So, my favorite track of 2011 is...this one. Well, 2011 is only 10 days old, so it kinda wins by default. Jamie of The XX fame takes Adele soulful voice and mends it to an absolutely infectious drum groove. The influence of the New Orleans Second Line band sound is strong in this track with a prominent 6/8 signature beat slowed down to accommodate Adele's soulful voice.
I'm a beathead, so I love any track that has an inventive beat. I also love Jazz and this track's creative use of essentially a jazz shuffle is extremely interesting to me. But I digress. Listen for yourself.
Lunice, cousin of Deerhunter's lead vocalist, Bradford Cox, teams up with Diplo to create a track that is less in the vain of Diplo's party vibe and more reminiscent of the original track. Diplo does put a bit of his spin on the track adding some funky drum programming on top more in line with an Atlanta Crunk sound than Deerhunter's "Ambient Punk" sound.
The outcome is absolutely perfect for a multitude of situations. Whether you're driving down the street, in the club or finishing up your morning reports (hint, hint), this track should be your companion. Don't skip this one.
So, here we are; October of 2010. Each October, the city of Austin is granted two wishes. One of those wishes is one of college football traditions in America. That was last week, and Texas lost. This week, we have Austin City Limits Music Festival.
ACL started as a rather understated 2-day event with 60 performing acts. It has now blossomed into a full scale, 3-day event rivaling other major festivals such as Bonnaroo, Coachella, and Lollapalooza. And, while ACL is best known as the little brother to the 3 other big boys, it still packs a powerful punch.
Tomorrow, I plan to unveil a mix of tracks featuring some of the bands slated to perform. In the meantime, here are some videos of the bands I'm planning to catch.
So, after making my first trek to SXSW earlier this year, I felt that going to ACL for the first time ever would the "Christian" thing to do. After the original lineup was announced, I was pretty stoked. Beastie Boys, Lily Allen, Kings of Leon, Phoenix...The list was pretty solid. A Lily Allen and Beastie Boys cancellation later, the lineup (at least for Friday) still seems decent. I am still looking forward to Phoenix and Kings of Leon. I am also very interested Them Crooked Vultures, in a somewhat new band on the bill. Much like the Eagles of Death Metal, the band is lead by Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and also includes Foo Fighter's Dave Grohl. Should be a good show.
Here is my schedule...if you give a shit. http://2009.aclfestival.com/55521/schedule/2009/10/02
Here are a couple of acts I'm looking forward to on Friday:
I'm sorry to say it but, Summer is coming to an end. For the last three (or four, or five) months I have consumed margaritas, looked at chicks in bikinis and relaxed in the sun. And while I can't say I will miss the 100+ degree heat, I will miss the leisurely state of mind summer can bring. Another thing that Summer sometimes brings is a set of tracks that embody summer's fun and sometimes lazy feeling. Here are a couple of tracks that I think of when I think Summer (Some from this year, some from last).
This was the U.K.'s summer anthem in 2008. Set to a groove in a genre known as U.K. Funky; this track is nothing if not infectious. It's sound makes me think of bikini-clad women running around a pool tossing beach balls around. This also defines the video as well. Well, if it works, don't fuck with it.
Drake - Best I Ever Had This track was one of this year's best Hip-Hop tracks. Also very infectious.
Dizzee Rascal - Holiday feat. Calvin Harris Another track that makes me think of Summer. Dizzee's ode to the "holiday" works so well over this Calvin Harris produced beat. Fun stuff.
Semi-new piece of Bmore inspired house from German producer Bounce Camp. Any remixer that can take a good vocal and succeed in not fucking it up is O.K. in my book. Here, Bounce Camp succeeds in retooling Raphael Saadiq's vocal on Lucy Pearl's Dance Tonight. This could move any dancefloor out there. Check it out and Bounce Camp's other offerings.
Baltimore club, also called "Bmore Club" or "Club Music" is a genre of house and dance music. A blend of hip hop and chopped, stacatto house music, it was created in Baltimore, Maryland in the early 1990s by pioneers Scottie B., Frank Ski, Big Tony, and DJ Spen -wikipedia.com
...that's one way to define it. I like to define it as a genre of dance music for black people, by black people. Back when British Elecronic artists such as Fatboy Slim, Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers were taking over the American Pop charts in the late 90s, American artists such as Scottie B, DJ Technics and KW Griff were burning Baltimore, Philly and New Jersey to the ground.
Originally an underground genre, the latest year has brought us mainstream hits such as DJ Class's "I'm the 'ish" featuring Pitbull and Lil Jon and Kid Cudi's "Embrace the Martian". Bmore has also made a couple of appearances in HBO's "The Wire".
While the genre is gaining some ground in the mainstream, it hasn't been able to shake it's image as a club-going, booty-shaking, foul-mouthed sub-genre of House music. However, this mix from Dave Nada helps to unveil a new image. This soulful collection of R&B mixes helps to show the versatility of the Genre. I mean...there's even a mix of Patti LaBelle on this set. PATTI LABELLE for God's Sake!!!
1. Tedra Moses - Be Your Girl (KW Griff Remix) 2. Outkast - Prototype (DJ Technics Remix) 3. Floetry - Say Yes (?) 4. Ready For The World - Love You Down (DJ Technics Girlfriend Remix) 5. Raheem Devaughn - You (DJ Technics Remix) 6. John Legend - Ordinary People (KW Griff Remix) 7. Jill Scott - He Loves Me (DJ Technics Remix) 8. Blaqstarr - All The Girls 9. Patti LaBelle - If Only You Knew (Rod Lee Remix) 10. Sylvia - Pillow Talk (DJ Techincs Remix) 11. Chris Brown - Aint No Way (You Won’t Love Me) (Curtis Vodka Hey Girl Remix) 12. Jimmy Cozier - U Got Those Goods (?) 13. Black Box - Everybody Everybody (DJ Ayres Quiet Storm Remix) 14. Usher feat. Lil Jon - Lovers and Friends (inst)
Hi Kids!
Ever since I conquered Rome and cured leukemia, I decided my next task in life should be to make my one last dream come true. And here it is...a music blog. In all seriousness, I aim to create a blog with a focus on the dance and urban music scene in Austin. I also aim to profile new artists and tracks that might be of use for DJs. So enjoy it if you like and drop me a note if you'd like to comment.
Email me at ericofaustin@yahoo.com
