Music: Yam Who? - Live in San Francisco / Fresco / Betalounge / Ubiquity

Last night was the Official Ubiquity Records Rewind! 4 Release Party at Pink and hosted by local crew Fresco.

Yam Who? (Andy Williams & Desmond Morganis) is one of the newest names to rise out of the whole London Broken Beat, Nu Jazz, Soul scene making big noise with their numerous remixes of artists from Dwele to Amp Fiddler to Raphael Saadiq to Lizz Fields amongst others. Their latest cut on the fantastic new Rewind! compilation from Ubiquity is their first non-remix release... Built from scratch... it is an incredible cover and tribute to the classic 1978 Heatwave CHOOOOOON! Star of the Story.

Yam Who? - Star of the Story (Ubiquity) 2005
This is Yam's version - out now on the Ubiquity Records Rewind! 4 compilation - alongside other covers by Sa-Ra, Platinum Pied Pipers, Domu and Nostalgia 77. YOU MUST COP THIS SH*T!!! All of the Rewind! comps have been QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY from the get-go.

Pharrell - Frontin' (Yam Who? Rework Vocal Mix)
Shiiiiat... you know wut this be...

Unfortunately, the venue - Pink was not even half the size of space you need for a Fresco party. When I got there by 11 it had reached capacity and there was already a line of 30 people. It was literally elbow to elbow inside. I mean... its fantastic to see so many cats out supporting such an eclectic sound, but when your being pushed and getting knocked around on the dancefloor all night, I can only put up with it for so long.

I hope they do not have anymore shows there. I like the club a lot, but its just too small for a Fresco show, ANY FRESCO SHOW.

Yam Who?s selection was totally on point, going from soul to brokent beat to house to brazilian flavored riddims, even rinsing out the new Bugz in the Attic - Booty La La joint.

Fortunately, fine folks at Betalounge recorded the entire show...

Yam Who?, Hakobo, Tokyo Component, Eug, Proof (Real Audio)

Beautiful.

THANK YOU BETALOUNGE... and if you have sixty bucks to spare each month I STRONGLY RECOMMEND joining the Betalounge Record Club. These cats have turned me on to so many new artists and sounds... its beautiful. Betalounge has been down from day one here in SF and it is still the longest running electronic stream on the web... since way back before the dot boom and when Wired magazine was doing their Hotwired thang.

RESPECT to both of these crews and anyone else doing it for the love.

Film: Volkswagen - Breakdancin' In The Rain Featuring Gene Kelly

Here is a brand new commercial for the Volkswagen Golf...

Volkswagen - Breakdancin' In The Rain Featuring Gene Kelly

Flawless effects. Bloody brilliant. Which Visual Effects shop did this?

Music: A Guy Called Gerald - To All Things What They Need (!k7) 2005

Ahhh yesss... another one of my old school heros finally returns with a new album. As far as the OGs go... well... there just aren't that many left. Gerald Simpson aka A Guy Called Gerald is a rare bird these days and he continues to raise the electronic flag after more than 15 incredible years...

To All Things What They Need is that transition album we never got. Had it come out somewhere between Black Secret Technology (1996) and Essence (2000) it would have been the obvious progression from old to the new Y2K sound of Essence.

Essence was a huge change (advance?) in his sound but with clear roots to his older work. This new one however is somewhat of a combination of the two, leaning much more to the retro side of things.

If A Guy Called Gerald is a name you don't know... you HAVE TO AT LEAST KNOW one of his LITTLE records from 1989 called... Voodoo Ray... THE acid house anthem of the day and one of the first independent dance records to break to the top of the UK charts. Gerald was also instrumental (pun intended) in 808 State's biggest record - Pacific. A record which he received no credit for... until he took his former music partners to court and won.

Here are some cuts you may have missed...

A Guy Called Gerald - Satisfaction from The John Peel Session

A Guy Called Gerald - Hot Foot (Juice Box) 1993

A Guy Called Gerald - Finley's Rainbow (Slow Motion Mix) from Black Secret Technology (Juice Box) 1996

A Guy Called Gerald Feat. David Simpson - Could You Understand from Essence (!k7) 2000

A Guy Called Gerald - First Try from To All Things What They Need (!k7) 2005

To All Things What They Need is about to drop on !K7. Buy it.

