Brooklyn’s Joey Bada$$ throws MC skill and Mos Def-ish sing-song rhymes over an unreleased J Dilla beat. “Two Lips” is available only via limited edition vinyl by Akomplice Clothing in order to raise… Continue reading
Matthew Herbert is the Dr. Seuss of beats. Far be it from him to wearily patch in an overused drum sample, percussion for Herbert means recording the clanging of a wrench on the… Continue reading
In preparation for my podcast, I usually shuffle a load of potential song candidates on my car stereo to see which ingredients are truly fit for the gourmet audio soup that is the… Continue reading
Alabama-born, West Chicago MC Mick Jenkins‘ laid-back yet perfectly controlled flow possesses an eery similarity to Ghostpoet‘s 3am drawl. Mick Jenkins – “The Roots” (Official Video) Download Mick Jenkins’ Trees &… Continue reading
Oakland, CA’s Tom Cascino is Broke for Free. His remix of Sufjan Stevens’ “Sister Winter” is underpinned by a string of simple yet delightful tumbling drum rolls and throbbing piano pulses, making the… Continue reading
Fitz Ambro$e originates from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada and currently lives in Tokyo. Here he teams up with Richmond, Virginia’s Ohbliv to produce Zen Vapors: a 14-track musical collage of beats,… Continue reading
My favorite track from the latest Project Mooncircle compilation is Melbourne, Australia’s Tom Day and Monsoonsiren’s elegant and epic “Elegiac.” Tom Day & Monsoonsiren – “Elegiac” Download the 33-track… Continue reading
My favorite track from Gilles Peterson‘s latest Brownswood Bubblers comp. This subtle jazz-soul stomper has the Mahogani sound all over it. Paul Hill – “Need Me Some U” Saturday sun-filled… Continue reading
My new favorite tune from Lost Midas, the very talented beat producer and songwriter, sporting an impressive mustache and an even more impressive, next-level, Minority Report-filmed-in-Silverlake, hipster edition of Google Glass in the video… Continue reading
Minimal, exquisite tech-house from Japan’s Rondenion aka Hirofumi Goto with a beat that sounds like it was made entirely from bubbles and baby elephant tusks. Rondenion – “Bialowieza” Rondenion‘s Soul… Continue reading
“Ironworks” by L.A.’s Will Wiesenfeld bka Baths melds melancholy piano, bittersweet strings, and aching falsetto vocals with a beat that sounds like it was crafted by recording a fist gently smashing a matchstick… Continue reading
Effervescent jazz bass noodler Thundercat returns with a Flying Lotus-produced second album and a wonderfully catchy, soulful first single, “Heartbreaks + Setbacks.” Thundercat – “Heartbreaks + Setbacks” (Produced by Flying Lotus) … Continue reading
Fractal factories of 1950s Americana click and whir in this kaleidoscopic dicing and splicing of Norman Rockwell’s cerebral cortex that sounds light, gentle, and benign, just as the song’s title would suggest. For… Continue reading
Too early? Cornershop ft TRWBADOR – “Every Year So Different” (Official Video) From director Chris Curtis: “The song inspired me to go down a rabbit hole of bygone, bucolic happenings and… Continue reading
LA’s Jason Chung is the somewhat palindromic Nosaj Thing. Nosaj Thing – “Eclipse/Blue” (Official Video) “Eclipse/Blue” features vocals by Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino. It is the first single off Nosaj Thing‘s… Continue reading
Only five songs deep on his Soundcloud page, Manchester, UK producer Werkha has created some Francophonic Brainfeeder-ish brilliance with his song “Le Roitelet.” It starts off simple enough, but it’s the Debruit-esque bass… Continue reading
17-year-old Flatbush, Brooklyn native Joey Bada$$ continues to shine with his tight and talented throwback rap. Joey Bada$$ ft Chuck Strangers – “Fromdatomb$” (Official Video) Joey Bada$$‘s latest mixtape featuring his… Continue reading
Future organic garage and dubstep rhythms from Leeds, UK live electronic seven-piece Submotion Orchestra. They join the ranks of my top-rated, best-loved Orchestras, which include Cinematic, Hidden, and BBC Concert. What Reprazent are… Continue reading
South African emcees and kwaito specialists Ruffest (pictured below) meet South London Hyperdub beatsmiths LV. This one has some serious bounce.
Free newness from the Slinger. Star Slinger – “Take this Up” (Free Download) Love the explosion of four-to-the-floor house sunshine at 2min 24sec.
If you ever need to mix your way out of Massive Attack’s “Blue Lines” into a lazy saxophone lounge jazz set, this one is for you. Get Down Edits – “Sneakin’ In… Continue reading
Queens, NY rapper and Stones Throw signee Homeboy Sandman shares his story. The Boy Sand‘s full-length debut album First of a Living Breed is released on September 18.
This beat. “When you appreciate someone else’s art, it makes your art better.”
Late-night boom-clap. More from Swiss beat-chef Chief here.
While. I’m Not. Always. In. The Mood For. Spoken. Word. Poetry, this is pretty good. Superb soul-jazz beats and bass with a voice and flow that recalls a younger, laid-back Ursula Rucker. … Continue reading
Love this one from Cork, Ireland producer Colm K that reworks Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle.” With that expertly-lifted retro sample and vinyl crackle, it sounds like something the Avalanches might… Continue reading
One of my favorite Dilla beats. So very simple, and so very good, despite the fact that this audio sounds like a ninth-generation radio rip or a recording on an extremely worn-out cassette.… Continue reading
Loving this Nu Zealand nu soul with a groove that’s heavily indebted to the L.A. beat scene. Must be something in the sunshine.
