very own Cold Sweat (Netherlands). We know he has got trailerloads of original Jamaican 7 inches you all have been dreaming of, so check his latest Joe Gibbs mix PRESSURE BEAT VOL 1, straight outta U-town.

LOVE AND DEATH

Strut link up with one of the true greats of Ghanaian music, Ebo Taylor, for his first internationally released new studio album in over 20 years.

Following the wartime big band highlife pioneers like E.T. Mensah, Taylor became a major figure in Ghanaian highlife during the 1950s and ’60s as highlife exploded. Cutting his teeth with leading big bands like Stargazers and Broadway Dance Band, Ebo Taylor quickly rose through the ranks and became a prolific composer and frontman. Taylor moved to London in 1962 to study. “I had the Black Star Highlife Band sponsored by the Ghanaian High Commission, mainly comprising music students. We tried to incorporate jazz into highlife and progressed through talking and through jam sessions, trying to develop our skills and ideas.”

Back in Ghana, Taylor became an in-house arranger and producer for labels like Essiebons, working with other leading Ghanaian stars including C.K. Mann and Pat Thomas. “I was paid to write for them and we made some great records. People were trying new things – I always loved C.K. Mann’s Funky Highlife. It was fresh.“ Through the mid-‘70s and into the ‘80s, Taylor then recorded a number of solo projects, exploring unique fusions and borrowing elements from traditional Ghanaian sounds, Fela’s Afrobeat, jazz, soul and funk. Tracks like "Heaven" now stand as among the best Ghanaian Afrobeat of the era.

Interest in Ebo Taylor’s music has grown in recent years with a series of Ghanaian compilations on Soundway Records and Analog Africa and an unexpected sample as Usher lifted a riff from "Heaven" for his hit with Ludacris, "She Don’t Know." A new Ebo Taylor album was a natural progression. “For new album, I wanted to advance the cause of Afrobeat music. Fela started it and we shouldn’t just abandon it. We should push it so it is a standard form of music.“ The result is a firing new set backed by Dutch band Afrobeat Academy and involves members of German analog funk combo Poets Of Rhythm. Tracks include new versions of Taylor classics "Victory" and "Love And Death" and a selection of new compositions including "Kwame," celebrating Ghana’s late, lamented leader Kwame Nkrumah.

Ebo Taylor's Love And Death will be released in CD / 2LP / digital formats. He will be touring with Afrobeat Academy beginning in December 2010.

Tracklist
1. NGA NGA
2. AFRICAN WOMAN
3. LOVE AND DEATH
4. VICTORY (Instrumental)
5. MIZIN
6. KWAME (Instrumental)
7. ABOREKYAIR ABA
8. OBRA

For more info, check out:

http://www.ebotaylor-loveanddeath.com/
http://www.strut-records.com/

Charanjit Singh - Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat (India, 1982)

The good folks of the Dutch Bombay Connection label already pleased my sitar-fetish with their lavishly packaged double compilations Bombay Connection and Bombshell Baby of Bombay, now the're back with a real surprise: Indian ragas played by early synthesizers, and I must admit this is some pretty crazy sound. This is what they say about their record: a 1982 released LP called TEN RAGAS TO A DISCO BEAT containing Kraftwerk-like acid house music, years before the genre was invented. Only a few hundred copies of the LP were ever pressed, and only a handful seem to have survived. Performed on the synths that would later define Acid House, the Roland TB-303 and TR-808, the album sounds light years ahead of its time with its repetitive beats and hypnotic electronic melodies. Its maker, Bollywood session musician Charanjit Singh, set out to translate ancient Indian classical Ragas to the modern synthesizer and in doing so seems to have invented House music along the way. Its restrained minimalism and lack of cheesiness makes it incredibly contemporary, sounding animated, fluid and unabashedly alive.

more info & soundsamples here:

Folk Sounds from the Dutch Deep South 1954-1987

Gotta warn ya for this one: If you're not from the South of The Netherlands, it will be very unlikely that you can appreciate this mix. Even if you're from there...it still will be a challenge.....