*Updated January 28th...

Here is a fantastic mix of A Guy Called Gerald tunes by Mark Consumption.

All A Guy Called Gerald/Juice Box Mix

A tribute to one of the most tallentend yet under-rated producers in dance music. The Juice Box label is one of the greatest, most slepped on labels in DnB. Gerald needs to be bigged up more...

28 Gun Bad Boy (JBOX03)
Sunshine (JBOX04)
Like A Drug (JBOX05)
King Of The Jungle (JBOX04)
Ease The Pressure (JBOX14)
Too Fucked To Dance (JBOX09)
Nazinji-Zaka (JBOX18)
Darker Than I Should Be (JBOX09)
Darker Than I Should Be - Ladies Mix (JBOX19)
Hot Foot (JBOX18)
Survival (JBOX30)
The Glok Track (JBOX14)
Finley's Rainbow - 4 Hero Remix (JBOX26)
So Many Dreams (JBOX29)
Radar Systems (JBOX34)
Shiki (JBOX33)
Tamsin - Go Higher (AGCG Remix) (JBOX32)
Cath Coffey - Tell Me (AGCG's Classified Mix) (Island)
David Bowie - Telling Lies (A Guy Called Gerald Remix) (LIES1)

Big up Mark...

Music: Main Flow / Malik Yusef / Twista / Carl Thomas / Juice / Marvelous II

Not much to say today... but here are 2 bits of chill hip hop soul for ya ear hole...

First up is some luv'd up shy town soul with Twista, Juice and Marvelous II spittin' 16 bars. Underrated Bad Boy Carl Thomas is on the hook. If your into R&B peep his album Lets Talk About it on P.Diddy's label... It was probably my favorite mainstream R&B record of 2004. And if you gotta girl then you already (should) know. Cop that sh*t.

Malik Yusef Feat. Carl Thomas, Twista, Juice & Marvelous II - Get Ready (Remix) (Zoawe)

Next up is Main Flow from Cincinnati, of The Wannabattle Crew who amongst other things helped make the Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek Reflection Eternal project happen.

Main Flow - She Likes Me (Clean Wannabattle Mix)

"Malik Yusef Presents The Great Chicago Fire" and Main Flow's "Hip-Hopulation" are out NOW.

Peep the albums...

Music: Amon Tobin - Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (Soundtrack) (Ninja Tune)

Well the new Amon Tobin video game score is now out... and honestly I was expecting an obvious departure from previous Amon Tobin albums. But for the most part this is just another proper full length from the boy from brazil, perhaps even a little more focused and less abstract.

Check it out...

Amon Tobin - Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Soundtrack) (Ninja Tune)

And here is a great article on how he created the ever evolving score for the game...

More about the album.

Listen to it. Then buy it... available on cd / vinyl from Ninja Tune or buy the game and enjoy it in 5.1 Dolby Surround.

Good Sh*t.


* Updated January 26th

Brazilianairess - Amon Tobin 7 Min Mix

Tracklist:
Geoff Muldaur - Brazil
Cujo - The Brazilianaire
Amon Tobin - Like Regular Chickens
Amon Tobin- Four Ton Mantis
Amon Tobin - Marine Machines
Amon Tobin - Sordid
Amon Tobin - Verbal (Acapella)
Amon Tobin - Down And To The Left
Amon Tobin - Chronic Tronic
Amon Tobin - Rhino Jockey
Amon Tobin - Golfer vrs Boxer
Amon Tobin - Cougar Merkin
Michael Kamen - Bachianos Samba Brazil

Music: Madlib on Friday Night Flavas (106 FM, Los Angeles) Jan. 7, 2005

All tracks unreleased and/or in-progress. All tracks produced by Madlib except where noted.

Madlib on Friday Night Flavas (106 FM, Los Angeles) Jan. 7, 2005

The A.G. joint at 8:08 is certified dope. hola!

TRACK LIST
Quasimoto - Crime | from "The Further Adventures Of Lord Quas" in Spring
MED - Untitled
[Record Set]
Madvillain - Meat Grinder (Day Glow Version)
Doom's Rock Co Flow (Madlib Remix)
Jaylib - The Unofficial | Produced by J Dilla
A.G. - Frozen
1st Friday Night Flavor
Madlib Beat #2005 / Rainbows
Quasimoto - Chippin' | from "The Further Adventures Of Lord Quas" in Spring
2nd Friday Night Flavor
Stacy Epps - Untitled
3rd Friday Night Flavor
Jigga Invazion
Percee P - Untitled / Outro

Music: DJ Rome - Soul Trippin’ / Soulful Drum & Bass / Liquid Funk Mix

Here is a soulful D&B mix I've been brockin' out to today.

