| In the Jungle Groove | October 16, 2013 |
Max Bell is also a scholar of the early work of Jungle from Queensbridge. There’s a treasure trove of Bandcamp gems waiting to be mined. And, like once-lost ‘45s spun by the likes of Peanut Butter Wolf and Dam-Funk, someday there will be a group of digital diggers unsatisfied with their cloud storage and Spotify […]
| The Souls of Mischief Mixes | October 10, 2013 |
Max Bell has a Hieroglyphics baseball bat. Jeff’s already said all that need be said about Souls of Mischief and their canonical LP 93 ’til Infinity (read here), which is 20 years young and still worth many cab fares, a concert review, and more. Thus, though the words Bridget, frigid, and midget are forever linked in […]
| Is There a Ghetto in Heaven: Killa Cam’s New Mixtape | October 8, 2013 |
Max Bell used to get it in Sherman Oaks. Cam’ron’s Ghetto Heaven Vol. 1 is here. No more rumors. No delays. The first official Cam’ron solo project since Crime Pays, expectations were high for those with pink Avirex Jackets and rhinestone studded throwbacks gathering dust in their closets. Thankfully, Cam has come back as real […]
| Friends of Friends: Kyson and Perera Elsewhere | October 1, 2013 |
Max Bell is elsewhere. The beat scene and R&B were interwined long before people with waxed handlebar mustaches and perfectly coifed hair (undoubtedly) felt the need to ironically classify it as “PBR&B.” Whether it’s James Blake, How to Dress Well, or even some of the Weeknd’s muzak, the blending of the two won’t stop anytime […]
| The Atonement of Diego Bernal & Ernest Gonzales | September 20, 2013 |
Max Bell atoned for not celebrating Yom Kippur even though he’s not Jewish. Most instrumental albums suffer from a lack of cohesiveness. It’s the reason why I’m reluctant to check out most Bandcamp pages with the tag “beats” or “instrumental.” More often than not, you’re apt to find a bunch of half-completed sketches; dusty, dull, […]
| Action Bronson & Riff Raff Bring the Cocaine Nail Job | September 16, 2013 |
Max Bell is doing Jamaican dances. Sequels rarely live up to the original. For every Blues Brothers there’s a Blues Brothers 2000. You hope for the best yet end up disappointed, admiring the intent more than the product itself. Really, it’s a matter of capturing the spur of the moment, recording the perfect combination of […]
| Cam’ron Still Killing | September 11, 2013 |
Max Bell gets puters putin. There’s no predicting when Cam’ron’s Killa Season 2 will drop. There have been talks of its release since 2011. At this point, it may go the way of Detox and never hit the shelves or your preferred digital streaming/download service. It might also fade into obscurity like Gunz n’ Butta, […]
| The Way of London’s The Melodic | September 3, 2013 |
Max Bell has a hellhound on his trail. Like the blues or funk, folk is a genre where the standards are often only redone well or redone with a twist. The Melodic haven’t reinvented the wheel yet, but they’re definitely forging their own finger plucking, soul-trembling path. Hailing from the South London neighborhood of Brixton, […]
| Eminem Goes Berzerker | August 28, 2013 |
Max Bell prefers Clarence Carter to Billy Squier. Eminem knows Recovery should be filed under pop, not hip-hop. So with “Berzerk,” Em claims he’s going to “take it back to straight hip-hop.” It’s a move in the right direction, but now that he’s as old as the genre itself he’s gone too far back. He’s on […]
| The Savage Planet Discotheque of Computer Jay | August 14, 2013 |
Max Bell made it to level 3. If there’s a planet suspended in the funkmosphere between Dam-Funk and Gaslamp Killer, that’s where you’ll find Jason Taylor, A.K.A. Computer Jay. The Echo Park-based producer turned mad robotic synth scientist has been doing his thing in the L.A. beat scene for years. He’s played keyboard for Dam-Funk’s group […]
