Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Flying Lotus
Late-night caffeine can often make sentences that sound coherent to the writer virtually impossible to understand for the reader. Bottom-line? I work too much. But when inspiration knocks, you’ve got to answer the door. Still, even within that late-night train wreck, my final paragraph had some great points that I want to elaborate on, specifically with my newfound fascination with Flying Lotus.
Flying Lotus is a one-man show. He is more or less a DJ with some great reviews as a producer and beat maker. I think that for many fans of the LA hip hop scene, we are always looking for the next Madlib or DJ Shadow (I will post many, many things on them in the future if you don’t already know the names). California claims to be the most forward thinking state and in terms of Hip Hop, I believe they truly are. First, you need to understand the history of what Flying Lotus is really trying to embody, and why with only major release he already has a huge fan base equal to that of his detractors.
As luck would have it, “Endtroducing...” was actually the first CD I would ever buy. I saw it in the alternative section at Best Buy when I was a little kid back in 1996. I don’t know if I buy into it being fate or not, but it sure is an awful coincidence that it is one of my all time favorite CDs. I remember thinking that DJ Shadow was the coolest name I could think of. If you (whoever you are dear reader) ever see this on vinyl, I will pay you handsomely for it.
So why should you care about a record from twelve years ago (man I feel old these days)? It is still in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first album to be made entirely of samples. Basically, it was the first album pieced together by mixing different pieces of old records. A drum line from an old jazz beat, an organ from Beethoven, spoken word from a collectors set, etc. Check out my favorite track “Organ Donor” here.
DJ Shadow added to what would latter be labeled as “Trip Hop”. Trip hop was a global phenom that especially took hold in the UK. Even though he refuses to allow his music to be classified in this manner (“I wanted to add to the library of Hip Hop. I don’t want to be grouped in this fake genre created by the media”) he is overwhelmingly reduced to just that. But seriously, I understand his point. If experimental hip hop has to be put into a sub-genre just to be considered hip hop, that means that only pop hip hop is actually that kind of music. It would seem to discourage development into new areas (ie. Sounds) that I think would set the industry back. If anything, we need more experimental music rather than less.
Next up: Madlib. Madlib really pushed the creative limits of hip-hop early on as well. I’ve already gone into J Dilla a little here, but the idea is similar: using unique samples to create a whole new style of hip-hop. Check out Accordion by Madvillain (aka Madlib on production with MF Doom MCing). Think about 2002. Air Force Ones by freaking Nelly is the number one song in the nation. Imagine the courage it took to produce an underground experimental record that flew in the face of commercial hip-hop. It was like raising your hand and saying, “Actually, I don’t want to make money….”
Finally, we have Flying Lotus. What does he bring to the table? Now that really is the question. I would very loosely say DJ Shadow added the ambient sound, Madlib added the jazz sound, and Flylo adds electro (and his own interpretation of both of the others). In terms of sales, message boards, and DJ playlists it would appear the target audience for this music (i.e. Producers, DJs, whatever I am) agree that for all of the hype of being labeled the next big LA producer brings, Flylo comes correct on his latest release.
As a side note: Please support innovative artists (such as Flylo) by purchasing music like this rather than just downloading it. The more we steal music, the cheaper it becomes to us.
Flying Lotus is a one-man show. He is more or less a DJ with some great reviews as a producer and beat maker. I think that for many fans of the LA hip hop scene, we are always looking for the next Madlib or DJ Shadow (I will post many, many things on them in the future if you don’t already know the names). California claims to be the most forward thinking state and in terms of Hip Hop, I believe they truly are. First, you need to understand the history of what Flying Lotus is really trying to embody, and why with only major release he already has a huge fan base equal to that of his detractors.
As luck would have it, “Endtroducing...” was actually the first CD I would ever buy. I saw it in the alternative section at Best Buy when I was a little kid back in 1996. I don’t know if I buy into it being fate or not, but it sure is an awful coincidence that it is one of my all time favorite CDs. I remember thinking that DJ Shadow was the coolest name I could think of. If you (whoever you are dear reader) ever see this on vinyl, I will pay you handsomely for it.
So why should you care about a record from twelve years ago (man I feel old these days)? It is still in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first album to be made entirely of samples. Basically, it was the first album pieced together by mixing different pieces of old records. A drum line from an old jazz beat, an organ from Beethoven, spoken word from a collectors set, etc. Check out my favorite track “Organ Donor” here.
DJ Shadow added to what would latter be labeled as “Trip Hop”. Trip hop was a global phenom that especially took hold in the UK. Even though he refuses to allow his music to be classified in this manner (“I wanted to add to the library of Hip Hop. I don’t want to be grouped in this fake genre created by the media”) he is overwhelmingly reduced to just that. But seriously, I understand his point. If experimental hip hop has to be put into a sub-genre just to be considered hip hop, that means that only pop hip hop is actually that kind of music. It would seem to discourage development into new areas (ie. Sounds) that I think would set the industry back. If anything, we need more experimental music rather than less.
Next up: Madlib. Madlib really pushed the creative limits of hip-hop early on as well. I’ve already gone into J Dilla a little here, but the idea is similar: using unique samples to create a whole new style of hip-hop. Check out Accordion by Madvillain (aka Madlib on production with MF Doom MCing). Think about 2002. Air Force Ones by freaking Nelly is the number one song in the nation. Imagine the courage it took to produce an underground experimental record that flew in the face of commercial hip-hop. It was like raising your hand and saying, “Actually, I don’t want to make money….”
