Jun
18

Smahila & The S.B.’s-”African Movement”

Information on Smahila and the S.B.’s is D.B. Cooper-scarce. Save for a few entries on Discogs.com, and a paragraph or two gleaned elsewhere, my knowledge about the group is essentially limited to: they’re a Nigerian afro-beat band with a Fela Kuti fixation, who released the sublime African Movement/Natural Points in 1977, on British imprint, RAS (Rogers… Continue reading »

Jun
18

The Streets-”Blinded by the Lights (Nero Remix)”

Last night, in the midst of Joker’s absolutely brilliant set at the awkwardly named Dubstep at the Roxy, Scion House Party, somewhere between a screwed-up, gonzo version of “I’m So Hood” and kinetic eardrums pop permutations of “Do It” and “Digidesign,” he let loose a wild rendering of Nero’s remix of The Streets’ “Blinded by… Continue reading »

Jun
18

Sach O: Mos Def–The Ecstatic

Sach O doesn’t think you should be impressed by the use of the word marvelous. The year is 1999: Cash Money has just knocked Master P out the box and Def Jam is ruling the airwaves with blockbuster releases by Ja Rule, Jay-Z and DMX. The underground rap scene is tentatively moving from the 12’’… Continue reading »

Jun
17

The Strange Dreams of Paul White

Regardless of whether or not you think Dilla was the decade’s best beatmaker (my vote goes to Otis Jackson Jr.), it’s difficult to argue that he hasn’t been the most influential. After all, Myspace is stained by thousands of fisher kings sampling 128 KBS MP3′s of The Sylvers, thinking they got souulll. Paul White is… Continue reading »

Jun
17

Summer Jamz 09: Douglas Martin-”Le Garage”

  Douglas Martin picks Cherries in Yakima, boxes with shadows, and managed to leave “In the Garage” off this mix–presumably as punishment for “Beverly Hills.” You’re out of school for the next two-and-a-half months. You don’t have a job, and your parents won’t lift a finger to help you get a car until you get… Continue reading »

Jun
16

Summer Jamz 09: Andrew Casillas & Dan Weiss–Manischewitz and Margaritas

Andrew Casillas is a former contributor to Stylus Magazine, who currently puts in work at Club Fonograma. Dan Weiss is also a Stylus alum, who contributes to The Village Voice and Pitchfork. This is the only time that Manischewitz and Margaritas will ever mix well. The year is 2109. Accordions are banned. This is because… Continue reading »

Jun
15

5 0′ Clock Shadowboxers-”Weak Stomach”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlU2NIMlzbg The real hyperbole will rain down closer to the June 23rd release date. In the meantime, the Henry Choi-created video for The 5 0′ Clock Shadowboxers project from Zilla and Douglas Martin stands sturdier than any faulty gastrointestinal tract. If this doesn’t make you take these guys seriously, then I’m not sure what will.… Continue reading »

Jun
15

Unskippable Songs: The Beatnuts-”Do You Believe”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpFwwfMhWzU In what’s certain to be yet another in a string of half-baked ideas that fizzle out after one post, Unskippable Songs is dedicated to the songs that you can’t skip whenever they randomly come on shuffle. Last night, while waiting in line at the completely middling Hangover (Zack G. was great, but sorry, a… Continue reading »

Jun
15

Sach O: DITDC: Shurik’n – Ou Je Vis

Sach O rides like a Samurai Fuck a cliché–Marseillais rapper, Shurik’n’s 1998 solo release, “Ou Je Vis” (Translation: Where I live), is poetic autobiography. While that’s like describing rap as “the hood CNN”, Shu’s rhymes about French rap’s second city actually fulfil their aspirations. Marrying an investigative scope to vivid descriptions of personal struggle and… Continue reading »

Jun
14

The Tasteful Souvenir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgawkrfE2E4 A few years back, when Stylus stalked the land of the living, a small core of our writers banded around Souvenir’s brilliant, 64–a Stereolab meets Fujiya & Miyagi, meets Annie amalgam of surf guitars, chromatic keyboards, and sultry vocals. Or Little Boots, before Victoria Hesketh was a gleam in Atlantic Records’ coffers. The ever-discerning… Continue reading »

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