DJ Rome - Soul Trippin’

Chooon! around 23:00. Very very nice mix overall. Lots of underplayed liquid bidnazz inside...

TRACKLIST
physics - addicted 2 love- www.touchin-down.co.uk
electrsoulsystem - lounge - tba
contour - freelosophy - planet funk rec.
mikrob & bungle - soul peace - tba
twintone & dj rome - i try - www.blusaphir.com
fx 909 - lifestyle - tba
champagne & physics - pass the blame - blindside sublabel
brooklyn & bachelors of science - wicked ways - tba
aspect - drifting in memories - horizon rec.
random movement - wealth of knowledge - tba
cls & wax - leisure - rubik rec.
crescent - still a friend - renegade rec.
electrosoulsystem - fun - tba
mikrob - snooker - innerground rec.
junior cartel - dub liquidator - tba

courtesy bluesaphir.com

Art: Mark Ryden - Wondertoonel @ The Frye Art Museum (Seattle)

When I was up in Seattle this past weekend, I got the chance to check out one of very few artists whose work I just gotta see in person. That artist is Mark Ryden and the Frye has more than 30 of his pieces on display... sizes ranging from a tiny 3x3 inches to an expansive 3x4 feet.

And just what kind of stuff does Mark paint?!? Well the usual… bunnies, Abe Lincoln, bees, prepubescent girls, blood, meat, illuminati.... all of which are recurring themes in Mark's work.

Somewhat disturbing? Perhaps. Shocking? Maybe. Twisted? Sure. But the way Mark presents his subject matter - in an ultra-glossy, slick and “fun” way - what might have been otherwise revolting is instead... “cute”.

Wondertoonel – Paintings by Mark Ryden

Something out of a gothic fantasia? a Tim Burton film? Appropriately enough, Burton collaborator Danny Elfman had at least one of his paintings on loan… though Sympathy record label head Long Gone John owned the majority of the pieces. Props to them for sharing.

It wasn't just the paintings that I found incredible... the framing added a whole other dimension to his work. Many of which were painstakingly carved 3 dimensional extensions such as these:

Magic Circus or the set like Ringmaster

Not all of the beautiful frames are displayed online.

Here is one of my personal favorite pieces... Little Boy Blue

And as always… the show was absolutely free… just ‘cause The Frye Art Museum be like that.

The Frye Art Museum

Mark Ryden's Wondertoonel retrospective is in Seattle, WA until February 13 and then Pasadena, CA until May 8th. Check it out immediately.

Thx Sedea.

Film: Jay Z - Fade to Black - Studio Sessions by Pat Paulson

Here is 30 minutes from the upcoming Fade to Black DVD...

Fade To Black - Studio Sessions

Fade to Black is the documentary made about the creation of Jay Z's final record produced by Pat Paulson.

Fade to Black (Trailer)

Appearences by 9th Wonder, Neptunes, Rick Rubin, Q-Tip, Adam Yauch, Just Blaze and of course Timbaland bangin' some serious sci-fi kick your head in type o beats. BANGIN'

Lots of tracks CUT FROM The Black Album are played here including the Rick Rubin produced Pop The Burner jump off that has been floating around the net...

Rumor is Rubin produced 4 joints besides the one that was ultimately released - 99 Problems.

So many of the cuts are just sick... Kanye drops some serious unreleased heat as well... why the fuck did this shit get cut!??!

Anyone into the process should definitely peep this… Runtime is 28 minutes…

Hola!

Music: Q-Burns Abstract Message / DJ Haul & Mason / JT Donaldson & Lance Desardi / NYE in SF

What day is it?

Jeez, what a ridiculous New Years celebration in San Frandisco this year. Even with seemingly endless rain for the past 2 weeks, the SF massive was out in full effect. The 2 biggest highlights being JT Donaldson and Lance Desardi's sets at the rammed out Club Cocomo and Q-Burns ill set at the busted then rescheduled Slide party. Ill shit.