Finally, we have Flying Lotus. What does he bring to the table? Now that really is the question. I would very loosely say DJ Shadow added the ambient sound, Madlib added the jazz sound, and Flylo adds electro (and his own interpretation of both of the others). In terms of sales, message boards, and DJ playlists it would appear the target audience for this music (i.e. Producers, DJs, whatever I am) agree that for all of the hype of being labeled the next big LA producer brings, Flylo comes correct on his latest release.
As a side note: Please support innovative artists (such as Flylo) by purchasing music like this rather than just downloading it. The more we steal music, the cheaper it becomes to us.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Catch Up
Crushing your hit in 30 second or less-1-5 scale
Love in this Club-Usher-2
Beeper-Kid Sister-3
Black Stars-Sway-4
Real thang-EryKah Badu-4
Blame-Temposhark-1
Who is crushing it?
Everything. Ever-Portishead-5
Propane Nightmares-Pendulum-5
Schranz Music-Dark by Design con A Kidd-5
You Know the Sound-Far Too loud-5
Everything Flying Lotus has every touched, will touch, may touch-11. Dope. Flylo keeps the Coltrane in the family. I dropped scrilla to pick up his latest EP.
http://www.flying-lotus.com/destroy/
If you don't get it, you will.
Love in this Club-Usher-2
Beeper-Kid Sister-3
Black Stars-Sway-4
Real thang-EryKah Badu-4
Blame-Temposhark-1
Who is crushing it?
Everything. Ever-Portishead-5
Propane Nightmares-Pendulum-5
Schranz Music-Dark by Design con A Kidd-5
You Know the Sound-Far Too loud-5
Everything Flying Lotus has every touched, will touch, may touch-11. Dope. Flylo keeps the Coltrane in the family. I dropped scrilla to pick up his latest EP.
http://www.flying-lotus.com/destroy/
If you don't get it, you will.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Beat Street
Well, as my city floods, I have no choice but stay in and deliver up some tracks for you guys to check out. Tonight I'm going to talk about J Dilla.
I often get into a debate with hip hop heads about who is the greatest MC of all time. Considering most of them rest this blog, I'm not going to get into it again. What I CAN do is talk about producers. Beat makers. The men behind the music.
So why J Dilla? First of all, I'm going to spare you the BS and link you over to Wikipedia for general background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Dilla
Quick run through of the things that make a difference. Detriot boy. Grew up on 7 mile. R.I.P. He spent his final days in a hospital bed making the album "Donuts" which is a masterpiece.
Next note of importance is "Champion Sound" with Madlib (group called Jaylib). The group was called by many critiques "your favorite hip hop producer's favorite producers" first on Pitchfork and was then picked up by other media.
Finally, Ruff Draft which is more of less the leftovers and unmade beats from his career. While there are other great things that he did (chart topping songs with many artists, other albums like Jay Love Japan) I think these three albums represent the best J dilla has to offer.
Thankfully, you don't need to be in my apartment to hear these amazing albums. Enough time has passed for You Tube to contain many, many great songs from these albums. Give it a listen.
I suggest the following tracks: The Shining, Last Donut of the Night, Workinonit, Two Can Win, and Bye.
I feel like I could ride off into space with his beats. The use of strange Jazz loops, soft electro, and solid D&B makes his music trully amazing.
On a different note (and I think a fairly easy connection) check out my FAVORITE new group right now out of LA doing a J Dilla tribute!
I often get into a debate with hip hop heads about who is the greatest MC of all time. Considering most of them rest this blog, I'm not going to get into it again. What I CAN do is talk about producers. Beat makers. The men behind the music.
So why J Dilla? First of all, I'm going to spare you the BS and link you over to Wikipedia for general background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Dilla
Quick run through of the things that make a difference. Detriot boy. Grew up on 7 mile. R.I.P. He spent his final days in a hospital bed making the album "Donuts" which is a masterpiece.
Next note of importance is "Champion Sound" with Madlib (group called Jaylib). The group was called by many critiques "your favorite hip hop producer's favorite producers" first on Pitchfork and was then picked up by other media.
Finally, Ruff Draft which is more of less the leftovers and unmade beats from his career. While there are other great things that he did (chart topping songs with many artists, other albums like Jay Love Japan) I think these three albums represent the best J dilla has to offer.
Thankfully, you don't need to be in my apartment to hear these amazing albums. Enough time has passed for You Tube to contain many, many great songs from these albums. Give it a listen.
I suggest the following tracks: The Shining, Last Donut of the Night, Workinonit, Two Can Win, and Bye.
I feel like I could ride off into space with his beats. The use of strange Jazz loops, soft electro, and solid D&B makes his music trully amazing.
On a different note (and I think a fairly easy connection) check out my FAVORITE new group right now out of LA doing a J Dilla tribute!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Back.
I know it's been a while. Too long, really. Bad news is: no real time for a new post yet. The great news is: I think I bought ~20 new vinyl that I can show off and review for you.
Also-my dream and goal is to set up a way to put music on the internet from my life vinyl mixes. I have yet to find a great way to do this that won't cost me a few hundred dollars.
As for right now....you should be listening to the violent, passionate, and totally stripped down new roots EP. Start to finish. A lot of the tracks just have drums, bass, and quiet synth. Best album of the year so far IMHO.
Also-my dream and goal is to set up a way to put music on the internet from my life vinyl mixes. I have yet to find a great way to do this that won't cost me a few hundred dollars.
As for right now....you should be listening to the violent, passionate, and totally stripped down new roots EP. Start to finish. A lot of the tracks just have drums, bass, and quiet synth. Best album of the year so far IMHO.
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