Month: April 2021

This was a very impressive album when it came out, as a release on Thievery Corporation’s Eighteenth Street Lounge. A hip-hop record from a German group was a bit out there, but it sure sounded great. I’ve been a fan on and off since, with a few more of their works around that time in the stack including one from member Kabanjak.

I picked Side B at random and enjoyed Worldwide once again, as the sole instrumental track on the side. It typifies their sound, with a great hip-hop beat, samples, and the whole lot. It’s very, very easy to listen to but also rewarding to hear.

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This tidy little EP was a neat find and I’m glad that I stumbled upon it, then found it amongst some other oddities in a side stash. It typifies an era of his career that I look upon fondly and distills some of the essence into a compact EP. Side B looked good, and I really enjoyed the feel of Wherever You Are on this listen.

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This is a very interesting LP because it was produced entirely by El-P, much to his initial resistance, because Mike was very insistent and persistent. At that time El was preparing his own solo album, Cancer 4 Cure, and found himself going between NYC and ATL producing two records. The good thing is that both C4C and R.A.P Music were excellent records and critical hits, but their friendship created Run the Jewels because of it. Neither has done a solo project since.

I chose Side B for the listen tonight and I was immediately struck by Don’t Die, a track about the police, corruption, and people put in terrible situations. It is, unfortunately, evergreen in our modern times and I couldn’t ignore that relevance.

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This is a neat live session recorded in 1958 at a night club in NYC. Pretty good sound, though Dave’s piano could be a bit louder, but with Paul Desmond on the alto sax as bright as you’d want it, that’s okay. Side B’s pick of the night was Indiana, with a wonderful Desmond performance and Brubeck at his coolest. A marvelous, swinging bass and drum line throughout and I felt a bit like I was there…

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This debut solo release from El-P brings a lot of memories, and it also shows me how much El’s production is similar, but much more evolved and sharper with newer work like Run the Jewels. The vibe from Company Flow’s Funcrusher Plus and Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein feel close, with the unique characteristics El layers in to the tracks on Side 1B, with my pick being Dead Disnee. So much to enjoy here for those who appreciate more eclectic production and vicious bars.

This is especially interesting because El-P sat (virtually) with fellow MC and producer Open Mike Eagle for the second season of What Had Happened Was on Stony Island’s podcast network and has been discussing his career. It’s very interesting and worth your time: OPEN MIKE EAGLE — PODCAST

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This album slides a bit under the radar and slots between the energy of Blue Lines and the smooth brilliance of Mezzanine, and achieves a lot. It was one of my first introductions to Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl, and the intro track on Side A features her beautiful and emotional vocals on Protection. It’s a story of strength and love and changing roles, all over an incredible and simple drum track with a minimal guitar as accompaniment for Tracey.

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This was another neat Record Store Day pick back in 2014 because it’s an artist I’ve been following for years, it has remixes I’d played on the show, and those featured artists like ODESZA, Blue Sky Black Death, and Emancipator. Oh, and it’s a 2×10″ EP, which is really weird.

Side A was the spin this time around and the intro track Lost and Found is everything I like in this corner of music. Really nice percussion, neat vocal samples, and some heavy synth work. Done!

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Newport Jazz Festival has been a staple of the genre for decades, and the late 50s were a joyous time to be an attendee. This is one of a small handful of records in the collection from this time period, and the atmosphere is incredible. This brings together many of the all stars of brass and while it only features five tracks, they do a lot in that time. Side A features an introduction and then gets into I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me, which is a long train of solos, but is my pick on this side. It’s always fascinating to hear takes from masters of their instrument during a period or intense but friendly competition.

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In the modern world of instrumental artists who mix in vocals, Bonobo is a big player, and The North Borders came out at a time when an album like this fit in very well. Everyone has heard at least one track from this album. Side 4 was my choice, and I knew that Sapphire was going to be a tough track to top, but I’d forgotten how much I love Transits. It’s lush from the start, and makes it’s case, and then the vocals by Szjerdene come in nearly halfway through the track and it’s a no-brainer at that point. Lovely panned ambient sounds and a tapestry of instruments and texture.

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