Award for wikkedest record of the night was the 4x4 house bootleg of Aphex Twin's cut Windowlicker. It wasn't the greatest remix, but it was thrown down outta no where, and the crowd lost their shit. Dunno which DJ was playing it.

Q-Burns Abstract Message - DJ Mix - November 29, 2004

Cop the new Q-Burns remix album Future Past Tense... out now.

Listen to the full album here

Maybe its time to hibernate until Winter Music Conferance... ZZZzzzz...

Oh yeah oh yeah... DJ Haul & Mason rocked out Milk on friday, where the free champange flowed like wine, which is probably why i forgot to mention it originally...

Peep their impeccable new mix cd... Scion CD Sampler 9

They are rockin' Ty and Romanowski and Jaylib on this shit.

keep your eyes open for the upcomming volume 10 which is mixed by Peanut Butter Wolf and Jazzy Jeff... Snap!

Certainly one of the cooler corporate promos in a while.

*January 5th: Just ran across these mp3 samples... http://www.scissorkick.com/2004/09/mp3-dj-haul-mason.html

The Best of 2004...

ALBUMS
!!! - Louden Up Now (Warp)
9th Wonder & Pete Rock - Class is in Session (Bootleg)
Alice Russell - Under The Munka Moon (Tru Thoughts)
Amp Fiddler - Waltz Of A Ghetto Fly (Genuine)
Annie - Anniemal (679)
Arovane - Lilies (City Centre Offices)
The Beat Generation (BBE)
Baby Mammoth, Beige & Solid Doctor - Fabric 18 (Fabric)
Beans - Shock City Maverick (Warp)
Bent - Ariels (Open)
Bling47 / Platinum Pied Pipers Mixtape (Bling47)
Blockhead – Music By Cavelight (Ninja Tune)
Bugz In The Attic - Got The Bug (V2)
Carl Thomas - Let's Talk About It (Bad Boy)
De La Soul - The Grind Date (Sanctuary)
The Detroit Experiment - The Detroit Experiment (Ropeadope)
Diverse - One A.M. (Chocolate Industries)
DJ Krush - Jaku (Red Ink/Sony Japan)
edIT – Crying Over Pros For No Reason (Planet Mu)
Estelle - The 18th Day (V2)
The Flashbulb - Red Extensions of Me (Sublight)
Foreign Exchange - Connected (BBE)
Gaelle - Transient (Naked)
Gift of Gab - Fourth Dimensional Rocketship Going Up (Quannum)
Global Goon - Family Glue (J-Hok)
Helios - Unomia (Merck)
Hideo Sasaki - Light Sleep (Tri-eight)
High Contrast - High Society (Hospital)
I'm Not A Gun (John Tejada & Takeshi Nishimoto) - Our Lives On Wednesdays (City Centre Offices)
Jay Z - The Brown Album (Kev Brown)
Jay Z - The Grey Album (Danger Mouse)
Jay Z - The White Album (Kno of Cunninlynguists)
Junior Boys - Last Exit (Domino)
Klashnekoff - The Sagas Of Klashnekoff (Kemet Entertainment)
Keiichi Suzuki – Zatoichi Soundtrack
Kelpe - Sea Inside Body (D.C. Recordings)
Kings of Convenience - Riot on an Empty Street (Virgin)
Landau - Thepicompromise (Merk)
Lotek Hi-fi - Lotek Hi-fi (Big Dada)
Luke Vibert - Kerrier District (Warp)
Luomo - The Present Lover (Kinetic)
Machine Drum – Bidnezz (Merck)
Madvillain - Madvillainy (Stones Throw/Creative Vibes)
Marky & XRS – In Rotation (Innerground)
MF Doom - Mm..Food (Rhymesayers)
Mind, Body & Soul (Mixed by DJ Flight) (Defunked)
Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News (Epic)
Mutiny – Yada Yada (Underwater)
Mylo – Destroy Rock and Roll (Breastfed)
Myrakaru - Tammetõru (Expanding)
New Sector Movements - Turn It Up (Virgin)
Ochre - A Midsummer Nice Dream (Toytronic)
Oxia - 24 Heures (Goodlife/PIAS)
Raphael Saadiq - As Ray Ray (Pookie)
Ratatat - Ratatat (XL)
Ratatat - Remixes Mixtape
Rodney Hunter - The Hunter Files (G-Stone)
Roy Davis Jr - Chicago Forever (Ubiquity)
The Roots - The Tipping Point (Geffen)
Sa-Ra - Untitled Bootleg
Slam – Year Zero (Soma)
Shigeru Umebayashi - 2046 Soundtrack
The Sound Providers - An Evening With The Sound Providers... (ABB)
Stereotyp Meets Al Haca - Phase Three (Klein)
The Strange Fruit Project - From Divine (Special Edition)
Terri Walker – Untitled (Def Soul UK)
Troubleman – Time Out of Mind (Far Out)
Ty - Upwards (Big Dada)
Wagon Christ – Sorry I Make You Lush (Ninja Tune)
Wax Poetic - Nublu Sessions (Ultra)
Weapons of Mass Creation (Hospital)
Zap Mama - Ancestry In Progress (Luaka Bop)