This mix collects the folky sounds of Limburg, the deep South of the Netherlands, You’ll hear the strong connection between the local dialect and neighbouring Germany. Lots of german melodic influences also, apart from singer-songwriters, country and a cover of Van Morrison’s Gloria.This is the music my grandma liked to listen: songs about the the beauty of the area, the famous southern mines and yes, about grandma’s…

Barrelhouse Jazz Band – Limburgs Volkslied
Jo Erens – Limburg mien Lanjd
Sjef Diederen – De Oma
Harry Bordon – Marieke
Carboon – t Zwarte loak
Piet Geuskens – Ballade van Oma en Huzaren
Frits Rademacher – Het Huikske
Jo Erens – Vrijerslied
Sjef Diederen – D´r Dikke Hein
Carboon – D’r Berg
Janse Bagge Band – Proemevlaai
Pierre Cnoops – Huwelijksreis

Panda Dub - Protect the Dub

Out of Lyon, France, come Panda Dub: heavily UK dub influenced grooves, now releasing his first single. Protect the Earth/Protect the dub is released on the Dubatriation label from Dijon (check out his Outernational roots & culture radio show called Ital Corner Radioshow on http://www.dijon.radio-campus.org/)  featuring Paulette Wright on vocals.Released by Kingston Connection (uhurudisciple@yahoo.fr) on 7 inch vinyl, beginning of April 2010 and limited to 500 copies!

Got this one from our friend Dubfader, thanx, also for the party last weekend!

Malorix - Kabaddi Schwalbe

Malorix - Kabaddi Schwalbe from IndiVisuals on Vimeo.

Based in Rotterdam, Malorix attacks the airwaves with breakbeats and bass music filled with samples from the most exotic places in the world. Kabaddi Schwalbe is the first single from the album Soundsystem Culture Clash, released on Redrum recordz. Check out his latest videoclip made by Maarten & Jet (Indivisuals/ Rebelup!). The album contains 10 bass-driven tracks spiced up with  Rai, Bhangra, Balkan, Dutch politicians & others folk sounds. Perfect for people who love high energy breakbeats, probably to noisy for the rest of the human population. If you like it, be shure to listen to the track Belsalama on Malorix' Myspace, my personal favorite.....

Gonja Sufi - A Sufi and A Killer (Warp records, 2010)

Lock it Down has been waiting for this album. Finally someone brewed an electronic psychedelic potion of of all those funky & freaky exotic records we love. Earlier, we already talked about the emergence of the LA scene around Flying Lotus & Gaslamp Killer and now the next chapter reveals itself: GonjaSufi’s album A Sufi And A Killer, produced by the Gaslampkiller, was released on Warp records last month (check them here on Youtube). Gonjasufi also provided vocals on the Flying Lotus track Testament (on the Los Angeles album), but his own release really did it for me. Captivating yet uneasy, freaky, funky, dark but spiritual. In touch with the past, but as uptodate as it gets. The Sound of Urgency. Once in a a while a record comes along which sums up the stuff you like, and combines it in a way you hadn’t heard before. A Sufi and A Killer is a record like that. Gonjasufi spits his distorted lyrics over beats filled with sound from records we love. The Turkish psychrock legend Erkin Koray is heard various times, his tune Yagmur is versioned into Kobwebz and Seni Her Gordugumde (aka I’nan Ki) into I’ve Given. Both Erkin Koray tracks are featured on his 1973 album on Istanbul records. As a great fan of Spanish seventies flamenco-hybrids I was thrilled to hear the voice of Las Grecas in the single Cowboys & Indians, sampling their 1974 tune Bella Kali (from their classic first album Gipsy Rock). L.A.'s Spirit gave their The Other Song (from Son of Spirit, 1976) for Gonja to recycle it to Dust. It seems he's putting a band together as we speak, can't wait to experience this in a live setting. Check out this little mix by Anikulapo, combining the Sufi songs with the originals.

Obviously, there tons more of samples, if anyone has any more suggestions, I’d love to hear it

And remember to buy this album!

Links:

gonjasufi: http://www.sufisays.com/
gaslamp killer: http://www.thegaslampkiller.com/
flying lotus: http://www.flying-lotus.com/
warp records: http://warp.net/

Radio Pirates Documentary

A very entertaining short documentary about London's radio pirates. Cool footage on illegal radiostations (Rinse FM!), sending their tunes into the airwaves from the top of high buildings. Wonder if this is also done a lot in the Netherlands ...... thanx to Mr T for the linx!

