Roska's refix of the title track will have been heard if you frequent funky in clubs or online... I for one have heard it multiple times without knowing it's source, and can now say it's easily one of my favourite things he's done.
From the snippets on the Wireblock site, Its clear the rest of the EP is going in the same direction. . the type of music thats outgrown most humans vocabularies.
keep eyes open for when it drops -
& bear in mind that Wireblock will soon become part of Nmbrs -
had to up another funky set for you. perfect balance between the hard and the soulful, and clearly, along with mak10, the stand out london deejay of this year.
I may have looked like you guys on the outside. Suited. Stern-faced. Shiny shoes. but inside..aided by my headphones. . . .it was going off. Yes. In the Client Express.
And can I also draw your attention to some of the new Zed Bias plates that Benji B has in his record case. . . . Particularly the one in the said Deviation link. . . Lethal. An Omar vocal on that sounds good right?
Don't come to carnival if it isnt in your arsenal.
seriously. don't sleep on the Claude Von Stroke below either. Listening to the b-side and for the forthcoming long player this could be immense. This isn't TECH HOUSE.
My new favourite Wiley album - some of the best things he's done in a long time. . - 'Eyes Of The Lord', 'Out Of The Game', 'Zip It Up' and that Danny Weed production 'Hummer Activity'. 'Music I Like' is real real nice too. They are all on youtube. And have been for about six months.
But what is 'Olly' - I can't imagine any audience, or anyone with an ounce of self respect listening to this out of choice. Means I can't just run the album in its entirety. But still putting together a Wiley Greatest Hits would own my CD collection.
But a seriously tight album bar the blip, and one that is certainly worth 11£ -
Yet to check Skepta's but heard that its pretty weak - nothing surprising seeing as all I've heard from him in the last year is the same bars about dry ankles and Ed Hardy Party's. Funny the first time.
I didn't check our favourite street commentator'S release yet either. Bashy. Did get sent some seriously poor videos though.
Instrumental wise - Butterz deejays have got you covered - serious serious selection. including Low Deep - Get Set Instrumental. . woaaah. D/l the show + tracklisting @butterz
- - - - - - - -
The new Soul Motive 12" split between Rossi B Luca and El-B is also worthy of a mention. I went nuts over the Joker 'snake eater' track on the same label a while back, mainly because it brought back memories of the Low Deep instrumentals I used to run together. . and this is worthy of the same amount of praise. Both sides predictably bass heavy but more echoing through the club walls than shattering your Kenwood stereo. Check samples at Boomkat. or on the Soul Motive Myspace.
- - - - - - - -
The anticipated Cooly G 12" on Hyperdub also finally appeared this week. Boomkat. She also let me know that there are a couple of brand new bits on her myspace. . . & for any in London area. . . Kode 9, Cooly G, Brackles, Lil' Silva line up at the Producers House in early August. . Details.
- - - - - - - -
FaltyDL is a name that has become popular pretty quickly, 2 months or so ago no-one had truly heard of him. Now with a slew of releases on Ramp Recordings and Planet Mu - including a remix package (U'ziQ, boxcutter and Vibert) from heaven and an album out yesterday - people are talking about him like he's been around for years. 'To London' is the track!
And there are new bits on his myspace player - He isn't hanging about. .
- - - - - - - -
Funky wise. have been listening a lot to the Emvee 12" on the Wireblock label. 'Glitch Dub' and 'Nocturnal' - ones hard, the other not so. Boomkat. People are talking about future Wireblock releases sitting on the funky side too - finally spreading from London.
Set's wise - haven't really caught anything too new that has been consistently exciting like the Mak ten sets of April. . With funky in its infancy, there is still the chance that you will be left unsatisfied or bored if the selections aren't right.
And i want a lot of emcees to step away from the genre completely. Grime is your vehicle, and if you can't ride that then you should career change.
One set that hinted at greatness was by the Fantastic Four (DVA, Roska, D Malice and Ill Blu) - which I'm sure is actually 5, seeing as there are two members of Ill Blu. They collectively have an EP out too. Ill Blu's 'Time To Get Nasty' is the choice cut. Hear at HTFR. I'll upload the set again if anyone should need.
- - - - - - - -
My eyes are still stinging. So i'll call this roll call off. & go find the coffee -
but, finally. . .
Martin Clark (Blackdown) did a proper round up of what's happening in London urban music here.
&
Dan Hancox featured some of the Bristol talents (Joker, Guido, Gemmy etc) in an article for the Guardian.
Wigflex 001 - Lame Car / The More I Know Her / Schlupinski / Jangle Fuss
touching every corner of electronic music without sounding like the journey has been forced.
Geiom's 'Lame Car' is my pick. Not because he's the industry standard name we recognize. but because while I was putting the elastic sheet on my bed this evening, I managed to make up a skank that fits the beat to a T. It's his move on funky apparently. his recent pieces have been moving in that direction, yet it hasn't really been commented on. Watch the Berkane Sol releases for some hard evidence. . .
But no, all brilliant efforts. on what seems to be a producer SpamChop'sWigflex night --> label. Nottingham based I think. And according to someone I heard 'speaking' on the internet. . there is some insane stuff coming. Hopefully in the same vein.
Kode 9's September chart for RA completely encapsulates the mutations the UK urban scene is currently undergoing. Funky, Dubstep, wonky and grime all coming together.
1. Mono/Poly - Oilfields --- told you about this guy before. maybe you'l be more likely to take kode's advice on board.
2. Zomby - Spaceman --- completely lost the plot. further out than wonky.
3. Burial - Feral Witch Child
4. Ikonika - Direct --- Off beat, & hyperdub label mate
6. M.Double & Bandit - Untitled --- ......? School me.
7. Mentor Roska - Feeline VIP ---regularly dropping ep's. . see juno. . and from a production side - kinda leading the funky charge.
8. Geeneus - Yellowtail ---killer arsenal. Gilles Peterson even got his funky on and dropped this. So in touch with the kids. Geeneus' behind the brand new monthly funky night at bar rhumba (LDN) 'Beyond'. Developments of the scene will most likely happen their first.
9. Kode 9 Vs. LD - Bad ---CANT get enough of these productions. speechless
10. Kode9 & The Space Ape - Bullet Against Bone --- Mind blowingly raw dubstep. Will upload set on WW for you soon.
------
people have theories for days about how all four sounds will collide and how the bpm will hit 140 this and 138 that etc. . I have no background in musical theory so I'm kinda lost when it comes to debating this, but when sounds get a whole community this excited you kind of know its going to be something special once its all panned out. Excited. And i know a lot of others who are too.
Oh yeah. . . And your man's beaten the worst flu of his young life. Ginger tea.
nearly ready according to the Wireblock camp.
