January 14th, 2010
Montreal masses (I’ve seen our stats, I know you’re out there), what have you got planned for this Saturday? If you said anything except the Sub Swara/Dig.it.al showcase, you’re probably one of those people who rate South Park ahead of the Simpsons. Hailing from NYC, Sub Swara is composed of DJ/Producers/Percussionists Haj, Dhruva and Sharmaji and their show promises a uniquely improvisational and collaborative take on bass music. Or in laymen’s terms: “not a DJ set”.
Dropping it 100% live thanks to the magic of midi controllers and possibly a wizard, the crew blends rumbling low-end, Indian and Brazilian instrumentation, live percussion and turntable science into a heady dubstep brew. Exact details remain under wraps but judging by their recent podcasts, they’ve got a good thing going and just might be the East Coast’s answer to the live bass performances coming out of LA. Plus, the soundsystem Dig.it.al’s got lined up has enough wattage to reanimate the ghost of Mikey Dread twice over.
While we’re on the subject, check out this E.A.Ski remix I’ve been meaning to post by Montreal Dubstep pillar Living~Stone who’ll be backing the proceedings along with the usual suspects. Give the man credit, the last time I thought of E.A.Ski, rappers were still name-dropping Eddie Bauer.
Download:
MP3: Sub Swara -
Various Tracks (left click)
MP3: Living~Stone - EA Ski remix
Podcast: Sub Swara Podcast 06 (left click)
Dig.it.al presents Sub Swara live January 16th
Location revealed via infoline in true oldschool rave fashion.
Posted in Dubstep, Sach O | 3 Comments »
January 13th, 2010
A decade after the fact, pop music has finally caught up with Stankonia-era Outkast. From the dance music influence, to the druggy Funkadelic space personas, to the seriously questionable fashion sense, the impact of Dre and Big Boi’s final classic can be felt from LA to LDN and back to Bankhead. The first single and mission statement, “B.O.B” blended jungle, gospel, acid rock and speed rap seamlessly, and still stands as their most singular pop achievement. It predicted the future but sounded nothing like it. No one raps at 155 BPM, but it’s impossible to deny that anyone aiming for that next shit is somehow trying to recreate the way in which Outkast bottled the zeitgeist. Fittingly, as rappers slowly tip toe towards dance music, electronic artists have veered the other way, embracing rap’s looser swing and empty spaces and bringing the genres closer than they’ve been in decades. From Alabama rappers rhyming over trance to hipster dance-rap in Hollywood, to East-End Grime, cross-pollination no longer seems like an eccentric luxury so much as a necessary form of growth.
All of which makes it an appropriate time to revisit “B.O.B,” with Dover producer Stenchman screwing its tempo down and replacing the original’s exhausting propulsion with a half-step stomp. The remix actually sounds more like Y2K southern rap than the original, whittling the tune down to rumbling sub-bass and a few stray synth lines, putting the emphasis on the rapping. I could have done without the repeated verses, but short of Outkast actually reuniting or Big Boi’s album seeing the light of day, this could be the best ‘Kast we get this year. Besides, now that it’s no longer trendy, it’s time for Andre to get back to rapping.
Download:
MP3: Outkast - “B.O.B (Stenchman Remix)”
Posted in Outkast, Dubstep, Sach O | 3 Comments »
January 11th, 2010
Sach O forms like Old McDonald: E I O.
In Search of Stoney Jackson is Madlib’s 48 Hours. His Center of Attention. His Livin’ Proof. If those names don’t ring a bell, you’re probably not a fan of super producers giving away their best beats to seemingly undeserving rappers. That’s not a diss: I honestly doubt that anyone is picking up Stoney Jackson on the strength of Strong Arm Steady’s rapping same as Lil Dap didn’t move Group Home units. Madlib’s the selling point here and he delivers in spades with the kind of dusty, gonzo soul that’s become his trademark in recent years. Put your prejudice against Talib Kweli’s weed carriers aside however and Stoney Jackson’s vocal component reveals itself to be surprisingly robust: a potent reminder that West Coast Underground rap may well have been deserving of the hype a few years back.
There’s no avoiding the fact that this album is a throwback to a time when rap fans actually self-identified as backpackers. The production sounds EQed for the tape deck rather than the club and the rhymes are a mix of post-Wu Tang super-scientifical conspiracy theories and average-Joe battle raps that are miles away from Hip-Hop’s current trapstar-hipster dichotomy. Spitting stream of consciousness flows with a west coast twang, Krondon holds down the front man role, excitedly filling every nook and cranny of Madlib’s beats with a torrent of words. The guy’s clearly excited to be rapping over production this dope. Likwit also-ran Phil Da Agony on the other hand rarely raises his voice above a mumble, playing the back like a guest on his own album. Throw in a couple of SAS affiliates, Stones Throwers, and various underground cats and you’ve got all the fixings for a West Coast Soundbombing…10 years too late.