FILMS
Tasogare Seibei (Twilight Samurai) by Yoji Yamada (Japan)
Shi Mian Mai Fu (House of Flying Daggers) by Yimou Zhang (Hong Kong)
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind by Michel Gondry
Tokyo Godfathers by Shôgo Furuya, Satoshi Kon (Japan)
Bom Yeoreum Gaeul Gyeoul Geurigo Bom (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring) by Ki-duk Kim (Korea)
Zatoichi by Takeshi Kitano (Japan)
Bush's Brain by Joseph Mealey, Michael Shoob
Les Triplettes de Belleville by Sylvain Chomet (France)
Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles (A Very Long Engagement) by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (France)
Oldboy by Chan-wook Park (Korea)
The Control Room by Jehane Noujaim
Farenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore
Team America: World Police by Tre Parker & Matt Stone
The Incredibles by Brad Bird
Collateral by Michael Mann
Before Sunset by Richard Linklater


*Note, the four films I have been most looking forward too... Wong Kar Wai's 2046, Katsuhiro Ôtomo's Steamboy, Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle and Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle haven't received U.S. Release dates yet and were therefore not included. GAH!!!

If I was forced to pick one…

BEST SINGLE
Lucien-N-Luciano - Madre, Mother & Mere (Peacefrog)

BEST ALBUM
edIT – Crying Over Pros For No Reason (Planet Mu)

BEST MIX CD
JT Donaldson & Lance Desardi - San Francisco Sessions 5 (Om)

BEST FILM
Tasogare Seibei by Yoji Yamada

BEST PRODUCER
Lil’ Jon

BEST ART SHOW
Oooolathe… Travis Millard / Kiel Johnson @ Obey Giant (Los Angeles)

BEST LIVE PERFORMANCE
Sa-Ra / Lizz Fields @ Mighty (San Francisco)

BEST PROMOTER
Fresco (San Francisco)

BEST CLUB / BAR
Milk (San Francisco)

BEST LIVE DJ SET
Oooah @ Burning Man Decompression After Party (Los Angeles)

BEST PARTY
Snow Camp 2004 (South Lake Tahoe)

BEST DON’T ASK / DON’T TELL DEBAUCHED MOMENT OF 2004
Springtime in North Lake - Sponsored by Patron Silver (North Lake Tahoe)
Red Bull Mansion - WMC 2004 (Miami)

About my favorite album… The Sa-Ra bootleg pulls a close second. Heresy!!! You say! (Mylo is up there too)

About my favorite film… Triplets of Belleville is RIGHT THERE. Hmmm… this was a tough one... Gondry's Spotless Mind was very touching too...

About Collateral... I'm not a Tom Cruise hater but I am a Michael Mann fan. This film however, almost didn't make the cut... but then there is that one scene... probably my favorite scene of the year... the incredible cab ride dialog exchange between Jada's character and Jamie's character. THAT is acting. Hypnotizing and beautiful.

Biggest film surprise of 2004 was the Korean picture Oldboy… I’ve totally been sleeping on Chan-wook Park. You must check out Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance which I think I like even more than Oldboy… oohh yeah… he aint as graphic as Takashi Miike, but hes not for children under 17... I guess. Though, I turned out okay?

About my best don't ask / don't tell debauched moment of 2004... DON’T ASK

*This list is incomplete and/or a lie.