Wednesday 29 January 2014

Mix: Boogie

Here's my newest mix, just for y'all! Some of my favourite boogie records.
 

Saturday 25 January 2014

Hip Hop's Riot Girl : LIZZO


LIZZO, AKA Melissa Jefferson was raised in Minneapolis and heads up several hip hop acts such as Raise The Chalice and RIOT GRRRL.

2014 could just be her year.

Her debut album LizzoBangerz is a complete rap vintage. A dynamite debut & super statement record 'Bangerz' was produced by Ryan Olson with beats from fellow Minnesotan, Aaron Mader aka Lazerbeak.

Lyrically Lizzo tells the sort of stories that Sweet Tee and Monie Love were penning in the 90's. The classic influence from that era and more contemporary artists such as Missy Elliot and early Kanye West comes through in droves as Jeffersons delivery chops and changes from verse to chorus, with the beats occasionally taking the wheel too. Whilst Lizzo often fires out a sharp shooting style, she also knows how to drop to an aside, like stepping out of a scene to talk the audience, such as 47 seconds into Work Pt 2, where we step out to a gossipy phone call. Bangerz is not an aggressive record, it gets alongside the listener, draws us into her world and teaches something at the same time, the beats are exceptional - isn't this what all great rap albums do?

3 Essential tracks: W.E.R.K Pt 2, Cookies & Batches, Pants Vs Dress

There's also an excellent interview here worth checking out:
http://blog.thecurrent.org/2014/01/lizzo-on-the-party-rap-stereotype-feminism-and-her-favorite-grrrls/

Lizzo is featured in my 'Approved Music of 2014' playlist, please listen and subscribe (if you wanna)

Thursday 16 January 2014

I Want To See Pulaski At Night


I had all day meetings today. It was fun, record labels came in one by one and presented new music. But after the meetings,  the chaos of catcing up with work, and after 6pm when the office emptied out i found myself playing a chilled record i'd heard via the KCRW tune of the day podcast.

Soundtrack is a genre, as ive mentioned here before, i'm fascinated by. So to hear that this was a soundtrack for a film yet to be made, really grabbed my attention. It's a very creative and cinematic 7 tracks, with little or no vocal except for on the jazzy title track which drops mid-set. Other than that the EP is a fine piece of neo-classical soundtrack making Andrew Birds eastern influenced EP an early highlight for 2014.

"The EP’s title was taken from a remark made by a visiting Thai student when Bird was living in Chicago in his twenties. “We thought it was funny and absurd because Pulaski is a street that runs the length of Chicago’s west side and I can tell you, you don’t want to see Pulaski at night,” says Bird. And it’s easy enough to hear the intro and outro tracks, Ethio Invention No’s 1 and 2, as a plucked, Southeast Asian-inspired scene-setter and finale respectively. While Lit From Underneath continues the sonic tour with bright curiosity and the return of Bird’s much admired mellifluous whistle. "- Mojo4Music

Hear more tips for 2014 and stay updated by subscribing to this playlist:


Friday 10 January 2014

Satin Beretta


 2014 is still in it's infancy but one record that's already caught my attention is 'Got Me' from Jamaican rooted, Brooklyn born Satin Beretta.

Check the record out below. No release date on this yet but got a feeling that she will be an artist to watch this year. A big label deal could await..



Here's another record that she launched via facebook too


Wednesday 8 January 2014

Best tweets from 2013

Happy new year!! Here's a selection of my favourite tweets from last year




The New HMV on Oxford Street::



Although it's been a tough season for Fulham FC i thought this likeness of Scott Parker to the hero in classic video game 'Doom' was hilarious (but also spot on!!)





One of my favourite gigs this year







A friend ousts me as a Seapony fan..




A promotion i ran with Sainsburys for Arctic Monkeys




A brew from the Aim Awards..




JLS split up..



Kieron from Playlists.net enjoys the Boombox soul playlist



Neighbours Tweets

Alan Fletcher  - I had the immense privaledge this year of working with one of my heroes and i have to say good Neighbours definately became good friends. Bless you Fletch!!




 Morgan Baker (Callum)





Jenna Rosenow (Amber Turner)




Kaiya Jones (Sophie Ramsay)