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Posted in Madlib, Stones Throw, Sach O | 6 Comments »
January 5th, 2010
Quiet as kept, Redman’s been working with Drum & Bass producers for over a decade now. Sure that first Roni Size collabo could have been cooked up by a greasy A&R pushing “the next big thing in Electronica” on a perpetually stoned Reggie Noble, but what about those Adam F tracks on the guy’s last two albums? Don’t lemme find out the guy’s a closet Junglist. Maybe it’s just an excuse to hit up Amsterdam.
Said Adam F tracks haven’t been very good which is probably why their latest collabo “Turn the Lights off” flew under the blog rap radar. Thankfully, Dub Police CEO Caspa and the fantastically named Trolley Snatcha rescue the track from its grim fate as a yet another “Let’s get Dirty” knockoff, looping Redman’s rah-rah delivery over brutal synth stabs and bass drops that sound like 2005 era Lil Jon on steroids and amphetamines. It’s a lot easier to enjoy this kind of production when it’s aimed at getting people moshing instead of spending cash on strippers and while Redman isn’t firing on all cylinders here lyrically, it’s nice to hear the guy bruk-out on a track and take some risks instead of spitting on the same funk that’s been his M.O since Doc’s Da Name. A pleasant surprise that has me wondering how we can coax Redman away from old-man rap production and into the modern world. Probably with weed.
Download:
MP3: Adam F & Horx ft. Redman - Turn the Lights off (Caspa & Trolley Snatcha Remix)
Posted in Redman, Dubstep, Sach O | 6 Comments »
December 29th, 2009
As if Sach O needed an excuse to use that album cover.
I’m feverish and in need of chicken soup so I’ll keep the commentary down to a minimum: I hosted a fairly chaotic holiday party a week ago which involved a substantial sound system from Moog Audio, considerable quantities of illicit substances and over five threats to have the cops called on us (all ignored by a particularly gracious and festive Super). For the most part, hardcore Dubstep was on the menu but I think the more textured Bass-weight Reggae I played later in the evening might be more conductive to all the pre-partying that will lead up to the end of this foul decade. Stay tuned, we’re not done with 2009 yet.
Download:
MP3: DJ Sach - Heavy Holiday Reggae Mix (Left Click)
Tracklist
- Tryptomatik - Polizia Dreadlock
- 6Blocc - Believe it (G31 Remix)
- Alborosie - Ring Di Alarm (G31 Remix)
- Liquid Wicked - Dubwar (Von D V.I.P)
- Radikal Guru -Strong Dub
- Herbalist AKA Numa Crew - Java (Refix)
- Herbalist AKA Numa Crew - Herbalist (Remix)
- Radikal Guru - Kingston Town
- Coki of Digital Mystikz - Burning
- Zomby - Spliff Dub (Rustie Remix)
- Gemmy - Shanti Riddim
- Guido - Beautiful Complication
- Joker & Ginz - Stash
- Gemmy - Watta down Sound (outro)
Posted in Reggae, Dubstep, Sach O | 1 Comment »
December 21st, 2009
Leave it to Jim Jones of all people to deliver one of the year’s most random and unexpectedly dope rap tunes. Combining the unfuckwithable Sucker MC drums, a huge Rose Royce Sample AND a guest verse from Rev Run, the production recalls the best of MF Doom’s Mm…Food-era madness, but with a club ready tempo that could genuinely cross-over if someone was actually smart enough to push it. Even more surprisingly, the usually inept Jimmy steps his game up with an old-school flow that’s significantly doper than his usual shtick. He should make the 2009 Paul’s Boutique, I’d listen. [ed. note: I wouldn’t]
Public Enemy’s influence on British music is a little discussed but interesting aside in the group’s career, with The Bomb Squad’s sampler-powered sonic warfare having a massive effect on Rave and Chuck D’s riotous political indignation striking a chord with punks nostalgic for The Clash. 20 years on, the cultural-exchange boomerangs as UK Dubstep influences the Las Vegas duo of Havocndeed, whose “Bass Fo’ Yo Face” samples the “Darkest Light” and mashes up the inter-song dialogue and acapella vocals from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back. It may not be subtle, but the track’s grinding LFO riff and big-beat breakdown packs a hell of a punch, and Flava and Chuck’s chemistry chopped and screwed into a fine paste. More 80’s rap samples please.
Download:
MP3: Jim Jones ft. Rev Run - Eishing on a Sucker MC
MP3: Havocndeed - Bass Fo Yo Face [Left Click]
Posted in Dubstep, Sach O | 5 Comments »
December 2nd, 2009
In which Sach O comes to grips with his Canadian ancestry.