Elephant Soundsystem Reggae Radioshows

Why is it the Lock it Down Posse is so crazy about Reggae? Is it the versatility in tropical riddims, the do-it-yourself attitude, the incredible creativeness of sound manipulation inspite of financial limitations, is it the message of faith & love, carried within the music, which infacto makes it gospel or is it the voice of protest and resistance against whatever oppression. We love Jamaican music and it the impact of such a small island on the musical universe cannot be overstated. Infact, we love it so much we make radioshows about it. Every second wednesday we do a reggae radioshow for www.zionhighness.com, playing 2 hours, from ska to rocksteady to roots, to dancehall, digital, new roots and topped with a little bit of dubstep. Expect classics & rarities, lots of stuff you won't find on no re-issue compilations! We're not the greatest radio personalities or djs ever, but we love the music, which I think also reflects very strongly in the shows. Do It Yourself that is. Did I Mention we love Jamaican Music?

Go to the Elephant Soundsystem Radio Archive here

Lock it Down loves 45s!

A very informative and entertaining clip explaining history and usage of 45s! Taken from a dvd by vinylfreaks DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist. And it's true...45 is THE coolest format around! Apart from the aesthetics of the format, just imagine the amount of cool grooves which are made by al those tiny labels with young & talented bands only releasing one 45 and no album. Not to mention that, in general  the're cheap and easy to take along, even if you're backpacking.

COSMOGRAMMA

One of my biggest musical revelations of the past decade was, without a doubt, hearing Flying Lotus' "Los Angeles" album (Warp Records/2008.) Being an avid fan of IDM, jazz and big bass music, all of which FlyLo smoothly combines into a unique blend of his own, this album seemed to be specially made for my ears. Although, at first, I didn't really get into it . It was only after seeing the man live on stage that his magic caught on and sure 'nuff I fell in love with his sound right there and then. Head over heels.

And I was not the only one because soon everyone was onto the man. Deservedly so, I might add, because this focus on the LA scene and its satelites brought us many great things. Through his music FlyLo tapped into a collective vein, serving a much needed freshness to a heavily segregated music scene and, in doing so, uniting different scenes which led to interesting new music and collabs. Artists from around the globe started working together; new artists arose on the scene, finally getting what they deserved after a long struggle of self chosen contrariness; scenes intertwined and exchanged ideas, opening up a whole new spectrum where there are no rules and, thank God almighty, no genre names (yet). Although most people still file it under dubstep, which couldn't be further away from the truth. The above goes for me too, on a personal level. I discovered many great tracks and albums since I was lured back into the idm/electronica scene by "Los Angeles." I had followed the scene for more than 10 years but left after every record started sounding alike. It seemed to me everything had been done, limits were reached, ideas were copied instead of progressed; yes, even the great Warp Records, always a label to look out for, faded a bit. Apparently all it needed was an injection of FlyLo to propell it into a new orbit. Ever since I heard interesting collabs of hiphop, jazz, psychedelica, reggae, dubstep, idm, house, uk funky and so on, and so on. Everything goes!

Flying Lotus is about to unleash his much anticipated third album, Cosmogramma, on may 3rd, but Warp decided to throw the fans some corn. They're giving away three tracks that won't appear on the album, but to call these a taster isn't doing them justice. All three of them are frigging great tunes and also a great example of what this piece is all about: they're fresh, and openminded. Oh, and yeah: they do promise a whole lot about the forthcoming album...

Go get them here!

2012 mixtape EPISODE II

The saga continues........another sonic warning about 2012! Time is short, still lots of  records to go and even more sounds to explore. Must make mixtapes. Be warned. Get informed here: http://www.anikulapomix.blogspot.com/

My New Reggae 45s Mix by smartin

Today I got a bunch of new reggae 45s, from old ska to 80s digital to new roots. We love Jamaican Music!


