Nice Dub/Reggae Mix by Properly Chilled

Properly Chilled Podcast #53 (B): Encore of Echo Beach (WLUW) Mix by Properlychilled on Mixcloud

REVIEW: New Thievery Corporation Album - Culture of Fear - plus free streaming...

Thievery Corporation released their 6th studio album today - "Culture of Fear." Being a die-hard fan of their sound - dubbed the "Outernational" Sound for their fusion of eastern, reggae, jazz, funk, hip hop and other-worldly beats - I instantly downloaded the album.

The album has a real downtempo flow, and doesn't includes some of the more electronic and reggae dance-hall type tracks that were prevalent on their last album, "Radio Retaliation." Instead, the first half of the album has a much more loungy jazz and funk feel, focusing less on synthesized sounds combined with international instruments like sitars and ethnic drums, and more on jazz drums, and roots rock guitar. This first half is reminiscent of the Cosmic Game - Thievery Corp's 4th album and one that was a departure from their signature "Outernational Sound." The title track - Culture of Fear - has an incredible flow delivered by Mr. Lif, though its lyrics and message is almost paranoid and conspiratory, I like the song itself but the tone of the lyrics can be distracting - even like the cover art to the album - the "big brother" like camera is mostly just disturbing and not very thought-provoking.

The second half of the album shifts a bit from the jazz and funk vibe, and is more dubbed and almost ambient in nature. It's much more reminiscent of their earlier albums, like "Sounds From the Thievery Hi-Fi" (my favorite album of theirs). I admit to being a Thievery purist - so this second half pleases me more than the first half of the album. Songs like "Is It Over" and "Free" are much more wandering and dynamic dreamscapes of songs that engage listeners in different ways, from deep bass and primal drums to ethereal synthesizers and siren-like female vocals. The track "Overstand" is a chilled reggae track, true to form of what we've also heard from Thievery Corporation's last album - Radio Retaliation.

Check out a teaser of the album below. For a limited time, Thievery Corporation is also letting fans stream the entire album for free here.

Crinkum Crankum - Luvverly Jubberly - dark, international downtempo

My buddies DJ Andy Ward (Wicked Good Records, Boston) and electro artist/producer Jeff Keenan (Boston) got together one day, picked out a few records and created this track from random samples from the crate. Love the international, eastern vibe with the high operatic vocals and shuffling beats underneath. Well done guys!

Crinkum Crankum - Luvverly Jubberly by wickedgoodrecords

Avicii Penguin FOLLOWUP - VOCAL MIX "Fade Into Darkness" ... Which do you like better?

Highly happy and addictive, and still unreleased, Avicii "Penguin":



OR

Highly happy and addictive w/ VOCALS - to be released by Avicii as "Fade Into Darkness" (on Ministry of Sound)

PREVIEW Avicii - Fade Into Darkness (Vocal Mix) by AviciiOfficial

Right now, I honestly like the sample better w/out the vocals. THAT SAID, I can see the vocals growing on me, especially when the full track is released and when I can mess around with it in a DJ set.

Boom Festival 2012 Dates Announced! Plus Boom Documentary in the Works

Boom Festival 2012 is July 28th to August 4 - Portugal! Boom is an incredible festival built around the universal and primal ideal of peace, love and creation - manifested through the arts. It's a cross between Woodstock (and it's peace/love vibe) vs. Burning Man (it's experimental, utopian ideals) vs. Electric Zoo (amazing electronic music - from downtempo international to psytrance). I've seen and discovered DJs here who have blown my mind, from Dasha Rush (minimalist electro) to Heyoka (San Francisco, tribal dubstep) and it's all about letting yourself go and embracing the primal nature of music.

There's all sorts of live music and DJs - outdoor tents the Groovy Beach, Sacred Fire, Dance Temple and, my downtempo favorite, Ambient Paradise.

Boom Festival, A Universal Message - Movie Trailer from Boom Festival Official on Vimeo.