Between the excellent Sukh Knight/Komodo Dubs show and a couple of alcohol and drug-fueled Dubstep raves, November was already lining up to be a banner month for Bass music in Montreal but last Saturday’s Organized Grime event sealed the deal. Though it lacked the star-power of a London Selecta or the anything-goes-anything-consumed vibe of a warehouse party, the MTL Grime sponsored showcase brought out some Fantastic DJs playing a connoisseur’s choice of tunes for a devoted and appreciative crowd: my kind of show.
First up was event organizer, Intoccabile, whose name is familiar to anyone following bass music in Montreal. Generously taking the opening spot (they should have closed those house-lights earlier!), Fyutchaflex’s founder used the situation to his advantage taking the opportunity to play spacious, progressive head-music as the crowd filled in and copped some beers before transitioning to heavier stuff. With so many DJs these days playing strictly tear-out, it was nice to vibe out with the crew and really LISTEN to tunes the way they were meant to be heard.
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Posted in Sach O Leaves His House, Sach O | 5 Comments »
November 23rd, 2009
How did Sach O get home last night?
Bass. How low can you go? Plenty low apparently because after two continuous nights of getting my chest caved in by pounding sub-frequencies while imbibing a pirate’s share of rum, I can assuredly say I need a slight reprieve from Dubstep and its siblings. Captain Morgan and Jack Sparrow are a dangerous team. So we move on from rum and rumbling sub-bass to cinematic Rumba,* whose languid instrumentation and swingin rhythms form a perfect tonic for the recovering writer attempting to piece together what happened during his overly refreshed night.
First, to soundtrack the action itself, I recommend The Renaldo The Ensemble, an absurdly named absurdist theater troupe/recording group, whose not so absurdly named “Rumba” delivers a high-energy take perfect for reliving the night from hell. Crooning campy lounge lizard come-ons , The Renaldos’ joyfully post-modern take on the style helps recreate the absurdity of the past evening.
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Posted in Latin, Sach O | 1 Comment »
November 19th, 2009
Montreal Dubstep ambassador Komodo knows how to have a good time. The promoter and host of the city’s best bass music night, Komodo Dubs, is an infectious whirlwind of energy behind the decks–bouncing, swaying and generally acting like a one man cheerleader for Croydon’s musical offspring in the land of plaid shirts and bad indie bands. Taking the stage at Montreal’s SAT club/art-space with a sampler full of new material, Komodo’s spaced-out take on Dubstep was more live performance than DJ set, punctuated by live subbass courtesy of the man’s trademark didgeridoo and a fantastic interpretive dance piece by an uncredited artiste seemingly ripped straight out of 19th century opium dream. If all this sounds gimmicky on paper, rest assured that when powered by government-funded subwoofers (viva la socialism) and a Redman approved-blunt full of berry-blaster, the fusion of traditional Australian instrumentation, London-dread and Holy-Ghost dancing proved that a “DJ set” could be as theatrical and visually arresting as any other live performance. By the time the dancer took her bow, the crowd was almost too mesmerized to bounce to the high-energy riddims that ended the set. Almost.
Bravely named 19-year-old London headliner Sukh Knight on the other hand went straight for the jugular, attacking the crowd with a relentless barrage of skanking, high-energy half-step for the majority of his 90+ minutes on stage. Built mostly out of his own tracks including the devastatingly heavy Ganja (twice reloaded) and the Doggystyle sampling “Beneath your Blouse”, Sukh’s set was an exemplary demonstration of 2009 Dubstep at its best. Admittedly inspired by 90’s rap alums Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, the kid’s material is equal part menace and aggression, well suited for both head nodding and bouncing. Though electronic music’s chin-stroking set occasionally bemoans Dubstep’s current direction, it’s hard to argue with a packed room full of people losing their minds to the music, particularly when at least half of those people were straight dime pieces. Besides, the night’s biggest reaction may well have gone to the delirious tune “Sweet Shop: by Doctor P, a funky mix of acid house, D&B and wobble that proves that the genre’s multiple directions can not only coexist but also recombine into something even fresher and more exciting.
Download:
MP3: Sukh Knight – “Ganja Dub”
MP3: Sukh Knight-”Knight Life”
Posted in Dubstep, Sach O | 3 Comments »
November 18th, 2009
The label says “featuring Aarya,” but you’d be forgiven for mistaking the digitized vocalist on Guido’s newest A-side “Beautiful Complication” for yet another sheet of synths layered into the mix. Taking Autotune&B to its logical conclusion, the Bristol Wunderkind’s blend of early experimental Timbaland, Rave music euphoria and Dubstep heaviness smoothes over any roughness inherent in the track. The results practically negate the lyrical drama: this is seduction music for the medicated generation with production so shiny it should come with it’s own Pen & Pixel cover and Hype Williams video. With so many producers retreating to predictable Garage rhythms when faced with the onslaught of filthy half-step tunes now dominating the scene, it’s encouraging to see the Bristol kids finding a third way forward, keeping the swinging heaviness but saturating the high end with musical neon and much needed femininity.
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Posted in Purple, Guido, Sach O | No Comments »
