#54/100 – Purity Ring – Shrines

Discogs calls this “synth-pop” and I agree, a little, but it has so many triplets that there should be a trap note in there somewhere. Another of my late friend Carl’s collection, this one always intrigues me for a few reasons. The song titles are mostly compound words. The singer is very well mixed in but her range is in fixed notes. So. Many Triplets. Lots of synths done pretty well. It’s like Sylvan Esso, but a little earlier and not as good.

Side B was my pick because I’d heard it less, but I was surprised after listening to Saltkin and then finding it was produced by Jon Hopkins, who I am familiar with. It really sounded better produced, and more coherent, but without sounding different. It was my pick of the side amongst some other pretty neat tracks.

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#53/100 – Joe Gibbs & Friends – The Reggae Train

This is one of a very few reggae records I’ve picked up over the years, but it’s certainly an interesting one that I really enjoyed listening to. Side A is full of nine tracks and it was a bit tricky to pick from, but the final track on the side, the only instrumental, really felt the best. Soulful Mood capped off a really fun listen. Notable mentions to Trust the Book and Man A Wall also.

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#52/100 – Computer Magic – Electric Fences

A neat little EP on white vinyl, this is one of a handful of records that I got from KWCR over the years, whether directly or indirectly. I picked it partially because I’m pretty sure I’d never listened to it, but knew a little bit about the band. It’s a nice blend of pop rock and electro, so Side A’s Found Out was what I expected and was pretty nice to listen to. Simple. Easy.

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#51/100 – Ancient Astronauts – Into Bass and Time

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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#49/100 – Killer Mike – R.A.P Music

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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#48/100 – Dave Brubeck – Red Hot and Cool

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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#47/100 – Com Truise – Wave 1

This EP has always been a favorite, as it bridges the eras of the Com Truise sound. Galactic Melt always divided me, and Wave 1 was more the sound I liked on that album, which is a stepping stone to Iteration and Persuasion System. Listening to Side A, it was very, very hard to pick between the lovely bass-driven Mind and the sublime excellence of Subsonic, but the latter has to be my track pick. It’s just so good.

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#46/100 – El-P – Fantastic Damage

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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#45/100 – Massive Attack – Protection

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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