DJ Shadow - I Gotta Rokk

Been following the rise of the Identity Festival - pretty interesting how this new festival has blown up and bringing together some amazing artists in major and secondary music markets - from LA to Boston. They're sharing music every Monday and Friday - sometimes it's a mix, a new track, or multimedia. This Friday, they shared this video from DJ Shadow - "I Gotta Rokk" - a track from his upcoming album which Shadow describes as a return to his original form. It's on the experimental side, and creates hip hop, downtempo sounds with "extreme" rock! I'm not sure the song has the same meaning without the video - watch it and see for yourself:

NEW Pretty Lights Track ! - "I Know The Truth" + Bonnaroo Video

WOW. I'm counting down to Pretty Lights at Governor's Ball in NYC and just got an email from PL Music - his new song "I Know the Truth" is some crazy downtempo dubstep. He takes a page from Skrillex and lays sick transformer dub w/ his trademark hip-hop beats. Check it here:

New Razoof Dubs & Mixes Album coming July 8

If you like chillout, reggae and dub - get to know Razoof. George Solar turned me onto him very recently and shared his upcoming "Dub & Mixes" remix album and it's very very nice. It comes out July 8. There's a ton great artists contributing remixes and dubs, including Zeb (Spy from Cairo), Gelka (Wax On Records) and Chin Chillaz, among many more.

Listen to the original source material, RAZOOF's previous album, here:

High Tide, Low Tide by razoof

And check out a RAZOOF downtempo reggae and dub dj mix:

The Sun & The Sea - Razoof's Dub & Downbeat DJ Mix 2011 by Razoof on Mixcloud

Here's more about the album:

RAZOOF "sun salutation - dubs & mixes"
(ckp records / intergroove)
release date: 08. july 2011

TRACKLIST
1. Donde El Dub (TK's Version)
2. High Tide, Low Tide feat. Don Abi (Levthand Remix)
3. Let's Think Of What We Got feat. Sebastian Sturm (Salz Mix)
4. Nothing More, Nothing Less feat. Sofia Pettersson (Gelka Remix)
5. Talking Trees (Zeb's Version)
6. Lamb's Bread (Kieser.Velten Mix)
7. Calling feat. Don Abi
8. High Tide, Lower East Dub feat. ZEB
9. Dub On The Beach feat. Tom Dams (East Mix feat. ZEB)
10. Khajuraho - Expressions Of Bliss (Chin Chillaz Dub)
11. Jah Is Watching You feat. Lady Alma (Salz Dub Mix)
12. High Tide, Low Tide feat. Don Abi (Ganga Remix)
Bonus CD Tracks:
13. Someway, Somehow (Internal Dread Dub)
14. Universal Love (Extended Dance Mix)

Paying tribute to the good old reggae tradition of following up a studio album with a well crafted collection of dubs & versions, Cologne based producer/dj/drummer RAZOOF aka Uwe Lehr finally presents his fifth longplayer. Made of 14 fresh, dub infused tracks & classy remixes, Sun Salutation unites a string of top notch electronica producers from around the globe, heavily inspired by RAZOOF’s previous
album effort „High Tide Low Tide“.

New York based global beat hero ZEB („The Spy from Cairo“), GELKA from Budapest (of WAX ON records and CAFE DEL MAR fame), Cologne dubhouse dons SALZ, Mister LEVTHAND (aka CAN 7), infamous dubbernauts CHIN CHILLAZ, swedish reggae legend INTERNAL DREAD and GANGA from the balears all layed hands on their favourite RAZOOF music, adding quite a bit of their personal touch. As the icing on the cake, RAZOOF blended in some rare original material (like a.o. an extended version of his monster tune for JAH LOVE Recordings, „Universal Love“, as well as the legendary KIESER.VELTEN rework of the infectious „Lambs Bread“, both previously only available on vinyl).

Vocalists on Sun Salutation include the legendary LADY ALMA (known for her exceptional work with a.o. KING BRITT and 4HERO), reggae crooners SEBASTIAN STURM and DON ABI, jazz singer SOFIA PETTERSSON from Sweden and RAZOOF’s SOLAR MOON cohort TOM DAMS, joined by first call musicians and long time RAZOOF collaborators like drummer Thomas Kessler or sax player Ismael Diallo.