Mar
05

A Taste of SFV Acid

The Valley gets a bad rap. Westside snobs caustically snipe all day but the basin between the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains has brought us such fine things as Poquito Mas, Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Russo, and now SFV Acid. The DJ/producer born Zane Reynolds crafts a psychedelia alien to those expecting swirling guitars… Continue reading »

Mar
04

Gonjasufi – 2 Track Sampler

I’m set to interview Gonjasufi next week, so I’ll momentarily defer to Nate Patrin’s excellent Best New Music review of A Sufi and a Killer.  This post mainly exists to point out that Bleep is offering a free download of “Ancestors” and “Holidays,” available from now until Sunday. Scooping the entire album is highly advised… Continue reading »

Mar
04

Sach O: Gorillaz ft Mos Def – Sweepstakes

More on the Gorillaz’ outstanding Plastic Beach if I ever dig myself out from under the giant pile of “real work” that’s been consuming my life for the past few weeks, but until then consider “Sweepstakes”. Mos Def’s return from the shores of insanity (aka: Kool Keith land) has been one of the more pleasant… Continue reading »

Mar
04

DITDC: Eli et Papillon – Demo

Sach O endorses ONE indie band a year. This is that band. Listen. Before carpet bagging, indie-rocking Leafs fans that wouldn’t know a Smoked Meat sandwich from a proper bagel invaded Montreal*, my city already had a vibrant, self-sufficient music scene en francais. Content to move units among the Province’s 6 million Francophones, local musicians… Continue reading »

Mar
03

Rough and Tough with My Afro-Rock

Before Strut, Soundway, Analog Africa, and Now-Again, emerged as the top tier of archivists crawling the earth for lost gems, there was Afro Rock, Volume 1, a little-heard but widely influential compilation released on Kona in 2001. Back when Ezra Koenig was freestyling over the instrumental to “All Mixed Up,” Duncan Brooker was excavating crates… Continue reading »

Mar
03

Teebs is the Don

According to BTS Radio, the fine people who wrangled this mix: “there’s a deep rooted sound to Teebs‘ music that connects with our everyday surroundings. It spotlights emotional corners and builds warmth over the listener. Initially, I was drawn into Teebs’ world when I discovered his artwork. Rich in color, complex, yet leaving enough breathing… Continue reading »

Mar
02

Diamonds in the Dollar Bin: Aloe Blacc’s “I Need a Dollar”

With the recession lingering as a semi-permanent hangover, Aloe Blacc’s sentiments remain fresh, though he probably wrote this back when people still believed that the mere election of Obama would yield millions of green jobs, glazed doughnut candy canes, and free cable for all. Since my apartment lacks Home Box Office, I was previously unaware… Continue reading »

Mar
01

Sach O: Get Well Guru

You’ve probably heard about legendary Gang Starr emcee Guru’s recent cardiac arrest and subsequent coma and sadly we have no new information to offer. Bottom line is that this is a truly awful blow to Hip-Hop and we at the Passion are all keeping Guru in our hearts and minds and wishing him a speedy… Continue reading »

Mar
01

Question in the Form of an Answer: Four Tet

Parts of this interview were originally published at Pop and Hiss.  Much of “There Is Love in You,” was live-tested at London’s famed Plastic People nightclub, where you recently held a DJ residency. Last week, the news broke that it’s in danger of being closed down due to concerns about drug use and excessive noise… Continue reading »

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