Friday, August 12, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
DJ "Kramnik 1.0" EP - progressive, engaging, and beautiful
Been listening to Kramnik's latest progressive electro house EP, the "Kramnik 1.0" EP, and its transporting me back to BOOM in Portugal, with 5 tracks of precise, progessive house. I have a sweet spot for minimal and progessive stuff like this, it's trance-like and very warm, and the feeling while listening to this sways into loungy downtempo, especially if you allow this music to hypnotize you. The video for Viclone adds a really fantastic and future aesthetic to help you sink into these tracks even more.
Tracks by Kramnik
Tracks by Kramnik
Monday, July 25, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
National Geographic Music: Nat Geo Record Label
National Geographic has it's own record label, Nat Geo Records, with bands that you may have heard of, including Bedouin Soundclash, Balkan Beat Box and Grupo Fantasma. The label is a growing collection of great international sounds. I really look forward to following this label and the work of its artists.
Additionally, the National Geographic Music web site has great interviews with artists beyond their label, music videos, playlists and a newsletter. Check out some tracks on their SoundCloud page:
Latest tracks by NatGeo Records
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Max Tannone's Ghostfunk - Ghostface Killah + Vintage Afrofunk + Psychedelic Rock mashup - Free Stream/Download
I'm really pleased w/ Max Tannone's newest mashup project - Ghostfunk - which is Ghostface Killah rap vocals mashed with vintage afrofunk and psychedelic rock. It's really well done. I've been impressed with his mashups, including Jaydiohead (Jay-Z + Radiohead) and Mos Dub and Dub Kweli (Mos Def + dub/reggae; Talib Kweli + dub/reggae). Get all the tracks for free via the Soundcloud download portal below:Ghostfunk by Max Tannone
Friday, July 1, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
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.
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