Lloyd Clarke – Summertime (Hi Tone)
The Ethiopian – You a Pirate (Techniques)
Blacka & Sekle - Countryman (Techniques)
Little John – Say What You’re Saying (Midnight Rock)
Sugar Minott – Upon The Level (Midnight Rock)
Frankie Paul – Tidal Wave (Powerhouse)
Dennis Brown – The Exit (Jammys)
Little John – No Give Me No Bun (Jammys)
Penny Irie & Pinchers - Release (Jammys)
Half Pint – Romeo & Juliet (Scorpio)
Tony Tuff – Dancehall Style (Scorpio 1999)
Admiral Tibet - Informer (Techniques)
Daddy Screw – Love Yuh Till Me Fool (Digital B 1993)
Pinchers – Bandelero (Necessary Mayhem)
Anthony B – Territory (King of Kings)
Mykal Rose – Fight I Down (Bassrunner 2010)
Million Styles - Born in the System (Bassrunner 2010)
Konshens – Insanity (No Doubt 2005)

New Mixes by DJ Tommi

Our local balkan/mestizo/latino hero DJ Tommi made two more mixtapes available for your listening pleasure. The first one is Balkan Beats Classix mixtape, containing lots of classic balkan party floorfillers like Shantel, Fanfare Ciocarlia and Amsterdam Klezmer Band. (tracklist here)

The second one is the Weird Latin & Carribean mixtape, including cuts of: major lazer, frikstailers, justice, jay-z, rye rye, defalla, busy signal, JUF, vampire weekend, schlachthofbronx, sabo, diplo, i.m.s., uzul y loads more! (no tracklist & download))

4 Hour Steve Barrow Interview on Big Mikey Dread show

Steve Barrow has been pushing Jamaican music since 1962, check out this very interesting interview on the Big Mikey Dread radioblog. His writings and compilation work always have been an inspiration to us.  Steve talks about his passion, the music business, the labels and the artists in his home, while he puts on 45s from his own collection. Check Part 1 here and Part 2 over here.

From Mikey's blog: Over the years Steve's interest in Jamaican music has developed from collecting through to writing for Black Echoes, running his own record stores, compiling records for Island, Trojan, and his own label Blood and Fire records. He co-wrote the Rough Guide To Reggae, a bible for all Jamaican music fans. Amongst his close friends are people like Bunny Lee, Dennis Alcapone, Glen Brown, Lopez Walker, U-Roy and Trinity. He's even recorded a toilet for Lee 'Scratch' Perry! He's currently writing sleeve notes for Soul Jazz records and an upcoming release of some Dancehall Reggae music, related to Beth Kingston's book 'Dancehall' that Soul Jazz brought out last year.

Big Up Big Mikey D. for making this show!

Reggae on the Uncarved Blog

Our friend Mr T pointed me to the excellent Uncarved blog some years ago, and I've always had great pleasure and fun reading (lots of reggae!) John Eden's virtual infotainment. Last week, some interesting posts dropped: The 20 Best Reggae 45s of the Noughties Part 1 & Part 2 and the hilarious 10 Worst Things about Reggae in The Noughties. Check out the blog!

R.I.P. Vivian Jackson aka Yabby You

Last tuesday, january 12, one of the most important artist in the history of reggae passed away. Vivian Jackson, better know as Yabby You, created some of the heaviest roots around, filled with spirituality, creating a massive following among reggae lovers. His masterpiece Conquering Lion (released in 1976 on the Prophet label) is a must-have, just like King Tubby's Prophecy of Dub and the Jesus Dread compilation on the Blood & Fire label. Big up Mr Jackson, may YOU rest in peace....................

Check the obituary on the exclaim website here.

the 2010 LOVE mix: Happy New Year!

Looks like this year’s gonna be soulfull & funky! Sultry grooves and pleading voices, all inspired by that one thing which keeps this world going: LOVE. Kicking off with two funky tunes by the Black Moses, also Smooth Soul by Terry & Marvin, lots of Sister Funk and a couple of genuine southern soul ballads. Happy new year and may the LOVE be with you.

Isaac Hayes – Ike’s Mood
Isaac Hayes – Hung up on my baby
John Lucien – Do You Believe in Me
Terry Callier – I Just Cant help myself
Marvin Gaye – I want you
Sisters love – Gimme Your Love
Althea Spencer – Take Me Baby
Wendy Rene – After Laughter
Aretha Franklin – I never loved a man
Otis Redding – You Made a Man out of me
Mary Jane Hooper – I’m in a loving groove
Gloria Williams - Sister funk
Irma Thomas – Ruler of My Heart
Elsie Mae - Do you really wanna rescue me
Patti & Jo - You keep me hanging on
Fontella Bass – Hold on
Inell young – What do you see in her
Betty Barney – Momma Momma
Betty Davis – Anti lovesong
Barry White – Love theme
James & Bobby Purify – I’m Your Puppet